trct_49

Chapter 49: The Banquet

The sky during plum rain season seemed perpetually overcast; even without rain falling, by around four in the afternoon it had already grown as dim as dusk.

The evening banquet was held in the ballroom of the Lu family residence. By the time Ji Qingzhou entered together with the Jie family, the lavishly and elegantly decorated ballroom had already gathered quite a number of guests.

Looking around, there were men and women both, as well as some Westerners. The men were all dressed in Western suits without exception, while the women's attire varied more—most also wore Western dresses, silk stockings, and heels, though a small number of ladies wore the new-style qipao paired with elaborate shawls.

"How curious. A couple of years back, you wouldn't have seen anyone showing up to this kind of banquet in a robe." After entering the ballroom, Shen Nanqi, who had noticed these same details, leaned close to Ji Qingzhou and remarked.

Even though, at present, men's robe-and-jacket and women's skirt-and-jacket were the government-mandated formal national attire for official occasions, wearing a long robe and mandarin jacket to a Western-style evening banquet still didn't quite match the atmosphere of the event.

And yet, curiously, this new-style qipao appearing at the banquet didn't strike anyone as out of place at all.

Largely because, while built on a traditional foundation, it had absorbed the fitted, body-conscious structure of Western clothing, and so it didn't feel jarring even at an event like this.

"That would be the trend you started, Auntie," Ji Qingzhou replied.

"Oh, you—always going on about this and that..." Shen Nanqi shook her head with a smile.

Jie Jianshan was a regular at this sort of occasion; his face was one known to virtually everyone in Shanghai's social elite circles. Before they'd even made it through the front door, he'd already been approached for conversation several times along the way, and once inside the main hall, guests came up to greet him in an unbroken stream.

Lu Shunxing, as the master of this residence, had been waiting at the ballroom entrance the whole while, greeting any familiar-looking guest with a few words of welcome as they arrived.

Since Jie Jianshan was both an old friend of his and an important guest he'd invited to the banquet, the moment the two men met, they launched into an exchange of mutual business flattery, one line after another.

Being a nobody in this kind of conversation between big shots, Ji Qingzhou naturally couldn't get a word in edgewise. Still, since he was a new face Jie Jianshan had brought along, Mr. Lu had nodded a greeting toward him at the start as well.

Later, as more and more figures from the business and political world crowded around, Shen Nanqi, seeing that the two men wouldn't be free anytime soon, gestured for Ji Qingzhou to bring Jie Yu'an and go on in with her first.

And so the family split into two groups—Jie Jianshan and Jie Yuchuan occupied with business socializing, while Shen Nanqi took the two younger ones to handle their share of social obligations.

Shen Nanqi's outfit tonight was truly eye-catching; the moment she entered the ballroom, Ji Qingzhou could clearly sense everyone's gazes converging on her.

"Stealing the whole show, Auntie," Ji Qingzhou teased lightly.

Shen Nanqi's eyes, beneath the brim of her hat, turned toward him. "Talk less tonight," she said helplessly, "and even when you do, don't let me hear it."

"Okay." Ji Qingzhou obediently agreed, making a zipping gesture over his own mouth.

Inside the oak-paneled ballroom, an opulent chandelier composed of countless teardrop-shaped crystals cast a dazzling, radiant light across the entire hall.

The wide-brimmed straw hat Shen Nanqi wore was already striking and eye-catching on its own, and the white embroidered gown she wore radiated a lustrous, pearl-like glow all over.

The loose-cut sleeves and full, flowing skirt combined a relaxed softness with elegant dignity, while the semi-transparent embroidered silk chiffon overlay softened the overly strong sheen of the taffeta lining underneath—much like wearing a reflector board on her body, it set off her skin as smooth and radiant as jade, giving her a glowing complexion that was both fashionably modern and strikingly luminous.

From the moment they'd entered, numerous wives and young ladies had already had their attention drawn by her fresh, elegant attire.

The instant Shen Nanqi began socializing with the ladies she knew, others swiftly seized the chance to come over and greet her as well.

Half of them came to exchange pleasantries and get acquainted with the two talented young men behind her; the other half simply came to compliment her outfit, and, in passing, ask for the contact details of her Western clothing shop.

To the people in this particular social circle, both Jie Yu'an and Ji Qingzhou were unmistakably new faces.

Though Shen Nanqi hadn't reached any explicit agreement with Ji Qingzhou beforehand, she still made a point, while introducing them, of casually mentioning where her own gown had come from.

And so, in the span of just ten or twenty minutes, Ji Qingzhou had already handed out seven or eight name cards, feeling deeply that his business would soon be taken to a whole new level—and all thanks to Madam Shen's support in promoting him.

"Nanqi! Oh my, it really is you!"

No sooner had the two ladies who'd come to chat with them left than another lady appeared, gliding gracefully over, dressed in a black brocade-weave satin qipao with a white embroidered silk shawl draped over her shoulders.

At first, Ji Qingzhou only found her face somewhat familiar, not quite placing her right away—it was only upon noticing the tasseled trim along the hem of her qipao that he realized she was none other than Shen Nanqi's old classmate, Madam Wang.

And the qipao she wore was, in fact, one he had made with his own hands.

"The moment I walked in, I spotted a lovely beauty, bright and radiant as the moon hanging in the sky, and was just about to go introduce myself, only to get closer and realize it was my old classmate, you're looking absolutely gorgeous today."

"Went looking to meet a lovely beauty, and it turned out to just be your old friend, quite the disappointment, isn't it?"

Shen Nanqi teased, then shifted the subject, looking her over. "Speaking of which, you're looking rather refined and elegant yourself today."

"Oh, hardly—just an ordinary qipao, and even that was made by your nephew."

Madam Wang exchanged a glance of greeting with Ji Qingzhou, then lowered her voice slightly and said, "It's all my poor memory's fault, forgot to prepare a proper gown. Went through my whole closet, and this was the only thing I hadn't already worn out somewhere, so I figured I'd just keep it low-key today. Who knew that pairing it with a shawl would actually turn out looking quite presentable, Mr. Ji's skills really are something else."

"It looks plenty refined to me. If you hadn't said anything, who would've guessed it was just thrown together on a whim?"

Shen Nanqi agreed, then, out of habit, began advertising again. "What a coincidence, this outfit of mine was made by him too. Quite over-the-top, isn't it? If he hadn't talked me into it with all sorts of persuading, I really wouldn't have dared to step out in a hat this flamboyant."

"What's flamboyant about it? It's gorgeous." Madam Wang couldn't resist reaching out to touch the exquisite bow ribbon on her hat.

Being someone with a taste for the extravagant by nature, she genuinely, wholeheartedly loved this hat of Shen Nanqi's.

"Oh, if only I'd known Mr. Ji was this skilled at Western-style dressmaking, I really should have had another gown made with him last time."

"Well, that's this elder's own failing then, for not promoting him properly to you..."

The two old classmates went on chatting back and forth without end, leaving Ji Qingzhou and Jie Yu'an with no choice but to stand off to the side, waiting like a pair of bodyguards.

Just then, a familiar, spirited female voice suddenly called out "Mr. Ji!" from behind him.

Ji Qingzhou turned around and saw a cluster of young girls gathered together, giggling and laughing.

Among them was a tall, slender young woman with lovely features, dressed in a white wide-collared Hangzhou silk blouse and a black high-waisted, double-breasted fitted mermaid skirt. Her hair was piled up high, parted to the side with bangs pinned back by a silver-thread butterfly hairpin, and a delicate strand of pearls sat around her neck—her overall look striking a balance between youthful restraint and refined elegance.

It was, unmistakably, his regular client, Miss Shi Xuanman.

Running into an old client at this banquet was quite a rare treat, and seeing Shi Xuanman approach him in her heels, Ji Qingzhou prepared to go over and exchange a few pleasantries.

"Ran into someone I know, going to say hello," he said quickly, leaning close to Jie Yu'an. But no sooner had he turned around, before he'd even taken a step, than his wrist was seized tightly by the person beside him.

Assuming Jie Yu'an simply lacked a sense of security in public settings, Ji Qingzhou patted his arm reassuringly. "Really, I'll just say hello and come right back."

Jie Yu'an, however, still didn't let go, and in the brief few seconds of this standoff, Shi Xuanman had already walked right up to Ji Qingzhou.

She greeted him with a smile: "Good evening, Mr. Ji. And who's this beside you?"

"Jie Yu'an." Ji Qingzhou gave a brief introduction, nudging Jie Yu'an's shoulder to prompt him to turn around. "He just returned from abroad recently, recovering from an injury. His eyes are a bit impaired, so please don't take offense."

"Oh, so this is Young Master Jie. How do you do."

Shi Xuanman offered a polite greeting, but Jie Yu'an merely gave a cold nod toward empty air.

Shi Xuanman didn't mind, though—one could hardly expect impeccable manners from a blind man.

She glanced at Jie Yu'an's hand, still gripping tightly at Ji Qingzhou's wrist, and privately felt a pang of pity for him. Such a tall, handsome man, and yet with his eyes injured, having to rely on someone else even for everyday movement—truly pitiable...

Still, none of this was any concern of hers. Shi Xuanman soon shook off the thought and said with a bright smile, "What does Mr. Ji think of my outfit today? Did it do your design justice?"

"Stunning, of course." Ji Qingzhou looked her over carefully and replied, "This piece is rather particular about who wears it. Without a slim figure like yours, it'd be genuinely hard to bring out its charm."

The classic black-and-white color scheme was hard to get wrong, but it wasn't easy to wear well either.

Especially since this skirt had been designed around an idealized figure's curves—the high-waisted design could visually lengthen the legs, but for someone lacking sufficient height, it could just as easily end up looking top-heavy.

Shi Xuanman, as it happened, had exactly the right build for it. Her perfectly proportioned hip width and long, slender legs brought out the beauty of this cinched-waist, fitted mermaid gown to perfection. Likewise, the gown's beauty reflected back onto her, making her especially elegant and commanding today.

"That's just my good eye for fashion, then, any piece I pick out at first sight is bound to suit me."

Shi Xuanman said this with a smile in her eyes, then, suddenly remembering her classmates were still waiting for her, said briskly, "If you have a moment later, Mr. Ji, you could stop by the lounge next door. I have some news to tell you."

"Is it about that matter I asked you to keep an eye out for?"

"Mm, see you in a bit!"

With that, she waved at Ji Qingzhou and turned to hurry back to her classmates.

Having finished greeting her, Ji Qingzhou was just about to turn and check whether Shen Nanqi had finished her conversation when he heard the male voice beside him say, neither warm nor cold, "Business seems to be booming."

"I am pretty busy, only just noticing today?"

"Should I expect Miss Lu to come thank you too, later?"

Ji Qingzhou caught the implication behind his words, chuckled, and said with a sigh, "That would all be thanks to Madam Shen promoting me."

Honestly, he himself was somewhat surprised that so many ladies at tonight's banquet happened to be wearing clothes he'd made, but thinking it over, it made sense—it simply came down to overlapping social circles.

After all, both Madam Wang and Miss Shi were clients Shen Nanqi had personally introduced to him, and Miss Lu, who had yet to make her appearance, happened to be Miss Shi's classmate. The social circle of the elite was, in the end, only so large, and everyone was bound to be connected in some way or another.

No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than the room suddenly fell quiet.

Ji Qingzhou instinctively turned his head, and saw the inner doors of the ballroom open, with Chen Yanzhu leading tonight's guest of honor slowly into the room, drawing the gazes of all the assembled guests.

Perhaps so as not to outshine her daughter, Chen Yanzhu had dressed quite understatedly today, so naturally it was Miss Lu who commanded all the attention.

To Ji Qingzhou, that iris-patterned gown was already as familiar as could be, but to the guests present who were seeing it for the very first time, it appeared breathtakingly lovely and splendid.

Lu Xueying had also styled her hair today into a deceptively simple high updo, revealing her slender, fair neck, with two small curls pinned at her temples from the side-swept bangs—sweet, yet touched with a hint of soft allure.

The lines of the fitted gown rippled and swayed naturally with the movement of her body, its layered sheer skirt panels stitched together with shimmering gold-threaded ribbon, the swallowtail hem—short in front, long in back—light and elegant while still retaining a sense of dignity.

Her entire look tonight, from the smoky-hued halter gown, to the dark gold silk shawl draping to her knees, to the trailing hem sweeping the floor, all conveyed a quiet, understated luxury.

The one exception was the pair of bright pink heels on her feet, which at first glance seemed slightly out of place—but if anything, this lent the otherwise mature ensemble an extra touch of youthful, innocent charm.

A young woman in the full bloom of her youth, her makeup done to flawless, exquisite perfection—once dressed in her full finery, she was like a flower just on the verge of blooming, fragrant and captivating, beyond words to capture.

Most of the guests present had, until now, still thought of Lu Xueying as little more than a pretty, spoiled young girl, but this dazzling entrance tonight genuinely changed quite a few people's impressions of her—only now realizing just how beautiful and poised this young girl had grown to be.

Lu Xueying was, herself, quite pleased with the guests' reactions. As her gaze drifted through the room, it landed on Ji Qingzhou standing by the dessert table, and she instinctively gave a small smile toward the tailor who had crafted her coming-of-age look, as a gesture of thanks.

Shortly after, Lu Shunxing walked to the center of the gathering and delivered a brief speech for the coming-of-age ceremony.

As the live music shifted, tonight's ball officially began, with the first dance performed by the newly-of-age Miss Lu and her father.

This dance signified that the daughter had now come of age, gradually able to step outside her family's supervision, gain greater autonomy, and take on the responsibilities of adulthood.

The gown's trailing hem design wasn't especially convenient for dancing, but fortunately, the upper half of the skirt was light and full, and the train itself wasn't long, merely trailing lightly along the floor, not interfering with the gentle steps of the ballroom dance.

The guests had already been dazzled by Lu Xueying's splendid attire earlier, but once she began to dance, they discovered that Miss Lu could be even more beautiful still.

Her dance steps were light and relaxed, her bearing graceful and confident.

The dark gold satin ribbon design on her hem might as well have been made specifically for the dance floor. With every shift of her steps, every turn and tilt of her weight, the flexible hem swung back and forth in response.

Beneath the lights, the gold glinted and shimmered, like golden butterflies fluttering in dance, radiant and dazzling—truly a feast for the eyes.

Ji Qingzhou didn't push into the crowd, nor did he join the dancing. Having watched the first dance and admired his own handiwork, he pulled Jie Yu'an over to a corner of the ballroom, picked up two plates of fruit pudding, gave one to Jie Yu'an, and leaned against the wall to eat the dessert with him.

Watching Miss Lu, surrounded and adored by the guests like stars around the moon, Ji Qingzhou nudged Jie Yu'an's arm lightly. "Hey, did you hear the cheers just now?"

"What about it?"

"Nothing much, just a shame, really. Someone here can't see my dazzling handiwork that's got the whole room in awe. Truly missing out."

Jie Yu'an gave an ambiguous little scoff, seeming entirely unbothered.

"Didn't you meet Miss Lu once when you two were kids? Want to go say hello later?"

"Don't remember."

Hearing this, Ji Qingzhou clicked his tongue lightly. "Honestly, with a confirmed-bachelor temperament like yours, you really ought to thank your grandmother properly—without her, you'd never manage to get yourself a wife your whole life."

"Isn't one already more than enough trouble for me?" Jie Yu'an shot back with seeming coldness, though he raised no objection to the suggestion of "thanking Grandmother."

"Is that any way to talk? Look how good I am to you, honestly, no gratitude at all."

"......"

The two of them chatted on and off idly, and after eating a little to fill their stomachs, Ji Qingzhou, recalling his earlier arrangement with Shi Xuanman, asked, "I'm heading to the lounge. Are you going to go join your brother and the others, or come with me?"

"Going to meet that regular client of yours?"

"Yeah."

Jie Yu'an said nothing. His mood, fairly calm just moments ago, suddenly turned faintly sullen, and he said, expressionless, "Tired. Going to the lounge."

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