Song Huili and Bai Yue walked over with smiles and sat down next to Zhao An, who was sitting on the sofa against the wall. "Young Master An."
"Yes, sit down." Zhao An smiled and put his arm around Bai Yue's shoulder, maintaining a distance from Song Huili even in public. Bai Yue didn't seem to mind; it didn't seem outrageous. She had already mentioned this to Song Huili, so Song Huili wasn't surprised at all.
Seeing the two charming young women mingling with Zhao An, the guests present exchanged glances. The most awkward one was Bai Yan. He didn't know whether to speak or not, because Song Huili had clearly indicated that Zhao An had already taken her away.
Bai Yan was indeed a bit lacking in emotional intelligence, but he had been warned by Bai Qingyang not to cause trouble, especially not to provoke Zhao An. He and Zhao An were in the honeymoon phase of their cooperation and wouldn't allow anyone to disrupt it, especially members of his own family. Facing the combined attack of the Lin family and the Southwest Chamber of Commerce, the Huang family and the Fang family had also joined forces. Bai Qingyang's only solution was to cooperate with Zhao An; otherwise, the consequences were unpredictable, and even if he managed to weather the storm, he would be severely weakened.
A family's strength lies in its foundation and allies. With its underlings deserting, its power has naturally declined significantly. Therefore, it must win decisively; otherwise, the outcome won't be good.
Zhao An was naturally smug, with people frequently coming to greet him. He was happy to chat with them, accepting their business cards, but he didn't give out his own. It was simple: he would contact them when he needed them, and politeness was useless when he didn't.
Many companies and smaller families that cooperated with the Bai family came to greet Zhao An, hoping to become familiar with him. Familiarity makes things easier. When he needed something, they would definitely remember them. This might seem like futile effort, but who knows if it might actually be effective in a crucial moment?
Soon, applause came from the entrance. Turning around, he saw that the heirs of the Huang and Fang families had arrived. Huang Yu and Fang Shunli walked in, chatting and laughing. Anyone who didn't know better would think this was their home turf.
Bai Qingyang quickly came down to greet them. As the host, he certainly wouldn't allow the guests to steal the show. "Welcome, welcome! You two really hit it off, even your timing is perfect. Come, come, let's have some tea over here." He gestured invitingly, his fake smile perfectly executed.
Their relationship was so familiar they couldn't be more so. Let's skip the underhanded tactics and have a fair fight.
Huang Yu glanced at Zhao An, feigning surprise, and said, "You actually invited Zhao An too? Why didn't you invite him over for tea? Aren't you on good terms?"
"Yeah, doesn't he give you face?" Fang Shunli added insult to injury, subconsciously implying that the other party couldn't get anyone to come.
Bai Qingyang, however, wasn't fooled. He glanced at Zhao An, who was chatting and laughing with Bai Yue, occasionally making the women of the family laugh heartily, and said, "He's already a member of the Bai family. This is just building rapport, what's the big deal? If you want tea, you can have it anytime. You are honored guests, come this way. Let them have their fun, we'll sit here."
These words made Huang Yu and Fang Shunli's eyes narrow slightly, especially Huang Yu's. He had originally planned to cooperate with Zhao An. Later, he found connections with other overseas family conglomerates and broke off his cooperation with Zhao An. Since his younger brother was now cooperating with Zhao An, he figured he might as well let them cooperate and reap the benefits.
The women in the banquet hall were gradually drawn to Zhao An, and even the men stopped to listen intently. What was it about him that was so captivating?
"The problem of aging is still a problem of cell lifespan, which is very difficult to solve, hence the skin aging. Normal humans follow the principle of birth, aging, illness, and death. But if we unlock the secrets of cells, allowing cells to regenerate, forming a cycle where youth replaces the middle-aged and elderly, mirroring our developmental trajectory—the old die, the new are born, a perfect cycle—then theoretically, immortality is possible, though it's very difficult." Zhao An spoke eloquently, stroking Bai Yue's fragrant shoulder.
Even Song Huili was very close, Zhao An patted her shoulder, then placed his hand on her thigh, looking like he was taking advantage of her. Good heavens, this mother and daughter pair has certainly tempted many men. To take them home and have them wantonly violated in bed—what a pleasurable experience that would be!
"So how can one maintain a youthful appearance?" A busty escort model puffed out her breasts, seemingly showing off her impressive figure, attempting to seduce a wealthy bachelor like Zhao An. Even if they couldn't date, she could still gain some benefits; being with such a handsome man would feel different.
"Maintaining a happy mood is important. Also, regular exercise is another way. As for the effects of medication, we'll have to wait and see." Zhao An squinted, seemingly deep in thought.
"Young Master An, do you mean there are medications or cosmetics that can slow down aging?" A sophisticated woman approached, wearing high heels, a smiling face, exuding elegance and poise. She was Bai Qingyang's aunt, the sister of Bai Qingyang's father, and a very important woman in charge of personnel transfers within the group—Bai Huishan.
Zhao An nodded, then shook his head. "One of my plans is to develop something that can slow down aging, but right now it's only theoretical. However, I can demonstrate some things to you. Would you be willing to be a guinea pig? There might be some risks."
Bai Huishan already knew about Zhao An's return to the Bai family, and she even presided over the return ceremony, so why would she doubt him? "Hehe, no problem, I'd be happy to be our little genius's guinea pig. What do you need me to do?"
Zhao An took out a small bottle containing some ointment. "Then just stand still. No matter how good your age is, you'll always have some wrinkles. I actually think these wrinkles are quite beautiful. This ointment can restore your skin's elasticity. Two hundred million US dollars for such a small amount—you're quite impressed. I'm in a very good mood tonight."