Chapter 37: Banquet

“Pa.”

After leaving the Jade Pavilion, Zhou Ming suddenly slapped his own forehead.

After wandering around for half a day, he almost forgot where Xiao Yun was holding her birthday banquet.

He hurriedly took out his phone and dialed Xiao Yun’s number.

“...What? It’s there?”

After the call connected, Zhou Ming chatted casually with Xiao Yun and conveniently asked where her birthday banquet would be held. If it was at her home, he would still have to buy some common gifts for her parents.

However, after learning that her birthday banquet was to be held at the Tenghua Restaurant, he was immediately taken aback—this was the best restaurant in Qinshan Base.

“It’s all because of Xiao Lei.”

Speaking of her younger brother, Xiao Yun sounded rather annoyed.

Originally, it was supposed to be just a small family gathering with a few friends, which would also serve as a farewell dinner for Xiao Lei before his return to Yunhai.

Who would have thought that the higher-ups of Qinshan Base would find out about it and specifically organize a banquet at Tenghua Restaurant, not only to celebrate Xiao Yun’s birthday but also to send Xiao Lei off.

Zhou Ming couldn’t help but ask curiously about the situation.

The reason was simple—Xiao Lei had been accepted as a personal disciple by the president of Yunhai University, who was a Transcendent Master-rank Beast Tamer.

As one of the few master-level Beast Tamers in Yunhai Base, Xiao Lei’s status and standing naturally soared after becoming his disciple.

“I’ve been avoiding trouble all this time, yet this time, I might’ve stepped right into an even bigger one.”

Putting his phone away, Zhou Ming felt that this supposedly ordinary birthday banquet might very well turn into something out of a novel plot.

Given Xiao Lei’s current status, there would surely be many high-ranking heirs pursuing the still-single Xiao Yun.

And he—someone who was close to her and clearly treated her as an older sister—might easily be misunderstood as her romantic interest.

Adding his own background to the mix, an image instantly formed in Zhou Ming’s mind: pretending to be impressive, being secretly targeted, love rivalry, being forced to leave Qinshan Base, and finally returning as the Dragon King.

The more he thought about it, the more wrong it felt.

Could this be... the treatment of a protagonist?

Standing in the middle of the street, Zhou Ming, carrying a beautifully wrapped gift box, shook his head hard like an idiot.

He mustn’t keep thinking that way—he kept telling himself repeatedly.

After calming his mood, Zhou Ming still decided to attend Xiao Yun’s birthday banquet.

He might dislike trouble, but he could not be afraid of it.

And he definitely wouldn’t skip a friend’s birthday just because of that fear. Otherwise, what meaning would there be in pursuing the path of a Beast Tamer and seeking greater strength?

However, since the venue was different from what he expected, Zhou Ming decided to buy a stylish outfit.

Whether people misunderstood or not was another matter, but he couldn’t let Xiao Yun—who treated him as a younger brother—lose face.

Seeing that time was short, Zhou Ming quickly found a high-end barbershop and had “Teacher Tony” tidy up his long-neglected hair.

Then he picked out a smart-looking outfit. Fortunately, he had decent taste—he didn’t choose a stiff suit, but instead went for a formal outfit with a touch of casual flair.

With a good natural build and nearly half a month of martial arts practice, Zhou Ming’s charm after dressing up reached an impressive ninety points.

His tall and slender frame exuded strength with every movement, while his newly trimmed hair made him look radiant and energetic.

Most importantly, his aura carried a serpent-like mystery and a hint of charm. The sinister coldness, cunning, or cruelty often associated with serpents was completely absent.

It was precisely this unique aura that elevated Zhou Ming’s final appearance to perfection in his own eyes. He was quite satisfied anyway—after all, he wasn’t relying on his looks to survive.

After confirming in the store mirror that there was no issue, he paid the bill and left, leaving behind several love-struck female saleswomen and a group of envious male customers.

Fully prepared, Zhou Ming finally arrived at Tenghua Restaurant as night began to fall.

“No wonder it’s the best restaurant in Qinshan Base.”

Despite its reputation, Tenghua Restaurant didn’t flaunt excessive luxury. There were only a few lights on the outer walls, subtly illuminating its surroundings.

But the designer was clearly skilled—the combination of those few lights and the surrounding night environment gave the building a quiet, understated elegance.

Looking around at the luxury cars parked nearby, Zhou Ming didn’t feel the slightest inferiority. If he truly wanted one, he could afford it—but there was no real point. It would be pure waste.

As long as one had strength, there was no need for too many embellishments.

With confident strides, Zhou Ming entered Tenghua Restaurant.

The establishment had five floors, with the top floor reserved for Qinshan Base’s upper echelon—no amount of money could get one in.

The third and fourth floors required reservations, while only the first and second were open to the public.

After Zhou Ming told the receptionist his purpose, she immediately guided him to the fifth floor, where Xiao Yun’s banquet was being held.

When Zhou Ming casually asked why there was no need for an invitation, he learned that Xiao Yun had already instructed them in advance.

“Still as thoughtful as ever.”

Zhou Ming couldn’t help but praise her meticulousness.

Under the receptionist’s guidance, Zhou Ming soon arrived on the fifth floor.

Before him was a bustling hall filled with people he didn’t recognize—judging by their attire, they were either prominent figures or wealthy merchants.

There were even a few political figures he had seen on Qinshan’s media before—he was now seeing them in person for the first time.

But Zhou Ming had no interest in mingling with them; he simply wanted to find Xiao Yun first.

“Zhou Ming, over here.”

Not far away, a round-faced girl was waving at him—it was Qin Shiyu, who worked with him at the Qinshan Library.

Beside her stood Xiao Yun and Xiao Lei. The few others around them, judging by their demeanor and attire, should be Xiao Yun’s parents and some government officials from Qinshan Base.

When Qin Shiyu called out to him, Xiao Yun also noticed Zhou Ming. After briefly saying a few words to the elders beside her, she pulled Xiao Lei and walked over.

“Happy birthday.”

This was Zhou Ming’s first time formally celebrating a friend’s birthday. As he offered his congratulations, he handed over the gift he had brought.

“Hmph, what kind of gift is that?”

Because of Zhou Ming, even though Xiao Lei was now a Beast Tamer, he had not escaped a severe beating from his sister before.

He still held some resentment, especially since he was also one of the banquet’s main figures today.

“Hmph, keep that up and I won’t mind letting you make a fool of yourself in front of everyone tonight.”

Usually gentle and composed, Xiao Yun instantly exuded a commanding presence when facing her younger brother.

Xiao Lei wanted to retort, but after meeting Xiao Yun’s gaze, he immediately shrank back—a pure suppression of bloodline authority.

“I didn’t know what to buy, so I got you a jade bracelet. I know you don’t like flashy things.”

“That’s too extravagant.”

“It’s fine. I’ve already condensed my Spiritual Seed and become a Beast Tamer. I can afford this much.”

“Really?”

More than the gift itself, Xiao Yun felt that this news was the best present she could have received.

“Yes.”

Seeing her reaction, Zhou Ming felt slightly embarrassed, as if he had just tricked a little girl.

“When I became a Beast Tamer, you weren’t even half this happy,” Xiao Lei muttered under his breath, unable to resist.

Especially knowing that his sister treated Zhou Ming like a younger brother, he found it hard to accept.

I’m the real brother here!

“Haha…”

This time, Xiao Yun didn’t get angry.

Instead, she laughed together with Qin Shiyu.