18:30 minutes.

As the sun sets and night falls, the Rodney family's banquet begins to warm up.

In addition to five of the top ten business families, the dinner was attended by some presidents of small and medium-sized chambers of commerce, as well as some senior management and subordinate partners.

In addition to businessmen, there were also low-ranking officials.

With the ability of the Chamber of Commerce, at most they can only invite low-level officials, and most of the high-ranking officials do not bother to mix with the Chamber of Commerce at all, believing that this will lower their status.

Businessman, this is a profession that is discriminated against by the Empire.

Even if most of the predecessors of the Chamber of Commerce were nobles, in the eyes of high-ranking officials and officers, nobles have long been no longer the nobles of the past, at best, they are a little higher than the status of commoners.

Glory to the nobility?

That thing is not as respectable as a medal of the Empire.

Therefore, real high-ranking officials and high-ranking military officers will definitely not surrender themselves to participate in such dinners.

If you attend the dinner today, you may be laughed at by someone of the same status the next day, and this unhealthy atmosphere has lasted for more than 30 years, and it is even intensifying.

A merchant family or an aristocrat who wants to gain the respect of others?

Quite simply, as long as you can enter a military school or political school, and successfully graduate as an officer or government official, then you can gain the respect of others. Of course, this respect is only for you personally, and it will not be passed on to your family.

"Law Enforcement Team, Captain Eric of the 176th Squadron has arrived. ”

"Central Army, 272 Battalion Deputy Commander Xia Ke arrived. ”

"The trial system, A112 logistics team leader Logge to. ”

“......”

With the arrival of a low-ranking official of the Empire, the atmosphere of the banquet officially began to take shape, and the patriarch Leighton Rodney was immediately greeted with a smile, and these officials were able to be invited, which made him feel quite embarrassed.

After greeting the officials.

Other merchant families also arrived, including the Portland merchant family represented by Cologne Portland, and the Alban merchant family represented by Moore Alban.

"Thank you, President Moore for being here. ”

Leighton Rodney jealously glanced at Charles Alban, who was standing next to Moore and wearing a military uniform, and never understood that they were also business families, and their descendants could be mixed into the Central Military Academy, but his descendants were more and more crippled one by one.

"President Leighton was invited, but he didn't dare not come. ”

Moore smiled and exchanged pleasantries.

Although the big guys like to be late, at 19:00, they are basically all here.

As a descendant of the Rodney family, Qi Lisi came to the banquet hall in a delicate evening dress.

Light makeup.

At the age of 17 and with a beautiful appearance, this moment became the focus of the banquet.

Glancing at the table table, she found herself at table 1, where the guests were all descendants of business families such as Charles Alban and Cologne Portland, and her seat was next to Cologne, apparently intentionally.

The first hour of the banquet will be a cocktail reception.

The intention is to warm up the guests and introduce each other, especially to meet friends of the opposite sex at the same table.

According to the usual practice, of course, you can't sit down at this time, but after finding your seat, try to meet and chat with people in the same seat.

"Good evening, Miss Cinylis. ”

Colon Portland walked up to Chillis with a cocktail: "I haven't seen you for three months and seventeen days, and I don't know until now that just seeing you is the happiest thing in the world." ”

"Good evening, Cologne......"

Chillis is a little bit of a bad guy like Cologne.

Not minding the embarrassment on her face, Cologne continued: "Miss Ris, I heard from my father that this ...... That one...... Tonight's banquet is to announce my engagement to you, is that right?"

"I'm sorry ......"

"Of course!"

Before Qi Lisi could deny it, Leighton Rodney came over with a wine glass: "Cologne boy, you are 20 years old in a blink of an eye, before taking over the family, you should have started a family, it just so happens that you and my family Qi Lisi have known each other since childhood, what a natural pair." ”

"Thank you, Uncle Leighton. ”

Cologne said excitedly, "Please rest assured that Miss Qilisi will be handed over to me, I swear to protect her." ”

In mutual greetings and flattery.

The banquet went from the first stage to the second stage, and from the second stage to the final social dance stage.

At 22:00 in the evening, the social dance officially begins.

According to etiquette.

Usually the hostess invites a male guest to dance.

And at today's dinner, Leighton Rodney wanted to convey the news that Lisi and Cologne would be engaged to the outside world, so she naturally arranged for Lis, the hostess of the banquet, to invite Cologne, the male guest, to start the first dance together.

"Ahem......"

Seeing that the time was almost there, Layton coughed twice and said to Qi Lisi, "Qi Lisi, the time for the dinner is almost over, and I will leave it to you next." ”

Habitat hung her head and didn't speak.

"Habitat!"

Layton said in an aggravated tone, "Don't discredit the family's glory. ”

"Yes...... Father. ”

Qi Lisi trembled all over, this is the fear accumulated since childhood.

She stood up and walked towards Cologne step by step.

According to the original plan, Vega should have come to help her out of the siege, but at 22:00, she didn't even see a shadow, there is no doubt that Vega broke the contract, and at this moment Qi Lisi's heart was full of despair.

Wrath?

This emotion is completely absent, and for Chelis, abandoned, abandoned, sacrificed...... It was the norm, and Vega's betrayal and breach of the contract did not make her angry, and she only regretted her mistake in judgment.

And this mistake will lead to her entire plan being in vain.

She has no chance of turning the tables around.

Once the news of her engagement to Cologne is announced, it means that she will be a member of the Portland family, and will no longer be a descendant of the Rodneys, including the lower management of the Chamber of Commerce who are loyal to her.

"Cologne ......"

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to put on a smile: "I can invite you ......"

Tick tick tick –

The last three words could no longer be spoken, and a drop of crystal tears slid down his cheeks.

Although Qi Lisi tried to control the emotions in her heart, the great despair and the inability to see a bright future made her tear ducts free from the control of reason, so this poignant and contradictory scene was produced-

A bright smile bloomed in despair.

Smile and drip tears of pain.

With this desperate smile, Qi Lisi said again, "Cologne, I can invite you...... Do you want to dance?"

"It's a great honor. ”

Cologne and Habitat shook hands.

And at this moment, a strong feeling of nausea hits, but Qi Lisi is trying to endure it as much as she can, she knows that this is just the beginning, and the next step is the real torture.

Habitat closed her eyes nervously.

She couldn't imagine the hand that was about to touch her back.

But at this moment, there was a commotion at the entrance of the banquet hall.