After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere in the barbecue restaurant is electric, filled with cheers and liveliness.
"Mr. Vanderbilt looks so young!"
"So young and already started a business, truly impressive!"
"Looking at the boss' unwavering smile, the show must have been a great success..."
"..."
"..."
Praise flows incessantly from those gathered. Some are employees, while others are more outgoing trainees. Slightly tipsy, they tease the young president, whose gentle demeanor and good temper make him an easy target for their playful remarks.
"That's right!" Patrick, a bit drunk and excited, slaps the table and stands up. "You have no idea how incredible our Mr. President did this afternoon."
He raises two fingers, then a third and a fourth...
"Initial orders worth four million, and that's just the beginning. There's more to come..." Patrick is overjoyed, basking in the pride as if he himself runs the business.
"Really?" The people surrounding them exchange glances.
Some astute employees already sense something big is on the horizon. With the product's growing popularity, it's only a matter of time before the KG brand soars. Businesspeople, ever shrewd, smell opportunity and swarm like hyenas when they see a potential gain.
"We must get some credit too, right?" a bold trainee asks with a smile while turning his head to Sebastian.
"Of course, today's success is also due to all of you," Sebastian says, his face slightly red from the alcohol. His eyes look a bit dazed as he stands unsteadily, holding a wine bottle like a microphone. "As the first batch of models invited by KG, you will have priority for every KG show in the future."
He burps, claps his chest, and adds, "And starting from the next show, your salaries will double!"
Sebastian raises his glass, grinning. "Cheers!"
His words bring the cheers to a fever pitch.
"Long live the boss!"
"Boss is awesome!"
"Is President Sebastian single by any chance?"
"..."
"..."
"I mean, is he really doubling their salaries?" Patrick clicks his tongue in surprise at Sebastian's seemingly impulsive generosity. With just one promise, tens of thousands gone.
Sebastian only smiles in response.
Patrick might see it as impulsive, but Sebastian is making a strategic move. Building a brand's reputation takes time and investment. Sebastian knows that any of the trainees present, if they debut and become famous, mentioning KG could bring advertising value far exceeding today's expenditure.
And even if they don't debut, they will likely remain involved in the entertainment industry, increasing the brand's visibility.
Sebastian contemplates Jessica's potential. She's meant to become a major artist, a future leader of the girl group Crystiera from S Entertainment. He recognizes her commercial potential as vast treasure.
Lost in thought, Sebastian suddenly senses a strange gaze beside him. He glances over, his mouth twitching slightly.
It's Jessica, sitting next to him.
As the brand endorser, it makes sense for her to sit beside the president. But Jessica has been staring at him with an odd and complicated look all night, making him uneasy.
"I need to go to the bathroom," Patrick slurs, getting up and swaying away.
Others around them are also in a tipsy mess.
Jessica, too, has drunk quite a bit. Her face glows with charming red spots, her eyes covered with a layer of shallow drunkenness. She leans on the table, looking at Sebastian's profile with a hint of apology and curiosity.
For Jessica, a mistake is a mistake. She intends to apologize but hasn't found the chance. Her curiosity stems from discovering that Sebastian is just eighteen—an age she originally thought was only possible in TV dramas.
Smiling faintly, she murmurs, "This pervert is quite impressive."
She quickly realizes her mistake. He isn't a pervert, so she can't call him that anymore.
Next to her, Sebastian feels all the hairs on his body stand up. Jessica's sweet smile is somehow scary. Something unusual is happening, and it's unsettling.
"Cough, cough!" Sebastian fakes a cough, trying to bring Jessica back to rationality.
However, in Jessica's eyes, his reaction is just the shyness of a pure young man, which she finds kind of cute.
Once her sharp-tongued initial impressions fade, she starts finding Sebastian more and more adorable, especially in his current restless state.
Suddenly, fueled by the alcohol, Jessica makes a bolder move. A slender hand with fair fingers slowly moves across the table toward Sebastian. His eyes widen at the sight.
Jessica's beautiful eyes glint with amusement as her hand approaches.
Sebastian takes a sip of wine, nervously watching. Jessica's fingers dance closer, leaving him no escape.
Suddenly, noise erupts from the door.
"Move aside, bro!" someone shouts.
Sebastian seizes the opportunity to bolt from his seat, heading towards the commotion. Jessica, left behind, smirks mischievously at his retreating figure.
At the door, Patrick, red-faced from drink, is arguing with a group of equally intoxicated men.
"What's going on?" Sebastian asks.
"I said we booked the place, but they insist on coming in," Patrick huffs.
The other men, seeing the growing crowd, feel a bit intimidated but maintain their bravado. "We had booked this place. Just wanted to see who's occupying it and why our business got snubbed."
Laughing, they look at Sebastian's youthful face and sneer, "Didn't expect it to be a kid who's barely grown any hair yet..."
They laugh loudly.
"Fiss off!" Patrick shouts, ready to charge. The people behind him are also fired up, their blood boiling under the influence of alcohol.
"Now that you've laughed, can you leave?" Sebastian steps forward, pulling Patrick back and signaling the others to calm down. He speaks with a light smile, defusing the tension.
"Haha, sure, you're just kids. Forget it…" The men make a mock retreat, laughing as they leave.
"Sebastian, how could you let them insult you like that?" Patrick is indignant, feeling personally insulted.
"Patrick, life isn't a game," Sebastian says sincerely. "As long as it doesn't touch our core principles, patience and forbearance are key. Many families live in disharmony. Many unhappy people provoke trouble. Remember, your life is happier than theirs, your future brighter, and your life far more precious than theirs."
His words leave everyone deep in thought. In the crowd, Jessica's eyes shine with a strange brilliance.