With the three luck points he had just earnt, Song Shi Cheng immediately headed back to the conservatory room and started drinking with the other guests.
Actually, there wasn't much guests to begin with. Apart from some close friends and family from both sides, it appeared that Ji Ling didn't bother to invite too much guests to come over. She must've really thought that the engagement ceremony was a disgrace to the Song Family.
However, it was also these 'close friends and families' that Song Shi Cheng must be extra cautious of. It was exactly occasions like these where his knowledge in the Fenghua group were to be tested.
With his mother's company, Song Shi Cheng managed to greet a few important figures who attended the ceremony. It's wasn't too difficult anyways. All he needed to do was to say the guests' names and say something polite like 'So glad to see you here' or 'Please enjoy the food and drinks we have.'
There was a minor problem, however. Song Shi Cheng had never been in a high class meeting like this in his previous life. So instead of accidently embarrassing himself, the best he could do was to try to stay as calm as he could while suppressing the anxiety inside him.
Most of the guests were alright to deal with, but the close relatives of the Song family were especially hard to talk to. And amongst these close relatives, there was none other than Xu Zhong Xuan's side of the family who topped the list. Yes, the one with that guy who was bitten by his own dog.
"A drink to you, Aunt and Uncle!" Song Shi Cheng waved his cup to the couple standing in front of him. It was his uncle Xu Mao Ping, who looked quite scholarly with his gold-laced glasses. Standing next to him was Song Shi Cheng's auntie, Song Chun Lin who was in a very expensive outfit. From a quick glance, she actually looked very similar to Song Shi Cheng himself.
According to the profile Ye Wen Sheng gave to Song Shi Cheng, Song Chun Li was a very important figure whom he should not ignore under any circumstances. Not only did she possess quite a few important shares belonging to the Song family, she also held the position of the chief finance officer of the Fenghua group. Her husband Xu Mao Ping, on the other hand, had ties with a few real estate companies that were owned by the Fenghua group.
If Song Shi Cheng's side of the family had an arch-nemesis, then it must be Song Chun Li and her side of the family. In fact, they had been planning to take over the Fenghua Group ever since Old Song passed away!
According to the rumours, it was also Song Chun Lin's side of the family was almost the one who raised the most commotion when Ji Ling took over as the chair of the board.
But what happened to family? ...who cares?
But even with so much tension between them, Song Shi Cheng still had feign intimacy with his auntie and uncle. It's his engagement ceremony, after all.
"If only my big brother could see you now," Song Chun Li said as she pretentiously rubbed her eyes, "If only he could see you starting your own family…"
Xu Mao Ping gave his wife a handkerchief as he stood by her side, "Come on, don't be so sad in an engagement ceremony. Try thinking how happy big brother is when he's up in heaven and watching his son marrying the love of his life."
Xu Mao Ping. The profiles stated that he was once a Chinese lecturer in university. If the Wen Sheng's profile was right, he seduced Song Chun Lin into marriage while she was still his student in university!
'No wonder he likes to sound like a sophisticated smartass everytime he talks,' thought Song Shi Cheng. He was wondering how such a man of culture could raise an obnoxious son like Xu Zhong Xuan, but it was starting to become apparent that rudeness was part their family culture.
"Marry the love of his life?" Everyone here knew that this marriage was not based off mutual likings in the first. Instead of avoiding that awkward topic, Xu Mao Ping just had to bring it in the most disturbing he could think, didn't he?
No wonder a great man once said 'the more the knowledge, the more the disarray." Xu Mao Ping was a textbook example of this quote. (translator's note: the man who worded this quote was Mao Ze Dong prior to the Cultural Revolution. This saying was eventually a popular political slogan for prohibiting education of the bourgeoisie in fear that they will become capitalist roaders.)
"Yes, Uncle, my father is definitely watching up there somewhere and protecting us from those backstabbers waiting to overthrow us," Song Shi Cheng replied with sincerity.
Realizing that Song Shi Cheng was indirectly cursing back at Song Chun Lin and her husband, Ji Ling was suddenly looking much less tense than before. Song Shun Lin and Xu Mao Ping, on the hand, were looking very displeased with Song Shi Cheng's comment.
It took no time for Song Chun Lin and Xu Mao Ping to realized who the backstabbers were refered to.
Song Shi Cheng continued his mockery, "Hey, I don't see Zhong Huan here today. Was he bitten by his dog so badly that he couldn't walk?" Song Shi Cheng asked sarcastically.
Since there was so much animosity between his mother and Song Chun Lin already, Song Shi Cheng decided that he might as well keep up with the taunts.
"Oh, it's nothing apart from blood loss, really," Song Chun Lin said dryly, "I told him to get some rest since this we are only having the engagement ceremony today. Don't worry, niece, I'll let my son be your groomsman on your wedding day."
Noticeably, Song Chun Lin gave a creepy smile again when she mentioned the word 'wedding day." She probably still couldn't believe that this marriage would happen in the first place.
After all, the basis of the marriage between Song Shi Cheng and Chen Xiao Yan was that the retirement village project must be accepted by the management board first. Now that Ji Ling was becoming unpopular among the board members, there was barely any chance that the project might pass.
When that happens, the Chen family would simply cancel the marriage immediately. Ji Ling would be left hanging by herself like a stretched arrow that was never to be released.
Song Chun Lin asked Ji Ling, "Madam Song, are you really thinking about proposing that retire village project to the board assembly? I do think there is a considerable amount of revenue we can make from that, but isn't the Fenghua group too disorganized for something this ambitious?"
"We'll discuss this when we are in the general assembly," Li Jing said grimly, to which Song Chun Lin responded with a sinister smirk. Song Chun Lin was probably thinking something like this:
Good, Ji Ling. It's so much easier for me to kick you down when you're this stubborn.
"Oh wait, how could I have forgotten?" Song Chun continued to speak with her sinister smile, "Where's our beautiful bride- to-be going?"
"She will come soon enough. She is probably having a conversation with her father right now."
After Song Shi Cheng gave an abrupt reply Song Chun Lin, a screen suddenly popped up in front of him.
[Ding! You have a new main mission: Secure Ji Ling's position as the chairman of the board and make she stays in power. Note: this mission is coded orange. If you fail, your luck points will be subtracted.]
Orange coded mission didn't seem as harsh as red coded ones, but they were also essential for completion of the game. In other words, Song Shi Cheng was still in a pretty bad situation.
To put it simply, not only was the retirement village project crucial for Song Shi Cheng to marry Chen Xiao Yan, it was also a pivotal move to ensure Ji Ling's right to stay in the Fenghua group. However, since Ji Ling was obviously disfavoured at this moment, Song Chun and her supporters would only become more relentless in their pursuit for power.
'Fuck me!' thought Song Shi Cheng. The system wasn't giving him anytime to enjoy himself.