A little before noon, Yu Liang invited everyone over to the Jinjiang Hotel.

The banquet hall was almost ready. By the entrance stood a festive display board. The middle panel read Joy Comes to Our House in four large characters. On the left was a line from an old-style marriage certificate: With this pledge to grow old together, we write upon the wedding letter; with the vow of the red leaf, we enter our names in the register of mandarin ducks. Beside it was the day's date, and on the right were the names of the engaged couple, Yu Beiwang on the left and Pei Youwei on the right.

Before long, more people began trickling in. Most of them were friends of the Yu family from the business world, though none of them were as close as the people back at the house.

Yu Liang and his wife stood at the door with Yu Beiwang and Pei Youwei to greet the guests. Once most of them had arrived, Yu Liang left Yu Beiwang at the door and went off to chat with a few people from official circles.

Xu Ye was supposed to be seated at the head table, but he turned it down on the spot. The family alone was huge, and the room was full of people far more senior than him besides. So Xu Ye, Chen Qingqing, Zhao Ming and Zhang Ruowei took a table further back.

Zhao Ming laughed. "Didn't expect this many tables just for the engagement. Come the wedding, there'll easily be three times as many people."

Zhang Ruowei asked, "When's the wedding again?"

"The thirteenth of the first lunar month."

Zhao Ming turned to Xu Ye. "You and Chen Qingqing need to come a day early."

Xu Ye nodded. "Mm."

Zhao Ming: "How's that house of yours coming along?"

Xu Ye: "The design style's settled. They're still adjusting the details, but they work fast. They should have more detailed drawings out this week."

"And the office building?"

"I put Zhang Xinzhou on that. His family owns a few buildings. He ought to know…