Chapter 1 Privilege

Tonight, at the Liberty Hall, every young person qualified to receive an invitation and attend this ball was a top-tier member of the capital's elite.

Although the council strictly forbade using that term to describe them.

But...the term "privileged class" was indeed appropriate for describing those attending tonight.

Lu Nanjin stood in a corner of the reception hall, unnoticed. Everyone else was dressed in bright, dazzling attire, standing under the spotlights, radiating their brilliance.

"Hey...beautiful lady..."

A young man with blond hair and blue eyes, also holding a glass of wine, slowly approached Lu Nanjin.

He introduced himself with a smile, "My name is Pierre Heitinger, the conductor of tonight's orchestra. May I ask your name?"

Lu Nanjin frowned, looking at the tall, thin man blocking her view.

"Lu," she said with just the one word.

"Ms. Lu...you're truly beautiful..."

"Excuse me," Nanjin interrupted the cheesy compliment impatiently, coldly saying, "I want to be alone."

Pierre wasn't annoyed, but rather politely stepped aside, clearing the line of sight, while still standing naturally alongside Lu Nanjin without any embarrassment, continuing, "You don't seem like you're from the capital...it's lively over there, and there's dancing. Would you like to join?"

"..."

Lu Nanjin slightly turned her head.

She looked at Pierre, who was still holding his wine glass, with a friendly smile on his face.

"Lu, forgive my frankness...I'd like to invite you to dance. May I?"

"Tsk tsk..."

The old geezer's gloating voice came through the private channel, "This Pierre something-or-other...he really is from the Central Continent. This guy has a thick skin."

Zhou Jiren was sitting in a seat in the main hall of the auditorium. He was alone, looking at the empty stage. The curtain hadn't been raised yet. Empty and quiet, it had a unique charm.

Gu Shen also said in the private channel with emotion, "I just don't know which is harder, his face or Song Ci's fist...I wish this talented conductor a smooth performance tonight."

Seeing Lu Nanjin's gaze turn toward him, Pierre was a little flattered.

Actually, he had noticed this exceptionally beautiful young woman during the earlier entrance ceremony. Her temperament was restrained like ice, yet she faintly exuded a wild beauty. She seemed to possess both cold and fiery qualities...He guessed that beneath this woman's cold exterior lay a passionate heart.

Then came the mingling session in the reception hall.

Everyone was seizing the time to get to know others...she was the exception. She truly was a different woman.

This strengthened Pierre's determination to "get to know" her.

But he didn't know that Lu Nanjin's gaze had simply happened to fall on him...Behind Pierre, a figure who had just changed into a formal suit was quickly approaching.

"Lu...may I ask you to dance?" Pierre didn't get a response, so he very patiently asked again.

Lu Nanjin shook her head.

"Does shaking your head mean...?" The smile on Pierre's face was a little stiff, but he still didn't give up. As long as he didn't hear a clear rejection from Miss Lu, he wouldn't give up.

Just as he was organizing his thoughts and about to say something again, someone gently tapped his back.

"You are..."

Pierre turned around and saw a buzz-cut man with a sharp, knife-like aura. The other man's presence was quite powerful, making him frown involuntarily and subconsciously use honorifics.

Everyone attending this party was either rich or noble, but this guy looked somewhat familiar...

He felt like he had seen him somewhere before...where had he seen him...?

After a three-second pause, Pierre remembered!

This buzz-cut man was the staff member at the Liberty Hall entrance who was checking the identities of the guests.

"You're...the security from earlier?"

Pierre reassessed Song Ci's attire. After taking off his security uniform and changing into a suit, this guy looked completely different, giving him quite a start.

Seeing that Song Ci was just looking at him calmly.

"I don't need a wine change, thank you." Pierre, feeling a little intimidated by the stare, smiled and raised his glass, indicating that he didn't have any need for that.

Song Ci smiled and asked, "May I ask your name?"

"Pierre Heitinger!" The blond young man straightened his back, his tone seemingly modest but actually carrying an arrogant air, "The principal of the Lucerne Orchestra, responsible for conducting tonight's symphony performance!"

"Pierre whatever..."

After hearing this, Song Ci frowned inwardly. This guy spoke too fast, and he didn't catch it clearly. He shook his head; the name wasn't important anyway. He wouldn't bother remembering it.

"Mr. Pierre, I have a duty to inform you that since you've taken the remuneration and are responsible for tonight's performance...then you should be at your designated post." Song Ci said seriously, "This is the reception hall, not the concert hall."

Pierre was stunned.

Ever since he had been touring the Five Continents, after announcing his identity...the gazes and attitudes he received were always of admiration and worship.

This was the first time he had failed.

"Are you teaching me how to do my job? No matter what you used to do...I'm now informing you that you've been fired."

The humble smile that Pierre had been wearing on his face completely disappeared. It hadn't completely turned into a gloomy expression yet, only because there was a beautiful woman beside him, and he didn't want to make too much of a scene.

"You, this servant who can't recognize the importance of status...now, immediately, disappear from here!"

What era is this...? Are there still people who talk like this?

After hearing this, Song Ci sincerely felt a sense of emotion. He didn't feel annoyed, but rather found it incredibly funny.

He didn't move an inch, but said calmly, "I won't be leaving here..."

"Also, I heard everything you said earlier. I heard you're from the Central Continent? Don't call women 'madam' here...it'll age them. If you do that somewhere else, you'll get beaten up."

Song Ci smiled and looked at Lu Nanjin, "What do you think, Miss Lu?"

Pierre tried to confront Song Ci aggressively, but unfortunately, the eye contact only lasted for a second before crumbling. The man opposite him carried an exceptionally powerful pressure.

So he shifted his gaze to Lu Nanjin in a way that was meant to hide his discomfort.

Then he discovered a heartbreaking fact...the latter's gaze had never been on his face, but rather on that ordinary security guard.

Hearing Song Ci's question, a rare smile appeared on Nanjin's cold face.

Pierre was a little lost in thought.

However, this smile wasn't for him, but for that rude and impolite security guard.

"You..."

Pierre couldn't bear it. He clenched his fists, ready to defend his dignity.

Song Ci saw this scene.

He waited with satisfaction for the other party to throw a punch and become a clown.

This little interlude attracted the attention of many people. Just as things were about to erupt, a figure flashed into the reception hall very unfortunately.

"Oh dear, oh dear, misunderstanding, misunderstanding..."

A familiar face appeared. Gu Shen, who was monitoring the entire scene with Deep Sea, recalled that he had seen this person before...one of the three sent by Nan Wan not long ago to run for alternate councilor.

Being pushed to the stage by Chen San to block Lu Nanzhi's participation in the election, he was obviously also a highly influential figure in the Nan Wan faction.

Immediately, Deep Sea pulled up the file--

This man's name was Chen Qi, Chen Jingtan's father.

And Chen Jingtan was the Chen Jingtan who had been beaten half to death by Crow...

Chen Qi didn't act arrogant at all, and it was impossible to tell that he had any past grudges with Song Ci. He came out with a smiling face, trying to smooth things over, "Calm down, calm down...Why don't you just apologize?"

Song Ci was expressionless.

Pierre took a deep breath and suppressed his anger, "Chen, tell me how can I not be angry when I encounter such a thing...This isn't something that can be resolved with an apology!"

As he spoke, he realized something was wrong.

After Chen Qi came out, he didn't look at him at all, as if he had become air...

And after careful consideration, that phrase "calm down" didn't seem to be directed at him?

"Little Song, it's not auspicious to fight on a day like today."

Seeing Song Ci's clenched fist, Chen Qi earnestly and softly persuaded, "This punch will not only break the walls of the Liberty Hall, but also Mr. Pierre's face. You have to think more about Madam..."

Pierre's face changed drastically.

He didn't really understand the capital...but he had heard a few names.

The most famous people in the capital, apart from those two councilors, were the well-known "Madam"!

And what did Chen Qi just say...One punch would break the walls of the Liberty Hall?

"What do you mean by how to resolve it?"

Song Ci said calmly.

"Why don't you...just apologize?" Chen Qi carefully put forward his previous suggestion, and smiled: "It's a dance, everyone is here, it's just right for everyone to see Madam's magnanimity."

Song Ci looked at Chen Qi, who was being amiable to him, and thought that this world was really too real.

After Chen Jingtan was beaten, Chen San was furious and wanted to tear his skin off.

Not to mention this biological father, who should have been at odds with him when he saw him.

But...now, regarding the bill, if Madam is willing to maintain her dissenting opinion, then the Nan Wan faction will win this struggle. Before the general trend, they all chose to quell the matter and "forgive" him.

Past grievances were wiped away, even the old grudges of his own son were nothing.

As Chen Qi spoke, he gave Pierre a look. This young, talented conductor was very sensible and quickly chimed in.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Song..."

He gritted his teeth and said, "Please forgive my previous offense."

"It's okay. Among the many snobbish hypocrites, you can be considered the most straightforward and honest one." Song Ci said lightly, "Moreover...the one who should be saying sorry is me."

"Ah?" Pierre was stunned.

The next moment.

Song Ci, who was close at hand, made his move.

A finger snap rang out, actually causing a sonic boom. Pierre's forehead was flicked hard. With a "bang," he was in so much pain that his expression twisted and tears were about to pop out. He fell heavily to the ground.

"A brain blossom...sent to you." Song Ci smiled and said: "I can't accept your apology just now. I believe Madam certainly wouldn't want to hear her young and beautiful younger sister being called 'Madam'. This is the punishment for your rudeness."

Chen Qi was a little helpless. He noticed someone on the distant second-floor bleachers casting a scrutinizing gaze...It was Chen San, and Madam.

He didn't say anything more and quietly withdrew.

This was already a good ending.

The only "victim," Pierre, sat slumped on the ground, clutching his forehead. He felt a huge lump swelling up on his forehead.

My god...next, he still had to go on stage and perform!

"You should be grateful...I just snapped a finger. If it was a punch, then you would be spending the next month in a hospital bed in the capital. At that time, the Lucerne Orchestra would probably consider replacing their conductor."

Song Ci stopped looking at Pierre.

He came to Lu Nanjin, and in everyone's eyes, he stretched out his hand, mustered his courage, and said with some nervousness and apprehension, "Miss Lu, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

Laughter came from Zhou Jiren in the private channel.

"I think it's doable."

And Gu Shen echoed, "I think it's doable too."

Lu Nanjin smiled helplessly.

She put down her wine glass, slowly reached out her hand, and took Song Ci's hand.