The three girls tried hard to stay calm, but their hearts were still racing, overwhelmed by the scene.
Tang Song nudged Liu Qingning and chuckled, "So our Qingning gets nervous too, huh?"
"Of course, just look around at the people here," Liu Qingning replied casually, glancing at a few familiar faces. Though they weren’t major stars, they were still artists frequently seen on screen.
Even those she didn’t recognize had an unmistakably exceptional aura just by their presence.
Watching the two chatting softly, Xiang Kai furrowed his brows slightly.
After walking for a while, Liu Shuang curiously asked, "Xiang Kai, I saw a big star go through that door. What’s inside? Can we go in?"
Xiang Kai glanced over and explained, "That’s the lounge area, mainly for greeting important investors and distinguished guests. Since there’s still some time before the banquet starts, it provides a relatively quiet environment for them. Stars like Bei Yuwei and Pei Yanke, for example, have special receptions there."
"Oh... okay." Liu Shuang moved her lips slightly, "It seems we can’t get in then."
"Not necessarily," Xiang Kai shook his head with a light laugh, glancing at Liu Qingning. "I know the person in charge of the reception team inside; we should be able to go in."
"Really? Won’t it be difficult for you?"
During the banquet, there’d be speeches, performances, and investment project presentations, and true free interaction time would be much later.
If they could meet these celebrity artists before the banquet began, it would certainly be a bonus.
"It’s alright; there are actually quite a few people inside. A few more of you won’t matter." Xiang Kai raised his eyebrows confidently.
He then turned and headed toward the lounge.
Xiang Kai spoke softly with the staff at the door for a few moments and made a phone call.
He then waved to the group, "Come on, let’s go in. There aren’t many people inside now. We can find a quiet place to sit and wait."
Liu Qingning nudged Tang Song’s hand, "If there’s a chance later, help me take a few photos."
Her biggest hobby was listening to music and singing, and she liked quite a few singers.
"Alright," Tang Song nodded slightly with a smile, "Don’t be nervous, be confident. Maybe in the future, they’ll want to take photos with you instead."
"Hey, are you feeding me chicken soup again?"
Upon entering the lavish lounge, a unique atmosphere swept over them.
Silhouettes filled the room, a faint scent of perfume mixed with an elusive smell of alcohol lingering in the air.
Female artists wore gorgeous dresses dragging along the floor, their jewelry gleaming under the lights.
The men were all in respectable suits, their leather shoes polished to a shine.
There were a few familiar star artists, leaders of All Stars, as well as hidden bigwigs in the entertainment industry.
They either chatted softly in small groups or sat alone on leather sofas.
The entire lounge was particularly lively.
Tang Song quietly observed his surroundings.
It was also his first time participating in such a banquet. Though not nervous, he was inevitably curious.
They sat down on a corner sofa near the entrance.
Liu Shuang and Li Ziyin quickly took out their phones and snapped a few pictures.
Liu Qingning hesitated for a moment before joining in the fun.
Xiang Kai glanced at them and smiled, "You guys just stay here. I’ll go say hi to the elders first."
He then walked off in a direction.
Their gaze followed and saw Xiang Kai approach a small group.
Soon after, a middle-aged man with a beard stood up, affectionately patted his shoulder, and introduced him to the others. The atmosphere was very harmonious.
Handsome and elegant, Xiang Kai moved through the group with ease and poise.
Liu Shuang said excitedly, "That’s Director Lv Baiyu. I heard Xiang Kai mention him. He’s a friend of his father’s, but it’s my first time seeing him in person today."
"That woman in the silver evening dress is Wen Jia. She’s become very popular recently on variety shows. I didn’t expect she’d be here."
The three girls chatted softly for a while.
Xiang Kai leisurely walked back, confidently introducing the people in the lounge.
Liu Qingning scanned for a while and whispered, "There don’t seem to be many singers here this time."
"The singers who came are mainly for performances. It’s mostly people in the entertainment industry with investment needs," Xiang Kai explained with a smile, glancing at his watch and looking at her, "Pei Yanke and Bei Yuwei are both staying at the Raffles Hotel, so they should be arriving soon and will also wait in the lounge first."
"Yes, looking forward to it." Liu Qingning nodded with a smile, gripping her purse slightly.
Liu Shuang’s eyes lit up as she asked, "Xiang Kai, you know Bei Yuwei, right? Could you introduce us to her later? We don’t need a photo yet, just a chance to meet her."
There’s still a long wait before the banquet, and this is just the pre-event stage.
If they could make an acquaintance now, it would be easier to naturally request a photo during the free interaction phase later.
"Of course, no problem," Xiang Kai smiled and said to Liu Qingning, "But it’s probably not possible with Pei Yanke. In reality, she’s quite cold and hard to approach because of her fame. During the banquet’s interaction phase, I’ll try to find a friend to introduce you, and we can find a way to meet her."
Pei Yanke is currently a highly sought-after top-tier star, the lead singer of the Echo Girl Group, almost succeeding Su Yu in a way.
She’s also one of Liu Qingning’s favorite singers.
Every time Su Yu has a concert, she would appear on stage as a guest.
Compared to a traffic star like Bei Yuwei, Pei Yanke’s standing is much higher, making her the most prominent guest this time.