Chapter 146 Chapter 145-Graceful Waters Manor, the Banquet（4th update, Cheer me with Power Stones!）
As night falls, Graceful Waters Manor, located on the outskirts by a lake, starts to buzz with excitement.
A steady stream of luxury cars make their way into the estate.
Those who alight from the cars are largely well-known figures in society - CEOs, high-ranking government officials, socialites...
They have all gathered here for one sole purpose: to attend the birthday party of Mia Taylor, the heiress of the Taylor Group.
The staff at Graceful Waters Manor are well-prepared, with a team of valets at the ready.
After all, Graceful Waters Manor is owned by the Taylor Group.
The most luxurious and grandiose villa in the estate is the home of Mia Taylor, her husband, and their daughter.
The grand entrance, with its ornate carvings and paintings, stands wide open.
At the entrance, two middle-aged men dressed in suits stand.
The more robust-looking of the two is Mr. White, who John met at the mall yesterday.
They are primarily responsible for receiving the guests today.
After all, not every guest is privileged enough to be personally greeted by Mia Taylor.
Of course, some high-profile guests, such as the city mayor, still warrant a personal welcome from Mia Taylor.
Even though the mayor usually follows Mia Taylor's lead on many matters, due respect needs to be given in public.
These esteemed guests have already arrived and are currently enjoying tea in the tea room, accompanied by Mia Taylor.
At the entrance of Graceful Waters Manor, John steps out of the taxi, smartly dressed in a suit.
He then walks over to the other side like a true gentleman to open the door for Emma.
At John's suggestion, Emma has chosen to wear the red dress.
As they paid the fare, the plump taxi driver looks surprised.
It was his first time seeing guests heading to Graceful Waters Manor in a taxi. When John and Emma first told him their destination, he had doubted it.
After all, the news about the banquet at Graceful Waters Manor hosted by the Taylor Group had been the talk of the town for days.
The Taylor Group was one of the most renowned businesses in the city, and Mia Taylor, a significant figure whose every move was followed by the media.
The taxi driver could tell at a glance that these two young individuals were heading to Graceful Waters Manor for the banquet.
However, the issue was that an invitation from the Taylor Group meant that they were either rich or noble.
Why don't they even have a private luxury car and driver?
This led the chubby taxi driver to initially think that the duo was joking.
But now, it seems that they really were there to attend the banquet.
As the taxi driver drove away, his eyes filled with envy, John and Emma exchanged amused glances.
John raised his arm, and Emma, with perfect synchrony, linked hers with his.
The two walked towards the grand entrance of Graceful Waters Manor.
"Johnny, you're simply dashing right now!" Emma gazed at John, her eyes filled with adoration.
It must be said that the suit designed by the small boutique was truly impeccable.
John's pale grey suit fit him perfectly.
His already striking figure and handsome face, coupled with the gradually recovering energy within him, lent him a unique aura.
Just standing there was enough to make countless women swoon.
No wonder Emma looked so smitten.
The sight of the dapper man and dazzling woman quickly attracted the attention of the security guards at the entrance.
Seeing the two approaching, a guard promptly greeted them. "Hello, who are you here to see?"
John took out the gold-embossed invitation card and handed it over. "We're here for the Taylor Group's banquet. Could you please show us the way?"
Upon receiving the gold-embossed invitation, the guard was instantly filled with respect.
They were here for the Taylor's birthday banquet?
They must be important figures.
It must be said that even the security guards in such a renowned wealthy area were quite perceptive.
The guard's demeanor immediately became respectful.
He returned the invitation to John and said politely, "So, you're guests of the Taylors. Please, follow me..."
Under the guidance of the security guard, John and Emma were led to the heart of Graceful Waters Manor.
Nestled in the best area beside the lake was a sprawling mansion resembling a manor.
The mansion, divided into five floors, stood tall and silent, its exterior walls as white as snow.
A large garden surrounded it, featuring an impressive rockery fountain and a large area of greenery.
Just as they arrived at the mansion, John spotted Mr. White, who was greeting guests at the entrance.
Mr. White also saw them and promptly came over, laughing heartily, "Ha, welcome, welcome! It's truly our honor to have Mr. Foster attending our chairwoman's daughter's birthday banquet."
John gave a faint smile and replied casually, "You're too kind, Mr. White. I feel equally honored to have received an invitation from Chairwoman Taylor. To be honest, had you not invited me this time, I might never have had the chance to step foot in Graceful Waters Manor in my life."
John's slightly teasing words brought a broader smile to Mr. White's face.
He pointed to a tall, thin middle-aged man standing next to him and introduced, "Mr. Foster, let me introduce you to our group's CEO, Joshua Johnson."
"Joshua, this is Mr. Foster, the man whom the chairwoman has repeatedly insisted we invite. He's the one who saved our young lady's life, John."
Joshua, who had been quite curious about John's identity, was enlightened.
As the CEO of the Taylor Group, he was familiar with all the dignitaries in the city, but there was no one named John in his memory.
After hearing Mr. White's introduction, he quickly stepped forward and shook hands with John.
"So you're the one who saved our young lady's life. My apologies for the oversight."
John responded with a cheerful salute, "Mr. Johnson, you're too kind."
Mr. White gave Joshua a knowing look, indicating him to continue greeting the arriving guests at the entrance.
He then personally led John and Emma through the mansion's grand entrance.
On the way, Mr. White chuckled and said, "Although we've only met a few times, we're somewhat familiar. This is the first time I've seen Mr. Foster so formally dressed. You truly are handsome and talented. And your girlfriend is as beautiful as a flower. Together, you make such a stunning couple. Seeing you two reminds me of how old I'm becoming..."
John responded with a polite smile, "You're joking, Mr. White. You're in your prime. Where's this talk of being old coming from?"
It's customary to reciprocate compliments, and since Mr. White was so flattering, John had to respond in kind.
Mr. White seemed pleased with John's response and laughed heartily.
He then added with a hint of apology, "Originally, our chairwoman should have been here to greet you, but she's tied up with some very important matters, so I'm standing in for her. I hope you don't mind, Mr. Foster."
John shook his head lightly and said, "Chairwoman Taylor has a lot on her plate managing such a big group. If she were to personally greet us, we would feel rather uncomfortable." The two chatted pleasantly all the way, getting along splendidly.
Meanwhile, Emma was too busy taking in the grandeur of the mansion to pay attention to the conversation between John and Mr. White. She stayed close to John, her eyes darting around with a look of wonder, like a child who had never seen the world before.
"Wow, this fountain is beautiful!"
"And this rockery is so lifelike! Did they use real rocks to build it?"
"Eh, is this a prairie?"
Emma would occasionally exclaim in surprise.
Mr. White patiently explained, "This is not a prairie, but a mini golf course.
The chairwoman sometimes enjoys a round of golf here when she has some free time."
Emma gasped in surprise and instinctively covered her mouth.
She had not expected what looked like a lawn to be a miniature golf course.
"There's even a private golf course. How much must that cost?" Emma asked with a curious expression, still wanting to know more.
Mr. White continued to explain with a smile, "It doesn't actually cost that much. Our Taylor Group made its start in real estate, so creating a small golf course is quite straightforward for us. We only need to consider the cost price."
"Unfortunately, our chairwoman has a thing for golf, and as subordinates, it's our duty to cater to her interests." Had anyone else asked about the cost, Mr. White would have likely ignored the question or even outright refused to answer.
But in Emma's case, he patiently explained.
He was treating her differently for two reasons.
Firstly, Emma was John's girlfriend, and right now was a crucial time for fostering good relations with John.
He didn't want to risk alienating John by offending his partner.
Secondly, Mr. White, with his years of experience in the business world, had a keen eye for people.
He could tell that Emma was genuinely curious about these questions, rather than having ulterior motives.
He's always been patient with such innocent souls.
As they neared the mansion, the noise of the crowd inside was becoming louder.
People of all kinds, holding champagne glasses, were huddled together, chattering away.
As Mr. White led John and Emma into the main hall, many people glanced their way subconsciously.
When they saw the faces of John and Emma, everyone was taken aback.
Not that they had discovered some secret, but simply because these two young faces were utterly unfamiliar.
They'd never seen them before, yet here they were being personally escorted by the third-in-command of the Taylor Group.
Could these two youngsters possibly be heirs of some large company from another province? The thought occurred to many in attendance.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m