Chapter 152 Chapter 151-The Drug（1st update, Cheer me with Power Stones!）
Facing the collective gaze of the crowd, John remained calm and collected.
His relaxed demeanor alone was enough to earn the respect of many high-profile individuals present.
Not everyone could maintain such composure under these circumstances, especially someone as young as John.
At first, everyone thought John was just the savior of Taylor's young mistress, with no other background, and some even looked down on him.
But now, all these assumptions vanished without a trace.
Benjamin naturally vacated his position, pushing John to the center of the stage.
It was clear to the onlookers that the Chairman of Taylor Group was paving the way for the young man, arousing curiosity among many.
They wondered if, despite being the savior of his daughter, Benjamin had some other reasons for showing such favoritism towards John.
Mia walked forward, naturally taking John's hand.
Her watery eyes were full of admiration.
The young girl, who was just seven or eight years old, didn't remember much about her near-drowning incident.
It was a horrible memory— struggling alone in the water, being carried by the current with nothing to hold onto, feeling suffocated as her life hung by a thread.
It's a traumatic experience for anyone, let alone a young girl like Mia.
She instinctively avoided these painful memories, but she would never forget how, at her most desperate moment, a big brother had jumped in like a superhero and pulled her back from the brink of death.
In Mia's innocent mind, the big brother in front of her was her only superhero!
John looked down at Mia, her big eyes twinkling as she quietly stared at him.
Her chubby, adorable face was full of sweet smiles.
John couldn't help but smile at her cuteness.
He bent down, scooped her up in his arms.
Mia, dressed in a pink dress and wearing a tiny birthday crown, was the center of attention and the little princess everyone adored.
"I'm truly grateful that I was able to save such a beautiful life when I had the power to do so," John said gently, "I don't entirely agree with Chairman Taylor's words. I believe that any conscientious person would have made the same choice as I did in that situation..."
"Mia, your life has just begun. Now, let's celebrate you growing another year older. Make your most beautiful birthday wish in front of the cake."
As soon as John finished speaking, applause erupted around the room.
People marveled at his wonderful character.
Most of the people present had grown indifferent with age, but after hearing John's words, they didn't hesitate to applaud him.
Deep down, if they were in John's position at that time, they might not have been able to make the selfless choice that he did.
Mia lay quietly in John's arms, while a servant smartly stepped forward to light the candles encircling the birthday cake.
Mia brought her hands together and closed her eyes.
Everyone fell silent, smiling patiently as they waited for the little princess to make her birthday wish.
After a while, Mia opened her eyes and gestured for John to join her in blowing out the candles.
John couldn't help but smile. Who could resist an invitation from such an adorable little princess?
Bending over, they blew out the candles together, extinguishing them all in one breath. Benjamin handed over a cake knife to them with a smile.
Their hands, one large, one small, held the knife together and gently cut into the cake.
The room erupted into applause again.
Benjamin and his wife beamed, their eyes never leaving Mia.
The couple, already at the pinnacle of wealth and power, expressed their love for their daughter unequivocally.
After making her birthday wish and cutting the cake, everyone showered Mia with birthday blessings.
Quite a few people initiated conversations with John, trying to uncover his true identity through casual chitchat, but they came up empty-handed.
John's replies were skillful and diplomatic, he maintained a polite demeanor without giving anything away. His performance was flawless.
Of course, not everyone held John in high regard.
Some people looked down on him. For instance, Christopher, the young master of Ocean Entertainment.
He was attending the birthday banquet on behalf of his father, and he had assumed he would be the star of the show.
However, he was upstaged by John.
Hiding in the crowd, his eyes filled with jealousy, he muttered under his breath, "Just a lucky nobody who happened to save Benjamin's daughter, and now he thinks he's the big shot here..."
After Mia's public appearance, the birthday banquet officially entered its climax.
People scattered around, sampling the exquisite snacks on the tables while toasting with champagne.
For many, this high-profile banquet was more like a business venue.
Businessmen seeking cooperation found their potential partners during the banquet. Socialites were on the prowl for their prey.
The celebrities specially invited by Benjamin also seized the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of these prominent figures.
A male singer took to the stage to perform a song, followed by a performance by a renowned domestic band.
Even Amelia couldn't escape a dance performance.
Truth be told, while these performers were celebrities in the eyes of the general public, they were mere entertainers in front of these high-status individuals.
Their sole purpose was to entertain.
John, with his arm around Emma's slender waist, sipped his drink and watched Amelia's dance with interest.
Amelia was a top-tier celebrity for good reason.
Her dance was professional and aesthetic, her figure was impeccable, and under the spotlight, even her exquisite features were flawless.
She was like a proud swan, noble and beautiful.
"Johnny, is it that interesting? You can't take your eyes off..." Emma complained, pulling John back to reality.
John felt a bit embarrassed.
Was she getting jealous?
She had been enthusiastically introducing Amelia's career to him just a while ago, acting like a fan girl, and now she was grumbling about him paying too much attention to Amelia.
John teased, "What's this? Is our Emma getting jealous?"
Emma huffed and replied with a tsundere tone, "How could that be? I just didn't expect that Johnny would like this kind of thing. If I had known, I would have learned to dance too. Then I could dance for you at home every day..."
John gave a wry smile.
She's not jealous?
Her tone was dripping with acidity.
As the music gradually faded, Amelia's breathtaking dance routine also came to an end.
Beads of sweat now decorated her forehead, evidence of the demanding performance she'd just delivered.
The audience broke into applause, even Mia clapped her tiny hands excitedly.
Clearly, everyone was impressed by Amelia's performance.
The eyes of a few middle-aged moguls even held a new light when they looked at her.
John observed it all, feeling a pang of worry for Amelia's future.
If these wealthy gentlemen took a liking to Amelia, he wondered if she had the strength to resist them all.
For these tycoons, keeping one or two stars from the entertainment industry was nothing short of easy.
And female stars without a powerful backing were just toys in their eyes...
Breathless, Amelia walked off the stage, taking a glass of champagne from a waiter's tray and draining it in one go.
Her beautiful eyes scanned the crowd, as if searching for someone.
At last, her eyes met John's and they shared a smile.
Amelia was about to go over and say hello when that annoying chap, Christopher, appeared before her again.
"Amelia, you've worked hard. Your dance was simply splendid. You're truly a professional dancer. I doubt there are many female stars in the entertainment industry who can match your dance skills," he praised.
Though his words were meant to flatter, coming from Christopher, they made Amelia feel nauseous.
She forced a smile and replied, "You're too kind, Christopher. The entertainment industry is full of hidden talents. There are many seniors far more skilled than I am..."
Christopher smiled, believing himself to be quite charming.
But in Amelia's eyes, his smile was nothing short of creepy.
Suddenly, Christopher turned and picked up two glasses of champagne from a nearby tray, offering one to Amelia, "You've been dodging my dinner invitation for a while. You wouldn't mind sharing a drink with me today, right?"
Eager to escape from Christopher's advances and having watched him take the drinks from the waiter, Amelia didn't think twice.
She took the glass and finished it in one gulp.
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