My American magical life
Chapter 347 - 347 19 CEO Cheng Selects a Concubine

347: Chapter 19: CEO Cheng Selects a Concubine?

347: Chapter 19: CEO Cheng Selects a Concubine?

After CEO Sun spoke, before long, several staff members from Dinghu Residence filed in.

They walked over to the wooden Chinese-style latticed windows and began to open each window outward—one might see it as a superfluous act, but in reality, it was the product of masterful design.

What does true elegance look like?

No one could answer, no one could define it, because everyone had different standards of judgment.

But the right buildup could create a subtle ‘impression’, the staff’s synchronized motion aimed to enhance the ambiance, and the slight obstruction of the lattice windows was meant to evoke a sense of distance through a veil of obscurity.

Take, for example, the most beautiful girl cannot be defined, but the most heart-stirring one certainly isn’t the type stripped bare.

The phrase “holding a pipa while partially concealing her face” is an excellent descriptor, and at this moment, in this place, with this scenery, it was the perfect representation of that expression.

The dining hall of Dinghu Residence was named just that, and like the windy rain corridor that Cheng Daqi entered through, it also stood above the lake.

When the staff opened up the row of consecutive windows on the wall close to the ‘stage’, those in the hall could see, through the wooden lattices of the windows, the ‘stage’ located more than ten meters away.

This stage was the windy rain corridor.

The corridor was made wide and broad for the purpose of the performance at this moment.

The windows inside the hall had been opened by the staff, but the stage outside was still empty.

This was about building anticipation.

The stage was in place, the ceremonial feel well-prepared, but the ‘main dish’ would not be served up straight away.

“I’ve heard the performances at Dinghu Residence are quite intriguing but never got to see one; CEO Cheng, I must thank you today.

I’m the one who’s getting the treat by following you, hahaha.”

The speaker was Yang Yuan, the sales team manager that Sun Dongxin had gifted to Cheng Daqi.

Without the main dish being served, during the wait, it was time for the announcer’s guest to lay another round of groundwork.

His flattery seemed to be directed at Cheng Daqi, but in actuality, it was for Sun Dongxin, also serving to further build anticipation.

CEO Cheng, when he worked part-time as an accompanying guest at Dinghu Residence in his past life, had done this—of course, here, the accompanying guest was just to accompany Sun Dongxin to meet clients.

“The Dongxin Song and Dance Troupe also performs at Dongxin’s annual conference, doesn’t it?

Manager Yang, you’re too polite.”

Cheng Daqi replied.

Sun Dongxin’s eyes sharpened in surprise—Xiao Cheng, it seems you are quite familiar with Dongxin.

“Actually, there’s no difference.

Many people spread mystical rumors, but it all comes from misunderstandings.

My initial purpose in creating the Dongxin Song and Dance Troupe was just to support the arts.

Later, when more people knew about it but few saw it, they got it wrong.

Some even said it was my harem, sigh, people these days.”

With his mouth dripping oil yet with steadfast denial, Sun Dongxin, at his core, was still a capitalist.

The Dongxin Song and Dance Troupe indeed was not his harem, but every girl there knew why she had joined.

The turnover rate of its members was so high that it almost needed a complete replacement each year.

In the face of Brother Sun’s tall tales, Cheng Daqi just shook his head and played along, talking to Lisa about the upcoming performance.

“Later there will be a dance performance on that platform.”

“Ah?

Isn’t it raining outside?” Lisa asked, puzzled.

It had already started raining when the two entered, and now the drizzle outside could be considered dense.

“It is raining, but the dancers here are all professionals, so the weather won’t affect their performance.”

Something seemed to cross CEO Cheng’s mind, casting a shadow in his eyes.

The difference between him and Sun Dongxin lay right here: Sun Dongxin’s principles only existed for the things he respected.

In many matters he deemed less important, his principles seemed barely noticeable.

Like right now.

“Xiao Cheng, haha, the girls are all very hardworking.

Today’s weather is indeed unfortunate, but it might not necessarily be a bad thing.”

No sooner had Sun Dongxin finished speaking than the first performer finally appeared on the stage of the corridor in the rain.

In a vintage white Chinese-style dress with upturned collars, the white fabric featured mountain and water landscapes delineated in black ink lines—an extraordinary level of aesthetic appreciation, just based on the musician’s taste.

She first walked to the middle of the rain corridor, placed a hand over her chest, bowed slightly in greeting, and then took her seat at the edge of the stage.

So graceful, to the point that even Guo Chongyang, who had seen much, even running an art school himself, found it exquisitely elegant.

With just the musician’s demeanor, she instantly transformed everyone’s expectations into genuine appreciation for beauty.

The first anticipation had been met, and now, everyone was looking forward to the dancers’ entrance.

The design of Dinghu Residence was extremely intriguing, with two corridors flanking the rain corridor.

As the musician casually strummed the strings, a group of dancers in light blue long dresses stepped onto the stage with measured strides from both sides.

“Cheng, these people are all very professional; their steps are firm, and their rhythm even matches the accompaniment, creating a sense of harmony,” said the blonde girl.

The mother of the blonde girl was a ballet dancer, and she had received professional dance education since childhood.

“There are nine dancers in total, Lisa.

Pay close attention, and after they finish performing, tell me which two you think danced the best.

Then I’ll also pick two.

I want to know how far my aesthetic judgment is from a professional one like yours,” CEO Cheng instructed the blonde girl.

The music started, the first piece being a national-style music compiled from the Classic of Poetry’s “Jianjia” section, with a deep and clear female voice opening softly in lament.

“Jianjia is lush, the dew turns to frost.

…”

What is elegance?

It’s indefinable!

Sun Dongxin’s solution was to use a two-thousand-year-old Classic of Poetry song as the music, laying out a long, profound, and romantic history right before the eyes of all spectators.

As a person from Hua Country, one would definitely praise it after watching.

After all, this was a legacy ingrained in the deep cultural heritage of the nation.

In the beginning, the dancers moved lightly, ethereal and spirited; as the music progressively reached its recursive climax, their steps alternated between fast and slow.

“So-called beloved, on the other side of the water.”

Rain is water, falling on their light blue water-sleeved long dresses.

The waters of Dinghu are also water, and as they danced upon it, they perfectly embodied the meaning of being by the waterside.

The dancers’ light blue long dresses were like water too, and amid the gentle and elegant sounds of the guqin, they seemed like sprites in the water, freely exhibiting endless spirituality.

“Surging forward with them, as if in the midst of the water.”

As the last line fell, the dancers dispersed into a flurry of water droplets falling from the sky, scattering like water and lying on the ground, motionless for a long time.

——————

The performance, seamless in its transition from music to dancers to atmosphere to weather, was shockingly moving, and even Sun Dongxin, who had seen countless performances by Dongxin’s dance troupe, couldn’t help but sigh from the bottom of his heart.

“Good, very good.”

CEO Cheng almost couldn’t help but laugh.

Brother Sun, are you running out of ink?

“CEO Sun, I toast to you, today is truly worthwhile.”

Lawyer Wu Ming was the first to come to his senses, expressing his heartfelt thanks to Sun Dongxin after snapping out of his astonishment.

“You should be thanking these young ladies, why thank this old man, ha-ha-ha-ha.”

With his face turning red from Sun Dongxin’s remark, Wu Ming grinned sheepishly twice and didn’t persist, as CEO Cheng had already spoken up.

“CEO Sun, could you have them perform a modern dance?

Classical dance is too refined for me, I can’t appreciate it.”

Sun Dongxin was taken aback and laughed.

“Not a problem, we have three more performances tonight, I will have them all changed to different styles of modern dance, so CEO Cheng can get his fill.”

How could a ruthless capitalist empathize with the working man?

In Brother Sun’s eyes, those dancers combined were still less important than Cheng Daqi.

“It’s still raining outside, and this corridor is not rainproof, one more dance should be enough.”

CEO Cheng declined Brother Sun’s suggestion, not out of concern for the unfamiliar young women, but because he disliked the idea of watching others laboriously dancing in the rain.

Obviously, directly suggesting to end the event quickly would have embarrassed Sun Dongxin—especially since Brother Sun had just commented that rain was auspicious.

Thus, CEO Cheng chose a delicate and indirect approach to achieve his purpose.

Sun Dongxin certainly wouldn’t deny Cheng Daqi’s request and he exclaimed.

“Xiao Cheng, you’re sure to be a man who takes good care of his home and dotes on his wife, ha ha ha.”

Seeing Sun Dongxin’s stance, the eyes of Yang Yuan and others looking at CEO Cheng even held a hint of hostility.

Is it you, who is preventing us from enjoying ourselves?

Too bad, CEO Cheng was a top figure capable of smoothing over troubles for Sun Dongxin in the United States, his power was no longer on the same level as that of tonight’s guests.

Even if they harbored resentment, none dared to voice a single complaint.

————————

The girls in the corridor were somewhat frustrated after being suddenly notified of a program change.

Dancing in the rain was unlucky enough, and now they were suddenly required to ramp up the intensity.

Numbed by the experience, but this was ultimately half good news since now they only needed one more performance to finish.

After a brief discussion, and what seemed to be a dispute, the dancers finally took their positions under the organization of a round-faced girl with a hint of baby fat.

(Round face does not equal pancake face, Zhao ly also has a round face)

However, after communicating with the guqin player about the music, the round-faced girl organizing everyone took her place at the very edge of the group.

Cheng Daqi noticed all of this, and perhaps the others did too, considering that everyone dining tonight was cunning.

Corporate CEOs, school principals, sales elites, law firm bosses, and even the seemingly naive Lisa, were all successful entrepreneurs.

Everyone noticed, but no one seemed to care.

As the performance ended, led by the guqin player, ten beautiful girls of varying shapes and sizes entered the dining hall to express their thanks to the audience.

This so-called expression of thanks ostensibly resembled a curtain call, but its essence was entirely different.

The members of the Dongxin dance troupe nearly changed once a year, these girls had come with a purpose.

“CEO Cheng, these young ladies have indeed worked hard, which one do you think danced the best?” Sun Dongxin asked with a beaming smile.

He didn’t see himself as a pimp; in his own system of dealing with things, exchanging concubines for horses was considered a matter of elegance.

Of course, these dancers were not Sun Dongxin’s concubines, this was just a metaphor.

“Lisa, which two do you think danced the best?” CEO Cheng asked the blonde woman first.

“Her and her.

Hmm, although all these dancers are professionals, these two seem even more so.”

Lisa was very responsible—she even thought spending a thousand dollars from the company to buy safety was expensive, she has always been conscientious.

After confirming it once more, Cheng Daqi turned his attention to the dancers.

The rain had soaked their clothes, and although they weren’t indecent, it added an extra hint of allure.

Understanding that the guest of honor tonight was Cheng Daqi, the girls either lifted their chests or smiled courteously as they faced Cheng Daqi’s scrutinizing gaze, all striving to show their best side.

His gaze fell on the round-faced girl, and CEO Cheng smiled at her.

“After all this choosing, Xiao Cheng, are you dazzled?”

Sun Dongxin teased Cheng Daqi.

“Brother Sun, Mi’er and I are still in love, I wouldn’t dare pick.”

Cheng Daqi certainly wouldn’t slip up on such matters.

In front of Sun Dongxin, he was still Temir’s devoted lover.

“Then shall we let them rest for now?”

It had to be Brother Sun, who truly held Xiao Cheng in high regard.

There’s a world of difference between going first and simply leaving; Brother Sun’s words were all too tender.