HLM -Chapter 1327 The Hundred-Year-Old Party

Wang Bo invited everyone in New Zealand whom he thought it necessary to invite to his centennial banquet. Politely, he explained that it was a tradition from their hometown and said that if anyone couldn’t attend, just sending their blessings would suffice.

He didn’t realize the scale until he started inviting people—he was shocked to find that his villa couldn’t possibly accommodate so many guests.

Even just his close confidants—covering government, the police station, the ranch, the shopping mall, and the farm—already numbered around thirty people. In addition, there were lawyer Muller, Brother Yi the doctor, and little nurse Rosalie, all of whom usually assisted him and Eva.

Beyond them, he had to invite important figures from the town, such as Oakley, Hill, and the Sunset Band; business partners like Pastor-Potter, CEO of Poetic Architecture Group; Thomas Wesley, head of the New Zealand branch of Layton Company; White-Ned, general manager of Hades Fast Food’s New Zealand branch; and high-end livestock product distributors Sharp-Karrinston and Grant-Swift…

as well as members of associations he interacted with—Bullhead Club, Quinoa Association, Salvation Army Association, and so on.

Agricultural professors like Brant from Otago University, and key experts from Lincoln University stationed in Sunset Town, also needed invitations.

Not to mention his political friends: mayors of nearby towns, Alexander, Sheriff Smith, the mayor of Oak City, Huta-Sack, and more. This list alone was even longer.

Looking over the roster, Wang Bo exclaimed, “There must be over a hundred people!”

Eva weakly asked, “If it were our wedding, wouldn’t we have to invite even more?”

Wang Bo thought for a moment and smiled bitterly, “At least double that. I haven’t even invited Sir Lancaster, Princess Eugenie, or the Williamses who just left, let alone the mayor of Queenstown or my close classmates back home.”

Fortunately, Eva didn’t have many people to invite—she had no close friends or classmates in Ukraine, and her former colleagues weren’t suitable. Only her colleagues from school and a few student parents would be invited.

Even so, Wang Bo’s parents weren’t satisfied. Back home, they had many relatives, and according to their hometown customs, these relatives had to attend a centennial banquet to offer blessings to the child.

Facing his nagging parents, Wang Bo had no choice but to promise, “When the baby is older, for her first birthday, we’ll go back home and hold a big celebration, okay?”

Father Bo said, “Alright, just remember that.”

The centennial was on December 15th. With only about ten days until Christmas, everyone was busy with work. Some, like the chairman of the Quinoa Association and Leonard, general manager of the Bullhead Club, decided not to come.

But these were the few exceptions; most people were still coming. From the 14th, Sunset Town began to bustle with activity, with some guests arriving a day early, missing the 15th’s party.

Having a plane made travel much easier for city residents. Zhang Rui and Zhao Xiaohui, upon seeing him, said, “Flying here is really convenient. Once you drive to Auckland International Airport, hop on a plane, blink, and you’re at your doorstep.”

Wang Bo replied, “When you have a private plane in the future, it’ll be even easier—just fly over with your eyes closed.”

He handed the two over to Hou Haibo, explaining before leaving, “Brother A and I might be too busy over the next couple of days. It’s not that we’re neglecting you; it’s just that some people require personal attention from us, or else they might become enemies.”

Zhang Rui asked Qingyang, “Oh, so Brother A is also a figure on the scene?”

Qingyang snorted proudly, tilting his head, “Don’t you inquire enough? Brother A is also a person of standing in rural New Zealand.”

“Everyone calls you a friend to middle-aged and older women in the town, right?” Zhao Xiaohui teased.

Qingyang patted Zhang Rui and said, grumbling, “Look at your wife—what has she become?”

Hou Haibo smirked, “You don’t understand Brother Rui? He’s the quiet but passionate type. It’s not Xiaohui’s fault; she’s just been influenced over time.”

Zhao Xiaohui clapped her hands, “Monkey, well said.”

“What monkey? Show some respect—call me Brother Monkey!” Hou Haibo grumbled.

In the afternoon, the four stars of the Sunset Band flew in on a private jet. Wang Bo was surprised when he saw their plane: “Wow, what plane is that? Did you buy a plane?”

Ryan laughed, “Pilatus PC-24, our company CEO’s plane. He lent it to us for two days.”

“We’ve borrowed it more than once already,” Reddy added proudly.

Wang Bo patted both of them on the shoulder. “Clearly, your boss values you highly—he wants to win you over. But listen, guys, try not to rely on borrowed planes as a favor—it’s not worth it. You can use my plane if needed.”

Reddy eyed him skeptically, “Isn’t that also a favor?”

Wang Bo rolled his eyes, “What are you talking about? What kind of relationship or sentiment do we have? This small matter isn’t a favor.”

From then on, he frequently shuttled between the town and the airport, attending to all the guests.

By the 15th, it became even busier as more regional guests arrived.

Wang Bo’s centennial banquet was held at the Lakeside White Tower. Only the White Tower Hotel could accommodate such a crowd. He used an entire floor just to host the event.

The most interesting part of such a party was receiving gifts. Wang Bo, along with Eva and the child, greeted guests at the door, receiving a gift from each.

Following New Zealand custom, he opened each gift on the spot and expressed his thanks.

Alexander arrived in the morning. Having worked in China, he was well-versed in the appropriate etiquette. Unlike others who brought toys or shopping vouchers, he gave something much more upscale—a gold longevity lock.

On the back of the lock, two inscriptions in Chinese read: “Centennial for supreme longevity” and “A word is worth a thousand gold coins.”

From the gift, it was clear that Alexander had put thought into it—both he and the Green Party cared about Sunset Town.

In truth, Wang Bo had no particular attachment to gifts. Whether toys, longevity locks, or designer children’s clothing, he could easily buy them himself. Therefore, he greeted every guest with the same smile and warmth, regardless of the gift’s value.

Even President Bartier, who hadn’t visited Sunset Town in a while, arrived. Compared to before, he looked much more exhausted, with graying temples.

Wang Bo shook his hand in surprise, “Why do you look so tired?”

The president gave a bitter smile, “The financial markets are turbulent; we’ve had a rough year. I only manage two to three hours of sleep a day—how could I not be exhausted?”