OFR – Chapter 188 Dongfang Jing!

“I go by the name Leng. Welcome, everyone, to the 2019 Charity Gala.”

This simple sentence didn’t just leave Li Kaiyun stunned.

Even Zhang Yanyun, who was standing beside him, was momentarily frozen.

As she gazed at Mu Bai, standing proudly on the high stage, her mind buzzed with disbelief.

Initially, before she had even met Mu Bai, she had assumed he was just an ordinary young man struggling at the bottom of Nanjing’s social ladder. She hadn’t thought much of him.

But after meeting him, her perception of Mu Bai had been elevated again and again.

Especially in the parking lot of the Royal Club, when she saw that Bugatti Veyron slowly driving away, she had already placed Mu Bai in her mind at an unattainable peak.

Yet now, she realized—she had still underestimated him.

That so-called peak wasn’t nearly enough to describe this young man’s excellence.

Never had she imagined—never had she dared to imagine—that Mu Bai, only about twenty years old, would be seated as an equal among the most renowned figures in Nanjing and even the entire Jianghai Province!

Nalan Yunshao, Dongfang Jing, Li Shaofei—these were some of the most illustrious figures in Jianghai Province. And now, this young man sat on equal footing with them!

Mu Bai, the boy she had initially looked down upon, had suddenly become someone she could only look up to.

Both she and Li Kaiyun found their thoughts in utter disarray.

Mu Xiaoxiao, though also shocked, had a different perspective. Perhaps due to her different status, her thoughts weren’t as complicated—she was simply amazed.

After all, even she hadn’t expected that in just two or three short years of not seeing each other, the little boy who used to mischievously take advantage of her and Wang Yuwei had unknowingly grown to such a level!

Amid her astonishment, there was also a hint of joy.

The scene before her was so overwhelming that even when the charity auction officially started and the two hosts took the stage, they were still in a daze, their expressions blank.

Fortunately, Zhang Yanyun, the oldest and most experienced among them, was the first to snap out of it after a brief moment.

Once she had regained her composure, she quickly reminded Xiaoxiao about her upcoming performance.

After all, Xiaoxiao had been invited to sing at this charity auction—a valuable opportunity to increase her visibility and enhance her public image.

As her manager, Zhang Yanyun naturally couldn’t let her forget. She gently reminded her, “Xiaoxiao, remember to go on stage and sing later.”

“Got it.” Hearing the reminder, Mu Xiaoxiao, who had been lost in thought, finally snapped back to reality.

“Also, when you’re on stage, make sure to say a few words first…”

Zhang Yanyun whispered a few instructions about what to pay attention to during the performance.

…

Meanwhile, in the front row of the main seating area, after casually opening the charity gala, most of the high-status guests were calmly sipping their tea or flipping through the magazines on their tables.

They didn’t bother listening to the hosts’ formulaic opening remarks.

Because they knew—this charity gala wasn’t really for them.

It was for the wealthy businessmen and socialites in the guest seats—people who needed a boost in positive public image and reputation.

For those seated in the front row, their attendance was simply to show support for the Nalan family.

After all, with their status at the pinnacle of Jianghai Province, they no longer needed a charity auction to make a name for themselves.

However, at this moment, a beautiful woman in her late thirties sitting in the front row kept glancing in Mu Bai’s direction.

She was observing him closely.

Thanks to the supernatural enhancements he had obtained, Mu Bai naturally sensed her gaze.

But he didn’t react. He simply observed her calmly in return.

Mu Bai noticed that this woman, in terms of both figure and appearance, was exceptionally well-maintained. More importantly, the aura of dominance she exuded from years of being in power gave her an irresistible allure—one that made people instinctively want to conquer her.

From the earlier introductions, Mu Bai knew her name—Dongfang Jing.

He had no particular impression of this name and had no idea why she was watching him so intently. But out of habit, he used his “Inspect” skill on her.

“Ding! Inspection successful. Basic attributes of Dongfang Jing are as follows:”

[Name]: Dongfang Jing
[Age]: 39 years old
[Height]: 169 cm
[Beauty Score]: 86/100 – Extremely beautiful. If she were 15 years younger, she would be on par with Mu Xiaoxiao.
[Figure Score]: 90/100 – Near perfection. Mature, elegant, and full of charm.
[Danger Level]: A – The true controller behind the billion-dollar Huayi Media Corporation. Highly influential and well-connected in the entertainment industry. Known as the ‘Eastern Queen.’ Estimated to control assets worth around ten billion yuan. Not to be underestimated.
[Affinity]: 60/100 – Due to Mu Xiaoxiao, her affinity toward the host is significantly higher than that of a regular acquaintance, approaching the level of a close friend.
[Trustworthiness]: 35/100 – She holds a decent level of trust toward the host but should only be trusted with discretion.

“Hmm? So she has a good impression of me because of Xiaoxiao?”

Mu Bai frowned slightly as he analyzed the information.

But it didn’t take him long to put the pieces together.

He recalled that during dinner, Mu Xiaoxiao had mentioned her “Aunt.”

Could it be that Dongfang Jing was Mu Xiaoxiao’s aunt?

This thought suddenly popped into his mind.

And after pondering for a moment, Mu Bai became almost certain.

After all, in the ruthless entertainment industry, it would have been nearly impossible for Mu Xiaoxiao to maintain her spotless reputation over the past few years without a powerful figure protecting her from the shadows.

Yes, the entertainment industry was tough to survive in.

Even with Mu Xiaoxiao’s breathtaking beauty, it was unlikely she could have risen to her current level of fame without someone backing her.

As Mu Bai was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed out of the corner of his eye that Dongfang Jing had stood up and was walking toward him.

“Huh? What does she want?”

Mu Bai raised an eyebrow in slight surprise as he watched Dongfang Jing approach.

Before he could react, she stopped in front of him, exchanged a few words with the black-card VIP seated next to him, and then swapped seats with them.

Now, under the gazes of countless envious, shocked, and jealous onlookers, the powerful and elegant Dongfang Jing calmly took a seat beside Mu Bai.

“So, you’re the Mu Bai that Xiaoxiao always talks about?”

At that moment, the cold beauty’s face softened slightly, and she spoke in a rare gentle tone.