Chapter 284: A Slightly Bigger Ant
"Someone from the Turner Family of Willow City!"
Noah glanced at Skylar in surprise.
The three major families of Starlight City were the Green Family, the Stewart Family, and the Turner Family. These families were true powerhouses, standing high above in Starlight City, commanding respect and awe. Compared to them, the four major families of Oceanbridge City were mere ants, insignificant.
Noah hadn't expected to encounter someone from the Turner Family of Willow City here. Now that he thought about it, the Mercedes G350 with the license plate A.66666 parked outside the restaurant likely belonged to Skylar.
"So, it's Skylar from the Turner Family of Willow City. Pleased to meet you."
Noah greeted Skylar with a polite smile, though his expression remained indifferent.
The Turner Family of Willow City might be significant, but Noah didn't care. Even though the Turner Family was one of the three major families in Starlight City, in Noah's eyes, they were no different from the four major families of Oceanbridge City—just slightly bigger ants.
Noah's family had assets and economic power that could influence the entire global economy. While the Turner Family might have a formidable reputation in Starlight City, to Noah, they were merely slightly larger ants.
"Haha, I'm just a minor branch member of the Turner Family. I don't really qualify to be called part of the Turner Family of Willow City."
Skylar responded modestly, though a hint of pride shone in his eyes.
Even as a minor branch member of the Turner Family, the heads of any family in Starlight City would treat him with respect. For instance, when he discussed business with Kyle of the Benson Family in Oceanbridge City, Kyle, despite his high status as the head of the leading family, treated Skylar with utmost respect. This was primarily because Skylar was a member of the Turner Family of Willow City.
"Skylar mentioned that we've met before. When was that?" Noah scrutinized Skylar, finding him increasingly familiar.
"At the Benson Family headquarters."
Skylar smiled. "Back then, your actions left a lasting impression on me. I still remember it vividly, with a sense of awe."
He gave Noah a deep look.
That day at the Benson Family, Skylar had been invited to discuss a rare metal collaboration with Kyle. Just as they concluded their talks, unexpected events unfolded—Mason arrived demanding someone from Kyle, followed by Sea's arrival.
The final outcome had shocked Skylar profoundly. Sea and Kyle had knelt before Noah, begging for mercy and handing over the entire Benson Family to him to spare their lives. This incident left a deep impression on Skylar, making him somewhat wary of Noah.
Seeing Noah enter the private room earlier had made Skylar's hair stand on end.
"Noah, it's not just me; the entire Turner Family is interested in your rare metals. Would you be willing to sell them to us?"
Skylar continued, "Of course, the price is negotiable."
"Well..."
Noah was about to respond when Thomas, Gerald, and the other reporters entered the private room.
"Skylar, this is a celebration banquet. Let's discuss other matters after the banquet," Noah said calmly.
"Of course."
Skylar smiled and didn't press further.
"Hmm?"
The reporters noticed Noah sitting in the seat of honor, and their expressions changed. They quickly understood—Mr. Nathan, the chief sponsor of "I Am a Tycoon," treated Noah with respect, so it was natural for Noah to sit in the seat of honor.
Among the reporters, Sofia was the most anxious. Noah had been despised by millions of viewers, largely due to Sofia's handiwork. He had noted down all the negative comments about Noah, such as being disrespectful, pretentious, and stingy. Now, Sofia couldn't afford to offend Noah. If Noah held a grudge, Sofia might lose his job. The thought made Sofia break out in a cold sweat, filled with unease and fear.
...
Soon, everyone arrived, and the celebration banquet began. Noah sat in the seat of honor, silent, while Nathan stood up to host the banquet.
First, he thanked the show's director for creating such a great program. Second, he expressed gratitude to the hardworking reporters, whose efforts were directly linked to the show's success.
Next, he encouraged the team to keep up the good work, making "I Am a Tycoon" even more exciting and achieving higher ratings.
Finally, he addressed the funding issue. The future production of "I Am a Tycoon" would naturally require a lot of money. Nathan assured the team that as long as they produced a good show, funding would not be a problem.
These words were inspiring. Nathan's speech was met with thunderous applause, and the team members were visibly excited. The sponsors were also all smiles. The better the show's performance, the more money they would make.
Then, it was time for drinking and dining. The show's director and producers took turns toasting the sponsors, promising to make "I Am a Tycoon" a great success. The atmosphere was lively and joyous.
After about two hours, the celebration banquet ended.
"Mr. Nathan..."
Thomas approached Nathan, glanced at Noah, and hesitated, looking nervous.
Although she didn't know Noah's exact identity, Nathan's attitude towards him indicated that Noah was not simple. This made Thomas feel uneasy. Moreover, she had previously said many disrespectful things to Noah. If Noah held a grudge, it would be troublesome.
"Noah, I've said all I needed to. Do you have any instructions?" Nathan asked Noah.
As the chief sponsor, Shark Live had significant influence over the "I Am a Tycoon" production team, which meant Noah's words carried a lot of weight.
"Remove my episode from the broadcast," Noah said, glancing at Thomas. "As for the million, I'll return it to the show, and you can select another ordinary person to give the million to."
Noah had no interest in appearing on television.
"Noah, please reconsider!"
Thomas's face turned pale as she pleaded. "Your reputation is really bad right now. Millions of viewers are upset with you. You can use that episode to clear your name."
"I don't care about my reputation," Noah said calmly.
"What about Larry's next episode?" Sofia asked, now treating Noah with respect, realizing his extraordinary status. He wondered if Noah would willingly let Larry shine, given their differences.
"Larry's episode will continue as planned," Noah said calmly.
Larry had achieved the highest ratings, and in the future, he could bring significant profits to Noah, so there was no need to remove Larry as well. However, if Larry used the million in ways that violated the rules of "I Am a Tycoon," Noah wouldn't hesitate to take action.
