<p>This qualitative case study examines how gender is negotiated during a Chinese wedding banquet in Beijing. Focusing on nine acquainted Han Chinese millennial professionals (college-educated, upper-middle class), the study used discreet audio recording and observational logs to document natural dining conversations. The data were transcribed using standardized Jeffersonian conventions and analyzed through the combined frameworks of interactional sociolinguistics and feminist poststructuralist discourse analysis. The findings show that male participants initially followed familiar gendered patterns by using assertive speaking styles and leading public toasting rituals, while female participants maintained a more restrained public presence. However, closer paralinguistic analysis indicates that these roles were not simply repeated. Women exercised interactional agency through subtle backstage humor and shared glances that evaluated male behavior, while men showed forms of “caring masculinity” by supporting an intoxicated peer rather than asserting dominance. These dynamics reveal that highly educated urban Chinese millennials enact hybrid forms of gender performance, balancing the traditional expectations of the banquet with more contemporary ideas about equality and social relationships. Ultimately, this&#xa0;study demonstrates that gendered communication is profoundly shaped by the intersection of local culture, professional background, and the specific social setting.</p>