But she cared about Zhang Beixing.

She only hoped that this Xu Yu wouldn't annoy Beixing. She had to make her stance clear now. That way, even if this group really upset Beixing, it wouldn't affect her relationship with him.

With this in mind, Sophia Zhou put down her cutlery, looked at the group, and shook her head, saying, "Thanks, but there's no need. I think this restaurant is quite good, and there's nothing wrong with having Dongbei cuisine for my birthday. As for fireworks, that's even more unnecessary. The country has banned fireworks and firecrackers. We should support national policy!"

Hearing her words, the wealthy young men were stunned, finding it rather incredible.

In their minds, didn't every girl want a glamorous birthday party, the grander the better?

They had offered to make Sophia Zhou's birthday lively, but she didn't seem to appreciate it.

Seriously, what charm did this man possess that made her willing to accept such a plain birthday?

The wealthy young men were puzzled and turned to look at Zhang Beixing. They noticed he wasn't wearing any brand-name items. His clothes and pants were 19.9 from PDD, free shipping. His shoes were from a street stall, probably costing only thirty or forty yuan. The only highlight on Zhang Beixing was his handsome face. He perfectly embodied the phrase 'handsome but useless.'

Damn it. So, just because of this, Sophia Zhou, you rejected their goodwill? What's so great about being handsome? We're handsome too! Why does this guy get to make a living off his looks?

Looking at Zhang Beixing, the group of wealthy young men felt a twinge of jealousy, a faint trace of hostility flickering in their eyes.

Sensing the change in their gazes, Zhang Beixing raised an eyebrow.

What's the meaning of this? A fierce glint in your eyes, looking for trouble, are you?

Zhang Beixing said nothing, just quietly put down his chopsticks, rolled up his sleeves, and looked over.

Seeing his actions, the young men, already displeased by Sophia Zhou's rejection, became even more annoyed.

What's with this kid? Does he actually want to fight? He's got some serious nerve!

"You..." someone began, about to say something.

But before the words could be spoken, a young man among them, who hadn't said a word since entering and had been staring intently at Zhang Beixing, furrowed his brows tightly. After a long moment, he finally looked at Zhang Beixing and asked uncertainly, "Uncle Zhang?"

Upon hearing this, the wealthy young men who had come with him were all taken aback. They stared at the young man, baffled, completely failing to understand what was happening.

What's going on? Why are you suddenly calling this guy 'uncle'?

Zhang Beixing, too, was stunned by the familiar address. He followed the voice and quickly found the young man who had spoken. At a glance, he didn't recognize him.

Zhang Beixing raised an eyebrow, "Who are you?"

"Important people like you tend to be forgetful. I'm Rourou's cousin! Last Friday, when you visited our Chen Family, I even greeted you before you left!" the young man stepped out from the crowd and said respectfully to Zhang Beixing.

Recalling the commotion Zhang Beixing had caused with his martial arts display at their Chen Family last Friday, even after several days, he still felt a sense of awe. He had originally thought it would be very difficult for someone of his standing to come into contact with such an impressive figure. After all, Zhang Beixing was considered an equal by his eldest paternal uncle, a guest his grandfather had to personally entertain, and he was even backed by Master Liu. Such a figure was undoubtedly someone the younger generation of the Chen Family looked up to. Who would have thought that today, when he came to celebrate Sophia Zhou's birthday, he would actually run into him? Wasn't this a golden opportunity delivered right to his doorstep? He had to seize it, see if he could get into Uncle Zhang's good graces, and maybe even learn a move or two from him. Even if he couldn't become as formidable as Zhang Beixing, it would definitely be a huge improvement for him! At the very least, he could build a connection, and then go back and show off to his grandfather to earn some praise.

"Chen Rourou's cousin? Greeted me... Oh, so it was you. What was your name again? Are you also here to ask Sophia to go out with you all?" Zhang Beixing mused. He realized he had no impression of the young man, but since he was being so respectful, it wouldn't look good for him, as an elder, to be completely dismissive.

"Yes, yes, that's me, Uncle Zhang! My name is Chen Ping'an." Hearing him, Chen Ping'an nodded repeatedly, then vehemently shook his head to deny, "No, no, no! If I had known earlier that Miss Sophia was dining with you, I wouldn't have dared to come and disturb you. I just came to join in the fun!"

He knew full well this was Zhang Beixing's territory. Never mind Xu Yu being his friend; even if Xu Yu were his father, he wouldn't dare come here looking for trouble! Because this wasn't looking for trouble; this was practically seeking death!

Hearing Chen Ping'an's words, the wealthy young men nearby were even more bewildered.

Xu Yu turned to Chen Ping'an and asked, "Old Chen, what's going on with you? First, you call this guy 'Uncle,' and now you're not even backing up your buddy's shot at romance? He looks about the same age as us. Is it really necessary to act like this?"

"Shut your mouth! Is my Uncle Zhang someone you can criticize?" Chen Ping'an's expression changed abruptly. He scolded harshly and without mercy, instantly transforming into a complete sycophant, immediately switching sides.

Then he looked at Zhang Beixing and said with a fawning expression, "My Uncle Zhang might not be old, but age doesn't mean everything. Ever heard the saying, 'A man of ambition is not limited by age, while one without ambition wastes away even if he lives a hundred years'? Besides, do you even know who my Uncle Zhang is? How dare you shout at him like that?"

"Who is he?" one of them asked. He was curious about what kind of person Zhang Beixing was to make Chen Ping'an so respectful and eager to please.

"Well... matters of our martial arts circle are things you might not understand. Let me put it in simple terms you can grasp." Saying this, Chen Ping'an puffed out his chest proudly, scanned the group, and said with a slight disdainful look, "You all know about the human trafficking incident that happened in Shishi a few days ago, right?"

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