You might as well give up...

Xu Fan rolled his eyes helplessly at the troublemaker beside him.

Who did he offend to deserve this? It was so unfair.

"Mr. Li, look, Qinghe is not getting any younger, she needs to find a man to marry."

"You should try harder to find a man who barely meets my standards of excellence..."

"Xu surnamed, why are you so talkative?"

Seeing that she was ignoring him, he began to discuss his own marriage with Grandfather, which infuriated Li Qinghe. She glared at Xu Fan and started to scold him.

"Hehe, Qinghe, you look so pretty, even when you're angry you look pretty."

She thought that by glaring at him, it might make him behave, but this shameless guy instead had the nerve to tease her about it.

"Hmph, you rotten rascal..."

"You little rascal."

Watching his granddaughter bicker with Xu Fan, Grandfather Li couldn't help but shake his head with a mix of laughter and tears.

The granddaughter's marriage really depended on whether he nodded or not.

Qinghe had too high standards, and having met this guy, she was likely to find it hard to fall for another man.

"Lu Family boy! Come over here!"

At that moment, he glanced over and saw Lu Jun mingling at the party, exchanging pleasantries with the guests.

Thinking of how this guy deliberately targeted Xu Fan, Grandfather Li couldn't help but call out to him.

The sound was just loud enough to reach Lu Jun's ears.

Following the sound, Lu Jun's gaze fell on Xu Fan standing beside Grandfather Li, and he was taken aback.

Why was this guy here?

You see, the guest list for this charity party had been personally vetted by him.

He did not invite Xu Fan.

He was somewhat wary of making a move against Xu Fan, but he was quite happy to let him attract some rumors and gossip.

After tonight's party, he would completely deny not inviting him, and when everyone from Shanghai donated except for Xu Fan, rumors would hurt his reputation.

This little scheme of his was shattered with the appearance of Xu Fan, and seeing Grandfather Li summoning him over, Lu Jun's expression turned somewhat sour.

"Lu Jun? What's the matter?"

At that moment, the tall and strong man accompanying him asked.

This person beside him was not from Shanghai but was a good friend he had made while studying abroad.

The second son of the Ye Family from Hong Kong Island, Ye Cheng.

Their relationship was a bond of deep trust, and about the Xu Fan matter, he had explained it when he first arrived in Shanghai.

With a wry smile, Lu Jun said, "Ye Cheng, the one next to Grandfather Li, that's Xu Fan."

"Oh?"

"Is that the Xu Fan who wiped out the Ke Family? Lu Jun, didn't you..."

Seeing Ye Cheng looking at him, Lu Jun forced a smile and sighed, "I don't know what happened either."

"Since that's the case, don't just stand here. Take me to meet this Xu Fan."

Ye Cheng's gaze landed on Xu Fan, and he urged with interest.

"Mr. Li, did you call me?"

Encouraged by Ye Cheng, Lu Jun walked over to Grandfather Li.

While exchanging pleasantries, he greeted Grandfather Li, as for Xu Fan beside him, he pretended to be oblivious to everything.

"Hehe, young man from the Lu family, you're supposed to do a good deed today, so why keep thinking of causing trouble?"

"..."

Clearly, Old Master Li was using Xu Fan to question and accuse him. Lu Jun's forehead oozed sweat as he struggled to find an explanation.

"Old Master Li, with the effort Lu Jun put into gathering all the dignitaries of Shanghai for charity tonight, how can you accuse him of having ulterior motives?"

At that moment, Ye Cheng, standing to the side, spoke up for Lu Jun.

"Yo, Ye Cheng, you rich playboy, aren't you supposed to be on Hong Kong Island? What brings you to our Shanghai?"

Stepping forward to take the blame off Lu Jun, Ye Cheng spoke confidently and unassumingly: "Old Master Li, it is an honor for Ye Cheng to be remembered by you. My grandfather in Hong Kong Island often mentions you."

"Hehe, the Ye Family of Hong Kong Island, would a common old man like me truly be in their thoughts?"

With no real affinity for Ye Cheng, Old Master Li stroked his beard and said, "Since you've stepped forward, perhaps you can explain to me why, at tonight's charity banquet, there's one person who didn't receive an invitation?"

Casually glancing at Xu Fan, Ye Cheng smiled confidently and said, "Old Master Li, could there be a misunderstanding?"

"Could someone be deliberately framing Lu Jun? If it comes to it, we can simply ask the person who sent out the invitations."

"Hmph."

Listening to Ye Cheng's explanation, Old Master Li couldn't help but snort coldly.

The invitations were sent out by his people from the Lu Family; what he deemed black was black, and what he deemed white was white.

Arguing further would be pointless.

"Come, Xu Fan, let me introduce you."

Unwilling to dwell further on the matter, Old Master Li huffed and let it go, turning his attention to Ye Cheng as he began the introductions.

"This Mr. Ye Cheng is the third and most favored son of the Ye Family from Hong Kong Island; you should definitely get to know him better."

How could Xu Fan not detect the underlying meaning in Old Master Li's words?

Xu Fan speculated that Lu Jun's scheme was unlikely to have been concocted without Ye Cheng's instigation.

The Ye Family of Hong Kong Island, together with the Yang and Song families, are known as the three great families of the island, each wealthy enough to rival nations.

Spoiled as he is in the Ye Family, Ye Cheng's status is certainly not low.

His willingness to speak up for Lu Jun suggests a friendship as solid as iron.

"Mr. Ye, it's a pleasure."

Having nodded to the other party, Xu Fan considered the greetings exchanged.

"Hehe, I dare not claim it a pleasure. I've heard you, Xu Fan, have become quite famous lately; it should be Ye Cheng who is fortunate to meet you."

Ye Cheng looked at Xu Fan with a feigned smile, saying, "Years ago, my great-grandfather, all by himself, ventured onto Hong Kong Island to earn the prosperity the Ye Family enjoys today. You, Xu Fan, seem to have some of his spirit."

"Keep up the good work, and perhaps you too will earn your own domain here in Shanghai."

In his patronizing tone, Ye Cheng evaluated Xu Fan, his words dripping with an irritating sense of superiority.

Feng Huang, who stood by Xu Fan's side, couldn't help feeling somewhat annoyed upon hearing this.

"Mr. Ye is right, I too think that Xu Fan resembles your great-grandfather quite a bit."

Squinting her eyes, she offered a flattering comment.

Her tone and expression were impeccable, but the words themselves carried a hint of ambiguity.

Ye Cheng, caught self-aggrandizing, felt somewhat embarrassed.

Though he was ostensibly complimenting Xu Fan, the underlying message was the strength of his own Ye Family.

How could Xu Fan, no matter his abilities, compare to the decades of dominance his family had enjoyed on Hong Kong Island?

However, before he could start schooling Xu Fan, the woman's sudden interjection put Ye Cheng in a difficult position to continue.

"You woman, do you even know how to speak!"

At that moment, Xu Fan slapped Feng Huang's shapely behind.

Seeing his fierce expression, Ye Cheng raised an eyebrow. Was this guy actually savvy?

"How can someone as young as I be compared to a great-grandfather? At most, I could be called a father."

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