The person whom Su Chengwu and Luo Bin addressed as "Mr. Yang" couldn't possibly be without status!
Unfortunately, Wang Yanjun realized this too late.
"Mr. Yang, I was blind and failed to recognize your stature earlier. I offended you, and I sincerely apologize!" Wang Yanjun hurriedly stepped forward, speaking with utmost respect.
A wise man knows when to yield—this described people like him. But it was already too late.
Yang Chen looked at Wang Yanjun with mockery. "I'm just a freeloading live-in son-in-law. How could I possibly deserve your apology?"
His words were dripping with sarcasm, which made Wang Yanjun both ashamed and furious—but he dared not show it.
Su Chengwu and Luo Bin immediately understood what had happened. The two exchanged a glance, and Su Chengwu sternly rebuked, "Daring to disrespect Mr. Yang? You're simply courting death. Get lost!"
Wang Yanjun's face instantly paled. He quickly pleaded, "Chairman Su, I truly didn't mean it earlier."
"Chairman Su told you to get lost. Can't you understand human speech?" Luo Bin also spoke coldly.
"President Luo, I came to Jiangzhou this time as a representative of Chenghe Group to discuss cooperation with your company..."
Before Wang Yanjun could finish, Luo Bin cut him off. "Don't waste your time. Go back where you came from. From now on, Yanchen Group will refuse all cooperation with Chenghe Group!"
"And the Su family will do the same!" Su Chengwu immediately declared his stance.
One was the head of the Su family, one of the four major families in Jiangzhou. The other was the newly appointed general manager of Yanchen Group's Jiangzhou branch, fresh from the capital. Both were heavyweight figures in Jiangzhou. Yet now, they simultaneously announced their refusal to cooperate with Chenghe Group in any capacity.
Wang Yanjun's face turned ashen. He had come to Jiangzhou this time specifically to secure a partnership with Yanchen Group and expand Chenghe Group's market in the region. The company had invested heavily in this endeavor, and just as success seemed within reach, he had run into Luo Bin before even reaching the company—and worse, offended him.
If Chenghe Group's upper management found out about this, even his father-in-law—a deputy general manager—wouldn't be able to save him.
Liu Yang grew anxious and quickly interjected, "President Luo, you can't go back on your word! You promised my father you'd cooperate with Chenghe Group. How can you suddenly renege?"
"Who is your father? When did I ever promise to cooperate with you?" Luo Bin retorted angrily.
He wasn't feigning ignorance—he genuinely didn't know. But now that Wang Yanjun had offended Yang Chen, even if there had been prior arrangements, he couldn't acknowledge them.
"My father is Yang Zhicheng, deputy general manager of Chenghe Group," Liu Yang declared, her tone brimming with pride as she mentioned her father.
"Is the deputy general manager of some second-rate company supposed to be impressive?"
Luo Bin sneered before his expression darkened completely. "If you don't want your father to lose his deputy general manager position, disappear from my sight immediately."
Liu Yang flared up in anger, but before she could speak, Wang Yanjun dragged her out of the restaurant.
"Why did you stop me?" Liu Yang fumed once they were outside.
"My dear, do you even know who Luo Bin is? He may just be a branch general manager, but behind him is Yanchen Group. If you'd kept making a scene, your father might have been fired before we even got back," Wang Yanjun explained helplessly.
"Is it really that serious?" Liu Yang's confidence wavered after hearing his words.
"Do you know about the Eight Great Families of Yanjing?"
"Of course. They're the eight most powerful families in the entire country, each with immense influence."
"Yanchen Group is a subsidiary of the Yu family, one of those eight. Tell me, how could Chenghe Group possibly compete with Yanchen Group?"
After Wang Yanjun's explanation, Liu Yang finally grasped the magnitude of the trouble she had almost caused. Even so, she couldn't shake her unease.
---
Inside the private room at Beiyuanchun Restaurant, Su Chengwu and Luo Bin stood nervously to the side while Yang Chen ignored them, continuing to eat and drink leisurely.
Qin Yi, sitting nearby, grew increasingly uncomfortable under the weight of the two men's presence.
"I'm full. How about you?" Yang Chen finally set down his chopsticks and looked at Qin Yi.
She shot him an exasperated glare. How could she possibly keep eating with two such important figures standing beside them?
"No answer means you're done. Let's go." Yang Chen stood up.
Su Chengwu and Luo Bin moved to escort them out, but a single glance from Yang Chen froze them in place.
Only after leaving the restaurant did Qin Yi finally feel some relief.
"Alright, we've eaten. Can I leave now?" Yang Chen asked shamelessly.
Qin Yi studied the man before her with mixed emotions—familiar yet strangely distant.
Back at the Starlight Garden Hotel, Su Chengwu had told her that the lavish gifts were tokens of gratitude for Yang Chen. That was when she first realized he might not be as simple as he seemed.
Then there was the time she'd run into him at Yanchen Group, when she'd assumed he was sneaking in to look for a job.
And now, seeing how deferential Su Chengwu and Luo Bin were toward him, she became even more convinced that Yang Chen was far more than he appeared.
"You're staring at me like that… Could it be you're trying to steal your sister's man?" Yang Chen teased with a roguish grin.
"What?!"
Qin Yi was stunned for a second before his meaning sank in. Flushing with embarrassment and anger, she snapped, "You jerk! Get lost!"
"As you wish!"
Yang Chen promptly vanished from her sight.
Only after he left did Qin Yi realize she'd been played—he had deliberately dodged her to avoid further questions.
"Just who are you?" she murmured, gazing in the direction he'd disappeared.
---
Recently, Yang Chen had been video-calling Qin Xi every night under the pretext of their daughter missing her father. Qin Xi never refused, and their relationship had grown significantly closer.
Today, as soon as work ended, Yang Chen was already waiting at the entrance of Sanhe Group.
Before long, Qin Xi emerged, looking exhausted.
Just as he was about to approach, a brand-new Maybach pulled up in front of her, and a young man stepped out.
Yang Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. It was that fool again—the one he'd seen at the Qin family estate when he first returned to Jiangzhou. Zhou Yuqin had been pushing for Qin Xi to marry him. What was his name again? Wang Jian?
Wang Jian held an enormous bouquet of bright red roses—probably 999 of them.
"Wang Jian!" Qin Xi was stunned at the sight of him.
"Xi'er, I love you so much it's unbearable. My love for you burns like an unquenchable flame—nothing can extinguish the fire of my passion or bury my ardent devotion."
"Today, I've mustered the courage to tell you: I want you. I want you to be my woman. I want us to be together for a lifetime."
"Xi'er, will you be my girlfriend?"
Wang Jian had clearly rehearsed this cheesy confession. Now, with exaggerated sincerity, he knelt on one knee and raised the bouquet.
It was rush hour, and employees were streaming out of the building. The spectacle at the entrance quickly drew a crowd, with onlookers cheering and egging him on.
Qin Xi flushed with anger. "Wang Jian! Haven't I made myself clear? I'm married! There's no way I'll ever accept your feelings!"
She trembled with fury.
But Wang Jian refused to back down. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Xi'er, that man is nothing but trash. He made you wait five years! Do you know how precious those five years were for a woman in her prime? A man like that doesn't deserve you! He's unworthy!"
"He's not the person you're describing! Shut up!" Qin Xi snapped.
Yang Chen, who had just approached, felt a surge of warmth at her words.
"Xi'er, stop being stubborn. He's a complete loser who can't make you happy. If you agree to be my girlfriend, I'll make you the happiest woman in the world. Say yes, okay?" Wang Jian pressed on earnestly.
At that moment, Yang Chen appeared beside Wang Jian. Qin Xi's eyes widened in surprise.
With a gentle smile, Yang Chen handed her a single wildflower—plucked from the roadside just moments ago—and said, "For you."
"It's you!" Wang Jian also noticed Yang Chen. When he saw the wildflower, his face twisted with humiliation and rage.
"Hahaha, is this guy here as a joke?"
"Isn't that just a weed from the roadside?"
"A penniless guy with a weed trying to compete with a rich young master holding 999 roses and driving a Maybach? How delusional can you get?"
Amid the crowd's jeers, Qin Xi accepted the wildflower, brought it to her nose, inhaled its scent, and then beamed. "So fragrant. I love it!"