Chapter Ninety-Eight: A Private Talk (Fifth Update)

Liang He spent that afternoon in a state of near panic. Within minutes after Wang Yun and Yang Fan left, his father’s call came through in person, demanding to know exactly what he had done to make every one of the Liang family’s partners cut ties at once.

Without those partners, the Liang family could only wait for death. Their cash flow was nowhere near enough to sustain the company’s normal operations, and once that chain of funds broke, they would collapse in an instant.

He called A Jiu, and A Jiu told him plainly that this was a warning. They should not think that if the Liang family went bankrupt, they might someday rise again. Did they not consider what sort of people A Jiu and Scar had once been?

More than that, they had brought all their brothers over as well, and now every one of them was enjoying a glorious life. In other words, once the Liang family fell, these people would keep them under such tight scrutiny that there would never be any chance of a comeback.

Of course Liang He knew how serious this was. So he and his father had waited all afternoon at the entrance of the resort, hoping Ye Bing would agree to see them and give them one last chance. Without money, they were nothing.

At half past five, Xiao Yu and An Lan arrived. Ye Bing went out to receive them, and he truly did not spare even a glance for the father and son. Even Xiao Yu and An Lan found it unbelievable. Where had all that arrogance gone when he framed Yang Fan?

And now, just as Wang Yun had said, the day of parting had indeed become a day without return. Yet the father and son did not dare leave. Even if A Jiu or Ye Bing were to curse them out now, they would consider it a kind of release.

For once they were cursed, it would mean the matter was over. Right now, with no one paying them any mind, they could only feel that the situation was far worse than they had imagined.

Liang He was utterly shattered. His family’s fortune, as Wang Yun had said, was not merely enough to withstand a little trouble. No, it had barely been troubled at all, and already it was enough to determine the rest of their lives.

While they stood there in terror, they saw a white off-road vehicle drive up. It, too, ignored them and went straight into the resort.

“What are they doing here?” someone asked.

“I’m not the one causing trouble; someone else is doing it for me,” Yang Fan said with a smile.

“Let them off this once. We can take this as a warning,” Wang Yun said, bringing the car to a stop.

“Let them stand there a little longer. I’ll have A Jiu come out in a moment.”

“All right.” Wang Yun and Yang Fan got out of the car, and when they looked at the parking lot, it was full of Tanning license plates.

All kinds of luxury cars glittered there in abundance.

When Yang Fan and Wang Yun entered the banquet hall, it was already lively beyond measure.

“Yang Fan, we’ve been here all afternoon, and you only come back now after having your fun,” someone at the table in the center called out to him.

Yang Fan and Wang Yun walked over.

“President Han, President Song, and the two young masters,” Yang Fan greeted everyone with a smile.

“Brother Yang, and what about me?”

“President Zhang.”

“Yang Fan, you’re being far too inconsiderate. I was away on a business trip for only a while, and something this big happened in Tanning, yet you didn’t even send me word!” President Zhang said with a laugh.

“How could I not have told you? I called you the other day, but your phone was switched off. You were having such a good time on vacation that I thought you weren’t coming back,” Yang Fan said with a smile.

“How could I not come back? If I’d known you had this resort, why would I have even gone on a business trip?” President Zhang said, leading along his daughter. Yang Fan glanced at her a few extra times.

“Come on, daughter, go sit over there and let your Brother Yang Fan sit here. Your father and he have some proper talking to do.”

President Zhang’s daughter, Zhang Ting, was obedient enough. This was the largest table in the banquet hall, and the men were all seated there.

As for the women, Wang Yun spotted Lin Ruo, Lin Xi, and Xu Zihan, and went over to them.

“Wang Yun!” Xu Zihan called in greeting. Wang Yun glanced across at Xiao Yu and An Lan, who were sitting beside Ye Bing, and waved back.

“Sister Lin Ruo, Sister Lin Xi, Sister Zihan, my mom and dad will be here in a bit!” Wang Yun said as she sat down.

“So Yang Fan is about to meet his father-in-law and mother-in-law? He must be terribly nervous.”

“Sister Zihan, you’ve really guessed right!” Wang Yun chatted animatedly with Xu Zihan. As for talking with Lin Ruo and Lin Xi, that was another matter entirely.

That bond between sisters was something kept in the heart...

Bai Tiantian was chatting nearby as well. At another table, Yang Fan said a word to A Jiu, asking him to let the Liang family off this once, just as Wang Yun had suggested.

A Jiu nodded and went out. In no time, the table was again filled with casual conversation.

“Now this is the world of young people. Look at this hall: Young Master Han, Young Master Song, President Jiang, Yang Fan, Zhang Chen, Xu Tao, and Hao Yu. Then look at us. We’re old,” someone sighed.

“President Qian, where are you old?” Yang Fan said with a squinting smile.

President Qian pointed at Yang Fan. This brat had hidden meaning in every word.

The room burst into laughter, but Yang Fan’s heart still hung in midair. He had kept his eyes on the entrance the whole time, wondering what kind of grand arrival his father-in-law would make.

And then, in public, he would ask, What exactly did you do to my daughter?

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. A single night of recklessness, and now the daylight felt icy.

Sleeping with someone else’s daughter and thinking that was the end of it? How could it end there?

At ten o’clock sharp, Wang Yun’s phone rang. Yang Fan had been watching the commotion from the very start, and when he saw Wang Yun rise, he quickly stood as well.

“What are you doing, Uncle?”

“Going to receive my father-in-law!” Yang Fan hurried after Wang Yun, waving back toward the others.

The whole hall sighed in astonishment. So you really went and did something that outrageous? With all the women you went after, and now at last the parents have come knocking!

“We should go out and greet them too!” The crowd had just risen when Wang Yun helped a middle-aged couple walk in, and Yang Fan, following behind, was practically beside himself with nerves.

“Director Wang!”

Everyone was stunned. Yang Fan, you truly are hopelessly coarse and careless! Of course, they still did not know that Yang Fan had already registered his marriage.

Everyone hurried forward to receive them.

“So these are all the leading figures of Tanning’s business world. Come, everyone, please sit.”

“Director Wang, please!”

“President Han, President Song, President Chen, President Jiang, you are all among the top one hundred and fifty in Tanning’s wealthy circle. And over there are President Liu and President Qian. President Liu’s son married President Qian’s daughter, and with Franmei included, that ranking should put them into the top one hundred and fifty as well.”

“Director Wang is very attentive to us indeed. Come, Director Wang, please sit!” President Han called out.

“You all sit too. I came this time simply to see my son-in-law. Come, Yang Fan, you sit as well!”

Yang Fan nodded and hurriedly sat down. Only then did everyone realize what a remarkable man he truly was. You even went after the only daughter of the deputy director of the provincial office.

“What, are you planning to develop your business in Tianhai?”

...

“You never change, no matter where you go. You always end up talking business!” Wang Yun’s mother said.

“We’re just chatting casually. How is that talking business?” Director Wang replied with a smile.

“Have you forgotten what we came here to do? Once you start talking, you never know when to stop!”

“All right then. You all chat. Yang Fan, why don’t we have a private word with you?” Director Wang said, rising at once. Yang Fan did not dare say no. Ye Bing quickly led the way and took Director Wang to the most luxurious suite.

The others exchanged glances, each of them feeling uneasy.

“Hao Yu, Zihan, Lin Ruo, Lin Xi, why don’t we go up and take a look as well?” Liu Mingfeng said as he stood. He was uneasy too.

Everyone knew this was a private matter of the Liu family, and it would not be proper for them to interfere.

They could only pray for Brother Yang Fan. Of course, at worst, wasn’t it just marrying his daughter?

Xu Zihan, Lin Ruo, and Lin Xi all understood. As everyone rose, Ye Bing happened to come back down.

“Bing’er, let’s go up and take a look!”

Liu Haoyu looked embarrassed. This had really become a stepmother indeed.