The entrance was packed with luxury cars, and a gathering of officials, dignitaries, and wealthy merchants had assembled here, all in attendance for the bidding conference being held tonight.
Ye Tiance had just arrived from No. 1 Zijin Tiangong Villa.
A red Maserati pulled up in front of him, and a woman five-foot-seven in height, dressed in a long red gown, stepped out. With her long, slender legs, delicate features, and a perfect figure, she exuded a unique, cold, and arrogant air.
It was Han Ruoyun.
She was originally meant to come with her father, Han Tianzheng, but urgent business at the family company had required his attention, so he had sent Han Ruoyun to attend on her own. She stepped directly into Ye Tiance’s path.
"What a coincidence to run into you here. Are you here for the bidding conference, too?"
Ye Tiance frowned, having no desire to engage with this narcissistic young lady. "Move, please."
Han Ruoyun did not budge. "Answer one thing for me, and I’ll move."
"What is it?"
"Who did you call last night to get Sun Jun fired? Or rather, what exactly is your relationship with Lord Long?"
Facing her question, Ye Tiance replied bluntly, "I have no comment."
Han Ruoyun gritted her teeth in frustration. She simply could not wrap her head around it: how could a useless, live-in son-in-law kicked out by the Xiao Family make Chen Feng obediently fire Sun Jun? Could he actually know Lord Long? And if he did, would he know the mysterious VIP behind Lord Long? If he did, she could ask him about that person’s preferences and do her homework in advance!
Having bumped into him here, she had hoped to squeeze an answer out of him, but the man hadn’t let slip a single word. This bastard—he really was a master of playing hard to get!
Just as she was pondering how to get an answer out of him, two women approached them. The most striking of the two was a woman wearing a white, form-fitting skirt, her long legs clad in black silk, radiating an icy, aloof aura.
It was Xiao Qingcheng, accompanied by Assistant Sun.
"Ye Tiance, last night I actually..." Xiao Qingcheng began, intending to explain the misunderstanding at the hospital, but she suddenly caught sight of the stunning woman in the red gown standing next to him.
In terms of appearance, figure, and presence, the woman was in no way inferior to her. In fact, her silhouette was even more voluptuous than her own 36D figure!
Seeing Xiao Qingcheng, a flash of complex emotion crossed Ye Tiance’s eyes. He asked calmly, "Is there something you need, President Xiao?"
"No, nothing." Xiao Qingcheng shook her head, though her gaze drifted uncontrollably toward the woman beside him. Who on earth was she? Why was she by Ye Tiance's side?
Han Ruoyun, meanwhile, had noticed Xiao Qingcheng. For some reason, she caught a hint of hostility in the other woman’s eyes. A mischievous glint flashed in her own as she took the initiative to reach out to Xiao Qingcheng. "Let's get acquainted. My name is Han Ruoyun."
Xiao Qingcheng reached out as well. "Hello, I’m Xiao Qingcheng."
Despite her calm expression, her heart was in turmoil. So, this woman was Han Ruoyun? Had Ye Tiance’s attempt to marry into the Han Family actually succeeded? It had to be! Otherwise, she wouldn't have been the one to answer his phone last night, and they certainly wouldn't be standing together now. At this thought, Xiao Qingcheng felt an inexplicable sense of irritation.
Just then, seemingly struck by a thought, Han Ruoyun whispered in Ye Tiance’s ear, "I’m helping you save face here, so remember to answer my question later."
Ye Tiance frowned. "There’s no need."
Ignoring him, Han Ruoyun tilted her chin up slightly and said, "So you’re Ye Tiance’s ex-wife? I’ve heard so much about you!"
Her tone was polite, but her attitude was aggressively territorial. Xiao Qingcheng bit her lip, a surge of grievance rising in her chest. *I was the one who asked for the divorce, but you turn around and flaunt another woman in my face! Is this your true nature?*
Xiao Qingcheng retorted with a cold sneer, "I am indeed his ex-wife. If I had realized earlier that he was so fickle in his marriage, I would have asked for the divorce even sooner!"
Ye Tiance felt a flicker of annoyance at this and said coldly, "The fickle one is you, isn't it? Before you even asked for the divorce, you were already getting cozy with that guy from the Ji Family!"
Xiao Qingcheng’s brow furrowed, and she was just about to defend herself by saying that she and Ji Boduan were merely business partners when a familiar voice sounded from behind her.
"What about me and Qingcheng? That’s a match made in heaven! It’s still a billion times better than being with a useless, good-for-nothing loser like you!"
Ji Boduan appeared, dressed in a crisp white suit. He walked up to Xiao Qingcheng and praised her, "Qingcheng, you look beautiful today. I believe you’ll be the brightest star at the conference tonight!"
Xiao Qingcheng replied with slight reluctance, "That remains to be seen..."
*Huh?* Ji Boduan paused, finally noticing Han Ruoyun standing next to Ye Tiance. His eyes widened. *Tsk tsk,* she was truly the daughter of the Han Family; her looks were not at all inferior to Xiao Qingcheng’s! If one had to compare, Xiao Qingcheng was a cold, distant lotus, untouchable, while Han Ruoyun was a blooming peony, proud and unparalleled. Each had her own merits. Of course, the curves on Han Ruoyun’s chest were significantly more impressive!
This only fueled Ji Boduan’s resentment toward Ye Tiance. *You get kicked out by Xiao Qingcheng, and then immediately land yourself another wealthy beauty? What kind of blind luck is this?*
He smiled and warned Han Ruoyun, "Miss Han, I suggest you stay away from this trash named Ye. You’d be better off associating with my brother."
To his surprise, Han Ruoyun replied with visible disgust, "Forget it! He’s only good for kneeling in public and calling people 'daddy.' I have too much pride to lose face like that!"
Ji Boduan’s expression darkened in displeasure. After he had returned home last night, he found his younger brother, Ji Boxiao, locked in his room, throwing things to vent. Upon asking, he learned of Ji Boxiao’s humiliating experience at the Tianlong Hotel, an incident that had completely shamed the Ji Family and kept his brother from even showing his face tonight.
He had been curious as to what kind of heaven-defying power Ye Tiance possessed to be able to act so arrogantly at the Tianlong Hotel. Now, he understood: it must have been Han Ruoyun helping him from behind the scenes, playing a part to make his brother look like a fool!
Ji Boduan squinted. "This man is an ungrateful wretch, which is why Qingcheng dumped him. Miss Han, it wouldn't look very good for you to pick up her leftovers, would it? Of course, if you don't care, then never mind!"
Han Ruoyun’s pupils contracted slightly. Of course she cared! But her naturally stubborn temper made her want to do exactly the opposite of what he suggested.
She suddenly grabbed Ye Tiance’s arm, acting in a very intimate manner. She lifted her chin, acting haughty. "I’m happy to do it. Is that any of your business?"
Ji Boduan was stunned. Xiao Qingcheng was stunned. Even Ye Tiance was taken aback. He lowered his voice and asked, "What are you doing?"
He instinctively tried to pull his arm from between her soft bosom, but she held on tighter, warning, "Don't move!"
Seeing this, a look of desolation crossed Xiao Qingcheng’s eyes. She said with a self-deprecating smile, "Ye Tiance, so you had a backup plan all along! Heh, congratulations."
Initially, she had held onto a shred of fantasy that his relationship with Han Ruoyun was a coincidence. Now, it was clear as day.
Ye Tiance frowned. He wanted to explain, but what would be the point? When had she ever actually listened to his explanations? He stayed silent.
Xiao Qingcheng regained her usual icy composure. "Ye Tiance, you once said you would make me regret asking for the divorce. But now, I am absolutely certain that it was the wisest choice I’ve ever made!"
With that, she walked into the Yunding Hotel with Assistant Sun.
Ji Boduan stepped forward and patted Ye Tiance on the shoulder with a sneer. "A loser who only knows how to rely on women is nothing in my eyes. I’ll make sure to settle our old scores, slowly."
Ye Tiance brushed his hand away. "There are some old scores I don't need you to look for me to settle; I’ll be coming to your family to settle them myself, slowly."
Ji Boduan, missing the secondary meaning in his words, dismissed him entirely. With a cold snort, he turned to chase after Xiao Qingcheng.
Han Ruoyun let go of Ye Tiance’s arm and stepped back, complaining, "Ugh! I nearly suffocated! I let you take advantage of me far too much!"
Ye Tiance replied helplessly, "You were the one who grabbed me; I didn't initiate it." But he had to admit, the sensation on his arm had been quite comfortable—very soft.
"I don't care!" Han Ruoyun commanded. "Since I acted in this little play to save your face, you have to answer my question: what is your relationship with Lord Long? And do you know that VIP behind him?"
Ye Tiance said, "That VIP is me."
Han Ruoyun glared at him immediately. "You’re lying! Lord Long is the chairman of the Tianlong Group. Even my father, the richest man in the city, treats him with respect. How could the VIP behind him be a son-in-law the Xiao Family kicked out?"
She adored that man; he couldn't possibly be some piece of second-hand trash that someone else had discarded!
Ye Tiance rolled his eyes. "You pester me for answers, and when I tell you, you don't believe me. You're impossible to deal with! I'm leaving!"
He walked away directly.
Han Ruoyun stomped her foot in frustration behind him. "You bastard! You took advantage of me and won't even be decent about it. If you run into your ex-wife inside, don't expect me to help you!"
...
Inside the Yunding Hotel, the conference hall was buzzing with activity. Guests were mingling, clinking glasses, and chatting.
In the center of the hall, Assistant Sun complained, "President Xiao, you shouldn't have given that ungrateful wretch any face outside. You should have crushed him. I can’t stand how arrogant he acts!"
Xiao Qingcheng said, "Regardless of what’s happened between us, he was at least genuinely filial to Grandpa. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have gifted that millennial snow ginseng. For that reason alone, I can't be too ruthless."
Assistant Sun warned, "Why are you being so naive? That gift of ginseng wasn't filial piety! He clearly felt he had latched onto the daughter of the richest man, got his hands on it through her, and then used it as a gift to show off and prove that your decision to divorce him was wrong!"
Xiao Qingcheng froze, a look of desolation in her eyes. *Could that be the truth?*
Ji Boduan added indignantly, "Qingcheng, tonight you’ll win the bid and secure the 10-billion-yuan order. Even if the daughter of the richest man stands before you, so what? Besides, I’ll introduce you to the VIP behind Lord Long. Once he takes notice of you, you’ll surely soar to new heights. Then, the only one who will regret anything is that loser!"
Assistant Sun asked eagerly, "Young Master Ji, can you really introduce us to that VIP?"
Ji Boduan feigned mystery. "Of course!" He added in a conspiratorial whisper, "Not only that, but the day after tomorrow is my father’s 60th birthday, and that very VIP will be attending to offer his congratulations! Qingcheng, you must bring your family along!"
Before he left today, his father, Ji Wuli, had personally visited Zhao Hailong to beg Lord Long to help build a bridge to that VIP, even offering half the family’s assets as a greeting gift. In Ji Boduan’s view, the Ji Family had already boarded the VIP's massive ship.
Xiao Qingcheng nodded expectantly. "I will definitely be there to wish your father a happy birthday."
Xiao Qingcheng’s arrival soon attracted the attention of many guests. Rumors that the Xiao Family had already secured the bid had been circulating for a while, so people began approaching to toast and pay their respects.
At the front were two middle-aged men. One, in a gray suit, raised his glass with a smile: "President Xiao, you are both talented and beautiful. Please continue to look after us in the business world."
The other, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, added kindly, "Congratulations, President Xiao, on securing the bid. I look forward to working together."
Xiao Qingcheng remained composed on the surface, but inwardly, she was bubbling with excitement. These two were Lai Jingye, chairman of the Ningyuan Group, and Xie Bin, chairman of the Hongda Group! Their influence in Jiangnan City was second only to the three major families—far superior to the Xiao Family. Yet, they were treating her with such courtesy; it was all thanks to the news of the bid.
This only made her more convinced that after tonight, facts would prove that her request for a divorce had been the right move. The one in the wrong would only ever be Ye Tiance.
...
In a corner of the hall, Ye Tiance found a chair and sat down. He checked the time: 7:10 PM. There were still fifty minutes until the conference officially began at 8:00.
His phone rang—it was Zhao Hailong.
"Mr. Ye, I have two things to report to you."
"Speak."
Zhao Hailong said respectfully, "First, Ji Wuli just contacted me, hoping I could help build a bridge to you. He’s willing to offer half his family’s assets as a tribute, and he wants to invite you to his 60th birthday the day after tomorrow."
Ye Tiance said coolly, "Tell him to get lost." In fact, even if Ji Wuli hadn't invited him, Ye Tiance had already decided to attend; the only clue regarding the fire at the Ye Family home was with the Ji Family.
Zhao Hailong continued, "Second, the final shortlist for the bid has been reorganized. I’ve sent the electronic document to your email. Please make your choice."
"I see."
Ye Tiance hung up and opened his email. There were five final candidates, the Xiao Family included. While it had been predetermined that the Xiao Family would win, to be honest, they lacked no competitive edge in strength, potential, or their proposal—largely due to his secret support over the past three years. Of the remaining four, three had obvious flaws and were not worth considering. Only the last one, Huwei Group, was equal to the Xiao Family in every regard, and in some areas, even stronger.
According to the notes, the Huwei Group had been established only half a year ago and seemed unremarkable. However, every competitor that had stood against them had either gone bankrupt or been aggressively acquired—they were unstoppable!
After a detailed investigation, Zhao Hailong had learned that the Huwei Group had intricate ties to the "Black Tiger Society," the largest underground force in Jiangnan City. Very few people knew this.
Ye Tiance muttered to himself, "I remember that when I was in the City of Fallen prison, there was a guy named Zhang Xiaohu who was pretty decent at cleaning out the waste pits. I had him released early. I heard he started an organization called the Black Tiger Society after he got out. Could it be him?"
Just then, a graceful woman in a white qipao walked over. She leaned in slightly and asked, "Sir, is this seat taken?"
"No." Ye Tiance looked up, answering instinctively. When he saw this mesmerizing woman, he froze. "It's you?"
Rong Meiyan raised an eyebrow. "Have we met?"
Ye Tiance realized he’d almost let something slip and added awkwardly, "My apologies, I mistook you for someone else." *I don't want to get tangled up in the romantic debts owed by Lin Feng, the God of War of Jiangnan!*
Just then, a shrill, mocking voice rang out. "Well, look who it is. I didn't think you’d be able to sneak in here. I suppose you must have borrowed Miss Han’s light to do it?"
Ji Boduan strutted over. He had intended to grab a glass of red wine, but seeing Ye Tiance, he couldn't resist coming over to taunt him.
Ye Tiance responded coldly, "Does that have anything to do with you?"
Ji Boduan raised his red wine glass, looking down at him. "The bidding conference hosted by Lord Long is for dignitaries and celebrities only! You’re a son-in-law cast out by the Xiao Family; what right do you have to sit here? Get out!"
Ye Tiance remained calm. "Ask Zhao Hailong. If he asks me to leave, let’s see if he can even continue this conference."
Ji Boduan scolded him immediately: "How bold! Is the name of Lord Long something a worm like you can speak? If word of this gets back to Lord Long, even Miss Han won't be able to protect you!"
Ye Tiance leaned back in his chair, unperturbed. "When Ye Tiance acts, who else does he need to protect him?"
Ji Boduan laughed out loud. *This kid has truly lost his mind.*
However, when his gaze accidentally fell upon the woman in the qipao next to Ye Tiance, his eyes widened! *What a stunning woman!* Unlike the cold beauty of Xiao Qingcheng or the arrogant beauty of Han Ruoyun, this woman in the qipao possessed a seductive charm—beautiful but not wanton, gorgeous but not vulgar! He had never seen her before.
He straightened his tie and offered his hand to Rong Meiyan with a confident smile. "Hello, beautiful. I’m Ji Boduan, the eldest son of the Ji Family, one of the three major families in Jiangnan. Let’s get to know each other."
Rong Meiyan merely nodded, declining to take his hand.
Ji Boduan retracted his hand, embarrassed, and warned her, "Beautiful, the man next to you is a jinx. I suggest you stay away from him to avoid catching his bad luck!"
Rong Meiyan glanced at Ye Tiance first, then gave a faint smile. "Are you telling me what to do?"
Though her smile was harmless, the tone she used carried the weight of someone in a position of power—not to be defied! Ji Boduan had never even seen such authority in his own father, Ji Wuli. Unable to discern her background, he didn't dare push it and could only laugh awkwardly. "No... that’s not what I meant!" He shot Ye Tiance a glare and walked away.
He hadn't gone far before he bumped into Han Ruoyun, who was looking around as if searching for something.
Ji Boduan turned his eyes and asked proactively, "Miss Han, are you looking for that guy Ye?"
Han Ruoyun said coldly, "Who I’m looking for is none of your business."
"Of course it’s not, but..." Ji Boduan pointed toward Ye Tiance and added fuel to the fire, "That guy is sitting with some strange woman, getting all cozy. Who knows what they’re doing?"
Han Ruoyun followed his finger and saw Rong Meiyan sitting next to Ye Tiance. Though she didn't know the woman, her intuition told her that the woman’s background was not simple, and she was sitting right next to Ye Tiance! She suddenly realized that Ye Tiance had no background at all, nor did he know that VIP! He was only acting so arrogant because of the woman beside him. *This bastard—he has no talent, and on top of that, he’s out hooking up with other women? What kind of garbage is he?*
Ji Boduan asked, "Aren't you going to go take a look, Miss Han?"
"Screw that!" Han Ruoyun snapped, turning around and walking away.
Ji Boduan smiled triumphantly. "Ye, now that you’ve lost Miss Han’s protection, let's see how much longer you can jump around!"
Just then, Xiao Qingcheng and Assistant Sun walked up. Assistant Sun asked, "Young Master Ji, where did you go? We’ve been looking for you everywhere!"