"He is my husband..."
This single sentence stunned everyone present. They all turned their eyes to Xiao Yang, utterly incredulous. They were completely bewildered; how could Lin Yufei be married all of a sudden? They had never even heard of her having a boyfriend.
"What? You... you... your husband? Him?" Xi Qiuying’s eyes went as wide as saucers, her slender, pale fingers pointing back and forth between the two of them.
Many people secretly observed Ye Shaocheng’s expression. Everyone knew that Lin Yufei was Ye Shaocheng’s woman—no one dared to touch her. Yet now, an unknown, small-time character they had never seen before had managed to snatch the prize.
Ye Shaocheng’s face remained impassive, putting on a mask of broad-mindedness, but the rage in his heart had reached his boiling point. He stared at Xiao Yang in silence; the look of someone wanting to swallow another man whole cannot be hidden. Xiao Yang looked back at him calmly, showing no trace of fear. Even if he weren't the most untouchable second-generation rich kid in Jing City, he wouldn't retreat a single step, not even if the son of the Heavens themselves were standing there.
Under the weight of many astonished gazes, Xiao Yang and Lin Yufei took their seats. Only then did the gathering officially begin.
Xi Qiuying leaned in and whispered to Lin Yufei, "Yufei, when did you two meet?"
Lin Yufei replied, "Don't worry about that. Regardless, my marriage is set in stone. You should start thinking about finding someone yourself, you know."
"Pfft! Men are all philanderers. I’m not looking for anyone! I plan on living life solo!" Xi Qiuying pouted.
Seeing this, Lin Yufei just smiled and didn't continue the topic.
Just then, someone asked, "This brother is named Xiao Yang, right?"
Xiao Yang looked up. "Speak."
"Whoa, quite the cool act, isn't it? No wonder you managed to chase down the flower of our Jing City." The man chuckled. Seeing a cold glance from Ye Shaocheng, he straightened his expression and continued, "Xiao Yang, you look a bit familiar. Have we met somewhere?"
"Don't go around recognizing people as friends. You aren't qualified to be mine," Xiao Yang said indifferently.
"Oh? Hahaha!" The man was so incensed he let out a loud laugh.
Xi Qiuying also covered her mouth to giggle. She nudged Lin Yufei, who was sitting next to her, and asked with interest, "Yufei, your husband is quite the character. Pang Zizhu isn't exactly a broad-minded person. If your husband mocks him like that, does he have some kind of backing?"
Lin Yufei couldn't help but think of Daoist Jiu’s miraculous medical skills and unfathomable methods. She smiled and shook her head. "I’m not entirely sure."
"What? You married him without being sure? If his family is dirt poor, aren't you going to suffer?" Xi Qiuying gave Lin Yufei an astonished look from head to toe, secretly wondering if Xiao Yang had fed her best friend some kind of love potion—how else could she be so bewitched?
Lin Yufei said nothing. A background is never as reliable as a strong protector. In her opinion, having Daoist Jiu as a protector was more than enough for Xiao Yang.
After his laughter subsided, Pang Zizhu said, "Xiao Yang, oh Xiao Yang, I gave you a little face, and you really started thinking you were someone, didn't you? You say I'm not qualified to be your friend? Well, you aren't even qualified to be mine!"
"Exactly! He should go find a puddle to look at his own reflection!"
"Hmph, I really don't know what Yufei sees in you. To me, you're just a posturing loser."
"If you hadn't climbed up a high branch, do you think you'd even be qualified to enter this door, let alone sit in the seat you're occupying right now?"
The taunts were endless, but Xiao Yang didn't let a single word sink in. He picked at his ear and said flatly, "Stop barking like dogs. Speak like human beings."
This remark incited collective rage. Everyone started hurling insults at him at once, and aside from the speakers themselves, no one could make out what anyone was saying. Seeing the scene becoming more chaotic than a wet market, Ye Shaocheng finally called for a stop. They might ignore others, but they had to listen to Ye Shaocheng.
Playing the peacemaker, Ye Shaocheng said to Xiao Yang, "Xiao Yang, you were in the wrong this time. Don't blame everyone for their extreme reaction. Pour a drink, offer a sincere apology to everyone, and let's call it a day. What do you think?"
"Ye, you've got some nerve. Why should Xiao Yang apologize? Do you think I'm blind? Can't I see you're all just trying to make a fool out of him?" Xi Qiuying immediately stood up, unhappy, and spoke up for Xiao Yang. "What? Couldn't make a fool of him, so now you're acting like a pack of rabid dogs, jumping up to bark? And you want him to pour drinks and apologize? Why don't you pour Xiao Yang a drink and apologize?"
Her words left many of them flushing with shades of blue and purple, yet not a single soul dared to retort. Xi Qiuying’s older brother was a major general in the Western Theater Command; even Ye Shaocheng didn't dare offend her lightly.
Xiao Yang was surprised that Xi Qiuying would step in to help. This girl had a sort of heroic, chivalrous spirit—the kind that would draw a blade to help someone on the road.
Lin Yufei didn't give Ye Shaocheng a shred of respect. She said in a low voice, "Young Master Ye, what do you mean by asking for an apology?"
Ye Shaocheng hadn't expected two women to step out in defense of Xiao Yang—one was his heart's desire, the other someone he didn't want to offend. It put him in a difficult position.
Liang Kai sneered at this moment, "To have two women standing up for you—you really aren't much of a man."
Xiao Yang said indifferently, "Provocation doesn't work on me, but I didn't intend to let anyone else fight my battles anyway."
Pang Zizhu gave a thumbs-up. "Good! You said it yourself!"
"If you want to play, tell me the rules," Xiao Yang replied.
Pang Zizhu laughed. "Don't worry, I won't lay a hand on you. We'll have a drinking contest. The loser has to strip naked and crawl from here all the way out of the hotel. Kid, do you have the guts?"
"If you don't, then be a good boy, pour drinks for everyone, apologize, and call each of us 'big brother.' Only then will this be over. Well? Do you dare play?"
Pang Zizhu’s face was filled with confidence; in drinking contests, he had never lost.
Lin Yufei immediately said anxiously, "Xiao Yang, don't compete with him! He can drink a lot!"
"That's right, don't do it!" As Lin Yufei's best friend, Xi Qiuying was naturally on Xiao Yang's side.
Pang Zizhu mocked, "It's not too late to quit now. Just pour the drinks, apologize, and call us big brothers. That's a lot better than crawling to the front door naked."
Xiao Yang shook his head. "I already said, provocation doesn't work on me. But since you insist on stripping naked and crawling out of this hotel, I’ll grant you your wish."
Pang Zizhu was so happy he began to applaud. "Hahaha, good! It's too late for you to back out now. Even if you don't drink, you're still going to strip and crawl out of this hotel!"
With that, he signaled for a waiter to bring in six bottles of Louis XIII.
Pang Zizhu opened one and said contemptuously, "Do you know what kind of liquor this is?"
Xiao Yang remained silent.
Pang Zizhu sneered again, "Louis XIII, at 180,000 a bottle. I suppose you wouldn't know. Drink carefully, don't spill any."
"Hahaha!"
The remark drew a roar of laughter from the crowd. It was a thinly veiled way of mocking Xiao Yang as a penniless bumpkin who had never seen the world.