"Actually, I think you should bring him along!" Zhou Xinyi said with a smile.
"Why?" Chen Xiaoran asked, looking confused.
"You can let him see what your social circle is really like. Show him how outstanding the men around you are! He isn't even qualified to touch the fringes of your world."
"Even if you don't make him leave your house immediately, at least you can force him to recognize his own worth so he stops entertaining any ideas about you!"
Hearing this, a sharp light flickered in Chen Xiaoran's eyes. "That's right! That's a great idea!"
"He needs to know just how noble my circle is—something he couldn't reach in this lifetime, no matter how hard he tried."
Shortly after, He Wenqian received a call from Chen Xiaoran, who told her to send Ye Lingtian to the banquet.
The gathering was held at "Baolixuan," a three-diamond Black Pearl restaurant that ranked among the top three in Jiangcheng! The average cost per person was over 5,000, and the minimum charge for the private room Chen Xiaoran and her friends had booked was 180,000. It was an amount utterly unaffordable for the average person.
"If Ye Lingtian had to rely on himself, he would never set foot in a Black Pearl restaurant in his entire life!" Chen Xiaoran thought, her face filled with arrogance. "He couldn't possibly know that a place like this is as common as a cafeteria to me. My life is his dream."
Before long, Ye Lingtian arrived.
"Let's go in. Remember, don't say anything stupid!" Chen Xiaoran glared at him impatiently before walking into the restaurant.
Inside the private room were three men and five women—all Chen Xiaoran’s classmates and friends. Not only were they all accomplished, but they also came from substantial family backgrounds.
In particular, Han Xuewen, who was hosting this celebration banquet, had an impressive pedigree. His family business monopolized more than half the supermarkets in Jiangcheng, and his father was known as the "Supermarket King." Han Xuewen was exceptionally talented, having been a standout among his peers since childhood, and he was also one of Chen Xiaoran's suitors.
"Xiaoran, Xinyi, congratulations on joining the Black Gold Consortium!" the others chimed in.
"Xiaoran! I have great news! I've also been hired by the Black Gold Consortium! We'll be colleagues from now on!" Han Xuewen, dressed in a sharp suit and clearly well-groomed, announced the news excitedly.
"Oh? Really? You're amazing!" Zhou Xinyi praised him immediately. Even Chen Xiaoran’s eyes lit up. Joining the Black Gold Consortium was a supreme honor—it put one in a higher class.
Han Xuewen was only of average standing among the successful men around Chen Xiaoran, and even he had landed a position at the Black Gold Consortium. How could Ye Lingtian ever compare? He would never be able to squeeze into her circle.
"Did you see that, Ye Lingtian? Even one of Xiaoran’s casual suitors is at this level!" Zhou Xinyi said bluntly. "Do you think you’re worthy of being with her? Give up that dream!"
Chen Xiaoran also looked at Ye Lingtian with a haughty gaze, as if to say, *You are nothing but trash! You aren't worthy of me!*
Only then did Han Xuewen and the others notice Ye Lingtian standing behind them.
"Xiaoran, who is this?" Han Xuewen asked, looking displeased.
"He’s the godson my mother adopted years ago," Chen Xiaoran said helplessly. "He’s moved into our house to live off us for free, and now my mother wants me to marry him!"
The two girlfriends painted Ye Lingtian as a complete loser—someone with no background, no assets, no talent. He was even an illiterate who had never gone to school. And the worst part was, these things were true.
"What? You live under the same roof and she expects you to marry him?" Han Xuewen’s expression changed instantly, and the others stared daggers at Ye Lingtian.
"To be honest, my situation is just average—my family only has a few billion in assets! As for me, I’ve just joined the Black Gold Consortium! And even then, I’m just an average suitor for Xiaoran!" Han Xuewen gestured toward Ye Lingtian. "These two other guys, Shi Xingguang and Liu Yuming, also have family assets in the billions! They are brilliant in their own right, yet they don't even have the courage to pursue Xiaoran! Listen, kid! You can't even touch the edge of our circle! How dare you set your sights on Xiaoran? Give up!"
Chen Xiaoran stood as proud as a peacock, looking down at Ye Lingtian with an air of haughty superiority, her eyes saying, *See? This is my world! You will never reach it!*
Ye Lingtian stared coldly at Han Xuewen. "Whether I’m worthy or not is none of your business. Also, you joined the Black Gold Consortium? Good for you. You’re fired."
"Hahahaha..." Everyone burst into laughter.
"Xiaoran, is his brain broken? Firing someone from the Black Gold Consortium?"
"Who does he think he is? The owner of the Black Gold Consortium?" The group looked at Ye Lingtian as if he were an idiot.
Chen Xiaoran was furious. *What kind of nonsense will Ye Lingtian spout next? Does he really think he owns the Black Gold Consortium?*
"Alright, Xiaoran, don't be angry! He's just feeling inferior because he knows he can't reach your level, so he's trying to find some sense of existence."
Hearing that, Chen Xiaoran’s eyes lit up. If Ye Lingtian was resorting to empty boasts, it meant her plan was working. He finally realized what her circle was really like and was starting to feel inadequate!
"Don't worry about him, Xiaoran. You are destined to climb into the top ranks of the Dragon Kingdom’s elite! He lives in a completely different world from you!" the others said.
Chen Xiaoran was filled with arrogance. She had always had high standards, but now that she had joined the Black Gold Consortium, her standards were even higher. She didn't even look twice at the top talents in Jiangcheng, so how could Ye Lingtian possibly catch her eye?
Zhou Xinyi scoffed, "Xiaoran’s standards are sky-high. Most likely, she’ll be the wife of the Kunlun War God in the future! How could he compare?"
This pleased Chen Xiaoran deeply. Her criteria for a partner had indeed been raised to the level of the Kunlun War God.
"Alright, let’s not let him ruin our mood!"
They sat down, and dish after dish of gourmet food was served. Each dish cost at least ten thousand, and Han Xuewen introduced them one by one, occasionally mocking Ye Lingtian for having never tasted such food. Ye Lingtian didn't touch his chopsticks, which to Chen Xiaoran and the others just looked like he was putting on an act—pretending to be indifferent while dying to eat.
Eventually, they lost interest and stopped paying attention to him, shifting the conversation to "high-end" topics—the future economy of Jiangcheng and the Dragon Kingdom, and the roles they would play. Specifically, Chen Xiaoran and her friends discussed how far the Black Gold Consortium would go in the Dragon Kingdom.
These were things Ye Lingtian, the "country bumpkin," shouldn't have been able to understand. They didn't realize that to Ye Lingtian, they were nothing but a group of clowns.
After dinner, they decided to head to a nightclub. It was the first time Chen Xiaoran and her best friend had gone to a club, and they were incredibly excited.
"Ye Lingtian, go home! Don't follow us!" Chen Xiaoran said to keep her mood from being ruined.
Ye Lingtian hadn't wanted to go, but he had promised his adoptive mother he would bring the two of them back safely. He had to follow them. "I'm coming with you."
Chen Xiaoran looked annoyed. "Can you stop following me? It was generous enough of me to bring you to dinner to see the world; don't try to ruin the rest of my night!"
"No. Unless you come home with me right now," Ye Lingtian replied, looking her straight in the eyes.
Chen Xiaoran rubbed her temples. *Good heavens, I’m going crazy. Is he actually going to latch onto me?* She sighed and had no choice but to let him come along.
Just as they were about to head into the club, Han Xuewen suddenly received a call from his superior at the Black Gold Consortium. "You guys go ahead, I'll follow shortly!" He didn't dare to be careless and found a quiet place to take the call.
"Is this Han Xuewen? You're fired," a cold voice said on the other end.
*Boom!*
It felt like a lightning strike to Han Xuewen. That country bumpkin was actually right... He really had been fired? He double-checked—it was indeed an executive from the Black Gold Consortium who had dismissed him. The termination notice was already in his inbox!
*Thump.*
Han Xuewen collapsed to the ground, his phone slipping and shattering.
"Chen Xiaoran! Zhou Xinyi! Didn't you say he was just a country bumpkin?"
"Are you playing me? He's a major figure who controls the Black Gold Consortium!" Han Xuewen roared as he knelt on the ground.
Meanwhile, Ye Lingtian and his group had arrived at Hepburn Bar. Han Xuewen had already made arrangements, and the club's managers escorted them to the best VIP table, Number 1.
"Hmm? Why isn't Han Xuewen here yet?"
"He isn't answering his phone. Could something have happened?" Shi Xingguang wondered, casting a glance at Ye Lingtian. Could he really have been fired?
"If he doesn't come, we'll start without him!"
Chen Xiaoran ordered ten "Divine Dragon" bottle sets in one go, spending over 300,000. She tipped the waiters and managers as if money were no object, all to show Ye Lingtian what her daily life was like. She wanted him to see that her clothes, her lifestyle, and her spending were things he couldn't even imagine. She wanted him to give up hope completely.
As time passed and Han Xuewen still didn't show up, they finally began to panic. "I think we should go back and check. I have a bad feeling."
Just as they were about to leave, a group of uninvited guests appeared in the bar. They were young masters from the Southeast Asia Chamber of Commerce in Jiangcheng, followed by dozens of burly bodyguards. Anyone who blocked their path was shoved or thrown aside; those who dared to argue were beaten severely.
In Jiangcheng, these young masters were used to being bullies. There was nothing they wouldn't do—they would snatch the women they took a fancy to and beat up anyone they didn't like. They were notorious. Everyone felt resentful but helpless; the Southeast Asia Chamber of Commerce was too powerful to provoke.
The group turned their gaze toward VIP Table 1. The club manager tried to explain that the table was already occupied.
*Smack!*
The leader, Sang Kun, slapped the manager across the face and then stomped on him. "There is nothing I, Sang Kun, want that I cannot have! I want this table today!"
At Sang Kun's command, his dozens of bodyguards swarmed forward, surrounding Ye Lingtian’s table. When Sang Kun and his friends saw the beauties Chen Xiaoran and her friends were, their eyes lit up. They visited clubs every night, but they had never seen women of such quality. They couldn't move their eyes away.
"Just in time, we have no women to keep us company! They’ll do," Sang Kun said, impatient. "Get rid of the men, keep all the women!"
Chen Xiaoran and her friends turned pale. Sang Kun and his lot were reckless, acting like madmen. They weren't sure their status would be enough to suppress them.
Shi Xingguang immediately spoke up, "Do you know who I am? My father is Shi Kaiyun!"
"Haha? Shi Kaiyun, is it? If it weren't for my Southeast Asia Chamber of Commerce, would he even have risen to power these past few years? Get lost! *Smack!*" Sang Kun slapped Shi Xingguang.
Chen Xiaoran was about to declare her identity, but Sang Kun just sneered, "I don't care who you are! Tonight, you're mine!"
They were lunatics!
"What do we do?" Just as the girls were about to reach for their phones to call for help, their devices were snatched away by Sang Kun's men. In their desperation, they all looked toward Ye Lingtian, who was sitting in the corner.
From beginning to end, Ye Lingtian had just sat there without saying a word, looking as if he were scared witless.
*Coward!* Seeing Ye Lingtian’s timid demeanor, Chen Xiaoran was furious. *You’re so "capable," shouldn't you stand up for us at a critical moment? Instead, you’re more afraid than us! How could I, Chen Xiaoran, ever marry a loser like you?*
Earlier, when she looked at Ye Lingtian, she had briefly fantasized—what if his boasts were true? What if he stood up now with invincible strength and saved them? But he disappointed her. A loser would always be a loser.
Ye Lingtian, however, felt deeply resigned. Did he, the Dark Lord, really have to deal with these small-time thugs? But after all, she was his adoptive mother's daughter.
"Get out of here now! Or all of you will die!" Ye Lingtian’s voice broke the silence.
Hearing his voice, Chen Xiaoran’s eyes brightened, but seeing it was Ye Lingtian, she grew even angrier. *Do you have the ability to solve this? Why are you standing up now? Who are you trying to impress?* She detested that even now, Ye Lingtian was just grandstanding.
"Kill him!" Sang Kun ordered, and several burly bodyguards charged at Ye Lingtian, intent on tearing him apart.
"He's throwing his life away!" Chen Xiaoran couldn't bear to watch.
*Crack!*
Just then, a group of people appeared. The man in the lead grabbed a bottle and smashed it over a bodyguard’s head, sending blood splattering. Everyone, including Ye Lingtian, was stunned. He had been preparing to crush these ants himself.
Sang Kun’s group was about to rage, but upon seeing the newcomer’s face, they withered. Their expressions shifted instantly to extreme pallor. They hung their heads, not daring to utter a sound, as if they had seen someone truly terrifying.
The newcomer was a young man in a sharp suit, though his face looked fierce. He strode forward.
*Smack! Smack! Smack!*
He slapped Sang Kun and his cohorts across the faces. His subordinates were even more brutal, snapping the legs of the bodyguards one by one. Screams echoed through the room, yet Sang Kun and his men kept their heads down, not daring to say a word.
"Are you all tired of living? Running wild on my turf?" the man yelled. "Do you lose your minds the moment you see a woman? Do you know who these people are? The daughters of the Chen and Zhou families!"
*Smack! Smack!*
He struck Sang Kun again.
The whole room was stunned. Who was this? Who could force these lunatics from Southeast Asia to be so obedient? Even Ye Lingtian couldn't help but ask, "Who is he?"
"Who is he? He is Lei Qianfeng, the son of the Jiangcheng underground boss, Lei Liehu! He’s the biggest thug in Jiangcheng! A natural-born leader! If only I had half his bravado," Shi Xingguang said, filled with envy.
Liu Yuming had a sudden realization: "So this bar belongs to the boss! No wonder!"
Hearing that he was Lei Liehu’s son, Ye Lingtian’s expression darkened. He hadn't expected to run into the son of his enemy here.
Zhou Xinyi remarked with admiration, "Lei Qianfeng is more strategic than his father and has better leadership qualities. He is a top talent in Jiangcheng—a future titan!"
Previously, the boss had only controlled the underground world through violence, but with his son Lei Qianfeng’s help, they had gradually moved into the light, building a commercial conglomerate.
Chen Xiaoran said, "Did you see that, Ye Lingtian? That’s what you call charisma! That’s what you call dominance! No matter how big the problem is in Jiangcheng, he solves it with a flick of his hand. How can you compare to him?"
After dealing with Sang Kun, Lei Qianfeng walked over to Chen Xiaoran with a smile. "My apologies, Miss Chen, Miss Zhou! I hope you weren't too frightened."
Chen Xiaoran and her friends thanked him profusely. Lei Qianfeng smiled and asked, "Would I have the honor of buying you ladies a few drinks?"
Chen Xiaoran looked triumphantly at Ye Lingtian. The meaning was clear: *See? Even top talents like him are fawning over me. How could you ever be worthy of me?*
"You're Lei Liehu’s son?" Ye Lingtian suddenly stepped forward and asked.
"Bold! How dare you call the boss by his name?" Lei Qianfeng’s subordinates roared.
Lei Qianfeng signaled for them to be quiet and looked at Ye Lingtian, nodding. "Yes. Do you have a problem?"
*Bang!*
Without another word, Ye Lingtian delivered a violent punch. Lei Qianfeng’s face caved in, and blood poured out.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
A series of punches followed, leaving Lei Qianfeng’s face unrecognizable. Everyone was stunned. Had Ye Lingtian gone crazy? Was he just hitting anyone he saw?
"Ye Lingtian, what are you doing?" Chen Xiaoran and the others were panicked.
Lei Qianfeng’s subordinates began to react, but Ye Lingtian didn't stop. He grabbed Lei Qianfeng’s hand.
*Crunch! Crunch!*
He began snapping his fingers one by one. Lei Qianfeng let out an agonizing, soul-piercing scream, rolling on the floor in pain.
"Ye Lingtian, are you insane?!" Chen Xiaoran and the others were horrified. What had he done? He was a total madman! Was he doing this just because she had mocked him earlier, and he couldn't handle the blow to his ego? But he was hitting Lei Qianfeng! The boss’s son! Even the Chen family couldn't handle this!
"Kill him! Kill him!"