Xu Zhiyuan cleared his throat, and the room immediately fell silent. With a slight smile, he said,
"Distinguished guests, friends, thank you all very much for attending my daughter Qingya's 24th birthday banquet. Special thanks to Master Baiyan for taking the time out of his busy schedule and presenting my daughter with a precious piece of calligraphy; I also want to thank Chief of Staff Fan Zhenguang of the Beijing Military Region for taking time out of his busy schedule to attend the banquet; thank you to all the guests, relatives, and friends for your care and love for my daughter over the years, thank you! Now the luncheon officially begins, I hope everyone eats well! Drinks well! Plays well! Have a pleasant noon!"
Fan Zihong's face had been wearing a smug smile until Xu Zhiyuan finished his brief speech and stepped down from the stage amidst applause. Fan Zihong's smile froze instantly.
That's it? The two families had agreed beforehand that Xu Zhiyuan would announce the marriage alliance at the luncheon, so Fan Zihong's father, Fan Zhenguang, had also personally attended. Why did Xu Zhiyuan only offer a few perfunctory words of welcome and thanks before stepping down?
Xu Qingya was also stunned. When Xu Zhiyuan began speaking, Xu Qingya was already filled with sorrow, thinking she had finally become a sacrifice for the family's interests. Unexpectedly, even after Xu Zhiyuan stepped down, he didn't mention the marriage alliance at all. Xu Qingya could hardly believe her ears.
Wasn't it already a done deal? Why such a sudden turn of events?
Xu Qingya was both surprised and delighted, her eyes still brimming with tears, but she quickly smiled through them.
Suddenly, Xu Qingya remembered that her father had gone to the old man's residence in the backyard with Master Baiyan and Chen Yang, and upon returning, his attitude had changed. What exactly had happened in those few short minutes? Could it be Chen Yang…?
Thinking this, Xu Qingya couldn't help but turn her gaze to Chen Yang in the crowd. She saw Chen Yang smiling at her, raising his glass towards her from afar, his lips moving silently. Although Chen Yang didn't utter a sound, Xu Qingya easily discerned from his lip movements that he was saying "Congratulations."
Could it really be Chen Yang who helped her? But how could he know about her predicament? And how could a child from an ordinary family, even with the status of a disciple of Master Baiyan, possibly persuade her heartless father?
Xu Qingya was lost in confusion, momentarily forgetting to respond to Chen Yang.
Meanwhile, after Xu Zhiyuan stepped down from the stage, he went straight to Fan Zhenguang. Fan Zhenguang's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. The two families had agreed on everything, and Fan Zhenguang, as the future "father-in-law," had personally attended the banquet as a lieutenant general. Unexpectedly, Xu Zhiyuan had changed his mind at the last minute.
Fan Zhenguang felt like he had been played. Xu Zhiyuan walked up to Fan Zhenguang, a hint of apology on his face, and said softly,
"Chief of Staff Fan, I'm truly sorry. Just now in the backyard, the old man personally spoke up, saying that Qingya's wedding should be postponed for now. The elder has given his orders; I have no choice!"
Fan Zhenguang looked at Xu Zhiyuan with suspicion and couldn't help but ask,
"Postpone it? Mayor Xu, what does the old man mean by that?"
Xu Zhiyuan smiled wryly and said,
"I don't know either! Chief of Staff Fan, since…" "Since the old man has spoken, why don't we postpone the weddings of the two children for now? We haven't announced it to the public yet anyway."
"Mayor Xu, since Old Master Xu has personally spoken, I naturally have no objection, but..." Fan Zhenguang glanced at Xu Zhiyuan and said meaningfully, "Mayor Xu, then our cooperation will have to be postponed for now."
Fan Zhenguang's words carried a subtle threat. He was very aware of the Xu Group's current predicament; frankly, the Xu Group's difficulties were orchestrated by the Fan family. Fan Zhenguang knew the extent of the Xu Group's thirst for funds; it could be said that if the cooperation between the two families stalled, the entire Xu Group would face a crisis of a broken capital chain.
After saying this, Fan Zhenguang stared intently at Xu Zhiyuan. Xu Zhiyuan's expression shifted slightly, but he quickly gritted his teeth and forced a smile, saying, "Chief of Staff Fan, that's truly a pity! I really can't help with Qingya's matter! But our Xu Group is sincerely interested in cooperation; it's a win-win situation!"
Currently, Xu Peiru's investigation is still ongoing, and the veracity of Chen Yang's words cannot be determined. Therefore, Xu Zhiyuan's attitude towards the Fan family is ambiguous; he hasn't ruled out the possibility, but he's not as enthusiastic about the marriage alliance as before.
Fan Zhenguang, his face dark, uttered a single sentence:
"Mayor Xu, let's discuss the cooperation further! I'm sorry, I have some matters to attend to at the military region, I'll take my leave!"
With that, Fan Zhenguang stood up and left the banquet, clearly showing his extreme dissatisfaction. Xu Zhiyuan stared at Fan Zhenguang's receding figure, his expression complex.
"Sister Qingya! Happy birthday!" Chen Yang, holding a wine glass, walked up to Xu Qingya, raised his glass slightly, and said with a smile.
"Thank you!" Xu Qingya, now free of her burdens, smiled easily. She clinked glasses with Chen Yang and took a small sip of red wine.
During the social gatherings, Xu Qingya had also drunk some wine. Her cheeks were flushed, and combined with her relaxed smile, she looked exceptionally beautiful and lovely. Looking at her, Chen Yang couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. He knew that Xu Qingya's delicate frame had borne too much pressure in this arranged marriage.
Feeling a little embarrassed by Chen Yang's gaze, Xu Qingya couldn't help but ask coquettishly, "Chen Yang, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Oh...nothing!" Chen Yang snapped out of his reverie and said, "Sister Qingya, you must always be happy, just like today!"
"Mm!" Xu Qingya replied softly.
Watching the two chatting happily from a distance, Fan Zihong's jealousy burned fiercely. He glared at Chen Yang, then walked to a secluded corner, pulled out his phone, and dialed a number:
"Ah Lin? What's the status of what you found out last time?"
Fan Zihong's confidant, Ah Lin, respectfully replied on the other end of the line:
"Young Master, a few days ago, the Zhonglou District Demolition Office transferred the demolition compensation to Chen Yang's account!"
A sinister smile crept across Fan Zihong's face as he said calmly:
"Good! Notify Uncle Jiu to thoroughly investigate that Guo, the director of the demolition office! This matter must be taken seriously; we must make sure the fire reaches that Fang brat!"
"Yes! Young Master, I'll call Secretary Fan immediately!" Ah Lin replied.
"By the way, that girl I saw in Pingdan last time, you said she has a younger brother in Beijing, right?" Having finished his business, Fan Zihong's lust began to stir again. "Yes, young master, Su He's younger brother is named Su Jun. He applied to the Directing Department of the Central Academy of Drama this year and is currently waiting for his interview in Beijing. He seems to have also enrolled in a training course and is staying at a small hotel near the academy," A Lin replied.
"I see." Fan Zihong's vicious gaze fixed on Chen Yang in the distance, a cruel smile on his face, said, "Wait for me at the entrance of the academy. I'll come find you after the banquet…"
"Yes, young master!" He Lin replied respectfully.
After hanging up the phone, Fan Zihong muttered to himself:
"You little bastard! You dare ruin my plans? I'll fuck your woman!"
As soon as the banquet ended, Chen Yang quickly disappeared. Master Bai Yan chatted with Old Master Xu in the backyard for a while before leaving. Chen Yang knew that Xu Zhiyuan definitely had a lot of questions waiting for him, and even Xu Qingya vaguely sensed that Xu Zhiyuan's change of mind might be related to her, but she didn't dare to ask because of the many people at the banquet. Chen Yang knew exactly what Xu Zhiyuan would ask, but he didn't know how to answer, so he simply left. He'd already given the Xu family a heads-up; if they still couldn't find any clues, then they couldn't blame him!
...
The Beijing Garrison Command compound.
In a spacious office on the far east side of the main building's top floor, a man in his early fifties was working at his desk. He had a square face, fair skin, and wore gold-rimmed glasses, giving him a refined appearance. He wore a Type 07 army summer uniform, with two general stars gleaming on his shoulders, clearly indicating he was a lieutenant general.
This man was Han Wenhai's father, Chen Yang's maternal uncle in this life, Han Lingfei. He was the political commissar of the Beijing Garrison Command. Garrison commanders were always half a rank higher, so he was now a deputy commander of a major military region.
Han Lingfei intently examined the documents, a hint of worry etched on his brow. His grandfather's health was deteriorating rapidly; he was now solely reliant on medication and oxygen, and could pass away at any moment. The Han family's current precarious situation added to Han Lingfei's immense pressure.
Meanwhile, Han Lingfei was also troubled by his younger sister's situation. For years, he had been searching for Han Xuehua, and this year he had finally obtained concrete information and located her.
Han Lingfei had always doted on his sister. As his grandfather approached his death, he had hoped Han Xuehua could be by his side, but his grandfather was a strong-willed man, and his sister was equally stubborn. Now, although they had found her, Han Lingfei felt helpless.
Just then, the phone on the table vibrated. Han Lingfei picked it up and said,
"Hello! This is Han Lingfei… What? Okay, I understand!"
Hanging up, a complex expression crossed Han Lingfei's face. Just now, his trusted confidant, who was in charge of gathering information about Han Xuehua, reported to him that Han Xuehua's only son, Chen Yang, had come to the capital and even attended Miss Xu's birthday banquet.
Han Lingfei stared at the framed photo on his desk. Han Xuehua's young face was beaming with smiles. Han Lingfei suddenly felt an urge to meet this nephew he hadn't seen in over twenty years.