Inside the manor, the atmosphere was unusually oppressive. Dongfang Haoran was now practically a cripple. Even if he could recover physically, the psychological trauma would leave a deep scar.
“Grandfather warned you before—business and the underworld must never be mixed. But you never listened, insisting on your own way. Now you’ve finally tasted defeat!”
Looking at Dongfang Haoran’s gloomy expression, the old patriarch’s eyes softened. He had always been very satisfied with his grandson, never placing any restrictions on him no matter what he did. Yet he never expected things to turn out this way.
“If it weren’t for him, I would have already united all the underworld forces in the capital. Then the Dongfang family’s power would have risen to a whole new level…”
Dongfang Haoran’s lips twitched violently. His icy gaze could have shattered Xiao Yufan into a thousand pieces. He hated Xiao Yufan with every fiber of his being—he had destroyed everything.
“If you had truly unified the capital’s underworld, the Dongfang family would have fallen into an irreversible abyss…”
The old patriarch sighed, his face filled with indescribable bitterness. As the saying goes, when things reach an extreme, the opposite will follow. The underworld factions kept each other in check, which was why the higher-ups had no intention of intervening. But if Dongfang Haoran had actually united all the underworld forces in the capital, certain people would have certainly stepped in.
“Haoran did all this for the sake of the family. How could he possibly drag the Dongfang family into ruin? It’s all that brat’s fault!”
“Do you actually think the higher-ups would allow the underworld to unite? Can’t you think before you speak? And no one will mistake you for a mute if you keep quiet!”
A seductive curve formed on Dongfang Yanran’s lips as she spoke, her words instantly silencing the middle-aged man.
“Is this how you talk to your older brother? Don’t think you can act so arrogantly just because you control half of the Dongfang conglomerate!”
It was clear the two didn’t get along well. Not necessarily because of any direct conflict, but Dongfang Yanran had always despised her brother for idling away his days indulging in pleasures.
“Even without the Dongfang family’s support, I can still carve out my own path. Without our family’s backing, what would you amount to? Besides, the man I’ve set my sights on is not someone you can insult!”
Thinking of that handsome profile, Dongfang Yanran suddenly felt a surge of interest. She was very curious to find out just how powerful the man was who had managed to make her father back down.
His face turned deathly pale. The middle-aged man had no retort. Indeed, Dongfang Yanran, with an IQ over 200, possessed an ability that could outshine any man. Her expertise in finance was even praised by the old patriarch himself.
“He is our Dongfang family’s greatest enemy, and you dare to say he’s the man you fancy? What exactly are your intentions?”
“That’s none of your business. All he did was make you lose face. If you had the ability, you should go settle the score yourself instead of throwing a tantrum here!”
Meeting the middle-aged man’s murderous gaze, Dongfang Yanran showed clear disdain. There was a significant age gap between them, and thus a wide generational divide. Besides, she had never been fond of this brother of hers—wasting his time on nonsense while constantly fearing that her presence might threaten his interests.
“Enough! If you keep arguing, both of you leave this place immediately. Do you two never get tired of fighting all day long?”
Unable to bear it any longer, the old patriarch finally intervened. The middle-aged man grudgingly shut his mouth, while Dongfang Yanran turned her head away and walked deeper into the manor.
Watching Dongfang Yanran leave, Dongfang Haoran glanced sideways, puzzled by her outburst. Though she had always quarreled with his father, he deeply respected his aunt.
“Alright, forget about her. Haoran, what are your plans from now on? If you stay in Beijing, I think Xiao Yufan won’t let you off. You know his methods better than any of us…”
The old patriarch turned his gaze back to Dongfang Haoran, wanting to see what he intended to do. It was ultimately Dongfang Haoran’s decision to make. But the old man truly hoped his grandson wouldn’t remain in Beijing, for he believed Xiao Yufan would definitely carry out his threats.
“Grandfather, you know that my heart has never been in business. I long for a more thrilling life, not a monotonous routine…”
Dongfang Haoran hesitated, but the old patriarch still caught the meaning behind his words. It seemed Dongfang Haoran still couldn’t abandon his inner desires.
The atmosphere once again grew tense. Dongfang Haoran silently awaited his grandfather’s response. This defeat had matured him, but it had also planted the seeds of hatred deep within his heart, seeds that were steadily sprouting.
“If that’s what you truly want, then go ahead. The leader of the Southern Tianlang Gang was an old friend of mine. Go pay him a visit in the south. I believe he will take you in…”
After a long silence, the old patriarch finally gave up trying to persuade Dongfang Haoran. Forcing him to take over the family business might backfire. Perhaps with this lesson, Dongfang Haoran could achieve something on the path he had chosen.
At this moment, Xiao Yufan had no idea what had transpired inside the manor. All he knew was that he felt incredibly good. Ever since leaving the manor, his face had been lit with an unbroken smile.
Tianxuan, who had been waiting outside, finally relaxed when he saw Xiao Yufan emerge. Though he believed in Xiao Yufan’s abilities, this was still the Dongfang family’s territory. If they had plotted something in secret, they might actually have succeeded in eliminating him.
“Boss, why do you look so happy? Did something good happen?”
Leaning close to Xiao Yufan, Tianxuan’s faint fragrance brought a sense of serenity. Xiao Yufan casually wrapped an arm around her delicate frame, his smile carrying a hint of mystery.
The atmosphere within the manor was unusually oppressive. Dongfang Haoran was now no different from a cripple, and even if he could overcome his physical disabilities, the psychological scars would remain profound…
“Grandfather once warned you that business and the underworld should never be mixed, but you never listened, stubbornly following your own path. Now you’ve finally tasted the bitterness of failure!”
Looking at Dongfang Haoran’s despondent expression, the old man’s eyes softened with a touch of compassion. He had always been very pleased with this grandson, never imposing any restrictions on him, no matter what he did. Yet, he never imagined things would come to this.
“If it weren’t for him, I could have unified the entire underground forces of the capital. By then, the strength of the Dongfang family would have risen to a whole new level…”
Dongfang Haoran’s lips twitched violently, his icy gaze filled with a murderous intent towards Xiao Yufan. It was Xiao Yufan who had shattered everything he had built. How could Dongfang Haoran not hate him?
“If you had truly unified the underground forces of the capital, our Dongfang family would have been plunged into an inescapable abyss…”
The old man sighed, his face etched with an indescribable bitterness. As the saying goes, things will reverse when they reach their extreme. The underworld forces balance each other out, which is why the authorities have left them alone. But if Dongfang Haoran had truly unified the capital’s underground, certain people would have inevitably stepped in.
“Haoran did this for the sake of the family. How could he have let the Dongfang family fall into such a predicament? It’s all because of that little bastard!”
“Do you really think the authorities would allow the underworld forces to unite? Use your brain before you speak. And if you don’t speak, no one will think you’re mute!”
Dongfang Yanran’s alluring lips curved into a charming smile. With a single sentence, she silenced the middle-aged man.
“Is that any way to speak to your brother? Don’t think that just because you control half of the Dongfang conglomerate, you can act so arrogantly…”
It was clear that the relationship between the two was far from harmonious. It wasn’t that they had any direct conflict, but Dongfang Yanran couldn’t stand her brother’s constant idleness, his life revolving around nothing but eating, drinking, and having fun.
“Even without relying on the Dongfang family, I can still carve out my own path with my own abilities. If you didn’t have the Dongfang family, what would you have? Besides, the man I’ve set my sights on is not someone you can slander!”
Dongfang Yanran thought of that handsome profile, and a surge of curiosity arose within her. She was eager to know just what kind of power this man possessed, the one who had made her father yield.
The middle-aged man’s face turned ashen, and he was left speechless. Indeed, Dongfang Yanran, with her IQ exceeding 200, possessed a brilliance that could overshadow any man. Her expertise in finance had even earned the old man’s praise.
“He is the greatest enemy of the Dongfang family, and you dare say he’s the man you’ve set your sights on? What are you plotting?”
“My affairs are none of your concern. He merely stripped you of your dignity. If you have the ability, go and reclaim it yourself. Why throw a tantrum here?”
Facing the middle-aged man’s murderous gaze, Dongfang Yanran showed nothing but disdain. The age gap between them was significant, and naturally, there was a wide generational divide. Moreover, she had no affection for this brother of hers, who did nothing productive and was always worried that her presence might threaten his interests…
“Enough! If you continue to argue, both of you can leave. Arguing all day long—aren’t you tired?”
Unable to bear it any longer, the old man finally spoke up. The middle-aged man reluctantly closed his mouth, and Dongfang Yanran turned her head away, then walked deeper into the manor.
Watching Dongfang Yanran leave, Dongfang Haoran couldn’t help but feel puzzled. He didn’t understand why his aunt was in such a foul mood. Although she had always argued with his father, he held a deep respect for her.
“Let’s not dwell on her. Haoran, what do you plan to do next? If you stay in Beijing, I’m afraid Xiao Yufan won’t let you off easily. You know his methods better than we do…”
The old man’s gaze returned to Dongfang Haoran, waiting to hear his plans. After all, the choice was his to make, but the old man hoped he wouldn’t stay in Beijing, believing that Xiao Yufan would indeed make good on his threats.
“Grandfather, you know my heart isn’t in business. I crave a more thrilling life, not one that’s monotonous and unchanging…”
Dongfang Haoran hesitated, but the old man could still sense the underlying meaning in his words. It seemed Dongfang Haoran still couldn’t let go of his true desires.
The atmosphere once again grew tense. Dongfang Haoran quietly awaited his grandfather’s response. This defeat had matured him, but it had also planted a seed of hatred in his heart, a seed that was now sprouting uncontrollably.
“If you want to pursue this, then go ahead. The leader of the Southern Wolf Gang is an old friend of mine. Go south and seek him out. I’m sure he’ll take you in…”
After a long moment of contemplation, the old man finally gave up trying to persuade Dongfang Haoran. Forcing him to take over the family business might backfire. With this lesson, perhaps Dongfang Haoran could achieve something on the path he had chosen.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yufan was unaware of everything that had transpired in the manor. All he knew was that he was in an exceptionally good mood. From the moment he left the manor, a smile never left his face…
Tianxuan, who had been waiting outside, felt her heart settle as she saw Xiao Yufan emerge. Though she trusted in his abilities, this was still the Dongfang family’s territory. If they had resorted to underhanded tactics, they might have truly managed to keep him there.
“Brother Fan, you look so happy. Did something good happen?”
Tianxuan leaned close to Xiao Yufan, her faint fragrance soothing and refreshing. Xiao Yufan wrapped his arm around her delicate waist, his smile mysterious.
“If nothing good had happened, would your husband be this happy?”
With a raised eyebrow, Xiao Yufan looked at Tianxuan’s blushing face, and his desires flared up. The earlier teasing from Dongfang Yanran had left him burning with lust, and now, with Tianxuan by his side, those inner urges became unmistakably clear.
“They’re still watching… Can we talk about this at home?”
Without needing to guess, Tianxuan knew what Xiao Yufan was thinking. This was in public, and if something were to happen, she would surely die of embarrassment. Besides, the members of the Tian Group were staring right at them…
Raising his eyebrows, Xiao Yufan looked at the blushing Tianxuan, desire stirring within him again. Provoked earlier by Dongfang Yanran, his lust had been ignited, and now with Tianxuan beside him, those inner stirrings returned vividly.
“They’re still watching. Can we wait until we get home?”
Tianxuan didn’t need to guess what Xiao Yufan was thinking. This was a public place, and if anything happened here, she would die of embarrassment. Especially with the Tian Team staring at them so intently…
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