Ye Wudao instantly saw that Lu Pan's familiarity with Yun Chuxue went far beyond mere acquaintance. Anyone who dared to touch Yun Chuxue would be provoking Lu Pan's deepest wrath.
"This is interesting," Lu Pan's lips curved into a smile.
He had initially only intended to pick a fight with the Lu family, never expecting to encounter Yun Chuxue here.
Yun Chuxue's presence, however, provided him with the perfect excuse to cause trouble for the Lu family.
"Boss, shall I make a move later?"
Lu Pan shook his head. "No need. Let's observe the situation."
Yun Chuxue, naturally, did not notice Lu Pan in the corner. She entered the main hall under the gaze of everyone present, nodding in greeting to the guests.
"I never thought this girl would be so passionate in bed, yet so aloof in front of people," Lu Pan muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on Yun Chuxue as he looked through the crowd. "She's like two different people."
The thought of her passion that night made Lu Pan feel a surge of heat, and his gaze towards Yun Chuxue intensified.
Yun Chuxue, in the crowd, seemed to sense Lu Pan's stare and looked in his direction but saw nothing.
"Young Master Lu has arrived!"
At that moment, someone at the entrance announced.
Lu Hao, with his right arm in a cast, entered the banquet protected by several bodyguards.
Due to his injury, his face was slightly pale, his gaze sharp as he scanned the crowd before settling on Yun Chuxue in the main hall.
"Greetings, Young Master Lu!" everyone greeted Lu Hao.
Lu Hao, however, paid them no mind and walked directly towards Yun Chuxue.
"Chuxue," Lu Hao said, adopting a fawning expression as he took a delicate glass box from a bodyguard.
Yun Chuxue maintained her indifferent demeanor towards Lu Hao.
Unperturbed, Lu Hao smiled and opened the glass box, revealing a dazzling, star-like gemstone.
"My word, isn't that the 'Snow Lotus' from the Sotheby's auction three years ago?"
"Indeed! It's the Snow Lotus gem that fetched 220 million. I can't believe Lu Hao is using it to propose to Yun Chuxue."
The crowd gasped in amazement, and many women displayed envious and jealous expressions, wishing they were the ones being proposed to.
"Chuxue, I came in such a hurry tonight. Consider this 'Snow Lotus' my apology," Lu Hao said, smiling at Yun Chuxue. "Once we're engaged, I'll present you with the world's largest diamond. Only it is worthy of you."
"What a joke!" a cold laugh echoed from the entrance. "Everyone knows the world's largest diamond belongs to the royal family of Great Eagle. Are the Lu family planning to snatch it from them?"
As he spoke, Nalan Wuye, dressed in black and appearing exceptionally rugged, entered the banquet hall.
His appearance seemed to chill the grand banquet hall. Coupled with his unruly expression, people instinctively kept their distance.
Nalan Wuye, the elder brother of Nalan Mingyue, had practiced martial arts since childhood, but his talent in martial arts was far inferior to Nalan Mingyue's.
However, he was still a ninth-grade Ming Jin cultivator, a rare master in the secular world!
Lu Hao's expression darkened. He turned and glared at Nalan Wuye, snorting, "Nalan Wuye, if you have the ability, produce a gem larger than my 'Snow Lotus.' Stop spouting nonsense here!"
Nalan Wuye approached, glanced at Yun Chuxue, and said coldly, "Everyone in Qingcheng knows Chuxue values simplicity and dislikes extravagance. Thus, you've given the wrong person your 'Snow Lotus'!"
"The wrong person?" Lu Hao acted as if he had heard a joke. "Nalan Wuye, stop deceiving yourself."
He then turned to Yun Chuxue, asking with a smile, "Chuxue, do you like it?"
As he asked, a sharp glint flashed in Lu Hao's eyes, seemingly threatening Yun Chuxue.
Everyone in Qingcheng knew that the Lu family and the Nalan family were evenly matched, with the Lu family subtly gaining an edge in recent years.
As the eldest daughter of the Yun family, Yun Chuxue was well aware of this and understood the implications.
For the sake of the Yun family, choosing Lu Hao was undoubtedly the best option.
"Chuxue," Nalan Wuye spoke first, exuding confidence. "You don't need to answer him. Just tell him that after tonight, you will be my fiancée."
Lu Hao burst into laughter, mockingly stating, "Nalan Wuye, what can you possibly offer to compete with our Lu family? Do you think the Nalan family of today is the same as a few years ago?"
Lu Hao then smirked, "Oh, right... I might as well tell you something. That project with the Kelly Group has already been secretly agreed upon with our Lu family. Your Nalan family has no chance!"
Nalan Wuye's expression shifted upon hearing this.
He was certainly aware of the Kelly Group project. His father, Nalan Hongyu, had been negotiating with the company's senior management, but without any success.
He also knew that if the Nalan family failed to secure this project, they would be severely outmaneuvered by the Lu family.
"Impossible!" Nalan Wuye refused to believe it.
Lu Hao wore a look of triumph. "Believe it or not, you'll know in a couple of days!"
"Everyone..."
At this moment, Yun Muy野, the president of the Qingcheng Chamber of Commerce and Yun Chuxue's grandfather, appeared.
The hall quieted down.
Yun Muy野 nodded to Lu Hao and Nalan Wuye, acknowledging their presence. "Welcome everyone to this banquet. I believe everyone knows the purpose of this gathering."
"Indeed, my granddaughter Yun Chuxue will announce her fiancé tonight."
"I hope everyone will be a witness for Chuxue."
The reason Yun Muy野 had Yun Chuxue announce her decision at the Chamber of Commerce banquet was to let everyone in Qingcheng know that the Yun family had secured the backing of either the Lu family or the Nalan family.
Saying this, Yun Muy野 beckoned Yun Chuxue to come onto the stage.
Yun Chuxue went on stage.
"Xue'er, remember what Grandpa told you, everything is for the Yun family..."
Yun Muy野 whispered quickly into Yun Chuxue's ear.
The light in Yun Chuxue's eyes dimmed slightly.
She took a deep breath, surveying the entire banquet hall. Just as she was about to announce her decision, her peripheral vision caught sight of Lu Pan sitting in the corner.
A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes; she thought she was mistaken.
When she clearly saw that the person sitting in the corner was indeed Lu Pan, with whom she had spent a night, her heart inexplicably quickened.
Lu Pan met Yun Chuxue's gaze, his possessiveness towards her unconcealed.
Sensing the emotion in Lu Pan's eyes, Yun Chuxue's usually cool face flushed with a hint of red.
Below the stage, Lu Hao frowned slightly upon seeing the change in Yun Chuxue's expression.
Nalan Wuye, however, assumed Yun Chuxue was merely nervous and gave it no further thought.
"I choose... him!"
Yun Chuxue spoke, pointing towards Lu Pan in the corner.
Upon uttering the words, Yun Chuxue was startled by her own decision!
She never imagined that she would inexplicably point at Lu Pan, the man with whom she had shared a night!
She knew nothing about him!!
Yun Muy野, standing beside her, looked astonished, staring at his beloved granddaughter in disbelief.
"Congratulations, Young Master Lu..."
As the crowd began to offer congratulations to Lu Hao, they noticed his extremely unpleasant expression.
When the crowd regained their senses, they all looked in the direction Yun Chuxue had pointed.
Under the gaze of everyone present, Lu Pan gently swirled his red wine, looked at Yun Chuxue on stage, and said faintly, "Since you choose me, from this moment on, you are my woman!!"