The Guo family matriarch's questioning clearly conveyed her sentiment: the Guo family did not welcome Li Se.
Li Se remained calm, unfazed. He smiled and said, "If the Guo family doesn't welcome me, I can leave. Ranran, we haven't seen each other in a while. Let's go, take me to Tiancheng to explore. It's my first time here."
"Okay!" Jiang Ranran readily agreed.
The two of them left hand in hand.
The entire Guo family's expressions were grim. They certainly didn't want to see Li Se, wishing he would disappear immediately. However, if Jiang Ranran was taken away, how would they explain it to Bai Shaotian?
Bang!
"Stop!"
The matriarch, gripping her dragon-headed cane, slammed it heavily onto the ground. Her aged face was filled with anger. "This kid can leave, but you, Ranran, cannot!"
"Grandmother, I want to be with my boyfriend," Jiang Ranran said, taking a deep breath.
"You don't have a boyfriend!" the matriarch stated imperiously, as if her words were absolute law.
"Grandmother..." Jiang Ranran's pretty face changed slightly as she tried to speak.
"There is no future for you two!" the matriarch interrupted.
Li Se's brow furrowed. This matriarch was being too overbearing.
At this moment, Bai Shaotian spoke, "Old Madam, I am willing to compete fairly with this fellow."
"Shaotian, with your capabilities, why must you stoop to competing with such a person?" The Guo family matriarch's attitude towards Bai Shaotian was the polar opposite. She smiled, her tone even carrying a hint of flattery.
Bai Shaotian looked at Jiang Ranran, a clear ardor in his eyes. He smiled and said, "In matters of the heart, one cannot force things. Therefore, I can compete fairly with this young man. After all, if I am too overbearing, Ranran will eventually dislike me."
The matriarch looked on with admiration. This was the demeanor a scion of a prominent family should possess. She nodded. "Very well, let it be a fair competition. But how shall we compete?"
Bai Shaotian smiled. "Old Madam, your company must have quite a few outstanding debts, correct? How about this: I will compete with this boyfriend of Ranran's, and we'll see who can recover more of the outstanding debts!"
Fair competition?
Bai Shaotian certainly didn't see it that way. His so-called fair competition was highly advantageous to him. Li Se was not from Tiancheng, while he was the young master of the Bai Family Group. If he were to step in, recovering debts would be an easy matter. Just his presence would command respect from many companies in Tiancheng.
As for Li Se, an outsider who appeared rather destitute, recovering debts was almost impossible. If collecting these debts were that simple, the Guo family wouldn't have dragged on until now without success.
When Bai Shaotian made this proposal, everyone in the Guo family was immensely excited. If Bai Shaotian took charge, they might indeed recover a significant portion of their outstanding debts.
The matriarch's eyes held a strange glint. She hadn't expected Li Se's appearance to bring about potential benefits for the company. The company was already struggling, primarily due to too many outstanding debts that were proving difficult to collect. The desire to marry Jiang Ranran into the Bai family was to secure Bai family's support for the Guo family.
"Good, then it is decided," the matriarch immediately agreed. "Shaotian, it's up to you." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Grandmother, this is unfair!" Jiang Ranran protested.
The matriarch ignored her and looked at Li Se, snorting, "If you cannot accomplish this, then leave Ranran. She is my granddaughter and destined to marry a man with a family, background, and strength, not a good-for-nothing!"
Jiang Ranran attempted to protest again, but Li Se held her back. He shook his head. "Ranran, it's fine."
"But it's your first time in Tiancheng, how can you possibly recover these debts?" Jiang Ranran was anxious. If Bai Shaotian succeeded, based on her understanding of the Guo family, they would undoubtedly expel Li Se and force her to marry Bai Shaotian.
She and her father were in a rather weak position within the Guo family. Whatever the matriarch said, they had to obey.
"Ranran, whether I recover them or not, what does it matter? I am your husband anyway!" Li Se stated assertively.
"Mmm!" Jiang Ranran nodded. She had decided that if Li Se failed to recover the debts, she would simply return to Qingyun City with him, regardless of what the Guo family said.
The meeting concluded.
Jiang Ranran brought Li Se to their room, where Jiang Dashan was also present.
"Why are you here?" Jiang Dashan asked, somewhat surprised. He had been in the room and was unaware of what had transpired outside.
"I missed Ranran," Li Se smiled.
Jiang Dashan glanced outside and said in a low voice, "Did the Guo family trouble you?"
Based on his understanding of the Guo family, if they knew Li Se was his daughter's boyfriend, they would undoubtedly oppose him vehemently. Moreover, for the past few days, the Guo family had been trying to matchmake Jiang Ranran with that Bai Shaotian.
Even if Jiang Dashan objected, it was useless. He held very little status within this family. If not for his wife, he wouldn't have even come to Tiancheng.
Jiang Ranran explained the competition set by the matriarch to Jiang Dashan.
"How can this be acceptable?" Jiang Dashan's expression changed. "This Bai Shaotian has considerable influence in Tiancheng. With his status, he can easily recover a substantial amount of debt. Li Se, there's no need for you to compete with him. Regarding you and Ranran's matter, I, as your father, approve."
"Uncle Jiang, I understand your meaning, but please don't worry, I am confident," Li Se said, not taking Bai Shaotian seriously at all. He took out his silver needles and continued, "Let me give you acupuncture first."
"Alright," Jiang Dashan nodded.
After a round of acupuncture, Jiang Dashan could manage to lift his foot slightly, but walking properly would still require some time for recovery.
"My foot can move now!" Jiang Dashan exclaimed excitedly.
"In some time, you'll be able to stand up," Li Se said confidently.
"Li Se, thank you!" Jiang Dashan expressed his gratitude.
Li Se glanced at Jiang Ranran beside him and said, "It's nothing."
Jiang Dashan seemed to recall something and hesitated before saying, "Li Se, there's something I'd like to ask you."
"What is it?" Li Se asked, confused.
Jiang Dashan sighed lightly. "My father-in-law's health is failing. I'd like to ask you to try and treat him."
Li Se then remembered that he hadn't actually seen Jiang Ranran's maternal grandfather in the living room earlier. He thought for a moment and said, "Uncle Jiang, I will do my best, but the Guo family might not allow me to treat him."
"Well, do your best," Jiang Dashan said, not pushing too hard. After all, Li Se was too young, and it was highly likely the Guo family would object if he actually attempted the treatment.
After leaving the room.
Li Se said to Jiang Ranran, "Let's go, let's go see your maternal grandfather!"