"You know the Hong family too?" Hong Xiaojiao asked, raising her head in surprise and looking at Lu Fan.
"To be honest, I came specifically to find the Hong family! To collect a debt!" Lu Fan said immediately.
"Collect a debt? Humph! It's no exaggeration to say the Hong family is as rich as a nation. How could they possibly owe anyone money?" Hong Xiaojiao said with a look of disbelief, pouting.
"Huh? Could you be an enemy of the Hong family?" Hong Xiaojiao suddenly thought of something and looked at Lu Fan with great caution.
"Those who owe me money are all as rich as nations! I don't let those without money owe me, because I'm afraid they can't repay!" Lu Fan smiled faintly and said, "Eat up! After you finish, take me to the Hong family. It'll be like your roasted chicken and wine weren't eaten or drunk in vain!" Lu Fan said as he put a skewer of roasted meat into his mouth.
"Does our Hong family really owe you money?" Hong Xiaojiao looked incredulous. However, her mouth didn't stop moving.
Soon, the two finished the roasted meat, extinguished the charcoal, and put the oven into the car trunk. They then drove straight to the Hong family.
The Hong family resided on a mountain less than three hundred meters high on the outskirts of Liancheng. The entire mountain belonged to the Hong family. From the foot of the mountain upwards, a winding mountain road had been built, encircling clusters of villas, truly a spectacular sight.
"You really want to see my grandfather? Aren't you afraid you won't be able to get down the mountain then?" Hong Xiaojiao, still in the car, couldn't quite believe this guy was actually here to collect a debt from her grandfather.
"Don't worry! Your grandfather can't beat me!" Lu Fan said calmly.
As the car ascended the mountain, perhaps seeing Hong Xiaojiao inside, the path was smooth all the way. The car soon reached the top of the mountain, in front of the tallest villa.
The car stopped, and Hong Xiaojiao immediately jumped out. She waved to the side, and immediately four or five burly men approached.
"Young Miss!" they all called out in unison.
"You guys keep an eye on him, don't let him run around. I'm going to find my grandfather!" Hong Xiaojiao said, then ran into the villa.
Whoosh... Four men surrounded Lu Fan.
Lu Fan smiled slightly. This girl was quite clever, suspecting he might be a threat to her grandfather and rushing ahead to inform him.
A moment later, several people emerged from the villa. Leading them was Hong Xiaojiao's grandfather, the patriarch of the Hong family, Hong Zhancheng. Hong Zhancheng was around sixty years old, broad-shouldered and thick-set, with a imposing physique and a stern expression. Accompanying him were two other elders of similar age, who were two of the principal figures of the Hong family, Hong Zhancheng's two paternal cousins, Hong Zhankun and Hong Zhengye!
"Grandfather! The person looking for you is him!" Hong Xiaojiao pointed at Lu Fan and said.
"Young man! Do you have business with this old man?" Hong Zhancheng called out loudly from a distance of more than ten meters. His voice boomed like a bell, and his presence was quite imposing.
"Collecting a debt!" Lu Fan said the two words faintly, then produced a promissory note.
Whoosh... The promissory note flew towards Hong Zhancheng.
Hong Zhancheng and the two men beside him were instantly startled. It was difficult enough for a piece of paper to fly steadily, but for it to fly with such immense force, even they, three great masters at the half-step Qi realm, couldn't achieve it. The only one who could do such a thing would be the elder ancestor Hong Fenglin, who was at the peak of the Qi realm!
Thwack... Hong Zhancheng managed to catch the promissory note with a clap of his palms, but he was still forced to retreat three steps before regaining his balance. His face was filled with shock. Upon seeing the promissory note, his expression changed even more drastically.
"Young man, you are a recruiter from Huarong Prefecture? This old man was unaware, please forgive any rudeness. Young man, please come inside quickly!" Hong Zhancheng was sweating profusely.
"Huarong Prefecture?"
"Huarong Prefecture?"
Beside him, Hong Zhankun and Hong Zhengye's faces also changed, even showing shock. Huarong Prefecture had always been a mere word they had heard of; no one had ever seen the actual Huarong Prefecture, nor anyone from within it. Now, someone from Huarong Prefecture had suddenly appeared at their doorstep. What did this mean?
Lu Fan did not stand on ceremony at all. He strode into the villa and directly took the seat of honor in the luxurious main living room.
"Recruiter Sir, please wait a moment. I will immediately arrange for a banquet to be prepared for you." Hong Zhancheng said, then gave his two cousins a meaningful look. The three of them immediately stepped aside.
"Patriarch, what exactly is going on?" Hong Zhankun asked urgently.
"You two, look at this!" Hong Zhancheng said, handing the promissory note to the other two.
Hong Zhankun and Hong Zhengye were dumbfounded upon seeing it. The great ancestor owed two hundred million in Huarong Prefecture? How was this possible? The great ancestor had mysteriously left over thirty years ago and had never sent any news. Today, the sudden news that arrived was a promissory note: two hundred million!
In the living room, Hong Xiaojiao looked at Lu Fan with surprise. "You... who exactly are you? What is Huarong Prefecture? Why does it seem to have scared Patriarch Grandfather so much?"
"I told you, I'm here to collect a debt! Oh, and if I let your grandfather use you to settle the debt, would you be afraid?" Lu Fan said with a playful smile.
"Hmph! I'm not afraid! Why don't you just take me away then! I don't want to stay at home anyway," Hong Xiaojiao said with a pout.
"Are you afraid your father will marry you off to that Gu Danian? Actually, I think that kid treats you quite well. If you call out to him, he wouldn't even dare to fart," Lu Fan said with a grin.
"Of course he wouldn't dare, hmph! Besides having a rich father, he's nothing. He's a complete playboy. How could I possibly marry him?" Hong Xiaojiao glanced at Lu Fan, her eyes suddenly lighting up. "Why don't you really take me away? We can go anywhere!"
"You... aren't you afraid I'm a bad person?" Lu Fan was astonished. This girl was truly wild, actually wanting to leave with him!
"Hmph! So what if you're a bad person? A bad person who can scare my grandfather so much must be someone no one dares to bully. If you can treat me well, I don't care how you treat others!" Hong Xiaojiao said, rolling her eyes.
"Good heavens, this is the first time I've heard such an opinion from you! What if I don't treat you well?" Lu Fan looked at Hong Xiaojiao in surprise. This girl's perspective was unexpected. What is good, and what is bad? Good and bad are all relative. A bad person in your eyes might not be a bad person in others' eyes, because he is good to them!
"If you dare to treat me badly, I'll kill you!" Hong Xiaojiao said, tilting her nose.
"Xiaojiao! Stop messing around and get out!" At this moment, Hong Zhankun walked in from outside. Seeing Hong Xiaojiao's impudent demeanor, he was startled and quickly called out.
Hong Xiaojiao stuck out her tongue and went out.
"Recruiter Sir, I am Hong Zhankun, the family head's cousin. The family head has gone to arrange a banquet for you. I have prepared two hundred million for you here, please accept it! Eight eight eight eight." Hong Zhankun respectfully placed a bank card in front of Lu Fan.
"Hong Zhankun!?" Lu Fan's eyes immediately lit up. One of the principal figures of the Hong family, and also one of the four people in Tanaka Meizi's mind.