Who was this old man who had checked into a guest room in the Su family's central courtyard that very morning and slept until now?
With a disheveled beard, hair that was messy like a bird's nest with hardly any white strands, and wearing tattered clothes, even a pair of cotton slippers!
With such a derelict appearance, where did he get the nerve to disregard the distinguished guests filling the courtyard, to directly address Su Nanyin as "this old man," and to complain that she hadn't called for him while entertaining her esteemed guests?
Including Old Master Su, many of the esteemed guests looked at the old man with astonishment.
However, upon seeing this old man, Old Master Tang, Shen Huiteng, and Zhao Tingshan, after a noticeable pause, trembled and hastily stood up!
From the instinctive reactions of the three, Old Master Su and the others immediately realized that they all knew the old man.
Moreover, this old man's status and standing were definitely higher than theirs.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so flustered.
And in the instant they stood up, they instinctively bowed.
"Who is this man?"
The second sons of the seven aristocratic families quickly exchanged glances.
Luo Huayin, who was acting as a server, also widened her bright eyes, staring fixedly at the man.
Driven by her immense curiosity, she began to daydream: "It's now confirmed that this old geezer who dares to treat Su Nanyin as a junior has an extraordinary status. Then, if I could abduct him, would it fetch a large sum of wealth?"
Unknowingly—
The young mistress of the formidable War Demon Palace, stimulated by the immense betrothal gifts received at the Su family's establishment, had her initial intention of abducting someone to blackmail Li Qianfan into marrying her "mother" changed to acquiring more wealth.
Even more mind-boggling was that Luo Huayin felt she had opened a new door today and seen a new world.
That is: "With my exceptional martial arts skills, why did I never consider becoming a professional kidnapper? If I had, I would have long relieved the War Demon Palace's poverty! Once I have sufficient wealth, I can then research the 209 and abduct Li Qianfan to be my stepfather, it's not too late."
Su Nanyin, of course, had no idea what the young mistress was thinking.
She just frowned, feigning displeasure, about to say something when everyone saw Li Qianfan quickly walk up to the old man's side: "Grandpa. It was I who thought you must be tired from traveling all night, so you should sleep more. That's why I didn't let the Su family head disturb you."
Grandpa?
Li Qianfan actually called this unkempt old man Grandpa?
Who is Li Qianfan's grandfather?
The second sons of the seven aristocratic families instinctively asked themselves the question three times and then suddenly found the answer!
Who is Li Qianfan's grandfather?
It could only be the number one scoundrel who had been famous throughout the world decades ago; the sect leader of the Li family of Sijiu; the master of Emperor Valley of Baibian; the man of the great demon, Yang, of Blazing Flame Valley; the biological father of Li Xiao, the lord of Dragon Ruins, Li Nanfang!!
"To act tough without knowing Li Nanfang, one can only regret it later."
Unaccountably, the second sons from the seven coastal aristocratic families thought of this saying that had been popular across the country thirty years ago.
At that time, Li Nanfang's favorite thing to do was to slap the faces of the arrogant and powerful.
Whoosh.
Dozens of esteemed guests who had been seated suddenly realized that this old man was the legendary number one scoundrel in the world, and they all hastily stood up.
To put on airs in front of the king of scoundrels was no different than holding a lantern in the latrine.
The second sons of the seven aristocratic families and the patriarchs of the ten major aristocratic families, while shocked, felt a sense of dread in their hearts: "Didn't the Li family stop supporting Li Qianfan because he packaged the four beauties of the Su family? Then why would Li Nanfang personally come to the Su family to endorse Su Nanyin's establishment!?"
Old Master Tang, Murong He, and the Chu family head, Fang family head, and others were overjoyed in their hearts: "Even if Emperor Valley, Dragon Ruins, Li Family Village, and the Gao family and other powerful families do not support Li Qianfan, just the appearance of the Li family's sect leader is enough to prove how correct our decision to follow Li Qianfan is!"
What everyone was thinking—
Li Qianfan and Su Nanyin both understood!
Coincidentally.
The new generation who had eaten and drunk their fill in the front courtyard and wanted to join the excitement in the central courtyard also rushed over.
Whether it was Gao Lingwang or Qin Zhou, every year on a certain day, they would unfailingly visit Emperor Valley to wish this old man a happy birthday, so of course, they recognized him.
"Holy crap!"
"Where did Grandpa Li pop out from?"
"Grandpa, Happy New Year!"
"Gao Lingwang (Qin Zhou and others) kowtow to you and wish you a Happy New Year."
Whoosh, Gao Lingwang and the others, babbling, immediately knelt down, offering late New Year greetings to Old Li.
The appearance of an old man immediately made him the center of attention.
"Heh heh, get up, you brats."
Li Nanfang pushed Li Qianfan away, who was fakingly trying to help him up, and said with a wry smile to Gao Lingwang and the others, "I'm very happy that you brats could come to the Su family today. This proves that although the adults in your families have been blinded by greed, you still have a little bit of cleverness."
What a statement!
As Gao Lingwang and the others looked embarrassed, Li Nanfang casually added, "Guanyin, where are the red envelopes I asked you to prepare for these brats? Bring them out. Oh. Don't worry. I guarantee that I will repay this money in installments within three years."
During the New Year, it was normal for juniors to give elders red envelopes when paying New Year's greetings.
Especially Gao Lingwang and the others, who were genuinely kneeling on the ground, kowtowing to him.
The problem was Li Nanfang had no money—
How could this be possible!?
What was even more baffling was.
When Li Nanfang borrowed money from Su Nanyin to give red envelopes, he casually promised to repay it in installments within three years.
How much could an elder give to a junior as a New Year's gift?
A New Year's gift was just a token of appreciation, two hundred yuan per person would suffice.
Gao Lingwang and the others combined would only be over two thousand yuan.
Yet, Li Nanfang not only couldn't afford this small amount, but he also had to repay it in three years after borrowing it!
What did this imply?
Did the Li family have no money?
Or could it only be proven that the legendary Li Scoundrel was a henpecked husband of the highest order?
It must be the latter.
Why was Li Nanfang henpecked?
It was because once he had money, he would run wild and find all sorts of ways to attract women!
Those with quick minds quickly understood this logic.
Luo Huayin also understood.
Her eyes lit up again, and she thought, "So he's the Li Scoundrel that my mother becomes wary of whenever his name is mentioned. I didn't expect him to be a poor old man with a young heart. If I could win him over? Given his insatiable lust and my beauty, the success rate would definitely be as high as 99.99%. As long as I succeed, I'll be Li Qianfan's paternal grandmother. At that time, I'll make him marry my mother, would he still dare to object?"
Luo Huayin had opened another new door.
But then she started to worry: "After I win over Li Nanfang, Li Qianfan will have to call me his paternal grandmother. But after Li Qianfan marries my mother, he will be my stepfather. So the problem is, am I his paternal grandmother or his stepdaughter? I can't possibly call him Dad while he calls me Grandma, can I?"
Luo Huayin's brain cells instantly went into overdrive.
Su Nanyin, of course, didn't know this.
As soon as Li Nanfang opened his mouth to borrow money, she took out a large handful of red envelopes from her cloak pocket.
There were dozens of them.
Each red envelope contained two hundred yuan.
Only then did Li Qianfan understand why Su Nanyin had prepared red envelopes in advance.
So.
After Li Nanfang arrived at the Su family, he had anticipated that the new generation like Gao Lingwang might come to offer congratulations.
Upon seeing him, the new generation would definitely kneel and pay New Year's greetings.
As an elder, he naturally had to give New Year's gifts.
But being short of cash, he had to entrust Su Nanyin to lend him money temporarily.
Seeing that there were red envelopes to receive—
Shen Chongchong and Du Yaoyao exchanged glances, and shamelessly knelt down to kowtow to Li Nanfang and wish him a Happy New Year.
Chen Dong, who had just arrived in the central courtyard, was overjoyed and his face flushed upon learning that this old geezer was his master's biological grandfather.
He pulled An Ran along and ran over, knelt down with a clang, and his head knocked on the bluestone slabs with a banging sound: "Grand-master, your disciple Chen Dong wishes you a Happy New Year, all the best, and a long life!"
Looking at his cheap grand-disciple—
Li Nanfang's cheeks twitched several times.
Was this kind of good-for-nothing qualified to be his grand-disciple?
It would be too embarrassing to say!
If it weren't for the fact that his grand-disciple-in-law, little An Ran, was as pure and beautiful as ice and jade, Li Nanfang would never have given him a second glance.
Nor would he have considered whether to send Chen Dong somewhere for a good training of two or three years.
San Tiao Li, Zhai Hua, Zhai Xin, and the others saw their sect leader and, without any hesitation, immediately knelt down.
The Chu family head winked at Chu Yazhi.
Chu Yazhi understood, lowered her head, her cheeks blushing, and quietly walked over.
Just as she was about to kneel, Bai Furen Jiao Yin from Tiandong knelt down first, paying New Year's greetings to Li Nanfang as a woman of Mr. Qianfan.
Wang Zhe and Zhu Hui saw this—
Everyone else was kneeling, should they also kneel and ask for a red envelope?
But wouldn't this be a bit shameless?
While they were hesitating—
The pregnant Wan Meizi had already knelt beside Gao Lingwang.
Alright!
Then let's kneel!!
Seeing more and more juniors joining the ranks of kowtowing to him and wishing him a Happy New Year, Li Nanfang's originally triumphant smile gradually stiffened.
The more people who knelt, the more red envelopes he had to give out.
Even more importantly, with his monthly allowance of six hundred yuan, the deadline to repay these red envelope debts would be extended further.
(Six hundred yuan allowance, spoken suddenly, is over seven thousand a year. But Li Scoundrel doesn't smoke or drink anymore? It can only be said that the women of the Li family were too ruthless with him financially.)
Especially when Tang Wenyuan, who had ignored Old Master Tang's advice not to show himself today, and Tang Xiaoni also arrived "in a timely manner," shouting "Happy New Year, old man," and kneeling down.
On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.
At the grand feast for Su Nanyin's establishment in Sijiu!
When the second sons of the seven coastal aristocratic families were preparing to make trouble!
With the appearance of Li Nanfang, it instantly turned into a large-scale New Year's greeting event.