The Lan father and son then understood why Li Qianfan had requested the contract be reprinted.
"We have judged a gentleman with a villain's heart," the elder Lan said with a wry smile, cupping his hands in thanks. "Thank you, Mr. Li."
Lan Hongming and his brother were deeply moved and rose to express their gratitude.
Li Qianfan looked at the brothers and said, "Do not thank me. If you must thank someone, thank your old father. Two generations of benevolence have accumulated virtue for you."
The Lan Hongming brothers, filled with shame, quickly went to redraft the contract.
It was a full hour later before the new contract was brought over.
While waiting, Li Qianfan and Elder Lan engaged in casual conversation, chatting about various topics, appearing to get along splendidly.
"Elder Lan, I need to meet with the Murongs of Si Jiu and the Chu family of Tian Hu. I imagine they are also waiting for me."
After casually reviewing the new contract and confirming there were no issues, Li Qianfan rose to take his leave.
In truth, Li Qianfan's greatest desire at this moment was to return to Qingyun as quickly as possible to see Su Ziyu. However, some matters required his personal attention.
"Mr. Li," Lan Hongming spoke up. "The representative of the Tian Hu Chu family, Chu Linfeng, and the representative of Si Jiu Murong, Murong He, have prepared a morning banquet for you in the Plum Blossom Hall."
"Very well. Elder Lan, we shall meet again if fate allows." Li Qianfan nodded and quickly exited the guest room.
The Plum Blossom Hall was located in the most secluded part of the Imperial Wind Villa. The Chu and Murong families had deliberately chosen this location for its low profile, perhaps to avoid embarrassment. Accompanied by Li Xing Tang, Li Qianfan strolled leisurely to the furthest rear of the villa. The environment here was quite pleasant. The morning sun at nine o'clock shone on the glazed tiles of the Plum Blossom Hall, casting colorful reflections.
Two middle-aged men with dark circles under their eyes stood at the entrance. Upon seeing Li Qianfan approach, they instinctively bowed and softly greeted him.
"Good morning." Li Qianfan stopped, looked around, and said, "Whatever business we have, let's discuss it here. I dislike discussing matters with people I find disagreeable during meals. It affects my appetite."
The two men immediately looked embarrassed, but in the face of absolute power, they dared not show any anger. Last night, they had clearly witnessed the Helan Dragon Riders, who had come to support Si Jiu Murong, being publicly slapped by Jing Ran without daring to retaliate. If Li Qianfan (Jing Ran) could strike the Helan family of Si Jiu with such impunity, what hope did they have?
"Ahem," Chu Linfeng and Murong He exchanged glances. Suppressing their emotions, they said, "Mr. Li, could you tell us where you are from? Please don't misunderstand; we have no intention of investigating your background. We simply wish to be able to clearly explain to our elders at home who it is we have encountered."
Being beaten without knowing the identity of the assailant was a sign of their incompetence, and they were too ashamed to return. This morning, after the Imperial Wind Villa's signal was restored, they had been constantly making calls, trying to ascertain Li Qianfan's (Jing Ran's) origins. However, they had found nothing. Those they contacted either genuinely didn't know or were deliberately evasive. The fact that those who might have guessed Li Qianfan's background remained silent only made them more fearful.
"Have you ever heard of the Western Dragon Ruins?" Li Qianfan asked after a moment's thought.
Murong He blurted out, "The Western Dragon Ruins? Of course, we've heard of such a renowned place."
"Li Xiao, the head of the Dragon Ruins," Li Qianfan said casually, "is my biological father."
To minimize unnecessary trouble, Li Qianfan omitted any mention of Li Wujiang, Li Family Village, or the Eight Hundred Emperor Valley. Instead, he directly revealed his father's golden reputation.
Bang! The hearts of Murong He and Chu Linfeng pounded violently. Their faces turned ashen, and they instinctively staggered back. Their gaze towards Li Qianfan was now filled with profound fear! Before Li Qianfan's arrival, they had made various speculations, elevating his background to the highest possible level. However, the highest level they had imagined paled in comparison to the Western Dragon Ruins – they were seventeen or eighteen streets behind! That was the Dragon Ruins, one of the four major powers globally! Compared to them, the Tian Hu Chu family and the Si Jiu Murong family were like mice to a lion.
"Lan Yunhai and Murong Mingyuan dared to steal the wife of the young master of the Dragon Ruins. It is by the grace of our ancestors that we were not implicated last night and annihilated." Murong He and Chu Linfeng exchanged foolish glances, thinking this internally.
"It's best if you don't spread word about my background," Li Qianfan said, his tone deliberately ostentatious, after he saw the fear in their eyes slowly subside. "Because I am a person who prefers a low-key, simple, and unpretentious life. Do you understand what I mean?"
"We understand, we understand!" Murong He and the other man quickly bowed, their voices trembling. If it were Lan Yunhai, he would have been showing off by now. Li Qianfan, however, was not. He felt a sense of melancholy. After all, having such a formidable father constantly overshadowing him, unless Li Qianfan could truly shake the heavens and force the Jade Emperor to seek help from the Western Buddha, he would forever live under his father's brilliance (or shadow). No ambitious young man would desire such a life. Under the principle of extremes reversing, it was perfectly normal for Li Qianfan to want to settle in a small place like Qingyun, find a wife who was "average in all aspects," and live a "simple and unpretentious" ordinary life, working from nine to five.
"Chu Yazhi and Murong Mingyuan." Mentioning the names of these two women caused Li Qianfan to sigh with a headache. "Regardless, they are now my women. Whatever they wish to do, you two families should interfere less. Do you understand what I mean?"
"We understand, we understand." Murong He and Chu Linfeng nodded and bowed again.
"You may leave now." Li Qianfan waved his hand as if swatting away flies. Murong He and the other man showed no dissatisfaction. After bowing and nodding once more, they quietly asked, "Young Master Li, we would like to speak with Yazhi (Mingyuan) for a few minutes. They are inside the Plum Blossom Hall. We implore you to permit us."
"You have ten minutes." Li Qianfan frowned slightly and replied.
"Thank you, Young Master Li." Murong He and the other man thanked him and quickly turned to enter the Plum Blossom Hall.
Li Qianfan ambled eastward and asked Li Xing Tang, "Hall Master, what do you think they are planning?"
Li Xing Tang smiled. "They believe that for the two women to be taken in by you might be a great boon for them. They will instruct those two women to do whatever it takes to please you and secure benefits they previously wouldn't have dared to dream of."
Li Qianfan gave a wry smile. "Yes. Sigh, Ran Yi is just like that." What was Ran Yi like? He wanted to say Ran Yi was being reckless. But then he suddenly remembered Su Ziyu's will, and Ning Xiaolan, who had been kidnapped by Yan Lili and Niu Shuo. From that perspective, Ran Yi was not being reckless. Rather, Li Qianfan himself was being indecisive and unmanly in handling this matter. A man should retaliate with blood for blood!
Li Xing Tang understood his thoughts and patted his shoulder. "Qianfan, you've actually done very well. Such matters inherently have a thousand different opinions from a thousand people."
"Mm." Li Qianfan walked to a tree. "Hall Master, you and everyone else should go back. Also, tell those who are still at the villa, trying to figure out my background and hoping to build a relationship with me, to get lost."
"Alright, we're leaving." Li Xing Tang nodded and quickly walked ahead. The matter was concluded. Jing Ran had already left overnight. There was no need for Li Xing Tang and the others to remain.
"I truly wish to be an ordinary person. Yet, cruel reality forces me to compromise." Li Qianfan looked up at the back mountain and murmured with emotion.
Crash! A thunderous sound echoed through the sky. Holy cow. Was it thundering? It had been a sun-drenched morning with clear skies. Now, suddenly, there was a thunderclap, the sky rapidly darkened, and a fierce wind began to blow.
"Could it be because I was showing off just now?" Li Qianfan felt a pang of unease and quickly moved away from the tree, entering a small pavilion. In truth, the weather at this time of year was always unpredictable. Of course, it was also possible that because someone was showing off, the heavens wanted to strike him down.
As raindrops began to fall, Murong He and Chu Linfeng quickly emerged from the Plum Blossom Hall.
Ding dong. Li Qianfan's phone received a message. It was a beautiful photo from the influential Ruohua. Li Qianfan immediately replied, "Even the most beautiful legs become uninteresting after seeing them too much." Ruohua replied, "You haven't bothered me for days. What are you doing now?" Li Qianfan replied, "Immersed in a world of tenderness, with no time to chat with you." Ruohua sent angry emojis, curses, and bloody knives. Li Qianfan smiled and ignored him, then rose and headed towards the Plum Blossom Hall.
Although the Plum Blossom Hall was the most secluded and smallest, measuring only about ten square meters, its interior was luxuriously decorated, featuring two sets of leather sofas and a coffee table. A large, dark-tinted floor-to-ceiling window offered a view of the valley behind the villa. It was an ideal spot for a few friends to enjoy fine wine and boast on a rainy day.
Li Qianfan pushed open the door and, as habit dictated, scanned the surroundings before looking towards the sofas. Exquisite dishes and fine wine were arranged on the coffee table. Two women stood before the sofas, heads bowed obediently. However—
"Are you two dressed like this because Murong He and the others suggested it?" Li Qianfan asked with annoyance, surveying the two women clad only in sheer black nightgowns. After all, he was a young man in his prime. The visual impact of these two women, one mature and one youthful, dressed in such a manner, was immense. Yet, he was expected to emulate Liu Xiahui, who remained unmoved. Who wouldn't be bothered by such a situation?
"Young Master," Chu Yazhi looked up, a shamelessly flirtatious smile on her face. "It was our own idea. Mingyuan and I have just discussed it. We will ensure you experience the greatest joy from us." As she spoke, she gently nudged Murong Mingyuan. This was a signal for her to flatter the young master.
Murong Mingyuan pushed Chu Yazhi's hand away and slowly raised her head to look at Li Qianfan. In her pale blue eyes, there was a mixture of fear and anger, with a hint of hatred. Although she now knew who Li Qianfan's father was, and that angering Li Qianfan could bring about the annihilation of her entire Murong family! Yet, this filly, inherently wild and untamed, would not, like Chu Yazhi, become a shameless woman who easily surrendered to Li Qianfan.
Li Qianfan had no interest in making Murong Mingyuan surrender to him. Nor did he find it strange that her gaze held anger and hatred. He simply considered this woman to be the most misguided fool!
Slap. Li Qianfan walked over, and without a word, raised his hand and slapped Murong Mingyuan, knocking her onto the sofa.
"Li Qianfan! Damn it!" Murong Mingyuan cried out, and as she was about to utter the rest of her curse, she met Li Qianfan's gaze. It was so chillingly cold. She instinctively had the most concrete premonition. If she uttered that remaining curse, Li Qianfan would undoubtedly knock out all her teeth on the spot, or break her legs. She quickly and instinctively shut her mouth.
"From now on, if you dare to insult my elders even once," Li Qianfan stared at her intently, "I will not retaliate against the Murong family. But I will disfigure your face. If you don't believe me, then try it!"