Chapter 32

Chapter 32

This was a business cocktail reception hosted by the Chen family.

Among the five major families, the Chen family ranked last in economic strength. Coupled with their ancestors' lack of virtue and the frequent emergence of various wastrels, their status in Southern Province had been in decline year after year.

Yan Shiqi originally didn't want to attend, but having just become head of the family, and with this being the Chen family's first invitation, it was difficult to refuse.

Moreover, the real purpose of this banquet was essentially to secure investment from the Yan family.

Xie Yunshen followed behind Yan Shiqi, his gaze scanning the surrounding crowd.

With Lao Wu absent, he had to both scan for threats from a distance and observe any suspicious individuals nearby.

"Hey, Xie Yunshen, what's so good about being a bodyguard? Why not come work with me?" a provocative voice rang out.

Lin Jin had silently appeared beside him.

Xie Yunshen glanced at the guy. Dressed to the nines, of course—he was now the nation's most in-demand miracle doctor, practically getting whatever he wanted, be it wind or madness, rain or gloom.

He had also expanded into many new ventures in Southern Province and had the Bai family's eldest young lady on his arm. Winning at both career and love—he was truly living up to his role as the male lead.

Xie Yunshen was gearing up to mock him further when Yan Shiqi, who had been conversing with someone, suddenly turned around and looked at Lin Jin.

Lin Jin was momentarily startled by those dark, intense eyes, thinking Yan Shiqi was hostile towards him because he saw him holding the young lady of the Bai family's hand.

Inherently suspicious and fiercely possessive of the woman he loved, Lin Jin immediately got defensive and aggressive. He sneered, "Mr. Yan, do you have a problem with me? Or are you just jealous?"

He subconsciously tightened his grip on the Bai family young lady's hand and provocatively pressed down on Xie Yunshen's shoulder, as if to say, "Is this the family head you picked?"

Yan Shiqi looked at his hand but said nothing. However, that lethal glare said it all. The last time Xie Yunshen saw that look was at the Bai family funeral, when Yan Shiqi was looking at Shangguan Hong.

Lin Jin met his gaze without backing down.

A suspicion immediately arose in Xie Yunshen's mind. *No way, with the boss's attitude like this, could he actually have feelings for Miss Bai?*

No, I have to nip this unrealistic notion in the bud.

Only those who committed murder and arson in a past life would become the male lead's love rival in this one.

Xie Yunshen pried Lin Jin's hand off his shoulder and stepped in front of Yan Shiqi, looking at Lin Jin with a warning in his eyes.

Seeing Xie Yunshen's attitude, Lin Jin couldn't help but say, "Mr. Yan, your bodyguard is quite the loyal guard. How about letting me have him?"

"You can try," Yan Shiqi also smiled.

Miss Bai, not wanting her beloved to offend the Yan family, immediately pulled Lin Jin back. She smiled at Yan Shiqi and said, "Mr. Yan, we meet again."

Simultaneously, a bolt of lightning struck both Lin Jin and Xie Yunshen's minds.

Lin Jin: *"So Yan Shiqi still has improper designs on Jinyan!"*

Xie Yunshen: *"Damn it, the boss really acts differently around the female lead!"*

Bai Jinyan: *"Lin Jin, you idiot! Can't you see Mr. Yan's face has darkened this much, and you're still spouting nonsense to Xie Yunshen!"*

At that moment, Patriarch Chen stepped forward. "Mr. Yan, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule."

Yan Shiqi turned to speak with Patriarch Chen, finally defusing the tense standoff.

Lin Jin made to leave with Miss Bai.

Xie Yunshen grabbed him and said coldly, "Last time, you deliberately switched the spiked wine, trying to embarrass Mr. Yan. Did you think I wouldn't know?"

Lin Jin was taken aback, clearly surprised. "Oh? I'm becoming more and more interested in you."

"I don't care who you want to deal with. Don't mess with anyone from the Yan family, especially Mr. Yan."

With that, without waiting for Lin Jin's reaction, Xie Yunshen walked away.

Yan Shiqi had been watching the two figures getting close out of the corner of his eye. Only when Xie Yunshen walked towards him did he turn his full attention back to the conversation at hand.

Ultimately, for this Chen family cocktail party, networking with business peers was secondary; the primary goal was to secure investment from the Yan family.

"Mr. Yan, to be frank, only the Yan family can help the Chen family through this difficult time now," Patriarch Chen said. Unlike the typical flashy businessman, he was very forthright, with a bitter smile.

Xie Yunshen knew about the Chen family's current predicament. According to the book's narrative, even at this stage, the Chen family was far from as prosperous as they appeared, merely keeping up appearances to stave off collapse.

Patriarch Chen had tried seeking help from other families, but they were mostly competitors. Superficially cordial, behind the scenes, no one wished the others well. The results were naturally minimal.

The Yan family, the most capable and responsible among the five major families, was also tied up with the fallout from the construction site explosion during this period and couldn't assist the Chen family.

Now that the construction site explosion hadn't occurred, the Chen family naturally turned to the Yan family for help.

Yan Shiqi said, "I have reviewed your company's projects..."

Before he could finish, a tall man in his thirties stepped forward and laughed, "Mr. Yan, aren't you being too cautious now? Why do you have this little bodyguard following you everywhere?"

Chen Jinyou, Patriarch Chen's good-for-nothing younger brother.

In male-power-fantasy novels, there are always some brainless, tactless cannon fodder characters who persistently fantasize about marrying the female lead, envy the male lead, and find ways to ruin themselves.

That's right, this was the guy who spiked the wine at the Zhu family's birthday banquet last time. The Bai family had promised to investigate the truth and give the Yan family an explanation.

But in the end, only the serving waiter who poured the wine took the fall for some money.

This guy thought no one knew about his actions. In reality, the Zhu and Yan families simply turned a blind eye to save face for the Chen family.

And that guy Lin Jin, he actually let this cannon fodder run amok until now.

Yan Shiqi, interrupted mid-conversation, didn't even grant him a direct glance. "Mr. Chen, if you have something to say, you should wait until others have finished speaking."

Other family members were still gathered around Yan Shiqi. Under everyone's watchful eyes, Chen Jinyou was publicly humiliated.

What made him feel even more humiliated was that no one in the surrounding crowd sided with him; their eyes held mocking amusement.

Chen Jinyou had assumed that after Yan Shiqi's falling out with the Top Star Gate, the other prominent families in Southern Province, wary of the Top Star Gate's power, would distance themselves from the Yan family, even kick them while they were down.

But everyone wasn't a fool. While the Top Star Gate was the undisputed hegemon of Southern Province, the Yan family wasn't a soft persimmon to be easily bullied.

Especially this time, it was the Chen family actively seeking help from the Yan family.

Only Patriarch Chen looked deeply uncomfortable, trembling with anger at his disappointing brother, yet unable to make a scene on the spot.

"Get out!"

Chen Jinyou snorted sheepishly and was about to leave when he saw Lin Jin, standing behind Yan Shiqi, looking at him and mouthing the word "clown" mockingly.

Truly, when enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred. Lin Jin's mockery struck a particularly raw nerve in Chen Jinyou's fragile psyche.

Without a second thought, he threw the wine in his hand. Standing in front of Lin Jin were Yan Shiqi and Xie Yunshen.

Xie Yunshen, who had been watching all along, had already noticed. With a light sidestep, he easily dodged it, pulling Yan Shiqi aside too.

Avoiding that glass of wine was a breeze for Lin Jin as well.

As a result, the red wine splashed onto a few unlucky guests nearby—who happened to be the heads of the other families.

Bad guys scheme hard, but a fool’s quick move works better. With one glass of wine, Chen Jinyou offended all four major families.

Xie Yunshen immediately cried out in feigned concern, "Mr. Yan, are you alright!?"

While making a show of checking if Yan Shiqi was injured, he laughed inwardly.

It had to be said, Lin Jin was truly a nasty piece of work.

The crowd gasped in shock, unable to believe the Chen family was bold enough to target the head of the Yan family.

After all, in everyone else's eyes, Chen Jinyou had deliberately aimed the wine at Yan Shiqi.

At the same time, they marveled at the Yan family bodyguard's reflexes—no wonder Yan Shiqi had him around all the time.

The Chen patriarch felt as if his world was collapsing. He put on a smile and apologized to Yan Shiqi, then bowed to the other guests.

Yan Shiqi didn't have much to say; after all, the wine hadn't actually hit him.

But his mood today was truly terrible; he was done with this party.

The Chen patriarch walked Yan Shiqi out, following behind and saying, "Mr. Yan, I'm sorry. This was due to my lax family discipline."

"Mr. Chen, there's no need to see me off." Yan Shiqi's words were as usual, but his quick steps and cold look said it all.

The Chen patriarch, desperate, ventured, "Mr. Yan, about the project we were discussing..."

Yan Shiqi replied, "Mr. Chen, before discussing such matters, perhaps you should first clean up your family's act."

The Chen patriarch stood there, stunned; those words made it clear there was no hope left.

The other family heads also left. Watching the lively banquet hall empty out, this outcome took even Xie Yunshen by surprise.

This Chen patriarch was capable, but because of his idiot brother offending the lead, plus that vampire Top Star Gate, the family fell.

Tonight, there had been hope for Yan family funding to help them through the crisis.

Now, with one glass of wine from Chen Jinyou, their one chance was ruined.

As the car drove away, the Chen family patriarch still stood by the roadside.

Xie Yunshen looked back.

Yan Shiqi asked, "What is it?"

"Nothing, just thinking that the Chen family patriarch has already tried very hard."

He was reminded that the current Chen patriarch was just like the later Yan Shiqi—all alone with no one to turn to.

Yan Shiqi looked at the figure in the rearview mirror and said to the driver, "Turn back for a moment."

The Chen patriarch, head bowed, was about to step onto the stairs when he saw Yan Shiqi's black sedan stopping.

"Mr. Yan, did you forget something?" The Chen patriarch walked to the car.

Despite the intense hope in his heart, he had to restrain himself, not daring to speak of any reversal.

He feared it might be a false hope.

Yan Shiqi got out of the car, and Xie Yunshen quickly followed.

"Mr. Chen, regarding the project you mentioned, my assistant will contact you tomorrow about the details."

Hearing Yan Shiqi's words, the Chen patriarch was stunned for a moment before saying, "I understand, Mr. Yan. Thank you."

The Chen patriarch watched the car leave, his gaze profound.

Yan Shiqi could have said this from inside the car, but he deliberately got out to say it in person.

This detail moved the Chen patriarch almost more than the fact that Yan Shiqi was willing to help.

Today, he finally understood why the Yan family, with the fewest members, was the leader of the five major families.

And thinking of his own family's state, of these disappointing descendants, and of how they had fallen to this point—

The so-called family discipline, he must thoroughly rectify it.