In order to comply with her family's arrangements, Xia Xiaodie cut off contact with everyone after departing Jinling by plane that night.

She was painfully aware of what the betrothal hanging over her head truly meant.

Even if she was unwilling, she still had to obey; it was the responsibility tied to her own surname, bound to her very being.

But these days, all alone in Shanghai, she just couldn't restrain herself from thinking about that big dummy...

This time, sneaking back to Jinling, her purpose was also to inquire about news of him.

"Sis, you, you've got it wrong, I'm just asking, I won't go see him..."

"After all, there's no longer any possibility between him and me..."

As Xia Xiaodie spoke, a bitter smile crept onto her lips, her eyes filled with a blend of resentment and powerlessness.

Her appearance was genuinely heartbreaking, and Xia Yanyu couldn't bear to look at her, saying, "Silly girl, your sister understands."

"Don't worry, he's doing very well right now, a lot of people are helping him, in Jinling, there's definitely no one who can bully him."

Xu Fan's current status as Pavilion Master of Lingyan Pavilion made Xia Yanyu's words devoid of any falsehood.

Hearing this, Xia Xiaodie couldn't help but smile, revealing two little canine teeth.

Being able to hear good news about him meant that her trip back this time was not in vain.

"Then sis, he hasn't been a problem for you, has he...?"

No one being able to bully him also implied that Xu Fan had the power to bully others.

With worry, Xia Xiaodie turned her gaze towards her sister.

She knew Xu Fan very well and was only concerned that he might blame all the issues between them on her sister.

Even though before she left, she had begged him repeatedly...

"Silly little sister, why would Xu Fan do such a thing and also, your sister isn't so easily bullied by others."

Perhaps thinking of Xu Fan's previous cold gaze, a touch of sorrow flickered in Xia Yanyu's eyes.

"Xiaodie..."

Wanting to say something but hesitating, Xia Yanyu opened her mouth as she looked at her sister, deep in thought.

"Hm? Sis, what is it?"

"It's... it's nothing..."

In the end, not daring to speak her mind, Xia Yanyu feigned a smile and said, "Alright then, next time you come back, don't hide in a hotel, let's go, your sister will take you home."

If her sister knew that the one she had fallen in love with was the same man her older sister, who was supposedly working hard for the survival of the Xia Family, also loved, she would surely hate herself to death...

Leading the way, thinking of what Xu Fan once said to her, Xia Yanyu's eyes reddened once again.

Maybe she really was a despicable person...

...

Racing back home, Xu Fan didn't realize just how many speed limits he had broken along the way.

Lying in bed now, it wasn't so easy to fall asleep.

To be honest, if Xia Yanyu truly degraded herself like that, why would he need to worry about her...

Shaking his head, not wanting to think about it anymore, Xu Fan closed his eyes, ready to sleep.

Suddenly, his phone on the bedside table began to ring.

Who could be calling him at this hour?

"This..."

Gripped by curiosity as he answered the phone, Xu Fan realized it wasn't a contact he had saved.

An unfamiliar number from Shanghai.

"Could it be Ke Longxiang...?"

Apart from Ke Longxiang of the Crown Prince Party, Xu Fan hadn't dealt with anyone else from Shanghai recently.

After having suffered several losses at his hands already, could it be that this fellow was calling to confront him?

"Hello?"

With a sneer, he picked up the phone, yet, contrary to his expectations, Ke Longxiang's enraged swearing didn't come through.

It was unexpectedly quiet, with only the faint sound of the other person's breathing audible.

"Ke Longxiang, having fun?"

Xu Fan didn't want to ponder what this guy was up to by staying silent.

His mood wasn't good at the moment, and he had no patience for excessive chitchat with him.

Without hesitation, he hung up the call.

Beep... Beep...

The Xia Family villa.

In the bedroom, upon hearing the busy tone from the phone, Xia Xiaodie lying on the bed couldn't help but frown.

Although she hadn't been in Shanghai for long, she had some understanding of the nearly household name Ke Longxiang.

"How could he be involved with the Crown Prince Party..."

Thinking of the news about the Crown Prince Party she had heard these days while in Shanghai, Xia Xiaodie's face grew increasingly unsightly.

She jumped out of bed at once and sat down at the computer desk, anxiously pressing the power button.

...

A few days later, at the Lingyan Pavilion Clubhouse.

At this moment, Zhou Zhanlong and a few others were standing below, reporting the situation of the past few days to Xu Fan.

According to Zhou Zhanlong, the dozen or so retired soldiers who had tried to frame him at the Confucius Temple had ultimately followed his suggestion.

They found Zhou Zhanlong, intending to pledge allegiance.

Those guys seemed to have decent skills, or at least, Zhou Zhanlong thought they were worth considering.

Listening to him, Xu Fan nodded and instructed, "Since they are willing to pledge allegiance, then keep them, but don't trust them too much."

These people had always followed his rivals previously.

Xu Fan knew that one couldn't be too careful; he didn't want to be caught off guard and stabbed in the back by these guys due to carelessness.

"Heh, don't worry, Master, I understand this," Zhou Zhanlong assured.

Xu Fan nodded and then turned his gaze to Hu Busan.

"Hu Busan, I asked you to have someone keep an eye on Ke Longxiang. Have you found out anything?"

When Xu Fan asked, Hu Busan nodded and explained, "Master, I did have people watching him, but they haven't discovered any useful information."

Ke Longxiang definitely hadn't given up on Lingyan Pavilion; otherwise, he wouldn't have kept lingering around Jinling.

However, these past few days, according to the information Hu Busan got from his subordinates' surveillance, they found that Ke Longxiang was either gambling with a group of Jinling's young wastrels or taking a few women to hotels at night.

It was just the everyday life of a rich second-generation, without any suspicious signs whatsoever.

"Hehe, playing the honest one now?"

Xu Fan commented with a chuckle and a shake of his head.

That guy had suffered losses against him one after the other; he probably realized that this battle wouldn't be easy to fight.

His current inaction was most likely a sign that he was calculating, planning a severe blow against himself.

Ring Ring Ring.

Just as he was contemplating where Ke Longxiang might start, suddenly, the sound of a phone ringing came from below, from Hu Busan's phone.

"Ahem, Master, I apologize..."

Having forgotten to turn off his phone when entering, Hu Busan now awkwardly took out his phone and, seeing Xu Fan nod, answered the call.

"Hello! Didn't I say not to disturb me at this hour?" he snapped at the person on the other end, but soon, Hu Busan's face changed.

"Fuck! Who told you to do that!"

"Have you forgotten the rules I gave you at the beginning!"

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