"Alright, I'll head over now."

Xu Fan didn't know if there were any other spies around so he didn't talk much with Li Qinghe. After giving her a reminder, he went straight towards the garden behind Old Man Li's villa.

There weren't many people in the backyard garden, just Old Man Li's two personal bodyguards standing far off in the corner.

Not far away in the flowerbeds, Old Man Li was patiently pruning. Xu Fan took a breath and walked over.

When he reached Old Man Li's side, Xu Fan didn't speak, but simply waited quietly for Old Man Li to finish pruning the Chinese rose in front of him.

"Ah, when a person gets old, there's nothing left to do but tend to flowers and trim the grass."

Seemingly satisfied with his pruning, Old Man Li put away his shears and muttered to himself.

While walking deeper into the flowerbeds, he said, "Xu Fan, there's been a constant stir in Shanghai lately, yet you seem quite carefree, eh?"

He spoke intermittently to himself, avoiding getting straight to the point of why he had summoned Xu Fan.

Xu Fan was patient too. Following alongside him, he said, "Yet, even with such ease, I still can't compare to you, Old Man Li, can I?"

"Tending flowers, trimming grass, playing the zither under the moonlight, isn't it all quite lovely?"

"Heh, such a clever young man..."

Old Man Li laughed, then gently touched an orchid in front of him, and said, "Xu Fan, do you still think that I shouldn't have interfered with Qinghe's marriage?"

When he first arrived in Shanghai, it was the day of Li Qinghe's engagement to Ke Longxiang. That day, he had discussed the matter with Old Man Li, expecting that the old man hadn't taken his words to heart.

Unexpectedly, the old man had remembered them until this day...

"As a grandfather, finding a 'Dragon Elephant' groom for my granddaughter, is that also wrong?"

Putting down his shears, Old Man Li looked up at Xu Fan.

"Qinghe is already of marriageable age. Just looking within Shanghai, where else could you find a more suitable match?"

"..."

Seeing that Old Man Li was speaking candidly, Xu Fan couldn't help but smile.

Indeed, he wasn't wrong in his intentions; as an elder, he simply wanted to ensure that his granddaughter wouldn't be bullied by others after he was gone, hence he sought such a 'Dragon Elephant' groom.

"Old Man Li, how can you judge a person by appearances alone?"

"Heh, to think that an old man like me, one foot in the grave, would be lectured by you today..."

Indeed, like Xu Fan said, Ke Longxiang was just a facade of success.

Old Man Li was certainly aware of the recent upheavals in Shanghai.

As the Ke Family's future in-law, Old Man Li had only offered a little insignificant help; never had he interfered significantly, merely observing from the sidelines.

He wanted to see if his choice of a 'Dragon Elephant' groom for his granddaughter had been a mistake.

"It's hard to believe, but the Ke Family is actually on the brink of ruin because of you, kid."

In the end, he had lost. Just by these past few days' performances, Xu Fan had already outshone Ke Longxiang by miles.

Shaking his head in resignation, Old Man Li looked at Xu Fan.

"Ke Longxiang came to see me, saying that my granddaughter has signed a contract with you and is now endorsing your business."

"This couldn't just be a coincidence, could it?"

Clearly anticipating the implication, Old Man Li didn't wait for Xu Fan's answer. He sighed and chuckled bitterly, "It seems that Qinghe truly dislikes Ke Longxiang..."

If that weren't the case, why else would his granddaughter go help Xu Fan?

It probably won't be long before Shanghai's splendor is no longer associated with the Ke Family. Old Man Li looked at Xu Fan for a good while before he finally spoke.

"Xu Fan, at your age, you haven't taken a wife yet, have you?"

"..."

Seeing Li, the old man, looking his way, Xu Fan couldn't help but want to laugh.

"Old Li, you're not planning on marrying me off, are you?"

"What? Do you think my Qinghe isn't good enough for you?"

Xu Fan shook his head and said, "Of course not, a beauty like Li Qinghe would suit any man in the world, that much is certain. As for other factors, there's even less need to elaborate."

"If that's the case, then why are you being so evasive?"

Praising his granddaughter to the heavens but still getting refused, what was going on?

"Old Li, this isn't about whether I agree or not. Don't you think that for this kind of matter, you should ask Li Qinghe herself what she thinks?"

Suddenly, Xu Fan looked at the old man and let out a sentence that left him somewhat stunned.

He realized that from beginning to end, he had never considered his granddaughter's feelings...

"There's no need to ask this time, Xu Fan. If my granddaughter had no interest in you, why would she have helped you like that?"

"I'm going to ask you the same question I just did."

It seemed that if he didn't give an answer right now, the old man wasn't planning to let him leave. Xu Fan replied with a wry smile, "Old Li, a twisted melon is not sweet..."

"But it quenches thirst."

"..."

That one line from the old man almost suffocated Xu Fan.

He was now looking at Xu Fan seriously and said, "Xu Fan, do you have other women? I don't care about them. Although I'm old, I am still a man."

"Those women, whether you keep them hidden as your concubines or sever ties with them, I don't mind. But my granddaughter has to be your main wife."

"If you agree to this, from now on, the Li Family will be your most loyal ally. And if you don't agree?"

"You'll find it very difficult to leave this garden today."

At this moment, the old man was so assertive that it reached the level of 'agree or I'll kill you.'

Xu Fan glanced at the two restless guards on the side and couldn't help but grimace with a wry smile.

Was this really necessary?

Was he, Xu Fan, the only man in the world?

"Old Li, I'm truly moved by your earnestness."

As he looked at the old man, the look of anticipation in his eyes, Xu Fan said, "It's just one thing."

"Hmm? Tell me, what is it?"

Seeing the man's eagerness, the old man couldn't help but show a bit of joy on his face.

However, Xu Fan chuckled and said, "Actually, even if I don't agree, you probably won't be able to stop me."

"You!"

The young man turned and walked away after speaking, playing hard to get?

Having lived to such an age, when had Old Li ever been treated with such disrespect? His anger was palpable, puffing out his whiskers and glaring!

Could it be that this guy thought his own daughter wasn't good enough for a nobody like him?

"How infuriating..."

Grinding his teeth while watching the guards question with their eyes, the old man eventually shook his head.

Given the people arranged here today, they probably wouldn't be able to stop him.

...

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