At the entrance of the hotel stood a man in his fifties, full of vigor, with an imposing square face that commanded respect even without anger. When he saw his daughter arriving with his adorable granddaughter in her arms, his expression immediately softened with joy, especially when the little girl opened her mouth and said, "Grandpa, hug." He walked up eagerly and took the little one from his daughter's arms, his affection on full display. Then he turned to his daughter and said, "Yuhan, I was going to tell you not to be impulsive."
"Was going to? So what about now?" she replied, tickling her daughter with a finger, making the little girl erupt into mischievous laughter.
"If you aren't satisfied with him, just forget it. Remember, I'm only saying this for Gugu's sake," Qin Zhengyang said as he lifted the little girl high into the air. Being with his granddaughter made him feel much younger.
"Thank you, Dad," Qin Yuhan said happily. She had always thought her dad was a stubborn old man, expecting him to be unyielding and stick to his word like the overbearing CEOs in novels. To her surprise, thanks to her daughter, her father had finally bridged the generation gap between them. Yet, when she realized she, his daughter, was less important than her own little darling, Qin Yuhan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
After a brief conversation, they entered the hotel and went into a luxurious, pre-booked private suite. The other Qin Family members were already present: Qin Zhengyang's younger brother, Qin Zhengxin, and his wife, Ye Lan.
Upon entering, however, Qin Zhengyang immediately walked over to Wu Tian's mother, Murong Yezi, with a broad smile. "Sister-in-law, it's been such a long time! How have you been?"
"I've been well. This must be Yuhan, right?" Murong Yezi asked, looking at Qin Yuhan.
Qin Yuhan nodded slightly. The little girl was now back in her arms, peeking her head out to curiously observe the unfamiliar room. When Murong Yezi's gaze fell upon her, the child shyly buried her face in Qin Yuhan's chest.
Who could this little one be? If Qin Yuhan already has a daughter, then we should just forget about the marriage agreement. We can't force her into this.
As Qin Zhengyang sat down, he asked, "Sister-in-law, where's Wu Tian? I haven't seen him since he was three."
"That rascal. I told him to come early, who knows where he is now? I'll call him." Just as Murong Yezi took out her phone, Wu Tian arrived.
Murong Yezi asked in a cold tone, "You rascal, don't tell me you overslept?"
"No, I was busy saving a beauty," Wu Tian replied nonchalantly, completely unfazed by the situation. To the Immortal Emperor, a scene like this was nothing. He casually found a seat and sat down.
At that moment, Qin Yuhan's heart thumped. How could it be him? She had never forgotten the events of that night four years ago. She had thought she would never see him again in her life, yet here he was. He was drunk back then, so he probably doesn't remember me, right? That would be for the best!
Just as Qin Yuhan hoped, four years ago, Wu Tian had just graduated from college, full of ambition. After entering the real world, however, he quickly realized that ambition alone was useless. Even Xiang Yu, who had great ambitions from a young age, ended up taking his own life by the Wu River. Without a powerful background, and with no luck on top of that, it was simply too difficult to make a name for oneself in the city.
Four years ago, after hitting numerous roadblocks in society, a dejected Wu Tian went to a bar to drown his sorrows. There, he met Qin Yuhan, who was facing a bottleneck at her company and was getting drunk for the first and only time in her life. The two of them ended up spending a passionate night together.
In the middle of the night, Qin Yuhan woke up, memorized Wu Tian's face, and then left. Wu Tian, however, was still fast asleep. When he finally woke up, a Storage Ring fell from the sky, flew through the window, and hit him, directly transporting him to the Immortal Emperor Realm.
In short, Qin Yuhan remembered Wu Tian, but Wu Tian had no idea who the woman he had slept with that night was.
But what kind of person was Wu Tian? His eyes could instantly pick his desired sword from a crowd of 10,000. He keenly sensed the deeply hidden, unusual look in Qin Yuhan's eyes. He could also hear her heart rate accelerate when she looked at him.
Normally, an Immortal Emperor could perceive events before they unfolded and discern everything. However, every world operates according to its own laws. Wu Tian had only just returned and was not yet familiar with the Dao of this world. If he had another three days, he could have understood why Qin Yuhan was acting this way with a single glance. But for now, everything was still a fog.
"It seems you recognize me," Wu Tian stated forthrightly.
Hearing this, Qin Zhengyang and the others turned to look at Qin Yuhan. Did these two already know each other?
"No, I don't know such a... scoundrel," Qin Yuhan snorted coldly, remembering how the man had pounced on her like a wild beast that night.
The little one in her arms peeked her head out again. Her pair of dark, shining eyes stared at Wu Tian, curious to see what a legendary scoundrel looked like. But upon seeing his face, she froze. Why does he look just like the photo saved on Mommy's phone?
"It seems you really do know me," Wu Tian said. He couldn't, however, recall when he might have left such a scoundrel-like impression on a beauty like her.
The atmosphere had grown a bit tense. As the Family Head of the Qin Family and founder of the Qin Corporation, Qin Zhengyang's judgment was anything but ordinary. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to build the corporation from nothing in ten years and then spend the next five elevating the Qin Family to become one of the four great families of Yang City. He also noticed that the relationship between his daughter and Wu Tian seemed rather complicated. He spoke up, "If anyone has anything to say, please speak freely. There's no need to be reserved."
Qin Yuhan's aunt, Ye Lan, nudged her husband, Qin Zhengxin, with her elbow, signaling him to speak. Qin Zhengxin took a deep breath, looked at Wu Tian, and asked, "Tian, what's your usual monthly income?"
This was a question almost every elder asked during a matchmaking meeting.
"I don't have a job right now," Wu Tian replied calmly.
"Then what kind of job do you think you're suited for?" Qin Zhengxin pressed.
"Any job is fine. As long as I put my mind to it, I can be number one," Wu Tian declared.
He couldn't be called a normal person anymore. Ever since he began his Cultivation, his hearing, sight, and even his intelligence and ability to learn had surpassed all known human limits. No matter the profession, as long as he applied himself, he would become the best in the world.
"..." Murong Yezi stared blankly at her son. They hadn't seen each other in four years, and she suddenly realized he had changed a great deal. He uttered such grandiose statements with a completely calm face, as if he were speaking the absolute truth.
Qin Zhengxin and Ye Lan exchanged a look, seeing the amusement in each other's eyes.
Qin Zhengxin whispered to Qin Zhengyang, who sat beside him, "Big Brother, did you hear that? This kid is arrogant and delusional. He doesn't understand the importance of being down-to-earth and pragmatic. He's not a good match."
"That's right, Big Brother. He's nothing compared to Young Master Nalan Feng," Ye Lan added in a low voice.
Qin Zhengyang's brows furrowed. Wu Tian's father was a sworn brother to him, closer than his own flesh and blood. And as for what kind of people Qin Zhengxin and Ye Lan were, how could he not know? Without him, their big brother, Qin Zhengxin would have amounted to nothing.
Moreover, Qin Zhengxin and Ye Lan simply enjoyed the high life and never bothered to discipline their son, Qin Yujie, who was always fooling around. Yet Qin Zhengxin still hoped Qin Zhengyang would give Qin Yujie a major position in the corporation. How was that possible? Besides, someone had already told Qin Zhengyang that the couple had accepted gifts from Nalan Feng.
Who was Nalan Feng? He was the sole young master of the Nalan Family, one of the four great families of Yang City. He had excelled in his studies and was handsome. After graduating, he took charge of the Nalan Group. While he was competent, he merely followed the rule book, so the group's performance hadn't declined significantly.
In Qin Zhengyang's eyes, Wu Tian was no worse than Nalan Feng, but Qin Zhengxin and his wife certainly didn't think so. How could Wu Tian possibly compare to Young Master Nalan Feng?
Murong Yezi couldn't hear their whispers, but Wu Tian heard every word.
This place bored him, and he hated putting on a show. Why pretend to be happy when the meal was anything but enjoyable? In this vast world, how many people were worthy of the Immortal Emperor's courtesy? Who was even qualified?
"I'm full. I'll be leaving now," Wu Tian announced, standing up from his seat. Qin Yuhan was indeed beautiful, but so what?
Just then, a crisp, childish voice, her words still unclear, called out, "Daddy, don't go, okay?"
What?
Shock rippled through the private room.