Chapter 61: Engagement

Yang Zhennan, shrewd as ever, instantly pieced it all together. How could Yang Bingyu possibly have the influence to commission a custom tea set from Orioles? Naturally, Ye Xuan must have pulled the strings.

Since Ye Xuan said it was fine, it truly was fine. He might even have Orioles forge a brand-new set for him.

"Alas, it seems I wasn’t fated to have this tea set. Bingyu, Grandpa thanks you for your filial piety. I love the gift." Even though the tea set was shattered, the banquet had to go on. Yang Zhennan composed his expression and adjusted his tone as he spoke to his granddaughter.

Although Yang Bingyu was extremely upset, she knew better than to make a scene. She nodded, willing to let the matter rest.

Just as the crowd was preparing to disperse, Su Jun stepped forward with Wu Xueting on his arm.

"Zhennan, my old friend, you’re coddling Yang Jie far too much. First, he drops a hundred million on Dongzhu for your birthday, and now he smashes an Orioles tea set. If my Xiaobai acted like that, the Su family would have gone bankrupt long ago."

Anyone could hear the biting sarcasm in Su Jun’s words. Yang Zhennan’s face instantly darkened. Why did this old geezer have to butt in? They had spent a lifetime locked in open rivalry and covert struggles, yet the man couldn’t even let him enjoy a peaceful birthday. To make matters worse, Su Jun always flaunted his slight age advantage to talk down to him like an older brother. It was infuriating!

"Brother Su, how could my Jie possibly compare to Xiaobai? Xiaobai took over your mantle early on to become the Patriarch of the Su family. Though I’m retired myself, I still have two sons beneath me, and Jie is far from my only grandson. Even given another ten or twenty years, Jie probably wouldn’t reach Xiaobai’s level."

On the surface, Yang Zhennan seemed to be praising Su Xiaobai as a promising young man. In reality, anyone in the know could hear the mocking undertone regarding Su Jun’s thin bloodline. Aside from one grandson, Su Xiaobai, the man had no other descendants. Yang Zhennan’s words were utterly venomous, deliberately jabbing at his rival’s sorest spot.

Flames of anger instantly ignited in Su Jun’s eyes as he glared viciously at him. In an instant, the air grew thick with tension.

The onlookers buzzed with excitement, eager to watch the drama unfold. Not a single person stepped forward to defuse the situation. After all, Yang Zhennan and Su Jun were both business tycoons in Jianghai City. Offending either of them would be a fatal mistake, so it was best to silently enjoy the show and avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

"Oh, Jun, he kicked me!" Wu Xueting suddenly exclaimed. She affectionately stroked her pregnant belly, her face radiating with maternal love.

"Haha, so mischievous before he’s even born! It must be a boy. Good boy, when you’re born, Daddy will definitely have a massive gift waiting for you!" Hearing her words, Su Jun’s dark expression instantly cleared. He bent down, bringing his face close to Wu Xueting’s swelling belly as he spoke with smug pride.

Wasn’t Yang Zhennan just mocking his lack of descendants? Well, he wouldn’t give his rival the satisfaction. To father a son in his eighties was a true blessing from the heavens.

"Zhennan, my friend, my youngest son will be born in just a month. When we host the celebratory banquet, you absolutely must attend." After cooing at his unborn child, Su Jun turned back to Yang Zhennan, his face the picture of smugness.

Yang Zhennan’s mouth twitched. Hiding a glint of disdain in his eyes, he scoffed inwardly. A son? Who knew if it was even his seed. If Su Jun found out he’d been cuckolded, he would become the biggest laughingstock in all of Jianghai City. Did the old fool really think he still had it in him at over eighty years old? He ought to take a good look in the mirror.

"Hehe, naturally, I’ll be there. I’ll have to prepare a grand gift for my new nephew, won’t I?" Despite his endless internal mockery, Yang Zhennan had to keep up appearances, offering a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

The onlookers saw right through the exchange. It was blatantly obvious that the two patriarchs were merely maintaining a facade of harmony. None of them dared to burst the bubble, instead chiming in to congratulate Su Jun on becoming a father in his old age.

The commotion from this minor interlude soon died down. Before long, servers wheeled in a massive five-tier cake, bringing the birthday banquet to its climax. After blowing out the candles and making a wish, it was time to cut the cake. As the guest of honor, Yang Zhennan naturally had to make the first slice.

"I want to give this first slice of cake to a benefactor of mine, as a token of my gratitude for the care and affection he has shown my Bingyu recently," Yang Zhennan announced. He placed a small slice onto a saucer and glanced around the room, deliberately drawing out the suspense.

Hearing this, the crowd burst into whispered speculation. Anyone capable of earning Elder Yang’s gratitude had to be a formidable figure. Moreover, this person was intimately connected to Yang Bingyu—who could it be?

To everyone’s utter disbelief, Yang Zhennan walked right up and handed the plate to Ye Xuan. The entire room erupted into an uproar. None of them had ever imagined the benefactor would be him.

"How could it be him? This Ye Xuan is just Yang Bingyu’s bodyguard. What right does he have to receive Elder Yang’s thanks?"

"Exactly! That guy is just a worthless bum who uses women to climb the social ladder. Did Elder Yang give it to the wrong person?"

"Could the rumors about Yang Bingyu and Ye Xuan be true? Did Ye Xuan marry into the Yang family after divorcing Lin Aoxue?"

Whispers spread like wildfire. There were all sorts of theories, though every single one was laced with disdain for Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow at Yang Zhennan, bewildered by the gesture. He knew the old man was desperate to curry favor with him to maximize the Yang family’s profits, but putting him on a pedestal in front of everyone like this would only backfire, wouldn’t it?

"Elder Yang, what is the meaning of this?" Ye Xuan made no move to take the cake. Instead, he simply looked at the old man with a faint smile, waiting for an explanation.

Beneath Ye Xuan’s placid gaze, a chill shot down Yang Zhennan’s spine and he broke into a cold sweat. Looking rather sheepish, he set the cake down on a nearby table, cleared his throat, and projected his voice across the hall.

"Everyone knows that Ye Xuan is the bodyguard I hired for Bingyu. He also holds another unique status as the ex-husband of the Lin family’s eldest daughter, Lin Aoxue. Recently, rumors surrounding the three of them have been flying everywhere, and I know you’re all incredibly curious about the exact nature of Bingyu and Ye Xuan’s relationship.

"I will take this opportunity tonight to officially announce something and put all this public speculation to rest."

At this, the crowd instantly fell silent, straining their ears to hear what would come next.

Yang Zhennan shot a smiling glance at Yang Bingyu before making his grand declaration. "Tonight’s banquet is not just my birthday celebration—it is also an engagement party for Ye Xuan and Bingyu. In three months’ time, I will be hosting their wedding."

The entire hall froze. Jaws dropped and eyes widened in absolute shock as the guests struggled to process what they had just heard.

Ye Xuan and Yang Bingyu were engaged?

What did this mean?

Didn’t this confirm all the rumors that the two of them were intimately involved?