Chen Yun'Er suddenly reached out, snatched the checkbook from Ye Feng's hand, and looked at Xiao Gang. "A treacherous scumbag who only cares about profit wants this check?" she said coolly. "You're not worthy."
With that, she applied a little pressure and tore the checkbook in two.
"Don't tear it! Please, don't! That's five billion! Five billion!" Xiao Gang shrieked in agony.
But Chen Yun'Er, as if she hadn't heard a thing, proceeded to tear the checkbook to shreds.
The next moment, she opened her hands, and the scraps of paper fluttered away on the breeze like butterflies with broken wings.
"The check... my check... five billion... Aaargh, it's like you've ripped my heart right out of my chest!" Xiao Gang cried, pounding his chest and stomping his feet. In that instant, he felt his heart shatter along with the pieces of paper.
Five billion! Gone in the blink of an eye. Gone!
Chen Yun'Er didn't spare him a single glance. She walked straight up to Ye Feng and said coolly, "Little brother, what kind of daughter could trash like him possibly raise? She's not good enough for you.
Let's go. I'll introduce you to someone better. Just say the word, and you can take your pick from the top five hundred socialites in the world."
Snapping back to his senses, Xiao Gang scrambled over and latched onto Ye Feng's hand like a leech that had found fresh blood, refusing to let go.
He looked at Ye Feng, fawning and bowing as he cried, "I accept you as my son-in-law! My dear son-in-law, please don't go! Don't!"
The five billion might be gone, but as long as he clung desperately to Ye Feng, it would be like latching onto these powerful figures. In the future, another five billion would be a piece of cake.
He wasn't an idiot.
Seeing Xiao Gang's shameless pestering, Mu Qingyun's expression turned icy. "Does the Xiao family wish to follow in the footsteps of the Lin family?"
Xiao Gang's face went white, and he released Ye Feng as if he'd been stung by a scorpion.
Seeing Xiao Gang trembling in his boots, Ye Feng almost burst out laughing. He pulled Mu Qingyun aside and said,
"Second Senior Sister, the Jade Pendant is still with the Lin family. The old man said he'll only give it to me after I've completed the wedding ceremony with Xiao Yufei. So, I have to stay and keep up the act."
Mu Qingyun finally nodded. "Alright. Come find us as soon as you get the Jade Pendant."
Chen Yun'Er chimed in, "I'll get those five hundred socialites lined up for you."
Feng Qingwu added with a playful breeziness, "Make sure to consummate the marriage tonight and do what needs to be done. It would be a terrible waste to get a divorce without even sleeping with her!"
Ye Feng was speechless. "..."
With that, his senior sisters made their exit.
Staring at the empty space where the betrothal gifts had been and then at the confetti of torn checks on the floor, Xiao Gang wanted to cry but had no tears. After all that commotion, he hadn't gained a single thing. 'What the hell was all that for?'
Just as Xiao Gang was wallowing in his dejection, a hale and hearty old man strode up to Ye Feng and announced in a booming voice,
"Cao Bin of the Apothecary Saint Hall presents a pair of jade pendants! Wishing the bride and groom a long and happy life together!"
But as soon as the words were out, he sniffed the air and asked with a puzzled expression,
"What a rich aroma of ginseng. From the scent alone, I can tell it must be at least a century old."
Xiao Gang, standing nearby, hadn't caught on yet. He asked in confusion, "Divine Doctor Cao, are you mistaken? There's no century-old ginseng here."
Lan Yazhi shot her husband a glare. "Who says there isn't? What about that ginseng you threw away?"
Xiao Gang craned his neck and retorted, "I told you, it's a fake carved from a radish..."
But he stopped mid-sentence, suddenly remembering Ye Feng was still standing right there. Instantly, he clammed up like a strangled chicken, not daring to utter another word.
Hearing this, Cao Bin's interest was piqued. "Where is it? Why don't you let me take a look? This old man knows a thing or two about ginseng."
Lan Yazhi went to the nearby bushes, retrieved the ginseng, and handed it to Cao Bin.
The box was smashed, revealing most of the ginseng inside. Cao Bin only needed one glance before his face turned ashen.
Noticing the change in Cao Bin's expression, Xiao Gang hurried over. "Divine Doctor Cao, I told you it was a fake, but my wife wouldn't believe me. You can see it too, can't you..."
Before he could finish, Cao Bin whipped his head around and glared at him, his eyes practically shooting flames. "Xiao Gang, are you calling me blind?"
Xiao Gang was completely baffled. "Divine Doctor Cao, what are you talking about? I have nothing but the utmost respect for you. How could I possibly call you blind? Besides, this ginseng isn't yours. Even if it is a fake, what's that got to do with you?"
Cao Bin ground out through clenched teeth, "And what if I were to tell you that this ginseng *is* mine?"
"Yours?" Xiao Gang was dumbfounded.
Staring daggers at Xiao Gang, Cao Bin said coldly, "This ginseng is one hundred and twenty years old. I spent twenty million at Christie's Auction House and went to great lengths to acquire it as a gift of respect for Master Ye Feng.
Master Ye Feng must have been too reluctant to use it himself, so he gave it to you. But I never imagined that a blind fool like you, with pig dung for eyes, would dare to call it a fake. A fake!"
Instead of getting angry at Cao Bin's insults, Xiao Gang became ecstatic. "D-Divine Doctor Cao," he stammered, "are you saying this ginseng is worth twenty million? Ha ha, that's wonderful! Wonderful!"
Xiao Gang was so energized he started dancing with joy. Just moments ago, he'd been heartbroken over losing Lin Yunlong's tens of millions in betrothal gifts, but now, Ye Feng's first offering was worth twenty million all on its own. Ha ha, he had really hit the jackpot!
Lan Yazhi shot her husband a look. "What are you waiting for? Get Yufei back here so she and Ye Feng can have their wedding!"
Xiao Gang snapped to it. "I'll call her right now! Right now!" he shouted excitedly.
'A casual gift from him is worth twenty million, and he's backed by all those tycoons,' he thought. 'How could Ye Feng be some poor country bumpkin? He's a bona fide diamond bachelor!'
He'd made up his mind: Ye Feng was going to be his son-in-law. If anyone dared to take him, he'd fight them to the death.
Before long, Xiao Yufei drove up. She looked at her father and frowned. "Dad, didn't you tell me to hide out at the office to avoid getting tangled up with Ye Feng? Why did you call me back?"
Xiao Gang looked at Xiao Yufei and exclaimed, "Things are different now! Completely different! Let me tell you..."
He quickly recounted what had happened, his face lit up with a huge grin. "Yufei, let me tell you, Ye Feng isn't poor at all! He's a bona fide diamond bachelor, the perfect wealthy husband!"
Xiao Yufei understood immediately. But she looked at her father and said coldly, "Dad, you know my refusal to marry Ye Feng has nothing to do with whether he's rich or poor. It's because I already have someone else in my heart."
Xiao Gang grew anxious. "My dear girl, that person from ten years ago is probably long dead! Are you going to live like a widow for him for the rest of your life? Just get married!"
The moment Xiao Gang finished speaking, Ye Feng, who was standing nearby, suddenly sneezed. 'Which damn bastard is badmouthing me?' Ye Feng muttered to himself in confusion.
But now he finally understood. Xiao Yufei's rejection and her desire to break the engagement weren't because she was a gold digger; it was because her heart already belonged to someone else.
So loyal and unmoved by material wealth. His impression of Xiao Yufei improved considerably.
The guests stared, dumbfounded, at the handsome couple—Ye Feng and Xiao Yufei—standing at the hotel entrance. A moment ago, the groom was Lin Yunlong, and now, in the blink of an eye, it was Ye Feng.
'Xiao Yufei really gets around, huh? Swapping grooms in the middle of her wedding?' But that was no longer important. What was important was that they knew they had to latch onto Ye Feng's coattails today.
If they could latch onto Ye Feng's coattails, they might be able to use him to get in good with the powerful figures backing him.
If they could please one of those tycoons, even the scraps they threw away would be enough for them to live in luxury for a lifetime.
And so, the guests swarmed forward, one after another, to present their wedding gifts and offer their congratulations.