"A dilapidated yamen?"
Lu Pan couldn't help but chuckle. Given the nature of the Son of Heaven's yamen, it was indeed rather dilapidated.
"Then let's go out for a stroll. It's time for revenge!"
A chilling glint filled Lu Pan's eyes.
Both his parents were late-stage peak cultivators with bodies of bronze and bones of iron. They couldn't possibly have perished in a mere fire; there had to be a hidden reason!
Unfortunately, the fire had consumed everything, and no significant clues had been found over the years.
However, after that fire, all the resources of his lineage were completely absorbed by another branch of the Lu family!
It was time to reclaim what belonged to him!
Lu Pan made up his mind and instructed Ye Wudao, "Wudao, you go to Qingcheng and prepare. I'll be there shortly!"
He then gave a few more instructions to Feng Tutu. "Tutu, there are a few individuals in Wujian Prison who are nearing the end of their sentences. Wait for them to be released before you leave, lest they cause any trouble!"
"Yes!" Feng Tutu acknowledged the order.
***
One day later.
Qingcheng, train station, the streetlights were just beginning to glow.
As Lu Pan alighted from the train and got into a taxi, a woman who appeared drunk stumbled in after him.
The woman was beautiful, her skin possessing an almost luminous paleness, currently flushed with an alluring redness.
She had a voluptuous figure, particularly her proud chest. Her V-neckline showcased a deep, dark cleavage that hinted at something substantial, drawing the eye and inviting speculation.
Her eyes were hazy with intoxication, her small mouth opening and closing, her breath fragrant like orchids. Coupled with the strong scent of alcohol, it made Lu Pan feel a flutter of desire.
Lu Pan looked at her with amusement. "Miss, you're in the wrong car!"
The woman furrowed her delicate brows, her drunken eyes holding a hint of annoyance. "You, you're the miss..."
Lu Pan chuckled. "Get out, or don't blame me for being impolite."
"I, I refuse..."
Before the woman could finish, the alcohol took hold. She tilted her head and collapsed onto Lu Pan.
Lu Pan blinked in surprise. Looking at the woman who had passed out, he said to the driver, "Driver, Yunxi Hotel."
"Right away!" The driver replied with a knowing expression, hitting the accelerator and heading towards Yunxi Hotel.
An intimate night ensued.
Yun Chuxue slowly woke up, her entire body aching as if it had fallen apart, causing her brows to knit tightly.
She opened her eyes and saw a face with a sharp, handsome profile. Her eyebrows were like swords, her nose like a peak, and her lips as thin as wings.
How could a man be so handsome?
Yun Chuxue stared, somewhat spellbound.
Images of the previous night's passionate encounter gradually flooded her mind.
Under the influence of alcohol, she had lost all reason, exhibiting an indescribable wildness.
The man before her had caused her to lose herself completely.
Yun Chuxue's cheeks flushed, as if they would bleed.
She knew her drink had been tampered with and who was responsible.
In her haste, she had gotten into Lu Pan's car, which was far better than being arranged with some ugly fellow by those people.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have so easily lost her virginity.
Fortunately, Lu Pan was not only not ugly, but also... extraordinarily handsome.
"If not for... it wouldn't be bad to go get a marriage license with him..."
Yun Chuxue thought of something inexplicably, a flicker of loneliness flashing in her eyes. She gazed at Lu Pan forlornly, then cautiously got out of bed.
But as soon as she shifted her legs, a sharp pain struck her, almost making her faint.
Enduring the pain, Yun Chuxue took out a wad of cash from her wallet and placed it on the bedside table. A complex emotion flickered in her eyes as she tiptoed away.
The moment Yun Chuxue left, Lu Pan opened his eyes. He glanced at the wad of cash left by Yun Chuxue, a stern look crossing his face.
This woman actually took him for a male escort?
However, there was no need to dwell on such a fleeting encounter; it was a matter of mutual convenience.
A moment later, Lu Pan got up, washed, and went downstairs.
As soon as he reached the lobby, dozens of bodyguards rushed in!
"All unauthorized personnel, leave immediately. Today is the grand engagement day for Young Master Xu Er and Miss Mo! You won't be able to bear the consequences if you disrupt it!"
The bodyguards were arrogant and overbearing.
"The Mo family's eldest daughter? Mo Shiyao? I didn't expect her to get engaged to Young Master Xu Er. It seems they're aiming to break into the first-tier families!"
"Yes, both the Mo and Xu families are top-tier second-tier families. After this strong alliance, they might barely qualify as a first-tier family!"
"Let's stay far away to avoid disrupting their engagement ceremony!"
Upon hearing the name 'Mo Shiyao', Lu Pan's gaze turned cold.
Coincidence?
As far as he knew, there was only one Mo family in Qingcheng. This was no coincidence!
Mo Shiyao, who was clearly engaged to him, was now engaged to the second young master of the Xu family?
Heh.
A cold smile curved Lu Pan's lips as memories flooded back.
When he was ten years old, he had visited the Mo family once.
At that time, Mo Shiyao had accidentally fallen into the artificial lake, and he had risked his life to save her.
After that, due to a fire in his clan, he had never seen her again.
He never expected that over a decade later, she would disregard their engagement and the life-saving favor from that year to get engaged to someone else.
*Ring, ring—*
Lu Pan's phone rang, pulling him back from his thoughts.
He dodged the bodyguards from the Mo and Xu families and moved to a corner to answer the call.
"Boss, where did you stay last night? Your subordinate will come to pick you up!"
Ye Wudao's respectful voice came from the phone.
Just as Lu Pan was about to reply, he saw Mo Shiyao getting out of a car and entering the hotel.
She wore a pure white gown, and a dazzling diamond necklace adorned her swan-like neck. Her earrings and the bracelet on her slender arm were also made of diamonds, clearly expensive.
The man beside her appeared to be in his late twenties, a few years her senior. He was dressed in a grey suit, wore wire-rimmed glasses with a brushed gold frame, was slightly overweight, and had a smile plastered on his face.
This was none other than the second young master of the Xu family, Xu Ziqiang.
Amidst the gazes of everyone, Mo Shiyao and Xu Ziqiang walked towards the banquet hall on the first floor.
"Boss?" Ye Wudao asked cautiously.
Lu Pan snapped back to reality and replied indifferently, "Yunxi Hotel!"
Hanging up the phone, Lu Pan followed the guests into the banquet hall.
Looking at Mo Shiyao on the stage, Lu Pan frowned slightly. He felt that this woman was somewhat different from his childhood memories.
"Good morning, esteemed guests!"
"I am very happy that everyone could come to witness the engagement ceremony between Shiyao and me. I hope, with all of you as witnesses, Shiyao and I will have a perfect..."
Xu Ziqiang was speaking animatedly to the guests.
"Wait a moment!"
Lu Pan's clear, cold voice directly interrupted his speech.
Xu Ziqiang looked at Lu Pan, who was walking towards the stage, with a hint of confusion and displeasure.
"I do not consent to this engagement!" Lu Pan's words were shocking.
The banquet hall fell into dead silence.
This was the engagement banquet of the second young master of the Xu family and the eldest daughter of the Mo family, and someone dared to cause trouble?
Xu Ziqiang recovered from his surprise, realizing the young man before him was here to cause a scene. His expression turned fierce, and he shouted, "Where are the security guards? Get him out of here!"
"How unlucky, this kid must be a fool. He dares to come and disrupt Young Master Xu Er's engagement banquet."
"Indeed! I think this kid is finished. He'll surely be thrown into Shark Bay to feed the sharks!"
The guests watched with amusement, seeing Lu Pan as nothing more than a clown.
"Mo Shiyao is engaged to me, yet she is getting engaged to another man. Such lack of fidelity, should I not stop it?"
Lu Pan's words were again astonishing.