Hou Mingzhu's father had hidden meanings in his words, so Ye Tiancheng had to clarify everything. If he didn't express his true feelings, Grandpa Hou would never allow him to be with his daughter.
"Uncle Hou, I will definitely treat Mingzhu well. I can get engaged to Hou Mingzhu first. As for whether you think I'm capable, you can observe me slowly. There's no need to rush."
"My daughter is so precious, why should she always get engaged to you? Let's postpone this matter. There's no need to be so hasty, and I won't agree to you easily."
Ye Tiancheng was actually puzzled as to why Grandpa Hou kept delaying, seeming to be very wary of him.
"Uncle Hou, I know you must be wary of me, and I completely accept all your thoughts. I just hope you'll give me a chance to prove myself, and I will definitely perform to your satisfaction."
"I don't want to get involved in business matters with you. If we get involved and then Hou Mingzhu and I can't be together, it will be a loss for me to separate later. As for how to test you, I haven't thought of it yet. We'll talk about it later."
Hou Mingzhu's father wasn't in a hurry, but Ye Tiancheng was. He still needed four more fragments of the Fuxi Qin. Ye Tiancheng couldn't help but be anxious. It would be better to secure this known fragment quickly, otherwise, there might be more complications.
"Uncle, however you want to test me, don't drag it out. I'm still waiting for your reply."
"You don't need to worry about that. If you want to marry another man's daughter, you have to be patient and not too eager."
Ye Tiancheng nodded. "Uncle, I understand."
With no reason to stay any longer, Ye Tiancheng had to leave. However, he was restless and couldn't stay still at home, wandering around aimlessly.
Even Xiao Pang noticed that Ye Tiancheng was truly troubled. Xiao Pang initially ignored Ye Tiancheng, but seeing him sighing constantly, he felt it was wrong not to offer some support as a brother, so he went to ask Ye Tiancheng.
"Brother Ye, stop sighing. Speak your mind, and let your brother help you brainstorm."
"I want to pursue Hou Mingzhu, but I'm too lazy to think. Help me figure out a way."
"What are you doing? Brother Ye, what's gotten into you? Didn't you hate that pampered girl Hou Mingzhu the most before? When did you start taking a liking to her?"
Xiao Pang was completely stunned. After a brief pause of a few seconds, he spoke like a machine gun, rattling off his words.
"Don't worry about it so much. I didn't like Hou Mingzhu's character before, but I've thought it through now. I want to give it a real try with Hou Mingzhu."
Xiao Pang looked at Ye Tiancheng with the eyes of someone seeing a monster, and finally said with great certainty.
"I think you definitely have some ulterior motive, Brother Ye. We might not have grown up together naked, but I still understand you to some extent. Your change is too sudden; it's impossible. You must have some scheme."
"Alright, even if I have a scheme, I can't tell you. Just help me arrange things. I'm really not good at pursuing women."
Ye Tiancheng couldn't tell Xiao Pang about the Fuxi Qin fragments. If he did, it would lead to too many explanations, and he wouldn't be able to make himself clear.
"Okay, Brother Ye, you have enough secrets. I won't ask any more questions. Brothers, I'll arrange it for you. I'll make sure everything is perfectly planned."
"What do I need to do?"
"You don't need to do anything right now, just provide the money. No, I've already got the money for you. You're finally pursuing someone, and your brother has to support you wholeheartedly. I can't let you lose face."
"The money can come from the company's finances. Xiao Pang, you don't need to incur financial losses for me. Your ideas are already very helpful, and I'm very grateful, brother."
"Alright, no more talk. Just wait for my brilliant performance."
Suddenly, some people arrived at the Hou residence. Grandpa Hou had almost been hit by a car before, so the security system had been significantly upgraded, with many guards. It was now very difficult to get in.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine roses, along with other gifts like bags, perfume, lipstick, and makeup – everything women liked – were sent to the Hou residence.
After undergoing professional anti-explosion checks, the gifts were delivered to Hou Mingzhu. These were all gifts from Ye Tiancheng; otherwise, Grandpa Hou wouldn't have even bothered with the checks and would have simply thrown them away.
"That's wonderful! Brother Ye is too good to me, buying me so many nice things. I really like them! Dad, please agree to let Brother Ye and me get engaged. I really like Brother Ye."
"Mingzhu, these are all sugar-coated bullets, superficial things. Ye Tiancheng is so wealthy; these are of no importance to him. Moreover, in your current condition, you can't distinguish many things clearly. Your father must vet this for you."
Her daughter was growing up and couldn't be kept at home anymore. Hou Mingzhu strongly agreed and wished she could directly beg her father.
"Oh, what if Brother Ye changes his mind? What if he gets engaged to another woman? I'll be heartbroken."
"He won't. That brat wouldn't dare. We still need to test Ye Tiancheng further to see if he prioritizes you at critical moments. Don't worry, daughter."
"Dad, I'm really scared. What if Brother Ye falls for someone else? If he likes me now, he should bring him into our home immediately. What if he changes his mind later? I don't want to live anymore."
Hou Mingzhu, who had been happy moments ago, was now on the verge of tears. Seeing his daughter like this, Hou Mingzhu's father was naturally anxious.
"Alright, my good daughter, don't worry. That brat wouldn't dare hurt you. If he dares to fall for someone else while you like him, I won't let him go. I'll tie that brat up and bring him to you to deal with as you please."
Hou Mingzhu was overjoyed and hugged her father's arm. "Dad is still the best to me."
"Mingzhu, it's all my fault for neglecting you before. I always thought you would be very healthy and happy, but then the accident happened. At that time, I vowed that I would never let anyone bully you. I would treat you exceptionally well so that everyone would envy you for being my daughter."
"Dad..."
The Hou father and daughter, seeing Ye Tiancheng's gifts, were now experiencing a moment of deep father-daughter affection. Ye Tiancheng, however, was not so lucky. He was in a frenzy, eagerly awaiting a response from the Hou family.
"Xiao Pang, didn't you say your plan was very effective? Didn't you say you never lose? Why haven't I received any news from the Hou family yet? Should I go and ask in person?"
"Don't rush, Brother Ye. You've just started to show your good side. Don't be too eager. If you push yourself forward now, it won't yield good results. The Hou family will think you're pressuring them. You need to retreat to advance."
Xiao Pang, as an observer, spoke very clearly, but Ye Tiancheng couldn't listen. Ye Tiancheng was extremely anxious and wanted to resolve everything quickly.
"But I'm anxious! You don't know, that father and daughter pair from the Hou family are both very difficult to deal with. I'm alone and without support. I don't have the confidence to handle them."
"Brother Ye, don't be anxious. Aren't you still here with me? You're not alone. Just keep sending gifts for two days, and don't worry about the cost. On the third day, stop. Then, as a woman, Hou Mingzhu will panic, and that will be your biggest opportunity."
Ye Tiancheng wasn't sure if this Xiao Pang was reliable, as he spoke so mysteriously. He didn't want to be tricked by him.
"Can you do it?"
"Of course, I can, Brother Ye. Don't you trust me? Don't think I'm a novice in relationships. After I broke up with Wang Xiaomiao, I've dated two girlfriends. I've done a lot of research on women's psychology now. You could even call me a scumbag."
"Alright, I'll trust you for now." Ye Tiancheng was suddenly surprised. "That's not right, Xiao Pang. Weren't you shy whenever you saw girls before? How did you suddenly become so close to other girls? Don't you miss Wang Xiaomiao anymore?"
"Why would I want to think about that woman, Brother Ye? One cannot grow without experiencing emotional setbacks. So, for me, Wang Xiaomiao's appearance, while painful, was also a good thing. I've truly grown a lot."
Ye Tiancheng suddenly realized that Xiao Pang was no longer the naive Xiao Pang he used to be. After going through so many trials, his entire demeanor had changed.
"Good brother, I believe you. I'll follow your plan completely. No matter the outcome, I believe you won't betray me."
Ye Tiancheng's words were accurate. Following Xiao Pang's advice, Ye Tiancheng sent gifts for the first two days without appearing in person. Instead, in the gift cards, he kept wishing Hou Mingzhu greater beauty and happiness every day. This strategy of playing hard to get had completely hooked Hou Mingzhu. Now, besides Ye Tiancheng, she had no one else in her heart, constantly thinking about him and waiting for his call.
However, on the third day, the gifts stopped. Moreover, at Ye Tiancheng's dessert company's celebration party, Ye Tiancheng high-profilely appeared with Wang Xiaoniu.
This Wang Xiaoniu was temporarily pulled in by Ye Tiancheng to fill a role. She was the manager of the dessert company and was attending the celebration banquet, so Ye Tiancheng brought her to his side.
"Wang Xiaoniu, you're responsible for cooperating with my act. Stay by my side as much as possible during the entire celebration banquet. I'll give you a big red envelope after it's over."
"Everyone wishes they could be closer to you. It's my honor to have this opportunity. You don't need to give me a red envelope. I'll just stay by your side. Your recognition of my worth is priceless."
This Wang Xiaoniu was very shrewd. Following the exposure of her cousin Wang Xiaomiao's embezzlement and gaining Ye Tiancheng's trust, she quickly developed and rose through the ranks in the dessert company's operations. No one was her match anymore.
"Wang Xiaoniu, I've noticed you're growing faster and faster."
"Brother Ye, no one calls me that name anymore. I've given myself an English name, Selena."
"That's good. If you're going out to discuss business, using your old name might be inconvenient and could cause criticism from others. This step you've taken is very correct."
"Of course. To be able to stay by Brother Ye's side, I must grow faster. I want to show everyone that girls from the countryside without higher education are not necessarily looked down upon. I'm currently studying hard. Although adult university degrees aren't as good, I'll make myself stronger step by step, eventually becoming invincible."
Hearing Wang Xiaoniu speak like this, Ye Tiancheng realized that not only Xiao Pang had grown, but with the passage of time, Wang Xiaoniu's growth was the most astonishing. From a country bumpkin, she had transformed into an intellectual white-collar worker, now adorned with designer brands and exuding an air of nobility.