“Chen Fan, who the hell are you?”
Chen Ning could no longer hold back the frustration and finally uttered the question that had been festering inside of her.
As one of the most outstanding members of the Chen Family, pride would not allow her to let others threaten her position.
She had always been the straight-A student and attended the best schools from primary school to University. She was admitted into the HF’s business school program and once she graduated, she would be highly sought after by Wall Street companies. It would be easy for her to make a seven-figure income a year.
What really made her stand out was her exceptional beauty. As a talented and beautiful girl with a solid family background, she was the dream girl of many rich young men from Jin City all the way to Wu Zhou.
There was no doubt that she would be praised as a goddess in the future.
However, then and there, Chen Ning felt she was a nobody before Chen Fan. It occurred to her that the only thing that supported her remaining confidence was her better academic achievements.
“Mr. Chen, I am Xiao Dong.”
“Mr. Chen, I am Old Wu from Hai Zhou.”
“Nice to see you again, Mr. Chen. ”
Chen Xu watched as tycoons whom his father had to plaster on the ingratiating smile for, spoke to Chen Fan with the uttermost respect and admiration. Chen Xu found it harder to maintain the smile on his face by the second.
“Why? He was just a useless highschool kid. Why are you guys bending over backwards for him?
“Was it because of the Wang family?”
Among those who knew Chen Fan’s family background, many thought the same thing.
Great Auntie and Second Auntie murmured to themselves: “That’s shameful! You claimed that you won’t live at the mercy of the Wang family, yet your son used the Wang family name to attract attention all the same.”
“If the Wang family figures it out, I wager you that your name will be outright eliminated from the family tree.”
Chen Gexin stood quietly and he could hear all those humiliating comments. His face turned bleak.
Meanwhile, after having received Xu Rongfei’s reassurance, Wang Xiaoyun gained more confidence in her son.
“But what could Xiao Fan have done to attract the attention of Xu Ao?”
“Brother Huaian! Your grandson is quite a successful young lad!” Chen Fan’s Seventh Great Uncle exclaimed.
“I had no clue about this. Why is he so popular among magnates from Jiang Bei?” Chen Huaian said confusedly, however, his voice was laced with joy and pride.
“Great uncle, what could these tycoons do for the Chen Family anyways? Uncle Zhengxin is still our backbone as long as we live in Jin City. ”
Chen Xiao said lightly with a menacing look on his face.
“True that! Zhenxin is the backbone of our family.” Seventh Great Uncle nodded. “And his little boy too, Chen An! He is the hope of our family. I bet that he is going to outdo even his father and grandfather.”
Hearing Seventh Great Uncle’s words, the old man remained silent.
Chen Zhenxin took his father’s reticence as acquiescence, which made his overwrought face soften a little.
The Seventh Great Uncle was right. He alone carried the weight of the Chen Family of the Jin City. As long as he remained in his position, the Chen family could weather any kind of storm. Even if The Chen Group went bankrupt, the Chen family would quickly rebuild its wealth under his protection.
“Chen Fan, I don’t know what you have done, neither do I understand your popularity among the tycoons.
“However, you have to understand this: the fortunes of a family clan always depend on personal prowess. However many connections you have, without personal capability, you are still useless to the clan.
“At the end of the day, you and your father both made the same mistake: being weak.”
With that thought in mind, Chen Zhenxin shook his head and regained his confidence. The aloof bureaucratic look returned to his face.
“Bring Xiao Fan to me. I have questions for him about these guests.” Chen Zhenxin sat steadily in his chair and ordered.
“Yes.” Husband of one of Chen Fan’s aunties, i.e. Chen Fan’s Gufu replied readily and hurried to fetch Chen Fan.
Chen Zhenxin was not the only one who had questions, as the minds of nearly everyone in the main hall were filled with them.
“Hey Chen Fan, your Great Uncle wants to talk to you.” Gufu walked over to Chen Fan and commanded.
Zhen Jiulin and the other tycoons who sat beside Chen Fan furrowed their brows after hearing the condescending tone. Who did he think he was and how dare he speak to Master Chen so disrespectfully?
Chen Fan sat still, he rubbed one finger over the rim of the teacup and said calmly: “Ask him to come to see me if he wishes to speak.”
“How dare you? He is your elder!” Gufu was a direct and simple man.
He rounded his eyes in anger and thought that his nephew would succumb to his rage.
“Hehe.” Chen Fan kept quiet.
“You are such a rebellious little shit!” A fit of anger shot through Gufu’s body. Chen Zhenxin was his main benefactor in his career and he could not stand seeing a boy talk so disrespectfully about Chen Zhenxin.
Gufu shot an arm out and was about to yank Chen Fan out of his chair.
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes as a cold and deadly light glinted in them.
Chen An interrupted before things got out of control. “Gufu, we are all one family. Let’s talk it through.”
Hearing Chen An speak, Gufu pulled his arm back. However, animosity burned belligerently inside his eyes as he gazed at Chen Fan.
“Chen Fan, my father is your elder and the main breadwinner of the family. If he wants to talk to you, you should go to him.” Chen An spoke firmly.
“If you are really capable and can support the family better than my father could, then yes, he would come out and see you.
“However, you are just a high school student, what makes you think that my dad would have to come to you instead?”
Hearing Chen An’s words, Chen Xu slapped his thigh and put in coldly: “Exactly! Chen Fan, why don’t you tell us what you are really capable of in front of all these tycoons you have invited.”
“I would love to hear—”
Before Chen Xu could finish, a wave of commotion drifted into the courtyard from outside.
A boy shoved his way through the crowd and announced: “The Elderly Man Wei! Elderly Man Wei is here!”
“What?”
“I have never heard of that name in Hu Dong Province, who is that?”
Many guests asked each other in confusion.
Zhen Jiulin and his companions looked to each other knowingly. Their eyes were filled with surprise and shock.
“Could it be THAT Elderly Man Wei?”
“He is called Wei Fu.”
The boy announced.
“Wei Fu? The Wei Family of the North Bank?”
After a few moments of surprised silence, the crowd boiled over.
“Elderly Man Wei is here?”
“Elderly Man Wei is here!”
The guests and hosts alike murmured to each other expectantly. The Elderly Man Wei was a legend in Hu Dong Province. Not only was he himself one of the last surviving tycoons of the past generation, but his sons and daughters were also exceptionally capable.
The guests in the main hall were taken aback by the news at first, but quickly, one after another, they stood up to receive the honorable guest. Even grandpa felt the urge to stand up.
“Elderly Man Wei.. why is he here?”
Chen Zhenxin asked himself incredulously.
Chen Fan’s Gufu nearly jumped up after hearing the announcement. The Elderly Man Wei was the father of his boss’s boss’s boss’s boss’s boss. One good or bad word from Elderly Man Wei could have determined the rest of his life.
“Quick! Zhenxin! Greet Mr. Wei!”
Chen Huaian urged.
“Yes, father.”
Chen Gexin could no longer hold on to his mask, and scurried out of the main hall toward the entrance, many of his family members trailed behind, including Chen Gexin and Wang Xiaoyun.
“That’s Elderly Man Wei from the Wei family? What an honorable guest! I never thought I would live to see him in person! ”
Third Great Uncle exclaimed.
“I wager he is here to see Huaian.”
Seventh Great Uncle looked toward Chen Huaian enviously.
He was the most reputable member of the family, and therefore, the Elderly Man Wei could come here only for him.
The new development had made everyone quickly forget about Chen Fan and his guests. A boy and his business companions could not compare with the mighty Elderly Man Wei. The lord of the Wei family and the father of the powerful Wei Changsong.
“I doubt he is here for me.”
Chen Huaian said with furrowed brows.
He never met Elderly Man Wei before, and even during the peak of his career, Elderly Man Wei was at least a couple ranks higher than him. Why would such a powerful figure visit him when he was already retired.
“Could it be Chen Fan again?”
Chen Huaian felt a nagging suspicious rise in his mind.
By then, Chen Zhenxin had reached the entrance. He watched as a stately looking old man walked into the Chen family’s courtyard while accompanied by an attractive young couple.
“Young Lord Wei, Lady Wei!”
Chen An stood up and exclaimed.
The pair of teenagers were Wei Ziqin and Wei Zifang he met at the Zi Yun Club.
“That is Elderly Man Wei! No doubt about it! I have seen his pictures.”
“The young man next to him must be Wei Zifang! His father is unimaginably powerful, so I have heard.”
“Impressive, IMPRESSIVE! The entire family was a breeding ground for successful figures. No wonder the Wei Family of the North Bank was so famous.”
People murmured to each other, their eyes were filled with envy and marvel.
“Welcome, Lord Wei! If we knew you were coming, we would have rolled out the red carpet for you.”
Chen Zhenxin plastered on a humble smile and said.
Wei Fu linked his hands behind his back and didn’t even spare him a glance. The old man scanned the courtyard and his gaze finally rested at a table.
Under many surprised eyes, he walked over to Chen Fan and saluted. “Mr. Chen. I am here to apologize to you in person.”
“Uncle Chen!”
Chen An could not believe his eyes nor his ears. He watched as the cold and distant Young Lord Wei took a knee before Chen Fan and called Chen Fan in a low and obedient voice.
The room suddenly became pin-drop quiet.
Everyone’s gaze was on the boy who lolled in his chair with a great measure of levity. Great Uncle was frozen in place, turning into a statue.
Second Auntie rounded her eyes, shock and disbelief were written all over her face.
Chen An’s teacup slipped out of his hand and shattered on the ground. However, the boy didn’t seem to have noticed it at all.
Gufu was so fear stricken, that he collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.
Chen Gexin and Wang Xiaoyun were also dumbfounded by development. Their eyes were filled with disbelief.
Chen Ning slowly shut her eyes and finally conceded her misjudgment of Chen Fan. The former little-shit had turned out to be unimaginably powerful.
“Is this your true colors, Chen Fan?”
Everyone waited for Chen Fan’s reply for a few cautious moments. To most people, it was the longest few moments in their lives.
Chen Fan put down the cup and nodded and said: “Thank you, Mr. Wei. No harm is done.”
Under everyone’s astonished watch, the legendary Elderly Man Wei heaved a sigh of relief and straightened his back. He knew that Chen Fan had forgiven the Wei family, and was willing to restart a relationship with them.
“Changgen, this is the most dad can do for you.”
Elderly Man Wei lamented in his mind.