The next day, they had all forgotten the previous day’s unpleasantness. Ye Fan took the opportunity to say to Su Qingxue, "Darling, I’d like to take a day off today!"

Su Qingxue replied, "I know exactly what you’re up to. You’re going to see Fang Nan, aren’t you? There’s no need to be so sneaky about it!"

Ye Fan was instantly mortified, not expecting Su Qingxue to have figured it out. But judging from her tone, he knew there was still a chance.

So, he asked, "Does that mean you agree?"

"Agree? Heh!" Su Qingxue let out a dry laugh right in his face, leaving Ye Fan completely flustered.

Then, she declared, "I’ll go with you!"

"What? If it’s come to this, maybe we should just forget it!" Ye Fan stammered in embarrassment.

"Forget what? I’m going with you. It’s time for Fang Nan to learn that some men belong to others, not her!"

When Su Qingxue got angry, even Ye Fan felt a chill.

He quickly backtracked, saying sheepishly, "Maybe I won’t go today then."

"No, you’re going! You must go!" Su Qingxue stated emphatically.

Ye Fan felt utterly helpless. This is the most helpless I’ve ever felt. I just wanted to go out for a romantic escapade, but I never expected my wife to be so strict. What can I even do? I’m at my wit’s end!

As they left the hotel and hailed a cab to their destination, several young masters were immediately informed.

Young Master Guo announced, "It’s our time to perform. Let’s go meet them!"

"Right!" the others agreed.

Originally, Young Master Guo had considered Ye Fan a mere small fry, unworthy of his personal attention, let alone that of the other young masters. But anyone capable of staying at the Huayu Hotel couldn’t be simple. After all, this particular Huayu Hotel in Shangjing was reserved for hosting foreign ambassadors or presidents visiting the Divine Land. Staying in such a place convinced him that Ye Fan was more than he seemed—at the very least, he was worth dealing with personally.

The gathering was held at an entertainment venue. Although the place was a bit tacky, it couldn’t be helped. To survive in such a gaudy society, one had to embrace a bit of tackiness.

Fang Nan had been waiting excitedly for Ye Fan, so she was stunned to see another woman by his side—a woman she knew all too well. It was her arch-rival, Su Qingxue.

The sight of Su Qingxue holding Ye Fan’s hand sent a jolt of anger through her. "How shameless," she snapped at Su Qingxue. "I didn’t invite you."

"You invited my husband, so of course I have to accompany him. We can’t have any scheming vixens trying to cause trouble!" Su Qingxue retorted instantly.

Fang Nan nearly exploded. "I already told all my friends and sisters that I was bringing my boyfriend today. If you have the nerve, then by all means, join us!"

"Of course! Why wouldn’t I have the nerve? He’s just your boyfriend. Is that bond supposed to be stronger than the one between a husband and wife?" It had to be said, Su Qingxue was not one to back down.

As for Ye Fan, he might have developed a headache or even pretended to faint to escape such a situation in the past. But now, he was completely immune. After spending so much time around both women, he had grown desensitized to their antics.

Inside the venue were many children of Shangjing’s elite, and even some famous celebrities. There was no doubt that every single one of the thirty-odd people present was a significant figure.

When Fang Nan entered, all eyes turned to her. But in the next moment, they all felt something was off. Why was Fang Nan holding one of the man’s hands while another woman held his other? Shouldn’t it have just been Fang Nan holding his hand? Who was this other woman? Given Fang Nan’s status and pride, it seemed impossible that she would share a man. But after wracking their brains, they confirmed he wasn’t one of Shangjing’s untouchable elites. They were truly bewildered.

"Brothers and sisters, this is my boyfriend, Ye Fan! The kind who’s seen action!" Fang Nan announced with a sly grin.

"Shameless," Su Qingxue muttered under her breath.

Fang Nan paid her no mind. This was just part of their ongoing battle, and right now, her top priority was to thoroughly annoy Su Qingxue. They were the kind of frenemies who feuded openly but never lost their underlying friendship.

"Welcome, welcome!"

Although some in the crowd disliked Ye Fan, Fang Nan’s family was too powerful for them to do anything about it.

Just then, Su Qingxue suddenly declared, "I’m his fiancée!"

The statement sent shockwaves through the room, leaving many utterly confused. The relationship dynamics were a complete mess! But no matter how messy it was, they all agreed that Ye Fan was the one winning. They had to admire how impressive the guy was. He had actually brought his girlfriend and his fiancée to the same event, and despite the obvious friction between the two, both women treated him incredibly well. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

What was even more mind-boggling was that both his girlfriend and fiancée were absolute paragons of beauty. Several famous female celebrities in the room paled in comparison. What they found most incomprehensible was Fang Nan’s willingness to share a man. Given her pride and her family’s power, it made no sense. And she was only the girlfriend—the man’s actual fiancée was standing right there! The world had gone completely mad, so mad they could barely stand to watch.

Amidst a sea of envious, jealous, and resentful stares, Ye Fan found a corner and sat down.

However, the moment he sat, Fang Nan and Su Qingxue descended upon him. They vied to feed him cake in what appeared to be an incredibly sweet scene. But for Ye Fan, this wasn’t sweet; it was a disaster. A disaster of epic proportions, in fact, because I hate sweets. If I dare to refuse now, I’m sure to meet a dreadful end.

So, he had no choice but to force down the cake, all while pretending he was eager for more. See this? My life is just one forced compromise after another.

Thankfully, the two women spotted some old classmates and went over to greet them, granting Ye Fan a moment of peace.

Just then, his phone rang, displaying an unknown number. He answered the call.

"Who is this?" Ye Fan asked.

A voice came from the other end. "Big Brother, have you forgotten who I am?"

"Whoa, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. How would I know who you are?"

Ye Fan was about to hang up when the person said, "It’s me, He Yu! Big Brother, you really don’t remember me?"

Ye Fan nearly dropped his phone. He was overcome with excitement.

He Yu. He was his brother-in-arms from their time in the Divine Dragon unit. But when He Yu was nineteen, his family had taken him away. Years had passed, and hearing the name again, Ye Fan realized he really did have such a protégé back then. In Divine Dragon, He Yu hadn’t been particularly strong and was often bullied. But every time He Yu was picked on, Ye Fan would step in to settle the score.

He had thought they would never see each other again, so He Yu’s sudden call left him completely stunned.

"Of course I remember you, you brat," he said. "It’s just been so many years. I never expected you to call me. By the way, how did you find my number?"

"Big Brother, to be honest, I’m tight with the management at the Huayu Hotel. You had to register your number to check in, didn’t you? Well, I happened to find out."

"Big Brother, where are you now? I’ll come find you!" He Yu asked eagerly.

Ye Fan replied, "I’ll send you the address."

"Great! I’ll be there in ten minutes, tops," He Yu said.

Even though He Yu was his former protégé, Ye Fan had no idea if he was still in contact with Divine Dragon. Would he report everything back to them? After being betrayed before, he couldn’t help but be wary.