As soon as the man appeared, the air pressure at the scene seemed to drop a few degrees. His handsome, cold face showed no hint of a smile, his eyes sharp as blades, carrying a forceful, oppressive presence.

Director Liu and his wife were both delighted and nervous. First they had met the Howard Family’s second young master, and now they were actually seeing the Shaw Family’s most low‑key Major General in person. Rumor had it that this Major General was a rare infatuated type, gaining fame at a young age and reaching heights his generation could never hope to touch. Later he resigned his post due to heartbreak, and now that he’d returned to the Military District, everyone in the Imperial City was guessing that in a few years he would probably be promoted to Vice Admiral.

People said the Howard Family and the Shaw Family had a good relationship, and it turned out to be true. Director Liu thought of what Alaric Howard had said, that Hawk Howard was the Howard Family’s fourth son, and his smile stiffened again. Inside he was full of regret—how had he not realized all these years that Little Howard was actually one of the Howard Family? If he’d known earlier, how would he have dared to introduce blind dates to Little Howard? The Young Residence was decent, but how could it compare to a true prestigious clan like the Howard Family?

Director Liu also felt a faint smugness. He had finally gotten to know genuine sons of nobility, and had even worked with one for several years.

As for the Young Residence mother and daughter, Madam Young in particular had gone pale with fright, her whole body weak, unable to even stand steadily. The Howard Family? The man her daughter went on a blind date with was from the Howard Family? What... what had she just said?

Young Miss Young, on the other hand, had stars in her eyes. She was just about to ask Hawk Howard for his phone number when she saw another hard‑edged, handsome, cold man walk in. She instantly froze. The Shaw... Shaw... Shaw Family? She’d heard that Major General Shaw had been widowed for many years. Among the Imperial City’s debutantes, whenever they talked about their ideal marriage partner, the first name they’d list was Richard Shaw. She’d never expected that the real person would be even more overwhelmingly imposing than the rumors said.

Everyone had different thoughts running through their minds. Seeing that the Howard Family members and the Major General were all looking at Leah Squire, they finally came back to their senses a bit. Who exactly was Leah Squire? They’d never heard of a noble family in the Imperial City with the surname Squire.

Leah bit her sexy red lips in annoyance. Seeing that there was no way this meal was happening now, she blinked her beautiful peach blossom eyes and smiled. "I just arrived in the Imperial City, I haven’t had time to tell you yet."

"You came to the Imperial City and didn’t even call me so I could pick you up?" The man’s handsome face was deeply displeased, his voice dropping lower, a faint irritation underneath. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Everyone’s hearts started pounding faster. Was Major General Shaw actually angry that he hadn’t gotten to pick her up at the airport? Just who on earth was this woman?

"I went to pick up Leah." Hawk Howard said with a smile. "Major General Shaw is extremely busy, he might not have time to play chauffeur."

Richard Shaw’s handsome face darkened, which made Drake Howard viciously pinch his fourth brother and give him frantic looks, practically wanting to shout: This ancestor is not right in the head, don’t provoke him. Anyone even remotely related to his ex‑wife is his reverse scale, let alone Leah Squire who looks exactly like his ex‑wife. Little Four, use your brain. There are some people you just can’t touch.

Seeing that they were all still standing here, which didn’t look good, Leah quickly spoke. "We’re done here. Are we going to your private room, or changing venues?"

"We’ll go home and I’ll have Auntie Zhao cook for you." The man spoke in a low voice, reaching out to catch her wrist, possessively pulling the distance between them closer.

"Old Shaw, you’ve owed me a meal for three years and you still want to keep stiffing me?" Alaric Howard was dumbfounded. Seeing that his little fourth brother’s face didn’t look too good, he quickly grabbed Caspian Howard and said, "Why don’t we all eat together?"

"Eat together?" Leah widened her beautiful peach blossom eyes and said with a squinty smile.

"Okay." The man agreed without any principle at all, his tea‑colored dark eyes staring at him without blinking.

"Come on, come on, let’s go continue the party. I’m in a good mood today, we have to order the most expensive dishes." Alaric Howard laughed, and as he spoke, the four of them walked toward the VIP room inside.

"Mr. Howard, Major General Shaw?" Miss Young called twice, but one was stern and the other indifferent; neither even turned their head, and both escorted Leah inside.

"Why is everyone gone, I haven’t eaten yet." Miss Young pouted, complaining unhappily.

"Eat, eat, eat, all you ever know is eating. Hurry up and come home with me." Madam Young was so scared her face had turned white. She had no mind for food now. Offending the Howard Family was practically a death sentence. She could only hope that young man from the Howard Family didn’t hold a grudge and would let this matter slide.

Director Liu and his wife’s feelings were also very complicated. They’d gotten to know Madam Young through playing mahjong. They had originally thought she was a noble lady, but in the blink of an eye she’d offended the truly prestigious Howard Family, and had even looked down on someone from the Howard Family. The couple didn’t show anything on their faces, but inside they were both filled with contempt for the Young Residence mother and daughter.

When the Young Residence mother and daughter left, they only gave them a polite smile. After the two had gone, the couple looked at each other.

"Tell me, how did Little Howard suddenly turn out to be from the Howard Family?"

"Don’t worry about it. Anyway, we can now count ourselves as knowing someone from the Howard Family." Director Liu burst out laughing, completely forgetting how he’d blindly tried to force a match and had pissed off Hawk Howard so much that even someone as gentlemanly and polite as him had walked out on the spot, squandering nearly all their coworker goodwill.

In the VIP room, the atmosphere was rather gloomy. Alaric Howard felt like he’d put together the most unbearable table in the world. It was clearly the most elegant French meal. He was sitting alone at one end of the long table, Leah Squire sitting at the other end, with their fourth brother and their old classmate Old Shaw sitting on either side of Leah, both of them tripping over each other to be attentive like they were in some sort of contest.

He had basically turned into an invisible man!

Alaric Howard was collapsing inside. He forced a smile, looked toward Leah, and said with a laugh, "Miss Leah, how do you find the food here? This restaurant just opened not long ago. It doesn’t have much else, just one word—expensive. But Major General Shaw can certainly afford it, he can afford it."

By the time Alaric Howard finished speaking, he was already chuckling dryly to himself, feeling like a complete idiot.

Leah was also eating with unimaginable mental exhaustion. Was it so hard to just have a proper meal? Why did it feel like there was a ring on either side of her? She took one bite, and the two of them had to ask her a question.

"It’s not bad. When I went to France to visit my bestie, I had some really authentic local French food. Being able to eat something like this in the Imperial City... I’m guessing all of this restaurant’s ingredients are flown in? It makes sense that it’s expensive." Leah looked at Alaric Howard and smiled.

"Miss Leah has a bestie too. I wonder if I’ll have a chance to meet her?" Alaric Howard glanced at his fourth brother. Like called to like—since Leah Squire was this beautiful, her bestie couldn’t be bad. If he got to know her, maybe he could set her up with Little Four.

Hearing this, Leah’s beautiful peach blossom eyes curved as she smiled lightly. "My bestie isn’t divorced yet. You should be quite familiar with her husband—the South Ocean Crown Prince, Ignatius Leclair. He’s famous for being fickle and clingy like a plaster. If Mr. Howard is interested in my bestie, you can prod Ignatius Leclair, ask him when he plans to divorce her."

Alaric Howard froze like a fool in the wind, his smile barely hanging on. Truly, a flood crashing into the Dragon King’s temple—heh.

"Drake Howard, eat properly. There might not be a next time." Richard Shaw narrowed his eyes from the side and issued a mild threat. Eating a meal on his dime was one thing, but bringing along two third wheels and then trying to poach Old Ignatius’s woman on top of that—this was what people meant when they said his face was as big as a pancake.

Drake Howard: "..."

Drake Howard’s face was full of confusion. What had he done? The rival in love was clearly their fourth brother, so why was all the pent‑up anger being vented on him?