He then let out a silly little laugh.

"Hmm? I feel like I was just taken advantage of. No, I have to take back the advantage."

Tian Yuanyuan shook her head, and with a gentle tug from Xia Liang, she fell into his embrace.

Except for one intimate encounter on the mountain top in Qingyun City, they had never been this close again. Moreover, it had always been Tian Yuanyuan who took the initiative. But now, Xia Liang was no longer playing dumb; he was being very assertive, and she had never encountered such a fierce assault before.

She was completely dumbstruck, like a little pet, letting Xia Liang have his way with her... mouth.

Even after Xia Liang had finished his mischief, she still stood there, completely dumbfounded.

"Hmm, you look like you haven't had enough. Want more?"

Tian Yuanyuan nodded blankly.

"I've never heard such a request in my entire life."

Xia Liang was about to repeat his technique, but Tian Yuanyuan suddenly snapped back to her senses. She covered her face with her hands and shook her head repeatedly.

"No more, no more! I have to see people tomorrow."

This is so embarrassing! Why did I nod? Is he going to think I'm an unchaste girl?

"Then we'll save it for next time."

After Tian Yuanyuan snuck into the dormitory building, Xia Liang stuck his hands in his pockets and prepared to leave. He hadn't gone far when he saw someone waving at him under a streetlight.

Lian Heng. An interesting man.

"Aren't you heading back to your dorm?"

Lian Heng shook his head.

"Of course not. I'm a veteran at this. But speaking of earlier, you wouldn't believe how crazy it got under the girls' dorm. It was an absolute circus, a total sea of people. Social media was flooded with videos of Tian Yuanyuan throwing herself into your arms, but they all vanished pretty quickly."

As expected. Still, whatever Lian Heng's identity was, the important thing was that there was no malice, and they seemed to get along well.

The two walked down a path, planning to grab a drink off-campus and get to know each other better.

"I know you're curious about my identity, and to be honest, I'm quite curious about you too. I just didn't expect we'd meet so soon," Lian Heng said softly. "Thank you for taking care of my sister in America. If it weren't for you, that silly girl probably wouldn't have made it back."

America? His gaze sharpened, the implication self-evident.

There were only two women there at the time. Xiao Qianxi was definitely older than him, so the other one must have been the pigtail-wearing Situ Jing.

"Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Situ Lianheng. I'm a member of the Luan Long Group, ranked sixth, codename Qixing."

Xia Liang was slightly shocked. He hadn't expected this kid to be a colleague. Judging by his thin build, he was probably a tech specialist like the girl with pigtails.

"I'm Xia Liang. My main job is ride-sharing, and my side gig is being a secret agent. I'm an honorary elder of the Luan Long Group. Um, no idea what my rank is, and I don't have a codename."

Situ Lianheng grinned. The legendary honorary elder of the Luan Long Group... Now that I've seen him in person... hmm, I don't see anything special.

"To celebrate our budding friendship, and to thank you for helping that silly girl in my family, let me treat you to a good meal."

Alas, just as they reached the crossroads outside the school, several Mercedes came charging from three directions, completely surrounding them.

They exchanged a look, each seemingly asking the other, Are they here for you?

The doors of the Mercedes were flung open one by one. Then, from the midst of a crowd of men in black, a dignified middle-aged man strode over.

Seeing his face, Xia Liang sighed softly. This doesn't bode well.

"I'm Tian Hetu, Tian Yuanyuan's father."

Xia Liang smiled. "I'm Xia Liang."

"Let's talk." Tian Hetu's facial muscles were tight, clearly suppressing his anger.

"Alright, let's talk." Xia Liang looked around. "It's just that this isn't a very convenient place."

Situ Lianheng stepped forward with a smile. "Uncle Tian? It's been a while since we last met. How have you been?"

"Nephew Situ, I'm not clear on your relationship here, so please don't get involved. I'm sure you've heard about the marriage alliance between the Tian and Zuo families," Tian Hetu's tone softened, but only slightly.

"The Lingxiao Club. I'll be waiting for you there." With that, he turned and left as quickly as he'd arrived.

Situ Lianheng patted Xia Liang on the shoulder. "Do you need me to accompany you?"

"It's alright. I heard about the Tian family's background from Xiao Xixi, and I also know a bit about the prominent families in the Imperial Capital. You're the heir to the Situ family. It's better for you not to wade into these murky waters."

Xia Liang declined with a smile. This is a meeting with my future father-in-law. How could I let someone else step in and help?

The Lingxiao Club, located in the northern part of Shangjing, was a private establishment owned by the Tian family. It catered only to VIPs and corporate executives, and its members were all figures of high standing. The interior decoration was more magnificent than a seven-star hotel.

The clubhouse alone was worth tens of millions, not including the land. It was a clear testament to the Tian family's power.

And as the sole heir to the Tian family, Tian Yuanyuan was clearly more than just a celebrity who had shot to fame overnight.

Thinking about it, it made sense. Even if Feng Pojun was head-over-heels in love with her, the Feng family, which was even more prominent than the Tians, would never have agreed to the marriage if she were just an ordinary girl.

Of course, for a disruptor like Xia Liang to be dating their little princess, it certainly required a great deal of courage.

In the reserved Room 1, Tian Hetu was present, along with a beautiful woman—Tian Yuanyuan's mother, Yang Su.

With both parents present, Xia Liang wasn't surprised at all. They must be determined to cut this thread.

"Mr. Xia Liang, this is our first time meeting. If I seem presumptuous, please forgive me," Tian Hetu said, standing up with a smile.

"No need for formalities," Xia Liang replied with a nod.

"This was my negligence as well," Yang Su said apologetically. "Yuanyuan has very few friends. It must be fate that brought you two so close. Please come and visit more often in the future. I built this club and I manage it personally, so please, make yourself at home."

Xia Liang gave a slight nod. Whatever her intentions were, he wasn't interested. Behind the superficial apology, there was an unmistakable hint of a superior's condescension toward someone they deemed lesser. Even though Yang Su was trying to be restrained, it was hard to hide such habits when one had been in a position of power for so long.

"I've been so busy with business lately, flying all over the world. Since we're meeting today, please take this as a small gift," Yang Su said, handing over a file folder. "Inside is a supreme membership card for our Lingxiao Club. We welcome you to visit often, Mister Xia. The other item is a contract."

A contract?

Xia Liang curiously opened it and took a look.

"I hear you work as a ride-share driver, Mister Xia. As the saying goes, 'Any soldier who doesn't want to be a general is a bad soldier.' Therefore, I've already acquired the company you work for. All you have to do is sign this contract, and it will be yours, along with all its shares."

Civility before force. They certainly don't come in peace. It's a grand gesture, I'll give them that, but it seems they've targeted the wrong person. When it came to wealth, specifically liquid assets, Xia Liang dared to say that no one on the planet had more than him. After all, who else could pull out liquid funds equivalent to several hundred billion from a previous venture?

"What is this?"

Seeing that Xia Liang hadn't refused, a glint of relief shone in Yang Su's eyes.

The three of them sat opposite each other as Yang Su personally poured the tea. "It's quite late, so let's skip coffee. Please, have some herbal tea that I picked myself. It calms the nerves and will help you get to sleep when you get home."

Xia Liang slurped the tea without any ceremony. He'd been under a lot of stress from all the recent chaos, so this was a good chance to see if the tea really worked.

"It seems you like this tea, Mister Xia. When you leave, I'll have someone prepare half a pound for you so you can continue to enjoy it."

Yang Su's smile grew even brighter.

"Madam, you're too kind. I don't know how I can possibly thank you," Xia Liang responded with a chuckle. It's free, and I haven't agreed to anything, so why not take it? Still, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Soon after, the couple exchanged a glance and finally got to the point.

Yang Su looked at Xia Liang and said, "Mister Xia, you have reached a marriageable age, yet you haven't taken a wife or had children. You probably can't understand how we mothers feel. From the moment Yuanyuan was born, we've worried ourselves sick over her. When she was a baby, we were afraid she'd get sick and refuse to eat or drink. As she got older, we were afraid she'd get hurt and not grow tall. And now, we worry about her getting involved with the wrong sort of boys."

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