"Of course, I'm not referring to you, Mister Xia. You know that as a public figure, even with us parents protecting her from behind the scenes, it's impossible to cover every angle," Yang Su said.

Xia Liang nodded. "I can understand."

"Mister Xia is truly understanding. I believe an outstanding young man like you surely doesn't lack for female friends. And with the Lu Family's backing, given time, you will certainly become a great success. It's just that Tiantian is still young and naive. Could you please let her go?"

First, they appealed to reason, then to emotion. It was a classic case of courtesy before conflict, with all proprieties perfectly observed. They gave him face, expecting him to return the favor. The Tian Family's methods were indeed impeccable: a priceless membership card and a gift bag worth hundreds of yuan, all in exchange for him simply not dating their daughter. The vast majority of men wouldn't refuse; in fact, only a fool would. One move followed another, a soft knife to kill a man.

"Is this because of the Zuo Family?" Xia Liang asked with a perfectly calm smile.

Yang Su shook her head. "It is indeed related to the Zuo Family. Po Jun is a boy we've watched grow up. His family background is beyond question, and his character is impeccable. We know him, but we don't know you."

So it really was a matter of attitude. If they liked you, nothing was a problem. If they didn't like you, even the smallest issue became a problem. Saying they didn't know him really meant they disdained learning about him and had no intention of doing so.

Xia Liang almost admired people who judged others so recklessly without even trying to understand them.

After Yang Su finished speaking, she stared intently at Xia Liang, awaiting his reply.

Tian Hetu lived up to his fearsome reputation as the "Silver Fox" of the business world, even while sitting casually on the sofa. His stern expression and the aura of a man long accustomed to a position of power were still intimidating and oppressive.

"I understand what you mean," Xia Liang said. "I also don't want to see Yuanyuan suffer any harm or injustice."

Yang Su breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your understanding, Mister Xia. So, you agree?"

"Agree to what?" Xia Liang smiled. "You don't know what the future holds for Yuanyuan and me. Even I can't predict it. Besides, isn't love about two people finding the right person for themselves? Arranged marriages are a thing of the past."

Yang Su and Tian Hetu exchanged an irritated look. The young man had turned their own soft tactics against them, neither agreeing to break up nor refusing to do so. In the long run, the situation would be impossible to control.

"I'm curious," Xia Liang continued. "From Yuanyuan's reaction earlier, she seemed completely unaware that her own parents had set her up. Did you not ask for her opinion before arranging the engagement?"

Yang Su smiled. "Po Jun and Yuanyuan have been close since they were children. Our actions were just helping things along. We didn't tell her because we wanted her to enjoy her university life without a care. I'm confident she'll be happy to accept it when she finds out."

The statement made Xia Liang laugh out loud. It was true what they say: nine out of ten wealthy people are arrogant, and the tenth is even more so.

"How about I give her a call and ask?" Xia Liang said, pulling out his phone.

"Mister Xia, please don't be unreasonable," Yang Su said with a helpless, wry smile.

"Let me put it this way: we consider you a dangerous person," she continued. "The people you've provoked are one more terrifying than the last. That Guo Family Young Master is still in the hospital. Furthermore, the patriarch of the Guo Family has already put a price on your head. Do you really think any parent would entrust their daughter to someone like that?"

Xia Liang slowly set down his teacup. "So what you're saying is that Zuo Pojun is some kind of saint who's never caused trouble or crippled anyone?"

"Hmph." Tian Hetu, who had been silent until now, let out a cold snort. "In terms of background, he is the heir to the Zuo Family, while you are just a troublemaking kid. In terms of ability, he is destined to be in the highest echelons, while you can only drive a car. In terms of character, he is a gentleman and wouldn't nearly paralyze someone over a minor spat."

With those three points, he had practically torn away all pretense, laying the disparity between them bare.

The most illustrious families reside in Shangjing in the north and Qingyun in the south. The Zuo Family is in Shangjing. As their designated heir, Zuo Pojun has a sterling pedigree and an impeccable background. It's undeniable that no second or third-generation scion in the entire Dragon Country could surpass him.

"The way he put it was blunt, but please understand a parent's predicament, Mister Xia," Yang Su said, trying to soften her husband's harsh words. In her view, Xia Liang hadn't really done anything wrong; he had simply fallen for the wrong person. To be fair, aside from his knack for finding trouble, he was an excellent young man.

Xia Liang sighed and said calmly, "It seems I overestimated your ability to investigate."

It was no surprise they hadn't dug deep enough. Xia Liang was already a well-known figure in Qingyun City, especially now that he had joined...

Xia Liang casually pulled something out from his pocket. "Mister Tian's words were quite moving. It's true my background is ordinary. But how exactly is Zuo Pojun any better? Besides being born into a good family, what else does he have? As for me, I've created everything with my own two hands. I've been neither arrogant nor subservient, and I've never asked anyone for anything. You say his background is distinguished, but I wonder how it compares to this."

He revealed a dark-colored plaque. The front was engraved with a five-clawed golden dragon, and the back was engraved with the character for "dragon" in small seal script.

Yang Su was baffled, not understanding the plaque's significance, but Tian Hetu's pupils constricted violently.

As a member of the old aristocracy and once a dashing young master in Shangjing himself, he had been fortunate enough to witness the awe-inspiring and domineering presence of *that* person back in the day. Even now, Fengze Garden remained a transcendent entity, subject to no one's authority save for that one individual. If it had been possible back then, he would have cried and begged to enter Luan Long.

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