Carmen

Yechong had thick skin, but it depended on the person and the situation. Sometimes, he was even more shameless than anyone else. After listening to what Xu Menglin said, for the first time in his life, he saw a blush on her face.

Yechong had thick skin, but it depended on the person and the situation. Sometimes, he was even more shameless than anyone else. After listening to what Xu Menglin said, for the first time in his life, he saw a blush on her face.

"You... don't say that. There must be some misunderstanding between us," he said earnestly, looking into her eyes.

Xu Menglin interrupted him, "Let me ask you again, please be honest with me: Do you want to marry me?"

"I don't care where I touch, the words I said to you before will always be valid. I've decided to marry you in this lifetime!" he replied seriously.

Xu Menglin nodded, "Good, I hope you mean what you say."

With a "ding", the elevator door opened, and the woman walked out without looking back.

Yechong felt that she was acting unusually today, especially with those words just now. There must be a reason for it, and perhaps the answer would soon be revealed.

Xu Menglin entered a luxurious banquet hall, and Yechong was about to follow when a waiter stopped him. "Sir, I'm sorry, but the driver is requested to dine downstairs."

Yechong felt a bit awkward. It seemed like he wasn't as valued as he thought. He had intended to pretend to be a tycoon with Xu Xiaojie, but he was mistaken for a driver as soon as he arrived.

"He's with me," Xu Menglin finally spoke.

The waiter gave him a strange look before muttering something and letting him in.

Although it was a small banquet hall, the decoration and layout were extremely luxurious. There was a sandalwood screen dividing the hall into two sections: a tea room for chatting on one side and a warm pavilion with classical design on the other. The furniture was made of precious carved hardwood, delicate porcelain tableware, and numerous famous calligraphy and antiques adorned the room.

In the center of the room, there was a large round table, around which sat four men, two elderly and two young.

Yechong immediately recognized the youngest among them as none other than his "rival" and "little brother-in-law"... Xu Jianfeng!

At that moment, Xu Jianfeng also recognized him. Their eyes met, and immediately, an aura of hostility filled the air.

Yechong couldn't help but glance at Xu Menglin. It turned out that this kid was also here. It seemed that although there were not many people at the banquet, there was a lot going on!

Sitting in the center was a middle-aged man, plump and round-faced, with a permanently smiling expression. Next to him was another middle-aged man, about fifty years old, with a few streaks of gray in his temples. He wore a beige jacket and black cloth shoes, exuding a sense of dignity and wealth.

But what impressed Yechong the most was the last man, dressed in a sharp and eye-catching casual suit. He wore a light yellow top, white pants, and a red tie, with a shiny, jet-black pompadour. His face was sharp and fair-skinned, and he wore a pair of glasses with red coral frames.

He appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, but his demeanor was calm and mature, reflecting an elegance and maturity that belied his age. Even someone of his age would seem like a little kid compared to him.

What was most striking about him was that there was hardly any flaw to be found on him. He seemed like an illusion.

However, while he was observing these people, it seemed that only Xu Jianfeng noticed him. The others didn't pay him any attention, and Xu Jianfeng just glanced at him briefly before remaining silent, completely different from the arrogant chairman of the supercar club he had encountered before.

Xu Menglin approached the group, forcing a smile. "Dad, there was an urgent matter at the company, so I arrived late."

The plump middle-aged man frowned slightly. "You've spoiled her too much. She doesn't understand any manners. Why didn't you greet Uncle Tan first?"

Before Xu Menglin could speak, the slim middle-aged man smiled and said, "Menglin is engaged in a great career. For a young girl to manage such a large business, with so many affairs and complexities, I understand."

The plump man was about to speak when Xu Menglin interrupted him, "Uncle Tan, in front of you, I will always be the junior. I'm sorry for being late today due to some urgent matters."

The slim man chuckled, "Today is a joyous day. Let's skip the formalities and get straight to the point, shall we, Changqing?"

The plump man nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes. Yao Zongxian nephew, you know what to say next without my reminder, right?"

The man in the suit was about to speak, but before he could, Yechong grabbed a piece of abalone with his chopsticks and placed it in Xu Menglin's plate. "Eat more. It's said that this stuff is good for women."

Xu Menglin shot him an angry look, then picked up the abalone with her chopsticks and took a bite, which made Yechong's heart skip a beat.

The people at the table finally noticed Yechong, showing expressions of disgust one after another. However, with the celebration approaching, no one wanted to ask questions for the time being.

The man in the suit smiled gently. "Menglin, I believe you may have guessed already. Today, my father and I are here to formally propose a marriage alliance to the Xu family!"

His voice was not loud, but when those words came out, it felt like a bomb exploded in Yechong's ear!

He couldn't help but glance at Xu Menglin. She remained calm, clearly aware of the situation. It seemed that he was the only one in the dark!

Now he finally understood why Xu Menglin had been acting so strangely today. It turned out that this was an engagement banquet.

He wasn't someone who would just sit back and take it. He was about to flip the table and scold this despicable woman, and then expose her dirty deeds in front of everyone.

Just then, Xu Menglin turned to the man next to her and said calmly, "Mr. Tan, please call me by my full name, Xu Menglin. Because it seems we're not very familiar."

The man was clearly taken aback by her words, his face frozen, at a loss for words.

Xu Menglin pursed her lips and smiled faintly. "I'm sorry, I don't like beating around the bush. Since you're proposing to the Xu family, do you know who you want to marry?"

The man was even more confused. "Menglin... oh no, Miss Xu, what's wrong with you? Of course, it's you that I want to marry."

Xu Menglin instantly changed her demeanor, speaking word by word, "Would you marry a woman who already has a husband?"

In an instant, the entire banquet hall seemed to freeze in time, without a sound!

The man forced a smile, "Miss Xu, if you disagree, you can just say so. Why play such a boring joke?"

"I, Xu Menglin, never joke."

The man's

face changed, and so did the faces of everyone present. They all looked at each other, clearly stunned by this sudden turn of events.

The man's smile disappeared. "So, who is your husband?"

Xu Menglin turned silently to Yechong, and all eyes followed her gaze to the unexpected guest.

Previously, everyone had thought he was just Xu Menglin's assistant, but no one had expected him to be her husband!

Yechong's pent-up frustration vanished in an instant, and he finally understood Xu Menglin's intentions. He realized why she had insisted on bringing him here and why she had said those strange things earlier. She needed a shield thicker than cowhide and stronger than steel, and obviously, he was the best candidate.

He had never been someone's shield before, but this time he felt surprisingly satisfied with the role.

He adjusted his long hair and a hint of pride crept onto his lips, making him look more elegant.

Xu Menglin knew people well. This role of shamelessness suited him, Yechong, perfectly. As the saying goes, "Those who know me understand my worries; those who don't know me, what do they think I seek?"

Of course, he also noticed Xu Jianfeng's malicious gaze fixed on him, but he chose to ignore it selectively.

The slim man's face turned pale, and he turned to the plump old man, "Changqing, what's going on here?"

The plump man's fat cheeks twitched uncontrollably, and he slammed the table, "Menglin, what nonsense are you talking about!"

Facing the man's gaze, Xu Menglin said firmly, "I have never been clearer about what I'm doing than I am now."

The plump man pointed at her with trembling fingers, "Marriage is a serious matter. How could you treat it as a joke? Why didn't you say anything about it earlier?"

"I care more about my own marriage than anyone else, so I make my own decisions. I'm announcing it now, and I think the timing is just right."

The atmosphere in the room became heavy and oppressive, with an undercurrent of tension swirling in the air. Various emotions were intertwining intensely, brewing a potential explosion.