On the second day of the Lunar New Year, which should have been a day for visiting one's in-laws.
However, the heads of a full nine prominent families from Tiandong, including Du Yuanhang, the head of the Du family, and Lan Yeming, the current head of the Lan family, were all gathered at Liushui Pavilion today.
They had come to wish Jiao Yin, the First Madam of the Bai family in Tiandong, a happy birthday.
Yes.
It was Jiao Yin's (actually Jiao Meibi's) birthday on the second day of the Lunar New Year.
In the past, when the old patriarch of the Bai family was still alive, even though people like Du Yingjun knew it was the First Madam's birthday, no one would come.
After all, Bai Lingtang, her father-in-law, was still alive, and Jiao Yin, who had been a widow for many years, found it difficult to celebrate her birthday.
But the old patriarch of the Bai family had accidentally died from an electric shock last year. Jiao Yin, the First Madam of the Bai family, had automatically been promoted to the oldest person in the Bai family, allowing her to have a proper birthday celebration.
Crucially—
Jiao Yin was now the woman of the Young Master Li of Longxu!
This status alone was enough for the local influential families to shamelessly curry favor.
There was also another reason.
Among the nine families and a total of twenty-three men present, twenty-two had a rather unusual relationship with Madam Bai (Jiao Meinu).
The three generations of the Wang family from Yimeng had even played Majong with Madam Bai before.
No one could match Madam Bai's network in Tiandong!
Among these 17 families, it was only Du Tianci, the young master who was most fond of affairs, who had not witnessed Madam Bai's formidable abilities of gathering heroes like Lu Bu, and remained ignorant of her depravity.
What else could he be but an incompetent dandy?
Not every young master from a wealthy family was qualified to play cards with Madam Bai at Liushui Pavilion!
Du Tianci could come today.
It was because he had recently discovered that Du Yingjun was favored even more by old man Du Yuanhang than before.
Father and son often went out together.
When Du Tianci inquired, they would evade his questions, their eyes flickering.
Du Tianci, feeling abandoned by his father's love, was very lost.
He hadn't been in the mood for chasing girls lately, fearing that Du Yingjun would seize the opportunity to further reduce his shares in Yuanhang Group.
Otherwise.
When Du Tianci learned that his father and elder brother were both coming to Liushui Pavilion today to celebrate Jiao Yin's birthday, he would not have pestered them and insisted on joining the fun to make his presence known.
But after he arrived, he regretted it.
As the host—
Neither Jiao Yin, nor Bai Yujing, nor Bai Ziyan, who was helping to receive the distinguished guests, paid him much attention.
Especially Bai Yujing.
When the young master Tianci brazenly greeted him, Bai Yujing simply clasped his hands behind his back, nodded with a faint smile, and considered it a reply.
Damn it!
Another thing that puzzled the young master Tianci was that all the guests present had very good personal relationships with each other, yet they all instinctively excluded Du Tianci.
Even his own father, Du Yuanhang, looked impatient when he approached.
Damn it!!
Puzzled, the young master Tianci, after being slighted multiple times, could no longer bear to stay in the courtyard and went out alone to smoke and brood.
As he casually uttered a curse, he heard footsteps from inside the door.
Du Tianci really didn't want to meet these people who looked down on him, so he hid behind the nearby green plants.
But he quietly looked towards the entrance.
Two people came out.
One was Bai Fu, the old butler of the Bai family, and the other was Wang Dagui, the 69-year-old patriarch of the Wang family from Yimeng.
Although Wang Dagui was already 69 years old, he did not show the frailty of old age, not at all like a septuagenarian.
This might be related to Wang Dagui's fondness for sports activities when he was young.
On his rolled-up sleeves and inside his open collar, there were tattoos that were unforgettable at first glance.
"Brother, happy new year."
Wang Dagui pulled Bai Fu to the side of the courtyard gate, chuckled fawningly, and took out a bank card: "There's three hundred thousand in here. A small token of my regard, please accept it, brother."
Damn it.
Bai Fu was just a butler of the Bai family, yet Wang Dagui, as the head of a family, called him brother and even gave him money!
But when I greeted the guy named Wang, he was indifferent.
Did I mean less than an old slave in Wang Dagui's eyes?
Du Tianci, hiding behind the green plants and witnessing all this, cursed inwardly.
But something even stranger happened to Du Tianci.
After accepting Wang Dagui's bank card, Bai Fu did not bow and scrape respectfully. Instead, he smiled coldly: "Heh heh, Wang Dagui. Do you think this little money can make me put in a good word for you with Madam? To offset your incompetent performance last year, where you only completed 55% of your tasks?"
Hmm?
Wasn't Wang Dagui a distinguished guest of the Bai family?
But the old slave not only called him by his name but also mentioned a 55% task.
Did Jiao Yin also assign tasks to Wang Dagui?
What task?
Du Tianci perked up his ears and held his breath even tighter.
Then he saw Wang Dagui's expression change, and his sturdy waist suddenly bent halfway. He gave a wry smile: "Brother, it's not entirely my fault for not completing the task. It's really because the city's sky-net system is becoming more and more perfect. It's hard to find suitable prey."
"All excuses for not completing tasks are just excuses."
Bai Fu waved his hand and said, "However, out of consideration for your long-standing relationship with Madam, I will definitely speak well of you. But in the new year, you must strive to exceed the quota and complete the task."
"Thank you, thank you, I knew brother would help!"
Wang Dagui was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly in thanks, then asked expectantly: "Brother, can I stay at Liushui Pavilion tonight? You know, last year I only came nine times. Each time, I only spent over eight hours with Madam."
Du Tianci, hiding behind the green plants—
Du Tianci might not understand other things.
But when it came to relationships between men and women, Du Tianci was definitely an expert in the field!
Just from Wang Dagui's words "stay at Liushui Pavilion tonight," he could quickly deduce that Wang Dagui's relationship with Jiao Yin was extremely close.
"Holy cow."
Du Tianci secretly exclaimed: "If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, who would have thought this old man was involved with Jiao Yin?"
What made young master Tianci exclaim even more inwardly was—
Bai Fu pondered for a moment and asked, "Is it the same as last time, that you and your grandson will all stay at Liushui Pavilion tonight?"
Wang Dagui's old face suddenly turned red, and then he nodded vigorously.
"However."
Bai Fu added, "Just before you made this request, Mr. Du of Yuanhang Group and Lan Yeming of the Lan family, and even the young Mr. Du (Du Yingjun) of Yuanhang Group, had all approached me individually. They all wished to be intimate with our Madam during the New Year to usher in a smooth year. I had temporarily agreed to them."
"Brother!"
Wang Dagui said excitedly, "Can we all stay at Liushui Pavilion with them?"
Bai Fu looked troubled: "If you all stay, the number will be too large. Besides, it's not just you few who want to stay at Liushui Pavilion tonight. Anyone who came to Liushui Pavilion today, except for that useless Du Tianci, wants to stay!"
Buzz—
Du Tianci's mind completely went blank, and he didn't hear what else Bai Fu and the other man said.
He didn't even know when the two of them returned to Liushui Pavilion.
His mind was just buzzing—
Simply because he heard Bai Fu say that both Mr. Du of Yuanhang Group had separately approached him, hoping to stay at Liushui Pavilion tonight and spend a pleasant night with the First Madam of the Bai family!
And Bai Fu had specifically mentioned that except for him, this useless guy.
Understood.
Du Tianci suddenly understood!
"No wonder those people were so lukewarm to me, yet so close to each other."
Du Tianci muttered to himself, "So, all these people have actually had pleasant nights with the First Madam of the Bai family! Holy cow, that includes my father and that idiot Du Yingjun. I, I am damned."
Suddenly, the young master Tianci's stomach churned violently.
Although Du Tianci was proficient in all sorts of vices, including drinking, gambling, and womanizing.
And he had done his share of bullying men and women over the years.
But he could not accept the matter of Wang Dagui and others staying at Liushui Pavilion together!
Of course.
Although Du Tianci's stomach was churning fiercely, he did not object to, and even enjoyed, the idea of several women accompanying him.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
Du Tianci's phone rang.
It was his father: "Tianci, where have you gone? Hurry home. You're not valued here anyway, and even I feel ashamed. I don't know when you'll be as capable as Yingjun and stop worrying me. Oh, and by the way, Yingjun and I won't be home tonight as we have business to discuss with the head of the Yimeng Wang family. When you get home, tell your mother not to wait for me. Leave quickly, don't say goodbye to anyone, lest you feel awkward again. That's all."
Before Du Tianci could say anything, the call ended.
"I'm embarrassing you here?"
"You and that idiot Du Yingjun aren't going home tonight, just to discuss business with Wang Dagui and the others?"
"Heh heh, you mean discussing how much of a minefield the First Madam of the Bai family is, right?"
"I never expected that the woman who looks so virtuous and charming would be a super minefield."
"Bah!"
Du Tianci spat fiercely and walked out from behind the green plants.
The young master Tianci finally understood again that he and the twenty-two men in Liushui Pavilion were not of the same ilk.
Therefore, there was no need to stay here any longer.
"It seems the lesbian Bai Ziyan will also join them? What a shame for the title of Tiandong's number one lady."
Du Tianci thought of Bai Ziyan again, and just as he was about to shake his head, his stomach churned again.
His previous good impression of Bai Ziyan (he had pursued her for a long time) had completely vanished.
It was because he could accept having multiple Bai Ziyans with Du Tianci, but he would never accept multiple Du Tiancis with one Bai Ziyan.
"Yo."
Just as Du Tianci was retching and walking towards his car, a man's voice came from behind him: "Tianci, I said I couldn't find you. So, you were outside."
Du Tianci turned his head to look.
It was Bai Yujing, who had a handsome and distinguished appearance.
Seeing Bai Yujing, Du Tianci felt a surge of contempt in his heart.
He didn't believe that Bai Yujing didn't know about Wang Dagui and others' relationship with Madam Bai.
But Bai Yujing had never shown any hint of it in public.
What a calculating and insidious fellow!
But so what?
A bastard with too many fathers!!
Thinking of this, Du Tianci's mood immediately improved.
He smiled and said, "Young Master Bai, do you need something?"
Bai Yujing clasped his hands behind his back and said to him, "Nothing much, I just wanted to ask you when you're leaving. After all, if you stay here, I, as the host, will have to divert my energy to entertain you."
Du Tianci's face changed drastically—
Although he and Bai Yujing had always disliked each other, and they would always curse inwardly when they met.
But that was all internal activity; on the surface, they were still polite.
But now.
Bai Yujing, the host, was speaking to Du Tianci, the guest, so brazenly.
The harm was not great, but the insult was extreme!
"Tianci, you should go back soon."
Bai Yujing said leisurely, "Your IQ and ability are destined to ensure that you can never integrate into our circle. Of course, you can still continue to be a dandy proficient in all sorts of vices. Heh heh, such a leisurely life belongs to you."
After speaking.
Bai Yujing, with his hands clasped behind his back, turned and walked back into the courtyard with confident strides.
Du Tianci's face turned pale and then flushed, and his body trembled slightly.
When had the young master Tianci, besides being severely dealt with by Li Qianfan twice, ever been so humiliated by anyone else?
He wished he could roar and pounce on Bai Yujing to choke him to death!
But his reason reminded Du Tianci: "Be patient! You must not act rashly! After all, Bai Yujing is a bastard with too many stepfather. If you really hit him, won't those people gang up on you and kill you?"
"Considering you have too many stepfathers, I'll let it slide."
Du Tianci gritted his teeth inwardly, got into his car, and after driving for several hundred meters, he was about to curse loudly.
But he restrained those vulgar words.
Because he suddenly thought of something: "Now, Bai Yujing has a total of 22 stepfathers in Liushui Pavilion. In fact, besides these 22, there is another formidable one. Even if these 22 people were tied up, they wouldn't match one finger of that person. If I tell that person that Bai Yujing has as many as 22 stepfathers, what would his most formidable stepfather's reaction be?"
The most formidable stepfather that young master Tianci suddenly thought of was Li Qianfan, who had once broken his hand!
"Given Li Qianfan's status, how could he possibly allow Bai Yujing to have so many stepfathers?"
"Heh heh!"
"But how can I contact Li Qianfan?"
"If only Li Qianfan could suddenly appear before me now!"
Just as Du Tianci thought of this, he saw a dark blue car approaching in front of him.
Because the road leading to Liushui Pavilion was only a little over three meters wide, when cars came from opposite directions, everyone instinctively slowed down and passed each other slowly.
Although Du Tianci was accustomed to being overbearing, he would not act recklessly in such road conditions.
He slowed down and edged to the side.
The car coming from the opposite direction also slowed down.
As the two cars were about to pass each other, Du Tianci's eyes suddenly lit up!
He saw Si Jiu in that car—
"Li Qianfan!"
Du Tianci shouted, "I didn't expect you to really come! Ha, stop, stop! I have a secret to tell you! A big secret that will make you furious."