As Wang Guan’s thoughts drifted, Cai Peng couldn't help but wave a hand. “Brother, Brother, what are you thinking about?”

“Hmm?”

Wang Guan snapped back to attention, looking bewildered. “What’s wrong?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask,” Cai Peng said, puzzled. “Does that guy owe you a lot of money? Why did you freeze when you saw him? I called you for a long time and you didn’t respond.”

“Just thinking about some things… Let’s follow him and take a look,” Wang Guan smiled, then followed the shaded path Meng Jian had taken. As they moved deeper in, they spotted an exquisite, secluded courtyard house.

However, before the two could approach the courtyard, someone suddenly darted out from the side, wearing a slight smile. “Gentlemen, my apologies. This is a rather private area and we are not able to receive guests here.”

“A private place, not receiving guests?”

Cai Peng glanced over, then immediately scoffed. “How come I saw someone go inside just now?”

“Sir, you must be mistaken,” the man replied, unperturbed, maintaining his polite smile. “I’ve been guarding this spot the entire time. Besides the two of you, I haven't seen any other guests.”

“What, are you suggesting I’m lying?” Cai Peng bristled. “If I said I saw someone, I saw someone. To prove my innocence, you’d better let us go in and search the place.”

The man was certainly not going to fall for such a petty trick; he simply smiled wordlessly, a silent refusal.

“Alright, stop with the nonsense,” Wang Guan interjected, stopping Cai Peng’s unreasonable fuss. He cast one last look at the courtyard and called out, “Let’s go back. Xiao Qiao and the others should be arriving soon.”

“Fine. We’ll just have that Han Lang fellow bring us in later,” Cai Peng grumbled, shooting the guard a fierce glare before slowly leaving with Wang Guan, returning to the open-air venue on the villa’s lawn.

By this time, most of the expected guests had arrived, and the light, cheerful music had swelled into something more vibrant. Many young men and women were already dancing, drawing cheers and applause.

Of course, this was still the Han family villa, not some karaoke bar or nightclub, so no matter how high the spirits of the young crowd were, they dared not descend into complete licentiousness.

“This is rather dull,” Cai Peng muttered, surveying the scene and looking around. “Why haven’t they arrived yet?”

“Soon, just wait a little longer.”

As he spoke, a stunningly cool luxury car slowly drove into the villa grounds, immediately drawing the gaze of many people.

In an instant, envious whispers rose: “Wow, that’s the latest model Lamborghini! I wish I could get one, but my family won’t allow it…”

“Is that car very expensive?” Some of the young women glanced over, perhaps not knowing the car’s pedigree, but unable to ignore its sheer presence.

“Not excessively expensive, just very hard to acquire. Actually, I placed an order for one the other day; it should arrive in a few more days. How about I take you for a spin then?”

Undoubtedly, the young man who seized this opportunity to flirt instantly garnered the contempt and jealousy of many of his male peers.

However, as with anything, there are two sides to the coin; while he repelled the men, he naturally attracted the women. In a flash, several beautiful women gathered around him, making him feel quite proud and successfully accumulating a substantial amount of enmity.

Ignoring the petty jealousy happening privately, the car continued its slow approach, but instead of heading toward the nearby parking area, it stopped right next to the main party area.

Click!

At that moment, the car door opened. Many people forgot to admire the vehicle and naturally focused their attention on who was exiting. Yet, some secretly speculated that the main attraction had arrived.

After all, they weren't fools; they understood that the Han family’s sudden banquet must have an underlying purpose. Those completely uninvolved didn't care about the purpose; coming here to eat, drink, and have fun was enough. But those closer to the Han family had received some hints and were already prepared to play their part in whatever unfolded.

With varied thoughts swirling among the crowd, someone finally stepped out of the car.

For an instant, everyone held their breath. First, they saw an exquisitely slender high-heeled shoe touch the ground, followed by a delicate hand lightly resting on the door frame. Before anyone could get a full look, a peerlessly stunning beauty emerged.

Her long, raven-black hair, glossy and vibrant, was neatly combed back, cascading down her back with an elegant, dynamic flow. The purple gown, though opaque, was light and form-fitting, sculpting the beautiful curves of her bust.

The flowing skirt was the masterpiece of the dress; the softly swaying silk exuded countless charms. Although it concealed her long, lovely legs, it hinted at her graceful silhouette in the subtle movements.

Of course, even the finest clothing looks only as good as the person wearing it. There is an old saying: even wearing a royal robe doesn't make one a crown prince, a truth that cuts to the core of reality. Simply put, whether clothes look good has nothing to do with the garment itself, but entirely with the person wearing them.

Yet, this woman not only wore the gown beautifully, but she also involuntarily inspired a sense of astonishment; this was enough proof that she was a beauty—an exceptionally, overwhelmingly beautiful woman.

“Who is she?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen her before.”

“Nonsense, if we had seen her, how could we possibly forget…”

At this moment, many young men whispered amongst themselves, their intentions stirring, trying to figure out what non-clichéd excuse they could use to approach her without seeming offensive. However, before they could formulate their lines, Han Lang walked over, beaming with delight. “Miss Qiao, welcome to the evening reception!”

“Mm.”

Qiao Yu nodded slightly, then paid Han Lang no further mind, instead turning back to gently extend a hand. Everyone felt a moment of confusion, but the next second, they understood.

Simultaneously, another hand emerged from the car, gently resting on Qiao Yu’s slender one. With a slight pull from her, another person stepped out of the vehicle.

“Ah…”

In that instant, a fresh wave of amazement swept through the crowd. But this time, the astonishment wasn't primarily triggered by the male onlookers; it was generated by a group of young, beautiful women.

At this moment, many of the women’s eyes were either wide open or narrowed in scrutiny, their gazes shimmering with what looked like heart shapes. Their looks were scorching hot, almost as if they wished to throw themselves into the newcomer’s arms…

(Well, that might be an exaggeration, but a good number of the women were covertly touching up their makeup, smoothing slightly disheveled clothing, their demeanor suddenly resembling that of ancient, well-bred ladies, completely abandoning the wild energy they displayed earlier.)

Seeing this reaction, someone couldn't resist a sarcastic remark: “What a bunch of star-struck fools. He’s just a pretty boy, is it necessary to be this agitated?”

“Exactly, exactly…” another chimed in, her tone dripping with envy.

It was hardly surprising they were so jealous, because standing next to Qiao Yu was an undeniable heartthrob. Yet, the word "handsome" seemed inadequate to describe his sheer elegance. In short, he was stunningly, breathtakingly handsome—so much so that he hardly looked real, seeming more like a white knight stepping straight out of a manga.

Hearing the girls murmur, another voice retorted, “What white knight? Look closer, he’s clearly just a kept man leaning on a woman for support.”

That statement carried a certain logic, because at that moment, Qiao Yu, disregarding the public spectacle, openly and deliberately half-embraced the so-called pretty boy beside her, then confidently strode in the direction where Wang Guan and Cai Peng stood.

“Qiao…”

Han Lang’s eyes flashed with shock, and his expression darkened. However, Qiao Yu didn't spare a glance for his reaction; she walked straight toward Wang Guan’s position, holding the man whom others considered supremely attractive close.

“Heh heh, how is it?” Qiao Yu asked with a sly smile. “Can you spot any flaws?”

“He’s too handsome, unnaturally so,” Wang Guan laughed. “In a little while, everyone else will probably adjust and start noticing some inconsistencies.”

“You’re just jealous,” Qiao Yu chuckled. “You know, Korea has plenty of devastatingly beautiful men…”

“Those men rely on makeup and surgical alteration to achieve that look; we naturally can’t compete with that,” Wang Guan waved his hand, then leaned in to ask quietly, “How does it feel?”

“Strange,” Beiye murmured, lightly touching his neatly trimmed short hair and tugging at the slightly tight fit of the suit. He looked quite uncomfortable.

“You’ll get used to it, you’ll get used to it,” Qiao Yu said with a smile. “Just bear with it; it’ll only be half an hour at most.”

“Only half an hour?” Cai Peng blinked. “The party usually doesn't end until midnight.”

“Can’t we leave early? Now that I’m like this, I doubt Han Lang would dare try to keep us,” as she spoke, Qiao Yu drew Beiye closer, melting against him, pressing her cheek against his, exhibiting an air of deep intimacy.

“Ah…”

Witnessing this scene, many people gasped again, clearly unsettled.

“Xiao Qiao,” Beiye said, clearly unaccustomed to the display, gently pushing Qiao Yu away. “Don’t overdo it.”

“Hee hee, don’t worry, I know my limits,” Qiao Yu replied with a smile. Then, with a slight gesture, a waiter promptly brought over a tray. She casually picked up two glasses of juice, handed one to Beiye, and took a small sip herself, all while discreetly observing the surroundings. Seeing that many people still looked stunned, she felt quite satisfied.

Furthermore, Qiao Yu felt a small surge of pride regarding the effect she had created, especially when she saw Han Lang standing nearby, hesitating to move forward. This made her admire her own strategy immensely.

“Don’t get too smug,” Wang Guan said, shaking his head slightly, then casually added, “You two stay here; I’m going to talk to him.”

“Hey, what are you doing?” Qiao Yu became slightly agitated. “Are you trying to undermine me? Be careful, or I’ll turn hostile.”

“Xiao Qiao, don’t rush,” Beiye quickly advised. “Wang Guan must have his reasons for doing this.”

“Of course, I have a reason,” Wang Guan laughed. “Don’t forget how formidable Old Master Qiao is. If I go over now and persuade him to think things through and handle this matter properly, it’ll save me a lot of trouble later when the old man comes looking for me.”

Hearing this, Qiao Yu paused, thought it over, and nodded. “Whatever you think is best. But absolutely do not promise anything rashly on my behalf again.”

“Understood.”

As he spoke, Wang Guan picked up two cocktails and walked toward Han Lang…