Chapter 110: Where Did This Fool Suddenly Appear From?

Chapter 110: The Fool

“Mingming, you absolutely must seize this opportunity. This is all the help your uncle can offer; the rest depends on you,” Huang Chengren said as he sat inside the Mercedes, giving his honest nephew a final piece of advice.

“Thank you, Uncle. I know what to do,” Zhang Deming nodded earnestly, though his face betrayed an excitement he could hardly conceal. He wasn’t a fool; he had long since realized that his uncle’s deliberate difficulty with Ximen Lu was actually meant to create an opening for him. His earlier resentment toward his uncle had vanished completely, replaced instead by the memorable words his uncle had spoken before they arrived: “Ximen Lu isn’t married yet. You still have a chance.”

Yes, as long as Ximen Lu remained unmarried, there was still hope for him. Besides, he was no longer the same person he used to be. He was no longer a bookish nerd but a middle-class professional earning a six-figure salary. While not extravagant, his family background was decent, and all of this was capital. It gave him the courage to pursue Ximen Lu once more.

If he worked hard and grasped this chance, who knew? He might truly win the heart of the beauty.

The very thought of Ximen Lu possibly becoming his girlfriend set Zhang Deming’s blood boiling with excitement.

Just then, Zhang Deming felt the car shudder as it came to a halt. He noticed his uncle’s expression darkening.

What was going on?

Following his uncle’s gaze, Zhang Deming’s eyes suddenly brightened. There, standing on the steps, was Ximen Lu. Though several years had passed since their last meeting, he recognized her immediately—that was the goddess he had longed for day and night. Moreover, Ximen Lu seemed even more beautiful now than during their school days, radiating womanly charm. Her devilish figure and slender waist like a water serpent captivated Zhang Deming, leaving his eyes glued to her.

It was undeniable that as he matured, Zhang Deming’s tastes evolved. He no longer obsessed solely over Ximen Lu’s alluring face; he now noticed other aspects like her figure and skin.

This was hardly surprising. As a department manager, though still honest, he frequented nightlife venues more often, gaining experiences that naturally altered his perspective and taste.

Not only Zhang Deming was stunned by Ximen Lu’s enchanting allure; Huang Chengren was equally taken aback. This was the first time he had seen her up close, and the woman’s seductive beauty struck him like a blow. No wonder his nephew was head over heels for her. Ximen Lu was a rare gem—not just in face and figure, but in the very essence of her charm. Compared to the top performers in nightclubs and other entertainment venues, she was in a league of her own.

At that moment, a lecherous thought crossed Huang Chengren’s mind: if not for the family connection, he wouldn’t mind using a few tricks to make this enchanting woman submit. To have such a beauty at his beck and call—that would be a life well lived.

Besides the dazzling Ximen Lu, Huang Chengren also spotted Jiang Xue in a pink qipao. His eyes lit up again. This girl, too, was a rare treasure, her grace and beauty rivaling Ximen Lu’s in no way inferior.

But soon, Huang Chengren frowned, his expression darkening further. Standing between the two women was Chu Fei.

Who was this man?

At that moment, Huang Chengren’s mood soured as if he had discovered a fly in his meal.

Without hesitation, he pushed open the car door and stepped out.

Zhang Deming hurriedly followed.

“Here you are?” Chu Fei stopped in his tracks when he saw Huang Chengren get out of the car. To be honest, he had never intended to greet Huang Chengren here. He was merely waiting for Ximen Lu, but unexpectedly, Huang Chengren’s car had arrived right behind her, leaving him no choice but to wait patiently. Having reviewed the information earlier, he recognized Huang Chengren immediately.

However, Chu Fei frowned. What was with Huang Chengren’s gloomy face at a dinner party? It looked as sour as burnt oil.

Still, Chu Fei said nothing. Tonight’s star was Ximen Lu; he was merely a supporting player.

Ximen Lu, meanwhile, was filled with excitement and paid no attention to Huang Chengren’s expression. Even if she had noticed, she wouldn’t have cared. Her heart overflowed with joy as she quickly descended the steps to greet him, calling out in a sweet voice, “Mr. Huang, you’re here.”

The coquettish tone made Chu Fei shudder behind her back. Silently, he cursed inwardly: This woman was truly a temptress—just this morning, she had been biting her teeth and cursing so bitterly, and now she was calling out so sweetly. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think she’d just seen her lover.

“Hm,” Huang Chengren responded coldly, walking over to shake Ximen Lu’s hand casually, his face utterly devoid of a smile. His demeanor was as formal as it could be.

Zhang Deming was the exact opposite. Before coming, he had planned to maintain some dignity to show his distinction, but upon seeing Ximen Lu, he became so excited that he forgot himself entirely. Now, facing her alluring smile, he eagerly stepped forward and said, “Ximen Lu, hello.”

“Oh, hello!” Ximen Lu quickly shook Zhang Deming’s hand as well, returning a charming smile. She assumed he was just Mr. Huang’s assistant.

Seeing that radiant smile from Ximen Lu, Zhang Deming’s excitement grew even more. He asked eagerly, “Ximen Lu, don’t you remember me?” hoping for recognition.

“Ah?” Ximen Lu finally looked at the young man more closely, a bit puzzled. She wondered if she should know him, but showed nothing on her face, merely smiling politely and asking, “Who are you?”

Ximen Lu’s blunt honesty caused Zhang Deming’s smile to falter, but he quickly recovered. “I’m Zhang Deming. We were in the same year at university; we even took public courses together.”

“Ah? Really?” Ximen Lu was momentarily surprised, then her face lit up with realization. She lightly patted her forehead. “Oh, I remember now—you’re from the Finance Department…”

“No, no, not Finance, it’s the Business Administration Department. Haha, you finally remember,” Zhang Deming said excitedly.

“Yes, yes, Business Administration. My memory’s just a little foggy,” Ximen Lu laughed.

“That’s not your fault; so many years have passed. I can’t even remember some of my classmates,” Zhang Deming kindly offered as an excuse for her.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ximen Lu nodded, smiling brightly, though inwardly she thought, What kind of fool is this? I have no recollection of him.

After a brief exchange, she was about to turn to speak to Huang Chengren when Zhang Deming persisted, “Ximen Lu, do you remember the first time we met?”

“That’s a bit fuzzy, sorry,” Ximen Lu replied awkwardly.

“Haha, no worries. Maybe you forgot, but I haven’t. I remember it was a Saturday; I was sitting in the back row when I saw you walk in wearing a white dress. At that moment, my eyes were fixed on you. I’m sure I wasn’t the only guy staring—you were just too stunning, like a fairy. I still can’t forget that moment. During the break, I mustered all my courage to come over and strike up a conversation. Haha, but you ignored me,” Zhang Deming chuckled at himself.

“Really? I honestly can’t remember,” Ximen Lu smiled awkwardly, secretly wondering when she had ever worn a white dress. She usually wore red. As for the countless guys who had tried to approach her during college—there were hundreds, maybe even a thousand. How could she remember them all?

And this guy’s description of her as a fairy? When had she ever had that nickname? She recalled that many secretly called her a temptress.

“It’s okay, you’re so beautiful; lots of guys must have tried to talk to you. It’s normal you don’t remember me,” Zhang Deming generously gave her another excuse.

Ximen Lu was speechless. Was this guy telling a one-sided story? Did he think he was performing a comedy routine? Did he have a screw loose?

If it weren’t for the fact he came with Huang Chengren, she would have turned around and left. This was unbearable!

Chu Fei, standing on the steps, was equally dumbfounded. Jiang Xue leaned toward him and whispered, “Brother Chu, who’s this idiot that just popped out of nowhere?” Her voice was low, meant only for his ears. Clearly, Zhang Deming’s behavior had irritated her as well.

Not just the two of them—Huang Chengren was nearly driven to despair by his nephew’s antics and hastily cleared his throat twice.

Zhang Deming immediately ceased his “cherished memories” and lowered his voice: “Ximen Lu, don’t worry about the loan. Mr. Huang is my uncle. I’ve already pleaded on your behalf. Your loan approval is guaranteed.”

Huang Chengren nearly spat blood hearing that. Was there a more clueless nephew? Betraying family with no shame!

Fortunately, he had prepared beforehand to reveal this family connection to pressure his nephew and gain leverage. Otherwise, hearing this would have truly made him sick.

“Really? You’re Mr. Huang’s nephew?” Ximen Lu was visibly taken aback, then deliberately scooted closer to Zhang Deming, asking in a coquettish voice, “Your real nephew?”

“Yeah, real nephew,” Zhang Deming lowered his voice as well. Seeing Ximen Lu lean in, his heart raced with excitement, as if she had won him over completely.

Ximen Lu felt a stir in her heart and glanced at Chu Fei, catching him smirking. Clearly, they shared the same thought.

At that moment, Huang Chengren frowned. “There are many people watching. Continue your reunion among yourselves.”

“Yes, yes, let’s talk privately,” Ximen Lu said, smiling even sweeter, though she vaguely suspected why Huang Chengren was giving her a hard time.

Huang Chengren stepped up the stairs and casually glanced at Jiang Xue. “And this is…”

“Hello, Mr. Huang. I’m Jiang Xue from Mingyue Palace,” Jiang Xue smiled gently, extending a delicate, fair hand.

“So you’re Manager Jiang?” Huang Chengren was slightly surprised. He hadn’t expected the manager to be such a young woman. His doubts vanished instantly. What could a young girl do at a KTV? At most, she was a team leader—a hostess, really. With that thought, his demeanor immediately stiffened, and he didn’t even touch her outstretched hand.

Jiang Xue didn’t mind and quietly withdrew her hand with a faint smile.

“Come on, let’s go inside and talk!” Huang Chengren said, leading the way as if he were the host of this dinner party.

Chu Fei frowned beside them. It wasn’t because Huang Chengren deliberately ignored him, but because the man was arrogant to the point of disrespect, as if they were easy marks.

Just as Chu Fei was about to lose his temper, Zhang Deming hurried forward, tugging on Huang Chengren’s arm and whispering, “Uncle, wait a moment.”

“What is it?” Huang Chengren turned with displeasure, his mood somewhat sour. All the dignity he had painstakingly cultivated was being destroyed by this foolish nephew. He was about to scold him when his eyes narrowed and a warm smile suddenly appeared on his face. He stepped down the stairs again.

At that moment, a BMW sports car stopped by the roadside, and a flamboyantly dressed young woman leapt out.

Huang Chengren smiled and approached the young woman.

[You’d never guess who this girl is! Ha!]