Chapter 200 - Apology

Ye Fan had just escaped a crowd of high-society ladies, picked up a glass of champagne, and found a sofa to sit down and rest.

However, no sooner had he sat down than Zhao Shuaijiang, Tang Mingyi, and others approached him with smiles.

Ye Fan had to stand up, still smiling, to greet them.

“Haha, Ye Fan, tonight you were absolutely smashing!” Zhao Shaijiang laughed loudly, playfully punching Ye Fan in the chest, “You’ve made all the guys here jealous!”

Ye Fan chuckled and shook his head slightly, “Heh, it was just a fluke, I didn’t really gain anything substantial.”

“Are you kidding, you think that was little?” Zhao Shuaijiang teased with a laugh, “How can you say that?

Singing and dancing with Shen Yan at the party, and dancing with Dongfang Yunqi, any one of those would have us laughing our heads off!”

“Brother Ye, I didn’t expect your singing and dancing to be that spectacular!” Tang Mingyi spoke admiringly.

Though Tang Mingyi was a year or two older than Ye Fan and was the Crown Prince of the Sinhe Group, he willingly addressed Ye Fan as ‘brother.’

Hearing Tang Mingyi calling Ye Fan ‘Brother Ye’ shocked Zhao Shuaijiang a bit, and he frowned in surprise.

Even though he was the leader of their small group and Tang Mingyi respected him, Tang Mingyi had never called him ‘brother.’

“It looks like Ye Fan will be the main guy in our circle from now on,” thought Zhao Shuaijiang, feeling a bit disheartened, but without jealousy.

He had a fairly broad mind, and Ye Fan’s abilities had indeed impressed him.

After chatting with Zhao Shuaijiang and Tang Mingyi for a while, three smartly dressed men came over.

“Ah, President Chen, Young Master Xiao, Director Li,” Zhao Shuaijiang noticed the trio and greeted them with a smile.

“Hehe, Young Master Jiang,” The three men responded with a smile to Zhao Shuaijiang, then turned their attention to Ye Fan.

Realizing their interest, Zhao Shuaijiang quickly introduced the three men to Ye Fan.

After getting acquainted, President Chen said to Ye Fan, “Mr.

Ye, we are so grateful for the moving songs you sang tonight.

It’s truly embarrassing that we opposed your performance before it started.”

“Exactly.

We mainly wanted to apologize to you, Mr.

Ye,” Director Li said sincerely, “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard such a touching song that brought tears.

We hope you can forgive our earlier jealousy.”

President Chen and Young Master Xiao nodded in agreement.

Ye Fan smiled, “Heh, you don’t have to worry about it.

I’m a new face, and it’s natural that you didn’t know me and doubted my singing.

I don’t blame you.”

“Haha, Mr.

Ye’s magnanimity is commendable.

We toast to you,” said President Chen and the others, raising their glasses, “We’ll drink; you’re free to join us.”

“Heh, let’s drink together,” Ye Fan smiled.

Ding ding ding…

After the clinking of glasses, President Chen and the others tilted their heads and finished their full glasses of red wine.

After a few more words, President Chen and the others moved away.

However, shortly after, other people began coming forward to apologize to Ye Fan.

Suddenly, Ye Fan became the focal point of networking in the room, with constant mingling and toasting.

Xiao Yichen, seeing this, was jealous enough to spit blood.

Previously, he had always been the center of attention at these gatherings, but now, only a few people were interacting with him, while Ye Fan was surrounded.

After about ten to twenty minutes of socializing, Ye Fan finally had some freedom.

Holding half a glass of red wine, he walked over to Shen Yan and Dongfang Yunqi, smiling.

Shen Yan and Dongfang Yunqi were chatting when they noticed Ye Fan approaching, paused their conversation, turned around, and welcomed him with smiles.

“Yanyan, Miss Yun Qi,” Ye Fan greeted with a smile.

Shen Yan nodded with a smile, while Dongfang Yunqi said with a smile, “Ye Fan, you’ve been quite busy tonight.

I wanted to chat more with you earlier, but I couldn’t get through the crowd.”

“Heh, Miss Yun Qi is joking,” Ye Fan replied with a relaxed smile.

Dongfang Yunqi chuckled and led the conversation, “We were just talking about you.”

“Oh?” Ye Fan expressed surprise.

Shen Yan pursed her lips and smiled, “We all feel sorry for your talent, and also for those auctioned calligraphy walnuts.”

“Yes, Ye Fan, were those calligraphy walnuts really worth that much, or were you just supporting the charity?” Dongfang Yunqi said.

Ye Fan smiled and replied, “Antiques don’t really have a uniform price.

Those who like them might spend all their fortune, while those who do not care would discard them like worn-out shoes.

Speaking of which, I should thank you, Miss Yun Qi.

Those superior calligraphy walnuts were not easy to find.”

“Do you like them very much?” Dongfang Yunqi asked.

“It’s not that I like them,” Ye Fan said, “but one of my seniors does.”

Ye Fan, Shen Yan, and Dongfang Yunqi chatted and laughed for almost half an hour before they parted.

In the Gulan Martial Arts Hall, which was decorated in an antique style, Lin Yuehua was fully engrossed in practicing the Mixed Element Stance in a training room.

Since the misunderstanding during her sparring with Ye Fan, Lin Yuehua’s mind had been disturbed, and her usually calm state often rippled.

Of course, she knew that Ye Fan didn’t intend it during their sparring, but she couldn’t forgive him for disrupting her state of mind.

Only during stance practice could her mind return to its previous still and calm state.

However, it wasn’t all without benefit.

As she practiced intensely, she was getting closer to entering the stage of hidden energy.

Tonight was the moment she would break through.

In the training room, besides her, there was a stunningly beautiful eighteen-year-old girl.

This beautiful girl, with skin as white as jade and an ethereal purity, seemed otherworldly like an orchid in a secluded valley.

She was dressed in a light purple long dress, exuding an extraordinary aura.

She sat cross-legged on an ancient wooden low table, her bright eyes shimmering as she attentively observed every change in Lin Yuehua.

She was acting as the protector for Lin Yuehua’s breakthrough into the clear energy stage.

On the upper left corner of the ancient wooden table, there was a seven-inch tall bronze incense burner.

The polished bronze incense burner, with curling incense smoke, diffused a tranquil and calming dragon-spit fragrance throughout the room.

After what seemed like an eternity, Lin Yuehua’s body suddenly trembled, and her body emitted a series of crackling sounds.

At that moment, Gu Mingshuang quickly leapt up, her figure swift as a specter landed beside Lin Yuehua.

Despite her speed, she made no sound, not even disturbing the air.

Gu Mingshuang’s beautiful eyes sparkled intensely as she keenly focused on the changes in Lin Yuehua.

The crackling sounds grew denser, eventually merging into a continuous noise.

Gu Mingshuang’s beautiful face grew more serious.

Finally, the numerous sounds blended into one loud, tearing noise.

Gu Mingshuang’s serious expression instantly relaxed, revealing a genuine smile.

Lin Yuehua’s posture was released from the Mixed Element Stance; she stood with her feet together, suddenly extended her arms before pulling them back, with her palms together facing down at eyebrow height, and then slowly pushed down.

After her palms passed her chest, Lin Yuehua suddenly opened her mouth and a stream of white mist, sharp as an arrow, shot out, staying coherent up to three meters away.

After the mist-like arrow shot out, Lin Yuehua’s palms continued down to her navel, and she then opened her beautiful eyes.

“Sister, congratulations on entering the hidden energy stage!” Gu Mingshuang said with a smile.

Lin Yuehua turned around, her beautiful face adorned with a joyful smile, and replied, “Thank you, Junior Sister, for protecting my breakthrough.”

As she spoke, the silhouette of a towering figure flashed through her mind: If not for Ye Fan, I might not have been able to enter the hidden energy stage within two or three years.

“Sister, now that you have entered the hidden energy stage, it is indeed an occasion to celebrate.

It is too late tonight; tomorrow, the whole hall will celebrate for you,” Gu Mingshuang said.

Lin Yuehua shook her head and replied, “My talent is too poor; it took me so long to enter the hidden energy stage, there’s nothing really to celebrate.

Instead, you, Junior Sister, have already reached the later stages of hidden energy and are close to the transformational stage—embrace of the grand way is within sight.”