Chapter 288 - Hu Jing Surprised

In the morning, Ye Fan had a detailed talk with Lu Xiaoman.

Ye Fan didn’t ask about the Mo family’s background, and Lu Xiaoman didn’t mention it, either.

She wasn’t sure if revealing the Mo family’s background would place pressure on Ye Fan.

“Ye Fan, do you know about ancient martial arts?” Lu Xiaoman asked.

Ye Fan smiled and said, “I know a bit.”

He wasn’t surprised by Lu Xiaoman’s question because both Mo Xiaoyan and Mo Xuaming were masters of ancient martial arts, with Mo Xuaming being even more prominent as a master of internal strength.

Since Lu Xiaoman had acknowledged her connection with the Mo family, it was natural for them to tell her about ancient martial arts.

Lu Xiaoman said, “My dad wants me to also practice ancient martial arts.

He says that although I’m a bit old for it, I could still achieve some effects, enough for self-defense, and shouldn’t have any trouble fighting a few hooligans.”

“Plus, now that I’m managing a martial arts gym, knowing some martial arts also helps me to manage it better,” she continued.

Ye Fan laughed and said, “That’s great.

The Eight Trigram Palm emphasizes softness, which is quite suitable for women to practice.

It can enhance and slim your figure.

Of course, your figure is already good, you don’t need to get any fitter.”

While speaking, his gaze openly admired Lu Xiaoman’s lovely figure.

Lu Xiaoman’s pretty face blushed, but she didn’t stop Ye Fan’s gaze.

After having lunch together, Ye Fan drove Lu Xiaoman to the Vienna International Hotel to meet with her biological parents and then returned to the Emali Group by car.

When he got back to his office, it wasn’t yet two o’clock — the official start of the afternoon work hours — Hu Jing was bound to give him a bit of a talking-to.

Ye Fan continuously apologized.

At the end, Hu Jing asked, “Ye Fan, since you and Director Li are first cousins, are you close?

I’ve heard that Director Li’s family background is quite impressive, and there are hardly any in Hua Hai City who dare to upset her.

Logically, your family’s conditions shouldn’t be so poor.”

By saying Ye Fan’s family’s conditions were poor, she naturally referred to Ye Fan wearing common clothes that cost just a hundred or two hundred yuan and driving a car that cost only a few tens of thousands of yuan.

“Why are you asking so thoroughly?

Did you suddenly discover I’m handsome and have the potential to be the perfect son-in-law?” Ye Fan joked.

Hu Jing couldn’t help but “pfft” a laugh, she glanced at Ye Fan from the corner of her eye, and said arrogantly, “You qualify as the perfect son-in-law?

Don’t make me laugh.

If I dated you, I bet if we went out for a romantic candlelit dinner, I’d end up paying for it myself in the end!

It’s only because Lu Xiaoman is naïve that she was moved by you and fooled into your hands.”

“Hmm, you’re actually right.

I did have a candlelit dinner with a woman where she paid the bill,” Ye Fan said with a light smile.

Hu Jing couldn’t help but tease him for a good while, then said, “It seems that your family’s blood ties with Director Li’s are quite distant.

So why don’t you behave more, always showing up late or leaving early?

One day Director Li will not put up with you anymore, and she’ll kick you out of the Emali Group.”

“I’m very well-behaved, I haven’t caused any trouble for the company or you, have I?” Ye Fan spread his hands and laughed, sensing Hu Jing’s well-meaning advice.

Hu Jing was left speechless.

Around three o’clock in the afternoon, suddenly a call came in.

It was from Zhao Shuaijiang.

“Ye Fan, Yun Qi’s auction house and party are happening tonight.

You should come too, it’s been a long time since we all met up.

Every time I invite you out, you never show,” Zhao Shuaijiang said over the phone, “We’re almost becoming strangers.”

Ye Fan smiled and said, “I’ll attend.”

“Alright then, tonight let’s eat dinner together first and then go to the Yun Qi Club event,” Zhao Shuai Jiang said excitedly upon hearing Ye Fan agree to attend.

Ye Fan thought for a moment—since he had no special plans for dinner that evening, he agreed, “Okay.”

“Haha, great!

I’ll make a call and invite Tang Mingyi, Zhang Ruolin, and the others.

As for Hu Jing, that girl is currently in military training for the start of school, so let’s not call her,” Zhao Shuai Jiang said.

Ye Fan gave a noncommittal “hmm” in response, looked up at Hu Jing, and said, “A colleague of mine also wants to attend the Yun Qi Club event, so I might bring her along for dinner.”

“Hehe, no problem.

Just a few more pairs of chopsticks.

The more the merrier.

Besides, we have plenty of invitations, you can bring a few more people no problem,” Zhao Shuai Jiang said breezily.

Ye Fan replied with a faint smile, “I have my own invitation.

I’m just bringing someone along for a free meal.”

“You have an invitation?” Zhao Shuai Jiang exclaimed in surprise, then sighed, “It seems Dongfang Yun Qi really holds you in high regard.”

In his view, although Ye Fan was incredibly capable, his own economic conditions and social status did not qualify for an invitation from Yun Qi Club.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Fan turned to Hu Jing and called out, “Manager Hu, there’s a dinner after work, do you want to go?”

Hu Jing was so eager to attend the Yun Qi Club auction and party, and he guessed it wasn’t just about widening her experiences—she might want to network with people attending the Yun Qi Club.

So, he simply gave Hu Jing the opportunity to meet Zhao Shuai Jiang and his circle of elite young men.

“A dinner party?” Hu Jing looked up, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of caution, “What kind of dinner party?”

Ye Fan replied with a relaxed smile, “Didn’t you say you wanted me to take you to the Yun Qi Club auction and party?

I just happen to have a group of friends also attending.

They called me a moment ago to arrange to meet up.

So, before we head to the Yun Qi Club, we can have dinner together.”

Hu Jing’s eyes lit up with excitement, and she smiled coquettishly, “Okay.

Thank you, Ye Fan.”

“Hehe, you’re welcome,” Ye Fan joked, “You’re my direct superior.

If I don’t butter you up, and you make things difficult for me or snitch, my life will be hard.”

“Cut it out, making me sound so bad.

Haven’t I always indulged you?” Hu Jing laughed playfully.

By six o’clock in the afternoon, Ye Fan and Hu Jing drove separately from the Emali Group, heading to a restaurant known as Tan’s Official Cuisine.

Upon hearing the location of the dinner was Tan’s Official Cuisine, Hu Jing exclaimed with widened eyes in surprise.

“Is this restaurant very famous?” Ye Fan asked, since he wasn’t very familiar with Hua Hai city.

“More than famous?

It’s incredibly prestigious.

Tan’s Official Cuisine was established by a father-son pair of officials from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, and it has a history of over a hundred years.

When New Huaxia was founded, Prime Minister Zhou specifically protected this renowned official cuisine,” Hu Jing said with a hint of excitement in her voice.

“To dine at Tan’s Official Cuisine, it’s not just a question of having money.”

After hearing this, Ye Fan grumbled a bit, “Zhao Shuai Jiang is really something, making such a fuss over a meal.

Isn’t it tiring?

Just going to any four or five-star hotel would have done the trick.”

“Ye Fan, your friends must definitely be the crème de la crème of Hua Hai city,” Hu Jing said enviously, anticipation rising on her pretty face.

Ye Fan dismissed it with a casual smile, “I’ve never really looked into it.

As long as we can hang out together, the rest doesn’t matter.”

While Zhao Shuai Jiang and the others seemed superior in Hu Jing eyes, to Ye Fan, his interaction with Zhao Shuai Jiang and his peers was an act of condescension.

Hearing this, Hu Jing was somewhat puzzled by what Ye Fan thought, not understanding why he didn’t consider the status of these high-society friends to be a big deal.