Chapter 20: It Was All a Misunderstanding

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Judging by Lu Yao’s earnest expression, it didn’t seem like she was lying. Huang Laoye found himself momentarily uncertain. Could it be that this girl really had something going on with Xiang Zhihua?

Just as Huang Laoye was pondering, Lu Yao seized the moment to break free from the two bodyguards restraining her. The two bodyguards were about to step forward to seize her again but were stopped by a sharp glance from Huang Laoye.

Before the truth was uncovered, Huang Laoye naturally wouldn’t rashly lay hands on Lu Yao. If what she said was true, wouldn’t that make him an enemy of Xiang Zhihua?

Considering the current state of the Huang family and his foolish grandson, who had already stirred enough trouble, Huang Laoye steadied himself and calmed his mind.

“Mr. Xu, shouldn’t you give this old man an explanation?” Huang Laoye could tolerate Lu Yao invoking Xiang Zhihua’s name for now, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t send people to verify it later. If even one word of what Lu Yao said at the banquet was false, if she was deceiving him, then he wouldn’t hesitate to treat this little girl harshly.

As for Mr. Xu, the two families had initially agreed to exchange his daughter for the Huang family’s investment. Now that the girl had ended up with Xiang Zhihua, how could Huang Laoye just let it go?

If Xu Zhenhai didn’t give him an explanation in front of everyone today, Huang Laoye would, despite his old age and pride, make the Xu family pay the price.

Xu Zhenhai never dreamed things would turn out like this. His eyes were filled with panic and anger, and he wished he could tear Lu Yao apart on the spot. He had suspected something was off when the girl agreed so readily a few days ago, but he never expected this confrontation here.

He truly underestimated her.

“Huang Laoye, you’re a businessman yourself. How can you believe this little girl’s casual words and doubt me?” Xu Zhenhai was not someone Lu Yao could fool with a few careless statements.

“This little girl is clearly lying to you,” he said. “What kind of man is Young Master Xiang? How could he possibly be interested in her? Even if he wanted a woman, it would be someone of good family background, someone matching his own status.”

Lu Yao was just an ordinary girl. Without the backing of the Xu family’s name, she was just a country girl. How could a country girl suddenly turn into a phoenix perched on a high branch? Even if such a thing happened, it wouldn’t be Lu Yao.

“Don’t ever believe a word from this girl!” he warned.

The fairy tale prince and Cinderella could never exist in the world of the wealthy elite.

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Even if they did, it would be the woman making compromises, never the man lowering himself. Even if Xiang Zhihua was disabled, the number of women in Harbor City willing to marry him was countless.

Lu Yao was barely an adult. What could she possibly have that would attract his attention? In terms of family background, she was inferior to the Xiang family and only survived in Harbor City with the Xu family’s support. Her education was lacking, and she had no special skills. The three years she spent in the countryside likely instilled only a rustic, impoverished manner.

She was simply unfit to be compared with Xiang Zhihua.

Huang Laoye found Xu Zhenhai’s analysis convincing. With Xiang Zhihua’s wealth and power, what kind of women had he not seen? If he truly favored someone, would he allow her to be humiliated at his own banquet? He would have had her protected long ago.

“Arrest her,” Huang Laoye ordered without further courtesy, signaling the bodyguards to close in on Lu Yao again.

Fear flashed in Lu Yao’s eyes; she hadn’t expected Huang Laoye to realize the truth so quickly after Xu Zhenhai’s reminder. She kept stepping backward.

“Don’t come any closer! I’m with Xiang Zhihua, do you hear me?” Lu Yao’s voice lacked the earlier sharpness. The crowd seemed to have passed their initial surprise and now regarded her as bluffing.

“If Young Master Xiang really liked this girl, I’d cut my head off and use it as a ball,” someone scoffed.

“Yeah, she’s nothing special. Claiming to be with Young Master Xiang? Must be dreaming,” another jeered.

“With Xiang’s wealth, are there any women he can’t have? Why would he be interested in a little bean sprout like her? Ha!” Laughter broke out.

Lu Yao felt deeply embarrassed; she hadn’t expected her lie to be exposed so quickly. But now, at this point, she had no time for such worries.

Her first thought was to escape!

“Ah!”

Just as she turned, she stumbled and fell into a man’s arms.

A collective breath was drawn from the crowd.

Beside them, Huang Laoye’s expression turned grave. Xu Zhenhai’s eyes widened in shock.

The grand banquet fell into a sudden silence.

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A faint scent of orange?

Lu Yao was startled, barely able to react before a low, hoarse voice descended from above her head.

“How long do you plan to stay in my arms?”

Lu Yao lifted her eyes to meet a pair of deep, intense eyes and a pale, handsome face with a hint of frailty.

If not Xiang Zhihua, then who else?

Lu Yao hurriedly stepped away.

“I’m sorry!” she bowed repeatedly, sincerely hoping he hadn’t heard what she had just said.

“Didn’t I tell you to come find me on the second floor? Why are you still here?” Xiang Zhihua’s words made Lu Yao pause.

The people around them changed their expressions upon seeing how Xiang Zhihua spoke to Lu Yao.

“Young Master Xiang, do you know each other?” Huang Laoye’s face darkened as he stepped forward to ask.

“Didn’t Mr. Huang hear what she just said?” Xiang Zhihua calmly replied, “She’s mine.”

That brief sentence turned everyone’s expressions cold.

Huang Laoye’s sharp eyes glanced toward Xu Zhenhai with a pointed message: How dare you deceive me?

Xu Zhenhai was at a loss for words, wondering when Lu Yao had become acquainted with Xiang Zhihua, and why she had never mentioned it during her time at the Xu household.

Lu Yao blushed but said nothing, surprised that Xiang Zhihua had actually come to her defense. Despite her astonishment, her heart was filled more with unease.

Although Xiang Zhihua’s words had stopped the Huang family from acting against her, how would she explain herself later to make them let her go?

“So it was all a misunderstanding,” Huang Laoye said reluctantly. “In that case, let’s leave it at that.”

Feeling aggrieved and angry, Huang Laoye clearly wanted to leave as soon as possible.

“Wait!”