Chapter 16: From Where Did This Talented Young Man Emerge?

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Lin Guodong had long heard that Xiao Nan had been living in the mountains for many years. Previously, he had harbored some reservations, worrying that Xiao Nan might feel out of place or stage-frightened at such an important occasion today. Yet now, seeing Xiao Nan holding a glass of red wine, confidently chatting with the top elites of Luocheng, his expression calm and composed, Lin Guodong’s admiration for him grew even stronger.

“Xiao Nan!” Lin Guodong approached him. “The engagement banquet is about to start soon. This is the busiest time with guests arriving. Go check the makeup room; Zi Qing should be ready by now. Bring her with you to the entrance to greet the guests.”

Almost every relative or friend who entered kept asking Lin Guodong who the young gentleman betrothed to his youngest daughter was. Lin Guodong merely smiled without answering. Having Xiao Nan and Zi Qing greet the guests at the entrance made it clear to everyone, saving him from having to respond one by one.

However, Xiao Nan felt somewhat troubled. After knocking on the makeup room door for a long while, Lin Zi Qing still didn’t open. She must have been sulking. With no other choice, he decided to leave her be and went out to welcome the guests himself.

What surprised Xiao Nan was that the first group he encountered at the hotel entrance was from the Xie and Li families.

“What a coincidence!” Xiao Nan’s lips curled into a sly smile.

“Country bumpkin?” Seeing Xiao Nan in formal attire, a stark contrast to his previous appearance, those from the Xie and Li families who had met him before were astonished. How could he be here?

“Brother Yadong?” Xie Meina looked over at Li Yadong. Weren’t they supposed to find someone to teach this bumpkin a harsh lesson? Yet he looked more spirited than a few days ago, showing no sign of having been reprimanded.

“Maybe Brother Bao is busy and hasn’t gotten around to it yet,” Li Yadong muttered in his heart, cursing Li Yunbao. It had been three days, and such a small matter still wasn’t handled. He planned to call him later to find out what was going on.

This group was also very puzzled. They couldn’t understand how Xiao Nan ended up here. Even if he had the luck to know Lin Shuyun, the Lin family’s eldest daughter, it was unthinkable that Lin Shuyun would be so careless as to allow a country bumpkin to attend such an important event.

“Country bumpkin, why don’t you take a good look at yourself? Is this the place you belong?” Xie Meina confronted Xiao Nan arrogantly. “Do you even know who attends this banquet? All dressed to the nines, and you—did you steal that outfit?”

“Hmph! Let me tell you the truth: even in a suit and tie, you can’t hide your poor country bumpkin aura.”

Unfazed by her sharp words, Xiao Nan remained composed. “If you want to get in, get in. If not, leave. Why all the nonsense?”

“You should be the one to leave.” Li Yadong proudly waved the invitation card in front of Xiao Nan’s face. “We were invited. You’re just freeloading without any shame.”

Xie Wenqiang glared at Xiao Nan. “You better scram fast. Otherwise, I’ll tell the Lin family people that someone’s here mooching off the banquet. Guess how the hotel security will treat you.”

“Hmph!” Xiao Nan smiled faintly, looking at Xie Wenqiang. “You’re barely clinging to life—don’t act so arrogant here. If I were you, after this engagement banquet, I’d tell your family to start preparing the funeral. Otherwise, you’ll run out of time.”

“You…” Xie Wenqiang, who had been unwell these past days, nearly fainted from anger at those words.

“Dad, don’t listen to him. Once that miracle doctor who cured the Lin family head is found, your illness will surely be treated,” Xie Meina comforted him before storming toward Xiao Nan in fury. “Believe me or not, I’ll tear up that jinxing mouth of yours!”

“Today is our young lady’s joyous engagement day. Guests, please show some respect.” Just as Xie Meina was about to attack Xiao Nan, the hotel manager intervened calmly.

Realizing this was the Lin family’s hotel, not a place for her to throw tantrums, Xie Meina reluctantly stepped back, shooting a fierce glare at Xiao Nan. “Country bumpkin, just wait. You’ll regret crossing the Xie family.”

On the second floor of Qingyun Hotel lay a lavish, spacious hall. Today, it was the main venue for this highly anticipated engagement banquet.

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At this moment, the hall was filled with top-tier celebrities from Luocheng and across the nation. Any one of them was easily a billionaire. Though the engagement banquet had yet to officially begin, these elites were already gathered in clusters, casually chatting and gossiping.

“It’s well-known that neither the Lin family patriarch nor his two daughters have ordinary tastes. I wonder which outstanding gentleman has won the beautiful lady’s heart.”

“Definitely not from Luocheng. If he were, we’d have heard some news by now.”

“Indeed unlikely. The Lin family is the most powerful in Luocheng. I doubt any second-generation heir here could catch the Lin patriarch’s eye.”

“Then he must be a distinguished guest from another province or city.”

“I’m envious. I once had the honor to see the two Lin daughters up close. They are unquestionably breathtaking beauties.”

Listening to the surrounding murmurs, Li Yadong couldn’t help but recall the Lin Shuyun he had met that day—truly an incomparable beauty. And he’d heard the betrothed today, Lin Zi Qing, was just as stunning.

He immediately felt that Xie Meina by his side paled in comparison.

Like everyone else, his heart brimmed with envy, jealousy, and resentment toward this mysterious man engaged to the Lin second young lady.

Suddenly, the lively music in the hall stopped.

At the center stage stood Lin Guodong, freshly recovered from a serious illness and now beaming with joy on his daughter’s engagement day. His usually wise and steady face now couldn’t hide a warm smile.

“That really is the Lin family head.”

“No sign of illness at all. His condition has completely healed.”

“Tsk tsk, a few days ago my old man took me to see him. He looked like he was on the brink of death. I never imagined…”

“The miracle doctor who cured him must be extraordinary!”

…

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