Chapter 43: 43. Sect Manager

“Tianguang, are you getting senile? That’s your exclusive seat. How could you let an outsider sit there!” Seventh Uncle demanded sharply, looking shocked and furious.

“That’s right, Grandpa! Lin Fan isn’t even a member of the Yuan family yet. Aren’t you going a bit too far?”

“If he wants that seat, I’ll be the first to object!”

Several younger members of the Yuan family were also quite upset, chiming in indignantly.

“Dad, you can’t do this! Lin Fan just had killing intent aimed at you!” Yuan Ruohai cried out, agitated.

“…”

Yuan Youwei and Mrs. Xue said nothing, simply exchanging shocked glances.

They had to admit, Mr. Yuan Sr. was being incredibly fickle. Just a moment ago, he clearly disliked Lin Fan. Now, he was showing him excessive favoritism?

The two of them had been worried that Lin Fan would be put in an untenable position. Now, however, they were actually a bit jealous of the guy.

“It’s just a casual family meal. Does it really matter where anyone sits?” Mr. Yuan Sr. said with a smile. Waving his hand, he ignored the strange looks and gestured for Lin Fan to take a seat.

“How can it not matter?! How can it not matter?!”

BANG!

Before Lin Fan could even move, Yuan Ruohai exploded in a rage, his face twisting into a snarl. He slammed his hand on the table with furious force.

“Dad! When I was a child, I was foolish enough to sit in your seat and refused to move. You disciplined me with the family rules, beating me so badly I couldn’t get out of bed for half a month!”

Recalling the painful memory, Yuan Ruohai sputtered, nearly bursting with rage.

You’re always going on about how the Yuan family has a strict hierarchy and that no one can break the rules. So why are you so tolerant of Lin Fan? Damn it, the hypocrisy is infuriating!

“So you disagree, is that it? Fine. Why don’t you use the family rules on me? Give me a good beating,” Mr. Yuan Sr. retorted, his gaze darkening as a humorless smile touched his lips.

Before the heavily breathing Yuan Ruohai could respond, the old man grabbed Lin Fan, pushed him into the seat at the head of the long table, and waved a hand dismissively without looking back.

“No need to wait for me and Youwei. Start eating!”

One after the other, he and Yuan Youwei left the dining room and entered the old man’s lounge.

“Yuan Youwei, kneel!”

The moment the door closed, Mr. Yuan Sr.’s face became a thundercloud as he roared at her.

THUD!

Startled, Yuan Youwei bit her lip and knelt, feeling completely lost.

“I’m asking you, how exactly do you know Lin Fan? And what is this young man’s background? You must explain everything to me, clearly and completely!” the old man demanded. He paced around her with his hands clasped behind his back, having lost all of his usual composure.

“Grandpa, this is Lin Fan’s detailed file. I’ve already had someone investigate him thoroughly,” Yuan Youwei said, stunned. She quickly pulled out her phone and displayed Lin Fan’s profile.

“…Impossible. This young man is definitely not as simple as he appears on the surface.”

After listening to Yuan Youwei briefly describe their history and carefully reading through Lin Fan’s file, Mr. Yuan Sr.’s expression grew even more solemn, his graying eyebrows knitting together.

“Youwei, do you know why your grandfather was so startled earlier?” he asked, helping the bewildered Yuan Youwei to her feet. The old man let out a long sigh, a nostalgic look in his eyes. “This story goes back to my youth, to when I was starting from nothing…”

He had her sit down, then shook his head again. “This world actually has many hidden powers, forces that ordinary people will never know exist in their entire lifetime. And back then, I was fortunate enough to be chosen by one of these hidden forces to become a ’Sect Manager’!”

At this, Yuan Youwei’s expression changed drastically, her pupils shrinking.

This meant that the renowned titan of the Haicheng Business Community, Yuan Tianguang, was actually just a front for some hidden sect? And the vast Yuan family… didn’t that mean it was their property?

“You’re very clever, you catch on quick… That’s right. Your grandfather is actually just an employee,” Mr. Yuan Sr. said with a bitter expression, giving a frank nod in the face of her incredulous stare.

“Back then, I was just a dirt-poor young man from the countryside. The reason I was able to rise so quickly in a place as valuable as Haicheng was thanks to the start-up capital and manpower they provided. It’s just that decades passed and they never contacted me again. I thought they had long forgotten about this asset,” he added with a dry chuckle.

Hearing this, Yuan Youwei’s brow twitched, and she pressed her lips together tightly.

Obviously, Grandpa had mistaken Lin Fan for someone from that hidden sect. That’s why he was so terrified that he knelt and begged for forgiveness, even calling himself a servant!

“Is… is Lin Fan here to reclaim the sect’s assets?” Yuan Youwei stammered, her voice trembling slightly.

“I don’t know. I even have a feeling… that Lin Fan himself might not know,” Mr. Yuan Sr. replied with a bitter smile. “Back then, they never revealed which sect they belonged to. They just told me to memorize a certain insignia, which I was to use later to hand over ninety percent of the profits.”

He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. “That insignia is etched into my mind. I could never be wrong. It’s the Vermilion Bird Ring that Lin Fan is wearing on his hand!”

BOOM!

Yuan Youwei’s mind went blank, her scalp tingling.

In other words, Lin Fan was the true owner of the entire Yuan family?

Amidst her terror, she couldn’t help but breathe a quiet sigh of relief. Fortunately, she had always treated Lin Fan with sincerity and admiration. Plus, he wasn’t a cruel person… Perhaps, if he ever discovered the truth, he might not actually take the Yuan family away.

“Youwei, I’m not kidding, I was so scared I wet myself! Lin Fan nearly scared me to death!”

After a long silence, Mr. Yuan Sr. raised a trembling hand and gripped Yuan Youwei’s wrist tightly. Their eyes met, and the old man’s were filled with endless anxiety and pleading.

“Right now, the only one who can save the Yuan family is you, Yuan Youwei!”

“Grandpa, I… I don’t understand.” Yuan Youwei froze for a moment before a realization dawned on her, causing her face to flush scarlet.

“Hmph, still playing dumb, you little rascal?” the old man huffed. “You’re fond of Lin Fan, aren’t you? Then hurry up and make him yours! Hold onto him tight, and don’t let anyone else lay a finger on him!” He then let out a sly, cunning chuckle. “As long as you get Lin Fan to marry into our Yuan family, hehe… then what’s his will be yours, won’t it?”

“…Then why were you so disapproving of him before, telling me I needed to be more reserved?” Yuan Youwei’s eyes lit up. She was simultaneously amused and annoyed, pouting as she spoke.

“Are you asking for a spanking? How dare you tease your own grandfather?” The old man’s smile froze, and his face instantly turned red. He grumbled in frustration and turned away, refusing to look at her.

“So does that mean I should be a lot more unrestrained? A lot more forward and enthusiastic?” Yuan Youwei asked. Her heart felt sweet as honey, and she smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, yet she deliberately posed the question with a serious expression.

This was a direct order from her grandfather to chase after a man. Humph, now no one could say she was just a lovesick fool lusting after Lin Fan’s body, could they? Everything I, Yuan Youwei, do… yes, it’s all for the sake of the Yuan family!

“Figure it out yourself! This old man has no experience in these matters… The best thing to do is to lock him down completely and give me eight or ten chubby grandbabies!” Old Man Yuan huffed, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

With an impatient wave, he told the grinning Yuan Youwei to scram. “You go back to the dining room and eat with Lin Fan. I’ll be there after I change my pants.”

“Ah…?!”

Yuan Youwei’s smile vanished. She stared at her grandfather’s crotch in utter shock.

So when he said he was so scared he wet himself… he was being literal?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep