Chapter 68: 68, Who allowed you to come to the table?

Just as Su Mengqing and her group were feeling frustrated and bewildered, they saw Lin Fan glance in their direction, nod, and then casually lead Xiao Jie back.

“Ahem! What are you all still standing there gawking for? Apologize! Admit you were wrong!” Stubborn Su Gang shouted at Su Mengqing’s group as he trotted up behind Lin Fan and Xiao Jie, not even waiting to get close.

“We… we’re sorry! Lin Fan, Prince, we were rude and offensive just now!” Su Mengqing’s face turned crimson as she bit down hard. After several seconds of silence, she finally forced the words out through clenched teeth.

“Sorry, we… we were wrong too…” Su Gang and Yang Tingting muttered, so ashamed they nearly buried their heads in their laps.

“Lin… Lin Fan, let’s just let bygones be bygones. Please don’t be angry, hehe,” Zhang Meili stammered, her plump face flushing red. Her smile was even uglier than if she were crying.

She had no other choice. Su Guang… no, Stubborn Su Gang was actually standing his ground now. She was genuinely worried. What if he got angry and decided to divorce her, kicking her to the curb? What if he then went and found some young, beautiful vixen? For now, she could only swallow her pride and obey Stubborn Su Gang’s orders. She would just have to wait for a chance to get her revenge on Lin Fan later!

“You may be over it, but I’m not,” Lin Fan said, not sparing the four of them so much as a glance as he swaggered straight into the private room.

Xiao Jie and Stubborn Su Gang hurried to follow, leaving the four of them standing rigidly outside the door, staring at each other in stunned disbelief.

What the hell is going on? Why does Lin Fan seem more like the Prince than the actual Prince? Wasn’t he supposed to be just a bodyguard? Since when does a bodyguard dare to be more domineering and imposing than his own boss!

“…Never mind. Let’s just endure it for now,” Su Mengqing said in a low, grim voice after taking a deep breath.

Though looking unwilling, Zhang Meili nodded, as did Su Gang and Yang Tingting.

Back in the private room, Lin Fan had already taken a seat nonchalantly at the head of the dining table, and shockingly, the Prince didn’t seem to mind at all. He even chose to sit obediently in the seat just below Lin Fan’s!

Stubborn Su Gang stood behind them like a servant, a broad smile plastered on his face as he pointed at Su Mengqing’s group. Taking the initiative, Su Mengqing stepped forward and bowed along with the other three. “Prince, I am Su Mengqing. These are my mother, Zhang Meili; my brother, Su Gang; and my personal secretary, Yang Tingting.”

“Alright, that’s enough of the formalities. Get the menu. The Prince wants to order,” Lin Fan raised a hand to stop them, frowning. He noticed Xiao Jie staring at the fruit platter on the table, secretly gulping down saliva. He must be starving. Lin Fan didn’t say anything more about it and spoke directly to Su Mengqing’s group.

“Lin Fan, you’re just a bodyguard! What right do you have to make decisions for the Prince?” Su Mengqing couldn’t hold back any longer and glared at him.

“That’s right! The Prince hasn’t even spoken. What’s your hurry? The eunuch is more anxious than the emperor!” Su Gang also erupted in anger, smacking the armrests of his wheelchair so hard they rattled.

Yang Tingting and Zhang Meili didn’t speak, but their expressions had also soured considerably.

“Oh? Then I’ll leave?” Lin Fan asked nonchalantly, making a show of starting to stand up.

“All of you, shut up!” Stubborn Su Gang exclaimed, hurriedly pressing Lin Fan back into his seat with an apologetic smile. Turning back to his family, his expression hardened. “The Prince has complete trust in Lin Fan! His words represent the Prince’s will!”

“…Fine. I’ll call the waiter,” Su Mengqing clenched her fists, her teeth grinding audibly.

Su Gang and the others didn’t dare make another peep, simply lowering their heads to sulk.

A moment later, a waiter arrived with a tablet menu and handed it to Lin Fan.

Lin Fan simply pointed at the screen. “This one… this one… and these two down here.”

The four of them watched him with disdain.

Hmph. Some people just have no class. He’s so timid even when ordering food!

“Lin Fan, if you don’t know how to order, just give the menu to the Prince,” Su Mengqing said coldly. “I know you’ve rarely been to a high-end place like this. Don’t pretend you know what you’re doing.”

“Lin Fan, would it kill you to order a few more? Are you deliberately trying to make the Prince look down on our Su Family?” Su Gang shouted, his eyes wide.

“Exactly! If word gets out that the Su Family’s banquet for the Prince only had four measly dishes, we’d become a laughingstock! Or perhaps you only recognize those four dishes on the menu, Lin Fan?” Zhang Meili chimed in, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Mrs. Zhang, I think we shouldn’t give him such a hard time,” Yang Tingting said with false sincerity, her eyes glinting with ridicule. “After all, he’s never seen much of the world.”

“You’re right. I haven’t seen much of the world,” Lin Fan said, a self-deprecating smile on his lips as he ignored the frozen expressions on their faces. “So… let’s cancel those four dishes I just picked. We’ll have one of everything else on the menu instead.”

He handed the tablet back to the waitress.

“S-Sir, are you sure?” the attractive young waitress asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

“I’m not the one paying, anyway,” Lin Fan said with a nod, deliberately glancing toward the Su Family.

“…”

Su Mengqing clenched her teeth but remained silent. Su Gang and the other two looked at each other, their faces turning green. The Su Family was no longer the wealthy powerhouse it once was. Ordering nearly the entire menu would cost over a million!

If we had known, we never would have provoked this country bumpkin. He’s obviously doing this on purpose to bleed us dry! A pang of regret struck them.

With a dark expression, Su Mengqing silently watched as a seemingly endless stream of expensive dishes was brought to the table.

“We can skip the drinks,” Lin Fan said, nodding with seeming reluctance as he surveyed the mountain of food.

The corners of their mouths twitched as they silently cursed him for putting on an act.

“Prince, please try this Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish. It’s one of the hotel’s signature dishes,” Su Mengqing said, standing up. She picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, smiling as she went to place it in Xiao Jie’s bowl.

SMACK!

A pair of chopsticks suddenly shot out, knocking Su Mengqing’s away.

“Lin Fan! Don’t you dare push your luck! I’ve had enough of you!” Su Mengqing shrieked, her breathing rapid as she glared furiously at him.

“I am the Prince’s chief security advisor. It’s my responsibility to ensure the safety of his meals,” Lin Fan stated expressionlessly, gesturing with his chin toward a corner of the room. “Besides the Prince and myself, the five of you are not to sit at this table.”

Wh-what? You damn dog, abusing your borrowed power! This is our Su Family’s banquet! How dare you… you… you forbid the hosts from sitting at their own table?

At his words, Su Mengqing’s face contorted, and she nearly went mad with rage. Unable to contain themselves, Zhang Meili and Yang Tingting shot to their feet. Even Su Gang was so furious his lungs nearly burst; he almost pushed himself up from his wheelchair!

“I… I’m an exception, right? I’ve been through thick and thin with the Prince, after all!” Stubborn Su Gang said, his expression one of extreme embarrassment as he flashed a fawning smile at Lin Fan.

“If this is too difficult for you, I’ll take the Prince and leave right now,” Lin Fan said indifferently, shaking his head. “It’s just a simple dinner. We can just as easily eat at a roadside stall.”

Holy hell! You ordered a million-dollar meal and call it ’simple’? You bastard, you really don’t think of the Su Family’s money as real money, do you!

Su Mengqing gripped the edge of the tablecloth fiercely, teetering on the verge of losing control. Zhang Meili and the others were so choked with indignation they felt they might explode.

Before the four of them could erupt, Stubborn Su Gang cut them off with a fierce glare. “Fine, fine, it’s all for the Prince’s safety. We understand. Of course, we understand.”

Turning back, his smile was more painful than a grimace. He gritted his teeth, nodded, then voluntarily picked up his bowl and chopsticks and went to squat in the corner.

“…”

Seeing this, Su Mengqing and the other three could only swallow their broken pride. They each picked up their bowls and chopsticks and went to join him, squatting in the corner.

They could only watch with bitter eyes as Lin Fan and Xiao Jie leisurely picked at the lavish feast spread across the table, eating to their hearts’ content.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep