SDVPP Chapter 40

Before going to bed, the Fei Yuan app sent out a notification. It was about the Fang family.

Chi Han yawned and gave it a quick glance.

The Fang family would be hosting a large-scale jadeite exchange event at their ancestral home the day after tomorrow. It would last for three days. There were no entry requirements, which meant that all kinds of people would be able to attend.

Old Master Fang had started from scratch in his youth and spent fifty years building up the family’s current foundation. He was arguably the most influential figure in the jadeite world.

In the past, their banquets had always been invitation-only, extended only to people of status and reputation. This would be the first time there were no requirements for attendees.

So by then, there would surely be a swarm of people coming to curry favor with the Fang family, like flies to a carcass.

Chi Han, utterly uninterested, closed the notification.

If he had that kind of time, he might as well take Rong Xu out for some fun.

However…

Chi Han turned over in bed, frowning despite himself.

He clearly remembered that in the original novel, the Fang family hadn’t done anything like this. Old Master Fang had followed his usual style and only invited those with power and influence, and in the end, had passed the family down to Fang Jingluo without suspense.

That was what kicked off the dog-blooded and heart-wrenching love chase across countries between the young family head and his target.

So why lower the bar now?

Wasn’t Old Master Fang afraid of someone causing trouble?!

“Foolish!”

At that very moment, inside the Fang family’s ancestral home, Old Master Fang was glaring angrily at the person in front of him, slamming his cane heavily on the floor.

“You’re getting more and more out of line! You dare make such a major decision on your own now?!” Old Master Fang’s face flushed red with fury. As he spoke, he couldn’t help but cough a few times. After a moment, his anger surged again. “Hurry up and contact the person in charge of Fei Yuan! Tell them to take that announcement down immediately!”

“What do you think the Fang family is? A place where any stray cat or dog can just walk in?!”

Fang Jingluo leaned casually against the sofa, lazily swinging the agate prayer beads around his wrist, and gave a light chuckle. “Why are you so worked up, Grandpa? It’s just an entry requirement. Isn’t our old street big enough to hold them all?”

“You—you—!”

Old Master Fang picked up the apple on the table and hurled it at him, so furious that even his beard seemed to tremble in the air.

You know nothing, damn it!

Those old friends of his — each and every one of them was as proud as a peacock. Which of them wasn’t full of pride and ego? Asking them to stand side by side with people who didn’t know the first thing about jadeite? They wouldn’t even consider it!

Fang Jingluo thought it was nothing more than a matter of lowering the bar, but what he didn’t realize was that doing so would only push away the people they actually needed to win over.

Ordinary, inconsequential gatherings were one thing, but the banquet the day after tomorrow was meant to be the most important stepping stone to help Fang Jingluo smoothly take over the Fang family.

If one wanted to keep such a large family business alive in this place, personal connections were of utmost importance.

That was why Old Master Fang had planned to bring in a rare and skillful carving master, to let Fang Jingluo show off in front of everyone, to prove his ability and earn their recognition.

That way, passing the family over would be both natural and justified.

But what he hadn’t expected was that after all this planning, things would end up in such a mess!

Just imagining the noisy, chaotic scene made Old Master Fang’s head ache.

Announcing the leadership change of the Fang family in that kind of setting… it would probably explode on the spot.

Old Master Fang: “……”

No, absolutely not. This won’t do!

Fang Jingluo had inherited Old Master Fang’s temperament. Once he wanted something, he had to get it.

He had a very clear reason for removing the participation threshold.

He wanted Chi Han to personally witness him taking over the Fang family.

Ever since the day Chi Han, dressed in that pale blue-green hanfu, had stumbled into his arms, those misty, water-filled eyes had kept appearing in his mind.

Fang Jingluo didn’t even know when it had started, but he no longer thought of the name Xu Ting so often.

The pair of calm and distant eyes in his memories had gradually morphed into Chi Han’s face.

Chi Han.

Fang Jingluo couldn’t help but roll the agate bead between his fingers, his tongue pressing lightly against his palate.

The Fang family was rigid and traditional. Once a rule was set, they insisted on following it to the letter.

Someone from the Chi family’s background would definitely not be allowed in under normal circumstances.

“Say something!” Old Master Fang, seeing he still hadn’t responded, hurled another apple at him. “If your second uncle dared speak to me like this, I’d have broken his legs already!”

Fang Jingluo caught the apple, and upon hearing that, let out a faint snort of laughter.

“What does he have to do with me? Let me make myself clear. That announcement is not going to be changed. You’d better go pick out what you’re going to wear for the day after tomorrow instead of wasting your time.”

He wanted the position of head of the Fang family, and he wanted Chi Han, too.

As for those so-called jadeite industry veterans…

Fang Jingluo took a sip of tea, his sharp gaze slightly lowered.

Let them try not to show up.

Old Master Fang: “…………”

His feelings toward this grandson were truly a mix of love and hate.

He was practically a carbon copy of his younger self and just as reckless, defiant, and full of arrogance, with no regard for the world’s weight.

But he also had that headstrong drive of a newborn calf that fears no tiger.

The Fang family had been built on exactly that kind of boldness.

At that thought, Old Master Fang’s expression softened slightly.

He had originally placed his hopes on his eldest son, but unfortunately, he passed away early. Only Fang Jingluo remained — the sole heir. The second son wasn’t lacking in ability either, but his mind was too deep and hidden.

Not the right material to be the head of a family.

Old Master Fang looked at Fang Jingluo’s unruly face and, after a long silence, let out a sigh.

Forget it, forget it. He only had this one grandson. Surely those old bastards wouldn’t embarrass him.

When it came to serious matters, Fang Jingluo had real talent. As long as he endured more trials and tempering, he would definitely lead the Fang family to even greater heights!

Old Master Fang was finally somewhat at ease. Although his expression was still dark, his tone had softened a lot.

He rested both hands on his cane and warned, “We’ll let this matter go. But the day after tomorrow, you must bring that carving master to the venue. I’ve prepared a fine piece of high-grade glass-type jadeite. He’ll carve a mystic deer on the spot.”

“The deer is an ancient, auspicious creature. After a thousand years, it becomes a canglu[mfn]blue deer[/mfn], five hundred more and it becomes a bailu[mfn]white deer[/mfn], and after another five hundred, it transforms into a xuanlu[mfn]mystic deer[/mfn]. It symbolizes fortune and prosperity — very fitting for your succession of the Fang family.”

Old Master Fang nodded in satisfaction and went off to instruct the servants to prepare for the upcoming banquet.

Fang Jingluo sat quietly on the sofa for a moment before slowly taking out his phone and dialing a number.

He didn’t care much about some mystic deer or not. What mattered most right now was figuring out how to get Chi Han there.

His eyes shifted slightly, and the corner of his lips curled into a half-smile.

A cold, unsettling smile that made people instinctively uneasy.

Didn’t Chi Han care most about that cripple?

Well, it just so happened that Madam Rong, Xu Man, had already spoken to him, asking him to “take good care” of Rong Xu.

So why not invite him to the banquet?

That way, Chi Han could see for himself that sticking with someone so useless would only bring shame and nothing else.

By then, when it came time to choose… Chi Han would understand very clearly, wouldn’t he?

 

Author’s Note:

Before transmigrating into the book:

Chi Han: Jingluo, I can’t live without you!

Fang Jingluo: Heh, get lost.

After transmigrating into the book:

Chi Han: Go to hell.

Fang Jingluo: You’re so mean… I’m so in love.

Rong Xu: Is it that I can’t lift a knife anymore, or have you just lost your damn mind?

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