Chapter 37

The He family's old house was located in a remote suburb. There wasn't much to see because many of the older generation had retired abroad. The old house was mostly empty, but He Shangye took them there for tradition's sake to offer incense at the family shrine.

In the afternoon, they returned home. Because it was so cold out there, He Shangye was concerned about Ruan Miao catching a cold and brought everyone back once the time was right.

The evening's banquet was the main event. He Shangye knew they weren't fond of such occasions. "People like us often deal with these social gatherings. You need to get used to it."

"I don't have to go, right?" Ruan Miao whispered. "I'll leave the house after I turn eighteen."

Although he spoke softly, He Shangye heard him and looked at Ruan Miao with a thoughtful expression.

In the evening, before dark, the few He family members who were going to the event changed into formal wear. Even He Shangzhi dressed up, her light blue dress highlighting her fair complexion and elegant demeanor.

Ruan Miao's eyes lit up and he couldn't help but compliment, "You look really beautiful in that dress!"

He Shangzhi looked down at her dress, her cheeks flushing slightly. She rarely put much effort into dressing up, just tidied herself up a bit today. Ruan Miao had previously said that she looked best in light blue.

"You look especially good in light blue," Ruan Miao continued.

He Shanglu, chewing on an apple, tilted his head to look at He Shangzhi with pride, as if the compliment was directed at him. "My sister is naturally beautiful, just like me."

Ruan Miao turned to look at He Shangye and sighed, "You three really look like a family standing together. Your looks are too high."

"You're not bad yourself," He Shangye said, fastening a watch onto his wrist.

Ruan Miao was quite self-aware and knew that he had no blood relation to He Shangye and was far less impressive in looks and demeanor compared to He Shanglu and his sister. "I look decent on my own, but I still can't compare to the truly good-looking people."

"Don't talk like that," He Shangye said, tapping him lightly on the forehead. "Don't belittle yourself."

Ruan Miao rubbed his head, feeling the gentle tap that carried a kind of brotherly affection, reminding him of his own brother, Ruan Chen.

The four of them arrived at a high-end club. The venue for this gathering was even more luxurious than the New Year's party. Ruan Miao followed He Shangye through the familiar process from the last time.

However, this time there was a slight difference. He Shangye intentionally or unintentionally brought Ruan Miao closer to him, acknowledging his status as a member of the He family several times, as if making a statement.

Anyone present who was not a business elite would have to be a fool not to understand what this meant.

Ruan Miao felt his treatment had suddenly improved. At least he wasn't getting disapproving looks like during the New Year's party. He could guess He Shangye's intentions and felt even more respectful towards him.

He admired He Shangye's open-mindedness. Even though Ruan Miao had no blood relation and was essentially like a beggar seeking help, He Shangye was still willing to accept him, showing how righteous he was.

Ruan Miao thought he would have to work hard to repay He Shangye in the future. Calculating it all up, he needed to work even harder, or he might not have enough money to support Zhou Yuancen and repay his elder brother.

Ruan Miao was lost in thoughts about the distant future, inadvertently including everyone around him in his life plans.

After the toasts, He Shangye signaled that they could disperse. He Shanglu quickly grabbed Ruan Miao by the collar and took him away. He disliked talking to the old men.

"These people have always looked down on us when our family was down. Some even took the opportunity to step on us. Now that we're back on top, they start flattering us. Ugh!" He Shanglu rolled his eyes. "Don't talk to those old guys too much."

Ruan Miao glanced back at He Shangye, who was mingling effortlessly with the group. He thought about how difficult it must have been for him to pull the He family out of the mire amid a pack of wolves, maintaining silence through harsh conditions. Without a strong mental fortitude, most people would have collapsed under the pressure.

Therefore, he mustn't cause trouble for He Shangye or let Zhou Yuancen ruin his hard work.

"What are you thinking?" He Shanglu pulled Ruan Miao onto a sofa, noticing his distracted expression. "Do you want to come and socialize with them?"

Ruan Miao snapped out of it and shook his head. "I'll stay here. I don't know anyone in your circle and would only be a nuisance."

"Who would dare?" He Shanglu grunted, though he understood Ruan Miao's concerns. He had a bad reputation before, and these second-generation elites looked down on him, partly because of He Shanglu's own influence. He was indeed quite annoying before.

But things were different now. Ruan Miao had changed his bad habits, and He Shanglu was willing to protect him. "Then I'll stay here with you."

"No need," Ruan Miao pushed him away. "You'll be in the way here. Those people will come over to find you. I'd rather enjoy myself here."

He Shanglu disagreed. "You'll have to talk to them eventually. You can't avoid them forever. Come on, I'll take you over. Anyone who dares to give you a hard time will have to deal with me!"

Without giving Ruan Miao a chance to refuse, he dragged him toward the group of unfriendly second-generation elites. After they sat down, He Shangzhi joined Ruan Miao, peeling an orange from the table.

Among the young people, they were all roughly the same age. Ruan Miao greeted them politely but didn't dare to say much.

"Wow, He Shanglu, you're impressive. Didn't you used to look down on this illegitimate child? What's going on now?" A young man in a red suit with a casual attitude broke the awkward silence, seemingly oblivious to the situation.

He Shanglu shot him a look and firmly put his arm around Ruan Miao's shoulders to support him. "From now on, don't be rude to our Miao Miao. Anyone who bullies him is bullying me. Got it?"

As a group of wealthy young elites, He Shanglu still had considerable influence among them. Despite his reputation, his straightforwardness earned him some respect. Since he had spoken, they had to show Ruan Miao some courtesy.

Most people maintained a polite demeanor towards Ruan Miao, but a few troublemakers refused to cooperate, insisting on showing their ignorance.

"Some people can't even rise to the occasion."

One boy gave Ruan Miao a disdainful look. "Doesn't anyone remember his dirty deeds in school? Now he's pretending to be a good person and getting a clean slate?"

"We're still disgusted by his involvement with Jian Fanyu."

Ruan Miao sighed inwardly, knowing this would happen.

He Shangzhi stabbed a knife into an apple and, before He Shanglu could react, someone spoke up.

"Since when was he involved in my matters?"

Jian Fanyu appeared behind the group of people, staring expressionlessly at the boy who had spoken. "Did you witness it with your own eyes?"

The boy seemed taken aback by Jian Fanyu's sudden appearance and was at a loss for words. He stammered, "W-Well, isn't it common knowledge in school?"

Jian Fanyu shot him a cold glance and slowly walked over to sit across from Ruan Miao, speaking deliberately, "First, I have no relationship with Yan Yang."

"Second, Ruan Miao has no relationship with Yan Yang either."

"Do you understand?"

The people present exchanged looks, unsure how to respond. Jian Fanyu had never interacted with them before and usually avoided all gatherings. Although some harbored ill feelings towards him, no one dared to defy him now, as the Jian family was at the height of their power.

He Shanglu glared at Jian Fanyu. "Mind your own business! Stay away from Miao Miao!"

In his view, Ruan Miao had made mistakes in the past, but if it weren't for Jian Fanyu, things might not have turned out so badly later. His sixth sense told him that Jian Fanyu was not to be underestimated, and Ruan Miao might suffer.

Jian Fanyu didn't give He Shanglu a glance and instead focused his attention on Ruan Miao, asking softly, "If you don't like it here, would you like me to take you somewhere else?"

Ruan Miao was feeling uneasy and was about to agree when He Shangzhi spoke calmly, "He isn't going anywhere."

He Shangzhi had never spoken in public before. Even when she occasionally attended social events, she remained almost invisible. Many admirers who tried to approach her were deterred by her aloofness. This was her first time speaking out.

Her opening statement was against Jian Fanyu, leaving even He Shanglu confused.

"Can you make decisions for him?" Jian Fanyu asked with a faint smile, though his eyes remained cold. "He doesn't want to stay here."

He Shangzhi, slicing an orange with a sharp knife, spoke slowly, "I can't make decisions for him, but… I can stay here with him."

Ruan Miao felt uneasy about the situation. "Is there a misunderstanding here?" he asked, puzzled by He Shangzhi's sudden change in behavior.

Jian Fanyu looked at He Shangzhi, who was still slicing oranges with her head down, leaning back on the sofa. She didn't seem angry. "Then I'll stay here as well."

He didn't understand He Shangzhi's sudden hostility. In his past life, they were strangers with no interactions. He remembered He Shangzhi as an outsider with no emotional attachment to anyone. It was surprising to see her acting as a protector for Ruan Miao now, especially since he hadn't done anything to provoke this reaction.

The onlookers, who had been enjoying the drama, now fell silent. It was clear that a conflict had arisen between the He siblings and Jian Fanyu, and seeking trouble at this point would be foolish.

Ruan Miao's small schemes seemed to have advanced. Was he refining his tactics?