Chapter 7: The Tooth Mark She Left on His Wrist

"Mr. Chen, this is a humble gift to express my regards." Huo Yichen took the brocade box from his assistant and handed it steadily to the butler beside Old Mr. Chen. His voice was deep and magnetic, and every word seemed to be meticulously carved, exuding an undeniable air of nobility.

Old Mr. Chen's hands trembled slightly with excitement, and his face was filled with an expression of being overwhelmed by an unexpected favor. "Mr. Huo, your kind thought is much more precious than any gift! However, since the banquet is already in progress, I'm afraid our hospitality may not be up to par. I'll instruct them to prepare some new tea right away. Please come in and take a seat?"

"Then I'll be imposing on you, Mr. Chen." Huo Yichen nodded slightly. His posture was as elegant as that of a noble son stepping out of an ancient scroll, and every gesture revealed the demeanor of a scion from an aristocratic family.

Having the crown prince of the Huo family in Beijing attend the birthday banquet to offer congratulations was a unique honor for the Chen family in Hangzhou within this circle. Old Mr. Chen felt that he had gained a great deal of face, straightened his back a bit more, and was full of energy, as if he had suddenly become ten years younger.

When Su Yue saw Huo Yichen's face clearly, she froze on the spot, and her mind went completely blank, as if a pause button had been pressed. She was stunned for several seconds, seriously doubting her life. At this moment, the greetings and conversations of the people around her all turned into a blurred background noise, and she couldn't hear them at all.

The group walked towards the private room of the banquet hall. Su Yue only wanted to reduce her presence as much as possible. She slowed down her steps as much as she could, wishing she could hide herself in a corner.

When Huo Yichen passed by her, as if on purpose, he suddenly stopped, turned his head slightly, and looked at Su Yue with a hint of inquiry in his eyes. He slowly said, "This young lady looks somewhat familiar."

The moment their eyes met, Su Yue felt a chill shoot up from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, and she almost fainted on the spot. The Huo Yichen in front of her actually looked exactly like the "cowboy" she had kept before?!

"Little uncle, she's my brother's fiancée." Chen Yuxin affectionately took Su Yue's arm, and as they walked forward, she introduced Su Yue to Huo Yichen with a smile. "Uncle, Sister Su Yue is really outstanding. She graduated from the Department of Finance at New York University. Isn't HX Company recruiting employees? Sister Su Yue, you can try applying to my little uncle's company. Let him pull some strings for you."

Su Yue wished she could find a hole in the ground to crawl into, feeling extremely helpless and embarrassed. It wasn't just about pulling strings! The relationship between her and Huo Yichen was simply... She had actually mistaken the crown prince of the Beijing circle for a gigolo, had meals, drinks, and even slept with him, spending a whole month in such a ridiculous relationship, and finally, she had heartlessly "abandoned" him.

"Chen Yuxin, stop talking nonsense in front of your little uncle!" Huo Jintang's face darkened, and she quickly pulled her daughter aside, her eyes full of warning.

Chen Yuxin seemed not to notice her mother's displeasure and quickly added, "Oh right, Uncle. Sister Su Yue is no longer my sister-in-law now."

Huo Jintang wanted to cover her silly daughter's mouth, but it was already too late.

Old Mr. Chen looked extremely embarrassed and apologized to Huo Yichen with a smile, "Mr. Huo, one shouldn't wash one's dirty linen in public. You must be laughing at us today."

Huo Yichen's expression remained calm. His eyes passed over Su Yue's slightly pursed lips without leaving a trace, and he said indifferently, "Hmm, I have indeed witnessed this young lady's capabilities. What Chen Yuxin said isn't wrong."

Su Yue lowered her head and stared fixedly at the bright red carpet under her feet, feeling a tingling sensation on her scalp. She clearly felt the man's aggressive gaze, which was like a scalding hot iron branding her body, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. A tingling sensation ran down her spine and quickly spread throughout her muscles and bones. She felt like a rabbit being targeted by a hungry wolf at this moment, exposed to the other person's sight. She was filled with anxiety and the urge to jump up in a panic, but there was nowhere to run. Her heart was filled with the fear that Huo Yichen might expose her absurd past.

Su Yue forced a weak smile, and her voice trembled slightly as she said, "Mr. Huo, you're overpraising me. Yuxin just likes to joke around. Please forgive her."

Huo Yichen's gaze lingered on her face for a short while. His eyes seemed to be able to see through every trace of panic in her heart. Then, he calmly took a step and walked into the private room.

The private room was in a mess, as if it had just experienced a storm. Chen Yuxuan was supporting Lin Xiaoyan and sitting in the corner. Lin Xiaoyan was crying so pitifully that she looked like a delicate flower in the rain. Chen Yuxuan was hugging her and soothing her softly. When he heard someone come in, he reluctantly let go of her.

"You unfilial descendant! Who allowed you to sit there? Kneel down together with that woman!" Old Mr. Chen was so angry that his beard and eyebrows were bristling. He thumped the ground twice with his walking stick and shouted angrily, "Don't you see that there are guests here? Your little uncle came all the way here with great difficulty. Do you still want him to laugh at us?"

Lin Xiaoyan was so frightened that her whole body trembled. Worried that the Chen family would completely reject her, her knees went weak, and she knelt down spinelessly.

Chen Yuxuan could only lower his head, kneel on the ground again, and looked up at Huo Yichen, calling out, "Uncle."

Huo Yichen didn't even glance at his nephew. He leaned lazily on the sofa, with his left leg gracefully crossed over his right leg. The cuff of his black shirt was rolled up a bit, revealing a string of warm-colored blood sandalwood prayer beads on his wrist. The blue veins on his forearm were faintly visible, exuding a sexy and abstinent aura.

Su Yue accidentally raised her eyes and happened to catch a glimpse of the still unhealed tooth mark on the inner side of the man's strong forearm. Her heart trembled violently. That was the mark she had left when she had accidentally bitten him too hard that night. Although the broken skin had started to heal, the tooth mark was still clearly visible. At this moment, it was like a glaring scar, piercing her nerves.

The servants came in one after another to clean up the mess and serve tea. During this time, except for Old Mr. Chen's continuous scolding of Chen Yuxuan, the whole private room was completely silent, and no one dared to speak easily.

Su Yue picked up the teacup and drank two cups of chrysanthemum tea in a row. The heat in her body subsided a little. However, the aftereffects of the alcohol began to kick in. She felt her limbs go weak, an unnatural flush crept up her cheeks, and her eyes became a bit blurred.

Huo Yichen raised his hand and loosened his collar. In a leisurely manner, he interrupted indifferently, "Mr. Chen, since this is a family matter of your esteemed house, isn't it a bit inappropriate for me to stay here?"

"It's appropriate! Very appropriate! It's all these young people who don't know any better, making a fuss about canceling the engagement." Old Mr. Chen was恨铁不成钢 (恨铁不成钢:恨 iron that won't turn into steel, meaning being disappointed in someone's lack of progress or ability). He kicked Chen Yuxuan again, pointed at Lin Xiaoyan, and said angrily, "Send her away immediately, and then apologize properly to Su Yue!"

Su Yue mustered up her spirit, and her nails unconsciously dug into her palm. The pain made her a bit more sober. She was startled. Did the old master mean that he didn't want the engagement to be canceled?

Huo Yichen squinted his eyes slightly, and a glimmer of light that was hard to detect flashed in his eyes. He continued, "The man is not yet married, and the woman is not yet betrothed. With such a farce happening in the Chen family, Mr. Chen, you should still ask the parties involved for their opinions."

As soon as he said this, it was like handing Su Yue a lifesaver. Su Yue immediately took the opportunity and said firmly, "Grandpa Chen, Chen Yuxuan and I are really not suitable for each other. I unilaterally request to cancel the engagement. Please agree to it." She was determined to cancel this engagement, and there was no room for negotiation.

The corners of Huo Yichen's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile, and the calculation in his eyes quietly faded away. He thought to himself that this woman was even smarter and more decisive than he had imagined.

Old Mr. Chen put on an appearance of being extremely distressed, thumping his chest, trying to make Chen Yuxuan and Su Yue reconcile.

Chen Yuxuan didn't want to cancel the engagement in the first place. Seeing this, he quickly supported the old master and was about to agree, "Grandpa, I promise you. Su Yue and I will get along well..."