Seeing Shang Yunyan's indifferent expression, Jiang Yuanwei felt inexplicably defeated. He tried again, "May I ask what patents Mr. Shang holds?"
"Oh, they're just small things, nothing worth mentioning. Ah, the tea is here—try it! It just arrived today. Let's see if it suits your tastes."
"Sure! Thank you!" Xu Yiru quickly took the tea offered by the housekeeper and sipped it gently, sensing that Shang Yunyan didn't want to discuss the topic further.
Jiang Yuanwei also took a sip and his eyes lit up. "This is excellent tea! Top-notch, with a lingering fragrance and refreshing clarity. Mr. Shang, you really know how to enjoy life!"
"Haha, you flatter me, Mr. Jiang. I don't know much about these things myself; my housekeeper takes care of everything for me."
After a few cups of tea, Xu Yiru received a call from her mother urging her to return home. She and Jiang Yuanwei bid farewell to Shang Yunyan and left his villa.
Watching Xu Yiru's departing figure, Shang Yunyan summoned Shang Jingchen. "Jingchen, investigate these so-called Six Major Families of the Imperial Capital and those so-called elite families of the Magic Capital. I want to know who they really are."
"Yes, Young Master."
Meanwhile, back at the Xu family villa, Jiang Yuanwei was enthusiastically recounting his experience. "Dad! Just now, Yiru introduced me to a friend. He invited us for tea, and it was top-grade Tianzhan Da Hong Pao! The taste was unforgettable! Also, that guy surnamed Shang drives a custom Rolls-Royce Boat Tail. I can't help but envy him!"
"Haha, what's there to envy? If you like it, I'll order one for you!" Jiang Shiliang said indulgently, looking fondly at Jiang Yuanwei.
"Dad, you don't understand. That car isn't something you can just buy with money. It requires substantial prior purchases from Rolls-Royce and a top-tier international status to qualify for customization. Plus, it takes years to make! That Shang guy is definitely no ordinary person!"
"Of course, no ordinary person could afford Villa No. 13, which costs tens of billions. Anyway, I'm heading upstairs to change. Dad, Mom, you keep chatting with Uncle Jiang," Xu Yiru said, ignoring the others' gazes as she left.
As Xu Daqiang watched his daughter leave, he mulled over Jiang Yuanwei's words, feeling as though he'd missed something important.
"Yuanwei, what do you think of Yiru?" Xu Yiru's mother asked.
"She's great! Apart from being a bit cold, she's perfect in every way!"
"Haha, that's good! You young people should spend more time together—go shopping, have meals, watch movies. Dating is so much easier for your generation than ours. Back in our day, even holding hands had to be done in secret!"
"Well…" Jiang Yuanwei was taken aback by her straightforwardness but still nodded.
After seeing the Jiang family off, Xu Yiru's parents sat in their bedroom talking.
"Honey, don't you think we should respect our daughter's wishes? If she already likes someone, wouldn't it be wrong to push her into a match with Yuanwei?"
"She just came back not long ago. How could she already like someone? Besides, the Xu Group is in trouble. If Yiru and Yuanwei work out, Brother Jiang will surely help our family. I'd rather sacrifice one daughter to save three sons! You need to prioritize!"
"But isn't our daughter's happiness important too?"
"Why are you so anxious? And who says marrying Yuanwei means she won't be happy? Young people need time to get to know and adjust to each other. Would you really stand by and watch the Xu Group crumble in your hands?"
Hearing his wife's reasoning, Xu Daqiang sighed helplessly. Recent failed investments had indeed put the Xu Group in a difficult position. Even though their sons were trying their best to save the company, the massive financial losses couldn't be recovered with a mere tens of millions.
"Fine, let's not talk about it anymore. Let's sleep!"
The next morning, Shang Yunyan filed lawsuits against various gossip accounts, while news of Liang Sheng and Yan Yongqing's scandal spread across tabloids.
At the Xu Group office, Xu Yiru was working when her brothers, Xu Yaowei and Xu Yaoyang, walked in holding their phones.
"Hey, sis! Look, that Shang guy has started fighting back! By the way, I heard Dad invited the Jiang family over for dinner yesterday, and you had dinner with that Jiang kid?"
Xu Yiru shot them an annoyed glance and turned back to her computer, typing away.
"Sis, do you like that Jiang kid? I mean, he's short and ugly. How can our beautiful sister, such a goddess, end up with someone like him? Honestly, even if the Xu Group falls, we shouldn't rely on selling you to save it!"
"Second Brother, shut up!" Xu Yaowei scolded, but Xu Yiru had already heard everything.
"Second Brother, what did you just say? The Xu Group is going to fall? What does that mean? Big Brother, what's going on?"
"It's nothing, just a figure of speech. Don't overthink it. Anyway, we have to go now. Keep working, sis."
Xu Yiru was sharp and knew something was wrong. Her second brother must have slipped up. Clearly, the Xu Group was in trouble!