What Chen Haoyu said wasn't entirely false—if Chen Fan refused to marry into the Xu family, and they provoked the wrath of the Jinling Xu clan, the Chen family would be the first to suffer.
The wrath of such a powerful family wasn't something a mere Jiangzhou-level wealthy clan could possibly endure.
So, Chen Haoyu shifted all the blame squarely onto Chen Fan.
"Miss Xia, and you say Chen Fan isn't heartless and ungrateful?"
Chen Haoyu turned toward Xia Mengmeng.
But Chen Fan immediately shot back, calm but sharp:
"Heartless and ungrateful? You say I'm acting for my own benefit, but wasn't it your family who was trying to sacrifice my life for your so-called interests?"
"You wanted me to marry a woman who's already pregnant—all for the sake of your precious family legacy. Hah. If you're so selfless, why don't you marry her instead? You're so noble, right? If you marry her, the Chen family crisis would be solved instantly."
Chen Fan's retort hit like a thunderclap.
For a moment, Chen Haoyu was speechless.
He wasn't stupid—why would he ever marry someone like Xu Junyao, a woman he regarded as disgraceful?
As soon as Chen Fan said that, Xia Mengmeng immediately understood. Especially when she heard the word "marriage alliance", her emotions were stirred deeply.
She fired back without hesitation:
"That's what you call heartless and ungrateful?!"
"If I were in Chen Fan's shoes, I wouldn't have just cut ties with the Chen family—I'd have burned the whole place to the ground!"
Xia Mengmeng didn't hold back—she blasted Chen Haoyu with several rapid-fire retorts.
Chen Haoyu stood there stunned.
What the... Why is Xia Mengmeng reacting this way? That's not how it was supposed to go!
"Chen Fan, cutting ties with the Chen family was absolutely the right decision,"Xia Mengmeng said firmly.
Then she grabbed Chen Fan's arm and walked away with him.
Leaving Chen Haoyu standing there, completely dumbfounded.
What the hell just happened?
He had come here to sabotage Chen Fan and Xia Mengmeng's relationship—yet now it seemed like he had only made their bond stronger.
In the end, he had helped Chen Fan.
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!!
Chen Haoyu screamed internally in rage.
Meanwhile, Chen Fan was already driving Xia Mengmeng to Wangjiang Pavilion.
He was treating her to lunch today.
After all, eating at Wangjiang Pavilion as a guest and eating there as the owner were two completely different experiences!
On the way, Xia Mengmeng seemed a little downcast.
"Chen Fan... If only you and my sister were already together..."
She suddenly spoke up.
"Huh?"
Even Chen Fan was caught off guard by that.
"Chen Fan, I actually understand you. Our Xia family is even more complicated than your Chen family."
Xia Mengmeng said quietly.
The reason she'd been so emotional earlier was simple—most girls born into wealthy families like hers couldn't escape the fate of a political marriage.
She was still young, so she had some leeway. But her older sister—Xia Ruoshui—was different.
Though everyone in Jiangzhou called her the "most beautiful CEO," and she had accomplished so much...
In the eyes of the main Xia family, the Xia Group in Jiangzhou was just a branch, nothing more.
The true headquarters of the Xia family wasn't even in Jiangzhou.
Unless her sister could elevate the Xia Group to the next level, she would have no say in her own marriage.
Last time during a holiday visit, she had overheard family elders beginning to arrange a political marriage for her sister—this time, possibly with an even more powerful family.
If the two families' elders settled on the match, her sister would be in serious trouble.
That was why Xia Mengmeng had said earlier that she wished Chen Fan and Xia Ruoshui were already together—so her sister would have someone to protect her.
About ten minutes later, Chen Fan and Xia Mengmeng arrived outside Wangjiang Pavilion.
As they were parking, Chen Yuzhen arrived at the restaurant entrance with a few of her friends.
"Chen-jie, will there even be seats available? We didn't make a reservation."
One of the companions asked, looking a little nervous.
Wangjiang Pavilion was the most exclusive restaurant in Jiangzhou—getting a table was no easy feat.
"Heh, even if there aren't seats for others, there will definitely be one for me!"
Chen Yuzhen said smugly.
"I'm a premium member at Wangjiang Pavilion, you know."
"I spend hundreds of thousands here every year..."
As she boasted arrogantly at the entrance, Chen Fan and Xia Mengmeng happened to walk up.
The moment Chen Yuzhen spotted Chen Fan from a distance, she froze for a second—then immediately sneered, her voice laced with cruelty:
"Oh my, someone like you thinks you can afford to eat at Wangjiang Pavilion?"