Forced to Marry a Female Billionaire CEO

Kang Dehui bellowed, "You're clearly framing Senior Brother Gong, yet you dare claim he'd be grateful to you?"

Xu Ke couldn't be bothered to argue. "Fine, since you're not convinced, what do you plan to do about it?"

"Didn't I tell you? Apologize to him!"

"Apologize?" Xu Ke scoffed. "Why don't you call him and ask if he dares to accept an apology from me?"

As he spoke, a cold, sharp aura instantly radiated from him. It sent an involuntary shiver down the spines of Kang Dehui's lackeys and Xu Yi's roommates.

Is this Xu Yi's brother? Wasn't he supposed to be a freeloader living off the Wang Family? He doesn't seem like one at all!

"You..." Kang Dehui's face turned ashen. "Do you really think you can do whatever you want just because the Wang Family is backing you?"

If he actually called Gong Hou, he'd be lucky if Gong Hou didn't end up apologizing to Xu Ke, let alone demand an apology.

Xu Ke remained expressionless. "If you really want to stand up for your senior brother, then study hard and stop wasting your time on useless nonsense."

"Haha, study?" Kang Dehui sneered. "I think you're the last person qualified to say something like that. Always social climbing and leeching off others!"

At this, Xu Yi cut in, "That's enough, Kang Dehui! What's the meaning of all these snide remarks?" She turned to her brother. "Let's go. We shouldn't waste our time here."

With that, Xu Yi grabbed her suitcase and started to walk away. She hadn't come back to her home country just to watch her suitor argue with Xu Ke.

Seeing this, Kang Dehui's eyes went cold, and he shot a meaningful glance at Xu Yi's roommates.

One of them quickly rushed forward. "Xiao Yi, don't be in such a hurry! We've been waiting here for so long to hold a welcome-back party for you. Young Master Kang has already booked a private room at a hotel and invited all our classmates. Please, grace us with your presence. If you leave now, it'll be hard to explain to everyone waiting in the hotel!"

As she finished speaking, a flash of anger crossed Xu Yi's face. It was obvious that Kang Dehui had invited a crowd of their classmates to prevent her from refusing, essentially forcing her to attend the gathering. If she refused to go, she would offend many of her peers. But if she went with them now, Xu Ke would undoubtedly be ridiculed.

Just then, Xu Ke walked to Xu Yi's side and said with a smile, "Then why don't we all go together?"

Xu Yi was taken aback. "What?"

"Since Young Master Kang is paying and it's all to welcome you back, there shouldn't be a problem with me joining, right?" Xu Ke said lightly, his eyes fixed on Kang Dehui.

Xu Yi was stunned into silence.

Kang Dehui, however, sneered. "Of course not. After all, aren't you, Xu Ke, used to leeching off others? I'm feeling generous. What's one more meal for you to freeload?"

Hearing this, Xu Yi's expression soured. "Brother, maybe we shouldn't go." She was afraid Xu Ke would be mocked if he went.

But Xu Ke just smiled and looked at Kang Dehui. "He doesn't mind, so neither do I. I'd like to see just how much sincerity this guy has in welcoming you back."

Honestly, Xu Ke wanted to go because he was worried that Xu Yi's relationships with her classmates would suffer because of this. She was in her junior year and was quite popular in her class. There was no need for her to alienate a group of classmates over his petty squabble with Kang Dehui.

Seeing his point, Xu Yi, though hesitant, finally agreed.

At this, her roommates let out a collective sigh of relief. No matter how it happened, they had at least managed to get Xu Yi to come along.

...

「In the parking lot.」

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

A series of electronic chirps sounded as cars were unlocked. Two vehicles stood near Kang Dehui and his group: a seven-seater commercial van and a red, two-seater Porsche sports car.

Clearly, the van was for Kang Dehui's entourage and Xu Yi's roommates, while the Porsche was for himself and Xu Yi.

"Xiao Yi, come on, get in this car!" Kang Dehui gestured toward the Porsche, its doors raised like wings. A look of arrogance was plastered on his face. "This is a limited-edition sports car my dad bought for me this year. It's worth over three million."

Xu Yi stared at him as if he were an idiot.

Can this guy seriously not read the room? After offending Xu Ke, he still expects me to get in his car? There's clearly something wrong with his brain!

In reality, Kang Dehui knew he didn't have a good image in Xu Yi's eyes, but he didn't care. All he knew was that Xu Yi was a girl from Shan City who hadn't experienced the real world yet, so she could still afford to be proud.

By her senior year, she'll understand just how great it is to have money! And then, won't she be putty in my hands? As for arguing with Xu Ke making her hate me more? I couldn't care less. I figure Xu Ke has fallen so low in the Wang Family that he was publicly refuted by a company announcement. In the end, it took a press conference just for him to be acknowledged. His status in the Wang Family is probably so precarious that even taking a breath requires Wong Qifu's permission. How good could the reputation of a moocher like that be? Right now, Xu Yi doesn't know anything, so of course she sides with him. But later at the party, when everyone starts gossiping and tells her the truth, his image will collapse instantly. It's nothing to worry about!

"My brother and I will take that car," Xu Yi said, pointing to the seven-seater van. Since Kang Dehui was insisting on "treating," she had no qualms about assigning seats for herself and Xu Ke.

"That won't work, Xiao Yi, we're full!"

"That's right, Xiao Yi, you should ride with Young Master Kang," her roommate chimed in. With that, they shut the van door.

Seeing this, Xu Yi was furious.

How could even my roommates have changed so much while I was abroad?!

"Besides, Xiao Yi, we only saved a seat for you. We didn't account for your brother," one of them added.

"If your brother wants to eat with us, he can take a taxi."

"I just wonder if the Wang Family even gave him taxi fare," another person snickered.

Kang Dehui stared at Xu Yi, a smug look spreading across his face. He had brought these two cars specifically to flaunt his wealth and show her how rich he was. At this point, he was actually grateful that the freeloader Xu Ke had shown up. Otherwise, how could he have so perfectly highlighted his own affluence?

At those words, the displeasure on Xu Yi's face deepened. She knew Xu Ke. Even if he were engaged to someone as rich as Wong Qifu, he would never take her money. And based on his financial situation—struggling for three years in Tianhai just to barely afford a house—he couldn't possibly own a car. He probably couldn't even bear to spend money on a taxi.

Thinking of this, Xu Yi felt a pang of regret. If she had known this would happen, she never would have let her roommates know when she was returning.

"That's alright, I drove," Xu Ke said nonchalantly.

"You drove?" From inside the van, one of Kang Dehui's underlings scoffed. "Xu Yi's brother, stop joking. Where's your car? Don't tell me it's a shared bike!"

His words triggered a wave of mocking laughter. "Hahaha..."

Kang Dehui's eyes filled with a gloating expression.

At this moment, Xu Yi must finally understand the gap between us!

But before the laughter could die down...

BOOM!

A harsh roar suddenly ripped through the quiet of the parking lot, brutally cutting them off.