Chapter 109: The Master Artisan of the Black Dragon Society!

Ye Wushang was stunned.

At that moment, other influential figures began to urge him.

“Mr. Ye, just agree already.”

“The elder has spoken, and we have no objections.”

“You two are a perfect match—truly a union made in heaven. I’m rooting for you both.”

“With my An family’s power combined with your abilities, a strong alliance like this will surely achieve great things!”

For a moment, Ye Wushang sat rigidly, unsure of how to respond.

At this critical juncture, Tu Ye, who had discerned Ye Wushang’s thoughts, suddenly stepped forward and interrupted, “Everyone, please hear me out.”

“Though I’m an outsider, Mr. Han is my elder brother, and as his junior, I feel this matter is a bit rushed.”

“After all, Anqing Kingdom has already issued warnings—if the plan cannot be realized, Miss An’s position as president remains unstable.”

“To be together without obstacles, I believe it’s best to first expand and strengthen the noodle shop. What do you all think?”

Upon hearing this, the crowd nodded in agreement, finding reason in his words.

Ye Wushang’s eyes brightened; he nodded, “Tu Ye makes a good point.”

“Whatever we do, we must be free of worries.”

“Let’s wait a bit longer. I want to establish my sister’s career first.”

He couldn’t openly contradict Elder An’s wishes.

Nor did he want to hurt An Lan’s feelings.

So he could only stall for time and observe how things unfolded.

Elder An frowned, pondered for a moment, then looked at An Lan. “Lanlan, what do you think?”

“Let’s follow Wushang’s decision.”

She was no fool.

She naturally saw that Ye Wushang was still reluctant.

Her position as president of the prestigious An family and a noble heiress, yet she was the one initiating marriage, but he was unwilling.

Honestly, it was somewhat humiliating.

However, that was also one of the things she admired in him.

He was unafraid of authority and steadfast in his convictions.

Anyway,

since he hadn’t outright rejected her, it meant there was still hope.

It was fine; she was willing to wait.

Until the moment his heart could truly accept her.

“In the past, it was about building a family and career.”

“But now, it’s career first, then family.”

“Wushang cares for his sister, and I want to help Wuyou build her career well.”

“Let’s revisit this in a month. In any case, we can’t give others cause for gossip.”

An Lan’s understanding words deeply moved Ye Wushang.

He opened his mouth to say something but feared stirring trouble, so he remained silent.

“Alright then.”

“You young people have your own thoughts. I, as an old man, shouldn’t interfere too much.”

Elder An understood, patted Ye Wushang’s shoulder, and said earnestly, “But Wushang, you must keep this in mind.”

“The development of the noodle shop cannot be neglected, but the marriage with Lanlan must also be carefully considered.”

“In a month, I’ll assess your progress.”

Ye Wushang nodded, “Please rest assured, Elder An, I will give it my all.”

***

“Not just for my sister’s noodle shop, but for the growth of the An family’s catering business.”

“Haha.”

Elder An laughed heartily, exhaling deeply, “Alright then, tonight’s celebration banquet will end here.”

“The noodles were delicious, and the atmosphere was great.”

“I’ll come more often.”

With a wave, the assembled dignitaries followed Elder An and departed.

The once lively scene instantly fell silent.

Ye Wuyou, along with Zhang Long and Tao Hong, began tidying up, while An Lan pulled Ye Wushang aside, pressing her lips together gently, “Wushang.”

“Don’t take what my grandfather said to heart.”

“You only care about your sister, and I want to make the business better.”

“Marriage? I’m not planning on that for now.”

Ye Wushang smiled, “It’s good you think that way.”

“Anyway, this time I’ll be serious. In a month, I’ll show you what I’ve achieved.”

“How do you plan to do it?”

An Lan asked curiously, “This ingredient competition isn’t just to promote the noodle shop.”

“It also needs to integrate with our family’s catering business. Only by uniting the two can we silence my uncle’s objections…”

“Your family’s medicinal cuisine and my family’s noodles—medicinal noodles. What do you think?”

An Lan was taken aback, “Medicinal noodles?”

“Exactly.”

“Combining the two would promote both health and great taste.”

“Then the noodle shop could be launched under the name of your family’s catering business, killing two birds with one stone.”

An Lan raised her brows, intrigued, looking at him, “Wushang, sometimes I’m really curious—what exactly goes on inside your head?”

“Your thought process is always so unique. I can hardly keep up…”

“Haha.”

Ye Wushang laughed heartily.

After some light conversation, An Lan returned to the main point, “Alright Wushang, I’ll leave the ingredient competition to you. I won’t interfere.”

“The urgent thing now is to sign the agreement with the Lan family and get the business rolling.”

“Once we become a financial conglomerate, standing still means falling behind. We must consolidate our businesses or risk being pushed out.”

“My uncle is watching greedily, and many competitors lurk outside. We cannot afford complacency.”

Ye Wushang nodded. “Don’t worry. Tomorrow I’ll meet with Lan Ruoxue to sign the documents to ensure smooth cooperation between our families.”

Tomorrow was Grandfather’s sixtieth birthday.

Presenting the gift and signing the agreement should be no problem.

After the Wutong warehouse incident, he no longer bore much resentment toward Lan Ruoxue.

People are countless, with differing values.

She pursued fame and fortune; he sought a simple life.

Different paths, it was only a matter of time before they diverged.

“Good. I’ll wait for your news.”

An Lan nodded, then looked toward Tu Ye standing nearby, understanding silently. “I’ll go help Wuyou tidy up.”

“You two chat first.”

With that, she turned and entered the house.

Ye Wushang hesitated, wanting to ask about the old craftsman but was wary.

The matter of Elder An’s arranged marriage left him uneasy.

If unnecessary, he preferred not to trouble An Lan again.

Sometimes, owing too many favors is impossible to repay.

“Mr. Ye.”

Seeing Ye Wushang signal, Tu Ye immediately stepped forward, bowing slightly.

Ye Wushang patted his shoulder, smiling, “Don’t call me Mr. Ye. It sounds too formal.”

“Then I’ll call you Big Brother!”

Tu Ye grinned. “Though you’re younger, your skills surpass mine by far. Calling you Big Brother is no exaggeration.”

“Suit yourself.”

Ye Wushang took a deep breath, then said solemnly, “By the way, I want to ask you something.”

“Do you know any old craftsmen who make gold, silver, and jade artifacts?”

“For setting up formations.”

“They need not only an antique feel but exquisite workmanship.”

“Someone who can create formation jade pieces tailored to my needs.”

“Then I’ll infuse them with spiritual energy. They might not reach the level of magical tools, but at least they’ll help expand his body’s potential and enhance cultivation.”

“Old craftsmen?”

Tu Ye frowned, pondering, then said with a bitter expression, “Such old craftsmen are treasures.”

“In the past, they were VIPs for people like us dealing in antiques and calligraphy.”

“But now, most have been absorbed by major underground forces, mainly for laundering stolen goods and altering appearances.”

“If you really want to find one, only the Black Dragon Society would have them.”

“Black Dragon Society?”

Ye Wushang’s suspicion grew. “The same underground organization that Sun Chuanzi sent assassins from?”

“That’s right.”

“As the foremost underground power in Jinghan City, their operations are complex, and they have many ways to accumulate wealth.”

“To invest legitimately, the craftsmanship of old artisans is indispensable.”

“But these people are their treasures. Even if I intervene, it won’t be easy. It’ll be quite difficult.”

Ye Wushang snorted coldly, “No matter the difficulty, I have to try.”

“Tu Ye, go and find out for me.”

“Figure out where they are, how many there are, and their locations.”

“Once you have concrete information, come back and report. Then we’ll discuss our next move.”

Tu Ye was now completely loyal to Ye Wushang.

Upon hearing the order, he nodded immediately, “Big Brother, rest assured, I’ll have news for you tomorrow.”

“There’s one more thing I’ll need your help with.”

“You say that like you’re my elder brother. It’s only natural that the younger brother does tasks when asked.”

Tu Ye laughed. “You saved my life, and this life is yours. Whatever you command, just say it.”

“Hmm, it’s about the ingredient competition.”

“You heard earlier—it will be held in a month.”

“I’m not worried about my sister’s cooking, but I fear something might go wrong.”

“So…”

“Understood!”

Tu Ye cut in, “I haven’t finalized the plans yet, but I guarantee you’ll be satisfied this time.”

“I’ll arrange the venue and find suitable contestants, ensuring it’s bustling and prosperous.”

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