Forced to Marry a Female Billionaire CEO

"Yes, Uncle."

Bai Qian'er nodded with a smile.

"Are you getting used to life in the Northern Dragon Guard?" Xie Jiancheng asked casually.

Bai Qian'er's smile froze for a moment, then she nodded. "It's alright."

The Bai Family had done an excellent job keeping it a secret. However, judging by Xie Jiancheng's demeanor, Bai Qian'er knew full well that he was already aware of her joining the Northern Dragon Guard.

"Come, have a seat. You've just returned. Isn't your father coming with you this time? I haven't seen him in a long while." Xie Jiancheng spoke like an elder casually catching up with a junior.

Bai Qian'er said, "My father has other matters to attend to, so he couldn't make it."

Xie Jiancheng nodded slightly. "Right. Take a seat then, the auction is about to start."

"Okay."

Bai Qian'er walked past Xie Jiancheng and exchanged a glance with Xu Ke. Then, she suddenly turned to Tang Yingchang. "Mister Tang, may I switch seats? I'd like to sit next to Xu Ke."

Both of their seats had been provided by the Bai Family, so they were right next to Bai Qian'er's. This meant that she was originally supposed to sit next to Tang Yingchang.

As soon as she said this, the three of them were stunned. Tang Yingchang and Xu Ke were completely caught off guard, while Xie Jiancheng's eyes flickered.

If he hadn't known about the power behind Xu Ke, he wouldn't have thought much of Bai Qian'er's actions. He would have simply assumed that she had a liking for Xu Ke and wanted to compete for him, even though he already had a fiancée. But now that he knew the truth, he began to speculate. The usually passive Bai Qian'er was being so proactive, not even caring that Xu Ke had a fiancée… This probably wasn't so simple! This can't be!

Xie Jiancheng thought for a moment before stealthily taking out his phone and sending a message to Xie Hezheng.

While Xie Jiancheng was busy with his phone, Xu Ke was just about to stop Bai Qian'er from sitting down. She treats him like an enemy now; he didn't want to be subjected to her sarcastic remarks throughout the entire auction.

But Tang Yingchang stood up without a moment's hesitation. "No problem!"

Xu Ke was speechless.

Just like that, Bai Qian'er smoothed her skirt and sat down next to Xu Ke. Her sweet fragrance wafted into his nostrils.

Xu Ke instinctively shifted away.

"You dislike me that much?" Bai Qian'er asked coolly, having noticed his movement.

Xu Ke changed the subject. "Where are your two attendants?"

"There were no seats for them in the front row, so I arranged for them to sit at the back," Bai Qian'er explained.

Xu Ke subconsciously glanced back and was met with two gazes. One was amused, while the other held veiled animosity.

He looked away. "I see."

"Also," Bai Qian'er added, "my sitting next to you doesn't mean I have any designs on you. My grandfather just told me to remember to help you."

"Elder Master Zhou already called my grandfather."

"Don't get the wrong idea."

As she said this, her face flushed slightly, reminded of the nonsense she had spewed at Xu Ke earlier.

Xu Ke didn't mind. It all clicked into place. "Thank you." As long as it wasn't about fighting, he could accept it.

After taking her seat in the front row, Bai Qian'er seemed to transform into a different person. She became very reserved, and her every movement was graceful and proper, unlike her previous casual and uninhibited self. With Xie Jiancheng also sitting beside her with such a formal posture, Xu Ke had no choice but to straighten up as well.

Not far away, Lin Fang's face grew even paler when she saw Xu Ke conversing with Xie Jiancheng and Bai Qian'er. How could she have ever imagined that the person the young master told her to deal with a few days ago was so formidable? She now kept her head bowed while working, terrified of attracting Xu Ke's attention. If Xu Ke were to say a word or two about her to Xie Jiancheng, she'd be finished.

Soon, groups of people gradually filled the venue. As they entered, their gazes were immediately drawn to the front row. Xie Jinhua had been forbidden from attending, and everyone was curious to see which younger member of the Xie Family would preside in his place. But when they saw Xie Jiancheng himself sitting there, they were all dumbfounded.

How did they manage to get this heavyweight to come?

Their faces turned pale and their bodies trembled, especially when they saw Xie Jiancheng chatting and laughing with Xu Ke.

Didn't Xu Ke beat up Xie Jiancheng's son? Why is Xie Jiancheng speaking to him so amiably? His attitude even seems to carry a hint of humility... What in the world is going on?

They couldn't figure it out. The only thing they knew for sure was that Xu Ke, now on good terms with both the Xie and Bai Families, was no longer someone they could afford to mock. Their previous schadenfreude toward Xu Ke was entirely based on taking their cues from Xie Jinhua. Now that Xie Jinhua's own father was treating Xu Ke with such kindness, continuing to mock him would be courting death.

Thus, the more astute among them began finding excuses to approach Xu Ke and build connections, chatting about anything and everything to ensure they left a good impression. When one person went, a second was sure to follow.

And so it began...

"Mister Xu, do you remember me? My family has cooperative ties with the Wang Family. When I saw the news about you, I just knew you and President Wang were a match made in heaven..."

"Mister Xu, you may not know this, but I was at the Martial Alliance selection tournament that day. Your heroic display is something I will never forget..."

"Mister Xu..."

"Haha, is that so? What a coincidence," Xu Ke forced a dry laugh.

He watched as one family head after another approached, pretending to be casual while blatantly fawning over him and the two people beside him. He felt overwhelmed and struggled to maintain a pained smile. He was just here to attend an auction, not to be showered with flattery... But he couldn't refuse them, especially since several were business agents for the Wang Family's Sui City operations.

The crowd buzzed, all eyes fixed on him. The spot where Xu Ke sat had bizarrely become the center of the entire venue.

Even more bizarrely, Xie Jiancheng and Bai Qian'er, who would normally be the center of attention, showed no dissatisfaction at all. The former wore a faint smile, silently impressed with the crowd's tact. He hoped their flattery would help dispel any lingering grudges in Xu Ke's heart.

The latter, meanwhile, was giggling, her eyes brimming with schadenfreude. She found it amusing that Xu Ke, who had spouted such nonsense in front of her earlier, could now be forced into such an awkward position.

While Xu Ke was miserable, Tang Yingchang at his side was thoroughly pleased, nodding repeatedly. It seems coming to this auction was the right move for Mister Xu. Getting used to this kind of occasion in advance will help him handle the adulation of the masses with practiced ease when his power is fully established one day.

Tang Yingchang's satisfaction, however, was met by the venomous glares of three elders who had just entered the hall.

"What is going on?!" Shi Hongda, who had just walked in, ground his teeth, his face contorted with rage. They couldn't believe their eyes, seeing Xu Ke in such a glorious position.

"Impossible! What on earth happened?" The Yin-Yang Elders' faces were ashen.

In Tianhai, Xu Ke had been disdained by their three families and mocked by everyone. How had he suddenly transformed into a guest of honor in Sui City, fawned over by all?

"I thought that by offending the Xie Family, he was offending half of Sui City and would surely be ostracized," Shi Hongda fumed. "But who could have predicted that Xie Hezheng would personally step in to punish Xie Jinhua? I've got it! It must be Xie Hezheng's punishment that led these small, opportunistic families to believe Xu Ke holds a high status in the Xie Family's eyes. That's why they're all scrambling to curry favor with him! Damn it, this kid's luck is just too good!"