C21 I Finally Found You!

"We don't seem to be very familiar with each other," Chen Yaru said, her voice now devoid of the earlier nervousness and instead tinged with a faint disgust.

Xu Shaoning felt a twinge of embarrassment. It seemed he had never been on the receiving end of such disdain before.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" Xu Shaoning shifted his attention to Zhang Xiaolong.

"This is my boyfriend," Chen Yaru said, casting a loving glance at Zhang Xiaolong before continuing dismissively, "But I don't think there's any need for you two to get acquainted."

"Uh..." Xu Shaoning's embarrassment deepened. "I've been meaning to clear up a misunderstanding between us, I hope you..."

"There's no need. We both clearly understand whether it's a misunderstanding," Chen Yaru cut in, her voice growing colder. "Besides, it doesn't matter to me anymore whether it was a misunderstanding or not. I'm not interested in discussing it. If you're busy, we won't keep you."

With that, she took Zhang Xiaolong by the arm, ready to leave.

Her departure was somewhat disrespectful to the Wang family, but Xu Shaoning's presence had extinguished any desire Chen Yaru had to stay.

To her surprise, Xu Shaoning blocked their path, exuding an authoritative presence as he fixed his gaze on Zhang Xiaolong. "I realize this may be forward, but I still need to know who you are. To my knowledge, Yaru hasn't had someone like you in her life."

"Master Xu, don't trouble the poor guy," Wang Changyu interjected with a sneer, having appeared at some point. "I overheard the lad admitting he's a farmer, here as a decoy. I'd wager Miss Chen bought his entire outfit. How could he possibly confess that to you?"

So that was it!

A collective look of understanding spread through the crowd. Everyone knew that competing with the Xu family scion for a woman was not a wise move. Only a fool would attempt it, but if the fool was a hired decoy, especially a naive country boy, then it all made sense.

"Wang Changyu, I won't allow you to speak about him like that!" Chen Yaru snapped, her anger genuine.

Although I had only just met Zhang Xiaolong today, I was instantly touched by the purity I saw in his eyes. And the few minutes I spent in his embrace gave me a sense of security I had never experienced before, to the point where even my fear of Xu Shaoning had vanished.

I am now completely sure that the one I like is Zhang Xiaolong. It doesn't matter to me if he's a peasant or anything else; I just like him for who he is.

Since he's the one I like, how could I possibly stand by and let others speak ill of him?

"Yaru, why put yourself through this?" Xu Shaoning said with a look of heartfelt sorrow, the very picture of a lovelorn young master.

Wang Changyu gave Zhang Xiaolong a disdainful once-over and laughed mockingly. "Young Master Xu, you just don't get it. Miss Chen is still upset with you, but deep down, she still has feelings for you. She's merely brought in a decoy to provoke you, hoping you'll woo her back. Surely, the esteemed Miss Chen Yaru wouldn't actually fall for a peasant. That would be laughable, wouldn't it? Haha..."

Many in the crowd laughed along with Wang Changyu, but most were well aware that he had once pursued Chen Yaru quite aggressively himself. His recent change of heart was likely due to the Wang family's efforts to ingratiate themselves with the Xu family, especially since Xu Shaoning had just returned.

But Wang Changyu's hostility wasn't limited to setting the stage for Xu Shaoning; he seemed genuinely antagonistic towards the so-called 'peasant' shield. Could it be that this man was truly Chen Yaru's new love interest?

"I, Chen Yaru, don't need Young Master Yu to be concerned about whom I like or what kind of person I prefer," Chen Yaru retorted, her irritation growing with each word aimed at Zhang Xiaolong. "And you don't need to put on such a heartbroken act for me. Zhang Xiaolong is not my shield; I like him for who he is, regardless of his status. Are you all happy now?"

"Miss Chen, you can't be serious?" Wang Changyu feigned shock. "So he really is a peasant? You would choose a peasant over Young Master Xu? Where does that leave Young Master Xu's dignity?"

"Enough!" The stern rebuke came surprisingly from Xu Shaoning himself.

He then turned to Chen Yaru with a gentle gaze, "Just as Yaru has said, whom she likes is her own choice. She shouldn't have to compromise her feelings for the sake of anyone's pride. I, Xu Shaoning, am not the kind of man who would coerce someone into a relationship based on status."

His gaze then shifted to Zhang Xiaolong, carrying a different implication. "What's wrong with being a farmer? Some say if you look back three generations, everyone's ancestors were farmers. Without farmers to till the land, we wouldn't even have food to eat..."

Before he could finish, Wang Changyu cut him off, "Xu Shaoning, you're giving them too much credit. Not to speak of others, but your Xu family has been distinguished for generations. As for food, we pay them for their crops. Does that mean we owe them anything? These are shameless farmers trying to glorify themselves. They work, we pay; that makes us their employers, and them our workers. They are inherently beneath us."

Chen Yaru's face grew even darker. It appeared that Xu Shaoning was defending the farmers, but in reality, he was providing Wang Changyu with an opportunity to demean Zhang Xiaolong.

Moreover, most of the attendees were wealthy heirs of business empires, with hardly any from a farming background. Xu Shaoning's comments were likely to offend them, making them agree more with Wang Changyu's views and further look down on farmers, and by extension, Zhang Xiaolong.

"You two..." Chen Yaru, filled with anger, attempted to speak up but was stopped by Zhang Xiaolong.

Zhang Xiaolong offered a serene smile, "Both of you are right, yet both of you are wrong."

"Oh?" Xu Shaoning regarded the unprovoked so-called farmer with a meaningful look. "Then, Mr. Zhang, may I hear your esteemed opinion?"

Although he kept his poise, his tone had an edge to it. Many onlookers turned their attention to him, curious to see where this naive young man found the audacity to critique Xu Shaoning's remarks.

"You're correct that Yaru is free to choose whom she loves, and farmers are no less than anyone else," Zhang Xiaolong said, his gaze meeting the skeptical, scornful, and even challenging eyes around him. "Indeed, farmers don't need anyone to exalt them. They do their work and eat their food. As Young Master Yu pointed out, city dwellers pay, and farmers sell their produce. It's a straightforward exchange; city folk don't end up indebted to farmers, and vice versa. Nor do we consider ourselves owners of a beverage factory simply because we purchase a drink in the city."

The final remark was clearly aimed at Wang Changyu, eliciting a burst of laughter from Chen Yaru.

"Bravo," came a voice, accompanied by applause. "Zhang Xiaolong, I've been looking for you."