Chapter 62: Ye Fanzhi Is Worthy of the Ancestral Temple

The system had said that Ye Fanzhi was Lin Ran’s wife on another thread of his life, so Lin Ran acknowledged her as his wife. Therefore, if anyone coveted his wife, tonight Lin Ran would ensure they abandoned such unrealistic thoughts.

He hadn’t paid much attention to Chen Bo earlier, but now, after scrutinizing him, Lin Ran noticed his clothes were luxury brands and the watch on his wrist was a Patek Philippe—not one of the basic models, but something worth over a million. Clearly, he was a powerful rich second-generation.

“All the youngsters are here,” Ye’s father and mother approached, greeting them.

“Hello, Uncle and Aunt!” Everyone stood and greeted them warmly, but Chen Bo, rather abruptly, stepped forward from the crowd. “Uncle, Aunt, it’s been so long since I saw you. How have you been?”

Ye’s father replied, “Thank you for your concern, Xiao Bo. We’re quite well.”

Chen Bo said, “Uncle, Aunt, please sit here,” proactively pulling out the chairs beside him for Ye’s father and mother, while shooting Lin Ran a provocative glance—a truly sly move.

Lin Ran was taken aback.

This cannot be tolerated!

Very well, you want to compete over who’s more cunning? When I, Lin Ran, get sly, even I’m afraid of myself!

Ye’s father and mother sat down, looking around at the group of young people. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen all of you. The boys have grown handsome, and the girls beautiful.”

Lou Shishi teased, “Uncle, am I the prettiest?”

Ye’s father laughed, “Hahaha… Seeing you every day, I can’t even tell anymore.”

Lou Shishi pouted, “Fine! Then I’ll visit your house less often from now on.”

Lou Shishi and Ye Fanzhi were close friends. Before Ye Fanzhi went to Shudu, they spent every day together—sometimes at Shishi’s house, sometimes at Fanzhi’s. Their families were very close.

Ye’s mother asked, “Oh? Fanzhi, didn’t you say you have a new friend? Where are they?”

“He’s… Where is he?” Ye Fanzhi pointed to where Lin Ran had been sitting, but the seat was empty. She turned to see Lin Ran grilling barbecue nearby.

She quickly ran over. “Xiao Lin, what are you doing?”

Lin Ran, still grilling, replied casually, “I saw everyone’s here. You all chat, I'll grill for you.”

Ye’s mother smiled. “Such a hardworking young man.”

Lin Ran said, “Uncle, Aunt, what would you like to eat? I’ll grill it for you.”

Ye’s mother laughed, “No need, no need, you’re a guest. You shouldn’t be grilling.”

Chen Bo knew Ye’s parents appreciated industrious people and wasn’t about to let Lin Ran earn points with them. He stepped up, “Lin Ran, you’re a guest. Go eat, I’ll take over.”

“Alright, here you go. Fanzhi, let’s go sit.” Lin Ran handed the skewers to Chen Bo and called Ye Fanzhi away.

Chen Bo was stunned.

Ye Fanzhi said, “Shall I help instead?”

Chen Bo forced a smile. “No need, you two go ahead and eat.”

“Okay.” Ye Fanzhi didn’t stand on ceremony with her old classmate and went to sit with Lin Ran.

Chen Bo could only watch helplessly as Lin Ran pushed him to the sidelines.

Lin Ran returned to his seat and took the initiative to introduce himself. “Hello, Uncle and Aunt. My name is Lin Ran. My mother works as a teacher at the school where Fanzhi is employed.”

Oh?

Ye’s parents’ eyes brightened at his words. Their daughter had always worried about being alone in Shudu.

Ye’s father asked, “What subject does she teach?”

“Chinese,” Lin Ran replied.

“Chinese, good. I teach Chinese as well,” Ye’s father said, who was a university literature professor.

Ye’s father continued, “Fanzhi mentioned you’re here on a business trip?”

Lin Ran answered, “It’s a coincidence, really. I’m here to negotiate a game project, and it happens to be near your home, so I met Fanzhi.”

Ye’s father asked, “Someone nearby is developing games? What kind of game?”

“‘Dark Yang Jian,’” Lin Ran replied.

“Dark… cough, cough…” Ye’s father refrained from commenting. He had his reservations about that game. Wang Feng had asked him to be a consultant before, but he refused, so he politely said, “Young and promising, very good.”

Ye’s father was a principled man—he had said he wouldn’t consult for games that distorted literary classics, and he stuck to it.

But what if his son-in-law made such a game?

“‘Dark Yang Jian’ contacted me before…” Chen Bo sat down with barbecue in hand. “Single-player game, won’t work. As a friend, let me advise you: don’t invest in it. That game burns money—needs 300 million, no big boss is willing to take it on.”

Lin Ran nodded, not arguing. There was nothing worth debating.

Ye Fanzhi spoke up, “That game does burn money, but investment always carries risk. I actually believe in the first domestic AAA single-player game, and I trust many domestic players will support it.”

Lin Ran smiled gratefully—Ye Fanzhi truly was wonderful.

Chen Bo immediately changed his tune. “Fanzhi is right. I believe in your judgment.”

Ye Fanzhi declared, “Alright, let’s not talk about work. Come, everyone, let me propose a toast. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy lives to celebrate my birthday. Cheers~”

Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together.

Lou Shishi produced a gift box for Ye Fanzhi. “My little birthday star, happy birthday! Wishing you joy every day—here’s a beautiful birthday gift for you~”

“Thank you~” Ye Fanzhi accepted the gift and opened it—a jade bell. She shook it, and it jingled brightly. “Looks like Hetian jade. Shishi, you really spared no expense.”

Lou Shishi replied, “On my birthday, you gave me a Gucci bag; I give you a jade bell—I'm definitely ahead. Hahaha… You must pair this bell with your Hanfu.”

Ye Fanzhi said, “OK! I’ll wear it tomorrow for you.”

Their circle consisted of the daughters of wealthy families in Shanghai—not the absolute top tier, but still quite affluent. Birthday gifts usually ranged in the thousands or tens of thousands.

“Daughter, your father and I have prepared a gift for you as well…” Ye’s mother took a document folder from her bag and handed it to Ye Fanzhi.

“What is it~” Ye Fanzhi took it and opened it, stunned.

Everyone gasped in amazement.

It was a red certificate—a property deed for an apartment in Jinmao Mansion, Shanghai! Worth twenty or thirty million.

A university professor and a biology expert, both longtime Shanghai residents, and wealthy!

Ye Fanzhi frowned, “When did you buy this behind my back? Didn’t I tell you to save it for retirement?”

Ye’s mother replied, “We’re keeping it for the interest, but it’s better to buy an apartment. The location of this development in Shanghai is unbeatable. We bought it… hehe… for you to use as a wedding house.”

Ye Fanzhi asked, “Dad, what about your gift?”

Ye’s father and the others burst out laughing.

“I was joking,” Ye Fanzhi said, her rare playfulness enlivening the atmosphere.

Lin Ran looked at the property deed and recalled something the system had said:

“At twenty-four, you started a game company. Lacking funds, Ye Fanzhi helped you raise 30 million. Later, you learned she’d sold her Porsche, all her jewelry, and her apartment in Shanghai to do so.”

It was likely the very apartment her parents gave her on her twenty-second birthday.

Even if that timeline was now irrelevant, Lin Ran admired Ye Fanzhi’s courage.

For a woman to risk everything, selling her house to support a boyfriend who hadn’t even married her yet—that kind of boldness was a blessing any man would be lucky to receive, worthy of ancestral temples.