The second-hand BYD slowly stopped outside a luxurious mansion.
Lin Fan then patted Gao Min, who had been bent over the co-driver’s seat, providing him with "services" with her little mouth.
"Is this Gao Sheng’s ancestral home?"
Lin Fan examined the grand mansion before his eyes. Bathed in sunlight, the six-story white building featured clean and flowing lines, with large glass curtain walls reflecting the azure sky. Surrounding it were lush green lawns and uniquely designed landscape trees. The spacious and bright hall exuded a fashionable vibe, with exquisite decorations and modern facilities perfectly integrated.
"Yeah, this is the ancestral mansion he expanded at the peak of his career, spending a hundred million on it. During the holidays, he would bring his three wives and kids here; each of them has their own rooms. The only one who couldn’t come back is my mother, as she has no official status. Moreover, because he favored my mother for over ten years, we faced the biggest ostracism!"
After wiping the saliva from the corner of her mouth, Gao Min sat upright, revealing a bitter smile as she gazed at the majestic mansion before her. Even now, she was reluctant to refer to Gao Sheng as her father, which showed just how difficult the years had been for her and her mother.
"It’s okay. Today, you’ve returned with your head held high."
Lin Fan affectionately patted Gao Min’s head, "I’m curious to see what kind of person that fierce-sounding Aunt Lv is."
According to the plan, the banquet was set for seven o’clock tonight, but while they were entangled with each other, Gao Sheng’s official wife, Lv Pingping, unexpectedly called Gao Min and arranged for them to meet at the ancestral mansion. From her tone, it was clear that it was because of Gao Min’s recent live streams, which had sparked discussions about the Gao Family’s private affairs online.
"With Dad here, I’m not afraid of anything!"
Gao Min clung to Lin Fan’s arm tightly. Lacking a father’s love, she truly found an unprecedented sense of security in Lin Fan. This was also why she had told Gao Man the reason for her ’downfall’ – although she had always been repulsed by men, in that moment, she could only cling to the crook of Lin Fan’s arm.
Lin Fan smiled and pinched Gao Min’s nose as the car slowly drove into the mansion. When they stopped in the parking space, a professional butler approached them, having worked for the Gao Family for over a decade, he naturally recognized Gao Min. After giving Lin Fan, who had just stepped out of the car, a glance, he spoke in a high and mighty tone, "The Madam is waiting for you by the pool. The driver can stay here."
"He’s not the driver, he’s my boyfriend!"
Gao Min clung to Lin Fan’s arm, asserting her ownership.
"Regardless of his identity, the Madam instructed for you to come alone. Everyone else is to wait here."
The butler still looked at them coldly, and upon hearing this, Lin Fan couldn’t help but laugh.
"You’ve watched too many Hong Kong movies, haven’t you, with all this ’Madam’ and ’Young Master’ nonsense. On this piece of land, nobility has been dead for many years. If she doesn’t want to meet, then let’s just forget it. We’re leaving. If she wants to meet again, she can go to the company and arrange an appointment with President Gao’s secretary on her own."
"Right, I might not even have the time to meet her!"
With Lin Fan by her side, Gao Min spoke with confidence, opening the car door, ready to return.
"Don’t... don’t... please come with me, then!"
Seeing that Gao Min was about to go, the butler quickly raised his hand, blocking her path, "Then please, come with me."
"That’s more like something a watchdog should do!"
Lin Fan sneered, originally intending to ignore him, but his arrogant attitude and words were simply irritating.
Reprimanded by Lin Fan, the butler didn’t dare say much more and led them around the six-story ancestral mansion to an outdoor swimming pool on the side. In other words, from beginning to end, Lv Pingping had never intended to let Gao Min inside.
By the glittering pool, Lv Pingping, dressed in wealthy attire, lay under a parasol on a sun lounger, sunbathing with sunglasses on and seemingly ignoring Gao Min and Lin Fan as if she was asleep. However, the heaving of her chest was not steady, and Lin Fan noticed at a glance that she was obviously faking it.
"The Madam is asleep; maybe you could wait over here for a bit."
The butler stopped and turned to look at Lin Fan and Gao Min. Even though the day was gradually turning to dusk, the sun was still fierce, a clear attempt to intimidate Gao Min.
Lin Fan, of course, would not indulge her and instead chuckled at Gao Min, "No wonder Gao Sheng went looking for your mother even after getting married. If she’s still sleeping at this hour, it proves she’s really lazy. Having to face a sleeping pig at home every day, if I were him, I’d go outside too!"
His voice, neither too loud nor too soft, easily reached Lv Pingping’s ears. Upon hearing his words, she angrily sat up, took off her sunglasses, and glared fiercely at Lin Fan, "Gao Min, what sort of trash have you brought to the Gao Family to make a scene? Absolutely no manners!"
"If you had any manners, you wouldn’t have scheduled a meeting only to pretend to be asleep on the chair!"
Lin Fan pulled Gao Min into his embrace, looking as if he was about to cause a scene at the Gao Family Mansion today.