After finishing all the matters that needed to be explained, Lu Fan drove away from Twelve Dao Gou Village. As the car sped along the road, Lu Fan glanced at a prominent family listed on the IOU.
The Hong family of Liancheng was a dominant force in the region. They were immensely powerful. It was said that the elder generation of the Hong family had five brothers, known in the martial world as the Five Tigers of Hong. After establishing themselves in Liancheng, they had flourished and expanded, with the brothers not separating despite having no children of their own. Currently, nearly a hundred members of the Hong family across four generations lived together, and all of them had practiced martial arts since childhood, making their strength far beyond that of ordinary families.
The ancestor of the Hong family who entered Hua Rong Mansion was Hong Fengjin, the eldest of the five Hong brothers. Of the other four brothers, three were gone, leaving only the youngest, Hong Fenglin. This man, like Old Ancestor Yan, was very strong. However, he lacked a crucial opportunity to break through to the Transformation Realm.
The current head of the Hong family was Hong Zhancheng, the eldest son of Hong Fenglin.
Lu Fan arrived outside Liancheng city and happened to see a beautiful small mountain, with a clear stream flowing at its foot. The stream wound around half of the mountain. On the hillside, a large patch of red leaves glowed with vibrant colors under the setting sun, a truly stunning sight.
At the foot of the mountain, many young men and women were laughing by the river, taking photos, and some even went to admire the red leaves and capture the moment. Although the weather was a bit chilly, their spirits were high.
Seeing the scenery, Lu Fan's mood lifted. He found a flat spot by the river, parked his car, and took out a small wild chicken, some roasted meat, a grill, and charcoal from his storage ring. He began his solitary outdoor barbecue.
The small wild chicken and roasted meat were packed for him by Wang Yan, who had told him that he wouldn't be able to eat such good food from home once he was far away. She advised him to pack more so he could enjoy a meal whenever he pleased.
The roasted meat soon emitted a rich aroma. Lu Fan took a deep sniff, finding it incredibly fragrant, and gave himself a perfect score.
“Little brother! Eating roasted meat alone is so boring, isn't it? Would you like some company? I brought some good wine!” Suddenly, a voice called out, and a young girl, about eighteen or nineteen years old, ran over with an excited expression, holding a can of beer.
Lu Fan glanced up. The girl was wearing sportswear and was quite attractive. However, judging by her gluttonous expression, with saliva almost dripping down, she had likely been drawn in by the aroma of his roasted meat.
“I have my own wine!” Lu Fan thought it amusing and, as if by magic, produced a bottle of Wuliangye.
Gulp… Seeing the Wuliangye, the girl directly swallowed. It seemed this girl was not only a foodie but also very fond of wine.
“Little brother! What good wine! It would be such a waste if no one accompanied you to drink it! How about this, I’ll sacrifice a little of my time and keep you company for a drink, what do you say?” the girl said with a lecherous look.
“But I prefer drinking alone!” Seeing the girl’s demeanor, Lu Fan found it funny. He opened the wine bottle and took a gulp.
“No! Drinking alone is so dull! Besides, it’s a beautiful young lady asking, how can you refuse?” The girl seemed a bit anxious. The aroma of the wine was too strong, too tempting. And the roasted meat… she was practically drooling.
Whoosh… The girl, without waiting for Lu Fan’s agreement, reached out and grabbed a chicken wing, taking a bite. Wow… it was delicious.
“Little brother, this chicken wing is amazing. With a sip of wine, I could ascend to immortality,” the girl exclaimed, reaching for the Wuliangye in Lu Fan’s hand.
This time, Lu Fan didn’t refuse, letting the girl take the bottle. The girl gulped… taking a large swig, essentially finishing half the bottle of Wuliangye.
“Good wine, so delicious!” The girl seemed unsatisfied, saying as she tilted her head back and gulped… taking another large mouthful.
“Good heavens… this girl has quite a capacity for alcohol?” Lu Fan was somewhat surprised. He hadn’t expected this girl to finish nearly a bottle of wine in just two gulps. He had never seen a girl drink like this before.
“Little brother! Are you from out of town? Where are you from?” Seeing the wine bottle empty, the girl, without any pretense, tossed the bottle aside, grabbed a skewer of roasted meat, and asked while eating.
Lu Fan directly picked up the small wild chicken. He was confident that if he had been a moment slower, this small wild chicken would likely have been eaten.
Indeed, as a skewer of meat reached the girl’s mouth, it was gone in an instant. This was not how a girl usually ate!
“Little brother! Your roasted chicken is too delicious! Can you tell me how you made it?” After swallowing a skewer of roasted meat, the girl reached for the small wild chicken in Lu Fan’s hand.
“Hey… hey… you’re snatching it now?” Lu Fan was stunned. He had never encountered a girl like this. She was even standing up to snatch food? Had she never eaten anything in her life?
“Hong Xiaojiao…” Suddenly, a shout came from a distance, and following it, three individuals who clearly looked like they came from wealthy families walked over. Behind them, two girls, roughly the same age as Hong Xiaojiao, followed, panting.
“Hong Xiaojiao! What do you mean? You left us behind and ran off by yourself!?” Gu Danian shouted angrily as soon as he arrived.
“Gu Danian! My legs are my own, do I need your permission to go wherever I please?” Hong Xiaojiao rolled her eyes and said irritably.
“Kid! Who are you? Dare to drink with Xiao Jiao, are you tired of living?” Gu Danian clearly had some reservations about Hong Xiaojiao and suddenly roared at Lu Fan.
“None of your business! Get lost!” Lu Fan’s wine and small wild chicken had all been snatched away, and he was in no mood to hold back his anger. He immediately yelled at Gu Danian.
“You dare tell me to get lost? You kid, are you tired of living?” Gu Danian was instantly enraged and took a step forward, about to make a move.
“Gu Danian! You dare to lay a hand on me? See if I don’t cripple you today!” Hong Xiaojiao suddenly glared and yelled at Gu Danian.
“You… you actually want to cripple me for an outsider? Hong Xiaojiao, I’m your boyfriend!” Gu Danian shouted in disbelief and anger.
“Who said you’re my boyfriend? Every handsome guy in Liancheng claims to be my boyfriend, what makes you so special? Get lost!” Hong Xiaojiao yelled furiously.
“You! Hong Xiaojiao, my father has proposed to your father, and your father has agreed. It’s useless if you don’t admit it!” Gu Danian’s face turned as red as a pig’s belly. He abruptly turned to Lu Fan and roared, “Kid, you wait for me, I won’t let you off!”
With that, Gu Danian turned and left with the other two. The two girls who had just caught up glanced at Hong Xiaojiao and then followed them away.
“Heh heh! Are you from the Hong family?” Lu Fan ignored Gu Danian’s threat and asked Hong Xiaojiao with a smile.