Imperial Box
Li Pingfan spared no expense, ordering a table full of delicacies—conservatively estimated to cost over 50,000 yuan. The four dorm brothers ate heartily.
Before this, Li Pingfan had always tagged along for free meals during gatherings. Today, for his first time treating, even the rich second-generation Zhang Fengyi couldn't have pulled off such a grand gesture.
Li Pingfan had clearly become the center of attention at the table, finally holding his head high with pride.
Just as everyone finished eating and prepared to leave,
the box door suddenly swung open. An anxious middle-aged man walked in and headed straight for Li Pingfan.
"Little brother, my father suddenly fell into a coma just now—we don't know why... I want to ask you to come with me," the man said urgently.
"What's going on?" Zhou Zitao and Li Ming were completely confused.
"W-Wen Tianyuan!" Zhang Fengyi's eyes widened, stunned by the man's presence.
This man was one of the people who had followed Elder Wen earlier. From Zhang Fengyi's reaction, it was clear he was no ordinary figure!
But Li Pingfan wasn't moved. He refused directly: "I'm not going! I warned you earlier. Since you didn't believe me, why come to me now?"
Watching this, Zhang Fengyi's jaw nearly dropped.
After all, in the entire Ivy City, fewer than five people would dare to refuse Wen Tianyuan to his face! Li Pingfan was truly showing off his audacity!
Wen Tianyuan didn't dare get angry. He still looked anxious: "We were wrong earlier. I'd normally be too ashamed to ask, but it's rush hour now—ambulances can't get through. If you refuse to help, my father might not survive... I, Wen Tianyuan, am begging you!"
Begging!
This word barely existed in Wen Tianyuan's vocabulary, but at this moment, he bowed his head, pleading with Li Pingfan!
This sincerity, rooted in filial piety, was quite rare.
Li Pingfan wasn't unfeeling. He relented: "Fine. Saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda. I'll go with you."
"Thank you, little brother! Thank you..." Wen Tianyuan thanked him repeatedly, then led Li Pingfan out of the box.
"Second Brother, why are you spacing out?" Li Ming patted the dumbfounded Zhang Fengyi.
"W-Wen Tianyuan actually begged Third Brother to help... The president of Wenshi Group begged our Third Brother!!!" Zhang Fengyi looked utterly shocked, his worldview shattered.
"Wenshi Group? You mean the Wen family, Ivy City's second most powerful clan?" Zhou Zitao was also dumbstruck.
"..." Li Ming froze instantly, even beginning to doubt his own life.
Tianque Box
The Wen family members were gathered around the sofa.
Elder Wen lay motionless on the couch, his pale face and purple lips showing how critical his condition was.
As the saying goes, "A family with an elder has a treasure." At Elder Wen's status, if something happened to him, half of the Wen family's sky would collapse.
Everyone was on edge, and the atmosphere in the box was extremely heavy.
"Make way! Hurry! Mr. Li is here!"
Wen Tianyuan strode into the box.
The others seemed to see hope, their faces brightening with joy.
"All of you step back. Elder Wen needs fresh air," Li Pingfan waved his hand, giving orders directly.
The middle-aged men and women cooperated, stepping back immediately.
But Wen Feng curled his lips, snorting sarcastically: "Who do you think you are? A street charlatan daring to order us around?"
"You'd better get out of my sight right now, or you'll regret it!" Li Pingfan's eyes turned cold, his tone stern.
Earlier, outside Xianghu Club, Wen Feng had picking a quarrel repeatedly, even telling Li Pingfan to get out of his sight.
Li Pingfan had endured enough. He threw Wen Feng's words right back at him.
"What!?"
Wen Feng flew into a rage: "Bastard! How dare you talk to me like that? I'll beat you to a pulp!"
"Wen Feng! Get out!" Wen Tianyuan roared.
Wen Feng trembled, but unwilling: "Uncle! I'm the future heir of the Wen family! You're humiliating me for a loser!"
"Mr. Wen, I came here to help, not to be insulted. If I hear anyone insult me again, I'm sorry—you'll have to fend for yourselves," Li Pingfan's face turned cold, his tone firm.
"You little bastard! You're really pushing your luck? If I don't kill you today, I'm not a Wen..." Wen Feng shouted fiercely.
Slap!
Before he could finish, Wen Tianyuan's thick palm struck him.
The loud slap sent Wen Feng sprawling to the ground, his fair cheek instantly swelling with a bright red handprint.
"Uncle... You hit me for a loser... Just wait! When my dad gets back, I'll make you pay!"
Wen Feng clutched his cheek, eyes filled with anger and resentment. He got up and stormed out the door.
"Disgraceful fool!"
Wen Tianyuan cursed, 恨铁不成钢 (hating that the iron couldn't become steel). Then he said earnestly: "Mr. Li, please save my father quickly. We can't delay any longer."
"Fine. You step back too," Li Pingfan said calmly.
Wen Tianyuan didn't dare argue, stepping back immediately.
With his back to the others, Li Pingfan took out his phone.
He opened the Hundred Treasure Box.
Inside were still a Magical Monkey Hair, a Marriage Talisman, and the three bottles of Small Hundred Herb Elixir he'd just snatched tonight.
—Small Hundred Herb Elixir: Casually brewed by Shennong. Medicinal effect is average. Extract now?
Extract!
Li Pingfan tapped the screen, and a small white porcelain bottle appeared in his hand.
"Shennong is one of the Three Sovereigns, ranked among the immortals! The Small Hundred Herb Elixir may be average for immortals, but for mortals, its effect must be extraordinary!"
Li Pingfan thought to himself. He didn't even need to check what illness Elder Wen had—he directly opened the bottle and poured the greenish liquid into Elder Wen's mouth.
As it turned out, his assumption was completely correct.
As soon as the elixir touched Elder Wen's lips, his complexion improved.
A healthy flush spread across his pale face, and his purple lips gradually turned rosy.
At the same time, Li Pingfan could clearly see the black aura lingering above Elder Wen's head slowly dissipating.
As the saying goes, "Surviving a great disaster brings good fortune afterward."
After escaping this tribulation, Elder Wen's lifespan would extend by at least ten years.
"Cough... cough..."
With a few light coughs, Elder Wen finally woke up.
The others let out excited cheers, and everyone looked at Li Pingfan with newfound admiration and curiosity.
"Young man... thank you for saving my life... I must repay you generously!" Elder Wen said solemnly.
Earlier, though he seemed deeply comatose, his consciousness had been clear. He knew perfectly well that it was Li Pingfan who had pulled him back from death's door.
This was a life-saving grace—and it demanded a great reward!