502: Chapter 502 I don't like being used!

That person was surnamed Liu.

He was the patriarch of the Liu family in Guang City.

As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere at the table shifted subtly.

Ma Tianlai's expression darkened slightly, but he quickly returned to normal and said indifferently, "It is a family misfortune; it's better not to mention it."

President Liu put down his teacup and sighed, his tone carrying a hint of regret.

"Second Master Ma has done a lot for the Ma Family over the years. Now that something like this has happened, Old Ma must be feeling terrible."

He paused, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally flickering toward Ye Chen.

"But then again, the fact that Old Ma could invite us to dinner today shows that this matter is already behind him. Old Ma's broad-mindedness is truly admirable."

These words sounded like comfort, but who among the shrewd people present couldn't hear the sarcastic undertone?

Ma Tianlai's face darkened completely, and he was just about to flare up.

However...

President Sun also spoke up.

"That's right, Old Ma. I heard that Second Master Ma's case was handled by the Dragon Group?"

"I know a few people in the Guang City Dragon Group branch. Should I help you look into the situation?"

He spoke with apparent sincerity, but his eyes clearly held the look of someone watching a spectacle.

The Ma Family had been entrenched in Guang City for many years, and it had always been others begging them for favors. Now that the Ma Family had suffered such a massive scandal and the Second Master had been taken away by the Dragon Group, those who had been suppressed by the Ma Family in the past were naturally happy to see them become a laughingstock.

Ma Tianlai took a deep breath and suppressed his inner anger.

He glanced at Ye Chen.

He saw Ye Chen holding a cup of tea, leisurely blowing on the tea leaves as if he hadn't heard a single word from the people at the table.

Ma Tianlai felt a slight sense of relief in his heart.

Then.

He put down his teacup and suddenly laughed.

"Everyone, since you are all so interested in yesterday's events, then this old man will say a few more words."

"What happened to Ma Zhonghe was his own doing; he can't blame anyone else."

"Although this old man is heartbroken, I also find it most gratifying."

The people at the table looked at each other, not expecting Ma Tianlai to say such a thing!

Ma Tianlai continued, "I invited everyone here today for two reasons: one is to gather, and the second is to introduce someone to all of you."

He turned slightly and pointed toward Ye Chen.

"This Instructor Ye is the one who personally brought Ma Zhonghe to justice yesterday."

When everyone heard this, they were completely stunned.

Good heavens!

This young man before them was actually! Actually! Actually! The one who arrested the Ma Family's Second Master?

Wait...

Has Ma Tianlai gone mad?

To actually treat the man who arrested his own brother as an honored guest?

Even if there was a feud between brothers, it shouldn't go this far, right?

After all.

For a great family like the Ma Family, this was an absolutely humiliating matter...

Ma Tianlai acted as if he didn't see their reactions and continued, "You all might not know, but Instructor Ye is the Chief Instructor of the Dragon Group's Hidden Dragon Pavilion."

Dragon Group!

Hidden Dragon Pavilion!!

Chief Instructor!!!

These words were like stones thrown into a calm lake, exploding in ripples across everyone's hearts.

Everyone's faces turned green instantly.

What had he just said?

He said Second Master Ma had done a lot for the family, said Old Ma was broad-minded, and even said he knew a few people from the Guang City Dragon Group branch...

Looking back now, every word was a joke.

The Chief Instructor of the Dragon Group's Hidden Dragon Pavilion was sitting right across from him, and he was actually showing off that he knew a few people from a branch office?

In that moment.

He suddenly understood Ma Tianlai.

He even had an impulse...

That was to become Ma Tianlai!

Mrs. Zhou had the fastest reaction, immediately raising her wine glass.

"In... Instructor Ye, I've heard so much about you!"

"I failed to recognize a great person earlier; please don't take offense!"

As she stood up, the others at the table also snapped out of their daze and raised their glasses one after another.

"Greetings, Instructor Ye! I'm Sun Deming, I'm in real estate. You can just call me Old Sun!"

"Instructor Ye, I'm Liu Quan, I'm in trade. I was blind just now, please show magnanimity..."

"Instructor Ye..."

For a moment, the sound of toasts filled the private room. The sarcastic atmosphere from before was now entirely replaced by trepidation and flattery.

Ye Chen put down his teacup, picked up his wine glass, and smiled faintly. "You are all too kind. I was just there at the right time and did what was within my duty."

He spoke nonchalantly, but everyone present understood perfectly.

Just happened to be there?

Within his duty?

A Chief Instructor of the Hidden Dragon Pavilion personally arrested the Ma Family's Second Master, and then Ma Tianlai, instead of turning hostile, politely invited him to dinner and even gave up the seat of honor...

The implications here were incredibly deep.

President Sun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling a wave of lingering fear.

He had actually been thinking of watching the Ma Family's downfall just now. Looking at it now, Ma Tianlai wasn't unlucky; he had clearly latched onto a towering tree.

The Chief Instructor of the Hidden Dragon Pavilion!

What level was that?

That was someone who could speak directly with the Xuanyuan Family, someone who could wipe out the Nordic Saint Hall and leave the leaders of five nations speechless and forced to swallow their pride!

Characters like this were people they would struggle to meet even once in their lives, yet he was sitting right in front of them, and they were actually being sarcastic?

The more President Sun thought about it, the more terrified he became. He raised his glass and offered another toast: "Instructor Ye, I was clumsy with my words just now. I will punish myself with three glasses! Please don't take it to heart!"

After saying that, he really downed three glasses in one go.

President Liu was not to be outdone and also toasted three glasses in a row.

Ma Tianlai sat to the side, watching these business moguls—who were usually so arrogant—bowing and scraping before Ye Chen. He felt both vindicated and filled with emotion.

He was vindicated because these people wanted to see the Ma Family become a joke, but now they had all become the jokes themselves.

He was emotional because...

In his seventy-plus years, he had seen many people, but Ye Chen was the first who could make these arrogant business moguls change their attitude 180 degrees within minutes.

And he was the only one.

Seeing this, Bing Lan's brows knitted slightly.

She could see it...

Ma Tianlai was using A-Chen.

But according to A-Chen's personality, he shouldn't be showing no reaction at all...

Thus.

She remained silent, wanting to see how Ye Chen would handle it.

At this moment, Ma Tianlai raised his wine glass and bowed slightly toward Ye Chen.

"Instructor Ye, this old man would also like to toast you."

"Regarding yesterday's matter, it was all thanks to you."

"If not for you, I don't know how far the Ma Family would have been dragged down by that unworthy descendant."

Ye Chen picked up his glass and clinked it with his. "Old Master Ma is being too polite."

Ma Tianlai downed the wine, the smile on his face deepening.

The calculation in his heart was now completely settled.

The fact that Ye Chen was willing to come to this dinner, sit in the seat of honor, and accept the toasts of these people was equivalent to sending a signal to the outside world...

The Ma Family had a connection with him.

This signal was more effective than any advertisement.

Even if Ye Chen didn't care at all...

But...

Before the smile on Ma Tianlai's face could fully spread, Ye Chen put down his glass and suddenly spoke indifferently.

"Old Master Ma."

"There is something I want to make clear to you."

Ma Tianlai's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly leaned forward. "Please speak, Instructor Ye."

Ye Chen leaned back against his chair and said calmly.

"I, for one, do not like being used."

"Do you understand what I mean?"

The air in the private room seemed to be suddenly sucked out.

The hands of everyone holding wine glasses froze in mid-air.

Ma Tianlai's face turned even more deathly pale.

He understood all too well.

Ye Chen was calling him out.

For tonight's dinner, he had invited several of the most prominent figures in the Guang City business world to accompany them, and then placed Ye Chen in the seat of honor in front of them. Those intentions could not be hidden from this young man.

He wanted to borrow Ye Chen's prestige to bolster the Ma Family's standing.

He wanted the entire Guang City business community to know that although the Ma Family had produced a scumbag like Ma Zhonghe, the person standing behind the Ma Family was the Chief Instructor of the Dragon Group's Hidden Dragon Pavilion.

This connection was more useful than any gold-lettered signboard.

But he had forgotten that the young man in front of him was not one of those ordinary powerful people who could be swayed by a few meals and some flattery.

This was a ruthless man who didn't even care about the financial magnates of the USA!

Trying to use him?

Ma Tianlai's back was already soaked with cold sweat.

"In... Instructor Ye..."

His breath hitched. "This old man absolutely had no such intention!"