Three days later.
The sun was shining, a rare sight.
It was just like Yang Pan's mood.
Only the warmth of sunlight on his skin could soothe his longing for home.
His phone had rung all night, but he had slept soundly to its ringing.
Because he knew the plan had worked.
When he woke that morning, an Old Noble of the Federation wearing wire-rimmed glasses had already been waiting for quite some time.
Xian'er was still busy in the kitchen, and Gu Feng was stretching in the courtyard. Neither had announced the visitor to him.
"Huh...? Mr. Howard?"
Dressed in pajamas, Yang Pan walked into the living room with sleepy eyes and called out the man's name in surprise.
"What brings you here?"
Feigning anger, he demanded loudly, "Xian'er, Uncle Gu Feng, why didn't you wake me when we had an honored guest?"
With their backs to the living room, Xian'er and Gu Feng both revealed knowing smiles.
"Ahem... don't blame them. I told them not to disturb you. Oh, Pan, I'm terribly sorry to intrude on your rest so early."
Speaking in the impeccable tones of a Federation aristocrat, the visitor rose like a gentleman and shook Yang Pan's hand.
In truth, after Howard entered the villa, Gu Feng and Xian'er had simply left him sitting there, ignoring him entirely.
Howard knew why, too.
Yang Pan had been in the Federation for so long, yet the group's senior executives had left him on the sidelines. How could he feel good about that?
"Please, sit. What can I do for you, Mr. Howard?" Yang Pan asked, despite knowing the answer.
"Ahem, there is something." Howard steeled himself, picked up the scalding tea, and swallowed it in one gulp. After spending a long time choosing his words, he asked, "May