<strong>Chapter 1216: Chapter 1228:</strong>


    In a hallrge enough to amodate a thousand people, the music and dance were in full swing.


    When Chu Ge walked in, he didn’t attract much attention from those around him.


    “Mr. Chu, please enjoy yourself here for a while. I have some things to take care of. Miss Man Sha wille shortly.”


    After Manager Zhang finished speaking, he gave Chu Ge an apologetic nod and then turned to leave.


    Chu Ge stood alone in a corner, quietly observing the hall. He nced around and immediately noticed Yuwen Kangli sitting alone at a table not far away, his expression slightly displeased.


    No one approached to greet him, not even Gongsun Linhua, who was usually on good terms with him, kept his distance.


    It was probably because he had been imprisoned and no longer held the status of the Yuwen Family heir, people were no longer eager to be close to him.


    Yuwen Kangli also saw Chu Ge at the same time. He was momentarily stunned, then snorted and turned his head away, no longer looking at him.


    Chu Ge’s lips curled slightly, almost imperceptibly, as he walked toward Yuwen Kangli.


    Yuwen Kangli seemed surprised that Chu Ge was approaching.


    He pressed his lips together and red at Chu Ge. It wasn’t until Chu Ge sat down beside him that he spoke, “Why are youing over here?”


    Chu Ge smiled and said, “I saw that Young Master Yu Wen seemed really bored here, so I came over to chat and keep youpany.”


    Yuwen Kangli gave a light snort, red at Chu Ge, and said, “Isn’t this current situation of mine all because of you?”


    Chu Ge chuckled, “Is it because of me? The one truly responsible is yourself.”


    “You!” Yuwen Kangli was rendered speechless immediately. Indeed, if he hadn’t done those things, Chu Ge wouldn’t have targeted him.


    Reaching his current state was a result of his own misdeeds.


    “Actually, this isn’t so bad. You can see who truly cares about you and who is insincere.”


    Chu Ge said quietly.


    Yuwen Kangli looked up at him but said nothing.


    Chu Ge continued, “Don’t forget, the heir’s position in your family is still vacant, which means you still have hope to reim what’s yours. But the struggle you must endure is something you have to go through.


    These people distance themselves from you because you’ve lost power, and they’ll flock back if you regain it. Their presence is just part of the facade. But those who stay by your side now are the ones worth befriending.”


    Yuwen Kangli pressed his lips tightly, his gaze dimming as he sighed deeply, “Ha, now I don’t have a single friend left beside me!”


    Chu Ge was taken aback, then shook his head speechlessly, “Seems like you’ve had a rough time, not even having a single friend.”


    Yuwen Kangli suddenly looked up and red at him, “If I’m doing so poorly, then why did you agree to teach us martial arts?”


    Chu Ge shrugged nonchntly, “You’d have to ask your Old Master about that. He’s the one who insisted that I teach you martial arts, not me volunteering for it.”


    Yuwen Kangli was taken aback, then pressed his lips tightly, “Aren’t you concerned about how I treated you before?”


    Chu Ge looked at him with some confusion, “That’s all in the past. Why should I keep dwelling on it? People should look forward. If you don’t have what you want now, then strive for it.”


    Yuwen Kangli pursed his lips, “You say it so easily. How could those things juste so easily?”


    Chu Ge smiled, “If you never try, how would you know if it’s difficult or not?”


    Yuwen Kangli gave Chu Ge a deep look but remained silent.


    Suddenly, a man, rtively pleasant-looking, came over to their table and said mockingly, “Well, if it isn’t Young Master Yu Wen? Just out of prison, I see? You look like you’ve put on weight. Seems like the food in prison was good enough to fatten you up!”


    “Han Feng! Shut up! Nobody will think you’re mute if you keep quiet!”


    Yuwen Kangli snorted irritably.


    Han Feng was the fourth grandson of the Han Family, one of the Six Major Families of Kyoto, and the most unruly one. His usual carefree demeanor made people feel he deserved a good beating.


    But surprisingly, such a person had arge group of friends surrounding him.


    Sometimes, Yuwen Kangli envied him, envying that he had friends who truly stood by him.


    “Oh, still the same temper, huh? Still so big. But speaking of it, you just got out of prison and came to an event like this, aren’t you worried about bringing disgrace to the Yuwen Family?”


    Yuwen Kangli’s hand, resting on his knee, tightened, and he red angrily at Han Feng.


    Just as he was about to say something, Chu Ge suddenly spoke up, “This gentleman, what’s there to be disgraceful about? Young Master Yu Wen was released because of a misjudgment, which cleared his name. He hasn’t done anything shameful, so why would this be disgraceful?”


    Han Feng hadn’t noticed Chu Ge before. Hearing him speak, he finallyid his eyes on Chu Ge, “And who are you?”


    Chu Ge smiled slightly, “Chu Ge.”


    Han Feng frowned and asked instinctively, “Who is Chu Ge? Is there someone with the surname Chu in the upper-ss society of the Capital City?”


    Han Feng seemed genuinely unaware of who Chu Ge was.


    But Chu Ge wasn’t perturbed. He smiled and said, “I’m just an unknownmoner.”


    “Hah, since when has the threshold for the party be so low? Anyone can get in?”


    Han Feng looked at Chu Ge disdainfully, giving him a once-over, “Looking at what you’re wearing, it must be a knockoff, right? Even a knockoff of Master H’s work. Do you know how much one of Master H’s outfits costs? Probably more than you’ll earn in a lifetime just for one pocket!”


    Chu Ge looked at Han Feng coolly, the corners of his lips curling up with a hint of coldness, “Is that so? Seems like you know your stuff.”


    Han Feng, with a smug look on his face, patted his chest, saying, “Of course, this outfit I’m wearing was designed by Master H. Can your clothespare to mine? Could you even afford them?”


    Beside them, Yuwen Kangli’s expression softened slightly. He pressed his lips together, watching the show unfold.


    He knew that Chu Ge’s outfit was valuable and definitely not, as Han Feng imed, a knockoff or fake.


    Given Chu Ge’s current strength in the Capital City, he didn’t need knockoffs to elevate his style and stature.


    Han Feng was usually indifferent to such matters, so it was normal he didn’t know Chu Ge.


    “Han Feng, do you know who this Mr. Chu is?”


    Yuwen Kangli asked softly.


    Han Feng frowned, sneering, he said with a sarcastic tone, “What good coulde from someone hanging out with you?”