"As I suspected!" Cao Huadong whispered to himself. The other party wasn't helping out of the goodness of his heart.
To offer a billion in capital, the task he wanted done must be incredibly difficult.
"What is it?"
"With this billion-dollar investment, the deal with President Guo of the construction firm can be scrapped, right?"
"It’s that simple?" Cao Huadong could hardly believe his ears.
"That simple," the man confirmed.
"My friend, you must be joking. A billion dollars for Yunlu, just to cancel a contract with President Guo?" Cao Huadong still found it hard to believe.
It wasn't until the man pulled out a card and handed it to him that he finally understood.
Cao Huadong skeptically had his secretary check the account, and he was stunned on the spot. It really held a billion dollars!
"This is just the initial payment. If more is needed later, there’s plenty more funding available—provided you can get the job done," the man said.
"I will cooperate fully!" Cao Huadong was ecstatic. A sudden windfall of a billion dollars to help Yunlu was like winning the lottery.
"I won't disturb you further," the man said, finishing his mission and leaving promptly.
"May I ask who you are?"
"My master sent me. You don't need to know who I am."
"And your master is?"
"Chen Bufan."
"Hiss..." Cao Huadong gasped, a cold chill running down his spine.
"My master prefers to keep a low profile. I hope you won't let Jiang Yurou know about any of this."
Canglong departed after saying this, leaving Cao Huadong alone, his face filled with sheer shock.
"A noble benefactor, he truly is my benefactor!" Cao Huadong was so stirred that he felt an urge to go and kneel before Chen Bufan right then and there.
...
The next morning, at a standard villa in Yunlu Academy.
President Guo had just received a call from Mr. Xia. After a thorough investigation, Mr. Xia had concluded that Chen Bufan had absolutely no background to speak of, so there was nothing to worry about.
"That's a relief. I figured he had no connections; otherwise, why would he be home taking care of a kid? Just watch how I teach that brat a lesson!"
"Why be so impulsive? Instead of going to find him, we should sign the Yunlu contract first, then fire Jiang Yurou. When that happens, she’ll be begging me, and we'll have plenty of chances to teach them a lesson," Yin Xue said with a sinister grin.
"Oh? What are you planning to do to her?" President Guo chuckled lecherously.
"What? Are you getting any ideas about her?" Yin Xue shot him a side-eyed glare.
"How could I? You're more than enough for me!" President Guo walked over and wrapped his arms around Yin Xue, though his hands began to wander as he pictured Jiang Yurou in his mind.
"Stop dawdling, let’s go get that contract signed!" Yin Xue pushed him away. They hopped into their large Land Rover and headed straight for the Yunlu company.
Before they even left the neighborhood gate, a phone rang.
Glancing at the caller ID, President Guo sneered, "That wretch Cao Huadong must be out of money. He's so impatient to chase me down."
He swiped to answer.
"President Cao, I'm already on my way. Have the contract ready!"
"W-what? You don't want me to come? The partnership is canceled?"
President Guo slammed on the brakes, his face turning deathly pale.
Chapter 33: Everyone is Stunned!
"Cao Huadong, are you kidding me? Your Yunlu company is broke. Who else can help you but me?"
Before he could finish, his pupils contracted sharply. "A billion? Someone gave you a billion in funding? You must be out of your mind!"
Before he could finish, the other party hung up.
"What's wrong?" Yin Xue asked.
"Yunlu got a billion in funding from someone else. They aren't going to partner with me!" President Guo said furiously.
Yin Xue’s face turned ghostly pale. How could a perfectly good contract just fall through? Could that brat Chen Bufan be behind this?
How could that be possible?
He had no background, his wife worked at Yunlu, and he probably didn't even have ten thousand dollars to his name, let alone a billion!
Just then, Chen Bufan returned with Sisi, having just bought breakfast.
"Chen Bufan, why are you here?" Yin Xue asked in surprise.
"If you can be here, why can't I?" Chen Bufan replied coldly upon seeing the couple.
"We bought a house here and are property owners. What right do you have to be here?" Yin Xue said with disdain.
"Why waste time talking to him? Security! This guy doesn't live here, get him out!" President Guo shouted.
"I’m sorry, sir, he is an owner in this villa district and has the right to enter and exit," the security guard replied.
An owner? President Guo and his wife were stunned.
You’ve got to be kidding me!
The cheapest villa here started at ten million. How could Chen Bufan possibly afford one?
Chen Bufan couldn't be bothered to deal with them and walked home with Sisi.
"Absolutely impossible!" President Guo followed them in his car.
He finally pulled over by the side of the road and watched with his own eyes as Chen Bufan walked toward Villa No. 9.
That was the most expensive villa in Yunlu Academy, valued at forty million!
Even he, a giant in the construction materials industry, couldn't afford it.
How could Chen Bufan possibly have bought Villa No. 9?
The couple was driven to madness and quickly called Mr. Xia to have him investigate again.
A different person answered the phone, delivering the news: Mr. Xia was under investigation for corruption and had been dismissed from his post.
Boom!
A terrible realization hit them both at once.
They tried calling Manager Huang, but he didn't pick up.
Screech!
A moment later, a sedan pulled up right in front of them.
A couple with a child got out. It was Manager Huang and his family.
"Manager Huang, why are you here?"
"Don't call me Manager Huang. I’ve been fired; I’m just an ordinary person now!"
Yin Xue and her husband were horrified. Everyone who had attended the banquet yesterday—including Mr. Xia and Manager Huang—was meeting with disaster.
"What exactly happened?" Yin Xue asked.
"This Mr. Chen is a globally esteemed VIP client of our bank—the kind who has reach that defies the heavens! This villa is what he bought!" Mr. Huang said, trembling in fear.
His wife glared at Yin Xue. "It’s all your fault for insisting on that party. Now my husband has lost his job and we’ve offended Mr. Chen!"
"Stop talking, let’s go!" Mr. Huang grabbed his wife and child, rushed toward the villa, and fell to his knees, begging for mercy.
At this point, Yin Xue and her husband felt the world spinning.
Just the proof that this villa belonged to Chen Bufan was enough to break them.
And Mr. Huang had revealed that Chen Bufan was a globally esteemed client of his bank.
How much power did that represent?
Yin Xue suddenly remembered seeing Jiang Yurou the day before yesterday. She hadn't been helping someone else move—she had been moving herself!
"No, impossible. Jiang Yurou’s husband is a deadbeat. Where would he get the money to buy a villa?!"
Yin Xue refused to believe it.
*Slap.*
President Guo struck her across the face.
"You bitch, you’ve ruined me! Not only is my investment gone, but I’ve offended a major figure for no reason!"
He ran over and began begging for mercy in front of the villa. If this partnership fell through, he wasn't "President Guo" anymore; he was a nobody waiting for bankruptcy.
Yin Xue didn't care about the blow; she ran over too.
Chen Bufan opened the door, and seeing them all kneeling there, his eyes were ice cold.
"You were quite arrogant yesterday, weren't you? Realize you're afraid now? Too bad it's already too late. I want you gone in three seconds, or suffer the consequences!"
"Scram!" They dared not disobey. They scrambled into their cars and fled, terrified of further trouble.
...
Meanwhile, Jiang Yurou had just arrived at the office when President Cao himself came to find her, his face wreathed in smiles.
"Yurou, busy working?"
"Yes, President Cao. Good morning," Jiang Yurou said politely.
"Good. Your work is very diligent. Starting today, I am officially appointing you as the General Manager of the Real Estate Department. As for salary and benefits, HR will inform you later."
Given the billion-dollar help Chen Bufan had provided, let alone making Jiang Yurou a department manager, he could have made her CEO. But he had been warned not to be too overt.
Hearing such major news first thing in the morning, Jiang Yurou could hardly believe it.
She had only been a department manager for a few days, and now this? It was incredible!
Though both were "managers," the roles were vastly different.
A department manager just oversaw sales. A general manager oversaw the company's real estate development, sales, and a whole series of other matters—her authority had increased many times over!
"President Cao, are you joking?" Jiang Yurou still couldn't believe it.
"That’s what I said to someone else last night, but fate is a strange thing. Well, I won't keep you from your work. I hope you continue to strive; the future of the Yunlu company depends on you." With that, President Cao left.
"Wow, Yurou, you're amazing! Congratulations on becoming General Manager. If we offended you in the past, we apologize!" Colleagues swarmed around her, showering her with flattery.
Jiang Yurou was dazed.
It wasn't until HR found her and confirmed that her benefits were officially those of a General Manager, with her monthly salary jumping from eight thousand to thirty thousand, plus an end-of-year bonus...
Thirty thousand a month, plus a bonus? Jiang Yurou confirmed it several times before signing the papers in a haze.
After leaving the office, she felt like she was walking on air.
"Chen Bufan was right. Not only was I not fired, I got a promotion and a raise! Is that guy’s mouth blessed or something?"
Unable to wait to share the news with Chen Bufan, Jiang Yurou had just returned to the sales floor when a subordinate told her someone was looking for her.
Outside, she saw Yin Xue and the others kneeling, sobbing and pleading.
"Yurou, we were wrong yesterday. Please, forgive us. My husband can't lose his job..."
The short-haired woman spoke in a humble tone, pulling her child along to apologize.
"Yurou, I honestly meant well. If I offended you in any way, I apologize. Please don't hold it against us." Yin Xue ran up, nearly grabbing Jiang Yurou’s leg.
Jiang Yurou was confused, but once she finally grasped what had happened, she was shocked. She never expected all three families to have met such a tragic end overnight.
"I think you've misunderstood. My husband doesn't have that kind of power. I can let go of the past, but I can't help you. You're on your own," Jiang Yurou said before turning and walking into the office.
After yesterday’s dinner, she had seen their true colors.
Chapter 34: Bai Ruobing Visits Again!
Outside, the short-haired woman and her family wept toward the sky, unable to change their fate.
President Guo clenched his fists.
That hundred-million-dollar investment had been raised by mortgaging his construction materials market and borrowing from various investment institutions.
He had signed a gambling agreement: if the partnership failed, he had to pay double.
Meaning, without earning a single cent, he now owed the investors two hundred million!
He might not even have enough if he sold all his assets.
He was ruined!
Thinking of this, he grabbed Yin Xue and beat her again.
It was all this bitch’s fault. Otherwise, why would he have provoked Chen Bufan, and why would his business have gone down the drain?
In an instant, three families were plunged into ruin.
For Chen Bufan, teaching those three families a lesson was a trivial matter.
He had sworn that anyone who dared to bully Yurou and Sisi would be shown no mercy.
Letting them off with this was already a show of kindness.
Before the end of the workday, Jiang Yurou took a taxi home at noon.
The moment she stepped through the door, she shouted, "Chen Bufan, tell me the truth. Was that your doing?"
"What things?" Chen Bufan asked.
"You... oh!" Jiang Yurou had no choice but to explain everything that had happened.
Chen Bufan hadn't expected them to go and find Yurou; it seemed they were truly terrified.
Fine. Whatever apologies hadn't been finished yesterday would be completed today.
Jiang Yurou stared at him intently. "I hope you won't lie to me again!"
Even if Jiang Yurou were a fool, the sequence of events made it impossible for her not to start doubting Chen Bufan.
Chen Bufan placed his hands on her shoulders and said solemnly, "Yurou, I have never wanted to deceive you. There are some things I can't tell you just yet, but please believe me—I am not a bad person, and I will do everything in my power to protect this family!"
After previously telling her everything without considering the consequences, only to be met with skepticism, Chen Bufan had realized he needed to wait until she was ready before telling her properly.
"Fine, I believe you. I won't ask anymore." Jiang Yurou gradually calmed down.
"Alright, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Let’s have lunch before you go back to work," Chen Bufan said with concern.
Speaking of work, Jiang Yurou remembered something. "By the way, Bufan, I got a promotion and a raise! President Cao actually made me General Manager!"
"I was scared at first! Guess how much I make a month?"
"Thirty thousand! And an end-of-year bonus."
"This way, we can buy a house soon..."
Jiang Yurou prattled on, happily sharing the news.
"I was right. Are you going to fulfill your promise?"
"What promise?"
"Unlocking a new skill." Chen Bufan smirked, stepping forward and pinning her against the kitchen counter.
"A new skill, huh? Fine, I’ll cook you some minced eggplant." Jiang Yurou tried to brush it off.
"Still trying to wiggle out of it!" Chen Bufan hugged her and kissed her.
Her legs, in their high heels, went weak, and her whole body felt like it had been hit by a bolt of electricity.
"Mom, Dad, I’m hungry!" Sisi suddenly walked into the kitchen.
*Whoosh!* Chen Bufan pulled back instantly, and Jiang Yurou hurriedly adjusted her clothes.
They stared at Sisi, eyes wide.
...
Life for the Chen family returned to a quiet rhythm.
Since the destruction of Kirin Hall, there were basically no enemies left in Liyang.
As for the mystery of who tried to kill him four years ago, there was still no result.
Chen Bufan knew he wouldn't stay in Liyang much longer; as soon as he found a lead, he would head to Guangling.
It was a place of sorrow.
Back then, the Eight Great Families of Guangling were majestic, controlling the economic lifeline of the entire city. In the whole of Dongzhou, they were like kings, their fame spreading far and wide.
One night, disaster struck. The Chen family ceased to exist!
The raging inferno that night had not only burned the entire Chen household and its forty-eight men, women, and children, but had also erased everything the family had built over the years in Guangling.
The Chen clan had vanished into smoke.
"Dad, Mom, Little Sister!" Chen Bufan’s heart ached as he sat on the balcony of the villa, letting the wild wind whip against his face.
At some point, Jiang Yurou appeared behind him. Seeing his back, she felt a sudden, profound sadness.
He seemed to carry an indelible pain.
Jiang Yurou walked over gently, not disturbing him, and simply leaned against his shoulder.
"Bufan, do you have something on your mind?"
He turned slightly to look at the woman beside him, her pure eyes filled with concern. A smile touched Chen Bufan’s lips, and the pain in his heart seemed to dissipate as if soothed.
"My only concern is when I can give you a proper wedding and make you my true wife."
"Smooth talker!" Jiang Yurou rolled her eyes. "Didn't I already wear the wedding dress you bought me?"
"But there was no wedding banquet. Anything others have, I want you to have too," Chen Bufan said.
"I don't care about those things. As long as I’m with you, that's enough. Besides, I have something others might not." Jiang Yurou smiled.
"What?"
"You!"
Their eyes met, filled with affection. Even the evening air seemed to turn sweet.
After two days of peace, someone came to visit: Bai Ruobing and Uncle Hui.
Chen Bufan opened the door, his expression cool.
Before he could drive them away, Bai Ruobing spoke first. "Mr. Chen, I’m not here to pester you, but there is something you need to know."
"Speak," Chen Bufan said.
Bai Ruobing didn't dare to negotiate and stayed at the door. "The Zhennan Mansion knows you destroyed Kirin Hall. From what I’ve gathered, they are furious and have already taken action."
"That’s my business, it has nothing to do with you," Chen Bufan said, uninterested.
Bai Ruobing looked dejected. Was this another wasted trip?
"Daddy, this big sister is so pretty!" Sisi peeked out from behind him, her large eyes curious as she looked at Bai Ruobing.
"Thank you, little one, you’re very pretty too!" Bai Ruobing’s heart bloomed. She gathered her skirt and crouched down, shaking Sisi’s hand with a smile.
Bai Ruobing was usually cold as ice; Chen Bufan was surprised to see this side of her, but then he looked at Sisi.
This kid really had a sweet tongue. Everyone else was an "auntie," but she called her a "big sister" and complimented her beauty. No wonder Bai Ruobing was so happy.
Seeing them interacting, Chen Bufan couldn't just kick her out. He pushed the door open. "Come in."
"Thank you, Mr. Chen!" Bai Ruobing offered a smile, feeling somewhat flattered.
As a daughter of the Bai family in Qingzhou, she held an extraordinary status and had been treated like royalty her whole life. Yet, meeting Chen Bufan, he was dismissive, and she had to stand at his door just to get in.
She couldn't help but smile to herself.
In the living room, after Bai Ruobing and Uncle Hui sat down, Chen Bufan didn't mince words. "Tell me about the Zhennan Mansion."
Chapter 35: The Zhennan Mansion Makes a Move!
"Of course!" Bai Ruobing nodded. If she wanted to get Chen Bufan to take action, she had to change the impression he had of her.
"According to reliable intelligence, the Zhennan Mansion has decided to send people to Liyang to kill you. It definitely won't be a small force."
"The Zhennan Mansion is so confident, leaking news ahead of time—aren't they afraid I'll run?" Chen Bufan asked.
Bai Ruobing shook her head. "They intend to kill you as a top-secret plan. I used my family's connections to find this out from elsewhere."
Chen Bufan glanced at her. Using her family’s energy to inquire about the Mansion’s movements? Was she trying to curry favor?
"Mr. Chen, don't misunderstand. I don't have any other intentions; I just don't want you to be in danger!"