Chapter 4

A man like this existed in this world? He seemed like a star in the heavens, gathering ten thousand shades of brilliance in his single person. Unmatched and dazzling, the sheer momentum he radiated made people feel as though they were facing a towering mountain.

The force of a single man overwhelmed the entire scene!

"Who on earth is this?" "Why is his presence so powerful?" The guests murmured amongst themselves!

"Sisi!" Jiang Yurou cried out anxiously, looking at the little girl. "Yurou!" Chen Bufan suppressed his surging emotions, his voice choked.

Separated for four years, his beauty of a wife remained unchanged. Only her exquisitely beautiful face was now covered in exhaustion, making Chen Bufan's heart ache intensely.

Hearing the call, Jiang Yurou felt as if struck by a bolt from the blue. She stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded, staring blankly at Chen Bufan, hardly daring to believe it.

"Chen Bufan, is it really you?" "It's me. The person you've been waiting for has come back today!" Chen Bufan confirmed.

Splash! Tears streamed down Jiang Yurou's face like heavy rain. Over the past few years, she had cried countless times, but this time was different—these were tears of overwhelming emotion. "Chen Bufan..."

Reunited after a long separation, they looked at each other in speechless silence, doing nothing more than murmuring each other's names over and over. All the hatred vanished without a trace the moment she saw this man.

"Mom, Sisi didn't lie to you, did she? An uncle really did save me, and what's more, he's my dad! Dad is super awesome!" Sisi threw herself into Jiang Yurou's arms and said joyfully.

"Could... could this be the man who took Jiang Yurou all those years ago?" Countless people at the venue gasped in astonishment. "Chen Bufan, you've come back too late. Today, I'm marrying someone else," Jiang Yurou said in agony.

"The only person who can marry you is me, because the wedding dress you're wearing is the one I bought." Chen Bufan said. What? Jiang Yurou was stunned. The members of the Jiang family were also struck dumb with shock.

This expensive wedding dress had been delivered by helicopter. It wasn't bought by the Han family? It was bought by this wild man?

"Stop joking around. This wedding dress is worth thirty million. Do you even have the money for it?" Jiang Meihan mocked. "What is a mere thirty million?" Chen Bufan said with disdain. If time hadn't been so pressing, crafting a three-hundred-million-dollar wedding dress would have been effortless!

Chen Bufan strode over to stand before Jiang Yurou. "I wasn't there for the past four years, but I will accompany you through all the days to come. Yurou, give me your hand. From today on, I will use my life to protect you and Sisi!"

"I object!" Jiang Mingyou roared angrily. "So it was you, you little punk, who sullied Yurou! Otherwise, she would have long since—" "Long since been forced by you to marry someone else?" Jiang Yurou blurted out.

"Isn't marrying into the Han family better than being with this penniless wretch? Besides, think about Sisi—she still needs money for medical treatment," Han Youwei threatened and lured in the same breath.

At the mention of Sisi, the strong front Jiang Yurou had put up instantly crumbled. On one side was her daughter; on the other was the man she had waited years for. She could not choose.

"Yurou, trust me, I can cure Sisi," Chen Bufan said with unwavering determination. "Mom, Dad isn't lying. He really can cure me, and Sisi wants you and Dad to be together," Sisi pleaded.

Jiang Yurou stared at Chen Bufan, her heart torn with struggle. Because of a single promise, she had waited a full four years. Could she still believe his words? "Yurou, give me a chance!" Chen Bufan pleaded with deep affection.

"You little punk, shut your trap right now! Yurou is marrying into a wealthy family, why would she ever agree to you!" "Exactly, who knows where this lowlife crawled out from, yet he wants to play the hero and snatch a bride? Utterly delusional!" "And he even dares to claim he bought the wedding dress. What unmitigated gall!"

The members of the Jiang family heaped ridicule upon him. For Sisi's sake, how could Jiang Yurou possibly agree to this fellow?

Jiang Yurou took a deep breath, then suddenly raised her hand, reaching toward Chen Bufan. "Chen Bufan, I believe you."

As he grasped Jiang Yurou's hand, Chen Bufan felt as though he were holding the entire world. "From this moment on, I will protect you and our daughter with my very life!" Chen Bufan swore fiercely.

"Jiang Yurou, you good-for-nothing wretch, have you lost your mind to actually choose this punk?!" Jiang Mingyou flew into a rage out of humiliation. He had been certain Jiang Yurou wouldn't agree, and the outcome had dealt him a vicious slap in the face.

"You have no right to lecture me!" Jiang Yurou cast all caution to the wind. "As parents, the two of you only ever wanted to use me to trade for benefits. Now the person I've waited for has returned, and I will decide my own life and marriage!" "You ungrateful little wretch, how dare you talk back to me! See if I don't beat you to death today!" Jiang Mingyou flew into a towering rage.

*Slap!* Chen Bufan sent Jiang Mingyou flying with a single backhand blow, sending a mouthful of blood spraying from his mouth. "With me here, no one lays a finger on Yurou!"

"You punk, how dare you hit me!" Jiang Mingyou roared in fury, gesturing to the Jiang family servants. "Beat this pair of adulterers to death!" "Let's see any of you try to move!" Canglong let out a thunderous roar.

From among the thousands of luxury cars, figures in black emerged. Moving in unison, they pressed in toward the Jiang family compound with the terrifying aura of a monarch descending upon a city—grand, majestic, and overwhelming the eight directions!

That bloody, murderous aura left everyone present gasping for breath, their faces turning ashen. The Jiang family servants instantly froze in place, trembling uncontrollably. Over a thousand men! Just the momentum of their charge could trample them into pulp!

"Palace Master, shall we flatten the Jiang family?" Canglong requested instructions. "Leave none alive!" Chen Bufan coldly ordered. "Understood!" Canglong nodded, then waved his hand. A thousand men surged forward, murderous intent rolling in waves. "Kill, kill, kill!!!"

When the Demon God Temple made its move, no one could stop them. The entire Jiang family panicked. They finally understood why Han Youwei and his son had been in such a wretched state earlier—they must have already been disciplined by Chen Bufan.

"My good son-in-law, I won't stop the two of you from being together anymore! Let's talk this out!" Jiang Mingyou collapsed onto his knees with a thud, his entire body shaking. Good son-in-law? Chen Bufan sneered. "With what qualifications do scum like you dare call yourself my father-in-law?"

"When Yurou was carrying her child for ten full months and nearing delivery, suffering abuse from the Han family, did any of you in the Jiang family lift a finger to stop it while you stood by and watched coldly?" "Throughout Liyang, not a single hospital was willing to deliver Yurou's child. Did the Jiang family ever step forward?" "When Yurou was raising Sisi all alone, you ruthlessly drove her out of the family home. Did you show even half an ounce of pity?" "And now you want to talk things out nicely with me? It's utterly laughable!"

As Chen Bufan spoke these words, his heart was bleeding. He longed to strike personally and send every single one of them to their graves. "Yurou, I beg you, make Chen Bufan stop! No matter what, we are still your parents!" Jiang Niang also dropped to her knees, clutching at the hem of Jiang Yurou's dress and pleading.

The whole city of Liyang was shaken! Looking at Chen Bufan, Jiang Yurou was at a loss for how to speak. She could feel how tightly Chen Bufan's hands were clenched. He must have been bottling up a monstrous killing intent, yet for her sake, he had suppressed it. After all, these were her parents.

"Yurou, I won't put you in a difficult position." Chen Bufan let out a deep breath, forcefully pressing down his killing intent, and finally issued a command: "All units, listen up! Fall back!" Out of consideration for Yurou, he hadn't taken matters into his own hands personally; otherwise, the Jiang family would have already met the same fate as the Han family last night.

"For Yurou's sake, I'll spare the Jiang family this once. Don't ever let me find you harassing Yurou again, or execution without pardon!" Chen Bufan threatened fiercely. "Yes, yes!!" Jiang Mingyou nodded frantically. "Yurou, let's go!" Chen Bufan said softly.

"Palace Master, what about these two?" Canglong pointed at Han Youwei and his son. "Mr. Chen, we've already done as you said! I beg you, spare our lives!" Han Youwei cried out frantically. "Send them to the hotel. Whatever banquet is being held, we can't let the guests make a wasted trip." Chen Bufan said. "Thank you, Mr. Chen! Thank you, Mr. Chen!!" Han Youwei and his son banged their heads against the ground repeatedly.

Canglong shook his head inwardly. These two still didn't understand the Palace Master's true meaning. Since they wouldn't be eating a joyful banquet, they would be attending a funeral feast instead. This meant... death for them!

Chen Bufan took Sisi's right hand and clasped Jiang Yurou's left, leading them into the sports car. Thousands of luxury cars started up simultaneously, retreating like a receding tide. In the blink of an eye, the space in front of the Jiang family residence returned to silence.

All the guests felt as though they were dreaming; everything felt so unreal. Looking at his ruined estate, Jiang Mingyou collapsed limply onto the ground. Ruined! Everything was ruined!

On the day of the grand wedding, once Yurou married into the Han family, their minor Jiang clan could have soared to prominence in Liyang. Because of a single Chen Bufan, that beautiful dream was shattered. It was too infuriating!

"Chen Bufan, just what kind of background do you have?!" Jiang Mingyou roared furiously. "Dad, never mind his background. Even if we don't lift a finger, the Han family will never let him go. Don't forget, the Han family's second-in-command is an overlord of Liyang!" Jiang Meihan said with a sinister expression. "Right, Han Lie! How could I have forgotten him? As long as Second Master Han takes action, Chen Bufan is a dead man!" Jiang Mingyou said excitedly. "Chen Bufan, oh Chen Bufan, since you ruined my Jiang family's good fortune, you're going to die without a burial place!"

...

At the Platinum Hotel, dozens of sedans arrived in a neat formation! Two people swiftly stepped out from the lead vehicle. They were none other than Han Lie and his daughter, Han Feiyun. Catching a red-eye flight, they had just arrived in Liyang and immediately gathered a group of subordinates to rush straight here!

"Oh my, Second Master Han, you've finally arrived!" Countless guests stepped forward to greet him. "Is my big brother here?" Han Youwei asked decisively. "I heard Boss Han personally accompanied his son to the Jiang family to welcome the bride."

Han Lie immediately relaxed; as long as his big brother and Xiaoshuai were fine, everything else was okay. "The cars are here!" "It must be the wedding party returning..." Everyone crowded around.

The moment the vehicles came to a halt, two corpses suddenly rolled out, sending countless socialites and noblewomen screaming in terror. "My master says, to avoid everyone making a wasted trip, consider this treating you all to a banquet!" After a cold voice delivered these words, the cars sped away.

When countless gazes swept toward the ground and recognized the faces of the corpses, they were struck with utmost horror. The head of Liyang's premier family, Han Youwei, along with his groom of a son, were dead! "Big Brother! Xiaoshuai!" Han Lie dropped to his knees with a cry, his eyes burning red.

"Whoever the hell dares to cross the Han family, I'll make him regret coming into this world!" A roar of fury echoed through the Platinum Hotel.

...

The Han family had been wiped out overnight; Liyang tycoon Han Youwei and his newlywed son had died on their wedding day, dumped right at the banquet venue. Meanwhile, the bride, Jiang Yurou—formerly recognized as the peerless beauty of Liyang—had left with a mysterious man.

These tidings swept through the streets and alleys like a tornado. This quiet little Jiangnan town was sent into a complete uproar.

At this moment, Chen Bufan was driving straight toward a specific destination with Jiang Yurou and Sisi. Half an hour later, the car stopped before a piece of imitation-ancient architecture. With its carved beams, painted rafters, pavilions, and winding corridors, it resembled a royal garden, rich with classic charm. All around it, the grounds were blanketed in red roses, making it look like a world of flowers—a breathtaking sight.

"Wow, it's so pretty!" Sisi cheered with joy. Jiang Yurou was also dumbstruck. "Rainy Jiangnan... the most expensive restaurant in Liyang! Bufan, why did you bring us here?" "For a reunion," Chen Bufan smiled, then led Yurou and Sisi straight into the restaurant.

"You all, hurry up and check if there are any flaws! A VIP has booked out the whole place to propose today, so pay attention to every detail!" a tall woman dressed in a narrow fabric skirt instructed sternly. At that moment, noticing guests walking in, she said coldly, "I'm sorry, Rainy Jiangnan is not open to the public today."

Just as she finished speaking, her gaze locked on them and froze: "Yurou?" "Tang Jing!" Jiang Yurou's expression turned to one of surprise. This was her high school classmate. They used to keep in touch, but after she was driven out of the Jiang family, everyone had distanced themselves from her.

Tang Jing looked Jiang Yurou up and down, then glanced at Chen Bufan before letting out a cold laugh. "Yurou, I heard you didn't end up marrying the Han young master and ran off with some wild man instead. It turns out it's all true. And I suppose this is him?" Her tone was dripping with disdain. Seeing that Chen Bufan was dressed in ordinary clothes, she figured he couldn't possibly be a man of wealth.

Little did she know, given Chen Bufan's status, he had long outgrown the need to use flashy clothes to put on airs. The mere name "Chen Bufan" was enough to strike terror into the hearts of countless powers!

"He is Sisi's dad," Jiang Yurou admitted candidly. "Yurou, it's not that I want to lecture you, but you really are a hopeless romantic. You've buried your whole life for the sake of an irresponsible man..." "Tang Jing, what are you doing here?" Jiang Yurou cut her off, having no desire to listen to her preaching.

"Me? I'm the manager here," Tang Jing said proudly, her face radiating superiority. At least Jiang Yurou hadn't married into the Han family; compared to her, Yurou was nothing now. "Yurou, you're a graduate of a prestigious university, and you used to be the eldest miss of the Jiang family. You're pretty, too—you originally had a bright future ahead of you. Why do you have to be so stubborn? What was wrong with Han Shuai? He had money and power."

"Yurou's life doesn't need you to make decisions for her. Since the Han family is so great, shall I send you to keep Han Shuai company?" Chen Bufan's tone was icy. A single glance from him scared Tang Jing so badly her soul nearly left her body. How could an ordinary person withstand the aura of the peerless Demon God!

"I was only looking out for Yurou," Tang Jing mumbled twice. Looking out for me? Jiang Yurou smiled bitterly. On the night she was kicked out of the Jiang family, she hadn't even had a hundred yuan to her name. When she called Tang Jing to borrow a few hundred yuan for an emergency, not only had the other woman refused, but she had also mocked her mercilessly. And she called that looking out for her.

"Yurou has me, and that's enough. Since you work here, just mind your own business," Chen Bufan said coldly. "I already told you a VIP has booked the place out, we aren't accepting any other guests. Even on normal days, the average spending here is three thousand yuan per person. Can you even afford to eat here?" Tang Jing crossed her arms, pressing aggressively.

Three thousand yuan? Jiang Yurou was startled. She knew this place was expensive, but she hadn't imagined it would cost this much. "Bufan, let's go." "It's fine," Chen Bufan smiled faintly, then said to Tang Jing, "I am the one who booked out Rainy Jiangnan!"

In an instant, countless gazes converged on them. Tang Jing burst out laughing. "Yurou, the man you found does have one strong suit—he's better at bragging than anyone else. Do you have any idea how much it costs to book Rainy Jiangnan? Seven figures just to start, and such a massive venue setup is an even more astronomical sum. Do you actually think you have that kind of money?"

Jiang Yurou's face turned beet red as she tugged hard on Chen Bufan's arm: "Bufan, let's hurry up and leave!" "Yurou, don't worry, I've got everything handled." Chen Bufan comforted her. "Bufan, as long as you're here, I can eat anything. We don't have to be here, let's just go somewhere else," Jiang Yurou urged.

Though she didn't spell it out, how could Chen Bufan not hear the subtext? Yurou didn't want him putting on a forced front he couldn't afford. "Yurou, this place really is—" Jiang Yurou took a deep breath, looking at Chen Bufan with complete sincerity. "I said it before: as long as you're back, I'm willing to even eat instant noodles. I don't care about anything else."

"Alright, whatever you say!" Chen Bufan conceded helplessly; he was afraid that if he kept explaining, Yurou really would get angry. All the wealth in the world couldn't buy a smile from his wife and daughter. For such a trivial matter, it wasn't worth it. Before leaving, Chen Bufan said coldly to Tang Jing, "I hope you don't come begging me later."

"What a joke! Manager of Rainy Jiangnan here—why would I ever beg a poor punk like you?" If it weren't for his wife and daughter being by his side, Chen Bufan wouldn't have wanted to ruin the mood; otherwise, for that single sentence alone, he wouldn't even have needed to lift a finger—the men of the Demon God Temple could have executed her on the spot. Showing disrespect to the Demon God was a capital offense!

In the end, the family of three walked over to a humble little diner on the next street over. "These steamed buns are really good. It's been so long since I last had them," Jiang Yurou said, showing not an ounce of disdain.

Looking at Jiang Yurou in her pristine white wedding dress, looking like an immortal descending to the mortal realm as she familiarly ordered dishes, Chen Bufan's heart ached. She wasn't really craving steamed buns; she was simply looking out for his pride. With such a virtuous wife, what more could a man ask for?

The little shop wasn't large, serving breakfast items and stir-fries. After Jiang Yurou finished ordering, the food was served very quickly. Chen Bufan tried a bite; the taste wasn't bad at all. In truth, he didn't care what he ate; he was only afraid of wronging Yurou. After all, he was no longer the man he used to be.

"Yurou..." Chen Bufan started to speak, but Jiang Yurou cut him off. "I know what you want to say. I really don't care about material things. As long as our family of three is together, with food to eat, a roof over our heads, and living happily, that's enough." "Sisi just wants Mommy and Daddy to stay with me," Sisi chimed in obediently.

Chen Bufan stroked Sisi's head, feeling both a sense of guilt toward them and a wave of comfort. Perhaps he had been overthinking it. With his current abilities, he could provide whatever was asked of him, but for Yurou and Sisi, simply having him back and being together as a family was all they needed.

Inside the small restaurant, the family of three was enveloped in a warm, joyous atmosphere. Meanwhile, over at Rainy Jiangnan, everyone was in a state of frantic anxiety! The VIP who had booked the venue still hadn't arrived, and the hour was growing late.

Right at that moment, a Mercedes-Benz pulled up in front of the restaurant, and a middle-aged, plump man hurried out. "President Wang, why are you here?" Tang Jing rushed forward to greet him. This middle-aged fat man was none other than the owner of Rainy Jiangnan, worth tens of millions, a prominent figure in Liyang who rarely visited the premises personally.

"If I didn't come, I wouldn't even have my life left!" President Wang said, beside himself with rage. "What happened?!" Tang Jing asked, trembling with fear. "Do you have any idea that I went to the Platinum Hotel to attend the Han family young master's wedding?" "I know. Didn't the bride run off with some wild man? He even came by here earlier," Tang Jing said disdainfully.

"You don't know a damn thing!" President Wang cursed angrily, hurriedly recounting what he had witnessed at the hotel. Han Youwei and his son had been killed... Tang Jing was struck dumb with shock. Recalling how Jiang Yurou's man had said he was sending Han Youwei to keep Han Shuai company, cold sweat poured down her back and her face turned ashen.

Could he have been the one who did it? How terrifying! "Tang Jing, let me tell you—the person who booked out Rainy Jiangnan was none other than the man by Jiang Yurou's side! And you actually chased them away? You've got a death wish!" "Wh-what?!" Tang Jing was completely bewildered.

"I don't care what method you use, hurry up and invite them back! If you don't, don't bother coming to work tomorrow!" President Wang laid down a strict ultimatum. Tang Jing could never have imagined that the person she had mocked every which way had actually booked Rainy Jiangnan. To think she had been showing off her status as manager right in front of Jiang Yurou—how utterly humiliating!

"President Wang, just what background does that man have? Could there be some mistake?" Tang Jing asked, unwilling to give up. "I don't have the qualifications to know his background! But I can tell you for sure—if this matter isn't resolved properly, you and I might both end up following in the Han family's footsteps!" President Wang roared anxiously.

A chill ran down the back of Tang Jing's neck. Clacking away in her high heels, she bolted out the door.