To think that such a man exists in this world—like the stars in the heavens, possessing a thousand charms all in one, incomparably dazzling. His mere presence alone gives one the sensation of facing a towering mountain.
His aura alone sufficed to overwhelm the entire venue.
"Who on earth is this?"
"How can his presence be so powerful?"
The guests whispered amongst themselves!
"Sisi!" Jiang Yurou cried out urgently, looking at the little girl.
"Yurou!" Chen Bufan suppressed his surging emotions, his voice thick with tears.
Four years of separation, yet she remained as beautiful as ever. But her gorgeous face was etched with weariness, a sight that pained Chen Bufan to his core.
When Jiang Yurou heard the call, she felt as if struck by lightning. She stood frozen, staring blankly at Chen Bufan, hardly able to believe her eyes.
"Chen Bufan, is it really you?"
"It is me. The person you were waiting for has returned today," Chen Bufan confirmed.
*Splash.* Tears streamed down Jiang Yurou’s face. She had wept countless times over the past few years, but this time was different—these were tears of joy.
"Chen Bufan..."
Reunited after a long separation, they stood in silence, whispering only each other’s names. All the resentment and bitterness vanished without a trace the moment she saw this man.
"Mommy, Sisi didn’t lie to you, did she? A nice uncle really did save me, and he’s my daddy! Daddy is super amazing!" Sisi threw herself into Jiang Yurou’s arms, exclaiming excitedly.
"Could this... really be the man who won Jiang Yurou’s heart all those years ago?" many in the crowd gasped.
"Chen Bufan, you’ve returned too late. Today, I am forced to marry another," Jiang Yurou said painfully.
"The only person who can marry you is me, because I am the one who bought the wedding dress you are wearing," Chen Bufan said.
What? Jiang Yurou was stunned. The members of the Jiang Family were equally shocked. This expensive wedding dress, delivered by helicopter—it wasn’t bought by the Han Family, but by this "wild man"?
"Stop joking. That wedding dress is worth thirty million. How could someone like you afford it?" Jiang Meihan sneered.
"A mere thirty million is nothing," Chen Bufan said dismissively. Had it not been for the time constraints, commissioning a dress worth three hundred million would have been a trivial matter!
Chen Bufan strode over to Jiang Yurou. "I was absent for the last four years, but I will be by your side for all the time to come. Yurou, give me your hand. From today on, I will protect you and Sisi for the rest of my life!"
"I don't agree!" Jiang Mingyou shouted angrily. "So it was you, you brat, who tarnished Yurou? Otherwise, she would have long since..."
"Long since been forced by you to marry someone else?" Jiang Yurou interjected.
"Is marrying into the Han Family not better than being with this penniless brat? Besides, think of Sisi—she needs money for her medical treatment," Han Youwei threatened, trying to bait her.
At the mention of Sisi, the strength Jiang Yurou had been mustering crumbled. On one side was her daughter; on the other, the man she had waited years for. She was torn.
"Yurou, trust me. I can heal Sisi," Chen Bufan said firmly.
"Mommy, Daddy isn’t lying! He really can heal me. Sisi wants you and Daddy to be together," Sisi pleaded.
Jiang Yurou stared at Chen Bufan, struggling internally. After waiting four full years for a single promise, could she really trust his words again?
"Yurou, give me a chance!" Chen Bufan said with deep sincerity.
"You brat, shut your mouth! Yurou is destined to marry into wealth; she’d never agree to you!"
"Exactly! Some nobody crawls out of nowhere and thinks he can steal a bride? Talk about overestimating yourself!"
"You even have the nerve to claim you bought the dress—what a thick face!"
The Jiang family members jeered endlessly. Surely, for Sisi’s sake, Jiang Yurou would never agree to this man.
Jiang Yurou took a deep breath and suddenly raised her hand toward Chen Bufan. "Chen Bufan, I believe you."
As he took Jiang Yurou’s hand, Chen Bufan felt as if he held the entire world in his palm. "From this moment on, I will protect you both with my life!" he swore fiercely.
"Jiang Yurou, you spendthrift wretch, have you gone mad? You’d choose this brat?" Jiang Mingyou was humiliated and furious. He had been certain she wouldn’t agree, and this was a slap in the face.
"You have no right to speak to me that way!" Jiang Yurou let it all out. "As my parents, you only hoped to use me for profit. Now that the person I waited for has returned, I will decide my own marriage and my own life."
"You death-defying girl, you dare talk back to me? See if I don’t beat you to death today!" Jiang Mingyou roared in a fit of rage.
*Smack!* Chen Bufan struck Jiang Mingyou with a backhand, sending him reeling with a mouthful of blood.
"With me here, no one is allowed to bully Yurou!"
"You brat, you dare hit me!" Jiang Mingyou bellowed, signaling his servants. "Beat this pair of mongrels to death!"
"Try taking a single step, if you dare!" Canglong let out a thunderous roar.
From the thousand luxury cars, men in black emerged, moving in perfect unison as they advanced on the Jiang residence. It was like a great lord descending upon a city, their momentum overwhelming and oppressive. That aura of bloody slaughter made the people present struggle to breathe, their faces turning deathly pale.
The Jiang family servants froze in terror, trembling. With a thousand men present, just the act of them rushing forward would be enough to trample them into pulp!
"Hall Master, shall we raze the Jiang residence?" Canglong requested instructions.
"Leave no one behind," Chen Bufan ordered coldly.
"Understood!" Canglong nodded and waved his hand. A thousand men charged out, murderous intent swirling around them.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
No one could stop the Demon God Hall when they moved.
The entire Jiang family panicked. They finally understood why Han Youwei and his son had been in such a pathetic state—they must have already been dealt with by Chen Bufan.
"My good son-in-law, I won't stop you two from being together! Let's talk this over!" Jiang Mingyou dropped to his knees, his entire body shaking.
*Good son-in-law?* Chen Bufan laughed mockingly. "Do you even have the qualifications to be my father-in-law, a man like you?"
"When Yurou was pregnant for ten months and near labor, and was being abused by the Han family, your Jiang family stood by and watched with cold eyes. Did you ever intervene?"
"In all of Liyang, no hospital would take Yurou for delivery. Did your Jiang family ever step up?"
"Yurou raised Sisi alone, only to be cast out by your family. Did you show even a shred of pity?"
"And now you want me to talk things over? It’s laughable!"
As Chen Bufan spoke, his heart bled. He longed to end them all right then and there.
"Yurou, please, beg Chen Bufan to stop! No matter what, we are your parents!" Jiang’s mother knelt as well, tugging at the hem of Jiang Yurou’s dress.
***
The entire city was shaken!
Jiang Yurou looked at Chen Bufan, unsure of how to speak. Chen Bufan could feel her hand tightening; she was clearly conflicted, as these were, after all, her parents.
"Yurou, I won't put you in a difficult position." Chen Bufan exhaled deeply, forcing down his murderous intent, and gave a final command: "Everyone, retreat!"
He had held back only for her sake. Otherwise, the Jiang family would have already shared the fate of the Han family the previous night.
"For Yurou’s sake, I will spare your Jiang family. From this day forward, do not dare harass Yurou again, or you will be killed without exception!" Chen Bufan threatened fiercely.
"Yes! Yes!" Jiang Mingyou nodded frantically.
"Yurou, let’s go," Chen Bufan said softly.
"Hall Master, what about those two?" Canglong pointed toward Han Youwei and his son.
"Mr. Chen, we have already done as you said! Please, I beg you, spare us!" Han Youwei cried out desperately.
"Send them to the hotel. Whatever banquet is held there, we can't let the guests leave empty-handed," Chen Bufan said.
"Thank you, Mr. Chen! Thank you, Mr. Chen!" Han Youwei and his son kowtowed repeatedly.
Canglong shook his head inwardly. The two of them didn’t understand the Hall Master’s true meaning. If they couldn’t attend the red banquet, they would instead be the main course for a white one.
He meant... to have them killed!
Chen Bufan took Sisi’s hand in his right and led Jiang Yurou with his left, then stepped into the sports car.
A thousand luxury cars started at once, retreating like the tide. In the blink of an eye, the area in front of the Jiang residence returned to silence. Every guest felt as though they had been dreaming; it all felt so surreal.
Jiang Mingyou looked at his ruined home and collapsed onto the ground, utterly drained. It was destroyed—everything was destroyed! On the day of the wedding, if only Yurou had married into the Han family, the modest Jiang business could have soared in Liyang. Because of one Chen Bufan, the dream was shattered. It was infuriating!
"Chen Bufan, what on earth is your background?" Jiang Mingyou roared viciously.
"Dad, it doesn't matter what his background is. We don't even need to act—the Han family won't let him off. Don't forget, the second-in-command of the Han family is the overlord of our Liyang," Jiang Meihan said with a sinister glint in her eyes.
"That's right, Han Lie! How could I have forgotten him? As long as Second Master Han acts, Chen Bufan is a dead man!" Jiang Mingyou said excitedly. "Chen Bufan, you ruined my Jiang family's prospects—you will certainly die without a grave!"
***
At the Platinum Hotel, dozens of sedans arrived in a line!
Two figures quickly stepped out of the lead car: Han Lie and his daughter, Han Feiyun. Having flown in overnight and just arrived in Liyang, they had immediately gathered a group of subordinates to reach the venue!
"Oh, Second Master Han, you've finally appeared!" countless guests stepped forward to greet him.
"Is my brother here?" Han Lie asked decisively.
"We heard Mr. Han personally accompanied his son to the Jiang residence for the wedding procession."
Han Lie finally relaxed. As long as his brother and Xiaoshuai were fine, everything was well.
"A car is coming!"
"It must be the wedding party returning..."
Everyone crowded around. Just as the car came to a stop, two corpses rolled out, causing countless socialites and noblewomen to scream in terror.
"My master said that to ensure you didn’t come for nothing, consider this your meal!"
After the cold voice finished speaking, the car sped away. When countless gazes fell to the ground and recognized the faces of the bodies, they were horrified. Han Youwei, the head of Liyang’s top family, and his son—they were dead!
"Brother! Xiaoshuai!" Han Lie knelt, crying out, his eyes bloodshot. "Whoever the hell dared to cross the Han family, I will make them regret ever being born!"
A roar of rage echoed throughout the Platinum Hotel.
***
The overnight destruction of the Han family—Liyang tycoon Han Youwei and his son, the groom, dead on the day of the wedding, their bodies dumped at the banquet venue. And the bride, Jiang Yurou, once the number one beauty of Liyang, had left with a mysterious man.
These tidings swept through the streets and alleys like a tornado. The quiet little Jiangnan town was utterly stirred.
At this moment, Chen Bufan was heading directly toward a certain destination with Jiang Yurou and Sisi. Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a classical-style building. With its carved beams and painted pillars, pavilions and verandas, it looked like an imperial garden, full of ancient charm.
The area was covered in red roses as far as the eye could see, a breathtaking sight akin to a sea of flowers.
"Wow, so beautiful!" Sisi cheered with joy.
Jiang Yurou was also stunned. "Rainy Jiangnan—the most expensive restaurant in our Liyang. Bufan, why did you bring us here?"
"A reunion," Chen Bufan smiled, then led Yurou and Sisi straight toward the restaurant.
"You lot, hurry and check for any oversights! A big shot has rented this place out for a proposal today, be thorough!" a tall woman in a tight skirt ordered sternly.
Just then, she noticed the guests arriving and said coldly, "I'm sorry, Rainy Jiangnan is not open to the public today."
Having finished, her gaze sharpened. "Yurou?"
"Tang Jing!" Jiang Yurou looked surprised. This was her high school classmate; they had been in touch, but after she was kicked out of the Jiang family, everyone had kept their distance.
Tang Jing looked Jiang Yurou up and down, then glanced at Chen Bufan, and suddenly sneered. "Yurou, I heard you didn't marry the Han family's young master and ran off with some wild man. It seems it’s all true. This wouldn't be him, would it?"
Her tone was filled with contempt. Seeing Chen Bufan’s plain clothing, she assumed he was no person of wealth. She had no idea that, given Chen Bufan’s status, he had long ceased to need fashion to display his stature; the name "Chen Bufan" alone was enough to strike fear into the hearts of countless powers!
"He is Sisi’s father," 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 life for the sake of an irresponsible man..."
"Tang Jing, why are you here?" Jiang Yurou interrupted, not wanting to hear the lecture.
"Me? I'm the manager here," Tang Jing said proudly, full of superiority. Since Jiang Yurou hadn’t married into the Han family, she couldn’t compare to her at all. "Yurou, you’re a graduate of a prestigious university, the young lady of the Jiang family, and you’re beautiful. You had a bright future, but you just had to be so stubborn. What was wrong with Han Shuai? Rich and powerful."
"Yurou’s life doesn’t need you to decide anything. Since the Han family is so good, shall I send you to keep Han Shuai company?" Chen Bufan said coldly. A single glance was enough to chill Tang Jing to the bone.
How could a mere mortal withstand the aura of the peerless Demon God!
"I... I was only doing it for Yurou’s own good," Tang Jing muttered.
*For my own good?* Jiang Yurou gave a bitter smile. The night she was kicked out of the Jiang family, she didn’t even have a hundred yuan on her. When she called Tang Jing to borrow a few hundred for emergencies, the woman hadn't just refused; she had mocked her. That was what she called "doing it for her own good."
"Yurou has me now. Since you work here, do your job," Chen Bufan said coldly.
"I told you, a big shot has rented the place out, so we aren’t serving anyone. Even on a normal day, the average check here is three thousand yuan. Can you even afford to eat here?" Tang Jing crossed her arms, acting aggressive.
*Three thousand?* Jiang Yurou was startled. She knew it was expensive, but not *that* expensive. "Bufan, let's go."
"It's fine," Chen Bufan smiled slightly, then said to Tang Jing, "I am the one who rented out Rainy Jiangnan!"
In an instant, countless eyes turned toward them.
***
Tang Jing laughed loudly. "Yurou, the man you found does have one merit—he’s better at bragging than anyone else. Do you know how much it costs to rent out Rainy Jiangnan? It starts at seven figures, and with this massive setup, the cost is an astronomical figure. Do you really think you have that kind of money?"
Jiang Yurou’s face flushed red as she tugged hard on Chen Bufan’s arm. "Bufan, let's go, quickly!"
"Yurou, don't worry. I have everything handled," Chen Bufan comforted her.
"Bufan, as long as you're here, I can eat anything. It doesn’t have to be here; let's just go to another place," Jiang Yurou pleaded.
Though she hadn't said it outright, Chen Bufan understood—Yurou didn't want him to force a show of strength.
"Yurou, this place really is..." Chen Bufan stopped.
Jiang Yurou took a deep breath and looked at him earnestly. "I said it before: as long as you’ve returned, that’s enough. Even if we’re eating instant noodles, I’m willing. I don't care about anything else."
"Alright, I'll do whatever you say!" Chen Bufan yielded helplessly. He was afraid if he kept explaining, Yurou would truly be upset. A fortune could not buy the smiles of his wife and daughter; this little matter 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! I, a manager of Rainy Jiangnan, would beg a penniless brat like you?"
If his wife and daughter weren't by his side, Chen Bufan wouldn’t have wanted to spoil the mood; otherwise, with those words alone, the Demon God Hall would have slaughtered her without him needing to lift a finger.
To show disrespect to the Demon God is to invite death!
In the end, Chen Bufan’s family of three went to a small "hole-in-the-wall" eatery on the next street over.
"Their steamed buns are delicious. It’s been so long since I’ve had them," Jiang Yurou said, not minding the surroundings in the slightest.
Watching Jiang Yurou in her snowy-white wedding dress—looking like a fairy fallen to the mortal world—as she familiarly ordered dishes, Chen Bufan’s heart ached. The idea that she "wanted to eat buns" was clearly just to save his pride.
With a woman like this, what more could a man ask for!
The shop was small, serving breakfast and simple stir-fries. Soon after Jiang Yurou ordered, the food arrived. Chen Bufan tried it; it wasn't bad. In truth, he didn't care what he ate, he only feared wronging Yurou, especially since he was no longer the man he once was.
"Yurou..." Chen Bufan started, but Jiang Yurou interrupted him.
"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 and happiness to share, that’s enough."
"Sisi only wants Daddy and Mommy to be with me," Sisi said sweetly.
Chen Bufan stroked Sisi’s head, feeling both indebted and comforted. Perhaps he had been wrong—with his current abilities, there was nothing he couldn't provide, but to Yurou and Sisi, his return and their being together was all that mattered.
Inside the small eatery, the family of three was full of warmth and harmony.
Meanwhile, at Rainy Jiangnan, the staff were in a state of agitation! It was well past the hour, and the big shot who had rented the place still hadn't arrived.
Just then, a Mercedes pulled up to the restaurant entrance, and a middle-aged, chubby man scrambled out.
"President Wang, why are you here?" Tang Jing hurried over.
This middle-aged man was the owner of Rainy Jiangnan. With a net worth in the tens of millions, he was a man of status in Liyang and rarely came here.
"If I didn't come, I’d lose my life!" President Wang was frantic.
"What happened?" Tang Jing felt a shiver of fear.
"Do you know I went to the Platinum Hotel to attend the Han family wedding?"
"I know. The bride ran off with some wild man, didn't she? They even came here just a moment ago," Tang Jing said with disdain.
"You don't know a damn thing!" President Wang cursed, quickly explaining what he had seen at the hotel.
*Han Youwei and his son... were killed...*
Tang Jing was shocked. Recalling the man’s words about "sending them to be with Han Shuai," cold sweat poured down her back and her face turned deathly pale. *Could he have been the one who did it?*
*How terrifying!*
"Tang Jing, let me tell you—the man who rented Rainy Jiangnan is the very same man you just drove away! You have no idea what you’ve done!"
"Wh-what?" Tang Jing was utterly stunned.
"I don't care what method you use, go and invite them back! If you don't, don't bother coming to work tomorrow!" President Wang issued a final, desperate order.
Tang Jing could never have imagined that the person she had mocked so thoroughly had actually rented out Rainy Jiangnan. To think she had even flaunted her position as manager in front of Jiang Yurou—it was mortifying.
"President Wang, what is his identity exactly? Could there be some mistake?" Tang Jing asked, refusing to give up.
"His identity is something I’m not even qualified to know, but I am certain of one thing: if this isn't resolved properly, you and I might end up just like the Han family!" President Wang roared, heart racing with anxiety.
Tang Jing felt a chill in her neck and, clicking her high heels, ran out of the restaurant.