Seeing Lin Qiu in such a state, Cui Wenyi showed not a shred of pity. Instead, he struck a posture of mocking amusement, sneering, "Lin Qiu, a phoenix that’s fallen from the heavens isn't even worth as much as a chicken!"
After stabilizing his sister, Lin Dong, who had remained silent until now, slowly lifted his head. He stared at Cui Wenyi, his eyes brimming with a surging, violent murderous intent.
Cui Wenyi met Lin Dong’s gaze for only a second, but it felt like a seismic shock to his soul, forcing him to stumble back a few steps in spite of himself.
"You!"
Lin Dong spoke coldly: "When our Lin Family suffered catastrophe and total ruin, you chose to protect your own skin and fled to avoid the fallout. I don't blame you for that."
"But to stab me in the back while my sister was at her most vulnerable, and then to stand there looking down on us and spouting such nonsense..."
"You deserve to die!"
Cui Wenyi seemed paralyzed by the look in Lin Dong’s eyes. His thoughts scattered, and for a long time, he couldn’t regain his senses.
*He... he really intends to kill me?*
*Impossible! Lin Dong is nothing but a pampered playboy. Without the family backing him, he’s just a piece of trash.*
*Why am I afraid of him?*
Cui Wenyi took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his nerves. His attitude shifted back to arrogance as he looked at Lin Dong with disdain. "So what if I stabbed you in the back? What are you going to do about it?"
"Even if I seized the last of your family’s assets, what of it?"
"Without the protection of your family, just look at yourself—you’re a failure. What can you possibly do to me?"
With that, Cui Wenyi snapped his fingers, and four young men in black suits rushed forward.
"Hmph! Lin Dong, I could crush you right now like—"
Before Cui Wenyi could finish his sentence, he felt a massive, heavy blow to his chest. A terrifying, surging force rippled through his meridians, tearing through his entire body.
Cui Wenyi could actually feel his bones shattering instantly. He became like a pile of boneless flesh, sent flying heavily into the distance.
"Ugh..."
Pain radiated from every inch of his body. He wanted to writhe in agony, wanted to scream, but his throat felt as if it were blocked by something, leaving him unable to utter a sound. With every bone in his body broken, he could neither move nor dared to try.
He had truly been reduced to a lump of meat that could do nothing but feel the agony.
The bodyguards Cui Wenyi had brought exchanged confused glances. They hadn't seen anything; all they saw was Cui Wenyi flying backward.
"What?"
"What just happened?"
"Brother Cui!"
Though the bodyguards didn't know what had occurred, their instincts told them that Lin Dong was definitely behind it.
One of them moved to help Cui Wenyi, while the other three prepared to close in on Lin Dong.
Lin Dong didn't even look at them directly; he simply said calmly:
"Anyone who moves dies."
As the words left his lips, blood began to seep from Cui Wenyi’s body. Without a single visible wound, the blood seemed to permeate through his skin. When the bodyguards looked closely, they realized that shards of shattered bone were piercing through Cui Wenyi’s skin, and more fragments were steadily poking out.
This twisted display of agony instantly brought the bodyguards back to their senses. They obeyed Lin Dong’s command, not daring to act recklessly again.
At that moment, the sharp sound of a car horn cut through the air. A silver Porsche pulled up rapidly and stopped right in front of them. The window rolled down to reveal Chu Wanning.
She glanced at the scene and asked, "What’s going on here?"
Lin Dong answered calmly, "A minor grievance. It’s already been handled."
Chu Wanning didn't ask further. She opened the car doors for Lin Dong and his sister.
Everyone at the trade center recognized Chu Wanning’s car, so they didn't encounter any further obstruction and reached the guest wing of the trade center quickly.
To express her gratitude to Lin Dong, Chu Wanning opened a presidential suite with no time limit and handed the room key to Lin Qiu.
"Sister, please feel at ease staying here. You can stay as long as you like."
Though Lin Qiu understood the relationship between Lin Dong and Chu Wanning, they weren't married yet, and she felt embarrassed to accept such a gift.
As she hesitated, Lin Dong took the key first and said, "Sister, she’s not an outsider. Just take it!"
Hearing this, Lin Qiu accepted the key and went back to the room with Lin Dong to rest.
Once Lin Dong had settled his sister and reminded her of what to look out for, he stepped out.
Chu Wanning was waiting nearby. "Lin Dong, I happen to have a meeting here today. Would you mind joining me?"
Lin Dong had no interest in meetings. He had just received intelligence about the Xunshan Hidden Cultivators Association from the Grandmaster and was preparing to investigate. He declined tactfully, "We aren't married yet; it seems inappropriate for me to get involved in the Chu Family’s business."
Chu Wanning paused for a moment, looking slightly troubled. "This meeting might be a bit of a nuisance for me. Qian Chen, who is organizing it, has been pursuing me. Do you understand what I mean?"
So, Chu Wanning wanted to use Lin Dong to ward off an unwanted suitor.
In any case, Lin Dong’s path of revenge would be a long one; a few hours wouldn't make a difference. He decided to do her a favor.
"Alright, I’ll join you."
Chu Wanning smiled sweetly and took Lin Dong’s arm with a natural grace. Lin Dong froze for a second before adjusting his mindset. They walked to the fourth-floor conference room together, hand-in-hand, looking for all the world like a long-time, loving couple.
Pushing the door open, they found two men and two women seated inside. Lin Dong didn't recognize any of them. Chu Wanning made professional introductions, and Lin Dong learned they were all descendants of various prominent families.
The group was polite enough, greeting Lin Dong, but when they realized his identity as Chu Wanning’s fiancé, their expressions turned subtle.
They asked, looking awkward, "Wait... Wanning, when did you get a fiancé? We had no idea!"
"This is so sudden!"
Chu Wanning smiled and explained, "This engagement was decided by my grandfather long ago. I haven't dated anyone before, so naturally, I never mentioned the matter of marriage."
A young woman leaned over to Chu Wanning and whispered, "Does Qian Chen know? He’s been chasing you for so long. If he finds out you have a fiancé, he’s going to go crazy!"
Just as she finished speaking, the door to the conference room opened. A dashing young man walked in slowly, holding a gift box, and said with a smile:
"Sorry, I’m late."
He walked over and held out the gift box to Chu Wanning.
"Wanning, this is the limited-edition bag Hermès is releasing today. I pulled some strings to get it early. Tell me if you like it!"