Zhou Renxin gave Zhong Mingfeng a deep, meaningful look and said, "Mr. Zhong, some people, once missed, will be missed forever. I have important matters to attend to. Farewell!"
"Professor Zhou, let me have someone drive you..."
"No need for the trouble!"
With that, Zhou Renxin hurried away, taking Song Wen with him. Watching them go, Zhong Mingfeng frowned, finally unable to resist pulling out his phone to make a call.
"Check on Chu He immediately. I want to know exactly who he is!"
"Yes, Mr. Zhong!" a man's voice replied from the other end.
Once they were in the car, Song Wen, sitting in the driver's seat, could no longer contain his curiosity. "Professor, where are you going in such a rush?"
"Get out of the car first. I need to make a call."
After shooing Song Wen out, Zhou Renxin dialed a number. A sweet, youthful voice answered almost immediately: "Grandpa, are you back?"
"My dear granddaughter, book a flight to Jiangzhou right away!"
"What would I go to Jiangzhou for?"
"I met a brilliant young man today. His medical skills are so high that even I must bow down in admiration! If you could get to know him, I would have no regrets in this life!" Zhou Renxin said with exaggerated enthusiasm.
"Grandpa, have you been drinking?" Zhou Leyao was stunned, convinced her grandfather had had too much to drink.
"I don't care! You must come immediately. I'll have Song Wen make arrangements for you to stay in Jiangzhou. I'll explain everything to your parents!"
"Grandpa..."
Without waiting for her to finish, the old man hung up, his mind already drifting to visions of Chu He as his grandson-in-law. His granddaughter was just as beautiful as Zhong Ling'er and a medical student to boot. Most importantly, now that Chu He had broken off his engagement, his granddaughter's chances were much higher.
***
After leaving the Zhong residence, Chu He hailed a taxi, intending to head to the provincial capital. No sooner had he sat down than his phone rang. It was An Chuxia.
"Chuxia," Chu He answered with a smile.
"Chu He, it's terrible!"
As soon as the line connected, An Chuxia’s panicked voice came through: "Someone... someone is trying to force the demolition of your old family home! You have to come quickly... Ah! Don't you dare do that, I’m calling the police!"
"Heh, go ahead and call the police, you bitch. I want to see if they’d even dare to show up!" a cocky man's voice sneered.
"Chu He..."
Before An Chuxia could finish, the man's voice returned. "You must be the Chu kid, right? If you’ve got guts, come on over. I want to see if you really have three heads and six arms!"
"Don't you dare touch Chuxia. I'm coming right now!" Chu He’s face darkened instantly.
"Hmph, why on earth would I listen to you?"
A sharp crack sounded through the phone—the sound of a slap—followed by An Chuxia’s sobbing.
"You're dead."
Chu He's voice was frigid, a towering murderous aura radiating from him. An Jie was already gone; he would never allow the An family to be bullied again, not even in the slightest.
"Come on, I'm waiting!" the man said and hung up.
"Buddy, where to?" the driver asked.
"Nancheng!" Chu He gritted the word out through his teeth.
***
In Nancheng, at the old Chu residence: This slightly dilapidated house had remained standing only because of Shen Man. She wanted the people of Jiangzhou to look at this house and be reminded of the consequences of crossing her—the same fate that had befallen the Chu family.
A large excavator sat in front of the house, surrounded by dozens of men in black, all wielding pickaxes. The leader was a fair-skinned, arrogant young man dressed in designer clothes. He leered at the beautiful An Chuxia with a malicious grin.
"An Chuxia, the Chu kid hasn't shown up. I guess he’s too scared to come."
"Why don't you be my girlfriend for a few days? Maybe I’ll consider delaying the demolition. What do you say?"
"You..." An Chuxia’s face flushed with anger. She stood firmly in front of the door, trembling with fury. "Chang Wei, don't go too far! You'll have to roll the excavator over me before you destroy this place!"
"Damn it!" The young man was incensed. "You bitch, that Chu kid is nothing but a stray dog, and you're defending him like this?"
"Men, tear this dump down!"
*Rumble!*
The excavator roared to life, its massive metal shovel descending slowly toward An Chuxia. She was terrified, trembling uncontrollably, but she squeezed her eyes shut, the image of her brother flashing through her mind.
*Screech!*
At that moment, a taxi skidded to a halt, and a dark figure leaped from it.
"Agh!"
Before anyone could react, the excavator operator was sent flying from his cabin, crashing to the ground and falling unconscious.
"Who's there?"
Chang Wei was livid. He looked up to see a man standing on top of the excavator, eyes locked onto him like a beast.
"Chu He, you finally came!" An Chuxia opened her eyes, tears streaming down her face as she saw him.
*Whoosh!*
Chu He flashed across the distance and appeared at her side.
"Kid, you're Chu He?" Chang Wei gritted his teeth, his voice cold. "I didn't think you'd actually dare to show up. Aren't you afraid of death?"
Chu He ignored him, looking at An Chuxia with pained, gentle eyes. "Let them tear it down if they want. Why bother fighting with these mad dogs? Is it worth it?"
"It is," An Chuxia sobbed, her gaze firm. "This is the only thing you have left. I can't just stand by and watch you lose everything."
"You silly girl." Chu He’s eyes grew moist, but the rage in his heart reached its breaking point.
"You bastard, who are you calling a mad dog?" Chang Wei roared. To see the woman he wanted defending another man so fiercely was maddening.
Chu He turned around, scanning the group with icy eyes before locking onto Chang Wei. "Was it you who hit Chuxia?"
His voice was cold, like a reaper calling from the depths of hell.
"That's right, I hit her!" Chang Wei didn't take Chu He seriously at all. He pointed at his nose and barked, "In Jiangzhou, I hit whoever I want! Chu, if you want to live, kneel down and call me 'Grandpa' three times, or you're going to have a very miserable death!"
"Really?"
Chu He bolted like a cheetah, his hand flashing out to grab Chang Wei’s wrist, twisting it with brute force.
*Snap!*
An ear-piercing sound of bone breaking echoed through the air, followed by Chang Wei's shrill, pig-like screams. Chu He wasn't finished; he twisted again and again until Chang Wei's arm was mangled beyond recognition.
"Save Young Master Chang!"
The men in black finally snapped out of their shock and rushed forward with their pickaxes.
"Look out!" An Chuxia cried, her face pale. There were dozens of them, all armed. Chu He wouldn't stand a chance.
***
"Kill him!" Chang Wei roared, his face contorted in agony.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the air was filled with wails. Those thugs with their pickaxes were no match for Chu He. In the blink of an eye, dozens of men were sprawled on the ground, unable to even crawl.
"Just you left."
After cleaning up the lackeys, Chu He fixed his icy gaze on Chang Wei and stepped toward him.
"You... what do you want?" Chang Wei shivered, clutching his broken arm and backing away instinctively. "My father is Lord Hu! If you touch a hair on my head, he... he won't let you get away with this!"
Chu He moved in a flash, appearing before Chang Wei and grabbing his other arm, twisting it in the opposite direction.
*Snap!*
The sound of bone breaking rang out again. Chang Wei’s other arm was now just as mangled as the first.
"Aaaaagh!" Chang Wei howled in pain, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Get out!" Chu He kicked Chang Wei in the abdomen, rupturing his bladder. "Go back and tell your father: I'll be coming for him tonight. Tell him to get his last words ready!"
Chang Wei, face drained of all color, didn't dare to retort. He glared at them and scrambled away in defeat with his men.
"Chu He, you're in trouble!" An Chuxia said, her face full of worry. "Chang Wei is Lord Hu's only son. You’ve beaten him like this, and Lord Hu won't let it go—he has thousands of men under him!"
"Mere ants are not worth mentioning," Chu He said with disdain. His disciples in the Dark Palace spanned the globe, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the lowest of whom were at the Yellow Grade. A few thugs were nothing.
An Chuxia didn't know this, though. Seeing him so unconcerned, she grew more anxious. "Maybe you should go into hiding, or Lord Hu will kill you!"
"Don't worry," Chu He said, changing the subject. "Chuxia, why were you at my old house?"
"I was on my way to an interview at the Osha Group. I saw Chang Wei leading people to tear down your home from the bus, so I got off to stop them," An Chuxia explained.
"You haven't found a job yet?"
"Yeah, it's been half a year since I graduated... I just can't find anything." Her mood dropped as she spoke.
"How can that be?" Chu He was surprised. She was well-educated and beautiful; was the job market really that cutthroat?
"It's because no company in Jiangzhou dares to hire me."
It was Shen Man's doing again. She had declared that anyone hiring An Chuxia was her enemy, and most companies preferred to avoid the trouble. The Osha Group had only recently moved into Jiangzhou, and An Chuxia had taken a gamble by submitting her resume. She hadn't expected them to actually invite her for an interview, but she had missed her chance.
Chu He pondered this. "What's the story with the Osha Group? Are they not afraid of Shen Man?"
"Of course not!" An Chuxia’s eyes lit up with envy. "Osha isn't just a global enterprise; it’s a subsidiary of the Knight Group!"
"The Knight Group?" The name sounded familiar. Chu He slapped his forehead—that was the Owen family’s business!
"People are breaking down the doors to work at the Knight Group. Even their subsidiaries offer world-class benefits!" An Chuxia lamented. "And I ruined my chance."
Seeing her disappointment, Chu He smiled faintly. "I'll go with you to the interview."
"But... my interview time has already passed..." she said, her expression turning somber.
Chu He reached out and took her hand. "Opportunities are what we make of them. Maybe there's still a chance?"
"This..." An Chuxia’s face flushed; the warmth of his palm made her heart race, and she found herself nodding in agreement before she knew it. They hailed a taxi and sped toward the Osha Group.
***
In the heart of Jiangzhou, the Osha Group building sat in the most prosperous district.
"Chu He, I'm a bit nervous," An Chuxia said, looking up at the opulent skyscraper.
"Believe in yourself. You can do it. Let's go!"
An Chuxia took a deep breath and walked to the entrance, only to be blocked by a security guard.
"Stop right there. What are you here for?" the guard asked, his tone stern.
"I'm here for an interview. Please let me in," An Chuxia explained with a polite smile.
"The interview time is over. Move along," the guard said, waving her away.
"Buddy, can you be a bit flexible? My sister was delayed by special circumstances," Chu He stepped forward to mediate.
The guard scoffed. "Who do you think you are? If I were flexible with everyone, how would I do my job?"
"Watch your tone," Chu He said, his temper rising.
"Oh, kid, don't say I didn't warn you. This isn't the place to cause trouble." As he spoke, his colleagues surrounded them.
"Chu He, forget it. I won't interview anymore," An Chuxia said, trying to pull him away.
Just then, a woman’s voice rang out: "Oh? Isn't that An Chuxia? What are you doing here?"
A stylish young woman with wavy hair and a slim figure approached them.
"Zhou Fei?" An Chuxia’s face changed as she recognized her. "I'm here for an interview, but I missed the time and the guard won't let me in."
"What a coincidence, I'm here for an interview too," Zhou Fei sneered, looking smug. "But unlike you, my boyfriend is the human resources manager here, so it doesn't matter if I'm late."
An Chuxia lowered her head, biting her lip.
"Oh, so you're Manager Zheng’s girlfriend! Please, come on in and get out of the heat!" The guard, who had been so dismissive just moments ago, was now all smiles.
***
"See that, An Chuxia? That’s the difference between having connections and not. You’ll never measure up to me," Zhou Fei taunted, casting a provocative look at An Chuxia.
"Chu He, let's go," An Chuxia whispered, her face red.
"Chuxia, who is this bitch?" Chu He asked coldly.
"She... she's my aunt's daughter," An Chuxia replied quietly.
"A cousin?" Chu He frowned.
"Hmph! You must be An Chuxia’s man, right?" Zhou Fei looked Chu He up and down, her expression one of utter disdain. "You're a disgrace! An Chuxia, you have terrible taste in men. This guy looks like a pauper. No wonder your family is being suppressed!"
"Say one more word, and see if I don't tear your mouth off," Chu He warned.
"You wouldn't dare!" Zhou Fei exploded in rage. "You heard him! This bastard threatened me! Get him out of here, or I'll have my boyfriend fire you all!"
The guards hesitated, but the leader steeled himself and turned to Chu He. "Buddy, apologize to the lady. Don't force us to take action!"
"Apologize?" Chu He scoffed. He pulled out his phone. "Hold on, let me make a call."
"Oh, trying to act like a gangster, are you?" Zhou Fei mocked. "An Chuxia, look at the trash you found. A petty thug! He's nothing compared to my boyfriend."
"Chu He is not a thug! Zhou Fei, haven't you done enough?" An Chuxia finally snapped.
"Fine. I’ll have my boyfriend come down right now so you can see what a quality man looks like!" Zhou Fei pulled out her phone, looking triumphant.
Chu He walked to the side and dialed a number. Leng Muxue’s voice came through, filled with deference: "Master, you called?"
"Come down. I'm at the main entrance of the Osha Group," Chu He said before hanging up.
Leng Muxue was stunned. Her master’s tone was clearly displeased. Had someone at the Osha Group upset him? A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Who was the fool who had offended her master?
Without a second thought, she ordered her secretary to summon several executives to accompany her to the lobby.
"Who are you trying to scare?" Zhou Fei was still sneering at An Chuxia. "If you want to get into the Osha Group, have this kid slap himself ten times. For the sake of our family, I’ll have my boyfriend find you a job scrubbing toilets!"
*SMACK!*
A crisp sound echoed through the lobby. Chu He had landed a solid slap on Zhou Fei’s face, causing her foundation-caked cheek to swell instantly.
"You bastard! You dare hit me? I’ll kill you!" Zhou Fei, a bully by nature, lunged at him like a harpy.
*SMACK!*
Chu He didn't hold back. A backhanded slap sent her reeling, and she spat out two bloodied teeth.
"Chu He..."
"Chuxia, there’s no need to be polite with scum like this," Chu He shrugged. If not for the fact that she was a relative of An Chuxia, he would have killed her with those two slaps.
"Waaaah!"