Zhou Pengju froze for a moment, and it took him quite a while to collect himself.
"You... are you, Xiao Ce?"
Lin Ce slowly walked into the main hall and said indifferently, "Uncle Zhou, I was raised watching you. Why are you acting so devoid of old affections, keeping me at a thousand miles away?"
Hearing this, Zhou Pengju's old face flushed red.
"So it really is my nephew! The servants don't know how to do their jobs, my apologies, my apologies. Come, sit down."
Lin Ce said coolly, "No need for formalities. I've come today to ask you about something."
Zhou Pengju tried his best to look calm. "Nephew, go ahead and ask whatever is on your mind."
"Uncle, a month ago, my Lin Family suffered persecution by treacherous villains. Who on earth was the mastermind behind this?"
Zhou Pengju took a deep breath, as if he had already anticipated Lin Ce would ask this question.
He pondered in silence, wondering how to answer.
Lin Ce was not in a rush either. He stood there with a straight posture, resembling the towering snow mountains of the Northern Territory.
From the very day he set foot in Zhonghai, the Hidden Dragon Guards had already begun their investigation.
After consolidating the intelligence, Lin Ce reached a conclusion: the destruction of the Lin Family was far simpler on the surface than it truly was.
Superficially, it appeared that the Four Great Families of Zhonghai had joined forces to orchestrate this bloody tragedy.
However, the Lin Family had no enmity whatsoever with the Four Great Families of Zhonghai, yet the Lin Family was completely eradicated overnight.
Was it premeditated, or was someone pulling the strings from behind the scenes?
What actually happened that night?
There must be unknown secrets hidden behind this incident!
Chapter 6 Indifferent Attitude
Zhou Pengju's heart trembled. Especially when meeting Lin Ce's gaze, he felt a sensation of pins and needles down his back, almost causing him to blurt out the truth of the matter.
Fortunately, having navigated the business world for the greater part of his life, Zhou Pengju had cultivated a steady composure, allowing him to force a smile and say:
"Nephew, losing family members is indeed a tragedy, but this matter does not involve the conspiracy theories you're imagining. Don't overthink it.
"Now that you're back, live your life well. In everything you do and every action you take, keep a low profile so that your departed family members can rest in peace."
Lin Ce frowned slightly. How could he not see that Zhou Pengju was intentionally dodging the question?
"Uncle Zhou, please tell me everything you know. Do not keep anything from me."
Facing Lin Ce's aggressive questioning, Zhou Pengju's expression became somewhat unsightly.
He paused for a moment, then ultimately shook his head and said, "Xiao Ce, I really don't know anything. What is there to hide?"
Lin Ce's eyes suddenly flashed, and a stern killing intent swept across the room.
The white mist from the tea even stirred without any wind.
For a fleeting second, Zhou Pengju felt as though someone had him by the throat, and beads of cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead.
"Xiao Ce, you..." Zhou Pengju was startled, having no idea what had just happened.
Lin Ce took a deep breath, reined in that killing intent, and then slowly spoke:
"Forget it. Uncle Zhou's complexion doesn't look too well, so I won't disturb you any further. Get some rest.
"This is my contact information. If Uncle Zhou ever needs to find me, call this number."
With that, he placed a slip of paper on the table.
At that exact moment, Lin Ce truly had the intent to kill. In his eight years in the Northern Territory, the thing he cared about least was killing people.
Yet this time was an exception; after all, Zhou Pengju was an old friend of his adoptive father.
The hint of killing intent had just arisen before he ruthlessly stamped it out.
Watching Lin Ce's gradually receding figure, Zhou Pengju looked as though he had aged several years.
He let out a long sigh.
"Ah, Xiao Ce, it's not that I won't tell you. Everything I'm doing is for your own good.
"If you really keep investigating, I'm afraid your life will be forfeit. Those people are an existence you can never afford to provoke in this lifetime!"
Although he didn't know what Lin Ce had experienced in the Northern Territory over the years or what achievements he had attained, did any of that really matter?
...
Black combat boots resounded against the bluestone path.
One step light, one step heavy.
"Dragon Head, if you won't do it, let me go instead. Anyway, I have no blood ties to that old man; I'll definitely be able to pry all the information out of him."
Bahu licked his scarlet lips, speaking in a chilling tone.
Bahu oversaw the prisons in the Northern Territory, and over the years, there was never a prisoner he couldn't get to talk.
However, the fate of every prisoner was extremely miserable. Upon walking out of the interrogation room, they were invariably driven to madness, looking neither human nor ghost, unable even to die.
"No, let this matter end here. After all, he is an old friend of my father; it's inappropriate to use special methods.
"Also, without my command, no one is to lay a finger on the Zhou Family."
"Understood, Dragon Head."
At that moment, lively firecrackers sounded from the front courtyard, signaling the start of the birthday banquet.
Lin Ce said indifferently, "Let's go. Let's take a look at the front courtyard."
As soon as he stepped into the front courtyard, he ran straight into a middle-aged woman.
This woman was Zhou Peipei's mother and Zhou Pengju's wife, Xing Hui.
Zhou Pengju could be considered an older man with a younger wife; there was a nearly fifteen-year age gap between him and Xing Hui.
Xing Hui maintained her appearance quite well, and today she had specially dressed up, adorned in gold and jade, exuding an overbearing air of wealth.
She was just about to greet Lin Ce when the smile on her face abruptly froze.
"You... are you Lin Ce?"
"Auntie, it's been eight years. You're looking younger and younger."
Xing Hui's expression turned ashen. Wasn't this fellow dead? Why did he suddenly show up?
Now that the Lin Family had been destroyed, everyone associated with them was terrified of being implicated and stayed as far away as possible.
Yet Lin Ce had to show up right at this moment.
What did he want? Could it be that he was still harboring thoughts about marrying her daughter?
"Since you're here, come in and have a bite to eat before leaving."
She spoke as if nothing was amiss, then turned and walked away.
Lin Ce didn't think much of it and walked into the grand hall.
Upon entering, he found a sizable crowd inside, many of whom were familiar faces.
A few individuals were gathered around a young woman, chattering endlessly.
One of them was handsome, possessed an extraordinary bearing, and wore a custom Armani suit, instantly marking him as someone from a wealthy background.
"Sili, you and my daughter are a well-matched pair. In the future, our Peipei will be in your hands to take care of."
As Xing Hui said this, she didn't lower her voice, as if trying to draw the attention of certain people.
"Auntie, Peipei and Sili are a match made in heaven. Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on Young Master Qian for you. If he dares to go out philandering, we certainly won't let him off!"
Fang Rou wrapped her arm around Zhou Peipei's, saying with a sweet giggle.
This scene caused Zhou Peipei's pretty face to flush slightly, and she cast a sideways glance at her best friend.
Qian Sili nodded slightly, swept his gaze across the people around him, and finally let it linger on Zhou Peipei's lovely face.
Zhou Peipei wore her long hair in waves, boasted an alluring figure with curves in all the right places, and was dressed in a white phoenix-carved qipao that accentuated her nobility, making her look like a fairy descending from the heavens.
Deep within Qian Sili's eyes flashed a fierce desire for possession.
He had pursued Zhou Peipei for a full three years, and through relentless persistence, he was finally about to win her over.
Marrying Zhou Peipei would not only allow him to enjoy such an exquisite woman, but it would also forge a powerful alliance between the Zhou Family and the Qian Family.
By then, even the Four Great Corporations of Zhonghai would be no match for him in a contest of strength.
Just then, Fang Rou suddenly spotted a man with a towering back and extraordinary bearing standing not far away, instantly capturing her attention.
"Oh, who is that handsome guy? Peipei, is he a friend of yours? To have such a handsome friend and not introduce him to me—you're being too biased!"
However, when Zhou Peipei raised her head, her smiling eyes froze completely.
A trace of panic even surged in her heart for a split second, and her delicate body instinctively drew closer to Qian Sili.
Lin Ce walked over slowly, speaking without servility or arrogance:
"Peipei, it's been many years. Happy birthday."
Zhou Peipei panicked for a brief moment, but her pretty face immediately turned cold.
"Lin Ce, why are you back? Didn't I hear that you died in the Northern Territory?"
Hearing this, Lin Ce froze slightly.
It had been eight years, and the little girl had grown even more beautiful.
Back then, she was the girl who regarded him as her idol, the girl who followed at his heels all day long.
He hadn't expected that upon seeing him for the first time, her attitude would be so cold.
"Lin Ce? He's Lin Ce? Why is he back..."
Hearing Lin Ce's name, the surrounding crowd fell silent for a moment, and then all cast their gazes over.
Chapter 7 Sending Gifts
During his school days, Lin Ce had been exceptionally prominent.
Before even coming of age, he had already made a name for himself in Zhonghai's upper circles, earning the title of the "Zhonghai Phoenix."
Yet Lin Ce, who had already been recommended for admission to Qingbei, suddenly chose to leave for the bitter, freezing frontiers.
Everyone failed to understand the Lin Family's actions, and not long after, news spread that Lin Ce had died in battle in the Northern Territory.
From then on, the Zhonghai Phoenix was gradually forgotten by the people of Zhonghai.
"Lin Ce, what are you doing coming to our house? Do you think the Zhou Family doesn't have enough troubles as it is?"
"Thanks to your Lin Family, several of Pengju's close business partners have quit. Do you have any idea how much money our Zhou Family has lost?"
Seeing Lin Ce being so tactless as to approach the main table, Xing Hui felt a surge of anger.
Zhou Peipei's aunt also sneered:
"Lin Ce, times have changed. A person needs to have self-awareness.
"Back then, your father and Pengju were just making idle jokes. You surely didn't think an arranged marriage from the cradle was real, did you?"
Hearing this, everyone at the main table burst into ridiculing laughter.
Putting aside the fact that the Lin Family was currently a hot potato that brought disaster to whoever touched it, Lin Ce's current status was already vastly unworthy of the Zhou Family.
"Lin Ce, if you want to stay for a meal, go find a seat by the door and eat. If you're here to talk about a marriage alliance, you might as well give up that pipe dream."
Xing Hui cast a sideways glance at Lin Ce. "To be blunt, you shouldn't have come back at this time!"
"Enough, Mom!"
Zhou Peipei said in a deep voice, casting an impatient look at Lin Ce as she spoke:
"Come with me. I have a few words to say to you."
No matter what, the two of them were childhood friends after all, and she still needed to save a bit of face for Lin Ce.
Some things weren't suitable to be said in public, but they were things that had to be said nonetheless.
She was afraid that Lin Ce still harbored inappropriate fantasies about her.
With that, Zhou Peipei walked into the hallway by the side door of the hall.
Lin Ce told Bahu to stay put and followed her alone.
Qian Sili's pupils constricted as he cast a deep, lingering glance at Lin Ce's back.
"Hmph, Lin Ce? The Zhonghai Phoenix of yesteryear—how does he compare to who I am today?"
Just as they entered the hallway, Zhou Peipei crossed her arms over her chest and said,
"Lin Ce, leave Zhonghai."
Lin Ce asked, "Why?"
Zhou Peipei took a deep breath and said,
"I'm doing this for your own good. If you stay in Zhonghai, no one will protect you—that's reason one. Secondly, there is no longer any possibility between you and me. What is the point of you staying in Zhonghai?"
A trace of a smile tugged at the corner of Lin Ce's lips. "You think I stayed in Zhonghai to pester you?"
"Isn't that so? If not to pester me, could it be to avenge the Lin Family? Don't be foolish!
"When you went to the Northern Territory back then, it was your biggest mistake. Now that the Lin Family has been destroyed, look at yourself—what could you possibly do?"
Zhou Peipei shook her head and gave a bitter smile. "Forget it, why am I even telling you this?"
Lin Ce's tone remained calm as he spoke: "It's been a few years. You've changed a lot."
Zhou Peipei said decisively, "That's right, I have changed. I used to be naive and ignorant, but now I understand that there is a gap between people.
"The moment you set foot in the Northern Territory, you were destined to be nothing more than a common foot soldier for the rest of your life. But I am different; I am someone destined for greatness. You and I are worlds apart—mud and clouds!"
Lin Ce smiled faintly. Worlds apart indeed!
He commanded a million brave soldiers; a single disagreement would leave rivers of blood flowing.
The wealth and power in his hands reached the heavens; even bringing all the corporations of Zhonghai under his banner was a matter of a snap of his fingers.
Come to think of it, they truly were worlds apart.
"Rest assured, I didn't come to fulfill our engagement."
Drinking ice for eight years, a life of blood and iron.
Lin Ce had walked the line between life and death, long seeing through the affairs of romance.
His feelings for Zhou Peipei had also been deeply buried in his heart, drifting away with the wind.
Hearing Lin Ce's words, Zhou Peipei finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Yet, for some reason, hearing him say this also left her feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
Upon returning to the living room, everyone looked at each other in dismay, falling silent for a moment.
"Peipei, who is this..."
Qian Sili asked, feigning ignorance.
Zhou Peipei offered a gentle smile, intimately wrapping her arm around Qian Sili's as she said,
"Sili, this is Lin Ce, a former high school classmate of mine.
"Lin Ce, this is Qian Sili, president of Mingzhe Group."
Qian Sili smiled smugly. "So you're Lin Ce! I've heard a lot about you. Untalented as I am, it was only through hard work that I managed to inherit my father's corporation. Here is my business card."
As he spoke, he handed over a gold-inlaid business card.
Lin Ce casually accepted it. Following the principle of courteous exchange, he extended a hand and said indifferently, "Lin Ce."
Qian Sili paused, then asked with a teasing smile, "Does Brother Lin not have a business card?"
Pfft...
At the main table, Fang Rou couldn't help laughing out loud. She had never heard of a foot soldier having a business card.
"Sorry, I couldn't help it."
Qian Sili clearly intended to humiliate Lin Ce, yet he feigned awkwardness and said apologetically,
"My apologies, I never shake hands with people who don't have business cards. It's just a habit of mine."
Lin Ce's eyes remained as calm as an ancient well, without the slightest ripple, and he withdrew his hand tranquilly.
Right at that moment, dinner was finally served, and servants brought out one exquisite dish after another.
"Everyone, please take a seat. These dishes were made by Michelin three-star chefs specifically invited by Sili," Xing Hui glanced at Lin Ce, intentionally or unintentionally showing off.
Everyone gathered around the table. Before anyone could pick up their chopsticks, Qian Sili stood up and smiled:
"Auntie, having a few Michelin three-star chefs is just a little token of my sincerity. I've also prepared a gift for Peipei."
"Oh? What gift? Hurry up and show us," Fang Rou chimed in eagerly.
Qian Sili was generous with his spending; the gift he prepared must be of immense value.
Seeing Qian Sili pull an exquisite gift box out from under the table and open it, a pair of incomparably exquisite high heels appeared before everyone's eyes.
"I bought these specially from abroad—'Crystal Love' high heels. There are only two hundred pairs in the entire world, valued at 1.66 million. I hope Peipei likes them."
The people at the main table immediately stretched out their necks, their eyes filled with envy.
"These are 'Crystal Love' shoes! Even Hollywood actresses chase after them. They're globally limited edition—you can't buy them even if you want to. Young Master Qian, you're truly amazing."
Fang Rou said sourly, "Peipei, you're so blessed to have found such a good man. Other people can only envy you."
Zhou Peipei revealed a blissful smile and took the 'Crystal Love' shoes.
She had wanted to buy this pair of shoes for a long time, but could never get her hands on them. She hadn't expected Qian Sili to be so thoughtful.
"Darling, thank you, I love them."
"Right, we've prepared gifts too. Everyone, take yours out."
After Fang Rou and the others produced their respective gifts, although they fell quite short compared to 'Crystal Love', almost none of them were worth less than ten thousand yuan; put together, they totaled seven or eight hundred thousand.
At that moment, Fang Rou cast an indifferent, lukewarm glance at Lin Ce and said,
"Great Young Master Lin, aren't you Peipei's friend? Everyone else gave gifts—where's yours?"
Hearing this, Lin Ce also stood up.
"Peipei, I have also prepared a gift for you."
Chapter 8 This Person Has a Foul Mouth, Slap Him
With that, Lin Ce pulled a string of beads from the inner pocket of his black trench coat.
The beads were black and covered in cracks.
When Bahu saw this string of beads, his pupils constricted. He hadn't expected the Dragon Head to give this away.
Everyone glanced at the string of beads and exchanged puzzled looks.
There was incomprehension, snickering, and utter disdain.
Zhou Peipei took the beads, her slender brows knitting together slightly. What on earth was this?
Obsidian? Basalt? Black crystal?
Regardless of which one it was, none of them seemed very valuable.
Besides, it was covered in so many cracks, making it completely worthless.
"Lin Ce, I accept your sentiment, but you should take this gift back. I don't want it."
Why bring out such a worthless thing? Wasn't it embarrassing enough?
Lin Ce said indifferently, "Don't underestimate this string of beads. This item came from the heavens, extremely rare in this world, and it even has the effect of strengthening the body and promoting health."
The crowd looked at Lin Ce suspiciously. Why did this sound so much like a scammer selling health therapy stones?
Had this fellow gone stupid from being in the military, spouting nonsense with just any random string of beads?
"Regardless, it's still Lin Ce's good intention. How can you just reject it?"
Qian Sili hypocritically snatched the bracelet and casually glanced at it.
In his view, Lin Ce was just a penniless pauper who couldn't afford anything nice and used cheap knockoffs instead.
As Zhou Peipei's fiancé, he needed to properly put this guy in his place.
Therefore, with a loosening of his grip and a *clack*, the bracelet dropped to the floor.
"Oops, sorry, didn't hold it steady. Oh well, doesn't matter, it wasn't worth much anyway, right?"
Lin Ce's eyes flashed, and he cast a cold, detached glance at Qian Sili.
This person was courting death.
"Hehe, Lin Ce, what kind of look is that? From the gift you gave, I can tell how poorly you're doing these days.
"I'm not going to keep up pretences with you anymore. From now on, you are forbidden from harboring any more thoughts about Peipei.
"Your Lin Family was destroyed, yet you actually dared to return. I heard from Peipei that you don't even have a college degree, and now that you've lost the Lin Family as your backing, you're probably no different from trash."
Everyone laughed mockingly as they watched Lin Ce.
One was the betrothed from the cradle, the other was the current boyfriend—this kind of bloodless battle of wits was most suitable for a group of gossip lovers.
However, Lin Ce didn't show the slightest ripple of emotion, save for Bahu standing behind him, who abruptly materialized right in front of Qian Sili.