The next day, Lin Fan arrived at the entrance of the Lin Family residence holding a marriage contract. A sprawling, luxurious mansion stood before him.
"Ten years have passed. My junior sister, Jiang Mingyue, must be all grown up by now!"
Lin Fan recalled the time when his parents were still alive. Jiang Mingyue used to sneak over to watch him practice martial arts. By the time she was fifteen or sixteen, she was always clinging to him, calling him "husband." She would hide in his arms and cry, and she even gave him her first kiss—she had been so adorable.
Lin Fan knocked on the gate.
A butler in his forties walked out and glanced at Lin Fan.
"Where did this delivery boy come from? Is this a place you're allowed to be?"
"Get out! Don't dirty the Lin Family's doorstep!"
"I'm here to see Jiang Mingyue, Miss Jiang. Tell her my name is Lin Fan. Her fiancé."
The butler threw his head back and laughed.
"I could just as well claim to be Miss Jiang's fiancé. Where does this piece of trash come from, spouting such nonsense?"
Seeing the gate about to close, Lin Fan's expression turned cold. He grabbed the iron gate, and with a swift backhand motion, caused the gate to recoil, sending the butler sprawling onto the ground, face-first in the dirt.
"I am here to have Jiang Mingyue fulfill her promise. If you insist on using force, don't say I didn't warn you."
"You damn well have a death wish, breaking into the Jiang Family gate! Men, teach this delivery trash a real lesson!"
At the butler’s command, two groups of thugs in security uniforms rushed out from behind the garden and surrounded Lin Fan.
Just as they were about to strike, a command rang out.
"Stop!"
A woman in her forties, wearing a green dress and thick, elaborate makeup, approached in high heels.
The men stopped at the sight of her.
"You say you're Lin Fan? What proof do you have?"
Lin Fan recognized her as Jiang Mingyue's mother, Song Yuli. She hadn't changed in over a decade; in fact, she seemed to be living even more luxuriously.
"Auntie Song, hello. This is the marriage contract between the Lin and Jiang families. When my parents were still here, they were very fond of junior sister Mingyue, and they hoped that in the future, we could work together to stabilize the Four Great Families..."
"Hold it, stop right there! Where did this stinking delivery boy come from? Stay away from me!"
Song Yuli snatched the marriage contract from Lin Fan's hand, gave it a cursory glance, and tossed it onto the ground.
Lin Fan's pupils contracted.
"Auntie Song, you..."
Song Yuli pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her hands in disgust. She covered her mouth and chuckled at Lin Fan.
"So you're Lin Fan. I didn't expect the Lin Family to have fallen so far that you're making a living as a delivery boy. It's absolutely shameful. Do you even have any money?"
"I do, but I don't have it on me right now."
"Hmph, that means you have nothing."
"I certainly won't let my Mingyue suffer with you. Any of the other three great families is better than a loser like you—one stomp of their feet could make the entire Huadu tremble!"
"Are you saying the Jiang Family is going back on this marriage contract?"
"Hmph. Recognize it? Why should we? Who do you think you are? The Lin Family collapsed long ago. There are no longer Four Great Families in Huadu, only three!"
"Song Yuli, your family begged my parents to set this up back then! Don't you regret this!"
Song Yuli rolled her eyes at him. "The Lin Family? What Lin Family? Your parents are dead; I’m genuinely surprised you aren't dead, too! And that jinx of a sister of yours! You still dare to call yourselves the heads of the Four Great Families? Even ghosts wouldn't believe that. There’s a new leader now, someone called Shura. Stop spouting nonsense here. Someone, get him out of here! Don't let him pollute the air!"
On her order, the thugs grabbed Lin Fan and prepared to toss him out onto the main road.
Lin Fan thought of his pure-hearted junior sister, Jiang Mingyue, and shouted indignantly into the house, "Jiang Mingyue! Come out! It’s me, Lin Fan!"
"Wait."
A delicate woman’s voice came from the side.
A tall woman in a starry blue dress with wavy hair walked over from the garden. She was voluptuous and stunningly beautiful.
"Oh? So you're Lin Fan?"
Lin Fan broke free from the guards and walked up to Jiang Mingyue. Ten years had passed, and the little chubby girl who used to cry behind him had truly blossomed into a beautiful young woman.
"Junior sister Mingyue."
Jiang Mingyue couldn't help but cover her mouth and sneer.
"What Lin Fan? Who is he? Is this some stinking beggar who has no money to eat? Someone, go get him some leftovers. And make sure he stays far away from our house in the future! He’s making the place stink!"
"What!"
Lin Fan was beyond shocked. "Jiang Mingyue, what is the meaning of this?"
"Hahaha, you stinking delivery boy! While I'm still in a good mood, get out of the Jiang Family residence immediately!"
Lin Fan clenched his fists and tore the marriage contract into shreds.
"Jiang Mingyue, I never expected you to be this kind of woman. It is better that the Lin Family does not marry into yours. Don't come to regret this later."
Lin Fan was locked outside the gate when the sound of a Maserati engine approached.
The car screeched to a halt at the entrance, and Old Master Bai and Bai Aoxue stepped out.
The butler immediately recognized the value of the car—this was the prestigious Bai Family of Huadu—and quickly threw the gate open.
Hearing the commotion, Jiang Mingyue and her mother hurried over, putting on their best smiles.
"Old Master Bai, what brings you here? Oh, and this must be your daughter, Miss Aoxue? What a beauty! We will certainly present a generous gift for your wedding with Young Master Zhu tomorrow!"
Bai Aoxue's expression was grim.
Bai Tianxiong, looking stern, didn't answer. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Lin Fan, who was still wearing his delivery uniform.
"Xue'er, is it him?"
Bai Aoxue couldn't forget that handsome face, but she didn't know how to say it directly, so she just nodded shyly.
Bai Tianxiong stroked his beard and laughed, walking up to Lin Fan. Before he could speak, Song Yuli panicked and hurriedly explained.
"Old Master Bai, Miss Bai, we don't know this stinking delivery boy!"
"That's right! He must be delusional; we have no idea how he ended up at our gate!"
Bai Aoxue frowned upon hearing this. "What did you say?"
Bai Tianxiong's expression grew cold!
"Old Master, this piece of trash just appeared out of nowhere. If he offended you in any way, please feel free to deal with him! It has nothing to do with us!"
"Yes, Miss Bai, we don't know him! He just showed up here for no reason, probably trying to peek at me! I would never look at a guy like him—he reeks of scallions; just looking at him makes me want to vomit!"
Bai Aoxue's expression grew darker and darker.
"What did you say?"
"Miss Bai! We really don't know him! Do whatever you want with him!"
The butler, standing to the side, sneered at Lin Fan.
"Acting all high and mighty, claiming you had a marriage contract with our young miss! Well, look at you now—you've offended the Bai Family. Ten lives wouldn't be enough to pay for this!"
Song Yuli also knew the Bai Family was a major power in Huadu, so she quickly chimed in with a fawning smile.
"Old Master Bai, Miss Bai, don't dirty your hands on this guy. I’ll have my men take care of him. Please, don't be angry!"
"Men! Throw this stinking delivery boy out, as far as you can! If I see him again, I'll break your legs!"