"Xue'er, oh Xue'er, do you know who put a bounty on this punk's head? It's none other than young master Zhu of the Four Great Families!"
"It's over, it's completely over! Our Bai Family is doomed! This is a catastrophe!"
"Today is your engagement day, yet you're here acting all cozy with this good-for-nothing!
Just like that, the one-billion financing we had in our grasp has gone down the drain!
Little sister, how could you be so cruel as to watch the Bai Family perish in your hands?"
"What do we do?
What else is there to do?
We deal with this punk, of course!
We drag him before young master Zhu to beg for mercy with our backs bared!
And you, little sister, you're going to dress yourself up to the nines right now and go to the Zhu Residence to beg young master Zhu's forgiveness on your knees!
Use every trick in your seduction playbook! Keep young master Zhu happy, and there's still hope for the Bai Family!"
"Eldest brother! Uncle!"
Bai Aoxue followed their gaze, her brow furrowing. The man who had just entered was none other than Bai Aoxue's eldest uncle, Bai Tianba.
Though Bai Tianxiong and Bai Tianba shared a bond as close as brothers, Bai Tianxiong was far more calculating and astute when dealing with people.
"A forced melon is never sweet! Uncle, I already have someone I love!"
"Hmph!
Little sister, since when did your standards drop so low that you've actually fallen for a penniless nobody?
You're even feeding him something this precious!
You've completely lost your mind!"
Bai Aocong had a sudden flash of inspiration with his chubby face. He snatched the remaining antler slices from the thermos and shoved them all into his mouth in one go.
Bai Tianba sat in a chair with a stern expression. "This match was decided by me, and I've already sent out the invitations for the engagement banquet!
By saying you don't agree, you're slapping this old face of mine right in front of everyone!"
"I'll handle my own affairs. You don't need to worry about it, Uncle."
"Heh!
Your grandfather told me to come and dispense justice, so you will do as I say!"
"Grandfather...?"
Bai Aoxue was slightly taken aback. Just yesterday, he had approved of her marriage to Lin Fan—how could he have changed his mind today?!
"This is a grave matter, one that concerns the very life and death of the Bai Family's future!
If you can't bring yourself to do it,
I'll do it for you!"
Bai Tianba waved a hand toward the door, and three burly, menacing-looking men stepped inside. Each of them had a cold expression and had a few human lives on their hands.
"Take him outside and finish him."
The three men strode over and quickly surrounded Lin Fan, while the eldest brother grabbed Bai Aoxue by the wrist and dragged her toward the dressing room!
"Uncle, I won't go!
Yesterday, Lin Fan saved both me and Grandfather!
Instead of showing gratitude, you're kicking a man when he's down!"
"You stubborn wretch, we're sending you to live a life of luxury and you refuse! Yet here you are fighting against us!
Dammit, giving you face gets you nowhere!"
Bai Aocong raised his hand and slapped Bai Aoxue across the face.
Bright red blood trickled from her delicate lips.
"Hey, what kind of older brother hits someone like that?!
Are you even her real brother?"
"What, does it hurt you, you poor beggar? I'll hit her however the hell I want!"
Bai Aocong raised his hand to strike again, but the moment he swung, a large hand intercepted him.
"Don't you dare touch her!"
Lin Fan stared at Bai Aocong with a sharp gaze. Looking at Lin Fan's slight frame, Bai Aocong let out a chuckle.
"Fuck your mother!"
He threw a punch, but Lin Fan caught it instantly. With a counter-twist, Bai Aocong crashed heavily to the floor!
"Ow, my back!
Time to taste my supreme Iron Head Kung Fu, newly mastered!"
Bai Aocong swung his chubby arms and cracked his neck.
Glaring fiercely at Lin Fan, he let out a roar, "Ah!"
Seeing that the idiot was clearly not right in the head, Lin Fan simply stepped aside. With a deafening crash, Bai Aocong collided head-first straight into the vase stand behind him. In an instant, a chaotic clatter filled the room as vases and ceramic pieces shattered all over the floor!
The pearwood stand also toppled over from the impact.
The servants nearby were scared out of their wits.
"That's the master's favorite blue-and-white porcelain and ceramic pot! They're worth tens of thousands!"
Bai Aocong lumbered to his feet, a thin trail of blood streaming down from his forehead. He touched the blood on his nose and shook his head.
"Wuwuwu! Dad, I'm bleeding! It hurts so much!"
Bai Tianba was heartbroken!
"My boy!"
"You dare lay a hand on my son?!
Hacking this punk into pieces!"
With cold, sinister eyes, the three thugs drew daggers from inside their tunics and lunged at Lin Fan.
Bai Aoxue felt a pang of intense distress.
"No!"
With two consecutive loud thuds, Lin Fan intercepted the vanguard assailant, instantly grabbing his arm and spinning him like a top. The sheer centrifugal force sent the other two men flying backward.
Amidst several cries of agony, a murderous glint flashed in Bai Tianba's eyes. He recalled the Thunder Flame Palm he had learned from young master Zhu a few days prior—a technique that targeted the heart, also known as the Heart-Piercing Art. Its method was sinister and eerie, executed with ruthless speed and precision to kill with every single strike.
Once it locked onto a person's heart, not even the gods could save them.
"Punk, you know some martial arts!
Let's see how you like my old friend's Heart-Piercing Art."
Lin Fan waved his hands hurriedly. "This is my wife's home, and you've already broken so many treasures!
If you don't care, I certainly do.
If you keep fighting, you'll just end up owing even more money in damages. You know as well as I do that the Bai Family's financial situation isn't great right now. Instead of protecting the family as an elder, you're just making things worse!
You don't act like an eldest uncle at all!"
Hearing this, Bai Tianba flew into a rage: "I'll have your life!"
"Young master Zhu has arrived!"
A servant's voice echoed from outside the doorway.
Bai Tianba immediately froze all over.
"Oh no!"
Following close behind were the Bai Family's two younger sons, Bai Aohu and Bai Aofeng.
Zhu Han wore dark sunglasses, his hair slicked and shining on his forehead. Standing at one meter six, he was dressed in a red suit with a white tie, sporting a small mustache at the corner of his lips.
A cigar protruded from his mouth, and the moment he opened it, a row of blindingly bright gold teeth flashed into view.
"Oh my!
My dear young master Zhu, what wind blew you in?"
"What's a mere billion to the Bai Family? When my sister gets married, my counter-dowry alone is twenty billion!
I, Zhu Han, stand proudly possessing both supreme wealth and striking good looks.
What's this? Bai Tianxiong sent word this morning that the wedding is off?
What the hell do you mean by this? Are you treating me like a monkey to be played with?!"
Bai Tianxiong gestured to his son, and Bai Aocong immediately put on a smiling face.
"Young master Zhu, I know, I know you must be extremely furious!
Your influence in Huadu is beyond question.
If you claim to be number one, no one dares claim to be number two!
Rest assured, since you genuinely love my little sister, my dad has made the decision—let's skip the engagement entirely and hold the wedding tonight so you can enter the bridal chamber whenever you wish!"
"Is that true?"
"My dear nephew, I give you my word as Bai Tianba—my niece belongs to you and no one else!"
Zhu Han was escorted to his seat by the three Bai brothers, while Bai Tianxiong personally served him tea.
Ever since entering the room, Zhu Han's eyes had not left Bai Aoxue for even a second.
A day without seeing her felt like three autumns.
Beneath Bai Aoxue's snow-white shirt were a pair of slender, eighteen-inch-long legs.
Her exquisite, curvaceous figure was faintly discernible beneath the fabric.
That graceful form combined with her cascading hair made his mouth water uncontrollably.
He had long since grown tired of trifling with the daughters of most prominent families in Huadu.
Only Bai Aoxue remained completely pure. Not only was she thoroughly accomplished in the arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting since childhood, but she had also founded her own company at a very young age. Due to her health, she had never been in a single romantic relationship.
She was the proudest, most peerless pearl of the Bai Family.
What he desired most was that Bai Aoxue had blossomed into such a stunning figure the moment she turned twenty, and she was still a virgin.
He had coveted her for a very long time.
"Beauty Xue'er, it's been a while. I've missed you dearly."
The moment Bai Aoxue looked at Zhu Han's face, a wave of nausea rose in her stomach.
Zhu Han grinned leeringly at Bai Aoxue and reached out with his greasy hands. With a smirk at the corner of his mouth, Bai Aohu shoved Bai Aoxue directly into Zhu Han's embrace.