Early in the morning, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the thin mist and gently brushed across Nanjiang City, yet it could hardly conceal the turbulent storm about to sweep through the city. Inside the hospital room, Qin Yuanfeng slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and resolute, as if he had already foreseen the massive changes awaiting Nanjiang City today. Treading lightly so as not to wake his sleeping wife and daughter, he walked up to the hospital rooftop, where Gui Yi was already waiting, clutching a heavy piece of intelligence.
"Boss, news of the Fu Family's destruction is spreading like wildfire across the entire Nanjiang City," Gui Yi said in a low, powerful voice, every word revealing the gravity of the situation. "On every street and alley, people are talking about it. Various speculations and rumors are interweaving, making the atmosphere in this city unusually tense."
Qin Yuanfeng nodded slightly, a faint and composed smile curving the corners of his mouth. "That was bound to happen. The Fu Family's roots run deep in Nanjiang City. Their fall will naturally trigger a series of chain reactions." He shifted his gaze into the distance, as if piercing through the heavy fog to foresee the future direction of Nanjiang City.
"How is the Great Xia side reacting?" Qin Yuanfeng asked in a deep voice. He knew that although his actions had been covert, the Fu Family's annihilation could ultimately not be completely concealed; the official attitude of Great Xia was crucial.
At this, Gui Yi took another document from his breast pocket and handed it to Qin Yuanfeng. "Mayor Cheng Hui and Public Security Bureau Chief Feng Jinghui jointly issued an announcement stating that in recent years the Fu Family has behaved improperly in the commercial sector, secretly cultivated underground forces, and been implicated in multiple illegal and criminal activities. To maintain the peace and order of Nanjiang City, the Southern Military Department launched a surprise raid on the Fu Family in a joint operation last night. Because the Fu Family put up a desperate resistance, it resulted in a company of soldiers from the military department making the ultimate sacrifice, but they ultimately succeeded in wiping out the Fu Family in one fell swoop."
After reading the announcement, Qin Yuanfeng could not help but let out a playful smile. He knew full well that this was merely a lie fabricated by Great Xia to cover up the truth, but such handling was remarkably well-judged. It preserved official dignity while clearing obstacles for him, and at the same time explained why a whole company of soldiers had died en masse.
"The methods of these Great Xia higher-ups are indeed brilliant, but thinking they can gloss over a whole company of soldiers with this kind of excuse to cover for everything the Fu Family did—they certainly think quite highly of themselves. Pass the order to Qianji: tell the Great Xia Military Department that they must give me an explanation regarding the appearance of a Great Xia military force to deal with my Asura Temple on behalf of the Fu Family. Otherwise, this matter is far from over. Also, order the five Asura Kings on the Outer Realm Battlefield to lead the powerhouses of the Asura Temple and withdraw from the Great Xia Military Department's Outer Realm outposts." He said with a light chuckle.
"However, Boss, the intelligence we received indicates that the soldiers who appeared at the Fu Family were brought there privately by Fu Beichen of the Fu Family, and the Southern Military Region knew nothing about it. If we use this matter to threaten the Great Xia Military Department, wouldn't that be a bit underhanded?" Gui Yi asked in confusion.
Qin Yuanfeng blew out a ring of cigarette smoke and said, "If we can bleed these old guys from the Great Xia Military Department, why wouldn't we?"
Gui Yi instantly understood, and inwardly gave their Temple Master the middle finger.
"However, Boss, the Fu Family's businesses in Nanjiang City span across all industries. Their sudden collapse now has caused no small shock to Nanjiang City's economy and social order," Gui Yi said, his brow furrowed, clearly worried about this.
Qin Yuanfeng gently patted Gui Yi on the shoulder, signaling him not to worry too much. "I have my own arrangements for this matter," he said in a relaxed tone. "Pass the order to Qianji: have her take over all the Fu Family's industries swiftly under the name of Xingchen Group. At the same time, issue a statement announcing that Xingchen Group has decided to invest two billion to develop Nanjiang City, will officially establish a presence in Nanjiang City by setting up a branch office, and will bring new development opportunities to this city."
Gui Yi nodded in acknowledgment, then turned and left to carry out Qin Yuanfeng's orders. Meanwhile, Qin Yuanfeng stood alone on the rooftop, gazing at the gradually awakening Nanjiang City. No one knew that Xingchen Group, ranked among the top ten global conglomerates, was actually an enterprise belonging to the Asura Temple. Furthermore, aside from Xingchen Group, the Asura Temple held assets in countries all over the world, covering medical care, education, film and entertainment, technology, aerospace, weaponry, and other fields—the scope of its involvement was beyond what ordinary people could ever imagine.
After settling these matters, Qin Yuanfeng first went downstairs to the breakfast shop opposite the hospital, bought some breakfast and thin rice porridge, and returned to the ward. By this time, Su Wanwan and Beibei were already awake. Qin Yuanfeng handed the purchased breakfast to Su Wanwan. After a week of meticulous care, Beibei's health had gradually improved, and her little face radiated a healthy glow. Having spent a week together, Beibei no longer seemed as constrained when talking to Qin Yuanfeng as she had at first. Seeing her father return, she was so excited that she wanted to throw herself into his arms. However, Su Wanwan stopped her in time, telling her to finish her breakfast first.
After the meal, Su Wanwan's maternal grandparents came to visit Beibei, bringing many toys and snacks that Beibei loved, and the three generations played happily together. Seizing the opportunity, Su Wanwan called Qin Yuanfeng up to the rooftop. She looked at him with complex eyes, clearly having something to say.
"Yuanfeng, the matter with the Fu Family... was that your doing?" Su Wanwan finally asked the question lingering in her heart. After Qin Yuanfeng went out last night, news of the Fu Family's destruction broke this morning, which forced her to connect the two.
A pang of tension hit Qin Yuanfeng's heart, but outwardly he maintained his composure. "Wanwan, what are you thinking? I'm just a discharged grunt, how could I possibly have that kind of ability?" he smiled and comforted her, though a trace of unnoticeable helplessness flashed in his eyes.
Seeing that Su Wanwan still wore a suspicious expression, Qin Yuanfeng decided to stick to the lie to the end. He said, "Wanwan, you know I served as a soldier in the Outer Realm for seven years and have many comrades. When I returned this time, I happened to learn that one of my former comrades had been transferred back from the Outer Realm and taken a post in the Southern Military Region. He is now a regiment commander in the Southern Military Region, and we have a very close relationship; I once saved his life on the Outer Realm Battlefield. After the Fu Family's wedding banquet, I made a call to him, wanting to ask him to step in and help us resolve the Fu Family's trouble, so he was willing to do me this favor. Because Great Xia pays special attention to the families of soldiers who fight bloody battles, he reported the Fu Family's actions to the military department. The military department contacted the mayor of Nanjiang City, and the mayor and the Public Security Bureau Chief had already gathered enough evidence regarding the Fu Family's many illegal activities in recent years. They had long wanted to remove the Fu Family, this tumor of Nanjiang City, but considering the Fu Family's influence in Nanjiang City, they had delayed taking action. Seizing the opportunity of the military department contacting the mayor this time, they hoped the military department could assist the Public Security Bureau in thoroughly uprooting this tumor of the Fu Family, so the military department stepped in and wiped out the Fu Family. Going over there last night was just because the military department needed me to assist in making a statement. It was all a coincidence."
Hearing this, although Su Wanwan still harbored doubts in her heart, seeing Qin Yuanfeng's sincere gaze, she ultimately chose to believe him. "That's good. I only hope our family can live in peace and safety. You must remember, you aren't alone anymore; you have Beibei and... and me," she said softly, her eyes filled with tenderness.
A warm current surged in Qin Yuanfeng's heart. He tightly grasped Su Wanwan's hand and made a promise. "Wanwan, don't worry. I will use my life to protect you and Beibei. We will definitely be happy."
Su Wanwan nodded gently and leaned into Qin Yuanfeng's embrace, enjoying the warmth she had yearned for over seven years.
Seeking to change the subject, Qin Yuanfeng said, "Wanwan, I've already been discharged from the army now, and the Fu Family's issue is resolved. From now on, our family will live right here in Nanjiang City. Grandfather and Grandmother's house is old and too small, making it inconvenient for so many people to live together. Besides, Beibei is already six years old and is long overdue for school. Because I served as a soldier on the Outer Realm Battlefield, my discharge pay was much higher than that of ordinary soldiers. Combined with some money I saved in the Outer Realm over the past few years, it totals three million. Why don't we go buy a slightly larger school district housing unit, and by then we can bring Grandfather and Grandmother over to live with us! It will also allow Beibei to go to school just like other children!"
After listening to Qin Yuanfeng's proposal, while Su Wanwan's heart was filled with anticipation for the family's future, she could not help feeling a bit worried. Biting her lower lip lightly, she hesitated and said, "Yuanfeng, your idea is great, but given our current situation—you just got discharged and haven't found a stable job yet—three million sounds like a lot, but housing prices in Nanjiang City, especially school district housing, easily cost over a million. I'm afraid..."
Qin Yuanfeng gently interrupted her, confidence sparkling in his eyes: "Wanwan, don't worry. I've already carefully studied the real estate market in Nanjiang City. Although the prices for school district housing are indeed on the high side, they aren't out of reach. Based on my understanding, housing prices in Nanjiang City generally range between six thousand and nine thousand per square meter. Of course, the properties in top-tier school districts will be more expensive. However, we don't need to chase after the absolute top tier; choosing a cost-effective school district home with a nice environment will be quite enough."
As he spoke, he pulled a pre-prepared real estate map from his pocket, spread it out before the two of them, and pointed to an area on it. "Look here, the educational resources in this area are also quite good, and the housing prices are relatively reasonable, around nine thousand-plus per square meter. If we choose a four-bedroom, two-living-room layout of about 150 square meters, the total price will be around 1.3 million-plus. That way, we'll still have nearly two million left over as a reserve fund."
Listening to Qin Yuanfeng's analysis, Su Wanwan's doubts gradually dissipated. She nodded, hope sparkling in her eyes. Having a home of their own, being able to let Beibei go to school like other children and grow up happily, had always been her greatest wish. "Yuanfeng, what you're saying makes sense. This way, it not only solves our current living problem and provides security for Beibei's education, but the remaining money can also handle any unexpected needs in the future."
Seeing that Su Wanwan had finally set her mind at ease, Qin Yuanfeng felt a wave of relief. He continued, "And Wanwan, although I've been discharged, once we're settled, I can go look for a job too. Trust me, I can definitely make our little family live a better life."
Hearing this, a warm current surged in Su Wanwan's heart. Whether it was Qin Yuanfeng's care for her and Beibei or his meticulous planning for the family now, it all made her feel immensely secure and happy. She leaned gently against Qin Yuanfeng's shoulder and whispered, "Yuanfeng, thank you. With you here, I feel like any difficulty can be overcome."
After discussing it, the two decided to head to a nearby real estate sales office in the afternoon to look at move-in ready homes, buy some furniture, and move right in with Beibei as soon as she was discharged from the hospital.