At the very thought of this, the exquisite face of the oval-faced young girl, as delicate as frost-covered snow, suddenly turned red with a mixture of shame and anger, looking just like a fully ripened red apple.
"This is not the peak of the Kunlun Mountains."
Seeing the sincere look in the old man's eyes, Ye Chen nodded and said, "Upon returning to Jinling City this time, I only want to enjoy the rest of my life peacefully with my wife and daughter. Therefore, when others are around, you should still address me as Mr. Ye! As for when we are alone, you may call me Master."
Having said this, Ye Chen cast a stealthy glance at the oval-faced young girl beside him.
*If Jiang Yongan calls me Master, wouldn't this little girl be my great-great-disciple? Is that how it's calculated?*
Ye Chen thought to himself with idle amusement, even finding it a bit funny.
"This is my granddaughter Jiang Wanqing. Waner, why don't you hurry up and pay respects to your Grandmaster!" Jiang Yongan said sternly.
"I..."
Jiang Wanqing was practically on the verge of tears from anger. She was drenched and in an utterly wretched state, and the person who had driven her to this condition was precisely the Grandmaster her grandfather spoke of.
How could she possibly bring herself to say the word "Grandmaster"?
"I... Grandfather, I, she..."
"Forget it, there's no need to fuss over such formalities. Hurry back and change into a clean set of clothes so you don't catch a cold."
Ye Chen had no intention of making things difficult for Jiang Wanqing. After letting her off the hook, he turned his head and asked Jiang Yongan, "Aside from the destroyed Lin Family, the Five Great Families of Jinling City also include the Zhou Family, the Wang Family, the Jiang Family... and the Jiang Family?"
"Yes!" Jiang Yongan immediately bowed and explained, "Our Jiang Family is indeed one of the Five Great Families of Jinling City, the same Jiang Family as that one! Grandmaster, if you plan to reside in Jinling City for long, you may command this disciple at any time..."
"Very well, you are thoughtful."
Ye Chen nodded slightly. He hadn't expected that going out for a morning jog would result in picking up a grand-disciple.
Truly... he didn't even know what to say.
With that, Ye Chen turned and left. It was getting late; he needed to go back and have breakfast with his wife and daughter.
"Farewell, Master."
Seeing that Ye Chen was about to leave, Jiang Yongan hurriedly bowed and knelt. However, when he saw Ye Chen approaching Youlong Villa, he was instantly startled and thought, *S-surely... yesterday's procession of thousands of luxury cars and the mobilization of major figures from all directions—were they really here to attend the Grandmaster's wedding?*
Yesterday, Jiang Yongan had witnessed parts of the wedding at Lushui Villa.
At the time, he had been wondering just what kind of major figure was getting married to be able to stir up so many heavyweights...
Later, after those influential figures dispersed, the third young master of the Jiang Family, along with a mob of thugs and bulldozers, directly surrounded Youlong Villa and even threatened to raze the villa to the ground!
Jiang Yongan was aware of all these matters, but since it didn't concern him, he couldn't be bothered to meddle.
After all, the Jiang Family was not to be trifled with!
"The one setting themselves against the Grandmaster turns out to be the Jiang Family...?"
As Jiang Yongan came to his senses, his brows immediately furrowed tightly. *My master once taught that the Grandmaster is an immortal, and his power is beyond our imagination... If the Jiang Family has made an enemy of the Grandmaster today, aren't they courting certain death?!*
At this thought, a hint of murderous intent flashed within Jiang Yongan's eyes.
Since he now knew Ye Chen's identity, he could not simply sit by and do nothing... At the very least, he had to make the Jiang Family pay a price for yesterday's actions!
***
Meanwhile, Ye Chen had no idea about any of this.
Returning to Youlong Villa, he first went to the kitchen and ladled out the porridge he had set to boil earlier into individual bowls.
Next, he spread a batter to make several scallion pancakes, sprinkling them with a dash of sesame seeds just as they came off the pan. The golden, fragrant cakes radiated a rich aroma of scallions blended with pan-fried oil, which, combined with the sesame seeds, porridge, and side dishes, made for a rich and delicious breakfast.
For Little Ningning, Ye Chen even peeled two eggs.
After placing everything on the table, Ye Chen went upstairs to wake the little one up for breakfast.
By this time, Xia Qingyue was already awake and helping Little Ningning braid her hair into double buns. Little Ningning had a rather unhappy look on her face, but the moment she saw Ye Chen, she was overjoyed and cried out, "Daddy! Daddy, you're back! Where did you go? Why didn't you take Ningning with you...?"
"Daddy went to make breakfast."
Ye Chen walked over, scooped his daughter into his arms, and said, "Let's go downstairs and taste Daddy's cooking."
"Yay, yay!"
Little Ningning wrapped her arms around Ye Chen's neck, planted a fierce "Mwah!" on his cheek, and said in a milky, earnest voice, "Ningning loves Daddy the most!"
"Little traitor..."
Watching the affectionate display between her daughter and Ye Chen, Xia Qingyue lovingly ruffled her daughter's soft hair. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly noticed a long strand of hair caught on Ye Chen's clothes...
The color and thickness of that hair were completely different from Little Ningning's. Furthermore, Xia Qingyue hadn't touched Ye Chen since getting up.
*Could it be...?* Xia Qingyue thought, her expression turning somewhat unnatural!
***
### Chapter 32: The Old Graves of Nanshan
*No way, it must be my imagination!*
Xia Qingyue hurriedly shook the thoughts out of her head. Although she couldn't figure out why there was a long strand of hair on Ye Chen, she believed that Ye Chen would never do anything to betray her.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Xia Qingyue lost in thought, Ye Chen asked curiously.
"It's nothing..."
Xia Qingyue quickly changed the subject. "It's getting late. Let's go downstairs and have breakfast."
At that moment, Xia Junjie, his wife, and Xia Qingcheng also woke up. They sat down at the dining table with a somewhat cautious demeanor.
To be honest, the three of them still harbored a sense of guilt... Just what kind of background did this Ye Chen have? Yesterday, he had sent Jiang Feichi flying with a single punch; if he lacked backing, the Jiang Family would tear him to shreds!
Yet, they didn't dare to ask directly, especially since Ye Chen currently seemed like someone not to be trifled with.
After breakfast, Xia Junjie and his wife grabbed their bags and left for work. Xia Qingcheng hesitated for a moment before saying, "Sis, I'm heading to school..."
"Alright, walk slowly on the way," Xia Qingyue said as she took Little Ningning's hand and made her wave, adding, "Say goodbye to Auntie."
"Goodbye, Auntie," Little Ningning said in her sweet, milky voice.
"Such a good girl. Goodbye, Little Ningning. Sis, I'm off..."
Picking up her schoolbag, Xia Qingcheng hesitated for a few seconds before finally saying, "Goodbye, Brother-in-law!"
After yesterday's events, Xia Qingcheng's perspective on Ye Chen had continuously shifted... From initial disdain, to shock, and then to puzzlement!
Although she still couldn't fathom Ye Chen's true identity, one thing was certain: Ye Chen loved her sister deeply.
And that was enough.
"Goodbye."
Hearing Xia Qingcheng address him as brother-in-law, Ye Chen couldn't help smiling and said, "Be careful on the road."
After everyone had left, Ye Chen accompanied Little Ningning to play in the living room for a while before saying, "Wife, I'd like to take a trip to Nanshan. You and Ningning stay here at home."
"Do you want to go visit our adoptive father and sister?" Xia Qingyue asked. "How about Ningning and I go with you!"
"Ningning's injuries have only just healed, she shouldn't go," Ye Chen said, glancing outside. "In January, the temperature at Nanshan is far too low... Some places might even be iced over! I'll go by myself... Besides, I also want to pay my respects properly at the graves of my adoptive father and sister."
"Alright then..."
Hearing this, Xia Qingyue could only nod obediently.
***
Half an hour later, Ye Chen arrived at Nanshan.
Nanshan was not far from Jinling City. After exiting the outer ring road and driving for another thirty-odd kilometers, one would reach Nanshan.
At the foot of Nanshan were several small villages originally named Wang Village, Su Village, and Liu Village... Later, following urban planning, they were merged into a single settlement known as Nanshan Town.
Relying on his memory, Ye Chen soon arrived at the entrance of a narrow alley.
Seeing this alleyway, emotions inevitably stirred within Ye Chen, and he continued walking inward... He didn't stop until he reached the third doorway.
He saw that the wooden door of this household was severely damaged, leaning crookedly against the doorframe, and the smashed iron chain was already covered in rust.
"Adoptive father, Mumu... I'm back."
Looking at the heavily damaged wooden door and the wild yellow weeds growing furiously at the entrance, Ye Chen felt a burning sensation prickle at the corners of his eyes.
Gritting his teeth, he walked over, straightened the wooden door, and stepped into the courtyard step by step!
The courtyard was in an even more dilapidated state, filled entirely with withered weeds, which, coupled with cracked red brick walls, made Ye Chen's heart ache with a complex jumble of emotions...
This was the place where he had grown up for twenty years!
Ye Chen still remembered how, when he was young, he would often accompany his adoptive father, Su Tianhao, in playing Chinese chess in the courtyard, while his younger sister, Su Mumu, sat obediently to the side, eating a popsicle while cheering Ye Chen on, occasionally letting Ye Chen take a bite of her treat!
Yet all of this had long since changed beyond recognition, completely vanished!
"The Zhou Family!"
At the thought of his adoptive father and sister's tragic deaths, countless waves of murderous intent instantly burst forth within Ye Chen's eyes.
Five years ago, he had just graduated from university. With his exceptional grades and capabilities, he quickly secured a well-paying job.
On payday, Ye Chen brought Su Tianhao and Su Mumu into the city, wanting to treat them to food, drinks, and a day of genuine happiness... But unluckily, that was the day they ran into a drunk Zhou Tianyi.
Upon laying eyes on Su Mumu, Zhou Tianyi leveraged his alcohol-induced bravado to flirt with her. How could Ye Chen stand by and watch Su Mumu being bullied? Seizing a wine bottle, he stepped in front of her.
How could a mere wine bottle intimidate the arrogant young master of the Zhou family?
Consequently, Zhou Tianyi backhanded Ye Chen across the face, ordered his underlings to pin him down, and lunged forward with a *rip*, tearing Su Mumu's clothes.
"Beasts! You animals, I'll fight you to the death!!"
With blood-red eyes and acting like a madman, Ye Chen swung the wine bottle in his hand. Ignoring the blows and kicks landing on his body, he lunged forward and forcefully shoved Zhou Tianyi away... As a result, in the ensuing struggle, the jagged edges of the broken wine bottle in Ye Chen's hand slashed across Zhou Tianyi's throat.
Within minutes, Zhou Tianyi was dead.
Following that, the Zhou Family issued a kill order against Ye Chen. As one of the Five Great Wealthy Families, crushing Ye Chen—a penniless nobody with no backing—was as easy as turning over a hand for them.
That very day, Su Tianhao's home was set ablaze!
Though the family of three managed to escape, they had exhausted every ounce of their strength... Just as they sat down to rest, over a dozen black-clad men wielding sabers rushed toward them.
His adoptive father, Su Tianhao, was stabbed to death on the spot; he tightly shielded Ye Chen and Su Mumu beneath his body, suffering dozens—nearly a hundred—knife wounds himself!
And later, the severely injured Su Mumu could no longer hold on either... Only Ye Chen was left, fleeing the relentless pursuit of the Zhou Family. At the time, he had intended to bury his adoptive father and sister and then commit suicide to leave this world.
It was then that he met Xia Qingyue!
After that, Ye Chen left Jinling City...
Now that he had returned, Xia Qingyue had given birth to a daughter for him, yet his adoptive father and sister had already...
With a long sigh, Ye Chen walked around the house once more to ensure there were no lingering mementos of his adoptive father and sister before heading toward Nanshan.
Halfway up the mountain of Nanshan lay a graveyard. Whenever someone from the nearby villages passed away, most of them were buried on Nanshan.
Although his adoptive father's remains had already been transferred by Ye Chen to a high-end cemetery in Jinling City, Hua Yuntian had mentioned that only his adoptive father's bones were present in the old Nanshan graves, while the whereabouts of his sister Su Mumu's remains were unknown...
At this thought, Ye Chen decided to go back to the old Nanshan graves to investigate once more!
Ye Chen moved at an astonishing speed. While ordinary people required an hour to climb Nanshan, he reached the mountainside in less than ten minutes.
Just as he was about to approach, Ye Chen suddenly noticed a young man kneeling in front of the empty graves of his adoptive father and sister, burning paper offerings.
"Huh?"
Seeing this, Ye Chen's brows furrowed slightly. Since his adoptive father's remains had long been moved, what was this person still paying respects to?
Something was amiss!
With a cold look in his eyes, Ye Chen immediately crept around quietly toward the figure...
***
### Chapter 33: Childhood Playmate
Ye Chen walked extremely lightly, making not the slightest sound.
Yet when he clearly saw the young man's face, his eyes trembled violently, and he could no longer hold back as he blurted out, "Erniu!!"
"Ah?"
Erniu was slightly startled. Turning his head to stare at Ye Chen for a few seconds, his eyes suddenly grew moist. "Ah! Y-you're Ye Chen, Little Ye! Ye Chen, you're not dead, you're not dead!!"
As he spoke, Erniu leaped to his feet, lunged forward to embrace Ye Chen, and shouted loudly, "I'm not dreaming, am I? You really came back, Little Ye!"
"It's me, you're not dreaming!"
A trace of a smile finally appeared on Ye Chen's face as he said, "I'm back, I didn't die... Erniu, h-how did you end up looking like this?"
Erniu had been Ye Chen's childhood playmate.
Later, after graduating from elementary school, Ye Chen went to Jinling City for middle school.
Erniu had poor grades and lacked any talent for academics, so he didn't continue his education and instead stayed home to help with farming.
Even so, every time Ye Chen returned from Jinling, he would seek Erniu out to play, bringing Su Mumu along. The three of them would head up the mountain to pick wild fruits and down to the river to catch fish; their relationship had been exceptionally close.
Erniu's given name was Niu Tiebing. He had been robust and strong, with arms thicker than Ye Chen's calves, and possessed astonishing physical strength.
Yet now, Erniu was not only skin and bones but his face was covered in a thick, coarse beard, bearing no resemblance to his former strong and vibrant self. Had Ye Chen not grown up with him since childhood, he might scarcely have recognized this childhood companion.
"It's nothing, it's nothing. I lost weight after falling ill."
Erniu didn't want to dwell on his own affairs. He grabbed Ye Chen's arms with both hands and said, "Little Ye, it's great that you're back! Just yesterday I dreamt of you, haha... We were having a pissing contest into the river. I never expected you'd actually come back, hahaha, perfect timing... It's just, it's just that Uncle Su and Mumu didn't make it back... Their graves were dug up by someone."
With that, Erniu actually burst into loud sobs.
This towering, six-foot-plus man, who stood even taller than Ye Chen, broke down and cried directly on the spot.
"Erniu, don't cry... My adoptive father's grave was dug up by my orders; I moved him to a place with good feng shui."
Ye Chen patted Erniu's arm and said, "Stop crying. I came here this time to investigate matters concerning Mumu. Erniu, do you know where Mumu's remains are?"
"Her coffin wasn't it right next to Uncle Su's?"
Erniu asked with a puzzled expression, "We dug those graves together that day, didn't we..."
"..."
Ye Chen fell silent and said no more. Erniu's mind had never been particularly sharp since childhood; judging by his appearance, nothing useful could be gleaned from him.
"What's wrong? Is Mumu's body gone?" Erniu asked curiously.
"It's nothing..."
Ye Chen shook his head gently and said, "Since they are empty graves now, there's no need to offer sacrifices here."
With that, Ye Chen leaped straight into the burial pit to inspect it. Unfortunately, because too much time had passed and people constantly frequented the area, no clues could be found.
"Little Ye, why did you jump down into the grave pit?"
"Get out quickly, get out quickly, that's bad luck..."
Erniu urged anxiously, "Hurry up and come out. Since you moved Uncle Su and Mumu away, we can pay our respects to them somewhere else next time. Little Ye, come home with me, I'll slaughter a chicken and we can have a few drinks together! I opened a small restaurant in the village, and business is pretty good!"
"Alright!"
Grateful that Erniu had frequently come to pay respects to his adoptive father and sister, Ye Chen nodded in agreement.
Chatting along the way, the two men descended the mountain.
An hour later, Erniu led Ye Chen into a small restaurant and said, "Little Ye, this is the eatery I opened. I'm in charge of cooking, and my wife handles the accounts... I..."
Mid-sentence, Erniu abruptly clamped his mouth shut.
Ye Chen's brows knitted together slightly as well.
Because he heard a series of indescribable sounds drifting from inside the house—the voice of a woman!
"Ye Chen, sit here and watch TV for a moment, I'll go cook a few dishes for you."
After his expression flickered through several changes, Erniu pulled Ye Chen over to a chair outside the restaurant entrance, turned on the television, deliberately turned up the volume, and then headed toward the kitchen with a gloomy expression.
Ye Chen, however, wore a dark and stern look.
The restaurant wasn't large; outside sat four tables, a television, and a makeshift roof constructed from a temporary canopy...
The indoor space also served as a dining area with four tables, flanked by the kitchen on the left and what should be the living quarters on the right!
Those indescribable sounds just now had undoubtedly come from the right.
As Ye Chen sat in the chair, despite the television blaring at high volume, he could still clearly hear the woman's voice!
The voice was utterly uninhibited, vaguely carrying phrases like, "Erniu's back? I heard the sound of cooking!"—"Don't worry about him, so what if he's back, he's just a useless loser!"—"Let's keep going, later when we're tired we can make Erniu cook us something!"—"Hahaha, you're really something else."...
Listening to these sounds, Ye Chen's expression grew steadily colder.
*No wonder there has always been a dull, lifeless look in Erniu's eyes.*
*Any man crushed under the weight of such treatment would break!*
*Crack!*
In a surge of blinding fury, Ye Chen inadvertently crushed the remote control in his hand.
"Little Ye, I've stir-fried a plate of pork and here's a dish of peanuts. Eat these first while I go whip up two more dishes, and then we'll get properly plastered!"
At that moment, Erniu walked out carrying two plates of food and set them on the table. He was terrible at putting on a front; right now, his expression looked thoroughly distressed, clearly fighting back a wave of suppressed rage while desperately hoping Ye Chen hadn't heard those noises earlier.
"Alright!"
Looking at Erniu's nearly despairing expression, Ye Chen chose not to expose him.
Instead, he chose forbearance.
However, he had already made up his mind in his heart: he was going to meddle in this matter!
Another ten minutes passed, and the room had finally quieted down. Erniu emerged once more, carrying a plate of braised fish and a simple vegetable stir-fry.
Placing the plates on the table, he poured himself a glass of liquor, downed it in a single gulp, and said, "It's scorching in that kitchen; chopping and frying that braised fish made my eyes water like crazy. Little Ye, let's have a drink! I'm genuinely thrilled from the bottom of my heart that you cheated death and survived!"
"Alright, let's have a drink!"
Ye Chen picked up the bottle, poured a glass for Erniu first, and then filled his own.
"Little Ye, try my cooking... don't just drink, have a piece of meat," Erniu urged.