That pretty melon-seed face, with skin as fair as a peeled egg, was smooth, luminous, and practically visibly bouncy to the naked eye! And those alluring peach-blossom eyes—clear and bright, yet endlessly captivating!
Aside from her face, Xia Qingyue possessed the kind of figure every woman envied... long legs, a slender waist, and striking, graceful curves!
"A, B, C, D... E?"
Jiang Feichi mentally calculated as his eyes landed on Xia Qingyue, completely unable to tear them away.
She was clearly a woman who dressed plainly and had endured five years of hardship... yet her temperament and beauty left Xia Lingwei in the dust by a margin of ten streets!!
"Damn it!"
Jiang Feichi's sense of balance instantly collapsed. Back in the day, he had pursued Xia Qingyue with fanatical obsession—to him, Xia Qingyue was his white moonlight, his unblemished cinnabar mole!
It was a pity... that Xia Qingyue had gotten pregnant before marriage and even had a daughter!
Otherwise, Jiang Feichi would have broken off his engagement on the spot, cast aside Xia Lingwei, and chosen Xia Qingyue!
"Darling!"
Seeing the look in Jiang Feichi's eyes, Xia Lingwei instantly lost her composure and said, "Today is our auspicious engagement day... Xia Qingyue, she—she brought some wild man here to cause trouble, and she even pinched this person's wrist until it turned red!"
As she spoke, Xia Lingwei hurriedly raised her arm, revealing a bright red handprint right on her wrist.
It was precisely the one Ye Chen had pinched just moments ago!
"Did you pinch her?!"
Jiang Feichi's gaze turned chillingly cold. While he was far more infatuated with Xia Qingyue's beauty... well, Xia Lingwei was his fiancée-to-be.
Bullying his fiancée in public—wasn't that equivalent to delivering a fierce slap across Young Master Jiang's face?!
"I did."
Faced with Jiang Feichi's interrogation, Ye Chen calmly answered with a single word.
"Damn it, you're looking to die!"
"Asshole, how dare you provoke our sister-in-law? You're courting death!"
"Damn it, finish this bastard off!!"
As soon as those words fell, the sycophants behind Jiang Feichi leaped forward one by one, threatening to tear Ye Chen into a thousand pieces.
"What is all this racket about?!"
Right at that moment, an old man with white hair, supported by several people, slowly walked out.
The old man was around seventy years old. Though his physique was no longer as robust, his spirited gaze flashed brightly, and his tone carried immense authority.
"Grandfather!"
Hearing that voice, Xia Lingwei immediately began to lodge her complaint: "It's Xia Qingyue... this bitch, clearly expelled from the Xia Family, actually brought a wild man here today to make trouble, and she even injured my wrist! Look at this, Grandpa!!"
"Qingyue?"
Before the old man could speak, a middle-aged couple behind him, along with a young girl, all experienced a sharp tremor in their eyes.
Then, their gazes locked tightly onto Xia Qingyue, and they said with trembling voices, "You... you've finally come back!!"
This middle-aged couple was none other than Xia Qingyue's parents, Xia Junjie and Zhang Lan.
The young girl standing behind them was Xia Qingyue's younger sister, Xia Qingcheng.
As for the sharp-eyed, spirited old man, he was naturally the head of the Xia Family—Xia Jiang!
Xia Jiang had two sons: the eldest was Xia Junyuan, and the second son was Xia Junjie.
Xia Lingwei was precisely Xia Junyuan's daughter... furthermore, Xia Lingwei had an older brother named Xia Tianqi.
Because of the old man's deep-rooted preference for boys over girls, Xia Junjie's family had never been favored by him.
Especially when Xia Qingyue became pregnant out of wedlock, bringing disgrace upon the Xia Family's reputation—this made the old man hold their family in even greater contempt.
As for Xia Qingcheng, she was still too young, only nineteen, and studying at Jinling City University. She couldn't get married just yet, nor could she bring any immediate benefits to the family!
By comparison, the old man greatly favored Xia Junyuan's family.
The eldest son, Xia Junyuan, had a son—who was also the only male heir of the Xia Family.
In the future, the Xia Family's assets would undoubtedly be passed down to this male heir, Xia Tianqi!
As for Xia Lingwei, her impending marriage alliance with the Jiang Family would surely bring substantial benefits to the Xia Family in the days to come...
Now *that* was how the descendants of the Xia Family ought to behave!!
"Hmm?"
Seeing the bruise on Xia Lingwei's arm, the old man's gaze darkened as he said, "Xia Qingyue, I already expelled you from the Xia Family. Why have you come back to make trouble today?!"
"I..."
Xia Qingyue bit her lower lip hard and said, "I didn't come to make trouble. The moment I returned... Xia Lingwei pointed right at my daughter's nose, cursing her, calling her a wild—"
She didn't have the heart to say the rest of the words.
Yet everyone present already understood what had happened.
However, the old man stared at Xia Qingyue with icy eyes and sharply rebuked, "You are no longer a member of the Xia Family, yet you dare to come here and stir up trouble? Right now, I order you to apologize to Weiwei!!"
"Grandfather..."
Hearing this, Xia Qingyue's lips trembled slightly, but she stubbornly replied, "I won't apologize. She was the one who insulted my daughter first!"
"Your daughter, humph!"
The old man let out a heavy snort. "Your daughter is nothing more than a bastard seed. Was Weiwei wrong in what she said?!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Chen's fists clenched tightly, producing a cracking sound like popping beans.
From this incident alone, it was not hard for him to discern the Xia Family's attitude toward Xia Qingyue, nor was it hard to imagine how Xia Qingyue had managed to survive these past five years.
...Xia Qingyue longed so deeply for her parents' approval! Remembering what Xia Qingyue had said just moments earlier, Ye Chen finally restrained himself and held back his punch.
Instead, he demanded in an icy tone, "Since Qingyue is no longer a member of the Xia Family, what right do you have to order her around?!"
"Who are you?"
The old man furrowed his brows, staring intently at Ye Chen as he snapped harshly, "This is my Xia Family's territory. Right outside the gates of the Xia Family, I am disciplining a traitor of the family. It has nothing to do with an outsider like you, and there is certainly no need for an outsider to stick his nose into this!"
"My name is Ye Chen."
Ye Chen showed not a trace of fear, locking eyes directly with the old man like needle points against the grain. "I am Xia Qingyue's husband, and Ye Yuning's father! You insult my daughter and bully my wife, yet you claim it has nothing to do with me?!"
"You... you are Little Ningning's father?"
Upon hearing those words, Xia Junjie, Zhang Lan, and Xia Qingcheng were all stunned.
Regarding Little Ningning's biological father, they had questioned Xia Qingyue countless times, but she had never given them an answer.
Today, this man had finally appeared.
Aside from Xia Junjie's family of three, the rest of the Xia Family members were also quietly observing Ye Chen.
"He does look rather dashing... it's just that his clothes are far too ordinary!"
"Don't look at his clothes. This man... he actually drove here in a Pagani Huayra just now! Look over there, it's that black supercar!"
"A luxury car worth over a hundred million yuan—gasp!! I recognize that car, the Zunlong, only five units produced worldwide!!"
"Driving a car like that, could he be a young master from some prominent family in Yandu?!"
"It's possible... after all, some of the nobility in Yandu are closely tied to the imperial family!! Could it be that Xia Qingyue went to such desperate lengths to hide this man's identity for this very reason?!"
In an instant, the crowd of Xia Family members began to speculate wildly.
Even the old man wore a solemn expression. What if this turned out to be true?
Xia Lingwei and Jiang Feichi furrowed their brows. They had been too consumed by anger earlier and had completely forgotten the value of that car... That car was indeed what Ye Chen had driven here.
If Ye Chen was capable of driving a luxury vehicle worth over a hundred million yuan, then his background... was it something they could afford to provoke?
At that thought, cold sweat suddenly beaded on the backs of the two youngsters.
"This... is that car really yours?"
Xia Qingyue's mother, Zhang Lan, finally couldn't help asking.
"Perhaps... I suppose so..."
Ye Chen thought about it with a frown and answered truthfully, "This car was given to me by my disciple!"
A disciple? ...Gave it to you?
Hearing that reply, the crowd first frowned in unison! Who on earth would give away such an expensive luxury car as a gift?!
Could they just be friends joking around with each other?
Immediately, a scene flashed through their minds:
Ye Chen asks, *"Can you lend me this car to drive for a bit?"*
The other person replies, *"Go ahead and drive it. Given our relationship, I'd even give it to you..."*
You actually took a polite pleasantry between friends seriously? As if someone would genuinely gift away a car like that?
Once they figured that out, an uproar broke out among the crowd, and looks of disdain once more filled their eyes. "Hmph, since it's not even your car, stop driving it over here just to show off!"
"That's right. For a second I thought he was some young noble from Yandu. Now that I think about it, that's completely impossible... Which young master would dress as shabby as this?"
"Xia Qingyue is truly pitiful. She waited bitterly for five years, only to end up with a down-and-out vagrant who borrows cars!"
"Hahahaha..."
amidst the jeering laughter of the crowd, Xia Junjie's face flushed bright red, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
How humiliating! This was utterly humiliating!
"Sis..."
Xia Qingcheng bit her lower lip. In the end, the words "brother-in-law" never crossed her lips, and instead she asked with as much indifference as she could muster, "Then... what kind of work do you do?"
Xia Qingcheng figured that even if Ye Chen lacked background, as long as he had a decent profession, it would mean her older sister hadn't misjudged her choice of man.
Perhaps, because of that, people would stop mocking him!
"My job?"
What was his job? Sect Master of Kunlun Mountains? Patriarch of the second-generation disciples? Master of the third-generation disciples? ...Or perhaps, the mentor of God of War Ye Junlin and God of Slaughter Nie Wuji?
That question really put Ye Chen on the spot.
Seeing Ye Chen hesitate and struggle for an answer, Xia Qingcheng instantly felt a wave of disappointment: "Don't tell me you don't even have a job? I really don't know what my sister ever saw in you!"
"I... sigh, I suppose you could consider me a teacher!" Ye Chen could only say with a helpless sigh.
"A teacher?"
"You *suppose*...?"
"Could he be a temporary worker, the kind who doesn't even have a driver's license?!"
"Hahaha, what a clown. A mere temporary worker, yet he dares to come and act wildly right at the gates of the Xia Family!?"
"On top of that, he just grabbed Weiwei and injured her, offending Young Master Jiang!! Tsk tsk tsk, for a temporary teacher, he's got an awful lot of nerve!!"
"I'm afraid he'll be left lying dead in the streets in a moment, unable to even gather all his remains!?"
"Hahahaha!!!"
***
Listening to the sneers and ridicule of the crowd, Xia Qingyue felt an overwhelming surge of guilt in her heart.
"I'm sorry... Ye Chen, it's all my fault..."
"It has nothing to do with you."
Ye Chen gripped Xia Qingyue's delicate hand tightly and said word by word, "One day, all these people who are mocking us will kneel before us and kowtow in apology!"
"Ha, kowtow in apology to you? Who do you think you are?!"
"Do you really think you're some young master from a prominent Yandu family?"
"How laughable!"
The Xia Family members laughed coldly, and the old man let out a furious roar: "Someone come and chase this pair of shameless dogs out of here, lest they taint the engagement banquet of my granddaughter and future grandson-in-law!"
"Hee hee hee~!"
Xia Lingwei laughed until her shoulders shook, and said, "Xia Qingyue, oh Xia Qingyue, is this the man you chose? ...Hee hee hee, next time you pick a man, remember to wipe your eyes clean!"
"Hmph."
Jiang Feichi let out a cold snort, his gaze locked tightly onto the radiant and alluring figure of Xia Qingyue, while scheming in his mind how to trick her into bed for a few rounds.
"The betrothal gifts have arrived!!"
Right at that moment, a high-pitched, resonant voice echoed from the distance.
Eight black Maybachs slowly drove into view. Once the cars came to a halt in front of the Xia Family gates, a middle-aged man dressed like a butler stepped out and asked respectfully, "Is this the Jinling City Xia Family?"
"It is... may I ask who you are?" the old man asked.
Yet the middle-aged man paid him no mind, saying indifferently, "Since this is the Xia Family, then we have the right place. Bring out the betrothal gifts!"
Following the older man's command, young men dressed in black suits stepped out from each of the eight black Maybachs.
They walked forward in neat, orderly rows, holding various treasures in their hands.
Only then did the middle-aged man speak in a resounding voice: "I have been sent on orders to deliver the betrothal gifts to the pearl of the Xia Family... The gifts are as follows!"
"May wealth and fortune blossom: Eight million eight hundred thousand in cash!"
"The phoenix heralds auspicious arrival: One gold-inlaid jade phoenix hairpin!"
"Peace and auspiciousness: One emerald-green *ruyi* scepter!"
"Wealth embodied: A complete set of pure gold jewelry!"
"A harmonious union for a lifetime: A pair of red jade mandarin ducks!"
"A harmonious union for a lifetime: An imperial green jade carving..."
Listening to the middle-aged man's high-pitched, resonant voice, along with the exquisitely handcrafted gold jewelry and jade carvings, everyone's eyes widened in shock!
Even the head of the Xia Family could not help but be startled upon seeing these betrothal gifts!
Eight million eight hundred thousand in cash!! And exquisitely crafted pure gold jewelry!! Priceless imperial green jadeite!! ...When added together, these items were worth well over twenty million yuan!!
"Darling... is—is this the betrothal gift you prepared for me?" Xia Lingwei stared at the glittering gold and lush green jadeite, utterly dumbfounded.
"This... um, yes, of course it is!"
Jiang Feichi nervously wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling utterly shocked in his heart as well...
*'Holy crap! Adding all this stuff up, it's worth at least thirty million yuan, right? Could it... could it really be sent by our Jiang Family?!'*
*'That's not right... when I left home, I didn't see nearly this much stuff...'*
*'Could it be that Mom and Dad wanted to give me a surprise? With a setup like this... they must definitely be grooming me as the heir to the family!'*
At that thought, Jiang Feichi instantly regained his confidence and said with a radiant, proud expression, "In all of Jinling City, apart from our Jiang Family, who else brings out a lineup like this when taking a wife?! Weiwei, don't you worry. Once you marry into our Jiang Family, I guarantee you'll live in luxury and enjoy endless wealth and prosperity!"
"As expected of Young Master Jiang, truly so generous!"
"These betrothal gifts are worth tens of millions... In all of Jinling City, only the Jiang Family has this kind of capability!"
"Young Master Jiang is mighty! Weiwei, you truly are blessed! You and Young Master Jiang are a match made in heaven!"
The members of the Xia Family showered Jiang Feichi with endless praises in unison...
A smile sat on Jiang Feichi's face, and he secretly glanced over to gauge Xia Qingyue's reaction.
Sure enough, envy and dejection flickered in that woman's eyes!
Even though Xia Qingyue hid it very well, what woman didn't dream of having her own fairy-tale wedding?!
*'Heh heh heh... Go ahead and envy away. Once you've had enough of a life in poverty, I'll find a way... to make you my mistress!!'*
Jiang Feichi thought darkly in his heart. Possessing Xia Qingyue's body had already become an obsession in his mind.
"They really were all meant for me! Darling, you are simply the best..."
Xia Lingwei hugged Jiang Feichi tightly in her joy, shouting loudly, "From now on, I am the happiest woman in the entire world!!"
With that, she lowered her voice and whispered so only the two of them could hear: "Darling... tonight I'm going to the hotel with you. Whatever way you want to play, we'll play however you like."
"Hehehe."
A smile crept onto the corner of Jiang Feichi's mouth as he said airily, "Just a few tens of millions, that's all. My woman naturally deserves to enjoy the finest things this world has to offer!"
"Wow!" Xia Lingwei felt as though she were melting with happiness, going limp in Jiang Feichi's arms as she crowed, "Xia Qingyue, did you see that? This is *my* man! Look at the betrothal gifts my man gave me, and then look at your man? ...Heh, in this lifetime, you are only fit to live in the mud!!"
Ye Chen stared at Jiang Feichi with icy eyes, speaking word by word: "Who said these are betrothal gifts from the Jiang Family?"
Finished speaking, Ye Chen glared at Xia Lingwei, asking coldly, "And who said she is the only treasured pearl of the Jiang Family?"
As soon as those words fell, everyone froze in place.
"If they aren't for me, then who are they for? These betrothal gifts... surely they can't be for Xia Qingyue?!"
Xia Lingwei cried out loudly, "These things were all given to me by my darling... Darling, these betrothal gifts were prepared for me by the Jiang Family!! Tell him right now!!"
Jiang Feichi had no idea what was going on either, but he was already riding a tiger and couldn't dismount. Under the gaze of everyone present, he could only grit his teeth and say, "That's right, they're for you!"
Yet no sooner had Jiang Feichi's voice trailed off than a black extended Bentley slowly pulled up in front of the Xia Family gates.
A middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in a silver Tang suit, exuding an aura of immense wealth and luxury, stepped out. All ten of his fingers were adorned with imperial green jade rings of varying shades.
"This person... this person is actually Shi Tianqi, the Jade King of Suzhou and Hangzhou!"
"I heard that Shi Tianqi is the Great Xia Country's number one jade merchant, with a net worth long surpassing three hundred billion..."
"What! Shi Tianqi, the Jade King... How, how did he come to Jinling City?!"
"Could these jade pieces have been delivered by Shi Tianqi himself!?"
"What is he even doing in Jinling City?"
While everyone was buzzing with discussion, Shi Tianqi wore an expression of utmost reverence as he walked step by step toward Ye Chen and Xia Qingyue!
With every step Shi Tianqi took, Jiang Feichi and Xia Ziwei's hearts sank heavily... At that moment, they seemed to guess what was happening, yet their hearts refused to accept it, unwilling to believe it even in death!
*'No, it must be that we guessed wrong. The Jade King could never possibly be helping this punk deliver betrothal gifts!'*
*'Impossible! Absolutely impossible!'*
Jiang Feichi and Xia Ziwei both screamed frantically in the depths of their hearts.
***
Amidst the shocked gazes of the crowd, Shi Tianqi walked step by step right up to Ye Chen and Xia Qingyue!
Then, he bowed respectfully and said, "I never expected to find you here, Teacher. The betrothal gifts have been delivered. I wonder if Teacher and Madam are satisfied?"
*Swish!*
As those words were spoken, everyone fell utterly dumbstruck.
So these betrothal gifts were indeed meant for Xia Qingyue!
So the pearl of the Xia Family they kept referring to was none other than Xia Qingyue!
"Gasp..."
"If these betrothal gifts came from the hands of Shi Tianqi, their value goes far beyond just tens of millions!"
"That's right, I heard that this Jade King's collection consists entirely of masterpieces crafted by master artisans. For any single master's work, the carving fee alone runs into six or seven figures..."
"Wouldn't the finished piece be even more astronomical?!"
After drawing in a sharp breath of cold air, the Xia Family members looked at Ye Chen with completely transformed eyes.
Just what kind of background did this young man possess?!
"You have put in the effort."
Faced with these betrothal gifts worth tens of millions, Ye Chen simply answered with three calm words.