Meanwhile, the twelve men with scarred faces watched Lin Xi's car drive far away, cursing Ye Huan inwardly for his impudence. Clearly so formidable, he had knocked all twelve of them to the ground, unable to even stand, in under a minute. Yet when fighting the fifteen bodyguards earlier, he had actually pretended not to know any martial arts at all.
Shameless to the core!
"Let's go, back!"
The Scarface endured the agony of his fractured sternum, wobbling as he forced himself to his feet.
The other eleven young men, nursing broken arms and legs, also scrambled up in a trembling state.
Just as they were heading toward their vehicles, more than a dozen off-road vehicles suddenly roared up, disgorging a dense crowd of people.
"H-Hongluan?"
The twelve men stared at the attractive woman in the duckbill cap leading the group, completely dumbfounded.
She was none other than Hongluan, one of the Eight Nation-Protecting War Gods of Huaxia!
"You twelve are truly lucky to have offended that person and somehow escaped with your lives."
Hongluan cast a cold glance at the twelve scarred men, then looked toward the end of the road with a deep frown. Why did that murderous brute have to run off to Huaxia of all places?
"W-What do you mean? Even if the twelve of us grabbed people with knives and broke the law, surely it doesn't warrant a grand Nation-Protecting War God showing up in person to arrest us?" Scarface asked.
"The one who beat you is the Underworld King!"
Hongluan replied casually.
The Underworld King?
That earthly beast standing at the very peak of global wealth, martial might, political power, and influence?
The twelve men were collectively frightened out of their wits, their minds buzzing. They had actually fought the Underworld King and lived to tell the tale—holy crap, they could brag about this for the rest of their lives!
"Arrest me! Hurry up and arrest me, give me a life sentence, please, lock me up..."
Recovering his senses, Scarface shrieked in sheer terror.
He was now terrified that the Underworld King would turn around and finish him off; as far as he was concerned, spending the rest of his life in prison was the safest place possible.
"Take them all away, interrogate them thoroughly. I want the results before dusk."
Hongluan ordered. She knew that when she had blended into the crowd at the airport to pick someone up, she must have been spotted by the Underworld King; otherwise, he wouldn't have simply beaten up these twelve thugs and left it at that.
The Underworld King wanted her to help with the interrogation!
"No need for an interrogation, I'll talk, I'll confess..."
The twelve men wailed at the top of their lungs, paralyzed with fear.
Guided by Lin Xi, Ye Huan stopped by the Lin Family home to retrieve the household register before heading to the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Along the way, Lin Xi had already sent out the finalized marriage agreement.
Thus, when the two arrived at the bureau, a lawyer was already waiting at the entrance with the document in hand.
"Sign and press your thumbprint!"
Flipping directly to the final page of the agreement and blocking the text so only the signature and fingerprint spots were visible, Lin Xi issued her command.
"I haven't even read the terms yet!" protested Ye Huan.
Lin Xi glared at him: "Just sign where I tell you to sign, since when do you talk so much!"
She certainly didn't dare let Ye Huan read the contents; she was terrified that once he saw them, he would refuse to sign and press his thumbprint!
"Fine!"
Ye Huan shrugged and signed his name, pressing his thumbprint onto the agreement.
In truth, he couldn't care less if Lin Xi was pulling tricks with the contract. As the Underworld King, there wasn't a single nation's laws on Earth capable of binding or sanctioning him!
A mere piece of paperwork was no different from toilet paper in his eyes.
Even so, he was genuinely a bit curious about what she had written.
"Come on, let's go get our marriage certificate!"
Waiting for Ye Huan to finish signing, Lin Xi suppressed her surging excitement, handed one copy of the agreement to the lawyer, kept two for herself, and strode into the Civil Affairs Bureau.
"Hey, the agreement was printed in triplicate—you, me, and the lawyer each get a copy. Why'd you give it to the lawyer and not me?"
Ye Huan jogged after her.
"I'll give it to you after we get the certificate!" Lin Xi replied without turning back.
"Alright then!"
Forcing down his curiosity about the agreement's contents, Ye Huan cooperated as Lin Xi completed the registration process.
When the two emerged from the bureau holding their marriage certificates, Lin Xi could finally no longer contain her laughter—a laugh brimming with the sweet, cathartic release of revenge served cold.
Ye Huan blinked. "What's wrong? Having an epileptic seizure?"
"You scoundrel, you've fallen right into my trap!"
Ceasing her laughter, Lin Xi put on the triumphant expression of a mastermind whose plot had succeeded. Smugly, she declared:
"From now on, you are my plaything in the palm of my hand. I'm going to toy with you until you wish you were dead!"
"Toy with me until I'm dead?"
Ye Huan's eyes lit up, and he eagerly exclaimed:
"Awesome! No matter how many times a night you want, I'll keep you company till the very end. My kidneys are top-notch—every woman I've ever slept with calls me the Undefeated Stallion!"
Lin Xi's pretty face turned black instantly. She whipped a copy of the marriage agreement across the air at Ye Huan and said coldly:
"You've got the wrong idea. Take a good look at this agreement!"
True to form, this girl really had tampered with the paperwork... Picking up the fallen agreement from the ground, Ye Huan began to read.
Chapter 4: Take Your Dog Paws Off Me
Lin Xi watched Ye Huan's facial expressions with eager anticipation.
From her perspective, once Ye Huan finished reading the agreement, he would be driven to a furious frenzy, consumed by agonizing regret for having taken advantage of and insulted her, before finally dropping to his knees to beg for her forgiveness!
"Interesting!"
As soon as he read the first clause, Ye Huan grew excited—and the further he read, the more thrilled he became.
Clause 1: After marriage, neither the husband nor the wife shall interfere in the other's work or lifestyle;
Clause 2: After marriage, the husband and wife shall sleep in separate beds;
Clause 3: After marriage, the wife has the right to command all of the husband's time;
Clause 4: After marriage, the wife has the right to order the husband to do anything whatsoever, and the husband has no right to refuse;
Clause 5...
There were dozens more clauses following that.
The final clause stated: If the husband violates any single clause of this agreement, the wife has the right to immediately dissolve the marriage, and the husband shall leave with nothing.
Rather than a marriage agreement, this document was practically an indenture of servitude!
"Why are you looking so excited?"
Lin Xi simply couldn't believe her eyes. She couldn't wrap her head around why Ye Huan was acting so thrilled after reading a contract of absolute servitude.
This defied all logic!
Didn't he realize that having this agreement meant his personal freedom and dignity were now entirely under her control? Even if she ordered him to eat dirt, he would have to do it; refusing meant a breach of contract, resulting in him leaving with empty hands.
What on earth was going through his head to make him look so happy?
"Stop putting on an act. I know you're furious right now, panicking inside, and regretting signing this agreement more than anything."
Convinced she had seen right through his facade, Lin Xi unceremoniously exposed him.
"I'm suddenly starting to look forward to married life!"
Ye Huan said with a look of eager anticipation.
Gazing into Ye Huan's eyes and expressions, Lin Xi suddenly realized that his joy and excitement were completely genuine. This realization not only made her suspect he was a pervert with masochistic tendencies, but it also filled her with immense fury—this was not the outcome she had desired.
What she wanted was to see Ye Huan react to the truth of their contractual marriage with anger, remorse, and desperate pleas on his knees for her mercy.
"You perverted deadbeat, just you wait! I'll make you wish you were dead and unable to die!" Lin Xi said through gritted teeth.
"When do we start?" Ye Huan asked eagerly.
"Right now!"
After a moment's thought, Lin Xi declared:
"According to Clause 4 of the agreement, the wife has the right to order the husband to do anything, and the husband has no right to refuse. I order you to walk on your hands all the way to the parking lot, singing a song as you go!"
This was supposed to make him wish he were dead?
Ye Huan curled his lip, immediately dropping into a handstand and walking forward on his palms while belting out a song:
"Oh, little sister sits upon the edge of the bed, while big brother climbs right over the wall; loving and sweet, the big bed rocks and sways..."
Watching him walk on his hands, Lin Xi initially felt a surge of retaliatory satisfaction. But the moment she heard the lyrics he was singing, her face darkened instantly.
This wasn't her torturing Ye Huan; it was clearly Ye Huan assaulting her ears.
She immediately snapped: "Stop singing that song! Switch to another one."
Ye Huan: "The little conch blows randomly, the seagulls fly blindly; the little conch blows awry, the penguins hear it and reply, hehehe..."
Lin Xi: "..."
Back in the car!
"Stop singing!"
Seeing that Ye Huan was still going strong, Lin Xi snatched a tissue and stuffed it straight into his mouth.
She had finally figured him out: knowing he couldn't beat the marriage agreement, Ye Huan was resorting to these bizarre tactics just to disgust her and rebel at every turn.
Hmph, just you wait! She still had a hundred and eight forms of cruel and unusual punishment waiting in reserve for him.
"How was my singing? Did you feel all nice and moisturized after listening?"
Pulling the tissue from his mouth, Ye Huan asked.
"You..."
Lin Xi's anger meter instantly maxed out.
Sensing that Lin Xi was about to blow a gasket, Ye Huan hurriedly changed the subject:
"Where to next?"
Glaring murderously at him and suppressing the overwhelming urge to unleash her Nine-Yin White Bone Claws on his face, Lin Xi said:
"My proposing this contractual marriage to you was only one part of my goal. The other purpose was to shake off the marriage candidate my grandfather arranged for me."
The marriage candidate your grandfather arranged is actually me... Ye Huan bit his tongue to keep from spilling the truth, planning to catch Lin Xi completely off guard once they met Lin Tai.
Unaware of what was running through his mind, Lin Xi continued:
"Right now, my family is waiting at 'Shangyang Restaurant' to welcome the man my grandfather picked out for me. We're heading over there now, and you're going to help me break off this match. Understand?"
Ye Huan nodded. "Got it, don't you worry—my acting skills are top-notch!"
Casting a disgusted glance at his way, Lin Xi fell silent.
Over half an hour later, the two arrived at Shangyang Restaurant. Just as they reached the door of the private dining room where the Lin family was gathered, Ye Huan suddenly reached out and grabbed Lin Xi's hand.
"What are you doing?"
Pulling her hand back as if she'd been electrocuted, Lin Xi asked in a furious whisper.
With a deadpan expression, Ye Huan replied: "Clause 10 of the marriage agreement: In front of the wife's family, the husband must display an appearance of extreme affection toward the wife. I'm just following the contract!"
With that, he slipped an arm around her slender waist.
"Take your dog paws off me!"
Shoving him away, Lin Xi whispered fiercely:
"We don't need that yet. Once we go inside, wait until I introduce you, and then we can start acting all lovey-dovey."
"Alright!" Ye Huan shrugged.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Xi pushed open the door to the private room with a smile.
Swish!
The moment the door opened!
The eyes of Lin Xi's parents inside the room locked instantly onto the figure trailing behind their daughter, their expressions practically screaming: *So this is the fresh flower of a daughter about to be shoved into fresh cow dung?*
"Where's Grandpa?"
Noticing that her grandfather wasn't inside the room, Lin Xi asked.
"He went outside to make a phone call!"
Replied her father, Lin Canglan.
"Xixi, is this the person your grandfather told you to pick up at the airport?"
"No!"
Lin Xi shook her head.
"His name is Ye Huan. He's my husband—we just got our marriage certificate a little over half an hour ago."
Quickly playing along, Ye Huan wrapped his arm around Lin Xi's waist once more.
Lin Xi's body stiffened for a fraction of a second. Fighting down the urge to chop off his offending hand, she forced herself to look relaxed, even squeezing out a shy, rosy blush for effect.
This performance earned Ye Huan's utmost admiration. *Damn,* he thought, *this girl's acting is phenomenal. How on earth did she pull off that shy blushing look on command?*
Hearing the introduction and watching the two publicly shower affection on each other, Lin Xi's parents looked as though they had just been struck by lightning.
"Xixi, y-you're joking, right? When did you even start dating? How come we've never heard a word about this?"
Recovering his wits first, Lin Canglan asked in shock.
The blush on Lin Xi's face deepened: "Ye Huan is a senior I met at Harvard University. We got together during my sophomore year. Even though Ye Huan went to work on Wall Street after graduation, it didn't affect our relationship in the slightest. When I graduated and came back to China, we started doing long-distance. When he found out Grandpa was forcing me to marry some stranger, he flew straight over to find me..."
Staring in utter disbelief at Lin Xi, who was spinning this massive web of fabrications out of thin air, Ye Huan thought that if this girl didn't become a novelist or a screenwriter, it would be an absolute tragedy for the literary and artistic circles.
"So that's how it is!"
Understanding dawned on Lin Xi's parents, though they still found it hard to accept that their daughter had suddenly tied the knot.
Lin Canglan asked, "What kind of work do you do on Wall Street, Ye Huan?"
Ye Huan was just about to announce that he was in the slaughtering business and had already climbed to the very top of the global slaughterhouse industry.
Before he could get a word out, however, Lin Xi jumped in to answer for him:
"Ye Huan founded a company on Wall Street. Its valuation has already reached ten billion US dollars, and it's about to go public!"
A wave of annoyance washed over Ye Huan—Lin Xi had actually undersold his net worth!
Meanwhile, the expressions of Lin Canglan and Lin Xi's mother, Li Meiya, shifted as they looked at Ye Huan. They began gazing at him as if inspecting an unpolished piece of jade, finding him more and more pleasing to the eye.
A Harvard graduate just like Lin Xi, paired with a Wall Street business tycoon—the man their daughter had chosen was simply too exceptional. He was leagues better than the wild, nameless fiancé Lin Tai had dug up for her.
"Xiao Ye, why are you still standing? Sit down, sit down..."
Lin Canglan stood up to welcome him warmly, pouring out his satisfaction with this son-in-law through his enthusiastic attitude.
Chapter 5: Oh No, Her Bluff is Blown
"Thank you, Uncle!"
Stepping fully into character, Ye Huan sat down with a slightly guarded, reserved posture.
He perfectly captured the helpless, timid demeanor of a young man meeting his partner's parents for the first time. It was a performance of such high caliber that it easily belonged at the Oscar-winning level!
"You and Xixi are already married, why are you still calling me uncle?" Lin Canglan feigned displeasure.
Quickly seizing the opportunity, Ye Huan smoothly transitioned: "Dad..."
Lin Xi was thoroughly defeated by Ye Huan's shamelessness. *This guy's skin is truly thicker than a city wall,* she thought privately. *If you made bulletproof vests out of his face, an atomic bomb couldn't scratch it.*
"Ah... good son-in-law, what a good son-in-law!"
Lin Canglan responded with a beaming smile, then grabbed Ye Huan's hand and poured out endless praises.
Standing beside him, Li Meiya chimed in as the perfect straight-man to her husband's praise.
Quietly observing Ye Huan's acting performance, Lin Xi thought to herself: with her parents doting on Ye Huan like this, coupled with the fact that she and Ye Huan had already registered their marriage, the three of them now formed a united front. Surely her grandfather wouldn't dare force her to marry that wild fiancé anymore, right?
Ye Huan was nearly sick to his stomach from Lin Canglan and Li Meiya's sweet talk. He knew full well that the two weren't fond of him as a person; rather, they were infatuated with the fabricated Ivy League background and the ten-billion-dollar pre-IPO founder status Lin Xi had invented for him.
*Screeech...*
At that moment, the door to the private room swung open, and Lin Tai walked in.
Instantly, the harmonious laughter inside the room died away. Lin Xi, Lin Canglan, and Li Meiya turned to look at Lin Tai with a heavy sense of guilt.
They could already envision how furious Lin Tai would be when he found out that Lin Xi and Ye Huan had secretly gone and gotten married!
"So you brat has already arrived!"
Seeing Ye Huan, Lin Tai greeted him with a warm, grandfatherly smile.
"Just got here a moment ago!"
Standing up, Ye Huan smiled and shook hands with Lin Tai.
This sight left Lin Xi, Lin Canglan, and Li Meiya staring at one another in blank amazement, their faces covered in question marks.
Lin Tai actually knew Ye Huan? This completely caught them off guard.
Yet the next second, Lin Canglan and Li Meiya exhaled massive sighs of relief.
"Oh! Dad, you already know Ye Huan? Well, that makes things so much easier, haha..."
Lin Canglan said with a relaxed, beaming smile.
Li Meiya broke into smiles as well.
In their view, since Lin Tai was an old acquaintance of Ye Huan and appeared to hold him in high regard, even if Lin Tai discovered that Ye Huan and Lin Xi had already registered their marriage, he wouldn't blow his top—let alone attempt to tear the couple apart.
Meanwhile, Lin Xi was struck by a mixture of profound shock and awkwardness!
Shocked that her grandfather actually knew Ye Huan;
Awkward because since her grandfather was an old acquaintance of his, he surely knew the truth about Ye Huan inside and out. That meant the entire false identity she had spun for him was about to be completely exposed on the spot.
Good grief, this face-slapping came so fast it caught her totally unawares!
"So your name is Ye Huan, eh? We've known each other for years, and I'm finally learning your name!"
After teasing Ye Huan with a light remark, Lin Tai looked over at Lin Canglan and asked, "What did you mean just now when you said that makes things easier?"
Feeling deeply guilty, Lin Canglan braced himself and said:
"Well, Dad... today, Xixi and Ye Huan went and got their marriage certificate. Just now, her mother and I already got a sense of Ye Huan's background. Anyway, we're both extremely satisfied with this son-in-law. As for the marriage candidate you picked out for Xixi... let's just drop it, haha, hahaha..."
Li Meiya chimed in: "Dad, as the old saying goes, 'It's better to tear down ten temples than to break up a single marriage.' Xixi and Ye Huan have been in love for years and are deeply devoted to each other. Please give them your blessing and let them be, don't force Xixi to marry some stranger anymore!"
Seeing her parents backing her up, Lin Xi mustered her courage and declared:
"Grandpa, I'm sorry, but I refuse to marry the stranger you picked out for me. I don't even know his name, what he looks like, what he does for a living, or what his personality is like—I wouldn't find any happiness marrying a man like that."
With that, she hugged Ye Huan's arm, projecting a stubborn, unyielding stance of marrying no one else, while signaling Ye Huan to back her up with his own statement.
Seizing the cue, Ye Huan planted a loud kiss right on Lin Xi's cheek, and suppressing a chuckle, said to Lin Tai:
"Nobody is ever going to tear Lin Xi and me apart!"
Lin Xi was nearly grossed out of her mind by his sudden kiss, but she was nonetheless utterly pleased with his stance.
Lin Tai was left completely bewildered by this turn of events. It took him a few moments to process it all before he looked at Ye Huan, laughing and scolding:
"You rascal! Until now, I was still worried that Xixi would stubbornly refuse to marry you, which is why I had her go pick you up at the airport so you two could break the ice and build some chemistry first. Never in my wildest dreams did I think you two had already hooked up ages ago—and even gone and registered your marriage!"
"That word 'hooked up' you used to describe our relationship is remarkably accurate, Grandpa!" Ye Huan said, fighting back laughter.
Lin Tai's mouth twitched slightly. *This kid certainly doesn't filter what comes out of his mouth,* he thought.
At that moment, Lin Xi, Lin Canglan, and Li Meiya were trapped in a state of utter confusion.
"You're the person Grandpa told me to pick up at the airport?"
Staring blankly at Ye Huan, Lin Xi asked.
"That's right!"
Nodding, Ye Huan grinned widely.
"I'm the man you were supposed to marry. Surprised? Is it a shock?"
With that, he looked at Lin Xi with a beaming smile, waiting to watch her expression crack.
This was the exact moment he had been waiting for all along!
He fully expected that once Lin Xi learned the truth, she would fly into a rage, lose her mind, and bitterly regret ever registering her marriage with him.
However, he was about to be disappointed.