They were beaming with pride.
"Wenqian, you shouldn't blame your parents. To sacrifice you is to save the entire Chen family! It is your duty and obligation!"
"This is exactly what a daughter-in-law of the Chen family should do!"
But that wasn't all. They wanted to take this opportunity to kick Ye Lingtian out as well.
"Wenqian, at such a critical moment, just kick Ye Lingtian out too! Our own survival is in question; how can we look after anyone else?" Wang Lixiu said.
"No! Tian’er is my godson; he must stay with me!" He Wenqian stated firmly. Ever since Ye Lingtian was driven out last time, she had vowed that such a thing would never happen again.
"Then you leave the Chen family too! Either he goes, or you both go! Choose one!" The entire Chen family was adamant. Previously, He Wenqian had held the power and possessed the ancient prescriptions, so they hadn't dared to cross her. But now, they were seizing the chance to eliminate this thorn in their side. They were going to make a clean break.
"He Wenqian, all the properties and cars under your name have been frozen! This Junting Villa is also registered to you! Someone will be here to reclaim it soon!"
"If you refuse to let Ye Lingtian go, you won't even have a place to sleep on the streets!"
He Wenqian smiled. The Chen family was actually going this far to target her? She saw it all clearly now. They were using this opportunity to strip her of her power and the ancient prescriptions, and now they wanted to drive Ye Lingtian away as well.
No sooner had the Chen family members left than someone else arrived.
"Ms. He Wenqian, Junting Villa has been used as collateral for a debt! You are required to vacate within one hour!"
"Also, all real estate and vehicles under your name have been repossessed! They no longer belong to you!"
The bank staff had come to seize her assets. Now, she truly didn't even have a place to live. She understood that since her husband and daughter hadn't appeared once, they must have tacitly approved of this. This was their way of forcing her to drive Ye Lingtian away, pushing her into a dead end. Next, she figured all the major hotels and inns in Jiangcheng would likely receive instructions not to host them, and no one she knew would dare to take her in.
She would have to submit and agree to the Chen family’s demands to drive Ye Lingtian away. But she wouldn't do it! Even if she had to sleep on the streets, she would never drive him away!
He Wenqian looked at Ye Lingtian apologetically. "Tian’er, I’m sorry. You’re suffering because of me! Your godmother is useless; I don't even have a place for us to stay."
He Wenqian found her resolve. "Tian’er, just make do with me for tonight, and I’ll slowly think of a way."
Ye Lingtian smiled. "Who says we don't have a place to stay? I’ll get you a better place! Come with me!"
"Huh?" He Wenqian looked at Ye Lingtian, bewildered.
"It's fine, the car is here! Let's go, and we'll talk later." At that moment, a van pulled up. He Wenqian followed Ye Lingtian into the car, still confused. She wondered what kind of place Ye Lingtian could possibly have.
The car drove straight toward Baolong Mountain. The destination: Jiuzhoutai Villa!
"This seems to be heading toward Baolong Mountain? But Baolong Mountain is private property; there isn't any housing there!" He Wenqian wondered aloud. How could she possibly imagine they were going to Jiuzhoutai Villa?
"You'll know when we get there," Ye Lingtian smiled. At the same time, he gave orders to Qi Shanhai to keep the Chen family villa; his godmother would return there eventually, and it would be useful to him.
He Wenqian, feeling low and surrounded by the night, had no idea where they were headed. Soon, the car sped to the summit of Baolong Mountain and arrived directly at Jiuzhoutai Villa.
"We're here, let's go." He Wenqian followed Ye Lingtian out of the car.
"Where is this?" she asked, looking around in confusion. A villa of extreme luxury came into view! She froze on the spot. It was the most luxurious villa she had ever seen in Jiangcheng.
"This... this..." He Wenqian was too stunned to speak. "Is... is this the number one villa in Jiangcheng? Jiuzhoutai?" She exclaimed. "It really is Jiuzhoutai Villa!"
At the same time, He Wenqian grew nervous. She knew that even if her life depended on it, she would never have dared to come here. However, two rows of servants stood at the villa gate, as if waiting to welcome them. The head butler bowed and gestured, "Welcome, Ms. He, to your new home!"
"Boom!"
He Wenqian felt as if she had been struck by lightning. It was real? She looked at Ye Lingtian in shock. Was he the mysterious person who moved into Jiuzhoutai Villa? Could everything Ye Lingtian said before be true?
"Why are you staring at me? Let's go in!" Ye Lingtian smiled.
He Wenqian never dreamed that not only would she not be homeless, but she would actually end up living in an even better place. It was unbelievable! With trembling legs, she followed the butler into the villa. Nobody stopped them!
"Is this real? I wasn't qualified to enter when I was at my peak, but now that I'm at my lowest, I've moved in!" He Wenqian was filled with curiosity about everything in the villa.
"Godmother, just stay here for now. It’s getting late, get some rest, and we’ll talk tomorrow," Ye Lingtian said.
Even now, He Wenqian felt as if she were in a dream. She was almost afraid to stay here. If they offended Qi Shanhai again, they would truly have no way out.
"General Manager He!" A loud voice echoed. Qi Shanhai had arrived.
"King of Buildings! Why are you here?" He Wenqian immediately went to greet him.
Qi Shanhai laughed heartily. "General Manager He, you truly command my admiration!"
"Ah? You flatter me, King of Buildings!"
"Please, rest easy here! You can stay as long as you like! I will also do my best to help you rise again," Qi Shanhai promised.
First, she was able to move into Jiuzhoutai Villa, and now the King of Buildings himself had come to support her? Why?
"Big Brother!" Qi Shanhai called out to Ye Lingtian as he left. Ye Lingtian nodded. He Wenqian was absolutely horrified. This...
"Godmother, rest easy! I have everything under control!"
In the days to come, Ye Lingtian would help his godmother rise to the top. That night, He Wenqian lived in the most luxurious mansion, but she couldn't sleep a wink. She guessed it must have had something to do with Ye Changsheng! The King of Buildings must have known Tian’er’s true identity; otherwise, why would he help her?
"It's impossible! He Wenqian and Ye Lingtian seem to have vanished into thin air! We can't find them at all!"
"We’ve checked every hotel and inn in Jiangcheng, and there’s no sign of them."
"And there’s absolutely no one in Jiangcheng who dares to take them in! We warned everyone beforehand!"
It was strange! What puzzled the Chen family was that the two of them had simply disappeared. They had been searching for a day and a night, but they couldn't find a trace of them!
"Could they have already left Jiangcheng?" Chen Xiaoran said with concern. She had only wanted to use this opportunity to drive Ye Lingtian away; she hadn't expected her mother to be so stubborn, choosing to sleep on the streets rather than abandon him.
"I don't think so! You don't know Wenqian; she's very stubborn! Should I bring her back and we stop trying to drive Ye Lingtian out?" Chen Guiyuan was worried after all.
Chen Guofeng and Wang Lixiu immediately chimed in, "You can't catch a tiger without sacrificing a cub! You must stay firm! Once Wenqian can’t take it anymore, she’ll come back herself! This is the best chance to get rid of Ye Lingtian!"
However, Chen Guiyuan sent people to keep looking anyway.
For the Chen family, the situation had stabilized. Shang Hongwei had just obtained eighty percent of Chen's Pharmaceuticals, which was more than enough for him to handle. No matter how powerful he was, he could only eat so much. Now, the pharmaceutical landscape in Jiangcheng was mostly settled, with Shang's Pharmaceuticals as the dominant player, and the crippled Chen's Pharmaceuticals, having merged with He Pharmaceutical, ranked second.
Faced with this, it didn't really matter to He Wenqian. But how could Ye Lingtian let this go?
Bullying his godmother? No way!
Standing before him were Qi Shanhai, Li San, and others. Xu Yourong stood behind him, massaging his shoulders.
"My plan is simple! We will create a new Medicine King, and my godmother will be the one in charge!"
"The funds will be arranged by the Black Gold Consortium!"
"You will handle the medicinal materials, distribution, and sales!"
Ye Lingtian divided the tasks among them. He took out several prescriptions. "One is an improved formula for the Scar Removal Ointment; one is an improved Spirit Nourishing Pill; the last is the formula for the Black Ginseng Jade Bone Ointment! Go find all the medicinal materials I need! I want everything you can get!"
Qi Shanhai and the others nodded in unison.
"Also, my godmother has suffered, and I don't want to see the Chen family living so comfortably!" Ye Lingtian’s tone suddenly turned icy cold. Xu Yourong trembled in fear.
"Yes, Master!"
At the Chen family mansion, the atmosphere was lively. Overall, the impact on the Chen family hadn't been that great, and their cash flow was even stronger than before. Chen Guofeng and the others were grinning from ear to ear. Chen Guiyuan still felt guilty toward his wife, not only for breaking his promise but for pushing her to a dead end.
Chen Guofeng said with dissatisfaction, "Third brother, you listen to your wife too much! Remember! You are a businessman; you must do whatever it takes! Besides, she is your wife! It makes no difference who is in charge, does it?"
"The Chen family has always been led by men. How did a useless thing like you come about, sharing the helm with your wife?"
Though they said that, they never really wanted to see He Wenqian in control. Just then, Chen Xiaoran finished work and was about to leave. Xu Yourong intercepted her with a group of company executives. "Xiaoran! I’m going home with you! There is something I need to discuss with the Chen family."
Chen Xiaoran was both surprised and delighted; she immediately agreed and messaged the Chen family.
"Hurry! Everyone prepare to welcome the Black Gold Consortium's Dragon Kingdom representative, Ms. Xu! Quickly!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Guofeng immediately rounded up the entire family, lining them up at the door to welcome her. Chen Guiyuan didn't dare to be careless, as the Black Gold Consortium was key to whether he could return to the position of Medicine King.
Soon, Chen Xiaoran, Xu Yourong, and the others arrived at the mansion.
"Ms. Xu!" Chen Guofeng and the others immediately greeted her. Chen Xiaoran enthusiastically introduced her family to Xu Yourong, and Chen Guofeng showered her with praise. The entire family was stunned by her beauty; even Chen Shihao and the others were transfixed. How could there be such a peerless woman?
Only Chen Guiyuan noticed that something was wrong. Xu Yourong and the other executives all had cold faces and looked displeased.
"Ms. Xu, please, come in! Come in!" Chen Guofeng invited her warmly.
Xu Yourong waved her hand. "No need! I’ve only come to say one thing!"
"Please, Ms. Xu, speak!"
"I am announcing that the 50 billion investment the Black Gold Consortium made to He Pharmaceutical is being withdrawn! Please return the funds immediately!"
"What?"
The words stunned everyone; the entire hall exploded.
"Withdrawing a 50 billion investment?" Chen Guofeng asked, unable to believe his ears.
The Chen family's greatest trump card right now wasn't He Pharmaceutical or the ancient prescription for the Spirit Nourishing Pill; it was this 50 billion. Although the Black Ginseng Jade Bone Ointment from Shang's Pharmaceuticals was worth at least 100 billion, it hadn't yet been realized. The Chen family had a full 50 billion in cash flow, which was the only reason Shang's Pharmaceuticals didn't dare to move against them. If Chen Guiyuan fought to the death, Shang's Pharmaceuticals would be severely damaged even if they won. But now, the Black Gold Consortium wanted to withdraw that 50 billion?
Xu Yourong’s assistant immediately handed the contracts and documents to the Chen family.
Chen Guofeng immediately argued, "Ms. Xu, surely this isn't right? The Black Gold Consortium already invested, and we’ve already used some of the money. How can you withdraw the investment?"
"Furthermore, by suddenly withdrawing, aren't you in breach of contract?"
"That’s right, everything should be done according to the contract," Chen Guichuan and Chen Guihai echoed.
Xu Yourong sneered. "Contracts? Rules? Those are usually only constraints for the weak! Even if the Black Gold Consortium is in breach, do you have the guts to hold us responsible? Do you dare ask for liquidated damages?"
The moment those words were spoken, the Chen family fell silent. She was right. Contracts and rules were only binding for the weak. If they dared to ask the Black Gold Consortium for damages, the Chen family wouldn't survive the night. The Black Gold Consortium was far more terrifying than Shang's Pharmaceuticals.
Xu Yourong glanced at Chen Guiyuan. "Secondly, you are the ones who breached the contract first!"
"Ah? How so?" Even Chen Guiyuan was stunned.
Xu Yourong threw the contract at him. "Read the investment contract carefully! There is a clear clause stating that the investor the Black Gold Consortium recognized was Ms. He Wenqian! None of you can represent her!"
The Chen family looked and sure enough, it was there! They had assumed He Pharmaceutical and He Wenqian were the same thing, but it appeared this 50 billion investment was meant only for He Wenqian personally.
As Xu Yourong and her entourage left, the entire Chen family stood frozen. Chen Xiaoran was in complete disbelief; she had thought this would be a good thing, but it had turned out like this.
"Boom..." Chen Guofeng and Wang Lixiu nearly fainted. The entire house was filled with wailing. The 50 billion was gone, and the Chen family’s lifeline was about to be cut.
"Wenqian! Wenqian is the key! Find Wenqian immediately!" Old Master Chen Guofeng shouted.
"Third brother, why are you still standing there? Call Wenqian! This whole matter depends on her!" Chen Guichuan and his brother urged.
Chen Guiyuan had no choice but to dial He Wenqian’s number. He Wenqian, who was leisurely sunbathing at Jiuzhoutai Villa, saw the call, hesitated, then picked up. "Hello, what is it?"
"Wenqian, where are you? I’ll come pick you up! I owe you an apology, I need to explain everything properly!"
"Lingtian can come back, too! We won't kick him out again!" Chen Guiyuan said in a panic.
"Ah?" This caught He Wenqian off guard. Just as she wavered, Ye Lingtian appeared behind her.
"Godmother, don't!"
He Wenqian realized what was happening and immediately said, "You don't need to know where I am. Whatever my situation is has nothing to do with you!"
Then, the line went dead. Chen Guiyuan was left dumbfounded.
"I think I heard Ye Lingtian’s voice; he’s the one who made Mother hang up the phone! Damn him! It’s all his fault!" Chen Xiaoran immediately cried out.
"That bastard Ye Lingtian! He’s cutting off the Chen family’s path to wealth!" The entire family was furious. They tried calling He Wenqian again, but her phone was already turned off.
"Find them! We must find Wenqian! We can't let this 50 billion investment just disappear!" The Chen family intensified their search, scouring all of Jiangcheng for the two of them.
Inside Jiuzhoutai Villa, "Godmother! The reason they contacted you is simple—the Black Gold Consortium has withdrawn their investment," Ye Lingtian said, and He Wenqian suddenly saw the light. No wonder! She saw right through them.
"Godmother, just stay here and rest for a while, consider it a vacation! I’ll give you a surprise soon!"
"I will make the Chen family beg you to come back! I will make them apologize to you, one by one!"
When Ye Lingtian said this, He Wenqian was stunned. This child had the aura of a world-shaking hero! She had misjudged him before!
Ye Lingtian’s plan was already in motion, but he quickly met resistance.
Li San’s news arrived: "Big Brother, I can't buy any medicinal materials! All the suppliers in Jiangcheng, big and small, have been monopolized by Shang's Pharmaceuticals! They won't sell to anyone else!"
Ye Lingtian’s expression shifted. "I’ll go see for myself."
Shengtian Pharmaceutical was the largest supplier in Jiangcheng, controlling one-third of the market. It had previously been He Pharmaceutical’s biggest supplier. In the chairman’s office, Wang Sheng had his legs up on the desk, holding a glass of wine in one hand and a cigar in the other. Just then, the office door opened.
"I said I wasn't seeing anyone today..."
But it wasn't his secretary who entered; it was Ye Lingtian.
"Who are you?" Wang Sheng asked.
"He Wenqian is my godmother!"
Wang Sheng’s expression changed. "How bold! You must be Ye Lingtian! The Chen family is trying to drive you out, and you still dare to come here?"
Ye Lingtian said bluntly, "I’m only here to tell you! I want all of your medicinal materials!"
"Hahaha... no one else is going to buy medicine from me, let alone He Wenqian! Give up on that idea!" Wang Sheng sneered.
"And what if I insist?" Ye Lingtian’s eyes flashed with cold intent.
"Then tell me, what gives you the right?"
Ye Lingtian said nothing, but slammed his palm onto the office desk.
"Crack!"
The desk exploded instantly, shattering into fine dust! Simple and brutal!
Wang Sheng’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. The desk had turned to powder right before his eyes. Even more terrifying, he saw spiderweb-like cracks spreading across the floor beneath his feet, the surrounding walls, and even the ceiling above.
"Rumble..." The office was shaking, as if it were about to collapse at any moment. It wasn't just his office; the entire Shengtian Pharmaceutical building was swaying, as if hit by an earthquake. The power of that single palm was truly terrifying.
"Clink! Crack!"
Even more horrifying, the wine glass in Wang Sheng’s hand shattered into fine cracks before exploding. This terrified Wang Sheng so much he jumped to his feet!
This... this... He couldn't imagine what would happen if that palm had struck him...
A Grandmaster! No! This must be a Great Grandmaster!