"You foolish woman!"
Ye Nan reached out and grabbed Lin Qingrou’s hand, offering a faint smile. "Let’s go."
Lin Qingrou froze for a moment, turning to look at him. Ye Nan’s smile was clean and warm. In that instant, a sudden tightness pricked at her nose. Without hesitation, she followed him toward the exit.
"You stop right there!" Lin Zhenghai stomped his feet in fury.
Unable to sit still any longer, Zhao Chuanping rushed forward and blocked their path.
"You mongrel, how dare you lay a hand on my woman!" Zhao Chuanping dropped the act, his face twisted with malice. "Tired of living, are you?"
He turned his gaze to Lin Qingrou. "Lin Qingrou, you’d better think clearly. If my Zhao family doesn’t back down on the construction site issue, your Lin family will go bankrupt! If you don't want to drag your family down with you, you’d better be obedient—"
*Bang!*
"Ah!!!!"
*Boom!*
Before Zhao Chuanping could finish his sentence, Ye Nan kicked him squarely in the abdomen without warning!
With a miserable shriek, Zhao Chuanping went flying backward. He crashed through the Lin family’s front door with a resounding thud, landing by the roadside like a dead dog.
Lin Qingrou’s rosy lips formed a perfect "O." That kick was brutal! He’d smashed the door to pieces!
"Foolish woman, did you remember that? What’s the use of always playing it cold and cool?" Ye Nan said flatly. "Scum are like bratty kids—a good beating usually fixes them."
"If one round isn't enough, then we'll go for two!"
As he spoke, Ye Nan glanced back, his knife-like gaze sweeping over Lin Zhenghai and Li Jinlan. The raw hostility in his eyes made both of them tremble with fear. He was a thug!
Lin Qingrou’s beautiful eyes lit up. *This bastard was usually so shameless, slippery, cowardly, and cheap—who would have thought he had such a domineering side? He’s actually... kind of handsome?*
***
"You... you actually dared to hit the eldest young master of the Zhao family?!" Lin Zhenghai pointed at Ye Nan, terrified.
"The Zhao family's young master? So what, do I need to follow a protocol to beat him?" Ye Nan curled his lip in a lazy shrug. "Do I need to scan a health code and wait seven business days?"
Lin Qingrou couldn't help but burst into a giggle, the gloom in her heart dissipating instantly.
"Let’s go!" She pulled Ye Nan’s hand and headed toward her car.
Ye Nan was a bit stunned.
*[Wait, why is the old woman acting so sweet? Her voice sounds like she’s flirting! Impossible, absolutely impossible! It must be that I’m perceiving this the wrong way! It was just an illusion!]*
"Um... where are we going?" Ye Nan asked tentatively.
Hearing his thoughts, the fire in Lin Qingrou’s heart that had just subsided flared up again. "Shut up! Just follow me obediently, why ask so many questions!"
Ye Nan breathed a sigh of relief.
*[That’s more like it! Phew... you scared the hell out of me! I said it—how could an old woman have any feminine charm? The probability is lower than me becoming the world’s richest person!]*
Lin Qingrou was both angry and amused. *Is this guy a masochist? He doesn't even know how to react when I'm nice to him! And who are you calling lacking in feminine charm?!*
As the two reached the curb, Zhao Chuanping had finally regained his breath and stood up with difficulty, clutching his stomach.
"You dog-spawn, how dare you hit me!"
"Ah!!! I’m going to tear you to pieces!! I’m going to—"
*Bang!*
Ye Nan, finding the noise tiresome, lifted his leg again and kicked the guy across the road. "Blah, blah, blah—big man, your mouth is really damn annoying!"
They got into the Lamborghini and sped away.
Zhao Chuanping clutched his stomach in agony, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. He struggled to pull out his phone and dialed a number.
"Hello? Daoist Zhang? Tonight—do it immediately—activate that Yin-gathering formation for me!"
"I can’t wait any longer!"
"Listen clearly! I want to see the news about the toxic insects erupting at the Lin family’s construction site first thing tomorrow morning!"
After hanging up, Zhao Chuanping’s face twisted with pure venom. "Lin Qingrou, Ye Nan, I’m going to make you wish you were dead!"
"Chuanping, Chuanping, are you alright?" Lin Zhenghai and Li Jinlan finally snapped out of their shock and rushed across the road to help him up.
"Hmph!" Zhao Chuanping didn’t give them a second glance, snorting coldly as he stormed off.
"This... this..." Li Jinlan panicked, stamping her feet. "What do we do now? We’ve offended the Zhao family to death!"
"Unfilial daughter! You little beast!" Lin Zhenghai gnashed his teeth. After a long moment, his face darkened, and he pulled out his phone to make a call.
"Lord Kui? Sorry to disturb your rest! It’s me, Lin Zhengnai of the Lin family!"
"Just a small matter, I’d like to ask Lord Kui for a favor!"
...
After Lin Zhenghai hung up, Li Jinlan said with deep anxiety, "If we ask Lord Kui for help now, it’ll be hard to request his favor again later. Isn't this a waste?"
"What time do you think it is!" Lin Zhenghai snapped. "If we don't satisfy Zhao Chuanping, the Lin family is finished!"
"Lord Kui... he won't kill anyone, will he?" Li Jinlan was still worried.
"Don't worry, I gave specific instructions: break the limbs of that brat Ye Nan, leave him permanently disabled. That will end Qingrou’s obsession and let out some of Zhao Chuanping’s anger."
Lord Kui, the king of the Jiangling underworld, known as the "Yanjun," Wan Jiukui!
...
In the Lamborghini.
"You... do you know martial arts?" Lin Qingrou finally couldn't help but ask. After all, ordinary people couldn't kick someone flying and smash a gate to pieces.
"I just have a bit of strength," Ye Nan said vaguely. "I spent my childhood farming with the old geezer."
Thinking back to his time on the mountain, where they were so poor they didn't even have an ox and had to plow the fields by hand, Ye Nan couldn't help but feel a surge of resentment. Hearing his inner thoughts about his childhood, Lin Qingrou believed him and didn't think much of it.
Before long, the car pulled up to a small villa in the suburbs. Upon entering, Ye Nan looked around—the feng shui was decent, and the design was elegant.
"This is your house?"
"Yes," Lin Qingrou said coolly. "I got tired of living at home, so I bought this place."
Ye Nan nodded, his mind beginning to churn.
*[If I’m not mistaken, the Yin-gathering formation at the construction site must be Zhao Chuanping’s doing; he has the most to gain from this. Since that guy got beaten today, he’s bound to take action tonight. I need to fix that site quickly! Should I... just tell the old woman now? Since her attitude has improved, she might believe me...]*
Hearing his thoughts, Lin Qingrou composed herself. This was a matter of life and death. In truth, she had suspected Zhao Chuanping all along, since the land had been auctioned by the government and had no prior issues. But none of that mattered now—this bastard was finally about to open his mouth!
Lin Qingrou prepared herself, even planning the expression she would use to show she believed him.
However, the next moment...
*[Hi! I’m a damn idiot! Why would I tell the old woman? I’ll just sneak out in the middle of the night and resolve it quietly! Saves so much breath! Sigh... the old woman is stupid, and after being with her all day, I’m getting stupid too!]*
Lin Qingrou froze in place. *What he said in his thoughts... actually makes a lot of sense...*
*Then why didn't you say so earlier! I had my expression all set, and now you’re not going to say it?! I spent so much money pleasing you this afternoon! A total loss! You bastard, spit it back out!*
"I’m going to take a shower and sleep." After a long silence, Lin Qingrou said coldly, "Pick any room upstairs. You are not allowed to come near my room! Don't disturb me!"
With that, she stomped upstairs in a rage.
*[What’s wrong with her?]* Ye Nan was confused again. *[Menstrual cycle irregularity? That shouldn't be! I checked her—it’s very normal this month, the flow is even quite heavy, gushing!]*
Upstairs, Lin Qingrou, having just entered the bathroom, nearly tripped and fell upon hearing his thoughts. *You shameless rogue! Is that what you use your medical skills for?! My flow is none of your business! It just means I’m healthy!*
For the first time, Lin Qingrou felt that the range of this mind-reading ability was too vast—a full fifty meters! Which meant that at home, he could basically hear everything. If this went on, she would be annoyed to death!
Eleven o'clock at night.
Ye Nan opened his eyes and leapt out from the second-floor window. *[Time to get to work!]*
In the neighboring room, hearing Ye Nan’s thoughts before he left, Lin Qingrou lay in bed with a faint smile on her lips. Tonight, she could finally sleep peacefully.
...
Arriving at the construction site he had visited earlier in the day, Ye Nan immediately sensed something unusual. The Yin energy had grown much denser! Sure enough, Zhao Chuanping had made his move.
Ye Nan gave a playful smile. He sat cross-legged on the spot, his hands forming a seal, his aura suddenly shifting into something profound and mysterious.
"Heaven is round and Earth is square, the law is nine chapters!"
"The sun and moon overlap like jade, the stars align in rows!"
Ye Nan chanted, his eyes flashing with a brilliant light. His fingers formed a gesture, and he began to guide the flow of the Yin energy. He didn't just want to fix the problem at the site. Since Zhao Chuanping had gone to such lengths to frame the old woman, he had to return the favor!
Ye Nan had already searched for the addresses of the Zhao Group and the Zhao family villa. Tomorrow morning, he would give them a huge "surprise!"
Half an hour later, Ye Nan exhaled a long breath and stood up. Done! Time to go home and sleep. He dusted off his hands and headed back.
Jiangling’s night view was nice; it was, after all, a top-tier city in Zhongzhou. As he walked leisurely, he eventually passed a bustling street filled with nightclubs. Looking at the alleys along the street, Ye Nan couldn't help but chuckle. *By convention, this is usually when a woman screams for help.*
"Help!"
*Damn!* Ye Nan was startled and stopped in his tracks. *Did the old geezer bless this mouth of mine?!*
Before he could react, a beautiful figure dashed out of the alley and grabbed his arm. "My boyfriend is here to pick me up! You... you guys better not try anything!"
Immediately after, five young men emerged from the alley, wearing flashy patterns, dyed hair, and thick gold chains around their necks. *Well, they certainly wanted to make sure everyone knew they were thugs!*
Ye Nan was torn between crying and laughing. *This plot, this is the kind of treatment only protagonists in novels get!*
***
"Save me! I am Qi Jingyao of the Qi family!"
The woman spoke in an imperious tone, announcing her background as if she were someone of great importance. The Qi family? Wasn't that a powerhouse on par with the richest family, the Zhao family?
Ye Nan turned his head, using the street lamp to take a look at the woman. She was indeed a top-tier beauty: phoenix eyes, cherry lips, and a high, straight bridge of a nose. She wore a tight, lake-green dress with a low V-neck, revealing a deep, ivory cleavage. Beneath her lithe waist were wide hips, her full backside tightly wrapped by the hem of the dress. Her long legs were especially impressive—at least 1.2 meters long—straight and shapely, ending in exquisite, slender feet in high-heeled sandals.
*Sigh...* Ye Nan sighed to himself. Low on top and short on the bottom—everything to satisfy the eye. Dressed like this, wandering near the nightclub district in the middle of the night, if the thugs didn't bother you, they wouldn't be doing their jobs!
Ye Nan remained expressionless. "Can’t save you. I can't beat them."
"Are you even a man!" Qi Jingyao was furious, her willow eyebrows knitting together. "You see a woman in danger, and you won't save her?!"
"They have numbers on their side," Ye Nan said coldly. "Chivalry requires knowing one’s limits."
He found Qi Jingyao’s behavior repulsive. If it weren't for him—if it had been an ordinary person—they would have been beaten to a cripple by these thugs. *Just because it’s you, I should risk my life for someone else?*
"You!" Qi Jingyao was both angry and anxious. "Did you hear me clearly? I am Qi Jingyao of the Qi family!"
"Oh, and I am Ye Nan of the Ye family," Ye Nan curled his lip and sneered. "So what?"
"You’re Ye Nan?!" Qi Jingyao’s eyes widened as she looked him up and down. "It really is you... you were actually late, making me wait so long!"
Ye Nan was confused. *You know me? Late? When did we make an appointment? Why don't I remember...*
"Hey! Are you guys done chatting, damn it!" the leader, a red-haired punk, yelled while puffing on a cigarette. "Can you damn well show some respect for our profession!"
Seeing the predatory look in their eyes, Qi Jingyao began to tremble with fear, clutching Ye Nan’s arm tightly. "You’re still not going to save me! I’m your fiancée!"
"Huh?" Ye Nan was stunned.
"F*ck! Are you deaf! Get him! Cripple the guy, and the girl... hehe, let’s all take turns having some fun tonight!" The red-haired punk shouted, waving his hand commandingly.
Hearing their leader’s last sentence, the other thugs lunged forward, howling like they’d been injected with adrenaline. Qi Jingyao screamed in terror, her face turning pale.
Ye Nan frowned. He didn't want to tangle with these small-time hoods, so he grabbed Qi Jingyao and turned to run. At the same time, his left hand reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of peanuts, and flicked them toward the thugs.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*
The simple peanuts tore through the air with a whistling sound, each one hitting the thugs precisely in the kneecap.
"Ah! Damn it! What hit my knee? Sss... it hurts like hell!"
The thugs’ legs buckled, and they all fell to their knees, unable to chase after them. Qi Jingyao didn't see this happen—she had closed her eyes tight, letting Ye Nan pull her along.
After a while, Ye Nan stopped. Qi Jingyao heard him say calmly, "Alright, we're safe."
Only then did she open her eyes. Looking around and seeing they were in a deserted street, she breathed a long sigh of relief. Immediately, she glared at Ye Nan with fury. "I have never seen such a spineless man!"
"You were late to meet your fiancée! You let me get harassed by thugs!"
"You saw a woman being bullied and you turned and ran! You coward! You scum!"
Ye Nan considered himself a man of great patience, but this woman was enough to make his blood boil. *This woman’s personality is just too damn annoying! Sigh, compared to her, the old woman is truly gentle!*
"Let me tell you, even if I were blind, I would never fancy trash like you! Our engagement is void!" Qi Jingyao pulled a bank card from her bag and tossed it at Ye Nan’s feet. "There’s 100,000 in here, the password is 204614! Take the money, get lost! Don't show your face in front of me again!"
With that, she turned and strode away, head held high like a proud white swan.
Ye Nan had ten thousand insults in his heart. *When you needed me to save you, you called me your fiancée. Once you’re safe, you turn on me. Who the hell are you! Do I even know you?!*
Ye Nan was completely confused. He didn't remember having any connection to such a toxic woman. After a while, a thought struck him—*Could this be another mess cooked up by that old geezer?*
He took out his phone and called the old man.
"Oh, that girl from the Qi family... yes, that’s a thing." The old geezer sounded drunk, his speech slurred. "Right, I arranged with her family for you two to meet tonight. *Hiccup*... drank a bit too much today... forgot to tell you about this part..."
Ye Nan was furious. "Are you sick? Why do you keep making all these engagements for me?!"
"Hey, isn't this... to help you find your fated one? Before, I only calculated it was in Zhongzhou. Zhongzhou is so big, there are so many girls, it’s normal to have a few calculation errors!"
"A few?!" Ye Nan was ready to explode. "How many engagements did you actually set up for me?"
"Don't get excited, don't get excited!" The old geezer chuckled sheepishly. "Maybe five or six... or seven or eight? Hey, there’s no success without failure, right? See, I finally calculated it for you—the fated one is that girl from the Lin family!"
Ye Nan was speechless. Expecting this old man to act normally was like a fool’s dream.
"Oh, and for those engagements that failed, I have all the marriage certificates here. I’ll mail them to you later; handle them yourself, return them if you need to!"
"That’s it, your master is going to bed!"
The old geezer hung up.
"Old geezer, I @#￥%&*..."
After a few minutes of colorful cursing, Ye Nan finally calmed down. What was done was done; killing the old man wouldn't change anything. He’d just have to deal with it as it came.
As for the bank card on the ground, Ye Nan picked it up. Money was innocent! How could he bear a grudge against his lovely money just because of a hateful woman? That would be unfair!
Just as he was about to leave, footsteps approached from behind.
"F*ck! There he is!"
"Dammit, finally found you, run now if you dare!"
He turned around—the five thugs had caught up. In the blink of an eye, they surrounded him.
"Kid, I just realized something. You told that woman you were named Ye Nan?" the red-haired punk asked, staring at him.
*Hm?* They weren't asking where Qi Jingyao went, but instead asking his name?
Ye Nan said flatly, "That’s right."
"The live-in son-in-law of the Lin family, Ye Nan?" the redhead pressed.
Ye Nan’s lip twitched twice. *Son-in-law...*