The crowd watched Lin Xuan and the Jiang Family entourage, whispering among themselves.
"What’s the relationship between Lin Xuan and the Jiang Family? He seems very close to Old Jiang, Jiang Yutong, and Jiang Manting. The way Old Jiang treats Lin Xuan is even warmer than how he treats Lin Li."
"Whatever the connection, Lin Xuan has definitely latched onto the Jiang Family. With their backing, plus his own talent and the success of his Skyveil Group, he can practically do whatever he wants in Yundu City."
The wealthy tycoons couldn’t help but envy Lin Xuan as they spoke.
Why couldn’t they have a son as capable as him?
General Manager Li glared at his own good-for-nothing son standing beside him, growing more irritated by the second. He smacked the back of the young man’s head.
The son clutched his throbbing skull, baffled. "Dad, what was that for?"
He was just standing there minding his own business—what had he done to deserve that?
Gritting his teeth, General Manager Li hissed, "All you do is chase girls and fool around. Why can’t you be more like Lin Xuan? If you were even half as capable as him, I’d be thanking the heavens!"
"Dad," the son whined, "Lin Xuan is a freak of nature. How can I compare to him?"
At just twenty-two, without relying on his family, Lin Xuan had founded Skyveil Group and turned it into an industry leader.
No one else in the world could have pulled that off.
The son huffed and added, "Besides, Dad, isn’t this your fault? If I’d inherited better genes, maybe I wouldn’t be so useless."
If the father wasn’t impressive, how could the son be?
"You—!" General Manager Li’s face turned livid, his chest heaving with rage.
How had he ended up with such a disappointing son?
It was infuriating.
"Dad," the son grinned, "my friends are here for the party. I’m gonna go hang out with them."
With that, he bolted.
The tycoons couldn’t help but think:
Lin Xuan is destined for greatness. We need to build strong ties with him and Skyveil Group!
Many of them were already scheming.
Meanwhile, Lin Li was surrounded by a group of flattering executives, but more of them were eyeing the well-dressed, composed Lin Xuan.
"Lin Xuan is truly outstanding—handsome, talented. My daughter would’ve loved him. Too bad he’s already taken."
"I misjudged him before. When he was still with the Lin Family, I thought he was a loser. Turns out he was just biding his time."
"Honestly, the guy’s a prodigy. At his age, he built a massive company and even brought down Starlight Group. I bet the Lin Family is drowning in regret now."
"Oh, they definitely are. If they hadn’t treated him so poorly, Starlight Group would’ve been unstoppable. Instead, they’re bankrupt."
The murmurs reached Lin Li’s ears, and his brow furrowed.
Why were they bringing up Lin Xuan now?
A vein throbbed at his temple, and an uneasy feeling settled in his chest.
Just then, a young playboy in his early twenties sauntered over with a glass of wine.
"Lin Li, your brother Lin Xuan is here. Aren’t you going to catch up with him?" the playboy teased, raising an eyebrow.
He was also a student at Yundu University and had always despised Lin Li’s hypocritical, "white lotus" act—especially since Lin Li had charmed the girl he liked.
Nothing pleased him more than getting under Lin Li’s skin.
Lin Li’s first reaction was disbelief.
Impossible.
Lin Xuan was supposed to be crippled—freshly castrated and beaten to a pulp.
He should still be hospitalized, not at this banquet.
Lin Li scoffed. "Don’t waste your breath. Your lies won’t work on me."
As if Lin Xuan would show up here.
The playboy smirked. "You don’t believe me?"
Lin Li inwardly sneered.
He knew exactly where Lin Xuan was. Did this fool really think he’d fall for such nonsense?
"Lin Li, not only is Lin Xuan here, but he’s also chatting away with your grandfather and your cousins," the playboy taunted.
Lin Li studied the other man’s expression, and a sliver of doubt crept in.
Could it be true?
No—impossible.
Lin Xuan was supposed to be lying in a hospital bed. There was no way he’d be here.
"Lin Li, why are you so shocked that Lin Xuan came to the banquet?"
Was there something fishy going on?
Come to think of it, the last two events Lin Li hosted had been ruined by Lin Xuan, leaving him humiliated.
No wonder he was so jumpy.
The playboy’s eyes gleamed with amusement.
I wonder if Lin Xuan has another "gift" for Lin Li’s little family reunion.
"Still don’t believe me? Then take a look—who’s that?" He pointed across the room.
Lin Li scoffed. "Fine. Let’s see what game you’re playing."
He followed the playboy’s finger—and froze.
Lin Xuan stood there, unharmed.
Lin Li’s pupils shrank to pinpricks.
Lin Xuan?!
How?!
Why was he here?
And hadn’t that underground group beaten him beyond recognition and crippled him?
How was he perfectly fine?
A terrible realization struck Lin Li, and his face darkened.
The playboy smirked. "Lin Li, I know you. You were probably counting on the Jiang Family’s support to crush Lin Xuan. But judging by how chummy he is with them, your plan’s dead in the water."
"Get lost!"
Lin Li shoved him aside and stormed off to a secluded corner.
He pulled out his phone and dialed the Black Snake Gang.
"Boss, it’s Lin Li," a subordinate reported respectfully to Li Dongfeng.
"If he’s calling now, he must’ve found out Lin Xuan’s fine," Li Dongfeng chuckled.
He had no love for Lin Li.
The idiot had nearly made him cross Lin Xuan—a living nightmare. Thankfully, Lin Xuan had let them off with just a hefty fine.
Otherwise, the Black Snake Gang would’ve been finished.
"Let me handle this."
Li Dongfeng gestured for the phone.
"Yes, sir."
The subordinate passed it to him, and Li Dongfeng leaned back in his chair, legs crossed.
"Hello?" His voice was lazy, almost bored.
Lin Li gritted his teeth. "You said the job was done. So why is Lin Xuan completely unharmed?"
Ah, the power just went out. It’s so hot.
Goodnight, everyone.
Thanks to Yidian Shishi, Shiyi, and the others for the gifts.
Ugh.
nce】【Lighthearted Comedy】【Ultimate Gentleman's Novel】【Viewer Discretion Advised for Under 16】 The mightiest human hero, Sharen Morian, is resurrected after a thousand years by his wife—the Demon King. This is not your typical hero-vs-demon-king tale.
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
