“Bang!”
The crisp sound of the door slamming shut rang out. Only Dongfang Zhan and his wife remained in the manor’s foyer. The couple stared at each other in silence for a long while.
“What on earth did our daughter run off to do?”
After quite some time, Dongfang Zhan finally spoke, asking uncertainly.
Su Su: “……”
You tell me.
“Honey, you’re really going to be the death of me.” Su Su let out an exasperated sigh. Pressing a hand to her aching forehead, she slumped onto the sofa and closed her eyes to rest.
She looked as though she might fall asleep at any moment. Dongfang Zhixia wasn’t the only one who hadn’t slept all night—Su Su had also spent the entire night worrying.
The moment Dongfang Zhixia failed to find Ye Cheng, she had begun to lose her head. It wasn’t just the Dongfang family that had been searching; Su Su’s side had also been working nonstop.
With no other choice, Su Su had even called in reinforcements, hoping to use the “Skynet” system to track down the slightest trace of Ye Cheng.
The power of the state apparatus was beyond what ordinary people could imagine. Whether in speed or search capability, it far surpassed what any ordinary family could match—not even the Dongfang family.
“It’s not that serious, is it?” Dongfang Zhan looked somewhat uneasy as he came downstairs from his bedroom in his pajamas.
He walked behind his wife and gently began massaging her shoulders.
“He’s just some young punk. If he ran away, then let him run…”
Of course, there was one more thing Dongfang Zhan didn’t say aloud. If Ye Cheng died somewhere out there, that would be even better. Then their daughter wouldn’t be pestered by that despicable, scheming opportunist anymore!
The stone that had been hanging over his heart would finally fall.
“Smack!”
Su Su abruptly slapped Dongfang Zhan’s hand away, knocking aside the hand that had been massaging her. Her beautiful face was filled with irritation.
“Some young punk? Honey, have you still not figured out the situation?”
“The situation? What situation?” Dongfang Zhan asked, baffled.
Su Su: “……”
He was usually so clever. Why was he suddenly being an idiot over this?
Su Su sighed helplessly. She knew that her husband had already developed a prejudice against Ye Cheng. As the saying went, prejudice was a mountain in the human heart.
Once you decided someone was no good, nothing they did—no matter how well—would ever be good enough.
Getting the first strike in was crucial. Before Ye Cheng had fully established himself and entered the Dongfang family’s field of vision, Du Wanyi had already made the first move.
All kinds of negative news had been hurled at him in a massive wave!
That alone might not have been enough. After all, Dongfang Zhan was still the head of the Dongfang family, and his mind was clear enough that he would think things through even if he was biased.
But once you added Brother Doudou’s combo attack, everything changed…
When even one’s best friend endorsed that “prejudice,” it was no longer prejudice. It was the truth—an undeniable, unchangeable fact!
Shen, you really understand me!
“The situation is that, in Zhixia’s eyes, there’s no room for any of those ‘young punks’ you keep talking about. You’d better pray that the so-called young punk of yours doesn’t get into any trouble. Otherwise…”
Su Su’s voice faltered, and her brows drew together. She couldn’t bring herself to continue.
“Is it really that serious?” Dongfang Zhan asked, feeling a little guilty.
Their Dongfang family was powerful and wealthy, and their daughter was so clever. How could she possibly do something irrational—throwing her life away over some young punk?
And not just any young punk, either. This one was a scheming young punk who, according to what he’d heard, was also the sort who flirted with women everywhere.
Clearly, Dongfang Zhan hadn’t been idle during this period. He had gathered plenty of additional negative information and materials about Ye Cheng.
Of course, quite a lot of those negative reports and documents had come from his own good brother… Shen Ming.
“Your nonsense is going to drive me to an early grave. Sigh… Forget it. From now on, don’t meddle in Zhixia’s affairs. I’ll handle them myself. You just take care of the household.”
Su Su sighed again and opened her weary eyes. She had no intention of continuing this discussion with her husband, whose mind was already clouded by prejudice.
Everything had to be done efficiently.
And the quickest way to improve efficiency now was to kick the head of the household out of the matter entirely. He would no longer be allowed to interfere in anything involving their daughter. Once she had sorted everything out and the dust had settled, the family could sit down and talk things through peacefully.
Television dramas were all lies. Rich people weren’t fools. The slightest sign of trouble was enough to make them react immediately.
Although Su Su didn’t know that Shen Ming had already stabbed Dongfang Zhan in the back, she had still keenly sensed that something was wrong with her husband.
What exactly was wrong… wasn’t important right now. All she needed to do was remove him from the equation.
Dongfang Zhan: “???”
“What do you mean by that, honey?” Dongfang Zhan’s expression stiffened. He suddenly felt as though he had been abandoned.
One moment, they had been a family of three. The next, they had split into two camps. His wife and daughter were standing together, while he had been left all alone.
The sky was falling!
“I mean exactly what I said. From now on, you’re not allowed to interfere in Zhixia’s affairs. Otherwise, I’ll take Zhixia back to my parents’ home and leave you to live by yourself.”
Su Su rolled her eyes at Dongfang Zhan, who was sitting in the foyer with an expression that said the world had ended. Then she swayed her hips and headed upstairs to rest.
Dongfang Zhan: “……”
No!!!
A few minutes later, Dongfang Zhan sat alone in the foyer, sighing miserably as he called his good brother to complain.
“Brother, it seems like I’ve been ostracized. Sigh…”
“What happened? Tell me about it, Brother Dongfang. I’m listening.”
Shen Ming’s steady voice came from the other end of the phone. In the background, the faint scratch of a fountain pen could be heard.
Even at a time like this, Brother Doudou was still working at full speed. Although he had fled overseas to lie low, there were still plenty of matters abroad that required his attention.
Both the Shen and Du families had enormous overseas businesses, so he was taking advantage of this period to deal with them properly…
Dongfang Zhan let out a sigh. “Sigh, it’s like this. It’s not really a big deal, but I don’t know why the two of them reacted so strongly. Your sister-in-law used to be on my side.”
“But now she seems to be turning against me. Today, she even told me not to interfere in our daughter’s affairs anymore. Sigh…”
He had sighed several times in less than half a minute.
Shen Ming, who had been working on the other end of the call, stopped his pen mid-stroke. He keenly sensed that a new development had occurred.
Turning against him?
Su Su turning against him would be anything but good news for Hanhan…
He and Su Su had a history. She had never liked him, and no matter how close the relationship between the two families was, she still didn’t trust him. And without trust, there was no way to fool her.
If Su Su falls from power and stands on Dongfang Zhixia's side, it means she has gained the support of the family in a roundabout way. Then the only opposing voice will be that of his elder brother, Dongfang Zhan.
By then, it will be a competitive situation...
Hiss... This is quite a headache.
Within just a few breaths, Shen Ming had sorted out the current situation and the corresponding countermeasures. The only thing he was quite confused about was what exactly had caused such a sudden change on Su Su's side?
According to Shen Ming's original prediction, Su Su's downfall should have happened a little later. Why did it happen earlier?
What on earth had happened to stimulate Su Su's nerves?
Shen Ming patiently continued to listen to his elder brother Dongfang Zhan pouring out his troubles to him.
"I don't think it's a big deal. The mother and daughter are just making a fuss. Besides, I don't think I'm wrong. You can't keep someone who wants to leave. Brother Shen, you know this truth. Forcing a relationship is like twisting a melon; it won't be sweet," Dongfang Zhan said.
Shen Ming: "..."
It's true that a forcibly twisted melon isn't sweet, but... Once I've already forced it, why should I care whether it's sweet or not? As long as it quenches my thirst, that's enough.
In a way, the matter between him and his wife could also be considered as "a forcibly twisted melon," but the result had turned out quite good in the end.
"Yeah, forcing a relationship isn't sweet and isn't a good thing either," Shen Ming nodded and echoed Dongfang Zhan's words over the phone.
Getting support from his good friend, Dongfang Zhan's tone obviously became much more excited.
"I knew you understood me, brother!"
"Actually, it's not really a big deal. Remember that scoundrel we talked about before? It seems that there's something wrong with his health, and now he's run away..."
Huh?
The scoundrel... health problems?
Run away?
Shen Ming immediately picked up on the keywords, and his final target was locked on Ye Cheng... What on earth had this guy done? His health... Didn't he just get out of the hospital not long ago?
Did he go back in again?
Or was he caught by his wife and beaten into the hospital?
It couldn't be. Hanhan is keeping an eye on things. His wife shouldn't be that bold. Or maybe... she didn't even bother to pretend and just launched a sneak attack?
Thinking of this, cold sweat broke out on Shen Ming's forehead, and expressions of relief after a narrow escape and gratitude appeared on his face... Fortunately, he ran away. Otherwise, the one lying in the hospital right now might very well be him.
Phew... It was just a false alarm.
"Here, this seems to be the post. I've sent it to you, brother. Take a look. In my opinion, it'd be better if that scoundrel kicks the bucket. Then we brothers won't have this big worry on our minds. These days, I haven't been able to sleep well. I always dream that this scoundrel has lured our daughter away..."
Dongfang Zhan's muttering voice kept coming from the phone.
Meanwhile, in a manor in Country F, Shen Ming frowned tightly as he looked at what was on his phone... His face became increasingly gloomy.
He had thought it was just an exaggerated description, but... It really was a health problem, and was it an escape out of guilt?
It couldn't really be...
As if thinking of something, Shen Ming's heart skipped a beat. "Brother Dongfang, I have an urgent matter to deal with. I'll call you back later."
"Ah? Oh, it's okay. We can talk later," Dongfang Zhan waved his hand, and his very casual voice came from the phone. He didn't think much of it. After all, the relationship between them brothers didn't require such formalities.
"Beep, beep, beep..."
After hanging up the phone, Shen Ming quickly called Ye Cheng.
"Beep, beep, beep..."
"The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later..."
Shen Ming: "..."
It's over.
As if thinking of something, Shen Ming rummaged through his contacts for a while and called Du Wanyi back...
"Beep, beep, beep..."
"The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later..."
Shen Ming: "???"
Clatter!
Shen Ming was so startled that he trembled, and his face turned several shades paler. His phone fell to the ground, making a clear sound that was especially distinct in the enclosed study at this moment.
"Damn it!"
It was the rarest swear word in Shen Ming's life. He was really at his wit's end. It was okay that he couldn't get through to Ye Cheng's phone, but he couldn't even reach his wife. It could only mean that there was a big problem.
Even the password for the safe was gone... Didn't that indicate the problem?
"Kid, you must hold on. Don't turn into a dead kid!"
Shen Ming quickly packed his things, grabbed his clothes, and rushed out. He started making calls to arrange the process of returning to China.
A dozen minutes later, the plane for his return to China took off...
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
