《Me, A Villain! Is It So Wrong To Live off The Heroines?》


 Chapter 1 - The Legendary Child of Fate

    Chapter 1: The Legendary Child of Fate


    (TL: Lin Feng is not the main character of this novel. He¡¯s actually a tragic Child of Fate who gets crushed. This is just in case someone skips the synopsis. Just saying! By the way, this novel is quite good actually in my opinion. Out of all the urban villain novels I¡¯ve read this is one of those I like along with the OG urban villain novels like Rich Second Generation Villain)


    ¡ª


    A parallel world. Tianhai City. As the capital of Qionghu Province, it was a prosperous metropolis known even across the world, frequently attracting large numbers of international tourists.


    Right now, Lin Feng was riding his electric scooter through the brightly lit streets, his ordinary-looking face glowing with smug satisfaction. Just one week ago, he had saved an old man who was on the verge of death.


    After a few days of careful care, the old man took him as a disciple and said he was a once-in-a-century peerless genius. As long as he accepted the old man¡¯s legacy, he would obtain everything he desired.


    Lin Feng had no reason to refuse. He had been a loser for twenty years¡ªhow could he not seize such a chance to turn his life around? Once he became powerful, wouldn¡¯t that goddess...


    Thinking about everything that had happened over the past few days, Lin Feng was so excited he nearly laughed out loud. Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west¡ªnever look down on a poor youth! Could it be that he really was the legendary... Child of Fate?


    He was beyond thrilled, itching to run up to his goddess right now and flaunt his glow-up, to show her how dazzling he had become and how much untapped potential he held.


    After all, he had been pursuing her for over seven years¡ªthrough school, into society, never once giving up. Unfortunately, she had never given him a proper look, yet Lin Feng had always loved her with unwavering passion.


    She was pure, naive, and romantic. Lin Feng believed that only he could see her true inner beauty, only he would genuinely treat her well, and only he could give her the happiness she longed for.


    With that thought, Lin Feng quickly pulled out his phone. He opened his chat app and sent his goddess a red envelope of 5.21 yuan¡ªa symbolic number for ¡°I love you.¡± Along with it, he sent two messages:


    Are you there?


    What do you want for breakfast tomorrow? I¡¯ll bring it to your office.


    After sending the messages, Lin Feng leaned expectantly against the wall of a breakfast shop. This place sold his goddess Jiang Ting¡¯s favorite pastries. As an old-school simp, Lin Feng had long since memorized all her tastes and preferences. After the messages were sent, he waited patiently. He knew full well that his goddess usually didn¡¯t reply quickly¡ªor even at all.


    Ding-dong.


    To his surprise, a response came almost immediately. Stunned, Lin Feng opened the message.


    Sorry bro, she¡¯s mine now.


    There was even a smiley face emoji at the end.


    Lin Feng froze. What was going on? Who was using his goddess¡¯s phone to send messages? And claiming she was theirs? Everyone knew Jiang Ting had been single since birth. Ordinary men didn¡¯t even register in her eyes.


    Of course Lin Feng didn¡¯t believe it. Baffled and anxious, he quickly typed out another message:


    Who are you?


    This time, there was no reply. Lin Feng started to fidget, growing uneasy. What was happening? Was something wrong with her? Who used her phone to send that message? Could it be... she dropped her phone?


    Thinking that, he quickly typed another message:


    Say something! Who the hell are you?!


    A few minutes later, just as Lin Feng was about to lose it, the other person suddenly sent an image.


    Lin Feng only glanced at it before the world began to spin.


    It was a photo of his goddess. Though only a frontal shot of her face, her appearance was completely unrecognizable compared to her usual innocent and pure self. Her eyes were shut, her hair a mess, her expression... clearly satisfied.


    As someone well-versed in ¡°special interest¡± films, Lin Feng instantly understood the implication.


    Damn... damn...


    He muttered, his face going pale. This was the goddess he had chased for seven years. And someone else had gotten to her first?


    Lin Feng trembled uncontrollably, filled with rage and unwillingness to accept the truth. How could this happen? How could she do this?! Didn¡¯t she say she wasn¡¯t interested in dating?


    Calm down... calm down...


    Clenching his fists tightly, his knuckles cracked audibly. He had inherited the old man¡¯s legacy. In the future, he was destined to become the mighty ¡°Dragon Lord,¡± the true Child of Fate of this world. The old man had told him¡ªthose destined for greatness must learn to control their emotions.


    Lin Feng took a deep breath. Eyes reddened, he stared at the image of his goddess and shakily dialed a voice call.


    It was immediately declined.


    Clearly... the other person didn¡¯t want to be disturbed.


    Lin Feng felt like he was going insane. He couldn¡¯t even imagine what his goddess was experiencing right now. This was supposed to be his!


    With his heart aching, head foggy, Lin Feng could only type a trembling message:


    Please, stop doing her. At least let her tell me what she wants for breakfast tomorrow...


    After sending it, Lin Feng felt completely drained. This was a devastating blow. But even that message received no reply.


    Obviously, the other side was busy... too busy to bother with him.


    Time dragged on painfully. Those ten minutes felt like decades to Lin Feng.


    No... he was the Child of Fate! How could his goddess be taken by someone else? No matter who it was, Lin Feng absolutely could not swallow this humiliation!


    At the very least, he had to ask...


    Is it tight?


    Lin Feng nearly cried as he typed those two words. He wasn¡¯t the one experiencing it, but... he still had to know.


    Unfortunately, even after half an hour, there was no response.


    Needless to say, during that time, his goddess...


    Lin Feng clenched his teeth until they creaked.


    A cold drizzle began to fall from the night sky, soaking him to the bone. For more than half an hour, he stood there like a lonely statue, completely hollow inside.


    This was supposed to be mine...


    He muttered to himself. Memories flashed before his eyes like a slideshow.


    Suddenly, a glint of determination sparked in Lin Feng¡¯s gaze.


    Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west¡ªnever look down on a poor youth! When Yin and Yang reverse, I¡¯ll dye the sky red with my demonic blood! I want this sky to no longer block my eyes, I want this earth to no longer bury my heart...


    He gritted his teeth and fired off several dramatic lines¡ªbut only the first went through. The others showed as failed to send.


    Clearly... the other person had blocked him.


    ¡°AHHHHH!!!¡± Lin Feng nearly fainted, letting out a hoarse roar.


    Block him? Block the Child of Fate? That cheating couple... just wait!!


    Jumping on his electric scooter, Lin Feng sped straight toward Jiang Ting¡¯s residence.

 Chapter 2 - Nothing But a Simp

    Chapter 002: Nothing But a Simp


    On the other side.


    Inside Jiang Ting¡¯s dorm.


    A handsome man casually threw a phone onto the floor. ¡°Are you kidding me? This clown¡¯s been chasing you for years?¡±


    Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west¡ªdon¡¯t underestimate a poor youth?


    What, has he read too many web novels or something? Did he start imagining himself as the protagonist?


    Beside the man, a stunningly beautiful woman clutched a blanket to her chest with both arms, her expression soft and pitiful. ¡°Mingxuan, don¡¯t be mad. He¡¯s just a simp. Not worth it...¡±


    Su Mingxuan.


    A mysterious young master from the capital. The only son of Liu Qin, the richest woman in the country. He didn¡¯t just have a god-tier appearance¡ªhis status was just as dazzling. For women, those were fatal attractions.


    From the moment she first saw him, Jiang Ting had been completely captivated. She couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to him, trying everything she could think of to catch his attention. As for people like Lin Feng? In her eyes, he was nothing but a disgusting fly.


    Jiang Ting absolutely didn¡¯t want a small matter like this to make Su Mingxuan dislike her.


    ¡°Mingxuan... I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be such a pest. If... if you¡¯re still not satisfied, I... I can...¡± Jiang Ting bit her lip gently, a blush rising to her face.


    She had given herself to him a month ago. And in that time, well... everything had already been unlocked.


    Su Mingxuan simply waved his hand, lit a cigarette, and sat down beside Jiang Ting. Being interrupted in the middle of something good would annoy anyone. He¡¯d originally just wanted to mess with Lin Feng a little. Who would¡¯ve thought that guy would simp so hard? Truly... next-level!


    Now the mood was ruined.


    He had just graduated college this year. Two months ago, he came to Qionghu Province to take over one of the subsidiaries his mother, Liu Qin, had handed to him. It was time to gain some real-world experience.


    If he managed to grow the company, great. If not... he¡¯d just obediently go back home and inherit the family business, following whatever arrangements the family had in store for him.


    And that... was definitely not a good thing.


    Being stuck by his old man¡¯s side and getting nagged every day? That alone was enough to drive anyone insane.


    Sure, his family was powerful. Insanely powerful. His father¡¯s identity was already at an unspeakable level, and the old man back home? Even more terrifying.


    The old man had retired¡ªbut his influence remained! His disciples were scattered across the world. Just revealing a sliver of his true power could shake the earth.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine just how overwhelming the Su family¡¯s influence truly was.


    Seeing Su Mingxuan quietly smoking without speaking, Jiang Ting thought he was still angry and instantly panicked.


    She quickly leaned toward him with watery eyes. ¡°Mingxuan, don¡¯t be mad. There¡¯s really nothing between me and him. Lin Feng¡¯s been chasing me for seven years, but I¡¯ve never once looked at him seriously, let alone led him on. He¡¯s always been lost in his own delusions.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s from the same county as me. Ever since high school, he¡¯s had his eyes on me. He has no real skills and just daydreams all day. How could someone like that possibly catch my attention? I¡¯ve never been with any man. I¡¯ve always been waiting for my true soulmate¡ªuntil I met you...¡±


    By the end of her words, Jiang Ting¡¯s voice had turned to a soft sob.


    She was a very smart woman. She understood her own strengths. So from a young age, she had carefully mapped out her future path. She worked hard to improve herself, to remain completely pure and clean. She knew that only by doing this could she attract the attention of ¡°high-quality men¡± and fully display her own value.


    From college up to now, she had faced countless pursuers. But she understood that none of them could offer the kind of platform she needed.


    Now that she had finally managed to cling to Su Mingxuan, Jiang Ting was terrified that one misstep would get her thrown away. A top-tier young master like this¡ªmiss the chance, and you might never see another one again.


    If Lin Feng saw her looking so humble and pitiful, he¡¯d probably cough up blood on the spot. After all, this was the goddess he had simped after for seven years¡ªnow simping for another man.


    Su Mingxuan flicked off some ash from his cigarette and looked at her with a smile. ¡°Why would I be angry? I was just thinking about something else. This has nothing to do with it.¡±


    Jiang Ting was his assistant. Ever since he came to this company, she had been trying her best to please him. How could Su Mingxuan not see through it? Honestly, just the fact that he was Liu Qin¡¯s son was enough to make women flock to him like moths to a flame.


    He had long since gotten used to this kind of thing. The only reason he chose her... was because she was pretty.


    After all, she was a goddess. Whether it was her figure or her face, she scored at least a 95 out of 100. And men? Let¡¯s be real¡ªit¡¯s all the same at the core.


    Jiang Ting snuck a few glances at him. When she saw that he truly wasn¡¯t angry, she finally relaxed. But for some reason, she also felt a faint sense of disappointment. She knew¡ªif he wasn¡¯t angry, it meant... he didn¡¯t care.


    Get your head on straight, Jiang Ting...


    Her eyes dimmed slightly, but her body leaned closer, curling into Su Mingxuan¡¯s embrace as she murmured, ¡°Mingxuan, I¡¯ll always be yours. As long as you don¡¯t throw me away...¡±


    Su Mingxuan smiled.


    With his skills, it only took a month to make Jiang Ting fall completely for him.


    But soon, his expression deepened.


    Lin Feng? A Child of Fate? Interesting...


    He had been in this world for nearly twenty years. And after all this time, Su Mingxuan had figured out that this place was basically a fusion of countless urban novels. It contained multiple ¡°protagonists¡±¡ªin other words, multiple Children of Fate.


    And he, with his unmatched looks and identity... was undoubtedly the supervillain of the story. The highest-tier, ultimate boss kind of villain.


    These so-called protagonists would be forced to struggle and rise up against him, doing everything they could to defeat him and uproot the forces behind him.


    He, under the effect of some ¡°idiot villain¡± halo, would repeatedly underestimate the protagonists, let them grow unchecked, and eventually fall into ruin¡ªhis family destroyed, his allies gone, left with nothing.


    What a joke.


    Su Mingxuan gently blew out a smoke ring. A faint curve tugged at the corner of his lips, making Jiang Ting even more infatuated.


    If he followed the typical script, that might really be his fate. But he was a transmigrator. And naturally, he had the golden finger that came with it...


    ¡¾ Ding! Welcome back to the God-Tier Villain System. ¡¿


    ¡¾ Ding! New Child of Fate detected... Lin Feng. Title: Trash-to-Triumph. Threat Level: S+!! A delusional youth who stumbled upon a lucky break. Will do whatever it takes to defeat rich and handsome types! ¡¿


    ¡¾ Ding! The system has locked onto Lin Feng. Would you like to activate Pig-Raising Mode? ¡¿

 Chapter 3 - Pig-Raising Mode for a Child of Fate!

    Chapter 003: Pig-Raising Mode for a Child of Fate!


    After Jiang Ting fell asleep, Su Mingxuan¡¯s consciousness entered a strange, illusory space.


    The entire space was filled with flowing streams of code, pulsing with a terrifying power of laws. It was as if the very origin of the universe had been simulated within this realm.


    Su Mingxuan stood at the center of a raised platform. In the void before him, a massive light screen floated quietly, displaying rows of data and information. As soon as he arrived, the screen lit up with fresh text.


    Welcome back, Master.


    Master Info: Su Mingxuan.


    Health: 150/150, Constitution: 150/150, Lifespan: 23/150 (Note: Normal human cap is 100, can be upgraded.)


    Talent Upgrade Progress: 533/10000


    Accumulated Luck: 7265/?????? (Note: Can be used in the future to condense a Godhood or strengthen specific elements.)


    Current Locked Children of Fate: 2


    Lin Feng ¨C Title: Trash-to-Triumph. Potential Threat Level: S+. Luck to Plunder: 0/1,000,000


    Qin Yu ¨C Title: Jade Pendant Miracle Doctor. Potential Threat Level: SS+. Luck to Plunder: 7265/5,000,000


    Su Mingxuan withdrew his gaze from the screen, mind already turning with ideas. Up to this point, the system had detected two Children of Fate. Besides Lin Feng, who had just been triggered, the other was Qin Yu¡ªsomeone he had met when he first arrived in Tianhai City.


    To welcome his arrival, a certain influential figure had held a grand party. Qin Yu happened to be attending with his fiance?e, the CEO of a public company.


    That woman, normally an ice-cold beauty, had clung to Su Mingxuan the entire night, constantly making advances and pleading for help to save her crumbling corporation.


    Qin Yu couldn¡¯t stomach the sight. Even though his fiance?e had always treated him with indifference, how could a man possibly tolerate his fiance?e openly fawning over another guy?


    It was humiliating, unforgivable.


    So, Qin Yu lost his temper. He tried to use his medical skills to teach Su Mingxuan a lesson.


    Unfortunately, he picked the wrong target. He ended up getting kicked out in front of everyone.


    Recalling that scene, a faint smile played across Su Mingxuan¡¯s lips. So-called Children of Fate were just people who had gotten lucky.


    To put it bluntly, they were cheats with plot armor.


    Before they grew powerful, how could they possibly compare to someone like him, born into a supreme clan? As long as he didn¡¯t bring about his own ruin, even without the system¡¯s help, just his terrifying background alone was enough to crush those Children of Fate like ants.


    Suddenly, a crisp voice echoed from the screen.


    Master, would you like to activate Pig-Raising Mode for Lin Feng?


    ¡°Activate it,¡± Su Mingxuan replied with a smile.


    Pig-Raising Mode... the idea was simple. He had to deliberately provoke and raise the hatred of the Child of Fate toward himself. The higher the hatred value, the greater the rewards when he eventually crushed them¡ªand the more luck he could plunder.


    He could even gain access to their fortuitous encounters or unique talents. Then, using their stolen luck, he could condense a Godhood... and ascend to godhood.


    But the road to godhood was long and treacherous.


    Hence, the Pig-Raising Mode.


    Raise pigs to become a god.


    As soon as Su Mingxuan gave his approval, the system broadcast followed up:


    ¡¾ Ding! Pig-Raising Mode for Lin Feng has been successfully activated. ¡¿


    ¡¾ Ding! Due to Master taking Jiang Ting, Lin Feng has lost the goddess of his heart forever. 20,000 points of his luck have been plundered. Rewarding Master with 5,000 Talent Upgrade Points and 5 Health Pills. ¡¿


    ¡¾ Ding! Due to Jiang Ting¡¯s absolute devotion to Master, the first Heroine originally belonging to Lin Feng has been successfully stolen. 50,000 points of Lin Feng¡¯s luck have been plundered. Rewarding Master with 10,000 Talent Upgrade Points and 5 Luck Pills. ¡¿


    Health Pill: Increases 100 points of Health, but cannot exceed the current cap.


    Luck Pill: Temporarily boosts personal luck. Effects cannot be stacked.


    Listening to the system¡¯s report, Su Mingxuan¡¯s smile grew deeper.


    Poor Lin Feng.


    The goddess he had adored for seven years... he never imagined that it only took Su Mingxuan three days to take her. And in just one month, he had already unlocked all kinds of achievements with her.


    What caught Su Mingxuan off guard, though, was that Jiang Ting actually had the potential to be Lin Feng¡¯s first Heroine?


    This woman wasn¡¯t simple. Stealing her gave him such massive rewards that his upgrade bar overflowed.


    He looked back at the system panel, where his stats had changed again.


    Master Info: Su Mingxuan.


    Health: 150/170, Constitution: 150/170, Lifespan: 23/170


    (Note: Normal human cap is 100, can be upgraded.)


    Talent Upgrade Progress: 5533/20000


    His Health, Constitution, and Lifespan caps had all increased by 20. The Talent Upgrade cap had doubled from 10,000 to 20,000. All in all, it was a solid enhancement. Plus, he¡¯d received both Health and Luck Pills.


    These items might look simple, but used correctly... they were nuke-tier assets.


    Take the Health Pill, for instance. One dose could max out someone¡¯s Health instantly. It could bring the gravely ill back from the brink of death. If that wasn¡¯t a miracle pill, what was?


    With the system operations complete, Su Mingxuan withdrew his consciousness from the interface.


    Glancing at the peacefully sleeping Jiang Ting beside him, he leaned in once more¡ªintent on continuing to plunder the luck that rightfully belonged to Lin Feng.


    After all, Lin Feng had a full million points of luck.


    If he didn¡¯t work harder... how long would it take to drain it all?

 Chapter 4 - You Dare Investigate Someone Like That?

    Chapter 004: You Dare Investigate Someone Like That?


    It was already late at night. While Su Mingxuan was still in the middle of plundering Jiang Ting¡¯s luck, a young man rode up slowly on an electric scooter and stopped beneath their building.


    The young man raised his head.


    In his eyes, under the dim lighting, the silhouettes of two people faintly appeared in the window above. Though blurry, Lin Feng could still tell that one of those figures... was his goddess.


    Lin Feng clenched his jaw tightly.


    ¡°Those shameless bastards... shameless!!¡± he growled through gritted teeth.


    He was just about to rush up there when¡ª


    He suddenly noticed a group of men in black standing all around the building.


    Judging by their tall builds and imposing posture, they were clearly tough and dangerous individuals.


    It was obvious that someone extremely important was in the building. Most likely... the man who had taken Jiang Ting away.


    Lin Feng thought it through carefully. He hadn¡¯t become the Dragon Lord yet, and the power passed down to him by the old man¡ªhe could barely control even a fraction of it. There was no way he could take on all these bodyguards by himself.


    But still... his goddess had been stolen. Was he really just supposed to let that go?


    Clenching his fists, Lin Feng¡¯s eyes landed on a luxury sedan parked not far away.


    Whoever had won over Jiang Ting must be rich or powerful... or both.


    Lin Feng took a deep breath, pulled out his phone, and snapped a photo of the car. Then he opened his chat app and sent it to a girl.


    Yingxi, can you help me find out who owns this car?


    After sending the message, Lin Feng waited patiently.


    Since receiving the old man¡¯s legacy, he could access a small portion of the resources the man left behind¡ªbut only a limited amount. After all, he wasn¡¯t the Dragon Lord yet.


    Most members of the organization didn¡¯t acknowledge his authority, and that included Yingxi and her twin sister.


    They were the old man¡¯s granddaughters¡ªwomen the old man had promised to him. As long as Lin Feng became the Dragon Lord and took full control of the organization... they would belong to him.


    Just thinking about the twin sisters and their heavenly beauty made Lin Feng¡¯s blood heat up.


    Too bad... they didn¡¯t care about him in the slightest.


    During their last encounter, all he saw in their eyes was contempt and disgust.


    But that was fine.


    Lin Feng could wait. He could endure.


    Conquering women that proud would make the victory all the more thrilling. Picturing his blissful future life, Lin Feng let out a little pervy laugh.


    Ding-dong.


    His phone buzzed. Yingxi had replied.


    Red license plate? You dare investigate someone like that?!


    What¡¯s wrong with red?


    Staring at the message, Lin Feng felt confused. But he quickly typed back.


    This really matters to me. Please help me, Yingxi~~ I just need to know who the owner is. It shouldn¡¯t be hard for you.


    After sending it, he waited again¡ªthis time with even more patience.


    Elsewhere, in a secretive manor.


    Two girls of breathtaking beauty sat at a computer, brows furrowed as they looked at the screen. Both wore black tactical bodysuits that accentuated their flawless white skin, giving off a striking contrast.


    If one had to describe them, it would be heavenly faces paired with devilish figures.


    Even more stunning was the fact that the two looked nearly identical.


    But despite having the same face, their temperaments were completely different.


    One radiated innocence and allure.


    The other exuded coldness and seduction.


    It was an absolutely insane combination.


    ¡°Su Mingxuan...¡± The more innocent one suddenly spoke as a profile appeared on the screen.


    ¡°Graduated from a top foreign university. Mastered music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Only son of Liu Qin, third on the nation¡¯s richest list. Height 188 cm, weight 150 pounds, and his face... wow! Total dream guy!¡±


    ¡°Stop drooling. That¡¯s just his surface-level info,¡± the cold one snapped. ¡°The rest is encrypted. Stop digging. We¡¯re already in forbidden territory. If we go any further, our IPs are guaranteed to be exposed.¡±


    ¡°Red-encrypted files mean he¡¯s backed by someone unbelievably powerful. Surname Su... In the capital, there¡¯s only one Su family. It¡¯s not hard to figure out who he is.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a monster. Why the hell is Lin Feng trying to dig up dirt on someone like him?¡±


    ¡°Who knows. That guy¡¯s nothing but a disgusting, troublemaking fly.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t get why Grandpa picked him to be the successor.¡±


    ¡°If it were Su Mingxuan, that¡¯d be perfect. He¡¯s handsome, capable, powerful¡ªtotally my type! I¡¯d rather die than end up with a creep like Lin Feng.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming...¡±


    After reading through Su Mingxuan¡¯s profile, the twins finally shut the computer, their expressions reluctant.


    Then they sent Lin Feng a message.


    The car belongs to Su Mingxuan. His mother Liu Qin ranks third on the national rich list. That¡¯s all I can tell you. His background is terrifying. Whatever you do... do NOT mess with him!


    When Lin Feng received the reply, his anger boiled over.


    So he¡¯s the son of a billionaire. No wonder he won over Jiang Ting so quickly!


    That gold-digging woman!


    All that coldness, all that high-and-mighty act¡ªwhat a joke.


    She still chose money over everything in the end!


    Staring up at the window where the silhouettes continued to sway behind the glass, Lin Feng clenched his jaw so hard it ached.


    ¡°Just wait, you bastards! Thirty years on the east side...¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± A pair of tall men in black had started walking toward him.


    He¡¯d been standing there for quite a while now¡ªit was bound to attract their attention.


    Seeing their fierce expressions, Lin Feng immediately panicked and forced out an awkward smile.


    ¡°Uh, nothing... My scooter broke down. Just fixed it. I¡¯m leaving now, right now...¡±


    He jumped on the electric scooter and tried to start it¡ªonly to find it stuck. No matter how much juice he gave it, the thing wouldn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Uhh... is there a problem?¡± Lin Feng asked weakly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry. This scooter looks stolen, doesn¡¯t it? Come with us for a little chat.¡±


    Several men dragged Lin Feng off toward a small grove of trees nearby...


    A short while later, blood-curdling screams echoed through the darkness.

 Chapter 5 - Qin Yu鈥檚 Fianc茅e

    Chapter 005: Qin Yu¡¯s Fiance?e


    The next morning.


    Su Mingxuan had just woken from sleep when a system notification suddenly echoed in his mind.


    ¡¾ Ding! Because your bodyguards broke Lin Feng¡¯s leg, 20,000 points of Lin Feng¡¯s luck have been plundered. Reward: 10,000 Talent Upgrade Points and 10 Constitution Pills. ¡¿


    Constitution Pill: Increases 100 points of Constitution but cannot exceed the current cap.


    ¡¾ Ding! Please note, Master¡ªinflicting physical harm on a Child of Fate has a limit. Once the threshold is reached, further injuries will no longer generate luck points. ¡¿


    Su Mingxuan: ¡°...¡±


    What the hell? He wakes up and Lin Feng¡¯s leg is broken? And it was his bodyguards who did it?


    Damn... What did Lin Feng do this time?


    Su Mingxuan shook his head and chuckled. As for the so-called injury limit? He wasn¡¯t too worried. With his background, there were countless ways to suppress Children of Fate. Something like this was hardly worth his attention.


    After a simple breakfast with Jiang Ting, the two of them walked down from the apartment together.


    ¡°Mingxuan, there¡¯s a senior management meeting at the company at nine. They might need you to attend,¡± Jiang Ting said softly, holding onto his arm with affection in her eyes.


    Su Mingxuan had parachuted into this subsidiary two months ago and directly taken over as its president. While it was technically just a subsidiary, it was already a publicly listed company, with a market value nearing ten billion.


    Of course, compared to the vast chain group under Liu Qin¡¯s control, it was practically insignificant. But in the eyes of most people, it was still a giant.


    ¡°Not interested.¡± To Jiang Ting¡¯s surprise, Su Mingxuan rejected it immediately. Lighting a cigarette, he walked toward the car and casually said, ¡°Same old crap every day. You think this is some imperial court session or something? A bunch of old-timers just coasting through life. Find a way to replace them when you get the chance.¡±


    Jiang Ting: ¡°...¡±


    Well, it was a listed company. Naturally, it had more complex issues than a regular business. One meeting per day might sound excessive, but it wasn¡¯t exactly pointless. Still, she could only sigh helplessly in her heart.


    He really was a top-tier young master.


    To just casually blow off a billion-dollar company like that¡ªand he even wanted to change the entire executive team. Wasn¡¯t he worried about a stock collapse?


    But she knew there was no changing Su Mingxuan¡¯s mind. She silently followed him into the car.


    As soon as Su Mingxuan sat down, the black-suited driver turned and asked, ¡°Young Master Su, shall we head back to the company?¡±


    Su Mingxuan shook his head. ¡°Go to Tianchen International.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The driver started the car, and the convoy quickly rolled onto the road. Surrounding Su Mingxuan¡¯s vehicle were four or five business-class vehicles escorting it from all sides. Anyone who saw the motorcade would instantly know that someone extraordinary was riding inside.


    ¡°I heard you guys beat someone up last night?¡± Inside the car, Su Mingxuan looked out the window and asked casually.


    ¡°Uh... how did you find out, Young Master Su?¡±


    The driver-bodyguard was a bit surprised but still nodded. ¡°Last night we found some guy lurking around acting shady. We thought he was trying to steal scooters, so we dragged him into the woods. Turns out he had some martial skills and tried to resist... Old Hei ended up breaking his leg and sending him to the police.¡±


    Su Mingxuan: ¡°...¡±


    That was brutal.


    His expression grew a bit strange.


    He didn¡¯t know what sort of encounter Lin Feng had this time, but all his bodyguards were beasts. Even compared to foreign special forces, they were more than evenly matched.


    Running into them before powering up was just bad luck for Lin Feng.


    In Su Mingxuan¡¯s view, these so-called Children of Fate were just walking loot boxes. He didn¡¯t take them seriously at all.


    Tianchen International was located in the south of Tianhai City. Even with their current pace, it would take at least half an hour to get there.


    Jiang Ting, as his assistant, had a ton of work to do. From the moment she got in the car, she became swamped¡ªopening her laptop, responding to issues, communicating with the company¡¯s managers. She was drowning in tasks.


    Su Mingxuan, meanwhile, closed his eyes to rest.


    ¡°Mingxuan, why are we going to Tianchen International?¡± Jiang Ting finally found a free moment and asked, ¡°That company focuses on energy and is still in its early stages. It doesn¡¯t have any commercial value. It has nothing to do with our real estate business.¡±


    Su Mingxuan responded with a mysterious smile.


    As a transmigrator, he knew perfectly well that real estate would eventually become a bubble. The bigger it grew, the more terrifying the collapse would be when it burst.


    That¡¯s why he had to transform. And it had to start with this subsidiary.


    The future belonged to technology. Even though this parallel world wasn¡¯t Earth, the direction of societal development would be the same. Pioneers might suffer, but they also reaped massive early-mover rewards.


    Su Mingxuan wasn¡¯t about to miss that.


    Besides... the CEO of Tianchen International happened to be Qin Yu¡¯s fiance?e.


    Back at the party, she had tried multiple times to get close to him, hoping he would help her pull her company out of crisis.


    She was strong, no doubt.


    But no matter how strong she was... she wouldn¡¯t want to see her hard-earned company go bankrupt.


    To plunder luck, Su Mingxuan wouldn¡¯t miss a single opportunity to suppress a Child of Fate.


    At that thought, a faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°Tianchen International is facing serious trouble. I¡¯m a generous man¡ªI can¡¯t just stand by and watch it go under, can I?¡±


    Jiang Ting: ¡°...¡±


    Generous?


    She¡¯d only been with him for a month, but she already knew¡ªthis man never did anything unless it benefitted him.


    Unless there was a huge profit or irresistible temptation involved, he would never make a move.


    Her woman¡¯s intuition told her this was definitely not just about business.


    Could it be...


    Jiang Ting snuck a glance at him and opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she held it in.


    She knew her place and she couldn¡¯t afford to ask for too much.

 Chapter 6 - Goddess CEO An Mushui

    Chapter 006: Goddess CEO An Mushui


    The cars moved quickly.


    Ten minutes later, Su Mingxuan¡¯s motorcade arrived in the southern part of Tianhai City, now just five minutes away from Tianchen International.


    At the same time...


    Inside the CEO office of Tianchen International¡ª


    ¡°President An, Qin Yu is here,¡± said a secretary with a graceful appearance to the woman sitting behind the executive desk.


    This woman had delicate, picturesque features, and though there was a trace of sorrow between her brows, it didn¡¯t take away from her beauty¡ªinstead, it added a layer of poignant elegance. She was the living embodiment of the phrase: illness only made Xi Shi more beautiful.


    She was easily a 95-plus-point goddess.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here again?¡± An Mushui frowned slightly and instructed, ¡°Tell him I¡¯m not feeling well and need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I already heard that.¡±


    Just then, a man¡¯s voice came from outside.


    The door opened, and a casually dressed man walked in.


    This man had a youthful, handsome face. As soon as he entered, he said to An Mushui, ¡°See? I told you last time, if you keep ignoring your health like this, your body¡¯s going to give out! Good thing you have me¡ªyour divine doctor of a fiance?. With my Yin-Yang Eight Trigram Needles, one needle to revive, two to kill, three to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± An Mushui interrupted impatiently. ¡°Qin Yu, I¡¯ve already told you many times¡ªthe engagement doesn¡¯t count. My grandfather made that promise to your master before I was even born.¡±


    An Mushui was visibly annoyed. She didn¡¯t even know where this so-called fiance? had popped up from. He was using some ancient agreement as leverage. The so-called engagement was made because her grandfather had been saved by a master back in the day. As gratitude, he made the vow.


    But come on. What era was this? Who still played the arranged-marriage-from-the-womb game?


    Most importantly, she felt nothing for this man.


    In fact, she was repulsed.


    Always grinning like an idiot, never acting proper. Treating shamelessness like it was a virtue¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a second person like him in the world.


    Qin Yu didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, he smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Shuishui. I understand! You¡¯re just under too much pressure, not getting enough sleep, leading to a weak spleen and kidneys. Combine that with rising liver fire¡ªit¡¯s all simple stuff. Let me give you a few acupuncture needles later, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    As he spoke, he pulled out a few silver needles and began walking toward her.


    ¡°Stay where you are.¡± An Mushui immediately became alert and said coldly, ¡°Qin Yu, I hope you understand¡ªwe¡¯re not close. I don¡¯t acknowledge this so-called engagement, and I expect you to respect that. Also... if you come any closer, I¡¯ll call security.¡±


    Seeing her like that, Qin Yu could only raise his hands helplessly. ¡°Why won¡¯t you believe me, Shuishui?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Shuishui. You can call me President An,¡± An Mushui replied with a growing chill in her eyes.


    ¡°Alright, Shuishui.¡± Qin Yu still grinned. ¡°I know you haven¡¯t accepted me yet. I can wait. I went to visit your grandfather yesterday. His condition... can¡¯t afford delays.¡±


    An Mushui stared at him silently, her fingers clenching until they turned pale.


    ¡°You¡¯re truly despicable,¡± she said coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding me.¡± Qin Yu shook his head and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not using your grandfather¡¯s illness to threaten you. Even if you don¡¯t agree to anything, I¡¯ll still treat him. But you should know¡ªthere¡¯s no one else in this world who can save him except me.¡±


    As he said that, pride filled his tone. He was a direct heir of the Divine Medicine Valley¡ªnot a title earned lightly.


    What did it matter if someone had immense wealth or absolute power?


    The Divine Medicine Valley held their lives in its hands.


    Even if the Yama King wanted someone dead at midnight... if the Divine Medicine Valley objected, not even Yama dared take them.


    That was the power of Divine Medicine Valley.


    Looking at Qin Yu¡¯s arrogant expression, An Mushui couldn¡¯t help but sneer. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Qin Yu chuckled, then flicked a silver needle from his hand¡ªsticking it directly into the wall like a dart.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe me, but results don¡¯t lie! Shuishui, you should understand¡ªno man in this world is more amazing than your fiance?. Not even that so-called Young Master Su from the other day. You¡¯d better treasure me...¡±


    ¡°If you were really better than Young Master Su, then you wouldn¡¯t have been kicked out the other day,¡± An Mushui said mockingly.


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Qin Yu froze like someone stepped on his tail.


    He rubbed his nose, forcing a smile. ¡°That was just an accident. I wanted to teach him a lesson, but something went wrong. Shuishui... don¡¯t be fooled by how tall and handsome he looks. A guy like him is riddled with health issues.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± An Mushui¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Qin Yu: ¡°...¡±


    Seriously?


    Just the mention of that guy and she¡¯s all fired up?


    What about her actual fiance??


    Qin Yu sighed internally but still explained seriously, ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of rich kids like Su Mingxuan. He may look young, but his body¡¯s likely long been drained by booze and women¡ªkidney deficiency, premature problems, low energy, breathlessness, pale skin, insomnia, irritability... and that¡¯s just the start.¡±


    Qin Yu rambled on confidently.


    And then¡ª


    The office door opened.


    A voice came from outside.


    ¡°Sorry, but none of that applies to me.¡±


    Qin Yu: ¡°...¡±


    An Mushui: ¡°...¡±


    That voice... Su Mingxuan?! He actually showed up at a time like this?!


    Qin Yu nearly cried on the spot.

 Chapter 7 - Worried That I鈥檓 Too Strong

    Chapter 007: Worried That I¡¯m Too Strong


    Under An Mushui¡¯s gaze, an exceptionally good-looking man and woman stepped into the office. The secretary from earlier followed behind them, looking incredibly awkward.


    Clearly... she¡¯d overheard Qin Yu¡¯s earlier comments.


    Gossiping about Young Master Su behind his back¡ªonly to be caught red-handed.


    Talk about bad luck.


    No one knew how angry Young Master Su would be about that.


    Although the secretary didn¡¯t know much about Su Mingxuan¡¯s background, she¡¯d been lucky enough to accompany An Mushui to a banquet once. There, she had witnessed with her own eyes how those big-name figures treated Su Mingxuan with the utmost respect.


    That alone was enough to show how terrifyingly powerful this young master really was.


    After all... one of those important guests was none other than the very top official of Qionghu Province!


    When Su Mingxuan entered the office, even An Mushui was caught off guard for a moment. She quickly stood up and hurried over. ¡°Young Master Su? What brings you here? Xiaoya, why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    The secretary stuck out her tongue, too scared to say a word.


    Instead, Su Mingxuan smiled and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I didn¡¯t make an appointment¡ªI just came straight up. Your little secretary didn¡¯t even have time to let you know.¡±


    An Mushui glanced at him with joy in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s an honor for me that you came, Young Master Su. No appointment necessary at all! Please, come, have a seat.¡±


    She personally brought over a few chairs and invited Su Mingxuan and Jiang Ting to sit down.


    Watching how warmly An Mushui treated him, Qin Yu felt completely out of place¡ªlike a third wheel with no place to stand.


    From the moment Su Mingxuan entered the room, Qin Yu¡¯s eyes had been darting all around, clearly uncomfortable.


    Su Mingxuan gave him a casual smile. ¡°Brother Qin, long time no see.¡±


    Qin Yu shrugged slightly, offering a half-hearted response.


    ¡°You call that manners?¡± An Mushui frowned and snapped coldly. Young Master Su was her honored guest¡ªshe wasn¡¯t going to let Qin Yu keep ruining her chances to maintain a good relationship with him. Just like last time, where he had embarrassed her along with himself.


    Hearing that, Qin Yu rolled his eyes. ¡°What, you expect me to smile and welcome my romantic rival? Shuishui... have you ever even considered how I feel?¡±


    Qin Yu felt a little wounded.


    His fiance?e was once again sucking up to another man right in front of him. Sure, he knew she wasn¡¯t doing it out of love¡ªjust trying to get help for her company¡ªbut still... what man could tolerate that?


    Keep going like this and he might really grow a pair of green horns on his head.


    But An Mushui didn¡¯t show him any sympathy. Her tone grew even colder. ¡°Mr. Qin, please don¡¯t overestimate your relationship with me, and don¡¯t act based on some imagined identity. This is a company. Work comes first. I won¡¯t tolerate personal emotions or distractions interfering here.¡±


    Seeing her clearly annoyed, Qin Yu didn¡¯t dare push further. He held up his hands. ¡°Fine, fine, you win. Have it your way.¡±


    Listening to their exchange, a trace of amusement flickered in Su Mingxuan¡¯s eyes.


    So neither of these Children of Fate were off to a great start?


    Well, that¡¯s just how growth-oriented ¡°protagonists¡± were. Bullied by Heroines, outmatched by rivals... crushed again and again until they finally rose up.


    Thinking that, Su Mingxuan gave a gentle, charming smile. ¡°Haha, I didn¡¯t realize you two were such a lively couple. Young people in love, always bickering...¡±


    ¡°Young Master Su, I have nothing to do with him!¡± An Mushui interrupted in a panic, stealing a cautious glance at Su Mingxuan.


    She didn¡¯t want to be associated with Qin Yu¡ªnot even in words. More importantly... she didn¡¯t want Su Mingxuan to misunderstand.


    She had a little secret in her heart~~


    A very important one.


    Seeing how much she cared about Su Mingxuan¡¯s opinion, Qin Yu rolled his eyes again.


    So it¡¯s official¡ªI really am the rival. The man only made one teasing comment, and you¡¯re already scrambling to clarify? You¡¯re really not giving me even an ounce of dignity here.


    Qin Yu¡¯s heart felt stung again.


    ¡¾ Ding! Because the host caused a blow to Qin Yu¡¯s confidence, 5,000 points of luck have been plundered. Reward: 3,000 Talent Upgrade Points. ¡¿


    That worked?


    Su Mingxuan was slightly surprised.


    At the same time, he found An Mushui¡¯s attitude toward him rather... intriguing.


    Could this woman be...


    His smile deepened as he turned to Qin Yu and said, ¡°Brother Qin, don¡¯t take it personally. Winning a girl¡¯s heart takes patience. But I heard your earlier health assessment of me. I¡¯m curious¡ªwhere exactly did you see signs of kidney deficiency and weakness?¡±


    Su Mingxuan¡¯s tone was serious and calm.


    Qin Yu slapped his thigh and grinned. ¡°See?! I told you he had it!¡±


    An Mushui: ¡°...¡±


    Jiang Ting: ¡°...¡±


    An Mushui bit her lower lip, shooting Su Mingxuan a glance that carried a strange emotion.


    Jiang Ting, on the other hand, looked at Qin Yu like he was a clown.


    This kind of man¡ªwho only elevates himself by tearing others down¡ªwas clearly not destined for greatness.


    With everyone watching, Su Mingxuan calmly shook his head. ¡°Brother Qin, you misunderstood. I wasn¡¯t confirming anything¡ªI just wanted to know how you reached that conclusion. In fact, I¡¯ve been a little worried lately... that I might be too strong. I don¡¯t want to find pleasure at the expense of others¡¯ pain. Since you¡¯re a divine doctor, I wonder if you have any treatment for that?¡±


    Silence.


    The room instantly went dead quiet.


    Qin Yu stared in disbelief.


    After a long pause, his face flushed red.


    ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re full of crap!!¡±

 Chapter 8 - An Mushui Feels Wronged

    Chapter 008: An Mushui Feels Wronged


    Inside the office, Qin Yu¡¯s frustrated voice rang out.


    That¡¯s right¡ªit was frustration, or more accurately, helpless rage.


    After all, he had tried again and again to humiliate Su Mingxuan, but not only did he fail to gain any advantage, he was slapped in the face each time instead. Anyone in his position would be furious.


    His shouting startled the women in the room.


    An Mushui immediately frowned and said, ¡°Qin Yu, watch your language.¡±


    Then her gaze drifted toward Su Mingxuan, a complicated look flickering in her eyes. At this point, she couldn¡¯t even tell who was telling the truth¡ªQin Yu or Su Mingxuan.


    But as a woman, this topic was way too awkward.


    Still, deep down... she kind of hoped Su Mingxuan was telling the truth. After all, he looked like a literal male god¡ªif he was actually weak in that department, wouldn¡¯t that be such a shame?


    Faced with Qin Yu¡¯s outburst, Su Mingxuan smiled and said, ¡°Brother Qin, you¡¯re a divine doctor. Can¡¯t you tell if I¡¯m lying? Observe, listen, question, and feel¡ªsurely you know the art of reading one¡¯s energy, no?¡±


    Hearing that, Qin Yu calmed down a bit.


    He gave Su Mingxuan a strange look. ¡°You know quite a lot.¡±


    Su Mingxuan smiled calmly.


    Qin Yu stepped forward, observing him closely. He saw that Su Mingxuan¡¯s energy and blood were vibrant, his spirit strong, and his vitality overflowing. It was baffling.


    How could a young master like this... be in such absurdly good shape?


    With his identity, it was obvious he had no shortage of women. Yet no matter how he looked, Su Mingxuan showed zero signs of depletion.


    Unable to find any flaws, Qin Yu had no choice but to give up.


    ¡°Well?¡± Su Mingxuan continued with his usual smile.


    ¡°I was mistaken earlier,¡± Qin Yu admitted, looking frustrated. ¡°Young Master Su is in top condition. His vitality is several times that of the average man. For ordinary women, being with someone like you... might actually be dangerous. With your physique, barring any accidents, living to a hundred wouldn¡¯t be an issue!¡±


    As soon as he said that, both Jiang Ting and An Mushui looked toward Su Mingxuan, their beautiful eyes filled with surprise.


    Was Young Master Su really that healthy?


    For some reason, An Mushui let out a small breath of relief. But then her expression turned odd. She had understood Qin Yu¡¯s implication.


    Ordinary women... would be in trouble?


    Was he really that terrifying?


    Jiang Ting, on the other hand, was surprised by Qin Yu¡¯s diagnostic skill. For someone who didn¡¯t look like much, his medical knowledge was the real deal.


    She, more than anyone, knew exactly how strong Su Mingxuan was. That kind of thing... could only be understood, not explained.


    The room fell into a strange silence.


    Since she was still pure and inexperienced, An Mushui didn¡¯t want to get too deep into this kind of topic. She turned toward Su Mingxuan and said, ¡°Young Master Su, may I ask what brings you here today?¡±


    Now that they were back to business, a flicker of intrigue passed through Su Mingxuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about cooperation.¡±


    An Mushui¡¯s face lit up with joy.


    ¡°Cooperation? Young Master Su... have you made up your mind? Are you planning to invest in our company?¡± she asked with hopeful excitement.


    Developing new energy required massive investment. Every stage of research burned money, and there were no short-term returns.


    That¡¯s why so few wealthy investors were willing to back it. Businessmen pursued profit. Everyone knew the future of new energy looked promising, but it still felt like pie in the sky. Until something real was produced and scaled into an industry, it was nothing but a dream.


    But as long as there was a dream, An Mushui would charge ahead without hesitation.


    Over the years, she had stumbled forward, barely hanging on. Some so-called ¡°visionaries¡± had invested before, but research was a bottomless pit¡ªnone of them could stick it out.


    Eventually, they all gave up.


    When she met Su Mingxuan, she still had a glimmer of hope and decided to try.


    She never expected him to show up here today.


    Saying she wasn¡¯t excited would be a lie.


    Looking at her hopeful face, Su Mingxuan smiled and said, ¡°I suppose you could call it an investment. But... once I invest, I¡¯ll need over 70% of the company¡¯s shares. In other words, I want absolute control.¡±


    An Mushui: ¡°...¡±


    His words hit like a bucket of cold water.


    All her excitement was instantly snuffed out.


    ¡°See, Shuishui? I told you this guy wasn¡¯t here for anything good! Young Master Su, isn¡¯t 70% a bit much? Why not just take 100% while you¡¯re at it?¡± Qin Yu jumped in, finally seizing a chance to back her up.


    Reaching 67% was already considered absolute control.


    But Su Mingxuan had asked for 70% straight up.


    Clearly, it wasn¡¯t just about control¡ªthere was something deeper behind it.


    Hearing that, An Mushui looked at Su Mingxuan with a trace of grievance in her eyes.


    How could he be like this?


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch,¡± Su Mingxuan replied flatly, unmoved.


    Jiang Ting glanced at him, a bit surprised. Mingxuan was being ridiculously aggressive.


    Seventy percent of the shares? That was practically robbery.


    ¡°You see? You young masters may look all proper on the outside, but deep down you¡¯re all the same¡ªruthless! Shuishui, you need to be careful or he¡¯ll devour you whole...¡± Qin Yu continued his snarky commentary.


    An Mushui ignored him and kept staring at Su Mingxuan, her eyes filled with a strange sadness.


    She didn¡¯t even know why.


    Just hearing Su Mingxuan speak so coldly made her feel... a little wronged. A little hurt. If it had been anyone else, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. If the deal didn¡¯t work out, she¡¯d just move on.


    But this time...

 Chapter 9 - What鈥檚 Yours Is Mine, and What鈥檚 Mine Is Still Mine!

    Chapter 009: What¡¯s Yours Is Mine, and What¡¯s Mine Is Still Mine!


    The atmosphere in the room fell into a brief silence.


    Just as Qin Yu seemed ready to mock him again, Su Mingxuan turned his head and calmly said, ¡°Brother Qin, you seem to hold quite the grudge against me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Qin Yu denied, ¡°I just can¡¯t stand by while Shuishui gets taken advantage of.¡±


    Su Mingxuan gave a faint smile. ¡°No need to get emotional. I merely stated my terms. If the deal doesn¡¯t go through, so be it. Besides... for the investment I¡¯m offering, even taking 70% of the shares feels like too little.¡± He then turned toward An Mushui with a smile.


    ¡°Young Master Su, you mean...?¡± A hint of hope returned to An Mushui¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I plan to fully support your research on new-energy vehicles. To expand development, I¡¯ll make an initial investment of twenty billion. Follow-up funding will exceed one hundred billion. With such a massive investment, isn¡¯t 70% a fair deal?¡± Su Mingxuan said with a calm smile.


    An Mushui: ¡°!!¡±


    Jiang Ting: ¡°!!!¡±


    Qin Yu: ¡°...¡±


    He has that kind of money?


    Qin Yu stared at Su Mingxuan with undisguised jealousy.


    ¡°Young Master Su, are you... serious?¡± An Mushui seemed shocked, even her tone became hesitant.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t think I can afford it?¡± Su Mingxuan arched a brow with a beautiful curve of a smile.


    That unmatched face, paired with that expression, was enough to daze Jiang Ting and the secretary.


    Even An Mushui¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± she said quickly, flustered and waving her hands. Gone was the calm image of a cold and elegant CEO. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid I¡¯ll mess things up and let you down. Maybe... you shouldn¡¯t invest so much?¡±


    A hundred-billion-level investment¡ªthis was a massive amount even by global conglomerate standards.


    She had originally hoped for a few dozen billion at most. She never imagined Young Master Su would be willing to throw so much money in with her.


    R&D was a money pit, especially in the energy sector. Without mature technology, how could you generate returns?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Su Mingxuan said with a light smile. His voice took on a rare seriousness. ¡°My company is transitioning into a new direction. Investing here is part of that change. I¡¯ll give you three years. No matter what, you must get the company on track. That¡¯s doable, right?¡±


    An Mushui looked at him blankly for a moment, then nodded firmly. ¡°Rest assured, Young Master Su. I¡¯ll do everything I can.¡±


    With this investment, paired with her own capabilities, An Mushui firmly believed the future would be bright.


    ¡°Good.¡± Su Mingxuan nodded, then pointed toward Jiang Ting. ¡°This is my assistant. You two should exchange contact information. She¡¯ll handle the contract and investment details with you.¡±


    At his instruction, Jiang Ting stood up and said, ¡°President An, I¡¯m Jiang Ting.¡±


    Two goddess-level women shook hands, then exchanged numbers.


    On the side, Qin Yu watched with increasing discomfort.


    They were already finalizing the deal?


    If this went on, not only would Su Mingxuan become an undeniable romantic rival, but his own metaphorical ¡°green hat¡± might start glowing soon.


    This was supposed to be his fiance?e. How could she be taken by someone else?


    And judging from the way Shuishui was looking at that young master...


    She clearly had a bit of a crush on him. And that kind of crush... was deadly.


    For someone like Su Mingxuan, even the smallest trick might be enough to make her fall right into his arms.


    Qin Yu couldn¡¯t let things develop any further, but at this point, he couldn¡¯t even get a word in. If he kept pushing, she might just resent him more.


    Qin Yu shot a resentful glance at Su Mingxuan, silently wondering... Why is this guy different from the script?


    According to every cliche?, shouldn¡¯t this rich young master show his pervy side in two lines, then try to use power or money to pressure Shuishui?


    Then he, the underdog hero, would swoop in and prove his worth, changing her opinion.


    Why wasn¡¯t this guy following the plot?


    ¡ª


    ¡¾ Ding! Because the host invested in An Mushui¡¯s company and seized the empire that originally belonged to Qin Yu, 500,000 points of Qin Yu¡¯s luck have been plundered. Reward: 500,000 Talent Upgrade Points. ¡¿


    ¡¾ Ding! Because the host plundered over 10% of Qin Yu¡¯s luck, a portion of his abilities has been copied to the host. Copying in progress... Copy complete. Congratulations, host has acquired: Divine Medicine Yin-Yang Scripture, Volume One. ¡¿


    Divine Medicine Yin-Yang Scripture: A core internal method passed down through generations of Divine Medicine Valley. Volume One enhances vitality, harmonizes yin and yang, and extends lifespan. Can be cultivated independently, but requires abstinence from sexual activity and cultivation through one¡¯s own essence and energy.


    Alternatively, it can be cultivated jointly with a loved one. This dual-cultivation method emphasizes the unity of yin and yang and harmony with heaven and earth. The effects can be several times greater than solo cultivation. Long-term use may even preserve youthful appearance indefinitely.


    Su Mingxuan: ¡°...¡±


    You¡¯re telling me just by investing in one company, I¡¯ve plundered this much of Qin Yu¡¯s luck? That must mean... this company plays a critical role in Qin Yu¡¯s future. Maybe it¡¯s even one of his most important stepping stones.


    And now he¡¯d just taken it with barely any effort?


    For some reason, Su Mingxuan couldn¡¯t stop himself from smiling.


    What surprised him even more was that once he plundered more than 10% of Qin Yu¡¯s luck, he actually started copying the guy¡¯s abilities?


    So what happens at 20%? Or 50%? Or even 100%?


    Would he end up with all their abilities?


    What¡¯s yours is mine. And what¡¯s mine... is still mine?


    Holy shit.


    Being able to directly steal the abilities of a Child of Fate?


    Now that was truly broken.

 Chapter 10 - The Burden on Su Mingxuan鈥檚 Shoulders

    Chapter 010: The Burden on Su Mingxuan¡¯s Shoulders


    Su Mingxuan knew all too well just how powerful a fully awakened Child of Fate could become. Before transmigrating, he had read through countless web novels. Some of them were absolutely outrageous¡ªbut that only proved how terrifying the Children of Fate¡¯s abilities could be.


    To put it simply, their cheats were beyond broken.


    Take Qin Yu, for example. Even putting aside his other potential powers, just his divine-level medical skills alone would let him walk sideways in a city like this. He could save a life with a touch¡ªor end it just as easily.


    How many powerful, wealthy elites would clamor to curry favor with someone like that? Because the richer and more powerful someone is, the more afraid they are of death.


    Who doesn¡¯t want to enjoy life just a little longer?


    Su Mingxuan had lived in this world for nearly twenty years now. He was certain this place was essentially a fusion of multiple urban fantasy novels. How many Children of Fate existed? What kinds of god-tier abilities did they each possess? No one could say for sure.


    But no matter how powerful they were, they couldn¡¯t compare to his system.


    Because again¡ªit came down to one simple truth.


    What¡¯s yours is mine.


    If, one day, he could copy the abilities of all the Children of Fate... Just imagining it gave him chills of excitement.


    His thoughts drifted back to the Divine Medicine Yin-Yang Scripture: Volume One.


    If he were to cultivate it alone...


    Forget it.


    ¡°Fortify your foundation and nourish your essence...¡± He was already brimming with energy. If he actually practiced this method solo, he might literally explode in a few days.


    However¡ª


    The system¡¯s notes had mentioned one more detail.


    It could also be cultivated together with a beloved partner. The method focused on the harmonization of yin and yang, the unity of heaven and man. The effects could far exceed solo cultivation. Practiced diligently, it could even halt aging and preserve one¡¯s youthful appearance indefinitely.


    Holy¡ªwasn¡¯t this basically a dual cultivation technique straight out of a novel? And it was passed down from the Divine Medicine Valley? What kind of... unserious lineage was this?


    Instead of properly studying medicine, they were out here researching yin-yang harmonization?


    Weren¡¯t they supposed to be healers?


    This thing really should¡¯ve ended up in his hands earlier.


    Su Mingxuan scanned the method once and instantly memorized it.


    ¡°Eternal youth,¡± he murmured.


    This was the holy grail for women.


    After all, ancient beauty and famed warriors alike were doomed to never grow old together.


    Jiang Ting, An Mushui¡ªthese were all 95+ point goddesses. Letting their beauty fade with time would be... inhumane.


    Now that he had obtained this cultivation method...


    It could only mean one thing.


    He had been chosen. And the responsibility on his shoulders had once again grown heavier.


    ¡°Young Master Su?¡± An Mushui¡¯s voice broke the silence.


    Su Mingxuan had been deep in thought, his brows furrowed. His icy, otherworldly appearance made her think he was going to back out of the deal.


    Her heart filled with unease.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Su Mingxuan shook his head. ¡°Just remembered a few things. Since we¡¯ve wrapped up our discussion, we won¡¯t stay and bother you further. If anything comes up, speak with my assistant.¡±


    With that, he stood up and began walking toward the door.


    ¡°Ah¡ªYoung Master Su, wait a moment!¡± An Mushui called out, caught off guard by his sudden departure.


    ¡°Is there something else?¡± Su Mingxuan turned back slightly, flashing a faint smile.


    That flawless expression, paired with his god-tier looks, made An Mushui¡¯s heart pound uncontrollably.


    ¡°Uh... I...¡± she stammered, struggling to think of an excuse to make him stay. After a moment, she blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s almost noon already. To thank you for the investment, may I treat you both to lunch?¡±


    She looked at him expectantly.


    ¡°No need.¡± Su Mingxuan shook his head.


    Without sparing another glance, he turned and left with Jiang Ting.


    The secretary nervously stuck out her tongue and quickly followed behind to escort them out.


    An Mushui stood there, staring at his back as he left. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she only sighed softly.


    She didn¡¯t know why, but now that Su Mingxuan was gone... even the joy of her company getting a major investment had dimmed considerably.


    ¡°Shuishui, you...¡± Qin Yu began hesitantly.


    Seeing her like this made him even more uneasy. They had only interacted a few times, and already she looked so captivated?


    If she continued working with Su Mingxuan¡ªspending time together day after day¡ªwould there even be room for him anymore?


    Hearing Qin Yu speak snapped An Mushui out of her daze.


    ¡°Qin Yu? Why are you still here?¡± she said coldly.


    Qin Yu: ¡°...¡±


    Why am I still here? When did I even leave? So... you thought I was gone this whole time? Seriously?


    Was his presence really that negligible?


    Even if her eyes were full of Su Mingxuan, surely she could at least notice someone standing right next to her?


    Qin Yu felt like crying.


    But a real man had to hold it in.


    He forced himself to smile and gently said, ¡°Shuishui, you really can¡¯t work with him! Su Mingxuan might seem refined and charming on the outside, but come on¡ªhe¡¯s just good-looking, that¡¯s all. Don¡¯t be fooled by appearances! That guy¡¯s playing hard to get with you, trying to trap you emotionally.¡±


    ¡°Think about it. Sure, his investment helps you now. But once he holds 70% of your company¡¯s shares, he¡¯ll have full control. If he ever gets tired of you, he could kick you out at any time! You¡¯d just be making someone else¡¯s wedding dress. Once the company grows, the CEO¡¯s seat isn¡¯t exclusive to you¡ªbut the major shareholder will always be Su Mingxuan!¡±


    An Mushui¡¯s gaze turned icy.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± she asked coldly.


    ¡°...Yeah.¡± Qin Yu shrugged, looking frustrated and helpless.


    He knew.


    Everything he¡¯d just said had gone in one ear and out the other.


    That damned first impression.


    Su Mingxuan had left too strong of an impression. While his own... let¡¯s just say, his shameless ¡°wife-this, wife-that¡± approach had been unforgettable¡ªfor all the wrong reasons.


    Qin Yu wanted to cry.


    First impressions really do kill.

 Chapter 11 - A Side Character Can鈥檛 Be Too Strong

    Chapter 011: A Side Character Can¡¯t Be Too Strong


    Qin Yu sulked as he walked through the corridor.


    In the end, he was still been kicked out by An Mushui.


    He couldn¡¯t understand it.


    He had so many great qualities¡ªhis medical skills were god-level, his looks weren¡¯t bad, and he could even injure people invisibly using Qi-infused needles.


    Why couldn¡¯t Shuishui see any of that? Su Mingxuan was just a bit taller, a bit better-looking, and came from a richer family. What was so special about that?


    Feeling jealous and bitter, Qin Yu headed for the underground parking garage.


    ¡°Are we really going to work with Tianchen International?¡± Jiang Ting¡¯s voice rang out just as Qin Yu entered the garage.


    ¡°Of course. Times are changing¡ªtechnology will be the core of the future. Planning ahead is never a bad thing,¡± came a warm, steady male voice.


    Su Mingxuan?


    Qin Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed as he quickly moved closer to eavesdrop.


    ¡°But our company is already making massive profits...¡± Jiang Ting stood beside a luxury sedan, her voice tinged with concern. ¡°If we invest a hundred billion and still fail to produce a viable product, the market won¡¯t forgive us. If Aunt Liu finds out...¡±


    She hesitated and cast him a cautious glance. She knew her place¡ªthere were things she wasn¡¯t qualified to speak too bluntly about.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My mother will support me,¡± Su Mingxuan said with a light smile, opening the rear door and stepping into the car.


    Seeing that he was set on this path, Jiang Ting could only drop it. Transforming a company wasn¡¯t going to be easy¡ªbut no matter what happened, she would follow his lead.


    ¡°Tap tap tap~~~¡±


    Just then, a figure strolled casually into view from the other end of the garage.


    The man stared directly at Su Mingxuan¡¯s vehicle, grinning as he said, ¡°Yo, isn¡¯t this Young Master Su? We really do have... fate between us, huh?¡±


    He deliberately slurred the word for ¡°fate¡± to hint at enmity.


    ¡°Qin Yu?¡± Jiang Ting followed the voice and immediately recognized the figure.


    Qin Yu made no effort to hide himself¡ªhe walked forward confidently and said, ¡°Tingting, you¡¯re really gorgeous. You¡¯re not any less stunning than my Shuishui. Let me give you some advice¡ªstay away from that guy behind you. He¡¯s bad news. You don¡¯t want to end up in a mess.¡±


    Jiang Ting shook her head, her eyes filled with disdain. ¡°Now I finally understand why President An wants nothing to do with you.¡±


    Qin Yu: ¡°...¡±


    WTF!!!


    She just had to bring that up. If Jiang Ting hadn¡¯t said anything, it might have been fine¡ªbut now Qin Yu was furious again.


    If Su Mingxuan hadn¡¯t appeared, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this!


    Now An Mushui didn¡¯t even want to look at him and seemed increasingly fond of Su Mingxuan.


    This was dangerous¡ªreally dangerous.


    If this kept going, he¡¯d lose his fiance?e, fail his master¡¯s task, and his own body would also be in serious trouble.


    The Divine Medicine Valley emphasized yin-yang balance, but because Qin Yu had recklessly cultivated the Yin-Yang Scripture as a child, he had deviated from the proper path.


    Now his yang energy was overwhelming. Excessive yang weakens yin, and his meridians were already beginning to clog. If he couldn¡¯t be harmonized by Shuishui soon... he¡¯d be finished.


    Thinking of this, Qin Yu approached the vehicle and grinned, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just acting all high and mighty, Young Master Su? What, cat got your tongue now? Come out and talk to your brother face to face.¡±


    As he spoke, he started walking toward the car.


    Watching this, Su Mingxuan couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly. ¡°If you¡¯ve got something to say, just say it, Brother Qin. I¡¯m not as free as you¡ªI still have business to attend to.¡±


    His voice was calm and devoid of emotion.


    Pretending? Keep pretending.


    Qin Yu assumed Su Mingxuan was just faking composure and silently sneered.


    ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll get straight to the point.¡±


    He stepped up beside a concrete pillar and his tone hardened. ¡°I want you to end your cooperation with Shuishui. No¡ªwhat I mean is, stay the hell away from her. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know exactly what you¡¯re planning.¡±


    Hearing that, Su Mingxuan¡¯s smile deepened.


    What the hell? A Child of Fate was actually playing the back-off-my-girl card? Wasn¡¯t this his signature move as the villain?


    Normally, he¡¯d be the one warning An Mushui¡ª¡°You don¡¯t want your company to go under, do you?¡± And when she refused, he¡¯d get kicked out, then go confront the hero and tell him to stay away.


    Now the roles were reversed? Exactly as expected... a side character can¡¯t be too powerful.


    Otherwise, he¡¯d steal the protagonist¡¯s thunder. What would be left for the Child of Fate?


    Su Mingxuan suppressed a laugh and looked at Qin Yu. ¡°And what if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°Refuse?¡± Qin Yu grinned, and a strange energy surged around his clenched fist. Without warning, he smashed it into the nearby concrete pillar.


    Boom!


    A hole blasted straight through the half-meter-thick concrete. His fist didn¡¯t suffer the slightest damage¡ªnot even a speck of dust.


    ¡°See that?¡± Qin Yu still wore a smile, but his tone was brimming with confidence. ¡°If you say no, I¡¯m afraid your bones might not be as tough as that pillar.¡±


    Then, with a flick of his wrist, a flash of silver gleamed. A set of hair-thin silver needles appeared in his hand.


    ¡°Know what these are?¡± he asked, showing them off.


    ¡°No idea,¡± Su Mingxuan replied casually.


    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. Allow me to enlighten¡ª¡±


    Click.


    Just as Qin Yu was about to go on some long-winded explanation, several nearby black SUVs rolled their tinted windows down.


    Dark gun barrels pointed directly at him.


    The click just now was the sound of rounds being chambered.


    Qin Yu froze.


    The rest of his words caught in his throat. He couldn¡¯t say a thing.


    What the hell was going on?


    Guns? Seriously?!

 Chapter 12 - This Is... the Su Family!

    Chapter 012: This Is... the Su Family!


    Qin Yu was dumbfounded.


    He hadn¡¯t even had time to savor the rush of his ¡°dominant display¡± before he found himself surrounded by guns. He had completely overlooked the black business vehicles parked nearby, assuming they were just regular cars in the lot.


    Who could¡¯ve guessed...


    They were filled with bodyguards and not just any bodyguards.


    They were armed.


    What the actual fuck!!! This wasn¡¯t just overkill¡ªthis was dimensional suppression! And judging from the long barrels aimed at him...


    Those weren¡¯t pistols.


    They looked like submachine guns?! Who the hell was this guy? Could bodyguards even be allowed to carry weapons like these?


    Sweat trickled down Qin Yu¡¯s forehead in thick rivulets. He realized... he had stepped into someone else¡¯s domain¡ªand tried to show off.


    ¡°Brother Qin, what¡¯s that in your hand?¡± came Su Mingxuan¡¯s calm voice from inside the car, as polite and unassuming as ever.


    The tone... It was like a curious student genuinely eager to learn.


    So humble. So courteous.


    Asking when unsure¡ªa fine traditional virtue.


    ¡°Ah... uh, these? These are just some embroidery needles. I keep them in my pocket, and I was worried they¡¯d get rusty, so... I figured I¡¯d take them out for a little sun. Yup, that¡¯s all!¡± Qin Yu laughed dryly.


    Jiang Ting¡¯s eyes filled with even more disdain. If you¡¯re not embarrassed, does that mean everyone else has to be? Could he be any more shameless?


    ¡°Sunbathing silver needles in a parking garage. Didn¡¯t expect that. Brother Qin, you¡¯re really thoughtful. Success requires planning ahead, right?¡± Su Mingxuan nodded meaningfully, as if suddenly enlightened.


    Keep pretending.


    Qin Yu screamed internally.


    If he weren¡¯t staring down the barrels of a dozen SMGs, would this guy even dare act like this?


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course,¡± Qin Yu forced himself to go along with it.


    ¡°Fate willing, we¡¯ll meet again,¡± Su Mingxuan said politely, then gave a light nod, signaling his driver to start the car.


    Under Qin Yu¡¯s frustrated glare, the sedan pulled out of the garage and sped away.


    But what worried him most... was that of the black business cars that had surrounded him, only two followed Su Mingxuan out. The other two stayed right where they were¡ªstill flanking him.


    Clearly... This wasn¡¯t over.


    ¡°Swallow the needles.¡± A burly, bearded man in one of the cars barked the order.


    Qin Yu: ¡°...¡±


    Swallow them? Wasn¡¯t that basically a death sentence?


    His face darkened. ¡°Bro, that¡¯s a little extreme, don¡¯t you think¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience.¡±


    The bearded man stepped out of the car, his towering frame nearly two meters tall, radiating an oppressive aura.


    What unsettled Qin Yu even more was the man¡¯s body¡ªcovered in scars across his arms and neck. That cold, murderous glint in his eyes clearly marked him as someone extremely dangerous.


    Who the hell were these people?


    Qin Yu silently cursed.


    He was caught in a dilemma.


    ¡°Su Shao may not have said anything, but we have our orders. This is the rule. The Su Family¡¯s rule. Either you swallow it yourself, or we break you and do it for you,¡± the bearded man said coldly.


    Qin Yu: ¡°...¡±


    The Su Family? Who the hell were they to act this arrogant? But staring down the guy¡¯s monstrous build, Qin Yu knew he had no choice but to back down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± he muttered bitterly.


    The middle volume of the Divine Medicine Yin-Yang Scripture was specifically designed to pair with the Eight Trigram Needles. It contained a technique to control the flow of luck-infused needles. Though he hadn¡¯t mastered it, he could only grit his teeth and try.


    It was better than being beaten to death.


    Ten minutes later.


    Qin Yu leaned against a wall, trembling as he fished out his phone...


    ¡°Hewwooo... is this tow twuck sewvice? Come pick... me up...¡±


    ...


    Meanwhile, in another car.


    Su Mingxuan sat calmly inside, gazing out at the rapidly passing skyline. His flawless features were serene and composed, his presence like that of an immortal banished to the mortal world.


    Jiang Ting couldn¡¯t help but stare at his side profile, dazed.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Su Mingxuan asked with a gentle smile as he turned his gaze back toward her.


    ¡°N-Nothing...¡± Her cheeks reddened slightly, and she quickly looked away.


    Getting caught sneaking glances at someone...It was too embarrassing.


    Su Mingxuan chuckled and then casually pulled a card from his pocket, tossing it into her hand. ¡°Here, take this. It¡¯s not easy living in this city. Treat yourself better¡ªbuy a nicer house and car. As for the rest... use it to invest in President An¡¯s company.¡±


    Jiang Ting caught the card, instantly flustered.


    ¡°Wait, Mingxuan, I...¡± She wanted to refuse. She wanted to tell him that she wasn¡¯t following him for the money.


    Yes, when she first approached him, she¡¯d been hoping to latch onto a powerful heir.


    But in all these years...She¡¯d had opportunities to attach herself to other rich heirs.


    Why him? In her heart, she already knew the answer. If she hadn¡¯t fallen for him completely...


    Why else would she have given herself to him after just a few months?


    ¡°Be good. Just take it,¡± Su Mingxuan said with a light smile. His tone brooked no argument.


    ¡°...Okay.¡± Jiang Ting gripped the card tightly, a warmth blooming in her chest.


    If he treated her kindly¡ªeven just a little...It was enough to make her happy for a long time.


    As she fiddled with the card, something suddenly occurred to her.


    ¡°Mingxuan, just now you said... use ¡®the rest¡¯ to invest in President An¡¯s company?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Su Mingxuan frowned slightly.


    Jiang Ting: ¡°...¡±


    Did he not realize what he just said?


    ¡°The rest... so how much is on this card?¡± she asked, cautiously.


    ¡°No idea,¡± Su Mingxuan shrugged. ¡°When I came to Tianhai, my mom gave me this card and this company. She told me it contained her personal savings. Probably a lot. Just use it for now. Future investments will be funded through the company.¡±


    Jiang Ting: ¡°!!¡±


    Personal savings...


    From the third richest person in the country?!


    Oh my god!!


    The card in her hand had such an insane origin?


    Suddenly, it felt like it was burning hot in her palm. Could she even touch money from someone at that level? High-balance accounts like this must be monitored constantly, right?


    If she used it to buy property or a car...


    Would she get arrested?


    She swallowed nervously and said, ¡°Mingxuan, maybe... maybe you should take it back. If I spend anything from this card... am I going to get killed?¡±


    ¡°If that were the case, you¡¯d already be dead,¡± Su Mingxuan said with a smile.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jiang Ting blinked in confusion.


    Su Mingxuan smiled mysteriously and shook his head.


    What is the Su Family? From the moment she first approached him, her entire background had probably already been thoroughly investigated.


    If she weren¡¯t clean...She¡¯d be long gone by now.


    As for where she¡¯d end up? Who knew? Who cared?


    That¡¯s just how terrifying the Su Family was.


    This was... the Su Family.

 Chapter 13 - A Call from the Richest Woman, Liu Qin

    Chapter 013: A Call from the Richest Woman, Liu Qin


    After leaving An Mushui¡¯s company, Su Mingxuan returned to the office with Jiang Ting.


    Over the next few days, Su Mingxuan had been busy working on the company¡¯s transformation strategy. After all, the company had previously been focused on real estate, and now many of its assets and properties needed to be sold off.


    Jiang Ting was incredibly capable as well. In just a few days, she had managed to handle things in a smooth and orderly manner.


    The only trouble came from a few so-called ¡°veteran executives¡± who were completely opposed to the transformation. They loudly proclaimed it would lead to disaster and even tried to rally other employees to pressure him.


    But Su Mingxuan¡¯s tough stance directly threatened their interests.


    Unfortunately for them, Su Mingxuan had no intention of wasting breath arguing with them. He simply handed them their termination letters and told them to pack up and leave.


    Only then did those executives realize...


    The CEO wasn¡¯t bluffing. He really didn¡¯t care about their departure at all! Some of them began to regret it. But once an opportunity is lost, it rarely comes back again.


    ...


    That day, after handling a few loose ends, Su Mingxuan practiced the Divine Medicine Yin-Yang Scripture with Jiang Ting in his office.


    And to his surprise...


    After a few consecutive sessions, there were actual results. Su Mingxuan himself didn¡¯t notice much due to his system-enhanced body, but Jiang Ting¡¯s skin had visibly improved.


    Her 24-year-old body now had the glow of an 18-year-old¡¯s skin!


    The transformation left Jiang Ting stunned.


    And now that they were finally done for the day...


    She clung to him again, begging for another round of cultivation.


    Su Mingxuan, carrying such noble burdens, how could he reject her heartfelt request? In these hard times, the world was already full of suffering.


    If he could help one person, that was one person saved.


    In this era, it was rare to find someone with such virtue and selflessness... someone like him.


    ...


    ¡°Mingxuan, I¡¯m going to meet with President An this afternoon to sign the investment contract. Are you... coming with me?¡± Jiang Ting lay half-dozing on the desk, her voice soft and tired.


    ¡°No need,¡± Su Mingxuan shook his head.


    He picked up a kettle and began preparing tea with practiced grace. His movements were so elegant, it was like crafting a piece of fine art.


    Jiang Ting just gazed at him like that, her eyes brimming with affection.


    ¡°Ding-ling-ling~~~¡±


    Suddenly, Su Mingxuan¡¯s phone rang.


    He frowned, picked it up without looking at the caller ID, and said casually, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Mingxuan, it¡¯s me.¡± A gentle female voice came through the phone.


    ¡°Oh... Mom.¡± Su Mingxuan smiled, his tone naturally becoming softer.


    Mom? The richest woman, Liu Qin?!


    Jiang Ting immediately perked up, ears straining to catch every word.


    ¡°What, am I interrupting something?¡± Liu Qin¡¯s voice carried a playful warmth.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Su Mingxuan quickly denied it, then joked, ¡°There must be countless people in the world who dream of receiving a call from you. Who am I to deserve such divine favor from the richest woman in the country?¡±


    ¡°Pfft, you silver-tongued rascal.¡± Liu Qin laughed brightly on the other end.


    ¡°Are you only being so sweet because you know you¡¯ve been causing a stir lately and are afraid I¡¯ll scold you?¡±


    Su Mingxuan just chuckled.


    After a moment of silence, Liu Qin¡¯s tone grew serious.


    ¡°You really intend to push the company through a transformation?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Su Mingxuan nodded.


    ¡°Give me a reason,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Real estate is played out. Among the top thirty on the richest list, more than ten built their wealth on real estate¡ªit takes up half the list. But, Mom, have you ever thought... what if one day the bubble bursts?¡± Su Mingxuan said calmly.


    Liu Qin chuckled softly.


    ¡°Mingxuan, that bubble is still a long way from bursting.¡±


    ¡°No... it just needs the right trigger,¡± Su Mingxuan replied.


    ¡°The market¡¯s demand for property has already declined. We¡¯re at the point of oversupply. The future is in technology. You were able to climb to the top in real estate not just because of the Su Family¡¯s support, but because you were a pioneer. Weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Liu Qin: ¡°...¡±


    A pioneer.


    With enough strength, one could take the first bite of a very large cake. And how large that cake is...


    Depends on how big the market is¡ªor rather, how capable the person is.


    Hearing how her son understood showed he¡¯d matured.


    Seeing that she hadn¡¯t responded, Su Mingxuan continued, ¡°Times are changing. Transforming the subsidiary is just the first step. I plan to bring your company into this plan as well. In the future... not just new energy, but artificial intelligence, chip manufacturing¡ªwe¡¯re going to be in all of it! Progress needs trailblazers!¡±


    Liu Qin: ¡°!!¡±


    A trailblazer of a new era? This kid... actually has ambition?


    Even someone as seasoned as Liu Qin found herself moved. After all, who didn¡¯t want to be a true pioneer? To write their name into the history of a generation?


    Yes, businessmen chase profits but some still carry a sense of national pride!


    Even Jiang Ting¡¯s eyes sparkled when she heard him speak those words. At that moment he was just too dazzling.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown up.¡± Liu Qin sighed and said into the phone, ¡°With such ambition, I¡¯m proud of you. But business is business. I¡¯m a businesswoman. Business runs on profit. Everything you just said... is still just a castle in the sky. Being a pioneer isn¡¯t so easy. That¡¯s why most people would rather follow others across the river.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so.¡± Su Mingxuan smiled faintly.


    ¡°But you¡¯ve convinced me. I won¡¯t just approve your investment¡ªI¡¯ll increase it. But listen, you brat, remember one thing... my money didn¡¯t come from thin air. If you lose it all... get ready to come back to the Su Family and do what you¡¯re told,¡± Liu Qin said, laughing.


    Su Mingxuan: ¡°...¡±


    Go back to the Su Family?


    To outsiders, the Su Family was a giant. A blazing sun at that and everyone dreamed of latching onto its branches for protection.


    The world knew...


    The Su Family¡¯s patriarch had three sons. Each one... a dragon among men and one of them... was a true dragon.

 Chapter 14 - The Princess Arrives!

    Chapter 014: The Princess Arrives!


    The power of the Su Family was something outsiders could hardly comprehend. There was an indescribable force that shrouded this family in an aura of mystery¡ªbecause they were... beyond description.


    When Jiang Ting heard Liu Qin mention the Su Family, she instinctively leaned in closer. Surely it wasn¡¯t overstepping to eavesdrop a little on the family matters of the man she loved, right? After all... maybe she wasn¡¯t exactly an outsider anymore.


    Seeing her move in like that, Su Mingxuan didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. With a helpless smile, he said, ¡°Mom... do you really wish for me to fail that badly? If I go back to the Su Family, won¡¯t I be nagged to death by the old man?¡±


    His grandfather¡¯s strictness was notorious throughout the capital. Su Mingxuan remembered it well. As a child, he once made a small mistake and was punished by having to copy the family rules one hundred times.


    Each copy was a thousand characters. One hundred times meant a hundred thousand characters. To his childhood self, it was pure torture¡ªsnot and tears on every page.


    Liu Qin chuckled when she heard that. ¡°Listen to yourself! So many people would love to receive the old man¡¯s guidance, but you, you little brat, don¡¯t know how lucky you are. Speaking of your grandfather, there¡¯s something else I need to tell you. His old illness is acting up again. If you have time, go back and visit him more.¡±


    Su Mingxuan fell silent.


    His grandfather had once dedicated himself day and night to the country¡ªof course he would have lingering health issues. He wasn¡¯t truly afraid of the old man. If anything, he respected him deeply. What he feared was the weight of the expectations placed upon him. That burden was simply too heavy.


    When a man grows old, loneliness always follows. Even heroes must one day step off the stage. He wanted a successor¡ªsomeone to inherit everything he had built.


    After a moment of silence, Su Mingxuan finally said, ¡°I¡¯ll go see him. With Dad and Uncle around, I doubt anything will go wrong. Once I finish dealing with the matters at hand, I¡¯ll make a trip back.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Liu Qin acknowledged softly.


    ¡°Speaking of your dad, he¡¯s just as strict as the old man. How come you¡¯re not afraid of him? Back when you argued with him, you sure looked bold!¡± Liu Qin teased with a laugh.


    Su Mingxuan just smiled and shook his head. ¡°Different ideologies, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Liu Qin laughed and scolded him, then her tone turned serious. ¡°Actually, besides asking about the investment, I called today because of something else...¡±


    ¡°Mom, just say it,¡± Su Mingxuan said, a bit exasperated. Why must she always be so cryptic?


    ¡°It¡¯s about Xiaomeng.¡± Her tone held a trace of hesitation.


    ¡°What about Xiaomeng?¡± Su Mingxuan frowned slightly.


    Su Xiaomeng was his uncle¡¯s adopted daughter. She had always been close to him and used to cling to him, calling ¡°Brother Mingxuan¡± constantly. But once he went off to college, their time together had grown less and less. And now that she¡¯d grown up, she had become more self-conscious, and their past closeness had faded.


    ¡°She¡¯s become really rebellious lately... Ever since you left for college, she¡¯s stopped listening to anyone and constantly goes against your uncle. She¡¯s about to enter her final year of high school. If this keeps up, how is she supposed to succeed? Just yesterday, she had a huge argument with your uncle...¡±


    ¡°So your uncle decided to send her to you, to have you supervise her through senior year. We¡¯re not asking her to get into some top-tier school¡ªbut at the very least, she shouldn¡¯t bring shame to the Su Family.¡±


    Su Mingxuan was speechless.


    No way. The sweet little girl had turned into such a rebel? She even dared to disobey his uncle?


    What a little troublemaker.


    Su Mingxuan felt a headache coming on. She didn¡¯t even listen to her own dad¡ªwhat made anyone think she¡¯d listen to him? If things didn¡¯t go well, she¡¯d be a ticking time bomb!


    ¡°When is she arriving?¡± he asked reluctantly.


    ¡°Now! We just put her on a private jet. She should arrive by 7 p.m. tonight. Strangely enough, she didn¡¯t protest at all about coming to you. Instead, she packed her things without complaint and boarded the flight overnight. Seems like... she¡¯s still very close to you. So... get ready,¡± Liu Qin said with a smile.


    She¡¯s arriving now?


    Su Mingxuan instantly felt another wave of headache coming. This was way too sudden. No time for mental prep at all!


    Seeing that he wasn¡¯t responding, Liu Qin asked again, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re not willing?¡±


    ¡°What can I say?¡± Su Mingxuan replied with a sigh. ¡°She¡¯s already on the way¡ªwhat am I going to do, make her turn around halfway? Besides, this is Uncle¡¯s order. I wouldn¡¯t dare defy the imperial decree.¡±


    Speaking of defying imperial orders... no one did it better than Su Xiaomeng!


    ¡°You brat! If your uncle hears that, he¡¯ll definitely teach you a lesson,¡± Liu Qin laughed.


    ¡°Please spare me. This humble subject can¡¯t take it,¡± Su Mingxuan grumbled.


    Liu Qin chuckled but didn¡¯t want to dwell too much on this topic. After a few more reminders, she finally said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting late. Go prepare. Remember to pick Xiaomeng up from the airport at 7 p.m. sharp.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Su Mingxuan nodded and ended the call.


    Watching his every move, Jiang Ting¡¯s face was already full of astonishment. She wasn¡¯t stupid. That phone call had exposed quite a bit about the terrifying background behind Su Mingxuan.


    It even involved...


    Oh god!


    This was on a completely different level!


    Jiang Ting had always known that the man she latched onto had a powerful background, but she didn¡¯t realize...


    His family was this terrifying!


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Su Mingxuan asked, amused by the expression on her face.


    ¡°Uh...¡± Jiang Ting quickly looked away, her face flushing red. ¡°Should... should I start calling you... Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°You little...¡± Su Mingxuan flicked her forehead. ¡°You heard what I said. I have to go pick someone up. Handle the company well while I¡¯m gone... Otherwise, I¡¯ll have no choice but to go home and inherit the family fortune.¡±


    Jiang Ting stuck out her tongue.


    Just how massive was that inheritance? Why did he act like he didn¡¯t want it at all?


    No helping it, he was just that kind of man and as for the person he was picking up...


    Just thinking about it made Jiang Ting¡¯s heart tremble because that was... the real princess.

 Chapter 15 - The Consequence of Getting Too Full of Yourself

    Chapter 015: The Consequence of Getting Too Full of Yourself


    After tidying himself up, Su Mingxuan rushed off to the airport.


    Jiang Ting stayed behind at the company to rest. After all, practicing the Divine Medicine Inner Scripture several times a day had taken a toll on her spirit. Though the Scripture could indeed strengthen the body, its rate of replenishment still couldn¡¯t keep up with... the rate of depletion.


    ...


    Just as Su Mingxuan set off¡ª


    In a detention center somewhere in Tianhai City, a young man walked out with a face full of gloom.


    ¡°Finally... I¡¯m out,¡± the man muttered, his eyes lifeless as he stared ahead.


    He had no idea what kind of bad luck he¡¯d run into lately. His goddess had been stolen and now he¡¯d just gotten out of a cell...


    He honestly felt like dying.


    ¡°Lin Feng, can you act with a little more dignity?¡± At that moment, a crisp female voice came from a luxury sports car up ahead.


    Hearing that voice, Lin Feng¡¯s dull expression was instantly replaced with surprise and joy!


    ¡°Yingxi, Yuexi? Is that really you two?!¡± Lin Feng quickly walked toward the car.


    Inside, sat two girls as beautiful as immortals. Their faces were almost identical!


    The only difference was¡ª


    One exuded a pure and seductive charm and the other was cold and alluring. Two extremes on the same face.


    Lin Feng¡¯s heart began racing wildly!


    They were just... too perfect!!


    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer!¡±


    As Lin Feng was about to approach, the colder one¡ªYuexi¡ªfrowned and snapped, ¡°What a disgrace. The future Dragon Lord, caught stealing an e-bike? And we had to come all the way here to bail you out? Can you stop bringing shame to Dragon Gate?!¡±


    Lin Feng: ¡°...¡±


    Injustice!!


    His face turned green.


    He was only observing that pair of ¡°dog lovers¡± that night. Who would¡¯ve thought¡ªhe¡¯d get mistaken for a thief by that guy¡¯s bodyguards, get beaten up, and then tossed in jail!


    Once inside, no matter how he tried to explain...The officers didn¡¯t listen.


    Why? Because the e-bike he had ridden... was actually stolen. At the time, he¡¯d been short on cash and bought it from a shady reseller.


    Who knew¡ª


    That very bike ended up being solid evidence against him!


    In just a few days, Lin Feng had experienced what might¡¯ve been the darkest, most humiliating chapter of his life!


    Looking at the two girls, Lin Feng wore a bitter smile and said, ¡°Yingxi, Yuexi, you have to believe me. I¡¯d never do something like that! It was all Su Mingxuan¡¯s fault...¡±


    He shouldn¡¯t have said that. As soon as he did, both girls¡¯ eyes were filled with contempt and disgust.


    ¡°Oh? So now you¡¯re saying Su Mingxuan planted an e-bike there just to frame you? Wow, Lin Feng¡ªyou really think you¡¯re that important, huh?¡± Yingxi sneered.


    Forget it...


    Lin Feng rolled his eyes.


    The e-bike story had basically become... mud down the pants¡ªimpossible to explain cleanly.


    Awkwardly scratching his nose, he finally asked, ¡°By the way... what¡¯s the deal with that Su Mingxuan guy anyway?¡±


    Last time on chat, the sisters had refused to tell him anything. The more they avoided it, the more curious he became.


    ¡°Why are you asking so much?!¡±  Yuexi gave him a wary glare and coldly said, ¡°I¡¯m warning you¡ªdon¡¯t provoke him! His power is beyond your imagination. Don¡¯t drag Dragon Gate down with you!¡±


    That serious?


    Lin Feng frowned but still acted dismissive. ¡°He¡¯s just some rich kid, right? Son of the richest woman. So what? Didn¡¯t Dragon Gate raise multiple billionaires too? Once I become Dragon Lord, I¡¯ll lead Dragon Gate even higher!¡±


    ¡°Heh... delusional.¡± Yingxi scoffed. ¡°Do you really think he¡¯s just the son of Liu Qin, the richest woman?¡±


    ¡°What else could he be?¡± Lin Feng laughed sheepishly, clearly trying to fish for information.


    But the two brilliant twin sisters¡ª


    Would never fall for such a cheap trick.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re a fool! You don¡¯t even know who your enemy is, don¡¯t know his background¡ªand you¡¯re already thinking about provoking him? I seriously don¡¯t get why Grandpa picked someone like you to inherit his legacy!¡± Yingxi snapped.


    Lin Feng: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Grandpa chose me because he has good eyes. He saw a diamond in the rough.¡± Lin Feng didn¡¯t get angry but instead he just laughed cheekily.


    After all, they were going to be his wives someday. What¡¯s the big deal about getting scolded a few times?


    The twins, having long been accustomed to his shameless nature, only gave him even more scornful looks.


    ¡°This is your final warning...¡± Yuexi glanced at him coldly and said, ¡°Stay away from Su Mingxuan. Liu Qin is just a slightly bigger leaf on the branch of the tree that is his background. A leaf like that¡ªthere are countless more where it came from. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying now?¡±


    Lin Feng: ¡°...¡±


    Could it really be that terrifying? If the richest woman was just a leaf... Then how huge was the tree itself?


    At that thought¡ª


    Lin Feng immediately sobered up and began to take Su Mingxuan seriously.


    He had to admit after receiving his inheritance... he really had gotten a little too cocky. And that cockiness had landed him straight in a detention cell.

 Chapter 16 - One Punch from Me, You Might Be Down~

    Chapter 016: One Punch from Me, You Might Be Down~


    The pain. It was unbearable.


    Every time Lin Feng thought back to what had happened over the past few days, his heart would twist in agony.


    His goddess had gone to Su Mingxuan. And Su Mingxuan¡¯s background was terrifying. Was he never going to win her back in this life? No. That couldn¡¯t happen.


    His goddess could only belong to him. No matter how many achievements Su Mingxuan had unlocked, he had to snatch her back. Even if Su Mingxuan stood beneath a towering tree, once he was strong enough, he¡¯d become the blade that chopped it down.


    Thinking of this, Lin Feng let out a sly laugh and turned to Yue Xi. ¡°Still, it¡¯s Yue Xi who cares about me. Don¡¯t worry, once I get stronger and become the Dragon Lord, I¡¯ll definitely treat... you both well.¡±


    ¡°Tch~¡± Ying Xi let out a scornful laugh.


    ¡°Lin Feng, I think you¡¯re mistaken,¡± Yue Xi said coldly, her face frosty. ¡°The reason I said all that was only because I didn¡¯t want you to implicate the Dragon Gate. It wasn¡¯t out of concern for you. And even if you do become the Dragon Lord, we still won¡¯t become your women. So give up on that delusion.¡±


    Lin Feng: ¡°...¡±


    Talk about harsh.


    Lin Feng felt stifled. But he¡¯d long been used to the attitude of these twin sisters. Wanting them to look at him favorably in his current state was indeed out of reach. They admired powerful men. And right now... he still wasn¡¯t enough.


    But he could wait. He was still growing.


    Once he became the Dragon Lord and had the strength to back it up... wouldn¡¯t everything be his to decide?


    Once that time comes... heh.


    Lin Feng stole a glance at them, suppressing his inner excitement. ¡°Alright, alright, I get it. But I still want you both to know... no matter how you treat me, my feelings for you will never change.¡±


    Screeeech~


    The sisters ignored him and started up the sports car.


    Seeing this, Lin Feng quickly stepped forward. ¡°Hey, wait¡ªhow am I supposed to get back?¡±


    ¡°There~¡± Ying Xi pointed toward the distance with a grin. ¡°Isn¡¯t there an electric scooter over there? That¡¯s your specialty, right?¡±


    With that, she stepped on the accelerator, and the sports car carved a beautiful arc through the curve, vanishing in a blink.


    Lin Feng: ¡°...¡±


    I didn¡¯t steal that scooter... Why does no one believe me?


    ...


    6:50 PM.


    Escorted by his bodyguards, Su Mingxuan arrived at the airport.


    As the provincial capital, Tianhai City¡¯s airport was still bustling with crowds despite the late hour.


    Su Xiaomeng was arriving on a private jet, so Su Mingxuan didn¡¯t need to enter the terminal. Her guards would escort her out. So Su Mingxuan simply just waited outside.


    With a bit of time to spare, he let his consciousness enter the system space to check on recent updates.


    As he entered, the central light screen immediately displayed a list of information:


    ¡¾Welcome back, Master.¡¿


    ¡¾Master Info: Su Mingxuan¡¿


    ¡¾Health: 150/280, Physique: 150/280, Lifespan: 23/280¡¿ (Note: Normal human max is 100, can be upgraded!)


    ¡¾Talent Upgrade Progress: 107533/120000¡¿


    ¡¾Accumulated Fate Value: 532265/?????¡¿ (Note: Can be used in the future to condense a Godhood or enhance specific elements.)


    ¡¾Currently locked Children of Fate: 2¡¿


    ¡¾Lin Feng ¨C Title: Trash Counterattack. Potential Threat: S+. Fate Value Plunderable: 90000/1000000¡¿


    ¡¾Qin Yu ¨C Title: Jade Pendant Miracle Doctor. Potential Threat: SS+. Fate Value Plunderable: 512265/5000000¡¿


    Seeing the info on the screen, Su Mingxuan was a little surprised.


    That guy Qin Yu was a massive EXP bundle!


    He remembered clearly¡ªafter investing in An Mushui¡¯s company, the system had rewarded him with 500,000 fate points and 500,000 upgrade EXP, skyrocketing his stats like a rocket!


    It was exhilarating!


    His health, physique, and lifespan had all reached 280 points. This meant... he could live at least 280 years!


    As for health and physique¡ªwell, as the name suggested, the higher the value, the healthier you are. Normally, reaching 100 meant you¡¯d rarely get sick. Against ordinary viruses and bacteria, you¡¯d have natural resistance.


    And now with 280 points? Forget it¡ªno disease could even scratch him. Even if he had late-stage cancer, in a few days his immune cells would probably wipe it out entirely.


    That was the most direct benefit of maxed-out health!


    Physique, on the other hand, reflected more in terms of bodily strength¡ªmuscular response, toughness, resistance to damage, etc.


    Most people was capped at 100, but elite fighters, special forces¡ªpeople like that could break past the cap and become several times stronger than ordinary humans.


    And his current 280 physique? That was nearly triple the level of an average adult male!


    This meant¡ªif a regular person punched him, he might not even feel it. But if he punched them? They might be hospitalized.


    Although he wasn¡¯t quite at Qin Yu¡¯s level¡ªable to punch through concrete¡ªQin Yu had relied on internal force. In terms of raw physique and defense, Qin Yu was still just a normal human.


    But if Su Mingxuan learned how to use that internal force... It¡¯d be a whole different story.


    Which brought him back to the oldest equation: If you hit me with qi, I might be fine. But if I hit you with qi? Sorry, bro¡ªyou might be down for the count.

 Chapter 17 - This Is Just a Simple, Unadorned Tree

    Chapter 017:This Is Just a Simple, Unadorned Tree


    Su Mingxuan remained deep in thought within the God-Tier Villain System space. Once enough time had passed, he retrieved a golden box containing a pill. The moment it appeared, a rich medicinal fragrance began to permeate the car interior.


    This was a Health Pill.


    From the system¡¯s description, calling it an immortal-grade elixir wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration.


    It could raise a person¡¯s health value to 100 points¡ªmeaning that, as long as the individual didn¡¯t suffer from some kind of external harm, they would never fall ill again. And even if they did, their immune system would likely heal them within a short period of time. This was the terrifying aspect of the pill.


    A single pill... could save a life. Its value was beyond measure, yet for someone very important, Su Mingxuan deemed it worth it.


    ¡°Young Master Su, she¡¯s coming out.¡± Just then, the driver in the front spoke up.


    Su Mingxuan raised his head and saw a group slowly walking out from the airport exit. Leading them were uniformed men whose faces were all serious and solemn. Their rifles were held at the ready, and the veins on their exposed arms were bulging¡ªthese were no ordinary guards.


    Behind them, surrounded like stars around a moon, was a girl who looked like a porcelain doll. The way she was flanked¡ªjust like a princess of ancient times. Which, in a way... she was.


    Su Mingxuan took a few more glances at the girl and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sentimental. The little tag-a-long girl from back then had grown up. And she was stunning now¡ªan angel fallen to earth. Her looks and temperament might even surpass those of Jiang Ting.


    ¡°Go meet her.¡± Su Mingxuan instructed the driver and bodyguards, then opened the car door and stepped out first.


    The bodyguards immediately formed a protective perimeter around him. There were too many people at the airport, and his safety had to be guaranteed on all fronts.


    Naturally, his appearance caught the attention of the little princess. Her eyes instantly lit up.


    ¡°Brother Mingxuan!¡± Su Xiaomeng called out to him and, without caring about appearances, rushed toward him.


    ¡°Miss!!¡±


    Her sudden movement startled the nearby guards, who quickly tried to protect her. But the rebellious Xiaomeng ignored them entirely, pushing past the bodyguards and running straight into Su Mingxuan¡¯s arms.


    The guards didn¡¯t dare stop her by force, afraid they might hurt her.


    Soon, over a hundred armed soldiers surrounded her in a large perimeter, forming a forbidden zone that no outsider could breach.


    ¡°Brother Mingxuan...¡± When she reached him, Su Xiaomeng stopped and looked at him with eyes full of emotion¡ªso many unspoken words within a single gaze.


    Su Mingxuan smiled and patted her head. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up, little girl. Why are you still so disobedient?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± She stomped her foot but leaned her head toward his hand, letting his palm gently rest on her cheek.


    Still warm... just like before.


    She quietly held his hand, unwilling to let go.


    ¡°Young Master Mingxuan.¡± At that moment, an elderly man stepped forward from the escort team and gave a respectful nod.


    ¡°Uncle Fu, long time no see.¡± Su Mingxuan smiled and discreetly withdrew his hand from Su Xiaomeng¡¯s, reaching out to shake with the elder. Xiaomeng immediately pouted.


    Uncle Fu took his hand and smiled, ¡°Young Master Mingxuan, I believe you already understand your uncle¡¯s intentions. We¡¯ll take care of the transfer procedures¡ªjust look after Miss Xiaomeng.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Xiaomeng huffed upon hearing this.


    Su Mingxuan glanced at her, and she immediately quieted down.


    Taking her hand, Su Mingxuan said, ¡°Uncle Fu, we¡¯re family. No need for formalities. You can tell Uncle to rest assured¡ªI¡¯ll take good care of Xiaomeng.¡±


    Uncle Fu, steward of the Su family, had watched them grow up since childhood. Su Mingxuan naturally didn¡¯t put on airs with him.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±


    Seeing Su Xiaomeng acting so obediently around him, Uncle Fu burst into laughter. Who would¡¯ve thought¡ªthe wild and fearless Su Xiaomeng could be this well-behaved?


    ¡°Uncle Fu, I heard... the Old Master¡¯s condition has worsened?¡± Su Mingxuan asked.


    Uncle Fu nodded, his face tinged with worry. ¡°Yes, just a few days ago, he coughed up some blood. Before I left, he asked me to give you a message: If you¡¯ve made your decision, don¡¯t hesitate. To achieve great things, you mustn¡¯t be indecisive.¡±


    Su Mingxuan¡¯s expression shifted.


    The Old Master¡¯s words were never simple. Perhaps he had already seen through his ambitions? Though retired, his insight as a former patriarch could see farther than most.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember it.¡± Su Mingxuan said solemnly.


    Uncle Fu looked at him for a long moment, then sighed.


    ¡°Uncle Fu, just say it.¡±


    After hesitating briefly, Uncle Fu finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m merely the Su family¡¯s steward, but I¡¯ve been with the family my entire life. I was born for the Su family¡ªand I will die for it.¡±


    ¡°I understand. The Su family has never treated you as an outsider.¡±


    ¡°The Old Master is aging...¡± He sighed. ¡°He¡¯s been a formidable man all his life, but no one escapes fate. Among the Su family¡¯s tenth generation, only you and Jiaxuan remain. But Jiaxuan is only six years old... The Old Master can¡¯t wait that long.¡±


    Su Mingxuan remained silent.


    ¡°Young Master Mingxuan, with great power comes great responsibility.¡±


    Uncle Fu looked him in the eye. ¡°The Su family is not just a family¡ªit is a great tree. Birds nest on it. Bugs live in it. So many things depend on it for survival. That tree... it must never fall. It must continue to thrive!¡±


    As he finished speaking silence followed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    Uncle Fu said again. ¡°The Old Master will lay out a path for you. One that¡¯s easy to walk. In twenty years, your uncle...¡± He suddenly coughed and stopped speaking.


    That was enough.


    Su Mingxuan understood.


    Only by doing this... could the Su family, that towering tree, remain standing tall upon the earth, flourishing without end.

 Chapter 18 - Why Are We Going to a Hotel...?

    Chapter 018:Why Are We Going to a Hotel...?


    Hearing Uncle Fu¡¯s cryptic parting words, Su Xiaomeng had already grown impatient. She had just arrived in Tianhai City¡ª and now they wanted her Brother Mingxuan to leave again?


    Unacceptable.


    Was this whole family just out to mess with her? She stomped her foot and growled through clenched teeth, ¡°Uncle Fu, have you finished rambling yet?! Brother Mingxuan is not going back! He¡¯s staying here with me! What are you people even thinking?! I just got here and now you want him gone?!¡±


    Uncle Fu was silent and so was Su Mingxuan.


    Then Uncle Fu let out a hearty laugh, bowing slightly as he offered an apology, ¡°My fault, young miss. Please forgive this old man.¡±


    To this nai?ve little princess, he didn¡¯t dare argue. In fact, everyone in the Su family hoped she would always stay this innocent. The heavy burdens of the family would be carried by the Su men.


    Su Mingxuan gently squeezed her hand, signaling her not to speak anymore.


    Then he pulled out a gold-embossed pill box from his person and handed it to Uncle Fu. ¡°The Old Master will live a long life,¡± Su Mingxuan said. ¡°Take this pill back to him. I had someone track it down. Once he takes it, he should be good for at least another twenty years.¡±


    Uncle Fu opened the box, and a wave of strong medicinal fragrance immediately filled the air. ¡°What a potent medicine,¡± he said, clearly shocked.


    Just a whiff of the scent had already made him feel more alert and refreshed, as if all his fatigue had been wiped away. He could only imagine what would happen if the Old Master actually ingested it.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± he asked, eyes filled with joy. ¡°The Old Master might really have a shot at recovery.¡±


    Su Mingxuan waved it off casually. ¡°No need for details. What matters is that it will help him. Get it to him soon. It¡¯s about time he got another look at the world he helped build.¡±


    Uncle Fu respectfully tucked the pill box away and gave Su Mingxuan a deep bow. For someone of his generation, a bow like this meant more than words ever could.


    Su Mingxuan watched Uncle Fu and the others leave, only turning away once their plane had taken off. The Old Master¡¯s road... it was too heavy. The path he wanted to give Su Mingxuan, even heavier.


    ¡°Brother Mingxuan~~¡± came a soft, sweet voice. Su Xiaomeng tugged on his hand with a pout, clearly displeased with him zoning out.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Su Mingxuan smiled as he returned to his senses. ¡°I was lost in thought. Forgot I had my little Xiaomeng right next to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m mad at you now!¡± she huffed, stomping her foot and storming off toward the car.


    Su Mingxuan chuckled and followed behind. With all his experience and understanding of women, he could tell she wasn¡¯t really angry. His guards escorted the two of them back to the car.


    Inside, Su Xiaomeng sat with arms crossed and a frosty expression, clearly announcing to the world she was upset.


    ¡°Alright now...¡± Su Mingxuan ruffled her hair gently. ¡°You¡¯re throwing a tantrum the moment you arrive? What am I going to do with you? Are you hungry? Want to grab a bite?¡±


    He genuinely adored this little sister of his, always had. He¡¯d been spoiling her since they were kids. Maybe that¡¯s why she was always so attached to him, following him around like a little duckling.


    ¡°You started it,¡± Su Xiaomeng said with a pout, but the coldness on her face melted quickly.


    Su Mingxuan smiled and changed the subject tactfully. ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll take you to a hotel.¡±


    Su Xiaomeng¡¯s cheeks turned pink. She bit her lip and mumbled, ¡°W-Why are we going to a hotel...?¡±


    ¡°To eat,¡± Su Mingxuan replied, exasperated. ¡°What else would we be doing?¡±


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t want to go anymore!¡± she huffed, turning her face away.


    Su Mingxuan sighed.


    So she won¡¯t go just because I said to eat at the hotel? What ¡®would¡¯ she go for there then?


    He shook his head and looked at her seriously. ¡°Xiaomeng, you¡¯ve changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± she said quickly, as if worried.


    ¡°Your aunt already called me before you came,¡± he said. ¡°She told me everything.¡±


    ¡°Told you what?¡± she asked nervously.


    ¡°She said you¡¯ve gotten rebellious, always clashing with your dad. Sending you here was part of his plan to have me keep an eye on you. You¡¯re aware of that, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know!¡± she said. ¡°You all treat me like a child. Just like my dad, always yelling at me. I¡¯m done listening to him!¡±


    Su Mingxuan looked helpless. ¡°Then why come here? Isn¡¯t going along with his arrangements the opposite of rebelling?¡±


    Su Xiaomeng¡¯s face flushed red. She glanced at him shyly and said in a small voice, ¡°Because... I want brother Mingxuan to take care of me.¡±


    Su Mingxuan blinked.


    That came out kind of wrong, didn¡¯t it?


    She looked at him seriously, with soft eyes. ¡°Ever since you left for university, no one at home plays with me anymore. Everyone¡¯s busy all the time. And my dad¡¯s just gotten stricter. I really missed you.¡± Her voice dropped a little toward the end.


    Su Mingxuan gently squeezed her hand. Feeling his warmth, she smiled like the sun breaking through clouds. That one smile bloomed with all the brilliance of spring, nearly stopping his heart.


    Good god.


    One smile and she already looks like that. If she grows up a bit more, she¡¯ll be an absolute disaster to the nation. He didn¡¯t even want to think about which bastard might end up marrying her...

 Chapter 19 - Strong Fate Signals!

    Chapter 019:Strong Fate Signals!


    Seeing Su Xiaomeng looking a little downcast, Su Mingxuan let out a faint sigh. If he hadn¡¯t gone overseas to study back then, maybe she wouldn¡¯t be so lonely, so rebellious now.


    But being born into the Su family...


    Su Mingxuan looked at her and said, ¡°Xiaomeng, you should know the Su family has always had strict traditions. That¡¯s why every descendant can carry their own weight. Them being strict with you is for your own good.¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Su Xiaomeng suddenly let out a laugh, confusing Su Mingxuan.


    ¡°What? Did I say something strange?¡±


    ¡°Brother Mingxuan, you¡¯re starting to sound like Grandpa. Always lecturing me about what¡¯s right and wrong. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand... but the point is, my father pissed me off!¡± she declared loudly.


    Su Mingxuan motioned for the driver to start the car, then pressed the button to isolate the backseat, making sure the driver couldn¡¯t hear their conversation. It wasn¡¯t about distrust¡ªwhen it came to the Su family, there were things that simply couldn¡¯t be spoken aloud. People hearing them wouldn¡¯t necessarily be a good thing.


    He gently pinched her cheek with a smile. ¡°Alright, tell me. What did your dad do to offend you?¡±


    Su Xiaomeng hesitated for a while before whispering, ¡°I overheard my dad, second uncle, and third uncle arranging a marriage for you. The other side already agreed. They¡¯re just waiting to finalize it.¡±


    Su Mingxuan was stunned. ¡°What now...?¡±


    ¡°It was my dad who brought it up first! He just wants a powerful alliance! Is that even meaningful? What age are we living in? They¡¯re sacrificing your happiness for their gain. They won¡¯t even let you fall in love freely... I hate him for it! I won¡¯t allow it to happen!¡± Her voice grew louder and more emotional.


    Su Mingxuan sat silently for a few seconds. Wow... so this kind of thing is happening? He cleared his throat. ¡°So... who¡¯s the girl?¡±


    Su Xiaomeng squinted suspiciously at him. ¡°Brother Mingxuan... is that really important?¡±


    Her eyes filled with quiet disappointment.


    ¡°Not important,¡± Su Mingxuan said immediately, putting on a righteous face. ¡°I think just like you do, Xiaomeng. Marriage should be free, not bound by interest or politics. By the way... is she pretty?¡±


    ¡°I hate you!¡± she snapped.


    Su Mingxuan burst into laughter. Of course, he wasn¡¯t seriously interested. He was just teasing her. But he also knew that a girl selected by his father, second uncle, and eldest uncle together definitely wasn¡¯t ordinary.


    To be chosen for marriage into the Su family, her beauty and skills had to be top-tier. But a marriage alliance meant one thing¡ªSu family was on the move. As for what kind of move... even he wasn¡¯t sure.


    The waters were too deep. Unless he reached that level himself, he¡¯d never truly understand.


    While the two chatted, the car entered a residential district. The night market on the street was bustling, filled with food stalls and all kinds of street snacks. Su Xiaomeng looked longingly but didn¡¯t say anything, still being stubborn after earlier complaints. Su Mingxuan found it amusing and told the driver to stop the car.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go grab something to eat.¡± He pulled her by the hand and stepped out of the car. She resisted slightly at first, but her face soon turned red as she followed along. The bodyguards moved to follow, but Su Mingxuan didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention, so he only let two of them trail at a distance.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± he asked, seeing the excitement in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m still thinking...¡± she replied while scanning the area, but the delicious smells drifting from every direction had already made her mouth water.


    ¡¾Ding! Warning to host: A powerful Fate Signal has been detected!¡¿


    ¡¾Ding! Warning to host: A powerful Fate Signal has been detected!¡¿


    ¡¾Ding! Warning to host: A powerful Fate Signal has been detected!¡¿


    At that moment, three consecutive alerts rang in Su Mingxuan¡¯s mind. This had never happened before. His expression hardened as he quickly looked around. But all he saw were foodies and night market shoppers¡ªnothing seemed out of place.


    Could a Child of Fate be hiding here? But if so, why wasn¡¯t the system locking on directly?


    Feeling puzzled, Su Mingxuan asked in his mind, ¡°System, what¡¯s going on? Can¡¯t you give me a hint?¡±


    No response at first. He couldn¡¯t exactly stand up in the middle of a crowd and yell, ¡°Child of Fate, get your ass over here!¡±


    After a moment, the system finally replied.


    ¡¾Host, look toward the northwest. The woman over there... she carries an incredibly strong Fate Signature.¡¿


    He looked that way and saw a small food stall run by a woman wearing a headscarf. She had only four or five tables and a few scattered customers. A woman?


    Could she be a female protagonist?


    Su Mingxuan took Su Xiaomeng¡¯s hand and led her in that direction. All the while, he kept observing the woman. Her outfit was simple¡ªjust a loose T-shirt and jeans. Still, even the loose clothing couldn¡¯t hide her curvy figure... because, well, she was stacked.


    Unfortunately, her head was wrapped tightly in a scarf, revealing only a pair of gem-like eyes and porcelain skin. This woman... definitely not ordinary.


    ¡°What do you have to eat?¡± Su Mingxuan asked when they got close.


    ¡°Braised meat. Comes with white porridge,¡± the woman said, her voice soft and pleasant, carrying a subtle charm. Her eyes curved into crescents¡ªclearly, she was smiling.


    ¡°Want to try it?¡± Su Mingxuan turned to ask Su Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said after taking a look at the dishes. They looked and smelled amazing¡ªexactly her kind of food.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take a bit of everything,¡± Su Mingxuan said to the woman. ¡°And two bowls of porridge.¡±


    ¡°Alright, please have a seat over there for now,¡± she replied, her crescent-moon eyes smiling again.


    Su Mingxuan nodded and led Su Xiaomeng to an empty table.


    As they sat down, he asked in his mind, ¡°System, is she a Child of Fate?¡±


    ¡¾No. But she carries an enormous amount of Fate Energy. She¡¯s closely connected to a powerful Child of Fate. Host, this woman is extremely important. The Fate Power tied to her surpasses even that of Qin Yu!¡¿


    More than Qin Yu?


    Qin Yu was rated SS+, offering five million points of Fate to be harvested. Someone beyond that... could only mean one thing¡ª


    An SSS-ranked Child of Fate. Damn.


    Now that¡¯s something serious.