Zhou Zhenghao kicked Cheng Fatty to the ground, but that wasn’t enough to vent his anger. He continued to stomp on him, each kick accompanied by Cheng Fatty’s pitiful cries for mercy. Only after delivering a few more brutal kicks did Zhou Zhenghao finally stop.
Beating someone up was exhausting work. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Zhou Zhenghao panted heavily and cursed, “Do you even know who Old Master Tang is? He’s the head of the Tang family in Linzhou, the father of Secretary Tang! And you dared to mess with someone close to him? You’ve ruined me!” With that, he delivered another kick.
Hearing the words “Linzhou Tang family,” Dongdong Jie’s face turned pale.
The Tang family was the most prominent and powerful family in Linzhou for over a century. With numerous descendants excelling in politics, business, and the military, crushing someone like Zhou Zhenghao would be as easy as squashing a bug.
“How could I possibly offend a friend of Old Master Tang? Remember to return the money, or don’t blame me for turning on you. I’ll kill you!” Zhou Zhenghao sat on the sofa, still breathing heavily.
“I’ll return it, I swear!” Cheng Fatty, now bruised and battered, was terrified out of his wits. He scrambled out of the room, looking like he had just escaped death.
The private room fell into silence. Zhou Zhenghao sat on the chair, his face filled with worry as he pondered the situation.
“This isn’t over!” Zhou Zhenghao suddenly exclaimed. “If Brother Wei and that Master Jiang say a word to Old Master Tang, I’m done for. Even Fifth Uncle Long might get dragged into this! But how can I convince them? This is the Linzhou Tang family we’re talking about!”
Dongdong Jie thought for a moment, then smiled sweetly. “Brother Hao, I think the key is that Master Jiang. We just need to figure out his personality and preferences, then cater to them.”
“Dongdong, you’re my Zhuge Liang!” Zhou Zhenghao’s eyes lit up with admiration. “You’re right. He’s still young. If I humble myself and persist, he’ll definitely forgive me. I’ll leave this matter to you. Find out everything about him!”
“Exactly. Since Master Jiang is close to Old Master Tang, if Brother Hao can get on his good side, you’ll soar to new heights,” Dongdong Jie said with a charming smile.
—
On the other side, Brother Wei accompanied Jiang Tian to the parking lot, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
“That Zhou Zhenghao is a lackey of Tang Wannian, the third son of the Tang family. Both of them are good-for-nothings, but considering Old Master Tang’s face…”
“It’s fine,” Jiang Tian replied indifferently. He didn’t bother holding a grudge against such insignificant people.
“Master Jiang, Old Master Tang would like to invite you to stay at his home for a few days. When would be a good time for you?”
“Let’s see. If I have time, I’ll visit,” Jiang Tian said casually.
He knew the Tang family was powerful, but to a cultivator like him, such worldly influence was nothing more than a fleeting cloud.
Right now, all he cared about was protecting his loved ones and cherishing every moment with them.
“Master Jiang, could you leave me a contact number?” Brother Wei showed a wry smile.
Truly, a master’s demeanor was different. Most people would be overjoyed to receive an invitation from the Tang family, but Jiang Tian remained unfazed.
“I don’t have a phone. Here, I’ll give you my office number,” Jiang Tian said, reciting a string of digits for Brother Wei to note down.
“Master Jiang, shall I drive you home?” Brother Wei offered with a smile.
“No need. Qianru drove here, but she’s had some alcohol. I’ll take her home,” Jiang Tian replied with a calm smile, politely declining.
After Brother Wei left, Zhao Qianru threw her arms around Jiang Tian, tears streaming down her face. “Brother-in-law, I was so scared earlier!”
With no one else around, the fear and stress she had been holding back finally burst forth. The young girl buried her face in Jiang Tian’s chest and sobbed.
Qianru’s figure was curvaceous, and her thin clothing allowed Jiang Tian to feel the softness and warmth of her body, as well as the faint, alluring scent of her skin.
Seeing her long eyelashes damp with tears and her delicate face filled with distress, Jiang Tian felt a wave of tenderness. He gently wiped away her tears and smiled. “Silly girl, as long as I’m here, no one can hurt you. Otherwise, how could I face your sister?”
“Brother-in-law, you’re the best! You’re the best brother-in-law in the world!” Qianru’s tears turned to laughter as she clung to Jiang Tian’s hand, refusing to let go. It was as if she had completely forgotten that just a few hours ago, she had considered him utterly useless.
“Enough with the flattery. Let’s get you home,” Jiang Tian said, ruffling her hair before opening the door to Zhao Qianru’s red Volvo and sliding into the driver’s seat.
“A head pat… Brother-in-law is so warm…” Qianru’s heart melted, her eyes curving into happy crescents.
—
In the parking lot, inside a Mercedes-Benz, Jiang Qiushui’s expression grew darker as he watched Jiang Tian and Zhao Qianru’s intimate interaction. Not knowing their relationship, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of jealousy.
“How did he manage to walk out of there alive?” Hu Feng muttered in disbelief.
“Maybe Qianru’s father stepped in…” Jiang Qiushui speculated, trying to make sense of the situation.
Even if Jiang Tian was skilled in fighting, Brother Hao had connections. He could easily call the police and have Jiang Tian arrested. The only explanation was that Zhao Huacheng had personally intervened and begged Brother Hao to let Jiang Tian and Zhao Xueqing go.
“But earlier, Second Miss…” Hu Feng hesitated, casting a sympathetic glance at Jiang Qiushui.
The way Zhao Qianru hugged Jiang Tian and held his hand made it obvious to anyone watching that she had feelings for him.
Hu Feng couldn’t help but feel that Jiang Qiushui’s head was turning greener by the second, like a vast, grassy plain.
“I won’t let him off so easily! So what if he can fight? I have my ways to deal with him…” Jiang Qiushui sneered, his eyes flashing with malice.
—
“Brother-in-law, how did you suddenly become so amazing? You were so cool earlier, even cooler than Jet Li!” In the car, Zhao Qianru chattered excitedly, her face flushed with admiration as she relived the thrilling scene.
“One day, I went hiking at Hundred Zhang Cliff and accidentally fell off. I found a ring, and inside it lived an old man with a white beard…” Jiang Tian, recalling a classic trope from web novels, spun a tall tale.
“Brother-in-law, you’re so mean! Stop teasing me!” Qianru pouted, her lips forming a charming pout.
She knew something must have happened to Jiang Tian, but since he didn’t want to talk about it, she didn’t press further.
Suddenly, Jiang Tian said, “By the way, don’t tell your parents or your sister about this. I don’t want them to worry.”
Zhao Huacheng was just a minor official, and his influence was nothing compared to Brother Hao’s. Hearing about this would probably scare him out of his wits.
As for Zhao Xueqing, she had always been annoyed by his reckless behavior. Even if he had returned as a cultivator, in her eyes, fighting was still a crude and barbaric act.
“Got it, got it!” Qianru nodded eagerly, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Jiang Tian over their little secret. It felt wonderful to share something special with her brother-in-law.
