While Lu Chengwen was winning over Tie Tuo Wang, Long Aotian wasn't idle.
"Strategist, what kind of idiot did you send me? Huh!? That moron kept mistaking me for someone else, beat the hell out of me… fine, let's not dwell on that—he couldn't kill me anyway. But that fifty billion in cash? He handed it to Lu Chengwen for charity!"
"There must be some mistake. Tie Tuo Wang's always been reliable."
"Mistake? He got the wrong person! The wrong account!" Long Aotian roared. "I don't care—this loss is on you. Send someone with another fifty billion, fast. I'm running out of time. Taking down the Leng family hinges on these next few days!"
"Alright, but fifty billion's no small sum. Can we… reduce it a bit?"
"Is it my fault it's a big sum?" Long Aotian snapped. "Your guy flushed it down the drain! And I bet Tie Tuo Wang's about to defect."
"He wouldn't dare."
"Wouldn't he? What choice does he have now? Clean house quick—this mess shouldn't fall on me! I can't make big moves publicly. I need to maintain my elite hero image to take down the families!"
"Understood. I'll send Copper King over soon. He'll secure new funds for you and handle the cleanup. Should we take out Lu Chengwen too?"
Long Aotian groaned in frustration. "Why go after Lu Chengwen? He can't die yet! He'll die by my hand eventually, but not now! Stop chasing small fries—my target's the Leng family! Their hundred billion in assets! Lu Chengwen's a side issue!"
"Got it, Young Master. Calm down. We'll handle it promptly."
"You better hurry! If I miss this window, it's over!"
"Rest assured, Young Master."
"Rest assured, my ass…" Long Aotian hung up, still fuming. "All this mess, and the money ends up in Lu Chengwen's pocket. Tie Tuo Wang and his crew defected to him. I got beaten multiple times, fell off a cliff, thought I'd have a legendary encounter, only to end up swearing brotherhood with Lu Chengwen! Now I can't even kill him easily! I'm so pissed I could die!"
Hua Xuening added bitterly, "He kissed me twice! Sure, it was to save me, and it felt… kind of nice, but I still can't forgive him!"
Long Aotian shot her a look, exasperated. "Your little issue is nothing! Fifty billion! That jerk swindled me out of fifty billion! If this gets out, I'll be a laughingstock!"
"But, Young Master," Hua Xuening said, "you're sect brothers now. Why not pull him to our side, bring him under your wing?"
Long Aotian paused, considering. "That's worth thinking about."
He paced. "Lu Chengwen… he's got no real martial skills, but there's something uncanny about him. Whenever he's around, things go wrong for me. If I could get him on my side, it'd change everything!"
A faint sound of footsteps came from the door. Despite their lightness, Long Aotian's sharp ears caught them.
"Who's there?"
"Your subordinate, Luo Shiyin, greets the Young Master."
Long Aotian laughed. "Shiyin's here! Come in!"
The door opened, and Luo Shiyin glided in, her smile gentle. "I heard the Young Master throwing a fit from miles away."
Long Aotian grabbed her hands excitedly. "Shiyin, I missed you! What took you so long?"
Luo Shiyin playfully tapped his nose. "Got held up on the way. What's wrong? Trouble for the Young Master?"
"Big trouble," Long Aotian said. "Everything's gone wrong. Lu Chengwen's been stealing my girls, Tie Tuo Wang beat me and gave him my money, I fell off a cliff expecting an epic encounter, but Lu Chengwen followed me down. That crazy old man forced us to swear brotherhood, and now we're sect brothers. My money's gone, the girls are gone, and I don't know how to deal with the Leng family. I'm at my wit's end!"
Luo Shiyin's mouth twitched. What's gotten into the Young Master? This is a mess of a story.
"Young Master, slow down. Who's this 'Lu Chengwen' you keep mentioning?"
Hua Xuening gritted her teeth. "A scumbag! Lustful, arrogant, weird, and twisted. He kissed me twice and groped me!"
"Is that the point?" Long Aotian said. "He's the Lu family's heir, head of Great Sage Group, always ruining my plans. Without him, I'd have Leng Qingqiu by now. Help me deal with him!"
Luo Shiyin smiled. "Dead or alive?"
"Alive. I haven't secured the other three families yet. If he dies, the Lu family's assets will take a hit, and that's a problem."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Seduce him!" Long Aotian said. "Use your beauty and illusionary arts to enchant him, make him fall for you, and get him to cooperate with me."
Luo Shiyin nodded. "No man can resist my seduction. Don't worry, Young Master. Once I control his mind, he's yours."
"Good!"
Luo Shiyin sighed. "All the men in the world fall at my feet, except you, Young Master. Yet I'm smitten with you."
Long Aotian grinned. "Shiyin, I'm the Child of Destiny, imbued with kingly aura. Your tricks don't work on me. But Lu Chengwen? He's a total lech. Control him, and you'll have done a great service. Don't worry—you'll be mine eventually. Once I break through to the Upper Four Gates, I'll give you, Xuening, and the others a proper place."
"I look forward to that day," Luo Shiyin said.
"Hmm."
Lu Chengwen opened the door to find Xu Xuejiao standing there. "The hotel manager said you booked a room. I thought you were with some girl, but it's a bunch of guys? Why's the floor such a mess?"
Lu Chengwen turned to Tie Tuo Wang and his men. "Stay here tonight. We'll talk more tomorrow."
He pulled Xu Xuejiao out, exhaling heavily and rubbing his face.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nearly died."
"That bad?"
"Yeah. How'd you find me?"
"Missed you, so I came looking."
Lu Chengwen shook his head. "No way. Only Zhao Gang, Jiang Shihan, and a few drivers and assistants knew I was here."
Xu Xuejiao grinned.
Lu Chengwen gritted his teeth. "Zhao Gang! You're dead for leaking my whereabouts!"
"Don't blame him—I forced him," Xu Xuejiao said.
Zhao Gang, standing nearby, looked aggrieved. "President Lu, you were gone all night. President Xu kept asking where you were, saying she's your fiancée, the future Mrs. Lu. She threatened to badmouth me to you if I didn't tell. How could I dare cross her?"
Xu Xuejiao said, "Zhao Gang, you're done here. Lu Chengwen, come with me!"
"For what?"
"To talk!"
"Talk about what—hey!"
In Xu Xuejiao's car, she crossed her legs, smiling at Lu Chengwen.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"To date you!"
Lu Chengwen stared at her for a few seconds. "Are you serious? Are you nuts? We hadn't talked in years, and after a few days together, you suddenly want to date?"
"We destroyed billions in defective drugs together, invested in the slum redevelopment project, teamed up to crush Long Aotian's schemes, got beaten by that Iron-something guy, drank until dawn, and had breakfast with your parents…"
Lu Chengwen cut in, "I didn't eat breakfast! You guys ate while I knelt there watching you act! My dad broke three broomsticks beating me!"
"Hahaha, yeah, yeah, you're so petty, holding onto that little thing!"
"Little thing? It's a matter of principle! You're lying through your teeth now—what's next, fraud!?"
"My family's rich. Why would I commit fraud? Being a doctor pays way better."
"I'm warning you, Xu Xuejiao, don't push me too far! Your little tricks won't work forever. My dad's sharp as a tack, my mom's kind and clever—they'll see through you soon. Once they figure you out, your act's over."
Lu Chengwen leaned back. "Don't say I didn't warn you. The Lu family hates liars most of all. And we're best at sniffing them out. Know why? Because we're smart! My parents are the smartest of the smart!"
As Lu Chengwen laid down his ultimatum, Xu Xuejiao's phone rang.
She answered, "Auntie! I'm so happy to hear from you! Yes, yes, I'm glad you liked it. I thought long and hard about what to get you and Uncle, but you two have everything—it was so tough! I'm thrilled you love it!"
"Yes, yes… Chengwen? Oh, please don't be mad at him. He's… actually pretty good to me… No, no, he didn't yell at me or hit me. Lately, he… barely hits me anymore."
Lu Chengwen stared at her. "Are you serious?"
He grabbed her, growling, "Speak properly, or I'll end you!"
Then he saw her phone screen—she'd put it on speaker.
His mother's voice screeched, "Lu Chengwen! You're incorrigible! Xu Xuejiao's so filial to us, so good to you, and you dare bully her? Threaten to kill her? Get home now! I'll see how you 'end' her—why don't you end me first!"
Lu Chengwen, nearly crying, grabbed the phone. "Mom, it's not like that! You've all been fooled—she's a liar! There's nothing between us…"
"Nothing? You got her drunk at midnight! Nothing? You've been with her for over a year! Nothing? You made her get a physical exam! Nothing? You're wearing her underwear around your neck! How did I raise such a beastly son? Get home now! If you're not here in twenty minutes, I'm coming to your company to beat you!"
The call ended.
Lu Chengwen sat, dazed.
Xu Xuejiao curled up in her seat, grinning. "Chengwen, darling, your mom's so good to me. Don't bully me anymore, or your parents will kill you!"
Lu Chengwen, on the verge of tears, wailed, "I can't live like this!"
_
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