The Lin family.
When Ye Zixiao returned, the atmosphere in the dining room was stifling. Two tables laden with delicacies sat untouched, their guests scowling with worry.
"Wife, I'm back."
Ye Zixiao entered with a cheerful grin.
More than twenty key members of the Lin family turned to him, their expressions a complex mix of relief and annoyance.
"Zixiao, come sit here."
Lin Qingzhu's tone was calm.
"Got it."
Ye Zixiao casually walked to the head table, plopped down beside his wife, placed his left hand on her thigh, and grabbed a bottle of beer with his right.
"Everyone, let's have a toast!"
Ye Zixiao invited them like he was the host.
"Brother-in-law, cheers!"
Lin Bin was the first to respond, and the only one to raise his glass. In the gloomy atmosphere, only this unconventional brother-in-law was in the mood to drink.
"Zixiao, wait a moment."
Lin Qingzhu subtly moved Ye Zixiao's "amorous" hand away and said earnestly, "We've all agreed. We'll leave tomorrow and relocate the entire family to Longdu."
"Why?"
Ye Zixiao asked instinctively.
"Firstly, without you, the Lin family would have likely been annihilated by the Niu and Ma families! Secondly, you've stirred up immense trouble. I don't blame you, but we cannot be wiped out."
"That bad?"
Ye Zixiao took a casual sip of his drink.
His brother-in-law across the table matched his drink.
"That bad?"
"Ye Zixiao, you've gone too far!"
"Sigh! This is unbearable!"
Several elders of the Lin family chided him.
Their tone wasn't sharp, nor was there much complaint, but they were clearly displeased with Ye Zixiao, especially his declaration of war on the Li and Chu families.
Such a thing,
In the eyes of the family, was sheer recklessness.
Why court death when things were fine?
"Little Ye, let me tell you!"
Patriarch Lin Dong, acting rather mysteriously, lit a cigarette and said to Ye Zixiao with seriousness, "I've received intel that the Xiao family in Jiangcheng is organizing an assassination against us."
"Assassination? Is your information reliable?"
Ye Zixiao remained flippant.
"Little Ye, although I don't understand making money, I did work in military intelligence. Gathering information is no problem for me. This matter is absolutely confirmed."
"Alright!"
"Of course, it won't be easy for the Xiao family to kill us in Beihai. My biggest concern is Li Yan and Commander Chu. They definitely won't let us off, do you understand?"
"I understand!"
"So, we should leave!"
"If we leave, can we escape?"
Ye Zixiao suddenly stood up and said with utmost seriousness, "You can think I'm crazy or that I'm ill, but I tell you clearly, I do not agree to the Lin family relocating."
At these words,
The entire family fell silent.
Who wanted to move?
But there was no choice!
"Whether it's the Xiao family, the Li family, or the Chu family, no matter how powerful they are, I, Ye Zixiao, do not fear them. I didn't come down from the mountain just to get married, but to protect my home and country."
"Protect home and country?"
Lin Qingzhu asked incredulously.
"Little Ye, stop boasting!"
"Yes, it's meaningless."
"If we don't leave, will we just wait to die?"
The family members began to persuade him.
As things stood, whether they were pleased or not, an unchangeable fact was that Ye Zixiao and Lin Qingzhu were now husband and wife. They could no longer treat Ye Zixiao as an outsider.
"Family, I know you don't believe me. In fact, sometimes I don't believe it myself, but since I was born, I've been shouldering the responsibility to protect my home and country. This is my mission."
Ye Zixiao became increasingly serious.
Unfortunately,
Still, no one believed him.
"The Niu family, the Ma family, the Qin family, the Black Tiger Hall, and the Xiao family of Jiangcheng, not to mention the Li family and Commander Chu, not a single one of them is good. They are all villains who devour people without spitting out bones."
"Fight them, protect home and country."
His brother-in-law, Lin Bin, abruptly stood up.
"Fight what? Sit down."
The matriarch, Sun Fengzhi, spoke to Ye Zixiao in a motherly tone, "Son-in-law, don't be so willful. We're, at best, a second-rate family. Talking about protecting home and country is too grand!"
"Protecting home and country, well said!"
Patriarch Lin Dong suddenly changed his tune.
His gaze towards Ye Zixiao was filled with admiration.
...
As the Lin family debated whether to stay or go, in a private villa of the Xiao family in Jiangcheng, Xiao Bahuang was secretly discussing an assassination plan against Ye Zixiao with his five elder brothers.
"Simian."
"Master, you speak."
As Xiao Bahuang spoke, a man nicknamed Simian respectfully rose. His posture was ramrod straight, clearly indicating he was a soldier, and a high-ranking officer at that.
"Your special forces brigade has been secretly training for many years and has cost the Xiao family a great deal of money. I now command that your first mission is to assassinate Ye Zixiao, and to annihilate the Lin family."
"Mission guaranteed to be completed!"
Simian snapped to attention and saluted.
"Simian, you don't need to be nervous."
Xiao Daguo, with his bulging belly, said sinisterly, "Ye Zixiao is very capable, and he does have some background. But this time, even heaven is on our side. That fool has played his hand too boldly."
"Eldest Brother, please elaborate?"
Simian lacked such subtle scheming.
"The next mayor of Beihai City, as well as the current Commander of the garrison, have personally called me. The three of us are forming a powerful alliance to eradicate this tumor called Ye Zixiao."
"Understood!"
Simian's eyes lit up with joy.
He was a soldier, and although secretly cultivated by the Xiao family, having his soldiers kill people in Beihai presented some difficulties. More people entering the city would be troublesome, and their withdrawal would also be problematic.
But now, it was different.
With the cooperation of Li Yan and Commander Chu, both the Beihai City guard and the garrison forces would grant the Xiao family a green light. As long as the men and weapons entered, Ye Zixiao was sure to die.
...
Beihai, Lin Family.
Just as the entire family was arguing and unable to reach a consensus on whether to stay or go, the brother-in-law, Lin Bin, suddenly slammed the table and stood up.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Patriarch Lin Dong blurted out.
"Holy shit, massive news!"
Lin Bin held up his phone, suddenly speaking with great excitement, "Just now, Chu Nantian and Li Lisha announced they've registered their marriage! They, they're going to have a wedding!"
"What did you say?"
Lin Qingzhu stood up abruptly.
Regarding Chu Nantian, her first love, Lin Qingzhu did have feelings for him. As for the feud between Chu Nantian and Ye Zixiao, Lin Qingzhu's initial interpretation was a form of revenge.
It was that Chu Nantian couldn't have her.
So he deliberately caused trouble for Ye Zixiao.
However, Lin Qingzhu never expected that just a day after Ye Zixiao declared war, Chu Nantian would register his marriage with Li Lisha without any prior warning. They were becoming husband and wife?
This was a provocation.
And it was also a signal.
Firstly, it proved that the Li family and the Chu family had publicly joined forces and were no longer hiding it. They wanted to openly compete to see who was stronger, to see who was more influential in this city.
Secondly, Chu Nantian and Li Lisha couldn't possibly have gotten married solely for Ye Zixiao. They must have had feelings for each other, but they had been hiding it from Lin Qingzhu all along.
"Aren't you heartbroken?"
Ye Zixiao asked provocatively.
"I actually am!"
Lin Qingzhu's pretty face turned cold, and she murmured, "Once upon a time, I considered Chu Nantian my lover, and Li Lisha my friend. I never imagined they had been deceiving me all along."
"So, are we still leaving?"
Ye Zixiao asked with a chuckle.
"Leave my ass, we're not leaving."
"Then what are we doing?"
"Getting married, having a wedding."
Lin Qingzhu angrily slammed the table and declared loudly, "They can have their wedding whenever they do. They can have it wherever they do, and we will do the same. Damn it, we'll fight them to the bitter end!"