In a high-end single patient room at Yandu First People's Hospital, a young man sat on the bed under dim lighting, his face ashen and eyes dull, resembling a lifeless corpse. The young nurse changing his IV bag didn't dare look him in the eye. After swiftly swapping the glucose bag, she hurriedly left.
The man in the hospital gown was none other than Yang Lie, whose cultivation had been crippled by Yang Chen. When he woke up, he found himself in the hospital, completely drained of strength. Realizing his dantian was empty, he wanted to bite his tongue and end his life.
After returning from Kunlun to Yandu, Yang Pojun had arranged for him to beco a deputy general of the garrison, a promising position. But now, he was a cripple. Yang Lie didn't know how to face Yang Pojun or Yang Gongming and was grateful the news hadn't spread yet. However, the thought of eventually having to face them made him wish he could disappear.
His deep-seated hatred for Yang Chen kept him from wanting to die just yet.
The door to the hospital room opened again, and a disheveled man with a scruffy beard and a sinister smile, dressed in a white coat, walked in. It was Yan Buhuan!
"Tut-tut, without your cultivation, you're truly powerless, needing glucose drips," Yan Buhuan mocked.
Yang Lie glared at him coldly. "You have the nerve to co see ?"
"Master Yang, what do you an? We're comrades. Since you've been crippled, of course, I ca to check on you," Yan Buhuan smiled.
"Comrades? If it weren't for your stupid plan to ddle in Yulei Entertainnt and set that foolish woman as Hui Lin's agent, claiming it would provoke that bastard, would I be in this state?" Yang Lie's emotions flared.
Yan Buhuan wagged his finger. "My plan was flawless. The fact that Yang Chen has started killing shows my plan worked. My aim was to provoke Yang Chen to kill, drawing external attention, especially from Hongng. I never intended for you to provoke him to the point where he'd cripple your cultivation. That was your own reckless doing."
"What did you say?!" Yang Lie was furious. He tried to punch Yan Buhuan but, now just an ordinary person, he was easily restrained.
"Don't move; you're not worth it," Yan Buhuan sneered, tossing Yang Lie back onto the bed.
Yang Lie collapsed, his shoulders trembling as he began to sob in anguish. Yan Buhuan watched silently, his eyes devoid of emotion.
After a long while, when Yang Lie had nearly exhausted his tears, Yan Buhuan spoke. "Master Yang, do you want to beco like Yang Chen?"
Yang Lie looked up blankly. "What?"
"I asked if you want to beco like Yang Chen, to have power like his, even greater," Yan Buhuan's smile turned sinister.
Yang Lie was stunned, wondering if he had heard correctly.
Yan Buhuan leaned in close, his voice hoarse, his eyes gleaming with a strange light. "If you entrust everything to , I can make you a god."
In the dimly lit hospital room, Yan Buhuan's rough voice sounded like a demonic whisper from hell.
anwhile, Yang Chen, heading to the Tang family for dinner, was oblivious to the traps being set for his future.
On the way, Yang Chen had called Christine in the United States and Ron in Europe. He decided to have Ron send a top-tier agent and artist managent team to Yandu for Hui Lin.
During their chat, Ron expressed how much he missed Yang Chen, who felt embarrassed and spent a while reassuring him before ending the call.
When Yang Chen arrived at the Tang residence, it wasn't the traditional Chinese architecture he expected but a collection of elegant, modern villas.
Tian Long and Ye Zi dropped him off but didn't follow inside.
Tang Tang had been eagerly waiting at the door. Seeing Yang Chen, she imdiately grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, chattering all the way. "Uncle, when are you going to give my mom a little Tang Tang? You saved her life, and I think she's ready to marry you."
Yang Chen was speechless. One little Tang Tang was enough trouble. He waved her off. "No wonder your mom calls you a jinx. You can't be serious."
"I'm just being honest. Unlike you, Uncle, always pretending to be virtuous. If it were , I'd be in bed already!" Tang Tang laughed.
In bed? Yang Chen's mind involuntarily wandered, and he almost blushed at the thought!
It was unclear whether Tang Tang was serious or joking. Could she really hope that sothing would happen between him and Tang Wan? Yang Chen didn't think too deeply about it. For Tang Tang, other n might not be able to get close to her mother, but Yang Chen was different. He had first gained Tang Tang's approval before developing any romantic entanglent with Tang Wan.
This ti, if it weren't for Yang Chen, Tang Wan might have left Tang Tang. Therefore, Tang Tang didn't mind considering this lifesaver as her "dad." As for Fang Zhongping, the man she called dad, Tang Tang acknowledged him but didn't have deep feelings for him.
Walking past a few uniquely styled villas, Yang Chen realized that the Tang family's estate was indeed quite large. After all, it was a large clan. It was understandable that each branch of the family had its own villa. However, most of the Tang family mbers were scattered across various parts of Yanxia or even abroad, running businesses. Only a few stayed at the estate regularly, leaving many houses unoccupied.
They finally reached the central three-story villa. In the courtyard, a round pavilion with a slightly ancient charm was brightly lit. Inside the pavilion, a table was set with a feast, and several servants were bustling around. Tang Lao and others, including Tang Wan, were chatting and laughing.
When Tang Tang led Yang Chen in, Tang Lao was the first to stand up, and the group followed suit to welco him. Among them, besides Tang Lao, Tang Wan, and Tang Xin, the only one Yang Chen knew was Tang Huang. The others, a few n and won, seed to be core mbers of the Tang family, but Yang Chen hadn't t them before.
Tang Tang whispered to Yang Chen, "Uncle, everyone here today is on good terms with my mom, except for that Uncle Tang Huang."
Yang Chen smiled. Though Tang Tang was still young, she understood the internal strife within the Tang family. Everyone present, except for Tang Huang, was likely a core mber of the faction supporting Tang Wan. As for Tang Huang, despite his competition with Tang Wan, he had to maintain appearances, so his attendance at this family dinner made sense.
"Yang Chen, today's gathering is a family dinner. We didn't invite too many people, fearing you might feel uncomfortable. You are a distinguished guest of our Tang family. Please, sit next to ," Tang Lao said with a kind smile, pointing to the seat between him and Tang Wan.
Yang Chen greeted the Tang family mbers one by one. When he shook hands with Tang Huang, Tang Huang said sincerely, "Thank you for saving my sister. Let's drink a few more cups today."
Despite his rivalry with Tang Wan, Tang Huang was magnanimous. Yang Chen could feel that he was genuinely happy about Tang Wan's return. Perhaps it was this magnanimity that allowed Tang Huang to compete with Tang Wan for so long, even though Tang Lao clearly showed favoritism towards Tang Wan.
After everyone sat down, several of Tang Wan's uncles and aunts started to toast Yang Chen. He couldn't keep track of who was who. Though Tang Lao's youngest son, Tang Xin's father, was the third son, Tang Lao's siblings also had children. Thus, it wasn't surprising to hear titles like "Seventh Uncle" and "Ninth Uncle."
Yang Chen had drunk several cups of wine without having a single bite of food. He was about to start eating when he suddenly noticed an annoying figure approaching.
A hearty laugh echoed through the courtyard. A young man carrying a large bag of guavas strode over and shouted, "Everyone in the Tang family, I've brought you so fruit!"
Who else could it be but Li Dun?
Even Yang Chen wasn't the only one. Even Tang Zhechen, who had been through countless ups and downs, couldn't help but twitch his eye.
Li Dun, acting like he belonged there, placed the street-bought guavas on the ground and laughed, "You started already? I bought so fruit on the way, so I'm a bit late. But there should still be a place for , right?"
Though Li Dun rarely showed up in Yandu, it didn't an that people didn't recognize him. As one of the heirs to the Li family, one of the two prominent families in Yandu, there was no way the Tang family wouldn't know him. However, bringing a bag of guavas worth only three or four yuan to join a feast was quite low-class. More importantly, everyone knew that no one had invited him!
The first to react was the elder Tang Lao. With a gentle smile, he said, "Since the young master of the Li family wants to join in the fun, our Tang family naturally welcos him. Gifts are unnecessary formality. Co, co, find him a seat. There's always room for one more. Butler, bring an extra set of utensils."
Tang Lao, being older and experienced, handled the situation with a thick skin. He even called a bag of cheap guavas a gift, dismissing its triviality.
Li Dun, showing no hesitation, instructed the servant arranging the chairs, "Place that chair next to Miss Tang Xin. I'm quite familiar with Miss Tang."
Tang Xin almost lost her balance and fell. She looked up sharply at Li Dun, filled with indignation. What was with this guy? He constantly targeted her at the hospital, and now he insisted on sitting next to her? Did he have a grudge against her or sothing?
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