Chen Chuli watched his daughter's retreating back, amused and exasperated by her. Sometimes, he wished his daughter were more ordinary, but fate had other plans.
His son, on whom he had placed his hopes, turned out to be rather unremarkable. He wasn't as smart as his sister, nor did he possess her cultivation aptitude. If only the two could have been switched.
Chen Mingyue, dressed in fashionable attire, drove her sports car to Ning Beichen's residence.
"To live in a place like this, this fellow must be quite wealthy," she muttered. Although the Gusu Chen family was rich, they wouldn't squander money on such accommodations.
However, this was none of her concern. No matter how wealthy this person was, it wouldn't affect her. Wealth alone wouldn't grant him access to the Gusu Chen family.
To put it arrogantly, the gates of the Gusu family were comparable to imperial courtyards.
"Who is Ning Beichen?" Chen Mingyue called out.
Ning Beichen immediately emerged from the house. Seeing Chen Mingyue outside, he was momentarily stunned.
It wasn't that Chen Mingyue was breathtakingly beautiful, but rather that he could sense her cultivation. Chen Mingyue's cultivation was not low; she had at least reached the Houtian realm of internal cultivation.
"I am. May I ask who you are, Miss?" Ning Beichen averted his gaze and asked.
"My name is Chen Mingyue. You submitted a visiting card requesting an audience with my father. My father is very busy and doesn't have time to see you. Please forgive him."
Chen Mingyue couldn't discern Ning Beichen's cultivation level and assumed he was an ordinary person. Although her words were polite, her disdain was evident.
"So, you are Miss Chen. I merely have a matter I wish to seek your father's help with. Could you possibly facilitate this?" Ning Beichen said.
"No, as I said, my father doesn't have time to see you. Do not submit any more visiting cards in the future." Chen Mingyue refused outright, showing no inclination to negotiate.
Ning Beichen frowned. He did possess a token from his master. If he presented it, he was confident that the head of the Gusu Chen family would meet him.
However, Ning Beichen was reluctant to rely on his master's reputation for everything. Just as he was about to speak, he saw a boat approaching from the lake, with several young people on board.
"Mingyue." Someone on the boat seemed to recognize her and called out upon seeing her.
Chen Mingyue glanced at the people on the boat, her brow furrowing slightly. Among them was the young master of the Ma family, one of the four major families of Suzhou and Hangzhou. His name was Ma Liang. He was a known playboy and had been persistently pursuing her.
By the standards of the Gusu Chen family, Ma Liang and Chen Mingyue would be considered a suitable match. The Ma family not only possessed vast wealth but was also a family with a martial arts heritage. Ma Liang, at twenty-five, was the next successor of the Ma family. Crucially, he was also a martial artist with considerable skill.
"Mingyue, it really is you. I thought my eyes were deceiving me." Before the boat even docked, a young man, about 1.78 meters tall, tapped his foot lightly on the boat and glided over ten meters of water, landing effortlessly on the shore.
Chen Mingyue, however, found Ma Liang quite irritating. If he weren't from the Ma family, she would have beaten him up long ago. The Ma and Chen families both favored a union between them, and Ma Liang considered Chen Mingyue his woman, tolerating no rivals. Previously, if anyone got too close to Chen Mingyue, regardless of their relationship to her, Ma Liang would fly into a jealous rage and beat them up. The victims dared not retaliate.
"Mingyue, who is this?" Ma Liang's eyes immediately fixed on Ning Beichen with a hostile glare.
Chen Mingyue intended to ignore the "mad dog" Ma Liang and leave. However, Ning Beichen stopped her.
"Miss Chen, please wait. I was hoping to visit your home tonight. I truly have a very important matter that requires the help of your Chen family..." Ning Beichen held the token his master had given him in his hand. He had originally intended for Chen Mingyue to take the token back, but then he reconsidered, thinking this young lady from the Ma family might not recognize his master's token. Thus, he wanted to personally visit the Gusu Chen family and hand the token to Chen Chuli.
Before Chen Mingyue could refuse, Ma Liang began to show his jealousy.
"Kid, who are you?" Ma Liang stepped forward, glaring fiercely at Ning Beichen and demanding.
Ning Beichen paid no mind to Ma Liang and looked expectantly at Chen Mingyue. Chen Mingyue already looked down on Ning Beichen for trying to curry favor with the Gusu Chen family. If he hadn't spoken, she would have simply given him a cold shoulder. But with Ma Liang present, Chen Mingyue suddenly felt the urge to teach Ning Beichen a lesson, to prevent such people from always seeking shortcuts. Was it that easy to get into the Gusu Chen family?
Chen Mingyue's expression immediately changed. She stepped forward with a smile, suddenly grabbed Ning Beichen's arm, and said, "Alright, let's go then."
Ning Beichen was taken aback by her actions, unsure why she was acting so erratically. However, seeing Ma Liang's expression, he immediately understood. It was clear that Chen Mingyue was using him as a shield. Although Ning Beichen didn't know who Ma Liang was, judging by his attire and arrogant demeanor, he was likely from a family with some standing. To be played by her before even meeting the Gusu Chen family members left Ning Beichen feeling quite displeased.
Ning Beichen pulled his arm away and said to her, "Miss Chen, I apologize, please wait a moment. I have a friend who will be accompanying me. She's resting inside, and I'll go get her now."
"No problem, I'll wait for you," Chen Mingyue said with a smile, having decided to use Ning Beichen as a shield.
Just as Ning Beichen was about to re-enter the house to call Liu Yilin out, "Stop!" Ma Liang stepped in front of Ning Beichen and yelled at him menacingly.
Ning Beichen stopped, glanced at Ma Liang, then at Chen Mingyue, who was smiling unmeaningly behind him. His expression turned grim. If he weren't seeking assistance from the Gusu Chen family, he would have slapped Chen Mingyue across the face long ago.
"It's none of your business." Ning Beichen nudged him lightly, and Ma Liang was effortlessly pushed aside, as if he had no weight.
"You're seeking death!" No one in the Suzhou and Hangzhou region dared to speak to him, Ma Liang, like this. Enraged by Ning Beichen's dismissive attitude, Ma Liang, without a second thought, threw a punch at the back of Ning Beichen's head.