Chapter 53: The Puppet Master Behind the Scenes

Lu Chengwen never expected that a girl could go to such lengths.

Her tears came on demand, gushing like a tap;

She called Lu Guanghong "Daddy" with such ease, making him ecstatic and flustered;

Upon hearing about the engagement, she immediately knelt down and kowtowed without hesitation.

At this point in the act, even Lu Chengwen felt like a villainous scoundrel.

Could I have really slept with her and forgotten about it!?

Xu Xuejiao was comforted by Lu's mother, who, to soothe the seemingly heartbroken girl, took off her ancestral bracelet.

"Xuejiao, no matter what, I bear some responsibility for not keeping Chengwen in check."

"Mom, please don't say that."

Lu's mother was overjoyed: "Ah! Good child! Rest assured, from now on, I will treat you as my own daughter. Actually, your uncle and I always wanted a girl, but ended up with two troublemakers."

"Mom and Dad are truly blessed; Brother Lu is actually very ambitious."

"Hmph! What good is ambition? He's been so terrible to you, it makes me angry! Here, take this bracelet, it was given to me by my mother-in-law, and now I pass it to you..."

"No, Mom, I can't accept this, it's too precious."

"Take it! It's from your mother." Lu's mother's happiness was almost spilling out of her eyes.

Lu Chengwen panicked: "Mom, just give her a red envelope, this was grandma's bracelet to you."

"I want to!" Lu's mother glared at Lu Chengwen, then turned to Xu Xuejiao: "Keep it safe, it's my token of sincerity. The Lu family is responsible and will surely give you a proper status."

"Thank you, Mom!"

After much fuss, Lu Chengwen was utterly despaired.

No! I can't despair! I must fight her to the end!

I refuse to believe I'll be defeated by a little girl.

They walked into the yard, and seeing no one around,

Lu Chengwen watched Xu Xuejiao gleefully fiddling with the bracelet, then sternly extended his hand: "Hand it over."

"What!?"

"The bracelet! Stop playing dumb. How can you accept this? How shameless!"

"Mom gave it to me, you have no right to take it."

"Stop calling her 'Mom'! 'Mom' is not for you to call! Give me the bracelet!"

Lu Chengwen glared: "Are you going to give it or not?"

"You're bullying me again?"

"Cut the crap!" Lu Chengwen said, "I've seen through you, your heart is utterly wicked! How can you keep calling them 'Mom and Dad' without feeling nauseous?"

"Not at all, Mom and Dad are so kind to me!"

"That's because you lied to them! I warn you, next time you see them, tell the truth, or I won't let you off! Hand over the bracelet!"

"You're being mean to me again!?"

"I'm telling you, Xu Xuejiao, my patience has limits, don't push me! If you push me too far, I'll slap you to death!"

Lu Chengwen fiercely mimed a slapping motion.

Xu Xuejiao wasn't afraid of him at all; she had him all figured out.

No matter how bad or fierce he acted, it was all a bluff, just for show. He wouldn't dare to hit her.

But then she noticed Lu's parents approaching from behind Lu Chengwen.

She quickly said, "Stop bullying me, I'll tell Mom and Dad!"

"What!? Still calling them 'Mom and Dad'? That's my dad! Are you going to give it or not? I'll hit you!"

Lu's mother overheard: "Old Lu, is Chengwen bullying Xuejiao again?"

Lu's father gritted his teeth: "That brat!"

Seeing they were almost there, Xu Xuejiao suddenly clapped her hands loudly,

Then covered her face as if she had been slapped.

Lu Chengwen was stunned, Xu Xuejiao pitifully handed over the bracelet: "Brother Chengwen, don't hit me, I'll return the bracelet. Actually, I didn't dare to take it, but I was afraid it would be impolite to refuse..."

Lu Chengwen narrowed his eyes, snatched the bracelet, and smirked triumphantly: "You know your place, I'm telling you, from now on... Ouch!"

Lu's father grabbed Lu Chengwen by the hair from behind and started beating him.

Xu Xuejiao nestled in Lu's mother's arms, crying again.

...

Sitting in the car.

Lu Chengwen's hair was a mess, his face bore a bright red slap mark, and he pouted in grievance as he started the car.

Xu Xuejiao sat in the back, whistling and playing with her new bracelet: "Brother Chengwen, I think this bracelet really suits me! Don't you think it matches my skin tone?"

Lu Chengwen glanced at her through the rearview mirror: "Get lost!"

...

Long Aotian sat on a cushion, healing his wounds.

After a long time, he exhaled a turbid breath and slowly opened his eyes.

Hua Xuening asked nervously: "Young master, how do you feel?"

Long Aotian's eyes were fierce: "What do you think?"

Hua Xuening shook her head: "I wouldn't ask if I knew."

Long Aotian said gloomily: "Damn Iron Tuo King, once I recover my original strength, I'll break every bone in his body, turn him into scum!"

Hua Xuening said: "Young master, Lu Chengwen must be dealt with."

"Exactly."

Long Aotian said: "That bastard dared to impersonate me, causing me to be beaten like this!"

"Young master, to be fair, it was Iron Tuo King who beat you, not Lu Chengwen. You were the one who switched faces with him and got beaten."

Long Aotian looked at Hua Xuening: "So it's my fault?"

"That's exactly what I think!"

Long Aotian tried to sit up straight to argue but immediately winced in pain.

"Young master, please don't move, I'll go kill Iron Tuo King to vent your anger!"

"No." Long Aotian said, "The main problem is Lu Chengwen. This guy has somehow won the hearts of Leng Qingqiu and Xu Xuejiao, he's a real menace."

"So young master's plan is..."

"Killing him is easy, but I must win over Leng Qingqiu and Xu Xuejiao."

Long Aotian asked: "Has Shiyin arrived yet?"

"She'll be here today."

"Good! With Shiyin and that woman both taking action, I'll first ruin Lu Chengwen's reputation, make him scum in the eyes of Leng Qingqiu and Xu Xuejiao, then I'll appear as the heroic savior to win their hearts."

Long Aotian, sweating profusely, sneered: "Xuening, remember, conquering a city is inferior to conquering hearts. Taking lives is inferior to winning hearts. Once these two women are secured, killing Lu Chengwen will be as easy as killing a dog!"

Hua Xuening said gravely: "Young master, you've already complicated things too much. If this continues, I fear you might be beaten to death next time."

"Who dares to hit me... Ouch, it hurts..."

...

Iron Tuo King received a call from the strategist, smiling.

"Strategist, I've handled everything. The money has been transferred to the young master's company, and that guy who opposed the young master, I beat him to a pulp, made him look like a grandson."

The strategist was silent for a long time: "Come back immediately, right now, no delays."

"What's wrong? I can stay here and protect the young master secretly."

"No need, I don't want to argue with you. Just come back, immediately, right now."

"Has something happened?"

The strategist took a deep breath: "The man you beat, the one you broke over seventy bones in, is the young master."

Iron Tuo King's brain short-circuited.

"But... no, no, he's Lu Chengwen, the young master is Long Aotian!"

"The young master and Lu Chengwen switched faces, and you... just stop talking and come back. A day late, and I'll kill you."

Iron Tuo King hung up the phone and collapsed to the ground.

"This... how could this be? Did I mess up again!?"

"King Iron, we better hurry back, this is serious."

Iron Tuo King looked at him: "Can I even go back? I beat the young master to a pulp, if I go back won't the strategist skin me alive?"

Iron Tuo King, a tough and unyielding man, shed tears of humiliation.

"I... I really beat him to death!"

"Yes, yes, you even jumped up and kicked him."

"I... I was gritting my teeth, cursing while hitting him!"

"You even grabbed a weapon, smashed four stools."

"I broke his bones, didn't I?"

"Yes! You beat him until he passed out, even if he had skin of bronze and bones of iron, it would take a hundred days to recover."

"What should I do!? If this gets back to the branch, I'll be the ultimate, super, spiral idiot!"

"We don't need to care about those rumors."

"Go to hell!"

Iron Tuo King suddenly stood up, gritting his teeth: "Lu Chengwen! I must... no, Long Aotian! I must... no..."

He suddenly broke down: "Who should I curse? This whole thing has messed up my brain!"

...

Tang Yiyi, wearing a baseball cap, a loose denim jacket, denim shorts showing off her long legs, white and pink sneakers, skateboard in hand, backpack on, skated far, made a sharp turn, and stopped.

Seeing Lu Chengwen return to his villa, talking to Zhao Gang, she smiled smugly, picked up her camera, and snapped a few photos.

Putting on her sunglasses, she continued to sneak deeper into the villa area.

Reaching a spot, she inserted a recording device into her hair, tested the button camera on her chest.

Then, pulling up her hood, looking around to ensure no one was watching, she sneaked into Lu Chengwen's villa yard.

After lurking for a while, her phone vibrated, she quickly leaned against the wall, whispering: "Hello?"

"Yiyi, got the evidence?"

"Working on it."

"Good! Lu Chengwen, that scoundrel, must be involved with that batch of drugs, probably couldn't cover it up anymore, had to come out and put on a show. We must expose him, make him a universally condemned, eternally infamous villain."

"Got it!" Tang Yiyi said impatiently: "I need to work."

"Oh, and also, check out why he's leading the investment in the slum project, there must be a conspiracy. If we can find evidence of him swindling the people's hard-earned money, embezzling government project funds, or any other shady dealings, we can completely take down this corrupt businessman, bring clear skies back to Snow City!"

"Yes, yes, anything else?"

"And recently, someone photographed him getting close to Xu's eldest daughter, Xu Xuejiao. He's engaged to Leng Qingqiu, if he's also messing around with Xu Xuejiao, it's another angle for us to attack him!"

"Wait for my news."

Tang Yiyi suddenly saw Xu Xuejiao entering the villa yard, looking very happy.

"Got a lead, I'm on it."

Tang Yiyi pulled down her hat brim, fiercely saying: "Lu Chengwen! I, Tang Yiyi, the just, brave, smart, and beautiful journalist, am your nemesis!"

"Though you've left no evidence, I! Will expose your ugly, twisted, evil, and dark side to the world!"

"I, Tang Yiyi, swear!"

Lu Chengwen sneezed in the living room: "Damn it, who's cursing me behind my back!?"