Chapter 22:The Dragon's Visit

Sebastian's grip tightened on the gasoline canister. "Li Fujiang is here?"

Alistair's cane tapped a deliberate rhythm against the floor. "Patience. The rat in the walls can wait." His smile was a thin blade. "First, we welcome our... distinguished guest."

They abandoned the fuel drums with military precision. Two bodyguards took position outside Daniel's barricaded door as the Lockwoods descended the staircase—Alistair adjusting his tie, Yang smoothing invisible wrinkles from her qipao.

The grand foyer doors swung open.

Li Fujiang stood framed in the stormlight, flanked by twin bodyguards whose shoulder holsters strained against tailored suits. Zhou Shaoming hovered at his elbow like an anxious shadow.

Sebastian stepped forward, hand extended. "Mr. Li! What an honor—"

Li's gaze swept past him, scanning the empty hallway behind. The disappointment in his eyes crystallized into something colder.

Zhou scrambled to fill the silence. "Sir, may I present Sebastian Lockwood, CEO of Lockwood Holdings?"

A curt nod. "Inside."

Sebastian's outstretched hand hung suspended before dropping awkwardly. "Of—of course! Please, this way—"

Behind him, Alistair and Yang exchanged glances. Her pearl necklace caught the light as she swallowed hard.

The air in the parlor thickened like congealing blood.

Sebastian poured tea with practiced grace, the porcelain clinking unnaturally loud. "Mr. Li, we were so concerned when Zhou mentioned your car trouble—"

"Should've sent our driver," Alistair cut in smoothly.

Yang's laughter tinkled like broken glass. "My son barely slept last night, worrying after you—"

Li Fujiang's fingers tightened around his untouched cup. Zhou's endless praise of Sebastian during the drive now curdled in his memory. That poised young man at the hospital—Daniel—had carried himself with quiet dignity. But this...

These were the vipers Daniel called family?

He set the cup down with deliberate care. "Is your younger brother at home, Mr. Lockwood?"

A teacup slipped from Yang's grip.

Sebastian's smile froze. "You mean... Daniel?" The name dripped like a foul taste from his tongue.

Alistair's cane tapped a staccato rhythm. "There must be some confusion. Daniel's... unaccomplished. Any business matters should—"

"Unaccomplished?" Li's voice dropped to a whisper. The temperature in the room seemed to plummet.

Yang leaned forward, pearls swinging. "The boy's a disgrace! Barely fit to—"

Crack.

Li's palm met the table. Tea splashed across the mahogany like a bloodstain.

"You think," he said very softly, "I crossed provincial lines to discuss real estate with you?"

The silence that followed was absolute.

Alistair's throat worked. "Then... why...?"

Li rose, his shadow swallowing the trembling Lockwoods whole.

"I came," he said, "to see Dr. Daniel Lockwood."

Three faces drained of color.

Somewhere above them, a barricaded door creaked open.

Alistair hesitated before speaking: "Mr. Li, the thing is, Daniel isn't home these days. How about when he returns in a couple days, I'll have him visit you personally?"

"Not home?"

Li Fujiang's expression darkened with disappointment. He sighed: "When Mr. Lockwood returns, please have him contact me immediately. Here's my card."

After leaving his business card, Li departed with Zhou Shaoming and his entourage.

"Hah..."

Once Li was gone, Sebastian and his parents collapsed weakly onto the sofa.

Sebastian's face was pale, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead:

"Father, how does that worthless Daniel know Li Fujiang? What do we do now? If Daniel uses Li against us..."

Fear crept into Sebastian's voice.

Though he still couldn't accept that Daniel had connections to someone like Li, the evidence was undeniable. There was no question about Li's power in Longjiang Province - crushing their family would be effortless.

"Father, mother, what should we do?"

"Li Fujiang came looking for him personally. If we make Daniel disappear now and Li comes demanding answers..."

Sebastian was panicking now.

He had no idea just how deep the connection between Li Fujiang and Daniel ran.

Alistair sighed deeply. "We can't touch that bastard today."

Sebastian grew anxious. "Just let him go? He'll definitely come after us!"

"Then we'll talk to him," Alistair said after some thought. "Our only option now is to make peace."

"What if he refuses?" Sebastian knew Daniel too well - stubborn, vindictive, and never one to back down from a grudge.

A cold glint flashed in Alistair's eyes. "If he won't reconcile... tonight he burns with this house." A last resort, but an option nonetheless.

They ascended to the second floor where Daniel had barricaded himself inside his room. The sound of a chair smashing against the window's security bars echoed through the door.

"Daniel," Alistair called out, his tone suddenly amicable. "We were just trying to scare you earlier. If you don't want to sign, we respect your decision."

"Scare me?" Daniel's bitter laugh carried through the door. "Dousing my room in gasoline is just a scare tactic now?"

After an awkward silence, Yang chimed in with forced sweetness. "Your father and brother acted rashly, but we're family. We'd never actually hurt you."

Sebastian added his apology. "We overreacted, Daniel. I'm sorry."

Daniel's brow furrowed. Their sudden change in attitude could only mean one thing - Li Fujiang must have come by. Though uncertain, he knew pushing them further might indeed lead to arson. Between certain death and potential danger, he chose the latter.

With a deep breath, Daniel moved the barricade and opened the door.

"It was all a misunderstanding," Alistair said smoothly. "We're family after all." Daniel responded with a noncommittal hum.

Casually, Alistair probed, "By the way, Li Fujiang came by looking for you earlier. How do you know him?"

Daniel's lips curled into an enigmatic smile. "What do you think our relationship is?"

"If we knew, we wouldn't be asking," Alistair retorted, frowning.

Daniel remained silent, unwilling to reveal his hand. After a tense standoff, Alistair relented. "Rest for now. Li left his number - call him when you can. And... don't mention you were home tonight."

Retrieving his phone, Daniel quickly left the estate. The moment his phone powered on, dozens of missed calls from the same number appeared. Before he could dial back, the phone rang again.

"Mr. Xu Tian?" Li Fujiang's voice burst through the receiver.

"Mr. Li," Daniel confirmed.

"You remember me! Thank heavens!" Li's voice trembled with relief. "About my son's condition—"

"Still want to save him?" Daniel cut straight to the point.

"More than anything!"

"Then don't ask questions. Meet me at Cuiju Teahouse."

When Daniel arrived at the private tea room, Li practically bowled over himself with gratitude. "Mr. Xu, at the hospital I was blind to your wisdom! Please forgive me!"

"Water under the bridge," Daniel said calmly. "About your son's poisoning..."

Li leaned forward intently. "However you knew, please tell me how to cure him!"

"The antidote exists, but the ingredients are rare," Daniel cautioned.

"Name them! I'll move mountains if needed!" Li's hands shook with anticipation as Daniel produced a pre-written prescription.

"Follow this formula three times daily. In seven days, the poison should be neutralized."

Li clutched the paper like a sacred text. "How can I ever repay you?"

"Your gratitude is enough," Daniel said, though Li had other ideas. Moments after rushing out to save his son, Li's bodyguard returned with a briefcase containing exactly one million yuan in cash.

As the tea room emptied, Daniel made one final call. "Attorney Wu, I'll sign... but only after seeing Charlotte Xiao."

At Vanderbilt Industries' Jiang City headquarters, Charlotte was buried under paperwork when her secretary announced, "Assistant Chen, a Mr. Xu Tian is here to see you."

Without looking up from the mountain of documents - all pertaining to Elena's asset transfers - Charlotte slid a contract across the desk. "Sign here, and everything becomes yours."

"Before I sign," Daniel said firmly, "I need to see Elena. Where is she?"