The morning sun cast a warm glow into Li Chen's training room as he continued his grueling regimen. He felt an energy surging within him, something he couldn't quite control. Frustrated, he decided to halt his efforts and postponed mastering this newfound power for another time.
However, his mood brightened when he received a parcel he had been expecting from Shang Xiang. With eager anticipation, he unboxed it and found a check for 20 million yuan tucked inside. The sight filled him with joy, and he immediately dialed Shang Xiang's number.
"Hello, Li Chen. Have you received the parcel?" Shang Xiang's voice crackled over the phone.
"Yes, I just opened it. There's a check in here, Shang Xiang, for 20 million yuan!" Li Chen exclaimed, his excitement palpable.
Shang Xiang's response was filled with encouragement. "Indeed, Old Madam Gu has shown her faith in you. Now, you must prove yourself."
With a newfound determination and 20 million yuan at his disposal, Li Chen dressed up and embarked on the next step of his journey. He headed to the local government office to register his very own company, deciding on the name 'Mega Diversity Group' to mark the beginning of his entrepreneurial path. He meticulously filled out the necessary paperwork and went through all the legal procedures.
The next stop was the bank, where he intended to cash the substantial check and open a business account. As he entered the bank, his attention was immediately drawn to a familiar face – Hu Yunxuan, accompanied by her boyfriend, Jiang Xiaofeng.
Hu Yunxuan, with a hint of condescension, couldn't resist taking a dig at Li Chen. "What were you doing there, you don't have any money to be at the bank" Her words oozed with mockery.
Li Chen chose to ignore her provocations, simply casting her an indifferent glance. His reaction only infuriated her further. Jiang Xiaofeng, too, couldn't contain his disdain for Li Chen.
"You're an embarrassment to other men," Jiang Xiaofeng declared. "You don't deserve to be called a man."
Without missing a beat, Li Chen turned away from them and approached a bank consultant, determined to focus on his mission. With the consultant's assistance, the check was successfully cashed, and he deposited the entire 20 million yuan into his newly opened business account.
As he left the bank, fate had a twist in store. Hu Yunxuan and Jiang Xiaofeng were still outside, and Hu Yunxuan couldn't resist another jab. "What were you doing there, withdrawing more money from the Gu family?"
Li Chen surveyed her coldly and continued walking, his footsteps resolute. Infuriated, Jiang Xiaofeng grasped Li Chen's arm and snarled, "My girlfriend is talking to you! How dare you ignore her?"
Li Chen's cold expression intensified as he addressed Jiang Xiaofeng. "Remove your hand," he said in a voice that brooked no argument.
Jiang Xiaofeng felt humiliated in front of his girlfriend, but pride refused to let him back down. He retaliated, "How dare you dirty my expensive suit with your hands! This suit, you can never afford, no matter how hard you work."
Hu Yunxuan added fuel to the fire, taunting Li Chen, "Baby, he will never work hard. He'll find another rich family to leech on."
Li Chen's patience was waning as he glanced at the bickering couple. "Are you done? Because I have better things to do than look at your faces."
Jiang Xiaofeng, desperate to prove his masculinity, raised his hand as if to strike Li Chen. But in the blink of an eye, Li Chen moved with lightning speed, avoiding the intended blow. Before Jiang Xiaofeng even realized what had happened, Li Chen was inches from his face.
With a swift, well-aimed slap, Li Chen struck Jiang Xiaofeng. The slap echoed through the air, and Jiang Xiaofeng tumbled to the ground with a thud. Li Chen coldly declared, "That's how you slap someone."
Leaving Hu Yunxuan and Jiang Xiaofeng fuming in anger, Li Chen walked away, his determination unshaken.
Hu Yunxuan and Jiang Xiaofeng stood in the bank, their faces red with anger and humiliation. Jiang Xiaofeng clenched his teeth, seething with rage, while Hu Yunxuan fumed alongside him.
Jiang Xiaofeng muttered, "He will pay for this humiliation."
Hu Yunxuan nodded, her eyes burning with indignation. "Yes, my love, make sure he pays dearly for crossing us. He needs to learn that he touched the wrong people."
Jiang Xiaofeng's voice grew cold as he hissed, "This guy has no idea what the Jiang family is capable of. I'll show him. I'll make an example out of him."
The couple exchanged a sinister smile, sharing a malicious intent that would spell trouble for Li Chen. Their anger and determination were palpable, and they vowed to make him regret the confrontation in the bank.
Jiang Xiaofeng, seething with anger after the humiliating confrontation with Li Chen, wasted no time. He pulled out his phone and dialed his father's number. The call was swiftly answered, and the voice of his father, Jiang Rong, boomed on the other end.
"Who dares to touch my son?" Jiang Rong's voice was laced with an icy threat.
Jiang Xiaofeng, his voice filled with resentment, replied, "Some arrogant bastard, Dad. He just slapped me, in public."
Jiang Rong's face darkened with fury. "Where is he now?"
Jiang Xiaofeng sneered, his mind already brewing a sinister plan. "I want to teach him a lesson he'll never forget, Dad. Don't you worry, I'll handle this."
Jiang Rong chuckled coldly. "Very well, my son. Do what you must. Make sure he ends up in the hospital for months. I'll provide you with the resources you need."
Jiang Xiaofeng hung up the call with a malicious grin. He knew exactly what needed to be done to avenge his wounded pride.
---
The Jiang family, one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the region, stood as a formidable rival to the Gu family. While they boasted an immense fortune and extensive business holdings, they were shrouded in secrecy, their wealth amassed through numerous shadowy dealings, making them a force to be reckoned with.
Jiang Xiaofeng, the young heir to this vast empire, was the epitome of a spoilt brat. Born into immense wealth and privilege, he had grown up with a sense of entitlement. His every whim was catered to, and his tantrums were met with immediate appeasement. This had only inflated his already colossal ego.
Jiang Rong, his father, was a ruthless and selfish man who had clawed his way to the top with unscrupulous methods. He held little regard for ethics or morality, and anyone who dared to challenge his family would face his wrath. Over the years, he had made sure that anyone who dared to cross his children had their lives destroyed or ended up crippled.
His brutal influence extended throughout the region, and his connections in both legal and illegal circles ensured that he remained untouchable. Even the most prominent figures hesitated to confront the Jiang family, knowing the dire consequences it could entail.
In the shadows of this influential dynasty, schemes, and machinations were the order of the day. In the world where they held sway, power was not measured in currency alone but also by the number of individuals who had disappeared, or worse, at their command. Those who knew the Jiang family's dark secrets dared not speak of them.
As the night fell over the sprawling city of Shanghai, Li Chen was holed up in his room. The dim glow of his computer screen lit his focused expression as he diligently analyzed the financial markets.
Unbeknownst to Li Chen, across the city, Jiang Xiaofeng, adorned in opulent attire and fueled by a simmering grudge, was convening a clandestine meeting. He had assembled a group of ruthless men.
Jiang Xiaofeng's resentment had been festering since the public humiliation he had suffered at Li Chen's hands. Consumed by arrogance and entitlement, he had sought to teach Li Chen a lesson. The slap he had received was a stain on his pride, and he was determined to wash it away with the blood of his adversary.
The men he had gathered were no ordinary goons. They were a faction of mercenaries skilled in the art of violence, prepared to execute Jiang Xiaofeng's vengeful plan. The night was pregnant with the weight of their impending confrontation.
In his humble abode, Li Chen continued to scrutinize the intricate dance of the financial world, oblivious to the storm that was brewing. He had no inkling of Jiang Xiaofeng's vindictive machinations and the impending threat that was closing in on him.
As the minutes ticked by, the two men's fates were hurtling toward a violent collision, and neither knew the extent of the other's determination. In the heart of the city, where glimmers of power and retribution blended in the neon-lit shadows, the stage was set for a clandestine battle that would decide their destinies.
Jiang Xiaofeng watched his hired mercenaries disperse, a wicked smile curling on his lips. His malevolent plan was set in motion, fueled by a deep-seated animosity that had festered for years. His intense grudge against Li Chen had roots both old and new, intertwining to form a complex tapestry of malice.
His disdain for Li Chen had never been a secret. It had simmered beneath the surface for years, hidden behind the facade of a wealthy, arrogant playboy. In part, his hatred stemmed from the public humiliation he had endured when Li Chen slapped him, an affront to his pride that he could not let stand unanswered.
Yet, there was more to Jiang Xiaofeng's bitterness. He had once harbored a secret affection for Gu Liang, Li Chen's now-ex-wife. When she had married Li Chen it had felt like a wound to his ego. To see her married to a man he considered a "nobody" had been a blow to his self-importance, further stoking the flames of his hatred.
Now, as he plotted his revenge, Jiang Xiaofeng saw an opportunity to settle both old and new scores. This twisted mission was driven by jealousy, vanity, and an insatiable need to reassert his dominance over Li Chen.
Jiang Xiaofeng's wicked smile broadened as he envisioned the impending suffering he was about to unleash on his nemesis. His grudge was no ordinary vendetta, but a toxic mix of wounded ego, envy, and spite. And with each passing moment, his hatred for Li Chen only grew stronger, pushing him to pursue vengeance at any cost.