At that moment, in the bustling villa community.
Inside the Chen Family villa.
It was time for the Chen Family to have dinner.
Old Madam Chen sat at the dining table and glanced around, noticing her most cherished second son was not there. Her brows, already slightly stern, furrowed sharply as she turned to the middle-aged man dressed in a black shirt sitting to her left and asked, "Where's Haowu? It's so late; why hasn't he returned yet?"
"Could he have been seduced by some vile temptress outside again? Lizhi, as Haowu's elder brother, can't you take better care of your younger brother?"
Chen Lizhi, who was sipping his soup, frowned, set down his soup spoon, and sighed, "Mom, you're too controlling over Haowu. He's not a child anymore; he's already twenty-five years old this year! Why would he need our concern?"
The mere thought of his troublesome younger brother gave him a headache.
Because he was born prematurely as a child and had a weaker constitution, he had been coddled by the elders in the family to this day, becoming nothing more than a wastrel who only knows how to eat, drink, and be merry, festering around with cats and dogs, and fond of playing with women.
He was nothing like a member of the Chen Family should be!
Chen Lizhi's face turned quite ugly as he looked at Old Madam Chen, "If you keep spoiling him like this, I'm afraid Haowu will bring disaster to the family sooner or later!"
Old Madam Chen's face became stern, her voice instantly rising, "Chen Lizhi! He is your brother! How can you say such things! Do you know how difficult it was for your brother to survive? Now that you've made it, you look down on him, right?"
Chen Lizhi's face darkened, and the beautiful woman sitting beside him sighed softly, patting the back of his hand gently to comfort him, speaking in a soft voice, "Mom, Lizhi didn't mean that. He's also worried about Haowu."
"Don't worry too much about him either. Haowu sent me a message earlier, saying that the Shen Family sent a young girl to him, so he won't be coming home for these next few days."
Why he wouldn't come home.
Those who knew Haowu's character were aware that whenever he had a new fancy, he'd be out and about for at least half a month.
Chen Lizhi frowned, then looked at his wife in confusion, "The Shen Family? When did the Shen Family send Haowu a girl?"
"It seems like it was today. Doesn't the Shen Family have a project that's lacking investment? Knowing Haowu likes female college students... the Shen Family heiress sent someone over to him." Fang Ranlan said helplessly, "You know I can't dissuade your younger brother."
"There you go!" Old Madam Chen slammed the table with a smack, a look of disgust on her face, "Haowu has indeed been lured by some coquettish whore."
"As his brother, you must tidy up this mess for Haowu and don't let him get entangled with unsavory characters."
For Old Madam Chen, it was a blessing for those young girls to be played with by Haowu.
She had no intention of stopping her son.
Instead, she was instructing Chen Lizhi to handle the aftermath and not get tangled up with others.
Chen Lizhi nodded, picked up a disposable alcohol wipe from the table to clean his hands, and said indifferently, "Don't worry. Not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can get into our Chen Family."
No sooner had he spoken than the tightly closed villa door was suddenly kicked open with a loud bang from the outside.
Before the Chen Family could react, Wu Fang and Liu Fang swaggered in with several bodyguards, their presence domineering.
Liu Fang cocked an eyebrow, "Yo, are you eating? Want me to add a dish for you?"
Fang Ranlan's face showed displeasure, and she pointed her finger—painted with red nail polish—at Wu Fang and Liu Fang, scolding, "Who let the dogs in, kicking my door in the middle of the night? Where are the bodyguards? Bring them here and throw these people out...!"
"Shut up!" Before she could finish speaking, Chen Lizhi shouted at her.
Fang Ranlan, startled by the shout, looked at him puzzled, "Husband?"
Chen Lizhi had no time to deal with her, as he stood up, squeezing out a smile on his face, and asked Wu Fang and Liu Fang, "So it's Fifth Master and Sixth Master. What brings you here...?"
Compared to Fang Ranlan, who only knew how to do her nails and have afternoon tea, completely oblivious to the dealings of the companies and their people.
Chen Lizhi recognized the faces of Wu Fang and Liu Fang and understood their standings.
They were aides to Fu Yanhe, the eldest son of the Fu Family, known as the business Asura.
There were originally four top families in Haicheng.
Namely, the Fu Family, the Qi Family, the Song Family, and the Xia Family.
The Fu Family is now the leading family in Haicheng, with the Qi Family coming in second.
The Song Family, once third, had gone bankrupt due to investment failures two years ago and had withdrawn from Haicheng's circle of power.
Now, only the Fu, Qi, and Xia Families remained.
The Chen Family, in comparison to these families, could at best be considered a third-tier power.
He dared not offend them.
Wu Fang's expression was impassive as he glanced at the Chen Family, "Bring the person up."
While the Chen Family stood bewildered, the bodyguards behind Wu Fang and Liu Fang dragged over a person limp as mud, leaving two long, dragged bloodstains on their path.
And they dropped the mud-like person with a thud right in front of the Chen Family.
Even though he was thrown down forcefully, Haowu lay still like a dead dog, without any sign of life.
The previously frowning and displeased old Mrs. Chen's eyes suddenly widened as she shrieked and lunged toward the person on the ground, "My son!"
"Haowu! Wake up! Don't scare your mother!"
Fang Ranlan also covered her mouth in shock, realizing that these men had ill intentions, and hid fearfully behind Chen Lizhi, "Husband..."
Chen Lizhi's expression darkened as he pointed at Chen Haowu and, filled with anger, demanded of Wu Fang and Liu Fang, "Military officers Wu and Liu! What is the meaning of this?"
With one hand on Wu Fang's shoulder, Liu Fang looked at Chen Lizhi with a smile and gestured with his mouth toward Chen Haowu, "You can't tell? Your brother offended someone from the Fu Family. Master Fu said since it's his first offense, he'll just take some interest."
"If he offends Master Fu again," Liu Fang's smile widened with palpable, venomous danger, "there will be no Chen Family in Haicheng anymore."
Chen Lizhi felt the threat in his words, and his body tensed sharply.
"Oh right." Liu Fang curled the corner of his mouth and held out his hand to Chen Lizhi, "Your brother frightened Master Fu, and he needs you to pay a compensation of ten million for emotional distress."
"Hand it over."
Ten million?" Chen Lizhi felt a wave of anger roiling inside of him, black as the bottom of a pot, and he instinctively wanted to refuse.
Although ten million wasn't a large sum for the Chen Family, he was nonetheless unwilling to give it away without reason.
However, before he could speak, Liu Fang, as if reading his thoughts, smiled and casually remarked, "By the way, isn't your Chen Family competing with the Xia Family for that piece of land in Jingzhou?"
The words Chen Lizhi was about to blurt out suddenly stuck in his throat.
Indeed, the Chen Family was competing with the Xia Family for the land in Jingzhou. If the Chen Family could secure it, the prospects for development would be much better.
In a few years, they could even become the fourth wealthiest family in Haicheng!
If they offended the Fu Family and they ended up supporting the Xia Family, then...
Suppressing the rage within, Chen Lizhi begrudgingly reached into his pocket, took out his wallet, and handed over a card to Liu Fang with a forced smile.
"Officer Liu, there is eleven million in this card."
"Ten million is for Master Fu's compensation for emotional distress, and the extra one million is additional nutritional support from me. I hope he won't hold a grudge against our Chen Family."
"I will also make sure to reprimand my brother so that he does not bother Master Fu's people again."
Liu Fang held the bank card between his fingers, "I'll convey the message to the young master."
Wu Fang looked indifferently at the Chen family members and then left with his people.
Only after they had gone, Chen Lizhi finally relaxed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Amidst the wails and howls of old Mrs. Chen, he dialed the emergency number for the hospital.
And sent Chen Haowu to the hospital.
It was at the hospital that they found out not only were Chen Haowu's hands and feet crippled, but several of his ribs were broken; he wouldn't be able to conduct himself as a person in the future.
Upon hearing the news, old Mrs. Chen immediately fainted.
As for Chen Lizhi, it was as if someone had viciously slapped him in the face; his complexion turned extremely unsightly.
The Fu Family had practically trampled their dignity underfoot!
And what was most important was that he still didn't understand who Chen Haowu had managed to offend within the Fu Family!
-
While the Chen Family was in turmoil, Wu Fang and Liu Fang had already left.
On the road, Liu Fang looked puzzled at the bank card in his hand, scratching his head and glancing at Wu Fang, "Officer Wu, I remember that the young master already has more money than he can spend, and when dealing with families like the Chen Family before, he always had people 'cool king break' directly."
"Why did he suddenly send me a message, telling me to demand compensation for emotional distress from the Chen Family?"
Wu Fang glanced at him indifferently, "Why do you care so much? Just do as the young master asks."
The fool.
Why would the young master claim emotional distress compensation if not for someone?
Obviously for the young mistress.
He had witnessed with his own eyes the young master, who usually shunned the company of women, holding the young mistress protectively in his arms!
What's a little compensation for emotional distress?
In the future, more surprising things are bound to happen that'll make their eyes pop out!
Thinking of this, Wu Fang silently resolved never to offend the young mistress in the future.
To treat her well, treat her even better.
After all, she is a golden leg!