Chapter 1 It’s Hard to Get Going Without Money

• “Young Master, ten years has passed. It’s time to let go of your past grudges,”
• “It will be the Master’s fiftieth birthday next month. It’s been more than ten years since you’ve met him and he really wants to see you again. Besides, he also mentioned that he will announce the news to everyone that you will be back to inherit his place in the family.”
• At the entrance of Hong Wu Street, Lu Chen was holding a box of desserts that he had bought for his daughter, Qiqi. His gaze swept over the elderly man dressed in a silk Tang suit as he chuckled coldly.
• “Return?” Lu Chen snorted, his gaze distant.
• “From the day that he allowed that harlot, Xiao Bieqing, to hurt my mother, I’ve severed my ties with him. However, it is still possible for me to return, under the condition that he has to severe Xiao Bieqing’s head and hand it over to me!”
• The elderly man and his bodyguards beside him gave each other a look.
• “If it’s not possible, then move,” Lu Chen grunted.
• The elderly man instinctively moved aside as Lu Chen strode forward. His silhouette looked strong and intimidating, seemingly undefeatable.
• Lu Chen was outraged. He was full of hatred.
• Ten years back, his mother was rammed to death by a car.
• Although the report of the investigation concluded that it was the fault of the driver who drove under the influence of alcohol, deep down, everyone knew that it was planned by Xiao Bieqing to gain power.
• When Lu Chen went to confront his dad for an explanation, all his father gave him was a slap in the face and berated him for being ungrateful.
• Disappointed by his father’s actions, he left Beijing to study in Chongqing on his own. Then, he got into a relationship, married and had children. Basically, he carried on with his life, living like any other ordinary human.
• However, after he married his wife, he wasn’t well-accepted by his wife’s family. In fact, both him and his wife, Lin Yijun, were forced out of their house, with both of them barely surviving on their meagre wages, but he wasn’t complaining. With a beautiful wife and a cute, thoughtful daughter, he was grateful with what he had.
• As for going back to his family?
• That would be a nightmare.
• Suddenly, Lu Chen’s phone rang.
• Right after he answered the call, his wife, Lin Yijun’s exasperated voice rang from the other end of the call, “Lu Chen, where the hell did you go? Qiqi’s illness is acting up again. Don’t you know how serious it is? Didn’t I ask you to look after her at the hospital? How could you leave her alone and go out on your own?”
• Lu Chen felt as if he was struck by lightning.
• He snapped back from his trance and tightened his grip on his phone. He replied hoarsely, “I’m going back immediately.”
• Lu Chen was anxious. With no time to spare, he immediately hailed a cab and headed to the hospital.
• Although he was in a panic, he still held tightly onto the box of desserts that was packaged exquisitely. It was Qiqi’s favourite food; she had been bugging him for days to buy them for her, so he couldn’t possibly let her down.
• At the entrance of the ward, before Lu Chen could even catch his breath, a gorgeous woman bolted over and gave him a slap in the face.
• His wife, Lin Yijun, was a one-of-a-kind beauty with a 168cm build, gorgeous figure, and delicate features.
• Although their daughter was already three years old, Lu Chen’s wife still retained her beauty as if she was still twenty years old. Not only was she still in shape, her maturity also gave her a lingering charm.
• It was just that Lin Yijun was furious right now.
• “Lu Chen! I’m really disappointed in you!”
• Lu Chen lowered his head guiltily, “How’s Qiqi?”
• “I can’t believe that you still have the guts to ask about Qiqi’s condition! If it weren’t for you, Qiqi’s illness wouldn’t have acted up for a few minutes before she was found by the doctors and sent to the emergency room! If her illness was delayed for even a minute longer, she could have lost her life!” Lin Yijun pointed in Lu Chen’s face and spat. “It was by luck that Qiqi’s condition has stabilised. If not, I would never forgive you!”
• Being told that their daughter’s condition had stabilised made Lu Chen finally feel as if some weight was lifted off his shoulders.
• Qiqi was his precious daughter; of course he wanted her to be happy and healthy more than anyone else!
• If it was possible, he wouldn’t mind sacrificing his own life to exchange for her health!
• Right then, two women appeared from behind Lin Yijun.
• Lu Chen obviously recognised them. They were his mother-in-law, Wang Xue, and his sister-in-law, Lin Yijia.
• Wang Xue cursed when she saw Lu Chen, “You good-for-nothing trouble-maker! At least a dog looks after its master’s house, while you just leech off my daughter! Great, now look what you've done? You useless trash, you can’t even look after your own daughter! My daughter had so many admirers. They could line up and fill an entire street! Not only that, almost all of them were successful entrepreneurs or pillars of society! I really don’t know what curse you’ve bespelled on my daughter for her to be blinded and agree to get married to you!”
• Then, Wang Xue turned around to face Lin Yijun and advised, “Listen to me, just get a divorce. Stop ruining your life by wasting your time with this loser anymore.”
• “Yeah, Yijun,” Lin Yijia chided in as she rolled her eyes toward Lu Chen. “Qiqi’s medical fees are literally an extortion on all of your personal savings! Has he ever contributed anything to help you out? This kind of man doesn't even deserve to be called one! I heard that your superior, Fan Ming, is interested in you, right? You should just be with him instead!”
• Normally, Lin Yijun would have retorted right away when she heard her mother and sister criticising her husband.
• However, she remained silent today.
• She was too disappointed in Lu Chen!
• She’d tolerated him when he chose to work as a security guard, but how could he go out to loiter around when his daughter was seriously ill?
• Had he lost all his sense of responsibility and heart?!
• Right at the moment, a nurse walked over.
• She scanned Lu Chen and the others before informing them, “Family members of the patient, you already owe the hospital a total of 100,000 in medical fees. If you can’t pay and add on another 200,000 as a deposit today, the hospital will stop providing medication for the patient.”
• Lu Chen nodded and answered before Lin Yijun could say anything, “We will pay up by today.”
• When he said this, he took a glance at his unconscious daughter’s ghostly pale face. His heart ached so much at the sight of his daughter.
• “Be quick. If we don’t receive the payment by noon, her medications will be taken off.” the nurse chuckled coldly as she looked at Lu Chen disdainfully.
• After the nurse left, Wang Xue's voice rose as she reprimanded, “You useless thing! How could you make the promise that you could pay up by today? Do you want my daughter to go around and beg for money? How shameless can you be?!”
• An idea crossed Lin Yijia’s mind in a blink of an eye. She told Lin Yijun, “Yijun, when we were on the way, I also gave your supervisor, Fan Ming, a call. I’m sure he’s on his way here now. With him here, we don’t have to worry about Qiqi’s medical fees!”
• Right when Lin Yijun wanted to lecture Lin Yijia for her immaturity, she heard footsteps coming from her back.
• The man that came was Fan Ming. Around thirty years of age, the way he was dressed made him look like a successful man. He was the director of Dong Jia Group’s sales department, also Lin Yijun’s supervisor.
• As for why Lu Chen was so sure about this was no doubt because he also worked for Dong Jia Group.
• It was just that Fan Ming was a director—one of the higher-ups—while he only worked as a security guard that guarded the entrance of the enterprise.
• Lu Chen frowned when he saw Fan Ming.
• Fan Ming ignored Lu Chen and greeted Wang Xue and Lin Yijia. His gaze turned gentle when he looked at Lin Yijun and consoled, “Yijun, Yijia had already told me what happened. My heart aches when I see Qiqi, such a lovely child, being tortured by her illness. Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”
• Lin Yijun mumbled, “I’m sorry, Director. This is my personal matter, so you don’t have to worry about me.”
• “Don’t be like that. You’re my best subordinate and frankly, I think you’re the most suitable person to befriend personally. So, obviously, your problems are mine as well!” Fan Ming ‘lectured’. “I also heard from Yijia that you still need to pay for the medical fees. How much is it?”
• “300,000!” Lin Yijia butted in.
• Fan Ming delightfully smiled and told Lin Yijun, “Yijun, let me help you to pay it first. Just take it as if I lent you the money. It’s no big deal anyway.”
• Fan Ming gave Lu Chen a side eye, his gaze hostile and full of disdain.
• To him, Lu Chen was just some security guard at the company. How could he deserve someone as gorgeous as Lin Yijun.
• That was right, he had been interested in Lin Yijun for a long time.
• Lin Yijun was one of the most beautiful women in the company. How was it possible for the men in the company to not lust over her? For them to not fantasize about her?
• Of course, Lin Yijun knew what Fan Ming’s intention was.
• She really wanted to reject him. However, looking at her daughter in the ward, she didn’t have the courage to do so.
• Lu Chen saw the heated gaze Fan Ming gave his wife. He clenched his fists and grunted, “We don’t need the 300,000 from you. I will come up with something.”
• However, Lin Yijun by the side was enraged. Her eyes were bloodshot as she yelled at him, “Lu Chen, this is our daughter's life! Even if you don't appreciate her life, I do! We don’t have any money left anymore. Now that Director Fan has offered to lend me 300,000, why would you refuse his offer? Tell me, why?!”
• Lu Chen clenched his fists even harder, his fingernails digging into his hands.
• However, he couldn’t feel the pain.
• Right then, the only thing he could feel was a strong sense of helplessness!
• Fan Ming looked at Lin Yijun and Lu Chen with a mocking gaze. Suddenly, a thought came over him and he spoke up, “Yijun, if you guys really don’t need my help, I will be leaving then.”
• “Director Fan…” Lin Yijun called out softly.
• Fan Ming smiled at her and left the room. He was sure that Lu Chen and Lin Yijun couldn’t possibly have 300,000 with them. He looked confident, as if he had already defeated Lu Chen.
• After Fan Ming left, he grinned wickedly when he found the nurse that was responsible for inserting the daily IV drips for Qiqi.
• He bribed the nurse with 1000 and whispered, “Lu Qiqi’s parents have no money left. You can go urge them to settle the discharge procedures later on.”
• Looking at the money he gave, the nurse smiled delightfully and nodded.