Just then, a young man dressed in black, with a cropped haircut, walked leisurely towards them from a distance, his face stern and resolute, with sharp cheekbones and bright, piercing eyes that shone like stars. His well-built frame exuded an extraordinary aura, resembling a sheathed sword that, once drawn, was bound to reveal its sharp edge!
"Madam, the Young Master has returned!"
The maid, seeing the young man, wore a delighted expression and hurriedly spoke to Situ Yan.
Situ Yan, her expression morphing into one of shock, swiftly turned around and saw the young man appear in the pavilion, her face immediately lighting up with intense excitement.
"Yi Yun, you’ve returned!"
Situ Yan couldn’t help but exclaim at the sight of the young man, her face brimming with excitement and joy.
The young man curled his lips into a slight smile and stepped forward to embrace Situ Yan.
And this young man was none other than Xiao Yiyun, the current eldest son of the Xiao Family, a figure akin to a Crown Prince among the younger generation of Yanjing.
"Yi Yun, what brings you back so suddenly?"
After hugging for a moment and letting go, Situ Yan gazed into Xiao Yiyun’s eyes, a look of bewilderment in her own.
"Has that boy returned?"
Xiao Yiyun’s eyes flickered as he spoke.
Situ Yan’s face shifted subtly, her eyes firmly on Xiao Yiyun: "You know about him?"
"In the elite competition in Japan, a member of my White Dragon Squad participated. He told me—Xiao Yifeng, my uncle’s son, has appeared. He also joined the competition and came in first place," Xiao Yiyun spoke indifferently.
"Indeed, he has reappeared, and he’s been staying in Tianhai. Rumor has it he’s engaged to the female CEO of a local company. I had not planned to tell you; I didn’t want to distract you, but it seems you’ve come to know anyway."
"Mom, rest assured, a mere outcast driven from the Xiao Family door, even if he has undergone some changes and gained some strength, is still nothing more than a jumping clown before me. I could crush him anytime I want. You needn’t worry too much," Xiao Yiyun said, a confident smile playing on his lips.
"Yi Yun, what you don’t realize is that the boy is not as he once was. Even Yanluo of the Dragon Soul met his end at his hands. Members of the Hidden Assassin Organization from the Martial Arts World couldn’t deal with him either. His strength is certainly not to be underestimated,"
"What is most important is that your grandfather has returned to the Xiao Family and has taken a significant interest in that boy. Along with the support of your third uncle standing by the boy’s side, if both back him..."
"This Xiao Yifeng might just step into the Xiao Family again, become a member of the Xiao Clan once more, and then it’s not certain whether he may eventually contest with you for the position of Head of the Xiao Family. Therefore, we must prepare in advance to nip this potential threat in the bud," Situ Yan said with a grave tone.
"Mom, even if he could step into the Xiao Family, so what? The future Head of the Xiao Family can only be me, Xiao Yiyun. Don’t forget who stands behind me. With my master’s support, no one could possibly compete with me,"
"Moreover, my master has been in seclusion lately, and it’s likely that before long, he will ascend to the Celestial Beings Realm. Who then in Yanjing could possibly contend with me?" Xiao Yiyun said with an air of unchallengeable dominance, his eyes brimming with soaring ambition.
"Good! That’s my son, Situ Yan! You must have this spirit. No matter how exceptional that castaway may be, he is ultimately no match for you, with the entire Situ Family Clan and your master behind you. He is simply incomparable to you," Situ Yan voiced firmly.
"Hmm, mom, don’t worry, I won’t disappoint you. I actually hope that boy does step into the Xiao Family someday. When that happens, I’ll make him realize that no matter how much time has passed or what serendipity he’s experienced, he’ll still be nothing more than an ant that I can squash underfoot at my leisure," Xiao Yiyun said, his lips twisting into a cruel smile.
"That’s right. I once drove him out of the Xiao Family like a castoff, and I can do it again today."
Situ Yan laughed coldly.
In the office of Situ Qian at Beautiful Daisy Corporation.
Situ Qian stood before the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, dressed in a black business suit that outlined her perfect figure, holding a cup of Blue Mountain coffee as she quietly observed the scene outside.
At this moment, a man in a suit quickly approached and stood behind Situ Qian, bowing as he said, "Chairman, we have discovered some information."
Situ Qian took a sip of coffee and said in a cold tone.
"According to our investigation, Ye Corporation has a huge amount of funds leaving every so often, allegedly for a project research.
"However, apart from Ye Yaxin, no one else in the Ye Family is aware of the specific nature of this project. After careful investigation, we found that this money ultimately went into a private and secret account of Tianhai University’s Principal Lu Xueqing."
"Tianhai University? Lu Xueqing?"
Situ Qian’s eyes flickered with a peculiar light.
"A year ago, Lu Xueqing gathered a group of modern energy research professors and experts from Tianhai University to secretly embark on an energy project, which may be related to the capital flow of Ye Corporation."
The man explained one by one.
"Energy research? Find out immediately what exactly they are researching!"
Situ Qian ordered in a stern voice, and the man nodded, then turned and left the office.
"Ye Yaxin, I want to see just how capable you really are."
Situ Qian’s gaze narrowed slightly, a cold light flickering within.
Meanwhile, in Tianhai, Xiao Yifeng had just parked his car in the parking lot of Ye Corporation. Another car stopped beside him, driven by Lu Xueqing herself.
"What are you doing here?"
Xiao Yifeng asked as he looked at Lu Xueqing.
"What, is this place owned by your family? Can’t I come here?"
Lu Xueqing replied irritably, giving Xiao Yifeng a disdainful glance.
"This is my wife’s company, so naturally, it’s mine too."
Xiao Yifeng said with a light laugh.
"Tch, you’re not even Ye Yaxin’s boyfriend yet."
Lu Xueqing snorted and walked straight ahead.
Xiao Yifeng followed behind her towards the Ye Corporation.
Both entered the elevator together, but it had only been running for a few seconds when it suddenly shook violently, and the lights inside began to flicker erratically.
This sudden change startled Lu Xueqing, especially when the elevator shook violently, nearly causing her to fall to the ground. Fortunately, Xiao Yifeng caught her in time.
Finally, the lights in the elevator went out completely, plunging the interior into pitch darkness, like a haunted house.
The change frightened Lu Xueqing so much that she subconsciously clung tightly to Xiao Yifeng.
"What... what’s going on?"
Lu Xueqing’s voice trembled in the pitch-black elevator as she clutched Xiao Yifeng’s waist tightly, seeking security.