Chapter 19: Coaxing the Little Girl

“You’re awake!” Chen Yang, wearing an apron, stepped into the room. “You must be hungry. Wash your face and breakfast will be ready!” This, he hoped, would leave Lin Wanwan with a positive impression of him as a considerate older brother next door. After all, soul manipulation could damage the spirit, and unless absolutely necessary, Chen Yang preferred not to use it on Lin Wanwan.

Her gaze remained lost and bewildered. For a moment, she even wondered if she was dreaming. But reality was harsh: her mother had truly left her.

Even though her stomach was rumbling, Lin Wanwan didn’t touch her chopsticks. She looked at Chen Yang with innocent eyes. “Big brother, can you take me to find my mom?”

Chen Yang’s silence was his refusal. Was he joking? He’d gone through so much to bring her here—how could he possibly let her go? If not for his reluctance to waste such a treasure, he wouldn’t have been so courteous; he would’ve stripped her bare already.

Chen Yang knew winning Lin Wanwan’s acceptance would take time. After all, you can’t eat hot tofu in a hurry.

The next day, at nine in the morning, it was Saturday—Lin Wanwan didn’t have school. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Chen Yang decided to spend time out with her, hoping to nurture their relationship.

Lin Wanwan was in no mood, even contemplating escape. Soon, the two arrived at a luxurious shopping mall, where the prices were steep. In the past, Lin Wanwan could never have afforded anything here. But as a young girl, she forgot her worries when she saw something she liked.

Chen Yang smiled gently. “Whatever you like, just buy it. Don’t worry about my money.”

There was a white dress that caught Lin Wanwan’s eye, priced at thirty-two thousand. Something so expensive—she wouldn’t have dared dream of it before.

Chen Yang instantly noticed her fondness for the dress. He went to the sales assistant. “I’ll take that one. Please wrap it up.”

He pulled out a black card. The saleswoman took it, half doubtful, but when she saw the balance, her jaw nearly dropped. So many zeros—it almost dazzled her. Her earlier disdain vanished, replaced by a fawning smile. “Of course, sir. Please wait a moment.”

Because of this small gesture, Lin Wanwan’s feelings toward Chen Yang improved slightly. This was exactly the effect he wanted.

After buying the dress, they played claw machines, threw darts at balloons, and sampled various snacks. Lin Wanwan was having a wonderful time.

Just then, two familiar faces caught Chen Yang’s attention: Shen Yanran and Su Tang. The two girls also noticed Chen Yang.

Su Tang spoke first. “Isn’t that Strong Brother?”

She pulled Shen Yanran over toward Chen Yang. “Hey, Strong Brother, what a coincidence!” she greeted with a smile.

Shen Yanran’s face was poker-straight; she was still sore about what happened last time at the Royal Karaoke.

Chen Yang sighed inwardly. Yunzhou was too small—how could he run into them everywhere?

“Brother Chen Yang, look, I won a prize from the claw machine!” Lin Wanwan ran over, beaming, hugging a teddy bear.

Chen Yang... Brother?

Su Tang and Shen Yanran froze; they hadn’t expected Chen Yang to have a little sister—and such a cute one at that.

Lin Wanwan noticed Su Tang and Shen Yanran. “Brother Chen Yang, who are these two young ladies?” she asked.

“Oh, they’re just acquaintances,” Chen Yang replied casually.

That comment nearly made Su Tang explode with anger. She pouted. “What do you mean, just acquaintances? Strong Brother, you’re too much!”

“Don’t be upset, big sister. Brother Chen Yang didn’t mean it,” Lin Wanwan said, approaching Su Tang.

Immediately, Su Tang was utterly charmed; her eyes sparkled. “Little sister, you’re adorable. Are you Strong Brother’s sister? What’s your name?”

“My name is Lin Wanwan,” she replied with a smile. “I’m not really Brother Chen Yang’s...”

Before she could finish, Chen Yang interrupted. “No need to say more. You’re hungry, aren’t you? Let’s get something to eat.”

There were certain things Chen Yang didn’t want too many people to know, lest complications arise.

He took Lin Wanwan’s hand and prepared to leave, but Su Tang blocked his way. “Strong Brother, you still haven’t settled the score from last time with Yanran. Now you’re leaving without a word? That’s not right!”

Su Tang continued, “How about this: we’re hungry too. You treat us to lunch, and we’ll call it even. How’s that?”

“Come on, Tang, let’s just leave,” Shen Yanran whispered.

Su Tang pouted. “Leave? Why? Free lunch—we’d be fools not to eat!”

With that, she dragged Shen Yanran and Lin Wanwan into a high-end restaurant.

Chen Yang was helpless. He’d never met someone so shameless. If he didn’t have some fondness for Su Tang, he wouldn’t be so polite.

In the upscale restaurant, the four of them sat together—one man and three women. Their table soon caught the attention of another group nearby: four men.

“Look, Chu, there are some beauties over there!” a skinny man pointed at Chen Yang’s table, grinning lewdly.

The man called Chu was Chu Jian, a direct descendant of the Chu family in Yunzhou. He was of the same generation as Chu Feng but far less influential.

Chu Jian was infamous in the area for his debauchery. Any woman he fancied rarely met a good end.

From the moment Chen Yang and his companions entered, Chu Jian’s eyes were fixed on the three beauties beside him, especially Lin Wanwan, who excited him.

Chu Jian gave a sinister smile. “You guys, go check them out. If they’re sensible, don’t use force—don’t scare the little beauty. If not, you know what to do. There’ll be rewards for you when it’s done.”

“Don’t worry, Chu, we’ve got this!” The three henchmen grinned wickedly.

They got up and approached Chen Yang’s table. The skinny one knocked on the table arrogantly. “Ladies, our Chu wants to see you. Give him some face!”

As for Chen Yang, the skinny man didn’t even glance at him, treating him as invisible.

This startled Su Tang, Shen Yanran, and Lin Wanwan. Su Tang remained calm. “Sorry, we don’t know any Chu. Please leave.”

The skinny man frowned. “Miss, our boss is a direct descendant of the Chu family in Yunzhou. He has a temper. You’d better not refuse his hospitality.”

The Chu family of Yunzhou? Among Yunzhou’s three great clans, the Murong family, the Chu family, and the mysterious Xiao family were legendary. If these men were truly from the Chu family, they were not to be trifled with.

Shen Yanran tugged at Su Tang’s sleeve, signaling her not to say anything reckless or offend them.

But Su Tang was still defiant. “So what if you’re from the Chu family? Does that mean you don’t have to follow rules or obey the law?”

The skinny man was momentarily stunned, then grinned maliciously. “You’re right, little girl. In Yunzhou, except for the other two families, the Chu family is the law. We make the rules!”

“If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police!” Su Tang said angrily, pulling out her phone.

The skinny man snatched it away. “You asked for this. Don’t blame me for being rough!”

He waved, and the two burly men behind him prepared to act. They’d done this many times, knowing that Chu Jian would cover for them no matter what happened. That’s why they dared act so brazenly.

But this time, they were destined to hit a wall.

Chen Yang didn’t give them the slightest chance. With three punches and two kicks, he easily took down all three.

The girls had seen Chen Yang’s skills before, so they weren’t surprised.

The skinny man was shocked. He never imagined someone would dare defy the Chu family. Could this man’s identity be extraordinary?

“Who... who are you?” he asked, pointing at Chen Yang in confusion.

Chen Yang didn’t answer.

Chu Jian, watching nearby, could no longer stay seated. He strode over, face cold. “Who do you think you are, daring to attack my men?”

“I think this is all just a misunderstanding,” Shen Yanran stepped forward. She knew the Chu family’s influence was immense—not someone ordinary people could provoke. She hoped to calm things down before matters escalated.

“Yanran, what are you saying? They were clearly in the wrong. Strong Brother taught them a lesson—how could this be a misunderstanding?” Su Tang frowned, displeased.