Chapter 36: The Second Son of the Guan Family

“Fu Yanyan, what do you think of my painting?”
“Of course, it’s the best.”
Fu Yanyan was never good with words, but in his heart, anything she did was the best.
“This painting is truly outstanding, the technique flows like a river. Young lady, did you really paint this last night? To create such a finished piece in so short a time is remarkable.”
Professor Qin praised her from the side—not because of the Fu Group’s investment, but purely out of admiration.
“Look at those old men. When they saw your name, they were stunned! Honestly, they didn’t want you to advance, but your work is undeniable. Are you planning to use your real name as your artist’s name? I hope to see more of your work abroad.”
Zhong Huayan smiled and shook her head. “No, I intend to use ‘Selfless’ as my artist’s name. If I ever hold an exhibition or publish a collection, you must come and support me.”
The two chatted happily.
The first round of advancement was now over, but since she needed to return to the capital, she could only prepare her second painting and come back in a month for the next round.
“With your skills, I think you’ll easily be among the top three. I’ll be waiting for you at the second round in Italy.”
Professor Qin bade her farewell in the corridor.
Fu Yanyan came out behind her, always carrying a crisp aura—stern and silent, his eyes deep and unreadable.
At that moment, the entrance to the Kassel Palace was crowded with media, all focused on filming a man.
Zhong Huayan remembered that there had never been so many reporters here before...
Unexpectedly, Fu Yanyan stepped ahead of her.
Just then, the man being interviewed in his sharp suit turned around.
His complexion was slightly yellow, but his height matched Fu Yanyan’s.
Zhong Huayan saw his features clearly—broad and deep, reminiscent of a vampire from Western cinema. His eyes were a bloodthirsty sky blue, and his suit clung tightly to his muscular frame—a perfect example of a mixed heritage.
She recognized him at once: Guan Yujing!
Guan Yuxi’s uncle.
He was also the man who used to compete with her for overseas business. To be precise, the Guan family had always operated abroad, their industries nearly monopolized behind closed doors.
In this life, she had only encountered two true adversaries—one was the Zhong Group, the other was the Fu Group.
Back then, when she suffered the fire, she suspected he had orchestrated it.
But it wasn’t until the phone call she received before her death that she finally understood who was behind it.
Guan Yujing saw her too.
He squinted, as if he’d spotted something interesting, and deliberately touched the corner of his mouth.
With Fu Yanyan’s arrival, the simultaneous appearance of two business titans created obvious chaos at the scene.
It was mainly because both were more handsome than celebrities.
Fu Yanyan’s presence was weighty and refined, like a chilling breeze under the moon, his features bearing the subtle marks of Chinese history—cold and understated, his expressions and gaze betraying nothing.
Guan Yujing’s aura, on the other hand, was as if sculpted by a craftsman—a Western sharpness, almost illusory, but his eyes hinted at ruthless cunning and violence. He rarely concealed his emotions, seeming unpredictable and dangerous.
Zhong Huayan thought, if only Xu Yaocuan were here as well... but then again, that wretch, no matter how handsome, didn’t deserve it; just thinking about him made her nauseous.
Guan Yujing and Fu Yanyan appeared to shake hands, but the tension between them was palpable.
The air seemed to freeze.
Until Guan Yujing glanced at her from a distance.
“Looks just like her, but no matter how alike, she’ll never be as clever. In this world, only you and Zhong Huayan are worthy to be my opponents.”
He flashed a sly smile, intending to wound Fu Yanyan, to remind him that Zhong Huayan was dead, and anything else was self-deception.
Unexpectedly, Fu Yanyan retorted with calm indifference, “Only losers need opponents. I’ve never had one. Earlier, one of our subsidiaries accidentally took a deal from you. It was an oversight; I’ll have them return it.”
“Oh? Who would dare refuse Mr. Fu? If you like the project, just keep it.”
Guan Yujing gave himself a way out, knowing Fu Yanyan was ruthless—never letting go of a business deal once taken.
Fu Yanyan’s sense of crisis and close combat skills were top-tier. Guan Yujing had repeatedly sent assassins after him, but every killer mysteriously vanished, never to be contacted again.
At last, their handshake ended, and the surrounding media went wild snapping photos.
Guan Yujing’s mouth curled into a cryptic smile, his bloodshot eyes locked onto the departing luxury car.
The drizzle continued.

She sat in the car.
Only with Fu Yanyan did she feel truly safe.
He, as always, wore his glasses, reading a book—oblivious to the world yet seeming to command it.
“Guan Yujing hasn’t discovered my secret yet.”
“Ah Hua, he never will. As long as I’m here, he won’t have the power to harm you.”
Fu Yanyan’s words were not empty.
Guan Yujing was brutal—not like Xu Yaocuan, who was sly and manipulative, easily influenced and only interested in fleeting affairs with women...
Guan Yujing was emotionless, shaped by foreign culture, always taking pleasure in tormenting women. When he targeted someone, he made it clear he intended to destroy them, never letting go, and always tormenting his target bit by bit—never allowing an easy death.
No wonder Guan Yuxi was so fond of bullying others; it all stemmed from her uncle’s inhumanity.
Even his own niece meant nothing to him—utterly heartless.
Back then, numerous overseas reports hinted at the Guan family’s second son’s violent tendencies.
Yet none of this diminished his exceptional abilities; in foreign markets, his ruthless methods had enabled him to monopolize vast swathes of business.
When she brought the Zhong Group to this land, her swift approach allowed her to strike deals with several companies within two days, nearly provoking retaliation from the Guan family behind the scenes. Fortunately, word reached her in time, and she returned home.
The upper echelons had long heard of Guan Yujing’s reputation.
That was why she avoided meeting his gaze.
“Are you competing with him for the market?”
“Always competing. Today, he tries to assassinate me. Tomorrow, I attempt to assassinate him. He plants his people around me, and I do the same to him.”
“…” Zhong Huayan was speechless—this game had lasted three years. Thankfully, the rivalry spanned two countries; if they were in the same city, their personalities might well blow the place apart.