Chapter Sixty-Nine: At Last, Revenge Can Be Taken

When it came to Qin Yang’s temperament, even Liu Molan had to admit she could never fully grasp it. Eccentric—far too eccentric. Some people were ambiguous between good and evil, acting on their whims, but this man was pure eccentricity, baffling to the point that no one could ever hope to see through him. One moment, he could be all polite words and affected manners; the next, he might lash out with razor-sharp sarcasm, utterly merciless. Then, just as suddenly, he could behave like a shrew, hands flying without the slightest regard for the situation or his surroundings.

Old Han had suffered precisely because of this—he hadn’t understood Qin Yang and ended up making a fool of himself at the banquet.

Some people spoke to him with gentle courtesy, only for him to respond with biting mockery. Others spouted nonsense, and he might join in, exaggerating even more. In short, the man was baffling beyond belief.

Yan Xiaofeng had not expected Qin Yang to change tack halfway through his sentence. At first, he thought Qin Yang was trying to urgently distance himself, hoping to draw a line between himself and Liu Yan’s suitors. But what happened next took everyone by surprise—Qin Yang cursed out the whole lot with only a few words, leaving them stripped of all dignity: lacking resolve, lacking ambition, utterly oblivious, each one a fool. In short, he summarized them in a single word that was more than apt: contemptible.

“What did you say?” One of the more hot-tempered men wanted to take a swing at Qin Yang then and there, but Yan Xiaofeng stopped him just in time.

“Qin Yang, are you truly sure there’s nothing between you and Liu Yan? That everything’s just been forced on you, against your will?” Yan Xiaofeng fixed Qin Yang with a half-smiling, half-skeptical look.

Old Qin grinned. “Of course.”

“That’s enough for me,” Yan Xiaofeng said with a playful tone. “So, am I right to understand that Liu Yan holds almost no attraction for you, and the only one you truly care about is the beautiful lady at your side?”

“That’s exactly right.” Qin Yang grandly slipped his arm around Liu Molan, and surprisingly, she didn’t resist at all. In fact, she was unusually docile, her eyes as gentle and clear as a pool of water.

“So, do you think Liu Yan is shamelessly clinging to you?” Yan Xiaofeng pressed further.

“I never said that,” Qin Yang mused. “But if that’s what you think, I won’t argue. After all, I can’t force you to change your mind, can I? Now, if there’s nothing else, could you please leave? There are so many jewels here—I need to take a closer look.”

Yan Xiaofeng just laughed, waved his hand, and left with his group. Only then did Liu Molan remember this damned fellow still had his arm around her. She patted his hand and shot him a glare; Qin Yang gave an awkward grin and quickly let go. They continued browsing, but suddenly the sound of a bustling crowd drifted in from outside. Everyone turned to look and saw a middle-aged couple enter, surrounded by people. Liu Yan, standing nearby, immediately went to greet them, warmly linking arms with the middle-aged woman and whispering intimately.

“Aren’t you going to say hello?” Liu Molan asked with a smile.

Qin Yang rolled his eyes. “Why look for trouble? The old man’s still furious with me—if he catches me, I’ll be the unlucky one. Let’s just watch for a bit and then leave; there’s really nothing interesting here.”

“Wait a little longer—I want to see the East Sea Star,” Liu Molan said, shaking his arm with a hint of coquettishness.

Qin Yang could only nod helplessly and agree.

In the distance, Han Caixuan seemed to notice Qin Yang, glancing over every now and then with a look that seemed to beckon him. Qin Yang pretended not to see, acting as if he were blind. Meanwhile, Qin Lie was chatting and laughing heartily with several business tycoons, clearly in a good mood. Just as the couple entered, another commotion erupted by the entrance. People turned again to see an elderly man with white hair but a youthful face, strolling in with a shy-looking girl at his side. The old man seemed in high spirits, exchanging polite greetings here and there, and warmly introducing the girl beside him: “This is my granddaughter. Girls love diamonds and jewelry, so I brought her to have a look.”

Everyone who spoke to him treated him with a mix of respect and pride.

“Uncle Han,” Qin Lie stepped forward with a smile. “You’ve really left me guessing these past few days. What brings you here today?”

“My granddaughter, Dongxue.” Old Han beamed. “Girls, you know, they love these things. I’m getting on in years; of course I have to take my child out to see the world while I still can—otherwise, there may not be another chance.”

“Uncle Han, you jest,” Qin Lie laughed heartily.

Old Han smiled and said, “Dongxue, this is Uncle Qin.”

“Hello, Uncle Qin.” Han Dongxue, who had never visited such a place or met these sorts of people before, seemed rather shy. Though her elegant dress made her look lovely, shyness lingered in her heart. Casting her gaze about, she spotted a carefree figure in the crowd, and her face lit up with delight. She wanted to go over, but knew this wasn’t the right time.

Qin Lie and the others were surprised—where had Old Han found this granddaughter? How had they never met her before?

Liu Yan was even more puzzled, but quickly recovered. “Dongxue, since you’re here, you can’t leave empty-handed. If you see something you like, I’ll give it to you as a welcome gift.”

“Thank you, Sister Liu Yan,” Han Dongxue replied, a little surprised and pleased.

At that moment, Yan Xiaofeng and his companions approached, curiosity shining in their eyes. Teasingly, one of them asked, “Grandpa Han, I’ve never seen your granddaughter before. She’s so lovely—have you been keeping her under lock and key?”

Old Han shot them a glare. “My granddaughter’s always been away. Of course you haven’t met her. And you boys, listen well—don’t even think about making a move on my precious granddaughter.”

Yan Xiaofeng scratched his head and said with a laugh, “Grandpa Han, you must be joking. I wouldn’t dare.”

“With Dongxue here with me, you can rest easy,” Liu Yan said with a smile. “Come, Dongxue, let me show you around.”

Han Dongxue was indeed enchanted by the jewelry and nodded, leaving arm in arm with Liu Yan so affectionately that anyone might have thought they were lifelong friends. Han Caixuan, finding no pleasure in chatting with the others—especially still brooding over Old Han’s near-fatal injury to her son—couldn’t be bothered to linger and decided to seek out Qin Yang instead.

Old Han, naturally, could guess her thoughts, and felt rather embarrassed. After all, he had nearly cost her son his life, and now here he was, a guest in her home; even he had to admit he was being shameless. Yet, for his granddaughter’s sake, he was willing to swallow his pride.

“Uncle Qin, what brings you to the jewelry business?” Yan Xiaofeng, standing tall and exuding a sense of equality, asked, “I can’t believe you care about its profits.”

Qin Lie laughed. “I’ve left the jewelry business entirely to Liu Yan. I’m almost ready for retirement—just setting things up for the next generation.”

“By the way, Uncle Qin, do you know how your son Qin Yang is doing these days?” Yan Xiaofeng asked, feigning ignorance. “As far as I know, he doesn’t seem to approve of Liu Yan’s engagement. I’m not trying to meddle, but Liu Yan and I have been friends for years—I just don’t want to see her hurt.”

“He’ll come around,” Qin Lie said confidently. “Young people’s feelings can always be cultivated.”

Yan Xiaofeng gave a knowing smile and, glancing at Qin Yang introducing Liu Molan to Han Caixuan nearby, suddenly changed the subject. “But I heard from Qin Yang himself that Liu Molan is actually his girlfriend.”

“Oh?” Qin Lie narrowed his eyes slightly, a powerful aura surging out like a tidal wave. Yan Xiaofeng drew a sharp breath and almost took a step back, inwardly shocked. But seeing Old Han at his side, he steadied himself and said, “That’s what Qin Yang told me himself. Surely Grandpa Han wouldn’t want Liu Yan to be hurt either?”

Hearing Qin Yang’s name, Old Han—who’d been preparing to slip away—wanted to slap the boy. Why drag me into this mess? Qin Yang is my nemesis. Usually the kid’s sharp and clever, but today he can’t seem to say a single right thing.

“Oh? Discussing me? Mind letting me in on it?” Qin Yang appeared at some point, approaching with a smile. “I suppose I don’t have the best reputation—there’s always someone stabbing me in the back. Sometimes it makes me so edgy I sneeze all the time, thinking I’ve caught a cold. I’ve taken a lot of cold medicine, but it’s no help. Turns out it’s just people trash-talking me. So, Young Master Yan, if you happen to get sprayed with my sneezes, don’t take it personally—it’s not on purpose. Blame those scoundrels behind my back.”

A classic roundabout insult, with a warning attached: don’t get too cocky here, or you’ll end up swallowing your own broken teeth along with my spit.

Qin Lie just smiled, unconcerned by his son’s slightly coarse words.

Yan Xiaofeng narrowed his eyes, glanced at Old Han, and said, “Young Master Qin, you certainly have a sharp tongue. No wonder you’re so popular with the ladies.”

“You could never learn this,” Qin Yang replied with a laugh. “What women care about is substance. If I’m popular, it means I’ve got depth. You should learn from me, Young Master Yan—otherwise, you’ll lose both the lady and the game. Don’t you think so, Grandpa Han?”

Staring into Qin Yang’s eyes, dark as night and cold as stars, Old Han felt an overwhelming sense of threat. An absolute threat. Yet he was powerless against the boy. If he didn’t play along, he’d never recover the lost secret of the Thirteen Spears. Han Dongxue had told him that the true art of the Thirteen Spears wasn’t recorded in the gilded box; only Qin Yang possessed it. Han Dongxue herself hadn’t learned it because her foundation was insufficient. Despite her solid martial background since childhood, Han Mufeng felt she hadn’t internalized her skills deeply enough to attempt the Thirteen Spears, or she’d only hurt herself. Han Dongxue had once tried to learn a move or two out of defiance, but ended up bedridden in pain for a day. She’d even suspected Qin Yang was faking, but when he demonstrated the technique just as he’d described, he suffered no ill effects.

In the end, Han Dongxue had to concede: her foundation simply wasn’t enough.

As for why Qin Yang could master it, Han Mufeng could only attribute it to that mysterious inferno in his mind.

Qin Lie watched Qin Yang with interest, then glanced at Old Han. No one else could guess his thoughts. Qin Yang wore a half-smile, while Old Han felt an intense pressure bearing down on him. Just then, a faint gunshot reached Qin Yang’s keen ears—no one else seemed to hear it. In that instant, icy sparks flickered in his dark eyes.

“Hm?”

The three men noticed the change in Qin Yang and were momentarily stunned.

At that moment, Qin Yang’s entire body trembled violently with excitement, his hair bristling, fists clenching with audible crackles. The hellish, deathly aura he exuded made the three worldly men involuntarily take a step back, inwardly shaken—Qin Lie most of all, baffled by what had come over his son.

“They’re finally here. At last, I can have my revenge.” Qin Yang licked his lips, the humiliation and mortal peril he’d suffered half a year ago flashing vividly through his mind. The other party’s utter disregard had ignited a towering rage within him, and today, at last, was his chance for vengeance.