The old butler of the Lin family, Ye Chengfu, drove Yan Shouyi to the mountainside of Wushan in Rongcheng.
Within the Rongcheng urban area, there were three small mountains: Wushan, Yushan, and Pingshan. The prison where Yan Shouyi's father was held was located at the foot of Pingshan.
The mountainside of Wushan offered a view of Rongcheng's beautiful night scenery, without being too detached from the world. Compared to the towering Guling, Wushan conveyed a sense of status while still retaining an earthly aura. As the saying goes, "He who climbs too high is frozen" (高处不胜寒). Businesses like the Lin family disdained being overly aloof.
"Shouyi, we've arrived," Ye Chengfu said, stopping the car and turning around.
"Thank you, Grandpa Ye."
Yan Shouyi got out of the car and looked around. He noticed a stone staircase in front of him. Climbing about a dozen steps led to a secluded mountain-view teahouse. The mountain-view teahouse offered a completely different scenery from Xihu Yaju, yet their styles were not significantly different.
"Go on up, Miss is waiting for you in the teahouse," Ye Chengfu said with a smile. "I'll wait here for your good news."
Yan Shouyi couldn't help but show a hint of a smile and nodded at Ye Chengfu. Then, with light steps, he easily climbed the dozen or so stairs and arrived at the teahouse door. He knocked twice. From inside, Lin Ruofu's voice called out, "Come in."
Yan Shouyi took a deep breath, adjusted his state, and specifically tidied his clothes, tugging at the hem. Only then did he push open the door and enter.
"Uncle Lin, long time no see!"
In his imagination, Yan Shouyi expected to see Lin Zitong's expectant gaze and Lin Ruofu's approving look. However, in reality, he saw Lin Zitong with red, tear-filled eyes and a grim-faced Lin Ruofu. What was going on?
Yan Shouyi's smile froze, and his heart slowly sank.
"Shouyi is here," Lin Ruofu sighed, gesturing to a seat. "Sit down first."
"Oh... alright."
Yan Shouyi put away his smile and sat down somewhat awkwardly beside Lin Zitong. Perhaps due to guilt, Lin Zitong kept her head down, not daring to meet Yan Shouyi's eyes. After all, Yan Shouyi had finally made up his mind to be with Lin Zitong regardless of the consequences, and Lin Zitong had failed to handle her own family matters properly. However, Lin Zitong still quietly reached out and tugged at Yan Shouyi's sleeve.
Seeing this, Yan Shouyi mustered his courage and hugged Lin Zitong. He wanted to let Lin Zitong know that he was capable of protecting her. Held in Yan Shouyi's embrace, Lin Zitong seemed to feel a little more at ease.
"I'm here, everything will be alright," Yan Shouyi said, patting her shoulder comfortingly.
Lin Zitong nodded silently.
Seeing this, Lin Ruofu could only sigh deeply, saying nothing else. Compared to when they met ten years ago, Lin Ruofu's temples had a lot more white hair. He wasn't as energetic as before, and Yan Shouyi could smell the characteristic scent of smoke and alcohol that businessmen carried from afar. It seemed that despite becoming wealthy over the years, Lin Ruofu hadn't had an easy time.
Yan Shouyi, who was usually not very talkative, had prepared many topics. For example, he could chat with Lin Ruofu about his health, his family, the places he had visited over the years, and the people and events he had encountered. They could also talk about the future. But in the current atmosphere, Yan Shouyi didn't know where to begin.
"Shouyi."
Finally, Lin Ruofu spoke first. He sat opposite Yan Shouyi, lit a cigarette, and said in a deep voice, "I apologize for making you come all this way. I know you like Zitong very much, and Zitong likes you too, but marriage is not just about the two of you; it's about two families."
"This may sound feudal, but you must understand that neither your Yan family nor our Lin family are ordinary families. There are too many things to consider. Often, decisions are compromises, even going against our initial thoughts. But no one can do anything about it; the world is very realistic."
As soon as Lin Ruofu began speaking, he touched upon reality. The word "reality" always seemed to appear with the word "cold."
Yan Shouyi gritted his teeth and said, "Uncle Lin, I believe that if Zi Tong and I are together, we can overcome all difficulties."
"I believe you with other matters, but this time, it's truly impossible!" Lin Ruofu said unequivocally. "Zitong is already betrothed. She cannot marry you again!"
"I once had a fiancée too, but an engagement is just a piece of waste paper, a verbal promise. If you don't love the other person, why torture each other?" Yan Shouyi retorted.
"But do you know who her fiancé is?!" Lin Ruofu slammed the table and roared.
Lin Zitong wanted to speak but stopped. She dared not tell Yan Shouyi that her fiancé was Bai Yusheng from the Bai family. Yan Shouyi and the Bai family already had irreconcilable grievances. Yet, Yan Shouyi spoke softly, "I know. Bai Yusheng from the Bai family."
Lin Ruofu was slightly taken aback. "How do you know?"
Lin Zitong was also surprised. Why did Yan Shouyi know about this but never mention it to her? In fact, Lin Zitong had only recently learned who her fiancé was. Previously, she had been informed of her engagement but hadn't paid it any mind. Because she knew that the person she loved was Yan Shouyi, she would not marry whomever her fiancé was. Therefore, she didn't care and didn't need to know the person's name. Later, when she announced in a press conference that she had someone she liked, the news caused a great stir, and Lin Ruofu began to take it seriously. He had Lin Zitong see him overnight and then told her about Bai Yusheng. Lin Zitong was in a bad mood upon learning the truth, but she didn't want to affect Yan Shouyi, so she had delayed confessing to him. Now, Lin Ruofu demanded that Lin Zitong completely cut off contact with Yan Shouyi, which led to the current situation.
"I know Zi Tong's fiancé is from the Bai family, and I know the Bai family is influential in Rongcheng, but so what?" Yan Shouyi stood up, his words powerful and resonant. "My Yan family has been passed down for thousands of years. How can it be inferior to a mere Bai family?!"
As a descendant of Lu Ban, he possessed the pride of a Lu Ban descendant. From beginning to end, Yan Shouyi had only considered the Bai family as his personal enemy, not an enemy of the Yan family! Because in the eyes of the Yan family, the petty Bai family was not even worth mentioning!
Yan Shouyi took off his satchel and placed it on the tea table. He reached inside and took out item after item of treasure.
"This is called 'Ma Chao Long Que,' commonly known as 'Ma Ta Fei Yan' (Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow). It's a priceless treasure unearthed from the Han Dynasty. Another piece is housed in the provincial museum of Yongliang Province!"
"This is the Goujian Sword of the King of Yue, preserved for thousands of years without decay. The one in the Hubei Provincial Museum is a replica; this is the genuine article!"
"This is the legendary Phoenix Gallbladder, also known as the 'Mo Chen Zhu' (a mythical pearl), the essence of the earth. There is only one in the world, and it is held only by us Lu Ban descendants!"
From his small satchel, he took out more than a dozen treasures at once. Any one of them was world-shaking! Any single piece could fetch billions of yuan! Yet, these treasures, in Yan Shouyi's hands, were like worthless trash. He piled these treasures high in front of Lin Ruofu. Under the light, the treasures emanated various colors, showcasing the immense impact of the scene. Even Lin Ruofu, who had seen much of the world, felt his mouth go dry. This was the feeling one had after being so shocked that they were rendered speechless.
After emptying his treasures, Yan Shouyi sneered, "These treasures are merely a drop in the bucket, a tiny fraction of our Lu Ban treasure trove! Uncle Lin, you cannot even imagine the foundation of the Yan family!"
"These are just small tokens of appreciation for my proposal today!"
"If you refuse to let Zi Tong marry me simply because of the petty Bai family, then this logic doesn't hold up! I won't accept it! I won't be convinced!"
"Today, I am determined to be with Zi Tong, and even you, Uncle Lin, cannot stop me!"
Yan Shouyi, usually gentle and refined, displayed his pride for the first time. Although his grandfather had always taught him to be low-key, what was the point of being low-key if he couldn't even protect the girl he loved?!
"Lin Zitong, I, Yan Shouyi, am determined to marry you. Even if Yuan Shi Tian Zun (Primordial Lord of Heaven) came, he wouldn't be able to stop me!"
"I said it!"