"Alright, Li Ziqing, they don't call you Bamboo Viper for nothing. You truly are cold-blooded and heartless, showing no regard for our kinship!"
Li Zijian, furious, pointed at Li Ziqing and cursed.
*Slap—*
A slap landed on Li Zijian's face, delivered by Chen Xiao.
Li Zijian flew several meters away, crashing hard onto the ground. This was the result of Chen Xiao's extreme restraint; had he used even half his strength, Li Zijian would have been reduced to dust.
"If you dare to speak disrespectfully to my wife again, I'll make your life worse than death."
Chen Xiao said coldly.
Instantly, a chilling sensation enveloped Li Zijian from head to toe.
But he remained unrepentant. Clutching his face, he roared at Li Ziqing, "Li Ziqing, aren't you going to control your man? Are you just going to stand by and watch him hit me?"
"Let alone slap you, if he killed you, I wouldn't even blink an eye," Li Ziqing said with a cold laugh.
Li Zijian was rendered speechless.
"Get out!"
Li Ziqing commanded softly.
"Hmph!"
Li Zijian grunted, "Li Ziqing, you are indeed ruthless. You can disregard my fate, but what about the old house left by my second uncle? Are you not going to inquire about it either?"
"What do you mean by that?"
Upon hearing the mention of the old house, Li Ziqing's expression suddenly changed.
"Heh heh, I thought you wouldn't care!"
Li Zijian seemed inexplicably pleased. "To tell you the truth, I've already mortgaged the property deed for the old house. If you don't help me repay the debt, the house will change hands, and from now on, that old house will no longer belong to the Li family!"
Li Ziqing asked suspiciously, "How much gambling debt do you owe?"
"I can't recall exactly, but it's tens of millions for sure," Li Zijian said casually, as if it were something to be proud of.
"And what is the market value of the old house?" Li Ziqing asked again.
"It's priceless, but it can definitely be sold for over a billion yuan," Li Zijian said proudly.
"Then are you an idiot?"
Li Ziqing, frustrated to the point of gritting her teeth, exclaimed, "Using a property deed worth a billion yuan to mortgage a debt of tens of millions?"
"Call me whatever you want, but if you don't step in, that old house will no longer belong to the Li family. How will you explain that to my deceased second uncle!"
Li Zijian acted as if he had Li Ziqing cornered. He knew that mentioning the old house would make Li Ziqing unable to remain indifferent.
Li Ziqing glared at Li Zijian, "Get out!"
"You really aren't going to do anything? That's our Li family's ancestral home!" Li Zijian asked in surprise.
"Wait for me at the airport at eight o'clock tomorrow morning!" Li Ziqing said coldly.
"Heh heh, I knew you wouldn't ignore it. With your word, I'm relieved. Then it's settled for tomorrow!" Li Zijian, his scheme successful, became smug again. "Where am I staying tonight? My dear brother has finally come to visit, won't you arrange something for me?"
"Get out!"
Li Ziqing's only response was those three words.
Li Zijian left dejectedly.
After he left, Chen Xiao asked, "What's going on with that old house?"
"It's an ancestral property passed down from my family. In my great-grandfather's generation, our family fell on hard times, and the ancestral home was sold. After my father rose to prominence, the first thing he did was spend tens of millions to buy it back. After my father's accident, the old house was occupied by Li Dahai. After a series of twists and turns, it's about to return to my hands."
As she spoke, a smile appeared on Li Ziqing's face. Her anger just moments ago was all an act for Li Zijian. Li Zijian's plan was to use her wealth to redeem the property deed. He hadn't considered if Li Ziqing was so easily manipulated. She agreed to go to the Imperial City not to clean up his mess, but once she got the property deed, he wouldn't get it back. Moreover, it rightfully belonged to her. And reclaiming the ancestral home was just the first step.
"The three-year agreement I made with Marshal Xiao Jun has expired. Now, I can go back. Husband, do you want to come with me?" Li Ziqing asked expectantly.
"Of course!" Chen Xiao replied without hesitation. "Just like you, I've been looking forward to this day. I will help you reclaim everything you've lost, and those who owe you will pay with blood!" Chen Xiao had already reached an understanding with the higher-ups, and now, the Imperial City was bound to face a storm of blood.
"Yes, this day is finally coming." Li Ziqing gazed into the distance, as if she could see the Imperial City thousands of miles away.
...
The next afternoon, the flight from Jiangcheng to the Imperial City landed at the airport. This was Li Ziqing's third time in the Imperial City. The first time was when she arrived in this world. She grew up into a naive child, and due to being pursued by enemies, she had to flee to Weicheng with her parents. The second time, four years ago, she transformed into Bamboo Viper, laying low there for a year, and eventually severely damaging the five major families. However, her great undertaking remained unfinished, and she was once again driven out of the Imperial City. This is the third time, Li Ziqing, has made her comeback!
"Sister, should we go home first or directly redeem the property deed?" Li Zijian asked solicitously after exiting the airport.
"Don't call me sister. That is your home, not mine," Li Ziqing said coldly, her meaning clear.
"Heh heh." Li Zijian chuckled sheepishly. "Since that's the case, let's go redeem the property deed first. That's what I wanted anyway!"
Li Zijian hailed a taxi by the roadside and, upon getting in, said, "Driver, take me to Golden Leopard."
About half an hour later, the car arrived at its destination. Chen Xiao had initially thought Golden Leopard would be a club or a nightlife venue, but to his surprise, it was the name of a financial company. And it appeared to be a very legitimate financial company. Apart from the slightly unconventional name, there were no other faults to be found.
Li Zijian was familiar with the company's receptionist. Upon entering, he directly said, "I'm looking for Brother Leopard."
The receptionist made a phone call and then said expressionlessly, "Brother Leopard wants you to come up."
Li Zijian snapped his fingers casually and led Li Ziqing and Chen Xiao into an elevator. There were no floor buttons inside, indicating it was a private elevator. As expected, this elevator went directly to the top floor. When the elevator doors opened, they revealed a vast, almost empty office. A casually dressed middle-aged man was playing golf in the office. Li Zijian walked up to him with a fawning expression and said, "Brother Leopard, I'm here."
The middle-aged man was Brother Leopard, the "Leopard" of Golden Leopard. He raised his hand, and his assistant immediately took his golf club. He wore a pair of tea-colored sunglasses that covered half his face. Through the tinted lenses, he was sizing up Chen Xiao and Li Ziqing, though his gaze was primarily on Li Ziqing. At this moment, Li Zijian said with a sycophantic smile, "Brother Leopard, I've followed your instructions and brought Li Ziqing to you. Can we consider our accounts settled now?"