Volume One, Chapter Twelve: Just a Lame Man

How could a refined lady ever utter words like “pig” or “fool”?

“Give me back the ring right now! I never want to come to this place again!”

“What lousy ring?” After listening for so long, Xian Chu could no longer hold back the urge to rush forward and tear apart Xie Anyue’s mouth. Refined lady? Hardly.

“My daughter cherishes that ring? Don’t come here trying to frame us!”

Lin Yueru stepped out from the house and stood directly in front of Chu Mian. Xian Chu also positioned herself before Chu Mian, forming a protective barrier around her.

Chu Mian froze for a moment, looking at the tall and short shoulders before her, a warm feeling stirring in her heart.

“It was her who stole the engagement ring that Brother Yun gave me!” Xie Anyue insisted that Chu Mian had taken it.

“Do you have any proof?”

Chu Mian hadn’t wanted to get entangled with Xie Anyue, but seeing her family standing up for her, she wanted to clear her name.

Proud as ever, Xie Anyue placed a hand on her hip. Even though Lin Yueru, her elder by twice her age, stood before her, she showed no sign of restraint, maintaining her haughty, self-important attitude. “Proof? Does the Xie family stoop to falsely accusing you of stealing a ring? Besides, you’ve always resented Brother Yun and my engagement to him. You hate me for stealing your dream of marrying into a wealthy family. You’ve got the motive; what more proof do you need?”

“Hmph!” Chu Mian snorted coldly. “You’re way too full of yourself! If you can’t produce evidence, then check the surveillance footage.”

At the mention of surveillance, the proud expression on Xie Anyue’s face faltered for a fleeting moment.

But it vanished quickly.

“Surveillance? What surveillance?”

Chu Mian tilted her head, voice dripping with disdain. “Don’t you know the Xie family has security cameras everywhere?”

“I—I didn’t know about those!”

Realizing she was flustered, Xie Anyue’s face darkened. “Chu Mian, I’m talking about the ring! Don’t try to change the subject!”

“Enough with your nonsense.” Xian Chu had no patience left and asked Xie Anyue, “How much is that worthless thing even worth?”

“Worthless?” Xie Anyue sneered, casting a disdainful glance at Xian Chu. “You wouldn’t be able to afford this brand even if you farmed vegetables all your life. If I told you, you’d probably drop dead from shock. My ring was custom-made by Brother Yun himself in South Africa—a sapphire diamond ring worth... well, this much!”

She proudly waved five fingers in front of everyone. “Just the diamond alone on this ring could cover your entire family’s expenses for a lifetime!”

“Ah? A ring worth over a trillion?” Xian Chu looked genuinely surprised.

Everyone else wore looks of disbelief.

By the black SUV, Zhou Qin understood Xian Chu’s words and couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

All eyes turned toward him.

Slowly, Fu Jinnian maneuvered his wheelchair closer. Even seated, his gaze was level with Xie Anyue’s, radiating a noble aura that made Lin Yueru scrutinize him carefully.

He asked softly, “Fifty million?”

Xie Anyue grew uneasy under Fu Jinnian’s calm, unblinking black eyes.

She had always thought Fu Yun was handsome—at least among the men she knew, Fu Yun was the young master of the Fu family, with luxury cars and mansions to his name. Every time she went out with him, envious eyes followed.

But this man before her... made Fu Yun seem ordinary.

Besides, the ring Fu Yun gave her was worth only five million.

She forced herself to nod. “Yes, fifty million.”

Handsome or not, he was just a cripple.

Fu Yun still had her heart; this man before her... was a pity.

“That’s quite the lion’s demand,” Chu Mian frowned, clearly doubting Xie Anyue’s claim of fifty million.

“Chu Mian, you just haven’t seen that much money, so you don’t believe my ring is worth that much? You’re just like that frog from the elementary school textbook!” Xie Anyue scoffed and then glared at Fu Jinnian’s legs. “And who’s this man? Your lover, perhaps? I thought you’d stay a country bumpkin forever, but you’re surprisingly clever, finding a man outside to support your family. But look at him... just a cripple. I doubt he could ever come up with fifty million. Your taste is terrible; I’d be embarrassed to be seen with him.”

Chu Mian’s expression darkened. She swung her hand and slapped Xie Anyue across the face.

Smack!

Caught off guard, Xie Anyue’s head snapped to the side. Her carefully styled hair in the morning came loose in strands.

Fu Jinnian pressed his thin lips together and turned his head toward Chu Mian. Seeing her cold expression and the fiery anger in her eyes, he felt an inexplicable pleasure.

“Y-you hit me?” Xie Anyue finally registered what had happened, staring intently at Chu Mian with shock and fury burning in her eyes. She screamed and lunged forward, trying to tear Chu Mian’s face apart.

Chu Mian dodged her grasp by turning her head, then spun behind Xie Anyue, grabbed her shoulders, and yanked hard backward—

Unable to keep her balance in heels, Xie Anyue’s eyes widened in terror as she stumbled back several steps and plopped down into the muddy ground!

“Ah!”

Her expensive dress was stained with mud, her hands covered in dark brown dirt. One high heel remained on her foot; the other was nowhere to be seen. Her pitiful appearance drew snickers from the onlookers.

At that moment, a modified Tank 300 slowly approached along the muddy road.

Its black body sported two headlights retrofitted with pale blue lights, wrapped in various iron chains. Small white lights encircled the vehicle, sparkling brilliantly and ostentatiously.

Seeing the car arrive, Xie Anyue’s face changed immediately. She scrambled to her feet and pointed viciously at Chu Mian. “Chu Mian, Brother Yun is here. You’re dead!”

“Second master, that’s the young master’s car,” Zhou Qin noticed the uniquely modified tank and frowned, alerting those nearby.

Fu Jinnian glanced at it indifferently, then returned his gaze to Chu Mian.

She had acted because of Xie Anyue’s verbal insult toward him?

“What a filthy place! So dirty!” Fu Yun stepped out of the car, his first words expressing disdain for the Chu family’s territory.

Dressed in an expensive suit, radiating wealth, he surveyed the crowd with one hand in his pocket. Then he saw Xie Anyue, filthy and clutching her mouth, running to his side. “Anyue? What happened to you?”

“Brother Yun!” Xie Anyue tried to get close to Fu Yun, but the mud on her dress stopped her. She sobbed and complained, “I came to ask my sister for the engagement ring you gave me. They not only refused to return it, but my sister even attacked me! They bullied me while you were away—boo hoo!”