"Huang Tao, you've gone too far!" Qin Qing said coldly. Qin Anruo was using a goading tactic to force Ye Xiu to give his watch to their grandfather.
"How have I gone too far? I was just making a suggestion. Whether my brother-in-law gives it away is his own business," Huang Tao said with an innocent shrug.
"How could I accept a gift from a junior?" Qin Fugui said earnestly. "I may enjoy collecting luxury watches, but I can't just take something another person cherishes!"
Though he claimed he wouldn't accept a gift from a junior, his words clearly showed his fondness for Ye Xiu's watch. Moreover, as he spoke, his gaze was fixed on Ye Xiu with such a burning intensity that the anticipation nearly spilled from his eyes.
The rest of the Qin Family also stared at Ye Xiu. Although it was inappropriate to pressure him into gifting such a valuable watch to the Old Master upon their first meeting, they were eager to see his attitude.
"Huang Tao, what are your intentions?" Ye Xiu, who could easily see through Huang Tao and the Qin Family's designs, feigned anger. "Gifting a watch is a bad omen. 'Gifting a clock' is a homophone for 'sending someone to their end.' Are you cursing the Old Master to die an early death?"
PFFT!
Qin Qing almost burst out laughing. She never would have thought Ye Xiu could come up with such a brilliant excuse to refuse. It was simply perfect!
"Grandpa, I didn't..." Huang Tao panicked. He hadn't expected Ye Xiu to be so vicious as to turn the tables on him so completely. He couldn't possibly bear the accusation of cursing Qin Fugui to an early grave.
"I believe you meant well," Qin Fugui said, comforting Huang Tao before turning to Ye Xiu with an awkward smile. "Actually, even if you offered the watch to me, I wouldn't accept it."
He quickly changed the subject to ease the tension, speaking to Qin Qing with a kind and benevolent expression. "Grandpa is very satisfied with the boyfriend you've found. I support you two being together."
Of course, he supported them! Aside from Huang Tao and Qin Anruo, every member of the Qin Family was a staunch supporter. After all, anyone who could afford a watch worth over thirty million was surely the scion of a wealthy and powerful family—exactly the kind of son-in-law the Qin Family adored.
"I don't think he's Cousin Qin Qing's boyfriend!" Huang Tao piped up, stirring up trouble again. "Everyone in Jin Ye City knows that the person Qin Qing loves is Ye Xiu. She's been waiting all this time for him to return. How could she possibly have fallen for someone else?"
As he spoke, he shot Ye Xiu a provocative look, as if to say, *So what if you're rich? Go on, try marrying a woman who's in love with someone else.*
"Huang Tao, you're right," Qin Anruo's eyes lit up, silently praising his cleverness. She added in a sarcastic tone, "It's common knowledge that my cousin is devoted to Ye Xiu. No man would dare marry a woman whose heart belongs to another."
The remark was incredibly malicious, a clear warning to Ye Xiu not to marry a woman like Qin Qing. Had it been any other man, Huang Tao and Qin Anruo's words likely would have driven him away from her.
With Huang Tao and Qin Anruo chiming in together, Qin Fugui and the rest of the family were suddenly unsure about Qin Qing and Ye Xiu's relationship.
"Qin Qing, is he your boyfriend or not?" Qin Fugui asked.
"Well..." Qin Qing looked toward Ye Xiu, her expression troubled.
"I'm not Qin Qing's boyfriend," Ye Xiu stated. "I'm her fiancé."
His words hit Huang Tao and Qin Anruo like a sharp slap across the face. Their entire goal was to drive a wedge between the couple by telling Ye Xiu that Qin Qing's heart belonged to another. They never expected him not to take the bait!
The rest of the Qin Family, however, were overjoyed to have the relationship confirmed. It was a doubly joyous occasion; Qin Anruo had found a good man, and Qin Qing had found an even better one.
"You don't mind that my cousin's heart belongs to another man?" Qin Anruo asked, unable to accept defeat.
"The man in her heart is me," Ye Xiu replied.
At his words, Qin Qing tensed. He's going to reveal his identity. If he does, my family will absolutely forbid me from marrying him. They might even throw him out on the spot.
But she didn't try to stop him. Whatever choice Ye Xiu made, she would support him unconditionally.
"Don't be fooled by her sweet words! The one she loves is Ye Xiu, not—" Qin Anruo was about to continue sowing discord when a thought suddenly struck her. Her face filled with shock. "You... You're Ye Xiu?"
At her words, Huang Tao and the Qin Family scrutinized Ye Xiu's face and finally saw traces of the young man from all those years ago.
"Are you really Ye Xiu?" Qin Qing's grandfather, Qin Fugui, asked.
"I am," Ye Xiu nodded.
Upon receiving confirmation, the expressions on the faces of the Qin Family members turned ugly. Just moments ago, they had been delighted that Qin Qing had found a fiancé from a prominent family, but now it was as if they had swallowed flies.
Ye Xiu chuckled. "Back when I was at my peak, countless powerful families from across the country sent their most outstanding daughters to me, all hoping to arrange a marriage. Grandpa Qin, you yourself brought Qin Qing and Qin Anruo before me to choose, which caused the two of them to have a falling out. What's the matter? Now that my halo is gone, you all look down on me?"
The reminder of this past event left the Qin Family feeling deeply humiliated. In those days, Ye Xiu had been the nation's brightest star, second to none. Any family that managed to claim him as a son-in-law would not only gain immense prestige but also a chance to become a leader in the national medical field. The Qin Family had ambitions of entering that field, which was why Qin Fugui had presented both Qin Qing and Qin Anruo to Ye Xiu.
To win him over, the daughters of major families had staged countless, intense, drama-filled battles. In her attempt to secure the marriage contract, Qin Anruo had even schemed against her own cousin, Qin Qing, creating an unresolvable feud between them. Even after a decade, they still had not reconciled. To this day, many people still ridiculed the Qin Family because of that incident.
Now that Ye Xiu had brought it up again, the family's shame turned to fury.
"Get out of here!" Qin Fugui roared. "The Qin Family does not welcome a disgrace like you! Qin Han, what are you waiting for? Throw him out!"
Qin Qing's father, Qin Han, added coldly, "Ye Xiu, you are not welcome here. Please leave immediately, and you are forbidden from seeing Qin Qing ever again."
Her uncle, Qin Zhongwu, threatened, "Scram, or don't blame us for getting rough!"
"Why waste your breath on him?" Huang Tao was thrilled. "Everyone, step aside. Watch me beat him up a bit before I toss him out."
Immediately, the Qin Family members backed away to watch Huang Tao's performance. They had heard from Qin Anruo that he was a trained martial artist.
"Ye Xiu, Huang Tao has practiced martial arts since childhood. He's a Taekwondo black belt," Qin Anruo said, threatening him proudly. "I suggest you leave on your own. Otherwise, he'll really knock your teeth out."
"A Taekwondo black belt?" Ye Xiu asked Huang Tao.
"That's right!" Huang Tao declared haughtily. "With my skill, three or five grown men couldn't get near me. As for a delicate pretty boy like you, I could take on ten!"
With that, he began showing off his Taekwondo forms, his movements cutting through the air with an audible whoosh, looking incredibly impressive.
"Wow, honey, you're so cool!" Qin Anruo instantly transformed into a doting fan.
The other Qin Family members nodded in silent approval. Even if they didn't understand Kung Fu, they could tell that Huang Tao's every move was packed with power.
"Stop showing off. If you're going to fight, then get on with it," Ye Xiu said, amused.
"Fine! Since you're asking for a beating, I'll happily oblige." He launched a dazzling spinning kick at Ye Xiu's face. It was fast and fierce, his stance solid, and he let out a sharp "Ha!" with the attack. The move was impressive, a true spectacle, and seemed to carry immense force.
Smiles spread across the faces of the Qin Family. They were sure Ye Xiu was about to be sent flying.
However…
Ye Xiu casually caught Huang Tao's ankle mid-kick and simply tossed him.
THUD!
Huang Tao slammed against the wall and crumpled to the floor, completely dazed. He felt as if every bone in his body had been shattered.
"Did you just dye a white belt black with ink?" Ye Xiu mocked.
"You..." A wave of fury and humiliation washed over Huang Tao. His head lolled to the side, and he fainted.
The Qin Family stared at the unconscious Huang Tao, utterly dumbfounded. After all that flashy, flamboyant performance, he was taken out by Ye Xiu in a single move?
Then, they all turned to stare at Ye Xiu in shock. They found it hard to believe that the Ye Xiu from ten years ago, who had been hunted like a dog with nowhere to run, had become so powerful.
Even Qin Qing hadn't expected him to be so formidable. Huang Tao was a grown man, not a sack of trash, yet he had been thrown so casually. How much strength does that take?!
"I came back this time to marry Qin Qing. I hope none of you will stand in my way," Ye Xiu declared, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the Qin Family with an air of dominance. Since they would never willingly agree to the marriage, he saw no reason to be polite.