Chapter Twenty-Four: The Great Hero

It was just a simple phone call! Liu Yali wasn’t even worthy to speak to him! Yuan Dongyang’s status was truly on par with Ling Zheng! For a moment, the faces of the Chu family were all beaming with pride.

Ling Feng listened, growing increasingly uneasy. Who exactly was this man? From the way he spoke, it sounded as though he was the one who had pulled Biyue out of trouble...

“Exactly, exactly! With your relationship to Biyue, why should I be formal with you? If I said something wrong, I’ll drink a glass as punishment,” Lin Fang said, her voice full of flattery.

“Yuan Dongyang, what connection do you have with me? Why don’t I know about it?” At this moment, Chu Biyue spoke with some displeasure.

Chu Dongmei was taken aback, “Oh, what’s this? Are the young couple having a spat? You can talk it out behind closed doors later.”

“Haha, Biyue, don’t always throw tantrums at your husband. What do you mean, ‘what connection’? Isn’t it obvious? You’re lovers,” Chu Yaoyu laughed.

Lin Fang hurried to smooth things over, “Yes, yes, we all know about it already, Biyue, don’t pretend in front of us. Dongyang himself has seen it, and I’m quite satisfied. I think I’ll arrange your affairs next month. You’re not getting any younger, and soon you’ll be married—time to settle your temper.”

What on earth? How did it turn into a young couple now?

Especially Qian Zuwen, who went as far as to talk about having children.

What kind of situation was this?

Suddenly Ling Feng began to understand!

“Mom, what are you talking about?” Chu Biyue glanced at the kitchen, immediately annoyed.

“Auntie, isn’t this a bit rushed? I should at least propose…” Yuan Dongyang said.

“Don’t call me Auntie—call me Mom!” Lin Fang replied with a laugh.

“Yes, yes, time to change how you address her,” everyone except for Chu Yang joined in the uproar.

“Mom!”

Ling Feng saw the commotion getting out of hand, so he walked out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of noodles, sat right next to Chu Biyue, and looked up at Yuan Dongyang, saying, “Who are you calling Mom? I’m Biyue’s husband. If you want to call someone Mom, shouldn’t you ask me first, or ask Biyue?”

No one expected that Ling Feng, the family’s doormat, would suddenly step out and confront the distinguished Yuan Dongyang so openly, and with such righteous conviction. Where did he get the nerve? This penniless fool probably didn’t even know Yuan Dongyang’s identity.

The people at the table instantly changed expressions.

“Who am I calling Mom? Of course, my Mom. And who are you supposed to be?”

“You’re just a country bumpkin, claiming to be Biyue’s husband. Did you ask Biyue? Did you ask us? Does Biyue acknowledge you? Do we acknowledge you?”

“How dare you call yourself Biyue’s husband, that’s shameless beyond belief.”

“Listen, today’s a Chu family dinner. You have no right to sit here. Get out and cool off somewhere else.” Lin Fang was blunt.

“What do you mean, I have no right to sit here? Biyue and I have a marriage certificate, protected by law. Sitting next to her is my rightful place.”

The Chu family was going too far, discussing Chu Biyue and Yuan Dongyang’s marriage in front of him. Wasn’t this utterly humiliating?

Even if Ling Feng had always loved Chu Biyue and tolerated her family for her sake, at this moment, he had to step up and assert his rights.

Otherwise, these blind fools would continue to treat him like a pushover.

Yuan Dongyang suddenly smiled, as if he’d been holding back laughter. “Mom, you shouldn’t bother with someone who doesn’t know their place. People like him are generally confused—it’s like playing music to a cow. Let’s not pay him any mind. Come on, let’s keep eating.”

Yuan Dongyang spoke without any politeness. Lin Fang could say such things, but for Yuan Dongyang to join in, he was obviously treating himself as the Chu family’s son-in-law. He acted calm and magnanimous, showing the demeanor of a rich man who wouldn’t stoop to argue with a poor loser.

“Brother-in-law, that's generous of you!” Chu Yaoyu gave him a thumbs up.

Yuan Dongyang’s smugness only grew.

But no one expected Ling Feng, surrounded and outnumbered, to speak up again, “Which of us lacks self-awareness? You’re Yuan Dongyang, right? Don’t you know Biyue is already married? I’m her legal husband. What gives you the right to call someone Mom here?”

Chu Biyue stared at Ling Feng, suddenly feeling the man beside her was a stranger. The old Ling Feng always endured silently, never fought back or retorted—never so aggressive. Had he really changed?

Chu Biyue remained silent; she wanted to see what Ling Feng would do next.

“That’s laughable. Everyone knows you and Biyue are only married in name. You claim to be her husband, but she doesn’t acknowledge you. You’re just thick-skinned, clinging on and talking to yourself. Is there any point in persisting like this?”

Yuan Dongyang stopped Lin Fang from speaking, and pulled out a bank card from his pocket. “There’s two hundred thousand in this card. Take it back to your village, marry a widow with a child, or a woman missing an arm or leg—it’ll be enough. The rest can open a small shop, and you’ll have enough to get by.”

“A person must know their place. Look at yourself, then look at Biyue—you’re worlds apart, heaven and earth. Forcing yourselves together won’t bring happiness.”

“Think about it—have you ever given her a decent gift? You’re so poor, can you give her happiness? Can you stand to let her keep being looked down on because of you?”

“Exactly! You’re a rural bumpkin, a penniless fool. You just happened to get lucky when my second sister needed a wedding for good fortune, and stayed in our family for three years. That’s the best thing that ever happened to you. How dare you want to stay here forever?” Chu Dongmei said with disdain.

“Let me tell you, the only son-in-law I acknowledge is Dongyang. That won’t change,” Lin Fang said, arms crossed.

Chu Yaoyu scowled, “Still sitting there? Take the money and get out.”

Ling Feng wasn’t angry anymore. He could see that Chu Biyue hadn’t shown the slightest bit of warmth toward Yuan Dongyang—it was all her family pushing things along. Ling Feng couldn’t afford to show weakness.

Dealing with Yuan Dongyang would be easy—he could destroy the so-called Four Great Families with a word, but he would never do so in this matter. After all, how could Chu Biyue love a brute who only knew how to kill?

He couldn’t kill her family either.

Who would love a man who wiped out their whole family?

Over three years, though they’d never shared a bed, Ling Feng understood Chu Biyue’s character well. He knew his wife wasn’t a fickle woman.

So Ling Feng didn’t even glance at the bank card, kept his head down, and continued eating his noodles.

“Slurp, slurp!”

Everyone present was fuming.

“Can’t you understand plain language? I told you to get out!” Chu Yaoyu shouted, slamming the table.

“Won’t leave no matter how we try—what shamelessness!” Chu Dongmei was huffing with rage. “Are you drunk, insisting my second sister is your wife? Do you need me to take you to the hospital and get your stomach pumped?”

“He’s deliberately being an eyesore. Biyue, hurry up and tell him you have nothing to do with him,” Lin Fang ordered Chu Biyue.

If Chu Biyue really said those words, Ling Feng would get up and leave immediately. But no matter what, Yuan Dongyang’s fate would eventually be sealed.

However—

Chu Biyue suddenly picked up the TV remote, turned away, clicked the TV on, and rested her delicate chin on her hand, watching the screen.

“You… you brat, are you trying to drive me crazy? At a time like this, you’re still saving face for that pauper!”

“Exactly! Second sister is just too kind. Our meal was ruined by this country bumpkin!” The whole Chu family simmered with resentment.

“See that? Biyue’s unhappy now. How will she live well with Dongyang if you keep this up? You’re deliberately disrupting their relationship. As the man of this house, I have to step up. I’ll give you ten seconds—if you don’t leave, I won’t be polite.” Qian Zuwen was determined to latch onto Yuan Dongyang, and things unfolding this way suited him perfectly, giving him a chance to show off.

“One, two…”

Qian Zuwen counted for a while, but seeing Ling Feng didn’t move at all, he grew furious. Suddenly, he reached for Ling Feng’s collar.

Qian Zuwen was over six feet tall, burly, and had served in the army. He planned to throw Ling Feng out the window in front of Yuan Dongyang—after all, it was the first floor, so he wouldn’t die, but the humiliation would be plenty.

“Smack, smack.”

“Smack, smack.”

Somehow, Qian Zuwen’s hands missed entirely, and Ling Feng landed four hard slaps across his face.

“Qian Zuwen, was that human speech? You know perfectly well Biyue and I are legally married, yet you’re forcing her, pushing her to marry Yuan Dongyang under your pressure. You’re just eager to cozy up to the Yuan family. I’ve tolerated you out of kinship, but today you want to split us up—I won’t stand for it.”

“Damn you, country bumpkin pauper, you dare hit me?” Qian Zuwen saw stars, barely able to stand, let alone attack again.

“Damn you, lowly servant! Not only do you freeload at our table, you dare hit my husband? Do you want me to call the police?” Chu Yaoyu cried in shock.

Was this still that bullied, penniless son-in-law?

How dare he refuse to be bullied—what right did he have?

“You want to call the police? Go ahead. Let’s see what the officers say. And don’t force Biyue anymore, or I’ll hit you too.”

Ling Feng’s words carried weight. The Chu family had grown used to his submission, never imagining he’d resist. For a moment, they were stunned.

Qian Zuwen was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. After Ling Feng slapped him, he became much more cautious, though he wasn’t about to give up entirely.

Just then, Chu Yang suddenly shouted at the TV screen, “Oh my god, I never thought our Jiangzhou would produce such a great hero!”

The deadlock in the room was temporarily broken as everyone’s attention was diverted.

On the news, the screen showed today’s scene of Ling Feng single-handedly lifting a car in the First Avenue Plaza…