At Yang Chen's command, over a dozen excavators rumbled toward the Qin family estate.
**"Boom! Crash!"**
Dozens of meters of the estate's walls were instantly demolished, sending clouds of dust billowing across the grounds.
Old Master Qin stood rooted in place, not even bothering to glance back.
"Yang Chen, you can't do this! This estate represents decades of hard work by the entire Qin family!"
"Yang Chen, please, give the Qin family another chance!"
"Uncle Yang, this is the home I grew up in. Can't you spare it?"
Every member of the Qin family, young and old, pleaded desperately.
Yang Chen knew well that the true culprits were Qin Fei and Old Master Qin. The others were innocent. Even if they had once looked down on him or spoken harshly to Qin Xi, it had all been under Qin Fei's influence.
**"Silence!"**
Old Master Qin suddenly roared, his voice cutting through the pleas. "Even if the Qin estate is destroyed, as long as one member of this family remains, the Qin name will not perish!"
Stubborn as he was, his words in this moment showed he wasn't entirely foolish.
**"Boom!"**
Another deafening crash echoed as, before everyone's eyes, a villa collapsed into rubble.
Just as the Qin family braced for the complete destruction of their estate, the excavators abruptly turned and left.
The sudden departure after demolishing only one villa left everyone stunned—and quietly relieved.
The destroyed villa had belonged to Qin Fei.
Old Master Qin was equally shocked. He had expected Yang Chen to level the entire estate, yet the grand display had only targeted Qin Fei's home.
The executives from the Guan family's subsidiaries were puzzled at first, but when they realized whose villa had been torn down, understanding dawned.
Yang Chen hadn't come to annihilate the Qin family—he had simply returned Qin Fei's malice with interest.
**"My debt with the Qin family is settled."**
Yang Chen's voice carried across the distance as he walked away. **"From now on, no one is to trouble the Qins on my account."**
With that, he got into his understated Volkswagen Phaeton and drove off. The Guan family executives exchanged glances—his words had been a clear warning to them.
**"Qin Kun, you're lucky. Today could have been the end of the Qin family."**
Xu Tian smirked at Old Master Qin before turning to leave.
One by one, the other executives followed, leaving the Qin family standing amid the ruins of their toppled walls, their expressions a mix of emotions.
Old Master Qin stood frozen. He had never expected Yang Chen to show mercy. He had been prepared to start from scratch, but Yang Chen's actions had defied his expectations—not only sparing the estate but also warning others against targeting the Qins.
The only loss was a single villa.
**"I was wrong."**
After a long silence, Old Master Qin sighed deeply. At nearly seventy years old, it was the first time he had ever admitted fault.
**"Patriarch, should I arrange for construction crews to rebuild the estate?"**
A Qin family member stepped forward cautiously.
Old Master Qin shook his head. Scanning the crowd, he declared, **"Nothing here is to be restored unless the Qin family rises to become one of Jiangzhou's Four Great Families!"**
Shock rippled through the group. But seeing the determination in Old Master Qin's eyes, they realized—he had truly changed.
**"Let this place remind you daily: never underestimate anyone, and never provoke needlessly."**
His words weren't about dwelling on humiliation but about vigilance.
Just like Yang Chen—a man once dismissed as worthless, now capable of toppling the Qin family with a single word.
**"What about Qin Fei's legs? Should we... treat them?"**
Someone hesitantly broached the question. After all, Yang Chen had forbidden Qin Fei's treatment.
Old Master Qin's eyes flickered with conflict, but his voice was firm. **"No."**
With that, he turned and walked away.
As his figure receded, the weight of his decision settled heavily over the Qin family.
---
Meanwhile, Yang Chen left the Qin estate and headed straight for Cloudcrest Summit.
At the same time, guided by Qin Xi, Qin Yi drove their car up to the same destination.
The mountaintop resembled a vast, flattened plateau, encircled by glass walls as tall as a person. At its center stood a palace-like mansion, complete with a sprawling outdoor pool.
The three-story villa was accessed through a gate leading to a pebble-lined path flanked by stone benches adorned with rare, meticulously arranged potted plants.
Behind the villa lay a massive parking area, where a row of limited-edition luxury cars gleamed under the sunlight.
Qin Yi and Zhou Yucui stared in awe, feeling like country bumpkins stumbling into a dream.
**"Xi'er, is this... our new home?"**
Zhou Yucui clutched Qin Xi's arm excitedly.
**"This is Yang Chen's home,"** Qin Xi corrected.
Though Qin Yi was equally dazzled, she suppressed her excitement, reminded of Yang Chen's enigmatic nature.
**"You're still married to him. Half of this villa is yours!"**
Zhou Yucui's mind was already scheming how to claim the property for herself.
When Qin Xi led them inside, the opulence left both women speechless. Even the grandest mansions on TV paled in comparison.
From every window, the entire city of Jiangzhou sprawled beneath them like a glittering tapestry.
Just then, a black Rolls-Royce glided into the estate. A middle-aged man with a pudgy face and a heavily made-up young woman stepped out, flanked by two suited bodyguards in sunglasses.
**"Darling, is this really going to be our home? But... it looks occupied."**
The woman clung to the man's arm, pouting.
**"This villa was developed by the Wei family. Even if someone lives here, so what? If my sweetheart likes it, we'll just kick them out."**
The man's tone dripped with arrogance.
**"You're amazing, darling!"**
The woman giggled, planting a loud kiss on his cheek.
Inside the villa, Qin Xi, who had been tidying up, heard the commotion and hurried out, expecting Yang Chen. Instead, she was met with strangers.
**"Who are you?"** she demanded, frowning.