Yang Yuqi thought for a moment before saying quietly, "Where should I begin? Actually, my family is a very large one. It's not just my parents and me; it also includes my uncles, several grandfathers who are still alive, my cousins, and relatives from my maternal side. We all live together. It's like a grand garden. From my great-grandfather's generation when they started from scratch until now, our family has grown into a large family with over a hundred members. While our assets may not be as vast as a multinational corporation, they are still worth hundreds of millions. We have branches and offices all over the country and abroad. Do you understand what I mean?"
Ling Yun nodded. He had actually already noticed that Yang Yuqi came from a wealthy family, and not just any wealthy family in the ordinary sense. It was a super-rich family with a certain aristocratic air. It's often in such families that one can raise a multi-talented girl like Yang Yuqi, who possesses intelligence, beauty, temperament, and elegance. Wherever she goes, Yang Yuqi stands out. It's not just her breathtaking beauty; even in her professional field, Yang Yuqi demonstrates exceptional talent. Moreover, she is kind, polite, and poised, with an excellent demeanor that leaves a very deep impression. Such气质 (qi zhi, a kind of refined elegance or poise) could not have been cultivated without years of strict family education.
Ling Yun thought to himself, "I didn't expect Yuqi to be from a prominent family. It seems the four beauties all have extraordinary backgrounds."
Yang Yuqi continued, "Originally, the family business was jointly managed by my third grandfather, my eldest and second uncles, and my father. Over the years, the business has been managed very well without any major problems. However, this year, for some reason, a change has occurred. It seems that there is a problem with the cash flow, which has led to poor business performance. I don't know the specifics, and I am studying at a university in Beijing, so I don't know much about my family's affairs. My parents rarely talk to me about the family business because, according to family tradition, girls are not allowed to ask about or participate in the family business."
Ling Yun nodded. This was the drawback of family businesses, especially in China. These ancient family businesses were subject to strict male chauvinism, which couldn't be changed by slogans and propaganda in the short term.
“I wasn’t too worried at first.” Yang Yuqi’s expression turned somber. “But not long ago, my mother suddenly called to say that my father was sick. Although it wasn’t very serious, he needed to be hospitalized for a while, and the hospital couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Since then, things have taken a sharp turn for the worse. Just a few days ago, one of my cousins told me that the family was in trouble and needed financial assistance from another large conglomerate. After several discussions, the conglomerate agreed to help our family, but on one condition.”
"The condition is that you marry the son of a big conglomerate owner?" Ling Yun asked calmly.
“No,” Yang Yuqi shook her head and said, “It is said to be the brother of a key person behind the scenes of that conglomerate. This is a marriage of convenience between the two groups. Whether from the perspective of our family’s crisis or future development, they want me to submit to the overall interests of the family and marry this person I have never met.”
Ling Yun remained silent. He understood the power of such families, especially large families like Yang Yuqi's that had developed for nearly a century. Their internal relationships were intricate and complex, rife with vested interests, and their power was immense, far beyond the reach of worldly morality and influence. Often, the future and destiny of the next generation in such families were predetermined from birth. One couldn't simply refute the family's strategic marriages based on reasons like freedom of marriage or children's happiness; the matter was far too complex, and no one would actually help Yang Yuqi.
When it comes to self-interest, anything is permissible, and everyone will consider it perfectly normal. Even if Yang Yuqi is unwilling to be forced into marriage and wants to seek outside help, in the face of the immense power of her family, no one will truly speak up for her, or at most they will shout a few slogans without providing any substantial assistance.
But no one would willingly marry a complete stranger, especially a privileged young woman like Yang Yuqi. Of course, her family wouldn't use violence to coerce her into complying with their decision, but under that invisible pressure, how long could a frail woman like Yang Yuqi endure? She's currently studying in another city, so the pressure is at least less. If she were at home, she'd probably be crying all day. And it would be easy for her family to punish her; they only need to cut off her financial support, and Yang Yuqi would quickly submit.
“My parents love me very much and don’t want me to marry that guy’s brother who’s in charge. I heard he’s almost fifty and a playboy who spends his days hunting for women in nightclubs. But now my father is sick, and the part of the business he used to be in has been handed over to my uncle. His status in the family has weakened, and he doesn’t have much influence anymore. My mother is just a housewife who takes care of the family, so naturally she has even less status.” Yang Yuqi said sadly, clearly under a lot of pressure. The young woman had been living in helplessness and torment.
“Lingyun, I don’t know who to talk to. None of my classmates can help me, even though I know they are all kind. As for my suitors, I would never ask them for help.” Yang Yuqi’s face showed disgust. “Those people are just lusting after my good looks. I know very well that if I ask them for help, regardless of whether anyone actually comes to my aid in the end, they will only take the opportunity to blackmail me…”
Chapter 116 Marriage of Interest (Part 2)
Ling Yun nodded secretly. It seemed that Yang Yuqi was not just a beautiful girl. Even though she had not experienced many setbacks and failures, her upbringing in a noble family naturally put her at a high point in life, allowing her to see far more than ordinary people and naturally develop her own worldview and ideas.
“Lingyun, don’t worry, I don’t want to put you in a difficult position, nor will I involve you in our family’s power struggles.” Seeing his silence, Yang Yuqi worried that Lingyun might misunderstand her as using her, so she quickly explained, “I won’t go against the family, because going against them will only result in my defeat, and even my parents would be implicated. Fortunately, the issues related to the interests of that conglomerate haven’t been settled yet, and even if negotiations were to take place, it would take a long time. Moreover, the family hasn’t formally brought up the issue of engagement with me; it was just something my cousin told me privately. So I think if I bring my boyfriend back during the holidays, they will be surprised, and they will be more cautious about pressuring me to get engaged.”
Ling Yun grew increasingly astonished as he listened, and couldn't help but give Yang Yuqi a deep look. He hadn't expected the usually gentle and refined Yang Yuqi to possess such profound and far-sighted cunning. He had previously thought of her merely as a simple, beautiful girl, but now it seemed that his opinion needed to be revised. Yang Yuqi's thoughts perfectly aligned with his own considerations; if this girl were to undergo some trials, her courage might not be inferior to Su Bingyan's.
"You mean you want to stall for time?" Ling Yun asked, but a thought suddenly struck him. He remembered the Sihai Group. If he could introduce talents like Su Bingyan and Yang Yuqi to the Sihai Group, Xia Tian would definitely welcome them. Moreover, it would also solve the predicaments they were facing. Su Bingyan was easier to deal with; she was just getting rid of the shackles of the underworld. But Yang Yuqi's situation was more awkward, and he needed to find a solution as soon as possible.
Moreover, in terms of both capital and power, the Sihai Group is undoubtedly a world-renowned behemoth conglomerate, backed by a powerful force like the Superpower Headquarters, making it impossible for it to be weaker than any prestigious family.
Moreover, Xia Tian himself is also a superhuman, which means that Sihai Group is different from traditional interest groups. The power and information controlled by superhumans are incomparable to those of ordinary people. If the two sides were to fight, it would be a one-sided situation. If Yang Yuqi gets the support of Sihai Group, she will not have to worry about the pressure from her family. Moreover, if she does well, she is fully capable of helping Chen Feng and Zhao Yu. After a few years of training, she might even become a senior executive of the group. In this way, not only will she not have to worry about the pressure from her family, but her family may even ask her for help. This is the benefit of power.
“Yes, you don’t know, because our family is so large, it takes a long time from making a major decision to implementing it.” Su Bingyan nodded approvingly when she saw that Ling Yun had seen through her thoughts. “Even if I get engaged to the son of that conglomerate’s head, we won’t get married for at least four or five years. So I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend and drag it out for the next two years. As long as I find a job after graduating from university, become financially independent, and stay away from the family’s influence, I won’t have to be too afraid of these things.”
"It's just that this will make you feel bad. I know you don't like me... I also know you and Xia Zhen are very close, and I'm afraid she'll be unhappy." Yang Yuqi stammered out the last sentence, her heart pounding like a deer's, fearing that Ling Yun would directly admit his relationship with Xia Zhen, which would truly break her heart.
"Xia Zhen only sees me as a younger brother; we're not in that kind of relationship," Ling Yun explained with a sigh, feeling somewhat exasperated. What was wrong with everyone? Why did they all assume he and Xia Zhen had some kind of relationship? Did things have to be misunderstood just because a boy and a girl were getting along well?
"Oh." Yang Yuqi nodded, feeling relieved but still somewhat disappointed because Ling Yun hadn't responded to her question about not liking her. "I misunderstood, I'm really sorry."
“I have nothing to be aggrieved about. Being your boyfriend, even if it’s just a temporary pretense, is a blessing that countless boys would dream of.” The boy suddenly smiled and said, “You have to treat me well, be obedient and gentle, and act like a girlfriend so that your family will believe you.”
Like ten thousand flowers in full bloom, birds chirped and sang on the branches. In that instant, the girl felt as if countless rays of bright sunshine had entered her heart, instantly dispelling all the gloom. Surprised and delighted, she said, "So, you agree, Lingyun? Aren't you afraid of the trouble?"
"You're my friend, if I don't help you, who will?" Ling Yun smiled and gently pinched her jade-like nose. He wondered if he should talk to Xia Tian and ask Yang Yuqi to take a part-time job at Sihai Group. If he could arrange a job for her, he wouldn't have to worry too much about the pressure from her family. In Beijing, no family could completely control everything.
Yang Yuqi blushed, her rosy cheeks looking exceptionally adorable. Ling Yun's actions earlier had been rather intimate, causing her heart to race uncontrollably. Moreover, receiving Ling Yun's promise filled her with joy and excitement, leaving her feeling a dizzying sense of bliss.
In reality, Yang Yuqi didn't have high expectations for Ling Yun. After all, Ling Yun was just a student from an ordinary background, and even if he could help her, it would be very limited. If it was about pretending to be a boyfriend, there were many people more suitable than Ling Yun.
Although Yuqi was somewhat naive, she wasn't childish. On the contrary, the more difficult the situation, the more calm and composed she exuded. She knew that while many men pursued her, almost none were truly sincere. They were either lusting after her beauty or coveting the benefits of her family's wealth. She couldn't see through other people's minds, but she could keenly sense who could truly open their hearts to her. Ling Yun was undoubtedly one of them.
For some reason, Yang Yuqi felt a special trust in Ling Yun, as if this young man possessed a magical power that always made her believe in him without a doubt. Even the pressure of being forced into marriage that constantly weighed on her was unconsciously dispelled. The girl couldn't see a solution, but she seemed to see hope in front of Ling Yun.
Or perhaps I've fallen deeply in love with him, and I'm so dependent on him for everything?
Maybe? Yang Yuqi thought silently, anything is possible in the future.
Chapter 117 Ninja
"It's amazing that even concrete can be trapped inside." Ling Yun's half-body sank into the roof of the Jinghua University Library, with only his upper body exposed, as if he had been cast into one piece by reinforced concrete.
“As long as it’s related to earth, you can use earth escape. And this is just the simplest of the five elements’ magical arts. The entire material world is closely related to the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. So if you can truly master the magical arts of the five elements, it’s equivalent to mastering the entire world.” Gu Xiaorou stretched out her long, straight legs and sat in mid-air less than four meters from the top of the library building, looking down at Ling Yun.
She wore a tight-fitting black outfit, a matching bodysuit. Sitting in mid-air, it accentuated her graceful figure to the fullest. Every movement, even unintentional, exuded irresistible charm.
"How's your strength recovering? It's been several days, you should be almost there by now." Ling Yun treated the reinforced concrete roof as if it were nothing, swimming around like a fish, quickly familiarizing himself with the earth-遁术 (earth-遁术, a type of magical technique) that Gu Xiaorou had taught him. Gu Xiaorou had used this technique many times before, and Ling Yun had also seen it before, knowing that it was a high-level technique. Therefore, after returning to the school, he couldn't wait to ask Gu Xiaorou for instruction.
The past few days back on campus have been peaceful. The promise to Yang Yuqi wouldn't be fulfilled until the holidays, at least two months later, so Lingyun didn't need to worry too much. Seeing Yang Yuqi's happy face after overcoming her difficulties, Lingyun couldn't help but feel joyful. Helping a friend, no matter how big the favor, made Lingyun happier than the person being helped.
Su Bingyan then handed him the complete information she had gathered on the old demon, detailing the places the demon frequented, his address, who he associated with, and his connections in the underworld. Ling Yun was surprised and delighted by her thorough investigation, repeatedly expressing his gratitude. Su Bingyan was somewhat disappointed; she hadn't actually wanted Ling Yun to be so polite, because sometimes, politeness could create distance.
But the girl, who had weathered many storms, said nothing, only smiling faintly as she invited Ling Yun to come for coffee often. She was able to control her emotions well, knowing when to say what and when to do what. Feelings are always gradual, and clearly, Ling Yun was the kind of person who appeared honest but was resolute, quiet and introverted but possessed inner strength—definitely not a superficial person who could be seen through at a glance.
Such a person is absolutely worthy of entrusting one's life to. Moreover, such a person doesn't fall in love easily, but if they do, they will never fall for someone else. Su Bingyan is resolute, decisive, and experienced, so she naturally trusts her own judgment, which only strengthens her resolve to love Ling Yun. However… the road of love is not always smooth sailing. Ahead of her are Yang Yuqi and Xia Zhen, and it seems that she is not as important as they are in Ling Yun's heart.
Xia Zhen was incredibly busy. Jinghua University was about to hold its anniversary celebration, and as the student council president, she naturally had to be at the forefront of command. The promised trip to the Supernatural Abilities Headquarters was repeatedly postponed. Ling Yun, of course, had no objections. He resumed attending classes during the day and spent his free time cultivating with Gu Xiaorou, their relationship growing increasingly close.
Perhaps it was because he had witnessed Gu Xiaorou's difficult childhood, or perhaps it was the deep connection that arose when their spiritual fields intertwined. By a stroke of incredible chance, two lonely hearts were brought closer. Whenever Ling Yun saw Gu Xiaorou, his heart would soften, and he felt an irresistible urge to tell her everything. Even their usual solitary cultivation had unconsciously transformed into joint cultivation, ostensibly to assist Gu Xiaorou in restoring her strength, but the true reason behind it was something even the two of them probably couldn't explain.
After exchanging cultivation experiences, Gu Xiaorou felt that Ling Yun's strength and realm had reached a very high level, but his methods of attacking with supernatural techniques were still very basic and limited. Apart from light blades and mental force field cutting, he didn't seem to have many varied attack methods. Since she was experienced in this area, she took it upon herself to become Ling Yun's temporary mentor, teaching him all the powerful supernatural techniques she knew.
To her surprise, Ling Yun's progress was incredibly fast, almost miraculous. She could understand a complex high-level technique after just one explanation and demonstration, and then perform it again, albeit with some hesitation. This hesitation was simply due to temporary unfamiliarity; with more practice, he could achieve perfection.
In fact, she didn't know that Ling Yun's seemingly limited attack methods were simply because he was only practicing the most basic magical arts system in the fourth layer of the barrier. Truly profound and powerful magical arts could only be learned in the simulated battles of the segmented level. Ling Yun, after only entering the first segmented simulation in the fifth layer of the barrier, skipped directly to the fifth segmented simulation, without a gradual progression. However, his power increased rapidly, resulting in a side effect: a limited range of attack methods.
Fortunately, with the guidance of an experienced supernatural being like Gu Xiaorou, Ling Yun's weakness was promptly addressed. Once his cultivation level and power reached that point, learning supernatural arts became merely an added bonus.
Gu Xiaorou crossed her legs in mid-air, smiling as she watched Ling Yun, who was still swimming around on the rooftop. In reality, her strength had long since recovered to its peak, but every time Ling Yun asked her if she had recovered, the girl would always answer loudly and decisively, "No!"
This time was no exception. After Gu Xiaorou finished answering, Ling Yun was a little surprised, but he didn't think too deeply that Gu Xiaorou would lie to him. So be it, she'll be his sparring partner. There's a long future ahead. Sooner or later, she'll recover, the young man thought.