Cheng Hanlin couldn't understand the reason why such the Cheng Conglomerate which was so big was being suppressed by everyone so suddenly. Even Deputy Mayor Ye who had agreed to help him out was removed from his post. It was all done by Mr. Jiang as only he possessed this kind of ability in Jiang City, but he had never expected that this Mr. Jiang was none other than Jiang Xiu.
Though he knew now that Jiang Xiu was the one who destroyed, he didn't feel resentful at all. He had nothing to say in response to Jiang Xiu's revenge. Let alone, his life was in the other party's hands now.
Life or Death, it was a matter of just a single word.
Sun Xiaohong begged him, Little Xiu, please don't kill your Uncle Cheng. Although you and Susu haven't got married, you have an engagement set in your childhood. He is after all your nominal father-in-law. Can you spare his life?"
Jiang Xiu's gaze went cold. This woman really had the nerve to say such things.
She had mocked and ridiculed him as well as called his home to break the engagement repeatedly. Her daughter too had firmly insisted on breaking the engagement. Now, she was talking bullshit about father-in-law and whatnot.
Tears dropped from her Sun Xiaohong's face as she talked wretchedly, "In those days, your Uncle Cheng didn't know the consequences would be that grave. He was never able to sleep properly at night ever since that incident happened and it had become so grave that it turned into mental illness. He couldn't sleep if there were even a tiny bit of sound…"
"We've lost everything we have and become penniless. We've already received retribution. Please let Hanlin live."
Cheng Hanlin wore an expression of grief, his eyes losing all spirit from them.
As if he had suffered through a grievous torment.
Jiang Xiu didn't show any sympathy at all, his expression as ice-cold as a lifeless sculpture, "Have you acted enough? These are the consequences of your actions. You were the one who courted death so who is to blame for it?"
Cheng Hanlin spoke with remorse, "Brother Yi, Sister-in-law… I'm the one who sold my friend. Kill me. End everything by killing me."
"I shall send you on your way then!"
He raised his hand up!
Jiang Xiu's mood wasn't as calm as he was revealing outside. He didn't wish to kill them as he knew it would mean that he would lose Cheng Lingran forever if he did so, but he had made his choice. He had chosen to bear the pain of losing Cheng Lingran and to kill this foe.
Jiang Xiu wasn't only cruel to others but also to himself. It could be said that he even had the tendency to act cruelly to himself. Not concerning the body but instead relating to the spirit. By making his heart suffer bitterness and enduring through it by cutting off all emotions, he could progress faster than the others in his cultivation. This was the way he operated on the Immortal Martial Continent for three millenniums.
"D-Don't!"
Cheng Lingsu was utterly frightened, but she harnessed all her courage to defend her father, looking at Jiang Xiu with a pleading gaze.
Jiang Xiu had always killed the people he said he would kill without hesitation. He had pushed off Wang Xuehai off the helicopter, killed the Wang Ancestor, as well as made Tang Zhiming drown under water. She was terrified her parents would be tragically killed before her eyes by him.
"Get lost to the side, or else I'll kill you along with them!"
Cheng Lingsu closed her eyes and waited for death to embrace her.
At this moment, Cheng Lingsu felt an inexplicable feeling she had never felt through her entire life. If Jiang Xiu wished to kill her parents, she would rather die together with them.
"Wait!"
Lin Yueling stopped him.
"Mother?"
Jiang Xiu dropped his hand down. He looked back at her with astonishment. The one who hated Cheng Hanlin and Lin Yueling the most should have been his mother yet she had prevented him just now.
Lin Yueling spoke in a firm tone, "You're not allowed to hurt Susu, she's my daughter-in-law. No one is allowed to hurt her."
Jiang Xiu looked at Lin Yueling with a look of disbelief, "Mother, why are you…"
He couldn't understand this. Everything had come to light now. Cheng Hanlin had harmed their family back then, and the hatred between their families went quite deep. He didn't know why she was still insisting on his marriage.
"Susu, come over to Aunty's side."
Cheng Lingsu shook her head with tears welling up in her eyes, "I won't. He'll kill my parents. Aunty, please persuade him to spare my parent's lives."
Lin Yuelin took a long look at the Cheng couple then turned to Jiang Xiu, "Son, let it be. They are after all Susu's parents and already have nothing left now."
Jiang Xiu couldn't comprehend this, "Mother. but why?"
"What's with that attitude? Did you forget who raised you up?" Lin Yueling chided him.
Jiang Xiu didn't wish to kill them as well, but he couldn't understand the reason his mother was letting them go. He looked towards his father. Jiang Yi had lost his zeal from his younger days wasn't willing to do anything these days. He didn't object to anything Lin Yueling decided as his wife's kindness weighed as heavy as a mountain. This was also his way to express his affection towards her. He had relied on her for all these years and felt quite ashamed, so he chose to listen to Lin Yueling at this moment as well.
"Listen to your mother."
"Why? I don't understand."
"Think about it if you don't understand the reason, maybe you'll remember it then."
Jiang Xiu felt quite puzzled, thinking whether he had forgotten about something which made Lin Yueling so adamant about preserving this engagement. He wondered whether it was related to the two families in the Imperial Capital.
"Susu, it's fine now. Don't kneel there."
Cheng Lingsu felt jubilant, "Thank you, Aunty!"
Jiang Xiu's face was ashen. He felt quite dissatisfied that the Cheng couple was let off so easy. He was used to acting cruelly towards his enemies. What's even worse was that he had to keep the relationship between him and Cheng Lingsu.
"Mr. Jiang, if Cheng Hanlin acts as the witness for your father's case back then, it should be easy to redress the case smoothly, and it could also help in restoring his former post."
"What?"
Jiang Yi couldn't believe his ears, "I-I… can return? But I spent time in prison and lost the qualifications to enter politics forever."
"You were accused wrongly, Tang Zhengping was the main culprit."
"Are you telling the truth?"
His voice shuddered.
This was his dream as well as the regret in his heart.
"No one would joke about such a thing in front of Mr. Jiang. It depends on your desire. What do you want to do? Do you have the confidence to walk through the path of officialdom again?"
Jiang Yi had never imagined such a day would arrive when he could get a chance to get his former position back. His eyes brimmed with tears, "Yueling, did you hear that? I can continue my dream of entering politics. Although 12 years are gone, there's still hope for it."
Lin Yueling nodded while crying tears of joy, "M-Mhm…"
"Secretary Gu, I'm willing to do it…"
The others congratulated him as well.
"Sir Jiang, congratulations!"
"It's going to be a steady rise for you from now on!"
Qin Baichuan laughed as well, "As Mr. Jiang and Secretary Gu are there to provide support, there's no doubt that Sir Jiang's official career will soar up at Jiangnan. Hahaha…"
"Director Qin is right!"
Jiang Yi felt all sorts of feelings while hearing these words. He looked at his son with a gaze full of pride, "Yueling, our son has really grown up. His prospects are really endless."
Jiangnan's border region, as well as the elite of Jiangnan, were all flattering him so much. He felt like he was dreaming.
After suffering a lot of worries, happiness had come into their family.
The hatred was settled and what was lost regained. By contrast, the Cheng family had become penniless. The Cheng family had turned similar to stray dogs. The inferiority they felt was evident to the eye.
Sun Xiaohong dragged Cheng Lingsu to the side, "Susu, tell your mother. Do you know why your Aunty Lin wants Jiang Xiu to marry you even though their Jiang family has such a high status now?"
As the Jiang family was so fierce now, if her daughter could marry into the Jiang family, she believed she still had a chance to return to her former life or even reach a higher status than before.
No one would dare to provoke Mr. Jiang's mother-in-law in the entire Jiangnan province.
Cheng Lingsu was also quite puzzled. She shook her head, "I don't know. Looking at it, their family should hate us for what father did to them back then. Our family has nothing they want, so it doesn't make sense that they still want to preserve the engagement."
"Does father have some kind of agreement with them?"
Cheng Hanlin shook his head too. They had good relations back then, but it was all gone now.
"It doesn't matter. You must act obediently from now on. Especially towards your Aunty Lin. She's the key person here. If you can coax up to her well, she would find it difficult to send you away."