My Ares Son-in-Law

Xiao Chen slowly reached out and unhurriedly pulled out five bright red 100-yuan bills from his wallet.

The banknotes were so new, as if they had just come from the printing factory, with neat edges and bright colors. They stood out in the dimly lit carriage, like five small burning flames, instantly attracting the driver's attention.

He gently stepped over the slightly worn guardrail and placed five hundred-yuan bills directly on the passenger seat.

The movements were fluid and natural, without the slightest hesitation, as if it were just an ordinary thing.

The driver's eyes lit up instantly, the light as bright and dazzling as a shooting star streaking across the night sky.

The lingering doubts and wariness on his face vanished without a trace, like a thin mist in winter, washed away by this sudden windfall.

His lips immediately curled up into a fawning smile, a smile as radiant and obsequious as a blooming chrysanthemum.

He eagerly grabbed the five banknotes, skillfully twirling them between his fingers, feeling the texture and grain of the paper. Once he was sure they were genuine, his voice rose eight octaves in excitement:

Alright!
Boss, buckle up!

Whether it's Mars or Mars, wherever you say we're going, we'll go!

Guaranteed to be both fast and stable!

In his mind, this job would have cost him at most twenty yuan for fuel, but now he had more than four hundred yuan left, which was pure profit. It was like a pie falling from the sky, and a super big one at that, which hit him right on the head and made him overjoyed.

He shifted gears deftly, his movements as practiced and skillful as an experienced sailor maneuvering a sailboat.

Then, he stepped on the gas, and the dilapidated taxi roared to life, like a wild beast awakened, excitedly darting off towards the west of the city, weaving through traffic with the agility of an eel.

The car gradually merged into the traffic, like a small fish swimming into the sea, leaving the chaos and piercing sirens of the Nanlai Building far behind.

The sirens blared like a swarm of angry bees buzzing behind them, but they could no longer affect the two people inside the car.

Xiao Chen leaned back in the uncomfortable seat, his body swaying slightly with the bumps of the car.

He turned his head to look out the window, his gaze deep and distant, as if he were seeing another world through the car window.

In the rearview mirror, the towering Nanlai Group building was still clearly visible to him.

Thick smoke still billowed from the top floor of the building, the smoke resembling a black dragon, baring its fangs and claws as it rushed towards the sky, as if it wanted to devour the entire world.

It's like a huge, festering, pus-filled wound, grotesquely branded onto the skyline of the ancient city, inspiring fear in those who see it.

The fire truck's blinding red and blue lights flashed incessantly downstairs, the lights like a swarm of flies buzzing around rotting flesh, dense and dazzling.

The firefighters' busy figures were faintly visible under the lights; they were like a group of brave warriors, fighting a desperate battle against this terrible fire.

The shattered glass reflected a fragmented, cold light under the sunlight, a light that gleamed like countless sharp daggers, flashing with a dangerous glint.

Tiny fragments kept falling from the sky, like a dangerous rain of glass, clattering and splashing onto the ground, sending up tiny sparks.

The air was filled with a complex odor: the smell of burning, the pungent smell of burning plastic, and even a faint trace of blood.

These smells stubbornly seeped in through the gaps in the car windows, like a group of mischievous little elves, spreading wantonly throughout the carriage, making people involuntarily frown when they smelled them.

Xiao Chen sat quietly in the car. The filthy car window was like a cloudy filter, blurring and distorting the view outside. However, his gaze was like two sharp swords, piercing through this barrier and landing on the ruins that once symbolized wealth and power, but were now devastated.

In the ruins, broken walls and rubble were piled up haphazardly, and charred beams lay scattered on the ground, wisps of smoke rising from them, as if this once magnificent building was groaning in pain.

A pungent, burnt smell permeated the air, mixed with the stench of dust, making one feel nauseous.

But deep within Xiao Chen's eyes lay a frozen stillness, without the slightest ripple, like a bottomless pool of ice, unmoved by any external clamor.

He slowly closed his eyes, as if that would completely shut out the chaotic and unsettling images outside the window.

However, deep down he was not at peace.

That voice hidden deep within his heart, like a volcano dormant for many years, originally suppressed by thick layers of rock, suddenly erupted, roaring with the heat of lava, booming in his mind:
"Wife..."

This call is filled with endless longing and deep affection.

He seemed to see his wife Jiang Meng's gentle yet firm face before his eyes. She always looked at him with a warm smile and eyes full of wisdom and strength, as if no matter what difficulties he encountered, as long as she was by his side, he was not afraid of anything.

But now, she is gone, leaving me alone in this cold world to face everything.

"Two days."

"Wait for two more days."

"I want the entire ancient city to hear the footsteps of 'Xinmeng Group' rising again!"

That sound will be even louder than today's explosion!

Xiao Chen's heart was screaming, and this scream was like a surging tide, wave after wave, echoing in his chest.

He could almost see that day arrive, when the Xinmeng Group's flag would once again fly over the ancient city, employees would beam with pride, and customers would cast trusting glances his way.

The sound of their footsteps as they stand up again will shake the entire ancient city and draw everyone's attention.

This thought was like a burning brand, deeply etched into the depths of his soul, indelible.

Xinmeng Group's Gucheng branch, the company that was once founded by his wife Jiang Meng, shines like a bright star in the commercial sky of Gucheng.

It symbolizes integrity and brilliance, and is a role model and source of pride for countless people.

However, a few years ago, a dirty conspiracy and a bloody crackdown struck like a storm, ruthlessly destroying this star.

It was slandered, plundered, and finally collapsed, buried in dust and the scorn of the world.

Whenever Xiao Chen thinks about these things, his heart aches as if it's being cut by a knife.

He hated those behind the scenes, hated their greed and cruelty, hated their unscrupulous means for their own benefit.

Now that Xiao Chen has returned, he will never let those people get away with it again.

He would personally reclaim this stolen glory, with interest! (End of Chapter)