My Ares Son-in-Law

It is pure white and flawless, radiating a warm luster under the sunlight. The craftsmanship is so exquisite that it is astonishing. Every hair and every muscle line is lifelike, as if it will come to life at any moment.

However, the gaping maw was empty; the golden pearl that should have been inside had vanished, leaving it like a starving beast with its mouth wide open but unable to eat, exuding an indescribable sense of misery and eeriness.

Even more shocking was the deep slit that had been torn open in the belly of the Pixiu, as if it had been ripped open by a tremendous force. The jagged wound sent chills down one's spine.

In Feng Shui, the Pixiu is regarded as a wealth-gathering mythical beast because it has a mouth but no anus and only takes in but never gives out. It is a lucky charm that merchants and businesses flock to, and people often place it in a prominent position in the hope of attracting wealth and making their business prosperous.

The statue before us, however, is without pearls and has a split belly, clearly indicating that its form has been deliberately damaged, completely reversing its meaning.

The absence of pearls signifies the lack of wealth accumulation, while the split belly symbolizes the loss of wealth, making it an extremely ominous object associated with "spending money" and "losing money"!

This is even more malicious and blatant than directly sending a "money-scattering boy," making no attempt to conceal the giver's sinister intention to cause the Xunjiang Group's financial decline and demise.

Those around who saw the Pixiu couldn't help but gasp and whisper among themselves, instantly creating a tense and oppressive atmosphere.

On such a significant and joyous occasion as the opening of a business, a day that should be filled with celebration and auspiciousness, to present such a "broken" Pixiu is an act of wickedness that is utterly outrageous and despicable!
This is no congratulatory gift; it is clearly a blatant curse, a chillingly malicious act intended to completely ruin the fortune of the Xunjiang Group, plunging it into an abyss of no return from its prosperous beginnings, so that it will never recover.

Zhou Keying was so angry that she trembled all over, as if an unnamed fire was burning fiercely inside her, making her internal organs ache.

Her hands were clenched into fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, causing a sharp pain, but this pain was nothing compared to the anger and pain in her heart.

She never imagined that her aunt would go to such lengths!

In her mind, her aunt had always been a shrewd, capable, and skillful woman, but she never expected that her aunt would use such insidious means to suppress Xiao Chen.

This has completely gone beyond the scope of business competition. It is no longer a contest of open and covert struggles within the rules, where each person relies on their own abilities. Instead, it carries a condescending, undisguised intention to humiliate and destroy, like an invisible mountain pressing down hard on the heads of Xunjiang Group and on her heart.

The once bustling and noisy scene around them instantly fell silent upon the appearance of this Pixiu, and the atmosphere became so tense it seemed like water could be squeezed out of it.

The old snake, the advisor, and the two local officials clearly recognized the symbolism of the broken Pixiu, and their expressions instantly turned extremely ugly.

A flash of anger crossed the old snake's eyes, an anger that burned like a flame, leaping in his deep eyes as if it were about to erupt at any moment.

He had been a prominent figure in the business world for many years, witnessing countless ups and downs and experiencing various open and covert struggles, but such blatant and malicious suppression still made him extremely angry.

The staff officer's brows furrowed deeply, like two insurmountable mountains, and his eyes revealed a seriousness and vigilance.

He knew that there might be complex conflicts of interest and ulterior motives hidden behind this, and he was filled with dissatisfaction with this rule-breaking and unscrupulous behavior.

The two officials exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with unease and embarrassment.

Being officials, they were well aware of the complexities of the situation. They needed to maintain local stability and development, but they also couldn't afford to offend any powerful factions. The appearance of this Pixiu statue put them in a dilemma, leaving them unsure how to handle this unexpected turn of events.

However, they were all aware of Zhou Fenfang's identity and the enormous entity she represented.

Zhou Fenfang has extensive connections and profound influence in both the business and political circles. The forces behind her are deeply entrenched and cannot be easily shaken.

For a moment, no one dared to speak out to rebuke or stop them. Everyone could only stand silently in place, looking at the Pixiu that symbolized malice and curse, their hearts filled with helplessness and worry.

Xiao Chen stood quietly in place, like an unshakable mountain, unmoved by the changing winds and clouds around him.

His face remained expressionless, as calm as a bottomless lake, making it impossible to discern his innermost thoughts.

However, his deep eyes narrowed slightly, like stars twinkling in the night sky shrouded in a thin mist, a faint, cold glint flashing across them. That glint was like a shooting star streaking across the dark night, brief yet carrying a chilling sharpness.

The corners of his mouth seemed to curve upwards slightly, forming an extremely subtle arc, so small that it was almost imperceptible.

It wasn't a warm, friendly smile, but an expression mixed with coldness and mockery, as if silently conveying disdain and provocation towards everything before it.

It seems that Zhou Keying's aunt, a very important figure in the Zhou family, harbors far more hostility towards him than one might imagine.

Various possible reasons couldn't help but surface in Xiao Chen's mind.

Was it because he unintentionally ruined the Zhou family's carefully planned marriage alliance with another family?

In that high society circle, marriage was often not just a union of two people, but also a binding and alliance of the interests of two families.

His sudden appearance as a "dark horse" may have disrupted the Zhou family's original plans, causing their scheme to fail at the last minute.

Or was it simply because of his disobedience, this "little person" who was like an ant in their eyes, that he challenged her and the Zhou family's unquestionable authority?
The Zhou family has deep roots and great influence in the local area. They are used to controlling everything and cannot tolerate anyone's disobedience.

But Xiao Chen, this young man who appeared out of nowhere, dared to stir up trouble on their turf, which was undoubtedly a blatant provocation against their authority.

Just then, Zhou Fenfang gracefully walked up to Xiao Chen.

She wore a magnificent cheongsam, its material smooth as silk, shimmering softly in the sunlight. The embroidery on it was exquisite, with every stitch revealing superb craftsmanship.

She walked with elegant steps, each step seemingly carefully measured, exuding both grace and an innate nobility.

The attendant carefully placed the ominous white jade Pixiu with a split belly directly in front of the entrance to the Xunjiang Group's main gate. That conspicuous position seemed to proclaim some kind of ominous premonition to everyone. (End of Chapter)