My Ares Son-in-Law

The warm yellow light shone on her face, outlining her delicate features. Her usual charming smile had disappeared, replaced by a calm, cautious, and deliberate expression.

Xiao Chen picked up his coat from the back of the chair and turned to leave when Qin Xianglan's voice rang out again, soft yet firm: "Mr. Xiao, please wait."

Xiao Chen stopped what he was doing, turned to look at her with a calm and unwavering gaze, and waited for her to continue.

Qin Xianglan took two steps forward, her beautiful eyes, which always held a hint of a smile and a touch of shrewdness, now fixed intently on Xiao Chen:

"I've always had a question in my mind: I wonder... is Mr. Xiao still interested in the materials used for the consecrated Reverse Scale Swords that my Qin family has inherited?"

Xiao Chen's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

He naturally remembered the special materials from the Qin family. He had tried to ask about them before, but the Qin family politely declined, citing "ancestral precepts that cannot be disobeyed and cannot be touched by anyone other than the head of the family."

Now that she has brought up the old matter again, it is clear that her attitude has completely changed.

"What does Miss Qin mean?" Xiao Chen's voice remained calm, without the slightest emotional fluctuation, as if he were just casually asking about a trivial matter.

Qin Xianglan's lips curved into a perfectly balanced smile, neither overly warm and obsequious, nor distant and unapproachable.

"Those things, in the end, are nothing but lifeless objects. The Qin family has studied them for generations, but has only grasped their form and failed to understand their essence. Rather than letting them gather dust in my family's treasure vault and waste the value of these rare and precious materials, it would be better to... give them to a wise master who can truly make them useful."

She paused, her gaze becoming increasingly sincere as she looked at Xiao Chen, her tone filled with genuine admiration: "A fine sword is worthy of a hero; this has always been the case."

"It is an honor for Qin Xianglan to witness Mr. Xiao's prowess in his solo battle against the Dragon Group today. If those materials can do their bit to help Mr. Xiao reach new heights, my Qin family will be honored."

Xiao Chen listened quietly, his expression remaining unchanged.

He knew all too well the rules of this world. Whether in the vast and cruel extraordinary world he had once set foot in, or in this mundane world, value was always linked to strength.

When you are weak, even breathing is wrong; when you are strong, people will offer you what you need.

The "gift" Qin Xianglan speaks of, seemingly without expecting anything in return, must have an invisible price tag attached to it. It's an investment, a gamble on his future potential and influence.

"What does the Qin family want?" Xiao Chen didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, his tone straightforward and without a trace of ambiguity.

A hint of undisguised admiration flashed across Qin Xianglan's eyes; she was clearly very satisfied with Xiao Chen's decisive and efficient manner.

She gently shook her head, her smile faint yet sincere:
"Mr. Xiao, you misunderstand. The Qin family is indeed not seeking any tangible reward this time. If we must ask for something... we only hope to establish a good relationship with you, Mr. Xiao."

"If the Qin family encounters trouble in the future, and if Mr. Xiao still remembers this small favor from today and is willing to lend a helping hand, it would be a great blessing for the Qin family."

She retreated to advance, adopting an extremely humble posture, yet her words were both elegant and appropriate. Xiao Chen understood that this eldest daughter of the Qin family not only possessed extraordinary beauty but also far superior insight and skill.

She saw it clearly: relying on him, a powerful figure with unlimited potential, was far more secure for the Qin family's future than guarding those useless, lifeless things.

"Besides materials," seeing Xiao Chen's lack of agreement, Qin Xianglan immediately pressed on, her tone earnest yet brimming with confidence. "My Qin family has been in business for decades, accumulating deep expertise in rare metals, special alloys, and even some... less conventional extraordinary materials. As for the tools and temperature-controlled facilities needed for casting, no one in the entire provincial capital has a more complete and professional supply chain than the Qin family."

She leaned forward slightly, her beautiful eyes filled with sincere expectation: "If Mr. Xiao has the time, why not make a trip to the Qin family tomorrow? Perhaps there will be some unexpected surprises."

Xiao Chen pondered for a moment. Consecrating the Reverse Scale Sword would indeed require a lot of special materials, and if Di Tianyan were to search for them everywhere, it would inevitably be time-consuming and laborious.

Now that the Qin family has offered him a ladder of success, adopting an extremely humble attitude, he has no reason not to accept it. More importantly, he has a vague premonition that the Qin family possesses more than just that consecrated material.

"Okay." One word, crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Qin Xianglan's eyes instantly lit up with genuine light, like a dusty pearl suddenly shining brightly, unable to hide her joy and relief: "Then, this humble woman will be at the manor tomorrow, awaiting Mr. Xiao's arrival."

After she finished speaking, she gave a slight bow, her posture elegant and poised, and then turned and left. The crisp sound of her high heels clicking on the floor gradually faded away at the end of the corridor.

After seeing Qin Xianglan off, Xiao Chen took out his phone and dialed Di Tianyan's number, his tone returning to its previous coldness:

"Go to the Xunjiang Group factory area in person and safely escort Yun Yuyan back to the villa. Be on guard the whole time and do not allow any mistakes to happen."

After hanging up the phone, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Today, he used ruthless methods, publicly beheading Ao Tianchen, the new leader of the Western Region Martial Arts Association, crippling Ao Feiyang, the "Prison Suppressor" inspector of the Dragon Group, and even issuing a life-or-death challenge to Duanmu Jue, who ranked 100th on the Heavenly Ranking...

All of this is to inscribe the ironclad rule of "those who defy me shall die" into the minds of every power in the provincial capital in the bloodiest and most direct way!
What he wanted was this thunderous deterrent! To make all those lurking in the shadows think twice before making a move against those around him, and consider whether their necks were tough enough!
……

Three hours later, at the foot of the Western Hills in Beijing.

A courtyard house with blue bricks and gray tiles is hidden in the dense forest, inconspicuous, yet exuding a tranquil seclusion from the world.

Ancient trees towered in the courtyard, their branches and leaves lush and verdant, filtering the bright moonlight into tiny dappled spots that fell onto the bluestone path.

Under the grape trellis, a stone table is placed in the center, with two people sitting on either side, engrossed in a game of chess.

The one playing black was Li Changcun, around forty years old, with a handsome face and a calm and authoritative air about him, a testament to his long-standing position. His movements were steady and composed, with no trace of force leaking from his fingertips, clearly demonstrating his considerable skill.

The old man sitting opposite me was dressed in a faded gray Zhongshan suit. His hair was neatly combed, and his face was thin and seemingly ordinary. However, his eyes occasionally flashed with a sharp glint, revealing a profound and unassuming depth.

He was holding a white piece, his brows furrowed, deep in thought and silent.

"Dad, what brings you here today?" Li Changcun broke the silence first, smiling as he picked up the purple clay teapot on the table and poured hot tea for the old man. The tea was mellow and fragrant.

The old man was none other than Li Shicong, the current head of the Li family. He didn't even raise his eyelids, his voice aged yet calm, carrying an undeniable air of authority: "What, do I need to report in advance to see my own son?" (End of Chapter)