Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

In Shenzhen, the afternoon sun filters through the branches and leaves of the plane trees lining the streets, casting dappled shadows.

At the entrance of the First Government Kindergarten, a large crowd had gathered, with all kinds of vehicles, from understated luxury cars to personalized minivans, filling the nearby temporary parking area to capacity.

The air was filled with the anxious and expectant whispers of parents, creating a buzzing background noise.

Near the kindergarten gate, a sleek, understated yet luxurious custom-made Mercedes-Benz RV quietly came to a stop.

The car door slid open, and Yin Mingyue stepped out.

Today she wore a simple and comfortable off-white cotton and linen long dress, with a light gray knitted cardigan on top. Her long black hair was casually tied back, and she wore no makeup, which made her look even more naturally beautiful, exuding a sense of homely laziness and detachment.

Even in this somewhat noisy environment, her cool and aloof aura seemed to automatically create a small, quiet area.

In a few minutes, the crisp sound of the school bell will ring, and her little Fanfan will run out of there.

Thinking of her son's innocent little face, a hint of warmth unconsciously spread across Yin Mingyue's usually cold eyes.

Lu Fan, her and Lu Yang's son, is not yet three years old.

Ideally, children of this age should be playing carefree at home and enjoying more of their parents' company.

Lu Yang said more than once: "Honey, our Fanfan was already at the finish line when he was born. Why make him rush ahead at such a young age? Happiness is the most important thing. It's so much better for him to play at home."

She understands the truth.

Lu Yang's vast business empire has already paved a smooth path for their children that is unimaginable to ordinary people.

However, Yin Mingyue always felt a little uneasy.

She had attended several gatherings of wives in the industry and listened to them talk about their children:
"Our Lele is only two years and nine months old, but she can already sing several nursery rhymes in English!"

"Yes, our child is also in the toddler class at XX International Kindergarten. The teacher said he has excellent concentration."

"Early childhood education is very important; you can't let your child lose at the starting line..."

These words were like tiny needles, gently pricking her heart.

She didn't want Fanfan to "fall behind," and she didn't want to remain silent while other mothers showed off their children.

So, despite Lu Yang's advice, she insisted on sending Fanfan, who was not yet three years old, to the "toddler class" of this top-tier government-run kindergarten in Shenzhen.

Picking up and dropping off the children could have been left entirely to a nanny or driver, but Yin Mingyue insisted on doing it herself.

This is not only for Fanfan, but perhaps also to fill some unspeakable emptiness in her heart.

Picking up and dropping off her child every day, watching that little face that looked just like Lu Yang rush into her arms, became one of the few moments in her life when she could feel pure warmth and certainty.

She blended into the group of parents, stood quietly near the gate, her eyes fixed on the closed gate, and waited patiently.

Just then, a slightly greasy voice broke the peace.

"Hey! Fanfan's mom! What a coincidence, are you here to pick up the child again today?"

Yin Mingyue frowned slightly and turned her head to look.

The speaker was a middle-aged man who was overweight and had a noticeable beer belly. He was wearing a polo shirt with a designer logo and had a bulging leather bag tucked under his arm.

Yin Mingyue remembered him; she had seen him once last week when she picked up Fanfan.

At the time, he was accompanied by a very young and fashionable woman. Yin Mingyue initially thought she was his daughter, but later learned that she was his second wife. Their daughter, "Qiaoqiao," happened to be in the same "small class" as Lu Fan.

"Hmm." Yin Mingyue responded lightly, nodding slightly as a courtesy, then turned her head away, clearly not wanting to talk any further.

However, the middle-aged man seemed oblivious to her cold signal. He took another step closer, his belly protruding, and put on what he thought was a warm smile: "Oh, Fanfan's mom, look, our kids are classmates, what a coincidence! How about we exchange phone numbers? It'll be easier to keep in touch!"

As he spoke, he pulled out his gold-rimmed cell phone, on which was pasted a picture of a little girl, presumably his daughter Qiaoqiao.

"No need, thank you." Yin Mingyue's voice was cold and clear, carrying an undeniable refusal. She subconsciously took a step to the side, creating distance between them.

The middle-aged man, however, persisted, taking a step forward as well. His smile remained unchanged, but his tone took on a hint of force: "Hey, how can you not use it? Leave your phone number! Look how beautiful you are, with such a good temperament. Making more friends means more opportunities, right? Besides, if you can't come sometime, I can even pick Fanfan up for you. How convenient!"

He seemed to think this reason was sufficient, even carrying a hint of condescension. "By the way, Fanfan's mom, judging from your clothes, your family must be quite well-off, right? Which neighborhood do you live in? My family lives in Sunshine Garden, which is one of the top-tier affluent neighborhoods in Futian District! The environment is impeccable!" His words were full of boasting.

Yin Mingyue's brows furrowed even more.

Sunshine Garden?

It was just one of many mid-to-high-end residential communities in Shenzhen, and in her eyes it was nothing special.

She didn't want to waste time on this pointless comparison and entanglement, and she was even more disgusted by the other person's seemingly casual and increasingly pushy tone.

She coldly refused again: "I really don't need it."

At the same time, he moved aside, his eyes revealing obvious impatience and warning.

But the middle-aged man seemed to be blinded by beauty, or perhaps he was arrogant because of his wealth. Seeing that Yin Mingyue was making concessions, he became even more demanding.

Seeing that Yin Mingyue was about to leave again, he subconsciously reached out, as if to grab her arm: "Don't go, Fanfan's mom, just leave a phone number..."

"gentlemen!"

Just as that thick hand was about to touch Yin Mingyue's sleeve, a deep and extremely intimidating voice suddenly rang out.

At the same time, a dark figure swiftly inserted itself between Yin Mingyue and the middle-aged man.

This is Da Gang, the driver Lu Yang arranged for his family.

The newcomer was muscular and had sharp, eagle-like eyes. He stood expressionless in front of Yin Mingyue, his voice icy: "Please step back immediately and keep your distance. If you come any closer, I will take necessary measures against you."

This sudden turn of events drew the attention of several parents nearby. The middle-aged man was initially startled by the newcomer's imposing manner, but then realized that he had been reprimanded by a "driver" in front of everyone, and he immediately lost face.

Taking advantage of his tall and strong physique and his status, he immediately flew into a rage, pointing at Da Gang's nose and cursing, "Who the hell do you think you are? What kind of thing are you? I'm talking to Fanfan's mother, what's it to you? Get lost!"

While cursing and swearing, he actually reached out and shoved Da Gang hard in the chest, trying to push away this "troublesome" bodyguard.

Da Gang's eyes flashed with anger. As a professionally trained security guard, he instinctively wanted to retaliate, and his muscles tensed instantly.

"Da Gang!" Yin Mingyue immediately shouted to stop him.

"Don't hurt anyone! Be mindful of the situation!"

This is the entrance to the kindergarten. It's almost time for school to let out, and the area is full of children and parents.

More importantly, the man in front of her was her daughter Qiaoqiao's father and her son's classmate.

If someone is seriously injured and the matter escalates, it will inevitably lead to awkward situations for the children when they interact in kindergarten.

Moreover, she knew the limits of Da Gang and his teammates' actions; if they got serious, the consequences could spiral out of control.

Upon hearing the order, Da Gang forcefully suppressed his retaliatory movements, but his body remained as immovable as an iron tower blocking Yin Mingyue's path.

Seeing that Da Gang had been pushed but hadn't dared to retaliate, and hearing Yin Mingyue's intervention, the middle-aged man assumed Da Gang was afraid of him. His arrogance grew even stronger, and he sneered triumphantly, "What? You don't dare to fight back? You chickened out? Do you know who I am? You dare to act tough in front of me?"

His spittle almost sprayed onto Da Gang's face.

"I don't know who you are." A calm, emotionless voice, carrying a hint of imperceptible coldness, suddenly rang out from the side, "But I know you're about to be in big trouble."

The voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to possess some kind of magic, instantly attracting everyone's attention, including the middle-aged man who was shouting.

The middle-aged man suddenly turned his head, wanting to see who dared to curse him so brazenly.

A tall, well-tailored young man in a dark shirt was seen carrying a cute little boy in one arm, walking leisurely from the direction of the kindergarten entrance.

The boy in the kindergarten uniform happily hugged the man's neck; it was Lu Yang's son, Lu Fan!
The man holding him was handsome, with a calm and reserved demeanor and deep, cold eyes. He simply stood there, yet he seemed to be the center of the entire scene.

Lu Yang had just flown back to Shenzhen from the port city and hadn't even had time to go home before coming straight to the kindergarten to give his wife and son a surprise!

He happened to witness that unpleasant scene.

"Me, really unlucky? Ha!" The middle-aged man laughed exaggeratedly at Lu Yang, pointing at himself as if he'd heard the funniest joke in the world. "Kid, you've got some nerve! Do you know who I am? How dare you talk like that? Let me tell you, I've got plenty of money! Go ask around, ever heard of 'Shanshui Garden'? I handle most of the municipal greening projects in Futian District and the surrounding districts! You can't get these golden goose projects without some really strong connections, right? Now you know how powerful I am?"

With his beer belly protruding, he boasted about his "strength" with spittle flying everywhere, trying to intimidate the seemingly arrogant young man in front of him.

Lu Yang listened without any change in expression, as if the other person had only told an insignificant joke.

He even took a hand to gently straighten his son Lu Fan's slightly crooked bow tie, his movements tender and meticulous.

Then, he raised his eyes and calmly looked at the middle-aged man's face, which was flushed with excitement.

That gaze, seemingly ordinary, inexplicably stifled the middle-aged man's arrogant demeanor.

"Landscape Garden?" Lu Yang's voice remained calm, as if confirming a name or stating an imminent fact. "You've contracted a large portion of the landscaping projects in Futian District?"

"That's right! Scared now?" The middle-aged man raised his chin smugly.

Lu Yang's lips curled into a faint, cold smile, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. Instead, it carried a chilling indifference: "Don't worry, it won't be like that for long."

His tone was as calm as if he were saying, "The weather is nice today," yet it carried an undeniable sense of judgment.

There were no harsh threats, no bluster; it was as if he were simply stating a future that was about to become a reality.

The owner of "Shanshui Garden" is just a nobody who gets municipal greening projects through connections.

In Lu Yang's eyes, this person was as insignificant as dust. Even if this person had some minor connections, once Lu Yang resolved to crush them, they would have no chance of survival.

As a top entrepreneur and taxpayer of great importance in Shenzhen and even the whole country, he has the confidence and the means to achieve this.

This confidence stems from his vast business empire, which is powerful enough to influence the economic lifeline of a region.

This method could mean that with a single sentence, he could blacklist all of Shanshui Garden from all its partners; or that he could slightly allocate resources to support a new, more compliant competitor; or even that the extra taxes he was willing to pay could make certain "relationships" re-evaluate the balance.

It's nothing more than whether it's me or him.

This seemingly casual remark has already determined the fate of the middle-aged man who is still shouting and his company.

Yin Mingyue looked at her husband who had suddenly appeared and her son who was safe and sound in his arms, and her tense heartstrings instantly relaxed.

She walked to Lu Yang's side and naturally took his arm, as if the farce from before had never happened.

Lu Yang looked down at her, the coldness in his eyes instantly melting away. He smiled gently and then handed her a delicate little bag he was carrying in his other hand, which contained some snacks he had specially brought back from Hong Kong.

When Lu Fan saw his mother, he happily opened his little hands.

Yin Mingyue took her son from Lu Yang's arms, hugged him tightly, and kissed his little face.

The warm and harmonious scene of the family of three standing together contrasted sharply with the middle-aged man next to them, whose face turned from red to white, then from white to green, as he finally realized what a tough nut to crack, and whose face began to show surprise and fear.

Lu Yang didn't even bother to look at that person again, as if the other person no longer existed.

He put his arm around his wife's shoulder, gently pinched his son's cheek, and said softly, "Come on, Daddy will take you and Mommy out for a big meal."

A family of three walked towards the understated yet luxurious RV under the watchful eyes of many parents, some curious and some in awe.

At the same time, several men in black quietly squeezed out from the crowd and quickly followed with synchronized steps.

The once arrogant "Shanshui Garden" owner was left frozen in place, cold sweat soaking his back, his face deathly pale. Only Lu Yang's calm yet thunderous words echoed repeatedly in his mind:
"Don't worry, that won't be the case soon..." (End of Chapter)