After ninety-nine online romances, I finally met my ex in person when school started.

"Shut up." Old Master Chen kicked Chen Pojun in the knee, knocking him to the ground.

The old man looked at his grandson on the ground, then at the young man in front of him who had climbed up from the bottom and managed to integrate several of the top female figures in Kyoto.

Old Master Chen seemed to age ten years in an instant. The pride and arrogance that had sustained him throughout his life crumbled in the face of irrefutable evidence and absolute power.

The air in the tea room was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, but it couldn't mask the rotten smell of power decaying.

a long time.

Old Master Chen slowly closed his eyes, his withered lips trembling.

"Po Jun will go with you... The Chen family admits defeat." The old man's voice was as thin as a whisper, as if all his strength had been drained away. "Zhu Xun Chuan, you are ruthless and merciless."

The Chinese tea room was deathly silent.

As soon as Old Master Chen finished speaking, Chen Pojun's eyes instantly became bloodshot, and his reason completely collapsed. He could not accept that he had become an outcast of the family, and he could not accept that the person judging his fate was this peasant who had climbed up from the bottom.

"I'm not leaving! I'd rather die than leave!"

Chen Pojun suddenly let out a beast-like roar. He abruptly crouched down, yanked open a hidden compartment at the bottom of his wheelchair, and pulled out a loaded Black Star pistol.

"Let's die together!"

The dark muzzle of the gun was pointed directly at Zhu Xun Chuan's forehead. Old Master Chen's expression changed drastically; he wanted to stop it, but it was too late.

Zhu Xun Chuan sat on the rosewood chair, not even lifting his eyelids.

Just as Chen Pojun was about to pull the trigger, leaves began to fall outside the window.

"Bang!"

The carved glass of the tea room shattered with a crash. A thin, high-density ceramic shard tore through the air with a piercing screech, precisely slicing into Chen Pojun's right wrist bone.

"ah--"

A piercing scream echoed through the tea room. Chen Pojun's tendons were severed instantly, blood splattering onto the rosewood floor. The Black Star pistol slipped from his hand and crashed to the ground.

Outside the courtyard gate, the sound of rapid boots suddenly rang out. The military region's disciplinary committee special agents, fully armed and arranged by Shen Tianxi, stormed into the teahouse like wolves. The leading officer didn't waste a word; two agents stepped forward and pinned Chen Pojun, whose hands were covered in blood, to the ground, handcuffing his hands behind his back.

Old Master Chen closed his eyes, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen even further.

Zhu Xun Chuan stood up, not glancing at the grandfather and grandson again, and turned to walk out. Jiang Yao put away her butterfly knife and quickly followed.

The Chen family, a malignant tumor that had entrenched itself in Tianjin for decades, has been completely eradicated.

……

After leaving Xishan, Zhu Xun Chuan had Jiang Yao take people to take over the underground gambling dens that the Chen family had spit out, while he drove his Land Rover back to Guomao alone.

After parking, take the private elevator directly to the top-floor penthouse.

The fingerprint lock verification was successful, and the heavy front door popped open.

Contrary to expectations of a quiet place, a rich aroma of corn and pork rib soup wafted over.

Zhu Xun Chuan changed into slippers and walked through the entryway. In the open kitchen, stood a graceful figure he had never expected.

Fu Xinghe.

She didn't go to the municipal party committee compound today, nor did she return to Peking University.

She was still wearing that moon-white silk cheongsam, but now she wore a casual floral apron over it. Her long hair was tied up with a simple wooden hairpin, revealing her fair and slender swan neck.

This daughter of a municipal party committee member and the youngest professor at Peking University was carefully skimming the foam off the clay pot with a ladle, her expression as focused as if she were studying a national-level research project.

The door to the master bedroom was pushed open, and Gu Qinghan came out.

She was dressed in a standard black and white business suit, a pencil skirt that accentuated her perfect curves, her legs encased in black stockings, and gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. She held several freshly printed documents in her hand.

Gu Qinghan looked at Fu Xinghe in the kitchen and a cold smile appeared on her lips: "Representative Fu, a professor has also learned to cook? This soup has been simmering for more than three hours, don't let it boil over."

Fu Xinghe was not to be outdone. She put the lid on the casserole, slowly untied her apron, and took out a tissue to wipe her hands.

"Teacher Gu usually teaches and nurtures students on the podium, but now she's like a personal secretary." Fu Xinghe's tone was cold, and every word was barbed. "Xun Chuan is out dealing with things and is exhausted after a long day. When he comes home, he needs a hot soup. He can't just eat your cold reports every day, can he?"

Two icebergs clashed in the air, the air thick with tension.

Zhu Xun Chuan stood by the island platform, watching this scene, a smile appearing on his lips.

Hearing the noise, the two women turned their heads simultaneously. Upon seeing Zhu Xun Chuan, the sharpness in their eyes instantly disappeared.

Fu Xinghe carried a small bowl of hot soup and walked over with elegant steps. Her shapely calves were faintly visible through the slit of her cheongsam.

Gu Qinghan quickly walked up to Zhu Xunchuan, reached out to unbutton his coat, and neatly hung it on the coat rack.

The two stood on the left and right, secretly vying for dominance.

Zhu Xun Chuan walked into the living room and sat down on the large leather sofa.

Fu Xinghe sat to his left, scooped up a spoonful of pork rib soup with a spoon, blew on it gently from his red lips, and then brought it to his mouth.

"Try it." Fu Xinghe's ears turned slightly red. "I called my mom to ask for the recipe. This is my first time making it."

Zhu Xun Chuan opened his mouth and drank it. The soup was a little salty, but he swallowed it without changing his expression.

Gu Qinghan sat to his right, opened the folder in her hand, and cleared her throat: "The city bureau just released the case closure report. Chen Pojun has been directly transferred to the military court, and Xia Wanying has cleared all the remaining accounts from Guangying Media. Meng Changjin called..."

Zhu Xun Chuan did not listen to the end.

He suddenly reached out with both hands. His left hand wrapped around Fu Xinghe's soft and slender waist, while his right hand gripped Gu Qinghan's thigh, which was covered by black stockings. With a slight pull, he drew both of them towards him.

Two gasps of surprise.

Two stunningly beautiful women, who were usually aloof and unapproachable, both fell into his arms.

"We don't discuss business at home," Zhu Xun Chuan said in a deep voice, his tone carrying an undeniable air of dominance. He glanced at Fu Xing He, "The soup was good. But the meal was even more relaxing."

Fu Xinghe's cheeks instantly burned, but he didn't struggle and obediently leaned against his left chest.

Gu Qinghan pushed up her slipped gold-rimmed glasses and tried to pull her leg back, but the man's large hand held it firmly. She bit her lower lip and finally leaned against his shoulder resignedly, the documents in her hands scattered on the coffee table.

Inside the spacious apartment, the strong aroma of corn soup mingled with the subtle fragrance of their perfumes, melting away all the ice.

……

late at night.

The wall lamp in the master bedroom emitted a dim, ambiguous glow.

Fu Xinghe sat on the edge of the large double bed. The top two buttons of his moon-white cheongsam were undone, revealing his delicate collarbone.

Zhu Xun Chuan came out after taking a shower, with only a bath towel wrapped around his waist.

Fu Xinghe looked at his broad shoulders and muscular abs, a hint of shyness flashing in her eyes. But quickly, that shyness was replaced by determination and deep affection.

"The Chen family has completely collapsed." Fu Xinghe's voice was soft, but unusually clear in the quiet bedroom. "My dad called last night and said, 'You've ripped the sky out of Tianjin, but you've also single-handedly built a new one.' He tacitly approved of our relationship."

Zhu Xun Chuan walked to the bedside, knelt on one knee on the soft mattress, and looked down at her.

"I told you, as long as you stand by my side, I will protect you."

Fu Xinghe raised her hands and wrapped them around his neck. This highly educated daughter of a municipal party committee member completely let down her guard and abandoned all her reserve.

"My mother is very stubborn. She set a ten-month deadline for me... I can't lie about it." She looked up, her breathing slightly rapid, her eyes moist and dreamy. "Xun Chuan... I don't want to be your shield. I want to be your woman."

"It really helps with pregnancy."

As soon as she finished speaking, she offered her red lips.

The hem of the cheongsam slid down her silky skin and piled up on the carpet.

……

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed onto the bed through the gaps in the curtains that weren't fully drawn.

Fu Xinghe curled up wearily in Zhu Xunchuan's arms, his sleeping face serene.

The encrypted phone on the bedside table lit up, accompanied by a slight vibration.

Zhu Xun Chuan pulled his arm away and picked up his phone.

On the screen was a photo sent by Shen Tianxi.

In the photo, the "Little Tyrant of Tianjin" wasn't wearing any expensive haute couture, but instead sported a crisp major's uniform. With her hair in a ponytail and wearing military boots, she gave the camera a perfectly standard military salute.

That charming face was filled with the arrogance and ambition unique to military families.

Below the photo is a text message:

"Honey, the Chen family is out. The Tianjin Military Region is now ours!"