Volume 1 Chapter 8 You Can Try It Too

What? The Ding family is also going to target the Lin family?

Does that mean the Lin family has no hope of survival?

Seeing Ding Changqing join the fray, the crowd became even more pessimistic about the Lin family's prospects. To think that it would take the combined forces of both the Ding and Tan families to deal with a tiny outfit like the Lin family—what kind of worth could the Lin family possibly have to warrant such attention!

Lin Xia, however, was filled with despair.

Tan Qiutong alone could easily bring total ruin to their family; now, with the addition of the Ding family, how could they possibly survive?

A sense of anger stirred within Lin Xia, but it was overshadowed by a feeling of helplessness and frustration.

"The Ding family?" Xu Qing’s eyes flashed with disdain. "Heh, you are welcome to try. Let’s see whether your two families go bankrupt, or the Lin family does."

Ding Changqing laughed in anger. He had not expected Xu Qing to be so arrogant. If he couldn't even handle a "kept man" who lived off women, he wouldn't be worthy of the Ding surname.

"What good is being a braggart with your words? Don't I know exactly who you are? Come back and talk to me with such big words tomorrow," Ding Changqing said with a sneer, his eyes filled with contempt.

He hadn't taken Xu Qing seriously for a single moment. In fact, it was his scheme that had led Tan Qiutong to kick Xu Qing to the curb in the first place.

Without another word, Xu Qing took Lin Xia’s hand and walked out.

This display only made Tan Qiutong’s expression turn unimaginably ugly.

"Sister, that sycophantic loser is too arrogant. I must find someone to teach him a real lesson!" Tan Fulun blustered.

Tan Qiutong’s face was ghastly. Xu Qing and Lin Xia’s performance today had embarrassed her to the extreme. What was most infuriating was that Xu Qing, who for the past three years had been completely obedient and had never defied her once, had just slapped her across the face!

It was something she hadn't anticipated and could not tolerate.

"Lin Xia, Xu Qing, you two wretches... you sycophants! I will make you pay a painful price!" Tan Qiutong thought viciously to herself. She excused herself from Ding Changqing, ready to head home.

Ding Changqing felt a bit annoyed. He had intended to win Tan Qiutong over tonight, but it seemed impossible now.

"Qiutong, don't worry. Tomorrow, I will bankrupt the Lin family and make that wretch Lin Xia come begging on her knees for your mercy," Ding Changqing said ruthlessly.

Tan Qiutong nodded and turned to Tan Fulun. "Call the Lin family. Tell them to just wait for their bankruptcy!"

"Understood, sister. I'll call them right now." Tan Fulun pulled out his phone.

***

Meanwhile, Xu Qing and Lin Xia had stepped out of the bar.

"Lin Xia, let me take you to buy a token of our commitment," Xu Qing said.

Lin Xia paused and looked at him. "You made me agree to marry you in front of them just to help you slap Tan Qiutong in the face, didn't you? Now that the act is over, I should head home."

She had arrived in a good mood, but now she felt deeply depressed. She had come to comfort Xu Qing, only for things to turn out like this. She felt miserable and had no heart for anything else.

"Lin Xia, you've misunderstood," Xu Qing said earnestly. "I truly want to marry you. Do you think I'm the kind of person who would play with feelings just for some ridiculous sense of pride?"

Lin Xia fell silent. She actually knew Xu Qing quite well. Over the past two years, the way he had intentionally or unintentionally kept his distance from her showed that he was a man capable of deep, singular devotion. She began to feel that perhaps he hadn't been acting just to get back at Tan Qiutong.

"But neither the Tan family nor the Ding family is someone we can afford to provoke. If we are together, it will only drive them to retaliate against us," Lin Xia said with concern. The threats from Tan Qiutong and Ding Changqing still echoed in her mind, and she didn't dare take them lightly.

"Lin Xia, rest assured. I don't care about the Tan family or the Ding family. They won't be able to touch your Lin family," Xu Qing said firmly.

"Can you stop bragging? Besides a bit of medical skill, what else can you do? What leverage do you have to fight against the Tan and Ding families?" Lin Xia looked at him, feeling speechless. Honestly, in the three years she had known him, she hadn't discovered any other talents he possessed.

"Lin Xia, my influence is beyond your imagination. If I were to bring my people to Bi City, the city would tremble. No—the entire Great Xia would tremble. But to deal with the Ding and Tan families, I alone am enough."

Xu Qing looked at her sincerely. "Also, from the moment you said you were willing to marry me, I prepared myself to be an enemy to the whole world. No matter who it is—even if it were the heavens themselves—if they dare to bully you, I will destroy them!"

Lin Xia was stunned. Even now, Xu Qing still had the nerve to boast. However, the latter half of his words made her heart tremble. She looked at him, feeling a sense of trance.

This man had impacted her heart once again. Two years ago, he had shaken her soul once. She hadn't expected her heart to flutter again tonight.

***

Just then, her phone rang. She pulled it out to see it was her cousin, Lin Jian.

"Lin Xia, if you want to be shameless, don't drag our Lin family down with you! Look at the mess you've made—get back here immediately!"

As soon as she answered, Lin Jian's unreasonable, angry shouting came through. Lin Xia’s heart jolted, but before she could speak, he hung up.

"What’s wrong?" Xu Qing asked, seeing her pale expression.

Lin Xia put away her phone, looking worried. "It must be that Tan Qiutong called my family. They want me to return right now."

Xu Qing frowned. "Let's go. I'll go with you."

Lin Xia was in a state of agitation and subconsciously nodded. They each drove their own cars toward the Lin residence.

Before they had even arrived, Lin Xia received a call from her mother.

"Lin Xia, are you trying to kill us? Out of all the men you could find, you had to choose a second-hand man—a kept man that Tan Qiutong didn't even want! That's not even the point; the point is that you’ve completely offended Tan Qiutong, and she has threatened to bankrupt our family!" Her mother, Li Yuqin, shouted angrily.

"Mom, it’s not what you think," Lin Xia hurried to explain.

"She has already called your grandfather! Come back and explain it to him yourself!" Before she could reply, the phone was slammed shut.

Lin Xia’s expression was grim. She felt both worried and indignant. Why? Even if she and Xu Qing weren't officially together yet, even if she did want to marry him, that was her own business. Why were her family members reacting so violently?

However, thinking of Tan Qiutong’s threat, her anger turned back into worry. She knew Tan Qiutong wasn't joking about bankrupting the Lin family; based on what she knew of her, she was certain Tan Qiutong would follow through.

Twenty minutes later, when they arrived at the Lin residence, they found the entire family waiting for them. As soon as they stepped inside, they were met with countless angry glares.

Especially toward Xu Qing—the gazes directed at him were filled with chilling hostility and rage.