The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

Chen Dong looked at the woman. She had maintained herself remarkably well over the past ten-plus years. In her forties, she still looked to be in her thirties, her whole body exuding an even greater charm, with only faint traces of age. Only those malicious eyes of hers were still the same.

"Don't you recognize me, Aunt Guo?" Chen Dong sneered.

Hearing him call her that, the woman's eyes filled with terror. She gritted her teeth and said in a shocked voice, "You..."

A chill immediately appeared in her eyes. "Impossible! Who are you, really?"

Just then, the Chief Steward's panicked shout came from outside the door. "Madam Guo, another young master has arrived at the gate! They look identical! I... I can't tell them apart!"

Guo Lingtong's eyes grew cold, as if trying to see right through Chen Dong. She called out tentatively, "Chen Dong?"

Chen Dong beamed. "So, Aunt Guo does remember me after all!"

True Qi gathered in Guo Lingtong's hands, then dissipated, only to gather and dissipate once more. Then, the chill on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by a warm, friendly smile. "Chen Dong, dear! Since you've returned, you must treat this place as your home. Just settle in and relax. Your little brother is back, so I need to go and greet him. Aunt Guo must be excused!" With that, she turned and left.

Chen Dong didn't stop her, merely watching the woman's performance with a sneer. 'I know exactly what she's up to. It's just a stalling tactic, a way to buy time because she can't gauge my true strength. The hatred between us is bone-deep. Only one of us can come out of this alive. All this acting is just a pointless farce.'

Guo Lingtong walked out the door and shot a cold look at the Chief Steward. "Notify Chen Wei," she said as she walked, "and have him watch that little bastard in there like a hawk!"

The Chief Steward was dumbfounded. "But isn't he the young master?"

"You blockhead! Where did your usual shrewdness go? The real young master has only just arrived. That one is nothing but an imposter!" Madam Guo said in a cold voice.

The Chief Steward, feeling as if he'd been made a fool of, said angrily, "Then let's go in and kill that little bastard right now! How dare he trick me!"

"Not so fast. The guests will be arriving soon. This is not the time to make a scene and let the Chen Family become a laughingstock! Besides, for that little bastard to dare return, he must be relying on something. We need a long-term plan!" A malicious scheme already seemed to be taking shape in Madam Guo's eyes.

"As you command!" the Chief Steward said, accepting the order.

Chen Rui, the young master, had returned to his own home only to be stopped at the gate instead of welcomed. He was currently throwing a tantrum. 'Should I just fight my way in? No, this is my own house. I shouldn't break anything.'

A lovely young woman beside him teased, "Senior Brother, you haven't been home in ten years and they've already forgotten you! Do you think your mother might have remarried without telling you?"

This made Chen Rui even more annoyed. "Xiao Yu, Junior Sister, what nonsense are you spouting? Don't joke about my mother!" he said angrily.

Xiao Yu stuck out her tongue. Seeing that Chen Rui was truly angry, she relented. "Alright, alright, I'll stop. I just thought coming out with you meant I'd be treated to fine food and drinks, but instead we're just standing out here in the cold!"

Chen Rui shook his head and sighed. "I didn't expect this either!"

Just then, a grandly dressed Guo Lingtong came jogging out with a retinue of servants. "My son! My dear Rui'Er! Mother has missed you to death these past ten years!" she cried, pulling Chen Rui into her arms.

Soon, surrounded by the throng of servants, Chen Rui and Xiao Yu entered the residence.

The two were quickly arranged in a room on par with Chen Dong's. This was a clear sign of the Chen Family's wealth—that they would have such an extravagant room available as a spare.

Xiao Yu nibbled on exquisite desserts in the outer room, while Guo Lingtong and Chen Rui spoke privately in the inner room.

"Rui'Er, is this young lady you brought back your sweetheart?"

Chen Rui shook his head with a wistful look. "I'd like to pursue her, but she doesn't think I'm good enough!"

A chill flashed across Guo Lingtong's face. "To look down on my Rui'Er? That girl has high standards!"

Chen Rui laughed. "She's the daughter of the Xuanwu Sect Master. It's perfectly normal for her to look down on me. She's not even interested in our First Senior Brother, and he's far more outstanding than I am!"

As soon as Guo Lingtong heard this, she reined in her cold displeasure. 'The Chen Family, in its current state, cannot afford to provoke the Xuanwu Sect.'

"Then why did she come out with you this time?" Guo Lingtong asked.

"She was bored at the sect and wanted to get out for a bit, see the outside world."

"Then this is your chance, Rui'Er. You must try your best to win her over. If you succeed, the Xuanwu Sect might one day be yours," Guo Lingtong said, her eyes darting shrewdly.

"Don't even think about it. She's the sect's precious treasure. Her talent for the Martial Dao is immense. Don't be fooled by her age—though she's not even twenty, she's already at the Tiangang Realm of cultivation!"

"What!" Guo Lingtong cried out in shock. 'To have already reached the Tiangang Realm at such a young age... that's astounding.'

"What if we..." Guo Lingtong began, testing the waters.

Chen Rui knew his mother was likely plotting something unsavory. He shook his head. "Forget it, Mother. I've already graduated from my training and won't be going back to the sect. Besides, if we really anger her, the Chen Family will suffer for it!"

"Fine, fine! I've also invited the most prominent and noble families in Beijing to a banquet today. I'm particularly interested in a marriage alliance with the Zhao Family. We can't aim as high as the Xuanwu Sect, but the Zhao Family is still a worthy target. The young lady of the Zhao Family will be here today, so you can see if she meets your approval!"

Chen Rui nodded silently. He knew his marriage was destined to be a tool for a political alliance; it was only because his mother was in charge that he was afforded more than one option.

But what Chen Rui didn't know was that Guo Lingtong was merely using his marriage alliance as a pretext for her real goal: to make a move against the Zhao Family.

The Chief Steward's voice came from outside the door. "Madam Guo, most of the guests have arrived. You should go and greet them!"