C3 Lin Handong

After leaving the bank, Zhang Luo made his way home. He paused at the foot of his building to light a cigarette, not yet ready to go upstairs. The transition from being seen as a worthless son-in-law to a billionaire was overwhelming, and he was at a loss for how to break the news to Yang Yuan.

Approaching the door, the sound of laughter and warm conversation from inside was unexpected. Visitors were rare; the Yang family's relatives lived in villas or upscale neighborhoods in the city center, while Zhang Luo's place was in the Old Town, in a building with only stair access.

During holidays, it was always the Yang family visiting others, never the other way around. So the liveliness inside his home today was a mystery.

Upon entering, Zhang Luo was surprised to find Yang Yuan at home instead of at work, and even more so to see Wang Yan beaming—a stark contrast to her usual indifference.

Seated at the center of the sofa was a distinguished-looking man in a suit, the epitome of grace and good manners.

Zhang Luo's arrival went unnoticed by everyone except the man, who gave him a scrutinizing look.

It was only when Wang Yan and Yang Yuan followed the man's gaze that they realized Zhang Luo had come back. "Mr. Lin, this is Zhang Luo, Yang Yuan's good-for-nothing son-in-law," Wang Yan introduced.

Mr. Lin was Lin Kai, the heir to the Chawam Group. He had left Yang Yuan three years prior to study abroad and had now returned to Zruhpus, ready to embark on a new business venture.

Lin Kai rose and approached Zhang Luo, extending a hand in greeting, "Hello, I'm Lin Kai!"

Without a word, Zhang Luo shrugged off his coat and handed it to Lin Kai before retreating into the house.

"What's gotten into you? How dare you be so disrespectful to Mr. Lin?" Wang Yan berated Zhang Luo as she trailed after him, only to be shut out of the bedroom.

Lin Kai, seething with anger yet maintaining his composure in front of Yang Yuan, gripped the coat in his hands tightly.

"Please, Mr. Lin, have a seat," Wang Yan coaxed, taking the coat from him. "This loser does nothing but mooch off others. It's only a matter of time before he and Yang Yuan get a divorce!"

Today, Zhang Luo left Yang Yuan utterly speechless. From paying respects to his grandmother to his encounter with Lin Kai, Zhang Luo's behavior was nothing like the "good-for-nothing" his relatives usually described.

Once back in his bedroom, Zhang Luo lay on his makeshift bed, tuning out the chatter from outside as he began to examine the smartphone his father had left him. It was a regular smartphone with nothing extraordinary about it, except for a contact list filled with unfamiliar names.

As he scrolled through the contacts, one name stood out to Zhang Luo: Lin Handong. The name seemed familiar, so he searched online and discovered that Lin Handong was a wealthy tycoon from Grutdence and the chairman of Chawam Group.

This was Lin Kai's father, but why was he in his father's contacts? What was the nature of their relationship?

With questions swirling in his mind, Zhang Luo locked his bedroom door and called Lin Handong's number.

"Master, it's been three years. You've finally reached out to me!" a robust voice answered.

"Hello!" Zhang Luo greeted.

"You're not Zhang Kunsheng. Who are you? Where is my master?" the voice on the other end asked urgently, upon hearing an unfamiliar voice.

"I'm Zhang Luo, Zhang Kunsheng's son."

"Ah, Mr. Zhang. Where is my master?" Lin Handong inquired, his tone now less guarded.

"My father passed away three years ago," Zhang Luo replied, his voice catching.

"Hello, are you still there?" he asked when there was silence on the line.

"Young Master, if you ever need anything, come directly to me. I'll spare no effort as long as it's within my power," Lin Handong offered.

"Thank you, Mr. Lin!" Zhang Luo responded, his voice filled with emotion, only to realize that Lin Handong had already ended the call.

Zhang Luo remembered that whenever guests visited his home when he was younger, the butler would whisk him away. In his recollections, those seeking his father would kneel before him, ask a few questions, and then depart shortly after.

It was astonishing to realize that the chairman of Chawam, Lin Handong, a man among the top ten business elites of Zruhpus, was actually his father's disciple!

"Mr. Lin, with your youth and talent, I have no doubt you'll be a cornerstone of our nation once you start your business in Zruhpus!" Zhang Luo overheard Wang Yan lavishing praise on Lin Kai as he emerged from his bedroom.

Upon noticing Zhang Luo, Wang Yan's tone took a sharp turn, "Worthless, get in the kitchen and cook!"

"I cook only for my family. Outsiders can fend for themselves," Zhang Luo retorted, heading toward the kitchen.

"Auntie, please don't bother. I'll take you and Yang Yuan out for dinner tonight," Lin Kai offered, addressing Wang Yan.

"Oh, to have a wealthy father must be wonderful," Zhang Luo mused aloud from the kitchen.

"Silence! When I'm speaking with Mr. Lin, you have no place to interject," Wang Yan snapped.

Lin Kai rose and strode toward the kitchen, his patience wearing thin. He had tolerated enough, especially now that he was being accused of relying on his father. Lin Kai was genuinely upset.

"At least I have a wealthy father. What about you? You have nothing!" Lin Kai taunted.

"If I squandered wealth like you, having a father would make no difference, would it?" Zhang Luo responded with composure.

"You're nothing but trash; what gives you the right to judge me?"

Lin Kai, fuming, swung a punch at Zhang Luo. Renowned for his talent and intellect, he couldn't stand being belittled by this nobody.

Zhang Luo dodged smoothly, causing Lin Kai to miss and stumble. Pushed by Zhang Luo, Lin Kai toppled backward and ended up seated on the floor.

Wang Yan rushed to Lin Kai's aid, "You spineless fool, it seems you're looking to cause trouble!"

"I was merely defending myself; he simply couldn't match my skills," Zhang Luo stated before turning back to his cooking.

"How can you be so rough with a guest?" Yang Yuan finally spoke up, unable to hold back. She appreciated Zhang Luo's assertiveness but felt it was inappropriate to treat a guest in such a manner.

Wang Yan couldn't help but smile at her daughter's defense of Lin Kai. She fantasized about Yang Yuan divorcing Zhang Luo and marrying Lin Kai, which would elevate her family to the ranks of the Chawam Group.

"You're a lost cause. Sooner or later, Yang Yuan will divorce you, and you'll be cast out of the Yang family!" Wang Yan proclaimed.

"Just you wait!"

Lin Kai pointed at Zhang Luo, seething with anger, before turning on his heel and storming out. Wang Yan and Yang Yuan followed him to see him off.

Zhang Luo picked up his phone and called Lin Handong.

"Your son seems to have a problem with respect. If you don't teach him, I'll find a way to do it myself."

Zhang Luo ended the call abruptly. He was testing Lin Handong's influence—if Lin Handong showed any leniency, Zhang Luo would certainly not rely on him anymore.

Lin Handong had just gotten home, fuming with frustration. He flung his suit jacket onto the sofa and was about to settle in for the night when the lights suddenly flooded the room. There he sat on the sofa.

"Dad, what brings you here?"

Lin Kai was taken aback by his father's presence; Lin Handong typically didn't interfere with his private life, making this visit unexpected.

"I've frozen your credit card. From now on, you'll have to figure out your own finances!"

Lin Handong declared before standing up to leave.

"Dad, that's my startup capital!"

Lin Kai was at a loss, not understanding what he had done to provoke Lin Handong's wrath. After all, Lin Handong had always smoothed over any trouble he got into abroad and had never frozen his bank card before!

"If you can't even conduct yourself properly, how do you expect to run a business?"

With those final words, Lin Handong stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Lin Kai collapsed onto the sofa, his world crumbling around him. It was over, all over.