C21 A Hot Topic

After the conflict had subsided, Wai Rui glared at Jiang Chen with seething anger. "Damn you, Jiang Chen! I swear I'll make you pay for this one day!"

With a cold huff, Wai Rui spun on his heel and stormed off.

Jiang Chen ignored the onlookers and headed straight home.

Suddenly, Murong Xiang approached him. "Jiang Chen, I never imagined you'd be doing so well for yourself. Congratulations."

Her words carried a hint of sourness. Despite knowing that Jiang Chen was now a live-in son-in-law to another family, she couldn't shake off a feeling of discomfort.

Jiang Chen offered her a faint smile. Memories of Murong Xiang lingered in his mind.

Though Jiang Chen's emotions from his past life were still present, he held the reins to his own decisions.

As an Immortal Venerable, he knew all too well how to sever romantic entanglements with ease.

"Let's leave it at that. You should go on your way; I've got to get going too."

With those final words, Jiang Chen walked away without a backward glance, leaving Murong Xiang standing there in solitude.

Having said his goodbyes to everyone and to Lee Jiacheng, Jiang Chen retreated to the sanctuary of his home.

For some reason, images of Luo Yiran kept surfacing in his mind. Jiang Chen fought to suppress these thoughts, but they intruded upon him, especially when he tried to concentrate on his cultivation.

Unable to focus, Jiang Chen decided to take a walk.

Reaching the ground floor, he narrowed his eyes in surprise.

A BMW was parked right there, keys dangling from the ignition and a note attached.

Reading the note, Jiang Chen couldn't help but smile.

It boldly stated, "Please accept this token of my gratitude!"

Shaking his head, Jiang Chen was amused by the old man's persuasive tactics. Nevertheless, it was a welcome gift; he now had a convenient mode of transport.

As he drove through the city, the BMW turned heads everywhere.

"Wow, that's the latest BMW model! I can't believe someone in Saltshield City got their hands on it so quickly. And the owner looks so young—must be one of those wealthy heirs."

"Tsk, that's just your lack of exposure talking. I've seen someone cruising down the street in a Bugatti Veyron before. My guess is they stopped driving it just to stay under the radar."

"You can tell a lot from the car itself—it screams that the driver is incredibly handsome and charismatic. How I wish I could land a rich boyfriend like that."

While on the road, Jiang Chen caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette through the car window.

Was that Luo Yiran?

Intentionally, Jiang Chen pulled up alongside Luo Yiran, the window smoothly sliding down to unveil his face.

Luo Yiran's eyes widened with a hint of surprise upon recognizing Jiang Chen.

The man with her, however, glared at Jiang Chen with open hostility, eyeing him with suspicion.

"Hey, need a lift?" Jiang Chen offered, flashing Luo Yiran a smile.

Jiang Chen had gone the extra mile with his appearance today, exuding vitality and looking particularly sharp. His recent dedication to skincare and daily workouts had paid off, making him look even more dashing—so much so that Luo Yiran almost didn't recognize him at first glance.

Before Luo Yiran could respond, the man beside her cut in, "No need, we'll walk."

His words were laced with animosity towards Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen didn't give the man another thought, instead turning his attention back to Luo Yiran.

She, too, shook her head, "Thanks, but we're fine."

With a nod, Jiang Chen drove off.

Watching his car pull away, Luo Yiran let out a wry smile. She doubted the car was actually Jiang Chen's, convinced he was flaunting it just to spite her—to show that he could still thrive without the Luo family.

Luo Yiran believed she had Jiang Chen all figured out, yet a part of her couldn't let go, her gaze lingering on the fading taillights.

Irritated by Jiang Chen's nonchalant departure, Luo Yiran muttered under her breath, "Why couldn't you have said more?"

The man beside her, Feng Chong, couldn't help but interject, "Pfft! It's just money, right? Trying to take my Luo Yiran away? The nerve!"

He sneered in the direction Jiang Chen had gone.

Annoyed, Luo Yiran gave Feng Chong a sidelong glance, "Feng Chong, why do you keep following me around? I've already told you, I'm not interested! Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Ma Wen had the audacity to declare, "The book says that you must pursue the one you love relentlessly. Otherwise, you can't truly prove your love for her!"

Luo Yiran was left speechless and simply continued on her way.

...

Jiang Chen was in high spirits, and before he knew it, he had floored the accelerator.

"Who does this guy think he is? Just because he's driving the latest BMW, he thinks he can act all high and mighty?"

"Seriously? This guy has no class. Driving that fast, he's just asking for an accident!"

"Hold on. Doesn't that guy in the car look familiar? Isn't that the Luo family's live-in son-in-law... Jiang Chen?"

"Jiang Chen? You've got to be kidding. That loser is always mooching off the Luo family. How could he ever afford such a pricey car?"

"..."

Pulling up near a shopping mall, Jiang Chen was ready to indulge in a little retail therapy. After all, a trip to the mortal realm warranted savoring some of life's simple pleasures.

Stepping out of the car, Jiang Chen instantly became the center of attention.

Holy smokes!

The guy was loaded!

And drop-dead gorgeous, too!

He was the epitome of tall, rich, and handsome, wasn't he?

Eyes from all around were fixed on Jiang Chen, with several girls' gazes igniting with a spark of interest, reminiscent of ravenous wolves spotting their quarry.

Many girls sent flirtatious looks his way, but Jiang Chen's mind was elsewhere.

"Jiang Chen, what a coincidence running into you again!" At the sound of that familiar voice, Jiang Chen knew exactly who it was.

Murong Xiang had arrived!

"You swiped your card for 100,000 yuan last time, and now you're driving this fancy car. You're really not playing fair, never mentioning you're a rich second-generation!" Murong Xiang babbled on beside Jiang Chen, seemingly oblivious to their recent history.

Jiang Chen hesitated, uncertain how to clarify things to Murong Xiang.

Meanwhile, other beauties, drawn by the commotion, converged on the scene.

Murong Xiang eyed them with a competitive glare, "You all have such keen noses. My husband shows up, and you flock over here like moths to a flame!"

After finishing her statement, Murong Xiang let out a disdainful snort, clearly expressing her extreme dissatisfaction with the other two's ridiculous claims.

"Psh! Since when did this guy become your property? Did he ever agree to that?"

"Exactly, he never said anything about it to your face, so how can you claim him as yours..."

As the three beauties resumed their squabble over Jiang Chen, the men in attendance could only fall into a bemused silence.

Is this guy really that much in demand?

Hey, I'm pretty great too, you know?