Chapter 001: The Young Master Returns

Haizhou International Airport, Arrivals.

Lin Le gazed at the city before him, a place he had been away from for three years, and a flicker of excitement passed through his eyes. Three years—neither short nor long—but for Lin Le, it was a true rebirth. The once carefree scion of a wealthy family, one of Haizhou’s renowned Four Young Masters, had been forged into a true man.

And this so-called “true man” was, in fact, only eighteen years old.

Back then, the Lin Group—the largest in Haizhou—was struck by disaster. The collapse of its capital chain led to bankruptcy. In just three months, Lin Le had truly tasted the meaning of “the higher the climb, the harder the fall.”

People who once showed the utmost respect to the Lin family now looked down with disdain. Friends who once gathered around him vanished, fearful of catching his misfortune, mocking and kicking him while he was down—too many to count.

The coldness of human relationships left him with a bitter sigh.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

“Hey, Young Master Lin, have you landed yet?”

“Qiangzi, how many times have I told you—stop calling me Young Master Lin. Just call me Lin Le.”

If anyone else called him that now, Lin Le would have taken it as mockery. But not Chen Qiang. After the Lin Group went bankrupt, Chen Qiang was one of the few who treated Lin Le just as before.

Chen Qiang’s father had once been the Lin family’s chief steward. In truth, the former young master Lin Le had always looked down on Chen Qiang, the poor boy. Yet, now, he had become Lin Le’s most loyal friend.

A few minutes later, a thin, slight young man came up—it was Chen Qiang.

“Le-ge, is that you?” In three years, Lin Le had changed a lot. Chen Qiang stared at him for a long time, hardly daring to believe it.

“Just three years, and you don’t recognize me?”

Chen Qiang grinned broadly, a simple, honest smile.

“Welcome home, Le-ge!”

“Listen to you—sounds like I died a hero’s death or something.”

They joked and bantered their way to a car.

“Not bad, Qiangzi, you’ve got your own car now!” Lin Le praised the Volkswagen Sagitar before him.

After the Lin family’s bankruptcy, Lin Le’s father, Lin Tenghui, had let Chen Qiang’s father go. Word was, Chen Qiang’s family now ran a small restaurant—not large, but far better off than the debt-ridden Lin family.

Thinking of this, Lin Le felt another pang.

“How’s my dad doing these days?” Lin Le asked as soon as he got in the car.

“Mr. Lin is running a shop now. Business is decent,” Chen Qiang answered, starting the engine.

“That’s good. Hey, Qiangzi, aren’t you going the wrong way? My house should be in the other direction, right?”

“Well… Le-ge, you don’t know yet, do you? Mr. Lin sold the villa at Splendid Court a long time ago to pay off debts.”

A sharp ache pierced Lin Le’s heart, but he quickly forced a smile. “Good, it’s good to sell it. Damn house was too big anyway—empty and scary. Good riddance, ha…”

“Le-ge…” Chen Qiang could see through Lin Le’s forced cheerfulness.

Once, the young master was so proud and arrogant—how could he endure such humiliation now?

Lin Le took a deep breath and looked at Chen Qiang.

“Qiangzi, do you believe I’ll bring the Lin Group back soon?” he asked, suddenly serious.

“I believe you!” Chen Qiang replied earnestly.

Lin Le patted Chen Qiang’s shoulder. “Good. Let’s go home!”

Forty minutes later, the car stopped on a run-down street outside the South Fourth Ring.

Looking at the shabby buildings on either side, Lin Le felt a lump in his throat. He could already imagine what kind of life his father had been living these past three years.

Chen Qiang led Lin Le into a narrow alley.

At that moment, a crowd had gathered, watching a commotion.

Not far ahead, in front of a breakfast stall, seven or eight burly men blocked the entrance. Tables and chairs lay overturned, food scattered everywhere. No one dared approach.

“Lin, when the hell are you going to pay back what you owe Mr. Zhao?” a bald brute shouted at a middle-aged man.

The man’s temples were streaked with gray, his face dark and haggard. Who would have guessed that this was once Lin Tenghui, head of the mighty Lin Group, named by Finance Magazine as one of China’s top one hundred most promising entrepreneurs?

“Brother Lei, didn’t we agree I’d pay at the end of each month? There are still a few days left…” Lin Tenghui tried to smile.

Before he could finish, Lei Gang slapped him hard across the face, knocking him to the ground.

“Screw you! Once a month? Am I your period?” Lei Gang stomped on Lin Tenghui’s chest, cursing him.

“Pay back all the rest now, or I’ll smash your shop to bits!”

“Don’t, don’t, Brother Lei, I really have no money. Even if you kill me, it’s no use,” Lin Tenghui begged.

Smack! Another slap.

“Don’t play dumb! Everyone knows your ex-wife is Miss Xie from the Xie family in Shangjing. If she so much as lifts a finger, you’ll have more than enough to pay back!”

“Well…” Lin Tenghui smiled bitterly, “You know, Brother Lei, we’ve been divorced for years…”

“Divorced, my ass! You slept together for years—ask her for money, what’s the big deal?”

At the mention of his ex-wife, the forced smile vanished from Lin Tenghui’s face, replaced by cold indifference.

“I said I have no money. If you want to smash the shop, go ahead,” Lin Tenghui replied coolly, resigned to whatever would come.

Lei Gang was instantly infuriated.

“Talking back, are you? Think I’m easy to mess with? Today I’ll teach you a lesson, you so-called President Lin!”

Lei Gang raised his fist, as big as a sandbag, about to smash it into Lin Tenghui’s face.

“Stop!” A voice called out from the crowd.

Face grim, Lin Le strode forward with Chen Qiang to stand before Lei Gang.

“Xiao Le…” Lin Tenghui cried out in alarm.

Lin Le’s gaze was icy, cold as frost. “If you want to live, break your own right hand and get out of my sight!”

It was that right hand Lei Gang had just used to slap Lin Tenghui.

“Break my hand? Who the hell are you supposed to be?” Lei Gang sneered.

“I’m your worst nightmare!”

Before Lei Gang could react, Lin Le’s figure flashed forward.

Thud! With a muffled sound, Lei Gang was sent flying several meters, crashing heavily to the ground.

“Brother Lei!” the men rushed to help him up.

Lin Le’s sudden attack caused an uproar among the onlookers.

Most of them were local residents and shopkeepers—all knew how ruthless Lei Gang was.

He was the local strongman, under the notorious Guan Tianxiong, the boss of South City.

And who was Guan Tianxiong? He was a big name in all of Haizhou, respected even by the city’s elite.

This young man had crossed Lei Gang—he was openly challenging Master Guan. He had really stirred up a hornet’s nest!

Though they admired his courage, everyone was certain he was as good as dead.

“Son of a bitch, you dare hit me?” Lei Gang roared like a beast. “Get him!”

Seven or eight thugs charged at Lin Le with a shout.

“Courting death!” Lin Le spat coldly, a fierce aura bursting from him.

Bang, bang, bang! With three punches, the first three men were sent flying backward almost simultaneously.

Before they hit the ground, Lin Le’s silhouette darted forward like a dragon, appearing before the next group.

To the thugs, Lin Le was a blur of white lightning—so fast they could barely see him.

A series of dull thuds and the sharp crack of breaking bones followed. In less than half a minute, all the men lay on the ground.

The crowd was stunned.

Suddenly, Chen Qiang cried out, “Le-ge, look out!”

Unnoticed, Lei Gang had crept up behind Lin Le, a machete clenched in his hand.

“Die!” Lei Gang snarled, murder blazing in his eyes.

The crowd gasped, sure the young man would soon be drenched in blood.

But in the next instant, Lin Le whirled around, his fist crashing forward like a drawn bow.

Boom!

The blade of Lei Gang’s machete warped under the force of Lin Le’s punch. The impact drove straight through the blade and into Lei Gang’s chest, shattering several ribs and caving in his chest.

Lei Gang shot backward like a cannonball, slammed into the wall, and spewed a mouthful of blood.

The crowd was dumbfounded. An iron blade, bent by a single punch—was this even human?

Even Chen Qiang was stunned. Suddenly, he realized he knew nothing about the young master before him.

What on earth had Lin Le experienced these past three years?

Lei Gang, hardened by years on the street, had never suffered a humiliation like this. He was furious.

“Son of a—”

Smack! Lin Le slapped him so hard that blood spurted from Lei Gang’s mouth.

“You—”

Smack! Another slap, two teeth flying from his mouth.

“Go on.” Lin Le raised his hand again, ready for another blow.

“Brother, I was wrong!” Lei Gang, realizing who he was dealing with, hurriedly knelt before Lin Le.

Lin Le smiled faintly. “Too late.”

Smack! Another slap, and Lei Gang nearly passed out.

I, Lin Le, have always been troublesome and petty.

Three years may have changed many things—but not this. Not in the slightest!