"Li Chonglou, you're still pretending to be calm even now," Tang Xiuzhu said, his face contorted with madness.
He pointed at Li Chonglou, his demeanor defiant. "Come, let's see how you'll resolve this!"
As he spoke, the dagger’s edge pressed tightly against Lü Yunxu’s snow-white throat, and a smear of crimson immediately welled up.
Lü Chenggong's eyes flashed with panic. He cried out urgently, "Nephew, don't do anything rash, please!"
"If you let Yunxu go, we can talk about anything."
"The Lü Corporation is yours. I'll step down as chairman. Whatever you want, I'll give you!"
"I know you like the girl. Don't hurt her."
In this moment, the profit-driven, arrogant, and greedy Lü Chenggong shed his pretense. All his thoughts were focused on his daughter.
Lü Yunxu's beautiful eyes instantly turned red, devoid of fear.
Instead, there was only surprise and感动.
She had never imagined her father loved her so deeply.
Growing up, the father she knew was a stern, unfeeling businessman.
But now she understood why he had never remarried all these years—it was for her.
So that she, his daughter, could live more freely and independently.
Even striving to develop the Lü Corporation and making money by any means necessary was to ensure her life would not be constrained by money.
People's eyes can be blinded by many temptations.
Only at extreme moments can clarity be found.
"Dad," Lü Yunxu choked out.
"Shut up!" Tang Xiuzhu interrupted fiercely before she could finish. "Old man, playing the family card at a time like this is too late!"
"Do you think I'll believe your nonsense?"
"Do you still think we father and son can survive?"
"If you want me to release your daughter, arrange a private jet and twenty billion. Don't make excuses. I know you don't have the cash, but sell your shares, and you'll have it."
"I'll give you ten minutes. One minute more, and I'll cut off one of her fingers."
This...
Lü Chenggong was stunned.
Ten minutes. A private jet was manageable, but how could he possibly gather twenty billion?
Even if he sold his shares immediately, it was impossible to raise such an astronomical sum in such a short time.
Tang Guanghe stood behind his son, silent, his gaze cold.
He hadn't expected things to escalate to this point. Twenty billion was insignificant to him and his son; it was merely to make Lü Chenggong anxious.
The main point was to hold Lü Yunxu hostage and escape abroad. With his savings abroad, he could live comfortably for the rest of his life.
"Tang Xiuzhu, do you think you can still escape?" Li Chonglou's eyes glinted with coldness. He stepped towards Tang Xiuzhu. "I'm not afraid to tell you that to eliminate the assassins hired by Cao Zhi, the police have set up a watertight net outside."
"Put down the knife, and you might live. Otherwise, you will surely die!"
"Who are you trying to scare?" Tang Xiuzhu's expression shifted drastically, his face filled with ferocity. "If you dare take another step forward, I'll kill her right now."
"If she dies, Lü Chenggong won't let you off either."
"Kneel!"
At this moment, Tang Xiuzhu was no longer the usual refined scoundrel, the dandy.
He had become a desperate criminal.
For him, this was the perfect opportunity to publicly humiliate Li Chonglou and reclaim all the face he had lost.
Even if there were police, as long as he had Lü Yunxu, he could escape abroad and seek asylum. Who could do anything to him then?
"Alright, I'll kneel!" Li Chonglou stopped, his eyes meeting Lü Yunxu's. He gritted his teeth and said.
As he spoke, he began to bend down.
Seeing this, Lü Yunxu's beautiful eyes widened in shock, her vision blurred with tears. She bit her lip, shaking her head.
She hadn't known Li Chonglou for long, but she knew his character was unyielding. Even when facing Qin Prefecture's high society, he wouldn't back down in the slightest.
It seemed there was nothing in the world that could make him bow his head.
Yet this fearless daredevil was willing to kneel before Tang Xiuzhu for her sake!
In an instant, an uncontrollable emotion surged within Lü Yunxu's chest.
"Chonglou." Xu Lie's eyes bulged.
He wished he could kick Tang Xiuzhu to death and wanted to step forward, but Li Chonglou stopped him with a hand gesture.
Seeing this, Tang Xiuzhu's face contorted with extreme triumph. "So this is your day!"
Not far away, Zheng He and Cai Wen cowered, their expressions complex. The previous awe was slowly disappearing.
"As expected, still a useless son-in-law. He'd lose his dignity for a woman. What's there to be afraid of in someone like this?" Zheng He muttered, exhaling the frustration in his heart.
His gaze towards Li Chonglou was once again filled with disdain.
However, Lu Weishen and Tang Guanghe did not relax their vigilance.
They had witnessed Li Chonglou's arrogant and unrestrained demeanor at the banquet and did not believe he would surrender so easily.
But considering he was a weak and useless son-in-law, what tricks could he possibly pull?
Tang Xiuzhu, being a black belt in Taekwondo, was far superior in physical strength to ordinary people.
"Li Chonglou, from the moment I first saw you, I knew you were trouble," Tang Xiuzhu said, as if he controlled everything, laughing wildly. "It's a shame that useless Cao Zhi couldn't deal with you, letting you run rampant for so long."
"Today, I will show you the gap between people."
"A bumpkin like you will never be able to look up to me!"
"Die!"
Just as Li Chonglou's knees were about to touch the ground, Tang Xiuzhu, in a posture of absolute victory, swung his leg towards Li Chonglou's face.
With his strength, if this kick landed, Li Chonglou would be severely injured, if not dead.
He craved this ultimate crushing and humiliation.
He wanted Li Chonglou to grovel on the ground and lick his shoes!
In an instant, everyone's attention was drawn. Xu Lie's forehead bulged with anxiety for Li Chonglou.
But for Lü Yunxu's safety, he could not intervene.
*Slap!*
Just as Tang Xiuzhu's leg was about to land on Li Chonglou's face, Li Chonglou, whose knees hadn't yet touched the ground, inexplicably tilted to the left.
His body completely defied the laws of physics, akin to Michael Jackson's famous 45-degree lean.
His lowered hands, at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, grabbed Tang Xiuzhu's foot.
With a gentle pull following the tilt, Tang Xiuzhu's body, supported by only one leg, immediately lost balance.
The sudden sense of weightlessness stiffened his entire body, his expression froze, and his eyes bulged.
The dagger in his hand involuntarily sliced towards Lü Yunxu's throat.
But at this critical juncture, Li Chonglou's hand had already reached the dagger.
Using the momentum from his tilt, he firmly grasped Tang Xiuzhu's hand, forcing the dagger away from Lü Yunxu's neck.
With a graceful arc, it plunged directly into Tang Xiuzhu's chest as he hadn't yet fallen to the ground.
"Goodbye!" Li Chonglou uttered softly.
*Thwack!*
A sound like tearing fabric, but no visible blood.
Tang Xiuzhu fell rigidly to the ground, his body convulsing, the dagger still embedded in his chest, his hand still gripping the hilt.
His eyes bulged, his face filled with disbelief.
Blood slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Silence.
The entire scene fell into utter quiet. Except for Xu Lie, no one could comprehend this dramatic reversal.
All eyes were fixed on Tang Xiuzhu as they watched him breathe his last.
The renowned Young Master Tang of Qin Prefecture was dead!
Killed by his own dagger.