The Zhao family courtyard.
After Zhao Qian returned from Xiao Zhi Village, she had basically not left the courtyard, spending her days tending to the flowers and plants.
"Mom, why don't you just come out and play with me? What are you doing at home all day? There's nothing to do at home."
Zhao Siyu said helplessly. Her mother was like she was in secluded cultivation every day.
When asked to go out and play, she refused. Her eyes were only on these flowers and plants, which left Zhao Siyu feeling very helpless.
"No, going out is a waste of money. What's the point? Besides, this province is so small. Your mother has already seen all of it."
Zhao Qian shook her head, continuing to fertilize the plants with her head down, not even looking up.
"Brothers, this is the place! Smash it for me!"
Suddenly, the open doorway was filled with movement. A group of hooligans all got out of a van, holding steel pipes and other weapons, gathering at the entrance.
Zhao Siyu looked up and saw the people at the door, her brow immediately furrowing. Before she could speak, the group of hooligans had already rushed into the house, trampling Zhao Qian's meticulously cultivated flowers into a mess.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
Zhao Siyu shouted angrily. All these were flowers that her mother had painstakingly grown, and they had all been trampled by these people.
The leader of the hooligans cast his gaze upon Zhao Siyu, chuckling, "Yo, look at this fine young lady. Miss, want to be my girlfriend? If you become my girlfriend, I'll consider not smashing things. What do you think?"
Zhao Siyu looked at these people coldly. This was the first time someone had caused trouble at her home.
"Who sent you?"
She already had an answer in her heart, but she just wanted to confirm it.
As the money Ye Longlin had given her was spent, Tian Ji Tong expanded its scale, undoubtedly stepping on many people's toes. Many people wanted her to go bankrupt. Recently, many offline stores had been threatened, not allowed to accept their express deliveries, leading to casualties in many places.
Some people had even laid hands on her company's delivery personnel, causing many to resign.
The hooligan leader's gaze shifted, "Nobody sent us. But your company is delivering express packages on my turf, have you paid protection fees?"
Zhao Siyu sneered, taking out her phone to call the Dragon Surveillance Bureau, but the hooligan leader slapped her phone away.
"Miss, calling the police is not a good thing... Brothers, smash it for me!"
However, at this moment, Zhao Qian pulled out a pistol and pointed it at everyone, holding the gun with both hands. "Who dares to move! Messing with my daughter in my house? Do you really think I'm a pushover?"
The hooligan sneered, "Damn it, who are you trying to scare with that toy gun? Do you think I, your Brother Hao, am easily scared? Come on, point it at my head. Let's see what your toy gun can do."
The hooligan leader placed the muzzle against his forehead, saying dismissively.
Zhao Qian glanced at him, turned the muzzle towards the ground, and pulled the trigger with a bang.
"Bang!"
The bullet instantly penetrated the ground, startling everyone present, their faces showing fear.
They had initially thought they were just here to cause some minor trouble, but who would have expected the other party to actually open fire!
The hooligan leader was so scared that cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Thinking of his head being at the muzzle just now, he felt like he had just narrowly escaped death.
"You... you... firearms are prohibited in Great Xia. You're breaking the law, you're breaking the law..."
They were just a bunch of hooligans. When had they ever seen such a scene? They were all crying in fear.
They usually just collected protection fees. If their boss hadn't called them over today, they wouldn't have come. Who would have known that the person who looked so easily bullied actually had a gun!
"I have a gun permit."
Zhao Qian looked at them coldly. This gun was also left to her by Ye Longlin, and he had obtained a gun permit for her.
The Dragon Pavilion... had the authority to issue gun permits.
"Whoosh."
The hooligan leader's face turned pale.
At this moment, a helicopter appeared overhead. The strong downdraft blew away the trampled flowers, and it landed in the open space outside.
Soon, Yuan Gang appeared. Upon entering, he noticed the tense atmosphere and that Zhao Qian had even taken out a gun.
He frowned and stepped forward to ask, "Aunt Zhao, what happened?"
They called her that following Ye Longlin's lead.
"It's the work of Siyu's competitors. This isn't the first time."
Zhao Qian shook her head slightly and put away the gun. But Zhao Siyu's eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing this. "Mom, they've come looking for you before?"
After saying that, her expression also turned grim.
"It's all minor stuff. As parents, we can't tell you everything. Besides, I'm fine."
Zhao Siyu became anxious, "Mom, that's not how it works. It's good that nothing happened, but if something did happen, what would I do? Even though you're not my birth mother, you're more important to me than my birth mother."
Zhao Qian smiled slightly and merely squeezed Zhao Siyu's small face.
"This kind of thing won't happen again. I'll speak to them." Yuan Gang nodded.
How important Zhao Qian was, Yuan Gang knew very well. If Zhao Qian were to have an accident, no one in the entire Southern Province could bear the boss's wrath.
Turning to look at the hooligans, Yuan Gang's eyes flashed with killing intent, "Are you still not leaving? Waiting for me to cook for you?"
Upon hearing this, the group scrambled away in a flash.
"By the way, why are you here? Are you planning to leave?"
Zhao Qian asked with a smile. They were bound to leave sooner or later, and Zhao Qian knew this in her heart.
Last time in Xiao Zhi Village, they had already learned of Ye Longlin's identity.
Five-star Heavenly King!
Someone of his caliber couldn't stay in the Southern Province for long.
Yuan Gang nodded, "Yes, we are preparing to head to Qing City tomorrow. After dealing with matters in Qing City, we will continue north. Today, I came to invite you because the boss and sister-in-law have confirmed their relationship, but sister-in-law comes from an influential background. Sister-in-law's mother has come looking for her, so we're asking you to go, but the other party is not here with good intentions..."
As Ye Longlin had said, an awkward bride must meet her in-laws. She could never escape meeting her parents.
"Long Lin and Xiao Qi are officially together?"
Zhao Qian's eyes lit up. This was undoubtedly good news, instantly dispelling the sadness of parting.
As parents, who wouldn't want to see such a scene?
Although not her biological child, she was more cherished than one.
"Yes."
"Wait for me, I'll change my clothes. As parents, we naturally hope our daughters marry well."
As she said this, she glanced at Zhao Siyu.
Zhao Siyu: "......"
Just speak properly, why are you looking at me? I don't plan to get married.
Zhao Siyu pouted, then asked Yuan Gang mysteriously, "Hey, Brother Yuan, does sister-in-law have a really big background?"
Yuan Gang replied helplessly, "The Murong family, one of the ten great families in the capital."