Unrivaled Soldier in the City-Chapter 162 A Series of Twists and Turns

This scene was completely unexpected—to be precise, it was beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. No one had foreseen such a turn of events; it simply left them all dazzled.

"Mr. Li, long time no see. You’re still as robust as ever," Lin Kuang said with a slight bow and a smile, his tone neither humble nor overbearing.

"That’s all thanks to you, Mr. Lin. If it weren’t for you, this old life of mine would have been lost," Li Jiachen replied with profound gratitude.

Upon hearing this, Lin Kuang smiled faintly. "You’re too kind, Mr. Li. It was a small effort, no need to dwell on it."

"That simply won’t do," Li Jiachen said with a smile. "Since we have plenty of time today, Mr. Lin, why don’t we have a meal together? Consider it me paying back a little of the interest I owe you."

"In that case, it would be rude of me to refuse. However, I’ve brought quite a few people with me," Lin Kuang replied with a smile.

"No problem," Li Jiachen smiled. "I think I can afford to treat a few more of your guests."

Li Jiachen’s joke elicited a laugh from Lin Kuang.

"Alright then," Lin Kuang said with a grin. "In that case, I won’t go easy on your wallet."

"Good, then let’s go," Li Jiachen said, making a gesture of invitation.

Lin Kuang offered a polite reply and beckoned to Liu Shilin and the little Witch. He then took them and Lin Guo’er, leading the three women out. Li Jiachen smiled and walked alongside the group.

Just as the five of them were about to walk out the door, Zhao Zhenlin finally came to his senses. "Elder... Elder Li, wait! Please wait!" he shouted, scrambling to catch up.

Zhao Zhenlin’s guts were twisting with regret. If I had known Lin Kuang had this kind of relationship with Li Jiachen, I wouldn’t have just let him crash the wedding—I wouldn’t have said a word even if he’d decided to steal my wife!

Li Jiachen paused and glanced back. "Oh, right, Mr. Zhao, let’s put our cooperation on hold for the time being." His eyes then found Lin Wanli. "Mr. Lin Wanli, I’ll have my secretary visit your company tomorrow to discuss a potential partnership. I trust you won’t refuse, will you?" he added with a smile.

With those words, both Zhao Zhenlin and Lin Wanli were left dumbfounded. Zhao Zhenlin was reeling from his catastrophic loss, while Lin Wanli was simply overwhelmed by the sudden, immense fortune that had just fallen into his lap.

Just moments ago, Lin Wanli had been kicking himself over his attitude toward Lin Kuang. If only he had known about his connection to Li Jiachen, how could he have spoken to him like that? He would have let his daughter leave with him without a second thought! He had thought he’d offended Lin Kuang, that he was completely finished. But he never imagined he would be struck by such a massive stroke of luck out of nowhere. This was a true windfall from heaven! And he knew perfectly well that this was all because of Lin Kuang. Without him, how could such good fortune ever come his way? His gratitude toward Lin Kuang now came from the very bottom of his heart.

Zhao Zhenlin’s face was ashen as he watched Li Jiachen’s group leave the room, his eyes glazed over as if he were completely stupefied. No one had anticipated this dramatic turn of events.

At this point, some guests were already quietly slipping away. Lin Wanli and his group made a swift exit, as this was no longer a place they could remain. Even those with decent relations with the Zhao Family offered a quick farewell to Zhao Zhenlin before departing one by one. In the blink of an eye, the bustling hall of the Zhao Family became utterly desolate.

Yet, two people remained: Chu Zhongtian and Han Qiaoqiao.

Chu Zhongtian hadn’t left. How could I possibly leave at a time like this? The Zhao Family just got their faces slapped so resoundingly by Lin Kuang. I have to make good use of this situation. Leaving now would be a real loss.

Lin Kuang was now sitting in Li Jiachen’s car, an extended Rolls-Royce Phantom. Liu Shilin, Lin Guo’er, and the little Witch followed behind them in the Mercedes. Inside the Rolls-Royce, Li Jiachen sat beside Lin Kuang.

"Care for a smoke, Mr. Lin?" Li Jiachen pulled out a pack of cheap, five-yuan Honghe cigarettes—a brand that was already quite hard to find these days.

Seeing the Honghe cigarettes Li Jiachen offered, Lin Kuang was slightly taken aback. A moment later, he smiled and took one. "Of course."

At this, Li Jiachen smiled faintly and personally lit the cigarette for Lin Kuang. Lin Kuang, for his part, accepted the gesture without ceremony and began to smoke. Afterward, Li Jiachen lit one for himself. The two of them smoked in comfortable silence.

When his cigarette was about halfway done, Li Jiachen finally spoke. "Mr. Lin, do you know why I like these Honghe cigarettes?"

Hearing this, Lin Kuang paused, then replied with some uncertainty, "Because you like the taste?"

To be honest, Lin Kuang was puzzled. It was hard to believe that Li Jiachen, the wealthiest man in Hua Country, would smoke cheap five-yuan Honghe cigarettes.

"Yes and no," Li Jiachen began, a faint, inscrutable smile playing on his lips. "It’s more about nostalgia and keeping myself grounded—a reminder not to forget my roots, not to forget the hardest times of my life. That’s why I offer Honghe to my friends. For outsiders, I offer the Chunghwa from my other pocket, even though, in the eyes of certain people, that Chunghwa is just as cheap as this Honghe."

Lin Kuang remained silent, lost in thought. He didn’t fully understand what Li Jiachen was trying to convey, but the notion of never forgetting one’s roots resonated deeply with him. As he mulled it over, a trace of weariness flickered in his eyes.

At that moment, Li Jiachen continued, "I’m a member of the Business Alliance, and I have an excellent relationship with the Fan Family. You could say I watched Bingbing grow up.

"Ever since she was a little girl, Bingbing has always been incredibly strong-willed. She ranked at the very top, even among all the potential heirs in her family.

"The family had a rule that heirs couldn’t be female, but she shattered that rule. That’s just how amazing she is.

"But I’ve always wished she wouldn’t push herself so hard. You know, being the head of a family requires immense sacrifice. I was worried she’d get too tired, that she wouldn’t be able to bear the pressure. But that girl stubbornly persevered and has made it to where she is today.

"Even I have to admire her. She’s a truly remarkable young woman."

Li Jiachen took a drag from his cigarette, his somewhat cloudy eyes filled with reminiscence. A fond smile graced his aged face, as if he were talking about his own daughter.

Lin Kuang remained silent, listening intently. Li Jiachen’s words had taken him by surprise; he had no idea his relationship with Fan Bingbing was so close.

Li Jiachen turned to look at Lin Kuang with a smile. "I know that girl Bingbing likes you. I wouldn’t stand in the way of such things, but I do hope you can bear the responsibilities of a man. And today, I saw you act like a true man. That’s why I hope you become even stronger. I may be old, but I will do my best to help you."