Chapter Two: My Sister Is Getting Married

Qin Mu stood in front of Jiang Zheng, pushing the money back toward her.

“You’re… Qin Mu?! When did you come back?” Jiang Zheng recognized him, her face lighting up with joy, but then she lowered her voice, “Qin Mu, hide—these people are no good!”

“Don’t worry, Jiang, let me handle this,” Qin Mu replied.

The burly man who had been shoved aside stood stunned for a moment, then regained his senses and growled viciously, “Hand over the money, or I’ll chop off Zhu Bin’s hand!”

His henchmen, knives in hand, brandished their blades, feigning to strike.

Qin Mu, hands in his pockets, sneered at the brute. “Is that so? Then go ahead. If you don’t cut that bastard’s hand off today, I’ll really look down on you.”

At this, Zhu Bin’s eyes widened in shock. This brat was ruthless! He immediately fell to his knees before Jiang Zheng, crying and begging, “Cousin, you can’t just stand by! Help me pay off this debt one more time, I swear I’ll quit gambling and turn over a new leaf.”

Jiang Zheng, moved by his pleas, softened and turned to Qin Mu, “Qin Mu, maybe we should help him this once. After all, he’s family…”

“Jiang, can’t you see? They’re all in this together!” Qin Mu said.

“What!” Jiang Zheng gasped, but soon realization dawned on her, anger tinging her face as she turned away.

“Damn! Where did this meddler come from?” The brute, seeing his scheme exposed, dropped all pretense, spat on the ground, and swung a heavy slap at Qin Mu.

“Qin Mu!” Jiang Zheng couldn’t bear to watch.

Everyone thought the slap would floor him, but to their shock, Qin Mu deftly sidestepped, dodging easily, then delivered a swift, clean kick.

With a dull thud, the two-hundred-kilogram brute was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.

“Kill him! Grab the money!” Clutching his chest in agony, the brute howled, and at his command, his cronies rushed him with weapons drawn. Yet before they could react, Qin Mu dispatched them one by one, leaving them sprawled on the floor.

“How are you so strong?” Jiang Zheng stared in disbelief. The Qin Mu she remembered had been scrawny, even frail—a far cry from the sharp-featured, graceful, and powerful young man before her.

Qin Mu dragged the thugs out of the complex, tossing them aside like garbage. “Get lost.”

Zhu Bin, seeing this, panicked and tried to sneak away.

“Did I say you could leave?” Qin Mu’s voice thundered behind him, freezing him in place.

“You little brat! You—” Zhu Bin met Qin Mu’s gaze and found himself speechless.

He was utterly dazed. In his memory, Qin Mu had always been a helpless kid, someone to vent his anger on after a losing streak at the tables—Qin Mu had never even dared fight back.

“Tomorrow, you’ll return every cent you’ve swindled from Jiang all these years. Remember, you have only one day.” Zhu Bin’s face went white. “Yes, yes, I’ll bring the money back tomorrow.” With that, he scrambled away, not daring to look back.

When the gang had gone, Jiang Zheng looked at the familiar face before her in wonder. Qin Mu opened his arms, smiling, letting her take her time to be sure.

“It really is you, Qin Mu, you’re finally back!” After a long moment, Jiang Zheng confirmed it was him, and, without hesitation, threw her arms around him, tears of joy glimmering at the corners of her eyes.

“Dad said you had important duties, that the nation came before family. I thought you’d never come home again.”

Qin Mu said nothing, holding Jiang Zheng, his senses filled with the fresh scent of her hair.

But soon, Jiang Zheng seemed to remember something, awkwardly pushing him away. “Qin Mu… the matchmaker, Aunt San, introduced me to a marriage prospect. The groom’s family is coming today to arrange the engagement.”

“I know,” Qin Mu replied calmly. Years ago, Jiang’s father had favored Qin Mu as a son-in-law, wanting to pair him with Jiang Zheng, but then Qin Mu had been drafted into the military and had been gone for ten years. Before returning, Wu Mu had already investigated and told him everything.

His sister was grown, ready to marry—it was natural, and Qin Mu could only offer his heartfelt blessing. But not just anyone was worthy of marrying his sister. He would personally oversee this marriage.

“Come, take me to see Father and Mother.” Qin Mu shook his head, ending the subject.

“Alright!”

They climbed a few flights of stairs, the walls festooned with red celebratory paper. The doors of neighboring apartments were wide open, the air filled with festive bustle.

At the Jiang family’s door, Jiang Zheng took Qin Mu’s hand and led him inside, calling out excitedly, “Dad, Mom, look who’s back!”

The two elders, sitting in the main hall and chatting with the matchmaker, looked up, stunned for a moment before recognizing him.

“Xiao Mu? You’re back?”

Their call drew the attention of the neighbors, who all came over to see.

“That’s the Jiang family’s boy, isn’t it?”

“Not a word in ten years, and now he returns on the day of Jiang Zheng’s engagement. Could he be…”

“What are you thinking? The matchmaker’s brought the Jiang family a real catch this time—a wealthy, powerful family. How could Qin Mu, a nobody soldier, ever compare?”

The older women gossiped openly, their words reaching the ears of the elders.

Jiang’s mother, Qiu Shuixia, looked embarrassed. She had more or less agreed to the match; otherwise, how could she have persuaded Jiang Haishan? But Jiang Haishan ignored her distress and strode up to look Qin Mu over.

“Good lad, ten years gone, and you’ve grown sturdy!”

“Dad, Mom, I’m home,” Qin Mu said with a smile.

The more Jiang Haishan looked at him, the more he liked him. He cast a sour glance at Qiu Shuixia, saying, “See? I told you. Now Xiao Mu is back—what do we do?”

“Our daughter’s not young anymore. I want what’s best for her, to find her a good family—what’s wrong with that?” Qiu Shuixia protested. But looking at Qin Mu now, she was suddenly unsure. Entrusting her daughter to a powerful family, marrying into wealth, becoming a young madam—would that really bring Jiang Zheng happiness?

Just then, the neighbors cried out from downstairs.

“Look! The Zhao family’s here!”

“There’s red silk on the car—they’re really coming to propose!”

A sleek black Porsche drove into the complex, the gate guard not daring to stop it. A young man in formal attire, confident and impressive, stepped out, carrying expensive gifts. In this setting, he stood out with an air of distinction.

“That’s Zhao Jiacheng!”

Qin Mu raised an eyebrow. This must be the wealthy suitor the matchmaker had found.

Soon, Zhao Jiacheng and his relatives entered, but before he could greet his future in-laws, he saw Qin Mu and Jiang Zheng standing hand in hand at the door, and his expression immediately darkened.

Jiang Zheng was conservative; even as an engaged couple, she avoided physical contact before marriage. He himself had never even held her hand. Yet here she was, holding another man’s hand tightly!

Jiang Zheng realized her mistake and quickly let go. “Qin Mu, this is my fiancé, Zhao Jiacheng.”

“Master Zhao, this is the eldest son of the Jiang family, Qin Mu,” the matchmaker hurried out to introduce them.

At the introduction, Zhao Jiacheng relaxed, but he still felt uneasy.

Everyone returned to the main hall and took their seats.

The matchmaker, thrilled, introduced Jiang Zheng to the Zhao family, but then noticed Qin Mu sitting nearby. She barked, “What are you doing just sitting there? Go get the broom from the bathroom and sweep up!”

As she spoke, she spat watermelon seeds at his feet.

Qin Mu said nothing, fetched the broom, and swept the family’s floor until it was spotless.

Zhao Jiacheng watched all this, shaking his head in amusement. He’d almost overestimated this man.

Born and bred in the slums, he was clearly the sort meant to be ordered around.

When the floor was clean, the matchmaker kept going, “Are you blind? Can’t you see the tea is gone? Go pour some!”

Qin Mu, who had just sat down, stood again and poured tea for Jiang Haishan, Qiu Shuixia, and Jiang Zheng. But when it came to Zhao Jiacheng, he deliberately skipped him, sitting down to pour himself a cup instead.

Zhao Jiacheng’s expression stiffened. With a cold snort, he said to Qin Mu, “I hear my future father-in-law once favored you. If not for me stepping in, Jiang Zheng would have married you, wouldn’t she?”