After Being Betrayed I Married the Glamorous CEO-Chapter 72: Embroidered Pillow, Purely a Straw Bag!

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Embroidered Pillow, Purely a Straw Bag!

Hong Danggui didn’t utter a word, a stark contrast to her previous confidence and assurance. The others stared wide-eyed, daring not to make a sound.

"I hope you will show some mercy. This is the Hong Family’s estate, after all. Let’s not escalate matters to an irreparable point!"

Eventually, the middle-aged man beside Hong Danggui broke the silence. His expression fluctuated, and a dull ache throbbed in his chest. Shen Fanyun had just sent him flying with the sheer power of his qi and blood. This terrifying young man made him apprehensive.

"So now you know how to ask for mercy?" Shen Fanyun sneered.

A family that prided itself on its lofty status had assessed him without his knowledge and deliberately set a trap for him. They had completely disregarded his feelings. Do these people think too highly of themselves? Do they really think the Hong Family is some sort of imperial kinsmen and nobles, standing at the apex, that everyone is desperate to be associated with them?

"Nonsense!"

At that moment, an old man in a wheelchair slowly appeared in everyone’s line of sight. With white hair and eyebrows, he was full of vigor. Even sitting there, he exuded an incomparable charisma.

"Old Patriarch."

"The Old Patriarch is here! This is about to get even more intense!"

The crowd felt a wave of relief. If the Head of Hong Family hadn’t appeared, who knew how much chaos Shen Fanyun would have caused?

"Grandfather." Hong Danggui looked at her approaching grandfather, her grievances finally bursting forth. Tears streamed down her face as she nearly broke into a loud sob. She quickly ran to the Old Patriarch’s side to complain about Shen Fanyun’s various evil deeds.

"Grandfather, you’re finally here! I... I..." This was the first time Hong Danggui had ever lost her composure like this, her face drawn and her spirit in disarray.

When Hong Tianzhao saw his granddaughter’s disheveled state and bloody mouth, anger surged within him. As the saying goes, one shouldn’t hit the face. Yet Shen Fanyun had deliberately slapped Hong Danggui across the face. This was a provocation—a blatant one. On a larger scale, it was tantamount to declaring war on the Hong Family!

"Isn’t this going too far? What do you take this place for?" Hong Tianzhao asked coldly.

Shen Fanyun shrugged. "Too far?"

"Wasn’t this an assessment that your Hong Family arranged for Mr. Shen? In that case, how is it excessive for me to give you a small demonstration of my abilities?"

Hong Tianzhao was speechless.

He remained dignified and composed, his hands clasped over his knees. "I had high hopes for your capabilities and future potential, which is why I put Danggui personally in charge of this assessment," he said. "But not only were you unappreciative, you deliberately sabotaged it. How is that not excessive?"

So by that logic, he was supposed to thank the Hong Family? Thank them for their consideration in personally setting this trap for him?

"Who does your Hong Family think it is? Do I need your high hopes?"

"Did you ask me before the assessment? Did you get my consent? You’re so fond of arranging things for others? Do you think you’re the Emperor of Heaven? And you expect me to be grateful?"

WHOOSH!

In a flash, Shen Fanyun appeared directly in front of Hong Tianzhao.

Terrified, Hong Danggui stumbled back several steps. Her face paled as she looked at Shen Fanyun, who was now right in front of her, like a terrifying demon king. Even though she had already witnessed his ghostly, frighteningly elusive movement techniques, she was still deeply shaken.

Hong Tianzhao’s white beard fluttered from the disturbed air. He appeared calm and collected on the surface, but the power Shen Fanyun displayed still sent a shock through the old man, startling him greatly.

Yesterday at Brilliant Building, I already gave him a very high evaluation. Yet, it turns out I still made a serious error in judgment. This straightforward, impressive young man is far more profound than I imagined. What is his background? When did such a young powerhouse emerge in Hangcheng City?

"This is the Hong Family’s territory. I admit, you are very strong," Hong Tianzhao said. "But you must understand the saying that two fists are no match for four hands. If we truly come to blows, you might not be able to walk out that door."

Hong Tianzhao was confident that if Shen Fanyun acted recklessly, he, as the Old Patriarch, could mobilize the entire Hong Clan’s strength to detain him. A moment later, as predicted, there was a sudden RUSTLE. A group of Hong Family Members and retainers appeared all at once, their eyes fixed fiercely on Shen Fanyun’s every move.

"Young man, impulsiveness will only be your undoing," Hong Tianzhao added, adopting an earnest, pleading tone.

SMACK!

Tired of indulging him, Shen Fanyun swung his hand and delivered a slap across Hong Tianzhao’s face. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Hong Danggui was stunned.

The others were speechless.

"You’re courting death!" the Hong Family Guests and members erupted in rage. They moved swiftly, surrounding Shen Fanyun tightly as a murderous aura filled the air, making it heavy and difficult to breathe.

Only then did Hong Tianzhao fully process what had just happened to him. He instinctively raised a hand, slowly touching his stinging cheek. When was the last time someone slapped him? It must have been fifty years ago, right? Back then, he was young and headstrong with mediocre strength, charging forward recklessly and ultimately paying a painful price. However, providence had favored him. Fifty years had passed, and he was now one of the top magnates in Hangcheng City, possessing both fame and fortune, with an influence few could match.

"If there is a next time, I’ll have the Hong Family erased from Hangcheng City," Shen Fanyun said, looking down at Hong Tianzhao with an expression that was half a smile, half a sneer.

"Do you really think you’ll have a next time?" Hong Tianzhao chuckled.

"You don’t dare to act," Shen Fanyun stated. "If you truly provoke me into a slaughter, half of the Hong Family will be left here as corpses. An old man like you can’t afford such a loss. After all, you understand the importance of preserving your strength better than anyone."

"You!" Hong Tianzhao was left speechless.

He was right. The Hong Family aimed to dominate Hangcheng City, to become its one true king. From that base, they planned to expand their influence across the nation and become a super-clan on par with imperial kinsmen and nobles. If they were to act rashly out of revenge today and expend over half of their elites on Shen Fanyun, the Hong Family could very well lose its ability to dominate Hangcheng City!

"It wouldn’t take our whole clan to kill you! You think too highly of yourself!" Hong Danggui snapped, having regained her senses, her teeth clenched as she glared at Shen Fanyun.

Shen Fanyun scoffed. "You? A pretty-but-useless embroidered pillow, an empty-headed fool. Besides being arrogant and living in a fantasy, what ability do you have to recognize a real crisis?"

Hong Danggui froze.

An empty-headed fool? A pretty-but-useless embroidered pillow? Was she, Hong Danggui, really that pathetic?

"Let him go!" In the end, Hong Tianzhao chose to compromise. A real fight would inevitably mean losses for the Hong Family, and that was a price he was unwilling to pay.