53: Chapter 53 The Mother-in-Law's Little Thoughts

The next day.

After a night of fermentation, Ding Shixun had been killed, and the Transcendent Martial Artist Ding Nan was furious.

Security officers from across the city swarmed out, and even inspectors from the Martial Dao Inspection Department joined in. They gathered aggressively toward the Gardener Residential Complex, only to stop abruptly—it could be said that it was all thunder but no rain!

This matter had already spread like wildfire throughout Jinhe City.

Ordinary citizens didn't know the truth, but within the martial arts circles, the vast majority of Advanced Martial Artists had received wind of it.

The Bai Family.

Bai Qiming sat at the dining table, picking at his food absentmindedly; it tasted like wax, and he looked completely distracted.

Xu Xue was the opposite of her husband; her face was full of excitement as she said, "Old man, I didn't realize our son-in-law was such a ruthless person!"

"Hmm... If the news is true, then it really is a blessing Shi Wei cultivated in her past life to be with him."

"The Starry Sky Group's s-rank genius contract!"

Xu Xue clicked her tongue in wonder, "Not to mention our Jinhe City, even across the entire Guangbei Province, has one ever appeared before?"

Bai Qiming didn't speak; he just coughed lightly, pretending not to care.

"Enough."

"Didn't we agree last time? Our son-in-law is a genius by nature; the Starry Sky Group's s-rank contract might be a bit exaggerated, but it's not that hard to accept. Are you really that obsessed with saving face?"

Xu Xue glared at her husband.

Bai Qiming stubbornly said, "Ding Shixun might not necessarily have been killed by Fang Zhuo, and the Starry Sky Group hasn't officially issued an announcement about that s-rank genius contract yet."

"Who else could it be besides Fang Zhuo?"

Xu Xue retorted unhappily, "Don't talk to me about evidence. The Ding Family is making such a huge fuss; Ding Shixun must have been killed by Fang Zhuo."

"I've been thinking about it, and I'm afraid this matter has an inseparable connection to Fang Zhuo's father's hospitalization."

Bai Qiming picked up a peanut, took a large gulp of Jiangdabai, and said, "If it really was Fang Zhuo, could Ding Nan let him off?"

"You blockhead, or are you trying to annoy me on purpose?"

Xu Xue stood up with her hands on her hips, "This brings us back to that s-rank contract from the Starry Sky Group. When Wang Jinhua came last time, it must have been for this."

"Fang Zhuo has connected with Wang Jinhua. With Wang Jinhua's help, no matter how angry Ding Nan is, he'll just have to swallow it!"

Bai Qiming stopped talking and took another gulp of Jiangdabai.

He looked at the dining table and suddenly felt his teeth ache.

This son-in-law... it probably won't be long before he becomes an Advanced Martial Artist, being scouted by the Starry Sky Martial Artist Group and offered an s-rank genius contract.

In the future, he's guaranteed to be a Transcendent Martial Artist!

And a very powerful type of Transcendent at that.

Xu Xue walked over, nudged her husband with her arm, and said, "In the next two days, find a time to ask our daughter to bring Fang Zhuo over for a meal?"

"We should also invite the people from Fang Family. Speaking of which, the young couple hasn't held a wedding banquet since they got married. This time, we can meet with Fang Family and discuss it together."

"Old man, let me tell you, it's not too late to set aside your pride. If you lower your head and prepare a gift for Fang Wu, Fang Zhuo won't hold it against us. Even if we aren't on the best terms in the future, at least we won't be too estranged."

"If you keep being stubborn for a while longer, all that will be left is the nominal relationship of being parents."

Bai Qiming muttered something but didn't speak out loud.

Xu Xue continued, "Our lives are mostly over, but what about our son? Although Bai Heng also has a Superior Martial Aspect, it's only the ninth-ranked 'Gray Wolf', and it's hard to say if he can reach the Transcendent level in the future."

"If we can get our son-in-law to lend a hand, won't there be a better chance?"

"A Transcendent Martial Artist—others would kill for such a connection, yet you have a golden opportunity and don't know how to cherish it?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Qiming swallowed hard and said seriously, "I'll book the restaurant. You talk to our daughter first and see if tonight is convenient for Fang Family?"

"If not, we'll set another time."

Xu Xue smiled and said, "That's more like it! You're old enough, yet you're still so obsessed with saving face, acting like a woman—it's really exhausting."

...

Gardener Residential Complex.

Inside the small federal housing unit.

Bai Shiwei had gotten up early and was busy in the kitchen wearing an apron. Fang Zhuo had a nightmare last night, so she insisted on stewing a pot of 'soul-soothing porridge'.

Fang Zhuo came into the living room and immediately smelled something burning. His expression changed slightly, and he smiled, saying, "Shi Wei, how about we just go out to eat?"

"No way!"

Bai Shiwei said anxiously, "Do you think my cooking tastes bad?"

How was he supposed to answer this? If he said it tasted bad, Bai Shiwei definitely wouldn't wear the new lingerie she bought, and he'd be nagged to death. If he said it tasted good, he'd have to finish a whole pot of burnt porridge! Facing this death-trap question, Fang Zhuo was in a dilemma.

Fortunately, at that moment, Bai Shiwei's phone rang.

"Hello? Mom~ Dad wants to invite us to dinner and call Fang Family too? Okay, let me ask Fang Zhuo first. Hmm, I'll call you back in a bit."

Bai Shiwei hung up the phone, still holding the spoon, and trotted over in her pink slippers to tell Fang Zhuo about it.

"Sure, let's do tonight."

Fang Zhuo didn't think too much about it. Before leaving for Origin Star, the two days he had negotiated from Wang Jinhua were originally intended for visiting the Bai Family and his own family respectively.

If they were all together now, he could save a day.

"The day after tomorrow, we'll be free. Should we go out and have some fun?"

"Okay~ Let's go climb Feitian Peak?"

"Sure."

Bai Shiwei's eyes were full of anticipation. Since they had gotten their marriage certificate, the two of them had been constantly training and hadn't really gone out to have fun.

...

At dusk.

Fang Zhuo brought Bai Shiwei back to The Fang Family and picked up his grandfather, parents, younger brother, and sister.

To accommodate Fang Family, Bai Qiming specifically booked a hotel near the Mingyue Residential Community, which was only an 800-meter walk away.

Along the way, the old man, Fang Dawei, walked in front alone, hands behind his back, humming a little tune, seemingly having moved past the pain of Fang Wu's illness.

Fang Wu sat in a wheelchair, and Fang Zhuo pushed him from behind.

Since being discharged from the hospital, apart from being weak and unable to walk for long periods, Fang Wu had no major health issues.

"Fang Zhuo, I can walk, why do you insist on pushing a wheelchair!" Fang Wu was reluctant but couldn't win against his son.

"Dad, the doctor said you need to rest more, maybe you can live a few more years," Fang Zhuo said with a smile.

He looked at the setting sun and made up his mind: he must earn 2 billion within three years to buy the dragon-shaped grass and restore his father's vitality. No, he would strive for two years!

"You brat...!" Fang Wu wasn't angry; instead, his heart was filled with emotion.

Since being discharged, he had been idle, spending his days either watching the news or tending to his flowers and plants.

Yesterday, when Ding Shixun was killed, Fang Wu learned about it the moment the news report came out. At that time, he was both shocked and delighted.

He was delighted because that spoiled second-generation martial artist deserved to die! The pent-up frustration in his heart was largely vented on the spot.

He was shocked because who would dare to kill Ding Shixun? The other family had a Transcendent Martial Artist!

Fang Wu had wondered if it could be Fang Zhuo. No one knows a son better than his father; on the day he woke up in the hospital, Fang Zhuo hadn't asked a single word about his sparring work, so he knew that Fang Zhuo might have sensed something.

But upon second thought, it seemed unlikely! If his son had killed Ding Shixun, even if the Shanhe Martial Arts Hall could be protected, they wouldn't easily offend a Transcendent Martial Artist.

However, at night, Manager Ma from his old workplace, the Bear Paw Martial Society, called him personally to tell him that Ding Shixun was indeed killed by Fang Zhuo, and that Fang Zhuo had signed an s-rank genius contract with the Starry Sky Martial Artist Group.

Ding Nan's thunderous rage had been suppressed by Wang Jinhua.

Manager Ma told him that his sparring job would be changed to 'Honorary Sparring Partner'; he didn't need to clock in or work, but his salary would be paid as usual.

Fang Wu's eyes turned red on the spot.

Even now, he couldn't believe it. His son had awakened a Superior Martial Aspect, and his talent was indeed good, especially his Body Control, and his comprehension was outstanding. But awakening at 21? That surely didn't qualify him for the Starry Sky Group's s-rank genius status, right?

"Could it be true? But Manager Ma had no reason to lie to him...!"

Because he wasn't certain, Fang Wu didn't tell his family about this, and because it was too sensitive, he didn't dare to ask Fang Zhuo.

Li Ru held Bai Shiwei's hand, walking to the side and whispering something, and Bai Shiwei kept blushing.