Villain Is Bodyguard of Heroine’s Poisonous Stepmother

Chapter 103: Humiliating the Protagonist

Li Zhong, known for his assertive nature, took mental note of Luo Mingde’s earlier slight against him.

“I’m aware of the past offenses Ye Chen has caused you, but he is now part of the Li family. I hope, for the sake of the Li family, you could consider reconciling with Ye Chen. After all, ‘better to resolve an enmity than to deepen it.’ Wouldn’t everyone prefer fewer enemies? What are your thoughts?”

Li Zhong’s intent was indeed as Luo Mingde had guessed, to invite them to mend fences with Ye Chen.

“No need for handshakes or reconciliations,” Luo Mingde dismissively retorted.

Once again, Luo Mingde’s disregard was a blow to Li Zhong’s pride. Though his face remained composed, inwardly he seethed with rage.

“Mr. Li, the Li family’s face alone isn’t sufficient to dissolve the disputes between us,” Chen Luo remarked coolly.

Li Zhong seemed to overrate his influence, assuming the mere mention of the Li family would sway him and Luo Mingde. Preposterous.

Li Zhong’s brow furrowed as Luo Mingde, followed by Chen Luo, dismissed the weight of his family’s name.

From what he knew, the animosity involving Ye Chen, Luo Mingde, and Chen Luo wasn’t marked by deep-seated vendettas.

While Li Zhong was not fully versed in the intricacies of Ye Chen’s conflicts with Chen Luo, he was well aware of the grudge between Ye Chen and the Luo family. The issue stemmed from Ye Chen severely injuring Luo Zixuan. However, Luo Zixuan’s recovery was nearly complete, soon to be discharged from the hospital.

Surely, their grievances didn’t warrant a death sentence for Ye Chen.

“However, if Mr. Li can have Ye Chen offer me a sincere apology, it might open a dialogue,” Chen Luo suggested, his smile not reaching his eyes as he looked at Ye Chen.

Luo Mingde cast a sharp look at Chen Luo, puzzled by his intention.

“Alright, Ye Chen, come and apologize to Mr. Chen,” commanded Li Zhong.

With a cold demeanor, Ye Chen’s gaze at Li Zhong was filled with killing intent. No one had ever ordered him around like this. Apologize to Chen Luo? His fists clenched at the thought. Given the deep grudge between them, how could he possibly bow to Chen Luo?

“It seems Ye Chen is not inclined to apologize. Mr. Li, it appears your efforts are going to waste,” Chen Luo remarked, fully aware of Ye Chen’s temperament. He knew Ye Chen wouldn’t just come over to apologize and admit fault, and even if Ye Chen were to swallow his pride, Chen Luo was certain to make the experience intolerable for him.

“Come here and apologize,” Li Zhong demanded, his tone turning even colder.

At that moment, fierce anger surged within Ye Chen, outraged by Li Zhong’s order to apologize to Chen Luo.

‘Just endure it. Only when Chen Luo drops his guard will I find an opportunity to confront him,’ Ye Chen reasoned internally.

After several deep breaths to steady himself, Ye Chen resolved to bear this humiliation. If he could endure Li Tang, even this bit of humiliation at apologizing to Chen Luo seemed trivial.

“I’m sorry for the past offenses,” Ye Chen said, stepping forward and bowing his head to Chen Luo.

Chen Luo caught sight of Ye Chen’s tightly clenched fists and let out a slight smirk. Ye Chen had actually gone through with the humiliating apology, surpassing Chen Luo’s expectations.

“Ye Chen, oh Ye Chen, how you’ve changed,” mocked Chen Luo. “Such an apology lacks any real sincerity. True remorse would have you kneeling before me.”

“You’re going too far,” Ye Chen retorted, lifting his head to reveal eyes brimming with murderous anger.

“And what if I am?” Chen Luo retorted with a sneer, condescendingly patting Ye Chen’s face.

Even with such provocation, Ye Chen restrained himself from retaliating, much to Chen Luo’s disappointment. It seemed the hero’s spine had indeed been bent.

“Mr. Chen, you’re asking too much,” interjected Li Zhong with a frown. “He is the son-in-law of our Li family. By demanding his submission, are you not insulting our family?”

Li Zhong could overlook Ye Chen’s personal humiliation, but not when it implicated the Li family’s honor. Ye Chen, having married into the Li family, was now one of their own. Forcing a Li family member to kneel to an outsider would tarnish their reputation.

Allowing Ye Chen to kneel would strip the Li family of its dignity in Magic City’s high society.

Seeing Li Zhong’s discontent, Chen Luo responded with a seemingly amiable glance, “Alright, I’ll extend this courtesy to you, Mr. Li, to the Li family, and let him off for now.”

‘I’m willing to extend this courtesy, but I’m curious if you’re prepared for its price.’

This encounter also clarified the Li family’s position to Chen Luo. Whether influenced by the protagonist’s aura or other factors, the Li family had clearly aligned with Ye Chen.

“The meal is ready, let’s first–”

“There’s no need, I have other matters. I’ll return another time for that drink with Mr. Li,” Chen Luo casually refused the meal and turned to leave.

After Chen Luo left, Luo Mingde also chose not to linger, leaving the Li residence behind. This left Li Zhong with a deep frown, his objectives unachieved. It seemed neither Luo Mingde nor Chen Luo were likely to give up on targeting Ye Chen.

Li Zhong’s glance toward Ye Chen was cold, clearly indicating his disdain.

With his head lowered, Ye Chen concealed the killing intent in his eyes. Retreating to his room alone, his expression contorted with fury.

“All of you will pay with your lives, Chen Luo, Luo Mingde, Li Zhong,” he vowed silently.

Despite Li Zhong’s help, the lack of genuine regard for Ye Chen, coupled with his lofty pride, meant Li Zhong had committed an unforgivable offense in Ye Chen’s view. If Li Zhong were not still of some use, and if the consequences of killing him weren’t so severe, Ye Chen would not have spared his life until now.

***

Upon his return, Chen Luo dedicated himself to gathering intelligence on the Li and Wang families, searching for strategies to undermine them. Killing Ye Chen required dismantling these two powerful families first, a daunting task given their deep-seated roots.

In addition to his surveillance efforts, Chen Luo had asked Xiao Qingxue’s help in establishing a conglomerate.

The Morning Star Conglomerate, with ventures in mobile technology and automobile manufacturing among others, marketed products Chen Luo had secured through system transactions. Though it was merely in its developing stage, it was poised to become a titan in the future. With products that always stayed ahead of the curve thanks to Chen Luo’s system-acquired innovation, Morning Star Conglomerate ensured its position at the forefront of the market, regardless of how the industry evolved.

Chen Luo, finding himself too occupied to oversee the conglomerate, delegated the management responsibilities to Xiao Qingxue and Zhao Yingxuan.

While Chen Luo hadn’t fully captured Xiao Qingxue’s heart yet, he was on the brink of doing so. Entrusting the conglomerate to Xiao Qingxue was a decision he made with full confidence in her loyalty.

Moreover, Zhao Yingxuan’s presence within the conglomerate could potentially spark a beneficial rivalry between the two, possibly accelerating the conglomerate’s growth.

In the meantime, Chen Luo dedicated his efforts to investigating the Li and Wang families, as well as expanding his conglomerate, leaving Ye Chen largely unattended.

Nevertheless, surveillance on Ye Chen remained a priority. Ye Chen, for his part, had been laying low, staying within the confines of the Li residence without stirring any problems for an entire half-month.

Luo Mingde continuously sought opportunities to deal with Ye Chen but failed every time.

Ah Da and his team had launched multiple attacks on Ye Chen. Understanding he was outmatched by their collective strength, Ye Chen had always chosen flight over fight.

Yet, Ye Chen was far from idle. During this period, he vigorously trained, focusing on enhancing his strength.

Ye Chen took pride in his strength, considering it the only thing he could truly depend on. He was intent on boosting his fighting skills, aspiring to not just escape future confrontations with Ah Da and his team but to potentially defeat them.

Furthermore, building up his strength was vital for Ye Chen’s aim of exacting revenge on Chen Luo, spurring his ambition and dedication to improve his skills.