Yun Cheng's life story was one of immense hardship, far more tragic than Liu Yutong's.
As far as Liu Yutong knew, Yun Cheng's parents had passed away in an accident while working away from home when he was very young.
By the age of thirteen, his grandparents—the only family he had left—also passed away one after another, leaving him completely alone in the world.
At first, a few uncles were willing to take him in and let him stay with their families.
But as time went on, under the constant nagging of his aunts—who were quick to judge and call him a "burden" or complain about how much it cost to support him—they gradually abandoned him.
Forced out of their homes, Yun Cheng ended up living in a makeshift tent patched together with cornstalks, sharing space with stray dogs.
In summer, the tent was stiflingly hot and swarming with mosquitoes, leaving his skin covered in bites.
Winter was even worse, the cold biting deep into his bones.
His meals consisted of nothing but scraps and leftovers.
It was a pitiful existence.
By all rights, Yun Cheng should have inherited his parents' ancestral home and never been left homeless.
But there’s an old saying: "Devour the heirless."
Having lost both parents so young, his relatives—those supposed to protect him—seized the house for themselves.
They argued that a child like him didn’t need such a large home and could just live with his grandparents.
Young Yun Cheng didn’t understand the scheming behind it, and his frail grandparents were powerless to stop them.
After his grandparents passed, their house was also divided among the relatives, leaving Yun Cheng with nothing.
Bit by bit, the land and property that should have been his were stripped away.
If not for the kindness of a few neighbors who gave him old clothes and occasional meals, Yun Cheng might have starved or frozen to death in that cruel world.
Later, around the age of fourteen or fifteen, Yun Cheng overheard villagers talking about how big cities offered opportunities to earn a living.
Without hesitation, he made up his mind to leave the village and seek his fortune alone.
He wandered for days, surviving by scavenging scraps and begging for food, trekking nearly eighty kilometers until he finally reached Bright Pearl City.
Yet even there, life remained harsh for a young boy with no connections.
Too young to find proper work, he slept in parks or under bridges, occasionally landing odd jobs that barely kept him fed.
His existence was little better than that of a stray dog.
What truly changed his fate was a brutal gang fight.
One night, he was unlucky enough to get caught in the middle of a turf war.
Two rival gangs, blinded by rage, turned their knives on him—an innocent bystander.
Back then, Yun Cheng was weak, defenseless.
Just as he thought he would die on the spot, Liu Lei appeared, saving his life and even offering him shelter.
He gave him food, clothes, and a place to stay in the gang’s dormitory.
In every sense, Liu Lei was his savior.
Later, learning that Liu Lei was part of the underworld, Yun Cheng dedicated himself to training relentlessly—his way of repaying the man who had given him a second chance.
He believed he had nothing else to offer but his own life.
And he knew that in that world, strength was everything.
Whether to aid Liu Lei or protect him, Yun Cheng had to become strong—stronger than anyone else.
He had a natural talent for it. Within just a few years, he began making a name for himself.
Eventually, he rose to become the new "Red Pole" of the Righteous Union Society, earning respect within the gang.
Then, when Liu Lei suddenly fell from power and chaos engulfed the organization, Yun Cheng—alongside loyal brothers like Ma Da—rushed to Bright Pearl City to find Liu Yutong.
That decision marked the second turning point in his life.
The reason Liu Yutong wanted to give Yun Cheng time off wasn’t just so he could visit his family’s graves—she also wanted him to return in triumph and reclaim what had been stolen from him.
Before, Yun Cheng had avoided going back. With no family left and only a street thug’s reputation, he had neither money nor dignity to face the judgmental eyes of his hometown.
But now, as a high-ranking executive of the Ten Thousand Dragons Society, he was a man of success.
Wealth, luxury cars—he had everything needed to reclaim his pride.
In places like the countryside, where people measured worth by status, a triumphant return spoke louder than words.
Yun Cheng hadn’t expected the young mistress to suddenly change her mind and let him drive back alone.
At first, he worried about her safety, but seeing Gao Min eased his mind.
After all, they were heading to the countryside—her hometown—where danger was unlikely.
And with Gao Min’s combat skills and police background, Liu Yutong would be well-protected.
So, he agreed.
Deep down, he understood why she wanted him to go back, and it moved him deeply.
Even for someone like him who seemed somewhat "detached from worldly desires," the thought of finally returning to that place he had left behind for so many years stirred a surge of excitement in his heart.
Truth be told, there was nothing left there worth his nostalgia.
As for why he felt this eagerness to go back—it was all about pride. At the very least, he wanted to make a statement to everyone.
Yun Cheng was back!
This wasn’t just a simple declaration; it was the fulfillment of a long-held wish.
He wanted those so-called relatives—the ones who had bullied him, seized his family’s wealth, and left him to fend for himself—to open their eyes wide and see clearly. The boy who once slept beside a doghouse, surviving on scraps, was now returning in luxury cars they could never afford, wearing designer suits they had only seen on TV, and bearing a status they could only envy.
More importantly, he was going to reclaim everything that rightfully belonged to him.
Though he couldn’t care less about the meager property back in his hometown, this wasn’t about money anymore. It was about principle.
Liu Yutong retrieved the items she had prepared in advance from Yun Cheng’s Maybach and placed them into the front trunk of her Ferrari.
Admittedly, sports cars weren’t the most practical.
The tiny front trunk had limited space, and her modestly sized suitcase, along with a few other things, nearly filled it up.
That wasn’t even accounting for Gao Min’s luggage.
Seeing that it was truly impossible to fit everything, Liu Yutong didn’t force it.
She decided to let Yun Cheng put in a little extra effort—he could drive ahead and help deliver the remaining gifts she had bought to her hometown. After that, he could return in his own car.
It wasn’t that Liu Yutong hadn’t considered driving a more practical vehicle, like a Mercedes. But at the end of the day, she was still a young woman who preferred the eye-catching appeal of her bright red sports car.
She hadn’t driven much since getting her license, so this was the perfect opportunity to enjoy the thrill of being behind the wheel.
Just as she finished packing, her grandfather called.
Upon hearing she was returning home, he insisted on waiting for her arrival before having dinner. He and her grandmother even went to the village’s small supermarket to stock up on extra groceries.
As for meat, the family raised free-range chickens that could be freshly slaughtered. Coincidentally, a neighbor in the village had butchered a pig that day, so her grandfather had also bought plenty of fresh pork belly and ribs.
Liu Yutong pulled open the Ferrari’s door and settled into the driver’s seat. After adjusting the rearview mirror slightly, she glanced at Gao Min, who stood outside the car looking somewhat uneasy.
"Come on, sis, get in," she urged.
Gao Min carefully took her place in the passenger seat, though for some reason, she felt inexplicably nervous.
This was her first time visiting her younger sister Liu Yutong’s home, and she was about to meet her grandparents—technically, they were her grandparents too.
But the more she thought about it, the more anxious she became, though she couldn’t quite explain why.
Liu Yutong noticed her tension but didn’t comment. She simply reminded her to fasten her seatbelt before pressing the accelerator, sending the car roaring out of the neighborhood.
........
