The luxurious Xiao family villa was brightly lit.


Tonight was the 70th birthday celebration of Madam Xiao, the matriarch of the Xiao family.


The grandchildren, granddaughters, and their spouses all presented lavish gifts.


“Grandma, I heard you love tea. This century-old Pu’er tea brick, worth 500,000 yuan, is my gift to you.”


“Grandma, I heard you are a devout Buddhist. This jade Buddha, carved from Hetian jade, is worth 700,000 yuan…”


Madam Xiao looked at the array of gifts and laughed heartily, her joy filling the room. The whole family was in a festive and harmonious mood.


At this moment, Madam Xiao’s eldest granddaughter’s husband, Ye Chen, suddenly spoke, “Grandma, could you lend me a million yuan? Auntie Li from the orphanage has kidney failure and needs money for treatment…”


The entire Xiao family was stunned.


Everyone looked at Ye Chen with disbelief.


This live-in son-in-law had some nerve! On the matriarch’s birthday, not only did he bring no gift, but he also dared to brazenly ask the matriarch to lend him a million yuan?


Three years ago, when the late Elder Xiao was still alive, he insisted on bringing Ye Chen into the family and having his eldest granddaughter, Xiao Churan, marry him. At that time, Ye Chen was penniless, practically indistinguishable from a beggar.


After their marriage, Elder Xiao passed away. Since then, the Xiao family had been scheming to drive Ye Chen away.


But Ye Chen remained calm and indifferent to all the insults and humiliation, choosing to stay on as the Xiao family’s live-in son-in-law.


Today, his plea for money was a last resort.


Auntie Li from the orphanage, who had taken him in and saved his life, was suffering from kidney failure. Dialysis and a kidney transplant would cost at least a million yuan. Desperate, Ye Chen could only turn to the matriarch for help.


He thought that since it was Madam Xiao’s birthday, she might be in a good mood and willing to help out of compassion.


Unexpectedly, the matriarch, who had been laughing moments ago, immediately turned grim.


She slammed her teacup onto the floor and angrily rebuked, “You insolent fool! Are you here to celebrate my birthday or to ask for money?”


Xiao Churan, Ye Chen’s wife, hurried forward to explain, “Grandma, Ye Chen was being thoughtless. Please don’t take offense.”


As she spoke, she tried to pull Ye Chen aside.


At this moment, Xiao Churan’s cousin, Xiao Weiwei, sneered, “Sis, look at the kind of trash you married! My fiancé Yunfei has only gotten engaged to me and already gifted Grandma a Hetian jade Buddha. And your husband? He not only brought nothing but even has the audacity to ask Grandma for money!”


“Exactly, Ye Chen. We’re both Xiao family sons-in-law, but you, as the eldest grandson-in-law, are a total failure!”


The man speaking was Xiao Weiwei’s fiancé, Wang Yunfei, a young master from a prominent local family.


Although Wang Yunfei was about to marry Xiao Weiwei, in his eyes, Xiao Weiwei’s beauty couldn’t hold a candle to Xiao Churan’s. Xiao Churan was known as a goddess throughout Jinling, but seeing her married to a useless husband like Ye Chen made him feel deeply displeased.


“This kind of trash should just get out of our Xiao family as soon as possible!”


“Exactly! He’s disgraced the Xiao family!”


“I bet he doesn’t actually need the money. He’s just here to ruin Grandma’s birthday celebration!”


Hearing everyone targeting and insulting him, Ye Chen clenched his fists.


If it weren’t for his savior needing the money, he would have left this toxic environment long ago.


However, recalling his father’s teaching from childhood to repay kindness many times over, he suppressed the humiliation and said to Madam Xiao, “Grandma, saving a life is an act of great merit. I beg you to show compassion.”


Someone snorted coldly and scolded, “Ye, stop trying to manipulate Grandma. If you want to save someone, find your own way. How dare you ask Grandma to pay? Who do you think you are?”


The speaker was Xiao Weiwei’s brother, Xiao Hailong.


The siblings had always resented Xiao Churan for excelling in every aspect, so they never missed a chance to mock Ye Chen.


Xiao Churan’s expression was awkward as she said, “Grandma, Ye Chen lost his father at the age of eight, and it was Auntie Li from the orphanage who raised him. He wants to repay her kindness, so please consider helping him…”


Madam Xiao’s face darkened as she said, “Help him? Fine! But only if you divorce him and marry Young Master Zhang. If you agree, I’ll immediately give him a million yuan!”


The “Young Master Zhang” mentioned was Zhang Wenhao, who had been pursuing Xiao Churan. The Zhang family was an elite family in Jinling, far more influential than the Xiao family. Madam Xiao had always wanted to establish ties with them.


At this moment, the butler hurried in, announcing loudly, “Young Master Zhang Wenhao has sent a birthday gift! A jade Buddha pendant carved from top-grade old mine jadeite, worth three million yuan!”


Madam Xiao was overjoyed and exclaimed, “Bring it here! Let me see!”


The butler quickly handed over a vivid green jade Buddha pendant, causing everyone present to gasp in amazement.


The jade Buddha was pure, translucent, and flawless, clearly of the highest quality.


Even Wang Yunfei, who had gifted the Hetian jade Buddha earlier, felt embarrassed. He hadn’t expected Zhang Wenhao, who had no relationship with the Xiao family, to be so generous.


Madam Xiao delightedly admired the jade pendant and said, “Ah, Young Master Zhang is truly thoughtful! If he became my grandson-in-law, I would laugh in my sleep!”


Then she looked at Xiao Churan and said, “So, what do you think of my condition? Are you considering it?”


Xiao Churan shook her head and firmly said, “Grandma, I will not divorce Ye Chen.”


Madam Xiao’s expression darkened instantly. She furiously scolded, “Ungrateful! You insist on being tied to this useless man! Get him out of here! My birthday banquet will not allow this waste to stay!”


Ye Chen felt utterly disappointed in the Xiao family. Not wanting to stay any longer, he turned to Xiao Churan and said, “Churan, I’ll head to the hospital to check on Aunt Li.”


Xiao Churan quickly said, “I’ll go with you.”


At this, Madam Xiao sneered, “If you leave with him, don’t consider yourself my granddaughter anymore! Take your parents with you and leave the Xiao family for good!”


Xiao Churan froze in shock, unable to believe her grandmother would say something so cruel.


Ye Chen quickly said, “You stay here. Don’t worry about me.”


Without waiting for Xiao Churan to respond, he turned and walked out.


Behind him, Xiao Hailong laughed mockingly, “Oh, my dear brother-in-law, leaving hungry like that, are you going to beg on the streets? If so, won’t you bring shame to the Xiao family? Here, take this one yuan and buy yourself a steamed bun!”


As he spoke, Xiao Hailong tossed a coin onto the ground near Ye Chen’s feet.


The entire Xiao family erupted in laughter.


Ye Chen clenched his teeth, refusing to look back, and left the Xiao family home.


Upon reaching the hospital, Ye Chen immediately went to the payment counter to see if he could delay the medical fees for a few more days.


However, when he asked the nurse, he was suddenly informed that Aunt Li had been transferred overnight to Beijing’s top hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, for treatment.


Ye Chen was shocked and quickly asked, “How much will it cost? I’ll figure out a way to pay!”


The nurse replied, “The total is three million yuan. One million has already been paid, leaving a balance of two million that must be settled within a week.”


“Who paid the one million?” Ye Chen asked urgently.


The nurse shook her head. “I don’t know either.”


Ye Chen was puzzled. Just as he was about to get to the bottom of it, he turned around and saw a man standing behind him. The man, dressed in a black suit, had graying hair and appeared to be in his fifties.


Their eyes met, and the man bowed deeply to him. “Young Master, you have suffered all these years!”


Ye Chen furrowed his brows, his demeanor suddenly changing. In a cold voice, he asked, “Are you Tang Sihai?”


The man responded with delight, “Young Master, you still remember me!”


Ye Chen’s expression grew stern, and he murmured, “Of course, I remember. I remember every one of you! It was you and your people who forced my parents to flee Beijing with me, only to meet with tragedy on the way. My parents died, and I became an orphan. And now, after all these years, why are you looking for me?”


Tang Sihai’s face was filled with pain. “Young Master, when your father passed away, the Master was deeply grieved. He has been searching for you ever since. Now that we’ve found you, please come back with me to see him!”


Ye Chen replied coldly, “Leave. I will never meet him in this lifetime.”


Tang Sihai asked, “Young Master, are you still resentful of the Master?”


“Of course I am,” Ye Chen said, enunciating each word. “I will never forgive him for as long as I live!”


Tang Sihai sighed deeply. “The Master anticipated you might feel this way before I came.”


“At least he knows his place!” Ye Chen scoffed.


Tang Sihai continued, “The Master knows you’ve suffered all these years and asked me to offer you some compensation. If you refuse to return, he wants you to have the largest company in Jinling as a gift, along with this card. The PIN is your birthday.”


As he spoke, Tang Sihai handed over a top-tier black Centurion card from CitiBank.


“Young Master, only five of these cards exist in the entire country.”


Ye Chen shook his head. “Take it away. I don’t want it.”


Tang Sihai hesitated. “But, Young Master, your benefactor still needs two million for medical expenses. If it isn’t paid soon, her life could be in danger…”


Ye Chen’s brow furrowed tightly. “You’re deliberately setting me up?”


Tang Sihai quickly denied, “I wouldn’t dare! This card contains enough money to cover her expenses.”


Ye Chen asked, “How much is in this card?”


Tang Sihai replied, “The Master said it’s just a little pocket money for you. Not much, only one billion yuan.”