Chapter Seven: Purchasing Birthday Gifts

Lin Feng stepped out of the bedroom and entered the dining room. His father-in-law, mother-in-law, and Yao Qianqian were having breakfast. Now that Lin Feng had successfully broken through and become a cultivator, ordinary food was of little importance to him, so he merely sipped some porridge without much care.

His mother-in-law deliberately placed a beef bun into Yao Qianqian’s bowl, speaking warmly, “Qianqian, eat a bit more. You stayed up late again last night, didn’t you? As a young woman striving for her career, you mustn’t ruin your health. The body is the foundation of everything.”

When she looked at Lin Feng, however, her brows knit and her lips curled in contempt, her face full of disdain.

“In a few days, it’s the old man’s seventieth birthday. The family is planning to throw a grand celebration. Our branch absolutely cannot lose face this time—especially you, Lin Feng.”

“At the last family gathering, you were humiliated and mocked by Yao Xingye and Yao Weiguo, and as a result, we couldn’t even lift our heads in front of the old man. This time, Qianqian is personally in charge, and you must help her. There must be no mistakes—do you understand?”

“I understand, Mom. Don’t worry,” Yao Qianqian replied, raising her head to glance at Lin Feng, her tone indifferent.

“Lin Feng, remember this: at the old man’s seventieth birthday, the whole family will be there. No matter how Xingye or the others ridicule and insult you, you must endure it. Not a single word more. If anything goes wrong, I won’t forgive you!”

Her mother-in-law admonished him sternly. Lin Feng nodded, uninterested.

“What sort of attitude is that… I—”

“All right, all right,” his father-in-law, gentle in temperament, quickly stepped in to defuse the conflict. “Let Qianqian handle things, and you can rest assured. As for the birthday banquet, let Lin Feng sit beside me—I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Yao Zhentao, you’re always smoothing things over! Fine. Lin Feng, let me make myself clear: if you drag us through humiliation again at this birthday banquet, you can get out of this house and never come back!” His mother-in-law waved her hand, pointing to the door, her voice furious.

“Oh,” Lin Feng replied calmly, setting down his bowl and chopsticks and preparing to leave.

“Lin Feng, I happen to be free this morning. Let’s get the birthday gifts sorted quickly so Mom and Dad can rest easy.” Yao Qianqian dabbed her mouth with a tissue, stood elegantly, picked up her handbag, and prepared to go out.

“Oh, that’s my daughter for you—swift and decisive, just like me,” her mother-in-law beamed, sending Yao Qianqian off in delight.

Suddenly, Lin Feng remembered something. “In my past life, the Kunwu Sword given to me by my master was obtained from Binhai City. Today’s a good chance to retrieve it.”

He shrugged and went along with Yao Qianqian.

Yao Qianqian drove the company-issued Toyota, taking Lin Feng out of Shuiyue Community and toward the city center. Lin Feng sat in the passenger seat, silent and composed. Yao Qianqian glanced at him from the corner of her eye and suddenly realized he seemed to have changed.

Though dressed in cheap, shabby clothes, he exuded a unique aura that seemed to look down upon all.

“Is it my imagination? Or has he really changed?” Suspicion flickered in Yao Qianqian’s heart, but thinking of her own company’s affairs, she finally spoke up. “Lin Feng, Young Master Long’s roots run deep in Binhai City. Can’t you just apologize properly? You keep ending up in the hospital every few days—it’s not good for your health.”

At these words, Lin Feng’s lips curled into a cold smile.

Had he not been reborn, Lin Feng might have been deeply moved by what seemed like concern. But after the hardships of his previous life, he saw things clearly. This aloof lady president hardly cared about his well-being; after all, Lin Feng had been hospitalized five times recently. Had she ever visited him once?

This persuasion was not out of concern for Lin Feng, but because the Long family was one of Yao Group’s biggest clients. To retain them, to preserve her own performance and status, she wanted Lin Feng to apologize and resolve the feud with Long Yaoyang, thus preventing the loss of a major client and affecting her sales ranking.

As for who was right or wrong, and what humiliation Lin Feng might suffer during the apology—it had nothing to do with her.

In his previous life, Lin Feng had felt he owed Yao Qianqian and showered her with love and care after marriage. At her repeated pleas, he foolishly went to apologize to Long Yaoyang.

And what did he receive? Nothing but endless humiliation and mockery, his dignity trampled underfoot.

At that moment, what was Yao Qianqian doing? She ignored Lin Feng kneeling in disgrace, instead seizing the opportunity to pitch her company’s new products to Long Yaoyang! With that, she landed a multimillion-dollar deal and was promoted to deputy general manager of sales.

Heh. The world is truly absurd.

You think you’re sacrificing everything for your beloved, but in her eyes, what does your devotion amount to? Nothing but a pile of dog waste!

Seeing all this clearly, how could Lin Feng possibly comply with her wishes? He sneered, “Young Master Long? Soon, he’ll be nothing of the sort. I’ve reserved a place for him in the eighteenth layer of hell—henceforth, for countless eons, he’ll endure the torment of endless purgatory.”

“Eighteen layers of hell? Countless eons? What are you talking about? Lin Feng, you must have read too many web novels. If you don’t want to do it, just say so. Why go in circles? You’re being completely unreasonable!”

To Yao Qianqian, Lin Feng’s words were pure nonsense, evasive and infuriating. She flew into a rage.

Lin Feng remained calm, unruffled as a still pond. “Believe it or not, it’s up to you. Anyway, Long Yaoyang is no more than an ant to me now. Apologizing to an ant? I won’t do it.”

Yao Qianqian rolled her eyes in exasperation.

They say that when words are at odds, even half a sentence is too much. From then on, neither spoke another word for the rest of the drive, until they reached their destination: the largest department store in Binhai City—the Datang Plaza.

Datang Plaza, a wholly owned asset of the Tang family, boasts nearly eighty percent of the world’s luxury brands. Its hundred-meter glass tower has always been a landmark of Binhai City.

Entering Datang Plaza, Yao Qianqian led Lin Feng straight to the jewelry and jade counters on the eighth floor, where dozens of renowned domestic and international brands were gathered.

Buying a birthday gift for the old man’s seventieth here offered the best value for money—high enough quality not to lose face, but not so expensive as to break the bank.

After all, Yao Qianqian was only a middle manager in the family company, and her father, Yao Zhentao, was merely a warehouse manager. Their monthly salaries barely covered household expenses, leaving little to save.

So careful budgeting was a must.

On the eighth floor, Yao Qianqian and Lin Feng browsed the various brand boutiques, pausing here and there. Eventually, they stopped at a shop called “Datang Jewelry.”

A saleswoman in a traditional Ciyun Tang jacket greeted them warmly. “Welcome, may I help you with anything?”

“I’d like to buy a jade Buddha around five hundred thousand. Any recommendations?” Yao Qianqian, always decisive, stated her budget and requested suggestions.

“A jade Buddha for five hundred thousand? We just received a new batch. Please follow me.” The saleswoman smiled professionally and led them to a premium display.

“This jade Buddha pendant is carved from a single piece of old mine icy jade, crafted by Master Lu Wenqing. Priced at five hundred and fifty thousand, it’s exactly what you need. Perfect for gifting or celebrating a birthday.”

“Five hundred and fifty thousand…” Yao Qianqian hesitated. Five hundred thousand was already her limit, and she couldn’t manage another fifty. Yet she’d browsed almost the entire eighth floor, and this jade Buddha was the only one with such quality—good water, large size, exquisite workmanship. Clearly a top-tier piece; it would be a shame to miss it.

As she deliberated, she noticed Lin Feng idly wandering through the highest-end display area, which stirred a surge of anger in her heart.

If it weren’t for you, would Father and I be humiliated at work?

If it weren’t for you, would I not even be able to afford a jade Buddha for fifty-five hundred thousand?

If it weren’t for you, would I be stuck in a cramped old apartment, exhausted?

Her heart grew cold as she clenched her fists.

Just as she was about to grit her teeth and buy the jade Buddha, a shrill voice sounded behind her:

“Well, well, isn’t that Lin Feng? What’s a useless loser like you doing spending money at Datang Plaza? Living at home as a kept man must be nice—eating, drinking, playing, all paid for by your wife!”