Chapter 18: My Forbidden Treasure, Untouchable by Anyone

"Let go, let go of me!"
A sharp pain shot through his wrist, and Brother Long immediately lost his composure. "Kid, you dare lay a hand on me? Believe it or not, I can call up two hundred men and have you hacked to pieces!"
"Enough with your noise."
With a casual flick of his wrist, Chen Yang sent Brother Long flying. He crashed heavily against the Bentley, shattering the side mirror on impact, and lost consciousness on the spot.
The commotion quickly drew a crowd of onlookers. Even a few minutes earlier, someone had secretly called the emergency number.
Not wanting further trouble, Chen Yang turned and left, slipping away before the authorities arrived. As for He Xiaoyu, he couldn't be bothered to pay her any mind.

The next day, Chen Yang sat cross-legged, attempting to forcibly absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
But even the most skillful woman cannot cook without rice; though usually serene, Chen Yang found himself growing irritated.
"This damned age of declining magic," he grumbled. "If I keep cultivating like this, when will I ever reach the Foundation Establishment stage?"
Just then, the image of a graceful girl floated into his mind—it was Lin Wanwan, still in high school.
Chen Yang licked his lips, which had grown a bit dry. "Maybe I should just bring her here? Drain her dry, once and for all?"
But as soon as he spoke, he shook his head vigorously. "No, no, that would be an utter waste of such a treasure. I must endure; I can't be blinded by immediate gain!"
Chen Yang had long since regarded Lin Wanwan as his own forbidden fruit. Using her as a vessel was only a matter of time.

At that moment, his phone rang—it was Lin Wanwan calling.
Speak of the devil.
Chen Yang answered.
He heard Lin Wanwan sobbing, "Brother, can you help me? My mother... she's about to be beaten to death!"
Without hesitation, Chen Yang replied, "I'm on my way!"

Exerting his martial skills, Chen Yang reached Lin Wanwan's family restaurant in seven or eight minutes.
At first, he thought it would be that same troublemaker from before.
But on arrival, he saw only a burly, unshaven middle-aged man, reeking of alcohol.
The man had Huang Ying by the hair, slamming her head repeatedly against the table. She had no strength to resist.
As he struck, he roared, "Damn woman, I’m your husband! I come home for a little money and you start whining? If you piss me off, I'll burn this place to the ground!"
Lin Wanwan was wailing nearby. "Dad, please don't hit Mom! Please don't hit her!"
"You little brat, you’re nothing but a money-losing burden to me! Get lost!"
With that, the burly man kicked out at her.
Just then, a blur flashed by—Chen Yang shielded Lin Wanwan and blocked the kick.

He could ignore Huang Ying being beaten.
But Lin Wanwan was a natural-born spirit maiden, a true treasure of heaven and earth.
To Chen Yang, she was a precious possession; if she were harmed, he would never allow it.
After blocking the kick,

The burly man was momentarily startled, but still arrogant thanks to his drunken bravado. "Where the hell did you crawl out from, punk? You dare meddle in my business? Tired of living?"
Without further ado, Chen Yang slapped the man across the room, sending him crashing into the wall.
That slap sobered him up almost completely.
Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Wanwan quickly helped Huang Ying up. "Mom, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine, sweetheart," Huang Ying forced a smile through her pain, not wanting to worry her daughter.
"You little bastard, who the hell do you think you are? What right do you have to hit me?"
The man managed to get to his feet, but now that the alcohol had cleared, he grew more cautious, less reckless.
He knew full well that someone who could slap him across the room was not an ordinary person.
Chen Yang said nothing, instead turning his gaze on Huang Ying.
After all, he was still an outsider; if not for Lin Wanwan, he wouldn't have intervened.
Huang Ying pointed at the man and snapped, "Lin Wangcai, we were officially divorced half a year ago! You gamble everything away, and now you want money from me? On what grounds?"
"You shrew, what did you say?"
Lin Wangcai's face twisted in rage. "Once you're my woman, you're my woman for life! And Wanwan too—she's mine. One day, I'll sell her off to make money for me!"
They say gambling addicts barely have any humanity left.
That was certainly true here.
But Chen Yang would never allow Lin Wangcai to sell Lin Wanwan.
In that instant, he felt a murderous impulse.
Even if he didn't kill the man, crippling him would prevent future trouble.
Just as he was about to act, sirens wailed outside.
It turned out Lin Wanwan had called not only Chen Yang, but also the emergency services.
Little did she know, that very call had just saved Lin Wangcai's miserable life.
For the time being, Chen Yang did not want to clash with the law enforcement of the Nine Provinces.
Soon, Lin Wangcai was taken away.
"Young man, thank you so much! If not for you, I can't imagine what might have happened," Huang Ying said gratefully.
Chen Yang waved it off, as if it were nothing.
"It's just a shame," Huang Ying went on, "that in three days, this place will be demolished. Otherwise, you could eat here anytime you wanted, for free!"
Demolished?
Chen Yang was puzzled. After asking a few questions, he learned the restaurant was rented. After demolition, Huang Ying and Lin Wanwan would lose their livelihood—and even a place to stay.

Suddenly, Huang Ying knelt down, pleading, "Young man, I know you're a good person. Could you do me a favor?"
Faced with this sudden gesture, Chen Yang was a bit taken aback.
Not because she knelt, but because she called him a good person.
"A good person?"
Chen Yang almost laughed. If he was a good person, there would be no bad people in this world.
"Mom, what are you doing?"

Lin Wanwan tried to help her mother up, but Huang Ying refused to rise.
Chen Yang said softly, "Just tell me what's on your mind. If I can help, I will."
Hearing this, Huang Ying brightened. "You saw for yourself just now—Wanwan's biological father, Lin Wangcai, is a brute. He won't be in jail long, and when he's out he'll come after us again. He's addicted to gambling, capable of anything. I'm afraid..."
Chen Yang finished her thought, "You're afraid Lin Wangcai will harm Wanwan, aren't you?"
Huang Ying nodded. "Exactly. When he loses money or gets drunk, there's no telling what he might do to her!"
Looking Chen Yang in the eye, she said solemnly, "I can see you care for Wanwan. No matter what happens, you'll protect her. I hope she can stay with you, so you can keep her safe forever."
Lin Wanwan was stunned. "Mom, what are you saying? Are you abandoning me?"
Chen Yang, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm, as if everything was proceeding according to his plan.
The corner of his mouth curled into a faint smile. "I promise you, from this moment on, no one will ever harm Wanwan. I will protect her with my life."
Joy lit up Huang Ying's face. "Thank you so much! I'll move to another city—Wanwan is in your hands now!"
Chen Yang gave a devilish smile. "No problem at all."
Lin Wanwan was utterly dumbfounded. She never expected her mother to say such an outrageous thing.
What shocked her even more was that Huang Ying immediately got up and left, like a walking corpse.
"Mom, don't go! Don't leave me!"
She tried to chase after her, but Chen Yang grabbed her and held her back.
Lin Wanwan could never have guessed that Huang Ying's every action had been orchestrated by Chen Yang.
After the incident with Lin Wangcai, Chen Yang realized that letting Lin Wanwan fend for herself might invite disaster.
If she lost her purity, everything would be ruined.
So he came up with a plan: he used a soul-bewitching technique to subtly manipulate Huang Ying's mind, making her invent a reasonable excuse to entrust Lin Wanwan to him.
As for Huang Ying's fate, it no longer concerned Chen Yang.
Wanwan was left sobbing bitterly.
Chen Yang tried to comfort her. "Don't worry, I promise to take good care of you. No one will ever bully you again."
"No! I want my mother! I don't want you!" she cried, her heart broken.
She was, after all, just a girl—her spirit fragile, unable to accept such a blow right away.
Chen Yang simply let her cry herself out. Eventually, exhausted, she cried herself to sleep.
He carried her home—not to Guanlan Mansion, but to a far more luxurious residence: Tomson Riviera.
A few days earlier, Chen Yang had purchased a villa there.
From now on, Lin Wanwan would live here.
The place wasn't far from her school either, making it very convenient.
Chen Yang gently laid her on the bed.
For the sake of her mental health, he didn't remove her clothes.
He even cooked a sumptuous meal himself.
Toward evening, Lin Wanwan awoke, enticed by the aroma of food.