Chapter 76: Apologizing with a Willow Branch!
Before the gates of the Qin Family estate.
A crowd had gathered, their attention fixed on the two bare-chested men kneeling on the ground.
It was nearly ten o’clock at night, and a chill had settled over River City. The two men’s faces were pale, their lips had turned blue, and their bodies were wracked with shivers—not only from the cold but also from sheer terror.
After the incident at the Four Seas Hotel reached Elder Master Luo’s ears, Luo Jinping received a call from his grandfather. Elder Master Luo had thundered over the phone, ordering Luo Jinping to crawl back to the family, where he was thoroughly berated. The old man, well past eighty, only grew angrier the more he dwelled on it, eventually laying his hands on his grandson.
And so, after a violent thrashing, the Young Master Luo Family was covered in black and blue bruises. Afterwards, Elder Master Luo had Luo Jinping bound and brought to the Qin estate to present himself for punishment as a sign of his sincere apology.
At the time, although Luo Jinping knew he was in the wrong, the thought of his doting grandfather striking him still made him scream and shout. The wounds on his body had barely healed before Elder Master Luo gave him another beating. But his grandfather had roared in bitter frustration, "You fool, I’m saving your life!"
It was only then that the other Luo family members who wanted to intervene understood: the old man had done it on purpose. To make the act completely convincing, Elder Master Luo even had Luo Jinping’s uncle—the stout, middle-aged man who had ridiculed Lin Mu alongside Chen Ruoping—dragged from his hospital bed and brought to the Qin estate as well.
To show his sincerity, Elder Master Luo also made a personal appearance. He had to come. After all, most of the guests had heard Master Sun’s warning to Luo Jinping. They might not care whether Lin Mu was truly a Grandmaster or if his medical skills surpassed Master Sun’s. But Master Sun alone was an existence the Luo Family could not afford to neglect.
Thus, the entire group arrived at the Qin Family’s gates and began their performance.
"I am Luo Huai’an, humbly serving as the Head of the Luo Family. It may be presumptuous of me, but I shall address you as ’Young Friend Lin.’ I trust you will not mind?" Luo Huai’an spoke, but upon seeing how young Lin Mu was, a flicker of contempt appeared in his eyes. However, being old and crafty, he didn’t let it show.
Master Sun calls him Young Master Mu, presumably due to his family background. But the Luo Family has been entrenched in River City for years. What kind of wealthy young master haven’t we seen? To expect me to hold Lin Mu in high regard would be a fantasy. This whole charade is purely a show for Master Sun. Lin Mu? He isn’t worthy of this. Calling him ’young friend’ is already giving Master Sun more than enough face.
Luo Huai’an looked at Lin Mu, a faint smile on his face.
"Young friend?"
Lin Mu said coolly, "Even with one foot in the grave, you are still not worthy of being my friend."
The moment he spoke, the crowd erupted into an uproar. They hadn’t expected Lin Mu to show Luo Huai’an such blatant disrespect. The Luo Family had been a powerhouse in River City for many years, and Luo Huai’an was a major figure. Who didn’t greet him with a respectful bow and address him as Elder Master Luo?
You, Lin Mu, a mere junior, are already being shown great courtesy by being called ’young friend,’ yet you have the gall to push your luck and say he isn’t worthy? Who gave you such nerve?
"How insolent!"
As expected, Lin Mu’s words instantly enraged the Luo family members.
A young man leaped out, pointed at Lin Mu’s nose, and snarled, "Kid, who do you think you are? You’re just the Qin Family’s useless, live-in son-in-law! A piece of trash! How dare you speak to Elder Luo like that? Believe it or not, I’ll cripple you right now!"
This person was just a distant relative. Luo Huai’an’s family was the main branch and had only produced one male heir for three generations. Combined with the booming family business, many distant relatives had come seeking their patronage. Luo Huai’an, in his magnanimity, took them all in. Luo Zhong, for instance, was another such relative who served as a minor department manager. However, these relatives often took advantage of the Luo Family’s status in River City to throw their weight around, and this young man was a prime example.
"Cripple me?" Lin Mu glanced at him indifferently, his hands clasped behind his back. "You’re welcome to try."
The young man flew into a rage and rolled up his sleeves, ready to teach Lin Mu a lesson.
"Get back!"
Luo Huai’an suddenly raised his cane and smashed it down on the young man’s head. "You worthless thing," he said coldly. "Have you forgotten why you are here? He is a friend of Master Sun. Do you dare to offend him?"
"Master Sun?" Qin Hongshu asked in surprise. "Elder Luo, the Master Sun you mentioned... is it Master Sun Tianyang?"
Luo Huai’an nodded. "Indeed." Then he added with some surprise, "Don’t you know? Master Sun’s evaluation of Mr. Lin is extremely high."
As Luo Huai’an spoke, everyone drew a sharp, collective breath.
Lin Mu actually knows Master Sun? And Master Sun holds him in such high esteem? How did we not know this?
At that moment, Qin Yan whispered a few words into Qin Hongshu’s ear, causing his expression to change dramatically.
"A Martial Arts Grandmaster? With medical skills that reach the divine?" Qin Hongshu exclaimed, "Lin Mu, you’re a Martial Artist? And you know medicine? Why didn’t we know any of this?"
The others stared at Lin Mu in disbelief. Though Qin Yan’s voice had been low, they had all heard her.
The Chen family members were at a loss for words, unable to describe the shock in their hearts.
Just what kind of person was Lin Mu, that even Master Sun knew him?
Luo Huai’an sighed, his face a mask of guilt. "You may not be aware, but I only learned of this myself a moment ago. Today, my Luo Family invited Master Sun, hoping to announce his presence and have everyone Gather. But unexpectedly, my disgraceful grandson allowed some arrogant scum to block Miss Qin and Mr. Lin from entering. When I found out, I was furious. I had that scum’s hands and feet broken, his eyes gouged out, and his body thrown into the sea to feed the fish."
He was, of course, referring to the doorman.
"Though my grandson, Luo Jinping, was unaware of this, he is still at fault for his poor judgment in appointing staff, and so he must be punished. That is why I have brought him to Mr. Lin’s door today to offer his humblest apologies," Luo Huai’an said, pointing at Luo Jinping. "Unfilial son! Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Lin! Believe it or not, I’ll kill you right now to stop you from disgracing our family day in and day out!"
Luo Jinping’s face was now the color of a pig’s liver. Kneeling at the Qin Family’s main gate had already cost him all his dignity.
And now I have to kowtow and apologize to Lin Mu? This is more agonizing than death itself.
But Master Sun had given a direct order: apologize to Lin Mu, or he would not be spared.
Taking a deep breath, Luo Jinping pressed his forehead to the ground. With trembling hands, he held up a thorny branch and stammered, "Mr. Lin, I know I was wrong. I hope you can be magnanimous and forgive me just this once."
The once high-and-mighty Young Master Luo Family was now kneeling before Lin Mu, begging for mercy. The scene left many in the crowd shaken.
With his forehead pressed to the ground, no one could see Luo Jinping’s expression. But his face, hidden from view, was twisted with spite as his heart roared with silent fury.
"Lin Mu, for the humiliation you’ve dealt me today, I will repay you a hundred, even a thousand times over!"