the rise of the useless son-in-law of a wealthy family

come on stage

And even though he didn’t know what the future held, one thing was certain: he could no longer hide. The world was starting to notice him.

“Su Jian! Don’t just stand there, hurry up!” Lengyi said, raising her voice, her arms crossed over her chest, and her foot tapping the floor.

“Okay, I’m coming!”

Su Jian and Xia Lengyi went to the market. After all the strange events that had disturbed their peace, Lengyi felt a bit anxious and wanted to forget all that for a while. She hoped the busy, colorful market would bring her some peace, even if only temporarily. Su Jian, though still full of confusion and fear about his future, followed Lengyi with a lighter heart, at least for today.

They left early in the morning, just as the sun was rising over the mountains. The fresh morning air touched their skin, reminding them of a simpler life. Lengyi wore a light blue dress, her face looking brighter than in the past few days, although deep down, there were still many unanswered questions. Su Jian wore a simpler casual outfit, though he still wore the jewelry Lengyi had given him, symbolizing his status as the husband of the Xia family.

The market they were heading to was the largest in the city, a place where all kinds of goods were sold, from food and spices to rare items only found in certain markets. The hustle and bustle of the morning market was quite pleasant. Merchants yelled out their goods, customers bargained fiercely, and children ran around looking for snacks. Su Jian felt a bit of peace amidst the crowd.

“Look, Su Jian,” Lengyi said, smiling as she pointed to a stall selling handicrafts. “Do you think this is nice?”

Su Jian turned, taking a closer look. He wasn’t particularly interested in the crafts, but seeing how happy Lengyi was, he couldn’t help but enjoy the happiness with her.

“Do you think it suits me?” Su Jian asked.

Lengyi smiled softly. “Of course. Miss Xia can wear anything. Everything you choose will be beautiful.”

They continued their leisurely walk. Su Jian glanced at some stalls selling rare items. One merchant displayed glowing gemstones under the sunlight. There were also ancient jewelry pieces that seemed to have high historical value. Su Jian wasn’t too interested in these things, but he felt drawn to simpler items, such as the spices and fabrics sold at the roadside stalls. Though Lengyi seemed calm on the outside, she was always alert. She knew that this market wasn’t entirely safe. Some merchants often had connections with certain groups, and sometimes the circulating information could be very dangerous. But for now, she just wanted to enjoy this peaceful moment with Su Jian.

However, the calm didn’t last long.

Amidst the market bustle, a loud voice came from their right. A group of people, seemingly dressed in all black, emerged from the crowd. Their eyes were sharp and watchful, as though they were searching for something or someone. Lengyi felt an uneasy sensation in her chest. She carefully looked around, trying to assess the situation.

Su Jian, who felt nothing wrong, smiled widely and tried to enjoy the atmosphere. But it seemed that something bad was happening, and he felt unsure of what was coming next.

Suddenly, one person from the group stepped forward quickly toward them. His face was partially covered by a hood, giving him a mysterious aura. They seemed to ignore the busy market and headed straight for Su Jian and Lengyi, with a clear purpose.

“Su Jian,” the man’s deep voice rang out clearly. “We know who you are.”

Lengyi immediately put on a serious face. "What do you want?" she asked coldly, her eyes sharp.

The man smiled, but his smile felt empty and full of threat. "We know you have a very valuable ancient artifact," he said, mentioning the name of the artifact as if they had been searching for it for a long time.

Su Jian was shocked and confused. "Artifact? What do you mean? I don’t know what that is," he replied honestly. "I don’t understand what you’re talking about."

Lengyi looked at the man warily, but she knew this wasn’t the right time to act recklessly. "You have the wrong person," she said firmly. "Su Jian is just a useless man. We don’t know about any artifact."

But the man was not swayed. "We know that the object is with you. Hand it over now, or... the consequences will be much worse."

Su Jian didn’t know what to say. Meanwhile, Lengyi had already prepared herself. In an instant, she signaled her hidden guards around the market. They would arrive as quickly as possible, but Lengyi also knew that time was of the essence.

“Su Jian, we need to go now!” Lengyi commanded, though her tone didn’t fully reveal fear. "Run! Don’t stop!"

Su Jian didn’t want to leave Lengyi, but he knew she was right—they needed to escape and seek help. He only hoped the Xia family’s guards would arrive quickly.

However, before he could run further, a man from the group stepped forward, blocking their way. “We won’t let you go, Su Jian. Hand over Heaven’s Echo or face the consequences.”

Lengyi, already prepared, stepped forward to face them. "If you want to attack, try it. I won’t let you harm my husband."

But the situation grew worse. One of the group unsheathed a sword, and Lengyi immediately acted. She ordered her guards to confront the group, and swiftly, they began to fight.

Su Jian, panicking, could only watch from a distance. He knew that if they didn’t get help soon, everything could end very badly. Suddenly, he felt a strong urge to run, but his heart ached at the thought of leaving Lengyi behind alone.