Zhao Zhen, along with a group of Yi family relatives and members of her own family, appeared outside a three-story villa. Most of these people were either Yi family relatives or from Zhao Zhen’s side of the family.
“Are you sure this is the place?” Zhao Zhen asked, staring at the villa.
A man in black approached her and said, “We’ve confirmed it. They’re both at home.”
“Ring the bell,” Zhao Zhen instructed, stepping aside with her group to avoid being seen by the villa’s security cameras.
A middle-aged woman, wearing an apron, soon came to the door. She looked at the man in black and asked, “Who are you here to see?”
“I’m here to see Qi Ran. Wu Xuan sent me.”
“Wait a moment. I’ll ask him.”
Qi Ran, who hadn’t been able to reach Wu Xuan for the past two days and was eager to find out what had happened, immediately told the maid to let the visitor in when he heard Wu Xuan’s name.
The maid returned and opened the door. “You can come in.”
As soon as the door opened, the tall man in black blocked the maid, and Zhao Zhen, with her group, quickly marched into the house.
“Hey! Who are you people?! What do you want?!” the maid shouted loudly.
Zhao Zhen stormed through the entrance, forcefully pulling the door open and striding inside.
Qi Ran and his mother, Qi Mian, were stunned to see so many people barging in.
“Auntie, why are you here?” Qi Ran asked, confused.
Zhao Zhen walked up to Qi Ran and slapped him hard across the face, glaring at him. “Who are you calling Auntie?! Do you think someone like you deserves to call me that?!”
“Why are you hitting him?!” Qi Mian rushed over to protect Qi Ran, angrily shouting, “Who let you in here?! Get out or I’ll call the police!”
“Call the police if you want,” Zhao Zhen sneered. “But before the police arrive, I have a few things to say to you both. You two are as dirty as they come, and you know it. Your son, this piece of trash, actually had the audacity to think he could marry into the Yi family. Stop dreaming!!”
“Marry into the Yi family? When did my son ever try to marry into your family?!”
Zhao Zhen sneered again. “Your son, who already married someone abroad, still dares to harass my son after coming back. Like mother, like son. You’re low, and so is your son.”
“Watch your mouth!” Qi Mian shouted angrily.
“No matter how filthy my words, they couldn’t be as dirty as you,” Zhao Zhen retorted. “You, of all people, telling me to watch my mouth? You don’t even know who your son’s father is. You sold your body to make a living, gave up all self-respect, and now you want others to respect you? I wouldn’t even look at you if I didn’t have to.”
“If you want to hit or curse, do it to me,” Qi Ran said, standing in front of his mother. “She has nothing to do with this. You have no right to insult her.”
Zhao Zhen scoffed. “Oh, I’m here for you, don’t worry. You need to know your place. If you dare harass my son again, I’ll reveal everything about your filthy background to everyone you know!”
“Get out!!” Qi Mian screamed. “Get out of my house!!”
Qi Mian tried to push Zhao Zhen, but one of the Yi family relatives immediately intervened, pushing Qi Mian to the ground.
“Mom!” Qi Ran, now pale, rushed to help his mother.
The Yi family relatives began taking turns hurling insults at the mother and son.
“Look at yourself in the mirror! How dare you try to mess with Yi Bo? Do you think you’re worthy?!”
“Not only have you been married before, but even if you hadn’t, someone from your background would never be accepted into our family! Know your place!”
“Do you think the Yi family is a garbage dump for the likes of you to walk in?”
“Some people just don’t know when to quit. Yi Bo’s already told you he doesn’t like you, and you’re still clinging on. How shameless can you get?”
“You’re disgusting. A dirty mother raising a dirty son!”
At this moment, Yi Bo and Yi Hong walked in hurriedly.
“Mom!” Yi Bo rushed over to Zhao Zhen’s side. “What are you doing here?”
“I had to come here and make it clear to them, otherwise they’d keep thinking their wild fantasies could come true!” Zhao Zhen snapped.
“You’ve said what you needed to. Let’s go home,” Yi Bo urged her.
Zhao Zhen looked at Qi Ran and his mother one last time and said, “This is my final warning. If you dare harass my son again or do anything to harm our family’s business, I’ll make sure everyone knows just how filthy you two really are!” With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out, followed by the rest of the group.
Yi Bo turned to Qi Ran and said coldly, “What my mother said goes for me as well. Stay away from me, and don’t even think about doing anything to our business again, or you’ll regret it more than you already do.”
After everyone left, Qi Mian broke down, sobbing hysterically. She grabbed Qi Ran and shook him. “I raised you with such hardship, hoping you’d become successful, hoping that my mistakes wouldn’t affect your future, that you could find someone who truly loves you and have a happy life. You’re so excellent, but why would you keep chasing after someone who doesn’t love you? Now, look at what’s happened—they’re treating you like this, and you can’t even fight back!”
Qi Ran’s face was ashen, his eyes hollow. His heart was completely shattered—he was now utterly done with Yi Bo.
When they returned home, Zhao Zhen was still fuming. Unable to contain her anger, she started hitting Yi Bo. “You knew all along about his background, and yet you still associated with him! If things hadn’t turned out like this, were you planning to keep it a secret from us and marry him?!”
Yi Bo stood motionless, letting his mother hit him to vent her rage.
“You’re really going to be the death of me! Do you hear me?!” Zhao Zhen cried, unable to hold back her tears.
Yi Xuan, who was hiding on the stairs, listened to the conversation with tears streaming down his face. He was terrified. His mother had told him to move out yesterday, but he didn’t want to. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving his family.
As Yi Bo went upstairs, he saw Yi Xuan.
“Brother…” Yi Xuan called out timidly.
Yi Bo motioned for him to go back to his room. After they both entered, Yi Bo closed the door behind them. “You should move out for a while. Mom and Dad are both upset right now. If you stay, you’ll just get yelled at again. Once they calm down, I’ll help talk to them and get you back home.”
“I really didn’t know what Qi Ran was doing, I swear,” Yi Xuan sobbed. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have kept it from you.”
“I know,” Yi Bo reassured him. “Qi Ran wouldn’t have told you, but from now on, don’t trust others so easily.”
“I won’t,” Yi Xuan promised. “But I don’t want to move out. I’m afraid if I leave, Mom and Dad will never let me come back. I don’t want to leave.”
“Give it time. Once the business situation improves, they won’t be as stressed and their moods will improve. Then you can come back, apologize sincerely, and I’ll help smooth things over. But staying here now will only make things worse.”
“But… will the business really improve?” Yi Xuan asked worriedly. “Isn’t it true that no one wants to help us now?”
“Don’t worry. It will get better,” Yi Bo said confidently.
Yi Wei accompanied Gu Yueshan to the banquet at Chairman Wu’s house. Gu Yueshan, wearing glasses, held Yi Wei’s hand as they walked. Yi Wei kept glancing at Gu Yueshan’s face, observing his expressions.
Wu Suyan, who was several years older than Gu Yueshan, had a friendly relationship with him. While the two of them were talking, Yi Wei excused himself to go to the restroom.
As Yi Wei walked down the corridor, he suddenly heard a voice behind him.
“Stop!”
Yi Wei stopped and turned around.
Wu Xuan, furious, marched toward Yi Wei, but Yi Wei’s bodyguards quickly stepped in to block him.
“Is something wrong?” Yi Wei asked coldly.
“Qi Ran never did anything to you! Why do you keep targeting him like this?! Are you trying to drive him to death to feel satisfied?!” Wu Xuan shouted, glaring at Yi Wei.
Yi Wei smirked and, disinterested in arguing, responded icily, “I do what I want. Who are you to question me?”
“Qi Ran nearly died because of you! He attempted suicide and was sent to the hospital! Do you even care?!”
“Is that so?” Yi Wei replied coolly. “There’s no need to tell me. I’m not interested in that.”
“You bastard!” Wu Xuan, consumed by rage, lunged at Yi Wei.
The bodyguards, not allowing him to get close, punched Wu Xuan hard in the stomach to subdue him.
Wu Xuan collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach in pain as cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
“Wu Xuan!” Wu Hao, who had been notified by security, rushed over. After a quick glance at his kneeling cousin, he turned to Yi Wei and asked, “Are you alright?”
Wu Hao was the same person who had pulled Yi Wei into a room at the club when Yi Wei had been rushing to find Gu Yueshan in his female disguise. He was Chairman Wu’s second son.
Yi Wei didn’t respond but instead looked past Wu Hao. Gu Yueshan, who had been notified by the bodyguards, was walking toward him quickly.
Gu Yueshan shoved Wu Hao aside and hurried to Yi Wei’s side, his face filled with concern. “Did he touch you?”
“No,” Yi Wei shook his head, wrapping his arms around Gu Yueshan’s waist and sliding his hand inside Gu Yueshan’s jacket to rub his back soothingly. He needed to calm him down.
This was Gu Yueshan’s aggressive personality, and if he got too angry, he might do something unpredictable. Yi Wei had to act quickly to diffuse the situation.
Wu Hao, who had been shoved into the wall, rubbed his sore arm and shoulder. But he understood Gu Yueshan’s worry and urgency—he didn’t think it was intentional. Blaming Wu Xuan for causing trouble at their house, he shot him a furious glare. Out of all his cousins, Wu Hao disliked Wu Xuan the most. This time, he was determined to make his father give Wu Xuan the most severe punishment, so Wu Xuan would regret his actions for the rest of his life!
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