Xiao Ming's deep voice seemed to hail from the depths of hell itself, causing Cao Bangxi's soul to tighten in fear, losing any ability to doubt.
In that instant, he truly believed he had already died once.
What Xiao Ming said was the truth.
In the previous life, Jiang Xue didn't know she was pregnant and didn't refuse the drink, so Zhang Anli didn't drug her.
This also meant that when Cao Bangxi tried to assault her, she still had some sober consciousness left. With no escape possible, she decided to preserve her dignity by crashing through the balcony door and jumping to her death.
Xiao Ming, who was devastated by grief, personally threw Zhang Anli off a high building. After that, he spent months investigating and tracking Cao Bangxi before eventually kidnapping him and taking his revenge.
But the dead cannot be brought back to life, and the blood of his enemy could not wash away the pain of regret in his heart.
Even in this new life, even after changing his wife's fate, his hatred for Cao Bangxi had not lessened in the slightest.
In this life too, Cao Bangxi still had to die!
"You... you can't..."
Cao Bangxi, his face turning purple from being choked, struggled to say, "I am the only... the only son of the Cao Family. If you dare kill me, my father will not let you... let you go..."
"The only son?"
Xiao Ming suddenly thought of something and revealed a sinister smile, "Hearing you say that, I now think killing you is too easy.
Mr. Cao, my personal suggestion is that you go back and take the opportunity to have a paternity test with your father, and we'll see if you still have the nerve to utter the words 'only son'."
After saying that, just as he was about to let go, the door of the private room was suddenly kicked open and seven or eight burly men in suits rushed in.
Xiao Ming immediately repositioned himself, firmly protecting Jiang Xue in front of him.
Looking at his broad back, Jiang Xue's gaze was incredibly complex.
This man had let her taste the utmost sweetness of love, as well as pain akin to a knife to the heart.
She felt that this man had taken all her hope and despair in life, and now he seemed to show signs of changing.
For better or for worse?
She didn't know and was even scared to think about it.
"Miss, it was him!"
The restaurant receptionists, driven by two people, leaped in. As soon as they saw Xiao Ming, their eyes flared with anger.
"It's this guy who barged into the restaurant and injured us.
Mr. Cao, Mr. Cao, are you alright? Don't worry, we will break his legs right now to vent your anger!"
In the midst of the receptionists' clamor, the crowd of security guards parted, and two people stepped in.
The girl in the lead wore a white dress, ethereal and otherworldly – it was Yun Shi Yu. The person next to her, without a doubt, was none other than her besotted follower Shen Siyi.
"Damn! It's you! You got away on Antique Street earlier today, but I didn't expect you to have the guts to strut in here tonight. It's like a centenarian hanging itself – courting death!"
Shen Siyi seemed to have been born to be a lackey; his expression and demeanor were like those of Mu Renzhi from "The White-Haired Girl" when he spoke.
"Mr. Xiao, you'd better give me a reasonable explanation," said Yun Shi Yu, her voice still chilly.
Xiao Ming smiled faintly and stepped aside to present Jiang Xue: "First, allow me to introduce this is my beloved wife.
Also, I didn't expect Yunding Restaurant to be Miss Yun's property. Seeing the demeanour of the doorman earlier, I thought this place was owned by Cao Bangxi."
Yun Shi Yu was quick-witted and instantly guessed most of the situation from his introduction of his wife and the mention of Cao Bangxi. She was aware of Cao Bangxi's penchant for toying with other men's wives, and considering Xiao Ming's behavior on Antique Street, if he were not desperate to save his wife, he would not likely act rashly enough to offend the Cao Family while also provoking Yunding Restaurant.
With this thought, her icy gaze drilled into the face of the receptionist.
"What exactly happened? You better tell the truth; there are surveillance cameras at the front of the restaurant."
Upon realizing that both the young miss and young master Shen knew Xiao Ming, the receptionist's heart began to sink.
Although he felt some schadenfreude from Shen's earlier attitude, his pleasure turned to dread as he saw the young miss's expression, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
With surveillance footage as evidence, he dared not lie and nervously recounted the entire incident. Then, shaking off the security guards holding him, he dropped to his knees and began begging for mercy.
"Miss, I was wrong. I misjudged people; I... I only wanted to prevent valued customers from being disturbed, I was doing it for the good of the restaurant!"
Yun Shi Yu's face was frosty: "Knowing the guests were in danger, yet you turned a blind eye and even prevented others from helping, is this what you call doing good for the restaurant?"
"I... I..."
The receptionist, unable to come up with another excuse and drenched in sweat, saw Yun Shi Yu losing her patience.
"You're fired. Get him out of here!"
Two security guards immediately grabbed the receptionist by the collar and started dragging him out.
"Break the other leg before throwing him out. Damn it, who told you to lick Cao Bangxi's boots? Really bad luck!"
Shen Siyi spat in disdain, then glanced at Cao Bangxi who was slumped before the balcony window, and asked Xiao Ming, "What did you do to him?"
Xiao Ming shrugged: "Nothing much, just gave him a bit of a scare."
"Ha! You've got guts!"
Shen Siyi gave a thumbs-up, swaggered over to Cao Bangxi, pulled out his phone, and began snapping away.
"Mr. Cao, Mr. Cao, it's your turn now. Did you wet your pants? Let's have a look, shall we?"
Cao Bangxi's face flushed with humiliation; if not for his legs still shaking and unable to stand, he would have wanted to punch this contemptible face into the stomach.
"Shen Siyi, moderation in all things – we all move in the same circles; do not make it difficult for everyone to save face."
"Pah! Who the hell moves in the same circles as you? I certainly don't have the indecent hobby of coveting other men's wives."
As he spoke, Shen Siyi uploaded the photos he had just taken to the Longyin Second Generation Prodigals group.