Jin Yao's rational mind told him he must not lose his temper with Chi Yu. She had just taken control of the situation, and if he were to quarrel with her now, the Jin family would surely face dire consequences.
Yet reason sometimes fails to restrain emotion.
Jin Yao could not stand idly by and watch Ning Jin be humiliated by Chi Yu.
"It's just a pet. I could get you a whole carload of them. Is that reason enough for you to speak so harshly?"
Once again, Jin Yao reverted to his old, reckless self, shouting at Chi Yu with a flushed face, like a fool.
Ning Jin, dissatisfied with the small fire Jin Yao had lit, added fuel to the flames, sobbing, "If Miss Yu is angry, she should take it out on me. My mother is innocent. She has taken care of you wholeheartedly for over a decade. Imagine how heartbroken she would be to hear that she means less to you than a pet."
The anger in Jin Yao's earlier words had been held back, to some extent.
On any other day, he would have already lashed out at Chi Yu, accusing her of being cruel and heartless.
Seeing her silent, with a dark expression, and further provoked by Ning Jin's plea, Jin Yao became emboldened.
"Exactly. Aunt Zhao has been a loyal servant to your family for years. She may not have achieved much, but she's certainly toiled on your behalf. This incident mustn't be pursued any further."
His meaning was clear: if Chi Yu didn't relent today, he wouldn't either.
Chi Yu lifted the corners of her lips, as if smiling. She beckoned to Jin Yao gently, "Come here."
Unquestioningly, Jin Yao stepped forward.
Chi Yu slapped him across the left cheek, perfectly matching the mark on his right from before.
Ning Jin let out a cry of shock.
Jin Yao, stunned, couldn't believe that Chi Yu would strike him so brazenly in the hospital lobby, with people passing by. She hadn't even spared his dignity.
Who cares about dignity when you have no self-awareness?
"You claim to want to act like a man, but from what I see, you're more like a dog. 'Must'? You think you can order me around?"
Chi Yu had always had a bad temper.
When she didn't know she only had six months left to live, she usually held herself back.
But now that she knew her time was limited, and that Ning Jin, the scheming white lotus, was set to inherit everything, if she still tolerated Ning Jin's provocations, she might as well be a saint.
Jin Yao's eyes burned with anger, his fists clenched tightly.
He understood the stakes, but being humiliated publicly by Chi Yu, especially in front of Ning Jin, was intolerable.
Not hitting women doesn't mean enduring their abuse.
Just as Jin Yao raised his hand, Mrs. Jin walked through the doors, her sharp voice cutting through the air, "Stop!"
Simultaneously, a tall figure darted out from her side.
Qi Chao delivered a precise kick to Jin Yao.
Having served as a mercenary abroad for several years, Qi Chao's combat skills far surpassed those of ordinary bodyguards.
Jin Yao was sent flying three meters, and Mrs. Jin, who had intended to reprimand her son, rushed over, screaming in panic.
"Ayao, where are you hurt? Let your mother see!"
Clutching his numbed abdomen, Jin Yao ignored his wailing mother. His face pale, he glared at Qi Chao viciously. "Who the hell are you!?"
"Miss Yu's new bodyguard."
Towering over him, Qi Chao's handsome, refined features gave him the air of a nobleman. Yet the aura surrounding him was anything but weak, even more oppressive than the perpetual coldness of Qi Hun.
Shielding Chi Yu behind him, Qi Chao looked down at Jin Yao, his presence dominating the space.
Chi Yu, hidden behind his broad back, felt an overwhelming sense of security. Slim but tall, he enveloped her entirely, exuding protection.
Three days ago, she had requested Qi Chao from Chi He. She hadn't expected him to slip into the role so effortlessly.
A bodyguard protecting his charge—there was nothing more natural.
Though distressed over her son, Mrs. Jin dared not demand an explanation from Chi Yu.
But the simmering anger in her heart needed a target.
Mrs. Jin's gaze swept across the room before landing on Ning Jin, instantly turning vicious.
"So that's what it is. No wonder there's trouble. It's you, you wretched girl! You—"
Jin Yao, having struggled to his feet, interrupted his mother in dissatisfaction, "It's not Ning Jin's fault. It's Chi Yu who's being relentless…"
Before he could finish, Mrs. Jin cut him off in fury, "Shut up! Yu Yu is your fiancée. And what is she? She's not even fit to carry Yu Yu's shoes. If you dare defend her again, I'll lose my patience, and you know what I'm capable of!"
Jin Yao pressed his lips together, saying nothing.
No one knew better than him what kind of person his mother was. Competitive, power-hungry, obsessed with elevating the Jin family to the highest ranks.
She valued Chi Yu like the apple of her eye.
No one would be allowed to interfere with the marriage between the Jin and Chi families.
If pushed too far, it wouldn't matter if Jin Yao staged a hunger strike.
Even if he went so far as to take his own life, Mrs. Jin would see to it that Ning Jin was dealt with.
This spectacle had already drawn a crowd.
Some, eager for drama, had even taken out their phones to record the scene.
Chi Yu, disinterested in making headlines, politely excused herself to Mrs. Jin, citing her poor health, and returned to her hospital room.
Mrs. Jin, knowing that her earlier remarks had pleased Chi Yu, breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as she watched her enter the elevator.
But once Chi Yu was gone, Mrs. Jin's expression turned venomous.
She was determined to teach that shameless girl, Ning Jin, a lesson. But as she scanned the crowd, she couldn't find her.
Gritting her teeth, Mrs. Jin glanced at Jin Yao, who was awkwardly staring at his shoes. Suddenly, she realized—it was he who had let Ning Jin go.
Her fury surged.
"Are you blind? She's clearly trying to climb the social ladder. That low-class, unscrupulous woman—is she really worth your protection?"
Her words were cutting.
Jin Yao frowned, defending Ning Jin, "She's a good girl. You shouldn't slander her like that."
A sharp, mocking laugh escaped Mrs. Jin's lips.
Jin Yao wouldn't listen to reason, so Mrs. Jin decided to lay it all out, sparing him no illusions.
"Jin Yao, you're eighteen now, no longer a child."
"Your father gave you a stern talking-to after he hit you last time, but none of it stuck."
"I don't care if you hate me, but let me make this clear today: even without the Chi family, without Chi Yu, you and Ning Jin would never be. I will never accept her as my daughter-in-law!"
Each word was punctuated with a sharp jab to Jin Yao's shoulder.
Forced to retreat step by step, Jin Yao finally raised his head to face his overbearing mother. His face was expressionless as he asked a single, heart-wrenching question: "In your eyes, am I your son, or just a tool for consolidating the family's power?"
In the Jin household, this was a forbidden question, one that no one dared ask. The moment it was raised, Mrs. Jin would explode.
She lifted her hand, ready to slap him. But when she saw the imprint on his cheek, her anger softened into something more sorrowful.
Who else, besides Chi Yu, would dare strike the young master of the Jin family?
(End of chapter)