The luxurious room fell silent as all eyes turned to the pale-faced Xiaoya.
"What did he say?" Jiang Hao gripped her trembling, icy hand tightly.
"He… he said…" Xiaoya's voice quivered as tears streamed down her cheeks. "He said the child in my womb… was worse than a dog and would never meet a good end."
Her words fell heavily on the room, each syllable dripping with venomous malice.
The group exchanged angry, disbelieving looks.
"At the time, I was so furious that my stomach felt cold and cramped," Xiaoya continued, her voice shaking. "But it passed quickly, so I thought it was just the anger getting to me and didn't give it much thought."
"But that night… that night…"
Her voice broke, and tears filled her eyes.
"I know," Jiang Hao said, his face darkening as he hugged her frail shoulders tightly. "That night, you went into early labor."
There was no doubt now—this was the dog trader's doing.
Lu Fei sighed and spoke up. "There are indeed people in the underworld who specialize in raising yin dogs. The process is exceptionally cruel—they collect live dogs, force them into confined spaces to fight to the death, and the surviving one becomes the yin dog seed. It's likely that your wife crossed paths with such a person."
The room fell silent again, weighed down by the cruel irony that Xiaoya's kindness had led to this calamity.
"It's all my fault," Xiaoya sobbed. "If only I hadn't meddled…"
"No, Xiaoya, it's not your fault," Jiang Hao reassured her, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "It's that evil man's fault. I swear, I'll avenge our child!"
Jing Jian opened his mouth as if to say something comforting but ultimately remained silent.
"Xiaoya, do you still remember the license plate of that man's truck? I'll turn Jiang City upside down if I have to, but I'll find him!" Jiang Hao growled.
"I'll never forget it!" Xiaoya said with determination, her tear-streaked face now burning with hatred. She recited the plate number clearly.
Jiang Hao immediately sent his people to investigate. He then called for food to be brought up, coaxing Xiaoya to eat for the sake of her recovery. His patience and tenderness were evident in every gesture.
"Who'd have thought this guy would turn out to be such a romantic at his age?" Chen Jinfa couldn't help but remark with a chuckle.
Though Jiang Hao's appearance—a stout, rough-looking man with a thick neck—contrasted starkly with Xiaoya's youth and beauty, his devotion to her was undeniable.
Even Jing Jian, who had been harboring resentment, found himself at a loss for words.
With the truth uncovered, the group decided to leave Xiaoya to rest and prepared to head downstairs.
"Brother Jian," Xiaoya called out, stopping Jing Jian. Her gaze fell on his injured arm.
"Are you okay?" she asked gently.
"It's just a scratch—nothing to worry about," Jing Jian replied, puffing out his chest in a show of bravado, though the pale complexion betrayed his pain.
"When the baby was first born, I knew something wasn't right. That's why I called you. But later… I don't know what happened to me; I became muddled. I'm truly grateful that you came." Xiaoya gave him a soft, sincere smile.
"We've been through too much together for thanks to matter. We grew up as kids in open-back pants, didn't we? I promised I'd protect you forever…" Jing Jian started, his voice growing wistful until he noticed the odd looks he was getting—especially from Jiang Hao.
Lu Fei sighed and shook his head.
Jing Jian wasn't a bad person. Xiaoya had called him, and he had come without hesitation, risking his life and even breaking his equipment.
But why did a good man have to be cursed with such a mouth?
Jing Jian cleared his throat awkwardly and amended, "I mean, a promise is a promise. If I say I'll protect you, I mean it."
"You haven't changed at all," Xiaoya said, laughing softly. "In any case, thank you."
She turned to Jiang Hao and added, "Brother Hao, Brother Jian is my childhood friend. Please don't treat him poorly."
"Don't worry. I'll handle it," Jiang Hao replied patiently, though his tone was carefully neutral.
As the group moved downstairs, Jiang Hao's spirits seemed lighter now that his wife was safe and the mystery solved.
Chen Jinfa, however, was practically beaming. "Ah Hao, admit it—Shopkeeper Lu's skills are something else, huh?"
"I admit it! I'm completely convinced!" Jiang Hao gave Lu Fei a thumbs-up. "Brother Jinfa, you've done me a huge favor this time. Once everything's resolved, I'll throw a proper banquet to thank you all!"
Jiang Hao didn't stop there. He immediately signed a pawn receipt with Lu Fei and transferred a million yuan on the spot.
Jing Jian's eyes widened with envy, though he was too embarrassed to say anything.
Lu Fei, however, was less excited about the money and more pleased that another yin artifact had been dealt with.
"Shopkeeper Lu, I have another request," Jiang Hao said earnestly.
"Go ahead," Lu Fei replied.
"The dog trader who raised these yin dogs isn't ordinary. I doubt conventional methods will work against him. When the time comes, I'll need your help again."
"You want me to handle the dog trader?" Lu Fei asked.
"Shopkeeper Lu, rest assured, I'll follow your rules. One matter, one fee. The earlier payment was just for the pawn—there'll be additional compensation for this matter."
"Brother Hao, you're too polite. Let me know when you find him," Lu Fei agreed with a smile.
"Count me in when you find him," Jing Jian added, still pale but defiant.
"You?" Jiang Hao gave him a disdainful look. "You should go home and recover. For Xiaoya's sake, I'll give you some medical expenses."
"This? A little scratch? I'll be fine in two days. I don't need your lousy money!" Jing Jian snapped, his chin held high.
"Suit yourself."
Jiang Hao snorted, turning away without another word.
As they prepared to leave, Jing Jian realized there were no taxis available this late.
Lu Fei, seeing his sorry state—with injuries and tattered clothes—asked Chen Jinfa to give him a ride.
"Don't worry, Shopkeeper Lu! I'm not going to run off! I promised to take you to the artifact master, and I will!" Jing Jian declared with utmost seriousness.
Lu Fei was speechless for a moment. Does this guy think I'm worried about him skipping town?
Though Jing Jian's bluntness could be frustrating, it also made him refreshingly straightforward.
As they drove off, Lu Fei turned to Jing Jian and asked, "What's your relationship with Xiaoya, anyway?"
"We were childhood sweethearts, I guess. Grew up playing together. She used to say she'd marry me when we grew up." Jing Jian sighed.
"So, you came to win her back?"
"Of course not! I just wanted to make sure she's doing okay. I heard she married a rich guy and worried she'd been conned."
"Do you know why Xiaoya didn't marry you, though?" Lu Fei asked, chuckling.
Jing Jian blinked in confusion. "Why?"
"Because of that mouth of yours."
"???"