In response to Zuo Zoujian’s words, Father Yu still wasn’t satisfied. “An accident? Then tell me, my relative in-law, how do you plan to handle it? A perfectly good engagement banquet has turned into this! Does your Zuo family still want to ally with our Yu family or not?”
The Yu family’s eldest son, Yu Dongying, was just as furious when he heard his father’s words.
Though he’d never had much of a relationship with his younger sister Yu Lizhu—who, in their parents’ eyes, was the perfect, clever, well-bred Omega daughter—Yu Dongying himself had been a disappointment. He’d made a few bad investments, been scammed several times, and forced Father Yu to cover huge losses. For a long time, all he’d received from his father were harsh scoldings and cold looks.
And that so-called sweet, obedient sister everyone envied wasn’t the least bit gentle toward her own brother—she treated him with distant indifference.
Once, after suffering several failed investments and enduring their father’s cold shoulder for months, Yu Dongying had tried to borrow some of his sister’s jewelry to sell and reinvest, planning to make a comeback. He’d already found a batch of cheap mining planets being sold off from a remote system and was certain he could make a fortune if he bought them up—he just needed the funds.
Yu Lizhu had agreed on the spot.
Then promptly turned around and tattled to Father Yu.
After investigating, Father Yu learned that the so-called “cheap mining planets” did have some valuable mineral resources—but they’d long since been occupied by the Zerg army. Even if bought cheaply, they were unsalvageable. What, did his son intend to risk going to war with the Zerg just to mine a few useless rocks?
Furious, Father Yu had nearly broken Yu Dongying’s leg and froze all his credit cards. Since then, Yu Dongying hadn’t been able to enjoy his usual pleasures—he couldn’t even drink good wine, except tonight, at his sister’s engagement banquet.
But since Yu Lizhu was still part of the Yu family, anything she did reflected on him as her elder brother. If she caused a scandal, it would also tarnish his reputation.
If his sister’s engagement banquet was ruined and word got out among his social circle that even his own sister’s event had fallen apart under his watch, he’d be the laughingstock for months.
The thought alone made his blood boil.
Yu Dongying staggered forward, still half-drunk, his steps unsteady. His flushed, twisted face contorted with rage as he pointed a finger right at Zuo Zoujian’s nose and roared,
“Exactly! Exactly! Zuo Zoujian, you old fool—how did you raise your son?! You let some nobody come and make a mess of my sister’s engagement banquet? And you call the Zuo family a great household? What a joke!”
Being scolded to his face by a junior—
Even if Zuo Zoujian was in the wrong, there was a limit to his patience. His earlier concessions had been to save face for the Yu family, not because he feared them.
His eyes narrowed, a thin gleam of cold amusement flashing within. He said with a faint, mocking smile, “Then tell me, Young Master Yu—how exactly should I handle this?”
Yu Dongying, hearing that Zuo Zoujian was actually asking him, didn’t even think before slapping his thigh and barking out, “You—you go kick them out, of course! Do I really need to teach you how to throw someone out?”
Zuo Zoujian rolled his eyes inwardly.
As if he needed Yu Dongying to teach him how to kick someone out.
If it were that simple, he would’ve done it already. There was no need to wait for some insolent drunkard of a junior to shout orders at him.
The problem was, even after deploying the Zuo family’s state-of-the-art military-grade combat robots, they still couldn’t drive the intruder away. He had no idea how his long-ignored, seemingly powerless son—an Alpha who’d once grown up in the slums—had managed to get involved with someone that capable.
If that man hadn’t wrecked the engagement banquet, Zuo Zoujian would’ve been tempted to recruit such a powerful figure himself.
As for using heavier weaponry—the Zuo family certainly had it—but this was a high-society engagement banquet, filled with influential guests.
If he deployed stronger weapons, would he be “driving someone out” or blowing the venue to pieces?
Even if the alliance between the Zuo and Yu families fell through, that would only be a political headache—using force and accidentally injuring a distinguished guest would be catastrophic.
But, of course, that wasn’t something Zuo Zoujian could explain to Yu Dongying.
And facing the chaotic mess before him, while having to clean it up, being yelled at by a brainless junior only made his temper flare.
“How about you try it, then?” Zuo Zoujian said with a polite smile, spreading his hands in mock helplessness. “I’d love to see how the great young master of the Yu family handles the situation.”
“After all, I’m just that useless old fool you keep calling me. What can I do? My long-lost Alpha son refuses to behave and found himself some roughneck out of nowhere—I can’t do a thing about it.”
Yu Dongying wasn’t completely drunk; through his dazed, swollen eyes, a flicker of hesitation showed. “The Zuo family has plenty of people. Why would I lower myself to kick someone out?”
Zuo Zoujian let out a cold, derisive laugh. “Weren’t you just saying my Zuo family’s people are useless? What a pity—this old fool can’t compare to a fine young master like yourself. Why don’t you show me how it’s done? Or… could it be—you’re afraid?”
Yu Dongying instantly flew into a rage. Rolling up his sleeves, face flushed red, he shouted, “Me, afraid?! Impossible! Just watch how I’ll deal with that b*stard!”
He staggered forward on unsteady, drunken steps, fuming and ready to charge in Gu Heng’s direction.
Father Yu, upon hearing this, no longer had the mind to scold Zuo Zoujian. Instead, he quickly began calculating how to make that old fox Zuo concede more benefits. At the very least, since the old fox’s son brought someone who caused trouble at the engagement banquet, the Yu family deserved at least a twenty-percent greater share in their agreement to make up for the humiliation they’d suffered tonight.
But his own foolish and arrogant son—after just a few drinks—had been provoked by that old fox Zuo, and now wanted to go challenge the man who had single-handedly beaten the steel-built combat robot of the Zuo family into a pile of scrap metal.
Father Yu clutched his chest, nearly driven to a heart attack by his brainless son’s suicidal stupidity.
If even that old fox Zuo couldn’t handle the man, how could he possibly do it?!
He was walking straight to his death!
Father Yu threw aside all calculations of profit. No matter how furious he was, he couldn’t just stand by and let his eldest son get himself killed. His usually gentle expression twisted into fury as he grabbed his son by the arm, glowering as he shouted in anger:
“Yu Dongying! Have you forgotten everything I taught you?! Do you have what it takes to deal with someone like that? Who gave you the right to act on your own without asking me first? Yu Dongying, you’ve disappointed me far too much!”
Yu Dongying, flushed with anger and drink, shouted back, “Why won’t you let me handle it? Everything I do is for the Yu family! I can’t let some nobody bully us—wasn’t that what you taught me?!”
Father Yu grew even more enraged.
When had he ever taught this stupid son of his to throw his life away like this—to provoke someone dangerous enough to blow his head off in one strike?
Even if that man had offended the Yu family, there were plenty of ways to handle it strategically. He refused to believe that with all the Yu family’s influence—though not as vast as the Zuos’—they couldn’t quietly get rid of a man with no background.
But now his drunken fool of a son actually had the gall to defy him.
Normally, aside from being a bit arrogant and dim-witted, the boy’s only redeeming quality was his obedience. But tonight, even that was gone. As a strong Alpha in his prime, Yu Dongying’s physical strength was considerable, while Father Yu—unfit and soft from years of luxury—couldn’t even hold him back.
The more Father Yu struggled, the angrier he became. He didn’t even need to turn around to know that the old fox Zuo was smirking nearby, enjoying the spectacle.
“Yu Dongying!” he barked harshly. “Stop right there!”
Normally terrified of his father, Yu Dongying actually froze.
But before Father Yu could even exhale in relief, a mocking, sing-song voice sounded behind them.
“Oh my, the great Young Master Yu stopped just like that? Still listens to Daddy at his age—how filial! Weren’t you just saying you’d show this old fossil—who can’t keep up with the times—how it’s done? What’s this, the proud young master of the Yu family going back on his word already?”
Zuo Zoujian’s lips curved into a cold, taunting smile. “What a memory you have—worse than mine, this so-called ‘old fossil.’ If you’re scared, just hide behind your father. As your elder, I can still understand—it’s normal for young people to be timid.”
There was no way Zuo Zoujian would stop halfway through watching the show. Earlier, when Father Yu thought he had the upper hand and let his son curse Zuo to his face, the old fox hadn’t lifted a finger to stop it.
When Father Yu turned to see that disgusting, gloating smile on Zuo Zoujian’s face, everything clicked into place. Rage nearly choked him. “You—you—!”
Zuo Zoujian raised his brows, laughing lightly. “Well, since I failed to teach my own son properly, I just thought I’d watch how the Yu family teaches theirs. Come now, Old Yu, why not give me a lesson too?”
Drunk and dizzy, Yu Dongying couldn’t stand being mocked. Fueled by pride and anger, he shoved his father aside, shouting bitterly, “Father, don’t stop me! A true man of the Yu family isn’t a coward!”
Zuo Zoujian nearly burst into applause at the sight of Father Yu’s dark, livid face. Laughing, he said, “Now that’s the spirit! How could an Alpha ever be a coward—”
Father Yu shot Zuo Zoujian a venomous glare, but he could only swallow his rage. No matter how much he loathed the man, he couldn’t afford to show it.
Even if the engagement between their families fell apart, the contracts between them wouldn’t. The Zuo family was one of the Federation’s most powerful houses, rich and untouchable. Even if Zuo Zoujian mocked him while stepping on his chest, he had no right to retaliate.
The Yu family, long known for its luxury jewelry business, was a declining second-tier house. Their alliance with the Zuos had been like a dream come true. Once the engagement was announced, new orders flooded in, easing their financial strain.
Father Yu hadn’t forgotten the old fox’s true nature—Zuo Zoujian had only acted polite earlier because he’d been in the wrong.
Right now, what mattered most was stopping his idiotic, drunken son from digging their graves any deeper. He’d only wanted to use this mess to extract more concessions from the Zuos, not to completely destroy the alliance.
Gritting his teeth, Father Yu thundered, “Yu Dongying, enough nonsense! Get back here right now!”
But this time, Yu Dongying wouldn’t listen.
He was sick of being scolded—no matter what he did, it was never good enough. His father always found fault, always controlled him, forbade him from doing anything. Tonight, at least, he could drink freely for once—at his sister’s engagement banquet.
Fuming and defiant, he shoved his father again and yelled, “Don’t stop me! I’ll show you, Father! Just a measly Beta who dares to make trouble at my sister’s engagement—I’ll make him pay!”
Then—
Smack!
A loud, sharp slap exploded through the air.
Yu Dongying was struck so hard he fell to the ground, a bright red handprint blooming across his cheek. His head buzzed from the impact, half his drunkenness instantly sobered. He clutched the swelling side of his face, dazed and stunned.
Yu Dongying immediately flew into a rage, wanting to see who had the nerve to strike him — but then he saw his father’s fierce, grave gaze and the hand still raised; his furious momentum halted at once.
“Dad, why did you hit me?!” Yu Dongying shouted in bewilderment, clutching his face.
Father Yu scolded harshly, “Have you made enough trouble? Wake up and be sober!”
Yu Dongying pressed the increasingly painful cheek; the slapped spot burned and stung, and the long-suppressed grievance inside him flared hotter and hotter.
It was always him being scolded, never receiving a single praise from his father. Father always looked down on him, endlessly reprimanding him, treating him like a worthless grandson.
It was just a small mistake — the Yu family could afford to make amends.
Sometimes Yu Dongying even doubted whether he was truly Father Yu’s biological son, wondering why his father was always so harsh on him, stingy even with a smile at home; yet so tolerant and kind to his sister Yu Lizhu and the others, and outwardly always wearing a pleasant, affable face.
This time was no different.
He was acting for the Yu family’s sake — why should anyone be allowed to bully his sister? No matter what, she was his flesh-and-blood.
Yet his father only found fault with him, constantly dissatisfied, always picking at him. This time the father even struck him publicly, shaming him completely.
“Obedient? Obedient?” he thought. “I’m obedient like a dog, and still get hit!”
“…You always look down on me. You always think my sisters are more obedient and sensible than me, don’t you? You treat them better than you treat me.” Yu Dongying bowed his head, voice hoarse with resentment.
Father Yu’s chest heaved with fury; he pointed at his stupid son and barked, “Exactly! If only you, Yu Dongying, were as obedient and sensible as your sisters. I don’t ask you to have an iota of Yu Lizhu’s cleverness — at least learn to be as well-behaved as your elder sister Yu Liyi. Then I wouldn’t have to worry who to entrust the Yu family’s business to!”
Father Yu was nearly driven to a stroke by his eldest son.
All his efforts were for whom, if not to have Yu Dongying eventually take over the family business? Yet the son was hopeless — he hadn’t inherited his father’s business acumen, was far too trusting of others, had been conned several times and learned nothing. If he weren’t stern with him, even more trouble would follow.
Wanting him to behave like Yu Lizhu or Yu Liyi? Didn’t he see that the Yu family’s Omegas ultimately married out for the family’s benefit? No matter how good he treated them, at most they received dowries; the true valuable assets of the Yu family would all be left to Yu Dongying.
Take this marriage alliance with the Zuo family — it brought many big orders to the Yu family. In the end, wasn’t it this useless son who would profit greatly?
Yu Dongying didn’t understand his father’s painstaking intentions; he only felt his father favored others and despised him.
“You finally admit it…”
Father Yu’s words stung.
Yu Dongying’s face changed; he clenched his fists until his neck reddened. The resentment he’d bottled up finally erupted; he shouted back at his father.
“Then go find another good son to replace me! What mess is this ‘Yu family business’ — you won’t let me manage anything, you’re never satisfied with what I do, you scold me like a dog. Fine — find yourself a son who obeys like a dog!”
Father Yu’s forehead veins bulged; his hand trembled as he pointed. At his limit, he raised his hand again: “I’ll beat this dog of a son to death!”
Yu Dongying, face flushed, lifted his chin defiantly, “Hit me to death, then. You never see me in a good light anyway — just kill me and stop caring about me!”
Father Yu was carried away by anger — but how could he really kill his foolish son? No matter how foolish, he was still family.
“Stop, stop! Dongying’s still young and foolish — just take him home and give him a good scolding. There’s no need to make this public.” Mother Yu hurried over to stop Father Yu, eyes full of anxiety; her coiffure disheveled, lipstick smudged. The usually refined, haughty matron now looked like a frantic woman defending her son, caring nothing for her image.
Even son-in-law Bai Geping came over to mediate: “Father-in-law, don’t be angry; your health will suffer. Brother Dongying just drank too much and isn’t thinking straight.”
With Mother Yu and Bai Geping giving him a way out, Father Yu put on a show and lowered his hand, unwilling to land another blow.
At most he spat a few cutting words.
Father Yu let his hand down and angrily scolded, “Yu Dongying, you’ll come home with me this instant. Once we’re home you’ll know your mistake!”
Zuo Zoujian had to step forward and smooth things over; his tone eased: “Everyone calm down, no need for violence. It seems Young Master Yu drank too much. I’ll have a waiter take him downstairs and give him some sobering medicine so he can rest.”
He could watch the Yu family’s embarrassment for a while, but if the Yu father and son actually started to come to blows, that would be going too far — after all, this was still the Yu–Zuo engagement banquet. Don’t laugh at them so much that you yourself become a laughingstock.
Father Yu, however, had not forgotten who had provoked the father-son clash. He glared at Zuo Zoujian and hissed, “Don’t be hypocritical!”
Zuo Zoujian gave a sheepish smile; his eyes went cold and he said nothing more.
Bai Geping moved closer and tried to help Yu Dongying up, saying, “Brother Dongying, let me help you up. Don’t make Dad so angry.”
Yu Dongying kept his head down, eyes red with grievance and exhaustion, like a defeated, humiliated dog; the slap mark on his cheek remained clear.
Even Bai Geping — who normally couldn’t stand the Yu family — felt some satisfaction. He bent down, seemingly to help Yu Dongying up, but his mouth betrayed a malicious, gleeful curl.
He thought no one would notice.
Although Yu Dongying was in a bad mood, he accepted the hand of his disliked brother-in-law as a way out. But he should never have looked up at that moment and seen Bai Geping’s sinister, sickening smile.
In an instant, everything became clear to him.
Even if he was always muddle-headed, always making mistakes and trusting the wrong people—
He wasn’t so stupid that he couldn’t see how happy Bai Geping looked right now, smiling that kind of smile that came from seeing him suffer misfortune.
Then he thought of his second sister, Yu Liyi, who had married this man—and instead of being well cared for, had fallen down the stairs during her pregnancy and become a vegetable, unable to speak or move.
Yu Liyi had been the only one in the family who truly respected and cared for him. Everyone else treated him like a clueless child; his younger sister, Yu Lizhu, looked down on him from the bottom of her heart. Only Yu Liyi had genuinely regarded him as an elder brother she respected and trusted.
Ever since she became ill, there had been no one left in the Yu household willing to listen patiently to his complaints or his honest grievances.
All at once, longing, regret, grief, guilt, loneliness, and fury surged up inside him. Yu Dongying suddenly missed his sister terribly.
And then all those emotions erupted into a single roar.
Yu Dongying pushed Bai Geping down with feral force, staggered to his feet, and raised his fists, punching Bai Geping’s face again and again. His expression dark and flushed, he growled, “My family’s matters are none of your business, outsider! I haven’t even settled accounts with you over my sister yet—and you—who gave you the right to call me by my name?!”
Bai Geping was completely stunned by the first punch. Though Yu Dongying wasn’t the sharpest, as a tall, strong Alpha, his fists packed real power.
After taking several blows, Bai Geping’s whole face throbbed with pain, his lips bleeding. He threw up his arm to block and shouted angrily, “Yu Dongying, if you want to get drunk and go crazy, then go somewhere else! Why are you hitting me?!”
Yu Dongying gave a dazed, eerie laugh, his mouth stretching wider in manic delight. “You think I’m just drunk and crazy? No, I’ve wanted to hit you for a long time.”
“Enough! Don’t think I’ll just keep putting up with you!”
Yu Dongying, his neck flushed red, shouted back, “Then don’t! Bai Geping, you were laughing so happily just now—been feeling proud for a while now, haven’t you?!”
Bai Geping dropped his pretense, his gaze turning sinister as he viciously kicked at Yu Dongying.
Yu Dongying grunted from the blow but only grew wilder, grinning as he said, “So you finally dropped the act, huh? Didn’t you always pretend to be so gentle and proper whenever you came to my house?”
Spitting a mouthful of blood, Bai Geping looked at him coldly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Brother-in-law, haven’t you made enough of a scene?”
That title instantly reignited Yu Dongying’s rage. He punched Bai Geping hard on the left side of his face, shouting hoarsely through clenched teeth, “Don’t call me brother-in-law! And don’t call my name! I have no brother-in-law like you—you’re the one who made my sister a vegetable!”
At that, Bai Geping understood everything.
He wasn’t the victim of some random drunken attack—Yu Dongying had long harbored resentment over what happened to Yu Liyi and was using tonight’s drinking as an excuse to vent it.
Bai Geping gave a cold, twisted smile, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked at Yu Dongying with an even darker expression. His lips curled as he said slowly, “You’ve got it wrong. The one who hurt Liyi wasn’t me—it was you, her good big brother, Yu Dongying.”
Yu Dongying clenched his fists, glaring furiously. “What nonsense are you talking about?! How could I hurt my own sister! It happened in your house!”
Father Yu, seeing that the surrounding guests were starting to whisper openly about the Yu family’s private affairs, didn’t want the scandal spreading through their social circle.
Looking weary, he finally stepped in. “Enough. Whatever needs to be said, we’ll say it at home. Bai Geping, you’re hurt—go get that looked at.”
Catching Father Yu’s warning look, Bai Geping immediately backed down. “Yes, Father.”
But Yu Dongying grabbed him again, refusing to let him go, shouting angrily, “You’re not leaving! What did you mean just now? Why did you say it was me who hurt Liyi?!”
Bai Geping struggled a little, then, unable to break free, turned to Father Yu with a faint smile. “Father, is it really good to keep hiding this from Big Brother?”
Father Yu’s brows furrowed. His weary, heavy face seemed to thin with the strain as he looked between the two men, their faces filled with hostility. At last, he gave a silent nod.
That silent nod was tacit permission.
Bai Geping raised his brows, then quickly put on an indignant expression. Staring at the bewildered Yu Dongying, he said heatedly, “Since Father agrees, Big Brother, we won’t hide it from you anymore.”
Yu Dongying asked uneasily, “Hide what from me?”
Bai Geping said angrily, “Of course, the truth about what happened the day Liyi had her accident!”
Yu Dongying snapped, “I wasn’t even with her that day! You didn’t take care of my sister properly, and now you’re trying to pin it on me!”
“Yes, I admit it was my fault for not being by her side every moment.”
Bai Geping covered his eyes, looking deeply remorseful—but then his tone sharpened, and he pointed at Yu Dongying accusingly. “But Big Brother, you shouldn’t have kept messaging Liyi! You knew she was pregnant, emotionally sensitive, yet you kept complaining to her about your failed investments, making her worry and lose sleep even while carrying a child.”
“That day—you messaged her again to vent. Worried about you, Liyi came to talk to me. I’ll admit I didn’t want her to stress herself while pregnant, and we argued. She left my study upset, lost her footing on the stairs, and fell—ending up the way she is now…”
Bai Geping covered his face, crying in apparent grief, his bruised and bloodied face stirring pity from those watching.
Hearing the full account, Yu Dongying stood there frozen, horrified, turning to Father Yu. “Dad… is it true? Did Liyi really end up like this because she was worried about me?”
Father Yu said evenly, “I don’t know all the details, but that day, yes—they quarreled because of you. And the timing of her fall was right after you sent her that message.”
Father Yu’s words confirmed it—what Bai Geping said was true.
Yu Dongying’s face instantly turned deathly pale.
It was him. He was the one who had harmed Liyi—his only sister who had ever respected and understood him.
He wasn’t worthy to be her brother. If he hadn’t been so useless, none of this would have happened to her…
Yu Dongying lowered his head. His knees gave out, and with a dull thud, he fell to the ground. His fists clenched tightly, and from his throat came a strangled sob as he cried out in anguish, “It’s all my fault! Father was right to beat me—I’m always so useless, even Liyi was hurt because of me…”
He wept bitterly as he knelt, pounding the floor again and again, his palms soon torn and bloodied, as if he didn’t feel pain at all.
Madam Yu was heartbroken. She rushed to stop his self-destructive behavior, grabbing at his arms and pleading, “Stop, stop! No one wanted this to happen to Liyi!”
Father Yu couldn’t bear to watch and turned his eyes away.
Bai Geping walked over and patted Yu Dongying’s shoulder, sighing comfortingly. “Father didn’t want us to tell you, Big Brother, but it seems we couldn’t keep it hidden anymore. Don’t be too sad—Liyi is still alive. When she wakes up one day, I’m sure she wouldn’t want to see you this heartbroken.”
Yu Dongying cried for a long time before finally calming down. His eyes were swollen and red with guilt as he said to Bai Geping, “I’m sorry, brother-in-law. I misunderstood you. You can hit me if you want—please forgive me.”
Bai Geping patted his shoulder soothingly, sighing again. “We’re all family. There’s no need to talk about forgiveness.”
Yu Dongying’s expression softened into one of simple, heartfelt gratitude. He even said that if Bai Geping ever needed anything, he could always come to him—that he owed him a debt.
Bai Geping nearly lost control—he almost burst out laughing right then and there.
How could anyone be this foolish, this easy to deceive?
Yu Dongying, this single-minded idiot, was so gullible—one little story and he believed it all, even forgiving him! Hahahahahahahaha—
Bai Geping nearly laughed until tears came to his eyes.
And indeed, on the surface, everything fit: Yu Liyi received Yu Dongying’s message, came to find him in his study, they argued, and then she fell down the stairs and was taken to the hospital.
Even Father Yu had investigated and found nothing suspicious.
But Bai Geping had hidden one crucial truth.
From the very beginning, he had set Yu Dongying up. The so-called “new investment project” was actually a trap arranged by people Bai Geping had secretly hired, leading to Yu Dongying’s failure and financial loss.
He hadn’t expected Yu Liyi to overhear it.
After receiving Yu Dongying’s message that day, Yu Liyi had come to his study—only to accidentally overhear that Bai Geping was the one who had framed her brother. Furious, she’d burst in to confront him and threatened to go home to tell Yu Dongying and their father.
Bai Geping, of course, couldn’t allow that.
Father Yu wasn’t as easy to fool as Yu Dongying. If that overprotective old man found out, he’d be finished.
Yu Liyi ran out of the study, and Bai Geping chased after her to stop her.
They argued again.
He tried to calm her down, begging her not to say anything for the sake of their unborn child. But Yu Liyi, overcome with anger and panic, tried to push him away. In the struggle—he didn’t even know how—it happened.
Yu Liyi lost her footing and fell down the stairs, blood spreading everywhere.
At first, Bai Geping had panicked and rushed down after her—but when he saw her lying there unconscious in a pool of blood, he hesitated.
If only she had agreed to keep quiet, none of this would’ve happened.
But soon, the servants came running at the commotion. When they saw their mistress on the floor, they screamed and immediately called for an ambulance.
Bai Geping, with their help, quickly sent Yu Liyi to the hospital.
During that time, the thought of silencing her for good did cross his mind.
But with so many witnesses, he couldn’t act. And Father Yu wasn’t an old fool—if anything suspicious happened, he would find out. Besides, Bai Geping didn’t have the stomach for murder. He still had some feelings for Yu Liyi—and for the sake of the unborn child, he restrained himself.
As he waited anxiously outside the emergency room, he hurried to cover his tracks, cleaning up all traces of the investment trap he had set for Yu Dongying.
Later, the entire Yu family arrived.
Bai Geping handled everyone calmly—except for Yu Liyi’s younger sister, who was sharp and suspicious. Several of her pointed questions left him speechless, forcing him to insist that it had been a simple accident.
Finally, the doors of the emergency room opened.
Bai Geping had been expecting to hear that she hadn’t survived. But the doctor announced she had been saved.
In that instant, the possible consequences flashed through his mind.
His face turned ashen, cold sweat pouring down his back—especially with Yu Lizhu still glaring at him with disbelief, her suspicion infecting even Father Yu.
But then, things took a turn.
The doctor added that though Yu Liyi had survived, the baby could not be saved—and her brain had sustained severe trauma. The chance of her waking up was very low. She would most likely remain a vegetable.
It was a tragedy for the Yu family— but for Bai Geping, it was a miracle.
He let out a silent sigh of relief and solemnly promised the Yu family that no matter what, Yu Liyi was his wife and he would take care of her.
And indeed, he did.
He placed her in a private hospital with the best medical equipment and specialists, hired professional caregivers to look after her, even made sure she received daily massages to prevent muscle stiffness.
But his true purpose was control.
He wanted to ensure Yu Liyi remained entirely under his supervision— that even as a vegetable, she would still belong to the Bai family, and never return to the Yus.
He feared that one day she might miraculously wake up and expose everything.
Over time, as Yu Liyi showed no signs of regaining consciousness, he gradually relaxed and gave up on taking any further action.
The only nuisance left was Yu Lizhu, who refused to give up on bringing her sister home. The more Bai Geping saw her, the more she irritated him. He ordered the private hospital to tighten security—no one was allowed to enter without his approval, not even family.
All these years, he had lived cautiously, and even that shrewd old fox Yu Senior and Yu Lizhu hadn’t detected a single thing amiss.
He hadn’t expected that on the day of the engagement banquet between the Zuo and Yu families—when he had only planned to make connections—this idiot Yu Dongying would end up putting on such a good show for him: kneeling on the ground in agony, apologizing to him, the very culprit behind it all.
Bai Geping almost laughed himself to death. He forced out a sorrowful expression and even squeezed out tears, but he was fighting hard to suppress the upward curl of his lips—his eyes were already red from holding back laughter.
Since that was the case, he could at least offer the idiot some comforting words.
Bai Geping curved his lips slightly and patted Yu Dongying’s shoulder, saying with a sigh, “Brother, don’t be too sad. Why don’t you come with me one day to visit Liyi in the hospital?”
But Yu Dongying seemed completely lost in his own world, mentally broken. Kneeling on the floor, he muttered to himself in sorrow:
“I’ve wronged Liyi.”
“I’m useless. It’s all my fault she ended up like this.”
“I deserve it. I made Liyi a vegetable—no wonder Lizhu doesn’t like me as her older brother.”
Bai Geping leaned in to listen. Hearing the same words repeated over and over, he didn’t pay it much mind.
But then—something he never expected happened.
Yu Dongying suddenly stood up, eyes bloodshot, and roared, “I’ve already ruined one sister’s happiness! I can’t stand by and watch another sister lose hers! As her brother, I can’t be such a useless piece of trash!”
Before Bai Geping could make sense of what he meant, Yu Dongying started convulsing again.
The next second, Yu Dongying, red-faced and wild-eyed, rushed toward the armed bodyguards protecting the guests.
His twisted expression was so terrifying that the guests immediately backed away. The situation happened so suddenly that the bodyguards, unsure of his intentions and wary of hurting a VIP, didn’t dare to act—and Yu Dongying actually managed to snatch a gun.
In just a few seconds, the situation seemed to spiral out of control.
Gun in hand, Yu Dongying ran toward Bai Geping, shouting hysterically, “Even if I can’t beat that man, I’ll protect my sister’s engagement banquet! I’ll get rid of that b*stard who dared to steal her fiancé!”
But to Bai Geping’s horrified eyes, it seemed as though his earlier performance must have slipped—had Yu Dongying realized something? Was he trying to kill him now?
His face went pale, his legs went weak.
When Yu Dongying was nearly upon him, Bai Geping’s survival instinct overcame his paralysis. He tried to flee, screaming, “Don’t come any closer! Don’t kill me—it’s got nothing to do with me—!”
But Yu Dongying caught up in no time, sobbing as he grabbed Bai Geping. “Good brother-in-law, I recognize you now! Since you’re one of the Yu family, you should help me protect my sister! I can’t let that b*stard who ruined her engagement go unpunished!”
Bai Geping almost burst into tears himself. He was smaller than the burly Yu Dongying—like a chick caught by a hawk—and having just been beaten earlier, he knew how hard Yu Dongying’s punches were. Now the man even had a gun.
Who knew what a drunk, brainless Yu Dongying might do? He could very well pull the trigger at any moment!
The more Bai Geping thought about it, the paler he became. Trembling, lips quivering, he begged, “Yu Dongying, please let me go. I don’t know anything! If you don’t like me, you can hit me again—but please, don’t kill me!”
Yu Dongying’s face was flushed, his drunken, fierce gaze hazy. “Why would I kill you? You’re my good brother-in-law. Why would I kill my own brother-in-law?”
Cold sweat rolled down Bai Geping’s forehead. He could feel the gun barrel pressing coldly against his back, and his heart nearly broke. What you’re saying and what you’re doing don’t match at all! he thought.
“Brother Dongying,” he pleaded weakly, “since you said I’m your good brother-in-law, can’t you just let me go? I really don’t want to die from an accidental misfire…”
Yu Dongying gagged and retched a few times, then frowned impatiently as Bai Geping kept babbling in his ear. “Shut up! If you keep yapping, I’ll really shoot you!”
Bai Geping shuddered violently, despair filling his chest. He knew it—those earlier apologies had been fake. Yu Dongying was going to kill him after all.
He’d already started composing his last words in his head when—
Yu Dongying suddenly shoved the gun into his arms. Before Bai Geping could react, Yu Dongying started shouting so loudly it made his ears ring.
“You do it! I just tried, but I can’t see clearly, and my hands are shaking from drinking. Since you’re part of the Yu family too, you can share the credit! You shoot that b*stard who dared to steal my sister’s man!”
Then he even added helpfully, “Good brother-in-law, you’ve shot before, right? Don’t miss.”
And with that, he kindly pointed the muzzle toward the open space where Zuo Shihuan and Gu Heng stood.
Bai Geping’s mind went blank. Trembling all over, he stammered, “I—I can’t shoot! No way! I don’t dare!”
Yu Dongying frowned in disgust. “You call yourself an Alpha man? Don’t act like some soft pretty boy. Hurry up! My sister’s going to collapse from standing there too long!”
Bai Geping was drenched in cold sweat, his hand shaking so hard the gun nearly slipped. He tried stalling with nonsense, but Yu Dongying had lost all patience.
“Bai Geping!” he shouted drunkenly. “If you keep whining like some cowardly Beta, I’ll shoot you first!”
“Shoot! Now! Or else—”
Yu Dongying suddenly turned around and crouched on the ground, doing who-knows-what.
Bai Geping didn’t even realize the gun was still in his own hands. His mind was blank, filled only with Yu Dongying’s threats. His face still throbbed where he’d been punched earlier, and he thought—better someone else die than me.
He squeezed his eyes shut—
—and pulled the trigger, firing wildly.
“BANG—”
“BANG—”
The bullets tore through the air—
—and the sound was one Gu Heng found all too familiar.
In that instant, Gu Heng lifted his brows, thinking someone was trying to kill him.
He had already expected as much—how could they possibly let him walk away unharmed after ruining the engagement banquet? But to think they could kill him that easily—that was far too naïve.
Yet soon, a flicker of confusion crossed Gu Heng’s face. His ears twitched slightly.
Something was wrong.
The sound wasn’t right.
As the bullets cut through the air and drew closer, Gu Heng’s sharp senses picked up a slight deviation in their trajectory. They looked as though they were aimed at him—but the angle was off; they wouldn’t actually hit him.
A professional sniper wouldn’t make such a grave mistake.
Then suddenly—
Gu Heng’s pupils dilated in alarm. His expression shifted sharply as he turned to look at Zuo Shihuan beside him, who was still unaware of any danger. His heartbeat spiked violently, warning him in frantic bursts.
The deviation in the bullet’s path—was directed toward the person next to him!
Or perhaps there hadn’t been a deviation at all.
Could it be that the sniper’s real target, in the chaos, was the Zuo family heir?
A torrent of thoughts and conspiracies flashed through Gu Heng’s mind in an instant, his heart nearly exploding—but his actions showed no hesitation. He immediately pulled Zuo Shihuan tightly into his arms.
“Bang!”
“Bang—!!”
The first bullet tore through the hem of Zuo Shihuan’s pants, hitting the marble steps, sending up a spray of debris before embedding deep into the ground.
The second bullet grazed Gu Heng’s arm as he shielded Zuo Shihuan, the searing heat of the projectile instantly burning his skin. The scent of scorched flesh filled the air as droplets of blood splattered onto the ground.
Gu Heng, however, didn’t even flinch. His brows didn’t so much as crease as he held Zuo Shihuan tightly, protecting him completely in his embrace.
After the two gunshots—
Zuo Shihuan remained dazed for a few seconds, unaware of what had just happened. Gu Heng’s firm yet gentle hand pressed his head down, not allowing him to look up. All he could feel was Gu Heng’s steady, protective breathing surrounding him.
Then—something warm and wet slowly trickled down onto his hand.
Through the small gap between their chests, Zuo Shihuan raised his hand and looked—only to freeze, his whole body going cold, pupils trembling violently.
His palm was wet—covered in red blood.
But he wasn’t hurt. None of his body ached. Which meant—
It was Gu Heng’s blood.
Zuo Shihuan’s eyes shook violently as realization hit. Panic flooded through him—terror of losing Gu Heng. His voice trembled uncontrollably as he asked, “What’s wrong? Where are you hurt?”
“I see you’re bleeding—don’t be afraid, Gu Heng, I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”
“Does anything else hurt? Tell me if it hurts anywhere—please—”
He was terrified that there might be more wounds he couldn’t see.
It was like reliving that nightmare in the hotel garden, when Gu Heng had been held at gunpoint. But this time, they weren’t so lucky.
Regret surged through him.
He never should have let Gu Heng come. If he had stayed away, he wouldn’t be hurt.
In a panic, Zuo Shihuan tried to pull away to check his injuries, but Gu Heng immediately drew him back, wrapping him tightly once more. His broad palm cupped the back of Zuo Shihuan’s head, while his sharp eyes continued scanning the area for any hidden snipers.
His voice was deep, calm, magnetic.
“Don’t move. I’m fine.”
Moments later—
Gu Heng’s gaze locked onto a man in the crowd, trembling with a smoking gun still in hand.
Bai Geping.
The cold fury in Gu Heng’s eyes deepened.
“Found him.”
Can’t wait until next week to see more? Want to show your support? Come to my Patreon where you can get 5 or more chapters of After Being Deceived, I Married Someone Else and Had Children right away ! Or go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
