Madam Wang was utterly in disbelief.
Since Qi Yuan had returned, Qi Zhen had beaten Qi Yunting at least three times. And now, was it her turn?
What kind of bewitching power did that jinx have to completely sway Qi Zhen like this?
Staggering from the slap, she covered her face and lunged at Qi Zhen. “Qi Zhen, how dare you hit me!”
All these years, the two of them had treated each other with courtesy and had never quarreled, let alone resorted to violence.
But now, Qi Zhen actually struck her—over Qi Yuan!
Bloodshot eyes filled Qi Zhen’s gaze. Hearing her words, he sneered coldly, “Yes, I only regret not hitting you harder!”
He grabbed her wrist and dragged her all the way to the courtyard of the Old Marquis and the Old Madam.
It was late at night. The Old Marquis had been chatting with the Old Madam but was startled by the sudden commotion.
When the Old Madam saw the slap mark on Madam Wang’s face and Qi Zhen’s hostile expression, her face darkened immediately. “Qi Zhen, you’ve really grown bold!”
No matter the reason, it was disgraceful for a man to hit a woman.
This wasn’t the Qi family’s way, and if word spread, it would bring shame.
Hearing the Old Madam speak on her behalf, Madam Wang immediately burst into aggrieved sobs as she collapsed to the floor.
What face did she have left?
Qi Zhen had dragged her here in front of everyone. She had lost all dignity!
The Old Madam personally helped Madam Wang up. “Enough, enough! This unfilial son—I will discipline him myself.”
Though the Old Madam always thought Madam Wang’s way of handling matters was inappropriate, she was, after all, a properly wedded daughter-in-law and should still be guided carefully.
Qi Zhen sneered through gritted teeth, “Mother, don’t bother helping her! She’s truly regressed. A grown woman, and yet she dares to hit her own child!”
Child?
The Old Madam and the Old Marquis exchanged a glance, both finding this odd.
She would hit Qi Yunting?
Madam Wang angrily shouted, “What child? What kind of child acts like that?! I hit Qi Yuan. She’s just a jinx! So what if I hit her? Does it warrant you storming over to confront me like this?”
…
She hit Qi Yuan?
The Old Madam let go of Madam Wang’s hand, her face growing cold. “You hit Ah Yuan?”
Madam Wang noticed the shift in her mother-in-law’s attitude and grew uneasy.
She hastily explained, “Mother, Qi Yuan was too arrogant! She dared to publicly push Qi Wangfei’s maid so hard she died on the spot! She’s going to bring disaster upon our family!”
The Old Madam sighed faintly and asked expressionlessly, “Didn’t your father and I tell you to stay out of this? We have our own plans.”
A granddaughter who could summon the Eldest Princess—her value was self-evident.
Especially now, with the Qi family in a precarious position, Qi Yuan might be the game-changer.
But Madam Wang was dead set on opposing Qi Yuan.
Madam Wang stammered, “Mother, I just wanted her to behave…”
Hasn’t this blown out of proportion already?
The family was about to be dragged into this mess. Why were her in-laws reacting like this?
The Old Marquis coughed impatiently. There were already enough troubles in the house, and waiting a few more days was also wearing him down.
He looked at Madam Wang and said, “Ever since Ah Jin passed away, your health has been poor. It’s best that you take some time to rest.”
Take some time to rest…
Madam Wang looked at the Old Marquis in confusion. “Father, what do you mean?”
Meanwhile, Qi Yunting, who had been clamoring to cause trouble for Qi Yuan, also demanded, “What exactly do you all mean?!”
He wanted to confront Qi Yuan, yet the servants were now busy packing their belongings?
Were they insane?!
The servants buried themselves in their work, none daring to answer him.
Qi Yunting grew even angrier and threw a porcelain pillow at a little maid, striking her so hard that her head broke open.
The porcelain shattered, the maid’s head bled, and disregarding decorum, she burst into tears.
The crying alarmed the entire house.
Soon, Stewardess Gao came in, ordered the maid to be taken for medical care, then sighed at Qi Yunting, “Young Master, you should calm down.”
Had it been before, she would never have dared to say such a thing.
Nor would it have been her place.
Qi Yunting was furious. “Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?! I’m asking you—what are you doing? Why are you all packing?!”
The stewardess’s expression turned odd. “Young Master, your temper is too violent. The Old Marquis and the Marquis have decided to send you back to our ancestral home for self-reflection.”
Send him back home?
Back to the ancestral home? Back to Qingzhou?!
He cursed furiously. “I’m not going back! Is it that little wretch’s doing? Is she behind this again?!”
This time, the stewardess didn’t respond and simply turned to leave.
She glanced at the little maid still sobbing in the hallway, stepped over, and gently patted her on the shoulder. “That’s enough. Since you’re injured, don’t go with them.”
At dawn, Qi Yuan allowed Baizhi to finish combing her hair and asked calmly, “They’re going back home?”
Baizhi whispered, “The Old Marquis and the Marquis have already decided to send Madam and the Young Master back to the ancestral home. They’re saying it’s for the Young Master to study, and Madam will accompany him.”
She looked at Qi Yuan with growing respect.
Yesterday, the young lady had said getting slapped was nothing—it wasn’t a loss.
Now she finally understood why.
One slap, and they were being sent back to the ancestral home, gone for at least a year or two.
A year or two—who knew what would happen in that time?
The Marquis hardly had any concubines before, but in a year or two, would that still be the case?
Before Qi Yuan could respond, the curtain was suddenly flung open.
Madam Wang stormed in like a whirlwind and rushed to Qi Yuan’s dressing table.
Her entrance was so abrupt that Baizhi jumped in fright, then hurried to restrain her. “Madam, please calm down!”
Madam Wang shook her off and glared at Qi Yuan. “You’re satisfied now! You’ve won! What great hatred do we have that you must do this to me?!”
Those who do wrong never think they are wrong.
Qi Yuan stood and met her gaze, not bothering to reason with her, only asking coldly, “Madam, may I ask you the same? We have no great enmity—why do you insist on assuming the worst of me?”
Madam Wang sneered, ready to retort.
Before she could speak, Qi Yuan calmly curved her lips. “Or let me put it another way—if you ask me this, I’ll answer plainly. It’s because you never treated me as your daughter. You treat me like an enemy.”
Madam Wang scoffed, “So what, you mean to repay me in kind? You’re an unfilial, disgraceful child—you’ll be struck by lightning and die a terrible death!”
“Oh really?” Qi Yuan actually smiled and took two steps forward, coldly meeting Madam Wang’s gaze. “I was going to leave you a shred of dignity, but since you insist, I’ll be blunt. I only treat you with disrespect, and you curse me with divine retribution.”
“What about you? You cursed your own mother, stole your sister’s marriage, and treated your own daughter with cruelty. Shouldn’t you be d*mned to the eighteenth level of h*ll?”
