Chapter 231 - 231: Caught Off Guard (2)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

On the way back, Yuan Xudong drove attentively while Ye Xiaoxi, seated beside him, suddenly covered her face and started sobbing softly. He furrowed his eyebrows slightly, reaching for the tissue box on the side and handing it to her. “Don’t cry,” he said.

“I want to cry, what’s it to you?” Alcohol had its way of emboldening people, and normally, Ye Xiaoxi was meek and quiet around Yuan Xudong. She wouldn’t dare to answer back. But in her current state, with her mind clouded by alcohol, she didn’t care about that. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Yuan Xudong was taken aback by her unexpected defiance.

Unaware of his reaction, Ye Xiaoxi found a listener for her grievances and continued, choking back her tears, “From childhood, only my grandma was good to me. But she passed away when I was three, and I barely remember her. I just remember she was gentle. My mom is a gambler, lazy and never works. She often left me alone at home. I was so hungry, really hungry… The longest time 1 had to drink watery porridge for a whole year, and I couldn’t even afford salt… My biggest wish as a child was to have a full meal and wear new clothes. But as I grew up, I thought I could have a better life once I got into college. However, my mom got involved with drugs again…”

“She used up all our remaining money to buy drugs, and she even took out high-interest loans… I had to work desperately to help her pay off those debts… but no matter how hard I tried, it was never enough. Do you know that feeling of despair? Every day, I woke up with the weight of those debts pressing on me. Many times, I thought of ending my life. Once, I bought poison, put it in my favorite crayfish, hoping to have a last satisfying meal before leaving this world…”

“But the poison was fake, and I didn’t die. But I’ll never forget what it felt like lying in bed, waiting to die.”

“I didn’t want to die. I worked harder than anyone else. Why did I have to suffer so much? I just wanted to live happily, like a normal person, without worrying about debts. So, I endured it all… until 1 met Yining and Grandpa. That’s when I realized that God hadn’t abandoned me.”

“If I could, I’d give ten years of my life to ensure their health and happiness.”

As Ye Xiaoxi continued to pour out her heart, Yuan Xudong’s tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. In his amber-colored eyes, a hint of sympathy flickered.

After a long silence, he spoke softly, “All the suffering is in the past. From now on, you won’t have to endure hardship anymore.”

His words were met with silence. Yuan Xudong turned his head slightly and saw that she had tilted her head and fallen into a deep slumber.

Tears streaked her fair cheeks.

Watching this scene, Yuan Xudong’s tightly guarded heart was unexpectedly touched. Though it was just a tiny crack, it was like the first warm rays of spring sunshine breaking through a thousand-year-old glacier, eventually causing an avalanche.

After a few seconds, Yuan Xudong adjusted the air conditioning, raising the temperature.

The car continued on its way in silence.

On the other side, Jiang Yining and Lu Zhi had just rolled up to their doorstep, and right on the curb, a middle-aged man sprang out of a car.

He quick-marched toward them, urgency in every step.

“Mr. Lu, Mrs. Lu, I’ve brought my boy to beg your pardon, hoping you bigwigs won’t hold a grudge against this little guy. Please, don’t bear him ill will,” the man said, his words coming out in a rush.

“And you are…?” Jiang Yining inquired, a frosty tone in her voice.

“I’m Huang Yiyang’s old man, Huang Shixi.” Huang Shixi wore an expression of deep shame. His son’s actions had been utterly deplorable, and the punishment had been harsh. His son’s reproductive equipment was permanently out of commission. Surgery wouldn’t mend this one.

In essence, their Huang family tree had just lost its last leaf.

“I see,” Jiang Yining responded coolly. “But weren’t you here to apologize with your son? Why am I seeing only you and not him?”

“He’s in the car. I’ll go fetch him right away,” Huang Shixi explained, worried that Jiang Yining and Lu Zhi might rush off before he got to make amends.

He had waited patiently all day for this moment.

From dawn till dusk, he had waited, and finally, the opportunity had presented itself.

Huang Shixi promptly spun around and returned to his vehicle, popping open the rear door.

He then hauled his son out unceremoniously.

Fresh from his surgery, Huang Yiyang’s wound still throbbed with pain.

His father’s rough handling was almost as excruciating.

But none of this physical pain compared to the sheer terror that Jiang Yining and Lu Zhi struck into him.

“Dad, please, I want to go home. I can’t bear to see them,” Huang Yiyang sobbed, frantically trying to push his father away.

However, Huang Shixi wasn’t about to give him that chance.

Not long after, Huang Yiyang was forced to stand in front of Jiang Yining and Lu Zhi.

He was trembling with fear.

The two people in front of him were simply demons!

They had shattered his right hand and even enforced sterilization!

Huang Yiyang would never be able to get intimate with a woman again!

“Kneel down and apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Lu,” Huang Shixi pressed his son’s head, preparing to have him kneel and kowtow.

Huang Yiyang tensed up all over.

Jiang Yining coolly stated, “He has already paid the price for his actions. You don’t need to do this.”

Huang Shixi breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Mrs. Lu, for your kindness.”

“I haven’t forgiven him, and I don’t have the right to forgive him. He offended my friend,” Jiang Yining looked at the dejected Huang Shixi and added, “However, don’t worry, I’m not one to delight in others’ misery. He’s already been penalized once, and there won’t be a second time. As long as he behaves and doesn’t step out of line, there won’t be any more trouble.”

“He absolutely won’t! I swear on my life!” Huang Shixi declared with utmost sincerity.

Jiang Yining had no interest in his life. She turned her icy gaze to Huang Yiyang and questioned, “I have one question for you. Who asked you to meet with Xiaoxi? Remember, don’t lie to me. If I find out you’ve lied, I’ll ship you overseas and give you a complete makeover.”

Huang Yiyang was so petrified he nearly lost control of his bladder. With a quivering voice, he admitted, “It was… it was Xiao Yeyu. I hadn’t originally planned to go, but she told me there was a very innocent girl who was my type.”

Huang Yiyang loathed Xiao Yeyu with a burning passion. If it weren’t for that woman, he would never have gotten involved in this mess, and he wouldn’t have lost the most precious thing a man could have!

Jiang Yining’s expression turned even colder. “I see. You can go now, but never appear in front of me again. If I see you once, I’ll deal with you once.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Lu.”

Having secured his family’s safety, Huang Shixi promptly left with his son.

Lu Zhi, who had been standing in silence the entire time, finally spoke, her voice as cool as a mountain stream, “Do you suspect that Xiao Yeyu deliberately orchestrated the meeting between Huang Yiyang and Xiaoxi?”

“Yes, I wasn’t very certain before, but now I’m about thirty percent sure.”

Jiang Yining remained collected as ever..