Zhao Meijuan knew she had spoken out of turn, but she didn’t take it to heart.
“Anyway, Mom has told you, so keep it in mind and don’t go blabbing outside. Your father only feels guilty toward him, which is why he wants to arrange a nominal wife for him, so he won’t be too pitiful when he passes. As for that wild girl, we can just find some excuse to send her away when the time comes. How could you get angry over someone like that? Is she even worthy?”
Hearing this, Jun Yufei felt a little better.
Jun Family.
The weather today was beautiful—clear skies, neither too hot nor too cold, extremely comfortable.
Jun Xuanye’s complexion looked a bit better today. When Lin Xingyao fed him in the morning, he even knew to open his mouth on his own, and his gaze remained fixed on Lin Xingyao, no longer as unfocused as it had been yesterday.
Lin Xingyao helped him into the wheelchair and asked gently, “Has it been a long time since you’ve been outside to breathe fresh air?”
Jun Xuanye slowly turned his head to look out the window.
Lin Xingyao smiled. “Then let’s go for a walk in the garden. It’ll help with your recovery.”
The Jun Family villa had a private elevator, making it easy to push the wheelchair in and out.
For three whole years, Jun Xuanye had not stepped out of his room on the fifth floor.
As soon as they emerged, the household servants were shocked. Zhou Guan Jia wanted to come over and dissuade them but hesitated, quickly calling Zhao Meijuan instead.
Zhao Meijuan said coldly, “Don’t interfere for now. I’ll be back soon. Also, help me notify Doctor Zhang to come and take a look.”
Originally, she had thought that if Lin Xingyao could behave herself, she would give her some benefits and send her away once Jun Xuanye died. But now it seemed that wretched girl was anything but obedient. Hmph, in that case, don’t blame Zhao Meijuan for being ruthless.
Lin Xingyao had no idea that a simple stroll would earn her someone’s resentment, and even if she had known, she wouldn’t have cared.
It was spring, the season of blooming flowers. The Jun Family’s backyard had a large grove of cherry blossoms, which she had noticed and particularly liked when she arrived yesterday. Now was the perfect time to take Jun Xuanye to see them.
“These flowers are so beautiful, but it’s a shame their blooming period is so short,” she said softly, gently brushing fallen petals from Jun Xuanye’s hair. As she lowered her gaze, she noticed a faint trace of sorrow in the man’s eyes and thought he might be moved by the scene, reminded of his current situation.
It made sense. Once a prominent figure, he was now called a madman, shackled and confined for three whole years.
During those three years, he wasn’t completely unaware. Sometimes he knew he was going mad, didn’t want to be violent, but couldn’t control his actions or express his true thoughts. It was as if his soul was trapped in a body completely out of control—a feeling of helplessness impossible to put into words.
Now that he was slowly recovering, his consciousness gradually clearing, recalling everything from the past must have felt deeply humiliating.
Lin Xingyao comforted him, “What’s past is past. Soon, you’ll be just like before. Think of these three years as nothing more than a dream.”
Jun Xuanye slowly raised his head, meeting her gentle, watery gaze. His lips parted slightly, and with difficulty but stubbornness, he uttered a single word: “No!”
The prouder a person was, the harder it was to endure humiliation.
Lin Xingyao didn’t press further. She smiled and said, “Then recover quickly, so you can crush everyone who harmed you under your feet.”
The tranquility was abruptly shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from a nearby path, as a group of several people rushed into the scene.
“Who told you to bring the Second Young Master out!” Zhao Meijuan, leading the group, shouted sharply. “I just told you yesterday to behave yourself and stay in your place. It seems you didn’t take my words seriously!”
“Zhou Guan Jia!” Zhao Meijuan commanded loudly. “Take the Second Young Master back to his room, and then bring the Second Young Madam to the laundry room. Since she can’t stay idle, from now on, she’ll wash all the family’s clothes—by hand!”
Zhou Guan Jia, already harboring resentment, now emboldened by the mistress’s backing, no longer hesitated.
“Second Young Madam, the Second Young Master needs to rest. Please come with me to the laundry room.”
As he spoke, Zhou Guan Jia roughly reached out to grab Lin Xingyao, but before he could touch her, she hooked her foot around his, sending him tumbling face-first into the dirt.
Lin Xingyao moved so swiftly that no one saw her action, assuming the steward had simply tripped on his own.
Feigning concern, Lin Xingyao crouched down to help Zhou Guan Jia up, her voice filled with worry. “Steward, are you all right? How could someone your age be so careless while walking?”
Zhou Guan Jia spat out a mouthful of dirt, but before he could speak, his vision went dark, and he fainted. Unbeknownst to the others, Lin Xingyao had pressed his Hunshui Point while helping him up.
The previous night, Jun Yufei had been unable to stand due to her leg going numb after being kicked on the Mabi Point.
The art of Dianxue, passed down through generations, is now scarcely known, and those who can wield it with mastery are few and far between. As a result, many mistakenly believe that such techniques are mere fabrications from television dramas.
Zhao Meijuan hadn’t expected Zhou Guan Jia to be so useless, fainting after a simple fall. It seemed age had truly rendered him incompetent. She even began considering forcing him into early retirement, as the Jun Family had no need for a steward who couldn’t even walk properly.
With a cold expression, she ordered the black bodyguard behind her, “What are you standing around for? Take the Second Young Master back to his room!”
The bodyguard, named Babulu, stood nearly two meters tall, with a burly and imposing build that made it clear he was not to be trifled with.
It was said he had once won first place in an international sanda competition and could take on ten opponents single-handedly. Later, Zhao Meijuan hired him as her bodyguard at a high price, taking him everywhere she went, a display of her power and prestige.
Back when Jun Xuanye first began showing signs of madness, he hadn’t yet been shackled. In his frenzied state, his strength was terrifying, and even seven or eight security guards couldn’t restrain him.
In the end, it was Babulu who subdued Jun Xuanye, shackling him—shackles he had worn for three full years!
Seeing Babulu again, Jun Xuanye clenched his fists tightly. The humiliating memory of being subdued by the black man resurfaced in his mind. If not for the lingering stiffness in his body, Jun Xuanye would have risen to his feet and thrown a few punches at him.
Babulu only saw the man in the wheelchair with his back turned, so he didn’t notice Jun Xuanye’s resentful expression.
He approached, speaking in broken Z-country language, “Sorry, Second Young Master.”
With that, he pulled out a new pair of shackles, preparing to put them on Jun Xuanye just as he had years before.
Before he could get close, Lin Xingyao stepped in front of Jun Xuanye’s wheelchair, her voice calm and steady. “According to the laws of our country, no one may arbitrarily restrain or restrict another person’s freedom. As a foreigner, if you break the law, you could be deported.”
Babulu’s dark face showed a hint of confusion as he turned to look at Zhao Meijuan.
Zhao Meijuan sneered, “This is the Jun Family’s territory. How dare you talk about the law here? How ridiculous—do you even know your own place?”