Ye Jianguo suppressed the anger welling up inside him and strode quickly back home. Ye Li dawdled behind him, her mind busy thinking about how to live her life from now on.
No sooner had she stepped through the door than Ye Jianguo’s palm came crashing at her, cursing as he shouted, “You little bitch! I let you run outside and make a fool of yourself!”
Liu Hongmei and Ye Zhirou, mother and daughter, sat nearby enjoying the spectacle. This brat had gone outside and caused such a scene, embarrassing them all. Today, she must be properly punished to teach her a lesson.
Ye Li’s lips curled into a faint cold smile. She stood her ground without dodging.
“Ah…” Ye Jianguo’s hand landed—but he let out a sharp, pitiful scream instead. He clutched his hand, hopping up and down, sweating profusely, trembling all over from the pain.
Ye Li watched him coldly, her hand gripping a sharp pair of scissors. The tip was stained with glaring blood. She covered her mouth, feigning shock. “Ah, Dad! Are you alright? You’re such a big man, how could you be so careless, running into scissors like that?”
When Liu Hongmei saw the blood dripping from Ye Jianguo’s hand, she screamed and jumped as if electrocuted. “Ah… Old Ye, what happened? How did you bleed so much?”
She turned to see the scissors in Ye Li’s hand and immediately flew into a rage, her voice sharp with accusation: “Ye Li, he’s your own father! How can your heart be so cruel? Are you trying to kill him?”
Ye Zhirou’s face went pale, and she cowered in fear. Was Ye Li insane? She had been silent as a locked jar before—today she suddenly pulled this stunt, catching everyone off guard.
Ye Li ignored Liu Hongmei and calmly closed the door. She played with the scissors in her hand, glanced at Ye Jianguo, and pursed her lips, feeling a bit regretful. Almost—she had nearly pierced that scumbag father’s hand through.
Liu Hongmei scrambled to the room, fetching iodine and bandages to dress Ye Jianguo’s wound. “Old Ye, do you want to go to the clinic?”
Ye Jianguo finally calmed down a bit, glaring at Ye Li as if he wanted to devour her. “You unfilial girl, you’ve gone mad! You even dared to strike your own father. Do you even care about this family, about me as your father?”
Ye Li arched an eyebrow, her face indifferent. “Dad, I was defending myself. You swung at me, and I instinctively blocked with the scissors. Who knew you’d crash into them?”
Ye Jianguo trembled with rage, pointing at her and cursing, “Don’t argue! You did it on purpose. I’m going to properly teach you a lesson today.”
He lunged forward to strike, but Liu Hongmei quickly grabbed him. “Old Ye, your hand is already injured. How can you punish her? Besides, we just came back from outside causing a scene—if it spreads, our family’s reputation will suffer.”
There’s plenty of time later. This wretched girl is in their hands for now; they can deal with her however they like in the future. As long as Old Ye sides with her, this family is hers to control.
Ye Jianguo panted, glaring hatefully at Ye Li. “Still, this can’t just go unpunished.”
Ye Li raised the scissors in front of her, snipping twice. “Dad, you better think carefully. If you try to hit me again, I can’t guarantee the scissors won’t accidentally hurt another part of you next time.”
Ye Jianguo was speechless, only able to glare.
Ye Zhirou, hiding behind Liu Hongmei, muttered softly, “Sister, you’re too much. How can you treat Dad like this?”
Ye Li glanced at her, coldly sneering. “Too much? Have you forgotten how you’ve treated me all this time? From today on, anyone who dares bully me again, I won’t be polite.”
She then looked at Ye Zhirou’s wrist. A jade bracelet, smooth and glistening, still dripping with luster, adorned her wrist. Ye Li laughed. This had been her mother’s dowry, seized by Liu Hongmei along with her children when they came into the house. Truly shameless.
She suddenly stood and rushed forward, snatching the jade bracelet from Ye Zhirou’s wrist.
“Ah…” Ye Zhirou screamed, clutching her reddened wrist, looking wronged at Ye Li. “Sister, you’re going too far! How can you steal my things?”
Liu Hongmei was equally furious. “Ye Li, there’s a limit to your mischief! That’s Zhi Zhi’s bracelet—give it back!”
Ye Jianguo’s face turned dark. Without a word, he reached to snatch the bracelet from Ye Li.
Ye Li stepped back a few paces, turned into the kitchen, and came out holding a kitchen knife, her face cold. With a loud “bang,” she slammed the knife onto the dining table in front of her, eyes flashing with menace. “Come on, let’s see who dares touch me!”
Ye Jianguo froze, stepping back a few paces. His injured hand reminded him—the girl really dared to strike.
Liu Hongmei’s face went black. Was this brat possessed today? Why was she so difficult?
“Ye Li, don’t act tough here! You stole Zhi Zhi’s bracelet—how can you still have the right to speak? I know you don’t like us, but Zhi Zhi is still your sister. How can you be so willful and bully her?”
Ye Li laughed at her. “Bully her? This bracelet was my mother’s dowry. You stole it and claimed it as your own, and you still have the nerve to say I’m bullying someone? Or should we go outside and let the neighbors judge who’s shameless?”
Liu Hongmei trembled with rage. “You ill-mannered girl, twisting things to your favor!”
She didn’t dare go outside for anyone to see—everyone knew this bracelet belonged to Ye Li’s real mother. Ye Li carefully placed the jade bracelet into her pocket, tightening her grip on the kitchen knife.
“Manners? You shameless people talk to me about manners? Fine, I lack manners—who made me born with a mother but no father? From today on, this bracelet stays with me. Nobody is allowed to take it. If you dare lay a hand on me again, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Ye Jianguo looked at the kitchen knife in Ye Li’s hand, feeling a bit intimidated, yet his pride wouldn’t let him back down. “You little brat, you’re rebelling and even threatening us?”
Ye Li raised her chin, her gaze icy. “I’m just taking back what’s mine. If you know what’s good for you, don’t provoke me. Otherwise, this knife won’t show mercy.”
She coldly snorted, turned, and went into her room, slamming the door shut behind her.
Liu Hongmei and Ye Zhirou exchanged a glance, each seeing fear in the other’s eyes. Ye Jianguo snorted but didn’t dare approach again, slumping onto the bench in anger.
Liu Hongmei signaled Ye Zhirou to return to her room. Then she turned to Ye Jianguo, gently massaging his shoulders, sighed, and whispered, “Alright, Old Ye, don’t be angry. Look, Li Li has grown older and bolder. Now she doesn’t even respect you as her father. I’m her stepmother, and she rejects me, looks down on me—I don’t care. Back then, I followed you home purely for your sincere heart toward me. I worked so hard raising her, and what do I have? I’ve even raised an enemy.”
Ye Jianguo, stirred by her words, felt both pain from his injured hand and a deep, burning anger. “This little brat is completely lawless. She deserves a good lesson—just wait, I’ll make sure she learns one day.”