Inside the villa, in Elder Xia’s hospital room.
The room was packed with people, all of them watching Xia Zhenhai on the hospital bed.
His face was pale, and he was wearing a respirator. Beside him, the electrocardiogram went from wildly erratic fluctuations to a gradually weakening signal...
Feng Henian rolled a silver needle between his fingers, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
He glanced guiltily at the electrocardiogram, his expression shifting from panic to one of utter complexity.
Just moments ago, he had made a serious mistake due to a misjudgment!
And it was a fatal one!
In almost an instant, Xia Zhenhai’s vital signs began to weaken. A bitter feeling welled up in Feng Henian’s heart. This time... it seemed there was no saving him!
The entire room was utterly silent, save for the occasional beep of the electrocardiogram.
Everyone remained silent, their expressions varied. No one knew what the others were thinking.
The atmosphere was unbearably oppressive!
But just then, a piercing scream came from outside!
Everyone froze in surprise, then quickly came to their senses and looked at one another.
“What happened?”
“Did something happen outside?”
“I don’t know...”
Whispers began to spread through the room...
Xia Guohua furrowed his brow and looked at Zhang Cheng, the head of security beside him.
Zhang Cheng was just as uncertain, and could only shake his head.
Xia Guohua said nothing.
Tonight, he had told Zhang Cheng to call all his men back.
He had even called Wang Shaocong specially and told him to bring men over to stand guard.
In theory, even if there were screams, they should have come from Xia Ruxue. How could it have been a man’s voice?
The scream had even sounded... like Wang Shaocong’s!
After a moment’s thought, he still couldn’t put his mind at ease. He whispered, “Go take a look!”
Zhang Cheng nodded and went to carry out his order.
...
“Hit harder!”
“Make sure everyone can hear!”
In front of the villa, Wang Shaocong knelt on the lawn, slapping himself hard, first on one cheek, then the other!
The corners of his mouth had split open, and blood was streaming down!
He was supposed to give himself ten slaps, but whenever Qin Feng wasn’t satisfied, he had to start over!
In just a few short minutes, his face had nearly swollen up from the beating!
Wang Shaocong was furious and humiliated!
Yet there was nothing he could do!
The sharp cracks of the slaps echoed all around...
Just then, Zhang Cheng came outside with a group of men.
“What’s going on?”
He stared at the scene before him, stunned.
He could hardly believe his eyes!
Wang Shaocong... had actually been beaten to his knees?
Before he could react, Xia Ruxue had already walked over. “Zhang Cheng, you certainly came at the right time.”
Hearing the sarcasm in her words, Zhang Cheng’s gaze sharpened.
Although he worked for Xia Guohua, Xia Ruxue was still the Xia Family’s Young Miss, at least in name. He didn’t dare offend her.
“Young Miss, with the Old Master critically ill tonight, I could only have my men stay by his side, so...”
Xia Ruxue waved a hand. “I don’t want to hear your excuses. You know what to do!”
“Yes, yes!” Zhang Cheng nodded repeatedly.
He strode toward Wang Shaocong. “Young Master Wang, do you want me to throw you out, or are you leaving on your own?”
“No, no! I’ll leave on my own!”
Wang Shaocong shrank back in fear!
With the bodyguards helping him, he hurriedly ran off in a flash!
Once he got in the car, he immediately beat the subordinate driving beside him!
“Damn it! You useless bastards! How dare you just stand there and watch!”
After he’d beaten him to his satisfaction and calmed down, he angrily fixed his disheveled hair and said through gritted teeth, “Damn it, if I don’t get revenge for this, how am I ever supposed to hold my head up again?”
“Hurry, get me in touch with Brother Hao!”
“Tell him I want that kid’s legs broken! Then tie him naked to a utility pole and make him the laughingstock of all Tianhai!”
“Let’s see who dares mess with me after that!”
“I don’t care how much he wants!”
...
Outside the villa.
Xia Ruxue gave Wan’er a few instructions and told her to wait outside.
Then she walked over to Qin Feng, feeling somewhat conflicted.
Qin Feng had just risked his safety to help her, and she was grateful.
But no matter what, she would never accept Qin Feng!
Because they belonged to two different worlds!
“Thank you,” she said first, then continued coldly, “But don’t get your hopes up. I will never marry you!”
“Rescuing a beauty in distress... it’s so clichéd!”
“I’m sorry!”
She folded her arms across her chest, still wearing that haughty air. Her tone and expression were distant, as if she were afraid Qin Feng might cling to her.
Qin Feng couldn’t help finding it amusing. “Aren’t you overthinking this?”
“I told you before, I’m here to break off the engagement!”
“Once I see the Old Master and end the engagement, we’ll have nothing to do with each other!”
“You...” Xia Ruxue glared at him resentfully, not believing a word of it.
In her eyes, this guy was probably going to cling to her for good!
Zhang Cheng reminded her, “Young Miss, hurry and see the Old Master one last time!”
Xia Ruxue nodded, then glanced at Qin Feng and whispered, “Remember, once we go inside, don’t say anything foolish.”
She strode inside.
Qin Feng hurried after her...
The three of them walked down the corridor and arrived at the hospital room.
As soon as Xia Ruxue entered, she saw her grandfather lying on the bed, his face deathly pale. Her eyes reddened at once.
“Grandfather...”
She hurried to the bedside, tears streaming down her face.
Xia Guohua and the others watched coldly.
No one said a word.
Zhang Cheng went over to Xia Guohua and whispered a few words to him.
Xia Guohua couldn’t help cursing under his breath. “That useless fool! I gave him a chance, and he still couldn’t make the most of it!”
The fool he was referring to was naturally Wang Shaocong.
With the Old Master critically ill, he hadn’t wanted Xia Ruxue to see the old man. So he had specifically called Wang Shaocong over and set up a scheme to try to keep her outside.
But he hadn’t expected things to go wrong.
At that moment, his gaze was especially cold.
Qin Feng slowly walked in as well...
Some people noticed him and looked him over curiously.
No one had ever seen Qin Feng before.
Everyone was surprised. How had an outsider managed to enter at such an important moment?
Xia Guohua had obviously noticed him too. Frowning, he asked, “Who are you? How did you get in?”
“I’m your family’s son-in-law.”
Qin Feng casually uttered a remark that left everyone baffled, then approached the bed and began examining the old man closely.
Xia Guohua’s face darkened, and he was about to say something when Feng Henian suddenly stood up and sighed. “It’s over!”
“He... didn’t make it!”
He flicked his sleeve, wiped away his sweat, and sighed with emotion.
As soon as he said this, some of the women began wailing.
Xia Guohua ignored everything else and hurried forward. “Divine Physician Feng! Is he... really beyond saving?”
Feng Henian shook his head. “There’s nothing more I can do. Prepare for the funeral!”
At that, the women in the family began crying even louder.
Of course, many of them were only pretending to cry, without a shred of genuine feeling.
Xia Guohua also put on a grieving expression.
Xia Yifei watched everyone coldly, secretly smirking with satisfaction.
For the past few years, he had been secretly poisoning the Old Master. Now, he had finally sent the old man to his grave!
As long as the old man died tonight, Xia Ruxue would have no one left to rely on in the Xia Family!
Perhaps tomorrow, he would be able to claim the Chairperson position!
That was what he was thinking, but outwardly, he still pretended to comfort Xia Guohua. “Dad, Grandpa lived to a ripe old age. We should start thinking about the funeral arrangements.”
He was hinting that Xia Guohua should use this opportunity to force Xia Ruxue to give up the Chairperson position.
Xia Guohua froze, then looked toward Xia Ruxue.
Xia Ruxue had already collapsed beside the bed, weeping uncontrollably.