Huang Zedong looked at him with a pained expression as she explained. "When I fought back, she grabbed my hair and threw me out. She didn't even give me a penny. My whole house runs on that salary, how am I supposed to feed my family now?"
"But more than that, I'm worried about the kids. They're innocent! What if she manipulates them? What if she turns them against me and makes them listen only to her?"
"I am worried that she would hurt them behind your back. You have to do something about her."
"She's dangerous. You really need to think this through. I've worked hard for you for so long. I treat those three kids like they're my own, and you know that better than anyone."
"You also know my reputation in the village. When everyone else turned their backs on your family because of your sister, even your grandmother's family, I was the only one who stepped forward to help you."
"And now that woman, who just showed up yesterday, wants to kick me out? She's been here barely a day, and already she's turning everything upside down. She even threatened to report me to the police!"
"Xu Yinchen, you're a man!"
"You can't tolerate a woman's shameless behavior. You should throw her out before she destroys your family and harms the children!"
"That bitch, she's a pretty little vixen, trying to seduce men with her—"
"SHUT UP!" Xu Yinchen's voice thundered through the room, sharp and cold.
Huang Zedong froze immediately upon hearing Xu Yinchen's roar. She stared at him with a timid expression, holding her breath in nervousness.
Sometimes, she forgot that he used to be in the military and still carried that strong, intimidating aura.
He looked at her and said coldly, "You…Go back for now."
Huang Zedong looked at him, eyes filling with tears, and asked in a low voice, "But that woman…"
Xu Yinchen didn't let her finish. "I said, go back. I know what to do."
Hearing this, a sarcastic glint flashed in her eyes. She quickly stood up, adjusted her clothes, and left the office without saying another word.
She knew Xu Yinchen well. Since he said he'd handle it, it meant he would take care of that woman.
Now, she just needed to go home, get some rest, and wait for the news. That woman would be kicked out of the village soon.
'Heh! She dared to slap me? Now I'll see how Xu Yinchen throws her out of the house.'
...
After handing over the farm work to Wen Zian, Xu Yinchen returned to the house to see what had happened.
Although he didn't completely believe Huang Zedong's words, after hearing Wen Zian's report, something had started to bother him deep down.
He wanted to believe what he saw and felt yesterday, but when it came to the kids' safety, he couldn't take any chances. He needed to clarify things before they got too complicated. After all, Qin Lian had only come to their house yesterday and was still a stranger to them.
In any case, he couldn't allow the children to be in any kind of danger.
CRASH
He was just around the corner of the road when he heard a loud crash coming from the house. His pupils widened, and he quickly picked up his pace, rushing toward the house.
As soon as he pushed the door open, he froze on the spot.
What he saw wasn't children crying or Qin Lian shouting at them. Instead, a large noodle bowl lay shattered on the ground near the dining table.
Qin Lian was crouching on the floor, frowning, while Xu Shen sat crouched opposite her in a panicked state, his face pale and anxious as he held her hand tightly.
"Dad! She's hurt!" Xu Shen shouted anxiously the moment he saw Xu Yinchen approaching, his voice breaking the silence.
It was the first time since yesterday that Qin Lian had heard Xu Shen call him "Father."
Xu Wei stood beside them, his tear-streaked face filled with worry, while the youngest, Xu Hao, sat on the sofa staring at the scene with wide eyes.
Qin Lian looked up in surprise as Xu Yinchen suddenly appeared, drenched in sweat.
"What happened? Did you forget something at home?" she asked, puzzled by his sudden return. He had told her earlier that he might be late because of work, yet here he was, back just a few hours after leaving.
Hearing her gentle voice, Xu Yinchen snapped out of his daze and forced down the swirl of emotions inside him. He shook his head and walked over to her. "No. There wasn't much work today, so I came back for lunch."
"Oh." Qin Lian nodded and casually took her hand from Xu Shen's grip, preparing to stand up.
The moment she tried to stand, surrounded by scattered shards, Xu Yinchen's expression darkened. "Wait," he said, his voice low as he stopped her.
Qin Lian froze and looked at him, confused.
Xu Yinchen didn't give her a chance to speak as he picked her up by the waist, carrying her princess-style while keeping his hands respectfully placed, and took her to the sofa, avoiding the shards scattered on the floor.
Seeing Qin Lian's shocked, flushed face, he swallowed hard and explained, "You were barefoot. I was worried you might get hurt."
"Oh!" Qin Lian lowered her head and nodded in understanding and embarrassment. She hadn't expected him to react this way.
Xu Shen didn't just stand there, but ran upstairs to get the medicine box.
Xu Yinchen glanced at her hand and saw that she was covering it. He gently held it and saw that a sharp shard had pierced her palm, blood trickling out. His brows furrowed instantly.
"What happened? How did you get hurt?" Xu Yinchen asked while carefully examining her hand and removing the small shards from her wound.
When Xu Shen returned with the medicine box, Xu Yinchen took it from his hands and took out the antiseptic powder.
As he took the box, Xu Shen glared at him briefly, a flicker of dissatisfaction in his eyes, but he didn't say anything.
Xu Yinchen didn't miss that look, and it quietly amused him. He could see that the boy was being protective of Qin Lian.
According to Huang Zedong's claims, if Qin Lian had truly mistreated the children, there was no way Xu Shen would be tending to her injuries, let alone glaring at him as if he were the enemy.
Just what had happened in his absence? He wondered.
Qin Lian didn't seem to notice his surprised reaction and replied casually, "It's nothing. We were just cleaning up the dishes and accidentally broke the noodle bowl."
"I got a small scratch while picking up the pieces. It's nothing serious."
Before Xu Yinchen could respond, Xu Shen added quietly, "It was Xu Hao who broke it. She only wanted to clean it." He glanced up at Xu Yinchen, as if trying to explain on Qin Lian's behalf.
"And it wasn't a small wound. She bled a lot. So… apply the medicine on it carefully."
Xu Yinchen was taken aback. It was rare to hear Xu Shen speak so much.
What surprised him even more was that he was taking Qin Lian's side, the woman who had only arrived yesterday, while readily turning against his own younger brother.
That was truly unexpected.
Qin Lian was surprised, too. She chuckled softly and said. "Thank you. But I really am alright. It's just a small scratch. Don't worry about it." She offered him a reassuring smile.
Xu Shen looked down immediately, his cheeks turning crimson in embarrassment. He didn't say another word, but his reaction didn't escape Xu Yinchen's eyes.
Did he just smile?
How did the situation turn out to be completely different from what he had expected?