The scene seemed to freeze at this moment.
The image of Luo Furen and Xing Tian facing each other struck Ye Qian, all the Luo family members, retainers, and bodyguards.
The vast Luo family manor fell into a deathly silence.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Suddenly, Luo Furen gasped for air, his expression a mixture of pain and humiliation. He averted his gaze, looking at Jiang Wuming, "Is that enough?"
"Not yet!"
As Jiang Wuming’s words reached his ears, Luo Furen’s grip lessened as he responded coldly.
Swish swish swish...
The Luo family members and Ye Qian’s expressions changed again.
Luo Furen had cast aside his dignity and the Luo family’s honor, kneeling and kowtowing to Xing Tian to admit his wrongdoing, and it was still not enough?!
"You... what else do you want?!"
This time, before Luo Furen could speak, Luo Yu’s mother suddenly cried out emotionally.
In truth, she had wanted to speak up long ago, but she remembered Luo Yuanzhi and Luo Furen’s words: it was best for her not to speak tonight.
Yet, at this moment, she could no longer hold back!
Her husband, Luo Furen, kowtowing and admitting fault to what she saw as a bastard in public had exceeded her limit of tolerance, and Jiang Wuming was still not satisfied. She could not bear it any longer!
"You’re next, and you jumped out just in time. You’re quite self-aware."
Jiang Wuming turned his gaze to Luo Yu’s mother, taking in her wild, enraged demeanor.
A leaf falls, and autumn arrives.
At this moment, he could imagine how vicious Luo Yu’s mother had been when she had bullied Xing Tian and his mother back then!
"You... what did you say?!"
Luo Yu’s mother shrieked, her voice sharp and piercing.
Luo Yuanzhi and Luo Furen had intended to stop Luo Yu’s mother, but upon hearing Jiang Wuming’s words, they swallowed their own words, wanting to know what Jiang Wuming intended to do.
"Back then, Xing Tian and Aunt Xing came to the Luo family manor to find that scum Luo Furen, worse than pigs and dogs. You, along with others, slapped Aunt Xing and had someone beat Xing Tian – do you still remember these things?"
Jiang Wuming asked coldly.
Whoosh!
Luo Yu’s mother’s face changed. She immediately recalled the scene from that year, and a sense of unease began to grow within her.
"It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember."
Jiang Wuming spoke again, his tone leaving no room for doubt, "You will slap yourself three times in public as an apology to the deceased Aunt Xing!"
"You... what did you say?!"
Although Luo Yu’s mother had already been uneasy, she still screamed in shock upon hearing Jiang Wuming’s words.
"Remember, make it loud!"
Jiang Wuming responded coldly with four words.
"You..."
Luo Yu’s mother was furious to the point of madness. She pointed her finger at Jiang Wuming, trying to say more.
However—
This time, before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted.
"Do as he says."
Luo Furen’s face contorted, and he spoke with a hoarse voice, his eyes filled with anger, hatred, and even killing intent.
At this moment, he wished he could tear Jiang Wuming and Xing Tian to pieces to vent his rage!
But he could only think about it.
His priority was to suppress his inner negative emotions and do as Jiang Wuming said to save Luo Yu.
Once that was done, he and the Luo family could settle the score with Jiang Wuming and Xing Tian!
"I..."
Luo Yu’s mother instinctively prepared to refuse.
"Do you want your son to die?!"
Seeing that Luo Yu’s mother was still babbling, Luo Yuanzhi frowned and reprimanded her.
The situation had reached this point, and the Luo family’s reputation was already in tatters. How could he allow Luo Yu’s mother to cause more trouble?
He shared the same thought as Luo Furen: save Luo Yu first, then settle accounts with Jiang Wuming and Xing Tian later!
Jiang Wuming could clearly feel the anger, hatred, and even killing intent in Luo Yuanzhi and Luo Furen’s eyes, and he knew what they were thinking. However, he said nothing more, only watching Luo Yu’s mother.
"U-understood, Dad."
Luo Yu’s mother dared to argue with Luo Furen, but she dared not defy Luo Yuanzhi. She replied with a pale face, then raised her right hand, her gaze falling upon Xing Tian in front of her.
Seeing Xing Tian’s unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar face, Luo Yu’s mother’s hand paused.
Then, suppressing her anger and humiliation, she closed her eyes, trembling all over, and swung her hand, slapping herself.
"Slap!"
"Slap!"
"Slap!"
The next moment, three crisp slapping sounds echoed at the entrance of the quiet Villa No. 1.
Luo Yu’s mother had slapped herself three times in front of everyone!
Immediately after, she opened her eyes, looking somewhat dazed, not from the slaps, but from everything that had happened today!
The scene that had etched itself into Xing Tian’s memory and even haunted his nightmares was merely a minor episode in Luo Yu’s mother’s life, something she had never paid attention to.
She had never imagined that one day she would be punished like this, suffering unprecedented humiliation, for something she had long forgotten!
"What are your other conditions?"
Seeing that Luo Yu’s mother had slapped herself three times, Luo Yuanzhi once again asked Jiang Wuming, his voice lacking the confidence of his first inquiry, speaking with a tone of tentativeness.
"Where there is grievance, there is responsibility. This is where it ends."
Jiang Wuming said slowly.
Upon hearing Jiang Wuming’s words, Xing Tian turned around directly, his figure flashing as he returned to Jiang Wuming’s side.
Although he didn’t know what Jiang Wuming would do next, he knew that once Jiang Wuming handed over Luo Yu, the Luo family’s retainers and bodyguards would surely attack!
"Then can you let Xiao Yu go now?"
Luo Yuanzhi asked again, his tone now a tentative inquiry, not as confident as the first time he asked.
"Yes."
Jiang Wuming nodded first, then changed the subject, "However, after Ye Qian finishes her call."
What did that mean?
In an instant, whether it was the Luo family members led by Luo Yuanzhi or Ye Qian herself, they were all bewildered.
"Ye Qian, if I’m not mistaken, your parents and those elders from the Ye family are all at the Ye family courtyard. They went to find Ye Zheng because I slapped you, intending to dissuade Ye Zheng from allowing me to return to the Ye family, right?"
Jiang Wuming spoke slowly, seemingly asking Ye Qian, but actually revealing the truth to everyone.
"You... How do you know?"
Ye Qian was startled at first, then no longer cared about the answer. She regained some of the arrogance of a Ye family daughter and sneered, "Heh... After all this, you still want to return to the Ye family? Are you dreaming? Jiang Wuming, I’m telling you, today’s matter is not over, and it never will be!"
Not only Ye Qian, but Luo Yuanzhi, Luo Furen, and others also felt that Jiang Wuming was wishful thinking!
Although they all knew that Ye Zheng had supported Jiang Wuming at Lizhuang, Jiang Wuming had not responded at the time, which had put Ye Zheng in a difficult position.
Now, Jiang Wuming had slapped Ye Qian, broken the rules of the powerful circle, forced his way into the Luo family to cause trouble, and openly mentioned Ye Zheng’s name!
In such a situation, Jiang Wuming’s desire to return to the Ye family, rely on Ye Zheng and the Ye family, and leave the Luo family safely was simply a pipe dream!
"Now make a video call to your parents and have them hand the phone to Ye Zheng. I want to speak with Ye Zheng."
Jiang Wuming took in everyone’s expressions, knew what they were thinking, but paid no mind, and spoke to Ye Qian again.
"Fine, let Grandpa and the Ye family elders see your arrogant face!"
Ye Qian sneered, then took out her phone and dialed her father Ye Wenming’s video call.
Just as Jiang Wuming had predicted, Ye Wenming and the families of Ye Wenhai, Ye Wentao, and Ye Wence were still at the Ye family courtyard – they had not yet met Ye Zheng!
Upon hearing his phone vibrate and seeing his daughter’s video call request, Ye Wenming immediately answered, "Xiao Qian, are you alright?"
"Dad, that bastard Jiang Wuming..."
Seeing Ye Wenming in the video frame, Ye Qian immediately gained confidence and, furious, told Ye Wenming about Jiang Wuming’s recent "atrocities."
"Uh..."
Outside the Ye family courtyard, besides Ye Wenming, Ye Qian’s mother, and the families of Ye Wenhai, Ye Wentao, and Ye Wence all clearly heard Ye Qian’s words and were stunned beyond belief.
Although they had all guessed that Jiang Wuming was going to the Luo family to cause trouble, they hadn't expected Jiang Wuming to dare to so brazenly break the rules of the powerful circle, trample on the Luo family’s honor, and act with such extreme lawlessness!
"Where is that scoundrel now?"
Amidst the shock, Ye Wenming frowned and asked.
"Dad, he’s right beside me and is still holding Luo Yu hostage."
Ye Qian glared at Jiang Wuming with deep hatred, then continued, "He asked me to make this call to you. He said he wants you to give the phone to Grandpa, as he wants to speak with Grandpa.
From what I can tell, he wants Grandpa to invite him back to the Ye family, and then through Grandpa and the Ye family’s support, he wants to smooth things over!"
"He’s dreaming!"
"How could your grandfather possibly let such a scoundrel back into the Ye family?"
"He’s not only lawless but also delusional!"
"Tell him to give up his fantasies and prepare to face severe punishment from the Military Department and legal sanctions!"
The four Ye brothers were enraged.
"We shall see!"
Jiang Wuming sneered and stepped into Ye Zheng’s chess game.
...