Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Zhang Yuxiu Is Arrested
The funeral ended. Old Madam Huo was finally laid to rest.
Huo Feng drove the ladies back to the ancestral mansion. The ride back was silent, and suffocating.
Huo Yan stared out the window, her eyes swollen from crying, while Yue Ning quietly watched Huo Feng’s profile. She noticed the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior with the way his hands gripped the wheels tightly.
Seeing the route they were taking, she more or less knew what he was about to do. She wasn’t against him—she fully supported him.
The ancestral gates loomed ahead, tall and unyielding. When the car rolled to a stop, it felt as though even the air grew heavier.
Inside, the second branch of the Huo family sat gathered in the living room, draped in mourning clothes.
They all had sorrowful expressions, but Zhang Yuxiu felt uneasy. When Huo Feng entered with the two women by his side, they all rose to their feet instinctively, compelled by the weight of his presence.
Zhang Yuxiu stood close to Huo Mingjie, her fingers twisting the edge of her sleeve. She could feel the heat of Huo Feng’s gaze on her skin, and her heart sank. His eyes burned with a fury so sharp it stripped away every pretense of safety.
Huo Feng glanced at her before he took his seat, followed by Yue Ning and Huo Yan. Seeing that they had sat down, the members of the second branch forcefully had their seats.
Huo Feng was quiet for a while. His gaze swept over every one of them, spending more time on Zhang Yuxiu who swallowed under his gaze.
His presence was suffocating, and it pressed down on the room, until jo one dared to breathe loudly.
Huo Feng finally spoke up after a few seconds of silence. His voice was low, cold, and dangerous.
"Today, Grandmother was laid to rest," he started, his gaze landing in Zhang Yuxiu. "It is time to address some debts which need to be settled."
Zhang Yuxiu’s hand stiffened on Huo Mingjie’s sleeves. She was aware that he was referring to her.
"Do you want to address what took place two days ago. You pushed Grandmother down the stairs, indirectly aiding the killer who murdered grandma."
"Cousin, it would be best if you don’t blame people for your mistakes."
Huo Mingjie spoke up.
Huo Feng sat back, folding his arms while he waited for what he wanted to say.
Yue Ning frowned at his words. She was tempted to speak, but the system advised her against it.
"If you were careful, Grandmother wouldn’t have been murdered. My mom is not at fault in this matter at all."
Huo Mingjie’s tone was filled with arrogance, and his words cut through the tension-filled air. Zhang Yuxiu nodded beside him, it wasn’t her fault.
After his words, the air turned cold, filled with tension.
Huo Feng leaned back into his chair, the smirk on his face growing wilder. His gaze was sharp. "It is my fault now, is it?" He asked quietly, though the danger in his voice caused everyone to shiver.
Huo Mingjie’s gaze stiffened, but he forced himself to hold his cousin’s gaze. "I am only speaking the truth. You are the head of the family, and Grandmother died under your watch. Why place the blame on others for your mistake?"
Zhang Yuxiu immediately latched onto her son’s words.
"That’s right! I admit, I might have brushed against her that day, but I never intended to harm her. How dare you blame me for Mother’s death?"
Her voice rose, but her hands tightened on Mingjie’s sleeves.
Huo Feng laughed, but it was void of humor. He uncrossed his hands, and leaned forward.
"You pushed Grandmother down the stairs. Don’t bother twisting words. That push made her fall, and that fall is what gave the assassin his chance."
He slammed his palm against the armrest loudly, causing everyone to flinch.
"Without you, she would still be alive today!"
Zhang Yuxiu’s face paled, but Huo Mingjie defended her, his jaw tight with fury. "You can’t treat my mother like that. She’s still part of the family."
Huo Feng’s eyes narrowed coldly. "Family?"
He rose slowly to his feet, towering over the second branch. "A woman who betrays blood and causes Grandmother’s death does not deserve to be called family."
The air turned suffocating as Huo Feng’s words fell. Zhang Yuxiu’s protests rang shrill in everyone’s ears, but Huo Feng remained unshaken by her cries and pleas.
"You think I would allow Grandmother’s murderer to walk free?" His voice was calm but carried a lethal edge. "The police have already been informed. They are on their way."
As if on cue, hurried footsteps echoed through the ancestral hall. A team of officers entered, their uniforms a sharp contrast to the mourning clothes
The family members shot to their feet instinctively, their expressions shifting from shock to dread.
The lead officer bowed slightly toward Huo Feng. "Mr. Huo, we received your report. We’re here to carry out the arrest."
Zhang Yuxiu’s face drained of all color. She turned frantically toward her husband and son. "Hapieng! Mingjie! Do something—stop them! I didn’t mean to—" She pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
But Huo Hapieng only lowered his gaze, sweat glistening at his temple, while Mingjie’s fists clenched uselessly at his sides. He felt useless.
The officers stepped forward without hesitation. Two of them seized her arms firmly. Her wails grew louder, and more desperate. "No! No! I’m family! You can’t let them take me!"
Huo Feng’s gaze was scalding as he said, enunciating each word "Family do not push Grandmother down the stairs. Family do not bring calamity into this house." His tone was merciless.
"From this day forward, you are no longer a member of the Huo family. Let the law decide the rest." He waved his hands, signifying for the officers to take her.
"Mom! No!" Huo Fei cried out, tears streaming down her fears. "Dad, do something! Mom cannot go to jail." She pleaded, but unfortunately, her father wasn’t willing to intervene.
Huo Mingjie clenched his fists by his side. For the first time, he desired immense power... so he could fight against his cousin.
Her cries echoed long after the officers dragged her out, leaving behind only the hollow silence of a broken family.
Huo Feng straightened, his eyes sweeping once more over the trembling second branch. "This is what awaits betrayal. No one is allowed to touch any of my family members."
No one dared breathe loudly.
Yue Ning and Huo Yan watched this unfold with no expression on their faces. To them, they felt that Zhang Yuxiu deserved it.