Ouyang Gong lunged towards his father, attempting to shield him from the bullet, but his proximity was insufficient for protection.
Ouyang Zhenfeng, however, reacted with incredible speed, dodging the shot that grazed his shoulder instead of a vital spot.
A grimace of pain crossed his face, but he endured the agony, his gaze fixed on Su Ding ahead.
"Grandpa."
Seeing Ouyang Zhenfeng hit, Su Ding rushed forward.
Ouyang Kai immediately summoned a doctor to tend to his father's wound, with Jin Ye and Su Ding remaining by his side.
Subsequently, Ouyang Kai dispatched guests, offering them comfort and appeasement.
Simultaneously, arrangements were made for Ouyang Gong's body and any surviving remnants of his faction.
Darkness deepened.
It was already past midnight. Outside the master bedroom, basins of bloodied water were constantly replaced, the atmosphere heavy with tension.
Su Ding sat there, her face ashen.
The scene replayed endlessly in her mind; she had killed someone, with her own hands.
Her grandfather's fate remained unknown.
Her heart felt heavy, suffocating, and she was at a loss for what to do.
Jin Ye learned from the captain that the Jin family members were safely settled, easing his worry.
He remained by Su Ding's side in silent vigil.
As minutes ticked by, good news finally emerged from the bedroom.
"The Master is out of danger!"
"Miss, hurry inside. Quickly inform the young master."
Hearing the voices, Su Ding snapped back to reality and rushed into the room.
Jin Ye followed.
A faint scent of blood permeated the room. Ouyang Zhenfeng lay on the bed, his shoulder heavily bandaged.
While a shoulder wound was not inherently fatal, excessive bleeding, coupled with Ouyang Zhenfeng's age, had taken a significant toll.
"Grandpa."
Su Ding softly called out to Ouyang Zhenfeng on the bed.
Ouyang Zhenfeng's deep-set eyes met Su Ding's, and a hoarse voice emerged, "Xiao Ding, thank you for saving me."
Su Ding shook her head and sat by the bedside, "It's good that you're alright, Grandpa."
"Do you blame me?" Ouyang Zhenfeng whispered, his voice heavy with fatigue.
A flicker of confusion crossed Su Ding's eyes, "Grandpa, why would I blame you?"
Jin Ye’s brows furrowed at his words. A sliver of suspicion that had begun to form in his mind now seemed to solidify.
"Master, you hosted this banquet with the intention of luring Ouyang Gong out, didn't you?"
He didn't keep his thoughts hidden but asked directly.
Recalling the events, Su Ding gradually understood and looked at Ouyang Zhenfeng.
A pained expression, tinged with weariness, appeared on Ouyang Zhenfeng's face. "I'm sorry, I had to do this. I am old, and if Ouyang Gong is not dealt with, greater calamities will arise."
He did it for Leaving Boundary Island, for Ouyang Kai.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Su Ding's eyes, "My return to the family was merely a pretense?"
She had thought her grandfather’s grand banquet was to welcome her back into the family. Instead, it turned out to be a mere ploy to draw out Ouyang Gong.
Jin Ye shared the same thought, his gaze towards Ouyang Zhenfeng now laced with a chilling coldness.
"I apologize."
Ouyang Zhenfeng said in a choked voice, "The return to the family is true, and luring Ouyang Gong is also true."
Jin Ye, displeased, coldly questioned, "The return to the family is true? Such a disturbance occurred at the banquet, and you are injured and bedridden. This return to the family seems rather like a child's game."
He felt a pang of heartache for Su Ding.
Su Ding had carefully sought Ouyang Zhenfeng's approval. He had shown no resentment for the past, even proactively offering to host a grand feast for her.
And now, it was merely an excuse.
Rather than truly wanting to reclaim his granddaughter, he had found a pawn to manipulate.
"Jin Ye."
Su Ding called out to Jin Ye, stopping him from speaking further, though her eyes held a wounded look.
At that moment, Ouyang Kai's voice echoed.
"It's not like that."
Ouyang Kai strode into the room, a faint scent of blood clinging to him. He approached the bed and whispered to Ouyang Zhenfeng, "It's all taken care of."
He then turned his attention to Su Ding and Jin Ye.
"Ding Ding, Jin Ye, you've misunderstood Father," Ouyang Kai sighed.
"Let me explain for this old man."