Ming Zhi Rou, having received the "Summons" from the Patriarch of the Chi family, strode forth with an air of confidence.
She had already, in her mind, assumed the role of the Chi family matriarch.
Before leaving, she subtly cast a provocative glance at Ming Zheng.
Ming Zheng: "..."
What was there to be provoked about?
Even if Ming Zhi Rou managed to oust the Chi family Patriarch and take his place, it would have nothing to do with her.
It wouldn't shake her in the slightest.
What was she so proud of?
Never mind.
She couldn't comprehend such idiotic thinking.
She couldn't be bothered to deal with an idiot anymore and turned to leave.
"Ming Zheng, you're leaving already?"
Mother Ming, with her sharp eyes, noticed Ming Zheng bumping into Mo Qi Yu's arm, and as the two were about to head to the Imperial Capital Academy together, she immediately raised her voice to call out to her.
Perhaps because Ming Zhi Rou had received the "Summons" from the Chi family Patriarch, Mother Ming's eyes were filled with pride and confidence.
Her gaze towards Ming Zheng held a hint of comparison: "You still haven't apologized to Rou'er for what you've done. Where do you think you're going?"
Although Mother Ming only focused on demanding an apology from Ming Zheng, her eyes and demeanor conveyed a clear message – look, how can you possibly compare to Rou'er?
Ming Zheng: "..."
She never intended to compete with Ming Zhi Rou.
She felt it was beneath her to even be compared with Ming Zhi Rou.
She couldn't be bothered with Mother Ming's inexplicable sense of superiority and glanced at her with a cool, indifferent expression: "I don't think there's anything I need to apologize for."
"If you insist on an apology..."
Ming Zheng let out a soft scoff.
Her dark eyes were tinged with a playful amusement: "Then it should be Ming Zhi Rou, Chairman Ming, and Madam Ming who apologize to me."
She provocatively raised her eyebrows, tilted her chin, and gestured towards Mo Qi Yu: "You stole nineteen years of my life, you stole my parents, my brothers, and now you're even trying to impersonate my admission letter."
"I'm truly curious, where does Madam Ming get the audacity to demand an apology from me for a mere usurper?"
"You really live up to being mother and daughter for nineteen years; your shamelessness must be sourced from the same place, right?"
Ming Zheng's tone was sarcastic, her words sharp.
Even her gaze towards Mother Ming was filled with mockery and contempt.
"Ming Zheng!"
Father Ming's handsome face was dark and stern, his piercing eyes flashing with terrifying sharpness: "What is this attitude? Who allowed you to speak to your mother like this? Do you have any upbringing?"
If they hadn't been in public,
Ming Zheng suspected Father Ming would have directly added "country bumpkin" to his reprimand.
Heh.
He still cared about appearances?
When he was so eagerly trying to curry favor with that so-called Chi family Patriarch, why didn't he think about appearances then?
Ming Zheng couldn't be bothered to argue with him about such trivial matters.
She casually raised her eyebrows and, looking at Father Ming, let out a chuckle: "Chairman Ming, yesterday at the hospital, didn't you say yourself that once I left that ward, I shouldn't expect to return to the Ming family, nor should I consider myself a Ming family lady?"
"To be honest, I really don't intend to return to such a stifling home."
"And I don't intend to be a Ming family lady who is worse than a dog."
Ming Zheng spread her hands, waving them away with a look of disdain.
It was as if she was saying, "Whoever wants this house can have it, whoever wants to be this lady can be it, I'm done serving."
Father Ming gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with malice.
Just as he was about to speak,
The girl's slightly raised tone reached his ears—
"Is Chairman Ming regretting it? Are you finally reluctant to part with your own daughter?"
Reluctant to part with her, my foot!
What if she was their biological daughter?
She wasn't raised by them, by their side.
In the nineteen years spent outside, she had learned all sorts of bad habits from the lower class.
She couldn't even compare to a single strand of Rou'er's hair!
But...
Father Ming's eyes were malicious, and he said coldly, word by word, "No matter what, you are my daughter, and you will always be my daughter. You cannot escape."
Ming Zheng felt extremely disgusted.
Before she could even speak,
From her side, a cold, contemptuous laugh was heard: "Chairman Ming is truly humorous, truly laughable."
"On one hand, you're unwilling to let go of the fake daughter, and on the other, you want to mistreat your biological daughter. How can you think so beautifully?"
Mo Qi Yu, with one hand in his pocket, stepped in front of Ming Zheng, blocking the fierce gazes of Father Ming and Mother Ming.
His exquisitely perfect face was filled with mockery.
Father Ming, seeing Mo Qi Yu clearly protecting Ming Zheng, his eyelids twitched, and his voice grew deeper: "Dean of the Imperial Capital Academy, this is our Ming family's private affair. I presume... you wouldn't want to involve the Chi family Patriarch in this matter, would you?"
He deliberately mentioned the "Chi family Patriarch,"
Intending to strongly remind Mo Qi Yu.
Their Ming family was different now!
Ming Zhi Rou had caught the eye of the Chi family.
Even if he was the Dean of the Imperial Capital Academy, he couldn't afford to offend the Chi family!
However, upon hearing this,
Mo Qi Yu couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
"The Chi family Patriarch?"
The smile that spread across his lips was even more mocking: "Chairman Ming, I... am not afraid of the Chi family Patriarch at all, so don't think about using him to pressure me."
"Besides, based on my understanding of the Chi family Patriarch..."
He clicked his tongue, slightly raised his chin, his gaze drifting as if recalling something.
Then, he continued: "To be honest... he's not blind. He would never fancy someone like Ming Zhi Rou."
He directly described Ming Zhi Rou as "trash."
His words, and his choice of language, made Father Ming's face instantly turn ashen.
His piercing eyes even began to gleam with a scarlet cold light.
"Dean of the Imperial Capital Academy."
He said in a deep voice, his tone filled with displeasure and anger: "I don't know what Ming Zheng has said to you, but... I hope the Dean of the Imperial Capital Academy understands one thing."
"Rou'er is a socialite meticulously groomed by our Ming family, while Ming Zheng... the Ming family has not yet had time to correct her already twisted values."
"Anything she tells you is merely due to her jealousy of Rou'er. The Dean of the Imperial Capital Academy must think clearly about right and wrong."
Those sharp words, one by one, were provoking Mo Qi Yu's limits.
Mo Qi Yu's exquisitely handsome face was covered in a layer of deep darkness.
His devilishly charming eyes churned with surging waves.
It seemed as though in the next second, he would drown Father Ming.
"Chairman Ming is becoming more and more ridiculous. Aren't you the ones with twisted values?"
His cold eyes were like a cold, venomous snake.
This was the precursor to Mo Qi Yu's anger.
Despite Mo Qi Yu's usual goofy demeanor,
He was, after all, from the Mo Sect.
Once he got angry,
It would be the opponent's death knell!
Ming Zheng looked at Mo Qi Yu, who stood before her, acting like a protective parent.
She reached out, took Mo Qi Yu's arm, and pulled him aside.
"Although I was blind for a year and wasted a year, it's not to the point where you need to shield me."