Ye Tiancheng had not intended to meddle in other people's family affairs and had already moved aside to chat with others. However, upon hearing their conversation and the reprimand Liu Lanying's mother was giving her, he suddenly realized that this family might be deeply biased towards males.
"But, Mom, I haven't asked you for tuition or living expenses for the four years of university. Now that I'm independent, I even gave my brother thirty thousand yuan to open a fruit store. I think I've done enough. My career has just started, and I don't have much money yet. You're coming here to ask me for money, which feels a bit unfair to me."
When Ye Tiancheng walked over, he found Liu Lanying in tears, while Liu Dajun was still foolishly making promises to his mother and wife.
"Don't worry, Xiao Yingzi isn't heartless. We're planning to have a child and buy a car. It's just a matter of tens of thousands of yuan. Xiao Yingzi can definitely handle it."
"Brother, why are you making such wild promises for me? As the man of the house, you should be supporting this family. Have you lost your mind? You do nothing all day, don't work, and just expect your sister to support the family. Liu Dajun, are you out of your mind? How could I have a brother like you?!"
Although Ye Tiancheng was a man, he could sense that favoring males was truly a bad habit. Liu Lanying's pain, though not outwardly expressed, was something Ye Tiancheng could understand. Having such a brother felt like being alive was a waste, merely a source of nourishment for him.
"I can't listen to this anymore. What kind of brother are you? Other brothers protect their sisters, but you're like a leech, wanting your sister to help you. Have you lost your mind?"
As he spoke, Ye Tiancheng stood in front of Liu Lanying, like her guardian angel. It seemed that for so many years, Liu Lanying had been fighting alone.
It was as if no one in this world genuinely cared for Liu Lanying, not even her own family. Yet, Ye Tiancheng, whom she had known for a short time, had become her spiritual pillar. Perhaps life's events were sometimes so ironic and incomprehensible.
"Who do you think you are, interfering in our Liu family's affairs? What my sister does is her duty, and we don't need your commentary. If you dare to spout more nonsense, believe it or not, I'll cripple you."
Liu Lanying knew how strong Ye Tiancheng's combat power was. Those professionals were no match for Ye Tiancheng. Now, someone with no fighting skills had come to provoke Ye Tiancheng – it was suicidal. The critical point was that this person was Liu Lanying's brother, and Liu Lanying couldn't ignore him.
"Big Brother, forget it. I'll reconsider the money you want. You need to give me some time to raise the funds. Please don't cause trouble here anymore." Liu Lanying was on the verge of tears. "You caused a scene at my school before, and now you're coming to my workplace after I've just started working. Do you want to push me to my death? I can't manage this anymore. If you're not willing to back down, then let's all go down together. I'm not afraid. It's better to die than to be bled dry like this."
Liu Lanying's outburst stunned everyone. They couldn't imagine that such a quiet girl could be pushed to this point by them.
As Liu Lanying cried, shouted, and recounted the injustices she faced, even she felt like a shrew.
"Xiao Yingzi, what's wrong with you? Big Brother has never seen you like this before. Have you been led astray by someone? You were never like this before. You must have been corrupted by someone!"
Liu Da was genuinely frightened. He had been quite aggressive in his demands before, but he had never seen such a reaction from Liu Lanying. This time, he felt she had been incited or possessed.
Liu Dajun, who was usually known as a troublemaker in the village, suspected that Ye Tiancheng might have played a role. He immediately rushed forward and grabbed Ye Tiancheng's collar.
"It's you, kid, causing trouble! If it weren't for you, none of this would have happened. You scoundrel, watch me beat you to death today!"
Ye Tiancheng didn't intend to fight. After all, the man was Liu Lanying's brother, and he should be given some face. He merely used his internal energy for self-defense.
As a result, without exerting much force, Ye Tiancheng sent the man flying far away. Liu Dajun lay on the ground, dazed and disoriented, his entire body numb, yet still shouting.
"What kind of monster are you, daring to offend me? Are you tired of living? I wasn't using much strength just now. If I really attacked, you wouldn't even know how you died."
Liu Lanying tried to intervene, but it was too late. She couldn't believe her brother was so foolish as to carry a controlled knife and recklessly charge at Ye Tiancheng, stabbing at him.
Ye Tiancheng didn't block. It was a natural impulse, a rebound effect. The knife, originally aimed at Ye Tiancheng, suddenly turned and lunged towards Liu Dajun.
In a split second, everything happened too fast. Liu Dajun collapsed on the ground, quickly losing consciousness.
Liu Lanying, who had been silently cheering for Ye Tiancheng, was now in despair. Something big had happened. Liu Dajun had fallen, stabbed, and looked like he was close to death, having lost a lot of blood.
Ye Tiancheng, having also expended a significant amount of his internal energy, fainted. Both were rushed to the hospital.
Now that an incident had occurred, Liu Lanying had lost her temper and was simply terrified. Fortunately, Liu Dajun's vital organs were not injured, and he was still alive. However, having lost so much blood from the injury, he needed proper recuperation.
"Brother Ye, you're finally awake. I brought some soup I made for my brother for you too. Have some. Although the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you, I'm still worried."
Liu Lanying seemed more anxious about Ye Tiancheng's condition than her own brother. Her teary eyes, on the verge of crying, were truly pitiable.
"Oh, this gentleman, your girlfriend is truly good to you. While you were unconscious, although she wasn't here the whole time, she came to check on you periodically. What a wonderful girlfriend. It's clear she's very worried about you."
Hearing the doctor say this, Ye Tiancheng finally understood. Liu Lanying had chosen to stand by him in front of her own brother. It seemed this girl was indeed good to him.
"Xiao Yingzi, thank you for being willing to stand by me. I thought you wouldn't, especially since I injured your brother."
"He brought it upon himself; he has no one to blame. I warned him, but he still resorted to violence to solve problems. He deserves to be beaten. I feel you were too lenient with him; you should have hit him harder."
When Liu Dajun was mentioned, Liu Lanying had nothing good to say about him. Her brother was extremely annoying and deserved a good lesson. If he continued to be indulged, his bad temper would be a disaster.
"Don't say that. I actually regret it. We could have resolved this peacefully, but instead, things turned out so ugly. It's all my fault."
Ye Tiancheng now felt regret. Before, he had been incredibly arrogant, believing he was always right no matter what he did. Now, he occasionally reflected on his actions.
"Don't overthink it, Brother Ye. You're injured too, so you need to rest well. Don't worry about anything else; I'll handle it all."
In any case, Liu Lanying had decided. She had always supported justice over kinship, and she would continue to do so. Ye Tiancheng treated her better, and he was also very reasonable. Liu Lanying was willing to stand by him and always consider his well-being.
"You've done too much for me; I feel quite embarrassed. I'm a grown man; I should be protecting women, but instead, I have you, a woman, standing up for me. I feel ashamed just saying it."
Ye Tiancheng truly felt embarrassed. Ever since they met, Liu Lanying had taken good care of him. But Ye Tiancheng was a man, and thinking back, he felt a bit ashamed.
"Don't feel embarrassed. We are friends in life and allies in work. You've helped me, Brother Ye, and I'm grateful. I will definitely help you."
Ye Tiancheng couldn't refuse any further. Liu Lanying was a truly wonderful girl. Ye Tiancheng drank the pig's trotters soup and some nutritious side dishes she brought. After eating, he felt very comfortable. The nutrients from the food quickly merged with his internal energy, allowing Ye Tiancheng to reach a new realm.
"Liu Lanying, your cooking is truly delicious. I was feeling a bit injured, but after eating your food, I instantly felt like I had recovered."
After eating, Ye Tiancheng praised Liu Lanying, making her blush.
"My cooking is just ordinary. No one has ever praised me before. Your praise makes me feel so shy."
"What's there to be shy about? If you have skill, you should be praised. Actually, Xiao Pang's idea is not bad. How about this: after I'm discharged tomorrow, you can come home with me to try Xiao Pang's cooking, or you can showcase your skills too. I don't mind tasting a few more delicious dishes; I quite enjoy eating."
Ye Tiancheng had a good idea. He wanted to taste more good food, especially since Xiao Pang and Liu Lanying had different culinary styles.
"Okay, but, Brother Ye, I can't stay here to take care of you anymore. I need to arrange my work. After I finish my work, I'll come to find you, alright?"
"Alright, it's settled then."
Ye Tiancheng watched Liu Lanying leave. Liu Lanying was truly a virtuous woman. Before leaving, she cleaned the hospital room meticulously, fearing she might leave a bad impression on Ye Tiancheng and wanting him to recover in a clean environment. Such a girl was truly rare.
Ye Tiancheng was discharged from the hospital soon after. Upon returning home, he was surprised to find Liu Lanying's mother at his door.
"You've turned my son into this state, how do you plan to compensate? I only want money now. Money is the only way to solve this."
"You're being too unrealistic. Your son tried to attack me but failed, and now you have the nerve to come asking me for money. If you weren't Liu Lanying's mother, I might have lost my temper and cursed you."