After the interrogation, Jiang Luoxi's eyes were already slightly red.
She appeared pitiful, evoking a tenderness that was hard to resist.
This contrast made Yun Shu's sudden, fierce attack seem even more brutal.
Yet, Yun Shu possessed a beauty so captivating it could overturn cities. Every move she made was a spectacle in Zhan Tianye's eyes, and even her violence held a distinct allure.
Yun Shu's voice was cool, "Next time you take Xiao Jing and the others without my permission, it won't be as simple as a mere slap. Jiang Luoxi, no matter how many schemes you harbor or what you intend to do, you'd best remember this: if those three suffer even the slightest harm, I will make you pay with your life!"
As the threatening words fell, even with Jiang Luoxi's formidable acting skills and her ability to conceal her inner turmoil, a trace of her anger was revealed.
Jiang Luoxi pursed her lips tightly and looked at Zhan Tianye.
To her surprise, Zhan Tianye was already gazing at her with an intensely cold stare. He uttered a single sentence, "Next time, it will be your life."
After speaking.
Their family of five departed from the room.
Soon after, laughter from their family of five could be heard from outside.
The children's laughter at that moment was incredibly jarring.
Jiang Luoxi's delicate face turned ashen. Her tightly clenched fists seemed as though they would break her long fingernails, drawing blood from her palms.
Steward Wang had not left.
Therefore, after witnessing the change in Jiang Luoxi's expression, he became even more convinced of her duplicity.
Thankfully, Xiao Jing was unharmed. Had he been harmed, Steward Wang would have immediately hanged himself!
"Miss Jiang, please conduct yourself with decorum! Do not stir up any more trouble. After all, you are merely a guest of our Wang Manor and will only be staying for a few days," Steward Wang advised earnestly before walking away.
Initially, Jiang Luoxi had not been overly angered by Steward Wang's silence.
However, upon hearing his words, Jiang Luoxi's face darkened further, becoming as grim as still water.
When Steward Wang turned back, he saw Jiang Luoxi's expression.
He was immediately startled, finding it terrifying!
This must be the true Miss Jiang, he thought. It was too frightening!
Truly, truly two-faced!
After Steward Wang left, the room was completely empty.
Jiang Luoxi's ashen complexion turned even paler. She sat down stiffly and reached for a teacup on the table.
She clutched the teacup tightly in her hand.
The next moment.
The teacup shattered.
It crumbled into powder and scattered on the floor.
There was no water in the teacup.
From the time she returned with Xiao Jing until now, no one had poured her a cup of water, nor had she had the chance to drink any.
That was not a child, it was a little demon!
Jiang Luoxi's mind replayed Zhan Tianye's cold and heartless face. He was truly indifferent and merciless towards her.
Never before had a man so disregarded her. As long as she cared to put in the effort, anyone would have given her their heart, allowing her to do as she pleased with it. Yet, Zhan Tianye's eyes were only for Yun Shu, never sparing her a glance. He was truly an exception.
If that was the case.
She was even more eager to see if he was truly as deeply devoted to Yun Shu as he appeared.
Jiang Luoxi bit her lip tightly, and suddenly the anger on her face vanished, "Very well, this way it's more interesting, more challenging."
...
While Yun Shu and Zhan Tianye went to dine, Yun Xiao Jing and Zhan Xiao Li went out to play in the courtyard.
Yun Xiao Jing felt it was necessary to explain things clearly to them.
He blinked his large eyes and said, "Xiao Li, Xiao Feng, I have something very important to tell you."
"Let me tell you, I actually knew all along that Jiang Luoxi was not a good person. A weasel paying a New Year's visit is never up to any good. She just wanted to bribe me, perhaps hoping to win over Father after bribing me. She thought I was a gullible child and tried to trick me! Hmph, I didn't fall for it at all. I extorted quite a bit of her money from her, making her so angry that she couldn't pretend anymore and tried to hit me!" Yun Xiao Jing recounted the entire story to them.
Initially, both boys were angry, feeling that Xiao Jing had nearly been beaten by Jiang Luoxi. As elder brothers, they wanted to seek justice for Xiao Jing, so they intensely disliked Jiang Luoxi.
However, after hearing the full story from Xiao Jing, they both breathed a sigh of relief. "That's great!" Zhan Xiao Feng exclaimed excitedly.
"I was really afraid you'd be scared by Jiang Luoxi!" Zhan Xiao Feng said worriedly.
Zhan Xiao Li nodded, "Good thing you're not stupid."
Yun Xiao Jing raised his eyebrows proudly, "Of course, I'm not stupid. Did she think I'd believe her just by saying a few words? Wouldn't that make me too silly? Mother, Father, and my two older brothers are all smart people. If I were stupid, wouldn't that be a huge embarrassment?!"
In the room, Zhan Tianye overheard the conversation between his three sons.
His thin lips curved upward, and his eyes held a hint of amusement as he looked at Yun Shu, "Is Xiao Jing always this cunning and clever?"
"Mm, don't worry, there are very few people who can truly frighten or harm him. The few tears he sheds are just for show," Yun Shu replied after swallowing a mouthful of noodles.
Zhan Tianye's gaze at Yun Shu became doting, "We are a family."
A family...
These words immediately warmed Yun Shu's heart. The words "a family" seemed to possess a magical power, instantly captivating her.
She, he, and Xiao Jing, Xiao Li, and Xiao Feng—they were a family.
And there was also Yun Chang Feng, Old Master Qin, their entire extended family, so many people.
At this moment, Yun Shu suddenly felt a sensation she had never experienced before, a moment of bewilderment.
More family meant more vulnerabilities.
However, this vulnerability had become something that, upon reflection, filled her with a certain sweetness.
"Yes, we are a family," she responded softly.
Zhan Tianye's heart was touched, and he clasped her hand.
They exchanged a smile.
All was peaceful and serene.
The laughter of their three sons outside the door sounded like the most beautiful music in the world, incomparable to any other sound.
Everything seemed too perfect.
Zhan Tianye suddenly felt a nameless unease in his heart.
A nameless unease.
It was as if everything before him was merely a reflection in the water or a moon in the flowers; if he didn't hold on tightly, it would slip away.
Yun Shu noticed the increased pressure on her hand and looked down, smiling, "King Ye, you're going to break my hand."
Zhan Tianye snapped back to reality, realizing he had gripped too tightly. He immediately released her hand and gently massaged it a few times, "Sorry."
"Were you thinking about something?" Yun Shu asked softly, seeing the lingering worry in his eyes.
"Indeed, I was thinking about a few things. It's nothing, just minor matters," Zhan Tianye dismissed the shadow from his heart.
Perhaps it was because he had lost so much in the past, he had never imagined he could possess something again.
In the past, he only had his maternal grandfather.
Those around him had all left him one by one.
But Yun Shu and the three sons before him...
No matter what happened, he would absolutely not let them leave him!