Xie Qin Jia's voice was piercingly sharp, startling Lin Mei beside her. Lin Mei turned to look at Xie Qin Jia, seeing her face contorted with anger, her eyes filled with intense disgust, as if she had encountered something utterly repulsive. Such an attitude... was it directed at Xing Zheng?
Lin Mei couldn't quite comprehend it. Xie Qin Jia got along so well with Ruan Yu Fei and doted on Yang Shuo so much; how could she have a bad relationship with Xing Zheng?
Confused by the chaotic family dynamics, Lin Mei was still pondering when Xing Zheng walked in. The moment he stopped, Xie Qin Jia slapped him.
The sound was incredibly clear in the spacious living room. Lin Mei was once again startled. She instinctively looked at Xing Zheng. A mark was already visible on his face. He stood before Xie Qin Jia, unmoved, neither reacting nor dodging.
Xing Sha hadn't expected Xing Zheng to return today. Seeing Xie Qin Jia about to strike again, Xing Sha quickly grabbed his wife's arm and said, "Calm down. We have guests today."
"He knew there were guests and still came back. Was that intentional?" Xie Qin Jia said with disgust. "Killing my A Yan wasn't enough, now you want to kill me too?"
Xie Qin Jia had always been so extreme about Xing Zheng's involvement. She was convinced Xing Zheng had killed Xing Yan and wouldn't tolerate any contradiction. Her heart condition meant that Xing Sha, who doted on her, couldn't oppose her. Zhao Jiang He knew this well and stepped forward to help Xing Sha persuade Xie Qin Jia. "Aunt Xie, A Zheng didn't mean anything by it. He's felt guilty all these years. Let the past be the past. He's your son, after all. You should give him a chance to show filial piety."
"I only have one son, A Yan," Xie Qin Jia stated with absolute firmness. "He doesn't deserve it."
Zhao Jiang He looked at Xing Zheng. Although he still stood tall with a blank expression, the bloodshot veins in his eyes betrayed him. Zhao Jiang He meaningfully withdrew his gaze and continued to persuade Xie Qin Jia. "Aunt Xie, A Zheng hasn't had it easy these past few years. If A Yan were still here, he certainly wouldn't want to see you two like this."
"Mom," Xing Zheng uttered the word, his face still bearing the mark of Xie Qin Jia's slap.
Lin Mei had been in a state of shock for these past few minutes. It wasn't until Xing Zheng called out "Mom" that she dared to confirm she hadn't misheard.
Xing Zheng... was Xie Qin Jia's son?
"Get out," Xie Qin Jia cursed him without mercy, completely unconcerned about the outsiders present or being made a spectacle of. "Why don't you just die."
Lin Mei was astonished again. She found it hard to imagine a mother saying such things to her own son. What kind of deep chasm existed between mother and son to reach this point?
Anyone hearing such words would feel a chill, but Xing Zheng seemed accustomed to it. He even chuckled softly. "My blood flows through you. Even if you refuse to acknowledge me, it doesn't change the fact that I'm your son, even if I die."
With a crash, Xie Qin Jia grabbed a glass of water and smashed it over Xing Zheng's head. Shen Su and Gu Song were too late to intervene. Xing Zheng's head was split open, bleeding profusely, yet his face showed no sign of pain. The bright red blood trickled down, passing over his eyelashes and dripping onto his lower eyelids. With his eyes full of bloodshot veins, these drops of blood looked as if they were flowing from his eyes.
He looked at Xie Qin Jia like this, insistently calling out, "Mom."
The address sent Xie Qin Jia into another fit of rage. Xing Sha and Zhao Jiang He restrained her. Xing Sha said to her, "If you lay another hand on him, you truly won't have a son anymore."
Xing Sha rarely spoke to Xie Qin Jia like this. Hearing it, Xie Qin Jia became furious and flung Xing Sha away with all her might, her hand accidentally striking Xing Sha's face in the process. Zhao Jiang He quickly intervened and said to Xing Sha, "I'll take Aunt Xie upstairs to calm down."
Jiang Chu Bi glanced at Xing Zheng and immediately followed Zhao Jiang He. "I'll go with you."
The three of them went upstairs, leaving only Xing Zheng, Xing Sha, Lin Mei, Shen Su, and Gu Song downstairs. Lin Mei, an outsider who had just learned the truth, stood there, unsure whether to advance or retreat. She couldn't even tell if Xing Zheng had seen her...
"Does it hurt?" Xing Sha looked at the wound on Xing Zheng's head. "You know your mother's temper. Don't provoke her anger again. Let Shen Su and Gu Song take you to the hospital to get it treated. Your injury..."
"Don't interfere with Zhao Jiang He's affairs," Xing Zheng threatened Xing Sha. "If you help him, I'll come back every day and see when she finally beats me to death."
"You came back just to cause trouble over this?" Xing Sha asked him incredulously.
Xing Zheng did not answer. Xing Sha looked at his bleeding wound, feeling a surge of guilt. If he hadn't been so permissive all these years, Xing Zheng wouldn't have had to endure so many setbacks. Xie Qin Jia's attitude was inseparable from his indulgence, as was Zhao Jiang He's identity...
"I understand what you mean," Xing Sha said. "Shen Su, Gu Song, take A Zheng to the hospital to get his wound treated."
"Dad," Xing Zheng suddenly called him again. Hearing the address, Xing Sha's heart softened. He responded with an "Mm." Then, Xing Zheng asked, "Am I your illegitimate son with another woman?"
This question had been lingering in Xing Zheng's heart for years, never voiced until now. If not for this, he truly couldn't think of any other reason. Being born of the same parents, both sons, why would Xie Qin Jia hate him so much?
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Xing Sha looked at Shen Su and Gu Song. "Hurry up and take him to the hospital."
Without waiting for Shen Su and Gu Song to act, Xing Zheng turned and walked away. Lin Mei saw him turn, his wound dripping more blood onto the milky white floor. His retreating figure was cold and indifferent. The moment the door closed, he disappeared from view.
As the villa door shut, Lin Mei's attention was forcibly broken. Now, only she and Xing Sha remained in the living room. She saw Xing Sha, usually so composed, let out a sigh of helplessness. Xing Sha said to Lin Mei, "You've had to witness a spectacle."
Lin Mei didn't know how to respond. She shook her head at him. "I'll accompany you upstairs to see Aunt Xie."
Considering Xie Qin Jia's state earlier, it was worrying. Xing Sha led the way, and Lin Mei followed him upstairs. Upon entering the bedroom, Xie Qin Jia was no longer as agitated as she had been downstairs. The comfort from Zhao Jiang He and Jiang Chu Bi had likely taken effect. Xie Qin Jia asked Xing Sha, "Did you send him away?"
"He's gone," Xing Sha replied. He then asked her, "And you? Have you calmed down? I've had the downstairs cleaned up. The guests are waiting."
When they went downstairs again, the living room was indeed spotless, as if nothing had happened.
Lin Mei was still led to the dining room and sat with Zhao Jiang He. Looking at the table laden with delicacies, she couldn't muster any appetite.
Zhao Jiang He thoughtfully served her some food. Seeing her pale face and distracted state, he guessed the reason. "Were you startled by what just happened?"