Ye Tiancheng was truly scared now, fearing the little fatty might be beaten to death.
This was no longer a matter of backbone; he had to find a way to protect himself. Ye Tiancheng could only plead with Ouyang Xuxu, "Ouyang Xuxu, alright, I'll leave immediately. I won't cause any more trouble. Please tell your men to let my brother go."
"Ye Tiancheng, what do you think this place is? You come and go as you please, as if it were your backyard. This is my Ouyang family. Your presence here is a slap in my face. If I let you leave so easily, I might as well have no face at all." Seeing Ouyang Xuxu's anger, Ye Tiancheng could only try his best to break free from the bodyguards' restraints and rush forward to shield the little fatty. "Ouyang Xuxu, what exactly do you want?"
"Good, Ye Tiancheng, you still dare to question me? It seems you quite enjoy shifting the blame. You were the one causing trouble earlier, and now you're acting as if nothing happened, questioning me instead. You truly are shameless." Ouyang Xuxu's eyes were filled with malice.
"Since you came here to cause trouble, I certainly won't let you off so easily."
At this point, Ye Tiancheng was forced to consider surrendering, prioritizing the fatty's safety. With the fatty in such a state and himself like a stray dog, what right did he have to save anyone?
His own life was insignificant, but he had dragged his brother into this. "Ouyang Xuxu, I beg you, please let me go, and let my brother go. I won't cause trouble again."
As he uttered these words, Ye Tiancheng wished he could bite his own teeth off. For him, this act of submission was agonizing, almost costing him his life.
Ye Tiancheng's biggest regret was bringing the little fatty here. If his brother hadn't been involved, Ye Tiancheng would rather have died here than utter a single word of surrender to that scoundrel Ouyang Xuxu.
Upon hearing Ye Tiancheng's plea, Ouyang Xuxu burst into laughter, almost choking. It was as if he had never heard such an amusing joke in his life.
"Heavens, did I hear correctly? You're actually begging me for mercy. You are the renowned Ye Tiancheng, who has created so many legends, hailed by the media as the youngest and most handsome entrepreneur, the most promising eligible bachelor. And now? You're nothing but a nobody." Ye Tiancheng felt nothing from Ouyang Xuxu's harsh words, as his primary concern was the safety of his best friend, the little fatty.
The little fatty lay on the ground, appearing lifeless, blood uncontrollably flowing from his mouth. The scene was terrifying.
If Ye Tiancheng still possessed his true energy, he could have used it to heal him. Now, unable to even protect himself, how could he protect his best brother? It was an utter irony.
"Ye Tiancheng, I'm not unreasonable. Since you sincerely wish for my forgiveness, I can help you. That's right, I am that kind of great benefactor who is willing to give others a chance. How about this: kneel on the ground and kowtow to me a hundred times. After you've finished, if I'm in a good mood, I'll release you and your brother like two pieces of trash."
Hearing Ouyang Xuxu's words, Ye Tiancheng's heart trembled. He was actually being asked to kowtow, something Ye Tiancheng had never anticipated. This guy was truly insidious, coming up with such a tactic to torment him.
"Ye Tiancheng, I know you're not convinced. If you don't kowtow, little fatty's life might be forfeit."
Pride or his brother's life? A man's knees are made of gold. He was caught in a dilemma...
At this critical moment, several luxury cars suddenly arrived. The sound of these cars was so distinctive that all eyes were drawn to them.
From a red Ferrari emerged a familiar figure – Hou Mingzhu.
Hou Mingzhu was dressed in designer clothes, her hair had grown considerably, dyed a flamboyant orange-yellow and styled into large waves, adding a touch of ladylike grace. She wore a beautiful black bodycon dress, a trench coat over it, and high heels, elevating Hou Mingzhu's aura to a level higher than Mount Everest.
After getting out of the car, Hou Mingzhu didn't even ask Ouyang Xuxu. She directly ordered someone to put Ye Tiancheng and the fatty into the car, then glared at him.
"Ouyang Xuxu, I know your Ouyang family cannot afford to offend our Hou family, and you wouldn't dare do anything to me. However, there are some things I must say. I don't care how happy you are with your Su Muxian. If you dare to lay a single finger on Ye Tiancheng or his friends again, I will burn your entire Ouyang family to the ground."
This was the power of family influence. The Hou family, to which Hou Mingzhu belonged, was one of the four great families, possessing both prestige and power. Other families, no matter how wealthy, could not defy these four families without incurring their wrath.
Ouyang Xuxu's defiance not only meant making an enemy of the Hou family but also of many others, potentially facing a united attack.
Therefore, Ouyang Xuxu, who always knew how to bully the weak and fear the strong, no longer had the same attitude towards Hou Mingzhu as he did towards Ye Tiancheng. Instead, he bowed and scraped.
"Oh dear, Miss Hou, where did that come from? How could I possibly be your enemy? Although I am not part of the four great families, I have always been friendly and respectful towards everyone from the four great families. Please take them away. I feel very bad that you had to make this trip. It is my oversight that you had to come in person. I will be more careful next time."
Hou Mingzhu found Ouyang Xuxu disgusting, his obsequious demeanor perfectly embodying sycophancy. He was clearly not a good person. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Young Master Ouyang, what do you mean? Do you have a problem with me taking away the people who were causing trouble at your doorstep?"
Ouyang Xuxu quickly waved his hands, "No, absolutely not, Miss Hou, you misunderstand. You didn't even need to come personally. A simple phone call would have sufficed, and I would have sent them over immediately. It's a simple matter, and it was my mistake to let you come. I will pay attention to this next time."
While outwardly flattering, a hint of malice flickered in his eyes.
Hou Mingzhu didn't want to speak to Ouyang Xuxu any longer, finding him somewhat repulsive. She left for now. Only after her car had departed did Ouyang Xuxu straighten his bent posture.
This man was a natural sycophant, his ability to bend over so skillfully evident. His face was filled with hatred, his fists clenched tightly.
Hou Mingzhu quickly got into her car. Seeing Ye Tiancheng holding the fatty, his face etched with worry, Hou Mingzhu took his hand. "Brother Ye, don't worry. I'll take Brother Fatty to the hospital immediately. There are the best doctors to treat him, and he'll be fine."
Hearing Hou Mingzhu's words, Ye Tiancheng's brow remained furrowed. He deeply regretted this incident. Even if the fatty recovered, it was because of him.
Because of his foolishness, his good brother had been seriously injured. It was ironic, yet it was the truth.
"Alright, Brother Ye, don't be so sad. If you're sad, I'll worry too."
Hou Mingzhu, who was as proud as a peacock and never wanted to yield to Ye Tiancheng, always wanting to surpass him and make him bow to her, now saw Ye Tiancheng's distress over the little fatty and felt concerned herself. It seemed everything had changed.
The anxious look in Hou Mingzhu's eyes was undeniable.
"Hou Mingzhu, did you remember something?"
Hou Mingzhu was surprised by Ye Tiancheng's perceptiveness, guessing everything correctly. "Yes, Brother Ye, I remembered how we faced challenges together in another world during my amnesia, how you took care of me after we returned, our engagement, and how we went to the ancestral hall to find your treasure."
Hou Mingzhu spoke at length, explaining that these memories, once hazy, had recently become clearer, allowing her to speak openly with Ye Tiancheng about them.
"It's good that you remembered. I won't say much more. Thank you for saving me today."
Even if he had to tell Hou Mingzhu that he had decided to be with Su Muxian and that their engagement would be called off, it wouldn't be now.
Hou Mingzhu had just saved Ye Tiancheng, and no matter how ungrateful Ye Tiancheng was, he shouldn't do anything to upset Hou Mingzhu at this moment. After all, she had offended the Ouyang family for his sake, a significant sacrifice.
Thus, Hou Mingzhu quickly took Ye Tiancheng and the little fatty to the hospital.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the fatty was immediately rushed into surgery. The attackers had been too brutal, causing fractures. After examination, doctors were concerned about internal bleeding, necessitating further treatment.
As he gradually recovered along the way, his injuries were not as severe. The last remaining trace of true energy not only protected Ye Tiancheng but also automatically restored him when he was injured.
The true energy of a cultivator was incredibly miraculous. Broken bones could be mended, and damaged flesh could regrow, though not as quickly as before.
Previously, Ye Tiancheng would recover instantly from injuries. Now, with insufficient true energy, he lacked such formidable power.
After being bandaged, Ye Tiancheng could wait outside the operating room for news about the fatty. They waited for over an hour, and then the fatty was wheeled out of surgery.
Ye Tiancheng anxiously inquired about the fatty's condition. He learned that the fatty was still unconscious but likely out of immediate danger. However, when he would wake up remained uncertain.
The fatty had suffered a severe blow to the head, resulting in a concussion and some bruising. Fortunately, being young and strong, his body could absorb it, and a craniotomy was not yet necessary.
The fatty was transferred to the intensive care unit. Ye Tiancheng, as family, was not allowed to enter freely and could only wait outside the hospital room.
Overwhelmed by a despair he had never known, Ye Tiancheng felt an urge to weep uncontrollably.
It was his momentary impulsiveness that had harmed his good brother. If the fatty were to suffer serious consequences, or even die, Ye Tiancheng might never forgive himself.
He regretted such a foolish act and wished he could slap himself.
Ye Tiancheng hadn't cried in a long time, but now he couldn't hold back. Regardless of the negative effects of his dispersed true energy, as long as his brothers were not involved, Ye Tiancheng would not shed tears.
Outside the intensive care unit, Ye Tiancheng leaned against the door, covering his mouth, trying his best to stifle his sobs.
His back slid down the door, his posture conveying his vulnerability and helplessness.
Hou Mingzhu, who had been quietly observing Ye Tiancheng, couldn't bear to see him cry so heartbrokenly. She stepped forward, helped him up, and then held him tightly.
"Brother Ye, it's okay. The doctors said Brother Fatty will definitely wake up. We just need to wait a while, and everything will be alright."