Lin Xingwan flinched backward, her back burning more intensely.
"Don't move, or you'll be the one in pain," Zhou Jinbai said.
Lin Xingwan's fair skin flushed a deep red, her earlobes pink and tender, incredibly cute. "Don't come any closer, and don't stare at one spot."
"I'm looking at my wife, not some other woman. Not only do I want to look, but I also want to kiss," Zhou Jinbai grabbed Lin Xingwan's wrist, removing her arms that were wrapped around his chest.
He then placed a light kiss on the bruised spot on Lin Xingwan's chest.
Unlike their usual passionate kisses, this one was filled with tenderness and concern.
Lin Xingwan felt a cool sensation where she was kissed. When her eyes met Zhou Jinbai's, she said, "I'm fine. This little injury doesn't hurt that much."
Why did it feel like, in this man's eyes, she was a weak, helpless, little fool who needed protection?
Yet, she had vowed to become a strong, independent CEO.
"My wife, you're soft, but your mouth is the hardest part of you. Why are you pretending to be strong in front of me? Are you worried I can't protect you?" Zhou Jinbai tickled Lin Xingwan's nose, then found a small porcelain bottle from the cabinet and applied the ointment to her chest.
"Turn around," Zhou Jinbai said.
Lin Xingwan obediently turned around, and the man carefully applied the ointment to her chest.
"By the way, you offended Jia Zhenzhen for me. You must be careful of her revenge recently, and Grandma too. Why don't we move to Tianlai Huafu to live? It's safer there."
"Don't worry, Jia Zhenzhen doesn't have time to retaliate against us." When Zhou Jinbai mentioned this woman, his eyes held a fierce killing intent.
"Why?" Lin Xingwan asked.
"Because I punished Jia Zhenzhen not long ago. She should still be in the hospital."
Regarding the events of tonight, Zhou Jinbai merely stated them in a matter-of-fact manner.
"But when she gets out of the hospital, she'll still seek revenge. The safety of this siheyuan is too low, and Grandma is too dangerous."
Lin Xingwan couldn't help but continue to persuade him.
"She won't. Trust me." Zhou Jinbai's tone was calm and gentle, and Lin Xingwan finally relented.
After taking the anti-inflammatory medicine, Lin Xingwan quickly fell asleep.
As for Zhou Jinbai, just as he was about to embrace his wife and sleep, his phone screen lit up.
It was a message from Grandma.
Immediately after, a light cough was heard from outside the door. Zhou Jinbai knew that the old lady wanted to talk to him.
He tiptoed out of the room and, as expected, saw the old lady sitting upright on the sofa, her expression serious.
Zhou Jinbai sat opposite the old lady. He rarely saw his grandmother looking so stern. In a daze, he remembered that it was this old lady who, with decisive action, had quickly organized the chaotic Dongfang family into order.
She was old, yes, but an old tiger was still a tiger.
Over the years, she had given up her right to pursue love, dedicating herself entirely to raising him and his father, pouring all her energy into the entire family.
"Grandma," Zhou Jinbai said.
"I am very angry about what happened tonight," the old lady narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Xingwan is the woman you and I chose together. She is the future matriarch of the Dongfang family, yet tonight, she almost died."
"I'm very sorry, it's my fault," Zhou Jinbai replied with a heavy tone.
"Of course, I know it's your fault. It's been almost three months, and besides dating our granddaughter-in-law, you haven't taught her anything. Even a nobody like Jia Danren can defecate and urinate on us. The matriarchs of the Dongfang family in the past have all endured hardships or weathered storms, but none have ever been so humiliated. She can't even deal with a weakling like Jia Zhenzhen. If she goes to Yanjing in the future, any family from Jia, Shi, Wang, or Xue could have her life with just a word. The future matriarch of the dignified Dongfang family dying in such a manner, if others knew, where would the Dongfang family's authority lie?"
"I will slowly make Xingwan stronger," Zhou Jinbai promised.
"Will she become strong under your protection? Jinbai, don't you think such strength is a form of self-deception? People don't genuinely fear and admire our granddaughter-in-law; they just give her some dignity out of respect for you. Anyone with a little ambition can harm her at any time. I've seen everything that has happened in the past three months. You've helped her too much, but in reality, you're harming her. If she can't grow quickly, I'll consider letting you marry that woman."
After saying this, the old lady got up from the sofa.
Zhou Jinbai's expression changed drastically. "Grandma, you know I don't like her."
"What does liking her matter? What does not liking her matter? Apart from your dislike, she meets all the requirements of the Dongfang family matriarch, and she has a powerful family behind her. I don't want to end up harming our granddaughter-in-law because of my indulgence. When she becomes a cold corpse lying in front of you, it will be too late to regret it. Have you forgotten how your father died? In a family like ours, your pity for her will only hasten her death."
With that, the old lady's figure disappeared around the corner.
Zhou Jinbai clenched his fists at his sides. His grandmother's words reminded him of his father.
The man he remembered as respected in his memory, ultimately met such a...
No!
He refused to let Xingwan's fate be the same.
The night deepened.
Meanwhile, Jia Zhenzhen, in the hospital, had no sleep at all.
Her whole body ached terribly, and even breathing felt like a sharp pain in her chest.
"Doctor... is there really no way? My daughter is so young. If she's left disabled, her life will be ruined."
Gao Miaozhu's eyes were swollen from crying. If Jia Danren hadn't supported her, she might have collapsed to the ground.
"No matter how much it costs, you must cure my daughter, or this hospital won't be able to operate in Rongcheng anymore." Jia Danren's tone was full of threats.
The doctor looked panicked but still answered truthfully, "Miss Zhenzhen's ankle is almost shattered. In the later stages, only braces can be implanted, but it will be difficult to recover to normal. It's also possible that our hospital's capabilities are limited. Mr. Jia can contact doctors abroad; perhaps their equipment is better."
"Daddy, Mommy, I don't want to be a cripple, I don't want to!" Jia Zhenzhen cried until her voice was hoarse. She never imagined that simply driving to the supermarket would lead to her wrists and ankles being broken by that devil-like man, Zhou Jinbai.
"You won't be. Mommy will take you to the best orthopedic hospital in the world. My daughter will never be a cripple." Gao Miaozhu sat by the hospital bed, looking at her daughter's pale face, her eyes filled with hatred for Zhou Jinbai and Lin Xingwan.
"How dare they treat you like this? I won't let them go." Gao Miaozhu stroked Jia Zhenzhen's cheek. "I'll have them killed right now."
However, as soon as Gao Miaozhu finished speaking, a subordinate rushed in from outside, his expression panicked. "Master, Madam, something bad has happened..."
"What happened?" Jia Danren asked.
"All our factories in Rongcheng have exploded, and the machines inside are destroyed. Our warehouse also caught fire. Everyone is fighting the fire now, but the losses are heavy."
"What!" Jia Danren's vision went black, and he almost fainted.
He staggered back several steps. "What did you just say?"
The subordinate repeated what he had just said. Jia Danren was hit by the same words twice, his voice trembling. "How could all the factories explode out of nowhere, and the warehouse catch fire..."
"Someone is definitely targeting us." Gao Miaozhu's tone was firm. Jia Danren could also guess what she was thinking.
"But our Jia family hasn't offended anyone recently." Jia Danren looked at Gao Miaozhu.
Gao Miaozhu shook her head repeatedly. "I've been at home for the past month. You saw it."
As the couple finished speaking, their eyes met in mid-air, and as if they had thought of something, they simultaneously cast disbelieving glances at Jia Zhenzhen.
At the same time, Jia Zhenzhen also thought of something.
"Daddy, Mommy, I haven't provoked anyone either. I just returned from traveling abroad this month. I only dealt with Liu Mengqin and Lin Xingwan. You know them; they couldn't possibly have this much power." Jia Zhenzhen felt very wronged. If either Liu Mengqin or Lin Xingwan had the ability to inflict such heavy damage on their Jia family, she would never have humiliated them like that.
"It seems I need to ask the Jia family in Yanjing about this matter." Although Jia Danren was powerful in Rongcheng, his current glory was purely due to the Jia family in Yanjing. He didn't even have the right to speak in the Yanjing Jia family. Every year, Jia Danren would offer the treasures given to him by others to the people of the Yanjing Jia family, hoping to be continuously favored by them.
Jia Danren made three phone calls before someone answered.
Jia Danren's tone was humble. Even though the person was not in front of him, he even bowed to the air. "Young Master Jia, I apologize for disturbing you so late."
"You better have a good reason, or I'll rip your head off and use it as a soccer ball." A lazy, seductive male voice came from the other end of the phone.
"Yes, yes, Young Master, you are right. If it weren't a major issue, how would I dare to bother you? Today, someone detonated all my factories in Rongcheng, and my warehouses are all on fire. Can you help me find out who is trying to kill me?"
"Jia Danren, how dare you order me to investigate things for you?" The lazy male voice was tinged with annoyance, as if Jia Danren would be beaten if he were in front of the man on the phone.
"Young Master Jia, you misunderstand. How could I dare to order you? I am your dog, loyal only to you. But as the saying goes, 'even a dog needs to look at its owner.' If they dare to deal with me, they are slapping your face." Jia Danren's face was full of fawning smiles. Jia Zhenzhen and Gao Miaozhu understood this very well. Their current life depended entirely on the Young Master Jia on the phone.
"That's true. Someone dares to hit my dog? I do want to find out who has the guts to hit my dog." With that, the other end hung up the phone.
However, soon after, the Young Master Jia called back. Before Jia Danren could speak, he was met with a torrent of scolding. "Jia Danren, you idiot! Who did you have to provoke? You provoked someone even our Jia family fears. I don't want this dog of mine anymore. You'd better pray you get a whole corpse."
Jia Danren felt as if he were in an ice cellar. His face instantly turned panicked. "Young Master Jia... What... what exactly is going on? I haven't offended anyone recently. Please, for the sake of my years of service to you, you must save me."
"Save? How can I save you? You'd better make that idiot Jia Zhenzhen fulfill the other party's demands. Perhaps there's still a sliver of hope." With that, the other end ruthlessly hung up the phone.
"Young Master Jia... Young Master Jia... Beep, beep, beep..." Jia Danren was so scared that he dropped his phone. He staggered, and even Gao Miaozhu, trying to support him, fell to the ground with him.
"It's over, it's over. We're finished. Our Jia family is finished. What do we do, what do we do?" Jia Danren stared blankly at the ceiling, repeating the same words.
"Danren, what did Young Master Jia say? Don't scare me, tell me quickly." Gao Miaozhu's heart couldn't help but become anxious as she looked at her husband's lost expression.
"Daddy, what did Young Master Jia say to you!" Jia Zhenzhen also couldn't help but ask.
"Young Master Jia said that the person targeting our Jia family this time is someone even he fears. He also said that we should prepare to die. If Zhenzhen apologizes according to the other party's requirements, perhaps our Jia family will have a slim chance of survival."
At these words, the three of them felt as if they had fallen into an abyss of despair.
Jia Zhenzhen was the first to speak. "Apologize? Apologize for what? What are the other party's demands? Did Young Master Jia really say that? Why don't we know anything?"
Gao Miaozhu suddenly remembered something and said with a trembling voice, "Do you remember... do you remember when Qin Liu brought people to our Jia family last time, and what he said?"
At this, the entire hospital room fell into an eerie silence.
After going through such a long and complicated process, the result was still Lin Xingwan and Liu Mengqin.
Jia Zhenzhen burst into tears. "I don't want to apologize to Liu Mengqin and Lin Xingwan, and I don't want to cut off my arms. Daddy, Mommy, I was wrong, I was really wrong. I'll never dare to do it again. I've already become a cripple. If I lose my arms too, I don't want to live anymore."
"Danren, we only have one daughter. Can you bear to let her become disabled?" Gao Miaozhu would never push her precious child into a fiery pit. "So what if the factories and warehouses are gone? We've saved some money over the years. At worst, we can make a comeback later."
"Ignorant! Do you think we can really escape? No matter what, we must apologize." Jia Danren then cast a grief-stricken gaze at Jia Zhenzhen.
Jia Zhenzhen felt a chill run down her spine. The man in front of her no longer seemed like her father, but like a demon. "Daddy..." Jia Zhenzhen's voice was filled with fear.
"Zhenzhen, Daddy is sorry to you."
—
The next day.
After Lin Xingwan woke up, she received a call from Lu Shiyan.
Liu Mengqin had been transferred from the intensive care unit to a regular ward that morning. After her wounds were disinfected, she would undergo a second surgery.
Lin Xingwan, overjoyed, quickly tidied herself up and asked Zhou Jinbai to drive her to the hospital.
They left in such a hurry that they didn't notice the old lady watching their departing backs and murmuring, "Jinbai, Jinbai, what you dare not do, Grandma will do for you. Whether it's life or death, we'll gamble!"
Ten minutes later, Lin Xingwan and the others arrived at the hospital. However, before they could reach the ward, they saw a crowd gathered outside the room where Liu Mengqin was staying.
Zhou Jinbai shielded Lin Xingwan behind him and struggled to move forward.
When Lin Xingwan saw the scene inside the ward clearly, she was so frightened that she hid in Zhou Jinbai's arms.