Chapter 341 – Asking For It (3)
This woman had been implying that she and Joy were ill-bred, wasn't she? Very well, she shall show her today what an ill-bred person was capable of doing.
Zhao Youlin's eyes were morose. Her apathetic face was full of coldness and contempt, even so, a different kind of charm was derived from it, holding the crowd spellbound.
Many of the people present were stunned by this very different side of Zhao Youlin. It took them a long time to snap out of their dazes. They stared in utmost surprise at the eldest daughter of the Zhao family, who had turned out completely different from the rumors.
Almost immediately, many people recalled the birthday banquet of Master Zhao a few months ago. This woman in front of them was the one who stood side by side with Master Zhao at that time.
In addition to the identity of the former wife of the president of Mu Feng Group, the current Zhao Youlin should have one more identity attached to her — the future heir of Zhao Group!
The onlookers who suddenly remembered this matter suddenly started to grow restless.
"Darn it. You...You...You... Do you know who I am? How dare you..." Zhao Youlin's incredibly arrogant demeanor angered the woman so much that her face turned a putrid red. She fixed her glare intently at Zhao Youlin, as if she could not wait to strip Zhao Youlin's flesh from her bones.
"Oh? Now that you said that, you stirred my curiosity. May I ask who exactly you are, Miss?" A hint of scorn and mockery were heard in Zhao Youlin's slightly raised tone, but unfortunately, a certain someone did not detect it at all.
When the woman heard Zhao Youlin ask her who she was, her eyes widened in disbelief. She pointed at Zhao Youlin with the other hand that was not covering her face. Her whole body was trembling with rage.
But soon, her rage subsided. She gave a cold snort in her heart and thought, 'This ill-bred, ignorant woman only dares to treat me like this probably because she does not know my identity! Once I tell her who I am, I'll just have to wait for this woman to get down on her knees and kowtow to me to apologize!"
With that on her mind, the woman opened her mouth and was going to say her identity, but Zhao Youlin was a step ahead of her and had already interrupted her.
"Forget it. I have no interest in knowing the identity of a person like you who only knows how to bark at people like a dog. The point is you maliciously insulted my son today. Consider that slap just now a lesson for you. It'll teach you to be a decent person. No need to thank me."
Upon hearing what Zhao Youlin said, the woman almost flipped out with rage on the spot. "You... So what if I insulted your son? Your son carelessly bumped into my son. Why can't I yell at him a little? Let me tell you, not only am I going to scold him, I also want him to kowtow and apologize to my son today. I want..."
Before the woman finished, the crowd heard another slap. And then, the other side of the woman's face slowly swelled up.
"You slapped me again! I'm going to kill you!" The woman touched both of her stinging cheeks and realized belatedly that she actually had been slapped again. Her face contorted immediately into one of absolute savagery. She directly lunged at Zhao Youlin in a threatening manner.
"Youlin!" Su Ruixin watched the scene with fear and trepidation from the side. She was afraid that this mad woman who was lunging at them would hurt her daughter-in-law and her precious grandson.
Before Su Ruixin could finish, the crowd present were once again stunned by the scene that took place before their eyes.
Zhao Youlin had already sensed it at the moment the woman jumped. Her eyes sharpened. She moved sideways with agile motions while Joy was in her arms and dodged that woman's lunge.
At the same time, she stretched her left leg forward, easily causing the woman to lose her balance. Due to inertia, her body flung forward, and she fell face-first to the floor.
The woman's face was already badly wounded. Now, she had fallen face-first on the floor. Even if the floor of the Song family was covered with a thick layer of carpet, it still could not stop her face from being injured severely a second time.
The woman cried out in pain and struggled to get up from the floor, though her movement was stopped by a sharp high heel.
The sharp heel of the high heel just rested against her back. The solid sensation passed through the thin fabric to the skin of her back, causing chills to creep down her spine.
The woman's whole body stiffened. She no longer dared to make even the slightest of movements. She turned her head backwards very rigidly. Her eyes followed the beautiful silver high heel upwards and saw Zhao Youlin's expressionless face.
The silence in the large hall was a little eerie. People who were originally walking and talking now autonomously formed a circle, but they did not dare to get too close.
In the center of the circle, a beautiful young woman, who was holding a very cute child in her arms, was stepping on a very pathetic-looking woman. This image looked absolutely bizarre.
After changing her baby's diaper, Su Qing had come back down. Song Yi and Mu Xiaoyang also finished discussing things and came out of the room. They saw this scene when they came downstairs.
They were stunned at the same time. Then, they quickly ran down the stairs and rushed to Su Ruixin, who had retreated to the vicinity of the encirclement at some point.
"Aunt Ruixin, what's going on?" Su Qing looked at Zhao Youlin and her son inside the circle with a worried face and asked in a low voice.
It was only then that Su Ruixin realized they had come down from upstairs. She hurriedly and briefly told them what had happened. Then, she started to look at Zhao Youlin in the distance with glowing eyes and exclaimed, "I can't believe I didn't know Youlin is actually so strong. She put down that crazy woman with just a move. She's so cool!"
Hearing his wife praise someone else as cool in front of him made Mu Xiaoyang's face turn dark. Even if that person was a woman and was his daughter-in-law, he still could not help but have his mood turn foul.
"Really? Has my cousin-in-law learned how to fight before? She's awesome!" Su Qing's eyes were glowing as well as she said in delight.
She could not help but remember the recalcitrant look on Zhao Youlin's face when she promised Mu Tingfeng to pretend as his mistress and follow him to sign the divorce agreement with Zhao Youlin.
She did not expect Zhao Youlin to be such a strong fighter. This way, if she and her cousin, who had great physical strength, had a conflict in the future and got into a fight, she wondered who would be stronger. She was so curious she was about to die of curiosity.
After hearing Su Ruixin's story, the only one who was behaving a little more like the average person was Song Yi.
His inquisitive gaze swept toward Zhao Youlin. Song Yi helplessly looked at his wife, who thrived on chaos, and reminded them in a low voice. "Shouldn't we go over and deal with it first?"
Su Qing was a little stunned. By right, when such a thing appeared at the banquet, they as the host should control the situation, but...
Su Qing suddenly caught sight of a certain figure on the opposite side through her peripheral vision. She was stunned before she smiled slightly and said, "Forget it. At times like this, the person who rescues the beauty should be a knight, and not outsiders like us."
Song Yi's eyes flickered. He followed Su Qing's gaze. A trace of understanding and interest crossed his eyes.
And just then, a middle-aged man with a fat body suddenly let out a low cry. "Hey, my baby boy, why are you sitting here crying? Who bullied you? Tell me.. Daddy will teach them a lesson for you."
Chapter 342 – President Steps In (1)
The man's condescending words reached the ears of everyone present. Zhao Youlin cocked her eyebrows and looked back while still stepping on the woman. She saw a bald man, who simply looked like an enlarged version of the little fat boy, walking up to the frightened child. He held the child in his arms and coaxed him in a low voice.
The woman who was being stepped on by Zhao Youlin's feet heard this voice, and her eyes lit up slightly. She took advantage of the gap when Zhao Youlin's attention was drawn by the man, using both her hands and knees, she broke free from Zhao Youlin's feet. Almost rolling and crawling, she rushed towards the middle-aged man.
"Honey, Honey, you have got to stand up for me!" The woman's wailing was shrill and ear-piercing. Those who were present could not help but frown and look uncomfortable when they heard it.
The middle-aged man saw a woman lunging toward him out of the blue. Not only were her cheeks awfully swollen, but there was also a bluish-purple bruise on her forehead. Looking at her miserable look, he could not help but gasp.
It took a long time before he could see the characteristics of his wife in the outline of the face of this woman. He called in an uncertain manner, "Sweetie?"
"Yes, Honey. What took you so long to come back? If you had come back even later, Ming Ming and I would have been bullied to death." The woman threw herself into the middle-aged man's arms with a handful of snot and tears, loudly declaring the grievances she had just suffered.
If this happened in usual times, a woman who threw herself sobbing into a man's arms like a weeping beauty would have already completely softened a man's heart.
Unfortunately, both of the women's cheeks were now swollen like a pig's head. There were also several bluish-purple bruises on her face from that fall just now, coupled with that a handful of snot, a handful of tears, not only could it let people feel pity for her, her face really looked frightening if one looked closely.
The middle-aged man drew a gasp. He would have already pushed the woman out of his arms if he had not had some inner strength.
When he recalled this matter afterward, the middle-aged man was consumed with immense regret. If he had known that this woman would bring himself such huge trouble, let alone pushing her away, he would be very happy even if he had joined in and stepped on her a few times.
Unfortunately, not everyone in this world had the vision. At this moment, all he could think about was this woman's background. He did not dare to show the slightest disrespect to her.
When he heard her say that someone had bullied her, he had to put on an expression like it really broke his heart, as he coaxed her. "Alright now, stop crying, Honey. It really breaks my heart to see you like this."
The situation had been better before he coaxed her. Now that he coaxed her, the woman wailed even harder.
She was a pampered and spoiled young lady, her parents doted on her at home. After she got married, her parents-in-law and husband doted on her because of her background. She always did whatever she wanted. No one had ever dared to disobey her. She had never been wronged like this before.
Seeing that someone had come to back her up, of course, she had to cry as much as she wanted to relieve her feeling of being wronged.
The two people, who were hypocritical and being mushy, had completely failed to notice that those who were watching them unanimously got goosebumps all over their bodies after hearing their conversation. All the gazes on them became more and more disdainful.
The middle-aged man was getting annoyed by the woman's cries, yet he still had to ask her in a patient manner, "Bullied? You just said someone bullied you? Who was it? Who has got the nerves to bully you like this and beat you up like this?"
Hearing his question, she immediately perked up. She pointed at Zhao Youlin, who was standing not far away, and said with an indignant look on her face, "It was her. That nasty woman's wretched boy bumped into our Ming Ming. I only scolded her a little, and she beat me up like this!"
Hearing the woman call Zhao Youlin and Joy nasty woman and a wretched boy, Su Ruixin and the others' faces darkened.
Yet the man continued to add fuel to the fire. He turned around and shouted at Zhao Youlin, "You were the one who hit my wife? You've got a lot of nerves. Do you know who I am and who my wife is? My brother-in-law and I can kill you with just a snap of our fingers. If you know what's good for you, you'd better apologize to my wife now, or else..."
"Or else, what would you do to my wife and son, Mr. Zhang?" The cold and magnetic voice carried some kind of inexplicable power, causing everyone present to shiver uncontrollably.
The crowd that originally gathered around the periphery of Zhao Youlin and the others almost subconsciously gave way to the man who was giving off a chilling aura.
Zhao Youlin was a little stunned as well when she heard that voice. Before she could react, a pair of hands had reached out from behind her. It grabbed her waist and pulled her back a little. Then, she crashed into a familiar embrace with Joy in her arms.
Zhao Youlin stiffened a little. She looked up at the man who suddenly appeared behind her and called out in a low voice, "Mu Tingfeng..."
Joy, who was in Zhao Youlin's arms, raised his head with some curiosity. He studied the man who suddenly hugged him and his mother and had a serious look on his face.
He had seen this man bully his mother several times before, but this time he did not seem to be here to bully her, but he was here to protect him and his mother?
The naive Joy stared at the man who lent a helping hand for the first time when he and his mother were in trouble. His big eyes were full of surprise.
Little did Mu Tingfeng know that his timely appearance had made his precious son like him a little bit more. He gave Zhao Youlin an assuring look, implying Zhao Youlin that she did not need to worry about this matter, he could handle it himself.
If it was said that Zhao Youlin had brought surprise to the crowd when she hit people just now, then what Mu Tingfeng's sudden appearance at this moment had brought to the crowd could really be called a shock.
Mu Tingfeng was courting Zhao Youlin. This matter was only known by their own families and the onlooker Mighty Secretary Xia. The outside world's impression of their relationship still superficially remained fixated on their divorce from back then.
As for the only two people who were fortunate enough to hear Mu Ting Feng's own words about remarrying Zhao Youlin, one had already been sent abroad, and the other and Zhao Youlin could now be considered mortal enemies, so it was naturally impossible for her to publicize such things in the first place to help raise Zhao Youlin's popularity outside.
Therefore, when everyone heard Mu Tingfeng's words and saw Mu Tingfeng intimately hugging Zhao Youlin and their child while gazing icily at the couple in front of them, most of them thought they were hallucinating.
Mu Tingfeng actually hugged the ex-wife he loathed in front of everyone and bluntly declared to everyone that they were his wife and child. Were they the ones who had gone crazy? Or had the world gone crazy?
But it turned out that no one was crazy and everything was really happening!
The first to react was the miserable woman who was nestled in her husband's arms crying miserably. Her pair of eyes widened to the limit. She looked at Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng, who were hugging each other closely, it was like she had seen a monster.
Her trembling fingers pointed at the two. Then, on the edge of total collapse, she asked, "Wife.... wife and child, aren't...aren't you two divorced?"
Chapter 343 – President Steps In (2)
Mu Tingfeng's eyes became austere. What he hated most now was when people brought up the matter of his divorce from Zhao Youlin. And this woman undoubtedly had a death wish.
Mighty Secretary Xia, who has been watching since he came out of the toilet after hearing the commotion, gave an incredibly sympathetic look to that woman.
After insulting the President's son and trying to attack the President's ex-wife, that woman had even stepped on a landmine. She was obviously committing suicide.
He had crossed so many bottom lines of President. One could only imagine that this woman's life after this would...tsk tsk...
"It is true that we are divorced, but..." Mu Tingfeng paused a moment and let it hang for effect. As expected, after seeing the couple slightly heave a sigh of relief, he added with a sick sense of humor, "That was just to spice up our relationship. "
"Spice up your relationship?" The relaxed smile of the bald man with a fat body froze hard on his face.
"Pfff..." Su Qing was still holding the baby in her arms. When she heard Mu Tingfeng's words, she could not help but directly spurt out a laugh.
"Hahahaha! What did Cousin Tingfeng just say? Spice up their relationship? He actually said the phrase spice up their relationship? I'm losing it. I'm really going to die from laughing! Is this still my cousin who has a poker face and does not know anything? Could he have been swapped by a doppelganger? No, that's not the point. The point is that this guy actually said that his divorce with Youlin was just to spice up their relationship. Can you be any wilder, Cousin Tingfeng? I'm losing it. Hahaha!"
Su Qing laughed so hard that even her stomach hurt at the end. She was afraid that she would lose strength and drop her son to the ground. With her child still in her arms, she stepped closer into Song Yi's embrace, letting him help support them.
What Su Qing said was undoubtedly what everyone was thinking about in their mind. Using divorce to spice up their relationship? No one had ever heard of it before! Was President Mu treating other people as idiots?
But the rules of this world were like this. The higher-ups wanted to coax them like they were fools, while they had to pretend to be a fool and listen to them attentively.
Just like now, even if what Mu Tingfeng said was really absurd and bizarre, even if it was really hard for them to believe it, but this sentence had come out of Mu Tingfeng's mouth, so they could only believe it!
Mu Tingfeng coldly swept a glance at the man, who was an eyesore. He seemed to be very upset with his questioning, as he said in a cold manner, "That's right. This was just to spice up the relationship between us. We have been married for four years. We were getting a little bored, so we thought of reliving the wedding."
Reliving the wedding? Did President Mu mean that the two of them divorced solely for the purpose of getting married again and having another wedding? Did that mean that...
Zhao Youlin nestled in Mu Tingfeng's embrace, listening to Mu Tingfeng's nonsense...while he had a calm look on his face. The corners of her mouth could not help but twitch.
In order not to let anyone see her strange reaction, she had to bury her face on top of her child's shoulder, to hide the utterly speechless look on her face.
Darn in, this rascal still liked to do whatever he wanted. Joy was still here. How dare he announce this kind of thing in front of so many people!
The last time he said this, only Sun Fengzi and her husband were present. It was easy to deceive them, but there were so many people here. Was this rascal trying to use a fait accompli tactic, forcing her to say yes to him and marry him through these people, without having to go through Joy? In your dreams!
Mu Tingfeng was unaware that his charismatic statement had caused Zhao Youlin to bear a fresh grudge against him again. He swept his gaze across the faces of the people present. After he saw the faces of the crowd, who were looking at him and Zhao Youlin, were tinged with a little shock, and only then he spoke to confirm the suspicions in their hearts while shattering the last bit of hope of that couple.
"In a short while, my wife and I will have another wedding. We will inform everyone by then. I hope that you will be able to attend. But let's put aside this matter for now, we can still talk about it later. Now..." Mu Tingfeng's cold stare swept back and fixed on the couple again, whose faces were now pale and their bodies were covered with cold sweat. "Chairman Zhang, you seemed to be saying you want my wife to apologize to your wife just now?"
Who is your wife! When Zhao Youlin heard what Mu Tingfeng called her, her face darkened. And her hand, the one that was not holding Joy, just reached out to Mu Tingfeng's waist and pinched it fiercely!
Mu Tingfeng felt the sharp pain coming from his waist. His eyebrows cocked slightly. He grabbed Zhao Youlin's aggressive hand in front of everyone and said in a resigned manner, "No playing now. We will talk when we go back later."
Who's playing with you! Zhao Youlin became even angrier at these words, but she was also clear that now was not the best time to argue with Mu Tingfeng, so she only glared at him indignantly and did not move any further.
Zhao Youlin had only pinched him because she was angry and wanted to teach Mu Tingfeng a lesson, but she did not know that in the eyes of others, Zhao Youlin was angry because of what had just happened and was sulking with Mu Tingfeng.
Yet despite her tantrum, President still listened to her and went along with it. He let her do whatever she wanted, even the way he talked to her was full of a doting manner like he could not help it. It was simply impossible to believe that they did not truly love each other.
Zhao Youlin certainly did not know that her pinching, which she only did to vent her dissatisfaction, had actually confirmed the adulterous affair between her and Mu Tingfeng.
Su Qing covered her eyes spontaneously when she saw that scene. She wailed and said, "I can't take it anymore. I can't take it anymore. This public display of affection is truly blinding people's eyes. Why haven't I noticed before you're actually a sultry type, Cousin Tingfeng? I really misjudged you!"
It was a good thing that Su Qing's voice was low. Mu Tingfeng and Zhao Youlin were standing far away from her, so they did not hear any of it. Otherwise, the expression on their faces might have gotten really interesting.
Compared to Su Qing's side, which was full of a happy atmosphere and wild imaginations, the couple whose confidence was shattered after they were scared by Mu Tingfeng's question, looked at the interaction between Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng, their faces became even more grim.
The reason why this vicious woman had dared to be so condescending and commanding before Zhao Youlin just now was because she believed that Zhao Youlin had been abandoned and disliked by Mu Tingfeng. So even if she bullied her, Mu Tingfeng would not come after her for what she did for her.
But now, reality had slapped her hard in the face. Mu Tingfeng not only did not dislike Zhao Youlin and abandoned her, on the contrary, he still liked her a lot and doted on her very much. He was pampering this woman, who he had divorced long ago, like a woman he truly loved.
Although her husband was the chairman of a company, it was just a small and little-known company. If put into comparison with Mu Tingfeng's company, the gap between them was as great as the distance between heaven and earth, clouds and muds.
And the reason she was able to go around offending people without any fear, without any worry that people would get back at her, was entirely because her younger sister had been lucky enough to be married to a big shot.
And this big shot, her brother-in-law, was the mayor of Shalnork.
Because of this relationship, everyone in the upper-class society had to show her a little respect. Even if she really did something that went out of line, no one would dare to say a word.. However, Mu Tingfeng and the four most powerful families were not included.
Chapter 344 – President Steps In (3)
Although Mu Tingfeng seemed like he was just a businessman out of the outside, the inextricable connections he had behind were a constant reminder to all that this man ... was more than just a businessman.
She had offended Mu Tingfeng here today. If she could not make peace with him today, even her brother-in-law would not be able to protect her. In fact, he would also be mad at them because of this matter!
The bald middle-aged man had obviously thought of this as well. His face was miserably pale. His trembling fat cheeks somehow put on an ingratiating smile. Then, he said hastily to Mu Tingfeng, "President Mu, this... is a misunderstanding. Just a misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" Mu Tingfeng's stern and almond-shaped eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'd really like to hear what kind of misunderstanding this is."
Before My Tingfeng could finish, the woman hurriedly interjected, "President Mu, this is indeed a misunderstanding. Just now, I suddenly heard my child's cries and when I ran over, I found that the young master from President Mu's family had bumped into our Mingming. It was just a little scuffle between the kids, bumping into each other. When I saw the kid crying so miserably, as I was really anxious, I got a little worked up and offended Miss Zhao. President Mu, Miss Zhao, for the sake that I was just worrying about my kid, I hope you can be gracious and forgive my rudeness and impudence."
The woman tried her best to put on a smile. She attempted to use her child as an excuse to exonerate herself.
Unfortunately, her face looked really miserable. So when she smiled, instead of making people feel appeased with her, it actually frightened people.
Zhao Youlin heard what the woman said, and a trace of sarcasm crossed her eyes. Before Mu Tingfeng showed up, this woman had kept calling her son a wretched boy. After Mu Tingfeng showed up, her way of addressing Joy and herself had upgraded to young master and Miss Zhao. This woman really knew how to distort the truth.
What Mu Tingfeng cared more about than the name-calling was another thing revealed in the woman's words. "You said that it was my son who bumped into your son?"
The woman met Mu Tingfeng's eyes, which were overflowing with a cold aura. Her heart trembled, but she still gritted her teeth and affirmed, "Yes... yes!"
Mu Tingfeng coldly glared at the woman for a while, before he turned to the little fat boy who was hiding behind the middle-aged man with a scared look on his face. "Did my son bump into you just now?"
*Whimper. The little fat boy was so scared that he almost broke out in tears. He did not dare to answer at all.
The woman saw this and shouted anxiously from the side. "Ming Ming, say something! Tell the truth, who bumped into you just now?"
When the little fat boy saw his mother encouraging him on the side, he held his tongue for quite a while before he timidly replied, "It was him. He bumped into me."
The woman was overjoyed. She turned her head to look at Mu Tingfeng. "President Mu, you heard that, right? It's your..."
The woman's voice halted as a cold and chill aura suddenly emerged from Mu Tingfeng's body. A daunting smile was seen on his cold face. "How old is my son? And how old is your son? Does my son look like he can knock down your son? You really think everyone is an idiot, don't you?"
It...It's there! President's dark smile would only show up when he was infuriated to the extreme. The legendary mysterious smile that could make a child cry in complete terror, had appeared at this moment.
Mighty Secretary Xia, who was frightened to the extent that he almost had a cardiac arrest, took a few steps back in silence, in order to avoid being hit by a flying bullet. Every time after President put on this smile, he would definitely start unleashing hell!
He had not seen President smile like this for many years. Hmmm, so scary.
The last time he saw President smiling like this seemed to be when a daughter of a small company's president kept rubbing herself against him as they were discussing a contract. After President put on this smile, that company went bankrupt. The family was ruined. The woman was being hunted down because of the bad deeds she did before. In the end, she had a car accident and died on the street. It was really pathetic!
Given how things were going on now, this family's fate would not end well as well.
'However, President, did you forget that Young Master Joy is still in your arms? Aren't you afraid that you would scare him?'
Though Xia Zhetao guessed it wrong this time. When Joy saw the look on Mu Tingfeng's face, although he was a little panicked, he knew that this man was mad because he had been bullied. So he felt less frightened and more happy, and even... He tried to take the initiative to open his mouth and clarified, "I did not... I did not..."
"Yes?" The first to hear Joy's mumbling was Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng, as one of them was holding him in her arms, while the other one was wrapping his arms around Zhao Youlin and was close to him. They looked down together at the same time, studying inquiringly at the child, who was mumbling to himself.
Joy felt the two gazes on him. His tiny mouth suddenly pouted. Then, he shouted, "I did not bump into him. I did not bump into him. It was him who bumped into me. It was him who bumped into me. *Crying. I was obediently standing right where I was to wait for Grandma Su to come back. It was him who suddenly ran over and bumped into me. He knocked me down, and also knocked all the small snacks that Grandma Su gave me to the ground. *Crying."
Joy's sudden outburst was unexpected by everyone. Zhao Youlin was the most surprised one, and perhaps the happiest of them all.
Joy had been cautious and careful in doing everything because he had been ignored in Mu Family in those few years. Whenever he was wronged, he always kept it to himself and never dared to speak out.
But today he dared to shout out his grievances and defend himself in front of everyone, which she must say was a very big step forward.
Thinking of this, Zhao Youlin could not help but glance at Mu Tingfeng, who was somewhat at a loss because of Joy's cries. Joy would have such a change today, could it be because of this man?
Zhao Youlin was very upset as she swept a glare at Mu Tingfeng. She could not deny that she was really a little jealous.
*Crying. "I did not bump into him. I did not, I did not..." Joy was unaware of what kind of conflicting feelings his crying had brought to his mother. He kept shouting in a low voice, as if he was trying to vent all the grievances he had been feeling at this moment.
"Okay, okay. I know you are a good boy, Joy. Stop crying, Joy." Zhao Youlin hugged Joy and kissed him a few times, coaxing him in a low voice.
Su Ruixin could really feel her heart ache when she heard Joy's crying. If she had not left suddenly just now, her precious grandson would not have been wronged like this. Not only was he knocked over by someone, but he was also being framed as well. Yhis family was so horrible!
At that moment, she did not care about anything else. She stepped forward and took Joy's hand, as she coaxed him. "I know you're a good boy, Joy. You wouldn't bump into others. Stop crying, Joy. It really breaks my heart to see you crying."
"Grandma Su..."
The two women were busy coaxing Joy when Mu Tingfeng made a shocking remark that made everyone present startled again. "Mom, you and Youlin take Joy to the side to rest for a while.. I'll be there with you in a moment after I deal with some things."
Chapter 345 – Little Demon King (1)
When Mu Tingfeng called out "Mom", it was like thunder exploding right in front of everyone. Generally speaking, there were only two people who could make Mu Tingfeng call them mother, one was his own mother, and the other was his wife's mother.
But there was only one person surnamed Su who could make him call her mother, that was Mu Tingfeng's own mother, the current headmistress of the Mu family!
The face of the woman, who gritted her teeth in anger because Joy had suddenly shouted words of rebuttal, now became completely pale after hearing Mu Tingfeng called "Mom".
This woman turned out to be Mu Family's Mrs. Mu, who had been living abroad, the Grandma Su that brought him a lot of things to eat, according to that kid just now. And she had just mocked that kid as an ill-bred beggar, isn't that equivalent to her indirectly insulting Mrs. Mu as an ill-bred?
Realizing this, the woman's entire body began to tremble.
First, it was President Mu's wife and child, then it was his own mother. Now, she had basically offended President Mu's entire family.
After the crowd returned to their senses from Mu Tingfeng's call of "Mom", those gazes that were fixed at the woman were now tinged with inquisition and hesitation.
A few seconds later, someone in the crowd had started to say something. A loud shout just came out among them. "I saw it just now. It was not that little kid who bumped into the big kid, it was the big kid who ran over and bumped into the little kid."
Following the first person, the others, whether they saw it or not, did not want to be left behind as they started to echo.
"That's right, that's right, I saw it too. President Mu's son was clearly standing obediently at the spot, it was that little fat boy who rushed over and knocked him down."
"That's right, that's right. President Mu's son is so pitiful. He is so tiny. When he was knocked down by that fat boy, it must have been really painful."
"Exactly, I saw that the kid was being knocked down so hard that he even went rolling on the floor. Fortunately, there is a carpet on the floor, otherwise, no one knows how badly he could have gotten hurt!"
"That's right. The kid did not even know what was going on after he was knocked over. That little fat boy just started crying on his own, as if he had been bullied by someone. After his mother came, he also lied to her that he was the one who had been knocked down. What a bad upbringing."
"That fat boy's mother was also wrong. She determined that her kid was knocked down by other people's kids without asking it first. She should have seen the size of her own kid and the size of other people's kid."
"..."
All kinds of voices were coming in, targeting that mother and son unanimously.
Zhao Youlin was comforting Joy while listening to various versions of those people's criticism and mockery. A faint trace of irony crossed her eyes.
This world did not lack people who kicked someone when they were down. When she came out to pick up Joy and confront the woman, none of these people had stepped out to say a word for them.
Now that they saw Mu Tingfeng, they were like butterflies mingling around flowers, jumping out one by one to testify for them without having to be asked, which was really ironic.
Zhao Youlin understood that. Mu Tingfeng, who had been involved in the business industry for so many years, was also well aware that these people were trying to please him. They were afraid that he would take it out on them, as they were just standing beside and did nothing to help.
Mu Tingfeng ignored the loud murmur of these people. He turned his head and coldly looked at the three members of the family whose faces were now pale. "What else do you have to say?"
"I..." The woman was just about to speak when the middle-aged man suddenly shouted, "Shut up!"
The woman's eyes widened instantly. Having been married for so long, her husband had always been subservient to her. He was always gentle and considerate. He had never yelled at her like this before.
But soon she understood the current situation. She reluctantly lowered her head and said nothing more, but she secretly planned to teach him a lesson when they went home later!
The middle-aged man heaved a sigh when he saw that the woman did not act up on the spot. He smiled so much that his eyes narrowed into a line. He flatteringly stepped forward and said, "As his parents, this is our fault indeed. It was just a little fight between the kids, yet it has escalated into such a huge scene. I will apologize to you here, President Mu. I hope you will be generous and forgive us this time."
This man was implying that this was just a scuffle between the kids and he should not make a big deal out of it? Mu Tingfeng's eyes flickered with coldness. He said icily, "What if I don't want to?"
The middle-aged man did not expect Mu Tingfeng to not give him face at all, in the way he had directly shot down his peace offer. His face went from pale to green, and green to purple. It was really interesting.
Just when the man was thinking about a way for himself to save face and get out of this predicament, a powerful barking sound broke the silence in the hall.
Everyone at the banquet was simultaneously dumbfounded. They glanced at each other and thought with incomparable amazement who was the big shot character that had brought their dog to the banquet.
Most importantly, those guards outside did not even stop the dog's owner from entering!
"Woof woof woof..." The loud barking again could be heard again in the direction of the gate, interspersed with a girl's annoyed and disdainful whining.
"Mu Wanting! Can't you tell that stupid dog of yours to shut up? It's barking so much every day. It's making my ears go deaf. It's really annoying. I'm going kill it and make a dog meat hotpot one day!"
"Don't you dare! This dog is a birthday gift from Uncle Tingfeng! Ling Yuemei, if you dare to kill it and make a dog meat hotpot with it, I am going to kill you!"
The crowd at the banquet followed the sound and saw two little girls, aged around five or six, yelling at each other. Behind them stood a fierce Tibetan mastiff that was taller than them!
The barking just now had come from this Tibetan Mastiff.
Joy nestled in Zhao Youlin's arms, his face looked miserable after all that crying. He was comforted by Su Ruixin and the others, who were feeling bad for him.
When he heard a familiar sound, he raised his head suddenly and looked at one of the two girls at the gate. He called, "Sister Xiao Mei."
Joy's voice was not very loud, but the entire hall was quiet at this moment because of the appearance of the Tibetan mastiff, so Joy's call easily reached the ears of Ling Yuemei and the other girl.
"Huh? Did I just hear Joy's voice?" Ling Yuemei, who was arguing with Mu Wanting, paused. She frowned and stopped arguing. Then, she turned around to look.
After seeing Zhao Youlin and Joy, who was in her arms, her eyes suddenly lit up. She left behind Mu Wanting and Ling Ran who had been forced to escort them here. She rushed straight toward Zhao Youlin and the others. "Aunt Zhao, Joy."
Zhao Youlin was stunned to see Ling Yuemei. Only when Ling Yuemei ran in front of her did she smile slightly and greeted her in a low voice. "Xiao Mei, are you here for the banquet?"
"Yes, yes, are you here for the banquet too, Aunt Zhao and Joy? Wonderful.. Joy, come down and play with me. Hey, Joy, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
Chapter 346 – Little Demon King (2)
Ling Yuemei had only focused on Joy (Zhao's son!) since the beginning and did not notice that something had gone wrong with the atmosphere at the banquet. When she raised her hand to ask Joy to come down and play with her, she saw his reddened eyes at close proximity as well as his lifeless-looking expression. It was only then that she realized something unusual had happened. Her face instantly darkened. "Joy, did someone bully you? Tell me, I'll help you beat him up so that you can let off the steam!"
As soon as Ling Yuemei finished speaking, Ling Ran, who was following close behind her, heaved a sigh in resignation. "Ling Yuemei, you are a girl. How could a girl always use force and resort to violent means to solve issues? Be careful, no one would want to marry you in the future, and you'd end up alone for the rest of your life."
In response, Ling Ran's own young niece glared at him with incredible disdain. "I'm not going to be like a certain one who is approaching thirties, but hasn't gotten a wife and is still a virgin!"
Her harsh words were like a sharp arrow that pierced straight into Ling Ran's heart. Ling Ran pointed at Ling Yuemei with a trembling finger. "You... You... You..."
Ling Ran stammered for some time. He stretched out his hand to cradle his chest, as if he was Caesar and had just been betrayed by Brutus. He suffered a total defeat!
"Mr. Ling? You and Xiao Mei..." Zhao Youlin's gaze moved back and forth between Ling Ran and Ling Yuemei. A hint of surprise showed up on her face.
"Ms. Zhao, you're here too! Yuemei... She's my niece, my elder brother's daughter. My elder brother and my sister-in-law are in the military. As such, Yuemei is under my care now."
"Under your care? Since when? It's clear as day that I'm the one taking care of you. If I am under your care, I would have died in a ditch now. Hmph!"
"Ling! Yue! Mei!" Ling Ran gritted his teeth as he stared at Ling Yuemei. How he wished he could stuff his niece, who always pulled the rug from under his feet, back into his sister-in-law's belly to recreate another being!
His elder brother was a serious man, while his elder sister-in-law was a gentle and thoughtful lady. He wondered why they had given birth to such a deviant! It was as if she came from another planet! It was truly a family misfortune!
Ling Ran and Ye Yan liked to attend various banquets among the upper-class society. Many people on the spot had learned of his identity. The moment they heard the way he made the introduction, they quickly understood what he was saying and realized that the child who had charged toward Zhao Youlin and her son was actually the precious daughter of the Ling family's eldest young master, who was the one with outstanding military achievements.
When the guests heard that Ling Yuemei wanted to avenge Joy, they immediately understood that the young princess, who was the apple of the eye of the Ling family, had a very close bond with Zhao Youlin's son.
Within an instant, the way the crowd looked at Zhao Youlin and her son changed again.
This woman and her son had been acknowledged by Mu Tingfeng and the Mu family. They also had a good relationship with the Ling family, who was one of the four greatest families. They were not as simple as they appeared to be!
Based on these two points alone, as long as they were not idiots, in the future, the upper-class society no longer dared to confront the mother-son duo recklessly and look for trouble like that woman just now.
At that moment, unbeknownst to Zhao Youlin, her inexplicably confusing network had caught the others by surprise and shocked them as well. Upon hearing Ling Ran's explanation, only then did she recall he had once mentioned that he still had an elder brother in his family during their blind date last time.
However, she never thought his elder brother would have a child of this age. She was also Joy's current classmate, as well as his good friend. One had to say, this was truly a pleasant surprise.
The moment Mu Tingfeng saw a man getting close with Zhao Youlin and also chatting so happily with her, he furrowed his eyebrows. He immediately cast aside the couple that he terrorized so much that they were about to die of fear and walked toward Zhao Youlin. He wrapped his arms around Zhao Youlin's waist with a strong sense of possessiveness. He cocked one of his eyebrows as he asked, "Ling Ran?"
Ling Ran was stunned upon seeing Mu Tingfeng's sudden appearance. He subconsciously cast a cursory glance at Mu Tingfeng's hand, which he had wrapped around Zhao Youlin's waist. It gave off a strong sense of ownership. Ling Ran's eyebrows twitched.
On top of that, despite the fact that Mu Tingfeng had definitely stepped out of bounds, Zhao Youlin did not refuse him at all. She merely glared at him sulkily.
Judging from Mu Tingfeng's current attitude toward Zhao Youlin alone, he was leading way ahead of his good buddy. It looked like his best buddy really stood no chance this time.
At that moment, little did Ling Ran know that Ye Yan had also been invited to the banquet today. Moreover, he had already entered the living hall a few minutes before Ling Ran and the rest did.
However, at that time, everyone gathered their attention on Zhao Youlin and the rest of her group. They did not notice that someone had entered through the door from outside and hid among the shadows of the crowd.
From afar, Ye Yan watched as Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng hugged each other intimately. Zhao Youlin was also holding Joy in her arms. He unwittingly clenched his hands, which were dangling by his side. He refused to accept this, and it showed in his eyes.
After a brief moment, he slowly turned around and retreated into deeper darkness before he left quietly.
Ling Ran smiled dryly. He greeted Mu Tingfeng, "Young Master Mu, nice to meet you."
Mu Tingfeng stared at Ling Ran for some time before he turned his head around and asked Zhao Youlin, "You guys know each other?"
"Urm..." 'If I were to say the person in front of me was actually my blind date last time, I wonder how he would react to this.'
Zhao Youlin surveyed her surroundings before she decided not to take the risk. She faked a cough and explained to him, "Mr. Ling's niece is Joy's kindergarten classmate."
"Yes, yes, yes. That's right." Mu Tingfeng's cold stare was threatening, and it was also a warning. Ling Ran felt his back had been stabbed with something sharp under his stare. Upon hearing Zhao Youlin's words, he quickly continued along with the conversation and drew a clear line between them.
Mu Tingfeng sized Ling Ran up. He furrowed his eyebrows. Apparently, he did not quite believe in Ling Ran's words.
Just then, another child's voice rose from behind and interrupted the adults' conversations.
"Uncle!" The girl's child-like voice carried a hint of pure joy.
Zhao Youlin and the rest looked in the direction where the voice came from. They were greeted by the sight of a small figure in purple color rushing toward them. She threw herself and reached Mu Tingfeng's legs.
"Who is she?" As Zhao Youlin watched the girl who was about the same age as Ling Yuemei, she asked in puzzlement.
"My cousin's daughter, Mu Wanting. Wanting, this is your aunt and cousin." Mu Tingfeng looked down and cast a glance at Mu Wanting before he briefly introduced Zhao Youlin and her son to his niece.
The corners of Zhao Youlin's lips twitched. She forcibly held back the urge of slapping Mu Tingfeng's head. She glared at him fiercely. How dare this rascal introduce herself to the child like this?!
"Aunt and cousin?" The smile on Mu Wanting's face turned stiff. Her small face tensed up. She sized Zhao Youlin and Joy up for a moment and said unhappily, "Uncle, aren't you already divorced? I don't have an aunt and cousin."
"That's right. Both of us have already divorced. Who are we to be called her aunt and cousin? Hmph..."
Mu Tingfeng thought to himself. 'Did the lass purposely come here to cause me trouble?'
Chapter 347 – Mistaken For Being A Seductress (1)
While Mu Tingfeng was being careless in his words, Zhao Youlin seized the opportunity by bending her right hand agilely and elbowing his stomach swiftly, accurately, and mercilessly. Mu Tingfeng grunted in pain and let go of his hand that he had wrapped around Zhao Youlin's waist.
Zhao Youlin dodged Mu Tingfeng in a flash and moved out of his arms.
Even though Zhao Youlin had spoken very softly, the people who stood close to them had heard her words.
Mu Wanting was young, but she grew up in the main residence and met many people from various backgrounds. Therefore, she became mature rapidly. How could she not understand Zhao Youlin's hint of scorn and mockery in her words?
As such, she became even more unhappy. In her eyes, Uncle Tingfeng was a very capable man, and he was the epitome of a perfect man. He was the one whom she admired the most, and she looked up to him. Even her parents did not weigh as much as him in her heart.
However, this woman had actually dared to talk to Uncle Tingfeng with such a tone. Besides, judging from her frail and meek-looking appearance, she must have been the same kind of stupid woman who had endeared herself to him asking for pleasures. A woman like this was not worthy of Uncle Tingfeng. Seeing that this woman was so pretentious, she truly could not bear with her anymore!
As Mu Wanting thought of this, Zhao Youlin grew increasingly displeasing in her eyes. She immediately called her beloved dog, "Hobbit, bite her."
The crowd had been discussing Ling Yuemei and Mu Wanting's appearance. Upon hearing Mu Wanting's abrupt shout, they were once again struck dumb. Before they even had time to make quips about her giving such a bizarre name for a large Tibetan Mastiff, the large dog which had been following her obediently charged toward Zhao Youlin agilely.
"Ahhh...!" The cowardly women at the side were shocked to watch such a terrifying scene and they screamed in high-pitched voices.
Mu Tingfeng was the closest to this. However, at that moment, he was caught off guard and missed out on a good opportunity.
As Zhao Youlin watched that doy which was pouncing at her, her expression changed slightly. She reflexively took two steps back and coincidentally touched a silver spoon left behind by someone else.
Zhao Youlin narrowed her eyes. She bit her lips. With one hand holding Joy, who had been terrorized by the scene, and the other hand holding the spoon, she seized the opportunity and struck the dog's soft spot on its neck as it lunged at her.
The Tibetan Mastiff growled in pain. Its frightening, ferocious mouth was widely opened. Zhao Youlin quickly flung the spoon into its mouth and it was stuck in the dog's mouth in a vertical manner. The fierce animal immediately lost its edge which it had taken pride in.
Zhao Youlin's action had given some time for Mu Tingfeng to react to the situation. While the Tibetan Mastiff was groaning bitterly with its mouth open, Mu Tingfeng had already grabbed its hind limbs, cast it and sent it flying to the other miserable side before it was about to pounce on Zhao Youlin with its paws stretching forward. The dog had the table and various things on it flipped over, creating a huge mess and turning the commotion into an instant uproar.
"Wanting, what are you doing again?!" A woman's high-pitched shriek blended into the chaotic banquet. A hint of indignation was clearly identified from her tone.
Mu Tingfeng furrowed his eyebrows. He ignored the loud scream. Instead, he went up to Zhao Youlin. He grabbed her hand and asked, "How are you and Joy?"
Zhao Youlin shook her head. She reached out and caressed Joy's small head. She comforted her son, who had been shocked twice overnight, in a low voice.
At that moment, she regretted very much coming to the banquet which had resulted in her son suffering so many traumatic moments.
As Zhao Youlin was dealing with her own remorse and fury, little did she know that, on the other side, Song Yi's eyes had lit up upon watching the way she had tackled the Tibetan Mastiff. The way he looked at Zhao Youlin grew increasingly profound.
After Mu Tingfeng had confirmed that Zhao Youlin and her son were safe and sound, his face turned dark, and he was about to give a piece of his mind to a certain rascal who had no idea what she had done. Just then, the tiny figure in purple jerked past him and lunged at Zhao Youlin. She clung to Zhao Youlin's thigh tightly and her eyes sparkled as she yelled, "Aunt Youlin, you were very powerful and awesome just now! I like you very much! Could you teach me, please?"
Mu Tingfeng fell speechless.
Mu Wanting's parents who had arrived belatedly also felt speechless.
The dumbfounded crowd was rendered speechless.
Likewise, the dumbstruck Zhao Youlin, who had someone clinging on her thigh all of a sudden, was speechless.
What was wrong with this kid? A few seconds ago, she had shown such a strong sense of hostility toward her and even had her dog bite her. Now, she actually ran over to her and clung on her thigh intimately while saying she liked her? Were the kids nowadays very skillful in acting? Also, what the heck was with her calling her aunt?!
Zhao Youlin gritted her teeth. She wished to toss the bizarre rascal, who was clinging on her thigh tightly like an octopus, outside. However, she was reminded that she was only a six-year-old kid. If she were to toss her out, she would barely survive.
As Zhao Youlin was in her dilemma, she cast an angry glance at Mu Tingfeng. Her gaze was akin to saying this was his so-called amiable niece!
Mu Tingfeng, who had been dragged into a trap innocently out of nowhere thought to himself. 'How does this have anything to do with me?!'
"Aunt Youlin, Aunt Youlin, Aunt Youlin! Are you angry with me because of the incident that happened a while ago? Aunt Youlin, don't ignore me. When I saw you in Uncle Tingfeng's arms, you looked like a... seductress! Yes, you looked like a seductress as shown on the television drama! After that, I also noticed the way you talked to Uncle Tingfeng. I couldn't bear to watch it anymore so... Aunt Youlin, I never thought you were so awesome! It's my fault. I was wrong. Aunt Youlin, please don't hate me. Please don't ignore me!"
A child's world was fairly simple and absurd as well. Mu Tingfeng was Mu Wanting's most admirable uncle ever since she was young. As such, Mu Wanting inexplicably had a strong sense of possessiveness over him. She felt that only someone who was equally as good and capable as him was worthy of pairing up with him.
However, today, Mu Tingfeng abruptly told her that this frail-looking woman who appeared out of nowhere was her aunt. Therefore, she had instantly burst out in anger.
However, reality showed her that she was wrong. This woman was not weak at all. In fact, she was very capable! She was just as capable as her uncle!
Mu Tingfeng always admired people who were incredibly powerful. This was more or less related to the environment where she grew up. This was also the reason why she liked Mu Tingfeng.
Therefore, when she saw that Zhao Youlin could beat Hobbit in such a dashing manner, resulting in it suffering so miserably, she decided to overturn her previous dissatisfaction. The way she looked at Zhao Youlin was akin to looking at a shiny creature.
One had to say, the Mu family's trait of shamelessness was truly genetic. Mu Wanting clung onto Zhao Youlin's thigh so tightly and did not let it go even if it cost her her life. She looked expectantly at Zhao Youlin with her large eyes. She decided that she would not let go of her by all means so long as Zhao Youlin did not agree to her.
When Zhao Youlin heard Mu Wanting's explanation, the veins on her forehead were popping visibly once again.. A seductress? How on earth did she look like a seductress?! Also, what was wrong with her speaking to Mu Tingfeng in such a manner?! After all, this was not her first time speaking to Mu Tingfeng like this! It was already too late for her to make her appearance and fight for Mu Tingfeng's justice now.
Chapter 348 – Mistaken For Being A Seductress (2)
Zhao Youlin ground her molars. The thought of tossing this lass outside only intensified.
"I'm sorry. We've spoiled Wanting and have caused you trouble. Did you hurt yourself just now? Do you need to do a medical check-up in the hospital? I'm really sorry..." Upon hearing Mu Wanting's words, Duan Huaixue had more or less learned of the entire story. She cast a glance at her daughter with a headache and nervously apologized to Zhao Youlin.
Zhao Youlin was stunned. Looking at the gentle woman who had abruptly run over to her, she had assumed that the woman was related to Mu Wanting, as well as a family member of the Mu family. She immediately cast a questioning glance at Mu Tingfeng.
A hint of a smile flashed across Mu Tingfeng's eyes. He shouted at Duan Huaixue and the man who was following behind her, "My dear sister-in-law and cousin, they are my wife and son."
Duan Huai Xue and Mu Ruyao froze. They looked at him strangely. They knew that Mu Tingfeng had divorced. But, they did not know that he was courting his ex-wife back. Therefore, they naturally did not understand why Mu Tingfeng suddenly had a wife and son.
However, they were sensible people. Since Mu Tingfeng had said so, they played along with his conversation and greeted Zhao Youlin.
"So, you are my sister-in-law. I'm sorry. This kid is very mischievous. Did he hurt you and your child just now? We are certainly going to teach her a lesson once we get back home." As Duan Huaixue was speaking this, she inwardly heaved a sigh of relief to herself. Luckily, by looking at her sister-in-law and her nephew's appearances, they were fine. Otherwise... Judging on how Mu Tingfeng had introduced the two, he clearly cared about the mother-son duo. Even though Mu Tingfeng doted on Mu Wanting, if she really hurt the two, he may not spare her entirely.
As Duan Huaixue thought of this, she felt belatedly scared. She glared at Mu Wanting, who was still clinging on Zhao Youlin's thigh and not letting go of it, and reprimanded her, "Mu Wanting, how many times do I have to repeat myself that the Tibetan Mastiff is a very large dog and it's dangerous?! You couldn't simply let it bite others. What have you done just now?! You..."
Before Duan Huaixue finished speaking, Mu Wanting abruptly looked up and exclaimed, "Ah! By the way, my Hobbit! It's my birthday present from Uncle Tingfeng. Uncle Tingfeng, if it's dead, you have to buy me a new one!"
After Mu Wanting finished shouting, she finally let go of Zhao Youlin's thigh and dashed in the direction where the Tibetan Mastiff had been flung away.
Fortunately, the floor of the Song family's residence was covered with carpet. When the Tibetan Mastiff slipped down from the dining table and fell on the floor, it had been knocked unconscious, but it was still alive.
When Zhao Youlin heard Mu Wanting's words, she was stunned. So, this dog was the birthday present given to her by Mu Tingfeng? Hold on, birthday present? His niece?
Zhao Youlin suddenly remembered that when she took Joy to the pet shop and bought Sparta back then, she had bumped into this man. At that time, he seemed like he was there to buy a pet as a birthday present for his niece, right?
When Zhao Youlin recalled the incident at that time, she could not help but turn her head around and shot a glance at Mu Tingfeng. She snickered, "Oh, now I remember. Back then, you wanted to take Joy's pet and give it to this niece of yours as her birthday present, huh?"
Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes slightly curved upward, giving off a hint of scorn and mockery, akin to saying at the end of the day, he was the ultimate main culprit.
Mu Tingfeng opened his mouth. In the end, he did not say anything. If he had known that one day, he would court back Zhao Youlin, he certainly would not have fought with her over a husky, which had resulted in a poorer impression of him in the eyes of Zhao Youlin and his son.
When Joy heard Zhao Youlin mention Sparta, he subconsciously looked up. Before he fully understood the meaning of Zhao Youlin's words, Ling Yuemei had already walked back to Zhao Youlin's side. She pulled Joy's pant leg and asked worryingly, "Joy, are you okay?"
When the dog lunged at them, Ling Ran immediately carried Ling Yuemei and hid at the side to prevent her from being affected. Even so, she was frightened by that scene.
Ling Yuemei and Mu Wanting were long acquainted. They often played together when they were young. Although the large dog was scary, not long ago, it barked occasionally and had been very obedient before this. He never lunged at others in a threatening manner and bit them like today.
Even though Ling Yuemei was bold, she was still only a child. It took her some time before she recovered her senses. She came over to look for Joy before her own heartbeat rate resumed to normal.
Joy shook his head. Although he was equally terrorized just now, he did not feel scared as long as his mother was around.
Ling Yuemei heaved a sigh of relief when she was assured that Joy did not suffer any injury. She continued to ask the previously unanswered question, "Joy, you haven't told me, who bullied you just now?"
Ling Yuemei's question once again gathered Zhao Youlin and the rest of her group's attention. They subconsciously looked at the area where that family was, only to find that the place was long... empty!
"Those people must have seized the opportunity and fled away during the chaos just now." Song Yi helped Su Qing and walked over to Zhao Youlin and the rest as he explained the situation in a low voice.
When Zhao Youlin saw the two hosts of the banquet come out, she cast another glance at the messy living hall, she said awkwardly, "I'm sorry for messing up your banquet."
"How could we put the blame on you guys? That family had gone overboard." Su Qing carried the sleepy baby as she went up to Zhao Youlin. Su Qing said apologetically, "Instead, we should be the one to offer our apologies to you. We've invited those people to attend our banquet, resulting in you guys suffering so much grievance. By the way, Hubby, I couldn't recall inviting that family when we sent out the invitation cards in the beginning. Could it be that our subordinates have fished in troubled water and simply let people from various backgrounds attend the banquet?"
Song Yi's eyes sank. He smirked, "If I remember correctly, we did not invite them. But, we have invited that woman's younger sister and brother-in-law."
"That woman's younger sister and brother-in-law?"
Before Song Yi had spoken anything, Mu Tingfeng was the first to take over the conversation, "That woman's younger sister is the current mayor of Shalnork. Her younger sister is the mayoress."
"So, that's how it is. No wonder that woman kept saying that if anyone dared to lay a finger on her, her younger sister and brother-in-law would not spare us. So, this was the reason why." Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng locked gazes. The corners of their lips curled upward and their cold smiles grew increasingly prominent.
"Hubby, regarding the incident..." Upon hearing her words, Su Qing frowned. She turned her head around and looked at Song Yi.
Song Yi cast a comforting gaze at her before he turned around and spoke to Mu Tingfeng, "I suppose you would prefer to handle those people on your own. As for that woman's younger sister and brother-in-law, let me handle them. You could take this as my compensation for you for the grievances you guys have suffered today."
Mu Tingfeng quirked one of his eyebrows and asked in a low voice, "How do you plan to handle them?"
Chapter 349 – Finally, It Ends (1)
"We've invited our guests with a sincere heart. However, certain people did not bother to pay their honor to us by showing up and had instead handed the invitation card over to others. So, why should I show my respect for them in return?" A bone-chilling light with a hint of sinister flashed across Song Yi's eyes, sending shivers down the spine.
Mu Tingfeng understood Song Yi's words and did not continue to ask anything further. He cast a final glance at the area where those people were. Likewise, an incredibly cold and sinister look appeared in his eyes just like Song Yi.
At that time, unbeknownst to those people, after they had got into their car and left the Song family's house in a hurry, delighted over the fact that they had escaped from danger, they had no idea that their tragedy had just begun.
After that family had run away, the banquet resumed its normal peace. Song Yi asked his servants to clean up the mess left behind. The guests who had watched a good show just now resumed their hilarity and talked to each other.
After experiencing such an accident, Zhao Youlin had wanted to take Joy home first. However, Ling Yuemei wanted to play with Joy so much. As such, Zhao Youlin felt it was inappropriate to leave just like this.
After Zhao Youlin thought it over for some time, she put Joy on the floor and briefly explained the situation to Ling Yuemei. Of course, Zhao Youlin went through the story in general as she blurted out, "Just now, Joy was knocked down to the floor by a child. He accidentally fell and cried. Xiao Mei, you're a good girl. When you play with Joy later, don't go running around with him. Otherwise, Joy will fall down and burst into tears again."
Ling Yuemei did not refute her at any point. She nodded her head obediently. "Okay, okay, okay! I wouldn't run around with Joy. I would protect him and not let anyone bump into him."
On the other hand, Mu Wanting was not as gullible as Ling Yuemei. After Mu Wanting finished checking her beloved dog, she heard several noble women's whispers. Even though she could not hear them very clearly, she more or less could figure out the entire story based on her own intelligence and wit.
She was unhappy to find that Joy was so weak. However, when she was reminded that Joy was younger than her and Ling Yuemei, she became angry at that family who had bullied Joy.
Mu Wanting casually went up to the two children. She acted maturely by faking a cough and said smugly, "Aunt Youlin is so capable and you're so cute, for these two reasons alone, I'll reluctantly call you my younger brother." Mu Wanting said proudly to Joy, "In the future, you have me as your elder sister to protect you. Whoever dares to bully you, tell me, and I'll help you out by asking Hobbit to bite them!"
Ling Ran was once again struck dumb by this image. The corners of his lips unwittingly twitched. Were kids nowadays growing mature so rapidly and behaved so violently as well?
If this continued, he was afraid that he would develop a phobia against children. The moment Ling Ran imagined his own children growing up to become like the two, he felt that his future was bleak!
Ling Yuemei was not happy upon hearing Mu Wanting's words. This kid had just had her dog bite Joy and his mother. Now, she had come over to ride on his coattails. Joy was her younger brother, he could not be the mean and bad child's younger brother!
"He doesn't need you! He doesn't need you! Joy is my younger brother. I would protect him. You're not needed." Ling Yuemei held Joy's hand and he was pulled to her side. Her large eyes were widely open and were filled with hostility as she glared at Mu Wanting.
"He's not your younger brother! Joy is Uncle Tingfeng and Aunt Youlin's son. So, he is naturally my younger brother as well! You have nothing to do with him. He's not your younger brother! Stop lying!" Mu Wanting refused to be outdone by her. She also pulled Joy's other hand and shot a glance at Ling Yuemei provocatively.
Ling Yuemei was so angry that her eyes turned red. The two widened their eyes as they locked gazes with each other.
The two young ladies of the great family were the apple of their families' eyes. Each of them held Joy's hand and glared at each other indignantly. Meanwhile, Joy was sandwiched between them and he was at a loss. After some time, only then did he recover his senses. He sought help from Zhao Youlin and yelled at her, "Mommy..."
"Pfff! Joy, I never thought you would be so charming even at such a very young age. Many girls get jealous and are fighting over you. You truly are worthy of being my precious grandson!" Before Zhao Youlin had said anything, Su Ruixin, who was standing at the side, was so excited that she lunged at the children and hugged her huggable grandson very tightly.
Zhao Youlin rolled her eyes at her in resignation, She reached out and touched Joy's head. "Many older sisters like you, Joy. You should be happy instead. But, you two could not fight against each other because of him. Otherwise, I wouldn't let Joy play with you guys anymore."
As soon as the two girls heard Zhao Youlin's words, they gradually restrained themselves. However, after giving one final glance at each other, they turned their faces to the other side arrogantly and snorted in unison.
Zhao Youlin thought to herself. 'What's with these brats?! Indeed, creatures like them give us the heaviest headache.'
When Su Qing and the rest of her group were assured that Zhao Youlin and the children were fine, they heaved a sigh of relief. They walked to the other side and greeted Ling Ran and Mu Ruyao.
"Eh, Big Brother Yao and dear sister-in-law, why didn't I see my cousin around? Aunt Ruixin said that you have taken Wanting along to look for them. Why didn't they come together?"
Mu Ruyao was the son of Mu Tingfeng's uncle. He was more capable compared to other children. Therefore, he was taken to the former master of the Mu family's main residence. He had been trained and cultivated to be Mu Tingfeng's right-hand man in the future.
As such, Su Qing knew Mu Ruyao as her elder brother from a very young age. Apart from Mu Tingfeng, Su Qing also addressed him as Big Brother Yao.
It was a pure coincidence. The former master of the Su family found Mu Ruyao and Duan Huaixue's daughter congenial to him. He had laid his eyes on her when he visited Su Ruixin.
While Mu Wanting appeared fierce in the eyes of Mu Ruyao and the rest of his group, perhaps, her innate banditry reminded the former master of his younger self — a fierce badass.
As such, the couple had had a headache for a period of time.
No matter how, ever since then, whenever Mu Wanting returned to her home country, she always had to first pay a visit to the former master of the Su family.
"Jifeng is parking his car. So, he asked us to come over here first." Right after Mu Ruyao spoke, the main character they were talking about had already entered through the main entrance.
The originally noisy banquet was once again plunged into suffocating silence upon his appearance.
Under such an atmosphere, Zhao Youlin naturally caught sight of this man who had come late. At the same time, her heart let out a thump.
The man who was approaching them had a very normal appearance. Precisely because of his normal look that Zhao Youlin felt a chill sent down her spine as he was gradually walking toward her.
"Who is this..." Zhao Youlin reflexively inquired about the person's identity from Mu Tingfeng who was standing next to her.
However, before she had finished speaking, Mu Tingfeng furrowed his eyebrows.. He went up to her in a flash and blocked her view.
Chapter 350 – Finally, It Ends (2)
Zhao Youlin was stunned. "Why are you blocking me?"
Mu Tingfeng's eyebrows furrowed deeper. He said unhappily, "What's so good about that guy that makes you want to look at him? You're my girlfriend now. You should observe women's moral behavior and not simply look at other men."
Zhao Youlin was choked and rendered speechless. She only wanted to inquire about the identity of that man who looked dangerous. What was this guy thinking about?!
Just when Zhao Youlin was so torn up that she was about to faint, someone had already taken the lead and answered her question.
"Jifeng, finally you're here. Where's your elder brother? Why is he not with you?" Su Ruixin ran over to them and exchanged a hug with him.
A smile arched across Su Jifeng's face when he saw Su Ruixin. He shouted, "Aunt Ruixin."
Aunt Ruixin? Was this person Mu Tingfeng's cousin, just like Su Qing?
Mu Tingfeng seemed to have read Zhao Youlin's puzzlement that appeared in her eyes. He reluctantly explained to her, "He's my cousin, my eldest uncle's son, as well as the heir of the Su family."
His brief reply allowed her to understand the full situation. The successor of the Su family? That Su family?
Regarding Li Hongyu's incident last time, Zhao Shunrong had told her that Mu Tingfeng had lent them the help. Later, Xiao Jingyao had also mentioned the Su family to her.
She never expected the young man in front of her was a family member of the Su family. No wonder... no wonder when she saw her just now, she felt...
"There is something at home which my father needs to deal with. He's tied up and could not get out of it. Hence, he asked me to come over. My aunt and uncle have bumped into certain acquaintances outside and are chatting with them. I suppose they would be here in a while. Qing, here's the gift for my nephew."
Su Ruixin nodded her head in understanding upon hearing his words. The nominal person-in-charge of the Su family was her eldest uncle. However, her eldest uncle was old. Recently, the Su family's affairs were basically handled by her eldest brother. In other words, the actual person-in-charge of the Su family was her eldest cousin.
Su Ruixin placed her sleeping son on Song Yi's hand and received Su Jifeng's gift. She asked in a low voice, "Eh, I understand my eldest uncle's situation, what about Xiao Qi, then? Why is Xiao Qi not coming?"
Su Jifeng looked like he was already expecting Su Qing's question. He acted mysteriously as he smiled and he said, "Xiao Qi seems like she's busy up there. No one knows where she goes. I couldn't find her either."
"Oh?" Su Qing raised one of her eyebrows. The way she looked at Su Jifeng grew profound. "Could it be... something else?"
Su Jifeng smiled but he remained silent. Su Qing was further convinced by this look. She pretended to look sad and said, "Xiao Qi is so heartless. My love for her before this had been in vain. Now, she totally forgets about her elder sister once she has a boyfriend. She did not even have time for something as big as my son's full moon ceremony and take a look at him. My love for her had truly gone to waste."
Su Jifeng understood the hint of scorn and mockery from Su Qing's words. He was not angry. Instead, he merely smiled and remained quiet. Little did he know that he was Su Qing's next subject of teasing.
"Jifeng, I must say, why are you still a bachelor when Xiao Qi already has a boyfriend? Hasn't Eldest Uncle been urging you?"
Jifeng froze. He did not know if he wanted to laugh or cry as he said, "Alright, my lady, could you just stop mentioning this? Things like this can't be rushed."
"Fine, fine, fine. Things like this couldn't be rushed. After all, as long as Eldest Uncle finds this more urgent than me, why should I even get worked up for?" Su Qing narrowed her eyes and seized the opportunity to tease Su Jifeng.
When Zhao Youlin watched the interaction between the two, her eyes shone with some sort of emotion. She sighed to herself, 'It looks like the Su family has a strong bond with Madam Mu and her family.'
With the previous hiccup as the precursor, the remainder of the banquet went smoothly. By the time the banquet came to an end, it was already very late at night.
Joy had two older sisters as his companions. He had already forgotten the unhappy moments that had happened earlier. He held Zhao Youlin's hand happily as he bade farewell to the two. Seeing this, Zhao Youlin felt more relieved.
When Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng were about to depart, Su Qing and the rest of her group personally sent them off. Before they got in the car, Su Qing abruptly leaned close to Zhao Youlin and whispered to her, "I'm very sorry about all that had happened before. Tingfeng has never been in a relationship, so he could be rather retarded when he comes to things like this. You'll have to put up with him."
Zhao Youlin was stunned before she knew that Su Qing was apologizing to her for the previous incident where she had partnered with Mu Tingfeng in order to deceive her. Zhao Youlin smiled in relief. She nodded her head and said, "Okay."
Su Qing heaved a sigh of relief. She retreated to the side and watched as Zhao Youlin carried Joy and got into the car. Mu Tingfeng sat opposite her. He cast a glance at Su Qing and nodded his head before he boarded his car.
Perhaps, Joy was tired after playing for so long with the two girls, or it could be also due to the previous incident. Joy was no longer as scared as he was when he saw Mu Tingfeng.
When he got in the car, he had a chat with Zhao Youlin about the two older sisters. After a while, the child fell asleep.
Mu Tingfeng had been observing the mother-son duo. When Joy fell asleep, his eyes flickered with some sort of emotion. He slowly stretched out his hand at Zhao Youlin.
Suddenly, Zhao Youlin felt something warm from the back of her hand. She froze. She turned her head around, only to be greeted by Mu Tingfeng's unusually softened gaze.
"Let me hug him."
Zhao Youlin cast a glance at Joy whom she had been hugging tightly. She shook her head, "No need, Joy would easily wake up if he's not in my arms."
A hint of disappointment flashed across Mu Tingfeng's eyes. However, in the end, he did not say anything.
"But, changing the position might work."
"Huh?" Mu Tingfeng was a little puzzled. Before he had time to give it a second thought, Zhao Youlin, who was originally sitting as far away as a person's seat in between them, had suddenly moved to his side. She had shortened the distance of a person seat to zero.
Zhao Youlin simply leaned her head against Mu Tingfeng's body. She could feel the man's originally firm body turn firmer at that moment. She closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. "Mhm... this is much better."
Mu Tingfeng was dumbfounded for a brief moment before he finally snapped out of his daze. He moved his outstretched hand around Zhao Youlin and tentatively placed it on her shoulder.
After he was assured that Zhao Youlin did not refuse him, he slightly exerted more force and wrapped Zhao Youlin, including his son, into his arms.
Zhao Youlin felt Mu Tingfeng's actions. She did not open her eyes. However, at that moment, the slight curve from the corners of her lips had given away the real thought in her heart.
Xia Zhetao was driving the car in the midst of darkness. He belatedly realized that there was no sound from the back seat. Therefore, he subconsciously took a look in the rearview mirror. When he saw the image reflected in the mirror, he was caught by surprise and struck dumb.
He did not know when the two adults at the back seat had leaned against each other so intimately, as if a close family was hugging one another to get some warmth during a winter night.
The man embracing Zhao Youlin looked so gentle like never before. His eyes were filled with adoration and gentleness as he watched closely at his wife and son in his arms, as if the two were his entire world.
Xia Zhetao's heart was full when he was greeted by such a sight.. The actual happiness was there when the people around could feel the warmth by just looking at it.