Yang Chen's hand clamped onto Wang Luyao's wrist like a steel vise.
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Let go of me!"
Wang Luyao cried out in pain several times but still managed to threaten, "You bastard, let me go now, or you're dead when my husband gets here!"
"Filthy mouth! You deserve this!"
With those words, Yang Chen slapped Wang Luyao across the face.
Her face, which had only been slightly red before, now bore a clear, red handprint, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.
The onlookers gasped in shock. The man was ruthless—even against a woman, he showed no mercy.
Though it was a man hitting a woman, no one present felt any disgust toward Yang Chen. The woman had been domineering and foul-mouthed, and many had long been fed up with her behavior.
Qin Yi watched Yang Chen's tall, protective figure with deep gratitude.
But Zhou Yucui felt no such appreciation. Seeing Yang Chen slap Wang Luyao, she rushed forward and struck Yang Chen across the face, yelling, "You useless trash! All you do is cause trouble for us! Do you even know who she is? If you want to die, don't drag us down with you!"
After berating Yang Chen, Zhou Yucui hurried to help Wang Luyao up. "Sister, we have nothing to do with this loser! Do whatever you want to him, but don't blame us for his mistakes!"
"Mom!" Qin Yi was furious at Zhou Yucui's actions, her eyes red with anger. "He's your son-in-law, my sister's husband, Xiao Xiao's father, and my brother-in-law! How can you say he has nothing to do with us?"
"Shut up!" Zhou Yucui roared at her.
Qin Yi bit her lip hard, her eyes filled with disappointment.
"Brother-in-law, are you okay?" She looked at Yang Chen's reddened cheek, her heart aching.
Yang Chen smiled faintly and shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
With Zhou Yucui's help, Wang Luyao staggered to her feet. When her gaze met Yang Chen's icy eyes, she shuddered.
She hadn't paid attention to his face earlier, but now that she saw him clearly, she trembled.
She remembered him—this was the man who had kicked her husband to the ground outside Blue Sky Kindergarten.
Later, a burly man had appeared and single-handedly taken down all the men her husband had called for backup.
"Who the hell dared to hit my wife?"
A rough, angry voice boomed as a group of burly men stormed over.
"Husband!" Wang Luyao threw herself into Zhang Guang's arms and burst into tears.
"Don't cry, baby. Tell me who hit you, and I'll end them!" Zhang Guang snarled.
Zhou Yucui had never seen such a scene before—over a dozen muscular men, each with tattoos on their arms and thick gold chains around their necks. They looked like trouble.
"Mr. Zhang, I know who hit your wife," Zhou Yucui jumped in before Wang Luyao could speak.
Yang Chen narrowed his eyes. Despite his patience, this woman still refused to behave.
"Who?" Zhang Guang glared, his voice booming.
Zhou Yucui pointed at Yang Chen. "It was this loser! He slapped your wife. Hitting a woman—what a scumbag!"
The crowd, who had already figured out Yang Chen and Zhou Yucui's relationship, was stunned and disgusted by her betrayal.
Qin Yi was equally shocked. Zhou Yucui's earlier behavior had been despicable, but this was even worse.
Zhang Guang's gaze locked onto Yang Chen. "It's you!"
His memory was sharp—he recognized Yang Chen instantly.
"Mom, how could you do this?" Qin Yi's tears fell, her face full of disappointment.
Zhou Yucui, eager to shift Zhang Guang's attention, grabbed Qin Yi's hand. "This trash brought this on himself. It has nothing to do with us. Let's go!"
"Go if you want!" Qin Yi yanked her hand away.
"Xiao Yi, go with Mom first. I'll be fine," Yang Chen said, even winking at her.
But Qin Yi stood firm, staying by Yang Chen's side. "I'm staying with you."
Just three words, but they filled Yang Chen with warmth.
"Fine, if you won't leave, I will!"
Zhou Yucui stormed off in anger—and actually left.
"Damn, that old woman really abandoned her daughter and son-in-law and ran away alone."
"This just shattered my worldview. What a terrible mother."
"She caused the trouble, her daughter and son-in-law came to help, and she just walks away? What a piece of work."
Even the bystanders couldn't stand Zhou Yucui's behavior, hurling insults at her.
"Kid, since we've met again, let's settle old and new scores together," Zhang Guang said arrogantly, puffing on a cigar.
Yang Chen smirked. "How do you want to settle it?"
"I'll give you two choices. First, leave the woman with me for the night, and our feud is over. Second, I chop off the hand you used to hit my wife, and the woman still stays with me tonight."
Ever since their first encounter at Blue Sky Kindergarten, Zhang Guang had been obsessed with Qin Yi. Now that he'd run into her again, he wasn't about to let this chance slip.
Qin Yi instinctively clutched Yang Chen's sleeve, her face pale with fear.
Yang Chen chuckled. "So either way, you want my sister?"
"Exactly!"
Zhang Guang blew out smoke. "Last time, you had that expert helping you. But today, you're alone. With my men here and a woman to protect, you've got no chance of escaping."
"Since you gave me two choices, I'll return the favor."
Yang Chen remained calm. "First, you all get out of my sight. Second, I make you get out of my sight."
Zhang Guang burst into laughter. "Kid, you've got some nerve. Do you really think my brothers are pushovers?"
"Are they not?" Yang Chen smiled. "Otherwise, last time, all those losers you brought wouldn't have been taken down by just one of my men."
"You're digging your own grave," Zhang Guang growled, an uneasy feeling creeping over him.
"Let's see who can stop me."
Yang Chen suddenly grinned, then took Qin Yi's hand and strode straight toward Zhang Guang and his men.
Though Qin Yi had been terrified earlier, holding Yang Chen's hand made her fear vanish. The dozen burly men ahead might as well have been invisible.
Watching Yang Chen walk forward so casually, Zhang Guang's face twisted with rage. "Get them!"
At his command, the dozen men charged at Yang Chen.