Chapter 51: The Furious Couple

Ignoring the hysterical Liu Xiuying, Jiang Weiguo rushed to the infirmary with Lin Hongzhe in his arms.

But when Zhu Yan saw Lin Hongzhe’s face swollen beyond recognition, she was startled. “Commander Jiang, who on earth beat up Xiao Zhe like this?”

“Who else? It was that damned Liu Xiuying. Dr. Zhu, please check the child right away. I’m going to call the military hospital and speak to Zhao Ming. I have no intention of offending Lin You over Liu Xiuying.”

Jiang Weiguo spat the words bitterly. He wasn’t taking Liu Xiuying’s side; this was all for Lin You’s sake. He was terrified that if Lin You lost his temper, he’d beat Liu Xiuying half to death, and then his own future would be ruined.

At the military hospital, Zhao Ming was dumbfounded when he got Jiang Weiguo’s call. As he came to his senses, he started cursing Liu Xiuying nonstop. Thinking of Gou Sheng, who had just regained consciousness in the ward, he said, “Old Jiang, I can’t leave right now. Gou Sheng just woke up and needs someone to look after him. Do me this favor, brother—don’t let Lin You do anything stupid. Damn it, when I get home I’m divorcing that wretched woman!”

“All right, I’ll do my best.”

Jiang Weiguo sighed and, after hanging up, couldn’t help but curse, “Goddamn it, what a mess! Damn!”

In the infirmary, Zhu Yan had already treated Lin Hongzhe’s wounds. Lin Hongzhuo stood nearby. “Auntie Zhu, how is my brother?”

Hearing the child call her that, Zhu Yan paused. In the past, Lin Hongzhuo had always called her “Mama Zhu,” but after not seeing him for just half a month, the address had changed. It seemed she had truly underestimated Xia Yan.

“Xiaozhuo, your brother is all right now. Auntie Zhu has already treated his wounds. He just needs a good sleep.” Coming back to herself, Zhu Yan crouched down to wipe the dust from Lin Hongzhuo’s face. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Lin Hongzhuo shook his head. “I’m fine. The dust on my face came from climbing over the wall just now.”

“Xiaozhuo, let me ask you—has Xia Yan been good to you?”

“Yes, Aunt Xia is very good to us… Auntie Zhu, do you still like my dad?” Lin Hongzhuo hesitated before finally asking.

Zhu Yan smiled, the corners of her mouth lifting as she looked at him. “That’s a grown-up matter, you don’t need to worry about it. Are you hungry? Auntie Zhu will bring you some food from the canteen.”

“I’m not hungry. I’ll just wait here for my brother to wake up.”

Lin Hongzhuo leaned against the bedside, watching his brother and muttering softly, “Why aren’t Aunt Xia and Dad back yet?”

At that moment, something seemed to dawn on Zhu Yan. She’d taken care of the children for so long, yet now, the only name on their lips was Xia Yan. Did that woman really possess some kind of magic? Was her own persistence truly right?

***

Meanwhile, the three of them—Lin You and his companions—pulled up to their home, only to see the courtyard gate kicked to pieces.

“Commander, could it be that fat Zhao came looking for trouble?” Li Guoxiang blurted out instinctively.

Lin You’s face darkened as he got out of the car. He hadn’t even entered the yard when Lin Nuannuan came running from the neighbor Wang Guilan’s house, crying out, “Daddy!”

Lin You instinctively crouched, ready to hug the little girl. But when he noticed her filthy, torn clothes, his brow furrowed tightly. “Nuannuan, what happened? Tell Daddy, don’t cry.”

“Daddy, someone hit me—and they hit brother too.”

Lin You’s face turned to stone. Summer Yan, beside him, tensed up. She took Nuannuan from Lin You’s arms and gently wiped the dust from her face with a handkerchief. “Nuannuan, tell Auntie—who bullied you?”

“It was a bad woman!”

“And where is your brother?”

“Brother was bleeding a lot.”

At this point, Wang Guilan came running out as well. Seeing Lin You and his wife, she hurried over. “Xia, Commander Lin, thank goodness you’re home.”

“Aunt Wang, what happened?” Summer Yan saw a murderous glint in Lin You’s eyes.

“It was Liu Xiuying…” Wang Guilan hadn’t even finished speaking before Lin You strode directly toward Liu Xiuying’s house.

Summer Yan quickly handed Nuannuan to Wang Guilan and hurried after Lin You.

“Li, go find my nephew Ruan Xiaotian—tell him to get over to Liu Xiuying’s house! No, get Commander Jiang and the others as well, quick, or there’ll be trouble,” Wang Guilan instructed Li Guoxiang, watching the two figures disappear.

“Oh, right… I’ll go right away.” Li Guoxiang had seen the look in Lin You’s eyes just now—he’d only seen it once before, the time Lin You killed three wolves on his own.

Inside her house, Liu Xiuying had already packed her bags, ready to take her two children down the mountain to find Zhao Ming.

As she opened her door, she saw a tall figure standing in the courtyard entrance, his face obscured by the backlight, but she knew—it was Lin You.

“Lin You… I didn’t mean it. It was because of Xia Yan—she ruined my child, I went to find her. Who could’ve known that little brat… no, that child hit me with a stick, so I hit back.”

Liu Xiuying, terrified by the murderous look in Lin You’s eyes, collapsed onto the ground.

Lin You said nothing, but advanced on her step by step, fists clenched so tightly that veins bulged on the backs of his hands, every inch of him radiating rage.

By the time Summer Yan caught up, Lin You was only a few steps away from Liu Xiuying.

“Lin You, don’t do anything rash.” Summer Yan hurried to stand in his way.

“Xia Yan, move aside.” Lin You’s voice was ice cold, chilling to the bone.

“Lin You, even if you kill her right now, it won’t change anything. We can call the police—let them arrest her.”

“I promised my brother at his grave I’d take care of the three children. However she beat Xiao Zhe, I’ll beat her the same way. If she can’t take it, she has only herself to blame.”

Summer Yan quickly wrapped her arms around him to stop him. “And if you kill her, then what? Prison? Execution? What about the three children? What about me?!”

“Lin You, don’t do anything stupid—listen to your wife.” Ruan Xiaotian arrived just then. “If not for anything else, think of the children. You don’t want them to be called a murderer’s children, do you?”

Their words softened the ice in Lin You’s eyes.

Seeing his reason begin to return, Summer Yan added, “You need to go to the hospital and see how Xiao Zhe is. Leave this to me.”

She shot a look at Ruan Xiaotian, who immediately understood and stepped forward to pull Lin You away. “Listen to your wife, Lin You. Let’s go see the children first.”

“You’d better pray Xiao Zhe is all right. If not, I’ll take your life, even if it costs me my own!”

By now Liu Xiuying was utterly petrified, nodding frantically.

After Lin You left, Summer Yan turned to look coldly at Liu Xiuying sprawled on the ground. The chill in her gaze made Liu Xiuying’s heart pound with terror.

“You… what are you going to do?!”