Chapter Eight: The Depth of His Gaze, Even Toward a Dog, Is Full of Tenderness
“Who are you? What business do you have barging into someone’s home? Is there no law anymore?” He turned the tables, shouting louder than the security guards.
The lead security captain frowned deeply, pointing at the mess on the floor and the redness and swelling on Miao Xu’s face. “We received a call from Mr. Fu reporting a suspected violent incident here. Judging by the scene, it appears to be true.”
Zhong Xu glanced at Fu Wenhan, who stood behind the guards with a stern expression, feeling a sudden chill in his heart.
He quickly shifted his eyes and shot a warning glance at Miao Xu.
“What violent incident? I was just disciplining my own daughter—none of your business!” he barked in a rough voice. “I’m her father! It’s only right for me to punish a disobedient daughter! You want to govern heaven and earth, and now you’re meddling in other people’s homes?”
The security captain was momentarily at a loss for words. A righteous official cannot easily judge domestic matters—this was indeed the most complicated situation.
Fu Wenhan, who had remained silent until now, took a step forward.
Without even looking at Zhong Xu, his gaze fixed directly on Miao Xu’s face, then paused on her hand that was still bleeding profusely.
“Disciplining your daughter?”
Fu Wenhan’s voice was low but chilling, as if the temperature in the room had dropped several degrees.
He stepped in front of Miao Xu, half-kneeling, and gently lifted her bleeding hand.
Miao Xu stole a glance at Fu Wenhan. Perhaps because he was a doctor, he examined her injury with exceptional care, holding her hand with an unusual tenderness.
After inspecting the wound, he looked up and addressed Zhong Xu. “Is this disciplining your daughter, or is it robbery by someone familiar?”
He raised his chin, gesturing towards Zhong Xu’s bulging pocket stuffed with cash.
Zhong Xu’s face instantly flushed a deep purple-red, and he instinctively tried to cover his pocket.
Fu Wenhan gave him no chance to react. “And haven’t you noticed she’s bleeding?”
His gaze returned to Miao Xu’s hand. “Her palm’s been pierced by ceramic shards, there are clear finger marks on her face, and bruises from being pushed around on her body. You call this discipline?”
He paused, then looked at Zhong Xu again. “The injuries you’ve caused are enough for us to report this to the police. We have grounds to believe this is intentional harm.”
“Who are you trying to scare?” Zhong Xu’s bravado wavered under Fu Wenhan’s words.
He glared at Miao Xu, forcing the words out through clenched teeth, “You ungrateful girl! Are you mute? Tell them who I am!”
The threat in his eyes was more direct than any words.
Miao Xu trembled all over—half from pain, half from anger.
But her mother was still in the hospital…
Her mother’s treatment costs were exorbitant every day, and she couldn’t yet break free from the Xu family.
She couldn’t take that risk.
Miao Xu lowered her eyes, avoiding Fu Wenhan’s gaze. “Yes, he is my father.”
Those words seemed to drain all her strength.
“Did you hear that?” Zhong Xu’s arrogance immediately flared, proudly sweeping a glance over Fu Wenhan and the security guards.
Not satisfied, he pressed closer to Miao Xu, commanding, “Say it louder! Tell them I was disciplining you just now! You did something wrong and deserved to be punished!”
Suddenly, Miao Xu lifted her head, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes blazing with unmasked hatred as she fixed her gaze on Zhong Xu.
From deep in her throat, she forced out a single word:
“…Yes.”
“Did you hear that?” Zhong Xu boasted, spreading his hands toward Fu Wenhan and the property guards. “The person involved has admitted it! It’s just a family matter! Why meddle in it?”
He turned, ready to leave.
Though he hadn’t fully subdued Miao Xu today, at least he had the money in hand—it wasn’t a wasted trip.
Just as his hand reached for the door handle, Miao Xu raised her uninjured left hand and suddenly grabbed his arm.
“Put the money down.”
Her voice was soft but resolute.
Zhong Xu froze, turning around in disbelief. “What did you say?”
Miao Xu lifted her eyes; the obedient face he knew now gleamed with fierce determination. “Put the money down, or I won’t agree to any of the things you said.”
Zhong Xu studied her resolute expression, then glanced at Fu Wenhan and the watchful guards beside her, quickly calculating in his mind.
If he pushed this girl too far over this money, jeopardizing the alliance with Master Fan San, it would be a huge loss.
“Bad luck!” he cursed viciously, reluctantly pulling the wads of cash from his pocket and, as if throwing away trash, slammed them hard onto the floor.