NOVEL NEXT Chapter 415 Good!
Four o'clock in the afternoon.
"Useless! All of you are useless!"
Wang Tianlu roared in anger upon returning to his den. The sound echoed through the entire villa corridor.
Behind him, a group of lackeys trembled in fear.
"Master Lu, please calm down!"
"Yes, Uncle Lu, please don't be angry."
One of them stammered, "Th-This time, we didn't suffer any losses! Please don't ruin your health over this, Master Lu."
Wang Tianlu spun around and glared at them, seething with rage. "Fuck! No losses today?"
"For the first time in ten years, Wong Qifu trampled all over me.
"And that worthless gigolo, Xu Ke... he can decide who lives or dies with a word. Soon, your own lives won't be yours to control!
"That couple treats the Wang Family like their plaything! They call white black right to our faces, twisting reality as they please.
"And you have the gall to tell me I didn't suffer any losses?
"What kind of fucking idiots are you?!"
Faced with Wang Tianlu's ferocious expression, the lackeys almost pissed themselves in fear. Wang Tianlu had always prided himself on his exceptional self-restraint, but now, he could no longer keep up the pretense.
One of the lackeys trembled as he racked his brain for something to comfort him.
"M-Master Lu, you don't have to worry.
"Our real enemy is still just Wong Qifu.
"Xu Ke definitely doesn't know anything about medicine. He must have had Yang Shoukang save her."
Someone else chimed in, "That's right, that's right!"
Wang Tianlu bellowed, "You think I don't know that? Now get the hell out!"
The men hurriedly scrambled away, leaving Wang Tianlu's villa. Today's events were a complete and utter defeat for him.
Yes, he hadn't truly lost anything. It was only Wang Yu, who was of no consequence to him, who had been locked up and stripped of her authority. But that wasn't what he cared about. What mattered was that the balance of power he had maintained with Wong Qifu for a decade had been shattered. For ten years, despite having betrayed the Wang Family multiple times, he had always stood on equal footing with Wong Qifu, never once being so openly humiliated by her.
Today was the first time.
...
After the members who supported Wong Qifu's faction left the mansion, they all wore worried expressions, muttering curses and complaints under their breath.
"All that talk, and for what? Xu Ke didn't even leave?"
"Wang Yu is truly spineless."
"Who would've thought Xu Ke could turn the tables after killing someone?"
"Xu Ke couldn't turn the tables on his own. It was all thanks to the Family Head's power."
"But I thought Xu Ke knew how to heal people?"
"Heal my ass! Him? Heal someone? Even a blind man knows that only Yang Shoukang possesses such miraculous medical skills!"
"But didn't Yang Shoukang say Xu Ke saved her?"
"And you believed that?"
"Xu Ke's biggest contribution this time was kicking Wang Yu..." The speaker sneered. "Except his 'contribution' only helped Wang Tianlu."
"Enough with the hindsight," someone cursed.
"We're in for a tough time now."
"Who knows if the Family Head will settle old scores!"
"Don't panic! If worse comes to worst, we'll just defect to Wang Tianlu!"
"Exactly..."
A spark of realization lit up their eyes.
...
Inside the Wang Family Mansion, in Wong Qifu's office.
"Director Wang, Wang Yu has been taken away," Wong Gaoyang reported cautiously from in front of her desk, stealing occasional glances at Xu Ke, who stood to the side.
But Xu Ke was just staring out the window, lost in thought.
"Alright, you can go now," Wong Qifu nodded.
Wong Gaoyang bowed in acknowledgment before turning to leave.
Once the office was completely quiet, Wong Qifu walked over to Xu Ke. "What are you thinking about?"
Xu Ke hadn't said a word since Wang Yu was taken away. He turned from the window, his gaze direct. "I'm sorry. I was impulsive."
If Wong Qifu hadn't forcibly spun his murderous act into a medical treatment, Xu Ke would have been kicked out of the Wang Family by now.
Of course, with his current abilities, he knew he would still have a way out even if he left the Wang Family. But he felt he had been impulsive because, after all, Wang Yu was Wong Qifu's aunt. He shouldn't have attacked her! What's more, he knew he had forced Wong Qifu to use a method she detested...
Wong Qifu shook her head. "There's no need to apologize."
"She's your aunt," Xu Ke said.
"In my position, it doesn't matter if she's my aunt," Wong Qifu said, turning her head away to avoid his gaze. She continued speaking, as if to him, but also to herself.
"The business world is a battlefield.
"For merchants, there's nothing that can't be sold for a profit.
"My aunt and Uncle Qing are merchants, too. They are no different.
"I started to guard against them the moment I learned of their schemes."
As she spoke, a dazed, pained look appeared in her eyes.
Wang Yu hadn't always been so ruthless. How could she feel nothing when the aunt who had watched her grow up had almost died? But she was the Helmsman of the Wang Family; her heart had to be harder than an ordinary person's. If Wang Yu left, she would be heartbroken, but it would be for the best for everyone else. If Wang Yu stayed, everyone would suffer. Today, Wang Yu had colluded with Wang Tianlu and Ye Chong. Tomorrow, she could endanger the entire Wang Family. Her heart was hard, but it had to be! Besides, Xu Ke hadn't killed Wang Yu for personal revenge. He did it for her. He did it to protect that untouchable scar in her heart! How could she possibly blame him?!
Xu Ke took a deep breath. "But... this is the kind of method you hate using to threaten people."
He knew that Wong Qifu herself had been used as a pawn for threats back when Wang Jiangnian was at the height of his power. And though Wang Wu had been strong enough to prevent her from ever actually being kidnapped, that period of constant fear—worrying about being abducted at any moment, having to take separate flights from Wang Jiangnian—was one of the few dark shadows of her childhood. The early death of her parents was another reason she was reluctant to use such methods.
But Wong Qifu's eyes remained fixed on his. "I've been using methods like this ever since I had someone watch Pang Xin.
"In this position, it's better for everyone if I'm more ruthless.
"I know you killed Wang Yu because you didn't want me to have to break ties with one of my few remaining relatives. You didn't want me to get my hands dirty.
"And it's because you were afraid I would be sad.
"Well, let me tell you, I'm not sad.
"I don't like to explain myself, but I'm explaining now because I'm afraid you'll feel guilty.
"That means you're not allowed to feel guilty anymore.
"Understand?"
Her words were a bit rambling and perhaps even unnecessary, but a warmth spread through Xu Ke's eyes.
Wong Qifu was still speaking. "I've done so much, all for the sake of—"
"Ah!"
Suddenly, before she could finish, Wong Qifu lost her balance. She was pulled unexpectedly into a warm chest as a familiar scent filled her senses. Her eyes flew wide open.
Xu Ke wrapped his arms around her slender waist, holding her close as he gently stroked her hair.
"Alright."