Li Meirong was completely oblivious to Nan Gong Yehen's change.
Chu Mengling wanted to stop her, to tell her to shut up.
But no matter how much she tugged at her clothes or pulled her arm, she ignored her.
As if addicted to talking, she continued, "Young Master Nan Gong, don't be fooled by this girl Lingzhi. She has countless tricks to seduce and deceive men. And that wild son of hers, he's cunning as hell..."
Chu Lingzhi was speechless. When had her precious son ever been cunning as hell?
"Young Master Nan Gong, please don't be deceived by her appearance. Her heart is wicked. Like mother, like son—the mother is bad, and the bastard is bad too. Ah—"
Nan Gong Yehen's entire aura suddenly turned icy cold. He reached out, his five fingers clamping directly around Li Meirong's throat.
The man's gaze was frigid, a terrifying dark aura gathering around him. "How dare you call my son a bastard in front of me, Nan Gong Yehen? You've got some nerve!"
"Nan Gong..." Chu Lingzhi heard this and felt like she'd been struck by lightning. She looked up, stunned at this handsome man.
What did he say?
Her son was his son?
A thought quickly flashed through Chu Lingzhi's mind—maybe he was just trying to help her out, to vent on her behalf in front of Li Meirong and Chu Jianjue. That's why he said it.
Chu Lingzhi was exasperated. Even if he wanted to vent, he didn't need to randomly claim a son, did he?
"Cough, cough..." Li Meirong could barely breathe from the choke, let alone speak.
Nan Gong Yehen's words shocked her.
Chu Jianjue, Chu Mengling, and Cai Quanjun were all stunned too.
Chu Lingzhi's son was his son?
"Young Master Nan Gong, let's talk this out, let's talk this out." Chu Jianjue was nervous, watching the hand gripping Li Meirong's throat with worry, but afraid to pull it away.
The grip of his fingers didn't loosen; instead, it tightened.
The aura around him grew colder and colder. "Chu Lingzhi is my woman, Nan Gong Yehen's. Her son is my son. Picking a fight with me, Nan Gong Yehen—looks like you're tired of living!"
"Young Master Nan Gong, please spare my mother." Chu Mengling's voice trembled as she looked at Nan Gong Yehen with a mix of worry, anxiety, and fear.
But Nan Gong Yehen didn't even glance at her. Instead, he looked down at the woman in his arms. "What should we do with this woman?"
"Her mouth is venomous. Every time she picks a fight, she calls our son a bastard. How about we cut out her tongue so she can never speak again?" Chu Lingzhi said coldly, glaring at Li Meirong. She hated Li Meirong—if not for her poisonous tongue, she wouldn't have been kicked out of the Chu family back then.
"Lingzhi, she's your mother." Chu Jianjue glared at her, never expecting Chu Lingzhi to be so ruthless.
Chu Lingzhi looked at Chu Jianjue with hatred. "My mother died in that fire long ago!"
"..."
"Fine, let's cut out her tongue." Nan Gong Yehen said coldly.
To provoke Chu Jianjue and Li Meirong, Chu Lingzhi stood on tiptoe, planted a kiss on Nan Gong Yehen's cheek, and smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Ye."
Nan Gong Yehen raised an eyebrow, a faint, unreadable smile on his face, his gaze deep and inscrutable.
With a flick of his arm, he tossed Li Meirong to Huo Luan.
"Tomorrow, I want her to be mute. And..." Nan Gong Yehen's sharp eyes swept over Chu Jianjue.
Meeting his terrifying gaze, Chu Jianjue's spine trembled.
"I want the Chu Corporation to become history."
Chu Jianjue and Chu Mengling's faces went pale, frozen like wooden statues.
His cold eyes then swept to Cai Quanjun. "As for this man, give him a proper 'welcome.'"
Huo Luan nodded respectfully. "Yes, Master!"