The Shen Family Estate, Ming Garden.
Shen Tingfeng had been bedridden for over ten days, recovering slowly from his illness. Shen Yu had brought in the most authoritative doctors to treat him. His legs hadn't suffered any bone or tendon damage, but as the saying goes, "a hundred days for bones and tendons to heal," so in the short term, he could only use a wheelchair.
Tired of lying in bed, Shen Tingfeng wanted to go out for a walk. But the moment he saw the wheelchair the servant pushed in, he angrily smashed his cane at it!
"That bastard Shen Xiaoxing! Just you wait!" he roared furiously. "Once I'm fully healed, I'll make you suffer!"
Shen Xiaoxing was getting back at him—since his own legs were ruined, he wanted Shen Tingfeng in a wheelchair too. Luckily, he was fortunate enough to avoid permanent damage and wouldn't be stuck in a chair for life.
Fang Yingxue walked in. "Why are you so angry? Focus on recovering first. Once you're better, you can deal with him then."
"That mongrel Shen Xiaoxing is nothing but a curse!" Shen Tingfeng spat viciously. "Mom, you were right. We shouldn't have gone soft back then and let him live these extra two years!"
Fang Yingxue sighed. "But now his eyes are healed, and the old man has sent him into the Shen Corporation. He dared to have someone nearly break your leg, which shows he's growing stronger. If we try to deal with him now, he'll be on guard."
"The Shen family fortune will all be mine someday. That bastard from who knows where—does he even deserve to compete with me? Let him have his moment of glory. In the end, he'll only end up crushed under my heel!"
Just like when he first arrived at the Shen family as a child—his fate was to be beaten down, trampled into the dirt!
Shen Xingrou walked in and saw mother and son plotting against Shen Xiaoxing. She frowned slightly and spoke up righteously: "Didn't you deserve to get beaten?"
Shen Tingfeng, already furious, was stunned to hear his own sister siding with the enemy. "What nonsense are you spouting? Want me to hit you?"
"Isn't it true?" Shen Xingrou hugged her books, clearly just back from school. She said coldly, "I heard from your bodyguards that you coveted your sister-in-law's beauty, threatened to force yourself on her, and bullied Big Brother to that extent. How could he not break your leg?"
"Come here, and I'll slap you to death!"
Shen Xingrou wasn't afraid of him. She continued, "How many times have you framed Big Brother over the years? He never fought back. Just because he's not Aunt's biological son, does he deserve this treatment?"
Her usually obedient and sensible daughter suddenly snapped. Fang Yingxue frowned. "Xingrou, has Shen Xiaoxing fed you some kind of love potion? Why are you defending him like this today?"
"I'm just telling the truth."
"Your arm's practically reaching for his face, and you call that the truth?" Shen Tingfeng was so angry he wanted to hit her with his cane. "Who's your real brother!?"
"Big Brother has never done anything wrong since he entered the Shen family. You've already ruined him so badly—why can't you just let him go?"
"And I'm not suffering? Your own brother was nearly beaten to death by his men, and you're still speaking up for him!"
"Because you deserved it!"
"You—"
Shen Tingfeng couldn't contain his rage anymore. He grabbed his cane and swung it at her, but Shen Xingrou dodged quickly.
"Enough!" Fang Yingxue's head throbbed from their bickering. "Xingrou, you can't talk to your brother like that. Shen Xiaoxing is a bastard your uncle had with some woman from who knows where. He'll never be part of the Shen family, and he's not your brother!"
"In my heart, he is!" Shen Xingrou insisted stubbornly.
"Mom, don't stop me—I'll kill her today—"
"Xingrou, what's gotten into you? Why are you defending that bastard?"
Shen Xingrou wasn't a child anymore. She had the ability to tell right from wrong. Besides, Shen Xiaoxing had saved her when they were kids. She hadn't acted before to avoid family conflict, but now she was sick of all this scheming and the second branch's obsession with eliminating others!
Without another word, she ignored Fang Yingxue's calls and ran out of the Shen Family Estate in one breath.
...
Night fell, and the city lights began to glow.
A slouching man bought a few skewers of oden from a convenience store, scrolling through videos on his phone. As he passed an alley, he heard a girl's cries for help.
"Help!"
He Su bit down on the bamboo stick he'd just finished with, listened again to confirm it was a girl screaming, then spat out the stick and walked into the alley.
A group of thugs in flashy clothes surrounded a girl in a school uniform. The scene screamed of them taking advantage of the dark night to do something unspeakable to this young girl...
Since he'd stumbled upon it, He Su couldn't just ignore it.
"Little sister, why aren't you going home alone after school, crying here in secret? Waiting for big brother to comfort you with my manly body?" the red-haired leader said with a lecherous grin.
Shen Xingrou had run away from home for the first time and ended up in this situation. Spoiled all her life, she was like a little white rabbit to these thugs.
The gang surrounded her, whistling and eyeing her tear-streaked face with ill intent.
"Come on, little sister, into big brother's arms. I'll comfort you real good..."
The red-haired man reached out to grab Shen Xingrou when footsteps echoed from the alley entrance. Under the dim streetlight, a man turned on his phone's flashlight.
Noticing everyone's eyes on him, He Su gave an awkward smile. "Sorry, just passing through. Carry on."
Under their watchful gaze, he calmly walked toward the left side of the cross street until he disappeared. The red-haired man lunged again.
"Let go! Let me go!"
Shen Xingrou was terrified and regretted storming off without her bodyguards.
Footsteps came again. The red-haired man's groping hand froze, and the group turned to look at the streetlight at the alley's cross street.
The man reappeared, phone flashlight still on. "Sorry, wrong way."
"..."
The red-haired man watched him head right this time, then suddenly grabbed Shen Xingrou's arm, making her scream.
The man appeared again. Before he could speak, the red-haired man cursed, "Can't you find your way out of this damn alley?"
He Su wiped the smile off his face and calmly pocketed his phone.
A few thugs shoved him. "Trying to play hero? Don't you know whose turf this is? Ever heard of Brother Long from the streets?"
He Su shook his head. "Nope."
"Beat him until he has!"
At that, the thugs swarmed him, each armed with something. The ones surrounding Shen Xingrou now encircled He Su tightly.
"Brothers, I really took a wrong turn. No offense meant..." He Su stepped back two paces. "Let's make a deal—you can beat me up, but don't hit my face."
"A grown man looking this girly? Hitting your face is like giving you plastic surgery!"
With that, the thugs swung wooden clubs at He Su. He spun to dodge perfectly, but in his show-off moment, he didn't notice the club behind him. It landed solidly on his back, making him curse in pain!
He cursed out the thug who'd struck him, along with his entire family tree, including eighteen generations of ancestors!
"..."
"You kids have no martial ethics!" He Su roared. "Jumping one guy with a group and sneaking a cheap shot from behind!?"