Chapter Six: In Need of a Beating

Xiao Cheng pushed at the door but found it already opening from the inside. There, standing gracefully in the doorway, was a familiar beauty. Fang Yujia wore an unremarkable professional outfit, her hair tied in a ponytail, her face bare of any cosmetics, yet her beauty was so striking it almost seemed otherworldly.

He looked at his sister-in-law, as beautiful as ever, and was momentarily stunned. Seeing that she was unharmed—indeed, looking healthier than before—he finally relaxed. Still, he felt even more puzzled, for he’d seen every nuance of his fourth uncle’s expression, which clearly hinted at some hidden scheme.

Fang Yujia was in a splendid mood, having just sealed a deal with Qiao Yifeng. The Qiao family of Shanghai was renowned in the pharmaceutical sales world. Securing this cooperation would surely elevate the company to new heights. Qiao Yifeng had been her high school classmate, and their relationship had always been harmonious, so she hadn’t suspected anything amiss.

Her mood, however, soured instantly when she opened the door and saw her brother-in-law standing there. It was bad enough that he was notorious for his waywardness, but what truly irked her was where his hand happened to be.

Xiao Cheng noticed her expression suddenly turn cold and was at a loss. Was he really so unwelcome? He remembered that among all his sisters-in-law, Fang Yujia had always treated him the best. Why was she like this today? Then he realized his hand was in an awkward position, one that could easily lead to misunderstanding.

His hand, still suspended in the air from pushing the door, was only a few centimeters from her chest.

He wanted to explain that it was a misunderstanding, perhaps argue about who had been there first—his hand had been in place before she appeared, after all. But Xiao Cheng knew that the more he explained, the worse it would look. He couldn’t be bothered to defend himself further; if she wanted to misunderstand, so be it.

He smiled lightly and withdrew his hand, but in Fang Yujia’s eyes, that smile only confirmed his “improper intentions.”

“Yuer-jie, I’m just here for the keys,” he said.

“The keys are on the office desk, not on me,” Fang Yujia replied icily, showing not a shred of warmth.

Her meaning was clear: the keys weren’t on her, much less hanging from her chest.

Xiao Cheng felt a bit embarrassed but didn’t let it bother him. In both his past and present lives, he only did what he believed was right, caring little for others’ opinions.

He stepped around her to fetch the keys in the office and noticed, for the first time, that a well-dressed young man was standing behind her—staring openly at Fang Yujia’s curves, his eyes filled with undisguised desire.

Modern society had long since moved past the old codes of propriety; men admired beauty, women admired handsome men—it was all commonplace. But Xiao Cheng found it hard to stomach. This was his sister-in-law—the one who had died to protect him. How could he allow such brazen ogling?

He could ignore her misunderstanding of him, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care about her.

Qiao Yifeng had noticed Xiao Cheng’s arrival. Realizing his gaze had likely been exposed, he felt no particular shame.

After all, what was more natural than a man looking at a woman? That was what certain features were for, weren’t they? Moreover, though he didn’t come from a reclusive family, he knew exactly what kind of person Xiao Cheng was—a notorious playboy, a petty villain with no redeeming qualities.

And even more laughably, the boy was a joke among the hidden families—supposedly training in the “Pure Yang” discipline, yet acting like a would-be scoundrel, and with no actual skills to show for it.

Would he, Qiao Yifeng, fear such a person? He could stare all he liked—what could Xiao Cheng do? The pharmaceutical company needed him, not the other way around.

Xiao Cheng walked over, his expression frosty.

“Master Xiao, it’s been a while,” Qiao Yifeng greeted him with a smile, though inwardly he was full of contempt.

Without a word, Xiao Cheng seized Qiao Yifeng by the collar and slapped him hard across the face. The crack echoed crisply across the floor.

“You… you dare hit me?”

It all happened so quickly that Qiao Yifeng didn’t even have time to react. He stared at Xiao Cheng in disbelief; if not for the stinging pain in his cheek, he wouldn’t have believed it had happened.

The moment he struck, Xiao Cheng felt a bit impulsive. Was it really justified to hit someone just for looking at Fang Yujia? She was naturally beautiful—countless people admired her every day. Would he need to slap each of them?

He’d just offended his sister-in-law, and now he’d struck her client; she was bound to be furious again. But what was done was done. He felt no regret and certainly no fear.

Expression unchanged, Xiao Cheng kept his grip on Qiao Yifeng’s collar and said coldly, “I hit you. So what?”

It was only then that Fang Yujia saw what was happening in the office. She’d just been helping her uncle up from the ground and had been delayed.

Now, seeing the red mark on Qiao Yifeng’s face and Xiao Cheng gripping his collar, she needed no explanation.

Qiao Yifeng was a crucial client—her hopes for reviving the company rested on him. Yet her brother-in-law was growing ever more arrogant, striking even her most important business partner. How could she not be furious?

Why he had done it didn’t interest her. Xiao Cheng never needed a reason to bully others.

She would never guess he’d done it for her sake. She knew him far too well.

“Xiao Cheng! What do you think you’re doing? Let go of Mr. Qiao!” Fang Yujia’s voice was icy, her tone commanding.

Qiao Yifeng gritted his teeth, cursing Xiao Cheng inwardly, but forced a smile and said, “I’m sure Master Xiao must have misunderstood something.”

Though he was reluctant to let the matter drop, he didn’t want his plans ruined over this. There would be time enough to deal with Xiao Cheng later. To him, the boy was nothing but a brainless dandy, not worth a second thought—being bitten by a dog, that was all.

Xiao Cheng was considering how to explain himself to his sister-in-law, but Qiao Yifeng was unexpectedly giving him an easy way out. He’d gotten his hit in and vented his anger; if a graceful exit presented itself, why not take it?

“Oh, it’s Mr. Qiao. I must have mistaken you for someone else. My apologies.” His words offered no real apology; his tone lacked even a hint of sincerity.

Then, in a voice only Qiao Yifeng could hear, he added, “Thank you for your cooperation. But don’t expect my gratitude. If there’s a next time, I’ll make sure your face is symmetrical.”

“Are you all right, Mr. Qiao? My brother is young and foolish; I hope you won’t take offense,” Fang Yujia said, struggling to suppress her anger as she apologized on Xiao Cheng’s behalf.

Qiao Yifeng forced another smile. “It’s nothing.”

“What exactly happened?” Fang Yujia asked Qiao Yifeng apologetically, not even glancing at Xiao Cheng. In her eyes, if someone had been struck, Xiao Cheng was surely at fault. Qiao Yifeng, diligent and upright since childhood, would hardly come into conflict with a wastrel like her brother-in-law.

Qiao Yifeng recounted the incident without embellishment and, to avoid further complications, even helped excuse Xiao Cheng: “It must have been a case of mistaken identity. He’s not to blame.”

Fang Yujia shot Xiao Cheng a cold glare. The difference between people really was stark—her brother-in-law lashed out without so much as asking, while Qiao Yifeng bore no grudge and even excused him. What generosity of spirit!

Thinking of this, she felt even more embarrassed on Xiao Cheng’s behalf. If only he had half of Qiao Yifeng’s magnanimity, she would count her blessings.