"No, no!"

It took Zou Qingyue a long moment to come to her senses. Watching Yang Hu approach, she was terrified to her core and screamed frantically, "I've already admitted I was wrong! Isn't there any room for negotiation?!"

I've already shown my willingness to submit, so why can't we just sit down and talk?

"If admitting you were wrong was useful, wouldn't the world be in chaos?" Yang Hu asked seriously, standing before her with his blood-drenched saber.

Scared out of her wits, Zou Qingyue staggered backward, her face a picture of despair as she desperately shook her head. "No, don't kill me, please don't!"

SHLICK...

The icy glint of the blade flashed past, drawing a spray of blood.

Zou Qingyue seemed to grasp for something, but what could she possibly hold onto? Her eyes, gradually losing focus, were filled with terror and bitter resentment. After stumbling a few steps, she collapsed to the ground.

The rest of the Zou Family stood as if struck by lightning, their minds turned to mush. Their limbs were paralyzed, and they remained rooted to the spot in trembling fear, not daring to make the slightest move.

One gave the orders; the other carried them out.

There was no room for negotiation.

The man giving the orders was particularly unnerving. He sat there, leisurely sipping tea with an indifferent expression. In his eyes, it was as if those people weren't human at all, but rather a bunch of insignificant ants. That chilling indifference was enough to shatter one's soul and strike terror into the heart.

Yang Hu, holding the Mountain Splitter Blade, looked at Zou Jintao and gave a fierce grin. "Family Head Zou, could you tell me what it feels like when you're freely oppressing others?"

"I, I..."

Zou Jintao's Divine Spirit was in tatters. His lips trembled, unable to form a single word.

CLACK.

Chen Yang put down his teacup. The crisp sound of it meeting the coffee table, though pleasant to the ear, was like the Grim Reaper's death knell to Zou Wendong, Zou Jintao, and every other member of the Zou Family.

Chen Yang stood up, straightened the slight wrinkles on his clothes, and turned to leave with his hands behind his back, leisurely lighting a cigarette.

He had been waiting in the car for a few minutes when Yang Hu finally came out.

"Boss, are we heading to the orphanage now?" Yang Hu asked as he settled into the driver's seat.

Chen Yang glanced at the time and nodded. "Let's go to McDonald's first."

"Got it!"

After buying a fried chicken and fries combo at McDonald's, they made their way to the orphanage.

The weather was splendid. A group of children, led by their teacher, was having an outdoor class. They were all beaming with joy and bursting with youthful vigor. Although their chatter was as noisy as hundreds of sparrows, Chen Yang couldn't help but let a faint smile grace his lips.

No matter what, children should be happy.

Every time he saw a scene like this, Chen Yang would involuntarily recall his own days at the orphanage. Back then, conditions were poor. Clothes had to be mended over and over, and he could only eat until he was half-full. Furthermore, the kids were wild in those days, and fights were commonplace. Chen Yang was often beaten black and blue by a group of them. After taking a beating, he wouldn't confront them directly. Instead, he would wait until he caught them alone and charge from behind to give them a pummeling.

Those days often lingered in his mind.

They were worth a lifetime of reflection.

Because he hadn't called the director in advance, he followed the standard procedure, registering his information before being allowed to enter the orphanage.

At a glance, Chen Yang saw her: a little girl under a large tree in the corner of the playground, poking the ground with a stick.

Who else could it be but Shanshan? But why is the little girl playing all alone?

Puzzled, Chen Yang walked over.

"Shanshan," he called out with a warm smile, dangling the bag of fried chicken and fries in front of her.

Shanshan whirled around. When she saw it was Chen Yang, her eyes instantly lit up. She leaped into his arms, exclaiming joyously, "Uncle Chen! I've missed you so much!"

Chen Yang touched his nose awkwardly. "Sorry, I've been quite busy lately, so..."

"There's no need to apologize," Shanshan said earnestly, waving her little hands. "I know adults have to work and make money."

Such a sensible little girl!

Chen Yang pinched her small cheek and smiled. "I brought you fried chicken, fries, and a Coke."

"Yay!" Shanshan shouted excitedly, hugging Chen Yang's neck tightly. "Uncle Chen is the best!"

"Come on, let's sit down and eat."

Chen Yang sat under the tree with Shanshan on his lap and simply watched her eat. Of course, Shanshan didn't forget him, occasionally passing him a fry. Chen Yang accepted every one.

After a little while, he asked, "Shanshan, has something made you unhappy again? You can tell me. I'll help you."

Shanshan, who had been eating with gusto, suddenly stiffened. The smile vanished from her face as she mumbled dejectedly, "A man came looking for me today. He said he's my biological father and wants to take me away."

Chen Yang didn't respond, listening quietly.

"But I don't like him, and I don't want to go with him," Shanshan said, looking downcast. "He's the one who abandoned me. Why is he coming back for me now? And he reeks of alcohol. I hate it!"

Chen Yang gave Yang Hu a subtle look before speaking. "Let's not rush. Let Uncle find out if he's a good man or a bad one. If he's a bad man, I won't let him take you."

At the signal, Yang Hu took out his phone and walked aside.

"But I just don't want to go with him," Shanshan mumbled softly.

Chen Yang stroked her little head. "Don't worry, Uncle's here."

If the man truly was her biological father, he legally had the right to take Shanshan. It was all above board. Chen Yang could only hope that Yang Hu would bring back good news.

By the time Yang Hu returned, Shanshan had fallen asleep in Chen Yang's arms.

"How did it go?" Chen Yang asked quietly.

"The man's name is Luo Yongqiang. He is indeed Shanshan's biological father," Yang Hu began, relaying the information he had gathered. "This Luo Yongqiang is an inveterate gambler, drowning in high-interest debt. It was Shanshan's mother who brought her here, likely because she didn't want a child holding her back from remarrying. As for why Luo Yongqiang wants to take Shanshan back now, it's very likely..."

Yang Hu paused, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "...to use Shanshan to pay off his debts."

Chen Yang's gaze grew grim, but then he smiled. "That's good. At least that gives me a solid reason to stop him."

"He's in the director's office right now."

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