Chapter 69: Those Who Have Hurt You Must Pay the Price

At this moment, they had already attracted quite a few curious glances; after all, their attire was completely out of place among the crowd here. However, there were some who knew the reason for their presence and explained it to those who were puzzled. Even though no one openly expressed disdain, the looks they received were still noticeably different.

Chen Yuyi swept a cool gaze over the onlookers. People are always drawn to power, he mused, so he wasn’t bothered in the slightest. But Yuan Xiang and the little Bunny were both tense, growing increasingly uneasy under so many stares.

“Pay them no mind. Just keep eating,” Chen Yuyi comforted them softly.

“I think we should go back to that corner,” Yuan Xiang suggested, feeling it would be safer to return to their previous, more secluded spot.

Little Bunny nodded in agreement.

Chen Yuyi inclined his head—he didn’t care about the others, but that didn’t mean Yuan Xiang and her daughter felt the same. To accommodate them, he willingly followed.

Meanwhile, Shen Youlin happened to catch sight of Chen Yuyi. Seeing how close he was to the unfamiliar mother and daughter, her brows shot up in disapproval.

“I really don’t know what that man is doing here. If he’s just here for free food, he should eat his fill and get lost. Isn’t he ashamed enough of the Shen family already?” she fumed inwardly. But she dared not tell him to leave, because he had, in fact, become the focus of everyone’s attention, the subject of much whispering and pointing.

She even overheard some ludicrous speculation—someone said that young man was plotting something against that poor mother and daughter.

Good heavens, if her sister ever learned of this, would she even want to go on living?

“Youlin, once this party is over, how about you find some time to satisfy a small request of mine?” Just then, Fang Kai sidled over with a sly grin.

“I need to get home early tonight, or my parents will scold me,” Shen Youlin replied, seizing the excuse to fetch a glass of juice and slip away.

A flash of frustration appeared in Fang Kai’s eyes; he clenched his teeth in annoyance. He’d already spent quite a bit on Shen Youlin, but the most he’d ever gotten was a few handholds—always when they were in public, never in private, let alone anything more intimate.

He was stewing with pent-up frustration when his eyes fell on Chen Yuyi in the corner. A cold sneer curved his lips; he beckoned to a few of his playboy companions and swaggered over.

“Well, aren’t you enjoying yourself? Eating and drinking for free all this time, not even trying to stay out of trouble. What, are you planning to drag that scruffy mother and daughter home to warm your bed?” Fang Kai’s words had his cronies bursting into raucous laughter. The festivities hadn’t begun yet, and they were bored, eager for any entertainment.

Little Bunny began to tremble at their laughter, while Yuan Xiang hunched her shoulders, casting a look of apology at Chen Yuyi—as if she believed their presence had brought him ridicule and felt deeply guilty.

Chen Yuyi raised a brow, not sparing Fang Kai or his cronies a single glance. “Get lost.”

He kept his voice low, not wishing to frighten Little Bunny, but it was more than loud enough for Fang Kai and the others to hear.

Fang Kai’s face darkened instantly. “What did you say? Say that again if you dare! Telling me to get lost—who the hell do you think you are?”

Yuan Xiang, fearing Chen Yuyi might suffer, hurriedly stood and bowed to Fang Kai, pleading, “Young master, please don’t bother with the likes of us. We promise not to disturb you. Please, have mercy on us.” As she spoke, she seemed about to bow even lower.

Fang Kai shoved her away in disgust, sending her stumbling so badly she nearly fell. Little Bunny rushed to steady her mother, her face pale with fear as she pleaded, “Please, big brothers, don’t bully my mom!”

“Ha! You little stray, who are you to call us brothers?” Fang Kai, with nowhere else to vent his anger, had no qualms about taking it out on the mother and daughter, hurling more venomous insults their way.

His companions looked on coldly. Being called “big brother” by a ragged child only unsettled them more. Born to privilege, the very thought made their skin crawl; if it weren’t for the fact that they were here only for amusement, they would’ve driven the pair out with brooms long ago.

Chen Yuyi’s gaze grew cold as he stood up. “Let me repeat myself: all of you, get out of my sight. Now.”

“What’s going on here?” Suddenly, another young master approached—about sixteen, around the same age as Fang Kai’s group.

“Master Huo, perfect timing! There’s a thief here among us today,” Fang Kai exclaimed, hurrying over to greet the newcomer.

It was none other than Huo Jiadong, the youngest son of the Huo family.

Maintaining the composure of a host, Huo Jiadong cast a cool glance at Chen Yuyi and the mother and daughter before turning to Fang Kai. “Who are you calling a thief?”

Fang Kai pointed straight at Chen Yuyi. “Him! I saw him with my own eyes stealing something at the World Trade Mall. And those two—the mother and daughter with him—they’re not much better!”

The other young aristocrats, eager for more drama, immediately backed Fang Kai up. None cared whether it was true or if there was any evidence; in their eyes, these paupers were beneath notice.

Huo Jiadong’s expression hardened. He barked at Chen Yuyi, “I don’t care how you got in here. Leave, now!”

The mother and daughter clung tightly to each other, frightened by his outburst, and looked at Chen Yuyi in panic. Of course, they didn’t believe he was a thief, but the group’s hostility terrified them.

Fang Kai, gloating, bounced on his heels, his eyes gleaming with spite. To think that man had dared tell him to get lost—let’s see who ends up crawling away in shame!

By now, the commotion had drawn attention. People stood at a distance, watching with curiosity but no intention of intervening; with their status, they were content to be mere spectators.

Shen Youlin had noticed the situation from the start, but dared not approach—what if that “cheap brother-in-law” suddenly begged her for help?

She was anxious, debating whether to call her sister and tell her to get this embarrassment of a husband out before he made an even bigger fool of himself. All the while, her resentment simmered: he’d eaten and drank his fill—why not just go home, instead of getting involved with that dirty pair?

Even though the mother and daughter had dressed as neatly as possible for the occasion, in the eyes of people like Shen Youlin, they would always be filthy.

Suddenly, she realized she couldn’t stay here any longer. The event hadn’t even started, but she was already itching to leave—not just because of her brother-in-law, but because Fang Kai had begun to make her uneasy.

“Trying to get your hands on me? Keep dreaming,” she thought smugly, a flash of satisfaction in her eyes. She’d already squeezed enough out of Fang Kai—it was time to ditch him.

She glanced over again, seeing her “cheap brother-in-law” beset from all sides, and felt a twinge of schadenfreude.

“Serves you right. I’m leaving first. If you never paid me any mind, why should I care about you now? Let Fang Kai deal with you—all your own doing.” Little did she realize she was the one who ignored Chen Yuyi first; he had only responded in kind.

With a self-satisfied little skip, she slipped out of the crowd. Even if her brother-in-law revealed his true identity now, it had nothing to do with her. She even began to hum a jaunty tune.

Meanwhile, Chen Yuyi stood his ground, not sparing Huo Jiadong so much as a glance. Instead, he fixed Fang Kai with a glacial stare. “Kneel down right now and apologize to Little Bunny and her mother.”

Fang Kai was dumbfounded, thinking he must have misheard. The others were equally stunned—was this man insane?

Huo Jiadong, after a moment of surprise, was truly incensed. This man dared ignore his presence!

Little Bunny and Yuan Xiang seemed confused by what Chen Yuyi had said.

Little Bunny tugged gently at his hand. “Brother Yi, let’s just go.”

Yuan Xiang echoed her daughter’s sentiment, but her face was clouded with wounded pride. “Chen… Yuyi, Little Bunny is right. We should go, before we bother anyone else.”

She had intended to call him “Mister Chen,” but recalling his earlier words, and touched by his kindness, she finally opted to use his name.

Chen Yuyi softly ruffled Little Bunny’s hair. “No one here can make us leave. Don’t worry, Brother Yi won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Then he turned to Yuan Xiang. “That goes for you, too. Anyone who’s ever harmed you will pay the price.”