Maybe it's all to protect Ying. Or even protect QM from herself. Or protect asteria from QM.
Either way, see below for my plan to raid author's brain for the rest of the chapters.
you got point there but I don't think it as simple as that. Knowing the author, she loves brew the mystery deeper yet leave hints without readers realize it.
I think he wants to protect his family....
But from whom I can't tell until now.....I really don't know how he thinks and what he knows and is a mystery to us now...