Chapter 25: Kicked Out of the House

Upon hearing Qin Qinghan's plaintive plea, tinged with grievance, Ye Fengwu's face darkened. He said earnestly, "I never intended to harm you and your daughter. I just want to take care of you for a lifetime."

Qin Qinghan, however, shook her head in self-mockery and retorted, "You know my past. I was raped at sixteen, and for eight years, everyone around me has mocked me. Even my grandfather and uncle no longer see me as part of the Qin family."

"Yesterday, I lost my job. I don't even have money to pay the mortgage or support the household. I have nothing to give you. Please, stop bothering me and let me go."

As Qin Qinghan spoke, she became more upset and eventually broke down in tears. Ye Fengwu's expression grew even grimmer. With a mocking smile, he asked, "So, this is how you always saw me? You thought I approached you to get something in return?"

"If I wanted anything," he continued, "it would only be the right to take care of you and your daughter."

Qin Qinghan looked up suddenly, her tears falling onto the bed. She had reached her breaking point due to the immense pressure, and her fear of Ye Fengwu had vanished.

With a cold tone, she said, "Your sweet talk can't fool me. You don't lack women. If you think you can win me over with your sugar-coated words, save yourself the trouble. I'm not a naive girl, and I'll never fall for a rapist."

Hearing this, Ye Fengwu felt a pang of sorrow. So, Qin Qinghan had always believed he was only interested in her for temporary amusement.

"Heh…" Ye Fengwu laughed bitterly. "You think I approached you for momentary pleasure or to satisfy my vanity in pursuing a beautiful woman?"

"Isn't that so?" Qin Qinghan replied. "If you use force, I can't resist, but your hypocritical facade disgusts me."

"Heh..." Ye Fengwu laughed again, but it was a joyless sound.

The laughter sent chills down Qin Qinghan's spine. She had mustered all her courage to speak her mind, but now she was afraid that Ye Fengwu would indeed resort to force in his anger.

Instinctively, Qin Qinghan moved back until she was at the head of the bed. After a long silence, Ye Fengwu looked into her eyes and said, "I have kept some things from you, but I believe they don't harm you. If the time is right, I'll tell you everything without reservation."

The one thing Ye Fengwu hid from her was that he was the biological father of Jing Si, the rapist who had made Qin Qinghan's life a living hell for the past eight years. He also kept his identity as a military hero a secret.

Had Ye Fengwu known that Qin Qinghan despised his underground organization the most, he might have revealed his role as a national defender.

Now, he saw not only her gentleness but also her stubbornness. If she found out he was the rapist, she might very well attack him. At the least, she would kick him out of her life forever.

Qin Qinghan calmed down and shook her head. "I don't care about your secrets. I just want you to leave me alone. You make me anxious."

She then took something out of the bedside drawer. Ye Fengwu turned to see a small box containing the engagement ring he had given her.

Qin Qinghan placed the box on the bed and said tiredly, "Thank you for everything you've done for us. Take this back and leave."

Ye Fengwu felt a heavy weight in his heart as he picked up the box and opened it. The sapphire ring inside sparkled, but his gaze grew even more disappointed.

With a snap, Ye Fengwu closed the box and said, "Fine. I'll leave for a few days. Take your time to think."

He left Qin Qinghan's room. Watching him go, she didn't feel relieved but rather a sense of loss.

When the front door closed, she felt an even deeper sense of insecurity.

Sobs echoed in the room once more.

Downstairs, near the trash can, Ye Fengwu stood with a dark, disappointed expression, holding the small box. With a slight squeeze, the box shattered, turning the sapphire inside into powder.

A sapphire of that size, harder than diamond, couldn't be crushed so easily. The powder revealed it to be mere glass.

"Why did you do this? Was it for money?" Ye Fengwu muttered in disappointment.

When he opened the box in Qin Qinghan's room, he knew the ring wasn't the original one worth over a billion dollars. The one he crushed was a cheap imitation.

"Even someone as pure and kind as you can resort to petty actions for money," he thought, feeling even more disheartened.

He walked away, leaving the box behind. He didn't intend to reclaim the ring. If Qin Qinghan had sold her dignity for a billion dollars, he considered it a debt repaid and decided she was no longer worth his lifelong protection.

Ye Fengwu only hoped the money would allow her and her daughter to live better lives.

...

As Ye Fengwu left the community, Yang Yu rushed home, crying, "Qinghan, you have to save your father!"

After driving Ye Fengwu away, Qin Qinghan felt lost. The pressure of losing her job weighed heavily on her. Hearing her mother's cries, she felt a sense of impending doom.

Ignoring her tear-stained face, Qin Qinghan rushed out of her bedroom and saw Yang Yu crying on the sofa.

With a trembling voice, she asked, "Mom, what happened? Where's Dad?"

Yang Yu, full of guilt, sobbed, "Qinghan, I'm sorry. I know you're under a lot of pressure, but I couldn't resist playing mahjong with the neighbors. But..."

She broke down again.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Qin Qinghan urgently asked, "Mom, what happened? What happened to Dad?"

Yang Yu wiped her tears and continued, "Yesterday, we were having a good time at the mahjong parlor. Your dad even won a few hundred bucks. Then, some young guys in their thirties came in, and one of them, Gao He, joined your dad's table."

"He seemed tough but had bad luck, losing money all night. He lost over five thousand bucks to your dad."

"Then Gao He got annoyed and wanted to raise the stakes to a thousand bucks a round. Your dad, feeling lucky, agreed."

Hearing this, Qin Qinghan urgently said, "Mom, didn't I tell you to keep the stakes low and treat it as a pastime?"

Yang Yu, choking on her tears, replied, "I tried to convince your dad, but he wouldn't listen."

"At first, your dad's luck held, and he won fifty thousand bucks in under an hour."

"Your dad said if he won another fifty thousand, he'd stop, and we could send Jing Si to a better school so she wouldn't be bullied anymore."

Qin Qinghan grew more worried. She knew it wasn't that simple and that Gao He wouldn't lose money for no reason.

Yang Yu cried even harder as she continued, "Your dad got greedy and, egged on by Gao He, played for higher stakes. In the end..."

"Qinghan, your dad and I are so sorry."

Yang Yu wailed.

Qin Qinghan, anxious, asked, "Mom, did Dad lose? How much did he lose?"

Yang Yu finally said, "Your dad lost...he lost a hundred thousand."

"A hundred thousand..." Qin Qinghan was stunned. She hadn't expected such a large amount.

Trying to comfort her mother, she said, "Mom, it's okay. We'll consider it a lesson. I'll find a way to pay it back."

Qin Qinghan spoke lightly, but she had no idea where to get the money. She couldn't ask her grandfather; he wouldn't help.

Yang Yu, guilt-ridden, said, "Qinghan, I know it's tough for you, but you have to save your dad. Gao He said if we don't pay him eighty thousand by tomorrow, he'll...he'll chop off your dad's hand."

Qin Qinghan's face turned pale with fear. "Should we call the police?"

Yang Yu quickly shook her head. "We can't. Gao He is dangerous. If we call the police, we'll have even bigger problems. Qinghan, you have to find a way."