Chapter 4: The Engagement Ring

Upon hearing Ye Fengwu's words, Qin Guangnan's brow furrowed deeply.

Qin Fei leaned in closer to his father and whispered, "Dad, since Qin Qinghan refuses to listen, let her marry this rapist. He won't last long anyway. When he's gone, she'll come running back to Zhang Gongzi."

Qin Guangnan's eyes shifted, then he sneered and addressed Ye Fengwu, "If you want this ruined flower, she's yours."

His tone was dismissive, treating Qin Qinghan as less than human, certainly not his granddaughter.

Qin Qinghan's face turned pale. She knew she couldn't refuse, even if she wanted to.

But Qin Qinghan's parents couldn't accept this. Their daughter had already suffered so much; now, how could she marry a rapist?

"Father, how can you do this to Qinghan? She has done so much for the family. She is your granddaughter!" Yang Yu cried out.

Qin Zhi held Yang Yu back, his voice bitter, "Let it go. Maybe this is Qinghan's fate."

Slap! Yang Yu's hand met Qin Zhi's face with a sharp crack. "You useless man, you can't even protect your daughter," she scolded.

Qin Zhi endured the slap silently, knowing his position in the family left him powerless to protect his daughter.

Ye Fengwu looked at Qin Qinghan's helpless and despairing eyes, feeling a deep ache in his heart. He could only silently apologize. This was the only way he could protect them.

He then said aloud, "It seems you have facilitated a happy union. Now, about the engagement ring?"

Ye Fengwu pulled a small, exquisite box from his pocket and walked towards Qin Qinghan.

Seeing him approach, Qin Qinghan tightened her hold on Jing Si, her eyes filled with more fear and loathing.

Ye Fengwu tried to soften his expression and voice, speaking to Jing Si first, "Jing Si, would you like me to be your father?"

Jing Si looked at him with a mixture of fear and curiosity. She had witnessed his violent display earlier.

She shook her head, saying, "Mommy wouldn't agree."

Ye Fengwu, feigning a pained expression, softly said, "If I were your father, no one could ever separate you from your mother."

Jing Si's eyes showed a flicker of hope, but she looked to Qin Qinghan for approval.

Qin Qinghan's wary and fearful gaze never left Ye Fengwu. She sensed a genuine warmth in his interactions with Jing Si.

But she knew rapists were often violent. She had witnessed his brutality firsthand. The thought of a future with him terrified her.

As Ye Fengwu moved closer to Qin Qinghan, he was struck by her breathtaking beauty. He almost felt grateful for his past mistake, though he knew the thought was perverse.

"I never realized how beautiful you are," he said.

Qin Qinghan bit her lip, her eyes reflecting her inner turmoil. Despite her fear, her vulnerability was captivating, even to the hardened Ye Fengwu.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, words he had longed to say for eight years.

Qin Qinghan was taken aback by his apology, unsure of its meaning.

Ye Fengwu opened the box, revealing an engagement ring. "Marry me. I'll protect you and Jing Si for the rest of my life," he vowed.

To an ordinary person, his proposal might seem romantic, but from a rapist, it felt twisted.

Qin Qinghan had dreamed of love, but her life had been destroyed. She couldn't resist, her trembling hand slowly reaching out.

The room was filled with ridicule, everyone mocking the scene.

"A rapist with a ring? Must be stolen," Qin Fei scoffed.

"Probably a cheap knockoff," Zhang Ge added, jealousy tinging his voice. He had hoped to be the one placing a ring on Qin Qinghan's finger.

Zhang Ge pulled out a box containing a ten-carat diamond ring, its brilliance dazzling under the lights.

Gasps filled the room. A ten-carat ring was worth millions. Zhang Ge's wealth was evident.

"Qinghan, if you agree to foster your child elsewhere, this ring will be yours," he said smugly.

Many women were tempted by the allure of money and jewels. Zhang Ge believed Qin Qinghan would succumb.

But to his surprise, Qin Qinghan didn't even glance at his ring.

At that moment, Ye Fengwu placed his ring on her finger, smiling in satisfaction. "It's perfect," he said.

"Is that...?" A well-dressed man suddenly noticed the ring.

His face turned pale as he recognized the gem. "That's one of the Three Treasures, the Blue Sea Gem. There are only two in the world, worth over a hundred million dollars each."

The room fell silent in shock. Even Qin Guangnan and Zhang Ge were stunned.

If true, the gem on Qin Qinghan's hand was worth more than several Qin family businesses.

Zhang Ge's once-proud expression crumbled, feeling humiliated by a rapist.

Qin Qinghan, however, didn't care about the ring's value. She wasn't about to accept anything from Ye Fengwu.

She held Jing Si close, the ring's brilliance unnoticed by her.

The room held its breath, fearing the precious gem might be damaged as she moved.

Seeing her accept the ring, Ye Fengwu relaxed. "Let's go home, darling. I'm hungry," he said.

Qin Qinghan's heart recoiled at his words, but she couldn't argue. He seemed to have nowhere else to go.

Could she really take a rapist home?

"Mommy, let's go home. Uncle is hungry," Jing Si said.

Resigned, Qin Qinghan nodded, walking towards the door, followed by her parents.