GC: Chapter 205

205. You Dare Hit Me!

The old Mr Yan’s eyes slid shut as he let out a heavy sigh. “So be it. I’m old now. An old man should enjoy a life of peace and quiet. I should spend my days in leisure, playing chess and taking care of flowers. Let the young ones resolve their own issues.”

Yan Cheng pulled Yan Ping up from the floor. Cheng then wearily sat down by the bed. “It’s my fault,” he softly said. “I spoiled her too much.”

“Pei is a girl. I love my daughter the most. I’ve been spoiling her since the moment she was born,” Ping calmly said. “I would give her anything as long as it’s within my means. And then there’s Bai YiHan who just walked out. The love of many had been focused on a single person. A simple sneeze would make a whole group of people panic. None of them were doted on more than Miao but they’re all considerate people. Pei might look like a naughty brat but she’s very dutiful and loving. YiHan might’ve been a proud kid before but it could be seen that he does know to be appreciative of others. He truly cares for the Bai family and for Mu JingYuan. I don’t think I need to talk about how he is now. Why is it only Miao who treats our love as if it’s a debt we owe her? One’s personality is set from birth. She is naturally cold-hearted. She only ever cares about herself. This cannot be changed, It has nothing to do with spoiling her.”

After a few moments of silence, the old Mr Yan said to Cheng, “You’re settled on what’s going to happen to the company?”

“Yes,” Cheng replied. “I’m sorry, Father. While you were asleep last night, I was so anxious about it that I didn’t find the time to talk to you about it and finalised the decision myself. I envy Bai FuRen and Chen GuangQi for being able to retire so young and live a carefree life. I’ve also owed Wen a lot over the years. When I don’t need to work, I can have more time to spend with her and take care of you by her side. Well?”

“Oh, you,” the old Mr Yan said, smiling. “It’s good to be filial but don’t be foolish. You’re nearly fifty this year. I’ve long since stepped back from power, from the company. You can make your own decisions. You don’t have to discuss everything with me beforehand. You’re right. Ever since your marriage to Wen, you haven’t been able to take her on a vacation. She has to take care of the children and the home while taking care of me. You can’t even spend time with her. She has certainly suffered injustice. It’s good that you’re stepping back. While you’re both young, go see the world and have fun. Go wherever your hearts desire to make up for the lost time.”

“That won’t do,” Cheng said. “If we’re gone, you–”

“I will be an old fart who cares about nothing in the future,” the old Mr Yan interrupted, smile dropping off his face. “What can happen to me? Must I have someone taking care of me all the time? Anyway, there’ll still be Liu and the rest. Do you think I’d starve?”

Cheng was about to respond when Ping spoke up, “Brother, don’t worry. Once work is back to normal, you can go have a vacation with your wife. Father still has me, doesn’t he? I’ll either ask him to move in with me then or I’ll move back to the family home along with my wife and Pei-Pei. Either way, he won’t be home alone. Also, with me around, let’s see what kind of fuss Miao would kick up. I’m not insulting you, Brother, but you really can’t stop Miao.”

“I’ll think about it,” Cheng sighed.

“No need to think. It’s settled,” the old Mr Yan firmly stated.

***

The old Mr Yan stayed in the hospital for about two weeks. Over that time, YiHan had visited the elderly man a few times. Sometimes, he was alone. Sometimes, JingYuan would be by his side. Of the other guests, there were quite a number of them. Some were able to enter the sick room, some were stopped at the door. Even Qi MingYang visited the old man. It was only Yan Miao who didn’t come or send word of concern. The old Mr Yan and Yan Cheng didn’t say anything but from then on, they truly let go of all hope for her. They wouldn’t even mention her in their conversations.

In those two weeks, the Bai, Chen and Mu families eventually ended their assault on the He family. While they didn’t push the He family to the brink of no return, their target still sustained serious injuries. Because Yan Miao was unable to provide a rescue team and had broken off all amicable relationships with the Yan family, her status in the He family wasn’t what it used to be. How could she be relied on? 

Every day, she’d throw a tantrum without a care for their situation. She would even punch and kick He Yuan, shouting about how he’s a coward who can’t protect his wife. At first, He Yuan could still tolerate the treatment and gently soothe her anger. However, he was still the head of a household no matter what. He had been servile for years because of Miao’s identity. Now that the Yan family had thoroughly given up on her, he didn’t have much patience left for her. He had advised her multiple times to visit the old Mr Yan and apologise to them but Miao strongly objected every single time. If he said any more, he would be greeted with a hard slap. He Yuan had dropped by the hospital a few times but he had always been kicked out. He couldn’t even meet anyone from the Yan family. Most importantly, there has been a transition of power in the Yan family.

Yan Cheng formally announced his retirement and transferred most of his shares to his sons and sons-in-law. He had also handed the power down to his two sons. Now, the Yan Group was headed by Yan Hui with Yan Yan as his support. The two young men’s capabilities were outstanding. The two brothers were united in their views and they were quite methodical. The company didn’t suffer much change due to the new changes.

Miao didn’t know anything about it beforehand. She only found out after the Yan Group made a formal statement. Miao was so mad that she began smashing pans and plates. She screamed about how her big brother and father were so cruel and heartless. How could they transfer shares over to Zhang Su and Xu YouRan, those two outsiders, yet none to her? On the other hand, He Yuan felt a chill overtake him. Yan Cheng has retired. Yan Hui was in power. What did that mean? At the very least, to the He family, it meant that the Yan family, their powerful backer, was now no longer a party they could use as protection.

To be honest, over the past few years, He Yuan’s mind had always been worrying about this. He was even more anxious after the other great families’ heads started to retire and hand the power over to the younger generation. Yan Miao felt that it didn’t matter who was in control of the Yan family. She would always be the daughter of the main Yan family branch. She didn’t need to worry at all. But He Yuan knew that Yan Hui wouldn’t help the He family ever. Putting aside the grudges in the past, Yan Hui would never treat Yan Miao and the He family well, solely based on the disrespect and hatred Yan Miao always threw towards the young man’s mother, Kong Wen. There’s also how Yan Miao never had anything nice to say whenever Zhang Su was mentioned. The He family would be lucky if Yan Hui didn’t target them for revenge.

He Yuan knew how serious this change would be. He would often tell Miao to be nicer to her family and be more polite to Kong Wen. Even if the woman can’t win over Yan Hui and Yan Yan, they should at least be able to coexist peacefully. The two most important people of the Yan family were the old Mr Yan and Yan Cheng. Miao absolutely cannot ever let go of them. However, Miao was a proud woman. She would listen if he tried persuading her on other matters, but as soon as it involved having her be more polite or apologise, her anger would immediately go through the roof. Additionally, she herself didn’t realise the danger at all. She would always say that it’d be better if her brother stepped back from power. She was the two brothers’ aunt. Would they dare disobey her? When the change happened, it would be easier for the He family to get the Yan family to do anything. She didn’t even have to act cute in front of the old Mr Yan then. She just needed to give orders. There was no way to change her mind about it.

Deep down, He Yuan would be coldly laughing at the woman. Who did she think she was? If Yan Hui obeyed her orders, He Yuan would cut off his head and hand it over to be kicked around like a ball.

He Yuan thought that Yan Cheng wouldn’t retire that early. He still had time. He didn’t think the other man would retire as soon as retirement was mentioned, no warnings given. Yan Miao was furious that her big brother didn’t transfer any shares to her but He Yuan knew that everything was over. Yan Cheng had handed his power over to Yan Hui when the man knew that the mere mention of his son’s name would have Miao rolling her eyes. It was a signal that the Yan family had given up on Yan Miao.

While the three great families have stopped their assault, the He family did not emerge from the storm with the glory they once had. They had become even poorer than before He Yuan’s marriage to Yan Miao. All those years of hard work, all those years of suppressing his feelings… Now, it was back to step one. 

He Yuan was so enraged that he nearly ground his teeth down to nothing. Naturally, he had also lost all patience for Yan Miao who had been abandoned by her family and turned into a useless hot potato. Instead, all of the past resentment resurfaced and combined with the current hatred. Every time he looked at Yan Miao, his gaze would be dark and foreboding. How he loathed that he cannot strangle her to death just then and there. But even if the Yan family wouldn’t help her anymore, the woman was still part of the Yan family. He Yuan could not lay a hand on her. To prevent himself from accidentally slapping her out of a window, He Yuan began to avoid his home. Their children had long since hidden themselves away from home due to Yan Miao’s tantrums… The servants of their home would avoid her in any way possible. If they couldn’t do so, they’d quit. These servants were healthy people. Why can’t they find work elsewhere? Why must they be servile and risk being injured just to serve a crazy woman?

Now, all that was left of the huge mansion was Yan Miao, the owner, and a handful of servants. It was only then did Yan Miao start to panic. She cleaned up her act and ran off to the He Group office in search of He Yuan. However, the man who had doted on her and obeyed her every whim basically ignored her the entire time. This was the greatest and most mortifying humiliation she had ever suffered. With her temper, how could she be fine with that? She started to scream and shout on the spot. In her rage, she even left bleeding scratch marks on He Yuan’s cheek.

The mere sight of Yan Miao would already stress out He Yuan. The burning pain on his face and the curious gaze of his workers peeking out from their cubicles was enough to make him lose his mind. To hell with pros and cons! To hell with being part of the Yan family! This woman had become addicted to beating him up. Just because he didn’t hit back, this woman was now using his dignity as fodder for gossip!

He Yuan’s eyes went red as he slapped right back. Caused by the rage brimming in him, no strength was held back from the slap. How could a pampered rich madam like Yan Miao be able to take the hit? She swayed back unsteadily on her heels. Her shoes clacked backwards a few steps before the woman tripped and fell to the ground. Her left cheek was one big bruise while blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. Yan Miao’s mind was buzzing as she sat there, dazed. It took her a few long moments before she snapped back to her senses. He Yuan who had grovelled before her had just hit her!

“He Yuan, you dare hit me!” Miao looked back at the man and roared, her voice a shrill shriek laced with disbelief.

Yuan had already dealt the blow. It was too late to bother thinking about what he could gain from the woman. So, he just let go.

“Hit you?” Yuan coldly said, squinting down at the dishevelled woman on the ground. “Did you know? Ever since the day we were wed, there hasn’t been a moment where I didn’t think about beating you to death! However, you were useful back then. I had to tolerate you and let you have your way. I had to act like I wished I could build a pedestal and worship you. So many years have passed. You order me around, beat and shout at me. I put up with it all. You just had to be the Third Miss of the Yan family after all. For the sake of the He Group, I endured. 

Do you know how oppressive those years were for me? At first, I consoled myself; you were pretty at least and you had a high social ranking. I’m not making a loss. But eventually, all I want to do when I see your face is to tear it to pieces! You’re a tyrant, proud and unreasonable. You are the most despicable woman in the world. You are full of bad habits yet you think the whole wide world should let you have your way. You think you’re the best thing ever but look around. Who doesn’t run away from you? 

Other people may be able to avoid you but I can’t. I had no choice. I chose this path. I had use for you. Your status may be useful but you are a huge problem. You’ve offended nearly everyone we’ve been in contact with. You even had the courage to offend Mu JingYuan, leading to the He family suffering major losses! Yet you have the gall to kick up a fuss. When I tell you to apologise, you say I’m a coward. You caused this mess yet you won’t take responsibility. Do I have to be responsible for your mess then? What an utter joke! 

It’s already hard enough that I had to deal with your rubbish temper. You don’t listen to me, you don’t listen to your father, and you definitely don’t listen to your brother. Your mouth has no filter. It causes trouble everywhere it goes. They’ve already distanced themselves from you. However, you don’t rush over to the Yan family home to apologise. Instead, you have the time to come here and cause a scene. You have quite the positive mindset there. Look at you now. Do you still think you’re the high and mighty Third Miss Yan? They don’t want you anymore. Are you still dreaming?”

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