The hand that had been sneaking under Lu Jinghuai's clothes to grope around suddenly jerked back as Ji Nian turned her head in panic.
Then, through the flower bushes, she clearly saw her father’s furious face.
His dark green eyes were nearly black with anger, his thin lips pressed tightly together as his sharp gaze locked onto them.
He held a pair of scissors, looking as though he had impulsively come to pick flowers.
It took Ji Nian a moment to realize—Ji Tingzhou was probably gathering flowers to visit their two dogs, Da Gen and Da Dan.
"Uncle Ji."
Lu Jinghuai stepped in front of Ji Nian, calling out to him first.
The moment Ji Tingzhou’s already blazing fury shifted to him, a hint of murderous intent flickered in his eyes.
He strode toward Lu Jinghuai, who was far younger and less hardened than him, his voice icy. "If your mouth itches, scrub it with a steel wool pad."
"Move!"
Ji Tingzhou practically yanked Ji Nian out from behind Lu Jinghuai, dragging her away.
Ji Nian glanced back at Lu Jinghuai, whose face was full of concern.
She shook her head, signaling that she’d be fine, then urgently motioned for him to leave.
Lu Jinghuai stood frozen until Ji Nian glared at him, finally relenting and stepping back.
Ji Nian exhaled in relief.
"Dad… Dad, slow down."
With Lu Jinghuai temporarily reassured, Ji Nian turned her attention to Ji Tingzhou, who was clearly in a rage.
[You didn’t even warn me Ji Tingzhou was coming!]
That furious shout had startled her so much she nearly bit her tongue.
The system scratched its nose: [I did yell. You two were too busy being lost in your own world to hear anything.]
Ji Nian: […Fine. Just my luck.]
Ji Tingzhou had been focusing on his health these past few years, his temper much milder. It had been so long since she’d seen him this furious.
"Dad, don’t be mad. It’s bad for your health. Besides, it’s not like I’m underage—my birthday’s practically over."
Ji Tingzhou released her arm and turned to glare, his voice dripping with venom. "Not underage? Who told you turning eighteen means you’re not too young for this?"
Ji Nian blinked. "Then what age counts?"
Her father answered without missing a beat. "Fifty."
Ji Nian: "……"
At that age, she’d practically be menopausal.
And he said it with such conviction, not a trace of humor on his face—Ji Tingzhou genuinely believed this.
Ji Nian was speechless.
"Dad, you’re being ridiculous! You expect me to stay single until fifty?!"
"I’ll be old by then!"
Ji Tingzhou seemed baffled by her outburst. "What’s the problem? To me, you’ll always be a child. Fifty is just the right age to explore life—barely mature."
Then, his expression darkened again as he recalled what he’d just witnessed, his anger resurfacing.
She’d just turned eighteen and was already getting handsy with that punk? There was no way things had escalated so quickly—they must’ve been together for a while.
Suddenly, Wei Yang’s odd behavior flashed through his mind.
A cold smirk curled his lips. So that’s why the big oaf had been acting like a rabid dog.
"Ji Nian, you’ve grown up, haven’t you? Now you’re keeping secrets from me."
Ji Nian was momentarily stunned into silence.
Then Ji Tingzhou headed downstairs—straight toward Zhiliao’s armory.
Ji Nian’s alarm bells went off. "Dad, what are you doing?"
Ji Tingzhou leisurely shrugged off his coat, tossing it precisely into a passing servant’s arms, then rolled up his sleeves and began browsing the weapons.
He lingered over the metal bats and clubs.
"What does it look like?"
His voice was glacial.
"Did you forget what I said before?"
Ji Nian: [……I knew he wasn’t joking.]
"Uncle Lu Zhi hasn’t left yet."
Ji Tingzhou tested the weight of a chosen weapon in his hand. "Then I’ll beat them both—father and son."
Ji Nian took a deep breath.
"Dad, do you really have to do this?"
"What? You think my words are just wind in your ears?!"
The thought of Lu Jinghuai getting his legs broken just for kissing her made Ji Nian’s blood boil at her father’s unreasonable behavior.
Especially today—her birthday.
"Fine! Go ahead and beat them up then!!!!"
Ji Nian, female, eighteen years old, raised her voice at her father for the first time since coming under Ji Tingzhou’s care at age five.
Even Ji Tingzhou froze.
Without another glance at him, Ji Nian stormed off.
Her footsteps were thunderous, her fury so palpable it made people instinctively step aside.
Anyone could see she was in no mood for nonsense.
"What happened?"
Zhiliao appeared after hearing Ji Tingzhou had gone to her armory.
Ji Nian muttered, "Nothing."
Then she retreated to her room, slamming things around so violently it sounded like she was demolishing the place.
It wasn’t until she dragged out a suitcase that Zhiliao frowned, realizing they must’ve had a fight.
"If you don’t want to see him, make him stay elsewhere for a few days. What’s this about?"
Ji Nian: "……"
She deflated, then peeked out sneakily to ensure no one was eavesdropping before whispering to Zhiliao.
"Zhiliao, Lu Jinghuai and I are together… and Dad just saw us…"
Zhiliao paused.
Processing the information, she sighed.
"Bullying your dad again?"
Her tone was resigned.
She knelt and gestured for Ji Nian to sit while she tidied up.
Ji Nian crouched beside her, grumbling. "How am I bullying him? You don’t know how unreasonable he is—he wants me to wait until fifty to date!"
"And now he’s going to break Lu Jinghuai and Uncle Lu Zhi’s legs. I just wanted to scare him a little."
"If I let this slide, he’ll turn into a stubborn old man someday, and then I won’t be able to reason with him at all."
Zhiliao nodded. "Fair point."
Meanwhile, Wei Yang, hearing about the fight between Ji Nian and Ji Tingzhou, finally showed a flicker of emotion on his usually stoic face and rushed to Ji Tingzhou’s side.
Ji Tingzhou stood motionless, gripping a bat.
Wei Yang understood immediately.
About damn time.
You! Finally! Figured! It! Out! Bro!!!
"Ai~"
He sighed dramatically, plopping down beside Ji Tingzhou and patting his shoulder with the wisdom of experience.
"I get it."
Ji Tingzhou’s glare could’ve flayed him alive.
"Get what? Did rabies make you dumb?"
He kicked Wei Yang square in the rear, then chased after him, venting his rage.
Wei Yang scrambled away, yelping.
"Don’t hit me, bro!!! Deal with Ji Nian first!!! She’s running away from home!!!"
