After finishing the toast, Liu Yutong bid farewell to her grandparents and stepped out of the room.
At that moment, the hallway outside was already crowded with people—most of them guests from Master Jin's side. These individuals were largely prominent figures, some even having traveled from other regions just to attend the wedding.
When they saw Liu Yutong emerge from Qingyun Hall, they immediately greeted her with deference.
"Miss Liu!"
"Miss Liu!"
"......"
It was only then that Jin Xiangming, Master Jin's son, truly grasped the extraordinary status his father had spoken of when referring to "Miss Liu." Though she appeared young—barely older than his high-school-aged cousin—her demeanor commanded respect, leaving no room for underestimation.
Liu Yutong acknowledged them with a slight nod before calmly addressing Master Jin. "Master Jin, I’m aware of the situation. There’s no need to send any more dishes to Qingyun Hall—we have enough already."
Hearing this, Master Jin exhaled in relief, silently grateful that Miss Liu was reasonable and hadn’t pressed the issue.
"Miss Liu, today is my son’s wedding day. I thought it fitting to bring them here to offer you a toast as a gesture of our respect," he said, then turned to Jin Xiangming and his bride, urging, "Xiangming, Yuanyuan, hurry and toast Miss Liu!"
Jin Xiangming quickly snapped to attention, pouring wine for himself and his wife before raising his glass with both hands, his tone slightly stiff. "Sister Yutong, we’d like to toast you—"
Before he could finish, Master Jin cut him off. "Sister? Call her Aunt! Are you trying to claim equal standing with Miss Liu?"
Chastised by his father, Jin Xiangming scratched his head awkwardly and corrected himself. "Ah… Aunt Liu, we’d like to toast you."
The title "Aunt Liu" made the corner of Liu Yutong’s mouth twitch slightly. Being called "aunt" by a grown man made her feel prematurely aged.
Still, she understood Master Jin’s intention and chose not to comment, merely nodding faintly. She accepted the glass, took a small sip, offered a few words of blessing, and then prepared to return to the banquet hall.
However, Hua Mao, Lame Kun, and others seized the moment to crowd around her, raising their glasses with ingratiating smiles.
Liu Yutong had no choice but to respond patiently—after all, one shouldn’t rebuff goodwill. Ignoring them would have seemed ungracious.
Just then, a waiter approached with his head lowered, carrying a dish.
The hallway was so packed that someone accidentally bumped his arm as they turned.
The waiter fumbled, and with a loud clatter, the plate crashed to the floor, splattering sauce everywhere—some even splashing onto Liu Yutong’s shoes.
Instantly, all eyes were on them.
Master Jin, already simmering from the day’s string of mishaps, immediately barked, "What’s wrong with you? Are you blind? Can’t even carry a dish properly?"
The waiter crouched down in a fluster, hastily gathering the broken pieces while stammering apologies. "I’m sorry, I’m sorry… It was an accident…"
Yet he kept his head down, refusing to look up at anyone.
Liu Yutong was about to tell Master Jin not to blame the waiter—it was just an accident.
But as her gaze lingered on the waiter, something felt off.
Why was he so determined to avoid eye contact?
Even when he had walked over earlier, he had kept his head lowered, as if afraid of being recognized.
Something wasn’t right.
Her instincts sharpened, and the more she observed him, the more familiar he seemed.
In her past life, she had been an avid viewer of crime documentaries from Dragon Country, particularly those involving fugitives. One murderer had once fled to Wushui County—and had ties to Niu Ben.
Liu Yutong immediately shot Yun Cheng a meaningful glance.
Understanding her signal, Yun Cheng pretended to help clean up while subtly moving closer to the waiter.
But the waiter seemed to sense the danger. He suddenly scrambled to his feet and bolted.
"Ji Yu! Stop him!" Ma Da shouted.
Before the words fully left his mouth, a massive figure materialized in front of the waiter like a human wall.
Ji Yu loomed before him, arms spread wide like an eagle swooping down on its prey, cutting off all escape routes.
"Pin him down!"
"Where, Ma Da?"
"Against the wall."
Ji Yu nodded, then with one enormous hand, he seized the waiter’s head and slammed it into the wall with a resounding thud.
The waiter’s face contorted under the pressure, his struggles useless against Ji Yu’s iron grip.
Ma Da strode over and, without hesitation, drove a fist into the man’s stomach.
"Hyah!"
"Talk!"
"Hyah! Hyah!"
"Are you gonna talk or not?!"
"HYAH!!!"
"..."
"Damn, you’ve got a tough mouth! Still not talking?" Ma Da shook out his sore wrist, panting.
Tears streamed down the waiter’s face, but with his features crushed against the wall, he could barely form words—only managing a strained, muffled sound.
Seeing this, Ma Da waved his hand and said, "Ji Yu, ease up a bit."
The waiter finally burst into tears: "Why the hell don’t you just ask me something?!"
Ma Da froze for a moment, scratching his head. "Did I not ask earlier?"
Ji Yu shook his head. "No, you didn’t."
Ma Da coughed awkwardly. "Fine. Now, confess—do you admit your guilt?"
The waiter hastily denied it. "I didn’t do anything... You’re assaulting me in broad daylight! I’m calling the police!"
"You dare threaten to call the cops?" Ma Da turned to Ji Yu. "Ji Yu, teach him a lesson!"
Ji Yu scratched his big head and asked, "Boss Ma, execute now?"
"Execute now!"
"..."
Master Jin and the guests were utterly stunned by the scene. Many turned pale, their limbs trembling.
For most of them, this was their first time witnessing such brutality—it could only be described as cruel.
Unbidden, scenes from crime films flashed through their minds.
A waiter, just for accidentally spilling a dish, was subjected to inhuman abuse and beating?
Was there no justice?
No law?
And right in front of all of them—utter lawlessness!
Some wanted to plead with Liu Yutong, to say it was enough—he’d only dropped a dish, he’d been punished, no need to torture him further.
Even hardened figures like Master Jin and Lame Kun found it hard to stomach, thinking she’d gone too far.
Strangely, they even started missing Niu Ben. What was that about?
Either way, they’d have to be extra careful from now on. Who knew when they might offend Miss Liu and end up just as badly off?
Liu Yutong’s next words shut down anyone thinking of speaking up.
"I suspect he’s a fugitive murderer. Just call the police and have him sent away for execution."
Everyone: "..."
Right then, Ma Da suddenly shouted, "Boss! This guy’s got a gun in his pants! He’s definitely no good!"
Everyone: "..."
Seriously? This was the weakest framing attempt ever.
If that logic held, wouldn’t every man here be a murderer?
Not only did they beat him half to death, but they also slapped a murderer label on him?
Look at his face—does he seem like a bad guy?
Well... his face was unrecognizable by now.
Soon, another scene shattered their understanding of reality.
Liu Yutong actually called the police, and the one leading the squad was Deputy Chief Qi Wei.
Without even questioning the situation, Qi Wei ordered the barely conscious waiter to be taken away.
The real shocker? He actually pulled a black handgun from the man’s waistband.
Now there was "evidence."
Before leaving, Qi Wei addressed the banquet guests reassuringly: "This man’s a long-time fugitive murderer. Now that he’s caught, you can all relax and enjoy your meal."
Then he approached Liu Yutong. "Miss Liu, your efforts in capturing a murderer won’t go unnoticed. The precinct will send you a reward and a commendation."
Liu Yutong smiled faintly. "Uncle Qi, no need for formalities. It’s every law-abiding citizen’s duty."
Everyone: "..."
They’d just witnessed the perfect example of a word—collusion!
