Ling Yunfei snorted coldly, "In the end, they're all just a bunch of bootlickers. Back when you hadn't retired, who the hell would dare treat me like this?"
"Who the hell are you cursing at?"
Old Master Ling doted on his youngest son, but he was also the undisputed authority at home. No one had ever dared to talk back to him like this.
"I'm asking you, why didn’t you attend the meeting organized by the Construction Department last time? Where the hell did you run off to?"
"I was busy," Ling Yunfei repeated the same excuse.
"You little bastard, don’t you dare play dumb with me!"
Old Master Ling’s hands trembled with rage. "They waited for you at the construction site for over two hours, and you were nowhere to be found. What kind of ‘busy’ is that?"
As if suddenly realizing something, his expression darkened.
"You… you worthless brat… don’t tell me you were ‘busy’ on some woman’s bed again?"
Ling Yunfei’s eyes flickered. "Dad, what are you talking about? ‘Some woman’—that’s such a crude way to put it…"
Hearing this, Old Master Ling understood everything. His finger shook as he pointed at his son, his chest heaving violently.
"You really are a dog that can’t stop eating shit! You’ve completely disgraced the Ling family’s name…"
Before he could finish, Ling’s Mother cut in, "Alright, that’s enough. Who curses their own son while insulting themselves in the process?"
With his mother backing him, Ling Yunfei didn’t hold back. "Dad, stop listening to all the nonsense from outsiders. I’ve been keeping a low profile lately."
But Old Master Ling didn’t believe a single word. What followed was another round of furious scolding.
Gradually, Ling’s Mother sensed something unusual. While her husband usually had this exasperated attitude toward their son, today’s anger seemed especially intense.
"What’s gotten into you today?"
She set down her chopsticks and looked at him. "So what if the project fell through? It’s just a thankless job with measly pay anyway. Instead of standing up for our son, you keep berating him. What kind of father are you?"
Ling Yunfei was equally puzzled. He’d always acted this way—why was the old man making such a big deal out of it now?
Seeing the mother and son’s defiant expressions, Old Master Ling let out a heavy sigh.
"I’ve tolerated your recklessness before, but the Ling family isn’t what it used to be."
"Think carefully before you act—how many heads do you have on your shoulders?"
Ling Yunfei had heard this lecture countless times since childhood.
"Fine, I get it."
But his dismissive attitude only fueled Old Master Ling’s frustration. He decided to spell it out plainly.
"Especially the Huo Family—stay the hell away from them from now on. Don’t provoke them, understand?"
Times had changed.
A few years ago, the Huo Family was merely rising in influence.
Now, they were at the peak of their power.
Father Huo held the highest position in the military.
Fourth Young Master Huo was about to be promoted again.
And the younger generation of the family was excelling in every field, each more outstanding than the last.
In short, the Huo Family was united and unstoppable.
Meanwhile, the Ling Family? The eldest son was a notorious womanizer, the second son was mediocre and timid, and the younger ones were all immature troublemakers.
The thought made Old Master Ling sigh deeply again.
"What does this have to do with the Huo Family?" Ling’s Mother still didn’t grasp the issue.
Still fuming, Old Master Ling snapped, "How should I know? Ask your precious son yourself—ask him what he’s done to make the Huo Family guard against him!"
Ling Yunfei bristled at the accusation. "What does any of this have to do with me?"
"Of course it does!"
Second Brother Ling, who had been silently eating until now, suddenly spoke up, his tone sharp with resentment.
Because of his scandalous older brother, his own marriage prospects had become a laughingstock in their social circle.
Families of similar status refused to marry their daughters to him, while those beneath him were beneath his consideration.
Frustrated, Second Brother Ling lashed out, "If you hadn’t gone too far before, the Huo Family wouldn’t be this wary of you."
"Wary of me?"
"Yes."
Second Brother Ling continued, "Rumors are spreading that you’ve got your eyes on their daughter-in-law. If I were the Huo Family, I’d be on guard too!"
Ling Yunfei burst out laughing as if hearing a joke.
"Second Brother, cut the sarcasm. Explain yourself—what exactly have I done to make the Huo Family ‘guard’ against me?"
"Fine, I’ll say it!"
Second Brother Ling had been holding this in for too long. "If you hadn’t been shamelessly chasing after every pretty face you saw, practically drooling over them, why would the Huo Family assign bodyguards to escort Third Young Master Huo’s Wife everywhere?"
He had no proof, but the facts spoke for themselves.
"And do you really think you were removed from your position for no reason? It’s because your reputation stinks worse than a sewer!"
Second Brother Ling grew more heated. "They’re afraid you’ll ruin their daughter-in-law—and even more afraid you’ll ruin their project!"
"Let’s be real—they just don’t trust you!"
Ling Yunfei finally understood the twists and turns behind the situation.
But damn it, he didn’t even know whether the other person was round or flat!
Well, not exactly.
He suddenly remembered that over a year ago, he might have seen this girl by the roadside.
He couldn’t quite recall what she looked like anymore.
Just a very plain, unremarkable face.
Not even comparable to the most ordinary person around him.
Where did their family get the confidence to think he’d be interested in such a girl?
"So, you’re saying the Huo Family pulled this stunt because they thought I’d harass their daughter-in-law?"
Second Brother Ling didn’t say it outright, but the implication was close enough.
His silence, in Ling Yunfei’s eyes, was as good as confirmation.
Ling Yunfei let out a scornful laugh. "The Huo Family really knows how to flatter themselves. With that face of Third Young Master Huo’s Wife, even if she threw herself at me, I wouldn’t want her!"
"How dare they think I’d ever covet her?"
The moment these words left his mouth, the living room fell dead silent.
Everyone turned to look at him in utter disbelief.
"Big Brother… what are you even saying?" Second Brother Ling was the first to react, though the look he gave his brother was no different from staring at a complete fool.
Even Ling’s Mother, who had always supported him unconditionally, was so shocked her jaw nearly dropped.
Well, he was her son after all.
Otherwise, she would’ve snapped, "Go take a piss and look at yourself in the puddle! What gives you the right to call someone ugly?"
Fortunately, Youngest Miss Ling reacted quickly. She vaguely remembered a newspaper from some time ago that had published a photo of Third Young Master Huo’s Wife.
Even though it was just a side profile, it was enough to take one’s breath away.
After some frantic searching, she actually found it.
"Brother, look—"
