Jiang Youli's eyes turned sharp as she declared, "Of course he deserves it. To me, no one in this world matters more than myself. Even if he's your brother, if he truly respected and loved you as family, he wouldn’t have treated you this way. Since he chose to harm you, even attempt to assassinate you, then he deserves to go to hell."
"Blood ties mean nothing to me."
"I only care about those who love me and treat me with sincerity."
Hearing this, a flicker of admiration flashed in Qi Huan's eyes, and he couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder you’re so unburdened, even capable of confronting your own elder brother Jiang Xing without hesitation."
Jiang Youli nodded, her gaze resolute and unyielding, her tone carrying a hint of finality. "Exactly. He was the one who betrayed me first. Why should I show him any loyalty?"
Qi Huan fell into a brief silence, as if lost in thought. After a moment, a relieved smile spread across his face, and he said softly, "I came here today to clarify some things in my mind. Seeing your actions and hearing your words, I finally understand what I should do next."
Jiang Youli smiled in satisfaction. "I’m glad you understand."
At that moment, Qi Huan gazed at her, his eyes reflecting an unprecedented mix of determination and tenderness. "Jiang Youli, meeting you has truly been my fortune."
Jiang Youli froze slightly, her fingers curling unconsciously. She coughed lightly behind her hand, trying to mask the faint fluster in her heart, and forced a casual tone. "Oh, come on, no need to be so serious about it."
Qi Huan chuckled. "If I’m not serious, you might suspect I treat everyone this way."
"Ah, so you’ve learned to tease me now, have you?" Jiang Youli finally saw through him—his earlier solemnity had all been an act.
"Well, as they say, you become who you associate with."
After finishing her examination of Qi Huan’s legs, Jiang Youli stood and dusted her hands. "Alright, I’ve done a preliminary check on your legs. Wait for me here tomorrow at noon—I’ll start your treatment then. It’s getting late, and I have something important to deal with tonight, so I can’t stay any longer."
Though reluctance flickered in Qi Huan’s eyes, he still smiled. "Alright. See you tomorrow."
---
Evening, nearing 7 PM.
The Jiang Family Residence.
Zhang Susu and Jiang Yehan had returned from shopping for the homecoming banquet supplies long ago, but Jiang Youli was nowhere to be seen. Calls to her phone went unanswered.
Spotting Nanny Wang passing through the courtyard, Zhang Susu immediately called out to her. "Nanny Wang, have you seen Youli?"
Nanny Wang answered truthfully, "No, but Madam Qin came by at noon. She had an argument with Miss Youli and left in a huff. After that, I got busy and didn’t see where Miss Youli went."
The moment Zhang Susu heard that Qin Yulian had come looking for Youli, her expression turned anxious.
"What’s wrong with Second Brother and his wife? At first, they refused to acknowledge Youli as their own, and now that she’s ready to cut ties, they keep harassing her!"
Zhang Susu, who rarely lost her temper, had been angered repeatedly by Jiang Yangxu and Qin Yulian’s actions lately.
"Do they really think we’re only recognizing Youli to compete for the family inheritance? If we wanted to fight for it, why would we wait until now?"
"It seems that in Second Brother and his wife’s hearts, profit has long outweighed family bonds!"
Seeing her growing agitation, Jiang Yehan gently took her hand and reassured her, "Susu, don’t worry. Youli is clever and resourceful. She’ll be fine."
But Zhang Susu couldn’t shake her unease. "But it’s so late. If nothing was wrong, she would’ve let us know."
She dialed Jiang Youli’s number again. "Still no answer. Something must have happened. I need to confront Qin Yulian."
She didn’t even bother addressing her as "sister-in-law" anymore!
If anything happened to Youli, she wouldn’t let Qin Yulian off the hook!
---
When Zhang Susu and Jiang Yehan arrived at the western villa, they ran into Qin Yulian, Jiang Yangxu, Jiang Zhao, and Jiang Yonghe just stepping out.
Qin Yulian sneered, "Oh, Big Brother and Sister-in-law, here to see us? Perfect timing—we’re heading to the ancestral hall to finalize the severance of ties with Jiang Youli. Why don’t you join us?"
Zhang Susu demanded, "Qin Yulian, did you go see Youli at noon?"
Startled by the direct address, Qin Yulian raised a brow. "Yes, so what? I was giving her a chance to acknowledge us."
"Youli is missing. Her phone isn’t connecting," Zhang Susu said. "Did you say or do something to her?"
"Sister-in-law, what are you implying? Her disappearance has nothing to do with me. Are you accusing me of kidnapping her?" Qin Yulian retorted, displeased.
Behind her, Jiang Yonghe’s eyes gleamed with hidden delight.
If Jiang Youli still hadn’t returned to the Jiang Family, it seemed her elder brother Jiang Xing had dealt with that wild woman thoroughly.
Let’s see if she dares to oppose her again!
Jiang Zhao scoffed. "Aunt, what ‘missing’? She probably just chickened out of signing the severance agreement! After all her bold talk yesterday, it looks like she’s having second thoughts now!"
Qin Yulian couldn’t resist adding mockingly, "Big Brother, Sister-in-law, it seems Youli prefers us as her real parents after all. What a shame—all your sincerity toward her was wasted. But don’t worry, a daughter like her isn’t someone Yangxu and I would ever accept."
Though Jiang Yonghe was secretly gloating, she still wanted the matter settled quickly.
Was Jiang Youli really backing out now?
Zhang Susu’s face darkened. "Qin Yulian, I’m not joking. Youli is my daughter now. If anything happens to her, I won’t let any of you walk away unscathed!"
Provoked by the threat, Qin Yulian snapped back, "Who’s scared of you? A barren woman who can only steal other people’s daughters—how shameless to come to my doorstep and lecture me!"
Hearing such venomous words, Jiang Yehan’s expression turned icy. "Jiang Yangxu, control your wife! Tell her to watch her tongue!"
After the fallout over Jiang Youli, Jiang Yangxu no longer cared about maintaining appearances with his elder brother. "Big Brother, Yulian isn’t wrong. If you two have no children, is it her fault—or yours?"
Zhang Susu ignored the insults, her focus solely on Youli’s safety. "If anything happens to Youli, none of you will escape consequences!"
"Who are you threatening? Playing the devoted mother now?" Qin Yulian shot back, refusing to back down. "If she’s in trouble, she brought it on herself! It’s got nothing to do with me!"
