The argument downstairs escalated.

Food and broken porcelain shards were scattered all over the floor, and the once spotless restaurant, like the Jiao family's relationship, exposed its dirtiest side.

"Send that vixen away." Mi Yang was finally exhausted from cursing, and his voice was hoarse.

"Have you forgotten who you are?" Jiao Cheng said in a deep voice, frowning.

"What am I? I'm your wife! You promised me you wouldn't mess around."

"You insist on embarrassing me in front of the children. If you had talked to me properly, we could have discussed this. Now that things have come to this, you're still making demands of me?"

Tears welled up in Mi Yang's eyes, staining her delicate makeup.

"I want a divorce." Mi Yang leaned over the corner of the dining table and spoke with great force, "I want custody of Yuwei."

"No way!"

"That won't do!"

Two voices rang out simultaneously, and Jiao Yushen and Jiao Huaan immediately stood up to object.

The implications are self-evident.

The Jiao family's children would not allow Jiao Yuwei's shares to be given away without proper explanation. Even when Jiao Huachu and Jiao Huashun went abroad, they only managed to leave safely by relinquishing all of the Jiao family's shares.

Jiao Cheng glanced at the Jiao family's children with an unfriendly look, and said to Mi Yang, "There's no room for discussion about child custody! Don't feel wronged by being with me! I made a promise at Yu Yin's mother's grave, and I told you before that I wouldn't remarry. You're the one who forced me to have Yu Wei!"

Mi Yang stopped crying. "Breaking contracts has always been your specialty! Blame it on my foolishness, blame it on my wishful thinking! I regret it now, is that not allowed?"

"You chose this path yourself. Every woman who comes to me, Jiao Cheng, has some ulterior motive. To put it nicely, it's admiration, but to be honest, it's all about money," Jiao Cheng said sarcastically.

These words, once spoken, were met with disapproval from all of Jiao's children.

Jiao Yushen instantly lost his temper and wanted to argue, but was stopped by his older sister Jiao Hua'an, who gave him a look to avoid getting into trouble.

But for Mi Yang, who was on the verge of collapse, this would be a devastating blow.

Mi Yang roared in a hoarse voice, the veins on his neck bulging.

"Jiao Cheng, you're a fucking beast, worse than a pig or a dog! I was blind to have seen you like that—ah—"

Mi Yang screamed.

Jiao Cheng smashed the bowl beside him, and it flew towards Mi Yang.

...

"Dad, calm down," Jiao Hua'an said indifferently.

Wang Hui's eyes twitched. "It's bleeding. Let's get a doctor to take a look."

There was no pain from the cut at the corner of my eye, but the blood seeping from between my fingers was reflected in my eyes.

Mi Yang smiled sadly.

At that moment, it was as if she had suddenly lost all her hopes.

When the doctor arrived at the Jiao family's home, the restaurant had barely been cleaned up.

Jiao Cheng had long since left the dilapidated Jiao family old house, and where he would go seemed to be a self-evident answer.

Mi Yang leaned back on the sofa, the disinfectant running over her, but she didn't feel any pain.

"The wound at the corner of the eye needs stitches, and there is a risk of facial stiffness if anesthesia is administered in this location."

As soon as the doctor finished speaking, Mi Yang said, "Let's just stitch it up."

*

Jiao Yushen and Meng Qin went upstairs to wake up Jiao Jiaqing and Jiao Jiali, who were fast asleep.

Wang Hui stood in Jiao Yuwei's room, looking at Jiao Jiaci nestled on Jiao Yuwei's bed, and bent down to hug her. Her seven-year-old daughter was no longer an infant, and Wang Hui found it a little difficult to hold her.

After Wang Hui left, Mi Yang, with her wounds and swollen eyes, went upstairs and pushed open Jiao Yuwei's door.

Jiao Yuwei was still fast asleep, and Mi Yang was relieved after glancing at him.

"Thank you for today, Yufei—" Mi Yang whispered his thanks to Jiao Yuyin and Lu Yu.

Jiao Yuyin remained calm, gave a shushing sound, glanced at the doorway, and then stepped out.

Mi Yang understood, not wanting to wake the sleeping Jiao Yuwei, so he followed Jiao Yuyin and Lu Yu out the door, then turned back and slowly closed the door behind him.

The tea room was empty, but the tea brewing vessel was still gently warming the water.

Jiao Yuyin pressed the button to turn off the tea maker, and the sound stopped abruptly.

Lu Yu poured three glasses of warm water and pushed one towards Mi Yang. "Is your eye... badly injured?"

"It's nothing." Mi Yang said in a voice devoid of any emotion, his clenched teeth revealing a resolute tone.

Jiao Yuyin cut to the chase and asked, "What are your plans after this?"

Mi Yang gulped down a mouthful of warm water, "I don't know..."

“I suggest you don’t get a divorce,” Jiao Yuyin said gently.

"So you're also helping your old man, right?"

“Yuwei still needs your protection.” Jiao Yuyin said blankly, his eyes unfocused.

“It would be difficult for me to survive in the Jiao family, or rather…” Mi Yang gripped the glass in his hand, his fingertips white and bloodless, “It would be difficult for me to fight for Yuwei’s life.”

"How about we discuss a collaboration?" Jiao Yuyin asked in a low voice. "A new collaboration."