Shen Qingtang knelt down and gently stroked Pei Nian'an's little head, her eyes filled with heartache and determination.
“Nian’an,” she said gently but with an undeniable strength, “stay away from those people from now on. It’s not worth getting angry over them. Remember, I won’t offend others unless they offend me; if they do, I’ll retaliate tenfold. If anyone dares to bully you again, don’t be afraid, fight them back fiercely! Your aunt and father will always be on your side.”
Pei Nian'an nodded, seemingly understanding, the grievance on his little face gradually fading, replaced by a sense of security from being protected. He hugged Shen Qingtang's neck tightly, calling out softly, "Auntie..."
That word "Auntie" contained all his dependence and trust. In this world, his aunt and father were his closest relatives.
Although the incident of the missing child on the island has temporarily come to an end, a sense of panic still lingers in everyone's hearts. People are filled with fear of the white-bearded old Taoist priest and the "king" he spoke of.
After being rescued, Pei Jindan showed no gratitude whatsoever; instead, he became even more unruly. Relying on being the precious son of Pei's second uncle's family, he became even more domineering on the island, frequently bullying other children.
She also spread rumors about Shen Qingtang and Pei Nian'an, calling them a "witch" and a "bastard."
That day, Pei Mingjie found Pei Wuwang. He was still sickly, coughing and looking weak as he said, "Cousin... Jindan is still young and doesn't understand. Don't take what happened that day to heart. I'm weak, and Jindan is probably my only child in this life. He's my only hope... Please be more understanding towards him."
His words implied a plea for the golden egg, and even carried a hint of moral blackmail.
Pei Wuwang was already furious about the actions of the golden egg and the Pei family, and hearing Pei Mingjie's words only added fuel to the fire.
"Smack!"
A loud slap landed hard on Pei Mingjie's face.
Pei Mingjie was stunned by the beating. He stared at Pei Wuwang in disbelief, covering his face, speechless for a long time. He never expected that his usually calm and composed cousin would hit him in public.
The people around them were stunned and stopped to watch.
Pei Wuwang withdrew his hand and looked at Pei Mingjie with icy eyes.
A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Hope? Someone as ungrateful and despicable as him dares to call himself hope? Pei Mingjie, you and your father are both hopeless! If it weren't for the Pei family's sake, I wouldn't even bother to save him; it would dirty my hands!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone around him.
Pei Mingjie's face turned pale and then red, filled with shame and anger, but due to his physical weakness, he didn't even have the strength to refute. He could feel the strange gazes of the people around him, those gazes piercing him like needles, making him feel utterly ashamed.
Just then, Old Madam Pei arrived, leaning on her cane, looking furious. Seeing Pei Mingjie covering his face and then at Pei Wuwang's cold expression, she immediately understood what had happened.
"You beast!" Old Madam Pei was trembling with anger, pointing her finger at Pei Wuwang's nose and cursing.
“Mingjie is your brother! How could you hit him? No matter how immature Jindan is, he is still a member of the Pei family! You don’t protect him, and you even hit your own brother. Do you have any respect for me as your grandmother? Do you have any respect for the rules of the Pei family?”
Pei Wuwang looked at her coldly, his tone devoid of any warmth: "Grandma? The rules of the Pei family? When you were protecting Jindan and insulting Nian'an, did you not think about the rules of the Pei family? When you were disregarding the lives of others for your own benefit, did you not think about the rules of the Pei family? From the moment you favored Jindan and mistreated my father and me, the Pei family was no longer a home in my heart."
After saying that, Pei Wuwang turned and left, leaving Old Madam Pei and Pei Mingjie standing there, enduring the scornful looks of the crowd.
Madam Pei was so angry she almost fainted. Pointing at Pei Wuwang's retreating figure, she couldn't utter a word for a long time. She never imagined that her most cherished grandson would completely sever ties with the Pei family.
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