On the other side, Yating's apprehension grew more and more as he waited in Xiaosi's study. He wanted to leave before Yin would arrive, but now he had no chance to walk past the exit.
He adjusted the collar of his shirt feeling like a thief who is imposing at a house he shouldn't. Occasionally he heard the sound of Yin's laughter and he thought that things must be going well.
He shook his head.
I shouldn't have come here tonight. We could have had this meeting tomorrow too but Dad...!
He took a seat back on the chair, releasing a sigh.
I hope this ends soon.
—
If it was a sober Yin in his senses, he would have known it better than to mess with Xiaosi. But tonight, he wasn't. His intoxication had given him a confidence he normally wouldn't have had.
Yin chuckled. "Ah, ah? Why do you look so mad Uncle- Oh I am sorry, Mr. Zhu? Yeah I cannot address you that way. But I wonder if Gu Yating can?"
Caihong bitterly smiled. "We have known the Gu family as business partners for years. We have seen that boy grow up before our eyes. And seeing the man he has become now, he has earned that right to call us Uncle-Aunt unlike you who cannot even stand steady on his feet and humiliates his girlfriend in her own family home."
Xiang sneered. "I would say that's what we call shameless."
Chyou bit her lip. She looked down, her body slightly shaking.
"Dad, don't bully my sister! She is already been hurt enough!" Xiang fiercely glared at him, stepping in between Chyou and Xiaosi.
Xiaosi narrowed his eyes at him. "She is been hurt because she brought it upon herself. How come we didn't know that their relationship took such a turn for the worse?" He took a step forward, meeting his son eye to eye, "Since when did my daughter had to put up with shit like ending her friendships just to please an insecure boyfriend?"
Yin froze.
Caihong icily backed him up. "Your father is right, Xiang. Don't protect Chyou. I didn't expect that..." she clenched her fists, "she would choose to degrade herself to this extent for the sake of a such a disgusting man."
Yin stared at her blankly. Then as if a volcano erupted violently, he screamed. "I am disgusting? I am disgusting!? Your daughter is the one who is sleeping around with Gu Yating like a wh-"
The hall flipped sideways for Yin and he suddenly landed on the floor with a hard thud on his back. A sharp, excruciating pain began to throb his left cheek. He couldn't understand what just happened. For a long time, his daze didn't end but the pain soon brought him back to reality.
The reality stood before his blurry eyes where he soon recognized the familiar face staring down at him with contempt and fury.
His eyes widened as if he was watching a slow motion picture before him. "G-Gu...Gu Yating...?"
"Next time I will break what little jaw you have left if you ever tried to complete that sentence, Cheng Yin," Yating spoke through a gnashed jaw. "Say something more derogatory towards Chyou and there won't be a pretty face left anymore for you to continue with your acting career."
Yin struggled to stand on his feet but eventually he did. His vacant gaze still didn't leave him. The stinging pain brought tears to his eyes and also fury in his heart.
"What the hell..." pain jolted in his cheek but he continued, "are you doing here? Today was the day for me to meet the family yet why the man who Chyou's family supposedly favored for their daughter is here when her boyfriend is here tonight? You all are playing some wild shit here and you had the nerve to punch me!?"