Chapter 6: The Mad Dog Turns on Its Master

In the deep of night, Qiu Zhenhu and Ye Zhien received the urgent call—news that their children had been rushed to the hospital. Without delay, they gathered their people and hurried to the emergency room.

At the door, Old Yang roared at Cao Mang, “How did you protect the young master?”

Cao Mang wore a wronged expression. “The young master went to book a room… I couldn’t just follow him in…”

“If anything happens to him, you’ll pay with your life. What’s the situation?”

Cao Mang drooped his head. “The doctor said he was forced to ingest a large amount of sedatives. He was brought in late. Even if he pulls through, there will be brain damage—he might end up in a vegetative state…”

“Damn it, this must be Ye Xingmei’s doing!” Old Yang’s eyes glinted with murderous intent. He had served the Qiu family for decades, long considering them his own. He could not accept such an outcome.

Qiu Zhenhu’s expression was even darker, his voice vicious. “What about Ye Xingmei?”

Cao Mang struggled to suppress a smile. “She was given a lot of drugs that leave you powerless… and… and there was also a wine bottle… it’s not easy to remove…”

This was retribution for Ye Xingmei trying to feed him to the tigers. Qiu Tianyi was now little more than a playboy, unlikely to ever wake again, so he might as well take the blame.

Qiu Yurou, who had hurried over as well, looked anxious and pleaded, “Dad, Bufan knows medicine. Let him try to save my brother.”

Qiu Zhenhu glared at her. “Is this the time for your nonsense?”

But Qiu Yurou didn’t give up. She stubbornly called Ye Bufan.

In front of the neighboring emergency room, the Ye family had gathered, glaring angrily at the Qiu family.

Qiu Zhenhu turned to Ye Zhien. “As long as my son survives, that’s all that matters—but if we lose him, you owe me an explanation.”

Ye Zhien sneered. “What a joke. Your Qiu family was nothing but the Duan family’s lapdog. Now the dog turns on the master, and you think you can challenge the Ye family? You’d better pray my daughter pulls through. If anything happens to her, the Qiu family will cease to exist.”

She already knew her daughter wasn’t in mortal danger; once the bottle was removed and the wound stitched up, she’d be fine. Otherwise, she’d have already lashed out at the Qiu family.

Nevertheless, her heart ached. Her once-pure daughter was ruined—how would she ever marry now?

Using her for an alliance with another prominent family was out of the question; she’d be rejected outright. At best, she could only bring in a husband to live with them.

Just then, footsteps echoed down the corridor. Ye Bufan appeared, his right arm in a cast, hospital gown hanging loosely, hair in wild disarray—a picture of nonchalance. He was already a patient in this hospital.

Ye Zhien’s face turned thunderous at the sight of Ye Bufan. She assumed he had come just to gloat.

“Who told you to show up? Leave. Now. Immediately!”

Ye Bufan was her illegitimate child with a dancer, a stain she refused to acknowledge but could not erase. The family patriarch was still alive—rigid, cold, and had scolded her for this many times.

This had become a weapon for her brothers to attack her, and if handled poorly, she’d lose any chance at inheritance.

Ye Bufan scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not here for you.”

He turned to Qiu Zhenhu. “I can save Tianyi.”

Qiu Zhenhu snorted. “And what will you use to save him?”

Ye Bufan was brimming with confidence. “I have my ways. If you don’t believe me, forget it.”

Just then, the emergency room door opened and the doctor came out, shaking his head.

“We did all we could. His life is safe, but his brain was severely damaged. He’ll depend on a ventilator from now on…”

Qiu Zhenhu nearly fainted, his body swaying. Qiu Yurou quickly said, “Dad, let Bufan try.”

With nothing left to lose, Qiu Zhenhu forced the doctor aside and let Ye Bufan enter the emergency room, against all objections.

A miracle did happen—Qiu Tianyi woke up. But his mind had regressed; his intelligence was that of a child.

Ye Bufan wore a wickedly confident smile. “Don’t worry. With a few more treatments, I guarantee he’ll be fully cured within six months.”

He had deliberately left the treatment incomplete, intending to keep the Qiu family in his debt, so they would remember to be grateful.

Qiu Zhenhu breathed a sigh of relief. Saving his son was enough; at worst, his son could still pass on the family line.

The doctor was so amazed he grabbed Ye Bufan to discuss medicine.

After checking on his son, Qiu Zhenhu called Ye Bufan aside.

“Can you cure any illness?”

Seeing the change in his attitude, Ye Bufan’s lips curled. “Just about.”

“What about physical disabilities?” Qiu Zhenhu asked.

Ye Bufan eyed him suspiciously, glancing down at a certain spot.

Qiu Zhenhu hurried to clarify. “Not me, a friend. He was injured in his youth… lost something…”

It was a clumsy cover-up. Ye Bufan barely suppressed a laugh.

“I’m not a god. That’s beyond my ability.”

“Forget it, then.”

Disappointed, Qiu Zhenhu left the emergency room and went straight to Ye Zhien, speaking plainly.

“We should discuss our children’s marriage.”

Ye Zhien’s eyes flickered. He looked refined, but his heart was full of scheming and vice; he had done no shortage of wicked things.

Given what had happened to her daughter, marrying into a good family was nearly impossible. Bringing in a talented youth from a lesser family would be of little use. Although Qiu Tianyi was now an imbecile, if her daughter bore his child, that would be the Qiu family’s sole heir.

She sighed. “The children are grown. We should discuss it.”

The two cunning old foxes exchanged a knowing smile, wrapped their arms around each other’s shoulders, and began their negotiations. The wedding date was set then and there.

When she learned her younger brother was to be wed, Qiu Yurou, now a widow, was filled with relief and looked tenderly at Ye Bufan.

“You should work hard too. Try to win my father’s approval soon.”

Ye Bufan was only interested in her body, using her to achieve some unspeakable ends, and had no wish to be tied down by marriage.

He soothed her in a low voice. “You’re a widow now. Remarrying so soon would hurt your reputation. Better to wait a year or two.”

He slipped his arm around her slender waist. “Don’t go home tonight…”

Qiu Yurou was no fool—she didn’t want to be used and discarded, so she leaned against his chest.

“I want to give myself to you completely at the wedding. Is that all right?”

Neither noticed the cold glance Cao Mang shot them from the corner, before he quickly looked away.

At dawn, the second Miss of the Qiu family, Qiu Yumeng, came to the hospital. She was dressed in a gothic Lolita dress, her face obscured by heavy smoky makeup.

She took one look at the muddled Qiu Tianyi, declared she had a performance, and left.

Qiu Zhenhu didn’t want his son seen in such a state by too many people and had him taken home directly.

Around three in the afternoon, Cao Mang, who had been napping in the servants’ quarters, was woken and ordered to deliver the betrothal gifts to Ye Xingmei.

Old Yang personally handed him several sets of new clothes prepared since leaving the training camp and sent two loyal men to accompany him.

Though they didn’t know what was in the boxes, the three of them knew they were valuable and dared not be careless.

Carrying the heavy chests to the ward, they heard Ye Xingmei’s furious roar inside.

“Get out… all of you, get out…”