His bodyguards moved in unison.
At the same time, Bai Ying moved too. He reached out to block Yun Ze—not with much force, but because it was him, Yun Ze had to halt. Bai Ying looked at Qin Chi. He didn’t understand why Qin Chi was hurling such insults at him, but he still tried to speak politely. “Sir, have you mistaken me for someone? I don’t know you.”
“Qin Juanshu hasn’t told you about his father?” Qin Chi mocked. “Looks like he doesn’t like you that much either.”
Bai Ying froze.
Qin Juanshu’s… father?
So this middle-aged man in front of him was Minghong Group’s chairman, Qin Chi?
Qin Juanshu had actually mentioned Qin Chi a few times in front of Bai Ying, but never positively—Bai Ying could feel Qin Juanshu’s deep disgust for his birth father, so he never brought up family matters during their time together. He had never imagined Qin Chi would one day appear before him with such aggressive intensity, spewing words that insulted his dignity.
And in public, no less.
It was mealtime now, and the cafeteria tables were nearly full. After Qin Chi entered, employees who recognized him as the chairman stopped chatting. Those who didn’t caught on from others or the suddenly subdued atmosphere and fell silent, setting down their utensils. At this moment, everyone in the cafeteria was looking toward Bai Ying’s spot. The environment was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and all had heard Qin Chi’s words clearly.
Wherever Bai Ying’s gaze wandered, he met unfamiliar faces and probing eyes. In the end, he could only fix his gaze on Qin Chi’s face. For the first time in his life, he faced such a look—not like looking at a person, but appraising an object from on high.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Bai Ying struggled to speak. “Qin Juanshu is my superior at work, and a friend privately. Our relationship is limited to that.”
Bai Ying’s voice trembled slightly. Gazes had weight, and Qin Chi had deliberately chosen this time and place to make others’ stares the crushing burden that would force Bai Ying out of Minghong for good.
“A friend?” Qin Chi laughed as if he’d heard the biggest joke. “A friend you shack up with in a hotel for a week?”
He was undoubtedly referring to the time when Bai Ying’s tail wouldn’t change back.
Bai Ying couldn’t explain the full story and could only say, “I wasn’t feeling well then, and he was taking care of me in the hotel…”
“Oh, not feeling well, but no hospital, no doctor, not even visible when room service delivered meals—just hiding in the hotel.” Qin Chi said. “I don’t think you were unwell; more like fucked so good by a man you couldn’t face anyone.”
“I didn’t…” Bai Ying had never suffered such slander; his eyes reddened instantly.
Qin Chi unabashedly used the filthiest words to insult him. He knew it wouldn’t affect Qin Juanshu much—these people having colorful private lives was normal. The one the public would despise and spit on was always someone like Bai Ying.
He didn’t mind Qin Juanshu fooling around with men outside, but it couldn’t delay a proper marriage alliance. With Qin Juanshu’s wings growing stronger and harder to control, he could only target Bai Ying, the little lover.
Yun Ze firmly pushed aside Bai Ying’s blocking hand, unable to tolerate this old bastard’s nonsense any longer.
But before he could smash a fist into Qin Chi’s face, a black kick suddenly came from behind Qin Chi, sending him sprawling to the ground.
No one expected this surprise interloper. The bodyguards’ attention was all on Yun Ze, who was about to strike—they never imagined an attack from behind! Lu Changjun kicked Qin Chi down and wasn’t satisfied; he pinned him viciously to the ground, raised his fist, and smashed down while cursing, “You dog, your own son has bad intentions and you have the nerve to blame others? I’ll shut your lying mouth for good!”
He threw a punch with every curse, beating Qin Chi until blood poured from his mouth and nose, stars exploded in his vision. The bodyguards snapped out of it and rushed forward to pull him away. One reached for the electric baton at his waist, but Qin Chi, barely helped to his feet by someone, called him off.
“Lu Changjun?” Qin Chi wiped the blood from his nose in a wretched state. “What business is this of yours?”
If it had been anyone else, he would have had his bodyguards beat the man senseless and thrown him in jail for ten days or half a month. But he recognized the young man before him as the Lu family heir, so he couldn’t act rashly.
“This guy seduced you too?” Qin Chi’s expression twisted. “Impressive skills. Do your parents know?”
“He seduced your dad!” Lu Changjun cursed, raising his foot to kick Qin Chi a few more times, but the bodyguards blocked him. “My feelings for him are one-sided, just like your son’s, just like that guy over there—it’s always been wishful thinking on our part. He doesn’t know a thing! You had an affair with your assistant when you were young and even produced a bastard son, so now you think everyone else is like you. Only a filthy heart sees filth in others!”
That incident was particularly disgraceful, especially now that Qin Juanshu was gradually taking power. Qin Chi usually avoided mentioning that illegitimate son who couldn’t see the light of day. Being called out in public by Lu Changjun like this, he flew into a rage. “Shut your mouth!”
Unexpectedly, there was a second bombshell piece of gossip, and everyone’s gazes shifted to Qin Chi.
Only Bai Ying stared at the gleaming floor, at his own reflection, utterly lost in thought.
He had caught one of Lu Changjun’s phrases.
Just like your son, just like that guy over there—liking him is one-sided… Qin Juanshu and Yun Ze, how could they possibly like him…
But was it really impossible?
He was no longer the person who knew nothing about romance. He had already been confessed to by several people. When others treated him well, was it like Duan Yunjin and the crew members treating him as a friend, or like Lu Changjun, Xie Jin, and the big snake treating him that way because they liked him? How could he still not tell the difference?
When Qin Juanshu had said he didn’t like him before, was it true? Or was it a lie fabricated to avoid troubling him?
“Xiao Ying!” Someone called him.
It was Yun Ze.
Yun Ze reached out to support him, and only then did Bai Ying realize he had been swaying unsteadily from his daze. He stared blankly at Yun Ze and murmured, “Xiao Xun, do you… like me too?”
Yun Ze instinctively wanted to deny it, but Bai Ying’s gaze made it impossible to lie.
Bai Ying already knew the answer the moment he asked.
Just then, another rush of hurried footsteps echoed from the cafeteria entrance. Qin Juanshu, who had been on a business trip, had returned early. At the cafeteria door stood Duan Yunjin, phone in hand, peering in anxiously. Clearly, she didn’t know what to do, and thinking that the old man troubling Bai Ying inside was Qin Juanshu’s father, she had called Qin Juanshu.
Now, everyone was assembled.
Lu Changjun spotted Qin Juanshu and pointed at Qin Chi furiously. “Qin Juanshu, you better make this clear to the old bastard. It’s your own impure thoughts—tell him to stop harassing others!”
Qin Juanshu had already learned the whole story from Duan Yunjin.
He said coldly to Qin Chi, “You shouldn’t slander an innocent person.”
“He’s innocent?” Qin Chi roared. “How many marriage alliances did you turn down for him? Innocent? If he hadn’t seduced you, would I have worried about your marriage for so long? Qin Juanshu, you’re actually siding with an outsider? Do you even remember I’m your father?!”
A vein throbbed at Qin Juanshu’s temple. Suddenly, he strode forward aggressively. Because of his status, the bodyguards hesitated on whether to intervene. In that moment of uncertainty, Qin Juanshu seized Qin Chi’s collar, his eyes filled with menace.
“I said, don’t slander an innocent person,” Qin Juanshu said through gritted teeth. “He knows nothing. I haven’t told him anything… He’s just working hard, just interacting normally with friends. He doesn’t deserve any insults!”
Qin Chi was stunned by his murderous glare.
In that instant, as Qin Juanshu gripped his collar, he had the illusion that Qin Juanshu actually wanted to strangle him to death.
After saying that, Qin Juanshu suddenly deflated. He hesitated, not daring to turn back, unsure how to face Bai Ying.
The lie he had told to protect Bai Ying had finally been exposed, and at this moment, Bai Ying had suffered even greater harm.
It was all because of him… If it weren’t for him, Bai Ying wouldn’t have been insulted by Qin Chi.
Qin Juanshu finally turned around. He looked at Bai Ying and saw his eyes reddened, tears on the verge of falling. Bai Ying clutched the hem of his clothes tightly, not wanting to cry in public. He had already endured so many baseless accusations; Bai Ying didn’t want to appear weak.
Qin Juanshu lowered his head, offering his neck for punishment. Once things happened, they couldn’t be undone, making his apology seem utterly feeble. “I’m sorry.”
Bai Ying said, “I want to resign.”
