“Who let you in?” asked Old Lin, looking at Lin Mu’an coldly.

  “Miss Lu hasn’t even done anything to me. She does not have the intention of becoming your granddaughter-in-law whatsoever.” Lin Mu’an barked at his grandfather and nudged Lu Qianqian. “Go.”


  “Lin Mu’an…”


  “If you don’t want to listen to more brutal words, then leave now. I’m very sorry for what happened today,” said Lin Mu’an sadly to Lu Qianqian.

  Lu Qianqian glanced at Lin Mu’an, then at Old Lin. She nodded. “I’ll leave now.”


  “Alright.”


  “You can go, but I will meet your parents myself tomorrow. I want to remind them to educate their daughter properly and don’t let her bring bad influence on other people’s children.”


  Lu Qianqian endured this unfair treatment silently after hearing this. She turned around and left. Because she knew that she would only make it more difficult for Lin Mu’an if she stayed.

  But Lu Qianqian did not go home. She went to Jing Ting instead.

  “Qiqi…”


  Mu Qiqi was shocked when she saw Lu Qianqian plunge into her arms in tears. “Did Lin Mu’an bully you?”


  Lu Qianqian shook her head while still crying. “No…”


  Mu Qiqi was very anxious. But she waited until Lu Qianqian stopped crying.

  On the other hand, Old Lin smashed a stool right onto his grandson’s back. “How have I educated you all this time? Who should you make friends with? How dare you befriend those with bad reputation? Do you still remember who you are?”


  Lin Mu’an listen to his grandfather’s scolding. He felt angry and wronged.

  “Starting from today, will you continue to meet with that wild lady?”


  “I told you, we are just friends. Besides, Grandpa, you have let me see the most despicable side of a man. You were not talking to Qianqian as an elder. You were just bullying her. You were abusing and insulting a twenty-year-old girl. How great do you think you are? To me, you are just a shameless and stubborn person who has a patriarchal mindset and disregards human rights. You don’t respect women at all. You can restrict me from making friends. You can hurt Lu Qianqian and stop us from contacting each other. But in my heart, from this very moment, my respect for you is completely gone.”


  “You are only twenty-one. Do you know what life is?”


  “Although I know nothing, I don’t need you to teach me. I have had the right to freedom since the day I was born.” Lin Mu’an refuted coldly.

  “Stop talking nonsense. After you get back, I will arrange blind dates for you. Then, I will arrange an engagement for you. Don’t forget what identity you have been using all this while to boss around.”


  “When I published my first book, nobody knew I was a Lin.” Lin Mu’an stood up. “Once I get back, I will immediately change my pen name. I will not use my identity as Lin Mu’an. I will return everything I got from the Lin family to you.” Having said that, Lin Mu’an stripped naked and threw his clothes on the floor in front of the old man.

  “Please let me go.”


  Old Lin’s throat was dry. He could not speak.

  Only his hands were trembling.

  “This is what you said. If you insist on keeping in touch with that girl, don’t ever think of coming back to the Lin family. I will consider myself never having you as my grandson. And you, don’t ever think of getting any benefits from the Lin family again.”


  “I am just twenty-one. I don’t want my life to be controlled by you and regret it my entire life.”


  Then, Lin Mu’an walked out of the hotel, naked.

  What was so good about being a rich young master?

  …


  At Jing Ting.

  Late at night, Lu Qianqian had finally calmed down. Only then did she tell Qiqi, “I don’t know who did it. Lin Mu’an’s grandfather came and saw us getting drunk together.”


  “Then, his grandfather talked to me. Lin Mu’an wanted to protect me, so he forced me to leave. I don’t know what’s his situation now.”


  Then, Lu Qianqian buried her face in her hands. “Lin Mu’an’s grandfather said he wants to meet my parents.”


  Mu Qiqi held Lu Qianqian’s hands. “I’m glad that rascal did not let you suffer too much.”


  “But I’m worried about him.” Lu Qianqian raised her head. Her eyes were teary. “My parents got used to having a useless daughter. But I’m worried that Lin Mu’an will be reprimanded very badly by his grandfather.”


  “He is the grandson of the Lin family anyhow. You don’t have to worry too much.”


  Soon, Mu Qiqi received a phone call from Lin Mu’an. “Is Qianqian at your place?”


  “Where are you?”


  “I’m outside your gate. But I have nothing to wear now. Can I get some old clothes from the crown prince?”


  Although Mu Qiqi was confused about the situation, she took out the clothes that Sheng Xiao rarely wore and let Sheng Xiao give them to Lin Mu’an.

  When Sheng Xiao saw the naked man, he chuckled. “Robbed by someone?”


  “Family problems,” said Lin Mu’an helplessly, “Is Qianqian here?”


  “Is Jing Ting a meeting place for secret lovers?” Sheng Xiao was irritated.

  Soon, they went into Jing Ting. And Lu Qianqian saw Lin Mu’an standing behind Sheng Xiao.

  His physique was different from Sheng Xiao’s. So, he looked awkward in Sheng Xiao’s clothes.

  “Lin Mu’an…”


  “Qianqian, why are you still crying?”


  When Sheng Xiao saw this, he nudged Mu Qiqi. “Let’s go upstairs. We have nothing to do here.”


  Mu Qiqi grinned and followed Sheng Xiao upstairs. “I didn’t expect Lin Mu’an to have guts to do this.”


  “Do you think he can simply leave his family just by stripping and voicing his displeasure? It’s not that easy.”


  Mu Qiqi nodded.

  The arrogant elders of the powerful families would use all sorts of tactics to control and coerce their children to obey them. And Lin Mu’an had yet to see those dirty tactics.

  “I hope they can persevere until the end.”


  Downstairs, Lin Mu’an was holding Lu Qianqian’s hands. He apologized again and again. “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault that I let you suffer.”


  “Your grandfather is your grandfather. You are you. I can still tell,” said Lu Qianqian, “But what will happen to you after running out of Lin Mansion like this?”


  “Don’t worry. He is my grandfather anyway. He will only be angry with me for a few days.” Lin Mu’an did not tell Lu Qianqian that he had left the Lin family. “I will send you home. It’s late now. You can’t keep on staying here.”


  “Then where will you go?” Lu Qianqian asked Lin Mu’an.

  “I’ll sleep in my studio. My grandfather might go to your parents tomorrow…”


  “Don’t worry. My parents are not weaklings.”


  Speaking of which, the Lu family was not an ordinary family.