It was the first time Old Sheng was so furious he headed straight to Sheng Xiao’s residence. He was convinced that Sheng Xiao had persuaded Third Brother to leave his house, and that Sheng Xiao intended to drain his family and ruin them.

  That was why he brought along his butler and four bodyguards to Sheng Xiao’s residence.

  Although the security at the Shen’s residence was tight, the old man was not going to them. Unable to stop him, the security gave Sheng Xiao’s residence a phone call.

  Papa Sheng had been drawing up some blueprints while Third Brother made a mess of things nearby. They were engrossed in conversation when Papa Sheng got the call, and turned towards Third Brother, “Your grandfather came.”


  The look on Third Brother’s face changed.

  Papa Sheng sighed at that, before saying quietly, “If you want to see him, I’ll tell the security to turn him down.”


  “Save it, Eldest Uncle. It is clear he’s furious if he came. Security could keep him out but not every time…… I’ll go……”


  “Isn’t he going to destroy you if you go? I’ll call your Eldest Aunt and set the guards on him. He won’t hate you too much if we’re around.

  Third Brother said nothing, but he knew he should have left the country at once.

  Hiding here only escalated the conflict between his Eighth Brother and the old man.

  Meanwhile, when Mama Sheng heard that the old man came for Third Brother and quickly rushed back from the Shen’s residence.

  “Where’s he?”


  “He hasn’t come in yet.” Papa Sheng replied. “I asked you to come back to see if you could get a word in for Third Brother.”


  “There’s no talking to that maniac.”


  Mama Sheng snorted coldly—there was no sitting down with someone who could burn down a house without regard for his own son, because he does not have a heart at all.

  Papa Sheng sat down beside her on the couch, and Third Brother followed suit, clenching his fist.

  Soon, Old Sheng arrived downstairs.

  Papa Sheng received him and led him to the living room, and when the old man saw Third Brother, he simply stood outside the door and barked at him, “Come here!”


  Stunned, both Papa Sheng and Mama Sheng turned to Third Brother, who could only rise from the couch and walk up to the old man.

  But even before he could say a word, the old man’s arm came swinging.

  It was a clean, determined slap—the old man did not hold back at all.

  Mama Sheng was enraged at that. “Old man, don’t you know you’re beating your own grandson?”


  “I’m teaching him a lesson. Outsiders do not get to talk.”


  “Not used to it? Why didn’t you just burn us as well with your fire?” Mama Sheng said, walking up between Old Sheng and Third Brother and pulling the latter behind herself. “What? Can’t kill your own son, and now you’re beating your grandson to death?”


  The old man took a deep breath and clenched his fingers over his crutch. “What proof do you have that I set the fire?”


  “Why are you pretending when it’s just us!?” Mama Sheng felt hurt at the sight of Third Brother’s red and swollen face. After all, was there not a son who is a mother’s favorite?

  “If you’re that great, go bother Sheng Xiao who gave you grief, or are you admitting how much of a failure you are, venting everything on your other grandchildren?”


  Nonetheless, Old Sheng was reluctant to have another word with Mama Sheng, who had turned her back on his family. He simply stared at Third Brother and asked, “Are you coming with me?”


  “Third Brother……” Mama Sheng turned around to Third Brother too.

  Third Brother took a deep breath but hung his head and answered the old man, “I’ll go.”


  “Third Brother, I’ll protect you if you stay here. Not even Sheng Xiao could help you if you go back.”


  “Eldest Aunt, I think I should solve my own problems and not involve others.”


  Old Sheng laughed coldly.

  In the end, Third Brother knew what’s good for him.

  “Don’t poke your own business into the Sheng family’s business from now on.”


  “While you try to bask in Eighth Brother’s limelight? That slap two days ago wasn’t painful enough?” Mama Sheng did not back down either.

  Old Sheng gestured for Third Brother to leave first and turned to his own son. “I really did not expect that you could prove your worth alive.”


  “Of course I won’t be worth anything at the hell of the Sheng family. Just look at Fourth Sister, Sheng Xiao, and even my wife and myself…… that is proof enough.”


  Mama Sheng folded her arms across her chest at the old man—it was only natural that men would never beat women in a battle of words. That was why Old Sheng simply left with Third Brother, since humiliating Papa Sheng and Mama Sheng was impossible.

  Third Brother walked ahead and him behind, but as soon as Third Brother got on the car, two men pinned him down.

  “I’ll have you know the consequences of running.”


  Third Brother said nothing. Right now, he felt like a criminal, and less than the obedient machines in the Sheng family.

  ***

  When they left, Mama Sheng called Sheng Xiao, “Old Sheng came personally to take Third Brother away, and slapped him right in front of us. I’m afraid things would get worse when they return.”


  “What could we do if he wants to go back?” Sheng Xiao said, having guessed it—the old man would have a hard time bringing Third Brother back, but only if he did not want to.

  “I really don’t know what he’s thinking…… try to think of something for him. That old man is only becoming crazier by the day……”


  Sheng Xiao hung up, tapping his fingers softly over the table.

  Third Brother was going to suffer when he gets home.

  Even so, no one could help him if he didn’t have the resolve to leave the Sheng family.

  Perhaps Third Brother still had his concerns, because he was not as smart as Sheng Xiao to offer his parents comfort in their later years. The thought of Papa Sheng almost being burnt to death because Sheng Xiao fought the old man was not a risk he could take.

  If there was any path that could save him now, it was through marriage.

  Marrying into another family might be a good idea.

  After Third Brother was dragged home, he was locked in his own room—naturally, his window was already sealed shut.

  “It’s time to get you married anyway, or you would never know what you should be putting your heart into. Stay here and think about what you’ve done for the next few days.”


  Sheng Kai heard about Third Brother being locked in once he got home, and found it unbelievable that the old man would resort to something so radical.

  Hence, he went to Third Brother’s room to find the person himself lying on his bed, and so sat on his bedside and asked, “Why would you make Grandfather angry?”