Ding Mulian’s jaw dropped. Her muscles froze. She did not dare to believe what she just heard.

  Her loving, doting father, who had always given her whatever she wanted since young, actually scolded her? And told her to get out?

  Even Ding Jinkui and Ding Fu were stunned. Judging from Yue Pengcheng’s stormy expression, he was definitely not the same person from before. Her heart pulsed erratically; she feared that the coming days were not going to be pleasant.

  She had some intention of bringing some sense back to Yue Pengcheng through Ding Jinkui and Ding Mulian just now, but it seemed like the efforts were for nothing.

  Ding Fu wanted to laugh at herself. How could she forget that Yue Pengcheng was calculating towards his own flesh and blood son, what more towards two adopted children?

  Yue Pengcheng, this man……

  Revulsion rose in Ding Fu as she continued to observed Yue Pengcheng’s face. If he did not have money, who would want to share the same bed with this man for decades?

  Before, Yue Pengcheng truly liked Ding Fu, even adopted her two children—he named one Mulian, the other Jinkui, both variations of the name of the lotus flower.

  When he was choosing their names, his heart was there.

  But now, when he told Ding Mulian to get out, it was almost laughable, really.

  Ding Mulian gathered her senses and recovered from her shock. “Daddy……Are you……Are you really asking me to get out?” she said, voice trembling. “Daddy, are you crazy? I’m Mulian! I’m not Su Ningmei, that old b*tch. Look! It’s Mommy who’s being bullied by that old b*tch. How can you yell at me?”


  Yue Pengcheng threw his blankets off, leaped down from the bed and gave Ding Mulian a resounding slap on the face.

  Yue Pengcheng was still a man, and his strength definitely overwhelmed a girl’s. Besides, rage roared in him, and the slap contained all the fury he harbored in his frame—with that slap, he sent Ding Mulian flying onto the floor.

  Yue Pengcheng pointed at Ding Mulian. “Get out. How dare you speak to me this way? You want to get sent to heaven early?” he snarled. “If I hadn’t adopted you, you would be starving and wandering the streets. And you dare argue with me. You get out now. Don’t even think about getting a single coin from me from now on.”


  Ding Mulian was sprawled on the floor, one ear ringing with the echoes of the slap. The corner of her mouth had split open, and some of her teeth had come loose. The metallic tang of blood filled her mouth. She propped one side of her face, which had gone numb. Her brain was unable to process whatever that had just happened.

  Ding Fu had never seen Yue Pengcheng this explosive. In his eyes, she saw nothing but a cold ruthlessness.

  Ding Fu still could not afford to offend him, so she hastily said, “Mulian, Mulian……Quickly apologize to your father. No one wanted yesterday’s incident to happen. The police are still investigating the case, so don’t simply say anything. Your father had loved you so much all this while. How could you say such hurtful things to him? Quick, apologize……”


  As Ding Fu said all this, she gave Ding Jinkui a wink.

  Ding Jinkui was not a child of many words, and a lot more composed in nature compared to Ding Mulian. He still did not completely understand what had happened last night, so he did not say anything.

  But from Yue Pengcheng’s actions, he began to gain some insight into the situation.

  There seemed to be some problems between his adoptive father and adoptive mother.

  Ding Jinkui took a moment before saying, “Mom’s right, Mulian. How could you say that to Dad? If Dad hadn’t taken us in, we’d probably be wasting away in some orphanage in a foreign country. Just because Dad spoils doesn’t mean you have a right to be rude to him. You don’t show the slightest signs of basic respect to your elders. How’s Dad not supposed to get mad at that? He slapped you to teach you a valuable lesson.”