With three supreme masters, they were invincible upon descending the mountain.

Inside the Yangxin Pavilion, Lin Baye sat leaning against the headboard, covered with a thin blanket.

He was so thin he was practically skin and bones, and the wrinkles on his face were as deep as if they had been carved by a knife. But compared to his previous lifeless and ashen appearance, his face now had color and his eyes were bright again.

Although he was still very weak, at least he looked like a living person.

Lin Ruhai stood by the bed, head down, not daring to look his father in the eye, his hands trembling slightly at his sides.

"Like the sea," Lin Baye spoke, his voice hoarse yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Do you know your mistake?"

Lin Ruhai opened his mouth, wanting to explain.

I wanted to say, "I did it for my family."

I wanted to say, "I had no choice."

But all the words were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single one.

He could only lower his head even more forcefully.

Like a child caught doing something wrong but not daring to admit it, he could only remain silent in grievance. Where was the domineering aura of the Lin family head?

Lin Baye slowly shook his head, his eyes full of disappointment: "If you won't tell me, then I will."

He took a deep breath and raised his voice: "If it weren't for Doctor Ye's intervention this time, I would have lost my life here."

"Dr. Ye is a benefactor of the Lin family, but what about you?"

He stared at his son and said, slowly and deliberately, "What are you doing?"

"Surround him? Kill him? And call all the elders for a fight to the death?!"

"Lin Ruhai!" Lin Baye's voice trembled, not from weakness, but from anger: "I've taught you for decades, and this is the kind of ungrateful wretch I've produced?!"

Lin Ruhai trembled and lowered his head even further.

He felt a burning pain on his face, as if he had been slapped dozens of times in public.

But he dared not refute it.

In front of his father, he was always the son who needed to look up to him and be taught.

Lin Baye looked at his son with a complicated expression.

There was anger, there was disappointment, but more than anything... there was heartache.

He sighed, stopped looking at Lin Ruhai, and turned to look at Ye Yaocheng, his face instantly changing to an apologetic smile.

"Dr. Ye, I'm so sorry." He struggled to sit up straight, but Ye Yaocheng stopped him by raising his hand.

"This time, it is my fault for failing to discipline him properly; my family is unfortunate to have produced such a rebellious son."

"Actually, I woke up a long time ago, but I had needles inserted in my body, so I couldn't speak or move. I could hear all the noises outside clearly."

"I was so anxious, but in the end I was really powerless!" He said with a wry smile, "Luckily, I was able to speak again in the end."

"Otherwise, if someone were to die and a genius like Doctor Ye were to perish in my Lin family, I would have no face to face my ancestors even after I die."

Ye Yaocheng listened quietly, and he could sense that Lin Baye's words were sincere.

But when he glanced at Lin Ruhai, who had his head down, and then at Lin Baye, who looked apologetic, his expression shifted slightly.

This father and son... are quite interesting.

"Old Master Lin, you're too kind," Ye Yaocheng said calmly. "It's just a small matter; it's not your fault."

He was telling the truth; just now, he truly had murderous intent.

The Lin family members keep attacking us relentlessly, like flies swarming around us.

If they can't win, they keep calling in reinforcements, wanting to summon every single person they can, which really annoys him. Can't they just call them all at once?

He almost wanted to use all his strength to just flatten the place, which would have been easier.

But Lin Baye's final cry of "Stop!" saved not only Lin Ruhai, but also the Lin family.

Otherwise, the Lin family might be wiped out of Linjiang.

Ye Yaocheng shook his head, no longer thinking about these things. He walked to the bedside and reached out to remove all nine silver needles.

In the blink of an eye, he precisely pulled out these silver needles with fluid movements that dazzled the onlookers.

The moment the needle left his body, Lin Baye breathed a sigh of relief, and the color in his face returned.

Ye Yaocheng put away the needles and said seriously, "Grandpa, your poisoning is too deep and has already eroded your foundation. I just stabilized it temporarily and forced the poison out."

"To fully recover, you will need at least a year of rest and recuperation, along with the medication I prescribed, to gradually regulate your body."

Lin Baye nodded, and with Lin Qingxue's help, he stood up shakily.

Then he bowed to Ye Yaocheng.

"I will always remember Dr. Ye's life-saving grace."

His voice was solemn: "From now on, the Lin family will be at your service whenever needed."

Ye Yaocheng waved his hand: "No need."

He glanced at Lin Qingxue and smiled, "I promised my friend I would take care of her, so saving you was just my duty."

friend?

Lin Qingxue's cheeks flushed red.

She lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, her ears turning bright red.

That's way too ambiguous to say in front of so many people!

"Hahaha!" Lin Baye laughed loudly, his eyes darting between Ye Yaocheng and Lin Qingxue, his smile deepening: "So it was all thanks to my good granddaughter?"

He patted Lin Qingxue's hand, his tone indulgent: "Girl, your friend has helped Grandpa so much, aren't you going to do something for him?"

Lin Qingxue looked up blankly: "Huh?"

"Let's take Doctor Ye for a stroll in the courtyard!"

Lin Baye winked: "Get familiar with the surroundings, otherwise what if you get lost next time someone comes to visit?"

"Grandpa!" Lin Qingxue said coquettishly, her face turning even redder!

This sounds like they're being set up. Ye Yaocheng is already married, otherwise, it wouldn't be impossible. He's handsome and so capable, he must be amazing in other ways too.

As she pondered, a scene from a TV show—a domineering CEO pushing a girl down—inexplicably popped into her mind, causing her to feel a sudden surge of confusion. She secretly cursed herself for watching such things.

"Let's go, let's go!" She dared not stay any longer, grabbed Ye Yaocheng's hand, lowered her head and rushed out.

"Hey! Slow down! I can walk by myself!" Ye Yaocheng said, both amused and exasperated, but he didn't try to break free.

The two of them left Yangxin Pavilion one after the other.

The guards in the corridor had long since dispersed.

Only Zhao Hu and Feng Yi were still peeking out from a distance, but when they saw Ye Yaocheng come out, they quickly shrank back in fright.

Ye Yaocheng was being pulled along by Lin Qingxue, and they kept walking.

But the moment he stepped out of the Yangxin Pavilion, Ye Yaocheng turned back and took a deep look at it.

Lin Ruhai glanced at the father and son in the room; he was still looking down, like a schoolboy who had made a mistake.

Lin Baye sat on the edge of the bed with a kind smile on his face.

It appears to be a picture of a loving father and filial son.

But Ye Yaocheng knew in his heart that neither this father nor his son were simple people.

Especially Lin Baye, whose words just now seemed to be scolding his son and apologizing.

But every word was just right, giving Ye Yaocheng face, saving Lin Ruhai's life, and maintaining the Lin family's dignity.

Such skill is worthy of the old patriarch who has been in charge of the Lin family for decades.

Inside the Yangxin Pavilion.

The smile on Lin Baye's face gradually faded.

He looked at Lin Ruhai, who was still standing there, and said calmly, "Alright, everyone's gone, stop pretending."

Lin Ruhai's body stiffened, and he slowly raised his head.

The aggrieved and timid expression on her face gradually disappeared.

Instead, there is a complex somberness.

"Father," he said, his voice hoarse, "you...are you really better?"

"I won't die for now." Lin Baye leaned against the headboard, closed his eyes, as if resting: "Thanks to Doctor Ye."

He paused, opened his eyes, and looked at his son: "Ruhai, I know everything you've done over the years."

Lin Ruhai's pupils contracted.

"You want to revitalize the family, to lead the Lin family out of Linjiang, to the provincial capital, or even further," Lin Baye said calmly, his tone devoid of emotion. "That intention is good."

"But..." he changed the subject, "you're too hasty."

"So desperate that they'll stop at nothing."

Lin Ruhai remained silent and continued to listen.

"Do you think that by marrying Qingxue into the Zhao family and gaining their support, the Lin family will rise to prominence?"

Lin Baye shook his head: "That's like trying to get something from a tiger."

"You know better than I what kind of people the Zhao family is. What they're after is the Lin family's wealth accumulated over hundreds of years in Linjiang. Qingxue's marriage is just the first step. Next, they will slowly devour the Lin family until they are completely wiped out."

Lin Ruhai's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but Lin Baye raised his hand to stop him.

"I'm tired." He closed his eyes again. "But there are some things I have to say."

"Ru Hai, you must remember, ambition alone is not enough to become the head of the family."

"You also need to be willing."

Lin Baye opened his eyes again, his expression complex. "Ask yourself, all these years, has every decision you've made truly been for the sake of the family...?"

"Or is it to prove you're better than the second son?"

Lin Ruhai trembled violently. He suddenly looked up and stared intently at his father, his eyes instantly becoming bloodshot!

"Father!" His voice trembled, filled with suppressed anger and resentment. "Do you even believe that the second son would be a better head of the family than I am?!"

Lin Baye did not answer; he simply looked at his son quietly, his eyes deep.

Like an ancient well, its depths are unfathomable.

In the room, only the heavy breathing of the father and son remained.

Outside the window, the sky was gradually darkening.

Night is falling.