He tricked the female lead into becoming his boyfriend, but then went on to criticize the male lead.

He Anran looked up abruptly, her heart trembling at the unfamiliar and cold look in her son's eyes. She quickly shook her head, her voice filled with worry: "But it's no use, son! The facts are clear: Wen Zhaoci is ruthless and powerful. Since he's spoken, you have to go to the deserted island!"

Years of pent-up guilt and remorse erupted at this moment. He Anran's eyes reddened, filled with regret: "It's all my fault! It's all my fault! Back then, I was blinded by greed and persuaded your father to throw young Wen Zhaoci onto a deserted island to torture him! When your grandfather found out about this, he was furious and personally ordered that you would never be qualified to inherit the Wen family company in this lifetime!"

This has been her biggest worry for so many years, and it is also the biggest weakness for both her and her son.

She will always remember the old man's furious expression at that time, and his words about disqualifying them from inheritance, which were like shackles that bound them for more than a decade.

What she feared most was that if she lost power, all her wealth, honor, and immense influence would vanish.

Looking at his mother's panicked and tearful appearance, Wen Zhaozhe felt a hint of impatience.

He stepped forward, raised his hand and gently patted He Anran's shoulder. His tone was steady, with an undeniable confidence, and his eyes revealed an undisguised ambition: "Mom, don't panic, and don't blame yourself."

"I can handle this little thing myself, you don't need to worry about it."

He Anran was still filled with fear, holding his hand tightly, pleading with him earnestly, her voice thick with apology: "Son, listen to me! Wen Zhaoci is no longer the child who could be bullied at will! He is now ruthless, vindictive, and his power is unfathomable. You must not provoke him again! I'm really scared, I'm afraid that in a fit of anger he might break your legs and completely ruin you!"

After so many years of confrontation, she knew better than anyone how terrifying Wen Zhaoci was.

But Zhao Zhe's face showed no fear whatsoever, only a cold arrogance of certainty.

He looked up at the window and said, "Mom, don't worry."

"It's just a temporary setback."

"I will take over the Wen family's power, wealth, and status one day."

"The entire Wen family, from beginning to end, will ultimately belong to me."

☆

The warm afternoon sun shone on the small roads of the county town at two o'clock, and a black sedan was steadily parked in front of a small courtyard on the outskirts of the town.

Sang Jiuning was the first to push open the car door and get out, then went around to the other side and carefully opened the car door for Fu Xulan.

Fu Xulan, dressed in a well-tailored, simple cheongsam, exuded a noble and aloof aura as she slowly stepped out of the car.

She turned her head to look at Uncle De, the tall and upright middle-aged butler beside her, and said in a calm but slightly teasing tone: "Uncle De, I'm going in for a bit. If I haven't come out in an hour, come in and find me. Who knows, I might have to trouble you to teach him a lesson for me."

Uncle De remained calm and responded crisply, "Understood, Madam. There's a baseball bat in the trunk, ready to serve at any time."

Sang Jiuning, who was clinging to Fu Xulan's soft arm, immediately smiled, playfully stuck out her pink tongue, and whispered, "Mom, if you really intend to teach Dad a lesson, I'll definitely be on your side and help you beat him up!"

"You little rascal, always fooling around." Fu Xulan helplessly raised her hand and gently patted Sang Jiuning's smooth forehead, her eyes filled with an undisguised tenderness.

The mother and daughter walked side by side into the courtyard gate.

This two-story old building exudes a sense of history and everyday life. The courtyard is not spacious, but it is well-maintained.

Neat vegetable gardens line both sides of the main road, with various seasonal vegetables growing vigorously and lushly. Sturdy grapevines and kiwi vines intertwine along the wall, with wooden supports built in layers, extending along the courtyard wall and forming a verdant arched pergola around the path leading to the main building. A gentle breeze blows, the branches and leaves sway softly, and the whole courtyard is filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Before even reaching the main building entrance, a particularly loud audiobook narration pierced straight into my ears, echoing throughout the entire courtyard.

Sang Ting leaned back lazily on a rattan lounge chair at the end of the corridor, his eyes lightly closed, listening to a novel playing on his phone, completely absorbed in the story.

A soft, sorrowful female voice slowly came from the phone: "Xiao Xun's wife, Qin Wan, dressed in an elegant cheongsam, walked gracefully towards Xiao Xun. Twenty years have passed, but her beauty remained radiant. Since she became a wandering spirit, she has come to see him every night at ten o'clock..."

Sang Jiuning paused, her lips twitching involuntarily, silently cursing in her heart.

Good heavens! My own father is a teacher at a prestigious high school, usually a composed and reserved role model, yet he secretly enjoys listening to tragic romance novels about love between humans and ghosts. This niche hobby is truly unexpected and absurd.

Suppressing a laugh, she raised her voice and called out to the man on the recliner, "Dad! The surprise you've been waiting for has arrived at your doorstep!"

A clear female voice suddenly rang out, instantly interrupting Sang Tingyan's pleasant leisure.

He suddenly opened his eyes, quickly sat up, and turned to look at the door. When he saw Fu Xulan's face, which he had been longing for day and night, he froze on the spot, his pupils contracted sharply, and then he hurriedly stood up from the recliner, his face filled with a mixture of shock and ecstasy.

Sang Tingyan's voice trembled, filled with disbelief: "Alan...you...you actually came? After all these years as a ghost, you've finally come to see me!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he could no longer suppress the longing that had accumulated in his heart for many years. He strode forward and, disregarding everything, reached out and tightly embraced Fu Xulan, with such force that it seemed as if he was afraid that the person in his arms would disappear in an instant.

Sang Jiuning stood aside, speechless as she watched her father lose his composure, feeling helpless and sighing inwardly.

The high school teacher, who is usually serious and authoritative at school and dedicated to educating students, actually has a deep belief in ghosts and gods in private. Now I have truly seen a side of my father that no one knows.

Fu Xulan, who was being held tightly, looked disgusted and couldn't help but roll her eyes, secretly grumbling to herself.

So many years have passed, but Sang Tingyan is still the same as when he was young, simple-minded and without any composure. He really has no brains at all.

Before Fu Xulan could speak and break free, Sang Tingyan had already lost control of his emotions. Hot tears streamed down his face, each drop landing on his shoulder. He cried uncontrollably, choking back sobs as he poured out his heartfelt longing.

"Alan, all these long years, why have you never come to see me even once?"

"I miss you day and night. If it weren't for Ningning's concern, I would have gone to the underworld to find you and reunite with you long ago."