Of course, Xie Heng only dared to think about it.
After witnessing those two punches and a kick from Old Xie just now, he suddenly felt a little weak at the thought of facing his fadther.
His reverence for his old man had reached an unprecedented height.
Xie Yizhao saw that the man in the water was about to pass out and finally let go, instructing the bodyguards to fish him out.
By the time the bodyguards dragged Xiao Feiyuan—who had swallowed half a pool’s worth of water—out, he was still conscious but barely, lying on the poolside half-dead, with one side of his face swollen.
Xie Heng couldn’t hold back. He walked over and kicked the man twice, finally feeling some relief.
Having vented his anger, he walked back to his parents, putting on an innocent face.
Xie Yizhao had noticed his ‘little action’ but merely curled his lips and said nothing.
Lu Xi glanced at Xie Yizhao, then at the ladies by the greenhouse who were looking in their direction. She suddenly felt a little uneasy. “What now?”
After all, they had beaten someone up. Would this cause trouble?
Xie Yizhao knew what she was worried about and shook his head. “It’s fine. I’ll handle it.”
His voice was deep, carrying a reassuring strength.
Lu Xi nodded.
She trusted him.
Right, she must have been too disgusted by Xiao Feiyuan just now, making her mind a little muddled, forgetting Xie Yizhao’s nature.
He always had things under control. Even if he made a mistake, he would have a way to clean it up.
But this was still the Yin family’s banquet. Now that a commotion had been caused, would the Yin family have any objections?
Lu Xi voiced her concerns to Xie Yizhao.
He still had his arm around her. Upon hearing this, he chuckled, lowered his head, and kissed the top of her hair. “Don’t worry. Yin Zongming will thank me for this.”
Lu Xi : ?
Alright, now she wasn’t worried at all. Instead, she was curious. She really wanted to see how the host would thank him.
Xie Heng thought his Dad and Ms. Lu were really a bit much.
They were still outside, in public no less! He didn’t even know where to look.
Over on the other side, the ladies’ circle was just as dumbfounded.
Though they kept up appearances, pretending not to see anything and saying nothing, their minds were in turmoil.
If people say an old flame rekindled burns hotter, then this fire was practically scorching. It looked like it could burn them out of existence.
Some watched with envy, while others felt a pang of bitterness. Comparing their own husbands, they only found them lacking.
Not being as wealthy was one thing, and looks were innate—nothing could be done about that. Yet, they weren’t even as considerate.
They had been away for so long, and their husbands hadn’t even come looking, let alone made a single phone call.
However, the sharper among them quickly guessed that this matter had something to do with Lu Xi, and the one who got beaten up most likely deserved it.
Mrs. Yin reacted quickly.
Regardless of how the incident started, it was best to keep it from drawing too much attention. She immediately instructed the family’s bodyguards and servants to guard the entrance to the courtyard, preventing more people from coming over, and then informed Yin Zongming.
This wasn’t something she could personally handle, it was best left to her father-in-law.
Fortunately, most of the guests were still in the banquet hall, so not many had seen what happened.
Yin Zongming arrived shortly.
Beside him was Elder Zhou Yueheng.
“Mr. Xie, what’s going on here?”
Yin Zongming had heard about it over the phone, but his daughter-in-law hadn’t explained clearly why a fight had broken out.
When he arrived, he saw a man lying by the pool, soaking wet, his face swollen, eyes rolling back. If not for his rising and falling chest, he wouldn’t be sure if the guy was dead or alive.
Xie Yizhao said indifferently, “He started it, and I handled it. Consider it helping you take care of a problem.”
Yin Zongming was stunned. “What do you mean by that?”
He didn’t even know this person!
Xie Yizhao stepped away from Lu Xi, stopping next to Yin Zongming. In a low voice, just loud enough for those present to hear, he said, “I suspect he used contraband. It’s best to call the police.”
Yin Zongming’s expression changed instantly.
He looked again at the man on the ground, his voice deepening. “Mr. Xie, do you know him? How certain are you?”
Xie Yizhao completely ignored the first question. “He has a record.”
Yin Zongming’s face darkened, and Elder Zhou’s expression turned grim as well.
They both immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.
If this man had been involved in such things before, that was one thing. But if he had done it here, at the Yin family’s home…
Yin Zongming’s face turned ashen. He suddenly felt the urge to personally stomp on the guy a few more times.
Was this idiot insane?! If he wanted to cause trouble, why not do it far away? If he wanted to die, couldn’t he die somewhere else?!
No matter what grievance he had with Xie Yizhao, at this moment, Yin Zongming only felt that he had been well and truly beaten.
Scum like this deserved to be beaten to death and thrown into a lake. The Yin family had never wronged him!
He handled things even faster and more meticulously than his daughter-in-law, immediately ordering the butler and assistants to lock down the information, investigate the man’s background, and search every corner of the villa for any traces he might have left behind.
“Who the hell brought this guy here?”
Yin Zongming was utterly exasperated.
Tonight was his granddaughter’s birthday party, and he had only invited guests he was familiar with. He had no recollection of the swollen-faced man on the ground.
Before long, the butler brought someone over.
It turned out to be Yin Xiang.
Yin Zongming stared at his second son, feeling a pang in his chest.
Tonight, besides Xiao Feiyuan, Yin Xiang had also brought along a small-time celebrity—his new girlfriend—who had been getting intimate with him in his room before Yin Zongming’s assistant dragged him here.
He was already fuming, but upon arrival, seeing Xiao Feiyuan lying on the ground left him utterly stunned.
“Dad, why is he on the ground? Did he fall into the swimming pool or something?”
Yin Zongming’s expression darkened. “You brought this person here?”
“Yeah, he’s a friend of mine. Didn’t I invest in that tutoring institution project recently? He’s my business partner.”
As soon as Yin Xiang finished speaking, Yin Zongming raised his hand and slapped him across the face. “Nonsense!”
Yin Xiang was momentarily dazed by the hit.
Covering his face, he looked at his furious father, completely clueless about what he had done wrong.
Yin Zongming pointed at Xiao Feiyuan, then at Yin Xiang. “You… you two…”
He nearly blurted something out but caught himself upon noticing the people around him.
He had seen this kind of thing before. In families like theirs, it wasn’t uncommon for some young heirs to go astray, getting ruined by these indulgences. Most of the time, it was bad company leading them down the wrong path.
If Yin Xiang had gone down that road as well, it would feel like the sky was collapsing.
“Old Yin, now’s not the time to be worrying about that,” Zhou Yueheng reminded him in a low voice. “You should deal with the one on the ground first.”
Only then did Yin Zongming snap out of it.
His brows furrowed deeply as he suddenly felt at a loss.
Tonight’s incident not only implicated his family but also dragged Xie Yizhao into it. He thought for a moment, then turned to Xie Yizhao. “CEO Xie, what do you think we should do about this?”
Xie Yizhao’s expression was indifferent as he replied casually, “Call the police.”
Yin Zongming was stunned, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. “Call the police? Wouldn’t that blow everything up?”
Xie Yizhao : “The difference is whether you expose it yourself or let someone else do it for you. If you do it, you’re just a concerned citizen reporting an issue. If someone else does, they might be trying to take down your entire family.”
At first glance, this sounded like a threat from Xie Yizhao.
But thinking deeper, Yin Zongming felt a chilling fear creeping in.
He no longer had the mental space to worry about whether his son was dabbling in destructive habits.
His mind was racing, recalling all the enemies he had made, past grudges, and whether this was an orchestrated scheme. Was someone deliberately pushing Xiao Feiyuan toward Yin Xiang, setting this up to create chaos at such a critical banquet and use it as an opportunity to ruin the Yin family?
All it would take was a single phone call to the police, reporting drug involvement at their event. The authorities would surely come for a search, and everyone might be taken in for testing.
Then what? The Yin family’s reputation would be in shambles. How would they even show their faces in public after that?
Not only would they offend everyone, but they’d also become a laughingstock.
A shiver ran down Yin Zongming’s spine.
He was so furious that he had to vent somehow, or he might just pass out from anger. Unable to hold back, he strode over and kicked Xiao Feiyuan again.
Meanwhile, Lu Xi and her family of three left the Yin residence not long after.
They ate the meals, took care of kids, and they even got into a fight. It had been a full day.
As they settled into the car, Lu Xi couldn’t help but ask, “How did you know about him…?”
Xie Yizhao didn’t hide anything. “I had him investigated.”
Lu Xi : “……”
When?
Could it be after he saw that guy flirting with her?
Xie Yizhao glanced at Lu Xi and pressed his lips together. “Sorry, I just found him suspicious. I couldn’t rest easy.”
Lu Xi thought for a moment. His reasoning seemed valid.
Fine, he was handsome, so whatever he said made sense.
Thinking back to that odd smell on Xiao Feiyuan, she finally put the pieces together. No wonder Xie Yizhao had said the Yin family would thank him later.
As for what Xiao Feiyuan had said earlier, she no longer cared.
Could you really expect rational words from someone with a messed-up brain?
Judging from his lewd comments and even mentioning her past troubles…
Lu Xi glanced at Xie Yizhao and gently held his hand.
While the two in the back seat were having a moment, in the front, Xie Heng remained unusually silent.
Even his blue-dyed hair seemed to be radiating a gloomy aura.
Lu Xi had originally wanted to ask what the Yin family would do about the incident, but noticing Xie Heng’s mood, she couldn’t help but pat his blue hair. “Why are you depressed?”
Xie Heng muttered, “Nothing.”
He had just realized something. Compared to his Dad, he was absolutely useless.
He couldn’t match his intelligence, emotional awareness, height, or build. Even his most prized skill—fighting—now seemed at risk.
And he always said he’d protect Ms. Lu.
Clearly, his Dad was way more capable of protecting her.
Lu Xi : “Oh, well, if you’re not saying, then just stay depressed.”
“…” Xie Heng choked for a second before he finally couldn’t help it and turned to glare at Xie Yizhao. “Dad, be honest, were you just like me back in the day, always getting into fights?”
Xie Yizhao smiled faintly. “No.”
“Nonsense! Then how are you so good at fighting?”
Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow. “Am I? He just choked on water and couldn’t fight back, that’s all.”
Xie Heng was speechless. “Come on, that might fool Ms. Lu, but I know better. The way you threw those punches—the force, the angle—and you even wrapped your hand with your tie. That all screams professional!”
Xie Yiczao smirked. “You flatter me. When it comes to fighting, you have more experience.”
Lu Xi coughed. “Alright, enough of this mutual praise. Don’t drag me into it.”
What did she do to deserve this?
But now that Xie Heng mentioned it, Lu Xi recalled that Xie Yizhao had casually tossed his tie into the trash earlier. She wasn’t even sure if his hand was okay.
Those punches were powerful, and force is always mutual.
She quickly grabbed Xie Yizhao’s hand for a closer look.
Thankfully, his knuckles were only slightly reddened, nothing serious.
She suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
She really was an amateur. When she saw Xie Yizhao’s move earlier, she thought he was just showing off. Because, honestly, it looked good, like something out of an action film, pure cinematic violence.
She was already lost in thought, wondering if she should find a similar movie to watch later that night…
Then Xie Heng mumbled, “I don’t buy it. If you’re so good, fight me and let’s see who’s stronger.”
Lu Xi : ?
Did she hear that right? The son was challenging his own Dad to a fight? Was this blue-haired brat trying to get kicked out of the house?
But Xie Yizhao remained unfazed, even amused. “Sure, you pick the time and place. Just book in advance, I might be busy.”
Lu Xi : ??
Shocking! The Dad actually agreed, and with such enthusiasm! She had a feeling he just wanted an excuse to beat up his son…
Xie Heng was stunned too.
Wait, his Dad… actually agreed?
“You really want to fight me?” Xie Heng curled up his long legs, suddenly a little hesitant.
Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow. “What? If you’re scared, it’s not too late to back out.”
Xie Heng clenched his fists.
He had a bad feeling about this.
Was his Dad just looking for a chance to vent his frustration from earlier?
He knew his Dad had been wanting to hit him for a long time!
What now? He was starting to feel a little nervous.
But it was fine. Lu Xi would definitely stop them. No way would she just stand by and let father and son fight, right?
Xie Heng glanced at the rearview mirror, silently pleading for her intervention.
But Lu Xi’s eyes were bright with excitement. “Can I watch? Can I place bets in advance?”
“…”
Xie Heng gritted his teeth. “No, gambling is illegal.”
Come on, Mr. Xie, control your wife!
Lu Xi looked disappointed.
“And anyway, fighting with my Dad is terrifying. You’re too timid, better go home and sleep.” Xie Heng tried to scare her off.
Xie Yizhao gently pinched Lu Xi’s fingers and looked up. “Oh? You don’t want your Mom to see you getting beaten to tears?”
Xie Heng: “…”
Enough!
He angrily turned to stare out the window, sulking like a kid who had just been scolded.
Xie Yizhao chuckled and told the driver, “Take us to the martial arts gym.”
The driver didn’t ask which one or for an address. Thirty minutes later, the car stopped in front of a place called Gao Yi Martial Arts Hall.
Xie Heng suddenly felt doomed.
It looked like… he was definitely getting beaten up today.
Just before getting out of the car, Lu Xi suddenly remembered something.
“Wait, I have one thing to say about this fight.”
Xie Heng’s eyes lit up with hope.
Lu Xi turned to Xie Yizhao and earnestly instructed, “No drawing blood, keep it controlled. Crying is fine, but don’t hit the stomach, the head, or the face.”