Chapter 436: Drama Queen!

Jiang Feng's words were like a heavy hammer, smashing hard into Ma Cheng's heart.

His face instantly turned deathly white, a flicker of panic flashing in his eyes, but he quickly forced himself to calm, squeezing out a smile uglier than crying.

"Mr. Jiang, you can't just spout nonsense like that!"

Ma Cheng's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.

"I know I was rude just now and made you uncomfortable, but… you can't frame me like this!"

"You say I used gu insects to harm my older brother? Isn't that going too far? Everyone knows I and my older brother are maternal siblings, we grew up together, our bond couldn't be better! We brothers have never even had a falling out—how could I possibly harm him?"

Ma Cheng grew more agitated as he spoke, his eyes reddening, looking as if he'd suffered a tremendous injustice.

"Even if you're looking for a scapegoat, you've probably got the wrong person! I, Ma Cheng, may not have great talent, but I would never do something so vicious against my own kin!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Dongyang stepped forward immediately.

"Yeah, Mr. Jiang, aren't you mistaken? Xiao Cheng and Xiao Hai are my biological sons; the brothers have always gotten along well. After Xiao Hai's mishap, Xiao Cheng was the most worried—how could he possibly be the mastermind behind poisoning Xiao Hai?"

Ma Dongyang simply couldn't believe his own son would do such a thing.

In his view, Ma Cheng might be impulsive at times, but his nature isn't bad—how could he possibly poison his own older brother?

Seeing his father speak up for him, Ma Cheng felt more assured and deliberately put on an act of being terribly wronged.

"Mr. Jiang, if my earlier words offended you, I apologize here. Please, for my older brother's sake, be magnanimous and forgive me this once! But if you're trying to pin this on me, I, Ma Cheng, will absolutely not accept it…"

He paused, then Ma Cheng suddenly raised three fingers.

"I, Ma Cheng, swear to heaven: if I harmed my older brother Ma Jian, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

Upon hearing this, even the Ma family members who had been somewhat doubtful began to waver.

"The Third Young Master swore such a vicious oath—surely he didn't do it?"

"Yeah, how could blood brothers possibly be so ruthless?"

"Maybe Mr. Jiang made a mistake—perhaps the gu insects' scent just happened to drift into the Third Young Master's courtyard by chance."

Ma Xiaotian also furrowed his brows.

Although he trusted Jiang Feng's judgment, Ma Cheng was also his biological grandson, so he inevitably felt some sway.

Faced with Ma Cheng's tearful sobbing, Jiang Feng curled his lips into a deeper sneer.

"Do you think that by hiding the gu insects in a secret room and feeding them refined blood day and night, unseen by anyone, you could kill Ma Jian without anyone knowing?"

Jiang Feng's voice was plain yet carried a penetrating power, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

He paused, his gaze locking firmly onto Ma Cheng.

"Besides, I'm also curious—you and Ma Jian are maternal brothers, raised together from childhood; what exactly could drive you to poison your own older brother so viciously?"

Jiang Feng's words struck to the heart like a barrage of sharp knives, viciously stabbing at Ma Cheng's chest.

Ma Cheng's face turned even paler, his lips began to tremble, and the panic in his eyes could no longer be hidden.

Yet he stubbornly kept a hard mouth, shouting loudly at Jiang Feng.

"I don't understand what nonsense you're spouting, Mr. Jiang—I can't make sense of it at all!"

"Anyway, I could never harm my older brother!"

Ma Cheng held his neck stiff, his tone resolute.

"No matter how you frame me, Mr. Jiang, I stand by this! I, Ma Cheng, am pure and innocent—I've never done anything to harm my older brother!"

He turned his head to look at Ma Xiaotian and Ma Dongyang, his eyes full of resolve.

"If Father and Grandfather don't believe me… then I, Ma Cheng, would rather die than suffer such humiliation!"

Having said that, Ma Cheng suddenly turned and rushed toward the nearby wall, as if intent on proving his resolve with death.

"Xiao Cheng! Don't!"

Ma Dongyang's face changed drastically; he gasped and hurried forward.

He grabbed Ma Cheng's waist in one hold and firmly stopped him.

"Father, let me die!"

Ma Cheng struggled fiercely, roaring at Ma Dongyang.

"I can't endure this humiliation! Mr. Jiang baselessly smeared me for harming my older brother—what's the point of living? Better to die clean!"

"You're clueless!"

Ma Dongyang held Ma Cheng tightly, earnestly pleading.

"The matter isn't cleared up yet—how can you just give up your life? Didn't Mr. Jiang say he wanted to trace the source of the gu insects? If you die now, wouldn't that practically confirm your guilt?"

Father and son tangled together, the scene briefly descending into chaos.

Jiang Feng's face showed a hint of impatience; he couldn't be bothered to watch this father‑son duo's dramatic performance, and lightly waved his hand.

An invisible force suddenly spread, instantly separating Ma Dongyang and Ma Cheng.

Ma Dongyang felt a strong force pulling him back a few steps involuntarily, while Ma Cheng seemed to be seized by an invisible big hand and was lifted straight into Jiang Feng's presence.

"Ah! Let go of me! What do you want?"

Ma Cheng was frightened out of his wits, his face full of shock.

His arms and legs flailed wildly, trying to break free of that invisible restraint, while his mouth refused to yield in the slightest.

"Jiang Feng, let me go quickly! Don't think you can force me to change my story with violence!"

Jiang Feng gave a cold chuckle, his eyes full of contempt.

"Calling you a drama queen—I didn't expect you to really get into the act?"

"You say you didn't raise gu insects? Then tell me—how did those wounds on your wrist come about? Surely you don't have a self‑harm habit, do you?"

As soon as Jiang Feng spoke, everyone's gaze focused on Ma Cheng's wrist.

Ma Cheng's face instantly turned as pale as paper, his eyes filled with fear, and he subconsciously tried to hide his wrist behind his back.

But Jiang Feng gave her no chance; with a slight exertion of his right hand, he ripped open Ma Cheng's sleeve.

Instantly, everyone present clearly saw the injury on Ma Cheng's wrist!

It was a dense patch of tiny injuries, crisscrossing across Ma Cheng's wrist, looking horrifying.

"This... this is..."

Ma Family members were all stunned, their faces filled with expressions of disbelief.

"My goodness! So many injuries!"

"These injuries look so strange, as if bitten by insects!"

"Could what Mr. Jiang said be true? Is the Third Young Master really raising Gu insects?"

Ma Dongyang, seeing this, his face instantly turned dark.

He took a big stride forward, grabbed Ma Cheng's arm, lifted his wrist high, and roared through gritted teeth.

"Ma Cheng! Tell me! What on earth is going on? How did these injuries on your wrist come about? Explain yourself clearly!"

He never imagined that his trusted youngest son could possibly have done something to harm his own biological older brother!

Ma Cheng was held by Ma Dongyang's arm, the injury on his wrist exposed to everyone's gaze, and he could no longer conceal it.

His body trembled violently, his eyes filled with despair.

"I... I..."