Chapter 311: I'm Her Brother-in-Law

After the break, that Saturday, students had to go to school, workers had to go to work.

Xu Yanfeng had a social engagement at noon and only finished at two in the afternoon.

That day happened to be the start of summer; the sky was a deep blue and vast, the bright sun shone everywhere, and once outdoors, there was glaring, scorching sunlight—summer had arrived.

Xu Yanfeng sat in the car, feeling a bit drowsy, one hand pressed to his forehead, eyes slightly lowered. The car suddenly braked hard, his body lurched forward, and the drowsiness vanished instantly.

The driver nervously glanced at the person in the back seat through the rearview mirror: "Sorry, General Manager Xu, a motorcyclist crashed ahead."

It was just an accident; Xu Yanfeng didn't blame him, turned his head to look out the window, and inadvertently saw a quarrel breaking out.

It was the entrance of a restaurant, a man and a woman pulling at each other; the woman's profile looked somewhat familiar. The man tangled with her was like an enraged lion, his face ferocious, he shoved her hard. The woman staggered back, fell to the ground, braced herself with her hands on the pavement, her face toward the road, a few strands of her tied hair came loose, she looked a mess.

In an instant, Xu Yanfeng made out her face—it was Xia Xi's older sister, Xia Yue.

Just then, the person who had fallen got up, righted the overturned motorcycle, and limped toward the curb, clearing the road; the car slowly pulled away.

Xu Yanfeng spoke up in time: "Wait, pull over to the side."

The driver looked around, turned the steering wheel, and found a convenient spot to park.

As soon as the car stopped, Xu Yanfeng fastened his suit buttons and got out.

The driver didn't know what he intended, quickly turned off the engine and followed.

Xia Yue lay on the ground, her leg twisted, her palm scraped raw, unable to get up for a while. She brushed the hair from her face, glared angrily at the man, and shouted, "I said I have no money—what do you want from me?!"

The man squatted before her, pretending to brush dust from her pants, and said with a grin, "You don't have any, your mother does; if your mother doesn't, your sister surely does. She's quite capable—I could tell that long ago."

Xia Yue cried, "Are you even human?"

The man showed no pity for her tears, took the cigarette from the corner of his mouth, and blew a smoke ring at her face: "Xia Yue, don't forget—you killed my mother; a life for a life. You think a few years in prison wipes the slate clean? Isn't that too easy?"

Under the sun, Xia Yue felt a chill run through her body and trembled involuntarily. The thing she most wanted to forget was spoken aloud by him in public; she instinctively lifted her gaze to the restaurant entrance. After the lunchtime rush, staff members hearing the argument ran out to watch, pointing at her and Zhou Hongsheng and whispering.

These were coworkers she'd worked with for over a month; they usually got along well, but now not a single person stepped forward to help, not even to say a word.

Still, one can't blame them—ordinary people encountering such a situation would try to avoid it if they could.

Xia Yue was feeling embarrassed when someone grabbed her arm and helped her up. She turned her head in panic, met Xu Yanfeng's eyes, and was so startled she forgot to speak.

Xu Yanfeng frowned at the man across from him—refined in appearance but uncouth in behavior—and said coldly, "Bullying a woman—what kind of man are you?"

"You—" Zhou Hongsheng was stabbed in the lung, his eyes widened in fury, his mouth opening to retort, but he suddenly noticed the newcomer's extraordinary attire, an aura beyond that of ordinary people, exuding a superior's pressure, and behind him followed another man similarly dressed in a suit, apparently his subordinate.

Experience from navigating society teaches that you must never offend someone you don't know, especially someone who looks either rich or noble. Zhou Hongsheng gritted his teeth, swallowed his insult, pointed at Xia Yue, and said, "I'm her husband—what's wrong with saying a couple of things about her? Who are you to her, and what right do you have to meddle in our marital affairs?"

Xia Yue, a woman who had served time, struggled to support herself; how could she have met someone like him? Zhou Hongsheng glanced at the nearby restaurant, wondering if she had gotten to know him while waiting tables there.

Who would have thought—just then the man before her spoke: "I'm her brother-in-law; you say I have no right to interfere?"

Zhou Hongsheng froze.

Brother-in-law?

Is he Xia Xi's husband? Certainly not Xia Xuan's—she's a frail invalid, incapable of that.

Xia Yue noticed someone holding up a phone to record video; worried it would reflect badly on Xu Yanfeng, she whispered, "Could you please take me away first? My leg feels like it can't walk."

Xu Yanfeng didn't waste words on the man, gave the driver a glance; the driver hurried over, supported Xia Yue on her other side, and helped her into the car.

Zhou Hongsheng stood there watching; the man was sensitive about cars, and the vehicle parked at the curb was surely worth millions, so he naturally dared not chase after them to demand her return.

The driver slid into the driver's seat, hearing Xu Yanfeng's instruction beside him: "Find a nearby hospital."

"Sorry for the trouble." Xia Yue gathered her messy hair behind her head, tied it with an elastic band, lowered her gaze to the gravel embedded in her palm, and dabbed it with a tissue.

"We're family, it's no trouble." Xu Yanfeng considered it, then asked about the earlier incident: "How did that man come to find you, and what did he want?"

Xia Yue moistened her dry lips; this tangled debt didn't know where to begin.

Xu Yanfeng handed her a bottle of purified water, the cap already unscrewed; Xia Yue took it, drank two sips, and then said calmly: "I don't even know when he came to Nancheng. I work at that restaurant; one day he happened to come in for a meal, saw me, and afterward bothered me a few times—though he never caused a big scene. … During my incarceration, our marriage was still intact. Since I ran into him, I filed for divorce, but he refused. Today he came for money, saying he'd only agree to divorce if paid enough, he used Youyou to threaten me, I got angry and argued with him, and he lashed out."

Saying that, her complexion worsened, her tone pleading: "Please don't tell Xi Xi—I've already caused her enough trouble."

Her voice trailed off with a hint of sobbing.

Xia Yue felt utter desolation inside, thinking the world had been too cruel to her.

Whenever her life improved a little, a storm would arise, overturning the walls she had painstakingly built.

She had tried many jobs before, all failing; because her family used to run a restaurant, she felt more at ease in places like that, so she took a waitressing job. She had done it smoothly for over a month, but today Zhou Hongsheng's commotion ruined everything.

After the examination, Xia Yue leaned against the wall and shuffled out slowly; in the hallway she bumped into a panting Xia Xi, stared for a moment, then instinctively looked at Xu Yanfeng. She had told him not to tell Xia Xi about this, but it was obvious her words had no effect on him.

Xia Xi quickly went to Xia Yue's side, supported her, and meanwhile took the slip from her hand, glanced at it, and said, "Looks like no bone injury, right?"

Xia Yue shook her head.

Xia Xi took it to the doctor, who confirmed it wasn't serious and prescribed some medicine.

The worry in her heart finally settled, and Xia Xi began to reckon with Xia Yue: "You've been working at the restaurant and never told me? And that scoundrel Zhou Hongsheng came looking for you, and you didn't say anything either. If Xu Yanfeng hadn't told me, how long were you planning to keep it from me?"

Xia Yue felt so reprimanded she could barely lift her head, as if their roles had reversed and she were Xia Xi's younger sister.

Xu Yanfeng gently patted Xia Xi's back and said softly, "Let's talk about it at home; there are people coming and going here."

Before they could even get home, Xia Xi sat in the car and couldn't help asking, "What are Zhou Hongsheng's conditions for agreeing to a divorce?"

Xia Yue lowered her gaze to her already bandaged hand and whispered, "He wants two million."

"Two million?!" Xia Xi widened her eyes, thinking that person had the nerve to ask for that.

Xu Yanfeng, sitting in the passenger seat, heard that, thought for a moment, turned to Xia Xi and said, "How about I help you resolve it?"

"How would you resolve it?" Xia Xi stared at him; after a few seconds she guessed what he had in mind—after all, he never lacked money—and thinking of the scoundrel who had hurt Xia Yue walking away with two million, pleased with himself, she frowned, thoroughly displeased, and flatly refused: "No, I don't want that beast to get a single cent."

Xu Yanfeng's expression flickered slightly: "I never said I would give him money."

"Then what do you plan to do?" Xia Xi jumped to conclusions, "Don't do anything illegal."

"……"

Xu Yanfeng almost laughed in anger, thinking about what he had become in her eyes, he cleared his throat: "Dealing with that kind of greedy person—there are plenty of ways. If you trust me, just leave it to me."