"Bai Xining shook her head. 'Right now, you can't even protect yourself and you don't have a penny to your name. How can you even talk about helping me?'"
"You'd better just find a proper, down-to-earth job!"
"I don't want people in the future saying the children's father is a vagrant!"
"The Xiao Family has fallen, and you alone can't fight them. You should just focus on figuring out how to start over."
She let out a long sigh.
Xiao Zining nodded slightly. "I will."
Naturally, he would exact vengeance for the Xiao Family.
He would make those masterminds pay the price they deserved!
Tonight was the night of the charity gala hosted by that despicable pair, Lin Hui and her lover.
Their good days were coming to an end, too.
Lost in thought, Xiao Zining and Bai Xining arrived at the Bai Family estate.
The Bai Family residence was massive; the manor alone was worth tens of millions.
Bai Xining led Xiao Zining inside.
"Well, well, you shameless woman, you actually dare to show your face back here?"
"And you even brought some stray man back with you. You've got some nerve!"
The moment they stepped through the door, an arrogant voice rang out from across the hall.
A young man in his early twenties walked over, casting a cold glare at Bai Xining. "Bitch, you've disgraced the Bai Family! Get the hell out of here!"
Bai Xining looked somewhat humiliated. "Zilong, I am your sister, after all..."
"Sister? You're not worthy!" Bai Zining sneered. "Just some trash who got raped and spawned two little bastards—do you really think you're worthy of being called my sister?"
"Get out!"
"Or I'll have people throw you out right now!"
His words were venomous, devoid of even an ounce of respect for Bai Xining.
"Apologize to your sister!" Xiao Zining said in a gloomy voice as he stepped forward.
"Damn it, who the hell are you running your mouth in front of?"
"I'll slap you straight to hell, dammit!"
Bai Zining raised his hand, aiming a vicious blow straight at him.
His posture was overwhelmingly arrogant!
However...
Bang!
With a single kick, Xiao Zining sent him flying, landing squarely in the chest and nearly knocking the wind right out of Bai Zining.
"Consider this a light lesson. If you ever disrespect Xining again, I'll make sure you know what regret feels like."
"You—" Bai Zining wanted to fly into a rage, but upon catching Xiao Zining's chilling gaze, he swallowed the words right back down.
A wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him!
Xiao Zining took Bai Xining's hand and pulled her further inside.
For some reason, at that very moment, Bai Xining felt an unprecedented wave of intense security...
The feeling of being protected felt wonderful!
Chapter 40: I Want to Try, Too!
Inside the Bai Family living room.
At that moment.
The head of the Bai Family, Bai Tianhe, sat in the primary seat with a gloomy expression.
"Grandfather, you have to teach these two a lesson!" Bai Yuexin said with a face full of hatred. "They went way too far!"
"That's right, Grandfather. We lost completely all face the other day..."
Wei Xiaofeng complained with a tearful expression.
"Hmm, don't worry, the old man will get justice for you." Bai Tianhe nodded slightly.
The eldest grandson of the third generation, Bai Ting, also chimed in. "Bai Xining is simply pushing things too far. She must be taught a proper lesson this time."
Bai Yuexin was his biological sister.
How could he not stand up for her?
Just as his voice trailed off, a crisp, clear voice drifted in from outside the door. "Grandfather, I'm back."
It was none other than Bai Xining and Xiao Zining.
The moment they saw the two of them, everyone in the Bai Family glared at them with rage.
Especially Bai Yuexin and Wei Xiaofeng.
They were shaking with anger.
"Bai Xining, you still have the face to come back?" she demanded angrily.
"Didn't you guys tell her to come back?" Xiao Zining's single sentence nearly made her vomit blood from fury.
Bai Tianhe let out a cold snort. "Xining, do you know your crimes?!"
"What crimes have I committed?" Even though she knew they had summoned her to call her to account, being scolded so directly by her grandfather still stung with a sense of grievance.
"Impudent!"
"Yuexin is your sister, yet you made a public spectacle of her! Do you think the Bai Family hasn't lost enough face already? Weren't the disgraceful things you pulled back then enough to completely humiliate us?!"
This furious reprimand filled Bai Xining with even deeper grievance, and tears welled up in her eyes...
"With behavior like this, you still want to return to the Bai Family? Don't even dream about it!"
"I order you in the name of your grandfather: apologize to Yuexin and Xiaofeng right now!"
"I..."
Bai Tianhe's gaze turned icy as he stood up abruptly. "You're ignoring my words now?"
"Do you still consider me your grandfather?!"
"Do you consider her your sister?!"
Bai Xining felt suffocated with injustice. When Bai Tianhe threw her out, did he treat her like a granddaughter? When Bai Yuexin bullied her, did she treat her like a sister?
No!
She desperately wanted to retort!
But she didn't dare defy Bai Tianhe's authority. Besides, if she truly angered him...
None of them would ever be allowed back into the Bai Family!
She made her decision instantly.
Just as she was about to speak, Xiao Zining grabbed her hand and said, "Xining, let's go. There's no need to take this abuse."
"You... stay out of my family business," Bai Xining brushed his hand away. "You'll never understand these hardships."
Bai Yuexin crossed her arms. "Apologize! Start now, and make sure you sound sincere!"
She wore an attitude of absolute superiority.
Bai Ting also chided her sharply. "Don't you have any self-awareness of your own status? Pull something like this again, and I'll be the first to slap you!"
Watching this scene from the side, Xiao Zining felt an overwhelming surge of anger.
The woman he cherished like a precious treasure was actually being bullied like this by these scum?
He was already secretly plotting how to make these people pay the price.
"I'm sorry!"
Bai Xining bit back her humiliation and apologized.
"Enough!" Bai Tianhe waved his hand. "Let's discuss some serious business now."
"Longyue Group, one of the top financial consortia in Fengcheng, currently has a major 50-million project open for investment."
"I want you all to go and secure this major project. Whoever secures it will become the director of our company. I have high expectations for all of you."
"Furthermore—"
He swept his gaze over Bai Ting and Bai Yuexin. "Bai Ting, haven't you always wanted to transfer Xiaodong to a new kindergarten? I managed to make connections with Longhao Kindergarten some time ago and secured two internal enrollment slots."
"If you secure this project, one of those slots goes to Xiaodong."
Hearing this, Bai Ting's eyes lit up.
Longhao Kindergarten was the absolute best elite kindergarten in Fengcheng. The children attending came from families of wealth and power.
He had tried pulling countless strings back then, breaking his head trying to get in, and now an enrollment slot was actually within reach?
This was simply too wonderful!
Besides, he had been eyeing the position of director for a long time...
And now an opportunity had presented itself!
He had to seize it!
Bai Ting nodded heavily. "Alright, Grandfather, I'll do my best."
"Good! Good!" Bai Tianhe smiled. "I believe in your ability."
"Grandfather, I want to try, too!" At that moment, Bai Xining suddenly spoke up, her voice lacking confidence. "I also want to transfer Haohao and Doudou to a new kindergarten..."
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, everyone turned their gazes toward her, sneering with mockery.
Chapter 41: A Wager!
"You?"
"You're worthy?"
Bai Ting sneered mockingly.
"What do you have to compete with me? Your head? What kind of level is Longyue Group? If you go to see them, they won't even bother to give you the time of day!"
"Exactly, overestimating yourself!" Bai Yuexin said with utter disdain.
Wei Xiaofeng chuckled and said, "Who knows how many people are fighting over this project? What the hell are you? It wouldn't even be your turn in a million years!"
Bai Xining let out a quiet sigh. She knew the project would be extremely difficult, but she desperately wanted it; she wanted a better environment for her two children.
The kindergarten where Haohao and Doudou currently studied had truly mediocre facilities.
It caused her a lot of distress.
Meanwhile, Longhao Kindergarten was the best kindergarten in the city, boasting the strongest teaching staff, the most advanced educational philosophy, and the premier learning environment.
It would be immensely beneficial for the growth of her two children!
That was why she had swallowed her pride and made this request.
"I—I want to try, Grandfather. Please, give me this opportunity."
Bai Xining practically pleaded.
Bai Tianhe fell silent for a moment because he knew that even if Bai Ting stepped forward, given the scale of the Bai Family, it would still be extremely difficult for them to hold any advantage in this competition.
A fifty-million project!
How many people were staring at this huge, fat piece of meat!
Their Bai Family's chances of winning were slim!
And Bai Xining...
She wasn't entirely without utility either. At the very least, her appearance still held considerable value.
This project was extremely important to the Bai Family.
Having one more person execute it meant one more sliver of a chance of winning.
"Fine. Since you want to try, go ahead and give it a shot," Bai Tianhe said with a nod.
"However, don't expect to get any benefits from the Bai Family."
"I'm merely giving you a chance to redeem yourself through meritorious service."
These shameless words almost made Xiao Zining want to throw up on the spot...
Could this old bastard get any more disgusting?
It was clearly the Bai Family that had wronged Bai Xining, so why were they phrasing it as though they were the victims?
It was utterly nauseating!
"Grandfather!"
Bai Ting was extremely dissatisfied.
"My mind is made up," Bai Tianhe said coldly. "This project is crucial to the Bai Family, so having one more person try isn't a bad thing."
"This..." Both Bai Shan and Bai Yuexin were furious, staring at Bai Xining with eyes filled with revulsion, as if she had just snatched something that belonged to them.
"Bai Xining, by doing this, you're simply asking to humiliate yourself!" Bai Ting gritted his teeth.
"Utterly conceited!" Bai Yuexin sneered. "What do you have to fight us with? There's no way you'll succeed!"
Xiao Zining said casually, "What if... she actually succeeds?"
"This..."
The few of them were momentarily left speechless.
"How about this? If she fails, I'll kneel and apologize to you. If she succeeds, the enrollment slot for Longhao Kindergarten is ours... Do you dare take the bet?"
This!
Bai Ting froze on the spot.
"What, you don't dare? Then where did you get the confidence to sit here bragging?"
Xiao Zining's mockery infuriated Bai Ting. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I'll take your bet! Just wait to kneel and apologize to this young master!"
"You..." Bai Xining looked at Xiao Zining in shock. Even she had no confidence in this matter, so how dared this guy make such a reckless wager with them!
"Don't worry!" Xiao Zining said with a faint smile. "You're going to succeed! Believe in yourself!"
Who Longyue Group chose to cooperate with—wasn't that entirely up to him?
These two clowns thought they could win? Hilarious.
"Heh, I'll be waiting for the day you kneel. Just a stray dog, yet you dare come make a ruckus in our Bai Family." Bai Ting curled his lip in disdain.
"Alright, that settles it!" Bai Tianhe said coldly. "Everyone go back and prepare your proposals!"
"Okay, Grandfather, we're heading back." Bai Xining nodded with a grave expression. For the sake of her two children, and for Xiao Zining's dignity, she had to win this battle!
Chapter 42: Her Eyes, I Want Them!
After Bai Xining and Xiao Zining left.
Bai Ting's expression turned ugly as he asked, "Grandfather, what if that woman actually secures the project?"
"Isn't that a good thing? A fifty-million project is a massive sum of money for the Bai Family. If she secures the project, the Bai Family benefits."
"But..."
Bai Ting took a deep breath. "Does that mean the slot for Longhao Kindergarten has to go to her, too?"
Bai Tianhe closed his eyes and said indifferently, "That was a bet you made yourselves; I never agreed to it. Besides, those two little bastards aren't even members of the Bai Family."
"Why should a slot our Bai Family worked so hard to get be handed over to them?"
Bai Tianhe was utterly unconcerned.
Bai Ting and the others exchanged glances, a trace of a smile appearing on each of their faces.Ginger is still the spicy one! (Ginger gets hotter the older it gets — experience wins out!)
With this single move, Bai Tianhe had completely played Bai Xining for a fool!
Even if she secured the project for the Bai Family, she wouldn't end up with a damn thing!
Thinking of this, their moods suddenly became much lighter.
Outside the gates.
Bai Xining asked, "Why were you so foolish just now, making a bet with them? Do you really have that much faith in me? I don't even have any confidence in myself!"
"Besides..."
"The Longyue Group's project is fiercely contested, with who knows how many people eyeing it. I have zero certainty, and by doing this..."
"Don't worry, you'll definitely pull it off." Xiao Zining stared straight into her eyes. "Believe in yourself."
Bai Xining let out a sigh as well. Right now, aside from biting the bullet and pushing forward, what other choice did she have? There was no way out!
"Fine, I'll go back and prepare properly."
"Right now, I have zero connections and zero eloquence. In every aspect, I fall short of the others. When it comes to advantages, I really can't compare to Bai Ting and the rest."
Xiao Zining smiled. "I guarantee you, they will cooperate with you."
Seeing Xiao Zining's confident smile, a wave of warmth and fighting spirit spontaneously rose from deep within Bai Xining's heart...
"Let's go pick up Haohao and Doudou."
Xiao Zining stepped on the gas pedal.
Central Hospital.
"Mr. Cheng, I've already checked out the information you wanted. Currently, in our hospital, the person whose cornea matches your mother's best is this little girl."
A doctor was speaking respectfully to a middle-aged man as the two opened the door to a hospital ward.
Both Doudou and Haohao looked terrified.
These men didn't look like good people at all...
Their eyes were terrifying...
"Big Brother, I'm scared..." Doudou trembled, curling her entire body into a ball.
"Don't be scared, Big Brother will protect you. I'm a little man!"
Haohao's tender little face was filled with determination.
"That's the girl," the doctor smiled. "You can discuss it with their family..."
The middle-aged man was broad-shouldered and rugged, radiating an aura of cold ruthlessness and ferocity from head to toe. "She's the closest match? Excellent! Then it'll be her! My mother's condition brooks no further delay!"
"I'm taking her with me!" he stated in an unquestionable tone.
Hearing this, Doudou's frail little body trembled violently. "No... don't take Doudou away... Doudou is so scared! You look like a bad guy, I won't go with you..."
"You're not allowed to bully my sister!"
Haohao immediately pulled Doudou into his arms, shielding her tightly while glaring fiercely at them. "If you dare hurt my sister, my dad will never let you off..."
"Heh, even if the King of Heaven came down today, it wouldn't help!" Cheng Feihu wore a disdainful smile. In this city of Fengcheng, there truly wasn't anyone he feared!
The doctor also wore a troubled expression. "Mr. Cheng, this—this isn't according to the rules. While I can understand how you feel, but..."
"Get lost!!"
With a single sweep of his hand, Cheng Feihu flung him aside. "A mere doctor dares spout nonsense in front of me! Say one more word, and I'll kill you!!"
The doctor trembled all over!
He knew these fellows in front of him were ruthless killers who blinked at nothing.
He couldn't afford to provoke them!
And Cheng Feihu, in particular, was a heavyweight figure in the underworld.
He never expected things to escalate to this point. If he had known, he wouldn't have been greedy for that little bit of a referral fee. Now... things had gone completely wrong!
Cheng Feihu arrogantly declared, "If her family has any objections, they can come tell Cheng Feihu directly! No matter what, I'm taking this pair of eyes! If they know what's good for them, maybe I'll toss them some money as compensation..."
"If they don't know what's good for them and anger me, all they'll be seeing is a corpse!"
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Big Brother, a suitable pair of eyes has been found. I'm heading back immediately. Please have Dr. Oscar prepare for surgery right away!"
Putting away his phone, his gaze turned cold, and he reached directly to grab Doudou.
Doudou turned deathly pale with fright, drained of all color...
"You bad guy, you're not allowed to touch my sister—!" Haohao's eyes turned red, and throwing every ounce of his strength into it, he lunged forward, biting down viciously on the back of Cheng Feihu's hand...
Chapter 43: Blazing Wrath!
A sharp wave of pain shot through the back of Cheng Feihu's hand. Letting out a miserable shriek, he roared in anger and flung Haohao away, sending him crashing hard against the wall. Blood spilled from the corner of the boy's mouth...
"Little bastard! You dare bite me? I'll kill you!" Rage consumed him.
"Sob, sob, sob..."
"Mister, please, don't hit my brother, don't hit my brother..."
"I'll go with you!"
"Doudou is willing to go with you..."
Doudou clung desperately to Cheng Feihu's arm, crying her heart out in absolute agony!
"Heh." Cheng Feihu flashed a grin. "That's more like it. Don't worry, sweetheart, it won't hurt very much... Once your eyes are transplanted to Grandma, I'll let you go back..."
He patted Doudou's face, but his expression was terrifyingly sinister.
With that, he hoisted Doudou up in his arms and began walking out...
"This is a disaster." The doctor's face turned pale. Anyone who could afford to stay in these high-end wards definitely had some money, even if they couldn't compare to Cheng Feihu.
Still, it wasn't someone he could afford to offend.
He hadn't expected Cheng Feihu to be so overbearing and lawless...
To straight-up kidnap someone!
"Mister, are you going to dig out my eyes?" Doudou asked, trembling.
"Pretty much. Being able to sacrifice yourself for my mother is your honor, kid," Cheng Feihu said indifferently. "Other people don't even get that chance."
Doudou burst into tears. "Then will I never get to see Daddy and Mommy anymore? No... Mister, I'm begging you... please don't dig out Doudou's eyes, okay?"
"I don't want to become blind..."
"I want to see Daddy and Mommy..."
She was only four years old!
And yet she had to face such brutal torture!
From then on, her entire world would be pitch black...
Just thinking about it terrified her!
"Shut up, you're driving me crazy!" Cheng Feihu cursed impatiently. "What does you being blind have to do with me? Start screaming and yelling again... and I'll kill you, you little brat."
Just as he stepped out of the ward door, he ran straight into a young couple hurrying toward him!
Especially the man—he radiated a towering fury, and his pair of chilling eyes made Cheng Feihu's body involuntarily jolt!
Xiao Zining had already sensed something was amiss with the atmosphere just moments before, and a terrible premonition had gripped his heart.