"Sister-in-law, Qin Rong is her sister, her biological sister!"

Pei Yunxi was quick to speak, immediately adding from the side, her tone full of a 'you know what I mean' implication.

"Oh..." Shen Nanchu dragged out the end of her sentence, a look of realization appearing on her face. "No wonder. This unreasonable and pestering attitude is exactly the same."

Looking at Qin Zhen, whose face had suddenly changed color, her voice grew a few degrees colder.

"You and your sister Qin Rong dare to throw your weight around in front of me and Pei Yunxi, provoking us time and time again, simply because you have the Qin family backing you up, right?"

Her words were like a cold knife, easily peeling away the confidence Qin Zhen relied on.

Shen Nanchu leaned forward slightly, her gaze as sharp as a blade. She lowered her voice, but it carried a chilling coldness that made one's heart palpitate.

"I am actually a bit curious. If... the Qin family is gone, what will happen to you and your sister who was given a major demerit?"

These words exploded like a clap of thunder in Qin Zhen's ears!

She abruptly raised her head, meeting Shen Nanchu's eyes that seemed able to see through everything, even capable of deciding her fate. A bone-piercing chill instantly shot from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, making her shudder involuntarily.

The ominous premonition in her heart spread wildly like weeds, almost swallowing her whole.

She opened her mouth to say something, only to find her throat so dry that she couldn't make a sound.

No, impossible!

Her family was prominent in Jing City; how could they just disappear like that?

This woman must be scaring her!

Yes, that must be it!

Qin Zhen forcefully suppressed the churning discomfort and fear in her heart. Putting on a brave front despite her inner weakness, she forced herself to hold on, her voice slightly distorted due to nervousness.

"You... stop being an alarmist here!"

"Who are you trying to scare! It's not your place to make irresponsible remarks about how our Qin family is doing!"

Shen Nanchu looked at her outwardly strong but inwardly weak appearance and only felt bored.

She couldn't be bothered to waste any more breath, time, and mood on this kind of spoiled person who couldn't see the situation clearly.

She straightened up and cast a faint glance at Qin Zhen and Zhao Jing, who had a complex expression on the side. That look was like looking at insignificant dust.

"Let's go, time to go home."

She turned around and said to Pei Yunxi and Pei Yunzhou, her tone returning to its usual gentleness.

"Alright!"

Pei Yunxi answered cheerfully, smugly lifting her chin at the pale-faced Qin Zhen, and followed Shen Nanchu briskly into the car.

The black sedan started, the engine letting out a low roar, carrying Shen Nanchu and the siblings away, leaving behind a mess at the school gate and two young people with different thoughts but equally bewildered and uneasy.

...

Today, it was rare that all the children had a day off. Pei's Mother was in a good mood. Early in the morning, she arranged to buy a lot of good food, planning to make a sumptuous dinner.

Yesterday, she even specially called her eldest son, Lei Mingyuan, asking him to come over for dinner tonight so the family could gather.

However, the hour hand of the old-fashioned wall clock had already pointed to six o'clock, the sky outside the window was gradually darkening, and the table was filled with fragrant dishes, but Lei Mingyuan's figure was nowhere to be seen.

"This child, didn't we agree? Why isn't he here yet? Was he delayed by something temporary at the institute?"

Pei's Mother looked out the window with some worry.

"No."

Shen Nanchu was very certain.

Lei Mingyuan was a very trustworthy person; he wouldn't break a promise for no reason.

Furthermore, they had agreed on 5 PM, and an hour had already passed.

Even if he couldn't come, he would definitely call.

She was just afraid something had happened.

"Mom, don't worry, I'll call Big Brother's office."

Shen Nanchu picked up the phone and made a call.

The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered.

Shen Nanchu thought for a moment and dialed another number, the duty office of Lei Mingyuan's unit.

This time, it finally connected.

However, the news Shen Nanchu got from the phone was that Lei Mingyuan had left immediately after work today. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Shen Nanchu had the system check and found out—

At this time, Lei Mingyuan was blocked by his so-called "family" in his small apartment located in the old tube-shaped apartment building assigned by his unit.

Lei Mingyuan, for the sake of peace and quiet, and to show his independent attitude, did not immediately move into the courtyard room prepared for him by the Pei family, but temporarily lived in this small apartment closer to his unit.

Unexpectedly, this gave Lei Zhenhua and his two sons an opportunity.

Right now, the Lei family was in a precarious situation.

Lei Mingyuan was their only chance.

In the narrow room, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it made people unable to breathe.

Lei ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‍Zhenhua sat on the only chair in the room that looked reasonably intact, looking heartbroken, and was playing the emotional card with Lei Mingyuan, who was standing by the window with a taut face.

"Mingyuan, I know that in the past, there were some things at home where we treated you unfairly."

"But no matter what, I am still your dad. Raising you this big and supporting your studies, even if there is no merit, there is hard work!"

"You are capable now, you've climbed up the social ladder. You can't just watch our Lei family collapse, watch your second brother, third brother, and my old bones starve, right?"

Meanwhile, the two brothers, Lei Mingguo and Lei Mingquan, blocked the door on the left and right like door gods. With hypocritical anxiety and imperceptible greed on their faces, they chimed in from the side.

Lei Mingguo echoed,

"Exactly, Big Brother! The grace of giving birth is not as great as the grace of raising! We are the real family! The Pei family are outsiders after all. What good intentions could they have? Don't they just want to use you?"

Lei Mingquan's tone carried a threat,

"Big Brother, you better think clearly! If our family really falls, what good does it do you? Do you still want your reputation? Others will say you are ungrateful!"

"As long as you open your mouth to the Pei family and ask them to be magnanimous and let us go this time, in the future, our brothers will be united, and are you afraid we won't have a good life?"

The purpose of the three was very clear: to use the so-called grace of upbringing to morally kidnap and emotionally blackmail Lei Mingyuan, forcing him to plead with the Pei family to let them off the hook.

Lei Mingyuan pressed his lips tightly together, his knuckles turning white from the force of his hands resting on the windowsill.

He looked at these three so-called "relatives" in front of him, only feeling waves of chill and disgust.

They had never given him true familial love, but now they wanted to use this most hypocritical name to kidnap him.

The integrity and principles he held onto in his heart did not allow him to compromise with such a dirty deal, nor did they allow him to use the Pei family's kindness to plead for them.

Just as Lei Zhenhua was spitting everywhere while talking, and Lei Mingguo and Lei Mingquan were using threats and promises to force Lei Mingyuan into a corner—

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Outside the apartment's not-so-sturdy wooden door, a few moderate knocks suddenly rang out, followed by a gentle female voice with unquestionable strength:

"Mingyuan? Are you inside? The food is ready, we are just waiting for you."

It was Pei's Mother's voice!

Moreover, listening to the commotion, it seemed she wasn't alone outside.

Pei's Mother had arrived with people in tow.