On the other side, Lihua was breathlessly huffing and puffing, letting out deep breaths. "We are... saved...yes!"

Jiang Fai was sweating too. He shook off his hand and glared at her. "Why are we running like criminals?"

"O-of course we... we are not criminals!" Lihua stammered. "It's just that that evil doctor was threatening to make us research subjects! Didn't you hear?"

He sneered. "Don't include me. You called him and then ran away.

Her mouth twitched. "That is to prove you innocent! And should I pay that exorbitant amount just for his checkup? He is insane!"

He shrugged. Then he peeked at her and asked, "How could you trust me so easily? I have done nothing but curse you. Are you dumb?"

Lihua glared at him and smacked on his head. "Don't call me dumb! I am super intelligent!"

Jiang Fai looked at her in disdain.

She harrumphed. "I realized as soon as I entered the room. It was so obvious that it was makeup plastered on her face. In fact, I doubt your intelligence! How couldn't you understand that it was makeup? All those black and blue shades were nothing but paint. Everybody fell into her lies."

His face flushed red in embarrassment. "What do you mean! How am I supposed to understand that? I am not a girl and I don't use makeup!"

Lihua touched her chin. "Hmm, you got a point. But even so. You didn't hit her so you should have guessed it. Did you think that an arrogant brat like her will let herself be hit for real just to frame you?"

Jiang Fai pursed his lips.

Then he remembered an important point. "But you slapped me! How dare you! Just look at my face!"

Lihua sheepishly grinned. "Ah, that.. no gain without pain. I had to do that to prove that you are not violent. But I am so proud of you," she sniffled and wiped her tears, "You didn't hit me. You didn't even push me away. Such a good boy."

His brow heavily twitched.

"What are you talking about? I am not a boy! I am a man!"

"..."

"You are just seventeen. You are only a boy. Don't be so arrogant."

Jiang Fai had an urge to strangle her. He then turned a little somber. "You...why were you so confident about the divorce papers? The Old Madam doesn't want Mom to divorce and she won't go against her."

"She is not going against her because of you."

"Huh?" He blinked his eyes. "What do you mean? What did I do?"

Lihua said, "Why else will she refuse if not for you? A child is a mother's weakness as much as he is her strength. With the way Old Madam asked Aunt Xiurang if she wanted a divorce or not, I had an inkling that it might be related to you. Maybe Aunt fears that if she insists on a divorce, the Old Madam will send you away."

He widened his eyes. "What! Send me away where?"

"Maybe to another city or abroad for studies? She doesn't want to lose you so she is putting up with it."

Jiang Fai gritted his teeth. "What the fuck! This..." He clenched his fist and thought for a few moments. "I am fine with it! If Mom has to bear all this because of me then I will leave! Then Old Madam won't have her hold over Mom anymore and threaten her using me."

Lihua stared at him and smiled. "Aiyaaa I have an urge to pinch your cheeks. You are so cute! But *ahem* it will hurt you."

His gaze darkened. "All because of you!"

She coughed. "Anyway. You don't have to go anywhere. Hehe...you just have to prove that you are too important for anybody to send away. You have to make your place in the family. You have to become her strength so that Aunt can lean on you as support. Basically, you have to prove that you are not a bargaining chip."

He frowned. "How to do that?"

She touched her chin. "I will have to think about that but I am sure there will be a way. Don't give up, partner! Hoho, we will do this together!"

---

"Fai! What happened to your face?" Jiang Xiurang was horrified to see her son's face so swollen.

Everybody had gathered in the main living room.

"You should ask what happened in the school! Your son is suspended for a month!" The Old Madam's enraged voice reverberated in the hall.

She stormed her way and glared at him. "This has never happened before but thanks to your son, it did today!"

Ruomei walked up to her and anxiously said, "Old Madam, please...You will fall sick with such stress…"

The Old Madam was pleased with her concern.

Jiang Xiurang cried, "Fai, what happened? Who hit you like this?"

He glanced at Lihua, making Jiang Xiurang widen her eyes.

"You…"

Before Jiang Fai could say anything else, Ruomei furiously said, "This is too much, Lixue! Even if he might have made some mistake, you didn't have the right to beat him like a hooligan. Who do you think you are?"

She was expecting Jiang Fai to curse her as usual, but to her shock, Lihua said, "Wow. You automatically think that Fai Fai is at fault, huh?"

"Well, he is suspended so…"

She smiled. "Did you bother to ask what happened? His dear step siblings tried to frame him falsely."

Jiang Xiurang froze. "... W-what?"

Lihua narrated the whole incident. Jiang Xiurang sharply gasped in horror. She clenched her fist and tears rimmed in her eyes.

Li Tingzhe. You can be so shameless...

Lihua faced the Old Madam, "I admit Fai Fai is at fault, but what do you have to say about the children of that cheater man who framed him?"

The Old Madam froze.

"And you still want Aunt to be the wife of such a disgusting man? Even if Fai Fai is his son too, he blatantly sided with his mistress, Kang Hongqi and Kang Meifen the whole time. He didn't care about Fai Fai at all. He was only worried about his 'other' children. Do you have a heart when you say that you don't want Aunt to divorce? Do you even treat her as your daughter?"

"You…"

Jiang Fai said, "And she did beat me, but…it was to prove that I am innocent and will never raise my hand against a girl. It is all because of... sister-in-law that I am fine. Otherwise, that bastard Kang Hongqi and Kang Meifen were almost successful in ruining me!"

Ruomei stiffened and looked at him aghast.

What did he say...s-sister-in-law?