Principal Tang nearly jumped three feet in the air—quite a feat for his sixty-year-old bones.
“Wh-what did you just say?”
Luo Yao was seething. “My husband was beaten up at your school. If he’s injured, consider this institution shut down!”
Principal Tang finally confirmed he hadn’t misheard and nervously asked,
“When did your husband come to our school?”
Luo Yao slammed the table. “He’s already a student here.”
Principal Tang was dumbfounded.
After sixty years of life, the world had finally twisted into something he couldn’t comprehend.
“Then… where is your husband now?”
Luo Yao glared. “The disciplinary office. If you dare give him trouble, I won’t hesitate to replace you as principal.”
Principal Tang immediately backpedaled. “Of course not! Let’s go handle this right away.”
---
In the disciplinary office, the director was rubbing his temples as he looked between Lin Ran and Lin Jian.
Lin Ran was a star student, well-liked and respected on campus.
Lin Jian, on the other hand, was the young master of the Suran Group—someone the director couldn’t afford to offend.
Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside.
“Where’s that little bastard? How dare he lay a hand on Jian? I’ll whip him to death!”
“Calm down, dear. Ran couldn’t have meant it. If he’s willing to kneel and apologize, go easy on him.”
The words arrived before the people, and Lin Ran made a gagging face.
The office door was kicked open, revealing Lin Tianba’s stern expression and Liu Yuemei’s look of bitter disappointment.
The moment they entered, their eyes landed on Lin Ran, who was smirking. Liu Yuemei frowned.
“Ran, where’s your brother? No matter what, you shouldn’t have hit him! It’s my fault as a mother—I failed to raise you both properly.”
Lin Ran scoffed. “Shut it. If murder weren’t illegal, you’d have been dead by Chapter Seven.”
Liu Yuemei’s face twisted with hurt, but then she spotted Lin Jian—his face swollen like a pig’s—and Lin Ran standing nearby, grinning.
With a gasp, she rushed to Lin Jian’s side, cradling his face.
“My baby! What happened to you?”
Ah, the wonders of maternal instinct. Even battered beyond recognition, she still knew him at a glance.
Lin Ran had to admit, though—Lin Jian had stamina. Most people would’ve been in a hospital by now, yet here he was, wobbling on his feet to tattle.
Lin Jian swayed unsteadily, tears streaming.
“M-Mom… It’s my fault… Don’t blame Brother…”
Liu Yuemei was livid. No one had ever dared to hurt her precious son like this.
She glared at Lin Ran and spat,
“You little bastard! You hit Jian?”
Lin Ran grinned. “Now that’s more like it. Drop the act, homewrecker. If you wanna curse, just curse.”
“You—! Fine. Kneel and apologize to your brother, and I’ll consider convincing your father to let you move back home. You *are* still my son, after all.”
The director’s jaw dropped. So this was a family matter?
How had no one known Lin Jian and Lin Ran were related? And if Lin Ran was part of the Lin family, why was he always working odd jobs?
Lin Tianba’s heart ached for Lin Jian, but he kept his fury in check.
“Lin Ran, if you return the money from your shares, I’ll *graciously* allow you to kneel and beg for your place as my son again.”
Absolutely unhinged.
Lin Ran finally felt his sanity crack.
“What kind of delusional crap are you spouting? Who the hell do you think you are? Should I dig out the legal severance agreement? It was signed with a lawyer present.”
Lin Tianba’s face darkened. “Fine! Since you’re ungrateful, I’ll enforce some *family discipline*.”
He unbuckled his belt.
The director snapped, “Sir, control yourself! Assault is a crime!”
Liu Yuemei waved a hand. “Teacher, Ran is our son. His father disciplining him is hardly ‘assault,’ no?”
The director’s nostrils flared.
“Lin Ran is *your* son?”
Lin Tianba & Liu Yuemei: “Yes.”
Lin Ran: “Sir, I’m *not* theirs. Protect me.”
The director nodded firmly. “Don’t worry. No one will lay a finger on you while I’m here.”
He turned on Lin Tianba, furious.
“Until the investigation concludes—*regardless* of Lin Ran’s guilt—you *will not* touch him. You’ll have to step over my corpse first.”
Lin Tianba sneered. “Shut your mouth. Do you even know who I am? That faculty dorm you live in? *I* funded it.”
The director froze, then clenched his fists.
Lin Tianba smirked, raising his belt.
Lin Ran’s voice turned icy. “Touch me, and I’ll kill you.”
“You little—! Today, you’ll learn what happens when you disrespect your father!”
Lin Ran narrowed his eyes, ready to strike back.
He wouldn’t give Lin Tianba a chance to counter. One hit—brutal and decisive.
If things escalated, Luo Yao would handle the fallout.
But even without her, he had *plenty* of ways to ruin Lin Tianba later.
Just as he braced to attack, a voice thundered through the room.
“*Try it.*”
A woman strode in, radiating authority, with Principal Tang trailing behind.
The director exhaled in relief.
“Principal, thank goodness.”
Principal Tang nodded.
Lin Tianba’s eyes bulged when he saw Luo Yao. He scrambled forward, fawning.
“Ah! CEO Luo! I’m Lin Tianba of the Suran Group—”
“*Get lost.*”
Lin Tianba recoiled, retreating like a scolded dog.
Luo Yao approached Lin Ran, inspecting him carefully.
She was worried his recent injuries had reopened.
Lin Ran grinned, ruffling her hair. “Relax. It’s nothing.”
The casual gesture made Principal Tang’s eyes nearly pop out. *This* was the husband Luo Yao had mentioned?
The teachers gaped. They didn’t recognize Luo Yao, but if even the principal deferred to her, her status was obvious.
Lin Tianba’s jaw hit the floor.
Lin Jian, however, glared venomously—until he got a proper look at Luo Yao. Instantly, he straightened up, oozing faux charm despite his battered face.
The malice vanished, replaced by bashfulness.
“H-Hello… I’m Lin Jian.”
Luo Yao didn’t spare him a glance.
“Lin Jian… Wasn’t this the student admitted through connections? Expel him.”