CHAPTER 964: CHAPTER 964: IS HE WORTHY?

Xiao Hongdao placed the cup back onto the tray in Yin Zhihong’s hands, and in just a moment, his expression had already returned to calm, "How could this be considered a heartbreak for me? At most, it was being manipulated by others, leaving behind a root of the illness. It’s you, after being separated from your wife and children, who truly was depressed for quite some time."

He emphasized the words "separated from your wife and children."

Li Qiao observed Xiao Hongdao without showing any emotion, always feeling that his behavior was very unusual.

Clearly filled with deep hatred, yet bizarrely restraining his emotions.

As if... deliberate.

With the shrewdness of Shang Zonghai and Xiao Hongdao, controlling their emotions should be as easy as turning their hands.

It’s impossible for them to expose their flaws just because of a few words.

Meanwhile, Li Qiao was still carefully pondering when two people happened to come together at the entrance of the back garden.

Ming Dailan looked at the Royal Knight beside her with confusion, "Didn’t he say he wasn’t coming?"

The knight dared not say much, only spreading his hands towards the front, "Madam, your subordinate is not too sure either, but the gentleman indeed came."

Ming Dailan pursed her lips impatiently, knowing she couldn’t get any useful information, so she simply quickened her pace.

These Royal Knights were carefully chosen confidants by Xiao Hongdao, so even if pressed, it was useless.

...

About three minutes later, Yin Zhihong once again walked out of the pagoda, holding an extra plate of white jade pastries in his hands.

Xiao Hongdao took a sip of tea, "Junior brother, there’s no need for our grievances to involve others. Why don’t you have people release Xiao Yeyan, and I... will also let your daughter’s teacher go, how about it?"

At this time, Shang Zonghai handed a cup of water to Li Qiao and said indifferently, "You don’t even care about your own son but can’t let go of a pawn?"

"Since it’s a pawn, it naturally has its use."

Shang Zonghai signaled Li Qiao to drink tea, then moved his gaze back, looking at the opposite, "If you’re not as skilled as others, you have to accept reality. There’s no reason to trade lives."

Xiao Hongdao looked at Li Qiao with a profound gaze, "Little girl, what are your thoughts?"

"Dad is right." Li Qiao stood beside Shang Zonghai, following his lead.

Xiao Hongdao sighed as if disappointed, "Seems I overestimated how important those old men are to you, so there’s no need to keep them."

Li Qiao remained expressionless, her tone very calm, "As you wish."

Shang Zonghai remained unperturbed, casually saying, "Having Xiao Yeyan and Xiao Yening as companions in death is not too unfair."

Li Qiao’s gaze flickered, and her lips curled slightly, "Dad makes sense."

Xiao Hongdao watched the two, like they were performing a duet, his gaze leisurely landing behind Li Qiao.

Then, Ming Dailan’s incredulous voice sounded, "Shang Zonghai, what did you just say?"

Li Qiao lowered her eyes, immediately understanding everything.

Xiao Hongdao indeed had a meticulous plan.

What seemed like a verbal battle was actually harboring other intentions.

Ming Dailan’s appearance was unexpected yet reasonable.

She heard with her own ears the phrase ’Xiao Yeyan and Xiao Yening as companions in death,’ and as a mother, her protective instincts caused her to lose the ability to think again.

In that instant, Li Qiao suddenly felt a bit of sympathy for her.

Both pitiful and pathetic, but also hateful.

Ming Dailan rushed to Shang Zonghai’s side, with a mix of anger and anxiety, "Ningning..."

"Not dead yet." Shang Zonghai raised his eyelids, "You really have good timing, always able to hear the key points."

If Ming Dailan had a bit of rationality, she wouldn’t miss this pointed reminder from Shang Zonghai.

Sadly, her greatest flaw and weakness was believing too much in coincidences.

Ming Dailan’s hands were tense at her sides, no matter how elegant her clothes and makeup, they couldn’t hide the fatigue and aging in her eyebrows, "Shang Zonghai, Ningning is just a child, what exactly do you want to do?"

"Madam Xiao, eleven years ago, Shaoyan was also a child." This was said by Li Qiao.

Ming Dailan glared with anger but was speechless, she quickly looked towards Xiao Hongdao, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something.

However—

"Why are you looking at me? It was your ex-husband who captured your daughter." Xiao Hongdao drank tea with leisure, and the words ’your daughter’ carried a noticeable detachment and distinction.

Ming Dailan’s breath quickened, driven by fury, she uncontrollably slapped the teacup out of Xiao Hongdao’s hand, "Xiao Hongdao, are you speaking like a human? Ningning is also your daughter."

The Zisha cup fell to the ground, producing a crisp collision sound.

The shattered teacup seemed to foreshadow something.

Xiao Hongdao picked up a towel by the table to wipe his hands, looking sideways at Ming Dailan with a shocking statement, "When you schemed against Xiaoyan, did you not consider that he also called you mother for many years."

Ming Dailan was overwhelmed, struck by lightning.

He knew, he actually knew everything.

Xiao Hongdao casually wiped the tea stains on his sleeve, teasing in a relaxed tone, "Junior brother, forgive me for the laugh. But it seems your choice in women isn’t great either."

Ming Dailan never thought in her life that her current husband would openly disparage her in front of her ex-husband.

And with no mercy, harsh as could be.

Ming Dailan stood there blankly, glaring furiously, "Xiao! Hong! Dao!"

"Enough." Xiao Hongdao’s patience wore out, frowning with vexation, "You’ve been putting on an act in front of me for so long, isn’t it enough?"

Xiao Hongdao’s frown made the somewhat gloomy wrinkle at his brow exceptionally obvious.

In contrast, Shang Zonghai and Li Qiao’s expressions were astonishingly similar, both calmly and indifferently watching this scene.

At this moment, Ming Dailan swayed, and only after a very long silence did she take action.

She seized Xiao Hongdao by the collar, grinding her teeth, "You’re not human, it’s all your fault, harming my son, and now not sparing Ningning either..."

Xiao Hongdao looked down at her actions, calmly pinched her wrist, waved his hand, and effortlessly removed her hold.

Ming Dailan, who had been pampered for years, retreated repeatedly before she had time to react.

The ground was a path of blue bricks, wearing high heels, she stepped into a crack and fell awkwardly to the ground.

Ming Dailan’s bun came loose, her skirt dust-stained, her gaze dazed and bewildered.

In just a few seconds, Xiao Hongdao’s coldly indifferent sarcasm sounded in her ears again, "You, you’re muddled in distinguishing right from wrong, and lacking self-awareness, even if there’s still some use, now you’re worth nothing."

Ming Dailan was utterly discomfited, only feeling waves of blood surging, her vision darkening.

She was adored by countless people, enjoying the highest honor, no one ever dared to speak disrespectfully to her.

Xiao Hongdao said she was worth nothing, while Shang Zonghai watched coldly on.

Why did she end up like this today?

Ming Dailan was confused, angry and furious, tears streaming down her face in the blink of an eye.

She stiffly stared at Xiao Hongdao, hoarsely roaring, "A tiger, although fierce, does not eat its cubs; you’re worse than a beast!"

"Speaking of which, you’re no better." Xiao Hongdao once again picked up the teacup, sipping tea, speaking the most heart-piercing words with the calmest tone, "Shang Shaoyan was poisoned by you for over a decade. If you’re really remorseful, why don’t you apologize by death? Ah Lan, you’re always so naive, you even dared to dream of your son inheriting the duke title; do you not think, is he, worthy?"