Chapter 67: Speak While on Your Knees

Lin Yuqing pointed at him, her emotions surging as she fought back tears. After a long silence, she finally managed to say, “Since you’ve taken things that far with Sijie—she’s my good friend.”
“You’re a man, don’t try to shirk responsibility after pulling your pants up.”
“Sijie is a wonderful girl. You have to treat her well, do you understand?”
Xia Yu was at a loss, stammering, “You… you know?”
“What else? Did you think you could keep it from me?” Lin Yuqing sneered coldly, “I’m really disappointed in you. That’s all there is to say.”
With those words, she covered her face and left without looking back.
Xia Yu watched her go, a thousand sorrows twisting inside him, yet he stood there in utter bewilderment, not knowing what to do.
He had lived a rich and colorful life, always able to handle any challenge with composure. Only in matters of the heart was he utterly inexperienced—he had never truly loved.
His only relationship had been that marriage with Lin Yuxin, but that wasn’t love. How could a man fall for a woman who could never see him without scorn?
Back then, out of a sense of duty, Xia Yu had considered spending his whole life with Lin Yuxin, which only showed how clueless he was about love.
Only when Lin Yuqing appeared did he finally understand what it meant to care for someone.
In truth, at that moment, Lin Yuqing desperately wished Xia Yu would chase after her, call her name, explain himself, or just try to comfort her in any way.
If he had, she would have softened in an instant, broken up with Li Hao without a second thought, disregarded what Zhao Sijie might feel, and agreed to be with him.
Yet Xia Yu remained motionless…
Even after she vanished into the crowd, Xia Yu still stood there, dazed and foolish.
“Godfather, the pretty lady is gone now,”
Liu Xiaomi couldn’t help but remind him.
Xia Yu snapped back to himself and forced an awkward smile. “Yes, let’s go too, shall we?”
“Godfather, did you make the pretty lady angry? She was really fierce just now.” Liu Xiaomi pouted.
“Grown-up things, you wouldn’t understand,”
Xia Yu ruffled her little head.
…
In a luxurious private room at Gourmet Restaurant.
Xiao Jun was enjoying his meal at a leisurely pace, before him a spread of delicacies from land and sea.
Behind him, two bodyguards stood like statues, their faces expressionless, exuding a chilling aura.

Outside the door, six more bodyguards stood in two neat lines on either side.
As Zhao Sijie passed by, she couldn’t help but ask the server standing nearby, “Xiaoqian, who’s inside? Why all the fuss?”
“It’s Young Master Xiao,” the server replied with adoration.
“Young Master Xiao? Which one?” Zhao Sijie asked, puzzled.
“Manager Zhao, you don’t know Young Master Xiao? He’s the eldest son of the Xiao family, the city’s most powerful clan, with unmatched status. He’s the dream of countless women,” the server gushed. “And he’s incredibly handsome—he’s a regular at our restaurant.”
“He’s also friends with our boss.”
“Oh, I see.”
Zhao Sijie nodded and moved on, not giving it another thought. Her mind was full of Xia Yu, and she seemed every bit a girl lost in love.
Little did she know that the city’s most eligible Young Master Xiao inside was actually Xia Yu’s most devoted follower.
“Ah, Minister Cao, what brings you here?”
At the restaurant entrance, Liu Jingshu strode in with a cheerful air. Spotting an old acquaintance, he greeted him warmly.
Cao Neng was surprised. “Principal Liu, you’re here for a meal too?”
“Heh, to be honest, Minister Cao, Young Master Xiao invited me,” Liu Jingshu replied with a hint of pride.
After all, being invited by the city’s most prominent young master was something to be proud of.
But Cao Neng was astonished, “You’re here to see Young Master Xiao too?”
“What do you mean, you too?” Liu Jingshu was taken aback.
“That’s right. Let’s go in together, then.”
Cao Neng forced a wry smile and the two entered side by side.
When they saw the bodyguards stationed outside Xiao Jun’s room, they couldn’t help but think—he truly was heir to the Xiao family, accustomed to such grandeur.
“Young Master, they’re here,”
A bodyguard opened the door and led them inside.
Xiao Jun lifted his head slightly to look at the pair.
“Young Master Xiao.”
Both greeted him respectfully. Though each was accomplished in his own field and frequently flattered by others, in front of Xiao Jun, they instinctively lowered themselves.
They knew their place; the gap in status was too great. Their achievements meant nothing in his eyes.

“So, you’re the principal of Mingxing School?”
“And you, you’re the Minister of Education?”
Xiao Jun asked indifferently.
“That’s right.”
The two introduced themselves respectfully, expecting Xiao Jun to invite them to sit.
Instead, he replied with a blank face, “Kneel.”
“Ah…”
“What?”
Both froze, thinking they had misheard.
“I called for you—kneel and speak to me,”
These were words Xia Yu used to say, and Xiao Jun had always found them supremely commanding. After Xia Yu stopped using them, Xiao Jun took them for himself.
“Uh…”
The pair were seized by shock and dread, stammering, “Young Master Xiao, what do you mean?”
“Have we done something to offend you?”
Xiao Jun set down his chopsticks, lazily dabbing his mouth with a napkin. “You two are really something, letting your children bully my niece every day.”
“You’re simply running wild.”
“What? Young Master Xiao, there must be some misunderstanding!” Cao Neng shivered with fright.
“Yes!” Liu Jingshu stammered, panicked. “Young Master Xiao, there must be some mistake. I wouldn’t dare bully your niece for all the courage in the world.”
“I said, kneel when you speak to me—do you not understand?!”
Xiao Jun’s eyes went cold, his tone sharp as a blade, enough to kill.
“I…”
The two trembled all over, and with a thud, fell to their knees.