He actually fought to the point of being taken to the police station for her!

The two men grappled furiously, crashing into each other as the items on the nearby table shattered to the floor with a clatter. Those around tried to intervene, but to no avail.

Xia Anran screamed in fright, “Brother Qin, Lin Ansheng, stop fighting!”

Ji Shen bellowed furiously and forced the two apart. “Are you both insane?!”

Both of their faces bore marks of the scuffle. Qin You had a bloody scratch at the corner of his mouth, while Lin Ansheng’s eye was bruised and swelling from a punch. Neither had held back.

Not bothering with any pretense of kinship, Ji Shen grabbed them by the collars and dragged them straight to the police station.

Chen Manli called after him, “Officer Ji, Officer Ji!”

Ji Shen didn’t even look back. “Miss Chen, this is exactly the kind of work I told you about. You’d better go home and think it over. I won’t be seeing you off.”

Chen Manli was left speechless.

Wen Shuang hadn’t expected that a simple trip to the restroom would end with the two of them fighting like this. Xia Anran shot her a venomous glare. “It’s all your fault, you vixen!”

Wen Shuang swept her wavy hair back, her movements naturally alluring. “At least I have the charms of a vixen. Can you say the same?”

Xia Anran was so enraged she could barely speak. “You!”

At the police station, in the interrogation room, Ji Shen sneered coldly, “You two are really something, aren’t you? Brawling in a Western restaurant in public—do you take me for a decoration?”

Now both men hung their heads, at a loss for words, the bravado they’d displayed earlier utterly vanished.

Ji Shen slammed the table. “Speak. Why were you fighting?”

Qin You wiped the blood from his lip with a grimace. “No reason. I just can’t stand the sight of him.”

“Officer Ji, he started it!” Lin Ansheng pressed his tongue hard against his palate. “He punched me without even asking what was going on. I was just defending myself.”

Ji Shen narrowed his eyes. “Qin You?”

Qin You recalled what had happened half an hour before.

He’d sent Lin Ansheng a message, warning him to stay away from Wen Shuang.

But while Wen Shuang was in the restroom, Lin Ansheng had come over and openly declared war.

“Qin You, I’ve always liked Wen Shuang. I’m going to pursue her—and she’s about to say yes.”

“Qin You, you’ll give us your blessing, won’t you?”

“Wen Shuang is beautiful. I can hardly wait to enjoy her,” he’d added in a low voice.

Qin You’s possessiveness was overwhelming; he had lost control the moment he heard those words and punched Lin Ansheng hard. The fight had broken out at once.

“It’s true, I threw the first punch,” Qin You admitted.

“And the reason?”

Qin You stuck to his line. “No reason. I just don’t like him.”

Faced with this attitude, even if Qin You was his own nephew, Ji Shen wouldn’t let it slide. He was about to have him detained for provoking a fight.

Outside, Xia Anran tried to burst in and defend Qin You. “Uncle Ji, Qin You didn’t mean to! Lin Ansheng insulted me first, and Qin You was just standing up for me!”

Ji Shen raised his chin, signaling the officers outside to take Xia Anran away. No outsiders were allowed to make a scene in the interrogation room.

With no other option, Xia Anran called Mrs. Qin for help.

Wen Shuang had only come tonight to thank Lin Ansheng, never imagining he’d end up at the police station before dinner was even served. She waited in the reception area.

Xia Anran fumed, “Are you happy now, Wen Shuang? Brother Qin is about to be detained!”

Wen Shuang smiled coolly. “He’s finally getting what he deserves. I’m quite satisfied, actually.”

Mrs. Qin arrived swiftly after receiving the call. She came to bail out her son.

When Ji Shen stepped out, he addressed her curtly, “Mrs. Qin.”

She chided him, “Ah Shen, I’m your sister.”

“In the police station, there’s no distinction between family and others.”

Still, Ji Shen showed her some respect; after all, the matter with Qin You could be made big or small as needed.

Mrs. Qin took custody of Qin You, scolding him harshly. Then, seeing Wen Shuang in the waiting area—and recalling what Xia Anran had told her on the phone—she strode over and raised her hand.

Ji Shen quickly caught her wrist. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Realizing where she was, Mrs. Qin reluctantly lowered her hand but spoke to Wen Shuang sharply. “Wen Shuang, you and our Youyou have broken up. He’s already found a wonderful girl like Anran. If you dare pester him again, I’ll see you destroyed!”

She had never liked Wen Shuang’s seductive air, and after the breakup, she was even more afraid Wen Shuang would tangle with Qin You, jeopardizing the alliance between the Qin and Xia families.

Her voice was loud enough that many people looked their way.

Wen Shuang, humiliated for no reason, stood up. “Mrs. Qin, since our breakup I’ve never sought out your son. He’s the one who’s been pestering me! You may treasure your son, but to me, he’s not even worth the trash. The thing I regret most in my life is once being so blind as to be with him!”

“Fortunately, there’s Miss Xia—the recycling plant for garbage—so Qin You has somewhere to go.”

Both Qin You and Xia Anran’s faces turned ashen at her words. Ji Shen allowed himself the faintest arch of an eyebrow.

Mrs. Qin wanted to scold her again.

Ji Shen cut her off coldly. “Enough! This is a police station, not a fish market. Take your people and leave—or I’ll lock you all up!”

Mrs. Qin had no choice but to drag Qin You away.

As she left, Xia Anran made a point of shooting Wen Shuang another vicious glare.

Wen Shuang ignored her, turning instead to thank Ji Shen for stepping in.

Ji Shen was about to reply when Lin Ansheng emerged and, playing along, slung his arm around Wen Shuang. “Shuangshuang, Qin You beat me up so badly I’m disfigured. Take me to the hospital, quick!”

Wen Shuang instinctively tried to push him away.

Ji Shen sneered, “Master Lin had better hurry to the hospital—your wounds might heal if you wait any longer.”

“Shuangshuang, I was hurt for you. Are you really so cruel as to push me away?” Lin Ansheng, oblivious to the sarcasm, clung to her shamelessly.

“Stop it!” Wen Shuang said.

Ji Shen waved them off. “This is a police station. If you two want to flirt, do it outside.”

Lin Ansheng pulled Wen Shuang out, leaving her no chance to explain.

At the door, Mrs. Qin tried to launch another tirade at Wen Shuang, but Lin Ansheng shielded her. Qin You had finally had enough. “Enough! Let’s go home!”

Once in the car, Mrs. Qin was still fuming. “That little fox Wen Shuang thinks she’ll be set for life by latching onto the Lin family—wishful thinking! The Lins would never accept someone as lowborn as her. She’ll never be as good as my Anran.”

Xia Anran affectionately took Mrs. Qin’s arm. “Auntie, Ji Shen is your brother and Qin You’s uncle, but why do you seem so distant with him?”

At this, Mrs. Qin’s expression grew a bit stiff. “Because I insisted on marrying Youyou’s father, the Ji family cut ties with me. Ah Shen was just a child then, and we were never close.”

Xia Anran nodded in understanding and patted Mrs. Qin’s hand. “It’s all right, Auntie. Now you have me!”

She then leaned over and took Qin You’s hand. “Brother Qin, what about you? Is there a place for me in your heart?”

Meeting his mother’s expectant gaze, Qin You’s eyes softened. “Of course, Anran. You’re the one I love most. Wen Shuang means nothing to me.”

Xia Anran happily nestled in his arms.