Mr. Pei! Don't force yourself into circles you can't fit into.

Hearing the noise behind him, Shen Yue turned around, his gaze fixed on Shen Jicheng, his tone stern.

"Where did your second brother pick you up?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Jicheng's expression instantly stiffened. After a moment's hesitation, he murmured softly, "Where else can I go... My second brother will pick me up wherever I am..."

As expected, the father's face darkened instantly after he finished speaking.

Shen Jicheng hurriedly said, "It's on that street in the west of the city! Song Yiyang drove me there, and my second brother picked me up from there."

When he returned, his second brother had warned him not to admit his relationship with Pei Lin, otherwise his father would be furious.

He's still quite afraid of getting beaten up.

Although his older brother also hit him, his father was much more ruthless with his stick than with his hand.

"Is that so?" Shen Yue's probing gaze fell on Shen Jicheng's face. Fortunately, Shen Jicheng was always good at talking, and he nodded innocently, without the slightest hint of guilt.

"yes."

At this moment, the door was pushed open again.

Shen Yanhe walked in with a smile, and when she saw Shen Jicheng, a hint of surprise appeared on her face, as if she didn't know Shen Jicheng was there.

"I came to talk to my father about the situation with the police. I didn't expect Chengcheng to be here too."

Shen Jicheng: "..." Okay, his second brother is even better at lying than he is.

That's blatant lying.

However, Shen Jicheng tacitly agreed and did not expose it.

When the police were mentioned, Shen Yue didn't interrogate Shen Jicheng anymore. Instead, he coldly said to Shen Jicheng, "You're not young anymore. Learn more from your older brothers and go out less."

Shen Jicheng inwardly scoffed, thinking: If he doesn't run away, how will he see Pei Lin?

However, he readily agreed, saying, "Okay!"

"You can go out first. I want to talk to your second brother."

Shen Jicheng turned and walked out briskly, secretly giving his second brother a thumbs up: May good people have a peaceful life!

Shen Yanhe chuckled.

The door closed.

Shen Yue's expression was serious. "What did the police say?"

Shen Yanhe paused for a moment and then answered seriously, "Now we're just waiting for the court's verdict, but... it's most likely the death penalty."

Shen Yue sighed, his expression unreadable, "Very well."

"He committed many evil deeds; this is retribution."

Finally, Shen Yue coughed a few times with his hand covering his lips. After all this ordeal, his body was not as strong as before.

Shen Yanhe quickly took a glass of water and handed it to him, saying, "Have some water to soothe your throat."

Shen Yue took it and took a sip.

He then put down his water glass, his sharp gaze falling on Shen Yanhe.

"Second brother, you're the smartest. Can you tell me what Shen Quan's last words meant before he was taken away?"

Shen Yanhe paused slightly, recalling those words.

—Shen Yue, I won.

—Your child will be just like me.

Facing her father's sharp, probing gaze, Shen Yanhe lowered her eyes. "Father, I don't know. Maybe he deliberately provoked us by saying something offensive."

After he finished speaking, Shen Yue did not speak immediately, and the room remained quiet for a long time.

Shen Yue slowly and deliberately spoke.

"That's for the best, otherwise..." His probing gaze fell on Shen Yanhe, "You all know the consequences."

Shen Yanhe did not answer.

"Alright, you can go now."

That night, no one slept well except for Shen Jicheng.

Shen Yue stood by the window all night, Shen Quan's words echoing in his mind like a curse. In the past, he would never have trusted an outsider and would have stood firmly on his son's side.

But nowadays...

He knew it from the moment his second son had his youngest son watch over him and monitor his movements, and from the moment his eldest son installed a GPS tracker in his cane.

They can no longer be as obedient and sensible as they used to be.

The rest is fine.

But when it comes to feelings... he absolutely cannot indulge them.

The night before Lunar New Year's Eve.

The bandages on Shen Mingxiao's hands were removed, and that very night he was ordered by his father to go to the ancestral hall.

"The ancestral hall?" Shen Jicheng was texting Pei Lin on the sofa when he heard someone come to deliver a message. He immediately perked up his ears and asked his second brother curiously.

"Why did Father call my eldest brother to the ancestral hall so late?"

Shen Yanhe frowned, watching his elder brother's departing figure. He turned back, his expression devoid of emotion, and said softly.

"Perhaps... Father has something to ask my eldest brother."

After saying that, he patted Shen Jicheng's head and said, "If you want to make a call, go upstairs and do it while Father is not here."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jicheng's eyes lit up. "Great!" Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and he was hoping to go out with Pei Lin tomorrow!

After Shen Jicheng wiped his slippers and went upstairs, Shen Yanhe paused for a moment before walking towards the ancestral hall.

Shen Family Ancestral Hall.

"Kneel down." Shen Yue heard footsteps behind him and shouted without turning his head.

Shen Mingxiao did not resist and obediently knelt on the prayer mat with his back straight.

"In front of the ancestral tablets, whatever I ask you, you must answer truthfully," Shen Yue said sternly.

"Yes."

"What is your relationship with Shen Yu'an?"

One sentence made Shen Mingxiao pause slightly. His face remained expressionless, and his voice was indifferent.

"It's alright."

Do you have feelings for him?

This question made Shen Mingxiao hesitate for a moment before he finally uttered a single word.

"Yes."

Shen Yue's face darkened instantly, and he swung the wooden stick in his hand at Shen Mingxiao. Instantly, Shen Mingxiao's body leaned forward, and he managed to withstand the blow by bracing his fingers against the table leg.

"Shen Mingxiao, you're the eldest brother!" Shen Yue's tone was stern. "How have I raised you since you were little?! How dare you knowingly break the rules! All these years, I've been strict with you precisely because I didn't want you to go down this path! But how dare you?!"

Shen Mingxiao lowered his eyes, not trying to excuse himself.

"It was my fault, Father, please punish me as you see fit."

Shen Yue's hand tightened with anger as he said, "Is this how you set an example for your younger brother?!" As soon as he finished speaking, another blow landed on his back.

Shen Mingxiao swallowed the blood in his mouth and spoke.

"Father, rest assured... I will not... let the things you worry about happen. From now on, we will go our separate ways, and Shen Yu'an and I will never see each other again."

"No one else will know about this except you."

Those few words made Shen Yue's fingers tremble; it was as if everything was repeating itself. Never to see each other again... those were also his words back then.

However, this outcome is the best possible result.

"Then you'd better remember what you said," Shen Yue said in a deep voice. "The burden of the Shen family will eventually fall on your shoulders. My strict demands on you are for the sake of the Shen family. It's also to make you an outstanding role model for your younger brother. You've never let me down since you were a child."

"I hope it will be the same this time."

Shen Mingxiao lowered his eyes. "Yes."