Chapter 6: Are You Worthy?

It had to be admitted that Pan Yixuan was indeed arrogant, but he certainly had the means to back it up. Although Jiang Hao did not come from a distinguished family, he had nonetheless spent two years as a live-in son-in-law with the Lin family. Most of the prominent upper-class families in Maple Leaf City were known to him, and among them, the Pan family ranked in the top five. With family enterprises worth over a billion, they were truly powerful and wealthy. Compared to the Pan family, the Lin family—with their eighteenth-rate standing—were nothing but impoverished, declining nobodies. As for Jiang Hao, the Lin family’s live-in son-in-law, he was even less worthy of mention, a complete nobody.

If he did not possess the inheritance of medical arts, then no matter his unwillingness, he might only lose his life, and the outcome would still fall in line with Pan Yixuan’s wishes. However, now things were different. Even though he had originally planned to divorce Su Qingli, at this very moment, he no longer felt inclined to go along with everyone else’s wishes. Since so many people wanted him to divorce Su Qingli, he would do the exact opposite, just to spite them. After all, he now held the inheritance of medical arts and had even saved the Bai family’s life. If he wanted a divorce, he could have it at any time. For now, he might as well disgust these shameless people a little more.

With this thought, Jiang Hao sat grandly on the sofa, a faint smile on his lips as he said, “My marriage to Su Qingli is sanctioned by the laws of the state. As long as we are not divorced, whether she lives or dies, she is and will remain my wife, Jiang Hao. And you—an outsider with no connection to us—dare to demand that we divorce. Who do you think you are?”

You’re arrogant? I can be even more arrogant. You’re overbearing? Then I’ll outdo you in that as well.

Never mind that his words were an outright insult and provocation to Pan Yixuan, the eldest son of the illustrious Pan family. Even Zhang Liping, long accustomed to Jiang Hao’s meekness, felt her head spinning at that moment. It took her a long while to come to her senses, and then, trembling with rage, she spat, “Are you out of your mind, you useless wretch? How dare you speak to Young Master Pan like that? And what’s with your attitude? Since the day you came to the Su family, I told you that you had no right to speak up in this house!”

“Now you dare to disobey orders and even mock Young Master Pan? You’re finished! You’re as good as dead!” Furious, she deftly snatched up a feather duster and began to rain blows down on Jiang Hao.

In the past, even if he ended up black and blue, Jiang Hao never dared to dodge. If he did, the beating would get worse, and he might even be denied food, forced to kneel in the bathroom overnight. But now, he no longer needed to endure.

With a swift move, Jiang Hao dodged the feather duster, snapped it in two with a light twist, and sneered coldly, “Zhang Liping, I used to let you have your way out of respect for Su Qingli, not because I couldn’t best you. Don’t try to provoke me here, or don’t blame me for fighting back. I have nothing to lose now. I’m barefoot, and I don’t fear those wearing shoes!”

There was no denying it—Jiang Hao’s newfound firmness and the cold gleam in his eyes truly made Zhang Liping’s heart tremble. Pan Yixuan, witnessing the scene, was consumed with rage, his gaze venomous as he stared at Jiang Hao and said with a cold smile, “Jiang Hao, impressive, very impressive! Never in my life have I been so humiliated. If I, Pan Yixuan, don’t avenge this today, I swear I’m not a man! As for Qingli, she is the woman I want. That means she must belong to me. If you dare lay a finger on her, I will make you wish you were dead!”

With those words, he turned on his heel and stormed out, not even sparing Zhang Liping a word. Zhang Liping, however, was unfazed. She hurried after him to the front door, only then turning back, her face twisted with fury as she pointed at Jiang Hao and raged, “You’re a harbinger of disaster! It was bad enough that your parents died because of you, but the Su family took you in when you had nowhere to go. And how do you repay us? By clinging to my daughter and refusing to let go! Has a dog eaten your conscience? If you have any sense, divorce my daughter at once. I never want to see this garbage again!”

Such insults had never ceased during the past two years, and Jiang Hao had always endured when he could. But today, he could endure no longer. Especially since, in the past, her attacks had only been aimed at him, but now they involved his parents as well.

This was beyond forgiveness.

Jiang Hao caught Zhang Liping by the throat, his face cold and smiling icily. “I believe I just warned you not to provoke me,” he said. “I am no longer the meek Jiang Hao who let you trample all over him. If I hear you insult my parents again, I’ll make you regret ever being born!”

Just then, as luck would have it, Su Qingli returned home. When she saw the scene, she cried out in horror and anger, “Jiang Hao, have you lost your mind? Let go of my mother now!”

Upon seeing Su Qingli, Zhang Liping’s eyes flashed with cunning. She instantly put on a pitiful face, sobbing for help. “Qingli, this lunatic Jiang Hao is trying to kill me! Hurry, save your mother!”

“If anything happens to my mother, I… I will never forgive you!” Su Qingli shouted, growing more frantic, her words tumbling out in desperation. The moment they left her lips, regret flooded her heart.

Jiang Hao’s gaze flickered with complexity when he saw Su Qingli. Despite all her heartless deeds, there had once been tenderness between them. Jiang Hao was a man who valued feelings deeply; no matter his bitterness, he could not forget that bond. However, Su Qingli’s immediate, indiscriminate accusations left his expression cold.

He had not truly intended to harm Zhang Liping, only to give her a scare as a warning. But hearing those words, his rebellious spirit surged. Instead of letting go, he tightened his grip, sneering coldly, “What’s this? Suddenly you care about your mother?”

“When your wonderful mother insulted me with words and beat me with sticks, did you ever spare a thought for my well-being? But of course, to you, your husband was only ever a tool to be used—never someone to truly care for. So it’s only natural you’d spare me no sympathy or pity.”

“Since that’s the case, why shouldn’t I return the favor in kind?”