Chapter 46: Three Fates

"Ah!" Zhou Tingting cried out in shock, utterly stunned.

She could never have imagined that the man who once obeyed her every word, the man she had always seen as a spineless good-for-nothing, would dare strike her so domineeringly today!

"Zeng Xiaofan..."

"You..."

"Are you insane!"

"How dare you..."

"You weren't like this before..."

Zeng Xiaofan let out a cold snort, enunciating each word:

"What was in the past is over—this is now!"

"You’ve repeatedly made trouble for me and even called me a bastard!"

"If I don’t teach you a lesson, you really think I can’t put you in your place!"

With that, Zeng Xiaofan scooped Zhou Tingting up in his arms, pulled up her white coat, and delivered a series of hard smacks to her behind.

"Ah!"

"Ah—"

"Help!"

"Someone’s killing me!"

"Ah—ah—"

Zhou Tingting screamed in pain, her cries sharp and piercing, her face flushed with a mix of shame, anger, and excitement...

Beneath her humiliation and embarrassment, a strange and unfamiliar feeling stirred deep inside her, as though she almost wished to be punished even more harshly.

Standing nearby, Ye Shuilian blushed fiercely at the scene, her breath quickening.

"This kid... he’s ruthless..."

"Look how he’s handling her..."

"So domineering..."

She murmured under her breath, but her eyes shone brightly, as if something hidden deep within her had been awakened.

"Ah—"

"I won’t do it again..."

"I’ll never do it again..."

"Stop! If you keep hitting me, I’ll..."

"If you keep going I’ll... ah—"

Zhou Tingting’s cheeks grew even redder, her pleas coming faster and more urgently.

At last, Zeng Xiaofan let her go and pushed her aside.

Zhou Tingting hastily pulled down her white coat to cover herself, falling silent at last. But as she looked at Zeng Xiaofan, her expression was strangely complicated—not angry, but tinged with both reproach and a lingering, unwilling longing...

At that moment, an old black Santana sedan pulled up at the entrance of Li Bixian’s house.

The village chief, Jin Youcai, got out, humming a tune and carrying a few gifts at a leisurely pace.

He looked up and was surprised to see Zeng Xiaofan and Zhou Tingting both in the yard. He glanced at Ye Shuilian, exchanged a look with her, then turned back to put the gifts back in the car.

Adjusting the waistband beneath his ample belly, he said coolly, "Well—what’s going on here? Such a lively scene today?"

Seeing the village chief at last, Zhou Tingting snapped back to her senses, her anger and frustration returning in full force as she shouted,

"Chief! Come here, quickly!"

"Arrest this scoundrel at once!"

"Zeng Xiaofan is a thief—he stole a huge sum of money!"

"I want to call the police! He even attacked me!"

"This is outrageous!"

At her words, Jin Youcai’s face darkened. He clasped his hands behind his back and glared coldly at Zeng Xiaofan.

"So! I heard your blindness was cured, and it looks like it really was!"

"But just because you can see again, does that mean you can do whatever you want?"

"And now you’re stealing?"

"Be honest! Where did you steal the money from, and how much?"

Before Zeng Xiaofan could answer, Zhou Tingting cut in,

"Over four hundred thousand! He just transferred two hundred thousand to Aunt Lian, and there’s still more than two hundred thousand on his phone!"

"What!" Jin Youcai’s expression changed dramatically, his eyes darting slyly as he said in a low voice,

"Over four hundred thousand? Are you sure?"

Zhou Tingting nodded solemnly. "I’m sure! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"Well, well!" The muscles on Jin Youcai’s face twitched as he pointed at Zeng Xiaofan.

"So, you’ve got guts, Zeng Xiaofan! Stole that much and still not kneeling for your punishment?"

Zeng Xiaofan gave a mocking laugh. "Chief, is this how you handle things?"

"You believe her just because she says so?"

"Where’s the proof?"

"What about the law?"

"Enough!" Jin Youcai snapped. "Who’s the chief here, you or me?"

"Do I need you to tell me how to do my job?"

"You want evidence? The balance in your phone is evidence! She’s a witness! Everyone in the village knows you’re penniless!"

"As if you could have four hundred thousand! Ha, even a dog would be richer than you!"

"This money was either stolen, robbed, or swindled! Kneel—now!"

The more he spoke, the more severe his tone, as if he were pronouncing a sentence.

Zeng Xiaofan smirked, replying calmly,

"Chief, you certainly throw your authority around!"

"Is it so hard to believe I earned this money myself?"

"Ha!" Jin Youcai exchanged a glance with Zhou Tingting and both burst into laughter.

"You? Zeng Xiaofan?"

"You? Earn four hundred thousand?"

"Don’t make me laugh! You couldn’t even manage forty!"

"Forty thousand? You must have stolen, robbed, or cheated for it!"

Zhou Tingting chimed in, "Exactly!"

"Take a look at yourself—do you really think someone like you could earn that much?"

"If you can earn four hundred thousand, I’ll get on my knees and lick your toes!"

Her words only made Jin Youcai sneer even more, his eyes full of contempt for Zeng Xiaofan.

"Enough. No more talk!"

"Arrest him and confiscate the money!"

"Since we’re fellow villagers, if you beg me, I might not send you to the police station right away!"

A sly glint flashed in Jin Youcai’s eyes as he moved to seize Zeng Xiaofan.

But at that critical moment, a crisp, commanding voice rang out,

"I’d like to see who dares touch my benefactor!"

Everyone turned in surprise. At some point, a black Mercedes G-Class had parked at the entrance.

By the car stood a group of secretaries, drivers, and bodyguards, surrounding a stunning woman—curves accentuated by a fitted gray pencil skirt, black stockings, and a white blouse—Fan Bing.

Fan Bing was a celebrity entrepreneur, instantly recognized by Jin Youcai, Zhou Tingting, and the others, who were left utterly dumbfounded.

"What??"

"Benefactor??? Who is President Fan calling her benefactor?"

Fan Bing strutted over, her high heels clicking, her face icy as she declared,

"Zeng Xiaofan is my benefactor!"

"That money was my gift of gratitude!"

"What, do you have a problem with that?"

She walked straight up to Zeng Xiaofan and, with perfect grace, gave a deep ninety-degree bow.

"Benefactor, thank you for saving my life!"

"No, to be precise, thank you for saving me three times!"

"Thank you!"

As she bowed even lower, her neckline dipped, revealing an alluring sight right before Zeng Xiaofan’s eyes—of which she was entirely unaware.

At her words, her entourage of secretaries and bodyguards instantly followed suit, bowing in unison to Zeng Xiaofan.

"Thank you, benefactor!"

The voices thundered as one.

Jin Youcai and Zhou Tingting were utterly stunned.

"This... How can this be... He’s just a pathetic loser..."

"How did he end up saving someone like President Fan..."

"She’s the CEO of Bishui Group! I don’t even have the qualifications to meet her..."

Jin Youcai muttered, swallowing hard as he recalled his earlier behavior. His cheeks burned with shame.

Zhou Tingting had seen with her own eyes when Zeng Xiaofan pulled Fan Bing into the clinic for treatment that day.

She hadn’t witnessed the specifics of the venom extraction, but she knew he’d saved Fan Bing’s life.

Still, she never imagined Fan Bing would thank him with hundreds of thousands...

Shocked, Zhou Tingting was also filled with bitter regret. If only she had received that credit! That damned Zeng Xiaofan—he snatched all the glory!

"Zeng Xiaofan, you’re infuriating!"

"Ugh, why is it so hard to put someone like him in his place!"

She fumed inwardly, her chest heaving with anger as she stamped her foot, her pride wounded all the more.

Zeng Xiaofan, however, paid her no mind, simply reaching out to gently help Fan Bing to her feet.

At the touch of his hand, Fan Bing’s usually poised demeanor faltered for a moment, her body quivering ever so slightly with shyness.

Zeng Xiaofan, though, frowned slightly and asked in a low voice,

"Did something foul come after you again?"

Fan Bing nodded, her face full of guilt.

"I’m sorry, benefactor. I misjudged you before."

"I thought you were just trying to scare me, to take advantage of me..."

"But now I see—I was completely wrong..."