"I don't want to take it," Qin Mengxue flatly refused.
The female reporter looked embarrassed, but she immediately switched to speakerphone so Qin Mengxue could hear even if she didn't answer.
"Hello, is this Qin Mengxue? I'm Yan Fengcheng. I'm watching Jinzhou City's evening news, and I already saw you on the screen. You're not picking up my calls, heh."
Hearing the voice from her phone, Qin Mengxue snorted, "I don't want to be your maid. Kill me or flog me, as you please."
"Hahaha, don't worry, I wouldn't dream of killing you. I still want you as my maid."
"I already said I won't! Are you sick?" Qin Mengxue yelled angrily.
"Mengxue, watch your tone," the Qin family's old master said, his voice filled with rage as he picked up his cane.
"Who dares to hit her? She is my maid now. Anyone who hits her hits me," Yan Fengcheng's laughter echoed from the phone.
Everyone present was shocked, finding it hard to believe that Yan Fengcheng would protect Qin Mengxue so fiercely. What kind of magic did Qin Mengxue possess, or was Yan Fengcheng simply perverse, finding greater excitement in what he couldn't obtain?
"Qin Mengxue, listen to me. Whether you are willing or not, you will be. Once I'm done with my current business, I'll come for you personally. From now on, you are my maid, and you'll never escape this fate."
"Pah!"
"Hehehe, I believe that one day, you won't be able to leave me."
"Yan Fengcheng, are you a bastard dog?" Qin Mengxue was furious and no longer cared about anything else.
Upon hearing Qin Mengxue's words, everyone present froze. This was a live broadcast! How many people in the city were watching? Qin Mengxue had actually called Yan Fengcheng a bastard dog.
As expected, Yan Fengcheng's brow furrowed as Qin Mengxue's words became increasingly outrageous. Initially, he found her resistance rather spirited. But he never expected her to go so far, ultimately calling him a bastard dog.
"Qin Mengxue? Do not test my patience," Yan Fengcheng said coldly.
"Slap, slap, slap!" At that moment, the Qin family's old master stepped forward and furiously slapped Qin Mengxue several times.
"You unfilial daughter, apologize to your master at once!" the old master roared.
Meanwhile, at Qiao Xiaoyu's home, Zhou Hong and others were glued to the television screen.
Seeing her best friend being so tormented, Qiao Xiaoyu felt both pity and sympathy, but she was powerless to help.
Zhou Hong sighed, pulled out his phone, and dialed Qin Mengxue's number.
Indeed, on the television screen, Qin Mengxue's phone began to ring.
Qin Mengxue glanced at it. It was Zhou Hong. Initially, she didn't want to answer anyone's calls, but when Zhou Hong called at this particular moment, she hesitated and then picked up.
"Hello, Zhou Hong!" Qin Mengxue said softly after answering.
"Qin Mengxue, I'm watching what's happening to you right now on TV at home."
"Zhou Hong, I don't have time to talk to you now, I'll hang up. We can talk later!" Qin Mengxue said with distress, assuming Zhou Hong had called specifically to comfort her.
"Don't misunderstand, I'm not calling to comfort you. Put your phone on speakerphone so that this Yan fellow can hear."
"Ah? What do you want to do?"
"Don't ask so many questions, just put it on speaker," Zhou Hong commanded. Zhou Hong had suddenly called because he wanted to help Qin Mengxue. Otherwise, Yan Fengcheng might very well resort to force. As far as Zhou Hong knew, Qin Mengxue was still a virgin.
Regardless, Qin Mengxue was his former fiancée, and he had instructed her in martial arts for so long. Even if she wasn't a disciple, she was practically one.
"Zhou Hong, don't mess around! He's a provincial youth genius...!"
"I told you to put it on speaker, so do it!" Zhou Hong roared impatiently.
Helpless, Qin Mengxue switched to speakerphone.
At the provincial capital, Yan Fengcheng was also watching the live broadcast. He saw Qin Mengxue receiving a call from a man, and the man was even asking her to put the call on speaker. His brow furrowed. Who was this man, daring to call her in front of reporters, knowing she was his designated maid? If it were any other man, even if he had a relationship with Qin Mengxue, he would be quick to distance himself at this point.
The next second, Zhou Hong's voice came from Qin Mengxue's phone: "That Yan fellow, the bastard dog? Can you hear me? If you can, please bark twice."
"Ah." Everyone present was stunned. Zhou Hong's voice from Qin Mengxue's phone was now reaching every household through the television. No one could believe it was real. Zhou Hong was actually shouting at Yan Fengcheng across the air, calling him a bastard dog and telling him to bark.
Indeed, Yan Fengcheng, back in the provincial capital, was enraged. He couldn't believe this was happening. A provincial youth genius like himself was being challenged like this by a man.
"Who are you?" Yan Fengcheng roared back, his voice also transmitted through the reporter's phone.
At this moment, countless people in Jinzhou City watching the news were holding their breath, their eyes fixed on the screen, afraid of missing a single moment.
At Qiao Xiaoyu's home, Qiao Xiaoyu was speechless, and Qiao Wanli and the others felt a chill run down their spines.
"Zhou Hong... you...!" Qiao Wanli tried to stop him, but Zhou Hong had already burst out of the villa and leaped onto the rooftop, not wanting anyone to interrupt him.
"Yan fellow, you bastard dog, my name is Zhou Hong, the champion of the last provincial martial arts competition," Zhou Hong said calmly into the phone.
At this moment, in Jinzhou City, countless people heard Zhou Hong claim to be the provincial martial arts champion and chuckled. It was like an ant telling an elephant, "I once won a strongman competition."
In the provincial capital, Yan Fengcheng said coldly, "Zhou Hong? Your life is over."
"Whether it's over or not isn't up to you. I'm warning you now: if you harass Qin Mengxue again, I'll castrate you," Zhou Hong threatened.
"Hmph, aren't you afraid of being too loud and hurting your tongue? A champion of a provincial martial arts competition like you dares to speak such arrogant words to me? You are a frog in a well. I have no interest in talking to you further. Just you wait," Yan Fengcheng said, then angrily hung up.
Zhou Hong curled his lips, not taking it to heart at all. He hadn't intended to be so high-profile, but for Qin Mengxue's sake, he had to make an exception.
Meanwhile, Qin Mengxue was overwhelmed with emotion. Tears streamed down her face, unable to believe that Zhou Hong had offended a provincial youth genius because of her.
However, the Qin family's old master was now in a panic. He rushed to the reporter's camera and said, "Citizens, please bear witness! From this moment on, I am expelling Qin Mengxue from the family. From now on, Qin Mengxue has absolutely no relation to our Qin family. Please bear witness!"