Min Ziqiong's parents clearly had no idea what had transpired.
Their eyes widened in disbelief. "What are you talking about? Did I hear you right! You actually made Master Daozang leave? Good heavens, if people didn't know better, they'd think you were so powerful that Master Daozang was afraid of you! Do you believe Master Daozang could crush you with a flick of his finger?"
Master Daozang, who had been preparing to depart, wished he could twist both their heads off upon hearing their words.
What is a "pig teammate"? This is what a pig teammate is!
A great situation ruined with a single sentence; a life painstakingly saved, thrown back with a single sentence!
"Mr. and Mrs. Min, please shut your mouths!"
"I am not familiar with you, and I have my own mouth. I don't need you to speak for me; I can speak for myself!"
"If you two continue to use my name to utter provocative words, do not blame this humble Taoist for showing no mercy!"
Min Ziqiong's parents were stunned.
They stared at Master Daozang in bewilderment, unable to understand why he was speaking to them this way. They clearly believed they were speaking up for him!
"Fellow Taoist, I have offended you. I shall depart immediately and never set foot in Jianghai again. Should fate allow us to meet elsewhere in the future, please grant this humble Taoist the opportunity to host you, to atone for my mistakes today."
Master Daozang bowed again to Ying Chen and spoke.
Then, without looking back, he turned and left.
"What's going on? Why did the Master leave?"
"Master, aren't you going to take the artifact fragments? You were so close to getting them!"
Min Ziqiong's parents shouted after Master Daozang.
However, Master Daozang paid them no mind. He moved swiftly, disappearing around the mountain bend in a short while.
"This is inexplicable..." Min Ziqiong's parents shook their heads, unable to comprehend why Master Daozang had acted so strangely and left before obtaining the artifact fragments.
"Old woman, I think I can guess the reason. Didn't you hear what Master Daozang said just now? He probably knows the villa owner, so as soon as he saw an acquaintance, he immediately gave up to avoid ruining their relationship."
Min Ziqiong's father said, thinking he was being clever.
Min Ziqiong's mother nodded, appearing to agree. "That makes sense then. But... their knowing each other is their business, it has nothing to do with us. And even less to do with that fellow surnamed Ying!"
"That Ying fellow is just a lapdog for the villa owner. Why should we be afraid of him? Let's continue!"
With that, Min Ziqiong's mother walked up to Ying Chen and extended a hand. "Give us the money back!"
Ying Chen glanced at Min Ziqiong's mother indifferently and said nothing.
Instead, he turned and called into the villa, "Please bring out the evidence!"
A moment later, Min Ziqiong emerged from the villa.
She first surveyed the people present and, noticing that the venerable elder with an ethereal demeanor was no longer there, her heart, which had been filled with worry, finally settled.
This meant the danger had passed, and there would be no uncontrollable conflict.
Then, she took out her phone from her pocket and looked at Ying Chen. "Are you sure... you want to play it?"
Ying Chen nodded.
Min Ziqiong hesitated for a moment, then with a look of difficulty, pressed the play button on her phone.
Immediately, a voice from the phone could be heard: "We bet and we lose, we keep our word! Stop these powders, we're going back now and swear we'll never trouble you over this again..."
It was Min Ziqiong's mother's voice!
Min Ziqiong, whether by foresight or chance, had recorded her mother's oath at that moment!
*Swish!*
Min Ziqiong's mother's expression instantly changed.
She gritted her teeth and looked at Min Ziqiong. "Good, good, good! I've truly raised a good daughter! It's one thing for you to side with outsiders, but you're helping them trick your own mother!"
"That's right, it's not the first time you've tricked me. What's one more time?"
"I should have seen through your true nature long ago!"
"Mom..." Min Ziqiong said with a hint of apology. "My intention was for your own good, to prevent you from falling into a situation of going back on your word and endless arguments. With this testimony, neither side can back out."
"Furthermore, this testimony is legally binding. So if you plan to call the police again, with this recording as evidence, the police might not believe your statements."
Min Ziqiong's mother was furious. Her face turned a deep, liverish color.
Her eyes burned with intense anger, her chest heaved violently, and her breathing became extremely heavy.
She looked like a wild boar that had been provoked and was about to go berserk!
"Xiao Qiong, you... you didn't handle this properly!" Min Ziqiong's father also chided Min Ziqiong.
In this way, wouldn't they lose face and be unable to demand the fifty million from Ying Chen anymore?
Wouldn't they be destined to suffer a silent loss and be deceived by Ying Chen twice in a row?
"I'm sorry, Mom, Dad..." Min Ziqiong apologized.
"Don't call me Mom! I don't deserve to be your mother! You're so clever, you even know to record things as evidence! Back when you got pregnant with another man, why didn't you think of keeping evidence?"
"If you had kept even a shred of evidence, you wouldn't have been abandoned! You wouldn't have caused the Min family to bear the disgrace of 'poor upbringing, pregnant before marriage' along with you!"
"Since you're so capable, since you're so skilled, then I will announce something right now!"
"Something I've held in my heart for a long time, wanting to say but never saying it!"
Min Ziqiong's mother, in her extreme anger, said sharply.
"Mom, please don't!" Min Ziqiong, though she didn't know what her mother was going to say, already sensed it wouldn't be good. Her eyes turned red, and she shook her head, begging.
Unfortunately, Min Ziqiong's pleas were useless.
Min Ziqiong's mother's gaze was cold and ruthless. She stared at Min Ziqiong and said, word by word, "I announce – from this day forward, Min Ziqiong, the twenty-third generation descendant of the Min family, and her illegitimate daughter, are permanently expelled from the family and will never be readmitted!"
*Thump!*
Min Ziqiong collapsed onto the ground.
Although she had had conflicts with her mother before, they had never reached the point of expulsion from the family!
But now, her mother had completely torn off the pretense. Not only had she severed ties with her, but she had also expelled her from the family!
From this moment on, Min Ziqiong was no longer a member of the Min family and could never return to the Min family!
"Oh, and by the way, all assets under your name, large or small, are frozen immediately! Not even a company meal card or a water card will be usable again!"
Min Ziqiong's mother added cruelly.
She had completely cut off all ties, intending to strip Min Ziqiong of everything she possessed!
"Freezing even the meal and water cards, isn't that a bit too much?" Min Ziqiong's father tried to reason.
But he was immediately glared into silence by Min Ziqiong's mother.
"An ungrateful wretch. Rather than showing womanly benevolence and indecision, it's better to be decisive and cut it off with one stroke! So it has no chance to bite again!"
"From now on, I will no longer call you daughter, and please don't call me Mom anymore. We are strangers!"
"Do you understand? Miss Min."
*Boom!*
The words "Miss Min" were like a thunderclap that shattered Min Ziqiong's last defenses, plunging her into endless grief and despair.
Min Ziqiong's mother, however, looked at Min Ziqiong triumphantly, raised her chin, and said, "Let's go!"
With that, she led Min Ziqiong's father and walked down the mountain without a backward glance!