Chapter 74: The Evil Tuxedo Cat
After much thought, the woods were quiet except for the sound of wind rustling through dead leaves.
Zhao Yuheng tried to defend Shen Shuyi: “He might have wanted to say it but forgot. Or maybe he planned to tell me later. I can wait.”
So, he hadn’t said it.
Zhao Qing understood instantly. “If he hasn’t said it, could it be that he just…” —Doesn’t love you?
Zhao Yuheng answered immediately, “No.”
He denied it too fast—almost instinctively.
Zhao Qing turned his head to glance at him. Not good, he thought. This kid’s fallen too deep.
Zhao Qing grew curious. “Can I at least know his name? Or which family he’s from? Beijing, or somewhere else? Dad’s just a little curious.”
…
Zhao Yuheng’s lips parted slightly, about to speak—
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
“Little Ci! What are you screaming for?!”
Zhao Qing jumped at the sudden shriek from beside him.
“I-I-I saw something in the snow—it looked like a mouse!”
“A mouse?” Zhao Qing frowned. “What’s there to be scared of? You just killed a wild boar earlier, didn’t you?”
“I-It’s bigger than the wild boar!” Zhao Ci stammered. His terrified face didn’t look like an act.
Zhao Qing froze for a second, picturing a mouse larger than a wild boar—indeed terrifying.
The refined, stern middle-aged man said seriously, “Even so, you shouldn’t be making such a fuss. You’re my son, the second young master of the Zhao family—already in your twenties—and still so skittish!”
Tears streamed down Zhao Ci’s face.
Unsteady? He wasn’t unsteady—he was traumatized! Dad, please stop asking!
If you keep asking, you’ll find out the horrifying truth that your two sons are sharing the same son-in-law! You’ll faint on the spot!
The interruption made Zhao Qing completely forget what he’d been about to ask Zhao Yuheng.
Just then, an SUV hurriedly drove into the woods and stopped at the roadside.
Butler Old Chen rushed out, panicked. Zhao Qing thought he had come to take them back to the villa—perfect timing, since they were about to wrap up the hunt. “Old Chen, just in time. Come see today’s catch!”
Normally, Old Chen would flatter his master. But now, drenched in cold sweat and pale as a ghost, he stammered, “Mr. Zhao, Young Master, Second Young Master—something’s happened!”
Something happened?
Zhao Ci teared up again—finally! (Wait—) He didn’t care what happened; anything that distracted his father from his brother’s ex-boyfriend was a blessing!
“It’s Third Young Master Shen—he’s fighting someone at the villa!”
Zhao Yuheng’s expression darkened instantly.
Zhao Ci cursed silently: Oh, come on—it’s still about the ex-boyfriend?!
Zhao Qing frowned. “Fighting? With who? And why?”
Shen Shuyi always looked so quiet and gentle—not the type to get into fights.
Zhao Qing had clearly been fooled by his harmless appearance.
Old Chen hesitated again.
“Speak!” Zhao Yuheng’s voice was dark as hell itself—his aura like a grim reaper’s.
Old Chen, remembering the chaos earlier, dared not delay. “It seems… Third Young Master fought with the internet celebrities Second Master Zhao brought. They spoke poorly behind his back—said some things about Young Master…”
Even though Old Chen sugarcoated it, everyone knew that “talking behind someone’s back” usually meant something nasty.
Zhao Yuheng froze. “Shen Shuyi fought because of me?”
Old Chen nodded furiously. “Y-Yes!”
“It was quite a scene—almost escalated to guns. But don’t worry, no blood was shed! Only—Second Master’s already there. Mr. Zhao, Young Master, Second Young Master—Mr. Shen’s alone, outnumbered, and you know what Second Master’s temper is like—”
“Back to the villa. Now!” Zhao Qing ordered.
That Shen Shuyi wasn’t just Zhao Ci’s fiancé— he was also the Third Young Master of Yinghua Group!
If something happened to him in Zhao territory, Shen Lu—who protected his own like a mad wolf—would destroy them all, even if it cost his fortune!
As Zhao Qing got into the car, he turned to call his son—only to see Zhao Yuheng frozen stiff since hearing those words, as if he’d just witnessed aliens landing.
Shen Shuyi… fought for him?
Seconds later, Zhao Yuheng smiled—a bright, sunlit smile like snow under clear skies.
It was rare to see him smile so freely and purely.
Zhao Qing thought: He can still smile after such a serious matter? He must really dislike that fiancé of Zhao Ci’s.
After beating Zhao Hui and dunking him in the fountain, Shen Shuyi knew he’d acted rashly—and caused big trouble.
Zhao Zheng, hearing his son was hurt, arrived first.
They pulled the howling Zhao Hui from the fountain—this 1.8-meter man crying like a baby.
“My shoulder—! It hurts! Hurts so bad! Shen Shuyi, you bastard, I’ll never forgive you—”
Shen Shuyi, utterly unbothered, replied coolly, “Oh. Someone’s mad.”
Zhao Hui exploded: “F*** you! $#@!% Shen Shuyi you piece of—!”
Zhao Zheng glared venomously at Shen Shuyi, but the young man met his gaze without fear.
Old man, what are you looking at? Keep staring and I’ll punch you too.
“Third Young Master Shen,” Zhao Zheng sneered, “I know your brother has power in Hong Kong—got you used to running wild. But don’t forget, this is the Zhao family in Beijing. Shen Lu can’t protect you here. You hurt my son—do you really think Zhao Qing would spare you, an ‘in-law’ he barely knows, over his own nephew’s life?”
“So basically,” Shen Shuyi said, brows raised, “you’re saying I live off my brother, that I’m useless trash depending on him? Look at you, so sure of yourself—what, you gonna have to beg your brother to avenge you too?”
“Seems we’re the same—both living off our brothers. So why are you mocking me? Because you’re older? Or because you’ll die sooner?”
“You—!” Zhao Zheng was speechless.
“Oh wait,” Shen Shuyi continued with a sweet smile, “there is one difference. I’m not an ungrateful snake. When my brother treats me well, he doesn’t have to worry I’ll stab him in the back. Right?”
Zhao Zheng’s voice dropped, cold and sinister. “You can talk all you want, kid. Let’s see if that clever tongue of yours can save you when my brother gets here.”
Shen Shuyi gave a cold chuckle—but truthfully, his heart was racing.
He really wanted his big brother right now, TUT!
He knew even if he was in the wrong, Zhao Yuheng would stand by him. But if Zhao Qing got involved… that’d only cause more trouble for Yuheng.
That was what scared him most.
He didn’t want Yuheng to think he was nothing but a walking disaster.
Everyone wants to look perfect in the eyes of the person they love.
Still, Shen Shuyi wasn’t going down without a plan. This “evil tuxedo cat” had already devised his scheme before Zhao Qing arrived.
Zhao Qing strode toward the villa, his pace quickening as he neared the door.
Old Chen’s dramatic retelling on the way there had filled in just enough details for Zhao Qing, an old fox, to grasp the real issue.
Zhao Hui had spoken out of line—that was wrong. But Shen Shuyi beating him so publicly in the Zhao household—wasn’t that wrong too?
Clearly, both were at fault.
He frowned as the servants opened the door. In his mind, the verdict was ready: twenty strokes each, no one gets off easy!
But the moment he entered, he saw the scene— Zhao Hui and Shen Shuyi sitting on opposite sofas. Servants bustling, doctors tending Zhao Hui’s wounds.
Zhao Hui was a mess—battered all over.
Zhao Yuheng’s gaze instantly locked on Shen Shuyi, scanning him up and down—no visible injuries, not even a scratch.
Zhao Qing also looked him over and felt relief. After all, Shen Shuyi was technically an outsider—if he got hurt, how would they face Shen Lu?
Then came judgment time.
The moment Zhao Hui saw his uncle enter, he thought salvation had arrived—so many bodyguards behind him! Surely they were here to defend him!
He jumped up, eager to call out— “Unc—”
But before he could finish, a soft, trembling voice cut him off: “Uncle Zhao…”
Zhao Qing’s heart skipped. He turned toward Shen Shuyi.
Even Zhao Yuheng’s eyelid twitched.
Because that “Uncle Zhao” was so sweet—soft, pitiful, dripping with sugar.
Even the toughest man would melt at that sound!
Zhao Qing blurted, “Little Shu?”
Shen Shuyi stood up, looking pale and frightened. His lips trembled as he whispered, “Uncle Zhao, I’m sorry… I-I shouldn’t have fought…”
…
Oh heavens.
This child—so quiet, so obedient—had lived in their home for so long, never raised his voice, never asked for anything. Came all the way from Hong Kong alone, without any family backing, pitiful like a stray kitten. How could he possibly be in the wrong?
The only one clearly at fault was that brat Zhao Hui!
Zhao Qing’s heart clenched.
He thought of how Shen Shuyi had always been cold and distant—barely speaking to anyone, even though he was practically family now.
If he was acting like this, trembling and seeking comfort—it must mean he’d been deeply wronged!
Zhao Hui gaped in disbelief and shouted, “Uncle! He’s pretending! He’s faking it!!”
When he punched me earlier, he wasn’t trembling at all! His fists were like bricks!
“Shut up!” Zhao Qing barked. “If you hadn’t said something first, would Little Shu have gotten angry? You’re a grown man—took a few punches, so what? Didn’t even lose a piece of flesh!”
Zhao Hui: ???
Didn’t lose a piece of flesh? I nearly lost half my life!!
“I won’t even start on you,” Zhao Qing continued harshly. “The things you did in Australia—every single one of them deserved a beating! Your father’s too soft on you—that’s the problem! He won’t discipline you? Fine, others will. I think Little Shu did the right thing!”
Zhao Hui: ?!?! Uncle, wake up! Who’s spoiling who now?! I’m the victim here!!
Zhao Qing snorted coldly. “If you two cause another scene like this, maybe you and your father should both roll back to Australia and stay there!”
He turned to his butler. “Chen Jiang, see them off!”
“Yes, sir!”
From the moment Zhao Qing entered to the end of his judgment—less than ten minutes.
The storm was over. The once chaotic hall was left silent, only Zhao Qing’s family remaining.
Old Chen worked quickly—the same bodyguards Zhao Hui thought were his reinforcements now politely “escorted” him and his friends back to their business car, leaving him no dignity.
Zhao Ci stood there dumbfounded, then looked at Shen Shuyi—perfectly unharmed, just a bit of dust on his clothes.
…
He knelt internally.
Absolute god-tier performance. The ancient, divine art of controlling parents aged fifty to eighty!
He was in awe.
If he could master these tricks from his sister-in-law, he could rule the family!
Excited, Zhao Ci decided to test it immediately. Putting on his sweetest tone, he chirped:
“Dad~ I also think cousin was too much~ I’ll be your obedient little baby boy~ so maybe you could raise my allowance~?”
Zhao Qing gave him a long look, frowned, and said, “If you’re feeling itchy, go take a shower. And what’s wrong with your voice—did you swallow a clothespin?”
Zhao Ci: “…”
…He’s done.
![[Sports] I Really Am Just a Substitute](https://i2.wp.com/panda-translations.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20231215185420_300_420.jpg?resize=151,215 "[Sports] I Really Am Just a Substitute")
