Fifty-one, I’ll call the police, you fool.

Jiang Mochen sat down silently in the seat the three of them had vacated. After Su Wan handed him the chopsticks, he continued to eat in silence. The three Su family members felt uneasy under his expression. Su Wan didn't seem bothered, but Old Master Su and Su Chen were deeply unsettled.

With a heavy expression, the old man lifted his bowl. "From now on, if anything comes up at the hospital, let Su Chen handle it. The two of you should focus on your own affairs. There's no need to worry too much about me."

Su Wan wanted to say something, but Su Chen quickly agreed, "Exactly. I’m not busy at all. School’s out the day after tomorrow, so I’ll have plenty of free time."

With worries weighing on their minds, everyone lowered their heads and ate in silence. After the meal, Su Chen rushed to clear the lunch boxes from the table. "I’ll wash these. You two should head home."

Su Wan didn’t argue. She simply looped her arm around Jiang Mochen's and waved to the other two.

Once outside, Su Wan was clearly in low spirits. Medical equipment in the 1980s was far from advanced; even an ultrasound was a significant expense. Her grandfather’s illness would likely drain the family’s savings, and someone would have to stay at the hospital regularly. Su Chen’s claim of being idle was a lie—he was a student about to enter high school next year. How could he possibly be free?

She sighed heavily and couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Mochen. "I just spoke with the doctor. Grandfather’s illness is very difficult to treat. We may eventually have to transfer him to a major city like the capital or Sucheng, where the medical facilities are better."

"And it will cost a lot of money."

"Maybe… we should get a divorce."

Saying this pained Su Wan, but she couldn’t be too selfish. Jiang Mochen’s heart clenched fiercely when he heard it. He secretly balled his fists and remained silent for a long time.

Su Wan still held his arm as they walked forward. "Both apartments will be yours. I’ll also give you ten thousand as compensation for our marriage expenses."

"I’m sorry, I never expected things to turn out this way."

She had already done the math and was about to ask Jiang Mochen’s opinion when he suddenly shook off her hand and ran off without looking back.

Su Wan stood there in a daze, unable to react for a long time.

Night fell. Jiang Mochen walked alone down the street. The streetlights on either side flickered on as he sat silently on the edge of a flowerbed. It felt as if he had never truly had a home, just like a stray dog, kicked out whenever its owner no longer needed it.

There were fewer and fewer cars and pedestrians, and the surroundings grew ever quieter. Once again, the melodious, lingering sound of a man singing opera echoed in his ears. Jiang Mochen trembled slightly, curling into himself until he was just a small bundle.

He didn’t know how much time passed before the light above him was suddenly blocked. His heart fluttered. Was it Su Wan coming to take him home?

But when he raised his head with a trembling motion, it was a man in a suit who stood before him.

The man sneered and sat down beside him. "Well, look who it is. Isn’t this the eldest young master of the Chi family? How did you end up so pathetic? Did someone kick you out of the house?"

He lit a cigar with a smirk. "Why are you so stubborn? You could have married a proper lady, but you chose to become a live-in son-in-law."

"And now you’ve been thrown out, haven’t you?"

He laughed exaggeratedly and brought the cigar to Jiang Mochen’s lips. "Try it, brother. You’ll feel better after a puff."

Jiang Mochen was too weak to resist, barely managing to turn his head away with a shiver. But the man would not relent. He grabbed Jiang Mochen’s chin and forced his face forward.

"Brother, why won’t you ever listen to me?"

He pressed the cigar to Jiang Mochen’s lips. "I told you to smoke!"

Jiang Mochen clamped his mouth shut and leaned back. The man, frustrated, shouted for his lackeys to restrain Jiang Mochen.

At that critical moment, an urgent female voice called out from not far away: "What are you doing!"

Jiang Mochen struggled to lift his eyes and saw Su Wan charging over, flashlight in her left hand, an iron rod in her right, swinging it wildly.

"Let him go!" she shouted, tossing the flashlight aside and brandishing the iron rod at the man.

He took a step back, steadying himself.

Su Wan immediately placed herself in front of Jiang Mochen. "What do you think you’re doing?"

She had seen from a distance that the man was forcing Jiang Mochen to smoke. If it had been an ordinary cigarette, it might not have mattered, but what if something had been added to it? That would be a disaster.

Panting with rage, Su Wan glared fiercely at the man. Under the streetlight, she could finally see his face clearly.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Chi Zhou?!"

"It’s you!"

She was instantly furious. "What do you want with my Jiang Mochen?!"

Chi Zhou had long harbored a grudge against Su Wan for foiling his plans before, but Jiang Mochen had always protected her, so he’d never had a chance to retaliate.

Now, with Jiang Mochen unable to defend himself and Su Wan walking right into his hands, he was ready to settle old and new scores together.

Chi Zhou tossed the cigar to the ground and crushed it underfoot.

"What could I possibly want? I just saw he was upset and thought a cigar might cheer him up."

Su Wan eyed him warily. "Don’t try that on me. Since when are you so kind-hearted?"

"Did you put something in it?"

Chi Zhou smiled. Indeed, he had laced the cigar with a substance to control his dear brother in the future, but this damned woman had interrupted.

No matter—she could hardly swing that iron rod. Could she possibly take on all his men?

A trace of malice flashed in his eyes. "Even if I did, what could you do about it?"

"What did you put in there?" Su Wan demanded loudly.

Chi Zhou grinned. "Just a little drug, that’s all. Why, do you want some too?"

A new idea suddenly occurred to him. For a woman as vexing as Su Wan, beating or scolding her wouldn’t be enough. Killing her would be letting her off too easily. It would be much better to get her hooked—then he could torment her slowly.

Seeing the strange smile on Chi Zhou’s face, Jiang Mochen’s heart was plunged into ice. He knew all too well what that smile meant.

"Run… run!" he shouted hoarsely at Su Wan.

But Su Wan stood her ground, still foolishly asking, "Isn’t this stuff already banned? Where did you get it?"

Chi Zhou smirked. "I have my sources."

He glanced at Jiang Mochen, who was struggling to his feet, and decided not to waste another word. "Get them—both of them."

At his command, his lackeys surged forward.

He expected Su Wan to beg for mercy on her knees or abandon Jiang Mochen and flee. Whatever she chose, he had no intention of letting her go.

Chi Zhou’s lips curled with satisfaction at the thought.

But Su Wan, unhurried, pulled out a chunky mobile phone from her pocket and shouted into the receiver, "Officers, did you hear that? He’s forcing someone to smoke!"