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"Kneel down?" Tong Nianyu was stunned. Why should she kneel before him? "Dad..." She glanced at Tong Hongliang and Yao Qing for help. Tong Hongliang looked between Fu Chijing and Tong Nianyu, then gritted his teeth and said with grim resolve, "Nianyu, what are you standing there for? Kneel down, now." Tong Nianyu's eyes widened in disbelief. When she still did not move, Tong Hongliang, impatient and furious, kicked her in the knee. Tong Nianyu dropped to her knees with a thud in front of Fu Chijing and Tong Qing, her face burning with humiliation. Fu Chijing placed a hand against Tong Qing's back and gently guided her to stand. His voice was low as he said, "How many times did she hit you? Don't hold back. Hit her back." The words were quiet, but to Tong Qing they sounded like permission, a promise that as long as he was here, she could retaliate however she wanted. Tenfold. A hundredfold. Tong Qing clenched her fists and looked at Tong Nianyu, her gaze like judgment. "Y-you wouldn't dare," Tong Nianyu said, panic rising as she shuffled backward on her knees. "Tong Qing, I'm warning you, if you touch me, I'll..." "Smack." Before she could finish, Tong Qing's slap cut her off. "Ah!" Tong Nianyu screamed, cursing through the pain. "You wretch, you actually dared to hit me." "Smack." Another slap landed. "Tong, Tong Qing..." Tong Qing did not give her a chance to speak. She struck again and again, as if releasing years of pent-up resentment. At first, Tong Nianyu hurled insults and threats, but when Tong Qing showed no sign of stopping and Tong Hongliang made no move to protect her, fear finally took hold. She cried and begged for mercy until her voice turned hoarse and she could no longer speak, able only to glare at Tong Qing with venom in her eyes. Tong Qing remained unmoved, mercilessly beating Tong Nianyu's once expensively sculpted face into a swollen mess.

Time passed, and eventually, Tong Qing grew tired and stopped. Fu Chijing's lips curled into a slight smile as he beckoned, "Come here." Tong Qing promptly returned to his side, flashing him a smile that said she understood him without words. She was slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright with excitement. Fu Chijing sat in his wheelchair with effortless composure. He took out a handkerchief, took her hand, and wiped each finger slowly and carefully, as if she had touched something filthy. When he finished, he crumpled the expensive silk handkerchief and tossed it into a nearby wastebasket. Perhaps his touch was too gentle, because Tong Qing's palm tingled, and she tried to pull her hand back. Instead, his grip tightened. Fu Chijing studied her reddened, heated hand and frowned. "Next time, have someone else do it. Don't hurt your hand again." Tong Qing had been riding a rush of adrenaline and hadn't felt a thing at the time, only satisfaction. Now that Fu Chijing mentioned it, she realized her palm was numb and sore. Tong Nianyu, still kneeling on the ground, was so furious she felt like spitting blood. She had been beaten to a pulp, yet he was worried about Tong Qing's hand. Why? She was the one he had originally planned to marry, and Tong Qing was nothing but a stand-in. The thought stirred a faint, bitter regret in her chest. If she had married Fu Chijing, how could she be suffering this humiliation today? Tong Hongliang saw the emotions churning in Tong Nianyu's eyes. Afraid she would do something reckless again, he hurriedly had Yao Qing drag her away. Yao Qing wiped at her face and stepped forward to help Tong Nianyu to her feet.

His voice wasn't loud, but each word carried a heavier weight than the last, declaring Tong Qing's significance to all present. His words seemed to strike a chord in Tong Qing, sending a rush of warmth through her heart that was tinged with both sweetness and a burning intensity. It seemed like this was the first time anyone had ever stood up for her. Tong Hongliang's face was ashen as he nodded frantically. "Yes, yes, yes, Mr. Fu is most generous. We will certainly not forget this." With a disdainful snort, Fu Chijing waved them off. "Get out." Tong Hongliang didn't dare delay, quickly ushering the mother and daughter away to prevent further humiliation. As Tong Nianyu, weak and disheveled, passed Tong Qing, she shot her a venomous look, silently vowing revenge. Tong Qing met her gaze without flinching, her expression steady and unyielding. After all, it still wasn't clear who would be the one to fall.

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