Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 3
Jiang Ning’s expression darkened as he observed Lin Yuzhen’s reaction to the phone call. The anger that simmered in him from the moment he had seen Lin Feng’s cruelty boiled over. This was too much. Lin Feng had crossed a line, not only bullying Lin Yuzhen for years but now using his family’s influence to hurt her even more.
“Lin Yuzhen,” he said quietly, his voice firm. “This isn’t over.”
Lin Yuzhen, still reeling from the phone call, shook her head. “What are you going to do? Lin Feng is too powerful. He’s never faced consequences for anything, and now…now I’ve lost my job because of him.”
Her voice trembled with frustration and helplessness, the weight of the situation sinking in. Jiang Ning had stepped into her life so suddenly, and while he had been her shield for a brief moment, she didn’t want him to keep getting dragged into the chaos of her family.
“I’m not going to let this slide,” Jiang Ning muttered, more to himself than to her. He could feel the urge to act rising in him. He knew Lin Feng had underestimated him, assuming that a man like Jiang Ning, an outsider, would just lie down and take it. But what he hadn’t counted on was Jiang Ning’s fierce protective instinct for Lin Yuzhen.
Jiang Ning turned toward the window, his mind racing. Lin Feng had no idea what he had just stirred up. If they wanted a fight, then they would get one. His life, after all, had been shaped by the battles he fought, both in his personal struggles and against the injustices he had witnessed. If he was going to face Lin Feng’s wrath, then so be it.
Lin Yuzhen sat silently on the bed, her hands folded in her lap. She felt a strange heaviness in her chest, torn between gratitude and guilt. Jiang Ning was putting himself in harm’s way for her, a woman he barely knew. What did I do to deserve this?
The silence in the room stretched on until she finally spoke, her voice quieter, almost to herself. “I can’t believe this is happening. Everything was just… fine before. I had a life. I had a job I was proud of.” She swallowed, blinking back tears. “Now, it’s all falling apart because of one impulsive decision. All I wanted was to protect my family from their cruelty.”
Jiang Ning turned back to her, his gaze softening. “You didn’t ask for this, Yuzhen. And you shouldn’t have to fight it alone. I don’t care about what they say or what they do. You’re not alone anymore.”
His words hung in the air, heavy with promise.
Despite herself, Lin Yuzhen felt a warmth spread in her chest. She had spent years fighting her battles alone, trying to make her way in the world despite the obstacles her family placed in her path. But now, there was someone who was willing to stand by her side—even if it meant taking on the wrath of the Lins.
The phone call had shattered her world, but something else was beginning to take root—something small, fragile, but real.
Before she could respond, the doorbell rang again, cutting the moment short. Lin Yuzhen froze, her breath catching in her throat. She didn’t need to guess who it was.
Lin Feng, she thought bitterly. But this time, it was different. This time, Jiang Ning was with her.
She looked at him, her eyes pleading without words. Jiang Ning gave her a subtle nod. Without another thought, he stood up and walked toward the door, his steps deliberate.
“Stay here,” he said over his shoulder. “Let me handle this.”
Lin Yuzhen nodded, her heart pounding in her chest as the door swung open. There stood Lin Feng, his face twisted with fury, his wrist still bandaged. Behind him, a few of the Lin family’s lackeys stood, waiting for any opportunity to pounce.
Jiang Ning didn’t flinch. He squared up to Lin Feng, his posture calm but his eyes sharp. “What do you want?” he asked, his tone cold and unyielding.
Lin Feng sneered, clearly still seething with anger. “You think you can get away with this, huh? You actually hit me, in front of the entire family. You think you’re some big shot now because you married into the family? Let me tell you something—this is far from over. I will make sure you regret this.”
Jiang Ning’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile. “If you’re going to keep talking, I suggest you find someone else to listen to your nonsense.” He wasn’t afraid, and Lin Feng could see that. “But if you want to make things right, I suggest you leave us alone. If you touch Yuzhen again, it’ll be the last mistake you ever make.”
Lin Feng’s eyes widened with disbelief. His temper flared, and he lunged forward, but Jiang Ning was quicker. In a swift movement, he grabbed Lin Feng’s arm and twisted it behind his back, forcing him to the ground.
“You may be the eldest grandson of the Lin family,” Jiang Ning said, his voice low and controlled, “but you’re not going to bully anyone in front of me again.”
Lin Feng struggled, but Jiang Ning’s grip was unbreakable. He realized then that this was no ordinary man. He wasn’t just some weak, insignificant figure who had married into the family—Jiang Ning had power of his own.
Jiang Ning released Lin Feng with a final shove, watching him stagger to his feet. “Go back to your family,” he said calmly, “and tell them this: no one here is afraid of you.”
With that, Lin Feng and his followers slunk away, humiliated and defeated. Jiang Ning turned back to the door, walking toward Lin Yuzhen without looking back.
Inside, Lin Yuzhen stood in stunned silence, her heart racing with the intensity of what had just transpired. Could it be that Jiang Ning was really capable of standing up to the Lin family?
As Jiang Ning stepped into the room, he gave her a small smile. “I told you, you’re not alone.”
For the first time in a long while, Lin Yuzhen allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t.
