Get a beating

Wanqing couldn't resist saying, "It's enough that you punished him; why involve his parents?"

Mu Tianyang, enraged, abruptly tossed his cigarette to the ground and slapped her, pinning her down in the chair. "What did you say? Speak to me!"

Wanqing, stunned by the blow, burst into tears. "I didn't say anything... It hurts! Let me go..."

"Dare you complain about the pain?" Mu Tianyang held her head down, his voice brutal. "Who are you woman of? Who gave you permission to flirt with another man?"

"I didn't..." Wanqing sobbed, "It was him..."

"A single palm cannot make a sound; dare you say you didn't seduce him?"

"I didn't!" Wanqing cried loudly, "I didn't..."

"So why do you feel sorry for him when I punish him?"

"I didn't..." Wanqing wept, "I was wrong... I was wrong... I won't say anything again, please let me go."

"Now you know you're wrong, where were you before?"

"I won't again..." Wanqing cried.

He looked at her, his grip loosening slightly. "Tell me, why did you plead for him? Do you like him?"

"He's my classmate..."

Mu Tianyang remained silent, his expression cold.

Wanqing paused, realizing she had answered irrelevantly. She quickly added, "I don't like him. I don't know why he likes me... If you want to hit me, just do it..."

Mu Tianyang pulled her up and stamped out the still-smoldering cigarette butt on the carpet.

Wanqing leaned against the car door, clutching her head, her scalp tingling with numbness.

Mu Tianyang glared at her. "Come here!"

Wanqing scurried over, bumping into scattered books as she waved them aside. Mu Tianyang lifted her chin and noticed a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth, likely from the earlier slap. He sighed, "Why do you provoke me? Don't I love you enough? Why do you make me angry?"

"I was wrong..."

"You think just because I'm kind to you a little, you can defy me?"

Wanqing shook her head hastily.

He kissed her harshly, "Be obedient from now on, or I won't be able to love you."

"Mm..." Wanqing sobbed.

He embraced her, speaking softly, "Good girl, you don't need to go to school today. Stay home and rest for a couple of days. Isn't your mother about to be discharged from the hospital?"

"Yes..." Wanqing trembled, fearing he might not let her go home.

"It depends on your behavior recently..." He left it at that.

Wanqing's face paled. Indeed... Indeed...

How was she supposed to behave? Should she strip and wait for him in bed every day? He had slept with her countless times; such behavior seemed unremarkable now...

After dropping Wanqing off at the villa, Mu Tianyang went to the office. Wanqing sat on the sofa for the entire afternoon until she heard the sound of a car, knowing he had returned. She rushed to the entrance hall.

After standing there for a moment, Mu Tianyang entered, surprised to see her. She quickly handed him his slippers, looking at him nervously. He gazed at her for a while, reaching out to touch her face, only to touch the side that had been slapped earlier, causing her to flinch in pain.

He angrily snatched his hand away, kicked the slippers aside, and ascended the stairs without looking back.

Was he angry? Why was he angry again? What was she supposed to do?

Wanqing was beside herself with worry. With her mother about to be discharged from the hospital, if he stayed angry, he definitely wouldn't let her go home.