Qin Dayong drunkenly beat up Qin shi, Yang Chen stepped in to stop it

What puzzled Yang Chen was that, from the time he sent Qin Xi and Xiao Xiao home until now—so late at night—Qin Dayong still hadn't returned. 

Earlier, when Qin Fei knocked on the door, Zhou Yucui had thought it was Qin Dayong, and her expression had darkened. Could there be something wrong between the couple? 

Since the mother and daughters didn't bring it up, Yang Chen didn't feel it was his place to ask. 

Once Qin Fei left, Qin Xi, worried that Zhou Yucui might suddenly start picking on Yang Chen again, gave him a meaningful look: "Why don't you take Xiao Xiao upstairs first?" 

Yang Chen smiled faintly and picked up Xiao Xiao. "Let's go play with Daddy!" 

Usually, it was her aunt who played with her, but today it was her dad. The little girl was overjoyed, wrapping her arms around Yang Chen's neck and cheering, "Giddy up! Giddy up! Faster, Daddy horse!" 

Watching the father and daughter walk away, Qin Xi felt a pang of emotion. When she was little, Qin Dayong had played with her the same way. But thinking about how things were now, she couldn't help but sigh. 

"Mom, are you really sure about letting Yang Chen stay with us from now on?" 

Zhou Yucui was busy examining the cosmetics Qin Fei had brought. Without even looking up, she fiddled with the products and said, "Do you really think your mother has no integrity? He's already here—it's not like I can take it back now." 

"Wow! These are genuine! This Chanel set retails for nearly six thousand yuan." 

Seeing her mother like this, Qin Xi could only sigh helplessly. 

Qin Yi, on the other hand, seemed delighted that Yang Chen could stay. She giggled and said, "Sis, congratulations! Your little family of three can finally live together." 

"Who said they could live together?" 

Zhou Yucui snapped her head up, displeased. Before Qin Yi could ask further, she added, "I've already cleared out the storage room for Yang Chen to stay in." 

"Mom, if you've agreed to let him stay, doesn't that mean you accept him? Just let him share a room with Sis! Who knows, maybe they'll even give you a grandson soon," Qin Yi teased, massaging Zhou Yucui's shoulders ingratiatingly. 

Qin Xi's face flushed, and she shot her sister a glare. "Stop talking nonsense!" 

Zhou Yucui, however, grew agitated at Qin Yi's words. She sprang to her feet and pointed at Qin Xi angrily. "I'm warning you—if you dare let him touch you, I'll disown you as my daughter!" 

Qin Xi was speechless. Zhou Yucui spoke so seriously, as if Qin Xi actually wanted Yang Chen to touch her. Though she had started to develop some好感 (fondness) for him, they were far from being intimate. 

*Knock! Knock! Knock!* 

Just then, someone knocked on the courtyard gate. 

The expressions of the mother and daughters darkened instantly. At this hour, with that kind of knocking rhythm, it could only be Qin Dayong. 

"Mom, I'll get the door!" Qin Xi said before heading out. 

"Dad, have you been drinking again?" Qin Xi opened the gate to find Qin Dayong, just as expected. 

He reeked of alcohol, swaying unsteadily with a liquor bottle still clutched in his hand. 

Qin Xi locked the gate and hurried to support him. 

"You good-for-nothing! Coming home drunk every night—are you trying to torment me to death? Is that what you want?" 

The moment Zhou Yucui saw her husband in this state, she burst into tears. "What sins did I commit in my past life to end up with a husband like you?" 

"Mom, Dad's drunk. He won't remember anything you say now. Let's all scold him together tomorrow when he's sober, okay?" Qin Yi quickly tried to console Zhou Yucui. 

"Dad, stop drinking. Let's clean you up and get you to bed." Qin Xi returned with a basin of hot water and took the bottle from Qin Dayong's hand. 

"Give me back my liquor! Give it back!" Qin Dayong lunged for the bottle. 

"Xiao Yi, help me! Don't let Dad drink anymore." 

Between restraining Qin Dayong and keeping the bottle away, Qin Xi was overwhelmed and called for Qin Yi's assistance. 

After much effort, the sisters managed to wash Qin Dayong's face and hands. But tonight, he was unusually restless, persistently demanding more alcohol. 

Upstairs, Xiao Xiao had been happily playing with her father when Qin Dayong's shouting from downstairs frightened her, making her shrink into Yang Chen's arms. Feeling his daughter trembling, Yang Chen's expression turned cold. 

"Xiao Xiao, don't be afraid. Daddy's here. It's okay," Yang Chen whispered soothingly, holding her tightly. 

"Daddy, you won't drink like Grandpa does every day, will you?" Xiao Xiao suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with worry. 

Yang Chen immediately shook his head and promised, "Don't worry, sweetheart. Daddy will never be like Grandpa." 

Only then did Xiao Xiao relax a little. 

Not wanting to burden her further, Yang Chen changed the subject. "Xiao Xiao, would you like to live in a big house?" 

"A big house? Bigger than Great-Grandpa's?" Xiao Xiao blinked her large eyes curiously. 

Yang Chen nodded. "Much bigger than Great-Grandpa's. You'd have your own princess room, filled with toys. Everything you could ever want would be in that house." 

For a moment, excitement flashed in Xiao Xiao's eyes, but then she thought of something and her mood dampened. She shook her head. 

Yang Chen was puzzled. "Don't you want to live in a big, castle-like house?" 

Xiao Xiao looked at him earnestly. "I like castles, and I like lots of toys. But such a big house must cost a lot of money. I don't want Mommy to work so hard." 

Yang Chen's heart ached at how懂事 (mature and understanding) she was at such a young age. Guilt and sorrow weighed heavily on him. 

"Xiao Xiao, don't worry. From now on, Daddy will give you everything," Yang Chen vowed solemnly. 

Just then, a sharp scream erupted from downstairs. 

"Ah! You damn drunkard! How dare you hit me!" Zhou Yucui's wails echoed up to the second floor. 

Xiao Xiao, who had just calmed down, clung to Yang Chen again in fear. "Daddy, I'm scared!" 

"Don't be afraid. Daddy's here," Yang Chen murmured, holding her close. 

For a moment, he felt the urge to take his daughter away. But he knew Xiao Xiao was Qin Xi's whole world—he had no right to make that decision. 

"Brother-in-law, come down quick! Before things get out of hand!" Qin Yi rushed into the room. 

If not for his concern about leaving Xiao Xiao alone, Yang Chen would have gone downstairs earlier. 

"Stay with Xiao Xiao for me," he said before heading out. 

"You wretched woman! All you do is pick fights! Do you really think I'm easy to bully? If it weren't for this family, I'd have kicked you out long ago! And now you're trying to lock me up? Get out of my way!" 

Qin Dayong's eyes were bloodshot. Though his words were slurred, his anger was unmistakable. 

"Ah! You heartless bastard! How dare you say I bully you? Qin Dayong, have you no conscience? Back then, who was it that married you despite your shortcomings? And after I married you, did I ever get to live a single good day?" Zhou Yucui shrieked back. 

"Dad, Mom, please stop fighting! You're scaring Xiao Xiao!" Qin Xi pleaded, exhausted from trying to mediate. 

"And you, you ungrateful brat! If it weren't for you marrying that useless man, would our family have been cast aside? Would the company have been taken from us?" 

Qin Dayong, relentless, suddenly turned his fury on Qin Xi. 

Qin Xi stared in shock, tears streaming down her face. "Dad… how can you say that to me? I'm your daughter!" 

"Shut the hell up!" 

Qin Dayong roared, swinging his hand to slap Qin Xi across the face. 

Yang Chen, who had just stepped out, saw this. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he moved like a shadow, instantly positioning himself in front of Qin Xi. 

*Smack!* 

He caught Qin Dayong's wrist in a vice-like grip, his voice icy. "Even if you're drunk, you don't get to lay a hand on her."