Upon hearing Qin Yi's words, Qin Fei sneered, "Qin Yi, even if you're going to make up an excuse, don't just throw out any nonsense. What status does the Su family hold? Why would they send gifts to that good-for-nothing Yang Chen?"
"Believe it or not, it's up to you," Qin Yi replied coldly.
Qin Xi's eyes reddened. It hadn't even been a week since the family had expelled them, and already they were scheming to take everything from them.
"Grandpa said that as long as you hand over the betrothal gifts the Su family gave you, he'll allow you to return to the family," Qin Fei suddenly said with a smirk.
"Did Grandpa really say that?" Zhou Yucui was instantly overjoyed.
If this had happened a few days earlier, she would have seized the chance to humiliate Qin Fei. But after learning the truth last night, even though the lavish gifts from the Su family were in her possession, she knew that if Yang Chen asked the Su family to intervene, everything would be taken away, leaving her with nothing.
Qin Fei scoffed disdainfully, "Grandpa said it himself—how could it be false? Of course, the condition is that you willingly hand over those tens of millions in gifts. If Grandpa is pleased, he might even pass the position of family head to Second Uncle. You'd be making a small investment for a huge return."
Qin Fei lied without batting an eye, repeatedly mentioning the family head position, which stoked Zhou Yucui's greed.
"What if we refuse?" Qin Yi's voice was firm.
"Shut your mouth!" Zhou Yucui snapped.
Qin Yi's face fell with disappointment. "Mom, have you forgotten how they kicked us out of the Qin family? Have you forgotten how my sister begged them? Now that the family is in trouble, they suddenly remember us. Do you really think they're sincere about letting us return?"
Qin Xi was equally disheartened by her mother's attitude. With reddened eyes, she said, "Mom, all those things belong to Yang Chen. What right do you have to decide what happens to them?"
"Second Aunt, I know you're the one who calls the shots in this family. Since your daughters are against it, you should step up and make the decision. This is your only chance to return to the family. If the family overcomes this crisis, there'll be no hope for you to go back," Qin Fei said, like a cunning salesman spinning his lies. Yet, Zhou Yucui was swayed.
"I respect my daughters' opinions. There's no way I'm going back to the Qin family," Qin Dayong said coldly. He had long lost all affection for the family.
He shared no blood ties with Old Master Qin. When he was very young, his mother had taken him to the Qin family. Throughout his life, Old Master Qin had never treated him as family, not even allowing him to work in any of the family's businesses.
"Dayong, what nonsense are you spouting? This is our only chance to return—"
Before Zhou Yucui could finish, Qin Dayong exploded, "What's wrong with you? Our daughter was bullied like that, and you still want to go back? Why don't you just crawl back by yourself?"
His face was dark with anger. Normally mild-mannered and unwilling to argue for the sake of family harmony, he had watched his wife grow increasingly unreasonable, crossing every line for her own gain.
Zhou Yucui was stunned. The usually meek Qin Dayong, who never talked back or resisted, had actually yelled at her.
After a long pause, she snapped back to reality and burst into loud sobs. "I can't stay in this house anymore! I want a divorce!"
"Fine! Let's divorce! Who's afraid of who?" Qin Dayong shot back fiercely.
"Enough with the act. Just give me a straight answer—are you handing over the betrothal gifts or not? We don't have time to watch your little performance," Qin Fei sneered. To him, Zhou Yucui and Qin Dayong were just putting on a show.
"Get out!" Qin Dayong roared. "Get out now! We don't give a damn about your precious Qin family!"
As he spoke, he grabbed a broom leaning against the wall and swung it at Qin Fei.
Qin Fei's expression darkened. The two bodyguards behind him immediately rushed forward, pinning Qin Dayong to the ground.
"Dad!" Qin Xi and Qin Yi cried out in alarm, rushing to his side.
"Today, whether you agree or not, you're handing those things over!" Qin Fei said coldly before barking an order: "Break in and take everything!"
At his command, several bodyguards stormed into the house.
Soon, two of them emerged carrying a chest—the same one the Su family had delivered earlier, filled with gold, silver, jewelry, over a million in cash, and even property deeds and stock certificates.
Qin Fei had initially thought the gifts were worth only tens of millions, but upon seeing the contents, he realized their total value likely exceeded a hundred million.
"Hahaha! The Qin family is saved! Selling all this will be enough to cover all our current crises!" Qin Fei laughed triumphantly.
Since Qin Xi's family had been expelled, no one in the Qin family was left to challenge his authority. With Old Master Qin growing older and closer to death, the family's leadership would soon fall into his hands.
"Qin Fei, stop!" Qin Xi and Qin Yi shouted furiously, chasing after him.
But Qin Fei had brought too many people. How could two women possibly stop them?
Everything was taken—even the Maserati was driven away by Qin Fei.
"It's all your fault, you wretched woman! You just had to show off in front of the Qin family, and now we've lost everything!" Qin Dayong roared, slapping Zhou Yucui across the face.
"Qin Dayong! How dare you hit me!" Zhou Yucui clutched her cheek, stunned.
"Don't you deserve it? Now that Qin Fei has taken everything, how are you going to explain this to Yang Chen when he asks for it back?" Qin Dayong snapped.
"That worthless loser has no right to demand anything from me!" Zhou Yucui shrieked.
Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and grabbed Qin Xi's arm. "Xi'er, didn't Qin Fei say that as long as we hand over the gifts, we can return to the family? Go talk to your grandfather now!"
Qin Xi's face twisted with disgust as she pulled her arm away. "If anyone wants to go back to the Qin family, they can beg for it themselves!"
Ever since that day when she had knelt in the pouring rain, begging Old Master Qin only to receive an order expelling them from the family, her heart had turned to ice.
Without another word, Qin Xi walked away.
Zhou Yucui then seized Qin Yi's hand, but before she could speak, Qin Yi also yanked herself free. With red-rimmed eyes, she hissed, "Haven't you realized yet? You're the only one who still wants to return. If that's the case, go beg them yourself!"
With that, she stormed off without looking back.
Qin Dayong let out a heavy snort and left as well.
The courtyard was now empty except for Zhou Yucui. She slumped to the ground, muttering, "Was I… really wrong?"
---
**At the top floor of Yanchén Group:**
Yang Chen hung up the phone. He had just been informed of everything that had happened at the Qin family residence.
The gifts from the Su family meant nothing to him, but the Qin family's actions had pushed his patience to its limits.
"Since you're determined to bring about your own destruction, I'll make sure you lose all hope," Yang Chen murmured coldly.