Chapter 39: Saving the Wu Family Patriarch

Ma Wu and Wu Ting entered the villa. Inside, only a few women dressed as maids and an elderly butler moved about. When they saw Wu Ting come in, they smiled at her kindly.

The elderly butler hesitated for a moment, then approached Wu Ting and spoke in a low voice, “Young Miss, your cousin from the side branch has arrived as well.”

Wu Ting’s gaze sharpened, a trace of anger flashing in her eyes. She said nothing, merely nodded to the butler.

As Ma Wu and Wu Ting ascended to the second floor, they happened upon a young man dressed in a Japanese-Korean style, descending the stairs with a bewitchingly attractive woman.

The two parties met in the narrow stairway, blocked at the midpoint; one side would have to give way.

Wu Ting was about to step aside when the seductive woman suddenly let out a tinkling laugh and, with a coquettish smile, said to Wu Ting, “Little sister, don’t block the way for your big sister and brother. Be a good girl and step aside, giggle giggle.”

A barely perceptible resentment flickered in Wu Ting’s eyes, but she made no display of the childish temperament she sometimes revealed before Ma Wu. Instead, she smiled coolly and ignored the woman, addressing the young man: “Wu Zun, perhaps you ought to remind your companion just who is in charge of the Wu family now.”

Ma Wu stared at the young man. If he guessed correctly, this was the cousin the butler had mentioned. Judging by his behavior, he seemed especially antagonistic toward Wu Ting—could he belong to another faction of the Wu family?

Wu Zun laughed arrogantly twice, then said to the woman beside him, “What are you saying, Zhang Yan? Let me introduce you. This petite one here is the current head of the Wu family, the esteemed Miss Wu Ting.”

“Don’t go mistaking people and speaking out of turn. If you truly can’t remember her, just look for the shortest one in the whole Wu family.”

Wu Zun seemed to be rebuking the woman for her words, but in truth, he was mocking Wu Ting for her small stature, completely fearless in his derision.

Ma Wu narrowed his eyes. Had Wu Ting’s faction grown so weak that other branches dared to provoke her so openly? The fall of Wu Ting’s father must have been a disaster for them.

Wu Ting’s expression grew colder, and she was about to speak when Ma Wu suddenly raised his hand and said to Wu Zun, “Brother, if you can’t manage your woman, you shouldn’t keep one. That woman you brought looks like a cheap tart—her lips have probably been tasted by half the city.”

With his hands in his pockets, Ma Wu grinned nonchalantly. “I suggest that if you can’t remember the woman beside you, just check the bars and clubs for whoever has the most ‘clients.’”

At these words, Wu Zun’s face changed dramatically, a murderous glint in his eyes. He was about to lash out when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhang Yan’s face had gone pale and her body trembled.

Wu Zun’s lips twitched as he questioned her in a low, menacing tone, “Zhang Yan, don’t tell me you really—”

Zhang Yan trembled again. When she had started seeing Wu Zun, she claimed to be an innocent university student, untouched by anything unsavory.

If Wu Zun now uncovered the truth, she couldn’t bear the consequences of his wrath.

Zhang Yan forced a smile and said to Wu Zun, “Young Master Wu, don’t listen to his baseless accusations.”

Ma Wu chuckled, “Oh, come now—the resident Red Rose of Eddy’s Bar. We’re old acquaintances. You were rebellious in bed, but out here, you should at least show me some respect.”

Zhang Yan’s face changed drastically. Hadn’t she already left that life behind? How could this man still remember her nickname? And she had no memory of ever spending a night with him!

As Zhang Yan’s thoughts whirled, Wu Zun was already on the verge of losing control from rage.

He’d wanted to mock Wu Ting, but instead, the man beside her had exposed his woman as public property. He’d spent so much effort and capital on her—what a humiliation!

Wu Zun felt as if a green hat was glowing on his head, fit for photosynthesis. Enraged, he slapped Zhang Yan hard across the face, spinning her on the spot, then grabbed her hair and dragged her down the stairs.

As he passed Ma Wu, Wu Zun gave him a venomous glare and said, his voice icy, “Boy, don’t think that just because you’ve slept with a whore, you can run your mouth here. You’d better watch your back when you walk at night.”

Ma Wu shrugged indifferently. “Oh, I always watch my back at night.”

Ding. Face-slapped Wu Zun, ruined his ‘relationship’ with the public bus—face-slap value increased by five hundred.

Ding. Displayed extraordinary ‘experience’ at bars—pretension value increased by five hundred.

Watching Wu Zun flee with Zhang Yan in tow, Ma Wu smirked coldly. He instinctively reached out and patted Wu Ting’s small head. “It’s over, Wu Ting. That idiot young master’s gone, thanks to me.”

To his surprise, Wu Ting jerked her head away, breaking free of his hand, and strode off without a word.

Ma Wu was taken aback, but quickly caught up, saying, “What’s wrong, my lady? It wasn’t my fault that woman mocked you.”

Wu Ting shot him a resentful look and said angrily, “Hmph! You have the nerve to speak? You actually had relations with that kind of—of woman? I’m so disappointed in you! I’m starting to question my judgment!”

Ma Wu couldn’t help but laugh. After a moment, he replied, “No, my lady, I’ve only heard of her reputation. She’s truly infamous as a public bus at Eddy’s Bar. There’s no way I’d get on that bus—you might not mind, but I’d find it disgusting!”

He quickly grabbed Wu Ting to stop her from leaving, continuing to explain, “Just now, I saw you being mocked, so of course I had to retaliate. I only said I’d been with her to anger Wu Zun. There’s no way I’d touch such trash.”

“Only a girl as lovely as you could possibly catch my eye.”

At this, Wu Ting’s body trembled slightly, and she finally stopped struggling. She looked at Ma Wu suspiciously and asked, “Are you telling the truth?”

Ma Wu hurriedly swore an oath, holding up two fingers to his forehead. “Absolutely true. If not, may I be impotent for life.”

Wu Ting blushed and spat at him. “Nonsense. All right, I believe you. Thank you for speaking up for me just now. I’ll take you to see my father.”

Ma Wu nodded and followed Wu Ting’s now gentler pace.

Soon, they reached the door to Wu Ting’s father’s room. Wu Ting pushed it open. The room was dim; even the curtains were tightly drawn, giving the space a gloomy atmosphere.

Ma Wu looked at Wu Ting in surprise. “Sick people need ventilation and fresh air. Why do you keep everything shut so tight?”

Wu Ting gave a bitter smile. “My father’s illness is peculiar. He can’t be exposed to sunlight, or it will worsen rapidly. So his room is always sealed off...”

As Wu Ting explained, the man on the bed stirred slightly and spoke in a weak yet resonant voice, “Xiao Ting, is someone here?”

Ma Wu quickly stepped forward and bowed to the man. “Master Wu, greetings.”

The man’s face was ashen and withered, but his features remained sharp and defined, the traces of time etched deeply upon them, lending him a unique charisma. Now, propped weakly on the bed, his lips trembled before he let out a hoarse laugh.

“Heh. Master Wu. I fear I won’t hold that title much longer.”

Wu Ting rushed to her father’s side and felt his forehead. “Father, don’t say that. This is Ma Wu, a very good friend of mine. I brought him here to see if he might be able to help with your illness.”

The master of the Wu family shook his head, casting a kindly look at Ma Wu. “Little Brother Ma, our faction is in decline now. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Many added flowers to the brocade before, but now that trouble has come, no one brings coal in the snow.”