"Enough." Zhu Shunyao swept his arm across the desk, sending a cup crashing to the floor. "Look at your conscience. Did you ask if our family wants to return to the main branch? Did you ask if this hurts Ani? Do you think I, Zhu Shunyao, am a clay Buddha who never gets angry?"
"No, Shunyao, don't be angry. Listen to us slowly," Zhu Leiyao urged quickly. She knew Zhu Chanyao’s actions were unfair. She didn’t know what the main Zhu family in the city would do to Zhu Yanyi, but as the saying goes, no one acts without a motive. They wouldn’t ask a distant branch to return unless they had a plan.
"Slowly? What do you want me to hear? How you plotted against me? Or how you used my daughter to get what you want?" Zhu Shunyao wiped his face. His eyes were red, his face dark with rage. "I have honored heaven and earth. I have honored you, my relatives and friends. I built my own success and never forgot you. I always introduced opportunities to you. I thought, mountains are not close, but who is closer? We all drink water from the same river. We share the same roots. Even if we are distant now, our ancestors are blood-related. But you treat me like a fool. I gave you chances to be human, but are you acting like humans now? I tell you, plotting against me is fine. But plotting against my daughter? You must step over my corpse."
Zhu Shunyao’s anger grew. He wondered if he had been too gentle in recent years, letting them plot against him again.
"It’s not that serious," Zhu Leiyao said hurriedly. "Shunyao, let Chanyao finish." He signaled slightly to Chanyao. "Chanyao, explain clearly."
Zhu Chanyao was startled by Zhu Shunyao’s rage. Glad Zhu Leiyao was there, she said quickly, "The Zhu family never intended to plot against Ani. Master Kongming once left a message. Many generations later, a descendant of the Zhuge family will appear who can communicate with heaven and earth. She will lead the Zhuge family to new glory. That is why we have this family rule. Hearing that Ani can communicate with gods and buddhas, we naturally want to protect her."
"Spare me," Zhu Shunyao sneered. "Our Ani doesn’t need such protection. She has her own ability to protect herself. My daughter protects herself. She doesn’t need you people to make things worse. If you don’t plot against us, I will thank Buddha."
"Shunyao, the Zhu family is very large. They never appear publicly not because they are declining, but because they are low-key," Zhu Chanyao said seriously. "They already know about Ani. Sooner or later, they will come to take Ani back to the main family."
"Who gave them that right?" Zhu Shunyao laughed in extreme anger. "Zhu Chanyao, I say this today. If nothing happens to my Ani, good. If something happens, even if I lose my life, I will not let you off."
She stood up immediately. Ignoring Zhu Leiyao and Zhu Chanyao, she walked out of the practice chamber, out of the factory, and went home.