Volume One, Chapter 112: Kneel Down

Ye Sheng and Wan Sandao were treated as guests of honor.

Chairman Qin personally brewed a pot of tea. As he poured it for his guests, he rattled on incessantly, "This is vintage rock tea from '99. Aged rock tea, from '99..."

Seeing her husband about to launch into another one of his rehearsed lectures, Mrs. Qin gave him a subtle nudge to make him stop. She knew better than to display his brand of "success philosophy" in front of truly prominent figures. Between the two of them—one noble and one immensely wealthy—who wouldn't know more about tea than he did?

Ye Sheng and Wan Sandao each took a single sip and set their cups down. Even though they didn't show any particular emotion, the subtle dismissal was enough to force Chairman Qin to swallow the rest of his words, suddenly finding himself at a loss for what to say.

Ye Sheng sat on the sofa, her posture different from her usual self. Across from her, Qin Minshu sat in a chair, watching Ye Sheng with a dazed expression, feeling as if she were in a dream. When did she get long, curly hair? Were they extensions? And she was wearing heavy makeup...

Qin Minshu had known Ye Sheng for many years and had rarely seen her wear makeup, let alone such an exquisite look. It made her, who had always prided herself on her beauty, feel almost afraid to look directly at her. She couldn't help but recall a poll held by medical students on the campus intranet back in university. They had been bored and decided to vote for the most beautiful girls in the school and the department. Qin Minshu had naturally been among the school beauties, but Ye Sheng had also been voted the "Natural Beauty," and she had firmly held the number one spot.

At the time, many people had said that Ye Sheng’s facial features were only suited for a bare face and that she would look ugly if she wore heavy makeup.

Looking at Ye Sheng now, beneath that striking makeup, Qin Minshu just wanted to slap those people across the face: "What a load of nonsense."

"Why do you keep staring at me?"

Ye Sheng spoke suddenly, looking at Qin Minshu with a faint, mocking smile. "Don't you recognize me? Or are you afraid I'm here to complain to your parents?"

Qin Minshu snapped out of her trance, meeting her parents' worried gazes. Seeing that Ye Sheng had brought up the subject, Chairman Qin hurried to speak. "My daughter has always been headstrong and willful; we’ve spoiled her too much. She hasn't caused you too much trouble at the hospital, has she, Miss Ye?"

"Yes, she has, actually."

Ye Sheng didn't offer the slightest bit of cover for Qin Minshu. Turning to the couple, she continued, "To be honest, I was the one who dismissed Qin Minshu. As for the reasons, they were clearly stated in the termination letter. We won't even mention the tardiness, early departures, and absenteeism. She repeatedly went against me at the hospital, dragged me into online trending topics, and tried to snatch my patient slots. The negative impact she caused was truly severe."

The atmosphere turned heavy. Such a direct confrontation was like a heavy blow to the face. If it were just her parents, it might have been manageable, but with Boss Wan sitting right there, Qin Minshu had nowhere to hide. She felt as if two balls of fire were erupting from her ears.

Chairman Qin and his wife looked awkward, about to say something to smooth things over, when Qin Minshu finally lost her composure and stood up abruptly.

"Enough, Ye Sheng! Are you really here to tattle to my family?"

Qin Minshu’s face was flushed with anger. She glared at Ye Sheng, pouring out all the frustration and grievances she had been bottling up. "Do you think I care about that lousy doctor job? Working myself to the bone for that pittance of a salary—my monthly pay doesn't even cover the cost of one of my bags. If my mother hadn't forced me, I wouldn't have gone at all... Ah!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Mrs. Qin rose and swung her hand, delivering a resounding slap across her daughter's cheek. The sound, sharp as a thunderclap, echoed through the living room.

Ye Sheng and Wan Sandao watched the scene, their eyelashes fluttering in surprise.

"I..." Qin Minshu started to speak again, but Mrs. Qin, showing no mercy, backhanded her with another slap that sent her stumbling.

Seeing the warning and cold ferocity in her mother's eyes, Qin Minshu finally came to her senses. Her face burned with pain, but she didn't dare utter another word.

"Kneel!" Mrs. Qin commanded coldly.