Ethan Hsieh and Caleb Wang exchanged glances, black lines forming on their foreheads. Seeing Dominic Zhai flee as if chased by a rabid dog, anyone who didn't know better might think he was being pursued by one. Well, Ninth Royal Uncle is far more terrifying than any dog. For Dominic, escaping in panic was perfectly reasonable.
Ethan Hsieh and Caleb Wang withdrew their sympathetic gazes and simultaneously looked toward the instigator. Ninth Royal Uncle sat upright, expressionless, not even glancing at Dominic Zhai, as if nothing had happened at all.
Ethan Hsieh and Caleb Wang nodded. Dominic Zhai was right—Ninth Royal Uncle truly was an inscrutable, ice-cold enigma.
Their eyes met, and after a moment's hesitation, both nodded—when it came to protecting Serena's reputation or avoiding Dominic's fate, they chose the latter. In perfect sync, the two stood and politely excused themselves.
They were relieved that the so-called devious bastard Dominic Zhai had described didn't give them any trouble, allowing them to leave safely.
As he stepped out of the West District courtyard, Caleb Wang turned back, casting a long, lingering look at the tightly shut gate.
Big Brother, I’m sorry. I’m no match for Ninth Royal Uncle—his skill is just too high. Only you can face him. Please come back soon, or Serena Feng really will become someone else’s woman. If you wait too long, even if you overcome every obstacle and marry her, she won’t accept you.
Meanwhile, William Wang Jinling, whom Caleb Wang was thinking of, was currently being pursued. With his guards protecting him, he dashed into the deep mountains in a sorry state. Yet, as a true nobleman, even when hunted and exhausted, he retained a touch of elegance—though in the wilds, there was no one to appreciate it.
Once Dominic Zhai, Ethan Hsieh, and Caleb Wang left, Ninth Royal Uncle’s inscrutable, ice-cold mask instantly changed—because Serena Feng said, “Ninth Royal Uncle, the Young Lord was right. You’ve lived here long enough. Both our injuries are healed; you have no reason to stay. You should return to Ninth Prince Manor. This afternoon, I’ll have Simon Sun, Jada Tang, and Mira Tang pack your things so you won’t need to come back for anything.”
With these words, she left Ninth Royal Uncle no room to refuse—she’d set a clear deadline: he had to leave by this afternoon.
After the initial shock, Ninth Royal Uncle quickly regained his composure. From his lofty perch, he raised his voice: “Serena Feng, are you trying to drive me out?”
“Ninth Royal Uncle, you’re overthinking it. You’re a prince, and it’s inconvenient for you to keep living here. Besides, your presence makes things difficult for me as well.” After the competition, she needed to start treating Holden Cui’s illness.
To treat Holden Cui, she would need to search for a compatible bone marrow donor. Usually, direct relatives had the highest success rate. She’d be busy, and once she was, her secrets could easily be exposed.
Ninth Royal Uncle’s veins bulged as he struggled to suppress his anger. He told himself Serena’s reasoning was understandable—after all, their relationship was still unofficial and undefined.
Damn this vague status. For a moment, he really wanted to just marry Serena Feng outright—but…he couldn’t.
“Serena Feng, inconvenient? What could you possibly need to hide from me?” With a loud bang, Ninth Royal Uncle slammed his fist onto the table, smashing it to splinters.
Serena Feng froze on the spot, stepping back as a flicker of fear flashed in her dark eyes.
She never expected Ninth Royal Uncle to be so intense—she’d thought he only showed such passion in bed. Yet somehow, she’d managed to provoke him this far.
Not easy at all!
For some reason, seeing Ninth Royal Uncle so angry made Serena Feng suddenly very happy—a surge of accomplishment welled up inside her.
The sound of blood dripping snapped Serena Feng back to reality. Glancing at Ninth Royal Uncle’s injured right hand, she suppressed her sense of triumph and asked softly, “Ninth Royal Uncle, are you alright?”
“No, I’m not. I’m injured and need to continue recovering here. Serena Feng, do you have a problem with that?” Ninth Royal Uncle waved his bloody right hand, splinters still embedded in the flesh, the wound raw and bleeding—a clear sign he was seriously hurt.
It was a threat.
Serena Feng swallowed hard, her fleeting pride vanishing. Ninth Royal Uncle was truly terrifying. But…she had to stand her ground and not bow to intimidation.
Her gaze darted around, refusing to meet Ninth Royal Uncle’s eyes. “I do have a problem.”
“Objection overruled.” Ninth Royal Uncle flicked his injured hand, secretly annoyed.
Damn, he should have used his left hand. Now his right hand was injured—even writing would be a problem.
“I don’t accept your ruling, Ninth Royal Uncle. I’m serious—having you here really is inconvenient. In a few days, I’ll begin treating Holden Cui. You know what the Valley Master of Divine Healer Valley is like; I’m worried that if he’s here, something will go wrong. Right now, I don’t have the means to protect myself.” Serena Feng explained quickly, her eyes growing evasive when she mentioned Holden Cui’s treatment, unsure how to phrase her concerns.
Ninth Royal Uncle fell silent, glancing at Serena Feng’s right hand before she noticed, then looking away.
If the Valley Master was present, Serena Feng’s secret about her arm might not stay hidden. But letting Nolan leave so easily felt wrong—he’d fought hard to earn the right to stay, and if he left now, coming back would be nearly impossible.
For the first time, Ninth Royal Uncle found himself truly resenting the Valley Master of the Divine Healer Valley.
He broke into a cold sweat, suddenly remembering—it was thanks to the Valley Master that he’d been able to move into the West District courtyard in the first place.
"I’ll find a way to send him away," Ninth Royal Uncle said with difficulty.
It’s easy to invite the Valley Master, but impossible to make him leave. Now that he’s set his sights on Serena Feng, driving him out would be no easy task.
"Ninth Royal Uncle, you can’t stay either. If you’re here, this place will never be quiet. I need somewhere peaceful and undisturbed," Serena pressed her advantage when she saw him backing down.
That’s just how women are.
"Serena Feng, don’t push your luck." She’d cornered him, and yet—he couldn’t bring himself to be harsh.
"Ninth Royal Uncle, you’ve always been the one who goes too far." Serena met his gaze, her eyes full of tacit understanding.
Between the two of them, she’d never been the one to cross the line. She’d always been at a disadvantage.
Ninth Royal Uncle drew a deep breath. "Serena Feng, what if I refuse to leave?" One month together and all they’d built was a fragile trust—far from enough for him.
"Then I’ll just move out myself," Serena replied crisply. After all, this was only a temporary residence for her—finding another wouldn’t be hard.
Without Serena, what would be the point of staying in the West District courtyard? Ninth Royal Uncle forced out the words, "Serena Feng, you win."
His chest heaved violently—he was clearly furious.
"Thank you, Ninth Royal Uncle. If you have no other instructions, I’ll have someone pack your things right away." Serena flashed a dazzling, triumphant smile.
This wasn’t just about kicking Ninth Royal Uncle out. Today, she’d finally gained the upper hand in their battle of wills. Where there’s a first time, there’ll be a second—Serena was sure of it.
Ninth Royal Uncle gritted his teeth. "You’re quite happy I’m leaving, aren’t you?" Serena’s radiant smile was an eyesore to him.
He couldn’t bear to take it out on Serena, so he turned his wrath on the real culprit.
His uninjured left hand clenched so hard the veins stood out...
Dominic Zhai, you’re dead meat!
Ruined my plans, did you? I won’t let you off!