As Evan Lin finished speaking, the Three Maiden Spirits instantly scattered in all directions.
From the moment he entered, Evan had sensed that something was off about the Zheng family estate.
Although the Zheng Estate had been freshly renovated and looked vibrant from the outside, once inside, all vitality vanished—leaving only an eerie silence.
Evan sipped his tea, alone in the hall.
Back courtyard of the Zheng family.
Faye Zheng pushed open the gate to the rear courtyard.
"Grandpa, Grandma! Evan's back!"
Faye called out toward the courtyard. Usually at this time, Old Master Zheng and Old Madam Mary Zheng liked to sit on lounge chairs here, basking in the sun.
But right now, there was no one here.
"Are they still sleeping?"
Faye Zheng turned and walked toward Old Master Zheng's bedroom.
Thanks to the Nourishing Spirit Pill Evan had given them, Old Master Zheng and Old Madam Mary Zheng were much healthier than before.
But they were still elderly, and most older people preferred peace and quiet. Their rooms were all placed at the far end of the Zheng Estate.
Faye passed through several corridors. Just as she was about to go further, someone appeared and blocked her way.
"Faye, why are you in such a hurry? Where are you headed?"
The man blocking Faye's path wore a lazy smile. His voice was calm and unhurried as he squinted at her face. "Looks like you just got back, huh?"
"Why not head back to your own room and get some rest?"
The man blocking her was none other than Jason Zheng.
Ever since Jason Zheng was defeated by Evan, his status in the Zheng family had plummeted.
Jason Zheng had his cultivation crippled by Evan, turning him into a useless wreck—just surviving became a struggle.
But Old Master Zheng still remembered old times and ultimately didn’t strip Jason of the Zheng-family surname, giving him plenty of chances to recover.
But Jason Zheng clearly wasn’t satisfied with that.
This time, after Liana Zheng brought a man back to the estate, Jason Zheng somehow relied on that man to restore his meridians by unknown means.
Although his cultivation hadn’t returned, at least he wasn’t a total cripple anymore. He was much stronger than ordinary people, his complexion was even paler, and there was an indescribable eeriness about him.
"I’m looking for Grandpa and Grandma. Move aside."
Faye frowned, having zero good feelings toward Jason Zheng, and tried to walk around him.
"Hold on. Grandpa and Grandma are resting right now. No one’s allowed to disturb them."
Jason Zheng blocked Faye’s path, making no move to let her pass.
"Jason Zheng! Who do you think you are, blocking me? And for the record, if I want to see Grandpa and Grandma, you can’t stop me!"
Faye was blocked, grinding her teeth in frustration. She’d already been upset by the whole Liana Zheng mess, and now with Jason Zheng making things even harder, her anger was about to explode.
"Faye, the old master and madam aren’t convenient to see you right now. You should go back—don’t shout here and disturb their rest."
Frank Chang walked over from inside.
He looked at Faye Zheng with undisguised dissatisfaction.
If Faye hadn’t brought Evan Lin back before, his son Jason Zheng wouldn’t have had his cultivation crippled—or nearly lost the Zheng-family surname.
Not only that, back then, in order to survive and keep the Zheng-family surname, Jason Zheng even slapped Frank Chang ten times, knocking out ten of his teeth.
Frank Chang never forgot that humiliation. Every time he thought about it, he was filled with grief and rage.
Luckily, things had taken a turn for the better now.
As the Zheng Estate’s gardener, Frank Chang finally had another shot at father-by-son glory.
"I want to see my grandpa. Please move aside."
Upon seeing Frank Chang, Faye’s face darkened.
Jason Zheng and Frank Chang, father and son, were like leeches—always scheming to suck the Zheng family dry.
Their whole family lived off the Zheng clan, and when Liana Zheng stormed back this time, Jason and Frank sided with her without a second thought, constantly tripping up Faye.
Liana Zheng’s domineering behavior was tacitly allowed by Old Master Zheng and Old Madam Mary Zheng, and even Leon Zheng and Hans Zheng had been squeezed out.
Now Leon Zheng and Hans Zheng hardly ever came home, while Faye’s father Gavin Pan and Claire Zheng had been bullied countless times.
Faye saw all of this. Normally, she’d never let it slide, but part of her pitied Liana Zheng, and the man Liana brought back was seriously weird—and dangerous.
"I said, the old master isn’t convenient to see you right now."
Frank Chang hunched forward, stepping up to block Faye again.
"Just what are you two trying to do? Planning a rebellion or something?"
Faye’s expression kept shifting, her gaze growing colder, anger impossible to suppress.
"Faye Zheng, you used to have Master Yan backing you, so I gave you some face. But now, Master Yan is nothing. Without your master’s protection, what makes you think you can boss me around?"
Jason Zheng let out a cold laugh, then grabbed Faye’s collar and hauled her up, face icy. "Let me tell you, Faye Zheng—your surname is Zheng, and so is mine!"
"Plus, I’m a man and you’re a woman. The Zheng family’s future will definitely be in my hands!"
Jason Zheng spoke furiously. Faye, caught by her collar, went pale and gritted her teeth, trying to pry his hand off—but failed every time.
Jason Zheng was simply too strong, and right now, he looked anything but normal.
"Let go!"
Faye lifted her leg to kick, but Jason Zheng grabbed her ankle. "What, are you planning to call Evan Lin for help now?"
"Too bad, that so-called Master Lin from Seacrest is probably still in Harborview—or maybe Brightsea?"
"I’m telling you—even if Master Lin from Seacrest showed up, it wouldn’t matter. He’d just be here to die!"
"Faye Zheng, as long as you behave and become my woman, I’ll make sure you and your Zheng family rise even higher!"
"Ha!"
Jason Zheng burst out laughing, a strange red gleam flickering in his eyes.
He was about to speak again.
Suddenly, a heavy, muffled sound erupted from deep within the courtyard.
Hearing it, Jason Zheng’s face lit up. He immediately tossed Faye to the ground.
He turned to look toward the courtyard, his face full of excitement.
"Did it work?"
Jason Zheng strode inside, Frank Chang following right behind.
In that moment, neither spared a thought for Faye lying on the ground.