Chapter 31: Coercion

The bodyguards, alerted by the commotion, rushed forward in a circle. After all, this was the wife of the head of the household; if they did nothing after she had been slapped in front of so many people, they would surely lose their jobs.

Cai Yameng was equally shocked by Zhou Chen’s slap. Seeing the bodyguards surging toward them, she quickly spread her arms, shielding Zhou Chen behind her.

"Stop! All of you, stand down!" Cai Yameng commanded sharply.

The bodyguards exchanged glances, unsure of how to proceed.

"You useless trash! Didn't you see me get hit? Catch him, or you're all fired!" Guo Yuan shrieked, her voice shrill with rage.

"I’d like to see who dares!" Cai Yameng retorted, refusing to back down.

The bodyguards were caught in a bitter dilemma. One was the wife of the house head, and the other was his daughter; there would be no good outcome regardless of whom they offended.

Guo Yuan was incensed. "Cai Yameng, are you rebelling? Your own mother has been struck, and you’re protecting the culprit!"

Cai Yameng’s resolve did not falter. "You were the one who insulted Zhou Chen’s parents first. You deserved that slap!"

Zhou Chen was somewhat surprised; he hadn't realized the conflict between Cai Yameng and her mother had escalated to this extent. He had dared to strike because he had no fear of these bodyguards. With his fledgling squad of Soul-Devouring Insects, anyone attempting to get close to him would pay a heavy price. However, he had not expected Cai Yameng to defend him after he had slapped her mother. It seemed the rift between the two was deep indeed.

It was true that no "ice queen" became one without reason. Just as the primary families of most people suffering from depression are flawed, it was likely the fault of Cai Yameng’s parents that had caused her cold personality. Perhaps it was a self-protective mechanism—an attempt to appear unapproachable so that no one would discover the wounds in her heart. In that light, Cai Yameng was quite pitiful.

"You! You! I should never have given birth to you!" Guo Yuan gasped, her chest heaving with fury.

Just then, a man and a woman approached: Cai Yameng’s uncle, Cai Junmao, and his wife, Chen Yuxia.

Cai Junmao frowned. "Yameng, stop this nonsense. Look at how you’ve upset your mother. Apologize to her at once!"

Chen Yuxia sneered, "You little brat, you’ve got some nerve. How dare you lay a hand on the wife of the Cai family head? Are you tired of living? I guarantee you won't walk out of the Cai residence today!"

Cai Yameng didn't want to escalate the situation, knowing Zhou Chen came from an ordinary family. Although she was the daughter of the house head, her father was currently critically ill, and her uncle, Cai Junmao, held the reins of power. In the Cai family, besides the elder patriarch, Cai Junmao was the most powerful figure.

If an apology wasn't made, Zhou Chen might truly disappear from the Cai estate. Cai Yameng glanced back at Zhou Chen, seeing him calm and composed, his brow still filled with immense self-confidence. She shook her head slightly; Zhou Chen was still too young. Making someone disappear from the world was an effortless task for the Cai family.

Just as Cai Yameng prepared to apologize so that Zhou Chen could leave the estate safely, a firm hand rested on her shoulder, pulling her back. Zhou Chen wasn't about to let a woman apologize on his behalf; he feared the Cai family not at all. Setting aside the Soul-Devouring Insects, he didn't believe the elder patriarch would sit by and watch him come to harm. If the old man knew that Cai Yameng’s mother had insulted his parents, he probably wouldn't even need Zhou Chen to retaliate. The elder patriarch already felt a debt to the Zhou family, especially to Zhou Xiang. How could he tolerate his own daughter-in-law insulting them?

"Who do you think you are, pointing fingers and cursing me? During the birthday banquet, you insulted me, and I chose to look past it. But if you continue to humiliate me, I will make you pay the price."

As he spoke, Zhou Chen released a surge of soul pressure, as if an emperor seated on a throne were looking down upon mortals. In that instant, everyone felt an oppression emanating from the depths of their souls. This pressure caused no physical harm, but an inexplicable fear began to spread through everyone present.

Chen Yuxia, the first to bear the brunt of it, was forced back several steps, her heart filled with immense dread. "You... you..."

There were modern cultivators in the hall who, upon sensing this pressure, wore expressions of horror. As practitioners, they had sharper instincts than ordinary people and could feel the weight of Zhou Chen’s aura more directly.

"Such powerful pressure! His strength must be even greater than mine!"
"This boy cannot be more than twenty; how can he be so powerful?"
"No wonder he dared to slap the lady of the house in public—his family background must be immense!"

In the eyes of these modern cultivators, the fact that Zhou Chen could release such powerful pressure meant he possessed corresponding strength. They didn't know that Zhou Chen’s physical body was still that of an ordinary person, and he relied solely on the Soul-Devouring Insects—though that, too, was his strength. Zhou Chen was no longer the man he once was; his mindset had transcended that of a mortal. He had already killed many, let alone slapping someone.

Zhou Chen continued, "I am the grandson of Elder Cai’s old friend. I know a little medicine, and at Cai Yameng’s request, I have come to check on her father's condition. If you have any dissatisfaction regarding the slap I just dealt, feel free to go to Elder Cai. Ask him yourself: this woman insulted my parents, and see if Elder Cai doesn't give her another slap himself!"

The members of the Cai family who knew the truth fell silent. They were aware of the friendship between Cai Zhongying and Zhou Chen’s grandfather, and they knew of the conflict between Zhou Chen and the generation of Cai Yameng’s parents. Therefore, they truly had no ground to cause trouble over this slap. After all, it was Guo Yuan who had started by insulting Zhou Chen’s parents. Even if the act of slapping was improper, there was no one present qualified to manage this affair. If they really brought this to Cai Zhongying, Guo Yuan would likely suffer more slaps.

As the daughter-in-law of Cai Zhongying, Guo Yuan knew the old man’s temper well. She muttered a few curses under her breath but dared not lash out any further.

Watching Zhou Chen, who had quelled everyone present with his sheer presence, Cai Yameng felt a warm, protective illusion, gaining a sense of security she had never known before.

Cai Junmao’s expression was unreadable, but he eventually put on a hypocritical smile. "Nephew Zhou, my apologies. Your aunt was in a bad mood and spoke out of turn; please don't take it to heart. Do you really think you can treat cancer just because you inherited your grandfather’s medical skills?" Cai Junmao asked with a smirk.

Zhou Chen shook his head slightly. "I’ll know after I take a look."

Though reluctant, Cai Junmao led Zhou Chen to Cai Tianze’s room. The room was well soundproofed, and as the door opened, a cacophony of noise spilled out. It was a group of doctors in white coats. Some wore gold-rimmed glasses, sporting the air of overseas-educated elites. Others were foreign experts with translators by their sides, and there were also elderly men, septuagenarians who carried the scent of traditional Chinese medicine. They were gathered together, arguing incessantly. The Western doctors advocated for chemotherapy, while the traditionalists pushed for restorative care. Those versed in both suggested a combination of the two. While professional jargon flew back and forth, the gist of their disagreement was clear.

Seeing the door open, these famous doctors were somewhat displeased.

"Sorry to interrupt your consultation. This young man is the grandson of a certain rural 'barefoot' doctor, and having inherited his grandfather’s skills, he has come to join the consultation," Cai Junmao introduced Zhou Chen to everyone with great fanfare. It seemed as if he were elevating Zhou Chen’s status, but in reality, he was setting him up to be targeted by these experts.

Sure enough, an old practitioner of Chinese medicine sneered, "Heh, a child barely out of diapers dares to claim he has unique medical skills? Ridiculous, he knows nothing of the vastness of the world."

A Western-educated doctor also scoffed, "You claim traditional Chinese medicine has a long history, but it is naturally flawed, as evidenced by it being replaced by Western medicine. I don't even think much of the 'inherited' traditional doctors, let alone some rural barefoot quack."