A pond full of blooming flowers, an ultimate addiction.

"I don't hit women. Get out of here if you don't want to die." Chi Ruiche turned on the shower, and cold water poured down from the showerhead, wetting his skin and giving him a moment of calm.

Liang Simin shivered from the shock, but she still clung tightly to Chi Ruiche, licked her wet lips, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips.

In an instant, Chi Ruiche grabbed her neck, and Liang Simin's face turned deathly pale, as if all color had drained from her. Her lips trembled, revealing deep terror.

"Want to die? Fine, I'll grant your wish." Chi Ruiche's eyes were cold, his deep voice suppressing his anger. He gripped her neck tighter and tighter, the powerful pressure making Liang Simin realize the fear.

Liang Simin's eyes widened in pain; the feeling of suffocation contorted her features. Her survival instinct kicked in, and she struggled to grab Chi Ruiche's increasingly tight hand, pleading, "Let go...of me."

Due to lack of oxygen, Liang Simin's vision began to blur. Just when she thought her life was about to end, the pressure suddenly disappeared. Liang Simin collapsed to the ground, her body trembling violently. She gasped for breath and coughed hoarsely to relieve her discomfort.

Liang Simin leaned against the wall to steady herself, trying to maintain her balance. She avoided Chi Ruiche's gaze, her muscles tense, her will to survive telling her she needed to escape. Ignoring her current disheveled state, she grabbed her coat and hurriedly left, only to be stopped at the door by Lin Kai.

Chi Ruiche rinsed his body repeatedly to relieve the heat, not daring to relax for a moment. With the effects of the medicine constantly increasing, he didn't know how long he could hold on.

As dawn broke, Chi Ruiche emerged from the bathtub. The effects of the drug had intensified in the latter half of the night, prompting them to bring ice. He remained submerged until Zhao Mingyang brought a tranquilizer, at which point the ordeal ended. Liang Simin was confined to the next room overnight, only being released in the morning.

Chi Ruiche dragged his tired body to his phone, where he saw a missed call from "Yi Yi". Before he could call back, the line was busy.

"Grandpa." Chi Ruiche coughed lightly, showing no sign of anything amiss.

"I'll wait for you to come back."

Chi Ruiche changed into a black suit, which, paired with a black shirt, gave him a mysterious aura.

Grandpa Chi sat in the pavilion feeding the koi in the artificial lake, raising his hand to toss the fish food further away.

“Grandpa,” Chi Ruiche said calmly.

Just then, the servant came out with a fishing net containing a golden fish. The net had tangled its fins, leaving only half of its tail visible, and its body was throbbing. "Master, we've caught it!"

"Lost." Grandpa Chi said calmly, but his imposing aura was undeniable. His gaze was fixed on the koi carp, which resembled red ribbons, swimming freely in the clear water.

"Yes." The servant dared not say more and took the fish away as instructed.

Chi Ruiche naturally knew about this fish. It was specially bought by his grandfather. It was the only golden dragon fish in the pond, which his grandfather had won at auction for 68 yuan. He even hired professionals to take care of it.

"They feed you until they're full, then their tail gets bitten off without you even noticing. Sometimes, people are like fish; you have to be prepared for the worst. What do you think, Xiao Che?"

A gentle breeze blew by, rippling the lake water. Behind Grandpa Chi's sunglasses, his eyes held an unfathomable gaze.

Grandpa Chi entered the tea room. The fragrant aroma of tea filled the air, creating a tranquil atmosphere. The green tea in the porcelain cup emitted faint white steam. Grandpa Chi sat on the mahogany chair, took a sip, and said, "Kneel down."

With a thud, Chi Ruiche knelt down resolutely, his spine straight, his expression cold and indifferent.

"Beat him until he remembers." Grandpa Chi put down his cup, and two bodyguards holding rattan canes stood behind Chi Ruiche. Upon receiving the order, they struck Chi Ruiche's back heavily.

Strike after strike, each one leaving a deep mark on his body. Chi Ruiche felt the pain, but he stubbornly straightened his back, letting out muffled groans through his nose; the only sound in the room was the dull crackling of the whip.

Grandpa Chi watched calmly, as if it had nothing to do with him. "Have you become too complacent these past few years?"

Chi Ruiche remained silent, for if he did, he would only receive a heavier whipping.

"Do you know you're wrong?"

"Yes."

"Do you submit or not?" This is how Grandpa Chi trained Chi Ruiche since he was a child. When he made a mistake, he would be severely criticized or educated.

Chi Ruiche stopped talking and accepted the whipping. Grandpa Chi wanted to suppress his arrogance and tell him that he knew everything about his every move.

"No matter how expensive the fish is, it will be discarded once it has no value."

Chi Ruiche didn't know how many times he was hit before his grandfather told them to stop. The burning pain in his back made him unable to kneel steadily for a moment.

"It's good that it's lost, I can get a better one." Grandpa Chi's veiled analogy.

"I don't want this to happen again. I'll spend this time getting along well with Jiang Yi."

"Yes."

"Pick a good day and get engaged." Grandpa Chi doesn't allow anyone to question him. In this family, he needs absolute obedience. "Words and actions are like playing chess; think three steps ahead before making a move."

"Yes, I will be careful."

“Resolve last night’s matter properly, and don’t let unimportant people affect the plan.”

"Yes."

After Grandpa Chi finished punishing him, he gave Chi Ruiche a few instructions and then let him leave. The moment he got into the car, he leaned back in the back seat.

"Young Master, shall we go to the company now?" Uncle Wang glanced at him, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, his chest heaving, and his brows furrowed.

"Go to Dijin Blue Bay."

Uncle Wang dared not say much. This was the case many times when the young master came out of the old house. His face did not show much expression, but his physical reaction could not be hidden. He must have been severely punished by the master again today.

When Chi Ruiche was a child, Uncle Wang witnessed Chi Ruiche being forced to kneel on the ground and whipped with a rattan cane. If he dared to make a sound, he would be whipped even harder until he dared not make a sound.

He later learned that he had been beaten simply for saying "This sweet and sour pork ribs are delicious" at the dinner table, but he was only ten years old at the time. No one in the Chi family dared to plead for him, and the lady of the house could only cry in secret.

Uncle Wang's thoughts were pulled back to reality; Chi Ruiche was already leaning against the cushion, fast asleep.