Chapter 16 Escaping the Shi Family

Chapter 16: Escaping the Shi Family

Although Shi Yu outwardly claimed he didn’t believe it, after returning to the hotel, he still took out those photos and examined them repeatedly.

Old photographs—grainy, blurred, steeped in nostalgia. Liu Zhixin had kept them, meaning they could directly prove something.

It was nothing like what Jiang Ji had claimed—that they only indirectly implicated Shi Ciye in the rape case.

So what, exactly, about these photos compelled Shi Ciye to pay Liu Zhixin hush money every year?

This move was utterly unlike Shi Ciye. Yet if it wasn’t him, then who could it possibly be?

Jiang Meijiao had been ill for years, and twenty-six years ago, Shi Yan had only just been born.

Still, there was one thing Shi Yu could be certain of:

If Jiang Ji’s account was true—knowing such a long-buried secret proved he’d come prepared.

Then his purpose for infiltrating the Shi family could be nothing but sinister.

Shi Yu pulled out his phone: “Xiao Ma, tell the team to pause everything…”

After hanging up, a new email notification popped up on his screen.

He opened his inbox—it was a drug analysis report.

The last time he’d sensed something off about Jiang Meijiao’s medication, he’d quietly slipped into her room, taken two pills, and sent them for testing.

After reading the report, Shi Yu’s frown deepened. The medicine was perfectly ordinary—standard psychiatric medication.

So had Jiang Meijiao not been taking it at all, leaving so much unused?

Yet if she hadn’t been taking it, why had Dr. Li said last time that the supply was nearly depleted?

Just as Shi Yu sank deeper into thought, the hotel door was suddenly kicked open.

More than a dozen black-suited bodyguards surged inside: “Young Master, the Master orders you to return home with us immediately.”

Shi Yu quietly closed his laptop. “What’s the rush? At least let me gather my things.”

The lead bodyguard replied firmly: “Young Master, don’t make this difficult for us.”

Like a criminal, Shi Yu was dragged back to the Shi residence.

Every member of the Shi family stood assembled in the main hall.

Shi Yan stood beside Shi Ciye. Jiang Ji and Shi Yu stood together.

Even Jiang Meijiao sat on the sofa, gazing at him with disappointment.

Seeing them all gathered, Shi Yu greeted them lightly: “Oh, everyone’s here. Is this a special setup—waiting for me to join dinner?”

Shi Ciye coldly commanded: “Kneel.”

Shi Yu feigned innocence: “What did I do wrong?”

Shi Ciye snapped: “Your online statements have turned the Shi family into a laughingstock—and yet you dare ask me what you’ve done wrong?”

Shi Yu retorted: “Did I say anything false? Aside from Brother, who else would go to such lengths to frame me online? Could it be Shi Yu?”

Shi Yu, suddenly under fire, quickly waved his hands: “Not me—I didn’t do it!”

Seeing Shi Yu’s defiance, Shi Ciye barked at the butler: “Old Wu—bring me the family punishment.”

Butler Wu respectfully presented a tray—on it lay a slender whip.

At the sight, Shi Yu tried to dodge—but the bodyguards behind him lunged forward and pinned him down.

Shi Yu cried out: “Dad, you’re serious?! Ah—!”

Before he could finish, the whip cracked fiercely across his back.

Shi Yu instinctively stepped forward—but the moment his foot lifted, he recoiled in fear.

Noticing his movement, Jiang Ji murmured softly: “The Master is furious. No one can reason with him right now.”

Shi Yu nodded, relieved.

When Shi Ciye raised the whip for the second strike, he roared: “Have you learned your lesson yet?”

Normally, Shi Yu would have instantly admitted fault. But just as he began lifting his head to apologize, he caught a flash of contempt in Shi Yan’s eyes.

He’d always known his beloved elder brother viewed him as a shameful lunatic. Yet they seemed to have forgotten the very reason he’d fallen ill in the first place.

Gritting his teeth, Shi Yu stubbornly declared: “I did nothing wrong.”

Then came the third strike—the fourth…

Shi Yu still refused to yield.

Shi Ciye struck with full force—soon Shi Yu’s entire back was drenched in blood.

His voice grew fainter and fainter.

Just as Shi Yu was about to collapse, Jiang Meijiao cried out: “Ciye—enough! Do you want to beat him to death?!”

Shi Ciye glanced at his wife—and stopped.

Shi Yu’s eyelids fluttered desperately, but through the haze he saw Jiang Meijiao turn to Shi Yu behind her and say: “Xiao Yu, quickly help Mother back to her room. Your father has gone mad—beating a servant so brutally.”

Shi Yu wanted to shout: “Mom—I’m Xiao Yu! I’m not a servant!”

But his throat filled with the metallic taste of blood.

All he could do was watch Jiang Meijiao’s retreating figure grow smaller and smaller. Swallowing the rising blood in his throat, he whispered: “…I did nothing wrong. You all owe me.”

Shi Ciye ordered coldly: “Lock Shi Yu in the storage room on the second floor. He will not be released until he admits his mistake.”

At the mention of the storage room, Shi Yu frantically shook his head: “Dad—I don’t want to go to the storage room! Dad—I admit it now! I was wrong! Don’t send me there!”

Shi Ciye snorted disdainfully: “Too late. I gave you your chance earlier—you refused it. Now go to the storage room and reflect on your actions.”

Shi Yu was dragged away by the bodyguards into the storage room. He heard the lock click shut outside—and scrambled toward the door to pound on it, only to be crushed by suffocating darkness into the corner.

He curled up, covering his ears, whispering to himself: “I did nothing wrong. You all owe me. You all owe me…”

But in the darkness, the bone-deep fear clung to him like maggots to a bone. His mind started replaying the scenes against his will.

A small, cramped closet, his curled-up figure lying inside. It felt like razors had been shoved down his throat. The itch and tingle on his skin came from mice crawling over him.

No, he had to escape.

He had to get home.

"Bang—"

A huge sound exploded, shocking everyone in the Shi family.

Steward Wu hurried to Shi Ciye: "Sir, the young master broke the storage room window."

Shi Ciye gritted his teeth: "What does he want now?"

Jiang Ji had been about to leave the Shi family after Shi Yu was taken upstairs. The moment his car started, he heard the loud noise.

He got out and saw Shi Yu standing amidst the shattered glass of the window.

And then Shi Yu leaped.

Jiang Ji was stunned by the decisiveness of Shi Yu's leap.

Luckily, thick grass broke his fall below, and the second floor wasn't too high. Shi Yu only rolled twice on the lawn before struggling to his feet.

Bearing the piercing pain in his feet, he moved forward.

Jiang Ji instinctively reached out to steady him.

But Shi Yu shoved his hand away.

Staggering over to Jiang Ji's car, Shi Yu got into the driver's seat.

Realizing Shi Yu intended to drive off alone, Jiang Ji immediately tried to stop him: "Young master, your physical condition won't allow you to drive alone."

The Shi family's bodyguards rushed out and saw Shi Yu already seated in the car.

Shi Yu, due to his leg problems, had never driven before, let alone gotten a driver's license.

Yet now he wanted to drive himself. How could the guards let that happen? "Young master, please get out of the car!"

Shi Ciye came out behind them, shouting: "Stop him!!!"

Shi Yu floored the accelerator expressionlessly.

The car suddenly sped up, charging toward the bodyguards.

The guards dove out of the way.

Shi Yu drove straight into the edge of the flower bed. The hood caved in.

Shi Ciye, seeing this, grabbed his chest in anger: "Stop him!!!"

Jiang Ji shouted loudly: "Close the gate!!!"

Only then did the guards think to close the gate.

But Shi Yu quickly reversed, turned around, accelerated, and smashed through the half-shut iron gate, and sped off.

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