Sherman Golding helped up his whimpering eldest son. After feeling him over and confirming no bones were broken, he finally relaxed. Seeing Mandy York being run in circles like a fool, he roared in frustration, "What are you doing messing around with that little brat? Get over here and plant these beans!"

If they didn’t start planting the beans now, the other villagers would be getting off work soon. It really wouldn’t do for people to see this.

Mandy York gritted her teeth, unwilling to let it go. She shot Tang Xiaonan a vicious glare. ’I’ll plant the beans for now,’ she fumed, ’and teach this little brat a lesson later.’

"No planting!"

Tang Xiaonan charged forward and slammed into Mandy York, knocking her down. Many of the beans in the basket she was holding scattered across the ground. Mandy York’s temper flared again. She raised her hand to slap Tang Xiaonan, but Adrian Hawthorne quickly moved in front of the girl, and the slap landed squarely on his back.

"Where’s my little girl?" Felix Thorne’s anxious voice drifted up from a distance.

"Just up ahead..." came the breathless voice of Old Master Tate.

Tang Xiaonan’s eyes lit up. ’Dad’s finally here!’

"I’m telling my dad! He’s going to teach you a lesson!"

An idea sparked in Tang Xiaonan’s mind. Tears began to stream down her face as she let out a heart-rending cry. Down at the bottom of the slope, Felix Thorne’s heart twisted in agony at the sound. ’How dare they hit my little girl?’ he thought. ’My precious daughter, whom I wouldn’t even lay a finger on! That bastard Sherman Golding must have a death wish!’

"Who the hell do you think your dad is? I’m going to beat you to death, you little brat!"

Mandy York, who hadn’t heard the commotion from the bottom of the slope, was livid. She raised her hand again, preparing to teach Tang Xiaonan a proper lesson, and Felix Thorne saw the whole thing as he came up the hill.

"I dare you to try it!"

Felix Thorne strode over, looking absolutely murderous. Right behind him was Phoebe Huxley, radiating the same killing intent. The moment the couple heard their precious daughter was being bullied, they had dropped everything and rushed over.

When Sherman Golding saw the couple, he couldn’t help but shiver. His lips trembled as he tried to force a smile, but his face was too stiff.

Mandy York was trembling as well. All of her previous arrogance and aggression evaporated the moment she saw Felix Thorne and Phoebe Huxley. Her knees felt weak.

"Daddy... I can’t hear out of my ear... *sob sob*... It hurts so much... It’s ringing..."

Tang Xiaonan wailed at the top of her lungs, though it was mostly for show. Her face did sting, but as an adult on the inside, she could easily endure such minor pain. Right now, however, she needed to play the victim so that Felix Thorne would teach this shameless family a brutal lesson.

After a few loud wails, Tang Xiaonan felt something hard in her mouth, followed by the coppery taste of blood. She instinctively spat and saw a mouthful of red. She froze in shock. ’This is bad,’ she thought, panicked. ’That bitch must have given me an internal injury!’

"I’m dying... I’m spitting up blood..."

This time, Tang Xiaonan’s tears were real, streaming down her face like a flash flood. ’I finally got parents and a brother who adore me, and I haven’t even had a chance to enjoy this life yet! And now this bitch is about to cut it short just like that! Who knows what kind of parents I’ll get the next time I’m reincarnated!’

Felix Thorne was terrified. Forgetting all about teaching Sherman Golding a lesson, he quickly scooped up Tang Xiaonan to check on her. When he saw her fair, tender face swollen high and marked with five bright red finger marks, the murderous aura around him grew even thicker.

"Tell Daddy. Where did they hit you?"

"Here, and here... they hit me all over," Tang Xiaonan sobbed, tattling on them. "Mr. Hawthorne tried to protect me, and they hit him, too... They even said they were going to beat you up, Daddy..." She pointed randomly at different spots on her body. To Felix Thorne, it looked as if his daughter had been beaten black and blue by the Golding family, and the look in his eyes turned utterly savage.