The daughter-in-law knelt on the ground, her eyes swollen from crying, looking like peaches. Alex Harper was upset and frustrated, hating iron for not becoming steel, and could only comfort his daughter-in-law, “Don’t cry anymore. Today I will stand up for you and properly deal with that beast.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he caught sight of his son Jade just passing by the doorway.

Chapter Four: A Viper’s Heart

Alex Harper was furious, striding to the door and shouting, “You unfilial son, look at what you’ve done!”

Jade Harper was about to return to his own courtyard, but his father’s shout startled him. He turned back, looking at his father in confusion.

“Come in with me!”

Seeing that there were many servants in the courtyard and that family scandals should not be made public, Alex Harper suppressed his anger and brought his son into the main hall. As soon as Jade Harper entered, he saw his wife wiping away tears and the empty jewelry box on the table. He shuddered, immediately realizing that his theft of the jewelry had been exposed.

His heart was filled with both hatred and fear—hating his wife for telling his father, and fearing that his father would cut his allowance again, leaving him with no money to visit brothels. Jade Harper lowered his head, not daring to make a sound.

Alex Harper opened the empty jewelry box, slammed it on the table, and berated him angrily, “This is your doing, isn’t it!”

Jade Harper didn’t dare admit he’d spent the money on prostitutes, so he made up an excuse. “I owed gambling debts, and the bookie was pressing me hard. I didn’t dare tell you, Father. I was confused for a moment and made a terrible mistake. I know I was wrong and will never do it again.”

In fact, the reason Jade Harper had become such a good-for-nothing was largely because Alex Harper had spoiled him too much—spending lavishly to send him to the capital to study, but with no one to discipline him, he ended up a wastrel.

Alex Harper didn’t really want to punish Jade Harper; he just needed to give his daughter-in-law an explanation, so he had to put on a show. He roared, “You unfilial son, how dare you gamble! Someone! Drag him out and break his legs!”

Jade Harper’s wife was shocked. A scolding was one thing, but breaking his legs was too much. She hurriedly knelt to plead, “Since my husband knows he was wrong, please give him a chance to change, Father-in-law! The jewelry is gone, but if he’s crippled, he’ll never recover. Please forgive him this once.”

“Listen! Just listen!”

Alex Harper pointed at his son and cursed, “Look at your wife—how understanding she is toward you. And how do you treat her? Are you even human?”

Jade Harper cursed inwardly, but in front of his father, he didn’t dare show it. He forced out two tears. “Wife, I know I was wrong. I’ll never steal from you again, I swear to the heavens.”

“Fine! I’ll forgive you this time. I’ll remember your words—if it happens again, I’ll kill myself.”

Jade Harper’s wife was helpless. Her parents had been blind to marry her off to such a playboy; she had already given up on him.

His wife left, and now only father and son remained in the hall. Watching his wife’s departing figure, Jade Harper cursed bitterly, “Bah! That wretched woman, making a fuss over a few worthless trinkets and daring to complain about me!”

“Shut up!”

In truth, Alex Harper wasn’t really angry at his son. After all, men all have a bit of a lecherous streak—he himself was no exception. But seeing his son so brazen in front of him, he became furious, pointing and cursing, “You bastard! Our family is about to be trampled underfoot, and you still don’t strive for anything, spending your days with women. Do you really want me to take care of you for your whole life?”

Jade Harper, though a wastrel, was not stupid. He knew what his father was referring to and was somewhat dismissive. “Father, you worry too much. Although Weiming was appointed by Grandfather to run for the selection, as far as I know, the Imperial Uncle in the capital has already intervened. That spot will definitely go to the Guan family; the other families are just there for show. Besides, you’re the legitimate eldest son, so the position of clan head will have to go to you in the future. I don’t think Grandfather has many years left, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

“Nonsense!”

Alex Harper was livid, his neck straining as he cursed, “What do you know, you fool? Just because the Imperial Uncle intervenes, does that decide everything? Who doesn’t have connections? Who says our Harper family has no chance? You idiot, how did I end up with such a useless son!”

With his father calling him a fool and an idiot, Jade Harper was also enraged and humiliated. His face flushed as he retorted, “What does his alternate spot have to do with me? If you can’t persuade Grandfather, why push all the blame onto me? I refuse to accept it!”

“You unfilial son! I was going to recommend you for the alternate spot, but you’re so useless—spending a fortune to study in the capital and still failing the scholar’s exam. That’s why my recommendation was rejected. If it’s not your fault, whose is it? And you still dare talk back? Get out! Get out of my sight!”

Jade Harper’s face turned ashen from the scolding. He stomped his foot, turned, and left in anger. For a long while, Alex Harper sat down in despair, staring blankly outside the hall, troubled by the matter of the selection spot and not knowing what to do.

At that moment, a woman’s cold voice suddenly sounded behind him, “Master, it seems you’ve run into some trouble, haven’t you?”