C9 Teachings

Deng Zilan shot to her feet, her eyes blazing as she confronted Ai Xia. "Is this the way you raise your child? Listen to how he speaks. Does he even recognize his elders anymore?"

Ai Xia replied with a cold sneer, "How I educate my child is none of your business. Cut the chatter and just sign the contract. We all have things to do."

Others chimed in with their agreement, "Yes, let's get this over with." "We've all had a hard time; the bank has been on our case several times already."

Bolstered by the crowd's support, Ho Xin swelled with arrogance. He jabbed a finger at Deng Zilan and taunted, "You'd better sign that contract, or I'll make your life here miserable. Believe me."

Trembling with rage, Deng Zilan jabbed her finger back at Ho Xin and spat out, "You... get out of my sight!"

Ho Xin sneered dismissively, "As if you're someone to reckon with!"

"Who do you think you are?" Ho Lee bellowed as he seized Ho Xin by the hair and slammed his head onto the glass coffee table. The sound of shattering glass filled the room. Ho Xin writhed on the floor, a long gash splitting his face, as he cursed, "Damn you, Ho Lee! You lowlife! How dare you hit me!"

Ai Xia, seeing her son assaulted, was livid. She pointed at Ho Lee and yelled, "You ill-bred mongrel, have you turned into an animal since your father died?"

Red-eyed with fury at the insult to his father, Ho Lee slapped Ai Xia across the face, retorting, "What's wrong with you people? Have you been eating filth? Your mouths reek! I'm going to teach you a lesson in humanity today." With that, he dragged Ho Xin toward the balcony.

The onlookers gasped in horror, pleading, "Come on, let it go. We're all family here."

The elders in the room admonished, "Release him! Do you want blood on your hands?" "Deng Zilan, what kind of son have you raised?"

Ho Lee turned a deaf ear to them as he hauled Ho Xin onto the balcony, gripping his collar and dangling him over the edge.

The room fell into stunned silence. Ho Xin, staring down at the ground far below, panicked, his hands flailing as he screamed, "Oh my God, help me, please, somebody help! Mom, save me, waaa..."

Ai Xia jolted awake and shrieked, "Release my son, let him go!"

"You best stay back, or your son will end up a mangled mess!" Ho Lee gave her a chilling glance. Ai Xia, petrified, remained rooted to the spot, pleading, "Please, don't do anything foolish, I'm begging you..."

Ho Lee turned to glare at Ho Xin, "What were those words you hurled at my mother? Now, hurl them at your own."

Ho Xin hesitated, prompting a sardonic smile from Ho Lee, "My strength is waning, and your shirt seems rather flimsy."

Glancing down, Ho Xin noticed his T-shirt was stretched out of shape, his face drained of color as he yelled, "You're despicable..."

"Clarify for me, who's despicable? Name them," Ho Lee demanded sharply.

In tears, Ho Xin blurted out, "Ai Xia, you're despicable, damn you..." In a life-or-death situation, Ho Xin didn't care if he was cursing his own parents; to save his skin, he'd curse all his ancestors if he had to.

The room fell eerily silent, with only Ho Xin's bitter curses resonating. Everyone present felt an unsettling chill at the bizarre spectacle.

Ho Lee flung Ho Xin to the floor, declaring, "You lack any shred of decency. Since you don't regard us as family, from now on, we'll stay out of each other's way. The bank's deadline is two months out, and I, Ho Lee, won't default on you..." With that, he took pen to paper and drafted a note, "If the money isn't repaid in two months, the house is yours." He was aware that without settling the debt, a lawsuit was inevitable; his priority was to secure a two-month reprieve.