Wen Zhi was still reeling from Gu Nian's words when
before she could even process them
Mo Tingyan suddenly snapped.
He lunged forward like a released spring, grabbing Gu Nian by the collar and yanking her up violently.
Gu Nian showed no fear at all.
Instead, she sneered, eyes filled with disdain, lips curling mockingly as she stared straight at him.
"Little bastard, why are you glaring at me like that? What—do you think you dare touch me? This is my house. Breaking in and assaulting someone—"
In that instant, Wen Zhi realized it.
This old woman was deliberately provoking him.
The moment he lost control and struck her here, on her territory, he would be the one with no way out.
Seeing Mo Zhenghan standing aside, doing nothing but angrily telling Mo Tingyan to let go—
Wen Zhi stepped forward decisively.
She grabbed the hand gripping Gu Nian's collar and looked at Gu Nian coldly, her voice sharp and steady.
"Gu Nian, put away your provocations. Say one more word, and I'll expose all the filthy things your son has done. When your company's reputation collapses, will you still not care?"
Gu Nian burst into arrogant laughter, looking down at Wen Zhi with wild confidence.
"Threaten me? Do you think the Mo family is still that tiny company it used to be? We're already partnered with the Mingguang Group. Contracts signed. Even if my son's reputation is ruined, how much money do you think I'll lose? I don't care at all!"
Wen Zhi frowned.
The Mingguang Group again.
Why were they collaborating with trash like this everywhere?
What kind of company would partner with people of this character?
Before Wen Zhi could respond, Gu Nian continued smugly,
"Besides, I'm just stating facts. The poor man you picked is a bastard born of a whore. Didn't you know that already?"
That was the final spark.
Mo Tingyan shoved Gu Nian away violently. She fell back onto the sofa.
Mo Zhenghan stood up immediately and shouted,
"Mo Tingyan! What are you doing?! That's your foster mother! This is rebellion!"
"To hell with your foster mother," Mo Tingyan snapped, completely ignoring him.
He lifted his leg, about to kick Gu Nian like a madman.
Wen Zhi moved instantly.
She stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, forcing him to stop. She looked up at him, her gaze unwavering, shaking her head firmly.
"Mo Tingyan. Calm down."
"Move," he growled, eyes bloodshot as he stared at Gu Nian's arrogant face.
"I want her dead."
"Mo Tingyan!"
Wen Zhi shouted sharply, pushing him back hard. Her voice turned ice-cold and fierce.
"If a mad dog bites you twice, you don't bite it back. You go get a rabies shot. Competing with an old rabid dog over who's more disgusting—is this really all the composure you have?"
He froze.
Staring into her furious eyes, the storm raging in his chest slowly, visibly began to retreat.
Gu Nian, who had been preparing to fake an injury, suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Wen Zhi's arm, raising her hand to slap her.
"Bitch! How dare you insult me—are you courting death?!"
Wen Zhi's expression turned glacial. She was just about to strike back—
But Mo Tingyan pulled her behind him instantly, shielding her completely.
With his other hand, he seized Gu Nian's wrist and flung her aside hard.
Gu Nian stumbled backward, spun deliberately—and collapsed onto the floor.
She looked up, face full of fake grief and rage.
"Little bastard! You broke into my home and assaulted an elder! I'm calling the police!"
Mo Tingyan had fully regained his composure now. He scoffed coldly.
"Go ahead—call them."
Before he could finish, Wen Zhi calmly scanned the living room, confirming there were no cameras. Then she spoke leisurely,
"Mrs. Mo, why are you biting people randomly? This is Mo Tingyan's father's home. He brought me here to meet the family—how is that trespassing? And as for just now? You lost your balance and fell on your own."
Gu Nian sneered,
"There are fingerprints on my collar. He grabbed me. I will destroy this bastard. You think playing clever will save him?"
Wen Zhi smiled faintly, unconcerned.
"Suit yourself. I saw it clearly—you were about to fall, and my Mo Tingyan tried to help you up but failed. That's exactly how I'll testify at the police station."
As she spoke, she naturally looped her arm through Mo Tingyan's and looked up at him.
"Since Mrs. Mo insists on framing and bullying you, why don't you call the police too? If that's not enough, we can invite reporters. You can tell them in detail how you were abused and abandoned by this family. Let the whole world see their rotten hearts."
Her brows lifted slightly as she turned back to Gu Nian.
"If needed, I'll even bring reporters to the Mingguang Group. We'll see then whether they still want to cooperate with a company run by people with this kind of moral rot."
Gu Nian stared at the sharp-tongued woman before her, murderous fury surging for the first time.
She wanted to tear that mouth apart.
But when she thought of the Mingguang Group contract—
She swallowed it all back, only glaring viciously.
Seeing that Gu Nian had no intention of calling the police, Wen Zhi lost interest entirely. She tugged Mo Tingyan's arm.
"This place reeks. Shall we go home?"
Mo Tingyan said nothing.
He followed her quietly, letting her lead him away.
Once outside the Mo residence, Wen Zhi took the car keys from his hand and walked toward the driver's seat.
"You're not in a good state. I'll drive."
Mo Tingyan didn't object.
He wasn't calm enough to drive anyway.
After getting into the car, he glanced at her sideways, hesitating.
Wen Zhi didn't start the engine immediately. Instead, she looked at him seriously and asked,
"Tell me the truth—did you cause Mo Tingjue's car accident? Gu Nian won't let this go. If she really traces it back to you…"
Mo Tingyan knew full well—they had no ability to trace it to him.
But to keep Wen Zhi from worrying, he replied steadily,
"No. Otherwise, why would I tell her to find a lawyer? A scumbag like Mo Tingjue—who knows whether he offended someone else, or if he's just been unlucky lately?"
Wen Zhi stared at his face for more than ten seconds.
He didn't look like he was lying.
She chose to believe him—for now.
Hopefully… it really wasn't him.
She looked away and started the car.
The entire drive, Mo Tingyan didn't speak.
Wen Zhi knew his mood was heavy, so she stayed silent too.
The quiet inside the car pressed down on him like weight.
After a long while, he suddenly asked,
"Why didn't you ask me?"
She glanced at him briefly while driving.
"Ask you what?"
He hesitated, then spoke with difficulty.
"My mother."
Wen Zhi recalled Gu Nian's words, his illegitimate status, and the fact that he had been driven out of the Mo family at such a young age…
She felt there was nothing she needed to ask—she already knew enough.
So she replied lightly,
"What's there to ask?"
The hand resting against the window clenched slightly—then slowly loosened.
Mo Tingyan's voice turned hoarse.
"She wasn't wrong. My mother really was…"