He relaxed slightly and straightened his back before speaking to Zhang Zixuan:

“Don’t think that I’m afraid of you! You lot, hurry up and take away that white rice. If he dares to lay a hand on you, don’t hesitate to fight back!”

Hearing this, Zhang Zirong naturally wouldn’t hold back.

No—he never planned to in the first place.

However, just as he took two steps forward, he saw Zhang Zixuan approaching with a sturdy tree branch in hand.

From his stance, it was obvious that he was ready for a fight.

Thinking about his opponent’s legs, Zhang Zirong remained calm.

There was no way he would lose, right?

Even if Zhang Zixuan could walk properly now, he had still been bedridden for over two years.

Did he really think he could win so easily?

At this moment, Zhang Zirong seemed to have completely forgotten that Zhang Zixuan had been behind him earlier.

“Fourth Brother, let me tell you—ah! Ah!”

Before he could finish his sentence, Zhang Zixuan’s tree branch mercilessly struck him again and again.

By the time Zhang Zirong tried to fight back, Zhang Zixuan had already landed several blows.

“Mother! Father! Fourth Brother, stop hitting—ah! Ah!”

In the blink of an eye, Zhang Zirong was already black and blue.

If it weren’t for the fact that Zhang Zihua had once tried to beat him in the courtyard and Zhang Zirong had stepped in to stop it, Zhang Zixuan wouldn’t have stopped at just bruises.

Thinking of this, Zhang Zixuan finally withdrew his tree branch.

He had to admit, this branch was incredibly useful.

At first glance, it seemed heavy, but in reality, it was quite light and easy to wield.

It felt exceptionally smooth and handy in his grip.

“Zhang Zixuan, you unfilial son! Unfilial son!” Old Man Zhang pointed at him, his hand trembling.

“Unfilial son? Hahaha… That only applies if I’m actually your son. If I remember correctly, we have no relation anymore.”

As he said this, Zhang Zixuan deliberately glanced at Old Madam Liu.

As if he hadn’t heard Old Man Zhang’s words, he continued,

“I’ll give you one last chance. Are you leaving or not?”

“Leave? I’d like to see if you really dare lay a hand on me today!” Old Madam Liu retorted, unwilling to back down.

As she spoke, she picked up a stick and charged at Zhang Zixuan.

Seeing this, Zhang Zixuan merely squinted slightly.

If this had been before, he might have hesitated to fight back, just as Old Madam Liu assumed.

But now, after meeting Jian Xiu, he had realized something—sometimes, when the moment called for it, he had to act.

For kind-hearted people, he might give a second chance.

But for malicious people like Old Madam Liu, there was no need for mercy.

So, as she charged at him, Zhang Zixuan easily sidestepped her attack.

Then, he raised his tree branch and swung it down hard.

“Ahhh!”

He didn’t hold back on this strike.

Old Madam Liu instantly collapsed to the ground.

Even she was stunned.

The pain on her back was one thing—but what shocked her most was that Zhang Zixuan had actually hit her.

How dare he? How dare he…

If it were Jian Xiu, that would make sense.

After all, she hadn’t raised Jian Xiu.

Jian Xiu was born in Jianjia Village and wasn’t her responsibility—so why would she hold back against her?

But Zhang Zixuan was different. She had raised him herself.

To outsiders, he was still her biological son.

She had carried him in her womb for ten months—he was her flesh and blood.

How could he? How could he lay a hand on her?

“Are you that surprised?” Zhang Zixuan asked coolly.

Before Old Madam Liu could speak, he continued,

“That was just one strike, and you’re already in so much pain? Back when I was beaten in the courtyard, my suffering was ten, a hundred times worse than yours. Did you feel even a shred of sympathy for me?”

“And now you want to talk about me being your son? About whether I am unfilial or not? Tell me, do you even deserve to say that? Or… am I not actually your biological son at all?”

As he spoke, Zhang Zixuan’s sharp gaze never left Old Madam Liu.

Sure enough, the moment she heard this, panic flashed across her face.

Although she quickly masked it, Zhang Zixuan had already seen enough.

So, Jian Xiu was right—he really wasn’t her biological son.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Old Madam Liu said, flustered.

At the side, Old Man Zhang realized that the situation wasn’t going in his favor, so he quickly tried to change the subject,

“You unfilial brat! Do you think that just because you said all this, you can get away with beating your own mother? And before we split the family, the silver you lot took from us—you better hand it over!”

His tone was firm.

“Silver? What silver? What money did we take?” Zhang Zixuan asked curiously.

Zhang Zirong, standing beside Old Man Zhang, couldn’t help but chime in,

“Fourth Brother’s wife, stop pretending! If you didn’t take the money, how could you be living so well? Building a house, sending Liu Tou and the others to study at the academy?”

Hearing this, Zhang Zixuan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hahaha…”

He had wondered why they came back so soon after their last lesson.

So, they were still using the same excuse to try and take his things.

“What are you laughing at?” Old Man Zhang asked awkwardly.

Seeing Zhang Zixuan’s expression, he realized that maybe Zhang Zixuan hadn’t actually taken any silver over the years.

Even though Zhang Zixuan wasn’t his real son, he had still raised him.

He knew his temperament to some extent.

“My laughter has nothing to do with you. Back when we split the family, you were the one who insisted on cutting ties. You personally said that no matter if I ended up rich or poor, it had nothing to do with you. So what now? Now that I’m doing well, you want a piece of the pie?”

“You unfilial brat! Do you even know who you’re talking to? I’m your father—your father, do you understand?” Old Man Zhang roared, his teeth clenched in anger.

The veins on his forehead bulged.

Zhang Zixuan even wondered if they would burst.

“Father? Hahaha… You actually have the nerve to say that.”

Then, he continued,

“I’ll ask you one last time—are you leaving or not?”

“We’ll leave… if you return all the silver you owe us! Otherwise—”