Chapter Seventy-Three: The Shameless Expulsion Order

Three days later, the forum officially came to an end.

In truth, ever since Yan Yuanqing had taken the stage, the entire atmosphere of the forum had begun to subtly shift. The moment the forum concluded, many attendees rushed eagerly toward Yan Yuanqing, hoping to engage him in conversation and prepared with all sorts of topics to discuss. In fact, it seemed that most people were no longer attending the forum for its own sake. Instead, they had come simply for the chance to meet Yan Yuanqing in person—to exchange thoughts with this young prodigy, to delve into professional discussions, and in doing so, to advance their own abilities.

At last, it was over. Stretching lazily, Yan Yuanqing prepared to leave. Yet, just as he returned home, he received news that filled him with immediate and furious anger.

Shi Tianhe, along with several highly respected elders of the Shi family, had issued an expulsion order against Shi Yurou two days prior. She was being forced, within a set period, to vacate the Shi family compound and seek her own path in the world outside—whether by renting or purchasing a new home, she was forbidden from continuing to live in the house that had once been allotted to her by the family. It was a blatant act of hostility, devoid even of the pretense of decency, utterly disregarding familial ties and any sense of kinship.

Yan Yuanqing had never imagined that one’s own family could act with such cold-hearted ruthlessness.

“Yurou, where are you now?” Upon hearing the news, Yan Yuanqing immediately reached out to Shi Yurou.

“I—I’m at work. What’s wrong?” Her voice trembled with barely concealed panic. The inevitable had finally come. Clearly, upon returning home, Yan Yuanqing had discovered the upheaval that had taken place. Shi Yurou knew his temperament well—he was not one to suffer even the smallest injustice without response.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Yan Yuanqing appeared at her workplace. This, too, was a clinic funded by the Shi family, though its scale and importance were a far cry from the Shi Family Traditional Medicine Clinic where Yan Yuanqing had worked before. It was a marginal enterprise, barely acknowledged by the family, and resources were scarce. Most of the clan avoided working here, all vying instead for positions at the main clinic.

To fill the vacancies, most of the staff had been hired from outside. For Shi Yurou, who by rights should have enjoyed a respectable position within the family, to be stationed here was clearly a form of exile.

“You’ve been working here all this time? I always thought you were at the hospital!” Yan Yuanqing’s eyes reddened as he surveyed the workplace.

A deep sense of guilt gnawed at him. Why hadn’t he paid more attention to Shi Yurou? Why had he allowed her to endure such hardship every day?

Shi Yurou offered him a gentle smile, warmed by his concern. “Yes, I’ve been working here for quite a while. It’s not as bad as you might think.”

“It may not compare to the family’s more prestigious businesses, and the pay isn’t great, but everyone here is genuinely kind. The atmosphere is more relaxed, too—there’s less scheming and competition.”

But Yan Yuanqing could not bear to listen to her explanations. Overcome by a sudden possessive impulse, he seized Shi Yurou’s delicate hand and began to pull her toward the door.

Shi Yurou was caught completely off guard by his sudden action, especially in such a public setting. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. She gently tugged her hand, urging Yan Yuanqing to calm down. Then she withdrew, rubbing the spot where his grip had left a faint red mark.

“I’m sorry. I was too hasty. Did I hurt you?”