"Why don't you just be with me?"
Danielle's mouth twitched slightly. Before she could say anything, a woman in a red dress, full of charm, came down from upstairs.
She rolled her eyes impatiently at the fat man. "Brother, you already married into a family, and that's not enough? Why are you here again? Aren't you afraid Dad will tear you apart?"
"Aiya, it's just for fun. Do you really think the old man would let this woman marry into the Jin family?" Jin Yu said casually, acting like Danielle and the others weren't even there.
Danielle rolled her eyes in disgust. "You wish, but too bad—I'm not interested in you. Enough with the nonsense. I'm here now, so hurry up and let my friend go."
Jin Yu turned red with anger and stood up suddenly. "Who are you calling a pig?"
"Whoever answers must be one. Just look at that rotting fat belly of yours."
Danielle leaned meaningfully against Zachary. See that? This is what a real body looks like.
Jin Yu was so mad he was huffing and puffing even more like a pig.
"Enough, brother. Don't forget why we came here today."
Jin Meier's beautiful eyes turned cold. Jin Yu immediately shut up, coughed a couple of times, and got to the point.
"Danielle, how about this: you hand over your recipe, and then reject my brother clearly. In return, I'll give your friend back to you safe and sound. How does that sound?"
Jin Meier sat on a chair with elegance, silent, letting Jin Yu handle Danielle.
But from Danielle's view, Jin Yu clearly wasn't the one in charge.
Danielle looked directly at Jin Meier. "Was kidnapping my friend your idea, or did someone tell you to do it?"
Jin Yu looked confused. Wait, wasn't he the one talking? Why was she asking his sister?
"Danielle, what do you mean? You're looking down on me? Do you know who I am? I'm—"
"Enough, brother. Shut up for a while!"
Jin Meier smiled and looked at Danielle with interest in her eyes.
"Interesting. I like talking to smart people."
Danielle raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Same deal: just give me the recipe, and I promise you and your friend will both be safe."
"So this is your own idea, huh?"
After confirming it had nothing to do with Dora, Danielle pressed her wristband.
"Jin Shan, handle your own family. Don't come to me again until it's done properly."
Jin Meier's face changed, and Jin Yu started looking around in panic.
"Jin Shan? Jin Shan is here too? You crazy woman, how dare you snitch!"
Danielle curled her lip. "Idiot."
Jin Meier didn't expect Danielle to be so bold. She had bribed the security team just to stop her from calling for help. Who would've thought the problem would come from Jin Shan?
Before she could come up with a solution, a team walked in through the main doors.
Jin Shan entered, his face cold, his presence strong and commanding.
The bodyguards already there in white suits panicked, not even daring to raise their heads.
"Release them."
The guards behind Jin Shan moved in and took control of the situation instantly.
Jin Yu's legs shook. "Jin Shan, y-you're here? This is all a misunderstanding, really!"
Jin Meier glared at him in frustration, then turned calmly to Jin Shan.
"Jin Shan, even if you're the young master of the Jin family, you can't control who we make friends with, right?"
Jin Shan ignored them and clapped his hands.
"Danielle, look—do you know this guy?"
Chu Xiong was dragged in by a white-clad guard, his mouth gagged. His eyes were filled with rage as he struggled, trying to break free.
Danielle shifted her gaze from Leng to the door and frowned slightly. "Chu Xiong, my neighbor! Is he also involved in this?"
Jin Shan had a vague feeling that this sneaky man looked familiar. Now, thinking back, he recalled seeing him peeking over the wall when he visited Danielle's house.
Jin Shan shook his head. "I haven't had a chance to ask yet, but it's still not too late."
Turning to the bodyguards behind Jin Yu, his voice was calm.
"Kneel."
Thud.
There was a loud and synchronized sound.
The previously arrogant bodyguards in white immediately panicked and knelt to the ground.
Jin Yu gaped, wanting to scream but too afraid to make a sound, looking pathetic.
He wasn't as composed as Jin Meier, whose expression didn't change at all.
Jin Meier spoke coldly, "Heh, Jin Shan, you're acting so arrogantly even before becoming the head of the Jin family?"
"Get up, everyone. Today, if anyone stays kneeling, they can leave."
The bodyguards exchanged awkward glances, unsure of who to listen to.
Jin Shan calmly rubbed his fingers. "Don't rush, big sister. Next, it's your turn."
"What? You want to deal with me? Do you even have the right?"
"Whether I have the right depends on Grandpa's will!"
When Jin Meier realized that Jin Shan might escalate things to their grandfather, she became anxious for the first time.
"This is such a small matter, and you want to tell Grandpa? You really amuse me. I just wanted to be friends with Miss Danielle. What's wrong with that? Are you allowed to make friends but I'm not?"
Danielle scoffed, pointing at the wounds on Fei Yang's body, angrily scolding, "Make friends? Is this how you make friends? Go to hell."
Danielle wasn't one to hold back with insults, especially when Jin Meier's actions were so disgusting.
Jin Meier's face twisted with anger as her beautiful features became slightly distorted. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"I admit, I acted impulsively, but… Miss Danielle, everything has a price. How much did my brother offer you? I can pay you double, as long as you give me the recipe and cut ties with my brother."
Jin Shan remained unfazed, not even interrupting Jin Meier's words.
As expected, Danielle scoffed again.
"Jin Shan, don't drag me into your family's mess. If you can't handle it, then don't show up in front of me again."
Danielle then supported Leng, while Zachary carried Fei Yang and walked toward the door.
As they passed Chu Xiong, Danielle reluctantly nodded, signaling the bodyguards to release him.
"Let's go. I'll take you home."
"Home? What home? I don't want to go back! I want to be with Miss Jin!" Chu Xiong, now free, suddenly rushed toward Jin Meier.
Jin Meier, already irritated, slapped him hard, stunning him.
"Get lost! Do you think I'd ever want a man like you?"
Chu Xiong stood frozen for a moment, holding his sore cheek and staring at Jin Meier.
"Miss Jin, you, you told me to stay here! Miss Jin, I'm not with them, you can't be mad at me."
He tried to hug Jin Meier, but she kicked him multiple times.
Looking down at the crumpled Chu Xiong on the ground, Jin Meier panted lightly.
"Someone, throw him out."
The bodyguards exchanged a glance at Jin Shan, receiving the signal before taking action.
Danielle didn't bother to care. This was his own choice, wasn't it?