No one at school who admired him would have imagined that this seemingly cold, aloof heartthrob was actually a bit of a chatterbox in private—and much of what he said could really make you want to punch him.
Ruan Fengsi frowned, his expression serious as he said to him, “Don’t say these kinds of things in front of Shushu, and definitely don’t say them in front of me or Dad. Don’t make us want to beat you up.”
Looking at his older brother’s demeanor, Ruan Ling’an pursed his lips.
He really didn’t know what was so great about that half-sister of his.
Suddenly, he recalled the scene of that little girl, tears in her eyes, softly murmuring as she dressed his wounds.
Alright, maybe she wasn’t all that bad.
On the way to court, Ruan Ling’an was curious, wondering, “Who’s Dad planning to sue? Whoever he’s personally dealing with must be quite unfortunate.”
Ruan Fengsi replied, “Shushu’s biological mother.”
Ruan Ling’an exclaimed, “Whoa, damn! That’s intense!”
This was totally unexpected. He was dying to know what had happened. To be honest, before he came back, he half-expected his dad to have found a new love.
Though he’d outgrown the resistance he felt about that as a kid, he still wasn’t thrilled at the idea of having to call some woman “Mom.”
Not that he’d ever planned on calling her that, rebellious as he was.
But when he got home and realized that apart from that half-sister, there was no trace of any other woman in the house, he felt a curious mix of relief and intrigue.
But he didn’t ask.
Who could’ve known that, the very next day, he’d hear that his half-sister’s biological mother had been brought to a military court by his dad?
Tsk tsk… this was getting interesting.
Ruan Fengsi didn’t have time to explain further as their hovercar had arrived at the entrance to the military court.
The entire Ruan family disembarked. This trial involved the Marshal himself, so even if Ruan Xiao preferred otherwise, it was bound to attract public attention.
There were two defendants. Xiao Yuanyi was brought in, shackled in prisoner’s clothes. The moment she looked up, she saw Ruan Shu, looking radiant and well-taken-care-of, seated in the front row in a beautiful outfit.
Not only that, but Marshal Ruan and Ruan’s eldest son were sitting beside her, and their attitude toward her appeared to be rather warm.
Xiao Yuanyi’s eyes lit up with a spark of hope, as if she’d found a lifeline. She struggled desperately, trying to break free from her captors to shout at Ruan Shu.
“Ruan Shu! Shushu, I’m your mother. Please, save me! Beg the Marshal to save me!”
Her face twisted with desperation. She had once been quite beautiful, but her time in prison had left her haggard and gaunt beyond recognition.
Ruan Shu simply looked at her, pressing her lips together without saying a word.
Ruan Xiao and Ruan Fengsi each held one of her small hands, saying nothing but providing silent comfort.
Ruan Ling’an crossed his arms and leaned back with a leg propped up, his expression cold as he watched the woman shift from begging his half-sister for help to hurling insults when she received no response.
The expression on his face turned dark.
No one, not even an outsider, had the right to bully a member of the Ruan family—even if she was “only” an illegitimate daughter.
Without a word, Ruan Ling’an picked up the water bottle beside him and hurled it directly at Xiao Yuanyi’s mouth with unerring accuracy and force.
She let out a scream as blood poured from both her nose and mouth.
“Clang clang clang…”
“Plaintiff’s family, please refrain from disrupting the court.”
Ruan Ling’an leaned back casually in his seat and replied nonchalantly, “Got it.”
Ruan Shu glanced at him in surprise, clearly not expecting him to act.
In fact, if Ruan Ling’an hadn’t stepped in first, both Ruan Xiao and Ruan Fengsi had been ready to act as well. Their gaze at Xiao Yuanyi still carried a trace of murderous intent.
In the Star Beast Empire, having children is one thing; abandoning or deliberately mistreating them is an entirely different matter, with severe penalties attached. Compared to other species in the universe, the population of the Star Beast Empire was relatively small, and the birth rate for children with strong bloodlines was even lower.
Take Ruan Xiao, for instance—he had lived for four hundred years and only had three children in total. In other species, there would have been countless descendants by now.
Moreover, because children tended to be quite a handful, fewer families even wanted them anymore. Now, the government had to offer strong incentives and rewards to encourage childbirth.
So while kids might be a little wild, the state was generally very kind and protective toward them. Any deliberate abandonment of a child was met with severe punishment, and if it went public, the backlash would be swift and condemning.
Even on social media, where people sometimes joked about letting their kids run wild, they at least ensured they had a good quality of life, particularly in terms of basic needs. Before children reached adulthood, there was generally an underlying layer of parental affection, especially from mothers. Parents might scold their own kids, but they wouldn’t tolerate others doing so—they were fiercely protective.
Xiao Yuanyi’s case, however, was particularly vile. Not only had she recklessly stolen the Marshal’s genes, but she had also abused the child after birth.
As the judge read out the testimonies, everyone in the courtroom couldn’t help but glance at the young girl with a delicate, pale face, sympathy growing in their hearts and their contempt for Xiao Yuanyi deepening.
Even Ruan Ling’an was taken aback, his gaze shifting to Ruan Shu with a complex expression.
The evidence was irrefutable, leaving Xiao Yuanyi no room to argue even if she wanted to.
Moreover, Dr. Lu Ren, who had been brought in, confessed to Xiao Yuanyi’s deceit and his role in what had transpired. He admitted his guilt without reservation. He resented Xiao Yuanyi, blaming her greed and lies for his current predicament.
With Lu Ren’s appearance, his testimony effectively sealed Xiao Yuanyi’s fate, leaving no possibility for leniency.
Xiao Yuanyi continued to struggle, clinging to Ruan Shu as her last hope.
But the law was unyielding, and even if Ruan Shu wanted to plead for mercy, it wouldn’t have helped.
In the end, Xiao Yuanyi was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Dr. Lu Ren, though a victim of her deception, received a fifty-year sentence due to his prolonged concealment and escape.
When Xiao Yuanyi was finally led away, Ruan Shu let out a small sigh, her face pale.
Ruan Xiao and Ruan Fengsi held her hands, sitting quietly with her.
“Hey, don’t tell me you’re actually feeling sorry for someone like that?”
Ruan Ling’an’s slightly mocking voice broke the silence. “If you could feel sorry for someone like that, I’d want to punch you. If it were me, that woman wouldn’t be able to get up from the beating. You’re too easygoing… no idea who you take after to let that kind of trash push you around like that…”
“Shut up!”
Ruan Xiao and Ruan Fengsi spoke in unison.
Ruan Ling’an pouted, “Did I say anything untrue?”
Ruan Shu replied, “I didn’t feel sorry for her, nor did I sympathize.”
She held her father’s and older brother’s hands and added, “She insulted you.”
This was what upset Ruan Shu the most. She didn’t mind Xiao Yuanyi’s insults toward herself, but the fact that Xiao Yuanyi had also insulted her father and brothers and even publicly stated that her Jingshen was at an F level, claiming it would bring shame to the Ruan family.
Ruan Shu was genuinely worried. In an era where strong Jingshen commanded respect, she feared she might be a burden to her family and that her presence would lead others to mock them.