ASSHKHME Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Doubt

Xu Keyuan coughed twice, which aggravated the incision, causing him to frown slightly. “Xiaozhuo is here.”

Under the crowd’s inquiring gazes, Chen Zhuo stopped in his tracks and politely asked, “Uncle, how are you feeling?”

Xu Keyuan leaned against the propped-up headboard. The pain had diminished his usual authority. “Just a minor problem, nothing serious. Qingyou told me you were here yesterday too.”

Chen Zhuo was bewildered, not understanding why Xu Keyuan had suddenly stopped him in front of so many people. “Yes, you were asleep yesterday. Seeing that you were doing okay, I went back.”

Xu Keyuan nodded. “Is that Xie family’s young master at the door?”

Chen Zhuo turned his head to look.

The door was closed, so he couldn’t see outside. That meant Xu Keyuan had seen him when he first entered and had also seen Xie Yu beside him.

Chen Zhuo said, “Yes, Uncle. We’re friends. We happened to have something to discuss today, so he came with me.”

A surgery had left him with little energy. Xu Keyuan weakly said, “That’s good. You should maintain a good relationship with classmate Xie. It’s good for you young people to make more friends. Taifeng and Huasheng will inevitably cooperate in the future.”

Hearing this, Chen Zhuo’s brow twitched slightly. His feelings towards Xu Keyuan were complicated.

If Xu Keyuan hadn’t insisted on sending his father to Western Sichuan, his parents wouldn’t have died on that narrow mountain road. He would have had a happy childhood. Therefore, he harbored resentment and hatred towards Xu Keyuan.

But after his parents died, it was Xu Keyuan who insisted on bringing him back to the Xu family to raise him.

At that time, he was young and the sight of his parents’ tragic death had caused severe psychological trauma. He hadn’t spoken a word for almost half a year.

It was also Xu Keyuan who brought in experts from home and abroad to treat him, and he slowly returned to normal life. Therefore, he also felt gratitude.

These two opposing emotions pulled at him, causing Chen Zhuo great pain.

When he lived in the Xu family, he always stayed in his room, rarely talking to Xu Keyuan and Zheng Fei.

Later, he overheard him telling Zheng Fei that he couldn’t be tamed, so he tried even harder to diminish his presence, fearing being suspected of coveting the Xu family’s wealth. He chose to live at school in high school.

Chen Zhuo didn’t understand why Xu Keyuan was talking to him about the company, so he simply responded, “Okay, Uncle.”

Someone heard Xu Keyuan’s conversation with Chen Zhuo and wondered about Chen Zhuo’s identity. “This young man seems a little familiar. I think I saw him at Xu’s engagement banquet?”

In the past, when people saw Chen Zhuo and asked, Xu Keyuan would downplay it and casually find a reason to brush it off.

But today, he said, “This is Chen Zhuo, the son of Chen Qi, our group’s most outstanding architect. Following in his father’s footsteps, he studied design. He’s a reserve talent for Taifeng.”

Chen Zhuo secretly glanced at Xu Keyuan, feeling anxious. Everything today was too unexpected.

The person realized and repeatedly praised the Xu family for being responsible and having a sense of duty.

Chen Zhuo sneered inwardly. His parents’ tragic death and his helpless childhood seemed to have become a shining halo for the Xu family.

Xu Keyuan chatted with the person, “Old Chen sacrificed himself for the company’s public welfare. The Xu family raising his child is what we should do. Moreover, it’s fate. He’s no different from our own. Qingyou and he have a very good relationship, like real brothers.”

Hearing this, Chen Zhuo felt even more bizarre. What was going on? Was he no longer afraid that he would covet the Xu family’s fortune?

The visiting hours were over, and soon a nurse came to urge people to leave. The others said their farewells one after another.

When Chen Zhuo was also about to leave, he was stopped by Xu Keyuan again.

Xu Keyuan weakly said, “Xiaozhuo, do you know the reason for Qingyou’s broken engagement?”

Chen Zhuo was stunned, not understanding whether Xu Qingyou had confessed or if it had blown up.

He feigned surprise, “Ah? What? Qingyou-ge broke off the engagement? I don’t know! What happened? Wasn’t it just a while ago that they got engaged?”

Xu Keyuan glanced at him lightly, asking without revealing his emotions, “I thought Qingyou would tell you. He said he has someone he likes. Do you know who it is?”

Chen Zhuo fiddled with the hem of his pants, feeling like he was being talked to by the head teacher. He responded with restraint, “Uncle, I don’t usually contact Qingyou-ge very often, so I’m not very clear about this matter. Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

Xu Keyuan sighed. “Is that so? When children grow up, as parents, there are always things we can’t take care of. As a younger brother, you should also care more about your older brother for us.”

Chen Zhuo pursed his lips. “Okay, I will, Uncle.”

The nurse came to urge them again. Chen Zhuo said, “Uncle, you should rest well. I’ll go first and visit you another day.”

Xu Keyuan nodded, then suddenly said, “Xiaozhuo, although we didn’t go through the adoption procedures when we brought you home, in these ten years, your aunt and I have treated you as our own child. You’re also a member of the Xu family, understand?”

Chen Zhuo felt that Xu Keyuan was really strange today, making his hair stand on end. “I understand. I’m very grateful that you and Aunt Zheng took care of me and raised me.”

Xu Keyuan sighed. “Your brother’s wings have hardened now. He didn’t even discuss such a big thing as breaking off the engagement with us. When you go home and see your brother, help your uncle ask what exactly happened.”

Chen Zhuo was full of question marks. “Ah? Go home? Uncle, I’m currently living in the house my parents left behind. I don’t live in the Xu family.”

Xu Keyuan’s sharp, hawk-like gaze swept over Chen Zhuo. “Is that so? I thought you two brothers lived together.”

Chen Zhuo said, “No, Qingyou-ge is so busy with work, I don’t want to bother him.”

Xu Keyuan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, wearily saying, “That’s good. I need to rest too. Xiaozhuo, you can go back now.”

“Okay, you rest well.” Chen Zhuo nodded repeatedly and strode out of the ward.

Xie Yu saw him come out. “Didn’t you say you’d be out in less than a minute? It’s been half an hour. We haven’t had breakfast yet. Are you hungry? Let’s go grab something to eat.”

Chen Zhuo frowned, ignoring him.

Xie Yu poked his cheek, asking, “What’s wrong?”

Chen Zhuo shivered, narrowing his eyes. “Hiss, I feel… tsk, I can’t really describe the feeling. It seems like Uncle Xu was overly enthusiastic towards me today. It’s a little scary.”

Xie Yu put his arm around his shoulder as they walked into the elevator, nonchalantly saying, “Who cares about him? Let’s go, let’s go. I exerted so much effort yesterday, I’m starving.”

There was no one in the elevator. Chen Zhuo laughed, dispelling the doubts in his heart. “What? Want a few oysters to replenish your energy?”

Xie Yu chuckled. “Do I need to replenish anything? If you hadn’t admitted defeat, I could have fought another eight hundred rounds.”

The two joked and laughed as they got off the elevator and walked towards the parking lot.

Private hospitals had ample parking spaces.

Xie Yu naturally hooked his arm around Chen Zhuo’s neck and lowered his head, just about to “pop” a kiss on his cheek, when a familiar voice suddenly came from behind, filled with surprise and confusion: “Xiaoyu? Xiaozhuo?”

It was Cheng Tangyu.

Chen Zhuo froze, a chill running down his spine. Cold sweat was about to break out. He didn’t dare to turn his head and, instinctively, he pushed Xie Yu away.

“Bang—”

Caught completely off guard, Xie Yu crashed into the black Volkswagen next to them, falling directly onto the car’s hood.

Chen Zhuo didn’t expect him to be so easily pushed. He took two steps forward, unsure whether to help him up, feeling guilty. “Uh… are you okay?”

Xie Yu supported himself up in a disheveled manner,Covered knees, grimacing and glaring at Chen Zhuo, lowering his voice to say, “…You’re really strong!”