TLSOTMTKOGAYWHTDI Chapter 108
by VolareChapter 107: Grandfather’s Acquiescence or a Hostile Feast?
Chapter 107: Grandfather’s Acquiescence or a Hostile Feast?
The abrupt beeping of the disconnected call was especially jarring in the room.
Qi Yanwang stared at the darkened screen, the corners of his mouth slowly lifting: “Grandfather didn’t blow up. This means he’s acquiescing.”
Zhuo Huaimo dropped the towel in his hand to the floor: “Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
Qi Yanwang wrapped his arms around his waist, “Everyone in the Qi family has to be present at Grandfather’s birthday banquet.”
He leaned close to Zhuo Huaimo’s ear, “Perfect opportunity to announce our relationship.”
Zhuo Huaimo’s ears burned: “Last time, your father said he’d break your legs.”
“That was three years ago.”
Qi Yanwang waved his phone triumphantly, “Now he doesn’t even dare to hang up. That shows he’s compromised.”
Suddenly, lightning flashed outside the window, and a torrential rain poured down.
Zhuo Huaimo walked to the window and drew the curtains: “Your family… is very complicated?”
The smile on Qi Yanwang’s face faded slightly: “Grandfather has had two wives. My oldest brother and Xiao Man were born to the first wife, my second brother and I to the second.”
He paused, “My second uncle has always felt that Grandfather favors our side.”
“Your second uncle?” Zhuo Huaimo frowned.
“Qi Mingyuan.”
Qi Yanwang sneered, “Suave on the surface, but incredibly Machiavellian behind the scenes. Always trying to pawn people off on me, so I publicly doused him with red wine.”
The sound of raindrops hitting the glass suddenly became clear.
Zhuo Huaimo turned to face Qi Yanwang: “So this is a hostile feast?”
“Not quite.”
Qi Yanwang pulled him to sit on the edge of the bed, “But my second uncle will definitely stir up trouble.”
He squeezed Zhuo Huaimo’s fingers, “Especially after seeing how good-looking you are.”
Zhuo Huaimo pulled his hand back: “Let’s talk business.”
“The business is—”
Qi Yanwang suddenly became serious, “Don’t interact with my second uncle alone, don’t touch any cigarettes or alcohol he offers, and especially don’t believe anything he says about me.”
A flash of lightning illuminated the room, and Zhuo Huaimo saw the darkness in Qi Yanwang’s eyes.
He asked softly: “You have a history?”
“When I was fifteen, he locked me in the wine cellar for two days.”
Qi Yanwang’s tone was as calm as if he were talking about someone else’s affairs, “Just because he found out that Grandfather intended to groom me as the heir.”
Zhuo Huaimo clenched the bedsheets tightly.
“It’s okay, it’s all in the past.”
Qi Yanwang ruffled his hair with a smile, “He’s afraid of me now.”
His phone suddenly vibrated. Liu Jinchen sent a message:
[Liu Jinchen]: Old Qi! SOS!
[Liu Jinchen]: I’m going to deliver soup to Yu Feng Ran tomorrow. What should I wear?!!!”
Qi Yanwang rolled his eyes: “This idiot.”
Zhuo Huaimo leaned over to look at the screen: “Aren’t you going to do something about it?”
“Do what?”
Qi Yanwang typed furiously, “He’s already a veteran of the dating scene. He’s just too nervous and cares too much, so his IQ is declining!”
[Qi Yanwang]: Don’t wear anything!!!
[Liu Jinchen]: [Animated sticker] Puppy Shocked.jpg
[Liu Jinchen]: @#$%%$#%
[Li Yang]: ??? Are you showing off to us?
[Liu Jinchen]: [Voice message 12”] I’m nervous. He’s too good…
The voice message suddenly cut off, and three minutes later, a faint message arrived:
“Yu Feng Ran asked me why I suddenly stopped talking…”
Zhuo Huaimo laughed until his shoulders shook: “Liu Jinchen is done for.”
Just as Qi Yanwang was about to reply, an overseas number called.
He frowned and answered: “Xiao Man?”
“Brother!”
Qi Xiao Man’s voice was very low, “Second Uncle just talked to Grandfather for an hour. He’s throwing things in the study now!”
She paused, “He said you’re a disgrace to the family and not qualified to be the heir!”
Qi Yanwang’s eyes turned cold: “Then let him do it. I don’t care anyway!”
Qi Xiao Man, “Brother, don’t be impulsive. Come back earlier next month!”
The sound of porcelain shattering came from the other end of the phone, and Qi Xiao Man hung up in a hurry.
The room was frighteningly quiet.
Zhuo Huaimo looked at Qi Yanwang’s tense jawline and asked softly, “Is there a problem?”
“Second Uncle is making trouble.”
Qi Yanwang sneered, “His son’s recent investments failed, and he desperately needs Grandfather to inject capital.”
He took Zhuo Huaimo’s hand, “So he wants to make an issue out of our relationship.”
Zhuo Huaimo suddenly thought of something: “What’s your oldest brother’s attitude?”
“My oldest brother?”
Qi Yanwang’s expression was subtle, “He’s secretly hoping I’ll come out of the closet so there’s one less person competing with him for the family fortune.”
The sound of rain gradually subsided, and moonlight streamed in through the gap in the curtains.
Zhuo Huaimo suddenly straddled Qi Yanwang’s lap: “Qi Yanwang.”
“Hmm?”
“Is it really okay?”
Qi Yanwang’s breath caught in his throat. He held the back of his head and kissed him deeply.
The phone lit up again, with messages from Liu Jinchen one after another:
[Liu Jinchen]: Old Qi! Do you think I should just ask him out for dinner tomorrow?
[Liu Jinchen]: Would that be too fast?
[Liu Jinchen]: Can you ask Director Zhuo about his opinion? I’ll give you two lifetime VIP access!
[Li Yang]: Liu Jinchen, I don’t know you!
Qi Yanwang threw the phone aside and turned over, pressing Zhuo Huaimo into the mattress.
Outside the window, the starry sky after the storm was exceptionally clear, while in the Qi family’s old mansion across the ocean, the cigar smoke in the study was still lingering.
The next day, Zhuo Huaimo went to work at the company but encountered an unexpected figure downstairs.
“Lin Jianhe? Are you here to see Yu Feng Ran?”
“No, I’m here to see you. Do you have time to talk?”
The morning light streamed through the French windows of the cafe, gilding the edge of Zhuo Huaimo’s coffee cup.
He stared at Lin Jianhe’s haggard face—the once high-spirited elite now had heavy dark circles under his eyes, and his suit and tie were askew.
“So,”
Zhuo Huaimo stirred his coffee, “You’re here to ask me about Yu Feng Ran and Liu Jinchen?”
Lin Jianhe’s fingertips traced a circle around the rim of the cup: “Are they… together?”
“You shouldn’t be asking me that.”
Zhuo Huaimo put down his spoon, “You should ask Yu Feng Ran directly.”
“He’s blocked all my contact methods.”
Lin Jianhe smiled bitterly, “He’s even set up call blocking on the company landline.”
The plane tree leaves outside the window rustled in the wind.
Zhuo Huaimo surveyed the ring still on Lin Jianhe’s ring finger, which was a matching pair with Yu Feng Ran’s.
“Do you know what kind of person Liu Jinchen is?”
Lin Jianhe suddenly lowered his voice, “He was in juvenile detention when he was nineteen. The Green Dragon Gang’s assets…”
“I know.”
Zhuo Huaimo interrupted him, “I also know that he quit smoking, learned to cook, and rejected all flirtations for Yu Feng Ran’s sake. At least he wouldn’t go drinking with other people when Yu Feng Ran gets drunk!”
Lin Jianhe’s expression froze.
“Lin Jianhe,”
Zhuo Huaimo looked him straight in the eye, “In what capacity are you questioning me now?”
The coffee cup landed on the saucer with a “clink.”
Lin Jianhe’s Adam’s apple bobbed: “I just… don’t want him to be deceived.”
“Deceived?”
Zhuo Huaimo sneered, “Compared to Liu Jinchen’s little black history, isn’t the son of the mastermind behind a financial fraud case more dangerous?”
Lin Jianhe’s fingers curled up involuntarily, his knuckles white.
“You approached Yu Feng Ran to investigate the funds my parents handled back then.”
Zhuo Huaimo’s voice was very soft, “Right?”
The background music in the cafe suddenly switched to “Canon,” its cheerful melody incongruous with the current atmosphere.
Lin Jianhe stared at his reflection in the coffee, his voice hoarse: “At first, it was.”
“And later?”
“Later…”
Lin Jianhe suddenly tore off his tie, “I don’t fucking know either!”
The customers at the next table were startled by this low roar.
The waiter hesitated whether to come over but was stopped by Zhuo Huaimo’s wave.
“That day in the parking lot,”
Lin Jianhe grabbed his hair, “I saw Liu Jinchen hugging him and wanted to kill that kid.”
He looked up, his eyes bloodshot, “But I hate myself even more…”
Zhuo Huaimo silently waited for him to calm his breathing and then suddenly smiled,
“Lin Jianhe, objectively speaking, you’ve lost!”
Lin Jianhe glared at him, “What do you mean? Why do you say that? You’re not qualified!”
Zhuo Huaimo smiled, “I’m indeed not qualified, but since you don’t even dare to admit that you like him, I think you’re even less qualified!”
With that, he turned and left.
“Wait!”
Lin Jianhe called him to a halt and handed him a file bag.
“What’s this?”
“The truth about your parents’ death!”
Zhuo Huaimo looked at him in astonishment. He couldn’t believe that something he and Qi Yanwang had been investigating for so long could be obtained so easily!
Lin Jianhe looked at him, “What you’ve seen is just the novel version. There’s no evidence, just a direction for your investigation. Consider it my repayment for the coffee!”
“The murderer is your father. Are you willing?”
“Anyway, he’s never treated me like his son. He needed someone he could trust to deal with his dirty past, so he brought me back!”
Zhuo Huaimo stared at him, “Do you have the original evidence?”
“Yes!”
“What are the conditions?”
“I want Yu Feng Ran back by my side!”
“I’m sorry, I can’t help you with that. I can’t sell out or influence my friend’s feelings for my own sake!”
—
Zhuo Huaimo threw the file bag heavily on the desk, startling Qi Yanwang, who jumped up from the sofa:
“What’s this?”
“Lin Jianhe gave it to me.”
Zhuo Huaimo loosened his tie, “Clues about my parents’ car accident.”
Qi Yanwang’s expression instantly changed, and he snatched the file bag.
Yellowed newspaper clippings slid out—the financial headlines from twenty years ago, “Zhuo Couple Dies in Car Accident, Hundred Billion Project Shrouded in Mystery.”
“Fuck…”
Qi Yanwang’s fingers trembled slightly, “How could he…”
“His father is the mastermind.”
Zhuo Huaimo’s voice was icy, “Lin Jianhe said this is just the novel version, without substantial evidence.”
Qi Yanwang suddenly looked up: “He made a deal?”
“Yeah.”
Zhuo Huaimo tugged at the corner of his mouth, “He wants me to help him steal Yu Feng Ran back.”
The office suddenly became eerily quiet.
Qi Yanwang spread out the clippings one by one and suddenly sneered: “Use this to blackmail you? Does he deserve it?”
“I didn’t agree.”
Zhuo Huaimo walked to the window, “But this clue is worth investigating.”
Qi Yanwang had already dialed the phone: “Old Zhou, help me investigate someone—Lin Zhenye. Focus on his financial transactions around the time of the Zhuo couple’s car accident in 2003.”
Hanging up, he hugged Zhuo Huaimo from behind: “We don’t need to rely on him.”
Zhuo Huaimo leaned on his shoulder: “Liu Jinchen’s side…”
“Old Liu is serious.”
Qi Yanwang kissed his earlobe, “This morning, he ran over to ask me how long Old Yu would be filming in Yunnan. He even prepared three kinds of mosquito repellent.”
Zhuo Huaimo laughed softly: “Does Yu Feng Ran know?”
“He knows.”
Qi Yanwang pulled out his phone, “Look—”
On the screen was a post Yu Feng Ran had just made on Moments: a selfie at the airport, captioned [New Beginning].
In the corner, Liu Jinchen’s flowery arm could be vaguely seen, secretly stuffing snacks into his suitcase.
“Lin Jianhe is doomed to lose.”
Qi Yanwang raised his eyebrows triumphantly, “Old Liu is so single-minded that once he sets his mind on someone, it’s for life.”
Zhuo Huaimo looked at the darkening sky outside the window: “What about us?”
Qi Yanwang turned him around, their foreheads touching: “We recognized each other even earlier, didn’t we?”
The phone suddenly vibrated. A private detective sent a message: [Found that Lin Zhenye had a mistress back then, now living in San Francisco, may know the inside story]
Qi Yanwang put away his phone: “It’s time to close the net.”