(7 Fresh Coins) Chapter 13 (Part 1): A Belated Rebellion

He pushed open the door, and there was the man, as always, half-reclining on the bed, with his mother sitting beside him as usual. Xu Qi noticed a fleeting unease on his mother's face the moment he opened the door. Without time to ponder the meaning of that expression, he took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the graying hair and aged yet dignified face of the other woman, before speaking softly.

“Father, I want to talk to you.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xu Qi keenly noticed that his mother, who had been sitting quietly, glanced at Xu Qingjue almost imperceptibly before turning back to look at him silently. Although his mother didn't speak, merely appearing calm as she looked at him, he knew this was evidence of her unease. A sudden undercurrent seemed to surge in the otherwise tranquil room—and at the center of this vortex was his father, half-reclining on the bed. Xu Qi composed himself, his fists clenching unconsciously.

The last time he faced this kind of atmosphere was when he was 18 years old, when he confessed his feelings for Xu Yi to his father.

The man seemed unsurprised, not even opening his closed eyes, but simply nodding slightly. Shao Minyu, who was by the bedside, quickly understood, stood up, walked to her son standing at the door, and whispered, "Qi'er, your father is not in a good mood today, so be careful."

Alarm bells rang in Xu Qi's mind, and his back tensed even more. To everyone else, he, Xu Qi, was the head of New York's number one gang, a powerful figure who could command the winds and rains, a man whose mere presence shook the earth. However, he knew that to his father, his wings were not yet fully grown. He wasn't confident he could escape unscathed given his father's explicit opposition.

He hadn't cared about these things before, because he always considered himself not a rebellious person and didn't think it was worth going against his father—even though he had suffered for so many years because of his feelings for his younger brother, he had never thought of defying the world. However, things are unpredictable. As he approached thirty, he suddenly tore off his mask of conformity, and was willing to turn against his father for it.

"Don't be nervous." After Shao Minyu left, Xu Qingjue finally spoke again, "I only have one question for you: how do you plan to deal with your lover?"

As expected. Xu Qi sighed inwardly. Although he had long since retired, the "Azure Dragon" of yesteryear was no mere figurehead; his imposing aura remained. It was far too easy for him to know this fact about him. Of course, he had never intended to hide it from his father.

“He is not my lover,” Xu Qi retorted quickly, then stared straight at the other person. “He is my lover, and his name is Si Qiang.”

The man's previously relaxed, closed eyelids suddenly snapped open, and a startling glint flashed in his eyes, which should have been clouded by illness. Yet, his withered, sallow face remained calm and expressionless.

The man, as chilling as a flame beneath the ice, was the true face of "Azure Dragon," who had dominated New York and even North America for 30 years. However, this was a real head-on confrontation, and he couldn't afford to lose face. Xu Qi met the man's gaze without flinching, displaying an unprecedented resolve: "I'm here to tell you my decision. I will be with Si Qiang."

He heard his own cold, hard voice, as sharp as metal cutting through jade, and the last trace of unease in his heart finally vanished. Rebelling against his father might be the first memorable event in his otherwise bland and indifferent life.

Xu Qingjue's expression remained unchanged. His gaze lingered on the man's face for a few more seconds before he slowly closed his eyes. After a long while, a deep voice slowly escaped his lips: "Two conditions. Resolve the issue of the heir, and pass a test."

The issue of succession is relatively easy to resolve; after all, modern technology is quite advanced, and solving this problem isn't difficult. The real issue is this so-called test, which is definitely not as trivial as it sounds—he hadn't personally experienced his father's methods, but he knew that neither he nor Si Qiang could easily overcome them. However—

"Thank you for your kindness, Father." He slightly raised the corners of his lips, his expression full of confidence. Then, his expression turned serious, he bowed deeply to the man, and turned to leave.

The man lying on the bed opened his eyes again the moment Shao Minyu pushed open the door, his brows furrowing slightly. But when he saw Shao Minyu enter, he regained his calm expression and nodded slightly to her.

The room's soundproofing was excellent, and Shao Minyu, standing outside the door, was completely unaware of what was happening inside. However, that didn't mean she hadn't noticed anything. Seeing the grave expression on her son's face when he came out, she knew things had indeed taken the turn she least wanted. She sighed deeply. Was she, already over fifty, really going to have to face her usually obedient son's belated rebellion?

Author's Note:

I had menstrual cramps all day yesterday, but I finally made it today!!

Please don't abandon your cats, everyone...