Chapter 40

——It happened three to four hours ago.

Without waiting to be greeted or to say a word, Shan Li was grabbed by one arm, twisted back and forced against the car door.

Pei Huai's strength was largely due to his unstoppable explosive power. Even long-term muscle training wouldn't necessarily be enough to counteract it.

The Latin bodyguard's first reaction was to point his gun at his head, but this kind of muscle memory often leads to trouble.

Of course the latter agreed to join in. Without blinking, he pressed the safety pin with his backhand, his movements as fast as lightning.

He raised the muzzle of the gun, and with one movement, Cink's armpit was exposed. He found the right position and hit the opponent's elbow, once, twice, until the gun was neatly disarmed.

After doing all this, Pei Huai held the weapon in one hand, pointed the muzzle of the gun at the bodyguard's forehead as a demonstration, and then pointed it back at Shan Li's solar plexus.

"Go on." His peripheral vision locked onto Cink, his eagle-like pupils constricted with a fierce murderous intent. He raised his chin in a provocative gesture, "Go ahead and try."

Cink realized he had been reckless and raised his hands, taking a half step back. A thin layer of sweat formed on his normally expressionless face due to nervousness.

The gap between the two men was visible to the naked eye, and it was not something that could be made up by him holding a gun.

"Forgive me." He lowered his head wisely, indicating that he had no ill intentions. "I didn't mean to..."

"--Mr. Pei, this was Cink's subconscious reaction. He had no intention of opposing you. I know you might be angry right now, but before I shoot, I want to tell you that I have some... news that might interest you." Shan Lihe softened his voice politely and submissively. "Could you please move the gun first? I can't help you in this position."

The muzzle of the gun was still parallel to his shoulder, and only a few millimeters away from his temples.

Pei Huai twisted his arm and looked at this man who was much taller than him from behind, with an almost restrained calmness on his face.

"No need." He bumped his lips together, "You were involved in his death, that's enough."

Shan Li felt the hand begin to put pressure on the trigger hook spring, and a layer of cold sweat broke out in his throat: "...If you shoot now, you will be kept in the dark by the other murderer."

"Murderer." This term aroused Pei Huai's vigilance.

He didn't say anything, the barrel of the gun kept close to his temple and gestured for him to continue, until there was no gap between the sleeve and the skin, until Shan Li's heartbeat could be felt through his fingertips.

"I'm here to resolve this misunderstanding. I must apologize for my role in the suicide case. It was my failure to supervise properly that led to this." Shan Li moved his lips, raised his hands to shoulder height, and then began to explain calmly, "Your brother's suicide can't be considered a complete suicide. Unfortunately, the police notice has been issued. The case will not move forward, and no one except me is willing to tell you the truth."

Pei Huai didn't let go. Words alone were not enough to move him.

"I have surveillance footage. I intercepted it from the school." His neck was stiff, and as his throat moved, Dan Li raised the corners of his mouth stiffly. "The footage was taken in the bathroom corridor on the fourteenth floor before Yu Mingrui fell to his death. Mr. Pei, the person who was closely related to his fall was captured on camera."

Pei Huai narrowed his eyes.

The man sighed incomprehensibly: "I know you'll need this."

When he got the surveillance footage, Pei Huai felt that things were going too smoothly.

But asking him to completely trust the man before him sounded absurd. He didn't want to let his guard down, and even less did he want to lose this opportunity to get closer to the truth. After thinking it over, he decided to remove the magazine from his pistol.

The other person was released from his grip, walked around behind him, and whispered unsteadily in his ear: "I'm sorry, Mr. Pei, I was very distressed before this, and I was distressed about how to explain it to you."

"—I feel guilty towards you, really."

Pei Huai, however, turned a blind eye to his sincerity.

Because he was holding his breath, staring intently at the figure passing by in the video corridor.

The man, wearing a red and white baseball cap and a baseball jacket, was tall, presumably around 1.9 meters tall. He had his back to the camera and showed no obvious injuries.

Judging from his attire, he wasn't carrying any dangerous weapons. But three seconds before turning into the restroom, he half-turned sideways and glanced warily at the corridor.

It was at that moment that Pei Huai saw the man's face clearly.

The picture paused at that frame, at that face that was so familiar to him, a face as bright as spring sunshine in his memory.

His pupils suddenly constricted.

Xiang Mingqi.

——【Be careful around you, brother.】

Pei Huai suddenly remembered the note in the envelope. This was what Yu Mingrui wanted to remind him.

The murderer who had killed his brother had been right beside him the entire time. He had approached him, pestered him, and always, anxiously, said, "I like him." But the hand he held was stained with blood, the blood of his only relative.

He instantly felt that all the blood in his body had gathered in his eardrums, and from then on, he could no longer hear the roar from the outside world.

He had no idea what was happening in the bathroom, because in three minutes, something heavy would fall to the ground, and screams would echo downstairs.

Ten seconds later, Xiang Mingqi put one hand in his pocket, twirled the key ring with his index finger, stepped out with a joyful look on his face, and left the surveillance screen.

"He's in cahoots with you." His clenched knuckles crackled under the strain. Pei Huai chose to state his opinion instead of asking a question.

Shan Li gently held his fingertips, trying to comfort him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect..." A slap landed hard on his face.

"You two are in the same group." Pei Huai repeated, "You let him get close to me."

The words I wanted to say and the goodwill I wanted to prove with practical actions were all stuck in my throat.

The slap was indeed too forceful, leaving half of Shan Li's face burning. He lowered his eyelids and pressed his tongue against the mucous membrane, his tone as gentle as ever.

"It's my fault." He didn't resist. "Mr. Pei, I didn't tell you the truth at the beginning. That kid is my cousin. He was expelled from the family due to mental problems. For this, he holds a grudge and tries every way to retaliate against us. But I just can't bring myself to do it..."

"I don't care." The bones of his hand creaked slightly.

"Mr. Pei?"

"Why does my brother owe so much money?" As if he no longer cared about the cousin relationship that the two of them had concealed, he looked at him with a terrifyingly cold voice.

Shan Li was surprised by his direct response to the question, his refusal to accept responsibility and his determination to get to the bottom of the matter, regardless of any excuses. He thought that even in the face of the death of his loved ones and the betrayal of those around him, this young man remained so calm that it was difficult to understand.

He waved his hand and asked someone to bring a document.

These pulled consumption records clearly showed what Yu Mingrui had purchased from a single account.

The amount has increased from two digits at the beginning to four digits. The larger the amount, the more frequent the transfer.

He continued to borrow money to fill the financial gap, and finally, Jingshan Real Estate Company transferred money into his account.

Pei Huai turned to the end of the article.

When he saw the last payment of nearly 200,000 yuan and the person who was responsible for the debt, he could no longer hold on. Because that name was not Yu Mingrui.

But him.

What was the purpose of the tuition and living expenses I sent to my brother time and time again? He had been working under the company, wandering in the most muddy corners of the city since he was ten years old, doing those dirty deeds. What was the purpose?

Yu Mingrui was like a bottomless pit, eroding everything he had.

He felt like vomiting.

This family—this family that has placed all the responsibility and hatred on my shoulders. Everything, everything...

They never knew the price of getting a job at the age of twelve.

It was his first day on the job. His colleagues jokingly opened his suitcase and pulled out the photos inside. Pei Huai hadn't brought much with him, except for memories of his mother. In front of him, the men pounded cigarette butts onto the photos, then grabbed his hair and said, "If you want to make money here, you have to learn to endure the beatings and scolding." And this was just the first step toward getting an employment contract.

They wanted to see his abilities, how much they could extract from him, and how far he would endure.

——But he gritted his teeth and endured it all.

It's all about fucking money.

Pei Huai looked at the document, seeing the betrayal of more than ten years spread out on a thin piece of paper.

Everything was so easy, so easy that he could taste a sour taste with every breath.

Shan Li comforted him when he was distracted and took advantage of the opportunity to kiss him.

Although he was soon met with the most severe retaliation, a slap and a bite, he still licked his bloody lips and turned his face in a certain direction.

What happened later was just as Xiang Mingqi saw.

He appeared at the gate and witnessed the end of the secret meeting in full.

"You're lying to me." - This was the first gift he received.

"Brother." His face was pale, and his smile froze. "What did he say to you? Why are you with him so late at night? You..."

"Who are you calling brother?"

Xiang Mingqi stopped talking. He lowered his head and fell silent for the first time in his life.

"You were there when my brother died."

This wasn't a question, it was a statement. He was simply reiterating a known fact in front of everyone.

Xiang Mingqi grasped the soft keychain in his palm. He looked over, his eyes filled with bewilderment. "No matter what he said, I can explain it. Brother, you, I beg you to listen to me first..."

"——Then who will pity me?!"

His chest rose and fell rapidly, the amplitude was alarming. He looked at Xiang Mingqi, who was standing in front of him with wide eyes, and looked at him, and repeated it very slowly.

"Xiang Mingqi, then who will come to pity me?"

"I rescued you and my brother from that mountain that was on the verge of collapse from a mudslide. I brought each of you home safely, even risking revenge from the murderer. But what awaited me? It was my father who made me drop out of school. It was he who made me leave my home."

"You conspired to kill my brother, yet you still wanted to win my heart. It was my brother who transferred all his debts to me." He said, "Tell me again, Xiang Mingqi, what is there in you that I can trust?"

Xiang Mingqi bit his lip but couldn't speak.

"As long as my brother wants it, even the birthday candles are not mine. No one is nice to me, including you." He stared at him and sneered, "You lied to me, but you still want me to like you. Isn't it ridiculous?"

“Brother, I…”

Pei Huai stood in the huge and cold shadow between the buildings, his teeth clenched tightly, but his eyes were so dry that nothing could come out.

"How disgusting," he said. "You all are...so disgusting."