Chapter 40 [VIP]
My phone popped up with countless real-time news updates about the Xie family's reunion.
Xie Chenbi devoted the entire week to preparing to confess his feelings, yet he received no related news whatsoever.
Xie Qing, who had always valued him and knew how much he hated illegitimate children, also failed to inform him.
Xia Xing's family reunion event was held only at the Xie family's old house.
The meaning behind these actions is particularly intriguing.
On WeChat, Wei Zhiyan's gloating and mocking messages kept popping up, revealing an abnormal mix of excitement and weakness.
Xie Chenbi lowered his eyes, his expression cold and sarcastic.
[Did your brother scold you so badly you went crazy?]
[Wei Zhiyan, mind your own business.]
He ignored the other person, coldly tossed the phone aside, slammed on the gas, and sped away from St. Weston.
The Wei family's attic.
Wei Zhiyan chuckled, turned his head, and lazily looked out the window at the lush greenery, his handsome face revealing no emotion.
A faint, foul odor wafted from the tip of my nose.
On the large bed in the attic behind me.
The disabled man leaned against the pillow, his eyes sunken from thinning, though traces of his former handsome and affectionate appearance remained. He looked up listlessly at the ceiling, occasionally tilting his head and smiling, clearly indicating a loss of mental clarity.
This is Wei Zhiyan's biological father.
That day after class.
The Wei family's butler suddenly appeared and inexplicably forcibly brought Wei Zhiyan back to the Wei family. At the entrance of the attic, Wei Xuanyun stood in the early autumn night, looking at him with sympathy in her eyes.
She sighed and said, "Zhiyan...you should be more careful."
Wei Zhiyan couldn't understand it at all.
All he knew was that the butler had locked him in the attic, forcing him to share a room with the locked-up man. Enraged, he yelled at the butler, "Are you crazy? Let me out right now!"
The other person looked at him, shook his head respectfully, and said, "Young Master, President Wei has found out about your plan to dox and open the box of innocent special admission students."
"He felt that you may have been in St. Weston for too long, forgotten the laws and regulations, forgotten the most basic respect for a person, and forgotten the constant reverence for human rights."
"You've been influenced by the bad school atmosphere and gone astray."
"Therefore, Mr. Wei will ask you and your husband to stay for a few days."
"This gentleman has always been like this, disregarding the law, disregarding morality, and using despicable methods. This is the ultimate consequence of his actions."
"Young Master, Mr. Wei wants you to remember his face."
"......"
Wei Zhiyan was pale, his fingers gripping the doorknob tightly, unable to speak.
It's no use saying anything.
The entire Wei family listens to Wei Guan. His grandfather suffered a stroke and was barely clinging to life, and his mother only cared about her own carefree and happy life. No one could control Wei Guan.
Wei Zhiyan had no choice but to accept it.
He spent three whole days living with this man.
The servants didn't skimp on anything, even preparing three or four portions of food. Yet, Wei Zhiyan felt he was on the verge of losing control.
—He's done even worse things before, when has the National Health Commission ever cared? He's just a special admission student, what kind of disregard for human rights and morality is this for investigating him?!
The boy closed his eyes, and after a long while, his expression barely returned to normal, and he slowly exhaled.
If it weren't for discovering yesterday that Xie Chenbi's boyfriend, who was secretly showing affection for her, was Tan Quelu...
He wouldn't be so energetic right now.
Wei Zhiyan pretended not to hear the sound of the man behind him losing control of his bladder.
Wei Xuanyun only came here when she was angry or looking for fun; the rest of the time, she particularly disliked this undignified man. She paid servants high salaries to clean for him.
"Zhiyan...Zhiyan..."
The boy lowered his eyes indifferently, and after a long while, slowly opened the campus forum to distract himself.
Just like what was said on Toutiao.
The news of the Xie family's illegitimate son moving into their home completely overshadowed the recent school strike controversy.
The number of posts on the St. Weston forum has exploded.
[The biggest scandal in the elite elite circles this year—Xia Xing, the illegitimate son of the Xie family, has officially entered the family! He's been recognized as a member of the clan! Check out the pictures, everyone!!]
[Holy crap? Xie Chenbi took all the precautions, yet there were still some who slipped through the net? That's amazing!]
[Wait a minute, this illegitimate child looks familiar. Isn't he the roommate who was dating the green-haired girl...?]
[Speaking of Tan Quelu—How's Zhong Wan doing lately? Is she doing well after the breakup?]
[Um, he hasn't come to class since the breakup. He's probably at home crying and singing "Heartbreak is No Crime"]
Did you know? Xie Chenbi also officially announced her boyfriend last night and posted her first update on WeChat Moments!
[Hilarious, my house is on fire and I'm dating?]
[Are you getting all smitten watching your best buddies flaunt their relationship all the time? Those two damn gays!]
......
[Stop, stop, we've gone off-topic. So, Xia Xing has really officially joined the Xie family genealogy?]
[The news report does confirm he's been added to the family register, and is considered Xie Chenbi's younger brother. What did Xia Xing offer in exchange? The Xie family isn't easy to deal with.]
[Xie Chenbi is a legitimate son, and I support his decision to sell his illegitimate son, Xia Xing!]
[Don't make your Xing-ge laugh. Maybe Xie Chenbi lost and sheepishly relinquished the heir position!]
[Oh no, what about Xie Chenbi's mysterious boyfriend? Won't my sister-in-law have to treat Xia Xing like a concubine?]
[I'm quite curious about Xie Chenbi's taste. Who is this mysterious boyfriend? And who is more attractive, Xie Chenbi or Tan Quelu?]
[I don't know, I have a very beautiful figure]
[What a load of nonsense...]
[There's something else nobody's mentioned—Wei Zhiyan has also missed three days of class. What's going on with the F3s?]
What exactly happened to the F3s? Everyone in St. Weston is very curious and gossipy.
But Xia Xing didn't care.
The Xie family's old residence.
Numerous media outlets silently surrounded the vast central area, with cameras densely packed together, occasionally flashing their silent lights.
The tall, thin boy knelt in the ancestral hall, closed his eyes, bent over, and knelt to worship and burn incense according to the rules.
He changed into a simple and elegant outfit, exuding a serene aura. His bright eyes appeared calm under the camera's lens, and his expression and manners during the kowtow were impeccable.
Xie Qing sat in the main seat on the right, looking at Xia Xing's figure, and nodded slightly.
It's not bad.
If it weren't for the police suddenly summoning the Xie family to bail them out late last night...
Xie Qing had no idea that the Xie family had an illegitimate son who had been living in an orphanage and was picked up and raised by that old man from the Xia family, who then instigated him to enter St. Weston.
Yesterday, Xia Xing revealed her background to Xie Qing without reservation.
He only said what he knew, and the rest would be investigated by the Xie family themselves. In less than a night, Xia Xing's background was fully revealed.
Xie Qing had two sons and a daughter. Her daughter took over the overseas business of the Tashan Group and immigrated and settled abroad many years ago, never returning home. She had two sons; the elder was fertile but not intelligent, while the younger was intelligent but infertile.
Xie Chenbi was their only child born in wedlock.
When Xie Chenbi was young, he was diagnosed with emotional deficiency disorder. His parents, feeling resentful, abandoned him and left him to be raised by a nanny, hoping to have another child. Unexpectedly, Xie's father had an affair with the nanny who was taking care of Xie Chenbi while drunk.
The nanny, afraid of being discovered by Xie's fiery mother, hurriedly resigned and left the center of Weiss City, returning to her hometown of Lingqing. Three months later, she discovered she was pregnant.
She was in poor health and died soon after giving birth to Xia Xing. The Xia family then discovered the nanny's existence and subsequently found Xia Xing.
Xia Xing was sent to the Seagull Welfare Home. To take care of him, the Xia family began to hold frequent charitable events. The wealthy families of Vis City, including the three top families, gradually became involved, also for the sake of their social reputation.
And it happened during a funding event.
Xie Chenbi was taken to the Seagull Welfare Institute for a group photo. The Xia family took the opportunity to collect Xie's father's hair and, through DNA testing, confirmed that Xia Xing was his biological son.
Now, the Xie family has also expedited the DNA testing for Xia Xing.
After the results came out, Xie Qin went to the police station late at night and had the housekeeper come in to bail Xia Xing out.
The black luxury car closed its doors, drove away from the police station, and finally came to a slow stop in front of St. Weston.
Xie Qing remained seated in the back and did not get out of the car.
The driver looked at Xia Xing and smiled politely but distantly, "Xia, please go back."
They clearly have no intention of acknowledging Xia Xing's return.
After all these years of resource allocation and nurturing, Xie Chenbi has grown up and become the most outstanding junior in the Xie family.
Although Xia Xing had excellent grades, he was only a special admission student.
Xie Qing would never allow the true heir to bear the brunt of public opinion for the sake of a special admission student's illegitimate child.
Xia Xing looked at the polite and respectful Xie family members in front of him, and was not surprised by their reaction at all.
He knew the true nature of these important figures from a young age, and understood that for them, profit was the most important thing.
The boy lowered his eyes, said nothing, and took out a thin ledger from his backpack.
—This is what he finally pried out of the orphanage director after threatening and intimidating her for several days.
"Chairman Xie, these are the accounts of the Seagull Welfare Home."
In the darkness, Xia Xing's voice was calm: "Inside are all the embezzled funds from the year the Xia family started their charitable donations until now."
Xie Qing slowly opened her eyes, which had been resting.
Xia Xing looked at him, smiled, and said with a bright smile, "Of course, besides these, I also have some gray businesses that the Xia family has hidden in the shadows that haven't been discovered by the police."
Xie Qing finally turned his head, his sharp eyes looking at him: "The handover of Wujiang Group was hosted by Eden Group."
Wei Guan's capabilities are evident to all.
He couldn't possibly have made a mistake.
"Of course, President Wei is very skillful." Xia Xing lied without changing his expression, his heart beating steadily. "But I am a member of the Xia family, and moreover, I am an adopted son of the Xia family. I know more than anyone else."
A moment of silence followed.
Xie Qing looked at him and asked, "What do you want?"
"An identity."
The boy slowly tightened his grip on the ledger, his eyes burning with a barely perceptible flame: "I only want a legitimate identity."
"With it, I will offer up all the assets of the Wujiang Group to my family with both hands."
"......"
Xie Qing's gaze made Xia Xing's scalp tingle.
I don't know how much time passed.
The old man finally looked away from the scrutiny, and after a long pause, calmly ordered, "Get in the car."
Xia Xing suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.
He didn't notice Xie Qing's indifferent eyes, lowered his head, got into the car, and followed the other person back to the Xie family's old residence. The next morning, Xia Xing tidied himself up and, witnessed by the media summoned by Xie Qing, formally recognized his ancestors and returned to the family.
The photographers on site kept taking pictures.
Xia Xing's heart pounded with excitement in their sight.
He recalled his days in the orphanage, his humble life in St. Weston, his fear and trembling after the Xia family's downfall, and Zhong Wanhao's shameless act of paying for Tan Quelu's meals.
Finally, he remembered Tan Que's dark, clear eyes.
...He has finally returned to the place that truly belongs to him.
He finally had the right and the means to bring Tan Quelu back to his side.
Elk Green is a good boy.
Good boys deserve to be treated well.
Xia Xing smiled, his sincerity evident as he knelt and kowtowed. He had never believed in Buddhism, but at this moment, inhaling the lingering scent of sandalwood, he couldn't help but close his eyes and pray:
I wish Xie Chenbi would be killed in a car accident by Zhong Wan, that I would unexpectedly inherit the Xie family fortune, swallow up the Zhong family, and ensure that Tan Quelu would have money to spend for the rest of her life, forever wearing a happy and joyful smile...
The family reunion ceremony came to an end.
Xie Chenbi happened to drive back to the old house.
Xia Xing was on her way back to school when she ran into him.
The black-haired youth remained indifferent, not sparing Xia Xing even a glance, and entered Xie Qing's courtyard amidst the respectful greetings of the servants.
Xia Xing didn't care.
He even smiled and bowed respectfully as the other person left, calling him "brother." Afterwards, he stayed at the Xie family's house for a meal, received a "pocket money" bank card, and exchanged it for expensive custom-made clothes.
Xia Xing bid farewell to the butler, got into the Xie family's car, and returned to St. Weston in a good mood.
School has ended in St. Weston.
Xia Xing opened the door to room 401 and saw Tan Quelu standing by the dining table after class, pouring a glass of warm water.
The boy's hair was soft. Hearing the noise, he looked up and saw the person at the door with surprise: "Xiao Xing, you're finally back?"
"I saw the news today. I never imagined your background was so complicated—but thankfully you found your family. Congratulations, Xiaoxing!"
His clear, dark eyes held only pure joy.
Of all the people in the world, perhaps only Tan Quelu would genuinely be happy for Xia Xing.
Therefore, Xia Xing only cared about talking about the green leaves.
He gave a soft "hmm," walked closer to Tan Quelu, and smiled brightly: "Since you already know, I don't need to waste any more words."
"In short, from now on, I am the second child of the Xie family, Xie Chenbi's younger brother."
"But you don't need to call me 'Young Master' or anything like that, just call me—"
Just call me Xiaoxing.
The sentence was left unfinished.
Because Tan Quelu suddenly interrupted him, a smile appeared on her pure and beautiful face, her tone was a little cheerful, and a little embarrassed.
"Shall I call you brother too?"
The boy blinked, then said sweetly and shyly, "After all, I haven't had a chance to tell you yet—last night, Shen Bi and I officially got together."
“His family is my family, and his brother is naturally my brother too.”
"Little Xing, according to seniority you should call me male sister-in-law! Haha!"
The air suddenly fell silent.
It felt as if a savage had smashed his skull with a single blow.
Tan Quelu blinked, stunned, and took two steps back, watching as the protagonist's face instantly lost all color.
His pupils dilated, his fingertips trembled, a hoarse sound came from his throat, and he stared at himself in disbelief, as if he wanted to say something.
After a while.
Xia Xing's head slumped forward, and with a snap, she fainted again at Tan Quelu's feet.
system:【......】
[Big brother, you fainted again just because I asked you to call her sister-in-law?!]
What kind of mental fortitude is that?!
waste!
......
Of course, Tan Quelu wouldn't care whether the protagonist lived or died.
He blinked, looked away, finished the glass of warm water he had just poured, and leisurely returned to his room to open his WeChat contact list.
Tan Quelu made a token phone call to Xie Chenbi.
After all, as a boyfriend, you should still show concern for your partner at this time.
He thought that F2, who was currently overwhelmed with problems, wouldn't accept the call.
But unexpectedly...
The phone rang for a moment before being answered.
Xie Chenbi's voice, amplified by the electric current, sounded even more indifferent and cold: "What's wrong?"
"……nothing."
Tan Quelu quickly muted the Cinderella cartoon on her tablet, deliberately lowering her voice: "I just wanted to ask if you're hungry? Do you want to have dinner together tonight?"
The boy's pure worry was hidden in what seemed like a simple greeting.
Xie Chenbi lowered his eyes, and after a long while, he gently exhaled a puff of smoke and hummed in agreement: "Okay. But not tonight, how about tomorrow?"
“Okay.” Tan Quelu was very obedient: “I’m available anytime, as long as it’s convenient for you.”
Xie Chenbi knew, of course, that he had seen the overwhelming news coverage today and wanted to comfort himself in this way.
Love is indeed a burden and a foolish thing.
A look of disgust flashed across Xie Chenbi's eyes.
Tan Quelu asked all sorts of questions, but never about what happened today. He suppressed his nausea and responded with a cold, impatient tone, as the cigarette between his fingers emitted a thin wisp of smoke.
They talked for almost ten minutes before hanging up.
Outside the quiet and desolate courtyard, the black-haired boy frowned and smoked for more than ten minutes. After a while, he lowered his head, stubbed out the cigarette, and returned to the Xie family's glass flower hall.
Xie Pan sat there reading the newspaper.
As soon as Xie Chenbi stepped inside, he saw him look up, expressionless: "In love?"
Previously, no matter what the incident was, Xie Chenbi would never go out to answer the phone in the middle of a conversation; this was the first time he had gone out with his phone in his hand.
And then take into account that post on WeChat Moments last night.
The reason is obvious.
Xie Chenbi hummed in agreement, not wanting to discuss the matter further, and got to the point: "You allowed Xia Xing to come in, why?"
He killed so many illegitimate children before, and Xie Qin never stopped him. Now he's starting to get involved with the company. What is he trying to do?
"Your parents are overjoyed, and I don't want to disappoint them."
Xie Qing took a sip of tea and continued reading the newspaper: "Let's keep them as pets. Someone has to take care of them in their old age."
"Your personality makes it impossible, so let him do it."
Xie Chenbi looked at him, knowing full well that this was just an excuse.
Xie Qing summoned so many media outlets to publicize the fact that his illegitimate son had been recognized by his ancestors, making it known to everyone. Now, whether it's the St. Weston Forum or netizens watching the drama online, everyone knows that the Xie family has more than one child.
This is a slap in the face to Xie Chenbi, the true heir.
That old geezer.
After inheriting the Xie family business.
Xie Chenbi was determined to make him suffer and eke out the rest of his life in a sickbed.
The young man lowered his eyes, raised his hand to fill Xie Qing's teacup, and said indifferently as always, "I'll do whatever you say."
He didn't mention anything more and quickly took a car back to St. Weston. The following evening, Xie Chenbi arrived at the Wenhua Building and picked up Tan Quelu on time for dinner.
He changed his car; it wasn't his usual Land Rover. He didn't get out either, trying his best to avoid being recognized by passersby.
Tan Quelu repeatedly warned them not to let their relationship get out and to let Zhong Wan find out.
Looking into his bright eyes and at his calloused fingertips as he gently shook his hand.
Xie Chenbi could only suppress his nausea and agree.
However, after getting into the car, Tan Quelu's expression was not as happy as one might have imagined.
He carried his bag and remained silent until the car was almost at the restaurant, then smiled and looked at Xie Chenbi: "Chenbi, where are we going to eat today?"
Xie Chenbi stared at him expressionlessly for a long while before saying indifferently, "I remember, the strike is over."
This morning, the students in Class A who had gone on strike were suddenly reprimanded by their parents. They all sheepishly admitted their mistakes and returned to St. Weston.
After nearly a week of chaos, the school has finally returned to normal, and the professors are no longer subjected to verbal attacks. Logically, someone like Tan Chulu, a self-proclaimed saint, should be very happy.
After all, he was always worrying unnecessarily that the professors would be upset.
Why do you look like you're forcing a smile?
Tan Quelu shook her head, and after a long while, she cautiously glanced at him: "Chen Bi, you should know that Xiao Xing is my roommate, right?"
What gorillas and little gorillas?
How could Xie Chenbi possibly remember a roommate who was admitted through a special admissions program? Hearing this, he frowned, disgusted by the name: "Who?"
Tan Quelu hesitated: "It's your younger brother... Xia Xing."
Xie Chenbi suddenly turned his head.
Tan Quelu met his dark, sinister eyes and felt as if she were being watched by a venomous snake. He blinked and said softly, "We both come from the Seagull Welfare Institute. He took good care of me and has always been my best friend."
Xie Chenbi looked at him, her voice cold: "So?"
“No reason.” Tan Quelu shook her head: “Yesterday I told him about our relationship, and he seemed to have a hard time accepting it. He fainted in his dormitory and didn’t wake up until last night.”
“After he woke up, he locked himself in his room and refused to eat or drink, and ignored me. I kept hearing faint sounds of him banging on the wall, and I was very worried about him.”
"......"
Xie Chenbi looked at Tan Quelu, his sinister eyes paused, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him.
He remembered that persistent Weibo account that commented on the green peacock.
—Could it be that the one who was forcefully watching was Xia Xing?
He and Tan Quelu are best friends, having relied on each other since the orphanage. Therefore, Tan Quelu is completely unguarded with Xia Xing, even showing him her Weibo posts expressing her crush on him.
They both came from the same orphanage.
It's not surprising that they all look like the same kind of "wolf warrior".
Xie Chenbi thought about it more and more and it seemed reasonable.
But precisely because of this, he slowly frowned, keenly sensing Xia Xing's feelings for Tan Quelu.
Why did he faint?
Tan Quelu said with concern, "Just because I joked that I wanted him to call me 'sister-in-law'."
"He seemed unable to accept that we had gone from being friends to being sister-in-law and brother-in-law. He couldn't process it and fainted."
hehe.
He thinks Xia Xing is just too eager for incest and is faking illness to gain sympathy, right?
Tan Quelu sighed and gently rested her head on Xie Chenbi's shoulder. The light fragrance of citrus and soap instantly filled the air, warm and dry.
The black-haired boy's muscles suddenly stiffened.
No one had ever gotten this close to him before.
The green bird on her shoulder was still speaking, very innocently: "Chenbi, you are both victims in this matter, but I know that you and Xiaoxing are both very, very good people."
"You're my boyfriend, and he's my best friend. We're like family. From now on, let's get along well, okay?"
Xie Chenbi didn't hear what he was saying at all.
The warmth of the peacock green hair emanated from his coat, and the soft ends of his hair occasionally brushed against his Adam's apple, bringing a subtle yet undeniable ticklish sensation.
Xie Chenbi had never been this close to anyone since she became independent.
The boy's dark eyes darkened, and after a long pause, he finally spoke in a low, cold voice: "...Okay."
What's so good about it? He doesn't know either.
Tan Quelu suddenly smiled, immediately stood up, and hugged Xie Chenbi tightly and powerfully, overjoyed: "Chenbi, I knew I hadn't misjudged you, you're so good!"
"......"
Xie Chenbi had no recollection of how the meal ended.
All I could think of were Tan Chuan's sparkling green eyes.
After Tan Quelu finished his lavish meal, he spent another two million on jewelry for Xie Chenbi. The black-haired boy followed behind him, looking like a vengeful ghost who had just died, without uttering a single word.
Even when Xie Chenbi escorted him back to his dormitory, he only stared at him gloomily as he walked away.
Elm opened the dormitory door, completely bewildered: "What happened to F2?"
The system chuckled: [You've got me all smitten! You deadbeat simp!]
Next to the dimly lit living room, another door was tightly closed. Xia Xing remained locked in her room, neither eating nor drinking, and made no sound.
Two lunatics.
Tan Quelu ignored them, washed up, and fell asleep again instantly. The next day, during his elective class, Wei Guan finished his work and personally drove to pick him up.
When Tan Quelu got into the car, the young man was resting his chin on one hand, looking down at his phone screen.
He wore an unusual casual jacket; the black color accentuated his sharp features, making him appear even more handsome and refined. His dark eyebrows were slightly lowered, and his expression conveyed an indescribable sense of composure.
"Wei Guan, haven't you finished your work yet?"
The boy sat down, reached for the cup on the table, and only after drinking it did he realize that it contained iced green tea.
He tasted it and thought the green tea was quite fragrant, probably an expensive one.
Wei Guan looked up, took a water bottle from the small refrigerator, and opened it. His tone was very calm: "Not really."
Tan Quelu took the water and curiously looked at his phone.
On the electronic screen.
Xie Chenbi opened a secondary account last night and actually contacted Wei Guan directly, sending him a sinister private message with a warning.
Stay away from talking about peacock green.
[Spend every day by his side, approach him under the guise of friendship, touch him, and see him completely open online.]
[Intentionally make him worry about you, think about you, and have all his attention drawn to you.]
: [Do you feel great?]
Wei Guan calmly replied.
A strong onlooker commented: "What's wrong with you?"
A vocal observer commented: "[I don't understand what bro is saying.]"
A forceful observation: [What I see as everyday life has become what you call showing off!]
A note from the author:
Uncle Wei: A clean social circle, a regular life, and my beloved little green bird. I chat with little green bird every day, not to show off, but just a rare moment of relaxation after work. I never expected that people would say I'm pretentious behind my back. I ignore it because I never imagined that my daily life with little green bird would become something they would call showing off!
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