Confessing love
Because of the unexpected arrival of her nephew and "future daughter-in-law," Chen Fang insisted on having them stay for dinner.
After settling Zhou Yi and the others in, Chen Fang turned around and went into the kitchen with a smile.
Zhou Yi, a young man just beginning to experience romantic feelings, wanted to help his mother on one hand, and also wanted to show off to his girlfriend on the other, so he eagerly followed her in.
Qi Zui, however, couldn't sit still, so he went in to help chop vegetables and such.
At this point, everyone who could cook squeezed into the cramped kitchen, leaving only two people who couldn't cook staring at each other in the large living room.
"Miss Fang and Xiao Yi are classmates?" Wen Xubai took a sip of tea and casually brought it up.
“Yes, classmate…” Fang Yue’s hand tightened around the teacup.
"I heard that Xiao Yi is studying IT. I didn't expect that Miss Fang, a girl, would be interested in this kind of knowledge."
Wen Xubai changed the subject.
"It's quite a coincidence that I once had a younger sister, who was about the same age as you. She was also planning to study this subject, but unfortunately, she passed away unexpectedly on the eve of the college entrance examination."
Fang Yue froze, the cup fell to the ground, and steaming hot tea spilled all over the floor, some of it splashing onto her smooth legs. She couldn't help but flinch.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Yi suddenly poked his head out.
"It's okay..." Fang Yue quickly grabbed some tissues to wipe the water stains off her skirt. In her panic, she tried to wipe the water on the floor, but Zhou Yi stopped her.
"Hey, hey, hey, I'll do it." Zhou Yi went to the bathroom to get a mop while asking Fang Yue, "Did you get burned?"
Fang Yue shook her head, her gaze secretly sweeping towards Wen Xubai.
But Wen Xubai glanced at her nonchalantly.
That one glance sent a chill down her spine.
"What's wrong, baby? Are you feeling unwell? Why do you look so pale?" Zhou Yi came out after mopping the floor and saw Fang Yue's pale face. He raised his hand to touch her forehead.
"No..." Fang Yue quickly stopped his hand, her eyes darting around. She quickly covered up by pressing down on his shoulder and turning him around, pushing him forward. "I'm fine now, you... go help Auntie."
"Huh? Don't you need me to come with you?"
"No need, no need," Fang Yue urged.
Zhou Yi wanted to say something more, but she was pushed into the kitchen. In the end, she could only reluctantly peek out and blow a kiss to Fang Yue. When Fang Yue returned the kiss, she finally withdrew.
The kitchen door closed in front of her, and Fang Yue suddenly heard a soft laugh behind her.
“You two have a very good relationship,” Wen Xubai said with a smile.
Fang Yue trembled again, turned her head, and met Wen Xubai's clear eyes. She knew he had seen through everything long ago, and finally, as if resigned to her fate, she whispered, "Third Brother..."
Upon hearing this, Wen Xubai did not respond immediately. He simply lowered his eyes, placed the cup on the table, and then crossed his arms, saying, "Wen Xuyao, you are not dead."
It's not a question, it's a statement.
Three years ago, Wen Xubai, who was supposed to be out discussing business, was suddenly stopped by Qin Yalin, who forced him to give up the business to her under the pretext that "Yaoyao is about to go to university and needs to get more experience."
Unexpectedly, Wen Xuyao was in a car accident on his way there. Therefore, Qin Yalin always felt that Wen Xubai had harmed Wen Xuyao. Whenever she saw him, she would beat and scold him. On the day of Wen Xuyao's funeral, she even had people block his way home. Several thugs dragged him out of the car and beat him mercilessly.
Later, he suffered multiple fractures and nearly died. He spent two months in the hospital, and Wen Tingyi simply told him, "Go abroad for a while," before abandoning him like a rag doll. But it wasn't really to let him live a good life. He was put in charge of handling all the Wen family's troublesome business dealings abroad.
Wen Xubai lowered his eyes: "After carrying the blame for so many years, you have to give me an explanation, right?"
Although Wen Xuyao and Wen Xuyi claimed to be twins, only those within the Wen family knew that Wen Tingyi had already become involved with Qin Yalin before Ruan Qing passed away, and Wen Xuyao was already almost three years old when she was brought into the Wen family.
Therefore, the woman's age matches.
Fang Yue clenched and unclenched her hands on her lap, struggling for a long time before finally letting go in despair, resignedly saying:
"Third Brother, do you know that three years ago on that day, the Wen family actually prepared three cars?"
Wen Xubai nodded.
On the day of the incident, the Wen family's subordinates prepared three cars for their trip: one to take Wen Xubai out for business, one to take Wen Xuyao and Wen Xuyi to school, and one to take Qin Yalin shopping.
However, since the business was later transferred to Wen Xuyao, Wen Xubai's car was naturally given to her as well.
However, in the end, Wen Xuyao did not appear in the originally planned vehicle, but instead switched vehicles with Qin Yalin.
“You knew something bad would happen,” Wen Xubai said, tapping his knee lightly.
If Wen Xuyao hadn't taken precautions beforehand, Wen Xubai didn't believe she would still be sitting here unharmed, talking to him.
"Yes." Fang Yue nodded, her face pale. "Someone wants to harm my mother."
Is someone trying to kill Qin Yalin?
Wen Xubai raised an eyebrow.
"Then why didn't you just report it or call the police? Why did you have to put yourself in such a dangerous situation?"
Upon hearing this, Fang Yue's face instantly turned ashen, her pupils became vacant with fear, and even her voice trembled.
"Because...I saw who it was..."
Wen Xubai's brows furrowed sharply, and he said in a deep voice, "Who is it?"
After a long while, Fang Yue finally uttered two words with a deathly pale face: "Second Brother".
With a "buzz," Wen Xubai felt something explode in his brain, and his mind went completely blank for a moment!
"What did you say?" he asked again in disbelief.
This time, Fang Yue swallowed hard, then looked at him and said firmly, word by word, "It's Second Brother."
Wen Xubai suddenly clenched the paper cup in his hand.
Is it Wen Xushi?
Actually, he didn't have anything, but Wen Xuyuan was right. He and Wen Xushi were just two dogs raised by Wen Tingyi, his handy weapons, which would kill whoever they were pointed at.
He used these two "knives" to gain a foothold, and he also used them to eliminate dissidents.
Wen Tingyi wanted to kill Qin Yalin.
"Why?" Wen Xubai asked, lowering his eyes.
“I don’t know…” Wen Xuyao also lowered his head in pain.
But he knew that both of them already had their own guesses, they just didn't want to say them out loud.
Among the families closely associated with the Wen family, the Qin family was the least prominent compared to the Song and Ruan families. In fact, it could be said that the Qin family only rose to prominence by attaching themselves to the Wen family.
He had found it strange. Given Wen Tingyi's personality, shouldn't he have treated Qin Yalin—an empty shell with neither knowledge nor talent, only a pretty face—like he did with Lin Xi, merely as a fling? Yet, he actually married her…
He didn't understand before, but now, what is there that he can't figure out?
If Qin Yalin didn't have any leverage over Wen Tingyi, why would she let Wen Tingyi do as she pleased?
However, how could someone like Wen Tingyi, who is used to being a powerful figure, be willing to be bound by others?
"So you used this to fake your death and escape?" Wen Xubai teased.
Wen Xuyao took the blame for his biological mother.
“Yes…” Fang Yue lowered her head silently, her slender fingers on her skirt tightening. “Third Brother, you should know better than me what kind of place the Wen family is.”
It is an abyss, a hell, a profit-driven arena of fame and fortune, a gladiatorial arena where it is a fight to the death.
It's a slaughterhouse where anyone can stop at nothing to achieve their goals, even disregarding family and loved ones...
"Third Brother."
Just as he was deep in thought, Fang Yue interrupted him.
Wen Xubai looked up in Fang Yue's direction, only to see the woman, as if she had made up her mind, glance at the kitchen out of the corner of her eye, then lean down and lower her voice, saying, "Third Brother, let's... take a step back."
"I will not tell the Wen family about your presence here, and please do not tell Xiao Yi my true identity."
Wen Xubai raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "Are you threatening me?"
"It's not a threat, it's a plea." Fang Yue sighed deeply, tears welling in her eyes, and pleaded with him, "Please, I can't lose Xiao Yi..."
As she spoke, tears suddenly streamed down her face.
Wen Xubai frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled: "You love him that much?"
Fang Yue nodded.
“Zhou Yi is the only person in my entire life who has ever been willing to disregard everything and treat me wholeheartedly.” Fang Yue’s eyes seemed to gleam. “There are always people willing to be like moths to a flame for freedom, and there are always people willing to disregard everything for love… And I am willing to bear any cost, just to stay by his side…”
Wen Xubai was somewhat surprised, but after a long while, he said nothing.
Is there really anyone who would go through fire and water for another person?
Chen Fang's voice broke the silence: "Xiao Che and Xiao Yue, come wash your hands and eat!"
Fang Yue quickly turned her back, hastily wiping away the tears on her face. When she looked at him again, her eyes were filled with despair.
After a long silence, as they brushed past each other, Wen Xubai sighed softly and whispered in her ear, "Then I hope you will keep your word."
Instantly, Fang Yue's eyes lit up.
The atmosphere during this meal was unusually pleasant and harmonious.
Throughout the meal, Chen Fang kept serving food to the younger generation, but Wen Xubai and the others thanked her and declined. Only Zhou Yi did the opposite. No matter how much food Chen Fang served him, he would serve it back to her.
Knowing that his mother was usually frugal, Zhou Yi specially served her dishes that Chen Fang usually couldn't bear to eat.
When he finally finished, the other three started to imitate him, forcing Chen Fang to stop and jokingly call them "little rascals."
Before leaving, Chen Fang insisted on seeing Wen Xubai and his companion downstairs. Once they were outside, she slipped a large red envelope into Wen Xubai's hand, which he refused in various ways. Then, holding Wen Xubai's hand, she said reluctantly, "Xiao Che, if you have time in the future, please come to my house often. My house is your house too. You can come anytime you want. If you have any difficulties in your daily life, please come to me anytime. Don't be shy about asking me to come!"
A warm feeling washed over him, and Wen Xubai smiled, a rare occurrence for him, and said, "Yes, Aunt, I understand. Please take care of yourself. I'll come to see you again in a while."
"Okay, okay!"
On the way back to the hotel, Wen Xubai and Qi Zui, holding their "round and bulging" bellies, unanimously decided to walk instead of driving to digest their food.
Walking side by side on a narrow path with only a few streetlights, the dim yellow light made people feel lazy, as if time in the whole world had slowed down for a moment.
No tedious work, no noise, no suffocating atmosphere—everything was so pleasant…
Wen Xubai couldn't help but stop, feeling the cool evening breeze, and suddenly wished time could stand still at this moment...
When she opened her eyes, she saw Qi Zui's smiling eyes.
"What are you looking at?" Wen Xubai raised an eyebrow.
"Look at you." Qi Zui grinned.
What's so interesting about me?
"You're so beautiful, beautiful everywhere you look. Beautiful eyes, beautiful nose, beautiful mouth..."
Hearing this, Wen Xubai couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips and teased, "How many young girls have you said this to?"
"No," Qi Zui shook his head. "It's just you."
The earnestness in his eyes was so intense that Wen Xubai couldn't bear it. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked away, saying, "Then you should save these mushy words for your future girlfriend."
"I don't have a girlfriend," Qi Zui said, emphasizing each word. "And I never will."
Before Wen Xubai could even react to the meaning of those words, his face was suddenly cupped in someone's hands, and he exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing?"
Seeing Wen Xubai's puffed-up face, Qi Zui's smile deepened. A tenderness seemed to overflow from his eyes, startling Wen Xubai.
He said, "Chen Che, I talked a lot with Zhou Yi in the kitchen today..."
Wen Xubai raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
Qi Zui continued, "I used to not understand why one person's heart would always be led by another. I didn't understand why I would want to cry when the other person cried, and laugh when the other person laughed. I didn't understand why I would inexplicably want to shelter someone from the wind and rain, to protect them from all the unknown storms, just because I didn't want them to suffer even the slightest harm... I wanted to get close to them, touch them, and hug them..."
"But now I know."
Qi Zui suddenly grabbed his shoulder, his handsome face slowly approaching, his eyes sparkling in the dim light, solemn and affectionate.
"Chen Che... I think... I've fallen for you..."
"Pfft!" Wen Xubai couldn't help but burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.
"What are you laughing at?!" Qi Zui pouted, looking somewhat aggrieved and angry, and said unhappily, "I'm very serious!"
Wen Xubai raised an eyebrow and said, "I thought you were going to ask me about my family, but I didn't expect you to talk about this."
He thought Qi Zui wanted to ask him about what Chen Fang had said before, that "he was adopted by a very wealthy family".
This also means that everything Wen Xubai told him before, including working at the bar, was a lie.
Qi Zui simply scratched his head nonchalantly and said indifferently, "It's okay, I don't care."
Wen Xubai was somewhat surprised.
Aren't you afraid that even my name is a lie?
"I'm not afraid." Qi Zui actually thought about it very seriously. "I'll believe whatever you tell me. Anyway, I love you. Whether you are Chen Che or someone else, I will love you as long as it's you. Besides... I believe you won't hurt me."
Wen Xubai raised an eyebrow: "So certain?"
"Um!"
"You trust me that much?"
"certainly!"
"Then close your eyes."
Qi Zui was stunned for a moment, then obediently did as instructed.
"What...what are you doing..."
Before he could finish speaking, Qi Zui was suddenly grabbed by the neck and pulled down. Immediately afterward, the warm and soft touch on his lips instantly overwhelmed all his senses.
Upon realizing what it was, Qi Zui's mind exploded with a "bang," his pupils widened suddenly, and his blood rushed to his head. In an instant, his entire body turned red like a human-shaped red balloon, from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and his face looked as if it had exploded.
Seeing this scene, Wen Xubai, who had already released the other party, couldn't help but smile again. He had just finished doing his "bad thing" and was about to leave when a huge force grabbed the back of his head!
Then, a barrage of kisses followed!
Qi was kissing someone for the first time, so he didn't know any techniques. He was too excited and just blindly bumped into them, making Wen Xu's white teeth hurt.
Helpless, Wen Xubai had no choice but to hook his arm around the other's neck and begin to guide him to suckle.
Although he didn't know much about this, at least his teeth didn't hurt anymore.
When the kiss ended, both of them were panting and their eyes were wet.
Before Wen Xubai could recover from his shock, Qi Zui asked impatiently, "You promised me?"
Wen Xubai curled his lips into a smile, feigning indifference, and said, "Let's see if you dare to regret this later..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Xubai was swept up in Qi Zui's arms and spun around excitedly: "Great! A-Che promised me!!!"
"No regrets!! I'll never regret it in my entire life! I won't regret it!! And you're not allowed to regret it either!!!"
Wen Xubai felt dizzy from being spun around in his arms and couldn't help but complain angrily, "Qi Zui! Put me down!!!"
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