Everyone in the private room stared blankly at the young man who had appeared without their noticing. He wore a brown cashmere coat, his left hand in his pocket and his bandaged right arm in a sling against his chest. An entrance that should have looked rather bedraggled became untouchable thanks to his haughty expression and even haughtier words.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Only when someone exclaimed Song Liang’s name did the others recover.
The young man who had stormed in with an arm in a sling and kicked over the coffee table was actually Song Liang—the timid, spineless simp they had all bullied before.
Was this what becoming the official partner did to someone? He wasn’t even afraid of getting caught stalking anymore. Now he dared walk in openly to catch his fiancé cheating?
Xiao Ji’s expression had turned thunderous. Looking at the young man who had materialized before him, he demanded coldly, “Who let you in?”
Song Liang thought that uncle and nephew really were alike. Even their lines were the same.
“Young Master Xiao…”
A small, trembling voice came from the boy beside Xiao Ji. He was shrinking against him, watching Song Liang with frightened, reddened eyes like a pitiful rabbit.
Song Liang examined him from head to toe, then frowned at that fragile, helpless gaze.
【Is this the main bottom?】
3085 hesitated, uncertain too.
【He… should be?】
While host and system racked their brains, the boy under scrutiny was nearly frightened to tears. He seemed ready to curl into Xiao Ji’s arms.
“Young Master Xiao…”
Xiao Ji’s expression worsened.
“Get the hell out—”
Song Liang raised his hand in front of Xiao Ji’s face.
“Don’t talk yet.”
Xiao Ji: “…”
Everyone: “…”
Song Liang turned to the boy.
“Name, age, school.”
The boy went pale. He was gathering information to get revenge!
“What, you really think you’re the official partner now? Coming here to throw your weight around? You actually think you’re somebody?”
Chu Xiyuan stepped in front of Song Liang, his expression cold. He took a drag from the cigarette between his fingers, then sneered and blew the smoke into Song Liang’s face.
“You. Little. Bastard.”
The others’ expressions changed. Xiao Ji frowned too, seemingly disapproving, but ultimately said nothing.
Song Liang scoffed and kicked Chu Xiyuan.
Thud!
Chu Xiyuan hadn’t expected him to attack. Standing so close, he took the kick head-on and crashed to the floor. The back of his head struck the ground, leaving him dazed.
The next instant, a foot came down hard on his chest.
Grimacing in pain, he looked up to find Song Liang leaning over him, staring down with utter arrogance.
Rage flared through Chu Xiyuan’s head. Grabbing his foot, he began cursing.
“Song Liang! You fucking bastard, you dare hit me—”
The others finally reacted and rose together. Xiao Ji was equally shocked, staring at Song Liang in disbelief.
“Are you insane?!”
Song Liang didn’t even look at them. His gaze went straight to the doorway.
“Chairman Xiao, is this what you meant by the end of the year always being busy?”
“…”
Everyone looked as though they had been struck by lightning.
Xiao Ji froze, then whipped his head toward the door.
Two figures had appeared there at some point. One was Yang Xuan. The other was Xiao Yi.
“…Uncle?”
Panic flickered across Xiao Ji’s astonished face. He couldn’t understand why his uncle was here.
Everyone else stood rooted to the spot. Even Chu Xiyuan, pinned to the floor by the foot on his chest, stared dumbly at Xiao Yi, unable to utter a word.
The air in the room seemed to freeze.
From the doorway, Xiao Yi looked coldly at his nephew, then at the boy behind him. His eyes darkened at once.
Meeting that gaze, Xu Bowen and the others all had the same thought.
We’re done for.
They had been afraid of Xiao Yi for as long as they had known Xiao Ji.
Though less than ten years older than them, this man was practically a god within Linhai’s wealthy circles. Even their fathers and grandfathers treated him with caution, never mind the stories of his ruthless methods.
Xu Bowen’s heart pounded, but he struggled to remain composed.
“Uncle Xiao.”
Chu Xiyuan also realized they were in trouble. Still pinned to the floor, he hurried to plead on his friend’s behalf.
“Uncle Xiao, I was the one who dragged Xiao Ji here. We didn’t do anything. Just a few friends getting together, and this guy came charging in like a lunatic and started attacking people!”
The others fell silent. They all knew perfectly well what today’s gathering had been for. But as things stood, Song Liang did look like the one in the wrong.
He still had his foot on someone’s chest, after all.
Xiao Yi didn’t look at either man. He asked Xiao Ji directly, “Is that what happened?”
Xiao Ji stood stiffly, saying nothing for a long moment.
That told Xiao Yi enough.
“Come home with me.”
Xiao Ji’s heart jolted.
“…Yes.”
Xiao Yi turned to leave, then suddenly stopped and looked back.
“Do you need to go to the hospital?”
Everyone blinked.
Chu Xiyuan was overwhelmed by the unexpected concern.
“I… I’m all right. Thank you for asking, Uncle Xiao.”
Xiao Yi gave him an indifferent glance, then looked up at Song Liang.
“Take it easy. Don’t hurt your arm. You’ve only just been to the hospital.”
Chu Xiyuan: “…”
Everyone: “…”
“I kicked him. I didn’t use my arm.”
Then Song Liang remembered something and looked down at Chu Xiyuan’s hands gripping his ankle.
“Let go.”
Chu Xiyuan quietly released him.
Only then did Xiao Yi turn and leave. Yang Xuan looked at Xiao Ji, then Song Liang, with a complicated expression. He swallowed everything he wanted to say and followed his boss out.
Song Liang withdrew his foot and looked straight at the boy still beside Xiao Ji.
“Name, school, age.”
Everyone: “…”
The boy burst into tears and dropped to his knees.
“I was wrong. I’m sorry. I know I was wrong. Please let me go…”
Clutching his chest, Chu Xiyuan painfully got to his feet.
“Is that really necessary? Why bully a kid?”
Song Liang glanced back at him.
Chu Xiyuan choked on his next words, cursed inwardly, and turned away.
The boy was utterly desperate now. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed, “My name is Lin Yiming. I attend Southern Film University. I’m twenty-one…”
The moment Song Liang heard the surname Lin, he knew he had the wrong person. He barely listened to the rest, waving a hand to stop him.
Then he looked around the room and offered everyone a polite smile.
“I hope none of you do anything this stupid again.”
Their expressions shifted. Even Xu Bowen’s face cooled.
Everyone present came from a distinguished family. Apart from their elders, few people dared speak to them like that—much less an illegitimate son from a nouveau riche family.
Ordinarily, they would never have let it slide. But Xiao Yi had shown up, and none of them dared make a move.
Xiao Ji, however, had reached the end of his patience. He grabbed Song Liang’s arm, intending to demand an explanation.
The instant he touched his sleeve, Song Liang seized his tie and yanked him forward.
A voice so calm it was almost icy sounded beside his ear.
“Listen carefully. You’re the one asking me for something, not the other way around. So if I catch you doing this again, I’ll castrate you. Understood, Young Master Xiao?”
“…”
Xiao Ji’s jaw tightened. He gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and stared at the face mere inches from his own.
His reply came through his teeth.
“Are you sick in the head?”
Song Liang hadn’t expected him to spend so long restraining himself only to produce that one sentence. Clearly, he was too angry to think straight.
Song Liang’s gaze turned almost sympathetic.
“Don’t be angry. I’m only doing this for your own good. I can’t help loving you so much.”
Inside his head, 3085 suddenly screamed.
【Fuck, I can’t take this anymore! Are you some kind of demon?!】
Song Liang: 【Heh. I’ll love him to death.】
【…】
Ignoring Xiao Ji’s murderous expression, Song Liang released his tie and casually smoothed out the creases.
“Remember to come home for dinner with me~”
Xiao Ji: “…”
Everyone: “…”
Fuck. What a creepy, haunting menace!
Leave a Reply