Chu Xiyuan was surprised too. He asked why Song Liang wasn’t stopping Xiao Ji now. Wasn’t he worried the patriarch would take him to meet the Qiao family’s daughter again?
Song Liang answered casually, “Word of the scene I just made will reach the Qiaos soon enough. How could he bring his grandson over to propose an alliance now? The Qiao family has its pride too.”
Chu Xiyuan couldn’t help marveling.
“Did jumping into the sea knock some intelligence into you?”
Xu Bowen, however, had concerns.
“You weren’t with Xiao Ji yet when Xiao Wenyu was hospitalized. Weren’t you afraid he’d retaliate?”
“The kick felt good at the time. I honestly didn’t think that far.”
“…”
Both men fell silent.
They had thought he possessed some hidden trump card. Apparently, he was simply reckless.
Still, his fighting ability was undeniably impressive. Outsiders might not know, but Xiao Ji had told them that Xiao Wenyu had been hospitalized with a bleeding spleen.
Chu Xiyuan remembered the kick he had taken at the club. Song Liang must have held back. Otherwise, he would probably be in the hospital too.
In any case, he already disliked Xiao Wenyu, who was also Xiao Ji’s sworn rival. By kicking Xiao Wenyu and talking back to Xiao Guangjin, Song Liang had helped Xiao Ji.
As Xiao Ji’s childhood friend, Chu Xiyuan ought to acknowledge that.
“Ahem. About what happened at the club—I was wrong. You kicked me too, so let’s call it even. All right?”
“No.”
Song Liang looked thoughtful.
“Unless you agree to do something for me.”
Chu Xiyuan grew wary.
“What?”
“Tell me why Xiao Yi won’t come back to the old family home.”
Both Chu Xiyuan and Xu Bowen paused. Neither had expected that question.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Curiosity.”
“What’s there to be curious about? A grown man being so nosy.” Chu Xiyuan was reluctant. “Ask Xiao Ji yourself. If he doesn’t want to tell you, I can’t either.”
Song Liang raised an eyebrow.
“Are you sure?”
Chu Xiyuan raised his own.
“What?”
Song Liang said, “I’ll tell Xiao Yi you took his nephew to buy sex.”
Chu Xiyuan: “…”
Fuck. Utterly devious!
Although winter had arrived, green trees still flourished throughout the estate on Pingshan. The entire property had outdoor heating facilities, costing millions of yuan every year solely to keep its residents comfortable even outside.
Most visitors therefore made a point of seeing its renowned gardens.
Only a few, however, knew that the gardens were divided into outer and inner sections. The outer grounds were open to guests. The inner gardens were reserved for the Xiao family and closely guarded.
In one corner of the inner gardens, trees cast deep shade, without a trace of winter’s bleak lifelessness. A broad stretch of hibiscus flowers was visible in the distance. Nearby stood several benches and small chairs.
Xiao Musheng sat quietly beneath a tree. A swing hung from the tree beside him, visibly old.
“Grandfather,” Xiao Ji greeted him as he approached. “Why aren’t you indoors? It’s windy here.”
“I was going inside. Then I saw this on the way and wondered whether I should have it removed.”
Xiao Ji paused, looking at the swing.
“This still hasn’t been taken down?”
“They were going to remove it last year. I told them to keep it.”
Xiao Musheng’s voice was slow, low, and rough with age.
“There aren’t many things your father left behind in this estate anymore.”
Xiao Ji’s gaze trembled.
“The dead can’t come back.”
Xiao Musheng turned toward him.
“Do you resent me?”
Xiao Ji curled his fingers and answered hoarsely, “No.”
“Then you do.”
“…”
Ten years ago, a car accident had taken his parents from him.
He had desperately escaped the crash site and returned here, arriving during a Xiao family banquet. Covered in blood, he had begged his relatives to save his parents.
Nobody paid him any attention.
They all looked at him with pity and helplessness, as though reproaching him for ruining such an important occasion.
Even the grandfather who loved him most had sternly told him that his parents had already been pronounced dead at the scene. There was no need to save them.
And he should not have burst into such an important event looking so disheveled and behaving so rudely.
He had left in a daze.
Outside the house, he met his youngest uncle, who had only recently returned to the family and always seemed cold and unapproachable.
His uncle was sitting in a car. He went with Xiao Ji to the hospital, saw his parents one final time, then took him out of the estate in front of the entire Xiao family.
From then on, Xiao Ji had grown up with his uncle.
He simply couldn’t understand why, at that moment, he seemed to be the only person grieving.
“The dead cannot return. That is a fact. But as the head of the Xiao family, I cannot neglect my responsibilities because someone has passed away. Your father and your uncle were close. Having him see your father off was enough.”
“…”
Xiao Ji froze, his throat closing.
“You knew—”
Xiao Musheng glanced at him calmly.
“In your heart, am I a bad man?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Xiao Ji swallowed and said hoarsely, “I just thought…”
“You thought that once your father was no longer useful, I wouldn’t spare him another glance?”
“…”
“I don’t blame you for thinking that. I know you were hurting. But have you ever considered this?”
Xiao Musheng murmured, “A child who loses his parents grieves. Parents who lose their child suffer a thousand, ten thousand times more.”
Xiao Ji’s chest tightened. His eyes reddened.
“I’m sorry, Grandfather.”
“Family doesn’t need apologies.”
Xiao Musheng suddenly coughed twice, then continued hoarsely, “I only hope you won’t act foolishly.”
“I’ve thought carefully about Song Liang and me. It wasn’t a whim.”
After considering it, Xiao Ji still chose not to mention the Emperor’s Tear.
“Song Liang saved my life. His arm was injured protecting me.”
“He’s simply a little impulsive. He didn’t mean to offend you. I apologize on his behalf.”
Xiao Musheng watched him steadily for a moment, then sighed.
“Very well. You’re grown now. As long as you’ve thought it through, I won’t interfere.”
Xiao Ji smiled.
“Thank you, Grandfather.”
Xiao Musheng pushed a document envelope across the table.
Xiao Ji opened it and froze.
Inside was a notice appointing him the Xiao Group’s vice president of operations. Besides the usual details regarding salary and benefits, its terms included an additional equity incentive package.
“I’m not so blind that I can’t tell who’s worthless and who’s valuable. It’s just that your third uncle has only this one son, and his leg is crippled.”
“Even if Uncle crippled his leg, he and his son tried to kill him! At Yalong Bay, if the police hadn’t arrived in time, Uncle would have—”
“I’ve asked about that. He wasn’t trying to kill him.”
Xiao Musheng interrupted calmly, his eyes alert and composed.
“Your third uncle said they were only after the Emperor’s Tear. They didn’t know the Liang boy had brought a gun. If you can find evidence that he and his son intended to kill, he’ll surrender every share he owns. I’ll witness it.”
“The Liang boy is still being held at the police station. His statement and the recording are there. If you don’t believe it, you can keep investigating. Nobody will stop you.”
Xiao Ji was momentarily stunned.
With matters laid out so explicitly, even involving shares in the group, his certainty began to waver.
“I’ll submit this appointment notice to the board for review. With your uncle there, it will be approved after the New Year.”
Xiao Musheng slowly rose with his cane.
“Go back. Don’t be late when the banquet starts. Explain things properly to the Qiao family.”
Without waiting for Xiao Ji to respond, he turned and left.
Butler Ye, standing nearby, promptly came forward to support him.
“Sir, shall we go back for your medicine?”
“Yes.”
Butler Ye glanced behind him at Xiao Ji, who was still standing motionless.
“The young master is still there.”
“Like his father. Softhearted by nature.”
“Like father, like son.”
“Unfortunately, the Xiao family has no need for softhearted people.”
“…”
A mocking smile appeared on Xiao Musheng’s aged face.
“The one most like me is a bastard.”
Butler Ye’s gaze faltered slightly. He said nothing.
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