Chapter 71

Chapter 71

"071"

The pure black cashmere coat rippled with dazzling water-like patterns in the shifting light. Xiao Anfeng shot a glance at Xiao Lancui and managed to choke out, "Thank you."

He quickly grabbed the coat, ducked behind the curtains, and slipped it on with trembling hands.

He was similar in height to Xiao Lancui, and the long coat came down to his calves, just barely covering him.

The coat carried a faint, pleasant scent. It took him a second or two to register what it was.

The scent was the lingering trace of herbal medicine.

Xie Jingfang had also drunk herbal medicine for a while back then, and the room was always filled with the unpleasant smell of it. But the scent on Xiao Lancui was different—light, like grass after a fine rain.

With that grassy scent clinging to his senses, Xiao Anfeng clenched his jaw, but he couldn't be so shameless as to ask Xiao Lancui to stop the chaos in the room.

In front of Xiao Lancui, he was already mortified enough.

Xiao Anfeng took a deep breath, knowing no one would help him now—his mother, father, brother, younger brother—he had lost every one of them.

With shaking hands, he did up the last horn button, forced himself to compose himself, and looked at the two tangled on the carpet.

Xiao Liqin stayed silent, pinned to the carpet and pummeled by Xiao Jingli. He was in slightly better shape than the stark naked Xiao Anfeng—his upper body was bare, but he still had trousers on, though the fly was open.

That thing was hanging out, still slick with fluid. Xiao Jingli knew exactly where it had come from. He had lost all pretense of composure and decency, hurling the filthiest curses imaginable, wishing he could beat Xiao Liqin to death on the spot.

"You animal! You animal! You incestuous animal! I'll kill you—"

"Enough." Xiao Anfeng murmured.

Xiao Jingli whipped his head around at the sound of Xiao Anfeng's voice and saw the lingering traces of lovemaking on his face. His sanity shattered completely. Eyes bloodshot, he snarled, "Shut up! Once I'm done with your brother, I'll deal with you!"

Xiao Anfeng clenched his fists, feeling nauseous again.

He couldn't get it out of his head.

Last night, Cheng Peng's repeated cries of "Daddy, love me," and Xiao Jingli's, "Fengfeng, Daddy's good Fengfeng, Daddy loves you."

He felt so sick he wanted to die.

Watching Xiao Jingli land another punch that bloodied Xiao Liqin's lip, he said slowly, word by word, "You're not my father. So how is this incest?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he flicked a glance at Xiao Lancui.

That handsome face was as cold as ever, not even a flicker of reaction to his words.

As expected, Xiao Lancui had known all along.

He had been thoroughly defeated.

He had even lost his last shred of intelligence to Xiao Lancui.

And as for love...

After a few days of recovery in the hospital, he suddenly remembered that in that loveless, purely physical encounter with Lu Siye, Lu Siye had murmured three words in his ear at the end.

"Xiao Lancui."

Xiao Lancui loved Lu Siye, and he had won him.

And him? The only thing he had left was Xiao Liqin's love.

Now Xiao Lancui couldn't take that away from him either—he and Xiao Liqin were full brothers. Xiao Liqin would never love him.

Xiao Anfeng bit out the words again, repeating, "You're not my father. This isn't incest!"

Xiao Jingli stopped. He wasn't surprised—he was only more certain that this was all part of Xiao Liqin's scheme.

His precious eldest son had long been scheming to take Xiao Anfeng away, playing tricks on him, right under his nose.

"What did you just say?" In the abruptly silent room, Xie Jingfang's voice was hoarse, as if she were crying blood.

Xiao Anfeng was struck dumb.

The one person he couldn't face was Xie Jingfang. He lowered his head, miserable, his fingers clutching the coat, feeling that death would be better than living.

"His biological father is someone else entirely."

Xiao Lancui spoke up.

In the silent room, his voice was cold and merciless, "He's not an illegitimate child. He's the child of another man and another woman."

Xiao Liqin noticed the disgust in Xie Jingfang's eyes toward Xiao Anfeng and, afraid something would happen, finally spoke up, urgently trying to cut him off, "Xiao Lancui! Shut your mouth!"

Xiao Lancui paid him no mind. Turning to Xie Jingfang, he said, "That man was your husband's ex-lover. Your husband is gay."

So many things that had puzzled Xie Jingfang suddenly made sense.

Why every time they were in bed, Xiao Jingli would finish in a hurry, and never even kissed her, and the decade-plus of cold-shoulder treatment.

Everything suddenly became clear.

Xie Jingfang suddenly dashed into the room, grabbed the fruit knife she had been eyeing on the coffee table, and charged at Xiao Jingli, stabbing him swiftly in the back.

She had long wanted to do this.

If Xiao Jingli died, all the Xiao family shares would go to her. She would hand them over to Xiao Lancui and then turn herself in!

This was what he, she, and all of them owed Xiao Lancui!

It all happened so fast. Xiao Mian and Xiao Anfeng could only cry out in unison, "Mom!"

Xiao Jingli turned instinctively, with no time to react, his pupils dilating as he watched the knife come down.

The knife tip was pulled away just a centimeter from Xiao Jingli's back.

Xiao Lancui pulled Xie Jingfang back. He had sensed her intention all along and stepped in immediately to stop her impulsive act.

Xiao Jingli, having narrowly escaped death, immediately scrambled up and ran outside. Only once he was outside the door did he shout back at Xie Jingfang, "You crazy bitch!"

Xie Jingfang ground her teeth, "I wish I'd gone mad and killed you long ago!"

She clutched the knife, trying once more to charge at Xiao Jingli and stab him. "Lancui, let go of me. I'll sever ties with you later—"

"Hand me the knife." Xiao Lancui reached out with his other hand to take it. "This isn't something you should be doing," he said. "I don't want to have to visit you in prison later."

Xie Jingfang hesitated for a moment, then finally let go of the knife, though her eyes still burned with hatred as she stared at Xiao Jingli.

Seeing that she no longer had the knife, Xiao Jingli grew bolder. He threatened Xie Jingfang, saying, "Xie Jingfang, if you want to go to prison, it's simple. I'll help you."

Xie Jingfang's expression changed. She no longer feared death—only that prison would affect the asset division, and Xiao Lancui wouldn't get the Xiao Corporation.

She was now completely clear-headed. Xiao Liqin's constant defenses of Xiao Anfeng weren't out of family loyalty—he'd long been in love with Xiao Anfeng, and everything he owned would go to Xiao Anfeng. So she wouldn't give Xiao Liqin a single penny!

Xie Jingfang was shaking with rage.

At that moment, Xiao Lancui gently patted her shoulder and calmly shot back at Xiao Jingli, "Going to prison is simple for you too. Want to try?"

Xiao Jingli's heart sank. He stared intently at Xiao Lancui, "You..."

Xiao Lancui cut him off, "My memory's back. On October 12th at 10:12 PM, the person who coaxed me into drinking wine laced with sleeping pills, and pushed me into the sea at 10:20—I remember it all now. It was you."

His thin lips curled slightly as he slowly spoke the most terrifying words, "I also remember, in the study, you used—"

"Shut up!" Xiao Jingli's face went pale. He still didn't know his affair with Cheng Peng had already been exposed. Flustered and furious, he cut Xiao Lancui off, "You shut up!"

Xiao Lancui, of course, ignored him. Under everyone's gaze in the room, he finished unhurriedly, "You used Xiao Anfeng's underwear to masturbate."

The sheer overload of information left Xie Jingfang speechless. Apart from when she first walked in, this was the second time tonight she'd looked at Xiao Anfeng.

Xiao Anfeng's face was pale, and he was overwhelmed with shame. He clutched his coat tightly, wishing he could disappear on the spot.

Xiao Mian felt vomit rise in his throat and immediately crouched down, throwing up.

As if his skin had been peeled off, Xiao Jingli raged helplessly at Xiao Lancui, "You're slandering me! You—"

"Enough. Don't waste my time." Xiao Lancui ignored the interruption, his tone still calm. "Now, hand over the evidence of the poisoning, and I'll completely forget both of these matters."

Xie Jingfang turned, shocked, "Lancui, you don't need to..."

Xiao Lancui gestured for Xie Jingfang to stay quiet, then continued to Xiao Jingli, "You know very well—I'm the victim. If I don't press charges, the evidence you have is just scrap. But your murder attempt—"

He deliberately left out the word "attempted."

The original body had indeed died—killed by Xiao Jingli in the cold, dark sea.

He didn't care about the modern era. In Dali, murder demanded a life for a life.

Xiao Jingli owed a life.

"How do I know you'll really forget?" Xiao Jingli clenched his fists, starting to waver.

"This isn't up for negotiation." Xiao Lancui's tone dropped to freezing point. "You have no choice."

Xiao Jingli's face turned pale. After a standoff of two or three seconds, he spat out, "I'll send the original audio to Xiao Mian's email."

He shot one last look at Xiao Anfeng, then left in disgrace.

The room went silent. Soon, Xiao Mian's trembling voice broke the silence, "Poisoning... what does that mean?" He'd just finished vomiting and looked up at Xie Jingfang in bewilderment. "Mom, did you... poison my brother?"

Xie Jingfang's nose stung with bitterness, and she avoided Xiao Mian's eyes.

Xiao Lancui glanced at the clock on the wall—it was almost midnight.

He let go of Xie Jingfang, but she was on edge now and instinctively grabbed his hand first, "Lancui..."

"I won't stay to ring in the New Year with you tonight. I have plans with a friend, and I'm running late." Xiao Lancui didn't pull his hand away. Ignoring all the eyes on him, he said calmly, "Besides, you have matters to handle, and I don't want to stay. I'll see you tomorrow."

Only after receiving his assurance that he wouldn't disappear did Xie Jingfang let go, finally smiling. "When you go back to your grandmother's place, call me beforehand. I'll cook something nice and wait for you to come home."

Xiao Lancui nodded and walked away.

He didn't ask for his coat back—once given, it was discarded. He timed himself, hailing a cab promptly. His exposure to the cold air wouldn't last long; he could endure it.

He'd booked a private car in the elevator, nearby, arriving soon. When the elevator reached the first-floor lobby, he'd only taken a few steps when the adjacent elevator opened, and Xiao Mian chased after him, calling, "Brother!"

Xiao Lancui stopped. Xiao Mian ran up to him and, without warning, slapped himself hard on both cheeks.

Xiao Mian put his full strength into it, and his face swelled red quickly.

Xiao Mian's eyes were bloodshot. "I'm sorry, I... I..."

He couldn't continue, raising his hand to slap himself again. Xiao Lancui spoke up, "Wait until I get back to slap yourself. I'm in a hurry to leave right now."

"Oh." Xiao Mian instinctively stepped aside, then hurriedly took off his down jacket. "Your coat is dirty—wear mine!"

Xiao Lancui refused. "I don't wear other people's clothes."

At 11:40, the private car arrived at the community gate.

Unlike usual, tonight, near midnight, the neighborhood was ablaze with lights—every household waiting to ring in the New Year together.

Xiao Lancui carried the insulated container. The weather was dry, unexpectedly not too cold, but he still quickened his pace.

At the building entrance, he was stunned.

The familiar window was pitch black. Lu Ao...

Was he really not there?

Xiao Lancui's steps faltered, the anticipation surging in his chest dispersing like mist, fading more and more.

He took a shallow breath of the dry, cold air, slowed his pace, entered the building, and walked slowly up the stairs.

Twenty dumplings.

He'd worried it wouldn't be enough, planning to eat one himself and give the rest to Lu Ao.

Now, alone, he couldn't even finish twenty dumplings.

At the door, his steps were so light that even the hallway sensor light didn't trigger. He reached his finger toward the fingerprint lock.

One millimeter away, he suddenly stopped.

At the same moment, a wave of heat pressed against him from behind. His hand was caught, his shoulder gripped and turned back. He tilted his face up—before he could even make out the other's face in the dark hallway, a familiar scent enveloped him.

Scorching breath brushed close against his lips.

The young man's voice came low and hoarse—

"Brother, I want to kiss you."