“Lies, lies, lies, lies, all lies. You’re all lying to me!”
Ai Mi denied it much more than I expected.
Obama began wailing in an untimely manner and made it more chaotic.
“This fake lab test, I won’t fall for… these tricks!”
Ai Mi screamed as she tore the sheets into pieces and scattered them around her feet.
“Ai Mi, calm down and listen to me…” I felt I couldn’t stay silent any longer.
“A prank.” Ai Mi had tears in her eyes, but her lips began to tremble and curl upwards, “It has to be a prank. You heard yesterday that my birthday was April 1st, so you wanted to prank me. I won’t fall for it, I’m going to deduct your wages for doing this prank, I mean it.”
“That American Express card has long been cancelled by Ai ShuQiao… cancelled by our mother…”
Since it had already progressed to this point, I didn’t think I needed to hide it anymore.
“Wh- why?” Ai Mi’s thoughts were delayed. She wanted to keep up with my reasoning while denying the reality in front of me.
I shrugged, “It’s probably because he doesn’t like her ex-husband’s son.”
Ai Mi pursed her lips nervously. She placed her hands on her knees and evened out the creases on her rainbow stockings.
I’m sure she’s already heard rumors that her mother has been married before.
I took advantage of Ai Mi’s silence and carefully presented her with the truth.
The book called “The Jewish Persuasion” that my dad used to keep on his desk once said that to convince someone, you have to start with the simplest facts. Make sure the other party says “yes” first, and then work towards your goal step by step.
So I asked, “Ai Mi, do you remember when you asked me to find a substitute for you when your mother asked you to practice Chinese characters? And she found out about the last time, but you weren’t held accountable.”
Ai Mi furrowed her tiny brow and craned her neck, “So what if I do?”
“Because that time, I temporarily asked my father for help, and your mother recognized the handwriting of her ex-husband.”
Ai Mi’s expression was clearly shaken, and I continued to strike while the iron was hot.
“The American Express Black Card was frozen immediately after. The reason was simple, your ‘mother’ didn’t like her abandoned son and she didn’t like seeing me use her baby daughter’s unlimited overdraft card.”
“Nonsense.” Ai Mi seemed to be in a heated debate with me, “Mom only blocked the card because she didn’t want a lowly manservant to use it, and you can’t prove that the card is really no longer valid.”
Peng TouSi, who was standing by, interjected, “That card has indeed been cancelled. If Miss Ai Mi doesn’t believe me, I can contact Commissioner Wang of American Express to testify.”
Ai Mi glared indignantly at Peng TouSi and it looked like she wanted to bite something to vent her anger.
These days, I have been called “inferior manservant” or “lowly manservant” numerous times and it was about time to act like her brother.
With this in mind, I straightened my back, and said calmly:
“Ai Mi, do you still remember how Obama was really intimate with me the first time we met? To this day, he still only allows me or you to pat his head. Isn’t it because we’re related and we have the same smell?”
Obama looked at me stupefied not understanding that I had just used him as evidence.
Ai Mi sneered, “Even if Obama is close to you, it only proves that you are related to him. Why would that make you… my brother.”
I smacked my lips and said, “I am your brother.”
Ai Mi, who was lying on the edge of the bed, reached out for the pink phone under her pillow. She pressed the keys while saying:
“I’m not falling for it. If you’re courageous enough, you should confront my mother directly.”
“Miss, please don’t dial that number.” Peng TouSi stopped her in a hurry.
Ai Mi proudly stopped moving for the moment. She wiped away the teardrops on the corners of her eyes while saying:
“So you were lying to me and now you’re afraid.”
I was laughing at Peng TouSi’s spinelessness in my mind, but then I realized if she talked to Ai ShuQiao, she would realize I had exposed the relationship and it would obstruct my plans of getting a doctor. My friend’s life is at stake here.
So I acted as spineless as Peng TouSi and begged Ai Mi to not make the call.
“Hmph, do you think I won’t call just because you begged me?” Ai Mi looked like a victorious general pondering how she should deal with her prisoners of war.
Peng TouSi spoke after a brief pause, “Miss Ai Mi, if you make the call, Ye Lin’s life may be in danger.”
“What? Why would the manservant’s life be in danger?”
“Because… your mother, Madam Ai ShuQiao, she…” Peng TouSi lowered his voice, “She warned Ye Lin to not disclose his relationship with you or she would dispose of him…”
Huh, Ai ShuQiao did hint at that possibility at first, but ever since I gave up my life to save Ai Mi, Ai ShuQiao has began to try and bribe me instead. As long as I listen to her, she may even allow me to reconcile with Ai Mi. I don’t think she would kill me even if she found out I revealed the secret to Ai Mi.
But Ai Mi shouldn’t make the call if we want a doctor transferred here, so it’s reasonable for Peng TouSi to lie.
“More nonsense.” Ai Mi stood up and crossed her arms, “According to you guys, Ye Lin is my mom’s biological son, right? Why would a mother kill her own son?”
That’s because you don’t know about Ai ShuQiao’s ruthlessness. In order to achieve her own goals, she would even use her 4-year-old daughter… Your grandfather was poisoned by her plans and you yourself unknowingly became a murderer. If she knew about it, then her spirit would be broken, right?
“Because Madam Ai ShuQiao didn’t want Ye Lin to affect your celebrity career.”
Peng TouSi replied smoothly with a convincing half false and half true statement.
On a side note, they always say women are better at lying than men. Peng TouSi was able to gain Ai ShuQiao’s trust and lie to Ai Mi without a script. Does it have anything to do with the fact that he is gay and a bottom?
I chimed in, “Basically it means mother thinks I’m a nasty relative who’s approaching you just to get favors.”
“Are you?” Ai Mi asked seriously.
“Of course not.” I said, “After we’ve interacted that long, didn’t you realize I couldn’t be moved with money?”
“No.” Ai Mi said in a very exasperated flat tone.
“That’s right.” I had an idea, “I have photos in my dad’s old photo album. If you see it, you will understand the relationship between your mom and my dad.”
“Pictures with clothes on?” Ai Mi asked.
“Of course it’s with clothes on.”
“Hmph, even a picture of them cuddling together with no clothes on doesn’t prove anything.”
“I… can find their marriage certificate.”
“It’s long been expired and it could be a forgery.” Ai Mi thought she had seized the flow of the debate and became aggressive.
“No need to go to all that trouble, Miss Ai Mi. If you want proof, I have it here with me.”
Peng TouSi took his military style cell phone out of his suit and started playing a recording.
“… you have to know that only my son has the guts to commit crimes.”
“How about it, I’ll give you a chance… Ye Lin, do you want to be my son again?”
Isn’t… isn’t this when I spoke to Ai ShuQiao on the rooftop of the VIP building with Peng TouSi’s cell phone? Peng TouSi actually used recording software to record our conversation and save it on his phone. The conversation was irrefutable evidence and this time Ai Mi had nothing to say.
Ai Mi turned silent as expected. Her shoulders were slumped like all the strength was drained from her body.
“…… Although you have always maintained an intimate relationship with Ai Mi, you didn’t tell her you were related to her. Why, are you afraid of my punishment?”
Peng TouSi’s recording wasn’t played in chronological order, but it didn’t affect its credibility. Ai ShuQiao’s unmistakably confident tone of voice wasn’t something anyone could imitate.
“Turn it off, I don’t want to hear it, turn it off…”
Ai Mi screamed out frantically.
Peng TouSi complied and turned off the recording. Then he patted me on the shoulder, signaling that he was going to leave me and Ai Mi alone in the room for a while.
When he left, Obama didn’t like the heavy atmosphere in the room, so he followed Peng TouSi out.
Thus Ai Mi and I were the only ones left in room 101 of the VIP building.
“Haha, haha, hahahaha.” Ai Mi suddenly threw back her head and laughed. I couldn’t see her full expression because she covered her eyes with one hand.
“Ai Mi, I know it’s hard for you to accept it all of a sudden…”
“Shut up, do you think I would call you brother?” Ai Mi removed her hand from her face and I saw a pair of bloodshot eyes caused by her tears and anger.
“You’re a liar. When didn’t you tell me earlier about our relationship?”
She yelled at me hysterically.
“I had my own troubles…”
“When was it…” Ai Mi asked in a depressed and angry tone.
“When?”
“When did you learn about it?” Amy growled, “Did you already know we were related when you said you loved me?”
“It’s a pure and innocent love between siblings.” I explained.
“I’ll pretend this never happened.” After taking a long time to adjust her breathing, Ai Mi deceived herself and ordered, “Continue to be my manservant, you only need the identity of a manservant…”