CH 75

With Gu Zhongyi accompanying him, Lin Yuxing felt more at ease and secure.

He sat in the passenger seat, looking out of the window silently.

Gu Zhongyi turned on the radio, but the program inside was as monotonous as usual, and he didn’t feel like listening. Gu Zhongyi was about to turn it off when the radio started talking about some entertainment topics related to time travel.

Gu Zhongyi retracted his hand and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

Pretending to casually glance at Lin Yuxing, he found that he wasn’t interested in it at all.

…………….

Around ten in the morning, Gu Zhongyi’s car parked near the café Lin Yuxing had visited the previous day. Lin Yuxing headed straight for the same private room.

When he pushed open the door, he saw Qu Ling’s assistant, Li Zhen.

Li Zhen politely said, “Mr. Qu is busy, so I’m here on his behalf.”

Lin Yuxing seemed to have expected that Qu Ling wouldn’t come, so he wasn’t too surprised. He placed the bank card from his pocket on the table.

Li Zhen recognized the card and asked somewhat puzzled, “What is this?”

Lin Yuxing said, “Please help me give this back.”

After all, the card contained money, and he couldn’t explain it if it went missing. That’s why he decided to return it in person.

But Li Zhen didn’t dare to accept it without authorization.

Lin Yuxing didn’t want to put this on Li Zhen’s head as he was just an employee. He took out his phone and dialed Qu Ling’s number.

After a long time, Qu Ling finally picked up the phone.

The background noise on the other end was loud, like he was outside in a noisy environment.

Lin Yuxing did not beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose over the phone: “Since you are very busy, I’ll just ask directly. I want to know, before my brother returned to the country, did he say anything else to you besides mentioning that I would be in a car accident?”

Qu Ling, who was with his family at the shopping mall, wondered why Lin Yuxing wanted to know these things. He coldly stated that he didn’t have much time.

Lin Yuxing straightforwardly replied, “This is important to me.”

Knowing that Qu Ling didn’t want to have any further connection with him, Lin Yuxing deliberately “threatened,” “If you’re busy today, I will call again tomorrow, and the day after that till i get answers.”

That trick turned out to be effective. Qu Ling quickly walked to a quieter spot and lowered his voice, “At that time, he repeatedly said just a few things. He mentioned that he had a second chance at life, given by God, and he had to return to the country to save you.”

“And what else?” Lin Yuxing urged.

Qu Ling sighed deeply, not wanting to mention that fight with Lin Yuheng that day: “He was disrespectful to me several times. He even accused me of all sorts of things.”

Qu Ling’s voice stopped abruptly when he mentioned that part.

Lin Yuxing couldn’t help but press for more information, “What did he say?”

Qu Ling’s expression turned serious, not pleased at all, “On the first day he went mad, he accused me of abandoning him twice. He said the first time was when I kicked him out of the house, and the second time… the second time was even more absurd. He claimed that during university, he was captured and abused by an Alpha who he had a high compatibility with, and that I ignored his pleas for help!”

“He was only 17 years old, hadn’t even graduated from high school, and he was telling me about things that happened in university? He had gone mad, making a mess of our home.”

Qu Ling glanced at his wife behind him and took a few more steps away. His wife looked at him with concern, and he forced a “helpless” smile, pretending that was a work call.

His wife nodded understandingly and continued picking clothes with their child.

Qu Ling felt anxious, wanting to end the call quickly. “That’s about it.”

However, Lin Yuxing stopped Qu Ling from hanging up the phone.

Lin Yuxing’s voice cooled down, as cold as ice in December. He said, “Do you feel at ease and justified by giving me this money?” He didn’t want to waste any more words but changed his mind when he heard Qu Ling’s disdainful tone.

He asked bluntly, “isn’t it the least i could do?”

Lin Yuxing sarcastically asked, “Do you think that it’s a rare stroke of luck for children from orphanages to be adopted and receive charity from families like yours, and that we should be grateful and accept everything you give us?”

It was truly laughable.

Lin Yuxing didn’t wait for Qu Ling’s reaction and continued, “You have an undeniable responsibility for how my brother and I ended up like this because you deceived him.”

Back then, Qu Ling did not take care of Lin Yuxing’s medical expenses. After taking Lin Yuheng away, he disregarded the medical expenses due to work and family reasons.

Even when Lin Yuheng would ask him about it, he would casually brush it off and soon forget about it.

He was a hypocritical pseudo-gentleman, including his current actions, which were all fake.

Lin Yuxing also remembered clearly that during that period, it was the head of the orphanage who worked tirelessly to go through many procedures for his medical expenses, facing numerous difficulties.

His life was saved by the head of the orphanage, not by Qu Ling.

Qu Ling did not expect that old matter to be brought up again, and he was unaware that Lin Yuheng’s diary played a role, he thought that it was the head of the orphanage who talked too much.

“I agree back then it was indeed my negligence, so I am giving you this card now—”

“You don’t understand human language, do you?”

“What…?”

Lin Yuxing coldly interrupted, “You must be thinking that none of this was your responsibility. I understand, there’s no point in insisting you did wrong, it’s all in the past.”

Qu Ling fell silent.

In front of Lin Yuxing’s words, any defense was futile.

Qu Ling said, “Since that’s the case, I don’t have much more to say. Just give the card to Li Zhen.”

But  Lin Yuxing was not willing to end it there. H had been so hurt and in recent years that he just had to vent.

“Qu Ling, do you know what your biggest mistake is?”

As Lin Yuxing’s tone changed, he sternly said, “Your biggest mistake,” he took a deep breath, and his lips trembled slightly, “is that you adopted him and changed him, but you never truly cared for him. You sacrificed him for the sake of your so-called perfect family!”

Emotions surged inside Lin Yuxing, like boiling water with continuous bubbles. Without the comfort of Gu Zhongyi’s appeasing pheromones, he couldn’t calm down.

He let out all the words pressing on his heart, “Qu Ling, the mistakes you made with my brother will never disappear. It’s not something you can buy peace of mind with money, and no one will forgive you.”

His tone was sharp as a knife.

But Qu Ling wasn’t someone to be trifled with either.

Qu Ling didn’t reflect on his actions at all. Instead, he felt offended. His voice turned cold and displeased, “Have you ever thought that he died because he wanted to come back to find you, not because of me?” He struck directly to the heart, saying, “In the end, it was all because of you.”

The last sentence hit directly at Lin Yuxing’s wound, sprinkling salt on the fresh and bloody wound.

Lin Yuxing was stunned for a moment, his pupils contracting. He clenched his teeth and couldn’t help but hold his breath.

Seeing Lin Yuxing’s silence, Qu Ling aggressively asked, “Back then in the orphanage, what did you give him apart from troubles? I, at least, raised him and provided him with the best life. That must count for something, right?”

He didn’t understand why these orphans were always so ungrateful. The more he gave, the more they wanted.

“I don’t expect you to be grateful, but at least you shouldn’t bite back like this.”

Qu Ling considered himself to be morally righteous. He even consoled Lin Yuxing, offering him a way out, “I understand that your brother’s death may have dealt a heavy blow to you, making you say things without thinking.”

He had always liked giving a stick, then offering a carrot, “I can understand you.”

However, Lin Yuxing was no longer the timid child he used to be, and he couldn’t be easily fooled.

“Qu Ling, have you lived abroad for so long that you can’t even remember the saying ‘a cat cries after catching a mouse’?”

“You—”

Lin Yuxing cut him off again and revealed the wound, “In the end, you’re the pitiful one. Going through extreme measures to fill a void in your not so perfect family. How long can you play this make-believe family game?”

Qu Ling had no idea how Lin Yuxing came to know all this, and at that moment, he was stunned as Lin Yuxing showed no mercy: “Keep your charity for yourself.”

Lin Yuxing hung up the phone and decisively left the private room.

It was a sunny day that day.

But Lin Yuxing’s mood was like being covered by a dark cloud with no sign of light.

The truth behind his separation from his brother was like a heavy, rotting cloth that left no one feeling good.

It was true for him, and also true for Qu Ling.

Lin Yuxing’s face was pale, and his steps were weak. He didn’t want to stay there for another second, so he walked out of the coffee shop quickly, gritting his teeth.

Not far away, Gu Zhongyi stood in the sunlight, leaning against the car, waiting.

Time seemed peaceful, as if nothing had happened.

Lin Yuxing stopped, looking blankly at Gu Zhongyi.

For a moment.

The car accident in D City, the conversation he heard in a daze last night, everything Qu Ling said,  and how Liao Yan addressed him at the exhibition hall and behaved, and so on.

All the information flooded into his brain at once, leaving him defenseless and caught off guard.

He thought about the radio broadcast in the car earlier.

Time travel.

He murmured to himself, “How is that possible?”

If it were true, who is Gu Zhongyi to him, and how does everything else play out?

Or perhaps… his life was supposed to end at the age of 17?

The more he thought about it, the more panicked he became, looking at Gu Zhongyi in confusion.

He said again, “How is that possible…”

If it were true, why didn’t Gu Zhongyi tell him anything?

Lin Yuxing was not a superstitious person, but in these circumstances, he had no choice but to consider these possibilities.

But he didn’t plan to rashly ask Gu Zhongyi. He needed the right opportunity to bring it up.

He thought of the hair in the box and secretly made a plan in his mind.

He needed a reasonable clue to try to believe this far-fetched guess, and to firmly present his question to Gu Zhongyi for verification.

Otherwise, everything seemed too far-fetched.

If it turned out that it wasn’t the case, his hasty questioning might cause Gu Zhongyi more worries.

With these thoughts, Lin Yuxing suppressed all his confusion and kept silent.

And what he didn’t know was that not far from the coffee shop, under the shade of a tree, stood a man in a black shirt, holding a cigarette between his fingers, slowly blowing a smoke ring.

Beside him, there was a black luxury car parked.

A man sitting in the back seat rolled down the window and spoke coldly, “Fang Ze, get in the car.”

Fang Ze put out his cigarette and sat in the driver’s seat.

As Gu Zhuang’s long-time secretary, Chen Hua continued his stern lecture with a cold expression, “How many times have I told you? Do you think that they won’t notice you?”

“Mr. Gu doesn’t know me…”

“Fang Ze.”

Fang Ze, like an obedient dog, immediately apologized to Chen Hua, who was a Beta, “Brother, I’m sorry.”

Chen Hua said, “let’s go back.”

Fang Ze drove the car, trying to ease the atmosphere he said, “Today it’s honestly by coincidence; I came out to do something and ran into Young Master Gu.”

Chen Hua closed his eyes to rest.

“Brother?”

Chen Hua didn’t respond, maintaining his usual cold demeanor towards his half-brother.

Fang Ze, however, was used to it. He smiled foolishly and asked curiously, “If I remember correctly, the Omega who was with Young Master Gu just now, is the one I was asked to find in D City two years ago…”

Chen Hua’s face changed, “Shut up!”

Fang Ze was almost startled into slamming the brakes, but he managed to steady the car.

Chen Hua’s tone was unfriendly, “Mind your own business and keep your mouth shut!”

Fang Ze was young and prone to saying the wrong things, but Chen Hua had never been so stern with him before.

In the rearview mirror, Chen Hua’s eyes were as sharp as venomous snakes.

Fang Ze quickly straightened his body, not daring to speak again.

In the back seat, Chen Hua quickly regained his composure, “Have someone investigate what they are doing here.” He asked, “Young Master Gu recently visited D City and M City, where else?”

Fang Ze reported two more cities.

Chen Hua’s eyebrows twitched imperceptibly, “Hand over all this information. You don’t need to be responsible for it anymore.”

“Brother?!”

Chen Hua pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose, “Go abroad and hide for a while. Don’t come back without my orders, you must not cause trouble for Mr. Gu.”

“Brother, I…”

Chen Hua listened to Fang Ze calling him “brother” repeatedly, and his cold expression softened slightly, “This is for your own good.”

Fang Ze dared not disobey.