Ji Binglu from the Ji family was a notoriously notorious madman. Rumor had it that his mother and father entered into a purely business marriage back then, and after giving birth to him, she vanished without a trace.
The whispers said he despised all things false and was an Alpha paranoid to the extreme.
Fang Fengqin did not care about any of that.
He reached out to touch the envelope in his pocket, his gaze landing listlessly on the empty shelf in the corner. Once upon a time, a bass guitar had sat right there until Zhong Lu smashed it, pointing straight at the bridge of his nose and ordering him not to entertain such crooked, delusional thoughts.
Fang Fengqin gently closed his eyes and let out a breath.
Gu Song was still chattering away in his ear, sounding exasperated on his behalf. “Orange, are you really going to let your old man control you for the rest of your life?”
“I won’t.” Fang Fengqin spoke up abruptly.
Gu Song and Song Jiangyan turned to look at him in unison.
Fang Fengqin lowered his gaze and said earnestly, “I will not let him control me at will.”
The power dynamics within the Fang family had gradually stabilized over the past few years, with the majority of authority firmly grasped by Fang Long’s branch. Fang Fengqin had made his plans long ago: the moment Fang Rongxi secured a solid foothold within the Fang Corporation, he would leave Rongcheng.
Power and interest formed a tight rope; though they offered towering benefits, they also bound anyone who fell into their trap inextricably.
Fang Fengqin had no desire to stay here for the rest of his life, otherwise, his final end would be identical to that smashed-up bass guitar.
Song Jiangyan watched him for a moment, a trace of probing hesitation in his gaze.
“I always feel like you are hiding something from us.”
Fang Fengqin glanced at him lazily. “What could I possibly be hiding from you guys? We are practically joined at the hip.”
Gu Song and Fang Fengqin had played together since childhood. Song Jiangyan joined their circle later, but neither of them had ever treated him as an outsider, and their bond was just as deep.
Over the years, Song Jiangyan always felt as though Fang Fengqin was like a tightly wound violin string. For reasons unknown, that string refused to slacken with the passing of time, growing tighter and tighter instead.
If it ever wound too tight to the breaking point, the only outcome would likely be a clean snap.
Suppressing the lingering worry in his heart, Song Jiangyan said to Fang Fengqin, “If you ever need us for anything, just say the word.”
Although the Song and Gu families were not as monstrously wealthy or powerful as the Fang family, they still commanded considerable influence in Rongcheng.
Fang Fengqin curved his lips into a light smile, looking at Song Jiangyan and Gu Song as he teased, “Just rest easy, will you?”
The two lingered for a bit longer before taking their leave, reminding Fang Fengqin not to forget to attend Elder Gu’s eightieth birthday banquet that evening before they departed.
Fang Fengqin casually gave his assent.
Upon learning that Fang Fengqin had finally relented and agreed to the political marriage, Fang Long was finally satisfied with him. Putting aside his pride, he personally made a phone call to summon him back home for a meal.
The moment Fang Fengqin answered and listened for all of two seconds, he impatiently interrupted, “I agreed to the marriage, but it comes with conditions.”
Fang Long fell silent for two seconds before asking, “What is it that you want?”
“Transfer the shares Grandpa left me into my name.” Fang Fengqin squeezed the throw pillow on the sofa, his tone casual as he spoke, “I am already twenty-three. It is about time this property was returned to its rightful owner, Father?”
Fang Long did not utter a sound, turning instead to say, “We can discuss this matter when you return tonight.”
“I am attending Elder Gu’s birthday banquet tonight.” Fang Fengqin chuckled dryly. “Surely you and Big Brother were invited, right? Then again, the Gu family has always looked down on your branch.”
Fang Long’s expression darkened on the other end of the line.
After hanging up, he looked at Fang Rongxi, who was standing silently to the side. “Go prepare a gift and take the secretary to attend tonight.”
Fang Rongxi maintained a completely expressionless face as he replied, “Father, we do not have an invitation.”
“Go with your younger brother.”
Fang Rongxi twitched the corners of his lips, offering a respectful assent on the surface while cursing him shamelessly in his heart.
Elder Gu’s birthday fell on December twenty-second, the day of the Winter Solstice.
A continuous drizzle had fallen over the past two days, causing temperatures to plummet drastically. Only now did Rongcheng finally display a genuine shadow of winter.
Having suffered through several days of torment, Fang Fengqin looked pale as paper, making it a rare occasion for him to layer a proper coat over his formal suit.
As he stepped out of his Lakeside Apartment, he discovered Fang Rongxi standing right downstairs, though there was no telling how long he had been waiting.
Frowning, Fang Fengqin took a couple of steps forward. Assistant Xiao Zhang called out, “Young Master,” and only then did Fang Rongxi raise his head, offering him a soft, gentle smile.
“I am hitching a ride using your invitation.” Fang Rongxi’s expression remained completely nonchalant as he opened the car door and said to Fang Fengqin, “Get in, Young Master.”
When Fang Fengqin was around thirteen or fourteen, he had been quite mischievous. Back then, calling him that was Fang Rongxi’s favorite habit, his tone always laced with helpless fondness and a subtle, indulgent smile.
“Did you not know which floor and apartment I lived on?” Seeing that Fang Rongxi’s lips had frozen white from the cold, Fang Fengqin spoke with a hint of irritation.
Fang Rongxi looked at him with amusement. “You are just like a firecracker. How did your older brother offend you this time?”
“Seeing you just puts me in a foul mood!” Fang Fengqin blurted out in a burst of temper. The moment the words left his mouth, the interior of the car fell instantly silent.
Fang Rongxi stared fixedly at him for a couple of seconds, a faint ache blooming in his chest.
Suppressing a quiet sigh, he rolled down the car window. A gust of chilly wind rushed in, causing Fang Fengqin to shiver involuntarily.
Realizing what he had said, Fang Fengqin immediately felt a wave of regret. He lowered his gaze and whimpered in a small, weak voice, “Brother.”
“Young Master Fang, this humble person cannot afford such treatment.” Fang Rongxi’s expression remained unchanged as he said, “If you find having a brother like me shameful, then do not call me that from now on.”
Fang Fengqin turned his profile toward the window, pressing his lips together with stubborn defiance.
“Is the recent project of the Fang Corporation being handled by you?”
When Fang Rongxi kept silent, Assistant Xiao Zhang answered for him, “Yes, Young Master. However, approaching President Ji’s side probably will not work out, so we will have to think of another alternative.”
Fang Fengqin’s eyes flickered slightly. He scooted a little closer to Fang Rongxi, reaching out to gently poke his arm. “Brother, stop working yourself to the bone for Fang Long.”
Without answering, Fang Rongxi silently rolled the car window back up.
Fang Fengqin pressed on, “Why don’t you just seize control of the Fang Corporation yourself? I am sick of living under his thumb and watching his face.”
A warm, large hand suddenly wrapped around his mischievous hand. Feeling the slight chill radiating from Fang Fengqin’s skin, Fang Rongxi frowned and said, “I am only a Beta.”
Beta, Beta. Every single time, he used that excuse to brush him off.
Annoyed, Fang Fengqin retorted, “In your eyes, are Betas destined to be born a tier lower? Are we supposed to bow down and cater to those Alphas’ whims?”
Hearing him speak like that, Fang Rongxi gave him a somewhat peculiar look. “You are an Alpha yourself.”
The words stalled in Fang Fengqin’s half-open mouth, cutting off abruptly.
He gave Fang Rongxi a cold, piercing stare. “Just speak your mind. Do you plan to take revenge or not?”
Fang Rongxi closed his eyes with a helpless sigh.
“Orange, things are not as simple as you think.”
“If you want them to be, they are very simple.” Fang Fengqin tried to yank his hand out of Fang Rongxi’s grip. After struggling to pull away for a long while without success, he vented his frustration by giving him an irritated stomp on the foot.
Pulling Fang Fengqin firmly by the hand, Fang Rongxi drew him into his embrace and murmured in a low voice, “Brother will listen to you.”
Fang Fengqin stopped struggling.
He allowed himself to be held by Fang Rongxi for a moment before muttering awkwardly, “Stop lying to me.”
“When have I ever lied to you?” Having spent several years away from home, the person Fang Rongxi could never let go of was this younger brother.
The brothers had depended on each other since childhood. Though they had both a father and a mother, they felt more like orphans adrift in the world, stumbling forward in the muddy dyeing vat of the Fang household and crying in each other’s arm’s countless times.
“Stop holding me.” Fang Fengqin pushed against his chest. “I am all grown up now.”
“No matter how old you get, you are still Brother’s little Orange.” Fang Rongxi patted his head, curled a finger to flick his forehead lightly, and instructed, “Next time, speak nicely when you have something to say. Do you hear me?”