Fu Chi raised an eyebrow. “Well… even if you really did that, I would probably find an opportunity to make a comeback. Once I get the chance to turn things around… the little young master might have to pay a certain price.”
Ji Chen swallowed hard and asked nervously, “What kind of… price?”
Fu Chi closed his eyes and imagined, “In a dim, quiet room, chains, a large black bed, the sound of weeping, purple-black finger marks…”
Before he could even finish speaking, his mouth was tightly covered by Ji Chen.
Ji Chen’s face turned ashen. Holy shit, this completely matched the clone’s memories! It was game over. Under no circumstances could this fellow’s identity be exposed—he really didn’t want to get tied up and manhandled!
Fu Chi pulled Ji Chen’s hand away and gently stroked his pale face. “I was just joking. Did you actually take it seriously?”
Damn it, how could he not take it seriously when these things literally happened!
Composing his mindset, Ji Chen grabbed Fu Chi’s arm and said, “Why don’t you go abroad for a while? My dad and the Lan family are going to clash more and more fiercely, and our affair has been brought out into the open again.”
“For me, this matter is just a matter of reputation. After all, the Ji family’s standing is right here. But you might get targeted by the Lan family and end up being used as leverage against me. Come back after the Lan family’s mess is settled.”
Fu Chi’s eyes flickered slightly as he stared intently at Ji Chen. “Do you think I would let myself be easily manipulated by others and hold you back?”
Ji Chen shook his head like a rattle-drum. “No, I am simply worried about you.”
Fu Chi leaned closer, lowering his distance. “Little young master, is there something you are keeping from me?”
Ji Chen’s heart jolted as if it had been electrocuted, though he maintained a rock-solid exterior. Giving a dismissive tch, he stood up and retorted, “You are paranoid all day long—who knows what goes on in that head of yours?”
“You keep talking about moving upward and having enough backing, but is the current Fu Corporation enough? Shouldn’t you also expand into some sectors that QingSheng can’t interfere with?”
“Even though I wouldn’t actually do to you what my dad said, what if he gets a sudden whim and actually takes action? You should have a Plan B anyway. Wouldn’t it be good to develop your career abroad?”
Fu Chi nodded. “What you are saying makes sense. As for the Fu Corporation…”
“This young master will keep an eye on it for you. Could a mere Fu Corporation possibly turn the tables? Rest assured and just go,” Ji Chen patted his chest with absolute confidence.
Fu Chi replied with good nature, “Alright, I will make arrangements tomorrow. Before I leave, can we—”
Ji Chen immediately laughed heartily to interrupt him. “Before you leave, of course we have to have a proper meal! Today is the day, this young master is treating you to a big feast. Let’s go.”
Dragging Fu Chi to his feet, they left home—a place prone to hazardous safety accidents. While Ji Chen was smiling brightly on the outside, he was crying bitterly on the inside. Protecting one’s innocence these days really required top-tier acting skills.
Believing his acting had been stellar, he failed to notice the pitch-black phoenix eyes of Fu Chi lingering right behind him.
Ji Chen personally escorted Fu Chi onto the plane, and the moment it took off, his mood instantly turned visibly bright and clear.
He had finally managed to send away this ticking time bomb, and he felt his spirits soar instantly.
Next, he would deal with that piece of trash Fu Xi to completely crush any possibility of Fu Chi discovering his own true background.
Dealing with Fu Xi turned out to be far easier than imagined. Ever since their relationship was exposed, Fu Xi knew there was zero chance of turning things around in this lifetime.
Once Ji Chen tracked him down, Fu Xi readily agreed to sell off the Fu Corporation shares in his hands, though the price was astronomical—a complete lion’s roar.
To Ji Chen, the amount didn’t matter; he wasn’t short on cash. Even though this was a paper-figure world, it still operated by its own rules, and he wanted to avoid taking any lives. As long as Fu Xi simply vanished, spending a bit of money was nothing.
Thus, the moment a massive sum was credited to his account, Fu Xi boarded a flight out of the country.
Ji Chen let out a thorough sigh of relief and redirected all his focus toward the Lan family. Once this malignant tumor was eradicated, he would have no more worries left.
The moment the plane carrying Fu Xi landed in an unfamiliar foreign land, a group of people threw a black hood over his head and dragged him away.
What was going on? Did he ask for too much money, and Ji Chen went back on his deal?
Just as he was filled with regret over his own greed, the black hood was removed from his head, and he caught sight of a familiar figure, instantly wearing a ferocious expression.
“Fu Chi! What else do you want? I have nothing left! We share a mother, at least—are you trying to kill me?”
Standing off to the side, Cheng Cong clicked his tongue a few times with his peach-blossom eyes. “Don’t you go spouting false accusations. We would never do such a thing. We were just curious: how much money did you bleed out of Ji Chen?”
Fu Xi’s eyes flickered for a moment before he named a specific figure.
Just as Cheng Cong was about to gasp in shock, Fu Chi suddenly said, “You aren’t telling the truth. It seems you don’t want to leave after all.”
Fu Xi’s expression sank for a fraction of a second before he spat out a different, much larger figure.
Cheng Cong sucked in a sharp breath. “My god, you really are a total extortionist! That price could buy half the Fu Corporation. Did Ji Chen really just hand that over to you?”
Fu Xi sneered disdainfully. “Fu Chi, I admit I’m inferior to you—inferior at using your body in a disgusting way to please men.”
“The moment you latched onto Ji Chen, I knew I never stood a single chance. I’m done fighting, and I’m even ashamed to be brothers with you. Let’s just pretend each other doesn’t exist. Never see each other again!”
Fu Chi nodded. “Never see each other again.”
Stunned for a moment, Fu Xi turned around and tentatively walked outward. Seeing that truly no one was stopping him, he gave Fu Chi one last complicated look before striding away without any further hesitation.
Beishang, wearing white gloves, pulled out a small plastic bag containing a tiny tuft of hair.
Looking at Fu Chi, he said, “I honestly have no idea where your intuition comes from. However, if Fu Xi isn’t your brother, that means…”
Fu Chi’s gaze turned dark and unfathomable. “It means that from the very beginning, Ji Chen had an ulterior motive. Going after Li Wei and Fu Xi successively was all meant to cover up my identity.”
Cheng Cong looked utterly bewildered. “What on earth is the point of all this? Why do I feel like I’m missing the main point?”
Beishang shook his head. “Let’s look at the DNA test results first. Perhaps it’s a misunderstanding. I have medical contacts in Country K. At top speed, we’ll have the results by tonight.”
In the dead of night, in a foreign land.
A DNA test report lay flat on the dining table, clearly indicating zero biological relationship.
Cheng Cong tossed back a shot of hard liquor. “Damn it, what kind of nonsense is this? Your dad isn’t your biological father, and your mother isn’t either? Did you just pop out of a crack in a rock?”
Beishang pondered for a moment. “Wouldn’t it be better to just ask Ji Chen directly? He should know.”
Cheng Cong rolled his eyes. “Forget it. First he dealt with Li Wei, then Fu Xi, spending money and effort to smooth everything over. If he wanted to talk, he would have done so long ago. For all we know, even bumping into Fu Chi in the first place might have been intentional. High-society filth runs deep; who knows what kind of hidden story is behind all this.”
“Then where should we investigate next?”
Despite learning such a reality, Fu Chi remained completely calm. In a deep voice, he instructed, “Head back to the country first. You two should ask your elders if there were any major events that happened involving the Lan family or the Ji family years ago.”
“In the meantime, show up occasionally in front of Ji Chen so he doesn’t suspect anything is amiss with us. I’m going to go look for Luodan.”
Cheng Cong looked surprised. “Luodan? Who’s that?”
“The blind-date candidate Li Wei arranged for me previously—a project manager at a small company. Her mother and Li Wei used to be good friends who worked together when they were young. Her mother should know how Li Wei met Fu Cheng, and how she managed to climb up by getting pregnant.”
Following a night of heavy drinking, the three of them boarded a flight and quietly returned to Beijing.