“It’s getting late. Should we grab some dinner first?” Qin Huai asked gently. Of course, he was asking Song Shiyi, he had no intention of including Gu Ye in the question.
Gu Ye took a deep breath, his gaze darkening. From the very beginning, Qin Huai hadn’t even spared him a glance.
It was a subtle feeling, not the disdain born from differences in status or power, but something closer to an instinctive sense of rivalry between males. The thought itself struck Gu Ye as absurd, and yet… he couldn’t quite dismiss it.
Though unwilling to admit it, even he had to concede that Qin Huai was indeed impressive.
Back when the old patriarch of the Qin family had died suddenly, Qin Huai, barely twenty, had stepped in and stabilized the entire clan with decisive, thunderous efficiency. Even his own father, Gu Rukang, had spoken highly of the man.
A person like that, how could someone like him possibly fancy Song Shiyi?
Fancy someone like… like him?
Gu Ye clenched his teeth and shot a sidelong glance at the boy beside him.
As if sensing his stare, Song Shiyi turned his head slightly. His calm, refined profile was illuminated under the soft yellow glow of a streetlamp.
The shadows of his lashes fell gently beneath his eyes, and a faint smile lingered on his lips. The well-tailored yet slightly loose shirt he wore made him look gentle and slender, almost delicate.
“No need. I still have another appointment later,” Song Shiyi said with a polite smile. “Mr. Qin, you can go ahead. Don’t mind me.”
When he spoke, his gaze rested on Qin Huai’s face the entire time, soft and hazy, tinged with something that could almost be mistaken for tenderness.
“Is that so?” Qin Huai nodded slightly. He didn’t seem at all displeased by the rejection. Just before getting into his car, he added in his usual calm tone, “If anything comes up, just give me a call.”
Right there, in front of Gu Ye, Qin Huai handed Song Shiyi his contact information. The gesture, protective, almost intimate, spoke volumes without needing further explanation.
After Qin Huai drove off, the quiet stretch of road was left with only Gu Ye and Song Shiyi.
He stayed behind for me, didn’t he?
The thought flashed through Gu Ye’s mind, stirring something restless and complicated in his chest.
Ever since Qin Huai took over the Qin family, its influence had gradually surpassed that of the Gu family. And since Gu Ye hadn’t yet officially taken the reins himself, despite being of the same generation, he found himself overshadowed in every respect.
Proud and arrogant by nature, Gu Ye could never admit that his own ability fell short. He always believed it was a mere circumstance, bad timing, being suppressed by his father.
But now… now he had finally found something in which he could surpass Qin Huai.
Qin Huai clearly liked Song Shiyi. He’d given away that expensive plot of land without batting an eye, even neglecting his business partners in the process and yet that same cherished little lover of his was now standing here, desperately trying to win him over.
Gu Ye looked down at Song Shiyi with a mixture of pride and excitement, waiting for the boy to speak first.
So pretentious earlier, and yet here he was, unable to let go.
What a little slut.
The memory of that public humiliation the other day burned in Gu Ye’s chest, making his breath come faster.
From his height, he could clearly see the smooth line of Song Shiyi’s pale nape disappearing beneath the loose collar of his shirt. The fabric hung just enough to expose that vulnerable patch of skin.
And that shirt, it looked like Qin Huai’s.
Of course it did. Song Shiyi had no money; all his clothes were cheap things.
The look in Gu Ye’s eyes was that of a predator, raw, possessive, and utterly devoid of respect.
Song Shiyi lifted his gaze. His dark eyes met Gu Ye’s, stopping that intrusive stare cold.
Then, he pulled out a folded document from his pocket, holding it up with a faint, mocking smile. “Looking for this?”
The plot was too important; Gu Ye didn’t have the patience for games. He immediately nodded, tension clear in his posture.
“If you can’t get this piece of land,” Song Shiyi said softly, his smile deepening, “you’ll be in quite a bit of trouble, won’t you?”
“Then come and get it.”
His voice was low, gentle, and laced with a strange, alluring rhythm. It made Gu Ye’s mind go blank for a moment, his hand reaching toward him almost instinctively.
But in the next instant, Song Shiyi tore the agreement in half, then again and again, until countless scraps fluttered from his fingers like snow.
The fragments drifted down over Gu Ye, scattering at his feet and in his hair.
He bent down in a panic to grab at the pieces, but it was useless. The papers slipped through his fingers, making him look utterly ridiculous.
Watching him, Song Shiyi couldn’t help but laugh, bright and genuine.
“Song Shiyi!” Gu Ye roared, realizing he had been played. His eyes burned crimson, fury radiating from every line of his face. “How dare you!”
“Gu Ye, look.”
A sudden gust of wind picked up, swirling the torn fragments into the night sky. Song Shiyi slid his hands into his pockets and tilted his head back to watch.
The faint smile still lingered on his lips, but the expression in his eyes had dimmed, hollow and distant.
“Even you chase after these things,” he murmured softly.
“Money. Power. Status.”
He said each word slowly, as if tasting them. “You were born with so much already in your hands, so it’s only natural you look down on those of us still clawing our way up from the dirt.”
A sharp, aching pain bloomed in his chest.
A broken childhood had left him yearning for affection; a frail mother had made him admire strength; poverty had taught him to shrink back in the face of wealth and superiority.
And so when Gu Ye appeared, he had fallen, helplessly, foolishly. Even if all he received was a crumb of affection, tossed his way like scraps to a stray dog, he had still taken it.
“Are you insane?” Gu Ye barked. His mind was consumed with the lost land deal, he couldn’t even register what Song Shiyi was saying. Like a rabid dog, he lunged forward to grab him.
Years of training had given Gu Ye a solid, powerful build, towering over the boy in front of him. The last time Song Shiyi had managed to slap him had been sheer surprise; this time, there would be no such chance.
But before Gu Ye could touch him, a loud, jarring honk split the air.
A car swerved sharply from the side of the road, its headlights cutting through the dark, and rolled straight toward Gu Ye, forcing him to stumble backward in alarm.
The car didn’t slow down, it kept advancing, inch by inch.
“The hell is wrong with you?!” Gu Ye shouted angrily, standing his ground. “Who the hell drives like that?!”
But the car suddenly revved, surging forward a few feet in a threatening lurch. Startled, Gu Ye flinched to the side, narrowly avoiding being hit.
The driver’s window rolled down. A hand rested lazily on the edge, followed by a familiar face leaning out.
“Gu Shuli,” Gu Ye hissed through clenched teeth.
That bastard again, his father’s illegitimate son.
Gu Shuli’s grin was bright and mocking, his expression full of youthful mischief. He looked for all the world like some carefree college student who’d just gotten his license. “Well, if it isn’t big brother Ye! Sorry about that, didn’t see you there.”
He clicked his tongue, shaking his head theatrically. “But really, standing in front of a moving car like that? What if I hadn’t stopped in time and actually ran you over? Then the Gu family would only have me left. Tell me, do you think Father would blame me for that?”
The barbed words made Gu Ye’s face go livid.
Before he could even spit out a retort, the car door opened, and right in front of him, Song Shiyi calmly slid into the passenger seat.
“Well then, I’ll be going,” Gu Shuli said cheerfully, waving a hand out the window. “I’ve got dinner reservations with Shiyi.”
He grinned wider, eyes sparkling with feigned innocence. “Drive safe on your way home, brother.”
The window rose slowly, hiding the faint smile that still lingered on Song Shiyi’s lips.
Gu Ye stood frozen, unable to utter a single word, watching helplessly as the car carrying those two people, both of whom he despised, pulled away into the distance, leaving him behind in a haze of exhaust and humiliation.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ COFFEE OFFERING
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · He’s in the BookChapter 2 · You Like playing Stand-in, Right?Chapter 3 · This Kind of person is just asking for troubleChapter 4 · Is it so Bloody?Chapter 5 · Let’s Rot togetherChapter 7 · Illegitimate SonChapter 8 · Unfaithful husbandChapter 9 · MemoriesChapter 10 · Silence before stormChapter 11 · Hunt beginsChapter 12 · Nightmare I rememberChapter 13 · Why do they ride on their own heads?Chapter 14 · I forgive myselfChapter 15 · Can you take me in tonight since I’m homeless?Chapter 16 · Mr. Qin, do you like me?Chapter 17 · If you like it, you can have itChapter 18 · Gu Ye, it’s obvious that you also pursue these thingsChapter 19 · If you still can’t let go of Gu Ye, why not give it a try with me?Chapter 20 · He actually made him bow down to that bastard.Chapter 21 · Ruining someone’s future is simply unforgivableChapter 22 · God can’t possibly favor someone like youChapter 23 · UrnChapter 24 · May they die a horrible deathChapter 25 · If you’re broke, stop showing off.Chapter 26 · Kneel before me, begging for mercy.Chapter 27 · The plan succeededChapter 28 Part 1 · This time, the victim is Gu Ye Part 1Chapter 28 Part 2 · This time, the victim is Gu YeChapter 29 · This time, I’ll make full use of youChapter 30 · Educating about the existence of lawsChapter 31 · So who is he now?Chapter 32 · I want to destroy this fake spacetime.Chapter 33 · So, I was himChapter 34 · They’re all crazy, just let me have my wayChapter 35 · I will punish them in the right way.Chapter 36 · I’m already a lunaticChapter 37 · Can you stay by Qin Huai’s side for my sake?Chapter 38 · I’ll grant your requestChapter 39 · Not a pitiful littleChapter 40 · They Both should dieChapter 41 · I want to destroy the empire that Song Gucheng builtChapter 42 · Do you hate me too?Chapter 43 · No one should feel goodChapter 44 · He’ll definitely be the winner in the end!Chapter 45 · Acting is really tiringChapter 46 · I wanted that bastard to disappearChapter 47 · Ready made scapegoatChapter 48 · He’s willing to save themChapter 49 · I’ve come to catch up with youChapter 50 · You stole someone else’s placeChapter 51 · Shiyi, why won’t you save me…Chapter 52 · To make a good life is more importantChapter 53 · Even if you really cheated on me, it doesn’t matterChapter 54 · Finally, I can say goodbye to you completelyChapter 55 · Angel sent by heaven to save himChapter 56 · CEO Gu is a very affectionate personChapter 57 · If you love him, go to jail for himChapter 58 · His most beloved son wanted to kill himChapter 59 · Take good care of our dear fatherChapter 60 · Take back everything that truly belongs to meChapter 61 · He knew that Gu Ye would not let him downChapter 62 · The Song family’s shares must absolutely not be transferred to Song ShiyiChapter 63 · I am no one’s thingChapter 64 · He always knew what kind of person Song Qingwen was.Chapter 65 · FinalChapter 66 · Extra