“What were you just saying?”
The words were barely out of Song Shiyi’s mouth when Song Gucheng’s face shifted. A shadow fell over him so quickly and darkly that it was almost frightening, his expression twisting into something fierce, cold, and uncontrollable.
“You’re calling me a peacock, aren’t you?”
Song Shiyi’s face, by contrast, was the picture of innocence, eyes wide, pure, and utterly untainted, as if he genuinely couldn’t comprehend why the other man’s mood had shifted so violently.
“Back then, when you got married, you were so poor you couldn’t even afford a house. In the end, it was my mother who paid for it. And your company, the Song Group, when your partner ran off halfway through your startup, when your funding completely dried up… it was still my mother who covered the shortfall. She invested everything she had into supporting your business. Without her, do you really think you could have reached the position you’re in now? So tell me, what’s wrong with calling you a peacock?”
“Song Shiyi!” Song Gucheng shouted, panic and rage mixing into a churning storm on his face. His neck strained, veins standing out, as he attempted to raise his voice, to silence the boy.
But no matter how loud he shouted, no power seemed to come through, he looked utterly useless.
There’s an old saying, the more useless the dog, the louder it barks.
Some people, no matter how high you lift them, no matter how sharply they dress, cannot shed the small, petty nature embedded deep in their bones. It’s… ugly.
“You must have worked really hard to win over my mother back then, huh?” Song Shiyi said, sighing as if burdened with the memory. His voice was soft, almost mournful, but every word carried a sting.
“But when you brought the mistress in later… you weren’t nearly as careful. Standing there, declaring it was some ‘true love from youth,’ as if my mother had cruelly interfered with your happiness.”
“And when the mistress arrived, she had a child, one around the same age as me.”
Song Shiyi tilted his head lazily, casually drawing Song Jiaxi, who looked utterly stunned, closer. He leaned near his ear, and whispered slowly, deliberately, savoring each word: “That child… was you. The illegitimate son.”
Feeding off his wife’s wealth, having an affair, letting the mistress push the original wife aside…
It was almost impossible to understand how in stories, the so-called villain couples could ever be absolved. How could a main character ever accept such a family without bitterness, without resentment?
“You… you…”
Song Gucheng’s face turned the color of raw liver, his words tumbling out in panicked stammers. He never could have imagined Song Shiyi daring to bring up something like this, especially in public. How could he ever step foot in this house again without shame?
“Song Shiyi, you bastard! What are you saying?”
Song Jiaxi’s face had gone pale. None of this had ever reached his ears. A week ago, he didn’t even know he had an older brother by several months.
Instinctively, he assumed Song Shiyi was talking nonsense, and in a sudden rush of anger, he forgot all caution, forgot the bandages on his body, and lunged at him.
But Song Shiyi’s reactions were faster. His body shifted, weight pressing down, holding Song Jiaxi in place as he grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked him back with merciless force. Song Jiaxi let out a sharp, pained scream that echoed through the room.
It still wasn’t enough. Song Shiyi, holding his head, slammed it repeatedly against the wall, laughter dancing in his voice. “Don’t understand human speech, huh? I said, “You’re the bastard!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Song Jiaxi’s head collided with the wall again and again. He was dazed, completely unprepared for the sheer audacity of Song Shiyi. He had never imagined anyone would dare strike him like this in public.
Furious, he tried to claw back, to strike, but Song Shiyi twisted his wrist behind his back and continued yanking his hair with enough strength to almost tear it out entirely.
Song Jiaxi was forced onto his knees, screaming in helpless pain.
“Oh my god… oh my god…”
Shaoxian’s face was a mixture of shock and awe. He nudged Baidu Ping beside him, trying to convey, through frantic gestures, the intensity of what he was witnessing.
He had seen the worst of upper-class family scandals, but nothing like this. Nothing so raw, so public, so unforgiving. Last night’s drama seemed almost tame in comparison.
And all of this… was free to witness.
“Song Shiyi, release your brother immediately!” Song Gucheng stomped his feet, wild with rage, yet paralyzed by the intensity of the scene.
Any attempt to intervene, he felt, would only pull him into the maelstrom, and then what face would he have left?
Song Jiaxi’s bandages had come undone; his wounds were bleeding again. He looked dangerously exposed, vulnerable, and he hadn’t anticipated Song Shiyi’s strength. Dizzy and beaten down, all of his former arrogance had been extinguished.
“You lunatic…” Song Jiaxi gasped.
He didn’t understand how the normally quiet, submissive Shiyi could suddenly transform into this. Fear made him hold his breath, afraid even to breathe.
“Yes… yes, I am a lunatic,” Song Shiyi said, dragging him to his feet. “I’ve had enough of being the doormat for you. Do you understand?”
“You’re being so bold in front of me because you think Dad will back you up, aren’t you? But why isn’t he here now? Your precious son is beaten like this because he’s scared of me! Scared I’ll beat him too and embarrass him even more.”
Song Gucheng’s face shifted from blue to red. He forced a stern expression, though inside he was mortified beyond words.
Baidu Ping and Shaoxian, sensing that things had gone too far, stepped in to separate the two. Shaoxian even shielded Song Jiaxi while Baidu Ping held Song Shiyi back. A flicker of fear crossed their minds, what if this boy went too far?
Fortunately, Song Shiyi’s sense of fairness guided him. Revenge for those who deserved it. Excessive cruelty, no. He stopped.
“Well, speak then. Why resort to hitting?” Shaoxian said gently, hoping to cool the tense air.
Song Shiyi laughed briefly, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Two uncles, why bother? Just sit back and watch. If you stop me, I won’t be able to do the really interesting parts.”
Shaoxian’s curiosity was immediately piqued. There were more interesting things?
“Uncle Shaoxian, even if you try to remain neutral… if your wife had been unfaithful, and you’d spent years raising another man’s child, could you really stay peaceful?” Song Shiyi teased, his words cutting with precision.
Shaoxian’s face paled. This kid… he was deliberately piercing hearts, one by one, leaving no room for comfort.
Song Shiyi’s ‘performance’ continued. Song Jiaxi in his grasp was like a tiny chick, screaming and squirming, utterly powerless.
Song Qingwen stood silently on the staircase landing, observing the chaotic scene below with calm detachment.
When the climax reached its peak, with no meaningful continuation possible, he descended deliberately, pressing lightly on Song Shiyi’s shoulders to signal him to release his brother.
“Dad, I’ll take Shiyi to rest in the room,” he said calmly, ignoring Gucheng’s protests or Jiaxi’s battered state, nodding only to Shaoxian and Baidu Ping before taking Shiyi upstairs.
Shiyi obeyed, surprisingly compliant. He released Jiaxi, but just as he turned, he delivered a playful kick to his brother, sending him sprawling.
“Oops, slippery foot,” Shiyi said with innocent charm, ignoring Jiaxi’s expression entirely, and went upstairs with Qingwen.
At the corner of the staircase, Shiyi paused, struggling to hold back laughter, but finally gave in, shoulders shaking with mirth as though he had discovered the greatest joy in the world.
“You really that happy?” Qingwen asked, voice soft, warm, almost brotherly.
“You saw it all, didn’t you?” Shiyi pressed against him lightly, voice airy.
“Yeah. Honestly… pretty stupid,” Qingwen said flatly, though his words were sharp.
“Too bad. I’m really proud of myself for what I just did.” Shiyi straightened, wiping nonexistent tears from his face, smiling again at the memory.
“Is this your revenge?” Qingwen asked, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Just a little beating to vent your anger?”
“Of course not,” Shiyi replied, eyes wide in mock shock. “If it were just that, why not burn the house down while they slept?”
The words floated lightly, but underneath was a pure, innocent cruelty, sharp and undeniable.
“Too easy for them,” he said instinctively, recalling the sterile hospital water, the cold metal instruments, the countless moments of raw pain.
Those memories were alive, unrelenting, and for a moment he lost control of his body, stumbling forward before Qingwen caught him.
Gasping, Shiyi even felt a weightless, floating disorientation, sweat dotting his forehead. Looking at Qingwen with unfocused eyes, he whispered like a drowning man grasping for a lifeline:
“I’ll make them suffer… down to their very bones. I’ll make the rest of their lives painful, simply for existing.”
“Brother… you’ll stand with me, right?”
Shiyi grabbed Qingwen’s hand, pressing his cheek against it, desperate, fragile, like someone holding onto the last straw.
“Tell me… what’s your answer?”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
This translator has been caught working for free again. Scandalous.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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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