The villa was built in the Creole style, reflecting the elegant influence of French colonial architecture. Deep forest green and natural wood tones formed the dominant palette of the estate, giving the place a sense of quiet luxury. It stood alone atop a hill, occupying an enormous stretch of land as if the entire mountaintop belonged solely to it.
Looking around, the stone walls that enclosed the property seemed to extend endlessly, their edges disappearing into the distance. Inside the walls, the grass had grown a little wild and untended, lending the estate a faintly desolate air despite its grandeur.
Lin Shuosheng set out shortly after finishing lunch.
Yet it was already evening by the time he finally arrived.
Although he was technically a local, he had never been familiar with this district where the wealthy lived. Along the way he had to hitch rides, stop to ask for directions and halfway through the journey a sudden torrential downpour trapped him on the road, delaying him further.
Through the delicately ornamented lace curtains of the windows, dazzling light spilled out into the dim evening.
There was a ball being held inside the house.
The villa seemed like an enormous walnut music box, its walls softly releasing a stream of beautiful melodies. The music drifted into the night air, accompanied by laughter, casual conversations and the lively murmur of guests.
Only then did he realize that he had arrived at the worst possible moment.
What was going on?
Madam Wang had clearly told him that he could come by at any time.
Lin Shuosheng forced himself to steady his mind.
He had gone through so much trouble to come here.
How could he possibly leave empty handed now?
Summoning his courage, he pressed the doorbell.
While waiting for someone to answer the door, Lin Shuosheng tugged at his collar and smoothed his hair. There was no need for a mirror; he already knew how terrible he must look right now. He was soaked from head to toe, his shirt clinging damply to his body, carrying the faint musty smell of rainwater.
The last time he had run into Qin Shun, it had been completely unexpected. There had been no chance for him to tidy himself up then.
This time, however, he had come here deliberately.
Before leaving, he had dug out the most presentable and expensive clothes he owned from the bottom of his suitcase. He had even gone to get his hair trimmed.
Yet somehow he still ended up looking like this, so miserable and disheveled.
“Click.”
The door opened a narrow crack.
A young woman appeared in the doorway. Her hair was neatly tied back and she wore a white blouse with black trousers. She leaned out slightly and asked, “Who are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for Qin Shun,” Lin Shuosheng replied hurriedly. “Mr. Qin. Could you please let him know that Lin Shuosheng is here to see him?”
“Wait here for a moment,” the woman said.
Raindrops clung to the lenses of his glasses.
Lin Shuosheng removed them and lowered his head, carefully wiping them dry.
A series of hurried footsteps echoed from behind the door.
Tap tap tap…
They struck sharply against the floor, growing closer with each second.
Then the door swung fully open.
Through the blur of his damp vision, Lin Shuosheng saw a tall figure standing at the entrance. The man’s presence carried an unmistakable sense of pressure, as if the space itself had grown heavier.
He gently put his glasses back on.
His vision gradually cleared.
It was Qin Shun.
Qin Shun was dressed in a vintage style silk shirt. The top three buttons at the collar were left undone, giving him an air that was both relaxed and effortlessly elegant.
It was as if he had been born to be a wealthy young master.
Before coming here, Lin Shuosheng had rehearsed what he planned to say.
But the aura surrounding Qin Shun was completely different from before. It was the kind of imposing presence formed by years of living in luxury and privilege, something that made people instinctively wary of approaching him.
Lin Shuosheng’s lips moved slightly.
For a moment, he didn’t even know how he should address him.
A’Shun?
No.
They were no longer family.
Mr. Qin?
That sounded far too distant and formal.
Shun?
Calling him directly by name seemed impolite.
Before he could decide,
“Uncle. Long time no see.”
Qin Shun spoke first.
“Did I interrupt you?” Lin Shuosheng asked hesitantly. “I actually came because there’s something I wanted to discuss with you…”
The situation felt unbearably awkward.
His clothes were completely soaked through.
“Mm.” Qin Shun gave a noncommittal response.
As he spoke, he cast a casual glance over Lin Shuosheng, his gaze sweeping across him briefly before shifting away again. He didn’t even bother to look at him directly.
How cold and indifferent.
What an ungrateful little ingrate.
That was what Lin Shuosheng thought to himself.
Even back when Qin Shun had yet to make a name for himself, he had already looked down on him. Now that he had achieved success, it was probably even worse.
Just as they stepped inside the doorway, several people approached from the side.
“President Qin, what kind of distinguished guest is this, that you have to personally come out to greet them?” someone teased with a playful tone.
The situation instantly became even more awkward.
From the corner of his eye, Lin Shuosheng caught sight of them, young men and women from wealthy families, clearly the privileged sons and daughters of high society.
Every single one of them was looking at him.
Examining him.
Sizing him up.
How should it be described?
The man standing there was not particularly eye catching. His skin was very pale, the pale whiteness of fine rice paper. His eyebrows, eyes and facial contours looked as though they had been sketched with only a few light strokes, faint and understated.
His appearance gave people a strange impression, as though he lived cautiously, afraid of making mistakes. Even his age seemed somewhat indistinct, difficult to place at a glance.
Qin Shun remained perfectly composed.
Without drawing attention to it, he stepped half a pace to the side.
His shadow fell directly over Lin Shuosheng, covering him.
“You should all go back inside first,” he said calmly.
Before his sentence had even finished, protests immediately erupted one after another.
“Why? It’s still so early!”
“Qin Shun, you have to dance with me tonight!”
“Qin Shun, Qin Shun-”
The girls surrounded him like a swarm of bees drawn to honey, crowding around him eagerly.
Lin Shuosheng felt a flicker of envy in his heart.
He had always said that this big footed kid would grow up to become a real playboy someday.
While Qin Shun skillfully dealt with the lively crowd of admirers, he also instructed a maid to take Lin Shuosheng upstairs to the second floor.
The maid’s expression looked somewhat strange.
After entering the room, she opened the wardrobe and said, “The boss said you can take whatever you like. You may wear any of these.”
Lin Shuosheng focused his gaze on the wardrobe.
Uh…
These were Qin Shun’s personal clothes, weren’t they?
The maid then briefly explained how to use the shower and brought over a fresh towel.
“Sir, is there anything else you’d like to ask?” she asked politely.
“No, that’s all. Thank you.”
Lin Shuosheng hesitated for quite a while before finally reaching into the wardrobe and selecting what looked like the most ordinary shirt and trousers. Then he went into the bathroom to take a shower.
He felt that he had moved fairly quickly.
But when he stepped out of the bathroom, he was startled to see Qin Shun sitting silently at the edge of the bed, waiting without making a sound.
Lin Shuosheng walked toward him.
Qin Shun stood up.
At last, the two of them faced each other directly and began to speak.
The shirt he had chosen was clearly too large for him and hung loosely over his frame, making him appear even smaller and weaker.
Trying to appear calm, he slightly lifted his chin.
“I’ve run into some trouble,” he said. “I was hoping you could lend me a sum of money. Once my lawsuit is over and I receive the payment for the house, I’ll repay you.”
“Is money all you need, Uncle?” Qin Shun asked. “I could also help you track down the swindler who cheated you.”
Lin Shuosheng stared at him in surprise.
“You have a way to do that?”
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Qin Shun replied.
For some reason, Lin Shuosheng believed him.
Qin Shun had always been capable of accomplishing things.
After pondering quietly for a moment, he closed his eyes briefly. Then, swallowing his pride, he spoke with forced boldness.
“I raised you for many years. Even if there was no great merit, there was still effort and hardship involved. If you help me this time, then regardless of the final outcome, we will consider everything between us settled. After this, I will never come to find you again.”
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[Translator]
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← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · UncleChapter 2 · Ran AwayChapter 3 · TimidChapter 4 · DeceasedChapter 5 · Grow upChapter 6 · CharmChapter 7 · EndureChapter 8 · Biological FatherChapter 9 · ContestChapter 10 · MisunderstoodChapter 11 · BreakChapter 12 · ReunionChapter 13 · MeetChapter 14 · To clearChapter 15 · InstructionsChapter 16 · RegretChapter 17 · SecretChapter 18 · Subtle SophistryChapter 19 · GuestChapter 20 · KissingChapter 21 · Extra 1Chapter 22 · Extra 2Chapter 23 · Extra 3Chapter 24 · Extra 4Chapter 25 · Extra 5Chapter 26 · Extra 6Chapter 27 · Extra 7Chapter 28 · Extra 8