Chapter 14

"Brother, what's the difference between high and low emotional intelligence?" As Moon Jung-woo was silenced by Moon Jung-woo's philosophy, Moon Jung-woo's smiling question firmly took control of the conversation. This had never happened before, not in the past, before his thirteenth birthday.

After a long pause, Moon Jung-woo's laughter faded a bit: "Jung-woo, you seem different today." Moon Jung-woo didn't respond, but continued with his previous question: "High emotional intelligence means not letting emotions affect your actions. If IQ is ability, then EQ is the condition that allows you to use that ability. Low emotional intelligence means being easily swayed by emotions, being impulsive, and doing... seemingly ignorant, fearless, and meaningless things."

Moon Jung-woo paused, then spoke softly: "What are you trying to say?" Moon Jung-woo traced his own cheek in the mirror, his curved lips trembling slightly: "You have high emotional intelligence. On the day Father hit you, you silently endured. You have high emotional intelligence, so when Father sent you to America, you didn't say a word. You have high emotional intelligence, so when Mother asked you to call me, you casually said 'Happy Birthday' to cover your intention to persuade me to listen to Father."

On the other end of the phone, a sudden breath came, but the voice remained calm: "Jung-woo, is it right to speak to your brother like this?" Moon Jung-woo chuckled, his laughter somewhat harsh: "Brother, you got upset so easily. That doesn't seem to match the high emotional intelligence you always boast about." "Stop talking nonsense. It doesn't matter whether your emotional intelligence is high or low. As long as someone teaches you how to make the right choices, that's enough."

Moon Jung-woo pursed his lips: "Is that so? Like how Father used to choose for you?" There was a moment of silence, and then the call was disconnected. Moon Jung-woo looked at his phone, smiled, and put it aside. His pale face, however, looked so weak. Why? Why is my brother, who is better than me in every way, not resisting but just silently accepting?

Why? Since the day I was ten, I watched you being beaten and sent away without a word, unable to even return home. I set my goal to break free early on and waited day by day for the day of success. Even today, after all my careful planning, I was discovered by Father. I didn't give up, but when you tried to persuade me, I became even more determined, though my heart still felt cold.

I looked it up, searched online for explanations of emotional intelligence. Flawed personality, easily biased, easily impulsive, and influenced by emotions. But, Brother, doing things comprehensively and considering every detail makes you a machine, not a person. If this is destined to be a sign of low emotional intelligence, I am willing to let my emotional intelligence become negative.

Because the reason I want to persist is that only such low emotional intelligence can support me in moving forward. The room returned to its state before the call, as if rewinding. Moon Jung-woo silently sat back in the corner, slowly curling his legs, hugging his knees, and burying his head.

My name is Moon Jung-woo, and my birthday is February 5, 1990. After today, I will be thirteen years old, fourteen by the Korean age system. I still have a chance to break free from Father's control and do what I like. I don't know what I like, but I know what doesn't make me feel like a cold tool. I won't give up, and I will keep waiting for that day. I won't let anyone block my path. No matter how difficult, I will keep going... absolutely.

Slowly closing his eyes, Moon Jung-woo sank into the darkness he had woven. Just as his eyelids closed and the last bit of light was about to disappear, the phone rang again. Moon Jung-woo looked up, picked up the phone, and saw the caller ID. For some reason, his hand trembled.

"Will you stay in my room after I leave?"

"There's a rope in the closet's hidden compartment, and a spare window key."

"Climb down to the first floor, go to the second fence post by the garden wall; it's loose."

"Never mention IQ to me again... and I won't mention EQ to you."

Without saying a word, Moon Jung-woo listened to the few instructions before the call was disconnected again. Moon Jung-woo slowly put down the phone, and his lips slowly curved. The beautiful face in the mirror, which no longer looked weak and defeated, had eyes that shone with determination and refusal to back down. Moon Jung-woo slowly walked to the closet, reached in, and felt the hidden compartment...

The security guards and even the hunting dogs were mobilized, but Moon Jung-woo, hiding in a corner of the wall, could clearly tell from their barks that they were his family's. In the寸土寸金的地方，方圆几千米都是他家的。成功逃出房间，但还没走出危险区域，但文晸佑没有打算回头，更没想过会被抓住。

只是他终究只是个十三周岁的孩子，生活在他生日这天让他再次发生改变，用自己的坚持和现实，来一次硬碰硬的对抗。气喘吁吁，文晸佑奋力奔跑。身后有车有人有狗，全都朝着他的方向追来。其实早就可以追上了，但就像猫捉老鼠一般，只是不紧不慢地追赶着。

“咚”的一声，文晸佑终于力竭，摔倒在一边的路上。而让后面突然加快速度追上来的原因，是文晸佑头撞到石头流着血的模样。身后就是一个斜坡，身前是家里的保全和猎犬。当人群分开之后，一个中年人穿着韩服，面带笑容越众而出。周围都躬身行礼：“徐管事。”

“二公子，跟我回去。”“我不。”

被称为徐管事的中年人无奈摇头，没再多说，挥挥手示意众人上前将他带回。文晸佑眼睛闪过一丝冷光，拿起那块将头撞得鲜血直流的石块，笑着再次砸了头一下。很平凡的一下，却让所有保全下意识停住，不知所措地后退。随即目光投在文席映的身上。

徐管事一愣，微微摇头：“二公子，我也是看着你长大的。今天你能做出这样出格的举动，我没办法，也得说你几句。家主从小教育你们兄弟俩，可私底下总说你最成器，也最像他。对你比对大公子都看重。可你现在看看自己，都已经可以像社会底层的粗人般好勇斗狠了，你想没想过，家主会多难过？”文晸佑头上的血流进眼睛，却突然觉得轻松很多。一点都没觉得疼，心里前所未有地畅快。

“生日只能吃一块蛋糕，每天三餐定量。睡觉多加个枕头都不行，徐叔，问问你身边这些任你驱使的保全，他们会对他们子女如此吗？他难过，那想没想过我的感受？”保全表情怪异，看着文晸佑的目光，不由带着同情。徐管事眯着眼睛，看着文晸佑，半响突然指着这些保全：“那你看没看到别的不同？那样养育子女的他们……是被家主雇佣的。家主这么教你，就是希望将来你还可以雇佣他们的子女。家主白手起家有了今天的地位，作为子女，要懂得珍惜传承下去。”

文晸佑扯起嘴角，笑着将石头丢掉，扬长而去。徐管事愣了一下，挥手让保全去抓人。只是半响之后，才发现没有一个人动。微微皱眉，徐管事开口就要呵斥。只是看着保全不满的表情，恍然间明白什么。

靠坐在车边，一边听着周围惨叫声，徐管事出神看着已经消失的文晸佑背影。直到半响，一个耳边有刀疤的中年男人，在撂倒所有保全后，迈步走了过来：“要不要我去追二公子？”徐管事回过神，看着躺在地上哀嚎的保全，抿起嘴角，看着男人：“想追的话还问我干什么？直接追就好。”

男人不以为意地笑了笑，没有说话。开门上车，徐管事也坐到副驾驶位置。地上的保全能听到的最后一句话，是他们在车上说的。内容关于他们，却不是对他们。

“都解雇，发双倍工资。”“那以后……”“外围的不重要，有你护着家主和夫人就够了。其余的……你再找人吧。”“你真的就让晸佑这么走了？他头上还流着血……”“是他自己的选择……再说论聪明，文家里就数二公子了。这也是他的本事，我的无能。”“呵呵，你敢说不是有心放他……”“闭嘴！这不是开玩笑的事，让家主知道，你就能脱开干系？”

在就听不到什么了，互相搀扶着站起，这些保全挨了一顿揍，却兴不起一点报复的念头。能让他们首次不听雇主的吩咐做事，已经是很大的突破了。进入社会，尤其是做这一行，他们不会天真的如同示威民众般祈求人权。

不管什么年代，等级制度从来没有消失过。因为这个制度生存的土壤不是朝代的变更，而是人心。只要还有人，哪怕只剩下两个，等级制度就会存在，并主动或被动地执行下去。因为不满这种制度的，永远是没有反抗能力的人。从来都是。

可以为了自己子女的尊严，为了自己的尊严反抗一次，已经足够了。他们知道这里是什么地方，雇佣自己揍自己的又是什么身份什么能量。如果不是那句“让他们的子女将来也被你雇佣”这句话触及了他们的底线让他们一时冲动，他们不可能热血地理会这种见多了的子女反抗父母的戏码。他们不能，也不敢。

再去找新工作吧，刚刚的事都过去了。这就是现实，不死就要生活。一顿打换双倍薪水，值不值看自己怎么想。高利贷都收过，也威胁过欠债的人。经历这些又算得了什么？只不过如今回想刚刚那一幕，他们第一次对二世祖有了那么一丁点兴趣和好感。

至少那个聪明的小家伙，还挺有骨气也挺有意思的。几句话扭转了局势，领着一大帮人围着他一个头还流血的孩子，最终却让他扬长而去。这可真是……

“真聪明。”李顺圭一声赞叹，慢慢拍手，看着讲述完毕的文晸佑：“琴家，除了毒舌和不懂人情世故以外，你的智慧真是，我真心服气。”文晸佑沉默一下，抬头看着李顺圭：“你只是抱着听故事的心态，忘了想知道这些的初衷吗？”

李顺圭愣了一下，撇嘴开口：“知道了知道了，我不是夸你呢吗？”文晸佑抿起嘴角，看着李顺圭：“你觉得如何？我该怎么改变？”李顺圭皱眉，手指点着下巴：“貌似……没想象中困难。”

In the Seoul area, where every inch of land is valuable, several kilometers in all directions belong to his family. Successfully escaping the room, he hadn't yet left the danger zone, but Moon Jung-woo had no intention of turning back, nor did he think he would be caught.

Just a thirteen-year-old child, life on his birthday made him change again, using his persistence and reality to confront head-on. Panting, Moon Jung-woo ran with all his might. Cars, people, and dogs were all chasing him. They could have caught him long ago, but like a cat playing with a mouse, they pursued him at a leisurely pace.

With a thud, Moon Jung-woo finally ran out of strength and fell on the side of the road. The reason the pursuers suddenly sped up was that Moon Jung-woo's head was bleeding from hitting a rock. Behind him was a slope, and in front were the family's security guards and hunting dogs. When the crowd parted, a middle-aged man in a hanbok, smiling, stepped forward. Everyone bowed: "Mr. Xu."

"Second Young Master, come back with me." "No."

The middle-aged man, Mr. Xu, shook his head helplessly, said no more, and waved for the guards to bring him back. A cold light flashed in Moon Jung-woo's eyes. He picked up the rock that had made his head bleed and, smiling, hit his head again. It was a simple action, but it made all the guards stop instinctively, stepping back in confusion. Their gazes then turned to Mr. Xu.

Mr. Xu was taken aback, shook his head slightly, and said, "Second Young Master, I've watched you grow up. Today, you've done something so out of character, and I have no choice but to say a few words. The head of the family has educated you and your brother from a young age, but privately, he always said you were the most capable and most like him. He values you more than the eldest. But now, look at yourself. You're acting like a rough person from the lower class. Have you thought about how sad the head of the family will be?" The blood from Moon Jung-woo's head flowed into his eyes, but he suddenly felt much lighter. He didn't feel any pain, and his heart felt more liberated than ever.

"You can only eat one piece of cake on your birthday, and you have a fixed amount of food for each meal. You can't even add an extra pillow to your bed, Uncle Xu. Ask the security guards you command, would they treat their children like this? He's sad, but has he thought about my feelings?" The guards looked at Moon Jung-woo with strange expressions, their gazes tinged with sympathy. Mr. Xu narrowed his eyes, looking at Moon Jung-woo, and after a moment, pointed at the guards: "Have you seen any other differences? The way they raise their children... they are hired by the head of the family. The head of the family teaches you this way because he hopes you can hire their children in the future. The head of the family built his status from nothing, and as his children, you should cherish and pass it on."

Moon Jung-woo curled his lips, smiled, threw the rock away, and walked away. Mr. Xu was taken aback, waved for the guards to catch him, but after a moment, realized no one moved. He frowned slightly and was about to scold them. But seeing the guards' dissatisfied expressions, he suddenly understood something.

Leaning against the car, listening to the surrounding screams, Mr. Xu stared at Moon Jung-woo's disappearing back. After a moment, a middle-aged man with a scar on his ear, after taking down all the guards, walked over: "Should I go after the Second Young Master?" Mr. Xu came to his senses, looked at the guards lying on the ground groaning, and, with a tight-lipped smile, said to the man: "If you want to go after him, why ask me? Just go."

The man smiled indifferently and said nothing. He opened the car door, and Mr. Xu sat in the passenger seat. The last thing the guards on the ground heard was their conversation, which was about them but not for them.

"Fire them all, and give them double pay." "What about the future..." "The outer guards are not important. You can protect the head of the family and the lady. The rest... you can find new people." "You really let Jung-woo go like that? His head is still bleeding..." "It's his own choice... besides, in terms of intelligence, the Second Young Master is the smartest in the Moon family. This is his ability, and my incompetence." "Ha, you dare say you didn't let him go on purpose