Chapter 26

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Chapter 26, Argument

Ye Zi stood at the entrance of the mansion, looking through the ornamental wrought iron gates at the gorgeous, old vintage architecture, his mind a complicated mess.

Soon, a servant came forward to greet him, calling him “young master”, just like the old days. They walked under the shade of the trees, following the path over the pond, past the rockery and sculptures, then finally entering the main hall and going up the spiral staircase.

Even though more than a decade had passed, and much of the furnishing was different compared to the past, childhood memories still flooded Ye Zi’s mind as he took in the place. He used to draw on the large French windows and built little castles on the large rug in the living room. He would receive his father’s praise as he sat on the soft sofa cushions, and once, he slipped and fell from the spiral staircase. He had hidden behind the curtains, watching his parents bickering in a heated argument, and from behind the sofa was where he’d watched his father bring Ye Chengxi home.

After leaving this place with his mother, he had once snuck in alone and stood in the living room. “Papa, Papa”, he cried out, but he was dragged out by a group of men and pushed out of the gates, then tripping and falling in the mud like an abandoned kitten.

One question plagued his mind. Why didn’t his father choose him, why? Even though he was such a hard-working, serious, and outstanding child…why couldn’t he be his real child?

While those thoughts ran in his mind, he arrived in front of his father’s study and knocked on the door.

“Enter.”

After receiving permission, he opened a door. For a moment, the light was dazzling, but once he adapted to the brightness, he saw the man sitting in the wheelchair, smiling at him. The smile on his face was so kind and gentle that it made Ye Zi’s nose wrinkle again. How long has it been since he last saw this expression?

Ye Cheng had regained his ability to speak, but his voice was very quiet and hoarse. His legs, still limp after having atrophied from being in a hospital bed for such a long time, dangled freely like a pendulum.

“Come here and let me take a better look at you.” Ye Cheng beckoned him.

When Ye Zi approached him, Ye Cheng took Ye Zi’s hand into his own dry and calloused ones. “How tall are you now?”

“One meter and seventy-five.”

“You’ve grown so tall. I remember you only reached up to my chest when you were little. Time moves by so quickly…You’re an adult now.”

“…Mm-hmm.”

“Do you remember? The study used to be your favorite place when you were just a boy. Sometimes I’d find you missing, and exasperated, I’d send the butler to look for you, only to find you here, curled up under the desk and fallen asleep with a book in your arms.”

“I remember…”

“It was also in this room when you’d first learned to write your name. I was sleeping then, but then ‘Papa, Papa’, I heard you call out to me. I thought I was dreaming when I saw the crooked letters you showed me.”

“And then you showed them to your friends.”

“Haha, I couldn’t help myself from showing off. After all, you were only two then.”

Complicated emotions crept up Ye Zi’s heart as he heard his father speak.

Hare was right. He hated this man. His hatred for this man was carved deep into his bones when he gave him the cold shoulder, abandoned him, and abused his mother, yet he felt himself going soft when he received this man’s kindness now. More than that, he was conflicted, but that disappeared without a trace when he heard this man say, “I trust you, that’s why I’m choosing you to be my heir.”

Ye Zi was in a wonderful mood. It felt like his whole world was glowing.

The same words kept being repeated in his mind. He picked me! Father picked me! Me, he picked me!*

Ye Zi was exuberant, overjoyed, and gradually, he had even begun fantasizing about the future after hearing Ye Cheng’s words.

He would finally get the opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ye Cheng, learning from one of the business world’s great elites, and take over the company from him. In a few years from now, he would go on business trips, participate in all sorts of large events, grow his network of connections, and then rise higher and higher in status…He, Ye Zi, would become a completely different version of himself, and finally, he was going to have a bright and dazzling future…

He was happy, so happy that he tossed all the pills that were meant for Ye Cheng into the trash, completely abandoning the plan to end his life.

The two had a long chat late into the evening that day. Ye Cheng hoped that Ye Zi could stay the night, but the latter gave him a soft refusal. Before he left, Ye Cheng handed him a MacBook, telling him that it contained a large collection of books relating to finance, contact details of a few important persons, recent projects in the company, and so on, and that he hoped that Ye Zi could look through them when he returned, then he can tell him his thoughts about everything the next time he visited.

When he returned home with the MacBook, he discovered a debit card in the carrying bag. On the card was a sticky note that read, “The password is your birth date. -Your father”.

The first person that Ye Zi called to tell about this was his mother.

In the call, Han Yao cried, “He’s finally accepted you! The hard times are finally coming to an end for you, Ah Zi. I’m happy for you.”

When Ye Zi mentioned how Ye Cheng disapproved of him keeping in contact with Chengxi, and that Chengxi was the reincarnation of the devil, it seemed to spur a strong reaction from her.

Your father is right! I should’ve told you this long ago. Stop seeing that boy, please…I feel bad saying this since it was his family and his environment that shaped him into what he is today, but there’s something that just isn’t right about that boy. The way he looks at people…He may appear nice on the surface, but inside, it’s a whole different story. It’s scary. How much darkness has to be in that boy’s heart for him to have those eyes? Speaking of which, he was horrible as a child, too. He’d break his toys apart and even kill small animals. He’d also keep silent every time you brought a friend home. Do you remember that time when he’d cut up your friend’s clothes?

I think I remember…

…By the way, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.

What is it?

Where are you staying now? You’re not staying with that boy, are you?

…

I guessed right, didn’t I? Ah Zi, you should move out of there as soon as possible! I thought the two of you only saw each other every once in a while. He’s a bad influence, do you understand? Why are you even living with him?

…He told me that his home was big, and that there was no one to keep him company, so I…

You should move out as soon as possible. Trust me. As your parents, we only want the best for you.

…I understand.

…

It was eleven when Ye Zi returned to the villa that night.

The house was dark, with only a faint glow of light dancing over the soft cream carpet as it peeked through the window. The sheer curtains were fluttering, and there was a light floral fragrance inside the house.

Before he’d turned on the lights, Ye Zi caught sight of the person leaving against the sofa.

Hare sat there unmoving, just like a still corpse.

It wasn’t until Ye Zi turned on the lights that he got some faint movements from Hare. With a quiet and husky voice, he said, “You’re back?”

“Why aren’t you sleeping in the room?”

“I was waiting for you.”

With those words, Hare stood up.

Ye Zi’s heart began beating fast at that moment. He was nervous. He was truly afraid that Hare would ask him whether he’d used the pills, whether he’d killed a man or not. So as to hide his anxiety, he went straight toward the kitchen.

“Are you hungry? Do you want some noodles?” Hare cooed, following him inside.

“No, I’m just getting water.”

“Is that so?” Approaching Ye Zi from behind, Hare wrapped his arms around him from behind and nestled his chin on his shoulder. His breath was cool against his skin, and his embrace made Ye Zi feel uneasy. “What did you eat for dinner?”

“Just a simple meal…”

“Oh. Was it good?”

“It was fine.”

“Haha, really?”

Ye Zi’s heartbeat was accelerating. He was so ridden with guilt that he was covered in cold sweat.

All of a sudden, he found himself feeling apologetic toward Hare. He listened to Hare’s proposal without protest last night, yet he was overtaken by joy after talking with his father this afternoon. Because his father chose him, he tossed the pills into the toilet and accepted his father’s gifts, even telling his mother about everything…What he did…was a betrayal to Hare, was it not?

How would Hare feel if he were to find out? Would he be angry? Upset? Would he cry? Would he…

However, Hare did not ask any further questions and just let him go.

“I’ll be going to bed first, Ah Zi. Good night.”

With that, he left.

After hearing Hare’s footsteps gradually moving further away, Ye Zi calmed down.

His own feelings began to confuse himself. What was he so worried about?

Hare gave him seven days, and today was merely the first day…No. If he did not wish to kill his father, then did he not just need to tell him? He would forgive him for that, wouldn’t he? He would agree to it, right?

Then…he’ll move out, just like his mother asked him to…He’ll leave Hare.

Would Hare agree to it, though? He wouldn’t, right?

It was hard to say what was going to happen in the future. Regardless, the first thing he should do was tell Hare that he didn’t want to kill his father, right?

Those were the thoughts that ran through Ye Zi’s mind while he was in the shower.

After coming out of the bathroom, he decided to come clean to Hare about his decision.

Unfortunately, Hare had already fallen asleep.

He was lying on his side on the large bed, completely still save for calm, regulated breathing. Even his eyelids were completely still.

Ye Zi sat on the bed, watching him. Eventually, he went to sleep without saying anything.

※ ※ ※

A week went by in a flash.

During that week, Ye Zi went back to the mansion almost every day.

He met his father’s right-hand man, a few business elites, and even followed his cousin, whom he had not seen for more than a decade, to a large concert and received the baptism of art. His cousin also invited him out to go golfing with him next week. Besides that, his father had several suits tailored just for him and enlisted the help of a friend to take Ye Zi out to buy a new car befitting his status as a member of the Ye family.

His life had truly become completely different compared to what it was before. It felt as if every day was filled with hope and light.

As for how he was going to lay bare his decision to Hare, he thought about it many times, but he could never get the words out when he faced him. There was a sinking feeling in his chest that if he were ever to tell Hare the truth, it would mean that he chose to stand on his father’s side, and Hare would completely lose it, ending their relationship there. That fear made him falter, then time and time again, he dragged his feet.

At first, he felt extremely nervous whenever he returned home, afraid that Hare would ask him about his progress. However, Hare never brought up the topic in the slightest. It was as if he had completely forgotten that he even suggested Ye Zi kill his father. As time went on, Ye Zi wishfully chose to believe that it was because Hare truly lost interest in the subject and did not care anymore. Even after the one-week deadline went by, Hare never spoke a word of the agreement. So, Ye Zi finally relieved the burden weighing down his heart.

Of course, all that was merely wishful thinking for Ye Zi.

On the night of August 15, Ye Zi returned home after work. He had made an appointment with his father’s friend, Uncle Wang, to browse for a new car in the morning on the 16th. He was greatly looking forward to it, which was no surprise. After all, which man would not dream of owning their own luxury car? Ye Zi figured that it was about time for him to resign for his current job. After resigning, he can intern at his father’s company and learn the ropes from him. Meanwhile, he can take some time out to get his driving license. How wonderful that would be.

However, he slept through the day on the 16th of August.

He slept all through the day until finally waking up at night, when he felt dizzy and even a little nauseous.

The first thing he did when he woke up was to check his phone, and as he expected, there was a barrage of missed calls and text messages.

There were three texts from Uncle Wang, as well as four missed calls.

Besides that, there were more than ten other missed calls from his mother.

Ye Zi could hardly believe it. There never seemed to be a problem with his circadian rhythm. He would wake up at seven in the morning right on the clock, every single morning, so how did he end up sleeping into the night?!

He tried to call Uncle Wang first but discovered that the call would not even go through.

Looking through his phone, he realized that there was no signal on his phone.

How could there be no signal?

Ye Zi turned on the lights and stood up, where his vision flashed black. He wasn’t feeling very well. There were some snacks and cut fruits placed on top of the bedside table, obviously prepared for him by Hare. Ye Zi wondered, could it be his fever that was making him so dizzy?

He went to the door and tried to open it, but unexpectedly, he only managed to create a gap of about five or six centimeters before the door stopped budging.

Was the door broken?

While Ye Zi was puzzled over the door, he saw Hare walking toward him.

Hare’s tall body was clothed in a set of navy pajamas. His skin was sickly pale, and his light hair was overgrown, covering one of his eyes.

He leaned against the dark floral wallpaper, watching the puzzled Ye Zi with his head tilted to the side. In his knife was a small folding blade. He played around with the small knife in his hands, snapping it shut and flicking it open again, giving off a silvery sheen as the light hit the blade.

“Ah Zi, you’re awake?” He asked in a tender voice.

“What’s wrong with the door? I can’t open it.”

“Really? Strange. It was working just a while ago.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up? It was already nighttime when I woke up. I had plans today!”

“Sorry, I just couldn’t bring myself to wake you up when I saw how soundly you were sleeping.”

“Come and open the door for me.”

Rather than do what he said, Hare put a finger to his lips and hushed him. “Someone’s coming.”

Ye Zi listened, and sure enough, someone was knocking on the door outside, and the knocking was growing louder and louder.

Then, the knocking stopped. Whoever was outside began to shout, and the voice was so loud that Ye Zi could hear it clearly.

He could not believe his ears. It was Ye Zi’s mother, Han Yao, who was knocking on the door!

But why would she be here? How did she know about this place?

“Ye Zi? Ye Zi? You’re in there, aren’t you? Come and open the door, it’s me! Your mother! Open the door!!”

Ye Zi was anxious. “Go and open the door for her, quickly!”

Hare raised a brow at his orders. “Why?”

Ye Zi pushed hard against the door and raised his voice. “If you won’t do it, I’ll do it myself! What the hell is going on with this door? Is it stuck? Help me out here!”

Hare walked over to the door in a slow and unhurried gait, then he put his hand on the handle. However, rather than open the door for him, he looked down at Ye Zi with his pale eyes as if he had seen through his intentions long ago. “Ah Zi, was it twice or thrice that you met up with her this month, hm?”

Ye Zi was beginning to get upset. “What do you mean by that?!”

“I’m just curious, that’s all. What did the two of you talk about? Ah, I know. She told you to leave me, didn’t she? Yes, she told you that I wasn’t right, that I was a horrible person, didn’t she? Then she asked you to move out, isn’t that right?”

Ye Zi’s eyes widened. “Were you stalking me again?! You bugged me again, didn’t you??”

“How could I?”

It was then that the knocking returned with even greater intensity. It made Ye Zi’s heart race just hearing it.

Ye Zi pulled the door hard, but he still could not get it to budge no matter how he tried. His breathing quickened, and he was seeing red. “You did this, didn’t you? You tampered with the door on purpose! What are you trying to do? What are you going to do to my mother?!”

Hare lowered his gaze, the small knife still dancing fluidly in his left hand. An icy smile crept up his lips. “What am I going to do, you ask? Simple. I told you that I’ll remove all the obstacles between you. Ahh, that woman…She’s seriously noisy.”

Ye Zi was starting to feel afraid. He was hoping that Hare would open the door earlier, but now, he was worried about what Hare would do to hurt his mother if he opened the door.

With a shaky voice, he pleaded, “I’m begging you, please. My mother doesn’t know anything so don’t…”

The knocking on the door was so loud that it drowned out Ye Zi’s voice.

Impatiently, Hare retracted his blade with a click.

He looked up, staring at Ye Zi with his pale, chilling eyes, whispering, “Who told her to get in our way? I guess there’s no helping it. I’ll just have to take care of her.”

After saying that, the door in front of Ye Zi’s eyes was pulled shut with a bang and locked from the outside.

Han Yao’s furious knocking became blurred through the locked door, distant as if it were falling out of reality.

Ye Zi fell to the ground, feeling powerless.

When he heard the door open, Ye Zi dug his fingers through his hair.

A single line was repeated from his pale, bloodless lips, over and over again.

Ye Chengxi, don’t make me hate you.

|TOC|

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