Chapter Two Hundred and Nineteen: The Rotten Family
It was almost dawn when he left the Four Seasons Manor.
Nan Qi had planned to spend the night there, but a call from his secretary had dispelled the thought.
The Nan Family was coming for him.
He didn't mind confronting the Nan Family, but he didn't want to do it there.
Not at the Four Seasons Manor.
This had been the Du Family's old home. It had been pa.s.sed down to Yan Jin as his only inheritance.
Nan Qi had no intention of playing hide-and-seek with the Nan Family, so he called a taxi to NN.
In the night sky, dark clouds surged and swelled, heralding danger.
When Nan Qi arrived at NN, the person waiting for him wasn't Nan Xu.
Instead, this person had rushed over from the research lab, which was a little further from NN than the Four Seasons Manor.
Nan Qi felt it was a pity that Nan Xu wasn't here since it would probably be his last time seeing him.
On the other hand, seeing this person had its uses as well.
Nan Qi hadn't seen him for a long time either.
“Let's get to the point. What do you want to talk about?” Nan Qi wanted to smoke, but this was neither the right place nor circ.u.mstance to do so.
As a doctor, he knew as well as anyone else the harm of smoking. However, ever since he'd rejoined the Nan Family to lead NN, he'd always kept a pack of smokes in his pocket.
When his stress level was too high, only nicotine could help numb him.
The only positive was that he probably would no longer need it.
“After s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around for ten years, you don't remember how to address your elders?”
“Ten years ago, I renounced the name 'Nan'. After ten years, I think we can overlook any father-son ties,” Nan Qi calmly responded.
The person in front of him was indeed his father, Nan Tian.
Most of the Nan Family was controlled by Nan Xu, but Nan Tian wielded quite some power in the family as well. At least, since Nan Qi returned, Nan Tian's authority had only increased.
To Nan Qi, their relations.h.i.+p was no more than one of mutual exploitation.
Nan Qi had never felt any fatherly affection from him.
“I think I've heard all the news. You're misunderstanding the Nan Family. It's not what you think…” Nan Tian's att.i.tude wasn't as tough as expected. Instead, he seemed to be adopting a more conciliatory approach.
Ten years ago, Nan Qi might have shown that some respect, but now…
Nan Qi gave a cold, disdainful laugh.
He might have listened to what kind of “misunderstanding” it was if Nan Tian had been more aggressive.
But, with such a soft approach, it indicated that there was no longer any room for dispute.
Both he and Yan Jin were products of the Gene Project. But, while Yan Jin could immediately see through any lie, all of his own special skills were in less useful areas.
That was why he'd been deceived by this rotten family for so many years.
Nevertheless, he wasn't stupid. Anyone could understand what this family had done. Why would he be any exception?
“When the Nan Family took over City S that time, you were the one who helped us,” Nan Tian affirmed.
Nan Qi wasn't surprised in the change of subject. He'd already been accustomed to his father's twisted logic ten years ago.
The only disappointment was that in those ten years, Nan Tian hadn't changed at all.
Nan Qi finally took a cigarette out and lit it.
He gripped it firmly with his teeth and took a long drag.
“In my life, the biggest mistake I've ever made…” Nan Qi's voice drifted through the smoke. “Was to feel regret for leaving this rotten family that is beyond saving.”
“Bulls.h.i.+t!”
Nan Qi paid him no attention. “When I left ten years ago, I'd hoped that this family would realize its mistakes. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Because, only humans reflect upon their mistakes. You all are merely beasts.”
“You… you evil creature!” Nan Tian was so flushed with anger that he could barely get the words out of his frothing mouth.
“We can no longer see eye to eye. This is pointless.” Nan Qi tore off his necktie and stomped on it beneath his shoe. “This is the second and last time I'm renouncing the name 'Nan'. From today on, there is no Nan Qi of the Nan Family. We have nothing to do with each other.”
It was very rare for Yan Jin to talk about his past and he ended up saying a little more than he'd intended. Soon, he discovered that the front of his s.h.i.+rt was wet.
“Fishy?” Yan Jin wanted to push him off his chest, but Xiao Yu didn't move. After a few more tries, Yan Jin gave up as Xiao Yu clung tighter to him. Instead, he wrapped all of Xiao Yu up and patted Xiao Yu's shuddering back.
“Alright, you said you wouldn't make me feel bad. Look at yourself now. You've become a small kitten,” Yan Jin teased.
“…No,” came the stuffy voice from his chest.
“Mhmm, maybe not a little kitten. A little hamster?”
“No…”
Yan Jin laughed. “What else can you be then?”
“Not a freak!” Xiao Yu suddenly shrieked.
Yan Jin blinked blankly a few times, then suddenly realized what Xiao Yu was referring to.
His tender expression grew even warmer and softer.
With an intimate smile, Yan Jin trailed his mouth along Xiao Yu's flushed ears. As Xiao Yu recoiled, Yan Jin's mouth found Xiao Yu's sensitive earlobe.
Xiao Yu trembled from the sensation but resisted the itch with all his might. He didn't reject Yan Jin's loving movements.
In his sorrow, Xiao Yu set aside his gender to comfort his beloved.
After all, the story had been too shocking and saddening.
If possible, Xiao Yu wished he hadn't heard about this.
However, the fact that Yan Jin was willing to tell him this made him happy from the bottom of his heart.
The sweet and sour feelings mixed to create an experience unique to couples.
“I know!” Yan Jin suddenly said.
“What?”
Yan Jin didn't explain any further.
He picked up Xiao Yu off the sofa.
Xiao Yu cried out. His hands involuntarily reached around Yan Jin's neck.
“To qualify as a consolation, it's missing some sincerity.”
Xiao Yu blushed from being forcefully pulled up. He sniveled, “I like you…”
“Mhmm, I know.” Yan Jin's smile widened.
With one hand supporting Xiao Yu's back and the other at his legs, Yan Jin carried Xiao Yu towards the bedroom with large strides.
After Xiao Yu got over his embarra.s.sment at being carried bridal-style, he buried his head into Yan Jin's chest once more.
Whatever, just this one time.
Yan Jin planted a kiss on Xiao Yu's forehead.
The searing kiss felt so warm that Xiao Yu thought he had been burned.
But, he wasn't.
Because what was hot wasn't the kiss, but the heart.
“Thank you.”
The grat.i.tude echoed in Xiao Yu's ears.
Or, perhaps his head had been jolted around too much, causing him to feel faint. He couldn't imagine what Yan Jin was thanking him for.
He quickly forgot his confusion as they dove into their inexhaustible love.
Well, that hadn't been the entire story.
Because his little Fishy had been crying so hard, Yan Jin had stopped the story early.
The last part was actually about a reversal in fortune.
The little prince had lost everything at eight years old.
It could be because the c.o.c.katiel's blood splatter had gotten on him, or because of Du Yirou's curse from her insanity. But, for whatever reason, no matter what kind of pet the little prince tried to raise, none would live longer than a month.
Even as an adult, the prince could not escape the curse. Every time another pet died, the prince remembered his sorrow and despair.
After countless pets dying around him, the prince gave up on raising pets. That is, until a clumsy weak hamster burst into his life, completely dispelling his darkness.
Without the prince's permission, the hamster turned his life on its head. The price was the hamster's body and heart.
A month later, the hamster unexpectedly broke his curse. A year later, the hamster continued his destiny determined seven years earlier. He turned the prince, who couldn't be satisfied with a small victory, into a winner of life.
No matter how painful the past was, it was in the past.
Whether against the Yan Family or the Nan Family, Yan Jin had the unshakable confidence to never retreat. It was only against Chu Ge that Yan Jin could not harden his heart enough to bring down the hammer.
This struggle had lasted twenty years. Even if it was fake, it was no different from the truth.
“In truth, I did have another motive to get close to Chu Ge,” Yan Jin suddenly said as they laid side by side.
“I don't think he'll hold it against you,” Xiao Yu confidently a.s.serted.
“… I don't feel sorry though.” Yan Jin blinked. “He still owes me thirty million yuan per year.”
Xiao Yu's mouth dropped open. “How much?”
“Thirty million per year for the past eleven years,” Yan Jin repeated.
“What for? He doesn't seem the type to spend that extravagantly.”
“Medical fee. His girlfriend still lies on the top floor of Private Hospital No. 1. The daily fee and medical expenses adds up to about a hundred thousand per day.”
“That, that much? His girlfriend… is she the one you said had that car crash?” For Xiao Yu who lived modestly day to day, thirty million per year was even more than what he would consider outrageous.
Yan Jin nodded and added in a more subdued tone, “*Sigh*, now that he's back with the Nan Family, he should just about have enough money to repay me. I just don't know if there is any loophole that would prevent me from receiving the three hundred million all at once.”
Xiao Yu: “…”
Clearly, Yan Jin did not want to be the first to apologize. Why does this have to be so complicated?