Ch4 - None of your fucking business 

My heart thudded painfully in my chest, as if there was a restless little person hiding there trying to catch me off guard. When it saw the right opportunity had come, it pounced and moved to kick me down where it hurt the most.

The scent of tobacco and cologne mixed to form a pervasive spiciness, threatening to dominate at any second. It was similar to Sheng Min Ou, like how under the pressed suits and polite mannerisms was the spirit of a wild, malevolent beast. 

“I didn’t mean to get close to you.” I explained, passing forward the paper bag I held in my hand and continued, “I just happened to come here to deliver an item to a client.”

He didn’t even glance at the outstretched paper bag, the sharpness in his eyes not softened in the slightest, “It’d better be like that.”

Oh? So according to that tone of voice, he suspects me following him?

I felt like laughing inside, and then actually let it spill, “Didn’t you tell me to contact you if anything happened? How come you forgot what you said to me so quickly?” I tucked my hands in my jacket pockets, and couldn’t help but feel my voice develop an edge to it, “Or are you saying, you’re scared that other people will know you have a murderer for a younger brother, and that this will affect the elite image you’ve curated for yourself?” 

Sheng Min Ou bit down on his cigarette with a hardly concealed sneer, as he looked at me like I was a joke he didn’t find humorous.

“Lu Feng, you’re already twenty six years old, you’re not a sixteen year old child anymore, so stop being so immature.” He dusted off the burnt cigarette parts over a trash bin next to him and continued, “Even if other people know about our relationship, it’s not as if I told you to kill the person, so what does that have anything to do with me? Also, it’s not as if we’re really biologically related brothers.”

My fists which I tucked into my pockets gradually clenched tighter, he really knew exactly which words and phrases would drive a knife to my heart.

Perhaps I really had been separated from the outside world for too long, long enough to forget what kind of ‘monster’ Sheng Min Ou was and how easily he manipulated others and got them wrapped around his little finger.

Indeed, he was really just a monster that had a painted skin over him. In front of people, he shone and was admired by everyone, but all of that was really just to veil and cover up the real him that was much too different from a normal person.

I took another step closer towards him and asked in a murmur, “Does your girlfriend know how abnormal you are?”

Because of the way he was leaning against the wall, the difference in our heights were almost negligible, to the point where I could evenly gaze into his eyes. I leaned forward almost imperceptibly, and he only looked back at me, without moving a single muscle.

I gave him a smile, before quickly closing my hand around the cigarette which he held between two fingers. The burning heat scorched through my palm and pain shot from my hands to my brain, but after having already anticipated it, the pain wasn’t as bad as I had prepared myself for. 

After a brief moment of excruciating pain, I loosened my grip on the now extinguished cigarette, and showed him the small blistering circle left imprinted on my hand, which looked angry and raw.

“Do you like it?”

Sheng Min Ou’s pupils shrunk rapidly in the fading light as he gripped my arm and forcefully tugged me so I was in front of him. The pitch black in his pupils were like an abyss, so dark it seemed as if there was no end to it, and I could tell he was truly furious.

“Oh, and here I thought you were going to do something else. What, did you think by acting like this you could use this against me?” He gave a cold smile and revealed impeccably white teeth, “Do you believe me when I say I could make you disappear from this earth, and no one would ever realise?” 

For a brief moment, I thought I could see the monster again, hiding under the painted skin and about to break free. It gnashed its teeth together, preparing to pounce and tear out my artery in one swift bite. My arm which he gripped was now in agonising pain, as I took in a sharp inhale trying to relieve the hurt, and started to struggle slightly in response.

“Isn’t this what you started?” I said, semi-impressed by myself at how I could still throw out a taunt in this moment, but immediately I admitted defeat, “Ge, don’t do this, it really hurts.”

A flash of disgust showed in his eyes, as he released my hand and then shoved me away.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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“OK, I got it.”

Sheng Min Ou threw the pristine pocket square forcefully into the trash bin, before walking past me, brushing shoulders as he did so, as he left for the hotel entrance.

I remained standing in my spot for a while, staring at that pocket square for a long time, until the phone in my bucket started buzzing. The client was already at the lobby, and having not found me, and with me not replying to my messages, he could only call my number instead. 

I rushed into the hotel again and met up with the client, apologising several times for the inconvenience, before letting him sit down to examine the item.

“It really is a good watch,” he remarked, taking it out of the box and eagerly clasping it onto his wrist.

The client was around forty years old, and even though he had styled and smeared gel all over his head he still was unable to hide his thinning hair. He wore a metallic grey suit that was clearly custom tailored, and his tie was flawlessly straight. Like Sheng Min Ou, it appeared he was invited here to the banquet that was going on.

“Is there going to be some sort of event going on tonight?” I asked. 

The client examined the watch from all angles before casually responding, “Oh, it’s an annual general meeting held by our company. I said it was a business trip, but really I’m here as a representative from the side branch to attend the banquet. As I left in a rush, I forgot to bring the watch I usually wear, so I could only look for a new one to wear to the event.” He lowered his arms, “Just then I saw you talking to consultant Sheng Min Ou, so I thought you were here to also attend the annual meeting.”

His voice was even and measured, but I could tell he was trying to weigh up my relationship with Sheng Min Ou.

“Consultant?”

“Legal consultant, he’s the Head legal consultant for Mei Teng Pharmaceuticals.” 

I nodded, then closed the box which came with the watch, putting it inside the paper bag I brought it in. “He’s just a friend that I haven’t seen in a while, we just happened to meet so we caught up over a short conversation.”

“I can just wear the watch, so you can toss away that box now.” He tidied up his cuffs and then continued meaningfully, “Consultant Sheng right now is the CEO’s favourite, he’s definitely going to be the ideal son in the law in the future. Many people are trying to introduce themselves to him without a way to meet him. If you’re close with him then please do me a favour by bringing up my name to him and putting in a good word for me.”

This client was the type of person who could afford a hundred thousand renminbi watch and buy it as if he were shopping for groceries, yet now he was asking me to help him get a word in? He clearly thought much too highly of me.

If I really recommended him to Sheng Min Ou, I would be certain that Sheng Min Ou would unhesitatingly drag his name into the blacklist. 

However, I replied, still exchanging pleasantries, “Of course of course, if I have the opportunity I’ll definitely do so.” Sheng Min Ou spoke about me earlier, but he was wrong about one thing. I wasn’t immature and as for the world of adults, I knew of it dearly. “Please continue to support our business with your patronage in the future.”

The client beamed and patted my shoulders, before leaving after saying his farewells.

I held the paper bag and walked out of the hotel, looking out for a place to dispose of it. Somehow I ended up back at where Sheng Min Ou had previously been dusting off his cigarette, and on the white marbled ashtray was the pitiful looking white pocket square that had been heartlessly abandoned.

“It’s your rotten luck for following Sheng Min Ou,” I said, before stuffing the paper bag into the bin, then tucking my hands into my pockets as I left. 

I walked out for not more than a hundred metres when suddenly, the frustration in my heart started increasing rapidly. There was an insistent voice in my heart, telling me to turn back, turn back, turn back….

Shit!

I couldn’t take another step forward as I cursed inwardly and gave in, turning around to walk back. I quickly retraced my footsteps back to the hotel and grabbed the silk pocket square left at the bin before stuffing it in my pocket, then I retreated at the speed of a thief.

Knowing Sheng Min Ou’s secret, was an accident. 

Or perhaps I should say back then I didn’t actually know what kind of soul lay hidden under his carefully crafted skin, I just felt… like he was a bit strange.

Faced with high school entrance exams, I was under a lot of stress, and my mother was obstinately controlling with what I could do. Apart from eating and sleeping, I wasn’t allowed any time to relax.

Under the stress and pressure, I escaped from home but had nowhere to go, so I could only go to find Sheng Min Ou. When I arrived at his school I found out that he had long since moved out of dorms and lived on his own off campus.

His classmate told me that he still had classes in the afternoon, so I should go to his classroom to look for him. 

I found the classroom, but I didn’t see Sheng Min Ou at all. I could only lean back on the corridor walls and wait for him, ignoring the anxiety I felt.

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, Sheng Min Ou turned into the corridor from the other side of the hallway. Behind him was a bespectacled young man, who was a bit shorter in height. His expression was passionate and gleeful, to the point where I thought it looked almost exaggerated, and he was speaking the whole time.

Sheng Min Ou’s expression was cold and solemn with his brows already appearing furrowed. In his hands were two books and he walked with big strides. His gaze was unwavering, as if he completely could not hear what the other person was saying. Even if the other person was trying very hard to be able to keep up with his pace, it was like he had no intention of stopping at all.

Then, he raised his head and saw me. 

He stopped in his tracks immediately, furrowing his brows even further, only walking towards me after a long while of pausing.

“What happened?” He asked, without beating around the bush.

My gaze shifted from left to right, because there was a third person watching us, I was too embarrassed to admit that I had escaped from home.

“I… I just wanted to see you.” 

The bespectacled man narrowed his eyes and sized me up for a second, before using a very soft voice to ask Sheng Min Ou who I was.

“You should be attending class right now.” Sheng Min Ou turned a deaf ear to the question being asked and easily exposed my lie.

I bit my lip and lowered my head, no longer speaking.

I heard him seemingly click his tongue in irritation and felt a pang of sadness in my heart, as I assumed that he also found me unwelcome. I was just planning to leave when I heard him say, “Wait for me outside.” 

My emotions were all over the place, having felt dejected just a moment ago to now being ecstatic. I knew this meant that he wanted me to wait for him until his class was over, so I raised my head and couldn’t help but let out an airheaded smile, nodding as I accepted.

“Okay, I’ll wait outside for you, I won’t go anywhere.”

Sheng Min Ou walked past me to get into the classroom, but the young man behind him continued looking at me.

“Who are you? What is your relationship with Sheng Min Ou?” 

Faced with a sudden air of hostility, not even just humans, but the majority of living organisms on earth would be able to sense and understand a confrontational atmosphere. Furthermore, his aggression towards me was downright unfounded and impossibly rude.

I had to maintain my image of being an obedient little brother to Sheng Min Ou, but in front of strangers I found it hard to hide my sharp edges.

My expression darkened, as I didn’t hold back in the slightest at expressing my dislike towards him.

“None of your fucking business.” 

In that instant, the inevitable outcome of myself and Qi Yang had been sealed.

I used to enjoy the ‘fated to be enemies’ trope immensely, and I always thought if both myself and Qi Yang were characters, then we would definitely fall into the cliche where a character announces ‘Only one of us will survive in the end!”

I remember waiting outside the classroom for Sheng Min Ou for almost an hour, until the marble underneath my feet was polished glaringly clean, then he finally appeared with the crowd of people.

“Let’s go. I rented a room outside, I can take you there for a while, then I’ll get mum to pick you up.” 

Hearing him allowing me to visit his place made me overjoyed, but once I realised that he was calling mum to pick me up, my expression crumpled again.

“Can’t… can’t I stay at your place for a while?”

His expression was unchanged as he tucked his books under his arms and walked forward. He left me one word with no room for negotiation, “No.”

I pouted slightly, realising that being unreasonable and acting shamelessly only worked on my mother, and was completely ineffective on him. 

I followed Sheng Min Ou as we moved to leave the school when I felt a phantom prickling sensation on the back of my neck. I pressed my palm against it and rubbed it, then turned around to scan the masses behind us.

In the ocean of people moving to leave campus after class was over, I was able to spot the person who was looking at me in one glance, as he stared at me in silence. Or, perhaps he was looking at Sheng Min Ou.

His gaze made me very uncomfortable, it was forebodingly sinister yet undoubtedly passionate, and filled to the brim with hatred.

I placed both hands behind my neck, ignoring the goosebumps and muttered a curse, “Psycho.” I decided not to spare him another thought now and in the future as I chased Sheng Min Ou and left. 

It was just a nonchalant remark when I cursed him, but who knew, Qi Yang was really insane.