Chapter 19.2 - Interrogation

Brandon tried his best, but the youth wouldn't listen to a word. He had no way to stop him, and could only watch as he left again.

Brandon’s face tensed up as pain, regret and sadness mixed in his eyes. He pressed down all kinds of sourness, jealousy and doubt that arose in his heart and clenched his right fist… The fact that Ji Ling wouldn’t listen to what he said was within his expectations.

That was because the only one in his heart was Jing Sui. Only Jing Sui could make him happy and make him laugh, as well as make him pained and distressed…

Jing Sui's neglect was the root of Ji Ling's pain and wrongdoing. Even if he said 1,000, no 10,000 words to Ji Ling, it still wouldn’t be able to match a single word or glance from Jing Sui.

Jing Sui was clearly aware of everything, but he still didn’t care about hurting the youth, and watched him walk step after step on the wrong path until the point of no return.

Anger swirled in Brandon's eyes, and his chest heaved violently. He hadn’t even been this angry when Jing Sui and Ning Yu got together last life. At that time, he had just calmly blessed Ning Yu’s happiness and accepted the fact... But this time, whenever he thought of how Jing Sui hurt the boy, and how the youth had ended up, he couldn’t control his emotions at all.

Brandon returned to Jing Sui's palace, face as cold as frost. He saw Jing Sui calmly feeding the hunting beast there as if nothing had happened just now, looking completely unaffected. 

Jing Sui heard him and turned back slowly to look at Brandon with an indifferent expression, saying, "You’re back."

Brandon eyes flashed, and he walked over in large strides. Under his dark red hair, darkness surged in his gray eyes. He stared fixedly at the man in front of him who was seemingly unmoved and stone-faced, no matter the time and place. 

Sometimes Brandon even wondered what, besides his imperial power, could move this man. 

He remembered back to last life.

Last life, Brandon had rushed over only to see the youth blocking Carlos, sacrificing his life for Jing Sui, and dying in his arms… Although he had a lot of prejudice against the youth last life, he was finally moved at that moment. He never knew that a person's love could be so pure and passionate, like a moth to a flame. He could give up everything without regret. 

But what about Jing Sui?

He had just accepted the fact very calmly, and even his expression hadn’t changed much. He first dealt with Carlos, then turned and picked up the boy's body. He personally sent him back to Grand Duke Ji Ting's residence, saying he would make up for the grieving grand duke’s losses… From beginning to end, he handled everything in a calm, clear-headed, and rational manner.

Then, he broke off the engagement with Ning Yu.

That's when Brandon realized that he didn't really love Ning Yu. Their engagement was more of a political appeal, and after Carlos’ death, was almost unnecessary, so they ended the relationship smoothly.

As for the boy’s death, it was like an insignificant speck of dust. As if everyone had a tacit understanding that it was taboo, it was lightly wiped away, and nobody ever mentioned it again.  

Many years later, Brandon occasionally thought about that dazzling boy who had passed away like a shooting star flashing in the sky.

He’d always wondered whether Jing Sui had likewise felt regretful at night. Unfortunately, he’d failed to see Jing Sui's true thoughts even in the last moments of his life.

From some perspectives, Jing Sui had always been a very qualified emperor. He was calm, rational and unattached.

He would never really put anyone in his heart.

Brandon had chosen to support him at the beginning, in part because he’d seen this characteristic, and thought that he was a ruler worth following, and a friend worth trusting. However, at this moment ... He looked at the man's calm face, and for the first time, hated this coldness.

He wasn’t worthy of the youth. 

You can dislike him or even distance yourself from him, but there’s no need to hurt him. In fact, as long as you’re willing to be a little more tolerant and sympathetic, he won’t fall so low. But you aren’t.

It looks like you haven’t done anything, but you always just push him into a deeper abyss.

Brandon took a deep breath, and suddenly grabbed Jing Sui by the collar. He stared him in the eyes, and said slowly: "I told you last time you shouldn't treat him like this.”

Jing Sui’s line of sight skimmed over the blue veins protruding angrily on the back of Brandon’s hand, and his golden eyes sank slowly. His cold and frosty breath stiffened the air around them, and his handsome face was emotionless, oozing the poise of an emperor. 

He needed Brandon's support and approved of this person, but that didn’t mean he could tolerate such an unreasonable offense.

Jing Sui looked at him with his thin lips slightly parted, and spit out coldly: "I think we should talk."

Ji Ling shook off Brandon, and returned to his mother. He wiped his eyes, patted his dusty clothes, and pretended nothing had happened.

When Madam Marina saw him come back, she keenly detected her son's low mood and asked with concern, "What happened, precious?”

Ji Ling lowered his eyes and said, "Nothing, Mom."

Madam Marina and Madam Saman exchanged glances, looking a little worried. Ji Ling was their little darling, and they all knew of his feelings for Jing Sui...but Jing Sui didn’t really like Ji Ling much. Could it be that something unpleasant had happened?

Madam Saman was in a bit of a dilemma. No matter how much she liked the little darling, it was useless since her son was his own man. You couldn’t force these things. Plus, he wasn’t one to listen to her anyways. That’s why she could only pretend that she hadn’t noticed anything wrong with Ji Ling and smiled saying, "Xiao Ling, come visit me more in the palace when you have time. If you don't come, auntie will get angry."

Although Ji Ling pretended to be fine, when he remembered that Brandon might spoil his plans, he still had a hard time lifting his mood. He said in a low voice, “Mmm."

Madam Saman gave a soft sigh.

When Madam Marina saw her son like this, she felt they couldn't stay any longer. She then said goodbye to Madam Saman and took Ji Ling home.

As soon as Ji Ling got home, he shook off Madam Marina and locked himself in his room.

He thought over and over, Although Brandon probably wouldn't be able to keep quiet about what marred his conscience last life, and run over to speak irresponsible things to Jing Sui, I have to believe in Jing Sui. I have to believe that he’s ruthless and merciless, and that it’s impossible for him to like a vicious cannon fodder character like me because of Brandon's nonsense. As long as I seriously try to court death, the plot will definitely be saved!

At least, I was slapped in the face by Jing Sui today, so I have an excuse to challenge Ning Yu.

Last life, he had successfully progressed through the plot. After seeing the gossip on Jing Sui and Ning Yu, he wasn’t satisfied and went to clarify. Jing Sui then told him he was inferior to Ning Yu, and he challenged Ning Yu to a duel in order to prove himself, knowing he was no match for him. He was so despicable that he even used underhanded methods to rig Ning Yu’s mecha, and cheated when attacking Ning Yu in the duel. That created an opportunity for Jing Sui to be a hero and save the beauty, thus slapping his face again!

If everything hadn’t been live-streamed on the starwide net when he used underhanded means against his enemy, Ji Ling could still have said the original had a little bit of brain left for a cannon fodder character.  Unfortunately, the original was in fact a brainless cannon fodder...

Even if you’re going to use despicable methods, don't do it in public so everyone sees you!

With a live broadcast on the starwide net, and everyone in the empire watching, he had used these underhanded methods to attack Ning Yu. Besides garnering hatred, what other use was thereeeee?!

If he hadn’t known the plot of the original book, Ji Ling would’ve thought that the original was actually deliberately helping Ning Yu’s relationship… 

This spirit of self sacrifice was quite admirable.

He had truly embodied the stupidity and maliciousness of an imperial aristocrat through and through.

Having said that, since he had inherited this identity now, he had to plow through this part of the plot with dedication. Using his despicable maliciousness and stupidity, he had to become a foil to show off Ning Yu's perfection and nobility. Along the way, he also had to give Jing Sui a chance to enact a hero saving a beauty, so that he could continue their ship.

Thinking until this point, Ji Ling was suddenly full of ambition and fighting spirit once more. He couldn’t wait to open his own webpage, @NingYu, and post some crazy arrogant words challenging Ning Yu to a fight! A fight to determine who was superior!

After his message was sent, it was immediately forwarded by countless people and major media platforms. Very quickly, it had became a viral topic known through the whole starwide network.

That infamous rich kid, Ji Ling, only son of Grand Duke Ji Ting, wanted to challenge Ning Yu, a national idol and combat hero!

Ning Yu's fans immediately ridiculed Ji Ling mercilessly from top to bottom. Even the nobles who wanted to stand on Ji Ling's side didn’t know what to say to defend him.  After all, anyone doing this had too little self-awareness…

However, Ji Ling didn't care about the ridicule on the net at all. He just stared fixedly at Ning Yu's account and waited nervously for several hours. Finally, Ning Yu had replied. It was just one word: OK.

He’d accepted his challenge!