That day, Lian Qiguang tracked down Xiahou Luoyu and gave her a good scare. Finally, Xiahou Luoyu promised to find out Long Ying’s whereabouts within five days, so Lian Qiguang let her go and returned home with a clear conscience. However, to both their surprise, Long Ying showed up the very next day after their meeting.
“Xiaoxiao, where’s your second older brother?” Early that morning, Lian Yucheng had gotten up early for work and prepared breakfast for the two of them, but Lian Qiguang was nowhere to be seen.
“I don’t know. He’s probably still asleep,” Lian Xiaozhu said casually as she sat down at the dining table and took the piece of bread Lian Yucheng handed her.
“Go wake him up. School starts in a few days—this won’t do.”
“Oh.” Lian Xiaozhu took a bite of her bread, mumbled a vague reply, hopped off her chair, and scampered upstairs on her little legs.
Lian Yucheng shook his head with a helpless chuckle. Just as he turned to head into the kitchen, a metallic ring came from the door.
Lian Yucheng glanced down at the time, wondering who could be coming so early, but he still set down the plate he was holding and turned toward the door.
Lian Yucheng pulled the door open. Before he could even ask who it was, a dark figure darted toward him, throwing itself at him. Startled, Lian Yucheng quickly reached out to brace himself, but he was still pushed back two steps by the intruder and slammed into the wall.
“Ouch!” The pain in his back made Lian Yucheng suck in a sharp breath, and his brow furrowed deeply.
“Who’s there!” Lian Yucheng pushed the intruder away with all his strength, but the moment he saw who it was, his eyes widened in surprise.
If Lian Yucheng could have mistaken Lian Qiguang’s man for someone else, the person in his arms was someone he would recognize even if he were reduced to ashes. This man was none other than Long Ying, who had been missing for over a month.
At that moment, Long Ying was clad in a tattered black camouflage jacket, covered in blood, his furrowed brow betraying obvious anxiety.
“Long Ying!!” After a moment of stunned silence, Lian Yucheng cried out in shock, quickly catching him in his arms and carrying him toward the living room.
“How are you? Are you dead or what!” Lian Yucheng set Long Ying down on the sofa and patted his face. The sight of Long Ying covered in blood caused a sharp pang in Lian Yucheng’s chest, but his tone remained cold and detached.
“Chengcheng.” Long Ying forced his eyes open, a stiff smile tugging at his pale face.
“Who are you calling ‘Chengcheng’? That’s disgusting.” Lian Yucheng frowned. “I’m going to call an ambulance.”
“Don’t!” Long Ying grabbed Lian Yucheng as he was about to leave, the sudden movement causing his wounds to flare up and making him let out a muffled groan.
“If you’re going to die, don’t die here. My brother and sister still have their whole lives ahead of them.” Lian Yucheng’s words pierced Long Ying’s heart like poison, yet he still stopped what he was doing and crouched down beside Long Ying.
“I can’t go.” Long Ying sighed helplessly, feeling a pang of pain at Lian Yucheng’s words.
“What kind of despicable thing have you done now?” Lian Yucheng sneered coldly.
“Chengcheng, is that really how you see me?”
“A pirate chieftain—what else could you possibly be?”
“Chengcheng, I know—I know I shouldn’t have kept this from you. But the reason I hid it was because I’d already decided to forget the past and build a good life with you. ” Long Ying gently took Lian Yucheng’s hand, struggling to sit up, her eyes fixed intently on the handsome profile of Lian Yucheng’s face.
“I’ve searched my heart—I’ve never done anything to wrong you. I truly love you.”
Lian Yucheng glanced at Long Ying, snorted softly, and turned his face away to hide the panic in his eyes.
“Chengcheng.” Long Ying extended a blood-soaked hand and turned Lian Yucheng’s face toward her. Her serious and solemn expression made Lian Yucheng’s heart race; he tried to pull away, but Long Ying held him firmly in place.
“Chengcheng, marry me.” A stone glowing with a faint blue light appeared before Lian Yucheng’s eyes.
Staring at the stone in front of him, Lian Yucheng’s eyes suddenly widened.
“An energy core!!” After a long moment, Lian Yucheng exclaimed in shock. His eyes were filled with astonishment and disbelief.
“You went to Zone Six!!”
“I know you’re angry, but I also know that if I kept pestering you, you’d be even angrier.” Long Ying flashed a smile, his face showing a rare hint of embarrassment.
“I gave you time to think it over, but I felt so miserable not seeing you—I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Later, I thought to myself, I have nothing left now, and if you were to marry me, I couldn’t let you marry a penniless man. So I went out and found this energy core for you. Do you like it?”
Looking at Long Ying, battered and bruised yet still wearing that pleading expression, Lian Yucheng suddenly felt a stinging pain in his eyes.
“Hey! You… don’t cry.” Seeing tears well up in Lian Yucheng’s eyes, Long Ying panicked instantly. He tossed the energy core aside, pulled Lian Yucheng into his arms, and clumsily tried to comfort him.
“Don’t cry. If you don’t like it, we’ll just throw it away. Just tell me what you like, and I’ll go find it for you. I’ll do whatever you say—whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it. You can hit me or yell at me, and I won’t fight back. Just don’t cry, okay?”
“You idiot!!” Lian Yucheng shoved Long Ying away with all his might. Long Ying let out a muffled groan and crashed heavily onto the sofa, blood once again oozing from the wound that had already begun to heal.
“You idiot!! Are you stupid?! Going to District 6? Do you even know what kind of place that is? Do you want to die? Or do you think you’ll get infected, come back, and eat me?”
“How could that happen?” Long Ying leaned back on the sofa, watching Lian Yucheng as he raged, and gave a helpless, bitter smile. “If I got infected, I’d definitely stay far away from you and never see you again.”
“You!!” Not see him? How dare he even think of not seeing him!! Lian Yucheng clenched his fists, the pain from his tightly clenched teeth stinging slightly.
“Chengcheng…”
“Get out! Get out of my house! You pirate chief! If I’d known, I would’ve killed you the first time I saw you! I must’ve been out of my mind to save you!”
“Hah!” Long Ying couldn’t help but laugh.
“How dare you laugh!” Lian Yucheng glared at him.
“No, that’s not it.” Long Ying looked up, a smile curving his lips. “I like seeing you like this—it’s cute.”
“Long Ying!!!”
“Yes, sir!!” He snapped to attention instantly, his expression unflinching—he was practically at attention.
Seeing Long Ying like this, Lian Yucheng felt a ball of fire lodged in his chest—he couldn’t swallow it down or spit it out, and it left him feeling dizzy.
“Chengcheng, don’t be mad, okay?” Long Ying said helplessly. “I was wrong. I promise I’ll never lie to you again. If you’re really angry, just beat me up—I promise I won’t fight back.”
“Hmph!” Don’t even think about getting away with that pitiful act—I’m not falling for it! It must be said that at this moment, our usually mature and steady big brother, Lian Yucheng, was acting all proud and aloof.
“Chengcheng, I don’t care about anything else right now—I just want you. If you ignore me, I’ll really have nowhere to go.” So pitiful, so pitiful. Chengcheng, look at me, please forgive me.
“Chengcheng, I’m strong and powerful—I’ll do exactly as you say.” Long Ying cautiously reached out and grabbed the hem of Lian Yucheng’s shirt.
“Let go!”
“Chengcheng, that hurts!”
Lian Yucheng’s movement to shake off her hand paused. He looked down at Long Ying’s blood-soaked body, and a flicker of pity crossed his eyes.
“Just lie still.” Lian Yucheng snorted coldly, took out the home medical device, and began treating Long Ying’s wounds.
“Chengcheng, has… my younger brother come back yet?” Long Ying remained silent for a long time before tentatively asking. He probably hasn’t returned yet—he timed his trip to make it back before Lian Qiguang.
“He’s back.” Lian Yucheng replied without looking up.
“……” Long Ying
“He came back the night before last.” ” After treating Long Ying’s injuries, Lian Yucheng put away the healing device, stood up, walked over to a nearby table, and poured himself a glass of water.
“He was looking for you yesterday.”
“……” He silently examined his own body. Although the external injuries were no longer visible, the internal damage was significant. If the two of them were to fight now, his chances of coming out unscathed were zero.
Just as Long Ying was silently calculating the odds of emerging unscathed from a confrontation with Lian Yucheng, a sudden chill shot toward him. Startled, he swiftly darted to the side, pulling Lian Yucheng into his arms. Flames gathered in his hands as he looked warily in the direction of the attack.
Lian Qiguang, his hands tucked into his pockets, strolled leisurely downstairs, followed by a wide-eyed Lian Xiaozhu.
Upon reaching the ground floor, Lian Qiguang reached out and pulled the ice spike embedded in the sofa, then looked at Long Ying with a blank expression.
“I remember telling you this back then,” Lian Qiguang said in a wooden tone, pointing the ice spike at Long Ying. “If you ever go back on your word, I’ll cut you down with my own hands.”
Watching Lian Qiguang, who held the ice spike in one hand, Long Ying dropped his defenses, released Lian Yucheng, and walked silently toward Lian Qiguang. “Where do you want to fight?”
Lian Qiguang glanced at Lian Yucheng, who shot a quick look at Long Ying, snorted derisively, took a few steps back, sat down on a chair beside the dining table, and calmly began to eat his breakfast.
“Don’t die.”
Lian Qiguang sheathed the ice spike and clenched his fist. Long Ying understood the cue, withdrew his powers, and assumed a full offensive stance.
“Big Brother, they’re going to wreck the house,” Lian Xiaoju ran over to Lian Yucheng, puckered her lips, and complained.
“Isn’t that guy a pirate captain? He’s rich—make him buy you a new one.” Lian Yucheng swallowed the last bite of his bread, stood up, and headed upstairs.
“Big Brother, where are you going?”
“Bring breakfast up here. I’m not going to work today—I’ll play video games with you.”
“But, but what about them…” Lian Xiaoju grabbed a piece of bread and followed Lian Yucheng, casting a timid glance at the two men brimming with fighting spirit.
“Are they going to get beaten to death?”
“If they do, we’ll collect the bodies together.” Lian Yucheng shot the two men a glance, then pulled Lian Xiaoju into the room. With a loud “bang,” he slammed the door shut.
Lian Qiguang and Long Ying exchanged glances. After a long silence, they suddenly clenched their fists and charged at each other like lightning. Their fists collided, sending both of them staggering back several steps, their arms going numb.
Shaking out his trembling arms, Long Ying was stunned. He knew his own strength—this kid was no pushover.
Lian Qiguang glanced at his fist, then cast an expressionless look at Long Ying.
This guy could give Shao Xuan a run for his money.
As their gazes locked, a fierce fighting spirit surged within both of them.
When two powerful fighters face off, one of them is bound to fall.
…………