What happened tonight caught the attention of the Fang family elders. At first, everyone thought it was just some childish squabble, but when they saw the bruises on Song Ruoming’s face and realized this might involve a civil case, with all the young masters and misses present, no mistakes could be allowed at the Fang family event. So the family head had to step in.
The people involved were sent to a side room. The drenched Song Ruoming and the cake-smeared Shen Zeyu were taken away to clean up.
Xiao Ji glared fiercely at the man in black. If the bodyguards hadn’t stopped her, she would have slapped him twice and kicked him again.
The man in black, barely in his twenties, was trembling in a ball — no young girl could handle him.
Only Qi Xu leisurely flipped through the videos just recorded while casually playing with his prayer beads. Soon, someone sat down beside him.
When did a sixth person get involved in this?
Qi Xu glanced over and saw Xie Huai picking up a teacup. Seeing Qi Xu looking, he even asked, “Want some tea?”
Qi Xu asked, “What are you doing here?”
Xie Huai calmly sipped his tea and said, “Afraid you’ll hand over the evidence that I incited you to commit a crime.”
This guy never says a true word. If he were really scared, he would have had his phone snatched and the videos deleted on the balcony long ago.
Qi Xu looked him up and down and said, “So what do you want to do? Kill me to cover it up?”
“Buy you off,” Xie Huai answered casually, not taking it seriously, just trying to start a conversation. “What do you like?”
Qi Xu was almost certain Xie Huai was just here to watch the drama unfold.
He gave a tacky answer — something everyone can’t refuse: “Money. How much are you willing to pay to buy this video?”
Just in case, Xie Huai really had money.
The arrival of Fang Jiacheng, head of the Fang family, interrupted their shady little deal.
Like every family head, Fang Jiacheng was well-maintained, dressed in a black modern Chinese button-up shirt, hair perfectly neat, eyes sharp like an eagle scanning the room with authority.
Xiao Ji timidly called out, “Sir.”
That so-called Song Ruoming’s cousin trembled even more when he saw Fang Jiacheng.
Qi Xu gave Fang Jiacheng a nonchalant glance and went back to looking at his phone.
Fang Jiacheng’s gaze on Qi Xu grew more intense, but Qi Xu seemed completely unaware, showing no reaction at all.
Was he truly clueless, or was he playing dumb?
Not necessarily out of fear — Fang Jiacheng had heard that the injuries to the young masters of the Song and Shen families were the work of this newly acknowledged second son of the Shen family.
“Uncle Fang,” Xie Huai greeted casually.
Fang Jiacheng’s scrutinizing gaze vanished at the sound of the greeting, replaced with a particularly kind smile. “Ah Huai, sorry about tonight’s incident. Hope you weren’t hurt.”
Xie Huai had been attending big social events with the Xie and Qin families since childhood, developing the skill to speak politely to some and bluntly to others. He responded smoothly, “We’re the ones who should apologize, Uncle Fang. Fang Qian’s carefully prepared adult birthday party was exploited by someone with ill intent, disturbing your rest.”
Qi Xu had never seen Xie Huai tell a lie before — the high and mighty crown prince, who was only ever attended to by sycophants, and usually indifferent to others.
How novel this was. Qi Xu couldn’t help but glance at him twice.
Xie Huai noticed Qi Xu’s look and, during his conversation with the elder, subtly asked what was wrong.
Qi Xu seemed surprised that Xie Huai still had the time to care about him.
He blinked reflexively, not quite reacting.
The two locked eyes, blinking silently like an unspoken pact — no one else could join in. Fang Jiacheng had to speak up.
“This is Shen family’s second son, Qi Xu. I’m a close friend of your father’s, just call me Uncle Fang.”
Qi Xu withdrew his gaze from Xie Huai and said, “Uncle Fang.”
Fang Jiacheng sat at the head of the table and began addressing what had happened tonight, starting with the involved party, Xiao Ji. She once again truthfully recounted her experience.
Then there was the unfamiliar man who had appeared at the birthday party without explanation — but he said nothing.
Fang Jiacheng was patient and then turned his attention to Qi Xu. “It’s normal for young people to act impulsively, but there’s always a reason.”
Qi Xu replied, “He accused me of being a voyeur. If I don’t act now, then when?”
Fang Jiacheng was speechless.
“Then why did you lay hands on your younger brother, Shen Zeyu? Is he involved in this too?”
Qi Xu responded helplessly, “I don’t know if he’s involved. That’s something you adults need to investigate. I’m just an eighteen-year-old adult—I don’t have that kind of power.”
He looked Fang Jiacheng straight in the eye, his tone calm and steady. “Getting cake on your face at a birthday party — from what I see, that’s how you city folks celebrate.”
Xie Huai leaned back and regarded Qi Xu with growing interest. There was something cold, impulsive, and fierce in his gaze — the temperament of a child — mixed with uncanny foresight on the balcony earlier. Which side was the real Qi Xu?
The one who wore the school uniform by the sea, checked out the campus forum, bought antiques with flashy ease, and today struck hard but handled the older authority figures with skill.
Or maybe it was all a façade. This person still kept his true self deeply hidden.
Today, Qi Xu’s eyes held a wariness when looking at him.
Xie Huai recalled the difference between this meeting and the previous two.
He seemed to understand something.
Inside the Shen family, things were not as calm and fair as they appeared on the surface. The phrase “treating everyone equally” had already gone off course from the very beginning.
Qi Xu’s decisive attack on Shen Zeyu was clearly driven by personal grudges.
It was well known that Xie Huai was Shen Zeyu’s “childhood playmate,” so he might have been caught up in this by association.
Qi Xu was an especially intriguing person through and through.
His changing attitude toward Xie Huai was interesting too — if you’re friendly with him, then I won’t hang out with you.
Qi Xu noticed the strange intensity in Xie Huai’s gaze, too fierce and unescapable.
He casually asked, “Did you ever get cake on your face on your birthday?”
Xie Huai played along, “No cake on my face this year. Next year’s birthday, you come help me smear some.”
Qi Xu sneered, “I’ll smear you.”
Xie Huai shrugged indifferently, “Alright, just don’t forget the birthday gift.”
Qi Xu’s face was expressionless. “…Are we that close?”
“Not really, not yet.”
Xie Huai noticed Fang Jiacheng’s unpredictable expression and said, “Uncle Fang, you may continue.”
Fang Jiacheng, the head of the Fang family, recalled that Xie Huai and the newly returned Shen family kid were quite familiar. Since the Xie and Shen families were old acquaintances, perhaps Shen senior had intervened.
His tone toward Qi Xu softened considerably. “I heard from Ah Huai that you saw everything that happened in the lounge from the balcony and recorded a video.”
Qi Xu didn’t have the energy to get entangled with the Fang family. He trimmed the video, cutting off the beginning and end, leaving only the footage of the two walking out of the lounge, and handed it over.
Since the matter hadn’t been resolved, Fang Jiacheng, to give an explanation to the Shen, Xie, and Song families involved, invited the birthday party’s young masters and misses to stay overnight at the Fang estate for a bonfire gathering.
The servants led Qi Xu to a separate villa, where someone was already staying.
Xu Yichen cheered and applauded as he saw Qi Xu enter, “Let’s welcome the strongest backhand scissor dude on the planet!”
Among the three present, Fang Qian applauded the most enthusiastically.
Qi Xu looked at them speechlessly.
Fang Qian was the female CEO of the Fang Group’s fashion and entertainment branch, a powerhouse in her field a decade later. Xu Yichen founded a leading tech company, frequently featured in economic headlines. Jiang Zimu was a rising young realist painter and a special associate professor at the National Academy of Fine Arts.
Now these three were in pajamas, jumping up and down on the sofa like three wild monkeys using it as a trampoline — Qi Xu was half tempted to call the police on the sofa’s behalf.
Xu Yichen, receiving no response from Qi Xu, pouted, “So cold, huh?”
Xie Huai followed right behind, seeing Qi Xu standing at the door and not entering: “What’s up? Want to be the door guardian?”
Xu Yichen applauded again warmly, “Let’s welcome the strongest Lei Feng dude on the planet!”
Good things come in pairs — the two of them stood at the door playing guardians together.
Xie Huai knew Xu Yichen’s bubbly personality would never let him have all the attention.
Curious, he asked Qi Xu, “What’s your title?”
Qi Xu glanced at him. “Please speak Chinese.”
Xie Huai chuckled, “Did the science top scorer already give back all his English to the teacher?”
Qi Xu wasn’t curious how Xie Huai knew about his grades — the Xie family had powerful connections. With a few clicks, Xie Huai could find out everything about Qi Xu’s eighteen years. Besides, on the day of the college entrance exam results, there were plenty of people around; the Shen family was large and chatty, so news inevitably spread.
There was no reason for Xie Huai to dig into him; it was probably Shen Zeyu who had spilled the beans.
Before Qi Xu could react, Xu Yichen blurted excitedly, “Ah — is being the science top scorer really this easy now? I have two non-human brains around me! What’s the number for the national lab? I want to contribute two fresh brains for the country.”
Fang Qian looked at him disdainfully, “You should dissect your own brain to see if the cerebellum is missing.”
Jiang Zimu rushed over to Qi Xu, eyes burning with enthusiasm bordering on madness. “Qi, can I invite you to be my nude model? I’m fascinated by your body structure — can you lift your shirt for me to take a look?”
Qi Xu: “…”
These new rising stars seemed pretty abnormal when they were young.
He left this non-human living room and headed to the stairs. After climbing two steps, he asked, “Where’s my room?”
As the hostess, Fang Qian said, “The first one on the third floor.”
Qi Xu thanked her and went upstairs without another word.
Xu Yichen collapsed onto the sofa: “The strongest backhand scissor dude really is cold as ice.”
When Xie Huai heard that title, he immediately thought of Qi Xu’s swift backhand moves—fluid and graceful, truly a pleasure to watch.
Jiang Zimu, a bit slow on the uptake, asked, “Did I scare Qi Xu just now?”
Fang Qian said, “Probably. Who just makes someone take off their clothes the first time they meet?”
Jiang Zimu looked a little dejected. “Alright, I should have held back and only brought it up the second time.”
Fang Qian, Xu Yichen, and Xie Huai were true childhood friends, having grown up playing together in the same courtyard. Jiang Zimu was Fang Qian’s cousin. When his father was transferred during middle school, they temporarily lived with the Fang family and Jiang naturally joined the group.
Tonight’s commotion at the Fang house had gotten out of hand. Even their family members called, asking what was going on. Xu Yichen didn’t know much himself — in the blink of an eye, Qi Xu and Song Ruoming had started fighting, and then just as fast, someone ended up in the pool.
He asked, “Ah Huai, any conclusion about tonight? Is it really Song Ruoming framing him?”
Xie Huai casually replied as he headed upstairs, “No conclusion yet. But I bet someone’s not sleeping tonight.”
The servant had already set the room temperature just right. Since Xie Huai tended to feel hot, he lowered the central air conditioner by two degrees.
He unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt with one hand and pulled out his phone to make a call.
As soon as the call connected, he greeted, “Uncle, good evening.”
“Tonight was fine until you called — now it’s not,” Qin Jing said the moment he saw the caller ID. He closed his book and marked the page, signaling study time was over.
Xie Huai acted as if he hadn’t heard that. “I’ll be brief so I don’t disturb you. I need you to check someone out for me.”
Qin Jing chuckled, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re my boss.”
Sitting in Qin Jing’s position, if Xie Huai were really his boss, it would be at the very top — only a handful of people could claim that.
Still, Qin Jing asked, “Who?”
Xie Huai seemed to expect that question. “The biological son recently taken back by the Shen family — Qi Xu.”
Qin Jing knew the Xie and Shen families were long-time acquaintances, but their closeness wasn’t comparable to that between the Fang and Xu families.
“Give me a reason.”
Xie Huai answered logically, “Grandpa told me to keep an eye on him. If I watch over someone with a hidden agenda, it’d be more trouble than it’s worth.”
Qin Jing didn’t buy a single word from this seemingly innocent, polite nephew — white on the outside, black inside. That was the real hidden agenda.
“What about the people under you?”
Xie Huai stepped onto the balcony and looked toward the firmly closed door next door. “I have no one under me.”
Now that was outright lying with eyes wide open. Qin Jing pressed, “No one, or they’re too low-level to be of any warning?”
There were very few things that ever sparked this nephew’s interest since childhood — it was very clear what he wanted. Was he getting interested in the Shen family?
The recent uproar over the Shen family’s baby swap affair was probably not so simple after all.
Xie Huai chuckled aloud, “Uncle, you can’t have me go to Grandma and Grandpa for help, right?”
Threatening to tell the elders was something Qin Jing feared, so he agreed, “Don’t bother the old folks with this small matter.”
Xie Huai casually knocked twice on the railing. The lights next door were already off.
“Thanks, Uncle. Good night.”
