Chapter 44

Qi Xu had just said goodbye to Xie Huai at the gate of Fanghua Garden.

Xie Huai had taken on the job of rounding up all the kids from the Qin family gathering and making sure they got sent home safely—every last one of them. He even had to do a headcount to make sure no child decided to hide.

One time, a child from his maternal uncle’s side had actually hidden during the farewell, causing a huge commotion. The Qin family’s two elderly members had been alarmed, and after a frantic search, the kid was finally found curled up in a guest bathroom’s tub.

After confirming the headcount, Xie Huai instructed the housemaids from each family to escort the kids to their cars.

Qi Xu joked, “Huai-ge, you really look like a preschool principal right now.”

Xie Huai shrugged. “Can’t help it—I’m the oldest kid in the group.”

Chen Wei had already pulled the car up to the curb, waiting for Qi Xu to leave.

Xie Huai walked him to the car. Qi Xu looked back and couldn’t help laughing. “You treating me like one of the kids now? I don’t need an escort to get in a car.”

Xie Huai had clearly embraced his role as “principal.” “It’s my duty to make sure all the overnight guests leave safely.”

Qi Xu raised a brow. “Overnight guest, huh? So I’m a kid now?”

Xie Huai replied, “You accepted my gift.”

Qi Xu didn’t follow that logic at all. He hadn’t even properly accepted it—he just ate a few pieces, then gave the rest to the actual children. Still, Xie Huai was sticking to his bizarre rationale.

Just then, a little girl with a ponytail ran up to Xie Huai and lifted her arms. “Cousin Huai, hug!”

Xie Huai bent down and gave her a quick hug. Then she turned to Qi Xu and stretched her arms toward him too. “Brother, hug!”

Qi Xu crouched down and hugged her. “Next time, we’ll play Barbie dolls again.”

The two sealed their promise with a smile, and the little girl happily ran back to her car.

As Qi Xu stood up, he noticed Xie Huai watching him intently and teased, “What? You want a hug too?”

Before Xie Huai could respond, Qi Xu’s phone rang.

It was Uncle Li.

Qi Xu answered, and his face immediately turned grim. Without another word, he jumped into the car and told Chen Wei to drive straight to the hospital.

Xie Huai could tell something was wrong. He stepped aside and instructed the other cars to leave first, so they wouldn’t block the exit. “What happened?”

Qi Xu answered with urgency, “Grandpa’s been taken to the hospital.”

Without hesitation, Xie Huai climbed into the car with him. Chen Wei drove off quickly, and the atmosphere inside the car was tense the entire ride.

Qi Xu’s phone was vibrating nonstop in his hand—calls, messages—all from Shen family members. His palm was numb from the constant buzzing.

From Uncle Li, he’d learned that Old Master Shen had attended today’s family banquet at the Shen residence. A few days ago, Shen Fengkai had called specifically to invite him home—clearly to force a meeting with those parasitic relatives.

Old Master Shen hadn’t told Qi Xu in advance. Instead, he’d encouraged him to stay out a little longer. The old man knew Qi Xu hated dealing with those so-called “relatives” and never intended to bring him to the family gathering.

And now, after collapsing at the Shen house and being rushed to the hospital, Qi Xu didn’t need to be told—it was because of him.

In his past life, Old Master Shen had been hospitalized several times, always due to those same uncles and aunts whispering poison in his ear and disturbing his rest.

Out of respect for the fact that they were children of his late brother, the old man had allowed them to stay in the main house. But they pushed their luck—moved in like they owned the place, and the worst of them even threw parties at the old family estate.

Eventually, the old man lost his patience, kicked them all out, and checked himself into the hospital just to get some peace.

He had no desire to see Shen Zhuohai anymore—those people were all his cronies. After Old Master Shen distributed his shares and Shen Zhuohai took full control, the old man lost all power, and the others no longer treated him with any respect.

On his first day as Vice President, Qi Xu reorganized the upper management—demoting all those so-called “relatives” and firing anyone who had gotten their position through connections.

That very night, those people ran straight to Shen Zhuohai to complain. But at that point, Qi Xu had already taken full control of the overseas market. Shen Zhuohai couldn’t do anything to him, even if he wanted to.

Complaints from relatives kept pouring in almost daily. Fed up, Shen Zhuohai faked an illness and shut his doors to visitors.

Qi Xu remembered that in his past life, the old man’s health only started declining after he turned 25. Before that, he’d been in great shape—just yesterday he was still chasing him around with a cane.

His phone buzzed again, vibrating insistently, urging him to pick up. But Qi Xu didn’t feel like answering any of the calls.

Xie Huai reached over, took the phone from his hand, and set it aside. “Grandpa Shen just did a full-body check-up with my grandpa a few days ago. The results came back fine—nothing serious.”

Qi Xu lowered his eyes. “I know. I saw his report.”

But still—what if something happens? People that age, it’s normal for their bodies to have off days.

Qi Xu couldn’t bear the thought of something actually happening to the old man. In his mind, he saw that image from his past life—the old man lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to a ventilator, tightly clutching his hand.

The pain struck his chest like a blade. If that scene repeated itself… he’d never forgive himself. Why hadn’t he gone home? Why hadn’t he asked where the old man was going?
If he had gone back to the Shen house with him, maybe none of this would have happened.

Xie Huai gently pried apart Qi Xu’s clenched hands—his nails had already dug into his palms, leaving pale, bloodless marks.
He stuffed a handkerchief into Qi Xu’s hand to keep him from hurting himself any further.

Qi Xu glanced at the handkerchief and asked, “What’s this for?”

Xie Huai answered, “In case you cry.”

Those words—so straightforward—shattered the oppressive heaviness around Qi Xu. The darkness faded, and the strong, composed core of him reemerged.

When they arrived at the hospital, Uncle Li was already waiting at the entrance. Qi Xu strode forward briskly.
“What’s Grandpa’s condition?”

Uncle Li glanced at Xie Huai before answering, “Nothing serious. He just had sudden chest pain.”

Chest pain—those two words hit Qi Xu like a punch to the gut. It immediately brought to mind something Uncle Li had said after a banquet in his past life: the old man liked to pretend to have chest pain.

And now Uncle Li had even come downstairs to meet him in person? That was odd. In his last life, when the old man was actually gravely ill, Uncle Li never left his side.
That was the one and only time Uncle Li had stood up to Shen Zhuohai using his role as the old man’s most trusted aide—furious, resolute, and unrelenting.

Qi Xu had never seen the usually mild Uncle Li so enraged—he’d torn into Shen Zhuohai with unwavering fury.

Qi Xu glanced at Uncle Li, who avoided his gaze. It was clear he already knew Qi Xu had figured out the old man was faking it—and was feeling a bit guilty about it.

In the hallway outside the VIP private ward, the entire Shen family was gathered, waiting.

The old man hadn’t taken an ambulance; instead, someone from the estate had driven him to the hospital directly.

Everything had happened so suddenly. By the time Shen Zhuohai and the others arrived, the old man had already been “rescued” and was now resting in the room.

The doctor, clearly experienced, explained to the family: the old man had previously undergone heart surgery and couldn’t afford to be agitated. He needed peace and calm.

None of the Shen family wanted to admit they’d been the ones stressing him out.
Instead, they pinned everything on Qi Xu.

“Second Brother, you really raised a fine son—pissed off the old man so bad he ended up in the hospital. And he still hasn’t shown up. What’s he doing, running off with some man?”

“Won’t answer calls, won’t reply to texts. Clearly has no respect for his elders. You two really need to straighten him out.”

Shen Jinrong was lounging in a chair playing on his phone when he heard the elevator ding and saw Qi Xu walk out.

He smirked. “Cousin, finally showing up. What, just crawled out of some guy’s bed?”

He spotted the man behind Qi Xu and sneered again. “What, brought your random boyfriend to meet the family too…”

Then Xie Huai stepped out from behind Qi Xu, and Shen Jinrong immediately shut up. That was someone he couldn’t afford to mess with.

Qi Xu shot him a cold glance. This cousin was the same one who used to throw parties at the estate. Couldn’t get into any top schools domestically, so they sent him abroad to “polish his résumé.” He burned through his dad’s assets like wildfire.

Shen Zeyu had already spotted Xie Huai and rushed up with sparkling eyes. “Ah Huai, you came too?”

“Just checking in. My elders asked me to stop by since I heard Grandpa Shen was in the hospital,” Xie Huai said smoothly, not mentioning he’d been with Qi Xu the entire time.

Qi Xu didn’t pay attention to them. He was focused on getting into the room to check on the old man himself.

But the Shen family clearly had no intention of letting him in. They blocked his way.

At the front stood one of Qi Xu’s uncles—beer belly and all—completely obstructing his path.

“Qi Xu, listen to your third uncle. Don’t go in and disturb your grandfather. Starting today, you’ll move out of the estate. Let him have some peace.”

Qi Xu couldn’t help but laugh. “Your father only shares a dad with mine—not even the same mom. In terms of blood, you barely count. You’ve got the nerve to tell me to move out? If I do, what—you and your family think you’re moving in?”

This particular third uncle had been eyeing the estate for years. When Shen Jinrong was younger, he’d tried to get the old man to raise him, but the kid was so pampered and delicate that the old man sent him back within an hour.

The third uncle’s face turned purple. Qi Xu had hit a nerve—his own thin bloodline was his biggest insecurity. Qi Xu was stomping all over it.

With Third Uncle stepping back, someone else moved in for a fight.

His short aunt stood there, clearly lacking in height but trying to make up for it with seniority.
“I don’t care what you’re doing out there—dragging in some disease, turning the estate and your grandfather’s health upside down. That is my business. You either change or you move out. Why are you even into men anyway?”

Qi Xu actually laughed, though there was no humor in his eyes. “I’m into men? Who said that?”

Shen Jinrong proudly raised his hand. “I did. Come on, cousin, stop hiding. I saw you out looking at apartments with a guy. Good thing it wasn’t a hotel, or my innocent underage eyes would be scarred for life.”

“Oh?” Qi Xu turned and stared at him. “Scarred, huh? Want me to gouge your eyes out and give you prosthetics? Bonus—they’re removable and easy to clean. Efficient and hygienic.”

Shen Jinrong was immediately creeped out, shrinking behind his mother.

His mother scolded, “Qi Xu, how could you scare your younger cousin like that? He’s just a kid—kids don’t lie. They say what they see.”

Qi Xu didn’t understand why Jinrong hadn’t seen Xie Huai there too. But it didn’t matter. Honestly, it was a relief. If he had seen Huai, this whole thing could’ve exploded.

“You all seem very invested in my love life. What, worried I’ll set my sights on your sons? Relax. I’ve got standards. None of your kids are worth a second look. I’ll love who I want. You’ve got so much free time—try parenting your own kids.”

“Little Auntie, didn’t you shell out a ton of money to get Cousin into the honors class? Running low on funds? Here to beg Grandpa for cash?”

“Third Uncle, maybe instead of obsessing over who I’m dating, you should ask yourself why your kid was in my neighborhood. Teach him some sex ed before you end up a grandfather unexpectedly. Just giving you a heads-up.”

Qi Xu single-handedly silenced all of them. These people had never changed—not in ten years, not ever. They were all still circling the old man’s estate, hoping to snag a slice of the pie.

What really puzzled Qi Xu was how silent Shen Zhuohai and Zeng Yun were. Why were they so quiet now?

He walked up to Shen Zhuohai and called out, “Dad.”

Qi Xu couldn’t bear to imagine something actually happening to the old man. The image of his grandfather from his past life—hooked up to a ventilator, tightly holding his hand—flashed across his mind.

A sharp pain pierced his chest.

If that really happened… he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself. Why didn’t he go home? Why didn’t he press for more details about where his grandfather was headed?

If he had just gone back to the Shen house with him, maybe none of this would’ve happened.

Xie Huai gently pried apart Qi Xu’s clenched, bloodless hands—his fingernails had already dug deep into his skin, leaving pale indentations. He shoved a handkerchief into Qi Xu’s palm to stop him from hurting himself further.

Qi Xu glanced down at the handkerchief. “What’s this supposed to mean?”

Xie Huai replied, “In case you cry.”

That simple comment swept away the stormy gloom surrounding Qi Xu, and the powerful, unshakable version of him returned.

When they arrived at the hospital, Uncle Li was already waiting at the entrance. Qi Xu strode up briskly and asked, “How’s Grandpa doing?”

Uncle Li looked briefly at Xie Huai before answering, “Nothing serious. He just suddenly had chest pains.”

Chest pains. Those two words hit Qi Xu like a punch. It reminded him of something from his past life—after a banquet, when he returned to the old estate, Uncle Li had casually mentioned how the old man loved to fake chest pain.

And now, seeing Uncle Li actually come downstairs to greet him—when in his past life, he had never once left the bedside when the old man was seriously ill—it made things even more suspicious. Back then, it was the only time Uncle Li had ever used his position as the old man’s closest aide to put pressure on Shen Zhuohai.

Qi Xu had seen the usually gentle Uncle Li explode in fury and call out Shen Zhuohai on everything.

Now, glancing at Uncle Li again, he noticed the man wouldn’t meet his eyes—as if he already knew Qi Xu had seen through the act, and felt guilty about it.

Up in the premium VIP wing, all the Shen family members were gathered in the hallway.

The old man hadn’t come by ambulance; instead, people from the estate had helped him into a car and brought him over.

It all happened too fast. By the time Shen Zhuohai and his people arrived at the hospital, the “emergency” was already over and the old man was “resting” in the ward.

The doctor calmly explained that the old man had a history of heart surgery, and couldn’t handle emotional stress. They should avoid upsetting him.

Of course, no one in the Shen family would admit to being the ones who upset him. Instead, they blamed everything on Qi Xu.

“Second Brother, you really raised a fine son—made Grandpa so mad he ended up in the hospital. And still hasn’t shown up. What, is he out with some random guy?”

“Doesn’t answer his phone, doesn’t reply to texts. He clearly doesn’t care about his elders. You guys really need to discipline him.”

Shen Jinrong was lounging on a bench, playing on his phone. The moment the elevator dinged and Qi Xu stepped out, he smirked and said mockingly, “Cousin, finally decided to show up? Just crawled out of some guy’s bed?”

He didn’t even look carefully before going on, “And you brought the guy to meet the family? Classy move…”

Xie Huai stepped out from behind Qi Xu.

The moment Shen Jinrong saw him, he shut up immediately. That was someone he absolutely couldn’t afford to offend.

Qi Xu shot Shen Jinrong a cold look. This was the same younger cousin who’d once thrown parties at the estate, failed to get into a good domestic university, and was shipped overseas to “polish his resume.” He burned through his father’s money like paper and bled that branch of the family dry.

When Shen Zeyu saw Xie Huai, he lit up and stepped forward eagerly. “Ah Huai, what are you doing here?”

“Grandpa Shen heard about what happened and asked me to come by to check in,” Xie Huai replied smoothly. Not a word about being with Qi Xu the whole time.

Qi Xu ignored their interaction and headed toward the room to check on his grandfather.

But the Shen family clearly didn’t want to let him through. They blocked his path.

Leading the blockade was his uncle—with a beer belly so big, it physically took up the whole doorway.

“Qi Xu,” the man said smugly, “your third uncle suggests you don’t go in and bother your grandpa anymore. Starting today, move out of the estate and let him have some peace.”

Qi Xu let out a dry laugh. “Your father only shares the same dad as my grandpa—not the same mom. So, genetically speaking, you’re not even worth a fart to him. What gives you the right to tell me to move out? You move in next, is that the plan?”

This third uncle had been eyeing the estate for years. He’d even sent Shen Jinrong to be raised under the old man’s watch, but the spoiled brat couldn’t last an hour before being sent right back.

The uncle’s face turned beet red. Blood ties were his sore spot—and Qi Xu had just stomped all over it.

As the uncle backed off, someone else stepped up to take a swing.

A short aunt—half a head shorter than Qi Xu—used her seniority to compensate for her lack of height. “I don’t care what kind of mess you’re in out there, but dragging diseases into our home and wrecking Grandpa’s health is where I draw the line. Qi Xu, either change or move out. What kind of man likes men, anyway?”

Qi Xu actually laughed, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I like men? Says who?”

Shen Jinrong owned it proudly, raising his hand. “I did. Come on, Cousin, stop hiding. I saw you house-hunting with a guy. Lucky for me, it wasn’t a hotel or I’d need to bleach my innocent eyes.”

“Oh?” Qi Xu turned slowly to look at him. “Your eyes are dirty now? Want me to gouge them out and get you a pair of glass ones? You can even take them out and wash them—how convenient.”

Shen Jinrong shrank back, creeped out by Qi Xu’s stare and his words.

His mom rushed to defend him. “Qi Xu! Why are you scaring your cousin like that? He’s just a kid—he only said what he saw!”

Qi Xu didn’t care why Jinrong hadn’t seen Xie Huai there too. Honestly, it was better this way. Things would’ve been messier if he had.

“You’re all really this obsessed with my sexuality? What, worried I’ll hit on your sons? Please. I’ve got standards. I’ll like whoever I damn well please, and if you’ve got this much time on your hands, maybe parent your own kids instead.”

He turned to his aunt. “That cousin of mine needed a lot of cash to get into the honors class, huh? Let me guess—you’re waiting for Grandpa to cover it?”

Then to his uncle, “Instead of being so concerned about my love life, maybe focus on why your son was even in that neighborhood. Give him a crash course in sex ed, or he’s going to be calling you Grandpa real soon. Just a heads-up—congrats in advance.”

Qi Xu silenced the entire hallway. They couldn’t argue back—nothing had changed with them in ten years. They were all still circling like vultures, waiting to split the inheritance.

What puzzled Qi Xu, though, was how quiet Shen Zhuohai and Zeng Yun were.

He walked up to Shen Zhuohai and had barely said “Dad” when—

Shen Zhuohai raised his hand and swung it hard at Qi Xu’s face.

But Qi Xu caught his wrist mid-air, eyes completely devoid of emotion.

Everyone froze.

His aunt shrieked, “Qi Xu! Are you trying to hit your father?!”

Only Uncle Li stepped between them. “The old master’s still lying in that room. He wouldn’t want to see father and son come to blows. Please calm down.”

Shen Fengkai barked, “Qi Xu! Let go of Father!”

Qi Xu released Shen Zhuohai’s hand and said coldly, “Dad, next time you try to hit me, give me a heads-up. I’ll make sure to step aside. Otherwise… you’ll never touch me again.”

Zeng Yun clung to Shen Zhuohai’s arm. “Talk, don’t hit. He’s still your son.”

Shen Zhuohai roared, “Look at him! You think you can talk to a kid like that? He doesn’t listen to anything, just pissed off his grandfather into the hospital!”

Qi Xu cut him off. “You’re the ones who stressed Grandpa out. I wasn’t even there. I’ll admit to liking men, but don’t use that as a weapon against me. Who I like—man, woman, dead or alive—is none of your damn business.”

Shen Fengkai snapped, “Qi Xu, you’re out of line!”

Qi Xu shrugged. “Fine. Let’s leave it at that, then. From now on, I’ll be bringing my boyfriends home. That way, you won’t get your hopes up thinking I’ll show up with a girl.”

With that, he turned and pushed open the door to the hospital room, leaving everyone speechless.

Shen Zeyu had been happy to see Xie Huai arrive, but worried he might take Qi Xu’s side. To his relief, Xie Huai hadn’t moved at all.

Maybe the two of them weren’t as close as they seemed. Maybe Xie Huai only tolerated Qi Xu out of respect for their two grandfathers.

He tried to keep up the small talk. “That’s my second brother for you. Always stubborn, convinced everyone’s out to get him. Impossible to reason with.”

But Xie Huai smiled slightly, his gaze fixed on Qi Xu’s retreating figure—the one man standing alone against the crowd.

“I think he’s great,” he said.

Shen Zeyu was stunned, unsure of what he meant.

“Ah Huai, my second brother may not seem like it, but he’s a very deceptive person. You should be careful around him.”

Xie Huai replied, “No need. You keep your guard up—I’ll be honest with him.”

Shen Zeyu’s face drained of color. His palms were slick with sweat. Something precious slipped from his grip, and a strange fear crept in.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Qi Xu was nearly hyperventilating at the sight of his grandfather, lounging in bed and casually eating an apple.

All the strength he’d shown in the hallway evaporated as he collapsed into a chair, trying to catch his breath.

The old man kindly offered him an oxygen mask. “Need a little air?”

Qi Xu glared at him, too furious to speak.

Uncle Li quickly offered him some mango slices. “Young Master, have some mango. Cool you down a bit.”

Following the old man’s instructions, Uncle Li had turned away everyone else after Qi Xu arrived. Even Shen Zhuohai’s family wasn’t allowed in.

Only Qi Xu was permitted to visit.

He stared back and forth at these two nearly 200-year-old schemers, thoroughly speechless. “Wow. They say three women make a drama. You two just pulled off a whole soap opera.”

The old man set aside his oxygen mask. “What? Couldn’t out-argue them out there? That sharp tongue of yours only works on me?”

Qi Xu downed two gulps of water. “Grandpa, ever heard the story of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’? Don’t ever pull this stunt again.”

“I only did this because if I didn’t, those people would drag your name through the mud,” the old man said, fuming. “And your dad—he just lets outsiders say whatever they want about his own son.”

Qi Xu shot back, “Then you didn’t have to pretend to faint. You could’ve just explained it for me.”

The old man fell silent.

Qi Xu gave a faint smile. “So… are you scared that I like men?”

The old man slapped the blanket over his lap, clearly annoyed. “Scared? What’s there to be scared of? As long as you like it, that’s what matters. I’m too old to control you. What I was worried about was that things would snowball. Better to have you come out and say it clearly yourself. Those people obviously had something up their sleeve. If you hadn’t shown up, who knows what kind of mess they’d stir up next.”

Qi Xu knew he’d eventually have to face that whole side of the family. He just hadn’t expected it to come to this—centered around his sexual orientation.

In his previous life, those same relatives kept pestering Shen Zhuohai to marry him off early, pressuring him to enter some arranged marriage for the sake of a family alliance.

Eventually, Shen Zhuohai gave in and started setting him up on blind dates. Back then, Qi Xu still didn’t want to burn bridges with the Shen family, so he went—though he made it clear he wasn’t looking to get married.

The blind dates didn’t stop. It felt like they were trying to sell him off while he still looked good.

“They only dare run their mouths in front of the Shen family. If they say anything out in public, your son will be the first to shut them up.”

Shen Zhuohai’s obsession with saving face—that was the real reason he got so angry, even resorting to physical violence. He couldn’t accept having a son who liked men, who he believed would “shame the family name.”

When the old man heard Qi Xu calling Shen Zhuohai by anything but “Dad,” his heart sank. Uncle Li had already told him what happened outside—the fact that Shen Zhuohai had tried to hit Qi Xu—and that made him want to teach his own son a lesson himself.

“Your dad’s a damn fool. Doesn’t even care about right or wrong before raising his hand. I’ll call your big brother over and have him clean house—deal with all those useless side-branch relatives. No reason to keep them in the company.”

Qi Xu thought to himself, As if Shen Fengkai could fix that mess. Those people didn’t care about logic or family—they only cared about money.

They’d throw tantrums, scream, cry, cause scenes. Shen Fengkai’s always been too proud to stoop down and deal with them directly.

So Qi Xu said nothing. He had no plans to get involved in Shen Group matters again.

The old man gave him a sideways glance. “You really into men?”

Qi Xu: “…”

He didn’t give a straight answer. “I don’t know.”

The old man, surprisingly open-minded, said, “Sounds like your orientation’s still kind of fuzzy. Want me to find you a professional to talk to?”

Qi Xu replied, “No need.”

Then the old man asked, “I heard you came here with that boy from the Xie family. You were with him last night too?”

“Grandpa, are you interrogating me?” Qi Xu stabbed a piece of mango with a fork and popped it in his mouth.

The old man tossed the apple core into the trash can. “Just trying to keep up with your love life.”

Mouth half full, Qi Xu mumbled, “Zero. No love life.”