PBMM CH46

He Qing followed closely behind the refined young man, his eyes full of adoration for him.

[System, is it about time?]

[Yes, Host. He Changying has awakened.]

The youth tugged at Lu Linguan’s hem. Seeing him turn around and flash a gentle smile, he returned a sweet smile as well. “Linguan, I like you the most.”

“Why the sudden sweet talk?” Lu Linguan petted his head dotingly, his eyes full of tenderness. “I like A-Qing the most, too.”

“Will it never change?”

The youth looked straight up at him with bright, dark eyes, completely serious.

“Of course it won’t change.”

Having received the promise he wanted, the youth contentedly pursed his lips into a small smile, his cute dimples faintly visible. Right at this moment, his phone rang. He answered the call, and Zheng Chenke’s magnetic voice came through, “Uncle He has woken up. I’ve arranged a car to pick you up; it’s right at the school gate.”

“Really?!” The youth’s cry of joyful surprise made Lu Linguan frown and look over. “A-Qing, what’s wrong?”

“Linguan! My dad woke up!”

Like a wilted orchid suddenly bursting back to life, He Qing clutched his phone, overjoyed to share the good news with his lover. “My dad woke up! He woke up!”

Lu Linguan’s gaze darkened, but he smiled gently. “That truly is good news.”

——

With a face full of weakness, the middle-aged man—who must have been very handsome in his youth—leaned against the mattress behind him. His body was far too weak; even his breathing relied on supplemental oxygen. He Changying struggled to lift his hand, letting it rest on the man’s large, well-defined hand.

“Chenke…” Every sentence he spoke required him to pause and catch his breath for a long time. Even so, he continued slowly and weakly. “All these years… I have always been doing charity. People outside say… say I am a kind-hearted man. Actually… I was doing it to atone for my sins…”

Zheng Chenke’s hand stiffened. He looked in disbelief at this Uncle He, who had raised him and treated him as his own.

“During the time I was in a coma… Lu Ren must have sowed quite a bit of discord… I know he would definitely tell you that I killed your parents… Chenke, it’s true…”

He Changying panted heavily. Feeling the hand beneath his own slowly and stiffly pulling away, he smiled bitterly. “I am the one who caused you to lose your parents, so, cough cough… so that’s why, after so many years, I am also leaving in the exact same way… This is retribution…”

Zheng Chenke’s eyes were heavily bloodshot. He withdrew his hand, letting it rest by his side, clenching it tightly. He asked hoarsely, “How exactly did my parents die…”

He Changying shook his head weakly. “It was me, I caused their deaths… Chenke, I know I’ve wronged you… I failed to protect your father’s shares back then. I have already signed my will. When I die, the remaining shares will go to you. Please, please don’t take your anger out on A-Qing, okay?”

“A-Qing… he doesn’t know anything. I am leaving the He family to you. Could you, cough cough… for the sake of the fact that I’ve tried my best to cultivate you all these years… please protect A-Qing a little. He… he is too foolish… without someone to protect him… he won’t be able to survive…”

“Chenke, Uncle is begging you. Protect A-Qing a little, okay…”

The man slowly stood up, looking down at He Changying, who had raised him, from above. He clenched his hands so tightly they almost bled, his eyes blood-red. “Uncle He, you are lying to me.”

He Changying’s expression froze.

“You had absolutely no reason to harm my parents. All these years, you treating me well, cultivating me, pushing me to a high position in the company—it is indeed out of guilt. But this guilt is absolutely not because of yourself!”

“Uncle He, you know He Qing can’t be propped up, and you know I would look after him for your sake. But are you really not afraid that after telling me this, I will stop caring about him?”

His eyes were bloodshot, his voice hoarse. “You calculated that Lu Ren would sow discord between us for the shares, and you also knew I would get suspicious and investigate what really happened back then, right?”

Despair filled the eyes of the middle-aged man on the bed. He struggled to lift his hand, trembling as he reached toward Zheng Chenke. “Chenke… it was me… it really was me…”

“You know I would find out, and that I would hate the murderer who killed my parents. You didn’t want me to hate him, so, Uncle He, you told me you killed my parents.”

“To make you protect someone this much, even willing to take the blame yourself… besides He Qing, who else could it be?”

“No… it wasn’t…” He Changying could no longer speak clearly, but he was still trying hard to defend him. “A-Qing, A-Qing doesn’t know anything…”

“Right.” Zheng Chenke nodded, his chaotic thoughts slowly sorting themselves out. “When my parents had their accident, he was still young. After so many years, he definitely doesn’t remember anything. By taking the blame for my parents’ deaths now, Uncle He, you’re primarily afraid that I’ll find out and seek revenge, and secondly, you’re afraid He Qing will find out about this, right?”

Hearing his words, He Changying started to panic. He mumbled incoherently, “The shares… to you… don’t, don’t…” Don’t hurt A-Qing…

Watching the uncle who raised him coughing non-stop in panic, unable to catch his breath, the man clenched his fists tightly. He Qing had his father to protect him, willing to bear the title of a murderer for his sake. But what about him? What about his dead parents?

“Chenke… Chenke… cough cough cough… I beg you… cough cough…” He Changying’s coughing grew increasingly severe, but his cloudy eyes remained fixed dead on Zheng Chenke, filled with pleading.

“Alright.” Zheng Chenke’s eyes were bloodshot. He released his clenched fists and agreed hoarsely. “I won’t harm him. But don’t expect me to protect him either. And I don’t want your shares. Just consider it… my thanks for raising me all these years…”

“Shares… the shares go to you…” Hearing his answer, He Changying let out a long sigh of relief. Shaking his head, he spoke with effort. “Holding a treasure… is a crime in itself… A-Qing… won’t be able to keep them…”

“Thank you, thank you… Chenke… please say to A-Qing for me… I’m sor… sor…”

Beep— The ECG monitor flatlined. Zheng Chenke stood stiffly. On the bed, He Changying’s eyes were filled with lingering worry and attachment, forever frozen in that instant.

When my parents passed away, was it like this too?

Unable to let go of worrying about their son, yet having no choice but to leave.

The door was burst open, and the youth rushed in joyfully. “Dad! You woke up!”

The vibrant voice came to an abrupt halt upon seeing the lifeless middle-aged man on the bed. He stepped forward slowly in disbelief. “Dad… Dad?”

“Dad!!”

Zheng Chenke stood there, watching the youth go from joy to sorrow, hugging the person on the bed and weeping bitterly. Hearing his cries, the people outside squeezed in one after another, and the hospital room became chaotic. He stood there firmly, his eyes solely focused on the pitiful appearance of the pampered youth crying until he couldn’t catch his breath.

Lu Linguan walked in. He looked at the lawyer who had been waiting outside and had just entered, then looked at the expressionless Zheng Chenke, asking, “Did Uncle He leave a will?”

In front of the hospital bed, the lawyer brought out the will and announced: “Mr. He made a will at my office. Notarized by more than two people, the thirty percent shares held by He Changying himself, and all the assets he left behind, including the shares, are entirely left to his adopted son, Zheng Chenke.”

“What did you say?!”

Lu Linguan frowned sharply. “Left entirely to Zheng Chenke? What about his biological child?”

The lawyer nodded slightly. “Mr. He has already deposited the tuition fees He Qing will need in the future. The bank will disburse it regularly until he is 25. The specific total amount is roughly around a hundred thousand, enough to support his living expenses.”

“A hundred thousand?” Is he dismissing a beggar?

Lu Linguan never expected things to turn out like this. He Qing was He Changying’s biological child; where was the logic in leaving all the property to an adopted son while giving not a single cent to one’s own child? His first reaction was that Zheng Chenke had altered the will; otherwise, it absolutely made no sense.

“A-Qing!” The refined man hurriedly stepped forward and pulled up the youth, who was crying so hard he couldn’t catch his breath. “There’s a problem with this will. Stop crying!”

“Linguan…” He Qing was crying so hard he couldn’t catch his breath at all, unable to hear what he was saying. “Dad, Dad he…”

“Sir, this will was made in the presence of a notary. To prevent disputes, with Mr. He’s consent, we kept a video recording. If you do not believe it, you may apply to the court to view the recording.”

Lu Linguan was also momentarily stunned. The person in his arms was still crying sorrowfully. Flustered and irritable, his only thought was to find his father to discuss a countermeasure. With some urgency, he held the youth’s shoulders. “A-Qing, there’s a problem with this will. I’m going to find my father to help you. Wait here obediently, okay?”

“Linguan…” The youth gripped the refined young man’s sleeve tightly. His red, swollen eyes were full of pleading. “Can you… not go…”

Lu Linguan hesitated for a second, then gently patted his head. “Be good, I’ll be right back.”

After speaking, he pried the youth’s hands away.

As he passed Zheng Chenke, the man’s cold, emotionless voice sounded flatly, “Before Uncle He is buried, I will seal the news.”

Lu Linguan’s eyes flickered. Saying nothing, he walked straight out.

He didn’t look back, so naturally, he didn’t know how helpless and despairing the expression was in the youth’s eyes as he watched him leave.

“He Qing.” The blows didn’t stop there. A chilling voice came from the man’s lips. He looked down from above at the tear-stained youth, his eyes full of indifference. “Once Uncle He is buried, move out.”

“Zheng Chenke…” The youth, his nose red from crying, stared at him blankly, his eyes full of disbelief.

“Get up when you’re done crying and go pack your things.”

The youth stood up, his eyes full of helplessness. “Why…”

“According to the will, the house is left to me. I don’t want you living in my house. Understand?”

Zheng Chenke turned around, his eyes holding undisguised disgust. “If your things aren’t packed by tonight, I will have the butler throw them out.”

He Qing watched blankly, as if in a dream. Just moments before, he had spoken to him gently, yet in a mere instant, everything had changed completely.

Seeing the man open the door and about to walk out, the red-eyed youth suddenly shouted angrily, “Zheng Chenke!”

The man’s footsteps paused.

Behind him was the youth’s sobbing voice, carrying traces of an emotional breakdown. “Before, you pretended to treat me well—was it just for the shares! Now that Dad gave you the shares, you’ve stopped pretending, right!”

The handsome man’s features were covered in frost. He tightly clenched his hands at his sides. Without turning back, his magnetic voice said coldly, “Yes, you’re right.”

“If it weren’t for the shares, who would tolerate your lawless and arrogant temper?”

As if all the strength had been instantly sucked out of his body, the youth collapsed limply to the floor, his hand still holding He Changying’s icy hand.

——

“Get engaged to me?” Lu Linguan looked playfully at the young girl sitting across from him. “Haven’t you always disliked me?”

Mo Chuyu let out a breath and glared at him hatefully. “It’s just a business marriage. After getting married, we play our own games. How about it, do you agree or not.”

“I agree. Of course I agree.”

Lu Linguan looked at Mo Chuyu, who breathed a sigh of relief after his agreement, while calculating in his mind when the news of He Changying’s death would spread. He Qing had nothing now. He was going to switch targets anyway, so since Mo Chuyu delivered herself to his door, he naturally accepted with a smile.

“Good! Since you agreed, don’t pester A-Qing anymore in the future, hear me!”

Faced with Mo Chuyu’s demand, Lu Linguan raised an eyebrow and agreed without hesitation. Regardless, he was planning to do that anyway.

He naturally reached out and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. Almost the next second, as if sprayed by venom, Mo Chuyu quickly dodged the hand. The gaze she shot at Lu Linguan was full of disgust. “What are you doing!”

“Why make such an expression.” Lu Linguan smiled gently. “If we don’t do this, how will A-Qing give up on me?”

He lowered his hand once more. Only this time, Mo Chuyu didn’t dodge.

Enduring the revulsion rising in her heart, she looked up coldly and said, “Lu Linguan, you truly are human scum.”

The refined man smiled and said nothing.

Cleanly and efficiently kicked out, the homeless youth wandered in a daze across the campus, only to witness this exact scene.

The handsome young man’s hand rested intimately on the young girl. The two of them, one looking down and one looking up, gazed at each other ambiguously.

He Qing’s face turned pale: “You guys…”

Panic flashed through Mo Chuyu’s eyes. She reflexively wanted to shake off the hand on her shoulder but was firmly pinned down by the gently smiling young man.

With his hand resting on the girl’s slender waist, he turned around, smiling just as he always did. “A-Qing, Chuyu and I are together now.”

“Let’s break up.”