After Qi Wendong returned to the country, he and Qi Xiuyi no longer needed to have their nightly video calls. Qi Xiuyi had some objections at first, but when Qi Wendong used the invincible excuse of “How can I have time for video calls when I’m preparing for exams?”, Qi Xiuyi was choked up and couldn’t say a word.

Therefore, Qi Xiuyi had no way of knowing that on the third day after he returned to school, Qi Wendong suddenly collapsed at home, causing the butler to panic and immediately send him to the hospital.

When Qi Wendong slowly regained consciousness, more than thirty hours had already passed.

He opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the butler by his bedside, his face full of nervousness and anxiety, with heavy dark circles under his eyes.

The butler looked like he hadn’t slept for a long time, his face exhausted. Seeing Qi Wendong open his eyes, his shoulders visibly slumped, and he let out a long, deep breath.

“Young Master… Young Master Wendong?”

The butler, afraid it was just his imagination, called out to Qi Wendong in a low voice. When he saw Qi Wendong’s dazed eyes slowly blink twice and turn to look at him, he finally felt at ease.

The butler said, “It’s good that you’re awake, it’s good… Young Master, please don’t worry. Mr. Qi has contacted Director Yang from the Capital Hospital, the foremost authority in this field. Your current treatment plan is all arranged by Director Yang. You just need to rest and focus on your treatment, and you’ll be discharged and healthy again soon!”

The butler didn’t know if he was comforting the young master or himself. Ever since Young Master Wendong had suddenly collapsed at home, he had been in a state of panic and unease. He didn’t know if there was a problem with Young Master Wendong’s treatment in Country D, or if he had failed to take good care of him these past few days, causing his condition to relapse.

After reporting the situation to Mr. Qi, Mr. Qi did not blame or question him. But until Young Master Wendong woke up, he was constantly worried that he would lose the job that had been in his family for generations because of this.

Young Master Wendong was now wearing an oxygen mask, and each breath fogged it with a thin layer of mist. Having just woken up, Young Master Wendong’s reactions were slow, but he seemed to have keenly sensed the butler’s anxiety. He gave him a faint smile and said softly, “Don’t worry, Father knows about my physical condition… it has nothing to do with you.”

The butler’s eyes welled up with tears. “Young Master!”

Young Master Wendong’s energy was very low. After saying one sentence, he closed his eyes wearily to rest, nearly making the butler’s heart leap back into his throat. Fortunately, Young Master Wendong soon opened his eyes again, looking a bit more energetic this time.

Young Master Wendong asked him, “What time is it now? Is Xiuyi still at school?”

The butler replied, “It’s already Wednesday, Young Master. Young Master Xiuyi is still at school. He made several voice calls to you last night… Mr. Qi instructed me not to tell Young Master Xiuyi about your situation and to wait until after his exams are over. So I helped you make an excuse, saying you had gone to bed early. Young Master Xiuyi also sent you many messages. Would you like to see them?”

Young Master Wendong said, “Mm.”

The butler immediately got his phone, brought it under the covers, and after Young Master Wendong unlocked it, he clicked into the messaging app. Not daring to look too closely, he held the phone up for the young master to read.

Young Master Wendong glanced at it and said, “Help me reply to him, ‘Stop bothering me, study hard.'”

The butler said, “Right away, Young Master.”

Just as the butler finished replying, a call came in. The butler glanced at the caller ID and turned the phone screen back to Young Master Wendong.

The butler said, “By the way, Young Master, there’s also this… He Wenyan. He’s called you many times in the last two days as well.” He thought for a moment and added, “At least a dozen.”

Young Master Wendong’s eyes, which were about to close from drowsiness, snapped open again. A look of surprise on his face, he responded concisely, “Answer it.”

---

He Wenyan had always been very satisfied with Qi Wendong, an investor who disappeared after putting in the money. He gave money, sent talent, and never interfered with any of his decisions. Simply perfect!

But—it was fine not to interfere in specific business decisions, but when it came to his own profit-sharing interests, shouldn’t he at least show up and say something? Huh? An investor with a sixty percent dividend?

Over the past year, he hadn’t had much contact with Qi Wendong. But whether it was these few contacts or the reputation he’d heard about this new young master of the Qi family in their circle, everything pointed to one thing: this was a reliable person.

But why would the reliable Qi Wendong disappear at such a crucial moment?

He Wenyan looked at the call log, at the dozen missed calls from different times over the last two days, and ground his back teeth in anger.

Last time. The very last call! If Qi Wendong didn’t answer again, he couldn’t be blamed for how he decided to handle things!

“Beep—”

“Beep—”

Beside him, a man in a suit waited for ten seconds before pointedly looking at his watch and saying tactfully, “Boss He, you see, we’ve been waiting with you here for two days…”

He Wenyan took a deep breath, skillfully hiding the disappointment in his eyes. He put down his phone and said, “Sorry for the long wait. My partner has been too busy recently, so I’ll just…”

Before he could finish, the ringing from the phone’s earpiece suddenly stopped.

He Wenyan: “?”

He Wenyan glanced down and saw “00:01” on the screen, indicating the call duration.

He Wenyan: “…”

He Wenyan said to the man in the suit beside him, “Apologies, one moment.” Then he quickly walked to the side, put the phone to his ear, and whispered through gritted teeth, “You really know how to pick a time to answer the phone, Qi Wendong!”

However, unexpectedly, the voice that came from the other end was not his investor’s.

A strange voice said cautiously and politely, “Hello, Mr. He. Young Master Wendong is currently unwell and it’s not convenient for him to take the call. Is there anything I can pass on to him for you?”

He Wenyan: “?”

He Wenyan’s voice caught for a moment. “…Unwell?” He glanced at the time of his first call; it was almost 30 hours ago!

He Wenyan frowned. “Out of contact for twenty or thirty hours… What illness does he have? Is it serious?”

The voice on the other end sighed slightly. “The young master’s health has not been good for the past six months or so. He was receiving treatment in Country D for a long time and just recently returned. But his condition has relapsed in the last two days…”

The person briefly explained the situation, and the more He Wenyan listened, the more his brow furrowed. He hadn’t seen Qi Wendong in the past six months, but whenever he needed to contact him, his messaging app was never offline. If not for this call, he would never have imagined or guessed that during this time, Qi Wendong had actually…

“…Young Master Wendong suddenly fainted yesterday morning and only just woke up…”

He Wenyan was silent for a moment, then asked, “Where is he hospitalized now? Is it convenient for me to visit?”

The other side said, “One moment, I’ll ask for the young master’s opinion.”

Muffled, soft voices could be heard, and a moment later, the unfamiliar voice returned and gave him an address.

He Wenyan replied concisely, “Okay.”

After hanging up, He Wenyan hesitated for a moment, then returned to the man in the suit and said, “I’m sorry. This isn’t something I can decide on my own. I still need to consult my partner. He’s not well right now, and I need to go to the hospital to explain the situation to him. It will take at least half a day. I apologize for delaying you for so long. How about this…”

The man in the suit listened carefully to the compensation plan proposed by He Wenyan and smiled, “Boss He, actually, we made a special trip to the Capital because we see your potential. As for this investor of yours, to be honest…”

Based on their rather good initial communication, He Wenyan patiently listened to the man in the suit. But as he listened, he realized something was wrong.

He Wenyan interrupted, “Wait.” He looked at him coldly and asked bluntly, “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of squeezing out Qi Wendong to become my sole investor?”

Seeing his change in attitude, the man in the suit immediately waved his hands in denial. “No, no, no, what are you saying, Boss He? We’re just considering from a macro perspective and feel that…”

According to the man’s experience, as long as he could clearly explain the benefits and paint a realistic picture of a beautiful future, at least nine out of ten of these fledgling bosses could be persuaded. The one remaining strong-willed boss, out of respect for their company’s name, would at least politely see the conversation through to the end, allowing him to plant a seed in their mind. Who would have thought that the Boss He he met today would be so stubborn! He didn’t give him any chance to smooth things over, coldly and directly interrupting him, “Not needed, not considering it, and you don’t need to ask his opinion either. I refuse.”

With that, He Wenyan stood up, grabbed his overcoat from the side, threw it on, and shouted to the side, “Ruyan, see our guests out!” Then he looked at the man in the suit and said perfunctorily, “Thank you for making the trip. I have something to attend to, so I must leave now.”

Lin Ruyan, who had been secretly listening to He Wenyan’s phone call and whose mind had been racing with anxious thoughts, suddenly snapped back to reality. “?”

The man in the suit, who was abruptly kicked out before he could even formally present his side’s strengths and was even being seen off by a cripple: “?” Wait, what did he do? He Wenyan’s face had changed at the drop of a hat, what did he mean!

The man in the suit stood up angrily. “He Wenyan, I’m not joking with you. Do you know whose investment you’re refusing?!”

He Wenyan, putting on his scarf, glanced at him. “What, your boss is very powerful? Is he as powerful as He Zhengqi?”

The man’s voice caught. “That… that Mr. He is…”

He Wenyan said calmly, “Oh, so not even as powerful as my former dad. Then what’s all this talk? He couldn’t even manage to drive me out of the Capital, so on what grounds can’t I refuse you?”

The man in the suit fumed, “Boss He, I see it clearly now. You have no sincerity in negotiating with us at all! With an attitude like yours, it’s impossible for you to go far on this path!”

He Wenyan raised an eyebrow. “Oh? My apologies, but I already have an investor who can provide the funds and thinks very highly of me. I don’t need you. Alright, please move, you’re blocking the way.”

Lin Ruyan finally understood what was happening. He quickly and as politely as possible said to the man in the suit, “This way, please.” Seeing the man curse angrily, turn his head, and storm off at a pace he couldn’t possibly match, he hurriedly followed He Wenyan with his crutch, tap-tap-tapping along.

Lin Ruyan said, “Mr. He! Are you going to visit Senior Wendong? C-can I go with you?”

He Wenyan tilted his chin. “Get in the passenger seat.”

Lin Ruyan said, “Thank you, Mr. He!!”

The car quickly arrived. He Wenyan took some gift-boxed New Year’s goods he kept in the trunk, bought a bag of fruit downstairs, and led Lin Ruyan to the hospital room mentioned on the phone.

Lin Ruyan seemed very anxious the whole way, constantly asking if he knew Qi Wendong’s specific condition. He Wenyan recalled the feeling from their text and phone communications over the past six months and replied, “He seemed quite energetic.” He really did think so.

However, when he reached the designated room, opened the door, and saw the young man on the hospital bed, he froze on the spot.

The bright, confident, and proud young master from his memory was now like a broken and withered flower, scattered on the snow-white hospital bed.

The room had good lighting, but even with the bright sunlight flooding the room, it couldn’t warm the cold, deathly stillness by half a degree.

Qi Wendong was wearing an oxygen mask, sleeping soundly. His chest rose and fell evenly but faintly, as if his breath could stop at any moment.

Standing by the bed was an unfamiliar man. From his attire, He Wenyan guessed he was probably the Qi family’s butler. As expected, after a polite greeting, the man leaned down and softly called out, “Young Master Wendong.”

He Wenyan was about to stop him. “You don’t have to…”

But Qi Wendong was already awakened from his deep sleep. He looked extremely weak. After opening his eyes, they remained vacant for a while before slowly focusing on the doorway.

Seeing him, a faint smile appeared on Qi Wendong’s face. But then, seeing Lin Ruyan behind him, Qi Wendong’s expression froze.

Lin Chen: “?”

Lin Chen: “.”

Qi Wendong quickly came to his senses and gave them a helpless but pleased smile. “It’s a bit embarrassing to have you see me like this.”

Qi Wendong’s voice was very faint, weak, and soft. He Wenyan had to concentrate hard to hear what he was saying.

Qi Wendong gave the butler a look, and the butler tactfully led the three bodyguards to wait outside the room. The door closed, giving them space to talk.

Lin Ruyan, who had been staring blankly at his senior on the bed, suddenly snapped back to reality and hurriedly hobbled forward on his crutch. Due to his haste, he nearly tripped over his own crutch. Thanks to He Wenyan’s quick reflexes, he strode forward and grabbed Lin Ruyan, preventing him from falling in front of Qi Wendong’s bed.

Lin Ruyan leaned over the bed, his voice on the verge of tears. “Senior Wendong, you… how did you…”

Qi Wendong sighed, his tone helpless yet gentle. “Why did you come with him?… Alright, don’t cry, don’t cry. It’s not like it’s incurable…”

Seeing this, He Wenyan quietly found a chair in the room and sat down. He didn’t listen closely to their conversation; it was just one person showing concern and the other dotingly coaxing.

His gaze remained on Qi Wendong’s face. He looked at his bloodless complexion, his cheeks much thinner than he remembered, his soft hair that was clearly untended and longer than before, and the gentle, coaxing smile he had never shown in front of him.

—This was a side of Qi Wendong he had never seen before.

But it made sense. If he wasn’t such a gentle person, how could he have not seen a trace of greed in him when he placed his bet on him back then? This was an “investor,” after all.

He Wenyan’s past year had not been smooth sailing. His entrepreneurial start in the Capital had faced immense resistance. During that time, he had naturally hesitated, had self-doubts, and wondered if stubbornly forging ahead would get him what he wanted. But whenever that happened, he would remember the beginning of last year, not long after he was kicked out of his family, when Qi Wendong stood before him with thirty million, telling him with certainty, “You can do it,” and betting all that money on him.

Back then, having just been kicked out, he had not yet truly experienced the dangers outside his family, and his pride was at its peak. That’s why when he met Qi Wendong, he felt that Wendong’s confidence in him was about the same as his own confidence in himself. But after facing setbacks, confronting mountains, and pulling all-nighters this past year, he finally understood that Qi Wendong’s confidence in him was even more steadfast and stronger than his own.

This unwavering, unreserved trust in him was worth far more than the thirty-million investment. And that was why he had immediately turned hostile towards the man in the suit when he discovered his intentions. What a joke. Who did he think he was to dictate his choices?

He had once thought that if he and Qi Wendong could maintain this good investor relationship, he would never betray that trust or make any choice that would harm his investor.

However… he never expected that after just one short year, Qi Wendong’s health would be…

He Wenyan tried hard to ignore the aura of death lingering in the hospital room, but he couldn’t deceive himself.

Just then, he heard Qi Wendong say to Lin Ruyan, “…Don’t worry too much. Don’t tell Xiuyi about this when you go back, I don’t want him to worry… Mm, don’t worry… You go out and wait for a bit, I want to talk to Wenyan alone.”

Lin Ruyan, at some point, had cried until his eyes were swollen and his whole face was flushed. He sobbed, “Senior Wendong, you have to keep your promise. You must get better!”

After getting repeated assurances from Qi Wendong, he reluctantly left the room, looking back every three steps.

He Wenyan subconsciously looked up and saw Qi Wendong’s smiling gaze fall on him.

Qi Wendong said, “Come sit here. I heard you’ve been calling me a lot these past two days. What happened?”

He Wenyan slowly stood up, sat by the bed, and said, “It wasn’t a big deal, I solved it before coming here. As for you…”

He Wenyan was silent for a moment, then said, “I just looked at your medical records and did some research. It says there’s no good treatment for this disease anywhere in the world so far, and even related papers are rare. You…” He trailed off.

Qi Wendong laughed, but his laughter was intermittent due to his weakness. He asked him, “Are you worried that I might suddenly pass away, and the rest of the investment funds won’t arrive on schedule?”

He Wenyan didn’t answer, instead asking, “Is it really incurable?”

Qi Wendong’s gaze was calm as he told him, “You need to be prepared for that.”

He Wenyan was silent for a moment, then reached out and gently brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen across Qi Wendong’s forehead, forcing himself to pull his gaze away from Wendong’s eyes. He Wenyan asked, “If that one-in-a-million chance happens, who will inherit your dividend rights?”

Qi Wendong smiled. “I’m guessing you don’t want the Qi family to become your investor—the Qi family is too powerful, which would make you feel uneasy about your control.”

He Wenyan remained silent, tacitly agreeing.

Qi Wendong said softly, “So, I have an idea.”

He Wenyan looked up at him. “What is it?”

Qi Wendong’s gaze drifted far away, as if reminiscing about a long-lost, beautiful memory. “Before I was acknowledged by the Qi family, I had a sworn brother, though we had different parents.”

He Wenyan: “…?”

Qi Wendong continued, “His vision and abilities are no less than mine, and his business acumen is even stronger. He could be a good partner for you. He has no large family backing him, which is also safe for you.”

He Wenyan’s mouth gradually flattened into a thin line.

Qi Wendong said, “He once saved my life, and I’ve never had the chance to repay him…”

He Wenyan took a deep breath.

Qi Wendong said, “So, I want to give all the rights related to this investment to him. Consider it… a final gift from me before I go.”

Qi Wendong’s gaze was melancholic and nostalgic, which filled He Wenyan’s heart with an inexplicable sense of frustration. What did Qi Wendong mean by that? What did he mean by ‘his vision and abilities are no less than mine’? Does he just go around digging up talented people on the street, thinking everyone he sees has potential? Am I just one of them???

If Qi Wendong weren’t lying on his sickbed right now, He Wenyan would have at least rolled up his sleeves to question him thoroughly. But now? He Wenyan didn’t have a habit of bullying the sick.

He Wenyan was silent for a much longer time this time. Most of it was spent processing his own feelings. After a long while, he said, “Fine, but I have to meet him first.”

Qi Wendong lowered his eyes dejectedly. “When I returned to the country back then, we had a fight, and we still haven’t made up. So I don’t want him to know about my condition and… the return gift before I’m gone.”

He Wenyan pressed his lips together, extremely reluctant.

Qi Wendong softened his voice and chuckled lightly, “Don’t worry, trust my judgment. Besides, in our contract, I already gave up all decision-making power in the company. Even if I give the rights to him, he can’t cause you any trouble—and, believe me, he’s not that kind of person.”

Qi Wendong’s tone now was a bit like when he was talking to Lin Ruyan, soft and gentle, as if he were coaxing him.

He Wenyan absolutely! did! not! want to accept this. Neither the fact that Qi Wendong’s health seemed to be failing, nor the fact that his investor and partner was about to change from Qi Wendong to some unknown stranger!

However, Qi Wendong looked at him with such a gentle, powerless gaze, filled with the same unwavering trust as when they first met, and a hint of hope for his response.

He Wenyan clenched his fists, his expression indifferent, but he stiffly averted his gaze. The emotions churning inside him were perhaps frustration, perhaps unwillingness, or perhaps a reluctance to part with this “Bole,” this judge of talent that was Qi Wendong.

He deliberated for a long time, considering all the worst-case scenarios, and decided he could handle them. Finally, he gave a low response, “If that day really comes… I will trust your judgment. Don’t let me down.”

In his peripheral vision, Qi Wendong’s eyes curved into a smile. He Wenyan slowly moved his gaze back to Qi Wendong’s beautiful eyes, unable to look away for a moment. It was a pity he didn’t know how long such a beautiful sight could be maintained in this winter.

He Wenyan couldn’t help but ask again, “Is it really incurable?”

But Qi Wendong did not answer his question this time. An uncontrollable fatigue and drowsiness showed on his face, as if he was about to fall asleep again.

Forcing himself to stay awake, Qi Wendong said to him, “There’s one more thing I want to ask of you.”

He Wenyan said, “What?”

Qi Wendong’s words were so light, it seemed a gust of wind could scatter them into the air. He asked, “If I’m gone, can you watch over my brother for me? Xiuyi has finally gotten on the right path. What if, after I’m gone… If that day comes, can you help me pull him back?”

He Wenyan bit down hard on his back teeth. Qi Xiuyi. Like Li Yunhui and the others, he couldn’t stand and disliked Qi Xiuyi. The kind of dislike where you wish you hadn’t seen him when you pass him on the street. But… Damn it. Qi Wendong’s brother!

He Wenyan took a deep breath, trying his best to make his voice not sound like he was gritting his teeth. “Fine.”

As the word fell, a smile bloomed on Qi Wendong’s face on the hospital bed. It was like a vibrant red flower suddenly blossoming in a vast, snowy winter landscape, so brilliant and eye-catching that a single glance was unforgettable.

He Wenyan found himself subconsciously mesmerized.

---

After casually telling He Wenyan not to mention to others, especially Lin Ruyan, that he held the dividend rights and had decided to gift them to “Lin Chen,” Lin Chen watched He Wenyan leave. He told the butler and others not to come in, letting him be alone in the room for a while. Then he quietly took off the mask, got up, and fumbled under the hospital bed, quickly finding a chocolate bar that Third Dad had arranged for someone to place there in advance.

After devouring the chocolate in a few bites to get some energy back, Lin Chen sat cross-legged on the bed, took out his phone, and sent a message to Third Dad.

Lin Chen: [No need to worry about after-sales service. I’ve arranged for a special member from the studio to follow up secretly. They have 57 years of professional after-sales experience. Third Dad can rest assured ^ ^]

Third Dad: [Older than me. Good. [Thumbs up]]

---

Qi Xiuyi felt it was simply remarkable that he could calmly finish all his tightly scheduled exams in just over a week. During this week, he had experienced multiple incidents of cold-shoulder treatment that chilled his heart: Qi Wendong sleeping for long periods and ignoring him, his father being too busy with work to pay attention to him, and his roommate returning to the dorm wailing, and when he tried his best to comfort him, his roommate ignored him too!

Finally, Qi Xiuyi made it to the last day of exams and couldn’t wait to pack his things and go home.

Lin Ruyan’s exams finished two days after his. As he was packing, he noticed Lin Ruyan seemed to want to say something to him. But when he pressed him, Lin Ruyan clammed up and just silently shook his head.

Qi Xiuyi rolled his eyes. The desire to go home and show off his grades far outweighed his curiosity, and he turned around, grabbed his suitcase, and walked out the door.

His department released grades quickly. During the week-plus of exams, the scores for the courses he took earlier were released one after another while later exams were still in progress.

His scores, just as he had predicted, were quite! good! Especially one of his major courses, where he scored as high as 98!

Qi Xiuyi almost laughed out loud. The moment he got the grade, he practically imagined how he would sigh in front of Qi Wendong about the two points he didn’t get. Sigh. 98! Haha, life is as lonely as snow!

He quickly arrived home and shouted as soon as he opened the door, “Qi Wendong! Hurry up and come see my grades!”

As his voice fell, there was a sound from upstairs. But the source was not the second floor where he and Qi Wendong lived, but the study of a certain head of the household on the third floor.

A middle-aged figure walked out unhurriedly from the study. He was impeccably dressed, still in his overcoat, looking as if he had just landed.

The moment Qi Xiuyi saw the figure, his eyes widened. “…Dad?!”

Qi Jingming nodded slightly at him from upstairs and said, “Come up.”

Qi Xiuyi’s mind went blank. He quickly walked into the elevator. As the elevator ascended, his mind was a jumble of joy, unease, confusion, and apprehension, turning his brain into mush.

It wasn’t until he was finally standing in front of the study and smelled the deep, rich cologne his father always liked to wear that he finally confirmed one reality: His father, who had been away for a year, was finally home!

In his excitement, Qi Xiuyi completely forgot that he was no longer his father’s biological son. He joyfully ran to his father, chattering away, and also responded to his father’s various concerns about his life over the past year.

Finally, the topic inevitably turned to Qi Wendong. Qi Xiuyi said excitedly, “By the way, Dad, let me tell you! Qi Wendong and I…”

Qi Jingming quietly listened to his son’s account of the love-hate relationship between him and Qi Wendong. When the topic finally turned to “By the way, Dad, why isn’t Qi Wendong home?”, he finally spoke.

Qi Jingming said calmly, “I’ll tell you about Qi Wendong’s situation in a moment. Before that, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Qi Xiuyi was taken aback. “What?”

Qi Jingming looked at him. “Actually, you are also my biological son.”

Qi Xiuyi: “…”

Qi Xiuyi suddenly remembered the matter of him not being Qi Jingming’s biological son. But wait. What did his father say??

Qi Jingming sighed. “But last year, when I wanted to bring Qi Wendong home, he said that with you in the house, he felt he would be easily bullied by you, so he refused to come back no matter what.”

Qi Xiuyi: “…??!”

Qi Jingming said melancholically, “Wendong’s health was already not very good at that time. To get him to come home early for treatment, I agreed to his request—to have you be the ‘fake young master’ for a year, to help him quickly establish his position in the family, and also to make you behave a little better at home.”

Qi Jingming sighed dejectedly. “Unfortunately…”

Qi Xiuyi didn’t hear his father’s “unfortunately” at all. His mind was filled with a mix of memories and rage, and he jumped to his feet.

Qi Xiuyi’s chest heaved with anger. “So… so that guy Qi Wendong deliberately bullied me like that last year!!!”

Qi Jingming: “.”

Qi Jingming calmly replied, “Yes.”

Qi Xiuyi said, “He- he stole my identity, stole my room, stole my friends, and even forced me to run away from home and get beaten up!!!”

Qi Jingming still replied calmly, “Yes.”

Qi Xiuyi’s face flushed red with anger. The thought of how he had been so proactive in video-calling Qi Wendong every day for the past six months, trying so hard to see him as a brother, made him feel utterly stupid! It was one thing for Qi Wendong to trick him at the beginning! But now… now that their relationship was so good, Qi Wendong still had no intention of telling him the truth. He… he…

Qi Xiuyi was at the peak of his anger and felt utterly wronged, and his eyes instantly reddened.

Suddenly, he thought of something. While sobbing, he forcefully pulled his phone out of his pocket, held his breath, and jabbed his way into his school email.

He slammed the latest version of his report card from his school email onto Qi Jingming’s desk!

His eyes were bloodshot as he cried and questioned, “Dad! If I could have produced this report card at this time last year, would you… would you have wanted Qi Wendong or me?!”

Qi Jingming watched him silently. Finally, just as Qi Xiuyi’s emotions were about to collapse and his aggrieved sobs were about to get louder, he sighed.

Qi Jingming said, “Do you want to know where Qi Wendong is now?”

Qi Jingming led him out the door. “Come with me.”

Qi Xiuyi was furious, crying as he walked, his mind still fixated on how long Qi Wendong had deceived him.

However, as the car started moving and the scenery outside the window changed, Qi Xiuyi keenly realized that this was the road to the Capital Hospital. His sobs stopped abruptly, and he frantically grabbed his father who was beside him.

Qi Xiuyi said in a panic, “Dad… Dad! Where… where are we going? Where is Qi Wendong now?!”

Qi Jingming didn’t speak. He silently led Qi Xiuyi out of the car, into the hospital, and towards the emergency room.

In the silent corridor of the emergency room, no other sounds could be heard. Qi Xiuyi didn’t know if it was truly silent, or if he just couldn’t hear anything else.

He only felt that this corridor was very, very long.

But at this moment, he wished this corridor could be even longer.

In the distance, the glaring red light quietly went out as they approached. A doctor walked out of the emergency room, took off his mask, his expression grave. He walked up to them and bowed his head apologetically to Qi Jingming.

“Mr. Qi, we did our best. But… I’m sorry, please accept our condolences.”

Thump.

The phone quietly fell to the floor, bouncing several times on the cold ground.

Qi Xiuyi stiffly moved his gaze to the doctor. His voice at this moment no longer seemed to belong to him.

“What did you… say?”

“Condolences… for who???”