Chapter 144 - My Older Brother is a Bit Black-Bellied
Translated by Eve
Edited by Serefina
2. My Older Brother is a Bit Black-Bellied
The next morning, when Xie He woke up, he found Han Wenqian sitting on the sofa of the living room. He sat close to Han Wenqian as per usual and smiled. “Ge, are you busy today?”
Han Wenqian’s eyes darkened slightly. Whenever he saw Xie He, the image of him wearing that ruthless, mocking face while sitting in bed with Qin Ye would appear in his mind…. Han Wenqian did his best to control himself, to prevent himself from revealing any abnormalities. He said in a dry voice, “What’s up?”
Xie He smiled and said, “Nothing. Just asking.”
Han Wenqian had wanted to say that he was really busy, that he didn’t have any time, but when he saw Xie He’s pretty profile, his heart trembled. He said, “I promised to hang out with some friends today. Do you want to come?”
Xie He looked at him, rather surprised, “Is it okay for me to go?”
Han Wenqian had never brought Lin Xin with him to meet his friends before. It wasn’t because he looked down on Lin Xin, but because he was being protective. He didn’t want Lin Xin to see anything bad.
It was because his friends didn’t like Lin Xin as he did. They would not see him as their equal…. If it wasn’t for Han Wenqian’s protection, then in their eyes, Lin Xin would be nothing but a toy that they could play with as they pleased.
But that was in the past…why should he protect him now?
Han Wenqian lifted the corner of his lips, smiling as he gave the other a meaningful look. “Of course it’s fine. As my younger brother, why can’t you get to know my friends?”
Since Han Wenqian said this, Xie He naturally had nothing against it. He looked at Han Wenqian, admiration and deference filling his eyes. He smiled. “Mn, I’ll go with you.”
Han Wenqian nodded. He changed clothes while making a call to his friend. “Where are you? Let’s hang out today.”
Zhou Yuebin laughed on his side and said, “Perfect. We were going to meet at Nanshan club today. Come right over! Right, it’s rare for you, Han ge, to want to come out and play. Do you need me to schedule some entertainment?”
After saying that last part, he laughed, an implicit meaning to his words.
Han Wenqian glanced at Xie He, who was sitting in the living room. He said, “For now, no. I’ve got a pleasant surprise for you today.”
Zhou Yuebin sucked in a cold breath upon hearing this. He said in disbelief, “You’re prepared a surprise for me? Don’t scare me. You’ve always been so prudish. You’re not planning on bringing my dad over as a surprise, are you?”
Han Wenqian said insipidly, “Don’t worry. I have no interest in meddling in your business.”
Zhou Yuebin sighed in relief. He chuckled mischievously and hung up.
Han Wenqian changed his clothes. Today, he had on a blazer and slacks. On top of it, he wore a long, dark grey coat. One of his b.u.t.tons on his s.h.i.+rt was undone. He looked relaxed and unrestrained. With his broad shoulders and tight waist, he looked good no matter what he wore.
He grabbed his car keys and said to Xie He, “Let’s go.”
Xie He was dressed in a t-s.h.i.+rt and jeans. He looked clean and tidy, a picture of a student who had yet to enter society. He smiled and nodded. “OK.”
He sat in the pa.s.senger seat, gazing out the window with squinted eyes.
As the Han Family’s adopted son, it was obvious that Han Wenqian had protected Lin Xin very well for him to still be this pure despite already being over twenty years old.
【Xie He：I’m really looking forward to it, ah. I don’t know what delightful surprise my good older brother has prepared for me. Smile.JPG】
【444：……O(∩_∩)O~】
…………………………………
A little over an hour later, Han Wenqian brought Lin Xin to a club situated in a resort. He made a call and very soon, a young man walked out. The young man had dyed blond hair and had a piercing in his ear. He had handsome but gentle features. He dressed like a member of a punk band.
Xie He obediently stood next to Han Wenqian. When he saw who the other was, his expression changed slightly.
Several years ago, Zhou Yuebin had trapped Lin Xin at his school gates, trying to take liberties with him. If it wasn’t for Han Wenqian’s appearance, Lin Xin would have been taken away. It was said that what Zhou Yuebin liked the most was playing with beautiful boys. Furthermore, his methods were extremely vile. Lin Xin was afraid of him and also loathed him.
Actually, Zhou Yuebin was even more shocked than Lin Xin was. Back then, he had taken a fancy to Lin Xin and tried to get him, but ended up beaten half to death by Han Wenqian. It was a huge matter in their circle. But Zhou Yuebin was open-minded. In the beginning, he was only interested in Lin Xin due to l.u.s.t. He also hadn’t thought that the Han Family actually cared about Lin Xin. That’s why he had acted out on his desires… however, the miserable consequences let him know that the Han Family really cared about Lin Xin.
It didn’t matter how many people he played with outside. It was wrong of him for trying to play with someone he shouldn’t. That was the unspoken rule of the circle. Therefore, not only had he been beaten up, he had also been scolded by his father when he got home.
Recently, the Han Family has been expanding rapidly. The Zhou Family also had to rely on the Han Family in some areas. That had been the reason why Zhou Yuebin had gotten close to Han Wenqian. Back then, he had straightforwardly admitted his wrongs and paid the price. Nothing really came out of this little scuffle. Besides, there were few people in the circle who were truly clean folks. As long as he didn’t provoke Han Wenqian, the other wouldn’t hold it over him. As time pa.s.sed, they went back to being normal friends.
As an involved party from the matter back then, Zhou Yuebin knew very well how much Han Wenqian treasured his younger brother. Although he didn’t understand why Han Wenqian had brought Lin Xin to a place like this, he didn’t dare stare at Lin Xin. His gaze was fixed on Han Wenqian as he smiled. “Han ge, you’ve come.”
Han Wenqian nodded and said to Zhou Yuebin, “This is Lin Xin. You’ve met before.”
Zhou Yuebin: “….”
Xie He: “….”
Han Wenqian turned to give Xie He a meaningful look. The corner of his lips rose and he said, “Zhou Yuebin has already apologized to you for what happened back then. Let’s all get acquainted today and become friends. Don’t feel pressured.”
Xie He forced out a smile. Although he really didn’t like Zhou Yuebin, he had always listened to Han Wenqian. Moreover, he was even less likely to throw a tantrum and go against Han Wenqian at an occasion like this. Thus, he nodded. “I understand.”
Zhou Yuebin wasn’t as naive as Lin Xin. When he looked at Han Wenqian’s smile, he only felt his heart go cold. He felt that something was wrong, but couldn’t put his finger on it.
Han Wenqian had never liked them being around Lin Xin. He was afraid that Lin Xin would be bullied, wronged or led astray…. But today, he wanted them to be friends? Did the sun rise from the west today?!
Han Wenqian brought Xie He in. Zhou Yuebin promptly followed after.
Inside were the other rich second generations Zhou Yuebin usually hung out with. None of them were good people. However, they acted proper in front of Han Wenqian, especially when they saw Xie He at his side. Shock appeared in their eyes and they immediately rescinded the mischievous smiles in their eyes and transformed into proper gentlemen.
It was just that this was not a decent place. Even if the people inside acted decently, Xie He still felt uncomfortable.
Although it was called a club, it was actually an underground casino. Aside from Zhou Yuebin and his friends, there were quite a few fat merchants embracing scantily-clad young ladies walking about. There was a foul atmosphere all around.
Xie He furrowed his brows and cast a questioning look at Han Wenqian. He was curious as to why Han Wenqian had brought him here. But all, Han Wenqian said to him was, “I have something to discuss with my friends. Go play by yourself for a bit. I’ll come get you when it’s time to leave.”
Xie He said, “How about I go back first…?”
Han Wenqian smiled and said, “If you feel uncomfortable, you can take a stroll outside. The scenery is quite nice. It won’t take long. I’ll take you out to eat afterwards.”
Xie He finally stopped resisting when he heard Han Wenqian say this. He acquiesced, “Then I’ll wait for you outside.”
Han Wenqian nodded and turned to leave with Zhou Yuebin.
In a private room on the second floor, Han Wenqian sat on a sofa. Zhou Yuebin and a few other rich second generations sat around him. Zhou Yuebin could not hold back his thoughts and cautiously asked, “Han ge…why did you bring Lin shao today?”
He was truly afraid of stepping on a landmine. He didn’t think that Han Wenqian truly thought of them as his friends. He thought, it can’t be that Han Wenqian is still annoyed about that matter back then and is testing me?
Han Wenqian saw Zhou Yuebin’s terrified expression and laughed coldly. He said, “Didn’t I tell you that I had a pleasant surprise for you? Here it is.”
Zhou Yuebin’s face paled at once. He promptly said, “No, no no! I really don’t dare to hold any thoughts about Lin shao anymore! Han ge, you can be completely rest a.s.sured!”
The others began to speak on Zhou Yuebin’s behalf, afraid that Han Wenqian would misunderstand Zhou Yuebin.
Han Wenqian narrowed his eyes slightly, tone suddenly dropping a few degrees. “Don’t overthink it. Did you think that I was testing you? Do you think I need to do that?”
Zhou Yuebin thought, yes. But aside from that, he really didn’t understand why else Han Wenqian would bring Lin Xin.
Han Wenqian stared at Zhou Yuebin, and slowly said, “I’m giving him to you. If you’re interested, you can play with him. If not, just do something about him.”
The room was dead silent. So quiet you could hear a pin drop.
After a long time, Zhou Yuebin spoke with a trembling voice, “Han ge, I’m a bit afraid of this joke of yours.”
The others didn’t dare make a sound. They all cast incredulous gazes at Han Wenqian. Who didn’t know that Han Wenqian treasured Lin Xin the most?!
A long while later, Han Wenqian’s laugh broke the stifling atmosphere. He c.o.c.ked a brow up, a cold glint in his black eyes. “Would I joke about such a thing? What are you afraid of? There’s so many people here that can testify on your behalf later. Are you still afraid that I’m trying to trap you?”
Although he said this, Zhou Yuebin really didn’t understand Han Wenqian’s out-of-character behaviour. “Don’t you like him the most…?”
Han Wenqian recalled the trust he used to have in Lin Xin and his chest ached dully. His eyes were ice-cold, “I don’t like him anymore. Give it to me straight. Can you do this or not? If you can, we can negotiate the matter regarding the development zone you mentioned last time. If you can’t, I’ll look for someone else. I won’t force you.”
At that moment, everyone understood what was going on. They were all scions of rich families. Whose family didn’t have their fair shares of troubles? Mistresses, illegitimate children—everyone’s had experiences dealing with them. Although Lin Xin wasn’t Han Wenqian’s blood-related brother, the threat he held towards Han Wenqian was greater than that of an unfavored illegitimate son. Right now, Han Wenqian had finally decided to act against him…this was normal! How he behaved previously had been abnormal!
When they thought of this, the knots in everyone’s stomach untied themselves. Moreover, there was quite the number of people here today. Han Wenqian would definitely not go back on his word…. If it wasn’t because of how fiercely Han Wenqian used to protect Lin Xin, they wouldn’t have reacted like that.
Zhou Yuebin finally relaxed. Although several years had pa.s.sed, when he recalled what Lin Xin looked like, he still felt attracted to the other. That pure temperament made his heart itch unbearably. If he didn’t really like Lin Xin back then, he wouldn’t have taken such a risk! Right now, Han Wenqian had given him the go-ahead. Not only could he play with the person he’s interested in, he’d get something out of it too. Anyone who refused would be an idiot!
But Zhou Yuebin wasn’t stupid. There was still a risk involved with messing with Lin Xin. He sounded the other out, “Han ge, I can teach him a lesson but what if Uncle finds out?”
Han Wenqian laughed. He set Zhou Yuebin’s heart at ease. “Just be a little smarter. Don’t say that you can’t take him down with those methods of yours. As for my father, I’ll deal with him. I promise that he won’t make things difficult for you.”
Zhou Yuebin seemed eager. He could tell that Han Wenqian didn’t care for Lin Xin anymore so he had no more misgivings. As long as Han Wenqian was able to fend off Han Chengshan, Zhou Yuebin naturally had nothing to fear. He’d played with many boys before. He had many ways to make them submit to him.
Zhou Yuebin thought it over and then asked, “Right…how far can I go?”
Han Wenqian muttered to himself for a while, and then parted his thin lips to spit out two cold words, “Ruin him.”
Zhou Yuebin stared into Han Wenqian’s dark, icy eyes and felt his whole body go cold. It looked like Han Wenqian had really steeled his heart to get rid of Lin Xin. He just didn’t know what Lin Xin had done to make Han Wenqian, who had doted and cherished him so much, to become so ruthless.
The other people went dead silent, some even holding their breaths. This was one of the reasons why they were all a little bit afraid of Han Wenqian. This person either doesn’t typically act but when he did, he was ruthless. He didn’t give his opponent any chances to turn the tides.
But when they thought of that seemingly pure young man, they still pitied him a bit… although that thought was quickly tossed to the back of their minds. No one here was a good person. A good number of them have forced themselves onto others before. They were birds of a feather with Zhou Yuebin. Very soon, they were discussing how to deal with Lin Xin with exuberant enthusiasm. They had no more misgiving, so all sorts of obscene words spilled out. Someone even said that they should all enjoy him together.
Han Wenqian smiled while listening the whole time. He would even occasionally give suggestions.
Zhou Yuebin finally put down his guard. He had no scruples left. It seemed to him that Han Wenqian was serious in getting rid of Lin Xin. As long as Han Wenqian no longer protected Lin Xin, then wasn’t Lin Xin nothing but a fish on their chopping board?
…………………………
Xie He actually really wanted to gamble, since having a system meant it would be as easy as picking up money. He really regretted it. Why wasn’t this a world with a promotion mission? Wasn’t it usually the case that you earn money at the casino and get rich? And then create a business empire?
To ensure that he wouldn’t be tempted to go against his character settings, Xie He chose to go outside.
From the moment Zhou Yuebin had appeared, Xie He knew what Han Wenqian was planning. His good big brother had completely blackened. He didn’t like him anymore.
Han Wenqian didn’t make Xie He wait long. About one hour later, he came out. Zhou Yuebin was still with Han Wenqian. The gaze he used to look at Xie He was different from before, although the change wasn’t very obvious.
Zhou Yuebin smiled and said to Xie He, “Since we’re friends now, Lin shao, call me if you need anything. This is my business card.”
Xie He politely accepted it but he didn’t reply to Zhou Yuebin’s words.
Zhou Yuebin smiled at Xie He, his gaze falling on the other’s pretty face. Xie He’s skin was as white as snow. He also had pink lips, a beautiful, straight nose…and beneath his slender neck, an exquisite collarbone could be faintly seen…he was truly so alluring.
When he thought of how he would soon possess this person, Zhou Yuebin felt as if a cat was pawing at his heart. Not being able to get his hands on this person back then was truly one of the biggest regrets of his life.
Xie He felt uncomfortable being looked at by Zhou Yuebin like this. He didn’t want to stay here. He quietly said to Han Wenqian, “Ge, let’s go home, OK?”
Han Wenqian said, “OK.”
Han Wenqian took Xie He away from the club and they went to a high-end western restaurant. Han Wenqian scrutinized the pretty, gentle young man in front of him as well as his beautiful, limpid eyes. For a moment, he found himself lost in his own thoughts.. But…the more beautiful everything was before him, the more it reminded him of the filth that laid underneath the beauty. It made him want to destroy everything all the more.
Han Wenqian cast his eyes down, hiding the coldness in his eyes. He could not treat Xie He as he normally did, so he might as well stay silent. He sat there quietly.
Xie He seemed to finally notice Han Wenqian’s abnormality. There was concern in his black eyes. He said to Han Wenqian, “Ge, are you not happy these days?”
Han Wenqian’s hands clenched around his utensils. He picked up a napkin and calmly wiped his lips. He said in a low voice, “No.”
Xie He said, “But I feel like you have something on your mind.”
Han Wenqian gazed at Xie He with dark eyes. A long time later, he smiled. “Alright. You saw through me. I’ve indeed met with some difficulties recently.”
“Is it really hard?” Xie He was a bit worried. In his eyes, his older brother was invincible. He had never spoken of his hards.h.i.+ps. If even he’s finding it difficult… “Did something major happened?”
Han Wenqian looked at Xie He, a smile that wasn’t a smile in his eyes. Your acting is quite good. He said, “It’s just a minor issue, that’s all. It’s just annoying. Don’t worry, I’ll be able to resolve it soon.”
When Xie He heard this, he looked at Han Wenqian with wors.h.i.+p in his eyes. “Mn, I believe that you’ll definitely do well! You’re the best!”
As he said this, he pumped his fist up, making a gesture to cheer him on.
Han Wenqian looked at Xie He and his heart clenched in pain. He suddenly couldn’t bear it anymore. He really wanted to angrily interrogate the other, ask him why he had done that, why he had betrayed him. But the words wouldn’t leave his mouth, because the current Xie He hadn’t done anything yet…because nothing had happened yet!
He couldn’t ask someone from the past why they would do something in the future.
This stuffiness made him feel like he was going to lose his mind.
Very quickly, his chest filled up with fury and hatred. Despite his inner turmoil, there was no expression on Han Wenqian’s face.
Xie He seemed oblivious to Han Wenqian’s change. When he heard Han Wenqian say that it was fine and he shouldn’t dwell on it, he changed the subject. He looked at Han Wenqian with antic.i.p.ation, “Ge, are you free in May?”
Han Wenqian slowly said, “Why?”
Xie He’s eyes were full of hope as he looked at Han Wenqian, eyes glittering. “My teacher promised to take me to perform at S Country’s royal concert hall. I…I really hope that you can come see me.”
This was one of the most important events in his life. He really hoped that the brother he loved the most would go encourage and support him. As long as his older brother was with him, he’d be at ease.
Han Wenqian saw the hope in Xie He’s eyes and sneered inwardly. Regardless, he still said, “If I have time, I will definitely come.”
He recalled what had happened in his previous life. He had actually been extremely busy in May. He had been under great pressure over a merger and acquisition case and hadn’t slept for days. However, he still travelled a great distance to make it. It was all for the sake of supporting his most beloved little brother, to see him s.h.i.+ne on the stage. The other’s performance had gone very well.
But this time…I will personally destroy your everything. Because you don’t deserve to have it.
After Xie He got his reply, joy spilled out of his eyes. He happily said, “That’s awesome! Ge, I like you the most!”
Coldness flashed through Han Wenqian’s eyes. He smiled and said, “Eat quickly. Let’s get home a bit earlier. Don’t you have to go to school tomorrow?”
Xie He nodded and didn’t say anything else. He focused on eating.
That night, when Xie He returned home, he and Han Wenqian went back to their respective rooms.
【444：Yi, Han Wenqian didn’t do anything today? 】 @[email protected] Had Host dada been wrong?
【Xie He：Baby, you’re too naive and honest. He’s actually done quite a number of things today. Smile.JPG 】
【444：Is that so? _(:зゝ∠)_】
【Xie He：You should know, everything that he ‘remembers’ hasn’t happened yet. Right now, I’m still the little cutie the whole family loves, ah. He doesn’t have any evidence to prove that there’s something wrong with me. He also can’t suddenly fall out with me. He can’t tell others that he was reborn, can he? He can’t do anything personally, and he has to make sure the others use more skilled approaches. Otherwise, his parents won’t take this well. Don’t worry, he won’t make me wait very long. Hehe.】
【444：So what are you going to do? Σ( ° △°|||)︴】
【Xie He：It’s all good. I just have to cooperate with him. He will definitely create opportunities for me to better the feelings between us. Truly a considerate, good older brother.】
【444：……】
【Xie He：Right now, we can talk about an even more serious matter. The conversation between Han Wenqian and Zhou Yuebin just then was within the scope of your surveillance. But why is it that you don’t remember to look unless I remind you? Smile.JPG】
【444：……】Oh shoot, he didn’t think of this at all!!! QAQ
【Xie He：Baby, we’ve been through so many worlds but you’re still not getting any better in taking the initiative. Fortunately, I can still guess what they had talked about even if you didn’t watch. However, you can’t slack off from now on. Keep an eye on Han Wenqian for me. ? 】
【444：Don’t worry! I will definitely watch him well!】
……………………………
Xie He went back to school on Monday. Shu Yan came looking for him. She was a beautiful girl br.i.m.m.i.n.g with youthfulness. She was also good at makeup and wasn’t the kind to dress up in extravagant clothes or wear heavy makeup. She just paired her originally good-looking face with light makeup and fitting clothes. Together, they made her even prettier. She was one of the prettiest girls in school. Therefore, when she got together with Lin Xin, everyone accepted it.
Shu Yan asked Xie He with concern, “Is your cold better?”
Xie He smiled, “I’m all better. Don’t worry.”
Shu Yan smiled and hooked arms with Xie He. She said, “Let’s go eat together, ba.”
Xie He patiently played this little dating game, hanging out with Shu Yan for a few days. He was so glad that Lin Xin was a pure little virgin. Otherwise, this would be hard for him to act out.
After a few days, Shu Yan suddenly said to Xie He, “I recently got acquainted with a xuejie. Today is her birthday and she invited everyone to get together and said that we can bring our boyfriends. You’ll go with me, right?”
Xie He smiled gently and said, “Mn.”
Shu Yan happily said, “Then let’s go! Oh wait! I have to go back to fix my makeup and change my clothes.”
Some time later, Shu Yan came out again. She had changed into a beautiful dress. She then happily hooked her arms with Xie He’s and they headed out. But when they reached the venue, Xie He frowned. This was a nightclub. It wasn’t somewhere students should be.
Xie He asked Shu Yan, “Are you sure this is the place?”
Shu Yan looked unaffected. Actually, she looked like she was looking forward to it.
Her family was really average. But recently, she met a xuejie. The older girl was always completely decked out in designer brands and was really generous. Shu Yan was really jealous of the other’s extravagant lifestyle. This time, the older girl had invited many friends, including herself. It was said that many rich second generations would come to this party. Shu Yan didn’t have any hopes of s.n.a.t.c.hing any of them, but she still wanted to come into contact with that kind of social circle.
Xie He saw that she was determined to go, so he could only go in with her.
The night club had a really huge private room. Inside, fluorescent lights flickered. When they entered, the beautiful girl standing in the middle immediately smiled and said, “Xiao Shu, come over here quickly.”
Shu Yan led Xie He over by the hand. She handed over the gift she prepared and smiled sweetly, “Hi Xuejie, happy birthday. This is a gift for you.”
Zhang Lili’s exquisitely made up features lit up in a smile. She said, “What are you being so polite for?”
As they were chatting, a surprised voice rang out beside them, “Isn’t this Lin shao? What a coincidence.”
When Xie He heard this voice, he turned his head and found Zhou Yuebin standing there. His expression stiffened, “What are you doing here?”
The author has something to say:
I’m about to make a big move. Warning….
Eve: I skimmed this arc and this arc leaves a bad taste in my mouth like arc 8 did. While I do get why ML would want revenge in this one more than arc 8…he still takes it way too far. And…the ending is kind of …yikes. Oof. Get ready guys.
sere: scared…… (i actually also skipped ahead to read the last chapter and yikes + 1)