Chapter 151 - Put Down Your Hatred, Get a New Lease on Life
Translated by Eve
Edited by Serefina
9. Put Down Your Hatred, Get a New Lease on Life
Xie He left campus in a rush, his mind blank. The world was so big but he felt like there was nowhere he could go.
There was nowhere in this life of his where he could find refuge. The lies had been ruthlessly exposed. His cla.s.smates all knew that he had done drugs. They would no longer accept him or tolerate him as before. He would never have another chance to perform….
Because Teacher Xu Guokun hated liars and morally corrupt people the most. He would be spurned by his teacher, expelled from school, and would be forced to carry this stain with him for the rest of his life. He was finished.
Xie He walked absentmindedly. In the end, he found himself at the bottom of the Han Family’s company.
The employees that came and went all smiled and greeted when they saw him. He went to Han Wenqian’s office on the top floor via the elevator and quietly stood there, waiting.
Who knew how much time pa.s.sed before Han Wenqian came back from his meeting. He seemed not even the least bit surprised to see Xie He here. He regarded the other coldly.
Xie He took in Han Wenqian’s cold and stern face. There were no emotions in his black eyes. Finally, he realized why he had come here.
Probably because…he still had a shred of hope left.
Back then, when he had begged Han Wenqian to help him conceal the matter, Han Wenqian had agreed. However, the police still came to his school.
There were tears in Xie He’s eyes. His pale lips moved and he said, “Ge, was it you?”
Han Wenqian said, “Yes.”
Xie He’s body faltered. He was silent for a few seconds before asking, “Zhou Yuebin…was it you who had him do that to me?”
Han Wenqian said again, “Yes.”
Xie He stared at the man in front of him dazedly. He touched his own cheek and found that it was wet. He had given up and cried. So this is what it felt like to have your heart smashed into pieces.
He had so many things he wanted to say. His heart had suffered so much pain that it was turning numb. But in the end, the only word that came out was, “Why?”
Why did you do that to me? What did I do wrong? Did I do anything bad?
Tell me…I can change….
Why are you treating me like this, big brother?
Han Wenqian looked at Xie He. The young man looked pale and feeble. His weak body looked like it could be felled by the wind. It looked like he would disappear from this world at any moment. It had been Han Wenqian who had made him like this. However carefully he had previously taken care of him was how cruelly he now treated him.
Why? Because I was reborn…because you will betray me.
But I can’t say that…. Since I’ve done this, there’s no reason to be reluctant in letting go.
Han Wenqian’s voice was indifferent and calm. He said, “I want you out of the Han Family, and for you to never appear before me again.”
Xie He’s body faltered, becoming unsteady. After a long time, he flashed a self-deprecating smile. He gazed at Han Wenqian with deep affection and an unwillingness to part. But in the end, he covered up the pain in his eyes and softly said, “So that’s it. I understand. I’ll…leave.”
Just as he said, he left. There was no resistance. There was no begging. It was like he had really just come to ask this question.
After getting his answer, he left….
The moment Xie He brushed past Han Wenqian, Han Wenqian couldn’t stop himself from grabbing Xie He’s wrist. His grip was deathly tight and he looked at the other with dark eyes.
Xie He looked down at the hand Han Wenqian was gripping. He laughed. “Don’t worry, I will leave…actually, you didn’t have to do all of this. If you wanted me to leave, there was a much simpler way. You could have just told me.”
Although I love you so much, if you one day no longer wanted a younger brother such as me, then I will not pester you shamelessly.
But this is fine…. From now on, I owe you nothing. Because I’ve already returned all the kindness you’ve shown me for the last sixteen years.
Han Wenqian stared at Xie He before slowly letting go. He watched as Xie He left without turning back.
He sent him off with his gaze. It felt like his heart was being dug out.
………………………………
【444：Host dada, where do you plan on going now? QAQ】
【Xie He：I just have to wait for Xiao Qin to come looking for me. This was his goal, ah. To make me give up on the Han Family. He’ll appear really soon. Furthermore, it’s about time he launches his counter-attack. Hehe.】
【444：Oh. QAQ】
【Xie He：My good big brother knows this. That’s why he planted a listening device on me just now. He wants to use this opportunity to find out Qin Ye’s plans. He really knows how to cooperate with me. I’m really satisfied. Smile.JPG】
【444：……】
【Xie He：He’ll soon find out that my feelings for him are really true. ? 】
【444：……】
Xie He couldn’t return to the Han Family or school. He just wandered the streets. At this moment, he heard a honk. Qin Ye rolled down the windows and said, “Get in.”
Xie He stared at him dumbly, pulled the car door open and got in.
In any case, he had nowhere to go.
Qin Ye was not a local. He had been staying at a hotel long term. He brought Xie He back to the hotel from last time and said to Xie He, “Wash your face, ba.”
Xie He silently went to the washroom. The person in the mirror had tear streaks all over his face. He looked miserable. So he had been walking the streets looking like thisk2026;. If Han Wenqian saw him like this, he would definitely mock him inwardly for having been hurt and toyed with like thisk2026;. In the end, he even left in such a lamentable manner. He really was a pitiful wretch.
Xie He pulled his lips into a smile. But he ended up looking like he was on the verge of tears.
He pushed the door open and left.
Qin Ye brought him a gla.s.s of water and slowly said, “Do you know why Han Wenqian did this to you?”
These words poked at Xie He’s sore spot again. His face turned deathly pale and his lips trembled.
“I know why,” Qin Ye said, “Because he wants to kick you out of the Han Family and destroy you. Like this, you won’t be able to take what’s his.”
Xie He let out a bitter laugh. “I never wanted what’s his.”
Qin Ye chuckled, eyes slightly cold. “But he doesn’t think that…. Otherwise, what else would explain his behaviour? As long as he ruins you, there would naturally be no one contending for what’s his.”
Xie He shook his head, tone self-deprecating. “I have no right to contend with him.”
Qin Ye laughed. “No, you do.”
Xie He was startled.
Qin Ye slowly said, “At least in the eyes of Han Chengshan and those other old folks, you do. Back then, Han Chengshan started the family in the underworld. He and your father, Lin Yuan, were good buddies. They had started the company, Jiangshan, together. Later on, your parents died while saving Han Chengshan. After taking you in, Han Chengshan left the underworld, wiping his hands of it. So it’s only expected that they treat you well. They owe it to you. Therefore, you obviously deserve a share of the Han Family…. Han Wenqian must know this. That’s why he chose such a despicable method to destroy you, to expel you from the family. That way, he’d be the only one left to inherit the Han Family’s wealth.”
Disbelief emerged in Xie He’s eyes. His face was drained of all blood. “Impossible….”
Qin Ye sighed, looking at him profoundly. “What would I gain from tricking you? Furthermore, if this wasn’t the case, why would Han Wenqian target you? When will you stop lying to yourself?”
Everything went dark before Xie He. He recalled the last words Han Wenqian had said to him, that he wanted to kick him out of the Han Family and never see him again.
So this was the real reason….
………………………………
Han Wenqian listened while sitting at home. He had been sitting here since the moment Qin Ye and Xie He b.u.mped into each other. He didn’t miss a single word.
When he heard this, he could no longer stay calm. He suddenly stood up, his chair falling over!
How was this possible? This couldn’t be…why didn’t his father ever tell him this…?
Was this the reason why Lin Xin had betrayed him in his last life? Because he had thought that the Han Family had killed his parents? That he deserved a share of the Han Family…? But even if you didn’t do this, as long as I knew the truth, I would never take it all for my own. I’d give you what belonged to you….
But…then…what had Han Wenqian been doing all this time?
Han Wenqian, whose understanding of the situation had been completely toppled, was in so much pain that he couldn’t breathe. He had thought that he was in the right this whole time, and that he was taking down a contemptible traitor. No matter what methods he used, he thought that there was no reason to feel sadness or remorse, because a traitor deserved this kind of ending.
But right now, reality told him that it was he who owed Xie He in the first place….
Han Wenqian’s hands were tightly clenched. His gaze became unfocused.
Qin Ye said, “If the Han Family treated you well, then whatever. But not only did they never plan on giving you what you deserved, they even used such a method to chase you away. This kind of ungrateful behaviour is despicable. What’s wrong with you taking back what’s yours?”
Pain filled Xie He’s eyes. He didn’t want to believe this. “If he planned to do this from the start, why wait until now? He could have kicked me out a long time ago….”
Qin Ye raised a brow and said, “Probably because Han Wenqian didn’t know before. Now that he found out, of course he’ll act against you.”
Xie He stared at Qin Ye and suddenly said with a hoa.r.s.e voice, “Why are you so h.e.l.l-bent on taking down the Han Family? Do you have a grudge against them?”
Qin Ye said, “Yes.”
Xie He was silent for a long time…. He then said, “But I still can’t help you.”
Qin Ye’s expression finally stiffened. He looked very surprised. He said in a low voice, “Why?”
Xie He looked at him. There was pain, helplessness, and sorrow in his eyes. But there was also love for his family within. He said, “Because I can’t bear to hurt them.”
Because when one really cared about someone, one wouldn’t be able to bear hurting them or betraying them….
He really saw the Han Family as his own.
Even if they weren’t his family now, he would not become hostile with them just because he had been expelled. He would not erase the good from the last decade or so. He was incapable of doing such a heartless thing.
Qin Ye had never met someone as stupid as him. He had been treated like that but still held no resentment.
Since he had been young, Qin Ye had lived wallowing in hatred. Back then, the Han Family had quite the number of enemies. He was just one of them. He had been coming up with a plan for more than a decade on how to take the Han Family down. He walked a life of revenge, with hatred filling his life….
But Xie He was different from him. Even though he had suffered such torment, the beautiful part of his heart still reigned within him. He would not forget his beautiful past just because he had been burned this time. He would not want revenge because he was betrayed this once. And it wasn’t because he was too cowardly.
It was because he still deeply loved his family.
Qin Ye looked at Xie He’s face. The young man had been tormented until he was reduced to a shadow of himself. His emaciated face made the dark circles under his eyes especially prominent. In the beginning, Qin Ye had only approached him because he had wanted to use him. But after their first meeting, he couldn’t help but be drawn to him.
Qin Ye’s voice was low as he spoke slowly. “Think it over. I’ll ask you again later.”
【Ding, Qin Ye’s Favourability Value +10. The current Favourability Value is 70.】
………………………………
Han Wenqian rushed out of his room. His usually steady gait had become panicked. He went to the third floor, only to find that his parents weren’t there. In the end, he found Han Chengshan in the rear garden.
Han Chengshan was tending to his plants. He was already old. After retiring from company matters, he had focused on his health. He had become much more gentle in nature. When he saw Han Wenqian looking for him in a hurry, he smiled and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Han Wenqian’s expression was stiff. A long time later, he asked, “Why did you take Lin Xin in back then?”
What kind of man was Han Chengshan? With one look at Han Wenqian’s expression, he knew what his son was asking about. He said with a smile, “You know?”
Han Wenqian’s heart sunk. Han Chengshan’s appearance dashed his hopes. His voice held an imperceptible tremble. “Please tell me everything.”
Han Chengshan looked nostalgic. He said, “Xiao Xin’s father was a good friend of mine. Back then, he died saving me. That’s why I brought Xiao Xin back with me. Even if you didn’t ask, I would have told you both this after he graduated. That child is kind. I had hoped that you would always love and protect him as your younger brother, and that you’d be a good older brother so that he could live a peaceful life, free of worries.”
The colour drained from Han Wenqian’s face. Each one of Han Chengshan’s words hammered heavily against his heart.
Han Chengshan thought that this was because the other was too shocked. He smiled. “I’ve seen how well you’ve been treating him, so I can be rest a.s.sured. Even without knowing this, you would treat him like a younger brother, wouldn’t you? Right…Xiao Xin hasn’t come home lately. Did something happen at school? Give him a bit more attention.”
Han Wenqian’s lips trembled. “I….”
He suddenly couldn’t say it…. At this moment, his cell phone rang. He glanced at the message and his pupils constricted. He sprinted out of there without uttering a word.
When Han Wenqian arrived at the company, his eyes were fixed on the tampered safe in his office. The scene that had occurred in his last life once again appeared before his eyes. He inspected the side of the safe and discovered an unremarkable fingerprint….
Everything was the same as his last life. At that time, he had investigated for a long time before discovering Lin Xin’s fingerprint and hair. There were also other clues that all pointed to Lin Xin. It was because of this that he had mistakenly accused the other.
Han Wenqian turned on his computer. He had been on guard against this in this life. Therefore, he had installed a security camera that only he knew about.
In the video, Secretary Song, who had worked with the Han Family for over a decade, who had been deeply trusted by both father and son, had secretly entered. He had on a special pair of rubber gloves. He had carefully used a tool to implant a fingerprint on the side of the safe. It wasn’t an obvious one. If you didn’t examine it carefully, you would miss it. His skill was very high. He then stole the data from the safe….
So…it hadn’t been Lin Xin.
Why didn’t he realize this in his previous life? Why…?
Han Wenqian slammed a fist against the safe. His knuckles were bloodied. No…he had to find Lin Xin. He had to bring his little brother back….
His little brother hadn’t betrayed him, ah. Even if he had been hurt like this, he had never betrayed him. How could he have betrayed him in his last life, ne…?
There must be a reason for him to have said such things….
Han Wenqian recalled everything he had done and a bottomless well of pain appeared in his eyes. At this moment, he once again heard Qin Ye and Xie He’s voices.
Qin Ye had come back to Xie He’s room.
He didn’t want to press the other too hard but he had no more time. Han Wenqian had been following closely behind all this time. He had no way of changing the tides. Therefore, he contacted Secretary Song in advance and had him steal information from the Han Family.
Secretary Song had always known about the conflict between Xie He and Han Wenqian. Therefore, when taking the information, he had purposely framed Xie He as a method of self-preservation. However, there was no need to tell Xie He this.
Qin Ye said to Xie He, “Have you thought it over?”
Xie He once again said, “I will not help you take down the Han Family.”
Qin Ye narrowed his eyes and sighed. “You really see them as family. Looks like I have no way of persuading you. Since it’s like this…you must be willing to do something to protect them, ba.”
He handed a folder over to Xie He and said with a smile, “Take a look. Back then, Han Chengshan had killed quite a number of people. Don’t be fooled by his amiable appearance. Back then, he killed people without even blinking. It was difficult to find evidence of the Han Family’s wrongdoings back then. If this were to be exposed, things won’t end up well for them.”
Xie He looked at him, shocked. “You—”
Qin Ye smiled faintly. “But nothing good would come out of it for me. Either you help me take down the Han Family or I’ll just send them straight to prison. What do you think?”
After saying this, Qin Ye watched Xie He calmly, looking like he had a card up his sleeve.
He actually hadn’t found complete evidence of what had happened in the past. It had been so many years, so there were many things that could no longer be dug up. There would be no chance that he would be able to send Han Chengshan to prison with what he had. He could not do anything to the Han Family. After all, Han Chengshan was no weakling. However, he just needed to make Xie He think he could.
There were falsities mixed into facts here. With Xie He’s level, there was no way he would be able to tell which were false and which were real.
Xie He read the information, expression gradually calming. His hands trembled. He finally looked up at Qin Ye. “What…do you want me to do?”
Qin Ye smiled and said, “I want you to take back what belongs to you.”
Xie He’s voice was hoa.r.s.e. There was a stubbornness in his voice mixed in with helplessness. “I don’t want it.”
He just wanted his family. He just wanted a peaceful life…. He never wanted those cold, material things, whether it was in the past, or the present. He had never wanted them.
Qin Ye said, “I know. However, think about it. By doing this, you’ll be helping them. They’d only lose a bit of materialistic possessions. It’s much better than being sent to jail.”
Pain and hesitation flickered through Xie He’s eyes. He said, “Let me think about it.”
When Han Wenqian heard this, he could not suppress the complicated emotions boiling in his chest. So this was the truth….
The truth had finally revealed itself to him.
What had he done?
Han Wenqian didn’t even think when he dialed Xie He’s number. The phone rang for a long time before it was picked up. It was quiet on the other end. Han Wenqian felt his heart squeeze. His voice trembled. “Xiao Xin….”
Xie He didn’t think Han Wenqian would call him. He was a bit afraid of picking up. However, Qin Ye had answered the call for him and put it to his ears. The other had mouthed, think it over carefully before responding.
Xie He considered it for a long time. Finally, he shut his eyes and said, “Han Wenqian, why are you calling me?”
Han Wenqian squeezed the phone in his hand. His throat was blocked. He couldn’t speak.
Xie He coldly said, “Right, this is just perfect, since I have something to tell you. Since you’ve left me with no other choice, I’ll let you know that I have a right to a portion of the Han Group. I’ll take back what’s mine sooner or later.”
Han Wenqian’s eyes reddened. These words…were what the other had said in the last life. At that time…when he had gone to see Lin Xin, the other had said the same things. He had said that he was owed a share of the Han Group, that he’d take it back sooner or later….
But although he was listening to the same words, his state of mind was completely different.
Because his younger brother hadn’t betrayed him. He had never betrayed him.
But he hadn’t believed in him. He had let anger and hatred control him, making him lose all rational thought. He had made an irreversible mistake.
【Ding, the target Han Wenqian’s Favourability Value +15, Blackening Value -100. The current Favourability Value is 90.】
Han Wenqian’s lips trembled, voice raspy. “Wait for me, I’ll come get you….”
He staggered out in a hurry, arriving at the underground parking lot. Because he was too nervous, his hands trembled and his keys dropped to the ground.
Don’t be afraid…I’ll come take you back…I’m sorry….
Wait for me to come get you.
Xie He stared at the disconnected call and said to Qin Ye, “Are you satisfied?”
Qin Ye said, “I hope you can do as you said. Don’t worry, as long as you’re willing to fight, Han Chengshan will not tear into you.”
Xie He looked at him expressionlessly. “Oh.”
Qin Ye took in Xie He’s appearance and sighed. “Don’t fret over it. It’s they who have wronged you first. Wait until this is all over. I’ll send you to rehab. You’ll be able to start anew in a new place. Nothing’s impossible if you have money.”
Xie He cast his gaze down. “Got it.”
Qin Ye still had a lot to do. Moreover, he had to discuss their next steps with Secretary Song. His eyes turned frigid. He would not let off a single person from the Han Family.
Xie He watched Qin Ye leave and then suddenly stood up. He left the hotel.
At this time, it was already dark outside.
The things that happened today were much more complicated than anything else that had happened in his twenty-two years of living…. He experienced the despair and emptiness that came from being betrayed by the person closest to you. However, he also found out about his ident.i.ty. In the end, he was forced to sever relations.h.i.+ps with the person he cared most about.
Revenge, hate…why was his life controlled by these painful emotions?
He only wanted to live a simple life with a family he could rely on, doing the things he liked such as playing the piano and going to school…. When he was old, he would still be able to have meals with his loved ones and chat. That was the life he had imagined….
But everything had gone up in smoke in the span of a few months.
【Xie He：Baby, it’s your turn to work. I remember that after turning into a level six system, you gained an ability to control the host’s body for a short amount of time. Smile.JPG】
【444：( ⊙ o ⊙ ) That’s right.】It’s just that he had thought, that with Host dada’s personality, he probably wouldn’t let him control his body…_(:зゝ∠)_
【Xie He：When I get to the road, take full control of my body. Make sure I get hit by a car in a way where I just so happen to ruin my hands and get heavily injured. But make sure my life isn’t in danger and I can be saved.】
【444：Σ( ° △°|||)︴Why?! 】
【Xie He：Because if I do it myself, it’s very likely that I might accidentally die. It’s much safer to have a system do it. ? 】
【444：No, I’m asking you why you want to ruin your hands. /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~】It sounds so terrible. He can’t do it!
【Xie He：Baby, are you afraid?】
【444：……】
【Xie He：Although I could also just spend some experience points at the System store to accomplish my goal, why shouldn’t I save if I can? You’re already pretty useless. If you can’t even do something as simple as this, what’s the point of having you?】
【444：Wuwuwuwuwu, don’t abandon me….】
【Xie He：If you do well, whatever experience points I saved will be added to your allowance. ? 】
【444：( ⊙ o ⊙ ) Ah?!】
【Xie He：Can you do it, Baby?】
【444：I…I can!】For his allowance, he’ll do his best!
【Xie He：Very good. ? 】
【444：But why do you have to do this? Yingyingying, it’s so sad. QAQ 】
【Xie He：Only when something beautiful is completely destroyed will people feel regret. A reversible mistake doesn’t leave a deep enough mark. I’m teaching my good big brother a lesson. If you make an impulsive mistake, you must pay the price.】
【Xie He：Rebirth is not necessarily a blessing from Heaven. It could also be a malicious prank. Sigh.JPG】
【444：……】
Xie He walked onto the empty street. Just then, his symptoms acted up and his sight grew blurry. His steps became messy and he didn’t see that the light had turned red.
At this moment, he heard an ear-piercing honk. He turned his head and an intense beam of light from a car’s headlights made him unable to open his eyes. He couldn’t help but use his hands to block it…. The light came closer and closer and the world seemed to disappear into a bright white light. He then felt himself fly through the sky.
Then, everything came to a sudden stop.
Eve: Here comes the abuse. The long, long awaited abuse.
sere: aSDFASDF see the thing is, the sc.u.m gong h.e.l.lA deserves the abuse but XH just makes it 10x worse than it needs to beeee and that makes me even more angsty