So . . . Lin Qingyan’s first kill. Out of desperation? A need to live, to feel alive? What happens next to push him further down the slippery slope of no return? Find out in the 2nd part of this short story.
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When the Honey Peach Matures
Lin Qingyan Short Story Part 2.2
Qin Shuhua was the first to perceive a change in Lin Qingyan.
The Lin Qingyan of the past was as close to her as a husband to a wife, but, right from the time she had known him, he had always been unspeakably wilful and possessed an air of desolation, something that she had both loved and hated. Recently, he had become more gentle and often took the initiative, kissing her more warmly than before, and the eyes which looked at her were full of love. His every movement oozed with the alluring s.e.xuality of a mature man.
He was also increasingly adept* at managing his work. Under his charge, the Qin group underwent a period of rapid expansion. Everyone said that Lin QIngyan was leading the Qin group into the second phase of high-speed growth . . .
*( 游刃有余 – handling a butcher"s cleaver with ease)
He was like a precious gem which had been hidden in the dust for a long time. Now, after the dust had finally been washed off, he had begun to shine brilliantly.
"Why?" On one occasion, Qin Shuhua had asked this as she gasped for breath, pressed beneath Lin Qingyan"s body and his eager demands.
Lin Qingyan lowered his head to kiss her deeply. After a long time, he stared at her and said, "Because I love you. Actually, I"ve always known, and you"ve always known as well, right? In the past, I was unwilling to face up to my own heart."
These were the most moving lovers" words Qin Shuhua had ever heard in her entire lifetime. Even though she was an intelligent, capable, hard-headed businesswoman, she could not help being intoxicated by his words.
After she was diagnosed with cancer, Qin Shuhua made a will leaving all her a.s.sets to Lin Qingyan without the slightest hesitation. She had no husband and no children, and Lin Qingyan had been with her for so many years. If she didn"t give it all to him, then who would she give it to?
Lin Qingyan did not have much a a reaction to this. He only smiled faintly as he told her, "Do what makes you happy."
Qin Shuhua had some regrets, but also felt some gratification. She knew why Lin Qingyan was so indifferent – the person that he was now could easily conquer the entire business world* by himself. He was the person she had personally groomed, but, now, the student had surpa.s.sed the master **. If he continued to stay by her side, it was mostly out of affection.
*(无边江山 – lit. the rivers and mountains, without bounds)
**(青出于蓝而胜于蓝 – the colour blue comes from indigo but is more vivid than indigo)
Of late, the two of them had been less and less intimate. Qin Shuhua was residing in a private nursing home far away from the urban area, and Lin Qingyan had put aside all his work, to be at her beck and call. There were doctors and nurses who were unable to pick up on the clues, and laughingly commented, "Mr. Lin treats President Qin better than a biological son." Even Qin Shuhua, when she was only semi-lucid, would sometimes caress his head, and sigh, "If my own son had survived, he would be twenty-two years old. If you were really my son, wouldn"t that be great?"
Whenever he heard such shamless words, Lin Qingyan"s expression could be considered the epitome of brilliance. He said, "The way we are now, there is no difference. It"s wonderful if you see me as your lover, it"s just as wonderful if you see me as your son. From beginning to end, you are the most important woman to me."
——
Even though most of his time was spent at the nursing home, Lin Qingyan still had to return to the company frequently in order to manage its affairs.
It was at this time that Feng Ye appeared.
Some people are naturally born to be outstanding. No matter what position they are in, they will attract everyone"s attention.
Like Feng Ye.
He was their partner company"s youngest project manager, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with talent that astonished everyone. In addition, he was of handsome appearance, and possessed a steady and humorous character. His background was clearly of little note, but he quickly made a name for himself in the business world.
Lin Qingyan rapidly became firm friends with Feng Ye. Both were intelligent, experienced and worldly-wise, and both were determined and enterprising. In addition, both had similar tastes, and similar wild ambitions . . . Lin Qingyan liked to spend time in the company of this youngster, and even spared no effort to support him.
Feng Ye enabled Lin Qingyan to see the person he was that year.
If he had not slipped up later, he may not have risen so rapidly in the world. Instead, he would have lived like Feng Ye, so youthful and magnificent.
That was the life he wanted, but life can never rewind. He was Lin Qingyan, not Feng Ye. Even though he was on the verge of grasping the entire business empire, even though he had already killed five people, he could never really save himself.
Three months later, he discovered clearly the secret of Feng Ye"s life.
He remembered very distinctly that it was a gloomy, rainy day. He had driven away from the nursing home when he developed stomach pains mid-route. He stopped the car and rested for a while at a nearby cafe. It was at this time that he saw Qin Shuhua"s a.s.sistant driving through the rain towards the mountain top.
Time flies so quickly. The a.s.sistant of former days, as experienced as a fox, was now a middle-aged man with a touch of white at his temples. It was just that, from the time Lin Qingyan started managing the Qin group, he had found excuses to send the a.s.sistant far, far away, enabling him to become a wealthy idler.
Today, Qin Shuhua had called for him. Why?
Lin Qingyan immediately drove back to the villa at the Mid-Levels. Once in the study, he started up the equipment, and the clear sound of dialogue was heard.
Qin Shuhua had placed everything in his hands. The people at the nursing home were his, and the room had naturally been bugged.
"We"ve already done the DNA test," the a.s.sistant said with some emotion. "President Qin, Feng Ye is definitely your son."
Qin Shuhua was silent for a long time. For the first time, Lin Qingyan heard her voice choked with sobs, as she said. "I understand. Let me think about it for a while, then bring him here to see me."
At this point, Lin Qingyan turned off the bug, and laughed as he looked out at the misty rain.
She wanted to think about it. What was there to consider?
The next day, Lin Qingyan went to visit Qin Shuhua at the nursing home. She did not look at all as if anything was out of the ordinary, allowing him to help her walk around the courtyard with a slight smile. After the rain, the gra.s.s was vibrantly green, and her face seemed to be more l.u.s.trous than usual.
Was it because she had found her biological son?
She did not say a word about Feng Ye, and Lin Qingyan just watched her casually, with a smile.
After two more days, Lin Qingyan once again spied her a.s.sistant visiting her.
This time, her att.i.tude was very straightforward, as if she had returned to her former persona as the cold-blooded and decisive yet graciously charming empress.
"This situation is a bit troublesome. Find an opportunity to bring a lawyer here so I can change the will. I want to leave all my a.s.sets to Feng Ye." She coolly continued, "What I have given Lin Qingyan is already enough for him. You don"t have to tell him about this situation yet. You can announce the will after I"m dead."
Lin Qingyan listened in silence. When there was no longer any sound from the other side, he then discovered that his eyes were a little moist.
He was really, really envious of Feng Ye, that he would have such a good mother.
——
That night, he went to look for the a.s.sistant, and got straight to the point: "I will give you three percent."
The dedicated and loyal a.s.sistant immediately stared at him with wide-open eyes.
No doubt, the conditions that Qin Shuhua had given him were also extremely generous. But three percent of the entire Qin group shares? Only a madman would discard such a crazy offer.
——
Qin Shuhua had taught him that people make mistakes, and, where it is possible, one should forgive them. Thus, before he embarked on his comprehensive plan, Lin Qingyan still gave her one final chance.
Or, it could be that he was giving himself a reason to betray her.
He had steadfastly rejected the advances of a young lady in the company who had been pursuing him for a long time, and who had been vexing him somewhat. The timing was right. He approached the girl with a ring, saying, "This request is rather offensive . . . President Qin"s illness has reached the final stage. She has said that, before she dies, she hopes to see me married. This is her final wish. Can you help me in this, to engage in a fake marriage? At this moment, I can"t find anyone else willing to help me."
Of course the girl was willing. To live out a somewhat false contract marriage would be romantic and ambiguous. Moreover, Lin Qingyan had been single for so long, so everyone said he was a clean-living and honest man.
The winds of rumour very quickly did as Lin Qingyan willed, and brought the news to Qin Shuhua.
When Lin Qingyan made his final visit to her, she was lying on her cold bed. Chemotherapy had aged and weakened her. Indeed, one look at her would cause nausea. However, he still kissed her.
She made no mention at all of his fiance and betrayal, and neither did he. The two of them behaved as an old couple would; he fed her and ma.s.saged her stiff limbs. At the end, he held her as they watched the sunset.
"Recently, I find that I want to be by myself. You"re very busy dealing with company business, so there"s no need for you to come by." She said softly, "When I"m dead, you can begin a new life. That"s my wish as well."
Lin Qingyan looked at her hypocritical face, and almost laughed out loud.
Her wish? Was it his "betrayal" that caused her to finally feel relieved? That enabled her to lay to rest the last, niggling bit of guilt that she felt towards him? And then, to make him a fool by keeping him in the dark*, just waiting to give everything to her biological son?
*(蒙在鼓里 – lit. keep in a drum)
He had accompanied her for ten years, but, once Feng Ye appeared, he had become inconsequential. In a flash, her true colours were shown.
Lin Qingyan did not leave immediately. Instead, he walked over to close the curtains, and shut the door. The room sank into shadow. Qin Shuhua asked, uncertainly, "What are you doing?"
Lin Qingyan said gently, "I have something to tell you."
"…… What is it?"
"There is no fiance. I only have you in my heart, how could there be a fiance? That was just to anger you."
Qin Shuhua broke out in a cold sweat. She felt that Lin Qingyan had become a different person. ". . . Why did you want to anger me?"
However, Lin Qingyan appeared not to have heard her question. Inwardly focused, he continued speaking.
"How could I allow you to be sad? The fiance that made you so unhappy, I killed a long time ago."
"Look, this is the second will that you had your a.s.sistant and lawyer prepare. I am tearing it up now, and it will be as if it never existed."
"Oh, that"s right, I"ve killed a lot of people."
"Do you know what I intend to do now? I"m going to drag in your outstanding son, so he can accompany us, ok?"
……
Qin Shuhua, you"ve spoken some really true words.
Wouldn"t it be great if I were your son? I really, really want to be your biological son, and you would be my kind and awesome mother, teaching me how to mature and how to conduct myself, protecting me, taking care of me, not letting anyone hurt me. My life would then not have any of this filth, and I would not need blood and to take life to struggle towards redemption in the face of death*.
* (苟延残喘 – to struggle on while at death"s door)
If I were not Lin Qingyan, but Feng Ye, that would be wonderful.
Yes, indeed, why can"t I be Feng Ye? Of course I can.
From today onwards, I will be Feng Ye. I have inherited my mother"s a.s.sets, I will live a carefree life. My life can finally start all over again.
Translator: shl
TL Checker/Editor: Tranzgeek
Proofreader: Librismuse