Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Eight: Chasing Memories (2/2)

“It was just a turning point. I had made mental preparations for being abandoned by the Shao Family long ago. The only thing I hadn’t considered was that they would be so heartless.” Shao Yue sighed. “Thankfully, Yan Jin didn’t let me down.”

“Huh? You’re referring to when Yan Jin sold you to the He Family?”

“Damn, can you not rub salt onto my wounds?” Shao Yue was almost about to jump out of his seat. “That guy can really get people angry with his obsession for matchmaking. He’s been single for so long that it’s like he’s got some mental disorder. It wasn’t anyone else’s business in the first place…”

“I agree on that point. If it weren’t for him causing trouble, Nan Wei wouldn’t have been taken away by that fox.” Chu Ge felt a pang in his heart. How could his adorable little brother be married off just like that?

“Speaking of which, both of you are fortunate to have been able to hide your relationship for so long. You two have been working together in the same office and sit so close. After you publicly announce your relationship, you should properly thank Yan Jin at your wedding feast. He was the matchmaker for you two, after all.”

“Get lost! I wasn’t referring to that.” Shao Yue finally realized that their conversation had gone off-topic and quickly corrected it. “Do you want to hear what happened back then or not?”

Chu Ge said with a straight face, “I’m actually more interested in when you two will be getting married.”

Shao Yue: …

Friendship ended with Chu Ge.

Truthfully, Shao Yue hadn’t needed to continue his story. Chu Ge could pretty much guess the rest.

Whether it was the Nan Family or the Shao Family, the best way to retaliate against these greedy families was undoubtedly to make them realize the value of the pieces they had lost.

……

After being held on their bed and “consoled”, Xiao Yu temporarily forgot what had made him so flustered earlier. He was fighting a losing battle with his eyelids and was about to fall asleep.

Yan Jin sneakily chose this moment to tell Xiao Yu that he had already met with Fang Wanqing after returning from his trip and that she wanted to attend their wedding. Xiao Yu instantly woke up from his drowsiness.

“Is that for real?” Xiao Yu couldn’t believe it.

“Absolutely,” Yan Jin said.

“That can’t be right. The last time she called me, she was still asking when I would introduce my significant other to her.”

“She didn’t specify a gender?”

“Of course she did. She even said to hurry up and have a child.” Xiao Yu prodded Yan Jin’s stomach. “Why don’t you give birth to one and let me see?”

“… If you don’t believe me, why don’t you call her and confirm?”

Xiao Yu said doubtfully, “You aren’t trolling me, right? How am I going to end the call once I start it? Even if there weren’t any issue before, now there’ll be one.”

Yan Jin thought for a moment. Then, he pointed at his coat. “There’s an ATM card in my wallet. Your Auntie Fang already gave me your dowry. I heard she sold her apartment for it.”

“Sss…” Xiao Yu exhaled a breath of cold air. He got up, walked over, and found Yan Jin’s wallet. Then, he lay back down onto the bed and took out the card out of the wallet in front of Yan Jin.

“Wow, you really do have it.” Xiao Yu already pretty much believed Yan Jin. He didn’t suspect that Yan Jin had applied for a new card and put some money on it to trick him because he was quite familiar with the card’s number. He had frequently added money to that account. Each time he had done so, he’d re-confirm the account number with Fang Wanqing. Furthermore, there was a slip of paper attached to the back of the card which had the card’s withdrawal pin. The handwriting matched Fang Wanqing’s.

“Now do you believe me?” Yan Jin moved next to him and wrapped an arm around Xiao Yu’s waist. “I worked so hard for you. Do I get a reward?”

“You expect to be rewarded for this?” Xiao Yu swatted at Yan Jin’s chest with his palm and angrily said, “Hurry up and tell me everything! How did you get in touch with Auntie Fang? What did you say to her? Otherwise, you’ll hear no end of it from me!”

“Can you be reasonable?” Yan Jin caught Xiao Yu’s hand and rubbed it on his face. “Clearly, I did something for you that you hadn’t dared to do yourself. Anything less than tears of gratitude is essentially a stab in the back. Are you the snake in ‘The Farmer and the Snake’? Can you show me your tail?” [TLN: The Farmer and the Snake is one of Aesop’s fables where a farmer rescues a snake and then the snake kills the farmer.]

The arm Yan Jin had around Xiao Yu’s waist began to slide lower. His intentions were clear.

“You think about this day and night! You’re the snake! You’re definitely the snake, a lustful snake!” Xiao Yu angrily pushed Yan Jin’s mischievous hand away.

“Your temper is still running so hot even after hearing such a good piece of news. I’ll help cool you down, alright?” Yan Jin said seductively.

“Quit messing around!” Xiao Yu exploded from the teasing. If he had his hamster ears on top of his head, they would definitely be standing straight up. “Hurry up and explain yourself!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll tell you.” Perhaps he’d teased him too much. With an eye on Xiao Yu, Yan Jin hurriedly retracted his arms and pushed himself into a sitting position against the headboard. Smiling, he asked, “What do you want to know?”

Xiao Yu inhaled deeply.

“First, first tell me how you got in touch with Auntie Fang. I don’t remember giving you her contact details.”

“It wasn’t hard to find. Anyone who really wants that information would be able to find it fairly quickly.” Halfway through, Yan Jin realized that Xiao Yu’s expression had turned ugly and quickly added, “I had a good reason this time. I didn’t specifically go investigate anything you’d done!”

Xiao Yu pouted. His expression clearly said “Keep digging your own grave.”

Yan Jin looked at Xiao Yu’s disbelieving expression and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I really did have a special reason this time. Do you remember that before my trip, you asked me to check on your half brother?”

“Xiao Zihao? I remember.” Xiao Yu suddenly remembered this incident and quickly connected the dots. “You contacted Auntie Fang because of Xiao Zihao?”

“Wow, children really can be educated.” Yan Jin sighed in admiration. “I’ve finally proven my innocence.”

Although Xiao Yu felt that something wasn’t quite right, when he heard about Xiao Zihao, his attention was shifted away. “What were the results of your investigation? What’s Xiao Zihao been up to these days? Is he doing alright?”

Xiao Yu’s relationship with his younger brother couldn’t be considered too good. Ever since he was a child, Xiao Zihao had been pampered by Fang Wanqing and ultimately grew up without any moral sense. Fang Wanqing was a very reasonable and wise woman. Xiao Yu didn’t know why she had spoiled Xiao Zihao so much. As a child, Xiao Yu had been Xiao Zihao’s scapegoat on many occasions.

However, when their father had passed away, the young Xiao Zihao had stood in front of Xiao Yu and declared to the scheming relatives who were planning to adopt Xiao Yu, “Big brother is part of our family! Now and forever!”

Many years later, Xiao Zihao had long since forgotten the promise he had made. Instead, he had only treated his inarticulate brother as his own ATM. Nonetheless, Xiao Yu had never forgotten how moved he had felt. To him, Xiao Zihao would always be his little brother, and Fang Wanqing would always be his mother.