DASFAM_CH 09

The lake breeze blew across the surface, stirring up a shimmering wave of light.

Shang Queyan stared at Bai Xu without blinking, almost thinking he was hallucinating.

Ever since the incident, he had grown accustomed to the comforting words from elders, doctors, and the butler, all taking turns to console him. But this was the first time he had heard the complete opposite, the harsh and cruel truth that cut deep.

Die?

Shang Queyan thought about the path he had already stepped onto, and his voice became hoarse and numb unknowingly, "You don’t need to provoke me. Do you think I wouldn’t dare?"

He felt the emptiness in his lower body, "Do you know what I used to do?"

Bai Xu raised an eyebrow, "I know, a race car driver."

Formula racing is one of the most dangerous sports in the world. The adrenaline rush is often accompanied by a high threat of death, and the slightest mistake could lead to total destruction of both car and driver.

In a way, racing is a dance with death.

Bai Xu understood the underlying meaning of Shang Queyan's words and bluntly commented, "Ending your life in a race might get you called a hero by your fans, but if you end it by drowning in a lake now, you'd just be a coward.”

“......”

Bai Xu bent down, his sharpness completely inconsistent with his gentle appearance, "Look at you now, in this state you're no different from a coward."

The veins bulge on Shang Queyan's hand as he gripped the blanket tightly, and he shouted to stop him, "Shut up! You don’t need to interfere with my business! Get out of here!"

Bai Xu faced his anger and continued to expose the facts he was unwilling to admit, "Do you know how many people are hiding behind you, watching you, laughing at you, your brother, and your third branch?"

"The third young master is already lying unconscious in bed, and those people can't wait for you to fall down too."

"Do you think dying is hard? Running away isn’t difficult either, Fourth Young Master. But if you do, then just watch…"

"Watch as the position that rightfully belongs to your family, your brother, gets slowly eaten away by those scheming individuals. And on the day you lose the Old Mr. and Madam Shang' protection, you’ll know what it means to wish for death over life."

The wealthier and more powerful the world is, the more they live in adheres to the law of 'survival of the fittest.'

Now, because of the authority of Mr. Shang, the Shang family seems to be friendly and harmonious on the surface, but Mr. and Mrs. Shang are already this old—

Even heroes fade with time.

One day, he won't be able to ‘keep things in check’ any longer!

In the middle of the original novel, starting from the time Old Master Shang fell ill and was bedridden, the Shang family became embroiled in one scheme after another.

"By then, even if the Third Young Master isn’t dead, he’ll have to be ‘dead.’"

"……"

Shang Queyan’s breath choked up and trembled, "Try cursing my brother again!"

The two brothers were less than four years apart in age, but their temperaments and interests were completely opposite.

Over the years, it was because Shang Yanxiao had taken on the burden of running the family business that Shang Queyan was able to rebelliously pursue what he likes.

In Shang Queyan’s heart, his brother was the most outstanding person!

Bai Xu noticed Shang Queyan's deep concern for his brother and thought of Shang Yanxiao, who lay bedridden, and a trace of interest flashed through his heart.

"You’re wrong. I hope the Third Young Master lived as long as possible. It's not easy to find such a perfect marriage partner, so I have to cling to him tightly, isn't I?"

The second half of the sentence was obviously provocation.

Bai Xu bent down, looking at Shang Queyan’s eyes and teased, "Your brother is pretty good-looking. I guess he has a good body too, so maybe I'll give it a try sometime."

"You!"

Shang Queyan snapped, his earlier despair and death wish completely disappeared without a trace, "My brother wouldn’t like a pretty boy like you!"

Bai Xu, having fully assessed Shang Queyan's emotional state, hit his mark with ease, "First a leech, now a pretty boy? Why are you cursing at me, little brother?"

Shang Queyan glared at him fiercely, "How much older are you than me?"

Bai Xu replied seriously, "Considering the marriage relationship between me and the Third Young Master, you could start calling me—"

"Don’t you dare!" Shang Queyan cut him off before he could finish the title, his ears seemingly turning red from anger, "It is disgusting!"

Bai Xu, satisfied that Shang Queyan was in a stable state, raised an eyebrow and added, "Let me give you one more word for you…"

"Sometimes, living requires more courage than dying. At least when you're alive, you still have a chance to rewrite your destiny."

Shang Queyan was momentarily stunned.

Bai Xu, confident that the original novel's protagonist wasn’t that fragile, decisively turned around, "I’m leaving. Stay here on your own."

"……"

Shang Queyan watched as Bai Xu's figure gradually disappeared into the distance. He released his grip on the blanket, and the heavy sorrow that had weighed on him for days unexpectedly lightened.

"Fourth Young Master!"

The butler, Uncle Lin, hurried over in a panic, "Why did you come here on your own without saying anything? Where are your bodyguards? What are they doing? I'll make sure to—"

"Uncle Lin, it’s not their fault. I wanted to come alone to clear my mind."

Seeing the concern in the butler’s eyes, Shang Queyan's previously clouded mind seemed to clear, "Don’t worry, I won’t do anything foolish again."

"……"

Butler Lin, noticing the change in his mood, was pleasantly surprised.

Shang Queyan lowered his gaze to the blanket on his legs, taking a deep breath. Carefully, he began to slowly lift it off.

"Fourth Young Master!”

Butler Lin's heart leapt to his throat with tension.

Shang Queyan stared at the inevitable reality of his disability, yet this time, he didn’t display the usual resistance or outburst.

"Uncle Lin, my parents are gone, and my brother is in a coma. So, from today on, the responsibility for our family falls on me, doesn’t it?"

Butler Lin didn’t want to burden Shang Queyan with too much pressure. "Everything will be fine. The Third Young Master will definitely wake up, and you’ll recover too."

Old Madam Shang had already reached out to the most renowned prosthetic manufacturers. As long as Shang Queyan was willing, he could be fitted with one for rehabilitation as soon as his wounds healed.

Bai Xu’s sharp words echoed in Shang Queyan’s mind, piercing through the heavy fog that had surrounded him for days like a sword.

Yes, he couldn’t allow others to look down on him, his brother, and even their third branch!

No matter how difficult the road ahead might be, he would have to gather the courage to walk it step by step!

After nearly two months, Shang Queyan finally felt a desire for life again, "Uncle Lin, I’m hungry. I want to go back and eat something."

Butler Lin was overjoyed, "Okay! Okay! We'll head back now.”

…

In the huge second-floor master bedroom, Shang Yanxiao changed his previous ‘drowsy’ look and calmly enjoyed the delicate and tasty lunch.

Not long after, he put down his chopsticks.

Xie Qi, noticing the amount of food left, asked with concern, "Third Young Master, won’t you eat a bit more? You’ve lost quite a bit of weight recently."

In order to pretend to be realistic in front of outsiders, and to prevent uninvited guests from deliberately investigations—

Shang Yanxiao had been strictly controlling his diet. His usual intense exercise routine, a former passion, had also been reduced, naturally causing him to lose weight.

"No need."

Shang Yanxiao calmly wiped his hands with a damp towel, then got out of bed and walked slowly to the window. Peeking through the curtains, he observed the scenery outside the villa with no trace of relaxation in his eyes.

"How’s Xiao Yan? How is he doing?"

"Uncle Lin said the Fourth Young Master’s mood has been very unstable recently. This morning, when I saw him, he had lost a lot of weight."

The original Shang Queyan had been an outwardly ‘cocky’ guy who lived optimistically, confidently and outspokenly, instead of sitting in a wheelchair like he had lost his vitality.

“......”

Shang Yanxiao frowned as he listened.

Xie Qi asked again, "Third Young Master, shouldn’t you tell the Fourth Young Master the truth about your condition?"

A flicker of hesitation appeared in Shang Yanxiao’s eyes, but he still said firmly, "Not yet. In this treacherous family, he can't rely on me forever."

In the past, Shang Yanxiao might have indulged his younger brother, allowing him to continue pursuing what he likes. But things were different now—

The dead can’t come back to life, and their third branch had suffered a severe blow. To reestablish their standing in the Shang family in the future, it wouldn’t be enough for Shang Yanxiao alone to carefully strategize and plan.

Shang Yanxiao feels sorry for his brother, but he hopes that he can use this ‘desperate situation’ to strengthen his will and grow, instead of giving up on himself and becoming a laughingstock for others!

If Shang Queyan never recovers from this, Shang Yanxiao would feel nothing but regret and sorrow. That would be the true mark of a coward!

"Tomorrow is the family dinner."

Considering everything that might unfold, Shang Yanxiao turned and reminded, "Tonight, find some time to talk with Xiao Yan and Uncle Lin. Remind them to pay close attention to the second branch during tomorrow's dinner."

Xie Qi immediately answered, "Understood!"

They had already uncovered the truth. The last time, that scheming nurse had been bribed by the second branch, with the intermediary being a distant relative of theirs.

Bribing a nurse through three or four layers of connections?

To be this cautious, it was hard to say whether the second branch was overly careful or just plain foolish.

Xie Qi remembered something else and quietly asked, "Third Young Master, what about Mr. Xiao Bai? Should I remind him of anything?"

Old Master Shang’s temper had always been peculiar and unpredictable, and few in the family could truly understand him. If Bai Xu were to accidentally say the wrong thing and set him off, it would be their family that paid the price.

At least at the family dinner, it was best to stay silent whenever possible.

Shang Yanxiao’s brows furrowed slightly, but before he could respond, a voice suddenly rang out from the entrance of the master bedroom—

"Mr. Xiao Bai, you're back?"

The louder-than-usual volume carried a sense of urgency, a subtle warning. Both Shang Yanxiao and Xie Qi’s expressions changed immediately.

"Hurry!"

Shang Yanxiao swiftly strode back to the bed, a rare trace of urgency crossing his usually composed face. There was no time to reconnect to the monitoring equipment.

"Stop him, he can't come in."

"Understood!"

Xie Qi quickly grasped the situation. He moved the food tray to the coffee table in the middle of the room and then hurried to the door.

Click.

The door opened.

The timing coincidentally matched Bai Xu's casual remark, "I have nothing to do after dinner, so I'll go in and check on Third Young Master.”

"Mr. Xiao Bai, well…" Xie Qi stepped forward just in time, adjusting his glasses slightly, "It’s not convenient for you to come in right now."

"Not convenient?"

Xie Qi, who was used to handling high-stakes situations, kept a straight face without missing a beat, "We’re in the middle of helping the Third Young Master with some personal care, so it’s not the best time."

"……"

Bai Xu's expression changed slightly, "Really?”

A business assistant being responsible for a boss’s daily hygiene?

Xie Qi, with no sign of embarrassment, continued, "We haven’t found a new nurse yet, so I’m helping out for now. Mr. Xiao Bai, you came at a good time. There’s something else I’d like to discuss with you."

Bai Xu asked, "Hmm?"

"Jinbai has already spent money to manage the public sentiment this morning. If the money is used effectively, this wave of negative publicity shouldn’t last too long."

Xie Qi was indeed addressing serious matters. Behind his glasses, his eyes showed a hint of concern, "I’ve also heard that someone has started spreading rumors in the circle…"

"Claiming that you were the one who acted aggressively, even bringing bodyguards and injuring someone. They say Chen Shaoxuan’s situation is serious enough to require hospitalization."

Chen Yufei’s face changed immediately, "That's nonsense!"

This was clearly a case of the villain accusing others first!

His skills were carefully honed, he had deliberately held back at the time, so it was impossible for him to cause such severe injuries.

Chen Yufei, rarely feeling unjust, was visibly upset. However, Bai Xu showed no sign of annoyance from being framed, "It’s fine. They won’t be able to keep up the pretense forever."

This time, it was Xie Qi who was confused, "What?”

Bai Xu didn’t explain it and asked, "The family dinner tomorrow? What time does it start?"

"Old Master’s rule is always to start at 5:30 p.m." Xie Qi kindly reminded, "Mr. Xiao Bai, at that kind of event tomorrow night, try to speak as little as possible, just eat and return with us after dinner."

“......”

Bai Xu recalled the eccentric temperament of Old Master Shang from the original novel. Every family dinner was almost like a ‘struggle session’. Rather than feeling intimidated, his expectations only became higher and higher.

Xie Qi reminded him, "Mr. Xiao Bai?"

Faced with the kindness of the person in front of him, Bai Xu responded casually, "En, I know."

Speak less?

How could that be possible?

He had long been trying to put on a good show!

–

TL: Muji

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