In Love With An Idiot

Chapter 13

In the end, Jian Suiying managed to coax Li Yu into softening towards him, thereby avoiding another violent confrontation in the restaurant car park.

 

They were preparing to drive away. Li Yu got into the driver's seat, while Jian Suiying walked around the car towards the passenger side. Just then, a black open-top sports car swept into the car park.

 

Jian Suiying had loved cars since childhood, so he glanced over automatically to see what model it was. But when he saw the driver, his eyes blazed with anger. Wasn't that brat with the ghastly yellow-dyed hair his idiot cousin Bai Xinyu, who had stolen his money and disappeared into hiding?

 

Jian Suiying slammed the car door and roared, “Bai Xinyu!”

 

A beautiful, curvaceous woman was sitting beside Bai Xinyu. She had already stepped out, swinging her slender waist, and was waiting with a small handbag. Jian Suiying's shout rang across the entire car park, freezing them both.

 

Bai Xinyu turned and saw Jian Suiying advancing with a murderous expression. The brat was so terrified he almost lost his soul. His hands shaking, he thrust the key back into the ignition, started the engine and slammed on the accelerator. The car sped away.

 

The entire incident lasted only seconds. By the time Li Yu climbed out of the car, Bai Xinyu had disappeared. Only the furious Jian Suiying, the puzzled Li Yu and the bewildered beauty remained in the car park.

 

Jian Suiying approached the woman. “How long have you known him?”

 

She eyed him warily. “Who are you?”

 

“I'm his older brother!” Jian Suiying replied through gritted teeth.

 

She looked doubtful. She was also clearly furious at being abandoned by Bai Xinyu, so she answered irritably, “I've known him ages.”

 

“Wasn't he abroad? When did he come back?”

 

The woman pressed her lips together. “Why do you want to know?”

 

Jian Suiying was already seething. “That's none of your business. Just answer!”

 

Startled, she took a step back and regarded him cautiously. “Last week. Saturday, I think.”

 

Jian Suiying ignored her from then on and returned to the car.

 

Li Yu didn't start the engine. He simply waited quietly for Jian Suiying to calm down.

 

“That fucking bastard finally dared come back,” Jian Suiying cursed. “Runs away the moment he sees me. What a fucking coward. If I get hold of him, I'll give him the beating of his life.”

 

Li Yu looked thoughtfully in the direction Bai Xinyu had driven away. “He's already sold the flats. Even if you catch him, what can you do?”

 

That question stopped Jian Suiying short. He'd thought only about catching Bai Xinyu and thrashing him. What to do afterwards hadn't really occurred to him.

 

There was no chance of making him return the money from the property sales. He'd probably spent it all already, and even killing him wouldn't produce the money. Besides, strictly speaking, the original cost of those three flats hadn't been all that high. Jian Suiying wasn't really going to kill him over it.

 

Still, unless he taught the brat a lesson Bai Xinyu would remember for the rest of his life, Jian Suiying wouldn't be able to satisfy himself.

 

“At the very least, I'm going to beat the crap out of him…”

 

He and his father had helped Bai Xinyu's family considerably over the years, and his aunt and uncle generally listened to what he said. Teaching Bai Xinyu a lesson would be for the brat's own good, while also giving Jian Suiying an opportunity to vent his anger.

 

Li Yu shook his head slightly. “You really are vicious.”

 

Jian Suiying gave a cold laugh. “Let's see if he dares play tricks on me again. I'll straighten him out properly this time.”

 

What should have been a lovely romantic dinner had been ruined first by Xiao Zhu's call and then by Bai Xinyu's appearance. Both men were in poor spirits.

 

They talked sporadically as Li Yu drove into the underground car park and stopped in Jian Suiying's space. Jian Suiying felt his pocket and remembered he still hadn't given Li Yu the key. He quickly took it out and offered it with a smile.

 

Li Yu froze. Looking at the little velvet box, he actually hesitated.

 

Jian Suiying studied his expression. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him.

 

“You didn't think it was a ring, did you?”

 

Li Yu looked embarrassed, neither confirming nor denying it.

 

Jian Suiying realised he'd genuinely misunderstood, leaving him caught between amusement and disbelief.

 

He opened the box. Inside lay the key to his home.

 

“I just thought it'd look nicer packaged like this…”

 

Li Yu picked up the key and weighed it in his palm. He couldn't understand why receiving it from Jian Suiying for a second time made it feel extraordinarily heavy.

 

“I know it's not realistic to ask you to move in with me,” Jian Suiying said. “But you've got a key now, so treat the place as your own home. Come whenever you like.”

 

Li Yu closed his fingers around the key, slipped it into his pocket and smiled. “All right.”

 

Jian Suiying leaned across, cupped the back of his head and kissed him.

 

“Seriously, though, when are you coming? I'll have someone scrub the swimming pool and change the water beforehand…”

 

“Oh, you've got a swimming pool upstairs too.”

 

“I've got to go home.”

 

Jian Suiying chuckled. “I know. Go on, then. I wasn't talking about tonight.”

 

Li Yu said roughly, “Then why are you teasing me?”

 

Jian Suiying giggled. “How am I teasing you?”

 

Even while denying it, he was slipping his hand beneath Li Yu's clothes.

 

Li Yu was so thoroughly stirred up that he could barely remain seated. He forced himself to calm down and slowly pushed Jian Suiying away.

 

“Jian-ge, I really have to go home. There's something I need to deal with.”

 

Jian Suiying was disappointed. He patted Li Yu's cheek. “All right. Go on, then.”

 

He moved to get out of the car.

 

Li Yu caught his shoulder, pressed him against the door and covered his mouth with a forceful kiss.

 

“The day after tomorrow. I'll come the day after tomorrow.”

 

“All right… I'll show you the new swimming trunks I bought. Heh.”

 

Li Yu reluctantly released him and unlocked the door.

 

Jian Suiying gave him one more kiss before opening the door to leave. But just as he was about to close it, his hand suddenly paused.

 

Li Yu turned to look at him.

 

Li Yu watched Jian Suiying's figure disappear into the lift lobby and quietly let out a breath. His expression grew particularly grave. He took out his phone and sent Jian Suilin a text message: Bai Xinyu is back.

 

That evening, Jian Suiying had a business dinner and took a subordinate along to drink on his behalf. Unfortunately, the guests were such formidable drinkers that even with someone there to shield him, Jian Suiying still ended up thoroughly drunk.

 

The driver and subordinate had to support him back into his home. He hadn't drunk that much in a long time. He vomited three times during the night and barely slept, suffering terribly.

 

The following day, he slept until two in the afternoon before getting up with a pounding head. By the time he'd cleaned himself up, eaten and taken some medicine, he finally began to feel human again.

 

He scrolled through his phone, checking whether he'd missed anything.

 

Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.

 

Once he'd thought through everything from beginning to end, he understood completely.

 

Jian Suiying was so furious he kicked a chair in his flat onto its side.

 

He'd worked himself to the bone laying the groundwork, paying money and cultivating connections. Just as the prize had finally come within reach, somebody else had snatched it away.

 

He'd effectively done all the work to benefit someone else. With Jian Suiying's pride and inability to tolerate being cheated, how could he possibly accept that?

 

Thinking more deeply, perhaps the couple had planned the entire thing from the beginning.

 

At the initial negotiations, Jian Suiying had made it clear that he'd cooperate if they secured the land; otherwise, the arrangement was off, and he wasn't going to invest money. He hadn't signed any contract with them. His intention had simply been to acquire the land and contribute it in return for equity.

 

They had applied for government land under the name of the biological feed company. Without the innovative, environmentally friendly enterprise behind the proposal, Jian Suiying would have had no grounds to apply. But without Jian Suiying using his connections to move matters along, the feed company would never have got anywhere either.

 

Everything had been proceeding smoothly and was on the verge of success when the couple suddenly changed their minds.

 

After they withdrew from their cooperation with Jian Suiying, the submitted documents still bore the name of their biological feed company. Without that company, Jian Suiying couldn't obtain the land by himself.

 

What he hadn't expected was for them to have the nerve to pull such a trick behind his back: undermining him at the crucial moment and abandoning him once he'd served his purpose.

 

Logically, Li Xuan should have known immediately when the couple withdrew from the cooperation and stopped applying for the land. He should also have known straight away when they changed their controlling shareholder and reapplied. And if Li Xuan knew, Jian Suiying should have been informed at once.

 

Yet he'd heard the news from a bureau director he wasn't particularly close to. Judging by what the man had said, the director had no idea Jian Suiying was no longer involved in the project or that the land had absolutely nothing to do with him now.

 

Taking something out from under another person's nose was a vile, underhanded act. Unless Li Xuan bore Jian Suiying some grudge, why would he risk offending him by knowingly keeping silent? Besides, Jian Suiying and Li Xuan had always got along very well.

 

Jian Suiying was confused. He couldn't determine which part of the process had gone wrong, how many misunderstandings there were or what inside information he was missing.

 

He smoked and thought throughout the afternoon, so absorbed that he didn't notice the sky growing dark outside.

 

He had no idea how much time had passed when a telephone call finally dragged his thoughts back to reality.

 

He looked at the screen. It was Li Yu. Only then did he remember he'd invited Li Yu to his home that day. But he'd been blind drunk the night before, spent today with a splitting headache and then been confronted with this fucking mess. How could he have remembered? He hadn't even had the swimming pool cleaned.

 

He answered reluctantly.

 

From Li Yu's end came the sound of a car door closing.

 

“I'm coming over now. What do you want to eat? I'll stop at the supermarket and buy something.”

 

Jian Suiying said awkwardly, “Little Li, I'm sorry. Don't come over today.”

 

Li Yu was in the middle of starting the engine. He had turned the key halfway when he heard this, and his hand relaxed. The engine sputtered to a stop with a strange noise.

 

“What's wrong?”

 

“I had a business dinner last night and drank too much. I haven't been to work all day, and my head still hurts. The pool hasn't been cleaned either…”

 

Li Yu was quiet for a moment. “Then I'll come and check on you. You haven't eaten, have you?”

 

“I have. I ordered a takeaway.”

 

“Then what would you like for dinner? I'll come over later.”

 

Jian Suiying wasn't remotely in the mood to see his little lover. His mind was entirely occupied by the Beihai affair. Thinking about his suspicions concerning Li Xuan, he felt that seeing Li Yu right now was a bad idea. If he accidentally said the wrong thing and upset him, it would only make matters worse. Better to get to the bottom of things first.

 

“Don't come over today. I'm in a dreadful state. My face is swollen, I can barely move, and I don't want you seeing me like this. Another day, all right?”

 

Hearing how weak and exhausted Jian Suiying sounded, Li Yu knew he wasn't lying. He answered disappointedly, “All right. Stay home and rest.”

 

Jian Suiying breathed a sigh of relief. “Don't worry about me. I just haven't been that drunk in ages. I'll be fine after some rest. Come another day.”

 

Li Yu's voice was reproachful. “You're not allowed to drink that much again.”

 

After hanging up, Jian Suiying continued thinking. He knew he couldn't alert anyone to his suspicions. He had to investigate quietly to avoid offending the wrong people by accident.

 

He was genuinely furious. Whatever dirty business lay behind this affair, anyone who dared make a fool of Jian Suiying would regret it. Forget the land: he would make sure those two didn't get so much as a single stone out of the deal.

 

Two days later, the people investigating for him reported back. The current controlling shareholder was a company registered only two months earlier, and its legal representative was a local Beihai resident Jian Suiying had never heard of.

 

At first, Jian Suiying had assumed that since the private-equity fund had invested in the feed company, it would be listed as the controlling shareholder. Instead, there was this shell company. It had been registered less than three months earlier, almost as though created specifically for this transaction.

 

The attempt to conceal the true owners only strengthened his belief that something was wrong. After all, although the feed company and the fund had stolen the opportunity out from under him, they hadn't actually broken the law. Why bother hiding the real investor behind a shell company?

 

Whose attention were they trying to avoid by concealing the fund's true identity?

 

The matter filled Jian Suiying with suspicion. Every piece of evidence increasingly suggested the whole affair had been planned from beginning to end. The feed company and private-equity fund had arranged for him to clear the way, only to kick him aside at the last moment and collect the profits themselves.

 

The more he thought about it, the more furious he became. Nothing in his life enraged him more than being made a fool of. It was an insult to his intelligence and ability, a humiliation he couldn't tolerate.

 

He could afford to lose the money, but he couldn't swallow the insult. He knew that even if he ruined the deal, he wouldn't recover any benefit and might offend quite a few people. But even if he had to offend every last one of them, he would never let the people who'd deceived him get what they wanted.

 

The private-equity fund refused to reveal itself, so investigating from the corporate side reached a dead end. After considerable thought, Jian Suiying still couldn't entirely dismiss his suspicions of Li Xuan. He therefore began discreetly tracing how the application documents had been processed. He wanted to know whether those documents had passed through Li Xuan's hands.

 

He truly didn't want to suspect Li Xuan. That wasn't merely because of his relationship with Li Yu. Li Xuan was someone worth knowing, and certainly not the sort to sacrifice his integrity for a small personal gain. Jian Suiying couldn't imagine what enormous benefit would make Li Xuan conceal this matter and risk destroying their friendship to continue helping the others acquire the land.

 

It simply made no sense.

 

Yet Li Xuan had been directly responsible for handling the matter. The possibility that he'd never seen the new application was almost nonexistent. If he'd seen it, then with Li Yu having already notified him that Jian Suiying was no longer working with the biological feed company, the change of controlling shareholder should have made everything obvious. Why hadn't he told Jian Suiying?

 

Could he genuinely not know?

 

Jian Suiying dismissed the thought almost immediately. He knew Li Yu's efficiency. If Li Yu could finish something in the morning, he would never put it off until the afternoon. There was no way he would have failed to tell Li Xuan something this important.

 

After turning it over from every angle, Jian Suiying still had nothing but questions. Because of all his concerns, he didn't dare call Li Xuan recklessly. He was completely at a loss.

 

There were too many possible explanations for how things had developed, yet every one seemed absurd.

 

What was the background of the private-equity fund? When had it established contact with the biological feed company? Had they planned to exploit him from the beginning, or had they joined forces halfway through? What part had Li Xuan played? How much did he know, and why hadn't he told Jian Suiying the truth?

 

Jian Suiying was certain there was something he'd overlooked.

 

Ordinarily, when someone considered a problem, they'd identify several possibilities and test them against logic and evidence. From those possibilities, one or more explanations should emerge that connected the causes and consequences. At least one would usually seem the most plausible and closest to the truth.

 

But Jian Suiying couldn't identify any such explanation. Every theory broke down somewhere.

 

The affair gave him a terrible headache. He became so absorbed in thinking and investigating that he cancelled two meetings with Li Yu.

 

The third time, Li Yu finally lost his temper. He slapped Jian Suiying's desk and demanded angrily, “What on earth has been wrong with you lately? I work at the company too. How come I don't feel you're that busy?”

 

Jian Suiying looked at him vaguely, unable to explain. He could hardly say, I suspect your brother took someone else's money to help them cheat me.

 

Li Yu frowned, extremely unhappy.

 

Jian Suiying sighed. Thinking about the time he'd spent dealing with this mess, he realised he'd genuinely neglected his precious Little Li.

 

He took Li Yu's hand and coaxed him. “Don't be angry. I've really been busy…”

 

But he couldn't explain what had kept him occupied and knew his excuse sounded feeble. He hurried on.

 

“Anyway, I'll stop running around doing pointless things. Tell me, where would you like to go?”

 

Li Yu's expression finally softened. “That swimming pool of yours—has it been cleaned yet?”

 

Jian Suiying laughed and took out his mobile. “I'll have someone clean it now. Come to my place tonight, all right?”

 

Li Yu smiled and asked softly, “Shall we go to the supermarket together? What do you want to eat tonight?”

 

With a perfect diving posture, Jian Suiying plunged into the water with a splash. He deliberately jumped beside Li Yu, splashing water all over his face so that Li Yu couldn't open his eyes for some time.

 

As soon as Jian Suiying surfaced, he gasped for breath. Once he recovered, he shouted, “That's not fair! I went in first!”

 

Li Yu surfaced too and chuckled. “How old are you? Playing games like this?”

 

Jian Suiying simply kicked off his swimming trunks. “Because I feel like it.”

 

He took a deep breath, dived under again and swam after Li Yu.

 

Li Yu refused to be outdone and dived beneath the surface as well. The two struggled and competed with each other in the water again.

 

After repeatedly gasping for air and wiping their eyes, Jian Suiying finally gave a wry smile. “You're right. What are we playing this stupid game for?”

 

Li Yu pointed to the opposite side. “One length there and back. Let's see who's faster.”

 

“All right. What's the penalty for losing?”

 

Li Yu grinned. “What do you think?”

 

Jian Suiying laughed. “Come on, then. I'll count.”

 

Li Yu got into position, ready to start.

 

Jian Suiying shouted, “One!”

 

Immediately, he sliced through the water with both hands and shot forwards like a fish, covering two metres in an instant.

 

Li Yu froze, not expecting Jian Suiying to cheat so blatantly. Then he hurriedly plunged forwards in pursuit.

 

Jian Suiying had loved swimming since childhood. When he was five or six, his grandfather had thrown him into a lake to teach him. The lake behind his grandfather's house was practically his personal bathtub. Li Yu simply couldn't compete with his swimming skills.

 

Sure enough, by the time Jian Suiying completed the return trip, Li Yu was almost half a length behind.

 

Watching Li Yu swim towards him, Jian Suiying laughed loudly. “Hahaha! Little Li, you're far too slow!”

 

Li Yu pretended to be angry. “What kind of cheating is that? You only counted to one before starting!”

 

“How did I cheat? I said I'd count. I never said how far.” Jian Suiying winked mischievously.

 

Li Yu stared at him, speechless.

 

Jian Suiying stroked his soft cheek. “At that speed, you'd never beat me anyway. Be a good boy and admit defeat.”

 

Li Yu glared at him resentfully.

 

Jian Suiying was still laughing. “A bet's a bet! Come on, then.”

 

…

 

They spent more than two hours playing in the swimming pool. Only when the sky began to darken and the temperature dropped did they go downstairs and return to the flat.

 

Li Yu went off to cook in high spirits, humming a tune Jian Suiying didn't recognise. They'd bought a trolley full of food at the supermarket. Jian Suiying had thrown in anything that caught his eye, with absolutely no thought for how to keep it fresh.

 

Young Master Jian took a shower, then emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

 

He hurriedly found his mobile and checked the screen. Sure enough, there were seven or eight missed calls, all from one person: Bai Xinyu.

 

But why was the brat calling him? Jian Suiying had expected Bai Xinyu to avoid him for the rest of his life. Had the situation finally become too serious? Were his parents being so firm that he had no choice but to call and beg for mercy?

 

Jian Suiying laughed coldly and called him back, curious what he might have to say. But by then Bai Xinyu's phone was switched off.

 

He called his eldest aunt instead. When she answered, her voice was hoarse. She had clearly just been crying.

 

“Auntie? Has Little Yu gone?”

 

“Yes, he's gone. He only left today. Suiying, I know this is for his own good, but as his mother, it breaks my heart. He's never suffered a day in his life…” Her voice choked as she spoke.

 

Jian Suiying hurriedly comforted her with a few words about the bigger picture, then ended the call with a smile.

 

When Li Yu carried a plate of food into the room, he found Jian Suiying holding his phone and grinning wickedly.

 

Li Yu asked curiously, “What's happened?”

 

“Heh. That brat Bai Xinyu was sent off to Qinghai today.”

 

“That quickly?”

 

“When I handle something, of course it's quick. I want to make sure he has nowhere to run and nobody to beg for mercy.”

 

Li Yu curled his lip and remarked casually, “Maybe he'll run back after a few days.”

 

Jian Suiying tossed his phone onto the sofa and stretched. “Impossible. I've got a friend's nephew watching him. Besides, even if he really wanted to escape, he hasn't a chance with those scrawny legs and that waterlogged brain of his.”

 

Li Yu asked, “Aren't you afraid he'll hate you?”

 

Jian Suiying laughed in disbelief. “When he was little, I was the one secretly slipping him pocket money, for fuck's sake. Without me all these years, with that idiot's flashy, broke-arse personality, somebody would've crippled him long ago. I've practically raised the bastard, and he turns around and steals my money. Which of us has the right to hate the other?”

 

The thought made him gloomy again. “Fuck. I raised a wolf cub.”

 

Li Yu's hands stopped moving.

 

He knew the true story behind the affair. Bai Xinyu had done wrong, but he'd merely been used by Jian Suilin. If Jian Suiying discovered that his own younger brother was the real wolf cub, Li Yu couldn't imagine how he'd react.

 

His chest felt uncomfortably tight, and he found it difficult to look Jian Suiying in the eye.

 

It's all over now, he told himself. Whatever they'd taken from Jian Suiying could count as compensation for all the humiliation and suffering Suilin had endured over the years. The money meant little to Jian Suiying, while Suilin genuinely deserved some recompense for more than ten years of hardship.

 

It was all in the past.

 

Li Yu composed himself and set all the delicious dishes he'd prepared on the table.

 

Jian Suiying walked around the table twice, admiring them. “Wow, Little Li, you're amazing! How can you know how to cook everything?”

 

Li Yu dried his hands and smiled. “Impressed? There are plenty more dishes you haven't tasted yet.”

 

After dinner, Jian Suiying called Li Yu over, saying he had some documents to show him.

 

Li Yu examined them. They concerned a parcel of land by Beijing's northern Fifth Ring Road. It belonged to a state-owned enterprise and was about to be offered at public auction.

 

Jian Suiying explained, “I've dealt with the woman in charge of this company. With a little manipulation at the auction, nobody else will buy it. I'd really like to get this land, but the investment would be enormous. Have a look and tell me what you think.”

 

Li Yu turned through the documents. “The location is excellent. It borders roads on two sides. Whatever you build there should be highly profitable.”

 

“Exactly. And I heard recently that they're planning to extend the underground railway out there. Once that happens, the value will more than double.”

 

“How much would you need to invest?”

 

Jian Suiying sighed. “At least four billion yuan.”

 

Li Yu considered it. “The land really is worth that much. But where are you going to find such an enormous investment?”

 

“The company's current cash flow might cover a few hundred million. For the rest, I'd have to mortgage the projects we're holding. I had dinner recently with the president of Bank X's head office and discussed it. If I mortgaged both the Qinhuangdao and Sanya projects, I could more or less raise the money. Once we own the land, getting further financing will be easier.”

 

Li Yu frowned. “I think the risk is far too high. Have you investigated it thoroughly? Is the title clear? Can ownership be transferred immediately?”

 

Jian Suiying smiled. “I've checked all that. There's no problem. The land belongs to the company, and all the paperwork is in order. But an investment like this isn't something you agree to today and pay for tomorrow. You're right about the risks. I haven't decided to do it. I just wanted you to have a look.”

 

“Have you considered finding a partner?”

 

“Of course. I just haven't found anyone suitable yet. That piece of land is terribly tempting…” Jian Suiying narrowed his eyes at the documents, ambition blazing in his gaze.

 

Li Yu smiled. “I doubt you're the only person tempted by it. Better keep looking into it. If you really pursue this, you won't have enough money left to invest in your other projects.”

 

“Exactly. If only that hotel in Sanya could be finished sooner.” Jian Suiying considered it for a moment. “Oh, Little Lin recommended this land to me. The brat has a good eye and puts some thought into things.”

 

Li Yu's smile stiffened. “Suilin?”

 

“That's right.”

 

Li Yu picked up the documents he'd set aside and went through them carefully again. On paper, he still couldn't find anything wrong. Yet something felt like a stone lodged in his chest. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

 

Jian Suiying took a drag on his cigarette and smiled. “Little Lin's got a good brain, but he's too timid. He's been like a little girl since childhood. Who knows whether he'll ever manage anything significant?”

 

Li Yu barely heard him. He was absorbed in his own thoughts. Eventually, he decided Jian Suilin surely didn't have the nerve or ability to manipulate a deal of this size.

 

After all, they shared the same surname and were brothers. Stealing a little pocket money from his older brother was one thing. Surely Suilin wouldn't do something stupid and harmful that benefited nobody.

 

Although the land tempted Young Master Jian enormously, the required investment was too great, and he had to put the idea aside for the moment. Still, he continued cultivating his connections in the hope of extracting more financing from the banks.

 

Meanwhile, he hadn't forgotten about the land in Beihai.

 

Initially, Jian Suiying had intended to send a subordinate to investigate. But the more he thought about it, the more sensitive the matter seemed. He didn't entirely trust anyone. An unfamiliar employee going there would be ignored at best and might alert those involved.

 

In the end, he decided to send Little Lin.

 

Suilin was on his summer holiday and had plenty of time. He'd visited Beihai twice, met Li Xuan and some of the local people, and was still young enough not to arouse much suspicion. However Jian Suiying looked at it, he seemed the most suitable person.

 

So he called Little Lin, telling him he'd be coming home for dinner that evening and wanted to discuss something.

 

Jian Suiying hadn't returned to the family home for at least a month. His father was rather pleased and opened a bottle of Maotai someone had given him.

 

Jian Suiying drank a couple of glasses with his father and Little Lin. Looking at his father's flushed face, he suddenly felt the man had aged quite a bit.

 

His father had acquired a shipping company several months earlier and was busy securing quotas, eager to keep up with the times and move into import-export trade. Although he wasn't young, he couldn't bear to be idle for a single day. Perhaps he'd spent so much time travelling around recently that he'd even grown a little darker from the sun.

 

Whenever the three men drank together, Zhao Yan sensibly stayed out of sight. Jian Suiying was therefore in a relatively good mood. For once, he didn't feel surrounded by inexplicable resentment the moment he returned to the house, and he behaved quite amiably towards his father and Little Lin.

 

His father drank a little too much and went upstairs to rest early. Jian Suiying stayed downstairs with Jian Suilin and explained the situation with the Beihai land, analysing his ideas and concerns one by one.

 

If Jian Suilin's face hadn't already been flushed from drinking, Jian Suiying would certainly have noticed something strange in his expression.

 

“Try not to let Li Xuan know you're there investigating. You've been to Beihai twice, so you should've made some contacts. I'm leaving this matter to you.”

 

Jian Suilin nodded stiffly. “All right. No problem.”

 

“Find out exactly what went wrong. If Li Xuan really took some benefit and helped those two idiots cheat me, I won't let him off easily either.”

 

Under the influence of alcohol, Jian Suiying made those threats in front of his younger brother. Yet deep down, he knew he couldn't really do much to Li Xuan even if he had behaved dishonourably.

 

For one thing, it wasn't worth falling out with Li Xuan over a deal that had caused him no substantial financial loss, only humiliation. For another, Li Xuan was his precious Little Li's older brother. Even if Jian Suiying disregarded Li Xuan's feelings, he had to consider Li Yu's.

 

He wanted to uncover the entire story mainly so he could thoroughly ruin things for the two people who'd deceived him.

 

Having drunk too much to drive, Jian Suiying stayed the night at the family home.

 

Back in his room, Jian Suilin found Li Yu's number on his phone and stared at it for a long while without pressing the call button.

 

Eventually, he sent a text asking whether Li Yu would be coming to the office the next day.

 

After a while, Li Yu replied with a single word: “Yes.”

 

Jian Suilin put down his phone and let his somewhat dizzy head rest against the back of the chair. He sat in the darkness with his eyes half open, seeing nothing but a blank white wall.

 

Suddenly, his phone chimed twice again. It was another message from Li Yu, asking, “What's wrong?”

 

What's wrong…

 

The corners of Jian Suilin's mouth twisted into a mocking smile. The thing he yearned for with every ounce of his strength had fallen effortlessly into the hands of this supposed good friend. Of everyone in the world, Li Yu had the least right to ask him what was wrong.

 

Now even seeing the two characters of Li Yu's name stirred a surge of hatred he could hardly contain. He threw his phone onto the desk with a clatter and walked unsteadily towards Jian Suiying's room.

 

Jian Suiying was sleeping very deeply.

 

Perhaps the alcohol had made Jian Suilin much bolder than usual. He sat on the edge of the bed, switched on the dim bedside lamp and gazed at Jian Suiying's sleeping face.