Translated by Eve
Edited by Kara
Thank you Tess for the kofi 💕
People who would come to visit you for New Year’s would always go on and on, making small talk and exchanging blessings. Even if the other person didn’t speak, they would put on a one-man show and talk for half a day by themselves. Song Xuanlin’s gaze was slightly lowered, and he occasionally made a polite response. Discreetly, his eyes would wander around aimlessly as he took in his surroundings from the corners of his eyes. His gaze shifted from the dust in the air that was currently visible due to the sun’s rays to Song Jiabao’s father’s raised shirt collar.
They were still chatting over on that side. Song Xuanlin gave a quiet response before turning around, intending to head outside for a breath of fresh air. He took a step back and turned his head around, the rest of his body trailing after. His torso and the hand holding his cell phone had only shifted halfway when he suddenly paused. At the same time, his brows furrowed.
His eyes had fallen onto a scene not too far away from him. He could still hear the voice of the person who he had been talking to just now as well as the conversation on the sofa behind him.
“Jiabao had found himself a girlfriend last year, but neither his mother nor I believe that she’s a good fit for him. When it comes to choosing a wife, young men like him aren’t thoughtful enough. They only realize how important it is to marry someone of equal status when they’re older. Speaking of which, Xuanlin is already so big. Has he brought a girl home yet? If he’s single, my wife and I can help him look around to see if there are any suitable women.”
“There’s no hurry.” There was a trace of a smile in Li Nianan’s voice. “He’s not that old yet. Nowadays, getting married at thirty is still considered early. We won’t rush him.”
“That won’t do.” Song Jiabao’s father said, “Men need to first establish their families before establishing their careers. Even Xuanhe’s had a few boyfriends already. And yet, Xuanlin hasn’t even had one.”
The conversation from the sofa clearly transmitted through the air and into Song Xuanlin’s ears. Song Xuanlin had listened to it quietly, his gaze still focused on the sight in front of him. His frown intensified.
“He bao is young and likes to have fun.” Li Nianan’s tone was very doting. “That child has been spoiled rotten by us since childhood. What he had said regarding Jiabao really wasn’t nice. I hope you won’t hold it against that child.”
“We won’t.” Song Jiabao’s mother laughed. “Our Jiabao felt guilty towards him. That’s why he had rushed over here as soon as he had recovered a bit to apologize. Speaking of which, I wonder what they’re talking about outside. They’re still not back yet…Should I go take a look…?”
“Boys.” Song Jiabao’s father interrupted his wife. “They don’t tend to hold grudges against each other after a fight. Besides, they have grown up together. And, they’re cousins. It’s normal for them to talk a bit longer after making up. You’ll only disturb them if you were to head over.”
“You’re right, hahahahaha.” Song Jiabao’s mother covered her mouth and laughed.
As he listened to the conversation, Song Xuanlin’s lips had curled up lightly. Soon after, he soundlessly coughed into his fist, and he fixed his expression.
“It’s a bit cold today.” Song Jiabao’s mother said in a concerned tone after she had stopped laughing. “It’s snowing hard outside too. I wonder if they’ll get cold, being out there.”
Li Nianan beamed. “You’re right. If you’re worried, we can go look for them.”
“You two don’t need to go.” Song Jiabao’s father smiled and stood up. “You two continue chatting. I just so happen to want to have a smoke. I’ll go see how they are on the way.”
Song Jiabao’s father turned around as he had said those words. He had just taken a step when he felt a hand press down on his shoulder, pushing his butt back onto the sofa. He was startled. “Xuanlin, you….”
“Uncle.” Song Xuanlin fixed Song Jiabao’s father’s collar. “Your collar is dishevelled.”
Li Nianan was also slightly surprised. When she saw Song Jiabao’s mother look over, she smiled. “This child has always been obsessed with cleanliness and tidiness since he was young. He can’t stand it if anything is even slightly out-of-place. Sorry for that.”
Song Jiabao’s father finally came back to himself. He felt flattered and overwhelmed by favour.
He’d always really liked his eldest nephew. He was far superior to Song Jiabao, whether it was with regards to his personality or his accomplishments, let alone Song Xuanhe.
Therefore, he had always thought, “How good would it be if Song Xuanlin was my son?” Or, he would also think that life would have been better if he had been born Song Yansong’s son. It was just that Song Xuanlin was too precocious and polite. He didn’t tend to act close to them, even though they were relatives. He even addressed him less intimately than Song Xuanhe did. Song Xuanlin’s intimate act today delighted him, and a smile bloomed on his face.
“What is there to be sorry about?” Song Jiabao’s father said with a smile, “Xuanlin has such a steady personality. I’m lucky that he had noticed it and even helped me fix it. Otherwise, my friends would have made fun of me if I were to go see them later like that.”
He turned to Song Xuanlin. “Thank you, Xuanlin.”
“It’s nothing, Uncle.”
Song Xuanlin glanced at the window through the corner of his eye. After nodding, he sat beside Song Jiabao’s father. He had just sat down and had been about to say something when he heard the sound of something hitting the window facing the garden.
Everyone in the living room furrowed their brows and turned to look at the window.
“What’s going on?” Song Guochao stood up at once. As soon as he had, he saw Song Jiabao pressed against the window, face bloodied from the beating Song Xuanhe had given him. He promptly roared, “Song Xuanhe! What are you doing?!”
Song Yansong had been resting his eyes. When he had heard Song Guochao’s shout, he slowly opened his eyes.
At this moment, Song Jiabao’s parents had already dashed over to the window. Panicked, they tried to open the locked window. Because they were too flustered, they couldn’t open it despite trying several times.
The Song Residence’s soundproofing was excellent. Even the window facing the garden had been soundproofed. However, Song Xuanhe had very quickly calmed down after having flown into a fit of rage earlier. He had also asked the System to keep a constant eye on the movements inside the house. Therefore, the System had warned Song Xuanhe as soon as Song Xuanlin had discovered him. It was just that he had still been in a foul mood, so he had had no intention of stopping.
However, Song Xuanlin’s actions had surprised him and caused his anger to lessen. In addition, he had already beaten Song Jiabao’s face so badly that there was nothing else to ruin. Song Xuanhe had even trampled on Song Jiabao’s arm that was still in a cast. Currently, Song Jiabao was slumped over, motionless. He couldn’t even speak. All that came out of him were moans of pain. Therefore, Song Xuanhe didn’t feel like hitting him anymore.
Thus, he had picked Song Jiabao up and thrusted him against the glass in an attempt to call everyone’s attention.
【Brother….】The System gulped, seeming very human-like：【What are you doing? You beat someone up and even want to make it known to everyone….And…you were so ruthless….】
Looking at Song Xuanhe’s cold, tranquil expression, the System stopped midway through its words. It didn’t know why, but it felt like it was seeing the image of someone else on Song Xuanhe right now—someone really familiar. However, it was currently busy looking up the laws of this country as well as making predictions as to how the Song Family would handle this. It didn’t have any spare data to analyze who Song Xuanhe seemed like right now.
However, even without analyzing anything, it did know one thing. Its file for Song Xuanhe seemed to be terribly wrong. In its records, Song Xuanhe had a C-rank in terms of how dangerous he was. It was just a bit higher than an average person’s D+. In contrast, the protagonist, Xiao Yuanmu, was S-ranked. But now, it looked like it would have to re-analyze Song Xuanhe’s ranking.
【I’ve detected that…Song Jiabao has three broken ribs, a serious head injury, and twenty-one contusions. Of his contusions, the bruises on his abdominal area are the most serious. However, it doesn’t seem like he’s suffering from internal bleeding. On the other hand, his arm is broken again. With the current state of this world’s medicine, he will likely suffer after-effects even after recovery, because he suffered another serious injury before he had even healed fully. According to what I know, the punishment in this country for assault is…. 】
【Enough.】
Song Xuanhe interrupted the System and let go of Song Jiabao, who was already incapable of speech. He simply stood there and stared at the people inside, who had finally managed to open the glass door.
【You can’t go to prison!】The System said, panicked：【If you go to jail, then your mission will be deemed a failure. If that happens, you’ll….】
Song Xuanhe’s gaze flitted towards Song Xuanlin, who was standing in front of Song Jiabao’s agitated mother—either intentionally or not— with a slight knit in his eyebrows. His eyes then shifted to Li Nianan, who was walking towards him with a worried look on her face. He then looked at Song Yansong, who was walking towards him with steady steps and an imposing expression.
He asked in a calm voice：【Did you not look at my history before choosing me to transmigrate into this book?】
The System didn’t even pause when faced with Song Xuanhe’s sudden question that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the present circumstances. It replied：【Systems cannot invade their hosts’ privacy. This is the first rule that Systems must abide by. Even if we have to analyze our hosts for the sake of the mission, we will only look into what has happened within the last year. We will never overstep boundaries. If the main System were to detect that we have breached this rule, we would be destroyed.】
Worried that Song Xuanhe would misunderstand something, the System added：【I would never look into your past from your original world or your memories. That’s why I have no clue as to what might have happened to you prior to entering this world.】
Song Jiabao was supported by his mother. He was curled up, groans spilling out of his lips. His mother shrieked, screaming for someone to call the doctor. When Song Xuanlin had stood up, a servant, who had been keeping out of the way, promptly called for the Song Family’s private doctor. Song Guochao glared at Song Xuanhe. Aside from anger, there was also a concealed delight within his expression. Only Song Yansong showed no expression. He only looked at Song Xuanhe silently.
Song Xuanhe’s eyelids were half-lowered, and his lips discreetly curled into a smile. He said to the System in his mind：【No right to look into that, huh…that’s okay. All you have to know is that I’ll be fine.】
【Why are you so sure?】The System examined the emotional fluctuations of everyone at the scene, calculating the probability that they would call the police and send Song Xuanhe to jail. It felt like its processor was starting to heat up from how quickly it was working.
【Because….】Song Xuanhe hid his bloodied hand behind him. When he saw that Song Yansong furrowed his brows slightly and pursed his lips, he continued in a calm, serene tone：【Because, the last person I had fought with still lies in the hospital unconscious to this day. But when you had found me, I was still fine, wasn’t I?】
After he had spoken to the System, Song Xuanhe looked up at Song Yansong and said, “I will take full responsibility for this.”
When Song Guochao had heard this, he spoke up at once. “Of course you will! Even if he’s your cousin, you can’t….”
“Shut up.” Song Yansong first gave Song Guochao an insipid glance before speaking to Song Xuanhe. “Regardless of what issue you have between you two, you should not have beaten your cousin up like this. Apologize immediately!”
Li Nianan had wanted to walk over to Song Xuanhe. Hearing this though, she paused. Song Guochao widened his eyes in disbelief. Song Jiabao’s parents were both silent, a tense look on both of their faces.
Song Xuanhe glanced at Song Guochao and then curled his lips up into a derisive grin. He then turned to face Song Jiabao, bowing slightly. There was an apologetic look on his face. “So sorry.”
It looked like Song Xuanhe was bowing to everyone else. Only Song Jiabao shrunk back in fear. He didn’t dare look into Song Xuanhe’s pure, limpid eyes that seemed to be filled with apology.
Only he knew just how terrifying the owner of those eyes was. When Song Xuanhe had brandished his fists with bloodshot eyes, Song Jiabao had originally been happy over infuriating the other. But a second later, Song Xuanhe had seemed to regain his calm. Despite that, the other hadn’t stopped. He had only beaten him more ruthlessly.
Song Xuanhe had hit him in the most painful of places. Song Jiabao hadn’t been able to cry out—he had only been able to emit muffled groans. He had only been able to curl up in an attempt to protect himself. He had then watched helplessly as the other had trampled over his bandaged arm and broke it again. However, not even the bone-piercing pain had filled him with as much horror as Song Xuanhe’s clear eyes did.
Neither Song Jiabao’s pained moans nor the blood on Song Xuanhe’s fists had affected those eyes. Just what kind of person could continue looking so serene and pure even when they had been tormenting someone like this?
Song Jiabao understood very clearly that the Song Xuanhe he had known in the past wasn’t the other’s true self. Song Xuanhe was abnormal. He was like a devil.
No. Song Xuanhe was a devil.
Song Jiabao shrunk further into his mother’s arms, unable to make a sound as his teeth chattered. His deathly pale face showcased his fear.
Song Xuanhe slowly blinked his eyes and said, “Looks like Cousin isn’t willing to forgive. Since that’s the case, I will take full responsibility. Regardless of whether you want to call the police or make me compensate you, I will accept it.”
When Song Jiabao heard this, his eyes had lit up. He wouldn’t have to be afraid if Song Xuanhe ended up in jail…. But just as he was thinking this, he met with Song Xuanhe’s eyes that were just as innocent and pure as they had been while beating him up. He couldn’t help but shiver violently.
No! There was no way the Song Family would let Song Xuanhe go to prison! In the future, if Song Xuanhe was to get revenge on him over this, he might even kill him!
Song Xuanhe would definitely kill him! Song Jiabao’s fear intensified, and he started to cough, wanting to speak up.
His mother promptly stopped him. “Jiabao, don’t speak, don’t move. Wait until the doctor gets here. Be good. Listen to Mom.”
“Call what police?” Song Yansong’s icy, stern gaze fell onto Song Jiabao’s parents, pausing on Song Jiabao’s mother’s face for a few seconds. He then said, “The family physician will arrive soon. There is no need to make such a big fuss over a familial quarrel. Today is New Year’s Day. There’s no reason to have the police come here.”
When she had heard this, Song Jiabao’s mother froze. She turned to look at her husband. Song Jiabao’s father gnashed his teeth but forced himself to agree. “Right. It’s just a little fight between children. There’s no need to involve the police. We’re all family here. There’s no need to raise such a fuss.”
Song Yansong’s stern gaze then fell onto Song Xuanhe. He chided him in a heavy voice. “Apologize to your Cousin again! If you cannot obtain his forgiveness, get lost! There will be no need for you to spend New Year’s here!”
The System was surprised by how, although Song Yansong had sounded angry, there was no substantial criticism in his words at all：【Do you humans not follow the law? You could be charged with assault for what you had done to Song Jiabao. And, why aren’t Song Jiabao’s parents demanding justice for him?】
Song Xuanhe didn’t respond to the System. He only leaned down towards Song Jiabao again. Softly, he said, “Cousin, sorry.”
Song Jiabao trembled. He dry-heaved a few times before he was able to force out a few words. “I, cough, I forgive…you!”
“The doctor’s here!”
The servant had returned but didn’t enter the garden. Instead, she had stood to the side and raised her voice to alert her masters. Behind her was the doctor, who had rushed over here.
When Song Yansong saw the doctor, he paused. He then looked at Song Xuanlin, who had been the one to order the servant to call for the doctor. He then nodded. “The doctor’s here. Let him examine Jiabao.”
Song Xuanhe raised a brow in surprise when he saw the doctor. However, he didn’t say anything. Song Jiabao’s parents let go of Song Jiabao. Rather than how this matter would be dealt with, they were more concerned about their son.
The doctor squatted down to examine Song Jiabao. Every time he had pressed down on Song Jiabao’s body, he would ask the other how it felt. What he got in return were increasingly shrill screams from Song Jiabao.
In the end, the doctor furrowed his brows and concluded, “He’s got contusions all over his body, but there’s no internal bleeding. His left arm and hand are likely broken. He will need to be examined at the hospital for a more precise diagnosis. I suggest that you immediately take him to the hospital.”
Upon hearing this, Song Jiabao’s parents were alarmed. Their faces were covered in concern and distress for their child. There were also traces of resentment and indignation that they failed to conceal.
Song Xuanhe naturally knew who that resentment and indignation was directed towards. However, he simply lowered his gaze serenely. He then watched as the servants lifted Song Jiabao into the car. The reason they were using a car instead of an ambulance was because Song Jiabao’s parents tactfully thought that it would be inauspicious of them to let an ambulance come to the door on New Year’s Day.
The car slowly drove away. Once again, the servants went back to their work in perfect order. Song Guochao’s face was dark, and it looked like he was still unresigned and wanted to say something. Song Yansong swept a cool eye towards Song Xuanhe and said, “Follow me to the study.”
Standing in the study, facing the old man sitting behind the desk in front of him, Song Xuanhe suddenly felt like this scene was all too familiar to him. It was like he had gone several years into the past.
Back then, he had sent a classmate who had insulted his parents to the ICU. He had heard that the classmate’s situation had been dangerous and that he had been constantly on the verge of death. Meanwhile, he, who had been the one to nearly send the other to his death, was on the brink of being sent to prison at any time. But, Song Xuanhe hadn’t cared about any of that. He hadn’t minded paying with his life. He didn’t regret beating up that person at all, and he wasn’t afraid of whatever the law had decided to punish him with.
However, his grandfather had decisively and quickly dealt with everything. His grandfather had first forced him to apologize to the classmate, who was still unconscious, and his parents. He had then given the classmate’s parents a huge sum as compensation. Furthermore, he had given them two cooperation contracts that his investment team had predicted would bring huge returns. Like this, his grandfather had settled the matter.
Back then, Song Xuanhe had felt a little bit of regret. He had originally thought that his grandfather hadn’t cared about him. He had thought that he would finally get to be with his parents again. But, he hadn’t expected for things to take such a turn. He hadn’t expected to learn first-hand just how effective wealth and power were.
It had made him nauseous.
He had remembered how his grandfather, who had always been calm, had slammed his hands down on the table and scolded him for not making something more of himself. He had berated him for letting down his parents and had told him just how much the Song Family had sacrificed on his behalf. He had then asked him why couldn’t he be more like his cousin. His cousin had been raised by his aunt just like he had been, so why was there such a difference between them?
Back then, Song Xuanhe had only sneered. He had said, “I’m going to race at Liang Mountain tomorrow. If you regret helping me, just set up an accident. Make sure no one will figure out that something’s off, and don’t leave any evidence. If something happens to me, you won’t have to hand over those contracts.”
What he had gotten in response was an ink slab to the head. His forehead had quickly been covered in blood.
The seventeen-year-old him had really been juvenile and ridiculous. Thinking back on it again though, Song Xuanhe still didn’t regret making sure that that person would never be able to speak again. The only thing that upset him about it was having let down his parents. He hadn’t grown up into the kind of man they would have wanted. Instead, he had become a bad child, who would cause them to frown if they were to ever see him again.
From that day on, Song Xuanhe had started to fear death. He had become afraid of seeing his deceased parents, afraid that they’d be disappointed in him. He hadn’t known what he would do if his parents weren’t willing to see him.
It had seemed like, regardless of whether it was in life or death, there was nowhere for him to go.
“Song Xuanhe, do you know what you have done wrong?”
Song Yansong’s voice pulled Song Xuanhe back to reality. He blinked his eyes, a bit in a daze still. He then lowered his gaze. “Yes.”
“Then tell me, what did you do wrong?” Song Yansong looked at Song Xuanhe, paying attention to his every expression. His gaze was solemn.
Song Xuanhe’s eyelashes were so calm that they looked like they had frozen in place. There was a sliver of remorse in his soft voice. “I shouldn’t have been so impulsive. I shouldn’t have hit Song Jiabao.”
“And?”
“I didn’t think about the losses the family would incur because of this,” Song Xuanhe said, “I’m sorry for letting you and Mother down.”
Song Yansong didn’t respond. His eyes fell onto the other’s lowered gaze. He was silent for a long time before he sighed. There was a hint of exhaustion on this usually hale and hearty old man’s face. “Regardless of how you usually are, Grandpa knows that you’re not actually this reckless. You indeed had gone too far with Song Jiabao, but your mistake is that you didn’t think about the consequences before acting. You have a million ways to teach Song Jiabao a lesson, and yet, you choose the most impulsive one. Even that ex-boyfriend of yours did better than you did today.”
Song Xuanhe looked up, a sliver of astonishment in his eyes.
“Although I don’t support you being with that child, he is indeed talented. Grandpa knows better than you what Song Jiabao is like. An impulsive decision may only seem to be a momentary action, but the consequences you will pay for this action may follow you for a lifetime.”
“Likewise, even if you’re unwilling to succeed the company now, you might regret that decision in the future.” Song Yansong’s stern expression had eased up a little when he said this. A hint of kindness appeared on his harsh, thin face. “This matter is settled already, but you must carefully consider things before making decisions in the future. Regardless of whether you take over the company or not, do not let impulsiveness blind you.”
Song Xuanhe subconsciously nodded. Song Yansong stretched out his hand. “Go, ba. From today on, you will be confined to this house for one week. You are only allowed to leave on the eighth day of the new year.”
As soon as he had exited the study, Song Xuanhe saw Song Xuanlin, who was waiting outside. Song Xuanlin nodded at him when he saw that the other’s expression seemed normal. He said, “Follow me.”
Song Xuanhe froze for a second before following after.
They walked to the balcony on the second floor. Song Xuanlin got right to the point. “Why did you beat Song Jiabao?”
“He did something to make me mad.” Song Xuanhe leaned against the door and asked in a flat voice, “You saw me beating him up. Why did you help me?”
Song Xuanlin turned around. He had furrowed his brows for a second before letting them smooth out. It was just that there was still a sliver of unhappiness in his tone. “I promised Mother that I would take care of you.”
Song Xuanhe was slightly taken aback. He then chuckled. “What if you hadn’t promised her?”
“You’re my younger brother,” Song Xuanlin said in a flat voice, “Although you’re not my ideal younger brother, you’re still my brother.”
The author has something to say:
Xuan baby wasn’t a good kid. He’s still not a particularly good person. Don’t follow his example! You should follow the rules. Of course, if the situation calls for it, you should protect yourself! (Serious face)
Eve: I picked up a new project. It’s called Embers and it’s a sweet school (with some angst) novel about two boys falling in love and changing for the better because of it. Lots of squealing and rolling around in bed kind of fluff. It’s kind of the complete opposite to RMLE because Embers’ MC and ML are all about that good communication and trust haha. MC and ML are not perfect but they will grow~
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