Chapter 140: Reality: Breakup

Chapter 140: Reality: Breakup

Three people sat on the sofa.

Yan Qiling, the unexpected host, served coffee to everyone.

This was the only thing Ming Yiyang's house had to offer: coffee beans and a coffee machine.

Ming Yiyang accepted the coffee but didn't intend to drink it; he didn't want to be kept awake tonight.

Ava pretended to sniff the aroma appreciatively before quickly slipping into character, sighing deeply:

"Brother... This time, I really have no choice. Father has given a strict order, and I can't defy him."

"You know the situation with Mom at home. If I don't listen to PaPa this time, the financial flow of Jingmei will become strained. We currently have several projects in crucial stages of operation..."

"I wish it were truly for your career."

Ming Yiyang lifted his gaze to look at him. His words were as straightforward as his eagle-like gaze at that moment, without any hint of ambiguity:

"You know the reason yourself. Do you really think it's for something good when the old man asks me to return?"

"He doesn't choose anyone else at this crucial moment but me. What do you think that signifies, Ava? You're not naive. You've managed to expand Jingmei to its current scale, not just because of your family's support, but also due to your own vision."

"I don't deny your capabilities, but do you truly believe that my return will grant you what you desire? It won't."

"Ava, step back and view the situation objectively. By calling me back, you're essentially using me as a shield for the old man. You're well aware of the tactics those people might employ against you when the time comes."

Ava's originally gentle gaze transformed into one of profound contemplation.

He hadn't expected Ming Yiyang, far away from Indonesia, to offer such insightful remarks.

Did this imply that the other man was secretly keeping tabs on the family's affairs as well?

His resolve regarding his father's mission wavered, but Ava understood that the best course of action now was to avoid disappointing his father, rather than dwelling on whether Ming Yiyang was indeed the favored candidate.

Should he truly return home, he had many tools at his disposal.

No matter how favored a choice, once tainted, the old man would surely discard them, and they would no longer fit into the current environment.

Ultimately, he could only be utilized by them.

But the first step was to pry Ming Yiyang away.

After a brief contemplation, he attempted to probe further:

"Brother, I have no intention of competing with others. I just want to focus on our exquisite business..."

"Regardless of your intentions, once you get involved in Grandfather's messy affairs, neither Brother One nor Brother Two will let you off."

Ming Yiyang picked up his coffee cup again, bringing it to his lips. His lowered eyes concealed a cold, dark emotion:

"How long have they been eyeing that position beneath Grandfather? You called me back with such fanfare at Grandfather's request. Don't you think you'll be implicated in this matter?"

"Think about it, with their paranoid nature, would they suspect that Grandfather is showing favoritism towards you, liking you, and then start ganging up against you?"

Ava remained silent as Ming Yiyang, with a clear understanding of the situation, sipped his coffee calmly and unhurriedly.

"You disregard the old man's advice, and Jing Mei might only be temporarily stuck in their performance."

"You follow the old man's lead, and whether Jing Mei can survive... is uncertain. It's not just you handling this business; how many people rely on them, do you know that?"

Ava gazed at his silver-haired brother with dark eyes, realizing for the first time that the man was not the reckless brute he had imagined.

This brother, who had once struggled in the wilderness and never returned, had an unexpectedly clear understanding of the situation.

"Am I supposed to be unaware of this?"

Ava's expression was serene, no longer wearing the mask of vulnerability he had before.

His calmness lent him an aura of maturity beyond his years, making others instinctively trust the information he conveyed:

"I apologize for my previous recklessness. They were sent by Papa, and I had no choice but to comply... Moreover, I admit it."

"I want to take a chance."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ming Yiyang set down his coffee, his tone laced with frost.

"You're insane."

"I know you'd say that, but I wasn't entirely unprepared."

Ava looked at the potential ally, attempting to persuade him, "Could Father not be aware of Big Brother and Second Brother's ambitions? It's precisely because he knows that he wants others to enter the fray."

"He's been in power for a lifetime and doesn't want to face a lack of options as he nears the end. I believe Father had a very certain successor in mind before."

"However, recently, Big Brother and Second Brother have gone too far. They've done things that undermine the family's foundation, causing Father's resolve to waver."

"He's not just looking for a sharpening stone for them; he's also exploring whether there might be other viable alternatives."

Ava gazed sincerely at the young man, "This is a golden opportunity, Brother. Initially, we had no chance of competing in Father's eyes, but now, it's different."

"Brother, Father trusts you deeply, and he genuinely needs you. And I need you too."

"Are you willing to stay here for the rest of your life? There's an ancient Chinese saying: 'A golden carp is not meant for a pond, it transforms into a dragon when it meets the wind and clouds.' Brother, we both have opportunities, opportunities that span across Southeast Asia!"

"Do you know how drastically your life would change once you possess these assets? It's beyond our wildest imagination, more significant than reaching paradise itself."

"Makes one truly unable to imagine," Ming Yiyang replied coldly, as if he were hearing about a nightmare rather than a billion-dollar business opportunity.

Ava was taken aback at first, then wore a look of utmost helplessness.

"Brother, how could owning such assets be bad? I know you don't like this sort of thing, but having more assets won't hurt you!" "If you're worried about the shady parts implicating you, our family has legitimate businesses too. You can strive for those. Papa needs you so much now, he'd surely..."

"Are you done talking?"

Ming Yiyang picked up his coffee and poured it into the trash can.

His patience had run out.

"When you've had your fill of talking, take your people and leave. I've wasted enough time already. Listening any longer means I won't have time to cook dinner. scram, I still need to go grocery shopping."

Ava glanced at the time on their smartwatch but decided to stay, despite the difficulty:

"Brother, if you truly don't want to go back, please just have a video call with Papa, alright? I'm begging you."

"No way, the sight of him disgusts me."

Ming Yiyang stood up, his tall figure exuding an intensely oppressive aura that made it hard to breathe:

"Ava, if you keep going, we can no longer be brothers. Leave!"

"Brother, do you have to be like this?"

"I'm not asking for anything. Just leave, and things between us will be as they were before."

In the deep, Slavic eyes of the mixed-race youth, there was an unwavering clarity and determination:

"One last time, I have no interest in anything belonging to that old man, including his money."

Ava rose slowly, but in that instant, he abruptly tapped on his smartwatch, forcefully initiating a video call!

Ming Yiyang: ?!

His first instinct was to hang up, but Ava swiftly dodged and shielded his wristwatch, pleading,

"Please, big brother, just take a look!"

The video call connected promptly, and a gentle voice echoed through the line,

"Master Wa Qima, you...?"

Tears streaming down his face, Ava cried,

"Brother, can't you even grant me this one video call? I beg of you."

"Get lost!"

In a fit of rage, Ming Yiyang kicked over the tea table on the marble floor!

The heavy coffee table left a crack in the matching floor, causing Ava to jump in fright. The bodyguards rushed in from outside the door.

The young man suppressed his anger and first glanced at Yan Qiling, who had remained silent on the sofa. Seeing no reaction, he closed his eyes, controlling himself to speak with an icy tone:

"Leave the key."

Ava was speechless.

With trembling hands, he dropped the access card and, with red-rimmed eyes, left under the guard of the bodyguards.

With a thud, the room fell eerily quiet as if no one was there.

Yan Qiling maintained his professional spectator attitude, not offering much comment on the situation.

But at this point, he got up, stepped over the scattered debris, and gently placed a hand on Ming Yiyang's shoulder, his tone as gentle as a warm afternoon sun:

"Why are you so angry?"

The young man followed his touch and turned around, pressing his thin lips into a straight line, a hint of stubbornness in his gaze.

"You're satisfied now."

"What am I supposed to be satisfied with?"

Yan Qiling couldn't help but chuckle.

"I just think that if you don't like it, it's better to end things cleanly. That way, it's good for him, and for you too."

Ming Yiyang was taken aback, then suddenly lowered his head and embraced the person in front of him.

The man's waist was slender, so much so that Ming Yiyang felt he could snap it in two with just a bit more pressure.

Yet, this person was as unyielding as a rock, with an inner world as vast as mountains and oceans, shimmering with tranquility yet surging with hidden currents, filled with mysteries that were endless to explore.

In this moment, although Ming Yiyang held the other tightly, his heart felt like a small boat adrift, swept along by the waves in this vast sea.

Yan Qiling gently wrapped his arms around the young man's shoulders. His breath carried the distinctive scent of cologne, mixed with the bitter aroma unique to coffee.

"Actually, even if you didn't follow me, you would still have had a stable life of your own."

Ming Yiyang couldn't help but hold on a little tighter, using a force that seemed to want to crush the man into his body while at the same time desperately holding back to avoid harming him in the slightest.

"Don't even think about getting away from me."

"I don't want you to die, nor do I want to kill you."

The man's cold hand gently patted his shoulder with a detached and mild tone as he spoke the truth.

"I have no idea what I'll encounter in the next second, or what I'll become."

"It doesn't matter. Whoever you are, it's still you."

The young man buried his head deeply into the man's neck, greedily absorbing the unique scent belonging solely to this person.

"As long as it's you, I'll accept it all."

"Even if it means death."

-

It was a night not much different from any other. After Yan Qiling finished writing part of "Yan's Spirit Seal Chronicles," he went downstairs to make tea.

In the backyard, Ming Yiyang was on the phone with Chi Zihe without bothering to lower his voice. He seemed to be engaged in some handicraft, so he used speaker mode.

Chi Zihe's voice echoed faintly through the glass:

"…So, what have you prepared? Did you bring the talismans? Why didn't you listen when I told you to grab your bag? Did you get the one I sent you?"

Ming Yiyang replied nonchalantly:

"I got it, but it's not really useful. Still, I'll bring it along just in case. Don't worry."

Chi Zihe's patience was wearing thin:

"What the hell, if it's useless, why are you bringing it? When you come out, I swear I'll beat you up! You dare to take the blue ticket too? They already erased it for you, and you're still rushing into danger? Seriously… Lingshuang, tell him where my blood pressure pills are. I need to take two."

"Alright, alright."

She Lingshuang's conciliatory tone came from inside:

"It's okay, Yang Yang. Old Chi is just overly worried. But you must keep that bag securely. And I've modified the bracelet into a wristlet; remember to put it on Uncle Yan. Don't break it like the ring last time, it's really hard to find this secret silver material."

Ming Yiyang's tone softened significantly.

"Yes, I understand."

She Lingshuang inquired,

"When are you going in? I think it would be best to ask Pan Hu for assistance in protecting the ritual."

Ming Yiyang didn't respond directly.

"We'll go soon. Don't worry about us."

She Lingshuang sighed as she listened.

"Alright, make sure to let us know when you're safe, okay?"

"I will."

On the other end of the line, Chi Zihe seemed to have accidentally knocked over his daughter's milk bottle, causing the infant to wail like a piglet. The couple hurriedly attended to the crying child, forcing them to abruptly end the call.

Holding the intricately woven silver bracelet in his palm, Ming Yiyang slid open the balcony door and entered the living room, only to find Yan Qiling sipping tea.

The man must have been sitting there for an unknown duration, possibly overhearing bits and pieces of their conversation.

Ming Yiyang didn't mind; he just wanted to take in this man's image as much as possible.

Perceiving his gaze, Yan Qiling turned his head, revealing a radiant smile like a blooming white azalea:

"I'll head to the bathroom after finishing this cup."

Ming Yiyang composed himself, suppressing his pounding heart, and softly acknowledged with a gentle "mm," proceeding directly upstairs to the bathroom.

Yan Qiling drank his tea in tranquil silence. After closing his eyes to clear his mind, he finally stood up.

It was a quiet night without rain. Only the soft rustling of leaves could be heard.

He turned the bathroom doorknob and pushed the door open.

The cold water in the bathtub was already prepared, and on the outer side, there was a long lounge chair.

Ming Yiyang sat on the chair, engrossed in playing with a silver bracelet in his hand.

Yan Qiling pretended not to notice him and stepped into the bathtub, his hand still on the edge. Suddenly, his wrist was grasped by an intensely hot temperature.

The young man, who had initially bent down to hold his wrist, now leaned in to gently kiss the back of his hand.

Then, he carefully fastened the silver chain around the man's wrist, his posture humble yet his tone domineering as he said:

"No removing it."

Yan Qiling's surprised smile was tinged with an unconscious gentleness:

"Okay."

"And no breaking it."

"Okay."

"Don't leave me behind."

This time, the man didn't answer him so promptly.

There were no more rustling leaves audible in the bathroom. Only the sound of water flowing through the pipes remained.

Yan Qiling allowed himself to be led, his gaze filled with an almost empty compassion:

"You should know that if you go in now, it might not be an enemy who kills you. It could be me."

The man, as if he had forgotten the deity with eyes adorning his pupils, gazed blindly at his devotee through his unfocused vision:

"I don't have control over everything, including myself."

The young man kissed his wrist again:

"...I'm not as fragile as you think."

His moist black irises gazed upward, radiating arrogance tinged with intense desire.

The young man replied with an unwavering tone, as if making a promise that nothing in this world could alter:

"I can still help you, even without the Yin-Yang Pupils."

"Let me assist you."

"Yan Qiling."