Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Hey, kid." Hearing this, Qin Jianhe laughed in exasperation.

He turned off the tablet and put it down, his usually calm black eyes now tinged with a barely perceptible hint of mockery and amusement.

"Ten years," he asked, his voice deep, "do you know what ten years means?"

"Ten years," Ye Zhiqiu met his gaze, his tone firm, "I do know."

Initially, when Ye Zhiqiu said "ten years," he felt a bit guilty.

To be honest, Jiang Nan's situation had no direct connection to Qin Jianhe.

Qin Jianhe was just unlucky enough to be liked by someone like Jiang Nan.

Naturally, Qin Jianhe's rejection was within Ye Zhiqiu's expectations.

However, Ye Zhiqiu didn't plan to take advantage of him for free.

He couldn't guarantee that he could help Qin Jianhe, but as a gesture of gratitude, he was willing to try his best to prevent the night Jiang Nan drugged him.

In his previous life, because of Qin Jianhe's involvement, the incident caused a huge stir.

The subsequent developments and handling kept the matter in the spotlight for a long time.

For quite a while, news sites were dominated by related stories.

Later, at Meng Qingyan's celebration party, the media captured a photo of the gruesome scar on Qin Jianhe's hand where he had stabbed himself.

Ye Zhiqiu thought such beautiful and precious hands shouldn't bear such an ugly scar.

Just like Qin Jianhe's seemingly perfect life, it shouldn't be marred by someone like Jiang Nan leaving any repulsive traces.

But if Qin Jianhe claimed he didn't understand what "ten years" meant, he would be dead wrong.

Ten years of hell, each day feeling like a year.

Not only did he know, but he understood better than most people in this world.

"I understand, Mr. Qin," Ye Zhiqiu reiterated.

"How old are you?" Qin Jianhe's lips curled slightly, asking nonchalantly.

"Nineteen," Ye Zhiqiu replied, "but I'm not a kid anymore."

If calculated by his age from his previous life, he was even a few years older than Qin Jianhe.

Qin Jianhe looked at him with a smile, raising an eyebrow meaningfully without saying anything.

Nineteen, this young number spoke volumes.

"Mr. Qin," surprisingly, Ye Zhiqiu seemed particularly serious about this matter; he stood firm, "you're only twenty-five, so if anyone should call you uncle, it's me calling you brother, not uncle. But your tone sounds more like my grandpa."

This time, Qin Jianhe genuinely laughed.

His dark eyes sparkled with mirth, shining brightly.

"Sorry," Ye Zhiqiu also smiled, "I didn't mean to offend you, but I do know what ten years means."

Seeing the kid's persistence, Qin Jianhe didn't say anything else.

"Alright, ten years," he said after a moment.

Was this... agreement?

Could it be that Qin Jianhe actually agreed?

Ye Zhiqiu's eyes widened, and his pink lips pressed tightly together.

He stood still, motionless, like a finely crafted large doll.

Qin Jianhe watched him, his tight lips slowly curling into a faint smile.

"What?" he asked, "not happy?"

"No," suppressing his joy, excitement, and disbelief, Ye Zhiqiu seized the opportunity to flatter him, "I'm just amazed by your courage."

Perhaps used to hearing compliments, Qin Jianhe remained completely unmoved by his flattery.

His lips still curved in a smile, but his deep phoenix eyes conveyed a sense of detachment.

Ye Zhiqiu didn't mind; he tried to suppress his own smile, secretly pinching his palm.

It hurt.

He smiled even wider.

As the car turned onto another road, the hospital gates came into view. Only then did Ye Zhiqiu realize he hadn't prepared a gift for the visit.

"Should I go buy a fruit basket or something?" He straightened up and glanced out the window.

"It's ready," Qin Jianhe said, typically concise.

The car entered the hospital and parked in the underground garage. The driver got out, retrieved an exquisite gift box from the trunk, and handed it to Ye Zhiqiu.

Following behind Qin Jianhe, Ye Zhiqiu took the elevator directly to the sixteenth floor VIP ward area.

The entire floor had only ten rooms, and Qin Xusheng resided in room 1606, at the end of the corridor by the window.

The ward was spacious, with an exterior decorated as a comfortable living room, quiet and empty. Inside the ward, two attendants were bending over to massage Qin Xusheng's legs.

Hearing the commotion, Qin Xusheng's closed eyes opened slightly.

Seeing Qin Jianhe, he closed his eyes again.

Qin Jianhe took the gift box from Ye Zhiqiu and placed it aside, not approaching Qin Xusheng but instead pointing to the sofa at the foot of the bed: "Sit down and rest for a while."

Qin Xusheng's eyes opened once more, realizing that Qin Jianhe had brought someone with him this time.

Without even greeting him, Ye Zhiqiu dared not sit. Seeing Qin Xusheng open his eyes, he stepped forward politely: "Hello, Uncle Qin, my name is Ye Zhiqiu."

"Xiao Yu's friend?" Qin Xusheng asked, puzzled and wary.

Qin Jianhe's friends were very fixed; Qin Xusheng knew them all.

This was the first time he saw a stranger by his side, and such a handsome young man at that.

He couldn't help but be on guard.

"Haha... haha..." Ye Zhiqiu thought to himself, how could he be considered Qin Jianhe's friend?

But since he was here, at this moment, they had to be friends.

Just as he was about to nod in agreement, his wrist was suddenly gripped.

"This is my boyfriend," Qin Jianhe introduced calmly to Qin Xusheng.

Qin Xusheng: "..."

His incredibly cloudy, bloodshot eyes widened momentarily before contracting.

Ye Zhiqiu could clearly see the muscles in his gaunt cheeks tense up, as if he had clenched his teeth hard.

It was evident that his presence was not only unwelcome but also deeply revolting to Qin Xusheng.

Ye Zhiqiu did not move, standing quietly beside Qin Jianhe.

"Are you trying to kill me?" After a long pause, Qin Xusheng asked through gritted teeth.

The way he looked at Qin Jianhe was not like looking at his own son but rather like looking at a mortal enemy.

Ye Zhiqiu was slightly distracted and did not expect Qin Xusheng to become so enraged. He grabbed an orange from somewhere and hurled it at Ye Zhiqiu without warning.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Before coming, he never imagined it would be this intense.

Seeing this, Qin Jianhe moved slightly, shielding Ye Zhiqiu behind him.

The fist-sized orange hit his shoulder squarely, which looked painful.

"I brought him here out of courtesy, to let you know I've found a lifelong partner," he said, his voice chillingly cold, "not to have you insult and bully him."

"Qin Jianhe!" With a roar, the silent attendants were all chased out by Qin Xusheng.

Then, he looked at Ye Zhiqiu: "You go out too. I need to talk to Qin Jianhe alone."

"There's nothing that can't be said in front of others," Qin Jianhe said, "there's nothing about my affairs that he can't hear."

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

He really didn't want to listen.

In this intense emotional state, if Qin Xusheng accidentally revealed some shocking secret about Qin Jianhe, his future would be miserable.

But his wrist was tightly held by Qin Jianhe, unable to move.

"Maybe I should still go out?" Ye Zhiqiu smiled gently, looking up, "you and Uncle Qin can chat properly."

"No need," Qin Jianhe lowered his eyes, smoothing back Ye Zhiqiu's slightly long bangs, "are you tired? Do you want to sit and listen?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Sure enough, Qin Xusheng was so angry his hands trembled.

He breathed heavily, his eyes filled with anger and hatred turning to Ye Zhiqiu.

"If you want to listen, fine," he said, "but don't regret it."

"I won't regret it," Ye Zhiqiu remained polite and obedient, "I want to hear anything about Brother Yu."

He smiled: "I want to understand him better."

The hand holding his arm tightened slightly, Qin Jianhe's hot palm pressed against Ye Zhiqiu's smooth skin.

Watching their affectionate interaction, Qin Xusheng nodded through clenched teeth.

"Fine," he asked Qin Jianhe, "what's wrong with your Uncle Wu's daughter Miqing? She graduated from a prestigious university abroad, and her family background is comparable to ours. The girl has liked you for years. Why did you dismiss her outright during your first meeting just to defy me?"

"You overestimate your importance in my life," Qin Jianhe replied calmly, "I don't like her, so I should make her give up and start a new life, rather than dragging her along..."

"I'm not you," Qin Jianhe said.

"Fine..." Qin Xusheng took a deep breath, and Ye Zhiqiu truly feared the old man might not withstand the shock.

Qin Xusheng had many complaints, but summarizing them, they boiled down to Qin Jianhe disrespecting elders, not settling down, disrespecting his stepmother, and neglecting his younger brother, leaving the Qin family facing the crisis of having no successor...

Throughout the conversation, Ye Zhiqiu listened attentively, but Qin Jianhe was already distracted.

He slightly lowered his eyes, his thoughts already wandering far away.

In the end, Ye Zhiqiu learned that Qin Xusheng's hospitalization this time was also due to being angered by his "good son."

"Such a cold-blooded and heartless thing. Do you really think you'll have a good ending with him?" After listing all the accusations, Qin Xusheng felt thirsty. He drank half a cup of cold tea and alternated between kindness and sternness with Ye Zhiqiu, "If it's about money, as long as you leave him, any amount can be yours."

At this point, Qin Xusheng paused, staring intently into Ye Zhiqiu's eyes, "As long as you leave, my butler can hand you the check right away."

This offer was truly tempting.

Ye Zhiqiu subconsciously glanced at Qin Jianhe.

Qin Jianhe was also looking at him, a smile on his lips, but his dark pupils were icy and deep.

Ye Zhiqiu: "……"

"That... that won't do," Ye Zhiqiu hurriedly said, "I and Brother Yu are truly in love. The money and power you mentioned are too vulgar."

He whispered, "Love is such a sacred thing. How can it be used for transactions?"

"Hmph..." Qin Xusheng looked at his youthful and naive face, "Little boy, you're not even an adult yet, are you?"

"So what if I'm an adult, and so what if I'm not?" Ye Zhiqiu smiled, "Like is like."

"You're young and lack judgment, blinded by temporary passion," Qin Xusheng sneered, "Your parents don't know about your relationship with him yet, right? When you go home, ask them and see their attitude. You don't understand yet..."

His tone grew heavier, "How miserable one's old age can be without children. I'm doing this for your own good."

"You do have two sons," Qin Jianhe suddenly spoke, "One nearly destroyed Q.L, and the other literally angered you into the hospital. What right do you have to lecture others?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "……"

Qin Xusheng: "……"

Qin Xusheng's eyes started to roll back, and Ye Zhiqiu was startled. It was like Zhuge Liang angering Zhou Yu three times; Qin Jianhe might actually kill the old man.

"I will talk to my parents about me and Brother Yu later," Ye Zhiqiu hurriedly said, "But it seems all adults are quite materialistic. My parents are naturally obsessed with money. If they knew about Brother Yu's identity, they definitely wouldn't object."

"Also," he continued, "I understand your desire for grandchildren, but Brother Yu likes me. We've already decided that we only belong to each other, and we won't have children."

He paused, "Don't you have two sons? Why don't you let your younger son have children instead?"

Qin Xusheng: "……"

Qin Xusheng's eyes rolled back even more.

"Uncle," Ye Zhiqiu stood up, "Do... do you want me to call a doctor?"

"Get out! Get out of here!" There was a porcelain dish filled with candied plums on the bedside table. Without thinking, Qin Xusheng grabbed it and threw it at them.

The old man looked frail, but he threw with considerable strength.

Qin Jianhe quickly pulled Ye Zhiqiu into his arms. In the urgency, his movements were swift, and Ye Zhiqiu's entire face buried into his chest unexpectedly.

A gust of wind passed behind his head, and the sound of the porcelain shattering against the wall echoed in Ye Zhiqiu's ears.

This was the first time Ye Zhiqiu witnessed such a tense father-son relationship.

Compared to this, his relationship with Ye Hongxian could be considered harmonious.

However, as far as he knew, Qin Xusheng's younger son, Qin Weian, wasn't much younger than Qin Jianhe.

Why did Qin Xusheng insist on having grandchildren from Qin Jianhe, who grew up with his mother at his maternal grandfather's house, rather than from his younger son?

It didn't make sense.

Unless Qin Weian couldn't have children.

Ye Zhiqiu frowned. No wonder Qin Xusheng reacted so strongly when he mentioned Qin Weian earlier.

"You told me to find someone, I found someone, and brought them to you, but you're not satisfied," Qin Jianhe's voice came from above, always low and pleasant, yet always cold. As he spoke, his chest slightly vibrated, "If you hadn't affected my mother's normal life, would I give you this face and opportunity?"

One hand protected Ye Zhiqiu's head, while the other tightly held his hand, showing great care.

"Don't bother my mother anymore," Qin Jianhe stood up with Ye Zhiqiu, "She doesn't mind, but I do. I will respond a hundredfold to those you care about. Also, he said..."

"If you want children, you can have them yourself if your younger son can't. Don't you have plenty of mistresses outside?"

"Get out, get out, get out, get out~" Qin Xusheng's voice had changed, becoming shrill and urgent, making Ye Zhiqiu's scalp tingle.

"Are you okay, darling?" Perhaps because Qin Xusheng's expression was too terrifying, Qin Jianhe didn't let Ye Zhiqiu look. He lifted his hand to hold his face, his voice switching seamlessly from cold to tender.

"Don't be afraid," he said, "Let's go."

Ye Zhiqiu's face was small but warm and soft, like melting cheese in his palm.

Qin Jianhe's large hand almost covered his entire face.

Finding it amusing, he actually did it once.

Ye Zhiqiu: "……"

They left silently, just as doctors and nurses rushed in.

Hearing the commotion inside, the two caregivers in the living room must have pressed the emergency button.

One of the caregivers was urgently calling Wang Xin and Qin Weian.

"Is... is your father going to be alright?" As they left the ward, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but ask.

"Can't die." Qin Jianhe said coldly.

The man was tall, and when his brows furrowed, he exuded an especially distant aura. Ye Zhiqiu instinctively slowed his pace slightly.

"Let's go." Noticing that Ye Zhiqiu hadn't kept up, just like at the red light last time, Qin Jianhe turned around and waited quietly for him.

Ye Zhiqiu quickened his pace again, catching up to Qin Jianhe, and they both got into the elevator together.

While in the hospital room, his phone had been vibrating in his pocket. Now, Ye Zhiqiu took it out to check the messages.

Apart from Jin Baobao sending pictures of Baiyou's new look in the group chat, most of the other messages were from Qi Xin.

The messaging app had already been blocked, so Qi Xin sent texts, one after another, filling up the screen with over a dozen messages.

Perhaps today, both of them had revealed some of their "dark sides" to each other, so even though Qin Jianhe was right beside him and could easily see his screen, Ye Zhiqiu opened Qi Xin's messages without hesitation.

"Xiao Qiu, I was wrong; forgive me this once."

"Xiao Qiu, it's only been a day, but I miss you already."

"..."

"Xiao Qiu, I learned how to make diced pepper fish head today. Want me to bring some to school tomorrow?"

Xiao Qiu, Xiao Qiu, Xiao Qiu...

Other messages aside, the one about the diced pepper fish head made Ye Zhiqiu unconsciously purse his lips.

It was almost noon, and he hadn't even eaten breakfast yet.

His stomach growled involuntarily as thoughts raced through his mind.

"Hungry?" The deep, magnetic voice of the man echoed in the small space.

"What do you think?" Ye Zhiqiu continued ignoring Qi Xin's messages, turning off the screen and pressing his hand against his stomach. "I haven't eaten anything since we parted ways yesterday."

He didn't say he hadn't eaten breakfast, but rather that he hadn't eaten anything since they separated last night.

It made it seem like a long time, making him appear particularly pitiful.

"Wanna grab a bite?" Qin Jianhe asked.

"Sure." Ye Zhiqiu's eyes lit up.

"Diced pepper fish head?" Qin Jianhe asked again.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

"Sure." He said, then added after a moment, "How about I treat you today? Thanks for paying yesterday."

They got into the car, and Qin Jianhe instructed the driver to head towards the Central Business District.

"There's a decent Hunan restaurant behind my company," Qin Jianhe said. "Renzhi has always liked it."

When Yu Renzhi went to Q.L to find him, eight out of ten times, they ended up eating at that restaurant.

The reason they chose a Western restaurant yesterday was simply because Wang Qitang couldn't handle spicy food.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

The location of Q.L was prime real estate, and one could imagine the prices would be steep.

Yunkai was currently in need of money, so he had started selling some of his models, luxury items, and collectibles on second-hand platforms.

If it weren't for wanting to thank Jin Baobao for saving the boxing club a lot of money, he might not have been able to afford dining in this area.

"There's a really good Hunan restaurant near our school," he said with a warm smile. "Wanna try it?"

Qin Jianhe looked at him silently for a moment before smiling. "How about I treat you instead?"

"How can that be?" Ye Zhiqiu immediately replied. "Didn't we agree?"

Qin Jianhe remained silent.

"It's really good," Ye Zhiqiu quickly assured him. "The owners are an elderly couple. They're getting old and will probably retire soon. Besides, it's just a meal. Why not spend the money on the elderly?"

There was a brief silence in the car.

Fortunately, Qin Jianhe was kind. He shifted his body and instructed the driver to head towards the Fashion Institute.

The Hunan restaurant was in a remote location, so the car had to park outside. Ye Zhiqiu led Qin Jianhe through the narrow alleyway.

The weather was nice, and the sunlight illuminated the long, quiet alley, making it warm and peaceful.

He expected Qin Jianhe to resist or be surprised upon seeing the small entrance, but he said nothing and followed Ye Zhiqiu inside silently.

Since it was a weekend and still early for lunch, the restaurant was empty.

"Xiao Ye is here," the elderly owner greeted warmly upon seeing Ye Zhiqiu. "Isn't it a weekend? What brings you here?"

"Mm," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "I brought a friend to eat here."

The old man glanced at Qin Jianhe and whispered to Ye Zhiqiu, "This one is much better than the previous one."

While they chatted, Qin Jianhe sat at the innermost table, wiping the chopsticks with a napkin.

When Ye Zhiqiu approached, he handed him the freshly wiped pair.

"Order by scanning the code," Ye Zhiqiu said with a smile, pouring himself a cup of hot water and holding it in his hands. "Pick whatever you like. Don't hesitate; no need to save money for me."

Hearing this, Qin Jianhe smiled. "You order. I can eat anything."

Ye Zhiqiu took out his phone and placed the order skillfully.

"Their stir-fried bacon with bamboo shoots is amazing," he said. "You should try it later."

"Okay." Qin Jianhe agreed.

The elderly man was quick, and in no time, four dishes and a soup were served.

Seeing Qin Jianhe take a bite of the bamboo shoot, Ye Zhiqiu's eyes immediately lit up as he asked, "Is it good?"

Qin Jianhe took a sip of water and nodded after a moment. "It’s alright."

"Hey, Mr. Qin," Ye Zhiqiu pressed on while the iron was hot. "Your father used weapons against me twice today and insulted me verbally. I endured all that and cooperated seamlessly. Don't you think we can put our past issues behind us now?"

"No more for ten years?" Qin Jianhe raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

"Not exactly..."

"Are you just trying to sweep the mistakes under the rug but keep the benefits?" Qin Jianhe glanced at him coldly, utterly unsentimental. "Either we forget everything or keep everything. You choose."

"Keep, keep, keep," Ye Zhiqiu said, his face turning serious.

Qin Jianhe watched him expressionlessly, and after a moment, a barely perceptible smile appeared in his eyes.

He lowered his gaze and continued eating quietly.

"Hey, Mr. Qin," Ye Zhiqiu spoke up again after a while.

"What?" Qin Jianhe asked.

"Do you have any other plans after dinner?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

"Why?" Qin Jianhe took another sip of water. "Want to go on a date?"

"No need for that," Ye Zhiqiu said, serving him a bowl of soup. "If you're going back to the company, can I hitch a ride?"

"Going to the boxing gym?" Qin Jianhe asked.

"Not really," Ye Zhiqiu laughed. "There's a new product launch event at the e-commerce incubation center near your company, collaborating with Jin Qi."

He paused. "Jin Qi knows, right? It's one of Jiang Nan's affordable brands."

Qin Jianhe nodded.

After a moment, he said, "I'll be working late after dinner."

Then he added, "I can take you along."

"Really?" Ye Zhiqiu started to get excited. "Will it be very late?"

He knew he would definitely run into Jiang Nan tonight, and things wouldn’t be peaceful between them.

As the young master of Jin Qi, Jiang Nan might not give him any advantage.

But if Jiang Nan could see him with Qin Jianhe...

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips.

He had thought about deliberately leaving something in Qin Jianhe's car.

But Qin Jianhe was too smart.

Such a small trick wouldn't work on him.

Ye Zhiqiu decided it was better to treat this as a fair deal.

Bargaining with a tiger, he was prepared to risk getting his face torn off.

"Just say what you want," Qin Jianhe said.

The boy across from him had slightly curved eyes, looking at him with focused brightness, as if he were a piece of candy.

Clearly, he wasn't up to anything good.

"Here's the thing," Ye Zhiqiu tried to persuade him gently. "We cooperated so perfectly in front of your father today. In some special occasions in the future, you might still need similar help, don't you think?"

"State your request," Qin Jianhe said, not falling for Ye Zhiqiu's tactics.

"Can you pick me up at the incubation center tonight?" Ye Zhiqiu, frustrated, dropped his facade and said coldly.

"Youngster, you're quite ruthless," Qin Jianhe chuckled when faced with his cold demeanor. "Sure."

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

"Don't get too excited yet," seeing Ye Zhiqiu's eyes involuntarily curve again, Qin Jianhe said, "I've reserved your next time."