Chapter 64

Chapter 64

As Song Yuxuan stepped through the door, he found Song Xiyin in the living room, who immediately rose at his sight.

"Brother Yuxuan," Song Xiyin murmured, her hands nervously twisting together. Her expression was a complex blend of tension, fear, and a barely concealed hint of embarrassment.

She rarely frequented the main house, and she and Song Yuxuan had exchanged only a handful of words over the years. In the past, Song Yuxuan might have politely addressed her as "little sister." However, recently, he had been swamped with his own troubles, and seeing Song Xiyin only amplified his irritation.

He made no effort to conceal his impatience. "What do you want?"

Her heart sinking at his brusque tone, Song Xiyin gritted her teeth and pleaded, "Brother Yuxuan, please save my brother!"

Song Yuxuan scoffed, "Save him? How am I supposed to do that? The evidence is undeniable; he committed a crime. How can I possibly save him? Besides, what does this have to do with me?"

He had been unjustly implicated by Song Yuqiao in this mess—who could he turn to for justice? If that idiot Song Xifan hadn't botched such a simple task, Song Yuqiao wouldn't have suspected him in the first place.

Yet, he had done nothing wrong. He had refused Song Xifan's offer of collaboration. It was Song Xifan's misinterpretation of his intentions that caused all this trouble—what did it have to do with him? Song Yuqiao had already relegated him to the most useless department as a minor employee, and now he was saddled with a heap of additional problems.

He was already struggling to keep his own head above water; how could he possibly concern himself with Song Xifan?

As Song Yuxuan turned to head upstairs, a hand abruptly seized him.

With a thud, Song Xiyin dropped to her knees, her eyes welling up. "Brother Yuxuan, please help my brother! I beg you! Please speak to Big Brother, put in a good word for him. He's the only brother I have."

Song Yuxuan yanked his arm free, casting a cold glance at her. "Even if I wanted to help, do you honestly think Song Yuqiao would listen to me?"

Song Yuxuan retreated to his bedroom, irritably tearing off his tie before heading straight for a shower.

By the time he emerged, Song Boqian and Xu Yu had also returned home.

The atmosphere in the downstairs hall felt strangely strained.

Song Yuxuan hesitated before asking, "Father, Dad, what's wrong?"

Song Boqian remained silent, his face grim.

Xu Yu's brow was deeply furrowed, her expression one of indignation. "Your eldest brother has gone too far! He actually sent your father to develop the market in France—his own biological father! Does he not know what a godforsaken place France is? He's becoming increasingly arrogant—does he have any respect for your father at all?!"

Xu Yu grew angrier with each word, her meticulously maintained features contorting with fury.

If Song Boqian went to France, what would become of him? Would he remain in the country, a target of ridicule? Or would he follow Song Boqian to France and endure hardship?

Song Yuxuan was aghast. Song Yuqiao was so overtly targeting his own flesh and blood—was he not concerned about public opinion, or the reactions of the other Song family branches within the company?

Yet, no matter what tactics they employed, they couldn't sway Song Yuqiao, short of risking dismissal and complete expulsion from the Song Group.

*

Song Jianan remained oblivious to the events unfolding within the Song family. After work, he dined with Song Yuqiao at a restaurant before returning to the hillside villa.

He retrieved the notebook he used during work hours and immersed himself in researching papers related to plant-based inhibitors, appearing even more focused than Song Yuqiao when handling his own work.

Song Yuqiao paused, observing him for a long time, but Song Jianan remained engrossed.

Knock, knock—

Song Jianan snapped out of his reverie.

Song Yuqiao withdrew his bent fingers.

Song Jianan looked puzzled. "Brother? What is it?"

"Jia Jia, it's late. Time for bed," Song Yuqiao said.

Song Jianan glanced at the time, then at his notes, and put them away.

Before falling asleep, Song Jianan's mind was still abuzz with the research materials he had just reviewed.

Song Yuqiao bit down hard on his lip. "Jia Jia, you're distracted. What are you thinking about?"

Song Jianan winced in pain and shook his head guiltily.

Song Yuqiao didn't press further, but he also didn't continue kissing him. "Rest properly after work. Save work-related matters for office hours."

Song Jianan nodded quickly.

"If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me."

Song Jianan closed his eyes, intending to sleep, but upon hearing this, he reopened them and, after a moment of hesitation, posed a few questions that had puzzled him while reading the papers.

To his surprise, Song Yuqiao proved remarkably knowledgeable about inhibitor research, answering his questions without a moment's thought.

Song Jianan diligently committed the answers to memory, pondered them for a while, and then asked, "Can slow-release agents truly replace inhibitors as substitutes?"

Song Yuqiao shook his head and explained the principles of slow-release agents. "Slow-release agents are essentially simplified versions of inhibitors. Their recent popularity is largely due to marketing hype. Once this wave passes, people will realize that heat periods and sensitive periods still necessitate inhibitors."

"Beyond the Song Group, other inhibitor companies are also developing new inhibitors with fewer side effects. Once these new inhibitors are released, the illusion that slow-release agents offer zero side effects and can replace inhibitors will be completely shattered."

The company that had profited greatly from slow-release agents was well aware of this and planned to collaborate with Song Group's subsidiaries and other inhibitor companies to bundle inhibitors and slow-release agents for sale.

The Song Group declined, partly because the future of slow-release agents appeared limited, and partly because the company's owner was untrustworthy, making collaboration risky.

Song Jianan drifted off to sleep while listening, missing Song Yuqiao's final remarks.

After settling into the research institute, Song Jianan finally mustered the courage to discreetly inquire about internship certificates. He learned that he could obtain one after completing three months of internship. His eyes lit up, and he resolved to stay until he received the certificate three months later.

Sometimes, Song Yuqiao would personally pick him up for meals at restaurants. When busy, he would have the driver take Song Jianan to the headquarters building, where they would dine together in his office. Song Jianan could even enjoy a half-hour nap on the bed in the lounge.

Life continued peacefully, as if Song Yuqiao and he had returned to the dynamics of their over-a-decade-long relationship—yet it was different from the pure brotherly bond they once shared.

Through daily conversations with Xie Mao, Song Jianan gradually became aware of the subtle differences in how Song Yuqiao treated him. It didn't seem to be because he was Song Yuqiao's lover—or rather, it seemed Song Yuqiao didn't regard him as merely a lover.

The moment that possibility crossed his mind, Song Jianan found it hard to believe.

But once he began observing Song Yuqiao more closely, that possibility began to swell uncontrollably in his heart. Every time he thought about it, his heart would pound, making him constantly seek excuses to avoid Song Yuqiao's intimate gestures.

Fortunately, Song Yuqiao seemed to have softened his approach, no longer forcing himself upon him.

Song Jianan had two days off each week. On the day before his break, Song Yuqiao came to pick him up as usual.

However, the car wasn't headed to a restaurant, the Song Group building, or the hillside villa—instead, it stopped at a hotel.

"Brother, why are we at a hotel?" Song Jianan asked.

Song Yuqiao glanced at him, realizing he had forgotten what he had agreed to that night. "There's a banquet later. Would you like to come with me, Jia Jia?"

Song Jianan shook his head.

Song Yuqiao had anticipated this. "Then wait here and relax for a while. When I return, we'll go eat."

Song Jianan breathed a sigh of relief. After Song Yuqiao left, he fiddled with his phone in the empty room for a while but soon grew bored. Putting down his phone, he wandered around the room, an inexplicable sense of loneliness washing over him; he felt an urge to go out for some fresh air.

However, remembering that a banquet was being held in the hotel, likely filled with people from wealthy circles, he had to steel himself for a long time. Eventually, he took his room key, went out, and found an empty stairwell.

He only dared to pace back and forth on the dimly lit stairs, never expecting to encounter anyone. He was startled when he clearly saw the person's gaze.

The person was tall and appeared to be an Alpha, shrouded in the dimness, their eyes gleaming like two green beams, staring intently at him.

In a panic, Song Jianan stammered, "Sorry to disturb you," and turned to flee.

Heavy footsteps echoed behind him.

Song Jianan grew even more frantic, clenching his fists as he desperately raced up the stairs.