Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Song Nian initially thought the man was going to press him about everything that had happened in the bedroom after getting drunk the night before, but instead, the topic shifted to the plan.

He remembered how, on the way back last night, Li Yanchuan had comforted him by saying not to worry, that he had a plan, but hadn't gone into details.

He never expected him to bring it up now of his own accord.

So Song Nian perked up his ears, waiting attentively for the man's next words.

"What if I said I want them to pay the price for what they've done? Would you think that's too much?"

Gazing into those clear eyes, Li Yanchuan's expression turned dark as he spoke in a low voice.

Hatred and killing intent churned in his eyes, on the verge of overflowing at any moment.

The so-called price was by no means a simple apology; it was bloody, a fate of utter destruction.

Those three had long shut him out of the Li family, letting outsiders usurp the estate while treating the true owner as an enemy.

They were all in cahoots, birds of a feather, jackals of the same den.

Especially Li Yi—if Qiu Shi's hostility toward Li Yanchuan was out in the open, then Li Yi's was lurking in the shadows.

In his heart, he only truly favored his son Li Wenguang, having long abandoned the bond he once shared with Li Yanchuan's birth mother, and consequently neglected his eldest son.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have secretly used his own money to cover Li Wenguang's financial shortfalls, nor would he have gone out of his way to prop him up for succession.

And he certainly wouldn't have covered up his wrongdoings.

At first, Li Yanchuan thought the car crash was just an accident, because no useful clues could be found.

It wasn't until he stumbled upon a clue that he discovered the culprit was actually Li Wenguang, who had orchestrated it to make him disappear for good.

Fortunately, Li Yanchuan was lucky—only injured his leg, and his life was spared.

And the reason the traces were cleaned up so thoroughly was definitely not something Li Wenguang could have done on his own; it was all because Li Yi had helped cover it up behind the scenes.

How ridiculous—when his own biological sons were fighting, Li Yi's first thought wasn't to seek justice for the victim, but to conceal the perpetrator's crime.

When he learned of this, Li Yanchuan didn't fly into a rage or go mad. He just forced a weak smile and let out a wry smile.

His chest was filled with overwhelming disappointment, crushing him so that he could barely breathe.

But at the same time, there was a hint of resignation, as if it were only to be expected.

Since the three of them were all standing on the same side, unbreakable, he might as well wipe them out in one fell swoop and leave them no hope of recovery.

For Li Yanchuan, this kind of thing didn't present any moral dilemma for him. He could have followed his plan step by step, but for no reason, he thought of Song Nian.

Others had always judged him as sinister, cold, and ruthless, and he had never cared about that. Yet now, he was inexplicably concerned about Song Nian's opinion.

He cared about how Song Nian saw him, whether he would condemn this matter and think he was too heartless.

He didn't even want to defile his ears with the dirty laundry of the wealthy.

After speaking, Li Yanchuan took a deep breath and lowered his head as if trying to escape the moment, not daring to look at the other's expression or hear his reply.

Hearing this, Song Nian was silent for a moment, then leaned forward and lifted his hand.

He braced himself for the hand to turn into a slap, rebuking him for being cold and heartless, but instead, the hand slowly approached.

Then it came to rest on the back of his hand.

Slightly smaller fingers gently stroked the back of his hand, radiating warmth, doing their best to warm that patch of icy skin.

"Yanchuan, you're just taking back what belongs to you. You haven't done anything wrong. They are the ones in the wrong, and they deserve to be punished."

Gentle words drifted down from above, like a breeze carrying along a fallen leaf, softly landing on the surface of a lake, stirring ripples.

"Don't let it weigh on your mind. No matter what you do, I'll support you."

One comforting sentence after another entered his ears, making his heartbeat hammer like drumbeats, quickening until it nearly leaped out of his chest. Li Yanchuan felt his breath catch.

A violent surge of emotion came crashing upon him.

And then it flashed through his heart.

This unfamiliar sensation made his heart race and his blood flow faster, sending warmth through his long-chilled body.

Lifting his head, he met a face lit up with a gentle smile.

His curved eyelashes were like crescent moons, and even the corners of his eyes held tender smiles; the downturned corners extended the curve, making the smile seem even brighter.

It was more radiant than the morning light that had snuck into the room.

His clear eyes were like glass, luminous and clear, reflecting a sincere heart and genuine goodwill.

The warm palm, the gentle words, the brilliant smile—everything together was so beautiful. Things that had once felt unattainable were now right before his eyes.

Li Yanchuan's mind went blank for a moment.

Then his tense shoulders relaxed, and his tightly pressed lips turned upward, as if ice had melted.

"...Mm."

He replied in a low voice, and instead, tightened his grip on the hand that rested on his own.

————

Just as Song Nian was about to get out of bed, the man behind him called out again:

"Hand me my jacket from last night."

When he complied, he saw the man pull something from his pocket. Looking more closely, he recognized it as the emerald necklace.

"Come here."

Li Yanchuan crooked a finger at him.

Song Nian had just sat down on the edge of the bed when a broad, strong hand slowly reached out, yet it gently placed the necklace around Song Nian's neck.

"Th-this is...?"

Realizing the meaning behind the gesture, he asked dazedly, his fingers trembling as they brushed against the gem on his chest.

"I have no use for this necklace; besides, you were the one who found it. Keep it."

Li Yanchuan feigned nonchalance as he looked away.

I have to say, this necklace suits Song Nian very well. The emerald gemstone makes his already fair skin even more radiant, like raw jade, warm and flawlessly smooth.

Such a precious ornament—and his mother's keepsake, no less—was given away like this, carried an unmistakable hint of intimacy.

Maybe realizing this, Song Nian's face reddened silently, and he lowered his head sheepishly.

"How is this appropriate? You should take it back."

As he spoke, he made a move to take it off, but a firm hand stopped him.

He looked up again and met those deep, dark eyes.

Though his features were sharp, when he fixed his gaze on someone, it always seemed to create an illusion of deep affection, as if it held emotions too deep to untangle.

In that instant, the air seemed to stand still.

"Keep it. It's for you."

A low, firm voice rang out, along with the tightly grasping hand, adding an air of dominance, making Song Nian's face turn even redder, his refusals stumbling out.

In the end, at Li Yanchuan's forceful insistence, he accepted the gift.

The clear, sparkling gem felt heavy and cold in his hand.

The curtain rustled as the wind lifted a corner, and a flood of sunlight poured into the room, turning into a golden veil that fell across their gentle, water-soft features.

————

Although the dinner at the main residence ended on a sour note, the father and son still didn't let up on pushing the succession plan.

Previously, Li Yi had stepped down due to health issues, and Li Yanchuan, with his outstanding abilities and the support of the shareholders, successfully took over Li Corporation.

Now, in order to let his younger son take over, Li Yi went to great lengths to pave the way.

First, he called in favors with a few old friends on the board, using personal favors to secure their support. Then he quietly planted stories in the media to build a positive image for Li Wenguang, hinting at the possibility of him taking over.

Li Yanchuan noticed all these small moves but took no action to stop them.

It wasn't until a week before Li Wenguang was to take office that he finally made a move.

In the early hours of the morning, countless scandals about Li Wenguang were leaked, instantly setting the late-night internet ablaze.

Gambling, promiscuity, drunk driving and street racing—various ugly deeds that were all real were released at once, like stones thrown into a pond, immediately shattering the carefully crafted image that had been built.

In its place came fierce public criticism.

Forget taking over Li Corporation—even stepping outside was risky—he might get beaten up by some vigilante stranger.

Li Yi, always so concerned about saving face, flew into a rage and grounded his son for over two weeks, using every trick in the book to barely protect his good-for-nothing younger son.

At the same time, Li Yanchuan, citing health reasons, unilaterally announced a temporary withdrawal from management.

This strategic retreat thwarted Li Yi's plan to stall. At the height of the storm, he had to settle for second best, making Li Wenguang the group's general manager while leaving the president position vacant.

Even so, both their reputations plummeted overnight. Li Corporation's stock price took a huge hit, and shareholders and some board members voiced their dissatisfaction, though they didn't make things difficult out of respect for old man Li.

Whether to appease someone's anger, or just overwhelmed, after just handling one thing, Li Yi turned around and handed over one of the group's subsidiaries to Li Yanchuan to manage.

"So, he's making you manage a small company?"

At the dinner table, after hearing this, Song Nian frowned.

"Yeah, it's an independent subsidiary under the group's newly developed brand, very small in scale."

Li Yanchuan nodded and picked up some food with his chopsticks for him.

Was this really out of consolation? Probably not, right?

Song Nian, who had little appetite, racked his brain over this, wondering what the old man's move meant.

Finally, Li Yanchuan explained:

"He just wants to make sure I'm completely sidelined."

Li Yi did this not out of guilt, but only to consolidate his younger son's position.

On the surface, it confirms that Li Yanchuan left to recover, refuting the rumors that he was pushed out.

Moreover, if he took over the subsidiary, it would be even harder and less likely for Li Yanchuan to make a comeback than if he just stepped aside.

"Tsk, so scheming. Are you going to refuse?"

After hearing that analysis, Song Nian couldn't help rolling his eyes in disgust.

"No, I'll accept."

To his surprise, Li Yanchuan nodded.

Because only then would those two let their guard down, making it easier for future plans to unfold.

"Mm, well okay, but remember, your health comes first. Make sure you only act when it's safe to do so."

Though he wasn't well-versed in all these business intricacies, Song Nian believed Li Yanchuan had his reasons for doing so. While giving his advice, he also felt a little relieved.

Compared to the original story's all-out revenge plan that completely ignored his own safety, Li Yanchuan's current strategy was meticulous and thorough, every step rational.

The progress of the revenge had already diverged from the original story; perhaps there was a chance to change his predetermined, rushed ending.

By now, Song Nian had almost forgotten that his original goal was just to change this one person's fate.

Seeing that Song Nian had set down his chopsticks, Li Yanchuan cast a questioning glance, only to get the answer that he was full.

Looking at the barely touched food in front of him, he frowned almost imperceptibly.

Thinking back carefully, it seemed that Song Nian had been eating very little at the table these past few days. The taste and portions of the food hadn't changed, only his appetite had.

Staring at the table full of light, fresh, delicious dishes, Li Yanchuan fell into deep thought.

Before going to bed that night, he habitually opened the surveillance camera.

In a corner where Song Nian couldn't see, he had spent countless nights greedily and secretly watching the other's sleeping face.

Tracing that gentle face through the screen could fill his empty heart and calm his restless mind.

Song Nian had an addictive kind of magic about him.

However, tonight, looking at the empty bed, Li Yanchuan frowned.

In the dark footage, Song Nian hadn't gone to sleep nor turned on the lights. Instead, he was crouching by the bedroom door, peeking out cautiously in the dark.

It looked like he was checking for any activity in the master bedroom.

After making sure he hadn't disturbed anyone in the master bedroom, he tiptoed to the hallway and quietly went down the stairs.

This was highly unusual for Song Nian, who always chose the elevator over the stairs.

Moreover, he deliberately muffled his footsteps, clearly trying to sneak away from Li Yanchuan to do something behind his back.

At this thought, Li Yanchuan frowned even more, his fists instinctively clenching as he stared intently at the man's next move.

He watched Song Nian creep into the living room, not stopping, but heading straight for the front door and slipping out quietly.

He didn't even turn on the lights, almost tripping over a stool, and closed the door as quietly as possible, afraid of being discovered.

Every move he made seemed suspicious.

There were no cameras in the garden. Staring at the figure disappearing on the screen, Li Yanchuan's face turned darker than the night itself, and the atmosphere around him turned icy.

At this hour, such behavior—who was he going to secretly meet?

His thoughts spiraled out of control, suspicion erupting from deep within him in an instant, all kinds of possible betrayals flooding his mind.

Flames of anger rose, and he wished he could keep the man trapped in bed so that he could never go behind his back to meet anyone.

But the next second, a promise he'd made to the other man came to mind.

"Honey, from now on we should communicate well. If there's a problem, we must talk about it. Don't get so upset anymore, okay?"

The anger was extinguished in an instant, leaving only embers.

They'd agreed. He couldn't let him down...

Li Yanchuan pressed his lips together, as if hesitating.

After a moment, he took a deep breath, turned his wheelchair, and took the elevator down to the first floor.

—This time, he'd try to make a different choice from before, learn to communicate well, and ask him directly what was going on.