Chapter Index

    Que Jiang looked at Qu Xi’s “I’ve lost the whole world” expression and found it both amusing and heartbreaking. “If you’re envious, just go find one yourself when you’re better. With your delicate looks, you definitely won’t be short of admirers.”

    Qu Xi gave Que Jiang a dark look. “I have sufficient reason to suspect you’re implying I’m effeminate!”

    Que Jiang’s silence was his answer. Qu Xi was so angry he bit his blanket. Screw you, you little biscuit! You’re the effeminate one! Your whole family is effeminate!

    But this wasn’t the time to catch up with old friends. “I should know where he is now, if I’m not mistaken. But you have to take me there, because even if we find his residence, we might not find my sister-in-law. That man… he’s very cunning.” Qu Xi knew that man very well.

    “No, just give us the address. You can’t go.” Que Jiang was insistent. If what happened two years ago were to happen again, could they wait another two years for him to return?

    Qu Xi knew Que Jiang’s temperament well. He might seem calm and collected about everything, but that was only when he wasn’t being stubborn. Once he became stubborn, not even ten bulls could pull him back, unless he encountered an obstacle he couldn’t overcome himself.

    “Alright, I’ll tell you first.” Qu Xi gently closed his eyes for a moment.

    ***

    In the southwestern part of the country lies a region of clustered mountains, a place of spiritual beauty and grace. The mountain roads wind and twist, with peaks piercing the clouds and streams hidden in the mist. It was in such a place that a wealthy tycoon once bought a piece of land on a mountaintop and built a villa of striking design, hidden among the mountains. Now, besides the construction team and the tycoon himself, very few people knew of its existence.

    And now, this mountain peak was surrounded layer by layer. Even a bird flying out would be dead.

    Fei Xiangnan had not slept for a full twenty-plus hours, but he had no intention of closing his eyes. He got into an off-road vehicle and led a large contingent up the mountain.

    Que Jiang glanced at his grim-faced boss. He was probably thinking of all the ways to torture Fei Li to death right now. The calmer he was, the crueler his methods would be. But he had a faint sense of unease. Would things really be this simple?

    Now that Elder Liu and Elder Fei’s men had all arrived, as long as Fei Li dared to step out, they could probably shoot down even an airplane. All that was needed now was to find the person. But, would it really be that easy?

    The group drove for nearly forty minutes, bumping along the road before arriving. Fortunately, they were all well-trained mercenaries; otherwise, they would have thrown up their guts.

    Compared to their caution, Fei Li seemed much more relaxed. The black main gate was wide open, as if welcoming them in. The courtyard was filled with roses of various colors, with a small patch of lilies in the middle, all neatly tended to and looking particularly vibrant.

    As Fei Xiangnan led his men slowly forward, the villa’s main door suddenly opened, and Fei Li walked out in casual clothes, holding a watering can. The two groups met, their eyes filled with astonishment.

    Fei Xiangnan had a feeling he had walked into the wrong house. This looked for all the world like an old man living a life of leisure.

    Fei Li was also stunned. They found him this easily? This wasn’t a property under his name. According to his calculations, it should have taken at least two or three days. And yet, it had only been one day?

    “Cousin, just how much do you look down on your younger cousin? You still have time to water flowers?” Fei Xiangnan saw the expression on Fei Li’s face and immediately changed his attitude. The bodyguards behind him swarmed to surround the villa. If one ignored the dark circles under his eyes, he was still the same arrogant Fei Xiangnan.

    Fei Li was no pushover either. He treated the bodyguards as if they were mere decorations and went about his business, watering the flowers on the side.

    He said nonchalantly, “Oh, you mean my sister-in-law? I invited him for tea here yesterday and then let him go home. Is the mountain road that bad? Hasn’t he made it out yet?”

    A vein throbbed on Fei Xiangnan’s forehead. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to treat him like an idiot.

    “Why don’t you give me some labor fees, cousin? I’ll help you look. It’s not expensive, just the operating rights of your Fei Corporation. This area is full of snakes, and this is the season they come out. It would be bad if your wife accidentally stepped on one and the snake bit her in a panic, wouldn’t it?” Fei Li said with a grin. Every word he spoke was like adding another piece of firewood to the fire in Fei Xiangnan’s heart, as infuriating as it could be.

    “Didn’t you and your wife have a good talk on the phone before? His safety is the most important thing. I’m really heartbroken for my sister-in-law seeing you so indifferent.” If Fei Li’s face had even a hint of heartache, it wouldn’t make his current acting seem so clumsy.

    “Let me see him first before we talk about labor fees.” After being the family head for so many years, Fei Xiangnan couldn’t be a fool.

    Fei Li smiled. “Cousin, you brought so many people to surround the mountain. As your older cousin, I really can’t hand over the person before I get the goods.”

    “Are you saying, cousin, that you can only rely on your sister-in-law to save your life now?” Fei Xiangnan quietly began to set a trap.

    “Of course. Cousin has to pay the labor fee first so that I can see your sincerity.” Fei Li shrugged, finished watering this area, and moved on to the next.

    Fei Xiangnan gave a signal to his subordinates around him.

    Having followed their boss for so long, the subordinates naturally knew what he meant. In fact, they had been holding back for a long time. This guy was just too despicable, constantly using their sister-in-law to threaten their boss. He wouldn’t hand over the person and still wanted money. How audacious! No one here could be more audacious than their boss!

    The lead bodyguard charged forward directly. Fei Li dodged, and the watering can fell to the ground with a clang. But he only stumbled for a moment before quickly regaining his composure.

    “Is my younger cousin trying to start a fight with his older brother?” Fei Li said with a smile. He had never lost a fight in kickboxing or judo abroad. To fight with these few people? Ridiculous.

    Fei Xiangnan snorted. “Saying it’s a fight sounds so unpleasant. It’s just that my brothers here want to spar with you a bit.” Fei Xiangnan’s eyes were full of brutality, completely belying his lighthearted tone. The longer it took to find Xiao Fang, the more danger he was in. And with Fei Li’s current relaxed state, they wouldn’t find him even if they turned this place upside down.

    Fei Li easily subdued a bodyguard who was a head taller than him with one hand and shot Fei Xiangnan a provocative smile.

    Fei Xiangnan had no interest in getting involved personally. He signaled to the bodyguards behind him, and dozens of them pounced at once.

    Fei Li’s expression finally changed. They weren’t even using proper techniques one by one. The fattest few in the crowd just threw themselves at him. He dodged two, but someone was already blocking his way in front. Before ten seconds had passed, he was caught, and then came a brutal beating. A punch from each person was more than he could bear, and these people were specifically aiming for his face.

    Let’s see you smile now! With that casual smile, three parts cool and seven parts carefree. Let’s see how you smile when you look like a pig!

    Finally, when Fei Li was beaten to the point of no resistance, Fei Xiangnan walked over and kicked him hard in the stomach.

    “Hand him over.”

    Fei Li had never imagined that Fei Xiangnan could be so shameless, turning a one-on-one fight into a group brawl. And that last kick he delivered was definitely the heaviest of them all.

    “Cousin, you’re getting anxious?” Because his face was swollen, Fei Li’s speech was a bit slurred, but his mouth was still as cheap as ever.

    Fei Xiangnan’s face was grim.

    “Hehe, hahaha, cough cough, I’m happy just seeing your face. If it were the you from a decade ago, how could you have fallen for such a trap? Now, your weakness is just too easy to grasp. I’d be doing a disservice to the family motto if I didn’t bully you. Come on, kowtow to your big brother, and then give me the labor fee. I might consider it.”

    Fei Xiangnan clenched his fists. “Give him some drugs. Beat him every two hours. As long as he doesn’t die, you can torture him however you want.”

    After saying that, Fei Xiangnan took Que Jiang and temporarily walked away.

    “Where do you think he would hide someone?” Fei Xiangnan asked.

    “I definitely don’t believe his story about letting him go.” Que Jiang was also fuming inside.

    Fei Xiangnan didn’t speak, his nerves stretched taut. For the first time, he felt so powerless. Just a day ago, he was at home, cooking a meal and waiting for Xiao Fang to come home. It was the tomato and scrambled eggs that Xiao Fang had taught him to make. For the first time, he had gotten the seasoning just right.

    Que Jiang could understand Fei Xiangnan’s current mood. As if making a momentous decision, he said, “Boss, should we call Qu Xi over? If it’s him, he should be able to find him.” Although he really didn’t want to, only Qu Xi…

    Fei Xiangnan still didn’t speak. He had sworn to himself before that after Qu Xi woke up, he would never let him get involved in Fei Li’s affairs again. He had already done so much over the years; he couldn’t let him risk his life again.

    But this time, the situation might have really reached a point where it was necessary to involve Qu Xi.

    Just as the two were silent, Que Jiang’s phone rang.

    “Hello? Que Jiang, I’ve already reached the bottom of the mountain. I’ll come up with Brother Zhang to find you guys in a bit.” Que Jiang’s eyes widened when he heard this.

    He reprimanded with unusual anger, “What are you doing here! Don’t you know the state of your own body?”

    “Aren’t I here to help you guys find him?” Qu Xi felt a little wronged being scolded, but this was Fei Xiangnan’s business after all. Qu Xi added, “I’m not talking to you. Give the phone to the boss. I can’t get through to his phone.”

    Que Jiang ground his teeth. In the end, he still passed the phone to Fei Xiangnan.

    “Boss, boss, I’ll be up in a moment. I promise to find sister-in-law for you.” Qu Xi’s tone sounded cheerful, but you could still hear the fatigue in his voice. It was no wonder, after such a long journey for someone who had just woken up.

    “Qu Xi, I’m sorry.” Fei Xiangnan knew that no matter how many persuasive words he said now, this kid wouldn’t go back.

    “Don’t worry, I won’t let Fei Li find me. I’ll just slip into the bodyguard team. He definitely won’t be able to tell.” Qu Xi promised over the phone.

    Fei Xiangnan said a grateful “thank you.” In fact, in the current situation, it would be difficult for Fei Li to even stand up. He didn’t tell Qu Xi this, just to let the kid prepare well before coming up and not let his guard down. More than anyone, he didn’t want that bastard Fei Li to recognize Qu Xi.

    ***

    Over here, Fei Li had been beaten to a pulp, lying on the floor in pain and drowsiness. But he was still happy inside. Why was it so painful? Because the other party was angry. Being able to annoy the other party made him feel good. This genius, hailed as a once-in-a-century talent of the Fei family, also had his moments of anxiety. He would just wait, wait for the moment he knelt down and begged him.

    Before the third wave of the group beating could arrive, Fei Xiangnan came in again with a group of men in black, all in identical attire.

    “Is my cousin going to search the house now? I already told you my younger cousin went out. Why, cough, won’t you believe me?” Fei Li’s tone was still tinged with schadenfreude.

    Fei Xiangnan didn’t even spare him a glance and led his men upstairs. Soon, the sound of things being smashed echoed from upstairs.

    Fei Li’s brow twitched. Inside were antiques he had bought at sky-high prices at auctions. Now, why did he feel like he was the one at a loss?

    About twenty minutes later, the sound of smashing finally stopped. Fei Li’s aching heart finally returned to calm.

    The group of men came down in several batches.

    “Boss, sister-in-law wasn’t hidden in the vase.”

    “Boss, not in the brush washer either.”

    “Boss, not hidden in the incense burner either.”

    Fei Li’s just-calmed heart began to ache again. All sorts of curses swirled in his mind.

    “My cousin isn’t looking for a person, he’s tearing down the house, isn’t he? So, may I ask if you’ve found your wife? You, cough cough cough, just don’t believe your big brother.” Although Fei Li coughed twice, his arrogance hadn’t diminished at all. As long as the person wasn’t found, Fei Xiangnan couldn’t do anything to him.

    At that time, for all the suffering he had endured, he would seek revenge on Fei Xiangnan tenfold, a hundredfold.

    Fei Xiangnan didn’t even want to look at this piece of trash and walked out with his men.

    You really thought I was just acting?

    The people outside had already brought up small carts with small iron balls.

    Fei Xiangnan looked at the brilliantly blooming roses and felt a wave of nausea. He ordered them to dig, and everyone started working with gusto.

    With one shovel, a dozen roses were uprooted and thrown to the side. With a group of people working, in just a few minutes, a large patch of the rose garden was destroyed.

    Fei Li was originally lying on his side. Hearing the sound of shovels outside, he suddenly turned his head. The main door wasn’t closed, so he could naturally see what was happening outside. An indescribable anger surged in his heart. With unusual endurance, he scrambled up and rushed out, taking them by surprise.

    “Fei Xiangnan, you dare! If you don’t stop, I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your life!” Those pots and jars were just things bought with money, and he had no shortage of money. But these were different. This was his life’s blood.

    Fei Xiangnan paid him no mind and continued to let everyone work. The shovel soon moved towards the patch of lilies.

    Fei Li gritted his teeth and rushed over, deftly snatching a shovel and looking like he was about to hack that person to death any second.

    Fei Xiangnan lifted his foot without blinking and sent Fei Li securely to the ground.

    “Didn’t my cousin not care about anything? If you don’t hand him over, I’ll find him myself. You’d better open your eyes and see whose territory this is. Continue!” Fei Xiangnan commanded.

    To prevent a certain someone from suddenly causing trouble, Fei Xiangnan had him tied up directly.

    But Fei Li still stared unwillingly at the destroyed flower bed. Suddenly, he thought of something. His bloodshot eyes scanned the group of bodyguards standing in a pile. They weren’t doing anything, just standing there, as if trying to deliberately hide someone.

    “…Qu Xi.” Fei Li called out a name.

    Qu Xi, in the crowd, visibly trembled. But with everyone surrounding him, the Fei Li outside definitely couldn’t see. However, Fei Li himself had probably already guessed.

    “Boss! We’ve dug something up!” a subordinate interrupted Fei Li.

    Fei Xiangnan immediately walked over upon hearing this. Buried beneath the lily patch was a dark-colored capsule with an air tube extending to the outside. He could almost instantly feel that Xiao Fang was inside. Fei Xiangnan pulled at the seam on the capsule, using so much force that his fingertips turned white and blue.

    Que Jiang immediately brought people over. The three of them managed to open the lid.

    “Xiao—”

    Crunch.” A certain someone sitting inside the capsule had just taken a bite of an apple and then looked up with innocent eyes.

    The bodyguards: It seems sister-in-law’s situation wasn’t as tragic as we thought.

    “Big brother!” Xiao Fang excitedly threw away the apple, feeling the excitement of a country farmer finally arriving in the city.

    Fei Xiangnan was only stunned for a moment before reaching out to support Xiao Fang’s arms, pulling him out with one strong motion and hugging him tightly. The tension of the past twenty hours finally eased. “It won’t happen again,” Fei Xiangnan said in a hoarse voice, a fear in his tone he had never had before.

    Xiao Fang wanted to cry too. After all, this was the first time he had been kidnapped and buried in the ground like a potato. But right now, he absolutely could not lose his nerve.

    “I’m fine, I’m fine. I even stole an apple before coming down, so I won’t starve.” Xiao Fang patted Fei Xiangnan’s back, comforting him with a pained heart. He was clearly the one who had been kidnapped, but he could feel that Fei Xiangnan was in more pain than him, because he trusted him.

    Fei Xiangnan hugged him for a few minutes before letting go. He couldn’t lose face in front of his subordinates.

    The subordinates who had been watching the whole time: The boss and sister-in-law look so sweet. The public affection we’ve been waiting for after two days of hard work is so satisfying.

    Damn, the way the boss picked up sister-in-law was just so powerful!

    The bodyguards’ hearts were already fanning themselves with little fans.

    “Big brother, where’s Fei Li?” Xiao Fang looked around.

    Fei Xiangnan raised his hand. After the crowd of bodyguards dispersed, Fei Li was there, tied up like a pig, with a pig-like swollen head.

    …Alright, no need for him to do anything.

    Right now, Fei Li had no energy to pay attention to this. What he cared about was why Fei Xiangnan had found him here. Only one person knew his habits.

    “Qu Xi, is he still alive?” Fei Li asked faintly, finding it somewhat laughable.

    Fei Xiangnan didn’t answer his question. He patted Xiao Fang’s shoulder, then gave a look to his subordinate before walking over to Fei Li himself. The bodyguard immediately brought out a chair for the soft little sister-in-law to sit on. He was so pitiful he had to gnaw on an apple in a capsule.

    “Sister-in-law, what would you like to eat? I’ll have someone send it up right away.”

    Xiao Fang thought about how high the mountain was. “How long would that take?”

    “Ten minutes is absolutely not a problem.” The bodyguard was very skilled at selling out his brothers.

    “Then, then let’s have a bowl of old-altar pickled vegetable noodles.” Xiao Fang was being practical.

    The bodyguard cried, biting his handkerchief. What a simple and unpretentious sister-in-law! He even ordered this to not trouble everyone. So thoughtful!

    The bodyguard coolly took out his phone. “Hello, send up a bucket of old-altar pickled vegetable noodles immediately. Add ten abalones, one Australian lobster, and, uh, yes, a sirloin steak.”

    Xiao Fang: If you had all this, why didn’t you say so earlier! Why would I want those darn pickled vegetable noodles then!

    But looking at the bodyguard’s pained and excited gaze, Xiao Fang held his tongue. Sometimes, lies were more beautiful than reality.

    While waiting for the food, Xiao Fang’s gaze fell on Fei Xiangnan.

    Now that Fei Xiangnan had found his wife, the pent-up anger could finally be completely released. He was never a good person to begin with. He walked up to Fei Li and kicked him hard in the stomach a few times. Fei Li let out a muffled grunt and managed to sit up with great difficulty.

    “Why did you know he was hidden here? You were just acting when you were smashing my things before, weren’t you?” Fei Li looked at Fei Xiangnan with a sinister expression.

    Fei Xiangnan squatted down, looking at Fei Li’s pathetic state, and let out a soft chuckle. “Cousin, where was it just those things? Haven’t I been acting for you for over a decade?”

    This sentence was like the greatest irony to Fei Li. Fei Li pulled his lips into a smile that was uglier than crying. “Yes, I found the actors one by one, dealt with them, and now they’ve popped up again. Fei Xiangnan, you’re ruthless.”

    Fei Xiangnan took out his phone and opened the screenshot interface. “I have something even more exciting for my cousin to see.”

    On it were all screenshots of Fei Li’s overseas forces being transferred. Almost all of his important forces had turned against him overnight. Those that could be cleaned up were cleaned up, the too-serious ones were directly disbanded and cleared out, and the rest were all divided up by the other two branches of the Fei family.

    Fei Xiangnan then scrolled down to a picture of his own old master tied up.

    “Cousin, after bullying us for so long, what do you think of my repayment?” Fei Xiangnan had endured for ten years, and finally, in this self-righteous kidnapping, he had his final outbreak and conclusion.

    “After Qu Xi’s death, I clearly cleaned out all those traitors,” Fei Li said faintly, but he understood now. Since they had already figured out the details, what was the use of a simple cleanup? All these years, he had thought the other two branches were afraid of him. It turned out they were just lying dormant, waiting to devour him whole.

    Fei Li struggled to sit up straight, just so that those people wouldn’t look down on him. The winner becomes king, the loser a bandit. This was a principle he had learned since he was a child. To beg for mercy now would be too laughable.

    “Before I returned to the country, you just needed to tell me if Qu Xi was alive. Was that so hard?” Fei Li’s eyes scanned the people present, but they were unwilling to let him see. What ability did he have now to see that person?

    Fei Xiangnan himself naturally wouldn’t tell him. He stood up straight, ready to head back.

    As for Fei Li, he could figure out how to crawl back himself!

    Walking up to Xiao Fang, Xiao Fang saw the apology in Fei Xiangnan’s eyes and the dark circles under them, and his heart ached. He stood up and took Fei Xiangnan’s hand. “Big brother, this is good too. Whether people curse or talk, at least our business doesn’t have to be hidden anymore. In the future, we can go to the supermarket to buy groceries openly, and take the kids to the amusement park. I’m really glad. The kidnapping was my own fault for not being careful. Don’t think so much about it. Have you not slept since I was kidnapped? Let’s go, let’s go home quickly. You look like you’re about to fall asleep.”

    Xiao Fang pulled Fei Xiangnan back. Fei Xiangnan finally let his heart rest, letting Xiao Fang pull him along. This person, who had gone through several dangers and just laughed it off like a little fool, who acted like a bristling cat when he felt wronged, he really… he could never let this person go.

    The large group gradually departed. Fei Li watched them leave, and a final bit of unwillingness made him say one last thing: “The lilies you planted were destroyed. Don’t you feel any heartache at all, little lily?”

    Everyone continued to leave on their own, not a single person stopping for him. Fei Li’s body went limp with despair.

    At the very end, a small, thin figure stopped at the main gate.

    Fei Li’s eyes slowly widened, but the words he wanted to say seemed to be stuck in his throat, unable to come out. That person… he had personally picked out a tombstone for him and buried him. It was just that he couldn’t find the body, so he put all his important belongings inside. But now, he had returned.

    After experiencing despair, it seemed as if he had been given a glimmer of hope again.

    Qu Xi didn’t stay long. This was his final conclusion, a complete break from this person. It was time to break away from him.

    Ahead, Que Jiang gave him a look. Qu Xi immediately ran over. In the end, Que Jiang just glared at him, his heart aching for his just-recovered body, and ultimately refrained from teaching him a lesson.

    ***

    This time, the Fei family’s crisis was truly resolved, and everything returned to peace. Fei Li disappeared after that incident, but he definitely wouldn’t be able to stir up any big trouble in the short term. The Third Master of the Fei family was old and couldn’t wander around. As a final bit of kinship, everyone sent him to the best nursing home to spend the rest of his life.

    Xiao Qi was sentenced to five years. Although the outside world didn’t know the charge, due to Xiao Fang’s unusual Weibo post and this, everyone had a good guess. However, the main party, Xiao Fang, didn’t explain the matter and even temporarily quit Weibo.

    He was gradually beginning to understand that if he didn’t have truly powerful strength, no matter how hard he worked, he would only become fodder for gossip, even over trivial matters.

    After this incident, he auditioned for that famous foreign director, gritted his teeth and beat out all sorts of competitors, and then quietly followed the crew abroad to act. Fei Xiangnan naturally had to follow, taking the two children and a cat to live abroad with him, accompanying him for two years of filming.

    When the movie came out, it caused a sensation around the world. Xiao Fang won the public’s recognition with his exquisite acting skills. He was no longer the second-rate young film emperor who could be manipulated by others. Was this Xiao Fang’s ultimate goal? Of course not.

    Two years later, Xiao Fang updated his Weibo. On it were two hands clasped together, with well-defined knuckles, and two custom-made platinum rings. Everyone understood at a glance.

    In fact, the storm from that year had long been calmed under Fei Xiangnan’s control. Now, it was just Xiao Fang himself taking the initiative to come forward and talk about this matter.

    The top comments below were all from Xiao Fang’s family and friends. Amidst the words of blessing, Fei Xiangnan and Xiao Fang held a long-overdue wedding in a city they both loved.

    Maternal Grandpa and Grandma, as well as Elder Fei and Elder Liu, sat in the front row, with their peers and friends behind them.

    The flower bearers were Xiao Xu, who had just turned ten this year, and Lang Lang, who was walking steadily on his little short legs. The two children walked with naive steps, scattering flowers. Finally, Nuomici, with a ring box hanging from his neck, ran into his master’s arms.

    The pastor on the stage looked kindly at the two grooms and said, “Do you take the gentleman beside you to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him, be faithful to him, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part? Do you?”

    Fei Xiangnan looked affectionately at his little cutie. This was the happiest moment of his life, to be able to give him a complete wedding, to prove his true heart in his vows.

    “I do,” Fei Xiangnan said sincerely.

    One part of this wedding had been changed by them: all the assets generated from their work would belong to the other party. Fei Xiangnan had also added all his real estate to his contract. Everything he had, he would give to him.

    After saying his vows, Fei Xiangnan signed the papers.

    The pastor then asked Xiao Fang, who was trying hard to control his smile, “Do you take the gentleman beside you to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him, be faithful to him, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part? Do you?”

    “I do!” Xiao Fang’s eyes sparkled, with only him in them.

    Then he signed his contract.

    “Now, please exchange rings.”

    The rings, three years late, were finally put on in this solemn wedding. From now on, they would be of one heart and one mind, never to be separated.

    Amidst the flowers and cheers, Fei Xiangnan held Xiao Fang and kissed him deeply.

    Perhaps there would be all sorts of small conflicts in their future life, but this was marriage. Don’t worry, they still have a long lifetime to work things out.

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