Chapter 24: Lion Part 1

Wei Tingxia put down his phone, irritably pushed aside the flower branches blocking his view, and let out a low tsk.

Anders did not answer the call, which made his intention very clear—he had no intention of following Wei Tingxia’s arrangements and was determined to come to A City to meet Yan Xinfeng.

He was simply insane, stirring up trouble for everyone.

[I have conducted a personality analysis on Anders Eisenhoth.] System 0188’s voice rang out. [Based on the judgment, he might try to provoke you out of curiosity or a desire for challenge, but he will not truly cross your bottom line.]

Wei Tingxia twitched the corner of his mouth. “Is this supposed to be consolation?”

It was so special, so unique—typical of System 0188’s style.

[This is a data-based judgment.] System 0188 responded calmly. [He does not understand you and harbors a subtle fear of you.]

To Anders, and even to the entire Eisenhoth family, Wei Tingxia’s existence had always been a ferocious unsolved enigma.

Five years ago, this illegitimate son who had been wandering outside appeared like a ghost in Anders’s study, brazenly occupying the armchair that symbolized power and proposing a deal to Anders.

For the next full five years, he vanished into thin air.

It was only in the past few days that Anders’s surveillance program had captured traces of him again. And that capture was most likely the result of Wei Tingxia deliberately exposing himself.

Anders could not figure out what this blood-related younger brother truly wanted or to what extent he could go, so he had hesitated to take real action.

Whether it was cooperating with him to control that criminal group or now coming to A City to meet Yan Xinfeng, they were all probes. Anders wanted to see just how far Wei Tingxia could go.

‘I don’t want to know at all what will happen when those two meet.’

Wei Tingxia turned and headed upstairs, his face uncharacteristically clouded with gloom. He paused in his steps and asked System 0188, “Where are that group of people now?”

Anders had said he would give a reply within 72 hours, but in the end, he had not.

System 0188 was silent for a moment before replying, [At sea.]

“What does that mean?”

[On a transport ship,] System 0188 added. [I cannot determine the specific model, but they are indeed in motion.]

“What direction are they moving?”

[Toward here.]

They had fled for so many years, deluding themselves that after destroying someone else’s family, they could still live peacefully, even abandoning their family and friends back home for it. Now, after struggling bitterly, they were finally bound and thrown onto a ship, drawing ever closer to the place of judgment.

Thinking about it carefully, it was ridiculously ironic.

Not only did Anders want to meet Yan Xinfeng, but he also planned to present this group of people as a “gift” to Wei Tingxia. Who knew what ghostly state those few would be in after drifting at sea for so many days.

For half a second, Wei Tingxia considered letting them die at sea, a life for a life. But the thought flashed by, and remembering his married status, Wei Tingxia suddenly felt that these people might have better uses.

“Keep a close eye on them. Tell me if they die or arrive.”

[Understood.]

Yao Ling was cooking in the kitchen downstairs, while Yan Xinfeng was studying something in the study. Wei Tingxia stopped at the stairwell, his gaze sweeping over the empty staircase, then went straight up to the third-floor bedroom and found that black little box.

The lock code was System 0188. After inputting it, the box lid popped open with a click, revealing an unpowered black phone and a silver ring inside.

Wei Tingxia picked up the phone, his fingertip rubbing over the cool body as he examined it carefully. A moment later, he stood up, paced to the bedroom cabinet, and rummaged out a matching charging cable. After confirming it was correct, he connected the charging cable to the power source and the phone.

Buzz—

Three seconds later, the phone body vibrated slightly. The screen suddenly lit up, and a charging icon appeared in the center.

It had not been powered on or charged for a full five years, yet it still worked.

Wei Tingxia felt a mix of emotions as he stared at the worn marks on the phone screen for a long time. It was only when System 0188 notified him that Yan Xinfeng had left the study that he snapped out of his thoughts and put the phone back into the black box.

[Aren’t you going to look?] System 0188 asked.

“It’s not time to look yet.”

Back then, when he left, he had only taken the phone and the ring. Yan Xinfeng could only contact him through that phone.

That was the period when the protagonist was in the most pain, the most tormented, and the most helpless. The departure of his lover was bound to bring immeasurable hurt. Wei Tingxia was unsure if he could maintain his composure after seeing those missed calls and messages.

Perhaps he could look when he was about to die.

He did not share these thoughts with System 0188. After quickly and calmly cleaning up any traces, Wei Tingxia went to the dining room and happened to meet Yan Xinfeng’s gaze as he sat at the table.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Yan Xinfeng shook his head. “I just feel like you’re quite interested in the collaboration.”

“That’s not the case.”

Wei Tingxia sat across from him and grinned. “Why would I be interested in the head of a stupid, uncivilized family from Northern Europe?”

Wow.

Yan Xinfeng slowly put down his chopsticks. It was the first time he had seen Wei Tingxia so prickly and sarcastic.

“I apologize for my previous dissatisfaction,” he said softly. “I was too ungrateful.”

He had actually gotten angry just because Wei Tingxia said his money was trash money. He lacked tolerance and insight, failing to realize that his new husband had already gone easy on his words.

Wei Tingxia had no idea what he was talking about. The young master was always dissatisfied. If one of them had to play the wife’s role, it would definitely be Yan Xinfeng—it had nothing to do with who topped or bottomed.

But it would be foolish not to take advantage when it was offered, so Wei Tingxia softened his voice accordingly. “I’m glad you have this realization.”

Yan Xinfeng nodded and then pressed, “Have you said that about others?”

“No,” Wei Tingxia shook his head, scooping a spoonful of mashed potatoes onto his plate and casually picking some green beans for Yan Xinfeng. “But I often think it in my head.”

System 0188 could vouch that he was telling the truth—Wei Tingxia often cursed people out in his mind, he just never showed it.

Yan Xinfeng: “Have you thought that about me?”

Wei Tingxia shook his head. “No.”

With Yan Xinfeng, he usually said whatever came to mind without holding back.

Yan Xinfeng was satisfied. He let out a breath of relief, his gaze growing even gentler, as if filled with soft spring light when looking at Wei Tingxia.

‘I knew it…’

—I knew you had me in your heart.

The words were too cheesy; Yan Xinfeng could not say them out loud. He simply gazed at Wei Tingxia like water.

Wei Tingxia did not understand, but Yan Xinfeng’s look pleased him greatly, like looking at the Emperor.

So he said nothing, deciding to let this state last a bit longer.

After dinner, Yan Xinfeng returned to the study to work. Before sitting down, he first called Lu Zhao.

As soon as the call connected, before Lu Zhao could speak, Yan Xinfeng cut in:

“He has me in his heart.”

“Huh?”

“He might call you a brainless, giggling idiot manager spoiled rotten by his family, but he only calls me ‘young master.'”

“Are you taking the chance to curse me out?” Lu Zhao’s mind turned a bit slowly. “And by Wei Tingxia’s tone, I don’t hear ‘young master’ as flattering either.”

“Obviously much better than ‘idiot manager,'” Yan Xinfeng said decisively. “He definitely has me in his heart.”

“You’re crazy.” Lu Zhao concluded. “Though I can’t tell if it’s from anger or joy, you’re not normal right now anyway.”

Yan Xinfeng refused to admit it. He felt perfectly normal; Lu Zhao was just resentful because he could not get a better evaluation, which was understandable.

After hanging up, Yan Xinfeng’s mood strangely uplifted, carrying a peculiar sense of pleasure, as he continued studying the profile of the person coming to negotiate this time.

Anders Eisenhoth, the current head of the Eisenhoth family in Northern Europe. His mother was named Alette Eisenhoth, and his father’s identity was unknown, but from Anders’s distinct facial features, his father was undoubtedly East Asian.

Yan Xinfeng pondered silently, his fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the desk. He recalled a certain call from a few days ago.

That call had been to negotiate with Eisenhoth’s assistant, who mentioned that Anders spoke Chinese and had a deep understanding of East Asian culture, so there was no need to avoid it in the reception arrangements.

Yan Xinfeng had not found records of Anders personally visiting the area, so everything he knew must have come from his biological father.

Why had the eldest daughter of a Northern European wealthy clan fallen in love with and borne Anders to a far-wandering East Asian man? The question lingered in Yan Xinfeng’s mind for only two seconds before quickly dissipating.

At exactly ten o’clock, Yan Xinfeng left the study.

He went up to the third floor and silently pushed open the master bedroom door, afraid of waking his possibly sleeping husband. However, upon entering the bedroom, even before he could react, his gaze was firmly captured by a smooth, pale naked back.

Wei Tingxia was lying on his side on the bed, without pajamas. The soft, thin velvet blanket only covered below his waist, and cold light poured down from the ceiling lamp, falling on his back. The bones cast faint shadows under the cold light, evoking the image of folded wings or a layer of pale gauze draped over his skin.

He was not asleep; the dripping sound of little people farming in the game came from the phone. Yan Xinfeng deliberately made his footsteps heavier as he walked to the bedside.

“If you dare get into bed with clothes on,” Wei Tingxia said without lifting his head, focused on maneuvering the little person to water the crops, “I’ll kick you off.”

Yan Xinfeng asked, “Where’s your pajamas?”

“Don’t want to wear them,” Wei Tingxia explained casually. “Threw them in the walk-in closet.”

Yan Xinfeng went into the walk-in closet and, sure enough, found the pajamas discarded by the cabinet. The silk fabric gleamed softly. He squatted down to pick them up, but his fingers brushed against a clump of cotton fabric inside the smooth satin.

In an instant, Yan Xinfeng’s mind exploded with a boom, and a nameless fire scorched upward along his meridians, even his breathing carrying suppressed heat.

He silently gathered the pajamas along with that clump of fabric, grabbed a bath towel, and went into the bathroom. After rinsing off and drying his hair, he returned to the bedroom without a word.

Wei Tingxia was still focused on his game. The little people on the screen were busy harvesting; the level was not high, so he had to operate them one by one mechanically—it was quite tedious, and Wei Tingxia was very absorbed.

Yan Xinfeng remained silent. He knelt on one knee by Wei Tingxia’s bedside, one hand quietly slipping deep under the covers, touching soft, slick skin without any barrier.