Chapter 70: Rumors

Dai Linxuan straightened his collar and slowly turned his body back, frowning as he said, “Whose car did you learn to cut off? Couldn’t you give me a call?”

“Big Brother, are you senile at just thirty?” Dai Yi reminded him. “You blocked me.”

“…” Dai Linxuan had nothing to say to that and could only give a mild reprimand. “Don’t do anything that dangerous again.”

In the past, Dai Yi would have gotten a proper scolding no matter what.

But now, Dai Linxuan wasn’t sure if he even had the right to lecture her anymore.

If it had been the old Dai Yi, she definitely would have shot back unhappily, “Lai Li does this kind of thing all the time—why don’t you say anything to him?” But now, even after being blocked, Dai Yi could maintain that breezy, ambiguous smile without a care.

Dai Yi brushed it off lightly. “I’ll try.”

Dai Linxuan asked, “Is Jiang… Mom home?”

Dai Yi gave him a strange look. “Of course. Second Brother finally recovered and came back—could there be anything more important than a family dinner?”

Dai Linxuan: “…”

Lai Li sat in the middle, his face ashen.

He didn’t want to sit next to Dai Yi, nor did he want to switch seats and force Dai Linxuan next to her. It was all Uncle Ren’s fault for picking a four-seater car.

Early winter had arrived, and the manor was lit with warm road lamps. The black sedan shuttled through and slowly stopped in front of the luxurious, quiet porch.

The three of them entered the foyer, and Jiang Qiujun happened to come down from the second floor. She first glanced at Dai Linxuan and Dai Yi, then her gaze settled on Lai Li for a moment. “Back? Let’s eat.”

Her tone was flat, revealing no particular emotion.

Dai Linxuan said, “We’re here.”

He took off Lai Li’s leather jacket and smoothly grabbed Dai Yi’s coat as well, handing them both to Cai Bo.

The household staff were much warmer than the atmosphere among the family members. Knowing Lai Li had returned, Cai Bo considerately pulled out a chair for him, poured juice, and chattered on. “Little Chestnut, your wound hasn’t fully healed yet, right? Madam specially instructed the chef to make everything light. Tell us if there’s anything you want—we’ll make it fresh.”

Then he asked, “Linxuan, will you drink?”

“Have a bit.” Dai Yi sat down bonelessly. “I asked Uncle Cai to open a bottle of dry white in advance.”

Dai Linxuan didn’t refuse.

The wine poured crisply into the glasses and was lifted by slender fingers, sliding down a parched throat.

The meal started off ordinarily. Most of the time, it was Dai Yi doing the talking, while the others responded sporadically. As usual, Jiang Qiujun showed no clear fondness or dislike toward Lai Li, but she kept up appearances perfectly—not only inquiring about his injuries but also having someone buy top-quality supplements.

“Even though you’re young, you can’t take it lightly. Wounds need proper care to avoid lingering issues.” Jiang Qiujun took a sip of the pale yellow wine and suddenly asked, “Do you like ‘Wood Hidden in the Forest’?”

Lai Li’s chopsticks paused mid-air, and a scene flashed through his mind—

He seemed to be sitting in the passenger seat, the rearview mirror reflecting lush greenery and a massive stone stele inscribed boldly with the words “Wood Hidden in the Forest.”

A familiar, gentle voice sounded in his ear. “They say the resort owner carved it himself.”

“It’s average.” He spat out two words. “The characters aren’t as nice as yours.”

“…I don’t do stone inscriptions.”

“If you did, they’d definitely be better.”

“You’re suddenly so confident in me?” The person in the driver’s seat chuckled lightly. “Young Master, let’s get out. Hungry?”

“Not hungry.”

“Then get some early sleep tonight—the hike tomorrow will take a lot of energy… Xiao Yi’s calling. She’d be furious if she knew I ditched her to celebrate your birthday alone…”

Lai Li said, “You ditched me for her birthdays for ten years, and I didn’t get mad.”

It took the other a moment to react, then he laughed helplessly. “You can calculate it like that?”

…

The voice from two years ago faded slowly from his ears, replaced by his brother’s current call. “Little Chestnut?”

Lai Li lowered his eyes, unsure of what Jiang Qiujun meant. “…It’s alright.”

“‘Wood Hidden in the Forest’ is an asset from one of my friends. He transferred it to me recently.” Jiang Qiujun said casually. “I was wondering what to do with it, so I’m giving it to you as a little consolation for that unwarranted disaster.”

Lai Li instinctively wanted to look at Dai Linxuan but forcibly held back.

Wood Hidden in the Forest was the vacation villa they had gone to two years ago for Dai Linxuan’s birthday.

What did Jiang Qiujun mean by bringing it up now? Had she noticed their boundary-crossing and was giving a pointed reminder?

Did she know what happened that night two years ago? No, they hadn’t done anything outdoors—how could outsiders know?

If even Dai Yi could sense something off about her brother, it wouldn’t be surprising if Jiang Qiujun had guessed too.

She wouldn’t spread it around, but who knew what she might use it for—like revealing her son’s orientation to Dai Songxue and letting the old man suppress him…

Dai Linxuan lightly kicked Lai Li under the table.

He stiffened for a moment before stiffly saying, “Thank you, Godmother.”

“Be careful when you go out from now on.” Jiang Qiujun said meaningfully. “This car accident might not have been Dai Lao Er’s doing—who knows about the next one.”

Dai Linxuan paused slightly. “Sorry.”

Lai Li frowned. “Bro…”

“I’m not looking for your apology.” Jiang Qiujun glanced at Dai Linxuan rationally. “Since you’ve already forced him off the table, there’s no point debating if that step was right. Just be careful from now on.”

Lai Li quickly pieced together the reason for this conversation.

Dai Lao Er had some sway in Dai Corporation and was key to checking Jiang Qiujun. Without him, Dai Songxue wouldn’t trust letting Dai Linxuan into the board of directors, fearing the group would become her and her son’s pocket entirely.

So rashly moving against Dai Lao Er wasn’t wise—at least not until the old man was in the ground.

Most importantly, a cornered dog jumps the fence. Who could guarantee Dai Lao Er wouldn’t drag others down before fully falling? If he could orchestrate one car crash, he could do a second.

Even if Jiang Qiujun and Dai Linxuan weren’t aligned, to Dai Lao Er, they were both enemies.

Dai Linxuan had lost his reason due to Lai Li’s coma, putting both Jiang Qiujun and Dai Yi in danger.

“If I hadn’t spotted that truck, my brother might have died in the crash!” Ignoring the warning under the table, Lai Li blurted out. “Do you think that’s something to tolerate—”

Jiang Qiujun’s phone suddenly rang, interrupting Lai Li’s questioning.

She answered, and her expression gradually darkened.

Dai Linxuan seized the chance to grab Lai Li’s hand, pressing it to his leg and rubbing it soothingly.

Dai Yi asked, “What happened?”

Jiang Qiujun hung up and looked at her. “You’re asking me what happened?”

Dai Yi blinked. “Looks like it involves me?”

Jiang Qiujun closed her eyes briefly. “What’s going on with you and He Gan?”

Dai Yi said, “I don’t know what you heard, but on my end, I just have a bit of a favorable impression of him. We might develop further in the future.”

Dai Linxuan’s expression changed. “Xiao Yi, don’t mess around.”

He Gan was He Chengze’s eldest son, rumored to be illegitimate, thirty-five years old. He’d been helping his father manage the company since his twenties and had built up some success.

“Why aren’t you all happy at all?” Dai Yi raised a brow in surprise. “If I end up with Brother Gan, our two families would be a power couple, right? And if Big Brother marries Shuangshuang-jie, the three families would be as close as in Grandpa’s time. It’s all good news no matter how you look at it.”

Jiang Qiujun set down her wine glass, clearly pissed. “Dai Yi, have you been taking the wrong meds lately?”

“He’s a whole generation older than you!” Dai Linxuan’s brows knitted tightly. “He Gan’s private life isn’t clean either… Xiao Yi, he’s not right for you.”

“Only challenging relationships suit me—otherwise, I’ll lose interest soon.” Dai Yi curved her lips. “No matter when, a prodigal son turning back is always touching, isn’t it?”

Lai Li watched her expressionlessly, saying nothing.

“Prodigal son turning back?” Jiang Qiujun said coolly. “Come on, I’ll buy you a plane ticket to Rome right now. Go smash the Virgin Mary’s statue and sit on it yourself! You’d hear thousands of repentant prodigals in a year—way better deal than dating He Gan.”

Dai Yi savored it for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Mom, I had no idea you were so savage.”

Dai Linxuan grew more baffled about what Dai Yi was thinking. He Gan didn’t fit her preferences at all, but even a one-in-ten-thousand chance meant he had to stop it.

Before he could speak, though, he heard Lai Li beside him open his mouth—

“Fresh food isn’t enough—you have to chase after digested leftovers.”

Dai Yi’s lips twitched. “We’re at the dinner table. Can you not bring up shit, piss, and farts?”

Lai Li scoffed. “Wasn’t it you who served shit as a dish first? It’s so gross I can’t eat.”

Dai Linxuan’s head throbbed as he pressed Lai Li’s hand. “Dai Yi, you really can’t mess around with this.”

Coaxing one ancestor was hard enough; now there was an even more uncontrollable one.

Dai Yi smiled lightly. “Look how scared you all are. We’re just at the contact stage now. If it’s not right, I’ll naturally back off.”

Jiang Qiujun’s tone turned cold. “You’d better back off right now.”

“Alright, I know what I’m doing.” Dai Yi leisurely picked up some food and ate it. “Mom, it’s been twelve years since you had a married life. Big Brother’s still a virgin, right? And Second Brother, with your brother obsession, no girl’s gonna want you—

“I’ve got way more relationship experience than you all. Put a hundred minds at ease.”

“…………”

Having successfully grossed out the three of them, Dai Yi retreated triumphantly from the dining room, waving without looking back. “Good night, everyone.”

Jiang Qiujun laughed in anger, leaning back in her chair and pinching her brow. She summarized the earlier call briefly. “Paparazzi caught photos of Dai Yi and He Gan hugging.”

Dai Linxuan: “I shouldn’t have…”

He didn’t finish, weariness and irritation showing in his eyes.

Back in the room after dinner, Lai Li pressed until he learned the details. A while back, Dai Corporation and the He Family had teamed up on an investment project with charitable elements, selecting twelve underdeveloped areas nationwide for specialty development in tourism and healthcare.

The project partnered with the government—little profit, but plenty of other benefits.

Dai Songxue had planned to hand it to Dai Linxuan after he joined the board, but the sudden car accident allowed Dai Yi to “seize the opportunity,” submitting her ideas and a rough plan at the meeting, earning unanimous approval from the higher-ups.

Dai Linxuan hadn’t fought it, but he hadn’t expected it to lead to her close contact with He Gan.

Lai Li said, “She’s degrading herself—it’s not your fault.”

Dai Linxuan frowned. “Lai Li.”

Lai Li’s face darkened slightly but he didn’t continue. Instead, he sat on the sofa, coaxing Dai Linxuan to lie on his lap and massaging his temples. “President Jiang will handle it.”

Dai Linxuan closed his eyes. “I’m afraid she can’t.”

“Don’t think about it.” Lai Li was unhappy that his brother’s mind was occupied by others. “Where does it hurt?”

“A bit higher.”

Truth be told, Lai Li wasn’t great at it. For the first decade-plus of his life, he’d been the one served, and Dai Linxuan rarely got unwell, so Lai Li had no real experience.

But Dai Linxuan rather liked the feeling, so he let him continue, even though his headache didn’t ease a bit.

What a big deal to warrant this.*

Jing Zixiao grumbled inwardly but didn’t voice it. Seeing Lai Li fully intact still relieved him.

During this sensitive time, Lai Li had planned to stick by his brother twenty-four-seven, turning down invitations from Jing Deyu and others.

His brother had a precedent of installing surveillance cameras. Although Lai Li was perfectly willing to be monitored, he didn’t want to expose the secret of his bodyguards. He remained wary of the phone Dai Linxuan had returned to him and refrained from calling Jing Zixiao, fearing it might have been tampered with.

He had no choice but to come in person to meet Jing Zixiao and learn about the recent events surrounding his brother that his brother hadn’t told him.

“Seeing you’re okay puts my mind at ease.” Jing Zixiao sat down and downed half a glass of whiskey in one go. “A lot has happened lately, but things here have been normal. The Ski Resort has opened, and your brother even sent a flower basket.”

Lai Li’s gaze darkened as he vaguely recalled mentioning that he wanted to teach Dai Linxuan how to ski. This wasn’t a delusion or a dream—it was real, but the appointed time had already passed.

Jing Zixiao let out a long sigh. “Why exactly did your brother send you abroad? Hadn’t you already finished your surgery?”

Lai Li said, “Mind your own business.”

Jing Zixiao said helplessly, “You have no idea what kind of rumors have been flying around these past few days. Some people even believed you’d been ‘canceled from the household registry’ by your brother.”

Lai Li was extremely displeased. “Did a donkey kick their brains? How could my brother possibly do something like that?”

Jing Zixiao hemmed and hawed. “There’s a reason for it…”

Lai Li said, “Spit it out.”

Jing Zixiao coughed and began from the beginning. “During this time, the bodyguards knew something had happened to you but didn’t send you any messages. They only contacted me occasionally… After your accident, your brother rarely went home… to Qiu’en Manor. He stayed in an apartment near your school.

“About the third day after you were transferred abroad, your brother went to work as usual, but that evening in the parking lot, he ran into Dai Yi and got slapped.”

Lai Li’s expression sank completely, his brows and eyes shrouded in heavy gloom. “Who got slapped? My brother?”

“That’s right.” Jing Zixiao snapped his fingers. “Dai Yi was the one who delivered the slap, and your brother was the one who took it.”

Lai Li said sinisterly, “What are you so excited about?”

Jing Zixiao quickly reined in his gossiping enthusiasm, cleared his throat, and continued. “Apparently, Dai Yi demanded at the time, ‘Where did you hide Lai Li!?’ You know how rumors get—they just get more outrageous.

“At first, it was just speculation that maybe you were gone for good. Then it slowly morphed into Dai Yi liking you, and Dai Linxuan couldn’t stand his sister getting chewed up by a dog. He hated himself for letting the dog into the house in the first place, so he used the car accident to break up the lovers and ‘canceled you from the household registry.’ That’s why Dai Yi went berserk for love…”

“…”

It was hard to say whether the anger from “Dai Linxuan getting slapped” hit Lai Li harder, or whether the disgust and nausea from this rumor hit harder.

How to put it—like he desperately wanted to kill someone right then, but suddenly a cockroach crawled all over him, and he didn’t know whether to squash the cockroach first or kill the person who dared to hit his brother first.

Dai Songxue. And Dai Yi.