Chapter 51

The intruder caught a whiff of an indescribable fragrance—sweet and cloying, like fresh honey.

His fingertips trembled as they clutched the hem of the fabric, yanking it up in a flash.

Then he realized something.

There was nothing underneath the hem.

This little concubine wasn’t wearing a thing…

His guilty conscience made him too nervous to look closely; he only caught that one glimpse.

He struggled to steady his racing heart, feeling all the blood rush to his head, making his vision blur and his breath come in ragged gasps.

The boy sleeping soundly on the bed furrowed his brow slightly, seemingly unaware of his presence.

Thank goodness he slept like a rock. The intruder thought. Otherwise, with how heavy my breathing is, he’d definitely hear it.

He hesitated, then cut off the live stream.

Whatever he was about to see next, he didn’t want to give those pathetic NEETs in the chat—who only knew how to jerk off—the free show.

He half-knelt by the bed and swallowed hard.

His mindset right now was like that of a high school virgin sneaking a peek at a dirty magazine for the first time… maybe even more nerve-wracking.

How could there be such a beautiful little boy?

If he really was a virgin back then, when Old Ghost Huo first met him… would he still have been untouched?

The intruder dredged up his limited knowledge of sex. No real experience, but he knew the basics.

The thought of that rigid, conservative head of the Huo Family taking Luo Li’s first time—maybe even making him bleed and cry—stirred an inexplicable thrill in him. Picturing the delicate beauty teary-eyed beneath an old man…

No. That wasn’t right. He was just a little con artist, probably nothing more than an ordinary boy.

What the hell was he even thinking?

The intruder forced himself to calm down, taking a deep breath before tremblingly touching the edge of Luo Li’s skirt once more.

He held back his scorching breath to avoid waking the sleeping boy.

Once again, he lifted it.

At that moment, the bathroom door creaked open.

Huo Cheng emerged from the bathroom, his face cold and stormy, and flicked on the light.

The intruder’s figure was exposed with nowhere to hide. His narrow, upturned eyes darted away in rare panic.

Huo Cheng said calmly, “So you really came.”

“A Yin.”

…

The three brothers shared no blood ties. Before they were all brought to Zhaohua Mansion, none of them had ever met.

Huo Jieqi wasn’t much of a father—just a deeply calculating businessman who adopted three sons to solidify his position in the Jinzhou Chamber of Commerce.

To him, any one of those sons was little more than a tool to be summoned or dismissed at will.

In Huo Cheng’s memory, Huo Yin had always been the smartest of the three. He’d studied abroad early on, was arrogant and proud, but always upright and honorable.

Yet just moments ago, this haughty little brother had been kneeling by the bed.

Eyes wide, lips pressed thin, ears and neck flushed crimson—like some worldly innocent, greedily ogling the adorable beauty on the bed with his gaze.

Now caught red-handed, Huo Yin flew into a rage: “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Huo Cheng’s expression didn’t change. “That’s what I should be asking you. Drugging someone like this—is that worthy of Father’s teachings?”

Huo Yin shoved his hands in his pockets, feigning nonchalance.

“I just wanted to verify if he was lying, so you wouldn’t all get played by this little con artist.”

Huo Cheng raised a brow. “And? Did you verify it?”

Huo Yin’s throat bobbed.

“No.”

“I almost saw it. If you hadn’t stuck your nose in…”

He swallowed uncontrollably. “I suggest you fuck off and not interrupt me.”

Huo Cheng suddenly smiled.

He could tell Huo Yin was lying. This was just an excuse to shoo him away for a better look.

Greedy little punk. A starving dog.

Huo Yin even pushed his luck: “If you’re stopping me now, are you covering for him? You believe him that much? Or do you want to see for yourself?”

Huo Cheng’s lips curved as he took a towel from the rack and dried the water from his hands.

“I’ve got no time for you. I still need to wash the clothes.”

Wash…

Huo Yin had a bad feeling.

“Wash what?”

Huo Cheng didn’t answer. Huo Yin couldn’t sit still any longer; he shoved past and stormed into the bathroom.

The bathroom door stood wide open, the floor streaked with water. Beside it sat a basin with a thin pair of panties floating inside—anyone could tell whose they were.

Huo Yin stared at his sanctimonious big brother in disbelief. “You’re washing Luo Li’s underwear?”

Huo Cheng shrugged it off. “Just looking after Father’s widow. Nothing shameful about it.”

Fuck.

Of course it wasn’t shameful.

Huo Yin cursed up a storm in his head. Blissful, right? Why do you get to wash them? Who the hell are you? Do you even know how?

This guy was definitely sniffing them and fantasizing while he washed.

I haven’t even touched them, and Huo Cheng gets to wash them?

And…

Huo Yin’s face darkened further. “Out of nowhere, why are you suddenly fawning over him like this?”

He whipped around to look at Luo Li again. The boy’s face was serene, his breathing steady—not like he was still under the drug’s influence.

Huo Cheng saw right through him and stated plainly, “The drug’s worn off.”

Crack.

A glass shattered on the floor, splintering into pieces.

Only then did Luo Li jolt awake. He blinked his dewy eyes and slowly propped himself up.

Seeing the two men at swords’ drawn, he shrank back toward the corner of the bed.

Huo Yin’s face was terrifyingly grim as he lunged forward and grabbed Huo Cheng’s collar. “Don’t fucking tell me it was you—”

He looked ready to kill, but Huo Cheng just lowered his gaze, unfazed.

Huo Yin’s confidence crumbled.

He’d seen it himself—even in sleep, it had still been leaking stickily… His heart pounded wildly. If he had a gun right now, he’d blow this bastard away.

But knocks sounded at the door.

Huo Cheng smiled. “Looks like the Chamber of Commerce people are here.”

Huo Yin glared at him, then at Luo Li. The boy’s long hair draped over his shoulders, his pale little face tense, eyes shyly avoiding his gaze.

The knocking grew more insistent. Huo Yin knew he had no escape. The place was crawling with Huo Cheng’s men, and he’d conspired with Bern before—he couldn’t expose himself now…

Huo Yin fixed Huo Cheng with a steely glare, enunciating each word: “You just wait.”

With that, he crashed through the window and vaulted out with agile grace.

Once his brother was gone, Huo Cheng took Luo Li’s hand and helped him off the bed.

As the boy sat to change his shoes, Huo Cheng’s arm wrapped gently around his waist.

“So, who exactly helped you with that drug, hmm?”

Luo Li froze mid-step in his little leather shoes.

Huo Cheng glanced toward the bathroom. Not long ago, when he’d carried Luo Li out, someone had slipped a nightgown on the boy—red marks now ringed his ankles and wrists, as if he’d passed out in the water.

His gut told him something had slipped into that bathroom… and taken advantage.

That’s why, by the time he’d tucked Luo Li into bed, the boy’s breathing had steadied, the unnatural flush faded from his cheeks.

Luo Li fidgeted with his knees, nervously cracking his knuckles.

Huo Cheng toyed with the ends of his hair. “Can’t say?”

Luo Li stayed silent, meeting his eyes. Mist swirled in those almond-shaped ones, brimming with unspoken grievance, on the verge of tears—utterly pitiable.

Huo Cheng’s words caught in his throat.

“Forget it,” he said. “As long as Baby feels better now.”

He’d pretend he knew nothing and keep up the cold act while washing underwear.

…

Not long after the Eldest Young Master took his little concubine to Jinzhou City, they returned safe and sound.

Upon their return, the little concubine wore a snow-white embroidered jacket. Huo Cheng escorted her from the car straight back to the Huo Mansion.

Huo Xing’er was laid up with a migraine in her side room, having her maid give her a massage.

She’d heard that Huo Yin had colluded with that foreigner Bern and gotten caught by Huo Cheng—now he was locked in his room for forced reflection.

She lived close by and often heard that young master’s frustrated shouting, which disturbed her peace. With her headache, it was even more unbearable. She half-wished Huo Cheng would just let him out.

But Huo Cheng’s brows knit together. Just two words: “No.”

“Then what do you plan to do? You can’t keep him locked up forever…”

Huo Cheng replied, “If he confesses to colluding with Bern, I’ll let him go. Otherwise, no.”

…But Huo Yin was stubbornly tight-lipped, refusing to budge. He’d probably pegged it as his bargaining chip—better locked up than spilling.

Huo Xing’er thought he’d hold out like that forever.

Until this day, when Huo Cheng showed up hand-in-hand with Luo Li to “visit” Huo Yin. No one knew what was said, but the Third Young Master—who’d been hard as stone—suddenly crumbled, completely losing it.

Like catching one glimpse of Luo Li had broken him wide open.

Huo Yin said he’d spill everything he knew—but only with everyone as witnesses.

That day, Huo Cheng walked into the main hall, followed by the frowning Huo Yin and the bewildered Huo Lan. With everyone gathered there, Huo Xing’er sensed that the atmosphere was off.

The three brothers had never gotten along particularly well, but now they seemed even more at odds with one another.

Huo Yin sat in the center and slowly slid several photos across the table.

“Someone took these recently,” he said. “They show Bern being grabbed by a local thug named Chu Jing. His whereabouts are unknown right now—he’s probably been stashed away somewhere.”

“This thug didn’t try to shake down the Chamber of Commerce for money, so it doesn’t look like he’s after profit.”

He paused for a moment. “Chu Jing used to be a soldier. After he got out, he’s been running with the city’s lowlifes—beggars, con artists, thieves. They all deal with him.”

Huo Xing’er pieced a few things together.

“Bern hasn’t been back in the country long enough to cross paths with a street rat like that.”

“He wouldn’t have. But back when Father was running the Chamber of Commerce, they clashed with Chu Jing over territory. It even led to a lawsuit with deaths involved.”

Huo Cheng spoke gravely. “Now that Bern’s in charge of the Chamber of Commerce, if Chu Jing wants him gone, it could be payback for the old grudge.”

Huo Yin placed the last photo on top. “Hmph. I don’t think revenge is what he’s after.”

The photo was quite blurry. It took close scrutiny to make out Chu Jing, with a small beggar trailing a short distance behind him—though the beggar’s face wasn’t visible.

It must have been snapped during the funeral procession that day, capturing part of the mourners’ line.

The beggar’s face wasn’t shown, but the age and build were strikingly familiar.

It looked just like Luo Li.

Huo Yin continued. “Huo Cheng, you went to East Alley that day, didn’t you? You didn’t notice anything strange?”

Huo Cheng rubbed his temple. “Those people keep their mouths shut tight. I didn’t pick up on anything unusual.”

Huo Yin saw that Huo Cheng was determined to play dumb, so he cut straight to it. “Hasn’t it occurred to you that Father never had a mistress at all? That Luo Li’s whole story is just one big con?”

Everyone’s faces changed in an instant. Huo Xing’er asked in a trembling voice, “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Luo Li isn’t pregnant.”

Huo Yin’s knuckles tightened slightly on the table, veins bulging along the back of his hand as though he were holding something back. “He couldn’t be. He’s… a boy.”

Huo Cheng’s eyes darkened at once.

He had thought Huo Yin was sitting on some valuable lead… but this was it?

That stubborn refusal to talk had made him think there was some massive secret being guarded.

Huo Lan, who usually came across as dim-witted and oblivious, suddenly flushed red from the neck up. “Th-Third Brother, how… how would you even know that…”

“I just know. Don’t believe me? Call in some outside doctor to take a look.”

Huo Yin shot Huo Cheng a sharp glare. “Come on, Big Brother. Stop pretending. You knew too, didn’t you?”

His voice grew more menacing. “You knew damn well he was a boy and went after him anyway. You’re such a hypocrite.”

Huo Cheng’s gaze turned profoundly dark. “So what you’re saying is, if he weren’t just some ordinary boy, you’d have no problem going after him yourself?”

“I—”

Huo Yin choked on his words.

Huo Lan stammered, “N-no one’s seen it. Who knows? I… I don’t believe you.”

“I fucking saw it, of course!”

The words burst out of Huo Yin before he could stop them. He felt completely out of control all of a sudden.

Luo Li had fooled him good.

He had convinced himself that his feelings for the guy stemmed from how girly he seemed—that it was just a natural attraction to feminine things.

But after seeing for himself…

He still liked him. No matter what Luo Li was, he liked everything about him. The little con artist was gorgeous from every angle, even when he was swollen and battered from someone else’s abuse—it was so captivating that Huo Yin couldn’t tear his eyes away.

The only heartbreak was that his constant daydreams had shattered like a dream. He wanted nothing more than to grab these bastards and demand to know who had stolen away Baby’s cute little treasure, the one that cried so sweetly.

And so Huo Yin raged on one hand while inwardly weeping on the other, kneeling at Luo Li’s skirts in his heart.

He still liked him.