Chapter 50
“You… you actually dared to hit me!”
Shock filled Qi Qianli’s eyes. From childhood until now, he had never once been hit. Who the hell did the person in front of him think he was? Xia Fengsheng or Winter Fengsheng, it didn’t matter—after hitting him today, he would have to pay the price.
A vicious look crawled into Qi Qianli’s eyes. He got up from the ground and charged at Xia Fengsheng, clearly intending to return that slap tenfold.
“Do you even know who I am?!” Today he was going to make sure this man regretted it so badly he wouldn’t know what hit him.
Qi Qianli came at him with claws bared, while Xia Fengsheng stood there still as deep water. The moment the man was about to touch him, an expensive black polished shoe kicked out without warning and slammed into Qi Qianli’s shin, pain shooting through him as if the bone had snapped.
Qi Qianli instantly dropped to one knee.
Standing in front of him, Xia Fengsheng’s bright red lips curved up. “Happy New Year.”
His temperament was distinctive, and he knew exactly how to smile in the most attractive way possible.
A man beautiful enough to leave you breathless.
The next second, Qi Qianli’s constricted pupils watched him raise a fist.
Thud—
Qi Qianli was punched so hard he crashed into the wall.
The assistant nearby nearly had his soul leave his body and screamed while clutching his head, “Young master!!!!!!”
Xia Fengsheng patted the assistant on the shoulder in comfort. “Your young master’s enjoying himself right now.”
As he spoke, he kicked again.
Qi Qianli: “Pffft!!!”
He immediately started spitting like a bubble fish.
The assistant nearly rolled his eyes back and fainted. He hurried over to stop it, only for Xia Fengsheng to fling him aside with one hand.
By the time the assistant came back to himself, he was draped over the tea table, his pupils shaking.
Holy shit, that much strength?!
He looked refined and scholarly, so polite too, yet he actually had hands like this. Just now it had felt like being hit by a cow.
At first, watching Qi Qianli get beaten, Qi Lianshan had been inwardly delighted, his own heart almost punching along with it. Beat this unfilial brat to death, beat this filial son to death.
He usually doted on Qi Qianli that much, yet the boy had not even remembered his birthday and had spoken to him with such disrespect.
“Good!”
“Xiao Xia, hit him harder!”
But the more it went on, the more Qi Lianshan realized something was wrong.
Qi Qianli looked like he was about to be beaten to death.
No matter how angry he was, that was still his son, and he finally spoke up to stop it.
“Xiao Xia, stop hitting him. That’s enough. Don’t hit him anymore.”
But Xia Fengsheng acted as though he hadn’t heard a thing.
Xia Fengsheng: You think I’m listening to you?
Qi Lianshan panicked. “Son! Son!”
Watching his son get held down and beaten, he finally cried out in paternal love.
Sitting in his wheelchair and frantic, he rolled himself over. Xia Fengsheng shoved him away with one hand. He rolled over again, and Xia Fengsheng shoved him away again.
Old Stubborn Qi Lianshan: …I refuse to believe this!!!
Qi Lianshan exploded with the power of the universe!
Once again, he put his whole life into wheeling himself forward—
and once again Xia Fengsheng lightly pushed him aside.
Qi Qianli screamed from the floor, “Dad! Dad, save me!”
Fatherly love made Qi Lianshan stop in place.
Xia Fengsheng rewarded Qi Qianli with a brutal headbutt. “Keep it down.”
Qi Qianli clutched his head and transformed into a bootleg, anguished Psyduck.
Qi Lianshan couldn’t bear to see Qi Qianli getting beaten. Even if the boy had said outrageous things, he was still his own flesh and blood. The worry on his face could hardly be hidden, and he was practically lifting off the wheelchair seat.
Seeing that only gave Xia Fengsheng more energy to keep going.
Yet even after Xia Fengsheng finished disciplining Qi Qianli, Qi Lianshan still had not stood up from his wheelchair.
Tsk.
So fatherly love wasn’t all that great after all.
Xia Fengsheng lifted his chin and let out a long breath. His long, sexy fingers swept the fallen hair back from his forehead, the afterglow of excitement still lingering faintly on his face. His narrow fox eyes were full of pleasure.
Qi Qianli sat on the floor, holding his swollen face and whining.
That was enough to make him cry?
Xia Fengsheng hadn’t even really used any force.
Other than that first slap, he had pulled back on every hit after.
Sitting on the floor, Qi Qianli pointed at him furiously. “Do you know my sister—”
Xia Fengsheng cut him off. “Do you know who your sister is?”
Qi Qianli: ???
Weren’t those supposed to be my lines?
Xia Fengsheng showed not the slightest fear over having hit the crown prince of the Qi family. Instead, he wore a deeply satisfied, post-beating expression, his personal charm almost offensively vivid.
Qi Qianli felt like every inch of his body hurt. “Just wait until I complain to my sister.”
Xia Fengsheng raised a brow. “And how exactly is Young Master Qi planning to describe it?”
Qi Qianli gritted out, “Exactly how it happened!”
He was going to tell his sister every single one of Xia Fengsheng’s violent crimes and make sure she taught him the cost of offending him.
Xia Fengsheng shook his head with a smile, then looked up at him. “Stupid woman? Old bastard?”
Qi Qianli fell instantly silent. Sitting there on the floor, his gaze shifted guiltily.
Those words had come out of his own mouth just moments ago. If they reached his sister’s ears, forget restoring his cards—she might never give him money again in this lifetime.
Qi Mingyue had always respected their father. She was nothing like him in that regard.
Xia Fengsheng had guessed this reaction and bet Qi Qianli would not dare tell.
The polished black leather shoes stopped in front of him. All he could see in his field of vision was a pair of long legs, cleanly outlined by tailored trousers, then Xia Fengsheng crouched down, and that breathtaking face came into view.
“Let’s rehearse,” he said, his voice like the evening breeze. “How did the injuries on your face happen?”
Qi Qianli swallowed the humiliation. “I fell by accident.”
Xia Fengsheng’s pretty eyes curved. They were already bright to begin with, and smiling made them even more sultry. Clearly pleased with the answer, he lifted a hand and patted Qi Qianli on the cheek. “Good boy. Go apologize to your father.”
For a second, Qi Qianli forgot how to breathe. Whether from fear or something else, even he couldn’t tell.
He had already witnessed what Xia Fengsheng’s hands could do. There was no way he dared not apologize.
Holding his face, he went over to Qi Lianshan. “Dad, I’m sorry.”
Qi Lianshan was still angry with him inside, but seeing Qi Qianli in such a miserable state, he was afraid that if he didn’t accept the apology, Xia Fengsheng would keep beating him. He cleared his throat and said, “I forgive you.”
Qi Qianli’s face hurt so badly it was maddening. Squatting in front of Qi Lianshan, he whispered, “Dad, why didn’t you save me just now? You just watched me get beaten.”
“Look what I’ve been reduced to.”
One side of Qi Qianli’s already flower-wandering pretty face was now swollen.
Qi Lianshan: ……
He himself hadn’t had an easy day either. In the places Qi Qianli couldn’t see, Xia Fengsheng had not treated him gently either.
Thinking back on Xia Fengsheng’s behavior, Qi Lianshan kept his mouth shut.
Xia Fengsheng came over, adjusting his tie with one hand. Qi Qianli shivered in fright.
Smiling at him, Xia Fengsheng said, “I trust Young Master Qi has learned quite a few lessons today.”
Qi Qianli did not dare refuse to answer. “Mm.”
Xia Fengsheng arched a brow, then cupped a hand to his ear in exaggerated fashion. “What was that, Young Master Qi? I didn’t hear you clearly.”
Qi Qianli shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and said with full respect, “I’ve learned a lot.”
Xia Fengsheng looked gratified. “After dinner, write me a three-thousand-word self-criticism.”
Qi Qianli felt his inner world collapse.
Xia Fengsheng was even staying for dinner tonight?!
A three-thousand-word self-criticism? He hadn’t written that many words since graduating university!
But his face was still aching faintly, and Xia Fengsheng clearly knew how to fight. He didn’t dare not write it.
Before dinner, Qi Qianli finished the three-thousand-word composition and even, incidentally, bought Qi Lianshan a birthday gift.
Only after asking the assistant did he learn that Xia Fengsheng was Qi Lianshan’s new rehabilitation therapist, and he couldn’t help worrying a little for Qi Lianshan.
Because the rehab therapist needed to stay on hand at all times, Qi Mingyue arranged for Xia Fengsheng to rest in one of the Qi family guest rooms that night.
When Qi Qianli walked into the dining room to eat, Xia Fengsheng was indeed there too.
He had changed clothes. But even a simple set of casual wear still gave him that strange, seductive aura. His neck was long and pale as expensive antique white porcelain, and the veins beneath his skin looked like bluish-violet moss slowly creeping up from the damp corners after the porcelain had long been shut away in some cold, shadowy place—elegant and captivating.
And because of his violence, he seemed almost sacred and untouchable.
Like a master.
Qi Qianli suddenly shook his head hard.
What the hell was he thinking?
He sat down beside Xia Fengsheng and instantly caught the fragrance on him.
For a moment it reminded him of the slap Xia Fengsheng had given him earlier that day.
That scent had rushed at him head-on, so strong and distracting that he’d only been able to focus on Xia Fengsheng himself, not even register the pain in his face.
It was Qi Lianshan’s birthday, so Qi Mingyue had come home early. She found that his temper had improved noticeably, and he even wore a smile she hadn’t seen in a long time.
He asked whether she was tired, and even apologized for his bad temper before.
Qi Mingyue smiled and said, “Not tired. I’m fine.”
She carried that mature, composed air all over her.
Compared with the way Xia Fengsheng had beaten him, Qi Qianli noticed that his attitude toward Qi Mingyue was completely different. His voice turned soft and gentle, his conduct stayed perfectly within bounds, and the two of them chatted with ease and laughter. He looked nothing like the man who had patted Qi Qianli’s face and ordered him to apologize earlier in the day.
Then again, Xia Fengsheng was his sister’s employee. Of course he treated her differently than he treated him.
Seeing the swelling on Qi Qianli’s face, Qi Mingyue didn’t ask after it. Qi Qianli had a whole pack of worthless friends—who knew what he’d gotten up to outside.
Xia Fengsheng ate with slow, delicate bites, and while having dessert afterward, he and Qi Mingyue chatted quite happily.
Qi Mingyue admired his way of speaking.
Qi Qianli sat to the side, waiting and waiting. Why weren’t they done yet? He was waiting to hand over the essay.
A full half hour passed before the conversation finally ended.
Qi Mingyue got up and went upstairs to the study to handle work. As Xia Fengsheng was about to head back to the guest room, Qi Qianli came over clutching the written self-criticism.
“I finished the self-criticism you asked for.”
Xia Fengsheng only gave him one indifferent word. “Oh.”
He showed absolutely no intention of reading it.
Qi Qianli pinched the sheets of paper in his hand. He had spent an entire afternoon on this, fighting for his life to write it line by line, and hadn’t copied a single word from the internet. Xia Fengsheng had told him to hand it over after dinner. He had done so, but the man wasn’t even looking.
So he had written all that for nothing?
Qi Qianli gritted his teeth. “If you’re not going to read it, why make me write it?”
Xia Fengsheng scrolled through his phone, looking completely unconcerned. “Because I told you to. If I tell you to write it, you write it. Why are you being so obedient?”
Qi Qianli froze.
Then he realized the problem himself.
That’s right.
Because he’d been afraid Xia Fengsheng would complain to his sister, he could have just gotten a few other people to ghostwrite it for him. Why had he written it himself?
Qi Qianli felt deeply annoyed. There was something about Xia Fengsheng’s voice that made people obey without even realizing it.
But he had already written it now.
Stubbornly, he shoved the self-criticism closer. “So are you reading it or not?”
Xia Fengsheng was merciless. “No. Waste of time.”
What kind of quality writing could some rich wastrel like Qi Qianli possibly produce? Reading it would only mean receiving garbage information.
Qi Qianli exploded. “Are you treating me like a dog?!”
“A dog?” Xia Fengsheng looked at him, eyes full of bewildered charm and refined elegance.
Qi Qianli unconsciously straightened under his gaze and swallowed.
The next second, Xia Fengsheng laughed.
It was a very pretty laugh, and despite himself, Qi Qianli stared a little blankly.
“A puppy isn’t like you,” Xia Fengsheng said coolly. “You’re a long way from being one.”
“You—!” Being told he wasn’t even as good as a dog, Qi Qianli, who had just been briefly dazed by his looks, immediately got angry again. “Who are you saying isn’t as good as a dog?”
“Isn’t it you?” Xia Fengsheng replied. “Who calls the sister who gives everything for him a ‘stupid woman’?”
As for Qi Lianshan, calling him names was one thing—they deserved each other. A stubborn old man getting the reward for favoritism.
“Compared to a puppy, Young Master Qi is much more suited to being an ungrateful wretch.”
The words struck home, and Qi Qianli actually felt ashamed.
He had always wanted a better relationship with his sister, but she had always treated him coldly. Part of that came from their father’s favoritism, and part of it came from his constant failed investments and his life as a playboy.
It made perfect sense that she disliked him.
Xia Fengsheng took the self-criticism out of his hand and tossed it into the trash. “It’s late. Young Master Qi should get some rest.”
Qi Qianli was speechless.
Then Xia Fengsheng seemed to remember something. “Oh, right. Don’t forget to compensate me for a new pair of leather shoes.”
He had kicked Qi Qianli too hard today, and the toe of the shoe had creased.
He definitely meant to collect on that.
The moment he said it, Qi Qianli’s gaze involuntarily fell to Xia Fengsheng’s crossed legs. The man was wearing the household white slippers now.
Xia Fengsheng had enjoyed kicking him, and now he expected Qi Qianli to pay for the shoes too.
Qi Qianli had never in his life swallowed so much humiliation, yet he didn’t dare show his anger. Xia Fengsheng had something on him.
That night, lying in bed, Qi Qianli kept thinking about Xia Fengsheng’s legs.
He rolled around clutching his face.
All because Xia Fengsheng had told him to compensate him for those shoes—now his eyes kept drifting to Xia Fengsheng’s feet, and from there to his legs as well. Every time he shut his eyes, all he could see were Xia Fengsheng’s legs and feet.
But he clutched his face too hard and ended up brushing the bruises there, hissing in pain.
And while it hurt, it also made him remember that fragrant slap from earlier in the day.
Why was Xia Fengsheng all over his head?
Staring at the ceiling in a daze, Qi Qianli suddenly felt he understood why Shi Ye had never been able to forget Xia Fengsheng.
He really was the kind of person who made you love and hate him at the same time.
Even after being beaten black and blue today, Qi Qianli didn’t actually feel the slightest urge to get revenge.
Other than the very first slap, none of the places he’d been hit even really hurt anymore. There was no bruising either.
Unable to sleep, Qi Qianli pulled a few strings and got hold of Xia Fengsheng’s WeChat. Finance was a circle, after all. Even if he was a spoiled rich kid, he had plenty of connections in his phone.
Afraid Xia Fengsheng might not accept him, he specifically put in the note:
Compensation for the leather shoes.
Just as expected, Xia Fengsheng accepted his friend request.
But he didn’t say a word.
Qi Qianli took the initiative to send a sticker as a greeting, only to have it ignored on sight.
Burning with curiosity, he tapped into Xia Fengsheng’s Moments to see what kind of things he posted.
The moment he entered, the first thing he saw was Shi Ye’s photo in the background image of Xia Fengsheng’s Moments.
Qi Qianli instinctively clicked his tongue.
These days, who still made a relationship official by using a photo as a Moments background? How old-fashioned.
But since Xia Fengsheng was still awake at this hour, he was probably looking at his phone too. Which meant he might also see his Moments. And when people had just added a new contact on WeChat, it was hard not to look through the other person’s posts.
After a day full of bad luck, Qi Qianli posted a Moments update:
If melancholy is a talent.
The next second, Xia Fengsheng liked it.
Qi Qianli’s eyes widened slightly.
Xia Fengsheng really was looking at his Moments.
.
On the other side, Xia Fengsheng was doing his daily routine of formulaically liking every single post on Moments.
Within the industry, his emotional intelligence was absurdly high. Whenever any important figure posted on Moments, he would like it, thoughtfully reminding them that he still existed somewhere in their WeChat list.
He had already blocked everyone useless, so when Xia Fengsheng liked posts, he didn’t even read them. After making the rounds, he exited Moments.
A message from Shi Ye came in.
Shi Ye: “How’s this one? Does it look good?”
A photo followed immediately after.
These past few days Shi Ye had flown overseas for work and, while there, had taken a lot of photos in Hawaii.
In the picture, the background was a bright azure sky. The sun looked fierce and dazzling. Shi Ye stood by the sea with a seagull perched on his shoulder, smiling brightly at the camera.
Shi Ye: “A seagull actually landed on my shoulder. Isn’t that amazing?”
Xia Fengsheng: “Mm.”
Seeing Xia Fengsheng’s reply, Shi Ye lay on his bed and puffed out his lips.
So cold.
They hadn’t seen each other for two whole days.
Shi Ye: “Hawaii’s really fun. Let’s come here together next time.”
He had come for work this time and hadn’t had much time to play. Next time, if Xia Fengsheng came too, they could enjoy it properly. Surfing by the sea there felt amazing.
Xia Fengsheng: “I heard the sunlight there is very strong.”
Shi Ye: “It’s okay. I’ll help you put on sunscreen.”
The moment he sent the message, Shi Ye’s face flushed.
Over there, sunscreen was all applied in broad strokes. On the beach, plenty of couples helped each other rub it on.
He had barely ever touched Xia Fengsheng’s body. Just thinking about it made his brain feel like it was about to explode.
Xia Fengsheng: “Sure.”
Seeing the reply, Shi Ye: O.O
He abruptly buried his face in the pillow.
Saying sweet things on purpose to confuse him, was he? He wasn’t going to fall for it!
In truth, Xia Fengsheng himself didn’t know why he had replied sure.
Today, because the topic of puppies had come up, he found that he couldn’t stop thinking about puppies.
.
Qi Qianli checked Moments every five minutes.
Then every five minutes again.
He was waiting to see if Xia Fengsheng would comment.
No comment came. Instead, he saw Shi Ye post on Moments.
Shi Ye: “If life is hard, then life is hard. Don’t call melancholy a talent.”
Combined with the Moments Qi Qianli had just posted, anyone looking would think Shi Ye was clearly aiming that at him.
Since when had he offended Shi Ye?
Qi Qianli found Shi Ye utterly inexplicable. The fact that the man was Xia Fengsheng’s boyfriend only made him more unpleasant to look at.
He sent the matter to his circle of friends. “Did you guys see Shi Ye’s Moments? He’s targeting me. What did I ever do to him?”
Other than finding him that substitute all those years ago, he couldn’t think of anything—and that had been ages back.
The friends in the circle didn’t know what grievance existed between them either, so they all started asking around.
One of them happened to be friends with Ding Qizhen and sent him screenshots of both Qi Qianli’s and Shi Ye’s Moments.
Friend: “Did Qi Qianli offend Shi Ye somehow? Why is Shi Ye posting at him like this?”
Ding Qizhen took one glance and saw through everything. Inwardly, he clicked his tongue at the fact that none of them could figure it out.
Then he took a screenshot showing that Xia Fengsheng had liked Qi Qianli’s post and sent it over.
Ding Qizhen: “Suspected trigger, haha.”
