159: There is fire in my heart

Ming Lin's “replication” was subconscious. He had been brainwashed by the phrase “my son” for so long that he thought no one could tell, and he deluded himself into believing that he was truly that kind of person.

Chu Yilan remembered correctly; they had met in childhood.

At that time, Chu Yilan appeared to be thriving, but the vitality that Ming Mei and Old Master Ming had left him was almost exhausted.

To silence public opinion, Chu Changqi treated the Ming Family with courtesy at Old Master Ming's funeral. Most people knew what had happened, but in the face of power, no one would speak up for a half-grown child.

Ming Lin hid in the bushes and saw Chu Changqi standing in the shadows, with a dazed Chu Yilan kneeling beside him.

The child Chu Yilan seemed to have anticipated what was about to happen.

It was just a small turtle a classmate had given him, but in Chu Changqi's hands, it seemed like something particularly interesting.

“You keep living things.” Chu Changqi pinched the tiny turtle, examining it carefully. “You actually dare to keep living things.”

Chu Yilan said hoarsely, “It's not mine, I have to return it to my classmate…”

Before he finished speaking, Chu Changqi shot him a mocking glance.

“Son, lying isn't a good habit.” Chu Changqi finished, then threw the turtle to the ground and stepped on it with his left foot. The newly hatched creature was extremely fragile; there was only a ‘crunch’ sound as its shell shattered, and its flesh died along with it.

The light in Chu Yilan's eyes extinguished. He slowly stood up, his face chillingly unlike that of a child.

Chu Changqi, however, was extremely satisfied and asked, “Will you still keep them in the future?”

Chu Yilan replied, “No, I won't.”

“Very good. Go on, go see your uncles and aunts.” Chu Changqi's tone was gentle.

But anyone could sense the demonic heart beneath Chu Changqi's refined exterior.

Chu Changqi's gaze swept over, and Ming Lin flinched slightly. He quickly lowered his head, held his breath, and waited for a long while. The outside seemed to quiet down. Ming Lin thought everyone had left, but when he looked up, he found Chu Changqi standing right in front of him.

“Little friend, what did you see?”

At close proximity, Ming Lin's heart suddenly pounded. His father was a coward, his mother died young, his grandparents favored his uncle's child, collectively suppressing and bullying him, and his father even feigned death to maintain that ridiculous semblance of family affection. Though Ming Lin was young, he had long been disappointed in that useless man. He didn't know when it started, but he developed a habit of tormenting small animals when he felt wronged.

And what Chu Changqi had just done felt familiar to Ming Lin.

The man's tall stature and ruthless methods captivated and made Ming Lin worship him. Later, he finally learned a word from a book: “kindred spirit.”

That was the first time Ming Lin, urged by instinct, vaguely expressed his loyalty to Chu Changqi: “Uncle.” He pointed at the turtle's corpse on the ground, “I can do it too.”

Chu Changqi's chilling smile paused, then he carefully scrutinized Ming Lin.

In fact, Chu Changqi had secretly investigated Ming Lin, but the results greatly disappointed him. His grades were terrible, and he had little presence in his daily life.

So, everything Ming Lin is now proves that even if Chu Changqi returned as a ghost, he would still be an incompetent one, because with few pawns at hand, he could only find a deranged follower.

Chu Yilan slowly released Ming Lin.

In an instant, the violent aura he had just exuded calmed down, as if nothing had happened, and he turned and left.

But Ming Lin knew very well that those warnings were not an illusion.

Catching Ming Lin was useless. Chu Yilan knew that person was a top survivor who could have three burrows like a cunning rabbit at the slightest disturbance. To survive, how could he only arrange for one Ming Lin?

It doesn't matter. Chu Yilan picked up a wine glass and chatted with the familiar bosses present. What he lacked least now was patience.

This subtle, constantly trembling excitement surged through his brain like an electric current. Chu Yilan thought of that great fire again. His mother hysterically told him to “run!” He didn't want to run. He carried a bucket of water, clumsily and urgently trying to extinguish the flames spreading up the wall, but soon, Chu Changqi grabbed him from behind.

That was the nightmare Chu Yilan had once been most unwilling to face.

But at some point, the core of his fear was peeled away little by little. Falling back into the memory, all that remained was resentment.

Death was forgiveness; for Chu Yilan, Chu Changqi being alive was the punishment.

Chu Yilan was drinking quite heavily tonight, yet he said little. Feng Yueshan noticed his emotional change and dared not approach rashly.

He truly resembled Chu Yilan when he first regained power, looking desolate and ruthless.

Including Yang Bin, several people were watching Chu Yilan's expression while tapping away on their phones.

Chu Yilan's targeting caused Ming Lin to lose his invitation to this banquet. The CEO of Kangsheng Pharmaceutical, worried about trouble, sent someone to escort Ming Lin back.

Chu Yilan caressed a glass of iced strong liquor for a moment, then, thinking of something, tilted his head back and gulped it down.

He was a little drunk, but not enough. The chill couldn't suppress the bloody taste rising to his throat.

Chu Yilan hadn't been so impacted by something in a long time. He drank until his vision swayed slightly, and the surrounding noise came muffled as if through a layer of oilcloth. A missing piece in his heart made Chu Yilan inexplicably restless.

The next second, someone exclaimed, “Isn't that Shen Lian?”

Chu Yilan's eyebrows twitched slightly, thinking he was already hallucinating from drinking.

Shen Lian entered through the main door. Assistant Sun was there, so an invitation was a matter of minutes. He left in a hurry, so he wore a hat, but a jostle from a rushed waiter exposed his face to the lights.

The one who recognized Shen Lian was a Young Girl, whose eyes instantly filled with admiration; it was clear she was a fan.

Indeed, the other party tentatively stepped forward, “Shen Lian, would it be convenient for me to get an autograph?”

It wasn't unusual to invite a few celebrities to such an event. The other party didn't think much of it, just marveling at it being Shen Lian and how lucky she was.

Shen Lian smiled, “Of course, where should I sign?”

The Young Girl went to get her bag, and Shen Lian waited in place, simultaneously scanning ahead. The anxiety in his eyes was cleverly concealed by his casual smile until he saw a familiar figure, and then it slowly subsided.

When he first heard the news, Shen Lian had fire in his heart.

But then he thought, if it wasn't truly hard to suppress, Chu Yilan wouldn't be like this.

On the way, Sun Binghe said all sorts of reassuring things, but at its root, he didn't know either. Even Yang Bin, who was on site, was completely bewildered, only saying it was most likely related to Ming Lin.

After signing for the Young Girl, Shen Lian was able to extricate himself. He was still wearing his costume pants, black and baggy, cinched at the ankles. Pairing them with white sneakers was quite unconventional, but luckily, he was handsome enough to pull it off. With a khaki overcoat, people might even think it was some kind of fashion statement.

Shen Lian exhaled and walked step by step towards Chu Yilan.

Chu Yilan wasn't looking in that direction, not because he lacked the strength, but because he firmly believed it was a hallucination. It wasn't until a pair of legs appeared before him that Chu Yilan impatiently looked up, meeting Shen Lian's expressionless face. All his thoughts of revenge and the effects of alcohol instantly vanished for the most part.