148: bet

“Lately, I've been very well-behaved! I go to work and come home on time every day. Aside from attending Sheng Xufeng's farewell party, I haven't even stepped out the door...”

Wait, Yan Zhuohua suddenly looked up. The party?

Today was Saturday, and Sheng Xufeng had already been in the army for two or three days. Moreover, during the party, he had received a card and a business card from Sheng Xufeng.

“Figured it out?” Yan Zhuoyang could tell from his expression that he realized where the problem lay. “At five o'clock this morning, in exchange for three hours of rest, Sheng Xufeng took the initiative to provide Lin Fang with information about you.”

As he spoke, Yan Zhuoyang also glanced at Yan Qinghe with interest. “Don't you want to hear it?”

Yan Qinghe seemed a bit shaken. He did remember that during the party that day, Yan Zhuohua and Sheng Xufeng had gone out together and only returned after quite a while.

Sheng Xufeng!! You again! I knew you were unreliable. It's only been a few days, and you've already sold me out? And for just three hours of rest? Am I really that worthless?

“I can explain!” Yan Zhuohua swallowed hard. “I didn't seek him out to cause trouble!”

“Oh, I don't believe you.” Yan Zhuoyang placed his glass on the coffee table. “Sheng Xufeng confessed that you borrowed a large sum of money from him and asked for the business card of someone with extensive connections. How can I believe you're not planning to cause trouble?”

You sure spilled everything!

Yan Zhuohua had thought that if Sheng Xufeng were to sell him out, it would just be to help Yan Zhuoyang scout for information as an undercover agent. If that were the case, he wouldn't have had anything to fear since he was acting uprightly. He never expected the guy to just blurt out everything, completely blocking his path of retreat!

“I didn't, Big Brother! What kind of evidence is that? Innocent until proven guilty!”

“Do I need evidence to teach you a lesson?” Yan Zhuoyang reached out toward Yan Qinghe. “Give me the stick.”

Yan Qinghe instinctively hid the stick behind his back. “Big Brother, you don't need evidence to discipline him, but my heart will ache. Why don't you listen to his explanation? What if he really is innocent?”

Yan Zhuohua interjected eagerly, “Yes, yes, yes, listen to my explanation!”

Seeing this, Yan Zhuoyang was no longer in a hurry. He leaned back casually on the sofa and gave a deep smile. “It seems you won't give up until you hit the dead end. Fine, explain.”

Yan Zhuohua could no longer care about keeping his “anniversary gift” a secret. He shuffled forward on his knees to Yan Zhuoyang's side, trying his best to make him believe his words. “Didn't Sheng Xufeng tell you? I asked him for those things to prepare a gift for mine and Qinghe's wedding anniversary!”

Beside him, Yan Qinghe looked up sharply, his eyes instantly becoming bright.

He's preparing an anniversary gift for me!

“Big Brother,” Yan Qinghe said, unable to hide his joy as he leaned in toward Yan Zhuoyang, “it seems it was a misunderstanding! Zhuohua was preparing a gift for me; he wasn't trying to cause trouble!”

Yan Zhuohua nodded frantically in support.

“My silly younger brother, how can you be so naive?” Yan Zhuoyang still didn't believe it and sighed with pity. “He mentions preparing a gift for you and you're already bewitched? You actually believe this excuse?”

“Of course I believe it!”

Yan Zhuohua nodded frantically again.

Yan Zhuoyang stared at him speechlessly for a long while. “Come, tell me how much longer it is until your anniversary.”

“Nearly... five months, I think...”

“Exactly. He's preparing a gift for you nearly half a year in advance. Don't you think something's wrong?”

Yan Qinghe looked at Yan Zhuohua hesitantly again.

Yan Zhuohua: “...”

Yan Zhuohua: “That's because I wasn't very satisfied with the gifts I gave Qinghe the last few times, so I started preparing way in advance this time. Didn't the club Qinghe gave me take even longer? It was years in the making!”

It sounded very reasonable, and Yan Qinghe was convinced once again.

“Fine, then why didn't you ask the family for money to help you? Why did you have to go to that unreliable Sheng Xufeng?”

At this, Yan Zhuohua gave an awkward smile. “Big Brother, you're very busy; I didn't want to disturb you. As for Second Brother and the others—”

“...I didn't want them to tease me.”

“Fine, even if your explanation is reasonable, do you have any plans for solo travel in the near future?”

Yan Qinghe turned to look at Yan Zhuohua.

“...”

Can a person really be this unlucky?

“I'm going there for my graduation thesis defense, ahhhhh—” He was beyond defense!

Yan Zhuoyang had a “just as I thought” expression. “With so many coincidences piled together, I wouldn't believe you even if your explanation were even more reasonable. Stepping back, even if you really are innocent this time, you knew perfectly well that I was watching you closely, yet you still did so many things that invite suspicion. That's enough to prove you didn't take my warning to heart. Getting a beating won't be undeserved.”

In truth, Yan Zhuoyang also knew that this was likely a misunderstanding. Originally, his plan was just to keep a close eye on him, and everything would be fine after a few months. But it had only been a short while, and Yan Zhuohua was already secretly up to something.

He couldn't help it; he really couldn't accept anything happening to Yan Zhuohua, even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance. Rather than living in fear, it was better to be decisive. Regardless of whether this was truly a misunderstanding, he would use this opportunity to nip that possibility in the bud.

Before coming, he had specifically asked his cousin; a simple fracture could be completely healed without any lingering effects. Not listening to explanations, declaring guilt directly, and pinning the person down—this was the most straightforward method.

Having made up his mind, Yan Zhuoyang stood up, took the baseball bat from Yan Qinghe's hand, and stood behind Yan Zhuohua. “You remember what I warned you last time, right?”

“As long as I find something off about you, your legs will be broken and you'll be put in solitary confinement.” Yan Zhuoyang tapped Yan Zhuohua's shoulder with the bat. “You can start choosing now: the left leg or the right leg.”

“I really didn't, Qinghe, you have to believe me!” Yan Zhuohua didn't know Big Brother's plan and thought he just hadn't explained clearly enough. He turned back to grab Yan Qinghe's hand, looking at him pitifully. “I told you I wouldn't take risks, did you forget?”

“Big Brother, I believe him!” Yan Qinghe reached out to grab the baseball bat, looking at Yan Zhuoyang imploringly. “I'll keep a close watch on him. Big Brother, spare him this once.”

Yan Zhuoyang was speechless for a long time.

After a long while, Yan Zhuoyang finally re-examined Yan Zhuohua with a serious gaze. “I never expected you to have the potential to be a bewitching consort who ruins nations.”

“Big Brother, I really didn't this time!” Yan Zhuohua had been kneeling for a long time, and his knees were already starting to hurt. His legs were numb, feeling like they were being pricked by needles. He was anxious to prove his innocence and continued to argue earnestly, “You've heard the story of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf,’ right? I'm that kid right now.”

This was the first time anyone had seen such a metaphor used to prove their innocence.

“I know it's because I've caused too much trouble in the past and have no credibility, so you don't believe me, but I really didn't plan to do it this time.” Yan Zhuohua spoke very sincerely. “I know you're worried about me getting into trouble, and I did have that thought, but I thought it through at the time. I can't let my family and loved ones worry, and I certainly can't gamble on a fifty-fifty chance of success. Once something goes wrong, it'll be too late for everything.”

“So I completely gave up on that plan. It's all in the past. Father wouldn't want to see me taking risks for him, either. Besides, the final outcome hasn't even been settled yet.”

“I love you all very much too, and I want to live a safe and happy life with you at home for the rest of my life.”

Yan Zhuoyang's hand gripping the bat tightened significantly, and his eyes grew a bit red.