Chapter 65: I Will Stay With You

Bai Xu was known for his unyielding nature, much like Qin Yu—never one to bow his head easily. In this respect, they really did seem like brothers by blood.

Even when Cheng Si had already offered him an easy way out, he stubbornly refused to take it.

They had all grown up together, and although Cheng Si and Bai Xu often found each other insufferable, at moments like this, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy.

“Hurry up. Lin Xi will be here soon. Do you want to keep kneeling here the whole time? You’re a grown man—what does this look like?”

At the mention of Lin Xi’s name, Bai Xu’s expression changed slightly. He wasn’t wearing his glasses—he’d taken them off and tossed them onto the lawn beside him. Without the lenses to shield his eyes, every flicker of emotion was laid bare.

“How did she find out?”

“Something this big? It’s all over the place already.” Cheng Si shot him a glare. “There’s no such thing as a wall that doesn’t let the wind through these days.”

Bai Xu clicked his tongue in annoyance and, after a long pause, finally relented. “Brother, I was wrong.”

Qin Yu looked down at him, making no move to let him up.

Cheng Si gave a cough beside them, signaling for Bai Xu to be more sincere.

“There won’t be a next time. And I didn’t do anything to him this time. I just found that brat annoying, that’s all. Didn’t go too far.”

At this, Cheng Si’s mouth twitched hard. Never mind Qin Yu—even he wouldn’t let such nonsense slide.

This wasn’t an apology—it was an invitation for a beating.

Sure enough, Qin Yu’s expression darkened. “Just what exactly do you want?”

“If I’d really wanted to hurt him, I wouldn’t have hit him so lightly.”

“Damn it, Bai Xu, have you checked your head lately? Is your life not worth anything? Is someone else’s life not worth anything? You really are—” Cheng Si was so angry he rolled up his sleeves, turning to Qin Yu. “Third Brother, can I hit him?”

This time, there was no need for Qin Yu to lift a finger—he couldn’t stand to watch any longer.

He’d originally wanted to help Bai Xu out with a few words, but now it was clear the man had it coming.

Bai Xu gave him a frosty look.

Cheng Si didn’t bother putting on a pleasant face either.

After a long while, Qin Yu finally spoke. “Go to the Lu family tonight and apologize.”

Bai Xu frowned, clearly displeased. “I’m not going.”

“I gave him two million at the time. That’s more than enough for car repairs and medical bills—could practically buy half his life. There’s no need to apologize, is there?”

At this, Qin Yu’s chest heaved, and he suddenly let out a mirthless laugh.

“Have you forgotten what you do for a living?”

“Think back—were those even words a human should say?” As the words fell, the smile disappeared from Qin Yu’s face. He lifted his foot and kicked Bai Xu hard in the shoulder.

He moved so quickly that neither Cheng Si nor Bai Xu had time to react.

The kick was vicious—Bai Xu couldn’t hold himself up and fell to the ground. The pain in his already sore shoulder blade now pierced to the bone.

Qin Yu looked down at him. “I don’t want to hear another word of nonsense from you. Tonight, you’ll go and apologize in person.”

After Qin Yu left, Cheng Si frowned and helped Bai Xu up. When he accidentally brushed Bai Xu’s shoulder, the pain made Bai Xu’s face go white.

“Serves you right,” Cheng Si muttered, avoiding the injury as he helped him to his feet. “Anywhere else hurt? I’ll call someone to take you to the hospital.”

“I’m not dying yet.” Bai Xu brushed off his hand and went back to his room to change.

Watching his retreating back, Cheng Si couldn’t help but sigh. “Stubborn as a mule.”

—

By the time Lin Xi hurried back, Qin Yu was nowhere to be seen.

Only Cheng Si and Bai Xu sat in the Bai family’s living room.

Both men looked up as she entered. Lin Xi’s gaze lingered on Bai Xu. “You’re really not hurt?”

He didn’t look well, but at least there were no visible injuries on his face.

“Nope.” Bai Xu lounged lazily on the sofa, even managing a smile. “You’re pretty well informed, aren’t you?”

Lin Xi strode over and, without a word, grabbed a nearby pillow and hurled it at him. Just like Cheng Si, she didn’t bother with pleasantries and let loose a string of curses.

Normally, no matter how angry she was, Lin Xi never used crude language.

But now, she truly couldn’t hold it in—and didn’t want to.

She used every harsh word she knew on Bai Xu.

If she had to name the person she understood least in her life, it would be this bastard Bai Xu. Even Qin Yu would come after him.

After all, Qin Yu still acted with reason; Bai Xu, on the other hand, simply did whatever he pleased.

It was a wonder to her how someone like him ever became a lawyer. Did he even possess things like morals or a conscience?

“That’s enough now.” Bai Xu let her scold him for a bit, not showing the slightest anger. “Are you here because you’re worried about me, or because you’re worried about that Lu guy?”

At this, Lin Xi ignored him and turned to Cheng Si. “Is Lu Bei really all right?”

Cheng Si gave her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry. I went to check on him myself—he’s really fine. Just needs a couple months to heal. He was just unlucky, really. Wouldn’t have been hurt at all, but when he tried to avoid the car, he crashed into the guardrail.”

Lin Xi was silent for a moment.

Only after confirming several times did she finally ask about the cause.

“Just a coincidence. How was I supposed to know it was him? If anything, I’m the unlucky one,” Bai Xu replied.

“Beijing is such a huge city, and you just happened to hit him?” Lin Xi sneered. “Do you really think I’m so easily fooled?”

He wasn’t the type to be manipulated—not even by her.

Bai Xu only smiled. “I told you it was a coincidence, but you don’t believe me. So what do you want to hear? That I did it on purpose?”

“Then why?”

“If you’ve already decided I’m guilty, why bother making me explain? Isn’t that contradictory?”

Such excuses might fool outsiders, but not Lin Xi or Cheng Si.

In fact, they both knew the reason.

Especially Lin Xi.

And yet, she was also the one who understood it the least.

“Lu Bei didn’t do anything to me. Is there some misunderstanding between you two?”

“Did Lu Bei really come to see you last night?” Cheng Si asked.

“Yes,” Lin Xi replied. She still hadn’t recovered from her cold, her voice thick and muffled. “His mother asked him to bring something for Auntie. But he couldn’t get into the compound, so he asked me to pass it on.”

It all sounded perfectly normal. Cheng Si knew Lin Xi had no reason to lie about this. So the question remained: what was Bai Xu’s motive?

Lu Bei was an honest, timid boy—everyone in their circle agreed he was easy to push around. He would never do anything inappropriate to Lin Xi. In fact, all these rich kids in Beijing, at the mere mention of Lin Xi’s name, were desperate to curry favor. Who would dare touch her?

Unless it was a lunatic like Bai Xu.

Bai Xu just smiled, his gaze lingering on her with a subtle, unreadable meaning.

Lin Xi knew she wouldn’t get an answer, so she gave up for the time being and repeated what Qin Yu had said: “Since you’re all right, you should go over and apologize later. I’ll go with you.”

(End of chapter)