Chapter 100: As It Turns Out

She suddenly realized that telling Cheng Jiu everything had not been such a good idea. When he asked, she had not been able to hold back, and now that she had cooled off, regret set in. If only she had endured that moment and kept silent, none of this would have happened. But once the words were out, regret could not undo them.

It was late, and she could not sleep. She tossed and turned, and her roommate heard her movement, pulled back the curtain, and called her softly. Cheng Jiu heard the rustle and immediately went still, afraid to make another sound.

He Ching came looking for Xin Gan again. This time he called her directly from below the door of her studio building. Xin Gan looked down and saw a car parked there with He Cheng in it.

“Should I come up to see you, or will you come down?”

Her voice was ice-cold. “He Cheng, are you ever going to stop?”

“Never. We’ve known each other so long, and you still don’t know who I am?”

Who else but someone selfish and petty?

“I won’t agree to any of your demands.”

If she kept yielding to He Cheng’s threats, he would only become more vulgar and make more outrageous demands. He was never the kind to keep a promise. Xin Gan should have seen his nature long ago instead of living under his pressure.

“So you’re saying you want me to post your photos?”

“You can if you want to. When I have to, I can protect my rights with the law. You’re in the public eye. If you think it won’t hurt your career, go ahead. He Cheng, I’m not a soft target you can keep squeezing forever.”

He Cheng only gave a careless smile, as though it meant nothing.

“You really think I’ll let you get leverage over me?”

“As soon as you do anything, there will be traces. This stack of photos is already evidence. He Chuan, God sees what people do. I don’t want to get tangled with you. You have your life, I have mine. I thought what you did in the past was over. You still haven’t changed. Don’t blame me.”

Xin Gan made her meaning unmistakably clear, but like an obsessive, the more she resisted, the more He Cheng became resentful and furious.

“Don’t delude yourself. You can’t cut ties with me. Xin Gan, if I can’t have her, no one else gets her.”

He Ching hung up first, then ordered the driver to turn the car around and head back to the He family house.

When he arrived, his mother greeted him after rare months away. Before she could say anything, He Ching blazed into the room.

“Did you take care of what I asked?”

Mrs He’s face tightened. “Son, don’t set your heart on that girl. There’s no shortage of girls in the world. Don’t waste your time on her. With our position, there will be women even more suitable for you.”

He Ching was already in a terrible mood. Instead of taking his mission seriously, she had opened her mouth with endless nonsense. His expression darkened.

“Did you hear me or not? I told you clearly: I want Xin Gan, and I want no one else. Did you tell the Chengs about her like I asked? I asked you to handle just one thing, why is it so hard?”

“Why would you bad-mouth Xin Gan out of nowhere? Mrs Cheng would wonder. Xin Gan and Cheng Jiu just married recently; their wedding is next month. You expect me to go and suddenly slander her? What do you think they’d think?”

“It’s none of her business. I care what you think? Then don’t claim to be my mother.”

Mrs He was startled and hurt, and for a moment tears filled her eyes.

He Ching ignored her feelings, each word sharpened.

“Am I not your real son? You’re so reluctant to do even this small favor. What did I ask you to do?”

“Mrs Cheng is not a fool. If I go to her and speak ill of Xin Gan, do you really think she’d believe me?”

“How is she not? You think she won’t?”

“He Ching, enough.”

Mrs He sighed in helplessness. “Sit down and talk calmly. I know you like Xin Gan, but she’s already married. This is no game. Last time I had dinner with Mrs Cheng, Xin Gan was there too. She looked so happy. My son, let this go. Stop pursuing her. If she’s already married, then she’s no longer yours to think about.”

He Ching tossed the tea cup down with contempt.

“People advising me to quit is one thing. But you are my own mother. You’re saying this? Then should I really give up?”

Mrs He nearly broke. “Don’t make a scene, son. If your father truly goes all the way, no one can protect you. He already gave me a final warning: if I keep coddling you, he will cut you off. Everything in the He family will go to my older son. Me and you will get nothing.”

He Wei was a man who meant what he said. His threat had kept Mrs He confined to the house, careful not to cross him. She had been trying to soften the tension between son and father, but she could not. He Wei was furious at He Ching’s situation, especially after he had gone public as an entertainer. He was being seen again and again on hot-search lists, and everyone now knew the second son of the He family was chasing stardom. If He Ching ever caused trouble, the entire family name would be dragged through the mud. That had been why He Chuan had once opposed this career; too much exposure would ruin everything.

He Ching snorted. “You care about the He family fortune now?”

Mrs He replied, “I’m doing this for you. You are my son. You carry the He name. You have a share in the family assets. He Wei won’t do this for you if you refuse to work. No one can.”

“I don’t need anything.”

“Don’t be stubborn, He Ching. You must claim what is yours.”

He Ching laughed bitterly. “You’re only worried about who will care for you when you’re old. He Chuan can do that, can’t he? He’s your son too. You’re cozying up to him now. Why should I matter? As for life or death, it changes nothing to you.”

Mrs He bit her lip, silent with pain. She had not expected him to be this unyielding. If she didn’t force this truth onto him now, he would end up with nothing—not a coin—from the family. She blurted out what she had never dared to say:

“He Chuan is not my biological son.”

He Ching froze, brows knotted. “What did you just say?”

“He Chuan is not my blood son. Otherwise, would I have cherished you and not handed him over to your grandparents to raise from the beginning?”

Mrs He’s voice trembled with cold regret. “Each time you return you throw a tantrum. I’ve tolerated you, covered for you, satisfied every wish, but this is too much. There are countless girls; why this fixation on Xin Gan? I already regret asking her for help that day, regret sending you abroad. A good start and you learned only ruin.”

It was too late for tears to matter. She could do nothing now but urge him to give up Xin Gan, calm down, and win over He Wei so he could reclaim some of the inheritance. The entire He family was now managed by He Chuan, and He Wei trusted him fully. If He Ching did not change course now, no repair would be possible later.

He Ching sat quietly on the sofa for a long while, then finally said in a calmer voice, “So it’s true? Everything?”

“Everything.”

He looked at her, then spoke softly, as if placing all of it in her lap like a heavy burden.

“From the moment I carried you for ten months, I have known no such deception of that kind. You are my real son. We are all we have, and in this house now your father barely speaks to me. If, by some misfortune, he has a woman outside, your life with me will only grow harder.”

For once, He Ching seemed indifferent. He measured her words, then gave a single, flat reply: “I understand.”

“Son, everything I do is for your good. I will never hurt you. You must believe that.”

He Ching didn’t flare up. For the first time he sat meekly, silently scrolling his phone.

Mrs He immediately had the aunt prepare a meal and called him to eat.

When he finally moved, he changed to another chair and said, “No appetite. I’m not hungry.”

Tan Yajue called asking where he was. Mrs He overheard and saw him brush it off, promising he would return soon. When he finished, she asked, “Does your company need you back? You’re not even on vacation.”

Not to upset him, she changed the topic. “Your father will be home for dinner this week. You should come and talk to him. Buy him some wine he likes. Try to ease things.”

He made a noncommittal sound, perhaps not even listening.

Before leaving, he asked, “When is Cheng Jiu and Xin Gan’s wedding?”

“Why? I won’t do anything to disrupt it.”

Mrs He sighed with relief. “It’s around the middle of next month. The Chengs should send out the invitations. Your father may go.”

“Fine. I know.”

He stayed only a little while longer and then left.

After he was gone, Mrs He called He Wei. His secretary answered; He Wei was unavailable.

Mrs He gave a dry laugh, her patience gone. She muttered inwardly about whichever loose women he was with, but could not utter it plainly. She put on concern instead.

“How long will this go on?”

“She’s not done, sorry, Mrs He,” the secretary replied.

“You don’t have to apologize. You’re just doing your job. Tell him if he’s busy, he should remember to come home. I’ve left a light on.”

“Of course, Mrs He.”

Mrs He hung up and slammed a cup aside, pacing the room, frustration with nowhere to go.

---

That night, Cheng Jiu invited He Chuan out for drinks. It was rare that he made such an invitation himself. When He Chuan arrived, he slapped him in mock camaraderie and teased, “You’ve changed, huh? You actually invited me.”

Cheng Jiu kept his expression flat and set down his glass. “Just felt like drinking. Came out to catch up with you.”

“Anything wrong?”

“Tell me, why are you dressed so formal? You still smell like you just left a dinner table.”

Cheng Jiu noticed it too. “There is something I need to ask. I don’t do roundabout questions when I’m talking to you.”

He Chuan forced a smile and then, seeing Cheng Jiu’s stern face and hard eyes, took a breath. “Is it serious?”

“Very.”

Cheng Jiu said, “It’s about Cheng Hui.”

He Chuan’s smile faded instantly. “You know?”

Cheng Jiu did not answer, only stared at the drink in his hand.

He Chuan loosened his shirt buttons and ran a hand through his hair, visibly restless. “Sorry.”

“When did this start?” Cheng Jiu’s tone stayed steady.

“I don’t remember. I realized it when I realized it.”

“She always thought of you as a brother. I believed that too.”

“I’m not her biological brother. No blood ties there.” He Chuan swallowed a shot in one go, voice burning. “Cheng Jiu, I am not joking. I like her.”

Cheng Jiu held his gaze. “I won’t agree.”

“Disagreeing won’t stop me.”

“Do you really think you can do whatever you want? Cheng Hui is my sister. If you touch my sister, that is no one’s private matter.”

“I like her not because of who she is to you. It’s because she’s the one I want.”

“She’s only nineteen, and you are twelve years older. Even if I set aside everything else, do you think your family elders will accept this?”

“What’s wrong with me being older? I can shoulder all her hardships. She doesn’t have to do anything. She only has to stand there. I’ll handle everything else. I can smooth it all.”

“Cheng Hui is not a case you can just handle however you please. Did you ask her what she wanted? Did you ask whether she likes you? From beginning to end it’s been one-sided pressure from you. Do you even understand how frightened she is of you?” He Jiu gripped the back of his collar and spoke without courtesy.

“If someone else did this, I might not care. But this is Cheng Hui. She’s like my little sister. I trusted you with her, and that doesn’t mean—”

He Chuan did not fight back. They were similar height, but Cheng Jiu had more force; one could easily control him. He Chuan knew he could not match him, and to avoid making him angrier he stayed still.

“Cheng Hui is Cheng Hui to me, not ‘because she is your sister.’ I would say the same if I had a different brother like this from childhood. I can see you’re angry, and I understand it. I won’t strike back.”

The intimacy only made it worse—when close, irritation deepened. He had entrusted Cheng Hui to him. His most trusted person had now laid an improper claim on his sister. If this became public, Cheng Hui’s name would be ruined.

Abruptly, Cheng Jiu released him. “Come with me.”

In the empty lot, He Chuan took several punches from Cheng Jiu, and Cheng Jiu landed every one with controlled force, striking him where he couldn’t be easily seen. It was the same silent understanding they shared—both knew exactly what needed to happen. He Chuan remembered how He Ching had once been handled in much the same way.

He Chuan went pale and drenched with sweat with pain, but Cheng Jiu’s wild smile never faded. “Cheng Jiu, you’re true to form.”

In the end He Chuan developed a stomach bleed and was taken to the hospital.

Cheng Jiu stayed by him.

Late into the night, He Chuan was just taken out of emergency care with no major danger; the doctor said he needed rest.

He Chuan had never looked so disheveled, yet he did not regret it. He laughed despite the pain. “Don’t tell Cheng Hui.”

Cheng Jiu lifted an eyebrow. “If you stop troubling her, this won’t happen.”

He Chuan’s face was pale but still mocking. “Can’t promise that.”

“Did you do this on purpose? Cheng Hui doesn’t like you. You’re forcing her.”

“Do you dare say she liked you from the beginning?” he shot back.

“That’s different.”

“Love has no such differences.”

Cheng Jiu nearly swore. He had never seen him so relentless, crossing his line as if Cheng Hui were just another flirt.

He Chuan whispered with stubborn hunger, “When things settle with Cheng Hui, I’ll call you ‘brother.’ Will that satisfy you?”

“You’re courting death.”

“Don’t think I’m helpless in front of you.”

He Chuan, lying on the hospital bed, spoke as if death had nothing on him.

“…”

Cheng Jiu left him there and drove to Xin’s house. He parked by the curb, rolled down the window, lit a cigarette, and called to ask whether Xin Gan was asleep.

She had just come home, bathed, and was drying her hair. She turned off the dryer, stepped onto the terrace, and said, “I’m awake. It’s still early.”

Cheng Jiu made a sour chuckle.

She sensed his off mood immediately. “Are you outside?”

Everything around him was too still, too open.

“I’m outside.”

“What happened? Still out here? Aren’t you going home?”

He was quiet for a moment. “Come outside. I’m near your place.”

“All right, I’ll change.”

She quickly changed into a T-shirt and shorts and came downstairs. Her father and mother were in the living room watching television, talking quietly. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, her father came over.

“Where are you going?”

“Out for a bit.”

“At this hour? Who called you?”

Xin Gan didn’t hide it. “Cheng Jiu.” She said, embarrassed, not daring to meet her father’s eyes.

Her father exhaled as if trying to be stern. “Come back early. Don’t stay out too late. It’s already so late. Don’t just wander over…”

It was not the first time they had crossed this line. He still had not accepted letting her move out to live with Cheng Jiu until after the wedding.

Moonlight made her appear heartbreakingly delicate. Her skin held that fragile light the eyes could not shield.

Cheng Jiu opened the passenger door and motioned for her to sit.

As soon as she got in, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

The moment the question landed, breath left her. She tensed, worried that if someone came out, they might see them in the car kissing. She couldn’t quite follow him, but sensing his mood, she gradually let herself fall into it. The moment was intoxicating and disorienting.

Cheng Jiu wished, too late, he had parked somewhere more private.

He stopped at once; it could not go much further. Xin Gan had already spent all her strength and could barely keep her eyes open.

“Cheng Jiu…” Her voice was thick and drowsy, soft and sticky.

He touched her lips and asked in a low, gentle tone, “Did I hurt you?”

“No.” She shook her head, licking her lips. She couldn’t move much, and she winced a little. “You pinned me down too hard.”

“Sit on my lap,” he said, pulling her close to face him.

She could not look straight at him.

After a while, he stroked her hair and asked, “Showered and washed your hair at night?”

“Yes.”

“At this hour?”

“No time any other time, did I?”

He said, “I see,” and the car fell into silence.

After a moment, she asked, “Where were you tonight?”

“I went to find He Chuan.”

“He Chuan? You mean…?”

She shivered in quiet alarm.

“He admitted it. He likes Cheng Hui.”

At first she was shocked, then later it felt strangely inevitable.

“So what do you mean?”

“He said no. The age gap is too wide, and He Chuan doesn’t suit Cheng Hui. There’s no common ground.”

She couldn’t hold back a little laugh, not mocking, only curious. “I used to think we two were a poor match.”

Cheng Jiu looked at her for a long time. “You rejected me so directly, without hesitation.”

“And for a reason,” she answered bluntly. “Your attitude was cruel, and there was another woman around you. How was I supposed to feel? If you hadn’t eventually saved me and softening your attitude even a little, I wouldn’t have softened at all.”

Which woman but Jiang Tang, though.

He pinched her cheek and kissed the side of her neck. “When did you soften?”

“I don’t remember.”

She shivered and tried to dodge back, but he pulled her into his arms anyway and played with her as if she were a toy.

“Then let me help you remember,” he said, his hand pressing at her waist.

She felt the familiar ticklishness and said quickly, “I remember. Please don’t. If my father sees us, it will be a mess.”

He stopped. “Then tell me.”

She held his face in both hands, sincere. “Your eyes. I noticed your eyes first. Then little by little I softened. Without knowing why, without being able to resist.”

He softened a bit at her tone, then leaned his chin into the hair she had not fully dried and said, “He Chuan won’t let go of Cheng Hui so easily. On one side, I’ve known her since we were kids. On the other, she is my little sister. My palms are both flesh and blood.”

“What does Cheng Hui want?”

“She doesn’t like He Chuan.”

Thinking of how pitifully she had cried that day, his mood soured again. He never allowed Cheng Hui to be mistreated—not like this.

“Then tell He Chuan clearly. She doesn’t like him. You cannot let him force this. Did you already?”

“I did more than talk.”

He had beaten him, then. He Chuan was now in the hospital from the blow.

Xin Gan frowned and became irritated. “Say what you mean clearly. How can you hit someone? Aren’t you leaving them a weapon against you?”

“…”

Cheng Jiu did not respond.

“You went too far this time. Even if there is a problem, this is not how to handle it.”

“I told him. He wouldn’t listen.”

“You still can’t hit him.”

“It won’t kill him.”

“Cheng Jiu, you’re not this impulsive,” Xin Gan said through clenched teeth, now genuinely anxious. “Beating him won’t solve anything.”

He rubbed his hair and said, “Then what? Cheng Hui is also afraid of him. Can’t we let her keep dodging him forever?”

Xin Gan sighed, not knowing the right path. Either He Chuan would eventually give up, or with his character he would keep watching Cheng Hui. He had already made it clear—if she did not want him, there could be no good outcome. Force meant nothing here.

Cheng Jiu said, “After I hit him, he’ll likely pull back. Once he recovers, I’ll speak again.”

“Right. And from now on, be careful. No more hands.”

He nodded. “Understood.”

Before they noticed, it was already midnight. The lights in Xin’s house had gone out. He tapped her leg gently, reminding her to go home.

She thought for a moment. “Then be careful on the way. Text me when you get there.”

“I don’t want to leave.” He teased, holding her waist.

“Don’t be stubborn. I’m afraid someone might come out.”

As soon as she said it, her mother called.

It was Xin’s mother: “Why aren’t you home yet? It’s this late.”

Pink-faced, Xin Gan answered, “I’m coming now. You all can sleep.”

“Do you have a key?”

“No. Don’t lock the door, I’ll be right back.”

Her mother added, with deliberate emphasis, “Even on a date, watch the time and place.”

“Yes, yes, I know. I’ll be back immediately.”

That meant the whole family now knew she had gone out late with Cheng Jiu. It was a terrible humiliation.

Xin Gan sighed and pinched his arm. “It’s because of you. You came for me so late, and now everyone knows.”

She muttered, “Don’t blame me for dropping down like this and making such a commotion. You’re the one who brought it about.”

“Good thing I was there. If any other man had shown up for you at this hour, you couldn’t have come out.”

“Who else would come looking for me, you fool?”

Cheng Jiu patted her hip. “Go home and rest. I’ll leave.”

She finally got out of the car, fixed her clothes and hair, then slipped inside.

Only after she vanished behind the door did Cheng Jiu drive away.

At his city apartment he still could not sleep. He took a cold shower and lay in bed thinking through everything.

The next morning Xin Gan woke with a rough, congested voice and a scratchy throat.

At breakfast, her mother noticed immediately. “How long were you standing in the night wind? You caught a cold.”

“It was just in the car,” she murmured.

“Then why your throat?”

“Maybe all that takeaway food at the studio has upset me.”

“Then I’ll ask Auntie to bring you meals.”

“No, it’s too much trouble.”

Her mother smiled slightly. “If he’s coming with you to dinner, is it maybe all from that?”

“Mom, don’t tease me. I knew you’d say this.”

Her mother put a pan-fried egg on her plate and said, “No more hiding. Just tell Cheng Jiu to come home if he wants. It’s not forbidden for you two to meet.”

A flush rose in Xin Gan’s face and she lowered her eyes while eating.

“But moving out is still only possible after the wedding. Endure it for now.”

“Mm,” she said, and there was nothing else to add. She hurried through breakfast and left.

Cheng Jiu’s schedule at Zf was fixed. He had to be there by nine. He couldn’t come to pick her up anymore, so Xin Gan drove herself to the studio.

Her mother had noticed that Cheng Jiu had stopped coming by to escort her and asked. For the first time she realized he now went directly to work at Zf.

Her mother thought for a moment and said, “Then you must be careful. Some things are very sensitive. Don’t let people find leverage. It could affect Cheng Jiu’s future.”

Xin Gan nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

---

When Cheng Jiu first arrived at Zf, he kept a low profile. His rank was not low, but the waters were deep. The moment he stepped in, he sensed it. His father had warned him before he went in: don’t take sides, stay neutral, observe first, and be very careful with your words. Don’t do anything reckless.

---

He Ching had been quiet for several days, and Xin Gan remained on edge. She had the reception instructed: never sign for any unknown packages unless she had asked and verified who sent them. She feared another incident like before.

The package He Ching had sent—the photos—she had consulted a lawyer about. There was no hard evidence directly identifying the source, so it was difficult to press charges. But she could still file a report and have the police investigate.

She still had not done so when rumors about He Ching exploded online.

She was disgusted by it, but in the studio some of the instructors were He Ching’s fans; all through work they talked nonstop, sympathizing with him.

The assistant kindly asked them to stop. They grumbled and snapped back at her in return.

It was not the assistant who told Xin Gan, but Xin Gan herself, who heard every word from outside the office.

“I remembered one thing. Does our boss know He Ching? I found a photo the two of them were snapped with. This profile looks like it’s the boss…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. How could the boss know He Ching? Impossible.”

“I only kept saying I couldn’t place him. Turns out it was the boss.”

“Shh—keep your voice down.”