He had Duan Heng eliminated, not out of a sense of betrayal, nor from a wounded heart that burned for vengeance.

It was merely for the greater good. Duan Heng was not the first to betray him. At his age, with all he had seen, he was long past the point of losing sleep over such things. The impulsiveness of youth had left him long ago.

Qiao Bo had stepped out for a while. When the door swung open again, Qiao Si noticed a subtle difference in the approaching footsteps. He tensed instinctively.

The visitor stopped by his bedside, pausing to study him carefully before speaking, “Fourth Brother.”

This was the first time in his life that Qiao Si felt a slight disappointment at hearing Qiao Che’s voice. 

“You are awake after all. I thought you might just keep sleeping.”

Seeing that he was unable to move, Qiao Che reached out and grabbed his chin, turning his face slightly so he could see him. Once their eyes met, Qiao Che smiled and said, “What, were you expecting Duan Heng?”

Naturally, Qiao Si could not respond. The man, ever so considerate, offered him a reminder. “Did you think if he came, your days would be better? Things are different now, Fourth Brother. You can’t expect him to treat you the same as before.”

“…”

“You know, if he truly cared about you, he should have been here by now. Don’t you agree?”

Qiao Si only stared at him, as if acknowledging the truth in his words. After a while, he simply closed his eyes.

Qiao Che seemed to enjoy the one-sided conversation. With an almost pleasant expression, he pulled up a chair and sat by Qiao Si’s bed with effortless elegance. His gaze on Qiao Si was less about visiting the sick and more about savoring the present situation—watching Qiao Si suffer was, to him, an enjoyable sight.

Although Qiao Si’s body was temporarily paralyzed, being scrutinized by Qiao Che from head to toe made his skin crawl. A slow, creeping discomfort spread inch by inch, like goosebumps rising wherever Qiao Che’s eyes passed.

“Fourth Brother, it really looks like you’re not doing well at all.”

“…”

To Qiao Si’s surprise, a trace of what seemed like regret flickered across Qiao Che’s face. As if he truly had not expected Qiao Si to end up like this.

“I’ve imagined a thousand possible outcomes for you, but never this one. I respect you as a person, and it’s a shame you were brought down by such a small character. It hardly seems worth it.”

A strange feeling crept over Qiao Si.

Qiao Che’s contemptuous demeanor seemed innate. With his talent and appearance, it was only natural that most people and matters in this world failed to catch his eye. However, the usual superficial and restless aura was completely gone.

It was still Qiao Che, yet he felt like someone entirely different.

“Don’t worry, even in your condition, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

“…”

“Not only will I not make things difficult for you, but I’ll also find the best doctors to help you recover as soon as possible.”

“…”

“What, you don’t believe me?”

“Fourth Brother, although I have issues with you, I never wanted to see you like this.”

“…”

Qiao Che held his gaze in the silence, and gradually, a smile appeared on his usually contemptuous face.

He was strikingly handsome, with European features and a strong aristocratic aura. His long lashes gave him a cold and melancholic look when silent. But when he smiled, especially with genuine emotion, it was enough to melt the frost of winter, to bring warmth and life back into the world. For a brief moment, Qiao Si almost believed he could move again.

“After all, you are still Qiao Si.”

“…”

“At the very least,” Qiao Che placed his fingers on Qiao Si’s face, “you should be able to speak.”

“…”

Qiao Che’s expression became almost tender, “Otherwise, how are you going to tell me where your money is?”

Qiao Si looked up at him.

Qiao Che laughed, “What, don’t tell me you’re trying to say that what’s recorded in the accounts is all there is? I don’t know about others, but we grew up together. Do you think I wouldn’t know what kind of person you are?”

“…”

“Fourth Brother, you know that when power changes hands, just like when dynasties rise and fall, money is needed everywhere. We’re all tight on funds, and you’re the only one we can rely on. Since you have no use for it anymore, why not hand it over?”

“…”

“I understand,” Qiao Che said. “You probably have too many vaults, too many scattered accounts. And with your head injury, it must be difficult to recall everything at once. Don’t worry, I’ve already done the calculations for you and roughly estimated how much there could be. While you’re lying here with nothing else to do, take your time and recall them one by one.”

“…”

At the end of it all, Qiao Che reached out with an almost tender touch, wiping away the thin sheen of sweat on Qiao Si’s face, as if tending to him with genuine care.

“Fourth Brother, I’m waiting for you to get better soon.”

When the doctor entered, he witnessed this touching scene of brotherly affection and said to the patient with encouragement and flattery, “Your younger brother truly cares about you.”

Qiao Si’s eyes remained open.

In this world, everything that is “good” comes at a price. This was a rule he had long been accustomed to.

But he had misjudged Qiao Che.

Over the years, Qiao Che had always been petty and scheming, employing crude and ineffective tricks. Aside from his nearly perfect appearance, his personality had been far from admirable. His pettiness dulled his intelligence, making him increasingly shallow, cynical, and arrogant.

Qiao Si had assumed that was all there was to him. He naturally assumed that time and disillusionment had turned the boy he had once been enamored with into a mundane and boring middle-aged man.

He never realized—it had all been just an act.

Qiao Che used his endless petty schemes to mask the real game he had been playing along. Perhaps countless things had unfolded right under Qiao Si’s nose, but never once had he suspected a thing.

It had never occurred to him that someone would spend over a decade biding their time, holding onto a grudge just to settle a score. Qiao Che was better at disguising and enduring than anyone else. This sophistication sent a chill down his spine.

In the following days, Qiao Che visited him every day. Whenever he came, Qiao Bo was promptly dismissed.

In the past, Qiao Si had to coax and flatter him to get a glimpse of him and deal with his petty temper. Now, whether he wanted to or not, he saw Qiao Che every day, and the latter was always pleasant and in a good mood.

The taste of this was entirely different.

Qiao Si had always thought Qiao Che simply disliked him. Qiao Che disliked many things, and the things he did not dislike were few and far between. So Qiao Si had never taken it to heart. But now, seeing Qiao Che’s true nature—the sheer depth of hatred he had been harboring for over a decade—Qiao Si could not help but feel a tinge of sorrow at his own foolish devotion.

Even in his current pitiful state, he still found himself thinking about matters of love. It was almost laughable, the way he clung to such thoughts, utterly blind to the reality of his own predicament. Agitation would do him no good, so he forced himself to relax instead.

But after days of speaking to himself, even Qiao Che began to wear out his patient.

Watching the caregivers clean, turn, and massage Qiao Si was like a silent film. Qiao Si always had his eyes half-closed, half-awake, half-asleep. If not for the hospital bed, the pallor of his skin, and the less-than-ideal quality of service, his aura and quality of service, he might have still carried that old air of being waited upon, the natural authority of someone accustomed to luxury.

After being placed back in the same position on the bed, Qiao Che observed him for a while and asked, “Still can’t speak?”

Qiao Si looked drowsy.

“It’s alright,” Qiao Che smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I can wait.”

Qiao Si drifted in and out of awareness. When Qiao Che lightly patted his face, he opened his eyes. Their gazes met, and Qiao Che’s smile deepened. “If you stay like this, you would almost be… adorable.”

Then he added, “Of course, that is only after you hand over the treasures you have been hiding. After that, you can lie here however you like.”

Qiao Si finally removed the bandage from his head. Qiao Che, with a hint of mockery, held up a mirror in front of him, showing him his current appearance.

His hair had been shaved off due to the surgery. Whether he looked good or not was the last thing on his mind—it always had been. But when he caught sight of the pale, bluish tint of his exposed scalp, a flicker of disorientation passed through him.

Being ill had taken a toll on his complexion, his brows and eyes looked desolate, and while the lazy demeanor remained, he had become significantly thinner, looking sickly.

“How do you feel?”

“…”

“Do you think Duan Heng would still be interested in you with your current look?”

“…”

Qiao Che lowered the mirror and chuckled, “Can’t stand looking at you like this. Better put on a hat.” 

He placed a fur hat on Qiao Si’s head, pressing it down until it covered his eyebrows, with his eyes half-closed underneath.

Cradling the back of Qiao Si’s head with one hand, Qiao Che nodded in satisfaction. “It’s cold. Would not want your brain freezing over—that is about the only thing left on you that is worth anything.”

“…”

“So, tell me, what made you fall for Duan Heng? He’s even not your usual type.”

“…”

Qiao Che’s tone turned mocking, laced with something almost suggestive. “Was it his skills in bed?”

“…”

“Knew it. Some things never change.”

“…”

“I’ve heard you’re quite promiscuous in bed,” Qiao Che laughed, “Does being fucked really make you that happy?”

“…”

Qiao Che’s eyes showed a trace of contempt and a hint of flirtation. “Filthy little thing.”

Then, Qiao Che’s fingers traced along his face, sliding down to his throat. His gaze carried a smirk that never quite reached his lips. He lingered at the hollow of Qiao Si’s throat before slowly trailing downward, unfastening the buttons of his hospital pajama and slipping his hand inside. 

When his fingers brushed against the nipple on the man’s chest, Qiao Che pinched it between his index and middle fingers, rubbing it idly with his thumb—just enough to be cruel. The man on the bed lay there, half-naked, unmoving, letting him do as he pleased. He only lifted his eyes, silent as ever.

Qiao Che kept touching him, letting his hand roam lower, slipping past the waistband of his trousers. He explored every inch of the unresponsive body beneath him before finally withdrawing. Then, as if nothing had happened, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his fingers with meticulous care. “You really can’t move, huh?”

He sounded certain. As if in his mind, his touch alone should have been enough to make even a half-paralyzed man sit up.

“I’m not in a hurry,” he mused. “But you should stop playing dead. You are not that far gone, are you?”

With that, he gave Qiao Si’s chest a casual squeeze—not too hard, not too soft—before flashing him a lazy, amused smile. “It’s fine if you don’t speak. As long as you can still write, that will do just fine.”

From then on, Qiao Che’s visits became more… entertaining. Every day, he prodded and tested Qiao Si like a cat toying with a trapped mouse. He showed no sign of tiring of the game.

He was accustomed to others falling under his spell, drawn into a futile struggle between desire and resistance. He relished their helplessness, the way they writhed in his grasp, trapped and powerless to pull away.

Qiao Si lay motionless, his body betraying no reaction, but his mind was far from calm. This version of Qiao Che was entirely unfamiliar to him—capricious, unpredictable, and impossible to read. It left him unsettled, unsure of how to respond.

And no matter how many days passed, Duan Heng never came.

He felt that Duan Heng should not have disappeared for so long and worried that something might have happened to him.

Even if Duan Heng had only been acting and playing along with Qiao Che, there should still be some lingering sentiment left. Even a fleeting affair carried the weight of past affection. There was no reason for him to refuse to visit; not even once.

Qiao Che had been stopping by more frequently, and after enough visits, it seemed he had caught on to what was running through Qiao Si’s mind.

“Are you wondering why Duan Heng hasn’t come?”

“He’s busy clearing up your businesses, probably too occupied to make time.”

“…”

“To be honest, he still wouldn’t come even if he’s busy. Do you know how much he hated keeping you company? He was practically gagging from it.” Qiao Che said with a mockingly sympathetic expression, “He probably deserves a break now.”

The look in CQiao Si’s eyes made Qiao Che chuckle. He placed his hand on the man’s chest, “What, does it hurt here?”

“…”

“Fourth Brother, you are a smart man. What’s so hard to understand?”

“…”

“If you really like him, it’s not like there’s no way.”

“…”

“Just tell me where the money is hidden. If you do, maybe he’ll come to see you.” Qiao Che gently patted his cheek, “It’s not like you can use it anymore. Why not trade it for one last bit of pleasure? I’ll treat you well too, okay?”

Qiao Si had long stopped holding out hope. He closed his eyes, shutting out the world and the man before him.

Qiao Che’s touch became rougher, “This isn’t the first time you’ve bought someone’s affection. You might as well accept it.”

Qiao Si gave no response, but Qiao Che made no effort to force the issue. He sat for a while longer, then left without another word. After all, he would be back tomorrow. Qiao Chen seemed genuinely unhurried, as though time were on his side.

After his scheduled meal, Qiao Si soon drifted into a peaceful sleep. That night, he dreamt of Duan Heng again.

He still thought of Duan Heng often. Though not out of stubbornness or lingering hope, but as a clear and conscious indulgence.

Perhaps he missed Duan Heng’s acting skills too much. That deep, unwavering tenderness had been so convincing that even he had been taken in. Even now, he was reluctant to wake from that illusion of warmth.

At some unknown hour, in his half-asleep state, he felt as if Duan Heng was beside his bed. The room was bathed in moonlight, and Duan Heng was holding his hand, gazing at him with a pale face.

“Fourth Master.”

Somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, Qiao Si felt a faint ache in his chest.

The young man gazed at him with an expression full of care and tenderness. “Are you feeling any better?”

It was like a midnight dream. The cold moonlight cast a soft glow over everything as if they had returned to the days when they were still close. All the filth and deception had been left behind, leaving only a bittersweet tenderness.

“You’re finally here.”

The young man looked genuinely surprised and immediately tightened his grip. “Fourth Master…”

Qiao Si murmured, “Why haven’t I seen you for so long?”

“I was injured. Don’t you remember? You sent someone to kill me.”

The memory flickered faintly in Qiao Si’s mind. Qiao Bo had failed, but he had never bothered to inquire about the details. Now, the thought of Duan Heng suffering because of him for so long filled him with an almost unbearable ache.

How could he have done this? If it had not been necessary…

“But Fourth Master, I don’t hate you.”

Qiao Si’s heart softened, melting like ice under the warmth of those words.

“It was my fault to begin with. I wronged you, Fourth Master.”

This tenderness was like a shot of morphine, numbing the pain that had plagued him for so long. Every ache in his body seemed to dissolve, leaving only a bittersweet calm.

He truly had fallen.

Even knowing that Duan Heng had deceived him, he still worried about his well-being and still craved these words. Unable to resist, Qiao Si lifted a hand to touch his face, his throat tight with emotion. “I don’t blame you either…”

The feel of his face was real, the warmth of his skin momentarily warming his cold fingertips.

Then the lights came on. 

The hazy moonlight that had bathed the room vanished in the stark white glow. It felt like waking from a dream as if the scene had ended.

Qiao Che stood by the door, one hand tucked into his pocket, his expression hovering between amusement and impatience. He appeared satisfied yet out of patience, looking at him. “Fourth Brother, you can even move and speak now. Isn’t it time you said what needs to be said?”

Qiao Si neither spoke nor erupted in anger. In fact, even the rise and fall of his chest immediately steadied, as if the restless little creature inside him had been shot dead in an instant.

As Duan Heng stood up, Qiao Che chuckled, “You really are something else. The old man is quite obsessed with you, huh?”

Qiao Si’s head was still spinning, a side effect of the drugs slipped into his dinner, and his vision was blinded by the light.

It was a strange feeling. Although he had committed many wrongdoings without facing punishment, he always seemed to be punished for falling in love.

Duan Heng spoke in a deep voice, “Qiao Che, what is the meaning of this?”

Qiao Che let out a casual “Oh,” then smiled. “You’re right. I was too hasty this time, my bad.” 

His smile faded before adding, “But there’s no need to keep up the act at this point. Even if we don’t play nice, how hard would it be to force him to talk?”

Duan Heng’s expression darkened, “Qiao Che, don’t push your luck.”

“Me? Pushing my luck?” Qiao Che shrugged. “Weren’t you just trying to sweet-talk the information out of him so you could keep it all for yourself?”

Duan Heng coldly retorted, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Would you even be where you are today without me, Duan Heng? I know you’re capable, but I’d advise you to tread carefully. Don’t mess up the whole game by acting too smart.”

The two locked eyes in silence. After a moment, Qiao Che continued, “You and I, neither of us can handle him alone. You know what kind of person he is, don’t assume he’s harmless just because he’s lying there.”

Duan Heng was silent for a beat before saying, “I don’t need you to teach me that.”

Qiao Che patted him on the shoulder in a display of camaraderie. “Good, I’m glad you understand. Let’s not fight. Otherwise, even if he’s paralyzed, he’ll find a way to slip through the cracks. Trust me.”

He then turned to Qiao Si with a smile, “Fourth Brother, don’t take it too personally. I meant that as a compliment.”

The two men left to discuss their plans over drinks, a suggestion made by Qiao Chen. They turned off the lights and closed the door, leaving the room in darkness with Qiao Si lying there.

Qiao Si spent the night calming down. Not because he was angry, but because his heart felt alternately cold and painful.

He failed to understand why they hated him so much. He never dared to claim he had always been considerate to the two of them. Naturally, there had been times when he had treated them badly, but there had also been many good times, in fact, so many that they far outnumbered the bad.

Perhaps humans are born to hold grudges rather than remember kindness.

Especially Duan Heng—he had promised to let him inherit everything, spoiled him for so long, and given him whatever he wanted, yet Duan Heng still harbored resentment. What kind of wolf cub had he raised?

But he did not want to dwell on these matters. There was no point in thinking about them; it would only drive him mad.

Despite everything, he still harbored feelings of affection for the two people conspiring against him. It was a ridiculous, almost romantic feeling, devoid of any illusions or expectations but very much real.

Love will never disappear just because someone treats you poorly. Being emotionally invested had little to do with how one was treated.

Otherwise, how could he explain his feelings for Duan Heng and Qiao Chen? And yet, look where it had gotten him.

There was no need for Qiao Che to mock him; he was well aware of how pathetic and disastrous his love had been in this lifetime. But by now, he had grown almost numb to it, accepting it with a kind of resignation.

Qiao Si lay there peacefully. Though he could now speak and move, they still failed to extract a single word from him after that night. Duan Heng and Qiao Che supported each other but also restrained one another. Because of that, he was able to breathe freely for now, spared from the worst of the suffering.

Duan Heng was determined to coax the truth out of him gently, while Qiao Che preferred brute force. Their conflicting approaches ended up balancing each other out, making Qiao Si’s days tolerable.

That day, Duan Heng was absent, and Qiao Che eagerly came alone, trying different methods to interrogate him.

Unlike Duan Heng’s conciliatory approach, Qiao Che was a proponent of violence.

Qiao Si could tell that he was quite tempted by the knife and sliced him into pieces, but in the end, he did not go that far. He merely drew some blood before slapping him hard across the face.

“Fourth Brother, don’t blame me for pushing you so hard. It’s just that I know you too well.”

“I’m set on getting that money. None of us have your talent for raking in cash, nor do we have a decade to slowly accumulate it.”

“Besides, if I leave even a single spark for you, you’ll rise from the ashes. I fear I would be the first to be burned.”

Qiao Che chuckled, “Fourth Brother, I’m genuinely afraid of you. So don’t blame me for not being… gentle.”

When their eyes met, Qiao Chen added, almost as an afterthought, “Don’t worry, I won’t be taking any limbs… Not yet, at least.”

In the ensuing silence, he indeed set the knife away, cleaning each finger meticulously, and then his face returned to the familiar look of contempt that Qiao Si knew so well.