Chapter 22

More than a year ago, after the 829 incident, Pei Jingyou immediately sent someone to protect Mo Yin in the hospital, preventing him from having the chance to interact with the media himself.

It wasn’t until the situation calmed down and Mo Yin was transferred to another hospital that the protection around him was withdrawn, leaving only two caregivers who had been taking care of him.

That day, Mo Yin returned to the ward after undergoing examination as usual, but there was an additional person in the room.

That person was Zhang Huachao, representing Heda, who came to “visit” Mo Yin.

Heda was a competitor of Youcheng. Although it lacked the heritage of Youcheng, it was an up-and-coming force with ambitious aspirations, always waiting for the opportunity to defeat Youcheng.

Having finally seen Youcheng stumble so badly, Heda naturally wanted to kick them while they were down. They mobilized all the media they had at their disposal. Originally, Youcheng’s reputation had plummeted, but then came a twist with the “adoption drama,” and Youcheng’s reputation quickly recovered.

This dramatic turn of events made the mood at the top levels of Heda fluctuate like a roller coaster, and they were extremely unwilling.

Zhang Huachao vigorously expressed Heda’s willingness to help Mo Yin seek justice, promising that Youcheng would not get away with it.

However, Mo Yin remained unmoved. He calmly said, “The Pei family has already taken me in.”

Zhang Huachao responded, “That’s just a stopgap measure for them. Once they’re done using you, they’ll kick you out.”

Mo Yin glanced at him and smiled, “Aren’t you also trying to use me?”

Zhang Huachao was momentarily at a loss for words, trying to figure out how to continue persuading Mo Yin. But Mo Yin turned his face towards the window and said, “Leave me your contact information. When the time is right, I will contact you.”

Zhang Huachao was taken aback for a moment and then asked, “When will that be?”

“Be patient.”

At that time, Mo Yin had not fully recovered from the car accident. He was much thinner than he was now, with slightly sunken cheeks, giving him a somewhat stern appearance.

Zhang Huachao was momentarily speechless. He found it ridiculous and didn’t say anything more. He carefully examined Mo Yin’s expression and then left a business card before saying, “Then I’ll await your good news.”

For a long time afterward, Mo Yin did not contact him. From the side, Zhang Huachao also knew that Moyin was living quite well with the Pei family and gradually forgot about this incident.

Until the first anniversary of the 829 incident, when Youcheng and Heda were at each other’s throats and trying to stir up hype using the incident again, Zhang Huachao finally received a call from Mo Yin.

“Let’s reconcile with Youcheng.”

Zhang Huachao was almost out of breath.

On the other end of the phone, Mo Yin continued, “A centipede dies but does not stiffen. Even if you have the upper hand now, with Youcheng’s foundation, they will rise again in a while. Besides, whether you can gain the upper hand is uncertain.”

Zhang Huachao sighed with relief, finding it somewhat amusing. “Are you acting as a lobbyist for your new family?”

Mo Yin smiled.

“Don’t you know, Mr. Zhang?” he said softly, “My family members have long since all died.”

“…”.

After such a long time, Zhang Huachao couldn’t figure out Mo Yin’s stance. Just as he hesitated, Mo Yin hung up the phone and sent him a video.

A large safe was opened, and a slender hand reached in, taking out stacks of confidential documents at will, flipping through them, and then closing the safe with a “click.”

Zhang Huachao’s pupils constricted, and he immediately called back.

“Mr. Zhang, be patient. Listen to me and reconcile.”

Such a young boy spoke to him as if he were much older, and strangely enough, Zhang Huachao actually listened.

Actually, Mo Yin’s words made sense. They were also considering whether to temporarily ceasefire and reconcile. After all, Youcheng had a deep heritage, and Heda currently didn’t have the confidence or strength to completely overpower Youcheng. As long as it wasn’t a complete victory, it wouldn’t be a victory. After reconciliation, they could turn retreat into advance and perhaps open up a new world.

Mostly, the video just now greatly shocked Zhang Huachao.

He faintly felt that Mo Yin might want to be a “double agent” for them, but the words weren’t explicit, and he didn’t pursue it.

A smart person doesn’t dig too deep.

As memories flooded back, Zhang Huachao looked Moyin up and down. “You look good.”

Mo Yin replied, “Thanks to you.”

Zhang Huachao smiled and said, “Did you watch the video I sent you last time?”

“I did. The shooting was average, not clear enough,” came the response.

Zhang Huachao replied, “I didn’t know what you wanted to see. I thought you just wanted to hear the content of the meeting.”

Mo Yin rubbed his palms against the folder and said, “To look at handsome guys.”

Zhang Huachao’s smile froze slightly.

Mo Yin raised his head and smiled again, “How’s your recent cooperation with Youcheng? Have you forgotten your initial ambitions?”

Zhang Huachao instinctively responded, “How could that be!”

He answered too quickly, too eagerly, and then frowned slightly, regretting why he always lost his composure in front of this kid.

“That’s good.”

Mo Yin whispered, “Pei Jingyou is in poor health, so he’s left everything to his two sons.”

Zhang Huachao sat up slightly straighter and said, “Yes, but like father, like son. He has two good sons, both outstanding.”

“Indeed, they are both formidable,” Mo Yin smiled slightly, “But Mr. Zhang should have also heard the saying ‘Two tigers cannot share the same mountain,’ right?”

Zhang Huachao instantly understood his meaning.

This was Pei Qing’s office, and the two of them were openly discussing how to use the conflict between the brothers to deal with Youcheng. Zhang Huachao felt a bit nervous, constantly keeping an eye on the door, while Mo Yin seemed completely relaxed, as if he weren’t afraid at all, even if Pei Qing appeared immediately.

“I think the relationship between the two brothers is still good, quite understanding of each other,” Zhang Huachao said, “But I’m curious how you knew that Pei Mingshu would abstain from voting that day?”

Mo Yin smiled and said to Zhang Huachao, “I guessed.”

Zhang Huachao also smiled, knowing very well that this couldn’t be a mere guess. Mo Yin must have manipulated something behind the scenes.

Not only could this kid access some of Youcheng’s secrets, but he could also influence the behavior of Pei Jingyou’s two sons. This made Zhang Huachao even more wary of Mo Yin.

Mo Yin put down the folder and glanced sideways at Zhang Huachao. “Sometimes being closer allows you to see things more clearly. I think the recent conflicts between the two brothers are quite deep.”

“Oh?” Zhang Huachao said with interest, “Brotherly conflicts are ultimately family matters, shouldn’t affect business, right?”

“If I say the conflict started from business matters, what then?” Mo Yin smiled.

Zhang Huachao looked into Mo Yin’s deep eyes, momentarily at a loss for words, feeling his ears burning.

“As for separating business and personal matters, they’re not always so distinct, are they? Perhaps in their minds, personal matters outweigh business tenfold,” Mo Yin smiled, “People like them, proud and arrogant, prioritize their own feelings above all else. Sometimes, just to prove a point, I think they wouldn’t mind paying any price.”

Zhang Huachao’s heart raced.

To confront a behemoth like Youcheng head-on, you needed to have several times its size, or else both sides would suffer, and the losses might outweigh the gains.

But if there was a way to internally weaken it, that would be much more effective.

He just didn’t know how to approach it.

Although they had reached a cooperation agreement, Heda’s understanding of Youcheng was still not deep enough to immediately find its true weaknesses.

Zhang Huachao looked at Mo Yin, unaware that his eyes were full of curiosity, completely being led by Mo Yin.

Mo Yin smiled at him, seemingly answering, “Actually, Youcheng’s financial situation isn’t as optimistic as it appears.”

Zhang Huachao was taken aback. Youcheng’s financial reports had always looked quite impressive, but as Mo Yin said, they still weren’t close enough. Seeing things without proximity wasn’t as “clear.” Zhang Huachao’s eyes slowly lit up. “You mean…”

Mo Yin stopped there, giving Zhang Huachao only a hint.

“Pei Qing’s current position already allows him to access the core of You Cheng’s affairs. If Mr. Zhang wants to know more, it might be helpful to support him more. Who knows, it might be very effective?”

Zhang Huachao stared at him.

Mo Yin lowered his head and opened the folder, while Zhang Huachao’s gaze lingered on the folder in his hands.

With his current understanding of Youcheng, the most confidential documents couldn’t possibly be in Pei Qing’s office.

But Pei Qing definitely had the authority to access them.

Zhang Huachao is also a very intelligent person. After carefully pondering Mo Yin’s words in his mind, he immediately understood Mo Yin’s meaning.

“There are major contradictions between brothers, and Pei Qing is the exploitable party.”

*

When Pei Qing returned, Mo Yin was napping on his desk.

He looked peaceful in his sleep, his medium-length black hair resting on his forehead, giving him a somewhat childish appearance.

Pei Qing gently brushed the stray hairs from his forehead, and Mo Yin woke up immediately. He seemed startled at first, with a hint of fear in his eyes. When he recognized Pei Qing, his gaze slowly relaxed. “Have you finished the meeting?”

“Yeah.”

Pei Qing continued to stroke his hair, his expression tender. Mo Yin smiled, then furrowed his brow. “Mr. Zhang just came to see you, seems to be from Heda.”

“I know, he went to the meeting room afterward.”

“He came in while I was looking at your files, asked me a couple of questions, and I brushed him off. Will it have any impact on you?”

“It’s okay.”

Pei Qing’s finger rested against Mo Yin’s cheek. His expression was calm and detached, with a faint shadow, making it hard to read. He said to Mo Yin, “He’s our partner.”

Pei Qing hadn’t discussed the company matters too deeply with Mo Yin. Mo Yin pretended to be nervous and clueless, accompanying Pei Qing to finish work before going home together.

Back at the Pei residence, Pei Qing carried Mo Yin out of the car. Mo Yin felt a faint gaze on his head, so he tilted his face upward but saw nothing.

Recently, Pei Mingshu rarely went to the company and stayed at home, not even working there.

In fact, Pei Mingshu didn’t care much about the ownership of Youcheng.

For Pei Qing, being the young master of the Pei family was both a shackle and a sin, but it was also a glory.

But Pei Mingshu, who had been living in England since childhood and received the best education, was much wealthier in both material and spiritual aspects than Pei Qing. He didn’t need any embellishments at all. If he really cared about the family business, he wouldn’t have come to the company so late.

It was more accurate to say that it was Pei Jingyou who needed Pei Mingshu to inherit Youcheng.

Mo Yin had observed this clearly when he watched Pei Mingshu work at home.

As for Pei Qing, who was involved in the situation, perhaps it wasn’t so clear.

But even if Pei Qing knew that Pei Mingshu didn’t care about Youcheng and didn’t want to compete with him, it would only stimulate his pride even more.

Pei Jingyou would rather let Pei Mingshu, who didn’t care much about Youcheng, manage it than give Pei Qing even a slight chance.

Imagine how piercing it would be to see something you couldn’t get no matter how hard you tried being considered insignificant by others.

Mo Yin didn’t point this out to Pei Qing.

Wouldn’t it be better for Pei Qing to discover this himself?

Once a person who was usually proud and arrogant had their pride shattered, even if it happened passively, they would change. Because they would realize that their previous pride was utterly wrong and worthless.

Mo Yin smiled faintly, holding a book in his hand while keeping an eye on Pei Qing, who was making a phone call by the window.

Pei Qing completely trusted Mo Yin. Although he didn’t say anything to Mo Yin, he never avoided him.

Although the two were far apart, Mo Yin couldn’t hear what Pei Qing was saying on the phone, but he understood very well.

After all, this was a script he had written himself.

After brewing for so long, he finally found the right time. Every detail was vividly present in his mind, and every possible scenario had been rehearsed thousands of times.

After the call ended, Pei Qing still seemed lost in thought, staring out the window.

It was already winter, and the gardeners were busy replacing the withered flowers with fresh and beautiful ones that could withstand the cold.

Even plants in this world had to compete for survival.

Pei Qing lowered his eyes, his expression somewhat cold and desolate.

“Pei Qing.”

The gentle call brought Pei Qing back to reality. He looked at Mo Yin, whose eyes were caring yet somewhat timid. “What’s wrong with you?”

In an instant, Pei Qing strangled any hint of weakness that remained in his heart. He had no right to be weak when someone was relying on him.

“It’s nothing.”

Pei Qing approached and touched Mo Yin’s face, glancing at the book in Mo Yin’s hand before changing the subject, “Your exams are coming up, right? Are you prepared?”

“I’m okay.”

Pei Qing’s hand fell to hold Mo Yin’s hand. “That’s good.”

Mo Yin grasped his hand back, somewhat worried. “Pei Qing, are you hiding something from me?”

Pei Qing didn’t answer, but lowered his head to kiss Mo Yin’s hand.

“It’s nothing.”

*

After delaying the cooperation case for two months, Pei Qing suddenly submitted an application to Pei Jingyou, requesting to transfer the major authority of the cooperation case to Pei Mingshu.

Pei Jingyou didn’t agree and was a little angry. “Do you think this is a game?”

Pei Qing responded indifferently, “Isn’t this in line with your wishes?”

After a delay of two seconds, as Pei Jingyou tried to retort, he saw a trace of a cold smile flash across Pei Qing’s face.

Although Pei Qing’s temper wasn’t great, he usually maintained a certain level of respect, at least outwardly, towards Pei Jingyou. Such a blatantly provocative response left Pei Jingyou gasping, clutching his chest in anger.

Pei Jingyou had always felt guilty towards Pei Qing. Since bringing Pei Qing back home, he has tried to compensate for it even more. Compared to Pei Mingshu, who was far away in England, Pei Jingyou spent much more time with Pei Qing. However, the relationship between father and son was still not close enough. Pei Jingyou knew he couldn’t blame Pei Qing; it was all his own fault.

“Mingshu is older than you and has more experience abroad, I asked him to help you, all for your own good,” Pei Jingyou explained patiently, suppressing his anger.

“So why not just hand it over to him? Wouldn’t that be better?” Pei Qing maintained his indifferent expression. “I’ll cooperate with him, learn from him,” he looked at Pei Jingyou, his gaze clear. “Why are you upset?”

Pei Jingyou was speechless.

He looked at Pei Qing, as if he couldn’t recognize his own son anymore.

“Are you… sulking?”

“Am I a child?” Pei Qing retorted with Pei Jingyou’s own words.

Pei Jingyou was stunned for a while, realizing that Pei Qing seemed to be serious. He didn’t know whether to feel happy or worried. After changing expressions for a while, he said, “Aqing, you’ve grown up.”

Pei Qing couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

So in Pei Jingyou’s eyes, maturity meant giving up something he shouldn’t have. Even though he chose to accept an olive branch extended by someone, he had been silently giving chances in his heart.

But to whom? Was it to Pei Jingyou or to himself?

Pei Qing couldn’t say for sure.

However, Pei Jingyou’s reaction clearly indicated that he had already missed one chance.

Sure enough, he wasn’t even in the lineup for selection.

The angrier Pei Qing felt inside, the calmer he appeared on the surface. After chatting with Pei Jingyou for a while and confirming that Pei Qing sincerely wanted Pei Mingshu to take charge, Pei Jingyou made a call and asked Pei Mingshu to come up.

When Pei Mingshu entered, his expression was calm. After Pei Jingyou conveyed Pei Qing’s intentions, his gaze immediately turned to Pei Qing.

Pei Qing’s expression was equally cold and indifferent, making it hard to guess what he was thinking.

Pei Jingyou vaguely felt that the two brothers were actually somewhat alike.

“It’s not very appropriate,” as Pei Jingyou expected, Pei Mingshu also refused, “Changing the leader at this critical moment is not suitable.”

Pei Jingyou smiled, “It’s okay, it’s an internal matter of the company, you two brothers are the same.”

Judging from his tone, Pei Jingyou was very satisfied that Pei Qing willingly handed over authority.

Pei Mingshu’s face remained unchanged, neither surprised nor pleased. After pondering for a moment, he realized his thoughts had been entangled in personal matters recently and couldn’t break free. So he nodded, which could be considered as an agreement.

Only then did Pei Jingyou truly feel happy.

Because this was extremely in line with his initial intentions, naturally, everyone was happy. After saying some encouraging words, he let the two brothers leave together.

After leaving the office, Pei Mingshu and Pei Qing didn’t look at each other, their shoulders facing each other, and the corridor was extremely quiet.

Pei Mingshu spoke first, “Actually, I don’t need you to do this.”

Pei Qing replied, “However I act, I don’t need you to teach me.”

Pei Mingshu smiled.

“So why use my plan?” he asked.

Pei Qing instantly clenched his fist, his gaze cold and sharp.

Pei Mingshu glanced at Pei Qing, his expression indifferent. He wasn’t the kind of person who lacked manners, nor did he want to argue with Pei Qing about the cooperation case. However, he was still human, not a god, and couldn’t completely control his emotions.

“In the future, if there’s anything you want, you can just say it. I won’t compete with you.”

Pei Qing slowly loosened his fist and smiled.

“I want you to stay away from Mo Yin.”

After saying this, he turned and walked away, not bothering to see Pei Mingshu’s reaction. It wasn’t until he reached the parking lot after descending in the elevator that he exploded, punching the wall with force.

His fist instantly produced blood spots, and his breathing was heavy and labored. The physical pain shifted his focus from the humiliation he felt mentally. Pei Qing stared at the dark wall with wide eyes, lost in thought.

If he had any hesitation before, now, there was none.

In a way, compromise was synonymous with “weakness.”

It was because he never fought back that they treated him with such disdain.

They thought he had nothing, that’s why they looked down on him.

Would they still maintain their high stance when he took everything from them?

In the car, Mo Yin noticed the wound on Pei Qing’s hand. He grabbed it, his eyes full of concern. “How did you get hurt?”

“It’s nothing, just accidentally hit something.”

The more casually Pei Qing spoke, the more Mo Yin could sense the suppressed emotions.

Suppressing a laugh inwardly, Mo Yin kissed Pei Qing’s wound gently, then looked up at him with genuine concern. “Be careful.”

Perhaps Mo Yin vaguely knew what Pei Qing was up to, but he still chose to stand by his side.

At that moment, why did Mo Yin choose him?

Pei Qing didn’t know.

But at least, there was still someone completely on his side.

Pei Qing leaned down and kissed Mo Yin’s hand, held tightly in his.

Their eyes met, and they couldn’t help but share another kiss.

Mo Yin wrapped his arms around him, the trust of leaning his whole body against him evident. Pei Qing hugged his waist, and the two cuddled in the car, the intimate and safe space filled with each other’s breath.

*

The cooperation case had many traces of Pei Mingshu’s involvement from the beginning. His takeover felt like a return to the original, but the overcrowded team, consisting of his, Pei Qing’s, and Heda’s people, often led to conflicts.

The execution of the cooperation case between two companies was like navigating a large ship; speed wasn’t the most crucial factor—stability was. Fortunately, Pei Mingshu was adept at controlling the overall situation, and the cooperation case progressed smoothly.

The busy work squeezed out his private emotions. Pei Mingshu was accustomed to restraining himself, but when he wanted to numb himself, he could almost manage to not think about anything.

But when he returned to the Pei residence late at night and saw the tightly closed curtains of the back garden window, Pei Mingshu still lingered for a long time.

Perhaps Mo Yin was intentionally avoiding him; they had very few opportunities to meet.

Even during meal times, Mo Yin would find various excuses not to show up. Sometimes he said he had already eaten, sometimes he was tired, and sometimes he wasn’t feeling well.

When the servant said Mo Yin wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to eat, Pei Mingshu asked, “What’s wrong with him? Did you call a doctor?”

The servant looked embarrassed, stuttering. Pei Mingshu realized it was just an excuse Mo Yin used to avoid meeting him.

What did Mo Yin feel about him?

Was it possessiveness, loss, or the pursuit of forbidden desires?

As Pei Mingshu analyzed himself, the more he thought, the more he felt consumed by desires, just like an ordinary person.

He could only throw himself into work even more.

When dealing with business matters, Pei Mingshu was always efficient and calm, without any personal emotions interfering. Although using work to dissipate emotions wasn’t rational, he had no other choice at the moment. He could only prioritize and suppress his emotions for the time being.

Pei Qing had almost completely withdrawn from the cooperation case, becoming a peripheral figure.

The mystery of the leaked confidential bidding almost became an unsolvable case. Now that things had returned to normal, Pei Mingshu didn’t want to pursue it anymore. Pursuing it further wouldn’t lead to the outcome he wanted to see.

“Let’s adjourn.”

Pei Mingshu twisted his pen and stood up. The people on both sides also stood up. Pei Qing stood up last, calmly gazing in Pei Mingshu’s direction, feeling surprisingly calm inside.

Amidst the crowd, someone suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!”

Pei Mingshu’s gaze shifted towards the source of the sound. The person was holding a phone, and their expression was filled with panic. In almost an instant, every person’s phone started ringing or vibrating, including Pei Mingshu’s.

Pei Mingshu took out his vibrating phone.

Without any warning, trouble arose suddenly.

“Riddled with holes, financial fraud—Youcheng Logistics is suspected of securities fraud.”

Seven or eight links from different websites were published simultaneously, clearly indicating a premeditated move.

Pei Mingshu’s pupils constricted sharply. He immediately left the conference room, accompanied by his advisors and secretary. His pocket vibrated with his phone. He picked it up and answered, hearing Ding Mohai’s voice filled with urgency.

“Master, Young Master has fainted!”