Chapter 34

Mo Yin’s hand was slender and delicate, emitting a slight chill. Pei Mingshu had been holding his hand, gradually warming it with his own body temperature.

When Pei Qing came out of the Investigation Bureau, Mo Yin’s face leaned towards the car window, watching in the direction of Pei Qing, his hand trembling slightly.

He watched intently, his expression unusually calm.

When Pei Qing got into the car, his face also turned backward. Only after Pei Qing’s figure was completely out of sight did he slowly turn back.

He restrained himself well, even smiling at Pei Mingshu after turning back.

Pei Mingshu also smiled faintly at him.

Mo Yin seemed to have completely forgotten what happened in the attic that day after waking up, but his spirits noticeably improved. Pei Mingshu observed him discreetly, unsure whether this was an improvement or a worsening of his condition. He hoped it wasn’t as bad as he feared. Later, when a servant reported to him that they had seen Mo Yin secretly packing his luggage, Pei Mingshu remained silent, raising his hand slightly and sitting in the chair without moving for a long time.

In the distance, the outline of the Pei Residence gradually came into view, the elegant and noble building standing gracefully on the mountainside like a queen’s crown.

The heavy bronze gate was pushed open manually, and the two cars entered the estate one after the other.

The car stopped.

Pei Mingshu still held Mo Yin’s hand, and Mo Yin calmly allowed him to hold it, although his face turned towards the car window looking back and forth. His breathing was uneven, and his fingers trembled slightly.

Perhaps he knew that his behavior was abnormal, but he couldn’t control himself.

Pei Mingshu tightened his grip on his hand and said gently, “We’re here. I’ll carry you out of the car.”

Mo Yin didn’t say anything; he had been silent since early in the morning.

The car door opened, and as Pei Mingshu stepped on the ground and turned back, Pei Qing also got out of the car and looked towards the front car.

Pei Qing was actually mentally prepared for Pei Mingshu’s confrontation.

If Youcheng was willing to accept Heda’s acquisition, it would be a failure for Pei Mingshu in his career. After accepting the acquisition, perhaps his dealings with Heda would be exposed.

What would his “righteous and upright” elder brother do then?

When the people from the Investigation Bureau appeared, Pei Qing felt very calm, even relieved.

So, in fact, there were no such things as righteous and upright people in this world; it was just that things hadn’t been pushed to that extent yet.

Different paths, same ending. They were all the same; there were no winners here.

Pei Qing watched as Pei Mingshu carried Mo Yin out of the car. Internally, he remained very calm.

Pei Mingshu was a failure, and he was also a failure.

There were no winners here.

The wheelchair moved slowly, and Pei Mingshu didn’t look at Pei Qing. He pushed Mo Yin into the Pei Residence directly, and after a while, Pei Qing followed.

The hall was strangely quiet.

The servants of the Pei Residence had always been quiet and discreet, but today, they were all truly absent. The entire Pei Residence was eerily quiet and empty, the milky white marble floor making the space seem even longer and deeper. With the door open and sunlight streaming in through the windows on all sides, the light intertwined and reflected, making the place seem like it had no entrance or exit, only boundless brightness.

Pei Mingshu stopped in his tracks, releasing his hand from the wheelchair and gently patting Mo Yin’s shoulder. Then, he turned to look at the person standing not far away.

Pei Qing’s face was expressionless. Compared to a year ago, he seemed unchanged, yet he seemed to have changed so much that Pei Mingshu couldn’t recognize him.

No, it could only be said that the two brothers had never really understood each other.

Pei Mingshu walked slowly to Pei Qing, “This one’s for Youcheng.” With that, he clenched his fist and punched Pei Qing hard in the abdomen. Pei Qing grunted, bending slightly as his arm crossed his abdomen. His eyes now carried a faint smile, “Pei Mingshu, are you worthy?”

Although he said so, he didn’t retaliate, allowing Pei Mingshu to punch him again. This time, the punch landed on Pei Qing’s face, causing him to stagger back a few steps.

“This one’s for Mo Yin.”

Pei Qing steadied himself, looking past Pei Mingshu’s shoulder at Mo Yin, who was standing quietly behind him.

Mo Yin’s gaze was strange, devoid of any emotion, reflecting them both like glass beads.

Pei Qing didn’t say anything; he turned back and delivered a punch to Pei Mingshu’s face as well.

The two brothers silently and ruthlessly exchanged punches, the sound of their fists hitting their bodies echoing loudly in the empty hall.

Mo Yin gripped the wheelchair’s armrests tightly, watching the two men fighting each other like trapped beasts, hating each other with every punch, falling and rising again as if they wished the other would disappear from this world. He watched intently, his eyes fixed, his lips trembling slightly, and his breath quickening.

Blood splattered on the milky white marble floor, dotting it like blooming flowers. Mo Yin pushed the wheelchair closer, looking up at Pei Qing as he kneed Pei Mingshu in the abdomen, and then was viciously punched in the face by Pei Mingshu.

The two pampered young men, accustomed to a life of luxury, were now fighting without dignity. Their expensive suits quickly became wrinkled, and their handsome faces were bruised and battered.

Pei Mingshu had never been in a fight before; he had learned flower arranging, horseback riding, playing musical instruments, literature… all the elegant and beautiful things in life. Violence was so primitive to him. Last time, outside the operating room, he had fought back passively. But today, he was actively punching his own brother, one punch after another, mercilessly.

Pei Qing, due to his unknown father, had endured criticism since childhood. He had long been accustomed to using his fists to communicate. It was only after coming to the Pei Residence that he gradually stopped. He had accepted training, attempting to make himself appear more noble, but he had failed. As he punched Pei Mingshu relentlessly, his eyes were filled with deep-seated anger and hatred.

They had been living peacefully together for almost ten years, but today, they sincerely wished the other had never existed.

Both were injured.

Pei Qing half-knelt on the ground, his temples pounding incessantly, his whole head spinning, and blood dripping from his mouth to the ground.

Pei Mingshu adjusted his breathing, pressed his aching chest and lungs, wiped the blood from his lips with a handkerchief, and slowly stood up straight, pulling out the handkerchief from his clothes to wipe his hands. After tidying up his clothes a bit, he turned to look at Mo Yin.

Mo Yin watched Pei Mingshu with a piercing gaze, his hands tightly gripping the wheelchair’s armrests, the veins on the back of his hands bulging.

Pei Mingshu walked over and squatted in front of Mo Yin, his face covered in scars still carrying a faint gentle smile. He looked at Mo Yin encouragingly, “See, he’s not that strong.”

Mo Yin reached out and gently touched Pei Mingshu’s cheek with his palm.

Pei Mingshu’s cheekbones were bruised and hot, with sweat and blood stains.

“I have submitted all the evidence and materials,” Pei Mingshu said slowly, feeling a piercing pain from his abdomen to his chest with every word, but his soul gradually felt relieved, “He will receive the punishment he deserves.”

Mo Yin looked at Pei Mingshu quietly, his translucent eyes reflecting his gentle yet resolute expression.

“Hah.”

Pei Qing sneered, tilting his head back, blood oozing from between his teeth, “Pei Mingshu, you talk so high and mighty. But what about you? Where is your punishment?”

Pei Mingshu said calmly, “The people from the Investigation Bureau will be here soon. I hope you’ll reflect on yourself inside.”

“Reflect? Yes, I should reflect,” Pei Qing pushed himself up with one hand, swaying unsteadily. He looked at Mo Yin, leaning slightly backward, as if about to fall, his eyes filled with unbearable pain. Blood slowly flowed down from the wound on his brow bone, and he smiled again, “A person like me… shouldn’t deserve anything in this world.”

Mo Yin faintly felt the world was shaking.

But soon, the shaking stopped.

This world was supported by two forces. Even if one force was on the verge of collapse, the other force would still keep it stable. This world would not collapse.

It was time.

Mo Yin withdrew his hand from Pei Mingshu’s face.

Pei Mingshu’s heart twinged slightly. Wasn’t he doing this for Mo Yin’s sake? “Xiao Yin?”

“I think Pei Qing is right,” Mo Yin said softly, his voice still gentle, but compared to calmness, it seemed colder, more ruthless, and devoid of any emotion.

Pei Mingshu was momentarily stunned, furrowing his brows slightly with some concern in his eyes. “Xiao Yin.”

Mo Yin pushed the wheelchair a little farther away from the two men.

He was afraid that when the world exploded later, it would splash on him.

In the oblique triangle position, Mo Yin could satisfy his need to watch the expressions of both men at the same time. He sat back comfortably in the wheelchair, hands clasped together, smiling brightly, “Watching you two dogs fight is really interesting.”

Pei Mingshu and Pei Qing both had their pupils shrink almost simultaneously.

In this world, Mo Yin had never spoken a harsh word in front of them. Whenever he spoke, he was always gentle, innocent, pitiful, and harmless. But now, as he smiled and spoke, “Why so unresponsive? You both look like dead men with no expression.”

The hall was eerily quiet, and both men held their breath. Pei Mingshu was the first to regain his senses. “Xiao Yin…”

“Don’t call me Xiao Yin,” Mo Yin interrupted him directly. “I’m tired of hearing it.”

The expression on Pei Mingshu’s face froze.

Mo Yin’s face was the same, but his tone and demeanor had changed completely. He seemed like a different person now, devoid of the fragile and innocent aura he usually had. Instead, he exuded sharpness, with no trace of a faint shadow of spiritlessness.

“Pei Mingshu, actually, you shouldn’t blame Pei Qing,” Mo Yin smiled. “It was I who asked Zhang Huachao to call Pei Jingyou at that time, to let him see how his beloved son treated the man he had turned into a cripple, like a dog in heat.”

His words were delivered slowly and deliberately, each one like a chilling arrow piercing Pei Mingshu’s ears, almost overturning all his perceptions. Pei Mingshu felt his blood freezing, and at the same time, a fire ignited in his chest, burning through all his nerves.

“It was also I who made Zhang Huachao deliberately approach you, to lure you into betraying the financial reports of Youcheng.”

Mo Yin politely shifted his gaze and looked into Pei Qing’s eyes.

Pei Qing’s eyelashes were sticky with fresh blood, his expression stiff. He stared at Mo Yin without blinking, allowing the blood stains to drip into his eyes.

“Oh, by the way, Pei Mingshu, I deliberately leaked your plan to Pei Qing. He thought it was my plan, and in order to please me, he incorporated the contents of your plan into his own. In fact, he didn’t know anything.”

“Pei Qing, don’t misunderstand. I have never defended you. I just wanted you to understand that you are nothing here but a pawn in my hands, willingly being used by me.”

Mo Yin’s speech was rapid and excited, his eyes shining brightly.

Pei Qing stared at Mo Yin blankly, overwhelmed by the torrent of words. Each one was like a sharp arrow, piercing him, making it difficult for him to discern which hurt the most. He said hoarsely, “The collaboration case… was intentional… not to help me…”

“Of course,” Mo Yin said, “Do you really think I did it out of love for you?”

After saying that, Mo Yin couldn’t help but chuckle, covering his nose with his hand. “Sorry,” he said, then chuckled again, “Sorry, I’ll be serious.” He raised his palm to make a stopping gesture, looking into Pei Qing’s bloodshot eyes, and said slowly and deliberately, “Pei Qing, I have never loved you.”

Pei Qing’s brain was buzzing.

His eyes met Mo Yin’s, and Mo Yin’s gaze told him—this was the truth, perhaps the only time he had heard the truth from him.

As a result, many scenes flashed quickly through Pei Qing’s mind.

The moments of intimacy, the silent companionship, the knowing smiles, the late-night kisses…

Were they all fake? Were they all just to use him?

Pei Qing couldn’t help but lose focus, pressing his sore abdomen with his hand, his waist bending slightly. Finally, unable to support himself, he fell to one knee on the ground. He coughed lightly, the taste of blood rolling in his throat, forcibly suppressed.

“Xiao Yin,” Pei Mingshu seemed to have finally come back to his senses completely. His voice was still calm. “What’s wrong with you?”

Mo Yin smiled, “What’s wrong? Are you thinking I’m sick again? Oh, that was just an act. Did I do well? Which one is more realistic, pretending to love you or pretending not to be sick?”

“Oh, by the way, it seems like you just sent your brother, your only remaining relative in this world, to prison this morning,” Mo Yin said cheerfully, raising an eyebrow. “Pei Mingshu, congratulations. You’ve failed as a son, as a brother. Everything.”

Pei Mingshu felt numbness spreading all over his body, his cheeks burning hot, palms cold.

“Pei Jingyou is lucky. He died early, didn’t have the chance to see how you two brothers were played to death by me.”

“Pei Mingshu, Pei Qing, you two brothers, two fools, were played around by me, a cripple—”

Malice emanated from his soul, enveloping him like a cruel shadow, finding amusement in the misery of those before him, gleefully reveling in it.

Mo Yin extended his arms, as if inviting them into his world, wearing his most sincere smile in this world, and softly said, “—should really die.”

The world shook violently, all the buildings around it twisting and distorting in the tearing light. However, the two people in front of him seemed oblivious, just staring at him with an expression full of endless complexity. Mo Yin’s mood soared like a roller coaster, and his eyes filled with a smile as he watched the two of them. Was it coming? The collapse of the world he had been eagerly awaiting… These two powerful individuals, when they collapsed, would surely be more beautiful than those false little worlds…

“Master—”

In the distance, a shouting voice, hurried footsteps.

A figure burst into the distorted world.

He was distorted too, his eyes and nose shifting, but he seemed unaware of it. Holding a paper bag in his hand, he anxiously said, “The materials here are wrong!”

Pei Mingshu slowly turned around.

Ding Mohai’s white hair was all over the place, his breathing rapid, and his eyebrows furrowed. He said urgently, “Master, did you make a mistake? The materials here will get the Second Young Master into jail. You two are blood brothers…”

The distortion of the world slowly stopped.

Pei Mingshu took the paper bag from Ding Mohai’s hand and turned around again.

The smile on Mo Yin’s face had gradually faded.

“Is there a mistake?” Ding Mohai said, “Luckily, I checked before submitting it.” He then noticed the injury on Pei Mingshu’s face. Strange, how did he seem to have seen nothing just now? He exclaimed, “Master, what happened to your face?” He turned to look at Pei Qing, “Second Young Master, why are you…”

He glanced back and forth between the two of them, noticing the blood stains all over the ground, and gasped in horror, finally looking at Mo Yin not far away.

He was excited, “Didn’t we agree to have a good chat? Why did it turn out like this?”

“Old Ding,” Pei Mingshu slightly turned his face towards his direction, his eyes still fixed on Mo Yin, “You go back, we… haven’t finished talking.”

As if echoing his words, Pei Qing straightened up, supporting his knee, and limped towards Mo Yin.