Chapter 4

“Actually, you’re recovering quite well,” the doctor reassured.

Mo Yin touched his own thigh.

Soft, warm.

But he was utterly devoid of sensation, as if he were touching a piece of unfamiliar flesh that didn’t belong to him.

The sensation was strange. Mo Yin even thought about taking a knife to his legs to see if they would react at all.

After the press conference, Pei Jingyou arranged for him to be transferred to another hospital, a professional private rehabilitation facility. He also brought in foreign experts for consultations. Several months passed, but there was no progress.

Mo Yin smiled. “Thank you.”

The caregiver pushed the wheelchair out. The heat of the news had long dissipated, and people in the hospital hurried about, paying no extra attention to Mo Yin. 

Everything seemed to have moved on, and the world continued to run as usual.

In the elevator, a young boy waved a toy airplane around, making “vroom vroom” sounds as he pretended to fly. He was so engrossed in his play that he accidentally bumped into the person next to him. He exclaimed, then turned to see that it was a big brother sitting in a wheelchair. He had bumped into the big brother’s arm. The little boy’s curious gaze fell on the big brother’s limp legs, and he patted the big brother’s hand resting on his chest. At his mother’s prompting, the little boy apologized, “Sorry, big brother.”

“It’s okay.”

They reached the third floor.

As the elevator doors opened, the boy walked out with his toy airplane, glancing back one more time.

The big brother in the wheelchair was also looking at him, and he friendly waved. The big brother smiled back, his smile gentle and bright.

It was deep autumn, and outside the hospital, the weather was clear and crisp, without a cloud in the sky. The sky was blue like a brilliant gemstone. Mo Yin hadn’t seen the light of day in a long time. He looked up at the sky, feeling the warmth of the sunlight falling on his face through the gaps in the tall bushes. He squinted his eyes slightly, breathing in the scent of grass and listening to the clean, crisp chirping of birds.

The wheelchair jolted slightly, as if hitting a rock, and Mo Yin slowly withdrew his gaze.

The realism of this world was terrifyingly high. Every blade of grass and every leaf seemed so vivid, making him increasingly curious about what kind of person could sustain such a world.

He had initially thought it might be Pei Jingyou, but after seeing him that day, he confirmed that Pei Jingyou wasn’t the protagonist. Pei Jingyou didn’t possess such powerful energy.

Since everything was unknown, and there were no constraints of a mission, he was happy to explore slowly. He thought of it as developing a new game, which was quite interesting.

The caregiver pushed Mo Yin all the way to the parking lot, and from afar, Mo Yin saw a sleek black luxury car.

The car was spotless, gleaming with a dark shine in the sunlight. Instead of entering the parking lot, it was parked under the trees on the side of the parking lot. The caregiver pushed Mo Yin in that direction.

When they were about ten meters away, the rear door of the car opened, and someone crouched down and got out of the car.

The sunlight dyed the person’s head a golden black. He lowered his head, his palm pressed against the hem of his coat. Getting out of the car seemed effortless and graceful, without a hint of dragging or hesitation. As he stood up straight, his gaze shifted towards Mo Yin.

This was the first time Pei Mingshu had seen Mo Yin in person.

He had been studying abroad and didn’t inquire much about family matters. He kept a low profile overseas, and no one around him knew his identity. Pei Jingyou never talked much with him about business matters either. He only learned about the major events in the company after returning to China the day before yesterday.

Pei Jingyou’s embellishments and PR efforts were not something he wanted to comment on. He only frowned slightly when he saw Mo Yin’s pilot certificate photo.

Mo Yin looked different from the photo.

He was paler and thinner than in the picture. Sitting in the wheelchair, it was hard to tell that he was almost six feet tall. Only his shoulders remained straight, vaguely showing the youthful vigor of the past.

Mo Yin now looked frail and pale, with a faint melancholy on his handsome face. He still looked like a patient.

As Mo Yin looked at Pei Mingshu, Mo Yin was also looking at him.

Pei Mingshu had a good appearance. He looked elegant and noble, with an air of sophistication. He didn’t show any expression on his face, giving off a gentle but somewhat unapproachable vibe.

But all of this wasn’t the focus.

The focus was that Mo Yin felt a powerful energy.

Stronger than any energy he had felt in any of the previous mission worlds!

Moreover, it was extremely stable, so stable that it was downright terrifying.

“Hello,” Pei Mingshu greeted proactively. He nodded slightly and said, “I’m Pei Mingshu.”

Mo Yin looked at him in silence, not uttering a word.

Pei Mingshu didn’t insist on a response either, and instead said to the caregiver, “Thank you for your hard work.”

The caregiver repeatedly said it was no trouble at all. He was paid five times the usual rate by Youcheng and wished he could follow Mo Yin back to the Pei residence to continue taking care of him.

“Need help getting into the car?” The caregiver offered enthusiastically. “I’ll help him get in.”

Pei Mingshu glanced at Mo Yin again.

Mo Yin lowered his head, and Pei Mingshu noticed he had two cowlicks.

“Thank you.”

The caregiver pushed Mo Yin’s wheelchair to the car, slipped his hands under Mo Yin’s armpits, said “one, two, three,” and then exerted force, swiftly “transferring” Mo Yin into the car.

Pei Mingshu stood aside, observing the caregiver’s movements, which resembled tossing a heavy object. His brow furrowed slightly, and by the time he realized it, the caregiver had already folded the wheelchair and placed it in the trunk.

Pei Mingshu looked at Mo Yin inside the car. Mo Yin’s palms were pressed against the leather seat, slowly adjusting his position to sit upright. He seemed to lack strength, and his arms were trembling.

Pei Mingshu reached out to offer help, but Mo Yin intercepted his hand.

Mo Yin leaned against the back of the seat, his gaze alert and tense as he looked at Pei Mingshu.

Pei Mingshu spoke gently, “Let me help you.”

“No,” this was the first word Mo Yin spoke to Pei Mingshu, then he lowered his head again and said, “Thank you.”

The car was quiet. Pei Mingshu sat beside Mo Yin, and neither of them spoke.

The driver drove smoothly. Mo Yin remained motionless with his head bowed, and Pei Mingshu glimpsed his weary legs, sighing inwardly.

The Pei residence was situated halfway up the only mountain in the city. Natural rugged rocks surrounded the walls on both sides. From a distance, the white main building appeared like a pearl set on a ring. The gate opened, and after the driver drove in, it took another ten minutes or so before stopping the car.

There were servants waiting at the entrance. Seeing the driver get out, they hurried to open the door. Pei Mingshu got out of the car, and another servant had already unfolded the wheelchair from the trunk, ready to welcome the new “young master” of the house.

There were two other servants standing awkwardly aside. Their task was to help Mo Yin from the car to the wheelchair, but with Pei Mingshu blocking the door, they hesitated to squeeze past.

Pei Mingshu leaned on the car door, bent down to look inside, and saw Mo Yin gripping the leather seat, quietly watching him.

“We’re home,” Pei Mingshu said.

There was a momentary flicker in Mo Yin’s expression, then he lowered his head again.

“Shall I help you get out of the car?” Pei Mingshu asked.

“…”

“I’m worried they might not have experience and might hurt you.”

Mo Yin looked at Pei Mingshu, hesitating. “Do you have experience?”

Mo Yin’s voice was naturally hoarse, giving a rough yet genuine impression.

Pei Mingshu smiled. “Yes.”

Mo Yin’s gaze remained wary. Pei Mingshu waited patiently, while outside, the four or five servants exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to do.

After about two or three minutes, Mo Yin seemed to relent. He lowered his head, propped himself up with his arm, and shuffled towards the car door, then looked up at Pei Mingshu.

The distance between them was close. Pei Mingshu saw a stubborn helplessness in Mo Yin’s eyes. He sighed inwardly and said, “Be careful.”

Pei Mingshu put one arm around Mo Yin’s waist. Mo Yin’s waist was slender, easily encircled by Pei Mingshu’s arm. Pei Mingshu sighed inwardly again. Ever since he laid eyes on Mo Yin, it seemed he had been sighing. “Hold onto me.”

Mo Yin looked up at him. Pei Mingshu’s expression was gentle and patient, not a feigned hypocrisy. His eyes conveyed encouragement.

Mo Yin lowered his head and wrapped his arm around Pei Mingshu’s neck.

Pei Mingshu’s chest was broad and sturdy, emitting a faint pleasant scent. He lifted Mo Yin with strength, carefully carrying him out of the car.

The waiting servants were momentarily stunned. The one pushing the wheelchair hastily moved it forward, but Pei Mingshu shook his head. “We’ll deal with it later.”

Mo Yin was heavier than Pei Mingshu had imagined.

He had the weight of an adult man, his legs hanging weakly in Pei Mingshu’s arms, soft and uncontrolled, swaying slightly with his movements.

The servants lifted the wheelchair up the steps, following behind the two.

Once they entered the hall, Pei Mingshu slowly lowered Mo Yin into the wheelchair. As Mo Yin settled into the wheelchair, it gently swayed, and his arms released from around Pei Mingshu’s neck. He whispered, “thank you.”

“No need to be so polite,” Pei Mingshu responded, raising his hand to decline the help of the servants. He pushed Mo Yin forward, saying, “Your room is ready. Let me take you to see it.”

The room was spacious, estimated to be about seventy to eighty square meters. It contained a large bed, a painting hung on the wall, and two long French windows with dark curtains drawn, allowing bright sunlight to stream in. On the left was a small door, presumably leading to the bathroom. The room was minimally decorated, and very sleek, and the wheelchair could move around easily inside.

Pei Mingshu pushed Mo Yin to the window. Mo Yin then noticed his room faced the garden, where a beautiful sea of white flowers greeted his eyes, truly stunning.

“Let me introduce myself formally. I’m Pei Mingshu,” Pei Mingshu reached out to him and said, “From now on, I’ll be your big brother.”

Mo Yin looked at his hand and whispered, “Didn’t Mr. Pei tell you?”

“What?”

“Adoption is the official explanation,” Mo Yin’s expression was indifferent, “But he didn’t actually adopt me.”

Pei Mingshu naturally knew. Pei Jingyou hadn’t gone through formal adoption procedures, and Mo Yin hadn’t been naturalized either.

Pei Mingshu squatted down to meet Mo Yin’s eyes. “Do you want to be naturalized?”

Mo Yin’s hand gripped the wheelchair, his face pale. “I don’t want to.”

In front of Pei Jingyou, he displayed an unusually hopeless demeanor, claiming he had no family anymore and nothing worth staying for in this world, so there was no need for compensation.

He could easily perform this emotion, simply by mimicking the expressions of the protagonists he had destroyed.

After much contemplation, Pei Jingyou said, “Child, would you like to come to my house? I can adopt you as my godson.”

“No,” Mo Yin immediately refused. “I don’t hate you, but I don’t want to be your son either.”

His refusal was so firm that it only strengthened Pei Jingyou’s determination to adopt him.

Pei Jingyou’s idea was to first eliminate Mo Yin’s suicidal thoughts. At this critical moment, if Mo Yin were to jump off a building, it would undoubtedly cause a severe blow to the company. Others might not know, but he knew very well that the company’s performance had declined in the past two years. The company was not as strong as it used to be internally, just barely managing to present more favorable financial reports.

Pei Jingyou, a veteran of several decades, used both emotional appeals and rational arguments, finally convincing Mo Yin to agree.

Pei Jingyou promised to take care of all aspects of Mo Yin’s life until he successfully completed his studies and could live independently.

“To avoid unnecessary trouble, I will say I have adopted you publicly. Is that okay with you?”

Mo Yin kept his head down, silent.

Pei Jingyou gently stroked the back of his neck. “Child, let me take care of you in place of your parents and give you a home.”

It was a beautiful proposal, precisely falling into the trap he had set.

“If you don’t want to, it’s okay,” Pei Mingshu still maintained his gracious smile. “If there’s anything you’re dissatisfied with in life, you can talk to me about it.”

Mo Yin remained silent.

Pei Mingshu wanted to touch Mo Yin’s hair, but ultimately refrained from doing so. He treated Mo Yin as if he were a stray cat hurt by humans, being cautious and patient, waiting for the day when he would open his heart.

Pei Mingshu stood up. “Take your time to get familiar with the room. I’ll leave first,” he said, pointing to the phone on the nearby coffee table, “If you need anything, press 0.”

Mo Yin still didn’t speak. Pei Mingshu turned and left the room, gently closing the door, then immediately called the butler. “Why haven’t the modifications at the entrance been made?” he asked in a warm tone.

“Modifications? Young Master, are you referring to…”

Pei Mingshu led him to the entrance.

The steps at the entrance were made of unique stone with distinct patterns. Pei Mingshu had just carried Mo Yin up these steps.

“Make an accessible pathway next to it.”

The butler suddenly realized, then awkwardly said, “Sir didn’t instruct…”

“He probably forgot. Get someone to do it now.”

“Yes, I understand. I’ll immediately call the workers.”

“Thank you.”

Pei Mingshu glanced at the front yard. The Pei residence was designed by Pei’s mother. Apart from the reserved driveway, most of the sidewalks were made of stones, which were beautifully colored and shaped. The surface was polished and glossy, making it comfortable to walk on, but it would be difficult for a wheelchair to navigate.

The Pei residence had stood for over thirty years, with every blade of grass and every tree meticulously maintained, hardly changing at all. It seemed as if the mistress of the house was still carefully tending to her beloved home.

Pei Mingshu’s gaze softened, and he sighed softly.

Mo Yin stayed in the room until the evening when a servant knocked on the door to call him out for dinner. Mo Yin responded and then pushed the wheelchair out. The servant offered to help push, but Mo Yin refused, saying, “I can manage on my own.”

The servant had no choice but to lead the way ahead.

Mo Yin pushed the wheelchair behind the servant. The interior of the Pei residence was intricately designed, exuding a strong sense of design, but it didn’t feel like a place where people lived.

Suddenly, the servant ahead stopped.

Mo Yin also halted the wheelchair.

“Second Young Master.”

Mo Yin heard the servant speak with great respect.

Then he heard a lazy “Hmm.” The servant quickly stepped aside, revealing Mo Yin, whom he had blocked.

The figure in front bore some resemblance to Pei Mingshu in terms of height, but their faces were quite different. He had delicate features with a hint of mixed-blood charm. Unlike Pei Mingshu’s restrained nobility, this person wore his arrogance openly.

He gave Mo Yin a cold glance, his eyes flickering past him as if he were nothing more than a speck of dust. With his hands in his pockets, he didn’t bother to greet anyone as he turned and walked away.

The servant seemed a bit embarrassed. After the person left, he said to Mo Yin, “That was our Second Young Master.”

Mo Yin didn’t care how many young masters there were. What surprised him was that this person also emanated a strong aura.

Two different energies supporting each other in this world?! Two protagonists?!

This feeling grew even stronger at the dinner table.

Pei Jingyou sat in the middle, with his two sons on either side. He introduced them to Mo Yin with a smile. Mo Yin already knew Pei Mingshu, and the other one was Pei Qing.

Pei Mingshu looked at him with gentle eyes. “Eat more.”

Pei Qing kept his head down, focusing on his food. He was just as indifferent to Mo Yin as he was to his elder brother and father.

Two completely different people emitting equally powerful energies.

What a pleasant surprise.

After a moment of contemplation, Mo Yin picked up his chopsticks and softly said to Pei Mingshu, “Thank you.”

Well, then he would “eat more,” as Pei Jingyou had said he wanted to “give him a home.”

It’s hard to refuse such a warm invitation, so he might as well go all out.