It was clear that Fang Runjin held a more dominant position within the family, and after her scolding no one spoke again during the walk.

The humid sea breeze blew gently as Elder Xiao descended from the private plane, leaning on his cane. It wasn’t just the Xiao family who came to greet him.

Due to the injuries he sustained during the war, Xiao Yan had difficulty moving and had long since stepped out of the public eye. The day-to-day operations of the company had been handed over to professional managers and secretaries, while he remained in the background making decisions.

Only a handful of important occasions could coax Elder Xiao into making a personal appearance each year, and Fang Runjin’s birthday party was one of them.

Elder Xiao had made it clear that the heir would only be chosen from his two legitimate grandsons.

While this decision had its advantages, it also led to many people attempting to sow discord over the years. The strained relationship between the Xiao brothers was largely due to Elder Xiao’s blunt and heavy-handed approach.

Outside the helipad was a lush green lawn where those waiting to greet him had gathered.

Xiao Yan, his private medical team, his old war comrades, and invited business partners all disembarked together in a grand procession from the hover ramp.

Fang Runjin walked up to him, smiling warmly. “Father, thank you for your hard journey.”

But the old man only gave a cold snort in response.

Surprise flashed in Fang Runjin’s eyes, and she seemed slightly embarrassed.

Everyone knew what had been happening within the Xiao family recently, and soon all eyes were on Xiao Zong.

Fang Runjin subtly positioned herself in front of Xiao Zong and, smiling, said to the old man, “The villa has already been prepared, and with the strong winds on the island, I’ve asked Xiao Song to drive you over. You and the uncles can rest a bit, and then join us when the banquet starts. How does that sound?”

Elder Xiao was always surrounded by an entourage wherever he went.

Many of his old military comrades were with him—friendships forged in life-and-death situations. Now that they were retired, their bonds had only grown stronger as they had more free time to interact.

However, in Xiao Zong’s view, such relationships were often laced with ulterior motives even if no one openly acknowledged it.

For the sake of Fang Runjin’s face, Xiao Yan didn’t lose his temper in public. He merely shot a glare at Xiao Zong before getting into the car.

With that, the little hiccup at the airport was smoothed over.

Fang Runjin went to touch up her makeup, while Xiao Zong and Xiao Jingchuan stayed behind to entertain the guests, making it difficult for either of them to escape for a while.

For Xiao Jingchuan, socializing was torture. As the stoic commander, his face was practically frozen from the forced smiling.

His gaze casually drifted toward his younger brother.

Xiao Zong bore a striking resemblance to their father, with sharply defined features and lips that were habitually set in a straight line, giving him a dangerously attractive look. Most captivating were his ink-black eyes, as if all light and power converged within them.

In this setting, he appeared to handle things effortlessly, wearing a practiced, businesslike smile that exuded maturity, competence… and cunning.

He used to be such a reckless kid.

An odd, peculiar emotion welled up in Xiao Jingchuan’s chest.

His name had been chosen by their grandfather, steady and composed. But Xiao Zong’s name had been given by their father, Xiao Sinian.

When their father died, Xiao Jingchuan had just turned 14, already a cadet at a military academy. Xiao Zong, on the other hand, was only 5 years old. Xiao Jingchuan had far more vivid memories of their father than his younger brother did.

The year Xiao Zong was born, there had been a night when Xiao Jingchuan woke from a nightmare and wandered to the study, only to find his father had returned home.

At the time, Fang Runjin was eight months pregnant, and Xiao Sinian’s days at home could be counted on one hand.

“This research I’m doing now is to ensure that my family can live freely, not be bound by rules and regulations…”

In the study, the two of them were discussing something, the only light source being the desk lamp, casting their shadows into one.

“Let’s name the second one ‘Zong¹’ so he won’t be so prematurely mature like his brother.”

The man who had once been hailed as the Federal Technology Legend indeed spent more time with his second son after his birth. Xiao Zong didn’t remember much, but Xiao Jingchuan had never forgotten.

As a nine-year-old boy, all Xiao Jingchuan could take from that moment was that his father didn’t like him very much.

This impression was deeply ingrained, even to this day.

Xiao Jingchuan had spent his formative years striving to prove himself better than his father, but before he had the chance, Xiao Sinian had passed away.

That night, the accident was kept under tight wraps, so the public never knew that little Xiao Zong had been in the car with his father when it happened.

Xiao Sinian had died protecting his youngest son.

Over the years, Xiao Jingchuan had heard countless people say that his younger brother resembled their father more—whether in appearance, temperament, or intelligence.

And Xiao Zong had indeed lived up to the meaning of his name, always doing things his own way. He even ran away from home in his younger days, nearly driving the old man to the brink.

Suddenly, Xiao Jingchuan noticed that the smile on Xiao Zong’s face had stiffened.

His gaze was fixed on an Omega.

“Long time no see, Ah Zong,” Ye Yumeng said with a soft smile.

Ye Yumeng.

His name was as misty and elusive as a drizzle.

Those few words were like water droplets falling into a still pond, rippling outwards, disturbing the undercurrents and stirring long-buried memories.

In his memory, Breston always seemed to be overcast. The city had a damp climate, with a perpetual layer of mist hanging over the sky, and gray, pointed buildings towering above.

Passersby hurried along the streets, occasionally casting curious glances at the two figures standing across from each other.

“Will we see each other again?” Ye Yumeng hadn’t been caught in the rain, but his eyelashes looked damp.

Xiao Zong had once been captivated by the light in his eyes. Gentle, clear, and when he looked at you, it felt like you were his entire world.

It wasn’t until much later that Xiao Zong understood that the gifts of fate always came with a hidden price tag.

The turning point had been a kidnapping.

Xiao Zong rarely recalled that event, to the point that many of the details had become hazy.

He vaguely remembered breaking a few ribs, being trapped in a signal-blocking old warehouse, and by the time he was rescued, he was severely dehydrated and on the brink of death.

He didn’t know how many days he spent in a daze, nor did he know that the old man nearly turned the entire Federation upside down looking for him.

After Xiao Zong’s disappearance, Ye Yumeng, the only one who knew his whereabouts, chose to avoid the Xiao family’s massive search.

When questioned by the police, he repeatedly insisted that he was merely Xiao Zong’s roommate and didn’t know what his roommate did, who he associated with, or where he had gone.

Later, he explained that he had panicked at the thought of being suspected as part of the kidnapping plot.

He had panicked.

That pretty much summed up Xiao Zong’s years away from home.

As luck would have it, Xiao Zong overheard a few snippets while lying on his hospital bed.

At the time, the Xiao family was embroiled in a political crisis. Many believed that this time, the old man wouldn’t be able to shield them.

With the empire crumbling, those who had once sought power and connections were either distancing themselves for self-preservation or trampling on the Xiao family to solidify fabricated charges against them.

The opposition had spent years preparing for this moment, playing their cards with calculated precision. Everything was part of the plan.

At that critical moment, the Xiao family’s frantic search for Xiao Zong only pushed them closer to the edge of the cliff.

The next time they met, Ye Yumeng looked visibly haggard. His first words were: “I’m sorry.”

His gaze flitted nervously.

That’s when Xiao Zong finally realized that this person wasn’t meant to be his other half.

The rain continued to fall relentlessly.

“We won’t.”

The teenager’s voice was cold and hard as ice.

We won’t meet again.

“You brat, are you even listening?!”

The heavy cane struck the floor with a loud “clang.”

The floor of the villa had been upgraded from tile to marble, then again to granite. The cane only left a faint scratch, reducing unnecessary damage.

Xiao Zong’s ears rang from the noise. He glanced at the family doctor standing nearby, and with a half-smile, said, “Uncle Lu has been taking great care of you. People outside keep saying your health is declining, but you still sound as full of energy as ever.”

Dr. Lu smiled politely. “You flatter me, Young Master.”

“You’re just waiting for me to drop dead!” Xiao Yan’s voice shot up another octave. “How many potential blind dates have I lined up for you now, huh? You’re going to be the death of me!”

This scolding could have been avoided.

The Xiao family had been through ups and downs over the years, and no longer panicked over small issues. Xiao Zong had already prepared himself to handle the casino situation with ease.

But he had miscalculated. He hadn’t expected that the old man wouldn’t even care about the casino issue at all.

The moment Xiao Yan’s grandson had barely set foot in the room, the first question thrown at him was:

“How’s it going with that Omega I introduced to you last time?”

The question left Xiao Zong momentarily stunned.

It took him several moments of reflection to recall that.

Yes, such a thing had happened—right around the time he was preparing to take over as CEO of the company.

The old man hadn’t warned anyone in advance. When the news of his stepping down was announced, it had thrown Xiao Zong into a frenzy.

There had been so much to prepare last minute that he worked overtime every day until well past midnight. If he had any other lingering memory, it was of the Omega suggesting they meet for dinner.

Whether Xiao Zong had actually agreed, he couldn’t even remember.

He’d completely forgotten.

So, he had no idea that on that stormy night, the Omega hadn’t driven to the restaurant. Due to the terrible weather and the congested traffic in the city, the restaurant had closed, and the Omega hadn’t been able to find a taxi home.

The Omega had caught a cold after returning home and reportedly hadn’t recovered for a long time.

That evening, Xiao Zong had been in a meeting with his subordinates and hadn’t eaten the takeout his assistant had ordered until 2 a.m. The entire dinner date had completely slipped his mind.

Everyone on the outside assumed that the second young master of the Xiao family was above such things. Once he reached a suitable age and had enough fun, he would naturally inherit the business empire.

What they didn’t know was that the first thing he had done after returning home was to dive into developing cosmic energy resources, reviving a dying project within the technology department.

He had spent months on a civilian space station with his research team, wearing a spacesuit that weighed hundreds of pounds and working under harsh conditions.

Xiao Zong wasn’t a professional, so everything he learned about new energy had to be built from scratch, turning theory into practice.

Eventually, the project piqued the interest of senior officials in the Federal military. With long-term cooperation established, the military provided backing, and the sword hanging over the Xiao family’s head finally fell.

Over the course of eight years, many of his former subordinates had risen to middle and senior management. When they were busy, they still looked as disheveled as ever.

“The rain is really pouring,” one of his subordinates commented, slurping on his boxed meal as the rain pelted the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Xiao Zong nodded. “Yeah, it really is.”

“And in that downpour, you made an Omega wait for you for four hours!” The old man grew angrier by the second. “They ended up walking home by themselves! Do you think just because you’re rich, you can do whatever you want?”

Xiao Zong sighed and replied, “I don’t know if being rich lets you do whatever you want, but I do know I’m rich and still have to go on blind dates.”

A butterfly’s wings might trigger a tornado, and in this case, the Omega was the butterfly, while Xiao Yan was the tornado.

The tornado—no, Elder Xiao said, “What’s the point of having an assistant? If one’s not enough, hire ten more!”

Assistant Wei shuddered upon hearing this.

Xiao Zong frowned. “It’s not his fault. Wei Mian does his job well.”

“Then why didn’t you tell him to remind you about the dinner?”

“Because I didn’t have the time, nor the interest,” Xiao Zong said, his temper flaring. “How about I go find someone and get married tomorrow?”

“What kind of attitude is that?!”

Assistant Wei knew things were heading south.

Just as he was wondering whether to fetch Madam Xiao to help calm things down, his eyes drifted out the window and froze on a figure.

Ye Yumeng was standing on the grassy lawn outside, not too far away. The window was open, and the old man’s scolding could be heard loud and clear.

“You brat, tell me the truth. Are you still not over that person from your past?!”

1. 纵 Zong – Upright ↩︎