HOYSE CHAPTER 101

Chapter 101 — My Clear Blue Sky

Zhou Xiang drove them straight to the hospital. Old Master Xie had already fallen into a deep coma and did not respond no matter who called to him.

Xie Zhanhong pulled Rong Jing out into the hall and briefly explained what had happened. Early that morning, while watering his flowers, the old man suddenly fell and had not woken since.

The doctor said his organs had been failing for quite some time. What had kept him going was a heart that still could not let go.

Rong Jing thought for a moment and understood. The old man could not let go of the Xie family. He could not let go of them. Now that the Xie Group was thriving and the younger generation each had their own path, perhaps he finally felt at peace.

Xie Zhanhong glanced at Gu Xi, who had come along. “No wonder I kept introducing Omegas to you and you refused every one. Now I know why.”

Gu Xi had not expected to meet the family in circumstances like this. Nervous and well-behaved, he greeted him softly. “Hello, Uncle Xie.”

In any other setting, Xie Zhanhong would have said more, but today was not the time. He only nodded.

They returned to the bedside and kept vigil, waiting for the moment the old man might wake.

Xie Ling had been abroad on business the past few days. As soon as he received the news, he took the fastest flight home. When he entered the ward, everyone stepped aside.

He came to the bed and called gently, “Grandfather.”

At once, as if sensing something, the old man slowly opened his eyes.

It felt as if he had been holding on for this, waiting for Xie Ling to come back.

Xie Ling knelt. The old man lifted a hand like a withered branch and stroked his grandson’s stiff hair. He pointed at the bedside cabinet. Xie Ling opened it and found a Buzz Lightyear model, carefully glued back together. He stared at the old man, stunned.

The old man formed a faint shape with his lips: I am sorry.

There were many apologies. I am sorry I never truly doted on you. I am sorry I forced you to grow up. I am sorry I never allowed you to be happy.

Half of Xie Ling’s temperament had been forged by him. He demanded excellence, demanded that Xie Ling carry the sky on his shoulders, demanded that a child shoulder the entire Xie family.

He had grown old. Zhanhong did not have the knack. If Xie Ling did not stand up, there would be no future for the Xies.

He never regretted holding Xie Ling to a strict standard. That did not mean he did not feel guilty. Even though he had painstakingly glued this model back together, it could not make up for the childhood Xie Ling never had. His little Xie Ling had already become an Alpha armored in steel. This apology had come too late.

Holding the repaired model, Xie Ling clasped the old man’s desiccated hand. His voice was hoarse. “I never blamed you.”

Xie Zhanhong wiped his face and read the will. While still alive, the old man had transferred most of his assets to his two grandsons, leaving only a small portion of real estate and shares to his son, Xie Zhanhong. He had arranged it in advance to prevent internal infighting. He wanted the Xie household to remain peaceful. He also left a specific instruction: do not offer any further help to Xie Jisheng.

A grandson who had tried to wipe out the family had no place among the Xies.

Earlier, Jisheng had faked insanity. If the psychiatric evaluation had gone his way, he might have escaped punishment. Fortunately, the Xie Group’s own experts had repeatedly verified the evidence and submitted enough to overturn his lawyer’s appeal.

In the end he did not escape. It was almost certain that he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

The old man worried that Xie Ling might show mercy. With Jisheng’s nature, if one ploy failed, he would look for another. He would use every last drop of family sentiment to rekindle Xie Ling’s pity and once again invite the wolf into the house.

Xie Ling remained firm. “Do not worry. He has no chance. He will stay where he belongs.”

The old man’s eyes shifted with difficulty to Rong Jing, standing behind Xie Ling. Rong Jing seemed to understand and nodded in answer.

If not for this child allowing Xie Ling to taste true family, perhaps Xie Ling would once again have been deceived by false affection.

That you were part of the last year of his life was Xie Ling’s good fortune and the Xie family’s, too.

Relieved, the old man smiled faintly. After more than ten years of effort, he could finally rest.

As his eyes closed, Xie Zhanhong read the final line of the letter the old man had left. “This old man is only changing addresses. I will always be with you. Xie family, you are not allowed to cry.”

Zhanhong immediately tipped his head back to keep the tears from falling, but they slipped out anyway. He turned and walked quickly out. He knew the old man would not want to see him like this.

That last line told them everything. For him this was a release. There was no need for sorrow.

Rong Jing forced his own tears back, crouched down, and pulled trembling Xie Ling into an embrace. The brothers held each other without a word.

…

Zhanhong washed his face and scrubbed away the tear tracks. In the corridor he bumped into Han Lianmei, who seemed to be waiting. She looked hesitant and whispered, “Was the old man a little partial? You are his only son. Why did you get so little?”

“Little?”

She lowered her lashes and said softly, “Eldest young master, but how does Rong Jing deserve it? His portion should be yours. After all, he is an outsider…”

She never finished the word. Zhanhong slapped her across the face.

They had been married for many years and he had never once hit her.

“The old man has just passed and you are already counting property. How can you say such things? What, have I not given you enough? Do you need more?”

The old man had never liked Han Lianmei. Now that he was gone, she was the only one who felt relief in this house.

Of course, she felt wronged on Zhanhong’s behalf. In her eyes, she had never been truly accepted and Rong Jing was someone she had brought in. How dare he?

“I’ve given you more than enough. What you’re showing now is greed,” Zhanhong said, temper rising. “And listen carefully, Rong Jing is my younger son. Even the old man acknowledged him. If you can’t accept that, you can walk out right now, but Rong Jing stays. Tell me, have you ever cared for your son? Do you even know how well he’s doing? The old man saw his work and praised him, said the boy was born to shine. It’s taken generations for our Xie family to produce someone with that kind of talent and poise. Do you know what they call Rong Jing in investment circles? The Wolf King. The companies he favors always have room to rise. Do you really think he cares about the old man’s small inheritance? He only accepted it so the old man could rest easy. On his own, he’s already multiplied his wealth several times over. If anything should be withheld, it ought to be from me. The one who does nothing but eat and wait for death.”

Han Lianmei truly did not know. What she wanted from Rong Jing was to avoid embarrassment, to keep the Xie family from casting her out.

In the early years, when the second young master was still around, he had despised Rong Jing the most. To stay in his good graces, she shared that resentment, even finding herself, at times, wishing she’d never given birth to such a son.

Now the second young master sat behind bars. Her pillar had collapsed, and half her world felt hollow.

“How could Rong Jing possibly be that capable?” she murmured, refusing to believe it.

“I may be incompetent, but my two sons are the pride of my life,” Zhanhong said. “If not for Rong Jing, do you think I would keep you? From now on, say one more word like this and we will meet at the civil affairs bureau.”

The thing Han Lianmei feared most landed. She crumpled to the floor. She wanted to defend herself but could not find any words that would not make it worse.

Gu Xi slipped out of the room to give the brothers space and almost ran into Han Lianmei, who was weeping miserably at the side. He remembered the tin wedding anniversary party that had been held for her. As a fellow Omega, he felt a flicker of sympathy and took out a handkerchief to offer, but the moment she saw it was Gu Xi, disdain flashed across her face.

Zhanhong stopped Gu Xi with a small hand gesture. “Do not waste your kindness.”

Gu Xi looked puzzled. Zhanhong shook his head.

Gu Xi had admirers all over the world, no one knew this better than Zhanhong, who often moved in circles obsessed with beauty. Every major international awards show tried every tactic to invite him, whether he was nominated or not. Even when Gu Xi turned them down, they kept trying. Anyone who had heard the deafening screams when he walked the red carpet in Venice would understand.

Don’t talk to Zhanhong about differences in taste between domestic and overseas audiences. With a face like Gu Xi’s, standards were irrelevant. His beauty sent people into a frenzy. That was why so many had tried to dig into his background. He was born into poverty, had no one to rely on, and earned everything through sheer grit.

What made his fame remarkable was this: he could have used his looks to get whatever he wanted, but he simply didn’t. Many Alphas would have paid a fortune just for a smile, but Gu Xi kept everyone at a distance. Polite but unwavering, he was the kind of Omega who was nearly impossible to chase.

Gu Xi himself didn’t realize how untouchable he had become in those circles, which made it all the more shocking to Zhanhong that Rong Jing had brought him home. Even if they went public, few would believe it.

Still, regardless of how dazzling Gu Xi was, he had no background. He was not the daughter-in-law Han Lianmei had imagined.

Kindness might only earn scorn. Zhanhong intercepted the gesture so that later, when Rong Jing came out, he would not mistakenly think they had bullied his future spouse.

Seeing this, Han Lianmei cried even louder. She took a few steps as if to leave, but when Zhanhong did not chase her, she did not dare go. She could only glare in resentful silence.

Once, Zhanhong had liked how soft and clinging she was, like dodder vine. Now he realized you cannot judge by appearances. Dodder sends out soft blades that can cut without leaving a mark.

Gu Xi did not know the Xie family’s history and quietly took a seat. He saw Zhanhong’s red eyes and struggled for the right words.

Unexpectedly, it was Zhanhong who lightened the air first. He turned to his future in-law. “So how did Xiao Jing win you over? I imagine he ran into quite a few closed doors. Tell me so I can praise that brat properly.”

“Ah?” Gu Xi flushed and spoke very softly. “I chased him. I thought I had no hope in this lifetime.”

“You are joking.”

“I am not. He wanted to be friends at first, but recently he has begun to respond to me.” Joy lifted Gu Xi’s expression, a small sweetness that he quickly tucked away again out of respect for the setting.

Zhanhong stared, stunned. In just a few sentences, the weight of it hit him. His younger son didn’t just have skill. He was playing in an entirely different league.

…

According to the old man’s wishes, the funeral was simple. Only a portion of relatives and friends were invited.

A line of cars stood outside the main residence. Inside the hall, the three Xie men knelt on cushions and received the mourners.

The old man had immense prestige. In a national crisis, the Xie ancestors had donated ninety percent of the family estate and the old man had preserved that spirit. In business he believed in harmony and profit, and he had done much philanthropy. He had founded the largest charitable foundation in the country. Its income and grants were transparent, every account open to public scrutiny. He was a man worthy of deep respect.

Those who came included a marshal resplendent in uniform with rows of medals, and titans of industry who rarely showed their faces. The number was not large, but the regard was.

The marshal approached Rong Jing. “I hear Old Master Xie entrusted the foundation to you.”

Rong Jing met the natural authority of the old soldier’s presence and nodded seriously.

“He must have liked you very much.” That foundation was the old man’s life work, and the source of much of the Xie family’s reputation. He had left the business to the elder grandson and the honor to the younger. He wanted the brothers to have their own spheres and never be set at odds for profit. “Do it well. If you run into trouble, come to me.”

Rong Jing declined politely. “Thank you, but my brother taught me that relying on oneself is better than relying on others.”

Off to the side, Xie Ling silently thought: I never taught you that. Get lost.

The marshal studied Rong Jing. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken to him in this tone, neither humble nor arrogant. It made him want to smile.

So Wu Hanqi had been right. The Xie family’s younger son looked gentle, but he was a thorn, full of his own ideas.

The Xies were an old family and once a pillar of real estate. With the old man’s passing, his friends had worried whether the young brothers could shoulder what lay ahead.

Looking at these two now, so young and so steady, he thought perhaps their worry had been unnecessary.

Three days passed. Near the end, a black sedan pulled up to the gate.

A wheelchair rolled down the path carrying Wu Hanqi, who looked years older. His once-black hair was now silver-grey.

Wu Fuyu pushed his father in. Many had already wondered at the old fox’s absence. They had not expected him to reappear like this. If this image spread, Wu Group’s stock would surely plunge. But this was the funeral of the Xie patriarch. No one would commit such a vile act here.

Wu Hanqi, as if unaware, maintained his usual calm. The edge was still there.

When Wu Fuyu went to push him into the hall, Wu Hanqi lifted a hand.

He stood on his own, walked one measured step at a time, lit incense, and bowed. He turned to the Xie men and let his gaze rest on Rong Jing for a heartbeat longer.

“My condolences.”

“Thank you for coming,” they said.

After the family returned the courtesy, Zhanhong took the initiative to pull him aside to ask after him. The change was too great to ignore.

Wu Hanqi smiled as if nothing were wrong and said he had picked up a strange illness that made him drowsy. It was nothing serious.

With that airy tone, most would believe he was fine.

Rong Jing thought of the man who had walked out of a sea of fire not long ago, so full of vitality. Was this state the work of the so-called Way of Heaven?

He looked out past the hall to a vast blue sky. Perhaps Wu Hanqi was also waiting for an ending.

When they had brushed past each other that day, no one had noticed the slip of paper Wu Hanqi pressed into his hand. It listed the timing of the next confinement and other possible incidents, and ended with a simple wish: good luck.

It was his way of acknowledging the bet. He conceded the win to Rong Jing.

Rong Jing did not know why Wu Hanqi would help him. He could not shake the feeling that the man was planning something earthshaking.

As ragged as he looked now, he was still not in much better shape than Rong Jing. He had the air of a lion at the end of his road.

The note outlined the method to break the confinement. During each period, first, more people had to distinguish between him and the copy. That was straightforward. His ability to return owed not only to his own struggle, but also to Gu Xi and his brother.

Second, his attachment to this world had to outweigh his attachment to the original one.

By “original,” did it mean the world he had come from?

He already knew he might never return. When Gu Xi had pulled him from the bottom of the pool, he had forced himself to stop longing.

He very much wanted to stay here now. His family was here. His beloved was here.

Was that still not enough? What would it take to stay for good?

Confused, he looked toward Gu Xi, who sat at a distance, wrapped tightly to avoid being recognized and causing a fuss. Rong Jing had been kneeling for a long time. Gu Xi had sat there with him for just as long.

Gu Xi felt his gaze, tilted his head, and mouthed: What is it?

Rong Jing’s heart softened. He shook his head. Nothing.

When the last day ended, they stood before the gravestone. Xie Ling told his little brother to go rest. He wanted to sit alone for a while.

“Ge…”

“I am fine. Grandfather wanted us to send him off with joy. I will not embarrass him. I just want to keep him company a little longer.”

Xie Ling gave him a look. Thus, Rong Jing made his way down the mountain. Gu Xi was waiting at the foot of the hill.

Seeing Rong Jing’s solemn face, Gu Xi said, “Let us wait here for your brother.”

These past days Gu Xi had accompanied him without a word of complaint. Rong Jing pulled him close and kissed his cheek. “You have worked hard.”

Gu Xi nuzzled him gently. “I have not. You are the one who has barely slept. By the way, your mother came by just now. Why did you send her away?”

Rong Jing did not say that she had demanded he break up with Gu Xi and let her introduce a suitable Omega, and had also asked for regular payments. He had refused both.

He felt he had to tell Gu Xi something. He touched his chest where a scar had been stitched with several neat lines. “Do you remember this?”

Of course Gu Xi remembered, but he did not know whether Rong Jing wanted to talk about it.

“She did it,” Rong Jing said.

The memory had been blurred for years, only resurfacing recently, arguments, blood, shattered mirror shards. He’d recalled only fragments and once believed he’d buried them to protect his mother.

It wasn’t until he overcame his fear of cameras that the full picture emerged. The truth was harsher: his fear of lenses traced back to Han Lianmei. She had seen him as a burden and, in a moment of rage, struck him, nearly killing her own child.

Regret had followed, then guilt, and after that, distance. But the damage had been done. This was the wound the original Rong Jing had never managed to erase, the real reason behind his unease with cameras. He had hated his birth mother all along.

Rong Jing pressed his hand to his temple. Something else hovered just out of reach, something important, but no matter how he strained, it refused to come.

When they left the cemetery, Wu Fuyu was already in the car, but he could not settle. He kept glancing out the window. Wu Hanqi noticed.

“If you want to go, then go.”

“Dad, you still need me.” If you did not have a son, who would take care of you when you were old?

Wu Hanqi did not even lift his eyelids. “What do I need you for, nursing home delivery?”

Dad, thought Wu Fuyu, we said we would not tear the veil. If you keep doing this, the last ember of father-son warmth in my heart will go out.

“Do not curse your old man. Without you here, I might even get some peace and quiet.”

After he shooed his son away, Wu Hanqi swallowed back the taste of blood that had risen in his throat. He became a statue, exquisite and still, and fell into a deep sleep.

Wu Fuyu came to the foot of the hill. Rong Jing saw him and stepped out of the car.

From afar, Wu Fuyu patted his chest to signal, I will handle it.

He climbed the steps and found Xie Ling, still standing before the grave. He walked up and stood beside him.

After a long silence, Xie Ling opened his eyes. “Why are you here?”

“In the past, Brother Xie accompanied me. I am returning the courtesy.” He looked at Xie Ling’s expression and added, “Could you not make that face? It is like I came uninvited.”

Xie Ling said nothing. Then he said, “There is no need. You can go.”

Wu Feiyu set his jaw and dropped to his knees. “Old Master, I will kneel here for a bit. If you do not object, that means you agree.”

Xie Ling was startled by this fish’s shamelessness. “You are not family. Why are you kneeling?”

“Who can say what the future holds? I am showing respect. What is wrong with kneeling?”

Seeing that he could not chase him off, Xie Ling ignored him and returned to his prayers.

Half an hour later, Wu Fuyu began to sway. His knees ached so much he could not help but bare his teeth now and then. He gritted through it and did not make a sound. He felt that if he showed even a sliver of disrespect, Xie Ling would pick him up by the collar and beat him.

When Xie Ling finished, he bowed and turned to leave. Wu Feiyu scrambled upright and stumbled after him. “Wait, Brother Xie, where are you going?”

Xie Ling looked him up and down. Wu Fuyu had no idea what to do with himself under that gaze.

“I’m hungry,” Xie Ling said. “Let’s get something to eat. What do you want?”

Joy lit Wu Fuyu’s face. He had finally lived to see the day Xie Ling asked him this.

“Hotpot!”

“Let’s go.”

Wu Fuyu rushed to keep pace. “Rong Jing and the others are waiting for us at the foot of the hill. Brother, walk a little faster.”

A faint smile touched Xie Ling’s eyes. He lifted his head and looked at the clear blue sky. Tomorrow, he thought, would be a fine day as well.

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