Chapter 12

The only gain was that, thankfully, even if the number hadn't fallen, at least it hadn't risen.

The system still felt something was off. [Host! Has the target been helping you deal with documents this whole time?!]

Qin You said, [Has he?]

[Huh?] The system was confused again. [Hasn't he?]

Qin You said, [What does not putting files in the wrong place have to do with helping me deal with documents?]

The system was immediately ashamed. [I'm sorry...]

Qin You let it go.

When his phone rang, he casually picked it up.

Qin Hengzhong's voice came through the receiver.

"Qin You, get ready. I'll have your aunt bring Xiang He to Zeshui Bay to beg your forgiveness."

Qin You glanced at Yan Tingshen. "What time will they get here?"

Qin Hengzhong said, "Whenever it's convenient for you."

"In that case, let's do it at home. There's no need to make a fuss and come all the way here."

He still had a "beauty" hidden away here. How could he let just anyone come in?

There was silence on the other end for two seconds.

Qin Hengzhong sighed softly. "It's good of you to think that way. You're right. Come to the house, then."

Qin You didn't know what he had made of it and only said, "I'll leave in twenty minutes."

"All right."

After hanging up, Qin You looked at Yan Tingshen. "There's something at home I need to deal with. I'll be going out in a little while."

Yan Tingshen said, "Qi Xianghe?"

Qin You's injury probably hadn't been doing too well lately. He spent most of his time resting in his room and rarely went out unless necessary. There weren't many things he would make a special trip to deal with.

Qin You raised an eyebrow.

In the past, the target had never asked about things he didn't bring up.

But there was nothing to hide about this, so he said, "Yeah. Apparently, he's going to beg my forgiveness."

Beg his forgiveness?

Yan Tingshen turned to look at him.

It had always been an unwritten rule to simplify matters within the family.

Since he was begging forgiveness, it was merely a family matter, and the outcome wouldn't be harsh.

Given Qin You's personality, he probably wouldn't pursue it either.

Yan Tingshen's gaze darkened slightly.

"All right, keep eating. I'll go upstairs and change before I head out."

Qin You rose from the table and, before leaving, said to Yan Tingshen, "Be careful at home on your own. Contact me if anything happens."

"Mm."

Yan Tingshen looked back at him, paused, then said, "You stay safe too."

Qin You smiled. "I will."

With that, he turned and left the dining room, heading upstairs.

When he came back down, the driver was waiting at the door.

By the time Qin You arrived at the Qin Residence, everyone involved was already there.

The butler leading him in acted as though Qi Xianghe, who was kneeling in the reception room, wasn't there and asked, "Young Master Qin, what would you like to drink?"

"Anything," Qin You said.

The butler nodded. "Very well."

Qin Hengzhong heard them. "Qin You, come here."

Qin You walked over and saw a middle-aged couple in the reception room with Qi Xianghe.

He had seen the man from a distance at Qin Hengzhong's birthday banquet. He was probably Qi Xianghe's father, Qi Hailiang;

The other was naturally Qi Xianghe's mother, Qin Yi, the original owner's aunt.

Qin Yi was dressed casually, with medium-length hair and not even a touch of lipstick to brighten her complexion. She clearly paid little attention to her appearance;

Qi Hailiang, who followed behind her, was different. Though close to her in age, he looked ten years younger. Everything about his dress and appearance was impeccable, even his hair carefully styled. Standing beside Qin Yi, he looked like a pretty boy, and he was constantly trying to please his wife in everything he said and did.

At the sight of Qin You, Qi Hailiang nudged Qin Yi's hand.

"Qin You is here now too."

Qin Yi sighed. "Dad, it was just a little roughhousing. Was it really necessary to make such a fuss?"

Qin Hengzhong said, "A little roughhousing? If Qin You had been the one who fell that day, would you still feel the same way today?"

"But it was my second son who fell. His legs are broken and haven't even healed yet, and you're making him kneel here and apologize to Qin You—"

Qin Hengzhong gave her a cold look. "Enough!"

Qin Yi looked sheepish. Seeing that he was genuinely angry, she simply sat back down on the sofa and stopped pleading.

Qin Hengzhong looked at Qi Xianghe.

Ignoring the agonizing pain in his legs, Qi Xianghe hurriedly said to Qin You, "Brother You, I was out of my mind for a moment that day. That's the only reason I wanted to play that kind of prank on you. I really didn't mean to hurt you, and I really do know I was wrong. I absolutely won't do it again!"

Noticing Qin Hengzhong's gaze, he tearfully expressed his remorse, but he kept his head bowed, his fists clenched tightly against the carpet.

Qin You didn't know how Qin Hengzhong had gotten him to talk. He merely smiled and sat down on a sofa to the side. "Grandpa, Aunt, how do you intend to handle this?"

Qi Hailiang hurriedly nudged Qin Yi's shoulder again.

Qin Yi pretended not to feel it and looked at Qin Hengzhong.

Qin Hengzhong said coldly, "This sort of thing will never be tolerated in the Qin Household! I had the two of you come here today so you would hear me clearly: from today onward, Xiang He is not to set foot in the Qin Group Building again. From now on, he will have nothing whatsoever to do with the Qin Group."

Qi Xianghe's mind went blank at those words. "Grandpa..."

Qin Yi hadn't expected it to be so serious either. "Nothing to do with it? Dad, what about his shares..."

Qin Hengzhong said, "You can do as you please with your shares."

The implication was that, apart from those, there would be nothing else.

Qin Yi frowned. "Isn't that a bit much, Dad? It was just a joke between the kids..."

Qin Hengzhong asked, "You think this was a joke?"

Qin Yi opened her mouth.

Qin Hengzhong said, "Then let me tell you: if I find out about another joke like this, you can get out of the Qin Household too!"

Qin Yi looked sheepish again. "Everything was fine. Why are you getting angry at me...?"

Qin Hengzhong snorted coldly and looked at Qin You. "What do you think of this?"

Qin You said, "I'll leave everything up to you."

Qin Hengzhong's expression softened a little. He said to the family of three at the side, "All of you, get out. Remember what I said today!"

Qin Yi looked at Qin You, shrugged, and stood up from the sofa.

She headed out on her own, saying to Qi Hailiang, "Aren't you going to bring your son?"

Qi Hailiang's expression was terrible, but he didn't dare act out. He went over to help Qi Xianghe up and hurried after her.

Only when they reached the door did he quicken his pace. "Honey, are we really going to let this go? Xiang He was only joking, and Qin You didn't have a hair on his head harmed. Besides, there were no cameras or witnesses in that stairwell. Isn't the old man blatantly playing favorites by doing this?"

"Why didn't you say anything in front of the old man just now? Were you mute?"

Qin Yi spoke irritably and glared at him. "If you ask me, people should be content with what they have. Now my second son's shares are gone. Are you happy? Pleased? Satisfied?"

Qi Hailiang's heart skipped a beat. He didn't know if she had seen through something. "Honey..."

But Qin Yi couldn't be bothered to listen to his explanation. "Ever since what happened to my older brother, the old man's been holding in a lot of anger. I'm warning you: just stay home and be decorative. Don't cause me any more trouble."

Qi Hailiang clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm, but wore a smile. "All right, honey. I'll do whatever you say."

Qin Yi looked at him and shook her head. "You two go back yourselves. I have another engagement."

Qi Xianghe watched her walk away in a daze, then turned to Qi Hailiang. "Dad, Mom isn't really going to stop caring about me, is she?"

The smile vanished from Qi Hailiang's face, replaced by a sneer. "Think about it. How many times has that mother of yours ever cared about you since you were little?"

She was always talking about being content and living a life of idle luxury.

But she never considered that everything they had was entirely at that old bastard's discretion. Hadn't he just taken it back on a whim?

Qin Yi was a woman with long hair and short wits. She had no ability of her own, and it would have been one thing if she didn't help, but she even tried to stop him and his sons from fighting and competing. Were they all supposed to sit around until they ran out of money?

He hadn't paid any price to marry into the Qin Household just to live a life of idle luxury!

"It's all right." Qi Hailiang took a deep breath. "Luckily, I left you all a way out. The entertainment industry isn't what it used to be. Even without your shares, you can still rely on the Qin Household. As long as you have resources, you can make a fortune all the same! And you still have your older brother. He's so smart that dealing with Qin You will be easy for him."

Hearing Qin You's name, Qi Xianghe thought of how that very culprit had made him suffer so badly, and his face twisted. "That good-for-nothing Qin You! Sooner or later, even with Grandpa favoring him, I'll trample him underfoot!"

Qi Hailiang was just about to offer him a few words of comfort when he suddenly saw two boys from the Qin Household pointing at them and giggling.

"Big butt!"

Qi Hailiang flew into a rage. "What did you say?!"

"Uncle, cousin, it's trending! Cousin's big butt!"

The boys laughed and joked, then burst out laughing and ran off.

Qi Hailiang and Qi Xianghe looked at each other, both feeling a sense of foreboding. They hurriedly pulled out their phones and opened the app.

With trembling hands, Qi Xianghe tapped on the top trending topic. He had barely begun reading when his vision swam.

The video from the birthday banquet had leaked?

"Quick, block this video across the whole internet..."

Qi Hailiang immediately made a call as well, but the response sent him into a fury.

"Explain yourself! What do you mean you can't take it down or block it?!"

Inside the Qin Residence.

In the reception room.

"Qin You, I know you must have hated your father and me all these years abroad."

Qin You leaned back on the sofa, looking at Qin Hengzhong's seemingly dejected back, and did nothing to shatter his illusion.

Hate?

The original owner had spent those years indulging himself, free from restraint while abroad. Every day had been nothing but happiness and pleasure. He had long since been enjoying himself too much to think of home, and hadn't suffered at all, let alone felt hatred.

Being urgently summoned back to China was another matter. At the thought of being disciplined, he had indeed been very unwilling.