Chapter 32

It was just that when A-Cheng delivered him to his destination, he had barely walked in when he saw a familiar figure standing by the shoreline.

"Xue Chen," Fu Hengzhou called softly.

Xue Chen turned around, glanced at him, and smiled. "Your assistant cried pretty miserably."

Fu Hengzhou: "..." His face instantly darkened. He decided he would definitely dock that brat's pay. His glorious, towering image had been completely ruined.

"I figured that since I'm leaving anyway, I'd be your confidant big brother for once," Xue Chen said with a smile.

Chapter 32

"My mother was the youngest child of the Qi Household, the late-born daughter of my grandparents. Since my uncles and aunts were more than twenty years older than her, she had always been doted on at home." Fu Hengzhou took a sip of the beer in his hand and looked at Xue Chen. "Maybe because my grandparents, uncles, and aunts protected her too well, she was somewhat innocent and romantic by nature.

"Later, the family discussed sending her to Canada to study, but instead, she encountered the source of her lifelong pain."

Xue Chen merely listened quietly without interrupting or pressing for details. He had heard Fang Jimin and the others say before that Fu Hengzhou's life was not as glamorous as it appeared, all because of his useless father.

"Did you know I actually had an older brother? His name was Fu Hengqi. He was the heir personally chosen by my grandfather, but when he was four years old, he was found drowned in the ornamental pond. The bodyguards assigned to protect him, as well as the nanny and everyone who cared for him, had no idea who the murderer was." Fu Hengzhou watched the endlessly glittering stars in the night sky and said nothing more.

Three days after his brother's death, Old Master Fu announced the inheritance of the family fortune, skipping over his son and passing it directly to his grandson. The woman from the Cui Household was ordered never to set foot in the Fu Household again. Yet less than a day after the old master died, Fu Guosheng moved that woman into the Fu Household. It was truly ironic.

Xue Chen looked up at the bright stars in the sky, his heart growing heavy. Compared with Fu Hengzhou, although his parents loved each other and doted on him, he still had a pile of troublesome relatives whose actions were equally disgusting.

"Xue Chen, when I first saw you, I thought you were the same kind of person as me. But I saw liberation and ambition in your eyes. You aren't as gentle as you appear." Fu Hengzhou tossed aside the beer can in his hand and leaned against the railing. He looked very relaxed, perhaps because speaking about it had eased the suffocating weight in his heart.

"Mm, I know. The reason I'm like this is because I believe in striking first. Before coming to Hong Kong Island, I had already dealt with them." Xue Chen did not hide anything and told him directly about his own situation.

Then he turned to look at him. "You see? I'm more ruthless than you, so... don't take an interest in me."

"Then that's perfect. You're ruthless and merciless, while I never forgive a grudge. The two of us are simply a match made in heaven." After saying that with a smiling face, Fu Hengzhou tipped back another bottle of beer and looked out over the horizon, as if admiring the dazzling nighttime scene of the ships.

"Aren't you afraid that one day, when you're not paying attention, I'll stab you in the back?" Xue Chen asked.

Fu Hengzhou shook his head, drained another bottle of beer, and looked at him. "If I die by your hand, I'll do so willingly."

Xue Chen suddenly laughed. Looking at the man, he found him a little foolish. "Then why don't you say you'll transfer all your assets to me first? That might make me happier." Xue Chen's expression carried a hint of wicked charm.

Fu Hengzhou did not refute him. Instead, he laughed out loud. "The person who inherits my estate must be on the same household register as me. If you want, I don't mind adding you."

Xue Chen looked at him for a few seconds, then nodded. "However, I don't like men, so I can only regretfully refuse."

Fu Hengzhou's pupils suddenly contracted. "You're lying. Is it because you like someone else, so you're deliberately using this excuse to reject me? Is it him?" The person he meant was Qin Zhou.

"You're both about the same, so there's nothing to compare. Being friends is fine, but anything else is better left alone." Xue Chen looked at him as he answered, but he did not see the flash of hurt in Fu Hengzhou's eyes. "At least, at this stage, I don't want to be in any kind of relationship."

"Then can our partnership continue?" Fu Hengzhou caught the fleeting understanding in Xue Chen's eyes and could not help feeling somewhat disappointed. But then he thought that he did not necessarily need to attack aggressively. Slowly boiling a frog in warm water could work too.

Seeing the fragile emotion on Fu Hengzhou's face, Xue Chen made up his mind and said, "Of course. I don't mind having a powerful partner to help me share the pressure from all sides." After saying that, a smile appeared on his face.

To Fu Hengzhou, all of his reactions confirmed it: Xue Chen was indeed someone who responded to softness rather than force. It seemed his second plan had a good chance of succeeding.

"Old Xue, make sure you call once you get there. I'll cover the long-distance charges." Two days later, at the largest pier on Hong Kong Island, Xie Tian looked as though he were about to cry as he hugged and clung to Xue Chen, completely ignoring Fu Hengzhou's dark expression beside them.

"Alright, I'll definitely call you often." Looking at Xie Tian acting cute and clingy before him, Xue Chen's mouth twitched slightly. This guy really had become more childish with age. They had not seen each other for so many years, yet upon meeting again, he was still as immature as before.

Still, Xue Chen patted his shoulder and lifted his suitcase a little higher. Seeing that Fu Hengzhou did not look too happy, he added, "Don't keep such a stiff face. You're scaring my friend."

Seeing Xie Tian still wiping away tears nonstop, Fu Hengzhou's eyes flashed with disdain. "Tch."

"Qin Zhou, thank you for taking care of me during this time. We'll always be the best of friends." Xue Chen gave him a hug. "You'll find someone far better than me."

Qin Zhou looked at Xue Chen's resolute gaze and smiled as well. "I will."

"Ji Min, while I'm gone, keep a close eye on the little bit of property we have. I don't want to have nowhere to stay the next time I come to Hong Kong Island." Xue Chen said jokingly. Then he looked at Fang Jimin, Chen Jiayao, and Qi Si, who all nodded, before turning to Fu Hengzhou. "I'm leaving. Bye!"