Chapter 18: The Crying Child Gets Candy

At the same time, in the spacious semi-open kitchen.

Lin Jiangye finally let go of his hand. He took two apples from the refrigerator, washed them, and tossed one to Lin Jingyao.

He swallowed his own apple in two or three bites, then saw a glass cup placed on the island counter. Warm steam rose from the liquid inside, and a pale yellow sticky note was pasted beside it.

Xiao Yao, Gege made you honey water. Drink it before dinner.

The handwriting on the note was neat, clearly written slowly stroke by stroke, full of warmth.

“Drink it. Lin Yu treats you really well.” Lin Jiangye pushed the glass over, then opened the fridge and took out two oranges. Unhurriedly, he cut them into beautiful wedges with a knife.

“No, no. It’s just that I only just returned to the country and I’m not used to greasy, spicy food, so my stomach has hurt a little these past two days.” Lin Jingyao held the cup and stared at the kitchen knife with fear in his heart, hurriedly explaining, “Big Brother definitely cares more about you. He just has a bad temper. He’s actually a very kind person.”

Lin Jiangye noncommittally made a “wu” sound, then sat on a high stool and began eating oranges. Tilting his head, he said, “Aren’t you going to bully me? I thought you’d take the chance to bully me, for example—deliberately cutting yourself with the knife, then screaming and sitting on the floor crying.”

“…”

Lin Jingyao could not speak, because this really did sound like something he would do. After it was directly exposed, that kind of plan instead seemed stupid, malicious and stupid. His already pale face seemed to grow even paler in an instant, looking even more unsteady than Lin Jiangye, this “physically frail” person.

“You’re not refuting it. Looks like you haven’t been doing too well lately, and your family status has dropped. Tell me about it. Does Lin Bingsheng want to sell you to some other old man?”

“Impossible! How did you… Mom wouldn’t agree.” Lin Jingyao’s lips trembled, and he almost instinctively wanted to refute him.

But this reaction already explained the problem very well. Lin Jiangye was not surprised, because in the original book, Lin Bingsheng was a businessman, profit-driven. His fatherly love had at most shown a little when cultivating Lin Yu. The children he raised afterward were all tools for him to gain benefits.

“So you also have an entry quota for next Saturday’s cruise banquet.” Lin Jiangye wiped his hands, wrapped the fruit peels in kitchen paper, and slowly tidied the counter. “I suggest you bring Lin Yu with you and stay with him the entire time. You absolutely cannot separate, or the consequences will be very serious.”

Lin Jingyao’s expression was complicated. He silently watched Lin Jiangye’s every movement and took a deep breath to calm himself. Only after a long while did he say in a low voice, “Gege, what exactly do you want to do? I know you don’t like me, and I don’t believe you would help me.”

Lin Jiangye blinked. “Clearly, you’re the one who doesn’t like me. I just think you’re all sick. Objectively sick.”

“…Chairman Yu treats you so well. Now you’re not afraid of anything, so of course you can’t understand how awkward my position is. My likes and dislikes aren’t important. It’s only for survival.”

“In the more than two years you were abroad, Lin Yu always bullied me. You instigated that. You don’t study properly yourself, and you never thought of investing in anything. You put all your energy into dealing with me. Did that bring you any substantial benefit?”

As Lin Jiangye asked, he walked closer to him. He glanced at the glass cup Lin Jingyao was gripping tightly, suddenly took it gently from his hand, then drank it all in one go.

The still-warm honey water spread warmth through his stomach, and the fragrance of honey flowed across his tongue. Lin Jiangye’s expressionless face instantly brightened a little. He shook the empty cup and said to Lin Jingyao, “Mm, tasty. See? Everything in your hands was given to you by someone else. If they want to take it back, it’s very easy.”

“Lin Jiangye, you! What right do you have to lecture me from such a high place?! You’re the one who didn’t have the ability to make Mom and Dad value you, didn’t have the ability to make Big Brother like you. Why blame it all on me? Why did you secretly get together with Brother Lin while I was driven out of the house…”

The two were too close, their foreheads almost touching, so Lin Jiangye was able to see one detail clearly—when Yu Lin was mentioned, Lin Jingyao’s emotions obviously became more real and much angrier. As he spoke, he could not hold back and slapped at the glass cup, but Lin Jiangye held it too steadily, and the cup remained safe in his hand.

This made the atmosphere faintly awkward, but Lin Jingyao had not finished speaking. He stared at him and took another deep breath, trying very hard to lower his voice. “What you have now, wasn’t it also given to you by Yu Wangxiao? We’re both relying on men. How much better are you than me?”

Hm?

Of course, he was relying on that labor contract signed by both sides and legally effective.

Lin Jiangye’s mood was subtle. Although he could not reveal the content of the contract, he actually wanted to laugh a little. He also felt that the pale-faced young man before him was rather pitiful. As long as Lin Jiangye’s own attitude was a little stronger, Lin Jingyao had no confidence to bully him at all.

So he did not answer Lin Jingyao’s questioning. Instead, he reached out and patted his shoulder. “Lin Yu likes you more than Yu Lin does. From now on, just harm him alone. Only he will support you regardless of everything. Yu Lin can’t help you. He has mental problems now.”

Lin Jingyao abruptly protected his shoulder and took a step back, confused and uneasy.

Was this person really Lin Jiangye?

The person who previously had been completely fascinated by Yu Lin, who did not dare make a sound even when humiliated and rejected by Yu Lin, who had been recorded by Yu Lin crying miserably and sent to a small group to be mocked—how could he say with such an expressionless face that Yu Lin had mental problems?

He always felt that many things had suddenly changed. It was not only Lin Jiangye, whose temperament had changed greatly, but also other frightening dangers surging beneath the surface. It was as if, ever since returning to the country, all the familiar people and things had slowly slipped out of his control, yet he was powerless.

He moved his lips. His tone had quietly become much weaker. “You have no right to insult Brother Lin. You…”

“Mm, fine. Then remember two things. First, next Saturday, when you go out, you must bring Lin Yu with you. Also, within this month, you need to go to the hospital for a full-body checkup. Don’t skip any items that can be checked. Print out the report and send it to me.”

“Why?”

“If you don’t listen, I’ll make my man bully your man,” Lin Jiangye said seriously. “You have to do it. It won’t do you any harm.”

This threat actually sounded absurd, like an exaggerated line from a TV drama, but Lin Jingyao found that he had no choice but to believe it.

Even if he did not want to admit it, he was already unable to protect himself. Lin Bingsheng could not be trusted. Qiu Zhen would not interfere with her husband’s final decision. Lin Yu and Yu Lin did not yet possess absolute power, and Yu Wangxiao could crush them all with a single finger.

He very much, very urgently needed to find a support more reliable than the Lin family.

Lin Jingyao smiled bitterly. “Tell me the truth, Lin Jiangye. What exactly do you want to do? What ending do you want me to fall into?”

“Don’t cause me trouble. Pay a reasonable price for the bad things you’ve done. Then, become a well-behaved ordinary younger brother.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. Now call me Gege. Be sincere, and repeat the tasks I gave you.”

“…Gege.” Lin Jingyao closed his eyes, his expression not very comfortable. “Next Saturday, I need to board the cruise ship with Big Brother, and we can’t separate the whole time. Within one month, I need to get a full-body checkup and send you the report.”

Lin Jiangye nodded in satisfaction and put the glass cup into the dishwasher. “Good. When are we having dinner?”

“Once Mom and Dad come back. Very soon.”

“I’m so hungry. Can I eat early? There seems to be the smell of roasted chicken wings in the oven.”

“No, that’s probably not very good…”

Lin Jingyao’s suggestion was clearly useless. Lin Jiangye took a bowl of pre-prepared appetizer salad, naturally ate a few bites with a fork, and left the kitchen holding the bowl.

The sky gradually darkened. In the living room, the crystal chandelier refracted warm, fine sparkles.

Chen Ming was being properly entertained, sitting on the sofa and drinking tea. The person making tea was Lin Yu. He held the gaiwan in one hand without much technique, his gaze constantly glancing toward the dining room, clearly waiting rather impatiently.

When he saw the two finally come out, then saw the bowl in Lin Jiangye’s hands, the corner of Lin Yu’s eye could not help twitching. Out of habit, he spoke impatiently. “Reincarnated starving ghost.”

“Big Brother, you can’t speak to family like that. We still have a guest here.” Lin Jingyao immediately spoke to advise him, completely different from his unstable mood in the kitchen. His face turned slightly stern.

His gentle features actually had no intimidation, but Lin Yu really responded to this. He turned his face away and answered in a low voice, “Cough… mm.”

Lin Jiangye pretended not to hear. He slowly sat beside Chen Ming and focused entirely on tasting the sour-spicy apricot sauce in the salad.

Very good. He had originally thought everyone in the Lin family was mentally ill, but this fake young master was indeed much more normal than Lin Yu. Not only could he communicate, the most important thing was that Lin Jingyao really could control Lin Yu.

This was not bad either. If a stupid dog that charged around randomly was firmly leashed, it would save him a lot of trouble in his future life.

Unfortunately, there was still other trouble that urgently needed handling.

The Lin parents had returned. From the front yard came the sound of wheels rolling over the road, as well as increasingly obvious arguing.

The front door was violently pushed open, and Qiu Zhen’s sharp roar could be heard. “I won’t allow it, do you hear me?! I can give up everything. I can divorce you right now. I only want my son!”

Lin Jingyao’s face turned deathly pale. He could probably guess what they were arguing about, but he could only lower his head to hide his inner unease, gripping the sofa fabric tightly to steady himself.

The next second, Lin Bingsheng kicked the shoe-changing bench hard, and the crackling sound of shattered porcelain immediately followed.

“What right do you have to challenge me, huh? Do you think the Qiu family is still the same Qiu family from before? Take all that tiny bit of shares from your dowry if you want. I don’t even care! Qiu Zhen, I’m telling you, I could feed and clothe you well for so many years, and I can also make you have nothing immediately! A ruined household with no sense…”

Before he finished speaking, Lin Bingsheng angrily strode into the living room. Suddenly seeing the thoughtful Chen Ming, his voice stopped abruptly.

“Dad, Mom, if there’s anything, talk it out properly. Calm down.” Lin Yu’s heart also jumped. He stood up and shielded Qiu Zhen behind him. “Dad, have some tea with Mr. Chen. Xiao Yao, go call the housekeeper to serve the dishes.”

Lin Bingsheng naturally chose to calm down. At this moment, his expression could almost be called flattering. He took the initiative to shake hands with Chen Ming. “Aiya, aiya, our Lin family is truly honored today. Mr. Chen, sit quickly, sit, sit, sit. Xiao Yao, go get another bottle of Maotai from my wine cabinet. Open the bottle from ten years ago.”

“Okay, Dad.” Lin Jingyao fled the scene as if escaping. In the past, he would absolutely never have been assigned this kind of errand, but now he wished he could do more things so that he would not think too much.

And as always, Lin Jiangye was still the existence instinctively ignored by the entire family… as if there were some kind of curse.

Qiu Zhen seemed not to see him at all, following Lin Jingyao with tears streaming down her face. Lin Yu suppressed his anxious mood and continued making tea. Lin Bingsheng kept flattering and looking for topics, as if probing into Yu Wangxiao’s current situation and wanting to ask him out for a meeting.

Chen Ming handled it well too. With that tolerant and honest face, he quietly and smoothly blocked every probing topic.

Lin Jiangye silently finished the salad and quietly walked toward the entrance. No one cared. He bypassed the blue porcelain vase shards scattered across the floor, sat on the swing sofa in the front yard, rocked a little, and took out his phone.

He sent a video call request, and it was accepted in one second.

“Tuantuan, have you eaten dinner?”

Yu Wangxiao’s enlarged face appeared on the screen, pleasing to the eye, his features like a finely carved work of art. Behind him was an elegantly decorated hotel room with warm lighting.

Unfortunately, Lin Jiangye could not smell his fragrance. He could only look at him like this to satisfy the craving.

The late autumn wind was cold. Lin Jiangye rubbed the soft sleeve of his sweater, and his complicated mood suddenly became much smoother. He curved his lips. “Not yet. Lin Bingsheng and Qiu Zhen are fighting, so I came to ask whether their fight has anything to do with you.”

Yu Wangxiao paused slightly, and the smile in his eyes gradually deepened. “It does. The procurement project Yu Lin was responsible for has been terminated. At the end of the month, we’ll withdraw investment from Lin Corporation. He didn’t write me a self-criticism, so this is a small punishment.”

“Are you really not deliberately suppressing the Lin family? I think you’re doing it on purpose.”

“Mm, there’s that too. I’m venting anger for you.” Yu Wangxiao calmly nodded, his slightly distorted voice still gentle. “Although you don’t seem to need it much, this is what a boyfriend should do.”

What a boyfriend should do…

Lin Jiangye was silent for a moment. “Actually, I’m very greedy. If you act like this, it’ll make me want to take a mile after getting an inch.”

“That’s very good. The crying child gets candy. Remember this sentence.” Yu Wangxiao poured himself a glass of red wine, his tone seemingly meaningful. “What else do you want? Tell me everything.”

Lin Jiangye stared at his lips, gradually dyed wet by the deep red wine, and his heart inexplicably tightened. He could not help having some strange appetite stirred up. At times like this, perhaps he needed to talk about serious matters to divert his attention.

“Then I’ll say it directly. I want to know two things.”

“Ask. I won’t hide anything from you that I can say.”

Lin Jiangye looked back at the scene inside the villa, then lowered his voice. “First, after you confirmed the existence of supernatural phenomena, did you figure out the principle behind how those living dead and ghost children are born?

“In the files you showed me, there were only response strategies and containment methods. They didn’t mention deeper detailed research. But all energy in the world absolutely has a source.

“I haven’t seen ghost children with my own eyes, so I can’t evaluate them. But the internal structure of the living dead is completely identical to humans, while their body functions have already thoroughly declined. They can’t possibly perform autonomous circulation. This means there is external energy supporting their movement… energy that originally shouldn’t exist.”

Yu Wangxiao listened seriously. He unhurriedly set down the wineglass, and the smile in his eyes suddenly became a little dangerous. “Thinking this much, did you not sleep well last night, or did you not sleep at all?”

Lin Jiangye lightly coughed and honestly answered, “I stayed up until around three or four, then drank coffee. It was very useful.”

As soon as the words fell, the favorability progress bar on the other side of the screen bounced, nearly retreating, but in the end slowly moved forward a little, vaguely stopping past 50%.

“You’re not allowed to stay up late again, or your desserts will be halved.” Yu Wangxiao’s attitude was rarely forceful. He lowered his eyes and looked straight at him, the slightly flattened curve of his lips revealing a trace of pressure.

Of course, this threat did not sound scary at all. Only the way he looked when fierce seemed very delicious, adding a charm rarely seen in him.

Seeing Lin Jiangye suppress the subtle thoughts in his heart and obediently nod, Yu Wangxiao gently returned to the main topic. “As for your question, in the beginning, the research institute proposed many hypotheses: meteorite nuclear radiation, genetic mutation, fungal parasitic infection. But up to today, we still have no results. At most, we can only falsify and eliminate all these hypotheses, then look for other possibilities.”

“So until now, no one can find the reason they were born…” This was not a good thing. Lin Jiangye’s expression grew slightly solemn.

After all, in the original book’s setting, the Yu Group had already reached the forefront of technology and biological research. Even if Yu Wangxiao’s accidental car crash caused internal chaos within the company, it was still an existence that overshadowed everything and had no equal.

If Yu Wangxiao’s team could not find the source of the mutation, then no one could research it more deeply in a short time.

“Don’t worry. As long as we live well, there will always be hope in the future. Actually, I have another guess in my heart, but unfortunately, it’s difficult to verify, and it can’t be verified for now. In the future… maybe I’ll need your cooperation.”

Lin Jiangye paused. “What can I do?”

When the question came out without thinking, he suddenly realized that there really were many things he could do.

As long as this body recovered to the peak state of humanity, it could contain more energy. At that time, if he found some ways to repair and strengthen it, he could even carry Yu Wangxiao and fly into the sky.

Although the process would probably be very long, it was not impossible. More importantly, after spending some time with Yu Wangxiao, his desire to run away had long since faded.

This person was a delicious meal with color, fragrance, and taste all complete. Even if he could not eat him, he could at least look at him more and touch him more in ordinary times. That was quite good. Staying specifically at the center of the story’s conflicts for this did not seem like a problem at all.

Yu Wangxiao also did not answer him seriously. He only smiled softly. “Staying by my side will already help me a lot. Next question.”

The next question was very direct… Lin Jiangye hesitated for a long while. Looking at those deep eyes with their gentle curve on the screen, he suddenly felt that Yu Wangxiao must taste very good, even his eyes looking delicious.

Like wet black sugar pearls, soft and chewy, warm and slippery as they stuck to the tip of the tongue. When the skin was torn open, flesh, blood, and syrup would flow out densely and finely—dark red, sweet, silently parasitizing the mouth like rot clinging to bone.

It was a temperament that made one feel uneasy in the heart, yet inexplicably long to risk danger personally, always wanting to taste the consequences of acting on impulse.

“How did the name Moros Manor originally come about? In my freshman literature class, it was mentioned that Moros is the god of death in ancient mythology.” Lin Jiangye tightened his grip on the phone and took a deep breath, doing his best to look calm and unruffled. “Does it have any special meaning?”

“Good question.”

The favorability progress bar suddenly surged forward by 10% without warning.

It was shocking, because in a state of intense concentration, Lin Jiangye’s observation was extremely meticulous. He could almost lock onto all abnormal emotions and behaviors.

Yet Yu Wangxiao’s expression did not change at all. Even the curve of his lips did not move. It was a somewhat frightening reaction… and his control was truly impressive.

Lin Jiangye discovered that he had no other path to take. He could only inexplicably compete with him for a while. Relax facial muscles, suppress the desire for the vocal cords to tighten, pay attention that the eyes could not flicker or move away from the center of the screen, and keep the tone stable…

“So, why Moros?” he softly asked.

“About this, Tuantuan, I want to tell you a secret.”

“Mm, say it. I won’t tell anyone else.”

Hearing this, Yu Wangxiao smiled and loosened his tie slightly. The collar of his black shirt was undone by two inches, revealing the faint line of his side neck, making his skin look cold and ghostly pale.

He raised his hand and filled the wineglass before him. The empty red wine bottle knocked against the table, making an ominous crisp sound.

“I am a believer of the god of death.”

“…Ah?”

“Sounds strange, doesn’t it? But it’s true.” The corners of his lips lifted as he continued in a low voice. “The island I took you to last night is also a temple under construction. However, I’m not satisfied with many details, so I still need to adjust them slowly.”

His tone seemed joking, yet it was like a clap of thunder from a clear sky.

Lin Jiangye felt as shocked as if he had been struck by lightning, like an electric current running along his spine and surging upward.

He stared tightly at the phone screen and silently studied Yu Wangxiao’s expression in astonishment for a while. In the end, he could no longer control his feelings.

“Of course it’s strange. Yu Wangxiao, do you have some special evil hobby?”

“Mm? Is liking the god of death such a niche thing?” Yu Wangxiao was thoughtful. “Looks like I’m old.”

“No. That’s not the point.”

“The problem is, why would you want to stuff a whole bunch of soulless living dead crawling all over the ground into a temple built for the god of death?”

A proper god of death could not eat that kind of strange thing at all!

If a real colleague moved in, they would… starve to death.