The applause lasted for a long time. Even those who did not have much appreciation for music could discern how beautiful this piece of music was. Prior to this, only Sears had ever successfully performed this piece in public occasions. However, a century later, Sears, this piano master, has long become a part of history, and his pinnacle work "Show Off" has also been silenced with his death.
Xue Zi Xuan had played it once, but not during a public performance. It was instead published on the Internet in the form of an etude. He did not have the confidence to play it on a formal stage because he was not arrogant enough, not pretentious enough.
But he knew that the teenager could definitely accomplish this. He had the smartest mind and the most flexible hands in the world. With these, he was omnipotent, thus making him extremely prideful. Perhaps, even he himself did not realize that when he observed everything around him with those bright eyes, he used a bird's-eye view, like a complete bystander.
He was as amazing and brilliant as Sears, and as unparalleled as Sears. This "Show Off" was almost tailored for him.
Zhou Yun Sheng stood in place, his chin tilted up, and his eyebrows raised. His attitude was extremely arrogant. He didn't seem to care about the judges' scoring, and merely adjusted the pinned flower on his chest. The judges gathered together. They whispered and discussed for about a minute before giving out their scores one by one. Twenty, twenty, twenty… Every time a judge revealed their scoring, the audience would let out an exclamation. So many full marks. After several years of competition, this was a new record. When it was finally Olsen's turn, he pretended to cough, and then slowly presented his scoring.
The bright red of the number twenty popped out. Six judges. Six full marks. There was no doubt that this teenager has already won the championship in advance.
"I have to admit, you are very smart. You chose Sears's "Show Off." You don't need a lot of emotions to play it. You just need enough confidence and pride. Your performance is perfect, exactly like a demon full of arrogance. If Sears were still alive, I think he would hate you very much, because you disproved his prophecy."
Olsen commented simply. There was no way he could suppress his conscience and give the teenager a score of zero. Even if he cheated and used clever little tricks to avoid his own flaws, it could also be a form of strength if viewed from a different angle. Because in this world, it was probably impossible to find a second person who could perform "Show Off" in such a heedless style.
Come to think of it, this teenager could treat such difficult techniques with such seriousness, so how could there be a music score in the world that could stump him? If he could put forth a bit of emotion, even just a little bit, he would definitely become a greater performer than Sean. Olsen speculated about this and lamented in silence.
Zhou Yun Sheng stepped off the stage amidst the cheers of the audience. He spotted Xue Jing Yi, who was standing behind the curtain. Her face was pale, and her eyes seemed to be breathing fire at him. With her thumb pointed up, she made a gesture meant to humiliate.
The system was still punishing him. Tearing pain lanced through his body, but his mood was extremely cheerful. From this moment on, the trajectory of destiny had begun to change, and the butterfly effect would be like a virus, violently attacking the computing core of the system. How could the system correct the world now? And if it could not be corrected, what situation would it fall into?
Zhou Yun Sheng lowered his head and stared at the flickering smartwatch, his eyes full of interest.
The name Huang Yi quickly became popular all over the world. His performance in the Golden Hall appeared on television and on the Internet, and many people sought it after madly. When he hit the crescendo in the music score, he stood up abruptly, swayed his narrow waist, perked up his butt, and his hair fluttered up and down. The image he created was extremely languid and sexy, making the viewer feel a rush of excitement.
His appearance transcended the beauty of gender, and his arrogant expression added a bit of wild charm. His body shone naturally. He was a figure that should be looked up to and worshipped.
When he returned to China, he had already became a household name. Hundreds of reporters crammed into the airport just to take a picture of his profile.
With great difficulty, they managed to lose their pursuers and returned to the Xue manor. By then, Zhou Yun Sheng did not want to move a single finger. He was so tired.
"The kitchen has heated up some food. Hurry up and eat. After you're done eating, don't immediately go to bed. Go outside and walk around for a few laps to digest. I have a lot of official duties that have been delayed, so I have to go to the company to deal with them. In the evening, I'll come pick you up for dinner." While explaining all this, Xue Zi Xuan helped the teenager take off his sneakers and put on a pair of comfortable, soft slippers.
"Why don't you eat first before you leave?" Zhou Yun Sheng rolled onto the sofa and held onto a long pillow.
"I have to rush to a business dinner. All right, I'm leaving. Don't go to bed immediately when you're full. It's not good for your stomach." Xue Zi Xuan reminded him tirelessly. He saw that the teenager had closed his eyes and seemed to be falling asleep, so he quickly pinched his nose, and added, "But you also can't skip food and go to bed on an empty stomach. Get up and eat something, do you hear me? Xiao Yi, little rooster."
"Who are you calling a little rooster?" Zhou Yun Sheng suddenly opened his eyes. He flipped over and pressed Xue Zi Xuan onto the carpet. He hit him over the head with a pillow and aggressively demanded, "Why are you calling me a rooster, am I so ugly?"
Xue Zi Xuan held him by his slender waist. Half doting and half teasing, he said, "You're still saying that you're not a little rooster? When you're angry your hair puffs up, and when you're prideful you stick out your little chest. Whether you're happy or not, you like to flutter around randomly, and you love crowing. Don't you think you're like a little rooster right now?"
Zhou Yun Sheng, who was smashing randomly with the pillow, stiffened slightly.
Xue Zi Xuan laughed in a low voice. He seized the opportunity to reverse their positions, pressed the teenager onto the carpet, and kissed him hard. His tongue stirred in and out of the teenager's mouth, rooting out his sweet nectar.
"Okay, stop making trouble. Get up and eat. I can hear your stomach growl." After the kiss, Xue Zi Xuan picked up the panting boy with the flushed face and carried him to the dining area.
There were a few home-cooked dished on the table with white steam wafting up from them. They have obviously just been heated up. The newly hired housekeeper was an honest middle-aged woman. Seeing the intimate behavior of her two employers, she did not show the slightest weird expression.
She placed the tableware down and then silently left. On the way out, she informed the newly hired driver to bring the car to the front door.
Xue Zi Xuan picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it into the boy's mouth. Then he leaned over and held on to his greasy lips, licking slowly and gently, wanting to taste the first-rate delicacy.
"The new chef's skills are very good." After tasting, he appraised it fairly.
Zhou Yun Sheng waved his hand as if shooing away a housefly.
"Wait for me tonight." Xue Zi Xuan kissed him a few more times, and then reluctantly left. As soon as he got to the door, he saw Xue Li Dan Ni coming back with Xue Jing Yi.
"Xue Jing Yi, why are you still not leaving? Do you remember what you promised me before?" His tone was flat and indifferent.
Xue Li Dan Ni seemed to be silently enduring. She patted her daughter's arm comfortingly and said: "We came back to pack up our things. Then we're leaving immediately. Zi Xuan, don't just lecture your younger sister, do you remember what you promised me?"
Huang Yi's reputation was getting bigger and bigger. Many people talked about him in the same breath as her son, saying that he could become a pianist as great as her son. This made Xue Li Dan Ni uneasy, fearing that some day the scandal between her son and Huang Yi would be exposed.
If it were before, when no one knew about Huang Yi, then she would never be afraid, but he was different now. He was so dazzling and excellent that he has attracted the attention of countless people. Him staying by her son's side was just like a ticking time bomb. Sooner or later, the public would cotton on to their intimate behavior.
At that time, what would the public say? Xue Li Dan Ni, you have raised a gay son! Xue Li Dan Ni's son and adopted son were incestuous! What on earth did Xue Li Dan Ni teach her children? Her decades of higher education were all in vain! Xue Li Dan Ni is a shame to the Li family. The son she gave birth to is a smear on the Li family name…
Such offensive remarks echoed in Xue Li Dan Ni's mind. It made her sleepless at night and food tasted like ash on her tongue. She feared that the perfect image she had upheld for half a lifetime would be destroyed by her son and Huang Yi.
She was the most elegant lady in the capital, the most famous artist, and the happiest wife and mother. She could not afford to lose that persona! Ever since the piano competition ended, she kept seeing earth-shattering addendums in the newspaper, putting her on edge everyday. She kept fearing that one day she would see news about her son's same-sex scandal appear on the front page.
That was why she finally appeared in the Xue manor today. Her daughter had persuaded her that ignoring and compromising wasn't the best method, only by making Huang Yi disappear forever could they settle this matter once and for all.
Xue Zi Xuan obviously did not remember what he had promised his mother, but he did not answer. He merely changed his shoes and exited out the door.
Xue Li Dan Ni yelled at his retreating back: "You said that you would pay attention to your reputation and the Xue family's reputation, but you broke your promise! You ran around with Huang Yi, hugging him, and kissing him. Are you not afraid of other people knowing about your ugly scandal? Do you have any brains? Do you know what affect this will have on the Xue family?"
Xue Zi Xuan turned his head around and said coldly: "Mother, I advise you not to disturb my life with Xiao Yi. Otherwise, it may be difficult for you to lvie the stable life that you are living right now." If, like him, they retained the memories of their previous life, then they would know what it was like to live while wanting to die.
Xue Li Dan Ni's delicately made up face became distorted. Her son was threatening her. She stormed back into the house in a fit of anger and saw the teenager sitting in the dining room. He was gnawing on a pig trotter without a care in the world. Oh how she wanted to tear him into shreds.
Xue Zi Xuan came over and said quietly, "Leave immediately after you're done packing your things. There are no guest rooms in this house."
Xue Li Dan Ni sneered: "Why would there be no guest rooms? Are you driving me away right now?"
"I had the servants remove the beds from all of the guest rooms. If you are willing to sleep on the floor, then please feel free to do so." Xue Zi Xuan made a gesture of invitation with his hand.
Xue Li Dan Ni's face turned purple from the feeling of suffocation. She had to take several deep breaths before she could recover her calm. "Fine, we will leave as soon as we finish packing. If you have to go out to handle affairs, then go ahead. There's no need to stay behind to watch us. Do you think we are thieves?"
Zhou Yun Sheng came out to watch the show.
Xue Zi Xuan took the boy into his arms and stroked him. He didn't plan to leave. How could he possibly leave the teenager alone with them? Naturally, he must guard the boy until these idlers left the premise.
Xue Li Dan Ni wanted to persuade her son to leave first, but was worried that it might cause him to become suspicious, so she had to go upstairs with Xue Jing Yi and pack their things. The two could not find a chance to talk to Huang Yi alone, so they could only pack a few pieces of jewelry and leave in a hurry.
On the way back to the city, Xue Li Dan Ni received a call.
"How is it? Is the matter finished?" Xue Rui said in a bad tone. His son had taken all of his power. He had no place in the company and could not even put in a word of input for any decision-making. Even his assistants handed in important documents directly to Xue Zi Xuan for signing.
He used to worry that no one would inherit the family business, but that kind of worry was only for when he was already old and unable to walk. He originally thought that it would take at least ten years to groom his son into a person worthy of respect. At that time, it would be just right for him to retire and enjoy his remaining years in retirement. But right now he was in the prime of his life. He still had many aspirations and ambitions that have not been fulfilled. To be forced into this situation by his son, he was really unwilling, absolutely unwilling.
A few days ago, his son had vetoed the merger plan that he had proposed. He spent three years researching for that plan. Once successful, he would lead the Xue consortium to a higher level. Even the CITIC Enterprise, which was completely loyal to Xue Yan, had no problem at all. But at the moment of the final vote, his son voted against it, and all the shareholders also followed him and voted against it.
The magnificent blueprint he drew up was worthless. He had never found his son to be so repulsive. After the meeting, he flung a teacup and bellowed for his son to get out of the company.
His son did not say a word. He only gave him a contemptuous, pitying look. Xue Rui did not have any heart problems, but he felt that sooner or later he would develop a heart problem from excessive anger. The change in his son started when Huang Yi came to the Xue house. His son likes that kid? Then he will ruin him! Huang Yi's death will make his son understand that there are always things that he can't control in this world.
Xue Li Dan Ni's eyes dimmed slightly. She shook her head and said, "No, I ran into Zi Xuan when I walked in. He was watching me, so it was not convenient to make a move."
"Then finish it quickly, Jing Yi can't wait!" Xue Rui urged sharply.
"Okay, right away."
Hanging up the phone, Xue Li Dan Ni instructed the driver to go around the city a few times and then turn back around to the Xue manor.
Seeing the two people who had left the house already only to return, the butler was surprised and stepped forward to ask, "Mistress, Young Miss, why are you back?" The teenager was sitting in the living room and playing with a PSP. He feared that these two would cause trouble for him.
Xue Li Dan Ni pursed her lips and said, "Jing Yi forgot to take her sheet music, so we came back. There are a dozen books of sheet music, so they're very heavy. Go up and help her carry them." At the end, she patted her daughter on the shoulder and hinted, "You go up with the butler. Mom is tired and wants to rest for a while."
Xue Jing Yi nodded and pulled the hesitant butler up to the second floor.
Xue Li Dan Ni walked into the living room and sat down opposite Zhou Yun Sheng: "You won the piano competition. Do you know what the reward is? The Curtis Conservatory of Music sent you an admission letter a few days ago. So you want to go?"
"I don't want to leave Big Brother, and I don't know how to speak English." Zhou Yun Sheng threw away the PSP and tactfully refused.
"If you don't want to go, you have to sign a declaration document," Xue Li Dan Ni took out a document pouch from her bag and confirmed once more, "You really don't want to go?"
"I don't want to. Where do I sign?" Zhou Yun Sheng took out the document and quickly flipped through the pages, seeming to be looking for a place to sign. How could he not understand English? These idiots in the Xue family were really looking down on him. They actually gave him the English version of the organ donation agreement contract.
Once he signed this document, if he were to die in an accident, then all of his organs that could be transplanted would be donated to those in need, and the hollowed out carcass would be sent to a medical school for the students to dissect and analyze.
Zhou Yun Sheng was not opposed to making appropriate contributions to society after death, but what was contained in this document was not good intentions, but evil intentions. Once the doctor announces his death, Xue Jing Yi, a relative, can get his heart first.
At present, the only question they needed to consider was how to make him die in a reasonable and legal way.
Zhou Yun Sheng could come up with hundreds or thousands of ways with a little thought,s o it shouldn't be difficult for the almighty Xue family. They were rich, so naturally there would be lots of people willing to do their dirty work for them.
"Sign here. Think about it carefully. It'll be too late to regret it after signing." Xue Li Dan Ni reminded in a hoarse voice.
"No regrets." Zhou Yun Sheng smiled unconcerned, and signed the spot where Xue Li Dan Ni's finger was. Disregarding whether they could kill him or not, the legitimacy of this document would be overturned once the grand truth was revealed, so it didn't matter if he signed it or not.
After rapidly verifying the document several times over, Xue Li Dan Ni quickly put away the document into her purse. At the same time, Xue Jing Yi and the butler also came downstairs with their luggage.
"Mom, is everything good now?" Xue Jing Yi asked vaguely.
"Yes, there's nothing else to sort out, let's go." Xue Li Dan Ni waved her hand and walked out of the Xue manor quickly.
After the two left, Zhou Yun Sheng took out his mobile phone and pulled up the audio and video files stored in the card and inspected them one by one. He never expected Xue Jing Yi to be so crazy that she would drag Xue Li Dan Ni into the water with her.
No, this was not surprising. They had the same purpose all along, so sooner or later, they would return to the origin of their purpose even if it were by different routes. With their joint cooperation, this murder plan should be implemented perfectly.
Unfortunately, their opponent was no ordinary person, but Zhou Yun Sheng. Standing at the door, he watched Xue Li Dan Ni's car drive further and further away with a cold smile on his face.
Furthermore, his spiritual power was not idle. He has been working hard to break through the last few layers of the villain system's defenses. After the piano competition, the system has been busy calculating how to correct the derailed fate. Various garbled codes appeared on its screen from time to time, appearing densely, and then disappearing one after another. It seemed to indicate that it was breaking down bit by bit.
Suddenly, there was a slight ka-cha sound in his mind. It was so slight that if he weren't paying attention, he might have missed it. Zhou Yun Sheng was stunned for a moment, and then he laughed in a low voice.
With one hand cradling his forehead and the other hand holding onto the doorframe, he laughed louder and louder, until tears came out of his eyes. No one else could see it, but the smartwatch on his wrist was emitting a rapid flashing light, which suddenly flickered out after several hundred flashes. The system's energy has not been exhausted, but unfortunately for the system, the host's spiritual power has broken through its defenses first, occupying the dominant position.
Zhou Yun Sheng quickly erased the internal operating procedures of the main god implanted into the villain system. Then he used his own will to preempt the operating background. From this moment on, whether it was a divine body or a soul, he was free.
"I didn't expect this day to come so quickly. I wonder which great god killed the main god before me? Otherwise, I wouldn't have won so easily." He stroked the smartwatch as he muttered to himself.
But no matter how much he thought about it, he would never have guessed that the great god he looked up to was his future self.
"This thing is very useful. It can be used as a smartwatch. It would be a shame to just crush it." He had planned to destroy the villain system, but in the end he changed his mind, kept it, and rewrote the operating procedures. He even gave it a name: 007.
Using his spiritual energy, Zhou Yun Sheng implanted a new program into the smartwatch and booted up 007. He stretched his wrist and spoke to himself: "Looks like it is time to leave the Xue family."
It was not Zhou Yun Sheng's style to sit and wait for death. He has been monitoring everyone in the Xue family. He knew their every move, including whom they had bribed and how they were going to execute the murder plan. After signing the document, he didn't intend to stay in the Xue family, so he went upstairs to pack and tidy up.
His luggage was sparse, just some clothes, a few certificates, and a bankcard. He could pack everything away into a backpack that was neither too big nor too small when everything was folded up. The money in the card came from selling small software, as well as the prize money from the piano competition. As for the authorized user credit card that Xue Zi Xuan gave him, he placed it upright on the desk. He did not take anything that belonged to the Xue family.
It's been more than a year since he came to the capital, and seeing that he would be eighteen years old in a few months, he really felt a bit emotional. At fist, he thought it would be a hopeless journey, but unexpectedly it was full of joy and hope. Yes. He had to admit it. After the initial cold treatment passed, Xue Zi Xuan gave him warmth that he never had before. Whenever he stayed by Xue Zi Xuan's side, he would always unwittingly forget about the ulterior motives behind their encounter.
If Xue Jing Yi and Xue Li Dan Ni had not brought that document for him to sign, then he would have continued to stay by Xue Zi Xuan's side, acting as if he didn't know anything. But was that possible? Obviously, it was impossible. All evil causes would bear evil results, and he would have to face this day sooner or later.
Of course, Xue Zi Xuan must also face it. He thought that completely isolating himself from the Xue family would solve everything, but such an idea was too naïve.
Once a person breeds evil thoughts, the corroded heart can no longer remain intact. It will continue to fester until it rots completely.
Zhou Yun Sheng took a bath and changed into the casual clothes that he wore when he first came to the Xue manor. Then he slowly walked up to the third floor and pushed open the door to the piano room that Xue Zi Xuan had arranged for him. These days, he has grown a lot taller, and when he reached out his hand to stroke the words engraved on the piano cover, his sleeves were obviously shorter. But if a person were good looking, then naturally they would look good in everything. With him dressed like this, he gave off the flavor of one who despised worldly conventions.
He placed the phone on the music stand and turned on the camera function. He pressed the keys in an orderly manner, playing notes that were out of tune, and said slowly, "I'm leaving."
The jumping speed of his fingertips gradually increased, and the notes that were out of tuned also converged into a short and exciting melody. He said leisurely: "You people always say that I have no emotions when I play the piano. Do you know the reason?"
Pressing the keys hard, a string of creepy high notes popped up, and he suddenly pulled his lips into a smile: "Because I knew from the beginning, the reason you people brought me back for. This song "The Assassin in the Wind" is a gift to everyone in the Xue family. Thank you for taking care of me."
The short and dangerous melody changed into a wide-open accent. The teenager pressed the last note fiercely, and then he raised his frosty face: "How about this song? Did it touch you?" He smiled sarcastically, picked up the phone, walked back to his bedroom, and pointed the camera at the bookcase full of books.
His white fingertips flicked from one foreign language book to another. There was English, French, German, Russian… dozens of different languages, enough to dazzle the eyes. He pulled out one of the books, opened it up to a random page, read aloud fluently, and smiled when he finished: "Aunt Xue, are you pleasantly surprised? You didn't expect a country bumpkin from the outskirts to be able to understand foreign languages did you? I carry these books around and read them all day, but you didn't even realize. You can only blame yourself for not caring about me. However, there is nothing wrong with this. Who cares about a container? A dead person who is about to be buried soon? If it were I, I wouldn't care either. Now, are you thinking that it is a very stupid move to hand over the English version of the organ donation agreement to me for my signature?"
His bright peach blossom eyes were slightly curved, and his handsome face was also a little cute: "Don't worry, I won't laugh at you, because there are really not that many people who are smarter than me in the world."
He fixed his mobile phone upright and placed it on the table opposite of him. Then he began to pack the mechanical books on the bookshelf and continued to speak: "From the first day I entered this house, I knew what you people were thinking about. Do you know how sickening it was whenever you people put on airs in front of me? At that time I swore that I would definitely make you pay!"
Zhou Yun Sheng turned his head. His expression was cold. Then he waved his hand and smiled lightly, seeming more and more ambiguous: "All right, let's stop talking nonsense. How many villains get overthrown by the protagonist in the end because of too much talk? I won't give you that opportunity. Of course, I am not a villain, I am a victim, and you people are murderers."
Putting a few unread mechanical books into his backpack, he sighed with a sense of loss: "Xue Zi Xuan, you said that you love me, but I'm sorry. This love started with murderous intentions. I don't dare to covet it. I want to know, between your family and me, how will you choose?"
He got close to the camera first, whispered "goodbye," and then turned off the phone.
After he finished packing up, he told the butler that he would go to the company to find his brother. The butler did not doubt him and told him not to drive there by himself, but to have the chauffeur drive him. The newly hired chauffeur was wandering around his modified supercar with a strange expression on his face.
"What are you doing?" Zhou Yun Sheng arched an eyebrow.
"Young Master Huang, your supercar is so cool. I have never seen it before." The chauffeur was a veteran in his early thirties, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. He had a good-looking appearance and his background was clean.
But Zhou Yun Sheng knew that Xue Rui had bribed him a long time ago. After the agreement for organ donation was registered by the Red Cross and officially took effect, he was responsible for causing a car accident.
"How about giving you a chance to drive today?" He walked over, threw his backpack into the shotgun seat, and smiled. "Drive me to the company to find my brother. Recently, the traffic police are conducting stricter checks and I don't have a driver's license."
The organ donation document was only signed recently, so it has no legal effect yet, therefore the driver had yet to do anything to the supercar. He was really just taking a look just then. It was a pity that such a good supercar would be crashed. To be able to drive a few laps in such a supercar before it gets destroyed would be fun, of course he couldn't wait to drive it, so he got in immediately.
"Did you drive in the army?" Zhou Yun Sheng asked casually.
"Yes, our army also have good cars, but the top of the bunch is the Hummer. It can't be compared with your modified supercar though. Look, it drives as soon as you touch the gas pedal. So awesome!" The chauffeur started the engine and drove out of the villa in the blink of an eye.
Zhou Yun Sheng laughed but did not speak. When they arrived in the city, he asked the chauffeur to stop by the side of the road: "I'm going to buy a bottle of water. Do you want one?"
"No, thank you, Young Master Huang." The chauffeur waved his hand politely.
Zhou Yun Sheng entered a small supermarket, took out the PSP from his backpack, and fiddled with a few keys casually. At the same time, the chauffeur sitting in the driver's seat felt that the seat belt was tightened abruptly and the steering wheel turned automatically. The engine roared to life as if there was a pair of invisible hands manipulating the car.
"What's going on?" The chauffeur panicked. While shifting the joystick to the parking gear, he unfastened the seat belt, but all of his actions were in vain. The seat belt tightened and the joystick automatically shifted to forward gear. The big red supercar roared twice and sprang forward like lightning.
The chauffeur heard a cry of alarm from behind him and turned back hurriedly only to see the teenager in a white sweatshirt running out of the store. He was jumping and yelling, as if he was very angry at this car theft. A few young people gathered around and shook their phones as if to remind him to call the police.
The red supercar rushed around the city at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour. It automatically avoided obstacles in front of it at a critical moment, but it never slowed down or waited for traffic lights.
After rushing through several intersections without being able to intercept it, the traffic police had to use radio to notify colleagues in the city to besiege the red supercar. Most of the people who could afford such a luxury supercar were the upper-class people in the capital.
Recently, the new leader has taken office and he has extremely strict management of the social atmosphere. At this moment, carelessly racing through the streets was tantamount to committing a crime against the law. No matter how powerful or influential the driver's family was, even they would not be able to suppress this incident.
If the traffic police could flag down this supercar without a hitch then they wouldn't have to escalate the matter. Slapping a fine on the person, seizing the supercar, and confiscating their license would be enough. But if a traffic accident occurred because of such reckless driving, then they could not bear this responsibility nor did they dare to.
The traffic police was just preparing to strangle the danger in its cradle, when a mishap really did happen. The red supercar, which has been driving many loops around the urban district, ran into a Mercedes-Benz. The front of the car was completely wrecked, the driver's side was twisted, and the driver's condition was precariously unknown.
The owner of the Mercedes-Benz was also all bloody and battered, sprawled atop the airbag and completely unresponsive. The ambulance arrived. The traffic police and the fire brigade combined together took more than an hour to saw open the distorted doors of the two cars in order to get the wounded people out.
The onlookers stood not far away, pointing and murmuring. Many people picked up their phones to shoot videos and then posted them on the Internet. Car accidents at the beginning of the year were not uncommon, but it was rare that the two cars involved in the accident were luxury cars worth at least five million each.
The Mercedes-Benz Maybach had an extended bulletproof top and priced at over six million yuan. Then there was that supercar. It wasn't even sold on the market. It had to be a customized car and must cost a minimum of seven or eight million.
Calculated in this way, today's car accident totaled more than ten million. My god! The busybodies were all fired up. They wrote up a terrifying headline and posted it online, which immediately attracted the attention of countless netizens. From the start, they bitterly detested the behavior of the driver behind the wheel of the red supercar. That driver was racing recklessly all around the city. The people have repeatedly asked the traffic police to investigate them thoroughly.
This issue blew up in a big way, and it was futile to try to cover it up. The traffic police immediately investigated the identities of the two car owners.
When the chauffeur and the Mercedes-Benz owner were taken to the hospital, Zhou Yun Sheng had already bought a ticket to the UK and was playing games in the waiting room. He doctored up a few documents, and they were good enough to pass off as genuine articles. No one would be able to trace his whereabouts.
The big LED screen hanging in the lobby was broadcasting news about the car accident. Reporters interviewed people passing by. Everyone unanimously called on the officials to disclose the results of the investigation. Don't forget justice because the perpetrators are powerful people. Immediately, the leaders of the Transportation Bureau steppe dup and said that they would conduct a thorough investigation, which drew a wave of praise.
Seeing this, Zhou Yun Sheng smiled playfully. He had successfully left the Xue family and also threw them into the pits at the same time. Now this was his modus operandi. How could someone like him depart quietly and boringly?
But he would not play with the lives of innocent people. After learning all about Xue Jing Yi's plan, he set up the accident. The owner of the Mercedes-Benz was coincidentally the culprit who killed his parents.
Through his investigations, he gradually uncovered the truth behind the past drunk driving incident of the Mercedes-Benz owner. That year, the Mercedes-Benz owner drove into the pedicab of Huang Yi's father and mother. The two of them lied on the road, straddling the line between life and death. The vehicle owner got out of the car, took a look at them, saw that they were still breathing, and got back in the car to run them over again and again, until the two were thoroughly crushed beneath the wheels. Then and only then did the driver left the scene of the crime in a calm and unhurried manner.
While reconstructing the surveillance video that was destroyed by the internal personnel of the Transportation Bureau, Zhou Yun Sheng's eyes were bloodshot and hatred overwhelmed his heart.
Of course he knew why the owner of the Mercedes-Benz car would do this. If he injured someone, then he needed to pay a high amount in medical fees, moreover, there was no cap to this amount. But if he killed someone, then he only needed to pay two hundred thousand yuan for a life, and the total amount for two lives was only four hundred thousand.
Zhou Yun Sheng found out that the owner of thecar was the boss of a multinational company with a net worth of at least tens of billions, which was almost the same as Xue Rui's status. He was fully able to bear the treatment fees for two people, but he chose murder because he said he was afraid of trouble.
Afraid of trouble? It was these simple words that took away the lives of Zhou Yun Sheng's parents in this lifetime. In the end, the Mercedes-Benz owner didn't even want to pay four hundred thousand yuan, and he found a few gangsters to threaten the Huang family. In the end, it only cost him seventy thousand yuan to settle the matter.
Zhou Yun Sheng wondered if he ever had nightmares over these past years. Probably not, because people like him and Xue Rui didn't treat other people as humans at all.
Thinking up to here, Zhou Yun Sheng sneered. That's right, he did not have any power or influence, so he could not ruin the opponent's reputation and status. But it was not difficult to take his life in the same way that he had robbed Huang Yi's parents of theirs. Since finding out the identity of the car owner, Zhou Yun Sheng has been monitoring him, and he knew when and where the other person would be. Today, he controlled the supercar to drive in big circles around the city, just waiting for the moment when the two cars met.
The LED screen was still playing the video of the car accident. It was evident in the video that when the supercar passed by the traffic light, it not only did not slow down, but also slammed on the accelerator. It shot forward like a bullet and smashed into the Mercedes Benz hard.
The passengers waiting for the flight exclaimed, saying that the driver of the supercar did it deliberately. Zhou Yun Sheng nodded in secret. He heard the director's announcement that passengers heading to the UK should board the plane from gate 13, so he stood up and ambled along with the crowd.
Xue Zi Xuan has been feeling rattled for some reason. In the middle of the meeting, his special assistant suddenly barged into the conference room and handed him a document. This special assistant was responsible or monitoring the Xue family, and would notify him immediately if he found any abnormalities.
After reading only two pages, Xue Zi Xuan's expression changed drastically, and he said coldly: "The meeting is postponed. I have important matters to handle."
One after another, everyone filed out of the room with expressions of awe on their faces. Although their newly appointed boss was once an artist*, he did not have the gentle elegance of an artist at all. On the contrary, he was extremely cold.
[*T/N: 艺术家 – literally means "artist" and encompasses all of the arts, from music to painting.]
Except when facing the adopted son of the Xue family, other people have never seen him smile. It seemed like only when he was with the other person would he become a real human being, with blood and flesh, and feelings of sorrow and joy. And when he parted from the other, he would be an empty shell of a person, without a heart and without emotions. Working under this kind of boss was actually quite horrifying.
Right now, Xue Zi Xuan's face revealed a rare expression of anger. With a twisted face, he asked, "Where did this document come from?"
"It was stolen from the computer of Mr. Xue's personal lawyer. I found out that the two of them have been in contact too frequently recently, so I paid attention. Later, the lawyer went to the Red Cross several times to consult about organ donation, so I had someone hack into his computer, but I didn't expect to see this file." This special assistant was a private detective that Xue Zi Xuan had often cooperated with in his previous life. He bought many photos of Xiao Yi from him, so he was naturally convinced of his abilities.
Looking at the date of the document, Xue Zi Xuan's expression stuttered. He waved his hand and said, "I see, continue to keep an eye out." The document was only drafted yesterday. They shouldn't have found the time to get Xiao Yi to sign it yet, so they wouldn't make a move for the time being.
The special assistant was about ot leave, but then he turned back and whispered: "I also found out that this lawyer has been in contact with your driver, so I checked the driver's financial situation along the way and found out that he owed millions in foreign debts."
Xue Zi Xuan's eyes darkened. He gritted his teeth and said, "Didn't you say that there was no problem with him when he was first hired?"
The assistant was ashamed. He bowed his head and said, "Those debts are under his younger brother's name. So I didn't pay attention. Either way, I was negligent. I will focus on monitoring him."
"En, I will dismiss the gardener, you will go to my house and replace this position." After a pause, Xue Zi Xuan added cautiously, "Don't let Xiao Yi notice. He will be afraid."
The assistant promised in a low voice and hurried out. Neither of them expected Xue Rui would be so anxious. As soon as they drafted up the organ donation document, they rushed to have the teenager sign it.
Driven to a desperate situation by his son, Xue Rui thought that Huang Yi's death could ruin his son at a stroke* and make him understand that no matter how hard he fought he was still not this old man's opponent. Besides, killing Huang Yi could also conveniently save his daughter along the way, so why not do so? Didn't he bring the boy back just to dig out his heart?
[*T/N: 一蹶不振 yi jue bu zhen – Chinese idiom meaning "one stumble, unable to rise," or "unable to recover after a minor hitch."]
In the Municipal People's Hospital, the red light to the operating room was still on. The two wounded drivers were still in the middle of treatment, and the situation was not optimistic.
"Boss, I've identified them. The owner of the Mercedes-Benz Maybach is Hu Dong, the president of the Dongrun Group, and the owner of the Lamforghini Egoista is Huang Yi, the adopted son of Xue Rui, the president of the Xue Consortium." A young traffic police officer ran up to the doorway of the operating room and handed a stack of documents to the captain who was waiting outside. He continued to speak, "But the driver was not him. The driver is a chauffeur hired by the Xue family, named Zhao Yin."
In this accident, the red supercar was mainly responsible. The captain thought that someone who dared to speed up to 160 kilometers in the city was either a rich man or some second-generation dude, but the culprit turned out to be a small time chauffeur.
"Dumbass. I say this Zhao Yin really has a lot of f*cking nerves. Did he see that his employer's car is good and wanted to drive it out secretly for some fun? No wonder it was driving around like a whirlwind. Damn thief*! If he dies then good for him, if he doesn't then he's really going to get it!" The captain cursed angrily.
[*T/N: 手贱 shou jian – colloquial saying for someone prone to touch things one should keep one's hands off of]
"If he doesn't die that he would be half-handicapped." The young police officer flipped around the evidence bag. Inside were two mobile phones that have been shattered into little pieces. "These things are broken so badly, it can't even be turned on. Otherwise, we would've contacted their family members already. Boss, are you making the call or am I making the call? I am most afraid of these kinds of moments. I don't even know where to begin talking."
"Of course you're making the call! Speak well, pay attention to calming the emotions of the family members, and have them come as soon as possible." The captain was a little annoyed. He went to the stairwell for a smoke. When he saw his deputy preparing to dial, he reminded, "Don't forget to notify Huang Yi and Xue Rui, they are the owner and guardian of the vehicle that caused the accident. They also have to bear the responsibility."
"I won't forget." The young traffic police officer took his cell phone out to a quiet place to make the calls.
When he received the call from the traffic police, Xue Rui couldn't recover for a long time.
"Are you saying Zhao Yin drove my adopted son's car and hit someone, and he is now in the hospital? What about my adopted son?"
"We are also looking for him at the moment, but his phone has been turned off all this time." The young traffic police officer said in a harsh tone, "Please take him to the bureau as soon as possible to assist in the investigation. You must know that even though the driver is not him, his car has hit someone, so he has to bear joint responsibility."
Just as he finished talking, another traffic police officer rushed over and said, "We have thoroughly verified it, Huang Yi did not lend this car to Zhao Yin. It is Zhao Yin who stole the car while Huang Yi entered a store to buy things. 110 received a call from Huang Yi reporting the theft. The call was made just four hours prior. That store has also provided their security footage. It recorded the entire process of Zhao Yin stealing the car."
[T/N: 110 is the police number in China.]
Hearing this, the young traffic police officer looked a little embarrassed, and said into the receiver: "Mr. Xue, I'm really sorry about just now. After investigating, we found out that your adopted son, Huang Yi, has nothing to do with this matter, but please still bring him over to the bureau. After all, he is the owner of the car."
"Okay, I will contact [him]." Xue Rui hung up and immediately dialed the teenager's mobile phone number. As soon as the document was signed, the planned car accident was moved forward, and the person he had bribed in advance was injured. No matter how you looked at it, this matter was quite extraordinary. Xue Rui called several times but the call never went through. An ominous premonition rose in his heart.
At the same time, Xue Zi Xuan was also calling the teenager. The pre-recorded message of "the phone number you dialed is turned off" made him more distraught. He picked up his car key on the table and planned to go home, but he didn't expect the assistant to push open the door and come in to hand him an envelope. "President Xue, this document specified that it should be delivered to you. Do you want to take a look?"
"I'm don't have time." Xue Zi Xuan waved his hand and rejected it, but as he passed by, he caught a glimpse of the words on the envelope, and suddenly stopped.
"Where is the person who delivered this letter?" He took the envelope and anxiously asked about the bold cursive calligraphy on the letter. It was a hundred percent Xiao Yi's handwriting.
"They already left. It's from Zhongtong Express. The guard has their registration. I will check it for you." Before the assistant had finished speaking, the vice president had already run out in pursuit.
Of course Xue Zi Xuan knew that he could not catch up to the person at this time. He was flustered and at the same time very confused. What can Xiao Yi not say [to him]? Why must he send him a letter? And his phone was turned off too. What did he plan to do?
Xue Zi Xuan's scalp was numb. He hardly dared to think too deeply about the cause. While waiting for the elevator, he opened the envelope and found that there was a memory card and a sheet of paper inside. There were not many words written on the sheet of paper, only a simple sentence — All members of the Xue family are sincerely invited to watch the contents of the memory card, respectfully Huang Yi.
What content? Why invite the while family to watch? Xue Zi Xuan paced back and forth in the cramped elevator like a trapped beast. His handsome face was completely distorted because of his anxiety, and he looked scary and anxious.
The elevator arrived at the first floor. He made a few more calls, but got the same pre-recorded message, so he could only contact Xue Rui.
"Where did you send Xiao Yi off to?" His voice was low and full of viciousness.
"What are you talking about? How would I know where he went? Aren't you and him attached at the hip?" Xue Rui was still pretending to be stupid. He did not plan to go to the Transportation Bureau. He only sent his assistant to assess the situation. Right now, he also really wanted to know where did Huang Yi that little bastard go.
Xue Zi Xuan was about to ask, but he carelessly glanced over at the LED screen in the lobby, which was playing the scene of the car accident. He was all too familiar with the dilapidated red supercar.
For an instant, his blood froze and his body was unstable. If it were not for a staff member who saw that he was about to faint and kindly supported him, he might have collapsed to the floor on the spot.
"President Xue, is your situation serious? How about I take you to the hospital?"
"Yes, go to the hospital, I want to go to the hospital." He brushed off the staff member, staggered a few steps, and then ran towards the parking lot like crazy.
While he started up the engine of the car, he called the traffic control department and asked about the accident. The operator didn't know the situation either. He heard that he was the brother of the car owner and immediately asked him to go to the hospital to look for the [injured] person.
Xue Zi Xuan rushed to the hospital as quickly as possible, and happened to run into Xue Rui's assistant at the gate. The assistant saw him, and like a mouse that saw a cat, he went up the stairs and did not even dare to take the elevator.
Xue Zi Xuan gave him a cold look, ignored him, and went straight to the operating room on the top floor.