CHAPTER 145: CHAPTER 145: YOU CAN TAKE OVER QIN JINHAI’S ASSETS

Fu Bing perked up, listening intently.

Wu Shi shifted his gaze away from her face with restraint. "I remember you once acted in a historical drama, which featured the custom of drowning the eldest daughter to ensure the prosperity of the family."

Fu Bing nodded. "Is the Qin Family also involved with this custom?"

"Not just the Qin Family. The prominent families you see actually have blood relatives who mysteriously disappear, usually female infants. The more tragically the female infants die, the more prosperous the family becomes."

Fu Bing couldn’t agree. "Do these people really believe that?"

"In a prominent family, they lack nothing in terms of material wealth, status, adoration, and privileges. They can move unobstructed within certain rules. After enjoying all these, who would want to lose them?"

"There are no female infants in this generation of the Qin Family, so did Qin Jinhai take on this role?" Fu Bing asked, a chill running down her spine.

"As far as I know, Qin Jinhai was sent away at a young age, purportedly due to his poor health. In reality, he was thrown into the deep mountains to see if he would survive. If he did, they hired mercenaries fresh from the battlefield to teach him martial arts and how to kill."

"Kill?"

"Yes, kill the Qin Family’s rivals or threats."

Fu Bing pursed her lips and remained silent.

She had felt it before—the Qin Family was pushing all their evils onto Qin Jinhai. If the Qin Family became unwilling or unable to cover for him anymore, what awaited Qin Jinhai was death. An irredeemable death at that!

After a long silence, Fu Bing suddenly said, "Qin Jinhai has never been one to obediently follow orders; he might not comply with Qin Sheng’s plans."

"Qin Sheng has something on him that ensures his obedience."

"What leverage?"

Wu Shi looked at Fu Bing with a gentle gaze. Engrossed in the conversation, Fu Bing didn’t notice.

The corners of Wu Shi’s lips curved up behind the mask. "Others may not understand, but you should know."

Fu Bing shook her head. "I don’t know."

"You know, you’re just not certain," he said.

Fu Bing looked up at Wu Shi. "You seem very confident."

"I’ve met Qin Jinhai a few times, and I understand you. I think even someone as ruthless as Qin Jinhai has a weakness. You are that weakness."

"You’re wrong," Fu Bing denied reflexively. "No one is his weakness; his heart has no room for anyone."

"If that’s the case, why are you sad? Your story with him should have ended before you went to prison. Why, after three years, are you still so affected by him? His mother even told you he was dead, yet you refuse to believe it. Xiaobing, what do you want?"

Wu Shi’s voice was very calm, so calm he didn’t seem like an involved party. As long as he wore the mask of Wu Shi, he was separate from Qin Jinhai. That thin mask, like a mystical barrier, effortlessly isolated all emotions.

Fu Bing was left speechless.

"You asked me a question I once asked Qin Jinhai," Fu Bing said, forcing herself to detach her personal emotions. "I don’t understand. Qin Jinhai has an older brother; why would it be him who bears the tragedy of the ’eldest daughter’ from the past?"

"Qin Jinmo’s intelligence is limited; he’s just an ordinary person, not suited for overly complicated matters. Qin Jinhai can draw all the fire, thus protecting the person Qin Sheng truly wants to protect."

"Who?"

"Qin Sheng’s third son."

This revelation made Fu Bing break out in a cold sweat. "So, it doesn’t matter to Qin Sheng if he loses Qin Jinhai or Qin Jinmo, right?"

"Exactly," Wu Shi said indifferently. "Qin Sheng, like you, doesn’t believe that Qin Jinhai is dead. He has been investigating me lately, thinking that I am Qin Jinhai."

Fu Bing remembered how Qin Sheng’s gaze had lingered on Wu Shi the day of their teacher’s funeral. So that was what Qin Sheng believed.

"Qin Sheng seems firmly convinced that Qin Jinhai would fake his death for you, willing to give up his identity as a descendant of the Qin Family. Even Li Yuan came to see you in person. Xiaobing, the Qin Jinhai you understand might be different from the one others understand."

Fu Bing retorted, "And the Qin Jinhai in your eyes?"

"The Qin Jinhai in my eyes doesn’t matter. He’s gone and won’t intersect with my life again."

Unconsciously stroking a pen, Fu Bing said, "I’ve been uneasy about recent events. From the car accident involving Uncle Ren to our teacher’s passing, and then Lai Shenyan’s hasty seeking of refuge. These incidents seem to be rapidly pushed forward by a hidden hand. It reminds me of when I went to jail—as if a giant hand suddenly reached out and toyed with my life. I talked to Uncle Ren about the accident once, and he told me not to meddle. I think he knows something about that hidden hand and didn’t want me to repeat my past mistakes."

"I understand his concerns, but I don’t want to live mired in guesswork. That hidden hand won’t just let me live in blissful ignorance."

Wu Shi’s gaze softened as he looked at her. "It seems you already know who that person is."

"I think it’s Qin Sheng. I wasn’t sure before, but what you said has dispelled my last doubts."

"What doubts?"

"I couldn’t find a reason why Qin Sheng had been targeting me until Qin Jinhai ’disappeared’ and Li Yuan came to me personally. That’s when I started thinking in this direction. Before, I just thought it was Qin Jinhai’s twisted sense of humor. It was like when a mischievous child finds a fun game; he’d want to play endlessly, without limits, regardless of how the ’toy’ felt. If it broke, he’d just toss it aside and get a new one."

Wu Shi struggled to smile. "Do you still think so?"

After asking, he found himself holding his breath, eager for her answer, yet dreading it.

"It doesn’t matter anymore," Fu Bing said, changing the subject. "If our opponent is Qin Sheng, we’ll have plenty of trouble. Qin Sheng has remained hidden behind Qin Jinhai and Qin Jinmo all these years; his true capabilities are unknown. Facing him will be incredibly challenging. Moreover, I think he’ll target your spectral retainers next. After all, my ability to fight relies entirely on your spectral retainers. If they’re severely injured, dealing with me will be much easier for him."

Wu Shi narrowed his eyes, cautioning, "Xiaobing, have you considered taking over Qin Jinhai’s power base?"

"Hmm?"

"You’ve been to the Wu Shipyard with him; it’s a valuable asset. Don’t you plan to bring it under your control?"

Wu Shi’s words ignited a spark in her mind, instantly broadening her perspective.

She said cautiously, "I know nothing about the Wu Shipyard. How could I take it over? Would Qin Sheng allow the Wu Shipyard to fall into my hands?"

"What if Qin Sheng doesn’t even know that the Wu Shipyard is one of Qin Jinhai’s assets? Qin Jinhai managed to hide his identity as Elder Jiang’s youngest apprentice for ten years. It was only when he met you that this identity was exposed. He likely kept his other identities hidden from everyone else too."

"Did you find something?"

"I found some interesting information. Wait for me a moment." Wu Shi stood up and left.

He returned shortly after with a bag.

Opening it, Fu Bing saw the mask and uniform Qin Jinhai wore as captain of the China Team.

"How did you get this?"

"That’s a secret," Wu Shi teased, playing coy. "Your mother is the Embroideress, and you and Ya Rui are close friends. Even if you embroider less frequently yourself, you’ve likely seen more embroidery than the average person. Take a look and see if there’s anything special about it."

Fu Bing’s gaze almost involuntarily shifted to the chest area of the uniform.

That was her first mature piece of embroidery. Qin Jinhai would rather cut up the original piece just to have it sewn onto this. It couldn’t be just a simple liking.