CHAPTER 192: CHAPTER 192: JINHAI, IS THAT YOU?

"The ’Qin Sheng’ you know is not the real Qin Sheng, nor is he Jinhai’s or Jinmo’s father. I don’t know when my true husband was replaced. What I can be sure of is that ’Qin Sheng’ comes from the Clan Association."

Fu Bing did not interrupt her story.

"This matter needs to begin with my husband’s generation. He had three brothers, and he was the second among them, the kind that belonged neither here nor there. Since childhood, he knew the family’s properties had nothing to do with him, so he never dealt with the family’s assets and studied pharmacology, which has no connection to management. After graduating, he simply worked peacefully in hospitals or pharmaceutical companies."

"Later, among his brothers, the eldest embezzled the Qin Family’s assets and, despite his glaring flaws, tried to argue his way out but was abandoned by the Clan Association. The third brother contracted cancer; it had already spread when discovered, and he died shortly after. After the fourth brother took power, he clashed with the Clan Association by implementing radical reforms, which displeased them. Only then did they turn their attention to my husband, thinking he would be easy to manipulate."

"By then, I had already given birth to Jinmo and Jinhai, and our family of four did not live in the mansion."

"Those people took Jinhai, who had just started crawling, away overnight and forced us back to the mansion. My husband negotiated with them for a few days and finally returned carrying Jinhai. The condition was that we all had to live in the mansion from then on."

Li Yuan’s eyes showed clear nostalgia. I think, from that time on, my husband was replaced. It was just that I always refused to admit it and lacked sufficient power to resist.

Only then did Fu Bing speak. "What is the purpose of telling me all this? Do you want me to collaborate with you to bring down the Qin Family?"

"Indeed, that’s my idea, but I won’t force you. I’d rather remind you to strengthen your ties with the Su Family; otherwise, those people behind the Qin Family won’t let you have an easy time."

"Jinhai has been dealing with them for such a long time and has only managed to severely injure them, not eliminate them."

"This time, they gave up on ’Qin Sheng’ because they’ve groomed a better successor, someone more suitable for that position than ’Qin Sheng’."

"The new family head, to curry favor with the Clan Association, will make an example of you first. I don’t want anything to happen to you."

Li Yuan finished speaking, quietly watching Fu Bing.

This girl had the capability and courage to climb from the abyss to the summit; she shouldn’t always be targeted by a bunch of maggots living in the gutter.

Li Yuan turned away, sighing. "Sometimes I really don’t know whether meeting Jinhai was a good thing or a bad thing. If you hadn’t met him, your life would have been much more peaceful."

"I’ve asked myself that too," Fu Bing replied.

"And your answer?"

"Meeting him at an age when I could best withstand pressure—it was good."

Li Yuan’s eyes instantly reddened. "If he could hear you say that, he would be reassured."

Wu Shi leaned against the wall, hearing that sentence loud and clear.

Meeting him at an age when I could best withstand pressure—it was good!

Li Yuan did not stay long at Fu Bing’s. She rose and went to Qin Jinhai’s villa next door.

Everything there remained as usual; housekeepers came to clean every other day. All of Qin Jinhai’s belongings were preserved as they were, always ready for their owner’s return.

Li Yuan absent-mindedly caressed the wooden carvings in the display cabinet.

That was a birthday gift from Qin Jinhai. She had complained that the mansion was too squalid, unworthy of his heartfelt gesture, so he had taken it back to Imperial Garden.

Thinking of the last time she saw him, Li Yuan couldn’t stop her tears.

A steady, familiar footstep came from outside the house.

Li Yuan hurried to the door.

Winter, the trees were bare.

Everywhere, only bare tree trunks remained, without a hint of green.

The tall, upright man stood straight in the courtyard, his disfigured face strikingly conspicuous in the sunlight.

Li Yuan’s lips trembled as she struggled to find any resemblance between the man before her and her younger son.

Eventually, she dejectedly lowered her eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

"There are some things Xiaobing finds difficult to say. As her bodyguard, it’s my duty to protect her fully. From now on, I can represent her in dealing with you."

"Why should I trust you? Who can prove your intentions toward Xiaobing are pure?"

Wu Shi spoke calmly, "And who can guarantee you bear Xiaobing no ill will? Between the two of us, you’re the more suspicious one. Who do you think Xiaobing would believe?"

Li Yuan shed the gentle façade she had shown Fu Bing, her expression turning cold and wary as she faced Wu Shi.

"Your presence around Xiaobing has always been suspicious. As the leader of the Wronged Dead, you could take anyone’s life if you wished. You’ve been lurking around Xiaobing for so long; what do you hope to gain?"

"What I want is very simple: Xiaobing’s love."

Li Yuan was choked up and said stiffly, "The person in her heart is my son!"

"Qin Jinhai is already dead. I still have decades ahead of me to win her over."

"You—" Li Yuan began, but Wu Shi ignored her speechlessness, changing the subject.

"You love Xiaobing, and I love her too. Neither of us wants anything bad to happen to her. To protect her better, we need to share information. This will also help you and Qin Jinmo overthrow the Qin Family."

"The Qin Family is about to enter its most tumultuous period. I think you’re aware that opportunities to deal them a major blow are rare. You surely won’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance."

Li Yuan certainly wouldn’t miss it.

She had come here today with two purposes.

One was to genuinely inform Fu Bing about the current situation.

The second was to seek an alliance with Fu Bing.

Behind Fu Bing stood the Su Family and Ren Ye, and even the Jian Family and Rong Family from Yu City.

Even if she deliberately kept a low profile, she was still the most conspicuous darling of a prominent family.

"After this is all over, what do you want?" Li Yuan asked warily.

"I only want her to be able to live peacefully, without constantly having to watch out for traps set by the Qin Family."

Li Yuan didn’t miss any expression on his face, especially the meaning in his eyes.

The man before her was too candid, so candid that she almost saw Qin Jinhai in him. Jinhai had always been exceptionally candid with her.

Suddenly, Li Yuan remembered Qin Sheng had once speculated that Wu Shi was Qin Jinhai in disguise.

Now, she couldn’t help but suspect it too. Wu Shi hadn’t even been with Fu Bing for a year; how could he be willing to risk life and limb for her? Why would he willingly be her sole bodyguard? Other than Qin Jinhai, who else could it be?

Li Yuan almost impulsively shouted, "Jinhai, is that you?"

Wu Shi stood with his arms crossed, looking at her indifferently.

The hope that had surged in Li Yuan’s heart was doused with a bucket of cold water, chilling her to the bone.

Li Yuan came back to her senses. Without saying anything more, she walked directly into the house.

Wu Shi stood silently in the yard for a long moment before stepping toward the house.

"Stop!" Li Yuan commanded.

"This is my son’s house! No one is allowed in!"

Wu Shi, without any hesitation, strode across the threshold and walked unconcernedly into the living room.

"He’s already dead. It’s time to accept it."

"Shut up! He must still be alive!"

"If he’s still alive, why hasn’t he come to find you? A man as smart as him could have secretly sent you a message, couldn’t he?"

Wu Shi’s words were full of provocation, and even his scrutiny of the villa’s furnishings was critical.