CHAPTER 249: 8.36

"Dad, your tea."

At the old Fu residence, Fu Xiaoyuan still wore a respectful expression.

In Mr. Fu’s eyes, his efforts to please him were nothing more than a tactic to regain his position in the company.

But only Fu Xiaoyuan knew the truth about the cup of tea he held.

Don’t blame me, Dad.

You were the one who pushed me too far!

Since returning to the Fu family, he had worked like a dog, three or four years of loyalty, respect, and tireless effort.

And in the end? Nothing. Not even a scrap of dignity.

Now, he had to rely on Fu Xiaotian just to survive?

That wasn’t living.

If Mr. Fu could be so heartless, then he had no reason to be kind either.

Once Mr. Fu was gone, Fu Xiaoyuan could at least claim a legal portion of the inheritance, he wouldn’t let it all fall into Fu Xiaotian’s hands.

On the island.

"Are you really that confident?" Jiang Jiamian asked, still curled up against Fu Yanchen. "Aren’t you afraid Fu Xiaoyuan will just go too far and kill the old man outright? What fun would that be?"

He was honestly looking forward to the expression on Mr. Fu’s face when he learned everything had been plotted by his ’useless’ son.

If he died too soon, that drama would be wasted.

Fu Yanchen smirked, "Don’t worry. I’m keeping an eye on everything Fu Xiaoyuan does, including the people he used to get the poison. I know all about the wine, the banquet, and this tea. All of it."

Jiang Jiamian’s eyes narrowed.

That wine glass at the last banquet... so that had been a trial run?

He suddenly realized just how deep this ran.

"You’re evil!"

If Fu Yanchen was controlling the supply, didn’t that mean he decided what kind of poison Fu Xiaoyuan actually got?

Fu Yanchen’s smile chilled the air. "He really is going all in. According to Ah Chao, the guy who sold him the drug, Fu Xiaoyuan said he wanted it to be lethal. It’s a gamble, if he wins, he gets everything. But if he slips up? He’s headed straight to prison."

Jiang Jiamian opened his mouth, stunned, "That old man..."

Fu Yanchen raised an eyebrow. "I’m such a filial son. How could I just stand by and watch my brother murder our father? So I did my duty, I asked Ah Chao to give him something non-lethal."

Jiang Jiamian’s eyes went wide. "Fuck! You’re really vicious."

Mr. Fu would still collapse, maybe even be hospitalized, but he wouldn’t die. That meant he’d know what Fu Xiaoyuan had tried to do.

And once the attempt was revealed?

Attempted patricide.

Forget jail for a year or two, this was the kind of crime that ended in a long, soul-crushing sentence and public disgrace.

Fu Yanchen smiled faintly, raised his hand to pull him into an embrace, and asked the same question Jiang Jiamian had once asked him, "Now that you’ve seen all my schemes and darkness... are you afraid of falling in love with me?"

"Tsk!"

Jiang Jiamian snorted. "Anyone scared is a coward!"

Then after a beat, he realized what he said and huffed, "Hold on! Who said anything about love? Mr. Fu, get this straight, I’m only in love with your money!"

Falling for a mission target whose soul was clearly connected to someone else’s, without even knowing what kind of trap he might be walking into?

Please.

He was Jiang Jiamian, a gold-medal fast-traveler with zero emotional weakness.

Love? That was a joke...

Fu Yanchen watched the dramatic, superior expression on his face, like a proud immortal looking down at ants, and burst into laughter. "Fine, fall in love with my money then. I have a lot of it. You’re not going to find anyone richer."

Jiang Jiamian: "..."

At least he knows what he’s good for.

"Fine, we’ll draw up a property division agreement later. 80/20. I get 80."

"Okay." Fu Yanchen grinned. "I’ll sign over the entire Fu estate to you."

Jiang Jiamian raised an eyebrow, "Damn right you will. I want Jinsheng too."

Fu Yanchen didn’t hesitate, "Yours."

Jiang Jiamian: "..."

That was way too easy.

But... worth it.

Meanwhile, the protagonist was locked in a fierce struggle for control of the Fu family, and here he was, casually pocketing the whole empire.

He shifted slightly, wincing at the ache in his waist.

Okay, maybe not completely effortless.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

In the old Fu study, Mr. Fu had just finished his tea.

His face turned blue instantly. He bent over, clutching his chest, coughing violently.

Fu Xiaoyuan’s eyes widened in horror.

What?!

Why was it working so fast!?

This wasn’t the plan, the drug was supposed to take a full hour to activate!

He had timed it perfectly: wait for the tea to settle, leave, and let the poison take effect when no one was around.

It would look like a natural death. Too late for rescue. No witnesses.

But now?

It was happening immediately!

"Y-You..."

Mr. Fu raised his head. Face pale, breath ragged, voice gravelly and terrified.

His trembling hand pointed straight at his son. "What the hell did you give me?!"

Fu Xiaoyuan froze. His palms were already slick with sweat.

"I, I... Dad, I didn’t..."

Die! Just die already!

His brain shut down. Panic rose like a tide, drowning out reason. All he could do was stare, eyes wide, face twisted.

He couldn’t even hide the look anymore.

Just die, damn it!

If Mr. Fu died, everything would be over. Clean. Solved.

"Old Chen!"

Mr. Fu caught the madness in his son’s eyes, felt the mortal threat, and made his move.

He staggered toward the door, gripping the handle with all his strength, and flung it open.

"Old Chen! Call 120! And call the police!"

Fu Xiaoyuan flinched, then lunged forward like a madman.

No! He couldn’t let him live!

If the old man survived, he was dead!

But Mr. Fu slammed the door shut behind him just as Fu Xiaoyuan reached it.

And Old Chen was already there.

"Second Young Master! What are you doing?!"

The loyal housekeeper caught Mr. Fu just before he collapsed, supporting him with one arm and raising his phone with the other.

"Second Young Master, I’ve called 110 already! Don’t make this worse!"

Buzz.

The sound of the emergency call line still rang in the air.

Fu Xiaoyuan stood frozen. The madness drained from his eyes, replaced by horror.

His legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees with a loud thud. His face turned deathly pale.

"Dad, please... don’t misunderstand. I just wanted to help when I saw you choking..."

It’s over.

Everything was over.

What the hell had gone wrong!?

Why hadn’t the poison worked like he planned? Why did the old man survive!?

His ears buzzed. He barely heard Old Chen on the phone, reporting the attempted murder.

All he could do was sit there like a puppet, shattered, ruined, and completely defeated.