As the door opened, a man dressed in black, with a well-proportioned physique, walked in.
His eyes were like stars, his brows sharp as swords, and his cheeks were chiseled as if by a knife and axe.
Qin Yian instinctively swallowed.
“…Big Brother.”
“Why are you only just coming back? Working overtime?”
“You probably haven’t had breakfast yet, right?”
“Or should I ask Aunt Liu to make some?”
Seeing Qin Yichen remain silent for a long time, Qin Yian shouted upstairs.
“Aunt Liu!”
The moment he turned, no longer having to face Qin Yichen directly, Qin Yian let out a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart, but immediately held his breath again.
“Coming, coming…”
A short, plump auntie came down from upstairs, holding a rag.
The moment she saw Qin Yichen, she respectfully greeted him.
“Young Master.”
“Help me fry some bacon and sausages, and two runny eggs. As for Big Brother…”
Qin Yian didn’t dare to make decisions on his own, so he cast an inquiring look at Qin Yichen.
“A cup of coffee, two slices of bread.”
Qin Yichen instructed, then walked directly to the dining table and sat down.
Qin Yian sighed softly; he felt that his Big Brother’s life held no joy whatsoever.
So “dead” at such a young age.
Aunt Liu nodded in agreement. As she walked towards the kitchen, she didn’t forget to smile and look at Qin Yimo, asking, “What would Miss like to eat?”
“I’m not eating.”
“Not eating breakfast will hurt your stomach.” “I said no need!”
Qin Yimo’s voice suddenly rose, sounding slightly impatient, but the next second, seeing Qin Yichen by the dining table, her attitude immediately softened, “…Just make theirs.”
“Alright, then remember to tell me if you get hungry.”
Aunt Liu no longer insisted.
As the aroma of coffee filled the hall, Qin Yichen’s gaze landed on Qin Yimo’s delicate and alluring face, and he said, “If there’s nothing else, go upstairs.”
Qin Yimo neither agreed nor refused.
She looked at Qin Yichen, then at Qin Yian, a hint of difficulty on her face.
It was Qin Yian who resigned himself.
He knew that at this point in the atmosphere, if he didn’t want to leave gracefully, Big Brother would help him leave gracefully.
“Little Sister, go upstairs.”
Qin Yimo pursed her lips and walked away somewhat hesitantly.
It wasn’t until Aunt Liu brought two breakfasts to the table and left that Qin Yichen spoke, “Where did you go yesterday?”
As he spoke, Qin Yichen picked up his coffee and took a sip, the rich, bitter aroma wafting towards him.
***
Just like chain smokers. Drinking in the morning, before bed, while working, while resting…
He loved bitter coffee, the bitterer, the better. No milk, no sugar, steaming hot and freshly brewed.
He could drink several cups a day; it made him feel alive.
Qin Yian didn’t dare to speak.
He looked up, met those emotionless eyes, and immediately felt a chill down his spine, like he was being stalked by a fierce wolf.
“Uh… uh…”
Qin Yichen’s face was grim, “Did I not tell you he’s being released from prison today? Mom and Dad are busy, so I asked you to keep it from everyone and ‘invite’ him back for me?”
Hearing this suddenly in the usually warm villa, goosebumps instantly rose on Qin Yian’s body.
“Yes, yes…”
“Qin Yian!”
Qin Yichen suddenly hurled the coffee cup at Qin Yian’s face, roaring, “What can you even remember? It’s been like this since we were kids! Wasn’t Little Sister lost because of you?!”
Crack—!!
The coffee cup grazed his cheek and smashed against the wall, making a crisp sound, and fragments splattered everywhere.
Soon, red trickles of blood began to seep from Qin Yian’s delicate, pale cheek.
Qin Yian trembled all over, ignoring the blood on his face, letting it flow freely downwards.
Even his words were stammering, “Brother, I… I’ll go now.”
Qin Yichen didn’t answer, just tilted his head, looking at him, and coldly asked, “Why are you feigning fear? Is Little Sister’s matter completely unimportant to you?”
“Qin Yian! Let me tell you, Little Sister was lost because of the two of us. You remember this for life!”
Qin Yichen’s eyes were bloodshot, his appearance terrifyingly grim, “I don’t care how old you were then, or if you still have memories or feelings after all these years, but Little Sister has been missing for so many years. Those people who are still alive are in prison, but not a single one admits to being the mastermind. And you actually had the nerve to go drinking?!”
“…I’ll go now!”
“Don’t bother yourself, I’ve already been to see him.”
Qin Yichen said, taking off his jacket.
With just one look, Qin Yian recoiled several steps in fear, simply because Qin Yichen’s clothes were soaked with blood, stained brown.
But he was unconcerned, clenching the bread in his hand into a ball, “His mouth is as stubborn as ever. He only said he was responsible for kidnapping Little Sister, and after the handover, he knew nothing else…”
“It must be an enemy! Otherwise, they wouldn’t even demand a ransom.”
The kidnappers took Little Sister, two large living people, and brazenly disappeared from the cameras on the cliff.
The police and family searched the valley bottom repeatedly, finding no clues.
No body was found alive, no corpse when dead. In the end, the case was closed with “a wild beast carried her away.”
This defied logic; it was eerie in every way.
According to the accomplice’s testimony in court, someone paid a large sum of money to kidnap a little girl, but no one knew it was from the Qin family.
Then they should have demanded a ransom, right?
None.
Vanished into thin air.
What was all that money for, just to shatter their family?
What kind of hatred, what kind of grudge?
There’s an old Chinese saying, “Forgive others whenever you can.”
Even if they truly were enemies, following the principle of “you’re good, I’m good, everyone’s good,” it wouldn’t escalate to this point.
Paper can’t wrap fire.
When the truth finally comes to light, do you think you’ll have a good outcome?
Qin Yian couldn’t understand, and he didn’t want to think about it.
Only Big Brother, after all these years, still couldn’t move past this incident…
Even Father and Mother, after being counselled by many, adopted Yimo afterwards to comfort themselves and them.
“Qin Yian! You remember this: Little Sister is missing, neither alive nor dead. Before there’s a result, you rein yourself in! You have no right to be carefree, and neither do I.”
Qin Yian’s heart was heavy, but he dared not retort.
You can search for anything, but never search for the truth.
If given the choice, some people would prefer to live a lifetime in a lie.
He had originally intended to persuade Big Brother, but seeing his expression, he abandoned that plan.
Big Brother was stubborn and wouldn’t give up until he achieved his goal.
What he decided was also very hard to change.
Besides, if he spoke out to persuade him, he feared it would only stir up Big Brother’s grief over those old wounds even more.
In that case, things would move in a completely opposite direction.
This was not what he wanted either.
“I understand… As for the prison side, I’ll keep an eye on the remaining people.”
He paused, then Qin Yian said worriedly, “But with Yimo, don’t always look so stern. It’s not her fault.”
“I didn’t say it was her fault.”
“…Then at least call her Little Sister. It’s been so many years.”
Qin Yichen looked up at Qin Yian’s bright red left cheek and said calmly, “My Little Sister hasn’t come home yet. If it were you, and one day you came back to find no place for yourself in your home, how would you feel?”
He lowered his head again, sighed deeply, and a heavy sense of powerlessness washed over him, “Now with Mom, Dad, and you, that’s enough.”
Upstairs.
The faint sound of footsteps faded into the distance.