The two embraced stickily for a while, then Qin Shou suddenly remembered that Su Yu was just recovering from a serious illness.
He let go of his hands, looking a little nervous at Su Yu, “You’re still not well. Are you okay right now?”
Su Yu smiled and shook his head, his small dimples appearing faintly and looking very alluring.
Qin Shou secretly squeezed his fingers, then carefully scooped the person up in his arms, holding him back to the bedroom as if he were carrying a fragile item.
“You were tired all night yesterday. You rest first; I’ll go make you something to eat.”
Qin Shou held Su Yu in one arm and pulled back the covers with the other.
However, he had clearly forgotten something very important—
Su Yu looked at the bed, his face twisted.
After a long moment, he turned to look at the person holding him in disbelief, struggling to open his mouth and say, “You have this kind of hobby?”
A-Zai’s stiff body lay on the bed, with faint black and red stains on the light-colored sheet, likely bloodstains that hadn’t been completely cleaned.
The entire bed looked like the scene of some necrophilia playtime, filled with an eerie vibe.
Qin Shou stiffly held Su Yu, uncharacteristically flustered.
He weakly opened his mouth, then seeing the expression on Su Yu’s face as if he’d discovered a new continent, he could only close his mouth in frustration.
Damn it, I can’t explain this!
Finally, Qin Shou had no choice but to carry Su Yu back to the living room, gently placed him on the sofa, and then brought a blanket to wrap him up.
Qin Shou’s face was rigid as he calmly returned to the room to clean up the “crime scene.”
If you looked closely, you’d also notice his two red ears.
He carefully placed Cubby’s body into a prepared box and then removed and folded all the bed sheets and covers.
Qin Shou unconsciously rubbed his ears, revealing a slightly silly smile.
Carrying the small box containing Cubby, Qin Shou asked Su Yu with some distress, “What should we do with Cubby’s body?”
“Let’s cremate him. Then we can set up a tombstone for him, and we can go visit him whenever we have time.”
Qin Shou nodded, thinking it was a good idea.
He could place Cubby next to his mother, so they could keep each other company.
After a simple breakfast, Qin Shou took Su Yu to arrange Cubby’s funeral.
The process went smoothly.
They first cremated Cubby’s body and then placed the urn in the cemetery.
By the time all the arrangements were done, it was almost afternoon.
Qin Shou parked the car by the cemetery and quietly looked out the window.
Through the car window, he saw a continuous expanse of grey tombstones, standing silently. Silent and solemn.
“My mother is here too. It’s been eighteen years…”
Qin Shou turned his head, the look in his eyes unreadable.
“She’s been sleeping here for eighteen years.”
Sighing, the white mist he exhaled quickly dissipated.
Su Yu gently placed his hand over the right hand of the person beside him.
“The deceased are at peace. Your aunt would be relieved to see you doing well now.”
Squeezing the hand that was a size smaller than his own, Qin Shou tilted his head, stared at Su Yu for a while, and then suddenly smiled, “Having you, it’s really good.”
How can this person flirt so casually?
Blushing, Su Yu awkwardly changed the subject, “Let’s go back to my place first. My mom must be worried if she can’t reach me.”
Qin Shou looked at Su Yu’s evasive gaze meaningfully and smiled.
“Okay.”
***
Downstairs, the driver, who had been on duty all night and day without seeing his young master descend, called his madam with a bitter face.
“Still not out?”
Luo Xiaoman frowned, regretting her moment of weakness in letting her son go.
She hung up and tried to video call her son.
If he was still at Qin Shou’s house, he should be able to hear it.
It was all her fault for being too rushed when he left, forgetting to give Su Yu his phone.
The call interface rang for a long time, but no one answered.
No, I have to go get my son back.
Luo Xiaoman couldn’t sit still after two minutes and prepared to go retrieve her son herself.
My son’s personal space can go to hell when his mom’s concerned.
Luo Xiaoman changed her clothes and grabbed her car keys, just about to leave, when she encountered her son returning home with a “wild man.”
Luo Xiaoman looked murderously at Qin Shou, who was arm-in-arm with her son.
Let go of my son, now!
Qin Shou pretended not to see Luo Xiaoman’s displeased face, standing in front of her half-embracing Su Yu, and greeted her with a beaming smile, “Hello, Auntie.”
His tone was very fawning!
He carried the self-awareness of an ugly daughter-in-law meeting her mother-in-law.
Luo Xiaoman eyed Qin Shou sideways, deeply unwilling to acknowledge him, but seeing her foolish son looking at her expectantly, she reluctantly gave a response.
“Why are you only coming back now?”
“We went to handle Cubby, A-Huang’s funeral arrangements,” Su Yu quickly answered this time, cleverly sensing the undercurrents between the two.
Su Yu tried to lighten the mood.
Qin Shou chuckled inwardly and quietly pinched Su Yu’s waist, calmly agreeing, “Hmm.”
Having his ticklish spot pinched, Su Yu barely managed to suppress a laugh.
He lifted his foot and stomped on the person behind him, breaking free from Qin Shou’s embrace.
He then stepped forward and linked arms with his mother, obediently saying, “Mom. I’m hungry, let’s go inside.”
***
Luo Xiaoman glanced at Qin Shou with a hint of triumph, smiling as she stroked her son’s head, “I asked Auntie to stew your favorite soup. It’s just right to drink now.”
So, the mother and son entered the house, chatting and laughing.
Rubbing his nose, the intentionally forgotten CEO Qin had no choice but to brazenly follow them in.
Everyone was in the living room.
The whole group surrounded Su Yu like he was a foreign curiosity, watching him slowly drink his soup.
Qin Shou coughed.
The others turned to look at him for a moment, then turned back to continue watching Su Yu drink his soup.
The completely ignored CEO Qin could only quietly find a spot in the corner and sit down, silent as a chicken, waiting for Young Master Su to finish his soup.
After contentedly finishing a bowl of soup, Su Yu habitually licked his lips.
Looking at Qin Shou, who was sitting ramrod straight in the corner, his stomach was full, and his anger naturally dissipated.
Su Yu naturally walked over and pulled Qin Shou to the front of everyone, introducing him, “This is Qin Shou, my… good friend.”
Luo Jianyuan’s expression was calm, … Luo Jianyang, “Pfft~”
Luo Xiaoman glared fiercely at the innocent-looking CEO Qin beside her.
Everyone present felt incredibly complex emotions.
What was to be done with their own child being so naive?
However, they all unanimously refrained from exposing the truth, enthusiastically expressing, “It’s truly gratifying that our A-Yu has finally made a good friend!”
Although Su Yu found his family’s behavior a little strange, he thought it might be because this was his first time bringing a friend home, so they were overly excited?
Qin Shou continued to maintain his mysterious smile.
***
After dinner at the Luo family’s, Qin Shou was ready to go home.
Although he was a bit reluctant, he knew that the Luo family wouldn’t let him take Su Yu, and he had no reason to stay either.
The two, reluctant to part, said their goodbyes at the door.
Qin Shou then drove home alone.
He had arrived with someone, but he was leaving alone.
The thought was a bit desolate.
However, he soon had no time for idle thoughts.
—Lin Xiao sent news: the evidence had been obtained.
Inside the safe deposit box, besides the recordings from back then, there was also a small half-bottle of the incense, perfectly preserved.
After testing, they would know exactly what it was.
Qin Shou gently caressed the steering wheel, a nearly cruel expression on his face.
The plan had been in motion for so long; it was time to close the net.
His fingers rhythmically tapped the steering wheel.
Qin Shou took out his phone and scrolled through his contacts.
Finally, at the very bottom, he saw the name he wanted.
With a light tap, he dialed the number.
The phone beeped twice, then was quickly answered.
The person on the other end seemed a little agitated, asking hesitantly, “A-A-Shou?”
“It’s me.”
Parking the car downstairs, Qin Shou relaxed his body and leaned back in the seat.
The man on the phone seemed to be searching for words.
After a while, he hesitantly asked, “You’re looking for me… is there something wrong?”
Feeling his words might be ambiguous, he quickly added, “I’m not saying I mind you calling me, it’s just… it’s just…”
Just what?
The man stammered for a long time without finishing his sentence.
Qin Shou, slightly annoyed, interrupted him, “I’m just calling to tell you something.”
The man meekly shut his mouth, saying no more.
“About what happened back then, I’ve found the evidence. From now on, I don’t want you to interfere.”
Qin Shou’s tone was cold and firm, leaving no room for the man to object.
Heavy breathing came through the receiver.
After a long moment, the man’s disheartened voice came through, “I understand.”
Qin Shou sneered and hung up the phone.
That man was always like this.
So cowardly he didn’t want to be looked at twice.
His only moment of assertiveness was probably when he insisted on marrying his mother.
But the result was still a miserable end.
Driving the car into the garage, Qin Shou forced himself not to dwell on the past.
Now that he had both human and material evidence, it would be easy to send Qin Rui to jail for a few years, but that wasn’t the result Qin Shou wanted.
He wanted Qin Rui dead.
His mother had died, a double tragedy, that year.
Now, Qin Rui had to pay with blood for a blood debt.
Otherwise, how could the wrongly departed find peace?