Chapter 46: I’m an Old Cat Lover

As summer approached, the complicated case involving so many people finally came to a close.

All those involved had been arrested.

Su Qingwen, as an accomplice, was charged with trading illegal goods, murder, and participation in organized terrorist attacks… the list of accusations was long, and he was ultimately sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.

If he behaved well in prison, there was a chance for leniency; the death sentence might be commuted to life imprisonment.

But for the latter half of his life, Su Qingwen could only die behind bars.

Qin Rui’s crimes were equally severe.

His connections with the others were even closer, and his offenses more numerous than Su Qingwen’s.

On top of that, his earlier orchestration of a plot to murder Qin Shou was uncovered.

Qin Rui had no chance to redeem himself and was sentenced to death on the spot.

But Qin Shou wasn’t willing to let him simply die like that.

He arranged for someone to issue a diagnosis of mental illness for Qin Rui, successfully getting him transferred out.

The mental hospital was carefully chosen by Qin Shou.

It was said to be heavily guarded, with doctors and nurses rich in experience, and most importantly, all patients inside were severely mentally ill.

Day and night, Qin Rui would be surrounded by those severe cases, experiencing the despair and fear that Qin Shou’s mother had felt back then.

That was the fate Qin Rui deserved.

Death was the greatest salvation; Qin Rui didn’t deserve it.

There was no way he would be allowed to die so easily, Qin Shou lowered his eyes, thick eyelashes shielding the coldness within them.

Old Master Qin had died, Qin Rui was locked away in the mental hospital, and the dismantling and restructuring of the Qin family had already begun.

Soon, it would be completely absorbed by Tengfei.

From now on, in the capital, there would be no more Qin family.

No more Qin Corporation—only Qin Shou.

Everyone’s endings had already been arranged.

The grand building had collapsed, each going their own way.

The long-planned drama was finally over.

Qin Shou quietly looked at the family photo on the computer screen.

In the photo, a young, handsome man gently lowered his head to look at the woman in his arms.

The woman cradled a small child, who curiously looked at the camera with large, bright eyes full of life.

The child’s tiny mouth was slightly open, revealing two newly grown baby teeth.

The three of them wore happy smiles.

The happier the memories, the more painful the reality was to bear.

Qin Shou reached out and gently stroked the smooth screen.

— How should I deal with you, my dear father?

Su Yu came out after his shower, just in time to see the unfinished expression on Qin Shou’s face.

The man’s eyes were slightly lowered, staring blankly at the photo on the screen.

His expression shifted quickly, and within moments, froze into a cold smile.

His stroking hand stopped on the man’s face in the photo.

Su Yu’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

He put down the towel he was using to dry his hair, quietly walked behind Qin Shou, and reached out to cover his eyes.

Feigning a light tone, he asked, “What are you looking at?”

Startled by the sudden cover, Qin Shou stiffened for a moment before relaxing as he recognized the familiar touch.

He leaned back against Su Yu, his voice calm, “Nothing, just some old photos.”

Su Yu withdrew his hand and moved closer to him.

His hair was still damp from the shower, carrying a faint scent of shampoo—clean and pleasant.

Qin Shou inhaled deeply, pulling Su Yu closer and pressing a hard breath into the back of his neck.

The fresh scent of youth dispelled the darkness in Qin Shou’s heart, brightening his mood.

He took a towel nearby and slowly began drying Su Yu’s hair.

Su Yu obediently sat still, racking his brain for a way to start the conversation.

The dry towel, strong hands, and the familiar masculine scent surrounding him.

Su Yu leaned forward against Qin Shou, resting his forehead on the man’s abdomen and wrapping his arms around his waist, holding him still.

His voice muffled through clothing, he asked, “What are you planning to do?”

Qin Shou’s hand paused for a moment, then resumed its movements as if nothing had happened.

His tone was casual, “Do what?”

Su Yu’s heart tensed, momentarily unsure how to continue.

After a brief silence, he bit his lip and asked cautiously, “I mean… your father…”

Qin Shou stopped drying his hair, lowered his head to look at Su Yu, his expression unreadable.

“Why are you suddenly asking about him?”

Su Yu’s nerves jumped.

Gathering courage, he let go of him and stared at Qin Shou seriously.

“Let’s talk.”

Qin Shou kept his head lowered, his hands drooping helplessly.

He parted his lips as if to say something but ultimately chose silence.

Su Yu took the towel from Qin Shou’s hands, set it aside, and pulled him to sit on the balcony.

It was already night.

The balcony was dark.

Su Yu wanted to turn on the light, but Qin Shou reached out and stopped him.

Su Yu saw his lips press tightly together and, resigned, sat down in the chair under the faint glow of distant lights.

The flickering light cast unstable shadows on them, making everything feel unreal.

Spring had just passed, and the weather hadn’t fully warmed.

A gentle breeze carried a hint of chill.

Su Yu shivered slightly, exhaling warm breath onto his hands.

Qin Shou leaned over to straighten his clothes, then stood to close the open window.

He silently sat back down by the table, his deep eyes quietly watching Su Yu.

— Like a prisoner awaiting judgment.

Su Yu felt his heart ache but knew the question had to be faced sooner or later.

Qin Shou had been trapped by hatred for too long.

Now that the Qin family was finished, Qin Shou shouldn’t remain stuck in the swamp of bitterness.

Carefully choosing his words, Su Yu asked, “What are you planning to do with your father?”

Qin Shou tilted his head slightly, half his face hidden in shadow.

“Do you really want to know?”

Su Yu clenched his fingers and nodded.

Qin Shou’s lips twitched stiffly into a smile more sorrowful than tears.

“I locked him up.”

Su Yu’s heart trembled as he met Qin Shou’s calm eyes.

“I locked him in the old Qin family mansion, in my mother’s bedroom.”

A chill swept over him.

The clouds in the sky slowly covered the faint moonlight, dimming the entire night.

Qin Shou’s face was concealed by shadows, backlit.

Su Yu sighed, looking at Qin Shou’s fragile, guarded posture.

He walked around the table and hugged him tightly.

“Aunt has already passed away. Why do you torment yourself like this?”

Though he couldn’t bring himself to take action, he could only lock the man away in the old mansion.

Qin Shou’s body stiffened against Su Yu’s embrace.

The young man’s scent was fresh and clean, his warm body radiating through the clothes.

“He killed my mother.”

If it weren’t for his cowardice, mother wouldn’t have died.

He could never forget how painfully insane she became—his broken mother repeatedly asking: Why didn’t father come back?

Why didn’t he come back?

Why didn’t he come back to see them that one time?

He had just left them mother and son alone in the old Qin mansion.

Qin Shou always wondered why his father never returned.

Mother was so sad.

He was so sad.

Why didn’t he come back?

Since he didn’t return then, there was no need to come back now.

Thinking of the past, Qin Shou’s hatred nearly overwhelmed him.

That period after his mother’s accident was the darkest memory he had.

Fear and helplessness mixed with intense hatred, fermenting over more than a decade—enough to change a person.

Qin Shou buried his face deep in Su Yu’s chest, unwilling to let him see this terrifying side.

Su Yu gently patted his back until the man calmed down again.

“Ah Shou, the Qin family is already fallen. Aunt’s revenge has been settled. She wouldn’t want you trapped in hatred over the past.”

Qin Shou held him quietly, saying nothing.

Su Yu sighed again, forcibly pulling him away, and looked into Qin Shou’s eyes seriously.

“The past is the past. Those unrelated people—we shouldn’t care about them anymore, okay?”

Qin Shou pressed his lips tightly and lowered his eyes, silently protesting.

Su Yu was at a loss with him.

Frustrated, he planted a fierce kiss on his forehead.

“Can’t we just be happy together?”

Qin Shou’s eyes flickered, finally breaking his silence.

He quietly agreed, “Okay.”

So you choose to speak now.

Su Yu gave him a playful, exasperated look, but his heart ached all the same.

He gave up and said, “Fine, as long as you’re happy. But you have to promise me,” Su Yu looked at him seriously, “Don’t do anything you shouldn’t. I’m still waiting to grow old with you…”

Qin Shou was stunned.

His eyes suddenly brightened.

“Okay.”

Growing old together—a beautiful, touching promise.

With Qin Shou’s assurance, Su Yu felt much more at ease.

Since Qin Shou had promised, he would keep it.

He wouldn’t try to cross any boundaries.

As for everything else, Su Yu didn’t want to interfere.

After all the years Qin Shou had endured, some emotions needed to be released.