SVWL Chapter 103

Qin Junhong was dragged out of the private room by two bodyguards. The people from the art class next door happened to bump into them. Recognizing Qin Junhong, they were so shocked that they quickly retreated back into their room.

“Damn, guess who I just saw? Zhu Xin’s stepbrother! He got knocked out and dragged away!”

“Knocked out? No way!”

Curious, someone else rushed out, but the bodyguards were incredibly efficient, and Qin Junhong was no longer in the hallway. The person turned to look at the next room and saw a familiar side profile.

The door to the private room closed again.

“Stepbrother? Wait, isn’t that Zhu Xin’s real brother? Why is Zhu Tong in a place like this? Is he really all better?”

“Zhu Tong? Where?”

The door opened for the third time, but Zhu Tong was also no longer in the hallway. Only someone leaning against the wall playing with their phone was left. A girl peeked out and was immediately smitten.

“Oh my god, girls, there’s a handsome guy outside! In a suit, super handsome! I need to go talk to him!”

“Handsome guy? Isn’t that Zhu Tong? Who exactly is out there? Why does everyone see someone different?”

After the confusion, someone finally reacted and looked around the room. “Where’s Zhu Xin?”

“Yeah, where’s Zhu Xin? Sisi, give her a call…”

They instinctively looked for the person closest to Zhu Xin in the room and found Qi Sisi sitting alone in the corner, staring blankly, her face as white as a sheet of paper.

---

In the adjacent private room, Shao Ming didn’t go inside. The siblings sat on the sofa, silent for a long time.

Zhu Xin didn’t act spoiled towards Zhu Tong like she usually did, nor did she display the cold indifference she had shown when dealing with Qin Junhong. She looked like a child waiting to be scolded, nervously fiddling with her nails.

Zhu Tong moved his lips and asked, “When did you find out?”

As soon as he spoke, Zhu Xin knew he must have heard everything.

The bodyguards in the room must have noticed but didn’t warn her.

Thinking about what she had just said, Zhu Xin wanted to go out and jump off the corridor… It was too embarrassing!

She raised her head and said, “Ge, I…”

Zhu Tong said, “Why didn’t you tell me when you found out?”

Then he paused.

‘What would telling me do?’

‘It was obvious that Xiao Xin had known for a long time, much longer than I had.’

Previously, he was in the hospital, barely able to take care of himself. What could he have done if he had known?

He had sent Zhu Xin to their grandfather’s house, with the system’s guarantee, but it was always a source of guilt for him… He hadn’t trusted their grandfather.

He lacked confidence. He feared the day would come when they would be unwanted children.

He feared their grandfather would be like their father, whose affection was only temporary.

He had many concerns, and maybe Zhu Xin did too.

But he had the system to share his burden when he found out, while Zhu Xin had to bear it alone.

In the family, the person she trusted and relied on the most besides himself was the one she overheard saying those things. Was she scared?

She was so young. How hurt must she have been?

Zhu Tong’s heart ached as if pricked by needles. He reached out and pulled Zhu Xin into his arms.

Zhu Xin was startled by his sudden action, and her nose tingled with a sour feeling. “Ge, I didn’t want to worry you.”

Zhu Tong hugged her and murmured, “Mmm.” Then he asked, “Did you think about telling Dad?”

Zhu Xin smiled bitterly. “I was scared. After I heard them, I went back to my room and called him. He said he was busy and told me to talk to Aunt Qin if I had any problems.”

“……”

Zhu Xin lowered her head and said, “I also tried to suggest we move out, but he disagreed.”

“……”

Disappointment accumulates with each failed attempt.

“So I could only pretend to know nothing. I wanted to secretly collect evidence and wait until there was enough to present it to Dad. I wanted to wait until they left the Zhu family before telling you.”

She didn’t expect that the first to leave the Zhu family would be the two of them, the siblings.

Zhu Tong listened quietly, but his mind was on what the system had told him.

If Xiao Xin had known the true nature of Qin Junhong and his mother early on and had reliable evidence, why didn’t she present it to Zhu Shoushan until after the college entrance exams?

Zhu Tong suddenly called her, “Xiao Xin.”

Zhu Xin: “Hmm?”

“If…” Zhu Tong paused, then said, “If I died, what would you do?”

Zhu Xin abruptly raised her head, her eyes reddening as she looked at him.

Zhu Tong’s breath caught, and he hurriedly said, “I mean, if. I’m fine now, really fine.”

Zhu Xin hugged his arm tighter and said, “If you dare to leave me, I’ll leave A City and never come back to see you.”

Zhu Tong: “…”

It was supposed to be a humorous, petulant remark, but Zhu Tong couldn’t laugh.

Because if he died, Zhu Xin would really do that.

She would give up making Zhu Shoushan see the true nature of Qin Junhong and his mother because it would be unnecessary.

She would leave the Zhu family after graduating from high school, leave the city, and let those parasites gnaw away at the things their father valued most.

But she didn’t manage to leave, because of her friend’s presumptuousness, because Qin Junhong ruined her.

Zhu Xin leaned her head on Zhu Tong’s shoulder, and Zhu Tong raised his hand to pat her head. “I won’t leave you.”

This time, he certainly wouldn’t.

Zhu Xin responded with a muffled “hmm” and then asked, “Ge, do you blame me?”

Zhu Tong asked, “Blame you for what?”

“For not telling you. Was I really awful just now?”

“Just now?” Zhu Tong thought about how Zhu Xin sat on the sofa with her legs crossed and smiled. “No, you were very cool. You had a cool Jiejie’s aura.”

Zhu Xin: “…”

“Ge.”

Zhu Tong responded softly, “Hmm.”

Zhu Xin rested her head on his shoulder and said, “Is it wrong for me not to open up to friends?”

If she had been more honest and clearly expressed her aversion to “family”, letting her friends know what kind of person Qin Junhong was, would today’s incident have been avoided?

Oddly, Zhu Tong thought of Zhou Sui and his scheme.

Zhu Tong’s hatred for Qin Junhong was also used by Qin Junhong, making him a topic of gossip at school. The more hostile his attitude, the more people sided with the “stepbrother.”

He said helplessly, “It’s not your fault. There are too many ways to hurt people. You can’t guard against them all.”

…

As they left the club and prepared to go home, Zhu Xin went to the adjacent private room to say goodbye to her classmates, while Zhu Tong and Shao Ming waited in the hallway.

Occasionally, someone would pass by in the hallway, but it was no longer the faces they had seen when they first arrived.

After Shao Ming walked over, he naturally took Zhu Tong’s hand. “Finished talking?”

Zhu Tong nodded. “Hmm.”

Shao Ming asked, “Any thoughts?”

Zhu Tong looked puzzled. “Thoughts?”

“Yeah?” Shao Ming laughed lightly. “When you were eavesdropping earlier, I picked up your jaw from the floor at the door.”

Zhu Tong: “…”

He was indeed quite surprised when he first heard what Xiao Xin said.

All along, especially after the system bound itself to him, Zhu Tong always felt an indescribable sense of incongruity whenever he met Xiao Xin.

Now he understood that Xiao Xin had been hiding so much in her heart.

She always showed him her purest and most carefree side, carrying everything alone.

The primary feeling was heartache, but…

Zhu Tong smiled and said, “I was quite surprised, but also relieved.”

Shao Ming raised an eyebrow, “Relieved?”

Zhu Tong said, “A bit, yes.”

He hadn’t expected to use the word “relieved” about himself so soon.

Xiao Xin was stronger than he had thought; even without him, she wouldn’t be bullied.

And the way Xiao Xin just confronted Qin Junhong was really quite cool.

With that in mind, Zhu Tong suddenly turned to look at Shao Ming.

Shao Ming squeezed his fingers, “What’s wrong?”

Zhu Tong awkwardly asked, “Um… when I used to confront people, what did I look like?”

He suddenly realized that ever since he was discharged from the hospital, Shao Ming had been present almost every time he confronted someone.

In the heat of the moment, how did he appear to others?

Was he too aggressive? Or did he look fierce?

Would Shao Ming think he was a troublemaker?

He suddenly understood why Xiao Xin had been so nervous in front of him just now.

Shao Ming asked, “Why are you asking about this?”

Zhu Tong looked away and said, “…Just curious.”

“Hmmm…” Shao Ming pretended to ponder, “I don’t quite remember. How about next time you confront someone, I record it for you?”

Zhu Tong: “…”

‘Does he really think I’m a troublemaker, always eager to confront people?’

Zhu Tong quietly defended himself, “I don’t confront just anyone.”

Shao Ming pressed his lips to suppress a smile. Holding Zhu Tong’s hand, he pulled him closer, “I’m teasing you. When you confront people, you’re full of energy and presence. It makes people feel very safe.”

Zhu Tong’s eyes lit up, “Really?”

Shao Ming nodded, “Yes, I like it very much.”

Zhu Tong’s lips curled into a small smile, his heart sweet with happiness.

Shao Ming resisted the urge to pull him into an embrace and whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry about these things. I like you no matter how you are. What I like most…”

The rest of his words were lost in the warm breath close to Zhu Tong’s ear.

Zhu Tong froze, his ears turning red. He turned to glare at Shao Ming, “Don’t say such things in public.”

Shao Ming looked aggrieved, “I’m just telling the truth.”

“……”

Zhu Tong’s cheeks turned bright red.

Shao Ming spoke about not wearing clothes and such…

He avoided looking at Shao Ming, turning his head to the side, feeling Shao Ming’s fingers intertwining with his. His face grew even redder, but he didn’t pull his hand away, savoring the warm and delicate touch between their fingers. He felt like he was about to explode.

---

The three of them took a car back home, and Grandpa Cheng had already returned to the villa.

Zhu Tong had been on edge since the morning, and after attending the party and all the commotion, he was very tired by the time they got home. However, he hadn’t forgotten to explain the headache situation to Shao Ming.

He also needed to clarify which of Xia Yang’s words triggered his and Jiang Wenhan’s headaches.

As soon as he stepped through the door, the butler was waiting for him.

“Young Master, Elder Cheng wants you to go upstairs to see him when you get back.”

Zhu Tong: “…”

He glanced upstairs and nodded, “Okay, I’ll go to my room to change first.”

He turned to Shao Ming, said a word, and then headed upstairs.

Shao Ming hesitated about whether to go upstairs or stay in the living room for a while. He suddenly saw Zhu Xin glance at him and then walk towards the living room.

“…”

Pausing for a moment, Shao Ming followed her slowly.

The girl in front suddenly stopped, and before he could react, a roundhouse kick was aimed directly at his face.

“Young Lady!” The servant exclaimed.

Shao Ming, sensing it, easily caught her ankle.

The maid who was about to pour them water covered her mouth in shock, clearly frightened.

The villa fell into an eerie silence.

A few seconds later, Zhu Xin moved her leg. Shao Ming released her, and she immediately retracted her leg, turning to the maid with a smile, “Lin-jie, we were just playing around. Can you heat up a cup of milk for me?”

The maid called Lin-jie: “…Oh, okay.”

Seeing that they were indeed fine, the maid breathed a sigh of relief.

After she left, Shao Ming raised an eyebrow slightly, “Nice roundhouse kick, just a bit lacking in strength.”

Seeing that he wasn’t scared or angry, Zhu Xin huffed, “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”

Shao Ming nodded, “I can tell.”

Back in Gongshui County, during their first meeting, Zhu Xin’s attitude towards him wasn’t very friendly. But later, her attitude changed. Living under the same roof these past few days, she hadn’t shown any dissatisfaction.

Shao Ming knew it was because of Zhu Tong.

So, was she letting herself go now?

Zhu Xin looked at Shao Ming, “If you ever treat Ge badly, I’ll really kick you.”

Shao Ming didn’t make any promises. After a moment of silence, he said, “You two really are twins.”

Zhu Xin: “…What do you mean?”

Shao Ming smiled, “Show your claws to outsiders, but at home, you’re as soft as a kitten.”

“…”

Seeing her puzzled look, Shao Ming added, “I mean, he treats me the same way.”

Zhu Xin: “…”

Zhu “Single Dog” Xin was hit hard by the dog food from her future sister-in-law and lost the round.

Seeing the slightly smug yet cheeky smile on Shao Ming’s face, Zhu Xin thought, ‘Maybe I should just kick him now!’

Then she heard Shao Ming say earnestly, “Don’t worry, I will do my best to treat him well. I love him.”

Zhu Xin: “…”

She swallowed another ton of dog food, and this time it was self-inflicted.

Her sister-in-law was so cheeky!

---

Upstairs, Zhu Tong also encountered a difficult situation.

After showing concern for Zhu Xin, Cheng Qingsong directly asked him a soul-searching question, “How did you know there would be problems with the people around Zhu Xin?”

“…”

“Before the problem was solved, I didn’t question what you were doing. But now that it’s solved, I need your honesty.”

At this point, even if Zhu Tong said he dreamed about the future, Cheng Qingsong wouldn’t find it strange.

His grandson had too many mysterious and peculiar aspects.

Zhu Tong, now unburdened, didn’t hesitate for long before telling his grandfather everything.

With Shao Ming paving the way and his grandfather’s constant care and unconditional trust, Zhu Tong felt at peace when he revealed the system.

He talked about everything, including the system tasks.

Grandpa Cheng was deeply shocked but didn’t show it on his face.

He remained silent for a long time before asking, “Your health, is it because of that?”

Zhu Tong: “…Yes.”

“So you really survived because of that kid?”

Zhu Tong pressed his lips together, “I survived because of him, but Grandpa, I’m with him not just because of that. I like him and want to be with him, without any other reason.”

Cheng Qingsong: “…”

These words sounded familiar.

Grandpa Cheng’s expression grew complicated for a moment before he asked, “If I don’t approve of you two being together, what will you do?”

Zhu Tong was silent for a moment, “I’ll aim for a score of 700 on my final exams next semester.”

Cheng Qingsong: “…”

If he couldn’t gain approval, he would strive to become so excellent that he wouldn’t need it. He would become so excellent that he could support their future on his own.

In the end, his grandfather said nothing, but Zhu Tong could sense his relief.

Coming down from upstairs, Zhu Tong went to Shao Ming’s room. Seeing Shao Ming coming out of the bathroom, he didn’t care about his state and quickly walked up to hug him tightly.

Shao Ming’s hair was still wet when he was hugged. He instinctively spread his arms before slowly placing them on Zhu Tong’s back. “…what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Zhu Tong said. “Just let me hold you for a while.”

A lot had happened today, and he didn’t know where to start.

He took a deep breath while holding Shao Ming and then slowly exhaled. “Is Xiao Xin asleep?”

Shao Ming replied, “She’s already gone to her room.”

Zhu Tong, his face buried in Shao Ming’s chest, murmured, “Mm.”

Shao Ming asked, “What did your grandfather say?”

Zhu Tong shook his head slightly. “Nothing much. He mentioned the decision regarding Qin Junhong. He said he would try to keep him in there for a few more years.”

Even if he got out eventually, he would no longer have the opportunity to appear in A City.

Lost in thought, Zhu Tong suddenly straightened up from Shao Ming’s embrace. “I have something to tell you.”

About the system tasks that Xia Yang had inadvertently exposed.

Shao Ming’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Mm, go ahead.”

Just as Zhu Tong was about to speak, his phone rang. He looked down at it.

It was a number he didn’t recognize.

He looked up at Shao Ming.

Shao Ming said, “It’s okay, answer it first.”

“…”

Zhu Tong answered the call and put it on speaker.

A voice came through the speaker. “Zhu Tong? This is Jiang Wenhan.”

Zhu Tong and Shao Ming exchanged glances. Zhu Tong responded with a simple “Yes.”

Jiang Wenhan’s voice sounded confused. “Did I… ever pursue you before?”

Shao Ming: “…”

Zhu Tong: “…”

Zhu Tong felt as if he had been struck by lightning.