Additional Inheritance - Chap 52
Chapter 52.1
Chinese New Year was coming, so everything became expensive, making it difficult to find workmen. Although Wen Xiaohui wanted the renovations to be fully complete, there was no way that they could meet the deadline. In addition, they didn’t want to spend unnecessary money. After he discussed it with his mum, they decided to stop the work temporarily and to start again after Chinese New Year.
Luo Rui’s parents were sure to come home for Chinese New Year, so Wen Xiaohui and his mum felt too embarrassed to continue staying over at his house, leaving Feng Yuehua with no option but to move to the house that Yaya left them.
They brought just a few pieces of luggage with them when they moved in. Being in an unfamiliar house in an unfamiliar neighbourhood gave the impression that they were lodging under someone else’s roof1.
Wen Xiaohui was exhausted after finishing work, lying on the bed and humming. Luo Yi pressed Wen Xiaohui’s legs together. “When do you have time off?”
“I’m going to be busy until Chinese New Year’s Eve. A lot of people choose New Year’s Eve to style their hair.”
“You’ve been too tired recently – doing renovations and working. You should take some time off.”
Wen Xiaohui shook his head. “No, there’s a lot of work to do at the end of the year. I can earn loads of money.”
Luo Yi stroked Wen Xiaohui’s head. “Why must you work so hard? I can support you financially.”
Wen Xiaohui smiled as he wrapped his arms around Luo Yi’s neck. “Money isn’t the most important factor: it’s the sense of accomplishment. I’m going to release a book next year and I’m currently busy with my website. I feel very happy despite being busy.”
Luo Yi kissed him. “Then leave the renovations to me, so you’re not distracted.”
“Renovation work has stopped for the moment. Let’s talk about it after the New Year.
“Isn’t Auntie in a rush to move back in? There’s no such thing as stopping work. You just have to offer more money and you’ll be able to find someone. It just so happens that I’m free at the end of the year. Give me the phone number of the engineer who is working for you. You don’t have to worry about anything else. I guarantee that after New Year’s, I’ll give you back a brand new apartment.”
“Luo Yi…” Wen Xiaohui felt so moved that he stared at him.
Luo Yi smiled. “It’s painful to see you so exhausted.”
Wen Xiaohui used all his strength to give him a firm kiss. He said coyly, “You’re the best.” No matter what Luo Yi did as a child, or what kind of person he was, at least he treated him well, he thought to himself.
Luo Yi smiled faintly and kissed him in return. “You should go to sleep.”
After Wen Xiaohui left the renovations to Luo Yi, he was able to relax a lot more. However, in order to prevent Luo Yi and his mum from bumping into each other, he didn’t tell his mum that the work started back up again. There was going to be a surprise waiting for her in the new year.
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One day while he was working, he received a call from Ian. Ian got straight to the point and told him that he wanted to propose to his mum on Chinese New Year. He hoped that Wen Xiaohui would be able to help him.
Wen Xiaohui was so excited when he heard the news. The two of them spoke for ages. Their personalities were a good fit, so their relationship improved. Everything progressed according to plan. He promised to help Ian to organise the best proposal.
He helped Ian design the process for proposing, decorating his apartment and helping him to choose a suit and rings. He even selected meals for the New Year’s Eve menu in advance. Ian’s parents and his children were coming over from the US to celebrate Chinese New Year and to witness the major event.
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In the blink of an eye, it was the last day of the Chinese lunar calendar.
They finished work early that afternoon. Wen Xiaohui called Luo Yi while he waited for the bus. He’d left Luo Yi all alone by himself again to await the approaching Chinese New Year and he was feeling a little guilty. He wished that he could use the following year to soften his mum’s stance and perhaps the year after that they would be able to spend Chinese New Year together.
After talking for a while, Wen Xiaohui noticed the bus arriving, so he hung up. He was about to board the bus when someone suddenly grabbed his elbow. He turned around and he was stunned – it was the bodyguard dressed in black that he’d seen twice before.
The bodyguard said, “Mr Wen, my boss wants to have a chat with you. Do you mind sparing some time?”
Wen Xiaohui was shocked – a chill suddenly rose up from the soles of his feet, giving him the instinctive feeling that he was in danger. He wanted to shake off that person’s hand, but he couldn’t get free. He widened his eyes. “What do you want?”
“Just a chat.” Without allowing for any excuses, the bodyguard dragged Wen Xiaohui off the bus platform. At some stage, a black limousine had pulled up.
Wen Xiaohui said in anger, “Are you trying to kidnap me in broad daylight?”
“Mr Wen, whether it will become kidnapping is dependent on your cooperation. If you cooperate, I guarantee that you’ll be back in time to spend Chinese New Year with your family.” The bodyguard added, “I’ll personally escort you to the apartment block on XX Road2.”
Wen Xiaohui froze. How long have they been spying on him and investigating him?
The bodyguard stuffed him in the car while he was in a panic.
Wen Xiaohui took a deep breath as he discreetly grasped the mobile phone in his pocket. “Where are you taking me?”
“It’s not far from here.”
After 10 minutes, the car stopped at a hotel. Wen Xiaohui observed the hustle and bustle. It was completely unlike a place where bodies were taken to be buried in order to destroy the evidence, so he felt reassured.
He followed the bodyguard into the lift. After the bodyguard passed the fingerprint authentication, he pressed the button for the highest floor.
Wen Xiaohui was so anxious that sweat covered his entire body and he gulped incessantly.
The lift arrived with a ‘ding.’ As soon as the doors to the lift opened, the first thing he saw was an extravagant living room. The massive floor-to-ceiling windows that occupied nearly an entire wall overlooked the bustling landscape of the city.
A man sat on the sofa, but because he was in front of the source of light, Wen Xiaohui couldn’t see his face clearly. However, Wen Xiaohui could already guess who he was. He felt an urge to flee all of a sudden. He never would have imagined that he had to face ‘that person’ on his own on Chinese New Year’s Eve, when he should have been having fun with his family.
The bodyguard brought Wen Xiaohui over and he said with respect, “Boss.” Afterwards, he said to Wen Xiaohui: “This is President3 Chang.”
“Mn.” President Chang nodded as his gaze fell on Wen Xiaohui. He said matter-of-factly, “Take a seat.”
Wen Xiaohui was so nervous that his breathing became ragged. Ever since he first set eyes on this man’s photo in Luo Yi’s room, he felt a sense of foreboding. That time when they met briefly at Luo Yi’s house gave Wen Xiaohui the opportunity to experience his oppressive manner. Seeing him in person and recalling all the rumours about him that came from various people, he couldn’t stop his heart from beating erratically. His legs felt so weak that he nearly sat down on the sofa. In his mind, only one voice remained and it roared: What the heck does he want?!
President Chang looked Wen Xiaohui up and down. “Do you know who I am?” His voice sounded very deep and slow, with a commanding presence.
Wen Xiaohui gulped and nodded gently.
“Do you know why I’m looking for you?”
Wen Xiaohui shook his head.
“I’ve known about you since you were very young.” He said impassively, “It doesn’t make sense to know nothing about someone I kept by my side. That’s why I’m aware that you’re Yaya’s younger brother.”
Wen Xiaohui clenched his fist silently – too scared to even take a larger breath.
“Yaya treated you very well. She left you so much after she passed away.”
Wen Xiaohui didn’t know how he should respond, so he could only nod stiffly.
He added, “She even put you in charge of bringing up her son.”
Wen Xiaohui’s nerves felt taut.
“I actually don’t understand this. You’re a kid yourself, but you’re supposed to raise another kid? What’s this nonsense?” President Chang lit a cigarette, crossing one leg over the other, and quietly observed Wen Xiaohui with his penetrating gaze. Even two laugh lines on his face running from his nose to the corner of his mouth seemed as deep as two blades.
Wen Xiaohui was still too scared to speak; he didn’t even dare to look him in the eye.
“I’m glad you seem to be getting on well with my son. Having one more friend can’t be bad.” He took a puff of his cigarette, then looked at Wen Xiaohui through his narrowed eyes. “To be honest, I never thought he’d be able to get along with anyone.”
“What do you mean by that?” asked Wen Xiaohui who had summoned all his courage.
President Chang gave him a superficial smile. “He’s rather reclusive.”
Reclusive? Was he talking about Luo Yi? In any case, the Luo Yi that he knew had absolutely nothing in common with the word reclusive. However, he’d already heard from too many people of the completely different versions of Luo Yi from the one he was familiar with – he didn’t know who to trust. He might as well trust himself instead. He took a deep breath. “You’re looking for me, because…”
“Yaya… She took some things from me. After she passed away, those things disappeared and I want to find out if those things are part of the estate you inherited.”
Wen Xiaohui’s heart tightened. His voice trembled as he said, “My sister didn’t leave anything special to me – just some money and a house.”
President Chang gave him a frosty smile. “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in your money or your house. I only want something that you’ll find useless.”
“What is it?”
President Chang leaned back onto the sofa, quietly staring at Wen Xiaohui for some time. “Do you really not know?”
Wen Xiaohui shook his head. When it came to his confusion and fear, he wasn’t pretending at all – he genuinely didn’t know anything.
“What did Yaya give you before she died?”
Wen Xiaohui’s fingers fidgeted as he tried hard to remember. “Pocket money, clothes, jewellery, and food.”
“Only those? Didn’t she give you any special objects?”
Wen Xiaohui shook his head. He looked at the man’s increasingly gloomy face. The sweat on his body formed tiny streams. “We hadn’t been in contact with each other for a good few years.”
President Chang’s piercing gaze was fixed on him. “I want you to think carefully.”
Wen Xiaohui’s body trembled, and his head felt so heavy that he was unable to lift it up. He tried his hardest to cast his mind back, but he really couldn’t think what his sister might have left him that would be considered a special object.
President Chang remained silent for a while. “Yaya left you all her property, cars, and her safe at the bank. Give me the key and the location of the safe once you’ve sorted them.”
Wen Xiaohui looked up with a vacant expression. “What?”
“I’ll give you a day’s time. This time tomorrow, I’ll send someone to collect it.”
“I-I don’t have…”
“I don’t want to keep those things. I’ll give them back to you in three days’ time.”
“No, my sister left me a house. There was no car or safe.”
President Chang slowly began to glare at him. “Do you understand the consequences of lying to me?”
Wen Xiaohui’s voice changed. “I-I’m not lying. I only have a house and some cash.”
President Chang gave his bodyguard a look and the bodyguard said, “Mr Wen, Ms Luo Yaya’s will should have included $260 million, 12 properties, two companies, six pieces of land, four cars, plus jewellery, stocks and futures contracts. In total, the value is over $300 million.”
Wen Xiaohui was dumbfounded.
What? What was he talking about? Those were the things that his sister left Luo Yi.
He came back to his senses, explaining immediately: “The findings of your investigations are the wrong way around. They were all left to Luo Yi by my sister. She just left me with a house and three million yuan in cash.”
President Chang looked over at his bodyguard again.
The bodyguard nodded in response to his boss. His manner of speaking became firm. “Mr Wen, there’s no way our investigations are wrong. Ms Luo Yaya left the house and three million yuan in cash that you mentioned to Luo Yi.”
It was as if Wen Xiaohui got struck by lightning – he froze on the spot.
His… Luo Yi’s… What was going on? Why was everything the wrong way around?
If it weren’t for the pressure from this person that made him too scared to even take a deeper breath, he would’ve unleashed a torrent of abuse. Normal people would use their brains – why would anyone leave 99% of their will to someone who wasn’t actually related to them? A brother who they hadn’t been in contact with for many years. Who would leave such a small proportion of their will to their own flesh and blood?!
The bodyguard saw that he was clearly still doubtful and he wanted to continue to explain, but President Chang waved his hand to put a stop to it. Looking at Wen Xiaohui, he said, “Why do you think that Yaya bequeathed to you a house and three million yuan?”
The more Wen Xiaohui thought about it, the more he thought it was absurd. “My sister left a suicide note for me, and there was also the contract.”
“Did Luo Yi hand it to you?”
“It was my sister’s lawyer.”
“Cao Hai?”
“Yes.”
President Chang’s lips curled into a smile and he gradually lowered his head. All of a sudden, the sound of laughter rang out. Until eventually, he laughed so much that his shoulders shook.
Seeing this, Wen Xiaohui felt both fearful and apprehensive – he couldn’t help but instinctively lean back.
President Chang laughed as he shook his head. He said with additional meaning, “He’s worthy of being my son.”
Wen Xiaohui clenched his fists as the doubt in his heart multiplied. He had an ominous feeling, which was like a dark cloud hanging over his head. He didn’t dare consider other possibilities.
“Your inheritance has been switched.” President Chang stared at him with a hint of mockery in his eyes.
Wen Xiaohui gave him a blank look. A buzzing sound was coming from his brain. A complete jumble of information spewed out at the same time, making him feel as though his brain was about to explode.
His inheritance had been switched? The $300 million that Yaya left Luo Yi was actually Wen Xiaohui’s? How could that be? How could it be possible?! He tried to recall every contract that he’d signed, especially the final one where a large inheritance was transferred to Luo Yi. Could it be that?
No, it’s impossible. If it were genuine, then Luo Yi would be… He would have been lying to him from the beginning.
Wen Xiaohui used all his energy to shake his head. He replied in a tiny voice that resembled a mosquito’s.
“I’m going to ask you three questions. Number one, are you, Luo Yi, and Cao Hai the only ones who know about this? Number two, have you checked the authenticity of all the documents and contracts? Number three, is the majority of the inheritance under Luo Yi’s name now?”
Wen Xiaohui clenched his fists. “Sun Ying knows as well.”
“Where’s Sun Ying now?”
“She might have passed away already. She said she had a terminal illness.”
President Chang laughed mockingly.
Wen Xiaohui’s voice trembled as he replied, “You’re trying to imply that Luo Yi defrauded me. Luo Yi… Luo Yi isn’t the kind of person who cares about money – he rides a bicycle everywhere and he isn’t bothered about what he eats or wears. He…” Wen Xiaohui’s voice grew fainter and fainter. He wanted to try his hardest to defend him, but he was forced to retreat by President Chang’s piercing gaze.
Rationally, he shouldn’t trust this person. How could he suspect the person he was in love with? Luo Yi hated this man and his sister must have also hated him. This person was his enemy, so how could he believe his enemy?
President Chang said indifferently, “I also suspect that the guardianship agreement was fake, since you only have Luo Yi’s side of the story. Wen Xiaohui, if you want to find out the truth, you should ask Cao Hai and Luo Yi.”
Wen Xiaohui gritted his teeth. “I trust Luo Yi.”
President Chang smiled slightly as he observed Wen Xiaohui. His expression was full of indifference and disdain, as if he were looking at a stray dog on the streets. He snuffed out the cigarette in the ashtray. “I’m very curious – how did you give away your inheritance to Luo Yi? Were you completely unaware?”
Wen Xiaohui remembered the period when he just got back to China. Luo Yi was worried about his company’s lack of funds and in the end, Luo Yi came up with the idea of accessing his inheritance earlier by transferring it to Wen Xiaohui. From start to finish, he never suspected a thing – he didn’t believe that Luo Yi would lie to him and he wouldn’t have thought that the inheritance had anything to do with him. Everything was as expected. He was going to receive a house and three million yuan and Luo Yi was due to inherit what was rightfully his. This was what he understood at the time of signing the contracts more than two years ago.
At this moment in time, someone was telling him that Luo Yi had been lying to him? He unconditionally transferred to Luo Yi the huge sum of money that Yaya had left him!
No, he didn’t believe it. He trusted the relationship between him and Luo Yi that had been built up over the past couple of years. He trusted Luo Yi because Luo Yi treated him well, protecting and loving him. He believed in the sweetness and happiness between them. He didn’t believe the words of someone that Luo Yi hated and the person who might have been responsible for Yaya’s death.
President Chang saw the change in Wen Xiaohui’s expression and he could already hazard a guess as to what he was thinking. He said to his bodyguard: “Escort him back.”
Hearing those words, Wen Xiaohui stood straight up and turned around to head to the lift.
“Deliver Luo Yi a word of advice from me.” The calm voice of President Chang came from behind Wen Xiaohui. “Don’t overestimate your abilities.”
Wen Xiaohui’s body paused briefly, but he continued to walk and he hurried into the lift.
As soon as he entered the lift, he took a deep breath, then exhaled. His back leaned against the mirror and his legs felt weak.
The bodyguard glanced at him with indifference.
When Wen Xiaohui came out of the lift, he felt his hands shaking, so he put them in his pockets.
The bodyguard indicated that he should get in the car. Wen Xiaohui replied, “I can make my own way home.”
“My boss told me to escort you home.” The bodyguard made a gesture to invite him in and he seemed very determined.
Wen Xiaohui had no choice but to get in the car.
He remained silent in the car for more than 10 minutes before asking: “What kind of person is President Chang? Is he a member of a triad?”
The bodyguard said, “My boss is a proper, law-abiding businessman.”
Wen Xiaohui couldn’t stop himself from sneering. “I don’t believe either of you. You’re trying to drive a wedge between me and Luo Yi.”
The bodyguard replied calmly, “Drive a wedge between you? What’s the point in that?”
Wen Xiaohui’s face felt like it was burning. He gritted his teeth as he asked, “What else do you know?”
“You already know everything my boss wanted you to know. As for what you want to know, you can find out on your own.”
Footnotes:
寄人篱下, to lodge under another person’s roof originated from Xiao Zixian, a writer and historian who lived during the Liang dynasty, which was part of the Southern Dynasties (420 – 589 AD). It compares a person to sparrows living under someone’s roof (Chinese idiom). The phrase typically has negative connotations because it implies that the person is dependent on another and cannot live independently i.e. relying on another person’s charity.
In case this isn’t obvious, the bodyguard read out the address of Yaya’s house where Wen Xiaohui and his mum are temporarily living.
In China, this is comparable to the position of a CEO of a corporation (unlike in the US where the CEO typically occupies a higher position).
Chapter 52.2
The car arrived at the entrance to Ian’s neighbourhood and Wen Xiaohui got out. The understated Mercedes-Benz drove off into the distance.
Wen Xiaohui watched the setting sun that appeared red like blood, and he experienced bouts of dizziness. The wind in the twelfth lunar month was ruthless as it swept past his collar to his neck. His entire body started to tremble and he felt as if his organs had been grabbed by an invisible hand – he was unsure when it would deliver the fatal strike.
He shivered as he took his mobile phone out of his pocket. The person he’d contacted most recently was Luo Yi. His finger hovered over the key, however, he wasn’t brave enough to press it.
Why did they have to tell him during Chinese New Year? Should he still celebrate Chinese New Year?
His mobile phone rang at this moment in time – Ian was calling. When the call connected, Ian whispered a question, asking him when he was going to be home. Everything was ready. Ian’s voice was full of anticipation and happiness.
Wen Xiaohui smiled reluctantly as he said, “I’ll be there right away. I’m downstairs.”
“That’s amazing.” Ian started cheering like a kid.
Wen Xiaohui grasped his mobile phone, forcing himself to calm his emotions before heading upstairs.
This was a very unusual Chinese New Year.
Ian’s apartment had been transformed into the perfect location for a proposal by Wen Xiaohui. He saw his mother wearing the Elie Saab mini dress he gave her and she seemed very surprised as she accepted Ian’s proposal. With the blessings from both families and accompanied by the ringing of bells and the sound of fireworks, they embraced and kissed.
At such a perfect moment, it was as if Wen Xiaohui’s soul had been sucked out of him, making it impossible for him to blend in. Ian’s family were cheerful and nice, so Wen Xiaohui liked them a lot. It felt perfect for his mum and Ian to be together. He was very happy for them as he smiled robotically and offered his blessings. His mind was still completely blank and he appeared absentminded for the rest of the evening.
They stayed over at Ian’s house that night. Wen Xiaohui sat on the sofa bed in the living room for the whole night until it was the first day of Chinese New Year. He’d been in a trance all day.
In the afternoon, when they returned home, Feng Yuehua was still immersed in happiness, so she didn’t notice anything odd about Wen Xiaohui’s behaviour, putting it down to his tiredness. After he got back to his bedroom, he flung himself on the bed. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the ceiling.
“As for what you want to know, you can find out on your own.”
The bodyguard’s words echoed in his brain repeatedly.
Of course, he could always ask for proof. He could ask Cao Hai or he could go and ask Luo Yi directly. How would they respond? Everything would change as soon as he asked the question.
However, he needed to find out the truth. People were like that sometimes – they were compelled to seek answers to questions that weren’t always to their satisfaction, just so they could live with that knowledge or they could relinquish their lives to a gratifying death.
When his phone rang, he nearly didn’t have to look to guess that it was from Luo Yi. As expected, it was Luo Yi who was calling.
He answered the phone and put it to his ear without speaking.
“Happy New Year, Xiaohui-ge!” Luo Yi’s voice still sounded so nice, and compared with the slightly immature but sweet-sounding and youthful voice from more than two years ago, Luo Yi’s current voice had an additional sense of manliness, making him appear composed. When this voice whispered sweet words of love into a person’s ear, it was enough to make them swoon with infatuation.
But Wen Xiaohui’s whole body shivered in response. He replied, “Happy New Year!”
“Why do you seem so lethargic1? Did you stay up late last night?”
“Yeah, Uncle Ian proposed to my mum last night, so we were up till late.
Luo Yi smiled as he said, “Congratulations! Auntie has someone to look after her now, so you can relax a bit.”
“Yeah.”
“When are you coming over? I really want to see you.” Luo Yi said gently, “I never used to care about celebrating Chinese New Year, since it was just a national holiday, but I really want to spend it with you now.”
“Tomorrow. I’ll be over tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Luo Yi said happily, “I’m going to try my hardest to fatten you up.”
“Luo Yi? Is Cao Hai a local resident?”
“Yeah, why?”
“The studio gave us some Chinese New Year snacks and I want to give him some, since we’ve bothered him a lot.”
“There’s no need – it’s part of his job. It’s what he ought to do.”
“Let’s give him some or we won’t be able to finish them all. He really has helped us a lot.”
“Okay, you can just get in touch with him yourself.”
After he hung up, Wen Xiaohui rolled over and sat up on the bed. His breathing became faster and faster. He grasped his mobile phone so tightly that the palm of his hand was covered in sweat. After some internal struggles, he dialled Cao Hai’s number.
“Hi, Mr Wen. Happy New Year.”
“Mr Cao, Happy New Year.” Wen Xiaohui heard his own voice which was lacking in intonation as if it’d come from a machine.
Both of them remained quiet for a while until Cao Hai said rather awkwardly, “It’s been pretty cold the past two days.”
“Yeah.” Wen Xiaohui made up his mind. “Mr Cao, we’ve inconvenienced you over this period of time and you’ve been very dedicated in terms of the contracts and the house. I’d like to give you some Chinese New Year snacks. Would today be convenient?”
“You’re too courteous. Don’t trouble yourself if it’s too cold.”
“It’s no trouble at all since I need to go out anyway. Where do you live? I’ll bring them to you.”
Cao Hai made a few excuses, but Wen Xiaohui’s persistence meant that he ended up giving his address to Wen Xiaohui.
Wen Xiaohui changed his clothes, casually picking up some tea leaves and rice, and he told his mum that he was out to deliver some Chinese New Year gifts before he left the house.
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There were very few people on the streets on the first day of Chinese New Year. He remembered this time last year, he also used the excuse of giving Chinese New Year gifts to leave the house and see Luo Yi. Their relationship at the time was a lot more straightforward. His only wish was that Luo Yi would one day become part of his family, so he could openly spend every Chinese New Year with him.
After waiting for ages, he called a taxi and headed in the direction of Cao Hai’s house.
Cao Hai lived in a Western-style villa. There were Chinese lanterns hanging on the outer walls of the villa giving off a strong air of festivity.
After ringing the doorbell, he heard the continuous sound of thumping coming from inside. A little girl shouted cheerfully, “I’ll open the door. I’ll open the door!”
The next second, the front door opened and a little girl looked at Wen Xiaohui with curiosity. “Uncle, who are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for your dad.” Wen Xiaohui smiled as he spoke.
Cao Hai came out of the house. “Mr Wen, please come in.”
Carrying the Chinese New Year goods, Wen Xiaohui went through the door. Cao Hai’s wife was there too, and she was very welcoming as she invited him to have a drink of tea. There was also an elder inside the house. The house appeared lively, and people abiding by social norms would have normally said their goodbyes at this stage, but Wen Xiaohui went inside.
They exchanged a few greetings before Wen Xiaohui said, “Mr Cao, I’d like to speak to you in private.”
Cao Hai didn’t seem surprised. “Okay, let’s go to the study.”
The two of them went to the study – shutting out the sound of the TV and the laughter of the little girl.
Cao Hai sat down in a chair and his expression looked a bit solemn. “Mr Wen, it must be something important since you came to find me during Chinese New Year.”
“Yeah.” Wen Xiaohui clasped his hands together tightly and his fingers overlapped. “It’s really important.”
Cao Hai replied without batting an eyelid, “Please speak.”
Wen Xiaohui’s heart thudded, as it began to beat violently. He said in a serious manner, “You’re articulate and intelligent, so I’m not going to beat around the bush. Let’s get straight to the point, what’s the deal with my sister’s will?”
Cao Hai narrowed his eyes. “Mr Wen, I don’t understand what you’re saying. What are you trying to ask?”
“How was my sister’s estate meant to be distributed?”
Cao Hai laughed in spite of himself. “Why are you asking this question now? In two month’s time, it’ll be three years since you signed the contract of inheritance. You can’t be that forgetful.”
Wen Xiaohui stared straight at him. “Of course I remember what the contract said, but someone told me I’ve been lied to.”
“Who?” Cao Hai’s back straightened with tension.
“President Chang.”
Cao Hai’s complexion changed.
“It seems as though you’re acquainted with his name, but it’s unfamiliar to me. I wouldn’t have known his surname if we hadn’t met. He met me alone, demanding an item of my sister’s estate from me, but I didn’t have a clue what it was. Afterwards, he told me that the inheritance consisting of a house and three million yuan was left to Luo Yi and the inheritance totalling $300 million was mine instead!”
Cao Hai became calm and he shook his head. “Do you believe that? Xiaohui, do you think a mother would give her life savings to someone who isn’t a blood relation?”
“I don’t believe it, which is why I’m asking you to confirm. I’d like to see the contracts – I’d also like to see the one you asked me to sign initially.” Wen Xiaohui’s gaze was blazing with anger, as if he wanted to bore a hole into Cao Hai’s head to see what was true and what was false.
Cao Hai frowned as he said, “Xiaohui, the contracts you’ve signed are either in the office or at Luo Yi’s. Why would I keep them at home?”
“How about we go to your office now?” Through clenched teeth, Wen Xiaohui said, “I must find out the truth today.”
“What’s the truth you want to find out?”
“I want to know if Luo Yi has been lying to me for the past three years!” Wen Xiaohui stood up suddenly with bloodshot eyes and a fierce expression.
Cao Hai’s chest heaved and he closed his eyes. “Xiaohui, calm down a little. You should trust Luo Yi and not a man who is a practical stranger.”
Covering his face with his hands and with his eyebrows knitted tightly together, Wen Xiaohui’s brain was such a mess that it resembled a sticky paste.
Cao Hai added, “Xiaohui, you’re still too immature. If a few words from President Chang can make you and Luo Yi fall out, then what does that say about the relationship you’ve built up over the past three years? Luo Yi and President Chang have a very complicated relationship and there are things I’m unable to tell you. However, I’d advise you not to trust the one-sided story from President Chang.”
Wen Xiaohui put his hands back down. He said wearily, “You’re right. I shouldn’t be sceptical of Luo Yi, but I can’t put my mind at ease unless I figure everything out. I’m the kind of person who can’t hold back, so I’d still like to see the contracts. Come with me to the office to find the contracts and when the notary office is back open, I’ll like to get them notarised.”
Cao Hai’s hands started to shake a little. “Xiaohui, you know I falsified a contract, right? How can you notarise a falsified contract?”
“I can’t trust you because you’ve falsified a contract.” Wen Xiaohui glared at him. “I’m also planning to notarise my sister’s suicide note.”
Cao Hai’s complexion became pale. “Xiaohui, you should discuss these things with Luo Yi first, but your actions are too hurtful.”
“Yeah, I know. We won’t tell him about it, so he doesn’t get hurt.” Wen Xiaohui stood up and he walked step by step behind Cao Hai. His expression appeared so sombre that it was scary. “For the time being, we’ll be the only ones who know about this. If we can prove that the initial contract is genuine, then we’ll pretend nothing happened.”
Cao Hai was reluctant to be subject to Wen Xiaohui’s threats, so his manner of speaking became firmer. “I can’t agree to such a request. Wen Xiaohui, you’re being intentionally provocative. If you really doubt the validity of everything, you can ask Luo Yi for confirmation. Why are you making things difficult for me when I’m just a lawyer?”
Wen Xiaohui slammed down firmly on the table. “Because you were involved in whatever Luo Yi did!” His eyes were bloodshot and these matters were driving his inner demons crazy. “Listen, Cao Hai, I have evidence of your falsified contract, so I can report you whenever. I’ll give you a hand if you never want to be a lawyer again!”
Cao Hai suddenly stood up, glaring at Wen Xiaohui with hostility.
Wen Xiaohui looked at him fearlessly and he enunciated each word: “I want the truth.”
Under Wen Xiaohui’s burning gaze, Cao Hai sat dejectedly in his chair and his complexion looked as white as a sheet2.
Wen Xiaohui’s heart dropped to rock bottom. He stared at Cao Hai, wishing he could dispel all of his doubts and worries.
Cao Hai hugged his head as he whispered, “It was Luo Yi who forced me to do it.”
It was as if Wen Xiaohui were struck by lightning – he heard the sound of a large hand crushing his heart to smithereens. He asked. hoarsely, “He really lied to me? From the start… to the present day?”
Cao Hai’s voice quivered as he repeated the same sentence. “He forced me to do it.”
“How much did my sister leave me?”
“It’s the portion that’s currently in Luo Yi’s hands.”
Wen Xiaohui’s voice trembled so much that it was almost unrecognisable. “You mean the amount I gifted him when I signed the contract?”
“That’s correct.”
“W-Why would my sister leave such a large sum of money to me? It doesn’t make sense.”
“It was so that Luo Yi wouldn’t have the resources to compete with President Chang. Ms Luo left Luo Yi with a house to live in and three million yuan in cash – enough for him to have a comfortable living.”
A spell of dizziness overcame Wen Xiaohui. “Luo Yi swapped his inheritance with mine.”
Cao Hai nodded solemnly.
“He already knew from the beginning…” Wen Xiaohui’s voice sounded emotional. “He knew everything from the beginning – he knew Yaya left the majority of her estate to me. He only got close to me for my inheritance.”
Cao Hai nodded once again.
“What about my sister’s suicide note? The guardianship agreement? And the contract I signed at the beginning?”
Cao Hai replied in a voice that was almost inaudible, “The suicide note is fake, but all the contracts you signed at the beginning are genuine. Even the ones you signed afterwards are genuine, but I swapped a few words when I drafted the contracts and you didn’t notice since you didn’t read them properly.”
“The guardianship agreement… Did my sister really ask me to look after Luo Yi?”
Cao Hai sighed, “No, it was Luo Yi’s idea.”
Everything started to spin and Wen Xiaohui’s legs went soft at the knees. He plopped himself back down on the chair. He felt as though the whole world was crumbling before his eyes. Everything he firmly believed in over the past three years fell and shattered to pieces in front of him.
How did things turn out this way? What the heck happened? Why did everything change overnight?
“You… forged my sister’s suicide note and helped Luo Yi to gain my trust. You cheated me out of my inheritance…” Wen Xiaohui arduously counted each of Cao Hai’s crimes.
Cao Hai trembled as he said, “It was Luo Yi who forced me – it’s all part of his scheme. He’s a monster!”
Monster…
It was the second time Wen Xiaohui heard two different people describe Luo Yi in this way.
A monster… How could the person he’s known as a friend for three years be a monster?
Cao Hai’s hair was a right mess after he rubbed it and his eyes were scarlet-red. His expression appeared awkward. “I didn’t agree to do it at first, but do you know what he did?” Cao Hai clenched his fists. “One day when I woke up, I discovered the family portrait from the study had been torn to shreds and scattered by my feet. That happened on the day after I rejected him.” Cao Hai’s whole body shook. “You don’t even realise how scary he is. Even Yaya was scared of him, but she loved him, so that’s why she had no choice but to make such a decision.”
Wen Xiaohui felt a chill over his whole body and he couldn’t stop himself from trembling.
Monster… Monster… Monster.
The word reverberated in his head repeatedly, which made him very afraid.
From very early on, he wondered what kind of person would behave like Luo Yi. Luca, Sydney’s ex-husband, Raven, Director Luo – he was faced with each of these incidents, but he chose to make allowances for Luo Yi because he was still young or because Luo Yi treated him well.
That must be it. He’d focused on the point that ‘Luo Yi treated him well’ to numb himself over the past three years and in the end, he discovered that Luo Yi being nice to him was all part of a con!
In reality, he’d never seen the real Luo Yi properly. He’d been infatuated by Luo Yi’s gentle and considerate nature, so why would he believe that there was a devil hiding beneath Luo Yi’s beautiful shell?
Cao Hai was speaking when he became choked up with emotion. “I’m begging you, please don’t report me. I know I’ve been in the wrong since I took the initial step, but I can only continue to be in the wrong. He threatened me and offered bribes; I still have a family. I don’t want my life to be ruined by this incident.”
Wen Xiaohui muttered, “Why is he like this? Luo Yi… Why is he like this?”
It could be said that his world had been turned upside down by what had happened in the past two days. Everything he believed in had been mercilessly smashed to pieces.
He recalled the past events between him and Luo Yi – the joy, happiness, and sweetness not only turned into the biggest irony, they’d also turned into scenes that induced fear because Luo Yi’s smile, his kindness, and his love were now shrouded in a shadow that made him unable to breathe.
Cao Hai walked over. The mature, composed, and elite lawyer unexpectedly knelt down in front of Wen Xiaohui with a thud. “Xiaohui, Luo Yi won’t let me off if he finds out about the confession I made to you today. I’m begging you not to tell him. Just let him think it was President Chang who told you. Please!”
Wen Xiaohui Wen Xiaohui observed Cao Hai’s face which was filled with fear; his body was so rigid that it resembled stone.
“Luo Yi… has been spying on your calls since very early on. He knows every single word you say on the phone. If Luo Yi asks about what happened today, please tell him you were only here to deliver Chinese New Year snacks.”
Seeing Cao Hai’s sorry and humble appearance, Wen Xiaohui felt as though his body was plummeting – his heart was so painful that it was nearly unbearable. He was almost unable to breathe smoothly because of the invisible band of pressure.
It was too scary. Everything was too scary. Luo Yi was too scary.
This was the person with whom he shared a bed3 – someone he’d known for three years!
For the sake of inheritance, Luo Yi had an ulterior motive at the age of 15 and gained Wen Xiaohui’s trust. In the end, Wen Xiaohui had no suspicions at all when he transferred the huge inheritance to Luo Yi.
Oh, Luo Yi. Luo Yi was the first person he had genuinely loved in his entire life.
For the first time, Wen Xiaohui discovered what it was like to be devastated4.
Footnotes:
没精打采 is used to describe someone who lacks energy or is in low spirits (idiom). The term was first used in the Chinese classic ‘A Dream of the Red Chamber’ (Chapter 87) to describe the main protagonist, Jia Baoyu, who seemed to be drifting listlessly.
The Chinese version of this is as white as paper.
枕边人, the Chinese term literally meaning the person by your pillow, i.e. the person who sleeps in the same bed as you usually implies spouse/partner, i.e. the person you’re most intimate with.
肝肠寸断, literally liver and guts cut to pieces (idiom) which implies someone is heartbroken, grief-stricken, or devastated. This idiom originated from the text ‘The Strategies of the Warring States’ (475 – 220BC).
Translator note:
And the best actor award goes to Luo Yi… Chinese 188 fandom refers to Luo Yi being the Oscar winning best actor. Well done to everyone for making it this far. Don’t worry, the novel has a happy ending, but there will be a few knives along the way.
