Additional Inheritance - Chap 68
Chapter 68
A few days before the wedding, Wen Xiaohui told Luo Yi that he needed to withdraw some cash.
“What are you going to do with the cash?” Luo Yi opened a 28-inch suitcase and said cheerfully, “I bought you loads of clothes today. Come and try them on.”
Wen Xiaohui glanced over. Although Luo Yi had never placed great importance on the way he dressed, he had good taste and his preference for simple styling influenced the clothes he bought Wen Xiaohui. As a result, Wen Xiaohui was the one who bought all the flashy and trendy clothing in his wardrobe, and Luo Yi bought the elegant but simple clothes with an emphasis on quality and tailoring.
“It’s my mum’s birthday, so I can’t go empty-handed,” said Wen Xiaohui.
Luo Yi picked up a shirt as he pointed to Wen Xiaohui’s body. “Try it on.”
Wen Xiaohui took the shirt. “I want to make a deposit into my mum’s account.”
“Of course, how much do you want to deposit?”
“A lot.”
“I’ll ask Song Qi to call the bank and make an appointment in advance. He’ll take you there tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Wen Xiaohui picked up the clothes to change into them. After he handed in his resignation, he needed a sum of money to support himself for a period of time. He had initially turned his nose up at the money that Luo Yi offered him, but it seemed as though people really did have to bow their heads when faced with reality. If he didn’t have the sum of money, he would have to forfeit everything, which required greater courage. He wanted confirmation that he wouldn’t be monitored when he was withdrawing cash; part of it would be left to his mum, and the remainder would be lodged into Luo Rui’s current account.
Clad in the current season’s Hugo Boss suit, Wen Xiaohu combed his hair and looked at himself in the mirror while in a daze. He was pale and gaunt as before with a slender waist. His trousers stretched over his legs, which were straight and long. The gauze on his nose had been removed – the bridge of his nose still appeared bruised and a red scar stretched across his nasal bone. Despite appearing at odds with his delicate-looking face, it made him seem strangely charming due to the pity it evoked1.
Luo Yi walked in, making eye contact with Wen Xiaohui in the full-length mirror.
Wen Xiaohui lowered his eyes.
Luo Yi went up to Wen Xiaohui, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind. He kissed his hair affectionately. “You’re so beautiful.”
Wen Xiaohui grabbed Luo Yi’s hands in an attempt to get them off him; however, he paused at that moment because he knew that Luo Yi would never let go. On the contrary, his refusal would make Luo Yi cling onto him even longer. His hands slid down as soon as he realised.
Luo Yi seemed quite happy. He lowered his head, rested it on Wen Xiaohui’s shoulder and looked at Wen Xiaohui’s reflection in the mirror. “I’ve always found it difficult to understand why humans continuously redesign clothes. What’s the point? I understand now because of you. I like seeing you wearing nice clothes, and I like seeing how happy you get when you’re wearing nice clothes.”
Wen Xiaohui gradually looked up and stared right into Luo Yi’s affectionate gaze. Luo Yi’s eyes were so beautiful, they resembled the limpid waters of autumn2, more dazzling than a peach flower in bloom. It was so enticing, it could make a person numb. Luo Yi had fully inherited Luo Yaya’s beauty, even eclipsing his own mother. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that his looks had the power to turn the world upside down. Wen Xiaohui continued to stare. He sensed the sweat on his palms. No one would be able to stay calm under the tender and loving gaze of someone like that.
Luo Yi smiled, rubbing the tip of his nose against Wen Xiaohui’s neck. “Do you remember the first shirt I gave you? I still remember your smile. Just a piece of clothing could make you smile at me and that to me is the significance of fashion.”
Wen Xiaohui said coldly, “Are you quite finished?”
Luo Yi said a little dejectedly, “What do I need to give you to make you smile?”
Wen Xiaohui didn’t respond. It didn’t matter what Luo Yi gave him, he would still find it toxic. He only dared to accept because he felt as though he had no choice, so why would he feel happy at all?
———————————————
The following day, Song Qi, the bodyguard hired by Luo Yi, took him to the bank.
The bank manager brought him inside the VIP lounge; his attitude was deferential. He was probably wondering which family this princeling belonged to – he had so much money at such a young age.
Wen Xiaohui split his savings into four parts. The bulk of the money was deposited into an account that he had set up using his mum’s ID. His mum had given him the bank card. Both the passbook and the bank card were in his possession, so his mum wouldn’t find out about the large sum of money that had been deposited. Over the past few years, he had earned just shy of a million yuan, so he rounded it up and deposited it into the account his mum was currently using. The other portion was lodged into Luo Rui’s account – Luo Rui should already know that he had to convert it into cash on Wen Xiaohui’s behalf.
Lastly, he withdrew a sum of cash and went to a shopping centre to buy the lightest and most valuable thing in the world – a diamond.
Wen Xiaohui noticed the bodyguard watching him. His eyes swept over him indifferently and said, “I won’t be giving a diamond ring to a woman in my lifetime. Am I not allowed to give a diamond to my mum?”
Song Qi remained silent and only nodded.
——————————————–
That evening, Wen Xiaohui arrived home laden with shopping bags. Luo Yi was making dinner when he saw Wen Xiaohui’s loot. He asked with a smile, “Did you have a good time shopping?”
Wen Xiaohui nodded.
Luo Yi picked up the gift box on the coffee table, passing it to Wen Xiaohui. “Open it and see what’s inside.”
Wen Xiaohui felt distrusting as he accepted the box, he peeled the ribbon off to open the velvet jewellery box.
Inside the box was a set of glass-like jade jewellery consisting of a necklace, earrings, bracelet, and ring. The entire set was flawless in colour, and the texture was unblemished and translucent. Its translucency was top-grade, emitting a bright emerald sheen.
Wen Xiaohui was stunned. He only had a rudimentary knowledge of jade, but he could tell that this set of jewellery was extremely precious. Any individual piece out of the set of four was easily worth seven figures, and a full collection where the colour, purity and clarity of the pieces were all very similar was simply exceptional. It wouldn’t be appropriate to classify it as just a luxury item, instead it would be more fitting as a family heirloom.
Luo Yi smiled as he looked at Wen Xiaohui. “I bought it for 12 million yuan from an antique dealer. It’s for Auntie.”
Wen Xiaohui was so startled that his hands shook, and he put the box back in its place. “You’ll give my mum a shock, you should keep it for yourself.”
“What’s the point in me holding onto it? I got it especially to give it to her.”
“How will I explain such expensive jewellery?”
Luo Yi said calmly, “You don’t need to explain, just tell her the truth that it’s a present from me.”
Wen Xiaohui’s eyes widened. “You…”
Luo Yi rushed to add, “Xiaohui-ge, it’s time to let Auntie meet me.”
“That’s preposterous!” Wen Xiaohui chided, “Do you want to anger my mum to death?”
“She’ll find out sooner or later, so maybe it would be better for her to find out now and have some time to digest it.” Luo Yi’s voice was very gentle, but his attitude was unyielding. “We have many years ahead of us to spend together, so I can’t keep hiding. Either you give it to her with my card or I’ll show up at the wedding.”
“How dare you!”
Luo Yi chuckled as he shook his head. “Xiaohui-ge, there’s nothing I wouldn’t dare to do.”
Wen Xiaohui felt so angry, his whole body started to shake. He picked up the jewellery box and shoved it into a shopping bag before saying sarcastically, “Thank you, Mr Luo3. It’s a shame you weren’t as rich in the past or you wouldn’t have to waste three years of your time to deceive me.”
Luo Yi’s expression looked a little grim, and he said in a dispirited tone, “To me, money is just a means to an end. I don’t aspire to have a materialistic lifestyle. I can give you everything when this is over. I lied to you before, but I don’t believe there’s anyone in this world who would treat you better than me.”
“Treating me well means sending me to someone as a hostage. That really is incomparable.” Wen Xiaohui carried his stuff, turning around to head upstairs.
Luo Yi stared intensely at Wen Xiaohui’s back view, his eyes full of anguish.
———————————————-
On the day of the wedding, Wen Xiaohui got up early to get himself ready. He had neglected his appearance for a while, and he would frequently appear dishevelled while hovering around Luo Yi. He nearly couldn’t recognise himself. Back then, he couldn’t go more than three days without plucking his eyebrows, and he had to style his hair before going grocery shopping. However, he had a contradictory mindset in the month and a bit at Luo Yi’s house, purposefully making himself look unkempt. Because of the injury to his nose, he had to use cleansing wipes to clean his face, and it had been ages since he last had a facial treatment. He really had to scrub up nicely today.
He trimmed his hair a little and applied neutral makeup. Although he had applied a few layers of concealer, he couldn’t cover up the peculiarity of his nose, but overall, it looked a lot better.
While Wen Xiaohui was busy, Luo Yi stared at him like it was a source of enjoyment.
Wen Xiaohui tried to pretend that he hadn’t noticed, but Luo Yi’s presence was too impossible to ignore. He glared at Luo Yi through the mirror. “Do you have nothing better to do?”
“I’m not too busy, I just want to see you.” Luo Yi said with a slight smile, “Your nose looks a lot better. You should be able to go for surgery in a while.”
Speaking of his nose, Wen Xiaohui felt upset and hoped that he’d be able to hide it from his mum.
Luo Yi seemed to see through him. “Don’t worry, it’s not that obvious now. The swelling will reduce once your nasal bone is realigned, and you won’t be able to tell.”
Wen Xiaohui let out a snort.
Luo Yi’s expression suddenly looked grim. “I’m sorry, I know your face is the most important to you.”
Wen Xiaohui remained silent as he styled his hair. He went past Luo Yi to leave the bathroom.
“Xiaohui-ge.” Luo Yi called after him.
Wen Xiaohui froze, but he didn’t look back.
“You can spend two days at home before you have to come back. I’ll be waiting for you.” Luo Yi stared at Wen Xiaohui’s back view. His pupils appeared pitch-black, making it difficult for people to discern his state of mind.
Wen Xiaohui’s heart tightened because he suddenly realised this was the last time he would see Luo Yi if he left at the wedding.
As soon as he thought of this, he felt his organs cramping, and he was struck by a burst of sharp pain without any warning. His face immediately became pale.
This was the last time he would see Luo Yi…
It appeared as if this thought had never crossed his mind. Despite the fact that he and Luo Yi should never meet again, he had never considered the implications.
He turned around gradually and looked at Luo Yi.
Looking closely, he didn’t know whether to try his best to forget or to remember this face, since it belonged to the person he once loved and hated. Just the one time was enough to deplete all his energy, which was why it would be unforgettable for the rest of his life. He needed to take a serious look for this reason. Despite the stabbing pain in his chest, his swollen eyes, and the ache that made it difficult for him to breathe, he had to strive to take a clear look at him.
Luo Yi leaned on the door, showing a gentle and warm smile.
The smile seemed very familiar to Wen Xiaohui because he once loved a youth with such a gentle and beautiful smile. He had treated Wen Xiaohui so well, as if he wanted to elevate him to the heavens. It would have been great if that smile mirrored Luo Yi’s inner thoughts. It only took an instant to go from heaven to hell, and no one understood the feeling of falling off a cliff better than him.
He bit his lip. His voice trembled slightly: “I’m going now.” He clenched his fists as he turned to leave.
Taking with him all the stuff he’d bought for his mum, Wen Xiaohui got into the car and glanced at the distant villa in the rearview mirror. A throbbing pain gripped his heart, and his eyes welled up. He shouldn’t have felt sad about leaving Luo Yi. He should have felt sad because he’d given his all without reservation, and his sincere heart had been cruelly trampled.
————————————
By the time he arrived home, it was 7 a.m., and his mum was having her makeup done. As soon as she saw him come inside the house, she grumbled, “You couldn’t have come home a day early, you unfilial son!”
Wen Xiaohui immediately begged for lenience. “I’m in the wrong. My boss is such a capitalist, he’s just let me off work.”
“Oh yeah, why did you transfer so much money to me?”
“Do I need a reason to pay my respects to my mum?” Wen Xiaohui gave her a kiss. “It’s part of the dowry I’ve prepared for my goddess.”
Feng Yuehua laughed as she rolled her eyes at him. On such a joyous occasion, her mouth was continuously curled up into a smile, and nothing could ruin her good mood. “Oh, who is this?” She looked at Song Qi who was standing behind Wen Xiaohui.
“Hi Auntie.” Song Qi changed into some casual clothes, making him blend in with other young people.
Feng Yuehua nodded and said courteously, “Please take a seat.”
Luo Rui came in holding balloons. As soon as he spotted Wen Xiaohui, he put everything down to drag him into a room.
Song Qi took a step forward, but Wen Xiaohui glared at him. “Wait in the living room.”
Song Qi had no choice but to go back.
Both of them went inside Wen Xiaohui’s room, and Luo Rui locked the door. He said anxiously, “Have you brought your ID?”
“They’re all at home.” Wen Xiaohui opened the drawer, taking out his ID.
Luo Rui gulped. “Is the guy outside the chauffeur from last time?”
“Yeah, Luo Yi sent him to watch me.” Wen Xiaohui was also very nervous. “Luo Rui, what’s the plan? I can’t let Luo Yi find out that the two of you helped me, I’m worried he’ll retaliate. I’d rather not leave if it’s a risk.”
“He won’t, Li-dage has already planned everything – all your tickets and hotels were paid using your Alipay. You won’t be flying because Li-dage arranged a car to take you away, and Luo Yi won’t be able to trace it.” Luo Rui gulped, he’d never done anything like this before, and he was clearly worried. “I’ve withdrawn all the money you transferred to me. Li-dage is more attentive than me – it’s not safe to carry around so much cash, so he’s exchanged some traveller cheques that don’t require any proof of ID and a password can be used for cashing them in. He has found you a house over there, so in short, everything is already prepared.”
Wen Xiaohui still felt a little anxious because he didn’t think that things would go smoothly. “I’m still worried, you don’t know how scary Luo Yi can be. There’s also the bodyguard…”
“I’ll come up with something in terms of the bodyguard.” This time, Luo Rui, who normally had a weak personality, was very brave and determined. “Xiaohui, I don’t believe Luo Yi can do anything to me in broad daylight. Also, he wouldn’t touch me if he really loves you as much as he says he does. As for Li-dage, he’ll be leaving Beijing and will be far away from that psycho, Luo Yi.”
Wen Xiaohui looked at Luo Rui’s eyes which were full of determination, and he felt so moved that he wanted to cry. He replied hoarsely, “Thank you both.”
Luo Rui caressed Wen Xiaohui’s face and said as he smiled, “Why are you being so polite towards me?”
Wen Xiaohui hugged him. Luo Rui’s frail but warm body brought him the greatest sense of comfort.
——————————————
The wedding progressed without a hitch. Wen Xiaohui saw his mum wearing a beautiful wedding dress as she walked towards her hard-won happiness, and he felt both happy and sad inside. He finally felt as though he’d been relieved of the burden that he’d been carrying for some time. He used to worry that he wasn’t masculine enough; he wasn’t man enough to give his mum a sense of security, and that was the reason why his mum was tough and behaved like a shrew. Since she got together with Ian, his mum’s temperament became a lot softer, and he felt reassured enough to leave.
After the wedding, he stayed with his mum for two days according to plan. However, he didn’t dare take out the jade set from Luo Yi, and Luo Yi either called him or sent him text messages daily, as if he was afraid that he would lose it.
On the third day, Song Qi reminded him that he ought to go back.
Wen Xiaohui claimed that he had to have dinner with Luo Rui first.
They headed to the shopping centre in Song Qi’s car. While they were eating dinner, he and Luo Rui sat at the same table with Song Qi on a nearby table.
During dinner, Luo Rui gave Wen Xiaohui a signal. Wen Xiaohui’s heart trembled violently, and he bit his lip.
Luo Rui got up to go to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, they heard the sound of people arguing at the entrance to the restaurant. Wen Xiaohui looked out the door and saw that it was Luo Rui who was arguing with someone.
There were a lot of people waiting by the entrance of the restaurant, and all of a sudden, everyone’s attention was captured by the arguing. The waiter rushed to mediate.
However, neither party wanted to listen and they started pushing and shoving.
In an instant, Wen Xiaohui said anxiously, “Song Qi, let’s both go check it out!”
They both went over.
Luo Rui and the other person were arguing until they were flushed with anger. Song Qi didn’t have a choice but to separate them. More and more people came to watch and the entrance to the restaurant became utter chaos.
Wen Xiaohui made the most of Song Qi’s inability to clone himself and escaped under the cover of the crowd. He ran until he got to the safe passageway. His heart beat rapidly while he was running downstairs. He knew that there would be a car waiting downstairs for him and if he was successful, he would leave Beijing that very night.
Footnotes:
楚楚可怜 is a term used to describe someone, typically female, who appears delicate and charming due to their miserable circumstances (idiom). The term was first used in A New Account of the Tales of the World.
This Chinese phrase is often used in literature to describe a person’s clear and beautiful eyes, usually female.
The term boss is used, which is localised to Mr since English doesn’t typically use people’s professions as a title e.g. Boss Luo, Teacher Shen, Director Luo, etc.
