Who Cares - Chap 6
Chapter 6 – Being Framed
Novel Title: 谁把谁当真 (Winner Takes All)
Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 黎朔 (Li Shuo -MC), 赵锦辛 (Zhao Jinxin -ML)
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Li Shuo returned home and spent time with his mother making a cake, planting flowers, and preparing dinner.
There are two housemaids, a gardener, and a driver in the household. But Mrs. Li enjoys baking cakes and cookies and tending to the garden in her free time. She is a person who finds pleasure in leisure activities.
They were busy until the evening when Mr. Li returned home for dinner. As soon as he entered the house, he asked, “Xiao Shuo, did you hurt Jinxin’s hand?”
Li Shuo awkwardly replied, “Yes. My car door pinched it.”
“You should be more careful. Luckily, it’s nothing serious. This afternoon, Lao Zhao asked Jinxin to deliver some materials and saw his hand was bruised. It made Lao Zhao feel very distressed.”
Mrs. Li anxiously asked, “Did you take him to the hospital?”
“Yes, I did.” Li Shuo felt a bit embarrassed. In his parents’ eyes, he had always been a son who never needed their worry and could even be relied upon. However, since his return, he had encountered a series of minor issues because of Zhao Jinxin.
Mrs. Li complained, “Why didn’t you stay with him this afternoon? You injured his hand but didn’t make sure he was settled before coming back?”
Mr. Li echoed, “Yeah. And in the afternoon, you let him drive to the company by himself. He drove with one hand. There are so many cars in Manhattan. It’s very dangerous. Xiao Shuo, do you have any prejudice against Jinxin?”
“No,” Li Shuo replied helplessly. “I went to his house, cooked for him, and then came back.”
“Jinxin lives alone, which is quite inconvenient. You shouldn’t avoid taking responsibility just because you have some prejudice.”
“Dad,” Li Shuo said, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry, “I’m not a child anymore.”
As they were talking, Li Shuo’s phone rang. He had a bad feeling. And sure enough, it was Zhao Jinxin calling.
Mrs. Li glanced at the phone and said, “Oh. It’s Jinxin calling.”
Li Shuo braced himself and answered the call, “Hello, Jinxin.” Worried that Zhao Jinxin might start whining, he pressed the phone tightly to his ear, afraid any noise might alarm his parents.
“Li Shushu, I’m so hungry. My hand hurts so much,” Zhao Jinxin’s lazy voice filled his ears.
“Okay. I was just about to bring you dinner.”
Zhao Jinxin laughed, “Heh. Shushu and Ayi are next to you, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Laughter came from the phone again, “Alright. Then come over quickly.” He breathed out gently, “I’ve been thinking about you all afternoon.”
After hanging up the phone and seeing the approving looks from his parents, Li Shuo resignedly said, “I’ll go bring him dinner.”
Li Shuo took the four food containers his mother had prepared—dinner, soup, cake, and fresh fruit—and went to Zhao Jinxin’s house.
When the door opened, Zhao Jinxin leaned against the doorframe as if he had no bones. Although he didn’t move a finger, his eyes perfectly conveyed the phrase ‘striking a seductive pose’.
Li Shuo couldn’t help but want to laugh, “You must be hungry. Let’s eat quickly.”
“Will you feed me?”
“I will feed you.”
Li Shuo went to the kitchen and took out the bowls and dishes. He set the food out one by one.
“I didn’t mean to tattle. My dad asked me to go to the company. Who knew your dad would be there too.”
“It’s fine. You just stated the facts. You’re not tattling.”
Zhao Jinxin’s gaze brazenly lingered on Li Shuo’s back, taking in the long legs stretched taut from bending over and the glimpse of his waist exposed beneath his shirt. The image stirred his imagination.
Li Shuo turned around, “Let’s eat.”
Zhao Jinxin sat down. Ignoring the food, he looked only at Li Shuo’s eyes, “Did you chat with Li Chengxiu when you went back today?”
“Yes, I did. Why?”
“What did you talk about?”
“What’s the point of you knowing?”
“Know yourself and your opponent.”
“Li Chengxiu is not your enemy…”
“Oh, he certainly isn’t,” Zhao Jinxin smiled, thinking to himself;he’s my sister-in-law.
“In the future, I won’t answer anything related to him.” Li Shuo picked up a piece of scrambled egg, “Open your mouth.”
Zhao Jinxin took a bite, smiling brightly at Li Shuo, “Tastes good.”
“Thanks. My mom made it.” Li Shuo didn’t look directly at him. He was feeding him while eating himself.
After a few bites, Zhao Jinxin said with a bit of grievance, “Very few people are as impatient with me as you are. My pride hurts a bit.”
Li Shuo opened his mouth but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to say something hurtful. Although he had moved to the United States with his parents at a young age, he was still deeply influenced by Confucian thought. He strived to be kind, tolerant, and magnanimous. Despite Zhao Jinxin’s repeated harassment, since he hadn’t truly offended him, Li Shuo could only say, “I’m not impatient. If we could talk about normal things, like we did on the plane, I’d be very happy to chat with you.”
“But when I see you, it feels like the air around me changes,” Zhao Jinxin blinked. “Have you ever been so captivated by someone?”
Li Shuo was momentarily stunned and actually thought about it. The answer he came to was—no. He couldn’t understand that kind of intense, self-sacrificial feeling. He believed people should either be masters of their emotions or slaves to them. As a master, he could always handle things smoothly and avoid trouble. As a slave… there was no need for examples. The world was full of them.
“No, right?” Zhao Jinxin raised an eyebrow, “You’ve never been captivated by anyone.”
“It depends on how you define ‘captivated’. We’ve known each other for only a few days and met only three or four times. If you can be ‘captivated’ by me in that short time, then it proves that being captivated is an unthinking, insignificant desire. It was not much different in nature from appetite.” Li Shuo scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it in Zhao Jinxin’s mouth.
“I really didn’t expect you to be such a dull person,” Zhao Jinxin licked the soup from the corner of his mouth. “Being ‘captivated’ is a kind of passion. It is addictive like a drug.”
“We all know drugs are harmful.”
“So you’ve never been ‘captivated’ by Li Chengxiu.”
Li Shuo squinted his eyes, “What are you trying to prove with all this roundabout talk?”
Zhao Jinxin blinked innocently, “I want to prove that being with him is boring. Give it a try with me, sweetheart.”
“Do you still want to eat?”
“Actually, I already had a burger. I just wanted to see you.”
Li Shuo put down the spoon, crossed his arms, and leaned back in his chair. He silently tried to calm himself. He was afraid he might lose control and say or do something regrettable.
Zhao Jinxin blew a kiss to him from a distance. He smiled brightly and confidently.
Li Shuo stood up. He was ready to leave. But then noticed the untouched medicine on the coffee table. He pointed at the medicine, “You haven’t taken it?”
“Oh. I forgot.”
Li Shuo hesitated for a moment before walking over. He divided the medicine into the prescribed doses, wrapping each in a tissue.
Zhao Jinxin watched Li Shuo prepare the medicine without moving. His sharp profile softened by concentration, making Zhao Jinxin frown slightly.
After sorting the medicine, Li Shuo picked up Zhao Jinxin’s phone and started fiddling with it while saying, “I’ve set an alarm for you. It will remind you to take your medicine at 9 AM, 3 PM, and 9 PM every day. Each small packet is one dose. Don’t get your hand wet and don’t put pressure on it while sleeping. I’ll arrange for your three meals to be delivered to your home. The day after tomorrow, I’ll come to help with the hot compress.”
“What about taking a shower?”
“I don’t care how you shower. But I won’t help you with it,” Li Shuo said with a forced smile. “Since you can change clothes, drive, and eat a burger with one hand, showering shouldn’t be a problem either. If it really is, just go back to your parents’ house.”
Zhao Jinxin chuckled lightly, “How heartless. If one day you fall in love with me, will you regret this?”
“If that day ever comes, we’ll talk about it then.” Li Shuo clapped his hands nonchalantly and prepared to leave.
Just then, his phone rang. When he looked at it, he saw that it was his partner from the firm calling. Given that it was almost midnight back in China, a call at this time likely meant something urgent.
Li Shuo quickly answered the phone, “Hello, Xiang Ge.”
“Li Shuo, are you still in the US?” Xiang Ning’s voice sounded tired and serious, immediately raising Li Shuo’s concern.
“Yes, I am. What’s wrong?” Li Shuo’s mind raced through recent projects, unable to pinpoint any potential issues. He spoke in a low voice, “Stay calm and tell me what happened.”
Zhao Jinxin watched Li Shuo. There was a slight smirk playing on his lips.
“Do you remember the case with Benhui Real Estate from five to six months ago?”
“Yes, I do. What about it?” Li Shuo suddenly had a foreboding feeling.
“The legal representative of Benhui, who has been missing for many years, suddenly reappeared and is accusing you.”
Li Shuo widened his eyes, “This is absurd! They were the ones who falsified accounts and cheated us. Did a single penny of the billions they swindled from Bank X end up in my pocket?” Li Shuo realised his voice was too loud. He glanced at Zhao Jinxin, turned away, and lowered his voice, “He’s accusing me? On what grounds?”
Xiang Ning hurriedly replied, “Who knows what’s going on? The case was closed years ago. The necessary arrests were already made. In the Benhui loan fraud case, you only performed an audit based on their intentionally falsified accounts. The suspicions against the firm were cleared long ago. After all these years, why would that legal representative suddenly resurface?”
Li Shuo grabbed his coat, “Hold on, I’ll talk to you outside.” He looked at Zhao Jinxin and said calmly, “Sorry. I have something urgent to attend to.”
Zhao Jinxin nodded. His gaze was inscrutable.
Li Shuo walked out of Zhao Jinxin’s house and his tone became stern, “What does this person want?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve already asked a friend to investigate. This situation seems serious because his accusation against you serves almost no purpose. Although he wasn’t involved in the company’s operations and may not have known about the loan fraud at the time, thereby avoiding criminal liability, he still faces civil compensation. However, he has no money, which is why he hid for so many years. Bank X is a state-owned enterprise and they’ve already seized all the assets they could. They won’t chase after him personally for debt. If he just continues to hide, no one will bother him. I really don’t understand what he’s up to. He doesn’t even know you.”
“Yes, what does he gain from doing this?” Li Shuo felt a throbbing ache as he couldn’t fathom the purpose behind this person’s false accusation against him.
“Do you really have no personal grievances with this person?” Xiang Ning asked.
“No, I don’t even know…” Li Shuo suddenly froze.
Everyone acts with a purpose—be it for money, status, desires, emotions, or self-realisation. Considering this situation, if there’s no obvious public reason, then privately…
Xiang Ning also realised, “Li Shuo, this could very well be a personal grudge. That legal representative is currently destitute. He might do anything for a little benefit. Have you recently offended someone?”
“I…” Li Shuo gritted his teeth. He did think of one person. And this feud stemmed from Li Chengxiu.
Xiang Ning sighed heavily, “Bro, this is quite troublesome. Who exactly have you offended?”
Li Shuo instinctively avoided mentioning the name, “Does he have any evidence? Without evidence, it’s defamation.”
“It’s said there is evidence. But we don’t know what kind. It could be forged. Or during your years of cooperation with Benhui, something disadvantageous to you might have been left behind. In any case, the case has been filed now. If you return to the country, you’ll be immediately taken in for investigation.”
Li Shuo angrily retorted, “Just based on his word, they can file a case?!”
“Bro, who have you offended so gravely? There seems to be someone orchestrating this whole thing from start to finish. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have escalated so quickly in just a few days. My connections can’t penetrate this, I can’t find anything useful.”
Li Shuo clenched his fists, “Xiang Ge, keep monitoring for me. I’ll get someone to investigate further and update you.”
“You…- Alright.”
After hanging up, Li Shuo forcefully pounded the wall. He took a few deep breaths to calm his emotions.
…Shao Qun, is this your doing?
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*Proofread by 2024.07.21* I’m currently in the middle of the proofreading stage of my first ever translation; ‘Winner Takes All’. Lots of changes will be made especially to titles such as ‘Brother’ will be changed to ‘Ge’ and ‘Uncle’ will be changed to ‘Shushu’. I will proofread these chapters slowly when I’m free so please understand if there are any delays or discrepancies. TQ.
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