Chapter 20

Yao Qi certainly underestimated how stupid a man could be upon facing a beautiful young girl who, despite her weird clothes, did not at all look like someone who was short of money.

Yao Yue was a young girl, whereas Yao Qi was an adult male.

A little girl stalking a grown man—no one would think that the man’s life would be in danger because of the girl.

So it took Yao Yue less than the ‘two days’ Yao Qi thought she would have needed in order to enter the complex. In fact, it didn’t even take her two hours.

After Yao Yue got in, she didn’t immediately approach them again.

But whenever they went out, she would continue to tail after them at a safe distance.

When they were at home, Yao Yue would sit at the flower bed downstairs—a spot that was visible from their balcony. She deliberately tried to stay in their view as much as possible.

Yao Qi could’ve told the security guard, but Yao Yue had not done anything that could be considered out of line or caused any real harm, so even if he did, it wouldn’t be of much use.

Should he report the security guard for dereliction of duty?

Glancing at Liu Lin, whose anger was about to reach his breaking point, Yao Qi rubbed his temples.

Ah-Lin had gone out a few times to chase after her, but each time he arrived downstairs, Yao Yue had always found a place to hide. No matter how he tried to look for her, he was never able to find her.

The girl would indeed follow them every time they went out, but she always kept enough distance to safely run away anytime necessary.

If Yao Qi went out alone to act as bait, Yao Yue would not appear at all.

While this kind of stalemate might not be dangerous, it was extremely vexing, the harassment taking a great toll on one’s mind. Yao Qi could pretty much ignore it, but Liu Lin’s mood had sunk to the bottom ever since Yao Yue reappeared, making him grow more irritable with each passing day. It wasn’t so bad when Yao Qi was holding him and keeping him by his side, but the moment Yao Qi went to do his own business, Liu Lin’s face would turn expressionless, sheer hatred radiating from his eyes.

It was a look that could chill people to the bone.

Yao Qi was not afraid, but he felt sorry for Liu Lin.

This situation had been going on for almost a week, and he had now roughly made a decision.

It was merely a decision, but it actually took him so long to make. Maybe his eldest brother was right, he was indeed too indecisive.

In the end, he didn’t want to see Ah-Lin be so frustrated.

Liu Lin was curled up on the sofa, staring fixedly at the fruit knife in his hand. The knuckles of his fingers protruded, veins bulging across the back of his hand.

“Come here, give me a hug.”

Yao Qi was seated at the dining table dealing with something on his laptop. When he looked up and saw Liu Lin in such a state, he called him to come over. To placate Liu Lin’s anger, he did almost everything together with the man these days.

Without a word, Liu Lin tossed away the fruit knife in his grip and walked over to him.

Yao Qi patted his thigh and opened his arms, and Liu Lin obediently spread his legs to sit on his lap. Curling his arms around Yao Qi’s neck, he lightly rubbed his forehead against the crook of Yao Qi’s neck like a spoiled little kitten.

“Xiao Qi—”

“No. You can’t even catch her.” Of course he knew what Liu Lin wanted to do with the knife. In fact, if Liu Lin succeeded in catching Yao Yue, Yao Qi had also thought of the possibility of sending her into an elite mental institution—the kind that would never release their patients unless they were fully ‘cured’.

However, just having enough money would not qualify you to access this kind of facility. The connections he built on his own had yet to reach that level. If he wanted to send Yao Yue into that place, he would have to trouble his family.

So in the end, this idea remained a mere idea.

It was still too soon to expose Ah-Lin’s existence to his family.

“I can.”

“What are you going to do after you catch her? Kill her?” Yao Qi raised his eyebrows, “You haven’t forgotten what you promised me, right?”

“Unless my life is threatened, I’m not allowed to kill anymore. Even if I had to kill, I must avoid doing it with my own hands. If I had to do it with my own hands, then I must make sure not to leave any evidence,” Liu Lin recited, his voice laced with grievance. If Yao Qi hadn’t been against him committing murder, and if there wasn’t any rule about not leaving evidence, Yao Yue would have long been dead.

But as it currently was, Yao Yue had not even breached the first condition.

Was Yao Yue putting any threat to their lives? No, she was just annoying Liu Lin to death.

“Bear with it, the problem will be solved soon.” Yao Qi was already looking for someone.

When it came to things that mattered, he had never been a soft-hearted person.

He had never killed anyone, and nor did he wish to.

But Yao Yue had seriously affected his quality of life.

The girl had clearly shown that she would not give up so easily. If he let Liu Lin handle her, the end result wouldn’t be much different than if he were to hire someone to deal with her.

Yao Qi didn’t want Liu Lin’s hands to be stained with blood again.

However, it was never easy to make up your mind to kill another person—especially a person who turned out this way because of your doing.

If Yao Qi couldn’t get over this hurdle in his heart, he wouldn’t be able to make the call.

That night, as Yao Qi hugged Liu Lin to sleep, he felt the man in his arms shifting about.

It had not been too long since the last time Liu Lin was injured. Coupled with the fact that he was not in a very good state these days, Yao Qi had become more alert to his condition. Sensing that the man was about to slip out of his arms, Yao Qi woke up from his sleep.

“…” They silently stared at one another, guilty conscience filling Liu Lin’s eyes. “I’m going to the toilet,” he whispered, resorting to an excuse.

“Speak honestly.” Yao Qi hugged him and refused to let go, his lack of expression instantly making Liu Lin recall the cold violence he experienced not too long ago.

“Tsk—” Liu Lin grabbed and pulled on his own hair, looking away from Yao Qi’s gaze. “You already know, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Yao Qi nodded, freeing one of his hands to grasp Liu Lin’s chin and turn his face back to him. He stared at the man with a solemn look, “Do you want me to ignore you again?”

“She’s hella annoying—I promise won’t kill her, I’m just going to beat her until she doesn’t dare to bother us anymore,” Liu Lin explained, deliberately brushing aside Yao Qi’s question.

Yao Qi’s cold violence was something he never wanted to be subjected to again. He had already searched for tips on how to please your lover and quell their anger on the internet. Act first and ask for forgiveness later—after he was done, he would try to slowly placate Yao Qi. If nothing else worked, then he would have no choice but to use some force.

“You know that’s not what I’m asking about. Why were you planning on sneaking out without telling me?” Yao Qi vexedly released him, propping up his body to turn on the light switch by the bed. “Do you not think I deserve to know your thoughts?”

“…You told me to bear with it,” Liu Lin pursed his lips, replying just as seriously, “I know what you’ve been thinking about. You don’t want to kill anyone.”

If you don’t want to kill, then don’t do it.

If you don’t want me to kill, then I won’t kill her either.

I only want to make her feel afraid, so afraid that she won’t dare to approach us again.

If it’s for you, I can bear with it.

How much weight could a sentence hold? Yao Qi only felt that the weight of the love within Liu Lin’s words had melted all the bones in his body. Liu Lin was a hedgehog—his outer shell was tough and sharp and prickly, yet his inside was so awfully soft you couldn’t help but to cradle it in the centre of your palms, wanting to keep it safely in your mouth.

Yao Qi’s happiness was intermingled with a feeling of heartache.

He was unwilling.

He was unwilling to let Liu Lin endure it any longer.

…

Huh?

“Seems like the fear isn't deep enough.”

How stupid of him—why hadn’t he thought of it earlier?

Yao Qi’s lips slowly curved into a smile. Looking at Liu Lin who still had a serious expression on his face, he followed the urge to pounce on the man and bit his lip.

The taste of blood spread inside his mouth.

Yao Qi was gnawing on Liu Lin’s lip, but the man was frozen in place, his back ramrod straight.

What happened???

Liu Lin was at a loss.

One second ago, he was still immersed in Yao Qi’s silly expression, yet the next moment, the look on Yao Qi’s face suddenly changed. Then the man rushed to bite him.

Did he say something wrong?

But Xiao Qi smiled. Was he the one who made Xiao Qi smile?

He felt very happy.

No matter what happened, he was glad that it made Xiao Qi smile.

After a long while, Yao Qi finally let him go. He raised the corner of his mouth, flashing an eerily wicked smile.

“You’re right.”

“So why don’t I choose a simpler method.”

Small theatre

Cat Xiaoyue made use of her size to repeatedly escape from Tibetan Mastiff Lin’s mouth, relentlessly running over to annoy them again and again.

Tibetan Mastiff Lin was so frustrated he had to howl and hug Fox Xiaoqi to calm down his anger.

Fox Xiaoqi gnawed on Tibetan Mastiff Lin’s ear and grinned.

My my, are you upset?

Then you can personally educate the naughty child.

—said Fox Xiaoqi who was beginning to emit a dark aura.