In a certain luxury villa in Thousand Faces City.
“Eldest Master, this is terrible! The Third Young Master has been murdered!”
Ximen Qing’s fingers trembled, and his mouth slowly curled into a grin. He blurted out instinctively, “Jiahao is dead? That’s wonderful news!”
Wang Ma, who had looked after Ximen Qing for many years, gave a light cough.
Ximen Qing immediately realized his slip-up and pulled back his smile, replacing it with a mask of disbelief and deep sorrow.
“Oh, sorry. I meant to say, this is truly a tragic story~”
This was such a monumental piece of good news that his joy was simply impossible to suppress!
Wang Ma coughed again. “Eldest Master, the Third Young Master was your brother.”
She emphasized the word ‘brother’ heavily, reminding him not to get carried away by his success.
Ximen Qing’s voice shifted as he forced a sob, covering his face with his hands. “Old Third... my little brother... how could you leave us so soon...”
His cries echoed through the room, sounding profoundly mournful.
Wang Ma sighed and scanned the room, her gaze sweeping from the windows to the cracks in the door. Finding no one peeking, she relaxed slightly.
The Eldest Master’s acting was truly abysmal, but she couldn't ask for much more. After all, Ximen Qing and Ximen Jiahao were born to different mothers.
None of the siblings in the Ximen family had been close since childhood, and as they grew older, their relationships devolved into constant scheming and infighting.
Now that the Third Young Master was dead, it was already quite a feat for the Eldest Master to refrain from laughing out loud.
At least Ximen Qing was crying and willing to put on a show of brotherly affection. That was enough.
The Ximen family was a top-tier elite clan in Thousand Faces City; its children were born at the very pinnacle of society.
Not long ago, the third son, Ximen Jiahao, had been killed in a wasteland. When the news reached home, his siblings all appeared grief-stricken on the surface, but behind closed doors, many were likely drinking in celebration.
One less person to divide the inheritance meant the survivors got a larger share. This was the simplest form of economics, and it had nothing to do with familial love.
Wang Ma stepped forward and placed a hand on Ximen Qing’s shoulder, offering a word of comfort with deep sincerity. “Please restrain your grief, Eldest Master.”
She was leading by example, her entire being radiating a thick aura of sorrow.
Ximen Qing only knew how to wail loudly without shedding a single tear. It was as fake as could be; he at least needed to let a few hints of natural mourning slip through.
Understanding Wang Ma’s intent, Ximen Qing closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying his best to act sad.
But he was just too happy. The joy in his chest kept bubbling up like carbonation, and no matter how he tried to suppress it, it wouldn't stay down.
Wang Ma frowned and was about to say more when her ears twitched. She turned her gaze toward the door.
“Someone is coming,” she whispered.
Outside, a powerful aura was rapidly approaching.
The door was kicked open, and Ximen Qing’s wife, Liu Ruyan, rushed in. Her skirt snagged on the doorframe, tearing a small hole.
Her face was a mask of disbelief, her eyes red and swimming with tears. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “Hubby... Jiahao, he...”
Ximen Qing stood up and walked over to Liu Ruyan. He gently smoothed a stray lock of hair from her forehead with a tender motion. “Yes, Jiahao has been murdered.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, his own eyes turned red, and tears began to stream down his cheeks.
Liu Ruyan’s body shuddered as a surge of intense grief erupted from her, comparable to a dam bursting. It instantly swallowed the surrounding space.
This grief wasn't faked. She was truly heartbroken at the loss of her dearest friend and lover. Tears fell like broken strings of pearls, splashing against the floor.
“How could this happen?”
Ximen Qing helped Liu Ruyan into a chair and poured her a cup of tea. His movements were composed, even though the tear tracks on his face hadn't dried yet.
He looked at Liu Ruyan’s face, which resembled a rain-washed pear blossom, and remained silent for a few seconds before reminding her softly, “Don’t forget that you are my wife now. Jiahao was only your brother-in-law. Try to show some restraint.”
Liu Ruyan’s sobbing faltered. She looked up to see Ximen Qing’s emotions were stable, devoid of any anger or jealousy.
Liu Ruyan had originally been a personal assistant to Old Master Ximen—one of his countless mistresses.
Later, for reasons unknown, she and Ximen Jiahao had developed feelings for each other and begun an affair.
In the end, however, Liu Ruyan had married Ximen Qing, becoming the eldest daughter-in-law of the Ximen family.
This twisted polygonal love affair was common knowledge in Thousand Faces City.
But the individuals involved didn't seem to care much. Romance was a trivial matter, merely a spice of life.
No one even criticized Liu Ruyan for her background, because compared to the Ximen family, everyone else was of low birth.
Ever since Liu Ruyan married Ximen Qing, she was his wife. Ximen Qing would never allow anyone to disparage her origins.
As the saying goes, a husband and wife are one. If anyone dared to gossip about Liu Ruyan behind her back or point fingers at her, they were essentially spitting in Ximen Qing’s face!
As for Liu Ruyan wailing and being heartbroken over Ximen Jiahao’s death?
Ximen Qing didn't care at all. Those who aimed for greatness did not sweat the small stuff. Who would hold a grudge against a dead man?
Besides, he had shared a bed with Jiahao many times in the past. Threesomes involving the three of them had been a regular occurrence.
His little brother had been quite a treat~
It was a pity the boy had become increasingly disobedient, always trying to resist him.
Ximen Qing retracted his gaze and turned to pick up a cup of tea that had already gone cold. He took a sip, the bitterness of the liquid spreading across his tongue.
What he cared about more now was: “Who exactly did it? Who had the ability to kill Jiahao?”
“No matter who it is, we must find the killer as soon as possible,” Wang Ma said from behind him, her voice steady and powerful.
Ximen Qing nodded and took another sip of tea.
In the family inheritance struggle, Jiahao was now out of the game.
A dead brother was the best kind of brother. Ximen Qing would help Jiahao get revenge; on one hand, it would demonstrate his fraternal devotion, and on the other, if the killer could take down Jiahao, they might pose a threat to him as well.
Such a threat had to be eliminated early. He couldn't leave a hidden danger lurking in the shadows!
He set down the teacup and looked out the window.
In the courtyard stood an ornamental tree demon. It was a sweet osmanthus tree with a massive canopy that obscured half the sky. It bloomed every day without ever wilting. Tiny golden petals covered the branches, and their fragrance drifted in with the wind, cloyingly sweet.
Ximen Qing stared at the osmanthus tree for a few seconds before looking away, mentally sorting through which people he could mobilize to track down the killer.
“Wang Ma, go contact You-Know-Who for me, and then have them...”
After listening to Ximen Qing’s instructions, Wang Ma nodded and turned to leave the room. Her footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing fainter until they vanished completely.
Liu Ruyan had stopped crying. She sat quietly in the chair, looking down at her hands folded over her knees.
Her hands were beautiful, and her new manicure was also lovely. Perhaps she would get a new set today to help adjust her mood.
She was truly sad about the death of a boyfriend, and having a good cry was enough to honor the sentiment between them.
She wouldn't think about it any further. After all, she was just a heartless woman.
Rate on N.U.
