Chapter 849: Love Starting from a Breakup 38

You say.

Jin Tingxiao was actually a bit curious.

Jin Chen: "Mother isn't dead, do you know?"

A piercing sound of a chair being dragged came from the phone, and Jin Tingxiao's tone became much more agitated: "Have you found your mother?!"

"She's being held by Jin Fu in a place."

"I'll send you the coordinates later."

Jin Tingxiao was shocked by this news, but after thinking back to everything before, he felt it wasn't impossible.

Jin Fu, his beloved younger brother, has always been like this: domineering and ruthless, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals.

"Okay… I'll send… no, I'll go myself to find her."

"Also, regarding the truth you want to know, go back home in half a month."

If that's really the case…

Jin Fu is Jin Chen's biological father; Jin Chen cannot kill his father, but he can.

Jin Tingxiao's indulgence and patience toward this brother over the years finally ran out completely at this moment.

After the phone hung up, Jin Chen received another message from his subordinate.

Gu He was locked in the basement, but after just a few days he could barely endure it, even contemplating suicide.

Jin Chen wouldn't let him die that easily.

"Keep him hanging on to life."

"However you want to torture him, do it; before he dies, if there's any decent skin left on his body, it's all up to you."

Jin Chen's tone was calm, with a chilling killing intent flickering in the depths of his eyes.

If it weren't that he couldn't leave right now and couldn't let Qiao Xu stay alone, he would personally take Gu He's life.

"Yes, young master."

The subordinate on the other end of the phone immediately responded, having already understood Jin Chen's meaning.

He stood in the dimly lit basement, slightly raising his chin at the person beside Gu He.

"The young master said he had to accompany the young mistress and had no time to come, so we continue, torturing until death."

The person lying on the ground slowly lifted his head, his bloodshot eye sockets full of shock.

"What…"

What.

On what grounds?

Qiao Xu is actually unharmed.

He actually isn't dead!

How could Gu He be willing!

He thought at least if he died, he could drag Qiao Xu along to be buried with him!

But now his bones are all shattered throughout his body; even lifting his head requires tremendous effort.

Gu He struggled, his back seared by a hot iron block leaving a brand, his sliced shoulder exposing dead-white muscle tissue—the spot where Qiao Xu was shot.

He had no strength left to beg for mercy; even if he begged, he wouldn't be let go.

"Kill… kill me…"

"You're dreaming; the young master said you haven't reached the time to die yet."

The long night drags on, and revenge continues.

—

Perhaps it's because he returned to a familiar environment and got a good night's sleep; Qiao Xu's mental state improved greatly, but he still couldn't leave Jin Chen.

He now has a mild separation disorder, which Jin Chen knows about, so he tries to avoid them not being in the same room.

Even if there's important work to handle, he'll have Qiao Xu stay in the study.

But Qiao Xu's mood gradually improves, while Jin Chen's heart grows ever more anxious.

The detox potion from the system mall doesn't have much effect on the drug residues in Qiao Xu's body; it merely alleviates part of the pain.

But that's all it does.

Qiao Xu still needs to inject the potion; occasionally at night he still startles, accompanied by the burning pain inside.

But his mindset is quite good; as long as Jin Chen is by his side, the pain is just something to endure… endure and it passes.

Qiao Xu often thinks he has grown a lot, but each time he feels Jin Chen's kindness toward him, he feels it's still not enough.

If he wants to be good to Jin Chen as well, he must quickly get his body in shape.

Such thoughts let him gradually break out of the trap he'd confined himself in, and his separation anxiety also slowly lessens.

Until that day, Huo Chen came to Nan Yuan to "visit the sick".

He also brought a person, wearing a light beige windbreaker, with a refined appearance and a smile like a spring breeze.

Qiao Xu curled up on the sofa, tilted his head, saw him nodding in greeting, and politely returned a smile.

"Hey there, you've gotten thinner all around!"

Huo Chen made a joke, then said: "Nowadays everyone in our circle knows you went alone into danger to obtain something that wouldn't put Jin Chen's life at risk."

Everyone finds it unbelievable.

Qiao Xu snorted contemptuously, unable to suppress the corner of his mouth: "That's only natural."

He also fiddled with the blanket, bluntly asking: "Shen Ling should know by now, right? This way he won't say I'm holding him back—I'm just better suited for Jin Chen than he is."

He didn't forget to step on his romantic rival even then; Huo Chen was amused by him, shaking his shoulders: "You're really interesting."

Qiao Xu accepted the praise without any psychological pressure, then turned his head to see Jin Chen and the youth Huo Chen brought exchange a glance.

He instantly became alert, furrowed his brows and tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over Jin Chen, then suddenly lunged forward, grabbing his face with both hands and pulling outward.

Brother, what are you looking at? So engrossed.

Jin Chen withdrew his teasing gaze, embraced the person who had lunged into his arms, and said, "Nothing much, just checking out what the newcomer beside Young Master Huo looks like."

Huo Chen knew he was teasing, rolled his eyes, and introduced them.

He is Shen Qing.

Shen Qing!

Qiao Xu exclaimed softly, "You are the young master who suddenly appeared in the main line of the Shen Ling family."

He seemed much more affable all of a sudden!

Not that he suddenly appeared.

Shen Qing still had a smile at the corner of his mouth, his voice gentle, "When I was young, my health was poor, so I rarely came out to play with you."

I went abroad for treatment a few years ago, and only returned recently.

He said, then chuckled, "But the reputation of Young Master Qiao has been known to me since childhood."

Qiao Xu, who had never had a good reputation since childhood: "……"

He scratched his head.

There's actually no need to mention that!

But... since you've always been here, why does Shen Ling think he is the sole heir of the Shen family?

Upon mentioning this, Shen Qing's gaze grew somewhat dim, he lowered his lashes and said, "Before, my heart... was in constant danger, could fail at any moment; my father, as the family head, was unwilling to let me be the heir."

"'In the family, only Shen Ling and I are close in age, so... outwardly he is the heir.'"

Over time, Shen Ling came to think so as well.

Back when he was around, Shen Ling would restrain himself, and he also liked this lively, adorable younger brother.

But Shen Qing had not expected...

"'Five years ago, new research on heart treatment emerged abroad; I went overseas to recuperate and, incidentally, wait for the right timing for surgery.'"

"'But my father... outwardly declared that I had died of a heart attack, and Shen Ling naturally became the sole heir.'"

Qiao Xu gasped, his mouth hanging open.

Truly, every family has its hard-to-recite sutra; Shen Qing's experience is no easier than my own.

No wonder Shen Ling is so afraid of your appearance.

Qiao Xu suddenly understood.