Truth

At s.h.i.+ Jins behest, the prison guard came in to uncuff Xu Chuan and to pour in two gla.s.ses of water.

s.h.i.+ Jin held the gla.s.s, silently waiting for the man opposite to compose himself.

Xu Chuan touched the picture on the table with a trembling hand, his gaze riveted on the young child in it. It was a long time before he spoke. So this is what Jinwen looked like as a child When I met him, his body was already in a very bad condition. It turns out there was a time when he was so healthy Thats good, thats good

s.h.i.+ Jin took a sip of water and still didnt speak.

The room became quiet. Xu Chuan stared at the picture for a long time before he finally regained his composure. Carefully covering the photo with his hand, he looked at s.h.i.+ Jin and asked, What do you want to know?

s.h.i.+ Jin put down the gla.s.s and met those eyes that were full of all kinds of restrained emotions. I want to know who really ordered you to hire Werewolf. Dont tell me it was Xu Tianhua, I dont believe it.

Xu Chuans eyes flashed, and he looked down to avoid his gaze. I cant tell you.

This b.a.s.t.a.r.d still wants to try to cheat me?

But thats what I want to know the most. s.h.i.+ Jin took another picture from his pocket and put it face down on the table. I guess my dad didnt tell youbecause of the treatment, when he was a teenager, there was a period of time that Mr. Jian was severely overweight. Very much like me, as it so happens.

Xu Chuan raised his head again, looking at the picture under s.h.i.+ Jins hand with shock and disbelief. Barely stabilizing his emotions, he uttered, No, you must be lying to me, obviously

Seeing his reaction, s.h.i.+ Jin knew that his previous guess was correct. Sure enough, someone like s.h.i.+ Xingrui would never tell anyone that the person he liked used to look ugly and that hed avoided him for a period of time because of itto s.h.i.+ Xingruis mind, it was too humiliating.

Xu Chuan was aware of a lot less than hed thought.

His mind turning fast, he interrupted the lawyer and spoke in an aggressive way again: Obviously what? Obviously, it was my father acting out of line? Creating me, this disgusting replica, but then allowing me to become fat, ruining Mr. Jians appearance? Xu Chuan, you hate me very much, hate me for desecrating your beloveds perfect image in your memory, but thats not rightwhen he was my age, he was just as fat and unsightly as me. Also, I want you to understand one more thingit wasnt that I became fat because I let myself, but because my dad intentionally made me put on weight. Why would he do something like that, do you think?

Shut up! It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded in Xu Chuans mind. He wanted to refute s.h.i.+ Jins words, but looking at the face-down photo on the table, he understood that what the teenager said was probably true.

Xu Chuan, in this place and in your position, you have no right to tell me to shut up, s.h.i.+ Jin responded coldly, not letting him off.

Xu Chuan froze. After a while, his expression began to crumble. He slumped and bowed his head, saying with pain, Why did he never tell me, wasnt I his friend Why didnt he tell me He avoided mentioning s.h.i.+ Jin being made fat altogether, as if it was so unacceptable his mind refused to acknowledge hearing that part.

What s.h.i.+ Jin needed was for him to break completely. Tapping the photo, he said, Because Mr. Jian is different from youhe would never use his own misery as a bargaining chip to steal warmth from other people. Xu Chuan, tell me what I want to know and Ill tell you what you want to know. Give me the name or Ill leave at once.

Xu Chuans gaze moved to the picture under his palm again, his struggle visible on his face. At last, he appeared to have made up his mind, and looked up at s.h.i.+ Jin. I want to see that photo.

Give me the name first. s.h.i.+ Jin did not compromise.

Xu Chuan seemed to be unable to bear someone that looked like Jian Jinwen facing him with such a cold and merciless expression. He took a deep breath and looked away, his adams apple bobbing as he replied, Not Xu Tianhua.

s.h.i.+ Jin watched him intently, without blinking.

Yes It was your eldest brothers mother, Xu Jie. Looking at s.h.i.+ Jin again, he continued, Dont be too surprised. I know you are very dependent on your brothers, but the people who want to harm you At this point he paused, because s.h.i.+ Jin didnt show the surprise hed expected, but instead revealed a look of sure enough.

The thoughts that emerged in s.h.i.+ Jins mind at that moment really were sure enough and its only like this that everything fits; there was also the relief that he had finally solved the puzzle of the plot holes in the original novel. He met Xu Chuans gaze with indifference, the corner of his mouth pulling up into a humourless smile. Whats with your expression? Did you really think Id come to talk to you without knowing enough beforehand? Go onI want to know the truth of what happened in the past.

It was as if Xu Chuan had been hit. He took a closer look at s.h.i.+ Jin, measuring him up. Youve really changed. The last time we met, you were still a fool naively following behind his brother, too stupid to tell friend from foe.

As expected of a lawyerhis mouth is really venomous.

s.h.i.+ Jin snorted and carelessly flicked the photo on the table. So you tried your best to sow discord, hoping I wouldnt get too close to s.h.i.+ Weichong? Oh, no, I worded that wrongI made it sound like you were trying to help me, but that couldnt have been your intentions, since I know you dont have any goodwill towards this third-rate imitation.

Xu Chuans eyes were fixed on s.h.i.+ Jins hand that was playing with the photograph, his own slowly clenching into fists.

Lets see, you said something like this back then: Ridiculous, you two sitting together like good brothers, what a joke. In fact, you told me to run because you didnt want to see me, who looked so similar to Mr. Jian, sitting with s.h.i.+ Weichong, who looks so similar to my dad. It made you very uncomfortable, didnt it? Xu Chuan, you were jealous that between the two of you, Mr. Jian obviously cared more for my dad than for you.

He didnt deserve it! Xu Chuan suddenly sprang to his feet and reached out, trying to grab the face-down photo on the table. Reacting faster, s.h.i.+ Jin picked it up and flipped it around in his fingers, revealing it.

The silhouette of the fat, teenage Jian Jinwen was reflected in Xu Chuans eyes.

The lawyers movements froze abruptly. s.h.i.+ Jin took the opportunity to get up and knock on the door to the visitation room; when the prison guard opened it, he said, Please cuff him, he wanted to attack me.

The guard came in and fulfilled his request, going about it none-too-gently.

Being restrained again, Xu Chuans expression turned ugly. His gaze never moved away from the photo in s.h.i.+ Jins hand.

s.h.i.+ Jin waited until the man was handcuffed, then sat back in his chair. He extended his hand and took back the picture of the child Jian Jinwen that had been lying in front of the lawyer, turned it face down again, and put it next to the teenage Jian Jinwens photo. My father really doesnt deserve to sit next to Mr. Jian, but you dont deserve to have his picture either. Xu Chuan, think straightannoy me and youll get nothing.

Xu Chuan struggled to keep the picture, but it was uselesshe could only watch s.h.i.+ Jin take it away. The appearance of the teenage Jian Jinwen in the photo, which he had only managed to take a glance at, emerged in his mind. After a long standoff, he finally said, Yes, I dont deserve it At first, I approached Jinwen with hidden disdain and derision. Jinwen must have noticed that, so he didnt want to tell me too much about the past and always kept a polite distance from me I dont deserve it, but s.h.i.+ Xingrui, may he burn in h.e.l.l, deserves it a thousand times less than me! He failed Jinwen, hurt Jinwenhe was supposed to suffer a lifetime of agonizing regret, never obtaining his hearts desire, the hope turning to dust every time! Why! Why were you born! Because of you, he got his wish, even if youre a fake! You destroyed everything!

s.h.i.+ Jin watched him spit anger and malice. So this is why you and Xu Jie colluded to harm me? he asked, tapping the photos. Just because my birth satisfied s.h.i.+ Xingruis sick chase? Because I have this face? You had no place to vent your pent-up feelings, so you decided to vent them on an innocent child? Youre a weak, despicable coward. Xu Chuan, did Mr. Jian know how twisted and vicious you really are?

Xu Chuan froze as if hed been slapped, his expression going stiff. His excited emotions quickly cooled and he slumped in his chair, head hanging.

I dont have time to waste on this meaningless jostling, s.h.i.+ Jin said coldly. Tell me what I want to know or the moment I return to B City, Ill go visit Mr. Jians adoptive father, accompany him to Mr. Jians grave, and have a good talk with them about what you did back then and what you did now.

No! Dont disturb them! I promised Jinwen I would take care of his family! Xu Chuan immediately looked up with a trace of panic on his face, his emotions collapsing once more.

In terms of blood relations.h.i.+p, I should also be regarded as Mr. Jians family, s.h.i.+ Jin countered.

Xu Chuan stopped speaking, glanced at him, and quickly looked away. After a moment of silence, he said, Give me ten minutes, then Ill tell you everything.

Without a word, s.h.i.+ Jin got up, opened the door, and went out, leaving the photos on the table as if by accident.

Xu Chuan looked at the pictures; they were so close, just in front of him, yet still out of his reach. The emotions in his eyes flickered like the flame of a candle, until they finally burnt out and gave way to darkness.

s.h.i.+ Jin chatted with Gua Two outside for a while. Ten minutes later, he pushed open the door, walked in the visitation room, and sat down again, covering the photos with the arms he put on the table.

Xu Chuan, who had regained his composure, motioned to him with his cuffed hands: Get these off me.

There was no need to make things difficult for him at this point, so s.h.i.+ Jin got up and called in the prison guard.

The situation seemed to return to the beginning, with the two of them sitting across the table from each other, each with a gla.s.s of water in front of them. This time, however, the atmosphere was much less confrontational than it had been before.

The person who wanted to harm you was Xu Jie yes, and me, Xu Chuan began, picking up the gla.s.s and holding it in front of himself, not looking at s.h.i.+ Jin. He continued flatly, You said you want to know the truth about what happened in the past. All right, Ill tell you everything, I just hope that no matter what you hear, you wont disturb Jinwens sleep.

Yes, I promise you, s.h.i.+ Jin responded.

Xu Chuan glanced at him, then bowed his head and took a sip of water. I believe you. Youre different from the other people in your family Ive known that for a long time.

As s.h.i.+ Jin speculated, Xu Chuan approached Jian Jinwen under s.h.i.+ Xingruis instructions. Xu Chuan was willing to take up the job because of curiosity and a generous reward, but he never expected that this moment of curiosity would influence his whole life.

Jian Jinwen really was a good, kind person. After only a year, Xu Chuan truly regarded him as a friend, and gradually learned about the entanglement between him and s.h.i.+ Xingrui.

It wasnt as if the current Xu Chuan was a good person, but at that time, he was much more utilitarian and regarded conscience as something completely unnecessary, and his oppressed family life made him thirst for success. Therefore, although he sympathized with Jian Jinwen who had been kept in the dark about everything, he still chose his own interestshe didnt tell Jian Jinwen the truth and even let s.h.i.+ Xingrui contact the young man using his name.

Sometimes, feelings changed so imperceptibly that even the person himself wouldnt be aware of it. By the time Xu Chuan discovered that his feelings for Jian Jinwen had changed, Jian Jinwen was running out of time. Probably knowing that he wouldnt live much longer, Jian Jinwen sought out Xu Chuan and told him something that nearly made the lawyers heart stop.

He said, I know everything. Xu Chuan squeezed the gla.s.s of water tight in his hand, and his voice was no longer calm. I didnt dare to ask him what it was that he knew, I just turned and ran away. When I came back the next day, after finally mustering up the courage to talk to him, the doctor said that he had pa.s.sed away. You know, I went to the hospital at eight oclock in the morning, and his heart stopped beating at seven oclock. I missed him barely by an hour, an hour I failed to see him for the last time, and I could no longer ask him what he knew.

s.h.i.+ Jins eyebrows knittedit wasnt really a comfortable story to listen to.

He mustve realized that he was dying and so wanted to talk to me, but I ran away. Xu Chuan took a deep breath to steady his voice and continued, I missed the chance to say goodbye to Jinwen, but s.h.i.+ Xingrui didntJinwen wrote him a farewell letter. Why? Why s.h.i.+ Xingrui? In the letter, Jinwen wrote that he hoped that s.h.i.+ Xingrui could get rid of the shadow of the past and live happily, but did s.h.i.+ Xingrui deserve it? He couldnt even admit that he loved Jinwenhe should live in pain for the rest of his life!

Xu Chuans expression turned cruel all of a sudden. I didnt give the letter to s.h.i.+ Xingrui. I burned it, he said, staring at the gla.s.s in his hand with a cold gaze. Not long after that, Xu Jies parents heard from who-knows-where that I was doing well. They contacted my parents, hoping that I would help Xu Jie get a better job.

Knowing that the main point was coming, s.h.i.+ Jins eyes flashed and his face became serious.

I didnt want to help. That group of garbage used to bully and take advantage of my parents, and they lived a life thousand times better than my parents, yet they had the cheek to run to them and ask for a favor? the lawyer sneered, his mind thoroughly pulled into the past. But in the end, I did help themmy dads heart was too soft and I was unable to dissuade him.

Although Xu Chuan agreed to get Xu Jie a job, he wasnt going to put much effort into ithe just planned to find an opening in some random company, with pay high enough to earn a living, and get the matter over with. However, Xu Jie had purposefully sent her rsum to Ruixing and found an opportunity to talk with s.h.i.+ Xingrui, then mentioned that Xu Chuan was her brother.

s.h.i.+ Xingrui had just lost Jian Jinwen at that time; psychologically, he was very dependent on Xu Chuan, a friend who shared Jian Jinwens memory with him. When he heard that Xu Jie was Xu Chuans relative, he hired Xu Jie as his a.s.sistant straight away.

s.h.i.+ Jin was surprised to hear this. So s.h.i.+ Xingrui was aware of the relations.h.i.+p between Xu Jie and Xu Chuan? Later, when he became guarded against Xu Chuan, was it because of this?

I was very angry at the timeI understood that Xu Jie had long seen Ruixings potential and took a fancy to it, and wanted to step on me as a springboard to enter the top level of Ruixings management. I found s.h.i.+ Xingrui and told him that I had a bad relations.h.i.+p with Xu Jie, hoping that he would dismiss her or at least not let her hold such an important position. However, he said that when running a company, one couldnt be influenced by personal feelingsXu Jie was capable enough, so she could stay. Xu Chuan sneered and mocked, It was fine when he acted on personal feelings, it wasnt fine if I didthat b.a.s.t.a.r.d was the very definition of double standards.

Looking at his expression, s.h.i.+ Jin guessed that this was the proverbial final straw that broke the camels back, and the point at which Xu Chuan became completely resentful of s.h.i.+ Xingrui.

In the end, Xu Jie became s.h.i.+ Xingruis a.s.sistant. She did indeed have the ability, but it was vastly exceeded by her ambitionshe wanted not only to jump on the Ruixing s.h.i.+p, but also to become the wife of Ruixings president. The smile on Xu Chuans face became malicious and full of meaning. She came to me for help, saying that she wanted to replace the person in s.h.i.+ Xingruis heart. I didnt want to see s.h.i.+ Xingrui pretend to be oh-so-high-minded and n.o.ble after all the things hed done, so I gave her a hand.

s.h.i.+ Jin looked at him with a frown.

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Xu Jie found a chance to climb into s.h.i.+ Xingruis bed at the time when she was most likely to get pregnant. Of course, s.h.i.+ Xingrui didnt want to take responsibility, but how could I let him? I even talked about Jinwen, persuading him to move on and not let Jinwen worry about him in the afterlife. s.h.i.+ Xingrui felt conflicted, but in the end, he also wanted to free himself from the endless pain of loss, so he followed my advice and decided to give it a try with Xu Jie.

This revelation dumbfounded s.h.i.+ Jinit turned out that it was Xu Jie who initiated things, not s.h.i.+ Xingrui, and Xu Chuan was her accomplice. No wonder that among all s.h.i.+ Xingruis women, she was the only one who didnt bear even a trace of similarity to Jian Jinwen; she wasnt a replacement at all. Rather, at that time, the idea of finding a replacement hadnt even crossed s.h.i.+ Xingruis mind.

Wasnt it great? Now that s.h.i.+ Xingrui had a woman and a child, he had lost any right to miss or even think about Jinwen. Xu Chuan looked up at s.h.i.+ Jin, his lips curled in a strange, smug smile, but it soon faded and his expression became dark again. But I didnt expect Xu Jie to be so useless that she wouldnt be able to handle s.h.i.+ Xingrui at all. Not only could she not convince him to marry her but also, because of some d.a.m.n postpartum depression, she told him that her sleeping with him back then was all just a part of our scheme.

s.h.i.+ Jins frown deepened. He recalled that it was from then on that s.h.i.+ Xingrui began to go mad looking for a surrogate to bear his child, and guessed that the last dregs of conscience in his heart disappeared along with the discovery of both his closest friends betrayal and his new beginning turning out to be a sham.

s.h.i.+ Xingrui went completely crazy. He guessed my feelings for Jinwen and realized his betrayal of his feelings for Jinwen, threw Xu Jie and her child out of his house, and kicked me out of Ruixings management. Xu Chuans voice became calm again, and even gained a trace of boredom. He probably checked the situation between mine and Xu Jie families, and found that they were actually in conflict. He resented both of us, so this decision likely made him gnash his teeth, but he actually gave some support to Xu Jies family. He did that because he knew that helping the people I hated become successful would be the greatest revenge on me. He still left me by his side; he let me witness Ruixing take off step by step, watching from the sidelines, unable to partic.i.p.ate in its rise. He was arrogant and crazy, but he did have the ability. I had no choice but to stay and work for him wholeheartedly because I needed to contain Xu Jie, who had ruined my career. I could never let her achieve her dreamas long as I breathed, she would never gain the status of being the wife of the president of Ruixing!

Youre all crazy. s.h.i.+ Jin shook his head, unable to understand their thoughts.

At this, Xu Chuan chuckled. Crazy? Its good to be crazy; madmen dont care about other peoples pain and can find the best way to step on a sore spot. Just look at Xu Jies.h.i.+ Xingrui refused to officially acknowledge her until the day he died; bah, he never even admitted to having a relations.h.i.+p with her. It was only after his death that she was able to play the prestigious legitimate wife. How ridiculousdont you think its funny too?

s.h.i.+ Jin kept silent. He had to admit that both s.h.i.+ Xingrui and Xu Chuans ways of handling things were plenty ruthless.

Xu Jie not only wanted to be the wife of Ruixings presidentshe wanted to be his only woman who gave birth to his only child. Xu Chuans voice filled with malice again. Like I said earlier, s.h.i.+ Xingrui had gone mad, truly mad, and its easy for a madman to do something a sane person would never do. I found a woman whose face shape was similar to Jinwens, but, to make things more fun, her facial features were not like Jinwens at all, so using her wouldnt tarnish Jinwens memory. Then, I left a flyer advertising the womans dance performance on s.h.i.+ Xingruis desk.

Shocked, s.h.i.+ Jin looked at Xu Chuan in disbelief. You actually Hed always thought that s.h.i.+ Xingrui began to look for subst.i.tutes on his own initiative, but now it seemed it was due to Xu Chuans intentional instigation.

Me? Me what? If s.h.i.+ Xingruis feelings for Jinwen were firm enough, he wouldnt have been tempted at all, the lawyer responded, ice-cold. Abruptly lowering his head as if to avoid s.h.i.+ Jins gaze, he said, But s.h.i.+ Xingrui was more rational than I thought. Instead of rus.h.i.+ng to find the woman, he investigated her first. When he was ready, he met her by chance and made her a deal: he wanted to have a child with her, and that child had to be a son. I have to admit, I couldnt match his degree of insanityI just wanted him to be trapped in the pursuit of a mirage, but he decided to create a child that looked exactly like Jinwen. But how could that be possible? I quietly watched him become more and more crazy, watched him find one woman after another, watched Xu Jie mad with fury but clenching her teeth and keeping quiet so as not to lose all the benefits. At first, I was pleased that my revenge was successful, but soon, only emptiness was left in my heart.

Xu Chuans voice dropped. Several years later, s.h.i.+ Xingrui suddenly stopped this madness. I thought it was about timefour women and four children were already enough to drive Xu Jie crazy, and I was also getting kind of tired If only everything had really stopped there. s.h.i.+ Xingrui would cultivate his sons, then Id help him pick one that wasnt s.h.i.+ Weichong to become his heir and Ruixings successor, completing my revenge on Xu Jie But then your mother appeared.

s.h.i.+ Jins grip tightened around the gla.s.s in his hand involuntarily.

She was so much like Jinwenher appearance, temperament, even the way she spoke, and especially her kind, gentle character. Xu Chuan covered his face with one hand, and his voice turned dangerous: It was as if s.h.i.+ Xingrui was reborn. His whole person was radiant; I just had to look at him to know that he was truly happy. He seemed to care for nothing except for your mother anymore. He planned to marry her, and looked forward to his new life.

What did you do? s.h.i.+ Jin couldnt help but ask.

What did I do I didnt do anything, it was Xu Jie who did. Xu Chuan looked up at s.h.i.+ Jin all of a sudden, his smile a mix of mockery and unholy joy. Xu Jie finally knew that she would never win against a dead person, and she also couldnt win against this perfect subst.i.tute. She was already getting on in years; when facing Yun Jin, whose best years were still ahead of her, she was naturally burning with jealousy. She watched on as s.h.i.+ Xingrui pampered Yun Jin as if he wished to gave her the world, then as Yun Jin gave birth to you, looking forward to the day when he abandoned the two of you like he did the others, but she was destined to be disappointedfor s.h.i.+ Xingrui, Yun Jin was different, and you were different as well.

s.h.i.+ Jins heart beat faster and faster. He realized that there must have been something important that he overlooked. What did she do? What the h.e.l.l did she do!

Innocent and kind people are the easiest to harm, Xu Chuan said softly, a kind of distorted excitement visible on his face. s.h.i.+ Xingrui built your mother a beautiful castle, completely protecting her from reality, but he also deceived her too miserablyas long as you took out a few bricks, all the lies and deception would come cras.h.i.+ng down on her head. Xu Jie used to suffer from postpartum depression, so she knew that women after childbirth were very vulnerable, and she also knew what they were most afraid of. Yun Jin was living in a lie, and Xu Jie simply poked a hole in it: her Prince Charming wasnt a prince at all, but Bluebeard with his many wives. Then bang!, everything fell apart, and the naive princess who couldnt stand the reality chose to end her life.

When s.h.i.+ Jin heard this, he felt dizzy, but also as if a huge fire burst out in his heart, burning away his self-control and reason. He dashed around the table and grabbed Xu Chuans collar, screaming, Are you even human?! Wasnt your grudge against s.h.i.+ Xingrui?! Because of your selfish desires, you harmed so many innocent people! My mother wasnt even twenty yet, and you forced her to death! You f.u.c.king psychopaths!

Panicked, Xiao Si pacified, < JinJin, calm down, just take a deep breath. >

s.h.i.+ Jin! Gua Two, who had been waiting outside, immediately threw open the door and rushed in. Giving Xu Chuan a cold glare, he hugged s.h.i.+ Jin from behind and dragged him out of the visitation room, shutting the door behind them.

Once he was outside, s.h.i.+ Jins fevered head quickly cooled. He pressed a hand against his forehead, took a few deep breaths, and said, Im sorry, I lost it for a moment.

Hed prepared himself mentally, suspecting that whatever he heard today, it wouldnt be anything pleasant, but after knowing that even Yun Jins death wasnt as simple as hed thought, it seemed to get to him on a personal level, and he couldnt help but be angry at all the harm done to the innocent who shouldnt have been involved at all.

It was enough to make one give in to despairwhy couldnt good people have a good ending?

Dont apologize. Seeing his tormented expression, Gua Two frowned, then reached out and rubbed his hair. The ones who should apologize and pay the price for their crimes are the sc.u.mbags who commited them.