The scene was completely silent, with no one daring to interject.
Or rather, except for Hang Feng and Xu Che, who knew exactly what was going on, nobody else could understand what they were talking about.
Shen Yujing's face was full of confusion: Was that turtle really so important that it needed to be stolen?
Xu Che frowned but neither confirmed nor denied, only saying, "Hang Feng, mind your words."
Hang Feng sneered, "Just answer directly, is that turtle in your room mine or not?"
In Hang Feng's view, he didn't believe grandmother would give his belongings to Xu Che.
Or rather, Hang Feng didn't want to believe it.
Xu Che lowered his gaze, the bruise on his face now looking more prominent. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "Yes, but grandmother agreed to let me take it. That's not stealing."
Song Yi's eyes widened.
What?
That turtle they were fighting over... could it be the one she had sent to the Hang family?
Shen Yujing noticed Song Yi's unusual expression and asked suspiciously, "Do you know something?"
Song Yi lowered her voice and said, "I think that turtle was the one I bought."
Shen Yujing still didn't understand and asked, "Was that turtle expensive?"
What kind of valuable item could make Hang Feng and Xu Che fight over it in front of everyone?
Song Yi shook her head and said seriously, "Original price was 300, I bargained it down to 150."
Shen Yujing: "..."
That didn't sound very expensive at all.
But seeing the two brothers about to come to blows, Shen Yujing continued trying to fulfill his role as mediator, saying, "It's just a turtle, right? If you both like it so much, I'll give you each ten. No, make it a hundred."
Never mind ten or a hundred, he could open a turtle pet shop for both of them if they wanted. Was this really worth fighting over?
Shen Yujing was thinking this casually when the next moment he saw Hang Feng stand up.
Hang Feng walked up to Xu Che and grabbed his collar, his eyes brimming with barely contained fury.
Everyone knew Hang Feng as a quiet and antisocial person, and this was the first time they had seen him display his emotions so openly.
Xu Che looked up at him and calmly gripped Hang Feng's wrist, saying, "Violence won't solve anything."
"Heh." Hang Feng suddenly laughed, looking mockingly at the bruise on Xu Che's face from his earlier fight with Shen Yujing. "You're not very credible saying that. I thought you liked solving problems with violence."
"Or is it because you can't win in a fight that you resort to such despicable methods to steal things that don't belong to you?"
"Hang Feng." Xu Che's voice turned cold, carrying a warning. "The will has been read. The company shares and property are all yours. I've never fought you for what belongs to you, but this is different."
Some things were never labeled as Hang Feng's property, so why shouldn't he fight for them?
Hang Feng said word by word: "It's still not yours to take."
The others couldn't quite understand the hidden meaning in their words, and they all stared at each other awkwardly, wishing they could disappear from this tense atmosphere.
Only Jiang Yiheng frowned and looked up thoughtfully at Hang Feng.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly hostile and the two seemed about to come to blows, there was a sudden urgent knocking at the door.
Jiang Yiheng said, "Hang Feng, let go first."
Hang Feng didn't move.
Song Yi also said, "If you want to fight, hold it in. Don't make a scene outside."
After a few seconds of silence, Hang Feng finally let go.
Quan Le, being closest to the door, got up to open it, then cried out in surprise, "Who are you? Hey..."
Before Quan Le could finish speaking, he was pushed aside by two bodyguards who were leading the group.
Quan Le stumbled back two steps before barely managing to steady himself, then watched helplessly as a group of bodyguards entered the private room.
Murong Huan walked to Quan Le's side, the young lady's face full of anger, "Hey, who are you people? Who gave you permission to come in!"
The bodyguards, all wearing sunglasses and keeping their heads down, didn't respond to Murong Huan's questions.
Everyone else also stood up from their seats, all realizing something wasn't right.
Even Hang Feng and Xu Che simultaneously shifted their attention from each other to look at these bodyguards.
At that moment, the sound of high heels clicking on the floor could be heard as a woman wearing an expensive fur coat walked in. Her heavy makeup was smeared by tears, but it couldn't hide her fierce expression.
Song Yi had seen this person before, at Xu Yuanguo's birthday...
This was Xu Che's mother!
Not just Song Yi, but almost everyone recognized the woman's identity.
Jiang Yiheng stood up and walked forward, politely saying, "Auntie."
"Ah, it's the young master from the Jiang family." Xu's Mother glanced at Jiang Yiheng, not even bothering to force a polite smile, and said directly, "I'm very sorry to interrupt your gathering with your friends. I'll make it up to you another time."
After speaking, Xu's Mother turned to look at Xu Che, her voice growing colder, "Come here right now."
Xu Che stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Hang Feng, his voice emotionless, "Why are you here?"
Xu's Mother took two steps forward, crossing her arms, and said, "Get out of my way."
Xu Che said, "You're the one who shouldn't be here."
Xu's Mother couldn't be bothered to argue with her son and directly turned to the bodyguards, ordering, "Whatever it takes, bring the young master and that bastard back today."
"Yes!"
The bodyguards answered in unison and began moving toward Xu Che and Hang Feng.
Xu Che acted immediately, engaging in a fight with the nearest bodyguard.
Song Yi and Shen Yujing exchanged glances before quickly rushing forward to stand in front of Hang Feng.
Shen Yujing licked his lips and sneered, "Didn't expect to have to fight twice today. Xu Che, you're going to owe me for this."
Some of the bodyguards recognized Shen Yujing's identity and hesitated to act, looking uncertainly at Xu's Mother, "Madam, this..."
Xu's Mother replied without hesitation, "Just don't cause any serious injury. I'll take responsibility if anything happens."
If the Shen family couldn't properly raise their son and let him meddle in others' family affairs, she was just helping to teach him a lesson.
Everyone became entangled in the fight.
Shen Yujing was dealing with two bodyguards simultaneously while shouting, "Quan Le! Are you just going to stand there watching?"
"Coming, coming!" Quan Le shouted back before joining the fray.
Jiang Yiheng glanced at the frightened Murong Huan and said, "Go get help."
After speaking, Jiang Yiheng blocked the last bodyguard who was trying to get through, his expression blank.
It was complete chaos.
The numbers were roughly even on both sides, and the bodyguards varied in skill level, making it difficult to determine a winner.
Shen Yujing fought viciously, targeting faces, making the bodyguards reluctant to approach him.
After dealing with the bodyguard in front of him, Shen Yujing quickly moved toward Song Yi, intending to help her, only to see her knock down a bodyguard and step on him.
Song Yi turned to look at him and asked, "Need something?"
Shen Yujing shook his head, "No... nothing."
Naturally, Xu Che and Hang Feng were holding their own. Despite being enemies moments ago, they were now fighting side by side, managing to hold their ground against three opponents.
While Jiang Yiheng usually appeared to be a cold academic type, surprisingly his fighting skills were decent. Though his face was bruised, his opponent wasn't unscathed either.
The weakest link turned out to be Quan Le, who chose not to engage directly but instead dodged around the private room, managing to avoid getting hit.
Just then, the door was kicked open again from the outside, and more bodyguards rushed in.
Song Yi's eyes widened as she exchanged a horrified look with Shen Yujing—
No way? More of them? They really couldn't handle any more!
Fortunately, Murong Huan emerged behind these bodyguards.
Murong Huan's bodyguards were clearly more skilled, quickly subduing the other group.
Xu's Mother's eyes widened in anger as she looked at Murong Huan, "You!"
Murong Huan's face was full of impatience as she said, "I respect you enough to call you Auntie Xu, but don't take advantage of that. If you don't leave now, we'll call the police."
Xu's Mother laughed too, but her expression was very strange. She shouted in an almost distorted voice, "Fine! Call the police! I want to see where in this world a mother needs to call the police to get her son to come home? Even if the police come, when they learn there's an unfilial son drinking and partying at a hotel on the day of his father's death, they definitely won't take your side!"
After speaking, Xu's Mother quickly walked inside and suddenly grabbed Xu Che's hand.
Her voice carried laughter but seemed like crying at the same time. She reached out to touch Xu Che's face, saying emotionally, "Son, your biased good-for-nothing father did terrible things, but it doesn't matter. Mom stands with you. Come home with Mom, and Mom will fight to get everything back for you! You are his legitimate son! We are his legitimate family! Everything belongs to you! Only you!"
"Pfft—"
Hang Feng's inappropriate laughter rang out, the youth's eyes now containing nothing but coldness.
"What are you laughing at, you bastard?" Xu's Mother looked at Hang Feng, her eyes full of hatred. If Xu Che hadn't been holding her back, she would have pounced on Hang Feng and torn him apart right then.
Hang Feng pulled at the corner of his mouth and said coldly, "This bastard is laughing at how you spent your whole life trying to keep that man, only to end up with nothing."
Hang Feng's words struck at Xu's Mother's deepest pain. She screamed, "What nonsense are you spouting, you bastard? You're just as shameless as your dead mother! Using who knows what tricks to fool Xu Yuanguo! Taking advantage and still acting smug! You're not human! You'll both die terrible deaths..."
"Slap—"
A crisp slap landed on Xu's Mother's face.
Xu's Mother held her face, looking at Hang Feng in disbelief, unable to believe this bastard dared to hit her.
Xu Che frowned but said nothing.
The previously gloomy youth now showed a smile and said, "I've tolerated you for so many years, not because I was afraid of you, but because I always thought you were like my mother—a pitiful person deceived by Xu Yuanguo."
"Until today, when I opened the belongings my mother left behind, her diary."
For all these years, Hang Feng hadn't had the courage to open that diary. Yesterday was the first time, and it was also the first time he learned the truth about those years.
Of course, this couldn't absolve Xu Yuanguo, but it let Hang Feng know that all these years he had been sympathizing with a woman who brought everything upon herself.
"Bastard?" Hang Feng pulled at the corner of his mouth, looking at Xu's Mother. "I don't deserve that title."
"As for his dirty money, I'll leave enough for grandmother's retirement, and donate the rest to charity organizations."
After speaking, Hang Feng walked straight out.
Xu Che's voice came clearly: "Sorry."
When he heard these two words, Hang Feng's footsteps paused, then quickened as he left.
Meanwhile, Xu's Mother screamed at his back like a madwoman.
Xu Che looked at them and said in a relatively calm voice, "Could you all please leave?"
"Ah... okay." Song Yi was the first to nod, as it was indeed awkward and unnecessary for them to stay at this point.
Song Yi then urged everyone, "Let's go, let's go."
The table of food was scattered in mess on the floor, and the birthday cake was still in the private room, not yet brought out.
This birthday was certainly terrible for Hang Feng.
Song Yi and Shen Yujing arrived at Hang Feng's door. They were responsible for delivering everyone's birthday gifts to him, but they just left them at the door without knocking to disturb him.
The two walked away side by side.
Shen Yujing suddenly sighed and asked, "Did I do something wrong?"
Song Yi looked at him in surprise, "Why would you think that?"
Shen Yujing stopped walking, his beautiful phoenix eyes showing disappointment, his head drooping down, looking somewhat dejected, "If I hadn't brought Xu Che today, none of this would have happened."
"But your intentions were good. You can't be blamed for their family's internal mess," Song Yi said, pursing her lips. "Besides, they were actually almost reconciling today, it was just an unfortunate coincidence."
At this point, Shen Yujing also became gloomy, "Who knew that turtle was so important to both of them?"
Brothers both liking turtles? How strange, even stranger than his mom liking gorillas.
Song Yi said, "It's not about liking the turtle, it's about what the turtle represents—grandmother's attitude."
Shen Yujing nodded somewhat comprehendingly. There was a cut under his left eye that had appeared at some point, still showing traces of blood.
Song Yi frowned and took out a band-aid from her bag.
Shen Yujing looked at her, "What are you doing?"
"Don't move." Song Yi said as she opened the band-aid and reached up to put it on his face.
Their eyes met, and they were so close they could feel each other's breath.
Shen Yujing's heart suddenly started beating uncontrollably, and his eyes nervously darted around, not knowing where to look.
But Song Yi seemed unaware, focusing entirely on carefully placing the band-aid on Shen Yujing's face.
Shen Yujing instinctively reached up to touch the band-aid, but Song Yi grabbed his hand, "Don't touch it."
Shen Yujing's eyes darted away as he said, "You... you can just tell me with words."
Don't get physical, it's... it's embarrassing!
Shen Yujing felt scared because his heart was beating so fast, at this rate wouldn't it jump out of his chest?
Song Yi let go of his hand but looked at him very seriously and said, "Wow, Shen Yujing, you're so handsome!"
Shen Yujing: "?"
For a moment, the young man's mind went blank.
What did he just hear? Song Yi complimenting him? Calling him handsome?
Shen Yujing, who had fallen into depression at the dinner table after Song Yi commented on how ugly he looked, suddenly felt like he'd gone from hell to heaven, his vanity greatly inflated.
He said somewhat bashfully, "Really? But didn't you just say I looked ugly today with my injury when I smiled?"
"That was because I had poor judgment," Song Yi said seriously. "Scars are medals of honor for men. You're handsome, really incredibly handsome."
At this moment, being praised by Song Yi made Shen Yujing feel not only his heart pounding but his cheeks burning hot, even his ears turning red.
Song Yi's last words to him before leaving were, "Shen Yujing, believe in yourself, you are the most handsome."
Even though he had grown up surrounded by sweet words and had heard thousands of compliments about his looks, for Shen Yujing, none of them carried the power of this single compliment from Song Yi.
On the way home, the new driver kept glancing at Shen Yujing through the rearview mirror.
Shen Yujing unabashedly lifted his head to let him look his fill, pride evident in his bearing.
At the Shen residence.
As soon as Shen Yujing entered, he was surprised to find several newspapers on the living room sofa.
He looked at his mother, who was playing on her phone nearby, and asked, "Dad's home?"
His father, who was usually either working or on his way to work year-round, was home today?
Shen's Mother was engrossed in her phone game and didn't even lift her head as she answered, "Yeah, the mirror at his company broke, so he came home to use the mirror."
Shen Yujing remembered—there was a huge floor-to-ceiling mirror in his father's room, supposedly the most truthful mirror in the world, which his father had bought at an overseas auction for several million and had air-shipped back to the country.
This expensive mirror was so rare that there were only two in the whole world—one in his father's study and one in his father's company.
It's no exaggeration to say that Shen's Father was the most narcissistic person Shen Yujing had ever known.
Shen Yujing had always despised his father's behavior, believing that being a man of responsibility was most important—why care so much about looks?
But today was different. Thinking of Song Yi's compliment about his handsomeness, Shen Yujing suddenly wanted to look in the mirror too—the most expensive mirror.
After knocking and receiving his father's permission, Shen Yujing walked in.
Shen's Father stood with his back to him in front of the floor-length mirror, adjusting his tie, with a pile of suits beside him, apparently having finished selecting his outfit.
Shen's Father asked the mirror: "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most handsome man of them all?"
Shen Yujing: "..."
Here we go again!
Although Shen Yujing felt a headache coming on, he still walked over and stood beside his father in front of the mirror.
The father and son looked very similar, with almost identical facial features except for their hair color.
However, Shen's Father's face carried the extra gravitas of a mature man. He looked at his son, who usually detested looking in mirrors, and asked, "What brings you here?"
Shen Yujing remained silent and instead raised his head to look at his reflection in the mirror.
Song Yi was right - he was indeed very handsome.
Those alluring phoenix eyes, that high-bridged nose, those crimson thin lips, and that perfect jawline.
Shen Yujing proudly lifted his chin, but his smile quickly froze.
Oh no, wait, what was that?
He stepped closer to examine the area under his eyes...
But Shen's Father's confused voice rang out before Shen Yujing could speak—
"Son? Why did you stick a turtle on your face?"
