Ch.82 – One-way Passage

Ming Qin sat down in front of the piano, shoulder to shoulder with the young alpha, and played a simple tune with the alpha’s assistance.

He didn’t seem like a total novice, but his poor technique was obvious; many guests turned their heads upon hearing the sound of the piano.

Nevertheless, Ming Qin boldly performed till the end of the piece, then stood up and gave the seat to the alpha before slowly making his way back.

Xia Wennan and the others remained where they stood. At this moment, he noticed that He Yufeng was only a short distance away from them.

Ming Qin approached Yin Zejing and looked him in the eyes. “You’re free to go,” he said with a sigh, his tone sounding very casual.

Yin Zejing stuck his hands into his trouser pockets. He was dressed formally, assuming the relaxed posture of a university student. “Where am I going, Qin ge?” he asked Ming Qin.

“You can go wherever the hell you want.” Ming Qin lowered his head and began to straighten cuffs, which he had slightly pulled up earlier to play the piano. “I’ve found someone new to sponsor.”

Yin Zejing raised his jaw and pointed at the alpha playing the piano. “Him, huh? Is he willing to accept your sponsorship?”

“If he doesn’t, there will always be someone who will,” said Ming Qin. “Did you believe that people were irreplaceable?”

Their voices weren’t loud, but because Ming Qin had just played the piano, a few people had their eyes on him. Right now, many of those in the garden were sneaking glances his way. Among them was He Yufeng, having gone closer but stopped nearby; he was holding a glass of wine, his head bowed as if sipping his drink, but Xia Wennan knew he was definitely listening in on Yin Zejing and Ming Qin’s conversation.

Xia Wennan suddenly understood what Ming Qin had planned. He’d been deceived by Yin Zejing, but he wasn’t willing to drive Yin Zejing away just like that; doing so would make it appear as if he was the one who’d been hurt, so he needed to change his attitude, change the occasion, and humiliate Yin Zejing with a condescending blow before throwing him out.

In the future, even if Yin Zejing reappears as the young master of Mo Ze, Ming Qin could claim that he hadn’t been deceived by Yin Zejing, but he’d grown tired of toying with him and dumped him as a result.

Xia Wennan kept his eyes on Ming Qin. Because it wasn’t particularly bright here, Xia Wennan couldn’t quite catch the minute details in their expressions, but he was confident in his judgement.

Out of nowhere, a hand pressed against Xia Wennan’s shoulder.

When Xia Wennan looked behind him, he saw that it was Ming Luchuan. The man had gone to say hello to an elder whom Duan Wenlong had introduced him to, and he had just now returned to Xia Wenna’s side. He and Xia Wennan exchanged a glance, but neither man uttered a word.

Yin Zejing’s expression was much more complicated. He raised his head, glanced around the entire party venue, and swept his gaze over the many people present. In the end, he bowed his head to look at Ming Qin, and said, “Qin ge, are you still angry with me?”

Ming Qin looked at him and smiled.

Yin Zejing stepped closer to Ming Qin. His voice was very soft. “Can you tell me why?”

Ming Qin lifted a hand and lightly patted Yin Zejing’s face with his soft and delicate palm. “What reason is there for Qin ge to be angry? Didn’t I tell you that we’d part without any hard feelings from the start? And that time would come once I get sick of you? Take a look at yourself, where did that youthful liveliness typical of university students go? Shouldn’t you be going now?”

“Are you…” Yin Zejing wanted to say something, but ultimately, the words never left his mouth. He straightened up, spent a moment looking at Ming Qin, and said, “Well then. I guess I should go.”

Duan Ning seemed to have something to say but was hesitant to voice it.

Yin Zejing turned on his heels to make his way out.

“You can take my gifts with you, but don’t touch anything you shouldn’t,” Ming Qin raised his voice abruptly. “Whatever the case, you’re a university student. Even if you’ve abandoned your moral backbone, at least save yourself a little face.”

Yin Zejing came to a halt. He patiently listened to the end of Ming Qin’s spiel, and only said, “Qin ge, don’t let him mark you.”

In that split second, Ming Qin looked visibly stumped.

After that, Yin Zejing turned and proceeded to leave.

The many people around them were all staring and whispering among themselves.

Xia Wennan thought that a public commotion like this would also do a number on Ming Qin’s reputation. It was a bit like dealing damage to your enemy yet coming out of it wounded yourself. However, since this circle was so large, this matter between Yin Zejing and Ming Qin would quickly spread, and what would He Yufeng do when it came time for him to introduce everyone to his little brother, who had recently returned to the country? Xia Wennan felt embarrassed for them just thinking about it. .

What on earth was Yin Zejing thinking? Was it worth it, selling off his body for a few company secrets?

Xia Wennan took a moment to think before deciding that it was necessary to question Yin Zejing and get to the bottom of things. He hurriedly withdrew from the crowd in order to catch up to Yin Zejing outside.

Ming Luchuan held Xia Wennan back by the hand. “Are you going to go find Yin Zejing?”

“Mm.” Xia Wennan nodded.

“I’ll come with you,” said Ming Luchuan.

“I better go alone,” said Xia Wennan. “There may be some things that he’ll only be willing to say to me.” He gave Ming Luchuan an earnest gaze.

Alphas had an inherent mutual aversion towards one another. Since the beginning, the two men had scarcely any contact, and now that Ming Qin had severed their relationship, it was only their business rivalry that remained. Yin Zejing would undoubtedly stay tight-lipped around Ming Luchuan.

Betas, on the other hand, were harmless, especially in the eyes of an alpha. They still had to be on guard against an omega’s heat, whose pheromones could make them lose their minds, but betas wouldn’t; their disposition was weaker than alphas, they could control themselves, and their lack of pheromones didn’t pose a threat, so it was safe to be near them.

Ming Luchuan nodded, understanding Xia Wennan’s thoughts.

Xia Wennan rushed out of the Duan residence. The moment he set foot outside the gate, he saw that Yin Zejing hadn’t gone very far, but was smoking under a lamppost.

The air was freezing. The party venue was equipped with heat-lamps, but as soon as he left the house, there was nothing but the biting-cold wind. Xia Wennan slightly regretted not layering up with a thick jacket. Yin Zejing was dressed just as thinly; his collar was even unbuttoned.

Yin Zejing looked up at Xia Wennan and said, “It’s hard to hail a taxi in these parts. Could you get the car out and give me a ride?”

The Duan family lived on the outskirts of the city. Surrounded by hills, it was secluded and rarely frequented, the neighbourhood full of single-family villas.

Xia Wennan looked over his shoulder. Seeing that no one else had come out, he approached Yin Zejing while saying, “Your brother isn’t sending you off?”

Yin Zejing turned to face him. His face was devoid of any sign of shock. “Turns out you all really knew,” he stated simply. He tilted his head and took a drag of his cigarette, as if in deep thought.“Did Qin ge suspect me because of Mo Ze’s pheromone perfumes?”

“No,” said Xia Wennan. “It’s because I regained my memories.”

“You got your memories back?” This time, a trace of genuine shock crossed Yin Zejing’s features.

Xia Wennan scoffed. Step by step, he closed in on Yin Zejing. “Yin Zejing, you found out that I discovered your true identity, didn’t you? You were scared I would inform Ming Qin, so the night we had dinner at the Ming house, you mixed a large dose of sleeping pills into the orange juice because you knew that I had to drive and couldn’t drink. And yet you never expected me to survive and lose my memories instead, so you believed you could rest easy? Did you really never think that there’d be a day when I would regain my memories?”

Yin Zejing’s brows slightly furrowed.