IOLYF Chapter 96

As they neared the hotel, Han Shao Zhou couldn’t hold back his question any longer. “How long do you plan to stay here?”

Mo Ming kept walking without stopping or looking back. “It depends on the situation.”

“I heard there’s going to be a fireworks show tomorrow night,” Han Shao Zhou said, hands in his pockets as he followed at a leisurely pace. “Are you planning to watch it?”

“I’m not sure.”

Han Shao Zhou didn’t press further, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.

The next evening, as expected, Han Shao Zhou spotted Mo Ming at the plaza by the artificial lake where the fireworks were set to go off.

Dressed in a beige hoodie and jeans, with his mask pulled down to his chin, Mo Ming was strolling around the plaza, holding a shiny skewer of candied hawthorn.

The early autumn breeze in N country was cool and pleasant, and Han Shao Zhou couldn’t help but remember that night in Chuanhai when he had carried Mo Ming on his back, listening to him nibble on candied hawthorn like a little hamster.

He couldn’t recall what they had talked about that night, but he clearly remembered the warm, full feeling in his chest and how light Mo Ming had felt on his back. He had wanted to carry him like that forever.

Sometimes, Han Shao Zhou still believed that the Mo Ming he had known over the past three years wasn’t entirely a lie.

As the sky exploded with fireworks, Han Shao Zhou finally approached Mo Ming. Mo Ming was standing there, lost in thought, staring up at the night sky. Han Shao Zhou came up behind him, turned around, and raised his phone, gently tapping Mo Ming’s shoulder with the back of his hand.

Mo Ming turned around, and Han Shao Zhou quickly leaned in, snapping a photo.

With the two of them silhouetted against the dazzling fireworks, Han Shao Zhou finally got the photo he had wanted with Mo Ming.

The next second, before Mo Ming could react, Han Shao Zhou offered him a skewer of candied hawthorn he had prepared in advance, smiling sheepishly. “I took a photo without your permission. Consider this my way of making it up to you.”

Mo Ming looked down at the candied hawthorn, scoffing at the childish gesture. He didn’t take it, instead turning back to watch the night sky.

Han Shao Zhou, sensing that Mo Ming wasn’t angry, stood beside him and leaned in close to Mo Ming’s ear, speaking loudly enough to be heard over the fireworks. “After the fireworks, why don’t we go eat…?”

Before he could finish, someone bumped into him from behind, causing his lips to brush against Mo Ming’s temple as if he had planted a kiss there.

Mo Ming turned, frowning at Han Shao Zhou, who quickly tried to explain, “I didn’t— I mean, that wasn’t—”

Seeing Mo Ming about to get upset, Han Shao Zhou turned and angrily shouted, “Who the hell bumped into me?”

Surrounded by a sea of people, Han Shao Zhou couldn’t pinpoint the culprit. When he turned back to explain to Mo Ming, he realized Mo Ming was gone.

Mo Ming had only walked a short distance away but glanced back to see Han Shao Zhou searching frantically for him in the crowd, looking like a lost puppy.

The fireworks boomed overhead, lighting up the lakeside plaza as if it were daytime.

Mo Ming stared at the anxious figure for a moment, his brows furrowed, then turned and walked away.

“Idiot…” he muttered, his frustration dissolving into the wind. The fireworks had lost all appeal, and he took a deep breath, feeling a tangled mess in his chest.

This was the feeling he hated the most.

This man wasn’t in love with the real him, and he didn’t want to impose his feelings for Zhou Xu on this man either. Such a vague relationship could never last.

If it can’t last, why start it at all…

Leaving the plaza, Mo Ming hailed a taxi on the side of the road and headed straight back to the hotel.

The taxi hadn’t gone far when the driver picked up two more passengers, two men, along the way. Mo Ming wasn’t used to sharing a ride, but since the hotel wasn’t far, he didn’t say anything. That was until he noticed the driver occasionally watching him through the rearview mirror.

Mo Ming turned his gaze back to the window, staying calm. At a red light, he discreetly tried to open the door, only to find it locked.

The man sitting next to him grew more alert, and when Mo Ming reached into his pocket to grab his phone, the man acted without hesitation.

Before Mo Ming could react, a stun gun buzzed against his waist.

These men had come prepared. As he struggled, his phone slipped from his pocket, just as a call came in. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Han Shao Zhou’s name on the screen.

He’s still looking for me…

Mo Ming thought vaguely before everything went black.

When he regained consciousness, Mo Ming found himself in what looked like a private dining room. He was slumped in a chair, his body leaning against the table, and his hands were cuffed behind him.

The room had large windows offering a panoramic view of the city’s neon lights, making it clear they were high up in the mountains.

Finally, Mo Ming focused on the man sitting across from him—Pang Yuanqing.

“You don’t seem afraid,” Pang Yuanqing observed, his fingers elegantly resting on his crossed legs. “Not even curious?”

Mo Ming slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again, speaking calmly, “There were a lot of things I still needed to investigate, but by doing this, you’ve already given me all the answers.”

“Like what?”

“Like Zhou Xu’s origins, his death, or…” Mo Ming paused, suddenly realizing how foolish he had been. “It was you who had Xia Qing lure me here.”

Pang Yuanqing chuckled softly. “If you hadn’t been so fixated on Zhou Xu’s death, you wouldn’t be here today. But since you and Han Shao Zhou were already looking into the orphanage Zhou Xu was in, if I had waited any longer, I would have lost everything.”

Despite having had his suspicions, Mo Ming was still shocked at this moment. Pang Yuanqing’s words were a confirmation of his and Han Shao Zhou’s theory—Zhou Xu was indeed a part of the Pang family.

“Pang Mingshun never gave up searching for the lost members of the Pang family. He wanted a legitimate heir. No matter how loyal I was to him, I could never compare to a blood relative. I’m just glad I found Zhou Xu before he did.”

Mo Ming glared at Pang Mingshun, his eyes slowly filling with red.

“I’m guessing Zhou Xu was important to you. I’m sorry…” Pang Yuanqing said calmly. “I was simply taking the necessary steps to succeed, but he was in my way.”

Mo Ming strained against the handcuffs behind him, his eyes brimming with hatred. “Bastard! He didn’t even know about his heritage.”

“You should be grateful he didn’t. If he had been recognized as a Pang and returned to the family, he wouldn’t have lived as long as he did,” Pang Yuanqing said leisurely. “Just like Pang Mingshun’s children, who died over twenty years ago.”

Mo Ming’s pupils contracted as he stared at the man in disbelief. The bright lights reflected off Pang Yuanqing’s thin glasses, giving them a greenish tint, like the gaze of a poisonous snake.

“Han Shao Zhou’s parents—was that you…?”

“I didn’t intend to harm his parents,” Pang Mingshun replied, looking down at his empty wrist. “At the time, I only wanted Pang Mingshun’s son dead, but they all happened to be in the same car.”

“This path of yours… will only lead to ruin.”

“That’s why I hope tonight will be the end of it,” Pang Yuanqing said, checking the time on Mo Ming’s phone. “I sent Han Shao Zhou a message from your phone. If my calculations are correct, he should be arriving soon.”

Mo Ming’s fingers trembled. “You’ve made a mistake. There’s no way I would ever ask Han Shao Zhou to meet me here. He’d see right through your trick.”

Pang Yuanqing smiled faintly. “That’s why I only sent the location and a simple message: ‘I want to talk to you.’”

Mo Ming’s unease flickered across his face… It was exactly the kind of message he would send to Han Shao Zhou.

“Even if he doesn’t come tonight, he won’t make it out of N country alive. It’s just a matter of timing and method,” Pang Yuanqing continued. “This didn’t have to be so complicated, but since Pang Mingshun changed his will, the only way to prevent that fortune from being donated is for Han Shao Zhou to voluntarily give up his inheritance.”

“That just proves how clearly he saw your ambition…”

“Maybe, but it’s a pity. Now that he’s comatose, there’s no chance for him to test me further.”

“I don’t believe you can cover your tracks completely,” Mo Ming said, staring at Pang Yuanqing. “With Han Changzong’s intelligence, he’ll be the first to suspect you.”

“Ding Sheng’s overseas operations account for nearly half of its business here in N country. The connections I can leverage here far exceed those of Han Changzong. Even if he suspects me, he won’t be able to find any evidence. Otherwise, why do you think I’m confident enough to be here in person tonight?”

After Pang Mingshun’s death, the entire Pang family would be his. His status and power would be enough to dismiss any accusations.

The restaurant seemed to be staffed entirely by his people; it appeared to have been privately booked.

Han Shao Zhou double-checked the message Mo Ming had sent him.

A staff member approached and, after Han Shao Zhou explained the situation, led him to the private room where Mo Ming was waiting.

The staff informed Han Shao Zhou that the place had been entirely booked by the guest named Mo Ming.

Han Shao Zhou frowned slightly…

When he opened the door to the private room, a gun was immediately pressed to his forehead.

Seeing Mo Ming handcuffed to a chair not far away and Pang Yuanqing sitting across from him, Han Shao Zhou closed his eyes in frustration. “I was wondering why you picked such a remote location to talk.”

As soon as Han Shao Zhou entered, Mo Ming’s heart dropped, trembling with fear. Unable to control himself, he shouted, “Why did you come?! Are you out of your mind?!”

“Sorry, I was just so happy to hear from you…” Han Shao Zhou admitted.

Mo Ming: “…”

“I came all the way to N country for you. What’s a little extra distance?” Pang Yuanqing smiled slightly. “Xiao Han, I asked you here for one reason: to sign a document.”

“Really?” Han Shao Zhou’s gaze fixed on Pang Yuanqing. “I thought you wanted my life.”

“I wish it were that simple.”

At that moment, two men entered the room, grabbed Han Shao Zhou’s arms, and forced him to the ground. The gun that had been pointed at him was now aimed at Mo Ming’s head.

Han Shao Zhou glanced at Mo Ming, making no attempt to resist.

One of Pang Yuanqing’s men placed a document in front of Han Shao Zhou, and Pang Yuanqing said, “This is a statement voluntarily relinquishing your inheritance rights. Sign it.”

Han Shao Zhou took a deep breath. “If I don’t sign, I die. If I do sign, you still won’t let me live. So why should I bother?”

Pang Yuanqing spoke coldly, “Sign it, and at least you’ll retain some dignity.”

As soon as Pang Yuanqing finished speaking, one of his men walked over to Mo Ming and began unbuckling his belt.

Han Shao Zhou’s scalp went numb, and he struggled violently, nearly breaking free from the two men holding him down. “What are you doing?! You bastards! Stop!!”

A series of electric shocks coursed through Han Shao Zhou’s body, the pain forcing him to the ground, unable to move. Using all his strength, he rasped, “I’ll… I’ll sign it. Just stop. I’ll… sign.”

Pang Yuanqing ordered his men to stop.

Once Han Shao Zhou had recovered somewhat, a pen was thrust into his hand.

After signing the document, Han Shao Zhou was strapped to a chair and made to record a video statement relinquishing his inheritance. Then another man came over and rolled up Han Shao Zhou’s sleeve, injecting something into his arm.

Mo Ming received the same treatment.

“Don’t worry,” Pang Yuanqing said. “It’s just something to fool the coroner, just like how Zhou Xu was ruled as driving under the influence.”

Han Shao Zhou struggled to lift his head and saw Mo Ming staring at him, eyes red and filled with tears… But he knew Mo Ming wasn’t afraid of dying.

Whatever was in the second injection knocked Mo Ming out. When he came to, he found himself in a moving car.

It was dark and quiet, the car winding down a mountain road.

Mo Ming was lying in the back seat, completely drained of strength. He could see two men in the front seats, likely Pang Yuanqing’s subordinates.

Where are they… taking us…?

Using all his strength, Mo Ming managed to roll over, only to fall off the seat with a thud, landing on something solid beneath him—Han Shao Zhou’s body.

The man in the passenger seat turned at the noise, glanced at the two entangled figures in the back, then looked away and continued staring ahead.

Mo Ming quickly realized he was lying on top of Han Shao Zhou. The car’s dim lighting made it impossible to tell if Han Shao Zhou was conscious. He called out weakly, but it was barely more than a whisper.

Mo Ming reached out with his tongue, kitten-like, and licked Han Shao Zhou’s chin, his voice choking with emotion. “Han Shao Zhou… Han Shao Zhou…”

The car’s interior lights were off, and the wind howled through the windows.

In a daze, Mo Ming heard a bone snap.

Soon after, the car stopped at a bend in the mountain road. The two men in the front got out, opened the rear doors, and dragged Han Shao Zhou and Mo Ming out, placing them in the driver’s and passenger’s seats, fastening their seat belts before shutting the doors.

Mo Ming was too weak to move. He tried biting his tongue, hoping the pain would snap him out of his paralysis, but it was no use. All he could do was turn his head and look sadly at Han Shao Zhou, who was slumped in the driver’s seat, head hanging down as if still unconscious.

He shouldn’t have come to N country…

“Han Shao Zhou…” Mo Ming rasped.

“Such a pity,” one of the men said, leaning against the passenger side window and looking at Mo Ming with a grin. “Drunk driving is dangerous. Be more careful next time.”

The car was started, and the two men walked away, watching as it slowly rolled toward the edge of the cliff.

Mo Ming stared at the void ahead, slowly closing his eyes. The next second, he felt the car lurch violently, his body thrown to one side by the sudden force.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Han Shao Zhou yanking the steering wheel, his face pale and covered in sweat. His left hand, gripping the wheel, had a pinky finger bent backward at a horrifying angle.

Mo Ming realized the bone-breaking sound he had heard earlier was Han Shao Zhou deliberately breaking his finger.

Even with the intense pain restoring some sensation, it wasn’t enough for Han Shao Zhou to fully control the car. After steering it away from the cliff, he immediately freed both himself and Mo Ming from their seat belts, then used all his strength to grab Mo Ming.

The other car, which had been following them as a precaution, sped up to ram into them when the driver saw something was wrong.

Han Shao Zhou pulled Mo Ming out of the car, pushing the door open at the last moment. With a loud crash, the car tumbled down the cliff.

They rolled down the steep, overgrown slope, pain jolting their bodies back to life. Han Shao Zhou desperately grabbed at grass and rocks, slowing their descent before shielding Mo Ming with his body as they slid down the slope.

The night was pitch black, with wild grasses whipping against their faces like serrated whips.

The wind howled past his ears, and Mo Ming could feel his body being tossed and turned in all directions. Through the dizziness, he could hear Han Shao Zhou’s pained grunts, almost constant, echoing in his ears.

The car they had just escaped from tumbled down the cliff, crashing and exploding in flames at the bottom, the smoke rising up into the moonlit sky.

Looking down at the fire below, Pang Yuanqing’s men reported back to him.

When Pang Yuanqing learned that Han Shao Zhou had still been conscious enough to resist, he immediately ordered his men to check the wreckage.

He needed to see the bodies to be certain.