IOLYF Chapter 91

As soon as Han Shao Zhou returned to his room, he headed straight to the bathroom for a shower. The lingering sensation of holding Mo Ming in his arms and the warmth of his body still clung to him, along with the faint scent of Mo Ming’s fragrance that seemed to hover in the air.

With one hand braced against the wall and the other directing the stream of water, Han Shao Zhou couldn’t help but feel a bitter taste in his heart. There probably wasn’t anyone more hopeless than him in the entire world.

It was nearing 2 a.m. when Mo Ming, after some hesitation, decided to call Zhou Yixiang. He sent Zhou Yixiang a picture he had taken from the photo album, asking him to verify something.

“It’s indeed identical to Zhou Xu’s bracelet…” Zhou Yixiang confirmed.

Mo Ming quickly asked, “Teacher, do you know the origin of this bracelet?”

He had seen it years ago in Zhou Xu’s apartment but had assumed it was just a regular piece of jewelry and hadn’t paid much attention to it.

“When Zhou Xu was taken in, he already had it,” Zhou Yixiang recalled. “I remember him saying it was left to him by his mother.”

“Do you know who Zhou Ge’s mother was?” Mo Ming pressed.

“I’m not sure,” Zhou Yixiang replied. “I only heard that his mother passed away, and after that, he was sent to an orphanage.”

“Which orphanage was Zhou Xu in?”

When Han Shao Zhou emerged from the bathroom, he saw Mo Ming standing by the window, talking on the phone. He was wearing open-toe slippers, and the exposed section of his ankle, white as snow, contrasted with the narrow curve of his waist, making it tempting to reach out and measure it.

Han Shao Zhou felt the desire he had just relieved start to stir again. He quickly sat down on the floor by the bed, pulling the thin blanket up to cover himself. Just as Mo Ming finished his call, he turned to stare at Han Shao Zhou, who was sitting on the carpet, his eyes narrowing as if in deep thought.

Han Shao Zhou felt even more self-conscious under Mo Ming’s scrutinizing gaze. “What’s wrong?”

Mo Ming walked over to the bed and knelt down beside Han Shao Zhou, leaning in closer until their faces were almost touching.

As he watched Mo Ming’s face draw nearer, Han Shao Zhou clutched the blanket tighter over his waist, his body instinctively leaning back.

“Wh-what’s wrong?” Han Shao Zhou stammered, his throat tightening, and his lips twitching into a smile. “Is there something on my face?”

Mo Ming frowned, his expression thoughtful. “You look a lot like your uncle.”

“Isn’t it common for nephews to resemble their uncles? Besides, my mom and uncle were twins,” Han Shao Zhou said, his voice husky as he reached out to pinch Mo Ming’s chin. “If you keep getting this close, I’m going to kiss you.”

Mo Ming blinked, then settled down, sitting cross-legged on the carpet. He proceeded to tell Han Shao Zhou about his conversation with Zhou Yixiang, suggesting that Han Shao Zhou arrange for someone to investigate Zhou Xu’s past at the orphanage to save time.

Han Shao Zhou immediately sent a message to Ade, instructing him to take care of it right away.

They both had a hunch about what they might uncover, but everything needed to be confirmed first.

When they finally went to bed, Mo Ming once again peered over the edge of the bed and whispered to Han Shao Zhou on the floor, “Maybe you should tell your grandfather about your uncle’s plans to harm you.”

“Thinking about something doesn’t make it a crime. Pang Yuanqing practically controls the Pang family now. Without solid evidence, it’s hard to take action against him,” Han Shao Zhou replied, lying on his back with his hands behind his head. “The only person who can strip him of everything is my grandfather, but he’s the one who raised him. Shaking my grandfather’s trust in him would be even harder.”

“Then what reason would your uncle have for wanting to harm you?” Mo Ming asked.

“What else? He doesn’t want anyone but himself to have a share in the Pang family.” As he said this, Han Shao Zhou seemed to realize something, and his eyes snapped open, locking with Mo Ming’s who was still leaning over the bed.

“Did you figure it out too?” Mo Ming asked.

“…Yeah.” Han Shao Zhou sat up from the floor. “If that’s the case, a lot of things start to make sense.”

They discussed their thoughts for a while, and by the time they were ready to sleep again, it was almost 3 a.m.

Han Shao Zhou still couldn’t sleep. In the quiet darkness, he could faintly hear the steady, even breathing from the bed beside him, indicating that Mo Ming was close to falling asleep.

“It’s really cold…” Han Shao Zhou muttered softly, almost to himself.

Mo Ming heard him, and without even opening his eyes, he mumbled, “If it’s cold, then just come up… and sleep.”

Before Mo Ming could finish the sentence, the blanket was lifted, and the mattress beside him suddenly dipped.

Mo Ming opened his eyes to see Han Shao Zhou already lying beside him, hands resting properly on top of the blanket, eyes closed, and not saying a word.

In the faint light, Mo Ming could only make out the sharp contours of Han Shao Zhou’s profile, from his prominent brow to his chiseled jawline, his features resembling a finely sculpted statue.

Turning away, Mo Ming pulled the blanket over his head, leaving only his hair exposed.

Once he sensed that Mo Ming had fallen asleep, Han Shao Zhou slowly turned to face him, carefully pulling the blanket down from Mo Ming’s face to his neck.

The little guy was sleeping soundly, his delicate profile casting a beautiful silhouette, even the long, thick lashes casting a delicate shadow.

Han Shao Zhou slowly leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Mo Ming’s temple. That cautious kiss, however, brought a wave of intense bitterness to his chest…

He never thought he would one day find himself jealous of someone who had already passed away.

Feeling melancholic, Han Shao Zhou turned over and faced away from Mo Ming, taking a long time to drift off to sleep.

When he woke up in the morning, Han Shao Zhou realized that at some point during the night, he had rolled over and, as expected, was holding Mo Ming in his arms. Worried that Mo Ming might wake up and think he was taking advantage of the situation, he hurriedly tried to let go, only to find that the little guy had snuggled into his neck, one arm naturally draped around his waist.

Just like those mornings over the past three years.

Han Shao Zhou’s lips curled into a smile… It seemed that the habits formed over three years weren’t something he alone was struggling to shake.

He gently released Mo Ming, allowing him to hold onto him, and closed his eyes to continue sleeping. Soon, he felt the person in his arms waking up. After a brief moment of awareness, the hand on his waist slowly and carefully began to withdraw.

Mo Ming’s breathing became slightly restrained, as if afraid of waking Han Shao Zhou. After what felt like an eternity, he managed to pull his hand back and hurriedly flipped over, throwing off the blanket and sitting up at the edge of the bed.

Han Shao Zhou slowly opened his eyes, watching Mo Ming as he sat on the bed and started getting dressed, unable to suppress his amusement.

Just as Han Shao Zhou was contemplating whether to call Mo Ming out on it, there was a sudden knock on the bedroom door. A servant urgently informed them that Old Master Pang had fainted.

At 10 a.m., the lights in the emergency room finally went out.

Although he was out of immediate danger, the doctor informed them that Pang Mingshun’s condition was extremely poor.

Pang Mingshun was now in a state of semi-consciousness. Even if he wanted to leave the hospital and return to the manor to recuperate, his body could no longer support him. With the last bit of strength he had, he gripped Pang Yuanqing’s hand tightly. Pang Yuanqing had to lean in close to hear him whisper, “Don’t be greedy. The Pang family never truly belonged to you. Whatever you receive, you should be content with…”

“I understand, Father…” Pang Yuanqing replied softly. “Don’t worry.”

Pang Mingshun seemed to sense that his time was near. After that, he wouldn’t let go of Han Shao Zhou’s hand, making him sit by the bed while he reminisced about his younger years and his lost children. His words started to become disjointed, jumping from one thought to another.

Mo Ming waited outside the ward the whole time. Eventually, Pang Yuanqing approached him.

“Uncle…” Mo Ming greeted politely.

Pang Yuanqing looked at Mo Ming calmly through his thin glasses. “What did you hear when you were under my bed at the hotel that night?”

Mo Ming’s eyes widened slightly.

“I’m not sure what you mean, Uncle,” Mo Ming replied politely, frowning. “Why would I be under your bed? If Han Ge heard this, he’d misunderstand.”

Pang Yuanqing chuckled lightly. “I really dislike it when people do things behind my back. If you have any questions, you can ask me directly.”

“But when something isn’t in their favor, most people instinctively choose to lie,” Mo Ming said. “If it were a difficult question for you, would you still answer truthfully, Uncle?”

Pang Yuanqing adjusted his glasses, smiling faintly. “Why don’t you ask and find out?”

Mo Ming, in a tone that seemed half-joking, said, “If someone were to discover a Pang family illegitimate child out in the world, what would you do?”

Pang Yuanqing’s brow twitched slightly. “What would you do?”

Mo Ming thought seriously for a moment. “If I was afraid that the huge fortune about to be mine would be snatched away, I might kill him.”

Pang Yuanqing’s gaze remained inscrutable as he studied Mo Ming. “Murder is illegal.”

“Killing is indeed illegal, but if it were an accident, who could be blamed?”

“You seem to be speaking in riddles.”

“Only those with guilty consciences see riddles where none exist,” Mo Ming replied, smiling innocently. “I’m just joking with you, Uncle. Don’t take it seriously.”

Pang Yuanqing chuckled softly. “Xiao Han is lucky to have you by his side.”

“Thank you for your approval.”

“Then you’d better…” Pang Yuanqing leaned in closer, whispering softly into Mo Ming’s ear, “…make sure you protect him well.”

Pang Mingshun’s condition wasn’t going to improve in a day or two. With the Pang family members taking turns staying by his side at the hospital, Han Shao Zhou received a call from his grandfather and decided to take Mo Ming back to Chuanhai.

On the way, Han Shao Zhou told Mo Ming that his grandfather already knew he had introduced his partner to his grandfather, and now he was demanding to see him immediately.

“I really don’t know what to do. He was so angry on the phone,” Han Shao Zhou said, looking out the car window, appearing conflicted and helpless. “I’ve been putting him off for so long, and now, even if I say it’s all an act, he won’t believe me.”

Mo Ming didn’t know how to respond, so he just kept his head down, fiddling with his fingers. Han Shao Zhou glanced at him and casually said, “Anyway, this little act of ours can’t stop now. If my grandfather gets too upset and something happens to him, we’ll both be responsible.”

“…”

“So, you might as well come with me and put on a little show for him,” Han Shao Zhou continued. “Just like when we visited my grandfather, we’re just making an old man happy.”

Mo Ming was silent for a moment before asking in a small voice, “Is your grandfather… scary?”

Old Master Han’s reputation preceded him. Even though Mo Ming had never met him, he had heard the stories. The old man was practically a legend, a powerful tycoon with connections everywhere, known for his decisiveness and ruthlessness. Even at seventy, his authority was as formidable as ever…

Han Shao Zhou chuckled. “Do you think I’m scary?”

Mo Ming turned to look out the window. “You were pretty scary when you smashed up my apartment…”

“…” He’s still holding a grudge over that.

Han Shao Zhou scratched his eyebrow. “That’s in the past. Let’s not bring it up. Just think about how I am most of the time. I’m pretty easygoing, right?”

“Right.”

“Drop the ‘right’ part.”

“Okay.”

“My grandfather is even better—kind, patient, and more approachable than my other grandfather.”

Mo Ming looked at Han Shao Zhou. “But you once told me he chased you with a stick and broke it over you.”

“…”