LMMY chapter 130

“You’re begging me?”

Li Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly, looking down at him. “At this point, what do you have to offer?”

Winter’s cold wind howled through the buildings, sweeping through the corridor. Li Mingge’s hair was disheveled, and in just a few short months, most of it had turned white.

Gone was the commanding presence he once carried. Even though he was still impeccably dressed in a suit, in this situation, it felt like nothing more than a pitiful, crumbling facade.

With great difficulty, he finally said, “If you agree, I can spare Zhao Jizhe.”

“You think that’s a bargaining chip?” Li Xuan scoffed, shaking his head. “Do you think he means anything to me? Li Mingge, you’re overestimating your importance in my life. To me, people fall into two categories—strangers, acquaintances…”

His gaze swept briefly over the ceramic vase on the wooden cabinet, where Sheng Min’s flowers were arranged. Then, just as quickly, he looked away. “You and Zhao Jizhe both fall into the ‘stranger’ category. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, nor do I care to know what goes on in your heads.”

His tone was steady. “So you don’t need to let Zhao Jizhe go, and you certainly don’t need to tell me about it or use it as leverage. He and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. If you have the power to have him executed as an example to others, I’d even sincerely commend you for your capability.”

Li Mingge’s face turned completely pale. The wrinkles on his aged face trembled, and even his voice lost all strength. “I can give you all my money. I’ll give you my company. I—”

“I’m not interested.”

Li Xuan rejected him without hesitation. “Money doesn’t mean that much to me, and other people’s money means even less. Don’t look so skeptical.”

He paused slightly, his expression unbothered. “Yes, you were wealthier than me, so you were able to control me before. I did suffer because of it. But that was just because you started accumulating wealth earlier than I did. Do you really think that’s some kind of advantage? I don’t think so.”

“If I want money, I can earn as much as I need. Your money is useless to me. Please leave.” Li Xuan took a step back. “And stop kneeling here. I won’t get any satisfaction from seeing you like this. Whether you kneel or stand, it makes no difference to me.”

From start to finish, Li Xuan remained extraordinarily calm. He was like a sharp blade gleaming in the cold, cutting without hesitation but never striking low. He had no intention of humiliating Li Mingge or taking pleasure in his downfall.

He stepped back again, reaching out to close the door, but Li Mingge pressed his hand firmly against the doorframe, blocking it. His face was half-hidden in the door’s shadow, looking utterly defeated.

Li Xuan’s voice was ice-cold. “Don’t waste your efforts on me. You said it yourself—you’re rich. There will always be someone willing to help you. Or you could try it yourself first.”

“You think I haven’t?!” Li Mingge stood up abruptly, his joints making a sharp, grating sound. He gritted his teeth. “I’ve already tried. I was the first one to get tested, but I wasn’t a match… You think I’d be here begging you if I had any other choice? She doesn’t have much time left. I’d give up everything I own to save her. But there’s no time left. I don’t have the luxury of searching for other donors anymore. The doctors said that if she doesn’t get a transplant soon, she might not make it through the month…”

As he spoke, his voice grew quieter, as if he didn’t want to say these things but had no choice.

“You couldn’t donate, so what makes you think I can?” Li Xuan’s tone remained calm. “You think I’d be a match for your son?”

“I know you’re desperate, but that doesn’t mean you should take wild chances. Even between a mother and son, it’s only a partial match. The same would go for me.”

“That only applies to bone marrow transplants. For white blood cell antigen matching, though…” Li Mingge spoke urgently.

“Oh? So you do understand, then…” Li Xuan pulled the corners of his mouth into a half-smile. “Funny, that’s not what you said back then.”

Li Mingge stared at Li Xuan’s indifferent expression. In that instant, it was as if he saw the young boy from years ago—thin, stubborn, and defiant. The realization struck him like a blow. “It was my fault. Everything was my fault. I was wrong. I never should have… But what did she do wrong?”

“And what did Li Xuan do wrong?!”

Sheng Min, unable to listen any longer, rushed forward to stand in front of Li Xuan.

Li Xuan was momentarily stunned by his sudden outburst, his expression briefly softening as he instinctively reached out to steady Sheng Min by the waist. “Why are you up? It’s okay. Go back inside.”

“What do you mean, ‘it’s okay’?! What would ‘not okay’ even look like?!” Sheng Min swatted his hand away. “Why should I go inside? So you can stand here and listen to this nonsense?!”

“Sheng Min…”

“No Li Xuan……”

He turned to look at Li Mingge, his chest rising and falling as he struggled to suppress his anger. His Adam’s apple moved slightly. “President Li, I’m sorry for what happened to your wife, but this has nothing to do with Li Xuan. You’re not welcome here. Please leave immediately.”

He reached out to close the door, ignoring Li Mingge’s hand gripping the frame. Li Mingge froze for a moment, but then he completely abandoned any dignity and quickly grabbed the hem of Li Xuan’s clothing.

“You promised, Li Xuan…” He called out anxiously, as if clinging to his last hope. “Back then, you agreed to undergo surgery with him. And, and you promised to take care of his mother… This was something you agreed to give back then. He didn’t need it, so give it to his mother—”

Li Xuan’s expression stiffened for a brief moment, a reaction Sheng Min immediately caught. The anger in Sheng Min’s chest became uncontrollable.

“Get out!” His pale face flushed red with anger. He glared at Li Mingge. “He promised? Promised what? Just because he once said something, you expect him to owe you forever? The law has a statute of limitations—what crime did Li Xuan commit to deserve being hounded by you like this?”

Li Mingge was briefly stunned by Sheng Min’s sudden outburst, his face darkening with a trace of shame and frustration. “This has nothing to do with you. I am speaking to Li Xuan—”

“And you think he would still say another word to you if I don’t allow it?” Sheng Min pushed Li Mingge aside without hesitation. “President Li, you’re not young anymore, so I’m giving you a shred of dignity. If security gets involved, it’ll only get uglier.”

Before Li Mingge could say another word, Sheng Min slammed the door in his face.

The urgent knocking resumed immediately, accompanied by Li Mingge’s pleading voice. Sheng Min stood in silence, face cold and unmoving. His chest still heaved from anger, and his fingers remained clenched around the door handle. Three or four minutes passed—maybe longer—before the sounds outside finally faded. But that didn’t mean they wouldn’t start again.

“What did you promise him?” Sheng Min pressed his lips together, scrutinizing Li Xuan.

His anger just now had almost matched the fury he’d displayed after the car accident. Li Xuan hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from him. For once, he seemed at a loss.

He hesitated, but before he could speak, his gaze landed on Sheng Min’s bare feet against the carpet. Without a word, he scooped him up and carried him to the sofa, setting him down gently.

The movement was so smooth and effortless that before Sheng Min could even react, he was already seated.

Li Xuan walked to the bedroom, grabbed a pair of slippers, then knelt in front of him and carefully slipped them onto his feet. “It’s so cold, why are you barefooted?”

“What did Li Mingge want from you?” Sheng Min asked stiffly.

Li Xuan held his ankle gently. “Don’t be mad. Li Mingge isn’t worth your anger.”

He spoke calmly, still looking down at the floor. When he didn’t hear a response after a while, he finally lifted his gaze. Sheng Min still had the same cold expression, but his hands were trembling uncontrollably.

“What’s wrong?” Li Xuan sighed softly, stood up, and sat beside him, taking both of Sheng Min’s hands in his own. “Weren’t you just fearless a moment ago?”

“Answer my question first.”

“Oh? Now I’m allowed to talk?”

He was trying to lighten the mood, but Sheng Min didn’t respond. Instead, he simply looked at him for a long moment before gripping his palm. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really.” Li Xuan traced his fingers over the back of Sheng Min’s hand, smiling faintly—helpless yet indulgent. “But you need to know, right?… Haven’t you already guessed?”

“I was hoping I was wrong…” Sheng Min’s anger gradually melted under Li Xuan’s gentle gaze, replaced by a deep sense of grievance. “Why? Why do they think they can treat you like this?”

Li Xuan wrapped his arms around him. “Sheng Min, I’ll tell you everything. But can you give me some time? Let me figure out where to start.”

Sheng Min clung to his back. “Then promise me—no matter what you agreed to in the past, it’s all void now. You won’t give in to Li Mingge’s demands.”

“Of course, I won’t.” Li Xuan kissed his hair. “Before you even showed up, I had already refused him. Don’t worry.”

They stayed in each other’s arms for a long, quiet moment before Li Xuan finally let go and stood up. The next second, Sheng Min grabbed his hand. “Where are you going?”

“To make breakfast. What do you want to eat?”

“I don’t feel like eating anything.” Sheng Min stubbornly insisted, “And after that? Where are you going?”

“After that?” Li Xuan blinked, confused. “I’m going to work. Aren’t you heading to the theater, too?”

Sheng Min hesitated, his unease evident. After a brief pause, he said, “Don’t go today. I don’t want to go anywhere either. I want you to stay home with me.”

He gently shook Li Xuan’s hand. “Please?”

The fierce determination he’d shown against Li Mingge was nowhere to be seen now.

Li Xuan understood that today’s events had shaken him more than he’d shown. His heart softened, and he nodded. “Okay.”

Taking out his phone, he sent a message to Chu Tianheng, delegating his work. “Satisfied? …But I still have things to take care of. I won’t go out, I’ll just be in the study. You can stay and read your script here.”

Sheng Min murmured a soft “Okay.”

And so, neither of them left the house for the entire day.

Li Xuan spent his time coding for his new game, occasionally taking work calls. But Sheng Min knew he wasn’t as focused as he seemed. There were moments when his fingers hovered over the keyboard, his gaze drifting somewhere distant.

The sun set, the moon rose, and another night fell. After finishing a call, Li Xuan finally shut his computer.

“Do you still want to read your script?” He asked before Sheng Min could speak. Seeing him shake his head, he hesitated for a moment. “Then… Do you want to go for a walk?”

The cemetery in winter was especially desolate, even more so at night.

The gates were already closed. Li Xuan led him around half the perimeter, eventually finding a section of the wall without broken glass on top. He pressed down lightly, leaped over effortlessly, then extended a hand toward Sheng Min with a relaxed smile. “Come on.”

It was Sheng Min’s first time ever climbing a wall—let alone in a place like this. But with Li Xuan by his side, he didn’t feel uneasy at all.

It was just that Li Xuan didn’t seem too familiar with this place either. The two of them wandered between rows of tombstones.

Stars hung in the dim sky, and from the frost-covered woods beside them, the occasional distant caw of a crow echoed.

Finally, Li Xuan stopped. “We’re here.”

That particular grave was built grandly, yet not a single bouquet of flowers adorned it, making a stark contrast with the neighboring graves.

Li Xuan stood there for a moment before taking Sheng Min’s hand and leading him forward. He said softly, “Don’t be afraid.”

Sheng Min had already more or less guessed the identity of the person buried here, but it wasn’t until he saw the tombstone under the moonlight that he fully understood the meaning behind Li Xuan’s words.

Engraved on the cold, sharp lettering of the marble tombstone were the words:

~Tomb of Beloved Son, Li Xuan.