MS Chapter 26

Zhong Father reflected that the reason for his current predicament was largely due to the wrong timing years ago when he fathered such a filial son.

If it hadn’t been for that night when the atmosphere was just right, the moon particularly round, the roses especially fragrant, and the wine intoxicating, he and his wife wouldn’t have been in such high spirits, and their excessive enthusiasm wouldn’t have led to the birth of this filial son.

As a child, this kid was exceptionally “kind-hearted.” He would smash the heads of older kids who abused small dogs, throw down thugs who kicked away the canes of disabled people, and toss snakes into the bowls of fake beggars.

At that time, he and his wife felt gratified, saying that this child was broad-minded and righteous, yet also decisive and ruthless—he was their blood, the heir to their great legacy.

However, Zhong father didn’t want him to only learn to be brave and fierce. Given the gang conflicts and chaos of those years, the rules of the underworld were that family members should not be harmed, but who could expect a desperate criminal to have a conscience?

Thus, the child was sent abroad at a young age, believing himself to be the son of a Southeast Asian tycoon, receiving an elite education, and showing remarkable talent in various fields.

Up to this point, Zhong father was satisfied.

The original plan was to inform him of the true structure of the family business after he completed his studies, while he still had the energy to smoothly transition power to him. This way, he could temporarily retire to make up for the years he hadn’t been able to spend quality time with his wife, while ensuring that his son would be in charge of the family.

The plan was well thought out, but he never expected that at the age of twenty, his son would be involved in a plane crash. After miraculously surviving, he used the excuse of being traumatized by the incident to delay his return for another two or three years.

However, before coming back, the kid returned to their ancestral home, claiming he wanted to pay respects to their ancestors, and that visit led to trouble.

As for the current situation, seven parts of the blame lay with this unfilial son, while the remaining three could definitely be attributed to that scammer.

If it weren’t for that scammer leading him astray, if he had realized that his son despised the family business and had the ability to destroy it in one fell swoop, he could have adjusted his strategy. After all, he could have stabilized his foolish son to ensure his own freedom, and the business could have remained hidden, with the son’s strength potentially helping to recover losses from other avenues.

But now, that scammer had recklessly exposed everything, shattering his plans, severing his connections built over the years, and the unfilial son had cleaned out the family’s gray business, even locking him up in prison.

Just thinking about this made Zhong father grit his teeth in hatred, wishing he could chop that scammer into pieces. That bastard didn’t expose him out of a sense of justice for ordinary people; it was all to save himself by throwing his own father out as cannon fodder.

Originally, Zhong father thought he wasn’t a feudal and conservative parent and didn’t mind his son being in a relationship with a man.

But if that scammer were to become part of their family, he had already seen what happened the first time those two caused trouble, and how could he and his brothers withstand a second round of turmoil?

Zhong father glared at his son, as if he would pounce on him the moment he answered “yes.”

Zhong Liyu was displeased with his father’s attitude: “What do you mean scammer? That’s so harsh, Dad. I know you don’t like Jia Jia, but you have to understand that your current situation is self-inflicted, a judgment from the law. How can bad people blame those who expose and report them?”

“Is he exposing me? He’s just fooling you, you idiot, to save himself.” Zhong father was furious: “Have you forgotten his purpose in getting close to you?”

“Don’t you know how tempting your skills and wealth are to others? He came with that intention. It’s just that the scammer is particularly clever; he found clues that others couldn’t and snagged you, such a fool.”

Saying this, Zhong father nodded, acknowledging that he couldn’t deny this point—indeed, the younger generation was formidable.

He knew that his son had some mysterious opportunity that had turned him into an extraordinary being. In reality, their large organization could be uprooted by one person, and those extraordinary powers would surely leak out.

Zhong father and a few core old-timers in the family had seen it, but not long after, their memories became hazy, gradually rationalizing with various excuses, meaning they only remembered that his son had talent but could not recall the events of that time.

Only he still remembered, which indicated that, apart from close relatives, such matters wouldn’t be revealed in the world of ordinary people.

Zhong father guessed that the scammer also had close relatives similar to his son. He had checked the other party’s background; both parents were unproductive thugs.

As a child, that kid lived with his parents, mingling with all sorts of people, and his life wasn’t easy.

Later, when his uncle returned from a distant place, unable to bear seeing the child suffer with his parents, he gave money to his greedy sister and brother-in-law to take the child in and raise him.

Not long after, the scammer’s parents were involved in a dispute; one died in a brawl, and the other in a home invasion. After that, his uncle became the child’s only legal guardian.

If that kid had followed the trajectory of his original family, he would have likely grown up to be a con artist. However, given his natural intelligence and high aptitude for crime, with a little opportunity, he might have actually made a name for himself.

But later, under his uncle’s careful upbringing and guidance, he grew up looking like a model young elite, with a promising future.

His uncle also had issues; he claimed to run a farm stay, but the business was just so-so, yet his assets were substantial and increased regularly.

More than three years ago, that scammer’s uncle suddenly died of a heart attack while in good health, and after that, the kid began running around day and night.

Later, when he met Zhong Liyu, who had returned home to pay respects to his ancestors, the two hit it off immediately, even bringing people back to meet their parents.

However, during that time, Zhong Liyu accidentally discovered the scammer’s impure motives. To divert attention, the scammer directly stirred up trouble, exposing the essence of their family, and when Zhong Liyu fell into chaos, he fled without a trace.

Zhong father, to be fair, had previously thought his son had a talent for crime and would surely inherit the family business well.

But he was wrong; it was that scammer who, although disguised as a gentleman, was truly ruthless at heart.

However, the other party’s guardian had raised him well, allowing him to disguise himself as a decent person under normal circumstances, but under special conditions, it was a different story.

Zhong father admired that scammer, but with his son getting involved, only the fool would suffer.

So he earnestly advised, “Have you forgotten how he approached you in the first place? He probably doesn’t even like you. After all this time, what made you want to get back together with him?”

“Because he hinted at me,” Zhong Liyu insisted.

Zhong father gasped, thinking that the scammer was trying to deceive his son again, and asked warily, “What hint? Did he come to see you?”

Zhong Liyu nodded: “Didn’t we agree that he wouldn’t appear in front of me again? He has been well-behaved at home for three years.”

“But just last week, he came out, even if it was only for two seconds, I understood that this was a hint for me. Because he knew that as long as he left his original spot, I would notice. Isn’t that leading me to go see him?”

“Isn’t it just that he was too embarrassed to speak, so he gave me a ladder, hinting that I should perform well and win him back?”

“You—” Zhong father felt a surge of blood rise again: “What hint? You’re just daydreaming here.”

“Whose genes did you inherit? You should at least be shameless in the right way. Is he really giving you a way out?”

“This is clearly you being thick-skinned, finding excuses for yourself at the slightest hint. Do you know how ridiculous you sound? You’re worse off than when the fourth brother was tricked out of his pants by a woman. Are you afraid that the scammer won’t have enough strength to cheat you out of something?”

Zhong Liyu sighed: “If only he would continue to deceive me. When he wanted to extract information from me, we were so good together, happy every day.”

Isn’t it just that cursing a stupid boss could make a boyfriend more attentive? Where can you find such good fortune?

Zhong father felt dizzy: “How did I end up with such a stupid child? Are you really regretting it? Didn’t you get angry back then? Have you forgotten?”

Zhong Liyu stroked his chin: “I had my faults back then too. Not every relationship starts out pure, and how do you define that purity? Everyone has different standards.”

“Even if his motives were impure when he approached me, wasn’t I also attracted to him physically at that time? It seems I was the more despicable one, so what right do I have to criticize him?”

“The key is to manage it well, right? After reflecting, I also think I was too young and impulsive back then. How can I criticize him? I don’t know how heartbroken he must have been at that time.”

“Ah— I can’t listen to this anymore.” Zhong father lost all his composure as a father. If it weren’t for the glass between them, he would have wanted to knock his son’s head off.

“You stupid fool, think about yourself first. That person probably kicked you to the curb and was overjoyed. Heartbroken? What a joke. So after three years, your conclusion is to completely absolve that scammer?”

“You really are a talent. I was humiliated by your mother several times back then, and I couldn’t find such a good excuse to absolve her. You really are carrying on your father’s legacy.”

Zhong Liyu blushed: “Of course, of course.”

“I’m mocking you,” Zhong father shouted: “So as long as it’s about that scammer, you only hear the half you want to hear, right?”

“Anyway, listen to me. If you dare to go back to that scammer, I’ll break your legs. He doesn’t genuinely want to live with you.”

Zhong Liyu retorted: “That’s not how it is. My mom just wanted to catch a rich husband back then. How did you deceive her? Didn’t my mom forgive you later? I just inherited my mom’s open-mindedness and generosity.”

“Bah!” Don’t flatter yourself: “Your mom almost ruined me before she forgave me. Did that scammer lose a hair? You’re just shamelessly throwing yourself at him.”

Zhong Liyu: “Dad, are you jealous? That’s not fair. When you were begging my mom for forgiveness, how many durian shells did you kneel on? You can’t be upset that others aren’t as unlucky as you in the same situation, right? It sounds like you’re the one who lost out. If you really think so, I can tell my mom.”

“You dare!” Zhong father’s scalp tingled.

This son was truly cunning; he always struck at the right moment, making it hard to tell when he was genuinely foolish or just pretending.

But Zhong father remained unwilling to give up, saying, “What about when he deceived you for money?”

Zhong Liyu was confused: “When did he deceive me for money?”

“Don’t you remember when you two were arguing? He not only didn’t hold back but also deliberately spent your money extravagantly?”

“Oh, that time!” Zhong Liyu recalled, a silly smile on his face: “That wasn’t true. He was just anxious, eager to prove that I cared about him, so he was just looking for trouble.”

“But he was so cute, thinking that buying a few hundred thousand worth of wine and a few million worth of watches, plus a couple of tens of millions of sports cars, would make me upset.”

“Look, even when he got angry, he was careful not to hurt my feelings. Doesn’t that show his feelings for me?”

“So the next day, I directly gifted him a building.” At this point, Zhong Liyu’s smile faded: “But I don’t know why he suddenly ran away, and there was no room for things to turn around.”

Zhong father was at a loss for words, taking a deep breath—

“Fine! Maybe your pure generosity moved him, making him feel ashamed and unable to deceive you anymore. Or maybe you were just too much for that scammer, and psychologically, he felt he lost.”

Zhong Liyu was dissatisfied: “Dad, after saying all this, you still haven’t taught me anything.”

Zhong father pinched the corner of his eye: “There’s nothing to teach you. Dad is old, and those tricks won’t work on you young people. If you like someone, go for it boldly; don’t think too much about anything else.”

Then, let’s see if you can talk after your brain is drained.

Zhong Liyu felt encouraged: “Okay, just as I thought. I’ll go back and get a new hairstyle. I haven’t bothered to groom myself much during these years of being single.”

Zhong father: “…”

Forget it, pretend he didn’t hear.

Then Zhong father reminded him: “Don’t just come to see me; it doesn’t matter if you come or not. The key is your mom. I haven’t seen her in half a month. What is she doing?”

Zhong Liyu: “Oh, she went on vacation to Seychelles.”

He excitedly said: “Dad, you won’t believe how popular my mom is. Have you seen the photos she posted on Instagram? Oh, I forgot you can’t go online.”

“Many handsome guys are hitting on her, some even younger than me, and she’s more popular than those young girls on the beach.”

Zhong father was almost sent away by this filial son, incredulously saying: “What did you say? She said she was too busy to see me for half a month, and now she’s off on the beach vacation? Dressed up and attracting flies? Does that old woman think I’m dead?”

“Dad, you can’t say that about my mom. Anyone who sees her wouldn’t guess she’s over thirty, right? My mom has a hot figure, and with all the good food I’ve given her these past few years, her beauty will last for decades. Besides, even if she were an old lady with wrinkles, she has the right to enjoy being pursued. Why should my mom be expected to be a withered old tree at such a young age?”

Seeing his father about to spit blood, Zhong Liyu wore an expression that showed he wouldn’t be biased: “Alright, alright. The good things I gave my mom, weren’t those scraps you dealt with? If nothing unexpected happens, you still have a long life ahead, so stop complaining and work on improving yourself to get out early.”

Zhong father shouted: “How can I sit here in prison while my wife is out partying? You unfilial son should have been shot on the wall.”

Zhong Liyu shrugged: “Don’t blame me; those were my mom’s words.”

“Her exact words were, ‘That old man has been relying on socializing and business negotiations, often away from home for ten days or half a month. Why should it be that when it’s my turn, I have to sit at home every day? Just wait until I have my fun before I come to see you; the prison isn’t going anywhere.’ I didn’t add a single word; it’s true.”

Zhong father trembled, pointing at his son, and finally took a deep breath and turned to leave.

But he heard his son’s voice behind him: “Dad, don’t start thinking about escaping again; you’re just causing trouble.”

“I’ve already had someone fill the pit you dug last time, and the outer wall has been reinforced with high-voltage wires. You should weigh your options.”

Zhong father’s body stiffened, and he left under the sympathetic gaze of the prison guards.

Meanwhile, after the affectionate conversation between the father and son, Lu Qingjia had also sent away the ghost in the apartment, watching them board the train to the underworld.

After handling some follow-up matters, he exited the game.

This time, the evaluation was still S-level, and he received two abilities and a doubling item.

The abilities were psychological suggestion from one of the five female ghosts and the gambler’s x-ray vision.

The psychological suggestion was only at the beginner level, capable of making simple suggestions, such as ignoring unimportant points of focus or changing a person’s mind from wanting fried chicken to eating a hamburger.

The x-ray vision was quite convenient; it could see through objects up to five millimeters thick. The thinner and less dense the object, the clearer the view. Moreover, it wasn’t a passive skill; one just needed to concentrate when wanting to use it, so it wouldn’t cause trouble in daily life.

The enhancement points were physical enhancements, obtained from the short-haired female ghost Xiaoyu.

She was the most assertive and dominant among the five female ghosts, the eldest sister among them. After that lecherous man barged in, she was the one who stood in front, desperately trying to protect everyone.

Her greatest regret after death was that she wasn’t strong enough at the time to protect her sisters, so her obsession strengthened her attack power.

In fact, Xiaoyu was the game’s counter to Lu Qingjia, who now far surpassed other players of the same level in physical stats. If the two faced off, even though Lu Qingjia could easily take down dozens of adult men with his physical strength and the binding rope, he couldn’t be 100% sure he could defeat Xiaoyu.

This showed how strong the other party’s obsession with protecting her sisters was, far beyond the level of the gambler’s x-ray ability.

However, before they could engage, Xiaoyu was easily deceived by Lu Qingjia, and a group of female ghosts became his loyal supporters, following his lead. This counter meant to increase the game’s difficulty became virtually useless.

Xiaoyu didn’t develop any specific abilities; she was just strong in attack, and this attribute was revealed by Lu Qingjia.

Thus, according to the characteristics, all of Lu Qingjia’s current attack-related abilities and physical attributes doubled. Although it wasn’t as sustainable as gaining a new ability, the short-term benefits were still formidable, allowing Lu Qingjia to easily outpace players with the same experience. Unfortunately, he was only a beginner player now; if he were intermediate or advanced, this reward would be incredibly enviable.

However, it should be noted that only beginner players could obtain such attribute-enhancing items; the higher the difficulty, the less likely it was to happen.

Lu Qingjia came out of the room, greeting a young couple who were guests.

There had been many guests these days, and the rooms were fully booked, so he had to pay extra attention to hygiene and safety.

After checking the dinner arrangements in the kitchen, he made a few calls to suppliers. As the sky darkened and the sun set, Lu Qingjia picked up a bag filled with incense and paper money and headed to the grave mound.

Compared to his uncle’s wealth, this grave was not very grand. The old man next door, who ran a small noodle factory, had a much more impressive grave.

In contrast, his uncle’s was quite simple, but this was what he had planned during his lifetime, and Lu Qingjia chose to follow his wishes.

What kind of person, in their forties, healthy and strong, would start thinking about their funeral and meticulously instruct their heir about every detail?

Lu Qingjia had been clever since childhood. When he was living with unreliable parents, barely getting by, he managed to charm the women around him who played cards and sold themselves, and he took care of himself well.

In fact, when his uncle took him in, he was already somewhat crooked.

After all, what good could come from parents like that? But his uncle believed he could raise the child well.

His uncle claimed that he made a fortune in business when he was young and now ran a farm stay not for profit but to enjoy a peaceful retirement.

His uncle was quite capable; although the scenery was beautiful, there were more troublesome people. Initially, many came to him looking for trouble because of his wealth, but no one had ever gotten the better of his uncle.

Although his uncle’s farm stay business was not good and was losing money, he never seemed anxious, and his assets only continued to grow.