Chapter 32 THIRTY-TWO

Chapter 32: Chapter THIRTY-TWO

The walk through the hallway is quiet. Not suffocating or uncomfortable, just peaceful and calm.

Xin Linhua walks with his hands in his pockets, a smile on his face, a soft tone rumbling from him.

Once in a while, he glances at the figure beside him, the urge to speak or tease eats away at him.

"Yaras?." He tilts his head "What do you think of my family?"

Rong Yizhan stays quiet for a moment.

"They’re good to you." He replies.

"Beside that?"

"You look alike."

Xin Linhua’s step decelerates. He grabs Rong Yizhan’s hand, causing him to slow down.

"What?" Rong Yizhan retracts his hand.

"Why did you wait for me?"

"You asked me to."

"...so you did?" Xin Linhua leans in "Since when do you listen to my requests and follow through?"

Rong Yizhan’s face darkens. The icy aura around him grows sharper like he might throw a punch.

"Hey, hey!" Xin Linhua laughs it off "I was kidding alright? If you want to beat me up, let’s return to our room first or we’ll be back in that courtroom."

Rong Yizhan turns on his heels and resumes walking. His strides are long and purposeful, evident that he’s trying to get away from the mad man beside him.

Xin Linhua grins. He catches up to Rong Yizhan, tactically changing the subject now.

"You said we look alike. How’d you know?"

Rong Yizhan gives no response.

"A lot of people say that." Xin Linhua continues "The Xin family consists of three brothers who have an uncanny resemblance. I have to say, even if I’m a defect, at least I have a lot of other things going for me."

All the way back to the room, Xin Linhua keeps on blabbing and yapping non-stop, but no matter how fast Rong Yizhan walks, Xin Linhua’s annoying long legs always keep up.

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"I really thought you’d get jailed. You actually turned a court hearing into a private show."

Zhao Xi clicks his tongue in awe, flashing his best friend a thumbs up.

Xin Linhua leans back on the chair, arms folded with a smirk in place.

"I wasn’t planning on it, but since he offered himself up to me, who am I to say no?"

"Damn impressive, I’ll give you that." Zhao Xi suddenly leans in "By the way, the guy you asked me to look into..."

Xin Linhua suddenly sits up straight and upright.

"Yeah. What did you find?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean ’nothing’?"

"It’s exactly as I said– nothing." Zhao Xi spread out his hands "Until seven years ago, he didn’t exist. Your Sentinel doesn’t exist in official records."

Xin Linhua’s fingers twitch. He places the cup down lest he breaks it. His expression is one of disbelief.

"He’s a living and breathing human, he can’t be non-existent."

"Are you doubting my skills now?" Zhao Xi rolls his eyes "If I can’t find anyone, I doubt another human can. Besides, I’m sure your brothers have better resources, why don’t you ask them?"

"I can’t." Xin Linhua rubs his temple "Yaras? does not know I’m looking into him and my brothers are curious about him as well. They’d have checked by now, but seeing how I haven’t heard anything from them, I doubt they found anything. Besides, you said it yourself, if you couldn’t find anything, what luck will they have?"

The two exhale, leaning back on their seats.

The last time they met was the day Xin Linhua had a revelation and decided to go monster hunting in a cave. That day, he had asked his friend to do something for him; find out everything there is to know about a certain youth with a blindfold.

Zhao Xi is renowned for being informed and a tech wiz. If there’s something you need, go to him. If you want to find someone, even the tiniest information is enough.

Now, that same prodigy is tapping his feet repeatedly, running his hand through his icy blue hair and muttering about how impossible it is for there to be no record of the man Xin Linhua is asking for.

"Sorry, buddy."

"It’s fine." Xin Linhua waves it off "I can just ask him when he’s in a less murderous state."

"Will that work?"

"Nope."

"..." Zhao Xi is speechless.

"Ah Xi." Xin Linhua’s brows furrows "How many children does Rong Weilan have?"

"Two. Twins. You should know that clearly, you’re engaged to one."

"I was." Xin Linhua glares "I broke that shit off a long time ago."

"Ah, right. That’s true. But why do you ask?"

"Do you think you can find out anything about an illegitimate child for me?"

"Illegitimate? Rong Weilan? I doubt it." Zhao Xi shakes his head.

"You never know–"

"But I do. I’m the all knowing Zhao, remember?" Zhao Xi suddenly leans in "You know how small the Rong family is? It’s not because they have low weak sperm and can’t reproduce, it’s because they control their birth rate."

"Control? Be less vague."

"Okay, so, not everyone is like your dad who is a child fanatic, high society doesn’t give two shits about low ranks." He shuffles closer "When a lady of house Rong becomes pregnant, the child is tested."

"What? While she’s pregnant?" Xin Linhua blinks "That’s risky as fuck! They can kill the child."

"Keep your voice down!" Zhao Xi seethes "Anyway, if the child is suspected to have a weak core in their body, they’re aborted. If born, they’re killed off immediately. Rong Weilan only took in one woman, the current lady of the house. He doesn’t have any side piece. Not because he’s hopelessly in love with his wife, but because his compatibility with her is high. Only she can bear powerful offspring for him."

Xin Linhua listens attentively to the explanation. At the end, his brows furrows even more.

"That’s pure bullshit." He scoffs "Look at my brothers, then me, their defective little brother. We’re born of the same mother."

"Exactly. But Rong Weilan isn’t willing to take that risk." Zhao Xi shakes his head "It’s one thing to cheat, it’s another thing to bring in a new wife that’ll be a disgrace to the first one. But to have a child who’s lowly ranked, he’d rather die than let them drag his name through the mud."

"I see..." Xin Linhua exhales softly "Maybe I’ve got it all wrong..."

"By the way...why do you ask?"

Xin Linhua leans back, his fingers drum against the table repeatedly.

"I’ll tell you later. First, I need you to do a full report on every man of the Rong family, even distant relatives with the thinnest streak of relations. I want everything you can find on them– don’t leave a name behind."