translator: Eve

editor: kara

When Song Xuanhe returned to the operating room, Zhou Nan looked up at him and said, “This is the first time you’ve talked to your father for this long. I didn’t hear what you were talking about. You guys couldn’t have been arguing for twenty-something minutes, right?”

The complicated expression hidden in Song Xuanhe’s eyes was completely swept away by Zhou Nan’s words. He rolled his eyes at the other man. “None of your business.”

The expression of Wei Chen, who had inadvertently caught a glimpse of the caller ID when Song Xuanhe had pulled his phone out, changed slightly. He leaned against the wall, head lowered. It was unknown as to what he was thinking about.

While Wei Chen was lost in thought, Zhou Nan and Song Xuanhe quibbled with each other to ease the tension. Like this, time passed slowly.

It was about eight o’clock in the evening when the tightly shut operating room door finally opened.

Zhou Nan stood up abruptly. Song Xuanhe also followed behind nervously. They asked the doctor how Xiao Shenglin was doing.

The doctor knew Zhou Nan personally, so his tone was more familiar than if he were to be speaking about a typical patient. “Don’t worry. Your friend’s fine. He’ll be up and about after resting for several months. He’s a lucky one. Three of his broken ribs had nearly punctured his lungs. He nearly escaped death.”

“That he did.” Zhou Nan completely relaxed. He smiled. “But really, thank you. I’ll treat you to a meal another day.”

“Sure. I’ll call Yu Yan as well.”

The doctor gave Zhou Nan a knowing look before greeting Song Xuanhe and Wei Chen politely. He then left.

On the way to the sick room, Song Xuanhe said, “I hadn’t expected you to get in with Dr. Yu’s colleagues just by hanging out in the hospital.”

“That’s just the way it is.” Zhou Nan raised a brow proudly. “Oh, but that guy just now was Yu Yan’s university classmate. We had met before this. He was already my spy when they had been in university.”

Song Xuanhe had lost to Zhou Nan’s shameless act of treating his shamelessness as something to glorify. He kept quiet the rest of the way.

Xiao Shenglin was still unconscious from the anaesthesia. Xiao Nan had also arrived with his people at this time. When he saw Song Xuanhe and them, he nodded hastily. He didn’t even have time to chat with them. When Xiao Nan saw that Xiao Shenglin was more or less fine, he sighed in relief.

He had heard about this matter on the way here. After exiting the room, he said to Song Xuanhe and friends: “I know about everything that has happened today. I cannot express the extent of my gratitude to Zhou shao, Song shao, and Mr. Wei for helping Shenglin in words.”

After having thanked them, he got straight to the point. “This was a premeditated murder attempt. I want to know what you guys know as Shenglin’s friends. Can you tell me in detail what had happened at the scene of the accident?”

Zhou Nan nodded; he had been about to speak when he remembered Wei Chen was still there. For a moment, he hesitated.

Realizing this, Wei Chen tactfully said goodbye. “My family’s called me a few times, so I should be heading back. Uncle Xiao, see you next time. Zhou shao, Xuanhe, remember to treat me next time.”

After Wei Chen had left, Zhou Nan began to tell Xiao Nan about their conjectures from before the accident now that there was no one else in the room aside from them. However, he did hide the fact that they thought that Xiao Baicong was behind this. After all, they didn’t have any concrete proof. They could entertain the guess or let Xiao Shenglin speak about it, but it wasn’t appropriate for the two of them, who were outsiders, to say it out loud.

Even if they didn’t say it, Xiao Nan, who was familiar with the Xiao Family’s circumstances, was able to draw the same conclusion anyway. His expression was heavy. “Shenglin has already left the Xiao Family for so many years now. And yet, the Xiao Family is unwilling to let go of him. This has to do with Xiao Yuanmu and Xiao Baicong, considering how it’d happened now at such a critical moment.”

Zhou Nan subconsciously turned to look at Song Xuanhe. At this moment, Xiao Nan also seemed to recall Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu’s relationship. However, he had no intention of changing his words. He furrowed his brows and said, “This is definitely not something Xiao Yuanmu or Xiao Baicong’s subordinates would carry out. They would never implicate unrelated parties. This is going to be difficult to investigate.”

Song Xuanhe said, “What are you going to do if you find out who the perpetrator is?”

Xiao Nan looked up and gave Song Xuanhe a probing gaze. “Who are you asking this for?”

Song Xuanhe remained calm as he replied, “No one. I just want to know if you’re able to do anything to either of the Xiao Family successors if it turns out that one of them is behind this.”

His words were not exactly polite, but Xiao Nan wasn’t angry.

He said, “I’ve been a part of the Xiao Family for many years. Although I’m not particularly influential amongst the branches, I still have my connections. I don’t have the ability to do anything myself. But once I have confirmed who the perpetrator is, I can leak the information to someone else. There will naturally be someone who will take revenge for Shenglin.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Nan’s eyes widened in shock. “Uncle Xiao, you’re planning to blow this matter up, aren’t you?”

“Shenglin is still a member of the Xiao Family,” Xiao Nan replied expressionlessly, “No matter how worthless his life is to the Xiao Family, it isn’t something that can be taken during a power struggle between other members of the Xiao Family.”

Song Xuanhe asked, “Aren’t you afraid that I’ll expose you to Xiao Yuanmu?”

Xiao Nan examined him for a long time. His expression then relaxed. “The fact that you’re sitting here is proof enough that Xiao Yuanmu is not behind this.”

Before Song Xuanhe could reply, Xiao Nan added: “Outsiders aren’t sure about the relationship between you two—there’s a lot of guesses out there—but, I have a clearer picture than most. Although I’m not around the main residence, I do keep up with the news from there. Xiao Yuanmu fought with Xiao Lin over you. He had also said that he would never have a marriage of convenience for the sake of the Xiao Family’s benefit. Everyone in the Xiao Family has heard of this. If the two of you aren’t really together, he would never be so resolute, considering that personality of his.”

Song Xuanhe was taken aback upon hearing Xiao Nan’s words.

Xiao Yuanmu never mentioned either thing—whether it was the fact that he had fought with his father or that he had sworn to never have a marriage of convenience. Song Xuanhe had never heard of any rumours either. At the very least, he and Xiao Yuanmu still weren’t actually lovers at present.

At least, Xiao Yuanmu knew that Song Xuanhe considered them to be exes.

So, it wasn’t like what Xiao Nan had said—that Xiao Yuanmu had only had the courage to do those things because he was secure in their relationship. Xiao Yuanmu had decided to do those things despite the uncertain circumstances.

Just as Xiao Nan had said, this wasn’t like Xiao Yuanmu at all.

The novel description of Xiao Yuanmu and the real Xiao Yuanmu had many differences. However, the fact that he was cold, dark, petty, and intent on getting to the bottom of everything was true in both. The fact that he abided by the principle of confidently maximizing all profits was also the same.

This wasn’t just due to his personality—it was partly due to the circumstances in which he had grown up in. It was like how survivors of an earthquake would develop a conditioned reflex of searching for escape routes or optimal places to hide upon arriving at an unfamiliar place.

Xiao Yuanmu would never allow himself to be in the disadvantaged position. He was absolutely unwilling to reveal his weak side to other people. Before doing anything, every time without fail, he would first confirm that this action would benefit him. Only after ascertaining that this action would bring in a bountiful harvest would he decide to go with it. What Xiao Yuanmu considered to be benefits was not limited to wealth or power—they might also include the upper advantage in relationships.

Although Song Xuanhe knew that Xiao Yuanmu didn’t hate him to the bone like the version in the book had—he could even sense that the other truly liked him to some extent—he also knew that Xiao Yuanmu was a rigid stickler to adhering to his bottom line. Xiao Yuanmu was persistent in preventing others from seeing the parts of him that he wanted to keep hidden. He was also the type to require the upper hand. Otherwise, he would feel insecure.

Song Xuanhe had never expected that a Xiao Yuanmu like this would give up so many potential benefits and offend Xiao Lin, who was capable of influencing his future, under such uncertain circumstances. And, he had done this all for the sake of ensuring that there would be no obstacles to their relationship should they get back together, even if he had no idea whether or not they would become a real couple.

This version of Xiao Yuanmu was unfamiliar but also made sense.

Song Xuanhe didn’t know why he felt like it made sense to him after overcoming the shock of it all.

Clearly, this went against everything he knew about Xiao Yuanmu. And yet, he was able to easily accept this Xiao Yuanmu and his actions that were completely unlike him. It was like his knowledge of Xiao Yuanmu was flesh-deep, like he knew that the reason behind the other’s actions was due to some complicated elements that were not usually visible from the surface.

In other words, it was like Song Xuanhe could see through Xiao Yuanmu, like he could see more than what other people could see. He could see the things Xiao Yuanmu wanted to keep hidden from the world.

Song Xuanhe was actually more baffled by how easily he had accepted the fact that Xiao Yuanmu had done these things than he was about Xiao Yuanmu having done these things.

This was the first time he had realized he truly understood another person.

Humans were the most complicated beings in this world.

No one could say with utter confidence that they thoroughly knew someone, because the majority of people in this world didn’t even know themselves, let alone another person. Song Xuanhe was the same. Sometimes, he would find himself shocked over his own thoughts. However, he had never wanted to understand himself all that deeply. Needless to say, his desire to understand someone else to that degree was even lower.

That was why he had never tried to figure out anyone else’s secrets. He had never wanted to hear gossip about anyone else and would rarely try to guess another person’s thoughts. He had only ever wanted to follow his own ideas and thoughts. He thought that, if he found someone interesting, he’d interact with them more. If he wasn’t interested in them, he’d pull some distance between them. It was as simple as that.

He had stuck to this principle even when it had come to his best friend, Zhou Yunyang, in his original world. Even after Zhou Yunyang had passed away, he still didn’t feel like he understood the other. At least, he had never expected his best friend to be so stupid as to end up dying because he had chosen to place his trust in someone else so easily.

If he had understood Zhou Yunyang, he would have stopped the other from becoming friends with that unreliable-looking “new friend” of his. He would not have had to watch helplessly as the other had shut his eyes for the last time. The other had even remembered to tell him to take care as he had shut his eyes.

Song Xuanhe hadn’t expected for the other to do that either.

He didn’t understand himself, let alone any other person in this world. Except that, today, he had suddenly realized that he did know one person through and through. He understood this person more than he understood himself.

This realization sent Song Xuanhe into a rare panic. It also forced him to gain a better understanding of himself. He had to figure out just what Xiao Yuanmu was to him.

Eve: SXH is finally starting to have his awakening.