LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 740-749
Chapter 740: Not His Son
He Bin looked at her and he could find no words. He really didn’t expect his president would be so guarded against the He Lan family. It was his assumption that the He Lan family and the Chui family were on the same boat…
“Now, do you still believe fully that He Lan Chang isn’t really a suspect in your mother’s death?” Xinghe asked clearly and this introduced another change on He Bin’s face.
Xinghe’s eyes that seemed to be able to see into people’s hearts stared at him, and she said, “Your surname is not He Lan and there is a murderous aura around you; I believe your childhood must have been incredibly different to He Lan Qi’s.”
There was obvious shock in He Bin’s eyes. Indeed, their experiences growing up were different, complete opposites one could say.
He Lan Qi was raised and primed as the next heir to the family. He was treated like a prince since he was young; he was given the best of everything; he was the He Lan family’s young master by name and in reality.
However, he had a completely different upbringing. He was raised to become an assassin. He wasn’t given any education other than how to kill and how to be a qualified assassin. He wasn’t given any breaks, from his childhood, he could only remember his tough, and often cruel, training. In fact, He Lan Chang never once admitted that he was his son.
He told him he couldn’t have the He Lan name because it would jeopardize his assassin identity. This way, even if he was captured, he wouldn’t be linked back to the He Lan family. However, He Lan Chang would never hesitate to remind him that he was always a He Lan and he should put his family first.
Then again, he would never admit to the public that he was his son. The only time when he even conversed with his father was about the missions that he sent him on. He Lan Chang was more like his officer than his father.
However, when He Lan Chang was with He Lan Qi, he would materialize into a kind and loving father.
He Bin used to assume this was because He Lan Chang couldn’t accept him because he was born out of wedlock. Therefore, he pushed himself even harder, so that one day, he could touch He Lan Chang and they would finally be a real family.
Now that he thought about it… Perhaps He Lan Chang didn’t even treat him as his son from the very beginning. If his mother was really murdered by He Lan Chang, then what were the chances that he would form any family relationship with him? He probably kept him around because he was a convenient tool.
He Bin knew that all this was the truth, but he refused to believe his own father would treat his mother and him like this.
“You’re doing all of this to get information from me, I’m telling you again, I will not give up anything!” He Bin stressed once more, but it was hard to tell whether he was convincing Xinghe or himself.
Xinghe looked at him and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t force you to give up anything. I can find out more on my own. Men, take him away; keep him locked up and wait for my orders.”
“Yes, Miss Xia.” The few security officers moved to drag He Bin away.
After they left, Mubai immediately asked Xinghe, “What do you plan to do with him?”
Xinghe said with a smile, “Let him process this for a day then we’ll let him go.”
“Why?” Ali asked out of confusion.
Mubai raised his eyebrow because he read her thoughts. “You plan to let him confirm the authenticity of the news himself, right?”
“That’s right.” Xinghe nodded. “Just look at him, he will not admit the truth until it slaps him on his face. Furthermore, the enemy of our enemy is our friend, and he just might be our best ally.”
“Ally?” Ali was confused again. “But he is He Lan Chang’s son, will he betray him?”
“If He Lan Chang really murdered his mother, do you think he will continue working for the man?”
Chapter 741: Don’t Leave Me…
“I can see that this He Bin still has his own autonomy; he hasn’t become a complete tool for the He Lan family, and most importantly, he seems to still care about his mother. And if that’s true, then he will try his best to discover the truth.”
After he confirmed He Lan Chang was really related to his mother’s death, he would stop working for them. He might not end up as their ally, but he wouldn’t stand in their way.
As long as it could help Xinghe take down the He Lan family, she would not overlook it.
Furthermore, Xinghe understood He Lan Chang would definitely be suspicious if she just let him go just like that. According to their cruel personality, if they were in any way suspicious of He Bin, they would definitely act on it. He Bin would be in for a world of pain and Xinghe hoped it would be enough for him to wake up and see the truth.
Of course, Xinghe also reminded him that he would be betrayed. He, of course, refused to believe it, but she only meant to plant a seed, it depended on him what to do with the information.
He Bin was sent to jail. With the president behind her back, Xinghe had the power to do that.
At night, she managed to pull up more information, at least she managed to confirm it was true that Country R’s president was planning to deal with the He Lan family. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have collected so much information on the He Lan family. He was waiting for the perfect opportunity to destroy them. However, he didn’t dare make any moves because the He Lan family was holding his weakness in their grasp.
“I believe we can feel out this president, if our goal is similar, we can choose to cooperate with him,” Xinghe told Mubai.
Mubai nodded. “It would be best if we can cooperate with him, it’ll make dealing with the He Lan family easier. I’m just afraid he is not trustworthy.”
“That’s my concern as well, but we can test him first.”
“How?”
“I will personally go make contact with him. If he has the intention of working with us, he will then have to come to us.”
Mubai sighed. “You plan to return to Country R…”
Xinghe nodded. “I have to, if I don’t, there will be no progress.”
“When do you plan to go?” Mubai asked in a soft whisper and his gaze turned sad.
Xinghe hesitated. “In another two days, I’ll be leaving with He Bin.”
Mubai grabbed her hands and said firmly, “I’ll go with you, this time, it’ll be different from last time. You might come across danger this time.”
Xinghe shook her head. “What about your company? Furthermore, I will have people protecting me; I’ll be fine.”
“Even so, I have to go with you. If the post of your bodyguard is filled, then I will just be by your side.” Mubai’s lips curved into a smile. “Or you don’t wish to see me?”
She, of course, wouldn’t mind having him by her side, but she didn’t want to waste his time.
“Don’t overthink this, everything here will be fine. If anything, not being with you will only make me more worried,” Mubai said her concern and consoled softly.
Xinghe decided. “Okay, then let’s go together!”
Mubai’s face broke into a wide and attractive smile. He caressed the curve of her jaw and said softly, “You have to promise me we’ll always be like this, okay?”
Xinghe blinked curiously. Like what?
“Bring me with you no matter where you go and don’t let me go again…” Mubai suddenly leaned in and kissed her passionately on her lips.
…
After a discussion with the president, Xinghe planned to meet with Country R’s president alongside with an ambassador. They even came up with the perfect reason to go to Country R, it was to deport He Bin.
At the same time, they would be sending Chui Ying home.
Of course, on paper, they wouldn’t say they were deporting Chui Ying but escorting her back to her home country.
Chapter 742: Sending Them Back
The Chui family was informed of the fact that Chui Ying had crossed the Shen family. The president personally notified them of this and in a very friendly manner, suggested having his men escort her back home. The Chui family knew this was a front to deport Chui Ying. They had no issue with this. Chui Ying was reluctant, but there nothing she could do.
The reason for sending He Bin back was fixed as well. The official record stated that he was detained at the airport for acting suspiciously. He was very uncooperative during the investigation, so they had no choice but to deport him back to Country R. There was no mention of his connection to the He Lan family. This was to give He Lan Chang the impression that he was still in control.
Whether He Bin would come clean after he returned was his prerogative. Xinghe was not afraid that he would tell He Lan Chang everything, but she believed he would not do that, at least not so soon, because she had personally talked with him about it.
“We will not reveal the fact that you have been exposed to the He Lan family, so you can return to them without fear. Of course, if you want to come clean to He Lan Chang, it will be fine for us as well since we are planning to come after them eventually anyway. However, I advise you to think twice before doing that, because who knows, you might need to cooperate with us in the future,” Xinghe told him in a meaningful way.
He Bin’s mouth was stretched to a thin line. He did not say a word and his face was unreadable.
Xinghe did not stay to wait for his answer. She reminded him before she left, “One more thing, you have to be careful because hiding the truth from them will put you at risk. He Lan Chang will definitely get suspicious due to the fact that you got deported so soon. If he suspects you have turned against him and sided with us, then he will not forgive you. Of course, that is your decision to make.”
“Are you unafraid that I will blab everything to them the moment I return?” He Bin suddenly asked in a whisper.
Xinghe smiled lightly. “Even if you did not tell them anything, they would have guessed as much. Now, our feud with them has been brought to the surface. Of course, I doubt they will come after me publicly, but on the other hand, I do not think they will ever consider assassinating me.”
He Bin then realized what kind of identity Xinghe carried on her. She was visiting Country R as Hwa Xia’s honored guest. If anything happened to her at Country R, it would become an international disaster. It would be even more difficult for harm to come to her at Hwa Xia. No matter how influential the He Lan family was, doing anything at Hwa Xia would be difficult, much less arranging an assassination.
No wonder she was so unafraid. Furthermore, this woman could hold her own against the He Lan family; she was cautious, capable and spirited. She was not one bit afraid of the He Lan family. For some reason, it cropped up in He Bin’s mind that perhaps it was the He Lan family’s misfortune that they came up against her.
“We have not arrived at Country R yet, so you still have time to think. It is your choice whether to choose to work with us or take a risk on your own. Think hard about it and give me an answer before we land.” Xinghe parted with this valuable advice.
In the end, He Bin’s answer was unchanged. He refused to cooperate with them. After all, He Lan Chang was his father. Until he made clear of everything, he would not betray him so easily. However, he was touched by the kindness that Xinghe had shown him. She did not sell him out to the He Lan family, and subconsciously, he did not want to do the same to her. Perhaps, he should do some of his own investigation first…
On the plane, other than He Bin, there was also Chui Ying.
The treatment between the two was completely different. Chui Ying was treated so nicely like she was a princess.
Chapter 743: Country R’s President
However, she could not stand being in the same space as Xinghe. Therefore, she tried her hardest to make life difficult for everyone. One moment she would complain about the food, the next it would be the seat. If they could not satisfy her demands, she would not hesitate to scold the nearest attendant. The flight attendants and chefs on the plane could not stand her anymore, so they all went to seek help from Xinghe and Mubai.
After Ali heard their cries for help, she was incensed, “This woman is really something else, does she really think she is a princess‽ Xinghe, let’s just ignore her and pretend she does not exist.”
Xinghe smiled thinly. “How can we do that? She is, after all, our honored guest. How about this, since she is not satisfied with any of our service, then save her the trouble of having to suffer any of that? Stay away from her and do not go to anger her, I believe Miss Chui will be happier that way.”
Ali understood what Xinghe meant immediately. She ordered the people, “You heard Miss Xia, right? Leave her be to save her the heartburn. I am sure you all know what to do now!”
“Yes.” The air attendants and chefs understood perfectly. Xinghe was telling them to ignore Chui Ying. This was perfect because they were done dealing with the b*tch anyway!
For the rest of the flight, no one came to disturb Chui Ying. She asked for water, but no one came, she then asked for food and still there was no reply. No matter what she asked for, no one seemed to hear her.
This made her extremely angry; she tried to scold Xinghe multiple times for this but every time she was stopped at the door by the bodyguards. No matter what kind of tantrum she threw, Xinghe ignored her. She was not afraid of her unique identity.
Chui Ying nursed a stomach of fire on the plane. The first thing she would do after they landed was complain about Xinghe to her president uncle. Xinghe predicted she would do something like that, if anything, that was what she wished Chui Ying would do because she wanted to see how the president would react.
…
Country R’s president, Chui Qian, personally invited them to a banquet. He looked like an easy-going person, but since he had the capability to be the president, there must be something interesting about him hidden behind his warm smile.
During the dinner, he played the role of the host perfectly. He did not say a word about Chui Ying’s complaints, he even apologized to Xinghe. “My niece is a bit too young and she has created some trouble during her visit to Hwa Xia. I would like to apologize on her behalf.”
Xinghe smiled lightly. “President Chui is taking this too seriously, we did not take Miss Chui’s offense to heart or else we would not have escorted Miss Chui back personally.”
Xinghe’s words were sharp, since she openly stated Chui Ying’s actions as an offense. This could be read as an offense to the president.
However, Chui Qian did not show any sign of anger. He laughed and said, “I can see why Miss Xia is the Shen family’s descendent by the way you carry yourself. Also, I heard Miss Xia’s mother spent her childhood at one of Country R’s orphanage?”
“President Chui heard right. According to our investigation, she was adopted by the He Lan family’s orphanage. Earlier, I came to the country to search for her, and the He Lan family’s young master, He Lan Qi offered his best help, but the search turned up nothing. This time we returned to Country R to continue the search. We will not give up until we find her,” Xinghe looked into his eyes and stated confidently.
Chui Qian’s eyes shone slightly, and he looked deeper at Xinghe. “Miss Xia’s conviction sure is touching to witness. Do not worry because you will have my full support for your search. I am sure with everyone’s cooperation, we will be able to find your mother soon and you will have a complete family.”
“Thank you, Mr. President. Also, we escorted another one of your countryman back with us, his name is He Bin.”
Chapter 744: His Thoughts
“We found his actions to be rather suspicious because he seems to purposely come after us. I wonder if President Chui could look into him further to check whether he has any hidden intentions,” Xinghe requested directly.
Chui Qian’s expression darkened by several shades before nodding easily. “Naturally, that will not be a problem! Since he is a suspicious character, then we will investigate him thoroughly and will report back to all of you when we have come up with a proper answer.”
“Mr. President, thank you again. This time, you have helped us, so if you need our help in the future, we will repay the kindness without hesitation,” Xinghe offered with a meaningful smile. Chui Qian was taken aback, and the way he looked at them turned a little more complicated.
…
After the banquet was over, Xinghe and Mubai rejected the offer to stay at the villa Chui Qian arranged for them and opted to stay at the hotel. When they reached the hotel, Xinghe saw that Ee Chen and the rest were already there.
Ali had contacted them when she landed to ask them to gather at the hotel. All this while, Ee Chen’s group had been busy observing the He Lan family in Country R.
Xinghe asked them directly, “How is everything?”
Ee Chen answered solemnly, “The incident regarding Angel Orphanage has been suppressed. The He Lan family found a few scapegoats, and since there were few reports in the media, it has basically blown over.”
Sam grumbled with dissatisfaction, “That incident barely caused any damage to them.”
“And no one really rose to challenge them,” Cairn added.
Xinghe nodded. “I expected as much. This kind of small incident would not have affected them seriously. However, it is not true that no one has reared their head to target the He Lan family.”
“What do you mean by that?” Ee Chen asked in confusion.
Xinghe did not answer but pulled over her laptop. Very soon, she hacked into Country R’s intelligence agency and pulled out up the information gathered on the He Lan family. There were files on He Lan Chang and He Lan Qi as well. However, there was little information on them, most of the information could be found on the internet. It was mostly unimportant.
However, there was a new entry, it was about the Angel Orphanage incident. When they saw this, Ee Chen’s group was befuddled.
Only Ali got it. “Xinghe, it looks like Country R’s president does have the intention to go after them!”
Xinghe nodded. “Yes, now we can finally confirm that.”
Or else, he would not have recorded everything that had happened with the He Lan family. He was definitely lying in wait, waiting for the chance to remove them.
“What is really happening? How did you guys conclude that Country R’s president has the intention of going after the He Lan family?” Ee Chen asked with a confused frown. Xinghe then explained everything to them from beginning to end. They were appropriately shocked when they heard the news.
They did not expect Xinghe’s thoughts would be so scary. She went to investigate Chui Ying but had managed to unearth so many secrets. Even though it seemed easy on paper to do all this, if she had not started by investigating Chui Ying, they would not have gotten where they were. The most crucial point was that none of them would have thought to use Chui Ying as an opening and they would not have been able to discover so much encrypted information.
Xinghe not only had the necessary deductive skills but also the capability, or else the progress would not have been so successful.
Even He Bin’s capture was not something that could be done by anyone. Her plan was intricate, and she did not let any opportunity slip. She was never overconfident or careless and it was because of all this that she managed to uncover so many secrets.
Chapter 745: Active Attack
Ee Chen suddenly felt so useless. He had conducted such a long investigation in Country R and found nothing. In comparison, Xinghe had managed to come up with so much information in such a short amount of time. He was glad that he asked to be her student.
At the same time, Ee Chan was happy. “Since the Chui family has the intention to go after the He Lan family, does this not mean we can try to reach out to them for cooperation?”
If they had President Chui’s support, things could be a lot easier.
Xinghe shook her head. “Not yet, for now I can only be certain that the president thinks that way, but I cannot say the same for the rest of the Chui family.”
“In other words, the president might not represent the whole Chui family?” Sam asked.
“That is possible so let’s not be too optimistic. In any case, I will continue to investigate. You guys must be tired, you can go and rest now.”
“Okay, then we will take our leave, you two had better rest early as well.” Ali nodded understandingly. She then ushered the rest of them out of the room, leaving behind only Xinghe and Mubai.
“Do you plan to contact Chui Qian?” Mubai asked Xinghe in a low voice.
He truly knew her well and that was indeed the thought on her mind. She nodded. “Yes, I plan to be active for once to see what his reaction will be. It will be best if he is willing to cooperate with us.”
Mubai supported her. “That is not a bad idea, at a time like this, it is better to be the active party. Contact him but do not be too obvious about it.”
“I know.” Xinghe took out her phone to call the president’s secretary. Little did she know that Chui Qian was considering the same thing. The words Xinghe told her during the banquet had been stuck in his head. Chui Qian was brilliant enough to understand what she was hinting at. Is it possible that she has noticed the He Lan family’s problems?
Just as Chui Qian was considering this, his secretary knocked politely on his door and opened it to inform him, “Mr. President, there is a call for you. It is from a Miss Xia from Hwa Xia.”
Chui Qian was startled. He immediately had his secretary pass him the call. “Hello, Miss Xia?”
“Mr. President, I am sorry to disturb you so late in the night, but I wonder if I can have a few minutes of your time? It is about something important,” Xinghe asked in a normal tone.
Chui Qian understood she wanted to discuss something important, so he immediately waved his secretary away. Then, he said seriously, “Miss Xia, please continue.”
Xinghe did not play any games with him and came straight out with it. “Mr. President, we have come across some problems in the search for my mother and it has to do with the He Lan family. I am just wondering what your thoughts on this particular family are.”
“There are not many thoughts on them, however, every large family has a side that is hidden away from the public,” Chui Qian replied in a vague manner, but his answer still hinted at something.
Xinghe picked up the stuff that was left unsaid. She then continued, “If you are also unsatisfied with them, we can offer a chance at a cooperation. Of course, the terms of cooperation are completely up to you. Do not worry, because unlike a certain party, we are reliable partners.”
Chui Ying was really shocked this time!
They had found out the issue with the He Lan family and knew they were in his crosshairs, but how did they find out‽
Chui Qian narrowed his eyes. “Miss Xia seems to know me very well.”
“Mr. President, it is not as well as you think. We heard something and got suspicious and wanted to find out more,” Xinghe said calmly, not bringing up the fact that she had already hacked into the intelligence agency.
However, Chui Qian was still guarded. “Are you not afraid your suspicion is wrong?”
Chapter 746: Her Biggest Bet
“Since we have no other choices, why not take a giant bet? Of course, if our suspicion is wrong, then we are willing to face the consequences,” Xinghe said spiritedly and won the president over.
If Chui Qian did not have confidence in her before, he was impressed by her then. This was because not one woman dared to be so openly confident in front of him. The way she carried herself was enough to make anyone impressed.
“Miss Xia truly is one of a kind, but how do you plan to make me believe you? Furthermore, I cannot promise you anything, so how can you even believe me?”
Xinghe laughed weakly. “It is pointless doubting your ally. Furthermore, I have already said, I am not afraid of failure. Regarding whether you can place your trust in us, feel free to keep watch over our actions. You can decide whether to continue with the cooperation or not after some more consideration. Then, I will not disturb your rest anymore, good night.”
Xinghe hung up after that. She turned to see a curious expression on Mubai. He seemed like he had something he wanted to say.
“What?” Xinghe asked curiously, “What’s on your mind?”
Mubai laughed heartily. “I just want to say you are really brave. Are you not afraid that Chui Qian and the He Lan family are in cahoots and you have just exposed yourself? Are you not afraid that the He Lan family will send some assassins after you?”
Xinghe nodded. “Truth be told, I am afraid.”
The man raised his brow. “Then how can you dare to be so direct?”
Xinghe’s clear eyes looked at him and said, “How else was I going to get any opportunity if I wasn’t so direct? I do not want to wait anymore. Be it failure or success, as long as there is some progress, I will be satisfied because it is by introducing changes into the game in which we will be able to find a new opening and move on.”
Mubai pressed on. “What if there is no new opening?”
Xinghe laughed. “How can that be possible? Even if there is no new opening here, as long as I do not lose my life in this country, there are plenty of things I can do after we return to Hwa Xia.”
Mubai could not help but laugh along with her. He tousled her hair and patted her lightly. “You are right, we have plenty of retreat routes, so nothing will happen to you, do whatever you like, raise as big a storm as you want.”
As long as he was alive, he would not allow anything bad to befall her. Xinghe saw his thoughts but she did not tell him that as long as she was alive, she would not let anything happen to him as well.
Furthermore, she never started a war that she could not win. She dared to be so open and direct because she had prepared a lot. One of her biggest trump cards was He Bin.
However, it was also her biggest risk because He Bin was still a variable she could not control. Xinghe did not have time to slow down, after she contacted Chui Qian, she quickly moved to follow up on He Bin.
After they arrived at the airport, He Bin was taken away by Country R’s law enforcement. However, after some digging, she realized he was mysteriously released and was escorted away by a mysterious party. Needless to say, this mysterious party was the He Lan family.
The moment He Bin got into the car, the driver asked him in a whisper, “Are you alright?”
“I am fine,” He Bin answered softly.
The driver continued, “The old master was worried about you, so he had me come to personally fetch you. He wanted me to tell you to not worry, he will settle everything.”
He Bin was surprised; this was the first time he had felt He Lan Chang’s concern. He thought his father would never care about him in his life…
Instantly, He Bin sighed in relief because he made the right choice. He sided with the He Lan family and did not sell them out.
Chapter 747: Chose Honesty
“Bring me to see the old master now,” he said in a low growl. He could not wait to tell his father everything.
“Old Master happens to want to see you, I will take you to him now.”
After the driver answered, he started the car. Very soon, He Bin was brought to He Lan Villa…
He Lan Chang waited for him in the living room. When he saw him, He Bin started by apologizing. “I am sorry for failing the mission. I have failed your expectation.”
This was the first time he had failed his mission, and he failed it so gloriously. He did not have the courage to face his father.
He Lan Chang did not get angry. He nodded and said nicely, “Take a seat first and tell me everything, do not leave out any details.”
“Yes.” He Bin sat across his father and a maid immediately brought him a glass of his favorite black tea. Every time He Bin returned from his mission and was going through the report with He Lan Chang, his father would have someone prepare him a glass of black tea for He Bin. The fact that there was a glass waiting for him even though he had failed his mission touched He Bin.
That broke down his defenses and he planned to tell his father everything.
“The mission failed because the other party knew from the beginning that we were going to investigate her, so she has set up a defensive parameter waiting for us to take action. Therefore, when I arrived, I was already discovered or else this mission would not have failed so soon,” He Bin reported in a pained voice.
He Lan Chang narrowed his eyes. “You mean they knew it was us who sent you to them?”
He Bin nodded after a very short hesitation. “Yes, they seemed to have known everything…”
“What is this everything that you talk about?” He Lan Chang’s voice dropped for a few degrees, and there was an additional pressure in it.
“They knew that we are investigating her and knew about… my identity.”
“They knew you are my son?” He Lan Chang asked directly.
He Bin nodded weakly. There was an iciness that flashed in He Lan Chang’s eyes, but he continued the questioning calmly. “How did they find out about that?”
After all, there were not many who knew about the fact that he had a bastard son. There was no way of telling that just from observation alone, therefore, it was indeed curious that Xia Xinghe would know that.
He Bin wanted to explain but he suddenly remembered the suspicion surrounding his mother’s death that was recorded in the intelligence agency’s files. He snuck a look at He Lan Chang and he really wanted to ask whether it was him who killed his mother.
However, he could not bring himself to ask that question. He chose to be honest with his father. “She found that out from the country’s intelligence agency. There is a record that I am your son in the agency.”
This time it was He Lan Chang who was taken aback. “You said the intelligence agency?”
“Yes, Country R’s intelligence agency. I have no idea why there is such a record there, but they have found that out.”
He Lan Chang’s face immediately darkened. “Could it be that the two country’s presidents are cooperating in the dark‽”
He Bin was shocked because he found this hypothesis believable as well. He was wondering why that Xia Xinghe was so capable, and if Country R’s president was feeding her information, then everything made sense. Perhaps the two countries had formed an alliance to take care of them.
He Bin started to get antsy. “Have they really started cooperating? But isn’t the Chui family standing on our side?”
“What else did they know?” He Lan Chang did not answer but posed his own question. There was a severity in his eyes.
Chapter 748: Suspicious
Compelled by his subconscious, He Bin shook his head. “That is all…”
He had said everything he was obliged to, the things that he should not say he did not dare say.
He Lan Chang stared daggers at him and pressed, “Is that really everything? Think about it carefully.”
“That is really everything!”
“Since they know about your real identity, why would they let you come back just like that? And that is not what they said on your official deportation papers as well.”
He Bin opened his mouth, but no words came out. I cannot possibly reveal there is information regarding father’s involvement in mother’s death, can I? I definitely cannot say it is because of Xia Xinghe’s plans to woo me to her side that she allowed me to go so easily.
He Bin’s first reaction was evasion. He was afraid that if he revealed all these things, his relationship with his family would be soured.
“I have no idea why they decided to do so, perhaps it was because they did not want me to tell you the truth that they went against the grain and let me go. They thought I would be afraid that my identity would be exposed so I would not dare to tell you the truth.” He Bin lowered his gaze and came up with a barely believable reason.
To his surprise, He Lan Chang believed it. “Perhaps. But no matter their intention, it is a good thing that you have returned safely. You must be tired already, go and rest. Leave the rest to me.”
“Yes!” He Bin stood up and prepared to leave.
He Lan Chang called him back. “Finish this tea, I purposely had them brew it for you.”
“Yes.” He Bin took up the glass and finished it with one gulp. The tea warmed his stomach and his heart. There was even a spring in his step when he left. Before returning, he was afraid that he would be scolded because he had failed his mission, but that did not happen. His father did not fault him in any way and that really did touch He Bin.
His father had always been a cold, unapproachable figure to He Bin, but after today’s ordeal, his impression of him had improved a lot. Perhaps He Lan Chang did treat him as a son, but he had difficulty expressing it…
After He Bin left with these happy thoughts, He Lan Qi walked in.
He Lan Chang heard his footsteps and asked pointedly, “What do you think about what he said?”
“Father, I think there is serious problem!” He Lan Qi said with a frown but there was deep conviction in his voice.
He Lan Chang asked, “Where is the problem?”
He Lan Qi sat down and scoffed, “He is obviously lying to us. It is impossible for the fact that he is your bastard son to be recorded in the intelligence agency; the Chui family are our people, so they would not do something like this. Therefore, he must have revealed this secret himself.”
He Lan Chang narrowed his eyes dangerously. “I suspected as much, but why would he do that?”
“Why else? He is planning to betray us. Perhaps he has already formed a cooperative relationship with the Shen family, why else will they let him come back so easily? Furthermore, if they have found out about his real identity, why did they not come to us directly to demand an explanation? Don’t you think that is too suspicious? And do not get me started on his pitiable excuse, if Shen family is really afraid that he will blab everything to us, then they could have locked him up. In any case, it is indeed too suspicious that he returned so safely and easily after being discovered.”
He Lan Chang was slowly convinced by He Lan Qi’s analysis. It was only if He Bin had colluded with Xia Xinghe that he would be let go so easily.
“So, is the reason he came clean to us about everything to buy our trust?” He Lan Chang asked with lethal intention.
He Lan Qi nodded and replied with a chilling smirk, “It has to be. Perhaps, he believed that only by telling us some degree of truth would he be able to fool us. And I dare say the reason he returned is he plans to sabotage us from within while the Shen family come for us from without.”
Chapter 749: A Dog
“Damn! He is my son, how dare he betray us‽” He Lan Chang roared angrily. He was almost fully convinced by He Lan Qi’s analysis.
He Lan Qi smirked chillingly. “Father, I warned you about this earlier. We have never treated him well and he is not admitted as part of the family, so how could he not resent us in some way? Do not forget that he is an assassin, do you really expect loyalty from him? Killing us and then take over everything is not outside of the realm of possibility.”
He Lan Chang’s face was dark, and a flash of bloodthirsty cruelty flickered across his eyes. “He wants to take over the family? He thinks too highly of himself! So what if he is an assassin? At the end of the day, he is nothing more than a dog that I have decided to keep out of mercy! When the dog bites the hand that feeds it, it is time to put him down! Damn this traitor, he must be punished.”
“Do you want me to get him to confess his sins?” He Lan Qi immediately suggested.
He Lan Chang nodded without giving it much thought. “Okay, I will leave this to you.”
“Okay!” He Lan Qi promised excitedly, and his eyes were practically glowing. He Bin, you have finally fallen into my hands, I will definitely make you regret ever being born in this world! You plan to contest my claim to the family? Alas, you will not be alive to do that!
He Lan Qi had always been cautious about He Bin, afraid that he would one day launch a counter to claim everything that naturally belonged to him. Therefore, when He Lan Qi was given this chance, how could he give it up?
Almost immediately, he brought his men to deal with He Bin.
He Bin had just returned to his room and was ready to lie down for the day when he heard someone knock on his door. With a frown, he walked to open the door. What greeted him was the cold barrel of a pistol!
It was pointed right at his skull!
Thanks to his training, He Bin subconsciously rolled out of the way, but his opponent was fast as well!
The gunshot was smothered by a silencer and the force sent He Bin flying before landing with a thump on the floor. There was a bloody hole on his shoulder. He gripped his shoulder from pain, but his face was filled with shock and consternation.
Glaring at He Lan Qi who sauntered in with a pistol in his hand, He Bin demanded, “What are you doing‽”
He Lan Qi pointed the pistol at his half-brother and smiled fiendishly. “What am I doing? Of course, I am exacting father’s order to punish you.”
“Punish me?” He Bin was shocked. What punishment? Is it because of the failed mission?
“You have collaborated with the Shen family, right? He Bin, you have betrayed the He Lan family, do you think you are able to escape our detection? Unfortunately, we have seen through your lies easily, and thus, it is time for you to pay! Men, detain him and throw him into the underground jail!”
“Yes, sir!” The security immediately rushed forward to detain He Bin.
He Bin struggled angrily. “I did not betray Father, it is impossible for me to betray him! I demand to see Father, I did not betray…”
He Bin swallowed the rest of his sentence because a punch was lobbed at his stomach. His assailant was none other than He Lan Qi. He put his whole body behind this punch; it almost brought up the black tea He Bin drank earlier.
He Lan Qi glared at him like a vicious scorpion and made sure to spit every word into his face. “Who are you to call him Father? Understand that you are nothing more than a dog that we raised!”