Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
In the hospital, Fu Ting sat outside the operating theater in a daze. His eyes were hollow as he stared at the spotlessly clean wall. He suddenly felt extremely dirty.
Lian Jing sat on the chair with a cold expression and did not even look at him. Zhong Xin ran round the corner with a stack of records. He glanced at the shrunken Fu Ting and stood beside Lian Jing. He said softly, âThe hospitalization procedures have been completed. Old Master was over-agitated. He will be fine.â
âOkay.â Lian Jing nodded slightly and leaned back against the wall. He closed his eyes and did not speak again.
Fu Ting turned and looked at his cousin, who was impeccably dressed in a suit and leather shoes. He suddenly felt that he had never closed the distance between them even after all these years. Lian Jing had always been so lofty and unapproachable.
He still remembered when Lian Meng had just turned one month old. Lian Jingâs parents were still around and Lian Meng was just a baby in swaddling clothes. His mother, Lianâe, had brought him to the Lian house to play. Children from other families had been invited. They were in the courtyard. All of them followed Lian Jingâs lead, but they were unwilling to play with him.
At that time, Fu Ting felt wronged. He had timidly followed Lian Jing. Every time Lian Jingâs dark eyes looked over, he would push aside his disappointment, smile brightly and call him, âCousin.â
However, Lian Jing had never addressed him in return.
Later on, he unintentionally overheard what others were saying and discovered that it was because Lian Jing was Old Master Lianâs only grandson. These people valued Lian Jing and let their children play with Lian Jing to try to get close to the Lian family.
To others, he was just a dispensable child.
He suddenly cried and ran to his mother with tears in his eyes. He wanted to ask his mother if he was the most useless child in the Lian family. Otherwise, why was his cousin unwilling to talk to him and why did everyone dislike him?
However, Lianâe reprimanded him with an irritated expression.
Lianâe had been networking at this one-month celebration. Fu Tingâs crying embarrassed her. She ignored the other children present and pinched the soft flesh on his arm. âWhy are you crying? I shouldnât have brought you along. Look at how obedient your Little Cousin Jing is. He never bothers your uncle and aunt.â
âThe child is still young. Sis, donât talk about him like that.â Lian Jingâs father coaxed her softly and pulled Fu Ting into his arms.
However, Fu Tingâs mind was filled with Lianeâs words. He turned around and looked at Lian Jing, who was sitting alone, apart from the crowd and reading silently. He suddenly felt that Lian Jing was so distant from him.
Lian Jing, who was engrossed in his homework, seemed to sensed something. He looked over with his bright black eyes and saw Fu Tingâs miserable expression.
At that time, Fu Ting thought that his mother was right. He was not as obedient as Lian Jing. He was always crying and causing trouble at school.
Just as her mother had said, she should not have brought him along to visit his baby cousin.
He was a superfluous person.
From then on, Fu Tingâs temperament changed drastically. He no longer cried or fussed. If he wanted something, he would go out and snatch it for himself.
When he saw Lian Jing again and saw that everyone brought him the best and doted on him, he suddenly felt disdainful.
He derived too much pleasure from fights, and from others giving in to him after he had beaten them black and blue.
He realized that as long as he was ruthless enough, he could get anything.
He thought that he had finally surpassed Lian Jing, but reality hit him hard.
Because of his motherâs ambition, he had made a huge mistake and almost harmed his cousin. From then on, he had been exiled to Liancheng like a stray dog.
However, he had been willing to go. He had once said that even if Lian Jing had not appeared that night, he would not have let Huang Long have his way. He was not joking.
Actually, he had been prepared to rush into the room to save Lian Meng. He
would rather have Lian Jingâs gratitude than fulfill his motherâs goal of having Lian Jing fumble because something had happened to Lian Meng.
Only then would he feel worthy to be Lian Jingâs cousin.
However, things had not turned out like that. Lian Jing had broken off all ties with them. Actually, Lian Jing was right. Fu Jing had planned everything, so it served him right.
At the thought of this, Fu Ting suddenly felt as if a huge rock had been lifted from his heart. He staggered as he got up to sit beside Lian Jing. He was drenched in sweat as he slumped there. He could do nothing but sit helplessly outside the emergency room while the Old Master was at deathâs door.
âLittle Jing.â Fu Tingâs voice was hoarse. He had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could speak. âIâll turn myself in, but you have to believe that other than selling the equipment to criminals, Iâm not involved in anything
Lian Jing opened his eyes slightly and looked at Fu Ting again, only to see Fu Ting smile at him tragically..