Sui Zhao finally found an opportunity to follow HuMing home alone.Over the past few days, he had felt something peculiar. Although he knew HuMing's address, there always came a point where he would inexplicably lose track of him. This nagging inconsistency unsettled him.
He had held back from acting for this very reasonâhe wanted to see if someone was lurking in the shadows, protecting HuMing. Yet, after days of tracking him, he hadnât detected any hidden backup. This realization somewhat eased his vigilance.
Meanwhile, Han ShuYi was pressuring him to act quickly. Sui Zhao himself wanted to resolve this matter soon and take a break. Targeting a high school student felt beneath him, a slight to his dignity.
Everything was proceeding according to his plan, except for the rain, which was proving to be a nuisance. Droplets soaked through his clothes, trickling off the hem of his jacket.
Sui Zhao truly despised the weather in this cityârain would fall at the drop of a hat, grating on his nerves.
He stepped through the puddles, trailing HuMing.
Quietly, he followed HuMing all the way to his apartment building. Once HuMing used his key card to enter and head upstairs, Sui Zhao loitered at a distance, eyes fixed on the dimly lit building.
â¦
Inside a dark room.
HuMing drew back the curtains slightly, peering through the gap. At a corner near the building, a shadowy figure stood, staring intently at the apartment.
He understood what was going on. Han ShuYi had already made his move, and the man outside was undoubtedly someone Han ShuYi had hired to deal with him.
HuMing didnât blame Han ShuYi. Given the circumstances, unless he completely erased him from this world, Han ShuYi would forever be haunted by his presence.
When HuMing first arrived in this world, Han ShuYi had been a confident and ambitious person.
But HuMingâs arrival had seemingly driven him mad.
Of course, HuMing saw this as the inevitable result of Han ShuYiâs self-destruction. Han ShuYi had always targeted him, viewing him as the one who had taken everything from him.
Now, it was clear Han ShuYi simply wasnât skilled enough to prevail.
HuMing walked to his desk and opened a drawer, retrieving a jade pendant lying within.
This pendant had been left to him by his grandfather.
On his deathbed, his grandfather had personally handed it to him, saying, âIf you ever face danger, wear this pendant. It will keep you safe.â
HuMing hadnât put much stock in those words. To an elder, perhaps the pendant symbolized a lifetime of protection, passed down as a legacy.
Yet, when his grandfather had given it to him, his gaze had been... unusual. It was as though he was entrusting everything to him.
Holding the pendant, HuMing sat by his bed, memories of his grandfather flooding his mind.
Back then, he had survived falling from a cliff and was searching for a place to rest. Thatâs when he first encountered the old man.
Their first meeting was at a park where the elderly man was practicing tai chi, exuding an otherworldly serenity. When he noticed HuMing, he greeted him warmly and offered help.
HuMing hadnât said much, but as he was leaving, the old man had called out to him again.
The manâs kindness was remarkable, and, more importantly, HuMing didnât find him off-putting.
Within a few days, they grew familiar.
The old man had suggested, âIf youâve got nothing to do, why not stay by my side for a while? Iâve got no children, and itâs boring being alone all the time. Having someone to chat with would be nice.â
HuMing thought there was no harm in staying. It wasnât a bad arrangement while he waited for Liang Feng to establish a foothold and handled some lingering matters of his own.
During this time, HuMing came to know the old manâs personality.
He often did good deeds and occasionally said things that HuMing couldnât understand. It was like something about the bond between brothers.
Of course, HuMing had asked him about it, and the old manâs words implied that his relationship with his older brother wasnât good, so they had separated. The older brother took everything from the family, while he was left with nothing.
But he didnât hold a grudge against his brother, as he considered himself a Buddhist at heart.
"Has he ever tried to find you?"
"Haha, If I donât want him to find me. He definitely wonât. But I wonât live for many more years, even if he does find me, so what? The past is long gone, and I don't have the energy to care about it anymore." The old man looked incredibly open-minded.
HuMing, on the other hand, pressed his lips together, his expression complex.
He seemed to constantly encounter family issues that werenât harmonious.
Yet, in an indirect way, the old man had taught him a lot about things that people from upper circles often do. SÑarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
The most vivid memory HuMing had was his advice:
âIf they bully you, donât hold back. Fight back mercilessly. These people thrive on exploiting those beneath them. Theyâll only stop when they see you break, but if you stand your ground, theyâll fear you.â
They werenât even afraid of causing death, as behind them stood a powerful family ready to help them escape punishment.
It sounded fantastical, but HuMing knew the truth behind his words.
Their conversations deepened, but the old manâs behavior began to seem strange. It was as if he was racing against time to pass on all his knowledge.
It wasnât until the old man was diagnosed with late-stage illness that HuMing realizedâhe was indeed entrusting everything to him.
In his final moments, the old manâs words echoed deeply:
âGo. Return to where you belong.â
â¦
The rain pattered against the window, pulling HuMing out of his reverie as a knock sounded at the door.
Standing, HuMing placed the pendant around his neck.
No matter what, this was his grandfatherâs parting wish. Wearing it now, he hoped it might bring him good fortune.
âHello, Iâm from the electric company. Is anyone home?â
A manâs voice came from outside.
HuMing walked to the door and opened it to find a man in a uniform.
As the door opened, Sui Zhao instinctively scanned the apartment behind HuMing. Satisfied there was no one else, he dipped his head slightly, obscuring his face, and said
âIâm from the electric company. The power in this building is out, so weâre conducting inspections.â
âOh, that explains why my lights wouldnât turn on,â HuMing nodded, stepping aside to let the man enter.
Sui Zhao stepped in, ready to speakâbut before he could, a heavy blow landed on his head.
His vision went dark as he collapsed to the floor.
Behind him, HuMing stood with a baseball bat in hand, his expression calm.