Chapter 76: His Feelings for Qin Wan Are Beyond His Control
Sheng Siyue took another drag of his cigarette. Within the thin, grayish-white haze of smoke, he seemed to see Mrs. Sheng again.
In the final moments of her life, did that poisonous woman ever realize that it was her own malice that had brought about the end of her young life?
The plate of almond-walnut shortbread laced with peanut butter during that breakfast had been a masterpiece that Sheng Siyue had meticulously planned for months.
He knew Mrs. Sheng had a severe peanut allergy. Even a tiny amount would cause her to suffer from respiratory distress.
And so, he had waited patiently. Finally, one evening, he saw “Almond-Walnut Shortbread” appear on the menu for the next morning’s breakfast.
The following morning, Sheng Siyue had Zhou Rong pull the cook aside for some gossip while she was preparing the breakfast pastries. Meanwhile, he slipped into the kitchen. He mixed the pre-prepared peanut butter into the almond-walnut filling. By leveraging the flavor and texture of the almond-walnut paste, he cleverly masked the presence of the peanut butter.
As expected, no one noticed a thing. After Mrs. Sheng finished the dessert and returned to her room, her asthma flared up shortly after.
That life-saving little inhaler had always been kept on the table. But by then, Sheng Siyue had already kicked it under the bed.
He stood by the door, watching with his own eyes as Mrs. Sheng’s complexion turned from white to red, then from red to purple. She reached out a hand toward him, wanting him to help find her medicine.
A trace of a smile flickered across Sheng Siyue’s cold, youthful face. He watched her collapse on the floor, eventually becoming completely motionless. That scene had become a lingering highlight in his memory over the years.
Sheng Siyue crushed out his cigarette. He stood up and walked over to the massive bookcase against the wall. The upper half had glass doors, while the bottom appeared to be three levels of drawers.
Sheng Siyue pressed his right thumb against a spot on the solid wood that looked like a natural tree scar. With a soft click, a hidden fourth drawer slowly slid out.
Sheng Siyue knelt down, his gaze slowly scanning the contents inside.
Years ago, he had used these materials to hand-craft the bomb that helped Qin Wan escape to freedom. At that time, he had carefully controlled the amount of explosives so the blast would only cause minor damage to the ferry—just enough to create a plausible reason for the two of them to fall into the water.
Now, he was preparing to make another one. This one would be powerful, with a precision timer. He intended to install it on the Maybach that Sheng Sinian usually drove.
Sheng Siyue’s exquisite peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze deepening. Sheng Sinian had to die. Only with his death could Qin Wan be truly free to live a carefree life.
He could suppress his romantic feelings for Qin Wan, but he could no longer suppress the urge to grant Qin Wan his freedom.
Whenever he thought of Qin Wan, a slight pang of pain touched Sheng Siyue’s heart. He had always been deeply conflicted and tormented regarding his feelings for him. He knew that he should not have improper thoughts about a brother related by blood. He knew such thoughts were morally unacceptable and contemptible to the world. He had tried various ways to discard these abnormal thoughts, but they all ended in failure.
His feelings for Qin Wan were something even he could not control.
He also knew that Qin Wan would never be able to accept any of his feelings beyond those of a brother. He would not force him to do anything; he would never cross that line. He only hoped the boy would be happy. Qin Wan had already suffered so much; it was enough for Sheng Siyue to bear the pain of this twisted affection alone.
Sheng Siyue let out a long sigh. He stood up, closed the drawer, and sat back at his desk. He pulled the book Illustrated Structures of World Luxury Cars from the shelf and began to study it in detail.
Two days later. Evening.
The rooftop helipad of the Macau Lisboa Hotel. A brand-new Bombardier Challenger descended slowly. As the cabin door opened, five people stepped out. Gu Xinglan waved to the pilot; the crew bowed respectfully and closed the door before the plane headed back.
“Hey, should we have dinner first or go check out the casino?” Fu Yunting led the way, his alluring, handsome face full of smiles like a playful child entering an amusement park.
Beside him, Li Ye said, “Let’s eat first.”
Gu Xinglan wrapped an arm around Qin Wan’s shoulders, asking softly in his ear, “Baby, still feeling unwell?”
Qin Wan nodded slightly. This was his first time on a plane. Even though the conditions on a private jet were countless times better than a commercial flight and Gu Xinglan had pre-emptively given him motion sickness medicine, the anxiety of flying ten thousand meters in the air for the first time still left him feeling very uncomfortable.
Gu Xinglan had held him throughout the flight. Even now, having landed on the rooftop terrace of the luxury hotel, Qin Wan’s face remained pale.
Gu Xinglan kept one arm around Qin Wan’s waist and held his hand with the other, letting the boy lean his head against his shoulder. “Wan-bao, let’s head to the hotel to rest for a bit. We’ll go out to play once you’re feeling better.”
Qin Wan nodded. “Mn.”
To the side, Fu Yunting curled his lip. “A-Ye, look at them! I don’t care, I want a hug too! Hurry up and come hold me!”
Li Ye laughed. “I’m not holding you. Call your Gu Xingcheng and ask him to fly over and hold you.”
At the mention of Gu Xingcheng, Fu Yunting rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t dare dream of receiving the Fifth Master’s favor. He’s like a boulder that attained human form; he doesn’t know the first thing about being tender to the fairer sex.”
Li Ye shook his head with a smile. “You really need to fix that clingy habit of yours. Otherwise, let alone Gu Xingcheng, no one would be able to stand you.”
Fu Yunting huffed and walked over to Gu Xinglan. “A-Lan, you guys go rest in the room. A-Ye and I will head out first.”
Gu Xinglan nodded.
Leaving the terrace, Li Ye and Fu Yunting took the elevator directly downstairs. Xiao Han followed Gu Xinglan and Qin Wan toward the other end of the corridor.
Gu Xinglan led Qin Wan into the hotel’s presidential suite. Xiao Han stood at the door, closing it and standing guard. His sharp, eagle-like eyes scanned the surroundings vigilantly.
Gu Xinglan helped Qin Wan sit on the soft sofa, still keeping the boy in his embrace. He patted his shoulder gently. “Baby, relax. How about I tell you a story?”
Qin Wan let out a soft, dry laugh. “I don’t have insomnia, what use is a story?”
Gu Xinglan’s gaze was extremely tender. “Didn’t you say that listening to bedtime stories can help someone relax? Your current reaction is caused by high mental tension.”
Qin Wan thought about it and nodded. “Mn, then tell one.”
“Which one should I tell?” Gu Xinglan mused.
Qin Wan replied, “Just tell your favorite one.”
Gu Xinglan rubbed his head against the boy’s hair. “Baby, I like all the stories you tell me.” His voice was low and slow, carrying a hint of coaxing. He pulled the person in his arms a little tighter. “Ever since you started telling me stories, I haven’t had to take sleeping pills once.” As he spoke, he pressed a soft kiss to the top of Qin Wan’s head.
Qin Wan’s head was dizzy and aching, but nestling in Gu Xinglan’s arms and being kissed gently made him gradually feel better.
Gu Xinglan continued, “Actually, compared to the bizarre tales the bride told, I prefer the story between the bride and the king that serves as the overarching plot. The tyrannical king was eventually moved by the clever, kind, story-telling bride, and they lived happily ever after. I think that’s the most heartwarming story.”
He spoke softly into Qin Wan’s ear, his voice filled with a gentle warmth. “Baby, I really like that ending. I hope… we can be like that too. What do you think?”
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