Flirt First, Run Later [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 14

Liang Chu’s head throbbed with pain. Clutching the phone, he wondered what major incident could have occurred. What could possibly make his current situation any worse? He remained silent for a moment until Jing Wenwu urged in a hushed tone, “There are a lot of people at home. You need to come back now.”

Liang Chu nodded and replied, “I understand.”

It was June, the peak of summer heat. A breeze stirred outside the window, rustling the leaves of the old tree in the yard, its lush canopy once draped with a mosquito net casting a deep shade.

Xie Shenxing felt as if he had been transported back six years. His usually rough foster father had worn a rare, kindly expression, leading him along miles of dirt roads before boarding a creaking bus bound for a distant place. Though no one explicitly said it, the evasive words and furtive looks from his foster parents hinted at the truth. This departure was a one-way journey. From that day forward, he would have no home to return to.

He had known since he could remember that he was not their biological child. While other children ran wild through the streets, he pushed the millstone at home to grind rice. While others shouldered backpacks and headed to school, he toiled in the fields, listening to his foster father’s angry shouts: “You’ve cost me a hundred yuan! Eating my food without doing my work. You’re nothing but a waste!”

On rare moments of respite, he would climb onto a wooden stump and lean against the classroom window, straining to catch snippets of lessons. Even such stolen opportunities were scarce, forcing him to develop an exceptional memory. He crammed in days’ worth of lessons in the shortest time, then went home to ponder over them, barely grasping their meaning.

No one wanted to be his friend. He was thin, smelly, and filthy. Even those who condescended to bully him kept their distance, pelting him with stones from afar.

Year after year, no matter how difficult, he endured until he turned twelve.

At twelve, even that meager semblance of a home vanished.

On the green-skinned train, his foster father, flushed with excitement, chatted animatedly with strangers. Xie Shenxing had no seat and stood in a corner, watching coldly. After two stops, his foster father hadn’t even noticed he was gone from his spot by his feet. Perhaps he glanced down briefly at some point, but he never bothered to look around from his seat.

The frail boy gazed out at the sky, his nose stinging and eyes dry with unshed tears. He had nothing only the pitiful shreds of his dignity. When the train stopped, he let the crowd carry him off. Better to leave on his own than to be abandoned; at least this way, he could preserve some semblance of self-respect.

He wandered the streets, scavenging for food when hunger struck. There was no room to worry about cleanliness when his stomach was perpetually empty. He struggled to survive, facing life’s hardships head-on, yet he could never come to terms with the suffering he had endured for over a decade. Every time he saw the radiant smiles on people’s faces, his resentment only deepened.

Why had fate treated him so unfairly? In a world brimming with happiness, why was he the only one drowning in misery?

So Xie Shenxing headed toward the remote, desolate outskirts. Spotting underage workers at a construction site, he went to seek a living. The foreman, seeing how young and frail he was, was reluctant to take him on. Summoning all his strength, he hoisted a bag of cement to prove his capability. Day after day, he labored exhaustingly, yet remained isolated. He slept under a bridge, the biting cold wind piercing through his thick coat as he curled up on the icy ground.

Every night as he drifted to sleep, he half-believed he would not wake to see another day.

Until that day, during the late spring chill, he sat in a dim corner, watching the sunlight spread across the ground but unable to touch him. His body was cold, and so was his heart, like a candle struggling to survive in a strong wind, yet still on the verge of being extinguished.

It was Jing Ke who saved him. Perhaps it was the long-overdue luck that had been silent for twelve years, pouring out all at once, allowing him to encounter the greatest surprise of his life.

He was unreasonable and willful, always widening his eyes when giving orders, as if afraid he wouldn’t listen, needing to intimidate him with a fiercer tone.

He was impatient and hasty, wanting everything done quickly.

“Hurry up and make me something delicious to eat, hurry up and massage my feet, hurry up and bring me my clothes, hurry up and—”

He thought his little gestures went unnoticed. The deliberately domineering and fierce care, the secretly kept love letters written for him, the soft and warm embraces. He gave him a new life, allowing him to see the brighter side of the world.

“Jing Ke…” Xie Shenxing murmured the name. If there is anything beautiful in my limited life, it can only be you.

It took Xie Shenxing five or six minutes to calm down. He knew Jing Ke would be his. There was no other possibility. He was determined to make it happen.

Before that, he would arrange everything meticulously, patiently laying the groundwork, building a greenhouse for him, shielding him from wind and rain, and freeing him from worries. On the day he understood his feelings, he only hoped he would feel content and happy.

Not like today, when they argued so fiercely that he frightened him. But in that moment, anger, jealousy, and longing had burned away his reason.

After a whirlwind of complex emotions came a deep unease. Xie Shenxing glanced outside—the sunlight had grown intense. He couldn’t help but wonder where Jing Ke had run off to, whether he had any money on him, and if he was getting sunburned. As for how to resolve the situation… Xie Shenxing sighed. What else could he do? He had long since fallen into Jing Ke’s hands.

Quickly thinking of the places Jing Ke might go pampered and accustomed to comfort, he would never set foot in uncomfortable places. It had to be air-conditioned and lively, and since he hadn’t eaten in the morning, he must be hungry. He loved the stalls at Tongxian Street, often taking detours on his way to school to buy snacks. Xie Shenxing set off immediately, but before he could even reach the stairs, a crowd suddenly flooded into the hall.

Jing Ke’s older siblings had all arrived unexpectedly. Jing Weigang, beaming with energy, personally ushered in an elderly man with completely white hair and beard.

The visitors hadn’t given any prior notice. The housekeeper muttered under her breath in complaint, hurriedly preparing tea. Without turning his head, Jing Weigang instructed Jing Hongjie, “Quick, quick, call—call Xiao Xie… call Shenxing downstairs. We have an important guest!”

Jing Hongjie’s face was ashen, his lips pale. The housekeeper, who had worked for the Jing family for over a decade and was very close to them, pointed at the staircase and blurted out, “No need to call him. Isn’t that kid already on his way down?”

Jing Weigang’s features twisted slightly, sweat beading on his face, but he quickly regained his composure and said with effort, “Auntie Zhang has watched Shenxing grow up. They’re very close. Please don’t mind her, Mr. Xie.”

Auntie Zhang froze. Having worked for the Jing family for more than ten years, she knew their habits inside and out. Jing Weigang was smooth and adaptable, skilled at saying the right thing to the right person, but now he was showing such reverence to the visitor. Realizing she had spoken out of turn, she paled and retreated.

The elderly man smiled and said it was no problem, his gaze fixed intently on Xie Shenxing.

Xie Shenxing stood on the steps, locking eyes with the elderly man before him. The intricacies of familial bonds were truly unfathomable. In this strangely tense and dissonant atmosphere, Xie Shenxing faintly sensed what was coming.

The old man was spirited and tall, with hawk-like eyes brimming with wisdom and authority. He stared back intently. Their features bore a striking resemblance both carried the same deep, aloof demeanor inherited from their lineage. One was already in the twilight of his years, while the other was in his prime.

From a distance, the old man spoke: “Hello, I am Xie Wenjun, your grandfather.”

Xie Shenxing descended the stairs slowly and replied indifferently, “I have no grandfather.”

Xie Wenjun seemed to ignore his words, his gaze fixed firmly on Xie Shenxing’s expression. Though the young man carried the blood of the Xie family, he had been adrift outside their circle for many years. His character remained an unknown whether to acknowledge him or not, to use him or not, was still undecided.

Xie Wenjun’s voice was slow and commanding: “You must have heard of the Xie family of the capital. I’ve come today to bring you back to your roots.”

“It has nothing to do with me. Excuse me.”

The Xie family was renowned far and wide, with deep-rooted influence that had been established over a century. For an ordinary person, stumbling upon such a powerful family background would mean more than just skipping twenty years of struggle. Even if they weren’t truly related, they would claim to be.

Without so much as a glance, Xie Shenxing walked past Xie Wenjun, his demeanor icy from head to toe, radiating utter disinterest in the man and his family. The entourage Xie Wenjun had brought hesitated, unsure whether to stop him. In that moment of indecision, Xie Shenxing slipped through and reached the door.

Xie Wenjun suddenly said, “Are you going to find the young master of the Jing family? I heard it was Jing Weigang’s youngest son who took you in. He is your benefactor. Do you want him to die?”

Xie Shenxing froze abruptly, nearly losing control, and turned back with a chilling glare.

Though they were family reunited after many years, the air between them felt more like that of sworn enemies. Xie Wenjun said calmly, “I have no interest in him. Let me be clear. The longer I stay at the Jing residence, the more unfavorable it will be for them. Shall we speak elsewhere?”

Xie Shenxing took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and said, “After you.”

Xie Wenjun glanced at Jing Weigang, who was wiping sweat from his brow and stammered, “Of course, of course.”

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of an old tree. Xie Wenjun studied Xie Shenxing’s features and remarked, “You resemble the Xie family more than your father did.”

Xie Qingyun had been gentle, scholarly, and overly compassionate. Traits that led him to trust others too easily, resulting in his early demise and the downfall of his family. Xie Shenxing had inherited none of his father’s mild temperament. He was more assertive, decisive, and mature beyond his years, with a sharp, imposing presence. A few days earlier, someone had shown Xie Wenjun a photo of Xie Shenxing. His appearance alone hadn’t raised alarms. The Xie family was full of exceptional talents, and even the indecisive Xie Qingyun had managed the family business skillfully. His downfall had been due to misplaced trust.

Thus, Xie Wenjun was more concerned with Xie Shenxing’s innate qualities. Appearance combined with capability warranted deeper investigation.

A DNA test confirmed it. He was indeed a descendant of the Xie family.

Xie Shenxing stared coldly at him, like a beast guarding its territory. Xie Wenjun sighed and said, “There’s no need for hostility. What I seek is an heir for the Xie family. As for other matters, I have no concern.”

Xie Shenxing replied curtly, “I never was before, and I never will be.”

Xie Wenjun’s eyes held a trace of admiration, unbothered by the young man’s bluntness. “You’re clever. I’ve looked into you—you have the Xie family’s innate pride and confidence in your bones, but your childhood gave you restraint and patience that the Xies lack. I understand what you mean. You’re an adult, independent from an early age, indifferent to the Xie family’s legacy. You’ve built a business and know that wealth isn’t hard to come by.”

Xie Shenxing met his gaze directly, distant yet polite. “Is that all you wanted to say?”

Xie Wenjun paused, studying this grandson who was more outstanding and formidable than he had imagined. A mix of emotions surged within him, but above all, he felt relief.

Through this young man, he seemed to glimpse a more prosperous and thriving future for the Xie family. Xie Shenxing had struggled his way up from the grassroots; his path had not been smooth. Excessive setbacks could easily break a person, but if one survived the crucible, they would emerge as refined gold their mental fortitude far surpassing others. Though young, Xie Shenxing had endured hardships equivalent to a lifetime for some. These shoulders were more than capable of bearing the Xie family’s burdens.

Had Xie Wenjun encountered someone who compromised for wealth today, he wouldn’t have needed to say much. He would have been disappointed instead.

Moved, Xie Wenjun said, “I sought you out today not to bring you home for a life of ease, but to entrust you with a critical mission! The blood of the Xie family flows in your veins, and its responsibilities rest on your shoulders. Eighteen years ago, your parents were murdered on the spot, and your whereabouts became unknown. This is a blood debt. How can you, as their son, not seek vengeance? Now that I know who you are, do you think others won’t find out? Shenxing, the Xie family has a century of legacy and wealth. As long as it exists, you will be a thorn in many people’s sides. With you around, the threat will never cease. Your enemies are no ordinary foes. If you don’t leave now, you’re only revealing your weakness to everyone. Do you intend to let the Jing family follow in your parents’ footsteps, forcing this old man to bury yet another generation? You’re young—you can’t be more foolish than your grandfather. The Jing family raised you with kindness. If you stubbornly refuse to leave, how is that any different from repaying kindness with enmity?”

Xie Shenxing’s calm heart stirred, and he closed his eyes briefly.

The conversation did not last long. In the end, Xie Wenjun said, “The Xie family is a coveted prize, and I am old. I won’t be able to protect it much longer. Many are waiting for me to die. Fortunately, the Xie lineage is not without an heir. Your days of peace are over. Even if you don’t provoke others, they will come for you. If you don’t arm yourself, you’ll be slaughtered. Time is tight, but I’ll give you space to think.”

In just over ten minutes, every word spoken carried immense weight, no less crushing than Mount Tai. Only one thought remained in Xie Shenxing’s mind: Jing Ke just ran off because I scared her, and I haven’t even managed to coax her back yet.

He was equally aware that this very thought meant he had already made his decision.