The Real Young Master is Entangled by the Paranoid Fake Young Master - Chapter 36

How did he know that the item in the box was a crystal epiphyllum? He even knew the exact serial number.

Ignoring the throbbing pain from his wound, Xie Chengxuan was about to demand an answer when Tao Jiang’s voice cut him off.

“So, it really is! It seems you truly are this kid’s lover. Your rich folk certainly know how to play.”

“Song Zhaoqing, can you really bear to watch your little lover suffer like this?”

“I can’t. That’s why we can make an exchange,” Zhaoqing answered calmly.

“An exchange? Are you sure?” Tao Jiang’s voice betrayed a mix of hesitation and pleasant surprise.

“Yes. My life for his,” Zhaoqing said, his voice ringing with unwavering certainty.

“As you can see, my devotion to him has never wavered. You know I am the biological son of the Song family, but I was only recently recognized. I haven’t had the chance to enjoy much fortune in this life, nor has anyone truly loved me, except for him. He is the only one willing to pity and care for me. To die for him is no great loss; I only hope the person I love can live on in my stead.”

Zhaoqing spoke with such profound sincerity that he truly seemed like a man possessed by a tragic, self-sacrificing love. As expected, Tao Jiang’s resolve began to soften.

“No, this won’t do… Zhao cough, cough!” Xie Chengxuan could hardly believe what he was hearing over the phone. He almost thought he was hallucinating. He tried to protest, but the agonizing pain from his wound sent him into a fit of coughing.

Why would he do this? Xie Chengxuan knew he wasn’t exactly a saint, but he couldn’t bring himself to let someone else die in his place.

Especially since, Song Zhaoqing said he loved him.

Does he really love me?

If it were true, why hadn’t he shown it before? But if it were a lie, why would he risk his life to save him?

Just moments ago, Chengxuan had suspected Zhaoqing of intentionally luring him to Yunxi Pool. I’m a beast… how could I doubt him? His face was a mask of pain and guilt. Looking at him and then recalling Zhaoqing’s words, Tao Jiang began to believe they really were a pair of star-crossed lovers.

Holding Xie Chengxuan was useless anyway; it wouldn’t get him revenge on Song Shicheng or Song Zhiyuan, and it would only bring trouble. It was better to trade him for the Song family’s real young master.

Settling on a decision, Tao Jiang spoke harshly: “Fine. Since you want to swap, let’s swap. However, you have exactly half an hour. You are not allowed to bring a phone or any communication devices. Once you reach the designated location, blindfold yourself and wait for me. Most importantly: DO NOT CALL THE POLICE!”

“If you dare call them not to mention it takes time for police to reach these deep mountains even if I can’t escape, I’ll take your little lover to hell with me. I’m already exposed; you have no room to bargain. If you give up, fine, but your lover’s life ends now. Or should I cut off one of his fingers first so you can verify the goods?”

“Since you know my name, you should know my reputation. I’d rather kill the innocent than let a threat slip by. My patience is limited. The countdown starts now.”

With that, Tao Jiang abruptly hung up.

The Plan

Zhaoqing felt his nerves stretched to the breaking point. He took several deep breaths, forcing himself to relax; only with a clear head could he make the best choice.

He analyzed Tao Jiang’s words. The location sent to his phone was near a remote pool in the mountains behind the resort. He couldn’t call the police to save Xie Chengxuan. First, thirty minutes was barely enough time for him to get there, let alone for the police to mobilize. Tao Jiang had calculated the timing perfectly.

Furthermore, Tao Jiang demanded he wear a blindfold at the meeting point. This suggested the location was merely a transit point. Once the swap happened, Tao Jiang would move him. Even if he told the police the coordinates now, they would find nothing but an empty forest by the time they arrived.

The best course of action was to go through with the exchange, leave markers along the way, and notify a third party to inform the Xie family, the Song family, and the police.

But who could be the intermediary? Song Lili and Xiaoyue were trustworthy but lacked the nerves for such a life-or-death mission. Fang Yang was outside the resort and couldn’t coordinate an immediate rescue.

It couldn’t be Song Zhiyuan, either. He was capable and calm, but Zhaoqing didn’t trust him. Zhaoqing was currently a thorn in Zhiyuan’s side. If Zhaoqing died, the Song family might lose his grandfather’s remaining inheritance, but since the Song family’s projects hadn’t failed yet, Zhiyuan might succumb to personal spite. His character was not to be relied upon.

Moreover, Zhiyuan had already misjudged the Tao Jiang situation once. Zhaoqing wouldn’t stake his life on a man prone to second mistakes. As for the absent Song Shicheng and the reclusive Old Mrs. Song, they weren’t options either.

That left only one person.

A man who was calm, capable, currently at the resort, and able to command the Song family’s resources. More importantly, he was a man who valued profit above all else. Zhaoqing didn’t have to worry about a betrayal because Zhaoqing was still holding half of their grandfather’s massive inheritance.

Song Yuening was not like Song Zhiyuan. Regardless of his personal feelings for Zhaoqing, he wouldn’t sit idly by and let that much money vanish.

Zhaoqing decided to call Song Yuening and briefly explained the situation. By making Yuening his last outgoing call, he ensured that if anything happened to him, the police would investigate Yuening. Even if the call log were deleted, the police could recover it. Yuening was too smart to risk that.

Between the lure of profit and the threat of legal trouble, it was a double guarantee. Helping Zhaoqing was in Yuening’s best interest.

In this world, nothing is one hundred percent certain, but as long as there is a glimmer of hope, one must try. Even if the Xie family’s influence couldn’t be used by him, it certainly couldn’t be allowed to become a bargaining chip for the Songs to seize the Old Street district.

Zhaoqing told Yuening he would leave markers and reminded him: “If I die, according to Grandfather’s will, the remaining Sun family fortune will be donated to charity. You’ll end up with nothing.”

This was the final showdown. Zhaoqing was laying all his cards on the table to coerce Yuening.

The Breakout

When Song Yuening heard that Zhaoqing was going to trade himself for Xie Chengxuan, his first reaction was disbelief, followed by a tidal wave of fury.

Song Zhaoqing, how dare he? How dare he trade his life for that worthless piece of trash, Xie Chengxuan! Even without this “Tao Jiang” character, Yuening had already planned for Xie Chengxuan to die.

“Why? Do you want to save him that badly? Are you.”

Before he could finish his sentence, Zhaoqing hung up in a hurry. When he tried to call back, he was met only with a busy signal.

Are you in love with him? That was the question he wanted and feared to ask.

Until the very end, Zhaoqing’s last words were about the inheritance. So, even now, he thinks I only approached him for the money. What did he think of me all this time while I was playing the part of the gentle brother?

Did Zhaoqing find it mocking when Yuening blocked a ball for him? Did he find it laughable when Yuening built him a flower room?

Yuening finally understood why Zhaoqing remained so distant. It had always been one-sided. He realized Zhaoqing favored the Xie Chengxuan he’d known for only days over him. But to what extent? Enough to disregard his own life?

A pair of lovers and I’m just the villain, Yuening thought bitterly.

A sharp pain flared in his chest, his old ailment was resurfacing. His eyes were so bloodshot they looked ready to drip. He gripped the back of a chair just to stay upright.

Did he really think I wouldn’t save him without the Sun family money?

Yes, Yuening admitted he had initially looked down on Zhaoqing and even watched the Song family plot against him. His motives were impure, yet now he felt a crushing sense of abandonment. It felt like having his heart carved out on a snowy night.

“Song Zhaoqing, you want to escape me? In your dreams!”

Yuening gripped the sharp ornamental carving on the chair until it pierced his palm, but he didn’t feel it. If the mask was off, there was no need to keep pretending.

Only one thing mattered: they would continue to torment each other in this decaying Song family until the end.

He had once been indifferent to life, but now he had a purpose fueled by hatred. He wanted someone to suffer alongside him in this miserable place. As long as Zhaoqing was there, he was satisfied. He didn’t care about the medical experiments, the endless pills he took to survive, or the pain.

He charged out of the room. He wouldn’t let him die. He would drag him back and lock him up. He wasn’t sure what he’d do after that, or even how he truly felt about Zhaoqing “sacrificing” himself for Xie Chengxuan. He only knew he hated the “betrayal.”

The Betrayal

The resort consisted of individual hot spring villas. Yuening stepped into the lush gardens, pulling out his phone to call his assistant, Lin Qi, to have the guards surround Yunxi Pool. He intended to catch his “little dog” before he reached the exchange point.

However, Lin Qi didn’t pick up. He tried Shicheng and Zhiyuan, but the lines were busy. Strange, but time was of the essence. He called the police first, but as he went to redial Lin Qi, his agitation triggered his heart condition. His breathing turned into ragged gasps.

Not now please, not now. He doubled over, clutching his chest. He looked toward the villa where Old Mrs. Song stayed. He struggled to move toward his room for his medication, then remembered he had run out yesterday. The Songs kept a tight leash on his medicine; only the Old Matron had more.

“My Zhao-zhao… he’s still…” Yuening’s vision blurred.

Suddenly, a hand stopped him. “Young Master Yuening, what’s wrong? Why are you in such a state?”

It was Butler Yu, a longtime servant of the Old Matron. She immediately recognized the signs of his relapse. His illness was terrifying  fainting, high fevers, and rashes were common, but without the Song family’s special medicine, it was life-threatening.

Yuening was furious at being stopped, but since he couldn’t reach Lin Qi, he had to use her. Despite her greed, she was capable. He told her a kidnapper had taken the Xie heir in the back mountains and ordered her to find the others and contact Lin Qi immediately.

“Also, the kidnapper—” Yuening gasped, trying to finish his orders, but a sudden, sharp pain exploded at the back of his head. White light flashed before his eyes, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Butler Yu stood over him, holding a large stone.

Tao Jiang! How did he expose himself?! That idiot is going to get me killed! She didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved.

Fortunately, Lin Qi had been called away by an emergency, and the Old Matron was resting after her bath. The Matron had sent her to deliver medicine to Yuening, allowing her to intercept him. If he had reached the others, she and Tao Jiang would be finished.

She hadn’t wanted to hurt Yuening, he was the Song family’s treasure but if he lived to speak, she was dead.

It’s all that fool Tao Jiang’s fault. I told him I’d find a chance to help him kidnap Song Zhaoqing and Song Lili later! Why couldn’t he wait?

Now that the alarm was raised, she had to flee. Looking at the security cameras and the unconscious Yuening, she decided to go all the way. She propped Yuening up and dragged him toward the mountain path.

Since her identity as a mole was about to be blown, she might as well kidnap Yuening too. He was far more valuable than Zhaoqing. With him as a hostage, she could demand enough money to live comfortably abroad for the rest of her life.