The Real Young Master is Entangled by the Paranoid Fake Young Master - Chapter 5

Song Yuening was indeed Lin Qi’s master, but as a consummate egoist, Lin Qi would never risk his own life for anyone. He knew Zhaoqing was right; given the heavy scent of gasoline saturating the air, there was a high probability the car would explode.

He suspected that the “real” young master, Song Zhaoqing, had the same selfish intentions and was merely putting on a show of concern for the sake of appearances.

No, he’s probably even worse than me, Lin Qi thought bitterly. If Song Yuening is gone, Song Zhaoqing’s status in the family will skyrocket. He probably wants Yuening to die! He figured the “country bumpkin” was about to become the sole young master of the Song family.

A trace of mockery flickered across Lin Qi’s disheveled face. He cleared his throat and said:

“Young Master Zhaoqing, I think,  we should wait for the rescue team. What if the two of us accidentally injure Young Master Yuening further while trying to move him?”

If Yuening managed to survive until the rescue team arrived, Lin Qi could simply play along then. Yuening was young, but he was cunning and ruthless; serving under him was an exercise in constant, nerve-wracking pressure.

Now that Yuening’s life hung in the balance, Lin Qi felt no desire to put in any extra effort. He chose to leave the boy’s fate to the heavens. Whether he lived or died was no longer the business of a servant whom the Song family had never truly treated as a human being.

Zhaoqing’s heart sank as he watched Lin Qi withdraw. He realized Lin Qi was content to let Song Yuening die. But as a sixteen-year-old, Zhaoqing didn’t have the physical strength to pull Yuening out alone.

He hardened his heart and shot Lin Qi a sharp glare. Lin Qi had forced his hand, Zhaoqing hadn’t wanted to reveal his cards so early.

Zhaoqing looked back at the unconscious Yuening, then leaned toward Lin Qi. As their shoulders brushed, he whispered:

“If Song Yuening dies, you won’t survive either. Being caught in an explosion is an instantaneous death. But if you stand by and do nothing, I will make sure everyone knows it was Lin Qi who abandoned him. Lin Qi, let me ask you: Do you remember who your real master is?”

The words were cryptic, but Zhaoqing knew Lin Qi would understand.

My real master… Lin Qi felt a sudden chill. This was a blatant threat.

He was a pawn sent to the Song family by that person. While he was officially the Songs’ special assistant, his true purpose was twofold: to assist Song Yuening and to serve as that person’s eyes and ears, monitoring Yuening’s every move.

That person viewed Song Yuening as a priceless treasure. If Zhaoqing’s words reached his ears, Lin Qi wouldn’t just be facing death, he would be begging for it.

But… this arrangement is a closely guarded secret, Lin Qi thought, trembling. Even the rest of the Songs don’t know. How does Song Zhaoqing know?!

In his shock, Lin Qi failed to hide the murderous intent in his eyes. Zhaoqing acted as if he didn’t see it, his tone shifting back to its previous “innocent” state as if the threat had been an illusion.

“Brother Lin, don’t you think we should save Young Master Yuening now?”

Snapping out of his daze, Lin Qi coughed to hide his twisted expression and nodded. But internally, he was already plotting: I must find a chance to test this country bumpkin. If he really knows the truth… I can’t let him live.

Zhaoqing sat on a cold plastic chair outside the operating room. He watched the green light above the door, having waited there for a day and a night without feeling the slightest bit of sleepiness.

A young nurse passing by patted his shoulder, her voice tinged with a bit of a scolding tone. “Patient in Bed 307, what is wrong with you? Do you want your wound to heal or not? I just changed your bandages. If you keep sitting here without eating or drinking, your stitches are going to burst and fester!”

Zhaoqing was deaf to her lecture. He only shook his head tiredly. “I can’t eat, and I can’t sleep. I don’t feel at peace. I just want to sit here for a while.”

Seeing his hollowed-out expression, the nurse’s heart softened. “Staying here won’t solve anything, go back and rest. But truly, the bond between you brothers is wonderful. Your brother is lucky to be alive; he gave us quite a scare when he was brought in. And you… you looked terrifying yourself. It’s clear how much you care about him.”

As the nurse continued to chatter about “good relationships” and “caring brothers,” Zhaoqing only felt like laughing. He tugged at the corner of his mouth, but no smile came.

So, in the eyes of outsiders, I look like I’m desperately worried about Song Yuening, he thought. His mind was a chaotic mess.

Zhaoqing’s own injuries were less severe than Lin Qi’s, but the doctors kept him for observation to prevent complications. Song Yuening wasn’t as fortunate. He had always been a frail child, and having been trapped in the wreckage for so long, his heart was barely beating when they reached the hospital. His face was so pale it was almost transparent, like a sheet of thin ice that would shatter at a touch.

The doctor said that if the car hadn’t been moving slowly at the time of impact, Yuening would have died instantly. The irony was that the car had only slowed down because Zhaoqing was arguing with him.

Just as Zhaoqing had predicted, moments after he and Lin Qi hauled Yuening to safety, the car had exploded. While Lin Qi frantically called for help, Zhaoqing had simply stared at Yuening’s face, replaying his delirious words.

Yuening had called him “Zhao-zhao,” but those words hadn’t seemed directed at the sixteen-year-old boy in front of him. They sounded like a monologue directed at a ghost.

This version of Yuening reminded Zhaoqing of a bizarre kidnapping incident in his past life. A rival of the Songs had kidnapped him, Yuening, and the younger sister, Song Lili, taking them to the wilderness. The kidnappers had a shotgun. Zhaoqing had managed to use his wits to help them escape, but Yuening had still been abused, leaving permanent scars on his back.

After that incident, Yuening became even more fragile, often lying in bed like a lifeless, exquisite doll. He used to complain of chest pains and ask Zhaoqing to warm his heart.

Yes, in the past life, after that kidnapping, we grew much closer. Zhaoqing used to spend every night of Yuening’s relapses by his side. Yuening, in turn, would walk with him through the old neighborhood, listening to stories of how Zhaoqing escaped his adoptive father’s beatings.

But that “friendship” was entirely one-sided.

Later, while hiding in a closet, Zhaoqing had heard Yuening tell a friend: “I’m just playing with him. Do you really think I’d be friends with an idiot like that?” That sentence had shattered Zhaoqing’s foolish dreams. It was a wake-up call, telling him that Yuening’s kindness was just another heartless game. After that, they had a massive argument in the garden, the only time Zhaoqing saw Yuening truly emotional. They attacked each other with the cruelest words possible. Yuening had acted as though Zhaoqing was the one who had toyed with his feelings. They had parted ways that day and became strangers.

Song Yuening, a hypocritical bastard.

And yet, that “bastard” had instinctively tried to save him the moment the car was about to be hit. What was Zhaoqing supposed to make of that?

He didn’t know how to define their relationship anymore. Their first meeting, their closeness, their estrangement, and their eventual corporate rivalry, the scenes played in his head like a movie. He knew he could never be Yuening’s friend, and he knew he lacked the power to be his enemy. Being strangers was the only fitting path.

As long as we are entangled, it is a cursed fate, Zhaoqing thought. This time, I just want to be far away from him.

Eight hours later, the surgery ended. Another day passed before Yuening’s vitals stabilized and he was moved to a general ward. Lin Qi was busy investigating the crash, so he hired two caretakers for Yuening.

Occasionally, Zhaoqing would visit from the neighboring ward. He would sit by the bed, staring at Yuening’s face, lost in the complexity of his memories. It was strange; despite being back in his sixteen-year-old body, nothing felt real, until he saw Yuening’s face. Only then did the weight of his rebirth settle in.

Two days later, Zhaoqing felt he was healed enough to leave. This was to be his last visit to the still-unconscious Yuening. The doctor said that medically, Yuening should have woken up already, but his body might be in a self-protective coma due to his congenital frailty and the trauma of the accident.

Zhaoqing sat by the bed for a few minutes before standing to leave. Lin Qi was too busy to watch him, and Zhaoqing had no desire to go to the Song estate. He knew they would eventually track him down, but his plan was to hide in his old neighborhood for a few days first.

Just as he reached the door, he heard the sound of frantic footsteps approaching. They were accompanied by cries of “Mr. Song!” and “Miss Lili, slow down!” and “Old Madam, are you alright?!”

Zhaoqing froze. His back went rigid, and his palms broke out in a cold sweat. He clenched his fists, his heart racing. The voices grew louder until they reached the door, where an elderly, shrill, and sharp female voice began to wail.

“Ning-ning! Ning-ning! What happened to our Ning-ning?! Dr. Zhao, you said he still hasn’t woken up?!”

“Shicheng, I’m not blaming you, but I told you not to bring that ‘little jinx’ back! The master told us that boy was a curse on the Songs! And look! The moment he arrives, my precious Ning-ning is hurt! And then the storm trapped us on the island for five or six days as soon as you tried to return!”

“My poor Ning-ning… Grandma was only gone for a moment, and that little jinx did this to you…”

The woman’s voice shifted between piteous weeping and venomous rage. Beside her, a man’s low voice tried to comfort her: “Mom, the doctor said Ning-ning is out of danger. Don’t worry so much.”

Hearing the voices of his biological father and grandmother, Zhaoqing felt a jolt of recognition. A cold, cynical smile touched his lips. He stared at the door with eyes full of hatred. Even the two caretakers in the room were startled by the sudden intensity of the usually quiet boy’s gaze.

Some things are just too coincidental, Zhaoqing thought. Since I can’t hide from it, I might as well face it. He felt a surge of self-destructive courage.

I, the lonely ghost who crawled out of hell, have finally come to meet you again… my “dear” family.