PE Ch9: Huai Yu’s Secret

Before Xiu Ling could tear up the photo, his father had already kicked the door open with a bang, angrily shouting as he walked in: “Xiu Ling! Don’t act recklessly! He’s a bargaining chip, he can’t die by your hand now!”

Xiu Liang’s voice abruptly stopped as he took in the scene before him.

“Xiu Ling, what are you… doing?” Xiu Liang’s voice changed slightly.

Xiu Ling had no choice but to let go, straighten up, and say: “Nothing, Father. I was just showing him our past photos with Mr. Huai.”

Xiu Liang: “…” Zip up your pants before you say that.

Xiu Liang couldn’t understand why his son had suddenly changed so much. Although he always knew his son was a bit of a lunatic.

But this was too much.

“Take the young master down, he’s not to approach this room for the next few days.” Xiu Liang ordered coldly.

Pan Yinchuan immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Xiu Liang’s face in the photo no longer made him feel awkward or uncomfortable.

“Father!” Of course, Xiu Ling didn’t want to be taken away, he turned and slapped the bodyguard who approached him.

Xiu Liang’s face turned blue: “You won’t even listen to me?”

As the father, Xiu Liang’s pheromones were naturally more suppressive than his son’s.

Xiu Ling was forced to take half a step back, but still insisted: “Father, you shouldn’t have interrupted me…”

Xiu Liang didn’t look at him: “Get down, I don’t care what you want to do, save it for Yanshan Lake. Hold it in!”

Xiu Ling’s voice immediately disappeared. He glanced at Pan Yinchuan one last time, then obediently walked out.

Pan Yinchuan avoided Xiu Ling’s gaze, his heart pounding.

Yanshan Lake.

Didn’t Xiu Liang arrange to meet Mr. Huai there that day?

Clearly, there was some conspiracy against Mr. Huai. Their kidnapping him now made sense.

But… did they think he was important to Mr. Huai? That seemed a bit ridiculous.

Pan Yinchuan thought, “I don’t even feel like I’m that important, important to the point of being irreplaceable.”

“Could there be a mistake?” He lifted a pure and innocent face, so innocent it seemed almost stupid and naive.

A Beta who hadn’t even figured out the situation. Xiu Liang thought with mockery in his heart.

This was also a common trait among Alphas: the stronger they were, the more they preferred weaker lovers.

Xiu Liang’s gaze swept over Pan Yinchuan, then he coldly turned and walked out without saying a word to him.

This was a form of extreme indifference to the very weak.

Indifference was good!

Pan Yinchuan took a heavy breath, slowly propping himself up. There, where he was leaning, was a gun.

It was what he had taken from Xiu Ling when Xiu Ling had come up to entangle him.

Pan Yinchuan still remembered the motion Xiu Ling made when he pulled out a gun at the banquet.

This guy, really, never changes. This time, he still kept the gun in the same place, and Pan Yinchuan found it with one touch.

Jiuhe City had private shooting ranges, and Pan Yinchuan’s classmates had gone there to play with guns. Pan Yinchuan had never been, but he had heard his classmates bragging about it many times.

“This is the return spring guide rod and the buffer spring guide rod.”

“This is the trigger spring, this is the trigger hammer axis.”

“You pull the slide, the return spring pushes forward, loading the first bullet in the magazine into the chamber.”

“Pull the trigger, the firing pin strikes, the primer ignites the ammunition, and the high pressure generated will instantly push the bullet out.”

“Some models have a fully automatic mode. After the first chambering, hold the trigger down, and it will fire continuously.”

“But typically, the magazine capacity for handguns is within 20 rounds, and small guns only have 6 to 10 rounds. So be careful not to waste all your bullets on a single enemy.”

“I calculated very well. In the last live-action CS, I took down 7 people with 10 bullets. How about that? Impressive, right?”

The classmate’s proud voice gradually faded from Pan Yinchuan’s mind as he became familiar with the structure of the gun.

Xiu Ling, for ease of carrying, had brought a small gun, but it had a fully automatic mode.

Pan Yinchuan directly switched it to fully automatic mode and put it away.

Xiu Ling left the room, crossed a long corridor, and looked down from upstairs at his father’s distinguished guests.

They were all members of the research society.

“Young master, would you like to go down and greet them?” the servant asked.

Xiu Ling didn’t speak, raised his hand to touch his handkerchief, but instead felt the empty breast pocket.

“Where’s my gun?” Xiu Ling’s expression changed.

The servant and bodyguard immediately went to help him look for the gun.

Pan Yinchuan, staying in the room, could hear the commotion outside.

But no one came to ask him…

Pan Yinchuan lay flat on the bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, thinking they were underestimating him too much.

In the next few days, Alpha bodyguards would come to deliver three meals on time, with a careful balance of meat and vegetables. Aside from the restricted freedom and some mental torture, Pan Yinchuan was doing quite well.

Betas, after all, are the group most prone to go with the flow in this society. Pan Yinchuan fully exhibited this characteristic, accepting his current situation well.

What to do when it’s too boring?

He stared at the photo still on the bedside for a while longer.

At that time, Mr. Huai was still very young, wearing a grayish-blue suit, looking directly at the camera, appearing gentle and elegant.

And Xiu Ling, standing in front, was not yet an adult, his figure slender, wearing a white shirt and black pants, looking up at the camera with not a trace of gloom, instead smiling brightly.

Wait… white shirt and black pants.

For a moment, Pan Yinchuan felt that if he put on the same outfit and stood in front of the mirror, his temperament would be quite similar to the underage Xiu Ling.

Two words immediately popped into his mind.

… Substitute.

–

Everyone knew Huai Yu’s new lover, who hadn’t even warmed up in his hands, was lost.

Along with him, Xiu Ling was also lost, according to Xiu Liang’s public statement.

Losing his son, naturally, he had to show sadness and anxiety.

Xiu Liang’s face was grim, looking like he hadn’t slept for several nights. He sat silently in a small hall at the banquet.

The other guests, however, had plenty to talk about.

“Xiu Ling is also lost?”

“Yes, Mr. Yu just found out? Your news is a bit out of date.”

“Xiu Ling went mad?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Didn’t he try to strip that Beta at the banquet that day? Mr. Huai asked him if he was trying to cuckold him right then and there.”

As soon as these words were spoken, there was a sudden silence.

Xiu Liang’s face also changed slightly.

When did this happen? How come there’s this twist?

“So some people speculate, did Xiu Ling take the person away?”

“Hiss. Then wouldn’t these two families be tearing each other apart?”

Xiu Liang’s eyelid twitched, feeling that this public opinion direction was not quite right.

He quickly walked over, his face stern: “Why don’t you all say it in front of me and Mr. Huai? My son was just rescued by Mr. Huai from Nanta City, and now he’s missing along with Mr. Huai’s person, and you’re still here making wild guesses… do you want to offend both the Xiu family and the Huai family at the same time?”

The Alphas looked surprised: “Mr. Xiu is actually here?”

Xiu Liang sneered: “Mr. Huai should be here soon too.”

The Alphas exchanged glances, their expressions strange, saying, “Mr. Huai won’t be coming, didn’t Mr. Xiu know?”

Xiu Liang’s expression froze.

Today’s banquet was hosted by a big shot in Central City, with whom both he and Huai Yu had good relations.

For Huai Yu not to attend without informing him, and even the big shot didn’t give him a heads-up, was highly unreasonable.

Xiu Liang sighed: “I’ll go have a look.”

He quickly walked out, then made a phone call.

“Huai Yu refuses to see me,” Xiu Liang said to the person on the other end of the line.

The person on the other end was surprised: “Is this Beta lover really that important? Capturing him has really seized Huai Yu’s weak spot? That doesn’t seem like his character.”

Xiu Liang said, “It’s best this way, otherwise… Huai Yu is too difficult to deal with.”

“Don’t rush, keep probing. We need to make sure there’s no room for error.” The person on the other end paused, “Wait a moment, Huai Yu is calling me.”

The person answered the second call without hanging up on Xiu Liang.

This way, Xiu Liang could also hear Huai Yu’s voice.

“Big brother.” Huai Yu’s voice came through, with a cold tone that carried a hint of fatigue.

The person called “big brother” was the top-ranking member of the research society, known as President Shen, whose full name was Shen Yuanhui. He had some German blood.

He responded immediately, “Xiao Yu, what’s going on? Has something happened?”

Far away, Huai Yu sat on a large sofa, fiddling with a game piece, his face showing casual arrogance, and even a bit of mockery.

How stupid.

How dare he ask directly if something had happened? Isn’t this an unspoken admission?

Suppressing his derision, Huai Yu spoke with a heavy tone: “Xiu Liang first came with his son to poach someone from me and failed, and now he has directly taken my lover.”

Was he… coming to complain?

Was he really just here to complain?

Both Shen Yuanhui and Xiu Liang felt a sense of absurdity.

“Big brother?” Huai Yu’s voice sounded again, carrying a hint of doubt and displeasure.

Shen Yuanhui recovered his usual tone, “This matter, this matter has shocked me greatly, Xiao Yu, could there be some misunderstanding?”

“Big brother doesn’t believe me?”

“No, no. …How about I mediate and resolve this when we meet at Yanshan Lake?”

“Mediation? Resolution?” These four words slowly rolled off Huai Yu’s tongue. He paused and said, “I want to kill Xiu Ling.”

Huai Yu didn’t want to declare war on the research society!

He only wanted to declare war on the Xiu family!

Both Shen Yuanhui and Xiu Liang’s faces changed at the same time.

It took a great effort for Xiu Liang to swallow the curse words that were about to burst out of his throat.

“What does big brother think?” Huai Yu asked gently.

Shen Yuanhui said, “…Don’t be impulsive.”

Huai Yu slammed down the game board beside him, the clattering sound traveling through the phone to the other end.

Xiu Liang was startled when he heard the commotion.

How many years had it been since Huai Yu last went mad?

The last time was… when he was entrusted with an urgent mission to negotiate with a hostile regime, and the negotiations broke down. The central city’s reinforcements were not timely, leaving Huai Yu trapped in Lunan City, with all his men killed. When Huai Yu emerged alive, there was only one bullet left in his gun.

For a long period, Huai Yu’s pheromones were released indiscriminately and violently, making him seem like a madman.

When a new military and political conference was about to be held in the central city, Huai Yu entered an office with a gun and shot a major figure in the central city on the spot…

That was the craziest Huai Yu had ever been.

Xiu Liang’s dazed gaze focused, but he suddenly realized that there was no sound on the other end of the call.

The call had been disconnected.

Shen Yuanhui had hung up on him!

Xiu Liang’s heart was filled with uncertainty and suspicion.

Could Shen Yuanhui really be planning to discuss with Huai Yu how to kill Xiu Ling? If they really made a move, the Xiu family would be ostracized by this powerful group!

Xiu Liang lost interest in the banquet, met briefly with the organizer, and then returned to the secret base.

Upon entering, he first inquired about Pan Yinchuan’s situation.

The bodyguard said, “This Beta has been very quiet, without causing any disturbance.”

Xiu Liang suddenly felt a bit of a headache. He asked suspiciously, “He’s not scared? Not clamoring to see Huai Yu?”

The bodyguard shook his head.

Now Xiu Liang was starting to suspect this was a setup.

He asked, “The young master hasn’t harassed him again, right?” as he strode upstairs.

The bodyguard replied, “No.”

Everything sounded smooth, but the smoother it seemed, the more uneasy it made him feel.

Xiu Liang arrived outside the room where Pan Yinchuan was held. There was a heavy iron door. After opening it with fingerprint and iris scans, there was a regular door inside.

The noise of both doors opening startled Pan Yinchuan awake.

When Xiu Liang entered, he saw Pan Yinchuan sitting up from under the covers.

… He was sleeping quite soundly. Xiu Liang’s mouth twitched, and he sat by the bed, staring at Pan Yinchuan and asking, “Does Mr. Huai really like you?”

Pan Yinchuan looked confused, a question mark popping up above his head.

Previously, Pan Yinchuan hadn’t thought about the issue of Alphas liking Alphas. Now, with Assistant Zhang helping him open this new world, Pan Yinchuan’s thoughts had become wild and unrestrained.

Why suddenly ask this question? Could it be… Xiu Ling’s father also has a crush on Mr. Huai?

That can’t be, right?

“I really can’t see any advantages in you.”

Hmm, sounds like something a love rival would say.

“Does he just use you as bait?”

Belittling the other, trying to sow discord, even more so.

“Alphas make up two-tenths of the world’s population, while Betas make up seven-tenths. The world is full of Betas.” Xiu Liang paused, “Don’t you have anything to say?”

The honest Pan Yinchuan asked back, “What can I say?”

Xiu Liang sneered, “Let’s make a bet.”

Pan Yinchuan followed his lead, “You say.”

“Let’s bet on how much Huai Yu loves you.”

Why should I bet? Pan Yinchuan couldn’t quite understand. He just felt… they all cared so much about Mr. Huai’s love? It’s a bit strange.

Oh, wait, Huai Yu is Mr. Huai’s name, right?

When Pan Yinchuan signed the contract earlier, the other party hadn’t signed yet. So, until this moment, he didn’t know Mr. Huai’s full name.

“I’ve known Huai Yu for many years. I understand him better than you.”

“He would rather kill wrongly than allow a mistake around him. If he becomes ruthless, you will die by his hand.”

“Wednesday, Yanshan Lake Hotel, I will let you meet Huai Yu. It’s simple, you just need to test whether he is still willing to be close to you after you are kidnapped and return. If he isn’t willing, it means he thinks you’re unclean and has already developed a killing intent towards you.”

“If it comes to that, I will save your life.”

Xiu Liang finished speaking, looked at Pan Yinchuan, and asked, “What do you think?”

Pan Yinchuan didn’t say “okay” but instead asked him, “Do I have no other option?”

“Yes.” Xiu Liang raised an eyebrow, “If you don’t agree, I’ll have to kill you right now.”

What made Xiu Liang change his mind?

Earlier he told Xiu Ling that he would use him as a bargaining chip.

Did Xiu Liang finally realize that Mr. Huai had no feelings for him, that he wasn’t that important?

Pan Yinchuan finally said, “Okay.”

Xiu Liang smiled and patted his shoulder, “You may be a Beta, but you’re a very smart Beta.”

Xiu Liang was now very afraid that Shen Yuanhui might be swayed by Huai Yu and switch sides.

The reason the research society wanted to deal with Huai Yu was because he was getting further and further away from them, becoming more unpredictable and uncontrollable.

But if Huai Yu showed signs of closeness and madness again, the research society might think he was still controllable and might not be ruthless enough to break with him.

By then, it would be his Xiu family that would be besieged.

He had to prepare a backup plan!

Xiu Liang got up to leave, and when he reached the door, he suddenly remembered something and asked, “When Huai Yu goes to bed with you, does he take off his pants?”

Pan Yinchuan: ???

He really didn’t understand high society.

Xiu Liang didn’t wait for his answer. Seeing Pan Yinchuan’s expression, he said, “I guess not then.”

Xiu Liang turned around, his face dark. Now he was sure.

Bringing Pan Yinchuan back was indeed a setup!

They thought they were about to besiege Huai Yu.

But Huai Yu intended to break them one by one and deal with them all!

…

Wednesday.

Yanshan Lake Hotel.

Several faces often seen on television gathered at this hotel built by the mountain and water.

They seemed a bit uneasy.

“Will Huai Yu come today?” someone couldn’t help but ask.

Huai Yu hadn’t arrived, but Xiu Liang had.

Pan Yinchuan sat in a car not far away, being watched over by Xiu Ling.

The car was extremely quiet, and they could only watch the harmonious atmosphere from a distance.

After a while, Pan Yinchuan asked, “How long have you known Mr. Huai?”

Xiu Ling was delighted that he finally began to be curious about these questions.

Xiu Ling said, “Ten years.”

After speaking, he waited expectantly for Pan Yinchuan to show hurt and jealousy.

But Pan Yinchuan just asked, “Do you know Mr. Huai well?”

“Yes.” Xiu Ling raised an eyebrow, feeling great psychological satisfaction with each question.

Pan Yinchuan thought the groundwork was laid.

Finally, he asked directly, “Then do you know why Mr. Huai doesn’t take off his pants when he… well, goes to bed with me?”

He wanted to know why Xiu Liang asked that.

Xiu Ling’s surprised expression turned into a sneer, “You really don’t know? Mr. Huai has a mechanical prosthetic leg. …Well, Mr. Huai doesn’t really like you.”

Pan Yinchuan was stunned.

Just then, Huai Yu’s car arrived, and Secretary Wu walked beside him, shaking out the coat draped over his arm and putting it on Huai Yu.

Huai Yu strode in, his steps steady and imposing.

He didn’t look like someone who had lost a leg.

Pan Yinchuan stared in a daze, while Xiu Ling suddenly pressed him against the car window from behind.

Pan Yinchuan: …?

Xiu Ling also stared intently in Huai Yu’s direction, saying, “If Mr. Huai knew you were here and had lost your chastity, how much would he despise you.”

At that moment, the intercom in the car crackled.

“Bring him over.” It was Xiu Liang’s voice.

Xiu Liang put down the intercom and said to Huai Yu, “I sent someone to find Xiu Ling, and indeed that brat took Xiao Pan away. He’ll be brought to you shortly…”

Huai Yu said nothing.

Xiu Liang waited for a while, wondering why the car hadn’t moved.

What was Xiu Ling doing now? Messing up at such a critical moment! Xiu Liang gritted his teeth and picked up the intercom to urge again, “What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and return Mr. Huai’s person!”

Xiu Ling was also displeased.

His father always interrupted at times like this.

He swallowed the curse words rising in his throat and forcibly held Pan Yinchuan’s shoulder, hearing a light “snap.”

The cold metal strip that touched Pan Yinchuan’s neck instantly formed a circle and locked in place.

Xiu Ling said, “The latest shock absorber. Father told me to put it on you. It’s supposed to save your life… What private deal did you make with my father?”

Xiu Ling’s face twisted as he cursed, “Betraying Mr. Huai like this, you don’t deserve to stay by his side.”

But he also said, “Father said you know what to do. If you need protection, press this button.”

Xiu Ling grabbed his hand and guided it to the button.

Pan Yinchuan said nothing.

The car window reflected his current appearance.

The metal collar perfectly encircled his neck, the cold and rough metal contrasting with his fair and delicate skin.

It looked awkward.

Pan Yinchuan raised his hand to tug at the collar, then was shoved by Xiu Ling.

At that moment, the car door unlocked, and they led him towards Huai Yu.

“He’s here.” Someone said.

The atmosphere immediately became extremely tense.

Pan Yinchuan always felt that something was bound to happen here today, and there was danger all around.

He cautiously walked closer, step by step.

The dazzling sun made his vision a bit blurry.

Finally.

Pan Yinchuan stopped.

He carefully looked at Huai Yu’s face. He really didn’t know Mr. Huai well… so he didn’t know what kind of mood he would be in when he came back.

“Xiu Ling, apologize to Mr. Huai,” Xiu Liang’s voice sounded.

Everyone knew this was just for show.

But until real weapons were drawn, the show had to go on.

Xiu Ling moved and almost pressed against Pan Yinchuan, shoulder to shoulder, and said, “Mr. Huai, I’m sorry.”

But Huai Yu didn’t look at him.

Huai Yu leaned back in his chair, relaxed, slightly tilted his head back, and fixed his gaze on Pan Yinchuan, his eyes lingering on his neck.

Then… the man’s Adam’s apple moved.

Pan Yinchuan: “…?”

In this tense situation, Huai Yu didn’t hide his desire to devour him.

Pan Yinchuan suddenly felt that Mr. Huai probably truly liked him. Even if it was just liking him.

“Alright, after all, we’re all family. Look at this situation…” Shen Yuanhui began to smooth things over.

Huai Yu finally withdrew his predatory gaze from Pan Yinchuan, and then there was a sudden “bang.”

Huai Yu unexpectedly drew his gun and shot Xiu Ling in the shoulder.

Xiu Ling uncontrollably fell back, instantly pulling away from Pan Yinchuan.

Everyone’s faces changed, shouting angrily, “Huai Yu!”

At the same time, Assistant Zhang kicked Xiu Ling in the back, sending him flying towards Huai Yu and landing at his feet.

This time, Huai Yu’s gun was aimed at his temple.

Huai Yu said nonchalantly, “If I didn’t let you kidnap someone, you wouldn’t even dare to face me together. After all these years, you’re still just as cowardly and useless.

“Just like back then, because of your mistake, I was trapped in Lunan City, and you didn’t even have the courage to confess to me. You’ve been harboring resentment for years, thinking that killing me would cover up the secret. But you still don’t dare to actually do it…”

“Come here,” Huai Yu extended his right hand towards Pan Yinchuan.