Chapter 789 - 737: Scared Yet? (2)
Even the most unruly prodigal son will always hold his parents close to his heart. No matter how desperate his situation when he is away from home, he will put on a brave face to keep them from worrying. This is human nature. It is the innate essence of a man, deep in his very bones.
Despite Li Qiuzhe’s carefree and seemingly thoughtless demeanor, his first thought upon waking was of his parents. He thought of the two people who had weathered countless hardships, the ones he had secretly sworn to give a life of peace and happiness in their later years.
After calling out and receiving no answer, he froze. Then, his expression changed dramatically. "Old Four, did something happen? How are my mom and dad?" he asked, his voice panicked and rushed as he grasped Qin Fan’s arms. At that moment, he was on the verge of tears.
"They’re in the lounge, sleeping," Qin Fan said, looking Li Qiuzhe straight in the eye and taking a breath. "Don’t worry, they’re fine."
"How... How did they find out? Who told them?" Upon hearing Qin Fan’s words, Li Qiuzhe finally relaxed his grip, though his panic lingered. He knew that since his parents had found out, the blow must have been devastating for them. So devastating that he had no idea how he was going to face them.
"The university informed them. Even if they hadn’t, the police would have gotten involved and notified them. But none of that matters now," Qin Fan said, his expression becoming incredibly solemn. "Boss, I have a question for you, and you must answer it truthfully. You must!"
The solemnity in Qin Fan’s tone was so intense that it made Li Qiuzhe extremely uncomfortable. "Old Four, go ahead," he said nervously after a pause.
"Boss, are you afraid?" Qin Fan asked earnestly, staring intently into Li Qiuzhe’s eyes. "After this ordeal, are you afraid? Do you want to walk away from this path?"
Li Qiuzhe didn’t answer right away. He froze under Qin Fan’s questioning.
Afraid?
Honestly, he didn’t know why, but even after having a brush with death at Ghost Gate, he didn’t feel that sense of fear. But when he thought of his parents, the words "I’m not afraid" died on his lips.
Silence stretched between them.
Qin Fan didn’t rush him, waiting quietly for his decision. After a long while, Li Qiuzhe let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"Any path has its risks," he finally said. "Anyone who wants to climb to the top must bear them. The only ones who can live without a care in the world, without worrying about being oppressed, are those at the bottom of society, toiling just to make ends meet. That kind of life isn’t what I want! I’ve asked myself many times what it is I’m after. The answer is always the same: a life without regrets! I don’t ask to conquer life; I just hope not to get screwed over by it! I know my parents, who work the fields, don’t want me living a life of constant danger. For them, it’s enough for our family to be together, getting by on the work of our own hands. But having come into this world, I really don’t want to just drift through life numbly!
"Yes, I have other choices, but are those paths what I truly want? I never thought about it before setting foot on this road, but now that I’m in this circle, I have my answer! Compared to a plain life—whether of simple meals or even fine delicacies—I yearn for a spectacular life, a life that will make this era remember the name Li Qiuzhe!
"Old Four, I don’t want to retreat! Besides, I can’t! I can’t have taken these seventeen stab wounds for nothing, and I can’t let Jinling laugh at me for being a gutless coward! Men live for honor, just as Buddhas live on incense. Since seventeen stab wounds couldn’t kill me, I believe this dog’s life of mine is tough enough!"
Qin Fan fell into a stunned silence at Li Qiuzhe’s words. After a moment, he shook his head. "What about your parents? Have you considered them? I admit I was thoughtless before, not thinking about them when I led you down this path. But now, I have to consider them. Even if you’re never in any danger, their anxiety is bound to be endless."
"If it’s my time to go, a fatal accident could find me even on a quiet country lane! As for my parents, I’ll do my best to set their minds at ease. Old Four, trust me, I can handle it," Li Qiuzhe said.
Haaaah.
Letting out a long breath, Qin Fan reached up and rubbed his face, a slightly bitter smile forming on his lips. Meeting Li Qiuzhe’s determined gaze, he knew his friend had made up his mind. If anyone was to blame for all this, it could only be himself. He was the one who had led him down this path, and now he was trying to convince him to turn back.
He didn’t pursue the topic further. The bitterness on his face slowly hardened into a grim resolve as he changed the subject. "Who gave you those seventeen stab wounds?"
"I don’t know," Li Qiuzhe said with a frown.
"You don’t know?" Qin Fan’s eyes widened.
"Yeah. With Chang Yuanyi at my back and Chen Jinlong’s full support, I admit I got a bit arrogant and overconfident. I’ve stepped on a lot of people’s toes. As for enemies, I have no idea how many I’ve made behind the scenes. With Chang and Chen around, most people wouldn’t dare to show their anger even if I took a piece of their pie. I know I might have gone too far, but uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. In Jinling, I don’t just want a piece of the pie; I want it all! My blueprint is to start with Jinling, use Jiangsu and Zhejiang as my stronghold, then expand south of the Yangtze River, and then north of it. Old Four, you never just wanted me to plant my flag in Jinling, right? I can’t let you down, and I certainly can’t fail to make use of the resources I have. This plan might sound unrealistic, even crazy, but like I said, I want this era to remember that Li Qiuzhe was here!"
He laid bare his ambitions, a blueprint he had never shared with anyone. After all, a twenty-year-old youth dreaming of dominating Huaxia’s entire Underworld would be seen by anyone else as a fool’s dream, an object of scorn. That’s why Li Qiuzhe didn’t want to be a braggart who made a mess before he even took flight. Only with Qin Fan could he, and would he, say such things, because he knew Qin Fan would understand.
"This era will remember you," Qin Fan said, meeting his friend’s steadfast gaze and nodding with earnest conviction. "It definitely will."
He’s my brother—Qin Fan’s brother. How could this era not remember his name? How could it not!
「Outside.」
Looking through the glass window, the group of onlookers was completely baffled. The patient, whom they were told just moments ago was still in critical condition, was now suddenly up and about, acting as if nothing was wrong.
If we hadn’t seen how gravely injured he was with our own eyes, we’d think he was faking it! What in the world happened? What exactly did Old Four—Lord Qin—do? He just brought Li Qiuzhe back to full health like that? This is insane! This is more sci-fi than a sci-fi movie! I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen the before and after myself!
Amidst their bewildered stupor, after chatting and laughing with Li Qiuzhe for a while, Qin Fan got up and walked out. Li Qiuzhe, for his part, lay back down. Even though he was fully recovered, he still had to keep up appearances.
The moment Qin Fan stepped out of the ICU, Chang Yuanyi and the others immediately swarmed him, calling out.
"Lord Qin!"
"Old Four!"
"Boss!"
Qin Fan nodded. His gaze turned chillingly cold as he looked at Chang Yuanyi. "Have you found out who did it?" he asked.