Chapter 177: Undercover—Second Brother Ji He?
Nan Xun shook his head. “I don’t know. He was clearly in a good mood during the day. Where’s my brother—still in the study?”
“No. He just got back not long ago. He’s showering in the bathroom.”
Nan Xun ran to the bathroom on the second floor. Through the frosted glass door, he could vaguely make out a figure inside. He knocked lightly twice and called out loudly, “Bro, it’s me—I’m back!”
The sound of running water inside stopped abruptly. Yan Luo’s low, cool voice came from within. “Mm, got it. Go rest.”
Hearing the footsteps outside fade away, Yan Luo turned the shower back on.
He tipped his head back and let the dense spray beat against his face, as if trying to flush his mind clean—wash away the agitation knotting inside him. Clear water streamed down his cheeks. The taut muscles that had tightened a moment ago finally loosened. His tightly shut eyes snapped open as he stared toward the bathroom door, his gaze dark and unfathomable…
The next day, Yan Luo calmly reminded Nan Xun to take care of himself and not to overdo things. That was it. He was as doting as ever, no different from before.
Half a month later, Yan Luo got Ji He out of prison as well. He didn’t go himself to pick him up, instead sending a subordinate.
For the welcome-back banquet, not all of the top lieutenants came—only two or three. Yan Luo was generous and directly assigned Ji He a casino.
Considering Xiao Bai’s words, Yan Luo also had the bar manager issue Ji He a VIP card, letting him enjoy himself freely that night and take over the casino the next day.
“Bro, why didn’t you let me go welcome Second Brother?” Nan Xun asked.
Yan Luo raised a brow. “I was afraid you’d get drunk again.”
Before the kid could complain, Yan Luo changed the subject. “Where’s Manman?”
Nan Xun indeed didn’t pursue it and replied, “It’s the weekend—no school. She went out to hang with her girlfriends.”
“Xiao Bai, do you want to continue university?” Yan Luo asked suddenly, his eyes shifting.
Nan Xun stared at him for a moment, then shook his head. “There’s already a mark on my file. I don’t want to go back to school and face everyone’s strange looks. I want to work with you, bro.”
Yan Luo patted his head and didn’t try to persuade him further.
From that day on, wherever Yan Luo went, Nan Xun went too—the two of them like conjoined twins.
Within a year, everyone under Yan Luo knew just how much he doted on this younger brother, Su Mobai—more than he’d ever dote on a lover. Of course, everyone also knew Yan Luo was ascetic and didn’t touch anyone.
Nan Xun rolled over on the bed and asked happily, “What’s the malice value now?”
Little Eight said, “70.”
“Huh? Only 70? At this rate, I won’t finish clearing it in three years.”
Little Eight replied, “I told you—brotherly bonds don’t work.”
Nan Xun immediately retorted, “Why wouldn’t it work? You know Yan Luo is ascetic, right? He doesn’t go near women at all. Family is what matters most to him. I’m his most beloved little brother now.”
Hearing that, Little Eight let out a long sigh. “Do you know who I originally wanted you to transmigrate into?”
Nan Xun blurted out, “Yan Man.”
Little Eight was shocked. “You guessed that?”
Nan Xun rolled his eyes. “Obvious. Manman isn’t his biological sister, but they’ve depended on each other for years—the bond is there. You wanted me to become Yan Man, then let familial affection turn into love to redeem him, right?”
Little Eight muttered, “Yeah. What a perfect identity. Remember Li Chen, huh? In that world you were his daughter and he still set his sights on you. Now it’d only be a sister—given your level, the big boss would definitely fall for you. Sigh. Too late now.”
Nan Xun seemed to think of something. His gaze lowered; he pressed his lips together and asked softly, “Little Eight, do you know what happened to Li Chen after I died?”
Little Eight went, “Huh? How would I know? I left with you. Anyway, once the malice value hits zero, you won’t die anymore. I figure he probably avenged you, then found some understanding flower to soothe his wounds, and finally lived happily ever after.”
Nan Xun: “……You can shut up now.”
Little Eight: “……”
You asked.
“Wait!” Nan Xun suddenly remembered something; his expression changed sharply. “You once said Yan Man would die miserably—when?”
Little Eight did a quick calculation. “Not soon. At least two years later. But you know, butterfly effect. Since you transmigrated into Su Mobai, the original trajectory has already shifted slightly. I can’t guarantee it’ll be exactly two years.”
Nan Xun hurriedly asked how Yan Man died.
Little Eight whimpered, “You don’t know—it’s awful. She fell in love with a man. Her brother didn’t approve, so she ran away in a fit of anger. On the way, she ran into the big boss’s enemies… they did things to her, then dismembered her and sent her to Yan Luo. Waaah—so cruel, I can’t even finish…”
Nan Xun broke out in a cold sweat. Yan Man was such a good girl—he absolutely couldn’t let anything happen to her!
“Who is the man Yan Man falls in love with?” Nan Xun asked urgently.
Little Eight made a sound of surprise. “You don’t know? You even went to see him together—many times. I didn’t want to say it, but I’ll warn you now. That man is this world’s chosen one. Each world’s chosen one is different—some have smooth sailing lives, others suffer countless hardships before reaching fulfillment. Ji He is the latter.”
“Holy—!”
Nan Xun thumped off the bed. “Little Eight, who did you say? Who?!”
Little Eight replied solemnly, “Ji He. Your second brother.”
Nan Xun’s mind went blank for a second, then something came crashing down like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, frying him inside and out.
His eyes went unfocused as, in that instant, countless threads connected and flooded his mind.
Little Eight coughed and continued, “I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d blurt out this earth-shattering secret. If you interfere too much, Ji He could end up dead—and if he dies, hehe, we’re both done.”
Nan Xun’s brows and eyes turned icy. “Let me guess—the ‘earth-shattering secret’ is that… Ji He is an undercover cop?”
Little Eight muttered, “You’re smart at all the wrong times.”
Nan Xun pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath, murmuring in disbelief, “How could Ji He be an undercover cop? He’s been in the underworld for years—he even went to prison before my brother.”
Nan Xun simply couldn’t imagine what kind of ironclad conviction it took to support someone staying undercover for a full six years.
Ji He fought, gambled, whored—did everything. He even slept with men in prison. How the hell was someone like that a cop? If Little Eight hadn’t warned him, Nan Xun could’ve racked his brain forever and still never guessed Ji He was police.
