Chapter 18: Confession Always Follows Despair
The remnant soul of the Immortal King was destroyed. With a wave of his great hand, Ling Xiao retrieved the jade thumb ring, which once again landed in his palm.
“It’s a pity my strength hasn’t returned to its peak. Otherwise, a single glance would have been enough to see through that wretch’s memories, and there’d have been no need for all that talk. But obtaining this ring isn’t bad either—the storage space within is quite ample!”
With these words, he slipped the ring onto his thumb, closed his eyes, and fell into deep meditation.
…
The next day, at Jiangzhou Hospital’s orthopedics department.
Song Yuxin and the others crowded into the hospital room, gathered with Zhao Qiang.
Zhao Qiang cradled his broken hand, his eyes brimming with resentment.
“The doctor said the bones in my wrist are completely shattered. I’ll never recover for the rest of my life.”
“That damned bastard, he really did a number on me!”
Zhao Qiang cast a cold glance at everyone present.
“I swear I won’t let that kid off. Otherwise, I’ll never be able to rest easy!”
“Don’t worry, Zhao Qiang. We’ve already paid some strong men to settle the score. They’ll be at the Jiangbei Grand Hotel soon—they’ll definitely break his hand, too!”
“No! Breaking his hand alone won’t quench my fury. I want all four of his limbs broken, so that from this day forward, he’ll be nothing but a beggar!”
A vicious smile twisted Zhao Qiang’s face, so chilling that the girls present couldn’t help but shiver.
Song Yuxin, somewhat uneasy, asked, “But if we go that far, won’t there be trouble?”
“What’s there to be afraid of, Yuxin? All of us here come from wealthy, influential families. We run things in Jiangzhou. A little money and the right connections—heh heh—forget crippling him, even if he dies, who could touch us?”
“When I was sixteen, I drank a few beers and ran over some old man. My father spent two million, and look at me—I’m perfectly fine now. We have money, we have people—nothing to fear!”
“Exactly, Zhao Qiang. I brought my dad’s Audi for you, just to boost our presence. Let’s go, to the Grand Hotel.”
“Good!” Zhao Qiang’s eyes narrowed, cold light flashing from within.
“Brat, I’ll make you realize that offending me is the worst mistake of your life!”
He couldn’t help but curl his lip in a grimace—the shattered bones hurt like hell.
…
A group of them, full of menace, arrived on the eleventh floor of Jiangcheng Grand Hotel.
As soon as they entered, a sense of unease crept over them.
“It’s midday—why is the restaurant on the eleventh floor completely empty?”
“Maybe that brat didn’t show up either?”
Just as Zhao Qiang was feeling disappointed, a female server approached, heels tapping briskly.
“Hello, which one of you is Mr. Zhao Qiang?”
Zhao Qiang paused, puzzled. “That’s me.”
“Welcome, Mr. Zhao Qiang. Our guest has invited you and your friends to a private room.”
“Your guest? Looking for me?”
They exchanged baffled glances.
The server smiled. “Yes, that’s right. Please, follow me.”
They looked at one another; Zhao Qiang gritted his teeth and said, “Let’s go see what’s going on.”
Entering the private room, they found Ling Xiao already inside, a hotpot spread before him, surrounded by an array of side dishes and several bottles of gold-label vodka.
“You’re quite punctual. Have a seat,” Ling Xiao said, nonchalantly dipping lamb into the pot.
Everyone’s gaze shifted to Zhao Qiang. He clenched his good hand and slammed the table.
“Brat, don’t think you can get rid of me with a meal! I’m not so easily fooled. You broke my hand—I’ll never forgive you!”
Ling Xiao blew on his lamb and spoke while eating. “Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t invite you here to apologize.”
Zhao Qiang instantly shot to his feet and jabbed a finger at Ling Xiao’s nose, shouting, “You dare play games with me? Believe me, I could kill you!”
Ling Xiao didn’t even glance up, continuing to cook his food. “I’m not running. What’s your rush?”
Hearing this, Zhao Qiang slowly sat down.
“Don’t get cocky, boy. Get on your knees and beg for mercy—maybe I’ll let you live a little longer. Otherwise, the more you enjoy this meal, the harder I’ll beat you afterward!”
Ling Xiao smiled. “I don’t deny it. After all, you curse and mock your own classmates without restraint—how could you treat a stranger any better?”
The group froze. Zhao Qiang sneered, “You mean Ling Xiao? Hmph, you can’t blame us! His family brought it on themselves—serves them right!”
Song Yuxin casually tucked her hair behind her ear and laughed, “I heard it was Ling Xiao’s mother who seduced a young master from a major family in Beijing, and that’s why she ended up like that!”
“Who would have thought Ling Xiao’s mother was such a harlot? With a mother like that, what sort of son could she have raised? Even if Ling Xiao survived, he’d never be any good.”
Ling Xiao’s expression was cold, as if he were a centenarian, indifferent to the world’s cruelty and fickleness.
He set down his chopsticks and, in one go, drank an entire bottle of vodka.
“Qiangzi.”
The name startled Zhao Qiang, as if no one had called him that in years.
“Do you remember, back when you went online every day—whose shoulders did you climb on to vault the wall, night after night?”
“Xinxin.”
“Do you remember, when the Song family’s business failed—who brought you aid in your time of need, helping you through the crisis?”
“Xiaolong.”
“Do you remember, when your mother was gravely ill—who sent their parents racing four hundred miles through a snowy night to save her life?”
…
“Do any of you recall that boy who bought you water, copied your homework, played basketball with you, and shared the wildness of youth?”
The room fell silent, everyone wide-eyed, hearts pounding furiously.
“You… you’re Ling Xiao?”
Ling Xiao’s eyes reddened. He took a deep breath, stood, and straightened his coat.
“This meal is our first reunion in three years—and also, your last supper.”
“Eat. I’ve reserved the entire eleventh floor—no one will disturb you today. I’m finished; you may do as you please.”
With a soft smile, Ling Xiao bowed to them, then turned and left.
For a long time, none of them spoke. Their hearts pounded violently, and their minds all but froze.
The boy they thought long dead had returned—and had witnessed their shame with his own eyes.
At that moment, everyone’s face was burning as if set ablaze.