Dawn and Dusk
Private room at Tinglai Hotel.
Chu Songlin poured Xie Xunzhao a glass of whisky. “Brother Xie, you’re even harder to invite out than you used to be.”
In truth, there were only a few people Xie Xunzhao could genuinely call brothers—counting them over, it came to just Rong Qingtiao and Jiang Fulan.
Their elders were close friends, they were around the same age, their intelligence was on the same wavelength, and they had even skipped grades, gone abroad to study, and taken over their family businesses together.
As for his other friends of the same generation, they were merely acquaintances with some degree of friendship, such as Chu Songlin and the others who had organized tonight’s gathering.
After receiving enough invitations, Xie Xunzhao would occasionally do them the courtesy of showing up.
Because Rong Ci was allergic to alcohol, Xie Xunzhao hadn’t touched a drop since she came to Beicheng.
So, he lazily raised a hand. “I’ve quit.”
Tonight was a private gathering, so he was dressed casually. His thin satin shirt outlined his lean, powerful waist, and even seated in the quiet sofa area at the back, he remained the center of everyone’s attention.
A few familiar peers wandered over in twos and threes, joking. “Brother Xie, are you trying for a baby?”
“Stop talking nonsense. Brother Xie’s wife is still in school.”
“Hahahahaha, forgot about that.”
Being in the same circle, and having taken beatings from Rong Ci as children, they were naturally following the yacht explosion from a few days ago.
“I heard the little princess got herself into trouble again recently.”
Chu Songlin immediately said, “Do you want to die? Saying the little princess got herself into trouble in front of Brother Xie.”
“Right, right. This isn’t called getting into trouble. It’s called experiencing life.”
Xu Zhenzhou picked up the thread. “Speaking of which, this incident wasn’t actually aimed at the little princess. The Chen family was caught up in an internal power struggle. They had thoroughly investigated the guest list beforehand. Who could have known the little princess would suddenly decide to drop in on the yacht?”
None of them were fools.
The moment those words were spoken, Xie Xunzhao lazily lifted his eyes. “You’re here to plead for them?”
He had almost forgotten that the Xu family and the Chen family had a longstanding friendship.
The atmosphere in the private room instantly froze.
Everyone turned in unison toward the audacious Xu Zhenzhou.
“Old Xu, don’t go looking for death,” Chu Songlin scoffed. “If you want to plead for someone, you can find anyone else. But you chose Brother Xie? Then there’s definitely nothing left to discuss.”
Who didn’t know that the Chen family’s internal power struggle had dragged Rong Ci into it, forcing the Xie family of Beicheng to intervene so forcefully that, within just a few days, the shares of every company under the Chen family had plummeted, leaving the entire family on the brink of bankruptcy and liquidation?
Even the highly respected elder of the Chen clan had personally come forward to apologize, saying they were willing to deal with the person responsible, asking only that Xie Xunzhao leave the family a way out.
Xie Xunzhao had refused to see anyone.
The moment Xu Zhenzhou met Xie Xunzhao’s cool, indifferent gaze, he immediately dropped to his knees. “It’s not exactly pleading for them. It’s just… technically, they didn’t do it on purpose.”
Chu Songlin crossed one leg over the other, looking thoroughly amused. “Everyone’s known since childhood that whenever something involves Little Princess Rong, Brother Xie never bothers with logic, let alone right and wrong.”
Xie Xunzhao lowered his eyes to his phone and said absentmindedly, “Judges are the ones who weigh right and wrong. Am I a judge?”
Chu Songlin raised his glass. “You’re not a judge. You’re the divine weapon in the princess’s hands.”
Trying to reason with Xie Xunzhao when Rong Ci was involved—wasn’t that simply asking to be tormented?
After all, Rong Ci was the only rule Xie Xunzhao followed.
~~
The moment Chen Xuanning woke from his severe injuries, he called Rong Ci. “It was my second uncle who tried to blow me up.”
“He planned everything carefully. He wanted to kill me, then drag everyone else into it to divert attention. Who knew it would end up involving you, Your Highness?”
There was a hint of mockery in his voice. “Well, look at how that turned out. He blew the whole family into a pit.”
In the glass greenhouse, Rong Ci held a small watering can, leisurely watering the flowers.
If anyone asked, the main house had no internet, so she had come to the greenhouse to clear her head.
As for the Chen family’s fate, she knew about it. She simply never interfered with her brother’s decisions.
Hearing Chen Xuanning’s weak voice, she remembered that they had grown up together. Though it was a plastic friendship, at the crucial moment she still asked, “So what are you planning to do now?”
“Rong Ci.”
Chen Xuanning didn’t answer. For the first time, he didn’t call her Young Lady or Little Ancestor. “I’m sorry.”
For dragging her into it.
Rong Ci thought for a moment before saying, “I know you secretly started several group chats behind my back.”
“Add my alt account to them in secret, and I’ll forgive you.”
Chen Xuanning: “…”
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
In the end, he said softly, “Okay.”
A few minutes later, Rong Ci’s phone buzzed several times.
Chen Xuanning had kept his word and actually added her alt account to every little group.
Rong Ci sat in a rattan chair, looking at row upon row of lush birds-of-paradise plants in the distance. Their emerald leaves reflected in her clear, translucent eyes.
Her fingertip paused over the pinned contact on WeChat.
In the end, she called “Heartless Black Sesame Ball” on video.
“Brother, actually… The Chen family may be bad, but Chen Xuanning isn’t a bad person.” Rong Ci spoke slowly.
During the yacht explosion, Chen Xuanning had been in the center of the blast zone. Once he noticed something was wrong, he had sent the guests away first and stayed behind to cover them, which was why he had been the most seriously injured in the incident.
Inside the car, Rong Qingtiao sat quietly.
The light was somewhat dim, giving his features a deep, shadowed quality.
Years ago, Grandmaster Yici had determined that his little sister had a karmic affinity with Buddha. She had been born pure by nature, her soul clean, destined to save others, and because of that, she had been plagued by illness. That was why the Grandmaster had given her numerous Buddhist treasures to protect her.
She was kind, and they were willing to protect that kindness.
But…
“The fate of the Chen family and Chen Xuanning can no longer be changed.”
Rong Ci pressed her lips together.
The little watering can in her hand had already begun spraying water aimlessly. “But…”
She hesitated.
In this incident, Chen Xuanning had been a victim too.
There was not the slightest hint of emotion in Rong Qingtiao’s voice. “People outside are saying that Xie Xunzhao has acted ruthlessly and without mercy, disgracing the reputation of the Beicheng Xie family. But he still does exactly as he pleases.”
“If his stance were ambiguous, people would be left thinking they might get away with things. And someday, they might use that very excuse to hurt you.”
“This time, by taking such a hard stance, anyone who considers hurting you or using you in the future will think twice when they remember what happened to the Chen family.”
“So, whether they were right or wrong, whether it was intentional or not, Xie Xunzhao will never let them off lightly.”
Rong Ci understood quickly, and her voice softened. “Big Brother is making his position clear.”
Rong Qingtiao abruptly changed his tone. “That’s how efficient Xie Xunzhao is. Why are you still calling him ‘Big Brother’?”
“What? It’s nine o’clock. My internet’s about to be cut off.”
Rong Ci pretended not to understand. “Bye.”
Rong Qingtiao: “Burning the bridge after crossing it. No conscience.”
—
Two in the morning.
Xie Xunzhao dreamed that he was being pinned down by a ghost. When he opened his eyes—
Rong Ci was lying on top of him, looking up at him. Her beautiful eyes were startlingly bright, and when she saw he was awake, she innocently greeted him. “Hi, Big Brother. Good evening.”
It was obvious she had been awake for quite some time.
When there was no actual danger, one’s own wife was the greatest danger of all.
He breathed out several low, heavy breaths. “Rong Mumu, are you planning to find yourself a new husband?”
Perhaps because he had just been woken up, his suppressed voice carried a strangely dangerous edge.
Rong Ci wasn’t afraid in the slightest. She even dared to touch him, gently patting him as though trying to soothe his breathing. “I would never be that mean.”
“I just want Big Brother to watch a movie with me.”
Xie Xunzhao caught her wandering hand and refused without room for argument. “No.”
“You can’t stay up late.”
“Staying up once won’t hurt.”
Instead, Rong Ci hooked her finger around his. Under the covers, her fingers were long, slender, soft, and remarkably nimble. And in the darkness, every sensation seemed sharper than it was during the day.
Xie Xunzhao said, “Rong Mumu, are you asking for a—”
He didn’t finish.
Rong Ci rubbed her chin against the hollow of his neck. “Pleeease?”
He simply couldn’t bring himself to hit her. The fingers gripping her wrist tightened slightly. “…”
Rong Ci asked, “Are we watching it or not?”
Xie Xunzhao: “We’re watching.”
“Get up first.”
Rong Ci immediately climbed out of his arms without the slightest hesitation. “Let’s go to the media room!”
“There’s a movie I really, really want to watch, but I’ve never dared to.”
Xie Xunzhao rubbed his brow and got out of bed, throwing on his robe.
Fine.
It was just a movie.
He had been woken up in the middle of the night to watch one, and it was a horror movie.
Rong Ci liked this genre, but she was timid. She loved watching them and was too scared to watch them alone.
So, when she was little, she would also squeeze into his arms while watching horror movies.
“Big Brother, is the scary part over?”
“Big Brother, who’s the bad guy?”
“Big Brother, I don’t dare open my eyes.”
“Big Brother, where are we in the story?”
“Big Brother, can I sit on your lap?”
“Big Brother, you have to hold me like this. That’s the only way I feel safe.”
“Big Brother, can you wrap me up in the blanket?”
“Big Brother…”
She had always been high-maintenance and high-energy, needing someone beside her at every moment. Xie Xunzhao was one of those people. Especially during winter and summer breaks, he had spent the most time with her.
That was why Rong Ci had depended on him ever since she was little, and even now, nothing had changed.
Even though she knew his feelings toward her were no longer those of a brother toward his sister, somewhere deep in her subconscious, she still didn’t treat him as an adult man who carried a certain degree of danger and needed to be guarded against.
Xie Xunzhao leaned back against the sofa, his head resting against the back. Perhaps he was still sleepy; his long legs were lazily bent, and beneath the hem of his robe, the contours of his well-defined leg muscles were faintly visible.
His presence filled the room in a way that was impossible to ignore; everyone noticed it except Rong Ci. She could even use him as a human body pillow or a comfort plushie.
Tonight, however, she was unusually quiet.
Xie Xunzhao looked toward Rong Ci, sitting alone with her knees drawn up on the enormous leather sofa. The light from the screen washed over her pale face. Her skin looked almost translucent, and even her pupils had taken on a cool blue tint.
Rong Ci appeared to be watching the movie attentively, but in truth, her mind was somewhere else entirely. There were too many things occupying her thoughts. That was why she had woken up in the middle of the night and could no longer fall asleep.
A subtle change passed through Xie Xunzhao’s expression. He could tell Rong Ci had something weighing on her, and he could even guess what it was. She simply needed time to accept it.
Fortunately, Rong Ci was carefree by nature. Under normal circumstances, after sleeping on something, she would wake up the next morning and no longer keep even the biggest problem in her heart.
However, she never expected that the next message she received from Chen Xuanning would be a news report about the collapse of the Chen family in the Lingcheng second-generation group, accompanied by an obituary.
[Chen Xuanning died this morning after failing to recover from his severe injuries.]
How had he suddenly failed to pull through?
Rong Ci’s fingers stiffened around her phone. Her eyes drifted toward the clouds outside the window, gathering and dispersing, and for a long time she couldn’t come back to herself.
Although Chen Xuanning and the others often banded together and excluded her because they were afraid they wouldn’t be able to bear responsibility if something happened to her, she actually liked spending time with them.
Because they made everything lively, and being with them gave her the feeling that she was healthy and free, just like they were.
Just a few days ago, they had been happily throwing a birthday party, making plans to watch fireworks at sea, riding the waves in high spirits. In the end, it had all been abruptly concluded by this obituary.
Rong Ci knew that she was the one with the fate of dying young. So, she was certain that, among this group of people, she would be the first to leave. She simply hadn’t been prepared to watch anyone familiar leave before her.
Thinking of it, Rong Ci worked hard to keep her breathing light, and she understood perfectly well:
As the newly appointed head of the Xie family, Xie Xunzhao had countless ambitious eyes watching his every move from the outside world. The slightest misstep could cause an enormous uproar.
Now that he already had a very public “weakness,” he had to use an iron hand to deter everyone around him. There could be no exceptions.
So, all she could do was convince herself that perhaps this was simply the cruel rule of the adult world.
She and Chen Xuanning both lacked the means to protect themselves. She was merely a little luckier. Someone else was there to shield her from the wind and rain.
The next morning, at breakfast, Rong Ci didn’t bargain over her medicine as she usually did. She obediently drank the entire bowl. She was well-behaved to an almost unnatural degree.
After finishing her medicine, she looked like a pitiful little rabbit caught in the rain. Her eyes were red, her ears drooping. Yet she stubbornly insisted, “The medicine was just too bitter.”
“It made my eyes sting.”
“I’ve lost my appetite. I don’t want breakfast.”
Xie Xunzhao said, “There’s a croissant sandwich you like. Finish it properly, and I’ll give you another hundred dollars in allowance.”
His tone was plainly declarative, yet there was an indescribable warmth and gentleness beneath it.
Rong Ci grumbled, “I won’t bow to money.”
“I’ll add a thousand.”
…
“Ten thousand.”
?
“Hundred thousand.”
!
Xie Xunzhao set down his chopsticks and glanced at the time on his watch. Then he changed the subject. “Take the morning off today. I’m taking you somewhere.”
—
The Rolls-Royce rolled over the clean pavement, crushing scattered white sophora blossoms beneath its tires like a thin layer of snow.
The international airport.
Xie Xunzhao held Rong Ci’s hand as they walked. She had always been a chatterbox and liked using words to cover up her emotions. “Why are we at the airport?”
“Are we going on vacation?”
“No, wait. We only took half a day off.”
“I’m an employed person now.”
“We can’t…”
“Chen… Xuanning?”
“I—”
Rong Ci’s pupils suddenly widened. She thought perhaps she was still dreaming after watching the horror movie the night before.
Otherwise, how could she possibly be seeing Chen Xuanning?
Before she could react, Chen Xuanning was already walking toward them.
“Big Brother?”
Rong Ci instinctively hid behind Xie Xunzhao, peeking out with only her head visible. Then she murmured again, “Big Brother.”
Xie Xunzhao turned around, took her by the shoulders, gently turned her around, and gave her a light push forward. “Go say goodbye to your friend.”
Rong Ci took two steps forward with the momentum he gave her. By then, she had realized. “Chen Xuanning isn’t dead.”
She studied Chen Xuanning carefully.
He could hardly be called breathtakingly handsome, but he was certainly good-looking. He had lost some weight after his severe injuries, yet somehow looked more spirited than before.
Rong Ci parted her lips. There were so many things she wanted to say, yet she didn’t know where to begin. “Chen Xuanning, you…”
Knowing what she wanted to ask, Chen Xuanning spoke first. “Honestly, with the Chen family’s bankruptcy, I felt like I’d been set free. I don’t have to worry anymore that I’ll walk out the door one day and get stabbed to death, that my brakes will fail while I’m driving, or that something will fall from a high-rise and hit me…”
“The Chen family was rotten to the core anyway.”
He smiled, a sense of freedom she had never seen in him before. “President Xie gave me a new identity and sent me abroad. Although I can never appear in public as Chen Xuanning again, I’m very grateful to him.”
“I’m even more grateful to you.”
If not for Rong Ci, Xie Xunzhao would never have spared a single member of the Chen family.
“Anyway, Little Ancestor, I probably won’t ever come back.”
“Starting today, my name is Luo Yunkai.”
Clouds part, mist disperses; after the rain, the sky clears.
At this moment, he had gained freedom and a new life.
Rong Ci said, “Congratulations on your new life, Luo Yunkai.”
She watched until Luo Yunkai’s figure disappeared through the boarding gate.
When Rong Ci turned around, she saw the person who seemed as though he would always be waiting for her right where she had left him.
Her gaze went distant.
Daylight poured down through the glass curtain wall, refracting into millions of sharp-edged shards of light that scattered across the man’s tall, upright figure.
The light had an edge, and it also had warmth.
He was Xie Xunzhao.