Chapter 265

Jin Rong realized Xie Wendong had said the wrong thing and corrected him, “He’s not a thing.” After thinking for a moment, she felt it wasn’t right again and added, “He is a thing!” No matter what she said, it was wrong, leaving Jin Rong anxious as she scratched her head. Xie Wendong laughed with his head back, stroking her small head, thinking to himself that no matter when or under what circumstances, Jin Rong could always make him happy. He held her hair, which was thin, smooth, and soft like brocade, and asked, “The New Year is coming soon. What gift do you want your big brother to give you?”
Jin Rong thought carefully. She raised her eyes and pondered for a long time before saying, “Can I have anything I want?” Xie Wendong smiled and said, “Anything that flies in the sky or runs on the ground—anything you can name, I’ll give it to you!” “Really?” Jin Rong felt a sweet sensation in her heart. The little girl couldn’t hide her emotions. She happily hugged Xie Wendong’s arm, smiling broadly, and said, “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll tell you later!” Xie Wendong’s expression turned serious. “No refunds after the deadline!” His gaze shifted suddenly as he remembered something else. He turned to Jiang Sen and asked, “How is Li Yingnan?” “Li Yingnan?” Jiang Sen had never heard of this name and looked puzzled.
Xie Wendong slapped his head and said, “It’s the sister of Li Gensheng—the girl we brought back with Xiao Ling.” At the mention of a girl, Jin Rong’s ears perked up immediately. She deliberately looked away, but her head slowly leaned toward Xie Wendong. “Ah!” Jiang Sen suddenly understood. It was her. He replied, “I placed her in the bedroom on the first floor. I had a doctor check her—she’s not seriously injured. It’s just that the grief and weakness caused her to fall into a coma temporarily.” He glanced at his watch and added, “She might still be asleep right now.”

Xie Wendong sighed, feeling deeply guilty. Li Gensheng’s death was directly related to him. He said nothing more and got up, heading toward the bedroom on the first floor. When he opened the door, the room was pitch dark. With the light from the hallway, he could faintly see a girl lying on the bed. He stepped forward, bent down, and smoothed the girl’s messy hair to the sides, revealing a delicate face. In his memory, Li Yingnan’s skin had been tanned, dark, healthy, and lively. But now it was frighteningly pale, devoid of color. She wasn’t sleeping peacefully; her brows furrowed from time to time, and her breathing was uneven. Seeing this, Xie Wendong felt a pang of pain. Suddenly, he smiled—a bitter smile. Standing upright, he spoke softly, as if to the sleeping Li Yingnan and also to himself: “What’s the use of being a good person? Kind people are exploited, and honest ones are taken advantage of. In today’s society, if you don’t step on others’ heads, they’ll step on your shoulders to climb higher. I refuse to be mediocre. If I’m not a villain, what else can I do? ‘Good deeds bring good rewards’—that’s probably the most deceptive lie in the world!” He clenched his fist and said coldly, “It’s better to trust oneself than to rely on fate.”

“Trust oneself for what?” Jin Rong appeared behind Xie Wendong at some point, looking at him and then at the girl on the bed. Her tone was unfriendly. “Who is she?”

Xie Wendong’s gloomy expression instantly turned indifferent. He narrowed his eyes at Li Yingnan and slowly said, “Her brother once saved me!”

“Huh?” Jin Rong was stunned. “Big brother, if you’re so capable, why did you need someone to save you? The person who saved you must be even more capable. Where is he? I want to meet him!”

Xie Wendong’s gaze darkened as he shook his head. “He’s dead. And it’s my fault. So, I have the responsibility to take care of his only relative.” Though I’m a villain, sadly, I can’t become a beast! he added silently in his heart. He could easily abandon Li Yingnan, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Xie Wendong was a man of loyalty. Back then, Jin Peng had saved him and helped him. Now, he devoted almost all his energy to the Hongmen, mainly out of gratitude for Jin Peng’s life-saving kindness. Qiu Ningshui had also saved him, and when he heard she was in danger, he went to rescue her with just a few people—his courage was admirable, and it was also a way to repay his debt to Qiu Ningshui. He had never been stingy with those who had saved his life. After hearing him out, Jin Rong nodded seriously, crossed her arms, and, despite her young age, pretended to be mature. “Mm! Big brother, both morally and logically, you should take good care of her.”

Xie Wendong patted her little head and laughed, “You’re just a little girl—what do you know?!” Jin Rong pressed her head and grunted, “Ugh! How many times have I said I’m not a little girl anymore!” Afraid of waking Li Yingnan, Xie Wendong quickly covered Jin Rong’s mouth and pulled her out of the room. Before leaving, he saw that the girl in bed was motionless, sleeping soundly, and then he closed the door firmly with relief. Turning around angrily, ready to scold Jin Rong, he noticed one of his fingers had somehow slipped into her mouth, and she was gritting her teeth hard. Only then did he feel the sharp pain and quickly pulled his hand back. Looking down, he saw clear red bite marks on his middle finger. Before he could say anything, Jin Rong snapped, “See if you still dare to cover my mouth and stop me from talking, huh!” Xie Wendong couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed the little girl had grown up—even the delicate little rabbit had developed sharp teeth. At that moment, Jiang Sen walked over with a slight frown, glanced at Jin Rong, and whispered in Xie Wendong’s ear, “Brother Dong, we just received news that several military vehicles are heading toward the hospital from the military district. Maybe something has happened?” His voice was so soft that Jin Rong couldn’t hear. Pouting, she turned her head aside and muttered loudly, “So mysterious! Who cares?!” Though she said that, she stood there without any intention of stepping aside.

Xie Wendong wasn’t quick to react and asked, “Vehicles from the military district?! Which hospital?” Jiang Sen replied urgently, “Of course, the hospital where Peng Shulin is staying.” “Hm?” Xie Wendong was shocked and murmured, “What does the military going there mean? It doesn’t make sense.” Suddenly, he looked at Jiang Sen and said, “Could it be that Du Tingwei’s father wants to use the military to get rid of Peng Shulin so he can never speak again?” Jiang Sen shook his head. “No way! It doesn’t matter whether Peng Shulin speaks or not now—Du Tingwei has already confessed everything.” “That’s not right!” Xie Wendong’s eyes darted as he said, “Even if he confesses, he can renege. Once Peng Shulin dies, he won’t have any worries left, and then he can say whatever he wants. Besides, do you think Colonel Huang will testify for us? He’s not stupid—he knows how to protect himself wisely.” He tapped his head and added, “There’s no time left. We need to send Peng Shulin somewhere else right away. Lao Sen, inform Qiangzi and have him do as I say!”

“Mm!” Jiang Sen didn’t dare delay and nodded, “Understood!” Xie Wendong waved his hand and said, “Get the car ready right away. I’m going to meet those guys from the military.” He put on his coat, gave Jin Rong a sorry smile, and said, “It seems I can’t accompany you. Go home early and don’t worry your parents.” With that, he tightened the belt around his coat.

Jin Rong instantly lost her energy, slumping on the sofa and saying weakly, “Big brother, can I go with you?” Xie Wendong turned and winked, “What do you think?” Jin Rong asked again, “Then when will you come back?” Xie Wendong rolled his eyes and said, “Do you know? Your questions sound just like those of a housekeeper!” With that, he disappeared outside amidst laughter. An accidental remark instantly made Jin Rong’s face turn red, her heart pounding. It took her a while to calm down before she shouted at the door, “I want to be your housekeeper!” As soon as she finished speaking, there was a ‘thud’ outside, followed by voices shouting, “Brother Dong, what’s wrong?”

In the car, Jiang Sen and Ren Changfeng were both turning to sneak smiles. Xie Wendong rubbed his red forehead and muttered to himself, “This little girl…” Ren Changfeng suddenly spoke seriously, “Brother Dong, I want to say something. It’s not because of the old man—I’ve always thought you and Xiao Rong are a great match, even better than you and Peng Ling. After all, she’s a police officer from a police family; she’s not on our path. Maybe she can ignore your status for now, but who knows what will happen in the future?”

Xie Wendong had considered this too, but he was already too deeply involved. It wasn’t easy to get out. He shook his head and said indifferently, “Xiao Ling is the woman I like. Stop saying such things.” Ren Changfeng opened his mouth to explain further but was pulled back by Jiang Sen, who shook his head slightly. Hadn’t Li Shuanggaoqiang also tried to persuade Xie Wendong before? But he wouldn’t listen at all, let alone Ren Changfeng. He sighed and shook his head sadly. Feeling an itch on his thigh, he looked down and saw Jiang Sen drawing something on it. Upon closer inspection, it was a character: kill! Ren Changfeng was so scared he stuck out his tongue, doubting he had seen correctly. He stared blankly at Jiang Sen, who nodded, confirming he hadn’t misseen it. When Ren Changfeng tried to ask a question, Jiang Sen shook his head and patted his shoulder. Lost in thought, Xie Wendong didn’t notice their little actions. He fiddled with a shiny silver lighter, turning it between his fingers.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, the military’s large vehicles hadn’t arrived yet. Xie Wendong walked inside while calling Gao Qiang to ask about Peng Shulin’s condition. Gao Qiang had already removed Peng Shulin from the hospital and taken her to a very small hospital. Although this hospital was not large, its doctors and medical equipment far surpassed those of any large hospital in City H. It was established with investment from the Wendong Gang, specifically for the gang members who were injured, with the intention of avoiding the police. Unexpectedly, it was now being used for a provincial department head.

Jiang Sen and Ren Changfeng followed closely behind Xie Wendong. Ren Changfeng could no longer hold back and nudged Jiang Sen, whispering urgently, “Lao Sen, what’s going on exactly? What do you mean by ‘kill’?” Jiang Sen glanced at Xie Wendong ahead and said in a low voice, “I’ve discussed this with Three-Eyed Gao Qiang before. After all, we’re part of the underworld, and Peng Ling is too far from us. If Brother Dong loses his way because of her, we… we’ll get rid of her without his permission!”

“Ah!” Ren Changfeng gasped and murmured, “But…” Jiang Sen interrupted him and continued, “Although doing this might not earn Brother Dong’s forgiveness, there’s no other choice for the gang. The Wendong Gang today is not the same as it was during Brother Dong’s middle school days. Back then, it might have seemed fun—just a few people getting together on a whim and forming a gang. But now, the gang’s influence spans three provinces, with thousands of members. One mistake could endanger countless people’s lives and property. So, anyone in the gang can make mistakes, except Brother Dong. If Peng Ling affects that, I, Three-Eyed, Gao Qiang, and the other members won’t hesitate. Even if Brother Dong doesn’t understand and scolds me, beats me, or kills me, I’ll accept it.”

“Phew!” After Jiang Sen said so much in one go, Ren Changfeng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He patted his shoulder and said admiringly, “I finally understand why the Wendong Gang has achieved such success in just a few years.” “Oh? Why?” “Not only because of Brother Dong personally, but also because of these brothers who are sincere and not full of flattery!” “Flattery?” Jiang Sen smiled wryly and sighed, “Maybe not before, but now there are so many people, and they’re mixed—everyone is here.”

Seeing him look sad, Ren Changfeng shook his head and said, “In a big forest, all kinds of birds naturally appear. It’s normal.”

Xie Wendong hung up the phone and saw Jiang Sen and Ren Changfeng whispering behind him. Teasingly, he said, “What the hell are you two plotting over there?”
Jiang Sen smiled brightly and sighed softly, “Anyway, with Brother Dong around, Wendong won’t go astray. That’s worth fighting for!” Ren Changfeng nodded in agreement—someone’s personal charm is truly an immeasurable force! This conversation brought them much closer; Jiang Sen sharing such top-secret information with him showed that he truly regarded him as one of his own, which warmed Ren Changfeng’s heart greatly. The two laughed as they caught up with Xie Wendong. Jiang Sen asked, “Brother Dong, Qiangzi should have sent Peng Shulin away by now, right?” “Yeah!” Xie Wendong replied, “It’s safer here in our own hospital, where we’re in control.”
In the distance, loud noises could be heard. Jiang Sen shook his head and sighed, “Just by the sound, I know the army’s ‘trucks’ have finally arrived.” Sure enough, the first military jeep drove into the hospital compound, followed by several large Jiefang trucks. Six or seven soldiers in yellow uniforms jumped out of the trucks. As the jeep door opened, Huang Zhen, dressed in military attire, stepped out. As soon as he looked up, he saw Xie Wendong standing at the hospital gate, smiling warmly. He was momentarily stunned but quickly stepped forward with a smile, saying, “I didn’t expect to meet Mr. Xie so soon again. What a coincidence!” Xie Wendong sneered inwardly and said, “Heh, I didn’t expect Commander Huang to believe in fate either. But I’ve never believed in it—because the best fate in the world is created by oneself.” Huang Zhen didn’t understand his meaning, chuckled, and asked, “Is Mr. Xie here for something?”