Mu Chen begged Fang Mu again. “Mu Mu, I’m your mother!” She cried. Her sobs were small and painful.

  “Are you worthy of being my mother?” Fang Mu took a step back. Even though Mu Chen was about to die, his voice was still cold. “You’ll die. Just wait for death. I won’t call anyone.” Saying that, Fang Mu squatted on the spot.

  He looked at Mu Chen, watched her beg for mercy, cry in pain, and eventually stop breathing.

  The video ended here.

  Fang Pingjue sat in front of the computer and did not close the video. The video automatically replayed again.

  He gripped the arm of the single leather chair with his hands as his blood turned cold.

  Fang Pingjue still remembered that after knowing Mu Chen had passed away, when he had personally gone to fetch Fang Mu, the kid had hugged his waist and pitifully cried. Fang Pingjue could not believe that the heartless boy who looked coldly at his mother’s death was the same poor kid who had hugged him in pain.

  Fang Pingjue closed the computer. He pressed his palms between his eyebrows and rubbed them hard. He seemed to have aged a few years.

  This took him back to the past.

  Fifteen years ago, on the second day after Fang Yusheng’s mother was buried, Fang Yusheng’s eyes were injured by a venomous snake. When he was brought back to the Fang family, he had staggered out and found Fang Mu. He had beaten up Fang Mu and scolded him for being a jerk.

  And what did Fang Pingjue say to Fang Yusheng?

  He said, “Fang Yusheng, that’s enough. Don’t vent your anger on your brother! How old is he? He’s not even 13. You don’t have to malign him like this even if you dislike him!”


  At that time, Fang Mu had not cried out in grief, but he kept wiping his tears. He looked like a pitiful child who had been wronged. Fang Yusheng, on the other hand, was clenching his fists and trembling with anger.

  Today, Fang Pingjue suddenly doubted that matter.

  Fang Pingjue’s heart was barren.

  After living for half his life, he realized that the son he was so proud of had actually been a demon since he was young. Fang Pingjue felt horrified, and his spine turned cold.

  ***

  On the 18th day of a month, Fang Mu always rested. This had become a routine for him.

  In the morning, he returned to the main building to visit Fang Shan. He had worn a light blue shirt and looked well-dressed. He was polite, but his expression was cold. In the past, whenever Fang Pingjue saw that expression, he thought that Fang Mu was steady and reliable. However, today, his scalp felt numb and he was furious.

  The moment Fang Mu entered the house, he realized Fang Pingjue’s abnormality.

  Something was wrong with the way the old man looked at him. There was more wariness and caution in his eyes than before.

  Fang Mu sneered in his heart.?

  Fang Pingjue suppressed the fear and anger in his heart and pretended that nothing had happened. He chatted with Fang Mu about some company matters. Fang Mu also pretended not to notice anything unusual. He seriously answered everything Fang Pingjue asked.

  “It’s time to eat.” Xu Pingfei was also not happy these few days. When she called them to eat, she did not even look at Fang Pingjue.

  Fang Pingjue’s attention was not on her, so he naturally did not notice anything unusual with her.

  During the meal, Fang Pingjue looked at Fang Mu’s cold and handsome face and could not help but say, “The day before yesterday was your mother’s death anniversary.”


  Fang Mu was picking up food. When he heard this, he did not pause at all and naturally brought the food into his mouth. Then, he replied, “I was too busy, so I didn’t pay respects to her.”


  His calmness made Fang Pingjue feel a chill run down his spine.

  “Let’s go and take a look when you have time.”


  “Okay.”


  Fang Mu lowered his head and continued to eat. He had already guessed the reason for Fang Pingjue’s abnormal behavior today.

  After the meal, he sat at the Fang family home for a while. When Fang Mu saw that it was almost eight o’clock, he stood up and said to Fang Pingjue, “Happy Valley is opening soon. I’ve been a little busy these two days, so I won’t be staying over tonight. I’ll go back first.” He then looked at Xu Pingfei in the kitchen and said to her, “Aunt Xu, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of Fang Shan.”


  Xu Pingfei nodded.

  Fang Mu turned around and left.

  He did not go home but drove to the villa at the foot of the mountain. The light outside surged into the basement. The man squatting in the corner suddenly opened his eyes and frightfully looked at Fang Mu, who was approaching him with big strides.

  Fang Mu stood outside the glass door and speechlessly smiled at Cheng Ke. His smile was treacherous and cold.

  Cheng Ke squatted on the spot and looked at him without making a sound.

  “Ha, what do you think my old man knows?” Fang Mu suddenly asked Cheng Ke.

  Cheng Ke knew that Fang Mu was talking to himself. He chose not to say anything. It was useless to say anything. If he said anything wrong, he would be scolded.

  Fang Mu did not mind seeing him remain silent.

  He walked to the small chair and sat down. He touched the dragon-shaped pendant around his neck and muttered to himself in confusion, “How much does he know? Did someone tell him something, or does he know something himself?”


  Fang Mu muttered to himself like a lunatic.

  Cheng Ke curled up his body as much as possible, afraid that Fang Mu would be reminded of ‘her’ and he would get into trouble.

  After a while, Fang Mu suddenly let go of the pendant and abruptly stood up. “If someone finds out your secret, what should you do to be safe and reliable?” Fang Mu looked at Cheng Ke, but it was as if he was not looking at him. His eyes were filled with a treacherous smile.

  “Of course, the safest thing to do is make that person unable to speak forever!” Fang Mu got a little excited.

  “Sure!

  “He asked for it!”


  He glanced at Cheng Ke and quickly left the basement. His footsteps were hurried, and no one knew what he was going to do.

  ***

  After Fang Mu left, Fang Pingjue and Xu Pingfei played with the child for a while and watched television. When it was half-past nine, they went upstairs to rest. As they were about to sleep, Fang Pingjue suddenly asked Xu Pingfei, “Pingfei, what do you think of Fang Mu?”


  Xu Pingfei did not reply at first. After a long time, she said, “You have quite the demeanor.” These words were filled with sarcasm.

  Fang Pingjue felt embarrassed.

  In the past, he had also felt that Fang Mu had the elegance and ruthlessness of his younger days and was proud of it. But now, he only felt flustered. He asked again, “Then what do you think of Yusheng?”


  Xu Pingfei moved her body and replied, “I can’t understand that child.”


  Fang Yusheng’s personality was good at times and bad at others. He would scold whoever he disliked. He would scold Heaven and Earth and his father; he had nothing to be afraid of. However, Xu Pingfei did not think that Fang Yusheng was an insensible young man. She had heard of Fang Yusheng before she had married into the Fang family.

  Fang Yusheng was smart and wise. He had been accepted by MIT at a young age.

  Who wouldn’t praise him as a genius?

  Such a genius’s actions should not be taken at face value.

  However, Xu Pingfei was smart as well. She would not investigate the true colors of Fang Mu and Fang Yusheng. The more she knew, the worse it would be for her. She only needed to take good care of her two children. She had no intention of snatching the family assets from Fang Mu and the rest.

  Her wish was to have a pair of children and live a blissful life in the future.

  Fang Pingjue used to think that Fang Yusheng was stubborn and an insensible man with a big temper. But after seeing Fang Mu’s true colors, he could not believe his eyes.

  Both children were unfathomable.

  “Sleep.”


  ***

  In the blink of an eye, the 28th arrived.

  Fang Pingjue and Xu Pingfei left home with Fang Yusheng and Qiao Jiusheng. They brought Fang Yuqing to the East Lake Happy Valley in the car. Fang Yu’an left the university city and went to the East Lake Happy Valley to meet the Fang family.

  Today was the first day of Happy Valley’s official business, and the venue was very lively. The small square outside the ticket counter was full of people.

  The Fang family members directly walked into the employee passageway. After entering the venue, they did not make any special arrangements. Just like other tourists, they took their tickets and queued up to play. Fang Pingjue was old, so he could not participate in many passion projects. He and Xu Pingfei went to play leisurely projects.

  Qiao Jiusheng, on the other hand, loved to take risks. She bought a full pass. One ticket could finish all the projects.

  Glancing at all the rides, Qiao Jiusheng looked up at Fang Yusheng and asked, “Can you participate in such intense activities?”


  “For example? A roller coaster?” Fang Yusheng had sat on this when he was young.

  Qiao Jiusheng clicked her tongue. “That can be considered only a little bit exciting. This…” She pointed at the space adventure ride and said, “This space adventure ride is a space shuttle. In the blink of an eye, it will charge 78 meters into the sky. In the high sky, our position will rotate along with it. The speed of the rotation will change from slow to fast. At the fastest, it will make you doubt life.” Qiao Jiusheng smiled and teased him. “I’ll send you straight to the sky.”


  Fang Yusheng imagined that scene and found it quite interesting.

  “Go on.”


  The two of them had worn camel-colored pants of the same color today. Fang Yusheng’s pants were looser, but Qiao Jiusheng’s pants were slim-fit pants. As for upper clothing, they had worn the same loose white shirt. Qiao Jiusheng revealed her left shoulder and half of her collarbone. There was a hint of sexiness in her beauty.

  They were also wearing the same pair of white and red sports shoes. They walked hand in hand, which made them eye-catching.

  Qiao Jiusheng held Fang Yusheng’s hand and walked to the space shuttle’s ticket inspection. Fang Yusheng heard the heart-wrenching roar in the air and felt his scalp tingle. Qiao Jiusheng was about to queue up when Fang Yusheng pulled her back and hesitantly said, “Why don’t we stop playing this?”


  Qiao Jiusheng thought that he was afraid and scolded him with a smile. “Are you afraid?”


  “I’m worried about you,” Fang Yusheng said.

  Qiao Jiusheng was stunned before realizing that he was talking about the child in her stomach.

  “It’s fine. I’m bold and unafraid of this.” With that, Qiao Jiusheng pulled Fang Yusheng to the ticket inspection counter.

  When it was their turn, Fang Yusheng repeatedly reminded Qiao Jiusheng to check her seatbelt, afraid that something would go wrong. Qiao Jiusheng patiently checked it over and over again to confirm that there was really no problem. She said to Fang Yusheng, “There’s no problem.”


  When Fang Yusheng heard the staff say that it was going to start in a minute, he suddenly unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to unbuckle Qiao Jiusheng’s seatbelt.

  “What are you doing?” Qiao Jiusheng was stunned.

  “I’m not playing anymore.” Fang Yusheng pulled her away. “Don’t take the risk.” His voice was hard. Qiao Jiusheng did not dare to retort, knowing that he was worried about her and the child.

  When she reached the safe area, Qiao Jiusheng still looked back at the space shuttle that shot into the sky.

  Fang Yusheng knew that she was playful, but it was an unusual time now. He had to be careful. “Don’t be sad. I’ll bring you to play something else.”


  Glancing at him, Qiao Jiusheng held reservations about what Fang Yusheng meant about “fun.”


  Happy Valley had a small train ride. One could reach every tourist attraction on the small train.

  Fang Yusheng put on a pair of pure black reflective sunglasses. He could see everything around him, but outsiders could not see his eyes. Opening his eyes, he glanced at the tickets. After finding their seats, he let Qiao Jiusheng lead him to the train station.

  When the train passed by the Ferris wheel, Fang Yusheng brought Qiao Jiusheng out of it.

  Qiao Jiusheng looked up at the Ferris wheel with a knowing expression.

  The Ferris wheel was really not fun. It was as slow as an old lady.

  However, Fang Yusheng did not think so. He seemed to have a crush on the Ferris wheel, and he pulled Qiao Jiusheng onto it. There were two people in each car on the wheel, and the two of them sat in the same car. After entering the car, Fang Yusheng looked around and did not see any cameras. Only then was he relieved.

  “I’ve always wanted to play this.”


  Qiao Jiusheng chuckled. “Don’t tell me you believe those legends?”


  Legend had it that couples who sat on the Ferris wheel would break up. However, when the Ferris wheel reached its highest point, kissing the person you loved would make the two of them forever happy. Qiao Jiusheng did not believe in this at all.

  After she asked this question, she saw Fang Yusheng solemnly nod. Qiao Jiusheng did not know what to laugh at, his naivety or stupidity.

  Fang Yusheng held her hand and looked at the view of the city in the distance. He said softly, “Do you remember when we went to the Spirit Lake on Thanksgiving, I kissed you?”


  Of course, Qiao Jiusheng remembered.

  That was the first time Fang Yusheng had kissed her, although it was on her forehead.

  Qiao Jiusheng’s eyes shifted, and she asked in understanding, “Could that kiss have a special meaning?”


  “Yes.” Nodding, Fang Yusheng told her, “When I was in primary school in the country, I heard a rumor.” He suddenly stopped talking.

  Qiao Jiusheng looked up at his side profile. Fang Yusheng looked back at her and continued, “Rumor has it that when the maple leaves on the Spirit Lake wither, the person you will kiss will be the person who will accompany you for the rest of your life.” After Fang Yusheng said that, his ears turned slightly red.

  That kiss was actually his confession to Qiao Jiusheng.

  However, Qiao Jiusheng was unaware of the context and did not understand his romance.

  It was strange and embarrassing to say such a pure confession. Fang Yusheng’s expression was a little unnatural. His other hand gently fiddled with the edge of his pants as if he had nowhere to put it.

  Qiao Jiusheng enjoyed hearing this. Her heart and stomach were warm, but her mouth was tough. She looked down on Fang Yusheng. “You’re so old, yet you still believe all that nonsense. Don’t believe those things. They’re all fake.”


  Fang Yusheng’s face darkened. “You don’t believe me?” His tone was dark, and his eyes were dangerous.

  Qiao Jiusheng shrugged. “I don’t believe in legends.”


  Fang Yusheng wanted to scold her, but Qiao Jiusheng suddenly tiptoed and bit his slightly red ear. When she left, she said, “But I believe you.”


  Fang Yusheng’s heart skipped a beat, and he blinked.

  He felt relieved.

  The Ferris wheel rose higher and higher. Looking at the dark crowd of tourists below, Fang Yusheng did not speak anymore, but his fingers kept tapping on his lips. Qiao Jiusheng did not notice it at first, but later on, Fang Yusheng tapped his lips faster and faster.

  Her head tilted as she asked, “Your mouth is itchy?”