Don’t Ignite It chapter 59

Wounds Upon Wounds

Xia Yu sat on a small sofa, holding a cup of hot orange tea. His eyes were still red, and he recounted in detail his relationship with Lu Zhao.

He started from when Lu Zhao discovered Xu Zhan’s “extramarital affair,” to Lu Zhao becoming his lover, and then to Lu Zhao’s proposal in the vacation cottage.

There was nothing left to hide.

Regarding their little tricks with Xu Zhan, he considered them insignificant in front of their older siblings. He had no doubt that Xia Jin and Xu Ping had already pieced together the whole story, if not all of it, then at least seventy to eighty percent.

Xia Yu spoke slowly, recalling the day of Lu Zhao’s proposal. The wind was bitterly cold, frosting their eyelashes. Lu Zhao’s eyes were as blue as a rainy day’s lake, and they never blinked as they gazed at him.

“I know I was foolish,” Xia Yu said, lowering his head. The cup of orange tea in his hand exuded a warm blend of fruit and tea fragrances, calming his troubled heart. “I thought I could make Lu Zhao my lover, seeking revenge for what happened back then. But in the end, I never truly let go of him. It’s not about divorcing Xu Zhan and marrying him. I haven’t forgotten how excessive and cold he was in the past. Sometimes, when he works beside me, I look at him, and there’s even a bit of hatred. But I can’t help but still love him.”

He couldn’t help but love Lu Zhao.

He wasn’t lacking in admirers; all of them were handsome, charming, and considerate. If he wanted, he could indulge himself in worldly pleasures and amorous adventures.

But none of them were Lu Zhao.

They were not who he truly desired.

He said softly, “Brother, I’m truly sorry. Xu Zhan is a good person. Your decision for me was not wrong. I’ve never regretted marrying him. He’s gentle with me, and our relationship is harmonious. I thought about spending my whole life with him, to put your minds at ease.”

Throughout Xia Yu’s speech, Xia Jin remained silent, almost like a gray shadow against the wallpaper—tall, quiet, and imposing.

It was only at this moment that he showed a slight change in expression. He glanced at Xia Yu and asked, “But you don’t love Xu Zhan, do you? Not even a bit.”

Xia Yu couldn’t lie.

He shook his head, finding it difficult to speak.

Xia Jin asked again, “Does he love you?”

Xia Yu was caught off guard by the question and didn’t know if he should answer. But his silence had already conveyed the answer to Xia Jin.

Xia Jin felt a bit defeated. He had once believed that he had made a good match for his younger brother—a husband who was educated and courteous. He thought Xia Yu would be happy. However, from the very beginning, Xia Yu and Xu Zhan hadn’t had love between them. They got along well, respected each other, but that was it.

But he couldn’t bear to leave his brother in the hands of Lu Zhao.

Lu Zhao wasn’t worthy of his little brother.

The clock on the wall ticked away.

Xia Yu sat anxiously on the sofa, feeling like a prisoner awaiting his final judgment.

His thoughts were in disarray.

Did he love Lu Zhao? Yes, he did.

But did he love Lu Zhao enough to defy his family and hurt his older brother? He had already lost that recklessness.

After a long time, he heard Xia Jin say, “Break up with Lu Zhao, Yu Yu.”

Xia Yu’s heart skipped a beat.

He suddenly looked up at Xia Jin. Xia Jin’s expression wasn’t stern; it was surprisingly gentle. His eyes were still filled with the love an older brother had for his dear sibling.

But Xia Jin’s words held an undeniable meaning. “I thought about being tougher on you, locking you up at home, and forcing you to separate from each other. But you’ve grown up, and I don’t want to do that.”

He continued, “I’m just discussing this with you. If you insist on being with Lu Zhao and are willing to risk alienation from our family, then so be it. I won’t confine you at home, take away your phone, or prevent you from contacting Lu Zhao. You can still talk to him, but in the end, you must give me an answer.”

Xia Yu remained silent for a long time.

He knew that Xia Jin would never accept Lu Zhao, but compared to Xia Jin scolding him and demanding an immediate breakup, this gentle and weighty conversation made him feel even colder inside.

He looked at Xia Jin with a vacant expression.

“Brother…” he weakly called out but didn’t know what else to say.

He couldn’t ask Xia Jin to accept Lu Zhao, and those words couldn’t escape his lips.

But just a few hours ago, he had left Lu Zhao’s home, leaving a red envelope with a message that read, “As another year begins, we welcome spring again, but we’re still the same people from the past.”

People from the past.

He referred to Lu Zhao as someone from his past.

Lu Zhao was still waiting for him, left alone on New Year’s night, waiting for countless more New Year’s to come with him.

He had indeed felt hatred for Lu Zhao.

But he also loved him.

He didn’t want to leave Lu Zhao alone in the winter.

“I…” Xia Yu’s throat choked up. It felt like a burning iron had been shoved down his throat, rendering him speechless.

But Xia Jin looked at him calmly. “Yu Yu, this time, I won’t accept your persuasion or pleas for mercy. You have to take responsibility for your choices. Just like Xu Zhan.”

Xia Yu didn’t say anything more. Xia Jin had already shown him enough tolerance, and he couldn’t ask for more.

He left his older brother’s room in a daze.

His mind was blank, and he hadn’t even fully comprehended the meaning behind Xia Jin’s final words. As he came down the stairs and entered the living room, he saw Xu Zhan standing there pale-faced, while Xu Ping stared at him with a cold gaze. Only then did his sluggish brain start working again.

Although his own emotions were in turmoil, the sight of Xu Zhan standing there made him instinctively walk over to Xu Zhan’s side. He reached out and steadied Xu Zhan, feeling that Xu Zhan was trembling slightly, even worse than he appeared.

He noticed a file folder and an iPad on the table.

Upon seeing Xia Yu, the anger on Xu Ping’s face hadn’t had a chance to fade as she turned her face away.

Xia Yu looked at Xu Zhan, then at Xu Ping, and couldn’t help but speak, “Sis… Xu Zhan and I divorced amicably. I’m sorry, I didn’t handle my previous relationship well, but Xu Zhan didn’t do anything wrong. He’s just—”

But Xu Ping sneered.

“Xia Yu, I don’t blame both of you for getting a divorce. You two no longer have feelings for each other, and no one can force you to stay together for a lifetime. Xia Jin and I are not that conservative. But both of you are utterly confused in your love lives.”

She tried her best not to direct her anger towards Xia Yu, but her face still showed disappointment and frustration.

She looked at Xu Zhan. “Xia Yu is confused, and so are you. You’ve been deceived, not even knowing who you’ve been sharing your bed with, and yet you hope that I will accept this relationship. Xu Zhan, is this how we raised you?”

It was at this point that Xia Yu finally began to grasp what was going on.

He glanced at the file folder on the table and then back at Xu Ping. “Sis, what do you mean by this…”

“See for yourself,” she said as she sat down on the sofa, looking weary. Her emotions were unstable, and her chest rose and fell irregularly. “Xu Zhan, the fool, while others are already engaged, he’s still fooling around, thinking of spending a lifetime together.”

Xia Yu froze.

He didn’t have time for courtesy. He picked up the file folder and hastily glanced through its contents.

Inside were documents and information about Ruan Sen.

As Xia Yu went through them quickly, his expression darkened with each passing page.

He saw many photos of Ruan Sen: Ruan Sen standing on the campus of a Pennsylvania university, Ruan Sen watching the Northern Lights in Iceland, Ruan Sen taking a stroll in Queenstown, New Zealand, and Ruan Sen in riding gear, sitting tall and looking heroic on a racehorse…

In every photo, he smiled carefreely and nonchalantly, as if he were naturally blessed with all the love in the world.

He continued flipping through the pages and reached the last page of information about Ruan Sen.

Ruan Sen wasn’t even his real name; it was Qin Sheng, and Ruan was his mother’s surname.

The Qin surname came from TROY’s founder, Qin Rongxin, who moved his family overseas in 1918 and founded the TROY Group. It owned over forty brands and had business interests in fashion, beauty, fragrances, and watches, among others. It held a significant position in both the business and fashion worlds.

And Qin Sheng was his youngest grandson, sheltered and protected due to his favored status. Over the years, very few media had captured photos of the TROY Group’s young prince.

Now, he had transformed and appeared in China, becoming Xu Zhan’s intimate partner.

Xia Yu couldn’t release the last page from his grasp for a long time. He didn’t need to question the authenticity of the information. If Xu Ping had presented it, it couldn’t be fake.

He thought, no wonder he had always felt a sense of discord since meeting Ruan Sen. A little prince born with a silver spoon in his mouth couldn’t be the same as an escort who sold himself.

He glanced at Xu Zhan, who hadn’t spoken a word since the beginning, and felt that Xu Zhan resembled a fragile stone statue, easily shattered.

He recalled the last words Xu Ping had said, “Others are already engaged.”

He picked up the still-lit iPad and saw a news article.

The TROY Group’s young prince had become engaged to the daughter of an Italian real estate tycoon in September 2021. The engagement ceremony was low-key and heartwarming, attended only by close friends and family.

The photos below were blurry, and it was almost impossible to see Ruan Sen’s face clearly. However, the tall and bright blonde girl beside him was very conspicuous.

But even Xia Yu could recognize the dignified and elegant young man, and Xu Zhan, how could he not recognize him?

Xu Zhan seemed to be pricked by the screen’s brightness. He raised his eyes to look at Xia Yu, but he didn’t say anything. The light in his eyes had completely dimmed.

The only lie he had ever told Ruan Sen was to hide his marriage.

Lies indeed had consequences.

Ruan Sen had repaid him in kind, with lies about his age, name, and experiences.

Even his single status was a lie.

Xia Yu subconsciously grabbed Xu Zhan’s arm, and the iPad slipped from his hand, falling heavily onto the carpet.

This night was becoming excessively absurd.

He had considered countless outcomes after their frank divorce, but never this one.

On this night, no one found forgiveness or happiness, only wounds upon wounds.

And at this moment, Lu Zhao sat alone in the dining room, where the butler had brought him a bowl of tangyuan.

He picked up a spoon, scooped up one, and took a bite; it was filled with red bean paste.

He didn’t even like sweet food; it was Xia Yu who enjoyed them.

Xia Yu had mentioned to him that their family had a tradition of eating tangyuan at midnight on New Year’s Eve, so he had asked the kitchen to prepare some.

The sweetness of the red bean paste melted in his mouth, and he thought, if only time could pass more quickly; he couldn’t wait to see Xia Yu again.

Xu Zhan’s story is in the extra chapters~

Although it may seem melodramatic, it’s not as angsty as Lu Zhao and Xia Yu’s story. It’s more about misunderstandings and youthful recklessness.