Chapter 5 - Childhood Friend No. 6
Lin Quan wasn't mentally prepared at all for this sudden meeting with
Childhood Friend No. 6. While he had the heart to change the plot, he was also
filled with trepidation about facing a ruthless psycho.
Lin Quan felt stuck. The Childhood Friend No. 6 who had become completely
twisted was extremely brutal. One small thing and his fragile mental state
might be triggered into blackening at any moment. One moment, it'd be sunshine
and blue skies, and in the next, a violent storm could come at the drop of a
hat. He prayed he would be able to withstand this ordeal.
Lin Quan hurriedly dialled Qian Gu's number before Childhood Friend No. 6's
arrival to ascertain his location, even though he had little hope that Qian Gu
was still at the sanatorium.
Elder Qian was quick to give him Qian Gu's usual number—the one used for
family and close friends—so that Lin Quan could get in touch easily.
Lin Quan cleared his throat and asked, "You're not at the sanatorium, are
you?"
Soon, Lin Quan heard Qian Gu's affirmative reply, and he was extremely
disappointed. The distance between them was too great, and there was no hope
of summoning Qian Gu to just appear.
He said to Qian Gu: "Regarding the Lin-Qian family marriage alliance, I'm
being serious; it's not a joke. Can we meet up and have a proper chat about
it?"
His situation was continuing to deteriorate. He had to seize every second to
finalise this marriage with Qian Gu as soon as possible.
However, Qian Gu bluntly ended the call with, "We'll talk about this another
day."
Lin Quan: "…"
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, he actually hung up on me!
Lin Quan: Crap, crap, crap. Did he really just change his mind like that? I
promised him so many benefits, was that still not sincere enough? If he
wants something, he should just say it! There’s no need to rush and reject
me.
Lin Quan: This won’t do. I don’t have time to wait. What’s going on in Qian
Gu's head? I'm bringing the entire Lin family's fortune with me into this
marriage, and even that isn’t attractive enough?
System: No, you're very attractive. In fact, Childhood Friend No. 6, who's
about to arrive, loves you very much.
Lin Quan: His love is deadly; I can't handle it. Besides, the one he loves
is the original Lin Quan, not me.
Lin Quan: My dearest Little Temtem, can't you secretly give me Qian Gu's
info, hmm? I promise I won't tell anyone and it won’t affect your mission. I
don't know what Qian Gu likes and it's really difficult to negotiate with
him.
System: Qian Gu's info… I can't give it to you. But I can tell you where he
is right now.
Lin Quan: I have a feeling this isn't good news…
System: Childhood Friend No. 7 has asked Qian Gu out to meet for a
discussion. You were present when Childhood Friend No. 7 called Qian Gu.
Don't doubt it, it was that call earlier.
Lin Quan: I knew it's bad news. I'm going to lose my mind…
Lin Quan: How the tables have turned. Doesn’t that mean childhood friend
number seven was right next to Qian Gu when I called him? I thought of him
as my Lucky Lifesaver Charm, but there he is having tea and chatting with
another marriage candidate. I guess I can’t count on him to help me now.
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, can you do another reading for me? See if there's
another glimmer of hope. The Qian family handpicked Childhood Friend No. 7
after countless deliberations while I'm just the struggling young master of
the Lin family who popped up halfway through. I have no advantages
whatsoever; I can't compete with that.
Lin Quan: What Grandpa Qian said about young people settling their own
affairs, could he have been hinting at me that Qian Gu and Childhood Friend
No. 7 were discussing a marriage alliance and I should quietly step
aside?
Lin Quan: I’m not smart enough and I’ll die quickly anyway. Besides, they
all think that what's mine also belongs to Childhood Friend No. 7. All my
money will end up in his pocket eventually, so there's no point bothering
with me.
System: Host, you are a righteous and upstanding young man. You've got to
stay positive and strong. You have to live a brilliant life. Where there's a
will, there's a way. Don’t be disheartened. I'm on your side.
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, between Childhood Friend No. 7 and Childhood
Friend No. 6, who is stronger?
System: Their personalities are different and are headed in different
directions. No. 7 is in finance and trade, while No. 6 specialises in
medicine. In their respective fields, each is better than the other.
Lin Quan: If they're so brilliant, why don't they duke it out between
themselves instead of bullying a pitiful minor character like me? Just
because I'm dumber than them so I deserved to be trampled on? They're really
being too much.
Childhood Friend No. 6 arrived quickly. He used the shortest time, and the
shortest distance to reach Lin Quan, not giving the latter a chance to wriggle
away.
When Lin Quan looked up, he was greeted with the sight of a handsome young man
approaching him—the second son of the Ji family, Ji Shang.
Ji Shang majored in medicine. He chose this field with the purpose of curing
Li Quan of his illness and helping free him from his suffering. Ironically, in
the end, it was Ji Shang who tormented Lin Quan the most.
At that moment, Ji Shang carefully cradled a bag of freshly roasted chestnuts
in his coat. The soft light grey cashmere jumper made his entire aura appear
even gentler. The tenderness in his eyes was nearly overflowing, and his
bright smile blended perfectly with the warm sunshine.
What a beautiful scene. What an eye-catching guy. But how utterly deceiving.
Lin Quan scoffed internally, "Young man teetering on the edge of madness, how
shall I pull you back onto the right path and make you stay far, far away from
me? Feelings can't be forced. Promise me, don't force it, alright?"
Ji Shang strode up to Lin Quan, his eyes reflecting Lin Quan’s figure. His
entire life’s emotions were contained in that gaze—his heart and soul held
only one person.
Lin Quan felt a shiver run down his spine as Ji Shang stared at him. He
couldn't tell if those eyes were filled with affection or the darkness of the
endless abyss. Lin Quan reminded himself again and again that he couldn't run,
he mustn’t provoke Childhood Friend No. 6's emotions. Otherwise, if it were up
to him, he definitely would've made a break for it and disappeared with the
wind.
When Ji Shang saw Elder Qian, his emotions flickered for an instant and
disappeared, leaving no trace behind. He politely greeted the elder before
quickly saying to Lin Quan with a smile, "The chestnuts are still hot. Eat
them while they're warm. I’ll peel them for you."
The bodyguards brought over a table and chairs, and Ji Shang expertly peeled
the chestnuts. He was very focused. As he lowered his head, the sunlight cast
a soft glow on his profile, making him look like a work of art.
Too bad Lin Quan couldn't appreciate the beauty of this scene. Al he could
think about was how he didn't need to worry about Childhood Friend No. 6
poisoning his food with Grandpa Qian here.
Childhood Friend No. 6 was extremely gentle, but when twisted he also became
equally as cruel. As a medicine student, he put all that knowledge to use on
the young master of the Lin family, making him unable to seek death, but also
unable to live.
Lin Quan wasn't sure what Ji Shang was thinking, but he had a sneaking
suspicion the other man saw through his worries. Whether it was out of
courtesy, or perhaps to ease Lin Quan's doubt, Ji Shang placed the first
chestnuts he peeled in front of Elder Qian; elders first.
Elder Qian was in a good mood. He graciously ate two chestnuts and even
complimented the flavour. Thus, Lin Quan gathered his courage and took a small
bite. It was warm, and the unique sweetness of the sugar-roasted chestnuts
spread through his mouth, instantly lifting his spirits.
Just then, Lin Quan heard a soft chuckle. "Tasty?"
When he turned, he found that Ji Shang had leaned in closer. Ji Shang's black
eyes sparkled in the sunlight, the breeze gently tousled his dark hair, making
him look especially harmless.
Lin Quan nodded his head and replied honestly, "It's delicious."
As long as Ji Shang wasn’t poisoning him or harbouring any bad intentions, Lin
Quan didn't mind playing along with his act.
"I'm glad you like it," Ji Shang said with a smile.
During the leisurely time that followed, Lin Quan couldn't shake the feeling
that it was all too good to be true. Ji Shang was good-tempered and
knowledgeable, chatting with Elder Qian and Lin Quan about all sorts of
interesting topics under the sun. Time and again, found his attention being
drawn in by the various topics.
Grandpa Qian was delighted. "If only my cold, distant grandson had half as
good a temperament as you. Maybe he'd spend more time chatting with an old man
like me."
"Qian Gu is very outstanding. Compared to him, I still have a long way to go,"
Ji Shang replied modestly with a smile.
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, are these chestnuts laced with lethal poison? Am I
hallucinating? Isn't Childhood Friend No. 6 supposed to be the dangerous,
deadly type?
Lin Quan: If he knew I was set on marrying Qian Gu, would he still be this
polite and think he's no match for Qian Gu?
System: He's only not dangerous today. Childhood Friend No. 6 has a deep
respect for Elder Qian. If you don't go crazy on pushing his buttons, his
emotions won't spiral out of control.
Lin Quan remained in a state of worry and relief until Ji Shang was about to
leave. With a smile, Ji Shang said to him, "There are some things I’d like to
say to you in private."
Lin Quan felt his heart drop. No, he didn't want to hear them. He couldn’t
stray too far from Old Master Qian, his lucky charm. He was afraid that
Childhood Friend No. 6 would go crazy on a whim.
Ji Shang walked a short distance away, not too far, not too close, and
patiently waited for Lin Quan. If Lin Quan chose to follow, Ji Shang would
share his joy. If not, he wouldn’t force him.
Lin Quan anxiously kept an eye on his HP. It started to fluctuate up and down
but thankfully not by much. His HP would drop from "20" to "19", then rise
back to "20", over and over again.
The small fluctuations meant Lin Quan's life wasn't in immediate danger. He
didn't have to worry about Ji Shang kidnapping him to some remote location
where no one would find his body even if he died.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Lin Quan stepped towards Ji Shang. At that
moment, Ji Shang’s smile deepened. "Ah Quan, I feel so happy today."
Before Lin Quan could feel any relief from sending him off, Ji Shang added,
"I'll make sure to get you out of here soon. Don't be scared, I'll protect
you."
Lin Quan's face remained expressionless, but internally he was screaming,
"Bro. Please, just let me be." Following Childhood Friend No. 6 was destined
to lead him to a miserable death, a fate worse than being stuck in this
sanatorium. He'd rather climb the walls and escape in the middle of the night.
As Lin Quan silently pondered how to politely turn him down, Ji Shang suddenly
hugged him without warning. "From now on, if you need anything, just tell me.
You can use me however you like. I’m willing to do anything for you. Don't be
sad, Ah Quan. Whatever you've lost, I’ll help you get it back. The Lin
family's fortune belongs to you, and no one can take that away."
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, what's he on about now? Look at this face of
shock, I am completely baffled.
System: When you were chatting with Elder Qian, you said, "Some things,
once lost, are gone forever." Childhood Friend No. 6 picked up on that and
wants to help you deal with Childhood Friend No. 7. Didn't you notice the
knowing smile on Elder Qian's face at the time?
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, does being dumbed down have side effects? I was
just making a casual remark, yet everyone’s reading too much into it…
Lin Quan: It was just a passing remark, with no hidden meaning.
System: No worries, isn't this what you wanted? To use Childhood Friend No.
6 to make things difficult for Childhood Friend No. 7?
Lin Quan: I did have that idea. But the current situation is that
money-grubber No. 7 and psycho No. 6 are completely beyond control. God
knows, if things will get better or worse.
Lin Quan: Forget it, I can't handle them. I'll just focus on staying alive.
I wish them all the best with their little games.
The next second, a faint smile appeared on Lin Quan's lips. He turned to Ji
Shang and nodded gently. "Alright."
He was looking forward to the clash between Childhood Friend No. 6 and
Childhood Friend No. 7.
Ji Shang was full of confidence. "Don't worry, Ah Quan. Wait for my good
news."
A/N:
Lin Quan: *Waves* Goodbye, Childhood Friend No. 6~
Qian Gu: …
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