“I’m still confused Jongdae-ah” Xiu Min still pursing his lips. His conversation with Zufu and Zeng Zufu clearly stated they both wanted Tao to be the successor. “Aren’t you going to explain to me?”

“Sure, but I have to warn you, our family’s history is not pretty. Wealth and success didn’t print out from golden ink, but blood and sweat” Chen answered as they drove away “Tao preferred to have you stay away from this, but I had a feeling that Zufu would use you to stir the boy”

“Enlighten me then. I don’t like how they treated my father and my brother over the years and now they wanted my brother like he’s some property”

“There are three branches of families, the eldest are the Yi, but the main family, Mr. Yi Lu, his wife and their eldest son died in a car accident ten years ago, Yi Xing is the last on their line so when he became an orphan, the main house took him. Since Mr. Yi Lu as the main successor died, the role of head of family passed from Zeng Zufu to Tao’s Zufu”

“Oh my god, Yi Xing has no parents?” Xiu Min was shocked “There are others in the Yi clan, right? Can’t they adopt him?He still need parents role”

Chen scoffed“The Yi, they lose hope after Mr. Yi Lu died, so they relied on Yi Xing to be the successor, they gave him to the main house so he could be educated since early age. No one care weather the ten year old boy was in greave or not”

The face of Yi Xing smiling and laughing flashed on Xiu Min’s mind, how gentle and innocence he was. Now he knew why he was so attracted to the boy, because he was lonely too, he also tried to find the place he belongs to, just like him.

“The second eldest are the Huang, Zeng Zufu took the role as head of family since Mr. Yi Lu’s father passed away in early age. Then when Mr. Yi Lu and his family died, Zeng Zufu passed it to his son in law. My father was supposed to married his daughter so their children could be the next successor, but she ended up married your father. And Tao, being a half blood and the marriage wasn’t acknowledge by the main house, was out casted”

“I still don’t get it, why he wants Tao now? Not from earlier”

Chen glanced at the older boy “As you can see, Xiu ge. There are many unwanted deaths in the family. Zeng Zufu strictly ordered Zufu not to take Tao to the main house. If other families know he could be the threat as next successor, his life in danger”

Xiu Min’s jaw dropped in shock “That’s so sick, how can it be?” He felt goose bumps on his neck “It’s a good thing I declined the offer. I don’t want Tao got involve with all those people”

Chen looked straight at the traffic ahead. Their car wasn’t moving since fifteen minutes ago and he was amused because he knew Tao must be cursing at him right now since he had his phone switched off.

“The problem is...” his esmile disappeared and he became serious“Zufu is cornered now”

“Why?” Xiu Min who was looking at the window beside him, turned over.

“The third family, Wu Clan”

“Wu Yi Fan...” Xiu Min muttered his name.

“Yes, Wu Yi Fan. He was taken to the main house at the same time Yi Xing was taken. Everybody thought he just stayed there to be Yi Xing’s right hand”

“And now it flipped around” said Xiu Min, and Chen nodded “That’s why he said he’s out of the business”

“Yes, when he turned twenty, he announced that he forfeited as the successor, leaving the role solely to Yi Fan. Until now, the Yi elders still asked him to cancel it, but he showed no interest. Our family business covered IT, electronics, and media, but Yi Xing decided to pursued other thingsand went to Art”

Xiu Min was frowning.

“You and Yi Fan, always felt the need to be though for others, wanted to protect those important to you. Ignoring your own pain...”

Yi Xing’s words were lingering in his head. What if Yi Fan took the role so he could protect Yi Xing?

-

Pretty Minseokie is Pretty Minseokie~