Chapter 18

BEFORE SHAO YOU could get the enigma to explain what he meant by that statement, a sharp sound cut through the quietness of the early morning.

Both heads snapped towards where the sound came from. It was Shao You’s phone ringing on the nightstand.

Weird. He hadn’t had a phone call for a while now. Not even the company cared for him.

Hua Yong turned to him. “You have a call.”

“I can see that.” he deadpanned, turning to grab it. But Hua Yong was faster and snatched it from the nightstand, looked at the name on the caller and frowned.

“It has no ID,” he announced rather brat-like.

Shao You shot him an annoyed look before reaching over to grab his phone. “Give me my phone, dummy.”

Hua Yong handed it to the alpha with a cute smile, like he hadn’t just invaded his privacy. Shao You rolled his eyes at him with mock irritation, then turned to the person on the phone.

His voice came out hoarse. “Hello?”

“Good morning, Mr. Sheng.” a low, feminine voice came through the phone.

Shao You’s eyes widened at the man settling between his legs. More than anticipation, dread won. His throat bobbed. “Um-good morning?”

“This is Gao Tu. Your father’s lawyer.”

And Shao You jerked suddenly but even he was unsure whether it was from the mention of his father or Hua Yong’s teeth grazing his earlobe. The sensation sent a shiver down his spine.

“Oh-oh okay,” he stammered, trying to pull his head away but firm hands found his neck and wrapped its fingers around it. Hua Yong was choking him.

And somehow, he bared his neck to him.

“I’m sorry I called this early but your father said I could call you,” the lawyer clarified. “There wasn’t anyone else to call.”

“Oh. . .” Shao You gasped out. Hua Yong’s mouth was on his neck now, nibbling the soft skin like a squirrel with a nut.

Hua Yong was a crazy man. Did he not see him talking on the phone?

Something rattled on the other end of the phone, snapping him out of his trance. “Hello? Are you there, Mr. Sheng?”

Shao You put the phone back to his ear, trying to ignore the pressure building in his groin once again. He nodded, smiling like the person over the phone could see. “So-sorry. I’m here. Continue.”

He felt soft lips thread dangerously close to his scent gland. Oh God. How ready was he for this?

“Okay. I just called to inform you that the date of your father’s trial has been set.”

Trial.

The words echoed in his head long after it had been uttered.

Trial. It ceased the breath from his lungs.

Trial. His throat tightened and fists clenched.

The world seemed to stop. The room tilted on its axis, a sinking feeling settling in his stomach. Felt like it was sucking the only bit of self esteem he had left in him into the void.

Fast. And all he could do was sit and watch himself feel it. Reality crashing into him with full force.

It was happening. The last step to his life crashing in was here.

He didn’t know how bad his reaction had been until the hands touching on him stopped abruptly and Hua Yong immediately pulled back. He watched him, his face clouding at Shao You’s sudden sad expression.

His heart sank. The man he loved was on the verge of tears.

Hua Yong inched closer and cupped his face in his palm. Worried eyes locked onto glassy eyes.

“Are you okay? What is it, baby?” then he glared at the phone hard. Like it was responsible for all his problems if he had one. “Who is it?” He did not give a damn if the person over the phone could hear him or not.

Hearing him, “Mr. Sheng?” the voice called.

Shao You shook his head at the enigma, sucking the tears in. He couldn’t cry.

He shouldn’t. Not in front of Hua Yong. Not in front of the only shot at happiness he had now.

He took a deep breath, dragging a hand down his face. “I’m still here. When is it?”

“Next Tuesday.”

Next Tuesday? That was just a week from today.

His grip subconsciously tightened on the hand in his, totally unaware he was squeezing too tight. Somehow they had intertwined hands, the other’s gaze burning the side of his face. He gazed down when he felt another hand placed on them. It was Hua Yong trying to get him to ease up.

He did.

“Is there anything I should do before then? Any procedures?”

Hua Yong remained quiet by his side. Avoiding his gaze, Shao You lowered his eyes to their looped hands.

He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to avoid toppling over if he looked at him.

“Not really. I have everything under control. I’ll inform you if you have to do something.”

A palpable pause. Then the voice came through again, softer and almost manipulative.

“Actually there’s something,” he paused for dramatic effect. “Why don’t you try visiting your father instead. He’s not had anyone check on him since he was arrested.”

He told him that. This had Sheng Fang written all over it.

Shao You slumped his shoulders, eyes rolling shut at the feel of warm hands on his thigh, massaging the spot. He hesitated. “I-“

The lawyer cut in again before he could form a proper excuse. “You don’t have to. But know you’re his only living family at the moment. And he’s standing trial soon. No matter how bad he is, he’s still your father isn’t he? Just visit him once and lift his mood up.” he paused and chuckled. “Don’t tell him this but he’s really a grumpy man.

Shao You continued staring down. If he lifted his head and saw Hua Yong, he would break down.

“Shao You…” the lawyer called his name softly snapping him back to reality. And in the reality, he was going to make a very big decision. “there’s a visiting day tomorrow. I’m going to get you a permit. You can choose to go or not.”

The line went dead.

That was all it took for a tear to drop from his eyes. It landed right where their palms met. It burned where it touched, evaporating all the hope he’d dared to harbour.

Because now he was forced to deal with reality. The reality that his whole life was indeed crashing down outside and he was in another man’s bed playing house.

Sheng Fang’s trial meant him going from something to nothing.

So much had already been ceased. Really, what else did he have now? Everything he once had slipping through his fingers from him.

The worse, there wasn’t anything else to do than to just watch it happen.

That was what made it more painful.

His inability to do anything.

_____

AT NOON THE next day, Shao You arrived at the gated doors of the detention.

Just as he walked through the wooden double doors of the visitation building, annex to the cells, he stopped dead in his tracks.

From the end of the long hallway, amidst passing officers in dark navy uniforms, a familiar figure came into view, coming out from where he was headed.

The man he was looking at stopped some feet away from him when he raised his head and noticed him too. They stared at each other before both stepped forward at the same time.

Shao You’s throat tightened. “Shen Wen Lang?”

Shen Wen Lang broke into a big grin, falling into Shao You’s unwelcoming arms. He didn’t care that Shao You didn’t hug him back. He just held on tightly, his light chuckle vibrating through the dumbfounded alpha.

Shao You was the one to pull back, almost yanking the man off him.

Though the other alpha didn’t seem to care. “Gege,” Wen Lang called, voice rich with excitement. “It’s so good to see you.”

Shao You merely stared at him, mouth still hanging open. To say he was shocked would be an understatement.

The last time he heard of this man, he had moved to the states. And that was fifteen years ago. After the numerous times he chased after Shao You to cement a bond with him and the alpha just ignored him.

Shao You just never thought he’d see him again. At the very least, he wasn’t looking forward to it.

Sheng Fang had many children. Bastards as one would call them. They were so many even he did not know if they indeed the ten acknowledged. There could be more stranded on some island for all he knew.

The first one showed up when Shao You was ten. That was Shen Wen Lang, a boy only two years younger than him. He had big brown eyes and auburn hair like he was mixed, a theory that would later be confirmed. He was half white, half Chinese.

Though his features had matured now. His jawline was sharper, muscle toned and stretching the T-shirt he was wearing and a more calmer movements than when Shao You first met him.

Wen Lang had been so friendly and clingy Shao You secretly looked forward to meeting him even when he’d act like he hated him. He hanged around for a few years until Shao You one day got a letter that he was leaving to the States with his omega mother.

After Wen Lang went away, the others started springing up. But to the young boy’s dismay, they were nothing like Wen Lang. Rude, egoistic, and audacious. Like the tenth child who threatened to come for his position in their home, and then his inheritance.

A mere omega. Eighteen year old Shao You had been livid. But suddenly one day, they all just disappeared out of their lives. No more random omegas with their teenage or younger children claiming to be Sheng Fang’s blood. And the already existing ones, they never came back to the mansion. He knew they were around somewhere but not where exactly. Shao You was sure it had something to do with his father. There was no telling how far the man could go to keep his legacy.

Sheng Fang had treated all of them so badly seeing one of them here astonished him speechless.

When he finally found his voice, he asked the man in front of him what he was doing here. “Did you come to visit him?”

Him being their irresponsible father.

Wen Lang who was still cheesing gave him a nod. “Yes.” he replied.

“Did you meet him already? Did you guys talk?”

His smile did not leave his face. “No. He didn’t want me to meet him.” he uttered in a small voice.

“Oh.” That was all Shao You could utter.

“It’s no problem though,” Wen Lang added. “I knew he was going to reject me. I just wanted to try.”

His eyes moved to Shao You’s side, brow arched and back at him.

“Don’t take it to heart.” Shao You tried to placate him. “He’s like that sometimes. I know he’ll come around.”

Wen Lang was shaking his head before he could finish. He gave Shao You a warm smile. “You don’t have to try to comfort me, gege. I’m not sad.” He leaned forward and grabbed Shao You’s hands. “Infact I’m happier now. Because I got to see you.”

Shao You returned his smile. He wished he could say it back but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. So he nodded in hopes the other would know

Wen Lang seemed to have caught on and released him. “You’re going to see him right?” he questioned.

“Yes. I’ve not really seen him since he was taken in custody.”

“Really?” Wen Lang gasped in disbelief. “That’s…surprising.”

Shao You tilted his head. He shrugged his shoulders. “Is it?”

“On a second thought, no.”

A mutual understanding passed between them, sealed with a smile.

“What are you doing here though? I thought you were in the States.”

Wen Lang made a face, the action making him seem meaner than usual. “I was.” he said. Then he fished out a card from his jeans pocket and handed it to Shao You.

Shao You read the name on the business card. “O-cean Studios?”

Wen Lang nodded quickly. “I got into photography in college.” His grin couldn’t have been wider. “You’re now looking at the CEO of a photography studio right here in Jianghu. I came back to share my expertise here.”

“Oh really?” Shao You felt genuinely happy for him. Relieving as well. One of them having their life together meant assured fruit baskets for when Sheng Fang was in prison.

By then, he would have been broke and homeless.

“How long have you been back?”

“A week now. I heard about our father when I arrived.”

The mood turned solemn as soon as Sheng Fang was mentioned again. But trust sunshine and rainbow Wen Lang to not let darkness dwell for too long.

“I wanted to come see you though,” he admitted, he paused and gauged Shao You’s enthusiasm. There was some so he continued, “I would have come to you after meeting him.”

Shao You was glad they met here then. Because he’d been living in Hua Yong’s suite for the past week and days. Wen Lang would have have missed him.

Before Shao You could say anything else though, Wen Lang turned to Hua Yong who had come up to stand beside Shao You.

“Who’s this?” Wen Lang wiggled his eyebrow at Shao You. “Your omega?”

Omega?

Shao You could not stop the chuckle that tore out of him. Omega? And the supposed omega’s face didn’t make it better. He just stared straight ahead, poker faced and seemingly uninterested in their conversation.

Could he blame Wen Lang though? Hua Yong fit the omega description quite well. Even he had been deceived. His feminine features and prettiness did him more harm than good.

Sometimes Shao You wondered how he’d climbed through the rank with that face. In a world that treated soft looking men like trash. Then it would hit him, of course. Hua Yong was an enigma.

Shao You made an attempt to correct him. But not only did Hua Yong’s hand grip his waist to stop him, a loud bored sound cut through the air as well.

“Sheng Shao You!”

His honorary name got loudly shouted from across the hall by an unidentified face. Someone clearly done with life as he was. It was time to go meet his father.

Shao You turned back to him wearing an apologetic smile. “That’s me.” he murmured.

“That’s you,” Wen Lang chuckled. “At least you get to see him. But I won’t take anymore of your time, yeah? Let’s have lunch when you’re available, yes? There’s a lot to catch up on.”

Shao You nodded, already slipping his fingers in Hua Yong’s like he was going to run. “Okay. I’ll give you a call.”

Wen Lang smiled. “Good. I’ll be waiting for you.” Then he looked between Hua Yong and Shao You and at their joined hands, smile getting bigger. “…and happy love life. I’m really happy for you.”

A year ago, or even a month ago, Shao You would have scrambled to correct him. That they weren’t lovers. Now, he just didn’t care. This time around, he just nodded and patted the back of his younger brother who threw his arms around him in another hug.

Lasting only a micro second Wen Lang gave him another big smile, then at Hua Yong who remained hostile before turning away.

Shao You watched him go, his fingers digging into his palm mindlessly.

He didn’t envy them one bit. His father’s other children. The ones he knew existed and the ones that were purely a theory. If he thought he had it bad, they had it worse.

They were treated like their name-illegitimate children. Or as his father liked to call them, his mistakes. Sheng Fang would only see them once in a year. Other times, not at all. They didn’t have his last name nor his time. And as for his will, none of them were making it.

But with the nature of his crimes, it had no relevance. The only thing Shao You had over them was his legitimacy and even that was being stripped away from him in such an unfair manner.

Their home. The company. Shao You’s position as CFO. He still had his name on something that would eventually be taken from him.

ShengFang was a selfish man. This was his fault.

And as Sheng Wen Lang rounded the corner, Shao You felt they were really brothers after all. They both had nothing from their father.

______________________________

Gao Tu and Wen Lang cameo, what?!

See you next chapter

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