Mistaken Canary Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Zhuo Zi was completely gobsmacked.
The last time she had asked, Mr. Ying had mentioned that her ge’s boyfriend was his younger brother, and that the photo from the Wimbledon Hotel was of his younger brother!
But this younger brother... if it was true as Mr. Ying had said, was the son of his parents' divorce and had stayed with his mother. However, this boy’s age seemed too...
She looked at Zhuo Shu with pain in her eyes. This wasn’t the face of someone who deserved a dunk in a pig cage! This was clearly someone who was about to end up in jail!
“What are you imagining?” Zhuo Shu pulled her aside. “Hurry up and go home.”
Zhuo Zi quietly asked, “What’s really going on between you two? If you don’t tell me the truth, don’t blame me for cutting all ties and personally sending you to prison!”
“...”
Zhuo Shu hailed a cab and shoved her into it. “Use your brain.”
“Where are you going?!” Zhuo Zi watched him slam the door and walk back toward the trio. In a flash of realization, she finally remembered what was off.
That photo clearly captured a man too mature in appearance to be merely thirteen.
So that means...
“AHHHHH!!!”
“Little girl, what’s going on with you?” The driver was startled and laughed, “Others might think I’ve done something to you.”
“Ahhhhh! I have a in-law now! Oh my god! Mr. Ying is actually my in-law!” Zhuo Zi excitedly clutched her bag, bouncing all the way home.
…
Meanwhile, at a nearby café, Ying Tongchen sat in the corner, his expression cold and distant as he stared at the two people across from him.
Zhuo Shu sat beside him, fiddling with his phone, occasionally throwing side glances at them.
Irri Tating had been a belle in her youth, always fond of dressing up, which led her to marry Ying Tongchen’s father. The two of them shared similar tastes and spent money lavishly.
However, after marriage, the issues began to surface. They had no savings, and the constant bickering and insults started to tear their relationship apart.
Ying Tongchen’s father felt disrespected, so he went out and found a gentle, obedient mistress.
Irri Tating, having just given birth, didn’t dare to divorce, so she would constantly stir up trouble at her in-laws’ house to get money from the elderly relatives.
Later, she thought she had found true love and, in her desire for revenge against Ying Tongchen’s father, decided to cheat during her marriage, even having another child.
The family became nothing more than a name, and it wasn’t until Ying Tongchen was in high school that it completely fell apart.
Now years later, Irri Tating finally took a good look at Ying Tongchen. She had once seen him as a burden, but now, as she looked at him, she realized that he had perfectly inherited her beauty.
She touched her now-aging face, giving an awkward smile. “Tongchen, do you miss your mom?”
Ying Tongchen gave a cold, mocking laugh. “Get to the point, or get lost.”
“Yes, yes.” Irri Tating had expected that after so many years, this child might have softened, but he was still as sharp-tongued as ever. However, since she needed something from him, she lowered her stance. “Tongchen, I’m divorced. That guy was never my true love. He lied to me, saying he’d take us abroad, but all he did was make me wash dishes! Then, after just a few years, he abandoned us and went to Africa to mine coal, leaving the two of us all alone.”
Zhuo Shu gave a sardonic laugh. "You two, alone?"
Irri Tating glanced at him, noting his refined attire and handsome appearance. She couldn’t help but ask, “Tongchen, is this your friend?”
Ying Tongchen’s expression grew colder, not wanting to associate her with Zhuo Shu in any way. He stood up, intending to leave. “If you don’t want to talk, then let’s not.”
“Wait, wait! I’ll talk, I’ll talk, just don’t go yet.” Irri Tating quickly grabbed his arm. “Tongchen, help out Xiao Tant. After all, he’s your half-brother.”
Ying Tongchen glanced at the young boy next to her, who was busy playing on his phone. “I have no relationship with him.”
Irri Tating stammered, “Whether you acknowledge him or not, he’s still your younger brother. Since we came back into the country, we’ve been looking for a school for him. People from the old hometown say that you’re a teacher here, and the school is one of the best. Can you help Xiao Tant get in?”
“The tuition isn’t cheap,” Ying Tongchen replied, his voice sharp. “Can you afford it?”
Irri Tating looked at him with pleading eyes. “Tongchen, you know I don’t have much money…”
Ying Tongchen’s eyes were winter-cold, his hand slowly balling into a fist, leaving marks in his palm. “Get lost.”
Irri Tating raised her voice, “Tongchen, do you really intend to watch us die without offering aid?” drawing the attention of several nearby customers.
Zhuo Shu, who had been mostly silent, now shot her a sharp smile, “Finally, we’re talking about money?”
Irri Tating paused, taken aback. “You... who are you?”
“Me?” Zhuo Shu slipped his phone away, stretched his legs out, crossed them casually, hands in pockets, leaning back like he owned the place.
Ying Tongchen glanced at him sideways, ready to tell him, ‘don’t say anything to these people’—
Zhuo Shu sneered, “I’m his creditor.”
Ying Tongchen: “...”
Irri Tating stared in shock. “Cre–Creditor?”
“He’s got a debt over ten million that he can’t repay. You’re just in time, since you’re his mother, how about you take on this debt for him?” Zhuo Shu said with a devilish grin.
“Over ten million?!” Irri Tating stared at Ying Tongchen in disbelief.
Ying Tongchen's lips twitched slightly, and he lowered his head in an attempt to keep his composure.
Irri Tating understood this as silent acknowledgment and grew even more incredulous. “I heard he even became a boss! How could he owe so much money?”
“How shallow.” Zhuo Shu chuckled heartlessly. “The bigger the boss, the greater the risk. The amount of loss isn’t something people like you—who wash dishes or mine coal—can even imagine. He mismanaged, went bankrupt, and ended up back here as a teacher.”
Irri Tating’s face turned pale from shock. She anxiously turned to Ying Tongchen. “Tongchen, is that true?”
Ying Tongchen’s lips tightened, his head hanging lower, his shoulders trembling slightly.
“Of course it’s true,” Zhuo Shu said with a smirk. “Look at him, wiping away tears quietly. If you want to see the contract, come with me later.” He relaxed further in his chair, coolly adding, “At his current salary, he’ll never pay it off in this lifetime. You came just in time. From now on, his family will be responsible for his debt. Otherwise, I’ll start breaking his…your limbs.”
Irri Tant, young and inexperienced, had never encountered such dark sides of society. He instinctively thought of the gangster movies he had seen, feeling his heart race and his nerves on edge. He quietly tugged at Irri Tating’s arm and whispered, “Mom, let’s leave.”
“Leave? It’s not that easy. I’ve been waiting for someone to come and repay the debt,” Zhuo Shu said, making a phone call.
…
A sharp and capable woman walked in, followed by eight imposing men, who immediately created a human wall around their table.
“Boss, your orders?” Mi Shu nodded and asked in a firm voice.
Zhuo Shu casually gestured at the two people across from him. “She’s Ying Tongchen’s biological mother. From now on, she’ll take responsibility for the debt. As for the kid... send him to the construction site to move bricks, have him work for me for a lifetime.”
“Mom, no! I don’t want to move bricks!” Irri Tant, shaking with fear, looked at the implacable, muscular men around them. “I don’t want to study anymore, I won’t go to school! Let’s just go!”
Irri Tating's face turned ashen as she asked, “Tongchen, are you really in that much debt?”
Ying Tongchen kept his head lowered, his voice choked up, a far cry from his usual calm tone. “Mm, you can pay it for me.”
Zhuo Shu raised an eyebrow. "Well then, it's settled."
"No, no, no!" Irri Tating immediately retorted, clutching her bag. "What does this have to do with us? The debt is his, why should I pay for it?"
"But from what I saw earlier, you seemed quite affectionate with him." Zhuo Shu was reasonable.
“No, no, it’s a fake! We’re not close, we haven’t seen each other in years,” Irri Tating said, standing up and making to drag Irri Tant away. However, the burly men blocked their way.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.
“I already said we won’t let you leave that easily,” Zhuo Shu remarked. Looking over at Mi Shu, he said, “Take Ying Tongchen back and keep an eye on him. Don’t let him run off.”
"Understood." Mi Shu extended her hand. "Mister Ying, come with us willingly. Don't make us take action."
"..." Ying Tongchen glanced at Zhuo Shu, then stood up and followed his escort out. As they reached the door of the shop, he looked back at Irri Tating's figure, gave a self-mocking smile, and left without a second glance.
By the time Irri Tating turned to find Ying Tongchen, they were already out of sight. She turned back, nervously and fearfully facing Zhuo Shu and his men. "What do you want? Be careful, or I'll call the police!"
"Go right ahead, do you need me to help you with that?" Zhuo Shu asked.
Irri Tating saw his indifferent attitude and, after a moment's thought, remembered the gangsters in ‘The Bund’ she had watched years ago. Those men were overly violent!
The man before her now... he had a similar violent air to him.
Allowing her to dial the police showed he wasn’t scared at all. In fact, when the officers got there, she could be missing more than just her freedom.
The thought sent cold sweat down her back. "I beg you, just let us go. We can’t even afford tuition—how could we possibly pay you back?"
"But aren't you his biological mother?" Zhuo Shu dropped his flashy stance and sat upright, his aura intensifying. "If you don't want to help him repay this debt, fine. But I need you to sign this written agreement."
Mi Shu presented the prepared document to Irri Tating and generously provided a pen.
"Written agreement?" Irri Tating immediately asked.
Zhuo Shu: "From now on, his life, his health, his wealth or poverty will have nothing to do with you."
Irri Tating trembled. "You want us to... sever ties with him?"
Zhuo Shu nodded. "You don’t want to? Then the ten million..."
"Mom, just write it!" Irri Tant urged. "What’s the point of studying? All it brings is a mountain of debt. Hurry up and sign it so we can go home!"
"Alright... I'll sign, I’ll sign it." Irri Tating trembled as she took the paper and pen from Mi Shu, signing the document to sever ties.
Zhuo Shu retrieved it, glanced over it, and coldly said, "Go. Don’t come here again. If I find out you’ve been secretly looking for him, you will bear the consequences."
"Okay! Okay! We won’t look for him again," Irri Tating hurriedly said, pulling Irri Tant along as they quickly ran out of the shop.
After a long while, Mi Shu finally let out a breath of relief. "Tsk, tsk, these two really paid the price for their lack of education. Boss, how was our acting?"
Zhuo Shu looked at them, then said, "You all get a bonus. Go back and continue working."
The employees, still feeling the adrenaline high from their performance, reluctantly returned to the company. Mi Shu noticed Zhuo Shu unmoving, lost in thought as he stared at the written agreement in his hand. She said, "Mister Ying has gone home."
"Mm." Zhuo Shu crumpled the paper into his hand, then tossed the wad to Mi Shu. "Keep this safe. Don’t let him see it."
"Understood." Although Mi Shu didn’t know the full story, from the scene just now, she had a rough idea of what was going on. "That woman really doesn’t deserve to be a mother."
Zhuo Shu was silent for a moment before quietly saying, "She’s not Ying Tongchen’s mother, but she is that boy’s mother."
"Yeah, they're both sons. Why treat them so differently?" Mi Shu said indignantly. "Bah."
…
Zhuo Shu walked to Ying Tongchen’s apartment and knocked on the door, but there was no response.
Ying Tongchen, freshly showered, walked into the living room and grabbed a carton of milk. He had just taken a few sips when he heard the sound of the door unlocking. He froze, turned his head, and a thread of milk traced down his chin.
When he saw it was Zhuo Shu, he sighed in relief, still bemused. "Where did you get the key?"
Zhuo Shu closed the door and waved the key in his hand. "Last time you told me to wait for you here, and I was bored... so I got a copy made."
Ying Tongchen: "…"
Zhuo Shu stepped forward, noticing his lips slightly parting. Fearing that he would demand the key, he reached out, gently touching his cheek. His thumb rubbed the corner of Ying Tongchen’s mouth before he leaned down to kiss the milk off his jaw, then pressed his lips against his.
And so, the subject of the key was not brought up again.
Before they fell asleep, Zhuo Shu held him close and asked, "Are you upset?"
"It’s fine... I’m used to it. As long as I don’t get my hopes up, I won’t be disappointed..." Ying Tongchen closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.
Zhuo Shu softly stroked his head, feeling his heart ache. If only he could cry it all out and let go of his pain. But instead, there wasn’t even enough energy to feel resentment anymore. It must be how deeply he had been let down by his family.
"Don’t worry, they won’t come looking for you again. If they do, I’ll make sure to drive them away."
‘And, in the future, I’ll be your home.’
"This time I owe you a debt of ten million, but next time, what will it be?" Ying Tongchen was amused.
"A debt of love," Zhuo Shu responded.
Ying Tongchen smiled, then, after a moment, said, "Thanks."
"Thanks for what? We're beyond that now," Zhuo Shu said meaningfully. "Right?"
Ying Tongchen noticed a certain man’s ‘reaction’ and opened his eyes to glance at him. "Stay away from me."
"Nope." Zhuo Shu hugged him and rubbed against him, and before long, rubbing turned into something more heated.
Ying Tongchen flipped over, pinning Zhuo Shu down. He turned on the bedside lamp, a glimmer of amusement flashing in his eyes. "I think you don’t know how formidable Mr. Ying is."
Zhuo Shu: (*^▽^*)
…
The next day, the sun shone brightly outside.
When Ying Tongchen woke up, he got out of bed to get some water. As he made his way to the kitchen, he saw Zhuo Shu standing on the balcony. Still groggy and yawning, he asked, "What do you want to eat?"
"Anything’s fine," Zhuo Shu replied, turning his head.
Only then did Ying Tongchen notice that he was on the phone. Not wanting to disturb him, he quietly ordered some breakfast online, then went to freshen up and change clothes.
While eating breakfast, he casually asked, "Whose call was that?"
"My parents."
"Oh, do you usually contact them so early?" Ying Tongchen asked, taking a sip of his milk.
"Not usually. But today is New Year's Day," Zhuo Shu replied. "They said they want to meet you."
Pooff—
Zhuo Shu calmly picked up a tissue and wiped his face. "Is that okay?"
Ying Tongchen wiped the milk from his lips, but his expression betrayed him: he was rattled. "Meet me?"
"Yes." Zhuo Shu nodded, his tone teasingly harsh. "I knew it, that naughty girl can never keep her mouth shut."
"..." Ying Tongchen held his forehead. "Can you laugh any harder?"
Zhuo Shu pinched his cheek, making sure his smile didn't reach the ceiling. "Let’s go; they’ve very sincerely invited you over for a home visit."
"..."
Ying Tongchen propped his forehead with one hand, while his other coyly crept across the table before clasping Zhuo Shu’s hand. His tone softened. "Do we really have to go today? Can I get a rain check?"
Zhuo Shu smiled and took both of his hands in his, his voice gentle. "No, we can't."
Ying Tongchen’s face dropped, and he yanked his hand back.
…
Two hours later outside the Zhou’s family home, Ying Tongchen sat in the car, taking deep breaths—taking—deep—breaths—
Zhuo Shu noticed he was taking too long to get out of the car and couldn’t help but laugh. "What are you afraid of? My parents aren’t going to eat you. Besides, didn’t you visit once before?"
"That was different! Last time was an official home visit!" Ying Tongchen rolled his eyes at him, suddenly reaching out to rub Zhuo Shu’s head to relieve his stress.
Zhuo Shu laughed and begged for mercy, quickly escaping the car. He opened the passenger door, extending his hand. "Mr. Ying, please~"
Ying Tongchen smacked his hand away and got out of the car. Seeing Zhuo Shu’s hair a bit messy, he decided it wouldn’t be good for his parents to see him like that and started fixing his hair.
Clap, clap, clap—
From the second floor came a burst of applause. Both men simultaneously looked up at the balcony.
Zhuo Zi enthusiastically cheered, clapping her hands. "Mom, Dad, Mr. Ying is here!"
"They’re here, they’re here!" Mu Qing immediately grabbed Zhuo Fu and rushed out of the room. "Old man, hurry up!"
Ying Tongchen looked up, just about to wave in greeting, when he glimpsed the elderly couple from the corner of his eye. With a swift motion, they unfurled a large red banner—
Warmly welcome Mr. Ying for his visitation and guidance!
Ying Tongchen: "..."