Yandere Substitute Brother (54)

Lin Xingyan walked to the side to answer the phone. Xie An said nothing more, only quietly staring at his retreating back for a long time.

On the other end of the line, the sound was mixed with static, which became harsh and grating after audio processing.

"What a good older brother," the person said with deep meaning.

"What on earth do you want?" The nerves in his brain were tense, his heart surrounded by an invisible shroud of anxiety and worry. Lin Xingyan's voice was dry as he tried to remain calm. He couldn't anger the other party.

"I want you to pack your bags right now and leave Yan City. Once you arrive in An City, I will contact you again. Only then can you save your younger sister."

"How about it? Very simple, isn't it?"

Booking a ride to An City at this hour meant he wouldn't arrive until tomorrow morning. But Monday was the day he had to sign his contract. The other side wouldn't delay the signing process for a mere agent, let alone a newcomer like him. Missing this opportunity would make it extremely difficult to find another job in the short term that could cover Ning Zhidao's medical expenses.

His agent contract was originally part of Xie An and Wang Yong's plan. If a mistake occurred at this critical juncture, their cooperative project would also be affected. Li Cheng had helped him so much; if he left without a word, he would shatter everyone's expectations.

But Ning Zhidao's life was currently in danger. If he didn't comply, she would die. Death was terrifying. His father, Father Ning, and Mother Ning had all passed away. Ning Zhidao couldn't die like this too.

Lin Xingyan felt the responsibility for Ning Zhidao weighing on him like a massive mountain, crushing him into the mud, making it impossible to stand up. He glanced at Xie An, who was not far away. As dusk fell, illuminated by colorful lights, she stood amidst the noisy crowd with a faint smile.

Why couldn't he be a little selfish? Cast aside all so-called duties and concepts, stop being Ning Zhidao's brother, and live only for himself, holding Xie An based purely on instinct.

The pain, like a sharp blade buried deep for a long time, pierced his soul in an instant, turning the rims of his eyes red.

"I promise you, but give me some time to explain." He still remembered the mistake he made last time and couldn't repeat it. If he explained clearly to Xie An, she would understand.

"No," Shen Qingchen said decisively.

If Lin Xingyan were given the chance to explain to Xie An, with her personality, she would definitely not hold a grudge. In that case, wouldn't he and Jin Yansi have worked for nothing? Absolutely not. He wanted Lin Xingyan and Xie An to never have a chance to be together again.

"Just do as I say, otherwise..." Ning Zhidao's terrified sobs came through, like a knife cutting through Lin Xingyan's nerves. "The next time you see her, I'm afraid she won't be in one piece."

An invisible shackle tightened around his senses. Lin Xingyan's face lost all color, and a bone-chilling cold rose from the depths of his heart. He couldn't explain. He could only be forced to give up on Xie An once again. Xie An, not knowing the reason, would definitely detest him. Because she had given him a chance—a second chance.

After losing it this time, there would be no future for him and her. To save Ning Zhidao, he had to abandon Xie An, and he also had to be abandoned by her. The kidnapper on the other end didn't want money; he was forcing the relationship between him and Xie An to collapse. He wanted to ruin him by using Ning Zhidao.

Lin Xingyan recalled the blonde woman he had met at the hospital. He didn't know her name, but he had heard an accomplice's name from her mouth. Shen Qingchen.

"You are Shen Qingchen." Intense hatred welled up, making Lin Xingyan's entire body tremble.

The other party seemed to chuckle softly, but did not react to his guess. "Say one more word, and your poor little sister will lose a finger joint."

So what if he guessed his identity? As long as Ning Zhidao was in his hands, Shen Qingchen wasn't afraid of Lin Xingyan calling the police. Besides, calling the police was useless. He was currently still hidden by the old Heavenly Dao. He had worked hard to escape the old world but had not yet entered the proper orbit. Like an undocumented illegal immigrant, if he didn't actively leave traces, no one could find him.

Shen Qingchen? That was just a non-existent person. However, why did Lin Xingyan know his name? Shen Qingchen frowned. It was probably that foolish Jin Yansi who let it slip. Oh well, it didn't matter anyway.

"Now, go to your girlfriend and tell her: 'Something happened to Taotao, I have to go back to An City.' Other than that sentence, you are not allowed to say anything else." Shen Qingchen tapped his slender fingers on the wooden table, making a crisp sound like a ticking clock counting down the deaths of Lin Xingyan and Ning Zhidao.

"Once you're done speaking, immediately run home, pack your bags, and leave. I know you have the keys to her house, so don't think about crossing me. My people are watching you constantly. Hurry up, I'm losing my patience."

His stomach felt as if it were being violently twisted by a blade. The pain made Lin Xingyan's spine bend, his head spinning. In the receiver was Ning Zhidao's broken crying and cries for help. His lips trembled, and after trying many times, a hoarse sentence finally squeezed out of his glued throat.

"...Okay."

In the dim light, Xie An's figure became blurry. Black spots began to appear before his eyes, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. He felt as if he were floating in a void, slowly walking toward Xie An to embrace his final illusion.

His palm felt warm; Xie An had taken his hand. "Did something happen?"

His face must have looked terrible for Xie An to use such a worried tone. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he suppressed his tears, looking at Xie An through a white mist, his mind filled with chaotic noise. The phone was vibrating; Lin Xingyan knew that person was urging him. His thoughts were trapped in mud, his heartbeat echoing in the silence. His soul was torn apart, turning into a hollow statue.

"Something happened to Taotao, I have to go back to An City." These words were so familiar that Xie An was stunned. She subconsciously let go of his hand.

"Is it that urgent? Do you have to leave tonight?"

Lin Xingyan hung his head, hiding in the shadows, and did not answer.

"An City is too far from here. If you leave tonight, you won't make it back tomorrow morning. What about the contract you worked so hard to get? If you miss this, are you going to give up on Ning Zhidao's surgery fees?" Xie An couldn't understand Lin Xingyan's choice. She grabbed his arm, wanting him to calm down.

"Ning Zhidao is in the hospital. Even if there's an issue, the doctors are taking care of her. If it's not life-threatening, her future treatment still requires money. Why can't you relax a bit? You two are siblings; if you explain clearly to her later when you're free, she will understand." She said as she hugged Lin Xingyan, placing her hand on the back of his neck, speaking softly: "Don't do anything foolish right now."

But this time, Ning Zhidao was truly in a life-threatening situation. The tragedy was that he couldn't explain it to Xie An. Lin Xingyan buried his head in Xie An's neck, gripping her clothes tightly. The pain spread through his body like spilled ink, crushing his nerves.

[Push her away, then run immediately.] The phone screen emitted a cold, gloomy light, and the distorted black letters crawled out of the screen, entering Lin Xingyan's body and gnawing at his decaying flesh.

He slowly let go of Xie An, tears falling drop by drop. With trembling hands, he pushed her away, turned, and left, his steps stumbling as he let the darkness swallow him.

Xie An looked at Lin Xingyan, all emotions draining away, leaving only cold indifference. Her tone was calm: "You abandoned me for her again, without a single word of explanation, didn't you?"

His footsteps paused, his eyelashes trembling uncontrollably. Lin Xingyan almost couldn't stop himself from turning back to apologize to Xie An. But he knew the price. He could only grit his teeth, like a string about to snap.

"This is the second time," Xie An said. "If you insist on leaving, we are finished. After we break up, I never want to see you again."

Her tone was extremely calm, but her words were incredibly resolute. Tears dripped onto the ground, forming damp spots that were quickly covered by the darkness and the crowd. Lin Xingyan fled as if pursued, the mole at the corner of his eye soaked in tears, never looking back.

He had made his choice. For Ning Zhidao, he had thrown away their future.