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After Uncle Chen finished revealing the secrets of the Xie family, Shang Song's eyes widened, and the script of a wealthy family vying for the throne and an illegitimate son's rise to power had already begun to play out in his mind.

"That's not right, Uncle Chen!" The more he thought about it, the more something seemed off. He scratched his head in confusion. "If Brother Linzhou wasn't Xie Jing's trusted confidant who grew up with him... then doesn't that mean the original heir of the Xie family wasn't Xie Jing at all?"

"Was there originally another older brother? Or a child from an uncle's or aunt's family? And Xie Jing was only pushed up later? Is that why Lin Zhou was left by his side to keep things under control?"

After hearing this, Uncle Chen smiled and waved his hand, "Mr. Shang, you're thinking in the wrong way."

"Mr. Xie is the legitimate eldest grandson of the Xie family, a pure and upright only son. According to the clan law, he is the first in line to inherit the family."

He paused, his expression taking on a touch of the old-fashioned manner, "Mr. Shang is young and may not be familiar with the customs here."

As he spoke, he gestured to indicate the name, as if imparting a piece of common knowledge to a younger generation:

"Let alone a family like the Xie family, even in an ordinary family, the eldest grandson of the main branch is extremely precious."

"Take the division of family property for example. In any family that values ​​tradition, even if there are two sons, the eldest grandson's share will always be separated and divided separately. This is an old custom."

Uncle Chen looked up at Shang Song's shocked expression, and finally smiled as he concluded:

"Mr. Xie is not only the eldest grandson of the main branch, but also the only son. Tell me, who else could be the heir besides him?"

After finishing his sentence, Uncle Chen picked up the large scissors and began pruning the orchids again.

Shang Song couldn't get anything out of Uncle Chen, so he could only leave dejectedly. Before leaving, Uncle Chen gave him a small pot of freesia, saying that Mr. Xie liked the scent and that he should take it to the living room to add some fragrance.

Shang Song carried the little freesia downstairs, where Xie Jing was sitting on the sofa in the living room reading a book.

His gaze shifted from the book, swept over the freesia in Shang Song's arms, and then landed on Shang Song's droopy expression. He understood instantly, smiled silently, and then said softly, "Put it on the sideboard."

Shang Song said "oh" and obediently put it away.

He arranged the freesias, and seeing that Xie Jing was ignoring him and had already started reading, he asked, "Where's Brother Linzhou?"

Xie Jing didn't even look up: "It should be on the 83rd floor."

Shang Song's eyes lit up. "Oh, I haven't explored the other parts of Genting Highlands yet. I'll go take a stroll around."

Xie Jing: "Okay. Don't go into floors 86 or 87."

Shang Song wouldn't go to those ancient books that were too fragile to be touched.

He replied, "Okay."

Then, he turned around and slipped away to the 83rd floor.

The 83rd floor is decorated like a high-end office, but there aren't many people there.

Only one of the offices had its lights on.

Shang Song knocked on the door, and Lin Zhou said, "Come in."

Shang Song pushed open the door, and Lin Zhou had already stood up from behind his desk. "Mr. Shang, the head of the family said you might come down for a stroll. Would you like some tea or water?"

"No need to trouble yourself, Brother Linzhou." Shang Song waved his hand. "I just came down to take a look around."

Lin Zhou still made him a cup of tea and placed it in front of him.

After thanking Shang Song, Lin Zhou did not return to his desk but instead sat down on the single sofa.

Shang Song hesitated before speaking, "I just went upstairs and chatted with Uncle Chen. He said that Brother Lin Zhou is different from them; he doesn't have to wait out the required number of years. I'm a little curious, Brother Lin Zhou, could you tell me about it?"

Lin Zhou's lips seemed to curve slightly. "Yes. For those of us who have some connection with the Xie family, the Xie family will periodically select some of their members to be raised by the Xie family, but whether or not one can ultimately hold onto that opportunity depends entirely on the individual."

Shang Song immediately pressed on, "So, did Brother Lin Zhou also enter the Xie family at a very young age?"

"Eight years old," Lin Zhou answered quickly, "I learned etiquette from my grandfather at home, and started doing things independently at eighteen."

When Lin Zhou entered the Xie family at the age of eight, Xie Jing had not yet been born. He became independent at the age of eighteen, when Xie Jing was six! So he must know about Xie Jing's childhood!

Shang Song's throat went dry with nervousness. He stared at Lin Zhou: "Then Brother Lin Zhou must have seen Xie Jing when he was little, right?"

"I've seen him." Lin Zhou didn't evade the question; instead, he stated frankly, "Since the patriarch agreed to let you come down, he means he agreed to let you ask me. Mr. Shang, please speak frankly, what do you wish to ask?"

Shang Song was taken aback. Did Xie Jing know he was going to ask Lin Zhou?

But he couldn't care less about Xie Jing's thoughts; all he wanted to know at that moment was the truth.

He scratched his head and gestured a very long line. "I saw this long scar on his waist last night. I asked him about it, and he said it was from an old time ago."

Lin Zhou remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "That's a scar left from an injury the patriarch sustained when he was nine years old. Twenty-one years have passed in the blink of an eye; it's indeed an old story."

Shang Song quickly pressed, "Nine years old? So young? Was it an accident?"

Lin Zhou raised his eyes and stared intently at Shang Song. "The Xie family's affairs are nothing unexpected. They are nothing but scheming and betrayal."

No surprises? Only scheming and betrayal?

In a flash, Shang Song suddenly remembered what Xie Jing had mentioned about his second uncle's lineage that had been expelled from the clan.

He suddenly realized, his voice changing slightly: "It's Xie Jing's second uncle? Isn't it?!"

Lin Zhou's usually smiling lips tightened as he looked at Shang Song's suddenly pale face and nodded in confirmation of Shang Song's guess.

Shang Song suddenly felt a chill and anger rising within him. "Xie Jing was only nine years old then! How could he do that?!"

"For power, to surpass the eldest son of the main branch of the family." Lin Zhou's answer was both cruel and calm.

"The Xie family's children undergo rigorous survival training from a young age. Back then, the family head dodged the assassin's first attack."

Then, his second uncle appeared and hugged him from behind when he was only nine years old.

At this point, he countered with a question to Shang Song: "Mr. Shang, have you heard of that sensational social case?"

"In that case, the victim's mother conspired with outsiders to kill the victim. The victim struggled at first, but he stopped moving when his mother held him down."

Shang Song shuddered; he had heard of this case.

Seeing his reaction, Lin Zhou knew he understood, so he continued:

"The modus operandi was similar. However, the head of the family struggled, so the knife that should have pierced his heart ended up in his abdomen."

"An oblique wound to the left chest and abdomen, with organ damage and massive bleeding, means that the chances of him surviving are extremely slim."

On the same day, the head of the household's parents died.

...On the same day, Xie Jing's parents died?

Shang Song's tears fell like rain.

"So...that's why Xie Jing..."

He couldn't continue.

Lin Zhou looked away and calmly described: "Severe post-traumatic stress disorder, accompanied by somatization symptoms, including a strong defense against unexpected contact."

His gaze fell into the void, and after a two-second silence, he looked back at Shang Song, who was wiping away tears.

"Over the years, you have been the only person he has allowed to get close to steadily, and even to take the initiative to touch."

Lin Zhou's eyes softened slightly. "From a medical and psychological perspective, Mr. Shang, your significance to the head of the family is extraordinary; one could even say that you are... a benefactor of the Xie family."

The word "benefactor" carries too heavy a weight.

But Shang Song was in a state of utter confusion and couldn't give Lin Zhou any response.

Lin Zhou sighed lightly, almost imperceptibly. "As for the specific details at the time, and how it was handled afterwards... that's an old case that has already been settled within the Xie family."

"If you still want to know," he paused, implying, "perhaps you can wait until the head of the family is willing to speak."