BPDSB Chapter 49: President Qin can’t possibly be controlled this tightly by his family, right?

Xu Xiliu did not manage to spot where the buffet table actually was. Instead, he suddenly met Qin Li’s gaze across the crowd not far away. He froze for a moment, unsure whether he should go over. After observing the atmosphere on that side and thinking it over, he decided not to. That clearly was not something a doctor like him could get involved in.

He finished the champagne in his hand and set the empty glass aside.

Over there, Qin Li had no choice but to enter business mode and exchange pleasantries with a group of people. Although, with his current status, he did not really need to be overly cautious around them, now was not quite the time. Outside, there were still plenty of pieces of black gossip spread by Qin Zhangyuan, claiming that he was seriously ill, mentally unstable, and only putting on a show. And those two months when he had been absent minded and withdrawn at the villa had, to a certain extent, indeed helped Qin Zhangyuan solidify that rumor. So right now, he needed to show real capability to reassure his partners. Only after things stabilized would it be convenient for him to act as he pleased.

From beginning to end, he politely held a glass of wine in his hand. As people talked, the wine in everyone else’s glasses had gone down by at least half, yet he alone had not taken a single sip. That inevitably drew some attention.

Someone noticed and jokingly brought it up in a seemingly good natured way. “President Qin, why aren’t you drinking? I’ve already downed a whole glass. That’s not very giving face.”

“That’s right, President Qin. Have you quit drinking recently? This wine isn’t even that strong.”

“I heard President Qin’s health hasn’t been very good. It’s fine if you don’t drink. We can just talk business.” Someone probed subtly, trying to find out whether Qin Li really was seriously ill as rumored, to the point that he could not even touch alcohol.

Only then did Qin Li realize the issue.

He glanced at the glass in his hand. It was only after being reminded that he noticed he had been so focused on talking that he had subconsciously forgotten about drinking altogether. He smiled, intending to take advantage of the moment and have a sip. Yet his mind involuntarily replayed what had happened the night before. His personal doctor catching him secretly drinking in the middle of the night, furious as he dragged him back. His movement paused, then stopped again.

At that moment, amid the crowd, he happened to catch sight of that tall, slender figure and met the other party’s eyes.

He froze.

The others were surprised by this. “So we really guessed right? You quit drinking?”

“There are plenty of drinking occasions, but with President Qin’s status, it’s fine even if he doesn’t drink……”

The surrounding voices were somewhat noisy, but Qin Li did not hear them.

After meeting the young man’s gaze, he acted on impulse and raised the untouched glass in his hand toward him.

His eyes asked whether he could drink.

From such a distance, Xu Xiliu caught the man’s movement and froze for a moment. At first he did not react, but looking at the expression on the man’s handsome face, a moment of wordless understanding suddenly struck him. He raised his eyebrows and smiled, mouthing, “You can. Don’t drink too much.”

Qin Li’s dark eyes brightened. He turned back, feeling quite pleased with himself.

A trace of a smile even crossed his gloomy, severe face.

The people around him were stunned for a moment, then seemed to react and started joking again. “President Qin, you even have to report in before drinking? You can’t be managed that strictly at home, right?”

“What do you know. Just look at President Qin. He’s clearly a family man.”

“I heard that one is President Qin’s doctor. That’s understandable. Very understandable.”

Qin Li pressed down again and again, only barely suppressing the smile trying to rise at the corners of his mouth. He gave a light cough, remaining reserved and calm. “I’ve been taking medication recently. He doesn’t let me drink much, says it’s bad for my health……”

The people around them immediately revealed ambiguous smiles.

The launch would not officially begin for a while yet, but reporters had already arrived. Some were there in a traditional reporting capacity, while others were doing live broadcasts. Many had turned on their live equipment the moment they entered, and by now, quite a few viewers had already gathered in the livestream rooms.

This particular reporter was especially savvy. Knowing that most people were not interested in dry business and finance, but loved gossip far more, he had been sticking to Qin Li and filming him nonstop ever since entering. Since this was a Qin Corporation event, he did not dare go overboard. He alternated between wide shots of the venue and individual shots, distributing attention perfectly. No one could really find fault with it anyway. Qin Li was the focus of the entire venue to begin with, so being filmed was only natural.

However, while filming, he also slipped in a bit of his own intent, deliberately including the young man beside Qin Li in the frame as well. This detail immediately paid off. The barrage of comments exploded almost instantly.

【I knew it! I knew there’d be good stuff here! This is a Qin Corporation launch, President Qin shows up, and Doctor Xu is guaranteed to show up too. President Qin takes him everywhere】

【Exactly, they even got out of the car together just now. What kind of relationship this is is obvious, sisters】

【Wuwuwu it’s been so long since we last saw them. Doctor Xu is as good looking as ever, President Qin is so handsome too. They look so good standing together. Not sure if it’s my imagination, but President Qin’s complexion looks way better than last time. He’s still gloomy, sure, but when he turns his head to talk to Doctor Xu, his expression seems a lot softer huh~~】

【His complexion really is much better. He looks totally healthy. I want to see which marketing account still dares say our President Qin is frail and about to die. What a joke. Take off the suit and he could beat ten of you】

【They’re wearing couple outfits. One light gray, one dark gray. Oh my oh my, afraid people won’t know you’re a couple or what】

【Even though they’ve never officially admitted anything, everyone gets it, right. What kind of doctor gets taken everywhere. Like he’s afraid that if he looks away for a second, his wife will run off. And the way President Qin calls him “my personal doctor”, I’m dying of sweetness】

【Ahhh they made eye contact! Across half the venue they made eye contact! Even when the wife is just wandering around alone he’s not at ease and has to check if some shady man is trying to hit on him. As expected of you】

【Sob, I’m shipping again. This is too sweet. Are you two trying to kill us】

……

Xu Xiliu was still looking for the buffet table.

As he searched, a sudden commotion came from the entrance. It quickly quieted down, and everyone present subconsciously looked over. Then, almost at once, they secretly shifted their gazes back to Qin Li inside the venue. The atmosphere turned a little strange.

Xu Xiliu also looked over instinctively and discovered that the newcomer was a familiar face.

Seated in a wheelchair, being pushed along, wearing a refined, cultured smile and looking quite presentable, it was unmistakably the villain.

Last time, when he had snuck into the villa, Xu Xiliu had unknowingly sent him rolling down the slope in a wheelchair. Since then, the fracture seemed to have never properly healed. Now that he was sitting in a wheelchair again, it only confirmed it. Even with his body inconvenient, he still stubbornly insisted on attending. Just as the man had said, at a Qin Corporation event like this, he would exhaust every means to show his face.

Thinking of Qin Li not far away, Xu Xiliu paused, stopping his movement to leave and look for the buffet table.

Tsk. That damn villain really was a troublemaker.

Already in this state and still insisting on showing up, purely to make things unpleasant for Qin Li.

What if, in a situation like this, something went wrong and he stimulated the man into another episode?

Xu Xiliu felt a little worried and could not help keeping his gaze, intermittently, on Qin Zhangyuan.

Over there, Qin Zhangyuan also noticed their presence. A trace of gloom immediately sank into his eyes.

It had already been several days since he last called Qin Li’s personal doctor. During those days, Qin Zhangyuan had been tormented to the brink of misery by Qin Li’s various methods. On top of that, the fracture would not heal anytime soon, leaving him deeply stifled. Only hearing news of his damned nephew’s suffering could soothe him even a little. With that purpose in mind, he had made the call. The doctor he had planted there had indeed replied that everything was going smoothly, saying that Qin Li’s episodes were so severe that his thinking had become disordered, and that with time, the plan would surely succeed. Only then had Qin Zhangyuan felt somewhat better.

Today was the Qin Corporation product launch. As a member of Qin Corporation, even though Qin Li had struck him down this far, he still retained a bit of say within the company. He therefore hurried over without delay. Coming here was not only to prevent Qin Li from monopolizing power. He also wanted to see with his own eyes just how his dear nephew was doing.

So the moment he entered, Qin Zhangyuan’s gaze swept across the venue, quickly locking onto Qin Li’s figure within.

From his angle, he could see the other party standing there, tall and upright, imposing and dignified. Although he was still gloomy and unsmiling, his overall spirit was exceptionally good. The former pallid, sickly look seemed to have faded by quite a bit. At one moment, Qin Zhangyuan even felt that this person, who the doctor had said was on the verge of dying, actually looked far more energetic than himself, who was merely sitting in a wheelchair with a broken bone.

Why?

Where had things gone wrong?

Qin Zhangyuan frowned, deeply displeased. Seeing Qin Li like this made him feel even worse than if his own legs had been broken and half his body paralyzed. The refined, gentle expression on his face stiffened for an instant. Then his gaze shifted to the young doctor beside Qin Li, turning sinister and unfriendly.

Had this doctor not said that everything was proceeding as usual? This was it?

Suspicion rose in his mind. He secretly wondered whether the other party had truly remained under his control.

Xu Xiliu unexpectedly met the villain’s gaze. Being scrutinized from head to toe like that made him uncomfortable, and he paused for a moment. But he was good at acting to begin with. Seeing this, he remained outwardly calm and gave the other party a gentle smile. The peach blossom eyes behind the gold rimmed glasses curved slightly, pretending complete ignorance. To the villain, it looked like familiarity, but to everyone else, it was nothing more than a polite greeting. Nothing about it appeared suspicious.

Qin Zhangyuan examined him for a while and found nothing amiss. He gave a cold snort inwardly and shifted his attention back to Qin Li.

He had better not discover that this doctor was harboring any ulterior motives.

At this moment, Qin Li inside the venue also noticed the disturbance. When he saw Qin Zhangyuan appear, even though he had anticipated it, his expression still darkened involuntarily. Coupled with his already gloomy, unapproachable temperament, the faint smile hooked on his handsome face took on a rather frightening quality.

The people nearby all lowered their voices. Knowing about the Qin family’s turmoil, none of them dared to touch Qin Li’s bad side at a moment like this.

Qin Li could not be bothered to continue with business pleasantries. When his gaze caught Qin Zhangyuan’s eyes lingering on the young man, his heart tightened. His expression completely cooled as he said, “Sorry, excuse me,” and strode straight over.

In no time at all, he reached Xu Xiliu’s side and stopped in front of Qin Zhangyuan.

The uncle and nephew, whose relationship was anything but good, locked eyes. Qin Zhangyuan snarled, “Qin Li.”

The hatred in his voice was unmistakable.

Yet in public he still had to put on a magnanimous, amiable front, which made his expression inevitably twist a little.

Qin Li came to a stop. His dark eyes leisurely swept over Qin Zhangyuan from head to toe before he curled his lips from above in greeting. The moment he spoke, it was the familiar cold, cutting mockery. “Since Uncle’s leg is crippled, you should just stay at home and rest properly. You still insisted on running out. What if something happens to you at this venue? Wouldn’t that put your other leg at risk too?”

“If another accident happens, you might even end up paralyzed.”

Xu Xiliu’s mouth twitched as he listened.

Alright. A true master of biting sarcasm.

The villain must be seething inside after hearing that.

Looks like he really had been worrying too much.

Qin Li’s face darkened. He could practically see the young man secretly laughing behind his back, and he immediately ground his teeth. He knew it. This little fox was absolutely not as obedient as he looked. On the surface he was gentle and smiling all day long, but inside he was definitely full of schemes, with methods far above average.

But before that irritation could fully rise, he extinguished it himself.

Qin Li thought awkwardly that since this little fox now had a bit of interest in him, had even defied his utterly deranged uncle for his sake, and was now putting on an act in front of that uncle, then perhaps it was not impossible for him to forgive the other party’s past after all……

As for the true culprit, hehe.

Qin Li’s gaze toward Qin Zhangyuan turned gloomy and chilling once again.

Qin Zhangyuan was indeed furious at Qin Li’s words.

However, he had spent years carefully maintaining a false image in public, and with reporters around, he was unwilling to let that persona collapse so easily. His eyes shifted as he thought about it, realizing that from another angle, this was not necessarily a bad situation. He himself was a normal person who could control his emotions, but his nephew had something wrong with his head. If he could provoke Qin Li into losing control and going crazy right here in front of everyone, with so many cameras watching, would that not completely confirm the rumors that Qin Li was mentally ill?

With that thought, Qin Zhangyuan smiled, appearing benevolent and kind, looking at Qin Li as if he were an unruly junior. The sight made Qin Li feel nauseated.

“You should also take better care of yourself. Only you know whether your body is in good condition or not. Be more careful. There are so many people here. If you go crazy on the spot, it would be quite unbecoming.”

As he spoke, Qin Zhangyuan’s gaze flicked to the side before he continued smiling. “Oh right, aren’t you bringing your doctor along with you? If there’s nothing wrong, let Doctor Xu check on you more often. I hear Doctor Xu’s medical skills are excellent and that he’s especially responsible.”

His voice was not loud, and his demeanor was deliberately mild. Judging only from the surface, Qin Li would be the obvious villain here.

But Xu Xiliu and Qin Li, who were standing close by, could both see the smug satisfaction in his eyes.

Xu Xiliu’s heart skipped when he heard this. He thought to himself that this villain really knew how to stir trouble.

If he had not already come clean with Qin Li, just that single mention from the villain would have been enough for a suspicious man like Qin Li to start doubting him again. At that point, he would have been completely passive, and his future days would surely have been miserable.

He fiercely cursed the villain as an idiot in his heart, but on his face he still wore a gentle, pleasant smile.

Standing there, he looked mild and refined.

Qin Li also understood the implication in those words, his dark eyes icy.

It was not the first or second time Qin Zhangyuan had wanted him dead. But the fact that he could say something like this so openly in front of so many people showed that Qin Li had pushed him into a corner these past few days. He no longer even cared whether the planted pawn at his side would be exposed.

With that thought, Qin Li let out a contemptuous laugh. “No need for Uncle to worry. Of course I know how good my doctor is. Do I need you to remind me?”

His voice turned sinister. “You should worry about yourself more. One day you might get too happy and break an arm too.”

After saying that, he could not be bothered to waste more words on Qin Zhangyuan. Their uncle nephew relationship had been bad for a long time anyway. Even if the media took this as confirmation, it would not affect him. He could not be bothered to put on a show.

So Qin Li cast a cold glance at the middle aged man in the wheelchair, who was now livid, his face slightly contorted. He reached out, grabbed the young man beside him by the wrist, took a long stride, and left.

Xu Xiliu was a little stunned. He had not expected the man to defend him just now. Now being pulled along like this, he was still dazed, only reacting after following him to a quieter spot with no one around.

He hesitated and asked, “Is it really fine for us to just leave like this?”

What he actually wanted to ask about was the line Qin Li had said just now.

He still intended to keep up this “spy” identity, and the man had agreed to that as well. But what if that sentence caused the villain to grow suspicious?

However, seeing the man’s current low pressure mood, Xu Xiliu thought it over and swallowed the question back down, not wanting to provoke him at a time like this.

“What problem could there be?” Qin Li’s expression was still unpleasant, but when he turned back to face him, it softened quite a bit. He explained, “Qin Zhangyuan is extremely petty. Even if I did nothing at all, he still wouldn’t let me have peace. We’re already at the point of you die or I die. Why should I give him any courtesy?”

Seeing Xu Xiliu’s hesitant, half spoken expression, Qin Li keenly sensed what he was thinking. He snorted and softened his voice further, adding a few more words of explanation. “Don’t worry. He did it on purpose. He wants to provoke me into losing control and embarrassing myself. This kind of thing was bound to happen sooner or later. There’s no need to worry too much.”

Listening to that, Xu Xiliu felt it did make some sense.

Anyway, the fact that he had switched sides would be exposed sooner or later. Now that he no longer had any worries holding him back, what was there to be anxious about?

With that thought, he relaxed.

Who knew that the man would suddenly pinch his chin again. Xu Xiliu came back to himself and saw the other party’s handsome face carrying a half smile. Dark eyes stared straight at him. “Speaking of which, Doctor Xu, why did your expression look a bit off just now?”

Even though he knew the other party was putting on an act, Qin Li felt an itch in his heart and wanted to ask one more question.

Hearing this, Xu Xiliu blinked innocently and answered truthfully. “I was acting.”

“You couldn’t very well be cursing him while I stood there smiling happily, could you? That would’ve exposed things on the spot.”

The distance between them was a little too close. Qin Li could clearly see the long lashes behind his personal doctor’s lenses, slightly curled at the tips. When they blinked, they looked lively and spirited, making Qin Li momentarily feel as though a little fox were standing in front of him, blinking at him to win his favor.

He noticed that the gold rimmed glasses had slipped a bit crooked. Before his brain could fully react, his hand moved first. From holding the other party’s chin, it slowly slid upward, brushing lightly over that fair cheek along the way. Then, with a perfectly straight face, he adjusted the glasses back into place.

Xu Xiliu blinked again and said softly, “My glasses were crooked? Thanks.”

Qin Li froze, then realized his heartbeat had sped up.

Thump, thump. His hand was still resting on the other person’s face. Beneath his fingertips, the skin was warm and soft, making him want to knead it.

The moment he became aware of the thought that had suddenly popped up, Qin Li was startled. He immediately took two steps back, pretending nothing had happened. He coughed lightly a few times and said it was nothing, but inwardly he was annoyed at himself for being bewitched again.

Damn it. He had already been tempting enough before.

Now that he had discovered the other party might like him a little, it seemed to be getting even worse.

He could not help casting a few more glances over. Seeing the young man still wearing that gentle smile, he grew suspicious, wondering if it was intentional.

He ground his teeth. Crafty little fox.

After forcing himself to calm down for a while, Qin Li finally returned to his usual gloomy, cold demeanor. He coughed lightly again to draw the other party’s attention. Glancing around, he thought it was fortunate he had not led him to the wrong place earlier. Then, as if casually, he said, “I noticed you were looking around just now. Didn’t find the buffet table, did you? It’s inside.”

Xu Xiliu also saw the dazzling array of desserts nearby. His eyes lit up instantly. He hummed a few acknowledgements. The man’s voice faded into a blur in his ears. In his eyes now, there was only dessert.

Seeing this, Qin Li let the corner of his lips lift slightly, then pressed it back down.

Inside, he thought, greedy little fox.

But with his hands, he still picked up a plate for him.

Probably because the launch had not officially started yet, everyone was busy preparing or networking. No one came over to this area.

That made things convenient for Xu Xiliu.

He took the plate from the man’s hand and began selecting things.

Only after taking a few bites did he remember something and ask, “It’s fine to eat now, right? I don’t see anyone coming over here.”

Qin Li lowered his gaze and used the tongs to add a few more items to his plate, saying calmly, “It’s fine. The people who come here all have their own agendas. They don’t have the mind to eat. This food is mostly just for display.”

“Only you are eating with such enthusiasm.” He curled his lips slightly.

Xu Xiliu was eating happily and did not hear the teasing remark at all. Otherwise, he would definitely have been surprised that this man could even joke.

As he ate, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

With half a piece of cake in his mouth, Xu Xiliu took it out, glanced down, and hung up without thinking.

Qin Li, who did not particularly like sweets yet was still carefully picking out which desserts were good for Xu Xiliu, looked over when he heard the sound. Thinking of something, he narrowed his dark eyes, his expression turning a bit grim. “Was it Qin Zhangyuan calling?”

Xu Xiliu nodded honestly.

Seeing that, Qin Li’s expression darkened further. He aggressively brought over a glass of fruit juice for Xu Xiliu, his dark eyes staring straight at him with heavy pressure. “Then why didn’t you answer.”

Xu Xiliu did not reply immediately. His cheeks were slightly puffed until he swallowed the food in his mouth, then he explained. “He’s testing me. I have to act like you’re right beside me, like I’m worried about being exposed, and hang up the call.”

“Just wait. If nothing unexpected happens, he’ll call again right away.”

Qin Li snorted coldly and stiffly handed the fruit juice to him to quench his thirst.

“Let’s hope so.”

The next second, the phone vibrated again.

Xu Xiliu held the phone, tilted his head to look at Qin Li, and spread his hands innocently.

“See what I told you.”