Even until Death, the Scum Gong thought I was a White Lotus

33

Ch33 - I’m leaving

(unedited)

“You just entered the company. If you don’t understand anything, ask the elders for advice. They all watched you grow up, so don’t forget to respect them.” Xie Mu was securely placed in bed. He looked at the youth half-kneeling by his bedside, covering him with a quilt. He gave him a few simple pieces of advice. 

Xie Shi’s hands paused and he raised his head. The brows on his handsome face furrowed slightly, as if unconvinced. “They don’t respect me as the chairman.” 

“Ke ke…” The man leaned against the wall and coughed a few times before saying weakly, “You are young, so it’s normal that they despise you. In a few days, once you find the opportunity, choose one of them and make an example out of them.”

Although this method was simple, it had always been the most useful. Even if Xie Mu had not mentioned it, Xie Shi would have used it.

But he pretended he was still confused and looked up with a slight hint of conflict within his eyes. “Uncle, if I do this, won’t they hate me even more?”  

Xie Shi grew up observing people. Not only was he good at observing them, he was good at disguising himself. From a long time of experimentation, he had realized at his age, using this innocent, defenseless look was the easiest method for winning the trust of others.

He had hidden behind this pair of eyes; others could not help put their guard down around him, and he observed all their words and deeds.

He said he loved his own mother, but because of the Xie family’s name, she loved the children she had with his stepfather more.

On the surface, his mother seemed virtuous and wanted to protect his grandfather. She couldn’t even hide the wildness in her heart and her ambition. She walked around with a lofty attitude every day, pocketing her ill-gains behind their backs.

Even the father he rarely saw only had indifference in his eyes. He was only interested in potential heirs.

Perhaps it was because of this that Xie Shi never had received love.

At least, in his opinion, it was not love.

Of course, Xie Shi had never needed this sort of thing. What he wanted, he always got. 

Obviously at this moment Xie Mu had no value. All the things had returned to Xie Shi’s hands. He should be let go to fend for himself, but Xie Shi wanted to get closer to this man.

He wanted to understand the only person he couldn’t read.

“The weaker you are, the more they will humiliate you.” The man said this and coughed gently. His eyes were filled with a complicated sadness and emptiness.

“You can only stay in the company if you are strong enough to make them afraid.” These things were things Xie Shi obviously already knew, but when Xie Mu said them, it seemed as if there were other meanings behind his words. 

He suddenly asked, “Did uncle do this too?” 

The man raised his gaze. “Hm?”

“In the beginning, did uncle only stabilize his position by doing this?”

Xie Shi saw him smile. 

Xie Mu shook his head, his pale face filled with a hint of taunting. “I’m not the same.” 

“You are the rightful heir to the Xie family. As long as you suppress them once, the people will know that you aren’t easy to bully. They will not shoot at you again, but instead will become your obedient underlings.”