FLBCP: Chapter 26 Part 1

It hadn’t even been a day after Zhao Yao’s accident and many people visited him in the hospital room one after another.

Shortly after Bai Chengxue left, Zhao Changshuo came over and brought bone soup made by the housekeeper of the old house.

Zhao Yao found it very strange. If he remembered it correctly, Zhao Changshuo only visited him after two days when he had his car accident. Bai Chengxue didn’t show her head but the hypocritical Zhao Zhikai visited several times.

Now he just had a minor injury and a swarm of people came over. Zhao Yao couldn’t help thinking of his last life in the care facility. Some things were interesting because of the contrast. How come he didn’t notice before that these people had different thoughts?

Zhao Yao was a bit tired but he could only raise his spirit to deal with Zhao Changshuo. “If I remember correctly, the Qichen project has just launched. Shouldn’t you be keeping an eye on it? Why do you have time to come here and give me soup?”

He opened the lid and a hot aroma drifted out. Zhao Yao felt that it was a bit greasy. Perhaps he was fed too much by Uncle Wang during this period but now he felt a bit nauseous when he saw the bone soup.

“You aren’t in the group but you know a lot about Qichen.” Zhao Changshuo’s expression was the same as usual.

Zhao Yao glanced at him. “I can guess without knowing anything. In addition, I’ve only helped you a few times. I’m not interested in the group’s business. You don’t have to pretend to be brothers. It is better to stare at this project when you have free time. Right now, there is Zhao Zhikai staring at you from behind.”

Zhao Changshuo paused. “I didn’t come here for this.”

“Then why?” Zhao Yao raised an eyebrow. “Is it really to bring me the bone soup?”

Zhao Changshuo glanced down at Zhao Yao’s leg. “I have sent people to investigate this matter. If it is a member of the group who did this then I will solve the problem for you.”

“That’s it?”  Zhao Yao’s eyes became serious. “Our relationship isn’t that close, right?”

He had done a few favors for Zhao Changshuo but he and Zhao Changshuo had been on opposite sides before. It was already strange for Zhao Changshuo to visit him so many times. Now he even sent over the bone soup when he was busy.

Zhao Changshuo asked in a deep voice, “Do you hate me?”

Hate? In fact, this couldn’t be said.

Zhao Changshuo was really annoying in the last life but after so long, Zhao Yao couldn’t say if he hated Zhao Changshuo or not.

“I can’t say.” Zhao Yao smiled. “At the very least, you are more pleasing to the eye than Zhao Zhikai and Zhao Qizhen.”

Zhao Changshuo wasn’t surprised when he heard this. “Zhao Yao, even if you don’t work for the group, you are still part of the Zhao family. I haven’t been able to explain some things clearly due to my position in the past but I hope you understand I’m not doing this due to the so-called factions or teammates.”

Zhao Yao looked at him and didn’t speak.

Zhao Changshuo sat for a while before saying, “Drink the bone soup while it is hot. I’ll go first.”

Zhao Yao suddenly told you, “You don’t need to check the crew’s affairs. It has nothing to do with the group.”

Zhao Changshuo looked at him with surprise. “How do you know?”

***

Yao Bai and Uncle Wang stared at each other as they stood at the door of the hospital room with Zhao Changshuo’s secretary. No one knew what was going on inside. Yao Bai, who was listening carefully, seemed to hear Zhao Changshuo’s voice become slightly louder. He thought the two people inside were arguing and asked Zhao Changshuo’s secretary, “Brother, did the oldest young master come here for a fight or something else?”

Just now, Zhao Changshuo’s expression hadn’t been very good when he came over.

Previously, Zhao Changshuo had shown good intentions twice and Yao Bai didn’t think much about it. Now thinking carefully, his brother didn’t like Zhao Changshuo before. Their relationship might’ve eased these days but he still wondered why. Now he thought it might’ve been the calm before the storm.

The secretary couldn’t guess his boss’ mind and had to say, “We are here to visit the sick.”

Yao Bai placed his ear to the door. “It doesn’t sound like visiting the sick?”

The secretary pursed his lips. “Maybe their relationship is good so they’re talking a bit loudly.”

Uncle Wang was also a bit worried.

Yao Bai looked through the small glass window in front of the door and could only see Zhao Changshuo’s back and his brother’s unpleasant expression. “This doesn’t seem like a good relationship…”

Pei Mingzhan arrived and saw three people standing at the door with different expressions, as if something was going on inside the room. After he left in the morning, he proceeded to deal with the crew’s affairs. Fortunately, Zhao Yao’s instructions meant the impact hadn’t expanded further. He personally went to the scene to question Wu Datao and found that the cause of the accident was the crane.

The studio that rented out the crane said that their vehicles were regularly serviced by hired people and it was absolutely impossible for the hook to come out. It was only then that Pei Mingzhan investigated carefully and found that the problem was with the person who came for maintenance. It would take some time to investigate further. He had been busy all afternoon and only had time to come now, but something else seemed to have happened on Zhao Yao’s side.

“Why did Film Emperor Pei come here?” Yao Bai looked at Pei Mingzhan.

“I came to see him.”

Yao Bai just wanted to say that Zhao Changshuo was inside when Zhao Changshuo opened the door and exited. He was a bit surprised when he saw Pei Mingzhan and stretched out a hand. “Second Young Master Pei, I’ve long looked forward to meeting you.”

“Mr Zhao.” Pei Mingzhan greeted politely.

Yao Bai looked at Zhao Changshuo’s face and found that this person looked much better than before. He seemed to be in a good mood?

Could it be that the two brothers really were talking loudly because of a good relationship just now?

Zhao Changshuo and Pei Mingzhan exchanged a few words before Zhao Changshuo left. Zhao Yao’s words weren’t wrong. Currently, he needed to deal with many things in the group and it was hard for him to find time to see Zhao Yao.

On the way to the parking lot, Zhao Changshuo questioned the secretary.

“Yes. After investigating and restoring the scene, we found that the position of the hook wasn’t far from Pei Mingzhan’s location at the time.” The secretary finished answering and asked, “Boss, does he have a problem?”

“That person is the second child of the Pei family in H City. The statue of the Pei family in H city is the same as the Zhao family in S City. In recent years, the boss of the Pei family has expanded the business and there is a connection with S City.” Zhao Changshuo gave a faint smile. “No wonder why Zhao Yao doesn’t want to continue checking it. He guessed that the reason involved the Pei family.”

Zhao Yao didn’t want to check it because he knew the biggest reason for this matter was the Pei family.

The secretary hesitated. “If the problem is with the Pei family, should we continue to look into it?”

“Why not?” Zhao Changshuo wondered. “When people behind the scenes attacked the Pei family, why didn’t they consider that the Zhao family is behind the Bewildering Traces crew?”

***

Zhao Changshuo left and Zhao Yao’s mood suddenly wasn’t very good. He couldn’t say how he felt. He just thought that due to choosing a different path in life, the people around him had slightly changed. There was a type of unreal feeling. He glanced at the bone soup at the head of the bed and swept aside the bones with a spoon. It looked delicious but he had no appetite.

Pei Mingzhan came in and happened to see Zhao Yao putting down the spoon. The spoon let out a clear sound when it touched the porcelain wall. He asked, “Does your leg still hurt in the afternoon?”

Zhao Yao raised his head and noticed that Pei Mingzhan had come over. “Why are you here?”

Pei Mingzhan put down the food box and noticed the bone soup on the bedside table. “I came to look after a hospitalized person.”

Zhao Yao frowned. “Uncle Wang and the others are here.”

“I’m joking. I came to see you. By the way, I’ll tell you about the results of the investigation.” Pei Mingzhan easily got to the topic and briefly told Zhao Yao about the result of the investigation. “This matter should be aimed at me but you are the one who ended up being hurt.”

Zhao Yao listened patiently. “So the problem is on the crane side?”

“At the moment but it is still under investigation.” Pei Mingzhan’s eyes stopped on the book in Zhao Yao’s hand. “The crew will stop work for half a month. During this time, you should have a good rest. By the way, what book are you reading?”

Zhao Yao showed the cover of the book to Pei Mingzhan. “Several reference books.”

Pei Mingzhan saw that the gray-white book had the words ‘On the Psychology of Young People’s Love Relationships’ written on it in big letters. He wondered, “Are you looking at new projects recently?”

“No. Huihua’s projects haven’t been launched yet and a few more are being prepared. Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” Pei Mingzhan answered. “I contacted the doctor to check your leg. You should be cautious with leg injuries. Do you have food that suits your appetite?”

Zhao Yao noticed that Pei Mingzhan had brought a food box. “You brought something?”

“I heard Yao Bai say that you didn’t eat much at noon. My guess was that you wouldn’t be able to eat anything too greasy so when I came here, I bought some porridge.” Pei Mingzhan opened the food box and took out the porridge and small dishes in it. “This store is near my company. My agent always brings it to me when I am working late at night. It tastes good. Try it.”

Zhao Yao actually had no appetite. “You can put it here first. I’ll eat later.”

Pei Mingzhan told him, “Since you don’t want to drink soup, eat some porridge while it is hot to warm your stomach. The appetizers here are good.” 

Zhao Yao saw that Pei Mingzhan had set everything up and he had to look at the other person. “I have no appetite right now. You brought so many things and I can’t eat them all.”

There were several dishes on the small table and a bowl of hot porridge.

Pei Mingzhan divided the porridge into two portions, trying to dissipate the heat as much as possible. He tested the bowl and said, “The temperature is just right. Try it.”

It wasn’t good for Zhao Yao to refuse this so he had to take a few bites, only to become stunned. “It is sweet?”

“I asked the boss to add some sugar. Doesn’t it taste just right?” Pei Mingzhan wondered.

The porridge wasn’t thick. It was on the slightly thinner side. The sweetness of the porridge water was also just right. Zhao Yao couldn’t help remembering the past. When his mother was still alive, she often cooked porridge herself and she liked adding a small spoonful of sugar. Many people knew how to make sweet porridge but ordinary stores wouldn’t make sweet porridge.

Zhao Yao carefully looked at this bowl of porridge and finally chose to scoop up a bit more. He soon reached the bottom of the shallow bowl.

Pei Mingzhan handed over the other bowl at this time but Zhao Yao stopped him. “How do you know that I like it sweet?”

“It is just right for your appetite.” Pei Mingzhan pushed a plate of side dishes to Zhao Yao. “It is best to have something sweet when you’re sick. Try this. The boss is from H City and the side dishes are hometown dishes.”

“Thank you.” Zhao Yao stopped frowning and didn’t think much.

After eating the bowl of porridge, Pei Mingzhan urged Zhao Yao to eat the side dishes. Zhao Yao tried them one after another due to Pei Mingzhan’s gentle and orderly introduction. By the time he reacted, the dishes on the small table were basically finished.

Pei Mingzhan smoothly put the dishes and bowls in the food box. “You see, you have a good appetite.”

Zhao Yao frowned slightly as he watched Pei Mingzhan pack up the things. He noticed that Pei Mingzhan had prepared a lot but it was actually just a meal for one person. Moreover, not every side dish was Zhao Yao’s favorite dish but it was within his acceptable range, especially that bowl of sweet porridge.”

“Second Young Master Pei is very busy.” Zhao Yao suddenly opened his mouth. “You prepared all of this with care.”

Pei Mingzhan put aside the food box. “Fortunately, my work these days has been pushed back.”

Zhao Yao watched him doubtfully.

Pei Mingzhan accepted it naturally. “Something like this has happened so my work will be temporarily postponed. If you like these, I will bring them for you tomorrow.”

---

If you want bonus chapters or access to early advanced chapters, feel free to donate a ko-fi or subscribe to my Patreon.

Ko-fi

Patreon