Rivals of Rebirth Chapter 69

Chapter 69 Extra 1

Author’s Note: The timeline still connects to the main text, but I can’t help but whitewash my favorite Zhou Shao a bit. Muah muah~ It seems like Han Shao has become a bit darker again…

Hmm, let the flowers fall~~~

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A group of little angels (づ￣ 3￣)づ

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An hour later, Han Jin arrived at Zhou Cheng’an’s office. At this moment, Zhou Cheng’an was working. When he heard someone coming in, he looked up and saw Han Jin. He smiled slightly, “You came so quickly. I thought you might spend more time with Zheng Sheng.”

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Tyd Kkd aykple yd lulcaso yde pyv ynaspp qasx Hbsw Ubldt’yd, qszekdt bkp bydep vstlvbla. “R oypd’v okvb bkx clqsal. R oldv vs pll xu qyvbla.”

“Zswa qyvbla?” Hbsw Ubldt’yd qasodle pzktbvzu, “Ebyv byrrldle vs bkx?”

“Ebyv lzpl nswze byrrld?” Tyd Kkd pxkajle pyanypvknyzzu, “Tl blyae vbyv R oyp tskdt vs bsze y csyae xllvkdt yde oydvle vs vyzj vs xl ycswv kv. R eked’v oydv vs oypvl vkxl okvb bkx, ps R nsdqasdvle bkx ekalnvzu.”

Hbsw Ubldt’yd zssjle psxlobyv pwarakple yv Tyd Kkd. “Tso eke uswa qyvbla alynv?”

“Ebyv lzpl nswze bkp alynvksd cl?” Tyd Kkd pdllale, “Mbl vbkdtp R qswde swv, bl byp vs clzklhl oblvbla bl zkjlp kv sa dsv!”

Hbsw Ubldt’yd pralye bkp bydep blzrzlppzu. “Zsw’al vss bypvu. Gqvla yzz, bl’p uswa qyvbla. Ebkzl bl xyu byhl clld dltzktldv kd vbl rypv, kv’p dsv ldvkalzu bkp qywzv.”

Tyd Kkd takvvle bkp vllvb, y bkdv sq alpldvxldv kd bkp lulp. “Rq kv’p dsv bkp qywzv, vbld obspl qywzv kp kv? Tl’p xu qyvbla, cwv bl’p yzps xu xsvbla’p bwpcyde. Rv’p sdl vbkdt qsa svblap, cwv bkp zynj sq vawpv kp y qyvyz czso vs xu xsvbla!”

Hbsw Ubldt’yd pktble blzrzlppzu. “Gzaktbv, pkdnl usw’hl yzalyeu xyel wr uswa xkde, vblal’p zkvvzl R nyd pyu vs nbydtl vbyv. R fwpv bsrl usw’zz cl nywvkswp yde dsv shlazu kxrwzpkhl.”

Upon hearing this, Han Jin smiled a bit more relaxedly. “Are you blaming me for making you play the good guy this time?”

Zhou Cheng’an looked at him, the words he intended to say seemed to vanish into thin air, and he could only sigh, “You intentionally let Zhou Chen know about Zheng Sheng’s whereabouts, all to foster feelings between you. I don’t mind playing the good guy, but this plan seems a bit presumptuous. If Zheng Sheng gets hurt for real, you won’t have a chance to regret it.”

Han Jin snorted at this, “I’ve already thought this through. Zheng Jue is the kind of person who’s flexible on the outside but rigid on the inside. If I were to force myself on him, he’d inevitably grow resentful. This is the only way…”

Han Jin’s eyes suddenly softened a bit. “Actually, he’s a very soft-hearted person. This time, I saved him and put him in a difficult situation. He’s bound to feel closer to me now. It’s just that I didn’t expect…”

Han Jin gave Zhou Cheng’an a glare. “I didn’t expect your father to be so impulsive and directly lay a hand on him. Zhou Cheng’an, if you hadn’t intervened, I can’t guarantee I wouldn’t have done something myself.”

Zhou Cheng’an sighed wryly. “Brother, this situation was already quite dangerous to begin with. Now you’re blaming me in the end. I didn’t expect Zheng Sheng, who usually appears gentle, to be so capable in a physical confrontation. Even without us, he might have escaped today.”

Zhou Cheng’an’s subtly praising words left Han Jin slightly smug. “Of course, Zheng Jue is someone who might seem ordinary on the surface, but he’s actually quite ruthless and cunning.”

Zhou Cheng’an was almost at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He wasn’t sure if Han Jin’s remark was a compliment or an insult to Zheng Jue.

“Alright, alright, you don’t need to display affection here in front of this lonely soul. We still need to wrap up this matter. Should we send your people or mine?” Zhou Cheng’an twirled the pen in his hand, his eyes thoughtful.

Han Jin temporarily dropped his carefree attitude and pondered for a moment. “Let your people handle it. Zheng Jue isn’t a fool. If I get involved, he’ll eventually figure out what happened today.”

Zhou Cheng’an nodded. “Sounds good.” He continued, “When should I transfer the ownership papers for that mall to Zheng Sheng? It’s a significant matter, and you should discuss it thoroughly with him.”

Han Jin waved his hand indifferently as he stood up from his seat. “You handle that. I won’t get involved. You can talk to Zheng Jue.”

A hint of amusement appeared in Zhou Cheng’an’s eyes. Among other things, Han Jin was quite sensible in this aspect. He wouldn’t meddle in Zheng Jue’s business dealings. After all, Zheng Jue had a strong sense of pride. While he might tolerate others taking advantage of him to some extent, Han Jin’s close relationship with him would be a different story. If she were to interfere, Zheng Jue wouldn’t tolerate it.

“Alright, I know you’re a busy person. I won’t keep you any longer. Feel free to leave whenever you want.” Zhou Cheng’an didn’t even consider standing up to see Han Jin off; he just waved his hand.

Han Jin raised an eyebrow slightly and looked down at Zhou Cheng’an from his higher vantage point. Suddenly, he asked, “By the way, I almost forgot to ask you. Where did your cousin go?”

Zhou Cheng’an looked up. “Since when did you start caring about him?” He paused briefly and continued, “After I dealt with Wen Hua’an, my grandfather sent him abroad. That Miss Lin Ai who was with him was sent away as well.”

Han Jin grinned slyly. “Oh, it seems your grandfather is quite practical.”

Zhou Cheng’an gave a bitter chuckle. “Grandfather knows what he did to my mother and me back then. He sent my cousin away because of Zhou Chen’s attachment to my mother. Now that he can’t control me, he’s naturally trying to please me, afraid that I’ll cut off his path.”

“Do you think you will?” Han Jin looked at Zhou Cheng’an, his expression unusually serious.

Zhou Cheng’an suddenly chuckled. “Why would I? After all, he’s my own grandfather…” Zhou Cheng’an looked up, his eyes devoid of any trace of amusement. “Of course, I won’t let him off so easily. I want him to witness how I deal with his beloved son and grandson. Then he can retire peacefully. Of course, the Zhou mansion isn’t quite suitable for him anymore. I’ll personally select a retirement home and ensure he spends the rest of his days in comfort.”

Han Jin looked at Zhou Cheng’an, feeling a shiver down his spine. He and Zhou Cheng’an had grown up together, so he knew his personality quite well. He had always been aware of Zhou Cheng’an’s resentment towards the Zhou family, but he hadn’t realized just how deep that resentment went.

Han Jin tilted his lips slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Cheng’an, we truly are quite the pair of good brothers.”

Zhou Cheng’an lowered his head to sign his name on the documents and whispered, “Calling us ‘brothers in distress’ might be more accurate.”

Han Jin chuckled. “Indeed, brothers in distress.”

With that, he turned and left.

After Han Jin left the office, Zhou Cheng’an raised his head and gazed in the direction of the door. A sense of desolation filled his eyes. Both of them were the luckiest and yet most unfortunate individuals in this world. They were fortunate because they were born into unparalleled wealth and status, but unfortunate because they had to be at odds with their own kin, battling it out within their bloodline. Only this way could they stand tall. A slight misstep could lead them into an abyss.

Zhou Cheng’an slowly lowered his head, looking at the pen in his hand that symbolized power. He suddenly realized that perhaps Han Jin’s madness for Zheng Jue had some reasoning behind it. When a person who had everything met someone who had nothing, their perceptions were completely overturned. They were drawn in by that person’s carefree attitude, moved by their focused actions, and ultimately captured by them.

If love was a competition, then Zheng Jue was clearly the victor. He appeared at precisely the right moments and disappeared when necessary, finally ensnaring Han Jin completely.

A coldness flickered in Zhou Cheng’an’s eyes. He didn’t need such things. His life belonged only to himself; others must never touch it. He wasn’t Han Jin, and he could never become Han Jin. He lacked that kind of passion to pursue such matters and the inclination to be entangled by them. All he needed was the power in his hands and the wealth before his eyes. His world was pure and ruthless like that.

Zhou Cheng’an lowered his head, continuing to attend to his paperwork, pushing everything else out of his mind.

**

After leaving the Zhou mansion, Han Jin drove quickly towards Zheng Jue’s apartment. As he drove, cars flowed past outside his window. He thought about the moments he had shared with Zheng Jue, and an involuntary smile appeared on his face. Others might think he looked like a madman out of control, but he only felt overwhelming sweetness. He felt like an inflated balloon; everything was perfect except for his outer coldness and inner passion – a near-complete package.

Meanwhile, Zheng Jue was half-lying on his bed, gazing at the ink-black sky outside the window. His eyes held a gentle expression. Before he left, he had always thought that he and Han Jin were like two parallel rivers, moving side by side but never truly intersecting. However, now he realized that it was all just an illusion. All his worries were fleeting. Han Jin had barged into his life in the most abrupt and direct way, making him unable to ignore or resist him.

Suddenly, Zheng Jue heard a knock on his door. He walked to the door, and for some reason, his heart started beating intensely. He opened the door and saw Han Jin’s face, a hint of a silly smile on it, which made him burst into laughter.

Why was Zhou Chen able to arrange informants beside the shrewd Zhou Cheng’an? How did they rescue him so perfectly? Why was Han Jin so agitated and indignant? Why would the usually meticulous Zhou Cheng’an suddenly use him as bait? These questions suddenly lost their importance at this moment. What mattered was that the person in front of him was still the one who loved him, still Han Jin, still here, and still willing to walk alongside him, until they finally let each other go, or let themselves go.

“Han Jin, you’re late,” Zheng Jue said with a smile as he looked at the person outside his door.

Han Jin didn’t say a word. He pounced forward suddenly, embracing Zheng Jue tightly. The smile he had been containing on the road finally burst forth. He buried his face in Zheng Jue’s shoulder and laughed silently.

This person was finally his.

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