There was strong unwillingness within Lu Zihao to entrust his precious little sister to another man, but he just couldn't leave her unprotected. No matter what kind of life she lived from now on, whether it would be peaceful or not, he needed the assurance that she would be protected at all times.
So he continued to goad his sister's lover.
"Do you really love her?" Lu Zihao asked Jin Liwei.
"Yes, of course," Jin Liwei immediately answered.
"Then why the half-ass job in dealing with that psycho Fan b*tch and her family? Is your love for Xiulan also half-ass?"
"Of course not! My love for her is not half-ass! I love her with all that I am!"
"Heh… Is that so? Can't see it." Lu Zihao deliberately looked at Jin Liwei with critical eyes. "You know what that psycho b*tch has been doing behind the scenes, right? If you don't deal with her soon, it'll only be a matter of time before she tries killing Xiulan again."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtJin Liwei held his head with his hands, grabbing fistfuls of his hair. Then determination flashed in his eyes. He dropped his hands to his sides and clenched them. "I'll deal with Fan Luo and the Fans. No more half-assery," he declared through gritted teeth.
"What about those Alarm b*tches? That psycho b*tch even resorted to using them."
"They'll be dealt with as well."
Lu Zihao was pleased with his success but maintained a serious expression. This was only the first step. He had to see first whether his sister's lover would deliver on his declaration. If not, Lu Zihao would be forced to make alternative arrangements to ensure his sister's safety, whether she liked it or not.
"Fifth Brother, you really care about Xiulan that much?" Jin Liwei suddenly asked. He couldn't hide the suspicion and a hint of jealousy in his tone.
"Of course I care about her," Lu Zihao replied, raising an eyebrow. "I told you. She's my little sister. Do you have a problem with that, Third Brother?"
"I…no." Jin Liwei frowned. His expression kept on changing, unsure of what to think or feel.
"Don't waste your time feeling jealous at me. I already told you before that I don't see her the same way that you do. She'll always be a little sister to me. Nothing more, nothing less. But that also makes her very important to me. You're also my brother, but I'm going to tell you this now so that we're clear. If the two of you ever fight, I'll take her side. Always."
Another wave of dizziness overcame Lu Zihao. His body protested against his statement. Of course the body would side with Jin Liwei.
'Behave! Of course I'll side with my own sister, you idiot. Stop fighting against me,' Lu Zihao scolded his body.
Jin Liwei looked surprised and confused but in the end, he just nodded his head. If he fought with his baby girl, he wouldn't take his own side either.
"Ugh." Lu Zihao staggered and grabbed the edge of the study table to steady himself.
"Fifth Brother? What's wrong?" Jin Liwei quickly crossed the distance between them. "Sh*t. You look like Xiulan when she's gonna collapse. Here, sit down first. I'll call Second Brother…no, I better call an ambulance."
Lu Zihao sat down heavily on the swivel chair. "Don't bother." He waved a dismissive hand. "Just give me a couple of minutes and I'll be fine."
"Are you sure? You don't look well." Jin Liwei looked worried. His baby girl just came out of the hospital. He didn't want his Fifth Brother to go next.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Lu Zihao closed his eyes and focused on steadying his erratic breathing. He was instantly drenched with his own cold sweat.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmJin Liwei observed him while holding his phone. He would immediately call an ambulance the moment his Fifth Brother's condition worsened.
Fortunately, Lu Zihao indeed recovered in about a couple of minutes. He opened his eyes and blew a big puff of breath.
"How are you feeling?" Jin Liwei asked.
"I'm okay now. I just feel…f*ck, I'm exhausted."
Jin Liwei looked relieved. "You need to rest, Fifth Brother. Let's go. I'll help you to your room."
"No need." Lu Zihao waved him off. "I'll go on my own. I'll ask Dominic or someone else to show me the way."
"Alright. Don't push yourself too hard. You're not fully recovered yet," Jin Liwei reminded him.
"Yeah, yeah." Lu Zihao pushed himself up with great effort. He felt like all his energy had been drained. He began to walk but stopped when he remembered something. "Third Brother, be careful when you tell the truth about the accident to little sister. We know what happens to her when she becomes overly emotional or stressed. We don't want her collapsing or going into coma again." He paused before adding, "She might not wake up next time."
Jin Liwei immediately became more serious. "Yes. I won't tell her right away. I don't want her to relapse again. I'll deal with Fan Luo, her family and the Alarm Girls first. When everything's resolved, then I'll tell her everything."
Lu Zihao nodded. "That's for the best."
The two brothers parted. Jin Liwei stayed in the bedroom while Lu Zihao headed out of the door. Dom was nowhere in sight, so he asked a maid to show him to his bedroom.
As soon as he laid down on the bed, he instantly fell asleep and battled himself within a world of white mist.