Chapter 360: The Truth Behind Why the Heaven-Fated Cousin Was Targeted

“Song Ze, why are you resisting? It’s just a cup of alcohol, isn’t it?”

“You keep saying there’s nothing wrong with this drink… then drinking it on the spot is the best way to prove yourself, isn’t it? Why are you fighting so desperately?”

“Could it be that you really did put something in this alcohol?”

“……….”

Tang Chuan wasn’t stupid—he had clearly realized how serious the situation was.

After all, Song Ze’s violent struggle already explained everything.

If he truly had been slandered and wronged, then drinking the cup would be the best way to clear his name…

But not only did he dodge and stall, he also revealed an extremely terrified, frightened expression. This kind of obviously abnormal behavior—any normal person could see there was something fishy.

“Third Young Master, I… I didn’t, I didn’t want to hurt you…”

“You—you… you have to believe me…!”

Faced with Tang Chuan’s repeated questioning, Song Ze—pressed to the floor by the bodyguards—looked deathly pale and defended himself weakly.

When asked why he wouldn’t drink if there was nothing wrong with the alcohol, Song Ze fell silent again. He could only grit his teeth and shake his head in dejection.

Seeing this, Tang Chuan’s heart instantly felt as if it had been soaked in icy water—cold to the bone, as though it sank into a bottomless abyss.

Beside him, Tang Guoan let out a cold laugh and waved at the bodyguards.

“Enough nonsense. Pry his mouth open! Pour it down his throat!”

At his words, the bodyguards immediately cooperated, gripping Song Ze’s jaw and waiting for an opening to pour the alcohol into his mouth, scaring Song Ze into screaming his lungs out.

In his panic, he finally admitted his crime.

“Don’t—don’t! I admit it! I admit there really is a problem with the alcohol…”

“I-I… I mixed something into the drink…”

Hearing that, the last shred of luck Tang Chuan had been clinging to was utterly shattered by ruthless reality.

He never would’ve imagined…

The good brother he believed to be loyal to the core actually wanted to harm him…

“Why? Song Ze… why would you do this? Aren’t we sworn brothers, bonded by life and death?”

“Did you forget how we swore brotherhood before Lord Guan, imitating the Oath of the Peach Garden?”

“Do you still remember the oath we made back then…?”

“From today on, we do not seek to be born on the same year, month, and day, but we wish to die on the same year, month, and day. Heaven above and earth below bear witness to this heart. If we betray righteousness and forget gratitude, may both gods and men punish us together.”

“……….”

Staring at his friend pinned to the floor, Tang Chuan’s eyes were filled with disbelief and disappointment. His voice was hoarse beyond words.

He truly couldn’t understand his friend’s motive for doing this.

Because normally, he prided himself on taking extra care of Song Ze.

Whether it was when Song Ze nearly got ‘unspoken-rule’d’ by capital because of his pretty looks, or when his acting wasn’t good enough and he couldn’t get roles, or when his seriously ill mother had no money for treatment…….

Whenever Song Ze, this good brother, ran into trouble after trouble, it was practically always Third Young Master Tang stepping up.

He’d bared his heart and soul to this loyal, righteous brother—yet now this brother wanted to harm him? Why???

Tang Chuan couldn’t understand it. He really, truly couldn’t understand it?!!

…………

Listening to their precious son recite his so-called brotherhood oath with such emotion, the Tang couple’s eyes twitched hard—his cringey chuunibyou was making their scalps go numb.

Xu Shuyun, especially, couldn’t stand it anymore. She scolded him angrily, hating that he was so disappointing:

“Are you stupid or what? What is there to agonize over? This kid is just jealous that you stole the male lead’s spotlight!”

“As the saying goes: under heaven, all bustle is for profit.”

“He deliberately got close to you and flattered you—obviously to use our Tang family’s resources to help him soar!”

“Only an idiot like you would stupidly treat him like a brother, and even talk back to me and your father because of him!”

“Hmph! When we get home, you’re grounded for a week. Reflect properly!”

“……….”

After giving their foolish son a warning, Xu Shuyun and her husband had people preserve the evidence and called the police on the spot.

Only then did Song Ze finally feel real fear.

He knew that once this reached the police station, his life would be completely ruined—his future would go dark, and there was a high chance he’d even face prison time.

“Don’t call the police! I don’t want to go to jail, I was wrong!”

“Mr. Tang, Madam Xu! You’ve misunderstood me! I never wanted to hurt Third Young Master! I-I… I just…”

While begging desperately, Song Ze also revealed the real reason he drugged the drink.

“Third Young Master, I-I… the reason I did this… is actually because I-I… I love you?!!!”

(???(???;) what???

Holy shit! (owo?)!

Holy shit!!! ┌(。Д。)┐

Holy mother of—!!!!!!! w(?Д?)w

Inside the private room, the entire Tang family froze, unanimously putting on an expression like an old man on the subway.

They even suspected they were hallucinating—otherwise how could something this outrageous happen?!

“Song Ze, do you even know what you’re saying?!!”

“I’m so disappointed in you! Just to get yourself off the hook, you came up with such a disgusting excuse!”

“I’m telling you! From now on! You serve your time; I live in my seaside villa! We’re done, completely! We’re no longer those ‘kindred spirits’ good brothers!”

“………..”

Tang Chuan instantly broke down, goosebumps exploding all over his body. A wave of nausea churned in his stomach—he couldn’t accept a single word his friend said.

With a look that was three parts anger, three parts disgust, and four parts wanting to puke, he coldly declared he was cutting ties with Song Ze.

Hearing that the man he loved most was about to leave him forever, Song Ze—still pinned to the floor—stared wide-eyed, and let out a despairing wail:

“No~~~~~~~~~~~~~”

At the same time, it was as if some kind of magical BGM appeared in the air, circling in everyone’s minds.

Snowflakes drifting~~~

The north wind howling~~~

Heaven and earth~ a vast, boundless gray~~~~

……….

Song Ze cried bitterly, desperately trying to fight for the love that had ended before it even began. He shouted passionately:

“Tang-Tang, you can’t do this to me! I really do love you!”

“Ever since I was little, everyone around me wanted something from me. Only you—never calculating gains or losses—truly cared for me, protected me, and pitied me~~~”

“Especially that time you descended like a divine soldier, like a prince on a white horse, and saved me from Boss Jin’s crotch—ever since then, I’ve already decided you’re the love of my life!”

“Only by your side can I feel a strong sense of security! In my heart, you are a real man who stands tall between heaven and earth!!!”

“Tang-Tang~~ at this point, I don’t want to suppress my feelings for you anymore~~~”

“I want to tell you loudly! Tang-Tang! I like you—my brain and my heart, every single organ in my body is saying I like you~~~”

“Please don’t leave me (?_?)~~~~”

“Because you are my heart, you are my liver, you are three quarters of my life!!!!”