Special Forces Medic-Chapter 874 - 847: The Choice Between Family and Love
"Aren’t you going to comfort your sister-in-law?" Zilin nodded with some understanding.
"I can’t!" Xiao Lin suddenly called him to their room, wanting him to act out this drama for him. Although a clichéd method, it was very effective.
In fact, she also wanted to ask that question: Why!
Xia Xue was much stronger than he had imagined. From Consort Ling’s hourly reports, Xiao Lin’s heart couldn’t harden. He really wanted to see her. The stronger Xia Xue pretended to be, the more it told him how deep her wounds were.
"You owe me an explanation. If you really can’t let it go, then go!" Lian applied medicine on Xiao Lin, and in her fight with Shaoqing, it had almost turned into a pointless scuffle. It seemed like she should thank Shaoqing for appearing at this time, allowing this beast to find some peace in his pain. Among these people, apart from Hua Qingyi, only Miao Shaoqing could go crazy with him!
"My left hand is for my brothers, my right hand is for a woman. I have no choice." Xiao Lin tossed his phone to the side and lit a cigarette with his injured hand. The choice between family and love was often difficult. This wasn’t like deciding whether to kill an innocent child on the battlefield. One was a killing machine faced with completing a task, while the other was a living, breathing person. He didn’t know how to choose. In over twenty years, he had never had to make a choice before.
Lian held him close in her arms, perhaps only at this moment could she be so unrestrained in holding this man she had loved for so long. No one knew Xiao Lin’s past better than her, and no one understood such a childhood and way of survival better than her. It was different from Hua Qingyi’s experiences. As a woman, a woman with maternal instincts, these feelings were likely beyond the understanding of these playmates. Xiao Lin’s longing for love, the yearning for family affection.
"You used the wrong method!" This time, Lian didn’t stand by Xiao Lin’s side like before. She uttered the same words as Consort Ling.
"I know, so I’m sorry!"
"What do you plan to do next?" Lian wisely avoided this sensitive topic. Once Xiao Lin made a decision and put it into action, it meant there was no turning back. For him, a breakup was a breakup, whether it was an act or not, it was the end.
"The next step may bring her even more shock. I think she can bear it."
"You still want to add more misery on Xia Xue?" Lian’s voice began to tremble.
"Unless it’s done completely, that person won’t believe it. I understand her." Xiao Lin’s dark eyes were calm and unwavering.
"Can’t you do both? Protect family and gain love? Don’t you know this is cruel to Xia Xue?"
"If I could, I wouldn’t be doing this. It’s the conditions, I have no choice."
"I can’t let you do this."
"Are even you going to oppose me?" Xiao Lin’s disheartened tone left Lian at a loss.
"No, I’m just saying there must be another way. This isn’t the last resort." Lian explained, suddenly feeling clumsy herself. "Even if you do this, with Fourth Master’s intelligence, he might not believe it."
"Heh, if it were you, she would certainly believe it." Xiao Lin tugged at Lian’s dangling hair. "The pain that woman inflicted on you, I will demand back in full."
"Is it for me?"
Xiao Lin shook his head. "Not for anyone, just purely angry, angry at myself."
"I don’t regret what I did, nor will I hold you accountable." Lian exhaled. "Moreover, in this lifetime, it’s impossible for me to be with you, so don’t use me as an excuse, it hurts so much."
"I’m sorry!" The hand pulling her hair paused momentarily. "I’m very sorry! In this lifetime, I have only that one woman, so even if I can’t have her, I won’t see her die because of me. Letting her hate me is better than letting her love me."
"You’re a fool. You have countless better, more subtle ways."
"It’s not like that, it’s not you, she wouldn’t leave me." Xiao Lin understood, he had always understood in his heart, which is why he felt even more guilty towards the woman in front of him, a woman he treated like a sister and family since childhood. Without Xia Xue, he might have married this woman, but there was no maybe.
"I understand. I will finish this act, as long as you don’t call it off midway, it won’t stop."
"Thank you, but I must say that you could very likely become Fourth Master’s target. I am transferring the danger to you, and I won’t be by your side to protect you at all times. You know you’ve always been my reliable support, so..."
"Xiao Lin, you’re a selfish person!"
"Mm, it’s the Xiao Family gene, and I just happen to carry it quite well."
"Shaoqing has been waiting, he has something to tell you, should we bring him up?"
"No, we’ll go down!" Xiao Lin dramatically grabbed Lotus by the waist and pulled her to him. "Sorry!"
"If you’re going to act, act it out fully. You’re always wearing that guilty expression; anyone could see through it. Your acting is terrible." Lotus laughed at Xiao Lin, wrapped her arms around his neck. "If you want to apologize to me, keep it in your heart, dear." Her lips met Xiao Lin’s, feeling his stiffness, Lotus gave a bitter smile.
When the two appeared intimately before the three people downstairs, various complicated expressions surfaced. Xiao Lin didn’t explain, and neither did Lotus. Whether they believed it or agreed was their business.
"What did you find?" In the first-floor hall, five people sat around the sofa. Shaoqing’s injury seemed much more severe than Xiao Lin’s, his body wrapped in bandages.
"I have identified the person you asked me to track." Compared to Zimu’s brothers’ reactions, Miao Shaoqing was much more composed. "Previously identified as Fourth Master’s people, through my investigation over this period, I can confirm they belong to the Horse Gang and have some collaboration with Fourth Master. Just last week Master Ma from the Horse Gang was killed in a hotel, and now the Horse Gang is in chaos. Ye Li is stationed there, having arrived yesterday to start clearing and reorganizing, but taking over the entire Horse Gang is still difficult."
"Where are Baldie and that wild man now?"
"Since Master Ma’s death, these two have not returned to the Horse Gang. However, interesting news is that Master Ma was once one of the subordinates in the Dark Hand, about a year ago, driven out. Ye Li doesn’t seem aware of this, so I suspect this time Master Ma’s death might be a conspiracy, and when discovering Master Ma’s body, Yan Juanjuan was also present; someone deliberately concealed the facts."
"Ye Li?!" Xiao Lin smelled the scent of conspiracy. Someone deliberately led Ye Li to the Horse Gang, he moved his eyes, realizing there wasn’t enough time from here to the North District. "Where is Ye Liqing?"
"She should be at the headquarters of the Dark Hand now."
Xiao Lin suddenly got up from the sofa, grabbed the keys on the table, and left. Lotus awkwardly leaned on the sofa, shaking her head with a bitter smile.
"You’re not going with him?"
"I’m just a woman." Lotus paved the way for Xiao Lin. "Would you few be willing to do me a favor?"
Zimu raised an eyebrow. Given Lotus was Dragon Soul’s Military Advisor, leaving the boss out alone wouldn’t hurt to listen to this woman’s ideas.
"Very well!" Lotus nodded at the three, her entire face breaking into a smile.
As night fell, another world began. Xiao Lin coming and going from the Dark Hand was routine, sitting at the small counter, upon hearing the commotion, the person merely glanced at him before lowering his head to nap. But don’t underestimate this person; his ears could hear sounds meters away, not letting any tiny sound escape. He could remember everyone’s footsteps, breathing, and any sound pattern, so before Xiao Lin even reached him, he already knew who it was.
Ye Liqing rarely came here since Ye Li took over; herself mostly staying in the old hall chatting with the old members, no longer managing internal Dark Hand affairs. It seemed like a balanced relationship as she restrained those old men’s territorial range, and despite Ye Li having recently taken the Dark Hand’s helm, he was constantly on edge.
"Oh, what wind blows such a big figure like you here at night? Ye Li isn’t here, looks like you’re taking a wasted trip!" Ye Liqing was playing with her zither strings, not at all surprised at Xiao Lin’s appearance.
"You knew I’d return?" Xiao Lin sat cross-legged opposite her.
"Mmm! I just thought you would head directly to the North District; isn’t Ye Li one of your five?" Ye Liqing placed her palms on the zither strings, pausing the melody.
"Finding you is faster than going anywhere else."
"How do you know I’ll help you? Even if he is my son, it can’t go against everyone’s wishes."
"I believe in him, so I’m not worried he’ll fail." Xiao Lin’s words brought a surprised look to Ye Liqing’s face.
"What on earth makes you so confident?"
"You wouldn’t understand this. I came to ask you why you hid this matter. Master Ma of the Horse Gang was once a Dark Hand member—why was he driven out back then? Is there a connection with Fourth Master of the North District, or are you saying Dark Hand has always been with Fourth Master?"
"Ah!" Ye Liqing exclaimed, her beautiful face flushing. "You said so much in one breath, want some tea?" The room was filled with the scent of Mugwort, purported to have a calming effect on one’s nerves.
"Heh... I’m not here for tea." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
Ye Liqing sighed helplessly, her despondent eyes evoking pity, but they couldn’t sway Xiao Lin. "You’re a man unmoved by women’s hearts. The Horse Gang indeed originated from Dark Hand, but we’re not with Fourth Master, rest assured on that point."
"Ye Li’s trip to the North District to clean up Horse Gang was also your order, right?" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
