Chapter 168: The Funeral is Tomorrow
Not only did Xiao Wenbin say the words, but his expression and gaze were also flawless. He truly looked like he was filled with concern for his own son.
Only he knew that deep down, he was about to burst out laughing.
'This is great!'
'Xiao Ye is clearly poisoned!'
'And it's an incurable poison!'
'As soon as Xiao Ye dies, I'll receive a massive benefit!'
'Then, the Xiao Family can rise to a whole new level!'
Xiao Ye said nothing, simply closing his eyes wearily.
Seeing this, Xiao Wenbin didn't stay much longer. Since the boy was doomed to die anyway, there was no need to overdo the act.
Once the room was quiet again.
Xiao Ye slowly opened his eyes.
He quickly got out of bed and, like an agile black panther, leaped from the window.
He reached out, precisely grabbing the edge of the third-floor balcony.
Hugging the wall, Xiao Ye took two steps and arrived at the window of the adjacent study.
Sure enough, Xiao Wenbin was on the phone. Xiao Ye could faintly hear a few words.
"It seems he's been poisoned. I'll have someone come over tomorrow to take a look and confirm it."
Xiao Ye thought back but didn't remember the previous doctor saying anything like that.
'It seems that doctor wasn't one of their people. The next one must be.'
"Alright, I understand. From now on, we just have to let him wait for death."
Xiao Wenbin hung up the phone and leaned back comfortably against his chair.
The mere thought of the benefits he was about to receive sent a wave of satisfaction through him.
He didn't notice the shadow that flitted past his window.
「The next day.」
Xiao Wenbin brought another so-called doctor to examine Xiao Ye.
The man gave the same diagnosis, "It's just a cold."
Xiao Ye didn't respond, merely staring at the man with cold eyes.
"Just have the patient take some cold medicine."
After speaking, the doctor glanced at Xiao Ye, a smirk playing on his lips as a look of contempt flashed in his eyes.
'So what if he managed to evade all those Death Warriors?'
'In the end, isn't he still going to die by our hands?'
'He should have just obediently offered up his neck in the first place, instead of making us lose so many valuable men.'
After the doctor left, Xiao Wenbin summoned the other members of the Xiao Family back home. It seemed he was done with the pretense.
He looked at the assembled family members and said in a low voice, "Xiao Ye is sick."
"What's wrong with him? Why make such a big deal out of it?"
"Patriarch, you called us all back. It can't be some minor illness, can it? Is it terminal?"
"It must be something serious. This is karma! Let's see him act so arrogant now!"
Of course, Xiao Wenbin had no intention of telling them what he knew. For a secret like this, the fewer people who knew, the better. It was best to take it to the grave.
"Yes, it's a terminal illness."
Surprise lit up the eyes of the Xiao Family members, without a hint of grief.
They couldn't wait for Xiao Ye to die. It would mean one less person competing with them for the family fortune.
Most importantly, they would no longer have to live in constant fear, worried about when Xiao Ye might come after them.
Xiao Wenbin cleared his throat. "Alright, that's enough. Don't forget, he is still a member of the Xiao Family."
"Even if you're happy, don't show it. If outsiders see, they'll think everyone in our Xiao Family is made of stone."
"Also, he only has a few days left. He might not even last the week. Don't any of you go looking for trouble with him, do you hear me?"
"All of you, stay away from him. It's best to avoid all contact. If you catch what he has, don't blame me for not warning you!"
Hearing this, the family members all nodded in agreement.
"Patriarch, rest assured, I absolutely won't go near him. He's a dying man anyway, we won't stoop to his level."
"It's better for him to die! Otherwise, he'll drag our Xiao Family down with him sooner or later!"
"Someone asked me about that country bumpkin again today. He's such an embarrassment to the Xiao Family! He's lowering our entire family's standing!"
Xiao Wenbin waved his hand. "Alright, that's enough. Everyone, dismiss. And say less. The more you talk, the more you risk a slip-up."
The meeting ended.
The family members all returned to their own rooms.
They had only left to avoid Xiao Ye in the first place; now, they could finally return home.
No one noticed the door to Xiao Ye's room, which had been left ajar, swing silently shut.
「Three days later.」
Xiao Ye was so weak he could no longer get out of bed.
His entire body exuded an aura of decay, as if he had aged several decades in just a few short days.
When Xiao Wenbin saw his condition, he nearly jumped in shock. "You... how did you end up like this?"
Then he suddenly recalled the progression of this particular poison.
'Xiao Ye is on the verge of death. It's no surprise he looks like this.'
"You... you should just get some rest."
With that, Xiao Wenbin hurried away, afraid that staying any longer would give him nightmares.
Two more days passed.
Xiao Ye took a shower and lay comfortably in bed. His complexion was ruddy, and he didn't look seriously ill at all.
He changed into an identical set of black clothes, then took out a pill and tossed it into his mouth.
Moments after he swallowed it, his complexion visibly turned ashen.
In the blink of an eye, he fell still, his breathing becoming almost imperceptible.
Suddenly, the monitor beside him blared.
"BEEEEEP—!"
The person standing guard outside immediately burst in, only to see the heart rate monitor showing a flat line.
"Patriarch! Something's happened! The Young Master... the Young Master is dead!"
"What?" Xiao Wenbin rushed up from the study. When he saw the flatlining heart rate monitor, he couldn't stop a smile from gracing his lips.
But the smile was fleeting, replaced in an instant by a look of anguish.
"How could this happen! Xiao Ye!"
Xiao Wenbin lunged forward, covertly checking for a pulse and breath.
'Just as I thought. Nothing!'
'He's really dead!'
Xiao Wenbin was ecstatic, on the verge of laughing out loud.
But he managed to suppress it. "Quick, go inform everyone else. The Xiao Family's Young Master... has passed away!"
"Yes, sir!"
Within minutes, everyone else knew.
Though they had already known Xiao Ye was going to die, they hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.
He was gone in just a matter of days.
"Patriarch, should we still hold a funeral for him?"
"Of course!" Xiao Wenbin's eyes widened. "We brought him back to the Xiao Family with great fanfare."
"What would it look like if we didn't hold a funeral?"
"Not only will we hold one, but we'll make it a grand affair!"
"Go and inform all the families on good terms with us, especially the Wang Family. Make sure to express our deepest apologies and regrets."
"Also, notify his friends in Jiangcheng. They should know as well."
The news quickly spread among the major families.
No one expected the young master from the countryside to die so young, without even getting to enjoy his new life for more than a few days.
When Wang Qiaoqiao heard the news, she couldn't quite believe it. "This... How is this possible!"
"I just saw him a few days ago! He seemed... he seemed perfectly healthy!"
"He's really dead. The funeral is tomorrow. You can go see the body for yourself."