Silent Era - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

After afternoon tea, everyone strolled through the deer park for a while. Mr. Zhu asked the waiter to take a group photo. Then they prepared to move to another area to have dinner together.

Along the way, Lin Heng asked the waiter to take several photos of him and Bai Sihuan. Later, Lin Siying joined in the fun. Finally, Lin Huan and Cheng Sutang were persuaded by Mrs. Chen to join in, and the Lin family took an incomplete family photo together.

Bai Sihuan remembered the three family photos hanging on the wall of the Lin family’s foyer. The first one had the eldest sister but not Lin Heng; the second one had Lin Heng but not the eldest sister; and the third one had Bai Sihuan but not the eldest sister and Lin Xianyan. The Lin family seemed to never have a fixed number of people, destined to be incomplete.

Arriving at an area where the sika deer were more numerous, Lin Heng put away the dog leash and let Karen play on her own.

Karen ran back and forth excitedly, howling like a wolf at the sight of a sika deer. Bai Sihuan couldn’t help but worry, “Aren’t you afraid she’ll bite the deer?”

Lin Heng disagreed, mocking her, “Come on, with her guts, how could she dare to provoke anyone? Even though she’s as strong as a gas tank, she can’t even beat a cat.”

Bai Sihuan felt that Lin Heng’s memory wasn’t that good. No matter how cowardly Karen was, she had bitten him before.

Lin Heng clearly hadn’t remembered the incident. He spotted a deer with unusual antlers emerging from the woods in the distance and pointed in that direction, saying, “There’s a fallow deer over there. Let’s go check it out.”

Gu Zhen, who had been some distance away, suddenly appeared from nowhere, put his arm around Bai Sihuan’s shoulder, and shouted, “I want to go too!”

Lin Heng decisively pushed the hand off Bai Sihuan’s shoulder. Just as he was about to curse, Bai Sihuan said to Gu Zhen, “Okay, let’s go together.”

Gu Zhen gave Lin Heng a smug look, who glared at him, and followed Bai Sihuan confidently, “Okay, let’s go.”

On the way to find the fallow deer, Lin Heng tried repeatedly to shake Gu Zhen off, but he clung to them like a dog-skin plaster, refusing to leave. Lin Heng remained grim and silent the entire way, constantly on guard against Gu Zhen clinging to Bai Sihuan.

In reality, Bai Sihuan didn’t really like Gu Zhen. He kept referring to himself as “my uncle” or “Do you know my uncle?” He was boastful and self-satisfied. Every time he showed off something, he’d add, “You haven’t heard of this, have you?” or “You don’t know this?”

Bai Sihuan simply maintained a superficial friendship with Gu Zhen, seeing so many elders present and wanting to avoid embarrassing Lin Heng.

Gu Zhen’s boasts flowed on, but Bai Sihuan remained unmoved. Getting anxious, he grabbed Bai Sihuan’s shoulder and asked, “My uncle actually managed to pull off this big deal. Don’t you admire him?”

Bai Sihuan was bewildered: “Huh?” He didn’t understand business talk at all. Even Mr. Zhu’s success didn’t surprise him.

“Get your fucking hand off!” Lin Heng couldn’t help but curse, slapping Gu Zhen’s hand away, this time with a bit more force.

“What’s wrong with a little touch? Why are you so anxious?” Gu Zhen’s hand ached, and he felt a little angry. He deliberately provoked Lin Heng, “Or are you jealous of my uncle’s prowess, or are you jealous of him after hearing about his glorious past?”

Lin Heng didn’t fall for his provocation. He sneered, raised his chin, and said sarcastically, “Everything you said was done by your uncle. What have you done yourself?”

Gu Zhen was stunned and suddenly speechless. Seeing Lin Heng’s contemptuous expression, Gu Zhen was furious. Just then, he saw several horses ahead, and a small idea came to his mind.

Gu Zhen’s anger turned to laughter, and he changed the subject: “Lin Heng, I heard you’re quite an equestrian. Actually, I’m not bad either. How about we have a competition now?”

Lin Heng despised being challenged to a horse show, and he immediately responded, “Okay.”

Gu Zhen’s lips curled up in a triumphant smile, as if he were planning something. He had the staff bring over several horses, and Lin Heng was the first to choose one. After selecting one, he turned to Bai Sihuan and said, “Sihuan, watch out for me later.”

Lin Heng, already on his horse, warned him unhappily, “Do you think you can call me Sihuan?”

“Oh, do I have to call him brother, too?” Gu Zhen said, swiftly scrambling to get on with his horse.

Lin Heng didn’t want to argue with him and asked, “Where do we start?”

Gu Zhen narrowed his eyes and gazed into the distance. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Let’s ride to that orange tree first, then start the race along the lakeshore. Whoever reaches the West Garden Deer Forest first wins.”

“That simple?”

“Yes, that simple.”

Lin Heng agreed, and the two of them rode slowly toward the orange tree.

Bai Sihuan also mounted a horse, but didn’t compete. He watched from a distance and followed.

Gu Zhen’s mind wasn’t actually on the race. After riding for about two minutes, he suddenly said in a sarcastic tone, “Hey, Lin Heng, I saw your sister at my uncle’s house the other day.”

Lin Heng glanced at him, a hint of confusion, unsure what he meant.

Gu Zhen gave him a creepy smile, “Your eldest and second sisters were both there.”

As if gradually understanding Gu Zhen’s meaning, Lin Heng tightened his knuckles and asked in a cold voice, “What are you talking about?”

Gu Zhen frowned and shook his head. “No, no, your second sister was there first, and then your eldest sister came to my uncle’s house.” Seeing Lin Heng’s face turn pale, Gu Zhen chuckled and added, “Hey, do you know how many people were at my uncle’s house that day? Your eldest and second sisters… Hahaha!”

“What do you mean?” The sudden influx of information suddenly stimulated Lin Heng’s brain. Before he could fully analyze Gu Zhen’s meaning, Lin Heng felt his nerves throbbing, and the veins on his forehead were faintly visible.

“What do you mean, you don’t understand? Okay, then I’ll explain it to you in a more logical way. I’m saying that the women of your Lin family may look glamorous, but in reality, they’re nothing but fallen women, ready to be slept with by anyone!” Gu Zhen glared at him fiercely, cursing word for word, “So filthy!”

“Say that again, if you dare!” A nerve in his brain instantly snapped, and Lin Heng, on horseback, reached out to grab Gu Zhen’s collar.

Seeing an opportunity, Gu Zhen suddenly kicked Lin Heng’s horse in the stomach and shouted viciously, “Go to hell!”

Lin Heng was startled, and his horse neighed and lunged uncontrollably. Bai Sihuan, watching from behind, shouted, “Lin Heng!” and quickly rode after him. Karen, watching from a distance, whirled in panic, finally barking and galloping towards Gu Zhen, who was grinning triumphantly on his horse.

Gu Zhen was halfway through his laughter when he saw Karen lunging at him, causing him to scream in fear. Before Karen could reach him, he fell from his horse.

Bai Sihuan wasn’t familiar with riding, but in this critical moment, he seemed to have mastered everything. Seeing Lin Heng’s horse about to plunge into the lake, Bai Sihuan somehow found the courage to lean over, grab the reins of Lin Heng’s horse with both hands, and pull it back with all his might.

The horse didn’t rush into the lake, but instead turned and ran towards the West Garden Deer Forest. Bai Sihuan’s horse, exhausted by the torment, suddenly ran in the opposite direction, seemingly mad. This run caused Bai Sihuan, unable to maintain his balance, to fall from the saddle.

Lin Heng, anxious at the sight, reined in the horse. The frantic horse raised its hooves high, but finally, it calmed down and stopped.

Lin Heng jumped off his horse and rushed to help Bai Sihuan, who had fallen to the ground. He asked nervously, “Brother, how are you?”

Bai Sihuan curled up in a ball, coughing furiously, unable to utter a single word.

Lin Heng clenched his fists and looked at Gu Zhen, who was being chased by Karen not far away. His eyes bloodshot, he rushed forward and tackled Gu Zhen to the ground.

“Gu Zhen! Damn it!” Lin Heng cursed, his fists raining down on Gu Zhen’s face.

Gu Zhen was just a paper tiger, putting on a brave front. How could he withstand Lin Heng’s ferocious beating? He begged for mercy and cried for help after just a few blows, but Lin Heng ignored his cries and hammered down on his cheekbone, punch after punch, as if determined to shatter his face.

The fight was raging when the voices of Lin Huan and the others suddenly rang out from a distance: “Stop, stop, stop! What are you doing!”

“Lin Heng! Stop it!” Lin Siying, a quick runner, scurried over and pulled Lin Heng to his feet. Lin Siying knew how ferocious Lin Heng could be, and in doing so, she had suffered numerous unjust injuries.

After finally pulling Lin Heng away, Gu Zhen, with a bruised face and nose, was about to get up from the ground when Karen lunged at him again, barking and startling him, sending her sprawling to the ground again.

“Karen! Come back!” Cheng Sutang, who had rushed over, called out to Karen, who finally gave up on attacking Gu Zhen.

Mr. Zhu, Mrs. Chen, and the others also rushed over.

She glanced at Lin Heng, who stood furiously by her side, but said nothing.

Cheng Sutang was Lin Heng’s most protective guardian and would never allow him to be falsely accused. Seeing Gu Zhen’s frivolous and impetuous nature, she considered his claim that Lin Heng couldn’t ride as well as he did to be discredited. So she sternly asked Bai Sihuan, “Sihuan, is what Young Master Gu said true? Did Ah Heng really have a dog bite him, causing him to fall off his horse, and then beat him up for no reason?”

Gu Zhen, fearing Bai Sihuan would reveal the truth, said frantically, “Uncle, don’t listen to him! He’s from Lin Heng’s family, so he’ll definitely be on his side!”

Cheng Sutang raised her eyebrows and explained, “Mr. Zhu, you don’t know. This kid never lies. You can tell by the look on his face. If you don’t believe him, at least believe me.”

Mr. Zhu hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “Hmm,” signaling for Bai Sihuan to speak.

Bai Sihuan barely moved his lips when Gu Zhen hurriedly said, “Sihuan, you can’t lie and favor him just because you’re brothers!”

“Gu Zhen, let him speak!” Mr. Zhu stared at Bai Sihuan sternly. “Son, tell me, what exactly happened just now?”

Gu Zhen stared at Bai Sihuan and gritted his teeth, “Sihuan, tell me!”

Bai Sihuan met Gu Zhen’s gaze and said calmly, “I didn’t see him tell the dog to bite you. I only saw you deliberately kick his horse to make him fall, which angered Karen. And you, frightened by Karen, fell off.”