Did it depend on her?
Qin He's brows furrowed. "What do you mean by that?"
Shen Yicong smiled. "I'd like to tell Miss Qin a story."
For the next while, Shen Yicong recounted his childhood memories: the death of his parents, his joining the organization.
Then, how he became ruthless and climbed to a high position.
He spoke of killing with the same casual air as he would offer Qin He a cup of tea.
"Later, during a mission, I was seriously injured. It's quite comical, actually. I didn't know anything myself. I only knew that when I woke up, I was in the hospital, and a long time had already passed."
Qin He said coldly, "That mission was to retrieve the book from me, wasn't it?"
Shen Yicong nodded. "Yes. The first person I saw after waking up was Yilin. This younger brother is the only family I have left in this world. If I still have any humanity, it's all poured into him."
"Why are you bringing up Yilin?" Qin He frowned.
Shen Yicong continued, "I investigated later. Two years before I fell into a coma, Yilin suffered greatly. Eating chaff and husks was common. He worked odd jobs, was bullied, and eventually ended up working as a male escort. Those two years must have felt like hell to him, but people in hell yearn for the sun the most."
Qin He listened silently, understanding something.
What Shen Yicong was doing now, Shen Yilin was unaware of.
Shen Yicong went on, "You saved me, but I wasn't particularly moved. As you may have noticed, I didn't intend to kill you in the previous incidents. At that time, I was grateful that you saved Yilin, and secondly—"
Qin He frowned.
Shen Yicong smiled. "Secondly, you are the sunshine in Yilin's eyes, one of the only two important people in his life, besides me."
Qin He was silent for a few seconds. "What exactly do you want to say? After doing something like this, are you afraid I'll tell Yilin later? But if Yilin is so important to you, you wouldn't let me go, would you?"
"I said it depends on you." The smile on Shen Yicong's face disappeared. "Originally, it was just the eagle wanting the book. Now the eagle is gone, and I want the book too. But there are more important matters that take precedence. Recently, Yilin was diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer. I thought since you could cure your brother's illness, and it's also a terminal illness, perhaps you have a way to help with Yilin's condition."
Qin He's head shot up. "Late-stage stomach cancer! How could I not know?"
Shen Yicong's expression was calm. "Yilin doesn't know himself yet. After he fainted, I injected him with medication to keep him in a coma. Now, Qin He, if you can cure my brother, I will let you go. As for the secret of the book, I will also tell you."
Qin He bit her lip tightly. Cancer was a challenge that medical researchers worldwide were tackling, but so far, late-stage stomach cancer was almost impossible to recover from.
Even for her—
She looked at Shen Yicong. "No wonder you kidnapped Gao Lang and the others."
"Yes, I thought they were your partners in developing drugs. Kidnapping them would serve a dual purpose: to make full use of them and to control you."
Shen Yicong spoke with a calm expression, devoid of any trace of guilt.
Qin He narrowed her eyes. "If you want me to treat Yilin, I would have done so even if you hadn't kidnapped me."
"Of course, Miss Qin is a kind person. I've known that for a long time." Shen Yicong's face held a smile. "But I was afraid you wouldn't be fully committed."
Qin He stared coldly at Shen Yicong. Perhaps, in the eyes of someone like him, no one could be trusted.
"Where is Yilin now? I want to see him."
Shen Yicong stood up. "I'll take you."
The room Shen Yicong had arranged for Shen Yilin was at the innermost part of the villa. The window overlooked the back garden, providing a pleasant environment.
On the sickbed lay Shen Yilin, his eyes closed. He looked considerably thinner than usual.
Qin He's heart ached, and she remembered Shen Yicong's call during the last live stream. "Last time on the live stream, you said you took Yilin to pay respects to your parents. That was a lie, wasn't it?"
Shen Yicong stood beside Qin He, looking at his brother lying on the sickbed. "Yes, Yilin had just been diagnosed with stomach cancer then."
Qin He closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"If you want to treat Yilin, a lot of medical equipment will be needed. It's not convenient to stay here; it's best to be in a hospital for treatment."
Shen Yicong didn't seem to consider it troublesome. "Miss Qin, please don't worry about that. Whatever you need, I can have it delivered directly."
"Alright, since you've seen him, you can come out with me now." Shen Yicong turned and led Qin He out of the room.
He brought Qin He to a large hall on the side. In the hall, Gao Lang and the other two were already seated.
Qin He observed the three. Wang Jiming, the most timid, now hung his head, large beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. He adjusted his glasses, not daring to even look up.
Li Fengrui seemed more composed, watching Qin He and Shen Yicong cautiously.
Gao Lang, being the youngest and fiery, stood up as soon as he saw Shen Yicong and Qin He emerge. He stared intently at Shen Yicong. "What exactly do you want?"
A faint smile touched Shen Yicong's lips. He glanced at the two guards nearby. One immediately understood and punched Gao Lang in the face. Gao Lang struggled and tried to retaliate, but a dark muzzle was pressed against his forehead.
He froze entirely. Qin He stared wide-eyed from the side.
"Stop!"
But the guard didn't listen to him. Instead, he turned to look at Shen Yicong.
With a smile, Shen Yicong walked step by step towards the three men, his gaze sweeping over them before finally settling on Gao Lang.
"I don't like people who have no manners. You three will likely be staying with me for a year or so. So it's best to be obedient and polite."
As Shen Yicong spoke, a faint smile graced his face, yet no one could ignore the ruthless glint and hint of blood in his eyes.
This man exuded a murderous aura, making it clear he would act at any moment without hesitation.
Gao Lang gritted his teeth, staring at Shen Yicong without speaking further. Qin He stepped forward and stood in front of Gao Lang.
"Mr. Shen, if you want your brother cured, you cannot be without these three."
Shen Yicong's smile widened. "Naturally. I invited them here only to discuss the illness over dinner. I just didn't expect Mr. Gao to be so impulsive."
As Shen Yicong spoke, the smile in his eyes disappeared as he stared at Gao Lang.
"I heard you're a young genius in the medical field, aren't you? If you don't want to die prematurely, you'd better be more docile from now on."
He looked as if Gao Lang were a pet he kept. Shen Yicong made a gesture, and the gun at Gao Lang's temple was immediately moved away.
"Alright, it's lunchtime now. Please, ladies and gentlemen, to the dining room."