Nan Xiangnan took a big gulp of wine and placed the cup down heavily before saying in a deep voice, "I was almost strangled to death by my own mother the moment I was born."
Lan Yuxi knitted her brows slightly. "What kind of heartless mother would do that? Are you sure the old madam wasn't making up stories for you?"
"That's what I thought when I was little too. When I grew up, I specifically looked into it, and the old madam didn't lie." Nan Xiangnan held out his hands to Lan Yuxi. "See the scar on the web of my hand?"
Lan Yuxi leaned in to look. She saw an old scar on the web of both his hands and suddenly remembered something. She looked up and asked, "You have polydactyly?"
Nan Xiangnan nodded. "My mother considered polydactyly an ominous sign. Also, that time she gave birth, she had me and my younger brother..."
Before Nan Xiangnan could finish speaking, he slumped forward.
Lan Yuxi quickly caught him and shouted towards the door, "Ying, Nan Yi, come in."
Ying and Nan Yi entered the room as called and laid Nan Xiangnan on the sofa.
After they left and closed the door, Lan Yuxi snapped her fingers to wake Nan Xiangnan. However, this waking was different from usual; Nan Xiangnan's pupils were unfocused.
"Nan Xiangnan, finish your story."
Nan Xiangnan spoke mechanically, "That day, the old madam, who was waiting in the hospital, heard my cries and rescued me from my mother's grasp. The old madam sent me to the countryside to be raised and had my extra fingers removed. I was brought to the Nan family when I was four. The old madam pointed to the young family head and told me, 'He lives, I live; he dies, I die.' She also made me take an oath. From that day on, I dedicated my life to the family head."
Lan Yuxi tapped her knee silently. "Is your mother still alive?"
"She's no longer with us, but my father is. He went abroad with my younger brother."
"Your younger brother?"
"An Cheng, he's very capable."
Lan Yuxi's pupils contracted sharply. If An Cheng was his younger brother, then Nan Yao must be his eldest brother!
"Nan Yao is your eldest brother?"
"Yes. We also have a younger sister, an outstanding psychologist. I suffer from chronic insomnia; without her, my body would have completely collapsed long ago. However, they don't know about my existence, and I don't want to disrupt their lives."
"An Lanshu used all sorts of schemes against Nan Yao, and you don't hate her?"
"I don't hate her, but I was in a lot of pain during that time. I couldn't help him because he wasn't someone I was sworn to protect."
Lan Yuxi shook her head helplessly. "When did your insomnia start?"
"After the eldest young master had his accident. I felt so guilty. If I had warned him earlier, perhaps he wouldn't have died."
Lan Yuxi paused slightly. "That car accident wasn't an accident?"
"It was an accident, but if he had been more restrained and not cursed by so many people, perhaps the accident wouldn't have happened."
"Cursed?"
"The old madam, the first madam, and the women he kept outside all cursed him. He seemed promiscuous, but in reality, he didn't love anyone." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"So his affection for Nan Xiao was also fake?"
"It should be real. He truly doted on the family head, treating him like a younger brother. Every time I saw their brotherly affection, I was envious. I imagined that if I hadn't been abandoned by my mother, and if the eldest young master hadn't been sent to an orphanage by my mother, perhaps we brothers would have lived such a happy life."
Lan Yuxi sighed softly. "Have you ever done anything to betray Nan Xiao?"
"No."
"Have you ever inadvertently revealed his whereabouts to outsiders?"
"..." Nan Xiangnan's brow suddenly furrowed, and his expression became exceedingly pained.
Lan Yuxi quickly placed her hand on his pulse. After a moment, her face darkened.
"Xiangnan, take a deep breath, relax."
Under her gentle comfort, Nan Xiangnan gradually calmed down.
"Xiangnan, do you rely on hypnosis to fall asleep?"
"I can manage with medication. Hypnosis is only for treating my insomnia."
"How many times a week do you have treatment?"
"Whenever I have the time. On one hand, I want to cure my illness; on the other, I want to see her."
Lan Yuxi sighed softly. Nan Xiangnan was the most reticent among the four of them. This seemingly cold person actually had such a tender side.
But…
Lan Yuxi narrowed her eyes, asked Nan Xiangnan a few more questions, and then walked out briskly. She instructed her secretary not to disturb Nan Xiangnan and then, with Nan Yi and Ying, went to Nan Xiangdong's office.
Seeing her troubled expression, Nan Xiao's eyes darkened slightly. He dared not overthink and quickly asked, "Where's Xiangnan?"
"He's sleeping. I didn't wake him. He suffers from chronic insomnia, I want him to get some rest." Lan Yuxi took the teacup handed to her by Nan Xiangdong and took a sip.
Nan Xiao was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.
Nan Xiangdong was also frozen.
Lan Yuxi looked at them both suspiciously. "What's wrong? You two didn't know he had insomnia?"
Nan Xiao and Nan Xiangdong both shook their heads.
Lan Yuxi pouted. "Really! He's been suffering from insomnia for so many years, and you two didn't even know."
Nan Xiangdong sighed softly. "He keeps his thoughts to himself, shouldering everything alone, never telling us."
Lan Yuxi pursed her lips tightly and said to Nan Xiao, "As you firmly believed, Xiangnan has not betrayed you. However, his problem is even more serious than Xiangbei's!"
Nan Xiao's expression changed. "Has his computer also been tampered with?"
"No, he has been tampered with. And the person who did this to him is his own younger sister."
Nan Xiangdong exclaimed, "Don't his parents only have him as their child?"
Nan Xiao was clearly unaware of this either, looking at Lan Yuxi in astonishment.
Lan Yuxi recounted what Nan Xiangnan had told her.
Nan Xiao and Nan Xiangdong were too shocked to speak.
It took Nan Xiangdong a while to sigh. "With so many things hidden in his heart, no wonder he can't sleep."
Lan Yuxi took out her phone and quickly typed an address, sending it to Nan Xiangdong. "This is the address of Xiangnan's sister. Go there later. Don't show anything. Just say you've been having trouble sleeping lately and a friend recommended her. If she asks which friend, give her Xiangnan's name. Also, whatever she asks you to do, just do it."
"Alright." Nan Xiangdong took out his phone and looked at the address. "I'll go now."
"Wait." Lan Yuxi took out a pill and handed it to him. "Take this, and you won't be truly hypnotized by her."
Nan Xiangdong swallowed the pill without a second thought.
Lan Yuxi then took out a pair of cufflinks from her bag. "And these. Don't worry about her harming you; I'll be nearby protecting you."
Nan Xiangdong's mouth twitched. "There's no need to trouble the matriarch. I can protect myself."
Nan Xiao knitted his brows slightly. "Just wear them if she tells you to. I'll be outside as well. If anything unexpected happens, we'll rush in immediately."