264 Brutal Realities

Meanwhile, in Ru's office, when Wu Dishi left the room, she looked at Rong who had been observing her for a while and asked, "What are you looking at?"

Rong sighed saying, "You really didn't change at all in a decade."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you still not gonna ask your brother for help?"

Ru gave him a lopsided grin, "How can I? Aren't you the one who taught me to never ask others for help? I should be capable enough to help myself."

Rong nodded his head, "Yes, but you should consider asking your family." Ru didn't reply and Rong knew why she was so quiet. It had never been her way. So, he changed the topic, "I have an inkling for a while... Are you Alev Knight?"

Ru glanced at him, blinked and nodded, "Yes, that's me. You have heard of me."

Rong rubbed his forehead in exasperation, "You idiot! Are you trying to tell me that you and I have been trying to kill each other for years? You must be kidding me!?"

Ru's brows raised instinctively as she contemplated his words and asked hesitantly, "You're the one known as Xavier? That Russian Mafia King?" Rong gave her a look that said, 'What do you think?' Ru shut her eyes as she understood and said, "Great! We were in the battle of wits for years and yet I never realized that it's you?"

Since the time, Ru took the identity of Alev Knight, her biggest hurdle had been the person named Xavier. Her Knight Empire had been at war with Vier Industries. Amazing was the fact that the person behind Vier Industries was none other than her own brother. Fabulous!

While she was trying to think about this situation, she heard Rong saying, "I have my people in Germany and Poland as well. Send me the information about who you're looking for. I think it's more important to find the lost people."

Ru nodded and called Wu Dishi in to take Rong with him. While she was gonna follow as well, she received a call and seeing Jie's name flashing on her screen, she picked it up, "What do you want Jie?"

"You left?" came Jie's voice.

"Yeah, something urgent came up," replied Ru while waving at Wu Dishi and Rong gesturing them to leave on their own. When they left, she asked, "Why are you calling me? It's not the first time I left unannounced? Are you that surprised?"

"Me? Surprised? I'm used to it. That's why I treat you like the wind. Always breezing around," said Jie looking heedlessly indifferent.

"Oh, and here I thought that I was as important as oxygen to you," retorted Ru making Jie speechless.

"Ouch! Are you trying to make me feel guilty?"

"No, not at all," Ru's answer was to the point and she wanted him to come straight to the point as she said, "Can you come to the point though? I really don't have time."

"Impatient as always," remarked Jie and continued, "Anyways, a little birdy complained that you didn't bother saying goodbye to your boyfriend."

Ru frowned, "Was I suppose to? Nobody told me that."

Jie couldn't help chuckling at her response. It aligned perfectly with what he thought she'd say. "Aye, my dumbest best friend. You're really a masterpiece." He stopped laughing and added, "Another little birdy told me that you left with a very familiar face. So familiar that it seems like a dead person has come to life."

Ru rolled her eyes at how Jie was twisting his words to ask about Rong and replied, "Jie, my brother is alive. Stop being sarcastic about it."

"So, Rong Ge is really alive?" asked Jie, not knowing why he needed this confirmation even after he had seen the video of Ru and Rong together.

Ru's lips lifted up in a blissful smile as she answered, "Yes, he is."

"Are you happy now?" asked Jie in a small voice.

Ru hummed along before saying, "I am. More than that, I feel like I can breathe properly again. A pang of huge guilt has lifted off my chest knowing that my big brother is alive." Ru looked up to find Rong leaning against the door and asked Jie, "Do you wanna talk to him?"

Jie hesitated before answering, "Sure."

Ru passed the phone to Rong without telling him who was on the call but the latter knew it as he said through the receiver, "Hey, jerk head!"

"Ugh! Ge, can you keep the insults to yourself? It's been years. I thought you would have changed a bit," Jie couldn't hold back himself. This was why he was hesitating. Rong always had been hostile towards Jie for the sole reason that Jie stuck with Ru like an annoying bug. But Rong's hostility could only be seen through his way of insulting Jie at every chance he could get.

Jie heard Rong's deep laugh and a realization hit him. He really was alive. "I can't believe you're still that easy to tease. I thought you'd be mature considering how you're now the dad of twins."

Jie's eyes widened as he questioned, "Ge, you know about my kids?"

"Of course, I do. Who do you think you're talking to?" Jie's face twitched as he heard that same narcissism that he was most familiar with. Only Jie could tell how similar Ru and Rong were in nature but then again, blood had always been thicker than water. How could he deny that Ru and Rong's bond was strongest? And he had seen how strong it had been.

From a young age, Jie had always felt really envious of Rong. Because even though the one spending the most time with Ru was him, the one who always knew what she needs or wants was Rong. But later on, he learned that blood had that connection. The family had that connection. And he couldn't challenge that connection.

"It's good to know that you're still the same. As conceited as Ru. But I'm happy to know that you're alive. However, I'm not pleased to know that you had been keeping track of my life but didn't bother coming to meet me." Jie's reply got Rong thinking. He looked at Ru's face who was typing something on her computer and sighed out.

"I was keeping track of you to know whether Ru contacted you or not. However, I only got to know that you had some connection with Alev Knight. Although I had my doubts about Alev Knight, I still couldn't confirm those doubts until today," answered Rong as he sat on the couch.

"Well, since Ru is with you... I'll stop worrying now. You better take care of her and let's meet up when you both are free from whatever you both are cooking now."

Rong laughed at his choice of words and said his bye before hanging up. Ru didn't look up from her screen and asked, "Did you both argue as always?"

"Nah. Not this time," replied Rong. "But I'm glad to know that he had been with you throughout these years."

Ru smiled at that, "Apart from my family, I can only turn to Ah-Jie. You know very well that I only trust him." She took a pause before adding, "But now, I trust Zhiren as well."

Rong's jaw clenched as he heard her last sentence. He went up to her side and rubbed her head saying, "Little brother, trust is a brutal reality. Don't lose yourself to it."

Ru looked up to glance at Rong's face and said, "I won't. Young Master Ru can't lose. Not even from the brutal realities."