Author: hoenimochi (Page 13 of 95)

       Separated by a door, neither could sleep.

       The people outside the door were waiting uneasily, while the people inside were leaning on the bedside and quietly looking out the window at the moon hanging high in the night sky.

       It wasn’t until the sky began to lighten with dawn that Chu Yichen said, “Let him in.”

       Upon hearing the words, Chu Yunhan jumped and rushed into the room in a few hurried steps. Seeing the man seated on the sofa, he grew nervous again and asked cautiously, “Did you… get some rest?” He hadn’t slept all night, and his eyes were swollen and red from crying, looking pitiful like a tearful little rabbit.

       Du Chuan and Bai Xiao both retreated, leaving only two people in the room.

       The man glanced at him and said, “Sit down.”

       Chu Yunhan sat down on the nearby sofa, his gaze stopped on Chu Yichen. The memory of last night’s scene flashed before his eyes, as if he could see through the pajamas to the terrifying scars underneath. His heart trembled, and his eyes grew red again. Catching sight of Chu Yichen’s somber expression, he quickly realized and lowered his head to adjust his own expression, muttering, “There seems to be something in my eye…”

       Chu Yichen was silent for a while and said, “I didn’t let you see these scars because I felt it unnecessary. I know very well the kind of person you are, and I know the situation I might face. Rescuing you meant abandoning my responsibilities as the family head—it was my own decision, and the consequences should be mine to bear. They have nothing to do with you.” He paused and continued, “I forced you to submit because I didn’t control myself or keep my emotion in check when I saw the traces left by Sheng the fifth on your body. That was my one-sided obsession with you. I tried to turn you into my private property through my status as the head of the family, which pushed you to almost commit suicide. I will try my best to make up for these mistakes in the future. If you want, we can continue as strangers with a casual relationship. If you’re tired of it, we can end the arrangement. I can even help you find another Dom.”

       Chu Yunhan never expected that the other party would say such words, and he was stunned. “It has nothing to do with me…?” He murmured and repeated, with a layer of bitter sadness on his face, “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have done this at all. If it weren’t for me…”

       “So?” Chu Yichen abruptly interrupted his words, stared at him with a pair of black eyes, and said, “Aside from guilt, what else do you plan to do? What can you do for me? What I want, you can’t give me. And the one thing I don’t want is your pity.” He added, in a soft voice that dissipated like smoke.

       But Chu Yunhan heard it. What the man said was—”I’d rather it be hatred than pity.” He froze in place, unable to say a word.

       A dry and long silence spread in the room, and a deep chasm seemed to have formed between the two of them. They were standing on opposite sides of each other, looking at each other—close yet impossibly far.

       “Leave. You should get to work,” Chu Yichen finally said, his voice laced with an indescribable weariness. He stood and walked toward his desk.

       The moment their gazes broke apart, a wave of inexplicable panic surged from the depths of Chu Yunhan’s heart. His chest felt hollow, as though he were being pushed into that abyss, tumbling downward, about to be shattered to pieces. The person before him seemed to be moving further and further away, on the verge of disappearing altogether.

       He sprang to his feet suddenly, walked over quickly, and hugged the figure tightly with both hands. He didn’t know why he did this, but he knew that at this moment, he wanted to do this. Only by doing so could he dispel the fear and unease, only by doing so could he hold on to the person in front of him. The urge was so strong it made him tremble slightly, his body pressed tightly against the man in his arms.

       Chu Yichen, who was suddenly hugged, froze, and the documents in his hand fell on the table.

       His hands trembled, his heart trembled, and his body seemed to be about to lose control due to tension. Chu Yunhan lowered his eyelashes, resting his forehead against the nape of Chu Yichen’s neck, his voice tinged with a crying tone as he murmured, “I’ll give you… anything you want… Just don’t push me away…”

       The usually cold man’s eyes now had an uncontrollable reddish colour. His hand, pressed against the desk, tightened, knuckles white. He tried his best to force his voice to remain steady and said, “Do you even know what you’re saying?”

       “I do,” Chu Yunhan said, his voice trembling. “It’s not pity. It’s regret… regret for what I’ve done, regret for my stupidity, for knowing nothing, for letting you get hurt so badly… When I saw those scars, I…” He lowered his head and couldn’t go on. The feeling of distress seemed to come up again as if it was going to tear him apart. Hot tears seeped into Chu Yichen’s back, leaving small, warm stains.  He choked out and said, “I thought about it all night yesterday. I owe you too much, more than I can ever repay. If you want, I’ll give you my heart and my life. For the rest of my time… we’ll stay entangled like this. And if you don’t want that… I still want to stay by your side…”

       A heart, a life, a lifetime. That was what he was offering.

       Chu Yichen was stunned and stood motionless as if even his breathing had stopped.

       He didn’t dare move, like a child suddenly given a long-coveted toy, too overjoyed to even touch it; like a lonely tree where, after ages of solitude, a bird finally landed, afraid to rustle its branches lest it scare the bird away; like someone lost in a long-awaited dream, holding his breath, afraid of waking the one who had never appeared in his dreams before.

       This was enough, wasn’t it? To hear these words in this lifetime, even if it were a dream, he seemed to have no regrets.

       There was moisture in the man’s eyes, and he suppressed it, rolling in his eyes.

       Chu Yunhan, who had not received a response for a long time, was full of loss and sadness. These words had drained all his courage, leaving him without the strength to demand an answer. The hand around Chu Yichen’s waist slowly loosened, and he took half a step back dejectedly. Feeling that the other party turned around to face him, without daring to raise his head, he said hastily, “Did I… make it difficult for you again? I won’t cause you any more trouble in the future…” He tried to force a smile, but it wouldn’t come. His expression was painfully forlorn, and he didn’t know what to do. Before he could even finish talking, and he said, “I’ll leave now,” 

       He suddenly felt an arm hook around his waist, pulling him into a firm embrace. His chin was tilted upward at the same time.

       A layer of soft warmth enveloped his lips, very light and shallow, like a dragonfly passing over the water or like snowflakes touching the wings of a bird.

       It took Chu Yunhan a long time to realise that it was a kiss. He stood there stunned and slowly closed his red eyes.

       It was a kiss of utmost gentleness, like an answer, like a comfort. It felt as though a patient and polite gentleman was lingering and moving tenderly, awaiting a shared, intimate dance. The more intense the emotions, the more restrained the movements became. Chu Yichen treated him with the caution one would afford an ancient, priceless porcelain artifact.

       The heat in the air gradually rose; their breathing grew uneven, their heartbeats chaotic, their thoughts tangled. It felt intoxicating, as though his entire body was aflame, each inch burning with the uncontrollable desire to get closer to the other. The phrase ‘skin-to-skin contact’ floated into Chu Yunhan’s mind. He realized that the touch of skin could indeed convey emotions. In that kiss, he seemed to sense the buried emotions within this cold and lonely man—his restraint, his sadness, and his inexpressible love and hate. Chu Yunhan gently raised his hand to embrace the other, then lifted his face and pressed his lips firmly against the man’s fervent ones.

       There was a momentary pause in the other’s movements. Then, fiery breaths surged forward with unyielding dominance, and the man roughly captured his lips. Chu Yichen’s hot and wet tongue pried his lips open, relentlessly occupying and consuming his mouth as if determined to seize even his very breath. Chu Yichen was like a wild beast, rough and aggressive, deepening the kiss with such ferocity that it felt as though he wanted to devour him whole and fuse him into his very being.

       Chu Yunhan closed his eyes tightly, raised his neck and let the other party take over. There was a chaotic buzzing in his head, and his whole body felt like it was on fire, almost burning.

       For the first time, he saw Chu Yichen’s heart clearly.

       After he tore through the dust-covered heart in every possible way and cut it open layer by layer, he finally understood.

       It turns out that within his heart, it was him.

       That man had hidden it so deeply—so deeply that it required stripping down to the bone to uncover. And he had been so foolish—foolish enough to repeatedly let him down.

       At this moment, Chu Yunhan also saw his own heart clearly for the first time.

       At some unknown point, a shadow had begun to take shape within it. Slowly, it occupied more and more space. Slowly, it grew clearer and clearer. Slowly, it became a constant attachment, a perpetual concern. 

       Chu Yichen.

       I owe you a heart, so I will repay you with this heart. Your heart holds me; my heart holds you. Only then will it be fair—only then will it be whole.

       Brotherhood, debts, entanglements, the past—none of it matters anymore.

       Even if I end up falling into hell for this forbidden love, I only hope to face it together with you.

       There were tears in the corners of his eyes sliding down his cheeks. Chu Yunhan tightened his arms around the man as if he wanted to become one with him in the scorching flames.

       Let us start over.

       No longer as ignorant and naive boys, no longer as estranged brothers, no longer as tormenting adversaries, no longer as awkwardly silent master and servant.

       I am willing to accompany you, using my life as a yardstick, to accompany you all the way until the end.

       Leave my thoughts in your ears word by word, so that I may never again wander alone.  

       Let me gather your emotions, bit by bit, into my palm, so that you may never again drift aimlessly.

       Chu Yichen, let us start over.

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       Chu Yunhan’s hands were trembling, and so were his lips. His mind felt like a beach battered and scattered by massive waves, leaving him incapable of coherent thought. He stared blankly at the scarred body before him, then stiffly raised his eyes to look at the face behind the oxygen mask.

       Their gazes met.

       Chu Yichen closed his eyes tiredly.

       “Why… is he tied up?” Chu Yunhan’s voice was hoarse as if someone were strangling him, and every word was excruciating to utter.

       Zhang Juan took a towel and wiped the sweat beading on Chu Yichen’s forehead, speaking calmly, “As you can see, I’ve stitched him up inside and out. His physical condition is decent, but he’s recovering quickly. These injuries, for him, aren’t too serious. However…” The doctor’s expression dimmed as he continued slowly, “They injected him with a central nervous system stimulant. The dosage was too high, leading to a certain degree of addiction. When the withdrawal symptoms hit, and his body doesn’t receive the drug, it causes excruciating pain. As for how intense the pain is…”

       He paused, looked at Chu Yunhan and said, “I researched it. The data suggests that the withdrawal pain is akin to thousands of ants gnawing their way out of the body all at once. When it happened for the first time, he completely tore off the gauze from his wounds, flesh and all, injured Du Chuan, and ended up curling into a ball, begging me to shoot him.”

       Tears welled up in Chu Yunhan’s eyes, blurring his vision as he stared unblinkingly at the man lying before him.

       This was the man who had never bowed his head to anyone. This was the man who habitually endured in silence. This was the man who would swallow broken teeth along with his blood.

       What kind of unbearable pain would it take for someone like him to beg his doctor for death?

       “I originally planned to gradually reduce the drug dosage to ease the process. The pain would have been somewhat milder that way. But he didn’t want to touch the drug anymore, so now he can only rely on his willpower to endure it. All I can do is give him mild sedatives and painkillers, though the pain relief is far from effective. He’s afraid of hurting others or doing something irrational due to the pain, so he asked us to tie him up when he had an attack,” Zhang Juan sighed. “Although the frequency and intensity of his episodes have been decreasing, it will still take some time to fully recover. Judging by this situation, overexertion might have been the trigger.”

       Chu Yunhan’s chest heaved as he breathed, and the scars on the man’s body rose and fell along with the motion. Beneath his touch, the bullet wound’s scar was clear and frightening. A thought was forming in his mind, growing sharper with every passing moment, awaiting final confirmation.

       The Gray Wolf’s fierce eyes flashed through his mind.

       —Everything is up to you, Young Master Yun.

       —The person had been caught. Young Master Yun can rest assured that he will not be allowed to die so easily.

       —Just leave it to me. You don’t have to worry, and you will be the head of the Chu family soon.

       “Who…” Those two words seemed to drain all his strength, and he could no longer muster the courage to complete the question.

       Zhang Juan was silent for a moment and said, “You should already have the answer in your heart, right? There are very few people in this world who can hurt him, very few people who can deceive him, who can make him put aside his responsibility as the head of the family and sacrifice his life to save regardless of the overall situation. He issued a ban prohibiting anyone from mentioning his injuries in front of you. He didn’t want you to feel guilty, yet he’s been carrying that guilt himself. On that day, to save him, Black Eagle lost 32 people. Gray Wolf’s men decapitated them and hung their heads on the flagpoles at the junkyard.”

       So it was…really him…

       He was the demon who pushed Chu Yichen into hell.

       He was the culprit who ruined this body like this.

       It’s him…

       He had never thought about what happened in the three hours when Chu Yichen fell into the hands of Gray Wolf.

       He had never thought about what methods Gray Wolf would use to deal with Chu Yichen.

       He had never thought about how Chu Yichen escaped.

       He just coveted that position on a whim, so he followed the enemy’s instigation and made a phone call pretending to be kidnapped, deceiving the people he was supposed to be closest to into an irreversible trap.

       —I will do as you ask, provided you do not hurt him.

       On the phone, Chu Yichen’s voice was steady, unwavering. Without hesitation, he came for him, walking step by step into the trap that had been meticulously laid by his own hands.

       The thin line between life and death, covered with bruises. Unable to live, unable to die.  

       How much blood had that scarred body shed? What kind of torment and humiliation had he endured? How much pain had he suffered?

       He didn’t know.

       He knew nothing.

       He had simply acted as though nothing had happened, calling out ‘Yichen’ as if everything were normal, selfishly placing himself in the role of the victim. Shamelessly, he had told that man, “Chu Yichen, we’re brothers.” He had even brazenly accused him, “Yes, I did set a trap to deceive you. But now you’ve gained everything you wanted, and I’ve been left with nothing. I didn’t stand in your way or cause you any real harm. Why are you treating me like this?”

       How could he? How dare he say such a thing after torturing this man into such a broken state?

       Now he understood why Chu Yichen would not take off his clothes in front of him even during sex; he understood why Chu Yichen had such a complicated expression when looking at him. He understood all the things he had never understood before. It was only when he saw it with his own eyes, when he touched it with his own hands, that he realised the magnitude of his mistake. Only then did he understand how thoroughly he had destroyed this man.

       Layers of mist formed in his sour eyes, turning everything in front of him into blurry chaos. Many faces appeared in front of him; all of them were Chu Yichen. There was the way he smiled when he was a teenager, there was the way he was focused when playing ball, there was the way he played chess with himself, there was the way he looked lonely as he left, and there was the way he pressed himself on the bed coldly and ruthlessly.

       Chu Yichen’s voice echoed softly in his ears.

       —I have been wondering if it is because my tolerance and leniency towards you make you feel that no matter what you do to me, you can be forgiven?

       He never understood how much pain and sorrow this question contained. This was the person who had been by his side since they were young, who had treated him with endless patience and tolerance, who had never once voiced any grievances. And yet this person had been hurt so deeply by his selfishness, jealousy, and reckless actions, left broken beyond repair—and still, he hadn’t killed him. Still, he had let him go. Still, he had kept it all a secret.

       “If I’m willing to become a stranger?” the figure in the room on the East Shore softly said.

       “I will take good care of him. Please rest assured.” said the man standing straight before the Chu family tombstone, his gaze lowered.

       “Take him away and protect him. This is an order!” Amidst the gunshots one after another, the look that looked at him deeply was revealed.

       In the end, that man still chose to protect him. 

       The pain in his heart was sharp, as though a blade had pierced through it, so intense that he couldn’t make a sound. His strength seemed to drain away, his chest tight with suffocation. His body swayed, and large tears spilt from Chu Yunhan’s eyes, scalding as they fell onto the scarred body of the man before him.

       “I’m sorry… I don’t know… I don’t know anything… I’m sorry…” Chu Yunhan choked and spoke, trembling with every word. His hand, trembling as well, hesitated to touch the body before him, afraid of offending the man who lay there. In the end, he could only stand there, helpless and unsure of what to do.

       Chu Yichen frowned deeply and never opened his eyes.

       Seeing the two of them like this, Zhang Juan said helplessly, “Young Master Yun, you should return to your room first.”

       Chu Yunhan shook his head persistently, “I want to stay here.”

       “He needs a quiet rest.” Dr. Zhang had no choice but to persuade him again.

       “I won’t talk. I’ll just stay here… I won’t make a sound…”

       Zhang Juan sighed and hardened his heart, “Your presence here affects his mood and the treatment. I’m the doctor; you have to listen to me.”

       Chu Yunhan looked at Zhang Juan with reddened eyes, then at the man lying on the bed. After a moment of silence, he softly said, “Then… I’ll wait outside…” Finally, he lowered his head and walked out.

       Once the door closed, the doctor sat by the bed, his gaze falling on Chu Yichen’s arm, where the veins bulged as he gripped the edge of the bed tightly. With a hint of exasperation, Zhang Juan said, “I know you don’t want him to see you like this, but if he doesn’t know anything, the stalemate between you two will never end. Now that he’s gone, stop holding it in. If it hurts, just cry out.”

       The man still remained silent, his eyes tightly shut, completely motionless.

       Chu Yunhan didn’t return to his room, instead choosing to stay outside Chu Yichen’s door. No matter how Du Chuan tried to persuade him, he stubbornly refused to move. The butler, seeing that he wouldn’t budge, reluctantly had a single sofa brought in so he could sit for a while.

       He just sat on the sofa and waited. Sometimes, he stared blankly at the door, other times he lowered his head, lost in thought, his eyes red. Occasionally, he wiped at the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand. The slightest movement of the door would make him lift his head like a rabbit, nervously glancing around.

       More than two hours later, Zhang Juan and his assistants came out. Chu Yunhan immediately jumped up from the sofa and asked anxiously, “Is he feeling better?”

       The doctor nodded. “The pain’s passed, but he’s too weak to get up for the time being. I think that when he fully recovers, he’ll be the first to kill me, so I’m making a quick exit now.” He smiled at him, adding, “You two… really…”

       Before he finished speaking, Bai Xiao came out and said with a grin, “Doctor Zhang, the Young Master’s order has come. They want to arrest you and put you in solitary confinement. If you don’t run now, I’ll have to take action.”

       “This guy…” Zhang Juan cursed, then quickly slipped downstairs.

       Chu Yunhan was about to enter but was stopped by Bai Xiao.

       “Young Master wants you to go back and rest.”

       “I’ll just take a look at him.”

       “He… doesn’t want to see you now.”

       Hearing this sentence, the corners of his eyes turned red again. He stood dryly for a while and murmured, “I’ll stay here. Whenever he wants to see me, he can call me.”

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       In the afternoon, there was a negotiation to cooperate with a company in Hong Kong to develop a real estate project. Both sides were stubbornly holding onto their positions regarding the investment ratio and profit sharing, resulting in a prolonged deadlock. Finally, they managed to reach an agreement.

       After it was over, Chu Yunhan entertained the guests for dining and entertainment as the gracious host. In the dimly lit private room, the hostesses sat with the guests. They were all wearing short cheongsams with high slits, and their white breasts and thighs were exposed, exuding an atmosphere of lustful allure. One sat next to him as well, trying to cosy up to him, but a single glance from him made her sit back obediently, eventually hugging a microphone and softly singing to herself.

       When the entertainment was over, and the guests were sent back to the hotel, the sky was already filled with stars. He leaned wearily against the back seat, quietly watching the neon lights flowing in the city at night, but the man’s face always appeared in his mind unconsciously.

       Cold and distant, smiling, locking eyes, asleep—frame by frame, like scenes from a movie. The more he thought about it, the more a faint heat spread over his body.

       What the hell… was he losing it?

       Was he really so sexually frustrated? 

       He shook his head irritably. Ever since the cemetery ambush incident, both of them had been overwhelmingly busy. As a result, he hadn’t made any requests to the other party, and he has been enduring them for over a month. Looking at Chu Yichen’s current state of exhaustion, he had no idea how much longer he would have to endure it…

       He was probably really poisoned by that person. Even at times like this, he wasn’t thinking about finding someone else. He was really eaten to death.

       He smiled helplessly.

       Let’s just bear with it a little longer…

       When he returned to the mansion, the study was still brightly lit. Standing at the doorway, Chu Yunhan glanced in to see the man seated behind the desk, engrossed in writing something with a pen. He had changed into a set of grey cotton pyjamas.

       Apparently, he had fallen asleep but had to get up to work temporarily.

       He frowned, walked in, and pretended to look for books on the bookshelf. While muttering, “Where is it?” he walked to the desk and cleared his throat.

       Chu Yichen looked up at him and asked, “Just got back?”

       “Well.” He glanced at the documents on the table and said, “Aren’t you done yet?”

       “Just a bit more.”

       With nothing more to say, Chu Yunhan casually pulled a book from the shelf and said, “Finally found it. Well… I’ll head back to the room then.”

       The man’s eyes turned from the book to his face, and he smiled and said, “Reading this at night?”

       Chu Yunhan looked down at the book and instantly felt as if his seat were on fire, embarrassment flooding him. The cover of the book, a traditional thread-bound edition, prominently displayed the words ‘Golden Lotus¹Ming dynasty vernacular novel, formerly notorious and banned for its sexual content‘ in cursive calligraphy, with smaller, neatly printed characters beneath that read ‘Illustrated Edition’. His face turned red as he stiffened and said, “Just bored… reading randomly…”

       With a smile on his lips, Chu Yichen put down his pen, turned his chair towards him, and said, “Slave, come here.”

       Chu Yunhan felt his entire body heat up as though it were burning, almost steaming. Swallowing nervously, he stepped over to the chair hesitantly, stealing a quick glance at the door before kneeling down.

       A warm hand caressed his face, fingertips repeatedly rubbing over his lips before the man issued the command, “Suck.” Chu Yunhan parted his lips slightly, taking the man’s index finger into his mouth, his tongue curling around it as he gently sucked. The man gradually raised his finger, forcing him to tilt his head back, exposing the graceful, supple curve of his neck.

       In the quiet study room, the sounds of swallowing and sucking seemed particularly erotic. His Adam’s apple quivered, and his moistened lips turned a deeper red, like petals after rain—soft and alluring.

       This was the first time Chu Yunhan had willingly stepped into the role of a slave outside of the club. He could imagine how he looked right now—kneeling, sucking on another man’s finger, letting the man invade his mouth, completely yielding to his whims. The tension heightened the thrill, and coupled with over a month of abstinence, it didn’t take long for him to become aroused.

       Chu Yichen saw the bulge in his crotch and ordered, “Take off your pants and get on the desk.”

       He shamelessly did as he was told, leaning on the table and raising his fair ass high. The man stood up, but when his hand was about to touch his skin, he suddenly stopped. He frowned, then took a report and threw it before him, saying, “Read it out. You’ll be slapped if you make a mistake in a word.”

       Chu Yunhan had no choice but to obey and read a long paragraph. The man behind him remained silent the entire time, which puzzled him. He turned his head to peek at the risk of being punished, but he heard Chu Yichen say, “Get dressed. Get out.”

       Chu Yunhan froze, sitting up and turning to face him. Chu Yichen was leaning back in his chair, one hand gripping the armrest, the other pressing against the edge of the desk. His face looked a bit pale.

       “What’s wrong?” he asked.

       The man frowned deeply and said stiffly, “Get out.” He closed his eyes, his expression weary, as though he couldn’t even stand to look at him anymore. 

       Chu Yunhan was completely thrown off by Chu Yichen’s attitude. It was like having a bucket of cold water dumped over him, extinguishing all his passion. Frustrated, he said angrily, “What’s that supposed to mean? Do you find it fun to toy with me like this?”

       “Didn’t you say you were leaving? Yet here you are, refusing to go. What, do you enjoy sticking your ass out, begging me to use you? Pathetic,” Chu Yichen’s voice was cold and cutting, every word like a blade.

       Hearing this, Chu Yunhan froze completely, his face flushing red and then turning pale. It felt as if a knife had been plunged straight into his heart, and instead of being pulled out, it twisted cruelly, leaving a mess of torn flesh and blood in its wake.

       So this was Chu Yichen’s true opinion of him.

       So this was how lightly that man regarded him…  

       Chu Yunhan grabbed his pants, quickly put them on, and left the study without looking back. On his way down the stairs, he bumped into Du Chuan, knocking the cup from his hand. The scalding tea spilt onto his arm, but he didn’t even notice. He grabbed the car keys from the driver’s hand, slammed the door, stepped on the accelerator and rushed out of the door.

       He had no idea where he was going, but staying in that house—staying even one more second—was unbearable.

       Only when the car reached the highway did he realise his face was wet.

       Pathetic.

       But everyone else could call him pathetic—everyone except you. 

       It was you who made me like this. 

       It was you who made me unable to live without you…

       Chu Yichen…why do you do this to me…

       The road in front of him was blurred by the tears that kept pouring out. He finally pulled over to the side of the road, slumping forward onto the steering wheel as his shoulders shook with silent sobs.

       When his emotions finally calmed down, Chu Yunhan began to think about what to do. If he had been his proud and haughty old self, he would have left and never returned, preferring to bottle up his feelings rather than face that person again. But after everything that had happened, he had matured a lot compared to before. He didn’t know why the man’s attitude had suddenly changed or what he had done wrong. But because that person was Chu Yichen, there had to be a reason behind it.

       He wanted to talk to the other party and figure this out.

       In the end, Chu Yunhan made up his mind, turned the car around, and drove back to the old mansion.

       Deep down, he knew that he just couldn’t let go.

       Dragging his heavy footsteps to the door, he hesitated for a long time before finally mustering the courage to push it open. But the person in the study was gone. He walked up the stairs dejectedly and came to Chu Yichen’s door. He saw Bai Xiao leaning against the door and asked, “Is he in there?”

       “Young Master Yun, Young Master is resting.” Bai Xiao replied with a face devoid of any warmth, his tone respectful but cold.

       He glanced at the door and asked, “Is he… okay?” He had vaguely noticed Bai Xiao’s furrowed brow earlier. 

       The other party didn’t answer, merely stared at him in silence. 

       Chu Yunhan felt depressed and was about to leave when he saw the door open from the inside. Du Chuan stepped out, startled upon seeing him, and quickly hid what he was holding behind his back before shutting the door. Putting on a perfunctory smile, he said, “Young Master Yun, you’re back.”

       Chu Yunhan didn’t miss the little movements, and he distinctly heard a sound from within just as the door closed—a muffled noise from deep in someone’s throat. Suspicious thoughts swirled in his mind as he stepped closer to the door.

       Bai Xiao immediately moved to block his path. “Young Master Yun, Young Master is resting. It wouldn’t be appropriate to disturb him now.”  

       “Disturb…” Chu Yunhan let out a cold laugh, tinged with bitterness.

       That sound… the muffled groan… was obviously…

       He has another sub. No wonder he said those things earlier…

       Then what does the contract mean? What do they mean to each other?

       Chu Yunhan felt as if he had been thrown into an ice cellar. He was angry and desperate, and his fists clenched so tightly that they shook. He suddenly stepped forward and kicked the door. Bai Xiao reached out to grab him, but Chu Yunhan punched him so hard that he collided with the wall.

       “Young Master Yun!” Du Chuan shouted in desperation, and he rushed in like a tiger.

       Chu Yunhan stormed in, consumed by the thought of catching someone in the act, but froze in his tracks when he saw the scene before him. 

       The room was brightly lit. Three people stood by the bedside, seemingly in the middle of a discussion. Hearing the commotion behind them, they turned around simultaneously. One of them was Zhang Juan, and the other two were his assistants, dressed in pyjamas, clearly summoned in a hurry without even having time to change.

       From the gap between their bodies, Chu Yunhan saw Chu Yichen lying on the bed.

       The man’s wrists and ankles were bound to the bedframe with soft straps. His eyes were tightly shut, a towel clenched between his teeth, and his forehead was covered in sweat. Suppressed groans escaped from deep in his throat, his expression one of profound pain, as if enduring some unbearable torment.

       The sight was shocking enough, but when Chu Yunhan’s gaze fell on Chu Yichen’s exposed chest, he was completely stunned. 

       In his youth, when Chu Yichen would strip off his sweat-drenched jersey, there were always girls on the sidelines blushing and screaming. His skin was flawless, not even a single mole, and his taut muscles perfectly outlined his well-proportioned physique. 

       But now… his chest was covered in hideous scars, crisscrossing in all directions—some long, some short, of various shapes. One knife scar ran vertically downward, disappearing beneath the waistband of his pants, its stitched wound resembling a long, grotesque centipede. The sight was appalling.

       The scene before him hit Chu Yunhan like a bolt of lightning, rendering him completely motionless. He couldn’t even tear his gaze away. Bai Xiao, who had rushed in after him, was about to drag him out when Zhang Juan spoke up, “Enough, he’s already seen it. There’s no point in hiding it anymore.”

       Bai Xiao glanced at the man writhing in pain on the bed, then at the devastated Chu Yunhan, and released his grip. 

       “What… what is going on?” Chu Yunhan stammered, his tongue feeling clumsy.

       While Zhang Juan slowly pushed the remaining transparent liquid in the needle into Chu Yichen’s body, he said, “I’m afraid you have to ask Young Master Yun this question yourself.”

       Chu Yunhan’s heart jolted, his face turning pale as he looked at Zhang Juan. The suspicion that had been lingering in his mind, like wind sweeping sand, became increasingly clear and undeniable.

       At that moment, the man on the bed let out a hoarse sound, his brows deeply furrowed.

       Zhang Juan sighed and said, “How long are you planning to keep this from him?”

       Chu Yichen’s eyes fluttered open slightly, weakly glancing at the family doctor, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t. His chest heaved with difficulty due to labored breathing, prompting one of the assistants to place an oxygen mask over his face immediately.

       “I’m really tired of this hide-and-seek game you two keep playing. No one in this house dares to disobey your orders, so I’ll do it myself.”

       Zhang Juan stood by the bedside, pulled down Chu Yichen’s pyjama pants with a swift motion, then grabbed Chu Yunhan and dragged him to the edge of the bed. With a blank expression, he said, “Since you’re here to see, then see it clearly. There are 89 scars on his body in total. These circular ones are from being pierced with an awl. These shallow ones are knife cuts. These small burn marks are from electric shocks, while the larger ones are from scalding. This dent on his thigh? That’s where a chunk of flesh was gouged out. Fortunately, these are all external injuries meant to inflict pain but not fatal. The dangerous ones are twofold. First, this long slash wound—it starts under his ribs and runs all the way to his abdomen.”

       Then, Zhang Juan pressed Chu Yunhan’s hand against Chu Yichen’s chest and said slowly, “The second is a gunshot wound, right here. The bullet entered from his back and exited from the front. If it had been just a little off, he’d be dead. Young Master Yun, can you guess how long it took me to stitch up this body that was practically torn to shreds?”

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       In this battle, the second eldest son of the Sheng family, Sheng Guang, and their third eldest son, Sheng Wei, were shot dead, and more than 200 of their men died. The fifth son, Sheng Ming, disappeared without a trace.

       On the side of J City, military and political leader Old Master Shen suddenly fell ill, and all affairs were handed over to his grandson, Shen Mo, to handle. Sheng Weiyong was arrested for economic crimes involved in smuggling, illegal possession of firearms, and other charges. The eldest son, Sheng Kai, was detained for a murder case. The stock price of Sheng Group plummeted. The Sheng family’s power was on the decline, as if a building was about to collapse, teetering on the edge. 

       The authorities classified this incident as a gang conflict, skillfully avoiding implicating the Chu family, instead announcing that the Chu family was an ‘innocent victim’ who had accidentally become involved in the gang clash.

       In this battle, the Black Eagle Society lost 43 men dead and over 240 injured. The casualties among Chu Qin’s former subordinates who were paying respect at the cemetery were the heaviest. At Qinglan Mansion, besides Aunt Song, the gardener, and a few servants who weren’t there that day, Bai Yang and three bodyguards were severely injured, while Feng Tai, Lan Xin, and others all died.

       Chu Yunhan, who stubbornly insisted on personally visiting the scene, did not speak a word the entire time. He only picked up Feng Tai’s pocket watch and tucked it into his chest pocket, slowly combing Lan Xin’s bloodstained hair, staring at her pale, quiet face for a long time without moving. Finally, he closed his eyes, which were reddened from holding back tears, and had them placed in black body bags and taken to the morgue.

       After returning from the cemetery, he locked himself in his room in the old mansion and hadn’t come out since. The Sheng family still had a lot of fish that might have slipped through the net and could be wandering the city, so Chu Yichen requested that he stay in the old mansion temporarily. But everyone knew the real reason—it was to prevent him from being reminded of the scene at the empty Qinglan Mansion.

       The next afternoon, the door was forced open, and Hei Yu brought a little girl to Chu Yunhan who looked haggard.

       There was finally a flicker of light in his dull eyes. He knelt halfway and said slowly in a hoarse voice, “Yuanyuan, your mother…is gone.”

       “…Where did Mommy go?” There was an uneasiness in the childish voice.

       “…She went to a very, very beautiful place. She wanted to stay there, but she couldn’t stop worrying about you, afraid you’d be lonely…” He did his best to remain composed in front of the child, trying to appear better, “From now on, Uncle will accompany you on her behalf so that she can rest assured, okay?”

       Yuanyuan looked at him and nodded, but tears fell. She was a sensitive and delicate child—her mother hadn’t come back, and neither had Uncle Feng. Many people hadn’t come back. She could read pity and sorrow in the adults’ eyes when they looked at her. She knew her mother wouldn’t return, and from now on, she had no one else to rely on except the man before her.

       Chu Yunhan held her in his arms and comforted her softly, “Don’t cry, don’t cry… Uncle will always be with you and protect you. Are you hungry? Let’s go get something to eat together, okay?”

       He had to pull himself together because someone needed him. He was someone else’s pillar of support. 

       This incident was too far-reaching, requiring a great deal of follow-up work. Both the black and white parties have a lot of things to be busy with, including political negotiations, business operations, internal management, tracing the remnants of the party, providing compensation for the deceased, and treating the injured… Additionally, with many people lost, Chu Yichen was swamped with work. Minran couldn’t be in J City to assist, and even the older generation, Chu Yu and Chu Xuan had to get involved. Chu Yunhan actively took over many of the group’s operational matters and became busy himself.

       The funeral of the deceased was held a week later, and tombstones were erected in the Black Eagle Society’s exclusive cemetery. Although some of the ashes had been collected by their families, their names were still engraved here as a permanent memorial.

       It was an extremely grand funeral. A black motorcade, with large white flowers tied to the front of the cars, slowly made its way along the main road of K City, passing in front of the Golden Eagle Group headquarters. Under the gaze of the golden eagle perched atop the building, the deceased were sent to their final resting place. The long procession attracted numerous onlookers, all of whom knew it was the Chu family bidding farewell to their loved ones.

       The officials and high-ranking members of the Black Eagle Society rushed back from all directions, and the entire cemetery was dark and solemn. Chu Yichen, wearing a black suit, stood at the front. Chu Yunhan and others stood behind him, bowing deeply to the tombstone together. Yuanyuan, who was wearing a little black skirt, held his hand tightly and sobbed softly. After the ceremony was over, he took her little hand and went to Lan Xin’s tombstone. Yuanyuan cried and said softly, “Mom, don’t worry, I will listen to Uncle Chu, and I will come to see you often…”

       Seeing this scene, Chu Yunhan felt extremely depressed. He turned his face and met the eyes of the man standing not far away.

       Chu Yichen was looking at him. The two of them were busy with their own affairs during this period. Even though they lived in the old house, they always left early and returned late. It seemed that they had not seen each other for a long time. At this moment, there were many people between them, and they were looking at each other calmly, and no one looked away. It wasn’t until Yuanyuan grabbed Chu Yunhan’s hand again that he lowered his head, picked her up, and left the cemetery first.

       When people get busy, they tend to ignore the passage of time. By the time all the matters were dealt with and the situation had stabilised, it had already been a month and a half. After winter set in, a few moderate to heavy rains fell, and the weather grew colder day by day.

       Chu Yunhan, who was woken up by the alarm early in the morning, went downstairs with messy hair and yawned. Since Lan Xin’s death, no matter how busy he was, he made sure to set aside time every day to have breakfast with Yuanyuan and then take her to kindergarten. He sleepily walked to the dining room, and when he saw the people sitting at the round table eating, he paused in surprise, his eyes widening.

       Yuanyuan, wearing a little red sweater, reached for the pastries on the plate, but her short arms couldn’t quite reach. She quietly pulled her hand back. Just then, a large hand extended from the side, moving the plate directly in front of her. The girl softly said thank you, took a small cake, and bit into it, with the jam filling spilling out. The man sitting next to her wiped it off with a napkin and said, “Take your time.”

       This scene was strange yet harmonious, leaving Chu Yunhan dumbfounded, unsure whether to walk over. A while ago, Chu Yichen had gone to J City to expand his network, and they hadn’t seen each other for more than half a month. Now, seeing him sitting at the table felt unreal. When Yuanyuan looked up and saw him, she called out, ‘Uncle Chu’, and immediately, the familiar gaze followed.

       Chu Yunhan felt a slight itch on his face, like being swept by a cat’s tail. He coughed lightly, said vaguely “Good morning, you’re back”, and sat down on the other side of Yuanyuan.

       “Just arrived.”

       He was a little cautious for no reason and said, “Over there… is everything settled?”

       “En.”

       “No need to go?”

       “En.”

       “Minran is still there?”

       “Shen Mo is still settling in; there are some things to take care of.”

       “Oh.”

       The exchange was brief and sparse.

       Chu Yunhan distractedly scooped some porridge into his spoon and brought it to his mouth, only to find it scalding. He was caught between spitting it out and swallowing, looking utterly awkward. He hissed through his teeth while sneaking a glance at the other man.

       The man raised the corner of his mouth, sipping milk from his cup without saying anything. However, Yuanyuan next to him looked at him sympathetically and said, “Uncle, eat slowly, hot.”

       “Okay.” His face turned red, and he stirred the porridge in the bowl with a spoon. He said, “I will take Yuanyuan back in two days.”

       Chu Yichen was silent for a while and replied calmly, “Okay, I’ll let someone arrange it.”

       Chu Yunhan didn’t know why he felt a little unhappy all of a sudden. It was as if there was a sudden and uncomfortable feeling in his heart. He said, “I’ll handle it myself.”

       It was quite a blunt rebuttal. Du Chuan, who was standing aside, glanced at the person sitting in the main seat.

       The man’s expression remained unchanged. He slowly took a sip of the milk in the cup and said, “Okay.”

       It was his own suggestion at first, but now that the other person agreed, he felt upset. What was going on? Even he thought he was being unreasonable.

       It was probably because he had been holding back too much lately, and he was a bit emotionally disturbed…

       That must be the case…

       Chu Yunhan felt sullen and had no appetite left. After Yuanyuan finished eating, he said, “I’ll take her to kindergarten,” and left.

       He was in a bad mood the entire way. It wasn’t until Yuanyuan, who was sitting in the back seat, asked timidly, “Is Uncle upset?” did he realised that he had been scowling the whole time and said with some shame, “No, it’s just that the road is a bit congested. I asked Aunt Jing to come after school in the afternoon to pick you up, okay? Uncle has a meeting that might run late.”

       “Okay.” The little girl was always very well-behaved.

       After dropping Yuanyuan off at kindergarten, Chu Yunhan realised that he had been absent-minded and had forgotten a whole folder of materials at home.

       He had originally planned to call Du Chuan to have someone bring them to the office, but since the folder contained confidential business documents, he decided to return them and get them himself.

       He walked into the traditional Chinese-style building with white walls and black tiles, his gaze passing over the study on the second floor. He paused, then turned back.

       Sunlight streamed through the wooden lattice window, casting patterns of shadows on the floor. The tall bookshelf was neatly stacked with books, forming a layered, pixelated 3D image. Amid this, a figure was slouched on the wide sofa, his head tilted to one side. His hand, holding a fountain pen, was limp against the armrest, and the pen had rolled onto the carpet.

       His eyes were tightly closed, and his thick black lashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes.

       Chu Yichen had just… fallen asleep.

       Chu Yunhan stood quietly for a moment, letting out a soft sigh. This was the first time he had observed Chu Yichen’s sleeping face up close. He had always remembered Chu Yichen as strong and cold after reaching adulthood, like a machine, constantly alert and calm. Sometimes, he even forgot that this person was an ordinary human who needed rest.

       His gaze fell on the thick stack of materials on the side table, and he frowned.

       It must take a lot of effort to mediate among the powerful people in J City. This man caught a late-night flight, skipped a good night’s sleep, and was now handling a pile of matters. It’s really…

       He realised that this morning, the man had probably only had a cup of milk.

       He looked at the tired sleeping face of the other party, and somewhere in his heart, a soft, sour, green plum-like emotion welled up, slowly swelling, filling his heart to the fullest. He quickly went to a nearby room and took a soft thin blanket, gently draping it over Chu Yichen. After quietly closing the study door behind him, he turned to see Du Chuan holding a cup of tea and Hei Yu with the materials standing behind him. Chu Yunhan raised an eyebrow and said, “What’s so urgent that it couldn’t wait? Can’t you let him sleep for a bit?”

       This was the first time the young master had interfered with Chu Yichen’s matters, and both Du Chuan and Hei Yu were taken aback, exchanging glances. Hei Yu lowered his head and said, “I’ll report in half an hour.”

       He took a few steps, turned back, and whispered to Du Chuan, “Don’t mention that I came back.”

       “Understood.” The butler responded.

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       His actions greatly exceeded Sheng the fifth’s expectations. The man’s brows furrowed into a deep crease, “Why are you…”

       “My surname is Chu.” Chu Yunhan looked at him.

       “And because you’re a Chu, the only one who can protect you now is me. My brothers will undoubtedly eradicate the Chu family; leaving me is a dead end for you.” Sheng the fifth raised his hand and looked at his watch anxiously. He then said, “Do you understand or not?”

       “I’ve already betrayed once and have no desire to do it a second time.” His voice was unusually calm, without a trace of ripples. “If you still have even a shred of affection for me, let me go and allow me a dignified end. If not, kill me yourself.”

       The man stared at him stiffly, with the corners of his mouth tightened. In addition to sullenness, heartbreak and sadness were in his eyes, and he whispered, “…Is it necessary to be like this?”

       Chu Yunhan didn’t know where he got the courage. He pressed his finger tightly on the trigger, lowered his eyes slightly, and said word by word, “It has to be like this.”

       Sheng the fifth was silent for a while, then punched the roof of the car with a gloomy face, gritted his teeth and ordered, “Let him through.”

       “Fifth Young Master!” Surprised, the attendant beside him said, “If you let him go like this… If the Third Young Master finds out…”

       “I said, let him through!” The man looked like a ferocious lion, his eyes a little red, “Shut the hell up!”

       Seeing his rage, his subordinates dared not say more and quickly stepped aside to clear the way.

       Chu Yunhan’s eyelashes trembled, and he said “Thank you” in a hoarse voice and sat back in the car. Bai Xiao immediately stepped on the accelerator and rushed out of the alley.

       Sheng Ming watched the car pass before him, turn the corner and disappear. He leaned against the car door and lit a cigarette tiredly. Sheng Weiyong knew about his obsession with Chu Yunhan, which was why he hadn’t been sent on this operation. He followed secretly in order to take Chu Yunhan away safely. He had planned it all out—he would take this man back to J City, and if his family objected, they would flee abroad together for a carefree life.

       But now, the man who once reached out to him for help no longer wanted to go with him.

       In the end, he was too late after all.

       Sheng the Fifth took a deep drag on his cigarette, recalling how Chu Yunhan had once been in his arms, and kissed. He was shy and tense, trying to resist yet forced to submit, so captivating. He thought of the stunning smile from earlier, and his gaze became unfocused.

       Just as he was lost in these memories, a subordinate came rushing over with urgency, “Fifth Young Master, something happened!

       Inside the car, Chu Yunhan was still gripping the gun tightly. His hands trembled slightly, and he used his other hand to steady it. Bai Xiao was on a call, listening silently before finally replying, “I understand.”

       “How is he? Is there any news? How is the situation at the cemetery?” Chu Yunhan asked anxiously as soon as the call ended, leaning forward against the front seat.

       Bai Xiao glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “No news yet.”

       The longer it dragged on, the worse it looked. Disappointment clouded Chu Yunhan’s face as he furrowed his brows deeply. After a moment of silent thought, he asked, “How many people are heading to the cemetery now?”

       “About two thousand.”

       “How many more manpower can be mobilised?”

       The man paused briefly and said, “There are about two thousand and five thousand in the city.”

       “Organise two thousand to intercept Sheng Wei. Split three hundred into two groups to guard the old house and the Zhou family; if necessary, evacuate them. Contact my second and third uncles, inform them of the situation, and have the people protecting Minran leave Italy and cut off all unnecessary communications. Choose a few sharpshooters to ambush at key intersections. Kill any members of the Sheng family on sight. Have all Black Eagle members currently outside conceal their identities and infiltrate J City slowly.” Chu Yunhan’s voice was dry and hoarse, with some unsteady tremors but with unprecedented cruelty. “Now turn around and go to the old house. I’m going to destroy all personnel records and financial documents. Assign two hundred men to protect it.”

       Bai Xiao stared at him in shock through the rearview mirror, unable to speak for a long time.

       “What are you waiting for?” Chu Yunhan snapped harshly.

       Bai Xiao turned on his mobile phone, dialled a number, and said in a deep voice, “Young Master Yun said…” Then he repeated all his words. After getting the answer from the other party, he made a sharp U-turn at a red light and headed toward the Chu family’s old house.

       “So much time has passed already…” There was a broken void in Chu Yunhan’s eyes, and his voice was very soft, as if he was mumbling to himself, “No news must mean he’s still alive…”

       “What will happen if Young Master is no longer here?” Bai Xiao suddenly asked.

       The man in the back seat said nothing.

       Just when Bai Xiao thought the other party wouldn’t answer, he heard a chilling sentence.

       “If he’s dead, not a single member of the Sheng family will live.”

       While Chu Yunhan headed toward the Chu family’s old house, Sheng Ming’s car was speeding toward the outskirts of the city. Behind him, several black cars followed like persistent shadows. From time to time, there was the sound of bullets hitting the car’s rear.

       Sheng Ming clenched the gun in his hand with red eyes, feeling waves of coldness coming from deep within his bones, making him tremble.

       On the phone call just now, the weak and breathy voice of the second brother Sheng Guang kept echoing in my ears.

       “Xiao Wu… I’m done for. Something happened to your third brother too… Don’t go back to J City. Just now… Shen Mo and Chu Minran attacked Dad… Turns out they’ve been planning this all along… Go abroad, don’t come back, just leave…”

       Overnight, the net in his hand was torn, and the beast was released, roaring angrily, revealing its bloody fangs.

       The hunter had become the prey.

       The mist in his eyes turned crimson as if everything was burning and evaporating around him. Sheng Ming clenched his teeth hard and finally closed his eyes, letting a scalding tear roll down his cheek. 

       When Chu Yunhan rushed into the old house in a hurry, he looked at Chu Yu and Chu Xuan standing in the hall. He was stunned, tears welled up in his eyes, and he said incoherently, “Second Uncle, Third Uncle, he’s at the cemetery… What…what should we do?”

       Chu Yu looked at him in such a panic and turned to Bai Xiao.

       Bai Xiao lowered his head guiltily and said, “I just… didn’t tell Young Master Yun the news.”

       “Deceiving your master, how insolent.” Chu Yu said coldly, “Your punishment will be dealt with later. Go tend to your wounds.”

       “Yes.” He immediately retreated.

       Chu Xuan walked over and said, “Yichen is fine, and the situation is under control. We are here, don’t worry.”

       Hearing these words, Chu Yunhan felt that the strength that had been held in his body had been drained out of his body. His whole body relaxed, and his feet lost some strength and swayed.

       Chu Xuan held him up and asked, “Are you okay?”

       He looked at the other person suddenly, tears rolling down uncontrollably. He hurriedly wiped it off with the back of his hand, lowered his head and said, “I’m okay.”

       “Sit down.” Chu Yu patted his shoulder, “Drink some water.”

       Chu Yunhan sat down and took the tea from the servant. Without drinking it, he said in a hoarse voice, “What happened today was done by the Sheng family.”

       “Yes,” Chu Yu said. “The Sheng family and our family have both been vying for political and military support. Initially, we stayed out of each other’s way, but a year ago, they began extending their influence into K City, squeezing our power. Yichen started strategising at that time, using the forces in J City to shake the foundation of the Sheng family. Although Minran claimed to be studying abroad in Italy, he has actually been staying with the Shen family in J City for the past year, hiding his identity and plotting to help Shen Mo rise to power. Just now, that plan has come to fruition.” He paused momentarily before continuing, “What happened today was indeed sudden. The Sheng family noticed Shen Mo’s growing power and decided to strike first and take Yichen’s life. However, this time, their covert operation was controlled directly by the second and third sons of the Sheng family. It wasn’t until last night that Minran figured out their movements. We had received word that they planned to make a move during the amusement park’s ribbon-cutting event hosted by Golden Eagle this afternoon. So, Yichen decided to use himself as bait to lure them out. Tang Can and Hei Yu also stayed behind with a large group of people at the venue. Unexpectedly, they changed their plans at the last minute and struck at the cemetery. Fortunately, Yichen had already sent extra personnel to protect you on the outside, which allowed the personnel to be redirected in time. It was a close call, but luckily, no major harm was done.”

       The brief explanation sounded plain, but it concealed the countless lives, blood, risks, and fear involved. Having personally experienced the events of the day, Chu Yunhan now fully grasped how treacherous this path was. After understanding the cause and effect, the panic in his heart subsided a little. He took a sip of tea to soothe his throat, which felt parched and burning. Yet, his mind suddenly conjured the image of Chu Yichen standing solemnly before his father’s gravestone.

       —I will take good care of him, please rest assured.

       What if that person’s original plan was to use himself as bait in the afternoon to lure the Sheng family into making a move? Then what kind of feelings did he harbour when he said this sentence? His appearance at the cemetery this morning—was it truly for homage, or…

       Was it to see him? 

       To see him, possibly for the last time?  

       When this thought suddenly came into his mind, his whole body froze.

       “Go and take a rest.” Chu Yu said gently when he saw that his face was pale.

       He shook his head, “I’ll wait here.”

       Wait for what?

       He knew it in his heart but couldn’t say it aloud.

       Thunder exploded in the distance, rumbling furiously in the dark clouds. The gloomy sky was split in half by lightning, the wind blew the trees in the yard, and the rain poured heavily.

       Chu Yunhan stood behind the railing in the corridor, staring closely in the direction of the door. The cold wind ruffled his brown hair and slapped his face with wetness.

       At last, a figure appeared in the empty doorway. 

       Closer and closer.

       The man walking in front stopped when he saw him.

       That handsome, striking face was smeared with blood, blending with the rain. His black coat was soaked, water dripping steadily from its edges. Yet his posture remained tall and composed, like a tree growing skyward or a lone wolf standing proud and unyielding.

       At that moment, the entire world seemed to lose its colour.

       All that remained were those dark eyes, gazing at him through the rain, tender as water.

       “I’m back.”

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