Chu Yunhan stood frozen. The wind slipping between the two of them carried a biting chill, dispersing the warmth from his body.
He watched the man approach little by little and finally stopped in front of him before reaching out a hand toward his coat collar. Chu Yunhan wanted to step back, but out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed the neatly lined-up crowd not far away. His retreat halted abruptly, and he allowed the man to straighten his crooked collar.
Now, Chu Yichen, who appeared in the cemetery, is the head of the family and his cousin. The intimacy of his gestures carried a performative quality.
He wanted his subordinates, partners, friends, enemies, and others who came here for various reasons to see clearly—that there was harmony between the Chu brothers, no discord whatsoever, and that the previous rumours of brothers turning against each other were just nonsense.
It had been a long time since they last met in a public setting like this, each standing in their respective positions. Chu Yunhan kept his gaze low, barely daring to look at the other. In a soft voice, he asked, “When did you arrive?”
“Since the moment ‘I really hate myself,’” the man replied, his voice light.
He only felt a little suffocated in his chest and stood silently with his hands down.
Chu Yichen put down the flowers and stood before the stone tablet for a long time. In the end, he only said one sentence, “I will take good care of him; please rest assured.”
Chu Yunhan’s heart felt like it had been struck hard, beating wildly out of rhythm. His face flushed red, and his clenched fingers dug painfully into his palm.
“Let’s go,” the man said as he passed by.
He glanced at the tombstone again, pursed his lips, and followed the other person’s steps outside.
Chu Yichen walked in front, his slim body wrapped in a slightly loose coat, making him look tall and imposing. The oncoming wind blew the man’s scent over, and the light and familiar scent of aftershave brushed past the tip of his nose, reminding him of those ridiculous and indulgent nights, of the way the man panted against his body, of the relationship between the two of them. That sticky entanglement between them.
A restless heat rose from deep within his spine, causing his blood to gradually boil. Lost in thought, he didn’t notice Chu Yichen stopping in front of him and ended up bumping into the man’s back. Looking at those oppressive black eyes, as if his thoughts were being seen through, his face became even hotter, and he whispered, “…I’m sorry.”
“Where are you going?” Chu Yichen asked.
“The company, there’s this project… and we have an appointment for negotiation.”
Just as the other party was about to speak, he heard a ‘bang’ sound in the air, and then a bodyguard in front of him fell heavily at his feet.
Everything happened unexpectedly.
Chu Yunhan was hugged hard and rolled over, hitting his head on the ground before he realised that it was a gunshot. Chu Yichen pressed him tightly, and his voice was hoarse, “Don’t move.” Screams erupted, and everyone seemed to move in an instant. The bodyguards gathered around and blocked the two people. He heard the sound of flesh being penetrated, he saw people falling continuously, and he felt Bai Yang protecting him in front of him, pushing him back.
In the chaos, a car slammed through the cemetery fence and rushed in. Bai Xiao shouted, “Young Master, get in!” Chu Yichen grabbed Chu Yunhan and shoved him into the backseat, slamming the door. He then said, “Take him away!”
“Young Master!” Bai Xiao looked sad, and his voice was trembling.
“Take him away. Protect him.” The man said solemnly, “This is an order.” He drew the pistol at his waist, looked deeply at the dumbfounded Chu Yunhan, and said nothing. He turned around and followed the steps of the bodyguards as they quickly retreated towards the building in the distance.
Bai Xiao’s eyes were blood red. He gritted his teeth and stepped on the accelerator hard, and the car sped away.
The intensive gunfire drowned out Chu Yunhan’s trembling, “Wait a minute…” and the bullets hit the car door and windows, making a ‘bang’ sound. The bulletproof glass around him was cracked into spider web-like patterns. He suppressed his fear and trembled all over. “Wait…Bai Xiao…wait…” His mind was blank as if he had been thrown naked into an ice cellar; his teeth were trembling, and he was shaking with every word.
“Wait for what? What are you still waiting for? He stayed there to draw the fire away, to make sure you live!” The man driving the car had a gunshot wound on his left arm, and blood was oozing out. There was a kind of sad despair in his voice, and he roared fiercely, “He’s done everything he could for you—everything! Even what he couldn’t do, he did! Do you fvcking know that?!”
Gripping the door handle tightly, Chu Yunhan felt a dull ache and suffocating pressure in his chest as though someone was squeezing his heart. Even breathing became difficult. The last look Chu Yichen gave him lingered in his mind.
The black eyes, with the deep light, seemed to have a lot of reluctance but also an unshakable determination.
—-He wants you to live.
Chu Yunhan grabbed Bai Xiao’s shoulders with trembling hands and said, “Go back…” Seeing that the other party didn’t respond and still drove straight forward, he finally shouted angrily, “Go back! I want to go back!” “
A sneer appeared on the pale man’s lips, “What’s the use of going back?”
The words hit him like a blunt weapon to the head, leaving him dazed and unable to respond. He slumped back into the seat, lost and despondent.
Yeah, what’s the use?
What on earth am I…useful for?
Chu Yunhan covered his face with his hands, pressing hard enough for his knuckles to turn white, leaving deep marks on his skin. Warm moisture soaked his palms and cheeks. He couldn’t tell whether it was sweat, tears, or perhaps dirt or blood from somewhere.
The feeling of powerlessness he felt when his father left swept over him again. This time, it was stronger and more overwhelming. He trembled and huddled in the back seat like a cornered animal, letting out a silent cry of despair.
Don’t die…
You can’t die…
Chu Yichen…please…
He prayed over and over in his mind. Having always believed in nothing, he suddenly hoped that there really was a god in the world who could hear his prayer and bless that person.
Chu Yichen had stayed behind in the cemetery, drawing most of the enemy fire. After their car was pursued for a while, the gunfire ceased. But even as they entered the city, Bai Xiao’s expression remained grim. He kept glancing at the rearview mirror, frowning, and pressed the accelerator hard. The car, already going at 130 kilometers per hour, skidded almost sideways as it rounded a sharp corner and changed direction.
Chu Yunhan was nearly thrown off his grip on the handle, asking in alarm, “Is someone following us?”
“Yeah.” Bai Xiao pulled a gun from beneath his seat and tossed it to him while driving. He then said, “If I die later, just run. If you can’t escape, well, then you’re out of luck.”
Chu Yunhan’s heart pounded as he loaded the gun. He took a deep breath, and quickly recalled the shooting techniques he had been trained in—steady your breathing, align the three points, squeeze the trigger…
At that moment, Bai Xiao suddenly slammed on the brakes. The car screeched to a halt, leaving deep tyre marks on the ground. They were trapped in a narrow alley, blocked by cars at both ends. Seeing the formation, Bai Xiao’s face darkened, and he curled his lips into a sinister smile. Gripping his gun, he sneered with a chilling malevolence, “Young Master Yun, it looks like today’s the day we die here.” Every word dripped with murderous intent.
Chu Yunhan forced himself to stay calm, controlled his hands so as not to shake, gritted his teeth, opened the car door, and stood out.
Bai Xiao was shocked, “What are you doing?!”
He stood beside the car and shouted to the people at the other end of the alley, “I am Chu Yunhan. If you’re making such a big show of trying to kill me, isn’t the least you could do is show me who you are before I die?”
The other party was silent for a while. Then someone came up and whispered, “Long time no see.”
Chu Yunhan’s eyes widened. In disbelief, he looked at the other party and said, “Sheng the fifth…”
The man looked at him and said, “This isn’t a situation I wanted to see either. Yunhan, forgive me; I had no choice.”
“…Why? Isn’t there cooperation between the two families? Why on earth are you doing this?!” His back was tense, he clenched his fists, and his eyes looked like they were about to burst into flames.
“Your cousin’s methods are too clever—he has been eroding our influence bit by bit, gradually replacing us, and step by step undermining Old Man Shen’s trust. He orchestrated schemes to lure us into expanding our cooperation, only to cut off our resources after thoroughly assessing our strengths. And now, he has supported Shen Mo in sidelining Old Man Shen, leaving us completely without support. Forced into such a situation, don’t we deserve to seek justice?”
Chu Yunhan looked at the other party in shock, unable to say anything.
“If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn’t have made it this far.” There was a soft light in Sheng Ming’s eyes, “You betrayed Chu Yichen once. Life in the Chu family can’t have been easy for you. I regretted not taking you away last time, and that regret has stayed with me ever since. Today, I’m here to take you with me.”
“…What?”
“Sheng Guang brought two hundred people to the cemetery, and the third brother Sheng Wei brought two thousand more in from outside the city. The outcome is clear—Chu Yichen won’t make it out today. Once he’s dead, the Chu family will fall. Rather than being dragged down with them, why not leave with me? Let’s go to J City and live our own carefree lives. I’ll stay by your side for the rest of your life.”
Chu Yunhan stood frozen, his bangs casting a shadow over his eyes. His shoulders trembled slightly as he asked, “And if I refuse?”
Sheng Ming frowned, “I don’t want to use force on you.”
Chu Yunhan raised his face and smiled at the man standing ten meters away.
It was a smile filled with charm—three parts gentle, three parts cool and aloof, three parts wild and unrestrained, and one part so captivating it left others unable to look away. Within it were hints of provocation and disdain, along with an air of cold arrogance. The subtle smile played lightly at the corners of his eyes and brows, making his already handsome face radiate a unique allure—deadly and dangerously irresistible.
Sheng the fifth stared at him blankly, motionless.
It was so beautiful. Like an elusive white deer in the forest, always out of reach. That smile ignited an uncontrollable desire in man to conquer and possess.
However, the next second, the proud animal walked towards the cliff’s edge.
Chu Yunhan put the cold gun muzzle against his temple and said, “I’ll give you two choices: let me go or kill me.”
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