Now Shen Leyuan froze.
What?
Low-key gasp. Seeing he truly didn’t know, the leader explained kindly, “The daily goods Chen Family, the food and drink Zhao Family, and…”
Shen Leyuan knew who now, but stayed silent.
The leader whistled, pinching his chin to inspect. “Didn’t believe ’em at first, but damn, it fits. How much you think your man’ll pay to get you back?”
Shen Leyuan’s heart sank.
He’d bullshitted the relation based on the leader’s earlier words, buffing himself to make them hesitate.
But it backfired, digging the hole deeper.
Taking a light breath, he haggled with the leader. “No clue what Lin Yuan’d pay direct, but I know I can whisper in his ear for a fortune. Safer than squeezing him outright.”
The leader’s eyes shifted.
Those bosses had already paid him to make a torture-kill video for Lin Yuan. Plan was one-and-done, then flee abroad… but who complained about too much money?
Chubby perked up. “Boss, we’re burned in-country anyway. Might as well go big.”
Skinny chimed, “Yeah! Two birds here—send the duck off for cash, keep Lin the Eldest till we’re safe abroad, then release.”
Shen Leyuan piled on, persuading the leader. “Big score means big risk. Better steady flow. My card’s got five mil—take it now. I’ll squeeze more from Old Lin later.”
Pure bluff to stall.
Lin Yao spat out the bloody rag and yelled, “Use my card! Whatever it takes to let us go—any amount!”
The leader’s gaze flicked between them. He let out a surprised huh.
“That’s not right…”
He rubbed his chin and said, “So, is he your dad’s side piece, or yours?”
Just earlier, when the duckie was still out cold, Young Master Lin had cursed up a storm with the filthiest language, all wild and reckless. Now he was playing nice.
Lin Yao’s hands behind his back struggled silently, already working a gap free, but his face remained impassive. He said in a deep voice, “My money’s in an overseas account. I can get someone to transfer it to you right now.”
The kidnapper’s gaze shifted from Lin Yao to Shen Leyuan, then back to Lin Yao. In a strange tone, he said, “You two sure know what’s what.”
Truth be told, he didn’t give a damn about the duckie’s five million. That trickle of steady cash? Nah, he preferred a one-time payout. His original plan was to have his underlings send Lin Yao back while he bolted with the money.
—Lin Yao was the boss’s only son; you couldn’t just mess with him willy-nilly. Better leave a scapegoat for the old man to vent on.
But now, that plan had changed.
“Fine, wire the money, and I’ll let you go,” the kidnapper boss said. “But to make sure you don’t come after us later, you gotta leave something behind.”
Shen Leyuan’s first thought was a hand or a foot. He panicked a little.
But then he reconsidered—if it was some body part, it’d be too obvious. Compared to a wound, the best option would be…
“You two,” the boss ordered his underlings, “which one’s the gay one?”
Little Fat: …
Little Skinny: …
The boss frowned. “Not a single one?”
Amid his underlings’ clearly reluctant, bitter expressions, he pumped them up. “Think about the money. Think about our future. Think about those hot chicks overseas.”
Lin Yao finally caught on to what they meant. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Don’t touch him. I’ll do it instead!”
The boss rolled his eyes and kicked him. “What’s the rush? You’ve both got it. You think I’d let you off?”
Lin Yao: …
Shen Leyuan: …
This was… both so realistic and straight out of the Flower Market.
Little Fat piped up: “How about we make them do each other?”
The boss kicked Little Fat instead. “Look at them—one prettier than the other. Leak a video of that, and it’s public coming out plus a holy figure selling their body. Where’s the shame in you two ugly bastards fcking them?”
Little Fat and Little Skinny fell silent again.
Seeing they were really unwilling, the boss said awkwardly, “I’ll give you each an extra million. Shut the lights off and pretend they’re hot chicks.”
His two underlings started to waver.
Unsure if it was Lin Yao’s tough looks and build, or fear of the young master’s revenge, both headed toward Shen Leyuan, sparking a little squabble between them.
The boss watched with keen interest, pulling out his phone to start recording.
When the buttons on his shirt were undone, Shen Leyuan didn’t resist. His eyes reflected the young man who had quietly risen to his feet. He lowered his gaze and pleaded softly, “If it has to happen… can it be you?”
He looked up, shamefaced. “At least you’ve got a decent build and vibe.”
The boss blinked, a mix of discomfort at being eyed by a gay guy and the thrill of praise from another man surging through him. It twisted into a smug grin. “Of course…”
Bang!
A steel pipe crashed down hard, splattering fresh blood.
At the same time, Huo Tingfeng finally arrived nearby.
With a few of his brothers, he slipped quietly into this abandoned half-built neighborhood. Afraid the stairs would give them away, they scaled the side wall.
He’d glimpsed shadowy figures on the seventh floor.
Once there, he raised his gun, squinting with one eye.
Before he fired, he spotted blood all over the floor—and several bodies sprawled on the ground.
—I remember someone put out a hit on him recently. Kidnap him, torture him to death, then chop him up and dump the pieces.
One of his brothers’ words flashed in his mind like a gut punch, sending dizziness and heart pain crashing through him. He nearly lost his grip on the ledge, swaying unsteadily.
“Second Bro, they’re here!”
A shout echoed from the stairwell. Huo Tingfeng’s limbs went numb as he rushed over.
Shen Leyuan had hoisted the unconscious Lin Yao onto his back, eyeing the burly young men warily like a mother beast guarding her cub—ready to claw, bite, and die to protect her young.
Someone rushed over like the wind and wrapped him in a tight embrace.
Schick—
The hidden blade plunged into flesh, making an odd sound. Even as Shen Leyuan registered the familiar presence and dodged back, it still sank deep.
But the man seemed oblivious to the pain, hugging even tighter. In a hoarse murmur, he said, “Good thing you’re okay… good thing you’re okay…”
Only then did tears of shock flood Shen Leyuan’s eyes. Though he didn’t want to say anything, he couldn’t hold back the grievance. “They’ve got guns. Lin Yao’s hurt.”
Huo Tingfeng indulged in a few more seconds of the embrace before letting go, calling over some of his family’s useless goons—the ones the Little Lunatic had toyed with endlessly. “Stop the bleeding, then get him to the hospital.”
He pulled Shen Leyuan back into his arms. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Not a fatal wound.”
Shen Leyuan glanced at his abdomen. “You…”
“Mine’s not fatal either,” Huo Tingfeng said, his voice and body both trembling. He refused to let go. “Let me hold you. Just a bit… just a bit.”
He murmured, “There was so much blood upstairs…”
I thought it was yours. I thought something happened to you.
Shen Leyuan stayed silent.
Too much had happened, all too chaotic. His mind was still foggy; he had no clue what to do.
Misreading him, Huo Tingfeng let go awkwardly.
Shen Leyuan called over a Huo Family youth he recognized. “Check your second bro’s wound too.”
Then he asked, “Did you call the cops? Ambulance?”
The youth glanced at Huo Tingfeng, his eyes signaling: Bro, calling the cops ain’t ideal for us, right?
Huo Tingfeng cursed him. “Are you deaf? Call the cops now!”
Worried about Lin Yao, Shen Leyuan rode in a separate car. Huo Tingfeng didn’t get a chance to talk much, didn’t dare refuse or disturb him, so he had a brother video call instead.
In the video, the young man looked pale, his soul half-gone as he clutched Lin Yao’s hand, murmuring soft reassurances now and then.
Lin Yao had lost too much blood. In his delirium, he stirred awake briefly, always leaning toward Shen Leyuan—his lingering memory from before the injury, wanting to shield his teacher with his body.
“Teacher… Teacher…”
He murmured.
Shen Leyuan answered each time, but at some point, the young man’s calls shifted to—
“Mommy…”
Shen Leyuan responded before realizing it. He wanted to laugh but couldn’t.
The young man had slipped into full unconsciousness, frailty from blood loss adding to his vulnerability. His hair, dyed back to black, lent him an air of obedience—heart-wrenchingly endearing and pitiable.
He burrowed desperately into Shen Leyuan’s embrace, as if trying to merge into his teacher’s bones, his mother’s womb.
“Mommy…” He choked out. “I miss you so much.”
Shen Leyuan’s heart ached as he stroked his hair, tucking the young man’s icy hands into his warm abdomen, briefly playing the role of mother.
“Good boy, Mommy misses you too.”
In his coma, Lin Yao’s expression finally eased, though tears still streamed down.
You’re back, Mommy. Don’t abandon us again, please…
Outside the video, Huo Tingfeng nearly ground his teeth to dust.
That blind little bastard—want a mom? Tell your dad to find one quick. Hugging a man for cheap thrills? What the hell?
I’m hurt too…
A fiery pain stabbed his abdomen. Huo Tingfeng touched it lightly, remembering it was Shen Leyuan’s doing. The thought of a potential scar filled him with sick joy.
Mine. This is what he gave me.
Not for Huihui, not for “Mr. Chu”—for Huo Tingfeng.
He tugged at his lips, cursing his own patheticness.
But pathetic it was. He’d been too proud before, screwing up again and again until he lost his wife.
As they entered the city, ambulances wailed up.
Lin Yao refused to let go, so Shen Leyuan climbed in and offered his arm—but playing mom didn’t cut it anymore. He had to kiss his forehead now and then.
Huo Tingfeng watched coldly, texting his brother: 【Lin Yao really passed out?】
Brother grinned toothily: 【Totally real. Otherwise, how hilarious? Young Master Lin out cold and acting like this—spoiled brat getting kisses and cooing, worthless as dirt!】
Huo Tingfeng: 【You’re the valuable one, you fcking world richest man. Who’s nobler than you?】
Good brother: 【???】
Huo Tingfeng thought viciously: So what if he wants kisses? I want ’em and can’t get any!
![Love-Struck Brain? Mind Your Own Business! [Showbiz]](https://i3.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/20.jpeg?resize=151,215 "Love-Struck Brain? Mind Your Own Business! [Showbiz]")