Chapter 21 Part 1

Outside the Zhou Mansion, a dense crowd of black-clad bodyguards stood ready, each one burlier and taller than the last. Shen Yu had no doubt that if he took even one step forward, the bullets would outpace him.

“……”

A torrent of curses exploded in Shen Yu’s mind.

He knew it had been too easy—Zhou Jinsheng wouldn’t just let him go like that. After all the twists and turns, this was the punchline.

There was no need for so many people making such a big fuss, each one holding two guns. They were really overestimating him.

Knowing this wasn’t aimed at him, Chen Jinyang quickly composed himself. He adjusted his glasses with a finger, exhaled, and turned his gaze to the man in question.

Bathed in sudden sunlight, the handsome man still in his pajamas narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared ahead. He didn’t flinch in the face of the black-clad bodyguards. He merely lifted his thick, curled lashes a fraction, revealing eyes brimming with vibrant life like spring water.

The sunlight hit the man’s face, highlighting skin with a luminous sheen, smooth as powder, draped over the superior, fluid contours of his profile.

This exquisite combination of bone structure, in Chen Jinyang’s years of experience feeling bones, promised an extraordinarily beautiful face even without seeing it head-on.

Both his skin and bone features were a rare harmony worthy of a celestial beauty.

What a pity—he had provoked Zhou Jinsheng, that living King of Hell.

Chen Jinyang sighed inwardly and nudged Shen Yu’s arm with his elbow, signaling for some kind of response.

Sympathy was one thing; he didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire.

Shen Yu had been lost in thought, but Chen Jinyang’s shove sent him stumbling forward a step. The black-clad big brothers outside reacted instantly, going on high alert. They tensed up, and the cold, ominous click-clack of guns being chambered echoed everywhere.

Gun barrels snapped toward the foot Shen Yu had stepped out.

Shen Yu’s foot froze.

Big brother, no no no—

Shen Yu cursed Chen Jinyang viciously in his mind. Spotting a finger curling around a trigger, he shot out his hand with a sharp thud, swiftly pulling his foot back and slamming the open door shut.

Shen Yu took a deep breath to steady his racing heart. “Hey, buddy, why’d you push me?”

Chen Jinyang realized he’d backfired and pursed his lips apologetically. “You weren’t reacting at all, so I was just reminding you. Sorry.”

“If you really feel bad—” Shen Yu braced against the door, lifting his gaze with pleading eyes toward Chen Jinyang, making one last desperate attempt.

“Give me a hint?”

As the Zhou Mansion’s family doctor, he had to know something!

Chen Jinyang adjusted his glasses and raised a hand to point at the staircase on the right. He shot Shen Yu a “you’re on your own” look and offered kindly, “Go up this way, turn right and keep going to the end. It’ll save you some steps.”

“Never mind.” Shen Yu hadn’t really expected much from Chen Jinyang anyway. Getting the predictable response, he sighed, turned back, rejected the offer, and planned to retrace his steps. Every moment of delay counted.

Escaping was shameful, but useful.

“Hey, Shen Yu—”

Chen Jinyang frowned as Shen Yu ignored him and headed back. He called out to stop him.

“What?” Shen Yu paused by the Rose Bird Clock Cabinet and turned his head at the sound.

Their eyes met.

Chen Jinyang froze. The reminder he’d meant to give stuck in his throat. For some reason, that flicker of guilt quickly turned to reluctance.

Chen Jinyang sighed. “Nothing. Forget it.”

“Then I’m off.”

Shen Yu’s figure soon vanished around the corner. Chen Jinyang felt a mix of emotions. He straightened his collar, preparing to leave, when he heard approaching footsteps. Surprised, he looked up to see Shen Yu doubling back.

Shen Yu poked his head out and grinned. “If you really feel bad, Doctor Chen, if anything happens to me in the future, please do everything you can to treat me!”

Considering how perilous the Zhou Mansion was, he might lose an arm or a leg anytime. Building rapport with Chen Jinyang was a smart move.

Chen Jinyang rolled his eyes. “What could possibly happen to you?”

He was more likely to run into trouble himself.

Shen Yu smiled. “You never know. See ya.”

“Right, that girlfriend of yours back then—” Chen Jinyang suddenly recalled something and called out to the departing Shen Yu.

Shen Yu halted and turned back, looking even more baffled than Chen Jinyang. “What girlfriend?”

Chen Jinyang frowned, confusion evident behind his glasses. He’d felt so guilty about it that he hadn’t slept for days, so he remembered it vividly.

“That lost bracelet of yours? Don’t you remember? Eight years ago during the Jingyang renovations, someone found it in a flower bed. It seemed really important to you. If you still want it back, check the school lost and found. It should still be there.”

“Oh, that one—”

Shen Yu looked puzzled. “How do you know it’s still important to me now?”

Chen Jinyang furrowed his brow. “Wasn’t it a gift from your… deceased girlfriend?”

Shen Yu had no idea the guy had upgraded “friend” to “girlfriend” and believed it for years. After a moment of silence, feeling unusually guilty, he rubbed his nose and probed, “You didn’t actually believe everything I said back then, did you?”

Chen Jinyang sensed something off and countered, “It wasn’t true?”

Shen Yu turned and bolted, knowing it wasn’t safe to linger.

By the time Chen Jinyang processed it, he only caught sight of Shen Yu’s rapidly retreating back. He cursed under his breath and flipped off Shen Yu’s shadow.

In a good mood, Shen Yu retraced his path through the long corridor, up to the second floor. The route they’d taken was deep and narrow, like a giant serpent slithering through. He averted his gaze and hurried in the completely opposite direction.

After all, this was the Zhou Family Ancestral Home. Access to Little Zhou Mountain was tightly guarded at every layer, with ironclad security—except during major banquets when full surveillance was activated.

On normal days, only the staircases and entrances had partial coverage.

Every exit of the Zhou Mansion likely had people waiting, ready for the moment Shen Yu stepped out. Whether they’d drag him back or dump him in a lake, he didn’t know. But one thing was clear: to escape, he couldn’t take the usual paths.

He wasn’t familiar with the Zhou Mansion’s layout. Across two lifetimes, this was his first time inside.

In his previous life, though, to complete his mission, Shen Yu had secretly pumped the protagonist’s shou for info on Zhou Jinsheng’s preferences. Yu Tingsi had once mentioned playing at the Zhou Mansion as a kid and occasionally hearing Old Madam Zhuang playing piano in the second-floor sunroom.

After Old Madam Zhuang passed away, the sunroom fell into disuse. Aside from occasional cleaning staff tending the plants, no one visited.

The Landscape Clock on the tall black cabinet ticked around steadily, its clear ticks echoing in the quiet room.

A massive, magnificent crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, scattering light everywhere.

Time ticked away.

Zhou Jinsheng sat quietly on the black leather sofa, eyes half-closed in rest. He was dressed all in black—black shirt, black trousers, black leather shoes—with only a deep red tie knot dangling like a scarlet snake tongue over his full, solid pecs, dark and profound.

Tick, tock.

The clock’s minute hand dutifully completed another circle.

Three minutes had passed, Song Shi noted inwardly.

The final window for signing the contract had elapsed by three minutes.

Despite the room’s ample lighting, Song Shi felt shrouded in inescapable shadows. Anyone else would have been trembling and eager to retreat after such prolonged silence, let alone break it.

Song Shi had received Old Li’s message. He took a deep breath, lowered his gaze, and reported softly to Zhou Jinsheng, “Sir, we just found Mr. Shen on the back mountain. He’s on his way back now.”

Zhou Jinsheng opened his eyes and fixed a long, lingering stare on the contract on the desk. His eyes narrowed slightly, hiding unknown dangers. “He sure knows how to run.”

Song Shi fell silent. For some reason, he felt his boss wasn’t just sighing but pondering ways to prevent any more running—like breaking legs or dosing with some drug.

Song Shi shivered, halting his thoughts. Though not one for gossip, he couldn’t help growing curious about the history between this Mr. Shen and his boss. If he had time, maybe he’d ask that guy Chen Jinyang.

Tick, tock, tick.

The clock continued, suffocating silence spreading through the air once more.

Suddenly, a click.

The study door opened from outside. Song Shi looked up.

Seeing the familiar yet alien bedroom doorway, Shen Yu halted abruptly.

The black-clad big brother tasked with escorting him back frowned and was about to urge him in when Shen Yu quickly said, “Big brother, give me a sec to mentally prepare.”

The casual address caught the man off guard. The black-clad big brother eyed Shen Yu, thinking this pretty boy was pretty adaptable. Considering what awaited inside, he shuddered and nodded understandingly.

Shen Yu brushed leaves off his clothes, straightened his disheveled pajamas, and glanced at his bare feet—the slippers had flown off somewhere during the escape. Luckily, the Zhou Mansion’s carpets were soft; it didn’t hurt to walk barefoot.

He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and pushed the door open.

Shen Yu scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on the man on the sofa.

Zhou Jinsheng looked up, meeting his eyes. Though gazing up from below, it felt like staring down at an ant underfoot—cold, emotionless.

Chen Miaomiao’s words echoed in his ears once more.

Everyone in the know thought he’d wronged Zhou Jinsheng. That when Zhou Jinsheng was at his lowest and needed him most, he’d chosen to walk away. In a way, his departure had even caused Zhou Jinsheng’s brutal fall from grace.

But what obligation did he have to stay? Because Zhou Jinsheng had saved him once, did he have to ignore everything that followed? Stay by the side of a madman who beat him till he bled, insulted him, and alternated hot and cold?