Chapter 26

Under the pitch-black saturated high-rise building, a gentle autumn breeze blew, and the atmosphere between the two was like an arrow nocked on a bowstring. It only needed the slightest disturbance for the arrow to mercilessly pierce through the heart and take a life.

There clearly hadn’t been any wind just moments ago, but now this wind chilled not only their bodies but also their hearts.

Facing Zhou Jinsheng’s question, Shen Yu steadied his mind and replied without changing his expression, “Back to Little Zhou Mountain. Where else could I go?”

Zhou Jinsheng’s gaze swept over his eyes. His dark, misty eyes were as deep as night, always inscrutable, and his voice was magnetic and low, “Alright, together?”

Before Shen Yu could refuse, Zhou Jinsheng took a set of car keys from his coat and held them out in front of Shen Yu. “You drive.”

As their fingers brushed, it sparked a static-like itch.

Shen Yu calmly withdrew his hand and pressed the key fob. Only then did he notice a car parked in the shadows. He fumed inwardly but still dutifully got into the driver’s seat. When he saw Zhou Jinsheng follow and sit in the passenger seat, Shen Yu frowned and instinctively stopped him. “Don’t sit in the passenger seat. Sit in the back.”

Zhou Jinsheng’s movement as he bent down halted abruptly. He lifted his head and looked at Shen Yu.

Their gazes crossed in the sudden light.

Zhou Jinsheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes seeming to pierce through all bluster and pretense. His tone carried a strange mockery. “Are you concerned about me?”

“…Who said I’m concerned about you?” Under Zhou Jinsheng’s direct stare, Shen Yu’s eyes flickered, and he averted his gaze in some embarrassment. He huffed, “If you’re getting in, hurry up.”

The car door closed automatically, sealing them in the enclosed space. After Zhou Jinsheng got in, a faint scent of tequila suddenly wafted into his nose.

Once they drove out of that heavy darkness, colorful neon lights flooded through the windows, turning the car into a speck in a river of light. Occasionally, the flashing lights in the windows reflected faces that alternated between light and shadow.

He had drunk alcohol?

Shen Yu observed Zhou Jinsheng through the rearview mirror as if solving a puzzle, doing so imperceptibly.

The man sat in the passenger seat, his muscles relaxed, leaning his head against the headrest like a lazy lion. His eyelids drooped slightly, and his misty black eyes were like two abysses, staring back at him unblinkingly.

Their gazes met in that small rearview mirror.

Silence, only silence.

Perhaps because of the alcohol, or the deep night, or the bizarre atmosphere, or some other reason, Zhou Jinsheng sighed and parted his lips slightly. “Shen Yu, why did you turn the steering wheel to the right back then?”

Zhou Jinsheng was a puzzle Shen Yu wanted to solve, but wasn’t Shen Yu the same for him?

In that instant, when the truck’s lights shone over, in that moment where life and death intertwined, one’s instinctive reaction couldn’t lie.

And it was in that instant, when Shen Yu lunged to shield him, when the familiar scent of the youth’s shower gel filled his nose, that Zhou Jinsheng felt an unprecedented emotion. It could even be called a terrifying feeling, as if the silent tides of his life suddenly surged within his body.

Zhou Jinsheng hadn’t even had time to weigh the pros and cons before his body acted faster than his mind, firmly shielding Shen Yu beneath him.

If it happened again, would he do the same?

In countless sleepless nights, Zhou Jinsheng’s answer had always been no.

He couldn’t bear to watch Shen Yu live on in this world alone, kissing others, falling in love, entwining passionately until death, and finally stepping into the so-called sacred hall of marriage.

Compared to that, it would be better if they both died together then. That way, he could pin him down in the icy rivers of the underworld, drifting along the current, entwining with him until death.

Because you still had many things to do back then.

Because your ambitions and aspirations hadn’t been realized yet, right?

The two lines brewing in his heart, which would be fatal if spoken, rose and fell in Shen Yu’s throat, but he couldn’t force out a single word.

007 said seriously: 【Host’s action of trying to save Zhou Jinsheng back then severely collapsed the persona. It was precisely because of this action that the Heavenly Dao detected our location ahead of time. Please answer cautiously, Host.】

Shen Yu was silent for a moment, withdrew his gaze, stared straight ahead, and finally squeezed out a dry response. “I don’t remember.”

Zhou Jinsheng: “…”

Afraid he wouldn’t believe it, Shen Yu emphasized it again with exaggerated seriousness. “I really don’t remember.”

“You don’t remember?”

Zhou Jinsheng toyed with those three words, his gaze coldly fixed on the back of Shen Yu’s head. He sneered, his mouth as venomous as it had been eight years ago. “Then I wonder if you still remember the matter of vanishing back then?”

This attitude finally gave Shen Yu a familiar rhythm of interaction. Just as he prepared to retort like old times, he felt Zhou Jinsheng’s death ray stare. If eyes could kill, Shen Yu figured he’d be deader than dead.

In the end, Shen Yu chose to shut up.

By the time they returned to Little Zhou Mountain, it was around dawn. Everywhere was silent, with only special forces soldiers patrolling vigilantly at the base of the mountain. Yet Zhou Mansion remained brightly lit, like a resplendent capital city under the starry night sky, welcoming the return of its lord.

Upon arriving at the destination, the flowerbeds on either side of the estate were neatly trimmed, and ground lights embedded in the path guided the way. Shen Yu got out of the car and didn’t see Zhou Jinsheng follow. He tossed the keys to the valet nearby and circled to the other side to open the door.

In the dim light, the man leaned against the seatback with his eyes closed, as if drunk or asleep.

Shen Yu pushed him and called out, “Zhou Jinsheng?”

Zhou Jinsheng seemed to awaken from a daze. He turned his head, a few strands of black hair sliding onto his full forehead. His slightly opened dark eyes held a misty haze as he looked at Shen Yu. “We there?”

Zhou Jinsheng in such a calm and intimate state was rare, making Shen Yu feel like he was plotting something, like the brief calm before a storm.

Shen Yu furrowed his brow slightly. “…We’re here. Get out.”

The corridor wall lights emitted bright illumination, echoing with the footsteps of their shoes, one behind the other. A faint tequila scent lingered in the air. Zhou Jinsheng said nothing the whole way, appearing fatigued and not fully sober.

Once inside the bedroom, a wave of hot body heat and breath suddenly came from behind, followed by a scorching chest pressing tightly against his back.

Zhou Jinsheng hugged him forcefully from behind, resting his chin on Shen Yu’s shoulder. One hand gripped his shoulder, the other clamped around his waist. His fingers tugged out the white shirt tucked into Shen Yu’s slacks and slipped under the hem, stroking from his abdomen up to his chest.

Shen Yu grabbed his wandering wrist. “What are you doing?”

With his eyes closed, Zhou Jinsheng answered with actions. He buried his chin in Shen Yu’s shoulder, like a large drunken beast, dangerous and savage.

The man’s scalding lips sucked at his neck, and his hands roamed restlessly everywhere.

Shen Yu’s arm tensed, yanking Zhou Jinsheng’s groping hand away. He reached to open the bedroom door and go in. With a clang, the arm of the man who had seemed drunk moments ago suddenly stretched out, bracing against the wall. The door slammed shut again.

Between the man’s arm and the door formed a narrow, confining space. His misty black eyes were deep and intense, without a trace of drunkenness.

Shen Yu pushed him speechlessly. “Not pretending to be drunk anymore?”

Zhou Jinsheng silently stared at him.

He actually found it quite novel. Perhaps even Shen Yu himself hadn’t noticed the familiarity and intimacy in his tone.

From their first meeting, even if Shen Yu acted repulsed, those instinctive acts of concern were real. It was as if those eight years of blood and fire didn’t exist, as if the deliberate approaches and deceptions were just his illusion.

As if they… had lived together for eight years.

Heh.

To Shen Yu’s shock, Zhou Jinsheng did nothing that night except nibble at his neck a few times. He felt somewhat suspicious, wondering what pit was waiting for him to fall into.

Remembering the gun Zhou Jinsheng had pulled out last time from who-knows-where, Shen Yu stayed vigilant. While Zhou Jinsheng was in the shower, he rummaged through the cabinets.

“Looking for something?”

A low voice sounded behind him. Shen Yu paused and turned around. The man wore a black bath towel, his deep V-neckline revealing a solid chest. Ferocious tattoos peeked from the robe, climbing over the menacing muscles that symbolized violence.

Shen Yu felt no embarrassment at being caught. He straightened up and said honestly, “Seeing if you’d pull out a gun again and point it at my head later.”

Zhou Jinsheng sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the tablet beside him. The complete design draft was sent over. The massive Canary Cage resembled a work of art, every part seamlessly joined into a whole, with no visible entrance or exit.

The cage lock was designed as one flower among thousands of roses, growing downward from the top of the golden frame. Countless roses wrapped in leaves proliferated, each one intricately beautiful and unique. They layered and intertwined like a cascading waterfall that seemed to sway and flow.

It was still missing something.

Zhou Jinsheng swiped away the design draft, and the page stopped on a file. He lowered his eyes slightly.

A hand holding a glass of water entered his view.

The wrist had pale skin, sexy veins, and elegant bones.

It would suit black shackles perfectly.

Shen Yu casually poured Zhou Jinsheng a glass of water and set it on the table. He sneaked a peek at the tablet and muttered, “You’re really busy day and night.”

Zhou Jinsheng glanced at him and reached for the glass, but his hand paused.

It was hot water that Shen Yu had poured, the warmth fitting perfectly in his palm.

Zhou Jinsheng lowered his gaze, feeling the warmth spread through his stomach. In that instant, he seemed to think of many things, yet nothing at all. His un-dried hair dripped water down his broad back, some drops even falling directly onto the bedsheet, forming damp stains.

Shen Yu had some black lines on his forehead. Was Zhou Jinsheng planning to revenge him by wetting the bedsheet with his hair so he couldn’t sleep well?

Shen Yu took a hairdryer from the nearby drawer, plugged it in, and climbed onto the bed from the side.

He knelt behind Zhou Jinsheng, gently lifting his hair. The hairdryer’s white noise started up in the room, the warm breeze on the perfect setting.

The bed behind him sank softly, his hair lifted tenderly, breath passing over like gentle mist.

But actually, without putting on the shackles—

This seemed pretty good too.

Shen Yu’s movements paused, surprise flashing briefly in his eyes. Just now, that ineffable sensation had struck him again. A subtle destiny and Heavenly Dao felt like a beam of sunlight shining into his body, warm light seeping through his bones into his soul.

What happened?

Shen Yu kept up his actions while subtly observing Zhou Jinsheng’s reaction, but he soon failed due to the angle. He could only see the man’s profile, calm as cold mountain peaks.

Guessing Zhou Jinsheng’s emotions from his expression was harder than ascending to heaven.

Zhou Jinsheng noticed his gaze, his eyes deep and dark. He suddenly spoke. “Want to learn?”

Shen Yu didn’t react at first. “What?”

Zhou Jinsheng was concise. “Gun.”

Surprises came one after another. Shen Yu’s eyes lit up. “Absolutely!”

Shen Yu had thought Zhou Jinsheng was just acting on a whim, but the next day, he was dragged out of bed by him.

Under Zhou Jinsheng’s cold, almost commanding voice, Shen Yu’s mind was a mush. He mechanically followed orders, finished washing up, changed clothes, and arrived at the shooting range. Only when he heard the sharp click of a round being chambered did he jolt awake.

With practiced efficiency, Zhou Jinsheng loaded the bullets into the chamber and handed the gun to Shen Yu. “Try it.”

The range was vast, the distant mountains’ outlines stern and deep in the morning mist. Below, a row of over a dozen targets stood in line.

This was Shen Yu’s first time handling a gun. The grip still held the warmth of Zhou Jinsheng’s palm, hot and reassuring. Shen Yu gripped it, finger on the trigger, thumb muscle taut.

Zhou Jinsheng’s chest pressed close to his back, one leg extending from behind to nudge his legs apart, correcting his stance. “Shift your center of gravity forward. Don’t tense your shoulders so much. Push your hips back for balance.”

…No need to get this close.

But Shen Yu soon had no time to worry about that. Zhou Jinsheng’s callused hand from handling guns covered his, his heavy breath enveloping him, dissipating Shen Yu’s slight tension. What he touched now was no longer complex negotiation documents, piano keys, or a race car’s steering wheel.

—It was a weapon that could decide life and death.

Zhou Jinsheng’s voice was magnetic, deep, and husky.

“Focus.”

“The moment you fire, the muzzle jumps upward. Control the recoil.”

“Aim at the target.”

Shen Yu steadily gripped the gun barrel, aligning the muzzle with the fixed target twenty zhang away. He controlled his breathing, and once he confirmed his aim, he pulled the trigger without a moment’s hesitation.

“Bang—”

A sparrow in the woods behind the mountain burst into flight in fright, rustling and flapping as it struggled into the air.

The gun’s recoil jolted Shen Yu’s hand numb between thumb and forefinger. The sensation was utterly novel and unfamiliar. Even with prior knowledge, the instant of firing still caught him off guard from the strangeness, nearly causing the gun to slip from his grasp.

Zhou Jinsheng’s strong hand firmly steadied his. He narrowed his eyes and looked toward the target range.

The dead center of the target was pierced through, the black hole starkly visible.

A low, approving chuckle colored the man’s voice: “Not bad. Right in the bullseye.”

Shen Yu felt a touch smug. He pulled free from Zhou Jinsheng’s embrace, casually spinning the gun in his fingers with a roguish curl to his lips: “Don’t forget I used to be in the Archery Club.”

The moment he gripped the gun, it felt like returning to those early days practicing archery—when heaven and earth fell silent around him, leaving only himself, the target ahead, and the weapon in his hand as the only real things. In that instant, it was as if he communed with heaven and earth.

Shen Yu got fired up. He raised the gun and fired continuously at the target. After finishing one round, he launched into the second. Once he felt he’d gotten the hang of it, he stepped back from twenty zhang to thirty zhang.

Gunshots rang out “bang, bang, bang” without stop. The birds in the back mountain first scattered in panicked flight, but soon grew numb to the noise, lazily rolling over and settling back into their nests to sleep.

Round after round of loading and firing—Shen Yu completely forgot Zhou Jinsheng’s presence.

Zhou Jinsheng drew a cigarette from his pack and lit it, the ember flickering at his fingertips. His gaze roved inch by inch over Shen Yu’s shoulders, arms, waist and abdomen, hips, thighs, and calves.

The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes growing ever darker and more profound. Finally, his gaze lingered on Shen Yu’s hips and crotch, lost in who knew what thoughts.