Chapter 39: Brown Eyes (13)

After the two men left, Shen Qiuxun walked around the screen. Before him was a long, violet-gold staircase. Ascending it, the crystal steps seemed to flow with murmuring water. On either side were ornate bonsai of plants and flowers crafted from gold, jade, and various crystals. Shiny, golden, and brilliant. Stepping closer, he realized the wall that had looked like a gentle waterfall from afar was actually flowing in reality.

Diamonds of white, pink, and goose-yellow were translucent and glittering, converging into a tangible galaxy.

Blinded by this blatant display of wealth, Shen Qiuxun was now completely certain of Xian Zeyang’s role as bait.

It was just strange. Could Xian Zeyang be some mega-rich tycoon, finally returned to his true identity, coming to repay his kindness?

Reaching the top of the stairs, the view suddenly opened up. Beyond a massive glass window lay the nightscape of most of the Blue River Bank. This was the most prosperous area of the Upper City District, and the most prosperous area in the entire interstellar realm.

Cars flowed like rivers, towers scraped the sky. It felt as if the entire world were beneath his feet.

On the black canvas of the sky, a squad of mecha, the kind Shen Qiuxun had only ever seen in anime, suddenly appeared. Chartreuse and white, black and white, red and blue—incredibly cool. They soared into the air in formation. The black sky seemed to tear open a shallow gray rift. At the very center of Shen Qiuxun’s view, a white light blazed. The originally mighty mecha suddenly exploded, scattering sparks in all directions, blooming into one flower after another.

It wasn’t over. As if guided by a divine hand across the sky, brilliant gold, sky blue… all kinds of dazzling colors were painted onto the night. This firework display firmly captured the attention of everyone walking on the land below.

Mecha.

Fireworks.

The display lasted a full ten minutes.

Shen Qiuxun’s brow twitched. He turned his head back and, sure enough, saw a tall, straight-backed man standing a few steps below him on the staircase.

In the gaps between the brilliant lights, Shen Qiuxun made out his handsome, gentle face.

It wasn’t the person he’d been thinking of, and he let out a breath of relief for no apparent reason.

“Mr. Jiang?”

Jiang Shiyan stood five steps below, nodding politely. “I came to the hotel tonight for some rest. I happened to hear that Second Young Master Fang got into a conflict with Young Master Xian, and the police were called. So I stopped by to help. Only afterward did I learn he is your friend.”

Second Young Master Fang? That was highly probable. He might have tried to hit on Xian Zeyang, failed, and then tried to get handsy. Xian Zeyang was young and hot-blooded. It would be perfectly normal for the two of them to start a fight. Shen Qiuxun nodded perfunctorily. After a moment of silence, he decided to change the subject.

“Mm, Mr. Jiang is truly kind-hearted.”

But why did he call Xian Zeyang “Young Master Xian”?

“Heh.” Jiang Shiyan smiled, his eyes curving slightly, radiating amiability. “I only just learned that Mr. Shen’s surname isn’t actually Zhang.”

Shen Qiuxun recalled his slip of the tongue that day. He remained completely confident and unruffled, even thinking this man was acting like he had a split personality compared to the person who threatened him at the elevator. “Such a grand display. Is there a reason you were looking for me?”

Somewhere deep inside, he had a premonition, a feeling that something was coming.

Jiang Shiyan smiled without answering, raising his head to look at the sky behind him. “What just exploded before you was the SDA-517 Mecha, the newest model on the current market. The cost to build one is around fifteen million.”

Shen Qiuxun followed his gaze. At that moment, golden remnants still lingered on the black sky. Wisps of smoke spread and splashed like ink wash on a pitch-black canvas.

“Then why…?”

Shen Qiuxun’s profile gleamed ever more brightly in the dim, colorful light, his hair strands tinged with strands of gold. His slender figure seemed heaven-sent. A thousand, ten thousand stars could not compare to this single glance back.

Jiang Shiyan averted his gaze and said calmly, “This batch of mecha is the private property of the Head of the Family. During development, a large amount of colored crystals were added, solely so that… when they explode, they would produce a more beautiful light.”

Head of the Family.

Hearing this term, Shen Qiuxun felt a sense of “as expected.” He simply drooped his eyelids and spoke softly, “Oh, that’s very rich, then.”

Jiang Shiyan paused, then curved his lips. “I heard five years ago that Mr. Shen was quite extraordinary. Seeing you today, it is indeed so.”

Shen Qiuxun pouted. “If you have something to say, just say it. No need to beat around the bush. I’m waiting to go home.”

Leaving Fu Mingchuan, a blind man, alone at home—he always felt something might happen. What if the search team came again?

Or if the man, feeling insecure, ran out in the middle of the night looking for him and got caught, that would be the absolute end.

And judging by Fu Mingchuan’s complete inability to live alone… he probably needed to get back early.

He had no idea how long he’d be stuck here. Had Xu Zhiyuan come to settle a score?

That would be terrifying. Damn it, why wasn’t the System back yet? He was allowed to panic when he was alone, okay?

“Very well, I won’t waste too many of Mr. Shen’s words. Your friend is waiting in a room. Let’s go have a look.”

Shen Qiuxun nodded woodenly.

The violet-gold stairs, beautiful as they were, possessed a flowing, luxurious feel under the glow of the opulent crystal lights. So one had to be careful going down.

Shen Qiuxun slowly descended the stairs. Suddenly, a gloved hand was offered to him. He looked over and saw Jiang Shiyan’s smiling face.

He thought for a moment and placed his fingertips onto it.

“This is X Crystal. Back when President Xu was on Planet Gamma, he asked me for some of this. I heard it was to repair a robot meant to coax a child… This stuff is beautiful, expensive, but contains very little energy. To put it bluntly, it’s all show and no substance.”

Shen Qiuxun nodded. Damn it, he’d known that robot was problematic back then. The stupid System had denied it.

“It is quite beautiful.”

Jiang Shiyan held his fingertips, not daring to overstep in the slightest. He carefully helped him down the stairs, then let go. The two men arrived at the twelfth floor. He respectfully opened the door. “Please, come in. Young Master Xian is waiting for you inside.”

Shen Qiuxun looked into the room, giving him no further glance.

A long while later, Jiang Shiyan watched the door close. He raised his hand and looked at the fingertips of his glove. He took the glove off and, as he walked away, casually tossed it into a trash bin in the corridor.

Shen Qiuxun opened the door and entered. Xian Zeyang was guarded inside the room by two towering, burly bodyguards. The room was somewhat messy, clearly showing signs of a struggle. Xian Zeyang, with his head of blonde hair, was detained on the sofa, looking like a bristling little dog.

The two bodyguards beside him suddenly shouted in unison, voices booming like bells, “Greetings, Madam!”

The shout made Shen Qiuxun jump. What the hell?

Xian Zeyang looked towards the door with a dark expression. Seeing him, his face underwent a dramatic shift into surprise. “Brother Shen!”

He had walked into the hotel that morning. While dining, a rich second-generation snob looking down his nose had appeared to pick a fight. He naturally couldn’t take that lying down and started brawling with him directly. Later, he’d been caught by hotel security. They confiscated his lightbrain and locked him in this room.

His escape attempts had failed. Just when he was frantic, a man in a white suit had walked in. Xian Zeyang recognized him. He had seen this man once, from afar, following behind his father during his youth. His name was Jiang Shiyan, an exceptionally outstanding scion of wealth.

Jiang Shiyan’s attitude was very gentle, and he gently spoke a few words. “If you want both your parents to stay alive, then shut your mouth, alright?”

“Do you need to pay for damages?”

Shen Qiuxun’s words pulled him from his memories.

Xian Zeyang hastily replied, “No need… Mr. Jiang said he’d take care of it for me… out of consideration that you, Brother Shen, are my friend.”

“Oh.” Shen Qiuxun had no particular expression. He sat down, looking around the room. Just then, Jiang Shiyan, who had parted with him only minutes ago, opened the door and entered again.

“There’s no need to worry about Young Master Xian’s matter. Mr. Shen can rest assured.”

The eldest young master of the Fang family had rushed back that very day, using his connections to meet him and doing his utmost for his worthless younger brother. A pity… of all the people to provoke, he had provoked the one before him now.

The surveillance footage could present the day’s conversation in its entirety. It was perfectly normal for President Xu to, as they say, scatter a rival’s ashes with a smile and a few words.

Shen Qiuxun nodded. “So, can we leave?”

Jiang Shiyan was respectfully formal. “Young Master Xian’s parents are waiting in the reception room to take him home. As for Mr. Shen… I must ask you to step aside with me for a word.”

Shen Qiuxun’s indifferent gaze swept over Xian Zeyang’s face. Xian Zeyang’s smile was strained. He had hidden his background. His parents were deputy officers in the Upper City District military. Unable to accept his parents forcing him into it and having no desire to join the army himself, he had been compelled to run away and hide in the Lower City District. That was how he’d met Shen Qiuxun.

In this light, Xian Zeyang knew, there was no future with Brother Shen.

“Mm.” Shen Qiuxun stood up. As he walked to the door, he suddenly heard the person behind him call out.

“Brother Shen… I never meant to deceive you… Come visit my family sometime… I’m sorry, Brother Shen.”

Shen Qiuxun looked back. After a long moment, he nodded, and then followed Jiang Shiyan away.

To him, Xian Zeyang had the right not to disclose his background. This couldn’t really be considered deception.

Coming out, Shen Qiuxun gestured towards his lightbrain. “Let me send a message first.”

He walked to an empty corridor and tapped a contact on his lightbrain. He had left a homemade communicator in the rental house, originally intended to contact Fu Mingchuan in case of danger. He hadn’t expected to use it today.

That Mr. Jiang spoke nicely, but whether he would let him leave tonight was another matter. If it came to a real confrontation with Xu Zhiyuan, the rental house definitely couldn’t be returned to, and he might not even be able to contact Fu Mingchuan.

How had Xu Zhiyuan reappeared anyway? Couldn’t the System arrange for his reform to take place in some other world?

After a long while, the communicator connected. Two cat meows came from the other side.

“Meowrr meowrr.”

“Hello, Kitty, good evening.”

“Meowrr meowrr.”

“Something’s come up tonight, I might not make it back. You go to bed early, you hear me?”

The cat’s voice sounded a bit dejected. “Mewrr mewrr.”

Shen Qiuxun found it amusing. “I left some cat food in the cupboard under the kitchen counter. If you get hungry, eat it yourself. But don’t eat too much at once, you could die. Don’t you dare go outside. If someone knocks on the door, you can’t make a sound either, Kitty. Be careful, there are bad guys who might break down the door and snatch you away.”

“Mewrr mewrr.”

“Alright, go to sleep now, Kitty. I’ll be thinking of you.”

“Meowrr mewrr.”

As he spoke, Shen Qiuxun caught sight of Jiang Shiyan at the turn of the corridor. The other man smiled politely at him, then walked deeper into the corridor, his figure disappearing from view. Shen Qiuxun also took a few steps, talking nonsense with the little Kitty at home while observing the four-square corridor.

‘System Bro, if this vent can lead somewhere else, just reply with a period.’

【…】

Shen Qiuxun glanced back once. He flexed his wrist, pushed up with one hand, and nimbly flipped himself up. A wire picked the vent cover’s lock in seconds. Using his arms, he smoothly and silently shrank his body into the vent.

‘I absolutely refuse to meet that Xu guy.’