Chapter 4
Dr. Jiang’s legs were a bit sore from standing, having waited by the door for a long time without finding the right moment to enter.
Xia Wansheng’s throat felt like it was on fire, but he still forced himself to sit up and politely decline: “No need, I’m fine.”
Yu Congyan ignored him, his expression still indifferent as he scooped Xia Wansheng up and placed him on the soft mattress, wrapping him tightly like a Swiss roll.
Then he walked to the door and instructed Dr. Jiang: “Check what else he’s allergic to, and also do an EEG…”
To see what exactly was wrong with his mental state.
Xia Wansheng weakly said from behind: “I can hear you.”
Yu Congyan ignored him, continuing to stand by the door with his arms crossed.
Dr. Jiang walked to the bedside, putting down his rather bulky medical kit. Seeing Yu Congyan still standing by the door, he politely suggested: “Please excuse us for a moment.”
Highly professional, Dr. Jiang quickly completed the routine checkup and removed his stethoscope: “Everything is normal. It might be a sudden allergic reaction due to a recent decrease in immunity.”
While speaking, Dr. Jiang discreetly held Xia Wansheng’s hand under the covers, slipping a piece of paper into his palm with a determined look.
Xia Wansheng, bewildered, could only clench the paper tightly in his hand.
After Dr. Jiang left, Xia Wansheng unfolded the paper. The words “Qingjiang Law Firm Legal Aid” came into view.
He felt there might be some significant misunderstandings.
Xia Wansheng thought he would have to find an opportunity to explain properly later.
He was about to put the paper in the drawer when his phone, which he hadn’t had time to attend to earlier, started ringing incessantly.
The anonymous number that had threatened him earlier was now calling directly.
The voice on the other end was very unpleasant: “You’ve gotten quite bold recently. What, starting to get scared now that you’re about to die?”
“Who is this?” Xia Wansheng asked humbly.
“You’re provoking me?!” Yu Xuan was furious. “What kind of love potion did my useless brother give you? Don’t forget, I still have your compromising photos!”
Xia Wansheng looked innocent: “You misunderstood, I forgot to add your contact details earlier…”
“Don’t make excuses. Meet me at the usual place at six tonight. Don’t blame me for being unkind if you don’t show up.” Yu Xuan said viciously, about to hang up.
Xia Wansheng hurriedly stopped him: “So, where’s the usual place?”
“Are you brain-dead?! The second floor of Cui Ming Lou. Don’t try any tricks.”
Yu Xuan hung up the phone, fuming. This person had done plenty of shady things before, and now he dared to play dumb?!
Could it be he had really found a powerful backer?
Cui Ming Lou was a high-end teahouse located in the prime area of A City, a favorite spot for wealthy people to discuss business.
Xia Wansheng hesitated for a long time, but decided not to use the Yu family’s chauffeur.
He cautiously walked to the edge of the Yu family villa’s grounds before hailing a taxi from the roadside.
After telling the driver his destination, Xia Wansheng quietly stared out the window, lost in thought.
At a red light, the taxi driver glanced at the young man in the backseat through the mirror. He looked dazed, leaning listlessly against the backseat, his thin back covered by a white shirt. He seemed to be deep in thought, absentmindedly crumpling the collar of his shirt with his pale fingertips.
Xia Wansheng gazed out the window at the blue sky and white clouds, which he hadn’t observed carefully in a long time. His lychee-like eyes were half-closed against the sunlight.
He reached up to rub his eyes, then halfway through the motion, suddenly remembered he was wearing contact lenses to better play his role.
His hand froze in mid-air. He simply loosened his collar, pretending he had been feeling suffocated.
“Driver, just drop me off at the intersection ahead.” Xia Wansheng’s words interrupted the driver’s thoughts.
“Oh, okay,” the driver came back to his senses, but subconsciously felt something was amiss.
The young man in the backseat didn’t seem very old, yet his eyes lacked any vitality, as if he could end his life at any moment.
The car pulled over at the intersection. Xia Wansheng thanked the driver and was about to get out when the driver called out to him.
“Young man,” the driver hesitated, “I’ve been around the block a few times, so let me just say, don’t be afraid when you encounter problems. Everything will pass.”
Xia Wansheng nodded, bewildered: “Thank you.”
What was this added dose of chicken soup for the soul?
As he left, the driver even reluctantly took off the safety amulet he had worn for many years and gave it to Xia Wansheng, saying that their meeting was fate and he must accept it.
What a curious custom.
Yu Xuan, making no attempt at discretion, arrived at his destination in his luxury car. He took off his sunglasses and looked around, satisfied to see Xia Wansheng had already arrived.
He finally wasn’t wearing those gaudy clothes, choosing a relatively low-key white shirt. He stood by the door with an indifferent expression, as if waiting for someone.
Xia Wansheng had shed his previous arrogant and domineering demeanor. A lingering weariness hung between his brows, and his aura had softened, like lukewarm water, as if he had no interest in anything.
Yu Xuan looked at him suspiciously, thinking it was some new trick. He sneered: “Changing styles pretty quickly, even playing the world-weary white lotus now. Is my brother into this lately?”
Xia Wansheng didn’t respond, there was no need to explain everything to the villain: “You didn’t come here to chat, did you?”
Chatting on an empty stomach in the evening felt like an after-work team-building activity.
“So eager to go back? Seems like Yu Congyan’s been putting on a good show recently. I need you to switch the bidding documents for the suburban project.”
“Before, I had no choice, but now…”
Xia Wansheng was about to refuse the task and anger the villain when he saw the other party remember something, pulling out a manila envelope from his pocket.
Yu Xuan pushed the envelope over, tapping his fingers on the table, his tone filled with casual confidence:
“There’s five million in the card, to broaden your horizons.”
He actually gave it?!
Xia Wansheng was so shocked he almost switched sides on the spot.
Compared to the system’s empty promises, this was cash in hand!
“Also, don’t forget the photos are still in my possession,” Yu Xuan leaned back against the rosewood chair, “It’s probably too late to back out now.”
Xia Wansheng was still struggling with the difficult choice, simply lowering his head and remaining silent.
He wondered if it was too late to switch sides now…
Yu Xuan didn’t want to stay long. As he left, he leaned in close and threatened softly: “You’d better not disappoint me this time.”
He then turned and strode down the stairs, the nervous waiters scurrying after him, fearing something might happen to this distinguished guest.
After much deliberation, Xia Wansheng reached out and touched the manila envelope.
Just as he was about to open it, the system, silent for a long time, suddenly appeared: [Reminder: All currency in the book world is considered game currency, which will be converted at a rate of one ten-thousandth upon completion of the mission. We wish you a pleasant game.]
A conversion rate of one ten-thousandth?! That was outrageous.
Xia Wansheng felt like he had just suffered another huge blow. Four million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand five hundred vanished into thin air. He felt his current sorrow wasn’t even an act.
What a perfect portrayal of a wronged, desperate little white flower driven to despair by the villain’s repeated threats.
He calmly stood up, glancing wistfully at the card now worth only five hundred, then slowly turned his gaze towards the rushing river below the railing.
Before Xia Wansheng could take half a step, someone suddenly rushed out and tackled him to the ground.
Shen Xinghe, his voice almost cracking, shouted from above: “Dude, no, we can talk things out! Why are you trying to jump into the river?!”
Shen Xinghe, who had been secretly filming evidence of “infidelity” next door, hadn’t even reacted when he saw Xia Wansheng grab the railing and try to jump. He dropped his phone in fright and rushed over to save him.
Thankfully, he made it in time this time.
Xia Wansheng felt he couldn’t breathe in this position, turning his head with difficulty: “Who are you?”
Shen Xinghe was even more surprised: “I just went to your house last week, I’m not that unwelcome, am I?”
“Sorry, I seem to have forgotten a lot of things recently…” Xia Wansheng coughed and said softly.
He wasn’t lying. Anything not written in the book, he simply considered “forgotten,” avoiding a lot of trouble.
Seeing his emotions had stabilized somewhat, Shen Xinghe loosened his grip and pulled Xia Wansheng up from the ground, patting the dust off him and casually asking: “What are you going to do about what he threatened you with just now?”
“I was just about to deal with it…”
Shen Xinghe was exasperated: “Dude, is that what you call dealing with it? What good does it do to jump into the river besides making your family sad!”
“My family is gone.” Xia Wansheng said calmly.
“Ah… I’m sorry, I didn’t know…” Shen Xinghe’s voice trailed off, instantly falling silent, wishing he could punch himself for his careless words.
“It’s okay, you’re right, I shouldn’t cause trouble for the restaurant owner.” Xia Wansheng looked around, noticing their commotion had attracted the attention of the restaurant manager.
A large circle of service staff surrounded them at a distance, their gazes fixed on them, ready to pull him away from the railing at any moment.
Things seemed to have gotten a bit out of hand.
Xia Wansheng didn’t like being the center of attention. He discreetly hid his reddened wrist in his sleeve, “I’ll be going now, see you.”
“Wait!” Shen Xinghe wasn’t at all comfortable letting Xia Wansheng go home alone. If something happened along the way, he wouldn’t be able to explain it to his brother. He hurriedly said:
“I happen to be going to the Yu residence to discuss business, I’ll take you.”
Xia Wansheng didn’t refuse, getting into Shen Xinghe’s sports car and speeding home, feeling like a soon-to-be-late food delivery order, “Thanks.”
Shen Xinghe shook his head vehemently: “No no, I should be the one thanking you.”
After all, they were practically life-and-death friends. The situation was urgent, and Shen Xinghe just wanted to quickly find his good brother and get some answers.
Back at the familiar Yu residence, Shen Xinghe went straight to the study as soon as he entered, saying urgently: “Something big happened, brother, Xia Wansheng’s condition isn’t right!”
Without waiting for Yu Congyan’s reply, he hurriedly recounted everything that had happened today, adding at the end: “Brother, if you really like him, you can’t let others bully him like this.”
“You mean,” Yu Congyan grasped the crucial information, “My elder brother threatened him into doing this?”
Shen Xinghe nodded, “No mistake, I saw it with my own eyes.”
That made sense.
Yu Congyan said seriously: “I wanted to talk to you about this on the phone earlier. You came to the house last week too, didn’t you notice that Xia Wansheng is different now?”
Shen Xinghe thought for a moment, then affirmed: “Indeed, his style has completely changed. I find his current look much more pleasing to the eye.”
“I’m not talking about his appearance.”
Yu Congyan interlocked his fingers, his expression serious: “His current mental state is very unstable. He often does things he would never have done before. I don’t know what tricks he’s playing.”
The previous Xia Wansheng had also tried using underhanded tactics, such as finding excuses to linger in the study while delivering fruit, but Yu Congyan could always see through his true motives and ruthlessly drive him out.
After hearing about the events of the past few days, Shen Xinghe’s expression became a bit complicated: “Could he really be lovesick and acting foolish? It looks like he’s trying to get your attention.”
“Maybe, or maybe he has other motives.” Yu Congyan wanted to believe Xia Wansheng, but the final scene of his past life kept replaying in his mind, constantly reminding him of how foolish his previous trust had been.
After their conversation, they left the study. Yu Congyan returned from seeing his guest out, only to find the old housekeeper had been waiting by the door for a long time.
“Something the matter?” Yu Congyan glanced at Xia Wansheng’s bedroom. The door was tightly closed.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
The old housekeeper’s expression clearly indicated he had something to say, “Young Master, as you instructed, I paid special attention to Young Master Xia’s movements. He…”
The housekeeper hesitated: “He has been locked in his room for over an hour and hasn’t come out.”
