Shen Yuqing washed away the alcohol scent from his body, feeling refreshed and wide awake now. He applied another thin layer of ointment to his wound it should heal significantly by tomorrow.
The bruise might take longer to fade, but at least it didn’t hurt anymore. That was good enough.
Putting down the ointment, he tiptoed back to bed. Pei Yiyan really had a disciplined sleep schedule. Shen Yuqing had no idea when he’d dozed off.
Rolling onto his side, Shen Yuqing stared at Pei Yiyan’s profile for a while, grumbling inwardly. When will those eyes heal? And when the hell is that protagonist shou going to show up?
He lay flat on his back again. And what about the third one the system mentioned? When will that male lead appear?
Could it be the protagonist shou?
The thought lasted only a second before Shen Yuqing dismissed it. No way. I’m here to save people, not to kill them.
He yawned again, eyelids growing heavy as drowsiness slowly crept back in. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.
His breathing steadied into a deep rhythm, he was out cold.
Beside him, Pei Yiyan slowly opened his eyes. He turned slightly, gazing at the man next to him.
The dim lighting of the night didn’t offer much clarity, yet he could still make out the faint outline of Shen Yuqing’s figure. That afternoon, Wu Yi had sent him the surveillance footage from the hospital. Just as Xiao Zhao had said—
Their location was remote, a well-known affluent district where residents relied on private drivers. Taxis rarely passed through, knowing there was no business here.
Wu Yi told him that Shen Yuqing had carried him all the way to a spot where taxis were more frequent. Yet, seeing Pei Yiyan unconscious, not a single driver had stopped afraid of getting involved in trouble. So, Shen Yuqing had carried him, step by step, to the hospital.
He really had carried him. And he really had fallen.
In the footage, Shen Yuqing had taken the full impact of the fall to shield him, barely managing to break the fall with one arm.
Shen Yuqing… is strange.
Pei Yiyan couldn’t quite describe how he felt after confirming the truth. They had gotten engaged before the New Year, and Shen Yuqing had been at the Shen residence for a full month and a half now. Before this visit, Shen Yuqing had treated him with nothing but disgust, as if wishing for his immediate death to regain his freedom.
So why, this time, did it feel like he was a completely different person?
From those baffling actions at the start to carrying him to the hospital while unconscious Shen Yuqing’s behavior now was a stark contrast to before. It was as if he’d been possessed, his core replaced.
This wasn’t the first time Pei Yiyan had felt this way. But then he laughed at himself possession? That’s just fiction, something from novels and TV dramas.
He closed his eyes again. Yet, he’d rather believe in such tropes than accept that Shen Yuqing had genuinely changed.
After all, a leopard can’t change its spots.
He had a feeling there was a much deeper trap waiting for him behind all this.
Before drifting off, Pei Yiyan thought to himself, Fine. Let’s see what kind of game Shen Yuqing is really playing.
Shen Yuqing woke up feeling thoroughly rested. Finally, his energy had returned.
Pei Yiyan had risen early, but Shen Yuqing had no idea where he’d gone. After asking Xiao Zhao, he learned that Pei Yiyan had a doctor’s appointment today for a check-up.
“Oh, then remember to pick up Lucky later,” Shen Yuqing said, swallowing a bite of wonton while wondering why another inspection was needed just two days later.
But he didn’t dwell on it probably just an incomplete check.
Xiao Zhao replied, “Young Master Pei said they’ll bring Lucky back when they return.”
Who knew Pei Yiyan would take such a liking to Lucky? Shen Yuqing nodded in approval.
He quickly finished his wontons, grabbed his backpack, and headed out.
Not long after leaving, his phone rang.
“Young Master, those two were found at the Starport. How would you like to handle them?”
That was fast. Song Wangzhuo had been right if they’d waited until morning to search, the two would’ve vanished without a trace.
“Dig into their past. If they’ve done anything else, make sure they never walk free again,” Shen Yuqing said.
Last night, both had been carrying military-grade knives hardly something ordinary people carried around. They’d clearly come prepared.
The voice on the other end acknowledged before hanging up.
Shen Yuqing glanced up at the sky. The weather was nice today, if a bit warm. The cuts on his arm had mostly healed, so he’d opted for a short-sleeved shirt. Refreshing.
Taking a deep breath, he set off for the academy.
But fate had other plans. Just as he reached the gates, Lin Sui’s voice boomed from a distance: “Qing-ge!”
It was peak arrival time, and most students were dragging themselves in half-asleep until Lin Sui’s shout jolted them all awake.
Every eye turned to Shen Yuqing, tension thick in the air.
Shen Yuqing sighed. Lin Sui and his big mouth.
He knew the original owner had a fearsome reputation, so he’d been keeping a low profile.
Successfully blending into the crowd until Lin Sui ruined it in one shout.
Resigned, he waited for Lin Sui to catch up.
Lin Sui approached with a goofy grin, but his expression darkened the moment he spotted the marks on Shen Yuqing’s arm. “You got hurt last night?”
He circled Shen Yuqing like a worried hen, not even waiting for a denial before growling, “Those bastards. When we find them, they’re dead.”
If not for his bullying tendencies, Lin Sui would’ve been the epitome of loyalty.
No wonder he’d ended up as cannon fodder, just like the original owner.
“I wasn’t hurt last night. These are from a fall a couple days ago they’re almost healed,” Shen Yuqing said.
“Really?” Lin Sui looked skeptical.
“Why would I lie?”
Lin Sui relaxed. “Should’ve said so sooner. You scared me.”
He slung an arm around Shen Yuqing’s shoulders, swaggering toward the mecha department like they owned the place.
Shen Yuqing shoved him off. “Where’s Song Lejin?”
“Probably here already. Goody-two-shoes like him? Always the first to arrive.”
Shen Yuqing smirked. “You like him, don’t you?”
Lin Sui froze, then mumbled, “Is it that obvious?”
“Yep. You might as well wag your tail in front of him.”
Lin Sui looked a bit embarrassed as he spoke, “Ah, but he’s such a good student. Even if I like him, there’s nothing I can do. I can’t lead him astray, especially considering the Song family…”
He glanced around and lowered his voice deliberately, “The Song family only likes smart people.”
Shen Yuqing cleared his throat lightly, “So you do know you’re not the brightest.”
Lin Sui gave him a deadpan look, “I prefer to call it free-spirited.”
Shen Yuqing chuckled, “Speaking of which, is your family close with the Song family?”
“Of course! We used to be neighbors, and our companies have business collaborations. We’re very close.” Lin Sui pursed his lips, “That’s why I know there’s no chance between me and Lejin. The Song family has always preferred intelligent people.”
Shen Yuqing drew out a long “Oh” before saying, “You’re not that dumb though.”
Lin Sui scratched the back of his head, “You wouldn’t understand since you’re not familiar with them.”
This topic hit right at the mark. Now it was Shen Yuqing’s turn to put an arm around Lin Sui’s shoulder, “Tell me more, I’m curious.”
He had been worrying about how to gather information about the Song family, and this was the perfect opportunity.
