Chapter 3: Concealing One’s Skills

Chapter 3: Concealing One's Skills

Han Yue continued his activities until almost two in the morning.

Han Yue didn't have any bad habits in bed. He was quiet throughout, focusing solely on the act. In this aspect, he was quite traditional, but his energy was boundless. He enjoyed pinning Chu Ci beneath him, kissing and penetrating him as their bodies were pressed tightly together, their breaths entwining, giving the illusion of an intimate connection.

Chu Ci's fragmented sounds were heavily suppressed until Han Yue climaxed. Only then did he grit his teeth, turning his head away without a sound.

Han Yue had an extreme obsession with ejaculating inside Chu Ci, ignoring all pleading. Just like when he first laid eyes on Chu Ci, after a mere ten minutes of conversation, he decided he had to possess him, a determination that couldn't be shaken by anyone else's advice.

"…Go to sleep." Han Yue patted Chu Ci's face before rolling over and embracing him from behind.

Exhausted and in pain, Chu Ci's body was filled with semen, leaving him lying motionless on his side, sleepless. His gaze fixated on the heavy shadows in the bedroom.

Han Yue felt a bit sleepy but knew Chu Ci wasn't asleep, so he didn't rush to close his eyes. Before, he would fall asleep immediately after climaxing, waking up the next day feeling exceptionally content. However, Chu Ci always remained distant.

He sought advice from Pei Zhi, who in turn consulted his mistresses. Pei Zhi returned to tell Han Yue, "What you're doing isn't right. After it's over, you need to comfort him, chat, maybe give him a small gift. Most importantly, don't just fall asleep after you're satisfied. You have to genuinely care for your beloved; wait until he's asleep before you doze off."

Han Yue nodded, indicating his understanding. Afterward, he bought a Vacheron Constantin Saltarell watch, planning to present it to Chu Ci after their night together. Instead, Chu Ci fiercely threw it out the window, not uttering a word for an entire month.

From that day on, Han Yue never made such a foolish move again.

Han Yue's eyelids grew heavier, but his heightened senses, honed from years in the military, still allowed him to sense that Chu Ci was not asleep. To stay alert, he casually asked, "Why did you drive that junk car today?"

By "junk car," he referred to the second-hand white Honda that Chu Ci had purchased with his own salary. Chu Ci's family lived in another city, and he had only been working in Beijing for less than two years, barely saving any money. He could only afford to sustain himself, renting this three-bedroom apartment.

Han Yue had once left his Mercedes 600 at Chu Ci's place, claiming it was "just parked here," but it was essentially a gift. Chu Ci reluctantly accepted it but had never driven it. Han Yue even suspected he had never even opened the car door.

"I didn't have time to switch cars on my way back from work," Chu Ci replied indifferently, then fell silent.

"Oh," Han Yue said after a moment's thought. "Yesterday when I went to the metallurgical research institute to find you, what was that office director talking to you about? He seemed peculiar."

"Nothing important, forget it." Chu Ci closed his eyes. "I'm going to sleep."

Han Yue disliked being brushed off, ready to turn over and press for more information. But seeing that Chu Ci had genuinely closed his eyes, he reluctantly lay back down. Within minutes, he began snoring loudly.

In the darkness, Chu Ci's eyes opened at some point, fixating on an indistinct point in the void, his gaze empty and cold.

The next morning, Han Yue discovered that the incident involving Cousin Hou Yu the previous day had escalated.

Hou Yu's cousin, Hou Hongchang, is a complete fool. Not only did he recklessly run a red light while intoxicated, but he also collided with a migrant worker's child. The impact instantly launched the child over a distance of several meters, and upon hitting the ground, the child tragically succumbed to their injuries immediately.

The scene unfolded on a downtown street, not far from the police security kiosk, where many eyes were witness to it all. Upon realizing that trouble had arisen, Hou Hongchang stamped down on the accelerator with the intent to flee. However, he managed to cover only a dozen or so meters before several taxi drivers, with unwavering determination, intercepted him in their vehicles. In the chaos, Hou Hongchang collided with several cabs, leaving one with a severely crumpled door.

If matters had ended there, Hou Yu would not have entertained the thought of throttling his own cousin with his bare hands. The issue lay in Hou Hongchang's overindulgence in alcohol, which led him to fancy himself as the reincarnation of some celestial sovereign. Upon exiting the vehicle, he seized a taxi driver and dragged him onto the main thoroughfare, pummeling him relentlessly while bellowing, "A good dog doesn't block the way! I'll beat you to death, you son of a bitch!"

Within three minutes, the police arrived promptly. Just as they were about to intervene, Hou Hongchang shoved them aside while cursing and took out his phone to make a call. "Uncle! It's Hongchang here! I've been detained by the police. Please send someone to rescue me right away!"

The entire episode unfolded in less than twenty minutes, with reporters arriving just in time to witness the climax. The street was ablaze with indignation as passersby, fueled by collective fury, were eager to lay hands on the perpetrator. Policemen formed a tight circle, exerting every effort to maintain order; one traffic officer, Hou Hongchang, even found himself pushed to the ground in the commotion. Several taxi drivers, their faces etched with concern, shielded the battered victim and his grief-stricken parents from view, forming a protective barrier around them. A humble couple of migrant workers, dressed in simple attire, huddled on the sidewalk clutching their child's still-warm body, their wails of heartrending sorrow threatening to overwhelm them into unconsciousness.

"Let's just sentence him to death," Han Yue said while reading the newspaper. "Your cousin is a menace to society anyway."

Hou Yu shot back angrily, "Why didn't you say that when your brother had his accident? He killed two people!"

"How do you know I didn't? Back then, I suggested to Grandpa that we take him home and discipline him in front of our ancestors' shrine with a belt. But Mom cried and scolded me for lacking sibling affection."

"Oh, right! My cousin's mom said the same thing about me." Hou Yu clapped his hands, pointing at the headline on the front page: "Second-Generation Official Hits and Kills Toddler on Busy Street, Provoking Public Outrage and Drawing a Thousand Spectators" — "Which journalist wrote this? Mom and Auntie said they're going to demolish his house."

"Was there really a crowd of a thousand people watching yesterday?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps there really is something. When I picked him up from the police station, there were many people waiting on the main road, and some even threw mineral water bottles at me, like I was a rat everyone wanted to chase away. This morning, when I searched the internet, it was outrageous! The headlines on major portals were hotter than a Liu Dehua concert. I told my mom, 'You can demolish that reporter's house, but can you tear down the homes of all these netizens one by one?'"

"What did your mom say?"

"What else could she say? She and my aunt just cried and scolded together. But they're planning to find some old colleagues from the military to control those websites and netizens' comments."

Han Yue frowned and shook his head, but before he could say anything, the bedroom door creaked open. Chu Ci walked out with his laptop, expressionless as he passed through the living room and opened the front door.

Throughout the entire process, he acted as if no one else was there, not sparing even an extra glance at the two men in the living room, treating them like mere blobs of air.

Hou Yu whispered, "Did you hit him last night?"

"Nope."

"Then why is he..."

Han Yue watched as Chu Ci put on his shoes and stepped out the door. Suddenly, he called out to him from behind, "Where are you going?"

"To work."

"Remember to come back early tonight."

Chu Ci stood without turning his head, then slammed the door shut with a resounding boom.

Hou Yu was startled and clicked his tongue twice. "Such a temper... Han Er, since you're practically living under the same roof with him every day, why don't you move to a better place? This house looks old and small; what kind of medicine did you take to give away such a place?"

"It's his own rental, not my concern."

"What!" Hou Yu was stunned, and after a moment, he stammered, "Don't tell me he hasn't spent a single penny on you all this time?"

Han Yue suddenly lifted his eyes, staring at Hou Yu with a piercing gaze until the latter trembled. Then, he said calmly, "Say one more word, and I'll call the court right now to sentence your cousin to death. Try me?"

Hou Yu shuddered. "...No, no, let's just drop it." He then made a gesture of zipping his lips.

As Chu Ci walked into the laboratory, Little Wang, the assistant, pointed to his office and whispered, "The director is in there."

Chu Ci nodded, adjusted his expression, and pushed open the door.

Sure enough, the plump office director sat with his legs crossed behind his desk, seemingly bored from waiting. Upon seeing Chu Ci, he hurriedly approached him. "Chu Gong, you're finally here! Have you thought about what I mentioned to you the other day? Manager Xu has been waiting for a long time, and he's been pestering me nonstop these past two days..."

Chu Ci, while plugging in his laptop charger, said without lifting his head, "Fine, if the final paper is credited to him. But if there's an issue with the paper, will he take responsibility? Just don't try to shift the blame onto me."

The department head indeed choked, "…You know very well that Manager Xu is a relative of someone higher up. He doesn't understand anything about the specialized content… If you ask him to take responsibility, what kind of responsibility can he possibly take?"

"Well, what then? I've been working tirelessly on this project for months, and when it comes to reaping the rewards, he just swoops in and takes my place. If everything goes smoothly, that's one thing, but if something goes wrong, do they expect me, the invisible man whose name never appeared on the paper, to be the scapegoat? It's great when things are good, but as soon as there's trouble, they want me to take the fall?"

The department head wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Don't say it like that, Engineer Chu. You can put in a few more late nights, double-check the numbers. Why does it have to come to problems?" Seeing Chu Ci's displeased expression, he quickly leaned in and whispered, "Think about it, Engineer Chu. He's your superior, your leader! When a leader asks for your help, what is that? It's a task assigned to you by the organization! An honor! So, stop sulking. Look at how young you are and you've already been rated as an engineer. Your future is boundless. Why worry about such a small project or paper?"

Chu Ci let out a cold laugh, sat down, turned on his computer, and opened a file, saying nothing. The department head knew this was Chu Ci's silent acquiescence under duress, so he hastily left the office, elated, to report to their superior.

When it was time to leave work in the evening, Assistant Little Wang came in to deliver documents and asked, "Engineer Chu, the dinner location tonight has been changed to Tiantan East Road. Will that be convenient for you?"

The department had a monthly routine dinner, and this month, it happened to be postponed for two days, coinciding with Han Yue's return to Beijing. Han Yue had always opposed Chu Ci going out with friends or colleagues. In the past, when he was on vacation back in Beijing, he would insist that Chu Ci return home early every night, and he himself wouldn't stay out too late.

Chu Ci paused in his actions for a moment before responding, "…I understand."

Assistant Little Wang nodded. "I'll tell them you'll contribute your share."

Sure enough, when it was time to leave work, Han Yue called. Chu Ci silenced his phone and tossed it casually onto the passenger seat, letting it vibrate. By the thirteenth missed call from Han Yue, Chu Ci parked his car outside the hotel, turned off the engine, and got out.

The phone was left behind in the car with no intention of retrieval.

At these gatherings, young engineers like Chu Ci were always the center of attention. With his good looks and popularity among the female colleagues, he was particularly sought after. Their department's colleagues had taken over the main hall, enjoying food, drinks, and toasts. Chu Ci soon found himself slightly tipsy.

Suddenly, someone patted him on the shoulder from behind, slurring, "Engineer Chu, I owe you a drink!"

Chu Ci turned around, "Manager Xu?"

Xu Zhongyi swayed unsteadily, holding a glass of wine that was already half-spilled, "Engineer Chu, I must sincerely thank you for your contributions to the project! If not for your high moral standards, my academic performance this year would've been bloody hard to manage!..."

"Manager Xu, you're drunk," Chu Ci stood up and stepped aside slightly, "Little Wang, come over and see Manager Xu off."

Assistant Little Wang rushed over, trembling with fear, but before he could steady himself, Xu Zhongyi shoved him, slurring his words, "What's wrong, Engineer Chu? You're not giving me face? You have to drink this! If you don't, you're not helping me!..."

Many eyes in the hall turned towards them. Chu Ci frowned and whispered, "Little Wang, go get the director."

Little Wang nodded and took off, but Xu Zhongyi, in a sudden fit of rage, slammed his glass down hard. "Engineer Chu, you won't even give me this much face? What are you? How dare you not give me face?!..."

As Chu Ci turned to leave, Xu Zhongyi suddenly lunged at him, pushing him forcefully. Chu Ci stumbled, unable to react in time as Xu Zhongyi, fueled by alcohol, threw a punch, causing Chu Ci to fall backward into a chair.

A few colleagues, who had been drinking excessively, finally came to their senses and rushed over to restrain Xu Zhongyi, positioning themselves between the two men. The office director, his jowls quivering with anxiety, hurried over in a waddle, "Everyone, calm down! Is Chu Gong alright? Manager Xu! Oh, quick, help Manager Xu sit down!"

The hall was in chaos, with everyone craning their necks to witness the spectacle. At that moment, Hou Yu, Pei Zhi, Han Yue, and others happened to be entering the hotel from the entrance.

Pei Zhi joked as they walked, "Next time, we should have Hou Yu leave the money at the counter beforehand, so he can't slip away again when it's time to pay. Hey, Hongchang, this is your calming feast today; you'd better keep an eye on your cousin!"

Hou Hongchang, with an unruly demeanor, followed behind with his hands in his pocket, his hair styled in an audacious upward spike, "Sure thing! It's just a word!"

Han Yue didn't engage in conversation with them but instead repeatedly dialed his phone, his expression growing more somber with each call. As they passed through the hall, his gaze inadvertently caught sight of a group having a dinner gathering. In the center, two figures seemed to be engaged in a standoff, surrounded by onlookers who appeared to be attempting to mediate.

Han Yue's eyes lingered for a few seconds before he abruptly snapped his phone shut and strode towards the commotion.

Hou Hongchang was startled, "What's wrong with Second Young Master Han?"

"Hey, Han Er! Han Er!" Pei Zhi hastily caught up, but when he noticed the disturbance in the middle of the hall, his gaze froze, and he gasped, "Oh no."

Hou Yu joined them, "What's happening? What's happening?" Then, he exclaimed, "Isn't that Chu Gong over there?!"

Manager Xu, under the influence of alcohol, was displaying immense strength, making it difficult for the few people holding him back. They were almost losing their grip, on the verge of letting him break free.

"What do you think you are? You're nothing! I'm showing you respect, and yet you're pushing me away. If you dare to provoke me, I'll make sure you can't survive in this industry! Believe it or not, just try me!..."

Several young engineers who were on good terms with Chu Ci surrounded him, with someone standing in front of him to prevent Xu Zhongyi from breaking free and rushing over. Chu Ci had been punched in the back, making him feel nauseous and dizzy. He couldn't stand up from the chair immediately.

Suddenly, a hand patted his shoulder, asking, "Are you alright?"

Chu Ci instinctively replied, "I'm fine." Then, he saw a familiar figure walk out from behind him, striding confidently towards Xu Zhongyi under everyone's watchful gaze.

Chu Ci was startled. "Han Yue!"

Han Yue seemed to ignore him. Dressed in clothes that screamed wealth and status, his terrifying expression made his colleagues on both sides too afraid to block him, instinctively clearing a path for him.

He approached Xu Zhongyi, who was still being held by others while spewing curses. "With just one word from me, you'll be packing your bags and leaving! Get lost obediently! Using your project is already showing you mercy, and yet you still dare to act tough with me..."

Before Xu Zhongyi could finish his sentence, Han Yue suddenly threw a fierce punch, sending him crashing to the ground with a loud thud!

Having grown up in the special forces, Han Yue didn't hold back at all. With that one punch, two of Xu Zhongyi's teeth were knocked out. Blood gushed from Xu Zhongyi's mouth as he fell to the ground, unable to move. Surrounding the scene, screams of shock filled the air.

"Him acting tough with me is one thing, but what does he have to do with you?" Han Yue chuckled coldly, flexing his wrist. His face was a mask of extreme rage and gloom. "I won't just make you pack your bags and leave. With one word from me, I'll have you killed..."