Chapter 12: Wounds

Chapter 12: Wounds

Lu Yan almost forgot that Yu Zechuan had planted a listening device in his phone, possibly even a tracker. It would take the latter only moments to arrive.

Yu Zechuan and Xue Jin were on the same side; there was no doubt who he would aid. Lu Yan could never engage in a fight with both of them simultaneously.

If Xue Jin was on the brink of death, Yu Zechuan would undoubtedly save him.

But what if it was Lu Yan?

In the blink of an eye, numerous thoughts flashed through Lu Yan's mind. He considered taking the initiative to kill Xue Jin first before dealing with Yu Zechuan. However, his body betrayed him, loosening his grip on Xue Jin's neck, intentionally exposing a weakness.

"Bang!"

Xue Jin's eyes flickered with opportunity as he seized the chance, landing a punch that knocked Lu Yan to the ground. He pounced on him, and they grappled fiercely. Amidst their struggle, they accidentally hit the wall switch, plunging the room into darkness except for the howling wind and rain outside.

In the dark, Xue Jin managed to grab the syringe that had fallen by the foot of the bed. He plunged it into Lu Yan's nape, a moment of hesitation crossing his eyes. "I didn't want to kill you, but you brought this upon yourself!"

Assuming Lu Yan would panic in the dim light from the window, Xue Jin was surprised to see the corners of the latter's mouth slowly curl up, revealing a cryptic smile. "Who says I'm bound to die..."

Xue Jin was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

But Lu Yan didn't reply. His eyelids grew heavy. In the last second before he lost consciousness and slipped into unconsciousness, he heard a loud bang, as if someone had kicked open the door to his house with great force.

Xue Jin's hand, which had been clutching the knife and aimed at Lu Yan's throat, turned at the sound. Without warning, he was knocked to the ground by a kick, dazing him with the impact.

Xue Jin initially assumed it was one of Lu Yan's accomplices. Struggling to get back on his feet, he clutched the dagger in his right hand and fiercely stabbed towards the figure, pushing them against the wall. A muffled groan of pain echoed in the darkness.

"Boom!"

A bolt of lightning illuminated the night sky, casting the room in brilliant white light.

Only then did Xue Jin clearly see the face of the intruder.

The deeply furrowed brows from pain, the dark and sharp eyes, and the pale, tightly pressed lips.

"Ze Chuan?!!"

Xue Jin's expression changed dramatically, clearly not expecting Yu Zechuan to suddenly arrive. His wrist trembled, and the bloodied dagger fell to the ground with a metallic clatter. "How did you get here?!"

Yu Zechuan clutched his bleeding abdomen with his left hand while grabbing Xue Jin's collar with his right, suppressing his rage as he shouted, "Who told you to come and kill him?!"

The 'him' here was undoubtedly referring to Lu Yan.

Xue Jin grew even angrier. "Yu Zechuan! I told you from the start that I wanted to deal with Lu Yan! Not only did you spare him, but you also let him go! Do you realize that if he leaks any information, you could end up back in prison!"

The words 'prison' hit Yu Zechuan's sore spot. He dragged Xue Jin in front of him, glaring fiercely at him. "This is none of your concern!"

Yu Zechuan didn't want Xue Jin to get blood on his hands, not even a drop.

He knew that once they embarked on this path, there was no turning back.

Yu Zechuan's voice turned icy cold. "Lu Yan can only die by my hand. Take your knife and leave immediately. Your job is to make Jiang Boyun sign that island project!"

Pushing Xue Jin away, he also kicked the bloody knife aside. His eyes glinted coldly in the darkness. "Hurry up and go!"

Xue Jin pressed his pale lips together tightly.

Exiting the rented apartment, Xue Jin's mind was still in a daze. The icy rain on his face sent shivers down his spine. Standing downstairs, he couldn't help but look up. It was only then that he finally understood the ambiguous smile Lu Yan had given before fainting. A chill ran through his heart.

Did the other party calculate that Yu Zechuan would come to his rescue?

Of course, Lu Yan didn't make such assumptions, considering the countless variables in the world; he had even prepared himself for a second death. But someone like Yu Zechuan, who was willing to let him go, wouldn't want Xue Jin to take his life.

Another stormy night,

And another awakening on the sofa of a rented room.

Lu Yan's eyes fluttered open, gazing at the dim yellow light above him. For a moment, he thought he had been reborn with the system's assistance. However, the pain from the bruise on his lip starkly reminded him—

He had survived Xue Jin's clutches.

"Ouch..."

Lu Yan scrunched his brow and sat up on the sofa, still trying to grasp the situation. Before he could do so, a gloomy and hoarse voice echoed in his ear, "Watch your tongue. If you dare to spread more nonsense, I'll take care of you before Xue Jin even has the chance."

Lu Yan paused, lifting his gaze to see a man in a black hoodie sitting silently across from the sofa. The man must have braved the rain to get here, as his clothes were drenched, exuding a damp darkness. A wet strand of hair fell from his forehead, hiding his pale face beneath the black hood. From one angle, he appeared melancholic and handsome, but from the other, an inexplicable dark scar marred his features.

Like a crack on a pristine porcelain vase, it elicited a sigh of regret.

"Yu Zechuan?"

Lu Yan, rubbing his injured lip, was both surprised and unsurprised by the man's arrival. He glanced around and instinctively asked, "Where's Xue Jin?"

"Gone."

Yu Zechuan never minced words. It seemed he was only here to ensure Lu Yan was still alive. Seeing that Lu Yan had woken up, he got ready to leave. However, as he passed by the sofa, Lu Yan unexpectedly grabbed his wrist.

"You're leaving so soon?"

Yu Zechuan lifted his eyelids to look at him. "If you want to die, I can make that happen for you."

Tsk, why was he so harsh?

Worried that Xue Jin might return, Lu Yan wanted Yu Zechuan to stay a bit longer. Pointing at the bruise on his lip, he looked gloomy. "He disfigured my face and injected me with a needle. Now, I ache all over and have no strength left."

Having a handsome face had its perks. Even with a small bruise on his lip, Lu Yan remained visually appealing. When he looked at you pitifully, it was hard to scold him, let alone resist his charm.

Unfortunately, Yu Zechuan wasn't an ordinary person. Pinching Lu Yan's chin, he removed his cap, exposing the scar on his right cheek. His tone was mocking as he said, "Disfigured? Do you even know what that means?"

Lu Yan: "..."

He almost forgot – this guy's problems were even worse than his.

Yu Zechuan's fingers tightened slightly, conveying a subtle warning, "If you don't want a matching scar, behave yourself."

Feeling it necessary to address the previous incident, Lu Yan adjusted his tone and asked with the air of a lovesick admirer, "Why didn't you let me follow you last time?"

Yu Zechuan spoke honestly, "You would have been useless."

Lu Yan: "..."

So infuriating.

Feeling the remaining cash in his pocket, Lu Yan touched his injured face and continued to play the part of a pitiful victim, "What should I do about this wound on my face then?"

It was as if he was hinting at something wildly, but not quite obvious enough.

Yu Zechuan pulled his hat back down and stuffed his hands into his coat pockets. This posture made him appear particularly aloof and irritable as he grumbled, "Go to the hospital by yourself."

Lu Yan collapsed onto the sofa, secretly opening his eyes to look at him, thinking to himself, I'd love to go, but I don't have the money: "But I still have to work tomorrow, and there's a first-aid kit at home. Can you help me with some medicine?"

Xue Jin, that bastard, was obsessed with piercing people. Lu Yan hadn't recovered yet; he would feel dizzy if he stood up, short of breath when he spoke, and didn't even have the strength to apply medicine.

Yu Zechuan almost laughed in anger upon hearing Lu Yan's words. It was already good that he didn't kill him, yet he dared to ask for help applying medicine: "Lu Yan, do you really think I won't kill you?"

Lu Yan immediately became obedient: "Go ahead, it's raining outside. Do you need an umbrella?"

Yu Zechuan: "…"

Yu Zechuan gave him a cold glance and turned to leave the rental apartment. The door slammed shut with a dull thud. Unfortunately, the lock had been kicked broken, so it wouldn't close properly, leaving a small gap half-covered.

Lu Yan lay motionless on the sofa for a few minutes before cautiously getting up to check outside, confirming that Yu Zechuan had indeed left. He touched the damaged lock, his eyelids twitching wildly. He wondered how he was going to sleep tonight. The neighborhood wasn't safe, and if a thief broke in and killed him, it would be a disaster.

Lu Yan's palm had been cut by the dagger, but fortunately, it wasn't deep, and the blood had already scabbed over. He nudged the sofa closer to the entrance, planning to make do for the night and find someone to change the lock tomorrow. However, as he bent down, he suddenly noticed a few drops of blood on the floor, leading all the way to the door.

"..."

Lu Yan was certain that the blood wasn't his. Although his hand was cut, it wasn't dripping onto the ground. Xue Jin wasn't injured either, which could only mean...

The night was still, the sound of rain growing more distinct.

Lu Yan descended in the elevator and soon spotted a familiar silhouette at the alley's entrance.

The figure leaned against the wall, his body slumping weakly. His right hand clutched his abdomen tightly as his waist uncontrollably bent. Cold liquid trickled down his pale, bloodless cheeks, making it hard to tell if they were raindrops or beads of sweat.

Xue Jin's stab wasn't deep, but Yu Zechuan had underestimated the state of his own body. He tilted his head back slightly, closing his eyes to endure the sharp pain. Suddenly, a shadow fell over him, and the pitter-patter of raindrops was muffled by the black umbrella, sounding distant and unreal.

Yu Zechuan frowned and opened his eyes to see Lu Yan standing before him with an umbrella held high. "You're injured."

It was a statement, not a question.

"It has nothing to do with you."

Yu Zechuan's voice was icy. Struggling to his feet, he attempted to leave, only to be pulled back by Lu Yan after just a few steps. His body collided with the other man's heated chest, and a teasing voice rang in his ear, "CEO Xue seems quite refined, so why did he go crazy enough to stab even his own people?"

Lu Yan was clearly being smug despite benefiting from the situation.

At that moment, Yu Zechuan's mind was filled with one thought: He should have let Xue Jin kill this loose-lipped Lu Yan earlier!

"Shut up!"

Yu Zechuan shoved Lu Yan against the wall, genuinely enraged this time. Unexpectedly, Lu Yan winced in pain, causing the umbrella in his hand to tilt and fall.

"Clatter!"

The heavy rain poured down unannounced, catching Yu Zechuan off guard. He instinctively looked up, his vision somewhat blurred, but the smile on the other person's face was crystal clear.

"Sigh..."

Lu Yan leaned lazily against the wall, lowering his gaze with a faint smile, looking devilishly charming. He raised his hands in a surrendering gesture towards Yu Zechuan, the wounds on his palms evident. His voice held a hint of helplessness, "Go easy, I'm injured too."

The pain had been so intense that he couldn't even hold onto the umbrella.

Neither of them managed to escape the rain, nor the blade – they were both in the same predicament.

Fixing his gaze on Yu Zechuan's features, Lu Yan softly suggested, "Yu Zechuan, let's seek shelter from the rain at my place..."