Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Looking at Su Yu with his face full of displeasure, Shen Tingzhou asked in surprise, "Do you know this classmate of mine?"

Su Yu suddenly widened his eyes, aggrieved and indignant, "You want me to know him? Are you going to advise me to get along peacefully with him and be your Empress Ehuang and Lady Ying?"

Shen Tingzhou closed his eyes for a moment.

The dramatic Su Yu covered his stomach and kept retreating, "All men are the same; I hate you!"

He then turned around in sorrow and anger and ran out.

Shen Tingzhou was startled and quickly stopped the pregnant man who never treated himself as one.

Cold sweat broke out on Shen Tingzhou's forehead, and he said nervously, "Don't cause trouble... think of the baby."

Su Yu's eyes welled up with tears, "Yes, yes, it's my unreasonable behavior that made you go find someone else; it's all my fault."

To avoid a downpour outside, Shen Tingzhou forcibly changed the subject, "You just said my classmate deceived me. What do you mean by that?"

Hearing that he had to speak ill of others, Su Yu's tears immediately stopped.

Su Yu angrily said, "He deceived you; the suicide was fake! He exaggerated the situation himself!"

Shen Tingzhou didn't understand, "Ah?"

Su Yu recounted from the beginning, "That day, I saw a trending video and recognized you in it. Hmph, you were holding another man's hand behind my back; I saw it all!"

Shen Tingzhou: When telling the story, please, Su classmate, don't add subjective feelings.

Not only did Su Yu add subjective feelings, but he also openly compared unfavorably, "But I am always magnanimous, unlike that person who is petty, so I wasn't particularly angry."

Who was that person?

Was it Xiao Xu? How was Xiao Xu petty?

Under Su Yu's highly biased and non-objective narration, Shen Tingzhou finally understood the whole story.

Su Yu saw half of Shen Tingzhou's profile in the trending video and immediately recognized him, thinking Bai Ze looked at him with ill intent and feared Bai Ze might harm Shen Tingzhou.

With Lu Yuan as a precedent, considering Shen Tingzhou's safety, Su Yu investigated Bai Ze and Fu Yusheng as well.

"This video wasn't leaked by itself; Fu Yusheng pushed it further behind the scenes."

This conclusion overturned Shen Tingzhou's understanding, leaving him speechless for a long time.

"Could there have been a mistake?" Shen Tingzhou couldn't figure out the logic, "This doesn't make sense..."

Why would Fu Yusheng do such a thing?

Su Yu was unconcerned, "He wanted others to cyberbully him so he could continue his act."

Shen Tingzhou recalled his first encounter with Bai Ze and Fu Yusheng's intense reaction, as well as Fu Yusheng's attitude in front of the hospital administration building last time.

If Fu Yusheng was acting, when did he start?

How could physiological reactions be acted out?

Seeing Shen Tingzhou's skeptical expression, Teacher Su gave him a lesson, "To make others believe, you must first convince yourself."

Shen Tingzhou looked at Su Yu.

Su Yu touched his belly and said, "At first, it might be seven parts real and three parts acting. Once the other party believes it, it becomes three parts real and seven parts acting."

His eyes, blending into the sunlight outside the window, appeared clean and bright, yet somewhat indifferent.

The corridor's central heating provided ample warmth, yet Shen Tingzhou felt a chill down his back.

Su Yu's eyes curved, and the corners of his mouth lifted, returning to an innocent appearance, "I'm tired, Doctor Shen; let's go back."

Shen Tingzhou's heart was filled with complex emotions, and he couldn't help but look back at Fu Yusheng's ward.

It wasn't until Su Yu held his hand that Shen Tingzhou snapped back to reality.

Su Yu, like a child after kindergarten dismissal, could look around carefree with Shen Tingzhou by his side, not worrying about danger, humming a light-hearted tune.

Shen Tingzhou drove Su Yu back.

They hadn't told Yu Mingyan they were leaving, and upon discovering their absence, Yu Mingyan didn't call to inquire but simply waited in the living room.

As soon as Su Yu saw Yu Mingyan, he immediately went over to complain.

"Doctor Shen wants me to be Empress Ehuang, and Lady Ying isn't even that Xu Xun!"

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Yu Mingyan lifted Su Yu's ankle to take off his shoes, "That's outrageous, but we can't be angry with Doctor Shen. Why don't we tell Xu Xun to eliminate that Lady Ying?"

Su Yu loudly whispered to Yu Mingyan, "Right, let him get rid of Lady Ying. If he can argue with Doctor Shen and break ties, it would be killing two birds with one stone."

Shen Tingzhou: !

Although Xiao Xu wasn't petty or unreasonable, he was indeed jealous!

Shen Tingzhou immediately said, "I can go... and eliminate him myself."

Su Yu whispered to Yu Mingyan, "Feels like Doctor Shen is afraid of that Xu Xun."

Yu Mingyan nodded, "Probably because he has a bad temper."

"Men can't be spoiled." Su Yu glanced at Shen Tingzhou and said with a hidden meaning, "Look at how Ah Yan never spoils me, so I'm obedient and sensible."

Watching Yu Mingyan change Su Yu's slippers, Shen Tingzhou remained silent.

Su Yu looked sideways at Shen Tingzhou, then pulled Yu Mingyan's hand to hit himself, "When I'm disobedient, Ah Yan even hits me. Disobedience needs to be corrected."

Yu Mingyan echoed, "That's right."

Silently listening to the couple's back-and-forth, Shen Tingzhou was unmoved.

Xiao Xu is so good, how could he be disciplined?

This thought reached its peak when he returned home and saw Xu Xun preparing a list of goods for shipment to the Antarctic research station.

A while ago, when Shen Tingzhou had a video call with his parents, Xu Xun appeared on screen, and they exchanged contact information.

Shen Tingzhou knew his parents' personalities well—they were typical scientists, quiet and reserved, able to focus on their research for decades.

He rarely contacted them himself, having long grown accustomed to their absence. Yet, Xu Xun had managed to build a close relationship with his parents.

The Antarctic research station was short on fresh fruits and vegetables, so Xu Xun prepared plenty, along with a private list of items Shen's father and mother asked him to purchase.

For years, they hadn't "bothered" their own son with such requests, but they had asked Xu Xun.

Shocked yet touched, Shen Tingzhou felt warmth in his heart after reading the long list. His voice softened as he spoke, "Have you been busy with these things?"

Before Xu Xun could answer, the steward approached.

Glancing at the messy living room, he said to Shen Tingzhou, "Quickly praise the young master. He pretended to be busy in the living room just to wait for you to see this."

Xu Xun pursed his lips.

After delivering his remark, the steward left gracefully, leaving behind an obviously unhappy Young Master Xie.

Xu Xun wore a sullen expression, staring at Shen Tingzhou with dark eyes.

Shen Tingzhou couldn't help but laugh.

Feeling betrayed, Xu Xun turned away, facing Shen Tingzhou with his back, clearly upset.

Shen Tingzhou quickly suppressed his smile, "I'm really happy and grateful for everything you've done for me."

Xu Xun kept his head turned.

Shen Tingzhou gently pulled Xu Xun's hand, "I wasn't laughing at you; I was secretly rejoicing... that I found a boyfriend like you."

These words finally struck a chord with Xu Xun, who turned his face back.

Although he turned around, he still didn't look at Shen Tingzhou, instead handing over a piece of paper.

Shen Tingzhou took it and saw another shopping list, but this one was not for his parents—it was for his aunt.

Knowing that Shen Tingzhou's aunt valued health and wellness, Xu Xun arranged for regular deliveries of organic fruits and vegetables to her house, and they shared health tips with each other.

Of course, Xu Xun was faking it; he couldn't even abstain from desires.

"Oh my, you even get along so well with my aunt! Finding someone as considerate and kind as you, who takes care of me, is like finding a needle in a haystack!"

Shen Tingzhou transformed into the master of compliments, lavishing Xu Xun with praise from all angles.

Finally, Xu Xun's mood smoothed out, and he was willing to look at Shen Tingzhou again.

Xu Xun said, "There's also Yunyun."

Shen Tingzhou raised an eyebrow, "Did she make unreasonable demands?"

Xu Xun shook his head, "No, I meant we get along well too."

Shen Tingzhou immediately understood and was about to shower more praise when the steward entered the living room carrying a potted plant from the backyard.

Shen Tingzhou fell silent, and Xu Xun frowned.

The steward didn't look at them, passing through the living room to the front yard.

Once he left, Shen Tingzhou exhaled the breath he had been holding, and Xu Xun held his hand.

Shen Tingzhou turned his head to look at him, and Xu Xun said, "Let's talk in our room."

Back in the bedroom, Shen Tingzhou didn't come down again.

At dinner time, Xu Xun went to the dining room to pack food for Shen Tingzhou.

The steward glanced at the cheerful Xu Xun, "Don't brew tea for Dr. Shen tonight; it might disrupt his sleep."

Xu Xun made a soft, single-syllable sound through his nose, then proudly left with the dinner.

The next morning, Qin Si called Shen Tingzhou to inform him that Fu Yusheng's condition had improved significantly, so there was no need to worry.

-

However, Qin Si was full of questions about Bai Ze in the ward.

"This person looks more and more like a woman. And she resembles the woman in the video. It's rare to find a woman that tall in real life, isn't it?"

Shen Tingzhou had even more questions than Qin Si.

Su Yu was very perceptive and had never been wrong, making it hard for Shen Tingzhou to doubt his words from yesterday.

Was Fu Yusheng doing this to take revenge on Bai Ze?

Shen Tingzhou felt conflicted. If everything was indeed orchestrated by Fu Yusheng, from another perspective, his willingness to harm himself at least meant he wouldn't be easily led around by Bai Ze.

But if Su Yu had misjudged the situation, then Fu Yusheng would be in great danger staying by Bai Ze's side.

Shen Tingzhou still drove to the hospital.

He lingered outside Fu Yusheng's ward for two minutes when suddenly he heard a brief and terrified scream from inside. Shen Tingzhou froze for a moment, then without hesitation, he opened the door and rushed in.

On the hospital bed, Fu Yusheng's face was flushed red, his neck veins protruding. He held a fruit knife, waving it frantically with intense emotion.

"Get away, don't touch me."

Afraid that he might hurt himself, Bai Ze grabbed Fu Yusheng's arm to take the knife away, but his body suddenly trembled.

Shen Tingzhou watched as the tip of the fruit knife sank into Bai Ze's left shoulder, quickly staining the fabric with fresh blood.

Fu Yusheng looked panicked, trembling more violently than Bai Ze, the victim.

After a few seconds, Fu Yusheng finally seemed to react, hurriedly covering Bai Ze's shoulder with his hand and stammering out apologies.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry Xiaoling, I didn't know it was you; I thought it was..." His eyes were red, his voice shaking, "Does it hurt?"

Bai Ze appeared to feel no pain, calmly asking him, "Who did you think it was?"

Fu Yusheng shuddered, his eyes vacant and confused, "I... I don't know."

Bai Ze stared at Fu Yusheng, whose expression was unusually uneasy. He opened his mouth as if wanting to say something to Bai Ze but seemed afraid of his expressionless face.

"I'm fine," Bai Ze said gently. "I'll go treat the wound."

Fu Yusheng nodded blankly.

Bai Ze took the bloody fruit knife and, turning away, his face turned icy cold.

He glanced at Shen Tingzhou, seemingly not considering him a threat, and then left.

Watching Bai Ze's back, Fu Yusheng's red-rimmed eyes turned cold.

That coldness was fleeting but clearly caught by Shen Tingzhou.

Fu Yusheng's eyes flickered, noticing Shen Tingzhou staring at him, and slowly formed a slight smile.

Confirming that Bai Ze had truly left, Shen Tingzhou got straight to the point, "So, you really did cut your wrist on purpose?"

Fu Yusheng lowered his eyes, not answering Shen Tingzhou's question, instead asking, "Do you know what the first step of PUA is?"

Shen Tingzhou remained silent.

Fu Yusheng answered himself, "The first step is compliance testing."

Shen Tingzhou paused for a few seconds, vaguely understanding his meaning, "You conducted a compliance test on Bai Ze?"

Fu Yusheng did not deny it, looking at the bloodstains on the sheets, he softly said, "I originally wanted to let him go."

Bai Ze had deceived him, and he had stabbed Bai Ze; they were even now.

But if Bai Ze refused to let it go, then he couldn't be blamed.