Chapter 35 Redemption

Chapter 35 Redemption

The two of them spent the entire night in this manner.

Unlike the warmth and softness he had experienced with different women, this was the first time he felt a sense of belonging and attachment.

From that day on, Qin Zhan would handcuff both of them together every night in the darkness.

Zhou Liao found that he didn't need as much light anymore and seemed to no longer fear the dark. As long as he could feel the metal cuffs binding him, everything felt reassuring.

After that day, Qin Zhan became increasingly busy. Every time he returned, he appeared visibly exhausted. Zhou Liao didn't know how much more debt he had taken on for electricity bills, but soon he could start using electric heaters again.

He also knew that Qin Zhan had started working, as his schedule gradually became regular. Sometimes at night, he would sit in front of the computer to work overtime, usually with business communication software open.

The rest of the time, Qin Zhan either went to the hospital or Bai Ling's home for part-time jobs, or stayed by his side.

Qin Zhan's days were packed tightly. He rarely spoke about his own affairs, but Zhou Liao could sense the pressure Qin Zhan was under, even though he had known for a long time that life wasn't easy for him.

Back then, Zhou Liao seemed to take pleasure in Qin Zhan's lowly life, believing that no matter how good his grades were, they couldn't change his impoverished fate. How could someone from such a background dare to look at him with disdain?

Through bullying, violence, and manipulating those around him, Zhou Liao aimed to destroy Qin Zhan by depriving him of his only means of survival.

Zhou Liao never reflected on his actions before, but perhaps because they were together twenty-four hours a day, a subtle sense of shared destiny bound them together. This was the first time he began to feel ashamed of his past behavior.

Especially late at night, when Qin Zhan returned carrying his laptop bag, bringing with him a chill and food for Zhou Liao, still smelling of the antiseptic from the hospital, Zhou Liao felt his heart tremble uncontrollably.

Compared to other times, the winter break in university was relatively long. Zhonghai Interactive Entertainment, being a game company, mostly employed tech-savvy individuals. While there were some outgoing employees, most were in marketing and planning positions rather than technical departments.

Strangely, it seemed that most of the project team members who developed games were into anime and had preferences that differed from others. Compared to his university days, Qin Zhan was relatively popular at the company.

Compared to most IT men, Qin Zhan was tall and slender, dressed neatly in black, white, and gray, which was better than the plaid shirts worn by two-thirds of the tech department. His sharp features made him appear aloof, but his looks were undeniably handsome, and his quiet demeanor was seen as an endearing quirk by many female colleagues.

However, Qin Zhan was unaware of how others perceived him and never cared. After finishing his tasks, once he was allowed to clock out, he would rush to his next part-time job.

Although it was the weekend, due to his team leader's request, Qin Zhan worked overtime in the morning and then took the subway to the wealthy district of Jinghu outside the Second Ring Road.

This was where Chen Xian's address was listed.

Chen Xian hadn't packed much; he just wanted to check things out. He booked a suite at the best hotel in Z City, hoping to win a bet since Zhou Liao was very particular about accommodations and always chose the most expensive options, even when staying at hotels with women.

As soon as he went downstairs, he received a call from the family driver. The news chilled him to the bone.

The driver said the car had a flat tire and needed a replacement vehicle.

Chen Xian, carrying his bag, ran downstairs and saw the car at the entrance. C City now had two airports, and the government had moved most flights to the one near the outskirts to reduce congestion. It would take an hour and a half to drive there.

"How did you manage to get here without a flat?"

"Master Chen, the tire blew out on the way. I noticed the leak warning after dinner."

The wealthy district of Jinghu was isolated, with few cars passing by and almost no commercial facilities nearby. Everything required a ten-minute drive.

"Damn, how am I supposed to get there? My car is in maintenance, and my father's car is at work. It will take forty minutes to get another car here."

"I called someone else to bring a car, but I'm not sure if they'll make it in time. If not, we'll have to reschedule."

Chen Xian was frustrated. His grandfather, hearing the commotion, came down to advise him to reschedule.

"You're not in a hurry. It doesn't matter if you're late; you can just pay extra."

"But... Grandpa, I've already delayed this for too long."

"Well, Zhou Liao is still there, isn't he?"

"I just feel like he's not."

"What do you mean?"

Hearing this, everyone looked at him.

Chen Xian closed his mouth. For him, Zhou Liao's absence was not just a strong premonition but a reality.

He searched through the photos Zhou Liao sent and finally found one on Threads posted by a foreign tourist. It had only three likes, which explained why it couldn't be found on domestic social media.

Additionally, the photo "Zhou Liao" sent of himself with a woman in bed had carefully cropped out the tattoo on her shoulder. Chen Xian discovered the original photo's timestamp and location after saving it. The photo was taken months ago at a club they frequented. He asked all the hostesses there and confirmed that Zhou Liao hadn't been there recently and that they hadn't seen him since.

Now, the "Zhou Liao" in his phone was clearly lying, and he needed to prove that Zhou Liao wasn't in Z City.

"If he's not in Z City, where is he?" his grandfather frowned.

"I don't know. That's why I'm going to find him."

"Don't say things lightly. The Zhou family's only son wouldn't disappear without anyone knowing."

Chen Xian couldn't help but scoff inwardly, thinking of his parents' lack of concern.

But he wasn't foolish enough to cause a scene now. He sighed, "I was just joking. It's impossible."

Still, Chen Xian felt something was off. In the following days, his travel plans kept going awry. First, the car had a flat tire on the way to the airport. Then, he lost his ID while getting a certificate from his counselor. Later, he suspected someone was following him, especially when his luggage mysteriously disappeared from the car.

When he checked the security footage, it showed an elderly woman taking the wrong bag, saying it looked similar to his. By the time she returned it from the arrivals area to the departure area, Chen Xian had missed his flight.

The worst part was the foggy weather in C City, reducing visibility at the airport to less than 200 meters, causing repeated flight cancellations. Chen Xian wondered if the person who kidnapped Zhou Liao could control the weather.

Time dragged on, and it wasn't a viable solution. Soon, it would be the New Year, and no one would let him leave.

Chen Xian's grandparents were superstitious. They had previously avoided contact with Qin Zhan due to this incident. Now, they believed it was a sign from heaven preventing him from leaving. After several incidents, Chen Xian himself began to doubt the situation. His grandmother even claimed that the temple abbot said not letting him board the plane meant there might be a crash, suggesting it was fate. This made Chen Xian hesitate, sitting at home in uncertainty.

He wondered if Zhou Liao had been abducted by aliens; otherwise, how could this be happening?

Chen Xian was truly depressed and simply called a group of brothers to drink with him.

At the drinking table, everyone advised him not to go, asking why he insisted on going. Chen Xian said they didn't understand; he had something important to do. When it was time to leave, he went to settle the bill. A few people waited for him outside, smoking, all swaying from the alcohol.

What Chen Xian didn't expect was that as soon as he stepped out and turned the corner, he saw one of his brothers grabbing someone by the collar. When he realized who it was, he nearly sobered up instantly.

Qin Zhan wore a gray coat with a scarf around his neck, looking down at the person in front of him with a cold expression.

"Are you blind? Can't you see me standing right here?" The drunk man was one of those who had previously bullied Qin Zhan. In the past, he wouldn't dare provoke Qin Zhan, but now, emboldened by Zhou Liao's presence and fueled by alcohol, he became bolder when Qin Zhan bumped into him. Upon recognizing Qin Zhan, his anger flared instantly.

Qin Zhan had only come because the company mandated a team dinner. He was the only one who had only sipped a little wine, and after sending off the others who had drunk more, he planned to take a shortcut to the subway to go home.

"It's not me who's blind," Qin Zhan said coldly.

"What did you say? Still haven't had enough of my fists?"

The man, irritated by Qin Zhan's unchanged attitude, widened his eyes and punched Qin Zhan in the face. He had put in plenty of effort in beating Qin Zhan before, so he was very familiar with the act.

"Do you think everything is over just because Brother Liao left?"

"Hitting you is like stepping on an ant."

Qin Zhan's head jerked to the side from the sudden punch. He remained silent for a moment before letting out a cold laugh. Then, amidst the shocked cries of the crowd, he grabbed the man by the throat and slammed him against the wall. The man whimpered in pain as his scalp hit the rough surface.

The others, still dazed from the alcohol, hadn't reacted yet when they saw Qin Zhan's fist strike the man's eye socket.

"Shit!"

A few nearby friends immediately came to their brother's aid, kicking Qin Zhan in the waist and abdomen, making the scene even more chaotic.

Chen Xian rubbed his eyes and rushed over as quickly as possible through the melee. Someone must have already called the police, as Chen Xian heard sirens as he approached.

"I give up! What the hell is going on? I just went to pay the bill, and now there's a fight!"

...

The brawl was stopped before it could escalate further, but both sides had numerous injuries. Qin Zhan had the most wounds, as he was outnumbered. His exposed skin was covered in cuts and bruises, reminiscent of his earlier days of violence.

Someone had also scratched his neck, leaving a bloody mark next to the burn scar.

Most of the group's parents came to claim them. Although they were initially detained, they were quickly released on bail. As the only one who hadn't participated and with some family influence, Chen Xian was let out immediately.

Seeing Qin Zhan in the interrogation room, he felt somewhat guilty, even though it wasn't his fault; it was his brother who started it.

"Um... does he have to be detained too? Wasn't it self-defense?"

The officer glanced at Qin Zhan's silent demeanor: "It's not considered complete self-defense. He caused a concussion. Legally, if someone hits you first and you retaliate, it's considered mutual combat since both parties are actively seeking to harm each other."

Chen Xian fell silent for a moment before leaving the room. After a while, another officer entered.

"He can go now."

Qin Zhan raised his eyes.

"That guy paid your bail. He seems pretty decent."

The officer inside seemed unfamiliar with such a situation, where someone from the opposite side helped with bail. He looked at Qin Zhan and finally followed procedure, having him sign a release form before leaving.

The subway had long closed, and there were no buses at this hour, so they had to call a taxi.

But Qin Zhan didn't have enough money for a taxi. Standing in the cold wind, he endured the pain as if his body was shattered, checking his phone map. On the empty streets, he walked for about an hour before opening the ride-sharing app, ensuring the fare was within his budget.

When he got into the taxi, the driver was startled. Night driving was already scary, and Qin Zhan's gloomy appearance, mixed with alcohol and covered in wounds, made the driver speed up, feeling like every glance in the rearview mirror was a glimpse of a ghost.

When he opened the door, Zhou Liao was unsurprisingly awake, sitting under a desk lamp, watching the door.

Zhou Liao froze upon seeing Qin Zhan's appearance, unable to express his relief at his return.

"Qin Zhan..."

Without looking at him, Qin Zhan took off his coat, removed his scarf, and headed to the bathroom.

Zhou Liao watched the gruesome wounds on his neck and face, memories of the past flooding back. Clenching his fists, he supported himself with a cane, fetched iodine from the drawer, and limped to the bathroom.

"...Who hit you?"

Cold water splashed on Qin Zhan's face, stinging his wounds. In the shattered mirror, Qin Zhan looked at Zhou Liao coldly, their reflections barely complete.

"What are you pretending for?"

Zhou Liao's breath caught, his hand holding the iodine frozen in mid-air.

Qin Zhan turned around and left the bathroom, bumping into Zhou Liao with his shoulder, causing him to stumble almost falling.

Zhou Liao's hands trembled; he couldn't bear seeing Qin Zhan's indifference towards him... but he knew he had no right to complain, given his past actions as the perpetrator.

Sitting in front of the computer, Qin Zhan dealt with messages, the wounds stinging like needles, gradually numbing with time.

After a while, a bottle of iodine appeared beside him, followed by a thud as the person beside him knelt down.

"Qin Zhan..."

There was no response. In the silence, Zhou Liao felt like he was being tortured.

After an unknown amount of time, Qin Zhan finished his messages and turned his head, looking at the kneeling figure through his glasses. Zhou Liao, with his hands behind his back, broad shoulders and narrow waist accentuated by his clothes, looked like a Greek god undergoing punishment in the dim light.

"What are you doing?" Qin Zhan asked expressionlessly.

"….. Was it them who hit you…." Zhou Liao could guess that because of Qin Zhan's borderline personality, he wouldn't get into disputes with others. He lowered his head, "I'm sorry."

Qin Zhan said nothing, his gaze inscrutable.

"I'm sorry, truly sorry."

"In the past, it was all my fault…. I swear it won't happen again…."

"I'll make them all drop out…."

Hearing "drop out," Qin Zhan found it amusing, just like those people quickly taken away by the police station: "People in power indeed know how to abuse it, all the same kind."

"No….. No. I just don't want them to treat you this way…." Zhou Liao's heart was pounding, "It must hurt…."

"Compared to what happened to you back then, it's nothing."

A cold voice fell down.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Liao trembled and lifted his head. Under Qin Zhan's gaze, he extended his tongue and licked up the blood trail on the other's neck, caused by fingernails, until he reached the scar on the Adam's apple. Then, he took the Adam's apple into his mouth, and at this moment, the other person visibly began to tremble slightly.

Zhou Liao's lips and tongue wrapped around the protruding Adam's apple, occasionally pressing against it as it rolled up and down.

Qin Zhan's fingers tangled into Zhou Liao's hair, his neck stretching slightly, revealing prominent blue veins on his pale skin.

"Is your apology a way to disinfect with saliva?"

"….. No, it's penance."