Chapter 23: Hotel

Chapter 23: Police Station

The officer pushed Xie Yu forward and gestured to Shen Ci, "Hello, he’s here. Here are the bail documents, please sign here."

Shen Ci nodded, picked up the pen, and signed, his demeanor cold and aloof.

Xie Yu stood to the side, hands in his pockets, and spoke first, "Why are you here?"

Even if someone were to bail me out, it shouldn’t have been you.

Shen Ci’s hand holding the pen paused. The office was freezing, with no heat, so he had draped a thick wool coat over his suit, his hands tucked into the sleeves. Xie Yu didn’t notice this small gesture.

Shen Ci continued signing, his gaze fixed on the document as if it were worth billions. "Your uncle asked me to bail you out."

"Xie Yuanhai?" Xie Yu was surprised, then laughed, "He’s got some conscience left. I thought he wouldn’t care about me."

After that, they fell silent.

Shen Ci had added thick clothing, but Xie Yu hadn’t. A cold draft swept through the hall, and Xie Yu couldn’t help but shiver.

Shen Ci immediately closed the document, his expression unchanged, "Let’s get in the car."

His car was parked right outside—a Bentley business sedan, with a crown-shaped LED headlight, an oversized chrome grille, and a fully loaded interior, no less expensive than Xie Yu’s car.

Xie Yu climbed into the passenger seat, pulled on the seatbelt, and sighed, "How the tables have turned. Now it’s my turn to ride in your car."

He extended his hand, "It’s been a while."

It was a polite handshake gesture.

Shen Ci’s gaze fell on Xie Yu’s outstretched hand, where there was a bloody gash from when he had punched He Zhiyuan and grazed a metal button. It wasn’t bleeding anymore, but the wound was open, the flesh swollen, still looking gruesome.

Xie Yu followed his gaze and saw the bloody wound. He guessed Shen Ci wouldn’t want to shake hands, so he withdrew his hand and smiled, "Let’s start over. What should I call you now? Mr. Shen? Chairman Shen? Or CEO Shen?"

Xie Yu had heard at a banquet that Shen Ci was a rising star in Jiangcheng, with a listed company under his name, but he didn’t know his exact position—whether he was a president, chairman, or CEO. And since the original text was a racy novel, it didn’t go into such details.

Shen Ci lowered his eyes, turned the car key with a click, and said indifferently, "...Whatever."

None of the three titles suited him.

Xie Yu used to call him "Teaching Assistant Shen." Back then, Shen Ci was just a young, inexperienced guy, with nothing to his name except the halo of a prestigious school. Xie Yu had called him "Teaching Assistant Shen" with a mix of teasing and mischief, his tone lazy, irritating him. Every time Shen Ci heard that frivolous address, he would frown inwardly.

But now, Xie Yu was calling him "Mr. Shen," "Chairman Shen," and "CEO Shen" with a cold and distant tone, like he was just some business contact—polite but not familiar. Shen Ci couldn’t help but frown again.

In those countless nights when Xie Yu had held him close, he hadn’t called him like this. Now, with such formality, Shen Ci had come all this way, only to be met with coldness.

Shen Ci suppressed the inexplicable emotion, his expression growing colder, "It’s late. I’ll take you back."

Before Xie Yu could say anything, the system screamed, "Ahhh! Why is he taking you back? Where’s my mental hospital? Where’s my finger-breaking?!"

Xie Yu reassured it, "Calm down. Look where we are—right in front of the police station. No matter how bold Shen Ci is, he can’t pull anything here. He must be planning to take me back first, see how things play out."

The system: "..."

Though he had a point, the system’s ominous feeling grew stronger. It was uneasy, "I hope so."

—Please don’t stir up more trouble; even an electronic heart can’t take it.

While the system was on edge, Xie Yu was pretty chill. He sprawled in the seat, stealing glances at Shen Ci. Shen Ci had apparently learned to drive at some point, driving with smooth precision. From Xie Yu’s angle, he could only see Shen Ci’s beautifully shaped profile.

Xie Yu sighed slightly, thinking to himself, "She’s grown up and changed so much."

But he saw Shen Ci turn the steering wheel onto the main road and ask flatly, "Where do you live?"

"A little inn over in Wengtou Village," Xie Yu replied.

Wengtou Village, that rundown urban area, had tangled streets lined with electric wires. After heavy snow, snowplows couldn’t enter, so residents shoveled it themselves, leaving muddy slush.

Shen Ci paused slightly.

He was surprised Xie Yu could live so comfortably in such a place.

Xie Yu was the young master of the Xie family, never lacking in food or clothing, always buying the most expensive things, staying only in top luxury hotel suites. Now, staying in a cheap inn for just a few bucks, he didn’t complain.

Xie Yu was considerate: "It’s a hassle to drive there, Mr. Shen. Just drop me at the entrance; I’ll walk."

"..."

There he goes with 'Mr. Shen' again.

Shen Ci's fingers gripped the steering wheel, not speaking for a long time, then suddenly laughed and said, "That’s too far out of the way. I’m not driving there."

Xie Yu didn’t push it: "Then just pull over; I’ll grab a cab."

The system kindly reminded: "The script says you probably can’t afford a cab right now."

Xie Yuanshan had deducted Xie Yu's money, and according to the script, he was broke during his studies and still is, so a cab’s out of the question.

Xie Yu changed his words: "Oh, I’ll just take the subway."

"..."

Shen Ci said expressionlessly: "Wengtou Village is seven kilometers from the nearest subway. You’re really taking the subway?"

Xie Yu tentatively asked: "I’ll walk the rest of the way?"

Seven kilometers, over an hour’s walk, and it’s freezing—Xie Yu’s in a thin suit; he’ll catch a cold.

Shen Ci pursed his lips slightly, then quickly relaxed, saying stiffly, "Uncle Xie asked me to bail you out. If I let you walk back, I’d look like a jerk."

Xie Yuanhai was a respected business elder, so the younger generation called him Uncle.

Xie Yu: "..."

Shen Ci’s words felt like a test: letting him in the car, giving the address, then refusing to drive, suggesting the subway, then saying he couldn’t walk. Xie Yu couldn’t decipher his meaning and felt a headache coming on.

Xie Yu: "System, what’s this about?"

The system: "Hmm? Maybe he thinks the subway’s not miserable enough to satisfy him?"

In his past life, Xie Yu wasn’t rich—he’d commuted by subway for years. It wasn’t that bad, hardly worth venting over.

Xie Yu understood.

He sighed and reached for the door: "Fine, I’ll walk."

It was nearly twenty kilometers to Wengtou Village—a three to five-hour walk.

As Xie Yu touched the handle, Shen Ci hit the lock. The Bentley sealed shut, the handle useless. Xie Yu tried the window, but it wouldn’t budge—the car was a steel trap.

Xie Yu: "..."

He was completely baffled, thinking to himself, "What on earth is going on? Is Shen Ci planning to brawl with me in the car? Beat me up to vent? But he wouldn’t stand a chance anyway."

Xie Yu turned his head. Shen Ci's face was frozen in cold fury, his lips pressed into a thin line. He gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white, his throat dry and bitter. A storm of emotions churned in his chest, finally erupting into a sneer: "If I let you walk back, wouldn’t Uncle Xie blame me for being a bad host?"

Xie Yu asked politely, "So what’s the plan?"

Shen Ci said flatly, "I’m done driving. There’s a hotel nearby; we’ll stay there."

After saying that, he quickly added, fearing Xie Yu might misunderstand, "Money’s not an issue."

Xie Yu also smiled, saying casually, "Then I’ll take you up on that."

This was Jiangcheng’s upscale district, adjacent to the great river, with a stunning riverside view. Many luxury hotels lined both banks. Xie Yu had once booked a suite here.

Shen Ci drove on, and five minutes later, stopped in front of a riverside skyscraper.

Xie Yu looked up and thought, "Huh, this seems familiar."

The system was excited: "Here we go!"

It shed two streams of tears, moved: "Thank the heavens, the plot’s back on track! With 65% done, no matter how crazy it was before, it couldn’t be that far off!"

With a 65% completion rate, it meant Shen Ci had at least suffered 65% of the original torment. Given the original host's actions, 65% should be enough to make him hate Xie Yu to the core.

Xie Yu seemed to understand: "So that’s why nothing worked before—it was all building up to this?"

In the original story, after Xie Yu was taken away from the venue, he was brought to this hotel. Shen Ci had been tortured and humiliated here by the original host. The huge floor-to-ceiling window was his lifelong nightmare. He’d been pinned there, stripped naked, while below was Jiangcheng's busiest commercial center, with endless streams of people and vehicles. Anyone with a telescope could’ve seen his humiliation.

Even later, when Shen Ci rose to prominence, becoming CEO, Chairman, and Executive, the nightmare never left him. Countless times in the middle of the night, he would remember this huge window, the neon lights outside, the fingerprints and bloodstains on the glass.

To quell the nightmare, Shen Ci chose to bring the original host here, breaking his fingers one by one, using his screams to wash away the past humiliation.

The system rubbed its hands together: "The pain-blocking system’s ready to go!"

Xie Yu gave an OK sign.

He followed Shen Ci, swiped the card, entered the elevator, walked to the top-floor suite, and stopped in front of the familiar redwood door. Shen Ci swiped the card smoothly, like he’d done it a thousand times.

The moment the lights turned on, Xie Yu paused slightly.

The room was clean but lived-in. The wine cabinet and wardrobe showed signs of use, and a shirt was draped over the back of the sofa... It seemed Shen Ci had been living here.

Xie Yu paused slightly.

Would he? Living in a room that was practically a nightmare?

The system popped up, whispering, "Is he... toughing it out for his goal?"

Xie Yu stepped in, speechless: "Don’t misuse idioms."

Shen Ci was a step ahead, calmly putting away the shirt, saying coldly, "I have work to attend to. I won’t disturb you anymore."

With that, he really didn’t look at Xie Yu again, hurriedly turned around, and left the room.

Xie Yu: "...What’s going on?"

Death sentence turned into a suspended sentence?

Considering Shen Ci's high position and heavy workload, Xie Yu could understand him working late at night. He glanced around the room and then lay down on the bed.

The system was surprised: "You’re really going to sleep?"

Xie Yu, ever laid-back, replied, "Why not? I’m dead tired."

The bed in the dingy hotel was old and stiff, creaking with every shift. Xie Yu hadn't slept well for several days.

After resting a bit, he washed up and went straight to bed, pulling the blanket over his head.

The system asked, "Not gonna take care of that hand wound?"

Though the wound was small, it had gotten wet, and the edges were turning white. If ignored, it might get infected.

Xie Yu said, "I’m too beat to bother."

He closed his eyes, "Even if Shen Ci’s up to something, I need to crash first."

*

A couple of blocks away, He Zhiyuan came out of the clinic.

Xie Yu had beaten him up, leaving him bruised and sore all over.

After the Lin Yin incident, his standing in the He family had tanked, and his expenses were strictly controlled. Now he was broke and couldn’t even hire a private doctor. In agony, he had to roam the streets for a clinic to patch him up.

It was almost midnight, and most clinics had shut down. Only this one was still lit up. He Zhiyuan limped in, got his wounds cleaned and bandaged, and popped two painkillers before feeling somewhat better.

After getting patched up, he stormed out, cursing Xie Yu and Shen Ci’s ancestors to the eighteenth generation, and entered the alley next to the clinic.

His car was parked there.

He Zhiyuan pressed the car key, the door unlocked, and the headlights flashed twice. He looked ahead and froze.

In the glare of the headlights, several figures stood.

The man in front was tall and lean, with a slim waist—exactly He Zhiyuan’s type. The woman next to him had long hair and a flowing dress, with a sweet vibe—also He Zhiyuan’s type. Normally, He Zhiyuan would’ve hit on them, but behind these two were six or seven security guards, all robust and strong.

He Zhiyuan’s eyes widened, and he bolted.

Lin Yin, the woman in front, said coolly, "Grab him."

The guards pounced, pinning He Zhiyuan to the ground like a ragdoll. Lin Yin, in heels, strode over and stepped on He Zhiyuan’s foot. He tried to scream, but his mouth was clamped shut.

Lin Yin stomped repeatedly, messing up his freshly bandaged wounds, and only then did she feel satisfied. She turned to the man in the shadows, "I’ve vented my anger."

She muttered, "It’s strange. Before, they always told me not to cause trouble. Why did they suddenly give the green light today?"

She had wanted to beat He Zhiyuan for a long time.

Hearing her question, the man finally stepped forward. He was very handsome, with a tall and slender figure and clear, elegant features, but his expression was cold, his face illuminated by the white light of the street lamp, appearing somewhat icy.

He Zhiyuan saw his face and struggled, "Mmm, mmm, mmm!" Shen Ci signaled the guards to release his mouth, and He Zhiyuan immediately burst into tears, "Shen Ci... Shen Ci, it’s my fault. I was blinded by greed. I shouldn’t have targeted you... Stop! What are you doing? What are you doing!?"

His voice was shrill. Shen Ci squatted down, looking at him levelly, "I don’t plan to do anything. I just want to ask you a few questions."

"...Ask, ask, I’ll tell you everything!"

Shen Ci had no intention of probing into the He family's business secrets. He Zhiyuan was a fool who hadn’t entered the core power circle yet, so no valuable information could be extracted from him. Today, he was here for something else.

"If I remember correctly, you grew up with Xie Yu?"

This is no secret. The He and Xie families have a good relationship. They are of similar age and both are spoiled rich kids, so it was easy for them to get along.

He Zhiyuan hesitated, and the security guard instantly forced his arm down. He yelped and answered, "Yeah, yeah, Xie Yu and I grew up together."

Shen Ci: "What's the origin of the scars on Xie Yu's back?"

He still remembers that night. Xie Yu was sound asleep, but his arms were tightly wrapped around him, pressing him into his embrace. The warmth of his embrace was intense, completely blocking out the winter's chill. Shen Ci nestled in his arms, feeling something he couldn’t quite put into words. He tentatively reached out to hug back, but froze the moment he touched Xie Yu's back, because the skin was covered with uneven scars.

Those scars ran horizontally and vertically across his entire back, with raised, ugly scars. Just looking at them, one could tell how much pain they must have caused.

But how could the privileged young master of the Xie family have such scars?

Over the years, Shen Ci had always been concerned about those scars. He had discreetly asked around, but the matter was kept secret. Xie Yuanshan seemed to have intentionally covered it up, and Shen Ci had never been able to find out. Shen Ci guessed that only Zhou Yang and He Zhiyuan knew the truth.

Zhou Yang had returned to the capital, and He Zhiyuan was usually surrounded by friends, making it hard to find an opportunity to ask. But today, he happened to run into him.

He Zhiyuan was stunned: "You're asking about this? It's no big deal. His father beat him."

"Xie Yu has a mental illness, you know? His father abused him since he was a child, even beat him into the ICU. Later, he became mentally unstable, acting all neurotic. I heard he has bipolar disorder—manic depression."

Afraid that he might get beaten again if he didn't say enough, he spilled everything about Xie Yu without hesitation.

Shen Ci looked at him, the shadows in his eyes shifting, making it difficult to read his expression. He asked softly, "So he likes to hit people?"

Bipolar disorder often comes with uncontrollable sexual addiction and abuse.

"Yeah, it’s his mental illness!" He Zhiyuan blurted out, "For people like them, hitting someone is like a fix, you know? After hitting someone, they calm down."

He shot Shen Ci a guilty look: "When he met you, he told us that the last 'fix' didn’t work anymore, so he found a new one. He hoped... he hoped you’d last longer."

Shen Ci stood up.

His expression was unreadable, his long lashes covering his eyes, his amber pupils deep and silent. Even Lin Yin sensed something was wrong. She asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Shen Ci only smiled: "Nothing."

He was just a little confused.

If it was a fix, why didn't he use it? That kind of kindness had only made him feel restless now, sparking a lot of wild ideas.