Chapter 48

Chapter 48

In the vast villa, a gaunt young man sat on the sofa, lost in thought. His features were refined, yet his youthful face bore a world-weariness beyond his years. His eyes, devoid of youthful vitality, seemed hollow, resembling those of a man in his seventies or eighties.

Dressed in a white shirt with cuffs slightly rolled up, revealing a delicate, pale wrist, he fidgeted nervously, his calloused palms clammy with sweat.

His gaze fixed on the phone on the table, his anxiety mounted. He bit his lip, then, with visible reluctance, picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

*Beep—beep—*

The ringing tone pulsed in his ear, heightening his tension. His fists instinctively clenched, and a fine sheen of sweat appeared on his temples.

“Hello? What do you want?”

The moment the call connected, an impatient voice came from the other end. The young man’s eyes brightened, and he quickly spoke:

“Ruze, are you coming home for dinner tonight? It’s my parents’ death anniversary in a few days…”

“Lin Xingshu, how many times do I have to tell you?”

Before he could finish, the other man cut him off, his tone icy. Lin Xingshu’s heart skipped a beat. He could already picture the man’s angry expression. His lips trembled slightly, but he dared not utter another word.

“Back then, to protect you, my parents strong-armed me into marrying you. If not for the circumstances, I would never have married you. Our Zhou family settled your Lin family’s massive debts. You should know your place and not bother me while I’m working.”

Zhou Ruze’s voice was cold. As Lin Xingshu listened to his words, his face gradually paled.

Just as Zhou Ruze had said, he had been forced into this marriage.

Before the Lin family went bankrupt, he had been the privileged heir of the Lin family, with countless admirers—Zhou Ruze among them.

But when the Lin family fell from grace overnight, burdened with billions in debt, he went from being the darling of society to a laughingstock in their set. His parents, unable to bear the blow, passed away one after another. At the time, he was only a sophomore in college. He had to drop out and scrounge for whatever work he could find.

Yet, with the Lin family’s downfall and people deliberately making life hell for him, he couldn’t find stable work. He washed dishes in restaurants, worked in factories, and delivered food in his spare time.

Despite his relentless efforts, the money he earned barely made a dent.

Unable to repay the debts, creditors sent goons to harass him or even beat him up. During that time, he was never without fresh bruises. Just as he was about to give up and end his life, Zhou Ruze’s mother tracked him down.

Back when the Lin family was prosperous, Zhou Ruze’s mother and his own had been thick as thieves. She had always liked him and had repeatedly pushed for Zhou Ruze to court him.

He had thought Zhou Ruze’s mother came to mock him, but to his surprise, she offered to settle his mountain of debt—on the condition that he marry Zhou Ruze.

At that point, he truly had been backed into a corner. If he didn’t marry Zhou Ruze, death was his only option. But he was barely twenty—how could he bring himself to die silently in that shabby rented room?

So he agreed. Initially, he thought Zhou Ruze knew about the arrangement. Touched by the idea that Zhou Ruze didn’t mind his ruined status, he resolved to be a dutiful spouse after marriage, to take care of him wholeheartedly.

But to his shock, Zhou Ruze refused to take wedding photos or hold a ceremony. They rushed through a courthouse wedding, and he moved into the Zhou household with just the clothes on his back.

During the early days of their marriage, apart from the day they registered, he never saw Zhou Ruze again. And on that day, Zhou Ruze hadn’t so much as cracked a smile or uttered a word to him.

Later, due to Zhou Ruze’s indifference and coldness, conflicts inevitably arose. They went at each other—or rather, Zhou Ruze tore into him.

It was during that argument that he finally realized the truth: Zhou Ruze had been forced into this marriage. He already had someone he loved, and Lin Xingshu had stolen that person’s place.

From then on, guilt and unease ate at him. He lived under this shadow every day, unable to escape.

So whenever Zhou Ruze blew up at him, Lin Xingshu never dared to argue back. He owed him. No matter how Zhou Ruze insulted him, he wouldn’t get angry.

But today…

“Stop calling me. I’m busy.”

“Wait, Ruze… I just wanted to ask if you could accompany me to my parents’ death anniversary in a few days. When they were alive, they treated you well…”

“No. I don’t have time. Go by yourself.”

Lin Xingshu wanted to say more, but then he heard an unfamiliar male voice on Zhou Ruze’s end: “What, your wife calling? That’s no way to talk—you’ll break his heart.”

The voice was teasing, laced with lazy amusement, sounding like a young man.

“A Guan, it’s not… Ugh, he’s just picking a fight.”

With a *click*, the call ended. Lin Xingshu went stock-still, staring blankly at his phone.

*A Guan… Could it be… Xie Guan?*

Lin Xingshu froze. He remembered now—Zhou Ruze’s beloved was named Xie Guan.

He had heard of Xie Guan before. He used to be part of their set but had gone abroad at sixteen or seventeen, after which nothing was heard of him. The two had met once as children, but it was just a fleeting meeting—they weren’t close.

He had actually returned… and was now with Zhou Ruze…

In an instant, Lin Xingshu felt as if a dark cloud loomed over his head. The distant roll of thunder echoed in his ears, as though the sky was about to open up.

Subconsciously biting his knuckle, his ears rang with static.

Zhou Ruze never allowed anyone into his office. Yet Xie Guan had just returned, and the two were already together. Zhou Ruze had even made an exception to let Xie Guan into his office. He had never used such a doting tone with Lin Xingshu—his voice when speaking to Xie Guan had been so gentle…

He had a feeling—this marriage of his was about to end.

*

That night, it was already late. Lin Xingshu had gotten ready for bed and prepared to return to his room to sleep. He and Zhou Ruze had always kept separate bedrooms, never sharing any intimacy.

Three or four years into their marriage, Zhou Ruze rarely spoke to him and seldom came home. Lin Xingshu had wanted to work, but the Zhou family had stopped him. Every day, he stayed in the villa like some kept invalid, with no friends or social life. Some days, he barely spoke a word.

He felt like a caged canary, forever trapped within the Zhou family’s gilded cage.

But what could he do? Everything he had was given by the Zhou family. Without them, he would have died long ago in that damp, dark rented room.

*Buzz—*

His phone suddenly rang. Lin Xingshu was jolted from his thoughts and picked it up—the caller ID showed Zhou Ruze.

He froze. Why would Zhou Ruze call him all of a sudden?

After a moment’s hesitation, afraid of provoking Zhou Ruze’s temper, he answered cautiously: “Hello? Is something wrong?”

The other end was silent, save for labored breathing. Lin Xingshu timidly ventured a few more times, but there was no response. Just as he was about to hang up, a gravelly voice came through:

“Are you Zhou Ruze’s wife?”

Lin Xingshu’s grip on the phone tightened. The person on the other end wasn’t Zhou Ruze—it was Xie Guan.

“Yes… Who is this?”

“I’m Zhou Ruze’s friend. He’s drunk at XX Bar. Can you get over here and get him?”

Drinking together this late…

Lin Xingshu gritted his teeth, feeling like he'd been cuckolded. If it were his former self, he would have made sure those two wouldn't leave in one piece. But times had changed—his pride had been ground to dust under years of humiliation.

He took a deep breath and replied softly, "Alright, I’ll be right there. Please keep an eye on him."

"Sure, drive carefully."

Lin Xingshu frowned. He didn’t even know Xie Guan—why was the man suddenly showing concern for him?

Out of politeness, he still responded with a quiet acknowledgment before quickly driving to the bar.

This was his first time ever stepping into a bar. The deafening music, thick tobacco smoke, and sour stench of alcohol filled his nostrils. His attire made him stick out like a sore thumb among the younger crowd, and the sidelong looks directed his way only heightened his nervousness.

Amid the noisy chaos, he spotted his utterly drunk husband from afar—alongside the devastatingly handsome young man beside him.

The man had shoulder-length, slightly curled hair, with a single earring dangling from one ear, accentuating his already mesmerizing, otherworldly beauty. He wore a black shirt, its top buttons undone just enough to reveal a glimpse of his collarbone. The sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, exposing his well-defined arms—a physique that starkly contrasted with his delicate, almost feminine features.

*He was breathtaking.* Lin Xingshu finally understood why Zhou Ruze had been so infatuated all these years. Even he couldn’t help but be captivated.

Pursing his lips, Lin Xingshu strode toward Xie Guan. Upon noticing him, Xie Guan seemed momentarily taken aback before speaking, "You’re Zhou Ruze’s wife, right?"

Lin Xingshu gave a slight nod. "Yes. Hello, I’m Lin Xingshu."

Zhou Ruze was completely plastered. Lin Xingshu gave him a few tentative pats, but there was no response—only incoherent mumbling.

"Thank you. I’m sorry for the trouble my husband has caused you."

After a brief expression of gratitude to Xie Guan, Lin Xingshu turned back to Zhou Ruze, his frown deepening. With effort, he flipped Zhou Ruze over, only to discover his face was covered in bruises—his once-delicate features now swollen beyond recognition.

Startled, Lin Xingshu instinctively looked at Xie Guan. Xie Guan’s gaze swept over Zhou Ruze’s face before he said coolly:

"Nothing serious, he took a spill when he was drunk."

"Is that so..."

But something felt off—these injuries didn’t look like they were from a fall; more like someone had beaten him.

Lin Xingshu shook his head and was just about to carry Zhou Ruze when a strong arm suddenly appeared in front of him. Xie Guan easily pulled Zhou Ruze upright, his dark eyes meeting Lin Xingshu’s as he smiled faintly:

"Let me handle it. He’s too heavy for you. Let’s go."

With that, Xie Guan took the lead, carrying Zhou Ruze out. Lin Xingshu hesitated for a moment before following behind the two. This time, he finally caught what Zhou Ruze was muttering.

Zhou Ruze was calling Xie Guan’s name. He was saying he liked Xie Guan.

Lin Xingshu swiftly lowered his gaze, pretending not to have heard, but his bitten-down lips gave him away.

His husband, blackout drunk, was calling another man’s name—and that man was right beside him, holding him close. Meanwhile, Lin Xingshu, as Zhou Ruze’s spouse, stood there like a stranger, unable to utter a single word in the face of their closeness.

Things weren’t like before. He was no longer the Lin Xingshu of the past. He didn’t even deserve to stand among these rich kids.

Compared to Zhou Ruze’s other friends, Xie Guan had already shown him considerable respect...

A sour pang twisted in his chest as Lin Xingshu silently followed the two and got into the driver’s seat. He had assumed Xie Guan would place Zhou Ruze in the passenger seat, but instead, the man settled him in the back and took the seat beside him.

Lin Xingshu hesitated but said nothing, starting the car. Just as he was about to shift gears, a warm hand suddenly rested on the back of his own, fingers grazing his hand, slow and deliberate.

Lin Xingshu flinched, snapping his head up, only to meet Xie Guan’s amused gaze. He instinctively tried to pull away, but Xie Guan’s fingers locked around his wrist.

In the confined space, he could even hear Xie Guan’s heavy breathing.

"Wh-what are you doing...?"

"Mr. Lin, a husband like this must wear you out, no? Married, yet still flirting around, completely disregarding his spouse’s feelings... Mr. Lin..."

Xie Guan leaned closer, his voice low and laced with amusement. "You haven’t slept with him in ages, have you?"