Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Just as Sheng Jinyu was about to rise, Su He stirred abruptly, throwing his arms around Sheng Jinyu’s neck with a clingy, pleading gesture. His fingers urgently traced Sheng Jinyu’s jawline, as if searching for his lips.

This was a habit Su He had developed during childhood illnesses.

He always needed to hold his grandmother’s hand during IV drips, needing to confirm he wasn’t left alone. Whenever his grandmother got up, he’d cling to her neck and whine.

His grandmother would always kiss his forehead to soothe him, calling him “my precious” and promising she’d be right back—only then would he calm down.

When the expected kiss on his forehead didn’t come, Su He refused to let go, impatiently rubbing his forehead against Sheng Jinyu like a frustrated kitten denied its milk.

Sheng Jinyu listened to the meaningless whimpers in his throat as Su He wriggled against him like a spoiled child. He nearly toppled over from the tugging, bracing a hand on the mattress to steady himself.

With a dry chuckle, he asked, “Are you truly feverish, or just pretending to be asleep?”

Su He didn’t answer. Instead, as if upset by the prolonged lack of response, his mouth twisted into a pout.

Sheng Jinyu, in a mischievous mood, pinched his nose shut. Unable to breathe, Su He had to open his mouth, tossing his head from side to side.

After a moment, Sheng Jinyu finally relented, leaning down to press a brief, perfunctory kiss to his forehead.

Just once. Then he gently but firmly guided Su He back onto the pillow, tucking his arms under the blanket. “Alright, sleep properly.”

Su He quieted immediately, curling onto his side and clutching the pillow without another stir.

Sheng Jinyu snorted.

His tone was biting as he remarked, “Use me and toss me aside, huh?”

~

After returning from Crane’s Peak, Su He’s cold hadn’t fully run its course. A mere draft set him coughing, so Sheng Jinyu stopped letting him accompany him when he went out.

Mindful of contagion, Su He wore a mask all day.

At dinnertime, Auntie Ling had the meal ready but couldn’t find Sheng Jinyu. S037 materialized, bobbing slightly. “The Young Master is in the study. But he seems in a foul mood—I just went to bring him water and was shooed away!”

“I’ll go call him down,” Su He said, his voice muffled by the mask.

Auntie Ling gave him a worried glance. “Ah He, you don’t need to wear that at home. It must be uncomfortable.”

“My cold isn’t completely gone yet. I don’t want to risk passing it to you,” Su He replied before making for the stairs.

Sheng Jinyu’s study was usually locked. When he wasn’t there, only Auntie Ling was allowed in for cleaning—Su He was one of the people expressly forbidden from entering.

But now, the door was wide open. Sheng Jinyu stood by the window, talking on the phone. Not wanting to seem like he was eavesdropping, Su He deliberately made his footsteps heavier as he approached the doorway. But he didn’t dare interrupt, so he lingered at the threshold, waiting.

The man on the phone didn’t seem to notice the noise at the door, riveted by Yan Yichen’s barrage of words on the other end.

“Zheng Chengqi really is sick—I found his hospital records. He has an older sister, Zheng Wanlan. He’s probably been recuperating at her place this whole time.”

Zheng Chengqi, the general manager of Qiuge, had once been one of Sheng Zonglan’s most trusted aides. He’d been with Sheng Zonglan longer than Sheng Jinyu had been alive, keeper of decades-old secrets.

Part of the reason Sheng Jinyu wanted control of Qiuge was because of this man.

But a month ago, Zheng Chengqi took sick leave, claiming he needed to use up his annual vacation days. Now, with the deadline approaching, he still hadn’t returned.

Sheng Jinyu let the silence stretch for a long moment before replying, “He knows exactly why I’m here. ‘Recuperation’ is a pretense. This is his way of refusing.”

“You mean he’s avoiding you because he doesn’t want to—or can’t—talk about Aunt Jiang’s disappearance?” Yan Yichen countered.

Sheng Jinyu gave a quiet “Mm,” then added, “Not just that. I also want to know what happened before I was born.”

Yang Yin, the youngest deputy director of Oak Mountain Research Institute, a brilliant scientist with a limitless future—

What could have driven her to resign, marry Sheng Zonglan, live in quiet despair for over a decade, and then, on a clear afternoon, throw herself from a moving car and vanish?

This secret, over twenty years old, was known only to Sheng Zonglan’s oldest confidants. Among those staunch loyalists, prying answers loose would be difficult.

But Zheng Chengqi was different. Once Sheng Zonglan’s right-hand man, he had been sidelined and relegated to a meaningless position at Qiuge after a falling-out with his former master.

Sheng Jinyu had to start with him.

“I want to know if she really hated me… or if she hated Sheng Zonglan so much that she couldn’t stand the sight of me by association.” Sheng Jinyu’s voice was so low it was almost inaudible, his tone icy.

Even Yan Yichen, eloquent as he was, didn’t know how to respond. These were the wounds Sheng Jinyu had always avoided—too painful to touch, yet too heavy to release.

Yan Yichen asked himself: If he had grown up under his father’s tyranny and his mother’s years of indifference and avoidance, he’d probably be halfway to madness too.

But at least Sheng Jinyu still seemed human. Yan Yichen honestly admired him for that.

Sheng Jinyu soon ended the call. After standing in silence for a while, he heard two measured knocks at the door. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“What is it?” Sheng Jinyu turned, crushing the cigarette between his fingers into the ashtray.

Su He didn’t step inside. “Dinner’s ready.”

His voice was already soft, and sensing the heavy atmosphere, he lowered it further—leaving it completely swallowed by the mask.

Sheng Jinyu didn’t catch a single word. He walked over, studying Su He. The fabric covered half his face, leaving only his wide, darting eyes visible.

They made him inexplicably agitated, reminding him of how Su He had clung to his neck, being clingy.

“How long are you planning to wear that?” Sheng Jinyu asked.

“Once my cold is completely gone, I can take it off,” Su He said, edging back slightly as he adjusted the mask.

“Doesn’t it feel suffocating?”

Su He seemed to smile—the mask lifted slightly at the corners of his eyes. “It’s fine. Not a big deal.”

Without warning, Sheng Jinyu reached out, tugging one ear strap of the mask. Seeing the red marks left on Su He’s face, he decisively peeled it off completely. Su He blinked in surprise, reaching for it, but Sheng Jinyu turned and tossed it into the trash.

“It’s not even a viral cold. Stop being so paranoid.” He strode out without looking back.

Su He took a deep breath of fresh air, then hurried after him.

It dawned on him belatedly that Sheng Jinyu might actually be… showing him concern? Ever since their return from the boat trip, Sheng Jinyu’s attitude had been strange.

Venturing out in the rain to fetch him from the mountain, lending him the bathroom, taking care of him all night while he was sick—and now, worrying about whether the mask was uncomfortable?

None of this seemed like something Sheng Jinyu would do. Especially since, technically, they were still supposed to be adversaries engaged in subtle contention.

Su He couldn’t figure out what had changed Sheng Jinyu’s opinion of him. But he had helped him a lot regardless.

Maybe he should prepare a thank-you gift?

Autumn came to Guanghzou, the temperature dropping slightly. The sun no longer scorched like a furnace, and the farther they went toward the sea, the more bracing the sea wind felt against their skin.

Su He stood on the deck, gazing at the gathering dark clouds on the horizon, then pulled down the sleeves he had rolled up to his elbows.

When he returned to the cabin, Sheng Jinyu had just finished a brief meeting with the survey team.

Recently, the Sheng Corporation had won a government infrastructure project bid. With such a government contract, there was no room for negligence. Sheng Jinyu personally oversaw the initial inspections to ensure smooth progress and prevent any mishaps.

Sheng Jinyu tilted his head slightly as he spoke with Executive Assistant Fang, walking out the door one after the other. Su He approached and noticed Sheng Jinyu patting his pockets, seemingly searching for something.

He handed Sheng Jinyu’s phone to him. “You left it on the dining table after lunch. I held onto it for you.”

Sheng Jinyu glanced at him, and Su He understood, saying frankly, “Don’t worry, I didn’t tamper with it.”

“How do I know you’re not the pot calling the kettle black?” Sheng Jinyu replied, though his tone held no real accusation—it sounded more like teasing.

“Then you can check it,” Su He said with a good-natured laugh.

Executive Assistant Fang glanced at the two of them, smiled, and discreetly stepped back.

By now, the offshore wind had grown wild, churning the waves and shattering the golden sunlight scattered across the water. The ship rocked gently.

Su He’s clothes flapped wildly in the wind, his hair tousled. He reached up to push back his hair and asked Sheng Jinyu, “When are we heading back to shore?”

“Getting bored?”

Su He shook his head. “Just feels like the weather doesn't look good.”

Sheng Jinyu looked toward Fang Cheng. Executive Assistant Fang understood immediately and went to the ship’s control room to inquire about the progress and estimated time of return.

In just half an hour, the seas grew heavier. The once-bright sky suddenly darkened. Executive Assistant Fang received a warning from the control room—due to the abrupt change in weather, they decided to return immediately.

A few fishing boats were still on the water, likely having received the storm warning, and were turning back toward the harbor.

Su He stood on the rocking bow, struggling to stay upright.

It happened in a flash.

The waves surged violently, washing over the deck and leaving it slick. A crew member shouted, “Everyone, back to the cabins!”

Su He dashed toward the nearest cabin door, even helping a fallen colleague up and shoving her inside. Just then, the boat lurched violently, and Su He lost his footing, pitching overboard.

In the chaos, he instinctively grabbed the railing, barely avoiding going overboard. The churning waves drenched him from head to toe.

His ears felt clogged, as if filled with cotton, making it hard to distinguish between the howling wind and shouting voices.

Su He forced his eyes open and saw Sheng Jinyu gripping his wrist tightly, trying to pull him up while muttering, “Who asked you to play hero?!”

His wrist ached as if it were being crushed. Su He coughed a few times, using Sheng Jinyu’s strength to climb back up the hull. “What’s happening?”

“A storm,” Sheng Jinyu ground out through clenched teeth.

The storm had arrived too suddenly, plunging the ship into pandemonium. The howling wind mixed with frantic shouts—someone had fallen overboard. The crew scrambled to rescue them, but the ship rocked violently, sending more crew overboard.

Sheng Jinyu maintained his grip on Su He's wrist, but even he couldn’t steady himself. A massive wave crashed over them, and with a final tug, both he and Su He were dragged into the frigid waters.