Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The three men took their seats.

The round table was draped with a red velvet cloth, almost touching the floor.

Li Jingtang was in high spirits, certain Chen Zui would be astonished to see him.

Gu Beichen: "Mr. Chen, what prompted your decision to develop your business in Fengcheng upon returning to the country?"

Chen Zui: "For someone."

He answered frankly, his gaze subtly flitting towards Li Jingtang.

Li Jingtang glared back—*What are you looking at, you bastard?*

Gu Beichen, oblivious to the unspoken tension, grew curious: "A lover?"

Chen Zui offered a faint smile: "Not yet."

Li Jingtang thought to himself, *Who’s the unlucky soul that caught the eye of a scoundrel like you? Better not let me find out, or I’ll make sure to ruin it for you.*

Gu Beichen offered a few polite words, wishing Chen Zui success in winning his crush. He then wondered why Li Jingtang was so unusually quiet today.

He had to carry the conversation all by himself.

When a waiter approached to pour wine for Chen Zui, Gu Beichen intervened, his eyes falling on Chen Zui’s hand: "Mr. Chen, with your injury, perhaps it’s best not to drink."

One had to admit, this thoughtful gesture was quite endearing.

Chen Zui subtly raised his hand: "This? A dog bit me."

No sooner had he spoken than the person opposite him nearly crushed his wine glass. Unfortunately, Gu Beichen wasn't picking up on Li Jingtang’s reaction and chimed in: "Your dog, Mr. Chen? Quite fierce, I must say. No offense, but such dogs need to be taught a lesson…"

Before he could finish, Li Jingtang kicked him hard under the table.

Gu Beichen yelped, looking at Li Jingtang in disbelief.

*What’s wrong with you?*

Li Jingtang: "Sorry, leg cramp."

Then, with a sidelong glance, he added: "Do you know why my leg cramped? Because I’m furious at a blind stray dog. I’ll take care of him sooner or later!"

He shot a fierce look at Chen Zui.

Chen Zui smiled without replying, maintaining his composed demeanor.

Gu Beichen didn’t catch the underlying meaning and was left puzzled: *…Did anyone ask you?*

Throughout the meal, Gu Beichen carried the conversation alone. Fortunately, Chen Zui was accommodating and never left his words hanging, which greatly increased Gu Beichen’s favor toward him.

After several rounds of drinks.

Gu Beichen: "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

As soon as he left, a pair of chopsticks flew from across the table towards Chen Zui, landing on the dishes in front of him before bouncing to the floor.

"You dared to lock me up! Bet you didn’t expect me to get out, did you?"

Chen Zui glanced at the two stains splashed on his sleeve, his expression slightly displeased.

"Now that I’m out…"

Li Jingtang picked up a wine bottle and strode towards Chen Zui, his handsome face contorted with rage: "It’s time we settled the score!"

He swung the bottle at Chen Zui.

Chen Zui thought he never learned his lesson, still daring to attack him. He dodged swiftly from his chair. Li Jingtang struck with force but lacked control, stumbling forward when his swing missed.

Chen Zui pushed back his chair and stood up, grabbing the stumbling Li Jingtang and pinning him face-up on the table.

He snatched the wine bottle from Li Jingtang’s hand.

"So what if you got out?"

Chen Zui said quietly, holding down the struggling Li Jingtang as he tilted the bottle and poured the wine directly into his mouth.

*You’ll still end up under my control.*

The wine gushed down, and Li Jingtang could be heard gulping loudly. Even so, he couldn’t keep up, his face and clothes drenched.

Chen Zui emptied the entire bottle.

After the last drop fell, Li Jingtang choked and coughed uncontrollably.

Chen Zui released him, and the nearly drowned man slid to his knees on the floor. Chen Zui pulled his chair back and sat down, making it look like Li Jingtang was kneeling before him.

When Gu Beichen returned, this was the scene that greeted him. He blinked—*Is this for real?*

He glanced at Li Jingtang: *Bro, are you that eager to please a handsome guy?*

Li Jingtang hadn’t realized Gu Beichen was back. As soon as he caught his breath, he lunged at Chen Zui again. Chen Zui pressed down on his shoulder, seemingly casual but effectively restraining him: "Mr. Li, you should be more careful when picking up chopsticks. Let me help you up—we wouldn’t want Mr. Gu to misunderstand and think I’m bullying you."

Gu Beichen: *Oh, picking up chopsticks.*

"Not at all, no way." He walked over.

Hearing Gu Beichen’s voice, Li Jingtang finally calmed down. Not wanting to lose face in front of his friend, he reluctantly picked up the chopsticks from the floor as Chen Zui suggested, then shook off Chen Zui’s now-relaxed grip on his shoulder.

Through gritted teeth, he said: "Found them."

Gu Beichen watched as Li Jingtang picked up the chopsticks, realizing he had wrongly accused his friend of being lust-driven.

"How did picking up chopsticks end up like this?" He eyed the dripping wet man, his soaked clothes accentuating his well-built figure. It dawned on him—Li Jingtang had taken a liking to Chen Zui and was deliberately using this wet look to seduce him. *What a sly move, you sneaky devil.*

Li Jingtang climbed to his feet and, as he left, deliberately stepped on Chen Zui’s foot.

Chen Zui smiled silently.

*Childish.*

Li Jingtang went to change clothes, not wanting to see Chen Zui again for fear of dying from rage, so he took his time.

After forty or fifty minutes with no sign of him returning, Gu Beichen considered going to look for him but didn’t want to leave Chen Zui alone.

Chen Zui stood up to take his leave.

"Mr. Gu, thank you for your hospitality today. Next time, I’ll host—I hope you won’t refuse."

"Definitely."

Gu Beichen walked Chen Zui out and went to find Li Jingtang. As soon as he opened the door, he exclaimed, "You jerk! Why'd you bail on him? Weren’t you trying to seduce him?"

Li Jingtang looked up, confused. *What was he talking about?*

As Gu Beichen rambled on, Li Jingtang got madder and madder. Truly, *trash talk comes from a trash mouth*—how could he say Li Jingtang was interested in Chen Zui!

The only interest he had was in destroying Chen Zui.

He went home, pissed.

—

After freshening up, Li Jingtang cracked open a bottle of liquor, dropped a few ice cubes into a glass, and added a mint leaf. It was snowing outside again. Since the last incident, he’d stationed two more bodyguards outside.

As he drank, Li Jingtang schemed how to take down Chen Zui. Physically, it felt like it would take at least ten men to overpower him. Drugging him seemed more reliable—let him taste what it was like to be imprisoned.

He set down his glass.

After scrolling through his phone for a while, Li Jingtang headed to the bedroom. His room was decorated in a modern minimalist style. He went to the bedside table, picked up the bottle of melatonin, took one pill, then walked around the bed to brush his teeth and rinse his mouth.

Only then did he climb into bed, turn off the light, and go to sleep.

In the pitch-black bedroom, Li Jingtang’s breathing gradually grew steady and deep. Outside, the snow fell silently. Suddenly, a hand reached out from under the bed.

Then, a person slowly crawled out from beneath the bed. In the darkness, their eyes shone with an unsettling gleam.

The figure stood up—tall and imposing—and stared at the sleeping Li Jingtang.

Ao Tian muttered, "Would Li Jingtang die of fright if he opened his eyes right now?"

Ao Tian giggled, "Hehehe~"

He would note this in his little book. Later, he could pull the same trick…

—

Li Jingtang opened his eyes to darkness. Was it still not morning? It felt like he’d been asleep for a long time…

He blinked. Something seemed to be covering them. He instinctively tried to raise his hand but found he couldn’t move it.

Li Jingtang jolted awake. When he tried to call out, he realized something was stuffed in his mouth. He attempted to push it out with his tongue, but the lower half of his face was tightly bound, making it impossible to move his tongue.

In other words, he couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, and couldn’t see a thing.

Goosebumps prickled across his skin.

He didn’t even know whether it was day or night outside.

*Who?*

*Who had done this?*

Chen Zui’s face flashed through his mind—those eyes, so controlling and confident, so clearly up to no good.

*Was it him?*

*It had to be him.*

*Was he here now?*

*If he was, what else did he plan to do to him?*

Even though Li Jingtang considered himself brave, fear began to creep into his heart.

Another question: *where was he now?*

*His own home?*

*Then could his brother save him again?*

Li Jingtang knew nothing—that was the terrifying part. Every second felt excruciatingly long, torturing his mind and gradually making his body increasingly uncomfortable.

Chen Zui was indeed there, sitting in an armchair to the left of the foot of the bed. He made no sound, like a statue, his gaze fixed on the struggling figure.

*It was useless.*

*He wouldn’t break free.*

Before long, cold sweat began to drip from Li Jingtang’s face, and his breathing grew more and more ragged.

In the absolute darkness, Li Jingtang felt as if he had been tied up for an eternity. Occasionally, he could hear faint sounds from outside, which only made him more anxious. How could he possibly be rescued?

He hadn’t adjusted to the darkness; instead, he was starting to fear it.

It felt as if something like tiny insects were crawling over his body, making him uncomfortable, making him want to scream. But his body wouldn’t move, and no sound would come out. The torment was driving him mad.

Chen Zui watched Li Jingtang’s face grow paler and paler.

*He must be afraid.*

*He probably never imagined he’d one day be the one tied up.*

*Now he knew how it felt.*

*The untamable President Li.*

Li Jingtang desperately needed to pee. He made muffled sounds, unsure if anyone was there but still trying to communicate.

Chen Zui saw it. He hadn’t covered the other with a blanket and had even stripped off his clothes. Waking up in the morning naturally meant a trip to the bathroom, and after so much time had passed, even with psychological distress, the body’s functions continued normally.

Still, he gave no response.

It was as if Li Jingtang were alone in the room.

Li Jingtang was going insane. The moment he realized he needed to pee, the urge became overwhelming. He couldn’t ignore it. The more he struggled, the stronger the urge grew.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. He only knew his bladder was about to burst.

*Probably no one was here, right? There wasn’t a sound.*

But no matter what, he was likely on a bed. He couldn’t possibly wet the bed, could he? His mind could still reason, but his body could no longer resist. A few drops of urine trickled out.

They slid down his rigid length, almost like a temptation, urging Li Jingtang to just let go—after all, no one was around.

Li Jingtang’s pale face flushed red. This was a silent battle he fought alone. He gritted his teeth and held on a little longer, but in a moment of inadvertent distraction, he lost control completely.

He’d only wondered—what would the other do if he returned and saw this wet spot?

His heart skipped a beat.

Just that one second caused him to lose control, and the sound of rushing water echoed. Once it started, Li Jingtang couldn't hold back anymore and urinated.

Chen Zui curled the corners of his lips.

Li Jingtang felt both relief from releasing and humiliation from wetting the bed. Tormented and in agony, he had never experienced such a thing in his life of ease, almost succumbing in this hopeless darkness.

He even trembled twice after finishing.

It took Li Jingtang a while to come to his senses, praying desperately that no one would come in. Just then, his leg was suddenly touched, startling him so much his heart seemed to stop beating.

*There was someone here!*

Li Jingtang’s eyes, still covered, froze in terror. There had been someone else here all along! Witnessing the entire process of him wetting the bed!

Realizing this, the proud man nearly fainted.

That hand simply slid up casually, lightly, bringing him boundless humiliation!

*Whoever it was, he would definitely make them pay for this!*

Just as he was thinking this, the other person suddenly flicked his penis.

—

—

The flick made him shudder. Shame made him flush red all over, and he thrashed violently.

*This was humiliation!*

The other was mocking him in this way, more powerfully than any words.

That hand continued upward, finally pressing against his lips through the fabric.

Li Jingtang frowned.

Chen Zui lowered his head close to Li Jingtang’s ear and spoke slowly, “Little... fountain...”

Li Jingtang, who had been struggling, stopped moving. This voice belonged to that damnable Chen Zui!

“Mmph mmph mmph…” He began struggling frantically again, then he heard a soft chuckle, almost driving him insane!

He had humiliated himself completely in front of the last person he wanted to see.

“Goodbye.”

Chen Zui took the blanket and covered Li Jingtang.

At these words, Li Jingtang went still again, his eyes straining to see through the gaps in the cloth. Was he leaving? He heard footsteps fading away, making him anxious.

Wasn't he going to untie him? Or continue tormenting him?

Just leaving him alone again in this darkness?

“Mmph mmph mmph—” (Don’t go! Damn it! Get back here!)

He heard the sound of the door opening. Li Jingtang breathed rapidly: “Mmph mmph—” (Chen Zui! Chen Zui!)

Then he heard the door click shut. The man seemed to have all the fight go out of him in an instant. His eyes darted nervously—he was alone again. When would he come back? When would he release him?

*Why did he leave just like that?*

*Come back!*

*Come back…*

At this moment, Li Jingtang ached for Chen Zui to return, to not leave him.

—

Chen Zui: “Thank you, thanks for your help.”

Ao Tian: “No problem, we’re accomplices… no, companions!”

Chen Zui drove off.

Ao Tian: “Hm?”

Chen Zui: “What’s wrong?”

Ao Tian: “Strange? Why did the favorability rating increase by 1%?”

Chen Zui had just finished torturing Li Jingtang and hadn’t used his brother’s identity to show kindness. How could the favorability have increased?

Hearing Ao Tian’s words, Chen Zui’s expression grew serious, and his fingers drummed thoughtfully on the steering wheel.

Li Jingtang, in the quiet darkness, had lost all sense of time. He only prayed for time to speed up so Chen Zui might come back again.

Suddenly, he heard the door open, followed by the familiar voice of his chief bodyguard: “Boss!”

Li Jingtang: !

The bodyguards untied Li Jingtang’s hands and feet and removed the cloth covering his eyes and mouth.

Li Jingtang looked from them to the room. He had been at home all along…

He spat out the medical gauze, his gaze falling on the blanket hiding his disgrace. He remembered Chen Zui had covered him with it.

Ao Tian: “That’s weird. It’s risen to 9%.”

Chen Zui also found it puzzling.

Li Jingtang: “All of you, leave.”

Though he was full of questions, he needed to handle his wet bed situation first.

Everyone left.

He took a shower, flushed with embarrassment as he stripped the sheets and quilt cover and threw them into the trash, then viciously kicked the trash can in frustration.

He, Li Jingtang, had never suffered such a humiliating setback in his life. He had considered many possibilities but never imagined it would happen in his own home. Outside, it was daytime—when had Chen Zui come?

Li Jingtang grabbed his phone.

An unfamiliar number had sent him a photo—a picture of him wetting the bed.

He didn’t have to guess to know who that unfamiliar number belonged to.

"Damn it!"

Li Jingtang flung his phone, shattering it on the ground.

The man was seething with anger.

He stomped downstairs, his footsteps filled with rage. The bodyguards, aware of their failure, lined up with their heads bowed low.

Li Jingtang: "Get your weapons and follow me!"

The bodyguards exchanged surprised glances at avoiding reprimand and hurriedly followed Li Jingtang.

Chen Zui had just arrived at the horse ranch when he received a call from his assistant: "Boss, Li Jingtang brought people to wreck the office!"

Chen Zui raised an eyebrow: "Ignore him. Everyone gets the day off today."

Li Jingtang sat in the boss’s chair with a cigarette clenched between his teeth. The bodyguards he brought had completely wrecked the place. Strange, where was Chen Zui?

Just as he was thinking this, someone walked over and told the gathered employees: "The boss says take the day off. Everyone head home."

Li Jingtang: !

He instantly clenched his fists.

He suddenly felt like a clown.

After a stunned moment, the employees began to cheer. Even though the office was in shambles, they left happily, and a few even thanked Li Jingtang as they left.

Li Jingtang wanted to kill Chen Zui more than ever.

He took out his new phone, found the unknown number, and called it.

"The number you have dialed is currently busy and temporarily unavailable. Sorry…"

Li Jingtang almost destroyed this new phone too.

——

Meanwhile, Chen Zui was galloping. The powerful black horse, sleek and spirited, carried Chen Zui forward across the grassland, charging toward the setting sun.

The tall man on horseback cut a dashing figure, as radiant as the blazing sun.

He reveled in his freedom.

Ao Tian was jealous: "When I become a man, I want to ride a horse too."

Chen Zui: "Not just ride a horse—you must make the most of life."

Ao Tian: "I sure will!"

Chen Zui rode to the riverbank, where the light shimmered on the water like gold. Across the river lay lush, green mountains, and the clouds at sunset in the sky looked like a mermaid's pink-purple tail.

He admired the beautiful scenery. Although he had work to do, as someone who had already died once, he believed it was important to snatch moments of relaxation.

Li Jingtang’s car was stuck in traffic. Already in a bad mood, he grew even more irritated by the constant honking around him.

His phone vibrated.

As he reached for it, the red mark was still visible around his wrist. Chen Zui had sent another photo.

His heart tightened. He opened it and saw a beautiful landscape that momentarily calmed him.

But why send this?

He typed and sent a message.

Chen Zui saw two words: "You’re crazy!"

He scoffed.

Li Jingtang’s car crept forward. He turned to look out the window and spotted an unexpected figure… Yuan Man was eating at a table set up outside a fast-food restaurant by the roadside.

The other man seemed to know Chen Zui—otherwise, why would Chen Zui have just given him five million?

"Stop the car."

Yuan Man shoveled rice hungrily. He needed to eat well to have the energy to work. This fast-food place offered a meal for fifteen yuan, with all-you-can-eat rice and seaweed egg drop soup. He came here often.

As he lifted his soup bowl, he saw a cold, harsh face staring back at him.

Soup dripped from the corner of Yuan Man’s mouth as he froze, terrified.

Li Jingtang looked down, his gaze straightforwardly fixed on Yuan Man’s broad chest.

The next second, Yuan Man put down his soup bowl and turned to run, but two bodyguards stepped in to block his path.

Yuan Man felt like he had the worst luck in the world. Why did he have to attract this plague? He turned back: "What do you want from me?!"

Li Jingtang: "Let’s talk."

"I have nothing to say to you!" Yuan Man had no respect for him. He was straight, after all—it’s just that his wife had passed away early, and his child had fallen ill. He had no other options back then, otherwise he would never have…

"I don’t like men. Can’t you just let me go? You’re rich—there are plenty of…"

His voice was loud, and people nearby turned to look.

Li Jingtang: "Shut up."

Yuan Man: "There are plenty of men willing to sleep with you. Why must you cling to me like…"

Li Jingtang grabbed his padded jacket, and Yuan Man fell silent.

"Do you know Chen Zui?"

Yuan Man blinked: "Who?"

Li Jingtang tried to see if his reaction was genuine or feigned: "You took five million from him. Don’t you know who he is?"

Yuan Man realized who he was talking about and asked excitedly: "You know him? Where can I find him? I want to thank him for lending me the money so my Miao Miao could have a successful surgery and survive…"

The man started rambling on his own.

Li Jingtang: "Who is Miao Miao?"

Yuan Man: "My son."

Li Jingtang: !

He let go of Yuan Man as if he had touched something filthy and took a step back: "You fucking have a family and you still sell yourself!"

The gossipers: ⊙▽⊙ (wide-eyed), *How thrilling!*

Yuan Man blushed: "What nonsense are you spouting? I was... I was..."

Li Jingtang now understood that the other had no idea who Chen Zui was. Chen Zui was probably after him that day, and he even said he was very interested in him.

He figured it out.

Chen Zui did all this just to get his attention.

Feeling much better, the man left with his men.

Leaving Yuan Man confused about what had just happened, he cursed angrily: "He's insane!"

——

The doorbell rang.

Chen Zui looked at Li Jingtang displayed on the video doorbell. The man was wearing a dark-colored long coat, standing next to a bicycle with training wheels.

A moment later, Chen Zui, wearing a sky-blue puffer jacket, a mask, and a hat, stepped out.

He ran to the front gate, unlocking it as he asked, "What brings you here?"

Their outfits were strikingly different—one looked like a big shot, the other like a college student.

Li Jingtang: "Here to return the bike."

The difference between the two brothers was so obvious you could tell at a glance: "He didn’t give you a hard time, did he?"

Chen Zui reached out to take the bike, and his sleeve rode up a bit, revealing a distinct diagonal red mark on his arm. He said, "No."

Seemingly unaware of the exposure, he wheeled the bike past Li Jingtang and inside.

Li Jingtang narrowed his eyes, grabbed his wrist, and, amid Chen Zui’s exclamation, rolled the sleeve up a little further, taking in the shocking, whip-like mark.

"Did he do this?"

Chen Zui pushed his hand away and hurriedly pulled his sleeve back down: "No, it wasn't him. You should leave quickly. If my brother comes back and sees you..."

"Anyway, don’t provoke my brother."

Li Jingtang grabbed him again, avoiding the injured area on his arm: "Come with me."

This Chen Zui actually treated his own brother like this. But he's all talk—Li Jingtang could handle him.