Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Someone as cool and collected as Mr. Yan didn't seem like the type to let uncontrollable emotions run their course.

He should be the kind of person most adept at managing his own life.

That was just what Xie Yunshen thought.

He watched Mr. Yan stay silent for a long time, until a knowing smile finally appeared on his face. "Of course, I don't have it either."

Mr. Yan resembled a statue shaped from pure will, or perhaps, a spiritual entity carved from stone.

Under the glow of rationality and divinity, he seemed as solid as rock—not in the sense of being inflexible, but in that Mr. Yan always knew what he wanted, always looked steadfastly toward his goals. He wouldn't care about others' opinions of him, and he certainly wouldn't be easily crushed.

People often felt that such a person was bound to attain what he pursued.

So, when he said he had no innate privilege in love, Xie Yunshen found it quite remarkable.

"You must be humble-bragging," Xie Yunshen really wanted to give him a meaningful look.

Oh, right, this novel didn't have the "humble-brag" meme.

Yan Shiqi looked at him, as if sizing him up while simultaneously pondering something.

His gaze was as calm as a deep pool, but when directed at Xie Yunshen, that pool always seemed clear and pleasant.

"Perhaps. Perhaps it's the very act of yearning without attaining that creates the allure of such things."

He didn't ask what "humble-brag" meant, but judging from Xie Yunshen's expression alone, he could infer the meaning.

Xie Yunshen suddenly realized, right, how could he forget? In this novel, Mr. Yan had indeed been dedicated to his family's business and hadn't obtained so-called love.

Wasn't Miss Bai the very person the big shot yearned for but couldn't have?

Xie Yunshen suddenly grabbed his shoulders, speaking with a voice as if channeling energy from his core, each word deliberate and emphatic: "Mr. Yan! Actually, some people aren't suitable for you. For example, that young lady from the Bai family, she and Lin Jin are..."

"A Shen." Yan Shiqi rarely interrupted him.

"Hmm?"

"Go to sleep."

"?" Sleep in broad daylight?

Had he hit a sore spot for Mr. Yan?

Aww, so Mr. Yan didn't even want to talk to him anymore.

Lying in bed, Xie Yunshen thought this, feeling utterly wronged.

The next morning, the doctor surprisingly said he could be taken outside for a walk.

"But you mustn't walk on your feet."

Xie Yunshen was immediately excited. As long as he could go outside, even in a wheelchair, he was happy.

By then, Yan Shiqi and Yi Wuyi had already left. It was the two subordinates guarding the door who pushed him out.

In the garden, two nurses were sitting in the corridor eating lunch.

"...That old man yesterday screamed so loud the whole department heard it."

"Serves him right. No wonder he always chose to care for male patients who were vegetative or paralyzed and couldn't speak."

"Oh my god, I used to think this uncle was so kind-hearted for willingly caring for vegetative patients."

Hearing gossip, Xie Yunshen immediately signaled the person behind him to wheel him behind the plants near the corridor.

"Yeah, who would have thought? That old man looked so kind-faced. If he hadn't been exposed this time, who knows how many poor patients would have suffered at his hands."

Xie Yunshen pricked up his ears behind the plants. This seemed to be about that old pervert caregiver from yesterday.

So that perverted old man was actually a despicable repeat offender?

"How was he discovered?"

The nurse lowered her voice. "I heard this from our department head. He probably offended some big shot in Nansheng and got dealt with harshly."

"It's strange, though. That old man used to only dare take on patients who weren't conscious. This time, he actually picked a young man recovering from surgery. Probably thought he was handsome. But, as it turns out, that young man happened to be under the protection of a local big shot."

Both nurses fell silent simultaneously, followed by a burst of low-key squealing that Xie Yunshen didn't quite understand.

"Tell me, how was the old pervert dealt with?"

The nurse made a pained expression. "Tsk tsk, it was that heavy fire door in Building A. His hands were crushed in the door, both of them broken..."

"Wow, the decibel level of that scream, I heard it from upstairs... Yesterday, the whole department went to the emergency room to see the commotion."

Xie Yunshen remembered that yesterday, Lao Wu did indeed follow that male caregiver out.

"What happened after?"

"That old man was so scared he wet his pants. He even had our department head call the police. The police came too."

"What did the police say?"

"The police said someone had already turned themselves in, and even offered to compensate voluntarily. I didn't hear the rest clearly. Anyway, I heard someone filed a lawsuit against the old man for sexually assaulting multiple victims. Now the whole hospital knows. The old man's room is surrounded by the families of his previous victims. He's done for if he steps out."

Xie Yunshen felt a surge of satisfaction hearing this. Lao Wu did a really good job.

In the evening, he asked Yi Wuyi about it.

"If you're here, who turned themselves in?"

"That's not important," Yi Wuyi said dismissively. "The legal department is on it. We'll get the letter of understanding soon."

"Does Mr. Yan know about this?"

Yi Wuyi turned his head and looked at him silently...

At that moment, Xie Yunshen felt Lao Wu's gaze regarded him merely as a talking dog.

Xie Yunshen finally caught on. "Could it be... Mr. Yan actually told you to do this?"

Yi Wuyi placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking candidly. "A Shen, have you ever noticed that in daily life, many people are... hesitant and faltering with you?"

"..." Xie Yunshen really had no defense against Lao Wu's mastery of idioms. "What 'hesitant and faltering'? You mean 'holding back words,' right..."

Yi Wuyi looked puzzled. "Isn't the meaning pretty much the same?"

"Not even close!"

Xie Yunshen thought back carefully. Although his professional skills were ranked among the best in the world, it was true that some clients often acted really weird and hesitant around him.

He generally categorized such behavior as: they must be off their meds again.

"So? What's that supposed to mean?" This was exactly what he was curious about.

"It means that perhaps you've overlooked many people who originally liked you, as well as most of those who find you exasperating."

Xie Yunshen snorted twice, indicating he didn't care. "Really? Isn't it just that their language nerves aren't quite normal?"

"..."

Yi Wuyi fell silent. He was stumped.

"According to the latest official announcement, the Black Impermanence livestream incident that shocked the internet two months ago is still brewing. Recently, a video allegedly showing Black Impermanence killing Yang Zhongxu's illegitimate child has been circulating on foreign websites."

"Another victim who narrowly escaped from Black Impermanence—Top Star Group executive Shang Guanhong—pointed out a suspect yesterday with the authorities' help."

Xie Yunshen sat on his hospital bed, his expression serious as he watched the news.

The broadcast showed a middle-aged man around forty years old, labeled with the words "criminal suspect."

Xie Yunshen frowned tightly. "What's going on here?"

"The suspect is the father of Ai Linghui, the girl who was allegedly forced to donate her kidney to Yang Zhongxu's illegitimate child."

"Currently, the suspect has been criminally detained, and the case awaits further investigation."

With each word of the announcement, Xie Yunshen opened his phone in disbelief.

The internet was already in an uproar.

Although Ai Linghui's father had a completely understandable motive—this looked like an act of revenge by a grieving father who lost his beloved daughter—most people remained skeptical.

"Impossible. Black Impermanence's physique is quite different from Ai's dad."

"Someone impersonating Black Impermanence appeared a few days ago. It's all getting messier now."

"I don't believe it either. The livestream showed that Black Impermanence was a young person, at least not forty."

"Was Shang Guanhong tortured into insanity? Is he out of his mind?"

"Poster above, you've got a death wish? You dare say that, I don't even dare look. You dare talk about a Top Star Gate bigwig? (Terrified)"

"Lord Black Impermanence, this world has truly gone mad."

Xie Yunshen's heart sank. That girl's father...

Lin Jin called him.

"Did you see it?"

"Did you watch the news?"

They spoke at the same time.

Xie Yunshen: "Who goes first?"

Lin Jin: "You're the sick one, you go first."

Xie Yunshen: "..."

Lin Jin: "I take it you've seen the news too."

"I saw it. What exactly is Shang Guanhong trying to do?"

"That guy is probably doing this on purpose. His accusation against Ai Linghui's father is just to force the real Black Impermanence to come out."

Xie Yunshen couldn't help but sigh: Shang Guanhong is a real piece of work.

"The question is, without evidence, will the authorities listen to him?"

"Don't forget the influence of Top Star Gate. Plus, in the court of public opinion, he's the victim now. People generally won't question his word."

"You mean, as long as he sticks to his story, we just stand by and watch him send an innocent person to prison? And why would that girl's father confess?"

Lin Jin said, "I'm not sure about that either. But I think if we can prove the girl's father has an alibi, we can completely discredit Shang Guanhong's accusation..."

As he was speaking, a message from Yan Shiqi popped up in Xie Yunshen's notification bar. "Wait, something came up, I'll hang up now..."

He hung up the call, completely ignoring Lin Jin on the other end, who was gripping his phone with veins bulging in anger: "..."

Xie Yunshen opened the message.

"Rest and recover peacefully, don't worry. I will find a way."

These two short sentences left him stunned for a moment.

Gotta say, big shots are just awesome.

He lay there until evening, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Now, including Lin Jin and that mysterious person who impersonated him to kill Yang Qingxi, there were three Black Impermanences.

But the one Shang Guanhong wanted to find was definitely the person who imprisoned him, which was Lin Jin.

Technically, this matter shouldn't concern him.

But that little girl's father might be confessing because of him.

The more Xie Yunshen thought about it, the more confused he became. He picked up his phone and scrolled through the news but found no latest developments.

Instead, Lin Jin angrily sent him a "kick into orbit" emoji.

Xie Yunshen, as usual, read it without replying, put down his phone, and finally fell asleep in the early hours of the morning.

After eight days in the hospital, the bandages on his arm were removed, his surgical wound healed perfectly, and after confirming with the doctor there was no infection, Xie Yunshen finally got Yan Shiqi's permission to be discharged.

On the way back to the Yan residence, Xie Yunshen finally couldn't hold back and asked about the matter.

"What happened to that girl's father? Did he really confess?"

Yan Shiqi nodded. "He confessed. But no substantial evidence was found, and he couldn't describe the entire process. The online opposition is very strong. Officially, they claim the investigation is still ongoing, but in reality, the case is almost settled."

"If it really comes to that, I can prove online that he's not Black Impermanence." Xie Yunshen's heart sank.

"Don't worry, I've already sent people to handle it. As long as we guide the online narrative, the authorities won't convict so easily."

Just as the car was about to turn toward the Yan family estate, it suddenly slammed on the brakes.

Without time to think, just like last time, Xie Yunshen leaned over and tightly embraced Yan Shiqi.

"Mr. Yan, a woman suddenly appeared and blocked the car," the driver said, turning around.

"What?" Xie Yunshen looked and indeed saw a woman ahead.

He awkwardly released the man in his arms—that had probably been an overreaction.

After the previous car accident, Xie Yunshen was still shaken up; it was all a completely instinctive reaction.

He just didn't understand why his first instinct under stress wasn't self-preservation, but rather protecting Yan Shiqi.

Xie Yunshen frowned. This felt wrong, weighing heavily on him, as if his survival instinct was signaling a sense of crisis.

Yan Shiqi watched him, deep in thought.

"Mr. Yan! Mr. Yan! I'm sorry... please help me..." The woman approached the car window with her head bowed, her face pale and helpless.

Yi Wuyi got out of the car first. "Who are you? What do you want with Mr. Yan?"

"My surname is Lin, I'm Ai Linghui's mother, Ai Jie's wife... I wanted to find Mr. Yan and ask him to help me."

Yan Shiqi's brow furrowed tightly, and Xie Yunshen was even more surprised. This was actually the little girl's mother, looking even older than he'd imagined.

Seeing Yan Shiqi remain silent, Yi Wuyi led Mrs. Ai into the follow car behind, and they all entered the Yan residence, stopping at the main gate.

The car carrying Yan Shiqi pulled into the garage.

Xie Yunshen got out of the car and let out a faint sigh. "Does someone already know who I am? Is that why she came to the Yan family?"

His biggest fear was implicating the Yan family and Yan Shiqi.

Yan Shiqi's expression remained calm. "Perhaps this isn't about you. However, there's only one reason this mother could find her way here: someone pointed her here."

They walked into the living room.

Mrs. Ai was already sitting on the sofa, clutching a glass of water anxiously, oblivious to her surroundings.

Only when Yan Shiqi appeared did she suddenly stand up. The glass in her hand was about to fall when Yi Wuyi caught it.

"Mr. Yan, my husband is a good man. Please help him. He doesn't know any Black Impermanence at all. When that mysterious person was live-streaming, my husband was watching it with me..."

Yan Shiqi observed the woman. Her cheeks were gaunt, her complexion pale, and her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Only a pair of anxious, bloodshot eyes showed she was still alive.

Yan Shiqi nodded. "I see."

He gestured for her to sit down.

Mrs. Ai quickly turned and sat down again, as if afraid that wasting even a second would cause this sole lifeline to slip from her grasp.

Yan Shiqi sat opposite her, with Xie Yunshen sitting nearby.

"Before we proceed, can you first tell me why you came to me?"

"Mr. Yan, aren't you the most conscientious businessman in South Province? When the Nongbao Mountain incident happened, you saved many people. The national broadcaster even interviewed you. Now, besides you, who else dares to defy the Top Star Group?"

Xie Yunshen was stunned. Was that the only reason?

"Who told you to come to me?" Yan Shiqi got straight to the point.

She paused, saying nothing.

"If you hide things from me, it will be difficult for me to help you."

Mrs. Ai nodded. "I understand. I'll tell you. It was the head of the Huang family. He told me all this. He said if I found you, you could save my husband. He also said I must never reveal his name."

So it was Patriarch Huang. How vicious, Xie Yunshen thought.

That guy was deliberately trying to thrust the Yan family into the limelight.

Probably because Top Star Group had been busy with the Black Impermanence matter lately and hadn't been bothering the Yan family, he couldn't hold back and wanted to stir up trouble.

"So, who else knows you came to me?"

"A few netizens who have been concerned about me—I replied to them."

Yan Shiqi went quiet, his eyes downcast.

"Mr. Yan, I know you're different from those other wealthy people. In the entire South Province, I really couldn't find anyone else who could help me..."

"How do you think I should help you?"

The mother was stunned. Clearly, she hadn't considered this question. She just sat there like a piece of decaying, withered wood.

Looking at this pitiful mother, Xie Yunshen's heart went out to her.

"Since you've already come to the Yan residence, you can stay here for now. Your husband won't be in any immediate danger. Please don't worry." Yan Shiqi stood up.

"Really?" Her head snapped up.

"I will do my best to provide your husband with the best legal assistance."

Afterward, Yan Shiqi walked up the stairs to the study.

Xie Yunshen followed behind him, glancing back at the mother.

It seemed Yan Shiqi's promise had given her a glimmer of hope, allowing a rare moment of relief to appear on her face.

Yan Shiqi looked at Xie Yunshen following behind. "Why the long face?"

"How could I possibly be happy right now?" Xie Yunshen hung his head.

"Look on the bright side. The situation is actually much clearer now."

"Why? Isn't this just causing more trouble for the Yan family?"

Yan Shiqi sat behind the desk. "In this matter, we couldn't stay out of it from the beginning; we could only intervene covertly. Now, by putting this mother up to this, Patriarch Huang wants to see me clash with Top Star Group. By doing this, he's actually given us a justifiable reason to intervene in this case openly."

Xie Yunshen was surprised. That seemed to make sense, but he also felt Mr. Yan was just comforting him.

Yet, Mr. Yan truly always gave him an immense sense of security.

Xie Yunshen leaned on the desk, elbows at a right angle, looking at him. "Mr. Yan, please don't stress yourself out too much. If push comes to shove, I can always go back to being Black Impermanence."

Yan Shiqi met his gaze. "What's there to stress about?"

"……"

He watched the other's hand resting on the desk. "Your hand doesn't hurt anymore?"

"Not at all. I told you, I'm ready to go back to work." Xie Yunshen glanced at him tentatively.

His eyes were full of eagerness to return to work.

Yan Shiqi's reassurance carried a hint of a warning: "Rest well, don't overthink things, and definitely don't try to prove your identity. That would only play right into Shang Guanhong's hands."

The next day, Ai's mother posted a video online, saying she had sought help from the Yan family and received their support.

"Thank you for everyone's concern. Mr. Yan said he was willing to provide the best legal assistance for Old Ai," Ai's mother said in the video.

Since this incident had been dominating the hot search lists, the video quickly gained traction and attracted widespread attention.

"That's wonderful, Auntie Ai. You have to stay strong."

"The Yan family truly deserves its reputation as a top-tier family in South Province."

"The Yan family's legal department—isn't that the legendary one that can even get the opposing lawyer sent to jail?"

Xie Yunshen recuperated at the Yan residence for a few days. Yan Shiqi hadn't allowed him to return to work.

He was stuck at the Yan house, unable to engage in any strenuous exercise. Bored one day, he poked around in his grandfather's bookshelf.

Surprisingly, among a pile of old antiques, he found a rather trendy novel.

It was wedged tightly between books at the very back. Xie Yunshen carefully pulled it out from a series of books on feng shui and metaphysics.

*The Crazy Bodyguard Chronicles*

Xie Yunshen glanced at the title, his eyes immediately lighting up. He was just about to open the novel when...

A hand snatched the book away, and a thunderous voice rang in his ear: "You brat, who said you could rummage through my bookshelf?"

Xie Yunshen instinctively ducked, but this time, his grandfather's knuckle didn't come crashing down on his head.

"You brat, my books are all antiques. What if you damage them?"

"You're this old and still read this kind of action-packed stuff? Lend it to me."

Grandfather Xie carefully locked the book in a cabinet and snorted. "No."

Xie Yunshen: "…"

This old man had always been a bit weird.

Truth be told, Xie Yunshen wasn't really in the mood to read a novel. He just wanted something to distract himself.

Recently, there were more and more posts online about Black Impermanence, many of which were hostile.

The general opinion was that Black Impermanence shouldn't remain silent at such a critical moment.

"At least come out and prove Ai's father's innocence."

"Right, like before. As for whether it's really Black Impermanence, I believe everyone can recognize him."

"I'm starting to suspect Black Impermanence is just a virtual persona."

"Someone's taking the fall for him. He's probably secretly delighted."

...And so on, countless similar comments.

Of course, there were also many comments defending him. Xie Yunshen skimmed a couple.

He remembered the despair on Ai's mother's face. He'd almost been tempted several times to go back to the old house and livestream to prove his identity.

Because only the authorities and the real Black Impermanence knew about that place.

At that moment, Lin Jin, like a mind reader, sent two messages: "If anyone's going to livestream to prove their identity, it should be me, because I'm the one who did those things. Shang Guanhong is after me."

"So, don't steal my chance to show off!"

"And, if you read this and don't reply again, just you wait!"

Xie Yunshen replied: "We grant permission. Although you're just a high-quality imitation, you are barely qualified to play the crown prince for once."

Lin Jin immediately sent him a middle finger emoji.

Xie Yunshen knew that even if Lin Jin started a livestream to prove his identity now, it wouldn't be believed.

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Author's Note: Some readers in the comments asked if he would return to his original body. Later, the protagonist will indeed return to his own original body.