Chapter 82

Chapter 82

The sun emerged from a gap in the clouds, and the reflected light from the high-rises outside fell onto the office floor, highlighting the deep crease between Yi Wuyi's eyebrows.

Yan Shizhou leaned back against the solid wood desk, supporting himself with one hand, his gaze lifting to reveal intense resentment and obsession.

"Do you have to be like this? Every time you see me, you look like you're in pain."

"No, it's not that. You know that's just how I am," Yi Wuyi replied flatly.

Yan Shizhou tilted his head, raising an eyebrow while pretending to be curious. "Born this way? When you see Xie Yunshen or my eldest brother, you're not like this. Only when you see me. Is that also just how you are?"

Yi Wuyi's brow furrowed even tighter as he looked at him. "Is this why you asked me to come here?"

Yan Shizhou narrowed his eyes, staring at his impassive gaze. He opened his mouth, fighting back his rising, nearly uncontrollable anger. "Then what do you think I should say? I messaged you, I called you, and you wouldn't even see me! Do I have to beg you?"

A feeling of suffocation, wrapped in obsession and agitation, pressed on his chest like a thousand-pound stone, making it hard to breathe. The fear of losing him made his words come out all wrong.

Yi Wuyi said, "Back in North Border, when Han Yuqiu appeared, I thought we were already over."

"Why should it be over?" Yan Shizhou finally couldn't bear the stagnant atmosphere any longer. He grabbed Yi Wuyi's tie, pulling him close. "What right do you have to say it's over?"

Yi Wuyi lowered his gaze, looking at the person now inches away. "Shizhou, are you just playing around, or are you trying to get back at me for rejecting your confession ten years ago?"

Hearing Yi Wuyi use his name like that again after so many years, Yan Shizhou faltered for a moment. He opened his mouth but said nothing.

"Was Han Yuqiu deliberately used by you to get back at me? Did you set all of this up just to make me feel guilty toward you?"

Yan Shizhou stared at him intently, as if hearing a joke, and let out a scornful laugh. "So that's what this is about? That's why you're angry? Fine, I'm sorry, okay?"

Yi Wuyi slowly pressed down on his hand, making him let go of the tie, then took a step back and turned to leave.

"I've already humbled myself like this, what more do you want?" Yan Shizhou was about to lose it behind him.

Yi Wuyi stopped in his tracks. "Third Young Master, do you think I'm like a piece of wood, heartless?"

Anger flushed Yan Shizhou's eyes, his voice biting. "Heart? Let me tell you, your heart is worthless to me!! We're purely a physical relationship, damn it!"

Yi Wuyi stood at the door, as if holding his breath for a moment, then left.

Yan Shizhou swept everything off the desk onto the floor, bracing his hands on the desktop, his sight blurring with emotion.

As Yan Shiying walked in, Yan Shizhou remained motionless.

"At a time like this, you're still putting on your arrogant young master act?"

Yan Shiying had been standing outside the door since earlier and had heard most of it.

"You don't understand at all—I hate him..."

Yan Shiying was so surprised he let out a frown and a laugh. "What? You hate him?"

Yan Shizhou looked up, his voice sharp. "I hate him to death! I hate that in his heart, I'm never his first choice! I hate that he always hands his heart to others, just never to me!"

Yan Shiying saw his eyes, terrifyingly red, staring wildly ahead. It was shocking, forcing him to realize the depth of his younger brother's obsession with Yi Wuyi.

He sighed, bending down to gather the documents back onto the desk. "You're really acting like a child again. Old Five is different from you; he isn't naturally inclined toward men. If only you whined to Fifth Brother like you used to?"

Yan Shizhou lowered his head, clutching the hair at his temples with both hands until his knuckles turned white. "Stop talking!"

Yan Shiying was afraid he'd pull his hair out.

Just then, a man hurried in, anxious. "General Manager, Dr. Gao is missing!"

Yan Shiying: "What?! When did this happen?"

Even Yan Shizhou looked up.

"Around ten this morning, Dr. Gao said he was going to see his only brother."

"Why didn't you stop him?"

"He said he'd just watch from a distance and then leave. Our people escorted him the whole way. We just realized he hasn't returned, and our people can't contact him either."

Yan Shiying immediately rushed to Yan Shiqi's office. "Eldest Brother."

Seeing Yan Shiqi's grave expression, he assumed he already knew.

"Someone just called to tell me."

"It must be Top Star Group. They discovered Gao Langdong is still alive and kidnapped him."

Xie Yunshen, hearing this, thought of Gao Langdong falling into Top Star Group's hands, into Shang Guanhong's hands, and didn't dare imagine the miserable death he'd face.

But now, Gao Langdong's identity had been wiped from the system; there was no record of him. There was no way to even file a report.

If Gao Langdong died, Top Star Group would get away with it again.

Yan Shiqi frowned deeply. "Keep calm for now. According to Gao Langdong, Top Star Group doesn't know he's aware of their secrets. They likely want the detailed parameters of the external gestation infant technology. So, for the time being, he's probably safe."

Xie Yunshen pondered for a moment, then suddenly understood. "That's right... Mr. Yan, you're really sharp!"

Yan Shiqi: "..."

Yan Shiying: "..."

"Let's hope so."

Just then, the secretary came in, saying a guest named Lin Jin was waiting for Xie Yunshen downstairs.

Xie Yunshen left the office, took the elevator down, and saw Lin Jin approaching from across the lobby.

The other man's opening words were suffocating. "I have to tell you, there's a suspicion: Shang Guanhong might know that Black Impermanence is connected to the Yan family."

Xie Yunshen said coldly, "What do you mean?"

"I learned from a detective friend that a few days ago, Shang Guanhong investigated my identity. He discovered my relationship with my sister."

"Then he should assume you are Black Impermanence."

Xie Yunshen grew increasingly aware of the severity of the situation. "What does he want to do..."

"There's only one possibility now. Shang Guanhong recognized the difference between us. He knows I'm not the real Black Impermanence. They're looking for the one who knows all of Yang Zhongxu's secrets, the one who caused the huge stir online. As for me, I'm just the brother of one of his many victims, not worth fearing at all."

Xie Yunshen pressed his forehead. "Then how could he be sure Black Impermanence is connected to the Yan family?"

"He not only planted a tracker on my car but also monitors my life intrusively, including phone calls."

"And you still came to see me?" Xie Yunshen was almost scared to death hearing this, really wanting to shake him.

"Otherwise, I had to tell you this, but I couldn't really tell you over the phone."

Xie Yunshen felt a bit more at ease: "We haven't had any calls these past few days, either."

Last time he wanted to message Lin Jin, Mr. Yan had stopped him. Once again, a flash of delusional heroics lit up in his heart, admiring Mr. Yan's brilliance and power.

"Wait, last time you came to the parking lot to find Mr. Yan, were you tracked then, too?"

"I can't be sure, that's why I came to you."

"..." Xie Yunshen gave him a pair of eye-rolls.

Lin Jin looked a little sorry: "I really was too impulsive back then."

After seeing Lin Jin off, Xie Yunshen turned around and ran into Yi Wuyi standing right behind him, which startled him: "Old Five, and you still say you're not a hidden guard?!"

"A-Xie, you should tell Mr. Yan about this."

"Forget it. Mr. Yan's worried about Gao Langdong right now. Besides, even without Black Impermanence, Shang Guanhong's suspicions about the Yan family wouldn't lessen one bit."

Yi Wuyi didn't say anything more.

————

Xie Yunshen checked his phone and glanced at Shang Guanhong's social media post—still showing that location.

He thought over the meaning of those words again.

"If you want to see him, please come here tomorrow."

Him?

This post was published at noon, exactly when Gao Langdong went missing.

Why tomorrow?

Just then, as if on cue, Shang Guanhong updated another post right under his nose.

The photo showed a pair of pretty plain black-framed glasses.

Xie Yunshen recognized them—they were Gao Langdong's glasses.

Under the photo was an added caption: Switching glasses, looking forward to seeing my friend.

Is he waiting for Black Impermanence?

Probably.

Definitely.

The more Xie Yunshen thought about it, the tighter his chest felt.

He felt he shouldn't fall for this trap, yet the idea kept popping up in his mind.

All day, Mr. Yan had a furrowed brow.

That evening in the study, Xie Yunshen saw Mr. Yan sitting behind the desk, going over the documents again and again—materials Gao Langdong had left at the Yan family's lab.

They were going to Country C in a few days. Without Gao Langdong, the most crucial witness, it would all be for nothing.

"Mr. Yan, if we can't find Gao Langdong, does that mean we can't bring down Top Star Group?"

"I originally thought it would take at least a few more years, provided I wasn't killed first. But Gao Langdong's appearance was a lucky break; he accelerated Top Star Group's downfall. Now he's gone again, and everything has just returned to its original course."

Xie Yunshen said, "So, as long as he exposes Top Star Group's criminal evidence on the awards stage in Country C, we can succeed?"

"The words of a Biological Technology Global Contribution Award winner carry more influence than any evidence."

Xie Yunshen nodded thoughtfully.

Yan Shiqi looked at Xie Yunshen: "A-Shen, what did Lin Jin want with you this afternoon?"

Xie Yunshen replied casually, "Nothing new, just the same old stuff."

Yan Shiqi's gaze was profound: "Was it related to the Black Impermanence matter?"

Xie Yunshen's heart tightened. How did Mr. Yan always hit the nail on the head?

"No, he was talking about his sister."

Yan Shiqi said, "I saw Shang Guanhong's post."

"Do you think he's targeting Lin Jin?" Xie Yunshen probed.

Frowning, Yan Shiqi asked in return, "What exactly did Lin Jin tell you this afternoon?"

"He said Shang Guanhong already knows he's Lin Wanchu's brother."

Yan Shiqi's expression turned stern: "Is that so... So Shang Guanhong has decided he's not Black Impermanence?"

"How did you know?" Xie Yunshen was surprised.

"Right now, Top Star Gate's biggest concern is Black Impermanence. Shang Guanhong is putting all his effort into catching Black Impermanence. But his message clearly isn't meant for Lin Jin."

"Mr. Yan, so... should I go?" Xie Yunshen asked.

Yan Shiqi said firmly, "Don't go."

Xie Yunshen was taken aback: "But if I go, maybe Gao Langdong would have a sliver of hope..."

"A-Shen, to me, you are not a multiple-choice question." Yan Shiqi said.

"Actually, is it possible... it's a multiple-choice question?" Xie Yunshen held up two fingers: "Maybe I could bring Gao Langdong back."

Watching him clown around, Yan Shiqi couldn't muster a smile. He stood up and said, "Shang Guanhong is different. He's not a fool."

Mr. Yan seemed to be implying he was the fool, Xie Yunshen thought sadly, rubbing his head against Mr. Yan's reassuringly broad shoulder.

-----------------------

Author's Note: CP Compatibility Ten Questions

1. Xue: "Which facial feature of your partner are you most satisfied with?"

Xie Yunshen: "The eyes, of course. Mr. Yan's eyes are like a goldfish's—they don't need to blink. It's amazing."

Yan Shiqi: "..."

Xue: "It's Mr. Yan's turn to answer."

Yan Shiqi: "Also the eyes."

2. Snow: "What intimate gestures do you like from your partner?"

Xie Yunshen immediately raised his hand: "Mom's hug..."

Snow: "Why?"

Xie Yunshen said resentfully: "Because that's the only progress so far... Damn author."

Snow: "Ahem, what about Mr. Yan?"

Yan Shiqi: "When he puts his hands on my shoulders to talk."

Snow: "Wow, really? That one? May I ask why?"

Yan Shiqi: "I find it adorable how he always leans in close, looking serious while saying trivial things. I really like it."

Xie Yunshen: ^_^ Hehe, Mr. Yan said he likes me.