Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Visiting hours ended. As soon as Xie Yunshen left the intensive care unit, the smile on his face slipped away.

Now he was starting to understand why Yan Shizhou didn't dare to go in and see him.

Yi Wuyi had once been as resilient as steel and stood as straight as a cypress; now he lay there on a ventilator, his body surrounded by various drainage tubes, unable to even speak. This sight was hard to accept even for someone with a laid-back personality like Xie Yunshen.

He slumped on a bench, head bowed.

He felt someone sit down beside him, a warm hand resting on his back, offering silent comfort.

Xie Yunshen looked up and saw Mr. Yan. He threw his arms around him, resting his head on his shoulder.

Although at that very moment, Xie Yunshen remembered someone saying Mr. Yan liked men, his arms still held the other man's shoulder without hesitation.

At the same time, as he embraced him, he felt a profound sense of security and satisfaction in his heart.

Whether it's a man or a woman, whoever Mr. Yan loves must be the happiest person in the world.

"Mr. Yan, you're really great. I can't find anyone as good as you."

He felt Yan Shiqi give a short laugh, with a hint of a bitter, dismissive laugh, as if he didn't care for such flattery.

"Mr. Yan, what's so funny?" Xie Yunshen let go of him. He had finally managed to genuinely express his feelings, and yet the other person actually laughed.

How was this any different than being rejected after a confession?

"Sorry, I shouldn't have laughed."

"Forget it..." With that, Xie Yunshen felt he was being rather unreasonable himself.

Since Gao Langdong's household registration had been canceled, flying to Country C was an issue. Even taking a private jet out of the country required submitting information to the aviation authorities.

However, since they were going to receive an award, which was considered bringing glory to the country, Third Uncle specifically applied for special permits for the research team from the higher-ups. Combined with the Yan Group's corporate image in recent years, the approval finally came through today.

A total of seven people were traveling to Country C: Yan Shiqi and Yan Shiying, plus Gao Langdong and Xie Yunshen, along with one assistant and two key members of the research team.

When the plane arrived in Country C, it was late at night there. The foundation that gives the Contribution Award was located in the country's capital.

Yan Shiying's insurance company headquarters was also here. As soon as they got off the plane, people from the insurance company arrived—three black sedans and a truck, and out stepped men in black suits, each one a burly, imposing figure.

"Second Young Master, are you running a gang out here?" Xie Yunshen looked at Yan Shiying.

"...Running an insurance company in Country C, you'd be dead eight hundred times over without bodyguards," Yan Shiying said.

Once in the car, Yan Shiying took a heavy box from a subordinate.

Inside were various models of "truth."

"There are even assault rifles," Xie Yunshen said, picking one up.

Yan Shiqi watched him skillfully attach a silencer and night vision device to the rifle, observing the easy confidence with which he handled the gun, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

Yan Shiying said, "How come you're even more skilled than I am?"

Xie Yunshen said casually, "I usually watch military channels, learn a thing or two."

Nowadays, he could lie without blushing or his heart racing. After all, people just wanted an explanation and wouldn't take it seriously.

Even Mr. Yan, who had been frequently suspicious at first, had accepted this story of his and stopped trying to catch his tail.

Considering that staying in a hotel wasn't safe enough, Yan Shiying had long ago arranged for his detached villa to be cleaned and rooms prepared.

Yan Shiying wanted his elder brother to see the place where he had lived for so many years, yet he also felt this place couldn't compare to the Yan Family Manor. "Is it a bit cramped?"

"Having a detached house like this on a central street is already a rarity among your peers."

Receiving such direct praise from his elder brother, Yan Shiying was stunned for a moment. Although his expression remained unchanged, his eyes secretly lit up with excitement.

"Then Elder Brother should take the master bedroom. Since there are only four rooms, so..."

Before he could finish, Xie Yunshen immediately volunteered, "I'll room with Mr. Yan. I have to protect Mr. Yan."

Yan Shiying said, "Don't worry, would I dare to assign you separately?"

Xie Yunshen: "..."

While Mr. Yan went to freshen up, Xie Yunshen observed the surroundings of the house through the window. Yan Shiying's people were guarding downstairs. Besides the road and the villa, there were dense high-rise buildings not far away.

He pulled the curtains closed and checked the room again. After confirming nothing was suspicious, he sat down, took a sip of cold water, and made a video call to Yi Wuyi.

Yi Wuyi had just been transferred out of the ICU this morning and was now in a regular ward.

He knew Old Five must really regret not being able to accompany Mr. Yan to Country C.

"Old Five, we've arrived safely in Country C. Don't worry."

Yi Wuyi said in the video, "A Xie, I can't be there to help you. Protect Mr. Yan."

"Hey, you really don't have much faith in my professional skills..." Xie Yunshen sometimes really wanted to give him a couple of knocks. Even lying in a hospital bed, he was still worrying.

Yi Wuyi smiled slightly, "Of course I believe in you... You take care too."

Xie Yunshen had a random idea, "Old Five, I heard Country C is a place of outstanding people, with handsome men and beautiful women. What kind do you want? I'll get you someone's contact, so later you can directly..."

At that moment, the camera shook, revealing Yan Shizhou's gloomy and terrifying face, "Directly what?"

"Damn!" Xie Yunshen quickly hung up the phone. That was scarier than seeing a ghost.

Thinking about it, during the call just now, from Yi Wuyi's perspective, it was clear someone was holding the phone for him. So it was Yan Shizhou holding it all along.

Yan Shiqi came out of the bathroom and was about to sit on the bed.

"Wait, Mr. Yan."

Xie Yunshen grabbed the foot of the bed and pushed it from the east side to the west side.

"What's wrong?"

"Changing the position. That way, when sleeping, it's harder for assassins to predict the exact location," Xie Yunshen said.

Yan Shiqi smiled, "It seems you really are quite experienced, 'Golden Bodyguard'?"

Xie Yunshen's heart tightened, "Mr. Yan, what did you say?"

Since transmigrating into the book, he hadn't heard this term from anyone else. Hearing it now suddenly felt somewhat disjointed and unfamiliar even to him.

"Golden Bodyguard, sounds like a very impressive position, right?"

Xie Yunshen was momentarily caught off guard: "Huh? What?"

Yan Shiqi didn't elaborate further, instead fixing his gaze on him for a moment, eyes filled with amusement, looking at him with a look of easy assurance.

He often looked at him this way.

In the past, Xie Yunshen could meet his gaze openly and honestly, but now, perhaps because he suspected Mr. Yan might like men, he couldn't quite handle that look.

Xie Yunshen blinked: "Mr. Yan, I need to go take a shower."

After speaking, he darted into the shower room with a hint of haste.

As soon as he stepped inside, the warm, steamy shower room felt like it still held the unique scent of Mr. Yan.

That scent, mingled with the fine mist of water vapor, filled his nose, light but pervasive, seeping into his very cells.

Xie Yunshen ran his hand over the water-beaded wall, switched to cold water mode, and let the icy, bone-chilling water pour over his head, taking deep breaths to suppress the unexplained agitation.

He reached for a towel, but there was only one slightly damp towel on the rack.

He had rushed in too quickly and forgotten to bring his own towel. This one was likely the one Mr. Yan had used to dry his hair.

Maybe he could use Mr. Yan's towel for now and get a new one for Mr. Yan later.

Besides, these towels were specifically for travel and were basically disposable.

He convinced himself with this reasoning, so Xie Yunshen picked up the soft towel and habitually wiped his face. The scent of Mr. Yan, mixed with the moisture of the towel and its soft, resilient texture, was like high-proof alcohol, instantly captivating a drunkard.

With just that one touch, it completely overwhelmed Xie Yunshen's soul.

It smelled so good!

Xie Yunshen froze for a moment, then looked down in horror at his own arousal. Seriously? At a time like this?

Maybe he had been under too much pressure lately, being young and full of vigor, and his physical needs hadn't been properly satisfied?

But that wasn't right!

And it definitely shouldn't be triggered by Mr. Yan's towel!

Xie Yunshen cursed himself inwardly, forcefully suppressing the urge and placing the towel back on the rack. He frantically turned on the cold water, drenching himself until he felt chilled to the bone, then put on his own pajamas while still dripping wet and gave his hair a quick, rough blow-dry.

Feeling vaguely guilty, when he stepped out of the shower room, his gaze somewhat unnaturally avoided Mr. Yan's figure, and he habitually headed to the sofa to sleep.

However, the room was silent. Xie Yunshen turned to look and found that Mr. Yan was already asleep in bed...

His sleeping profile, with slightly furrowed brows, and his lips, which always kept secrets, were tightly closed as usual. His features weren't particularly rugged, but the lines from his forehead to his jaw still exuded a strongly masculine jawline.

Someone like him might at most be swayed like Old Wu, but would he really actively like men?

With this thought in mind, Xie Yunshen turned it over and over in his mind until he finally fell into a deep sleep.

The Global Contribution Award ceremony was held in the First Conference Hall of Country C's capital and was simultaneously broadcast on television stations worldwide.

Ordinary people didn't pay much attention to such events, but because the biological contribution award this time went to a research team from Country A, the ratings in Country A were the highest during the broadcast.

Gao Langdong gripped the armrests of his wheelchair, trembling slightly with nervousness. His legs were severely injured and hadn't recovered yet, so he could only move with the wheelchair. If it weren't for the special circumstances, the doctors wouldn't have allowed him to leave the hospital.

When this doctor was wheeled onto the stage and appeared on camera, the audience didn't show much reaction.

It wasn't until Gao Langdong spoke: "Sorry, I must confess first—I am actually someone whose ID bears a death stamp, a person who is already dead. Moreover, I was murdered."

With these words, he indeed captured the audience's attention.

Even the organizing committee looked shocked.

At the Global Contribution Award ceremony, Gao Langdong presented his list, recounted what he had witnessed since joining Top Star Group, and denounced every crime committed by the group.

The naked, blood-soaked crimes, spoken from the mouth of a doctor, were simple and brutal, causing viewership to skyrocket.

Several times, Gao Langdong became so emotional that his voice grew hoarse, as if choking, requiring him to pause and compose himself before continuing.

Yan Shiying stood below the stage, watching Gao Langdong and the shocked faces of the audience.

A national treasure-level figure who had won an international contribution award—no one would doubt his words.

But...

Everything had gone too smoothly. Since arriving in Country C, everything had been unexpectedly smooth, without the imagined myriad obstructions from Top Star Group, without various assassinations and accidents.

This instead made Yan Shiying feel uneasy.

And his elder brother and Xie Yunshen had also disappeared just moments ago.

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Author's Note: Addressing some questions from the comments section regarding certain foreshadowing and the big BOSS—these will be mentioned after the two worlds merge, but they are no longer the main plot.

Actually, the two worlds have been slowly merging from the beginning. For example, Old Wu and Xie watched the same cartoon as kids, though it's not so obvious now.

Mainly, I hope things will be sweeter and more relaxed for them later [laughs out loud].