Chapter 25 Pluck Threat.

Chapter 25: Picking Up, Threat.

Cen Yingshuang had her mouth covered, unable to scream, her whole body held tight from behind, completely immobile. After being dragged for a while, they finally stopped, and her back pressed against the cold wall.

The hand over her mouth finally let go.

"You... who are you... what do you want?"

She knew it was a man, otherwise, he wouldn't have such strength. She was shaking with fear, her voice trembling. Especially with the hood over her head, everything was pitch black, and not knowing what was happening was the scariest part.

She had no clue what this guy might do to her next.

"Me?"

The guy's voice wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either, just an ordinary tone, but he had a real cocky attitude. He laughed and said, "I'm your biggest fan."

"..."

"Your mom's been keeping you way too sheltered. I never got a chance before. But now it's all good, your mom's lying in the hospital, your company doesn't care about you anymore, no one can get in my way." The guy chuckled smugly. "Your neighborhood's not all that. Drop a little cash, and I can walk right in anytime. I slipped in right after you left today and waited for you till now. Why didn't you pick up any of my calls?"

"..."

"Do you know how long I've been chasing you? Picking you up at the airport, dropping you off, going to every in-person event, I even rented out theaters for your movies, buying every product you endorsed—except some asshole was too fast and snapped up all the perfume you endorsed."

"You don't remember who I am, do you? I've dropped millions on you." The guy kept rambling. "I just wanted to talk to you, to get you to remember me."

Seeing that Cen Yingshuang hadn't responded for a while, he figured she was just listening quietly, so he slowly removed her hood.

It revealed Cen Yingshuang's face, pale as a ghost, her teeth chattering. She was clearly scared out of her mind.

"Look at me. Do you recognize me, huh? I went backstage at a bunch of brand events to take pictures with you. You don't remember?"

The guy leaned in real close, making Cen Yingshuang instinctively jerk her head back.

"Look! Look at me!" He was dead set on it, moving his face wherever she turned, until he got pissed and grabbed her chin. "Look at me!"

Cen Yingshuang shuddered again and finally got a good look at the guy.

Nothing special—just two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Maybe, as he said, they had taken many pictures together, but she had taken pictures with so many people, how could she remember? In short, his face was totally forgettable. The only thing that stood out was his bleached blond hair.

"Remember now?" The guy asked, all eager.

Cen Yingshuang nodded frantically.

The guy smiled, satisfied, his eyes turning all creepy and sleazy. "Yingshuang, I really like you. How are you so damn beautiful... You're the prettiest person in the whole world..."

"You... you... just let me go first..." As he spoke, his breath hit her face. Cen Yingshuang fought back her disgust, stammering, feeling like this guy was mentally unstable. She tried to keep her voice down, not daring to make any sudden moves, afraid that if she freaked out, he'd do something even crazier. "I can give you an autograph, okay? We can... take another picture..."

This must be what Sister Man had told her about stalker fans. She'd described how crazy and terrifying those fans could get—chasing cars, blocking doors, even sneaking into artists' homes and hiding in closets.

When Sister Man told her about it, she thought it was exaggerated. How could stalker fans be so resourceful, knowing everything about an artist's schedule and personal privacy?

But now... experiencing it firsthand, she fully believed it was even more chilling than Sister Man had described.

"I don't want to take pictures with you anymore..."

He stared straight at her, smiling almost foolishly, his gaze so direct that it left nothing to the imagination, all intentions written on his face. "I want to..."

Cen Yingshuang held her breath, sensing a very bad omen.

Sure enough, the next second, he lunged at her. She could no longer pretend to be calm. She screamed, pressing her hand against his chin, desperately pushing his face back.

"Aunt Qin!" She shouted. "Aunt Qin, help!"

But they were in the stairwell, and the apartment's soundproofing was too good. How could anyone hear her cries? And he seemed afraid she might summon someone, quickly moving to cover her mouth. She bit down hard, and he yelped in pain, instinctively letting go. Cen Yingshuang took the chance to run toward the door, but he grabbed her hair.

Her head jerked back, her entire scalp numb.

She was pulled back, pressed against the wall again. He tried to lunge at her once more, and Cen Yingshuang screamed and struggled wildly. In the chaos, a sudden burst of strength surged through her. She drove her knee upward with force, hitting something. He doubled over in pain, his face red. Cen Yingshuang, not caring about anything else, shoved him hard.

Caught off guard, he stumbled backward, missed his footing, and tumbled down several steps. The thud echoed in the stairwell as he hit the ground heavily. Then he lay still, face down.

Cen Yingshuang scrambled to her front door. The fingerprint lock was malfunctioning, so she tremblingly entered the password, glancing back repeatedly, afraid he might come after her.

She got the door open, slipped inside, and slammed it shut, collapsing by the entrance like a limp rag, breathing heavily, drenched in sweat.

"Aunt Qin! Aunt Qin!" She called.

But there was no response after a long while. It seemed Aunt Qin wasn't home.

Cen Yingshuang sat by the door for a long time, finally calming down a bit. She stood up and looked through the peephole. The hallway was empty.

She remembered that the man had fallen down the stairs and was lying on the ground. He wouldn't die from that, would he?

Cen Yingshuang pulled out her phone.

Her phone had been flooded with messages over the past two days, so she had silenced it, not wanting to look.

When she opened it, she saw a screen full of missed calls from an unknown number—over a hundred.

Terrified, she blocked the number directly and then called the property management, reporting that someone had tried to break into her home and had fallen in the stairwell. She asked them to come and take him away quickly.

The property management apologized repeatedly, saying they would handle it immediately.

Cen Yingshuang's heart finally eased a little. She had been through too much today, far beyond her capacity. She stumbled to the sofa and collapsed, not even having the strength to cry.

But just as she was drifting off, the doorbell suddenly rang, making her heart leap with fright.

Could it be that man again?

She crept to the peephole and saw a property management staff member standing at the door.

She opened the door and glanced toward the stairwell. "That person... did you get him out?"

The staff member said, "Miss Cen, that man hit his head and bled a lot. This is quite serious. We've already called the police, and they may come to ask you about the situation."

...

And so Cen Yingshuang ended up at the police station.

It was her first time there. She felt dazed, almost as if she were dreaming.

She sat in the interrogation room, and a uniformed officer, expressionless, asked her to recount the entire incident. She answered shakily. Later, the police reviewed the surveillance footage.

There was no camera in the stairwell.

From the hallway footage, they could only see the man ambush Cen Yingshuang, put a hood over her head, and drag her into the stairwell. A few minutes later, Cen Yingshuang stumbled out and returned home. About ten minutes after that, the property management arrived, carried the unconscious man out of the stairwell—his face covered in blood—and took him downstairs. Then they knocked on Cen Yingshuang's door.

"The hospital says he has a moderate concussion and scalp damage. He's woken up and claims you pushed him," the police officer said.

"He attacked me first! You saw it—he covered my head, dragged me to the stairwell, and tried to do... bad things to me!" Cen Yingshuang protested.

"He says you're friends, and he was just trying to play a joke on you."

"I don't know him! We're not friends at all! He's a stalker fan who followed me home and tried to hurt me!" Cen Yingshuang retorted firmly.

"What proof do you have he's a stalker fan of yours or that he intended to assault you? Besides, he never even entered your apartment, so that's not trespassing," the officer said. "You saw the footage—you both went into the stairwell, you walked out fine, and he ended up injured."

"..."

"Even if he did drag you first and you had a conflict, what you did is still excessive self-defense. That's enough to arrest you," the officer said sternly. "But he said if you're willing to apologize to him in person, he'll drop it."

Cen Yingshuang thought it was totally ridiculous.

They were twisting the truth.

She couldn't defend herself at all.

Even as clueless as she was, she could tell the man had pull at the station. There was no doubt he wasn't from an ordinary background—otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten into her building so easily.

"I didn't! It's all his fault!" Cen Yingshuang stammered, helpless, tears of frustration pouring down her face.

She covered her face and sobbed, like crying was her only option.

But a tiny voice told her crying wouldn't help.

She roughly wiped her tears.

Done arguing with the cops, she just said, "Can I make a call? I need a lawyer."

Even if that guy had godlike pull at the station, he couldn't take away her right to call a lawyer. She could at least make a call, right?

The cop nodded and waved her on.

So right in front of the cops, she pulled out her phone. She didn't have a lawyer at all, so she called Sister Man, but no one answered. She tried several more times, no luck, then called Zheng Lei.

Zheng Lei didn't pick up either.

Besides them, she had no one else to turn to.

Despair closed in on her, and she started crying again, panicking.

A thought hit her—Jiang Suian.

He was the only one she had left.

So she called Jiang Suian.

Right as it was about to go to voicemail, he picked up.

"What's wrong, Shuangshuang?" Jiang Suian's voice came through, sounded noisy in the background.

"I... I'm at the police station now. There's been an incident. Can you..."

Before she could finish, he hung up.

Cen Yingshuang was confused for a moment, then called again. This time, it went straight to voicemail.

That night, Jiang Suian was at a business dinner, drinking rounds with a female investor.

The investor was a woman in her forties, weighing 150 pounds, sitting on his lap, almost crushing his legs. She was all over him, clearly wasted. His phone kept ringing, but he couldn't answer until she went to the restroom. He snuck out to take her call.

When he heard she was at the station, he got worried and was about to say he'd come when his agent grabbed his phone, looked at the caller ID, and hung up.

"What are you doing?" Jiang Suian frowned, reaching for the phone.

Without a word, the agent turned off the phone and pocketed it. "Do you ever listen to me? I told you to keep your distance! Can't you hear me?!"

"She's in trouble, she's at the station. I..."

"What? You want to go save her? Do you know what kind of place that is? And you still dare to go?! You're not scared of getting dragged into this mess?" the agent cut him off, frustrated. "She's in trouble, she doesn't call Qin Yiman, she calls you—she's trying to drag you into this! Get back in there! We're one signature away from closing the deal tonight, and you'll be a regular guest!"

Jiang Suian stood still.

The agent stared at him silently for a moment, then said, "Jiang Suian, how many years have you been in the industry? You started as a bit player at thirteen. Did anyone ever treat you like a real person? Do you even remember how you got here? Everyone's avoiding Cen Yingshuang's mess now, and you want to run toward it."

"Fine. If you want to ruin your own path too, go ahead," the agent shoved the phone back into his hand and returned to the private room, laughing cheerfully. "Oh, CEO Chen, he's in the restroom. Let's not worry about him. I'll drink with you first."

"Who wants to drink with you? I want An'an! Go get him... If he doesn't come, I won't drink..." CEO Chen's voice was clearly drunk, her tone even more coquettish.

Jiang Suian stood there.

His heart was a mess, like a tangled ball of yarn.

In those two minutes,

he thought of many things.

He thought of being a thirteen-year-old extra, running from set to set.

Suspension wires left his body bruised purple. In sub-zero winters, he'd soak in water all night, too afraid to go to the hospital, just buying fever medicine and moving on to the next crew.

He thought of this dye-vat of an entertainment industry, where everyone fawned over the powerful. He had no screen time on shows, his scenes were cut from dramas, and he was rejected from countless auditions.

No one had ever truly respected him.

Except Cen Yingshuang.

She was a true child of fortune, born with a silver spoon, shining like a precious little princess, adored and admired wherever she went.

That time they filmed the same variety show together, everyone crowded around her, but she always showed him care in the little details, steering the conversation toward him, promoting his new drama and role.

If not for her, he might have drowned in that pool.

He would never forget that day, opening his eyes and seeing her first.

Her hair was wet, she looked down at him, the indoor lights casting a glow around her like an angel sent by God, asking, "Are you okay?"

He fell for her.

And he believed someone like her was impossible not to love.

But now, he also thought of growing up in an orphanage, barely having a proper education before going out to find odd jobs to earn pocket money.

Jiang Suian gripped the phone in his hand, his hold tightening.

He closed his eyes, his jaw clenched.

Another minute went by, and he finally relaxed his grip, pocketing his phone as he headed back to the private room.

Of course, he remembered how he'd made it this far.

So he never wanted to go back to living like that again.

...

Jiang Suian suddenly went dark too, leaving Cen Yingshuang with no one left to call.

The police asked her what was going on.

She sat there, defeated, and only said, "I didn't do anything wrong, and I'm not apologizing."

"Think it over—if they don't settle, you're getting locked up!" the officer emphasized.

Cen Yingshuang kept her head down, stubborn. "It's not my fault."

But her back stayed straight.

She figured she'd just wait until she got ahold of Sister Man, and someone would come get her.

The more she thought about it, the more pissed she got. The world was just too messed up.

"Isn't there anyone in charge here?" Cen Yingshuang fumed. "You're flipping everything around."

"Hey, little girl, watch your mouth..."

Before the cop could finish, the interrogation room door opened, revealing a cop in a white uniform, clearly higher-ranking than the one talking.

Sure enough, the first cop shot up. "Chief, what are you doing here this late?"

"If I hadn't shown up, how would I know you all had the guts to abuse your power, twist the truth, and try to keep someone locked up in here!" the chief boomed, walking over and kicking the cop square. "If this leaks, who's taking the fall?"

The cop was stunned by the kick, stumbling before scrambling up. "Chief..."

"Shut it!"

The chief's face was black as thunder as he snapped.

"Little girl, it's all taken care of now," the chief said, his expression softening as he turned to Cen Yingshuang. "We've checked your case. You're not to blame. You're free to go."

The sudden change caught Cen Yingshuang off guard.

But she didn't hesitate. She stood up, thanked him, and bolted out without looking back, scared they'd change their minds.

"Wait, Chief... the one in the hospital is tied to the Deputy Chief's camp..."

Before he could finish, the chief kicked him again, then twice more to drive the point home. "Do you know who's got her back? The Deputy Chief's nothing! Cross him, and the whole precinct pays!"

----

Cen Yingshuang sprinted out of the station without stopping, gasping for air before slowing to a walk.

She kept a careful eye out, watching for paparazzi.

She hurried toward the curb.

Her phone rang right then.

She thought it might be Sister Man or Jiang Suian returning her call, but when she pulled it out, it was Aunt Qin.

She answered, meaning to ask Aunt Qin where she'd been all night, but she never got a word in.

She heard Aunt Qin's anxious voice: "Yingshuang, I came to the hospital to see your mom, but they said she's been moved!"

"What does that mean?" Cen Yingshuang was stunned. "Who moved her?"

"I don't know. I asked, but they wouldn't tell me," Aunt Qin replied.

Cen Yingshuang took off running toward the curb, planning to flag down a cab to the hospital.

"Beep—"

A horn blared suddenly.

Cen Yingshuang instinctively looked over.

She spotted a black Rolls-Royce parked at the curb.

She recognized it as He Yuzhou's car.

The next second, the door opened, and He Yuzhou stepped out.

He left the door open, wearing just a black shirt and tie.

His features were striking even under the dim, blurry streetlight.

He stood tall and composed, his expression indifferent as he looked at her.

She froze, suddenly recalling their last meeting when He Yuzhou had come to her place and mentioned Zhou Yalin being in the hospital.

Fuming, Cen Yingshuang stormed over, not even thinking about why he was here. Her first words were an accusatory demand: "Was it you who moved my mother?"

She stopped in front of him.

She barely reached his shoulder and had to look up to meet his eyes.

His aura was innate—overpowering without a word—but at this moment, she felt none of her usual fear. Her eyes blazed as she glared at him, equally fierce. "It was you, wasn't it!"

He Yuzhou neither confirmed nor denied, remaining utterly calm. He tilted his chin toward the car. "Get in, and we'll talk."

"What right do you have to move my mother without my permission?" Cen Yingshuang stood her ground. "What are you trying to do?"

"I'm helping you," He Yuzhou said, looking down at her.

"No..." Cen Yingshuang shook her head, muttering to herself, "You're threatening me... You're threatening me... You're bullying me too... Everyone bullies me..."

She closed her eyes, and all the exhaustion crashed over her like a tidal wave, drowning her completely.

Today had been too much—too many things had happened. That nerve had been stretched taut, tighter and tighter...

All her emotions had reached a peak, and she felt like she might go mad.

"What will it take for you to let me go?" Cen Yingshuang's voice drained of all strength. "Do I have to die for you to leave me alone?"

With that, she took a deep breath.

Then she turned and ran toward the middle of the road.

But she barely made it a few steps before an arm grabbed hers, and before she could struggle, she was yanked back forcefully.

"Let go of me!" Cen Yingshuang snapped out of it, struggling fiercely.

He Yuzhou remained silent, his palm hot and strong, gripping her slender arm and not letting go, dragging her back to the car in a few strides.

He forced her into the car, and when she tried to scramble back out, he wrapped an arm around her waist and shoved her back in. He wasn't gentle about it, but his other hand still hovered protectively over her head, to keep her from hitting the door frame.

The door locked, and she couldn't open it no matter how hard she tried.

He Yuzhou got into the car, and it slowly began to move.

The partition was still closed. Now, it was just the two of them.

Cen Yingshuang felt that familiar pressure—cold and laced with anger.

The rustle of fabric as He Yuzhou loosened his tie and undid his collar shattered the silence, his breaths long and heavy.

Cen Yingshuang could tell He Yuzhou was furious.

Alone in that confined space, the creeping suffocation finally made her body remember its fear of him.

Her mind was racing; she didn't know where he was taking her, and she was even more worried about Zhou Yalin...

She closed her eyes, braced herself, and was about to speak.

But He Yuzhou spoke first. "Your dad had an accident at the hospital, and you still dare to send your mom there? You're not afraid she'll never wake up?"

Cen Yingshuang was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Was He Yuzhou saying there was something wrong with her dad's hospital?

He Yuzhou yanked off his tie and tossed it aside, turning to look at her.

His face was still a calm sea—unruffled, unreadable, but his eyes were like mist over a snowy mountain—impossible to read, yet cold as ice.

"You say I'm threatening you." He Yuzhou gave a cold, mirthless smile. "Then I'll give you what you asked for."

Cen Yingshuang suddenly couldn't meet his eyes.

"Want to die?" He Yuzhou asked again.

Cen Yingshuang said nothing, instinctively clutching the hem of her shirt.

"Fine. If you die, I'll send your mom to join you. How about that?" He Yuzhou's tone was flat, but his words cut into her heart like a knife. "Is that threat enough?"

Her eyes flew wide. "You..."

"Still dare to die?" He Yuzhou narrowed his eyes, a slight curl to his lips. "Hmm?"

Cen Yingshuang broke out in a cold sweat, shaking her head frantically as tears streamed down her face. "No, I won't!"

She hadn't really wanted to die; it was just that everything had piled up and pushed her to a breaking point, and in that moment of despair and reckless abandon, she had used this extreme way to show she didn't want to be coerced by him.

Cen Yingshuang kept assuring him, and only then did He Yuzhou's gloomy expression ease.

He was genuinely furious and shaken by her earlier suicide scare.

If he hadn't been quick, she might be lying in a hospital bed right now.

He had to make her understand fear, to grasp the seriousness of such behavior.

He Yuzhou still looked at her, his tone softening slightly. "Come here."

Cen Yingshuang, now too afraid to defy him, obediently moved closer.

He Yuzhou raised his hand, gently wiping the tears from her face with the back of it. "Where did he touch you?"

Cen Yingshuang blinked in confusion.

He said coldly, "That beast."

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