Chapter 20 Zhao Jinzong Stays Silent When Angry

Chapter 20: Zhao Jinzong Goes Silent When He’s Angry

“……”

Chen Su was at a loss for words.

Zhao Jinzong’s appearance shocked and bewildered him.

The Enigma’s pheromones were a jumble, he’d probably just finished work and came to find him still in his silver-tasseled uniform at the Drug Supervision Bureau lab, just to tell him to get some rest…

“I’m not that sleepy…”

Zhao Jinzong stopped questioning him. “When will the experiment be done?”

“In half an hour.”

Zhao Jinzong said nothing, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Looking down, he noticed a green apple candy wrapper in the trash bin. He picked up Chen Su’s lab notebook and started reading—the General Director had the right to review his subordinates’ work.

Chen Su checked his watch. It was already 1:30 AM.

Well past Zhao Jinzong’s usual rest time.

But Zhao Jinzong showed no sign of leaving.

Chen Su went back into the lab and got to work. Half an hour later, after recording the experimental data, he came out and found Zhao Jinzong leaning on the desk, chin in his hand, brows slightly furrowed, eyes shut—his handsome face showing obvious exhaustion.

Chen Su took off his lab coat and had just pulled off his rubber gloves when Zhao Jinzong woke, rubbing the space between his brows. He really was a light sleeper.

“I’m done with work.”

“Mm.” Zhao Jinzong asked, “Heading home to rest?”

“Alright.” Chen Su put on his coat.

Zhao Jinzong stood and draped his own trench coat over Chen Su. “It’s raining outside. Dress warmer.”

Zhao Jinzong held the umbrella, his large hand on Chen Su’s shoulder.

At a little past one in the morning, everything was pitch black and silent. The Drug Administration Bureau was deserted, with no shelter from the wind coming from all sides. The oversized trench coat flapped in the wind, the bone-chilling cold. The hand on Chen Su’s shoulder was red from the cold.

The car was waiting at the bureau’s entrance. The driver saw them from afar, got out, and opened the door. They got in, and the rear partition lowered.

Chen Su looked at Zhao Jinzong. “You still haven’t slept, General Director? It’s so late.”

“Mm.”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

Zhao Jinzong shot back, “Chen Su, would skipping rest really make you feel better?”

“……”

Chen Su went quiet again.

Zhao Jinzong said nothing more. When the car reached the Zhao residence, the rain had stopped. Zhao Jinzong’s black boots splashed through puddles as he walked into the villa.

Chen Su took a quick shower and got into bed, but after half an hour, Zhao Jinzong still hadn’t come to bed. Chen Su sent a text. Zhao Jinzong didn’t answer.

Chen Su got up and checked the bathroom. No one was there. Only the study light was on.

Chen Su knocked and went in. Zhao Jinzong sat at the desk, a document under his hand, reading it carefully.

Chen Su stood by the door. “You’re not going to rest?”

“……”

“General Director Zhao.”

“……”

“Zhao Jinzong.”

“……”

Zhao Jinzong didn’t even look up.

Chen Su went out, then came back with a glass of water. “Get some rest.”

Only then did Zhao Jinzong raise his head. The Enigma’s eyes were bloodshot—a shocking sight.

Chen Su’s heart skipped a beat.

Zhao Jinzong said coldly, “Get out.”

Chen Su left the study and lay down on Zhao Jinzong’s bed. For the first time, he was in Zhao Jinzong’s bed without soothing him—just lying there alone.

Chen Su couldn’t sleep.

Zhao Jinzong never came to bed that night.

The next morning, there were no green apple candies on the bedside table. Chen Su washed up and went downstairs. The butler, seeing how tired he looked, made him a cup of coffee.

When the coffee was handed to him, Chen Su seemed about to say something but stopped.

The butler sensed Chen Su’s thoughts. “Mr. Chen, did you want to ask something?”

“Does General Director Zhao not like to talk when he’s angry?”

“The General Director doesn’t talk much even at the best of times.”

“……”

“So he came back last night?”

“Mm.”

“The General Director has been really busy, wasn’t even in the capital. He actually came back last night? Before he left, he said… he’d be away for two weeks…” But it had barely been a week.

Chen Su paused while drinking his porridge. “Really?”

“Yes.”

Chen Su continued eating. After finishing, the driver took him to the Drug Administration Bureau. Chen Su hesitated, then sent Zhao Jinzong a message: “Get some rest.”

Zhao Jinzong never replied.

When Chen Su got to the lab and opened his drawer, the lab notebook was bulging. He opened it, and inside were candies.

Green apple candies.

Chen Su put the candy in his pocket. As soon as he got off work tonight, he went home—super early and right on time.

At 8:30 PM, Zhao Jinzong called Chen Su.

As soon as the call connected, Chen Su spoke first: "I..."

He paused and asked, "Have you eaten?"

"Mm." Just one word, giving nothing away.

Chen Su reminded him, "Go to bed early tonight."

Zhao Jinzong explained, "I just saw your message."

"It's fine."

"Did you see the candy?"

"Yeah, I saw it."

"And the gift?"

"I got it. It's way too much."

"You can give something back."

"Okay." Chen Su was silent for a moment. "Zhao Jinzong, you should go to bed early too."

"What about you?" Zhao Jinzong's words were half rhetorical, half threatening...

Zhao Jinzong had already pinpointed Chen Su's Achilles' heel. Chen Su treated Zhao Jinzong totally differently from how he treated himself. Chen Su could remove the mark, endure the pain of three special injections, but wouldn't let Zhao Jinzong bear it. Chen Su could stay up all night doing experiments, yet after Zhao Jinzong worked overnight, he would humble himself and act obedient.

To threaten Chen Su, Zhao Jinzong only needed to treat himself the way Chen Su treated him.

He played dirty, forcing Chen Su into a corner.

Zhao Jinzong didn't have any other option.

"I'll go to bed early too."

"Keep your word, Chen Su."

"Mm." Chen Su promised, "For sure."

The call ended, and Chen Su had a good night's sleep.

For the next five days, Chen Su left work at the Drug Administration Bureau no later than 8 PM.

Zhao Jinzong called him every day. The calls varied in length. When not busy, Zhao Jinzong would voluntarily tell him, as much as he could share, what he did that day and roughly what his schedule was.

Sometimes, even if they didn't speak and just kept the call on without talking, Chen Su felt completely content.

Once, Chen Su fell asleep within three minutes of listening to him.

Chen Su mumbled Zhao Jinzong's name several times.

This was dependence, an addictive habit, a love that came from deep in the heart, beyond all reason.

...

For five consecutive days, Chen Su didn't see Meng Suizhi at the Drug Administration Bureau. Tanzhou said Meng Suizhi took a week off. At 8 PM, Chen Su finished his experiment and went home. The sky was dark. He saw Meng Suizhi with a cut on his forehead, slapping some guy and telling him to go home and stop going into heat in public.

The rosemary alpha grabbed Meng Suizhi's wrist and kissed it, with a creepy look.

"You've hardly been around lately, bro."

"..." Meng Suizhi yanked his hand away. "Bullshit!"

"Every time you do experiments, you stay away from home for a long time."

"I don't want to see you."

"Oh." The rosemary alpha lowered his head.

"..." Meng Suizhi's heart softened in the end. "I'll come back tonight."

"Okay." The rosemary alpha reached out and hugged Meng Suizhi. Meng Suizhi pushed him away, but the alpha wasn't discouraged. "I'll wait for you at home."

Before the alpha left, he turned back and looked at Chen Su in the distance. Chen Su saw his face clearly—he looked pretty much exactly like Meng Suizhi.

After sending the person away, Meng Suizhi turned around and saw Chen Su right in front of him. His expression stiffened.

Chen Su smiled. "Your brother?"

"No, no blood relation." Meng Suizhi, annoyed, didn't want to talk about that lunatic. He chewed on the straw of his milk carton and, just like the research nut he was, went back to do his experiments.