Chapter 71: Half Truth, Half Fiction - The Best Birthday Gift.

As He Guan was forced to release his grip, his immediate reaction was to clutch Lou Dongzang's clothes.

Lou Dongzang wore a cotton T-shirt that day. After only a couple of steps, He Guan managed to hold onto him again, but Lou Dongzang stubbornly continued to move forward.

He Guan hadn't expected the shirt to tear.

With his hands wet, he could barely maintain his grip, yet he distinctly heard the sound of fabric ripping.

Looking up, He Guan saw Lou Dongzang, with his torn shirt, opening his eyes.

Their gazes met. Lou Dongzang then closed his eyes, signaling that he was fine. He waved dismissively at He Guan, indicating he wanted to continue on his way.

He Guan hesitated but didn't let go.

Taking advantage of the momentum, Lou Dongzang stepped back.

The tussle resulted in the T-shirt being torn in two.

Having achieved his objective, Lou Dongzang released his grip. He walked into the pouring rain, his upper body exposed.

He Guan didn't chase after him.

Holding his umbrella, he looked down at the tattered shirt in his hands.

On the collar of the T-shirt, a mix of blood and rainwater was evident. Corresponding to its position on the body, it was likely near the shoulder and neck.

He Guan took a deep breath.

It wasn't a broad wound, just a small area a few centimeters across that had seeped blood, making that hint of red all the more glaring.

It was a fresh injury.

It looked as if a piece of skin had been sliced open, and something had been injected underneath.

When He Guan had touched his hand earlier, Lou Dongzang had tapped the Braille code for "pretend" into his palm. It took He Guan a few seconds to register, followed by slight confusion, but he quickly played along.

He just couldn't fathom why they needed to enact this scene, making it appear as if He Guan had been abandoned.

Wiping away his tears, He Guan sighed.

Of course, he was worried. During their act, Lou Dongzang wasn't fully lucid.

It was evident that Lou Dongzang had encountered someone today. He couldn't disclose the full details to He Guan and could only give hints. Though he genuinely lost himself for a moment in between, thankfully, he managed to regain clarity by the end.

He Guan became alert the moment he mentioned the hug.

Using their act and love as leverage against him? Damn, is this something a mature person would do?

The more He Guan thought about it, the more irritated he felt.

However, this might be a good thing. A performance that blends truth and deception is the most confusing.

It's rare for Lou Dongcang to be so purpose-driven. He Guan didn't want to stop him, just worried that his condition might worsen...

But seeing him today, it probably isn't too severe.

Having seen it with his own eyes, there's no need to unnecessarily worry.

He Guan undressed, searching, and finally found a few petals in the pocket of his T-shirt. "Really now? Is this what you call a birthday gift? Just a few petals. How stingy can you be, Lou Dongcang..."

They were petals from a sunset rose.

Peony, a flower symbolizing love throughout history.

While complaining like this, he picked up a petal and chewed on it. Holding the umbrella, he walked alone in the heavy rain, heading home.

By the time He Guan reached the building's entrance, he had chewed and swallowed all the petals, which tasted bitter, combined with the rain's tanginess.

Disgustingly bitter.

The rain began to subside, and by the time he entered the building, the world outside seemed rejuvenated.

He Guan happened to encounter someone waiting for the elevator on the ground floor.

Their gazes met. Politely nodding, He Guan attempted to alleviate the awkwardness, "I went out looking for my pet and got drenched. The rain was too heavy."

The person offered a pack of tissues, "Need some? What kind of mischievous pet do you have?"

He Guan smiled, accepted the offer, and replied, "A pet snake."

The woman responded in surprise, "In this rain... I guess it's lost?"

He Guan, like an irresponsible owner, wiped the rain off his face and said, "It's fine. If it's hungry, it'll come back on its own. No worries."

The woman inquired, "Will it bite? Is it venomous?"

He Guan chuckled and after a brief pause reassured, "No, it's not venomous. It just grew its teeth. If a cat spots it, it might end up as a meal. It's the snake's fate if it decided to run away from me."

The woman nodded and added, "I once heard a news story about a python that got swallowed by a wild boar. The snake bit a hole through the boar's stomach and ate its way out. By the time they cut the boar open, the python was even bigger than before..."

He Guan responded, "Really? That's terrifying!"

The woman nodded, "Yes, but I might be mixing up stories. Can't recall where I read it... Here's the elevator. I'll be going now."

He Guan replied, "Thank you for the tissue. Goodbye."

He Guan had a cheerful chat with her, then unlocked his door, stripping off his drenched clothes in the entryway and tossing them into the laundry basket.

As for that ruined T-shirt...

He Guan threw it in the trash without giving it a second glance.

After showering and changing, he pondered whether he should dine out tonight.

Who should he call?

*

Under the cover of the rain, Lou Dongcang blindly pressed forward, moving mechanically until he passed two black cars waiting at the alley's entrance, yet he didn't stop.

He had walked a full three meters before three men, umbrellas in hand, emerged from the trailing vehicle.

Two of them, looking like bodyguards, held up umbrellas while the third wrapped Lou Dongcang completely in a thick blanket.

Lou Dongcang stiffly resisted, continuing to move forward.

Hindered by an external force, he struggled but found himself being tightly bound by the blanket.

After wrestling with the man for about half a minute and realizing he couldn't break free, Lou Dongcang relented.

The two umbrella-holding bodyguards, following instructions, roughly shoved him into the lead car.

Pressed into a corner of the car, Lou Dongcang didn't struggle. He remained wrapped in the blanket, leaning against the seat back, his body tense.

The man who had wrapped him followed, taking a seat beside him and removing his glasses.

Yan Fengqing pulled out a lens cloth from the seat pocket and began cleaning his glasses, chuckling, "Still in that state, Madam? Don't worry; by our estimation, this condition will last at least another ten minutes."

The elderly person in the front passenger seat responded indifferently, "I know. He's just like he was as a child."

Yan Fengqing struck up conversation, "I genuinely wonder how He Guan lives with him day-to-day. It's a miracle."

The elderly person's tone turned sarcastic, "So what? Didn't he still run away from He Guan? All that genuine affection fed to the dogs. I've always said, those from the Lou family are all ingrates. He Guan is such a fool; I wonder how I ever raised him..."

With a smile, Yan Fengqing let her rant about He Guan for a couple of minutes before interjecting, "Madam, I think he's waking up?"

The elderly person immediately silenced.

Her lips tightened, and she cast a wary glance at the back seat, asking, "Is he awake?"

Yan Fengqing responded, "Ah, maybe not... I might've been mistaken... he just moved a bit."

The elderly woman closed her eyes, stating, "My patience has its limits."

Yan Fengqing reassured, "Of course, Madam. Don't worry; I've checked."

He pulled the still catatonic man closer, showing no fear of Lou Dongcang, grabbed his frail neck, and twisted him to one side, saying, "Look."

Lou Dongcang made no resistance.

The elderly woman took a brief look as instructed.

Yan Fengqing pried open the messy wound at the back of the man's neck, revealing the pink flesh beneath. With a chuckle, he remarked, "This is our latest innovation—a nanoscale sensor and audio tracking device. It's embedded under the skin, unaffected by rain, and the wound will heal in a few days. It's a small price for your patience. Had I not acted promptly at the department store today, he would've escaped our tracking, wouldn't he?"

The elderly woman took a fleeting glance and scoffed, "Impressive. You can't create her, but you manage a sensor pretty quickly."

With a flawless smile, Yan Fengqing didn't react to her comment and wiped the blood from his fingers.

The man, treated like a discarded puppet, remained unresponsive throughout.

As in countless past episodes, he was listless and vacant, at the mercy of others.

*

A night market in Huaiyin.

Wearing a black face mask, He Guan navigated the crowd. The rain from the afternoon had dried, leaving only traces of dampness near the drainages.

Clutching a pair of black flip-flops, in his shorts and a black T-shirt, he passed several tattooed arms and scanned the crowd.

From behind the fan of a barbecue vendor, trying to disperse the smoky haze, someone enthusiastically waved at him.

He Guan took a seat opposite the person and inquired, "Have you ordered?"

Ning Zhihe passed him a cold beer, noting, "I've ordered 300 yuan's worth. Let's start with this."

He Guan pulled up a stool, "That's a lot. We can't finish all that."

Ning Zhihe replied, "If you can't, I will. I won't go home until I'm full tonight."

Looking around the dimly lit area, seeing no one paying attention, He Guan removed his mask and asked, "No curfew anymore? Weren't you the obedient one complaining about not being able to go out?"

Ning Zhihe snorted, "Now, I'm not all alone. And just so you know, someone's picking me up after this."

Assuming he was jesting, He Guan grabbed a skewer of mutton and began to feast.

They sat at a table slightly removed from the crowd, obviously a location chosen by Ning Zhihe for privacy in their conversation.

Mid-meal, they delved into the topic of cloud storage market challenges. Ning Zhihe seemed intrigued, providing detailed insights, sparking He Guan's curiosity.

He Guan wondered, "How do you know so much?"

Ning Zhihe replied, "It's our family's new business direction, been working on it for two years. The cloud storage market is enormous. If you want in, it's better to jump in early. I can give you a hand, or you might be too late."

He Guan shook his head, "One company is already enough for me. I don't have such grand ambitions."

Ning Zhihe teased, "Oh, that's not what you said when we talked about online shows the other day."

He Guan retorted, "That's different... that was..."

But he paused, choosing not to continue.

At his core, He Guan has always been somewhat averse to doing business.

He's already grown tired of it, and coupled with his lack of material desires, it's quite evident from our days together.

Otherwise, he'd be no different from those low-tier trust fund kids, constantly attending auctions, concerts, or setting up exhibitions inviting obscure artists to showcase their work.

The only reason he still manages Xingyu and hasn't resigned is purely out of responsibility towards the 'Nolimit' five.

They all thrived under Lou Jun's guidance; it wouldn't be right if they faltered under his.

He Guan will undoubtedly ensure they prosper even more.

But after today's incident, he suddenly felt...

That he wants to spend the rest of his life with Lou Dong.

There's nothing wrong with that.

He's unsure why Lou Dong abruptly had to deal with some matters today, leaving him behind, but what's clear is that Lou Dong is striving for their relationship.

Otherwise, he could've just stayed out of sight until the end.

What he's dealing with now must be related to clearing up the past, and the complex entanglements with the Lou family.

In that shared glance, Lou Dong's eyes were filled with determination and love; He Guan isn't blind, he saw it.

It's the best birthday gift He Guan has ever received.

He Guan chewed on a shrimp, pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What about lemons?"

Ning Zhihe, struggling with a piece of beef tendon, managed to mumble through clenched teeth, "What about it?"

He Guan: "Is your cloud storage covering Huaiyin city's central district?"

Ning Zhihe modestly replied, "Half of it, just half. Not the entire thing."

He Guan: "Is there a Jia Yue department store?"

That's the name of the department store where... an incident involving Lou Dong happened today.

After downing a can of cold beer, Ning Zhihe sighed deeply and responded, oblivious, "Of course."