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Chapter 84: Wherever we want to go, just the two of us.
Chen Wengang hadn’t completely lost his sanity; he avoided striking vital points. But years of pent-up frustration weighed heavily on his mind. The image of He Jiajun’s fleshy face, with countless expressions of disdain, insult, and lewdness, merged together, layer upon layer, haunting him like ghosts in the night and in nightmares, persistent and unyielding.
A person has 206 bones; sometimes it’s necessary to be a little tough.
He didn’t want to forever remain a coward, cowering in the corner.
But no matter what, hitting He Jiajun would only spell trouble.
Buried in Huo Niansheng’s embrace, Chen Wengang’s arms went limp, hanging around his neck. He felt like a child who had deliberately broken a vase, hunching his shoulders, waiting for retribution. Huo Niansheng gently pushed him away, squatting down, and was hit by a sour stench of vomit assaulting his nose.
He felt a bit disgusted, looking down at He Jiajun’s blue-and-red face, momentarily unsure where to start.
In the end, he bravely reached out, extending his hand and raising four fingers, patting the other’s cheek, “Still awake?”
He Jiajun’s back was covered in his own vomit. Even if he could get up, he wouldn’t. He mumbled curses incoherently, telling them to just wait.
“Whatever, it’s all fine,” Huo Niansheng shrugged, “Speaking of which, how much debt did you leave at the casino? It was nearly a hundred million last year, right? You secretly mortgaged your shares, thinking nobody knew, but here I am, knowing it all. But if you’ve also borrowed from loan sharks, with the interest rolling over, it should be more than just that by now. So, did you manage to sort it out later? Can you still mortgage anything?”
The stare fixed on his face turned into apprehension.
He Jiajun’s thick lips moved, but he didn’t speak. His pupils instinctively contracted, sweat trickling down his neck and underarms.
He could squander wealth, but he also knew what was untouchable. After all, the He family wasn’t powerful enough to cover up any hole poked through the sky. He dared not mention the idea of selling shares, especially not in front of He Hongchang.
Huo Niansheng asked sympathetically, “Are you scared? Scared of what?”
He took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, “Are you afraid your father will find out you dared to consider selling shares for cash and will expose you? Or are you afraid the investors will lose confidence, and tomorrow the stock exchange will expose your family?”
He Jiajun’s voice was hoarse. Chen Wengang was pushed back a bit by Huo Niansheng, standing far away, unable to hear what he said clearly.
Huo Niansheng squatted down on one leg, leaning very low toward He Jiajun’s ear, softly chuckling, “You’re already overwhelmed with your own troubles, so let’s just put this account on my head for now. My person hit you, so it’s as if I hit you. There’s not much of a difference, right?”
With that said, he stood up, supporting himself with his knees.
As he walked back, Huo Niansheng hesitated for a moment, then decided to toss away the handkerchief.
Chen Wengang, with lowered eyelids, stood in front of him, dragging along his lonely and blurry shadow.
Huo Niansheng embraced him again, running his hand over his back. Chen Wengang lay against his shoulder, appearing as if he, the one who struck first, had suffered great grievances. The excitement and tension drained away, but his muscles still trembled slightly.
Huo Niansheng didn’t bother reasoning with him, instead patting him comfortingly and guiding him downstairs.
It wasn’t until they were waiting for the elevator that Chen Wengang whispered, “How did you come here?”
“Your ex-lover and his new flame wanted to meet the parents. I thought about it and felt uneasy about leaving it to chance,” Huo Niansheng said. “Why would you be called here on this occasion? So I paid to get in too. Who can stop me from keeping an eye on things?”
Chen Wengang finally chuckled.
Just as they were about to leave the entrance, he suddenly remembered something. “Wait a moment.”
Returning to the hotel front desk, Huo Niansheng watched as Chen Wengang spoke a few words to the staff, who then handed over the Patek Philippe watch that had been deposited.
Upon receiving the watch, Chen Wengang instinctively moved to put it on his wrist. When the dial touched his skin, he realized he wasn’t clean either. With He Jiajun covered in filth, it was inevitable that some would rub off on him as well, rolling around in the dirt on the ground with disheveled hair. No wonder the hotel staff were sneaking glances at him.
He quietly withdrew from Huo Niansheng’s grasp, refusing to let him touch himself.
Huo Niansheng pulled him back by the waist, unperturbed. “I’ve to wash myself anyway when I get back.”
Chen Wengang followed him to the car, only then hearing Huo Niansheng chuckle, “Remembering to hide valuables before hitting someone?”
There was even a hint of praise in the teasing.
Chen Wengang lowered his head in contemplation. Whether he explained it or not didn’t really matter. Originally, he had gone to see He Wanxin, worried about her unstable emotions, even fearing she might suddenly erupt—she had done impulsive things before, like stopping cars—hoping to avoid any regrets if she smashed something in anger.
But instead, she didn’t, and he ended up inadvertently getting into a fight with He Jiajun.
More or less, that was the case.
The driver stepped on the accelerator and left.
The Crown Hotel and everyone inside were left behind.
Chen Wengang glanced back through the glass, watching as the lights of the hotel entrance grew farther and farther away, until they turned the corner and disappeared completely.
He quietly nestled into Huo Niansheng’s embrace, not asking where they were going. Wherever he took him, he would follow.
After driving for a while, they didn’t get back to the Yunding Tower.
Halfway there, Chen Wengang guessed their destination.
When the car door opened, beneath his feet was the boundary of the yacht club, surrounded by the mist of the ocean currents and the salty tang of the tides.
Jin City was a coastal city, with many buildings, parks, and boardwalks offering views of the sea. But ultimately, human civilization overshadowed natural scenery, unlike this bay-surrounded place, where the evening sea breeze rushed forcefully, directly, and intensely.
Upon reaching the private room, Huo Niansheng pushed Chen Wengang into the bathroom.
It was still a pool of warm water with impeccable service. At this moment, Chen Wengang indeed needed a hot bath urgently. He undressed and sank into it. The sweat on his body was blown away by the air conditioning, but the stains remained sticky and salty on his skin. In the water, he found gentle solace.
Huo Niansheng also entered the bathroom, but he was fully clothed. “You soak yourself.”
Chen Wengang pursed his lips and reached out to grab his hand. “Don’t go.”
Huo Niansheng, with a teasing smile, asked deliberately, “Do you want help washing your back?”
He sat down on the chair beside the bathtub, rolling up his sleeves and lowering his forearms into the water. Chen Wengang grabbed his hand and kissed his palm, tasting a faint, flavorless hint of water. Huo Niansheng’s palm tickled, and he looked down at him.
Chen Wengang returned his gaze, pressing his face against Huo Niansheng’s hand.
He was so cautious, almost reminding himself every ten minutes that these seemingly ordinary moments had once been so out of reach in his memories. In fact, even to this day, he hadn’t grown accustomed to it. Sometimes he felt like he had stolen these moments while God was napping. He was afraid that God would suddenly wake up and realize there was still a bug here that needed fixing.
After a moment, Chen Wengang said, “Did Lawyer Zhu tell you about his investigation into He Wanxin?”
Huo Niansheng replied, “Yeah.”
Chen Wengang looked up at him, furrowing his brows, unsure of how to continue.
Indeed, as Lawyer Zhu had said, it wasn’t easy to find evidence of He Wanxin’s behavior during her minor years, and even if they did, it might not lead to significant consequences. But for Chen Wengang, the significance lay in proving what kind of person she had been throughout her life.
Lawyer Zhu was capable, and He Wanxin evidently remained the same He Wanxin; she hadn’t changed.
The other thing the senior lawyer said was also true: human nature is hard to change. For someone ruthless and cruel, committing a wrongdoing once could easily lead to a second time.
Chen Wengang’s face showed a murky expression.
Huo Niansheng simply looked at the person in the water.
The steam filled the bathroom, and while staying in there, soon he too was covered in a thin layer of sweat, feeling damp. It wasn’t that they couldn’t bathe together, but once clothes were off, it wasn’t guaranteed to be just about washing. And there were some things on Huo Niansheng’s mind that required consideration; he wasn’t certain if what he needed now was sex.
He sensed Chen Wengang’s abnormality today. It wasn’t strange for Chen Wengang to hit He Jiajun, but when they went out onto the balcony, Huo Niansheng had never seen him like that before. For someone who is usually well-behaved to suddenly reveal their aggressive side, there must be a reason behind it.
As for He Wanxin, Chen Wengang leaned against the edge of the bathtub, propping up his chin. Suddenly, he called out to Huo Niansheng.
Huo Niansheng asked, “What’s wrong?”
Chen Wengang said, “I don’t want her to end well.”
Huo Niansheng didn’t ask why. He smiled and scooped up some water, splashing it on Chen Wengang. “That’s understandable.”
Rose petals floated in the water. Chen Wengang scooped one up, pressing it against his nose. The red petal, moistened by the water, emitted a fragrance that could only be smelled up close. He sighed, still unable to speak. “It’s not because of the stupid reason that she stole Zheng Yucheng.”
Huo Niansheng casually replied, “I never doubted it. Besides, haven’t we already agreed that there’s nothing worth stealing about him?”
Chen Wengang smirked.
Huo Niansheng glanced down at him with a faint expression in his eyes.
He wanted to ask, what’s the real reason behind your concern? Is it your strong sense of justice, your disgust for violence, or something you’ve experienced yourself?
But the words remained locked on his lips, and Huo Niansheng had no intention of asking yet.
At least he wasn’t completely certain yet. He didn’t like feeling like a clueless fly, searching for something he didn’t even know. Sometimes, things related to Chen Wengang felt like a tangled mess that gave him a headache. But what Huo Niansheng didn’t want to do was crudely cut him off.
After soaking in the bath, they emerged from the steamy bathroom. Chen Wengang changed into fresh clothes and climbed onto the bed.
At this moment, Chen Wengang finally glanced at his phone, which was filled with messages and missed calls.
The first message was from Zheng Baoqiu, informing him that both families had finished dinner and were about to leave. Since he hadn’t returned yet, the messages quickly turned into a barrage of phone calls. There were missed calls from Zheng Maoxun, Zheng Yucheng, the driver, and even Mu Qing.
Chen Wengang sent a voice message to Zheng Baoqiu, explaining briefly that he had something to attend to in the evening.
When Huo Niansheng returned from his shower, he took Chen Wengang’s phone. “Forget about it. I’ve already talked to Uncle.”
Chen Wengang smiled and rested his head on Huo Niansheng’s shoulder.
He felt tired; the day had been a mess. Having dinner with the He family was already an awkward situation for Chen Wengang, and the conflicts with He Jiajun and He Wanxin only made it feel more like a staged drama. The day after tomorrow was the Mid-Autumn Festival, but because it coincided with the weekend, there was no work tomorrow. Without even bothering to set an alarm, Chen Wengang closed his eyes, cuddling up to Huo Niansheng, and drifted off to sleep peacefully.
He slept deeply, and it felt like a long slumber. When he woke up, it was still dark outside.
Chen Wengang lifted his wrist to check the time. It was only a little after four, but the movement beneath him felt like the swaying of a boat, not the stability of solid ground.
He suddenly sat up and looked out the window—it was the glass of a ship’s cabin, and outside, there was only the vast expanse of the sea.
At that moment, Huo Niansheng returned from the cockpit. “Awake?”
Chen Wengang was still dazed, unable to react. “What’s going on?”
Huo Niansheng sat down beside him. “What if I told you that you were sleepwalking and you forced me to the pier in the middle of the night, then sailed out to sea? Would you believe me?”
Chen Wengang shook his head, then paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Where are we even going?”
Huo Niansheng hugged his shoulder and kissed his cheek. “Wherever we want to go, just the two of us.”
Chen Wengang murmured in agreement.
Huo Niansheng asked, “Aren’t you afraid of being at sea?”
Chen Wengang replied, “I’ve never been afraid of being at sea.”
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