Hui Tian Ch34

Chapter 34

Even a hungry lion will continue to pretend to whimper in order to be loved.

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Recording time: three days ago.
Central District Evolutionist Specialist Hospital, 8:36 PM.

Several figures appeared out of thin air, suddenly materializing in front of the hospital entrance. Then, the slender figure in black at the head of the group turned around and waved at the surveillance camera above with a smile.

With a smack, Shen Zhuo paused the video and zoomed in.

Rong Qi’s face was very clear on the computer screen, his features dark, his gaze soft. The grievous wound on his chest where Shen Zhuo had ripped out his heart had completely disappeared. His eyes seemed to be looking through the surveillance camera, smilingly gazing at the person behind the screen at this moment.

Shen Zhuo closed the computer without a word.

It was still a two-hour flight to B City. The floor of the cabin vibrated slightly beneath his feet. Shen Zhuo stood up and went to the bar to pour himself a glass of Black Label. The ice cubes clinked softly in the amber liquid.

He took a small sip, one hand in the pocket of his black trousers, his features cold and profound, his pupils reflecting the clouds outside the private jet’s window. Yue Yang’s voice from the office last night echoed in his ears again:

“—The surveillance footage is incomplete for unknown reasons, and the guards on duty that night also lost part of their memory. It should be due to Rong Qi’s ability. Now, if we want to know what Rong Qi did in Su Jiqiao’s hospital room, we can only ask you to come to the Central District and use Witch Italdo’s power to backtrack the scene.”

“Also… there’s one more thing.”

Yue Yang took a breath, his tone somewhat dry:
“You said before that Fu Chen and Su Jiqiao might have taken leave separately and then traveled together privately three years ago. I thought it was impossible at the time, but I later had Su Jiqiao’s subordinates from back then verify it…”

“And found that it did happen, because Su Jiqiao said he wanted to ask Fu Chen for help.”

“—Help?” At that time, Bai Sheng was sitting at the desk with his legs crossed, and upon hearing this, he leaned forward, blocking Yue Yang’s view of Shen Zhuo. “Help with what?”

“Su Jiqiao said a relative in his hometown was critically ill, so he took leave to go back and visit. A day later, he called back and said that as an orphan, he was young and inexperienced and didn’t know how to handle things, so he asked Senior Fu to take leave and go over to help him manage.”

Yue Yang himself seemed to feel that something was not right. He paused before saying, “He said… because in his heart, Senior Fu was particularly capable and reliable, like… a brother.”

“Pfft—” Bai Sheng almost broke character and laughed, but luckily he held it in immediately.

Shen Zhuo had an extremely high tolerance for all of Bai Sheng’s abnormal behavior, in other words, he just pretended not to see it. He frowned and asked Yue Yang, “Did many people know about this back then?”

“Very few, almost none.” Yue Yang frowned in confusion. “Because at the time, Su Jiqiao said he felt Director Shen had never liked him much and was afraid that if Director Shen found out, it would cause a misunderstanding and put Senior Fu in a difficult position. So he asked that the matter of Senior Fu helping him not be mentioned. Only a few people knew that they had taken leave and gone out alone back then.”

Shen Zhuo was noncommittal. “Where is Su Jiqiao’s hometown?”

“It’s near Quanshan County.”

“Is Rong Qi really his relative?”

“Not at all. It’s already been checked,” Yue Yang said. “Su Jiqiao’s parents died when he was young, and no relative with the surname Rong can be found on either side. And Rong Qi’s identity, origin, illness, and household registration are also completely untraceable. You could say there is no connection between the two of them.”

“…”

Shen Zhuo nodded silently, his eyes somewhat intriguing. “No connection between the two of them at all… yet he could get Su Jiqiao to bring Fu Chen along, lie about taking leave, travel back to his hometown together, and go to the Quanshan County Clinic to visit him.”

“Um, Shen Zhuo.” Yue Yang was a bit hesitant, but after thinking about it, he still defended, “I don’t know why Su Jiqiao lied about Rong Qi being his relative, nor do I know why Su Jiqiao ran to visit Rong Qi, but I know Fu Chen very well. Fu Chen took good care of all his friends, you could say he would grant any request. Especially since Su Jiqiao was young and had a weak personality. It wasn’t just Fu Chen back then, actually, everyone took good care of him…”

The corner of Shen Zhuo’s lips curled up in an undisguisedly sarcastic arc. “—’Weak personality’.”

Yue Yang choked slightly.

Su Jiqiao did indeed have an almost perfect image back then: kind-hearted, gentle and shy, extremely popular, a genius boy. He had obtained his master’s degree with excellent grades in his early twenties and then entered the Supervision Office to work, like a small white flower, optimistic, strong, and positive.

It was no exaggeration to say that in the years Su Jiqiao worked at the Supervision Office, he was loved and praised by everyone. Compared to Shen Zhuo, who was feared and had enemies on all sides at the time, and was even protested against by Evolutionists worldwide for several waves, they were complete opposites.

“I sometimes feel quite desperate about the intelligence of you Evolutionists…” A hint of pity flickered in Shen Zhuo’s eyes. “But forget it, Su Jiqiao has always been your intelligence test in my eyes.”

He stood up from behind his desk, his figure slender but his back straight. His tone and image had completely returned to being business-like. “I understand. I will handle it.”

Yue Yang habitually said, “If you need any help—”

His words cut off abruptly, as if he realized that it was no longer necessary for him to say that now. He sighed.

“I don’t mean to speak up for Su Jiqiao, I just want to explain that Fu Chen and Su Jiqiao really had nothing between them back then. In his heart, there was really only.” Yue Yang’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Probably because of Bai Sheng, he swallowed the rest of his words with difficulty. “It’s good that you know.”

Shen Zhuo waved his hand without looking up.

That meant the conversation was over, and you could leave.

Yue Yang had always been helpless against Shen Zhuo’s impeccable, keep-everyone-at-arm’s-length attitude. He could only press the exit button and disappear from the Supervision Office.

·

The private jet broke through the clouds, flying steadily towards B City.

Shen Zhuo put down his whiskey glass and had just turned around when he almost bumped into a lean chest, and was immediately pinned against the bar by the person.

“Gege,” Bai Sheng’s eyes were full of mockery. “Why are you drinking alone?”

“…” Shen Zhuo asked, “What dirty thing has possessed you?”

He pushed Bai Sheng, trying to walk away, but was pulled back by Bai Sheng with lightning speed. The movement was incredibly fast and heavy, a complete contrast to his usual self.

“I’ve had a question since last night.” Bai Sheng smiled and lowered his head slightly, looking into Shen Zhuo’s eyes. “Why did Su Jiqiao have to worry about Director Shen misunderstanding if he knew that he had asked his Senior Fu for help privately?”

“…”

“Just how much of the past am I unaware of, Director Shen?”

Bai Sheng’s daily style was the young, casual type, so just by looking at his face, one would get the mistaken impression of a cheerful, sunny college student. But the physical fitness of an S-class male was definitely not like that of a college student’s. His 1.9-meter frame was extremely oppressive in the cabin space, and his arms easily trapped Shen Zhuo in the narrow gap between his embrace and the bar.

“…I thought that with your unreasonable level of interest in me, you would have already gathered all the information from that internal Supervision Office forum.” Shen Zhuo, maintaining this posture with his back arched, looked up and mocked, “What, do you have a strange fetish for hearing gossip from the person involved?”

“Gossip, of course, is more exciting when you hear the explanation from the person involved themselves.” Bai Sheng raised an eyebrow and asked, “Didn’t you know I have many stimulating fetishes?”

“…”

Shen Zhuo was silent.

“Then you’d better know in advance,” Bai Sheng said softly.

Their bodies were pressed together, their breaths intertwined. Shen Zhuo’s waist and hips were almost pressed against the marble. With the slightest movement, he could feel the scorching intensity of the S-class Evolutionist’s muscles.

There was no one in the rear cabin of the private jet. Just a thin door away, the light footsteps and conversation of the flight crew could be heard.

“…I have no substantial relationship with Fu Chen. It’s just that the Supervision Office and the Research Institute needed to cooperate back then, and the higher-ups wanted to take the opportunity to set us up.” After a long moment, Shen Zhuo tilted his head back, avoiding their intertwined breaths, and said coldly, “Many people thought I should have a relationship with Fu Chen, including Yue Yang, and also Su Jiqiao. That’s all.”

“So Su Jiqiao hates you?”

Shen Zhuo was noncommittal.

“Then why do you hate Su Jiqiao too, Director Shen?” Bai Sheng rubbed Shen Zhuo’s chin, his strength uncontrollably a bit heavy. “Is it really unrelated to Fu Chen?”

This S-class, universally acknowledged as having the “best temper,” still had a smile on his face as usual, but his eyes were unusually dark, as if his usually well-hidden true nature was about to break through.

It wasn’t like this at the beginning.

For a young S-class who naturally craved exclusivity, the name Fu Chen, and the past it represented, had gone from being an outdated piece of gossip that could be easily joked about, to a provocation and stimulus, and then to a thorn in his side, something he couldn’t let go of. The unsatisfied desire for control and possession was repeatedly triggered and tormented. After a night of tossing and turning, it was finally difficult to suppress and began to show.

“Why does everyone know you hate Su Jiqiao so much?” Bai Sheng stared straight into Shen Zhuo’s pupils, his voice unable to suppress its anxiety and low tone, asking word by word, “What exactly did Yue Yang’s words last night mean?”

Shen Zhuo was forced to meet his gaze. After a moment, he spoke in a hoarse voice, “…It has nothing to do with Fu Chen.”

His tone was very calm, each word extremely steady, with a suppressive, gentle power. “It’s because Su Jiqiao has always been very aggressive towards me.”

“I don’t like people who are too aggressive.”

“…”

Bai Sheng stared at Shen Zhuo, his pupils flickering slightly, his expression changing unpredictably, as if he were fiercely weighing something in his mind.

Even a restless lion would repeatedly weigh whether to follow its instincts and pounce regardless, or to endure and whimper in submission, in order to continue receiving the affection and comfort it desired.

The air in the cabin stagnated. A bowstring in the void seemed to be stretched to its limit. After a long while, Bai Sheng’s eyes moved, and he smiled as if nothing had happened; the previously unconcealable ferocity and agitation were completely gone.

“—Oh, it was just a joke. What’s with all this talk about aggression?”

He let go of Shen Zhuo’s cold chin, casually brushed off the non-existent dust from Shen Zhuo’s shoulder, then pulled his hands back with a grin. “Actually, I also feel that surnamed Su green tea is a bit annoying. No wonder you hate him. Hey, it’s normal.”

At this moment, with a whoosh, the door was pushed open. The driver, Luo Zhen, was holding a glass of water. “Supervisor Shen—”

He was stunned when he saw them.

Bai Sheng very naturally let go of Shen Zhuo, reached out to take the water glass from Luo Zhen’s hand, then put an arm around Shen Zhuo’s shoulder in a brotherly manner, his face beaming. “It’s fine, I was just messing around with your Supervisor Shen.”

Shen Zhuo said calmly, “Get out.”

Luo Zhen didn’t say a word, lowered his head, and exited the rear cabin, properly closing the door.

With a soft click, only the two of them were left in the rear cabin.

Bai Sheng finally let go completely. Shen Zhuo took the opportunity to pull away and took two steps back.

The tense air finally returned to its normal flow.

They both tacitly avoided mentioning the previous interlude. Bai Sheng also completely returned to his somewhat playful and casual normal state. He leaned against the bar, took a sip of water, like a lion lying back in its den, yawning lazily. He asked casually, “So Su Jiqiao also went to school at the Research Institute?”

Shen Zhuo hummed in agreement. “A genius boy, he did his bachelor’s and master’s degrees consecutively at the Research Institute.”

Bai Sheng thought to himself, most of the “genius boys” in this world are watered down in front of you. That surnamed Su is probably no exception. “Did he start being aggressive back then… did he start being all green-tea-like towards you back then?”

Shen Zhuo glanced at him but didn’t bother to reply.

“Oh, come on, look at you, still holding a grudge.” Bai Sheng walked over from the bar with a grin and sat shamelessly on the armrest beside Shen Zhuo. His sunny and cheerful handsome face was simply irresistible. He diligently straightened the collar of Shen Zhuo’s shirt, which had been messed up just now.

Shen Zhuo tilted his head, avoiding him.

It was a clear and cold rejection, but Bai Sheng didn’t mind at all. He just sat there, squeezed intimately against Shen Zhuo, and asked with a smile, “What year was that?”

Shen Zhuo said faintly, “Eight years ago.”

“I heard him call you Senior Shen last time. Was he your junior, just like Chen Miao?”

This question really just slipped out of Bai Sheng’s mouth, but as soon as he said it, he realized something was wrong—no matter how much of a genius Su Jiqiao was, he couldn’t possibly be of the same generation as Shen Zhuo, just as Chen Miao was also a generation younger than Shen Zhuo at the Research Institute.

The fact that Chen Miao could call him senior was obviously because the foolish child was favored. Su Jiqiao couldn’t even dream of this kind of favoritism.

Sure enough, Shen Zhuo raised his eyelashes and gave him a half-smiling glance. “Who said I was his senior?”

“…”

“He called me that just to disgust me,” Shen Zhuo said coldly. “Because I was his teacher.”

Bai Sheng: “Huh?”

·

“—These are all new graduate students recruited by the institute this year. Of course, they can’t compare to you, little Shen, but they are also promising pillars of the future, hahaha…”

The summer heat had not yet subsided at the start of that school year. Young, proud prodigies ran and played across the playground. Shen Zhuo turned from the window and saw a boy in a white shirt standing in front of him, his delicate face slightly flushed. “T-Teacher Shen.”

“This is the Su Jiqiao I was telling you about, a famous genius from his undergraduate years.” The old dean smiled and patted the boy’s shoulder, then pointed at Shen Zhuo. “Calling him teacher is too formal. Just call him Senior Shen! Shen Zhuo, you also have to remember to take care of your junior. You two should get closer, interact more…”

“Senior Shen,” a hint of timid shyness was in the boy’s eyes. “I’ve heard your name for a long time.”

The eighteen-year-old Su Jiqiao was a little shorter than Shen Zhuo, not yet fully grown. That milky, delicate handsomeness was very likable, and he seemed to know very well from which angle he looked more likable.

Shen Zhuo only glanced at him before turning his attention back to the computer. “Which two characters?”

“‘Entrusting words to the magpie by the river, next year, do not build a bridge’. That ‘Jiqiao’.”

Shen Zhuo nodded, indicating he understood.

Su Jiqiao’s tone was full of sincerity. “Senior Shen, I’ve admired you very much since my undergraduate years. I’ve always hoped to graduate early so that I would have the opportunity to learn more from you. I’ve specially printed all of your works. Look, these are my notes—”

“No need to apply. I don’t take students, and it’s not suitable for your direction.”

Shen Zhuo interrupted the hesitant, delicate boy, stood up, closed his computer, and handed the list he had just printed to the old dean. “These few doctoral students can try to join my project team. The rest are not needed. Send them back.”

“Huh?” The old dean was quite surprised. “They’re so outstanding, and you’re sending them all back?”

Shen Zhuo was direct. “They’re fakes.”

He glanced at the time, tucked his computer under his arm, and hurried towards the laboratory without a backward glance, disappearing at the end of the corridor under Su Jiqiao’s gaze.

Adoration, love, or hatred from the world were the most common and worthless things in Shen Zhuo’s eyes. Su Jiqiao quickly realized this.

If the genius boy had accepted earlier that he was just an ordinary person among the masses, then he might have had time to change his approach, or even his persona, to get closer to his goal with more appropriate and smooth means.

But he didn’t.

Su Jiqiao, who was loved by everyone in his student days, soon crashed head-on into Shen Zhuo’s cold, iron plate in the most tragic and ugly way.

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