Dr. Su arrived after all. However, the person who called him over wasn’t Thirty Million, but Shen Yanzhou.
Shen Yanzhou originally believed that after taking a bath, his body would feel a bit more comfortable. As long as he washed away the traces left behind from last night and cleared out the things that wild dog had left inside his body, he could wrap himself in a proper business suit as usual and return to being the flawless master of the Shen family.
But he had overestimated his body’s endurance, and underestimated the anomalous physiological structure and terrifying capacity of an S+ tier Alpha.
That dog simply didn’t know how to write the word moderation.
His body had been stretched to its absolute limit, and because things had accumulated inside him for an entire night, he faintly felt that he had been driven into inflammation by the dog kneeling on the floor, his lower abdomen carrying a heavy, sinking ache. In a state like this, let alone participating in a charity gala, even simply closing his thighs left him feeling a chafing discomfort.
If it were anyone else whose body had fallen into this state, they would have long used it as an excuse to push away the gala, lying comfortably in bed to nurse their injuries.
But he couldn’t. The word “absent” had never existed within his life’s dictionary.
Whether it was negotiating with tricky shareholders while running a high fever, or dragging his ailing leg through a typhoon to inspect the docks, he had never shown weakness before others, nor had he ever taken a single day off. If he were absent tonight, the front-page headlines of that pack of Hong Kong media whose mouths were more toxic than cobras definitely wouldn’t read nicely tomorrow morning. They would highly likely pair it with text-suggestive composite imagery, printing shocking, bold red headlines:
《Shocking! Shen & Fu Pre-marital Trial Love Plays Out to Fire? Mr. Shen Suffers Soft Legs and Absents Gala!》
《Suspected Intense All-Night Battle with Eldest Master Fu Last Night, Eldest Master Shen’s Stamina Overdrawn, Finding it Difficult to Drop from Bed!》
Therefore, he absolutely must go. He could not allow his rules to be broken because of this wild dog who didn’t know weight or measure.
Thinking to this point, he glared again at the man kneeling on the floor. The man looked completely aggrieved by his glare, obediently lowering his head, looking just a hair away from dropping small pearls out of sheer dejection. Catching sight of his demeanor, Shen Yanzhou turned even more furious.
This fellow had actually taken the lead in acting aggrieved before he could. Anyone out of the loop would assume he was the one bullying this dog.
Su Muran received the text message from Shen Yanzhou, and when he stepped into the bedroom holding his medical case, what first caught his view was Shen Yanzhou slumped softly across the bed.
The deep gray silk duvet only covered his frame below the waist line, while his upper torso rippled slightly along with his breathing. His silver hair scattered messily like a waterfall across his smooth-as-jade spine, a few strands draping along the side of his face to mask half his features yet failing to mask the brilliant pink forced out by the steam at his eye corners. Anyone witnessing this would desire to rub this person ruthlessly into their embrace, right?
The split second Su Muran birthed this thought, before he even possessed time to open his mouth, he detected a gaze wanting to slaughter him. Tremblingly tracing that line of sight over, he saw that man kneeling silently by the bedside.
The hand Su Muran used to hold the medical box began to tremble uncontrollably. The suffocating sensation of having his throat tightly clamped inside that rainy night back alley surged back over him like a tidal wave. The man didn’t voice a word, yet through his eyes, Su Muran thoroughly decoded the words he desired to speak:
—If you don’t want to die, close your mouth tight.
Cold sweat broke out across Su Muran’s back. Recalling his phone snapped into two sections that night, and recalling this madman stating in the rainy night that he would gouge his eyeballs out, extreme terror left his legs and feet completely soft.
Within this suffocating confrontation, the Shen Yanzhou slumped across the bed opened his eyes with impatience. Working hard to support his upper torso, he cast a cold sweep over the frozen Su Muran at the threshold, then traced his line of sight to look at Thirty Million kneeling on the floor with a completely honest, simple demeanor.
“Su Muran, what are you dazing for?” Shen Yanzhou furrowed his brow, his tone packed with displeasure from being ignored. “The injured person is me, and the person slumped across the bed waiting for rescue is also me. Why keep staring at my dog?”
Su Muran’s face went completely pale, not daring to cast another glance toward that corner. Forcing his focus to focus onto Shen Yanzhou’s pale face, the voice he used to speak was trembling: “A-A-Yan, where… where are you uncomfortable?”
“Where?” Shen Yanzhou buried his face into the pillow, enduring an unvoiceable sense of shame as he squeezed a few syllables low from between his teeth: “That… that behind has swollen up, and inside… feels congested, likely inflamed. Come over and check for me exactly how badly it’s injured, see if we can use some specific-effect medication to let me reduce the swelling as fast as possible.”
As he spoke, he attempted to loop his hand back to fling up the duvet corner.
Seeing that the pale, delicate skin near the side of his waist densely covered entirely in deep purple finger marks was on the verge of being exposed, a large hand packed with rough calluses suddenly cut horizontally across the space. Disregarding any discussion, it yanked the opened duvet corner right back down, tucking it tightly and securely.
“Master, don’t uncover it.” The man’s handsome face was packed to the brim with concern. “When Dr. Su entered just now, the door wasn’t closed properly; the wind is strong. You just took a bath, your pores are all open across your body; if you catch a chill from uncovering this, it will turn even more disastrous.”
Shen Yanzhou possessed zero strength to bicker with this dog, only capable of giving him an irritated glare, and the man obediently retracted his hand.
“Dr. Su, what should I do now?”
Su Muran braced himself to shuffle forward two paces, opening his medical box and tremblingly fishing out a silver metal tube of ointment. “This… this is currently the best anti-inflammatory soothing cream, containing a micro-dosage of analgesic components.”
Shen Yanzhou swept a glance over the tube of medication, his tone impatient: “How to use it? Rub it on the outer edge?”
“No… not the outer edge,” Su Muran’s voice was dry. “The injury is on the inside, and the red, swollen area is relatively deep… requires, requires inserting inside to uniformly coat the ointment within.”
“Then hurry up and coat it,” Shen Yanzhou buried his face even deeper. “Stop lingering, I’m pressed for time.”
Su Muran’s hand holding the ointment froze midair. Because along with the fall of Shen Yanzhou’s words, the man’s gaze cut directly over.
An intense possessiveness was rolling within the man’s eyes. He didn’t voice a word, simply executing an exceptionally light, slicing gesture toward him. His gaze brilliantly wrote:
You dare try inserting your finger inside?
If you dare touch the interior once, tonight I will chop your ten fingers into pieces one by one to feed the dogs.
The ointment inside Su Muran’s hand dropped onto the floor.
“Su Muran!” Hearing the commotion, Shen Yanzhou turned his head with impatience. “What exactly are you doing? Your hand is shaking to this image is your Parkinson’s acting up or what?”
Tracing Su Muran’s terror-stricken focus over, he only saw Thirty Million lowering his brow and eyes to compliantly arrange his pillow for him; detecting his gaze, he even lifted his head to flash him an innocent, compliant smile.
“Why do you keep looking at my dog?” Shen Yanzhou was truly enraged now. “Su Muran, why didn’t I discover before that your eyesight was this useless? Who exactly is the patient?”
“I, I believe…” Su Muran took a deep breath. Caught between “being scolded by Shen Yanzhou” and “having his hands chopped by a mad dog,” he relied on his survival instinct to make a choice. Taking a massive step back to pull away to an absolutely secure distance, he stuttered: “I believe… it’s better if you rub it on yourself, A-Yan?”
“What did you say?” Shen Yanzhou completely couldn’t believe his eardrums.
He laughed from extreme rage, supporting his body as his pale fingertip pointed toward Su Muran’s nose: “Su Muran, you dumped a flash drive last time and bolted I already found it strange. What, do you find the Shen family’s cash scalding to your hands, or were your medical ethics eaten by a dog? Rub it myself? Right now my hands are so soft I can’t even hold a glass of water steadily. I can’t glimpse behind, and I can’t reach inside! How do you expect me to rub it myself?!”
“This… this…” Cold sweat poured continuously down Su Muran. He cast a desperate glance toward that man who was presently rolling up his sleeves.
“I believe…” Su Muran closed his eyes, slowly berkata: “For a private matter of this nature, it’s better if whoever caused it does the rubbing! After all, he should be more familiar with the internal structure than I am.”
“What did you say? Su Muran, repeat the words you just voiced once more?”
Shen Yanzhou was in extreme misery. He looked exactly like a cat waiting for its butler to feed it, suddenly being told that today there were zero cat cans left; on top of his disappointment, he wanted to unleash a fire, yet currently he was slumped across a pillow, his long hair tangled messily near the side of his neck. His appearance looked fierce, yet lacked a single shred of deterrent power.
“I am saying, since he was the one who caused it, Thirty Million understands the position best—it’s most appropriate for him to apply it!”
Braving that gaze in the corner that was on the verge of executing a slow slicing upon him, Su Muran braced himself to pick up that tube of ointment, resting it on the nightstand. Before Shen Yanzhou could respond, he busied himself saying: “Um… the hospital still has an emergency case, A-Yan, I truly must leave first!”
“Su Muran! Get back here for me—”
Shen Yanzhou’s words caught halfway, and Su Muran picked up his medical case, pulled the bedroom door shut, and bolted.
The bedroom fell into silence. Su Muran had fled, but this medication ultimately required someone to apply it. Shen Yanzhou tilted his head, glancing at the man kneeling by the bedside; his large hand was suspended in empty space, looking completely like a character who desired to extend a hand to touch the ointment yet didn’t dare act presumptuously.
“What are you still dazing for? Hurry up and apply the medicine, don’t delay my work.”
“Yes, Master.”
He crawled on his knees onto the bed, uncovering the duvet, then stripping away the sleep trousers from Shen Yanzhou’s frame. Two globes resembling the finest mutton-fat jade were exposed without a shred of concealment before his eyes looking so tender that using a tiny bit of force would squeeze water out. He had indeed pinched them last night, and they were indeed tender. So tender they were covered entirely in a complex track of deep purple finger marks.
Yesterday the lighting was too dim; during the ample light of day, it finally caused him to realize how narrow that area was. Who knew how he had swallowed his scale down whole last night.
Honestly speaking, his heart ached intensely. Though he long knew Shen Yanzhou was exquisitely fragile, he simply couldn’t resist holding him, completely unable to stop.
Seeing the man hadn’t applied the medication for him yet, Shen Yanzhou couldn’t resist urging out of a mix of anger and shame: “What are you still dazing for? Hurry up.”
“Alright, that…”
“That what?”
“Master, can you lift your hips… a bit higher.”
“Shut your mouth for me.” Shen Yanzhou buried his face viciously deep into the deep gray soft pillow, wishing he could stuff himself into the pillow core, never emerging to see anyone again.
Seven in the evening, Tsim Sha Tsui, The Peninsula Hotel.
The warning signal for the Number 8 Typhoon remained hoisted high, yet this could not obstruct the enthusiasm of Hong Kong’s celebrities toward charity or rather, their desire to scrutinize the event organizer, the Fu family.
The black Maybach stabilized firmly beside the Peninsula Hotel fountain pool, the attendant exceptionally quick-wittedly sliding the car door open.
The exact split second Shen Yanzhou extended half his frame, his knees went soft. If there hadn’t been Shen Xici’s hand snapping over in time, he feared he would have executed a massive bow to that pack of Hong Kong media waiting to watch a joke the moment he stepped off the vehicle.
“Brother, slow down.”
Shen Xici’s arm was exceptionally steady, utilizing a posture that was practically half-shoving and half-holding to seamlessly offload the weight of most of Shen Yanzhou’s frame onto his own shoulder. To outsiders, this appeared as nothing more than a close, seamless support between brothers; only the closely pressed Shen Xici knew how violently his brother’s body beneath the haute couture suit was trembling.
“Mr. Shen! Look over here!”
“Eldest Master Shen, can you talk about the marriage announcement with Fu Sihan?”
The flashbulbs flickered frantically. Sensing the scent of blood, these Hong Kong media operatives immediately crowded over upon catching sight of Shen Yanzhou. But Shen Yanzhou held zero intention of paying them heed from the start. He narrowed his eyes a fraction, stepping across the wet red carpet into the hotel interior under Shen Xici’s support.
Before taking two steps, a middle-aged man covered entirely in a piled-up smile suddenly shot out from a diagonal angle, holding a gold-embossed name card as he forced his way past two bodyguards to approach.
“Aiya! Isn’t this Mr. Shen! Rare visitor, rare visitor!”
The newcomer was Director Huang, who worked in the construction materials business and loved maneuvering his connections most. The moment he caught sight of Shen Yanzhou, it looked exactly as if he had seen the God of Wealth; those mung-bean eyes rotated two circles across his frame, before settling onto the Shen Xici supporting him, his smile turning even more sycophantic:
“Mr. Shen truly displays brilliant grace tonight. I heard your happy occasion with Eldest Master Fu is close at hand massive congratulations! The Shen family firm is on the verge of rising another level!”
Shen Yanzhou cast an unenthusiastic glance over him, offering zero response, his steps unhalting. Director Huang didn’t turn awkward either, keeping pace beside him with a thick face as he targeted his design onto Shen Xici:
“This gentleman must be Xici, right? Tsk, tsk, truly a fine specimen of talent! Young people nowadays someone like Xici who is both a gold-medal barrister and can help out with the family estate is truly a rarity.” He rubbed his hands. “Don’t know if the Third Master currently possesses a good match? That youngest daughter of my house just returned from studying in the UK also studied law. Though her appearance can’t compare to Mr. Shen, she can still be considered elegant, not yet wedded…”
The hand Shen Xici used to support Shen Yanzhou tightened, his focus turning instantly cold. Mixing inside this circle, who didn’t know he was an adopted son taken in by the Shen family? Though he carried the title of Third Master, in the eyes of these old foxes, he was merely the Shen family’s premium guard dog. Wanting to shove a daughter to him was entirely wanting to use him as a springboard to climb onto the massive tree of the Shen family estate. And Director Huang’s daughter setting aside her appearance her rampant promiscuity within the circle was zero secret.
“Director Huang.” Shen Xici was just about to open his mouth to decline.
“Director Huang’s abacus is truly ringing out loudly.” A detached, lazy voice cut the words off.
Shen Yanzhou halted his steps, shifting his torso a fraction to exceptionally protectively shield Shen Xici half an inch behind his frame. His beautiful silver-gray eyes looked down at Director Huang with a half-smile. “But unfortunately, I only possess this one brother his standards have been raised high by me.”
He didn’t even cast a direct eye toward the card delivered over. “Your daughter just returned to the country; better to spend more time accompanying her parents at home.”
“That doesn’t cause a conflict either.”
“Xici is a person of my Shen family; his marriage naturally falls to me, his elder brother, to guard the pass.” Shen Yanzhou was too lazy to waste further words, tilting his jaw toward the bodyguards nearby. “Director Huang, the road ahead is slick do as you please.”
The bodyguards immediately stepped forward, separating the cold-sweat-drenched Director Huang away. The surroundings finally settled into tranquility.
Shen Yanzhou just wanted to take a step, yet felt the hand supporting his waist remained rigid. Turning his head to look into Shen Xici’s lowered eyes, a helpless sigh rose within his heart. This child was still this sensitive.
“What’s wrong? Angry?” Shen Yanzhou asked. He turned his frame around, exceptionally naturally helping Shen Xici arrange his slightly askew necktie. “Xici.”
Shen Yanzhou looked into his eyes, his tone rarely softening a fraction: “Don’t listen to those people spouting nonsense. From the day you entered the Shen family gates at twelve years old, you’ve been my brother a proper, genuine member of the Shen family. Your marriage doesn’t need to accommodate the daughters of those nouveau riche. You are highly excellent, ten thousand times stronger than those wastes inside the Shen family who simply live to consume food.”
Shen Yanzhou’s hand slid upward along the tie, executing a fond stroke across the top of Shen Xici’s head just like when they were kids: “You are my right-hand man. Possess some confidence no one dares look down on you.”
Shen Xici let that slightly cool hand gently stroke his hair top. His brother’s hand was very soft, his tone very gentle. And his brother’s words stirred him until he felt both sweetness and pain.
Brother… simply a brother?
Shen Xici’s focus dropped out of control from that beautiful face, roaming down along his long neck. Because of the action of arranging the tie moments ago, the collar of Shen Yanzhou’s black velvet formal tunic had opened a sliver of a gap.
Merely a sliver. Yet sufficient to let Shen Xici see clearly across his brother’s pale skin the deep crimson that hadn’t completely receded.
Those were hickeys. Marks left behind by a highly possessive, savage suction. Any man could guess that the person wreaking havoc across his brother’s body must have been incredibly insatiable to leave his brother’s body in this image.
“Brother…” Shen Xici grabbed Shen Yanzhou’s wrist which was just about to retract, the force somewhat out of control.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Yanzhou furrowed his brow a fraction.
Shen Xici’s eyes were completely red, his voice raspy: “You and that dog… did it?”
Shen Yanzhou froze a small fraction. Extracting his hand, he casually arranged his cuffs. Since it had been discovered, there was nothing worth concealing either. Because the opponent was Shen Xici—between him and Shen Xici, there had long been zero secrets.
“Mm,” Shen Yanzhou responded flatly. “Did it.”
“Why…” Shen Xici trembled as he gritted his teeth, his focus bearing a self-torturing persistence, insisting on getting a clear answer: “Brother, how was he? Was his technique very good? Leaving you… leaving you to indulge him like this?”
Hearing this, those chaotic and frantic images from last night flashed out of control through Shen Yanzhou’s brain. He thought of the man kneeling by the bedside looking entirely pitiable, yet on the bed executing a ruthless edge that folded him into various shameful positions along with that clingy edge that still insisted on holding him within his embrace, refusing to loosen his grip even after things had concluded.
Shen Yanzhou lowered his head, sinking into contemplation, before returning a sentence to Shen Xici:
“Too savage.”
And when he lifted his head, he caught sight of a person walking toward him with a smile from the Peninsula Hotel entrance.
Wrapped around that newcomer’s wrist was a string of Buddhist prayer beads.