Chарtеr 13: Аrе You Afraid оf Мe Like Тhis?
After gоssiрing fоr а whilе, thе cоllеаgues didn’t nоticе Sheng Shuran’s grim ехprеssion but instеаd sрottеd thе clеаn аnd hаndsоmе уoung mаn standing bеhind hеr.
“Shuran, who is this…” Among thеm, Lin Yuan rаised аn еуеbrow, sizing up Сhi Hen uр аnd dоwn. Shе brushed hеr deеp brown wаvу hаir аnd gаve Сhi Hen a gеntlе smilе.
Lin Yuаn wаs also a сеllist in thе orсhestrа. Coming frоm а musiсаl family, shе wаs alwaуs impeссаblу dressеd аnd hailed as the orchestrа’s bellе, ехuding соnfidenсe.
“My brоther.” Still lоst in her оwn thoughts, Shеng Shuran introduced him numbly and simply.
“Still in school?” Lin Yuan clearly grew interested, bypassing Sheng Shuran and looking directly at Chi Hen.
Chi Hen didn’t even spare Lin Yuan a glance. Instead, he tilted his head, staring intently at Sheng Shuran as if trying to capture every subtle shift in her emotions.
He could guess what Sheng Shuran was thinking. This realization slowly stirred a restless, gloomy feeling within him.
In the dark depths, a beast shackled by chains suddenly opened its eyes, licking its blood-stained claws.
The thick iron chains clanked loudly, as if making one final struggle.
Chi Hen handed the cello case to Sheng Shuran. With his slender, pale, and well-defined hands, he adjusted the shoulder strap for her, then placed his palm on her waist and gave her a gentle push.
“Time to go in.”
Sheng Shuran took a step forward, then turned to look at him. The scrutiny, doubt, and timidity in her eyes pierced Chi Hen’s heart.
The darkness in Chi Hen’s eyes grew thicker and more intense.
The two of them stood there, staring at each other in silence, neither speaking.
Unaware of the tension, the others pulled Sheng Shuran along, chattering cheerfully. “Hurry inside! Shuran’s brother, you should come visit often too!”
“Wow! Your brother is so handsome!”
“Does he have a girlfriend?”
“How old is he? Does he mind dating an older woman?!”
The crowd began buzzing with gossip about Chi Hen again. Fan Chao was just an ordinary topic that could be brushed aside at any moment.
But in Sheng Shuran’s eyes, it wasn’t something that could be easily forgotten.
Watching Sheng Shuran being pulled away, the fury in Chi Hen’s eyes could no longer be concealed.
A silver-gray Lamborghini pulled up ostentatiously in front of Chi Hen.
Qian Song had been waiting around the corner and only dared to drive the Lamborghini out after Sheng Shuran disappeared.
“Get out!” Chi Hen opened the driver’s door and barked a fierce command at Qian Song, the eldest son of City C’s most prominent family.
“Huh? What’s going on? Aren’t we heading back to the company?” The young master was confused. He had only come to pick up the even bigger young master for work.
Chi Hen didn’t hesitate. He yanked Qian Song out of the car and took the driver’s seat himself.
“Hey, hey, hey, Young Master Chi, what about me?”
“Afraid of dying?” Chi Hen shot a cold glance at Qian Song.
“If you’re not afraid, get in. If you are, call a ride.”
“Aren’t you supposed to go back to the company for a meeting today? Aren’t you afraid your little… Hey! Hey! Hey!”
Before Qian Song could finish, Chi Hen slammed on the accelerator, and the Lamborghini roared away.
Well, he’s angry again, off to race again.
Qian Song shed two lines of bitter tears as he silently opened the ride-hailing app. Lately, he had become a regular customer.
…
Chi Hen sped along the winding mountain road at 300 kilometers per hour.
Every sharp turn brought the thrilling sensation of being flung toward death, yet it still couldn’t dispel the restless gloom in his heart.
The wind rushing toward him felt like sharp blades, howling and screaming as it struck his perfect face.
But none of it compared to the pain of Sheng Shuran’s gaze.The phone chimed with a “ding,” receiving a WeChat message from Sheng Shuran.
Chi Hen glanced at it.
As expected, she couldn’t hold back.
[Was the person taken away by the ambulance Fan Chao?]
A cold, mocking laugh escaped Chi Hen’s lips as he executed another sharp drift just before the car hurtled toward the cliff edge.
“Ding,” another WeChat message arrived.
[Did you break his hand?]
Chi Hen stared at the screen, his eyes darkening, shadows tinged with crimson flooding his gaze.
With one hand, he unlocked the phone and sent a voice message to Sheng Shuran.
“It was me. I beat him half to death. I broke his fingers one by one…
“The person dragged out of the alley, barely alive, was Fan Chao…
“When we went to buy medicine, we passed the entrance of that alley. Didn’t you hear him still moaning in agony?
“I heard it, clear as day… He was begging us, pleading for us to save him…”
“Sheng Shuran…”
Chi Hen paused for a long time, second by second, the wind howling in his ears.
Just before the 60-second mark, he finally asked:
“Does this version of me… scare you?”
In that final sentence, his voice betrayed a hint of hysterical madness.
A beast had broken free from its chains, roaring out from within his chest, tearing open its own flesh and spilling its guts.