Sunlight pierced through the treetops, casting dappled shadows onto the glass. A gentle breeze brushed through the air, carrying the fragrance of soil after the rain. The clear blue sky promised an exceptionally bright and beautiful day.
Pei Sichen opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Jiang Ruobai, bathed in the morning sunlight. Jiang Ruobai was leaning against the window, staring blankly at the sky. He was wearing one of Pei Sichen’s shirts, which was too large for him and hung loosely off his frame, revealing a large expanse of skin marked with mottled blue and purple bruises. It was a sight that pulled one back into the whirlpool of lingering passion.
This version of Jiang Ruobai was both fragile and enchanting; just by standing there, he seemed to pluck at Pei Sichen’s heartstrings.
Pei Sichen walked over and pulled the dazed Jiang Ruobai into his arms, burying his head in the crook of his neck. Inhaling the scent of his own pheromones that permeated Jiang Ruobai from head to toe, he asked softly, “When did you wake up?”
Jiang Ruobai’s body stiffened. He could not adapt to Pei Sichen’s gentleness at this moment. His unpredictability made him afraid, so he spoke with extreme caution, “Just now. And you, Mr. Pei?”
Pei Sichen lightly kissed his gland, feeling his uncontrollable trembling. “Why are you so sensitive?”
Jiang Ruobai’s face flushed scarlet, though he felt only humiliation.
“Why aren’t you speaking?” Seeing his silence, Pei Sichen teased him deliberately.
“I don’t know what to say.” Jiang Ruobai trembled with fear, but he did not dare leave the question unanswered, so he replied honestly.
Pei Sichen was clearly dissatisfied with this answer. He lowered his head and bit down hard on the gland. Jiang Ruobai’s face, already pale, drained of all remaining color until he was as white as a sheet. Fearing that he had angered Pei Sichen, he apologized nervously and hurriedly, “I am sorry, Mr. Pei.”
Hearing Jiang Ruobai’s tremulous apology, Pei Sichen finally released his teeth, satisfied. He asked tentatively, “You have been burning with fever for three full days. Do you remember anything?”
During the wait for an answer, he was unexpectedly tense, deliberately avoiding Jiang Ruobai’s eyes.
In truth, these three days felt like a long dream to Jiang Ruobai. In the dream, he felt as if he had returned to his childhood, lying on the large rock beneath the old locust tree. Because he was afraid of the heat, he kept rolling on the cool stone until Mother Wu caught him and pulled his ears, scolding him, leading to a playful, stubborn argument. Mother Wu was always the one who cared for him most; before long, she was waving a large bamboo fan, fanning him one gentle stroke at a time. The cool breeze had felt wonderful. If it were possible, he truly wished to drown in that dream forever.
The probing in Pei Sichen’s tone made Jiang Ruobai feel something, but he deemed the thought far too absurd. How could a person like Pei Sichen possibly care for him?
“I was delirious; I don’t remember anything.” Jiang Ruobai shook his head. He did not want to make Pei Sichen angry, so he chose what he considered the safest response.
The pampered young master had rarely taken care of someone, but the fact that the person in question remembered nothing tasted like a heavy blow for the first time.
“You really don’t remember anything at all?” Pei Sichen asked, grabbing Jiang Ruobai’s arm, unwilling to give up.
“Hm.” Jiang Ruobai nodded, bracing himself. He did not understand what was wrong with Pei Sichen.
A rare look of disappointment appeared on Pei Sichen’s face, but it quickly turned into an unventable rage, much like the resentment of a wealthy young lady toward a fickle, impoverished scholar.
“Is that so? You have actually forgotten. Fine, Jiang Ruobai, you are truly something!” He snorted coldly, angrily released Jiang Ruobai, and turned around ruthlessly, as if deliberately leaving Jiang Ruobai with a resolute back.
Jiang Ruobai felt bewildered by Pei Sichen’s sudden flare-up, but not wanting to be punished further, he caught Pei Sichen’s hand the next second with lightning speed.
“Mr. Pei!”
Pei Sichen stopped but remained with his back to him, asking in a low voice, “What is it?”
“I am sorry. I did not mean to make you angry,” Jiang Ruobai apologized with his head bowed.
Hearing the pitiful request for forgiveness, the anger in Pei Sichen’s heart dissipated by more than half. After a moment of silence, he finally turned around, heart softened. He thought: Forget it, why bother getting serious with a stupid rabbit like Jiang Ruobai? The rabbit is timid and clumsy. Waiting for him to finally get a clue is like waiting for that kid Su Jiachen to turn over a new leaf.
He reached out to take Jiang Ruobai’s hand, but the moment he made contact, Jiang Ruobai pulled away as if electrocuted.
His body had judged the situation before his brain; fear and evasion had become instincts when facing Pei Sichen.
“What are you dodging?!” Pei Sichen’s face darkened completely. All warmth vanished from his gaze, leaving only the sharpness of an interrogation.
Jiang Ruobai’s heart and body shuddered violently. He lifted his head in terror to meet those eyes, which were as dark as a deep pool. He knew that look all too well; it was the same expression Pei Sichen wore the night he was dragged back.
“I asked you, what are you dodging?” Pei Sichen asked viciously, gritting his teeth.
Jiang Ruobai took several terrified steps back, his eyes fixed on Pei Sichen with vigilance.
This series of reactions caused Pei Sichen’s expression to worsen. Suppressing his rage, he said coldly, “Come here.”
Fearing that Pei Sichen would hit him, and fearing even more that if the man grew angry, he would truly hand him over to those people from before, Jiang Ruobai did not dare to approach, glancing toward the door every few seconds.
Seeing where Jiang Ruobai’s eyes were darting, Pei Sichen finally reached his limit and exploded: “Dare to run, and see what happens!”
Feeling the icy, oppressive atmosphere around Pei Sichen, Jiang Ruobai finally retracted his gaze, standing timidly in place, trembling and unable to move a muscle.
Pei Sichen’s face was cold as he took a long stride, closing the distance instantly. Before Jiang Ruobai could react, he was pinned down by the massive figure.
Though the soft carpet absorbed most of the impact, Jiang Ruobai still saw stars, losing his ability to resist for a brief moment. Once he realized he had lost all protection, panic set in, and he struggled desperately.
“Mr. Pei, please. I really cannot take it anymore.”
Pei Sichen had no intention of sparing him. The person in front of him had defied him again and again, and he needed to be taught a lesson. He wanted Jiang Ruobai to belong to him completely, from body to heart.
Feeling the terrifying probe, Jiang Ruobai was thrown into a panic. He widened his eyes and cried out loudly, “No, please! Don’t do this, Mr. Pei, I beg you!”
Perhaps truly worried that Pei Sichen would not stop, he did something he had never done before: he initiated a kiss, a trembling, clumsy, and light peck. He had intended to kiss his cheek, but due to his frantic struggle, he accidentally kissed the corner of Pei Sichen’s mouth.
Pei Sichen was stunned for a moment, but only for a moment. He covered Jiang Ruobai’s helpless eyes with his hand and whispered like a demon into his ear: “Remember, you are mine!”
“!!!”
The faint flicker of hope was extinguished. The double-marking left him thoroughly lost in the darkness.
Until the sun slanted toward the west.
The final price for this disastrous ordeal was that Jiang Ruobai had to be hospitalized in a coma for another week.
During that time, Pei Sichen received a call from a man named Zhou Luo, meant for Jiang Ruobai. Pei Sichen did not reveal his name, identifying himself only as Jiang Ruobai’s lover. Zhou Luo, unaware of Jiang Ruobai’s situation, happily assumed Pei Sichen was telling the truth and excitedly shared the news that the stock they invested in had skyrocketed.
Pei Sichen asked with interest, “And which stock did you invest in?”
Zhou Luo replied frankly from the other end of the line, “Xuming Construction.”
“Xuming Construction, is it?” Pei Sichen looked at Jiang Ruobai, who was still in a coma on the hospital bed, his eyes playing with amusement. He remembered that in the pig-butchering scam he had orchestrated himself, Xuming Construction was among the assets included.
“Sister-in-law, did Brother Bai never tell you?” Zhou Luo asked, thinking he had made a mistake when he heard the stranger’s completely ignorant tone. “Maybe Brother Bai just wanted to give you a surprise. Please, don’t be angry, sister-in-law.”
“How much did he invest with you?” Pei Sichen asked.
Zhou Luo thought for a moment and said honestly, “About 500,000.”
Pei Sichen hung up the phone immediately, blacklisting the man named Zhou Luo while he was at it. After that, he sat on the sofa in the high-end hospital room, watching Jiang Ruobai, who remained unconscious and oblivious to everything, and offered a cold laugh.
He seemed to understand where Jiang Ruobai’s courage to run had come from. No wonder Jiang Ruobai had been so certain that he would pay back that 500,000. To gamble all his money on an investment—Pei Sichen did not know whether to call Jiang Ruobai courageous or stupidly pathetic.
“Unfortunately.” Pei Sichen spun the ruby ring on his finger; the cold light reflected off the gem was just like its owner’s eyes. “Jiang Ruobai, what you are expecting will likely fall through soon. And as for you, you only have one path: to obediently stay by my side!”
Pei Sichen felt this was excellent news. Shortly after, he received a call from another participant in the scheme: Deputy Mayor Lin, Lin Jianyou.
Lin Jianyou: “Young Master Pei, are you busy? I hope I am not disturbing you?”
Pei Sichen gave no face to the man on the other end, asking bluntly, “What is it?”
Lin Jianyou: “My daughter’s birthday banquet is in half a month. I would like to invite you. Do you have the time?”
Pei Sichen had intended to refuse, but thinking of the phone call from earlier, he suddenly changed his mind. “Understood. I will be there.”
“That is wonderful! Thank you for the invitation.”
Pei Sichen could not be bothered with Lin Jianyou’s sycophantic flattery and hung up directly.
Unlike Pei Sichen’s indifferent attitude, Lin Jianyou’s daughter had been waiting silently by the phone. Upon hearing that Pei Sichen would also be coming, she looked at Lin Jianyou nervously. “Is Young Master Pei coming this time?”
Lin Jianyou nodded, his face full of excitement. Looking at his nervous daughter, he advised with deep meaning, “Good child, this is your best chance. You must seize it.”
Lin You shrank back, her lips moving silently for a long time. Upon seeing Lin Jianyou’s increasingly cold and sinister gaze, she finally lowered her head in resignation. “Daughter understands.”
Lin Jianyou patted his daughter’s shoulder and smiled, “Good. You truly are Papa’s good daughter.”