Hearing Li Shuhe’s words, Si Jinnian wore a dark expression, guessing that his mother must have misunderstood something.
“Mom, I’m fine. My brain is normal and I haven’t suffered any shock, so you don’t need to worry. I just want to learn more about Pei Shuchen and reconsider this matter properly.”
“Are you really fine?”
Li Shuhe remained suspicious. She knew all too well how intense Si Jinnian’s previous resistance to this marriage alliance had been.
Now that he suddenly wanted to fulfill the engagement, what could it be if not his brain being fried?
“Really, just send his profile and photos over to me so I can take a look first.”
“But people have already called off the engagement with you, and both your father and I have already agreed to it.”
“It doesn’t matter. Even though the engagement is canceled, it doesn’t mean the two of us have to become strangers.”
“Our two families are family friends after all. Even if we can’t end up together as a couple, being good friends should be fine, right?”
“Who knows, maybe if our relationship turns out well in the future, we can look out for each other even more.”
Si Jinnian was desperate to figure out Pei Shuchen’s identity, so he fabricated excuses to fool his mother without missing a beat.
“What you’re saying makes some sense. Shuchen is indeed a good kid. Not only is he well-behaved, obedient, and sensible, but his own capabilities are also very strong. If you can get closer to him in the future and support each other, it wouldn’t be a bad thing after all.”
“It’s still much better than you spending every day hanging out with Gu Ming and those other loafing, idle, fair-weather friends.”
Having won his mother’s approval, Si Jinnian glanced at Gu Ming and struck while the iron was hot. “Right, so can you send me his photos now?”
His mother hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing.
“Alright, then I’ll send you his photos and current address right now. Get along well with him, and when you have time, come back home together for dinner.”
“Alright, got it,” Si Jinnian replied with a grin.
A minute later, Li Shuhe sent over Pei Shuchen’s photos and detailed profile.
Looking at Pei Shuchen’s photo on his phone screen, Gu Ming widened his eyes and blurted out, “It really is him.”
The last lingering shred of wishful thinking shattered. Si Jinnian let out a cold laugh, staring at the photo and squeezing a sentence out through clenched teeth, “We really are enemies crossing paths!”
Thinking of the unpleasantness that had occurred between him and Pei Shuchen previously, the fire in Si Jinnian’s heart shot straight up.
Staring at the photo for a long while, Si Jinnian abruptly stood up and strode aggressively toward the private room’s door.
Now that Pei Shuchen’s identity was confirmed and his current address was known, Si Jinnian decided to go find Pei Shuchen and settle the score properly.
“Nian-ge, where are you going?”
Gu Ming chased after him out of the private room. The conversation between Si Jinnian and Li Shuhe just now had left him in a fog; words like marriage engagement, wife, and canceling the engagement left him both confused and anxious, and he desperately wanted to know what kind of relationship Pei Shuchen had with Si Jinnian.
Si Jinnian didn’t look back, moving like the wind as three cold words spilled from his lips: “To get revenge!”
Even though Pei Shuchen possessed an exceptionally handsome face, to the point where every single strand of his hair grew precisely to Si Jinnian’s aesthetic preferences, the mere recollection of how Pei Shuchen had made him make a public spectacle of himself and lose all his dignity caused the fires of rage in Si Jinnian’s heart to burn fiercely, refusing to calm down no matter what.
“Nian-ge, I’m coming with you!”
Guo Ming hurried to catch up, but Si Jinnian flatly rejected his request.
“No need. Dealing with him is something I can handle all by myself.”
Starting his car, Si Jinnian sped off without looking back toward Pei Shuchen’s residence.
Gu Ming stood where he was, feeling a bit uneasy about Si Jinnian.
Last night, he had trusted Si Jinnian’s abilities too much, and look how that turned out. Si Jinnian had been stripped bare and hung from a tree.
After pondering for a moment, Gu Ming called some other friends and followed closely behind, determined to provide backup for Si Jinnian.
Pei Shuchen had slept all day and felt a bit hungry. He originally planned to order delivery and make do with a simple meal at home, but a baffling headache made him feel uncomfortable no matter how he sat.
So he decided to go out for some fresh air to relax, grab a bite to eat, and familiarize himself with the surrounding environment at the same time.
Just as Si Jinnian drove up to the entrance of the residential complex where Pei Shuchen lived, he saw Pei Shuchen walking out from inside.
Pei Shuchen was dressed in a loose black silk shirt paired with matching pitch-black trousers, strolling leisurely out of the complex.
Under the shroud of night, moonlight spilled over Pei Shuchen, as if draping him in a mysterious veil.
His cold, slender figure was as eye-catching as the male lead walking right out of a movie scene.
The collar of the black shirt was casually unbuttoned by two buttons, perfectly revealing his sexy, charming collarbones, while the metallic-glinting necklace hanging around his neck added an extra touch of wild charm and appeal.
Sitting in his car, Si Jinnian found his gaze involuntarily drawn to Pei Shuchen.
Watching Pei Shuchen’s figure draw closer, Si Jinnian swallowed unconsciously and muttered inwardly in astonishment, “How can someone look this good? He is practically a demon!”
Yet only a split second later, Si Jinnian snapped back to his senses. Remembering how Pei Shuchen had humiliated him previously, he mentally scolded himself for lacking backbone.
Si Jinnian, oh Si Jinnian, you really never learn! Did you forget so quickly how this bastard made a fool of you?
Raising a hand, he slapped himself across the face. When he looked at Pei Shuchen again, a mixture of anger and cunning flashed in his eyes.
Glancing at the black McLaren parked at the entrance, Pei Shuchen frowned slightly, feeling that the car looked somewhat familiar. However, he didn’t dwell on it and instead walked straight toward the intersection.
Si Jinnian got out of the car and stealthily followed behind Pei Shuchen.
Pei Shuchen preferred quiet, so the apartment he rented was relatively remote. If he remembered correctly, there should be a convenience store and a fast-food restaurant selling beef noodles up ahead.
As Pei Shuchen walked, he suddenly felt as though someone had been following right behind him. Feeling suspicious, Pei Shuchen turned around.
Clueless as to why he needed to hide, Si Jinnian panicked and dove straight into the nearby shrubbery.
Looking at the swaying bushes and the flash of a black figure behind him, Pei Shuchen hesitated for a moment before turning around and picking up his pace.
Lin Jiayi had warned him before that while the environment around these apartments was nice, it was too isolated, and a stalker had recently been spotted. He hadn’t expected it to be true.
Si Jinnian, whose face had been scratched by tree branches, felt thoroughly irritated. He was here to get revenge on Pei Shuchen, so why the hell had he just ducked for cover!
Emerging from the bushes, Si Jinnian looked up only to find that Pei Shuchen had vanished. While he stood there wondering, someone suddenly kicked him hard in the backside from behind.
“Damn pervert, what are you trying to do following me?”
Accompanied by Pei Shuchen’s interrogation, Si Jinnian was kicked back into the shrubbery.
Without a second word, Pei Shuchen immediately pounced on Si Jinnian and gave him a thorough beating.