The law enforcement officer pushed Xie Yu forward and gestured to Shen Ci, "Hello, the person has been brought here. This is the bail document, please sign here."

Shen Ci nodded and picked up the pen to sign, his facial features as cold and noble as frost and snow.

Xie Yu stood to the side, hands in his pockets. He spoke first, "Why are you here?"

Even if someone came to bail him out, it shouldn't be Shen Ci.

Shen Ci's hand holding the pen paused. The office hall didn't have the AC on and was extremely cold, so he wore a thick woolen coat over his suit, his hands tucked inside the sleeves, preventing Xie Yu from noticing this small movement.

Shen Ci continued signing, his gaze falling on the document as if this single sheet of bail paper was a contract worth hundreds of billions. "It was... your uncle who asked me to bail you out."

"Xie Yuanhai?" Xie Yu blanked for a moment, then laughed, "He still has a bit of conscience. I thought he wouldn't care about me."

After the brief exchange, the two fell silent for a moment.

Shen Ci had added thick clothes, but he hadn't. When a draft blew through the hall, Xie Yu couldn't help but shiver.

Shen Ci immediately closed the document, his face expressionless. "Get in the car."

His car was parked at the entrance of the office. It was a Bentley business model with crown-style LED headlights, an oversized chrome grille, and a fully top-tier interior; it was no cheaper than Xie Yu's car.

Xie Yu got into the passenger seat, pulled the seatbelt over, and sighed, "It really is a turning of the tables. Now it's my turn to ride in your car."

He reached out his hand. "Long time no see."

It was a polite handshake posture.

Shen Ci's gaze fell on Xie Yu's outstretched hand. There was a bloody cut left on it—it had been scraped by a metal button when he was beating up He Zhiyuan just now. It was no longer bleeding, but the wound was rolled outward, and the flesh was red and swollen, still looking terrifying.

Following his gaze, Xie Yu also saw the bloody wound. Guessing that Shen Ci wouldn't want to shake hands, he pulled it back and smiled, "Let's reintroduce ourselves. What should I call you now? President Shen? Director Shen? Or Executive Shen?"

Xie Yu had heard at the reception earlier that Shen Ci was the new upstart of Jiang City, with listed companies under his name. However, Xie Yu didn't know his exact position—whether he was the president, director, or chief executive officer. Moreover, the original text was a smut novel, so it didn't bother describing these details.

Shen Ci lowered his eyes to himself, turned the car key with a click, and said coldly, "...Up to you."

He disliked all three titles.

Xie Yu used to always call him "Teaching Assistant Shen". At that time, Shen Ci was still green, completely destitute, and possessed nothing presentable aside from his prestigious university halo. Xie Yu would call him Teaching Assistant Shen with thirty percent teasing and thirty percent mischief, his tone lazy and drawing out people's irritation. Every time Shen Ci heard that frivolous address, he would secretly frown.

But now, Xie Yu was calling him "President Shen", "Director Shen", and "Executive Shen" with distant coldness, treating him like a passing business partner—polite but completely unfamiliar. Shen Ci couldn't help but frown again.

During those countless days and nights when he was pinned in his embrace, Xie Yu certainly hadn't called him that. Now that he was acting so politely, Shen Ci eagerly rushing over was just bringing unwarranted scorn and mockery upon himself.

Shen Ci suppressed his inexplicable emotions, his expression growing even colder. "It's getting late. I'll take you back."

Before Xie Yu could say anything, the System screamed first, "Ahhhhhh! Why is he just taking you back! Where is my psychiatric hospital? Where is my finger breaking?!"

Xie Yu appeased it, "Calm down. Look at where we are. This is the entrance of the police station. No matter how arrogant Shen Ci is, he wouldn't commit a crime right under their noses. He definitely wants to send me back first, see how things play out, and then make further plans."

System: "..."

Although what he said made sense, the System's ominous premonition grew increasingly obvious. It said uneasily, "I hope so."

—Please don't let any more unexpected twists happen; my electronic heart won't be able to take it anymore.

Compared to the System, which acted as if it were facing a formidable enemy, Xie Yu was quite at ease. He slouched carelessly in the seat, observing Shen Ci from the corner of his eye. He didn't know when Shen Ci had learned to drive, but his posture was skillful, and his movements were crisp and decisive. From Xie Yu's angle, he could only see the beautiful lines of his side profile.

Xie Yu sighed slightly and thought to himself, "The beauty has grown up. He really has changed so much."

Then he saw Shen Ci turn the steering wheel onto the main road and casually ask, "Where do you live?"

Xie Yu: "A small inn in Wengtou Village."

Wengtou Village was the small urban village from before. It was dilapidated, with crisscrossing roads and covered entirely in webs of electrical wires. After heavy snowfalls, snowplows couldn't get in, relying entirely on each household to sweep the snow. Once trampled by passersby, the ground would become a muddy mess.

Shen Ci paused slightly.

He hadn't expected Xie Yu to live so peacefully in that kind of place.

Xie Yu was the Young Master of the Xie Family. From a young age, he never lacked food or clothing, only bought expensive things, and only stayed in top-tier luxury suites in hotels. Now, arranged to stay in a cheap inn costing a few dozen yuan, he surprisingly had no complaints.

Xie Yu was very considerate, "It's hard to drive over there. President Shen, you can just stop at the village entrance, and I'll walk in."

"..."

"President Shen" again.

Shen Ci gripped the steering wheel, remaining silent for a long while. A moment later, he let out a chuckle and suddenly said, "That place is too far. I don't want to drive over."

Xie Yu didn't make things difficult. "Then pull over to the side of the road. I'll take a taxi back."

The System kindly reminded him, "According to the script, you might not be able to afford a taxi right now."

Xie Yuanshan had cut off Xie Yu's funds. According to the script, he was supposed to be destitute during his study abroad and completely broke upon returning to the country. He truly might not be able to afford a taxi.

Xie Yu changed his tune, "Oh, I'll take the subway back."

"..."

Shen Ci remained expressionless. "Wengtou Village is seven kilometers away from the nearest subway station. Are you really going to take the subway back?"

Xie Yu probed, "I'll walk back after getting off the subway?"

A seven-kilometer journey would take over an hour to walk. It was so cold today, and Xie Yu was still wearing a thin suit; he would likely catch a cold from freezing.

Shen Ci pursed his lips slightly before quickly relaxing them, saying stiffly, "Uncle Xie asked me to bail you out. If I made you walk back, wouldn't that make me look like I don't know how to conduct myself?"

Xie Yuanhai was considered a senior in the business world, so the younger generation respectfully addressed him as Uncle.

Xie Yu: "..."

Shen Ci's few sentences seemed a bit deliberately difficult. He told him to get in the car, asked for the address, but then said he didn't want to drive there. When Xie Yu wanted to take the subway, Shen Ci said he couldn't walk the rest of the way. Xie Yu couldn't figure out what he meant and felt a bit of a headache.

Xie Yu: "System, what does this mean?"

System: "Huh? Maybe he thinks simply making you take the subway isn't miserable enough? Not satisfying enough to vent his anger?"

Xie Yu wasn't a rich second generation in his past life. He had squeezed onto the subway for years going to work. Thinking about it, it really wasn't that miserable, and definitely wouldn't serve to vent anger.

Xie Yu understood.

He sighed slightly and reached out to pull the car door handle. "Alright, then I'll just walk back from here."

This place was nearly twenty kilometers away from Wengtou Village, a three-to-five-hour walk.

The moment Xie Yu touched the handle, Shen Ci suddenly pressed the lock button. The Bentley instantly locked, rendering the handle useless. Xie Yu pressed the window button, but the window wouldn't roll down either. The vehicle became like an iron barrel, trapping Xie Yu inside.

Xie Yu: "..."

He was utterly bewildered, thinking to himself, "What the hell? Does Shen Ci want to have a mixed martial arts match with me in the car? Beat me up to vent his anger? But he can't even beat me."

Xie Yu turned his head. Shen Ci's face was extremely cold, his beautiful lips pressed into a straight line. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his fingertips turned white, his throat feeling dry and bitter. Suppressing all kinds of emotions in his chest, it ultimately turned into a scoff. "If I let you walk back directly, wouldn't Uncle Xie blame me even more for not knowing the proper way to treat a guest."

Xie Yu asked good-naturedly, "Then what should be done?"

Shen Ci stated flatly, "I don't want to drive anymore. There are hotels nearby, let's just stay nearby."

After saying that, afraid that Xie Yu might misunderstand something, he quickly added, "I'm not short on this bit of money."

Xie Yu also smiled, saying politely, "Then I shall respectfully obey rather than decline."

This area was the affluent neighborhood of Jiang City, adjacent to the great river and boasting a prime river view. There were many luxury brand hotels on both banks, and the suite Xie Yu had previously booked was also here.

Shen Ci drove onto the road, and five minutes later, pulled over in front of a riverside skyscraper.

Xie Yu looked up—wow, looked familiar.

The System was excited, "Ahhhhhh, here it comes, here it comes."

It shed anime-style waterfall tears, deeply moved. "May the gods of all heavens bless us, my plot is finally back! I told you, with an 85% completion rate, no matter how absurd it was before, it was still 85%. It couldn't be that far off!"

A task completion rate of 85% meant that Shen Ci had been abused to at least 85% of what was in the original text. Given what the original owner had done, 85% should be enough for him to hate Xie Yu to the bone.

Xie Yu seemed to have a realization, "I was wondering why nothing was working earlier. So he was waiting for me here?"

In the original text, after Xie Yu was taken away from the venue, he was brought to this very hotel. Shen Ci had once been subjected to all kinds of torture and ravagement by the original owner here. That massive floor-to-ceiling window, in particular, was his lifelong nightmare. He had once been firmly pinned against it, his clothes stripped off, while down below was Jiang City's most bustling commercial center. Pedestrians and vehicles flowed endlessly. If even one person had brought telescopic equipment, they could have observed his tangled, disgraceful state.

Even after Shen Ci's meteoric rise to become President Shen, Director Shen, and Executive Shen, the nightmare never let him go. In countless midnight dreams, he would remember this massive floor-to-ceiling window, the neon lights and shadows outside, and the bloody fingerprints smeared on the glass.

In order to quell the nightmare, Shen Ci chose to bring the original owner here, breaking his fingers one by one, using his shrill screams to wash away the humiliation of the past.

The System rubbed its hands together. "Host, the pain shielding system is on standby and ready to activate at any time!"

Xie Yu gave an "OK" hand gesture.

He followed Shen Ci as he swiped his card, entered the elevator, and went all the way up to the top-floor suite. They stopped in front of the familiar large mahogany door. Shen Ci swiped his card with ease, as if he had been here thousands of times.

The moment the lights came on, Xie Yu paused slightly.

The room was very tidy, but not spotless. Both the wine cabinet and wardrobe showed signs of use, and a shirt was draped over the back of the sofa... Shen Ci seemed to have been living here all along.

Xie Yu paused slightly.

Would he? Live in a room that could only be described as a nightmare?

The System popped its head out and whispered, "Is, is he, undergoing, undergoing hardships to exact revenge?"

Xie Yu stepped inside and said speechlessly, "Don't misuse idioms."

Shen Ci stepped ahead of him, impassively putting away the shirt, and said coldly, "I still have work to deal with. I won't disturb you for now."

With that, he really didn't look at Xie Yu again. Walking hastily, he turned around and left the room.

Xie Yu: "...What's the situation?"

A death sentence turned into a suspended death sentence?

Considering that Shen Ci held a rather high position now and had a lot of work, Xie Yu could also understand him working in the middle of the night. Thus, he looked around the room and lay down on the large bed.

The System was shocked. "Are you really going to sleep?"

Xie Yu had always been carefree. "Why wouldn't I sleep? I'm dead tired."

The bed at the small inn was broken and hard, creaking noisily whenever it rocked. Xie Yu hadn't slept well for days.

He rested for a good while, got up to wash, and then went straight to bed, pulling the quilt over his head.

System: "Aren't you going to treat the wound on your hand?"

Although the wound wasn't large, it had been soaked in water and the edges had turned white. If left alone, it might become infected.

Xie Yu: "So tired, I can't be bothered to move."

He closed his eyes. "Even if Shen Ci is going to make a move, I still have to get some sleep."

Two streets away, He Zhiyuan came out of a clinic.

He had been pinned down and beaten by Xie Yu. His skin was covered in bruises, and his entire body ached.

Ever since the incident with Lin Yin, his status in the He Family had plummeted, and his expenses were strictly controlled. Now strapped for cash, he couldn't even afford a private doctor anymore. Being in immense pain, he could only wander the streets looking for a clinic to get bandaged up.

Nearing midnight, most clinics were closed, leaving only this one with its lights on. He Zhiyuan limped inside, had the medical staff bandage and disinfect his wounds, and took two painkillers before finally feeling a bit better.

After having his wounds treated, he came out cursing, greeting the eighteen generations of ancestors of both Xie Yu and Shen Ci in his mouth, and entered the alley next to the clinic.

His car was parked here.

He Zhiyuan pressed his car key. The doors unlocked, and the headlights flashed twice. He casually swept his gaze forward and suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Illuminated by the headlights, several people were shockingly standing there.

The man leading them had a handsome and clear contour, with a slender waist and long legs—He Zhiyuan's preferred type. The woman next to him also had long hair and a long dress, radiating a sweet aura—also He Zhiyuan's type. If it were normal times, He Zhiyuan would have gone up to hit on them. However, behind these two were six, seven, or eight security guards, each robustly built with backs as broad as oxen.

He Zhiyuan's pupils shrank abruptly, and he turned his head and ran.

The leading woman spoke coldly, revealing herself to be Lin Yin. "Hold him down."

The security guards swarmed forward, pinning He Zhiyuan to the ground like a dead dog. Lin Yin, wearing high heels, walked over gracefully and stomped heavily onto the back of He Zhiyuan's foot. He Zhiyuan wanted to scream, but his mouth was firmly clamped shut.

Lin Yin stomped again and again, messing up his newly bandaged wounds, before finally feeling her anger subside. She turned her head to look at the man in the shadows. "I've cooled off."

She muttered, "So strange. You always told me not to cause trouble before, why did you suddenly relent today?"

She had wanted to beat He Zhiyuan for a long time.

Hearing her ask this, the man finally stepped forward. He was very good-looking, with a slender figure and handsome features. It was just that his expression was too indifferent. Reflected under the snow-white light of the streetlamp, his face appeared somewhat cold.

When He Zhiyuan saw his face clearly, he began to struggle with muffled grunts. Shen Ci motioned for the security guards to release his mouth. He Zhiyuan was instantly so frightened that his snot and tears flowed down together. "Shen Ci... Shen Ci, it was my fault. I was blinded by greed before, I shouldn't have had designs on you... Stop! What are you doing! What are you trying to do!?"

His voice was shrill. Shen Ci half-squatted down, looking at him levelly. "I don't intend to do anything. I just want to ask you a few questions."

"...Ask, you ask, I'll tell you everything!"

Shen Ci had no intention of prying into the He Family's commercial secrets. He Zhiyuan was a good-for-nothing who hadn't entered the core power circle to this day; no intelligence could be coaxed out of him. He was beating him today for a different matter.

"If I remember correctly, you grew up together with Xie Yu?"

This wasn't a secret. The He and Xie families had a good relationship, their ages were similar, and both were playboy second-generation heirs, so it was very easy for them to play together.

He Zhiyuan blanked, his reaction a beat too slow. The security guards immediately pressed down on his arms. He let out a yelp and answered, "Yes, yes, yes, Xie Yu and I grew up together."

Shen Ci: "The scars on Xie Yu's back, what is their origin?"

He still remembered that night to this day. That day, Xie Yu had fallen fast asleep, yet his arms held him tightly, pressing him against his chest. The temperature of his embrace was burningly warm, completely isolating the bitter cold of winter outside. Nestled in his embrace, Shen Ci felt an indescribable sensation in his heart. He tentatively reached out to hug him back, but stiffened the moment he touched his back, simply because that skin was covered with uneven scars.

Those scars ran horizontally and vertically, spanning his entire back. The hyperplastic tissue bulged into ugly patterns; just looking at it, one would know how much it must have hurt.

But how could the precious and noble Young Master of the Xie Family have these injuries?

Over the years, Shen Ci had always kept those injuries in mind. He had asked many people in a roundabout way, but this matter was secretive, and Xie Yuanshan seemed intentionally covering it up, so he had never been able to find anything out. Shen Ci estimated that only Zhou Yang and He Zhiyuan were clear about this matter.

Zhou Yang had returned to the Capital City, and He Zhiyuan usually gathered a crowd of friends, making it impossible to find a chance to strike. However, they ran into him right on the nose today.

He Zhiyuan was taken aback. "That's all you're asking? It's no big deal, his dad beat him."

"Xie Yu is a psychopath, you know that, right? His dad domestic abused him from a young age, even put him in the ICU. After that, he became mentally abnormal, always acting crazy. I heard he got bipolar disorder."

Terrified that he would get beaten again for not saying enough, he poured everything out like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, exposing all of Xie Yu's secrets.

Shen Ci looked at him, the light and shadows flickering in his eyes, making them hard to see clearly. He asked softly, "So he likes to hit people?"

Bipolar disorder—patients were often accompanied by uncontrollable sex addiction and sexual sadism.

"Right! Because he's a psycho!" He Zhiyuan hastily interjected. "For people like them, hitting someone is like taking medicine, you know? Once they're done hitting, they calm down."

He guiltily glanced at Shen Ci. "When he met you back then, he told us too. He said the previous medicine quit, so he found a new medicine, hoping you... hoping you would be more durable to play with."

Shen Ci stepped aside and stood up.

His expression was dark and hard to read. His long eyelashes covered his eyes, and his amber pupils were deep and silent. Even Lin Yin acutely sensed something was wrong, asking softly, "What's wrong?"

Shen Ci only smiled. "It's nothing."

He was just slightly bewildered.

If he was medicine, why didn't he use it? Treating him so kindly had instead caused his heart to be in a tangled mess now, giving rise to so many unwarranted delusions for nothing.