Chapter 2986: Taming the Stubborn 03

In his early years, when Jin Chen was scraping a living in the gray zone, Jiushu had saved his life three times, each time at a life‑and‑death juncture, each time Jiushu using his own life to shield him.

Later Jin Chen learned that Jiushu's hometown was Yucheng, where both his enemies and relatives lived, but he could never return there.

The specific reason, Jiushu didn't elaborate, and Jin Chen didn't press, only went to Yucheng in his place.

In just a few years he went from an outsider with no roots to the most powerful person in Yucheng, and those who had once harmed Jiushu, preventing him from returning home, were dealt with.

A few months ago Jiushu had an accident in South America, and along with the news of his death came a letter.

The letter was written in Jiushu's own hand, the script hurried and messy. It said that if something happened to him, a child would come to Jin Chen—a child he had adopted from a relative's family—and Jin Chen must look after him well, not let him suffer any injustice.

On the third day after Jin Chen received the letter, Chenshu appeared in Yucheng.

Twenty years old, with a scar on the web of his left hand, a birthmark on the left knee, and Jiushu's token—all the features matched.

Jin Chen had his background checked: an orphan, taken in by Jiushu at age ten, he had followed Jiushu around the border for a few years, his record clean.

Thus Jin Chen made a decision: to get married.

Legally speaking, as his spouse Chenshu would have the right to inherit half of his property and could lawfully remain in Yucheng.

Morally speaking, looking after the child Jiushu entrusted to him was simply the right thing to do.

Moreover, keeping him under one's watch is far better than letting him run about outside and possibly stir up trouble.

So they met three times, and on the fourth they went to get the certificate.

The day they got the red book in hand, Jin Chen tossed one copy to Chenshu, saying he would live at Jin Chen's place from then on. Oh, what was his expression then? He held the red book, flipping it back and forth for a while, then lifted his head and smiled especially brightly, "All right, husband."

That "husband" came out sweet and soft, yet there was not a hint of a smile in his eyes.

"Mr. Jin," Chenshu's voice said, pulling him back from his reverie.

The overly handsome youth was still sitting on the carpet, looking up at him with reddened eyes and a red nose tip, "I'm just really curious… I didn't mean to mess up your business. If you're unhappy, I'll stop looking into it, okay?"

He said it, scooted forward, reached out and tugged at Jin Chen's pant leg, gave it a light shake, then smiled again, "Let's just let today's thing go, no further pursuit, okay?"

Chenshu's smile was truly lovely, his brows and eyes curved, the outer corners slightly lifted, plus that youthful, oblivious‑to‑danger brilliance, like the brightest ray of spring sunlight.

Jin Chen stared at him heavily, then suddenly curled the corner of his mouth.

"Fine."

Before Chenshu could even be happy, he saw Jin Chen seize the hand that had just grabbed his pant leg and flip it upward.

The blade that had been stuck to his palm was pulled away; looking up, he saw Jin Chen holding that blade between his fingers, idly toying with it.

Under the light, the blade's edge flashed a cold white gleam.

The smile in Chenshu's eyes faded, replaced by a chill; he had relied on that blade to solve many troubles, never failing, yet Jin Chen had taken it from his palm without him even noticing.

Chenshu's body reacted before his mind did.

He nimbly jerked back, sprang up from the sofa, one hand lunging for Jin Chen's fingers, his toes pressing onto Jin Chen's suit pant leg, his fingertips about to touch the blade when a force struck from the side, his body utterly losing control, his center collapsing instantly as he fell forward to the ground.

A thud.

Chenshu's knee slammed heavily onto the floor.

The marble floor was hard and cold; his kneecap struck it, pain flooding his vision with darkness.

Jin Chen's hand still clamped his shoulder, fingertips digging into the muscle near his scapula; Chenshu let out a muffled groan, soft but trembling at the end, his eye rims instantly reddening—an uncontrollable pain reaction.

He could endure anything else, but he's never tolerated pain well, and that's been true since childhood.

Chenshu lifted his eyes; his handsome brows and eyes, twisted by pain and anger, grew especially fierce as he glared at Jin Chen.

Jin Chen's hand paused at his waist, where another blade and a thin wire were tucked; he pulled them out, tossed them to the ground, then continued feeling downward.

Chenshu, furious and flustered, instinctively pressed his legs together.

Jin Chen's hand stopped at the outside of his thigh, through the fabric he hooked the waistband, pulled out a flat metal box containing several differently shaped blades and two needles.

Jin Chen threw the box to the floor as well, lowered his head to look down at him; his pale eyes held no trace of mercy or pity, like a god gazing upon ants, or a hunter admiring a trapped beast.

"This matter is over; let's reckon the rest."

Chenshu was furious now, furious enough to want to lunge and bite Jin Chen's throat. But he knew all too well he couldn't beat this man, and that realization made his anger have nowhere to go.

"What else have I done?" his voice hoarse but his tone aggressive, like a bristling cat, even though he was already restrained, he still bared his teeth and growled, "You said earlier today you were coming to interrogate me—I could jump out of here and you still wouldn't catch me!"

Jin Chen lowered his gaze to his bloodshot eyes, lingered on his face for two seconds, then moved his sight downward.

"June 14, using my identity, you had the port personnel release a shipment that hadn't been declared."

Chenshu's eyelashes twitched.

"June 20, you had several shops in the West City District end their leases early."

Chenshu: "……"

"Two weeks ago, you had people investigate the Qian family's building‑materials business, including their supply channels, customer list, and the past three years' financial statements."

"Last week, through Chen Gai's deputy, you requisitioned my private dock, saying you wanted to store a batch of personal effects."

With each item Jin Chen mentioned, Chenshu's face paled a notch.

"Stingy." Chenshu muttered, a few strands of gray‑white highlights sticking to his sweaty forehead, his shirt pulled askew, revealing a sliver of pale waist.

"After we're married, what's wrong with using your name to get things done?"

Jin Chen looked at him, his light‑gray irises appearing especially dim in the lamp light, he gradually eased the pressure on the hand holding Chenshu's arm, reducing it bit by bit until he let go completely.

Then he straightened his body and said in a calm voice, "Take off your pants."

Chenshu: "?"

What the heck is this old man up to!