Chapter 3021: Taming the Stubborn 38

The people Jin Chen brought quickly took control of this cramped, filthy room.

Yan Rui saw Chu Yu pressing a gun against Chenshu's temple, and he gritted his teeth in anger: "You beast! I really misjudged you! I brought you up, and this is how you repay me!"

Chen Gai's face was equally grim, but he was calmer; he glanced quickly at Jin Chen's expression, his heart jolted, and he backhanded slapped Yan Rui on the back of the head, lowering his voice and shouting: "Shut up! Wait for Brother Jin to handle it!"

Jin Chen stood in the center of the room, only a few steps away from Chu Yu.

"You can't escape. Let him go. I can let you die a little more easily."

Chu Yu felt a chill run down his spine under Jin Chen's gaze; he knew that no matter what, it would be hard to get away today.

Since Jin Chen could find this place, it likely meant the situation outside was already completely under his control; Xie Chang and Peng Wenqiang... probably faced more misfortune than fortune.

But he was unwilling! He had schemed for so long, and now he was on the verge of reaching his goal—how could he just fail at the last moment?

"What if I say Chenshu deceived you?"

Chenshu's face grew even grimmer; he was restrained by Chu Yu, a cold gun barrel pressed against his neck, the drug's effects not yet worn off, his body gone limp, almost without strength.

Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, his gaze briefly locking onto Chu Yu's face, even with a hint of amusement.

"What are you, trying to judge him in my place?"

Chu Yu was choked by those words, and Jin Chen's attitude completely exceeded his expectations—as if the secret Chu Yu had painstakingly uncovered was, in Jin Chen's eyes, utterly insignificant.

Chu Yu's hand holding the gun twitched; he gritted his teeth, forcing his eyes to redden: "But he took my place! I'm the one Ninth Uncle truly entrusted to you before his death!"

"Chenshu has nothing! He doesn't have Ninth Uncle's token! How could you never have doubted his origins? I have!"

Yan Rui and Chen Gai, hearing this from behind, sucked in a cold breath; Jin Chen didn't even blink at those words, but his heart gave a tender twinge when he saw Chenshu's panicked, helpless silent head shake.

Jin Chen withdrew his gaze, his icy stare seeming to pierce Chu Yu's body: "Release him, and let me see the token."

Only then did Chu Yu breathe a sigh of relief; as long as Jin Chen was willing to examine the token, it meant he was hesitating, weighing things, and giving him a chance.

He did as told, loosening the arm that had been choking Chenshu's neck, and slowly moved the gun barrel away from his temple.

At the moment he let go, Chenshu's body went limp and he collapsed heavily onto the cold, dirty floor; his legs had no strength, his palms braced against the icy ground, his fingertips trembling. The drug's effects hadn't worn off, and combined with the choking sensation from the earlier strangulation, his head swam terribly, darkness flashing before his eyes.

He struggled to lift his head toward Jin Chen; dust on his cheeks smeared onto his cheekbones, his hair was disheveled, making him look both wretched and pitiable.

Jin Chen's eyes met his, lingering for a moment: "Take Chu Yu upstairs to verify the token."

Chen Gai was still dazed for a moment, but he quickly realized they were in international waters; the people behind Chu Yu were still unknown, and acting rashly would only alert the enemy. Verifying the token was merely an excuse—a pretext to let Chu Yu lower his guard.

"Yes, Brother Jin." Chen Gai responded immediately, stepping before Chu Yu and making a gesture, "Please this way; we'll go upstairs to verify. Here… it's not convenient."

The attitude of those around often reflects that of the person in charge.

Chen Gai's sudden shift to courtesy dispelled most of Chu Yu's lingering unease.

It seems Jin Chen indeed values the identity of Ninth Uncle's dying entrustment.

Chu Yu tidied his somewhat disheveled suit, pushed up his actually askew glasses, nodded at Chen Gai, and followed him out.

Reaching the doorway, Chu Yu paused, looked back down at Chenshu from above; the eyes behind his lenses showed undisguised mockery, and he even gave him a meaningful smile.

Jin Chen strode toward Chenshu, his leather shoes stepping on the dust-covered floor as if treading on Chenshu's heartstrings.

Chenshu, seeming afraid, used his barely functional palms to brace against the ground and awkwardly scooted back a bit, trying to create some distance.

Jin Chen lowered his eyes, frowned, disliking Chenshu's evasion—very much disliking it.

"Try dodging again."

Chenshu's fingers on the ground curled slightly, he stopped his retreat, his face scrunched up in resentment, his eye sockets and nose red, and he whispered, "Then… do you still want me?"

Those dark thoughts began to surge in his mind—lock Jin Chen up, chain him in the basement, let only him watch. That way he wouldn't see others, nor be taken by others.

That jealousy and unease were like wine fermenting too long in the ship's hold; once the lid was opened, the sour, bitter smell surged out, stinging his eyes.

But seeing the tenderness in Jin Chen's eyes, Chenshu's fury completely vanished.

"He will want me," Chenshu thought, "he loves me."

He stopped dodging, raised his arm, extending it with the little strength he had recovered toward Jin Chen, the corners of his mouth turned down, looking utterly aggrieved.

"I hurt…" As Jin Chen leaned over, Chenshu wrapped his arms around his neck, chattering insistently, "He's not good to me… he shocked me with electricity, my stomach hurts, rub it for me."

Jin Chen's ears were filled with his chatter; he wrapped his arms around the waist, lifted him from the ground, and kissed his cheek.

The buzz-cut brother looked at the two gagged lackeys of Chu Yu still muttering on the ground, furious beyond measure; he and Chenshu had shared La Tiao together, so he immediately strode over, grabbed one of the bodyguards' hair, slammed his head hard onto the floor, and snarled: "Where's the antidote? Where's the cure for that lousy drug? If you don't tell me, I'll snap your neck right now!"

The bodyguard, pressed until he saw stars, hurriedly pointed with his trembling, barely movable finger toward the room's corner, at what looked like a power distribution box's hidden cabinet.