Chapter 3022: Willful Taming 39

The buzz-cut guy released him, hurried over, and kicked open the ajar hidden cabinet, indeed finding inside a few small medicine bottles and several sealed transparent packets.

He picked up the small bag containing the blue powder, held it up to Jin Chen like offering a treasure: "President Jin! Here it is! This must be it!"

Jin Chen took it, examined it in his hand, then looked at the listless Chenshu in his arms and said, "Go get the medicine I brought."

"Ah? Oh… oh! Okay!" The buzz-cut guy reacted quickly.

For every operation, to eliminate all risk, they always kept an extra dose of antidote effective against most drugs—tested and far more reliable than this unknown substance. He sprinted back, returning with the antidote in just a few minutes, and didn't forget to drag the obstructive people off the floor, finally making the room somewhat quiet.

"It might feel a bit bloated." Jin Chen said softly.

Chenshu looked at the needle, pressed his lips together without flinching, only biting the hem of his shirt to expose a soft patch of belly; after the injection, he still wanted Jin Chen to rub it.

Jin Chen placed his palm on Chenshu's belly, gently rubbing it, then pinched his earlobe and asked softly, "Does it still hurt?"

Leaning against him with eyes closed, Chenshu adapted for a moment; the drug's effect faded quickly, the feeling of utter weakness from a few minutes ago gradually draining. He shook his head, then, with effort, cupped Jin Chen's face in both hands, turned it to face him, forcing them to meet each other's gaze.

"Husband." "Hmm?"

"... Will you be angry with me?"

He knew how important Ninth Uncle was to Jin Chen—a senior who was both teacher and father, having saved his life and shown him kindness.

Before they had any feelings for each other, bound only by that ridiculous agreement, it was thanks to his status as Ninth Uncle's entrusted charge that he initially gained Jin Chen's tolerance, protection, and later even indulgence and privileges.

Just thinking that perhaps a shred of what was originally his exclusive privilege might be given to Chu Yi because of the "truth" made Chenshu feel awful, accompanied by an indescribable panic.

Jin Chen let him hold his face, a chuckle escaping his nose—no anger in it, only helpless indulgence: "Sure enough, you're a little liar, one deceit after another, never a word of truth."

Chenshu frowned, grimacing, wanting to explain but not knowing what to say; indeed he was a liar who had deceived Jin Chen about many things, and before he could figure out how to explain, his eyelids grew leaden and he couldn't open them at all.

Unable to resist the wave of drowsiness from the drug, his body went limp and slumped into Jin Chen's embrace; Jin Chen covered his ears, leaned down to kiss him, lips touching his forehead, and whispered softly, "Be good, sleep a while."

——

Perhaps it was because too many things weighed on his mind—the fear of his identity being exposed, the anxiety about Jin Chen's reaction, plus the threat and pain from Chu Yi's electric shock—that Chenshu's sleep was extremely restless.

It felt like sinking in icy seawater, surrounded by an impenetrable darkness, while shrill screams constantly rang in his ears; he frowned, trying to cover his ears, but his body wouldn't move, so he could only passively hear those sounds, as if trapped in an endless nightmare he couldn't wake from.

"Mm…" he let out a resistant whimper in his sleep, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

Jin Chen held Chenshu in his arms, lightly patting his back now and then.

Hearing the restless murmurs and soft hums from the person in his arms, Jin Chen lowered his eyes, covered Chenshu's exposed ear, pressed him closer into the crook of his neck, then took his windbreaker and wrapped him up tightly.

Meanwhile, the room was damp and cold—the perfect sort of place to toss someone into the sea.

Chu Yi, who ought to have been politely escorted upstairs to verify Ninth Uncle's token, was instead bound at the wrists with coarse rope and hung from a beam overhead; his suit was already torn to shreds, stained with grime and blood, his hair disheveled, his face blotched with blue and purple, and his glasses were nowhere to be found.

Obviously, he had already been here before, receiving a round of courteous treatment.

"Cough… cough cough…" Chu Yi choked out a few violent coughs, jarring his wrist wound and making him grit his teeth in pain.

He struggled to lift his head and stare at Jin Chen, "You've already seen the token! That token is genuine! Why don't you believe me? Why do you only believe Chenshu?"

"It's obvious he's the one who's repeatedly deceived you! He stole the port data! He concealed his identity to approach you! He's certainly not someone Ninth Uncle entrusted! I am!!"

Jin Chen's stroking of Chenshu's jaw paused; he lifted his eyes to the wildly swaying Chu Yi hanging there and said, "I know."

Chu Yi's howl cut off abruptly, his eyes widening further; he realized Chenshu wasn't…? Then why…

Before he could recover from his shock, Jin Chen added, "But you aren't either."

Jin Chen tilted his head slightly, seeming amused, "What's so great about pretending to have this identity? One after another, they all rush to claim it."

He snorted, glancing at Chu Yi like trash, "Or do you think that with this identity you can do as you please in Yi City?"

"..."

Now not only was Chu Yi left speechless, but Yan Rui, who was in charge of receiving him, and several other brothers also choked, thinking, "Could it really not be so?"

But upon further reflection, the meaning of Jin Chen's words was crystal clear: aside from Chenshu, no one else—whether truly Ninth Uncle's entrusted charge or not—receives this privilege; only Chenshu does.

Having realized this, Chu Yi trembled with rage; even the last semblance of feigned indignation and grievance collapsed, leaving only the fury of being utterly exposed, and he shouted hoarsely, "On what basis? Jin Chen! On what basis are you so arbitrary! You…"

Without letting him finish, Jin Chen suddenly lowered his gaze to the person in his arms whose breathing had changed, curled the corner of his lip, and said, "Awake but still pretending to sleep?"