A Broken Mirror Never Mends - Chapter 25

The moment the words left Shi Tian’s mouth, Zhou Sifu heard the faint sound of a crowd in the hotel lobby.

The echoing footsteps drew closer through the empty corridor. He noticed Shi Tian’s hand, which was gripping his bow tie, pause for a split second.

Gradually, the sound of the wind faded. The two of them stood very close, breathing in each other’s scent.

Shi Tian’s breathing became ragged.

His original plan was to pull Zhou Sifu behind a stone pillar and hide. But at the very moment he reached out, the hotel’s automatic revolving doors creaked, and the group of people began walking toward the lobby exit.

It was late, and there were few people outside the Marriott. Their two figures stood out sharply in the night.

He didn’t have a solid reason and didn’t know how to explain his need to hide to Zhou Sifu, but he was worried that if Zhou Sifu became confused by what happened next, he might do something unnecessary.

After all, Zhou Sifu knew that person too. If they drew attention, the scene would be even more embarrassing than the last time.

There wasn’t enough time to pull Zhou Sifu away. In a flash of inspiration, Shi Tian took the initiative. Before Zhou Sifu could react, he leaned in and whispered into his ear, asking him to play along.

He expected Zhou Sifu to think he was crazy and stop him or demand an explanation, but Zhou Sifu did nothing.

The man simply allowed him to do as he pleased. His gaze swept over Shi Tian’s face, and the curve of his lips flattened into an expression that was composed but not cold.

Shi Tian didn’t let go of the tie. He forced Zhou Sifu into a corner, leaning forward to shield the man’s face. To an outsider, they looked like a pair of lovers standing outside a hotel, caught in a lingering, intimate goodbye.

A second later, the revolving doors swung open. Several bodyguards in black led the way out of the lobby.

A middle-aged man in a traditional Tang suit stepped out, clutching a string of blessed prayer beads. Behind him, two other bodyguards gripped a boy by the collar and shoved him forward.

Cheng Xi was wearing a loose linen shirt. His hair was dripping wet, and he stumbled forward barefoot. Water ran down his collarbones into his shirt, soaking his entire back.

Extreme fear and resistance filled Cheng Xi’s eyes. He struggled desperately to break free from the bodyguards, but another guard grabbed his wrist and gave it a brutal twist.

As the boy let out a piteous cry, the middle-aged man stopped turning his prayer beads. He said coldly to the guards, “Make him be quiet.”

Before a bodyguard could raise a fist, the man suddenly spoke again: “Wait.”

He signaled the guards to cover Cheng Xi’s mouth to prevent any loud noise. The man seemed to sense something; he turned slightly and looked toward the stone pillar on the right side of the hotel entrance.

He saw two silhouettes in the shadows. Judging by their build, they were both men. They looked like they had just returned to the hotel but were about to part ways, leaning against the pillar in an intimate embrace. Their movements looked very close.

It seemed there were two uninvited guests outside the hotel besides their group.

The man narrowed his eyes and watched the two figures for a moment. After confirming they were busy with their own business and hadn’t noticed what was happening behind them, he waved his hand, signaling the bodyguards to throw the boy into the car.

The parking lot barrier gate slowly rose in the night. Not long after, two black sedans carrying Cheng Xi and the middle-aged man merged into the city traffic and vanished at the end of the main road.

Once the cars were gone and silence returned, Shi Tian finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he had reacted quickly enough to think of a plan before they came out. If he had been a step slower, they would have been caught.

He stepped back to create some distance. Just as he was about to stretch his aching arm, Zhou Sifu spoke calmly from the shadows: “Doesn’t President Shi plan to explain?”

Shi Tian looked up and saw the man with his arms crossed, leaning against the pillar. His expression was unreadable.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Shi Tian said sheepishly, “It’s a bit complicated to explain…”

He thought it over and decided that since Zhou Sifu had helped him a lot today, there was no reason to hide the truth. He told Zhou Sifu everything he had seen and heard in the hotel lobby that night.

—Including how the middle-aged man made Cheng Xi kneel, how he told Cheng Xi he had two months left, and how Cheng Xi was covered in bruises when he saw him in the elevator the next day.

“Cheng Xi called that man ‘Uncle Bai,'” Shi Tian analyzed seriously. “I suspect they are some kind of criminal group doing something illegal.”

He also told Zhou Sifu about the conversation between Cheng Xi and Ji Yuanlin he overheard in the infirmary hallway. For some reason, Cheng Xi had told Ji Yuanlin that he made a deal with those people for Ji Yuanlin’s sake.

“…So, you hid and eavesdropped?” Zhou Sifu interrupted. “While your husband was being intimate with his little lover?”

Shi Tian: “…”

You are completely missing the point.

After explaining everything, Shi Tian asked, “Do you think I should call the police?”

Even if he couldn’t stand Ji Yuanlin and his mistress, he couldn’t just stand by if actual crimes were involved.

After listening to the story, Zhou Sifu seemed to fall into thought for a moment.

Eventually, he tilted his chin toward the night sky. “The Uncle Bai you mentioned—was it that man just now?”

Shi Tian nodded. “Yes.”

Zhou Sifu looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Shi Tian couldn’t help asking, “Is there a problem?”

“That’s my uncle,” Zhou Sifu said calmly.

Shi Tian: “…???”

Shi Tian couldn’t understand it. They were supposed to go their separate ways at the intersection, but now Zhou Sifu was sitting in his hotel room, calmly drinking tea with his legs crossed.

“You should consider my suggestion, President Shi,” Zhou Sifu said slowly, holding an empty teacup.

Before coming upstairs, Zhou Sifu had proposed a plan.

Zhou Sifu claimed he didn’t know about the shady dealings between Uncle Bai and Cheng Xi either. But since it involved Ji Yuanlin, it would likely affect their upcoming legal battles.

He said he would go see Uncle Bai tonight to find out what was really going on and asked if Shi Tian wanted to come along.

Shi Tian originally wanted to refuse, but Zhou Sifu spoke again: “Unless you actually enjoy being kept in the dark?”

…Enjoy, my foot!

He knew the man was mocking him again, but he didn’t know how to talk back.

In the end, he bit the bullet and asked, “What do you plan to do?”

“I have my people at Uncle Bai’s place.” Zhou Sifu toyed with an elegant celadon teacup, ripples of light reflecting in his eyes. “Since we can’t ask him directly, we’ll follow him to see where they are taking Cheng Xi and what they plan to do.”

Shi Tian reminded him coldly, “I remember you have a meeting tomorrow morning.”

Zhou Sifu looked up at him with interest. “Since I’m already here, I figured I’d help you out until the end.”

“…”

Shi Tian was starting to lose his patience with this man.

Five minutes later, the two of them left the room and entered the elevator.

Because they were going out, Shi Tian had taken off his formal suit and changed into comfortable sportswear. Zhou Sifu, however, was still wearing his shirt from earlier, with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows, looking quite stylish.

They took the elevator down to the basement parking lot. As soon as the doors opened, Shi Tian heard a very familiar male voice: “Yes, I’ve called Xiao Xi a dozen times and he hasn’t picked up. I’m going to ask the manager.”

“Sorry.” Holding the elevator door open with his hand, Ji Yuanlin walked in sideways while still talking on the phone.

Just as he was about to press a button, his footsteps froze.

“…”

The person on the other end asked, “President Ji, what’s wrong? Bad signal?”

Ji Yuanlin didn’t speak for a long time.

The elevator doors slowly opened and closed behind him. He stood there, paralyzed, staring at the two people standing across from him inside the car.

He slowly lowered his phone. The look on his face was a mix of many emotions.

It was almost midnight. He never expected to run into acquaintances at this hour. If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t matter, but one was his legal spouse he was currently suing, and the other was—

Looking at the pale, frozen Ji Yuanlin, Zhou Sifu let out a small, surprised “Ah.”

He said, “What a coincidence. Are you here to check into a room too, President Ji?”

Ji Yuanlin: “…”

Shi Tian: “…”

Resisting the urge to smack Zhou Sifu, Shi Tian turned his head away with a cold face, choosing to ignore Ji Yuanlin’s existence.

At the elevator door, Ji Yuanlin looked at Shi Tian, then at Zhou Sifu. He looked extremely embarrassed and humiliated.

Seeing the former couple stuck in a stalemate, Zhou Sifu smirked, his eyes unreadable. “President Ji, you’re blocking the way.”

As he spoke, he leisurely raised his hand. Right in front of Ji Yuanlin, he began fastening the three loose buttons on his shirt, one by one from the bottom up. His long, bony fingers reached his collar and smoothed the fabric over his neck.

Ji Yuanlin’s eyes darkened as he watched Zhou Sifu button up his open collar. A moment later, he slowly shifted his gaze to his spouse.

Shi Tian was wearing a pure white tracksuit today. He was covered up completely, including his neck. Only his hands were showing.

It looked like he was intentionally hiding something.

Ji Yuanlin’s throat moved, and his voice was dry. “Tian-Tian, you two…”

“Move.”

Before he could finish, Shi Tian reached out to stop the elevator door from closing again and walked straight past him.

Seeing Shi Tian leave in a hurry with a dark expression, Zhou Sifu tossed his car keys, gave Ji Yuanlin a slight nod, and walked out after him.

Sitting in the passenger seat of the Raffaelina, Shi Tian remained expressionless.

He hadn’t expected to run into Ji Yuanlin. That man’s appearance had ruined the good mood he had from his successful counter-lawsuit earlier today.

Once Zhou Sifu finished his call and got in the car, Shi Tian turned and asked, “Where are we going?”

“Kangle Pier No. 2.” Zhou Sifu checked his watch. “They just took him onto a yacht. we need to hurry.”

Hearing this, Shi Tian frowned. “Why would your uncle take Cheng Xi to the pier?”

Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, Zhou Sifu asked back, “What do you think the high seas at night are best for?”

Shi Tian thought about it seriously and guessed, “…A sex party?”

The perfect expression Zhou Sifu had maintained finally cracked.

He turned and gave the person in the passenger seat a long look. “…Shi Tian, what on earth goes on in your head all day?”

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