The Sickly Beauty is Too Good at Seducing - Chapter 2

Upon hearing his words, Shen Que’s brows furrowed. “A box?”

He scanned the room before his gaze settled by the bed. He reached down and picked up a slip of paper that Shen Congbai had dropped on the floor earlier. In the sender’s column, two words were written clearly: Shen Group.

Seeing his grave expression, Shen Congbai breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had been so excited when the package arrived that he hadn’t thrown the shipping label into the trash. Otherwise, no matter how much he explained, Shen Que would never have believed him.

However, after seeing the note, Shen Que didn’t say anything more. He folded the paper neatly, tucked it into his suit pocket, and picked up the half-peeled apple to continue where he left off.

“I will handle this matter,” he said in a low voice. “But, Shen Congbai, you should first explain why you tried to sneak out of the hospital a few days ago.”

Shen Congbai was stunned. “Sneak out…?”

How could he possibly remember something from so long ago?!

Shen Que didn’t waste words. He turned on his phone screen, revealing a long list of Shen Congbai’s transgressions: from minor things like not wearing shoes and walking barefoot (causing him to catch a cold) or skipping lunch because the medicine was bitter, to major incidents like sneaking out of the hospital and forcing everyone to exhaust themselves searching for him.

Shen Congbai’s lips trembled, and he silently shrunk his neck.

Ugh, I didn’t mean to be such a burden to the Shen family.

Shen Que retracted his phone, sliced a piece of fruit with the knife, and fed it to Shen Congbai’s pale lips. He gave a slight nod. “Stay in the hospital and be good. Otherwise, the next time I have to come and catch you, it won’t be as simple as a few questions.”

Looking at the glinting blade of the knife and then at Shen Que’s narrowed, threatening eyes, Shen Congbai understood.

He’s annoyed that I’m causing too much trouble!

Shen Congbai obediently admitted his fault: “Okay.”

“…”

Silence fell over the ward. The piece of apple remained suspended in the air, beginning to turn a slight yellow from oxidation. Shen Congbai looked at the discolored fruit with a hint of disdain, but after a moment of thought, he opened his mouth and took a small bite, giving Shen Que plenty of “face.”

He gripped the bedsheets, bowing his head and chewing obediently. Beneath his black hair, a small, snowy-white bulge appeared in his cheek as he chewed.

“Mmm, it’s sweet,” Shen Congbai mumbled.

Shen Que’s fingers felt a bit itchy. He opened his mouth and swallowed the other half of the fruit that had been “disdained.”

The rest of the apple was tossed heartlessly into the trash. Shen Que pulled out a wet wipe to clean his fingers, watching his disobedient younger brother out of the corner of his eye.

“Dr. Chen will arrange a full body check-up for you later. I’m heading back to China first.”

But as he turned to leave, his sleeve was caught by an almost imperceptible force. It felt like being hooked by a cat’s claw, causing Shen Que to freeze in place.

Sensing his gaze, Shen Congbai looked up and smiled. Because of the angle, his dark eyes seemed to take up most of his face. He bit his lip nervously, his voice tiny and pathetic: “Brother, can you take me back to China with you?”

Shen Que’s pupils quivered. Before he could refuse, Shen Congbai spoke again: “If I’m here alone, the medicine is so bitter, the sickness is so hard to bear, and there’s no one to play with me. I’ll die.”

His eyes reddened instantly. “I won’t cause trouble anymore. I won’t bother the Shen family. I’ll be good.”

As a tear slid down, Shen Que’s fingertips uncontrollably moved to brush it away. The brain that usually strategized and conquered the business world was easily dazed by a single tear. Shen Que heard his own voice rasp: “Fine.”

A Few Days Later, Kyoto.

Shen Congbai walked out of the airport following the automated female voice. He found a quiet spot and lowered his head to fiddle with his phone.

Zhizhi: [Have you arrived?] Zhizhi: [It’s right at the dinner rush, and the traffic is bad. It’ll be a little while.]

Shen Congbai’s pale fingers tapped the screen. [It’s fine. I’ll just stay in the airport and enjoy the AC. Take your time.]

There was no reply; his friend was likely focusing on driving.

Shen Congbai found a seat and sat down, pressing a hand to his stomach as he inhaled sharply. His pale skin looked even more delicate under the overhead lights. With his handsome features lowered and his lips slightly parted, he carried a faint air of illness, yet he remained strikingly eye-catching in the crowd.

Tu Zhizhi spotted him in the bustling throng and walked straight toward him. Shen Congbai looked up just as Tu Zhizhi arrived.

Seeing his state, Tu Zhizhi immediately moved to support him, his voice full of worry: “Stomach hurting again?”

Shen Congbai didn’t want to worry him the moment they met. He forced himself to sit up straight and acted nonchalantly: “No, I’m just a bit hungry.”

He glanced behind Tu Zhizhi, but seeing no sign of Shen Que, a flash of disappointment crossed his eyes. Since Shen Que agreed to take him home, the man had vanished. He couldn’t even reach him through Dr. Chen, and he hadn’t even come to pick him up today.

Noticing his thoughts, Tu Zhizhi led Shen Congbai toward the car, explaining: “Big Brother Shen is away on business. He specifically sent me to pick you up and told me I must make sure you eat your fill.”

Shen Congbai forced a difficult corner of his mouth upward but didn’t have the heart to reply. He knew Tu Zhizhi was just comforting him. After everything he had done to Shen Que, letting him return to the country was already generous. Shen Que surely still held a grudge; there was no way he would have left such instructions.

Tu Zhizhi talked incessantly the whole way to keep him from overthinking. Shen Congbai felt a bit warmer; his friend’s company temporarily dispersed the gloom in his heart.

When Tu Zhizhi finally stopped talking and looked back, he saw Shen Congbai with a faint smile, watching him with gentle eyes. Tu Zhizhi froze, scratching his face awkwardly: “Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

Shen Congbai shook his head. “No.”

The heavy stone in his heart mostly lifted. He had thought they would become distant after years apart, but it seemed he had been worrying over nothing. Tu Zhizhi was his college roommate. Back then, Shen Congbai still had all the arrogant habits of a young master and was quite disliked; it was all thanks to Tu Zhizhi mediating for him.

However, before they could graduate, a series of changes had broken Shen Congbai’s spirit. His already weak body deteriorated, forcing him to seek treatment abroad, and his ties with his old friends gradually faded.

Tu Zhizhi broke his train of thought: “Now that you’re back, stop looking so gloomy. We have to have a good reunion today. My treat, we’re chatting until dawn!”

Shen Congbai teased him like they used to: “Boss Tu has made it big now. This little one will have to cling tightly to your golden thighs.”

“Psh,” Tu Zhizhi waved a hand. “What nonsense.”

He got him into the car and suddenly asked: “By the way, why the sudden return?”

Shen Congbai didn’t tell the truth. If he told someone he had been reborn and regretted his past, Tu Zhizhi would probably “sacrifice kinship for righteousness” and stuff him into a mental asylum.

“I’m sick of taking medicine. I came back for a change of scenery.”

Tu Zhizhi’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his palms slightly sweaty. “But…”

Buzz-buzz—

Tu Zhizhi’s phone lit up. He pressed the answer button, his Bluetooth earpiece flashing blue. Shen Congbai leaned his head against the seat, squinting to fight off drowsiness. The scent of food wafting from roadside restaurants made his stomach twist with hunger.

Tu Zhizhi glanced at him and whispered: “Next time. I’m out with a friend right now.”

Whatever was said on the other end made Tu Zhizhi look conflicted. “I really have something to do. He’s not coming. He’s in poor health and can’t drink.”

After the call ended, Shen Congbai forced himself to be alert. “What happened?”

“A social gathering. I turned them down. Can’t let random people ruin our catch-up.”

Shen Congbai was sensitive; he saw the difficulty in Tu Zhizhi’s refusal. He mused for a moment: “It’s fine. You can drop me off there, and I’ll find a restaurant to wait for you.”

At a red light, Tu Zhizhi stopped the car and looked at him helplessly. “Do you know who’s going to be there?”

Shen Congbai was confused. “Who?”

“Your ex-boyfriend who you dumped, Feng Yu!”

Back then, Shen Congbai had been pampered into a state of extreme arrogance. He was a true dandy. When he saw Feng Yu’s face in college, he was completely mesmerized, even going so far as to “kidnap” the man.

Tu Zhizhi looked at him with frustration. “I mean, of all the people to play with, why did you have to play with the young master of the Feng family?”

The Feng family was the kind of entity that could make the capital tremble just by turning over in bed. If the Shen family were merchant royalty who controlled the money, the Feng family was the power that controlled the rules. If the Shens crashed into them, they’d lose a layer of skin.

Shen Congbai blinked guiltily, looking innocent. Who knew it was such a coincidence? If he had known Feng Yu was a Feng, he would have fled eight hundred miles away.

Shen Congbai spoke slowly: “I’ll go.”

Tu Zhizhi: “?” “I think you’ve truly gone mad.”

Tu Zhizhi continued to grumble: “That guy Feng Yu has become a literal mad dog these past few years. He bites everyone. Based on what you did to him, he’ll swallow you whole the moment he sees you.”

Shen Congbai sighed. “If you do something wrong, you have to pay it back eventually. I can’t hide abroad forever. He won’t actually hit me; at most, I’ll take a scolding or two.”

Tu Zhizhi couldn’t do anything about him and resignedly turned the steering wheel. “Even I want to hit you after hearing that.”

Shen Congbai managed a small smile and continued looking out the window. The lights flickered across his face, making his expression unreadable.

He was led all the way to the door of a private lounge. The temperature from the central AC was a bit too low for him, causing goosebumps to break out on his arms. He silently rubbed them, standing beside Tu Zhizhi and staring at his toes in a daze.

Suddenly, the door opened. A scorching gaze landed on him, trailing slowly down his spine. He looked up, his phoenix eyes widening. The man’s tall, powerful frame cast a massive shadow, firmly enveloping him.

His throat felt tight as he stared unblinkingly at the person before him. Three years had stripped away the man’s youth and greenness. His already rugged features had become even sharper, his brows like cliffs, his lip line straight. A pair of hawk-like eyes suppressed an unimaginable storm, looking as if they might tear the person in front of him to pieces in the next second.

Shen Congbai’s tongue began to tremble inexplicably. “Feng Yu.”

He forced himself to stay calm and greeted him: “Long time no see.”