The Sickly Beauty is Too Good at Seducing - Chapter 21

If things were truly as he suspected, then Shen Que had set the board three years ago, waiting for Jiang Yan to jump into the trap. By leaving Feng Yu and Jiang Yan to confront one another, Shen Que could sit comfortably in Kyoto and watch the two of them fight to the death.

This was diametrically opposed to the Shen Que he thought he knew. In his heart, Shen Que was merely someone whose possessiveness was a bit extreme, but whose every action was rooted in wanting the best for him.

Now, it seemed it was all his own delusion. In his past life, he had been locked away in a sanatorium by Shen Que for nearly five years in total isolation. If Shen Que truly loved him as much as he thought, how could he have failed to show his face for five years, even when he was on the brink of death? Even after death, the only figure he had seen in his dreams was Feng Yu; there was no sign of Shen Que at all.

He lowered his eyes. Tears fell uncontrollably onto the back of his hand, leaving a sticky, wet trail that Jiang Yan gently wiped away.

Shen Congbai spoke suddenly: “Give me your phone.”

He lifted his head to stare quietly at Jiang Yan. “You lie too. I don’t trust you. I want to ask him myself.”

The first call to Shen Que went unanswered. Perhaps Shen Que thought it was Jiang Yan and simply ignored it. A trace of gloom crossed Shen Congbai’s face as he composed a text message.

Brother, it’s Shen Congbai.

He waited for a few minutes before Shen Que called back.

When the call connected, both sides fell into a strange silence. Shen Congbai’s heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a giant hand, making it difficult even to breathe.

Finally, it was Shen Que who broke the silence. “Is that Wuwu?”

Shen Congbai’s tears spilled over instantly. He was proud and didn’t want Shen Que to hear him crying, so he bit his lower lip until it bled to suppress his sobs, forcing himself to speak with feigned composure.

“It’s me.” Tears pitter-pattered down his face as his voice trembled. “Brother, are… are you busy today?”

Shen Que didn’t notice anything unusual and gave a low laugh. “Not busy. I’ve finished most of the paperwork and am getting ready to leave work.”

Then why haven’t you called once to ask how I’m doing in Port A?

The question was on the tip of Shen Congbai’s tongue, but he forced it back. His heart was filled with bitterness; asking would only make him seem more delusional about their relationship.

The silence lasted a bit too long. Shen Que’s fingers curled slightly. “Wuwu, what’s wrong?”

Shen Congbai took two deep breaths, a bitter smile touching his face. “It’s nothing. I just wanted to ask Brother… have you found out how that bouquet of tulips was sent in yet?”

Shen Congbai sensed a momentary glitch in the man’s breathing, and his eyes turned even redder. Shen Que’s answer came through: “Not yet. The sanatorium is a busy place with many people coming and going. Wuwu, wait a little longer.”

“…Okay.”

Shen Congbai’s heart was in so much pain he felt he might suffocate. The only people allowed near him were the medical team Shen Que had organized people whose backgrounds Shen Que had thoroughly vetted. How could there be no progress after so much time?

Shen Que wouldn’t even be bothered to make up a plausible excuse; he was simply hoodwinking him like a fool.

Shen Congbai covered his nose and mouth. His throat felt as if a knife were slowly carving into it, making every breath a struggle. Shen Que had seemingly always been perfunctory with him, yet he had remained immersed in a false sense of being pampered, walking into the trap like an idiot.

Shen Que suddenly asked, “Why ask this all of a sudden? Did someone say something to you?”

“No.” Shen Congbai’s throat felt as dry as if it had been cut. “I just passed by a flower shop and saw tulips for sale, so I asked on a whim.”

Shen Que narrowed his eyes slightly. “That’s good. Wuwu, remember to come back early. Port A is unstable; it’s safer for you to stay by Brother’s side.”

Just as Shen Que was about to hang up, Shen Congbai suddenly called out to him: “Brother.”

“Mm?”

Shen Congbai’s fingernails dug deep into his palms. “Will you send me abroad again in the future?”

Shen Que paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. “The medical team is there. It’s safer for Wuwu to stay there.”

Once these matters are settled, I’ll go there to be with him. There will only be the two of us; no outsiders will ever disturb us again.

The final sliver of hope in Shen Congbai’s heart shattered completely. His vision was entirely obscured by a blur of tears.

He had done so much just because he didn’t want to continue waiting for death alone in a foreign country. Who would have thought that after circling around, he would still end up right back where he started?

Shen Congbai didn’t say another word and hung up immediately, leaving Shen Que standing there in a daze.

The assistant following behind carefully observed Shen Que’s suddenly darkened expression and whispered, “Boss, shall we continue the inspection?”

Shen Que felt a sense of agitation. It wasn’t the first time Shen Congbai had thrown a tantrum, but he didn’t know if the boy had heard something from Jiang Yan. This time felt particularly strange, giving him an uneasy feeling as if he were about to lose something.

However, the project at hand was vital to the Shen Corporation, and the Feng family was watching like a hawk from the sidelines; there was no room for error.

He pondered for a moment. “Continue.”

Forget it. Once I’m done today, I’ll go to Port A personally to bring him back.

Shen Congbai was crying uncontrollably. He looked at Jiang Yan with lost, glazed eyes and mocked himself. “You were right. I really don’t seem to understand my brother at all.”

He thought of that night when neither of them was sober the short blade Shen Que had pulled from beneath his pillow. Was it meant for Shen Que to restrain his own desire, or was it meant to end the life of his disobedient brother?

Jiang Yan pulled him into his arms and offered comfort. “Big Brother is the head of the Shen family; naturally, he has more on his mind than we do. Since he’s older, it’s normal for his attitude toward emotions to be a bit cold.”

Shen Congbai pushed him away, breaking down. “So what if he’s the head of the family? Does being the head give him the right to lie like this?”

He lied and said it was to protect my status, but in reality, it was to make Feng Yu and Jiang Yan kill each other so he could reap the benefits.

He said he was worried about my illness, but really he was afraid I’d ruin his plans, locking me away in another country until death, never intending to let me return.

If Jiang Yan hadn’t sent those tulips, I would still be in the dark, continuing to be a fool played by him for a lifetime!

Shen Congbai’s heart felt as if it had been smashed into a million shards. The agonizing pain made it impossible for him even to keep his waist straight.

Fearing the boy would hyperventilate from crying, Jiang Yan stroked his back with one hand to regulate his breathing. He whispered, “Has the Young Master finally seen Big Brother’s true colors?”

Shen Congbai gripped the man’s sleeve, smearing his tears and snot all over the fabric. Hearing those words, he wanted to cry again. “What ‘Big Brother’? He’s not a big brother he’s a bad guy!”

Jiang Yan nodded in agreement. Seeing Shen Congbai crying like this, a low laugh escaped his throat. His eyes grew dark as he slowly wiped away the stray tears from the boy’s eyes.

“Mm, they are all bad for bullying the Young Master so piteously.”

He spoke without blinking: “Unlike me. All that power and wealth in my heart can’t compare to a thousandth of the Young Master. As long as the Young Master lets me stay by his side, I am already very happy.”