Chapter 42#

Sitting in the cramped seat of the cabin, Xiao Junyi turned his head and looked out through the oval window. It was near dusk, and outside was a vast sea of clouds. Every cloud was dyed golden by the sunset, breathtakingly magnificent. However, under this splendor, dense layers of clouds covered everything, allowing no glimpse, making one wonder what kind of scene was hidden beneath this rolling sea of clouds…

After looking for a long time, he turned his head back to look at the teenager resting with his eyes closed beside him. From Hefei to Shanghai, the flight took only a little over an hour, but unlike when they came, Chen Yuanming did not choose to chat with him this time. Instead, he started dozing off as soon as he boarded the plane. It seemed that the hard negotiations of the past few days had consumed all his energy, and he needed to rest quietly to recover. But thinking about everything he had done in the past few days, this slightly exhausted demeanor seemed only natural.

It was funny to say, but in order to support Chen Yuanming, he had contacted his uncle early on and made full preparations. If the negotiations encountered setbacks, he could easily help this teenager and repay the favor his family owed. But in the end? Let alone repayment, just the experience of accompanying him this time was enough to make him owe an even greater favor. Those casual remarks and flashes of inspiration all benefited him greatly. To this day, Xiao Junyi found it hard to clarify his own mindset. Was it admiration? Astonishment? Envy? Or a heavy sense of loss…

In fact, for a long time, he felt that Chen Yuanming had an attitude that was smooth to the point of being fake. What to say, what to do, who to be close to and who to be distant from, it seemed he had a scale in his heart. Apart from necessary social interactions, he was really an overly silent person, often inadvertently revealing a sense of isolation and fatigue from the world. But this trip to Hefei allowed him to see a completely different side of Chen Yuanming—no longer smooth, no longer indifferent, but like an unsheathed sharp sword, direct and hitting the mark. It seemed that at some point, the heavy shell on him was shaken off, revealing the sharpness he should have had. But this vitality consistent with his age was even more shocking, making one lose composure and unable to look away.

Xiao Junyi sighed softly. He considered himself a person with good judgment. His mother’s teachings since childhood and his experience growing up in the compound taught him how to distinguish various people around him, figure out their thoughts, and see through their essence. This talent, known as business acumen, made him successful in interpersonal relationships. But facing Chen Yuanming, he always misjudged and hit a wall. It seemed that every time he was about to see the other person clearly, he would reveal a completely different and astonishing side, and then easily leave him behind again.

Genius… Chewing on this word in his mouth, Xiao Junyi silently closed his eyes. He had actually seen many geniuses, but was there anyone like Chen Yuanming?

An hour passed in a flash. After getting off the plane, the two did not take a taxi as usual but took a bus together to the hotel where they were staying. When they reached their destination, the sky had already turned completely dark. The area around the hotel was a high-end residential area, which appeared quiet and peaceful after 8 o’clock. Looking ahead, Xiao Junyi finally cleared his throat and asked.

“Yuanming, what are your plans for the next step? Move into Hefei and start preparing for Feiyan’s grand venture?”

Under the dim streetlights, the expression on Chen Yuanming’s face was somewhat blurred and unrecognizable. “How could that be? My position is venture capital. Excessive involvement in industry and management is not conducive to the development of the enterprise.”

This was even stranger. Moving his fingertips slightly, Xiao Junyi asked the question that had been bothering him for the past few days. “Yes, logically speaking, venture capital should look like venture capital. But since that’s the case, why take on the VCD disc matters? Although it is not closely related to VCD player production, it is also the top priority of this VCD promotion. In case of a negligence…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the meaning was already quite clear. Chen Yuanming shook his head. “It’s a bit early to talk about this now. Only after the prototype appears will be the starting point for VCD disc development. Moreover, I don’t intend to do this myself. I just have a very suitable candidate I want to try out.”

A suitable candidate, who could it be? Doubts churned in his heart, but he really couldn’t ask more about such questions involving real corporate secrets. Since neither of these two directions was what Chen Yuanming wanted to work for at present, what did he plan to do during this time?

Seeming to sense the doubts in Xiao Junyi’s heart, Chen Yuanming chuckled softly. “Venture capital still costs too much money. In just a few days, tens of millions changed hands. It’s better to make some more money next.”

Xiao Junyi’s mouth twitched. If he remembered correctly, this kid still had over 100 million in cash in his account, right? Just threw out 50 or 60 million and pretending to be poor here? “Making money is good, but is there any place in China right now that makes money like the stock market?”

Chen Yuanming turned his head slightly, a hint of playfulness flashing in his eyes. “Is the stock market only in China?”

Pausing in his steps, Xiao Junyi froze on the spot. Chen Yuanming didn’t wait for him and continued walking forward. Under the dim light, that figure looked very thin, but it dragged a very heavy shadow behind it, seeming to encompass everything within it. Standing in place, his heart pounding fiercely, Xiao Junyi’s mind was left with only one phrase: can’t catch up. No longer tangled, no longer competitive, but defeated, completely defeated by a teenager just like that. He should be angry, unwilling, should feel hatred, but searching carefully, there was nothing in his heart. Instead, a kind of relaxation similar to relief grew. He was defeated, but defeated willingly.

Revealing a trace of a wry smile, Xiao Junyi watched the figure turn the corner of the alley and shook his head gently. So what if he couldn’t catch up? Was he, Xiao Junyi, the kind of person who would give up easily? Although not a genius, he also had his own self-esteem and pride. Moreover, he was still very young and had countless possibilities to improve and perfect himself. He wouldn’t give up just like that.

Chuckling softly, he took a step and walked forward. Maybe after today they should part ways, and he should also walk on the path he had set for himself.

Xiao Junyi took large strides, his steps revealing a lightness. In just a few steps, he rounded the corner, but the scene in front of him made him freeze. Where was the person? There was not a single figure in the narrow alley ahead. The lights were dim and flickering, revealing a gloominess. Almost instantly, he was like a hound with its hackles raised, his eyes scanning vigilantly to both sides. He saw a quartz watch emitting a faint reflection by a deep alley to the side front.

Something’s wrong! Without pausing for a moment, he strode towards that alley. Light and shadow flew past him rapidly. In just a few steps, he rushed to the end of the narrow alley and saw a yellow van parked not far away. Three men with secretive movements were dragging a figure, running quickly towards the car.

“Stop!!” Xiao Junyi let out a loud shout. The men in front turned their heads in panic. One of them, holding a machete against Chen Yuanming’s neck, waved his arm quickly, seeming to want to arrange for his accomplices to step forward and block. A dirty large hand tightly covered the teenager’s cheek, almost choking his breath.

Xiao Junyi only felt a buzz in his brain. Kidnapping! In Shanghai, right under his nose! A touch of scarlet rushed into his eyes. Those lazy and frivolous peach blossom eyes instantly revealed a murderous look, and his feet didn’t pause in the slightest. Chased by this urgency, the people in front were also a bit flustered. Two of them turned around and rushed towards Xiao Junyi, cold light flickering in their palms.

The guy holding Chen Yuanming didn’t stop but continued moving towards the van. Xiao Junyi felt all his nerves tighten. He didn’t care about one against two; there was no one from the compound who couldn’t fight. Military boxing was their entertainment since childhood. But could he stop that leader in time? Just a Tianjin Daihatsu van. Shanghai is so big; once it hits the streets, it’s like water entering the sea. Where could he find their tracks?! He absolutely couldn’t let them escape!

In a flash, the teenager’s face flashed before Xiao Junyi’s eyes. There was no fear or panic in those dark eyes, just slightly curved corners.

The leader’s movements were disrupted by panic, and the machete that had been pressed against the neck loosened for a moment. In that instant, the teenager stomped his foot fiercely and slammed his head backward. With a crisp thud, the leader screamed and staggered back two steps, blood spraying from his fragile nasal cavity. Chen Yuanming squatted down and escaped the other’s control.

Relieved, Xiao Junyi laughed out loud. Good boy! Hearing the leader’s exclamation, the two guys rushing up to intercept were also stunned and looked back distractedly. How could Xiao Junyi miss this? He kicked one of them in the waist, turned around and raised his hand sharply to block the dagger stabbing from the side, grabbed the opponent’s wrist, raised his knee, and slammed it into the stomach. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chen Yuanming quickly crawl up from the ground and get into a tangle with the leader. The black-faced man was obviously angered by Chen Yuanming’s action just now and pounced on him waving the handle of the knife. Chen Yuanming’s movements were quite agile, dodging left and right, trying to keep a distance from the opponent. He was far inferior in strength and had no intention of being brave.

At this time, another person rushed down from the yellow van not far away, looking like the driver. Four against two, and his companion was a child. Couldn’t delay any longer!

Xiao Junyi’s attacks suddenly became ruthless. With a crack, he broke the man’s index finger. The man howled miserably, and the knife in his hand loosened instantly. Xiao Junyi raised his elbow and cut straight at the opponent’s throat. How hard is the elbow joint? The throat choked, the man’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

“Careful!” A short, low cry sounded from behind. Xiao Junyi turned his shoulder sideways. The machete fell, grazing his arm and scraping off a piece of flesh. With just a muffled groan, Xiao Junyi stepped back, flipped the dagger he had snatched, and stabbed back. The blade cut into the abdominal cavity, spraying a burst of blood. The desperado was still relentless, screaming and continuing to wave the machete in his hand, every movement splashing blood.

Xiao Junyi also saw red. After that warning just now, Chen Yuanming fell into a predicament again. The remaining two had already surrounded him, one flashing a blade, the other pulling out a belt. The teenager’s face had been whipped with several bloody marks, and blood seeped from a cut on his head, blurring his right eye. But his figure still dodged left and right, resisting stubbornly, trying to fight hard and wait for his companion to return for help.

Gritting his teeth tightly, Xiao Junyi had never hated himself so much for not joining the army. If it were his dad, or even his brothers or uncle, how could dealing with a few petty thieves take so much effort?! No longer dodging, Xiao Junyi stood firm, extended his free left hand forcefully, and grabbed the machete swung by the opponent with his bare hand. Blood flowed down his arm. He frowned slightly and kicked the wound on the opponent’s abdomen that had been stabbed open. The fanatic finally groaned and fell to his knees.

Without stopping for a moment, Xiao Junyi pulled away and rushed towards the two surrounding Chen Yuanming. These two seemed to want to catch the teenager as a hostage, but the other party didn’t give them any gap. Fists, knees, forehead, teeth were all used. Although the fighting was chaotic, the trapped beast’s struggle kept people from getting close temporarily, not to mention this was a hostage, so they couldn’t hurt him too much. But seeing their two companions already down, they couldn’t care so much anymore. The machete slashed down head-on, aiming straight for the neck.

Chen Yuanming was dealing with the big man holding the belt at this time, where did he have the leisure to dodge? Gritting his teeth and turning sideways slightly, he wanted to avoid this fatal blow. Unexpectedly, his shoulder tightened, his vision blurred, and he was thrown out by his collar. Rolling awkwardly on the ground, he jumped up. When he saw the scene clearly, he felt his eyes were about to split. The machete was stuck straight into Xiao Junyi’s upper arm, deep into the flesh, as if the friction between the blade and the bone could be heard.

The leader hurriedly tried to pull out the knife, but Xiao Junyi grabbed the back of the knife with a backhand, tightened his arm muscles, and lifted forcefully. The machete actually flew out of the opponent’s hand. Losing the weapon, and with someone in the distance noticing the commotion here, the leader wanted to step forward to grab the knife but was pulled back by his companion.

“Big brother, ignore these two brats! Running for our lives is important!”

The accent was not Mandarin, nor Shanghainese, carrying a bit of Fujian-Zhejiang accent. The black-faced man spat, ignored the two injured and unconscious brothers, turned around and jumped into the van with his companion, speeding away.

It was only a few minutes, but the scene was so thrilling. Chen Yuanming ran over quickly, took off his jacket, unbuttoned his inner shirt, picked up the dagger dropped on the ground and cut forcefully, tearing out a large strip of cloth, and bent down to bind Xiao Junyi’s arm. At this time, the adrenaline began to fade. The wounds on his shoulder, hand, and arm began to burn and hurt. Massive blood loss made him dizzy. Xiao Junyi knelt on one knee somewhat awkwardly and laughed at himself.

“Fuck, I actually capsized in the gutter…”

“Shut up!”

The teenager didn’t mean to joke at all. He quickly tied the bandage, went around to the other side, supported his waist, and stood up. The intersection was just a few steps ahead, but his steps were heavy as if stuffed with cotton. Xiao Junyi blinked groggily. He was more than a head taller than Chen Yuanming, and his shoulder width and waist circumference were more than a size larger. The other party didn’t make a sound, stubbornly dragging his feet, pulling him towards the street corner.

“You can go call someone…” A chill surged through his body, and Xiao Junyi shivered solidly, his teeth chattering lightly.

“If you have the fucking energy to talk nonsense, you might as well save some strength!”

“Oh boy, you can swear too…”

Chen Yuanming didn’t talk nonsense with this guy anymore. Using all his strength, he dragged and pulled the person out of the alley entrance. Two men covered in blood appeared in downtown Shanghai, naturally causing a group of people to exclaim. Chen Yuanming didn’t hesitate and shouted loudly, “Help! There are robbers in the alley ahead!! Call the police quickly!!”

This was not the era where people dared not stop when encountering accidents. Two bloody and helpless victims immediately aroused public indignation. Several young men ran into the alley together. An aunt went to call the police. Others shouted to stop a Xiali taxi. The taxi driver rolled down the window and shouted, “Get in quickly! I know the hospitals around here best, we can be there in ten minutes!”

Without a word, Chen Yuanming stuffed Xiao Junyi in, sat down beside him, and slammed the car door shut.

Excessive blood loss had made Xiao Junyi’s vision a bit blurry. Confusedly stuffed into the car, he drooped his peach blossom eyes and looked to his side. He saw the teenager tightening his lower lip, staring straight ahead with a pale face. In a trance, Xiao Junyi felt his body shaking a bit severely, but looking closely, he found that it was not himself trembling violently, but the not-so-strong arm beside him.

He was scared? He didn’t look like it just now… Thinking dizzily, Xiao Junyi blinked and slowly turned his head to look ahead. Only then did he realize he was sitting in a car. The front window showed the speeding night view of Shanghai. How long had it been since he saw such a scene?

Ah… riding in a car, was this kid afraid of this…

Not afraid of a bunch of gangsters threatening with knives, but actually afraid of riding in a car… A burst of laughter surged up his throat, and Xiao Junyi coughed, spitting out a few drops of blood.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s just a small sedan…”

His fingertips gently touched the other’s arm, then frowned again. This numb feeling wasn’t quite right. Chen Yuanming didn’t turn his head back but grabbed his fingers with a backhand and pinched his knuckles hard.

“Afraid my ass! You should worry about your own arm!”

Those constantly trembling hands held Xiao Junyi’s blood-soaked palm like that. The sticky sweat and blood in the palm mixed together, cold yet scalding hot.

Xiao Junyi rubbed against the back of the seat somewhat sluggishly, revealed a faint smile, and held back.