Chapter 24#
“You’ll die a terrible death.”#
“Heh, you’ve offended Qin Zheng, do you think he’ll let you off easily?”
Qin Mu let out a light chuckle from his throat. At a time like this, he still had the mood to tease: “What, worried about me?”
His wrist was unknowingly released. Jian Yunchen stopped struggling, looking up at him. The night light by the bed cast a warm glow beside Qin Mu, and his usually nonchalant expression appeared gentle at this moment.
“Yes, I’m worried about you.”
Jian Yunchen said softly.
“If you fall, how am I supposed to return to the Jiang family?”
Qin Mu snorted lightly, stepped back, completely loosening his grip on Jian Yunchen. He sat on the sofa on the other side, casually crossing his legs, propping his chin and tilting his head to look at him: “So, you’ve uncovered some earth-shattering secret and specially came to tell me?”
Jian Yunchen slowly sat up, tidying his collar. He was somewhat displeased with Qin Mu’s flippant attitude, and his tone was stiff: “Do you know that Tang Rong and Qin Zheng are colluding?”
“I know,” Qin Mu replied casually.
“Tang Rong is my mother’s cousin. He only managed to get his business somewhat off the ground by relying on the Qin family. Unfortunately, the human heart is the most uncontrollable thing. People won’t be grateful just because you treat them well; on the contrary,”
“They will only resent and hate because they weren’t given enough. In this world, only greedy human hearts are never satisfied.”
Qin Mu’s voice was slow and husky. He was clearly talking about Tang Rong, yet it seemed to be about more than just Tang Rong.
Jian Yunchen frowned, falling silent for a moment.
As the atmosphere became still, Qin Mu lit a cigarette. He turned his head, slowly exhaling a thin stream of smoke that drifted between them. Qin Mu took only one puff and then stopped, holding the cigarette in one hand, letting it slowly turn to ash.
“Last time, after hearing that rumor about you, I investigated the Tang family. I already knew about his collusion with Qin Zheng.”
Jian Yunchen paused slightly, his focus uncontrollably shifting: “Back then, you believed me, didn’t…”
“Nonsense,” Qin Mu extinguished the cigarette in his hand in the ashtray. “With Tang Qi’s personality, could he be bullied by you?”
Jian Yunchen’s hand tightened, and he unconsciously pursed his lips.
Combining the hook Jian Yunchen had thrown out, Qin Mu wove a scenario in his mind and came up with a rough guess: “Qin Zheng told Tang Rong to deal with me?”
He slightly raised an eyebrow. Something Qin Zheng could use to attack…
Qin Mu looked straight ahead: “You and I?”
He suddenly smiled, the curve of his lips appearing both cold and beautiful, “It wouldn’t be a rumor like ‘I’m keeping you,’ would it? It makes no difference to me; after all, I’m not the one losing out.”
Jian Yunchen glared, sneering repeatedly: “Yes, you’re not the one losing out, so what are you worried about? Just let Tang Rong say it. Don’t blame me for not warning you when Young Master Qin gets a bucket of dirty water thrown on him then.”
“Oh,” Qin Mu’s lips curved slightly, but a playful smile still lingered in his eyes. “I just didn’t expect Qin Zheng’s methods to be so foolish. Logically, it shouldn’t be.”
Jian Yunchen scoffed coldly, crossing his arms, his tone revealing undisguised contempt for Qin Zheng: “He’s thought it through much more. Using Tang Rong to expose your chaotic private life, with his distant relation to you, simply adds a few points of credibility. News like charity donations, financial stocks, takes days to spread, but if it’s this kind of scandalous gossip, high society secrets, or love triangles, it can be known throughout the city in under an hour.”
“The point isn’t who you’re keeping; the point is, you’re keeping a Jian Yunchen who looks exactly like Jiang Yunhan.”
Jian Yunchen gave him a cool glance: “If all that doesn’t matter, then what if it’s coercion?”
The smile on Qin Mu’s lips finally slowly faded with Jian Yunchen’s words, and he even straightened up considerably.
“Heh,” Jian Yunchen sneered: “Everyone knows Young Master Qin has been in unrequited love for years. Encountering a pure university student with a similar appearance, using some unspeakable means, be it coercion or temptation, to make this ‘keeping’ a reality and satisfy his selfish desires—if I weren’t the person involved, I’d believe it a third of the way.”
“Once the news spreads, black or white, will anyone care? The only one who will care is Qin Yanchen, whose company’s stock price will be affected. At that point, it’s only a matter of time before you’re kicked out.”
Qin Mu smiled faintly, wrapping an arm around Jian Yunchen’s waist and leaning closer, sighing: “Good thing I have you, or I’d be sleeping on the streets.”
“……”
Jian Yunchen shifted his body: “Are you even listening to me properly?”
“Of course I am.”
Qin Mu blinked: “Aren’t I thanking you?”
Jian Yunchen pushed him away: “Who wants you to thank them like this?”
“I thought you were quite interested in my body.”
Qin Mu smiled, opening his arms to him: “No need to be shy.”
“……”
Jian Yunchen, unable to bear it any longer, threw a punch.
“Ouch.” Qin Mu grabbed his wrist, which he hadn’t had time to pull back, and cried out “ouch.” With his other hand, he rubbed his shoulder, his brows furrowed in pain.
Jian Yunchen’s fingertips paused slightly, his lips pressed into a straight line: “Don’t fake it, I didn’t even use force.”
Qin Mu rubbed Jian Yunchen’s wrist, then looked up and smiled, rather regretfully: “Couldn’t even fool you with that.”
“I understand. I’ll handle this. Their movements shouldn’t be that quick. Wait for my news.”
The skin inside his wrist began to heat up from the rubbing. Jian Yunchen silently acknowledged with a “good.”
Just as he tried to pull his wrist back, Qin Mu tugged it with an opposing force. Unaware for a moment, he stumbled forward.
Qin Mu’s flawless features suddenly magnified before his eyes. Qin Mu’s eyes were slightly lowered, and a rare seriousness appeared in his light brown eyes.
Jian Yunchen heard Qin Mu’s voice, very soft, yet very serious: “Do you know what fate awaits those who deceive and betray me?”
The moment these words were uttered, Jian Yunchen had the illusion of being targeted by a predator. A chill ran down his spine, and his heart gave a heavy leap.
Yet, he looked straight back, without a trace of fear in his eyes: “What will happen?”
Qin Mu curved his lips, leaning closer. In the dimness, their eyes shone astonishingly bright. Their posture was intimate, yet their breaths refused to intertwine. He drew out his words, as if only joking: “You’ll die a terrible death.”
Jian Yunchen’s heartbeat quickened.
But not from fear.
But from excitement.
He smiled, even actively wrapping his arms around Qin Mu’s neck, his palm gently brushing the slightly prickly loose hair at the back of Qin Mu’s head. He softly breathed into Qin Mu’s ear: “Then I’ll look forward to it.”
Qin Mu wrapped an arm around his closely pressed waist, easily covering it with one hand. He squeezed the soft flesh at Jian Yunchen’s waist with a bit of force, and all of Jian Yunchen’s bravado instantly crumbled.
He softened, the fragmented light in his eyes no longer as defiant as before.
Qin Mu chuckled teasingly: “Naughty.”