Chapter 58 - 2#
He kissed the back of Jing Shun’s hand, pressing it tightly against his own cheek. His eyes were closed for a long time before he finally uttered a single sentence, filled with deep guilt—
“Baby.”
“I’m sorry.”
Sorry—he had nearly been swept away by the “luck” and “happiness” of this period, failing utterly to protect him as he should have.
Fortunately, fate hadn’t been so cruel to him this time.
…
Jing Shun felt as though he had fallen into a long, deep dream. He was back in the interview preparation room on the fifth floor, once again facing Meng Zhide’s disgusting face.
Taking advantage of a gap, Jing Shun supported himself against the wall and tried to escape—but no matter how hard he willed his legs to move, they simply wouldn’t run.
He could only inch forward, yet the hotel corridor stretched straight into infinity. There was no elevator to find, no other rooms to hide in, and no end in sight—
Meng Zhide was always “chasing” behind him, forever one step away, keeping his heart in constant suspense.
Eventually, Jing Shun exhausted all his strength and collapsed to the ground.
He turned his head in terror, only to see Meng Zhide lunging at him with a twisted expression.
“Jing Shun! You can’t escape!”
“Get away!”
Jing Shun was drenched in a cold sweat from panic. Just as the man was about to reach him—
The space around him suddenly twisted and warped. The overhead lights flickered erratically, and the hotel carpet vanished, replaced by freezing marble floors.
When Jing Shun came to his senses again, he found himself back in that familiar winter prison. The wheelchair on him was heavy and oppressive, and no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t break free.
“…”
Exhausted and drained, he lay on the ground and picked up his phone, which was within arm’s reach, trying to call for help.
But this time, the name “Song Yu” at the top of his contacts blurred and shifted, becoming “Chi Gui.”
Before the call could go through, the half-open door was pushed open from outside.
Someone rushed in, freed him from the shackles weighing him down, and pulled him into an embrace. They gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
“Don’t be afraid.”
“It’s okay now.”
“Baby, be good.”
“Shunshun, I’m here.”
Jing Shun struggled to lift his eyelids. His vision was like a fogged-up glass window. After a long moment, he barely managed to make out the face in front of him.
“Chi Gui?”
The words were caught in his throat, unable to escape.
Chi Gui gently stroked his neck. “Are you awake? Want some warm water?”
It took Jing Shun a few beats to realize he was in the real world. Unable to speak, he could only nod.
Chi Gui poured some warm water, inserted a straw, and brought it to Jing Shun’s lips. “Here, drink slowly.”
The warm water soothed the dryness in his throat and brought a bit of clarity to his dizzy mind.
Meeting Jing Shun’s questioning gaze, Chi Gui explained, “It’s okay. You’re in the hospital now. You’re safe. The back of your head is a bit swollen, so feeling dizzy is normal.”
“Were you having a nightmare just now? It was all fake. Don’t be afraid. I’m here with you.”
“…”
Jing Shun slowly recalled everything before he lost consciousness, his gaze clinging to the man before him with longing.
“Chi Gui, how are you here?”
He clearly remembered that before he blacked out, it was Yu Xiuzhu who had been with him.
Chi Gui wiped the fine sweat from Jing Shun’s forehead. “I was already planning to fly back to Haishi, but when I heard what happened to you, I came straight here.”
Jing Shun said weakly, “I didn’t want to worry you. I’m sorry.”
Chi Gui frowned with concern, his guilt deepening. “Why are you apologizing to me? It’s my fault for not taking better care of you.”
“It’s not your fault.” Jing Shun never blamed Chi Gui for this. “It’s clearly that bastard Meng Zhide’s fault.”
At the mention of that scumbag’s name, Chi Gui’s eyes darkened. “Yes. I won’t let him off.”
Recalling the disgusting scenes from not long ago, Jing Shun felt uncomfortable, as if his sweaty body was sticky and unpleasant. “Chi Gui, what time is it? I want to take a shower.”
“It’s half past five in the morning.”
Chi Gui told him the time but refused. “You just got over your fever. Bear with it, okay?”
Jing Shun frowned in distress and whispered, “Meng Zhide grabbed my ankle several times. I really feel disgusting. Please.”
“…”
Chi Gui relented. “Then I’ll get some warm water and give you a quick wipe-down with a hot towel, alright?”
Jing Shun nodded, feeling that it was better than nothing.
Chi Gui soothed him. “Wait for me.”
“Okay.”
Though there was no time to hire a nurse, Chi Gui was eager to do everything himself.
He brought warm water and a clean towel. He first wiped Jing Shun’s forehead, neck, and arms, then, with Jing Shun’s consent, carefully wiped his ankles and calves.
The greasy sensation clinging to his psyche was washed away, and Jing Shun finally felt comfortable all over.
Chi Gui leaned in. “Feeling better now?”
Jing Shun’s lips curved slightly. “Mm.”
Chi Gui pulled his blanket up a bit and said, “Still dizzy? Want to sleep a little more? It’s still early.”
“…”
Jing Shun shifted slightly to the left, making half the bed for Chi Gui. “You should sleep a bit too?”
Chi Gui refused. “No, I’m not tired. I’ll stay here and watch over you.”
Jing Shun grasped his fingertips—a gesture of dependence and a plea. “I’m afraid I’ll have nightmares again. Come up and sleep with me, okay?”
Chi Gui lay down on the bed, turning sideways to double-check. “I haven’t changed my clothes.”
“I haven’t changed either. Neither of us can judge the other.”
Jing Shun burrowed into his arms, finally relaxing in the embrace of familiar scents. “Chi Gui, hold me.”
Chi Gui wrapped his arms around him and whispered a belated apology. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Jing Shun found a comfortable spot in his arms and closed his eyes again. “Don’t blame yourself. I’m really fine.”
Chi Gui kissed his hair and made a low promise. “Sleep now. I swear, from now on, it will never happen again.”
“Mm.”
Daylight came.
This sleep restored a lot of Jing Shun’s strength and vitality.
It wasn’t until after lunch that Yu Xiuzhu and Fu Changting finally arrived at the hospital. Also accompanying them were assistant Xiao Mo and agent Chen Jiang.
The two groups converged.
Xiao Mo was the first to wear a mournful expression, huddled by the bedside apologizing. “Brother Jing, I’m sorry. I failed my duty last night.”
He never imagined that in just the half-hour he was away, Jing Shun would encounter such a crisis. If he had known, even if he was in pain, he should have stayed by his side every step of the way!
Jing Shun had learned the truth from Meng Zhide and didn’t blame the innocent Xiao Mo, who had been caught up in his own illness. “No need to apologize. Meng Zhide had bribed the director’s assistant Li Chuan a long time ago. Both of those cups of coffee you had were laced with drugs.”
Xiao Mo was shocked. “Huh?”
Yu Xiuzhu immediately caught on. “Xiao Mo, go get yourself tested right now to see if there’s any residual drugs in your system! The company will cover the cost!”
If there was still residue of laxatives or other drugs in his body, it might become usable evidence later.
Xiao Mo quickly agreed. “Yes, President Yu. I’ll go right away!”
Fu Changting took a moment to ask, “Xiao Jing, how are you feeling now?”
Jing Shun knew that Fu Changting had helped a lot the night before. “Brother Ting, Brother Yu, don’t worry. I’m fine. I felt much better after sleeping.”
Even the initial dizziness had subsided under the effects of the medication.
Chi Gui handed the apple he’d peeled to Jing Shun. “You need to get a medical evaluation for the injury on the back of your head. We can use that later.”
Jing Shun took a bite of the apple and nodded vaguely.
Yu Xiuzhu and Fu Changting observed their interaction—one was used to it, while the other’s thoughts paused briefly.
Until Chi Gui asked, “What’s the situation with Meng Zhide?”
Chen Jiang, standing furthest from the hospital bed, heard this and snorted in displeasure. “The police said he briefly regained consciousness around seven or eight in the morning.”
Facing police interrogation, Meng Zhide perfectly demonstrated what it meant to “turn the tables”—
“He said that Jing Shun knew he had access to big-budget variety show resources, so Jing Shun had someone arrange a meeting with him in the interview prep room to… to hint at industry ‘under-the-table’ favors.”
“Originally, it was supposed to be a mutual transaction, but Jing Shun backed out at the last minute, smashed his head, and then tried to use the incident to blackmail him for resources—trying to get something for nothing.”
“…”
Jing Shun was speechless, even the apple in his hand losing its flavor.
Chi Gui and Yu Xiuzhu’s expressions varied, but neither looked pleased.
“Meng Zhide claims that the injuries to his head and lower body were intentional harm, and he wants to file a counter-lawsuit against us.”
Chen Jiang looked at Fu Changting, feeling both angry and helpless—
He knew that when his artist rushed to the rescue last night, he had indeed grabbed Meng Zhide and slammed his head into the wall, causing a secondary injury that knocked him unconscious!
Fu Changting had been in the industry for years and had never been involved in such a mess before!
If this got out, internet trolls would inevitably seize on it to attack him and tarnish his reputation. It was like stepping in garbage that couldn’t be scraped off!
Jing Shun said, “Li Chuan was the one who led me into the prep room. He must have colluded with Meng Zhide in advance. Doesn’t the surveillance footage prove it?”
“What a coincidence? The surveillance camera closest to your room on the fifth floor was broken.”
“The two cameras further away didn’t capture any audio—only that the two of you entered the prep room at different times. The elevator surveillance only recorded you and Li Chuan going upstairs together.”
“And just as you said—”
“Li Chuan had been bribed by Meng Zhide long ago. So how could he tell the police the truth? He claims there was no ‘interview prep’ at all—that you asked him to take you upstairs.”
“…”
Mixing truth with lies while concealing the key points that would implicate him—he really had some low-grade cunning.
Yu Xiuzhu chimed in, “Meng Zhide is an old fox. He’s betting that you have no solid evidence, and he thinks his injuries are more serious, so he dares to spout nonsense.”
“Without sufficient witnesses and physical evidence, this could drag on for a while.”
Chen Jiang’s brows were tightly knit, his head throbbing. “Not to mention, both of you are public figures. Handling this will be trickier than a normal case.”
As he finished speaking, Jing Shun remembered something. “Last night, before Li Chuan and I got on the elevator, we ran into Jin Yulin and his assistant. Li Chuan said in front of them that he was taking me to the prep room.”
“If they’re willing to testify, at least it can prove Li Chuan’s lying?”
Fu Changting just learned about this. “I’ll contact Yulin.”
Yu Xiuzhu was still uneasy. “That alone probably isn’t enough, right?”
Chi Gui tossed the fruit knife into the bowl and spoke in a low voice. “I recorded it.”
“Recorded what?”
“Last night, when Meng Zhide entered the room, Jing Shun was on the phone with me. They never hung up.”
Ever since the Macau kidnapping incident, Chi Gui had, with a “better safe than sorry” mentality, quietly changed his call settings—
Every call with Jing Shun was automatically recorded on his phone.
Chi Gui looked down and searched through his phone. Deep in his pupils brewed a storm that could devour a person.
A few seconds later, as if pronouncing Meng Zhide’s death sentence, he said—“Found it.”