Chapter 3: Glass
In this absurd and shameful environment, Jiang Zhaosheng suddenly remembered an old veteran at the underground boxing ring. With a face full of scars, the man had puffed out a cloud of smoke in the dim backstage and told him:
“Kid, in this place, experience, technique, brute force… none of that is the most valuable thing.”
At that time, the young and brash Jiang Zhaosheng hated colleagues who took every opportunity to lecture him. He had retorted somewhat sharply, “Then what is?”
“Endurance,” the veteran said, his sharp eyes fixed on him. “Sounds clichĂ©, right? You’ll understand once you actually get in the ring.”
He had been right. Once Jiang Zhaosheng entered the ring, he discovered itâthe mad-dog-like cursing from below the stage, the opponentâs fists whistling past his face and ribs, the cursed countdown of the referee buzzing in his ears… his head was filled with blood, and the world was spinning. The hardest part wasn’t hitting back; it was suppressing that hellish urge to smash everything to pieces.
Itâs hard to guarantee you wonât act on impulse, isnât it?
[Of course, you can go crazy without a care. But remember, the thing you treasure most might turn into bubbles the moment you throw that punch… Thatâs why you have to learn to crush your teeth and swallow them, swallow the blood, push down the fire…]
The value of endurance was demonstrated right here.
This wasn’t an underground boxing ring, but his opponents were just as dangerous. The things Jiang Zhaosheng held dearâJiang Wanâs future and his own peaceâhung on Shang Yanâs every whim.
Shang Yan was still looking at him. Jiang Zhaosheng was all too familiar with that look; it was the gaze of a conqueror toward his prey.
He was certain that people like Shang Yan enjoyed the process of chasing and conquering. Once the prey displayed a complete, boring submissiveness, the game would lose its attraction for the hunter.
Jiang Zhaosheng obediently raised his hands. First was the overcoat; the heavy fabric slid onto the carpet, making almost no sound. Then, his fingers moved to the brown cashmere shirt.
From top to bottom, the first button was undone, revealing the edge of the black high-neck base layer, which ascetically wrapped around his slender neck.
The second button: the exquisite lines of his collarbone were faintly visible under the dark fabric.
The third button: the well-trained contours of his chest were slightly exposed.
The cashmere shirt wrinkled with his movements, the hem tucked into his waistband, outlining his lean waist.
It should have been an erotic scene, but because of the performerâs steady, unhurried movementsâreminiscent of an old cadreâit only left one feeling the helplessness of punching cotton.
Sure enough, just as the black high-neck base layer was about to be fully exposed, Shang Yan pushed Jiang Zhaosheng off his lap.
“Enough.”
His tone held a hint of… exasperation? Shang Yan stood up abruptly, his movements so large that he knocked over a metal pen holder on the coffee table, which rolled onto the floor with a clatter. He didn’t bend down to pick it up, instead irritably grabbing his academy uniform jacket from the sofa armrest.
“I have things to do. I don’t have time to admire your performance here.”
With that, he gave Jiang Zhaoshengâs flawless, calm face a somewhat resentful look.
Shang Yanâs departing footsteps even seemed a bit frantic. The young man walked toward the door without looking back, pulled it open, and slammed it shut with a heavy “Bang.”
Jiang Zhaosheng knelt with one knee on the edge of the sofa, his body swaying slightly before he stabilized himself. He lowered his gaze and slowly straightened his messy shirt, re-fastening the buttons one by one.
If he could disgust the man away, Jiang Zhaosheng was happy to perform for him.
At least he had found one of the enemyâs weaknesses. Jiang Zhaoshengâs mood eased slightly. Once he was fully dressed again, the door was quickly pushed open once more. Jiang Zhaosheng didn’t look back.
There was no need to. It was impossible for Shang Yan to return so soon after leaving. The only person who would dare to barge into the “Chengxin Zhai” before it was officially open was that other personâthe one who was of the same ilk as Shang Yan, equally troublesome but more impulsiveâ
“Long time no see.”
The moment Wen Zheng spoke, he felt a bit of regret. They probably shouldn’t… greet each other like this. Jiang Zhaosheng ran his fair fingers through the hair at the back of his neck, pulling the strands out from under his overcoat, before slowly turning around.
Seeing those glass-like, transparent blue eyes, Wen Zheng felt a stir of emotion. He walked to his side and sat down, naturally grabbing the otherâs wrist and saying:
“Don’t worry, Shang Yan is just trying to scare you. You can just water the flowers and look at the scenery here. Those people he mentioned… won’t come looking for you.”
As Wen Zheng watched the fleeting fragility in Jiang Zhaoshengâs lake-blue eyes, his heart felt as if it had been lightly scratched by a catâs claw.
The way Jiang Zhaosheng tried to pull away but then gave up was completely different from the cold-eyed man he remembered from the hotel. Was he scared by Shang Yanâs threats? Or was he uneasy in this unfamiliar environment full of Alphas?
“Whatâs wrong?” Wen Zhengâs voice softened involuntarily, and the grip on Jiang Zhaoshengâs wrist loosened. His thumb rubbed over that pale skin. “Did that bastard really scare you? Tsk, heâs a lunatic. I told you, no one will actually come looking for trouble.”
Jiang Zhaosheng noticed that the young man was trying to make his tone sound more reliable, even adopting a coaxing manner. To him, Wen Zheng seemed to be the opposite of Shang Yan.
His own submissiveness was being interpreted as dependence, which greatly satisfied Wen Zhengâs protective Alpha instincts.
Jiang Zhaosheng lowered his gaze, letting Wen Zhengâs rough fingers linger on the skin of his inner wrist. He adjusted his posture slightly to appear more passive and harmless.
“Iâm… not afraid,” he paused, choosing his words carefully. His long lashes trembled a few times before he looked up. Those lake-blue eyes seemed to be covered in a thin mist, clearly reflecting Wen Zhengâs figure. “I just… don’t understand.”
“Don’t understand what?” Wen Zheng felt his heart heat up at that look. His body instinctively moved closer, the scent of his Alpha pheromones wrapping around the other more densely.
Jiang Zhaosheng tilted his head slightly, appearing to find it difficult to speak. His gaze fell on the wrist Wen Zheng was holding, his voice so soft it was almost covered by the sound of his breathing:
“I don’t understand… you all.”
It was as if he had gathered great courage before looking at Wen Zheng again.
“Shang Yan… he seems to have a deep prejudice against me, as if Iâve done something heinous. But you…” He bit his lip slightly. “You seem a bit different. In your eyes… what kind of person am I, really?”
The crucial strike of showing weakness had arrived.
Jiang Zhaosheng positioned himself extremely low, attributing Shang Yanâs targeting to “prejudice” or even a “misunderstanding.”
He precisely threw the question to Wen Zhengâ”In your eyes, what kind of person am I?”
This was not only testing Wen Zhengâs view of him but also inducing Wen Zheng to evaluate him. In that evaluation, it might be revealed whether Shang Yan had fed him any information about Jiang Zhaoshengâs “past.”
Jiang Zhaosheng portrayed himself as a confused and uneasy social underdog, handing the power of judgment over to Wen Zhengâa move that greatly satisfied Wen Zhengâs desire for expression and protection.
Sure enough, Wen Zheng was struck by this direct and dependent inquiry.
“You are just you,” Wen Zheng answered immediately. The fingers holding his wrist tightened, as if trying to convey a sense of security through the action. “Shang Yan is a nutcase; everyone looks like a conspirator to him. Don’t take what he says to heart. Past or no past, I don’t care.”
Key informationâas expected, Shang Yan had mentioned his past to Wen Zheng. He must have hinted to his accomplice that something was wrong with Jiang Zhaoshengâs history.
However, Jiang Zhaosheng was certain that Shang Yan hadn’t gone into detail. Otherwise, Wen Zheng wouldn’t be treating a special agent like a pretty toy, even carefully controlling the strength of his grip for fear of pinching him too hard.
Jiang Zhaosheng understood clearly now. While planning how to deal with the two of them, a perfect, relieved but hollow smile appeared on his face.
He lowered his head slightly, just in time to avoid Wen Zhengâs hand as it reached out to touch his hair:
“Thank you. Hearing you say that… I feel much better.”
The goal of showing weakness had been achievedâconfirming that Shang Yan had mentioned his “past” to Wen Zheng, and that Wen Zhengâs attitude toward it was one of indifference or even disdain. This provided the foundation for him to exploit Wen Zheng, the “unstable factor.”
Subsequently, Jiang Zhaosheng tentatively took the initiative to hold Wen Zhengâs hand. After the questioning, to prevent Wen Zheng from noticing anything, it was time to soothe the somewhat restless young Alpha.
Jiang Zhaosheng looked up, his lake-blue eyes regaining their calm. “This place was just tidied up; itâs still a bit messy. You should head back first. Later… Iâll contact you?”
To his surprise, before leaving, Wen Zheng leaned in and lightly kissed his temple.
“Alright.”
The Alpha youthâs hot lips pressed against the cool skin, carrying the satisfaction of having succeeded. The sensation was as vivid as a branding iron, even causing the fine hairs on Jiang Zhaoshengâs sideburns to stand up slightly.
Wen Zhengâs presence vanished behind the closing door.
The gentle, relieved expression on Jiang Zhaoshengâs face vanished instantly. He immediately raised his hand and used his sleeve to fiercely wipe the skin of his temple where Wen Zheng had kissed him.
“…Madman.”
Translator’s Note: Jiang Zhaosheng is a master manipulator! Heâs using Wen Zhengâs ego against him. In the ABO world, Alpha pheromones are often used to suppress others, but as a “no-weakness” Beta agent, Zhaosheng is much more resilient than they realize. The “sweater chain” (æŻèĄŁé – mĂĄoyÄ« liĂ n) is a common fashion accessory in China, usually a long decorative necklace.
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