Chapter 9: New Patient
The warmth of the rice porridge settled in his empty stomach, but Jiang Zhaosheng didn’t feel at ease… After all, Shang Yan had left with such unusual calmness. This “compliance” was even more unsettling than malicious mockery.
Wen Zheng seemed still immersed in that brief physical contact and Jiang Zhaoshengâs submissiveness. His gaze was glued to him, so Jiang Zhaosheng turned his head away, avoiding the burning look.
His mind was filled with the past: victims… targets… faces after faces with no life left surged in his memory.
Shang Yanâs faceâyoung, sharp, and filled with hostilityâto which targetâs relative did it belong?
Jiang Zhaosheng thought back repeatedly, comparing them one by one, but the clues were like broken beads, scattered all over and impossible to string together.
No… thatâs not right.
Jiang Zhaosheng suddenly woke up.
He had fallen into a huge misconception. He had limited his search to the missions assigned by the organization, but he had ignored a crucial turning pointâthe catalyst that had truly angered Shen Qiming for the first time and led to him being “punished” over a knee: that private job.
Who was the target of that mission? The clientâs information had been deliberately blurred, the commission was exceptionally generous, but there was only one requirement:
The target had to die in a way that looked like an accident, and the client must never be traced.
He remembered the target was a wealthy businessman, seemingly involved in the internal succession of a massive family… Shen Qiming had been furious about it, not only because he had broken the rule of “only taking organization missions,” but also because the forces behind that businessman were complex and could easily bring trouble.
Could Shang Yan be from that family? He hadn’t heard of that businessman having a son? A brother? Or was he someone whose interests were harmed by the businessman’s death?
Unfortunately, too much time had passed. Clues crashed together in his mind, yet a key connection point was always missing.
Jiang Zhaosheng needed information. It would be great if he could see that sealed “private job” file, but such things had long been destroyed along with Shen Qimingâs death and his own “cleaning.”
“Zhaozhao,” Wen Zhengâs voice interrupted his thoughts, carrying a hint of appeasement. “Are you feeling better? Do you want to rest a bit more? About the school…”
“Going to the school,” Jiang Zhaosheng interrupted him, his voice returning to its usual coldness.
He pulled back the covers and got out of bed. His movements were slightly unsteady due to the exhaustion from hypoglycemia, yet his back remained straight.
Now that he had been caught by his enemy, running away was useless.
Moreover, he needed that identityâschool counselorâas a new starting point for his observation, analysis, and planning.
Wen Zhengâs lips moved as if he wanted to object, but meeting Jiang Zhaoshengâs eyes, he swallowed the words. He silently picked up the ironed shirt and suit pants from the side and handed them over.
Returning to that magnificent cage, Jiang Zhaosheng instinctively felt that Shang Yan wasn’t in the academy. He pretended to casually mention it to Wen Zheng and got the answer: “He went to deal with family matters.”
Taking charge of a family at this age and controlling power far beyond his peers… no wonder Wen Zheng was so wary of him, showing a hint of obedience.
From this perspective, the relationship between Shang Yan and him didn’t seem like a simple partnership, but more like a superior and a subordinate? Jiang Zhaosheng silently noted this information.
Passing through that dreamlike path filled with purple wisteria, the view suddenly opened up to the wide central plaza and the solemn administrative building. Jiang Zhaoshengâs office was not far away. He stopped and looked back at Wen Zheng, who was following closely, and said calmly:
“You can stop here.”
Wen Zhengâs injured right hand was still wrapped in thick bandages, making it look a bit clumsy. He reached out with his intact left hand, wanting to cup Jiang Zhaoshengâs face.
The events of yesterday had been too wild and chaotic. Wen Zheng could no longer use “punishment” or “supervision” as an excuse to say anything.
He could only stare silently at Jiang Zhaosheng. The man’s face was still a bit pale, and looking closely, one could see a faint, un-faded redness on his eyelids, like crushed peach blossoms, adding a bit of breakable beauty to that incomparably handsome faceâit easily stirred one’s possessiveness.
Jiang Zhaosheng didn’t stop his movement, only tilting his chin up slightly. Those lake-blue eyes were reflected more clearly in Wen Zhengâs.
Like a quiet cold poolâclear, deep, as if it could absorb all restlessness. Anyone who appreciated beauty would stop and lose themselves in these eyes.
Wen Zheng had no doubt that yesterdayâs “punishment” was definitely Shang Yan making a mountain out of a molehill. That lunatic was so obsessed that he didn’t care about sharing with others, as long as all of Jiang Zhaoshengâs pain was inflicted by his own hand… Wen Zheng wasn’t sure what this emotion was; probably no one could be crazier or more twisted than Shang Yan.
“Hmm.”
Wen Zheng gave a low response. The atmosphere was subtly tense… and thick.
Wen Zheng rambled on about a few trivial matters before his palm reluctantly left that cool skin. Jiang Zhaosheng felt it was a bit strangeâwho exactly was the older one here?
He thought Wen Zheng was going to end it with a lustful kiss as usual and instinctively tilted his head to dodge.
However, the expected touch didn’t fall. His hair was tucked behind his ear, and Wen Zheng only left a low and serious:
“…If you run into any trouble, come find me anytime.”
Being so young yet speaking in a fatherly tone… Jiang Zhaosheng found it somewhat amusing in his heart.
He had noticed before that the men surrounding him, regardless of age, all seemed to want to play the role of his “father.”
Was it his out-of-place looks that particularly stirred the protective instincts of male creatures?
After parting from Wen Zheng, Jiang Zhaosheng pushed open his office door. Inside, it wasn’t the familiar melon fragrance; the space was filled with the scent of Alpha pheromones.
Jiang Zhaosheng looked at the tall figure sitting cross-legged on the sofa. What did I just say? Here it is.
âTrouble.
A young man in a basketball jersey was leaning on the sofa, smiling brightly:
“Shang Yan said the school opened a counseling room, so I wanted to come check it out.”
The Alphaâs gaze scanned Jiang Zhaosheng without restraint, from his tired-looking eyes to his rose-colored lips with their wounds, and finally to his tall figure wrapped in a well-fitted suit, as if evaluating a favored prey.
“Psychological issue?”
Jiang Zhaosheng walked slowly toward his desk, his voice flat. He didn’t look at the young man on the sofa, instead sitting straight down in his chair.
He tapped his fingertip lightly on the desk, only then raising his gaze to land on that young, flamboyant face. His lake-blue eyes remained calm, without a ripple of being offended.
“Did you register?”
“No.”
the boy was stunned for a moment. Jiang Zhaoshengâs reaction was clearly different from anything he had expected.
“Name.”
“He Qianyu.”
Jiang Zhaosheng took out a fountain pen and started writing in the logbook… Unfortunately, after stabbing Wen Zheng, the tip of this pen seemed to be ruined. With a “snap,” he closed the cap and looked up to ask:
“What is your problem, Student He?”
The young man clearly hadn’t expected such a business-like opening. Especially being glanced at by those green eyes, he forgot his words. The smile on his face froze for a moment before widening further with a hint of roguishness:
“My name is He Qianyu, from the Physical Education Department. As for psychological issues… I have some.”
“Lately, I haven’t been sleeping well because I keep thinking about someone.”
He stared intensely at Jiang Zhaosheng, his meaning obvious.
Jiang Zhaosheng nodded slightly, as if he hadn’t heard the flirtatiousness in the words. His long fingers tapped a few times on the computer keyboard, pulling up the system page.
“There are many causes for sleep disordersâstress, routine, environmental stimuli,” he paused, his gaze finally moving away from the screen. “Student He, do you need to go to the school hospital for some medicine?”
“If I say that the person I’m thinking of day and night,” He Qianyu deliberately dragged out his tone, his gaze scanning Jiang Zhaoshengâs beautifully shaped collarbone and the faint skin under his collar, “…is sitting right in front of me?”
Recommended Reads
![[Esports] I Started an Online Romance with a Big Shot After Retiring](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/esports.jpg)
![[ABO] President Shou Is Not a Total Shou](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/the-shou-is-not-a-total-shou-214x300.jpg)
![Enemies on a Narrow Road [Esports]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/enemies-on-a-narrow-road-214x300.jpg)