Chapter 89: Lu Ciheng, That Liar
Xie Shibai took a few slow seconds to react, recalling what Lu Ciheng meant by punishment.
Even now, he could remember the guilt he felt at the time, but this was simply unreasonable.
The pressure from Lu Ciheng’s hand remained immovable. He had clearly used the promise of pleasure to lure him in, yet when it came to the final moment, he maliciously blocked it. He saw Xie Shibai’s dissatisfaction and brushed his high nose against Xie Shibai’s cheek. “I asked you, Xie-laoshi.”
Whether he was hiding anything from him.
Xie Shibai was stunned for a few seconds. His long eyelashes were slightly wet as he remembered what had happened back then and realized he had never given Lu Ciheng a direct answer.
Lu Ciheng had guessed it long ago and had been waiting for him here.
Lu Ciheng lowered his eyes, which were filled with a thick darkness. The scene of Xie Shibai being pointed at with a gun was deeply buried in his mind, becoming the source of a new, pessimistic nightmare.
Hiding such a major thing from him, even showing a lack of care for his own life…
He should be punished even more.
However, the current setting wasn’t suitable. People might disturb them in the medical room, so he couldn’t do much more.
“Xie-laoshi, I’ve been very angry.” Lu Ciheng applied a bit of force with his hand, forcing the beautiful thing to tremble. He leaned forward, his nose close to Xie Shibai’s face, as their hot breaths tangled together.
Xie Shibai’s eyelashes flickered, his eyes brimming with mist, and he let out a short gasp.
“Angry at myself for finding out so late.” Lu Ciheng’s eyes were dyed with a deep black. “I can help you with anything you want to do. Anything at all. Just don’t risk your life.”
Xie Shibai was slightly stunned.
What if Ye Yingpu had known how to use a gun?
Lu Ciheng didn’t dare to think about it.
He rested his chin against Xie Shibai’s neck and bit down hard on the slender, white collarbone.
Xie Shibai gripped Lu Ciheng’s clothes tightly, his body trembling.
“If I find there’s a next time,” Lu Ciheng’s voice was low and husky, “I will lock you up, tie you to the bed, and you’ll never be able to get down.”
Xie Shibai bit his lower lip hard, sinking into the soft sheets. It was hard to tell if his black hair was wet from tears or sweat as it clung to his cheeks. He looked quite pitiful being bullied like this.
His knee brushed against the fabric of the other’s abdomen.
The fountain was blocked by a stone that wouldn’t move, and he couldn’t escape.
He was determined to leave a lasting lesson.
“Lu—”
As soon as a single syllable escaped, Xie Shibai’s mouth was blocked by a kiss, leaving his lips wet and sticky.
Lu Ciheng’s eyes were pitch black, his lowered voice carrying a slight rasp. “This time, I don’t want to hear Xie-laoshi call my name.”
Tears overflowed from the corners of Xie Shibai’s eyes. Even the chance to call out the safe word had been stripped away.
All that remained were curses filled with tremors and a crying tone. “You bastard!”
Public opinion online fermented quickly. Xie Shibai and Lu Ciheng were already highly popular, and this time it was a criminal event with a conspiracy behind it. From the moment the suspension of the livestream was announced, the discussions had never ceased.
[Based on the reports from America, Ye did this specifically for revenge against Xie-laoshi. But he was also lost after fleeing the country, with no money or status. He must have had someone behind him to manage to stow away on the ship.]
[Exactly. The person behind it most likely has a grudge against Xie-laoshi too.]
[The person behind it is so vicious—guns, knives, and on the high seas where dead men tell no tales. Truly evil. Can anyone dig out who it is? This kind of person needs to be caught; it’s a clear case of hiring someone for intentional homicide.]
[It feels like it could be someone close to him… Xie-laoshi must not be hurt, ahhh!]
Because the public outcry was too great, the two officers on board had conducted a brief interrogation before the ship docked at the port.
The outside attention was so high that they had to release small bits of information every now and then.
Ye Yingpu gritted his teeth and refused to say who had instructed him. He only kept emphasizing that his face had been beaten by Xie Shibai and asking why he wasn’t arrested. “On what basis are you only arresting me? I’m going to sue you!”
The police: “…”
In all their years on the force, this was the first time they had seen someone wanting to sue the police.
Regarding the weapon identification, he also denied everything, saying he had just bought it. However, he couldn’t provide any corresponding purchase records or registration. The blatant false testimony frustrated both officers.
The two officers ignored the injuries on Ye Yingpu’s face, only remembering how noisy the man was. If they could, they would have liked to give him a few punches as well, but the procedures had been very strict lately, and they couldn’t hit people.
Before being transferred off the ship, Xie Shibai went to see Ye Yingpu.
the officer only told him to stay a bit away from the man before leaving the interrogation room, providing them with a chance for a private conversation.
Upon seeing Xie Shibai, Ye Yingpu’s expression immediately turned grim. He said confidently, “You were lucky this time. You’d better hope I don’t find you next time.”
He was still dreaming that nothing major would happen to him and that he would be released without charges after the transfer.
That was what Xu Ruixin had promised him.
Xie Shibai: “You think Xu Ruixin can save you?”
Ye Yingpu paused for a few seconds, staring at Xie Shibai. “What do you mean?”
The corners of Xie Shibai’s mouth curled, his eyes filled with hidden sarcasm. “You idiot. The Xie family has already fallen. Xu Ruixin can only survive by relying on the Xie family. You actually think she can save you from all the way over here? Was it that gun that gave you courage?”
Cold sweat broke out on Ye Yingpu’s face. He didn’t want to believe what Xie Shibai was saying.
Xie Shibai said calmly, “Professor Ye, your luck is very good. The place we are going next has not yet abolished the death penalty.”
Ye Yingpu was stunned for a few seconds. “You’re lying!”
Xie Shibai: “Whether I’m lying or not, you’ll find out later. Xu Ruixin should be very grateful to you. After all, hiring someone for murder is punishable by death. With you taking the fall for her, she must be much more at ease.”
Ye Yingpu’s fingers gripped tightly. His bloodshot eyes stared at Xie Shibai. On the surface, he was stubborn and said he didn’t believe him, but his heart was pounding rapidly like a drum.
Xu Ruixin had indeed relied on the Xie family to survive, including the brand company she had started, which was entirely a small company under the Xie Corporation. However, she had many methods and connections and had actually helped someone before, so she had appeared exceptionally confident to Ye Yingpu.
But now the Xie family had fallen. Whether Xu Ruixin’s connections were still useful was very hard to tell.
If the city they were transferred to had the death penalty…
Ye Yingpu shuddered.
Similarly, the crimes he had committed were enough for him to be extradited back home.
Even if it were the worst-case scenario, he couldn’t die alone.
He had to find every possible way to take someone down with him.
Xie Shibai’s words were enough. After speaking, he left the interrogation room. He thanked the officer upon leaving and departed.
The cruise ship company was also investigating the internal issues. For a royal cruise ship, the fact that a stowaway with a gun could get on board was a devastating blow. Not only would members of the royal family who collaborated year-round be affected, but even ordinary people wouldn’t choose it for their travels. In just one day, the ticket refund function had processed an amount equal to the entire previous year, and their reputation plummeted.
Their internal investigation was very fast. Even before the ship docked, they had found the mole who had taken money to facilitate the crime. They quickly released an announcement while the public opinion was hot, stating that they would strictly rectify their procedures in the future.
The person caught by the ship’s management had taken money for the job. Netizens who had been paying attention dug into the information released by the ship and found that the transfer account came from the mainland. In an instant, the suspicion of a crime committed by an acquaintance was confirmed, and people demanded an investigation and severe punishment.
[It feels like it should be easy to find out who hired the killer, but given the efficiency over in America, sigh.]
[The things Ye Yingpu did will most likely lead to his extradition back home. The perpetrator will definitely be severely punished.]
[I just don’t know how Xie-laoshi and Lu-gou are doing.]
[They showed their faces in the livestream! Go look quickly!]
Compared to the hot searches, the atmosphere in the Infinite Heartbeat livestream was relatively calm. The main host, the puppy Tudou, had already explored many areas of the ship under the supervision of staff. The part the netizens looked forward to most was when the puppy got tired and ran to scratch at the ward door.
The door hadn’t opened the first few times, but just as the puppy was whimpering, the ward door opened, and a hand picked the puppy up.
The next second, the netizens saw a cold, expressionless face.
Lu Ciheng let out a ‘tsk.’ “Lu Biao, didn’t I tell you not to disturb your dad?”
He gave him a lift. “Have you gotten fat again?”
[…What a punchable face.]
[True… so from Bobby’s perspective, Lu-gou is really such a dog!]
[Who are you calling Lu Biao!]
[Who’s fat! Our Bobby is plump and beautiful!]
A pair of hands took the puppy over.
Xie Shibai glanced at Lu Ciheng’s waist, recalling his movement just now which hadn’t shown a hint of hesitation. The wound on his waist seemed as if it didn’t exist. Even if the doctor was a miracle worker, a gunshot wound wasn’t a normal injury; it was impossible to have no pain at all. His movement when bending over was completely different from before.
It was as if he had been faking for so long that he suddenly forgot.
Since yesterday, Xie Shibai had been observing Lu Ciheng’s waist. Although he faked it well at times, there were always instinctive movements where he would forget.
Moreover, although his mind hadn’t been clear yesterday, he still remembered that his knee had brushed against Lu Ciheng’s waist.
It was roughly where the wound was, yet he seemed perfectly fine now.
Tudou whimpered and nuzzled Xie Shibai’s hand, wagging its tail happily.
Xie Shibai noticed the camera hanging from the puppy’s neck and reached out to pat its head.
“I’m going to get the medicine,” he said, holding the puppy.
Lu Ciheng nodded.
Xie Shibai left the ward. While scratching the puppy’s head, he walked toward the doctor’s office.
The netizens experienced what it was like to be Xie Shibai’s dog, and then experienced being held and having their heads patted by Xie Shibai.
[Lu-gou definitely doesn’t get this treatment.]
[I’m going ‘gay’ in this lifetime!]
[I hope we get more shots like this. Xie-laoshi is so gentle.]
The doctor had an independent office right next to the medical room. Xie Shibai set Tudou down and pushed the door open, with the puppy following at his heels.
The doctor handed over the medicine he had prepared long ago.
Xie Shibai asked, “He doesn’t usually pay much attention to his wound. What would happen if the wound opened?”
The doctor remembered he had to cover for Lu Ciheng, thinking that such a small wound would have healed if they had come any later.
“It’s no big deal. Just take the medicine on time.”
Xie Shibai calmly looked at the types of medicine and asked, “Doesn’t he need to have the stitches removed?”
The doctor was stunned for a few seconds, thinking, where would the stitches come from? He gave a light cough. “Wait a bit longer… the stitches can only be removed after some more time.”
Holding the medicine, Xie Shibai lowered his eyes, and a cold smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Heh, Lu Ciheng, that liar.
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