Chapter 83: He Wants to Pursue Freedom
Liang Sheng shifted his gaze in a daze and saw that the man was still crouching on the floor, staring blankly at the broken safety lock.
It was as if his spine had been removed; his back was bent, his head hung low, and his messy hair obscured his eyes.
Liang Sheng couldn’t tell if he was angry or sad.
He didn’t know what the man was thinking.
For a moment, he felt a flicker of emotion.
But it was only for a moment.
He wouldn’t let his heart soften again.
Perhaps a broken mirror really could never be made whole.
He had tried several times to reconcile with Shen Xingyu or ease their tense relationship, but the man was never willing to accept it. One moment he would be completely submissive, and the next he would hurt him over some trifle, showing no regard for his feelings.
Staring vacantly at the mess on the floor, a thought suddenly occurred to Liang Sheng. The torment his adoptive mother had inflicted on Shen Xingyu twenty years ago had already been repaid through him.
This marriage was the ultimate revenge.
There was actually no need for him to stay and continue making amends.
Thinking carefully about these past few years, every word and action from Shen Xingyu was no less than the torture he had once suffered.
The man had told him that his adoptive mother once threw him into the sea, nearly costing him his life…
But wasn’t it the same for him during those days on the isolated island? Hadn’t he nearly died as well…
Liang Sheng’s eyes turned red.
When he loved, it was true love.
When he stopped, it meant nothing.
Shen Xingyu would never consider their past affection.
He was done. He was tired.
He didn’t want to think about it anymore.
Seven years of neglect and betrayal had left him exhausted in body and soul. He had repaid the debt of his adoptive mother; he could leave now.
Xie Zhengran had given him courage.
The courage to leave.
To pursue the freedom he desired.
The longing in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
He wouldn’t let himself be swayed by a soft heart again!
As his mind whirled with chaotic thoughts, the man’s low voice suddenly sounded from by his feet, carrying a hint of grievance:
“I destroyed your mother’s photo, and you destroyed my mother’s relic. Are we… even now?”
Liang Sheng was stunned. He turned in surprise and met a pair of bloodshot eyes filled with tiny glimmers of tears.
The man looked at him tentatively, still clutching the safety lock, returning to that piteous state from the previous night.
Liang Sheng frowned, remaining unmoved.
So this safety lock was a relic of the late Mrs. Shen?
Had he… been too impulsive just now?
But Shen Xingyu hadn’t left him any room to breathe either. What reason did he have to blame himself? He could consider it a way of letting the man taste the feeling of having a cherished item destroyed!
“Sheng-sheng, talk to me…”
Seeing that he remained cold, Shen Xingyu panicked. He reached out his hand, wanting to pull at the hem of the other’s clothes with a tremble.
“…I can’t.”
Liang Sheng spoke plainly, without any emotional fluctuation, as he stood up to avoid the man’s touch.
He had already lost everything.
The word “even” was a far too cheap price to pay for all that past suffering.
He couldn’t do it.
Seeing the other refuse to forgive him, Shen Xingyu only felt a wave of intense defeat. His entire body went limp.
He stood up unsteadily, not knowing what to do. He was the one who burned the photo, and he was the one who smashed the gifts. Liang Sheng likely hated him to the core… how could he have the face to beg for forgiveness?
Shen Xingyu closed his stinging eyes and then slowly opened them, placing the broken safety lock on the desk.
“I’ll have someone come and clean up. I will also compensate you for the cost of these souvenirs.”
Liang Sheng remained indifferent, his side turned toward the man.
Hearing that the man wanted to offer compensation, he only felt like laughing.
How was Shen Xingyu going to compensate him for the hope that had been ground down bit by bit, for the countless late nights he spent missing his mother, or for his heart full of muddled pain and all his misfortunes?
“And… I’m sorry.”
Shen Xingyu dropped these words despondently. He lowered his eyes to leave but still couldn’t help but look back at Liang Sheng.
In his heart, he still yearned for a response.
He was terrified of Liang Sheng’s silent, cold treatment. He would rather the other curse or hit him—anything, as long as Liang Sheng could vent his feelings…
At least then, he would know what the other was thinking.
But after waiting a long while, Liang Sheng remained silent.
He just stood there like a puppet with broken strings.
He looked as if he were in a daze, his thoughts unknown.
Shen Xingyu raised his hand several times, wanting to embrace him, but he felt he had no right to do so and feared being hated even more.
He let out a helpless sigh and turned away in sorrow. With bloodshot eyes, he left the bedroom in a state of utter dejection.
In that moment, he hated himself intensely.
Why couldn’t he just control his emotions…
He had worked so hard to get Liang Sheng to stay by his side, yet this had happened. Was this God punishing him?
The door behind him closed slowly, and his footsteps faded into the distance.
Liang Sheng’s forced stubbornness finally gave way. He slumped into the chair as tears overflowed from his eyes.
He leaned over the desk and sobbed until he was breathless.
It hurt so much in his chest.
Don’t cry. Don’t shed tears for someone who doesn’t deserve it.
Be good. Let’s find a way to leave…
It’s okay. Everything will be fine…
He continuously comforted himself. His vision was blurred, but through the hazy mist, he saw the safety lock nearby.
It cast a cold, silver light under the sun.
His attention was drawn to it. He stopped sobbing and reached out to pick up the lock.
It felt icy against his palm.
It made his irritable and uneasy mood feel slightly better.
“Mm…”
Liang Sheng sniffled and blinked his wet lashes, looking at the broken chain on the lock.
It had been broken by him, this fool…
Actually, he really liked this safety lock. It was all Shen Xingyu’s fault for making him so angry!
“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”
Liang Sheng murmured piteously.
His finger gently stroked the bell.
Could it still be repaired?
He was worried.
But he decided to try.
The sound of the clear, ringing bell echoed in the quiet room.
At the police station, in the interrogation room.
The Hei Bao coach had regained consciousness after being out for several days.
His hands were cuffed to a metal chair.
Two guards stood by his side.
Qin Lou sat directly across from him.
From the moment the coach was brought in, Qin Lou’s face had been dark, his eyes filled with suppressed, surging hatred.
Because his involvement was required for the investigation, Jiang Chuzhou was also sitting beside the man.
He didn’t know why Qin Lou was still at the station. Was it because a bystander also needed to be interrogated? Or did he want to personally witness the fall of the legendary coach he admired?
No, that wasn’t it.
It must be because he was afraid of Jiang Chuzhou being in danger!
Jiang Chuzhou thought narcissistically, stealing a smile.
The old police chief spoke solemnly: “We have a general understanding of the situation, and it has been verified. Kidnapping and using cheating methods for profit are unacceptable and subject to legal punishment.”
Hearing he was going to prison, the Hei Bao coach became agitated: “On what grounds are you punishing me! I didn’t do anything! It’s you! You’re all just jealous that my team won! You’re greedy for all that prize money!”
“Shut up! The evidence is conclusive. Who would dare to frame you in a police station without proof? Furthermore, illegally purchasing a homemade firearm and causing injury to another is an even more serious crime! Those three charges are enough to keep you behind bars for many years!”
The old chief shouted angrily.
The two guards held down the man as he struggled frantically.
“Let me go! I haven’t done anything! I refuse to admit it! No, it’s those two people in front of me! They framed me! I don’t know anything about a gun! I was beaten into this state! Are you blind? Can’t you see who the real victim is?!”
The Hei Bao coach’s face was swollen like a pig’s as he shouted and screamed, turning the blame back on Qin Lou and Jiang Chuzhou.
Jiang Chuzhou couldn’t swallow this insult. He slammed the table and stood up, pointing at the man’s nose as he cursed:
“Damn! Do you have any shame? Your skin is thicker than a city wall! You got caught cheating and then kidnapped me out of rage, and now you’re trying to twist the facts! With acting skills like that, you belong in a circus! I might even be generous enough to throw a few coins your way!”
The two sides argued heatedly.
Qin Lou felt irritated and pulled Jiang Chuzhou back into his seat.
Jiang Chuzhou wasn’t satisfied and wanted to keep shouting.
The old chief naturally knew that he was the pampered young master of the Jiang family from Nanshi and that he had been inexplicably wronged. It was already a stroke of luck that Jiang Tianyang hadn’t come to raise hell at the station.
He quickly comforted the hot-tempered young master:
“Young Master Jiang, stay calm. We won’t let such a menace to society go free. Don’t worry about what he says. We see criminals like this who fly into a rage all the time; it’s not worth getting yourself angry. Rest assured, he won’t get away!”
“Fine, fine, I won’t lower myself to his level.”
Since the chief had stepped in to mediate, Jiang Chuzhou didn’t push it further and sat back down with his legs crossed. Luckily, he wasn’t hurt, but he felt bad for Qin Lou—a large piece of flesh was missing from the man’s shoulder.
He let out a sharp breath, clutching his own shoulder, and looked at the man with sympathy. Qin Lou had a bandage wrapped around his shoulder with a few faint bloodstains. His brow hadn’t relaxed since they entered the room, and his face was so dark that Jiang Chuzhou was at a loss.
What was… going on?
Did Qin Lou care about this coach that much?
Jiang Chuzhou couldn’t criticize him. After all, if the celebrity he admired had been ruined, he wouldn’t be able to accept it either.
The old chief looked at Qin Lou, his stern attitude softening: “Xiao Qin, ask whatever you need to ask. Uncle Ming will help you get to the bottom of it.”
Jiang Chuzhou was confused.
Since when were these two so close?
It was a natural familiarity.
Because he wanted to find his brother, Qin Lou had originally intended to join the criminal investigation team. However, at the request of the Old Master who had sponsored his education, he had to return to protect Shen Xingyu.
He was forced to give up that plan, but he still frequently contacted the old chief to investigate the events from back then. In his spare time, he had also helped the chief apprehend many fugitives.
The old chief often lamented that it was a pity someone with such strong combat capabilities hadn’t joined the force.
“Mm.”
Qin Lou gave a slight nod. He stared at the arrogant coach and clenched his fists, his voice cold as he spoke:
“Fourteen years ago, did you also kidnap a child?”
The coach didn’t remember. Seeing the man’s closeness with the chief made him even angrier: “What child?! How many more black marks are you going to pin on me? I suppose you’re all in this together, aren’t you?!”
“Quiet down!”
The chief shouted.
Qin Lou took a deep breath, suppressing the pain in his heart. Every word revealed a piece of his past regret:
“Fourteen years ago, you also cheated. I remember it very clearly; it was a national league. My brother, Qin Wen, also pointed out your cheating after the race.”
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