Chapter 85: How Is This Person So Good at Acting Spoiled?
The coach watched them leave without looking back. Every ounce of his strength left him. In this moment, he was truly afraid; he finally knew what despair felt like.
“Come back! I beg you… don’t tell her…”
He wailed hoarsely, his face covered in tears.
It was over. Everything was over.
He didn’t feel regret; he only hated that he hadn’t been thorough enough. He hadn’t pulled the weeds by the roots, giving his enemy the chance to strike back fourteen years later, leaving him utterly defeated.
What a pity.
He had been just one step away.
He could have taken that high prize money and retired, returning to treat his wife’s illness and celebrate her birthday.
He had promised her.
He’d retire after this final race and they would live a good life together as a family of three…
Now he had nothing.
His wife’s medical fees were gone.
His son’s living expenses were also gone.
He was truly useless…
Elsewhere, Jiang Chuzhou chased Qin Lou out of the station. He leaned over with his hands on his knees, panting heavily.
“Slow down! Your legs are so long and you’re walking so fast, I can’t keep up! Huff, huff…”
Qin Lou stopped his steps.
He looked up slightly at the dark, overcast sky. His eyes, having just wept, were filled with a heavy sorrow.
Since leaving the station, his entire spirit seemed to have withered.
Although he had been psychologically prepared for the loss of his brother for these fourteen years, hearing the actual cruel details was still too much to bear. His emotions were so suppressed he felt like killing someone!
What should he do…
The trail had gone cold again.
If the coach wasn’t lying, then where had his brother gone? After catching rabies, had he fled on his own? If so, why hadn’t he come home to find him…
He didn’t know if someone with that illness could still think clearly or remember things…
Qin Lou felt his mind was a complete mess.
What exactly had happened back then…
Where could he even go to investigate now…
He had nearly thought the truth would be revealed…
Although he had gotten justice for his brother, he still had no way of knowing if the boy was dead or alive.
After all, it had been fourteen years.
Hope was too slim.
Jiang Chuzhou peeked around from his side. Seeing his bloodshot eyes and dark face, he was a bit frightened but still asked tentatively, “Hey… are you okay?”
“Get lost.”
Qin Lou squeezed the word out from his throat.
He turned his face away, afraid of his fragile emotions being seen. He didn’t know how to accept concern from others, so he instinctively used coldness as a shield.
Jiang Chuzhou froze, baffled by the sudden hostility.
He couldn’t swallow that insult and immediately snapped back:
“Hey, it’s not like I did anything to you! Why are you telling me to get lost? Don’t take your anger at that fat pig out on me, okay? It wasn’t me who killed your brother! I care about you and you curse at me! I’m so angry!”
Coming back to his senses, Qin Lou realized he had crossed a line. He looked at the fuming youth:
“My apologies.”
Jiang Chuzhou crossed his arms and let out an arrogant snort.
He wanted to keep cursing, but seeing the loss and sadness in the man’s eyes made him unable to harden his heart.
He lowered his arms and patted Qin Lou’s shoulder: “Alright, alright, don’t be… so sad. You have to look forward. You’re usually so cold and arrogant; you shouldn’t be defeated so easily, right? If your brother… knew from beyond the grave, he wouldn’t want to see you so depressed.”
Qin Lou dazed. Memories of his brother’s words flashed through his mind.
[My brother is the best! I love my brother most of all!]
[Xiao Wen doesn’t want my brother to work so hard. Brother should be happy! Xiao Wen will always stay with my brother!]
As he thought, his eyes grew moist again.
“Right?”
Jiang Chuzhou’s voice pulled him back to reality.
Qin Lou’s focus returned. His brother’s brilliant smile vanished, replaced by Jiang Chuzhou’s unruly face.
The other raised an eyebrow, his hands behind his back and his body leaning forward slightly as a smile touched his lips.
His bright eyes held a smile that seemed to contain a vast sea of stars.
Stripped of his usual reckless playboy attitude, the youth at this moment was like the morning sun—clean and warm.
It seemed that no amount of gloom could bother him.
Qin Lou was a bit dazed.
Jiang Chuzhou had always given him the impression of being a dissolute and frivolous person who never took anything seriously.
Now it seemed he wasn’t that bad after all.
“Tha… Thanks.”
He felt a bit awkward. Even a simple thank you felt stiff.
He didn’t actually like himself this way.
Boring and cold.
Yet, unfortunately, he was used to it.
“No thanks needed. We’re close, aren’t we?”
Jiang Chuzhou gave him a playful elbow and winked mysteriously: “If you really want to thank me, come be my bodyguard.”
The emotions Qin Lou had been building up instantly went cold.
“No.”
He gave a heartless refusal and turned to walk away.
“Why not! What’s so good about Shen Xingyu? He’s a total jerk. Look at me, I’m devoted!”
Jiang Chuzhou chased after him, pestering him relentlessly.
Qin Lou ignored him entirely.
He truly didn’t know why this person was so obsessed with making him his bodyguard.
The phone in his pocket rang.
He took it out and saw the caller was Shen Xingyu. He hurriedly answered: “Hello? President Shen.”
“Qin Lou… I miss you…”
The voice on the other end was hoarse.
It carried a bit of nasal congestion and sounded drunk.
Was he… drinking?
Qin Lou frowned.
After all, Shen Xingyu usually didn’t speak to him this way.
“President Shen, where are you? I’ll come find you. I’m finished with my business.”
He spoke with anxiety. At the end of the day, he was still very worried about Shen Xingyu.
“At… the bar…”
The man spoke intermittently.
“Wait for me!”
Qin Lou hung up and walked to the roadside to wait for a taxi.
“Hey, where are you going?!”
Jiang Chuzhou chased after him.
“Go home. I’m going to find President Shen.”
Without looking back, Qin Lou hailed a taxi and got inside, appearing very rushed.
Seeing that the man’s heart and mind were once again filled with that damn Shen Xingyu, Jiang Chuzhou felt jealous. He also climbed into the car and sat beside him, grabbing onto the man’s arm.
“I’m not going back. I don’t want to hear that old man’s nagging; it’s annoying. If you’re going to find him, I’m coming too!”
Qin Lou looked at his shameless appearance and knew he couldn’t drive him away. He let out a helpless sigh, tacitly agreeing.
“Don’t bother me.”
“Yes, sir!”
Jiang Chuzhou tilted his head and smiled. His looks were on the cute side, but his aura felt very cool.
Qin Lou’s stoic heart felt a ripple.
Panicked, he turned his face away and pretended not to see.
His heart had long since been thrown into chaos.
Jiang Chuzhou continued to press close to him, unaware he was flirting. He nuzzled his face against the man’s body repeatedly:
“I have to say, Qin Lou, you’re so cool to the touch. It feels so good; I don’t even feel hot anymore!”
“You… that’s enough. Can you sit properly?”
Qin Lou’s face turned red as he used his arm to block the youth’s head.
“No! Who told you to be so handsome? I like it~”
Jiang Chuzhou drawled the words out, his voice sweet and clingy. He looked up at him with sparkling eyes, looking exactly like a puppy begging for a treat.
Qin Lou’s skin crawled, and he tried his best to remain calm.
How is this person so good at acting spoiled?
He took a deep breath and simply closed his eyes.
Surely then the youth couldn’t harass him?
But he still underestimated Jiang Chuzhou’s shamelessness.
Jiang Chuzhou gave a wicked smile and straightened up, resting his arm on the man’s shoulder and his chin on his hand. Then he began to affectionately admire the man’s side profile.
Qin Lou’s features were deep and well-defined—the kind of handsome that felt masculine.
The more Jiang Chuzhou looked, the more he liked it.
Especially teasing a stoic and ascetic man like Qin Lou; it gave him a strong sense of satisfaction.
Qin Lou seemed to sense the blatant gaze. His lashes fluttered as he grew inexplicably nervous.
Stay calm…
He kept his eyes tightly shut, his breathing held.
Suddenly, Jiang Chuzhou felt playful.
He leaned close to the man’s ear and blew a soft breath, his nose intentionally or unintentionally brushing against the man’s ear.
The hot breath puffed directly into his ear.
Qin Lou felt goosebumps erupt all over his body; no one had ever dared to touch him like this!
Unable to take it anymore, he suddenly pushed Jiang Chuzhou away and said coldly, “You’re courting death.”
Caught off guard, Jiang Chuzhou hit the windshield and let out a groan of pain. It took him a long while to recover.
Seeing him slumped over and appearing to be in pain, Qin Lou couldn’t help but blame himself. Had he used too much force?
Jiang Chuzhou rubbed his forehead and cursed piteously:
“You… you really showed no mercy! It hurts like hell! I hate you! Ice face!”
“I…”
Qin Lou knew he was in the wrong, but thinking of how the other had just teased him, he turned his head away in annoyance. He hurriedly pulled his clothes tight and said with embarrassment:
“Y-you were the one who started it.”
“Tch~ No sense of romance!”
Jiang Chuzhou was too lazy to keep arguing. He rested his elbow on the window and leaned against it, letting the cool breeze blow against him.
“Sigh~ I miss my 1.9-meter male models with big pec muscles. A pity I don’t have the money to call for them. It’s miserable…”
He let out a long sigh, his eyes fixed on the scenery flying past. He kept complaining about Jiang Tianyang freezing all of his bank cards, saying the man didn’t care if he lived or died.
Qin Lou’s face darkened a few shades.
1.9 meters… big pec muscles?
He frowned and instinctively looked down at his own chest. No, wait, what was he comparing himself for!
Qin Lou shook his head, clearing his mind of those messy thoughts. Truly, one is influenced by those they stay around.
Being with Jiang Chuzhou had infected him with these vulgar thoughts!
No, he needed to stay away from this person.
He silently moved a bit further away.
They finally reached their destination. Qin Lou hurriedly pushed open the door and got out. For some reason, after hearing about the 1.9-meter male models, he felt irritable and quickened his pace, ignoring the youth calling out to him from behind.
“Wait for me! Why are you walking so fast? Are you in a hurry to be reincarnated?”
Jiang Chuzhou chased after him huffily.
He had to exercise on such a hot day.
Qin Lou was unbelievable!
Who had offended him?!
His face was darker than a storm cloud!
Jiang Chuzhou kept complaining as he followed.
Qin Lou soon reached the private booth Shen Xingyu had mentioned.
The door was unlocked, so he pushed it open and entered.
The instant he stepped inside, he smelled a thick scent of alcohol.
Jiang Chuzhou wrinkled his nose. He knew alcohol best and could instantly tell how strong the drinks were.
“Wait, what kind of madness is Brother Xingyu up to?”
Qin Lou had no mind to pay him attention. He strode anxiously toward a corner and, sure enough, saw the man sitting in a booth.
“President Shen…”
He spoke in a low voice and slowly crouched down, looking up at the man who was silently drinking:
“Wh-why did you come here?”
Several buttons at the collar of his white shirt were undone. Shen Xingyu turned his head unsteadily. His eyes, which usually appeared sharp and aggressive, were now clouded with intoxication: “You’ve come…”
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