Chapter 38: Is He Going to Break His Legs Now?
Lin Yuan was so frightened that his small face was paler than paper.
“No! Shen Yanzhou, let me go! I beg you! Let me go!” he screamed.
Shen Yanzhou didn’t speak. He moved back a few steps and sat on a sofa not far away.
He pulled a cigarette from his case and held it between his lips.
He took out a Cartier black enamel diamond-encrusted lighter and flicked a flame.
Tilting his head slightly, his brows furrowed as he lit the cigarette.
He took a deep drag.
With his long legs crossed, he squinted his eyes. Through the thin mist…
Lin Yuan was currently scared out of his wits.
…
Extreme terror transformed into rage.
“Shen Yanzhou! You bastard! You can’t do this to me! What right do you have to treat me like this?”
“Pervert! What the hell do you want! Let me go!”
Lin Yuan shouted and cursed.
Shen Yanzhou, however, was neither hurried nor annoyed. His gaze traveled over the boy from head to toe, seemingly admiring his current state of panic.
Lin Yuan cursed until his throat was hoarse and his voice cracked before he finally stopped.
He gasped for air, his eyes clouded with a layer of tears.
“Shen Yanzhou!” His voice dropped, seemingly having no strength left to curse. “I beg you to act like a human and let me go! Please?”
Shen Yanzhou crushed the cigarette out in the ashtray.
He stood up.
“Finished cursing?” he asked with a half-smile.
Lin Yuan panted, his face full of helplessness.
Shen Yanzhou: “Now that youâre done cursing, we can have a proper talk.”
…
Lin Yuanâs phoenix eyes widened, his gaze following the man’s fingers with difficulty.
…
The dread in Lin Yuanâs eyes was nearly overflowing.
“No! Shen Yanzhou, you… don’t come over! Stay away! Get away from me!” he screamed with a raspy voice.
Shen Yanzhou ignored him and walked up to him.
…
“No! Stop! You… you bastard! Son of a bitch!”
Shen Yanzhouâs expression was incredibly calm.
“Lin Yuan, you curse and curse, but itâs always these few phrases. Don’t you have anything new?” His tone carried a hint of mockery.
…
“Now we can talk,” Shen Yanzhou said hauntingly.
Lin Yuanâs beautiful eyes were shot with red.
Tears that were about to spill hung in his eyes, reflecting the dim lights above like shattered fragments of light.
“Lin Yuan, do you remember the three rules I gave you?” Shen Yanzhou asked coldly.
Lin Yuanâs lips were pressed white, his breathing heavy. “I… I remember…”
“Repeat them!” Shen Yanzhou commanded sternly.
Lin Yuanâs body couldn’t stop shivering.
“Not allowed to lie to you… not allowed… to escape… not allowed…”
“Then why did you still run?” Shen Yanzhou interrupted sharply.
…
“Ahâ!” Lin Yuan cried out in pain.
… His heart tightened for a moment, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
Yet his expression took on a casual, wicked air. He said playfully, “…”
Lin Yuanâs pale face flushed from pain, humiliation, and anger.
The corners of his mouth drooped in grievance.
“Lin Yuan, you really are something. Planning an escape with someone youâve known for less than an hourâyouâre a real talent!”
…
“Ahâ!” Tears rolled down from Lin Yuanâs eyes.
But he didn’t beg for mercy again.
He knew that for todayâs matter, no matter how he begged, the man wouldn’t show any leniency.
From chatting with Lu Huaiyuan these past few days, he had learned some of the situation.
On the day he disappeared, Shen Yanzhou had gone mad.
He had mobilized everyone and nearly turned the Imperial Capital and the surrounding seas upside down.
Having caused such a huge mess, it was easy to imagine how angry the man was.
He would definitely punish him to within an inch of his life!
Shen Yanzhou used the handle of the whip to gently tilt Lin Yuan’s chin up.
He forced the boy to look directly into his eyes.
“But this isn’t entirely your fault. If Yu Yiâan were even a slightly normal person, your plan might have succeeded. I must say, youâre quite good at manipulating people’s hearts.”
“Unfortunately for you, he just happens to be a lunatic!” Shen Yanzhou gritted his teeth.
Lin Yuan sobbed, not saying a word.
Shen Yanzhou: “You know, he originally planned to send you to Dianbei. If he hadn’t changed his mind at the last second…”
As he spoke, the rage in his peach blossom eyes burned brighter.
“With your looks, by now you would have been cycled through by god knows how many people! You probably wouldn’t even have your life anymore!”
“I give you a couple of lashes and you actually have the face to cry?” Shen Yanzhou reached out to tug at his shirt collar.
Lin Yuan sobbed even harder.
His soft shoulders trembled gently.
Shen Yanzhou had to admit, he couldn’t stand seeing Lin Yuan like this.
…
But if he didn’t let him know the consequences, what would happen if this happened again in the future?
Once was already enough to take half of Shen Yanzhou’s own life!
Shen Yanzhou gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.
“Why aren’t you speaking?” he asked with a deep frown.
Lin Yuanâs face was covered in tears. He pursed his lips in grievance.
He shook his head. “I don’t know what to say…”
“Say you know your mistake!” Shen Yanzhou pressed.
The tears on Lin Yuanâs cheeks rolled down in strings.
Was he wrong?
Where was he wrong?
He remained silent.
Shen Yanzhouâs lip line was tight. “Still not submissive?”
“Lin Yuan, the harder you are to tame, the more I want to break you!”
…
Lin Yuanâs body gave a violent jolt, his cry sounding raspy.
His tears burst forth like a broken levee.
Shen Yanzhouâs emotions grew more agitated. “Stop crying!”
“Why won’t you let me cry!” Lin Yuan seemed unable to take it anymore, crying out with trembling lips.
“My body hurts… my heart hurts too… I can’t hide, I can’t escapeâam I not even allowed to cry?”
Shen Yanzhouâs breathing was ragged. He tore open his collar, his firm chest muscles heaving.
“If it hurts, why haven’t you learned to be good?” he roared.
Lin Yuan finally broke down completely, wailing and shaking his head.
“How do you want me to be good? I only wanted to escape your cage. I only wanted the freedom that should have been mine. I only wanted to protect myselfâwhat did I do wrong?”
Shen Yanzhouâs mouth twitched violently. “You can’t protect yourself! Only I can protect you!”
Lin Yuan collapsed, shaking his head and screaming through his sobs, “Thatâs not true! You only hurt me!”
In an instant, he turned into a mess of tears.
Shen Yanzhou felt a suffocating tightness in his chest.
He took a deep breath, his voice softening slightly.
“Lin Yuan, remember I said last time that if you ran again, I would break your legs?”
Lin Yuan lifted his tear-filled eyes, gazing at the man before him.
His heart ached from the violence swirling in those eyes.
He remembered!
So, was he going to break his legs now?
Shen Yanzhouâs gaze was dark.
He picked up a steel rod from the side and walked back.
Lin Yuanâs hands were clenched into tight fists, his nails digging into the flesh of his palms.
Looking at the wrist-thick steel rod gleaming with a cold light and the man’s hand with bulging veins full of power…
He was completely despairing.
He couldn’t imagine what kind of heart-wrenching pain it would be when that large hand swung the rod against his legs, shattering bones and severing tendons.
He bit his pale, trembling lip hard and stopped making any sound.
He tilted his chin slightly and closed his eyes tight.
Translatorâs Note: This chapter is heartbreaking. Lin Yuan’s argument about just wanting to “protect himself” is so valid, but Shen Yanzhou is too far gone in his obsession to see it. The term “taming” or “breaking” (錴ć) really highlights the power dynamic here. That steel rod… I was holding my breath the whole time! Do you think Shen can actually go through with it?
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