Chapter 22: Battlefield
Shen Shuyi noticed that Zhao Yuheng was acting strangely today, his mind heavy with some worry.
One moment calm, the next moment breaking down—could it be that some big issue had arisen?
But Shen Shuyi didn’t intend to concern himself with Zhao Yuheng’s mental state.
Shallow Bay was right ahead, and unregistered vehicles were not allowed entry.
The driver had to roll down the window. Once the security guards saw Shen Shuyi’s face, they hastily let the car through.
By the time they reached the main gate, dusk had fallen.
The yellowish streetlights slowly flickered on. Unlike ordinary city lights, the illumination at Shallow Bay had been imported at high cost from abroad. The golden glow spread across the ground, making this already priceless villa complex look dreamlike, as if it were an indoor scene.
Before getting out, Shen Shuyi hesitated: “How are you going to get back later?”
Zhao Yuheng kept his eyes closed, unwilling to face reality: “I’ll take a taxi.”
Alright.
Shen Shuyi had originally wanted to say that Uncle Lin could send him back.
But if Zhao Yuheng brought him, and then he brought Zhao Yuheng back… the two of them going back and forth like this really made them look crazy.
A ghost trapped in a maze.
Shen Shuyi was about to open the car door when Zhao Yuheng got out first and unlocked it for him.
Shen Shuyi: …He doesn’t need anyone to serve him hand by hand.
But since Zhao Yuheng was willing to serve, Shen Shuyi happily accepted.
Shen Shuyi stepped out, not yet having the chance to say goodbye, when suddenly a strong wind carrying a heavy smell of alcohol came rushing toward him—a dark figure staggered forward.
Shen Shuyi’s arm was grabbed sharply. He froze, instinctively trying to shake off the drunk man.
But before he could act, the drunken man yanked him and shoved him aside.
Shen Shuyi, still in shock, stood by the car, his wrist stinging from the tugging.
Before he could even see who it was, the drunk man dove into the car: “Shuyi, I was really wrong, I was really wrong…”
That voice?
Shen Shuyi was stunned. Isn’t this Li Sijia?
The drunken man who suddenly appeared from the side was indeed Li Sijia.
Since being dumped by Shen Shuyi that day, Li Sijia’s original plan to return to America had been indefinitely postponed.
If he returned to the US and his parents found out he’d broken up with Shen Shuyi, they might even revoke his inheritance rights.
Li Sijia wandered aimlessly in Hong Kong for several days, unable to accept reality, and ended up drinking heavily at a bar.
His friends thought Li Sijia was just playing with Shen Shuyi. After all, Li Sijia was famously flirtatious in America, switching lovers faster than changing clothes, with more casual flings than one could count.
They assumed Shen Shuyi was just one of his lovers, albeit with a “serious boyfriend” title.
His friends advised him to treat life like a dream and just let it go.
Besides, they said, what’s so good about Shen Shuyi? Bad-tempered, difficult to please. If you really like this type, there are plenty of substitutes in the circle.
Despite the advice, Li Sijia, lost in thought, kept drinking silently, cup after cup, seemingly not listening.
By the time he finished the last drink, he suddenly stood up, muttering to himself:
“I can’t… I really can’t break up with Shen Shuyi.”
“I really can’t be without him… I really can’t…”
“I… I want to see him, I really want to see him, I miss him so much…”
Thus began the scene at Shallow Bay.
Li Sijia didn’t know how he found Shen Shuyi’s address, nor how long he had waited outside the villa in the cold.
As soon as a car stopped at the villa, he knew he had finally found Shen Shuyi.
This time, he was determined to cling to Shen Shuyi and reconcile. He refused to believe Shen Shuyi had no feelings left for him.
Once inside the car, he tried to hug Shen Shuyi.
Of course, he succeeded—but “Shen Shuyi” felt so… big? And… solid?!
Never having hugged him before, he was stunned to discover that beneath Shen Shuyi’s seemingly delicate exterior was an impressively strong physique.
The alcohol in Li Sijia’s brain sobered him slightly.
The next second, a sharp pain hit his chest, and he was abruptly kicked out of the car.
Li Sijia hit the ground and looked up to see Shen Shuyi standing outside the car.
Shocked, he said: “…Shuyi?”
The person outside was Shen Shuyi—so who was the one inside the car?
But Li Sijia didn’t care; he had finally seen Shen Shuyi.
He scrambled to fall into Shen Shuyi’s arms but was stopped by another immense force, landing on the ground again.
Li Sijia: …? Did I even stand up just now?
Falling twice in a row, his anger flared: “Who the hell are you?! Are you sick?!”
Turning his head, he saw Zhao Yuheng stepping out of the car.
Even drunk, he could tell Zhao Yuheng was an exceptionally handsome man—appearance, figure, aura—all far surpassing him.
After comparing, Li Sijia felt utterly defeated.
Looking at Zhao Yuheng, then at Shen Shuyi, and recalling that both had gotten out of the same car, his face paled: “Shuyi… who is he?”
“I haven’t asked you yet.” Shen Shuyi sniffed the heavy alcohol in the air, frowning: “Why come to my house drunk and make a scene?”
Li Sijia remembered his purpose and stepped toward Shen Shuyi.
Zhao Yuheng instinctively blocked him, worried that the drunk man might act violently.
If he hurt Shen Shuyi, the Shen family wouldn’t spare anyone present.
Li Sijia froze, pleading bitterly: “Shuyi, I know I was wrong. I came to apologize. Can we not break up? I only made this one mistake. I’ve blocked Rene—I swear I’ll never contact him again!”
Shen Shuyi sneered: “When I was dating you, did I ever say I tolerated even a speck of sand in my eyes?”
Li Sijia hoarsely: “…Yes.”
Shen Shuyi: “Then that’s fine. You understand human speech, right?”
He barely gave Li Sijia a chance to respond, turning to say: “Uncle Lin, see him out.”
Li Sijia tried to grab Shen Shuyi but was stopped by Zhao Yuheng.
“Shuyi, you’re so cruel! Don’t you have any feelings for me?” Li Sijia struggled: “I can’t lose you! If you break up with me today, I’ll die!”
Shen Shuyi paused his steps.
Li Sijia, thinking there was hope, held his breath: “Shuyi…”
But Shen Shuyi only gave a cold side glance, smirking disdainfully: “Do as you please. What does it have to do with me?”
He then walked straight into the villa.
His cold ruthlessness completely shattered Li Sijia.
Even Zhao Yuheng, watching, felt a strange tremor.
Having seen Shen Shuyi act spoiled and playful countless times, this was the first time Zhao Yuheng had seen him so utterly merciless.
Before long, Li Sijia’s struggles caught Zhao Yuheng’s attention.
Li Sijia wouldn’t let Shen Shuyi leave. Somehow finding strength, he tried to break free.
But the villa gate closed faster than he could reach it. The electronic iron gate shut with a loud clang.
“Shen Shuyi! Shen Shuyi!”
Li Sijia screamed hoarsely.
All that answered him was the empty villa and the cold night wind.
Seeing that Shen Shuyi was determined to break up, Li Sijia’s anger turned toward Zhao Yuheng, punching at him.
Zhao Yuheng, who had been navigating complex environments since middle school, easily dodged the feeble attack, and Li Sijia fell again.
…Today, the ground seemed out to get him.
Broken-hearted, rejected, and now provoked by a possible new rival, Li Sijia felt immense sorrow and sat down, covering his face, tears of regret streaming.
Zhao Yuheng paused. Seeing Li Sijia wasn’t continuing to fight, he prepared to take a taxi home.
His phone buzzed—it was a WeChat message from Shen Shuyi.
Normally, Zhao Yuheng would drop everything to respond immediately, but now he guessed Shen Shuyi’s request.
He ignored the message and called a taxi.
Shen Shuyi kept sending messages, eventually switching to SMS when he realized Zhao Yuheng wasn’t reading WeChat.
The messages read:
[Zhao Yuheng, check my WeChat!]
[Hurry!!!!!!]
Shen Shuyi sent four or five reminders. He also needed to stop by the pharmacy for his grandfather’s supplements and find new part-time work to fund plans for a car and camera.
Shen Shuyi: let his anger go terrorizing Victoria Harbor; he wasn’t a superhero.
On the second floor of Shuiwan One, Shen Shuyi stood on a 5.7-million-yuan stool from a Christie’s auction, holding a small handheld telescope, hiding behind the curtain, closely observing the villa’s situation.
His sharp, fox-like eyes blinked slowly, fixed on Zhao Yuheng’s handsome profile.
He muttered: “Damn Zhao, looking at your phone but not replying to my WeChat. Wait.”
He began bombarding Zhao Yuheng with calls while observing through the telescope.
Downstairs, Zhao Yuheng’s phone vibrated relentlessly. Seventeen or eighteen calls later, he finally answered:
“What do you want?”
Shen Shuyi: “Reply to my WeChat.”
Zhao Yuheng: “Why? You can tell me over the phone.”
Shen Shuyi hesitated, then said softly: “My ex-boyfriend, Li Sijia… please watch over him. Don’t let him really hurt himself.”
Zhao Yuheng raised an eyebrow, coldly: “He’s alive and well. Disappointed? If you want, I can send him off properly.”
Shen Shuyi: “No! That’s not what I mean—I’m just worried he might actually get into trouble at Shallow Bay. With my brother’s strict sense of justice, I’d really end up in prison!”
Zhao Yuheng pinched his brow: “He’s fine. You can relax. I’m hanging up.”
Shen Shuyi: “Wait! Wait, can you… help me make sure he gets back to the hotel safely?”
His voice grew smaller, like a mosquito’s hum.
Zhao Yuheng emphasized: “Shen Shuyi!”
“Alright, alright! I know this is excessive, but I can’t help it!”
He was throwing a tantrum, rolling on the bed, kicking, using all his usual childish antics to achieve his goal.
“Why?” Zhao Yuheng asked coldly.
“Why? Did you not see just now? I said such cold, ruthless words at the door, and now I’m supposed to care for my ex? Am I crazy? Is my face even my own?!”
“I’ll take him home. What if Li Sijia thinks I’ve changed my mind and wants to reconcile? You just watch me get back together with him?!”
Zhao Yuheng was half convinced by Shen Shuyi’s reasoning.
He didn’t want to see Shen Shuyi reunite with Li Sijia—not because he liked Shen Shuyi, but because Li Sijia was immoral and untrustworthy.
Shen Shuyi could do better.
“Why me then?” Zhao Yuheng asked. “Uncle Lin could take him back to the hotel.”
“Oh,” Shen Shuyi muttered, “but isn’t your identity more suitable?”
“My identity?” Zhao Yuheng was confused.
Shen Shuyi: “Fiancé, duh!”
