Bottom line

Lin Yu was pinned against the office wall, and Chen Chao's violent kisses relentlessly took bites from between his teeth.

Chen Chao had been suppressing his emotions for too long, and all of them had piled up to the breaking point. He desperately needed an outlet.

The kiss was violent and lingering, until both of them were almost suffocating before Chen Chao stopped.

Chen Chao, panting heavily, pulled away from Lin Yu's lips, staring helplessly into Lin Yu's eyes, and cautiously asked, "Is it okay?"

Even now, he is still worried about Lin Yu's wishes, and he never wants to force him.

Lin Yu felt a sudden rush of light in his head, and he couldn't think of anything.

Chen Chao's gentleness made him feel incredibly pretentious. His boss took a step back to give him space, and he actually got caught up in it, spending so much time thinking about it.

In fact, for Chen Chao, there is only ever one answer.

He pulled Chen Chao's hand, letting Chen Chao feel the warmth of his body: "Boss, I wanted to come back and talk to you after the basketball game today. I've thought it through, I belong to you. I'm happy to be owned by you, it's my free will, not a result of being kidnapped by my childhood. Please let me be your garden and outlet, you can't really hurt me, and I can really feel happy because of it."

Chen Chao looked at him, a glimmer of light finally appearing in his eyes. He turned around, pressed the communication button, and instructed Trot, "For the next hour, do not let anyone disturb me."

The beast, once bound by reason, finally broke free of its cage. Lin Yu was thrown onto the bed in the office's rest area, enduring Chen Chao's violent assault.

The moment they became one, Chen Chao's inner pain seemed to seep in through the point where they were joined. Lin Yu couldn't help but hug Chen Chao tighter, as if trying to comfort him.

"Come with me." Chen Chao's voice was not as firm as usual; there was even a hint of desperate pleading in his tone.

Lin Yu's breath caught in his throat at Chen Chao's words.

He had never seen Chen Chao so vulnerable before.

He trembled as he suppressed his urge to explode, and softened his body, letting Chen Chao do as he pleased.

When Chen Chao finally vented his emotions with him, both of them felt a little relieved. The air around them was no longer as heavy as iron, and they could finally give themselves a breather in this oppressive and desperate atmosphere.

Yu Yunzhong lay on the bed, hugging Lin Yu, his whole body trembling slightly: "Thank you. If it weren't for you, I really might not have been able to hold on."

Chen Chao's voice was unusually choked with sobs, and Lin Yu reached out and hugged Chen Chao's back tightly: "Boss, there's no need for thanks between us. I know your suffering, and I want to bear it for you."

Chen Chao buried his head in Lin Yu's chest, his body trembling even more violently: "Before you came up, I was thinking about how Chen Xi would often secretly bring me toys from outside when we were little. She would chat with me outside the confinement room when I was punished with solitary confinement, behind my father's back. She would deliberately act silly to make me happy when I was scolded. She was so innocent and carefree, yet she never took advantage of being spoiled. If I really can't protect her in the end, I don't know how I will face myself."

"Boss, you just said that as long as Song Zifeng gets desperate, we still have a chance, right?" Lin Yu hugged Chen Chao tightly and said firmly, "I believe that if anyone in this world can save Chen Xi, it must be you. If even you can't save her, no one else can either. Boss, just like you said, Chen Xi is aware of her situation, so don't blame yourself."

The situation remained unchanged, but Lin Yu's words were like a warm current flowing into Chen Chao's heart. His heart still ached, but he had regained the strength to bear the burden.

The pressure is still there, but he has become more determined.

He is Chen Chao, and he needs to control everything.

He cannot collapse.

When Lin Yu and Chen Chao finished tidying up and came out of the rest room, Lin Yu's communicator rang. It was Kevin calling to ask about the situation.

"We're working on it, and we'll give you a result in 28 hours." Lin Yu reassured Kevin a few words over the communicator before hanging up.

"Do you think Kevin can still be with Chenxi after this incident?" Chen Chao asked.

"I think he can. He's stronger than I thought. And he loves Chenxi, and Chenxi loves him too."

Chen Chao nodded, a hint of life finally returning to his eyes: "I hope they can become a couple in the end."

Lin Yu did not return to the temporary office downstairs, but instead took his computer and sat down next to Chen Chao in his office to keep him company.

Time ticked by, but Song Zifeng's call didn't come. Meanwhile, besides Chen Xi's matter, Chen Chao had many other daily tasks to handle.

Chen Chao's face remained expressionless as he worked, but Lin Yu's palms gradually became sweaty with nervousness.

He trusted Chen Chao, but he couldn't control his worry.

That evening, Chen Chao let Trot go back to rest, but he himself showed no intention of sleeping.

"Boss, why don't you go to the rest room and get some sleep? I'll keep an eye on the news." Late at night, Lin Yu couldn't help but persuade Chen Chao.

"I'm not sleepy. If you're tired, go inside and sleep," Chen Chao gently shook his head in refusal.

Seeing this, Lin Yu stopped trying to persuade him and just silently stayed with Chen Chao in the office.

Finally, when there were 4 hours left in the countdown, Chen Chao's personal cell phone rang. The caller ID showed the number on Song Zifeng's card.

After glancing at Lin Yu, Chen Chao quickly adjusted his state. He knew that from this moment on, he had to suppress all his emotions and let reason completely take over his mind.

Lin Yu walked quickly to Chen Chao's chair and knelt down. After making sure the camera couldn't capture him, he took Chen Chao's hand, which was resting on his knee.

He knew what a brutal negotiation Chen Chao was about to face, and he had to provide Chen Chao with support and strength. He couldn't let Chen Chao bear all of this alone.

"Chen Chao, sometimes I really doubt if you have a heart. First you abandoned your lover, and now it's your own sister." Lin Yu heard Song Zifeng say in the communication.

He felt Chen Chao tighten his grip on his hand instantly, and he immediately gripped it back even harder, as if to tell Chen Chao that he had never been wrong.

"Song Zifeng, it seems your taste in plastic surgeons isn't very good. Or have you fallen so low that you can't even afford a good doctor?" Chen Chao's retort was devoid of any emotion other than sarcasm.

"I'm not here to argue with you. I'm just asking you one question: are you really not going to take care of your sister anymore?" Song Zifeng's tone was clearly angry; Chen Chao had already provoked him.

Lin Yu felt Chen Chao's grip tighten, almost pinching him. He guessed that Song Zifeng had pointed the camera at Chen Xi, and that Chen Xi's current condition must not be very good.

He was captured by Song Zifeng in the same way; this was a trick that Song Zifeng always liked to play.

"What do you want?" Chen Chao didn't change the subject.

"She's sitting in an electric chair. When the countdown reaches zero, it will deliver a high-voltage electric shock that's enough to kill someone instantly," Song Zifeng said. "You can come and switch with her before the countdown reaches zero."

"You mean a life for a life?"

"You won't agree?"

"Song Zifeng, what makes you think Chenxi's life is more important than mine? You threatened me with a special agent before, and now you've switched to your sister, which is a bit of progress. But you still can't distinguish between what's important and what's not." Chen Chao's voice was extremely cold, and the sarcasm in his words was even stronger. He spoke as if he were a heartless machine.

But Lin Yu's hand was almost bleeding from being pinched.

Song Zifeng was clearly taken aback by Chen Chao's words. He paused for a few seconds, then replied with a sense of desperation, "Then I'll make her die in front of you right now?"

"Song Zifeng, your target is me. It won't do you any good to die together with Chenxi." Chen Chao immediately stopped Song Zifeng.

“But if you refuse to replace her, I have no choice.” Chen Chao’s concession calmed Song Zifeng down considerably.

"She is, after all, my sister. I will agree to anything you can within my bottom line. But you must understand that in my position, I cannot compromise on anything that crosses my bottom line."

Chenxi's surname is Chen, and she is aware of this.

And while I can't save her, it's incredibly easy for me to make both of you die together. She won't be tortured by you.”

Chen Chao's words made perfect sense. Song Zifeng was now completely convinced that once he crossed the line, Chen Chao would abandon Chen Xi without hesitation.

But the target of his revenge was Chen Chao, not Chen Xi. He didn't want to die empty-handed. So after a moment's hesitation, he asked in a conciliatory tone, "What's your bottom line?"

"I can't die, I can't have a permanent disability, and I can't have any videos or photos leaked. The rest is up to you. Release Chenxi once you're satisfied."

Lin Yu looked up in shock upon hearing Chen Chao's words. He saw Chen Chao's cold, hard profile, his eyes unwavering and without a trace of hesitation.

"Chen Chao, do you know what you're saying?" Song Zifeng's voice became smug again.

“I know. You just want revenge for making me lose everything. I can help you get revenge, but I won’t risk my life for Chenxi.”

"You can't trade your life for dignity, but you can trade your dignity for it, is that what you mean?" Song Zifeng's mood clearly improved.

"I said there shouldn't be any videos or photos, and I don't care about my private dignity."

"Okay, Chen Chao. If you can really do it, I'll admire you. How exactly do you plan to do it?"

"Let us put a device in to scan the inside and make sure it's safe. Then Steve and I will come in. Once you've had your fun, you can release Chenxi."

"Are you bringing people with you? Or Steve? As far as I know, thanks to you, he should have been killed by Karim already." Song Zifeng asked, quite puzzled.

"The true situation of the Special Agents is not something that can be easily revealed to outsiders. I can only tell you that he is still alive."

“But I’m not comfortable with you bringing people.” Song Zifeng didn’t dwell on Steve’s question too much.

“I can’t guarantee my own safety. If you don’t keep your promise, I need to guarantee that I can get out of here alive. I’ve said before that this is my bottom line.”

Song Zifeng did not answer.

"This is your only chance to get revenge on me. Chenxi is still in your hands. Even if you lose the gamble, you'll only be dragging Chenxi down with you. You won't lose anything. If you don't gamble, you'll only be dragging Chenxi down with you."

Chen Chao's words sealed off all of Song Zifeng's options, forcing him to agree.

“Okay, you can slip a camera through the door crack and I’ll scan around with it. But don’t try anything funny. I’ll be wearing full protective gear and touching your stuff. If I find anything wrong, Chenxi won’t be happy.”

"Don't worry, I won't do anything meaningless."

"Alright, I advise you to act immediately. I want to see you and Steve at the stage entrance in two hours."

"good."

After the communication was cut off, Lin Yu knelt on the ground and looked at Chen Chao with a worried expression, but Chen Chao just leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, exhausted.

After a moment, Chen Chao gently stroked Lin Yu's hair, opened his eyes, and looked at him, saying, "I know what you're worried about, but this is the only way. You come in with me. As long as Song Zifeng keeps his promise and doesn't cross the line, you don't need to care what he does to me."

I don't want this to involve any uncertainty or risk.

But if anything happens, kill him and bring me out. Chenxi... is not your priority.

Lin Yu looked up at Chen Chao, and after a long while, he managed to utter a difficult "Yes."

He knew the weight behind Chen Chao's order, and he knew what Chen Chao had entrusted to him.

That's why he can't let them down.

"Thank you." Chen Chao pulled him up from the ground, looked into his eyes, and said earnestly.