Chapter 31 Once he leaves, that will be our chance…

The sea breeze blows, and time stands still.

Zhou Yingchen's tall figure swayed imperceptibly, and an incredulous crack flashed across his usually cold and sharp eyes, which were then covered by a dark aura surging with turbulent waves.

The man's jawline was taut, and his hands, which were hanging naturally, were clenched so tightly that the veins on the back of his hands bulged.

Zhou Shiye staggered as if he had been punched hard in the face.

His bloodshot eyes churned with intense despair, distorting the man's handsome, unruly features.

"Xiaoyu,"

Zhou Shiye murmured Wen Yu's name, his voice hoarse and broken: "What, what did you say? You don't recognize us?"

After a brief moment of bewilderment and shock, Zhou Shiye suddenly realized what was happening.

He took a step forward, trying to get closer to Wen Yu, but then stopped abruptly when he noticed that Wen Yu was hiding even deeper behind Shen Jinhuai as he approached.

Zhou Shiye's dry throat moved with difficulty: "Xiaoyu, you, look carefully, I am Zhou Shiye, I am your...your second brother, how could you forget?"

At this point, Zhou Shiye completely lost control of his emotions.

The man's once defiant eyes were now filled with terror.

He wanted to rush up, grab Wen Yu's shoulders, pull her out from behind Shen Jinhuai, shake her, and bring her back to her senses.

But he didn't dare.

Zhou Shiye let the tears well up and fall, his body trembling, but he dared not take a step closer.

Wen Yu shrank back again, frightened by his intense and painful reaction.

She hid completely behind Shen Jinhuai, not even letting Zhou Shiye see her terrified little face.

Wen Yu gripped the shirt around Shen Jinhuai's waist tightly, her fingertips icy cold.

"You said, you said you're my second brother?"

Wen Yu's mind went blank, but as she tried to delve into the past, a sharp pain shot through her head.

The title "Second Brother" did not evoke any warm memories; instead, it gave Wen Yu a suffocating and fearful feeling, as if she were drowning.

She knew that although she didn't know them, their existence must have caused her pain.

This explains why Shen Jinhuai has never mentioned that she had a second brother for so long.

Wen Yu shook her head, her face turning pale: "No, I don't want you as my second brother, I don't want you."

"Go away, go away quickly, I don't want you."

Before Wen Yu could finish speaking, Zhou Shiye could no longer restrain himself and rushed forward.

Before he could even touch Wen Yu, Shen Jinhuai grabbed his wrist tightly.

Shen Jinhuai adjusted his steps and turned to the side, once again completely blocking Wen Yu behind him.

When he spoke again, the man's voice was as cold as a deep pool: "You see, Xiaoyu won't go with you. She doesn't want brothers like you."

Ignoring Zhou Shiye's murderous glare, Shen Jinhuai looked at Zhou Yingchen and said coldly, "If you still have a shred of old friendship and a tiny bit of genuine concern for Xiaoyu, then don't force her or scare her any further."

After saying this, Shen Jinhuai released Zhou Shiye's wrist. With a single glance, more than a dozen well-trained bodyguards rushed over and blocked the two brothers, Zhou Yingchen and Zhou Shiye, from Wen Yu's world.

In an instant,

"Get out of my way, all of you get out of my way and let me through."

When Zhou Shiye saw that Wen Yu was completely blocked by Shen Jinhuai's bodyguards, his last shred of rationality completely collapsed.

With bloodshot eyes, the man recklessly tried to smash through the impenetrable wall of people in front of him.

Zhou Shiye had only one thought in his mind: catch Wen Yu, drag her out, find out what happened, and bring her back.

The next moment, a hand with distinct knuckles gripped Zhou Shiye's shoulder tightly and pulled him back.

"Zhou Shiye".

Zhou Yingchen's warning voice was chilling: "Calm down. Don't scare her."

"elder brother--"

Zhou Shiye turned his head in disbelief, meeting Zhou Ying's deep and unfathomable eyes.

The man's eyes were like a cold, deep pool, but beneath that pool lay a raging storm more terrifying than rage.

Zhou Yingchen's gaze, fixed on the wall of people, was incredibly deep and complex.

Within the area protected by the bodyguards, Shen Jinhuai embraced Wen Yu.

He gently stroked the back of Wen Yu's head with one hand, pressing her face against his chest to keep her from seeing any signs of unease.

With his other hand, he held Wen Yu tightly around the waist, his mind replaying the words the girl in his arms had just said.

Shen Jinhuai secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his whole body relaxed.

He was not afraid of anything as long as Wen Yu refused to return to the Zhou family.

"Don't be afraid, Xiaoyu, I'm here."

The man's voice was low, filled with a reassuring gentle warmth.

Feeling the girl in his arms gradually relax, Shen Jinhuai held her for a while longer before slowly releasing Wen Yu. He patted her shoulder to comfort her and whispered, "Wait for me."

Seeing Wen Yu nod nervously, Shen Jinhuai raised his hand to pat the top of Wen Yu's head, a soft smile appearing on his lips, before turning around, pushing aside the wall of bodyguards, and facing the Zhou brothers alone.

"Shen Jinhuai, what exactly do you want?"

Zhou Shiye, whose eyes were bloodshot and fierce, was being pulled back by Zhou Yingchen to prevent him from forcing his way through the human wall to find Wen Yu: "You fucking let Xiao Yu out of here."

Unlike Zhou Shiye's despair on the verge of collapse, Shen Jinhuai, backed by Wen Yu's decision, has regained his usual gentle and refined demeanor.

“Mr. Zhou, trespassing on a private island and frightening my wife is not the proper etiquette for the Zhou family.”

Shen Jinhuai's voice was not loud, and he remained calm and composed: "I will say it again, please leave."

"Your wife? You son of a bitch..."

With bloodshot eyes, Zhou Shiye still tried to break free from Zhou Yingchen's restraints and move forward.

"Zhou Shiye".

Shen Jinhuai coldly curled the corners of his mouth, his deep voice carrying an unprecedented chill: "If you take another step forward, I guarantee I'll make sure you walk out sideways. You're welcome to try if you don't believe me."

Before he finished speaking, dozens more bodyguards dressed in black combat uniforms appeared silently from all around and surrounded the ten bodyguards Zhou Yingchen had brought in an instant.

The bodyguards on the island moved in perfect unison, their eyes sharp; they were clearly well-trained elites.

Zhou Shiye was taken aback.

He hadn't expected that there were so many bodyguards on this island of Shenjinhuai who looked like they were not to be trifled with.

Zhou Shiye's chest heaved violently, his anger finding no outlet, yet he truly dared not move again.

Shen Jinhuai slowly glanced at Zhou Shiye, then looked at Zhou Yingchen: "Now, please leave."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yingchen sneered, his voice low and terrifying: "Shen Jinhuai, have you forgotten that Xiaoyu is our Zhou family's adopted daughter? Her past, her family, her roots are all in the Zhou family. And what are you?"

Zhou Yingchen looked past Shen Jinhuai, trying to catch Wen Yu's figure again.

Unfortunately, the bodyguards were all tall and burly, completely obscuring the petite Wen Yu.

Zhou Yingchen's eyes grew even colder.

"Xiaoyu, come out."

Zhou Yingchen's prominent Adam's apple bobbed forcefully: "Think it over carefully, are you really willing to stay in this world that completely separates you from the past, in this world woven by Shen Jinhuai with lies?"

"Listen to me, come back with us. Your family is outside, and the outside world is your real life."

Seeing no movement from within the wall of bodyguards, Zhou Yingchen's eyes turned icy cold.

He looked at Shen Jinhuai, knowing that only this man could get Wen Yu out.

"Shen Jinhuai, let Xiaoyu come out and speak."

Zhou Yingchen gritted his teeth, forcing himself to control himself: "Otherwise..."

"impossible."

Ignoring the danger in Zhou Yingchen's eyes, Shen Jinhuai firmly refused: "I respect Xiaoyu's choice. If she doesn't want to, you can't force her."

"You fucking bastard."

Zhou Shiye, whose arm was being gripped by Zhou Yingchen, could no longer control himself and was about to throw a punch at Shen Jinhuai while cursing.

The next moment, Shen Jinhuai easily grabbed his fist.

Time stretched out infinitely at this moment.

Zhou Shiye's fist was forced to stop in mid-air, his arm muscles bulged violently from the force, and his knuckles were clenched so tightly that they hurt terribly.

He looked up, his blood-red eyes blazing with a murderous intent that seemed to want to devour the other person alive.

He stared intently at Shen Jinhuai, every pore radiating a violent aura.

Shen Jinhuai coldly scrutinized Zhou Shiye.

The air between the two was tense, thick with the smell of gunpowder in a silent standoff.

Zhou Yingchen's heart clenched when he saw that Wen Yu was unwilling to come out and look at them.

Zhou Yingchen had seen Wen Yu in many different ways: submissive, patient, even fearful and uneasy, but he had never seen her treat him as a complete stranger so thoroughly.

No, it's that even if she remembers him, even if she hears him say that she is the adopted daughter of the Zhou family, she is still unwilling to face him.

In Wen Yu's life, Zhou Yingchen was completely erased.

“Xiaoyu, come out and tell me, tell me to my face,”

Zhou Yingchen stared intently at the bodyguards blocking Wen Yu, his voice suppressed to the extreme: "You really don't remember who I am? Is that right?"

Perhaps it was because Zhou Yingchen's gaze was too penetrating, even though she was being well protected by the bodyguards and Zhou Yingchen couldn't see her at all, Wen Yu still felt uneasy.

Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head violently, her voice choked with sobs and panic: "I don't remember, I don't know you."

As Wen Yu spoke, she pushed through the crowd and rushed into Shen Jinhuai's arms.

Once again, being held in the arms of the man she completely trusted, Wen Yu's tense heart finally relaxed a little.

She timidly raised her head, her eyes blurry with tears, to meet Zhou Yingchen's deep and unfathomable gaze.

The man's cold face was clearly reflected in the girl's clear pupils.

"Jin Huai, let them go. I don't like them, I'm so scared..."

Wen Yu's eyes were filled with unease, her body trembling. She gripped Shen Jinhuai's slender hand tightly until her fingertips turned white.

Every cell in my body was filled with resistance.

This is more damaging than any verbal denial.

Zhou Yingchen's cold, hard body finally staggered.

Even though the first thing he saw when he saw Wen Yu was her wearing a wedding dress and standing next to another man, it didn't make him feel as helpless and bewildered as he did now.

Zhou Shiye also saw the unfamiliarity and fear in Wen Yu's eyes.

His chest heaved violently, and his body trembled.

A moment later, Zhou Shiye looked away and slammed his fist hard on the nearby reef, making a dull thud, and blood seeped from his knuckles.

"elder brother,"

Zhou Shiye's voice was hoarse: "Xiaoyu really doesn't remember us."

As Shen Jinhuai looked at the Zhou brothers, one cold and restrained to the extreme, and the other on the verge of collapse, a complex mix of emotions flashed across his eyes.

But soon, it was replaced by a deeper sense of vigilance.

"Did you hear that?"

Shen Jinhuai held Wen Yu tightly in his arms and looked coldly at Zhou Yingchen: "Will you leave on your own, or should I have someone throw you out?"

In an instant, a terrifying rage surged in Zhou Ying's deep, unfathomable eyes.

He ignored Shen Jinhuai's words, his gaze fixed on Wen Yu's trembling figure in the man's arms.

After a long while, the terrifying oppressive aura emanating from Zhou Yingshen gradually subsided.

"very good."

Then, Zhou Yingchen took one last deep look at Wen Yu, turned around, and strode away.

"elder brother--"

Zhou Shiye turned to look at Zhou Yingchen in disbelief.

"Walk."

Zhou Yingchen's voice was unquestionable, and he strode forward without stopping.

Zhou Shiye clenched his bleeding fist tightly, glared at Shen Jinhuai with a look that was a mixture of overwhelming anger and deep resentment, then turned and left with Zhou Yingchen.

The rest of the Zhou family, well-trained, followed suit and evacuated.

Before long, only the two people embracing each other remained on the romantic beach, along with the lingering smell of gunpowder in the air.

Seeing the speedboats disappear into the distance, Wen Yu collapsed into Shen Jinhuai's arms, completely exhausted.

Shen Jinhuai picked Wen Yu up in his arms, gently resting his chin on her forehead, and soothed her in a low voice, "It's alright, they're all gone. Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Wen Yu leaned against Shen Jinhuai's chest to calm herself down.

After a long while, she finally raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, and asked, still shaken, "Jin Huai, who are they? Why am I so afraid whenever I see them?"

Even without Shen Jinhuai's answer, Wen Yu could roughly guess that those two people must have deeply hurt her in the past.

Otherwise, Shen Jinhuai would have told her who they were long ago.

At the same time, a voice deep in Wen Yu's mind told her: Don't ask, they are bad people.

Even if she is an adopted daughter of the Zhou family, they are still bad people.

But Wen Yu still asked about her concerns about the blankness of her past memories.

Upon hearing this, Shen Jinhuai carried Wen Yu into the car, knelt on one knee by the car door, held her cold hand in one hand, and wiped away the tears on Wen Yu's face with the other.

“They are not important. Xiaoyu, just remember that you have me now. As long as you are willing, I will always protect you and no one will be able to hurt you anymore.”

Shen Jinhuai pulled Wen Yu back into his arms.

Her gaze, however, went beyond the car window behind her and looked towards the seemingly calm sea in the distance.

In particular, the report coming through the earpiece indicated that after the Zhou brothers' speedboat left, the two of them boarded a large ship moored in the distance.

They did not leave.

Shen Jinhuai also knew that Zhou Yingchen and Zhou Shiye would not back down easily.

Feeling that the person in his arms had stopped trembling, Shen Jinhuai felt a little relieved.

"Don't think about it."

Shen Jinhuai released Wen Yu and soothingly rubbed the back of her head: "The doctor said that we should let go of our past memories and not force ourselves."

"Believe me,"

Shen Jinhuai held Wen Yu's hand tightly: "No matter what happens, I will be by your side. Those people and things outside, as long as you want to refuse them, they have nothing to do with you. Your future only belongs to me."

"Will they... come back?"

Wen Yu grabbed Shen Jinhuai's hand tightly in return: "Even if they come back, please don't give me to them, okay?"

Shen Jinhuai was slightly taken aback, then a soft smile spread across his face: "Silly girl, as long as you are willing to let me stay by your side, I will not give you to anyone else."

"Um."

Seeing that Wen Yu finally smiled, Shen Jinhuai got into the car and drove Wen Yu back to the villa.

He carried her out of the car and back to the leftmost bedroom on the second floor. He helped Wen Yu take off her elaborate wedding dress, leaned against the bed, and held her close, gently patting her back.

Only after Wen Yu fell asleep did Shen Jinhuai carefully withdraw his hand, turn around and walk out of the bedroom.

The moment the door closed, the tenderness on the man's face was replaced by coldness.

"General Chen,"

A voice came through the headset: "The Zhou family's ship is anchored at one o'clock and shows no signs of leaving. In addition, we have detected multiple unidentified signal sources continuously approaching in the nearby waters."

Shen Jinhuai came to the rooftop terrace and placed his hands on the railing.

In the distance, on the sea, a black yacht resembled a lurking sea monster.

On the yacht being watched by Shen Jinhuai, the atmosphere was heavy.

Zhou Shiye paced back and forth on the deck anxiously.

"Brother, why are we leaving? We should have just brought Xiaoyu back. We don't know what that bastard Shen Jinhuai did to her. How could she not remember us?"

Zhou Shiye grew angrier and angrier, and punched the cabin wall, causing his newly bandaged hand to bleed again.

Zhou Yingchen, with his hands resting on the railing, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, gazed intently at the distant island.

"Then what?"

The man's voice was devoid of emotion.

"And then what?"

Zhou Shiye turned around, puzzled, his eyes reddening: "Take her home. Whether Xiaoyu has really lost her memory or not, just cure her and help her remember. That's all."

"So, when Xiaoyu was so afraid of us and resisting us, you forcibly took her away?"

Zhou Yingchen glanced at Zhou Shiye casually: "Do you think that will make Xiaoyu better? Or will she completely break down? And most importantly... are you sure that after Xiaoyu remembers everything, she won't want to leave again?"

The next question left Zhou Shiye speechless.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't refute it.

Indeed, for the past year or so, in addition to constantly searching for Wen Yu's whereabouts, they have also been constantly reflecting on their past actions.

Recalling all the evidence that Wen Yu wanted to leave, and then thinking about the fear in Wen Yu's eyes when she saw them...

Zhou Shiye irritably ran his fingers through his hair.

"It's all my fault, if it weren't for me..."

If it weren't for that accident, if it weren't for that car crash, Wen Yu would still be obediently staying by their side.

Similarly, they will never know how much of a jerk they were to Wen Yu in the past.

But as long as she's by their side, they'll eventually find out.

"Now is not the time to dwell on this."

Zhou Yingchen interrupted Zhou Shiye and looked in the direction of the island again: "Shen Jinhuai hid Xiaoyu very well. If he hadn't deliberately let us through this time, we wouldn't have been able to get to the island."

Zhou Shiye was taken aback: "Brother, what do you mean?"

"You mean... Shen Jinhuai deliberately let us go to the island? That's impossible."

"impossible?"

Zhou Yingchen scoffed: "Why not? Do you think that with Shen Jinhuai's ability to hide Xiaoyu for over a year, he would prevent us from being stopped the moment we break through the island's defenses?"

"The reason he let us onto the island was so that Xiaoyu would reject us herself."

"We must also admit that Shen Jinhuai... has protected Xiaoyu very well."

It's good enough that she'll fight back, instead of just enduring like before.

Zhou Yingchen spoke the last few words very slowly, his tone filled with an indescribable coldness.

"Protect? That's imprisonment."

Zhou Shiye was so angry he almost vomited blood.

"Whether it's protection or imprisonment, Shen Jinhuai is now the only person Xiaoyu trusts."

After a brief moment of bitterness, Zhou Yingchen's thoughts were unusually calm: "Forcibly stripping away this trust would have unpredictable consequences. Besides, haven't you noticed? Shen Jinhuai is a formidable opponent, not only in terms of his Shen Group, but also in terms of him as a person... If we can't get Xiaoyu to leave with us willingly, we can't forcibly take her away from Shen Jinhuai."

Zhou Shiye was unwilling to give up: "So we're just going to wait here like this?"

"wait?"

Zhou Yingchen curled his lips into a cold smile: "Of course not."

He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Two things: First, use all resources to find out all of Shen Jinhuai's whereabouts over the past year, which doctors he has contacted, and what medications he has used. I need to know all the details and possibilities of Wen Yu's amnesia. Second, prepare a 'gift' for the Shen Group... Yes, a 'gift' that will force Shen Jinhuai to leave this island."

Putting down his phone, Zhou Yingchen's gaze once again fell upon the indistinct outline of the island in the distance.

"Shen Jinhuai will come out on his own."

The man's voice was deep and resolute: "Once he leaves, it will be our chance. I want Xiaoyu to say in person that she is willing to come back with us."