Chapter 34 A Glimmer of Trust
"I have received the letter. Be careful, there is a scam."
These seven short words caused a more violent shock in Su Yan's heart than all the previous disturbances combined!
The letter had been received! This meant that the message he'd risked delivering had successfully reached Su Chen! His brother had understood his warning! Through this extreme and secretive method, the connection between them, seemingly completely severed, had been reestablished, a tenuous thread. An indescribable feeling of excitement and sorrow welled up in Su Yan's eyes.
But the word "fraud" that followed was like a bucket of cold water poured over one's head.
A trick? What trick?
Was it that the way he passed on information might have been monitored? Or that Assistant Zhou's collaboration with his brother was a trap? Or... was it referring to the so-called "trust" and "recognition" Huo Shen had given him?
Countless possibilities instantly filled his mind, and the slight joy he had just felt at receiving the information turned into deeper vigilance and fear. He felt as if he were in a huge maze filled with mirrors, where every direction could reveal the truth or a deadly trap.
He clutched his phone tightly, his fingertips turning white. He couldn't reply; any response would expose this single secret passage. He could only bury this heavy warning in his heart, digesting it alone.
For the next half day, Su Yan was even more silent and docile than usual. He carefully observed every subtle expression and movement of Huo Shen and Assistant Zhou, trying to find any clues of deception.
Huo Shen had just recovered from his illness, and although he was still handling official business, the lingering weariness between his brows made him less sharp than usual, and more...humane? He even acquiesced to Su Yan bringing dinner to the small table in the study. For the first time in an informal setting, the two of them had a quiet meal across the table.
During this time, Assistant Zhou came back with several documents that needed urgent signatures. His performance was impeccable: calm, efficient, and respectful. But as Assistant Zhou lowered his head to report, Su Yan keenly noticed that while Huo Shen's eyes seemed to be fixed on the documents, his peripheral vision repeatedly and rapidly glanced at Assistant Zhou's profile.
That look was no longer one of complete trust, but a very faint, almost instinctive scrutiny.
This discovery made Su Yan's heart race. Huo Shen was also suspicious of Assistant Zhou! Was it because of Mr. Zhao's death? Or was it because the hacker attack on "Su's" seemed too coincidental? Or was it because... he had never completely trusted anyone?
This realization was like a match lit in the darkness. Although weak, it instantly illuminated the path ahead for Su Yan.
After dinner, Huo Shen did not return to work immediately. He leaned back in his chair, rubbed his brows, looked at Su Yan who was quietly cleaning up the dishes, and suddenly said, "Come with me to a place tomorrow."
Su Yan paused, raised his head, and looked at her with a questioning look in his eyes.
"Go meet someone." Huo Shen didn't say much, but his tone left no room for doubt. "Perhaps, it will help you understand more clearly where you stand now."
This was another arrangement that carried a sense of control, as if to completely nail him to the label of "Huo Shen's property." If it were before, Su Yan would only feel fear and humiliation.
But at this moment, after receiving the warning of a "trick" and noticing Huo Shen's subtle scrutiny of Assistant Zhou, Su Yan's state of mind changed. He no longer saw it simply as oppression, but rather... an opportunity. A chance to gain more information and see the true face of all parties.
He lowered his head to hide the determination that flashed in his eyes, and replied in a meek voice, "Yes, sir."
Huo Shen seemed satisfied at his well-behaved appearance. He stood up, walked to Su Yan, and gently lifted his chin with his fingers. After his illness, the temperature of his fingertips seemed to be higher than usual.
"Remember my words," Huo Shen's eyes were deep, with a complex and difficult to discern emotion, "Stay by my side, don't have any thoughts that shouldn't be moved, and I will naturally protect you."
To Su Yan, these words were filled with irony. Protecting him? By imprisoning him? Was it because of his face, or because of his potential value, which he himself was unaware of?
But he didn't show any abnormality, just responded obediently: "I remember it."
Huo Shen stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly leaned over and placed a kiss on Su Yan's lips, carrying the scent of medicine and his own unique aura. This kiss wasn't as aggressive and punitive as the previous one, nor was it as gentle and dreamy as the one in the studio. Instead, it carried a kind of... clear, declarative possession.
"Go and have a rest." Huo Shen let go of him and turned to walk towards the desk.
Su Yan touched his slightly numb lips and looked at Huo Shen's back as he returned to work. His heart was filled with a mixture of coldness and heat.
What is cold are the unknown traps and conspiracies ahead.
The burning heart is the one that finally begins to plan for itself in desperate situation and is unwilling to be a pawn forever.
He knew that the person he was going to meet tomorrow was crucial. This might be the first step for him to break free from the maze and see the chessboard clearly.
------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
