Chapter 44 Tenderness It turns out that all the romantic brilliance tonight was just for…
With two "Tangtang" sounds, Yu Tang was clearly more familiar with Yu Chaoxian's voice.
Before Yu Tang could even look at what Liang Jiaqi was holding, her body instinctively turned around abruptly.
Yu Chaoxian's figure was not far away. His blue tie stood out in the darkening sky, and the moonlight slanted and focused perfectly on his eyebrows and eyes.
He glanced behind Yu Tang, a flash of cold ruthlessness crossing his eyes.
Mickey appeared silently beside Liang Jiaqi. Liang Jiaqi's back tensed instantly, as a gun was pressed against his waist.
The memory card in his hand and the pistol he had just pointed at Yu Chaoxian were taken away by Mickey.
Yu Tang's face was shrouded in shadow, and the oppressive feeling that followed Yu Chaoxian's figure loomed over her made the air in front of her seem to have thinned out by more than one layer.
He lowered his head slightly, his expression seemed the same as always, and the corners of his mouth still held the same nonchalant smile.
But Yu Tang wasn't entirely unaware of the man before her; he never showed his anger on his face. Usually, the more he smiled, the more casually he called her Tangtang, the more it was a sign that a storm was brewing.
Could he be the murderer who caused her brother's coma? If so, what should she do? Seek revenge? She couldn't even beat A-Jin; run? Where could she run to?
Her wrist was grabbed by Yu Chaoxian, and she was forced to leave with him without even having a chance to turn around and say goodbye to Liang Jiaqi.
Yu Tang's graduation ball was over. She didn't return to the hall, but hurriedly sent Mo Fei a message saying she was going back before Yu Chaoxian took her to the car.
When they reached the car, Yu Tang's hand was empty. Yu Chao first threw the white iris that Liang Jiaqi had given her into the trash can.
How could you treat someone's good intentions like this! Yu Tang tried to pick it up, but Yu Chaoxian grabbed her waist and lifted her into the car.
Yu Chaoxian was on the phone in the car. Yu Tang didn't know what he was saying, but she heard Yu Chaoxian's amused voice: "Since you're so skilled, it would be a waste if you didn't go on stage."
Yu Tang had a gut feeling that he wasn't saying anything good, because Yu Chaoxian's smile was disdainful and his tone was contemptuous, which made her feel uncomfortable.
After hanging up the phone, Yu Chao looked at Yu Tang with a scrutinizing gaze, but remained silent, as if weighing the price of an item to see if it was worth keeping with him.
Yu Tang felt a chill run down her spine from his gaze. Even though her relationship with Yu Chaoxian had improved a lot and he had saved her twice, she was still subconsciously afraid of him, especially when he smiled and looked at her without saying a word.
Yu Tang was afraid that she might have offended him somehow.
A sweet fragrance lingered around him. Yu Chaoxian finally raised an eyebrow, pinched her cheek, and all his hostility seemed to vanish in that moment: "On your birthday, I'll take you to see something fun."
Yu Chaoxian twirled his phone. Since Liang Jiaqi had gone to such lengths to get close to him, he would reluctantly watch this farcical performance on stage.
Yu Tang didn't know how Yu Chaoxian defined "fun," but she thought it must be different from what Yu Chaoxian thought of as fun.
For dinner, Yu Chaoxian took Yu Tang to a French restaurant.
The night view from the sky is incredibly romantic.
Yu Tang instinctively tried to back away, clinging tightly to Yu Chaoxian, her legs weak as she grabbed his arm, refusing to take another step forward. This reminded her of the night on the rooftop terrace when Clinton chased her.
The girl clung tightly to his arm, and Yu Chaoxian's gloomy mood, which had lasted all night, finally eased a little. But when he looked down and saw that Yu Tang's face was abnormally pale, Yu Chaoxian frowned, "Why are you making that face now?"
"Can we eat inside?" Yu Tang looked up at Yu Chaoxian, her eyes pleading.
The restaurant manager explained in a timely manner: "Miss, this is the best spot to view the night view of Taicheng."
The question of what the best angle was made Yu Tang's lips turn pale with fright. He led Yu Tang back into the hall. Away from the terrace, Yu Tang's complexion gradually improved.
Dinner was exquisite, and the ingredients were delicious, but Yu Tang was distracted and ate without tasting anything. She kept thinking about Liang Jiaqi's words. Why did Liang Jiaqi tell her these things? If they were true, how did Liang Jiaqi know them?
If it's fake, then what is Liang Jiaqi's purpose?
And who exactly is Liang Jiaqi?
Liang Jiaqi just mentioned giving her a memory card? I should add his contact information so I can ask him more questions, but I don't know when I'll see him again.
Yu Tang's mind was filled with random thoughts.
When she lost her appetite, Yu Chaoxian's enjoyment of eating was halved.
"Speak," he said, putting down his knife and fork expressionlessly, his tone impatient. "I'll give you five minutes. Once you're done, you can eat in peace."
Yu Tang didn't know how he could tell she had something to say, but Yu Chaoxian looked like he would listen to her properly, so she decided to have a good talk with him.
"It's just..." Yu Tang pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and finally asked the question that had been bothering her, "Did you kill my brother?"
Yu Chaoxian remained expressionless, but he disliked Yu Tang's use of such obviously affiliating terms. For example: "my brother."
"Does my brother's coma have anything to do with you? That night you said you would help me deliver medicine to my brother, but you didn't, did you? Because my brother has always disagreed with handing over the business to you, you threatened Uncle Guan with Uncle Guan's mother, which caused my brother to have a cerebral hemorrhage. When my brother collapsed, you just stood by and watched coldly, without calling an ambulance in time. You planned everything, didn't you?"
Yu Tang harbored some doubts, but her frank question stemmed from her belief that Yu Chaoxian and her brother's coma were unrelated. Between Liang Jiaqi and Yu Chaoxian, Yu Tang naturally chose to trust her family.
Yu Chaoxian silently looked down at her, his clear eyes revealing his suspicion on his porcelain-white face.
As expected, they suspected him. He hadn't expected Yu Tang to ask him directly. These words weren't in the audio recordings, and Liang Jiaqi would never know anything about them.
This little aunt is quite clever; with Liang Jiaqi's prompting, she was able to deduce the clues and figure out most of it. It's likely that Yu Tang has always had these doubts, which is why she's never opened up to him and often talks back with resentment.
Very well, she doesn't trust her nephew because other men can easily sow discord with just a few words.
"Auntie, aren't you thinking too badly of me? Even if I'm not a good person, I wouldn't be so rebellious as to harm my own father, would I?" Yu Chaoxian laughed angrily, grinding his back teeth as he laughed.
Upon hearing this, Yu Tang also felt that her question was absurd. After all, Yu Chaoxian was her brother's child, so how could she possibly hurt her brother?
A cell phone suddenly appeared in front of her. Yu Tang looked at Yu Chaoxian and asked, "What does this mean?"
Yu Chaoxian looked completely at ease, handed her his phone, and even thoughtfully dialed Guan Zhongpeng's number, "Didn't you not believe me? Why don't you ask your Uncle Guan what you just asked me?"
The screen displayed "Guan Zhongpeng". Yu Tang stared at the phone and answered it. Although this would hurt Yu Chaoxian, her brother's matter was always the most important.
She still wanted to eliminate all doubts about her brother.
There was a long busy tone before the call connected, enough for Yu Tang to hang up, but she continued to wait, completely unaware that Yu Chaoxian's eyes were as cold as ice.
When the call connected, Yu Tang called out to Uncle Guan, "It's me, Tangtang."
The phone call, neither too long nor too short, answered all of Yu Tang's questions. To put it another way, the answers were pretty much what Yu Tang had expected: Guan Zhongpeng denied what Yu Tang had said. She breathed a sigh of relief; Yu Chaoxian was indeed innocent. Before hanging up, Yu Tang didn't forget to inquire about Guan Zhongpeng's mother, saying she would visit her another day.
Yu Tang, of course, had no idea that Chen Diao, standing next to Guan Zhongpeng, was pointing a gun at his mother as he watched Guan Zhongpeng hang up the phone. Chen Diao had been waiting for this call all night; now that the mission was complete, he was going to meet up with Mickey. Mickey's mission was much more interesting.
Yu Tang put down her phone sheepishly, knowing she was doomed. Suspicion had fallen on Yu Chaoxian, and Yu Chaoxian was very petty. Who knew how he would hold a grudge and torment her? Would he strangle her and cut off her tongue again?
"Why are you so deflated? Weren't you just here questioning me with such confidence? If you ever suspect me of killing your brother, are you going to come and kill me too?" Yu Chaoxian seemed angry, shaking off Yu Tang's hand that was trying to grab him. "No matter how bad my relationship with your brother is, he is still my father. How could I possibly harm my own father? Can you use your brain next time?"
"I'm sorry, I won't do it again next time," Yu Tang said guiltily.
Yu Chaoxian was too lazy to argue with her. If he said a few more words to her, she probably wouldn't even eat. Yu Tang hadn't gained any weight in the past few days and had actually lost a lot of weight. Feeding her didn't give him any sense of accomplishment. "Alright, eat yours. Finish these."
Perhaps with her doubts about Yu Chaoxian dispelled, Yu Tang finally began to eat seriously.
The appetizers were caviar with smoked cream and potato waffles, which gradually whetted Yu Tang's appetite. Yu Chao first took a sip of wine and watched her eat in silence.
Yu Tang was engrossed in her meal, completely unaware of what was happening. She was just puzzled that Yu Chaoxian had been so agreeable this time, letting the matter drop without causing her any trouble. It seemed she needed to behave better for him lately, trying to please him and even cutting fruit for him when they got back.
Is this all over? Quite the opposite, this is just the beginning.
The coldness in Yu Chaoxian's eyes hadn't faded. At the school party, Yu Tang's eyes darted around, unsure where to look. He could help her, to let her know who those eyes should look at, and who they could only look at.
The final dessert was crème brûlée, which Yu Tang ate with great satisfaction, one bite after another, and also drank all the juice in one gulp.
She was in a much better mood than when she arrived, apparently because she had eaten her fill.
After dinner, as she took the elevator down to the parking lot, Yu Tang suddenly felt a cold touch on her wrist.
Yu Tang lowered her eyes. Yu Chao first fastened a ruby bracelet tightly around her slender, fair wrist.
The ruby bracelet wrapped around her wrist looked like a priceless cut.
Yu Chaoxian grasped her wrist. The size he had determined from memory was perfect, and he was very satisfied.
"Graduation gift, do you like it?" It's not those cheap, tattered flowers.
It was very beautiful, so beautiful that Yu Tang was terrified. She didn't know the price of the bracelet, but it was obviously very valuable.
It was beautiful, she nodded, "Very beautiful, thank you for the gift."
She had just suspected Yu Chaoxian, yet Yu Chaoxian still gave her a bracelet despite their past grievances.
Yu Chaoxian ruffled Yu Tang's hair, as if rewarding her for being obedient, "Tangtang, as long as you stay by my side obediently, everything I have is yours."
"So the business you're doing outside is... the weapons business, right?" Yu Tang couldn't help but ask, remembering Liang Jiaqi's words.
Yu Chaoxian stood before her, his face clouded with gloom. "Yu Tang, is this the first time you've heard of the family business? Don't you know what your brother's business is? Is it hard for me to understand why I'm following in my father's footsteps?"
Yu Tang never questioned or criticized Yu Yanting's actions, and even when she was implicated by him, she never complained or said a bad word about him. Why, then, does she suddenly become so talkative with him, even criticizing his business dealings?
Yu Tang stared at the bracelet in silence, no longer speaking. After wearing it for one night, she put it away in the closet.
Summer brings frequent thunderstorms. Rain is different from snow; heavy snow can cover up and hide some evils.
Rain and dampness can easily amplify evils, and even a little bloodshed can spread with the water.
In a nearby bar, the alcohol was covered with the smell of blood, and blood flowed out of the drainpipe with the rainwater.
Michael, blindfolded, was locked in the basement of the club.
The dog is on the same floor.
Besides the dogs, there were other people locked up like Michael, all wearing the same clothes, but their white clothes had been stained dark red.
In order to gather more information, Michael devised a plan to be imprisoned. Initially, headquarters had given Michael the identity of Li Xiang's henchman, but upon arriving in Hong Kong, he discovered that Li Xiang had an adopted son named Liang Jiaqi, who was now secretly imprisoned. So, Michael took over Liang Jiaqi's identity.
Michael followed the clues at Li Xiang's company and found Chen Diao. He noticed that Chen Diao was always being protected by a little girl, so he intentionally or unintentionally approached Yu Tang to try to find out about Chen Diao. As a result, he waited for the man who took Yu Tang away that night.
Chen Diao, who was handling everything outside, was indeed just a smokescreen. The real mastermind behind it all was Yu Chaoxian, who was perhaps an even more terrifying arms dealer than Li Xiang.
Before being locked up, Michael had already sent the intelligence to headquarters. His partner Howard asked Michael if Yu Chaoxian had any weaknesses. Michael immediately thought of Yu Tang, but he wasn't sure, so he replied, "Maybe it's the girl next to him."
With Michael's communication cut off, headquarters immediately dispatched Howard to assist in the rescue.
The number of people next to Michael was decreasing day by day. Michael heard them leaving one by one, but he never heard them come back.
Michael was very familiar with the sound of shackles; he had handcuffed many prisoners and even terrorists.
The number of people in the next cage was decreasing one by one, and soon it was Michael's turn to be in the cage.
Michael's dwelling was a fenced-off area with a long trail of bloodstains dragging along the outside. Whenever a body was dragged past, the cages next door where the wolfhounds were kept would rattle loudly, as if the dogs were about to tear through the fence and rush out, snarling at the still-warm piece of flesh.
"He was beaten to death in less than ten minutes. I heard they broke his arms and legs first, and then his neck last. He was in so much pain that he died on his last breath... What a miserable life!" the person dragging the body said to another.
"Don't you understand? That's what makes it interesting. If they just get killed right away, what's the point of watching those viewers who paid for the show?"
The sound gradually faded into the distance, and Michael could no longer hear it.
As soon as the body was dragged away, someone grabbed a mop and a bucket to wipe away the bloodstains from dragging the corpse. The neighbor's wolfhound smelled the blood and barked excitedly incessantly.
The most popular activity on the black market is boxing. But boxing alone isn't very interesting; it has to be a brutal fight, with punches landing and the opponent being dragged away like a dead dog.
Before the fight, the audience would place bets, guessing who would be the final winner, and many people would place bets. Tomorrow night, it's a fight between a long-time champion nicknamed "The Butcher" and a third-rate fighter whom no one has ever heard of. Of course, the audience would bet on the former. Who would put their bet on a dying man?
At the beginning of the month, the crescent moon hung like a hook.
Today is Yu Tang's birthday. During the day, she and Mo Fei spent the whole day shopping at the mall. Mo Fei made a cake and gave her a gift to wish Yu Tang a happy birthday. The two girls took many photos with the cake to record this moment.
They played until 4 p.m., when A-Jin picked Yu-Tang up to go home. Originally, he was going to take Mo-Fei home first, but Mo-Fei suddenly became a little shy and blushed, saying that she had made an appointment with Han-Chu to have dinner together.
Yu Tang suddenly realized, "There's something going on between you two?"
Mo Fei was a little embarrassed. "It's still very early stages. If something really happens, I'll definitely tell you first."
"By the way, what about you? I haven't heard you mention Liang Jiaqi lately," Mo Fei asked again.
Yu Tang shrugged: "There probably won't be any follow-up."
She forgot to exchange contact information the last time they met, so it was fine. Besides, Liang Jiaqi's ambiguous words last time left her a little uneasy, so it was probably better not to contact him anymore. Although at the beginning, she did place her beautiful fantasies about first love on the gentle Liang Jiaqi.
When Yu Tang got home, Yu Chaoxian wasn't back yet. She had been out all day, so she took a shower and changed her clothes. Yu Chaoxian said he would take her out that evening.
I'll go to the hospital to see my brother when I get back, so I can spend my birthday night with him.
Yu Tang was very satisfied with her arrangement.
The dress, or rather the whole outfit, including the shoes, that was placed by the bedside was all picked out for her by Yu Chaoxian. Yu Tang felt that Yu Chaoxian was quite thoughtful at times, and the clothes he picked were all very suitable for her.
At the appointed time, Mickey came to pick up Yu Tang. Yu Tang was very excited, wondering where Yu Chaoxian would take her.
Mickey glanced at the girl in the rearview mirror, her face beaming with happiness. Yu Tang couldn't decipher the unspoken meaning in his eyes.
"Mickey?" Yu Tang called to him, "Is something the matter?"
Mickey shook his head. He was the boss's subordinate and only loyal to the boss, so he couldn't reveal anything.
Yu Chaoxian's private jet is even more luxurious than Yu Yanting's. "Where are we going?" Yu Tang asked, taking the cashmere blanket that Yu Chaoxian tossed to her.
"Watch the fireworks." He closed his eyes to rest.
Yu Tang looked at the bright sky, "But it's still daytime."
“It’s evening over there,” Yu Chaoxian said, then asked Mickey to give her a milkshake. If she wasn’t shut up, she wouldn’t stop talking.
"Thank you." Yu Tang saw that it was her favorite mango milkshake. Since she only had one mouth, she couldn't speak because she was using it to drink the milkshake.
The plane landed at 6 PM on Ryukyu Island.
As dusk settled, the scent of sandalwood mingled with the sulfurous aroma of the distant hot springs in the hotel's backyard.
Yu Chaoxian leaned against the vermilion pillars, waiting for Yu Tang.
The man wore a dark navy blue yukata with subtle patterns on the hem, like the surging tides of a night sea. The tightly cinched belt accentuated his rare elegance. The collar was slightly open, revealing a section of pale collarbone and a silver necklace. In the shadows of the collar, a faded old scar was hidden.
As Yu Tang approached with the sound of his wooden clogs, half of the cigarette between his fingers was falling to the ground.
Yu Tang wore a pale cherry-colored yukata with flowing sleeves, the hem adorned with subtle butterfly patterns. Her sash was tied in an elegant bunko knot, the gold thread shimmering in the afterglow, accentuating her slender waist. A pearl hairpin swayed gently with her steps, revealing a dazzling glimpse of her porcelain-white nape.
The proprietress who helped her put on the yukata said that the man who picked out the clothes for her had excellent taste. It turned out that Yu Chaoxian had chosen them for her.
Yu Chaoxian stubbed out his cigarette. "Come here."
"Um?"
He suddenly reached out, pulled Yu Tang over, and used his thumb to adjust her waistband by brushing against her lower back. The girl spread her arms to make it easier for him to adjust her. She had no idea how to put on the complicated clothes and thought she hadn't put them on properly, which was why Yu Chaoxian had to spend so much time helping her.
Yu Tang raised her arm, and the cuff of her sleeve slid down a little at her wrist, revealing half of her snow-white arm.
Yu Chaoxian's gaze fell on her right wrist, where she was wearing a bracelet.
It wasn't the one he gave me. But it took up his spot.
"Where did it come from?" Yu Chaoxian asked indifferently.
Unaware of the man's emotions, Yu Tang raised her wrist and fiddled with the cat decoration on the bracelet. The golden smiling cat swayed back and forth, and she seemed to love it. She fiddled with it again and said, "It was a gift from a friend. They said it can help me pass the imperial examination with flying colors."
Friend? Yu Chaoxian smiled faintly. Yu Tang's friend was that one named Mo Fei. If it were Mo Fei, she would definitely just say Mo Fei directly.
Yu Chaoxian grabbed her wrist and casually flicked it with his fingertips, making the kitten sway precariously. "Did Liang Jiaqi give this to you?"
Yu Tang stared at Yu Chaoxian with wide eyes, as if asking him how he had guessed. Yu Tang instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but Yu Chaoxian saw this as Yu Tang protecting it.
And that was indeed the case. Yu Tang was afraid that the unpredictable Yu Chaoxian would lose her bracelet, just like he would lose her flowers.
Yu Tang felt the man's oppressive gaze and pointed to her wrist. "It hurts."
Yu Chao first moved his thumb away, and sure enough, there was a red mark. Yu Tang loosened her grip on his wrist, and the man's figure had already walked two steps away.
The lanterns on both sides of the street swayed in the hot wind, and the fireworks display was lively and bustling with crowds.
Yu Tang was pushed forward by the crowd when suddenly two or three playful children rushed past her and Yu Chaoxian, instantly widening the distance between them.
"Wait—" She hurriedly turned around, but her view was blocked by the throng of people. Her pearl hairpin was slightly crooked as she turned around in her haste, her hair was a little messy, and the hem of her bathrobe was stepped on by her wooden clogs, almost causing her to trip.
She stood on tiptoe, peering out to look for Yu Chaoxian, but all she saw were unfamiliar faces. Being alone in the chaotic crowd filled her with fear.
A warm hand firmly grasped hers from behind. Their fingers touched and separated in the crowded throng. She turned around abruptly, her eyes reflecting the distant fireworks in the background, her focus on Yu Chaoxian, who was raising an eyebrow at her.
"What's the panic?" His deep voice came through clearly amidst the clamor of voices.
Yu Tang suddenly felt at ease. She looked into Yu Chaoxian's eyes. Even though her brother was gone, she still had him, her nephew. Wasn't Yu Chaoxian the one her brother left her?
A burst of golden light exploded in the sky with a "bang," and as countless sparks fell, his slender fingers naturally slipped between hers.
The moment their fingers intertwined, the sweltering summer breeze suddenly softened and brushed past them.
Yu Tang's gaze fell on the hand that was being held. Was he afraid she would get lost? But... her brother had never held her hand like this before.
Young couples passed by, the boy and girl holding hands and kissing under the fireworks.
Yu Tang's face suddenly felt like it was on fire. She felt a little awkward, and her fingers felt like they didn't belong to her.
As the grandest fireworks lit up the night sky, he suddenly bent down.
The fireworks were dazzling, but Yu Tang couldn't see them. She only saw Yu Chaoxian leaning closer, and suddenly a handsome face loomed in front of her, so close that she could see Yu Chaoxian's eyelashes.
Amidst the sounds of fireworks and crowds, despite the bustling atmosphere, Yu Tang was surprised to still be able to hear Yu Chaoxian's relatively quiet voice.
Yu Chaoxian leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Tangtang, stay by my side, and you can have anything you want."
Unfortunately, Yu Tang never understood what Yu Chaoxian meant, no matter how many times he hinted at it.
Five hours later, Yu Tang finally understood that all the dazzling romance of the night was just a facade of tenderness to gild the plunderers before her.
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