put on a show
The next two days.
Everything at the company was as usual. Manager Zhang was still making empty promises, and colleagues were still gossiping. But Lin Jingshang knew that he and Xie Dang were walking on a tightrope as thin as a hair, with an abyss below.
They communicated frequently through encrypted channels, finalizing every detail and rehearsing every possibility.
Xie Dang was responsible for arranging the personnel and providing technical support for the banquet, while Lin Jingshang was responsible for memorizing the route and contingency plans.
Both of them deliberately avoided what might happen in that room, what was supposed to happen according to the original script.
The countdown has entered its final 24 hours.
Lin Jingshang stood in the bathroom of his apartment, looking at his pale reflection in the mirror, his heart pounding heavily in his chest. He took out his phone and opened his chat with Xie Dang. Their last contact was two hours ago, to confirm the final plan.
His finger hovered above the screen, hesitating for a long time, before finally sending only three words: "See you tomorrow."
A few minutes later, the phone screen lit up. Xie Dang's reply was equally concise: "See you tomorrow."
The Hyatt Hotel's rooftop ballroom is adorned with dazzling crystal chandeliers.
Lin Jingshang was wearing a custom-made suit that Xie Dang had prepared for him in advance. It fit him well, but it made him feel like he was wearing shackles. He held a glass of champagne that hadn't been touched in his hand, and his gaze seemingly casually swept across the room before landing on Xie Dang, who was surrounded by the crowd.
Xie Dang remained the focus of attention. His black suit made him look even more upright. He chatted with people from all sides with ease and his demeanor was impeccable.
【00:59:17】
The countdown began silently in Lin Jingshang's mind.
He took a deep breath, forced himself to look away, and walked towards the long table where the food was laid out, as planned. He needed to make sure he was in a reasonable and inconspicuous position should anything happen.
Wang Zihua of Hongyuan Group, the one who drugged Xie Dang in the script, is holding a wine glass and walking towards Xie Dang with a smile.
Lin Jingshang's heart suddenly clenched.
He saw Wang Zihua clink glasses with Xie Dang, exchanging polite words while his other hand subtly moved. Xie Dang calmly took a sip of his drink.
The plan has begun.
Lin Jingshang silently calculated the time; about an hour later, the drug took effect. He gripped the wine glass tightly, his knuckles turning white.
The next sixty minutes felt incredibly long.
Lin Jingshang tried to minimize his presence, occasionally nodding to familiar colleagues, but mostly appearing to be focused on savoring the delicate pastries.
He noticed that Xie Dang briefly left the banquet hall once, citing the need to handle urgent emails.
That was part of their plan to confirm that external support was in place.
When the clock struck one hour and three minutes after the banquet began, Lin Jingshang saw Xie Dang's assistant walk quickly to his side and whisper a few words.
Xie Dang frowned slightly, nodded, then apologized to those around him. With his assistant's help, he walked unsteadily toward the side door of the banquet hall.
His acting was excellent; it really did look like he was suddenly unwell.
Lin Jingshang's heart was pounding in his throat. He put down his wine glass, pretended to go to the restroom, and quietly followed them.
The thick carpet in the corridor absorbed the sound of footsteps.
Following the route he remembered, Lin Jingshang walked towards the suite at the end of the corridor. Every step felt like walking on cotton or stepping on a knife's edge.
【00:09:48】
There were less than ten minutes left before he accidentally entered the room.
He reached the suite door, his palms sweating. The door was ajar, as if left open for someone in particular. He took a deep breath, preparing to push it open and execute the next step of his plan—
Suddenly, a hand reached out from inside the door and grabbed his wrist with astonishing force.
Lin Jingshang was caught off guard and was pulled inside.
"Bang!" The door slammed shut behind him, the sound of the lock clicking loudly audible.
Only one dim light was on in the suite, casting an ambiguous glow. Xie Dang stood before him, his chest heaving violently, his breathing heavy and hot, his usually cool eyes now surging with an uncontrollable tide, locking onto him tightly.
Lin Jingshang was pressed against the door, his back aching from the impact, and his wrists were also gripped painfully. He tried to struggle, but found that Xie Dang's strength was beyond his imagination.
"Xie Dang! Wake up! It's us! The plan!" Lin Jingshang said in a low voice, sounding anxious.
Xie Dang seemed completely deaf to the noise; the drug's effects were more intense than he had anticipated. He lowered his head, his hot breath spraying onto Lin Jingshang's neck, carrying the scent of alcohol.
"Lin... Jingshang..."
Xie Dang's voice was terribly hoarse, as if he was trying his best to restrain himself, or as if he was driven by instinct.
Lin Jingshang froze.
This isn't acting! The plan has gone wrong! Xie Dang has lost control!
His mind went blank; all his plans vanished in that instant. He watched Xie Dang's face draw closer, his own panicked reflection etched in Xie's eyes, consumed by desire.
Just as Xie Dang's lips were about to touch his, Lin Jingshang, with a sudden burst of strength, turned his head sharply and used all his strength to press against Xie Dang's chest.
"Xie Dang! Look at me!" he almost shouted, his voice trembling slightly. "Look carefully! It's me! We agreed to exploit bugs together! Don't fucking let this damn program control you!"
Xie Dang suddenly stopped moving.
The turmoil in his eyes seemed to recede for a moment, his reason struggling. He stared intently at Lin Jingshang, as if trying to identify him, or perhaps fighting against the surging drug power within him.
The grip on Lin Jingshang's wrist loosened slightly.
Just then, a soft sound was heard, and the suite door lock was opened from the outside.
A man dressed in a hotel maintenance worker's uniform, wearing a hat and mask, darted in, moving swiftly. He held a small spray device in his hand and quickly sprayed it into Xie Dang's mouth and nose.
Xie Dang's body stiffened, the chaos in his eyes quickly receded, he swayed, released Lin Jingshang, staggered back two steps, grabbed the back of the sofa next to him, and gasped for breath.
Lin Jingshang was still in shock. He slid down to the ground against the door, his heart still pounding wildly.
That repairman.
Lin Jingshang looked up and saw the other person pull down their mask, revealing a baby face. The other person winked at him. It was Xiao Chen, Xie Dang's technical assistant who had an extremely low profile but was absolutely reliable.
"Mr. Xie, Mr. Lin, the external interference has been deployed, the signal jammer is working properly, and the surveillance cameras in the room have been replaced with looping footage." Xiao Chen reported quickly, while neatly tidying up the spray device. "As planned, I will be on standby in the next room to ensure the subsequent witness entry process."
Xie Dang leaned on the sofa, barely managing to stand up straight. His face was still pale, but his eyes had regained their usual calmness. He looked at Lin Jingshang, who was sitting on the ground, and his Adam's apple bobbed.
"Are you alright?" His voice was still hoarse.
Lin Jingshang shook his head, trying to stand up, but found his legs were still weak.
Xie Dang reached out his hand.
Lin Jingshang looked at the hand with its distinct knuckles, which had just been brimming with dangerous power, hesitated for a moment, and then grabbed it.
Xie Dang used a little force to pull him up.
Their hands touched briefly before parting, their palms still retaining each other's warmth—one burning hot, the other icy cold.
"Phase one, complete." Xie Dang looked away, his voice returning to its usual calm and steady tone, but upon closer listening, a hint of tension could be heard.
"Prepare to welcome guests."
Lin Jingshang leaned against the wall, trying to calm his racing heart. He could still feel the lingering sensation of his wrist being tightly gripped.
Xiao Chen moved swiftly, placing button-sized devices in several inconspicuous corners of the room. He whispered, "The vital signs monitoring and audio recording are in place and will be synchronized to the next room. As planned, the witness will arrive in five minutes."
He looked at Xie Dang and confirmed, "Mr. Xie, you..."
"I can hold on," Xie Dang interrupted him, his voice low and hoarse.
He walked to the minibar, picked up a bottle of chilled mineral water, unscrewed it, and slowly poured it over his head. The cold water slid down his hair and cheeks, soaking his shirt collar, making him look somewhat disheveled, but also more in line with the character's forced sobriety after taking traditional Chinese medicine.
He wiped his face, looked at Lin Jingshang, his eyes filled with complex emotions for a moment, and finally said only one sentence: "Find a place to sit down, and mess up your clothes a bit."
Lin Jingshang immediately understood what he meant.
He walked to the bedside, sat down, took a deep breath, raised his hand and vigorously rubbed his hair a few times, then unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt and loosened his tie.
After doing all this, he looked up at Xie Dang.
Xie Dang was also looking at him, his gaze lingering for a second on his slightly disheveled hair and open collar before he looked away and nodded.
Time passed second by second.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside the suite, accompanied by several different footsteps and somewhat exaggerated conversations.
"Mr. Wang, are you sure Mr. Xie is resting in this room?"
"Of course I'm sure! I saw his assistant help him in with my own eyes! Oh dear, Mr. Xie is an important partner of ours. How could we not come to check on him if he's not feeling well?"
"But this floor is the VIP area, wouldn't that be inconvenient..."
It was Wang Zihua's voice, along with two other voices that sounded like executives from other companies.
It's here!
Lin Jingshang and Xie Dang exchanged a glance and instantly got into the zone.
Xie Dang suddenly smashed the empty water bottle in his hand on the ground, making a loud noise. At the same time, he swayed, braced himself against the bar with one hand, and forcefully loosened his tie with the other. He deliberately increased his breathing, making it seem like he was both agitated and trying his best to control himself.
Lin Jingshang suddenly stood up from the bedside, his face a mixture of panic and embarrassment. He strode towards the door, seemingly trying to stop the people outside from coming in, or perhaps eager to explain.
Just as his fingers were about to touch the doorknob, the door was opened from the outside using a spare key card, and Lin Jingshang quickly took a few steps back.
Three or four people, led by Wang Zihua, rushed in and took in the scene inside the room: Xie Dang, soaking wet, with his collar wide open, face flushed, breathing rapidly, and clearly not in good condition, was standing by the messy bar.
And then there's Lin Jingshang, standing in the center of the room, his hair slightly disheveled, his shirt wrinkled, his tie askew, and his face filled with panic.
The air still seemed to hold an ambiguous and tense atmosphere, perfectly matching all the elements of being in the same room after taking traditional Chinese medicine.
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