Chapter 76. Confined to his home. He was covered in wounds.
Jiang Cheng and Asen followed closely behind Chen Zhoudu and sneaked in.
Jiang Cheng had originally planned to find an opportunity to communicate with Shen Jinghai today, hoping to use Ya Hai's power to finalize a solution. However, upon suddenly learning about this matter, he felt somewhat conflicted.
Shen Jinghai glanced at the stack of documents, then took out another stack from the drawer and tossed it to him without any politeness.
"I haven't even had a chance to look for you, and you're already questioning me?!"
Several sheets of printed paper were tossed at Shen Zhoudu like fluttering snowflakes. Shen Zhoudu reached out and caught one, and was stunned when he saw what was on it.
The paper contained screenshots of surveillance footage.
He stared at the face on the screen and gradually pursed his lips.
A few days ago, Zhang Guozhong somehow found Shen Jinghai and tried to exchange the matter between Xia Chan and Shen Zhoudu for some money.
Shen Jinghai initially thought it was outrageous and originally intended to find two people to deal with him, but later he gave up for some reason and instead said to him, "You go and send them."
He also pointed him in the right direction, recommending a media outlet—the very same entertainment media outlet that Zhang Guozhong initially published his exposé on.
Later, various media outlets sensed the opportunity and began publishing news. They had tested Shen Jinghai's intentions out of fear of Ya Hai, but Shen Jinghai did not stop them. They dared to publish their stories only after receiving Shen Jinghai's tacit approval. In addition, the subsequent involvement of various rivals led to the current chaotic situation.
The thing his PR colleague told him today is this very incident.
They obtained this information while secretly investigating the people behind these marketing accounts.
The surveillance footage that Shen Jinghai showed him was of Zhang Guozhong asking him for money.
Upon seeing this, Chen Zhoudu was initially stunned, but then felt a surge of anger and questioned, "So from the very beginning... this matter could have been nipped in the bud by you. You clearly knew what the consequences might be if these messages were released, yet you still did it! You even proactively offered Zhang Guozhong a clear path?"
His eyes flashed with sneer. "Shen Jinghai, do you hate me that much?"
“I don’t hate you.” Shen Jinghai put down his pen, leaned back, and the edges of his eyes reflected a slight, disdainful light. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table. “I’m not targeting you either.”
Chen Zhoudu sneered, naturally understanding that he was targeting Xia Chan...
Shen Zhoudu could probably guess Shen Jinghai's reason for doing this. He probably wanted Zhang Guozhong to release this news to suppress Xia Chan, and then use Xia Chan's situation to restrain him.
Ultimately, the incident happened to Xia Chan. As an outsider, it's easier for him to clear his name, but as an ordinary person, the damage from public opinion is not so easy to erase.
When the matter escalates to a certain point, he will personally step forward to accuse Zhang Guozhong of extortion and blackmail. This will not only bring Zhang Guozhong to justice, but also allow him to market a drama of innocent celebrities being deceived by the father and daughter.
He probably didn't expect things to develop in this direction.
But it doesn't matter. Although Shen Jinghai is autocratic, Ya Hai's business is clean and he is not afraid of their investigation.
Furthermore, the complex web of interests within the group cannot be easily investigated in a short period of time.
The slight damage to reputation now can become an investment that rebounds stronger the pressure comes later.
"You're trying to separate us... to make me always do what you want!" Shen Zhoudu found it both unbelievable and absurd. "You're even willing to gamble with my reputation and with Ya Hai?" He sneered, "Shen Jinghai, you're really something."
"Anyway, I can afford to pay all your breach of contract penalties!" Shen Jinghai stared at him coldly and said sternly, "It's just a matter of being criticized temporarily, I can wait; at worst, you can leave the industry, I can bear the consequences, but you and that girl must break up!"
He suddenly tapped his fingertips twice on the table.
"Chen Zhoudu, look at yourself! Look at the mess she's made of! Have you lost your mind to be with someone like her? She even dares to extort money from me! No wonder she dared to ask me for 600,000 yuan back then! Like father, like daughter, there's definitely some truth to that!"
"I'm not as unreasonable and domineering as you, so there's no point in saying that!"
Chen Zhoudu's chest heaved heavily as he coldly retorted, and Chen Jinghai's eyes darkened as he was about to say something more.
Jiang Cheng, fearing that the father and son would really start arguing, stepped forward with a pale face.
"Mr. Shen, he currently has several business deals on his plate, and his concert is about to start. At this crucial juncture, he can't afford to have such negative news. Do you think you could..."
“Then he should retire from the entertainment industry!” Shen Jinghai suddenly said coldly.
The expressions on the faces of the several people changed instantly.
“I disagreed with him entering this industry in the first place, and now so many things have happened. If he hadn’t entered this industry, none of this mess would have happened! You guys go back and calculate how much he needs to pay for breach of contract, and I’ll pay it all! From today onwards, he should just stop going out and retire from the industry!”
Jiang Cheng and Ah Sen were so frightened that they dared not say a word, for fear of angering him and making their angry words come true.
"I can't reason with you." Shen Zhoudu gave a cold, sarcastic smile, suddenly feeling that even half a word was too much.
“From today onwards… I might as well sever all ties with you as father and son. From today onwards, every word I say and every statement I issue has nothing to do with Ya Hai. You can just keep your Ya Hai thriving! I don’t want to say another word to you! You really are…”
He pursed his lips, gave him a cold stare, and turned to leave. Upon seeing this, Shen Jinghai's expression changed, and he suddenly shouted an order for his bodyguards to stop him.
Suddenly, four or five private bodyguards surrounded and blocked the doorway to the study. The burly bodyguard at the head even grabbed Shen Zhoudu's hand.
Ah Sen and Jiang Cheng had never seen anything like this before, and they were almost terrified.
"Let me go!" Shen Zhoudu struggled violently, turning back to glare at Shen Jinghai. "Shen Jinghai, are you going to continue to control my personal freedom?"
Shen Jinghai only instructed, "Send Zhou back to his room. Unless something unexpected happens, he doesn't need to come out for the time being."
"Sinking into the sea!"
Immediately, four or five bodyguards rushed forward and dragged Shen Zhoudu away. Jiang Cheng was horrified and almost begged as he stepped forward to Shen Jinghai, saying, "Chairman Shen! Zhoudu... Zhoudu has many events and announcements to attend, and there's also the news about him right now. He can't not show up! You can't..."
"Manager Jiang, I've been busy lately, so I'd like to trouble you to ask Zhou Du for leave first. Tell him he's sick." Shen Jinghai's expression was indifferent, and his gaze towards Jiang Cheng was expressionless, but Jiang Cheng could clearly see a cold glint in his eyes.
"Please also be careful what you say when you're out lately, otherwise, with his illness, I don't know if he'll really have to retire from the entertainment industry."
-
Siyi slowly woke up on the third day after the surgery.
Xia Chan stayed by her side at the hospital for almost three days, and didn't get much sleep for two of those days.
Despite the cacophony of voices online, she ignored them all. After the incident, she turned off her phone and hasn't paid any attention to what was happening at the hotel since.
Visiting hours in the ICU are regulated, with a maximum of two people allowed per visit.
Upon learning that Siyi had regained some consciousness, Xia Chan and Huang Mao discussed with Lala Panghu that they would go in to see her first. Guided by the medical staff, they donned full protective gear and entered the ward.
At that time, Siyi had countless tubes and instruments of all sizes inserted into her body, and an oxygen mask pressed against her face. Her face was pale and haggard, as if she could break at the slightest touch.
Xia Chan gently walked to her bedside, stroked her hair, and softly called her name.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, like butterfly wings slowly unfolding in the breeze. She stared at her unfocused, then mumbled something.
The oxygen mask was fogged up with water vapor, making it too faint to hear.
"What?" Xia Chan leaned closer to her.
“Sister…” Then, she heard her say, “I’m sorry…”
Xia Chan's eyes reddened instantly, but she still smiled at her through the mask, gently brushing aside her stray hairs, "Don't talk nonsense."
She comforted her, "Siyi, getting better is the greatest favor we can do for you. Get better, and your sister will be waiting for you outside."
Tears streamed down Siyi's face. She seemed to want to say something more, but the lines of her heartbeat and blood pressure on the monitor fluctuated slightly, and she couldn't utter a word.
Once the thought subsided, Xia Chan felt a weight lifted from her heart. Taking advantage of the free time, she quickly returned to her rented room, took a quick shower, and packed some clothes to change into.
She hesitated, then turned on her phone and went online to check. By then, the online discussion was about to explode, with condemnations of her and Shen Zhoudu seemingly everywhere.
Zhang Guozhong is still jumping around, constantly releasing a series of distorted and fabricated revelations.
Her phone was also bombarded with messages.
Xia Chan also took the opportunity to ask the store manager for leave. The store manager also said that her news has become too big, and netizens have begun to investigate whether her entry into Ya Hai Group is also related to Shen Zhoudu. The senior executives of the group have also discussed letting her take a leave of absence without pay to avoid the storm.
Xia Chan didn't react to this and simply replied "okay".
Huang Mao was also extremely dissatisfied with Shen Zhoudu's lack of contact over the past two days. Since issuing those two statements, he had not spoken a single word for Xia Chan, nor had he come to see Si Yi even once.
He grumbled, "This Sunken Boat Ferry, really! Even if you're busy, you should at least have time to glance at it, really..."
“He’s entangled in a mess right now, and I doubt he can get away from it himself,” Xia Chan said. “He certainly didn’t want to.”
Xia Chan also had a hidden worry in her heart, feeling as if the sunken boat ferry had disappeared for no reason.
She tried calling him, but his phone was unreachable, and he didn't reply to her WeChat messages or texts.
His Weibo and official studio accounts were flooded with angry comments. All his recent activities have been cancelled. There are only a few rumors that he suddenly fell ill and took leave. Countless netizens are also cursing him as a cowardly coward with a guilty conscience.
She had a bad feeling, as if time had gone back to that winter when he had just said he was leaving for a while and then suddenly vanished as if he had disappeared into thin air.
When it reappears, it will be a farewell.
Jing Zixi and Guan Bohan noticed that something was wrong with Shen Zhoudu recently after they discovered that they couldn't reach him by phone for three consecutive days.
Even if I were to avoid the limelight, I wouldn't cut off all contact with them.
Guan Bohan urgently contacted his agent Jiang Cheng. Under persistent questioning, Jiang Cheng finally revealed the truth and hoped that the two of them could help Shen Zhoudu and him as well.
Jing Zixi and Guan Bohan were both shocked and immediately set off for the Shen family.
It was a sunny afternoon in late summer, and Shen Family Garden was peaceful and harmonious.
Yang Yuan warmly welcomed them, and Shen Jinghai remained indifferent as if nothing had happened. After a few brief pleasantries, they asked, "Uncle Shen, Aunt Yang, where is Zhou Du?"
Yang Yuan hesitated for a moment, glancing at Shen Jinghai as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
Shen Jinghai remained expressionless. Just as Guan Bohan was about to get straight to the point, a dull thud came from upstairs.
The three families have known each other for many years. Jing Zixi and Guan Bohan were naturally familiar with the direction from which the sound came from Chen Zhoudu's room. They exchanged a glance and ran upstairs frantically!
"Hey—" Yang Yuan wanted to stop him but looked at Shen Jinghai helplessly.
Shen Jinghai followed quickly upstairs with a cold face.
Chenzhoudu's room was on the third floor; it was a very large private bedroom.
When they arrived, they indeed heard a fierce argument coming from inside the room. Something seemed to have been smashed to pieces on the ground, and the faint sounds of several bodyguards could be heard.
"Young Master, I beg you, please don't put us in a difficult position. Please eat a little something, don't make things hard for yourself..."
"Get out..." Chen Zhoudu's voice sounded somewhat weak and hoarse, "Get out!"
The door was locked from the inside and couldn't be opened.
Jing Zixi pressed the doorknob twice and pounded on the door, calling out, "Zhou Du! You're in there, Zhou Du! Zhou Du!"
Suddenly, there was silence inside the door.
Shen Jinghai quickly followed behind. Jing Zixi, having failed to get a response to her knocking on the door, gritted her teeth and looked at him, asking urgently, "Uncle Shen, what exactly are you trying to do? I felt something was wrong because Tianzhou Ferry hadn't made a sound all day. Are you trying to illegally detain me?"
Guan Bohan also had a cold expression, frowning as she stared at him.
There was no sound from inside the door; the bodyguards were probably waiting for orders, unsure whether to open it.
After a brief standoff, Shen Jinghai finally sighed and solemnly instructed his bodyguard to open the door.
The moment the door opened, the scene before them almost stunned Guan Bohan and Jing Zixi.
The room was in complete chaos. There were shards of porcelain, spilled soup and food, broken surveillance cables, and chairs and tables all overturned. Almost everything that could be knocked over had been overturned.
The heavy curtains completely blocked out the light, allowing only a few faint rays to pass through.
Chen Zhoudu sat on the edge of the bed with his knees drawn up to his chest, his head buried deep in his arms.
Two bodyguards were standing by his side.
He looked disheveled; his hair was messy, and his shirt was wrinkled, as if he hadn't taken care of himself for days.
Barefoot, with her trousers slightly pulled up to reveal her thin ankles, there were bruises on the insteps and ankles.
In just a few days, he seemed to have lost a lot of weight, his skin was pale and bluish, and the bluish-purple veins under his wrists were clearly visible. Every finger bone in his hands was covered with scabs.
They had never seen a sunken boat crossing like this before... Jing Zixi and Guan Bohan were both terrified.
Jing Zixi rushed forward to check on him. Seeing his prominent collarbone under his clothes, she dared not even touch him. She could only softly call out, "Zhou Du? Zhou Du!"
Guan Bohan coldly pushed aside the bodyguard who had been guarding him.
Chen Zhoudu's finger bones twitched slightly, but he didn't look up.
Jing Zixi felt a strange sensation suddenly welling up in her chest. She looked at Shen Jinghai in disbelief, her eyes filled with confusion and anger. "Uncle Shen, what are you doing? Is this how you lock up a prisoner?!"
Shen Jinghai simply stared down at Shen Zhoudu and the broken dishes around him, speaking very calmly, "Zixi, Bohan, you've come at just the right time. He's been refusing to eat, so the two of you can try to persuade him."
However, he couldn't help but subtly remind her, "But Bo Han Zi Xi, this is ultimately our family matter, so I hope you won't interfere too much."
"This will cause a disaster!" Jing Zixi was utterly shocked and stood up, urgently calling out to him.
Shen Jinghai's expression hardened slightly. "If you two insist on interfering in our family affairs, then I can only ask you to leave. I will have a proper talk with your parents later."
Jing Zixi's chest tightened, her face stiffened, and she dared not speak. Guan Bohan hated being threatened, and suddenly felt a surge of anger, "You—"
Jing Zixi quickly grabbed him and shook her head subtly.
She eventually gave in and agreed, so Shen Jinghai had his bodyguards reinstall the broken surveillance camera before leaving with some caution.
The surveillance camera flickered a faint red light in the highest corner of the room.
Jing Zixi glanced silently at Chen Zhoudu, who was leaning closer, and asked in a very low voice, "Zhoudu, do you... want to see Xia Chan?"
Chen Zhoudu's finger bones trembled again, and then gradually, gradually, his scarred hand could no longer clench.
A drop of liquid suddenly fell onto the floor; it was transparent.
Silently.
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