Chapter 99 "Lu Yu and I...are just in a contract marriage."
"Shut up!!!"
Lu Chi swung his fist fiercely and punched the wall beside Lin Che's ear.
"Bang!"
A dull thud accompanied the rustling of falling wall dust. Lu Chi's knuckles instantly scraped open, bleeding, but he seemed to feel no pain. He simply stared at Lin Che with bloodshot eyes, his heavy breathing trembling with a near-uncontrollable tremor.
"What do you know?! What the hell do you know?!" Lu Chi roared. He hadn't expected Lin Che to directly expose the rage and fear in his most secret and unbearable heart. "Who the hell are you? How dare you speculate about me?!"
Lin Che's head tilted sideways from the blow, and the flying debris scraped across his cheek, leaving a tiny red mark. But his expression remained unusually calm, even possessing a kind of insight bordering on compassion. He calmly raised his hand and casually wiped away the dust marks on his face with his fingertips.
"I don't understand." Lin Che's voice was still hoarse but unusually clear. "But I can see it with my own eyes. I've seen it since the first time I saw you at the Lu family mansion."
Lin Che raised her chin slightly and looked directly into Lu Chi's eyes.
"Look at Lu Yu's eyes," Lin Che said as he looked at Lu Chi with eyes that were astonishingly bright, but every word he spoke was like a hammer, hammering into Lu Chi's heart. "It's exactly the same as when I first met him. That kind of admiration for someone of absolute power, mixed with desire and fear..."
Lu Chi felt as if he was hit by an invisible sledgehammer. His body shook violently. The hand that was pinching Lin Che's jaw had already loosened and now hung limply at his side. Blood from his knuckles dripped onto the expensive carpet, creating a small dark red stain.
The rage on his face seemed to be frozen in an instant, leaving only a pale and confused look as if he was completely stripped bare and exposed in broad daylight.
Lin Che's words accurately pierced the most secret, shameful corner of his heart, the one he himself dared not delve into.
It was not just admiration, it was an almost pathological obsession and possessiveness, an extreme desire for something unattainable, which eventually twisted into an impulse for destruction.
"You hide it better than I do," Lin Che continued, "using provocation, hostility, and that cynical facade... you wrap yourself up tightly. But unfortunately, your eyes can't deceive."
"Heh... heh heh..." Lu Chi suddenly laughed softly, "Admire? You said I admire him?! Lin Che! Are you fucking mad because I scared you?! I wish he were dead! I wish I could crush everything he has! Including you!"
He suddenly leaned forward and placed his hands on the walls on either side of Lin Che's body, trapping Lin Che in his shadow. He stared at Lin Che with bloodshot eyes, trying to find any sign of lies or hesitation in the other's eyes.
Lin Che simply stared back at him calmly. There was no fear in her eyes, only a clear, all-seeing clarity and... a barely perceptible hint of fatigue.
"Really?" Lin Che asked softly, then dropped a bombshell that was enough to destroy Lu Chi's sanity. "Actually... you don't have to be like this. Because Lu Yu and I... are just in a contract marriage."
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Every expression on Lu Chi's face froze instantly, as if the pause button had been pressed. The muscles in his arms, which were bracing themselves against the wall, tensed to the utmost, and began to tremble uncontrollably.
"...What?" Lu Chi's voice trembled unconsciously without him noticing.
"Contract marriage," Lin Che repeated clearly. "A three-year business agreement, where both parties take what they need. Once the time is up, it will be automatically terminated, and neither party owes the other anything."
"You lied to me!!" Lu Chi roared suddenly, his voice piercingly cracking, "Do you fucking think I'm a three-year-old kid?! Contract marriage?! Lu Yu has never treated anyone the way he treats you! His eyes, his movements, he..."
Lu Chi recalled the look in Lu Yu's eyes at the Lu family's old house, that focus, possession, and even a hint of tenderness that he himself hadn't noticed. He also recalled the subtle relaxation in Lu Yu's body when Lin Che patted his lower back and when Yili gently bumped into him...
Those details burned into his memory like a red-hot iron, "He couldn't have just been a contract with you! You're lying!!"
He absolutely did not believe that someone like Lu Yu would show such an...almost addicted expression for a contract.
"Don't believe me?" Lin Che twitched the corner of his mouth slightly, a hint of subtle bitterness and mockery in his smile. "I have a copy of the electronic agreement on my phone, in my encrypted files. You can take a look for yourself."
Lu Yu and Lin Che are fake! There is no love between them! It's just a cold contract!
This realization made Lu Chi almost burst into laughter! His long-held jealousy, resentment, and pain of being ignored seemed to have found an outlet in an instant.
It turns out that the "treasure" he admired, feared, and wanted to destroy was actually a carefully designed fake!
Lu Yu’s seemingly indestructible fortress turned out to be so fragile!
However, the ecstasy lasted only a very brief moment, followed by a deeper, colder anger and the humiliation of being fooled.
If this was a contract... then what were those looks in Lu Yu's eyes, those subtle indulgences, that glint of possessiveness...?! Was he acting? Or... a loss of control he hadn't even noticed?
But no matter which one it was, Lu Chi felt a deeper humiliation of being completely excluded.
Lu Yu never showed any of her tenderness to him...
Even if it's...pretended...fake...
"Cellphone..." Lu Chi stood up suddenly, his eyes frantically scanning the messy room, his voice distorted by extreme emotional fluctuations, "Where's the cellphone?! Where's Jiang Tingyun! His cellphone?! Bring it to me! Now! Right now!!!"
Jiang Tingyun, who had been standing silently like a background board, had his dark gray pupils shrink slightly when he heard the words "contract marriage".
I see.
Lu Yu's unreasonable "gentleness" that he once felt was inappropriate now seemed to have a reasonable explanation.
Without any hesitation, Jiang Tingyun turned around and quickly left the room, his footsteps quickly fading away in the empty corridor.
Lu Chi paced anxiously, his expensive leather shoes making a sharp cracking sound as they stepped on the broken glass. He rubbed his hands nervously, scratched his hair with his blood-stained hands, and stared at the door.
He needed to see the agreement immediately, and he wanted to tear apart the hypocritical illusion that Lu Yu loved Lin Che with his own hands.
The room fell into dead silence again, leaving only Lu Chi's heavy and disordered breathing and Lin Che's suppressed, weak gasps as he leaned against the wall.
Lin Che closed his eyes, cold sweat soaking his back. The words just now almost exhausted his last bit of strength and psychological defense.
Revealing this secret was his desperate gamble, the only fulcrum he could think of in his desperate situation to pry open the madman Lu Chi.
Finally, Jiang Tingyun reappeared at the door. Still expressionless, he walked in with steady steps, holding a cell phone wrapped in a transparent evidence bag.
He didn't look at Lu Chi, but walked straight to Lin Che, handed the phone over, and said calmly, "Unlock it."
Lin Che raised his slightly trembling hand and took the phone. The cold and hard touch helped his confused thoughts focus a little.
He took a deep breath, and under Lu Chi's almost fiery gaze, he entered the date password that he knew by heart with his fingers somewhat stiffly.
The screen unlock light comes on.
Lin Che didn't hesitate. He quickly slid his finger to open an encrypted folder and entered the password.
A PDF file labeled "Prenuptial Agreement" suddenly appeared on the screen.
"Give it to him." Lin Che's voice was hoarse with exhaustion as he handed the phone to Jiang Tingyun.
Jiang Tingyun took the phone but did not give it to Lu Chi directly. Instead, he quickly glanced at the screen to confirm that the file title and format were correct before turning around and facing the phone screen towards Lu Chi.
Lu Chi practically rushed over and snatched the phone away. His fingers were shaking so violently with excitement that he could barely hold it steady.
Lu Chi stared at the title of the document on the screen, then impatiently swiped the screen and read the detailed and clearly stated contract terms word by word.
Party A: Lu Yu.
Party B: Lin Che.
Duration of marriage: three years (calculated from the date of registration).
Obligations of both parties: Party B must cooperate with Party A in attending necessary social events and maintain the outward appearance of the marriage relationship; Party A must ensure Party B's basic living needs and personal safety...
Property Division: Pre-marital property is separate and independent, and the income during the marriage belongs to Party A.
Declaration of No Emotional Basis: Both parties confirm that this marriage relationship is established for a specific cooperative purpose and does not involve any real emotional connection...
Termination of the Agreement: Automatically terminated upon expiration of three years, or terminated earlier with the written consent of both parties...
It is written in black and white, the terms are clear, and there are even witness signatures from both parties' lawyers and an electronic seal from the notary office.
"Haha...hahahaha..." Lu Chi stared at the screen and first let out a low and suppressed laugh. Then the laughter became louder and louder, more and more crazy, and finally turned into hysterical laughter!
"Hahahahahaha!!! Lu Yu! Lu Yu!! You finally got what you deserved!!! The treasure you tried so hard to hide turned out to be nothing more than a thing that had been indentured to sell itself!!! Hahaha! Contract marriage?! For what? For money? For your damn Lu Group?! Or to shut up those old guys?! You pretended to be so convincing! You pretended to be so affectionate! But it turned out to be all fake! It was all fake!!!"
Lu Chi laughed wildly as he held the phone with his hand, his knuckles turning white from excessive force. The ugly burn scar on the back of his hand became distorted and deformed with his violent emotional ups and downs, becoming even more hideous.
He suddenly raised his head, the smile on his face disappeared instantly, and was replaced by big tears sliding down his cheeks.
He approached Lin Che step by step, and suddenly stretched out his hand to grab Lin Che's slender neck.
"Well--"
A suffocating feeling instantly overwhelmed Lin Che, forcing him to tilt his head back. The back of his head slammed heavily against the wall, making a dull thud. Suddenly deprived of air, Lin Che's cheeks quickly flushed a sickly red from the lack of oxygen and the pressure.
Lu Chi's twisted, hideous face was close at hand, his breath snorting heavily on Lin Che's face, which was forced to look up. "Since you are fake..."
Lu Chi's voice was extremely low, carrying a suffocating, sticky, and disgusting feeling. "Then when I've had enough fun, I'll turn you into a rag doll and throw you back to him... Tell me, when Lu Yu sees the 'commodity' he signed a contract with being completely soiled and ruined by me... will he really go crazy?"
Lin Che's hands clawed futilely at Lu Chi's iron grip around his neck, his nails leaving shallow scratches on the fabric of his expensive suit cuffs, but he couldn't budge even a little. His vision began to blur from lack of oxygen, and his lungs felt like they were on fire. Lu Chi's madness and strength far exceeded his expectations.
"You...come closer...I...I'll tell you." Lin Che felt as if his internal organs were about to be crushed, but his strong desire to survive allowed him to maintain a last bit of consciousness.
"Tell me?" Lu Chi's voice was hoarse. Instead of moving closer, he slammed Lin Che's body against the cold wall even harder, making a heavy, muffled sound.
"You look like a pathetic creature now. What else can you tell me? Hmm? Do you want to beg for mercy? Or... do you want to bite off my ear?"
He admired Lin Che's futile struggles. Her slender neck felt so fragile in his grip that it couldn't even be grasped. Lack of oxygen caused Lin Che's vision to blur, and the strength of his grip on his wrist weakened.
Lu Chi enjoyed this absolute sense of control and every second of pleasure in crushing Lu Yu's "contracted item".
"Speak!" Lu Chi suddenly lifted him up a little and slammed him back against the wall, admiring Lin Che's body arched in pain and suffocation. "Aren't you going to tell me? I'm listening! Speak!!"
Every futile suction brought a tearing and burning pain. Lu Chi's hideous and distorted face in front of him swayed and overlapped in the dizziness of lack of oxygen, like a demon crawling out of hell.
The instinct for survival made Lin Che use up the last bit of strength to try to pry open Lu Chi's hand that was pinching his neck, but it was in vain. His nails scratched several bloody marks on the back of Lu Chi's hand.
Lin Che opened his mouth, but only a broken, dissonant breath could come out. His brain rumbled from lack of oxygen, and his consciousness was rapidly swallowed by darkness like a receding tide.
The edges of his vision began to blur, and Lu Chi's devilish face was no longer before his eyes. Instead, Lin Che seemed to see Lu Yu's face in the illusion.
"Uh... ho..." The faint throat sound, like a sigh, was the last sound he could make.
The scratching hand lost all strength and fell limply, resting on Lu Chi's arm that was pinching his neck, with his fingertips twitching slightly.
The wild laughter and tears on Lu Chi's face froze.
He clearly felt the tension in the body under his palm suddenly disappear, becoming soft and weak.
Lin Che's head leaned back weakly, pressing heavily against the wall, losing all support.
Dead?
This thought suddenly entered Lu Chi's confused mind, and he subconsciously let go of his hand!
"Ahem! Uh-ho-ho-ho-!"
Freed from his restraints, Lin Che slid down the wall, finally collapsing on the carpet. He curled up, twitching uncontrollably, and every cough seemed to cough up his internal organs.
It turns out he wasn't dead yet.
A more twisted and darker feeling of excitement replaced the momentary chill and quickly gripped Lu Chi.
Watching Lin Che struggling on the carpet like a fish out of water, barely surviving, his dying fragility and embarrassment greatly satisfied his tyrannical desire for control.
"Hehe...hehe..." Lu Chi laughed softly, and the laughter seemed particularly creepy in the silent room.
He slowly squatted down, his leather shoes stepping on the carpet, and approached the curled up and trembling body.
Lu Chi stretched out the hand that had just pinched Lin Che's neck. The back of his hand still had blood marks from Lin Che's nails, and the wounds on his knuckles from hitting the wall were still bleeding.
He lifted Lin Che's chin with his fingers stained with their blood. His cold fingertips touched Lin Che's hot and trembling skin, causing goose bumps to appear all over Lin Che's body.
"Tsk... tsk... look at him, how pitiful." Every word Lu Chi spoke was laced with sticky malice, clearly penetrating into Lin Che's ears, which were already buzzing with coughs. "Can't breathe? It's uncomfortable, right? Don't worry, this is just the beginning."
He leaned over and approached the side of Lin Che's neck, which was heaving violently due to his heavy breathing. At this moment, it was covered with unsightly purple finger marks.
"When I've had enough fun with you, I'll let Lu Yu see with his own eyes... the 'contract item' he carefully selected will be completely dismantled, soiled, and ruined by me. You say..."
Lu Chi paused deliberately as he spoke, admiring the uncontrollable trembling of Lin Che's body.
"...What expression would be on that always perfect, superior face of his? Would he... cry as unsightly as you did?"
“Ahhhh!!!”
The intense pain caught Lu Chi off guard and he fell to the ground with his hands covering his face. As he fell, fresh blood spurted out and splashed all over Lin Che's face.
He used up his last bit of strength to grab the phone and threw it at Lu Chi, causing Lin Che to lean against the wall like a disconnected rag doll, seemingly without a sound.
Lin Che leaned against the cold wall, panting heavily. His beautiful face, which always appeared clean, gentle, and even a little distant, was now completely covered by the blood spurting out of Lu Chi's nose.
Scarlet, glaring, and thrilling.
Warm blood beads splashed densely on his smooth forehead, and even a few drops stained his long and thick eyelashes, slowly sliding down the delicate bridge of his nose, instantly staining his originally light-colored collar, and sticking wetly to his skin.
The room was in a mess and the strong smell of blood instantly filled the air.
Lu Chi covered his nose which was in great pain and bleeding, and staggered back several steps before he could barely stand. The blood that kept flowing out from between his fingers dyed his hands and the front of his clothes red. The severe pain and shock made his eyes go black.
He looked through his fingers in disbelief at Lin Che, whose face was covered in blood but whose eyes were still filled with torment.
"You...you fucking dare..." Lu Chi's voice became strangely distorted due to the injury to his nose and extreme anger, filled with incredible rage and murderous intent.
——————
"Brother...is it really Jiang Tingyun who kidnapped Lin Che?"
Lu Jinshu's voice was tinged with tears, and her eyes were red and swollen. Lin Che had been missing for over ten hours, and every minute and every second felt like a blunt knife cutting into flesh.
Lu Yu stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window with his back to her. Outside the window was the dark night. He had maintained almost the same posture for a long time.
An expensive suit jacket was casually thrown on the single sofa next to him. The cuffs of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his toned forearms with slightly bulging veins. A half-burned cigarette was held between his fingers, with a long piece of ash accumulated on it, and it was shaky.
He did not look back. More than ten hours of sleepless searching and bottomless fear almost drained all his sanity.
He didn't dare to think about what that madman Lu Chi would do to Lin Che.
Every conceivable possibility pierced his heart, turning him into a bloody mess.
"Brother?" Lu Jinshu called out cautiously again, his voice trembling violently.
Lu Yu finally reacted and turned around very slowly.
At this moment, Lu Yu's deep eyes were filled with terrifying red bloodshot. When Lu Jinshu saw Lu Yu's face clearly, his heart suddenly shrank and he took a breath.
"It's not him." Lu Yu reached out and crushed the scarlet cigarette butt with his index finger and thumb, and spoke slowly as if he didn't feel the pain.
Lu Jinshu was stunned: "Not Jiang Tingyun? Then..."
"It's Lu Chi." Lu Yu interrupted her, his tone still terrifyingly calm, but Lu Jinshu could hear the dead silence before a landslide.
"Jiang Tingyun was forced. Lu Chi has the Jiang family's Achilles' heel." Lu Yu remained calm and simply stated the facts to Lu Jinshu without any extra explanation.
"Lu Chi?!" Lu Jinshu screamed in shock, his face instantly turning as pale as paper.
The name itself represents madness and destruction!
“He… why did he capture Lin Che?! Is he crazy?!”
"He's been crazy for a long time. He wants to destroy everything I have. Cheche... is the knife he chose."
"Then...then Lin Che..." Lu Jinshu didn't dare to ask further. A huge panic gripped her.
"Lin Che will be fine, I can guarantee it." Lu Yu looked down at the cashmere scarf that Lin Che often wore in his hand and whispered.
I don’t know if he was saying this to Lu Jinshu, or... to himself.
Lu Jinshu's heart sank suddenly, not because Lin Che's safety was guaranteed, but because of Lu Yu's current state.
There was no expression on his face, but what was surging in his bloodshot eyes was not pure rage, but an almost void, bottomless darkness.
She knew her brother too well.
This kind of calmness is ten thousand times more terrifying than hysterical roars.
It means that the string called "rules" and "bottom line" in Lu Yu's heart has been completely broken by Lu Chi.
Lu Chi will really go to hell this time, and will die in extreme pain.
"You go back and take care of An An first. When... his uncle comes back, he will definitely want to see him first." Lu Yu's voice was still very soft, and people couldn't hear his true emotions, but the scarf in his hand was deformed by his pulling, and the blue veins on the back of his hand were very conspicuous.
————
"Mr. Lu, I found it."
Cheng Yi handed Lu Yu the signal location map that the Information Department had just deciphered, his voice very low with a barely perceptible tenseness.
A dazzling red light on the huge screen in the monitoring room flashed wildly at a remote coordinate on the map.
The monitoring room was filled with a thick smell of smoke and an invisible, suffocating low pressure.
The technicians even became very careful when typing on the keyboard, for fear of making any unnecessary noise.
Cheng Yi didn't even dare to look at Lu Yu's face at the moment.
There was no expression on Lu Yu's face.
There was no rage, no anxiety, not even a trace of the common coldness.
There was only dead silence.
But it was such an expressionless face, those eyes——
Cheng Yi only took one look and felt a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
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