Chapter 41 IF Path: Childhood Encounters 6 - The Free Bird
That night, Chi Chen gently applied the medicine to Xu Yan, then quietly pulled her into his arms and fell asleep without doing anything else.
Just as Xu Yan was drifting off to sleep, Chi Chen's low, husky voice came from the darkness, "Don't treat me like they are."
Xu Yan remained silent, pretending to be asleep.
Because he doesn't believe it.
There is no such thing as good without a reason in this world.
Moreover, he only slightly tempted him, and Chi Chen lost control to that extent.
In essence, it was no different from the father's drunken confession and the benefits bestowed by his stepbrother.
But Chi Chen isn't a scumbag; he only needs to put in less effort to reap good rewards.
Therefore, he was happy to use this method to control Chi Chen.
As expected, out of a desire to prove himself and out of guilt, Chi Chen was no longer willing to pretend not to know him at school.
Like a dog protecting its owner, he wouldn't let anyone near him.
Even when Qin Sen occasionally tried to inquire about their relationship, Chi Chen refused to say anything and would intentionally or unintentionally keep them at arm's length.
Chi Chen was already a somewhat talked-about figure at school because of his appearance and family background.
The relationship between the two became widely known on the forum within a few days.
Xu Yan didn't find it bothersome.
Every step he took was meticulously planned and prepared for this moment.
It's time to close the net.
When Chi Chen returned from the last class on Friday, after being called to the office for a few minutes, Xu Yan was no longer in the classroom.
The pages of the book were scattered on the usually tidy desk, clearly indicating that he had left in a hurry.
An ominous premonition swept through Chi Chen's mind. He quickly asked the classmates who hadn't left yet and was told that they seemed to have gone upstairs to the back.
Upstairs, they were already on the seventh floor.
Above that is the rooftop.
Chi Chen's face instantly turned ugly, and he rushed straight towards the rooftop.
The rooftop door was still closed, but Chi Chen could already hear the commotion inside.
The moment his hand touched the doorknob, Chi Chen suddenly stopped.
"Yanyan, I heard you've hooked up with that young master of the Chi family and haven't been coming home at all?"
"Let me go..."
"That young master is so pampered, can he be as caring as my brother?"
The unfamiliar voice was greasy and nauseating; was this Xu Yan's brother?
For reasons unknown, Chi Chen did not immediately open the door.
He wanted to know... exactly how Xu Yan viewed him.
"He will find me." Xu Yan's voice trembled slightly, seemingly out of fear, yet also carrying a hint of expectation.
"His arrival is just in time; let him see how good you are at serving people..."
"Bang--"
The iron gate slammed against the wall with a loud thud, sending dust flying.
As Chi Chen walked out of the dimly lit stairwell, his vision went blank for a moment before quickly focusing.
A slightly overweight man was gripping the boy's collar tightly, pressing him against a rusty wire mesh. The boy's clean school uniform was stained and disheveled, revealing a small patch of pale skin.
There, the handprints left by Chi Chen have not completely disappeared.
Hearing the voice, the man turned around, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, but he quickly put on a disgusting fake smile. "Young Master Chi is here. I'm giving my brother a check-up."
"It looks like you've succeeded. Can I try it out...?"
Before he could finish speaking, Chi Chen was already in front of him in an instant.
The man instinctively released Xu Yan, and before he could react, he heard the sound of a fist cutting through the air.
The next second, a sharp pain shot through his cheekbone, and he staggered and crashed onto the hard concrete floor, kicking up a cloud of dust.
A faint taste of blood seemed to waft through my mouth.
The noble young master before them had eyes stained with a terrifying crimson, and his nonchalant gaze was now filled with nothing but violent rage.
The man's face turned a deep purplish-red, and he cowered backward, clutching his wound in fear. His words became slurred, "Hey! This is a school. Even if you hit someone, you'll still be punished!"
However, Chi Chen acted as if he hadn't mentioned it, and slammed his hard fist into the man's nose.
Blood gushed from his nose instantly.
The man let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered.
You will never have the chance to see him again.
Chi Chen's voice was chillingly gloomy, and his fists fell heavily and mechanically.
The man's lips trembled, his face was almost entirely swollen, his missing teeth lay on the ground, and he could no longer make a sound.
Until they could no longer move.
In the last second before he lost consciousness, he saw his pale, pitiful younger brother, the brother who always looked up at him timidly, letting him bully and humiliate him, standing in the shadow of the devil, his head slightly tilted, without a trace of fear in his eyes, giving him a cold, defiant smile.
By the end, Chi Chen's knuckles were a bloody mess, and he instinctively reached out with trembling hands to hold Xu Yan's hand.
The other person suddenly dodged for a moment, as if avoiding the bloodstains on his hands.
Chi Chen's body suddenly stiffened, his fingers hovering in mid-air.
The next second, Xu Yan leaned against him and affectionately took his arm.
It was as if the evasion just now was an illusion.
"Don't be afraid..." Chi Chen breathed heavily, his voice hoarse, but his eyes were fixed on Xu Yan's face. "I might go back for a few days. You can stay here by yourself for now."
Xu Yan raised her wet eyes and gave him a happy smile.
This was the first time Chi Chen had seen Xu Yan smile so genuinely relaxed, without any hint of flattery or scheming.
“I know.” Xu Yan’s voice was soft, but it was forever etched in Chi Chen’s heart. “You will always be able to find me.”
After that day, Chi Chen disappeared for a whole week, not replying to messages or making phone calls, as if he had vanished into thin air.
At the same time, Xu Yan's stepbrother also inexplicably dropped out of school, and his troublesome mother never came to the school to cause trouble.
Xu Yan stayed alone in Chi Chen's spacious and clean apartment.
This week was a truly liberating experience for him, one he had never had before. He didn't have to please anyone or put on an act.
He can sleep alone in a comfortable bed, or laze around on the sofa and while away the time.
He will have countless such moments in the future.
Xu Yan firmly believed this.
This was his sole motivation for surviving in hell.
During this time, Chi Chen completely disappeared, and Xu Yan even forgot to send her pretentious daily greetings.
On a weekend afternoon, Xu Yan lay on a recliner in the sunroom, with desserts and coffee on a small table. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.
Until the apartment doorbell rang.
Xu Yan opened her eyes, stood up, and knew it was finally coming.
It would be abnormal for the Chi family to remain indifferent to him, the source of all this trouble, after such an incident.
It's just unknown how Chi Chen will perform.
Whether it can meet his best expectations.
Xu Yan pushed open the door, and standing outside was a serious and capable-looking man in a suit.
Xu Yan glanced at him, her face expressionless, and quietly waited for him to explain his purpose.
The man handed over his business card; he was Chi's father's assistant.
Assistant Zhou sat down in the living room and took out a contract from his briefcase without getting to the point.
"Mr. Chi has learned all about your situation."
He didn't give any examples, but Xu Yan understood that "all" meant "all" in the truest sense.
“Sir, I admire your intelligence and sympathize with your plight, therefore…” The man paused, noticing that Xu Yan showed no surprise.
This is not the mindset of a teenager of this age.
"So we are willing to fulfill all your conditions, as long as you disappear from Young Master Chi's life forever."
"You will live the life you want most."
Xu Yan lowered her eyes, looked at the document representing the future and her passport, and smiled silently.
Without any hesitation, I signed the contract.
Without leaving a single word for Chi Chen, he vanished without a trace.
*
When Chi Chen pushed open the door with his still-healing injuries, he was greeted only by an empty void; there was no trace of Xu Yan left in the house.
Why are you in such a hurry to leave him?
Chi Chen looked up at the window and saw flocks of birds flying freely by.
This is already the best possible outcome.
He did it, proving to Xu Yan that he was different from those people.
He will truly give Xu Yan everything she wants.
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Author's Note: A classic melodramatic plot has appeared! But it won't be melodramatic! Next chapter: The white moonlight returns home! [Thumbs up]
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