Chapter 17 On the sofa...
Police officer: "Furthermore, we also found that a few days ago, a woman also transferred money to Du Xiaoman's account. Do you know this person who made the transfer?"
The police handed Xie Chun a photocopy of a bank receipt.
The remittance information above reads: "Lin Jingzhi | Bank of China remittance 30,000".
Xie Chun looked at his ex-wife's message, suppressing his suppressed emotions, and looked at the police officer opposite him: "Excuse me, may I see Du Xiaoman now?"
Police officer: "Okay, you can speak with the lawyer representing your client later."
As soon as he finished speaking, a lawyer in a suit walked in.
Almost the instant the lawyer stood still, Xie Chun repeated the question, his tone tinged with urgency: "Hello, would it be convenient for you to meet with the client?"
The lawyer wore a standard professional smile, tinged with a distant apology: "I'm sorry, sir, the reason my client reported the incident is because he felt threatened and is emotionally unstable. He has entrusted me to communicate with you regarding the follow-up matters."
Standing at the door of the interrogation room, Shen Beidao took in Lin Yi's father's slightly out-of-control anxiety.
He shook his head helplessly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
This father always seemed to care more about the feelings of "outsiders," whether it was the mysterious Du Xiaoman or himself, the "person involved" who didn't even want to show his face.
...
7:00 PM
Inside a small restaurant near the company.
Zhang Zexuan whispered to Lin Yi, "...At the time, Uncle Xie wouldn't let me follow. I heard on the phone that they said, 'We're from the police station. Du Xiaoman asked us to contact you because he's suspected of extortion...' Then, Uncle Xie went out to answer the phone."
"Then who did he extort?" Lin Yi picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and looked at Zhang Zexuan.
"I guess it has something to do with the company. Let's ask our colleagues when we go to work tomorrow."
Zhang Zexuan leaned closer, his tone exaggerated, "But you should call Uncle Xie later and give him a heads-up, lest you wake up one day to find yourself with a second father who's even younger than you!"
Lin Yi frowned even more. He put down his chopsticks and scrutinized Zhang Zexuan: "So when did you become his assistant?"
Zhang Zexuan's eyes began to dart around. He hurriedly opened a can of beer, filled his glass, and then downed it in one gulp before saying, "It's...it's the day after we ate together! I saw that little bitch Du Xiaoman bullying you, and I couldn't swallow it, so I tried to follow Uncle Xie and stir things up with them!"
"Guess what happened next? One day that little bitch got angry and hit me with this huge beer bottle!" He gestured, making an exaggerated circle with his hands.
"He still dares to lay a hand on you?!" Lin Yi immediately stood up.
"Hey, hey, sit down first!"
Zhang Zexuan quickly pulled him back to his seat. "It's okay, it's okay. Luckily, I ran fast and didn't get hit. Then... Uncle Xie probably thought he was too impulsive, so he let him stay at the company and didn't let him go on the business trip to the United States."
Lin Yi fell silent. After a brief silence, he beckoned with his finger: "Zhang Zexuan, you did a good job. From now on, I'll be counting on you to keep an eye on my dad."
Lin Yi's face showed an approving expression, "I didn't realize you could be so patient sometimes. If you had fought with him back then, my dad would definitely have made you reflect on your actions. Don't let his refined appearance fool you, anyone who dares to confront him will face serious consequences."
Zhang Zexuan seemed to suddenly realize something: "Oh~~ I see..."
He quickly poured Lin Yi a full glass of wine, "Come on, Brother Yi, have a drink."
"I'm not drinking anymore." Lin Yi pushed away his glass. "I have something to do later. You can eat slowly. This meal is on me."
He got up to pay the bill, but his phone rang. He glanced at it, answered the call, and waved to Zhang Zexuan, indicating that he should leave first.
Looking at the table full of barely touched food, Zhang Zexuan felt it was a waste to waste it, so he took out his phone and dialed Li Rui's number: "Hey, Rui Rui? Are you free? Come over for dinner..."
......
One kilometer away from the hotel, Shen Beidao's car was parked quietly in the shade of the roadside trees.
The location is Lin Yifa's positioning.
He doesn't want his friends to know about his boyfriend yet. On one hand, the relationship isn't stable enough and he feels there's no need to make it official. On the other hand, Shen Beidao hasn't introduced him to his friends, and if he's too proactive, it would seem like he's eager to confirm something.
At noon, after leaving the police station, Shen Beidao attended a German language open class for the entire afternoon. In addition, he had barely slept the night before because he had cooperated with the police to make a statement when reporting a case.
He leaned back in the driver's seat, his brows furrowed with undisguised weariness, and a faint bluish tinge beneath his deep eyes.
Lin Yi jogged over, resting his elbow on the driver's side window, and it was immediately clear that he wasn't in good shape.
"Handsome Shen, did you stay up all night playing games? You look terrible!"
"No, I don't play..."
Shen Beidao didn't realize for a moment that he was still using the identity of a "gamer" and almost blurted out something like "I don't play games," which would have revealed his true identity.
"What don't you want to play?" Lin Yi tilted his head, his clear eyes looking exceptionally beautiful under the streetlights, waiting for his answer with a hint of determination.
Shen Beidao: "I'm not playing... Marco Polo anymore."
"Hmm?" Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you used to love playing this hero the most?"
"I'm tired of him." Shen Beidao said calmly. "I've been practicing a new character recently, and he's better than him."
Lin Yi became interested: "Then I'll see just how powerful they are today."
He walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and got in.
The vehicle had just started and was slowly driving away from the roadside.
Not far away, Li Rui happened to be passing by. He saw a car that looked somewhat familiar. When he got closer, he saw that the license plate number ended in 6711. It was his mentor Shen Beidao's car.
He was about to go up and say hello when the car merged into traffic, leaving him only its taillights fading into the distance...
*
Back at Shen Beidao's home, the warm light dispelled the chill of the autumn night.
This was Lin Yi's second time here. He immediately noticed a pair of brand-new cotton slippers with bunny ears placed in the entryway, clearly prepared especially for him.
Shen Beidao walked straight to the island bar in the open kitchen, poured him a cup of warm black tea, and handed it to him: "It's a bit cold today, drink some to warm yourself up."
Lin Yi took it and found that it was a glass with a cartoon rabbit pattern printed on it, which was completely different from the minimalist style glass cups that Shen Beidao used at home.
"Your cup?" he asked, somewhat surprised.
“No,” Shen Beidao looked at him, “I bought this new cup especially because I knew you were coming today.”
"Oh..." A slight disappointment flashed across Lin Yi's face. It turned out it wasn't the one Shen Beidao usually used. "I thought it was yours."
He took a sip and looked at the picture of a bunny hugging and eating a carrot on the cup. "Why do you like bunnies so much?"
"Yes, because I really like it, I really want to raise one."
"But small animals are very difficult to take care of."
"Are you hard to take care of? I see you eat everything, you're quite easy to feed."
Lin Yi paused for a moment, thinking of his unchanging online name "I Don't Talk About Rabbit Morality," and suddenly realized that the "rabbit" Shen Beidao was talking about seemed to be himself.
Lin Yi secretly gloated: Does he like me that much? He even buys rabbit-themed daily necessities... He's hopelessly in love. ●в●~
Shen Beidao: "The bath towels, hand towels, and pajamas are all ready and on the storage cabinet next to the bathroom. I'll make you something to eat while you take a shower."
"I've already eaten," Lin Yi answered honestly, then asked in return, "Have you eaten?"
"Yeah, I was busy with lots of classes today, so I ate at the cafeteria for dinner."
"Well..." Lin Yi held the warm cartoon cup, his voice suddenly becoming hesitant, and his eyes began to wander.
"Hmm?" Shen Beidao's heart suddenly raced. He looked at Lin Yi's slightly flushed cheeks and somewhat evasive eyes, and a kind of ambiguous expectation quietly grew in the air.
In fact, he had secretly prepared the gay-related supplies needed for intimate acts, which were now placed in the drawer of the bedside table in the bedroom.
If Lin Yi really wants to...
"Then stop dawdling!" Lin Yi suddenly put down his cup, grabbed his wrist, and led him to the sofa in the living room. "Let's get down to business!"
As Shen Beidao was pressed down onto the soft sofa, his heart nearly leaped out of his chest, yet he maintained the last vestiges of a mature man's rationality and asked, "Do you like it here?"
To be honest, Shen Beidao was somewhat surprised.
If their first time was on the sofa, it seemed a bit too...open.
At least there's a blanket on the bed to cover her, which can protect some of the sensitive little rabbit's privacy.
"Of course!" Lin Yi nodded, his face beaming with excitement. "I like to play while lying on the sofa!"
As he spoke, he slumped into the sofa, found a comfortable position, and rested his head on Shen Beidao's legs.
Shen Beidao: ...Playing? He's just playing with me?
Or something else?
Before he could even ponder the deeper meaning of those words, an indescribable sense of loss instantly overwhelmed his previous tension and anticipation...
...
Welcome to Honor of Kings!
"The young lady has arrived! Everyone get out of the way!"
Want to have some? I'll give you what you want!
The familiar game sound effects instantly filled the entire living room, pulling them into the fun-filled King of Glory arena.
Lin Yi skillfully controlled the character, glancing at Chen Beidao's phone screen when he had a spare moment: "Have you been playing 'Mirror' lately?"
Shen Beidao, holding his phone, glanced at Lin Yi beside him, who looked focused as if he were about to go to war, and responded softly, "Mm."
Because of the tight schedule, he only had three days to practice and master a hero.
"I haven't played this before." Lin Yi said as he turned on voice chat and skillfully directed his teammates.
A few seconds later, she closed the chat button again, not wanting to delay her conversation with Shen Beidao: "Sigh, I've been too busy lately. I have to go to work tomorrow, so I haven't had much time to play games."
"If you want to play in the future, I'll go with you."
………
【Victory!】
As the exhilarating victory sound effects rang out, Lin Yi was still immersed in the shock of the last team fight.
He watched as Shen Beidao's "Mirror" moved like a ghost, starting from the red buff area, his figure turning into afterimages, the skill effects dazzling. In just a few seconds, he not only took down the "Dragon" but also constantly weaved through the enemy's five-man encirclement, completing a smooth five-kill streak! Finally, he destroyed the enemy's crystal!
Lin Yi was completely stunned, and almost dropped his phone.
He slowly turned his head, looking at Shen Beidao beside him with an expressionless face as if he were looking at a monster, his voice trembling: "...How did you do that?"
Shen Beidao put down his phone and said calmly, "Skill 3A323A31, develop it into muscle memory."
"That's it?" Lin Yi asked in disbelief.
“Yes.” Shen Beidao nodded. “It’s very simple.”
Lin Yi immediately snuggled up to him like a kitten attracted by a cat toy, her bright eyes full of admiration: "Can you teach me? You were so cool just now!"
Shen Beidao: If we hadn't been playing a game just now, you might think I was even better.
Just then, Shen Beidao's phone rang, and an unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.
He glanced at it and said to Lin Yi, "Wait a minute, I need to take this call."
He got up and went to the balcony; the call lasted only a short time.
But when she returned, her face was no longer relaxed. "Sorry, I have some urgent business to attend to. If you're sleepy, you can go to sleep first."
“…Okay, go ahead.” Lin Yi didn’t ask any more questions. He guessed it was probably an urgent matter at work, and if he were too fussy, he would be meddling too much.
Too much interference will only annoy people.
But once Shen Beidao went out, he didn't return until the next morning, still slightly chilled by the morning dew.
The upscale residential complex where Shen Beidao lives is just across the street from the office building where Lin Yi's company is located.
Lin Yi finished washing up and was getting ready to go to work. "I made you breakfast."
Lin Yi pointed to the dining table, then kissed Shen Beidao's tired face. "Remember to eat."
Shen Beidao grabbed his wrist, her voice a little hoarse: "Are you going home tonight?"
When Shen Beidao uttered the word "home," he did so with a hint of caution.
Lin Yi: "That depends on whether the owner of this house wants me to come?"
Shen Beidao immediately understood his unspoken meaning, and his tense heartstrings seemed to be gently plucked, rippling with emotion. "Then I'll pick you up tonight."
After seeing Lin Yi off, Shen Beidao walked to the dining table, looked at the bowl of instant noodles, and the fried egg on top that was crookedly shaped and trying to be a heart, and finally couldn't help but laugh.
The fatigue from a night's journey seemed to be completely dispelled by this simple warmth.
...
As soon as Lin Yi arrived at his workstation, Zhang Zexuan, who appeared out of nowhere, pulled him into the small office next door.
"Look what I found!" Zhang Zexuan locked the door, took out his phone, and pulled up a few photos.
"I went to the printer to print something just now. The printer broke down last night, and the technician just fixed it this morning. As a result, it printed out the document that couldn't be printed yesterday."
Lin Yi took the phone and swiped the screen with his fingertips.
These are several forms and funding agreement documents for the "List of Students Assisted in Impoverished Mountainous Areas".
Lin Yi scrolled to the last page and saw the signature area read "Xie Chun".
"Has my dad been doing charity work all along?"
This seemed to overturn his perception of his father, who was focused on business interests.
"The point is not to do charity!"
Zhang Zexuan eagerly poked at his phone screen, zooming in on a portion of it, "Look at this list of people, and the corresponding dates... here, this name."
Lin Yi looked in the direction he pointed—
【Du Xiaoman】
Lin Yi carefully examined the date record next to him.
Xie Chun sponsored a student named Du Xiaoman from junior high school to university, a period of ten years.
"And also..." Zhang Zexuan lowered his voice and whispered in Lin Yi's ear, "Early this morning, that Director Yu went into your dad's office, and it's been two hours and he still hasn't come out! He must have found some crucial information, and I bet it's related to Du Xiaoman!"
A note from the author:
----------------------
A quick interlude: "Why was I awarded the contract to a lawyer in this divorce case?"
Copywriting:
Lawyer Jiang Yuche took on a new case: divorce proceedings.
The person in question, He Yi, was his secret crush, whom he had kept hidden in his heart for ten years and who had disappeared without a trace after graduation.
The once spirited young man has now fallen on hard times, is heavily in debt, and his marriage has come to an end.
Ke Heyi still forced a smile and raised his eyebrows as before, saying, "Let's start over! It's just that I'm short of money to start a business, which is really worrying me."
Jiang Yuche appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was already in turmoil.
He meticulously planned and indirectly offered an investment that he "did not seek any return on."
"We're all friends, don't be shy."
This most insincere statement was a testament to his deep affection, hidden for ten years.
He Yi: "Wow! Yu Che! You're so loyal! From now on, you're my buddy!"
Jiang Yuche lowered his eyes and smiled.
Okay, buddy, that works too.
As long as someone is still in your life, any identity is acceptable.
In the days that followed, Jiang Yuche made silent sacrifices and made subtle, suggestive advances.
He Yi devoted himself entirely to being a good friend to him, perfectly avoiding all of his declarations of love.
Until one day, He Yi excitedly arrived at the door carrying two bottles of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor).
The moment the door opened, lol!
A strange man is confessing his love to Jiang Yuche with roses in his hand!
He was dumbfounded, nearly offering his bottle of Erguotou to the local deity. His mind raced: What's going on? Is this some kind of idol drama with my buddy? Wait a minute... when did he become into this?!
Seeing that Jiang Yuche had clearly rejected him, the man who had confessed left dejectedly.
Jiang Yuche turned to look at him, his eyes deep and alluring.
He Yi chuckled awkwardly, trying to ease the embarrassment: "Heh, I didn't realize, Attorney Jiang... you're quite the catch, aren't you? Men and women are chasing after you right at your doorstep?"
Jiang Yuche didn't respond, but took a step forward, blocking him in the entryway, his voice low and deep: "Were you frightened?"
No! No!
He Yi's back was pressed against the door panel, "What haven't I seen, young master..."
"Is that so?" Jiang Yuche's gaze fell on his face, scrutinizing it inch by inch, as if examining the most important evidence, and asked softly and slowly, "Then can you see now why I've been so good to you?"
Jiang Yuche smiled, a smile tinged with self-deprecation and a resolute air of "what's the use?": "He Yi, I'm not that great."
"I've always been good to you..."
"I never intended to just be your friend."
Now, it was He Yi's turn to be completely dumbfounded.
So, your targeted poverty alleviation efforts are aimed at me personally?!
[Reading Guide]
1. A devoted and cunning lawyer (top) x a talkative, optimistic, and straightforward man (bottom). Happy Ending (HE).
2. The protagonist's unrequited love becomes real, while the other protagonist is initially a clueless straight man who later goes through a period of existential crisis. There are some slightly comedic moments of him chasing after his love interest.
3. It has a strong Beijing flavor; the food is so cheap it's almost painful to eat; it's incredibly shrewish.
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