The restaurant for their dinner was located on the rooftop of a nearby hotel. It was known for its excellent atmosphere and quality dishes, making it a popular choice for evening dining. Due to its popularity, reservations are usually required well in advance.
With its panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, the restaurant offered a 360-degree view. The dim lighting created an ambiance that allowed diners to admire the cityscape from various angles. Neon lights twinkled and illuminated the city, enveloping it in a sparkling sea of stars.
As a gentle breeze brushed by, the air carried a subtle and refreshing hint of vegetation, barely noticeable yet pleasant.
They enjoyed a Chinese meal, with several main dishes and a pot of rich soup. As the server lifted the lid of the pot, a strong aroma immediately filled the air.
Wearing disposable gloves, Shen Muchuan placed some peeled crab meat onto a plate in front of Chu Yan, his lips slightly curled as he said, “The drunken crab here is quite delicious. Brother, give it a try.”
He had a smiling and friendly expression, portraying a brotherly demeanor as if he hadn’t meticulously planned to send him to jail.
Chu Yan looked at him, picked up the chopsticks from the table, lowered his head, and took a bite. The sauce was flavorful, and the crab meat was succulent and juicy, truly tasting excellent.
After finishing his bite and raising his eyes, Chu Yan noticed that Shen Muchuan was still looking at him with his eyes slightly narrowed, a hint of elusive smile within them.
Behind him was an endless darkness, and in this quiet moment, the atmosphere surprisingly seemed quite agreeable.
Chu Yan’s eyebrows twitched slightly, his knuckles curled, and after a while, he looked at Shen Muchuan and spoke slowly, “Actually, I’m quite clear about what you’re trying to do.”
Shen Muchuan raised an eyebrow, smiled, and, with an unvarnished tone, he asked, “Brother, what do you mean by that?”
Chu Yan placed his chopsticks down and propped his elbow on the table, subtly pressing his temples with his fingers, seemingly unbothered. “You’re right, Shen Enterprises was originally yours… so, of course, it’s only natural for you to take it back…”
“Is that truly what Brother thinks?” Shen Muchuan’s expression was a mix of emotions as he spoke, “Or have you come up with some new way to deceive me again? After all, in the past, Brother, you haven’t been a stranger to deceiving me.”
His deception was so masterful that, from childhood to adulthood, he even believed that there would never be anyone better at it in this world. Not even his own parents, it seemed, could compare.
He had dedicated so much to him, as if no matter what he did, it would just prompt a helpless smile and immediate forgiveness.
Almost twenty years of being together day in and day out, he thought he understood this person well enough. But what he hadn’t anticipated was that all of it was just a facade crafted to deceive him.
What was most laughable was that if he could maintain this level of deception forever, Shen Enterprises might eventually fall into his hands. He knew the depth of his feelings for him, yet he had chosen this path.
Is it that he can’t wait any longer? Or has he grown tired of enduring it? Is he tired of himself?
Heh—
“If…” With his eyes slightly closed, Chu Yan struggled to suppress the dizziness, his voice hoarse as he said, “If you doubt that I’m deceiving you, you can find a lawyer, I have no objections.”
Shen Muchuan continued to stare at him fixedly, his dark eyebrows furrowed tightly.
“If this still doesn’t satisfy you… and you still want to sue me, I’ll accept it all.”
As he spoke, his demeanor appeared incredibly calm, as if he truly had no other thoughts about what he had done, being candid and indifferent.
Shen Muchuan’s gaze gradually darkened, and he felt an inexplicable annoyance rising within him. He let out a cold chuckle, “Are you deliberately saying this because you think I still can’t let go of you? Or do you believe I’ll still be like a foolish dog, obediently following your words?”
Upon hearing these words, Chu Yan’s brows slightly furrowed, but he didn’t say anything.
Sensing the anger he had so easily provoked within himself, and realizing that his previous words had made him seem foolish, Shen Muchuan clenched his fists, his face rapidly growing dark. He looked at Chu Yan but found that the latter’s expression remained calm, seemingly unaffected. For some reason, intense anger surged through him, rushing through his nerves.
With a cold laugh, he said, “Since you put it that way, how can I not fulfill your wish, my dear brother?”
Finishing his sentence, he suddenly stood up—
However, due to his abrupt movement, as he stood up, he accidentally bumped into the edge of the dining table. There was a creaking sound, and the table shifted noticeably from the impact.
The porcelain bowl in front of Chu Yan, containing soup, tilted slightly from the force, causing the hot liquid to splatter out in an instant.
Instinctively, Shen Muchuan steadied the table. When he looked up, he saw the person sitting across from him. One hand was on the table, seemingly searching for tissues, while the other hand was tightly covering his eyes.
Shen Muchuan’s expression changed as he quickly realized that some soup must have splashed into Chu Yan’s eyes. He strode over and forcefully removed Chu Yan’s hand, covering his eyes.
Indeed, around the corners of his eyes, there were red marks where the hot soup had splashed and scalded his skin. Against his fair complexion, these marks appeared very prominent.
Perhaps because he couldn’t see anything in this state and was forced to refrain from rubbing his eyes, his expression seemed especially innocent. He had even tightly grasped his own sleeve.
In those brief few seconds, his delicate eyelids turned a deep red from being rubbed, and due to the physiological reaction, tears continuously welled up and rolled down his cheeks. His eyelashes trembled gently, as if he were trying hard to open his eyes, but no matter how many times he attempted, he couldn’t succeed.
Shen Muchuan also froze in place, not letting go of Chu Yan’s hands.
The waiter noticed the situation and hurried over, asking, “What’s wrong? What happened?”
In this clearly distressing situation, the waiter quickly suggested, “Ah—then let this gentleman accompany us to the restroom. We have eye drops prepared in the restaurant. I’ll get them right away.”
Shen Muchuan assisted him into the restroom. He watched as Chu Yan placed both hands on the sink, standing under a cool and indifferent light.
His gaze followed the smooth and graceful curve of Chu Yan’s spine, and then traced down to the impeccable quality of his trousers, which encased his legs, which appeared exceptionally straight and slender due to his bent posture. Yet, oddly enough, what repeatedly played in his mind was the image of Chu Yan tugging on his sleeve, his eyelids crimson, tears streaming down his cheeks.
However… however…
Shen Muyuan forced himself to banish those inappropriate emotions from his mind. Soon, he let out a cold laugh, unsure whether that mockery was directed at himself or something else entirely.
…
The next morning, when Chu Yan went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, he discovered that his eyes were indeed badly swollen, making it impossible for him to go out. He used an ice pack for a full half hour before his eyes started looking a bit better.
During breakfast, he received an email from his lawyer. The content included the strategy and chances of winning the case, as well as the maximum benefits he could secure for himself even under the worst conditions.
Of course, the best proposal from his lawyer was still urging him to settle with Shen Muchuan in court.
[Host, please be more proactive with your work, or else you might end up in jail!]
Chu Yan took a sip of milk and turned off his phone’s screen: [Being in jail isn’t all that bad. At least the police would ensure my safety. After three years, he’ll probably have moved on as well.]
Besides, he had been a scapegoat before, and he had experienced jail time.
[Oh no, please don’t, Host! I don’t want to see you in jail!]
Chu Yan smiled and finished the last piece of bread on his plate. Then, he picked up his phone and sent a message to his lawyer.
Half a month quickly passed, and the day of the trial had arrived. The weather was decent, but there was some traffic on the way. The vehicles were stuck on the highway, moving slowly like ants, inch by inch.
Shen Muchuan waited in the courthouse until it was almost time for the trial to start, and then he saw Chu Yan arriving in formal attire.
The temperature today wasn’t low, but Chu Yan was still dressed in a well-fitted suit, looking somewhat exhausted.
As Shen Muchuan’s gaze fell on Chu Yan’s pale face for a moment, he couldn’t help but pause briefly.
After waiting in the lounge for a while, he was informed by the court staff that the trial was about to begin.
Property dispute cases like this are not uncommon. After the preliminary procedures were completed, the presiding judge announced the start of the trial.
Listening to the plaintiff’s lawyer’s statement, the judge then instructed him to present the evidence.
The judge carefully reviewed the documents, then turned to ask Chu Yan, “Regarding the plaintiff’s accusations, what does the defendant have to say?”
Chu Yan lifted his eyes and looked at the judge before saying slowly, “It’s true that I falsified the will, but I deny the accusation of fraudulent acquisition.”
The lawyer presented the evidence in court, saying, “My client’s holdings of 55% shares in Shen Corporation have had their annual dividends deposited into Mr. Shen Muyuan’s bank account for the past five years. We have cross-referenced this with the company’s financial records.”
Shen Muchuan’s pupils suddenly contracted, his breath seemed to halt, and he turned to look at Chu Yan beside him.
For a moment, his mind seemed to go blank.
The judge reviewed the documents and nodded, asking, “So, you do not deny the forgery of the will?”
Chu Yan remained silent for a while before nodding slightly, his voice clear as he said, “That’s correct.”
This was a direct admission of guilt.
The judge made notes and then announced a short break for the jury to discuss.
When the court resumed, the judge quickly announced the verdict — Qiao Yue was ordered to return all the shares he owned in Shen Corporation, his private accounts were to be frozen and handed over to the prosecutor’s office for verification, and he was sentenced to three months of imprisonment.
Shen Muchuan’s body tensed, and for a moment, he didn’t know how to react.
Even when he left the courthouse, he still felt unsettled. Zhang Zhonglun noticed his unpleasant expression and thought he was unhappy with the outcome. He explained, “Mr. Shen, this outcome was quite unexpected… However, what I find puzzling is that if Mr. Qiao was capable of such an act, he might still have feelings for you, or perhaps he has been remorseful all along. Therefore, I think… this result is sufficient.”
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