“Still have feelings?”
A trace of confusion flickered in Shen Muchuan’s eyes. Wasn’t that rather amusing? If Qiao Yue truly cared for him, how could he have done something so heartless to himself?
How cruel…
But why did he have to do this again? All the dividends from those shares were deposited into his own account… Perhaps it was just because of a guilty conscience?
He forced himself to suppress the emotions he shouldn’t be feeling, but a subtle pain seemed to spread from the wound. In fact, that wound had long since healed, and even the scar was hardly noticeable… So he was just… still unable to forget, that was all…
“Mr. Qiao…”
Hearing the voice, Shen Muchuan turned his head and saw Chu Yan standing on the steps at the entrance of the courthouse, talking to his lawyer.
As if sensing his gaze, Chu Yan turned his head, and their eyes met from a distance, for just that fleeting moment. In that split second, an indescribable feeling surged within Shen Muchuan.
A moment later, the lawyer beside him seemed to listen to something Chu Yan said, lowered his head to flip through the documents in his hand, and then turned to step down from the steps. He stood there and said, “Mr. Shen.”
“Mr. Shen, regarding some follow-up matters after the property transfer, should we find a time to discuss?”
Shen Muchuan didn’t respond, he just glanced silently at Chu Yan, who was standing on the steps behind him, then turned around, opened the car door, and got in.
—
The first trial concluded, and the verdict came out quickly. If the defendant doesn’t appeal within half a month, the verdict will automatically take effect.
Due to the short duration of the imprisonment sentence and its relatively mild punishment, the severity is actually considered relatively light. However, compared to the detention a month ago, the days are still quite difficult.
However, precisely because the imprisonment term is short and the management is more relaxed, as long as there’s money to smooth things over, the time inside will be relatively better.
Nevertheless, this is only relatively speaking.
The place where he lived was extremely damp, with no trace of sunlight entering. The bedding was very heavy, yet it provided no warmth. The air seemed to be filled with fine dust particles, permeating a musty smell.
However, the fact that three years could become three months showed that the system’s program was quite impressive. The technical support provided each time was reliable, and without hesitation, Chu Yan gave it a five-star rating.
With this, perhaps Shen Muchuan would also start to doubt in his heart. After all, his actions seemed quite contradictory in his eyes.
On one hand, he acted resolutely and ruthlessly without leaving any room for negotiation, and on the other hand, he hadn’t touched a penny and left all the money for him…
The spacious room had nothing in it except for a bed. The prison guard handed over his daily necessities and glanced at the list in his hand before asking, “Did you submit a medical case application to the administration?”
As the guard spoke, he looked up and couldn’t help but pause for a moment. A thought flashed through his mind—this person is truly handsome.
Appearing very young yet exuding an aura of maturity, his fair skin almost had a near-icy quality to it. His demeanor was refined, and not a flaw could be found on his face.
Chu Yan cleared his throat and hoarsely replied, “I submitted it yesterday.”
The guard observed him for a moment before lowering his head and making a note on the paper with a ballpoint pen, “Then it should be ready for you tomorrow.”
For inmates with short sentences like his, the attitude of the guards was relatively mild. They mostly just disrupted public order and didn’t pose significant moral issues.
Furthermore, this person seemed different from other inmates in every way. He exuded an air of intellectual sophistication.
The guard continued somewhat uncomfortably, “However, you can’t keep the medication on yourself. Remember to go to the squadron office at the designated time every day to collect it.”
…
After spending two days in prison, Chu Yan found that life there wasn’t as unbearable as he had imagined. Though the food was indeed subpar, he had anticipated that; after all, who would expect good food in jail?
What surprised him, though, was that perhaps his submitted medical request had some effect. His daily task was merely copying the “Public Security Management Regulations” fifty times…
And since most of his fellow inmates were also serving short sentences, their attitudes were relatively positive, and they never caused him any trouble.
Finally, after three days of enduring this kind of life, a prison guard came to inform him that someone had applied for a prison visit.
“One hour, go inside,” the guard said as he unlocked the heavy iron door.
The door swung open, and as soon as Shen Muchuan stepped inside, he was hit by a damp and musty smell. While not overly unpleasant, the lack of proper ventilation made the air feel stuffy and stifling after staying there for a while.
It was even worse than last time, with smaller windows that barely let any sunlight in.
Shen Muchuan paused, looking at the surroundings. An indescribable feeling welled up in his heart as he surveyed the environment.
Whether it was their initial reunion at the hotel or the circumstances he was enduring now, over the past five years, he had imagined them countless times in his mind.
Each time felt like self-inflicted torture, replaying the scenes over and over, reopening the wounds that still bled, and telling himself — make him taste this pain too, make him experience the taste of having nothing left at all.
This person should pay the price; everything he’s experiencing is of his own making…
Shen Muchuan scrutinized him from top to bottom, not missing the slight hint of surprise that briefly flashed across his face when he entered the room, though it disappeared almost instantly.
Only a few days had passed, yet it was still evident that he had lost weight. His complexion appeared remarkably worn, his cheeks tinged with a distressing paleness.
Such a complexion was certainly not indicative of a healthy person.
Shen Muchuan knew that his health had never been good since childhood. Perhaps it was due to the hardships he endured in the orphanage. Despite being three years older than himself, he seemed smaller and thinner when he first arrived at their home.
As he entered high school, his height gradually increased. However, his foundation was much weaker compared to others, as if no matter how much he tried to catch up, it couldn’t be fully regained.
Thinking back to the past, Shen Muchuan’s breath paused for a few seconds. He stared intently at him, his gaze carrying an indescribable chill. He said, “I have a few questions to ask you.”
His tone was very serious and formal, leaving no room for refusal. His brows and eyes were deep, and his features were sharp and profound. With his complexion now so stern, he appeared incredibly icy, a far cry from the seemingly affectionate demeanor he displayed earlier.
Chu Yan fell silent for a moment and then spoke, “What… do you want to ask?”
“Why?” Shen Muchuan stared at him fixedly, his gaze sharp and piercing to the point of almost seeing through him. With a commanding presence, he pressed on word by word, “Why did you confine me back then? Why didn’t you let me see my parents for the last time?”
His voice was cold and stern, and a faint vein seemed to throb on his forehead. When looking at him like this, the hatred in his eyes had almost solidified.
“You did all of this for a reason, didn’t you?”
Chu Yan’s lips trembled uncontrollably for a moment, and he lowered his gaze to avoid his eyes.
Seeing him evade the question, Shen Muchuan’s gaze grew colder: “You’re not answering, is it because you can’t find a reason?”
“Fine, let me ask you again. Since you went to such lengths just to gain those shares, why did you deposit all the money into my account?”
Chu Yan’s eyelashes fluttered: “It was for some comfort, that’s all. Regardless of everything, at least your feelings for me were genuine. The things I did to you would still trouble my conscience.”
Shen Muchuan’s heart was pricked by that statement. So, he knew very well about his feelings and his sincerity, yet he had acted without hesitation, completely disregarding his own feelings.
And now, to claim it was just for some comfort? It was truly laughable!
After a few seconds of silence, Shen Muchuan suddenly let out a cold chuckle. He leaned down, his lips almost touching Chu Yan’s ear, and mockingly said, “Since you know how I feel about you, do you also know… what I’ve always wanted to do to you?”
At this point, he reached out and grabbed a handful of his hair at the back of his head, forcing him to lift his head. With a swift kick, he knocked the chair out from under Chu An and deftly pushed him down to the ground.
Chu An’s head hit the ground, causing his vision to darken. Before he could comprehend what was happening, a hand suddenly pressed against his waist.
Silence hung in the air.
Although their relationship had been established earlier, they had never engaged in intimate activities that couples typically do.
An action like placing a hand on the waist was even more impossible to allow.
The sensation of skin under his palm was so electrifying that it seemed unimaginable. It sent a tingling sensation from his fingertips straight to his heart, leaving him inexplicably feeling as though he had touched something scalding.
Shen Muchuan’s body tensed, and he remained frozen for a moment before quickly retracting his hand as if he had suddenly realized it.
Chu Yan fell silent for a moment, then sat up from the ground. In doing so, all the emotions he had been brewing just moments ago seemed to have vanished.
Just then, a prison guard knocked heavily on the door from outside, saying, “Time’s up.”
Shen Muchuan’s expression darkened once again. He turned to look at Chu Yan and said coldly, “I’ll ask you one more time, why did you do that?”
Chu Yan shook his head and replied, “I’ve already told you…”
Shen Muchuan clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white as the veins on the back of his hand stood out. He stared at Chu Yan for a while, then finally, as if venting his anger, he kicked the nearby table hard and bit his teeth while forcing out a bitter smile. “Fine, it seems you’re determined to go to jail, then how can I not fulfill your wish?”
With these words, he turned and stormed out, slamming the door shut with a resounding clang that echoed for a long time.
—
About a week after Shen Muchuan left, the lawyer came directly to him and informed him that the handover procedures had been completely arranged, while his personal account was still under review.
Of course, there was another piece of news. Shen Muchuan, who held 55% of the shares in Zhongcheng, promptly convened a shareholders’ meeting and reelected the board of directors.
“Mr. Qiao, should we consider applying for a retrial? The verdict won’t be finalized for a few more days, so there’s still a chance,” the lawyer said, looking at his complexion with deep concern. After all, prison was certainly not a pleasant place to stay, and even enduring three more months would be challenging, let alone another three days.
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