BF Chapter 35

Zhan Shili turned off his phone and gestured to Xu Zikang: “Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”

 

As they took the elevator downstairs, Xu Zikang hesitantly suggested, “Nic, are you free tonight? Why don’t we have dinner together? Just the two of us.”

 

Zhan Shili gave a perfunctory nod: “Alright.”

 

Xu Shen had also just packed up his things and arrived downstairs. He ran into them in the underground parking lot and walked over to thank Xu Zikang.

 

Xu Zikang smiled and said, “I was only listening to Nic. He said you’ve been working hard and that you’re capable, so you should be given a chance. You don’t need to thank me, just thank Nic.”

 

Xu Shen’s gaze fell on Zhan Shili, and he cooperatively said, “Then thank you, Mr. Zhan.”

 

Zhan Shili replied, “No need.”

 

Xu Shen asked again, “Are you two going home now?”

 

“Nic and I are going out for dinner, I’ll go home later. Ah Shen, you should head back first,” Xu Zikang spoke first, clearly not wanting Xu Shen to tag along again.

 

Xu Shen only looked at Zhan Shili: “You two are going on a date?”

 

Zhan Shili said, “I’ve arranged to have dinner with the Third Young Master.”

 

“I see.” The light in Xu Shen’s eyes faded slightly. “I was originally thinking of treating Third Brother and Mr. Zhan to dinner to thank you both, but it seems like I’d be a little unnecessary, so I won’t be a third wheel. Have fun.”

 

Xu Zikang said very good-naturedly, “Ah Shen, you don’t need to be so polite. There’s always a next time.”

 

Xu Shen said nothing more and returned to his car first, but he didn’t start it immediately. He watched coldly as Zhan Shili helped Xu Zikang into his car.

 

Only after their car drove away did he expressionlessly start the engine, shift gears, and step on the accelerator, driving toward the exit on the other side.

 

In the car, Xu Zikang let out a sigh of relief and asked Zhan Shili, “Nic, why did you suddenly want me to help Ah Shen? Actually, it might not be a good thing for him to be at odds with Second Brother like this. I’ve always stayed out of these company matters before…”

 

“Even if you didn’t want to get involved, Second Young Master wouldn’t leave you alone,” Zhan Shili said. “You’re the company’s second-largest shareholder after the boss. It’s not like you staying out of the company will let everything remain peaceful like you think. The Second Young Master is narrow-minded. After the Eldest Young Master died, his next target will definitely be you. There’s nothing wrong with having Young Master Shen stand in front of you to take some pressure off.”

 

Xu Zikang couldn’t bring himself to agree: “We’re all family, why does it have to be like this…”

 

Zhan Shili asked, “Do you think the Second Young Master thinks the same way?”

 

Xu Zikang was left speechless.

 

“You consider them family, but they might not consider you family. Don’t be naive.”

 

Zhan Shili’s tone wasn’t harsh, yet Xu Zikang found himself unable to refute him.

 

He had already grown accustomed to trusting Zhan Shili unconditionally, so he involuntarily began wondering whether he really was too weak and had been deceiving himself, which was why he always wanted to avoid facing reality.

 

“If, and I mean if,” Xu Zikang hesitated before asking again, “Ah Shen really defeats Second Brother in the end, then I won’t get dragged into all of this?”

 

Zhan Shili answered absentmindedly, “Young Master Shen had just returned to the family very recently and has no one on his side. You helped him today, so he should remember it. After all, he also needs the support of the company’s other shareholders and directors, so there’s no reason for him to make things difficult for you. Unless—”

 

Xu Zikang asked instinctively, “Unless what?”

 

Zhan Shili paused for a second before continuing, “Unless you’ve offended him before.”

 

Xu Zikang’s heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously denied it: “I haven’t.”

 

His smile was forced: “How could I possibly have offended Ah Shen…”

 

Zhan Shili nodded lightly: “I know you haven’t, I was just joking.”

 

Xu Zikang instinctively felt guilty and even a little panicked. He had never told anyone about what happened when they were children, nor was he willing to recall it. Every time it came to mind, it was like reliving a nightmare.

 

He didn’t consider himself a bad person. In his entire life, there had only been that one thing he had done wrong. It was all because of his cowardice and timidity that he ended up hurting Xu Shen.

 

Fortunately, Xu Shen had been safe and sound. Fortunately, Xu Shen had been too young at the time and probably hadn’t heard what he had blurted out to those kidnappers in his panic. Fortunately…

 

Zhan Shili caught sight of the uneasiness in his expression and purposefully asked, “What are you thinking about?”

 

“Nothing,” Xu Zikang came back to his senses and shook his head slightly. Not wanting to talk about this anymore, he searched for another topic to bring up: “Nic, that fragrance diffuser is really pretty. I don’t think I’ve seen it before, did you buy it recently?”

 

Zhan Shili glanced at it and said, “It was a gift from a friend.”

 

“…” 

 

Xu Zikang swallowed his words. He was thinking that Zhan Shili couldn’t possibly like this style of decoration; unexpectedly, it was something some friend had given him, which he had left in the car.

 

Zhan Shili changed the subject and asked what he wanted to eat. Xu Zikang was in a bad mood and gave no suggestions, so Zhan Shili randomly chose a nearby restaurant.

 

The conversation at the dinner table continued as usual, though Zhan Shili showed little interest. After all, this was how he and Xu Zikang had always gotten along—Xu Zikang would talk about the trivial troubles in his work and life while he listened, occasionally offering a few words of comfort and a few pieces of advice.

 

“Nic,” Xu Zikang suddenly asked him after a while, “Is being with me boring for you? I’m in poor health and I’m not an interesting person, so I can’t do anything with you, and you always have to listen to me talk about these boring things. Isn’t that dull?”

 

Zhan Shili calmly asked, “Why do you ask?”

 

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Xu Zikang said dejectedly. “I just feel like you’re a little different from before, but I can’t quite put my finger on exactly what’s different.”

 

“There’s no need to overthink things,” Zhan Shili interrupted. “I don’t feel that way.”

 

Xu Zikang asked uncertainly, “Really?”

 

“Mhm,” Zhan Shili gave a slight nod. “Don’t think too much.”

 

“But I—”

 

“Don’t worry, it’s fine.” Zhan Shili looked at him, his eyes dark and steadfast.

 

Xu Zikang was once again subdued by that look in his eyes. His turbulent emotions had barely calmed down, and he could not say anything more. Ultimately, he nodded.

 

Halfway through dinner, a call came in.

 

Zhan Shili glanced at the caller ID and saw Xu Shen’s name. His finger rested over the call button for a second before he answered.

 

There was no sound from the other end. Zhan Shili held the phone and waited for a moment before speaking first: “What is it?”

 

Xu Shen was at the shooting range at that moment. He had just finished firing a round, raised his head to look at the lights that had come on in the distance, and squinted.

 

Zhan Shili’s voice came through his headphones. Xu Shen remained silent, imagining the way that man would be chatting pleasantly with someone else with that witty and gentlemanly demeanor, and then murmured, “Nic, what do you think people live for?”

 

The voice on the phone paused, then asked, “Where are you?”

 

Xu Shen didn’t answer. He quietly looked out into the night ahead. Beneath the heavy clouds overhead, the city lights flickered in the black haze, while farther away, towering buildings stood one after another, jagged and menacing, as though they could devour everything whole.

 

“It’s dark,” he said softly after a long while. “Nic, I’m a little scared.”

 

He heard the man’s suppressed breathing and hung up before Zhan Shili could speak again, then turned off his phone.

 

Zhan Shili frowned. Xu Zikang anxiously asked him, “Who called? What’s wrong?”

 

Zhan Shili turned off his phone screen and said to Xu Zikang, “I’ll call a driver to come pick you up and take you home. I need to go back to the company, there’s something urgent I have to attend to. Sorry.”

 

Xu Zikang opened his mouth: “I—”

 

Zhan Shili had already stood up and picked up his suit jacket: “Keep eating. The driver will pick you up later. Send me a message when you get home.”

 

Then, without giving Xu Zikang another chance to speak, he paid the bill and left in a hurry.

 

After getting into the car, Zhan Shili called Xu Shen back, but his phone had already been turned off.

 

Despite knowing full well that this was another of Xu Shen’s tricks, Zhan Shili had to admit that had no choice but to admit that Xu Shen had managed to throw him into disarray. He couldn’t help but feel angry and annoyed, unconsciously pressing down harder on the accelerator.

 

Thinking of the faint gunshots he had heard in the background of the call just now, Zhan Shili quickly switched on his turn signal and turned the car around.

 

Forty minutes later, Zhan Shili arrived at the skeet shooting range. Sure enough, Xu Shen was there. He was the only person left on the range, holding his gun and repeatedly pulling the trigger.

 

Bang! Bang! Bang!—

 

Gunshots rang out continuously, every shot fast and ruthless, shattering the targets launched ahead one after another, as if venting some kind of anger.

 

Zhan Shili stopped behind him and watched for a while without making a sound to disturb him, until Xu Shen finally stopped.

 

Xu Shen turned around, resting the long gun against the ground as he removed his protective glasses, looking at him expressionlessly.

 

“How did you find me here?”

 

Zhan Shili stepped forward: “Had enough fun? Come back with me.”

 

Xu Shen asked, “Your date ended?”

 

“No,” Zhan Shili said reluctantly. “Someone called me asking what people live for, so I didn’t dare not come.”

 

Xu Shen looked into his eyes. There was anger in Zhan Shili’s gaze, but he had hidden it well.

 

“Are you angry because I interrupted your date?”

 

“If I get angry, will you stop being so troublesome?” Zhan Shili threw the question back at him. “What kind of reaction were you even hoping to get from me?”

 

Instead, Xu Shen asked, “Did you enjoy your date with my third brother?”

 

Mockery appeared in Zhan Shili’s eyes: “Who was it that said he wasn’t that possessive before, that he knew I had no choice, and that if I wanted to go out with him, I could, because he understood?”

 

Xu Shen stared at him and said, “I’m not as generous as I claim to be. You promised you’d put me before him. Nic, you wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?”

 

After a moment of silence, Zhan Shili asked, “Are you really jealous?”

 

That day, Xu Shen had said that every time he saw Zhan Shili being close to Xu Zikang, it made him feel awful inside. Zhan Shili had originally thought it was simply Xu Shen teasing him, but now he suddenly wasn’t so sure.

 

“What do you think?” Xu Shen raised the gun in his hand and used it to lightly pat Zhan Shili’s face, emphasizing each word: “I know you’re a liar, but the part where I said ‘it doesn’t matter’ was a lie. If you dare deceive me, I will kill you.”

 

Zhan Shili saw the viciousness in his eyes—perhaps this was Young Master Shen’s true self.

 

Placing his hand over Xu Shen’s hand holding the gun and slowly stroking it, Zhan Shili asked him, “Do you have any conscience at all? Who do you think I went to have dinner with someone else for today?”

 

The two were locked in a fierce stare-down, neither willing to back down. After a momentary stalemate, Xu Shen finally smiled, all the earlier hostility dissipating into the wind: “I’m narrow-minded, so please be a little more tolerant.”

 

Seeing that he was indeed jealous, Zhan Shili decided not to argue with him and took the gun from him, placing it down: “Let’s go, we’re heading back.”

 

After getting into the car, Zhan Shili leaned over and first pulled Xu Shen’s seatbelt across him. Once he finished, he didn’t immediately move away, instead reaching out to roughly flick Xu Shen’s cheek: “Don’t play around like this again.”

 

Xu Shen looked rather pleased with himself: “Was I playing around?”

 

“You know it best yourself,” Zhan Shili said. “Seems to me like you find life plenty interesting, so stop spouting nonsense.”

 

Xu Shen obediently admitted his mistake: “Alright, I shouldn’t have talked nonsense. I’m sorry I scared you.”

 

Actually, he had been gambling, gambling on whether Zhan Shili would come.

 

Even as a toy, Xu Shen wasn’t willing to share him with anyone. Since he had taken him for himself, then he could only belong to him.

 

Whether Xu Shen was acting or not, at least this attitude satisfied Zhan Shili, and so he softened his voice: “When you said you were scared just now, was that true?”

 

“Well…” Xu Shen said quietly, “Somewhat.”

 

Zhan Shili didn’t ask any further. He raised a hand and flicked Xu Shen’s forehead, then moved away, sat back in his seat, and started the car.

 

“I’ll take you back.”

 

“I don’t want to go back.”

 

Xu Shen reached into his armrest compartment, took out a piece of candy, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth: “I want to go to your place.”

 

Zhan Shili turned to look at him.

 

Meeting his dark eyes, Xu Shen smiled and explained, “So you won’t say I have no conscience again. You worked so hard selling your charms for me. It’s what I promised you before, I’ll make it up to you.”

 

Zhan Shili’s gaze stilled. Without saying another word, he looked forward again and stepped on the accelerator, heading toward his own home.

 

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t/n: Yikes they aren’t far from getting caught, counting it down rn: 7

Also, little update… I ended up with a lot of spare time on my hands and ended up translating a lot of advance chapters, so if you want to read that, you can go purchase it on my kofi~ There should be about 30ish extra chapters already translated ^^ Link is below~

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♡♡♡ if you like my translations, please consider buying me a kofi~! ♡♡♡