BF Chapter 65

Twenty minutes later, Xu Shen walked out of the apartment building and shivered involuntarily at the chill of the night wind.

 

The headlights ahead flashed twice. It was Zhan Shili signaling to him.

 

He walked over, pulled open the door, and sat in the passenger seat.

 

Zhan Shili turned his head and watched as he pulled the seat belt over and buckled it. Xu Shen was wearing only a thin shirt, a stretch of collarbone exposed beneath the undone buttons, his fair skin slightly flushed from the cold.

 

Zhan Shili tossed his suit jacket over to him: “I told you to put on more clothes. Why didn’t you listen? Is nothing I say trustworthy to you?”

 

Xu Shen’s palm rested against the fabric still carrying Zhan Shili’s body heat as he looked away: “What about you is worth trusting?”

 

The atmosphere in the car stiffened for a beat. Zhan Shili opened the armrest compartment, took out a piece of candy, and offered it to him: “Want one?”

 

“No. I don’t actually like candy,” Xu Shen said. “It’s too sweet, and it gets boring after a while.”

 

Zhan Shili held the candy between his fingers for a moment, then threw it back into the compartment and asked, “Didn’t you say that day you’d given this place to someone else? You’ve actually been living here all along. Why?”

 

Xu Shen only said, “I bought the place myself. Why can’t I live here?”

 

Zhan Shili fell silent for a moment and didn’t ask again. He started the car and stepped on the accelerator.

 

“Where do you want to go?”

 

His tone was ordinary, as though none of the undercurrents from their phone call earlier had ever existed.

 

Xu Shen leaned lazily against the seat, unable to muster much interest: “You’re the one who wanted to go for a drive. Don’t ask me.”

 

Zhan Shili commented, “It’s not easy getting Young Master Shen to keep me company.”

 

“You have plenty of tricks anyways,” Xu Shen said flatly. “My assistant is in your hands. Whether I wanted to come out or not, I had to.”

 

Zhan Shili nodded: “Sorry to trouble you, Young Master Shen.”

 

He drove slowly, wandering aimlessly through the streets.

 

The surrounding headlights intertwined into drifting bands of light, flickering in and out, almost illusory.

 

It wasn’t only those dazzling lights and shadows that were restless, but people’s hearts too.

 

“When are you planning to let Brandon go?”

 

Xu Shen actually had very little patience left; he was forcing himself to just bear with it.

 

“Shh,” Zhan Shili raised a finger to his lips, unwilling to mention someone who would spoil the mood.

 

“You really impress me,” Xu Shen said sarcastically. “You seriously aren’t afraid I’ll call the police?”

 

Zhan Shili glanced back at him, his tone dismissive: “Whatever makes Young Master Shen happy.”

 

“You think doing this makes me happy?” Xu Shen frowned and questioned him coldly.

 

The car stopped at a red light. Zhan Shili reached over, his fingertip resting between Xu Shen’s brows and gently rubbing once: “Are you really that angry?”

 

Xu Shen pressed his hand down, his jaw tense: “Listen, my tolerance has its limits. Don’t keep provoking me.”

 

“Am I provoking you?”

 

Zhan Shili looked straight at him, his eyes a deep, unwavering black: “Can I provoke you?”

 

“You know exactly what you’re doing.” Xu Shen disliked the look in Zhan Shili’s eyes very much; it gave him the distinctly uncomfortable feeling of being watched like prey, “No one has ever dared do this to me. You’ve crossed the line.”

 

Zhan Shili observed him in silence until the light turned green, then withdrew his gaze without saying a word and stepped on the accelerator.

 

Xu Shen’s expression grew even icier.

 

A little over ten minutes later, the car stopped again. Xu Shen’s gaze moved outside and realized that the place Zhan Shili had parked was actually right in front of a police station.

 

His brows drew tightly together: “Why did you stop here?”

 

“Didn’t you say you were going to call the police?” Zhan Shili’s expression was calm as he lifted his chin slightly toward the station, “As you wished, I brought you here to report me.”

 

The anger Xu Shen had been suppressing flared violently at his words. He reached out, seized Zhan Shili by the collar forcefully, yanking him close: “You think I don’t dare?”

 

“Of course you dare,” Zhan Shili stared into his fierce eyes, thinking to himself that it was indeed as he had expected, even the expression Xu Shen made when angry was this beautiful. “I’m the one who doesn’t care. Since I did it, I was naturally already prepared for the consequences.”

 

Xu Shen’s fingers tightened, his knuckles straining into unnatural angles, his dark pupils coated in ice: “Do you really have to provoke me like this?”

 

Zhan Shili raised a hand and stroked his face, saying softly, “Seren, you’ve lost your composure.”

 

Xu Shen’s fingers trembled slightly, his eyes flickered, as if he was about to cry. Still, the words spoken were sharp enough to draw blood: “Do you believe that I will kill you?”

 

Zhan Shili only asked, “Would killing me make you happy?”

 

Xu Shen kept holding onto him, breathing heavily.

 

A police officer came over and knocked on the car window, breaking the stalemate.

 

Xu Shen glared viciously at Zhan Shili and still refused to let go.

 

Zhan Shili slowly pulled down the hand gripping his collar, lightly patted the back of Xu Shen’s hand to soothe him, then rolled down the window.

 

The officer bent down and looked into the car, saying to Zhan Shili, “You can’t park here. Move along as soon as possible. Were you two fighting just now? Do you need any help?”

 

Zhan Shili looked at Xu Shen: “Do you want to go in?”

 

Xu Shen shoved him, his fingers abruptly loosening. As though all the fight had gone out of him, he lowered his eyes, coldness surrounding him as he leaned back into the seat and stopped paying Zhan Shili any more attention.

 

Zhan Shili told the officer, “It’s nothing,” then started the car and drove away.

 

The car made another round through the streets before finally stopping beside Victoria Harbour.

 

Xu Shen remained leaning against the seat, his gaze falling on the nighttime harbour view outside the window. Compared with his earlier agitation and loss of control, he had completely calmed down now, but it was also as though all his strength had been drained away, unable to muster any energy to speak.

 

Zhan Shili held out a cigarette to him: “Want one?”

 

The person who used to keep him from smoking was now the one asking whether he wanted a cigarette.

 

“I didn’t mean to make you angry. What would it take for you to let this go?” Zhan Shili took a deep drag and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke. He still didn’t like the smell of cigarettes, but he had already become accustomed to relying on them to numb himself.

 

Xu Shen was still looking out at the night view, his profile immersed in the shifting light and shadow, the contours of his face repeatedly traced by the flowing darkness, tranquil and still.

 

The ember at the tip of the cigarette brightened and dimmed. Zhan Shili watched him for a moment, then lightly tapped the ash into the ashtray: “Seren.”

 

Xu Shen finally turned his head to look at him, his dark eyes cold and heavy: “The drive is over. Can we go back now?”

 

Zhan Shili looked at him: “You don’t want to stay with me that badly?”

 

Xu Shen scoffed: “There’s nothing to say when we don’t see eye to eye.”

 

Zhan Shili stared at those red lips that kept saying unpleasant things, his voice lowering: “I’m apologizing to you.”

 

“I don’t accept apologies,” Xu Shen said coldly. “Apologies are the most useless thing. I’ve never believed in that. What you should do is stop bothering me and get out of my sight.”

 

Zhan Shili’s gaze slowly darkened too: “Seren, don’t say things you don’t mean.”

 

Xu Shen had no interest in continuing. He reached for the door to get out, but it wouldn’t open.

 

“Open it,” he gestured irritably.

 

Zhan Shili’s eyelids dropped, cigarette between his lips, gazing at him without moving. There was something in it that was unsettling and unfathomable.

 

Xu Shen glanced at the dashboard and reached for the central lock. Just as his fingers touched the button, Zhan Shili suddenly caught his wrist.

 

“Seren, I didn’t agree to let you off,” Zhan Shili’s tone was soft and calm, but his attitude was firm.

 

Xu Shen’s expression chilled further: “Let go.”

 

Zhan Shili refused. The two of them struggled in a contest of strength, the cigarette still between Zhan Shili’s fingers. Xu Shen tried to shake his hand off, only to be burned by falling ash, making him frown.

 

Seeing that, Zhan Shili finally let go. He simply closed his palm around the still-burning cigarette and crushed it out that way so it wouldn’t burn Xu Shen again.

 

“You—”

 

Xu Shen’s voice suddenly stopped.

 

Zhan Shili unhurriedly tossed the extinguished cigarette into the ashtray. A black burn mark remained on his open palm, but he only pulled out a tissue and wiped it away half-heartedly, his expression unchanged throughout.

 

Xu Shen watched his movements, seeming stunned for a moment, when he spoke again, his voice had turned exasperated: “Are you mental? Who puts out a cigarette like that?!”

 

Zhan Shili slowly raised his eyes: “It hurts quite a bit.”

 

“You deserve it!” Xu Shen snapped angrily.

 

Zhan Shili nodded slightly: “You’re right, I do deserve it.”

 

“…” Xu Shen suddenly fell silent, his heart churning like boiling water, rising and falling with restlessness and anxiety.

 

He was never like this before. Even if he refused to admit it, no one, absolutely no one, had ever been able to affect his emotions the way Zhan Shili did, making him toss and turn and feeling all resentful.

 

He called him a toy, but in truth, he had already played himself into it long ago, constantly involving himself with this man again and again, indulging him every time he pushed a little further.

 

Clearly Zhan Shili, that bastard, was the heartless one, yet he still dared to act this way and make demands of him as if he were completely justified.

 

How dare he?

 

Xu Shen completely deflated and looked away: “Do me a favor and take me back. I’m really sleepy. I want to go back and sleep.”

 

Zhan Shili asked, “Are you sure you’re able sleep right now?”

 

Xu Shen mocked himself: “Even if I can’t, I have to. I’m not interested in dropping dead from overwork while I’m still young.”

 

Zhan Shili tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. After thinking for a moment, he finally started the car as Xu Shen wished.

 

However, he wasn’t taking the road back to Xu Shen’s place. Xu Shen quickly realized it: “Nic, what exactly are you trying to do?”

 

“If you can’t sleep, come to my place. I’ll sleep with you,” Zhan Shili said, already having made up his mind not to give Xu Shen a choice.

 

Xu Shen had the words on the tip of his tongue, but he just didn’t have the energy to argue with him anymore.

 

Halfway there, Zhan Shili suddenly glanced at the rearview mirror and increased his speed.

 

Xu Shen leaned against the seat and turned his head, glancing outside as well. Two cars were following them from behind, clinging to them ever since they had left Langting.

 

Back in the busy downtown area, those people hadn’t dared follow too closely; now, they were chasing right behind them.

 

Xu Shen frowned. They were most likely here for him; there were always people without eyes who wanted to cause him trouble.

 

Zhan Shili drove into a secluded area and braked abruptly.

 

The cars behind drove up, boxing them in from front and back.

 

Zhan Shili unbuckled his seat belt expressionlessly, told Xu Shen to ”stay put and don’t move,” pushed open the door to get out, then directly locked the doors.

 

“Hey!” Xu Shen immediately tried to open the door and follow him, but the central lock had malfunctioned and wouldn’t respond at all. Perhaps that bastard had deliberately broken the central locking function during their argument earlier.

 

He pulled on the door handle, but there was no response. All he could do was watch helplessly as Zhan Shili walked forward, exchanged a few words with those men, and then started fighting.

 

Zhan Shili fought as though he couldn’t feel a thing, vicious and ruthless, without the slightest restraint. A steel pipe grazed the back of his neck and smashed into the hood with a heavy thud. He spun around and drove an elbow into the attacker’s throat, then when the man stumbled back, grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the headlight.

 

Xu Shen’s heartbeat leaped in his throat. He immediately climbed into the driver’s seat and quickly started the car. When he caught sight of someone raising a knife and charging at Zhan Shili’s back, he slammed the gear into drive and stepped on the accelerator, grinding his back teeth together as the tires rolled forward with the roar of the engine, the front of the car crashing hard into the man’s waist.

 

A howl of pain rang out, and Xu Shen gave them no time to react, quickly reversing, intending to hit a second time.

 

Taking advantage of the situation, Zhan Shili knocked down another man who lunged at him.

 

Those people finally realized the two of them were lunatics who weren’t afraid to die. Seeing the situation turn against them, they began to retreat, miserably hauling up the ones on the ground before running away.

 

Zhan Shili walked back to the car and unlocked the doors.

 

Xu Shen immediately shoved the door open and got out, using all his self-control not to punch him outright. But Zhan Shili raised a hand and stroked his face, frowning: “That was dangerous. I told you to stay put and not move, but you really never listen.”

 

Xu Shen sneered: “Zhan Shili, what exactly do you take me for?”

 

Zhan Shili’s gaze dimmed slightly as he caressed Xu Shen’s cheek. There was grime and blood on his hand from the fight, and he deliberately smeared it across Xu Shen’s face.

 

“I really don’t know what to do with you.”

 

Xu Shen wasn’t buying any of it and cursed him: “You really are mental.”

 

“Come back with me,” Zhan Shili said softly.

 

Xu Shen stood where he was. The chilly wind made his skin flush red again without him realizing it, his voice was chilly as well: “I’m not going to your place. I’m going back to Langting.”

 

Zhan Shili’s fingers remained on his face, staring at the smear of blood dirtying Xu Shen’s otherwise clean features.

 

The wild look Xu Shen had worn when he drove the car into them just now had been incredibly captivating. There really had been a moment when Zhan Shili was close to relenting, but the more it was like this, the less he wanted to let go.

 

Zhan Shili’s hand slid down and clamped tightly around Xu Shen’s wrist. He pulled open the rear door and, before Xu Shen could react, yanked him over and forcibly shoved him into the back seat.

 

“What are you doing—”

 

Xu Shen’s voice was cut off behind the closed car door. Zhan Shili went straight to the driver’s seat, quickly locked the doors, fastened his seat belt, and started the car.

 

“Sit properly.”

 

“Fuck you!”

 

Enraged, Xu Shen cursed and lunged at the front seat, trying to grab the steering wheel.

 

Zhan Shili let him, not stepping on the accelerator right away. He hooked an arm around Xu Shen’s waist and pulled him into his arms.

 

Amid the collision of their bodies, Xu Shen groaned, the back of his knee catching against the edge of the dashboard. He fell awkwardly onto Zhan Shili’s lap in a twisted position and was restrained by his hands.

 

“Seren,” Zhan Shili reminded him hoarsely, “if the car loses control in a moment and something happens, I wouldn’t mind dying together with you. What do you think?”

 

The tip of his shoe was already resting against the accelerator, ready to send the car rushing forward at any moment.

 

Gasping for breath, Xu Shen gripped his collar tightly, his teeth clenched and trembling: “Who the hell wants to die with you? Who the hell do you think you are?”

 

Zhan Shili’s blatant gaze fixed on Xu Shen’s face, where the blood he had smeared earlier had blended into the faint flush of anger, like rouge.

 

Xu Shen’s beautiful dark eyes were filled with daggers, sharp enough to send shivers down one’s spine.

 

Zhan Shili raised a hand, smeared that streak of red across Xu Shen’s lips, lowered his head, and bit down fiercely.

 

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t/n: Technically both of them are mental (reconciliation countdown: 4)

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Continue Reading Ch. 66-71: click me <3