Xie Zhao, seizing an opportune moment, stirred up a little trouble for Xiao Cheng before leaving the scene with ease.
Xiao Cheng watched him board his car and leave, just as he was about to sigh in relief. But suddenly, the sound of footsteps behind him made him tense.
Before he could turn around, a strong arm wrapped around his shoulders, forcing his body to lean back into someone’s chest.
The unexpected embrace caught Xiao Cheng off guard, and he found himself pinned in place by Luo Jingshu’s arm draped across his chest. Luo Jingshu leaned in, his lips brushing against Xiao Cheng’s ear as he spoke through gritted teeth, “What were you two just doing?”
The words were soaked with jealousy.
Xiao Cheng, already mentally prepared when Xie Zhao had said what he did earlier, couldn’t help but chuckle when he heard the vinegar-soaked question from Luo Jingshu.
“You’re still laughing?”
Luo Jingshu, seeing the amusement on Xiao Cheng’s face, felt his jealousy dissipate just a bit. He leaned in and nibbled lightly on Xiao Cheng’s earlobe, muttering, “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”
When he had seen Xie Zhao touch Xiao Cheng’s face from afar earlier, Luo Jingshu had been so furious he nearly rushed over to pummel Xie Zhao on the spot.
Brother Cheng didn’t even dodge.
Xiao Cheng, sensing Luo Jingshu’s mood, pushed him gently with his elbow. “That was nothing. Senior was just joking around.”
He understood Xie Zhao’s actions. Losing to Luo Jingshu had left Xie Zhao feeling a little unwilling to accept it, but there was no malicious intent behind his behavior.
What’s more, Xie Zhao’s touch had been brief, so much so that Xiao Cheng hadn’t even had time to react before Xie Zhao withdrew his hand.
“If he jokes like that again, just punch him,” Luo Jingshu declared as he hugged Xiao Cheng tightly, his tone still tinged with jealousy. “Don’t hold back.”
Xiao Cheng rolled his eyes inwardly.
How had he ended up with such a clingy, jealous puppy?
“I told you not to follow me here,” Xiao Cheng said, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
Luo Jingshu immediately caught on to his meaning, his eyes widening in disbelief. He looked like a wronged puppy.
“You’re not mad at him for touching you, but you’re mad at me for following you and seeing it?”
“You’re being ridiculous,” Xiao Cheng replied, feeling helpless. He grabbed Luo Jingshu’s hand and softened his tone. “Alright, I promise I won’t let anyone touch me like that again.”
Luo Jingshu finally seemed satisfied.
“From now on, I’m the only one allowed to touch your face,” he added, taking the opportunity to lay claim.
Xiao Cheng, expecting as much, ignored the comment and asked instead, “Where are the twins?”
The mention of them immediately soured Luo Jingshu’s mood. The smile on his face faded, and his hand subtly shifted behind his back.
“They’re tied up as you asked,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Tied?” Xiao Cheng suddenly realized something. “You really tied them up?”
When he had told Luo Jingshu to keep the twins restrained, he hadn’t meant it literally.
“They’d try to escape otherwise,” Luo Jingshu replied nonchalantly.
Xiao Cheng scrutinized Luo Jingshu’s expression, finding it increasingly suspicious. His brows furrowed.
“Show me your hands.”
Luo Jingshu playfully wiggled his fingers, his expression innocent and harmless. “Do you want to hold hands with me?”
“Don’t mess around,” Xiao Cheng said sternly, grabbing Luo Jingshu’s wrist.
“Let me see.”
Left with no choice, Luo Jingshu reluctantly spread his hands.
Xiao Cheng’s gaze shifted from Luo Jingshu’s palms to the back of his hands, where bruised knuckles and a cut on his right middle finger stood out.
“Did you fight them?” Xiao Cheng asked, his tone dropping. He reached out, wanting to touch the wound but hesitated just before making contact.
Luo Jingshu lowered his gaze to study Xiao Cheng’s expression, though the latter’s bowed head obscured most of his features.
Unable to discern if Xiao Cheng was angry, Luo Jingshu hesitated before replying vaguely, “They tried to escape.”
He wasn’t lying—at least not completely. He wasn’t intentionally looking for a fight; the twins had made a move, so he had responded.
Luo Jingshu said this with a straight face, utterly confident that Xiao Cheng wouldn’t verify the story with the twins.
In truth, the moment the twins saw him, they already understood what was going on. They didn’t resist or try to flee.
It was Luo Jingshu who had given them a beating.
Of course, the twins fought back when he started, which explained the injury on his hand.
But compared to him, the twins had suffered far worse injuries—all hidden beneath their clothing, leaving no visible signs on the surface.
Xiao Cheng had told him not to use violence. Luo Jingshu had obediently agreed at the time, but there was no way he could hold himself back.
Before seeing the twins, Luo Jingshu had already felt like tearing them apart.
When they finally stood before him, it took everything in his power not to finish them off.
Xiao Cheng, likely guessing what had transpired, sighed and let go of Luo Jingshu’s hand. “This is what you call being obedient?”
When Luo Jingshu had begged to reconcile, he had promised to be as loyal as a dog, swearing to follow Xiao Cheng’s every word.
And the result?
Xiao Cheng told Luo Jingshu not to follow him, yet here he was.
He told him not to use violence, but Luo still didn’t listen.
Hearing this, Luo Jingshu panicked. He bent slightly, pressing his forehead against Xiao Cheng’s, his gaze locked onto Xiao Cheng’s eyes.
“I listen to you in everything else. I’ll be obedient,” he said, afraid Xiao Cheng would think he was disobedient and be disappointed in him.
Most of the time, Luo Jingshu could distinguish whether Xiao Cheng was joking or being serious.
But whenever Xiao Cheng said something like this, Luo Jingshu couldn’t help but panic.
Even if it was a joke, he would feel uneasy.
Xiao Cheng let out a noncommittal hum, raised his hand to push Luo Jingshu’s head away, and then flicked him on the forehead.
“I’ll deal with you later.”
And with that, the matter of Luo Jingshu’s jealousy over Xie Zhao was considered settled.
Luo Jingshu had originally planned to use this as an excuse to ask Xiao Cheng for something in return. But now, feeling guilty, he didn’t dare make any demands.
Xiao Cheng’s back was still sore from earlier. Adding to that, he had walked around the park with Xie Zhao for over twenty minutes. If not for maintaining his image, Xiao Cheng would’ve been hunched over already.
Luo Jingshu noticed his forced composure and simply wrapped an arm around Xiao Cheng’s waist, pulling him into an embrace.
“You’ll feel better leaning on me,” he said.
Xiao Cheng hesitated, feeling the position was a bit too intimate, but he had to admit—it worked.
He stopped resisting and leaned against Luo Jingshu, letting his body weight rest on him. His sore back muscles finally got some relief.
Luo Jingshu supported him as they walked back to the car. “I’ll give you a massage tonight,” he offered.
Xiao Cheng instinctively nodded but then realized he had just handed over his evening to Luo Jingshu.
Luo Jingshu grinned like a puppy who had just gotten a treat, his metaphorical tail wagging with excitement. “You already agreed. No take-backs.”
Xiao Cheng, thinking about his aching back, said nothing.
Luo Jingshu drove them to the hotel where the twins were being held.
When they arrived, Xiao Cheng looked up at the tall building. “How did you manage to bring them here?”
And so openly, at that.
Luo Jingshu leaned in close, whispering into his ear, “This hotel belongs to Fu Ju’s company.”
Fu Ju.
This man seemed to have a good relationship with Luo Jingshu. Xiao Cheng had seen him around Luo Jingshu several times.
In fact, their first intimate encounter had been partly orchestrated by Fu Ju.
For the first time in a while, Xiao Cheng recalled the original storyline.
The novel mentioned that the scumbag gong had given the cheap shou to his business partner. During a critical moment, it was the second gong who rescued the shou.
Could Fu Ju be the second gong who saved Luo Jingshu?
But Xiao Cheng quickly realized that it wasn’t really a rescue—it was probably a staged act.
Luo Jingshu had manipulated Jiang Ying thoroughly. There was no way he’d let himself actually be handed over to someone else.
Thinking about this, Xiao Cheng leaned in and whispered, “In the previous life, were you and he close business partners too?”
Luo Jingshu’s lips curved slightly. “Yes, but we were just business partners.”
He was worried Xiao Cheng might misunderstand his relationship with Fu Ju.
Xiao Cheng then voiced the thoughts he’d been having. Luo Jingshu seemed genuinely surprised by his question.
“Yes, we put on an act,” Luo admitted after a moment, studying Xiao Cheng’s reaction. “Didn’t you forget all about that?”
How did Xiao Cheng know?
Xiao Cheng maintained a calm expression. “Lately, I’ve been dreaming about some blurry scenes. Maybe they’re memories I lost.”
Since Luo Jingshu probably already had his suspicions, Xiao Cheng didn’t mind adding one more thing to the pile.
It was only recently that Xiao Cheng realized just how many contradictions were hidden in his own words.
He had always told Luo Jingshu that he discovered he was reborn only after seeing the letter in the apartment. Before that, he claimed he had no memories of the previous life.
Technically, this wasn’t a lie—it was just a partial truth.
But recently, Xiao Cheng recalled that during their very first meeting, he had criticized Jiang Ying in front of Luo Jingshu.
Some of the things he said hadn’t even happened yet. If Luo Jingshu hadn’t been reborn, he might not have noticed the discrepancies.
But Luo Jingshu was reborn. The moment he heard Xiao Cheng’s words, he must have realized they described future events.
In other words, from their very first meeting, Luo Jingshu had likely seen through his lie.
And yet Xiao Cheng had remained oblivious.
Now that he thought about it, he realized how contradictory his story had been.
He claimed to have lost his memories of the previous life but still knew what Jiang Ying might do—something that didn’t quite add up.
With Luo Jingshu’s sharp mind, he must have noticed the inconsistencies long ago. But he had never questioned Xiao Cheng about them.
After realizing this, Xiao Cheng felt deeply conflicted.
He had never planned to tell Luo Jingshu about the transmigration. But if Luo Jingshu insisted on knowing, Xiao Cheng probably wouldn’t keep it a secret forever.
He just hadn’t found the right moment to bring it up. After all, the concept of transmigration was absurd.
Xiao Cheng glanced at Luo Jingshu beside him and decided, for now, to continue playing dumb.
Anyway, Luo Jingshu didn’t ask him.
As expected, Luo Jingshu didn’t question his words. Perhaps he already had countless thoughts running through his mind, but at least none of it showed on his face.
He simply asked softly, “Do you want to regain your memory?”
Luo Jingshu’s voice lacked confidence.
Xiao Cheng’s memories of his previous life weren’t exactly pleasant—especially when it came to their relationship, which wasn’t filled with good moments.
Xiao Cheng had never really considered the question before, but if it were possible, he naturally wished to have a complete set of memories.
“Of course I want to, but I’ll leave it to fate.”
Luo Jingshu’s lips moved slightly, but he said nothing.
When they reached the door, the bodyguard standing outside took out a room card and swiped it open for them.
The moment Xiao Cheng entered, he saw the twins tied up hand and foot, lying miserably on the floor like two wilted flowers.
Less than a meter away from them was a large bed, clearly arranged deliberately by someone.
The twins must have heard the approaching footsteps earlier, for they lifted their heads to look at Xiao Cheng, their red-rimmed eyes full of unease that mirrored each other.
Xiao Cheng took a deep breath. Luo Jingshu handed him a chair, and Xiao Cheng sat down heavily. The motion pulled on his sore spots, almost making him lose the stern expression on his face.
Internally, he winced, but outwardly, his expression grew colder and more rigid.
“Come here.”
He directed his words at the twins.
Hearing this, the twins struggled to kneel, their usually impeccable appearances now utterly disheveled.
They didn’t show much resistance; they likely knew that their actions last night had crossed Xiao Cheng’s line.
To dare act as they did, they must have been prepared to face the consequences.
However, the thought that all their effort had only benefited this “dog-man” made them seethe with hatred toward Luo Jingshu.
Especially now, in their abject and humiliating state under Luo Jingshu’s gaze, they felt utterly defeated.
When they finally managed to crawl to Xiao Cheng, he lifted his leg and kicked Xiao Yinan in the chest.
Then, with another kick, he sent Xiao Yixi sprawling.
Having barely crawled over, the two brothers were once again sent tumbling to the floor. Bound as they were, they landed hard, the dull thud of their bodies hitting the ground echoing in the room.
The twins, still sore and aching from their earlier fight with Luo Jingshu, were now in even worse shape after Xiao Cheng’s kicks. Every part of their bodies felt like it was screaming in pain.
Xiao Cheng, however, wasn’t satisfied yet and wanted to hit them again.
But his body wasn’t in great shape today, and he couldn’t muster much strength.
Luo Jingshu seemed to notice his thoughts. Placing a hand on Xiao Cheng’s shoulder, he said, “Brother Cheng.”
He cast a cold glance at the twins on the floor. “Why don’t you sit here and let me take care of them for you?”
Xiao Cheng could hear the eagerness in his voice, as though Luo Jingshu hated the twins even more than he did.
The suggestion was tempting, but Xiao Cheng feared that Luo Jingshu might accidentally kill the twins in the process, so he had to turn him down.
“Forget it.”
Sitting on the chair, Xiao Cheng looked down at the twins from above. “Where’s the video?”
Luo Jingshu’s breathing instantly grew heavier, his hands clenching into fists.
The twins had filmed something?
Xiao Yinan shook his head frantically. His mouth was gagged, and he couldn’t speak, but his tear-streaked eyes were fixed on Xiao Cheng, pleading silently.
Xiao Cheng didn’t trust him. He had someone search Xiao Yinan for a phone and personally checked it.
Xiao Yinan watched his every move with a look of growing despair.
After confirming there was no video, Xiao Cheng tossed the phone aside.
“I’ve always been someone who holds grudges and likes to repay them in kind,” he said, his tone icy.
“Given what you did to me last night—”
“Shouldn’t I drug you both in return and bring in a couple of escorts? That wouldn’t be too much, would it?”
The twins immediately began to struggle, their faces turning red. They seemed desperate to say something, but with their mouths gagged, they couldn’t get a word out.
Xiao Cheng’s expression remained cold. “Since you’re my cousins—”
“I’ll make sure to hire the most expensive ones.”
The twins looked at him in utter disbelief, tears streaming down their faces, making them look even more pitiful.
When they realized Xiao Cheng wasn’t joking, their eyes filled with despair. Fear and panic were written all over their faces.
They had anticipated some form of revenge from Xiao Cheng, perhaps even a brutal beating.
But they had never imagined he would go to such extremes.
Brother Cheng wanted to drug them and hand them over to someone else.
No matter how bold they were, the twins were still just two underage boys.
They might have had the audacity to do such a thing to Xiao Cheng, but if the roles were reversed, they couldn’t help but feel terrified.
Their fear was written all over their faces. Their bodies writhed and struggled on the ground, their skin rubbed raw and red by the coarse rope.
Xiao Cheng remained unmoved, even letting out a chuckle. “I’m being good to you, aren’t I? At least I’m finding two people for you.”
“One for each of you, so there’s no fighting over who goes first.”
The twins had no way to voice their opinions, but Luo Jingshu, standing off to the side, looked increasingly grim as he listened.
It wasn’t hard to deduce from Xiao Cheng’s words what had happened last night before Luo Jingshu arrived.
How dare these two?!
