DREB CHAPTER 70

Something wasn’t right.

Qi Zhen sat in the car, staring at the bloodstains on the door handle. He blinked, thinking the blood had dripped from his forehead onto his eyelashes.

But when he leaned closer and touched the handle, he realized the blood was really there.

Li Yan had just exited from that side of the car.

He was injured.

That thought flashed through Qi Zhen’s mind, and the smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a growing sense of calm.

This wasn’t the only thing that felt off. From the moment Qi Zhen first met Li Yan, he knew there was something different about him compared to others who had clung to Lu Lianning.

Li Yan wasn’t flashy, nor was he lively or captivating. His entire being was dull and gray.

His relationship with Lu Lianning was like watching a proud, majestic cat hold a gray sparrow in its mouth—one squeeze would be enough to kill it. Yet, somehow, the little bird fluttered out of the cat’s mouth, drenched in saliva but miraculously unharmed.

So, Qi Zhen thought to himself, how could he destroy him?

He couldn’t personally ruin Li Yan, and Lu Anling couldn’t either. Neither of them could truly make Lu Lianning lose interest in him. So what could be done?

A sudden realization struck Qi Zhen in the middle of the night. Yes, Lu Lianning had to destroy Li Yan with his own hands. It had to be so devastating that Li Yan would hate him for the rest of his life.

Lu Lianning, who had never learned to apologize, was always arrogant and domineering.

As for Li Yan, who had been crushed by Lu Lianning, he would be filled with hatred for him.

Yes, that’s how it should be.

Qi Zhen repeated the thought to himself twice, pausing for a few seconds. His eyes lingered on the bloodstains on the door handle.

Suddenly, he spoke, “Take me to the hospital.”

The driver saw through the rearview mirror that the man, who had been so carefree moments ago with complete disregard for the injury on his head, was now solemn, his smile vanished without a trace.

Qi Zhen added, “Arrange for me to be hospitalized as well.”

The driver silently wondered if his boss’s condition was getting worse.

–

Lu Lianning rushed back the next afternoon, looking travel-worn. His face showed some fatigue, but it didn’t diminish his striking features.

Li Yan could hear the sound of the shower running in the bathroom, followed by the soft steps of Lu Lianning approaching the bed.

Lu Lianning lifted the blanket but didn’t lie down. He touched Li Yan’s hand, paused as if studying it, then gently placed the blanket back over him. After that, he reached out and lightly touched Li Yan’s scarred eyelid.

About ten minutes later, there were footsteps and the soft sound of the door closing.

He actually just left.

Li Yan kept his eyes closed. He had expected Lu Lianning to be away on business for at least a week, but who would have thought he’d return so soon. Did he rush back just to teach him a lesson?

Thinking about it, it seemed Lu Lianning’s life had become particularly monotonous and predictable at some point.

He worked hard every day and came back to talk to Li Yan, asking him where he’d been and what he’d eaten.

They’d argue, Lu Lianning would teach him a lesson, and then he’d calm down.

Li Yan would tend to his flowers and save up money for beef ramen. But it seemed Lu Lianning didn’t have much else going on in his life.

He used to date Song Ruan. Li Yan wondered if they were still seeing each other.

Li Yan pursed his lips and sat up, glancing at the clock—4:30 PM.

–

Qi Zhen didn’t think this was the right time to visit a patient. Lu Lianning should’ve come at 10 AM, when the sun was shining brightly, perhaps with flowers or a fruit basket. Nothing extravagant, just a thoughtful gesture.

But instead, the sky outside was already dimming, and Lu Lianning stood by his bedside, his expression dark, as if contemplating delivering another punch for good measure.

Qi Zhen lay on the hospital bed, his head wrapped in bandages, giving Lu Lianning a weak smile as he greeted him. “Rushing back to see me as soon as you arrived, Ah Ning? I’m truly touched.”

Lu Lianning felt a flicker of irritation at how Qi Zhen was pretending everything was fine. But Qi Zhen played the role of the frail patient so convincingly that Lu Lianning’s expression changed slightly. In the end, he rubbed his temples and said, “If you keep this up, we can’t stay friends.”

Qi Zhen’s face stiffened briefly before he burst into laughter, as though he’d just heard a great joke. He laughed so hard that tears began to form in his eyes.

“Ah Ning, don’t be so unreasonable. Sure, I was the one who pulled him first, but he was the one who hit me with the bottle. I’m the one in the hospital now,” Qi Zhen said, wiping away the tears. “You can’t be this biased.”

“You knew I was unreasonable, yet you still did this?” Lu Lianning’s face remained calm. “I’ve given you so many chances.”

“He only attacked you because you touched him first, didn’t he!?”

“So what if I touched him? It’s not like…” Qi Zhen didn’t get to finish his sentence before Lu Lianning grabbed his collar and shoved him against the headboard.

It seemed like Lu Lianning was holding back from hitting him. His gaze was icy as he stared down at Qi Zhen. “Enough. Don’t push me.”

“You really consider me a friend? Do you just follow whatever Lu Anling says? You’re on his side?” Lu Lianning sneered. “I broke off my engagement with Song Ruan, and you went straight after Li Yan?”

“How do you know I went after Li Yan just because of Song Ruan?” Qi Zhen looked straight at Lu Lianning without a trace of fear.

But today, Lu Lianning wasn’t in the mood for games. He let go of Qi Zhen, his irritation clear. “Qi Zhen, cut the crap. That won’t work on me. Back then, the incident with Li Yan—three million for three nights, involving Lu Anling too—I don’t care how much you were involved or how many times you interfered. But after this, I won’t let there be a third time.”

Qi Zhen’s expression shifted slightly. Lu Lianning wasn’t a fool after all. Blinded by anger back then, he had finally pieced it all together.

Li Yan had been desperate for money for a long time. How was it that as soon as he quit his job, someone conveniently offered him a three-million deal?

“He made that choice himself. Are you going to blame me for that too? You didn’t even know how grateful he was to me back then!” Qi Zhen sneered at Lu Lianning as if to say, “Look at Li Yan—this is who he really is, someone who sells his dignity and body for money.”

That punch finally landed squarely on Qi Zhen’s face. His words had hit too close to home for Lu Lianning. Furious, he glared at Qi Zhen. “If it hadn’t been his choice, and you had forced him, do you think I would’ve waited this long to come after you!?”

His voice lowered. “He chose me first. He asked me for money, but I couldn’t give it to him. Then you came along and told him he could sell himself! Three million for three nights and all his problems were solved. Go fuck yourself.”

At this point, Qi Zhen saw no reason to hold back. The pretense was gone, and his anger boiled over. “So now you’re pinning everything on me to ease your guilt? You think everything between you and Li Yan is my fault!? Did I lock him up? Did I force the needle into his arm? Did I get people to smash Qin Liu’s shops…”

“Shut up!” Lu Lianning’s chest heaved violently, listening to Qi Zhen list off every failure. He knew he couldn’t put all the blame on Qi Zhen.

He had done it all himself—he had crushed Li Yan step by step, with his own hands.

Qi Zhen’s face throbbed from the punch, and half of it had gone numb. It was only later that he registered the pain, grimacing as he tasted blood in his mouth.

Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable.

They had grown up together, and in the past, Qi Zhen could take anything Lu Lianning touched without a second thought. But Li Yan? Li Yan had changed everything.

Qi Zhen ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth, eyeing Lu Lianning, who for once looked disheveled. Calmly, he said, “He was never sincere with you from the beginning. So how could anything you did to him be wrong? Isn’t this the punishment he deserves?”

It wasn’t enough. Not yet.

With a look of regret, as if he truly felt sorry for Lu Lianning, Qi Zhen added, “Ah Ning, I really don’t think he’s worth it.”