NANSO Chapter 22.1

TL: Hua

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The man stood silently concealed in the wind and snow, holding his umbrella steadily, neither speaking nor moving, like a timeless marble sculpture.

Xie Yu closed the window, thinking, “Strange.”

On a snowy day like this, with the snowflakes and wind fiercer than knives, standing for half an hour would freeze a person numb.

He muttered to himself, thinking the man might be ill, and paid him no further attention. After neatly putting away his luggage, he took a quick shower.

The showerhead in the guest house was slow, and the water wasn’t very warm; it felt uncomfortably cold on his skin. Xie Yu quickly dried his hair and glanced out the glass window—the man was gone.

The heavy snow had erased his tracks, as if he had never been there.

The system didn’t feel cold. It floated in mid-air, happily flipping through the plot. Its fluorescent blue screen flickered as if cheering.

Xie Yu: “Are you very happy?”

System: “Host! We only have the last two steps left. The! Last! Two! Steps!”

After returning to China, Xie Yu didn’t have many plot points. Seven days later, Xie Yuanhai would host a memorial dinner for Xie Yuanshan. He needed to attend, shed a few fake tears, and then be forcibly kidnapped by Shen Ci at the banquet, have his fingers broken, and be locked in a mental hospital. Then, the plot would end.

During this period, Xie Yu didn’t even need to do anything. He just needed to let his mind wander, cooperate like a puppet, and finish this act.

The system checked Xie Yu’s score. Although Xie Yu’s acting skills were poor and his detailed portrayal was a mess, he managed to hit all the necessary plot points and stumble through his lines. His current score was 65.

Overall evaluation: “Your acting skills are truly fragmented, but you excel in diligence and professionalism. Your overall evaluation is above average.”

If it had been before, the system would have mourned such a low score, but with Xie Yu, it wished it could beg and plead, shouting thanks to all the Buddhas for their blessings.

This was Xie Yu! The Xie Yu with so many crazy antics before! And he could still get a 65?!

Just act casually in the last two scenes, and this will be a sure thing!

The system displayed fireworks on its screen, congratulating him in advance for the successful mission.

Xie Yu stopped it: “No, absolutely not. We’re almost there. Don’t jinx it.”

He pressed down on the excited system and lay down on the small bed in the guesthouse. The bed groaned under his weight, the metal parts grinding against each other, producing a sound like fingernails on a chalkboard.

This guesthouse was truly dilapidated. The bed was broken, the windows were broken, and it was drafty on all sides. The strong wind whistled through the cracks, making an unspeakable, ghostly wailing sound.

The system endured it for a moment, then couldn’t help but say, “Host, do we really have to stay in this broken place?”

Xie Yu closed his eyes, resting. “Just seven days. Bear with it. Let’s not create more trouble.”

Over the next seven days, Xie Yuanhai sent out invitations far and wide, inviting all the prominent figures in Jiangcheng. He made it a grand affair. Those who knew understood it was a memorial service; those who didn’t might have thought he was opening a bar and inviting people to party.

On the seventh day, with Xie Yuanshan’s body still in the living room, and before the banquet began, Xie Yuanhai finally remembered he had a nephew. He sent an invitation to Xie Yu, called a driver, and also handed over a suit.

The suit was a formal one, a double-breasted vest with a peak lapel. Xie Yu touched the fabric; it draped smoothly and was clearly good quality.

He changed into the suit in front of the guesthouse’s only full-length mirror. The man in the mirror had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, looking handsome and distinguished, quite fitting for the occasion.

Xie Yu confirmed with the system, “For this last scene, I don’t have to do anything, right?”

The system flipped through the novel: “No, you’re just a background prop. You just need to cooperate when Shen Ci drags you away, and that’s it.”

Xie Yu: “That’s easy.”

The driver drove him to the hotel. The lobby was bustling with people. Men were impeccably dressed, wearing ties and hair gel; women were in elaborate attire, exuding elegance. Xie Yu weaved through them and found a secluded corner to sit down.

He took a glass of juice from a waiter. As he was drinking, his gaze suddenly drifted and landed on a spot in the corner.

A familiar figure flashed by.

Xie Yu frowned. “He Zhiyuan?”

The system paused. “Didn’t that scumbag get taken back to Beijing by his family’s elder? Why is he here?”

Xie Yu retracted his gaze. “Maybe I saw wrong.”

It was far away, and the crowd was dense, so it was possible to be mistaken.

At exactly eight o’clock, Xie Yuanhai arrived as scheduled. He was in high spirits and delivered a long, tedious speech from the main seat, turning the memorial service into an inauguration ceremony. Then, amidst thunderous applause, he gestured in all directions to express his gratitude.

Xie Yu applauded perfunctorily and took a few pieces of pomelo from a waiter.

He wondered if there would be pomelo to eat at the mental hospital.

At this moment, the secretary answered a call. Xie Yuanhai raised his hand to signal, and the sparse applause in the hall died down. He then quickly walked towards the door, adjusting his tie. A nearby attendant bowed and opened the door, as if a very important guest had arrived.

Xie Yuanhai was considered one of the top figures in Jiangcheng; few people would make him rise to greet them. Many people at the banquet craned their necks, curious about who had arrived.

Xie Yu, with one foot already in the mental hospital, was utterly unconcerned. He continued to drink his juice. Only when the crowd in front had thinned out did he lazily raise his eyes and glance casually towards the entrance.

With just one look, he froze.

The newcomer wore a formal gray suit, its tailored waist perfectly accentuating a beautiful waistline that made one long to place a hand there and feel its curve. His legs were long and graceful, encased in flowing trousers, only a hint of ankle skin visible as he walked. Against the dark socks, his skin appeared lustrous and warm, truly like the white glaze on porcelain.

Xie Yu didn’t even need to look up at his face; just by that glimpse of his wrist, he knew the person was Shen Ci.

“…”

Xie Yu’s throat felt slightly bitter. He knew Shen Ci would come, but he didn’t know Shen Ci would come so early.

In the novel, at this point, Shen Ci was already powerful enough that Xie Yuanhai had to give him some respect. Towards the end of the banquet, Shen Ci would directly bring people in, abducting Young Master Xie on the spot, and no one in the entire hall dared to utter a sound.

But now, the banquet had just begun.

When the banquet was almost over, most people would have left. Being dragged out then was different from being publicly humiliated and dragged out in plain sight. Xie Yu didn’t look up; he unconsciously rubbed the side of his glass, pretending to know nothing, as if that way, Shen Ci wouldn’t see him either.

Shen Ci was now a highly sought-after rising star in Jiangcheng. Countless people rushed to curry favor with him. Before long, he was surrounded, making him inaccessible, while Xie Yu, as an “expired” young master, sat quietly in a corner, attracting no attention.

Xie Yu drank his juice: “He can’t see me, hmm, he probably can’t see me.”

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. The system hovered above his head, stuttering, “Ho-ho-ho-host!”

“Sh-sh-sh-Shen Ci is coming over; get ready to be dragged away!”

Xie Yu was already annoyed, and the system’s stuttering made him even more so. He used the fruit plate to block his view: “If I’m dragged away, so be it. It’s me, not you. Why are you stuttering?”

The system wanted to cry but couldn’t: “…You don’t know, Shen Ci has become a little… scary.”

Shen Ci’s face was as noble and beautiful as ever, but now, expressionless and with a deep gaze, he exuded an inexplicable sternness. He casually pushed away the crowd around him, took a glass of wine from the waiter, and walked straight towards Xie Yu with steady steps, as if he was coming to call for justice.

Xie Yuanhai quickly followed, slightly bewildered: “Mr. Shen, Mr. Shen, you should go to the center of the banquet. Why are you heading to this corner?”

Shen Ci stopped by the sofa about five meters from Xie Yu and sat down sideways. Xie Yuanhai was surprised, assuming he chose this spot for peace and quiet, and also sat down. The few of them began discussing recent industry trends as if no one else were around.

The system breathed a sigh of relief: “He’s not coming for you, host.”

Xie Yu was leaning his head, looking in another direction, pretending to be deep in thought. Hearing this, he slightly turned his neck to glance at Shen Ci out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t dare to look openly, only a quick glance, and then, as if burned, he pulled his gaze back.

Xie Yu: “Shen Ci… he seems to have become more beautiful?”

Shen Ci was already very beautiful before, with handsome features, a refined demeanor, and the scholarly air of an intellectual. However, at that time, he was still a student from a poor family, his clothes old and ill-fitting, and his overall appearance exuded a sense of hardship, which diminished his beauty by a few points.

But now, Shen Ci’s aura was much more refined. A crisp shirt perfectly encased his slender body, his tailored suit was neatly pressed, and his hair was impeccably combed. He wore low-prescription silver-rimmed glasses, his eyes hidden behind the lenses, showing no emotion… If the former Shen Ci was a beautiful blend of elegance and gentleness, now, his beauty was sharp and striking, his suit exuding a refined abstinence, like a polished pearl, adding an air of inviolable dignity.

Xie Yu commented, “He really has become more beautiful. The little beauty has become a great beauty, huh?”

The system was frantic: “Brother, my dear brother, don’t you see what time it is? Is this the time to discuss whether he’s beautiful?”

Xie Yu shook his head: “You don’t understand. Appreciating beauty is one of life’s greatest pleasures.”

He sighed slightly: “It’s just a pity that such a great beauty will never give me a good look again.”

System: “…”

It was speechless: “How about this? When you go to the mental hospital, scream a little more pitifully, and then he might look at you and smile.”

Xie Yu didn’t retort. He straightened his suit, stood up with his back to Shen Ci, then deliberately took a detour, circling away from the sofa and walking towards the southwest corner of the banquet hall.

System: “…Where are you going?”

Xie Yu: “Too close. Afraid he’ll see me. Going to the restroom to hide for a bit.”

In the entire venue, the restroom was the best refuge. Shen Ci couldn’t possibly drag him out of a stall.

System: “.”

It questioned, “Didn’t you say appreciating beauty is one of life’s greatest pleasures?”

Xie Yu: “Appreciating beauty is a pleasure, but being publicly dragged out is not.”

The original text used a very vivid word to describe this part—”dead dog.” It was said that Young Master Xie struggled and cursed continuously, his limbs restrained, and he was dragged out like a dead dog.

Xie Yu wasn’t confident in his acting. He wasn’t sure if he could play the role of a “dead dog” well, so he immediately decided to make his escape and stall until the end of the banquet.

—

Shen Ci sat upright on the sofa, his peripheral vision fixed on a certain spot. Only when Xie Yu’s shadow disappeared did he retract his gaze.

He appeared calm and composed, but his back was ramrod straight, barely leaning against the sofa, perfectly proper without a hint of fault.

This posture wasn’t comfortable, nor was it easy to maintain, but it looked good. It was often used by the socialites and gentry of Jiangcheng. When Lin Yin was with He Zhiyuan, she always maintained this posture.

At the time, Shen Ci found it ridiculous, yet he never imagined that one day, he himself would stiffen his posture, just for an unintentional glance from someone.

“… We were just saying that our second phase of experiments went smoothly, and we can start the third phase soon. Once the drug is released, the stock price… Mr. Shen? Mr. Shen?”

“My apologies,” Shen Ci pushed his disheveled hair back. With Xie Yu gone, he didn’t care about his hairstyle anymore. He tidied all his hair, revealing a smooth forehead.

He had specially groomed his eyebrows today, with a gentle arch at the tail. He had also trimmed his fringe, so the side of his face facing Xie Yu was at a perfect 45-degree angle, which best highlighted his refined features. He didn’t understand fashion and dressed plainly, so he turned to Lin Yin as his advisor and chose a suit to embellish his waistline. Even the watch on his wrist was carefully selected—the right size, with a low-key and natural lacquered dial that didn’t steal the show.

At the time, Lin Yin even gasped slightly after helping him dress: “Shen Ci, I know why Young Master Xie is so infatuated with you. You’re truly beautiful.”

Shen Ci gave a self-deprecating smile at the time. He had never infatuated Young Master Xie; between the two of them, Xie Yu was the one who was completely unattached and uninvolved. Young Master Xie, who was rumored to be extremely lustful, was more polite in bed than the most upright gentleman. Apart from a shallow hug, there was nothing else.

And today, Xie Yu didn’t even bother to look at him.

He sneered inwardly, thinking, “Young Master Xie is indeed as heartless and ungrateful as the rumors say. When he likes someone, he dotes on them, but when he no longer likes them, he discards them like an old shoe. A living person stands right in front of him, yet he’s treated worse than a stray cat or dog.”

“…Mr. Shen, Mr. Shen?” Xie Yuanhai leaned over, “Are you not feeling well today?”

In just a few minutes, he had already drifted off countless times.

Shen Ci stood up: “There was a traffic jam on the way. I sat for too long and got a bit carsick. I’m going to the restroom to freshen up.”

Xie Yuanhai quickly pointed: “It’s in the southwest corner.”

Shen Ci: “Thank you.”

He pushed through the crowd and walked towards the southwest corner, bypassing two flower walls before stopping at the restroom entrance.

Separated by a thin door, Shen Ci paused, pressing his temples with a slight headache.

His thoughts were in a tangled mess. Following Xie Yu was not a good idea. Young Master Xie clearly wasn’t interested in him. Rushing to him would only degrade himself and invite humiliation, like some cheap plaything to be casually discarded, serving no other purpose.

But he still followed.

Shen Ci pursed his lips slightly. The more anxious he was, the colder his expression became. At this moment, his face was as cold as ice. If he were to run into Xie Yu, he could pretend it was just a coincidence.

Shen Ci gripped the doorknob and pulled the door open.

No one was in sight.

The innermost stall was locked. Xie Yu was inside.

Shen Ci paused, then calmly washed his hands as if nothing had happened. He thoroughly lathered with soap and rinsed meticulously, as composed as any other guest at the banquet.

But then, the lock of the stall behind him clicked. He suddenly tensed up, took a large step back, and quickly entered the nearest stall, closing and locking the door in one fluid motion.

Shen Ci: “…”

This posture is really embarrassing.

Xie Yu didn’t know there was someone next door. He leisurely walked out, casually washed his hands, then pulled out his phone and started playing a game.

He was playing Tetris. With the sound of beeping, the blocks fell one after another. Xie Yu controlled the blocks to move, and a large area was eliminated in an instant.

System: “…Do we really have to play games here?”

Xie Yu: “Laying low, laying low.”

The banquet hall’s restroom was scented with aromatherapy, with no strange smells. Xie Yu operated his phone with both hands, perfectly content.

Shen Ci: “…”

He stood there uneasily.

After ten minutes, Xie Yu got tired of standing and planned to move elsewhere. Just as he was about to leave, someone suddenly rushed in and locked the door.

Xie Yu’s hand, holding his phone, paused.

The person was He Zhiyuan.

Compared to his previous spirited appearance, his current state was dismal: disheveled hair, bloodshot eyes, green stubble sprouting from his chin, and a loose, wrinkled suit with frayed edges, as if it hadn’t been ironed or tidied in a long time.

The once popular playboy of Jiangcheng had actually fallen to this state.

He stared at Xie Yu, his expression distorted and crazed, truly like a lunatic. Xie Yu subtly took a step back: “System, how did he end up like this?”

“Oh, after you left, He Zhiyuan had some setbacks, but every time I mentioned him, you weren’t interested, so I stopped talking about it.”

Xie Yu: “What setbacks?”

System: “I heard that his… promiscuous gatherings were exposed, with solid evidence. His family spent a lot of money to suppress it, but they’ve basically given up on his branch…”

The He family was a large and prosperous one, unlike the Xie family, which only has Xie Yuanshan and Xie Yuanhai, and Xie Yuanshan has only Xie Yu as his sole heir. The internal competition within the He family was fierce. With such a big problem, He Zhiyuan was basically out of the running for family succession. From now on, he would have enough to eat and wear, but little else.

Xie Yu frowned: “Was this in the novel?”

Before he finished speaking, He Zhiyuan suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Xie Yu’s shoulder, his eyes bloodshot, gnashing his teeth: “Xie Yu, Xie Yu, you raise a good lover, you raise a good lover! Ruining me to this point…”

He muttered some incoherent nonsense, his voice suddenly rising: “You have to help me get revenge! Xie Yu! You have to help me get revenge!”

Xie Yu raised an eyebrow: “Revenge on whom?”

“Shen Ci! Shen Ci… Do you know what he did? Do you know what he did?!”

Xie Yu: “Oh? What did he do?”

The system had already displayed the information on the tablet, from how Shen Ci contacted Lin Yin and found the previously victimized boys and girls to how he set up the scheme for Lin Yin to get involved with Luo Shao and then how he gained Luo Shao’s trust—everything, clearly and thoroughly.

Xie Yu found it somewhat amusing. Every single thing He Zhiyuan did was his own doing. He was the one who played with pretty girls, he was the one who beat people, and he was the one who hosted various parties. Later, when things came to light, it was purely his own fault, his own self-destruction. Yet now he was crying hysterically, as if someone had pointed a gun at him and forced him into all sorts of depraved acts.

He Zhiyuan’s veins throbbed on his forehead: “Xie Yu, you can’t be thinking Shen Ci is some pure little white flower, right? I’m telling you, his mind is so dirty. Back then, when he advised Lin Yin not to seek compensation, I thought it was because he loved you that much and was that obedient, but then he turned around and ruined me! That’s how he is as your lover.”

Xie Yu didn’t say anything, slowly and meticulously washing his hands.

He Zhiyuan had just grabbed his hand, and it disgusted him.

He Zhiyuan had no idea what Xie Yu was thinking. He held Xie Yu, his hands trembling wildly: “Xie Yu, we’ve been brothers for decades. He exposed my secrets today. What about tomorrow? Whose secret will he expose tomorrow? He approached you, took benefits from you, but then turned around and sold out your brother, that ungrateful b****…”

He Zhiyuan was furious, his vocabulary becoming increasingly foul. Shen Ci, hidden in the stall, heard everything clearly, yet his face was expressionless. The stark white light of the restroom shone on his face, making it as pale as gold leaf, and even his usually gentle features held a hint of sharpness.

Yes, he had done all of this, but even if he was given another chance, he would still do the same.

He Zhiyuan was truly a scumbag. Not only did he prey on people like Lin Yin, but also on young boys and girls who were new to society and impressionable. Some people would still wake up in nightmares half a year after leaving him. Shen Ci, while accompanying patients in the hospital, had seen too much. If the He family hadn’t spent a fortune to smooth things over, he would have directly sent He Zhiyuan to prison.

But…

Shen Ci unconsciously rubbed his fingertips.

But what would Xie Yu think?

According to rumors, Young Master Xie was loyal and valued his friends the most. Yet Shen Ci stayed by Xie Yu’s side, used the experimental quota Xie Yu obtained, and then turned around to harm Xie Yu’s friend. It was no exaggeration to say that Shen Ci almost single-handedly ruined He Zhiyuan’s future.

So much so that even with He Zhiyuan’s foul language, he couldn’t find a single word to refute him.

Would Xie Yu agree with He Zhiyuan, thinking he was… an ungrateful person?

He Zhiyuan remained immersed in his own world, as if he had found the only outlet for his anger, trying to vent all his malice.

“Xie Yu, you don’t know, do you? He’s quite capable. Less than five years after you went abroad, he immediately latched onto Luo Shao. Bah! He pretended to be aloof and proud, acting like he’d die if I touched him, but then he got into Luo Shao’s bed. Now he’s successful, that wh*** who’s been with everyone…”

Just a door away, Shen Ci clenched his fists.

He didn’t care about the foul language. Ever since he followed Xie Yu, rumors had never stopped. Even now, there were still posts on A University’s campus forum about how he used tricks and schemes and how he latched onto Young Master Xie.

Shen Ci never took these comments to heart, but he couldn’t accept He Zhiyuan exposing these baseless things to Xie Yu.

“Are you done talking? If you are, it’s my turn.” Xie Yu had already washed his hands clean. He calmly pulled out a tissue and meticulously dried the water from between his fingers.

“He Zhiyuan, actually, the first time I saw you, there was one thing I wanted to do. Can you guess what it was?”

The topic shifted too quickly, which stunned He Zhiyuan: “What?”

Xie Yu chuckled, and under He Zhiyuan’s astonished expression, he suddenly raised his hand, delivering an uppercut straight to his jaw. The punch was heavy and powerful, making He Zhiyuan stagger and fall to his knees.

“You!”

“The first time I saw you, I thought, how can there be someone in this world as punchable as you?” Xie Yu looked down, grabbing He Zhiyuan’s tie and lifting him up, then delivered two solid punches to his abdomen. “He Zhiyuan, why don’t you take a look at what kind of person you are before slandering Shen Ci in front of me? Do you even deserve to?”