Chapter 41: Discovery
An Zhiyan rushed over specially from another city to handle this matter, even taking two days off from the production team.
To outsiders, it seemed like he must truly value this popular newcomer to make such a long journey. In an urgent situation like this, his haste became a commendable trait for a future leader.
Only he knew the truth. He wasn't only being reactive due to the current events — he was also worried.
His feelings towards Su Jinli were difficult to explain, and were something much more than just concern.
Being inexperienced in matters of the heart, he found himself uncertain whether these feelings were indeed a form of affection.
Considering his unique sexual orientation, he had no choice but to tread carefully.
On his journey, he was always on the phone, arranging teams to investigate what happened.
His own staff informed him that another group was also looking into the matter, but they were extremely cautious and hadn't revealed their identity. At that moment, An Ziyan had suspected that they might be from Su Jinli's agency.
Upon arriving at the hospital, he first sent Jiang Pingqiu to inquire about the specific situation from the doctor while he went to see Su Jinli. When he reached the hospital room door, he saw people blocking the way—even the staff from the show was waiting outside.
Such a spectacle.
Did they dare to block him?
No one could realistically stop him.
While the people he had brought with were busy holding back the other group, An Ziyan entered the ward. The sight of Shen Cheng in the ward made him feel uneasy.
What was happening?
Was Shen Cheng feeding Su Jinli?
Was this some sort of fan service?
He had come to see Su Jinli in the ward, only to end up standing around like he was being punished, unable to approach and only able to watch the two of them.
After he stepped back, Shen Cheng kept feeding Su Jinli.
Su Jinli, watching An Zhiyan looking lost for words, could only continue to pretend to be mute.
Upon entering, An Zhiyan had felt like a stranger, so he could only ask Shen Cheng, "Why are you here? Isn't it said that Emperor Shen is always working without a break? Isn't the airport practically your second home?"
"Do I need to report to you?" Shen Cheng retorted.
"Not long ago, Su Jinli asked for your contact information from me. So, have you two gotten in touch?"
"We've just been temporarily apart."
This response left An Ziyan taken aback.
An Ziyan, who had been prone to overthinking for twenty-three years, once more misunderstood. Who could expect that two individuals with the surnames Shen and Su would be brothers?
And so, this brief separation was misconstrued by An Zhiyan as a breakup.
"You 've been apart? How old was he when you started?! " An Ziyan asked incredulously.
Shen Cheng, believing he hadn't been the best older brother, felt irked by An Zhiyan's interference. "Our matters do not require your involvement," he retorted.
"You... you're behaving like a beast." An Zhiyan couldn't comprehend. How young was Su Jinli when they got involved?
The idea that Shen Cheng could take advantage of a child — wasn't that just beastly behavior?
Setting the bowl down, Shen Cheng turned to glower at An Ziyan: "Too noisy."
"Heh, do you know how much I earn for my appearances? I'm giving you face by talking to you," An Zhiyan sulkily folded his arms and continued to bicker.
Yet, throughout their bickering, his gaze was always drifting towards Su Jinli. Seeing that Su Jinli did not seem much worse for wear, An Zhiyan was reassured.
The way An Zhihan reported it on the way over was terrifying, mentioning how Su Jinli had been vomiting blood — a few liters of it. It scared An Zhiyan half to death.
Vomiting liters of blood — wasn’t that supposed to require a blood transfusion? Was it even more severe than wrist-cutting?
But now it seemed that Su Jinli was still capable of eating porridge, no blood transfusion in sight.
A knock was heard from outside the door, then Jiujiu and Jiang Pingqiu walked in together.
Refusing to approach the bedside, An Zhiyan sat on the other side of the infirmary, and asked Jiang Pingqiu, "What did the doctor say?"
"The situation isn't great. His throat to stomach has been corroded. He probably can't eat anything for a few days. He can only receive nutritive fluid …” Jiang Pingqiu trailed off upon noticing Su Jinli eating porridge.
The room fell into an eerie silence.
"You... don't blindly feed him, he can't eat anything right now!" An Zhiyan immediately started complaining.
Shen Cheng, surprisingly calm, asked An Ziyan, "He can't sing now, and his entertainment career will likely be interrupted. Do you want to give up on signing his studio?”
Shen Cheng was still unwilling to give up, not wanting his brother to be signed by An Zhiyan.
If An Zhiyan really managed to sign his brother, it would be the most massive loss for Shen Cheng after their mutual animosity.
"Are you even human? Giving up that easily? We need to find a place that can treat him — even if he ends up with a duck's voice afterward, he could try singing rock.”
An Zhiyan had not expected that Shen Cheng would be such a lowlife.
Shen Cheng sneered, he truly didn't like chatting with An Zhiyan. It always felt like he was suddenly in Northeast China, seated on a hot bed, surrounded by a crowd of gossiping people.
Shen Cheng was not like this. He was hailed as a heavenly beauty by his fans because of his refined demeanor, carrying an ethereal charm.
He was someone who should sit elegantly in a tea house, suddenly faced with the likes of An Zhiyan, who sat in front of him shaking his legs, slamming the table and shouting, "Get me two bundles of beer, ice-cold!"
How much of a mood killer?
How much of a scene destroyer?
Not even the same artistic style!
An Zhiyan ignored Shen Cheng's displeasure and said to Jiang Pingqiu, "Call a doctor to check him out. He just had some porridge. See if there are any issues."
"Alright," Jiang Pingqiu replied.
"No need to call," Shen Cheng immediately interrupted, knowing that if a doctor came, something might be discovered amiss.
Jiang Pingqiu courteously said, "Sorry, Mr. Shen, I'll follow Mr. An's arrangement."
Shen Cheng then instructed Jiujiu, "Pack up our things and transfer to another hospital immediately."
"Why do we need to transfer? With his condition, why are you making things difficult for him? You…" An Zhiyan hadn't finished speaking when he saw Su Jinli suddenly hopping off the bed.
After making eye contact with An Zhiyan, Su Jinli seemed to realize he wasn't acting quite right. So, he slowly pulled back the blanket, got back on the bed, and sat there obediently.
I had heard before that An Zhiyan didn't get along well with his brother, and now it seems, the atmosphere between the two is genuinely unsettling.
Su Jinli watched them cautiously, feeling as if he could easily become a target.
So innocent!
An Zhiyan couldn't help but ask Jiang Pingqiu, "Are you sure he just doesn't have a stomach ailment?"
Jiang Pingqiu was also confused, "The doctor said the situation is very serious. They found it quite challenging during the rescue. They've never seen a case like this before."
An Zhiyan glanced at Su Jinli again and noticed that Su Jinli was subtly tugging at Shen Cheng's sleeve.
Shen Cheng looked at Su Jinli, held his hand, and said softly, "It's alright."
An Zhiyan had been dealing with Shen Cheng for a while now and knew that although Shen Cheng appeared generous, he was truly indifferent at his core and had never treated anyone with heartfelt kindness.
If Shen Cheng suddenly shows concern, that means the person still has some use.
If Shen Cheng maintains indifference, then that is the normal distance in relationships.
If Shen Cheng smiles at you, congratulations, you're about to be manipulated by him.
Seeing Shen Cheng being so good to Su Jinli, and Su Jinli's dependence on Shen Cheng, An Zhiyan was left feeling uneasy.
He didn't know why he'd traveled all this way just to feel like an outsider, with those two on edge like facing a great enemy.
Rarely did An Zhiyan feel frustrated.
"You should investigate this. I heard your An family has good ways. I'll take care of Su Jinli. I'll arrange for his transfer and find a doctor," Shen Cheng said, releasing Su Jinli's hand.
Jiujiu brought clothes. Shen Cheng personally helped Su Jinli put them on, and they left to transfer to another hospital.
An Zhiyan sat watching them leave. As they were about to exit, he abruptly called out, "Su Jinli."
Su Jinli stopped and turned to look at An Zhiyan.
For a moment, An Zhiyan's gaze held a well of emotion — regret and loneliness in his deep eyes.
"Take care of yourself," was all An Zhiyan said.
Su Jinli nodded, and with Shen Cheng, left the hospital under Jiujiu's protection to get into Shen Cheng's car.
Once in the car, Su Jinli found everything exciting. However, he soon calmed down and said to Shen Cheng, "I think Brother An is quite nice."
"What's so nice? A 15-second stare, gross," Shen Cheng replied unenthusiastically.
Su Jinli immediately closed his mouth and stopped speaking.
Shen Cheng was genuinely annoyed by An Zhiyan teasing Su Jinli. It was a wonder he hadn't hit him yet.
________________________
An Zhiyan went to the broadcasting company to personally review the surveillance tape.
An Zhihan was extremely anxious. As soon as An Zhiyan arrived, he followed him to the monitoring room and relentlessly questioned An Zhiyan, "How's Su Jinli doing?"
"I think his condition is okay overall, but he can't speak. The doctor said his throat and intestines have been corroded, and some organs are damaged. Shen Cheng took him to another hospital."
"Shen Cheng?!" An Zhihan responded in surprise.
Knowing there were other staff members present, An Zhiyan didn't elaborate and merely nodded in acknowledgment.
An Zhihan, aware of the limits, continued to ask, "Can Su Jinli continue to participate in the competition?"
"It will take some time for him to recover. However, after recovery... his voice... won’t be the same anymore."
"Damn it!" An Zhihan shook with anger, "Su Jinli has a great singing voice. His last performance astonished everyone. If his voice is ruined, what then?"
"Let him sing rock."
"…"
An Zhiyan was still upset, watching the surveillance footage irritably. He discovered that nothing seemed unusual at the gift receiving area, no one had delivered that gift.
The only difference was, at three o'clock in the night, the gifts collapsed on their own, looking merely like they had been piled untidily and fallen over.
Turning to the surveillance of Su Jinli's room, minutes before, Su Jinli was happily looking at his gift, but soon after things went wrong.
The footage in the bedroom was shot with a video camera and was especially clear. The sight of Su Jinli suddenly vomiting blood made An Zhiyan furrow his brow when viewing it.
Su Jinli, in the video, tried to support his body but was still overpowered by the bleeding. The obvious discomfort made An Ziyan's heart sting a bit.
In the latter part of the footage, Su Jinli entered the bathroom. An Zhihan kicks the door in and carries an unconscious Su Jinli out. Here, An Zhiyan finally confirmed what kind of pain Su Jinli had endured.
Although it wasn't as exaggerated as An Zhihan said, having vomited liters of blood, it was still truly shocking.
Despite such severe injuries, by the time he got to the hospital, he was full of life…
An Zhiyan watched the video, thinking about the medical conditions the doctor had mentioned, as well as the cases he had observed at the hospital.
Then, his thoughts shifted towards the peculiarities of Su Jinli.
Previously, when only An Zhihan and Su Jinli were in the dorm, a pair of underwear suddenly flew by them.
Su Jinli, during the time at Xinyue Manor, mentioned that he had an unusual constitution and could absorb Yan's Positive energy.
He had a particular aversion to water, and he always carried around him a peculiar, enticing fragrance...
Could it be... does Su Jinli possess some sort of supernatural ability? Perhaps ventriloquism is one of them?
But almost immediately, Zhiyan dismissed this unlikely thought... How could that be possible...
If he really had super powers, how could he be as stupid as Su Jinli?
Just when An Zhiyan brushed off his concerns, he suddenly remembered Shen Cheng's previous anomaly.
He asked him, "Who touched your head?"
It seemed to be... Su Jinli?
???
??
An Zhiyan went back to the video clip where the gifts fell, rewatching it multiple times. He requested the tech team to enlarge the scene, finally uncovering a chilling moment.
At the same time when the items fell, the chocolate that poisoned Su Jinli surfaced inside the box, falling into the corner, only visible when magnified several times.
Damn it!
An Zhiyan's hand holding the mouse trembled.
________________________
After Su Jinli was transferred to a different hospital, he spent two days in close company with Shen Cheng.
It was like he had become an endless problem machine, bombarding Shen Cheng with relentless questions.
"Brother, have you been well these years?" Su Jinli followed behind Shen Cheng, watching him pour a glass of water.
"Quite well, just a bit busy."
"Have you had a girlfriend?"
"Almost had one, but it didn't work out."
"Why not? Was she pretty? What kind of personality did she have?"
Shen Cheng paused, thought for a while, and then answered, "She was quite good-looking, had an... okay personality. However, being together would have affected our careers, so we decided against it."
"Brother, what type of person do you like?"
"Quiet ones."
"Don't you feel lonely with someone too quiet, with no conversation?"
Shen Cheng glanced through a script while answering, "Quiet is good."
"Brother, have you watched my shows?"
"Yes, I have."
"How do you think I performed?"
"Quite well."
"Do you have any suggestions for me?"
"Be quiet for a while."
"Oh..."
Su Jinli returned to his hospital bed, actually, he could have been discharged earlier. But he wanted to spend more time with his brother, so he deliberately stayed in the hospital.
Shen Cheng didn't say much but continued to stay at the hospital with Su Jinli and took care of him.
Once Su Jinli calmed down, Shen Cheng brought an apple and a fruit knife, peeled an apple for Su Jinli, cut it into pieces, and placed it on a fruit plate, handing it to him.
Even before Su Jinli finished eating, Shen Cheng peeled an orange, placed it next to him, and Su Jinli continued eating.
After Su Jinli finished eating, Shen Cheng got up again to prepare oatmeal for him.
Su Jinli lay on the bed, joyfully watching Shen Cheng, then asked, "Brother, why are you so handsome?"
Finally, a doting smile spread across Shen Cheng's face.
"Speak less, your throat has just recovered."
Even though Shen Cheng had treated Su Jinli, his body still needed time to recover. His throat and some organs hadn't yet returned to their peak state.
"When I had just become human, didn't I talk all the time too?"
"Yes, and with a slurred speech, you could hardly speak clearly. You just kept talking behind me and I was bothered by you all the time."
Su Jinli found it strange and wondered, "No, I think you liked me quite a lot."
"Maybe it's because I despise the other demons so much, in comparison, it seems like I really like you."
"No way! You're really great."
Shen Cheng smiled again, brought the oatmeal to Su Jinli's side and sat down.
"Brother!" Su Jinli called again.
"Hmm."
"Brother!!"
"What's it?"
"I'm just happy and wanted to shout." Su Jinli was lying on the bed, stretching out his hand to grip the corner of Shen Cheng's clothes, "You must make sure to watch my competition. If I know you're watching, I'll try especially hard."
"Yes, I'll watch."
At this moment, Shen Cheng's phone suddenly rang.
Su Jinli leaned over to look and saw that the caller ID display on the phone showed a three-character name: Lu Wenxi.
He pointed at the phone and said to Shen Cheng, "Someone from our program team has sung his songs."
Shen Cheng picked up the phone, stood up and walked out to answer the call.
"Xu Chen said, someone used sacrificial sky blood to hurt your brother. What's going on?" On the other end of the phone was Lu Wenxi's frivolously tone, but his question was somewhat serious.
"Yes, my brother saw a twisted soul in the program team. I suspect it is a hostile spirit, can you help me investigate?"
"What I'm asking is, how suddenly you popped out a brother, and such a grown one at that!"
"......"
Shen Cheng suddenly felt that the assistant he found was very unreliable.
"I heard that your brother is of pure Yin physique? Coincidentally, my goddaughter is of the same constitution. Should we arrange a marriage between our families?" Lu Wenxi continued to probe.
"No."
"Don't be so heartless. Let's give it a try. What if they fall in love at first sight?"
"How old is your goddaughter?"
"She can already run."
"Get lost."
From the other end of the phone, another man's voice was heard, "Dodo is still young, it's inappropriate for you to discuss marriage matters so early."
"I just want to get some fish scales from Shen Cheng as a pendant for a necklace. Maybe it will bring good luck once it's hung up. Since Shen Cheng won't let me, I'll get it from his brother. It's easier to get from a son-in-law, right?"
"But you're not short of money."
"But who would mind having more money?"
Listening to their conversation at the other end, Shen Cheng suddenly threatened, "If you dare to touch my brother, I will make both of you swim across the Yangtze River barehanded."
"Then... never mind..." Lu Wenxi replied disappointingly, "But I will never let go of the person who harms others with my husband's blood."
________________________
Author's Note:
An Zhiyan is questioning his life.
---
【Shen Cheng during his middle school age】
Shen Cheng: After I leave the mountain, I will definitely make a name for myself, be respected by thousands of people, command the wind and the cloud, never bow to anyone, and never obey anyone's orders.
Passerby: Shen Cheng, your brother has wet his pants again.
Shen Cheng: Okay, I'm coming right now.
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