She recounted the various incidents that had been happening to her lately—how someone had been pestering her, how there were knocks on the door at night, cigarette butts left at the entrance, and how the group of people looking for her had become increasingly frequent and aggressive.
"Tomorrow, you’re coming out with me." A cold smirk hung on his face. "Bold enough to mess with me? They’ve got guts."
The next day, Chen Yi emerged from his room, directly carrying a gleaming, sharp knife. He dragged a wide-eyed Miao Jing out with him.
They went door to door, with Chen Yi using the knife to knock loudly, the sound reverberating through the hallway. His handsome face wore a ferocious smile as he spoke with exaggerated politeness, "Auntie, I heard you’ve been very interested in my family’s affairs. Since I’m home today, why don’t you come in for a visit?"
The moment the residents saw his intimidating demeanor, they were terrified out of their wits, trembling and unable to speak.
Chen Yi lazily leaned against the doorframe, stroking the silver blade with a sinister glare. "Don’t you think this knife looks sharp? And the police station’s number is pretty easy to remember, right? I’ve lived in this neighborhood since I was a kid. I even owe you some gratitude, Uncle, for looking out for me back then. I’m quite familiar with your family too. We should keep in touch more often in the future."
After visiting each household, he stood imposingly in the middle of a crowd downstairs—all old neighbors who had watched Chen Yi grow up. Smiling as he toyed with the knife, he draped an arm over Miao Jing’s stiff shoulders and asked everyone to spread the word: if anyone dared to inquire about his family or plot against his household, he would make sure they got exactly what they wished for—and then some, leaving them rolling in profits.
As for rounding up people for a fight, Chen Yi gathered over a dozen troublemakers—bleached-haired, green-haired, all sorts of delinquents—smoking cigarettes and riding motorcycles, a dark mass of them. They combed through every Internet cafe, arcade, and mahjong parlor, tracking down every thug who had shown their face around Miao Jing and giving each a severe beating.
After that, it was completely quiet.
Everyone steered clear of the two siblings, not daring to utter a single word in their presence.
Chen Yi also tossed a very small fruit knife to Miao Jing, pressing it into her hand and teaching her a few self-defense moves. Miao Jing shook her head repeatedly, stepping back with tears in her eyes as she murmured, "I don’t want it..."
He rolled his eyes. "Take it. Keep it under your pillow for protection."
Miao Jing trembled as she accepted it, tears clinging to her lashes. "Thank you..."
Chen Yi smoked in silence, glanced at her twice, then lowered his eyes to flick the ash, slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I’ll come back and stay a few days every week."
He tossed some money to her. "Buy more groceries, some food and daily necessities... There’ll always be times when they come in handy."
Miao Jing took the money, pursed her lips, and whispered softly, "What do you like to eat? I’ll go buy it..."
His brow relaxed into a smile—a bright, wild grin.
Chapter 17: Are You Impotent? This Pathetic?
Tu Li had a vague sense that something was off.
There was an indescribable strangeness she couldn’t quite put into words. Chen Yi wasn’t acting like himself—ever since Miao Jing returned, he had completely changed.
Chen Yi and Miao Jing didn’t act like siblings. Anyone could see that their relationship was lukewarm at best, not even as close as Chen Yi was with his buddies. They were practically unrelated, yet they lived under the same roof.
Late at night, there was movement next door. Chen Yi called Miao Jing out, and the two stood on the balcony with the door closed, talking. Tu Li couldn’t guess what they were discussing, but she could hear and see their tone and attitude from the crack in the door during their brief exchange in the living room.
When did Lu Zhengsi leave? Why did he leave so abruptly?She had already taken off her clothes, only to put them back on forcefully before heading home. The scene was utterly bizarre. Tu Li’s high heels seemed to bore holes into the ground with each step. Her smile was strained and sarcastic as she taunted Chen Yi, questioning whether he was even a man or if he had some hidden ailment. His expression was colder than hers, and he impatiently snapped at her, "Why not find someone else? What’s your type? I can make a call right now and have him delivered to your bed. Someone rich, handsome, or with staying power?"
"Chen Yi!" Tu Li’s face flushed with anger and humiliation. "I’ve been devoted to you, always doing as you pleased and being at your beck and call. I’ve never wronged you. What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing much. You haven’t wronged me, and I haven’t wronged you either. Was the money not enough, or did I not satisfy you?" The shameless man spoke arrogantly, his eyes cold and unyielding. "It’s more than enough."
Tu Li gritted her teeth, saying nothing, her face frozen in fury.
Chen Yi parked the car downstairs in the residential complex, his tone flippant and disdainful. "Let’s just call it quits. We can part on good terms. It’s not like you’ll have trouble finding someone better. Frankly, I’m tired of this. I just can’t get it up with you."
The words cut deep. Tu Li sneered, curling her lips. "Are you a eunuch? Is it that bad?"
"Yeah, I’m a eunuch. So what?" Chen Yi ran his tongue over his teeth, his expression frivolous. "Isn’t it better to set you free early?"
She had already removed her makeup, her face pale and translucent, her once-bright lips now faded. Hearing his words, her eyes reddened, but she stubbornly lifted her chin and said nothing. Summoning a shred of inner strength, she twisted the car door handle and stepped out. Her back was alluring and graceful as she strode away, her heels clicking sharply against the ground.
Chen Yi lazily leaned against the car window, finishing his cigarette before tossing the butt aside and driving off.
Miao Jing’s door was tightly shut, the room silent—she had likely gone to bed early. He rubbed his face wearily, sat frowning in the living room for a while, and finally returned to his own room late at night. The next morning, Miao Jing was still there, dressed in an elegant professional suit, nibbling on a rice ball by the dining table. Seeing Chen Yi standing at his bedroom door, she asked if he could drive her to the office. There were visitors from the headquarters that day, and she had a PowerPoint presentation for a meeting. It was raining outside, and wearing high heels while rushing for the shuttle bus would be inconvenient.
He grunted coldly in response, heading to the bathroom first to freshen up. Noticing Miao Jing waiting nearby, he returned to his room with his toothbrush in his mouth, stripping off his T-shirt as he walked and tossing it casually onto the sofa. He emerged bare-chested, pulling on a black hooded sweatshirt. The hem of the shirt brushed over his taut, well-defined muscles, and his shoulders formed sharp angles. Standing before Miao Jing, he exuded an air of impatient defiance and growled, "Let’s go."
It was still early, with a fine autumn drizzle and sparse traffic. The car sped along swiftly. Miao Jing asked him to slow down, but Chen Yi ignored her, his eyes downcast, unwilling to engage.
"The weather isn’t great. Could you drive a bit slower?"
"Stop nagging. Why not take a taxi instead?" His tone was icy. "It’s my car, and I know what I’m doing. If you’re riding with me, just sit quietly."
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