Chen Yi rubbed his fingertips, the severity of this matter was extraordinary—once involved, there would be no turning back. Standing before Zhai Fengmao, he claimed he was too timid and didn’t want to do it.
Zhai Fengmao chuckled lightly and asked, “I’ll give you a hundred thousand a month, and you still don’t want to do it?”
“I’m greedy. I’m afraid once I step through this door, even a hundred thousand won’t be enough. Then I’d start thinking about millions, tens of millions. A person with too much ambition is bound to stumble.”
“You’ve got quite the nerve, talking about millions and tens of millions,” Zhai Fengmao mocked him. “You should weigh your own capabilities first.”
Chen Yi lowered his head.
Zhai Fengmao didn’t force him, but Chen Yi had caught his eye and couldn’t extricate himself. In the end, he still fell into the trap.
As Chen Yi rose in status, the gang of underlings behind him also prospered. They walked with their heads held high, and the nightclub even provided them with a dedicated car for cruising and picking up girls, which added to their prestige.
The trouble, however, started with Bo Zai. He was the closest to Chen Yi. As a low-level dealer responsible for distribution and delivery, Bo Zai took money from his companions and was supposed to deliver goods to a villa in the suburbs late at night. Chen Yi stopped him, asked a couple of questions over the phone, and told Bo Zai to hand the goods over to him. He threw on his clothes and headed out to find Bo Zai.
At that time, Miao Jing was still awake. She had noticed that Chen Yi had been acting mysteriously lately, keeping everything from her and frequently going out in the middle of the night. Hearing the words he spoke on the phone, she froze instantly, her blood running cold. The moment Chen Yi stepped out, she chased after him but failed to stop him.
Miao Jing immediately called the police.
The police station responded quickly.
At the same time, another call promptly reached the criminal police team.
“Uh, Captain Zhou… someone reported drug use…”
“This… damn it.”
Chen Yi was released just in time at the entrance of the police station. If he had been brought in even a moment later, the trouble would have been immense.
He stormed back home, whipping his jacket harshly against Miao Jing’s body a few times. It was the first time Miao Jing had seen such a sinister glare and terrifying expression on his face. The zipper of his jacket snapped against her cheek, leaving a sharp, stinging pain. Furious, he roared, “Are you fucking insane? If you want to kill me, just come at me directly. I swear I could strangle you!!!"I’d rather raise a white-eyed wolf than deal with you!"” Chen Yi slammed his jacket onto the floor, kicked several chairs to pieces, leaving the place in disarray. His eyes were bloodshot as he yelled, “Get out! Once your college entrance exams are over, get out immediately! Go far away and never come back!!!”
Miao Jing’s pale arm bore long red marks, her eyes glistening with tears as she stared wide-eyed at Chen Yi.
“Miao Jing, I’m warning you. If you ever dare to mention my affairs again, if you dare to ask, to speak, or to interfere, from now on, we are irreconcilable, and there’s no connection between us whatsoever. I, Chen Yi, swear this today, and I mean every word.”
His voice trembled, hoarse as he finished, “If you look down on me, if you can’t stand me, you can leave right now. I’ll act like you never existed, like I never knew you in this lifetime.”
“Get out!”
The sound of dishes shattering on the floor was sharp and clear, fragments of porcelain hitting Miao Jing’s calves. She hunched her shoulders, trembling, watching as his neck flushed red with anger, his Adam’s apple bobbing frequently—he was truly on the verge of exploding.
After scolding her, he turned and left, not returning home for several days.Miao Jing stayed home alone and encountered two community police officers conducting household registration. Following them was a middle-aged man in plain clothes who showed his police badge—his name was Zhou Kang'an. He also inquired about her family situation. Seeing Miao Jing remain silent and home alone, he gave her a phone number: "I'm a public security officer. If anything happens, big or small, just call me directly. I'll help with whatever I can resolve."
The relationship between Chen Yi and Miao Jing suddenly froze over. One day, Chen Yi returned home smoking, his face dark and gloomy. He instructed Miao Jing, "Don't stay in this house anymore. Move to the school and focus on preparing for your college entrance exams. If you need anything later, go out and buy it yourself."
The school had faculty apartments, and some teachers would rent out rooms to students. With the college entrance exams approaching, Chen Yi arranged for Miao Jing to move out of home and found her a place to stay.
He didn’t want to see her at home.
In the bright, warm April, Miao Jing’s eighteenth birthday passed quietly.
Without a sound.
Before the college entrance exams, she met Chen Yi once. They arranged to eat at a restaurant outside the school. She noticed his expression had grown even darker and more ruthless. He smoked heavily and didn’t touch his chopsticks, only watching her as she ate with her head down.
"How’s your revision going?"
"Alright."
"Your homeroom teacher said your mock exam results were very good."
"Alright."
"Did you call my homeroom teacher?"
"He called me."
"What schools are you planning to apply to?"
"Haven’t decided yet."
"Choose somewhere farther away—like the capital or Linjiang. Pick your own preferences."
"Okay."
After a brief exchange, he excused himself, saying he had something to do, and hurried off.
That year’s college entrance exams quietly concluded.
Chapter 35: Chen Yi Couldn’t Hold Back and Threw His Head Back in Laughter
The fire erupted violently in an instant—just when the billiards hall was at its busiest. Since the hall was in a basement, classified as a third-tier structure, it was highly flammable. The spacious, open area had no barriers, and thick, black smoke billowed in aggressively, instantly shrouding everything in darkness. When someone shouted "Fire!", Chen Yi’s expression changed abruptly. He rushed over to assess the situation while Bo Zai loudly directed the evacuation. Panicked students pushed and shoved their way out, accompanied by screams and the sounds of trampling.
Thick smoke filled the indoor space as people scrambled out through the black haze. Fire engines and rescue vehicles arrived simultaneously. The flames spread rapidly, drawing a crowd of horrified onlookers. By the time Miao Jing arrived, disheveled and distraught, the sky was sprinkled with black ash, and the scene before her was a charred ruin. Dirty water flowed across the ground, and people brushed past her, their faces smeared with soot, still shaken by the ordeal. The billiards hall’s sign was completely burnt, and the neon-lit entrance gaped like an ugly, black maw. Fully equipped firefighters used hoses to extinguish the remaining flames.
Miao Jing couldn’t find Chen Yi, nor Bo Zai or any familiar faces. Trembling, she walked closer, her face pale and stricken, her voice hoarse and dazed as she asked about the people inside.
OpenNovel