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Ye Tingtong stood still, his eyes wide open. Was Shen Jin drunk and babbling nonsense?
Marriage? To him?
He tried to hide his shock. "What?"
He pretended not to hear, wanting the other person to repeat it.
Shen Jin paused. "Someone drugged me."
"Not that part." Ye Tingtong shook his head, but then he realized, "Wait, what did you just say?"
One shock after another, Ye Tingtong completely lost control of his expression, his mouth hanging open in shock.
"I said, someone drugged me." Shen Jin spoke slowly. "Before that, I asked if you wanted to marry me."
The word 'drugged' immediately alarmed Ye Tingtong, and he quickly distanced himself. "Don't pin this on me! I didn't do it!"
He pointed to the water on the table. "It only spilled on you a bit; don't accuse me."
Shen Jin couldn't tell if he was helpless or amused. "I'm not blaming you; someone else did it."
When he left Qin Qiong's room, she handed him a cup of tea.
He drank it.
Only then did Ye Tingtong relax. No wonder he saw Shen Jin's forehead covered in sweat; he thought it was from the alcohol.
After Shen Jin finished speaking, he saw Ye Tingtong take the initiative to sit next to him, their arms touching. Shen Jin's gaze darkened slightly, and the next moment, he saw Ye Tingtong reach out and touch his forehead. "You're warm; should I call a doctor?"
He didn't know what kind of drug it was or how serious it was.
The cool, soft touch on his forehead was fleeting. Shen Jin stiffened, but the other person seemed completely unaware as he sat next to him.
Shen Jin turned his head, avoiding his touch. "No need, it's not a strong dose."
Qin Qiong likely didn't want him to make a scene, so she didn't give him a large dose. Otherwise, he wouldn't have felt off after mingling at the party for so long.
But, just like last time on the cruise ship, he didn't expect Ye Tingtong to show up again.
Ye Tingtong thought for a moment, trying to use the knowledge he learned from novels to make Shen Jin feel better. "I'll run you a cold bath, okay?"
Shen Jin: "."
The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom. Ye Tingtong stood straight at the door of Shen Jin's bedroom.
He was worried Shen Jin might bolt.
A minute passed. Ye Tingtong stretched his neck and asked softly inside, "You alright?"
The response he got was a calm "Hmm" from Shen Jin.
Five minutes later.
Ye Tingtong: "Feeling any better?"
The sound of water didn't stop, and Shen Jin didn't respond to him.
Ye Tingtong paced anxiously outside.
Would Shen Jin, after a cold shower, come to his senses and take back what he just said?
The cold bathroom door opened.
It was Ye Tingtong's first glimpse of Shen Jin in this state.
His bangs were casually scattered, wet strands clinging to his face, highlighting his sharp features. At this moment, he slightly lowered his eyes, using a towel to dry his hair. Water dripped from his hair, wetting a spot on his shoulder.
In the middle of winter, Shen Jin didn't seem to mind the cold at all. His thin pajamas, soaked through, clearly revealed the lines of his shoulders and neck—strong and well-defined, hinting at regular workouts.
Ye Tingtong watched for a while, then looked away uncomfortably.
Even in pajamas, Shen Jin had his buttons done up to the top, not showing an inch of skin. Unlike Shen Minghuai, who flaunted his six-pack abs in the dorm every day, making everyone cringe.
He couldn't help but wonder if Shen Jin had abs too...
Ye Tingtong's mind wandered, but he was abruptly brought back by Shen Jin's voice: "What's wrong?"
Ye Tingtong shifted his gaze away from Shen Jin's lower abdomen and touched his nose, trying to hide his thoughts: "Nothing."
He really wanted to ask Shen Jin about the marriage proposal, but the earlier drugging incident had put it on hold. Now, face to face, he found it hard to bring up.
Ye Tingtong stood awkwardly for a while, torn between hailing a cab to flee and finding the guts to ask about the marriage. He chose the latter.
"Um—"
He was just about to speak when he was interrupted.
Shen Jin picked up his phone from the table, "I'll send you a document later. Take a look. If there's no problem, we'll go get the marriage certificate tomorrow."
Ye Tingtong: "?!"
Is the big shot really this decisive?
He opened the document and quickly scanned it. The general idea was that after marriage, he only needed to appear at certain fixed occasions, and they'd live their lives separately.
It was a practical marriage.
"I'll help you handle the Ye family's affairs," Shen Jin placed the half-wet towel aside, "In return, you need to play the role of my partner, to keep outsiders from getting any ideas."
"The contract states that although we are in a legal marital relationship, you won't have a claim on the Shen family's assets. In return, I will give you a monthly compensation of 100,000 until our relationship ends."
Ye Tingtong's eyes lit up immediately, nodding eagerly.
He would help Shen Jin deal with those sneaky issues, and Shen Jin would get him out of the Ye family's drama. Even if he didn't get any money after the divorce, the deal still worked in his favor.
Moreover, there was an extra 100 grand every month!
Shen Jin originally wanted to say that the money could be increased if it wasn't enough, but seeing the satisfied smile on Ye Tingtong's face, he swallowed those words.
The next day, Ye Tingtong got up earlier than usual.
However, Shen Jin seemed to have gotten up even earlier. When Ye Tingtong woke up, Shen Jin had just come back from his morning jog and had brought him breakfast.
Ye Tingtong looked at the steamed buns and soy milk on the table, clearly surprised.
Shen Jin asked, "Not what you like?"
"No, no," Ye Tingtong shook his head, and to ensure he was believed, he popped a dumpling into his mouth. "I thought important people like you had toast and jam every morning! And iced coffee."
That's how it always is on TV.
Because he was talking while eating, Ye Tingtong choked on his food, and after pounding his chest a few times, someone handed him a cup of soy milk.
He quickly took it, took a big gulp, and drank more than half of it in one go.
Ye Tingtong put down the cup and only then noticed Shen Jin was watching him. He coughed, "I don't usually eat like this, you know..."
The suggested marriage of convenience by Shen Jin last night had left him feeling somewhat elated, and he had let his guard down, accidentally going a bit overboard.
Would Shen Jin regret the marriage?
Fortunately, Shen Jin wasn't deterred. After breakfast, he took him out as usual.
Before getting the marriage certificate, Ye Tingtong needed to go back to his rental to grab his household registration booklet.
When he opened the door, Ye Tingtong was stunned by the scene inside.
The interior was a mess, with furniture overturned like the place had been ransacked. The bedroom was the hardest hit, with clothes yanked out of his wardrobe and thrown on the floor, clearly stepped on.
Ye Tingtong was both angry and sad; many of the clothes had only been worn once or twice and were now ruined.
As he reached for the scarf Shen Minghuai had given him on the floor, Shen Jin calmly said, "Who knows who's touched it, better leave it."
Though it pained him, Ye Tingtong put the scarf down.
Shen Jin was right; Ye Guodong had probably sent some people to cause trouble, not just to look for valuables but also to threaten him indirectly. There might even be cameras installed in the room.
With this in mind, Ye Tingtong quickly retrieved a box from under the bed and took out the household registration booklet from a hidden compartment. "Let's go quickly, or they'll catch up."
Shen Jin looked at the booklet in his arms, "Not taking anything else?"
This was a place Ye Tingtong had lived in for a long time; surely there were many belongings to take.
Ye Tingtong instinctively looked at the scarf on the floor; expensive things have their reasons, it was quite warm.
Shen Jin: "Besides that."
Ye Tingtong thought for a moment, then picked up a large cardboard box from the living room, "Almost forgot this!"
Perhaps because it looked too cheap, the box was completely untouched. Ye Tingtong opened it and glanced inside, "The snacks are still here!"
This was his snack cabinet. Every time he went out, Ye Tingtong would hide some snacks to bring back and store here, to dig into when he felt peckish.
After all, he had no money at all, and could only rely on the school cafeteria and meals out with Shen Minghuai. These snacks were absolute luxuries for him.
The snack cabinet was large, and with plenty of dried fruits and puffed snacks inside, Ye Tingtong could barely see the path ahead when he carried it.
Shen Jin reached out, "Give it to me."
Ye Tingtong opened the box, took out a bag of what looked like the most expensive dried fruit, and placed it in Shen Jin's palm, "This?"
Shen Jin looked at the snack in his hand, remained silent for a while, then stuffed the snack into Ye Tingtong's coat pocket, and with one hand, lifted the snack box.
What Ye Tingtong needed both hands to carry, Shen Jin managed with one, his vision completely unobstructed, walking steadily.
Ye Tingtong was stunned for a moment, then followed with red ears.
It wasn't that he was dense or slow to catch on; it was just that Shen Jin's air of nobility and arrogance made it seem completely out of character for him to carry such a shabby box, and he didn't even dare to entertain the thought.
Shen Jin looked completely calm, without any of the pretentiousness Ye Tingtong had expected. Not only did he help carry things, but he also neatly stowed the box in the trunk.
Ye Tingtong looked at the dusty stains on Shen Jin's coat and the luxury car in front of him, thinking his snack cabinet had truly seen it all.
Just as they were about to leave, Shen Jin received a phone call, asking him to wait for a moment.
Ye Tingtong nodded obediently, gesturing for him to go ahead.
Even though getting the marriage license was urgent, it wasn't *that* urgent.
He had checked; the Civil Affairs Bureau closed at 5 PM, and it would take them just over half an hour to drive there. Even with the physical exam and other miscellaneous tasks, they had enough time.
Shen Jin seemed to be discussing business matters, using a bunch of jargon Ye Tingtong couldn't follow, which eventually lulled him to sleepiness despite being full of energy earlier.
Ye Tingtong yawned, leaned against the car, pulled out some dried fruit from his pocket, and ate it while sneaking glances at Shen Jin's back.
Shen Jin seemed to be a head taller than him, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. The well-tailored suit made him appear mature and capable, exactly matching Ye Tingtong's idea of a big shot.
Just as Ye Tingtong was admiring him, another car pulled into the complex. The gate guard opened the car door for someone and then pointed in Ye Tingtong's direction.
Ye Tingtong's heart dropped.
The apartment in this community was rented for him by Ye Guodong, and the security guard was very familiar with Ye Guodong.
Earlier, since he hadn't gotten out of Shen Jin's car, the guard probably hadn't recognized him. But now that he had been standing at the gate for so long, the guard had seen him and tipped off Ye Guodong.
Sure enough, Ye Guodong got out of the passenger seat, and a burly guy with a glaring red tattoo on his neck stepped out from the driver's seat.
Ye Tingtong felt like he'd been plunged into an icy abyss, and the terrifying memories buried deep in his mind came flooding back.
During the days when Ye Guodong was away, it was this tattooed man who supervised him.
In the darkness, occasionally the small window by the door would open, revealing the tattooed man's sinister face.
Ye Tingtong couldn't describe the feeling; it was his only chance to see daylight each day. The hope in his eyes would instantly die the moment he saw the tattooed man.
The tattooed man seemed to enjoy seeing Ye Tingtong's despair. To prevent any light from coming through, he would stuff the door crack with cotton, and sometimes he would visit Ye Tingtong twice a day, tormenting him in this way.
Moreover, it wasn't just psychological torment; the man would also beat him mercilessly. While Ye Guodong simply vented his anger, the tattooed man would target his most vulnerable spots, leaving him curled up on the ground in pain.
The moment Ye Tingtong saw them, he didn't hesitate—he bolted.
He had only one thought in his mind—
He couldn't be caught.
As Ye Tingtong started running, he could clearly hear the commotion close behind him. It was obvious that Ye Guodong and the others had noticed and were chasing after him.
Although it wasn't far from A University, Ye Tingtong knew that with his physical condition, he wouldn't make it to the university in time to escape.
Ye Tingtong quickly changed direction and ran into the parking garage without hesitation.
He didn't have a car and had never known the location of the underground garage until one winter when he saw a stray cat in the community. He followed it and discovered that they all hid in a very secluded corner of the underground garage.
The community didn't allow stray cats or dogs, and it was clear that the cat had just arrived. Despite being chased away, it had no choice but to hunker down there as winter set in.
The kitten was very wary, hissing and extending its claws when it saw Ye Tingtong. But after being fed a few times, it became more friendly. At least it wouldn't hide when it saw him, and occasionally it would even rub its little black-nosed face against his hand.
Ye Tingtong didn't know if the cat could survive the winter safely, so he stuffed some old clothes into the corner, but a few days later, it disappeared—even the cat's nest he had made had vanished.
Ye Tingtong rubbed his eyes and curled into a tight ball, his heart pounding in his ears.
Now there was no cat in this corner, only himself, being chased.
He gently took out his phone from his pocket, instinctively thinking to ask Yu Huanhuan for help, but when he opened WeChat, he suddenly saw Shen Jin's name in the list.
Ye Tingtong: "?!"
How could he have been so stupid to forget about Shen Jin!
It was no use regretting now. He was just about to call Shen Jin when heavy footsteps suddenly sounded around him. He could only try to make himself less noticeable and quietly messaged Shen Jin.
"Ye Tingtong: Ye Guodong and his men are chasing me. Can you find someone to save me?"
From a distance, he watched as Ye Guodong and the tattooed man split up. Ye Guodong was responsible for checking the other side, while the tattooed man was responsible for his side, holding a rope that looked familiar.
Shen Jin had come alone today, without an assistant or bodyguard in tow. He wasn't sure if Ye Guodong would be reckless enough to confront someone directly, so it was safest to call for backup.
He sent the message, anxious that the other party might not see it, or if they wouldn't reply as before, when his phone buzzed almost immediately.
"Shen Jin: Where are you?"
The ding echoed loudly in the silent underground garage.
Ye Tingtong's face turned pale. He'd forgotten—he'd set a special alert and ringtone for Shen Jin to make sure he didn't miss his messages.
It had never gone off before, but now it was the alarm that gave away his position.
The tattooed man heard the sound and bolted toward him.
Ye Tingtong immediately stood up and ran. In a panic, he sent Shen Jin a voice message.
"Ye Tingtong: I'm near the upper right corner of the underground garage. There's a tattooed guy who's a brutal fighter. He's chasing me. Don't come."
The difference in their strength was obvious. Ye Tingtong was being overtaken quickly.
The tattooed man seemed to enjoy Ye Tingtong's panicked appearance, toying with him like a cat with a mouse. Ye Tingtong stumbled over a speed bump and hit the ground hard.
Even though Ye Tingtong firmly believed that Shen Jin would come to save him, he couldn't help but panic. Finally, in a desperate run, he ended up in the original dead end, completely trapped inside.
Ye Tingtong tasted blood.
From the fall just now, he scraped his face, hit his chin, and bit his tongue.
Ye Tingtong touched his face. It was wet—it was blood.
The tattooed man also saw the blood on his face and spat, "Damn, I went too far."
The most valuable thing about this kid was his face.
Ye Tingtong saw him approaching and couldn't help but crouch down and cover his head. "Please don't hit me. I won't run anymore."
"Damn, you always say that—"
The tattooed man was just about to pull him up when his neck was suddenly grabbed. In the struggle, he couldn't break free for a moment and was forced to stagger back.
In a daze, Ye Tingtong seemed to hear the tattooed man's scream. Just as he looked up, he saw a horrifying scene.
The rope originally meant to capture him somehow ended up in Shen Jin's hands. Shen Jin used the rope to strangle the tattooed man, grabbed his hair with his right hand, and slammed him into the car, his face devoid of emotion.
With a loud bang, the car's side caved in, and the car alarm blared.
Ye Tingtong stared in shock as the tattooed man slid down the car like a limp sack, collapsing to the ground.
Shen Jin walked up to him, the scent of blood clinging to him even heavier than on Ye Tingtong.
He looked down at Ye Tingtong and extended his left hand, "You okay to stand?"
Ye Tingtong wanted to reach out and take his hand, but as soon as he moved, his elbow throbbed with pain. His legs were jelly from running and terror, making it impossible for him to stand.
He looked up, his face pale, and said, "Shen Jin, I think something's broken."
Ye Tingtong's face was scratched, his nose and eyes red, like a trapped animal pleading for help.
Shen Jin crouched down, checked Ye Tingtong's legs and the scrapes on his arms.
Ye Tingtong noticed Shen Jin observing him and immediately covered his face.
His face was his only pride, and now that it was damaged, he feared Shen Jin might reject him now.
Shen Jin looked at the arm Ye Tingtong had quickly raised and concluded, "Your bones aren't broken."
Ye Tingtong sniffled, his voice trembling, "Really? Then why can't I even move?"
He tried to stand up but couldn't muster any strength.
His face hurt too.
Ye Tingtong thought of something and cautiously asked, "Do I look that bad now?"
"Will you still want to marry me like this?"
Shen Jin reached out, scooped Ye Tingtong up by the waist, and said, "My decision won't change because of something like this."
Ye Tingtong instinctively moved his hand from covering his face to wrapping around Shen Jin's neck.
Shen Jin looked down at the nervous, tear-streaked face in his arms, paused for a moment, and then added, "Besides, you're still beautiful to me."
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