TIL - 23

For a while after that, Chen Cheng and Wen Huo were exceptionally harmonious. When they had had enough of work and studying, they would tacitly find each other to make love and play games. Chen Cheng’s positions that Wen Huo initially couldn’t accept, she inexplicably accepted them all.

Wen Huo also discovered during their games that Chen Cheng wasn’t trying to make her submit with various tools and methods; he merely used those things as aids.

His pursuit of pain and stimulation was persistent and extreme. Rather than saying he had a peculiar sexual fetish, it might be more accurate to say he was venting his suppressed emotions.

Wen Huo often felt in a trance that beneath Chen Cheng’s composed exterior, another perverse personality lurked.

Recently, Wen Huo’s sleep quality had been excellent, so good that she almost forgot she still needed to visit Yang Yinlou’s mother to inquire about her grandmother’s story. Indeed, prolonged comfort made one lazy.

Perhaps due to the lack of mental pressure, Wen Huo’s thesis progressed smoothly. With academics as her top priority, she seemed radiant with joy.

Since Qiu Mingyun broke up with Gu Xuanyu, she had undergone a complete transformation, showing a bit of Wen Huo’s academic drive. After lunch that day, she listed her afternoon tasks and turned to Wen Huo, saying, “Last night, I reread your paper on antiparticle theory.”

Wen Huo was reading literature: “What about it?”

Qiu Mingyun said, “Teacher Chen also wrote one in the same direction before.”

Wen Huo looked up.

Qiu Mingyun smacked her lips: “You react more whenever Teacher Chen is mentioned. You’re really good at hiding it, Huohuo, I truly underestimated you.”

Wen Huo was honest: “I subconsciously thought you were going to say I was doing in-depth research based on his theory, or that my article was suspected of plagiarism, so of course I had to react.”

Qiu Mingyun smiled: “Is it not because of the words ‘Teacher Chen’?”

“You always mention him. Have I ever had a big reaction?”

When Wen Huo said that, Qiu Mingyun thought it was indeed true. She walked over and sat down in front of Wen Huo, asking her, “What’s it like to be Teacher Chen’s student?”

She only thought Wen Huo was Chen Cheng’s student; she trusted both their characters too much to believe they would have any relationship beyond teacher and student. This also implicitly demonstrated the necessity of the disguise.

Many people are too easily fixated on the first image they see, regardless of whether it’s the truth.

Wen Huo said, “He’s very professional.”

That was as good as saying nothing. Qiu Mingyun didn’t ask further: “I haven’t seen Han Bailu recently. Did she retire from entertainment to raise a family? Or is Teacher Chen keeping her hidden in a gilded cage, not letting her show her face? I’m so envious.”

Han Bailu hadn’t contacted Wen Huo recently, but money had always been transferred to her account, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

Qiu Mingyun suddenly remembered something: “There’s a film festival in a couple of days, right? The movie Han Bailu participated in was nominated, so she should be there, right? Do you think Teacher Chen will go?”

Qiu Mingyun’s interest in Chen Cheng wasn’t continuous. She usually mumbled a few words when she remembered him, but if she didn’t, his name might not be mentioned for days.

It was like following a celebrity casually; if there was a trending drama, she’d follow it for two days, if not, she’d cast it aside.

The year Han Bailu first married Chen Cheng, Chen Cheng accompanied her to the film festival. Although his reason for going might have been due to a cooperative relationship with the organizers, it was still enough for several days of entertainment headlines.

Wen Huo said, “I don’t know.”

Qiu Mingyun thought he would: “Judging by Teacher Chen’s demeanor, he seems quite fond of Han Bailu.”

Wen Huo didn’t care: “Is that so?”

Qiu Mingyun nodded: “I just saw the news two days ago. Han Bailu’s former agency boss got into trouble, and Teacher Chen sorted it out. But that boss was just too disappointing; he was later found to have evaded taxes again, making a complete mess.”

Wen Huo wasn’t interested and continued reading literature: “If he didn’t like her, why would he marry her?”

Qiu Mingyun agreed: “Comparing yourself to others only makes you angry.”

________________________________________

Lu Xingchuan’s illegal manipulation and tax evasion had left him completely exposed and unable to clear his name. Tang Jun’en finished reading the news and smiled at Chen Cheng: “Impressive, Teacher Chen.”

Chen Cheng closed his eyes, resting.

Tang Jun’en put down his phone: “I’m picking up my car, a DB11, on Jinbao Street tonight. Are you coming with me?”

Chen Cheng opened his eyes: “No.”

Tang Jun’en asked again: “Then are you going to the film festival in a couple of days?”

Chen Cheng didn’t speak immediately. He might have to go.

Tang Jun’en understood: “Then will you go as Chen Cheng, or as the husband of actress Han Bailu?”

Chen Cheng couldn’t answer that question for now; he had to see which identity would yield greater benefits for him.

Tang Jun’en still had questions: “Your wife hasn’t shown her face recently. What’s she busy with? Have you put a restriction on her? You’ve gone far enough. She plays around outside, don’t you also play around outside? Why are you acting like the victim?”

He didn’t know about Chen Cheng and Han Bailu’s past affairs; he only thought Chen Cheng was displeased with Han Bailu’s infidelity and had restricted her freedom.

Chen Cheng didn’t discuss that topic with him: “How’s grandpa doing?”

Tang Jun’en’s attention was diverted: “It doesn’t show during the day, but at night, he often goes to the pavilion’s tatami mat by himself to stare into space.”

He sighed after speaking: “Grandpa is really old, visibly so. Before, when we went to the shooting range, grandpa’s vigorous spirit was so infectious; being with him made you feel like a real man... Now, he lacks confidence.”

Chen Cheng thought about getting through these few busy days and then organizing a stone appraisal event for Chen Huaiyu to enjoy, inviting some important figures, and chatting about business along the way.

Tang Jun’en saw the look in his eyes and knew he had an idea: “You want to make grandpa happy?”

Chen Cheng didn’t hide it: “Yes.”

Tang Jun’en nodded: “That works too. We can come up with a reason, invite a bunch of old and new friends, make it lively. And then we can talk about other things.”

He and Chen Cheng were thinking along the same lines. It wasn’t that they had a tacit understanding; it was that people like them no longer did things without a purpose. Even for leisure, they had to make it valuable.

After dinner, the two chatted for a bit, then went their separate ways.

Chen Cheng returned to his firm. Li Yihang had been waiting for him for a long time, saying he had something to tell him.

In the office, Li Yihang was silent, not daring to breathe too loudly, fearing he might disturb Chen Cheng, who didn’t even give him a chance to speak.

Chen Cheng placed the already prepared contract in front of him: “If you’re willing, sign this. If not, the door is behind you.”

Li Yihang picked up the contract, glanced at it. The terms were a bond of servitude. He looked up, his face urgent: “Teacher Chen, this... didn’t we agree that I would formally join as a shareholder?”

Chen Cheng rotated the wedding ring on his right ring finger with his left middle finger and thumb, saying, “To make it easier for you to covet my wife?”

Li Yihang froze, his face turning pale.

Chen Cheng told him: “Aren’t you curious why my wife hasn’t contacted you recently? Because she’s at home taking care of our child. You know, she gave birth to my daughter.”

Li Yihang clenched his fists.

Chen Cheng continued: “She wants to have a second one for me recently. Yesterday, she bought some lingerie to wear for me. She’s really cute.”

Every word was like a needle, piercing into Li Yihang’s bones.

Li Yihang was different from Lu Xingchuan. Lu Xingchuan’s feelings for Han Bailu were limited; his feelings for Han Bailu were infinite. From the moment he first saw Han Bailu, his purpose of existence was no longer about patents.

Chen Cheng could withhold shares from him, and while he would be displeased, he wouldn’t be too sad. But Chen Cheng talking to him about Han Bailu was unbearable, like tearing out his heart. He was loving another man’s wife so humbly.

He was in so much pain, so much pain. Everything before his eyes dimmed: “Teacher Chen, don’t do this to me...”

Chen Cheng placed both hands on the table: “Those words should be from me to you.”

Li Yihang apologized to him: “Lulu said you don’t love her. Can’t you just grant her freedom? Two people who don’t love each other being forced together is a double tragedy.”

Chen Cheng was unfazed: “I enjoy painting patterns on a backdrop of tragedy. I like the pleasure that comes from coercion and conquest.”

Coercion, conquest. Images of Han Bailu being pressed down on the bed by Chen Cheng, rudely entered, flashed through Li Yihang’s mind. She kept saying no, Chen Cheng kept thrusting hard, and he was even smiling, a smile vastly different from his usual noble demeanor...

He couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t stay. He had to leave, he had to go!

Chen Cheng watched him stumble out as if his hamstrings had been cut, then watched his secretary walk in.

The secretary reported to Chen Cheng: “Engineer Li Yihang, because he demanded to be a shareholder, and you didn’t agree at the time, he tampered with our newly represented patent technology, which led to a flaw in our firm’s cooperation with Guotong Industry. Now that the truth has been found, Engineer Li has resigned in disgrace.”

This was the effect Chen Cheng wanted: “Excellent.”

The secretary continued: “This news has already spread. Engineer Li will not have a chance to recover in this industry.”

Chen Cheng’s battle was over.

Flawless, as expected of him.

After the secretary left, Chen Cheng stood up and walked to the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the city, this chaotic sky. Suddenly, flowers, birds, fish, and insects appeared before his eyes, distorted, becoming hideous, roaring with gaping mouths as they plunged into his lung alveoli...

He fought them for oxygen, but couldn’t win, eventually forced into a separation of spirit and flesh.

Such hallucinations appeared too often for Chen Cheng. When something happens too much, one becomes numb. This numbness already allowed him to hide his emotions in front of others without a ripple.

He looked like a normal person, but would a normal person bind a woman in marriage and imprison her?

He stood by the window for a while, then returned to his desk, took out the phone Han Bailu used to contact Wen Huo, opened WeChat, found Wen Huo’s profile picture, and sent her a message: “Why is there no progress?”

Wen Huo replied ten minutes later: “Don’t you know your own husband? If I’m too obvious, he’ll definitely notice.”

Chen Cheng sat down, looked at her message, thought for a moment, then sent: “He’s not always rational. Can’t you seduce him? Figure something out, be more proactive. Can’t you even do that?”

Wen Huo felt she was too hasty: “I’m proactive enough, how much more proactive can I be? Give him a striptease?”

Chen Cheng looked at the sentence, touched his lips: “That works too.”

“What?”

“You can give him a striptease.”