TIL - 36

Tang Junen offered Wen Huo a bottle of water, but she didn’t take it. She sat with her arms wrapped around her legs, feet on his sofa, head resting on her knees, face down.

He put the water down and sat beside her. “Don’t worry, he won’t let this escalate.”

Wen Huo found this laughable. It was Chen Cheng who had exposed everything, yet he claimed he wouldn’t let it escalate? Was this a trick to soothe a child? She was already in her twenties.

Tang Junen added, “The doctor will be here soon to check... well, your injuries.”

Wen Huo remained still. “You don’t need to be so vague. The bruises on my body are from when he made love to me, he did them.”

She probably hadn’t had water in a long time; just hearing her voice, her throat sounded parched. Tang Junen twisted open the bottle and handed it to her again. “If I were you, I’d take care of myself. Only when you’re well can you make him suffer.”

Wen Huo couldn’t drink, nor could she absorb his empty platitudes.

It was these superficial, intoxicating, yet ineffective words that led so many who could have avoided further harm to endure years of suffering and more injuries.

Why try to persuade anyone?

Could she truly not understand?

Tang Junen couldn’t force her. He found her quite similar to Chen Cheng—both very stubborn. He glanced at the trending topics; they hadn’t been taken down. It seemed Chen Cheng hadn’t taken action yet. Tang Junen began to fret, more anxious than the emperor himself. What was Chen Cheng doing?

He couldn’t sit still, so he stood and paced back and forth in the living room.

Chen Cheng’s public display confirmed his marital infidelity. Not just the media, but even netizens, with their collective condemnation, could drown him.

He also had a law firm preparing to go public. With such a major news story breaking, how would the subsequent work proceed? He had his own investment company, so he could handle the listing application documents himself, but the China Securities Regulatory Commission’s review stage was unavoidable.

In the capital market, the management team of a company about to be listed directly impacts its valuation.

Key individuals must not only possess business capabilities but also integrity. Otherwise, after using connections to complete the registration, custodianship, and listing procedures, would the stock simply hit the daily limit down? And then watch the total value shrink and evaporate?

Tang Junen and Chen Cheng often played together in their youth. Later, when Tang Junen moved out of the compound to live in a villa with his parents, their contact didn’t break, but their friendship grew shallower.

Chen Cheng spent a few years abroad, and upon his return, he built his career using his family’s old wealth.

At that time, Tang Junen happened to be quite close to Chen Huaiyu, both sharing a hobby for stone gambling. That’s how he and Chen Cheng rekindled their friendship.

Chen Cheng was very ambitious, but it seemed he didn’t exert much effort. His success was remarkably smooth, at least to outsiders. Tang Junen used to think he acquired everything too easily. Gradually, he discovered that Chen Cheng’s ease stemmed from him only following paths he had thoroughly planned. He confirmed every person he met, every event he encountered, and every turn he would make at each intersection before setting out, ensuring foolproof success.

Yet, this same man had put himself at such great risk today. Tang Junen couldn’t help but worry about him.

Jin Ge couldn’t reach Chen Cheng, so she called Tang Junen. As the call came in, the doctor also arrived. Tang Junen answered the phone and invited the doctor in, first telling Jin Ge, “Godmother, please wait a moment, I have a guest here.”

He led the doctor to Wen Huo and said, “Her injuries, please take a look.”

The female doctor on call frowned. “How did this happen?”

Tang Junen had forgotten the phone wasn’t hung up. “Well, during... um, intercourse it was a bit... that, too intense.”

The female doctor glanced at him. “Did you do it?”

Tang Junen waved his hand, clearing himself. “Don’t talk nonsense, lest that narrow-minded person hears and gets upset again.”

The female doctor didn’t ask further. She knelt down, took Wen Huo’s wrist, stretched out her arm, and quietly asked, “Are there any bleeding wounds?”

Wen Huo said nothing.

The female doctor could probably imagine what she had experienced and didn’t press, carefully examining her.

As a man, Tang Junen, having no relation to Wen Huo, felt it was inappropriate to stay. He went upstairs to take Jin Ge’s call.

The game room door closed. With the phone to his ear, before he could speak, Jin Ge’s question came: “Is that girl with you?”

Tang Junen knew Jin Ge must have seen the news, so he admitted, “Yes.”

Silence on Jin Ge’s end.

Tang Junen feared she was overthinking, so he explained, “Chen Cheng can handle it. Don’t worry too much.”

Jin Ge knew it would be abrupt, but she still wanted to meet the girl. If Chen Cheng truly liked her, she, Chen Wenli, Chen Huaiyu, and even the entire Chen family could help manage this crisis and give both the girl and Han Bailu an explanation.

She stated her intention: “Can I see her?”

Tang Junen was a little hesitant. “Are you worried about Chen Cheng’s ability? Or do you think this girl has issues? No, you know Chen Cheng’s judgment; anyone with ill intentions can’t get close to him.”

Jin Ge said, “Chen Cheng hurt her, didn’t he? I just want to express my apology and see if there’s anything I can do to make amends.”

At this point, Tang Junen found it hard to refuse. Besides, he knew Jin Ge’s character; she wouldn’t make things difficult for Wen Huo. So, he sent her the location of the residence: “Call me when you’re downstairs, and I’ll come down to pick you up.”

The call ended. Tang Junen exhaled. Although the situation hadn’t escalated to an irreversible point, he felt a dangerous something lurking in the shadows, ready to strike.

He hadn’t felt this way in years.

Chen Cheng’s affair, his own carefree indulgence in pleasure, was making him jumpy.

He cursed Chen Cheng under his breath a couple of times and sent him a WeChat message, telling him his mother was coming.

Hopefully, Chen Cheng would have time to read the message.

The news was updated in real-time, but he didn’t quite believe their reporting. Entertainment journalists’ articles were too subjective and had a strong element of sensationalism.

________________________________________

Ruan Lihong finished with Su He, took a shower, put on a trench coat, donned a valuable gemstone necklace, and finally slipped on her new shoes.

Su He lay on his side in bed, propping his head up, watching her. “Are you going out?”

“Mm.”

“Looking for Wen Huo?”

Ruan Lihong didn’t expect Wen Xinyuan to look for Wen Huo; his attention was entirely on their son. He probably hadn’t even seen the news yet, which meant Wen Huo was fighting alone.

She had initially thought the situation wasn’t serious, and Wen Huo wasn’t a child anymore and could handle it. But after seeing the latest news, she grew worried.

Su He sat up. “The news says she was taken by Tang Junen, a director. Do you know where his house is?”

Ruan Lihong hadn’t looked for Wen Huo for a long time since returning to China; she had been making friends. Since she intended to stay in the country long-term, she needed to find ways to make money. She knew the principle of eating through one’s resources, so she wanted money to make money.

The first step was to enter the entrepreneur association as a foreign investor, participating in their private events and dinners.

Business circles and entertainment circles were both ‘circles,’ and within them, intricate connections were inevitable. Well-known but amiable people like Tang Junen were certainly easier to understand than well-known but mysterious people like Chen Cheng.

She finished tidying herself, touched up her lipstick, turned around, and said, “I’m leaving.”

“Wait a moment.” Su He got out of bed, walked to her, and pursed his lips. “Does this mean when she comes, I have to go?”

Ruan Lihong didn’t think there was a need to hide their relationship, but the news indicated Wen Huo was not in a good state. She still didn’t want these messy affairs occupying her mental resources: “You can stay at a hotel for now.”

Su He understood. He just wanted a little something. “Then can you comfort me?”

Ruan Lihong eyed him. “How do I comfort you?”

Su He was always a bit more bashful in front of her, though it was all an act. He liked to portray himself as a little pitiable creature; that way, Ruan Lihong would always caress him. He never tired of this game.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pecked her lips like a small bird. “Like this.”

Ruan Lihong wiped off the lipstick from his lips, her hand sliding down to his inner thigh, giving a squeeze, her hand brushing his manhood subtly. “I’ll take care of you in a couple of days.”

Su He was utterly satisfied, his handsome face beaming with a smile like a blooming flower.

________________________________________

The female doctor examined the areas of Wen Huo’s body that weren’t covered by her clothes; they were all caused by forceful gripping and pinching. The abuser seemed to have lost his sanity, yet he cleverly avoided Wen Huo’s vital spots.

So the female doctor deduced that he merely wanted her to feel pain, to remember.

After treating the superficial wounds, the female doctor asked Wen Huo, “Are there any other areas?”

Wen Huo couldn’t feel them. She feared pain, but she could endure it. When she endured, these pains were no longer called pain. But after knowing that Chen Cheng had played her for a year, she no longer felt physical pain without having to endure.

How could physical pain be harder to bear than emotional pain?

She smelled the pungent disinfectant and ointment, and felt the sun outside rising slowly. It was a new day. This night, so many things had happened, her heart rising and falling.

Just when she mistakenly thought someone had inhabited her body, living a whirlwind life and leaving behind memories that weren’t hers, causing her this unbearable emotion, Chen Cheng’s shadow jumped into her hallucination.

It turned out it was all him.

He could have exposed her. If he had been wronged, he could have made it clear, expressed anger, vented, when she approached him. She could sign contracts with Han Bailu and accept all unexpected occurrences, but he didn’t.

He pretended not to know, he enjoyed her advances for over a year, he even maintained a high posture, using her motives for approaching him to humiliate her in countless ways. As if he had done nothing wrong, as if he was the aggrieved one, and only she, Wen Huo, was unforgivable.

Is that how logic works?

They were both bad people, so why push all the blame and responsibility onto the other, as if that would make oneself appear innocent and pure? Was this truly a lack of self-awareness or self-deception?

Wen Huo squeezed her legs tightly, her nails digging into her flesh.

Was there any way she could have never met Chen Cheng? Could she just not have met him?

Wen Huo started biting her own lip. Where Chen Cheng had bitten her, a slight bite caused it to bleed again. The blood diffused between her lips, like bitten-lip makeup, which ironically improved her pale complexion somewhat.

The female doctor turned and saw her lip bleeding. She immediately knelt down and used a cotton swab to wipe it for her.

Tang Junen happened to see this scene and remarked, “Chen Cheng really has the nerve to bite her till she bleeds and then feel bad? Why not just kiss her gently in the first place? His brain works in mysterious ways.”

The female doctor pulled him aside and said, “I think your friend might have some psychological issues, perhaps bipolar disorder.”

Tang Junen laughed. “You think he’s sick too?”

“I’m serious.”

Tang Junen waved his hand. “He can’t have problems. How can someone with a foolproof life be controlled by someone with psychological issues? That would mean to reach his level, you must be mentally ill. Your logic is flawed.”

Seeing he didn’t believe her, the female doctor stopped talking and took off her medical gloves. “This girl is fine. The bruises will fade with time. I’ve generally checked other areas; it seems they were immediately dealt with, so there are no major issues. I brought some anti-inflammatory medicine and ointment. The dosage is written on the box. As for the ointment, well, she can apply it herself, or you can call me, and I can apply it for her, especially since it’s an intimate area.”

Tang Junen felt a bit awkward hearing this. With a stiff face, he asked awkwardly, “Is it serious? No big problems, right? Will it affect...”

The female doctor knew what he was going to ask, many men liked to ask this question: “It won’t affect pregnancy or childbirth, nor will it affect intercourse. Just avoid it for a short period; the abraded vaginal walls need to heal.”

Tang Junen’s ears turned red. He coughed twice and saw the female doctor out.

No sooner had she left than Jin Ge arrived, and he wasn’t sure how to interact with Wen Huo after discussing her condition.

He went downstairs to pick up Jin Ge, and when they came up, he saw a woman at the door who was dressed younger and more luxuriously than Jin Ge.

She seemed to be from the same generation as Jin Ge but lacked Jin Ge’s composure and dignity; her overall style was more Western.

He hesitated before asking, “You... who are you looking for?”

The newcomer was Ruan Lihong. Her expression was calm as she said faintly, “I’m here to pick up my daughter.”

Tang Junen guessed it but still asked, “Your daughter is...”

Ruan Lihong pointed to his apartment door. “The one you brought back, the one exposed to the public by Chen Cheng, my daughter.”

Tang Junen had never been so awkward. Chen Cheng’s mother and Wen Huo’s mother were both gathered at his place. Could his small temple accommodate these two great Buddhas? He, who was usually adept at handling interpersonal relationships, suddenly found himself at a loss.

Jin Ge, however, was gracious. She stepped forward and introduced herself, “Hello, I am Chen Cheng’s mother.”

Ruan Lihong, seeing her extraordinary demeanor, knew she was a person of importance, but didn’t expect her to be Chen Cheng’s mother. Well, that suited her perfectly. The imposing display she had been preparing could be unleashed earlier. She adjusted her bag. “You seem generous and dignified. How can your son be so ill-mannered?”

Tang Junen felt a ‘bang’ in his ears; they exploded.

Jin Ge nodded slightly. “Currently, I don’t know what happened, so I maintain a neutral stance. If it truly is Chen Cheng’s fault, I will give you and your daughter an explanation.”

Ruan Lihong had expected her to say something harsh, and planned to give her a piece of her mind, but she was surprisingly polite and reasonable, so Ruan Lihong also took a step back.

Tang Junen couldn’t control the situation. Both were elders, and he couldn’t make decisions for either of them. His mind raced, and he first invited them inside. Anything to be said could be discussed behind closed doors, preventing eavesdroppers from making a spectacle of them.

However, how could a single door contain something uncontrollable?