177: You lost.

Chu Yilan pulled a chair from the corner and sat in the center. The light and shadows cast his face in alternating brightness and darkness, yet no matter the angle, Chu Yilan remained perfectly calm.

When he was young, he was very afraid.

But the more he cried and begged for mercy, the harsher the punishment he received. When he cornered and forced Chu Changqi to his death back then, it was only because his hatred outweighed his fear that he succeeded. Even a year before meeting Shen Lian, he would still wake up in the middle of the night due to the darkness buried deep in his heart.

The dim environment, the pale ceiling, the various “Torture Instruments” that chilled one's heart at a glance, and Chu Changqi's face—a gentle facade with the eyes of a demon—formed the major backdrop of Chu Yilan's childhood.

His soul was submerged in icy sewage, seemingly unable to find an exit forever.

But now, he was free.

Half an hour later, Chu Changqi was tossed in by Nie Sheng.

Chu Changqi’s injuries had not been treated in time, and his fever persisted. Nie Sheng saw how difficult it was for him and only allowed a doctor to come in for an injection, just enough to keep him alive.

Chu Changqi felt like he was dying of discomfort. He who once commanded the winds and clouds now considered a sip of water a luxury.

He was groggy and couldn't see clearly. When Nie Sheng splashed a basin of cold water on him, Chu Changqi first curled up, then immediately stuck out his tongue, continuously licking, shouting, "Water, water."

"Awake?" a deep male voice sounded overhead.

Chu Changqi paused, then looked up towards the sound.

This scene was extremely subtle, like a karmic cycle. Over ten years ago, Chu Changqi was sitting, and Chu Yilan was lying prostrate.

Insults, torture—Chu Changqi felt no shame in bullying a child. His joyful, manic laughter was the nightmare Chu Yilan could never escape.

But now, their roles were reversed. Chu Yilan sat there respectably, seemingly very interested in Chu Changqi's wretched state. The man crossed his legs, leaned slightly forward, and quietly observed.

Just this sight sent Chu Changqi into an abnormal rage.

"Chu Yilan! You think you've won just by capturing me? Don't you see where this place is?!"

"Have you forgotten how you used to grovel at my feet like a dog when you were a child? How is it, are you familiar with this 'torture room'?"

"How many living things died because of you? And you still dare to try to..."

Chu Changqi’s tone gradually shifted from urgent and fierce to lacking confidence, as if the core thing he was most proud of had been forcibly hollowed out. His gaze was focused and terrifying, trying to find the slightest clue on Chu Yilan's face, but Chu Yilan was too calm. As he spoke, Chu Changqi suddenly fell silent.

"Continue," Chu Yilan said mildly.

He wasn't afraid at all, Chu Changqi realized. How could this be? Even after fleeing to Country C, he still secretly sent people to inquire about Chu Yilan. What did it matter if he controlled Hengtai? The labels "lunatic" and "monster" in the business world—such evaluations of Chu Yilan were the greatest praise to him.

Chu Changqi’s goal was that even if he died, the stigma of "not being accepted by this world" would be the autumn rain perpetually pouring over Chu Yilan, never to fade.

Chu Yilan was observing Chu Changqi simultaneously. Suddenly, he seemed to see what he was looking for and curved his lips into a slight smile.

The rain had stopped, signifying that Chu Changqi had lost.

"You!" Chu Changqi suddenly erupted, reaching out to grab Chu Yilan: "Bastard! The Ming Family's little bastard!"

"You are the bastard," Chu Yilan stood up.

He and Chu Changqi were extremely similar in facial features, but their auras were worlds apart. Although Nie Sheng had been forewarned by Assistant Sun, when he saw Chu Changqi, he still felt that the man was vastly different from their CEO Chu, due to the difference in their very bones.

Shen Lian had long ago told Chu Changqi that what Chu Yilan inherited was the Ming Family's forthright openness; even after being ground down and suppressed, when the dust settled, he remained an unpolished jade under the moonlight.

At this moment, Chu Changqi actually had the illusion that Old Master Ming was standing right in front of him.

He truly feared this old man—not just because of his intellect and methods, but because of the sharp clarity with which Old Master Ming saw through the filth. That was the imposing dignity carried by brilliant sunlight, something Chu Changqi could never learn in his lifetime, making him look even more like a rat in a gutter.

Chu Yilan stepped forward and repeated, "You are the bastard."

The hallucination grew worse. Chu Changqi could even see Ming Mei's shadow on Chu Yilan. The woman smiled triumphantly at him, raising an eyebrow and saying, "This is my son."

His room full of "Torture Instruments" could not take away the years Ming Mei and Old Master Ming spent accompanying Chu Yilan. The seed had failed to take root, and the shackles fell away.

The last thing Chu Changqi heard Chu Yilan say was, "You lost."

"I didn't lose! I didn't lose!!" Chu Changqi roared sharply, immense despair spreading from his eyes. Like a collapsing skyscraper, all his years of obsession and resentment turned into a joke.

Nie Sheng showed no politeness, placing one foot on Chu Changqi’s back, watching coldly as his limbs thrashed back and forth, utterly twisted.

That was shortly after he married Ming Mei, at the Ming Family's old residence. The light of the midsummer afternoon was so gentle it made people unable to open their eyes. Chu Changqi coaxed Ming Mei to sleep and quietly left the bedroom. His mind radiated a tranquility he didn't even realize he possessed; the warmth in his eyes was heartfelt. He went to the study to find Old Master Ming and called out, "Dad."

Old Master Ming turned to look at him. Though over seventy, his character was exceptional. Under their brief eye contact, Chu Changqi's back started to sweat slightly.

He was always afraid of having his true face discovered.

After a conversation about company business, Chu Changqi nodded and prepared to leave. Just as he turned, he heard Old Master Ming say, "Changqi, one cannot choose their birth, but they can choose their future path. The path you are walking is already much further than many others."

Far? No, it was far from enough. The dark, bloody desire in Chu Changqi's heart surged forth.

After all the twists and turns, Chu Changqi finally had an epiphany: that was Old Master Ming’s warning and advice. His true nature wasn't hidden perfectly, but Old Master Ming was willing to give Chu Changqi a chance for the sake of his daughter and a measure of hope.

Chu Changqi couldn't even grasp that opportunity, just as it took him twenty years to realize that the time he cherished most was nothing more than a single afternoon.

The breeze blew past, and everything shattered completely, like a dream or an illusion.

Chu Changqi's wails echoed throughout the room. While Chu Yilan felt satisfied, he signaled Nie Sheng to gag him.

"Bring him back to Qudu alive," Chu Yilan instructed.

When Chu Yilan returned to the ward, Shen Lian was still asleep, though not peacefully. Chu Yilan paused by the bedside for a moment and took his hand.

Shen Lian let out two soft sounds, and his brows relaxed.

Chu Yilan quickly washed up, then slept beside Shen Lian for the rest of the night.

In the early morning, the birds chirped clearly. Shen Lian comfortably opened his eyes and tried to stretch, but because his movement was too wide, Chu Yilan intercepted him midway.

With his arm held, Shen Lian took the opportunity to snuggle into Chu Yilan's embrace. "Morning."

Chu Yilan replied, "Morning."

Huh? Shen Lian's eyes lit up. Chu Yilan looked the same as yesterday, but something was clearly different. He seemed like green bamboo washed by rain; when the light hit him, he was dazzling.

"Truly handsome," Shen Lian sighed.

"Take your time looking," Chu Yilan said. "I am all yours."