195: Next

A person's luck cannot remain good forever.

Zhou Yuanlin's wide, bared-teeth grin vanished in an instant.

Shen Lian hadn't expected Zhou Yuanlin to be here; he couldn't say anything other than 'tragic' for the man.

If it were anyone else, Zhou Yuanlin would have beaten them until they were crippled and then planted them in the snow, but Sun Binghe was off-limits—he really was.

Thinking of this, Zhou Yuanlin turned to look at Yang Bin, who had been watching him like a hawk, and sighed. "I'm very calm, Assistant Yang."

Yang Bin smiled gently. "I didn't mean anything by it either."

Chu Yilan didn't care about the minor disturbance over there; his dark, sunken eyes were fixed intently on Shen Lian.

Shen Lian tilted his head back, gave a slightly roguish smile, and then strode forward, throwing himself into the man's embrace as if no one else were around.

The two shared a brief hug before Shen Lian spoke. "I'm fine."

Chu Yilan replied, "I know."

Sun Binghe wiped the snow from his face and walked over to Chu Yilan's side to report truthfully, "He took medicine once."

Shen Lian added, "As a precaution, it really was just a precaution."

Chu Yilan repeated the same words: "I know."

Feng Yueshan said, "Brother, your calmness is terrifying."

He was indeed calm, but not absolutely so. Sitting in the car, Shen Lian could feel the damp heat coming from Chu Yilan's palm. It was the warmth that remained after the cold sweat of a fright had been soothed. Even so, for Chu Yilan, this was already a massive step forward.

His world no longer needed Shen Lian to patch it up. Once a person gains the power of self-repair, vitality flows endlessly.

In the car, after the initial shock, Feng Yueshan became very curious and asked the two what had happened inside the tunnel. The Bodyguards' explanation was dry, but he hadn't expected Sun Binghe's account to be even drier.

"With Zheng Ge's driving skills, it was like a toy car or a bumper car—just a matter of turning the steering wheel. What stopped us wasn't him, it was the tunnel being in disrepair for years."

"Zheng Ge? He was sent back by helicopter. If he wasn't thrown into a furnace soon, he'd freeze to death."

"Was I scared? No. In that kind of situation, the things that take your life don't give you time to be scared. Most things that allow you to feel fear have a way out."

Feng Yueshan: "...Never mind. That helicopter is dirty now; I'll sell it at a low price later."

Zhou Yuanlin's collar was soaked through from the melted snow. Hearing this, he spoke up, "You two should have just left him on the road to freeze to death."

Sun Binghe glanced back. "How could that compare to Young Master Zhou's thunderous methods?"

Zhou Yuanlin immediately shut his mouth.

Yang Bin pulled out a hand warmer from somewhere and handed it to Sun Binghe. Sun Binghe frowned and shook his head, but Yang Bin gave him a look and tossed it directly into his lap. Sun Binghe reluctantly accepted it.

As the car arrived at the entrance of the large villa, someone came stumbling out from inside.

Zheng Ge was wrapped in a blanket, the terror in his eyes yet to dissipate and his eyes bloodshot. His complexion was truly hideous, tinged with blue and purple. Seeing the cars stop one after another, he stood there, not daring to move an inch.

He seemed dazed with fear.

When he saw Shen Lian get out of the car, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Zheng Ge looked like he had seen a ghost.

If there were an award for high-quality acting in the category of 'driven mad by horror,' Shen Lian felt he might even fall short of Zheng Ge's current performance.

"You... you're still alive," Zheng Ge's voice was almost non-existent.

Shen Lian understood by reading his lips. "Yeah, I'm alive and well."

Zheng Ge's gaze shifted stiffly to Chu Yilan. His pupils trembled, and just as he was about to say something, he heard the man's cold voice: "Are you ready?"

Zheng Ge knew exactly what he was supposed to be ready for.

When he saw Shen Lian's uncertain state of life in the tunnel, Zheng Ge knew he couldn't escape. Chu Yilan would definitely trace it back to him. Would he be blacklisted? Or would he have to pay with his life?

"Clearly, you used to like me very much..."

"Get lost!" Feng Yueshan couldn't help himself. "Don't you have any damn clue whether my brother likes you or not? How does he treat Shen Lian, and how does he treat you? You ate a few scraps and really thought you were at a state banquet. It's one thing to lie to us, but don't lie to yourself."

These words were too blunt. Combined with Young Master Feng's unique mocking tone, it was like a head-on axe blow that shattered Zheng Ge's last remaining shred of hope. Yes, many things had been obtained through his own lies.

Zheng Ge laughed and cried at the same time. Feng Yueshan snorted coldly, "Playing dumb won't work. I want to see what Zhou Tangsi will use to protect you this time."

No, Zhou Tangsi had already abandoned Zheng Ge, Shen Lian thought. Otherwise, Zheng Ge wouldn't have lost his mind to this extent.

"Brother Yilan..." Zheng Ge practically crawled forward, as if trying to grab onto a final lifeline. However, before he could get close, Sun Binghe raised a foot and swept him aside.

"Get lost," Sun Binghe said, his eyes full of disgust.

In a daze, Zheng Ge saw that Chu Yilan's gaze was extremely cold; the man didn't even have the interest to enjoy the sight of him suffering and begging for mercy.

Zheng Ge still didn't understand that all of this was predicated on Shen Lian being unharmed. Otherwise, Chu Yilan would have personally sliced him into pieces.

When Shen Lian passed by Zheng Ge, he looked down at him for a moment, satisfied to see the man looking as if he wished he could crawl into a hole in the ground. If the Original Host could see this, he would surely feel somewhat vindicated.

That night, Zheng Ge's scandals exploded like a burst septic tank. Forget his fans—everyone watching was splashed with filth.

The 'pure, kind, and cute' persona was all fake. How had Zheng Ge's resources over the years been acquired? Zhou Tangsi had 'aided the villain,' and the number of scapegoats who paved the way for their romance was uncountable. When the CP fans' obsession was peeled back, it revealed the blood and tears of many people.

Stealing roles, acting like a diva, targeting other artists based on whims, and even continuous problems with endorsed products—these were all minor issues.

But this time, the revelation that Zheng Ge had used a car to hit someone due to a personal grudge had escalated to a criminal matter.

Shen Lian's information was kept tightly under wraps.

This drama wasn't just unsatisfying to consume; it was even a bit disgusting.

Zheng Ge's reputation was completely ruined, and Zhou Tangsi couldn't escape either. What was once hailed as the ultimate tale of 'the CEO and the star' was now being dragged out for repeated public condemnation. Even the Zhou Corporation's stocks were affected.

Following that, the Zhou Corporation and the entertainment company Zheng Ge belonged to released statements one after another. Zhou Tangsi was temporarily removed from his position. As for Zheng Ge, with his reputation crashed like this, termination of his contract was the least of his worries. After being blacklisted, he would also face various lawsuits for compensation.

The sky was pitch black, the wind and snow had stopped, and bonfires were burning brightly all around. Shen Lian sat to one side wearing a turtleneck sweater, not feeling cold at all. He poured a cup of light tea and, using tea as a substitute for wine, gave a slight toast to the sky.

The downfall of the protagonist gong and shou symbolized the change in fate for a portion of people.

Shen Lian looked up and saw Chu Yilan wearing a thin black sweater, standing in front of the grill with one hand in his pocket. He leaned over slightly to flip the mutton skewers just in time; Shen Lian had mentioned wanting to eat them a few minutes ago.

Chu Changqi had fallen, and Zheng Ge and Zhou Tangsi no longer had the capital to cause trouble. The 'left and right hands' that carried out the execution of the villain in the original plot had been severed.

Shen Lian's gaze toward Chu Yilan was tender, like the purest amber enveloping a person. But toward the outside world, he possessed a forbearance that would inevitably result in swift retaliation if his bottom line was crossed.

"Teacher Shen." Sun Binghe stood to the side at some point. "Your gaze is a bit scary."

Shen Lian chuckled softly. "What are you talking about?"