Chapter 4.11 – He’s become weird

 Editor: Chubby Dragon

Recently, Shen Zheng Duo seemed to be feeling over the moon, planning a feast one moment and a family vacation the next.

Once Shen Ze heard this, he mercilessly poured cold water over this idea, “Celebrating after the gaokao[1] is more like it. What’s more, this is only some middle school national examination.”

“What do you know? This is an appreciation banquet to thank the teachers.” Shen Zheng Duo remained completely undefeated by Shen Ze’s words. At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to let everyone know that his once useless son had finally turned over a new leaf, and had qualified in the top most schools in the city.

Shen Ze snorted coldly, “I relied on my own hard work for self-study, what’s there to thank? If he wants to thank them, let him do as he pleases.”

Saying this, he swept a glance at Xiang Han who instantly straightened his back, and coughed, “Uncle Shen, I think we should forget about it. It’s better to just treat them to a meal.”

Zhu Jing Yi could see that both of them weren’t very keen on it and also tried to dissuade him before Shen Zheng Duo reluctantly agreed. “What about a vacation? Which country would you all like to go visit?”

“We’ll talk about it another day.” Shen Ze carelessly said before inquiring about Gu Hai Sheng’s matters. Due to the national examination, he hadn’t been able to learn much about him.

Shen Zheng Duo frowned before giving a sigh, “He went in.”

“What’s the situation now?” Sitting up straight, worry flashed through Shen Ze’s eyes.

“They’re still in the midst of an investigation. I’ve asked a lawyer, but it is estimated that he may have to stay inside for at least seven to eight years.” Shen Zheng Duo couldn’t help feeling relieved that he had managed to pull his son back in time.

Shen Ze hesitated for a moment. “Can I go visit him?”

Shen Zheng Duo shook his head. “I’m afraid you can’t, for now. Wait until his sentence has been settled, then we’ll see.” 

This made Shen Ze fall silent, sinking into deep thought. Shen Zheng Duo soon changed the topic, and continued to discuss the matter of travelling with Zhu Jing Yi. 

Seeing his expression, Xiang Han quietly moved over beside him. “Uncle Shen has already tried his best, there’s no use thinking about it anymore. Moreover, Mr Gu must have already expected this outcome and if his behaviour is good, seven to eight years is nothing. They can be shortened and soon, he will be free.” If this was truly the outcome, it would at least be better than what it should have been in the original storyline.

Hearing his words of comfort, Shen Ze turned around to stare at him silently in deep thought.

His gaze made Xiang Han’s heart feel prickly, and he couldn’t help but ask, “W-What is it?”

“Nothing.” Shen Ze looked away for a moment, but then turned back to say, “I know all about this. You don’t have to…” He paused with a frown before continuing, “You don’t have to waste your time on me, it’s pointless.”

“Ah?” Xiang Han was confused. Ever since the national examinations ended, Shen Ze had become weirder.

Shen Ze looked at him with a complicated gaze before finally getting up and walking away.

Two days later, without waiting to discuss the vacation plans with Shen Zheng Duo as he had promised, Shen Ze left a slip of message saying he had gone backpacking. He felt that he should make use of this period of time to put some distance between himself and Xiang Han. The books said, at this age, people’s feelings were hazy and impulsive. Their interests could be brimming now, but gone the next moment.

On reading the message, Shen Zheng Duo’s face cramped up in anger as he roared over the phone, “Where are you? I want you to get back here now! You aren’t even of age yet, do you think you’re very amazing? Do you know how dange…”

The word, ‘dangerous’ hadn’t completely left his mouth when a busy tone was heard from the other side. Shen Zheng Duo was so furious, he nearly smashed the phone into the ground.

Zhu Jing Yi hurriedly went to calm him down. “What’s the point of breaking your phone? Quickly send people to look for him.”

“That’s right.” Shen Zheng Duo’s head spun, but he quickly called the police and his bodyguards.

However, Shen Ze had hung around Gu Hai Sheng for many years and as a result, his police-detection skills were very strong. After hanging up, he immediately disappeared without a trace, only returning half a month later.

These few days, Shen Zheng Duo constantly worried about him. He only relaxed after seeing Shen Ze return safely.

Xiang Han, on the other hand, wasn’t as worried and even felt quite cheery on seeing him. Because the day that Shen Ze left, he had seen Xue Ling in the vicinity of their villa, causing him to be constantly filled with uneasiness.

After Shen Ze returned, he felt the need to let the other person know of this matter.

Shen Ze was intending to take a bath when Xiang Han knocked on his door. He frowned and asked, “What’s the matter?”

He had just returned, and Xiang Han was already sneaking into his room to see him. Could it be that his feelings hadn’t faded at all, and even deepened instead?

Xiang Han cleared his throat and asked, “Can I come in and talk?”

With a face full of ‘understanding’, Shen Ze immediately rejected him. “You can’t.”

Then, he tried to close the door, but Xiang Han hurriedly blocked him. He barely managed to squeak out, “It’s about Nanny Ling…”

Hearing these two words changed Shen Ze’s expression in an instant. He swiftly dragged Xiang Han in and stared at him before asking, “What happened?”

“Cough.” Xiang Han cleared his throat once more before deliberately slowing his words, “The day you left, I saw nanny Ling outside our house…”

“It’s Xue Ling.” Shen Ze interrupted him coldly, the disgust in his eyes wasn’t any less than before.

“En, Xue Ling.” Xiang Han nodded.

“Then?” Shen Ze asked, frowning.

“Then…she saw me and quickly left. She was extremely suspicious. I guess she was there to find you.”

“In the neighbourhood?”

“Outside the neighbourhood.”

Shen Ze’s expression could finally be said to have let up. He thought for a moment before speaking, “The next time you see her, don’t hesitate to call the police.”

“Okay.” Xiang Han hummed an affirmative, but in his heart, he was secretly thinking that even if he called the police, they wouldn’t be of much use. At most, they would detain her for a couple of days on the grounds of suspicion.

After hearing this, Shen Ze’s feelings really wasn’t good, his face dark, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, he saw that Xiang Han hadn’t left and frowned. “Why are you still here?”

Xiang Han, “…” Truly, having a good heart had no benefits. Once he lost his value, he was thrown out.

What he didn’t know was that Shen Ze had gone to the vicinity of the neighbourhood that very night and walked around. Coincidentally, he too saw Xue Ling.

Seeing Shen Ze once more, Xue Ling became too excited to form words. Her lips trembled for half a day before she managed to gasp, “Ah Ze.”

Shen Ze’s expression twisted, directly dragging her to a blind spot on the CCTVs and warned, “Don’t ever let me see you again, or else…”

A knife suddenly appeared between his fingers, the ice-cold blade pressing against Xue Ling’s neck as he spoke coldly, “You’ve seen me wielding a knife before. I believe you don’t want to feel it.’

Xue Ling paled, leaving her knees weak and unable to recover for a long time.

After throwing down this threat, Shen Ze returned with a normal expression and even acknowledged Xiang Han when the latter greeted him. His appearance was like someone having gone for a walk.

During dinner, Shen Zheng Duo was wearing a frown, “Because of you, this time, our vacation plans were messed up. At least there’s still some time, how about we travel within the country?”

Shen Ze shook his head, disinterested. “You can go ahead without me.”

This caused Shen Zheng Duo to slam his chopsticks down, glaring at him, “You don’t want to do anything or go anywhere, what on earth do you want? Just tell me.”

Xiang Han saw the situation and hurriedly intervened, “I also won’t go. Now’s summer time, it’s too hot.”

When Shen Ze heard this, he turned around to look at Xiang Han.

Meanwhile, Shen Zheng Duo choked on his anger, and finally huffed, “Fine, if you don’t want to go, then forget it. What a waste of my concern.”

Saying so, he turned towards Zhu Jing Yi and said, “We’ll just go without them then, we’ll let these two rascals starve.”

True to his words, Shen Zheng Duo packed his bags that night and left to travel with Zhu Jing Yi.

When Xiang Han came downstairs, Shen Ze was staring at a slip of paper in a daze and he instinctively came closer to look at it. After reading the message, both of them looked at each other in dismay.

“Actually… it’s nothing special. Even when they were at home, we’d call for take-outs anyway.” Xiang Han comforted himself.

Shen Ze threw away the note and went to rummage through the refrigerator. He soon appeared with a dark expression. “You, go to the supermarket and buy some things …”

“You’re cooking?” Xiang Han’s eyes lit up and he hurriedly grabbed his wallet, leaving the house in a flash.

Shen Ze was speechless. He hadn’t even finished speaking.

He could only pick up his mobile phone and dialed a number. Hearing the ringing tone from the living room, he could only sigh deeply and give in as he headed for the door.

Xiang Han had just left the neighbourhood and made a turn around a corner when he was dragged into another path. Looking back, he was stunned to find that it was Xue Ling, “It’s you?”

Xue Ling’s appearance was wild and crazed. She had a hammer in her hands which she desperately tried to swing at his head. She, evidently, had developed a mental problem and Xiang Han instantly grew solemn. He first retaliated to suppress the other person before instructing his system to alert the police.

Shen Ze had followed almost immediately after Xiang Han left, but after turning a corner, he lost sight of the other person. In a moment of confusion, he circled around his spot and shouted, “Shen Han?”

Xiang Han had just suppressed Xue Ling and even snatched the hammer away from her hands when he heard Shen Ze’s voice and immediately shoved the other person away from him. Pretending to roll out from behind a bush, he rushed behind Shen Ze haggardly and cried out in fear, “Elder brother, she, she wants to kill me. She wants to use a hammer to smash my head.”

“Who?” Shen Ze pulled Xiang Han behind him and looked over with a frown.

At this time, Xue Ling came out shivering. Her voice was filled with caution, “Ah Ze, don’t listen to his lies. Nanny Ling only wanted to, only wanted to scare him a little. As long as that woman and him disappear, can’t we return to how we were before?”

Shen Ze’s livid face turned dark, unable to speak from the anger choking down his voice and directly called the police.

The call had just connected when Xue Ling rushed towards him without warning and smashed the phone. She pleaded pitifully, “Ah Ze, what’s wrong with you? Before they appeared, wasn’t everything just fine…”

After causing such a commotion, even the occasional pedestrian couldn’t help looking over, and the public security officer in this neighbourhood also appeared.

Shen Ze stepped back and told the officer, “This person has a mental problem. Just now, she even assaulted me and…my younger brother.”

“Ah Ze, how can you say that? I only want to help you chase this little bastard out of the Shen family.” Saying so, she glared murderously at Xiang Han.

The officer who still held certain qualms, finally noticed something was wrong with Xue Ling and hurriedly went forward to prevent another incident. The police also didn’t take long to appear, and after learning of the situation, they took her away.

***

[1]Gaokao: china’s national exams which is notorious for causing stress and suicide among students due to its intense competition.