49 – Fall

Chapter 49: Fall

He Yu had always disliked clubs where female employees were constantly on standby. However, it felt as though this was the only place where he could confirm he was still alive, where he could feel the temperature of his own body, even if only slightly.

“Young Master He.”

“Welcome, Young Master He.”

The employees greeted him politely in front of the wide-open room door. They all bowed their heads, unable to even lift their gaze.

The Twilight Club was a luxurious den of hedonism. Though it was a legitimate entertainment establishment, the employees here were beauties who could rival celebrities. Even the first-floor club, centered around the stage, was filled with handsome men and beautiful women, most of whom had come seeking a night of pleasure. Once they moved upstairs to the private rooms, the “normal nightlife” between the sexes began. Whether they dated or had a one-night stand, no one interfered.

Consequently, expensive foreign cars flocked to the entrance of the Twilight Club like clouds. As the night deepened, women with sleek legs would slide into the passenger seats of the bosses’ cars, burying themselves into the seats with a smile, and vanish with the wind.

In truth, He Yu had come here harboring a malicious desire for revenge. He wanted to feel the pleasure of falling into a mire and destroying himself.

He was no different from a student preparing for the civil service exam who fails year after year despite pouring in all his mental strength and savings. One puts in blood-sweating effort toward a dream, only to suffer repeated failures and eventually give up in despair.

He Yu finally realized that there was no need to suffer so much just to hear a few pleasant lies.

If you sit in a place like this, someone will approach you quickly. You can hear all sorts of coquetry and Read on Read BL Novelscomfort throughout the night. There is unauthorized copyno need unauthorized copyto struggle to deceive yourself. As long as you pay, someone will coax and soothe you with lies.

These people were not like Xie Qingcheng, who would run away halfway through. Nor would they scold him, saying his allowance was too small while they were in the process of fleeing.

“Young Master He, I’ve selected and called the smartest employees in our club. If there is anything you need, please tell these girls.”

He Yu sat on the sofa, looking at the employees with a listless expression. The employees, lined up in two rows, were all women the floor manager had brought in from outside after receiving individual permission from He Yu.

Each of them, considered top-tier in the nightlife industry, entered the room with elegant smiles and stood obediently in the back while the manager introduced them.

Once the introductions were finished, the manager also withdrew obediently. On his way out, he made sure to close the door tightly.

“Young Master He, what kind of game would you like to play?”

Despite the guest’s dark complexion, the well-trained employees asked suggestively with beaming smiles.

After a short silence, He Yu smiled.

“Let’s just drink. It feels a bit awkward keeping you all standing like this.”

A heavy liquor menu was placed on the table. It was a damnably luxurious establishment. Drinks under ten thousand yuan were rare, and there were plenty of bottles costing two hundred thousand yuan.

He Yu leaned back languidly on the sofa and scanned Read on Read BL Novelsthe drinks listed [stolen content]in the menu. A special plum-scented liquor called ’59 Plum Scent’ caught his eye.

Having visited this place occasionally with clients, He Yu knew what kind of drink this was. The expensive price tag and the three burning heart symbols attached to the back of the bottle told him what kind of experience this drink would provide the buyer. Come to think of it, this plum-scented liquor appeared on almost every receipt when he paid for drinks in the past.

—The scent is quite sophisticated…

It was also a drink that a low-life son of another corporation had recommended in a whisper, grinning while heavily intoxicated.

—But once you actually drink it, it’s vulgar and erotic. You know what I mean, right, Young Master He?

Recalling that voice, He Yu checked the plum-scented liquor and handed the menu to the nearest employee.

The employees glanced at each other. Joy and excitement were evident in their eyes.

When they first entered the room, they thought he would be a difficult guest, but unexpectedly, the young man was handsome and had a good personality. Even without them flirting, he had chosen the most expensive liquor and champagne from the menu, showing that he was generous with his spending.

“Would you like to play a dice game?”

At those words, He Yu smiled calmly.

“If you’re confident you can win.”

One employee said coquettishly, visit our sitestolen content“I’m not confident [stolen content]I can win. I’m pretty, so couldn’t you go easy on me?”

“That’s right…”

Soft bodies pressed close to He Yu’s body, legs, and hands. He Yu looked at the women calmly. —Yes, think about my position right now. As long as I don’t expect sincerity, this kind of flattery can be easily bought with money.

As soon as the drinks were ordered, a champagne tower was quickly stacked, sparkling brightly. The employees, who had been blooming with laughter, gradually became bolder.

“Why did you come alone? Where are your friends?”

“Could you tell us about what happened at Huzhou University last time? That was a total sensation. I really want to hear about it…”

While this friendly conversation was taking place, a phone rang.

As He Yu shifted his gaze, his expression wavered strangely. The caller was none other than Xie Qingcheng.

“Who is it?”

“It’s nothing.”

After swallowing a brief silence, He Yu rested his chin on his hand and touched the screen to reject the call. Then, he spoke to the woman who had been chatting and smiling opposite him.

“Continue.”

Seeing He Yu’s attitude of showing interest in her story, the employee chattered with an excited face.

However, before long, Xie Qingcheng called again.

As the ringtone persisted stubbornly, one mischievous employee covered her mouth and laughed, saying, “Is it Young Master He’s girlfriend?”

“Hardly.”

Answering thus, He Yu rejected Xie Qingcheng’s call for the second time.

This time, it seemed quiet for a while, but after a few minutes, the phone rang again.

He Yu’s finger, about to press the screen to reject the call, flinched and stopped.

This time, it wasn’t Xie Qingcheng, but Xie Xue.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally pressed the call button.

—He Yu.

Xie Xue called He Yu’s name from the other end of the phone.

“…Yeah.”

—He Yu… this is sudden, but there’s something I want to ask… My brother, what happened between him and you at school that day?

Tears were evident in Xie Xue’s voice. The fake smile decorating He Yu’s face half-disappeared.

—Why did a video of my brother’s past suddenly appear? I was too scared to watch it until now… but I searched the internet today and everyone is cursing my brother… Even our home address was posted, and someone threw paint on our front door… I’m… I’m having such a hard time right now… I can’t even call my brother. Even if I do, he won’t tell me anything and will just get angry, asking why I searched for such useless things. So…

As she continued speaking, Xie Xue could no longer contain her sorrow and finally burst into tears.

Only the sound of sobbing flowed through the speaker.

The entertainment club employees, unaware of what was happening, simply continued to pour drinks for He Yu with wide smiles.

He Yu raised his hand and gently stroked the woman’s long hair, listening to Xie Xue’s lament with sunken, unfocused eyes. Xie Xue’s frustration seeped directly into He Yu’s heart through the speaker.

—I don’t even know what to do anymore…

Listening quietly, He Yu suddenly thought of Wei Dongheng. Even though she likes Wei Dongheng, she seeks me out first when something hard happens. Feeling a sense of solace in his heart, he soon realized the reality.

He had heard that Wei Dongheng had taken a leave from school to go to his father’s unit because an elder in the family had passed away. That area was a military stronghold, so phone signals were dead. Besides… it’s stolen contenta one-sided love anyway, He Yu thought. Wei Dongheng is a guy who probably doesn’t even stolen contentknow which visit our sitedepartment’s professor Xie Xue is. She couldn’t have called someone like Wei Dongheng out of the blue.

—He Yu…

Xie Xue sobbed like a wounded cat.

—What should I do… I wanted to do something for my brother, so I even filmed an explanation video… but… even if I explained well, there was no one who listened calmly. They’d just curse me after hearing half of it, or not listen at all… Some people even called me a fraud. That I’m not my brother’s sister… what on earth…

Taking a breath, Xie Xue couldn’t continue and sobbed for a moment, finally continuing weakly.

—They reported my video, calling me an attention seeker trying to get famous through a murder case… some people are claiming our parents were behind it… You know my parents passed away a long time ago. At the very least, I didn’t want to cast a shadow on the deceased… but those people… they’re saying if they’re really dead, I should produce a cremation certificate as evidence…!

Having said this, Xie Xue could no longer continue and wept with a cracked voice.

The knuckles of He Yu’s fingers turned white.

Having grown accustomed to Xie Xue, He Yu almost reflexively uttered words of comfort upon hearing her sorrowful crying. He even wanted to access the internet immediately to solve this problem. However, the words got stuck in his throat. It was because the chat messages Xie Qingcheng and Xie Xue had exchanged flashed through his mind.

The body temperature that belonged to a human ebbed away from He Yu’s sick and broken heart like a receding tide.

Silence flowed through the air.

A certain voice sighed and persuaded He Yu. Though he wasn’t as kind to you as you thought, Xie Xue Read on Read BL Novelsoriginally knew nothing. At the very [stolen content]least, she was one of the kindest and most affectionate people in your life. That should be enough.

However, another voice provoked He Yu. Stop showing mercy to anyone. Stop being foolish.

“Can I ask you one thing, Xie Xue?”

He Yu finally spoke.

—Uh… yeah… what is it…?

Xie Xue answered tearfully.

Sitting in the luxurious private room, He Yu asked the girl who was curled up in a room in a dilapidated shanty town.

“That video the hacker sent through the entire Huzhou University network that day, you saw it too, right?”

—Yes…

“Your brother is a psychiatrist. Honestly, if a doctor makes those kinds of remarks, it’s only natural to be cursed. The internet is originally a world more emotional than reality. In reality, the body constrains the mind, but the internet is free without a body, so everyone becomes violent. I think it’s perhaps natural that your brother is being cursed.”

—…No, he only said those things… my brother… is someone who has lived with more responsibility for his profession than anyone. He has never worked haphazardly. You know that too…

At that moment, He Yu cut Xie Xue off in a low voice. He thought this might unauthorized copybe [stolen content]the first time in his stolen contentlife he had interrupted her.

“I know. I also know that your brother did other things. Including telling you not to stay close to me.”

—…

Xie Xue seemed a bit bewildered. She looked lost as to why He Yu’s attitude had suddenly changed and how she should take his words.

In contrast, He Yu was very calm. So calm that it felt eerie.

“Xie Xue, there’s only one thing I’m curious about right now.”

—…

“All this time, your brother warned you so much not to stay close to me. In that moment, did you never once suspect that it was because I had a mental problem?”

—That is—.

Xie Xue was completely taken aback by the sudden question.

Did she suspect?

Had she ever suspected?

Through the countless days that had passed, had she not remained steadfast even after hearing such words from Xie Qingcheng?

The reason Xie Qingcheng stayed at the He residence for so long. The reason her brother kept warning her. Had she never once harbored the suspicion that it was all because He Yu was mentally ill?

Had she truly never suspected it, one hundred percent?

—That…

Xie Xue was a person poor at lying. She gripped the phone blankly and hesitated, unable to continue for a long time.

—Still… how could you… even if you were… no, no. You’re such an amazing person, there’s no way…

He Yu lowered his eyelashes slightly and laughed softly.

“That’s right, there is no way.”

At that moment, an employee lit a cigarette and handed it to He Yu. He Yu, who had unconsciously taken the cigarette, scanned it in his hand, then smiled, returned it to the employee, and shook his head politely.

On the surface, he looked calm, but his eyes were already submerged in a perverted shadow.

—You know, He Yu. Perhaps right now—.

“No.”

He Yu cut her off with a gentle voice.

“Xie Xue, I’m sorry. Not right now.”

Even though he spoke with a smile, it felt as if a nail had been driven into her heart. The fingertips of He Yu’s hand, fiddling with the employee’s hair, were as cold as ice.

“I have something to do tonight, so I can’t go out.”

—…

“Find someone else.”

He Yu’s lips parted.

“Actually, if you think about it, the two of us aren’t even that close, are we?”

Xie Xue, sitting on the other side of the phone, froze.

It seemed she had never seen this side of He Yu [stolen content]in Read on Read BL Novelsher life. She had never heard a voice so gentle and elegant, yet devoid of a single shred of emotion.

Perhaps, on the contrary, it contained deep and heavy emotions.

The boy from the past that Xie Xue knew, the boy that He Yu himself was familiar with, had now had his face ruthlessly ground away and changed into someone else.

He Yu hung up without even waiting for Xie Xue’s answer.

A laugh escaped him. It was exactly as he expected. Xie Qingcheng’s existence had turned all his efforts into bubbles. Xie Qingcheng’s existence blocked him and Xie Xue from ever being connected.

No. To Xie Qingcheng, he might be a dangerous person who should not be close to anyone, including Xie Xue.

“Young Master He, how would you like to play now?”

Once the call ended, the beautiful employee sitting closest to him asked in a sweet voice.

Soft fingertips randomly caressed He Yu’s leg.

“Take your hand off.”

He Yu put down the phone and spoke, looking down with cold eyes.

“I dislike it when someone touches me Read on Read BL Novelswithout permission. Stop [visit our site]pretending to be clever and stay still. If you do this again, I’ll have you sent out.”

The employee flinched at the bipolar-like attitude. For a moment, silence fell over the room.

The other employees, equally flustered, stood up and straightened their backs.

He Yu ignored the employees and drank. Furthermore, he opened the specially ordered plum-scented liquor.

“Young Master He, this drink is…”

The employee who acted as the leader trailed off as if giving a hint.

“I know.”

Still rational, He Yu had only opened the bottle and not yet drunk it. Whether to drink or not, and when to drink, depended on He Yu’s final mood.

As the atmosphere turned chilly, the employees had to stand frozen and silent for a long time. Just as their legs in high heels began to ache, the area outside the door suddenly became noisy.

“Sir, you cannot do this here…”

“Sir— over there—.”

And in the next moment.

The room door was abruptly opened.

He Yu shifted his gaze with only his eyes. The man who entered his cold field of vision was Xie Qingcheng, wearing a white shirt and tight-fitting suit trousers.

Since He Yu had ignored his calls throughout, he had come here in person.

The duty manager guarding the entrance rushed over in horror.

“Hey, you clueless brat! How could you let someone in here?”

The face of the club security guard who had been following Xie Qingcheng was also pale as lead. As he tried to explain, He Yu, leaning back on the sofa, spoke in a languid voice.

“…It’s fine.”

A bone-chilling laugh was embedded in his voice.

“He’s a very fast man, so it must have been hard to stop him. Since he’s come all this way, just tell him to sit down.”

Even while speaking to the manager and the security guard, He Yu kept his eyes fixed on Xie Qingcheng without blinking.

Perhaps because he had rushed, Xie Qingcheng was breathing heavily with his lips [visit our site]slightly parted. A few [visit our site]strands of his always neatly combed bangs had fallen over his forehead. His eyes, shimmering with anger, looked bright red, like red ink dropped into a pond.

After staring at those eyes for a moment, He Yu spoke calmly.

“Mr. Xie, please come in.”

“Uh… well…”

The security guard, who had been following and trying to stop Xie Qingcheng the whole way, was speechless.

Meanwhile, the clever manager used his intuition. He knew Xie Qingcheng’s face. How could he not know the protagonist of the topic that had turned the internet upside down for the past few days, and the person involved in the incident with He Yu at Huzhou University? There must be an extraordinary secret hidden between these two. If he didn’t want to be swept up in this storm, the best course of action was to flee as far as possible.

The manager quickly signaled the security guard. The two of them quickly withdrew from the scene, closing the door that Xie Qingcheng had left open.

Inside the room with the door closed, the two looked at each other in silence.

But the moment their eyes met, the two realized that the person before them was just like themselves.

Though it had only been a few days since they last saw each other, the mindsets of both individuals had changed completely, as if the world had been turned upside down.