With that, Xi Yu did not bother looking at Shen Linchuan’s suddenly pale face. He left the garden, leaving Shen Linchuan alone, swaying unsteadily.
The only reason Xi Yu had come to the banquet tonight was to take a look at that demon. He wanted to see whether that demon had ever taken a human life.
Now that he had not seen any evidence of it, there was no reason for him to stay any longer.
Xi Yu left the banquet halfway through. Shen Qing had spotted an auction item she liked, so she did not leave with him.
When Lu Zhixing saw that Xi Yu was leaving, he followed first.
Luo Yuan was just about to kick Luo Cheng’an to make him follow when he saw that Luo Cheng’an had already stood up before he could do anything.
Luo Yuan gave Luo Cheng’an’s back an approving look.
The family had driven one car here today. Xi Yu did not plan on going home, so he had the ride waiting outside the banquet arranged to take him to the overpass.
The moment he sat in the car, both side doors opened, and Lu Zhixing and Luo Cheng’an squeezed in beside him, one on either side.
Xi Yu frowned.
“What are you two following me for?”
It was only nine o’clock. The stalls beneath the overpass had not even closed yet. He wanted to go take a look.
Luo Cheng’an grinned.
“It’s too boring. Mom and Dad are there, so we’re fine.”
Xi Yu looked at Lu Zhixing again.
Lu Zhixing covered his chest and smiled with pursed lips.
He said nothing, but Xi Yu understood immediately.
He’s feeling uncomfortable again.
Xi Yu reminded them, “I’m going to take a look beneath the overpass.”
There were a lot of people there. He was worried these two pampered young masters would not be used to it.
Unexpectedly, Luo Cheng’an said excitedly, “Great! I want to see where you set up your stall, Bro.”
Xi Yu was just about to say, Haven’t you already been there? when he remembered that the last time Luo Cheng’an had arrived, he had immediately run into Zhao Qi.
Fine, then. They could go together.
Xi Yu yawned. He was a little sleepy.
For the past two nights, whenever he had some free time, he had been searching for traces of Zhuo Huazhi.
Although he had not found anything, at least the search had worn him out.
Fortunately, the back seat of the SUV was spacious, so Xi Yu did not feel cramped sitting in the middle.
It would have been even better if there had not been a driver and if someone had not suddenly sprayed several bursts of knockout gas at them.
Xi Yu had spiritual power, but even he could not withstand such a sudden attack. By the time he tried to use his spiritual power to block the gas, it was already too late.
His shoulders were struck from both sides.
Xi Yu glanced at Lu Zhixing and Luo Cheng’an, who had passed out first.
Then his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
When Xi Yu opened his eyes again, he was already tied to a chair.
Lu Zhixing and Luo Cheng’an were lying on a bed, still unconscious.
Not only that, someone was stationed beside them. Whenever either of them showed signs of waking, the person would take a small spray bottle and spray them twice more.
Xi Yu was puzzled.
“Why am I the only one tied up while they get to sleep? That’s too unfair, Shen Linchuan.”
Shen Linchuan sat in the chair opposite him and gave him an apologetic smile.
“Mr. Xi is no ordinary person. I didn’t dare take any chances, so I could only inconvenience you for a while.”
………………
Xi Yu gave a soft laugh.
“Looks like you’re determined to get the Jinyu Bracelet.”
At the banquet, Shen Linchuan had only asked him to hand over Liuyun. After Xi Yu refused, Shen Linchuan had not pressed the matter.
Xi Yu had thought Shen Linchuan would go pick up Liu Tanghuan.
He had not expected him to be waiting here instead.
Xi Yu had given Shen Linchuan a choice: send that demon back to where it belonged, or let that demon’s life slowly slip away.
But Shen Linchuan chose neither.
He had come to kidnap him.
He had clearly made up his mind that he was unwilling to let everything return to its proper place. He wanted that demon to continue occupying Liu Tanghuan’s identity and living this way forever.
Shen Linchuan walked over and crouched down in front of Xi Yu, maintaining a humble posture from beginning to end.
“I don’t want to become your enemy, but my wife can’t wait any longer.”
“If she can’t wait, then let her go. Send the real Liu Tanghuan back to where she belongs,” Xi Yu said. “Then Heaven’s law won’t punish you anymore, and that demon can survive too.”
At the word demon, Shen Linchuan’s fingertips twitched.
He looked at Xi Yu.
“You really do know.”
Ever since Xi Yu had displayed abilities different from ordinary people on the variety show, Shen Linchuan had worried that Xi Yu might discover something, so he had deliberately kept his distance.
Later, after leaving the show, he had seen the Fate-Exchange Lock and the matter of fortune that Luo Shujing had mentioned on the day he was taken away.
Something that powerful could be deciphered and removed so casually by Xi Yu.
That had made him even more worried.
Worried that Xi Yu would find out—
Yet tonight, he realized just how unnecessary his worry had been.
Xi Yu had probably known from the very first moment he saw him that his wife was a demon.
Xi Yu was far too unusual. Shen Linchuan had originally not wanted to have much contact with him, but he had no choice.
Xi Yu said everything should return to its proper place.
But that was impossible.
His wife could only be Xiaoman. She could not be anyone else.
Shen Linchuan’s face was somewhat pale, but he desperately tried to keep himself composed.
“Since you know, you should understand how important the Jinyu Bracelet is to me. Mr. Xi refuses to give it to me, so I can only use this method. As long as you tell me where you’ve hidden the Jinyu Bracelet, I’ll send someone to retrieve it, and I’ll send you home immediately.”
They had already searched Xi Yu thoroughly when they kidnapped him.
The Jinyu Bracelet was not on him.
So it must have been put somewhere else.
Xi Yu hated being threatened more than anything.
He lazily lifted his eyelids.
“What if I don’t?”
Shen Linchuan slowly stood and walked toward Luo Cheng’an and Lu Zhixing. He took a dagger from one of the bodyguards.
“I had some free time these past few days, so I watched the variety show. On the show, Mr. Xi took extremely good care of Luo Cheng’an and Director Lu. I don’t think you’d want to see them get hurt, would you?”
Xi Yu’s expression darkened.
His hands moved slightly, and the hemp rope instantly fell away from his body.
He did not stand. Instead, he crossed his legs and maintained a relaxed posture.
Yet even that was enough to intimidate Shen Linchuan.
Shen Linchuan knew that the hemp rope could never truly restrain Xi Yu, but he had never expected Xi Yu to undo it so effortlessly.
Fortunately, he had not kidnapped Xi Yu alone.
He knew he could not control Xi Yu, so his original plan had been to bring Luo Cheng’an and Lu Zhixing along as well.
He had thought it would take some effort.
Unexpectedly, Lu Zhixing and Luo Cheng’an were so attached to Xi Yu that they had saved him a great deal of trouble.
Shen Linchuan pressed the blade against Luo Cheng’an’s neck, keeping it at a level where it would not draw blood, yet was close enough that pressing down would take his life at any moment.
“Xi Yu, I know you’re capable. I can’t restrain you. But can you really watch Luo Cheng’an die?”
He added, “And Director Lu, too. On the variety show, whenever he had even a headache or slight fever, you’d rather abandon Luo Cheng’an than not go accompany him. If he bleeds now, you’d feel terrible, wouldn’t you?”
The corners of Xi Yu’s lips curled slightly.
His eyelashes were thick and long, veiling his ink-black eyes and revealing a trace of cold indifference.
“If you kill them, what exactly do you gain? Neither the Lu family nor the Luo family will let you off. Your company, your life, everything you have now will be reduced to dust.”
“I can’t care about any of that anymore!” Shen Linchuan roared.
How could he not know that he could not afford to offend any of these three people?
Hurting any one of them would come at an enormous price.
But he could no longer care about any of it.
As long as his Xiaoman could survive.
Shen Linchuan’s hand trembled slightly, and the dagger pressed against Luo Cheng’an’s neck shook with it.
The dagger was sharp.
Thin traces of blood seeped from Luo Cheng’an’s neck, bright red and glaring.
Xi Yu’s brows drew together slightly.
Spiritual power gathered at his fingertips, but he quickly lowered his hand again.
If he used spiritual power to injure a mortal, Heaven’s law would punish him as well.
He could use a talisman instead.
But he was afraid the talisman might not stop Shen Linchuan quickly enough—certainly not before Shen Linchuan could kill someone.
Shen Linchuan took a deep breath, desperately trying to calm himself.
“Give me the Jinyu Bracelet!”
Xi Yu glanced at Shen Linchuan.
Then he opened his hand.
Liuyun appeared in his palm from within the ring.
Shen Linchuan’s eyes widened abruptly.
It wasn’t merely shock at seeing Liuyun appear out of thin air.
There was even greater excitement in his eyes.
One of the bodyguards standing nearby saw it and opened his mouth in astonishment, apparently thinking it was some kind of magic trick.
Shen Linchuan gestured for them to go take it.
The bodyguards he had hired were all illiterate deaf-mutes.
He would never let anyone else know that his lover was a demon.
As long as he got the Jinyu Bracelet, his lover could continue living under the identity of Liu Tanghuan.
Healthy.
Happy.
Without worries.
The bodyguard walked toward Xi Yu and took the bracelet from his hand.
Xi Yu seemed to have surrendered.
Even as he watched the bracelet being taken away, he merely asked Shen Linchuan,
“The Liu Tanghuan from Qingliang Village—you’re the one who sent her there, aren’t you? If I’m not mistaken, you were also the one who sent Qian Xiaohu to prison, right? You clearly had a chance to silence them, but you didn’t. Was it because you knew Liu Tanghuan’s father could no longer have children after saving your father, so you couldn’t bear to let their only daughter die?”
Shen Linchuan had gotten the Jinyu Bracelet.
After checking that it was genuine, wild joy burst from his eyes.
But then he heard Xi Yu’s words.
His expression stiffened for a moment before quickly returning to normal.
“Those things have nothing to do with you.”
“Nothing to do with me?”
Xi Yu sneered.
“You kidnapped my people and stole my things. And you call that none of my business—”
Xi Yu seized the opportunity.
The instant Shen Linchuan lifted the dagger away from Luo Cheng’an, a talisman shot straight toward him.
Before the bodyguards could react, they only saw a flash of yellow.
The next moment, their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed one after another.
Shen Linchuan felt a violent pain shoot through his arm.
The dagger instantly fell from his hand.
His legs then went weak and buckled, forcing him to drop to his knees.
Even so, Shen Linchuan still clutched the bracelet tightly.
He stared warily at Xi Yu, his heart sinking to the bottom.
He regretted letting his guard down and giving Xi Yu an opening.
Xi Yu looked contemptuously at Shen Linchuan clutching the bracelet as though he thought holding onto it meant Xi Yu could not take it back.
His lips parted, his voice clear and cold.
“Liuyun, come back.”
……………….
Hearing its master’s summons, Liuyun happily transformed into a streak of light and slipped out of Shen Linchuan’s palm.
It flew toward Xi Yu and then wrapped itself around his arm.