Nie Jun looked at Kong Wenyu.
Kong Wenyu didn’t seem to notice; his expression didn’t shift. “You and him?”
Hai Ming nodded. “We went to that convenience street up ahead, just grabbed a quick meal—about half an hour.”
“And he came back after?”
“He went to mail a package. He returned shortly after.” Hai Ming hesitated, then added, “Technically, Nie Jun was working overtime that night. Even if he hadn’t returned immediately, it wouldn’t have been an issue. Miss Ao’s bodyguard getting beaten… we have no reason to pick trouble with a random bodyguard. Maybe it was someone targeting the Ao family. Or maybe someone trying to set you up, to stir conflict between you and them.”
“I do have one doubt, though.” Hai Ming corrected himself mid-thought. “Your relationship with the Ao family doesn’t really need outside help to be stirred.”
It was already as bad as it could get.
“Could it have been the Long family?” Hai Ming continued analyzing. “They’re business rivals. Miss Ao and Miss Long don’t get along either. Maybe it was just a warning.”
Kong Wenyu stayed silent, lost in thought.
“It’s hard to investigate something without evidence,” Hai Ming continued. “Do you want me to call in every man and question them one by one? None of us have a motive.”
Kong Wenyu stared at the ceiling for a moment, his voice low and rough from fatigue: “Leave it for now.”
That meant he wasn’t planning to pursue it. Hai Ming nodded, thoughtful.
“Keep an eye on Ao Yongwang,” Kong Wenyu added.
Hai Ming acknowledged and left with two men.
Nie Jun was about to follow when Kong Wenyu said, “You stay.”
Nie Jun paused, then crouched down, trying to avoid making Kong Wenyu look up to speak.
After a moment, Kong Wenyu finally said, “Go on.”
Nie Jun froze, saying nothing.
Kong Wenyu didn’t give him more time to react. “Why did you hit Ao Qingqing’s bodyguard?”
Nie Jun denied it flatly: “It wasn’t me.”
“It wasn’t?” Kong Wenyu pressed.
His questions were always like a rigged card game—dirty and unreadable, leaving no trace of his true hand.
But Nie Jun had learned in the harsh wilderness that hesitation meant vulnerability. He repeated firmly, “It wasn’t me.”
Kong Wenyu sighed again, seemingly irritated by yet another blocked conversation today.
He looked away and ordered, “Get in.”
Nie Jun hesitated, then followed the instruction and stepped into the pool.
The warm water quickly soaked his clothes, the fabric clinging uncomfortably to his body.
Kong Wenyu’s gaze drifted slowly over him until Nie Jun turned his head aside, forcing himself to explain, “I don’t know him. I’ve never had any private contact with anyone from the Ao family. I have no reason to go after some bodyguard.”
“I’m just trying to figure out,” Kong Wenyu said, his voice deliberate, “what your motive is.”
“I don’t have—”
“Shh.” Kong Wenyu cut him off.
Nie Jun stared at him. Somewhere in the background, someone left. A hotel attendant entered to change the water, then left again.
The two of them remained facing each other in the pool. Kong Wenyu leaned back against the stone wall, his eyelids half-lowered, his gaze pale and unreadable.
Just as Nie Jun was about to continue defending himself, he suddenly felt a faint brush against his calf.
Through the stiff fabric of his work pants, it took him a moment to realize—it was Kong Wenyu’s foot.
Memories of that night in the locked room came crashing back all at once. Nie Jun’s breathing instantly grew heavy.
“If you want anything from me,” Kong Wenyu said, tilting his chin slightly as he looked down at him, his foot lingering there, neither advancing nor retreating, “you first need to learn loyalty. To me—and only me.”
Nie Jun’s eyes darkened. “I’ve never wanted anything from you.”
“Then that means you won’t be loyal to me,” Kong Wenyu said.
Nie Jun worried that the next words might be something like “You’re fired” or “I don’t need a bodyguard who isn’t loyal,” so he quickly said, “I can promise loyalty—to you alone.”
Kong Wenyu looked at him for a few seconds. “Then you need to tell the truth.”
Ripples spread across the water as he withdrew his foot, lifted his chin slightly, and fixed his eyes on him. “Even though your trustworthiness with me is already very low, I’m still willing to give you a chance. I hope this time you can be honest.”
The charged tension between them dissipated almost entirely. Nie Jun’s mind cooled.
“Tell me,” Kong Wenyu asked in a low voice, “what do you know?”
Nie Jun quickly weighed his choices: either “be dishonest” or “expose that the fiancée cheated, making him lose face.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
Kong Wenyu’s lips twitched slightly, as if he smiled—a faint, almost weightless gesture.
He leaned back casually, his voice even fainter than his expression, sounding as though the earlier conversation had drained all his patience and interest. “Then get out.”
Nie Jun paused, climbed out of the hot spring, and stood there dripping. The soaked clothes clung to him, water pattering onto the floor as he walked away.
He didn’t know whether Kong Wenyu was truly angry. Judging by his expression, maybe he was: “Find a quiet place, get some air, and calm down.”
Ao Yongwang pulled Ao Qingqing into a passageway, stopping in a quiet corner:
“Right now, I’m not sure if Kong Wenyu knows about you and Xiaolang. He only watched the segment near the restroom. I’ve already deleted the footage from outside the main door. No matter how much he suspects, don’t admit anything. If it comes to the worst, throw Xiaolang under the bus—say he had ideas about you, that he’s a toad wanting to eat swan meat.”
Ao Qingqing shook off his hand and smoothed her hair. “What does that have to do with him? Why are you acting crazy? Move.”
“I should be the one asking why you’re acting crazy,” Ao Yongwang said, his tone steady. “How far have you gone with him?”
“With who?”
“Who else could I mean?” Ao Yongwang said. “Tell me.”
Ao Qingqing looked unconcerned. “With Kong Wenyu, we’ve had dinner. With Xiaolang, I’ve slept with him.”
Ao Yongwang glared at her.
Ao Qingqing didn’t back down. She glared right back. “He shouldn’t have hit my man.”
“He shouldn’t?” Ao Yongwang took a deep breath. “You’re his fiancée. If you had told me before I went to talk to Kong Wenyu that he disciplined your bodyguard because you slept with Xiaolang, none of this would’ve blown up to this level!”
“He’s never once taken me seriously!” Ao Qingqing shot back. “Since the moment he stepped on this ship yesterday, has he mentioned me even once? I’m right upstairs!”
Ao Yongwang drew in a long breath, but Ao Qingqing cut him off immediately: “If you think Kong Wenyu’s so great, why don’t you marry him?”
“If he’d agree, I’d gladly do it,” Ao Yongwang said. “If Kong Wenyu were a woman, do you think it would ever be your turn?”
Ao Qingqing stared at him for a few seconds, then turned and walked away.
“Get back here!” Ao Yongwang grabbed her. “What do you mean by that? Ao Qingqing, I’m warning you—if you dare to pull some stunt like getting pregnant before marriage or eloping, humiliating Kong Wenyu, I’ll break your legs.”
“Do it right now.” Ao Qingqing’s tone was lofty, almost contemptuous. “You’re not clean yourself—you keep several mistresses. Why can’t I?”
“You’re a woman—”
Hai Ming looked at him, puzzled.
Nie Jun stared out into the bottomless darkness of the night. “I know.”
Hai Ming thought for a moment. “Do you want to go apologize?”
Nie Jun hesitated. “…I haven’t decided yet.”
Hai Ming assumed he was just embarrassed and chuckled. “Just say, ‘Sorry, Boss, I’ll do better from now on.’”
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