Didn't It Hurt?

Early the next morning, Shen Yi got up to prepare for work. As he straightened his clothes, his phone rang.

It was Yuan Chen. It wasn't even eight yet, and although Shen Yi had no idea why he was calling, he answered immediately.

"President Yuan."

"How are you feeling today?"

There was no small talk, only a direct question. Shen Yi's throat felt slightly tight, and he gently pressed his lips together.

"I'm fine. All better."

"Good. Come over once you're ready."

Yuan Chen hung up after those brief instructions. This was his usual manner, and Shen Yi had long since grown accustomed to it. If anything, that familiar composure reassured him.

He let out a quiet sigh, slipped neatly into his suit jacket, carefully fastened every button, and headed out.

It was just past eight when he reached Yuan Chen's home. His host was in the study, dressed in an immaculately pressed suit, looking ready to walk into a meeting room at any moment.

Shen Yi approached and gently set the hot coffee he had bought on the way at the edge of the desk. Its rich aroma soon filled the study.

Yuan Chen picked it up naturally and took a sip, leaning comfortably back in his chair as he looked up at Shen Yi, who stood perfectly straight before him.

"Made your decision?"

The question was incomplete, but Shen Yi understood at once. He was asking whether Shen Yi wanted to press charges against Yuan Hao.

So this was why he had specifically asked him to come over. It wasn't a confidential matter, but neither was it something suitable for discussion in public.

Shen Yi nodded. He had already thought it over countless times, and now his answer was on the tip of his tongue.

"I don't want any more complications."

"Thought as much."

Yuan Chen's expression remained unchanged as he answered calmly. He took another unhurried sip of coffee and added in an even tone:

"Yuan Hao is being transferred to D City in three days."

"That's sooner than expected."

"The chairman is putting pressure on him. He's trying to save his own skin."

Perhaps fleeing in such haste would buy him a few more years of clinging to survival. But bringing down that eyesore had already consumed far too much effort. If he could simply disappear now, all the better.

One day, Yuan Hao would make a comeback, his ambitions rekindled. Another tiresome struggle would be inevitable then, but at least they could enjoy a few peaceful years for now.

Yuan Chen's expression eased slightly. Looking through his phone, he brought up the work that had piled up yesterday.

"What time is lunch?"

"Twelve thirty."

"I have a private meeting with the chairman at two. Make sure we aren't delayed."

Shen Yi quickly rearranged the afternoon's schedule in his head. Factoring in travel time and the usual length of the chairman's meetings, it would be a tight fit.

"There are five consecutive business briefings scheduled from three onward. I'll notify everyone and push them all back by thirty minutes."

"Good. Do that."

Yuan Chen seemed pleased with how smoothly everything had been arranged. His index finger tapped steadily against the desk, but Shen Yi's gaze suddenly settled on that hand.

The thumb joint was visibly red and swollen. His other hand was fine, but the right thumb was badly injured, clearly from striking something hard. Given his position, why would he ever need to fight someone bare-handed? It must have happened yesterday, when he had tried to restrain Shen Yi as he lost control...

Shen Yi remembered Yuan Chen putting his hand into his mouth amid the chaos to stop him from biting himself. He must have been injured then. Guilt weighed so heavily on Shen Yi that he could barely lift his head, yet he couldn't pretend not to have noticed. He turned and fetched the first-aid kit.

"President Yuan, let me look at your hand."

Yuan Chen's brow shifted slightly, betraying some surprise at the unexpected gesture, but his usual composure soon returned.

Shen Yi gently supported his wrist and unfolded his long fingers one by one. The injured man remained perfectly calm, while the one examining him looked grave. It had to be his dominant right hand, too. Knowing he had caused the injury, Shen Yi treated it with particular care.

Fortunately, the skin hadn't broken, but dark bruising had formed on the pad of his thumb, which was swollen and hot. Shen Yi applied measured pressure with his fingertips, gently pressing around the bruise.

"...Doesn't it hurt?"

"It's nothing."

"Should I call a doctor? It would be safer to have it checked."

"Enough. Don't make a fuss."

Apparently thinking it was fine as long as he could bear it, Yuan Chen looked impatient and tried to pull his hand away. Shen Yi tightened his grip on his wrist, his attitude firm.

"Let me at least give it some basic treatment."

He took the medication out of the first-aid kit, gently wiped the injured area with a cotton pad soaked in antiseptic, then applied an ointment for bruising. The cool salve slowly seeped into the skin.

Although Yuan Chen no longer resisted, he hadn't given him free rein either. Worried that he might change his mind at any moment, Shen Yi quickly wrapped the bandage.

On closer inspection, besides the injured finger, there was also a faint scrape beneath Yuan Chen's jaw. Shen Yi must have left that on him while struggling, too.

"Excuse me."

Shen Yi leaned forward slightly and applied ointment to that mark as well. Any blemish stood out against such smooth skin. He spread the ointment with an exceedingly light touch of his ring finger, his movements careful.

Yuan Chen silently watched Shen Yi like this. His gaze lingered briefly on those slightly swollen lips before slowly sliding down to his neck.

Only after confirming there were no other injuries did Shen Yi straighten up. He sighed softly without realizing it, tightened the cap on the ointment, and wiped his fingers with a wet wipe. When he looked up, however, Yuan Chen rose from his chair without warning, making him freeze.

A dry palm pressed against Shen Yi's shoulder and pushed him backward. Caught off guard, he dropped onto the edge of the desk. Before he could stand, Yuan Chen had already closed in, his presence overwhelming.

"President Yuan, what are you..."

Before he could finish, Yuan Chen suddenly reached out, loosened his tie, and undid the top button of his shirt.

The fingers that slipped inside his collar were cold, making Shen Yi's shoulders tremble.

Several distinct purple bruises from being strangled remained beneath his exposed neck. Compared with these, the bruise Shen Yi had just treated was barely worth mentioning. Yuan Chen stared at the marks left by that violence, his brow tightly furrowed, and drew a deep breath.

"And you still won't press charges?"

Faced with the question again, Shen Yi instinctively touched his now-bare neck. He had already seen the bruises while washing up that morning. He had thought that carefully hiding them beneath his shirt collar would be enough, but in the end, they hadn't escaped Yuan Chen's sharp eyes.

"I've made my decision. The bruises... will fade eventually."

Despite his words, Yuan Chen's dark expression did not ease. He picked up the phone on the desk and held Shen Yi's jaw steady with his other hand, aiming the camera at his face.

"What are you doing? You're not taking pictures, are you?"

"Keeping evidence. Just in case."

"There's no need..."

Under that intimidating gaze, Shen Yi finally pressed his lips shut.

Let him. What could I do anyway? He braced both hands on the edge of the desk and obediently turned his head.

Yuan Chen opened the camera and pulled the shirt collar farther aside with his free hand, fully exposing the injuries. Holding the collar open, he aimed the lens at Shen Yi's neck.

The longer it went on, the more suffocated Shen Yi felt. With nowhere to settle, his gaze wandered briefly before returning to the camera lens. He looked at the back of the phone, his own eyes reflected in the black lens, and unconsciously pressed his dry lips together.

"President Yuan."

Yuan Chen didn't press the shutter immediately. He simply stared at the phone screen. "Fuck." A faint electronic sound rang out as he took several pictures in succession.

Click. Click.

Shen Yi slowly straightened his tilted head. He thought he had heard a curse. Yuan Chen's expression as he reviewed the pictures was dark and unreadable, and Shen Yi wisely kept quiet.

"Are we done?"

Yuan Chen slipped his phone back into his trouser pocket and looked up at him, his gaze deep.

"Fix your clothes."

"Yes."

Even without being told, he had been about to do just that. Shen Yi slid off the edge of the desk, carefully fastened his buttons, and tightened his tie again. Being meticulous had always been his forte.

His shirt collar once again wrapped snugly around his neck. That constricting sensation actually reassured him. This was better than standing before Yuan Chen with his clothes in disarray.

But that look just now... had seemed a little strange.