Chapter 29 – The Consequence of Not Returning Home at Night

After an earth-shattering scream from Lingzi over the phone, the ordeal finally concluded in the silence of Cheng Yishu’s waiting. The gist of it was that Cheng Yishu’s phone couldn’t be reached, he was nowhere to be found at home, and everyone who knew him claimed they hadn’t seen him. As Lingzi was on the verge of despair, Chen Kai found her again. After relentless questioning and realizing she couldn’t hide it any longer, she hesitantly confessed, “Brother Cheng is missing…”

This was no trivial matter. After a few seconds of stunned silence, Chen Kai mobilized his entire network, launching a citywide search. At last, Cheng Yishu’s car was found in the parking lot of a 24-hour supermarket. Yet, he himself remained missing.

Relieved to see the car, Chen Kai reasoned that if Cheng Yishu’s vehicle was still there, he must be safe and nearby. He was about to increase the search efforts around the car when Lingzi informed him, “Brother Cheng will be back soon…”

Given that Chen Kai mentioned the car was under surveillance, it was clear Cheng Yishu couldn’t retrieve it himself. There was no guarantee that those dispatched wouldn’t leak information to the paparazzi. So Cheng Yishu had to take a detour and return home by taxi.

Tianjiang Apartments—

With a soft click, the fingerprint lock responded, and as the door swung open, Lingzi was already rushing out to greet him.

“Brother Cheng, my ancestor, where have you been? Do you know we’ve been searching for you until…” Lingzi’s anxiety and tension didn’t lessen with Cheng Yishu’s return; on the contrary, her eyes brimmed with a stormy, looming worry.

“I know,” Cheng Yishu replied, lifting his gaze, “my phone ran out of battery. See, I’m back safe and sound.” He was about to slip past Lingzi to his room, change his clothes, and take a shower. After all, last night’s sleep had been uncomfortable—he deserved a good rest.

But Lingzi grabbed his arm suddenly. Though they were close—she was his assistant, after all, and such contact was inevitable—this abrupt gesture made Cheng Yishu frown slightly.

He looked at Lingzi’s solemn face and spoke impatiently, “What’s the matter? Didn’t I say my phone was dead?”

Even if it was his fault, did she have to make such a fuss?

Lingzi didn’t respond. Instead, she glanced toward the living room and released his arm, speaking softly, “Brother Cheng, you haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? I’ll go out and buy some… You two have a good talk.”

Her last words were spoken so quietly they were barely audible. Lingzi gave Cheng Yishu a slight nod and tiptoed out.

“What’s this about? So odd…” Cheng Yishu found her cautious behavior amusing, but as expected, once past the entryway, he saw Chen Kai sitting upright on the sofa in the living room.

Chen Kai was dressed very formally today. Though he usually favored casual suits, this time he wore a black business suit, his shoes polished to a shine. The overall impression was one of composed maturity, exuding an indescribable charm.

If a young woman were meeting him for the first time, she’d surely be smitten.

Instinctively, Cheng Yishu glanced at himself: his white shoes were dusty, his white casual pants wrinkled. Only the red jacket, still carrying the fragrance of that woman, was somewhat presentable.

Cheng Yishu pressed his lips together and walked to face Chen Kai, feeling like a child caught out by a parent after a night away from home.

“Dressed so sharp? Someone who didn’t know better would think I’m the manager and you’re the celebrity!” Cheng Yishu, knowing he was at fault, smiled at Chen Kai.

Similar situations had happened before, though rarely. Usually, it was just to tease Tan Jing or, more bluntly, to act spoiled with her. Tan Jing would only put on a stern face, scold him a bit, and leave it at that.

But Chen Kai’s calm gaze made Cheng Yishu uneasy—not because he feared him, but because he didn’t know what Chen Kai would do, and that uncertainty made him anxious.

“Now that you’re back, let’s talk,” Chen Kai said, his eyes devoid of any familiar irreverence or expected fury.

For a moment, Cheng Yishu felt like a wayward child facing a father’s interrogation.

But the next second, he dismissed and mocked his own thoughts. “Lack of fatherly love has made me weird, huh? Ridiculous…”

“Fine,” Cheng Yishu tossed his jacket aside and sat across from Chen Kai, feigning ease and raising his brows.

Chen Kai uncrossed his legs and fixed Cheng Yishu with a deep, sharp gaze. His voice was both profound and cold as he spoke.

“I’ll ask you just once: do you have a girlfriend?”

Cheng Yishu had expected Chen Kai to directly question him about why he’d cut off contact with the team all night, but instead, the first question was whether he had a girlfriend.

He was momentarily stunned.

“A girlfriend?” Cheng Yishu echoed, repeating the words.

“Yes, I mean aside from your ‘close friendship’ with Tan Jing… do you have any other girlfriends you’re dating?” Chen Kai’s voice was resolute, turning a light topic into something strangely forceful. Anyone would find it uncomfortable, not just Cheng Yishu.

Sure enough, Cheng Yishu suddenly stood up, angry, and after a pause, squeezed out a reply:

“It’s none of your business… And even if there’s something between me and Tan Jing, it doesn’t need to be spoken from your mouth.”

Tan Jing?

She was a dream he’d missed, failed to grasp. Others might say Cheng Yishu was immature or obsessed with his former manager, but he didn’t care. What he would never tolerate, though, was anyone speaking ill of Tan Jing.

She was married now; rumors would only hurt her if they continued.

“Fine, not about Tan Jing. Then answer directly: are you in love? Or do you have someone you want to be with?”

Chen Kai assumed a posture as if he’d expected this, sitting back and looking up at Cheng Yishu’s face.

It was a face so exquisite that any makeup artist could make him ready for a fashion shoot in minutes—fair skin with not a trace of softness, thick brows, phoenix eyes, a high nose, thin lips.

That jawline and Adam’s apple, coveted by countless fangirls, would stir even a man’s imagination. Coupled with the seductive collarbones and the faintly visible chest muscles beneath the white T-shirt, he exuded wild, untamed allure.

Truly, a child of fortune, born to rule the stage with irresistible charm.