Ren Jiaoming turned his head to stare at Chu Shangluo for a moment, then extended one hand toward him.

“I’m driving, it’s inconvenient. Help me take it off.”

Chu Shangluo replied, “You’re spoiled, huh? Can’t you just bite it off?”

Ren Jiaoming: “It’s dirty.”

Chu Shangluo, clearly annoyed, snapped, “Whatever. Take it off or don’t—it’s none of my business.”

Ren Jiaoming shifted his gaze back to the road and retracted his hand. “Don’t worry. Killing Chen Ran won’t be difficult.” His voice was calm, but a trace of excitement lingered in his eyes.

Chu Shangluo scowled. “…The hell? If you’re gonna kill someone, leave me out of it!”

“I’ll do it flawlessly. No one will trace it back to you.”

Chu Shangluo had had enough of his nonsense. He grabbed Ren Jiaoming’s wrist with one hand and pinched the fabric of his glove on the index finger with the other, tugging it off forcefully. Beneath the glove was a slender, pale, well-maintained hand.

He studied Ren Jiaoming’s eyes, and just as he expected, the moment the glove came off, Ren Jiaoming’s gaze returned to its usual calm, devoid of that earlier intensity.

Chu Shangluo asked, “Which one is the real you—gloves on or off?”

Ren Jiaoming replied, “Both are me. But when I wear gloves, my thoughts get… more extreme.”

Suddenly, Chu Shangluo recalled their first time together. He had wondered back then if Ren Jiaoming had two personalities. But now, it was clear that wasn’t the case—he had always been the same person.

Did that mean, on that night, when Ren Jiaoming took off his gloves, he had been fully conscious? That he wasn’t just pretending to be dazed by the effects of the drug when they ended up together?

But this was just a passing thought. It didn’t matter anymore.

Chu Shangluo shoved his hand away. “Extreme? You’re straight-up planning a crime. If you’re sick, go get help—don’t drag me into it.”

Ren Jiaoming turned his head slightly, watching Chu Shangluo pull out a cigarette pack. “Are you… worried about me?”

The hand holding the cigarette paused. “Hell no.”

Ren Jiaoming gently grasped Chu Shangluo’s hand, his fingers cool and smooth, brushing lightly over the reddened skin on the back of his hand. He whispered, “I wasn’t lying earlier. I could kill Chen Ran. But I don’t want to anymore. I’d rather stay with you.”

The subtle tickling sensation on his skin made Chu Shangluo feel restless. Irritated, he yanked his hand away.

“Stop talking nonsense. I don’t want to hear it. Just drive the damn car.”

Ren Jiaoming fell silent for a moment before speaking. “There’s a better way to deal with Chen Ran.”

Chu Shangluo lit a cigarette, taking a drag. “Shut up. I have my own way of handling this. I don’t need your advice.”

Ren Jiaoming pressed his thin lips together, and the car returned to silence.

About ten minutes later, they arrived in front of Chu Shangluo’s home. Chu opened the car door, glanced at Ren Jiaoming, and said, “Don’t follow me.”

He then slowly walked toward the building.

His phone suddenly buzzed. Chu Shangluo took it out to check a message, and his expression darkened instantly.

The sound of footsteps in the snow was unusually clear. Chu Shangluo put away his phone and, hearing footsteps behind him, suddenly stopped and turned around to face Ren Jiaoming.

Ren Jiaoming had also stopped, gazing calmly at Chu Shangluo. Snowflakes had settled on his head, visible under the streetlamp’s glow.

Ren Jiaoming reached out his hand toward the snow on Chu Shangluo’s head.

Chu Shangluo immediately stepped back, avoiding his touch.

Just then, a sudden ringtone broke the tension between them.

Chu Shangluo’s eyes narrowed. “Answer it.”

Ren Jiaoming picked up the call, listening quietly as the voice on the other end spoke urgently. His gaze lifted, locking onto Chu Shangluo, who stood there smoking with an air of indifference.

After a moment, Ren Jiaoming hung up. His eyes had turned colder.

“This was you, wasn’t it?”

Chu Shangluo flicked the ash from his cigarette and, without hesitation, admitted, “Yes.”

Saying nothing more, he turned and walked away, leaving Ren Jiaoming standing in the falling snow.

This time, Ren Jiaoming didn’t chase after him. He simply watched Chu Shangluo’s retreating figure for a long moment before turning and leaving as well.

Back at home, Chu Shangluo removed his coat and walked to the window. Peering out, he saw the familiar black car driving out of the neighborhood.

He pulled out his phone. On the screen was a message from Lin Zhi:

“Ren Jiaoming’s antiques were thoroughly investigated.”

Messing with Ren Jiaoming’s antique collection was something Chu had done back when he first went bankrupt.

At the time, he had hated Ren Jiaoming, wanting him to pay for deceiving him. He knew how much Ren Jiaoming valued those antiques—after all, he wouldn’t have faked affection to deceive him otherwise. Since Chu Shangluo had detailed records of those antiques, he zeroed in on a few with questionable origins.

He had Lin Zhi anonymously report them as stolen artifacts.

Afterward, he left the matter entirely in Lin Zhi’s hands while he focused on finding shelter for his family, eventually forgetting about it altogether.

Judging by Lin Zhi’s message, the plan had worked—the antiques really did have dubious origins. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been investigated.

Chu Shangluo was exhausted tonight, his hands aching badly. He glanced at the bandage still on his hand, remembering the icy look in Ren Jiaoming’s eyes when he took that call.

And he thought—maybe this was for the best.

At least now, Ren Jiaoming wouldn’t keep pestering him.

Early the next morning, Chu Shangluo took the surveillance footage to the police station to file a report. The police reviewed footage from the same area and quickly identified several suspects.

The culprits were a group of unemployed troublemakers who all gave the same excuse — they had been bored and decided to vandalize the strawberry farm for fun, refusing to admit anyone had instructed them. Acting nonchalantly, one of them smirked and told the police, “At worst, we’ll just pay for the damages. If Mr. Chu isn’t willing to settle, we don’t mind serving some time.”

Chu Shangluo had no intention of letting them off with mere compensation. Clearly, Chen Ran must have paid them well for them to be this fearless — after all, it was a situation that money could easily resolve.

“Fine,” Chu Shangluo said coldly. “I’ll hire the best lawyer in Beijing. The damages to those strawberries from last night are enough to get you three years in prison.”

The men exchanged uneasy glances. They had thought it would just be a short stint, maybe ten days or a month at most. Hearing it could be three years, they started to panic.

“Mr. Chu, you’re not exactly short on money. If you really need it, we’ll pay. There’s no need for a lawsuit.”

Chu Shangluo gave a cold laugh, patting the ringleader on the shoulder and whispering, “I’ll make sure you have money, but nowhere to spend it.”

The men broke into a nervous sweat, caught between the fear of prison and the risk of betraying Chen Ran.

Chu Shangluo was determined to send them to prison. Whether they exposed Chen Ran or not didn’t matter much to him — the destruction of a few strawberries wasn’t enough to take Chen Ran down legally. If Chen Ran hired a lawyer, the case could get dragged out indefinitely, and these small-time thugs might even walk free. The real punishment was ensuring they served time.

—

After leaving the police station, Chu Shangluo and Lin Zhi headed to the Chen family estate.

Old Chen had always admired and supported Chu Shangluo, offering him help over the years. Many in the Chen family had business dealings with him as a result. However, after the old man fell ill and power shifted to Chen Ran — followed by Chu’s bankruptcy — Chu Family had cut ties with the Chen family.

That day was the annual gathering when the younger generation visited Old Chen. Chu Shangluo arrived with gifts. The one who opened the door was Chen Qing.

Though not particularly striking in appearance, Chen Qing had an imposing presence. From the first time Chu Shangluo met him, he understood why the old man favored Chen Qing among all his grandchildren. Chen Qing was calm, responsible, and carried the demeanor of a true family leader — the type who could lead the family upward.

Chen Ran, on the other hand, was the kind of person who would only bring the family down.

Even though Chen Qing held no official power, the smarter members of the Chen family quietly sided with him.

As Chu Shangluo entered, the younger generation of the Chen family, surprised to see the handsome man who had recently been a frequent subject of gossip in Beijing’s social circles, quickly adjusted their expressions when they noticed how familiar he was with Chen Qing.

Walking and chatting with Chen Qing, Chu Shangluo entered Old Chen’s room.

The once-powerful figure who had held sway over Beijing now lay frail in bed, the sternness gone from his face. However, when he saw Chu Shangluo, he smiled warmly.

“It’s been too long since you last visited. Coming on this special day… you must be here to see me, right?”

Though weakened, his mind remained sharp.

Chu Shangluo smiled and replied, “You need to get better soon. No one else here can keep up with your wits.”

Old Chen chuckled, clearly pleased. His gaze then shifted to Chen Qing.

For years, he had subtly encouraged Chu Shangluo and Chen Qing to stay connected. The Chen family was too chaotic, and Chen Qing needed a strong ally. Among his peers, Chu Shangluo was the most capable — intelligent, principled, and, most importantly, bold enough to take action.

Chen Qing, on the other hand, was too cautious and restrained.

They could balance each other perfectly.

After chatting with Old Chen for a while longer, the old man grew tired. Chu Shangluo and Chen Qing then moved to the study.

Chen Qing poured Chu Shangluo a cup of tea.

Chu asked, “When will Chen Ran arrive?”

“Around lunchtime,” Chen Qing replied.

Chu Shangluo glanced at his watch. “That’s soon.”

Chen Qing looked out the window at the still-falling snow. “The snow came too early this year. Normally, it wouldn’t arrive for another half a month or even a month.”

Taking a sip of tea, Chu Shangluo chuckled. “This early snow might just spell trouble for Chen Ran.”

As they spoke, the noise from outside suddenly quieted down. Chu Shangluo and Chen Qing exchanged a glance, and soon, Chen Ran was wheeled into the house, pushed by someone else.

The moment he entered, his smugness was almost impossible to hide. The younger generation of the Chen family stood silently, not daring to make a sound as they watched him with wary eyes.

With a self-satisfied smile, Chen Ran was pushed straight into Old Chen’s room.

Chu Shangluo and Chen Qing exchanged another look before following him. Chen Qing entered the room while Chu Shangluo remained seated on the sofa outside, sipping his tea leisurely.

Moments later, Chen Ran’s voice echoed from inside the room.

“Grandfather, why would you give the Chen family seal to Chen Qing? He doesn’t even hold real power—he’s just a figurehead. You should be giving it to me.”

It was obvious why Chen Ran had come today — to fight for the Chen family seal. While he already controlled most of the family’s actual power, he lacked the seal, which prevented him from fully winning over all the family members and restricted his access to the family treasury.

He continued, “Grandfather, I remember the Chen family rule — as long as more than half the family supports me, I can take the seal. Now, I’ve secured that support. You won’t go back on your word, will you?”

More and more Chen family members had begun to gather at the estate. Though it appeared to be a simple visit from the younger generation, the tension was palpable. Beneath the surface, it was a power struggle between Chen Ran and Chen Qing for control of the family.

“Get out!”

Old Chen’s furious voice echoed from inside.

Chen Ran was wheeled out of the room, still wearing a smug smile. He was confident that he would soon be the head of the Chen family, and once that happened, he wouldn’t need to put on a respectful face for the old man anymore.

As he exited, his gaze fell on Chu Shangluo, who was calmly seated on the sofa.

Chu Shangluo’s eyes shifted to Chen Ran’s crippled leg, and he greeted him with a subtle smile. “Mr. Chen, your leg still hasn’t healed?”

Chen Ran’s expression darkened. “What’s a Chu doing meddling in the Chen family’s business? Shouldn’t you be busy dealing with your strawberry farm issues?”

Chu Shangluo raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m just here to deliver a grand gift for you, Mr. Chen.”

Chen Ran frowned, though curiosity sparked in his eyes. What kind of gift could Chu Shangluo possibly offer? The affairs of the Chen family weren’t something an outsider like him could influence… or so he thought.

Chen Qing walked out of Old Chen’s room and stood beside Chu Shangluo. He was not a man of many words, which was how Chen Ran had managed to seize partial control of the Chen family using underhanded tactics and slick talk.

At this point, all the key figures of the Chen family were present. The largest group stood behind Chen Ran. Watching Chen Qing, who was still stubbornly holding his ground, Chen Ran sneered, “Do you really think having Chu Shangluo backing you will change anything? He’s nothing! I have the most supporters here. Just hand over the family seal. Who knows, I might even give you some extra cash to spend.”

Chen Qing wasn’t one for verbal sparring, but his silence often allowed Chen Ran to gain the upper hand.

The most influential elder on Chen Ran’s side finally spoke up: “Everyone is here today. It’s time to settle the family matters. The seal should go to whoever has the most support. Let’s handle this according to the rules.”

At that moment, Chu Shangluo stood up, walked over to Chen Ran, and clapped his shoulder firmly. Then, he took out a document and tossed it to the elder supporting Chen Ran.

“This is a record of Chen Ran’s debts over the years. And hasn’t he recently pulled you into a new project? High investment, high returns? You might want to verify the legitimacy of that project before you all get scammed.”

Chen Ran panicked. How could Chu Shangluo know about both his debts and the project?

“Chu Shangluo! There’s nothing wrong with my project! I should be the one asking you to get the hell out of the Chen family business!”

Chu Shangluo raised an eyebrow. “Idiot.”

Suddenly, Chen Ran’s phone rang, followed by the phones of several Chen family members behind him. As they answered, their expressions darkened. Some even threw their phones to the ground in anger. One stormed up to Chen Ran, grabbed his collar, and shouted, “Such a massive loss! How are you planning to take responsibility for this, Chen Ran?!”

Chen Ran yanked the man’s hand away and kicked him to the ground. Several bodyguards rushed in to shield him.

But as Chen Ran glanced at Chu Shangluo and then at Chen Qing, a realization hit him.

Two months ago, Chu Shangluo and Chen Qing had used a third party to create a fake investment opportunity, baiting Chen Ran into pouring all his liquid assets into it while convincing others to join. The third party had deliberately fed him false information, making him believe the land would be developed into a commercial district. However, the call he had just received confirmed that the land was actually being turned into a landfill — completely unsellable.

“You tricked me, you bastards!”

But the disaster wasn’t over yet.

At that moment, his assistant came rushing in and whispered anxiously, “Bad news! The seafood… it’s all frozen to death!”

Chen Ran’s face turned ashen. The younger generation in the room began whispering among themselves.

Chu Shangluo smirked. He had anticipated this outcome.

Previously, he and Old Chen had worked on a seafood farming project. When Chen Ran took over, he gave the project to Wen Yan, effectively cutting Chu Shangluo out despite his efforts. Chen Ran had invested heavily in the seafood farm, even taking out loans to ensure the seafood would be ready for sale by early winter. Contracts had already been signed.

However, the unexpected heavy snowfall the day before had caused all the seafood to freeze to death. While frozen seafood could still be sold, its value was significantly lower, and the contracts for live seafood deliveries could no longer be fulfilled.

Chu Shangluo sipped his tea and spoke calmly, “You amateurs don’t understand seafood farming. The area I chose for the farm is colder than Beijing. The facility required proper insulation, but before I could finish preparing it, you snatched the project. Don’t blame me for the lack of insulation.”

Chen Ran’s fists clenched tightly in fury and regret. He had never expected the snow to arrive so early. His plan had been to install the insulation in a few days.

Chu Shangluo continued, his voice turning sharp.

“Chen Ran, while you were busy sabotaging my strawberry farm yesterday, hoping my strawberries would freeze, you somehow forgot about your own seafood. Idiot.”

He leaned closer with a mocking smile.

“Do you like this ‘grand gift’ I’ve prepared for you?”