CTS 22

The footsteps grew closer.

Shen Mo took a deep breath. One hand clutched his phone tightly while the other slowly curled into a fist.

The footsteps stopped right in front of the stall he was hiding in. A moment later, there was a knock at the door.

Shen Mo could not stop trembling.
Afraid he might make a noise, he quickly stuffed his fingers into his mouth and bit down hard. Just then, a familiar voice called out from outside.

“Shen Mo.”

It was a voice he knew better than any other.

Shen Mo’s whole body shuddered.
It felt like he had suddenly fallen into a dream. All the strength left in his body vanished. He leaned against the door and asked in a small voice, “Mr. Ji?”

He kept his voice low, as if speaking too loudly would cause him to wake up from a dream.

“It is me,” Ji Mingxuan replied.

Shen Mo stayed quiet for a moment before slowly unlocking the stall door.

Standing outside was Ji Mingxuan.
Because it was Ji An’an’s engagement day, he was dressed more formally than usual.
His suit was immaculate, and he looked striking and imposing.

Ji Mingxuan looked at him and said,
“An’an told me you were feeling unwell.”

Shen Mo did not answer. He simply stared at him blankly for a while, then lowered his head to fiddle with his phone. He typed in a familiar number, and once again the name Ji Mingxuan appeared on the screen.

He pressed the call button.

The ringtone rang almost immediately.
Ji Mingxuan looked slightly surprised but still pulled out his phone.

Shen Mo gripped his phone tightly, meeting Ji Mingxuan’s gaze. The sound of the ringtone filled his ears, making his palms sweat nervously. After what felt like a long time, Ji Mingxuan’s voice came through the line, a little lower than usual.

“Shen Mo?”

This time, the phone call went through.
Not like those countless times in the past, when he was left with silence.

Shen Mo’s knees gave out, and he almost collapsed.

Ji Mingxuan reached out in time to steady him, holding his arm. He asked, “What is wrong? Are you sick?”

“Mr. Ji,” Shen Mo clutched the front of his suit, “I saw that man…”

“What man?”

Shen Mo did not know how to explain.
He simply pointed to his brow and said,
“Here… there is a scar.”

His words were scattered and confused, but Ji Mingxuan understood immediately.

Ji Mingxuan let out a low hum and said,
“So it was him.”

He added, “I did not expect he would get out of prison so soon.”

Shen Mo could not help but ask, “Mr. Ji, you remember him?”

Ji Mingxuan did not answer directly.
Instead, he reached out, cupped Shen Mo’s chin, and stared into his eyes.

He asked, “Are you afraid?”

Shen Mo opened his mouth but could not find the words to respond.

He knew he was being a little paranoid.
Back then, he had been kidnapped entirely because of Zhou Yang. Now, he had no ties to Zhou Yang anymore. Who would bother paying attention to a nobody like him?

But the fear from that time was etched deep into his body. He simply could not control it.

Since Shen Mo stayed silent, Ji Mingxuan did not press him further. He squeezed Shen Mo’s hand. “Why are you so cold?”

After speaking, he took off his jacket and threw it over Shen Mo’s shoulders.

Shen Mo jumped, hastily catching the suit jacket in his arms.

As Ji Mingxuan rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, he said, “Wait for me here.”

“Mr. Ji?” Shen Mo asked, completely confused.

Ji Mingxuan did not answer. He turned and walked toward the door. When he was almost there, he glanced back, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

“Wait for me,” he said.

Shen Mo had already grown used to listening to him. He could not bring himself to think of anything else. Hugging the jacket, he waited obediently in the restroom.

The jacket still carried Ji Mingxuan’s warmth.

It was strange.

After just exchanging a few words with him, Shen Mo’s heart had calmed. The fear that had overwhelmed him earlier seemed to retreat like a receding tide.

He did not know how much time had passed when a commotion broke out outside.

Startled, Shen Mo quickly ran out, following the noise. After only a few steps, he saw a crowd gathered in the corridor leading to the main hall. Even from a distance, he could hear people whispering.

“I never thought someone like Mr. Ji would…”

“Maybe he got drunk?”

“Who knows? Strange things happen every year, but this year there seem to be even more.”

Hearing that it involved Ji Mingxuan made Shen Mo even more anxious. He clutched the jacket tightly and pushed his way through the crowd. After much difficulty, he finally made it to the center.

Ji Mingxuan was standing there, dressed only in a shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. There was a small wound on his right hand, with a little blood seeping out.

Not far away, a man was lying on the ground. The scar across his brow was hideous. His face was bruised and battered, looking utterly miserable.

Seeing the scene before him, even if Shen Mo were a fool, he would have understood what had happened.

He stood frozen on the spot.

Ji Mingxuan’s gaze swept over and quickly found him. He raised his hand and called out casually, “Did I not tell you to wait for me?”

Shen Mo felt his heart pounding uncontrollably.

Step by step, he walked toward Ji Mingxuan.

He had already learned the hard way that in this world, no one would come to save him except himself.

But what if even he could not save himself?

Then….

Then there was still Mr. Ji.