Chapter 47
S-class dowry involution
Two hours later, at Bai Sheng’s house.
Chairman Bai sat on the sofa, relentlessly pinching his philtrum, tremblingly confirming, “Is it really like this? Our whole family isn’t going to be executed, right?”
“No, definitely not.” Chen Miao sat shoulder to shoulder next to him, comforting the poor old man. “It’s consensual, isn’t it? It’s not a major crime. The only issue is that you shouldn’t talk about it outside; after all, as a supervisor, the hobby of handcuffing and beating people isn’t very dignified. Bai-ge has sacrificed a lot to get the establishment. It’s not good to talk about such things as the unwritten rules…”
Chairman Bai, like a drowning man grasping at a straw, said, “So, does our family need to offer a dowry?”
“…”
Chen Miao remained subtly silent for a few seconds and tactfully replied, “I don’t think it’s necessary for now.”
“I see, I see,” Chairman Bai rubbed his hands understandingly, “He hasn’t climbed high enough; he hasn’t climbed high enough yet.”
The bedroom door opened, and Bai Sheng finally exhaustedly persuaded Shen Zhuo to brush his teeth, wash his face, change clothes, and have breakfast before carrying the chief supervisor horizontally and walking out.
No wonder all the supervisors were full of resentment about their salaries, because the workload was just too much. Shen Zhuo had turned into this and still had to go to work—next quarter’s budget deficit was 360 million, and he had to attend a video conference with the International General Administration this morning, ostensibly to discuss the allocation of funds by the General Administration, but in reality, it was a battle for money.
“Inspector!” Chairman Bai bounced up like a spring potato, anxiously greeting, “My unworthy nephew Bai Sheng is twenty-seven years old, with a plain appearance, unmarried as yet, with some family assets, if possible, in the future, we’re willing to offer a generous dowry…”
Shen Zhuo turned his head away from Bai Sheng’s arms. His cold, pale face showed signs of weariness as he glanced at the old man without saying a word.
“…”
Chairman Bai’s tongue was tied, his mind blank, forgetting his words because of excessive fear.
After a long time under everyone’s gaze, he swallowed his saliva and, as if possessed, asked the question he most wanted to know:
“This little brat, Bai Sheng, did not resist, right? Are you satisfied with the way you beat him?”
Chen Miao: “…”
Bai Sheng: “…”
Shen Zhuo buried his face back into Bai Sheng’s embrace, clearly very reluctant to talk to strangers.
“Uncle,” Bai Sheng sighed wearily, “whether he’s satisfied or not, I don’t know. But your nephew, I, have been messed around with all night.”
Chairman Bai: “?! “
Bai Sheng hugged Shen Zhuo and, under Chen Miao’s gaze of “Dan, am I allowed to hear this without spending money?” walked out of the door. His hair, still wet from the cold water, hung limply, and even the tuft of white hair on his head drooped dejectedly, conveying a sense of desolation in his entire back view.
***
Perhaps due to the fluctuation of hypothalamic neurohormones, Shen Zhuo’s side effects were also intermittent. He clearly needed security while at Bai Sheng’s house, but seemed a bit more sober when he entered the Shenhai City Supervision Office. At least he didn’t let Bai Sheng hug him when he got out of the car. He walked into the elevator alone, fragile, bewildered, but resilient.
Bai Sheng was laden with big and small bags, holding the following: the supervisor’s briefcase, the International General Administration’s confidential data platform, a lunch box of braised abalone and rice for lunch, several sweet and savory snacks for the afternoon, a bottle of light salt water, a bottle of electrolyte water, and a half-drunk cup of fresh milk. He carefully escorted Shen Zhuo to the top floor of the supervision office.”
As the elevator door opened, Shui Ronghua hurriedly walked toward them, staring at her phone in shock. Then she looked up at Bai Sheng.
“Chen Miao sent a message saying that your uncle was pulling him with tears in his eyes, saying that he is willing to offer double the dowry to change your marital status.”
“…”
“No use; I tried it already.” Bai Sheng looked weary, “With the appearance of my humble self like a willow, I was willing to marry for a billion last night, but I couldn’t even manage that. Maybe there’s still hope to cover your overdraft of 360 million for next quarter.”
Shui Ronghua, with a shocked expression on her face, quickly replied to Chen Miao’s WeChat message: [Ask Bai-ge’s uncle if he’s willing to offer 360 million.]
“Empress, just offering dowry won’t work. You didn’t handle your logistics properly this morning.” Shui Ronghua followed Shen Zhuo into the office while putting away her phone. She directed her secretary to prepare all the work processes quickly, saying, “The International General Administration’s financial plan for the next quarter is out. Chief Supervisor Amatullah is coming to compete with us for a $60 million allocation. We’ll have a video conference later. Why did you let His Majesty dress like this?”
Shen Zhuo was dressed in loose white casual wear with his sleeves rolled up to reveal his slender wrists. He sat quietly behind the desk, appearing extremely fragile and thin, evoking pity. Even the secretary couldn’t resist taking out her phone and sneaking a couple of quick photos before leaving the office.
“Could it be one of your strange quirks?” Shui Ronghua looked at Bai Sheng suspiciously.
Bai Sheng honestly replied, “I’m innocent. My preferences have always been uniforms, gloves, and whips, really. If your supervisor had worn a uniform and laid in my arms last night, you might have already gotten my contract of sale today, the ‘serve until death’ kind.”
In the unseen void, Witch Italdo regretfully pounded her palm with her fist, “Tsk! I miscalculated! I knew I shouldn’t have let that Shen guy change clothes yesterday!”
“…”
Shui Ronghua didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She instructed Bai Sheng while preparing for the video conference with Shen Zhuo, “Go to the living room and get a suit. Hurry up; there are only ten minutes left.”
Shen Zhuo’s office was a large suite, with a small living room connected, furnished with a single bed, a wardrobe, and other simple furniture for inspectors to nap while working late.
Actually, with the position of Chief Supervisor, he could have made the workspace very luxurious. It was said that in Europe, even district supervisors have separate villas and gardens as their offices, equipped with gyms and swimming pools inside.
But Shen Zhuo seemed indifferent to these matters. His living room style was very clean, with a modern palette of black, white, and gray, featuring clean and sharp lines without any extra decorations.
Bai Sheng opened the wardrobe, and as expected, it was filled with black suits, vests paired with white shirts, and a few black and dark gray coats, all sharply tailored and tough.
“…” Bai Sheng chuckled silently.
It wasn’t surprising that Shen Zhuo would choose this style. With his slender but athletic build, only such sharp and strong tailoring could bring out his strength. Otherwise, any looseness would inevitably show weakness, which wouldn’t be suitable for the top ten supervisor council having all Alpha members.
Anyway, with a wardrobe full of the same attire, Bai Sheng casually grabbed a suit and shirt to drape over his arm before heading out. However, just as he was about to leave, he caught sight of something and uttered a surprised “huh” inwardly.
In the corner of the wardrobe, neatly placed, was an old English academic journal.
It was published over thirty years ago.
Subconsciously, something sparked in Bai Sheng’s mind. He picked up the journal and glanced at the cover article titled “Genetic Darwinism: The Hidden Evolutionary Code” Flipping through the pages according to the index, he found the cover article, authored by Shen Ruzhen.
Shen?
Shen Ruzhen? Shen Ruzhen?
Were they Shen Zhuo’s father or mother?
Bai Sheng became intrigued, but before he could delve into it, he heard Shui Ronghua’s urging from outside the door, “Mr. Bai!”
“Coming!”
Bai Sheng had no choice but to hastily set aside the magazine and go out. He saw Shui Ronghua waving her hand while checking the time, “Hurry up; there’s no time for pants; just change his top.”
Shen Zhuo sat quietly in the armchair, initially appearing indifferent, but upon closer observation, Bai Sheng could discern a kind of ethereal beauty about him.
Bai Sheng couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure he can win that $60 million like this?”
“It’s okay, I’ve seen Shen Zhuo in a meeting with Supervisor Kingston. He didn’t say a word or change his expression for four hours, like an AI frozen in front of the camera. He only spoke one word at the end – ‘NO’ – and made Kingston cry and run away on the spot.” Shui Ronghua turned to Shen Zhuo, earnestly advising, “Don’t let anyone snatch our $60 million later. No matter what they say, don’t make a sound. If necessary, just say NO. Got it?”
Shen Zhuo, like a fragile glass figurine, remained quiet and unresponsive, his inorganic eyes gazing toward her. After a while, he slowly spoke:
“Doctor Shui.”
He actually spoke! Shui Ronghua’s spirits lifted.
“Are you the supervisor, or am I?”
Shui Ronghua: “…………”
At this moment, the complex expression on Shui Ronghua’s face was identical to Bai Sheng’s last night when he tried to help with the bath. She lowered her head sincerely and said, “I’m sorry, you go ahead.”
Bai Sheng: “Pfft—”
Shui Ronghua covered her face with one hand and gestured for Bai Sheng to quickly change his clothes, then stood up and exited the office.
There was nothing more delightful in this world than seeing Shen Zhuo use his poisonous tongue on someone else. Bai Sheng felt happy as he helped Shen Zhuo put on his shirt, kneeling halfway on the ground to button it up for him. He then stood up to get the tie, but Shen Zhuo grabbed his hand.
Bai Sheng: “?”
Shen Zhuo looked up at him and uttered three words:
“Wanna go home.”
In an instant, Bai Sheng’s heart melted. He wished he could just dig out the sixty million dollars and rush back home with his beloved one in his arms, cuddling his little pea princess high up on the twelve-layer soft cushion for endless hugs and kisses.
However, this little pea princess only had a shelf life of just over twenty hours left. Once he regained consciousness, he might turn into a cold-blooded monster who would silence all witnesses. Considering the consequences, Bai Sheng could only bear the pain and comfort him: “Be good, I’ll take you home after the meeting. I promise to take you home, so be obedient.”
Shen Zhuo silently stared at him, neither letting go nor speaking.
“……”
Bai Sheng looked into his eyes, and in an instant, he felt a deep connection, intuitively understanding what was on his mind—contemplating whether or not to kiss him.
His heart raced wildly. Bai Sheng leaned down, pointing to his own lips, softly coaxing, “Come on, kiss here.”
Bai Sheng always kept himself very neat and tidy, with a pleasant scent emanating from his collar, and his lips were clean with a hint of a smile.
Shen Zhuo stared at the familiar curve and neat teeth in front of him, his mind contemplating something. After a while, he slowly raised his hand and touched the corner of Bai Sheng’s lips.
His fingertips were long and slightly cool, slipping through the lips and teeth, leaving a faint trace of moisture on the lower lip.
The plump prey slipped away between the sharp teeth of the giant wolf, and in an instant, Bai Sheng’s breath stopped.
Countless electric currents exploded, rushing from his spine to the top of his head, even his nerve endings trembling. Bai Sheng grabbed Shen Zhuo’s wrist, pulling his chin down, lowering his head with rapid and hot breath, ready to fiercely kiss those lips—
The video conference reminder suddenly sounded.
Supervisor Amatullah came online.
Shen Zhuo’s expression remained unchanged as he leaned back and decisively turned his head away from Bai Sheng, who didn’t even have time to stop him, watching in shock as Shen Zhuo pressed ‘Accept’ on the display screen.
Bai Sheng: “?!?”
Is this real? Is this real?!?
The only impulse Bai Sheng, an S-Class, had was to smash the computer and explode the office, but it was too late now. As soon as the video conference request was accepted, a woman in her forties appeared on the screen, with deep features and a dignified appearance. She was none other than the second-ranking Chief Supervisor of the General Administration from Egypt, Ms. Amatullah, an S-Class.
Bai Sheng briskly retreated to the corner of the room, seething with anger but having nowhere to vent. He wanted to drag Shen Zhuo, who looked aloof behind the computer, and eat him alive, but reality dictated that he could only grit his teeth and take a deep breath. With a click, five smoking white marks were scratched on the wall.
“Good morning, Supervisor Shen,” Amatullah’s deep brown eyes glinted with a cold light as she got straight to the point, “Let’s make it quick. I know Director-General Nielsen wouldn’t refuse any request from Shenhai, but I still insist on my standpoint: Shenhai cannot monopolize the sixty million dollar allocation!”
“… “
Shen Zhuo ignored Bai Sheng, who was sparking and crackling in the corner, treating him as if he were invisible. He stared coldly at the screen, resembling an AI portrait.
“Shenhai doesn’t need that much money at all! The United Nations Security Council has evidence showing that you’ve been secretly funding the long-prohibited HRG program!” Amatullah spread out a table full of reports with a thud, “These are the relevant evidence we’ve collected, this is the recent power fluctuation value from Shenhai, these are the related satellite monitoring images, this is the Shenhai financial report audited by us… Unless you can prove all the evidence wrong, but we all know that’s impossible! Otherwise, where did all that money go? Did you use it for skincare projects?!”
“… “
If one were to observe carefully, they would notice that dangerous glints had started to surface in Shen Zhuo’s eyes. However, the verbose Amatullah didn’t seem to notice.
“If the entire sixty million dollar allocation goes to Shenhai, I will without a doubt exercise my veto power, and I will make sure you won’t get a penny! Unless you agree to share that sixty million with our Egyptian jurisdiction, we can split it fifty-fifty. In that case, I promise not to submit this evidence to the Security Council and the International Supervision General Administration and reluctantly agree to the financial budget of your Shenhai jurisdiction for the next quarter. Do you understand, Supervisor Shen?!”
“…”
The air was thick with suffocation, Shen Zhuo remained motionless, and Ms. Amatullah stared fiercely at the screen.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Tears quickly welled up in Shen Zhuo’s eyes, then dripped down his expressionless face, landing with a soft thud on the desk.
Amatullah: “…”
Amatullah: “??!”
Shen Zhuo slowly spoke, his voice choked with stubbornness, and grievances endured, bluntly rejecting, “No.”
If one were to describe it specifically, the female supervisor’s expression at this moment was like witnessing a volcano erupt, glaciers collapse, the sun helium flash, dinosaurs resurrect, or Nielsen stripping naked and doing a Gangnam Style dance in front of the International Supervision General Administration gates.
Shen Zhuo turned to Bai Sheng, extending his hand. Though his face showed no emotion, it was heartbreaking, as if he were a child who only wanted a mere sixty million dollars for a few cute experiments but was unreasonably denied.
No one could refuse Supervisor Shen at this moment. With no choice, Bai Sheng approached and hugged him, soothing and comforting him. Meanwhile, he greeted the stunned Amatullah on the other end of the video, though his tone was highly complex:
“This situation is a bit complicated. Please allow me to offer you a reasonable explanation…”
“What are you doing?! What did Supervisor Shen do to you?! No, what have you done to Supervisor Shen?!” Amatullah abruptly recoiled in her chair, incredulously roaring, “You actually drugged the Chief Supervisor! Are you planning a coup in your jurisdiction?!”
“Oh, it’s not quite like that…” Bai Sheng started.
“Give me thirty million in fiscal allocation, and I won’t report you to the General Administration. Otherwise, I swear Nielsen’s eyes will go blind!” Amatullah covered her eyes with one hand and rapidly filmed with her phone through the gaps in her fingers. “It’s terrifying. Is this some kind of Eastern mysticism? Does Supervisor Shen really act like this in private?!”
Bai Sheng: “No, it’s not really like that…”
“He’s leaning on you! He’s leaning on you!!” Amatullah pointed at the screen as if seeing a ghost, observing Shen Zhuo with his arms around Bai Sheng’s waist, stubbornly burying his face in his chest. “Oh, merciful Allah, if I’ve done wrong, let me see Nielsen running naked. Why must you show me this scene?! My eyes, my eyes—”
Bai Sheng remained expressionless as the video abruptly went black, and Amatullah quickly disconnected.
“…”
Shen Zhuo showed no reaction, silently shedding tears with his face buried in Bai Sheng’s embrace.
“Don’t worry,” Bai Sheng gently patted his shoulder. “The worst-case scenario is coming out to the whole world. As long as you’re fine after sobering up, it’s okay.”
There was a knock at the door, followed by Shui Ronghua poking her head in and asking, “Did you secure the sixty million allocation?”
“I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the enemy is greatly scared and won’t bother your Supervisor Shen for a long time,” Bai Sheng said.
“And the bad news?”
“…” Bai Sheng gave a gentle smile, “The bad news is that your Director-General will be so jealous that he will be unable to sleep tonight.”
Shui Ronghua: “Huh?”
***
The drug instructions stated that side effects could last “up to” 48 hours, with records of recovery within 24 hours, but clearly, that wasn’t the case for Shen Zhuo.
There was no sign of Shen Zhuo escaping from the side effects, and it worsened in the afternoon. He displayed extreme resistance to all matters related to the supervision office. He even became silently depressed for an hour because Chen Miao stepped into the office with his left foot first. Chen Miao almost jumped off a building, standing on the windowsill contemplating life and death before being persuaded to come down.
In the end, nobody dared to knock on Shen Zhuo’s office door regarding supervision office matters. The Research Director, sensing an opportunity, brought three theoretical derivations from the laboratory to ask for Shen Zhuo’s help.
It’s a fact that one’s genuine likes and dislikes cannot be hidden. When Shen Zhuo received the derivation questions, his mood immediately stabilized. He sat quietly and worked through the afternoon, not shedding a tear even after being coaxed by Bai Sheng to kiss him several times. By the end of the day, he had successfully solved all three major derivations, completing the calculation workload of the entire laboratory for half a month alone.
Bai Sheng was amazed and tried to ask the research director for more homework to bring home and entertain Shen Zhuo. However, he was informed that there was nothing left, not even a drop. The research director expressed regret, unaware that Bai Sheng was even more disappointed. He had no choice but to drive home with Shen Zhuo, embracing both sweet and anxious thoughts about how to spend the long night ahead.
The two children were staying at a hotel. Chu Yan was a little girl who only needed to be kept from thinking about killing people in order to make everything else much easier for adults. Yang Xiaodao was so resilient that he could survive even on a deserted island for ten seasons. Therefore, the two little ones didn’t need much attention. The only thing to consider was the dinner for the two adults.
“What do you want to eat?” Bai Sheng sat cross-legged on the sofa, one hand around Shen Zhuo’s shoulder, the other browsing through the menu of an app. “I can make anything you want. Do you want some Big White Rabbit Strawberry Sandwich Ice Cream? I can bake it for you.”
Shen Zhuo pointed to Yangzhou Fried Rice.
“Oh, so easy to please?” Bai Sheng pointed to his lips. “Give me a kiss.”
Shen Zhuo lowered his eyelashes and leaned in, intending to gently touch the corner of Bai Sheng’s lips.
But then, with a bang, he was forcefully pressed down onto the sofa, his lips forcibly parted and ruthlessly invaded, water tracing down his teeth and flowing down his chin in the entanglement.
The resistance was swallowed up completely, and the body temperature rose sharply as if even the air were igniting. Shen Zhuo trembled, trying to push away, but Bai Sheng grabbed his wrist and pinned it above his head, barely restraining himself from losing control. He panted heavily, looking down at Shen Zhuo.
“This is what a kiss is, understand?” Bai Sheng huskily said, sucking on his earlobe, “What you did was just rubbing.”
Shen Zhuo tried to tilt his head away, his lips moist and red and his slender neck revealing visible blue veins down into the open white shirt.
“…”
Bai Sheng couldn’t tear his gaze away, as if struggling fiercely within himself before he finally sighed hoarsely.
“I’m truly a big idiot.” He patted Shen Zhuo’s lower back and forced himself to get up from the sofa to cook, feeling helpless and desperate about how to survive the night until dawn. “Why does Chu-ge’s1 love life have to be so rocky? Is it because of the overflow of morality or the excess of humanity?”
Chapter 47
S-class dowry involution
Two hours later, at Bai Sheng’s house.
Chairman Bai sat on the sofa, relentlessly pinching his philtrum, tremblingly confirming, “Is it really like this? Our whole family isn’t going to be executed, right?”
“No, definitely not.” Chen Miao sat shoulder to shoulder next to him, comforting the poor old man. “It’s consensual, isn’t it? It’s not a major crime. The only issue is that you shouldn’t talk about it outside; after all, as a supervisor, the hobby of handcuffing and beating people isn’t very dignified. Bai-ge has sacrificed a lot to get the establishment. It’s not good to talk about such things as the unwritten rules…”
Chairman Bai, like a drowning man grasping at a straw, said, “So, does our family need to offer a dowry?”
“…”
Chen Miao remained subtly silent for a few seconds and tactfully replied, “I don’t think it’s necessary for now.”
“I see, I see,” Chairman Bai rubbed his hands understandingly, “He hasn’t climbed high enough; he hasn’t climbed high enough yet.”
The bedroom door opened, and Bai Sheng finally exhaustedly persuaded Shen Zhuo to brush his teeth, wash his face, change clothes, and have breakfast before carrying the chief supervisor horizontally and walking out.
No wonder all the supervisors were full of resentment about their salaries, because the workload was just too much. Shen Zhuo had turned into this and still had to go to work—next quarter’s budget deficit was 360 million, and he had to attend a video conference with the International General Administration this morning, ostensibly to discuss the allocation of funds by the General Administration, but in reality, it was a battle for money.
“Inspector!” Chairman Bai bounced up like a spring potato, anxiously greeting, “My unworthy nephew Bai Sheng is twenty-seven years old, with a plain appearance, unmarried as yet, with some family assets, if possible, in the future, we’re willing to offer a generous dowry…”
Shen Zhuo turned his head away from Bai Sheng’s arms. His cold, pale face showed signs of weariness as he glanced at the old man without saying a word.
“…”
Chairman Bai’s tongue was tied, his mind blank, forgetting his words because of excessive fear.
After a long time under everyone’s gaze, he swallowed his saliva and, as if possessed, asked the question he most wanted to know:
“This little brat, Bai Sheng, did not resist, right? Are you satisfied with the way you beat him?”
Chen Miao: “…”
Bai Sheng: “…”
Shen Zhuo buried his face back into Bai Sheng’s embrace, clearly very reluctant to talk to strangers.
“Uncle,” Bai Sheng sighed wearily, “whether he’s satisfied or not, I don’t know. But your nephew, I, have been messed around with all night.”
Chairman Bai: “?! “
Bai Sheng hugged Shen Zhuo and, under Chen Miao’s gaze of “Dan, am I allowed to hear this without spending money?” walked out of the door. His hair, still wet from the cold water, hung limply, and even the tuft of white hair on his head drooped dejectedly, conveying a sense of desolation in his entire back view.
***
Perhaps due to the fluctuation of hypothalamic neurohormones, Shen Zhuo’s side effects were also intermittent. He clearly needed security while at Bai Sheng’s house, but seemed a bit more sober when he entered the Shenhai City Supervision Office. At least he didn’t let Bai Sheng hug him when he got out of the car. He walked into the elevator alone, fragile, bewildered, but resilient.
Bai Sheng was laden with big and small bags, holding the following: the supervisor’s briefcase, the International General Administration’s confidential data platform, a lunch box of braised abalone and rice for lunch, several sweet and savory snacks for the afternoon, a bottle of light salt water, a bottle of electrolyte water, and a half-drunk cup of fresh milk. He carefully escorted Shen Zhuo to the top floor of the supervision office.”
As the elevator door opened, Shui Ronghua hurriedly walked toward them, staring at her phone in shock. Then she looked up at Bai Sheng.
“Chen Miao sent a message saying that your uncle was pulling him with tears in his eyes, saying that he is willing to offer double the dowry to change your marital status.”
“…”
“No use; I tried it already.” Bai Sheng looked weary, “With the appearance of my humble self like a willow, I was willing to marry for a billion last night, but I couldn’t even manage that. Maybe there’s still hope to cover your overdraft of 360 million for next quarter.”
Shui Ronghua, with a shocked expression on her face, quickly replied to Chen Miao’s WeChat message: [Ask Bai-ge’s uncle if he’s willing to offer 360 million.]
“Empress, just offering dowry won’t work. You didn’t handle your logistics properly this morning.” Shui Ronghua followed Shen Zhuo into the office while putting away her phone. She directed her secretary to prepare all the work processes quickly, saying, “The International General Administration’s financial plan for the next quarter is out. Chief Supervisor Amatullah is coming to compete with us for a $60 million allocation. We’ll have a video conference later. Why did you let His Majesty dress like this?”
Shen Zhuo was dressed in loose white casual wear with his sleeves rolled up to reveal his slender wrists. He sat quietly behind the desk, appearing extremely fragile and thin, evoking pity. Even the secretary couldn’t resist taking out her phone and sneaking a couple of quick photos before leaving the office.
“Could it be one of your strange quirks?” Shui Ronghua looked at Bai Sheng suspiciously.
Bai Sheng honestly replied, “I’m innocent. My preferences have always been uniforms, gloves, and whips, really. If your supervisor had worn a uniform and laid in my arms last night, you might have already gotten my contract of sale today, the ‘serve until death’ kind.”
In the unseen void, Witch Italdo regretfully pounded her palm with her fist, “Tsk! I miscalculated! I knew I shouldn’t have let that Shen guy change clothes yesterday!”
“…”
Shui Ronghua didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She instructed Bai Sheng while preparing for the video conference with Shen Zhuo, “Go to the living room and get a suit. Hurry up; there are only ten minutes left.”
Shen Zhuo’s office was a large suite, with a small living room connected, furnished with a single bed, a wardrobe, and other simple furniture for inspectors to nap while working late.
Actually, with the position of Chief Supervisor, he could have made the workspace very luxurious. It was said that in Europe, even district supervisors have separate villas and gardens as their offices, equipped with gyms and swimming pools inside.
But Shen Zhuo seemed indifferent to these matters. His living room style was very clean, with a modern palette of black, white, and gray, featuring clean and sharp lines without any extra decorations.
Bai Sheng opened the wardrobe, and as expected, it was filled with black suits, vests paired with white shirts, and a few black and dark gray coats, all sharply tailored and tough.
“…” Bai Sheng chuckled silently.
It wasn’t surprising that Shen Zhuo would choose this style. With his slender but athletic build, only such sharp and strong tailoring could bring out his strength. Otherwise, any looseness would inevitably show weakness, which wouldn’t be suitable for the top ten supervisor council having all Alpha members.
Anyway, with a wardrobe full of the same attire, Bai Sheng casually grabbed a suit and shirt to drape over his arm before heading out. However, just as he was about to leave, he caught sight of something and uttered a surprised “huh” inwardly.
In the corner of the wardrobe, neatly placed, was an old English academic journal.
It was published over thirty years ago.
Subconsciously, something sparked in Bai Sheng’s mind. He picked up the journal and glanced at the cover article titled “Genetic Darwinism: The Hidden Evolutionary Code” Flipping through the pages according to the index, he found the cover article, authored by Shen Ruzhen.
Shen?
Shen Ruzhen? Shen Ruzhen?
Were they Shen Zhuo’s father or mother?
Bai Sheng became intrigued, but before he could delve into it, he heard Shui Ronghua’s urging from outside the door, “Mr. Bai!”
“Coming!”
Bai Sheng had no choice but to hastily set aside the magazine and go out. He saw Shui Ronghua waving her hand while checking the time, “Hurry up; there’s no time for pants; just change his top.”
Shen Zhuo sat quietly in the armchair, initially appearing indifferent, but upon closer observation, Bai Sheng could discern a kind of ethereal beauty about him.
Bai Sheng couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure he can win that $60 million like this?”
“It’s okay, I’ve seen Shen Zhuo in a meeting with Supervisor Kingston. He didn’t say a word or change his expression for four hours, like an AI frozen in front of the camera. He only spoke one word at the end – ‘NO’ – and made Kingston cry and run away on the spot.” Shui Ronghua turned to Shen Zhuo, earnestly advising, “Don’t let anyone snatch our $60 million later. No matter what they say, don’t make a sound. If necessary, just say NO. Got it?”
Shen Zhuo, like a fragile glass figurine, remained quiet and unresponsive, his inorganic eyes gazing toward her. After a while, he slowly spoke:
“Doctor Shui.”
He actually spoke! Shui Ronghua’s spirits lifted.
“Are you the supervisor, or am I?”
Shui Ronghua: “…………”
At this moment, the complex expression on Shui Ronghua’s face was identical to Bai Sheng’s last night when he tried to help with the bath. She lowered her head sincerely and said, “I’m sorry, you go ahead.”
Bai Sheng: “Pfft—”
Shui Ronghua covered her face with one hand and gestured for Bai Sheng to quickly change his clothes, then stood up and exited the office.
There was nothing more delightful in this world than seeing Shen Zhuo use his poisonous tongue on someone else. Bai Sheng felt happy as he helped Shen Zhuo put on his shirt, kneeling halfway on the ground to button it up for him. He then stood up to get the tie, but Shen Zhuo grabbed his hand.
Bai Sheng: “?”
Shen Zhuo looked up at him and uttered three words:
“Wanna go home.”
In an instant, Bai Sheng’s heart melted. He wished he could just dig out the sixty million dollars and rush back home with his beloved one in his arms, cuddling his little pea princess high up on the twelve-layer soft cushion for endless hugs and kisses.
However, this little pea princess only had a shelf life of just over twenty hours left. Once he regained consciousness, he might turn into a cold-blooded monster who would silence all witnesses. Considering the consequences, Bai Sheng could only bear the pain and comfort him: “Be good, I’ll take you home after the meeting. I promise to take you home, so be obedient.”
Shen Zhuo silently stared at him, neither letting go nor speaking.
“……”
Bai Sheng looked into his eyes, and in an instant, he felt a deep connection, intuitively understanding what was on his mind—contemplating whether or not to kiss him.
His heart raced wildly. Bai Sheng leaned down, pointing to his own lips, softly coaxing, “Come on, kiss here.”
Bai Sheng always kept himself very neat and tidy, with a pleasant scent emanating from his collar, and his lips were clean with a hint of a smile.
Shen Zhuo stared at the familiar curve and neat teeth in front of him, his mind contemplating something. After a while, he slowly raised his hand and touched the corner of Bai Sheng’s lips.
His fingertips were long and slightly cool, slipping through the lips and teeth, leaving a faint trace of moisture on the lower lip.
The plump prey slipped away between the sharp teeth of the giant wolf, and in an instant, Bai Sheng’s breath stopped.
Countless electric currents exploded, rushing from his spine to the top of his head, even his nerve endings trembling. Bai Sheng grabbed Shen Zhuo’s wrist, pulling his chin down, lowering his head with rapid and hot breath, ready to fiercely kiss those lips—
The video conference reminder suddenly sounded.
Supervisor Amatullah came online.
Shen Zhuo’s expression remained unchanged as he leaned back and decisively turned his head away from Bai Sheng, who didn’t even have time to stop him, watching in shock as Shen Zhuo pressed ‘Accept’ on the display screen.
Bai Sheng: “?!?”
Is this real? Is this real?!?
The only impulse Bai Sheng, an S-Class, had was to smash the computer and explode the office, but it was too late now. As soon as the video conference request was accepted, a woman in her forties appeared on the screen, with deep features and a dignified appearance. She was none other than the second-ranking Chief Supervisor of the General Administration from Egypt, Ms. Amatullah, an S-Class.
Bai Sheng briskly retreated to the corner of the room, seething with anger but having nowhere to vent. He wanted to drag Shen Zhuo, who looked aloof behind the computer, and eat him alive, but reality dictated that he could only grit his teeth and take a deep breath. With a click, five smoking white marks were scratched on the wall.
“Good morning, Supervisor Shen,” Amatullah’s deep brown eyes glinted with a cold light as she got straight to the point, “Let’s make it quick. I know Director-General Nielsen wouldn’t refuse any request from Shenhai, but I still insist on my standpoint: Shenhai cannot monopolize the sixty million dollar allocation!”
“… “
Shen Zhuo ignored Bai Sheng, who was sparking and crackling in the corner, treating him as if he were invisible. He stared coldly at the screen, resembling an AI portrait.
“Shenhai doesn’t need that much money at all! The United Nations Security Council has evidence showing that you’ve been secretly funding the long-prohibited HRG program!” Amatullah spread out a table full of reports with a thud, “These are the relevant evidence we’ve collected, this is the recent power fluctuation value from Shenhai, these are the related satellite monitoring images, this is the Shenhai financial report audited by us… Unless you can prove all the evidence wrong, but we all know that’s impossible! Otherwise, where did all that money go? Did you use it for skincare projects?!”
“… “
If one were to observe carefully, they would notice that dangerous glints had started to surface in Shen Zhuo’s eyes. However, the verbose Amatullah didn’t seem to notice.
“If the entire sixty million dollar allocation goes to Shenhai, I will without a doubt exercise my veto power, and I will make sure you won’t get a penny! Unless you agree to share that sixty million with our Egyptian jurisdiction, we can split it fifty-fifty. In that case, I promise not to submit this evidence to the Security Council and the International Supervision General Administration and reluctantly agree to the financial budget of your Shenhai jurisdiction for the next quarter. Do you understand, Supervisor Shen?!”
“…”
The air was thick with suffocation, Shen Zhuo remained motionless, and Ms. Amatullah stared fiercely at the screen.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Tears quickly welled up in Shen Zhuo’s eyes, then dripped down his expressionless face, landing with a soft thud on the desk.
Amatullah: “…”
Amatullah: “??!”
Shen Zhuo slowly spoke, his voice choked with stubbornness, and grievances endured, bluntly rejecting, “No.”
If one were to describe it specifically, the female supervisor’s expression at this moment was like witnessing a volcano erupt, glaciers collapse, the sun helium flash, dinosaurs resurrect, or Nielsen stripping naked and doing a Gangnam Style dance in front of the International Supervision General Administration gates.
Shen Zhuo turned to Bai Sheng, extending his hand. Though his face showed no emotion, it was heartbreaking, as if he were a child who only wanted a mere sixty million dollars for a few cute experiments but was unreasonably denied.
No one could refuse Supervisor Shen at this moment. With no choice, Bai Sheng approached and hugged him, soothing and comforting him. Meanwhile, he greeted the stunned Amatullah on the other end of the video, though his tone was highly complex:
“This situation is a bit complicated. Please allow me to offer you a reasonable explanation…”
“What are you doing?! What did Supervisor Shen do to you?! No, what have you done to Supervisor Shen?!” Amatullah abruptly recoiled in her chair, incredulously roaring, “You actually drugged the Chief Supervisor! Are you planning a coup in your jurisdiction?!”
“Oh, it’s not quite like that…” Bai Sheng started.
“Give me thirty million in fiscal allocation, and I won’t report you to the General Administration. Otherwise, I swear Nielsen’s eyes will go blind!” Amatullah covered her eyes with one hand and rapidly filmed with her phone through the gaps in her fingers. “It’s terrifying. Is this some kind of Eastern mysticism? Does Supervisor Shen really act like this in private?!”
Bai Sheng: “No, it’s not really like that…”
“He’s leaning on you! He’s leaning on you!!” Amatullah pointed at the screen as if seeing a ghost, observing Shen Zhuo with his arms around Bai Sheng’s waist, stubbornly burying his face in his chest. “Oh, merciful Allah, if I’ve done wrong, let me see Nielsen running naked. Why must you show me this scene?! My eyes, my eyes—”
Bai Sheng remained expressionless as the video abruptly went black, and Amatullah quickly disconnected.
“…”
Shen Zhuo showed no reaction, silently shedding tears with his face buried in Bai Sheng’s embrace.
“Don’t worry,” Bai Sheng gently patted his shoulder. “The worst-case scenario is coming out to the whole world. As long as you’re fine after sobering up, it’s okay.”
There was a knock at the door, followed by Shui Ronghua poking her head in and asking, “Did you secure the sixty million allocation?”
“I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the enemy is greatly scared and won’t bother your Supervisor Shen for a long time,” Bai Sheng said.
“And the bad news?”
“…” Bai Sheng gave a gentle smile, “The bad news is that your Director-General will be so jealous that he will be unable to sleep tonight.”
Shui Ronghua: “Huh?”
***
The drug instructions stated that side effects could last “up to” 48 hours, with records of recovery within 24 hours, but clearly, that wasn’t the case for Shen Zhuo.
There was no sign of Shen Zhuo escaping from the side effects, and it worsened in the afternoon. He displayed extreme resistance to all matters related to the supervision office. He even became silently depressed for an hour because Chen Miao stepped into the office with his left foot first. Chen Miao almost jumped off a building, standing on the windowsill contemplating life and death before being persuaded to come down.
In the end, nobody dared to knock on Shen Zhuo’s office door regarding supervision office matters. The Research Director, sensing an opportunity, brought three theoretical derivations from the laboratory to ask for Shen Zhuo’s help.
It’s a fact that one’s genuine likes and dislikes cannot be hidden. When Shen Zhuo received the derivation questions, his mood immediately stabilized. He sat quietly and worked through the afternoon, not shedding a tear even after being coaxed by Bai Sheng to kiss him several times. By the end of the day, he had successfully solved all three major derivations, completing the calculation workload of the entire laboratory for half a month alone.
Bai Sheng was amazed and tried to ask the research director for more homework to bring home and entertain Shen Zhuo. However, he was informed that there was nothing left, not even a drop. The research director expressed regret, unaware that Bai Sheng was even more disappointed. He had no choice but to drive home with Shen Zhuo, embracing both sweet and anxious thoughts about how to spend the long night ahead.
The two children were staying at a hotel. Chu Yan was a little girl who only needed to be kept from thinking about killing people in order to make everything else much easier for adults. Yang Xiaodao was so resilient that he could survive even on a deserted island for ten seasons. Therefore, the two little ones didn’t need much attention. The only thing to consider was the dinner for the two adults.
“What do you want to eat?” Bai Sheng sat cross-legged on the sofa, one hand around Shen Zhuo’s shoulder, the other browsing through the menu of an app. “I can make anything you want. Do you want some Big White Rabbit Strawberry Sandwich Ice Cream? I can bake it for you.”
Shen Zhuo pointed to Yangzhou Fried Rice.
“Oh, so easy to please?” Bai Sheng pointed to his lips. “Give me a kiss.”
Shen Zhuo lowered his eyelashes and leaned in, intending to gently touch the corner of Bai Sheng’s lips.
But then, with a bang, he was forcefully pressed down onto the sofa, his lips forcibly parted and ruthlessly invaded, water tracing down his teeth and flowing down his chin in the entanglement.
The resistance was swallowed up completely, and the body temperature rose sharply as if even the air were igniting. Shen Zhuo trembled, trying to push away, but Bai Sheng grabbed his wrist and pinned it above his head, barely restraining himself from losing control. He panted heavily, looking down at Shen Zhuo.
“This is what a kiss is, understand?” Bai Sheng huskily said, sucking on his earlobe, “What you did was just rubbing.”
Shen Zhuo tried to tilt his head away, his lips moist and red and his slender neck revealing visible blue veins down into the open white shirt.
“…”
Bai Sheng couldn’t tear his gaze away, as if struggling fiercely within himself before he finally sighed hoarsely.
“I’m truly a big idiot.” He patted Shen Zhuo’s lower back and forced himself to get up from the sofa to cook, feeling helpless and desperate about how to survive the night until dawn. “Why does Chu-ge’s1 love life have to be so rocky? Is it because of the overflow of morality or the excess of humanity?”
