Case Files Chapter 123: Still Waters and Bitter Cold (15)

Translated by Vivian of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Addis

 

When Wen JinHan’s leg wound was mostly healed, he was transferred back to a hotel. When he was leaving the hospital, he latched onto the doorframe, expressing his deep love for this hospital room and making the bodyguards who had come to pick him up wonder whether it was his brain instead of his leg that was injured.

Even if his brain had been injured, he still wouldn’t have wanted to go to the hotel; that would basically be like a sheep walking into a tiger’s mouth, inevitably being swallowed whole! Thus, when he arrived at the hotel room, this scene played out:

“Have you already showered?”

“No, I miss the smell of the hospital. That fragrant aroma of ointment and disinfectant is very intoxicating.”

“…Take off your clothes.”

“Right away!”

“…What are you wearing inside?!”

“The hospital gown. I like this color a lot, and it’s old-fashioned and environment-friendly, as well as simple without being unfashionable. It’s just too hard to let go of.”

“…Guards, break his legs and throw him back into the hospital.”

“Don’t!”

At this, Wen JinHan could only rush forward and grab his leg.

The Duke pushed him onto the carpet and pinched his chin. “Little thing, you don’t think acting unreasonable like this would let you off the hook, would you?”

Wen JinHan shifted his gaze to the side. “Of course I wasn’t counting on it, but I could’ve gotten lucky. You don’t know unless you try…”

“Well said. Unless I try, I won’t know——exactly what makes you so fascinating.” The Duke suddenly picked him up and threw him onto the bed like a sack of potatoes. 

“If you have something to say, communication has no borders! No, music has no borders. Why don’t I sing Nessun Dorma ¹ to cheer you up?” Wen JinHan began inching backwards, stalling slowly.

“Nobody shall sleep?” The corner of the Duke’s mouth tugged upwards. “I also think this way. Let’s have a revelry tonight.”

Retreating further would cause him to bump into the wall, so Wen JinHan raised a white flag helplessly. “Wait, you should openly say exactly what you want to do instead of beating around the bush like this. Or do we both want to waste more time?”

“Oh?” The Duke stood next to the bed, towering over him. “Okay, I want to enjoy you properly. Isn’t that a candid way of saying it without losing any elegance?”

Fuck your elegance! Wen JinHan suppressed his annoyance and looked up at him directly. “Don’t you just want to know exactly what my intentions are? I have a goal, and I think it’s worth listening to for a bit. The Duke naturally wouldn’t reject something that’s mutually beneficial, right?”

The edge of the bed sagged down as the Duke sat down and groped around, saying sincerely, “I’ll hear you out.”

“…If you could first move your hand away from my behind, since it affects my ability to organize my words.”

“Do you use your ass to talk or think?”

“…”

…Wen JinHan worked hard to convince himself to act prudently and ignore the wandering hand on his body.

“Do you really plan to lend your transport routes to Ou Chen?” Wen JinHan asked straightforwardly.

The Duke’s hand paused before he continued to massage his waist. “He offered a lot of profit to me, so why wouldn’t I?”

“Your appetite can’t be filled just with that bit of money, can it?”

“Which is why I also wanted you.”

“…I’m afraid that that’s still not enough by far.”

“Then you tell me, what would make me full?” The Duke had already begun calmly peeling off his clothes.

“Do you have ADHD?! Can’t you be quiet and wait for me to finish?!” reprimanded Wen JinHan as he put his shirt back above his shoulders.

“…” The Duke, who had been scolded by someone for the first time ever, felt a little strange.

“Um,” Wen JinHan shrank a little and softened his voice. “I’ll keep going. The income from a transaction is just a golden egg, but how could obtaining a golden egg compare with directly obtaining the goose that lays golden eggs?”

“What do you mean?”

“After this, you can completely remove Ou Chen from power and take his channels for yourself, as well as support someone else to his position. This way, you’ll also be able to control the general actions of Southeast Asia’s underworld organizations and collect golden eggs at any time from an inexhaustible supply.”

The Duke narrowed his eyes and lifted Wen JinHan’s chin again, gazing into his calm eyes. “Isn’t that the man you love most? How come you’re selling him out like this?

Wen JinHan stared back at him, though he didn’t reply.

“Do you hate him? You hate him for giving you to me?” the Duke said in realization. “There’s an old saying: a woman’s heart is most poisonous. It looks like the viciousness in this man’s heart can’t be overlooked either. It’s a little scary, to be honest. However, I already agreed to the deal with Ou Chen, and if I back out now, wouldn’t that ruin my reputation? In the future, if no one dares to do business with me, there’s no point in having an infinite supply of golden eggs. Little thing, you’re trying to kill two birds with one stone, and aren’t you underestimating me a little too much?”

Wen JinHan scoffed, “I don’t have the ability to trick you. I didn’t say you had to be the bad guy yourself. With all your experience, I’m sure you’re already very familiar with killing someone using a borrowed knife.”

There was a glint in the Duke’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “See, you really are scary. I even feel like I should stay as far away from you as possible to be safe, lest I’ll unknowingly die in your hands.”

Then I won’t see you off, the further you stay away the better!

“Your suggestion isn’t bad, I’ll consider it. Now that we’re done talking about business, let’s continue where we left off.” The Duke smiled as he continued taking off Wen JinHan’s clothes.

“…” Did I say all that for nothing?! Things really were developing in a direction that he did not like.

“You kicked off Burma’s old underworld boss and reasserted your power because Polonski is being targeted by the Russian military, right?” Wen JinHan was forced to use the last trick in his sleeve.

“It looks like you really do know a lot. After tonight, we’ll talk about this further.”

“Wait, don’t you think something this important should be discussed right now?” insisted Wen JinHan.

“Will discussing it right now get rid of Russia’s idea?”

“…”

“Then we should do more important things first.”

As Wen JinHan considered if he could fight to get out of this, the Duke read his thoughts and mercilessly answered it for him. “Don’t think too much, there’s no escaping tonight.”

“What?” Seeing Wen JinHan’s unwilling expression, the Duke was very unhappy. “Am I not good enough for you?”

“…”

After admitting that there was no hiding from this, Wen JinHan gave up on resisting; there was indeed too big of a difference between their strengths. Moreover, to tell the truth, if the Duke really wanted a one-night stand with him, he probably wouldn’t refuse. However, it was just that he didn’t want to be forced to do this. After Ou Chen had hurt him, Wen JinHan felt very conflicted about how the ending of this would turn out.

When the Duke’s body pressed against his with a fiery heat, Wen JinHan closed his eyes in resignation… How stupid had he been, thinking that this man wouldn’t want to touch him because of hygiene reasons.

“Get out… No more…” mumbled Wen JinHan.

“Dear, it’s not even light out yet. Who made you this delicious, I need to eat my fill…”

“Bastard… Ah!”

This was the first time Wen JinHan felt a thrilling fear during intercourse, not because the Duke was being very rough, but because of the inescapable strength and possessiveness that made him want to run away. This really was a beast, without even an ounce of a sense of shame. He could do anything in bed…

*****

Wen JinHan leaned against the bed’s headboard, spacing out with a dazed expression as he looked out the empty window, as if his soul had escaped. The Duke couldn’t help but wonder to himself, were Easterners really thin-skinned? He had just taken a little longer, and been a little unrestrained with his words… Ahem, had it really been too much?

In reality, Wen JinHan was only feeling physically exhausted and a little despondent. His hurt, pitiful expression was just an unintentional pretense.

The Duke pondered deeply for a while before suddenly getting an idea.

“Bring Tucker the Sixteenth here to keep the little thing company,” he ordered Tom, a bodyguard standing at the door.

“…” The bodyguard drifted away silently.

The Duke was gone for a day, and Wen JinHan was too lazy to care about where he was. He kept wondering how likely it would be for the Duke to accept his suggestion. Just as he was in deep thought, the Duke appeared radiantly at the door, his expression clear that he had a surprise in tow.

“Aren’t you bored by yourself? Look, I brought you a little companion.” The Duke motioned for a bodyguard to hold up the thing in his hand.

Wen JinHan and his “little companion” were both stunned.

A beige ball of fur meowed as he struggled in the bodyguard’s hand, clearly dissatisfied with his lack of professionalism in holding cats.

The Duke took the kitten by his scruff and placed it on the covers in front of Wen JinHan. “This is my family’s pet cat. His name is Tucker the Sixteenth, and he just turned three months old. He’ll relieve your boredom.”

…Wen JinHan and his new little companion looked at each other for a moment before he snatched the kitten up happily.

“How cute~ You look so silly, what should I name you? Mn, I’ll call you A-Dai ²!” 

The Duke, who had been completely ignored, acquiesced in this name, and the kitten’s mewls of protest were of no use.

*****

Meanwhile, when the Duke’s mother returned home after afternoon tea, she saw Tucker the Fifteenth with his mate and two female kittens basking in the sun. 

“Oh! Where’s my Sixteenth?” She especially liked the Sixteenth, who had been the only one lucky enough to be male and thus a successor of Tucker the Fifteenth. 

The butler replied respectfully, “The young master ordered people to pick him up.”

“What?!” The Duke’s mother was shocked. “What does he want with him?!” Her son was not an animal lover.

“I heard that he gave it to someone as a companion.”

He gave it to someone? The Duke’s mother covered her mouth in surprise before elegantly rushing up the stairs. “Oh my! Dear, good news! Our son finally fell in love!”

The Duke’s father’s hand shook, and the delicate sculptures he had been holding that had been handed down across generations fell to the ground. 

*****

 

Wen JingHan turned to look at the fat cat on the sofa before silently turning back. Time really is a ruthless knife; it turned my cute, silly little companion into this!