Deep in the Night - Chapter 27

“What’s wrong with your hand?”

Fang Jin suddenly snapped back to attention, realizing Gu Yuan had stopped the car at some point.

Outside the window, the evening lights were turning on, and the street was familiar; it was the entrance to his residential community. Gu Yuan leaned over from the Maybach’s driver’s seat, pressing and examining Fang Jin’s left wrist.

That hand had been twisted by Wang Yu in the KTV room yesterday evening. It was slightly bruised this morning, and by the afternoon, the bruise had spread into a dark purple patch. During the day, Fang Jin had kept it completely hidden by his cuff, but tonight, after Gu Yuan had taken him out for barbecue, he had gotten warm and unknowingly rolled up his sleeve, resulting in Gu Yuan spotting it.

Fang Jin pulled his hand back: “It’s nothing, I accidentally hit a door yesterday…”

Gu Yuan suddenly caught him, pulled him closer, and kissed the bruised spot.

The dim car interior was silent. Fang Jin froze in the passenger seat, feeling only a faint sting on his wrist, and a warm, moist, wine-like sensation.

“CEO Gu…”

“Your fingers are so long,” Gu Yuan said, reaching out to trace his palm with interest, examining the proportions. “Did you ever play the piano? It’s a shame to have such long fingers and not play.”

The next moment, Fang Jin pulled his hand away with rare firmness and said, “I’m sorry.”

Gu Yuan raised an eyebrow, his expression meaningful. But surprisingly, he neither flared up nor exploded. After a moment, he said leisurely, “It’s fine… Even married couples have times when the wife isn’t in the mood and doesn’t want to receive advances. I’ll respect you.”

For him to say this, Young Master Gu must have read some strange self-help articles to learn the correct methods of pursuit and marital harmony. Fang Jin didn’t know how to react, but Gu Yuan shrugged, looking at him with an expression that seemed both helpless and a little smug.

“…” Fang Jin hesitated for a long time before finally saying, “…Thank you.”

Gu Yuan nodded politely, accepting the gratitude.

“Um… CEO Gu,” Fang Jin seemed to suddenly remember something after getting out of the car, turning back to say, “I’d like to go see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor tomorrow to treat the bruise. May I take the day off?”

Gu Yuan immediately asked: “Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, it won’t take long. I can go by myself.”

Gu Yuan seemed slightly displeased, but remembering the book’s advice about giving the other person some private space even during an intense pursuit, he nodded indulgently: “Go ahead.”

Fang Jin let out a breath and turned to leave.

He still didn’t invite Gu Yuan upstairs to visit. Although Gu Yuan was mentally prepared, he still felt a little disappointed. After watching Fang Jin disappear into the community, Gu Yuan checked the time, decided it wasn’t too late, and thought about having nothing else to do. He decided to drive to his usual shooting range for some practice.

He signaled, turned the steering wheel, and instinctively reached into the secret compartment by the car door.

Then, he abruptly slammed on the brakes.

—Inside the compartment was a carefully crafted gun-shaped slot, firmly holding a Browning Hi-Power Mark III. It was Gu Yuan’s standard sidearm, loaded with 13 rounds in its double-stack magazine and one in the chamber, which he kept close to him at least 300 days a year.

However, the soft cloth he usually placed in the slot had been pulled out slightly.

That piece of cloth, jammed between the gun body and the slot, was only pulled out at an angle as thin as a fingernail gap. Yet, Gu Yuan was as familiar with this gun slot as with his own hands; he could feel the anomaly with just a touch.

His sharp gaze fixed on the handgun, and after a moment, he slowly frowned.

———

The next day.

A private sanatorium in Hong Kong.

“Our hospital has less than thirty patients, but to ensure the living environment, we are currently expanding, adding standalone villas, swimming pools, and a badminton court. This garden will also be completely renovated…”

The vice president solicitously pushed open the iron gate of the garden and made a welcoming gesture. The young man in sunglasses behind him walked in expressionlessly:

“My boss places great importance on privacy. They don’t want to be chased by paparazzi all the time. Is the personal space of the patients here guaranteed?”

“Absolutely, absolutely!” The vice president said enthusiastically: “Only this garden area is public here. If patients reside in the detached villa area, even the indoor swimming pool is completely private—”

The young man nodded noncommittally.

Having worked at this famous private sanatorium in Hong Kong for many years, the vice president had hosted celebrities from all walks of life, entertainment stars, and wealthy magnates from major conglomerates. But the young man before him still left a deep impression.

Although the sunglasses covered most of his face, the visible contours of the young man’s face were remarkably defined and handsome, possessing an almost transparent quality like ice carving in the sunlight. His clothing and accessories were all top designer brands. The tie clip and cufflinks were a matching sapphire set, and the million-dollar watch on his wrist was a rare sight.

Judging solely by his face and attire, the vice president might have assumed the young man was a movie star backed by some wealthy mainland figure. However, the business card and letter the young man presented belonged to another famous actress:

“This is my boss. She has recently been greatly troubled by her seriously ill father. I heard your hospital specializes in treating patients with underlying mental health issues. My boss sent me to consult first and inspect the premises. I hope you can show me around, so I can observe the living and recuperation environment.”

The vice president was well-acquainted with the ways of the wealthy. He readily agreed, and to show his zeal, he personally led the young man, who introduced himself as Mr. Fang, into the garden.

“Mr. Fang, please see. This is our renowned private garden, covering a total area of eight hectares, with lawns, fountains, tea areas, and a glass conservatory. We have not installed a pond due to concerns about patient safety. Further ahead is the glass conservatory, which takes up one-eighth of the total garden area. Due to its elegant environment and fresh air, it is the most favored place for our patients to relax…”

Fang Jin followed the director into the tall glass conservatory and stopped.

A few caregivers were scattered throughout the conservatory, strolling with their respective patients. Near the floor-to-ceiling windows was a flower stand, lush and overgrown with climbing vines. Large clusters of white roses extended from the vines, dew on the fresh petals bathed in sunlight, a picturesque scene among the green leaves.

A wheelchair sat beneath the flowers.

In the wheelchair sat an aged man with a dull, vacant expression.

Fang Jin’s gaze landed on the man’s face and remained fixed, unable to move for a long time.

“The climate in the conservatory is suitable all year round. Almost every patient comes here regularly, accompanied by professional caregivers. Mr. Fang, are you… Mr. Fang, what’s wrong?”

Fang Jin held his forehead, and under the vice president’s concerned gaze, he whispered, “Hmm, the sun is making me a little dizzy… Could I trouble you for a glass of water?”

His face was already transparently pale, and now he seemed to have no color at all. The vice president quickly ushered him to a row of white tables and chairs in the conservatory to sit down. He scanned the area and, seeing no idle caregivers, said eagerly: “How about this—there must be iced water at the tea area. I’ll get you a glass, I’ll be right back.”

Fang Jin gave him a weak, grateful smile: “Thank you.”

The vice president rushed away. The moment he stepped out of the glass conservatory, Fang Jin stood up and strode towards the man in the wheelchair beneath the flower stand.

The man was wearing a hospital gown, his expression carrying the characteristic dullness of a mental disorder, with a slight stubble around his mouth. He looked to be over sixty—yet Fang Jin knew he wasn’t that old; his appearance was due to the weakness caused by years of confinement.

Fang Jin walked up to the wheelchair and crouched down, staring into the man’s cloudy eyes. After a moment, the man’s gaze slowly focused, and he seemed very confused as he looked at Fang Jin:

“Ah… ah…”

Fang Jin’s heart sank.

This most crucial person had lost his mind. He likely didn’t recognize anyone and could only eat, breathe, and maintain basic physiological needs in a muddled state.

How could he obtain more information?

The man stared straight at Fang Jin for a long time. His face, strikingly similar to Gu Mingzong’s, was filled with scattered confusion and perplexity.

In fact, if one ignored the expression of a mentally ill person and the disheveled, aged appearance, his face still vaguely resembled the man in the photo, and even bore some resemblance to the current Gu Mingzong. However, the man in the photo was young, vigorous, and full of spirit, completely incomparable to his current state.

A risky idea suddenly flashed through Fang Jin’s mind.

Given his cautious nature, he would never do anything that clearly involved deliberately provoking a mentally ill patient. But time was quickly running out. It was impossible for this man to be without monitoring bodyguards, and the vice president was rushing back. If he missed this chance, he would never have such a good opportunity again.

Fang Jin gritted his teeth and reached up to remove his sunglasses:

“…Mr. Gu.”

“I am Fang Xiaohao. Do you still recognize me?”

The man initially didn’t understand what was happening, but then his expression gradually changed, and extreme terror surfaced in his eyes—

Fang Jin immediately sensed trouble.

His alertness to danger was extremely strong. He quickly put his sunglasses back on, but it was too late. The man suddenly jolted backward, flailing his arms wildly, and let out a bloodcurdling scream!

“Don’t… kill me, don’t… don’t kill me! Fang—”

Fang Jin suddenly stood up and backed away. Just then, two bodyguards outside the conservatory heard the commotion and sprinted towards them!

“What’s going on!” “Stop!” “Stop right there!”

Other people nearby stopped in their tracks. Fang Jin turned back to see the bodyguards rushing over, and without a word, one grabbed him and pinned him against the glass wall!

“Who are you? What are you doing?”

Fang Jin’s side of the face was tightly pressed against the glass. Before he could react, the vice president’s voice rang out behind him: “What is it? Let go quickly! What’s going on, someone, help!”

In the chaos, several caregivers ran over, quickly subdued the agitated man back into his wheelchair, and skillfully pulled the restraint straps from the armrest to tie him down. One of the two bodyguards still held Fang Jin, while the other walked over to the vice president and exchanged a few words. The vice president then shook his head vigorously: “He is not a suspicious person, and he’s not a reporter! He’s a client inspecting our hospital. His friend needs long-term care…”

“This gentleman became very distressed the moment he saw me,” Fang Jin said with difficulty under restraint. “I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help, but as soon as I approached, he went crazy…”

The bodyguard reluctantly let go, then turned to speak to the vice president again, who kept shaking and nodding his head.

“I am truly sorry, Mr. Fang,” the vice president walked over, bowing apologetically: “This gentleman is a bit confused mentally. He is usually watched by bodyguards. I don’t know what happened today… I truly apologize for frightening you! Come, let me take you to walk in the garden outside…”

Fang Jin straightened his crumpled collar and tie, his voice hoarse: “It’s alright.” Then, under the watchful gaze of the bodyguards, he walked out, not looking at the man in the wheelchair.

As they brushed past, the man in the wheelchair was still staring intently at him, his expression fearful and wary, mumbling words no one could understand.

—

Fang Jin used the excuse of being shaken to quickly end the visit. Before leaving, he promised to send a second team to the hospital for a visit soon, and was then warmly seen off by the vice president.

As soon as he left the hospital, he immediately hailed a taxi straight to the dock and booked a boat ticket back to G City from Hong Kong. By this time, it was late. After boarding, the shore lights illuminated the area, and people gradually filled the cabin. Fang Jin sat in the corner seat, his sunglasses still covering most of his face, and pulled out his laptop from his bag.

This man was Gu Mingzong’s twin brother.

Or rather, he was the true Gu Mingzong, Gu Yuan’s biological father.

Fang Jin had initially thought Gu Mingzong would successfully kill the rightful Gu family head, but something went wrong. This man not only survived but fell into the hands of the Ke family, and was subsequently kept under control for more than twenty years as the Ke family’s strongest leverage against Gu Mingzong.

During these twenty-plus years, the usurper Gu Mingzong was initially deeply wary, which was evidenced by his raising Gu Yuan and tacitly allowing him to become the hidden heir. However, as time went on, Gu Mingzong’s position within the family became more secure, fewer people knew the truth of the past, and the Ke family’s trump card became less threatening.

Gu Mingzong’s increasingly strong murderous intent toward Gu Yuan recently was a reflection of the two decades of open and secret rivalry with the Ke family.

The moment this man died, Gu Mingzong’s wariness of the Ke family would drastically decrease, and Gu Yuan would be in extreme danger.

The sound of water outside the cabin reached his ears. The computer screen’s light reflected on Fang Jin’s face, his features beneath the sunglasses looking sharp and cold.

Only one thing puzzled him: why did this real Gu Mingzong become so frantic when he saw him?

No, more accurately, why did he become frantic and scream, “Don’t kill me!” when he saw the image of the twenty-years-younger Fang Xiaohao?

Fang Jin rested his hand on his chin, squinting behind his sunglasses. He knew the one who intended to kill his twin brother and take his place was the usurper Gu Mingzong, the “Mingda” from the photo—but could the one who carried out the attempt have been his own father?

Did his father, Fang Xiaohao, attempt to kill Gu Yuan’s biological father?

A deep chill suddenly ran through Fang Jin’s heart.

—

Fang Jin finished all his preparations and closed his laptop only when the boat docked.

He disembarked with the flow of people, leaving the Lotus Port Terminal. It was already late at night. A black, armored Hummer was parked under the dim yellow streetlights on the road, and three bodyguards stood by the car, staring intently at him.

Fang Jin stopped in place.

“Assistant Fang,” the lead bodyguard opened the car door, his voice cold yet polite: “Please come with us. CEO Gu wants to see you.”

Fang Jin closed his eyes, and only reopened them after a long moment.

There was not a single expression on his pale face. Without saying a word, he bent down and slipped into the car.