Attention Sir, I Have Your Heart Handcuffed!-Chapter 457 - 328, you have no other choice (2 more 2)

After Tang Yanqing and Jia Tianzi left, Xiang Yuan retreated, sat on the sofa, keeping a fair distance from Lu Zhao.

He took out a cigar from his inner pocket, but remembering he was in a hospital, he restrained himself and merely sniffed the cigar under his nose.

At this moment, he couldn’t help but think of Dad. His habit of smoking cigars was actually inherited from Dad. It wasn’t learned intentionally; having watched for so many years, that silhouette was already imprinted in memory, and thus he would naturally do so when encountering similar situations.

By reasoning backward, it wasn’t hard to conceive that Dad, who was extremely self-disciplined and had adhered to fitness for many years, couldn’t shake off the dependency on tobacco—because Dad too had many moments as troubling as now, troubles beyond his own ability, yet he still struggled to persist, unable to withdraw.

Xiang Yuan’s silence made Lu Zhao increasingly uneasy, he coughed twice, awkwardly started a conversation, "A Yuan... has your investigation in Baoquan Town been going smoothly?"

"It’s okay." Xiang Yuan avoided looking at Lu Zhao and just lowered his head, immersed in the aroma of the cigar, "The local high school does indeed have this tradition, tracing back over a hundred years; and among those dozen female plaintiffs, indeed some had once been infatuated with Little Wallace. All these favor him, though it ultimately depends on the courtroom dynamics."

After Xiang Yuan spoke officially, he went silent again, not uttering another word.

Lu Zhao thus grew even more uneasy, took a deep breath and quietly said, "... A Yuan, I’m sorry. At that time, the situation did not allow me to think much, I was also anxious, and that vase just smashed on its own."

Xiang Yuan didn’t respond, instead changed topics, "I heard Mr. Tang personally stopped you? He even choked your neck, you nearly lost breath." While speaking, Xiang Yuan couldn’t help but curl his lips, "How could this be? I always thought you were one of Mr. Tang’s confidants. You lurked by my side for so many years for him, yet he didn’t show any mercy towards you?"

Xiang Yuan’s words rekindled Lu Zhao’s hard-suppressed disappointment, rage, and fear.

"I don’t understand either! A Yuan, I’ve been following him for so many years, even if there’s no merit, there’s toil, but tonight he showed no leniency towards me at all! Ha, it’s really heartless to think, turns out all my years of following him can’t compare to Shi Nian’s importance in his heart!"

Speaking to this point, Lu Zhao glanced at Xiang Yuan, "Perhaps it can only be said Shi Nian’s charm is immense, first making you unable to let go, then making Mr. Tang renounce kin for her!"

Xiang Yuan lowered his head, "Perhaps in Mr. Tang’s eyes, you and I are just pieces on the board, the same as my Dad back then."

Lu Zhao closed his eyes sadly, unable to deny.

Xiang Yuan raised his eyes with melancholy, took the cigar back, "Senior, now can you chat with me on how you came to Mr. Tang’s side?"

Lu Zhao opened his eyes, looked defensively at Xiang Yuan, "...Did Mr. Tang tell you to come?"

Xiang Yuan nodded, "Xia Zuo made the call, but I suppose that’s also Mr. Tang’s intent." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Lu Zhao sneered, "I’m a lawyer myself, I can also defend myself, but they still called you. Congratulations A Yuan, now in Mr. Tang and Xia Zuo’s eyes, you have surpassed me, and it’s now your turn to watch me."

Xiang Yuan was frank enough to nod, "Indeed, that’s exactly the case. Xia Zuo instructed me to keep an eye on you, preventing you from divulging details of Mr. Tang’s actions, but only stating Mr. Tang was agitated protecting his girlfriend and accidentally acted."

Lu Zhao felt desolate, narrowing his eyes at Xiang Yuan, "You actually dare to tell me everything?"

Xiang Yuan let out a snort, "You and I are both Mr. Tang’s pawns, the senior’s today inevitably isn’t different from my tomorrow. Though the senior has actually tricked me all these years, a decade-long companionship isn’t entirely a lie, I can’t forget our college dorm chats, nor the days during Huatai Hall’s early days when we roamed streets pulling business together, sharing a lunchbox."

Lu Zhao’s eyes welled up.

"Those were also my most unforgettable days. Only at those times could I forget my true identity."

Xiang Yuan lifted his eyes, finally meeting Lu Zhao’s gaze, "Although I am Mr. Tang’s pawn, ordered to watch you, I still won’t forget past feelings, I will do what I can to fight for you."

Lu Zhao took a deep breath, closed his eyes and lay back, slowly saying, "... A Yuan, I’m an orphan. Back then still in middle school, grades excelled, yet always alone, treated as an alien by classmates. Because orphanage children have relatively fixed surnames, either surname Party or surname Country, it seemed like a permanent mark, always attracting special looks from teachers and classmates."

"Mr. Tang discovered me, brought me to M Country, giving me a new identity."

Xiang Yuan lowered his gaze to the floor, "When you were in middle school... thus Mr. Tang must still have been quite young back then."

Lu Zhao nodded, "Seemed less than 20 himself, yet as calm and wise as someone in their thirties or forties."

Xiang Yuan nodded, "Actually thinking about those around Mr. Tang, like Xia Zuo, similarly of our age; he also shares experiences akin to yours."

Lu Zhao thought about it and agreed, "Mr. Tang excels at finding talents among orphans, focusing on cultivation."

Xiang Yuan slowly responded, "Maybe because Mr. Tang himself used to be a lonely child."

Though not an orphan, yet not much different. Parental neglect made him more desperate about family ties.

Xiang Yuan lifted his head, "It’s getting late, senior you take a rest first, I’ll be leaving now."

Xiang Yuan finished speaking and quietly walked towards the door.

Lu Zhao got anxious, "A Yuan don’t go!"

Xiang Yuan halted and turned back, "Don’t worry, I reckon perhaps Mr. Tang was merely momentarily infuriated, even if he acted aggressively then, it doesn’t mean he’ll send someone after you tonight. As the senior said himself, so many years of following him, if not merit, there’s toil."

The more Xiang Yuan said this, the more nervous Lu Zhao got, "A Yuan, A Yuan, I know you’ve just returned from Baoquan Town, you’re exhausted too. But please stay with me tonight, don’t leave, will you?"

Xiang Yuan laughed, "Senior you’re depending on the wrong person. Let alone I am also Mr. Tang’s pawn, my life also under his control, I wouldn’t dare disobey him; talking back, even if I stayed tonight, if Mr. Tang sends someone, could I resist? Besides, I’m just a lawyer, only skilled in eloquence, where would I have the ability to resist them, protect you?"

Saying this, Xiang Yuan couldn’t help but smile wryly, "...We both know, who Mr. Tang’s subordinates are. We’re simply no match."

As Xiang Yuan said, Lu Zhao grew even more terrified, trembling all over.

"Then what should I do? A Yuan, tell me, what should I do?"

"I wouldn’t know." Xiang Yuan said gently, "My current task is just to help the senior resist the police, preventing the senior from speaking the truth to them. But now that the senior’s concern isn’t the police, I wouldn’t be of help anymore. I’m leaving, good night."

Xiang Yuan concluded with a cold laugh, opened the door and left.

The door closed coldly and unfeelingly, Lu Zhao grabbed the bed railing in shock, shouting, "A Yuan, A Yuan..."

No one answered him, only the empty echo in the ward responded to him.

After a while, the door opened gently, a head peeked in.

"What happened? You’re yelling? If there’s anything, speak up, if nothing, I’ll be off too."

Remarkably it was Tang Yanqing.

Lu Zhao, like a drowning person suddenly finding a lifeline, frantically cried out, "Please stay Mr. Tang!"

With a smile Tang Yanqing walked in, leisurely said, "It’s simple to stay, but how long I’ll stay depends on your sincerity. Anyone not cooperating with the police, I’d find no reason to protect you."

Lu Zhao lowered his head sadly, "... I’ll say everything."

.

Shi Nian was dreaming, seemingly mostly nightmares. Whenever anxious, she would reach out beside her.

Huangfu Huazhang would quickly extend his hand, letting her hold it.

At such times, she appeared small and helpless, she couldn’t do without him, nor he without her. So tonight, no matter what, he was reluctant to leave this room by even a step.

Seeing Mr. Tang like this, Xia Zuo worriedly walked outside, stood in the hallway making a call to Xiang Yuan, inquiring about Lu Zhao’s situation.

Soon Xiang Yuan arrived personally, stood in the hallway with Xia Zuo.

Clearly, Xiang Yuan’s gaze was still directed towards the ward, Xia Zuo reminded, "Mr. Tang is still there."

Xiang Yuan nodded sadly, "I understand my current identity. Xia Zuo, I’m sorry."

Xia Zuo shook his head, "It’s alright. Mr. Tang is likewise someone who values emotions, only those who cherish can have the chance to follow Mr. Tang for long. If this weren’t the case, Mr. Tang wouldn’t give you a chance either."

Xiang Yuan nodded somberly.

If not for the fact Lu Zhao hurt Shi Nian, Xia Zuo mightn’t have directly called him. Because Xia Zuo knew his feelings towards Shi Nian, he believed Xiang Yuan definitely hated Lu Zhao, and wouldn’t ally with him against Mr. Tang.

"How’s Lu Zhao doing?" Xia Zuo asked.

"I’ve said all that needed saying, the police have also been asked to leave. He’s scared stiff, I figure give him one night to think things over, perhaps he will come to see reason."

But Xia Zuo frowned, "Yet regardless Mr. Tang or I, neither likes the word ’perhaps’."