Wan Tong didn’t sneak off to find Li Shen until after she had settled Mother Cen into bed.
He really was treating the sanatorium like a hotel. But at least he was staying close to Mother Cen’s room.
A fleeting shadow passed in the corridor, which was familiar. Wan Tong called out, “Daina!”
Daina froze, then stepped out of the shadows. Almost instinctively, he raised a hand and said, “I promised Brother Shen, no more killing.”
Wan Tong: “…Oh.” It wasn’t like she was about to ask him to kill anyone.
“What are you doing wandering around here? Where’s your room? Is Wu Li here too?”
She fired off three questions in a row, and Daina obediently answered each one.
“You’re surprisingly well-behaved,” Wan Tong said curiously.
Daina hesitated before replying, “You’ll be Brother Shen’s wife in the future. Whether I get to eat or not depends on you.”
“…” Wan Tong was momentarily speechless.
Daina immediately put on a pitiful expression. “You wouldn’t let me starve, would you?”
Unable to help herself, Wan Tong patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t mess with your food. But who told you that?”
“No one needed to. I figured it out myself,” Daina said, sounding rather pleased with himself.
“Hm?”
“I see Brother Shen sneaking into your room every day.” He pointed to his bright, gleaming eyes, as if expecting praise.
Wan Tong chuckled and was about to leave, but something in his words felt off. She turned back and asked, “Every day?”
“Yeah.”
“Even before we returned home?”
Her smile remained as sweet as ever, but Daina, perceptive as he was, sensed something was off. His voice wavered. “…Yeah.”
“Good.” Wan Tong patted his arm again. “Be good, go to bed.”
Daina watched her walk away in a daze, suddenly feeling like he had betrayed Brother Shen.
Wan Tong had arrived at an inconvenient time. Two burly men were guarding Li Shen’s door. He must have been in a meeting.
She sat on a long bench in the corridor. Before long, someone sat down beside her.
Damon glanced at the guarded door, removed his non-prescription glasses, and smiled gently. “Waiting for Li Shen?”
Wan Tong looked at him, her expression calm. “Mm. You?”
She was curious, what was he planning to do next?
Damon held her gaze for two seconds before lowering his head and wiping his glasses with his sleeve. “Saw you walking this way, so I came to check.”
“Tongtong, you’re still mad at me, aren’t you?” He continued, “You don’t want to acknowledge me as your brother anymore?”
Wan Tong expected him to play the emotional card again, so she leaned lightly against the wall and responded, “It’s just that after all these years, you seem different.”
“People change, don’t they?”
“So do the feelings they give off?”
“You suspect I’m not really your brother, that’s why you dislike me?” Damon suddenly looked at her, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Wan Tong frowned slightly. She couldn’t quite understand his thoughts, so she remained cautious but still nodded.
After Damon left, Wu Li stepped out of the room. He greeted her with a polite, “Miss Cen.”
Wan Tong nodded at him before glancing past him toward the room.
Li Shen must have heard Wu Li’s voice because he soon emerged as well.
Once inside the room, Li Shen gestured for Wu Li and the two guards to leave, then shut the door with a bang.
Wu Li smirked but quietly walked away with the others.
Inside, Wantoong uncharacteristically locked the door.
Li Shen raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “What are you up to?”
Arms crossed, Wan Tong leaned against the door and glared at him. “You tell me—what have you been up to?”
She looked ready to interrogate him.
Li Shen, always sharp, immediately pieced things together. After a moment, he asked, “You ran into Daina?”
Only Daina would have such a loose tongue.
Wan Tong let out a small hum in response, lifting her chin, waiting for his explanation.
Li Shen placed a hand over his chest, solemnly declaring his innocence. “I didn’t do anything.”
Wan Tong eyed his innocent expression skeptically. “Daina said you sneak into my room every day.”
“I only watched.”
“…”
Wan Tong was at a loss. Frustrated, she stomped over to the bed and flopped onto it. “Then keep watching tonight.”
Li Shen chuckled at her unceremonious sprawl. Bending down, he flipped her over with ease. “Sleeping like that isn’t good for you.”
“It’s comfortable…” She rolled over again.
But in an instant, he flipped her once more, like turning a pancake. “You won’t grow properly like that.”
“…” Wan Tong instinctively glanced at her chest, then shot him an accusatory look. “You think I’m lacking! You like women like Nasha!”
Li Shen met her gaze and smoothly pressed her down, his laughter low and deep as he rubbed his face against her chest. “Don’t you know what I like, Tongtong?”
She felt like she was being pinned by an oversized dog. Was he… burying his face in her—?
With Li Shen being so shameless, her anger evaporated, leaving only a flushed face.
*Knock, knock, knock!*
The sound of knocking suddenly echoed from outside the door—urgent and forceful—accompanied by the furious cries of Mother Cen.
“Li Shen, you shameless man! Give me back my daughter!”
Wan Tong hurriedly got out of bed and opened the door. Sure enough, Mother Cen stood there, emotionally agitated. The moment she saw Wan Tong, she pulled her into a tight embrace. “Tongtong, are you alright? Did he hurt you?”
“Mom, what’s wrong? I’m fine…”
But the moment Mother Cen spotted Li Shen inside the room, her expression turned even more frenzied. She lunged at him, gripping a fruit knife in her hand!
Wan Tong was startled when she saw that Li Shen had no intention of dodging. She quickly rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her mother from behind. “Mom! Stop this!”
But Mother Cen wasn’t listening. Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared at Li Shen. When she felt resistance, she swung the knife in her hand a few times in protest.
Li Shen, who had remained calm and collected just a moment ago, suddenly had a dramatic shift in expression. In a swift motion, he seized Mother Cen’s wrist, preventing her from wielding the knife, while simultaneously pulling Wan Tong into his embrace.
The knife slipped from Mother Cen’s grasp, clattering to the floor, but she still struggled desperately against him, clawing at Li Shen like she wanted to tear him apart.
Only when Damon entered the room did the chaos subside. With just a few words, he managed to soothe Mother Cen and lead her away.
Wan Tong turned back to look at Li Shen and murmured, “I think my Mom is acting strange. I need to check on her.”
“Alright, I’ll have someone keep watch outside. Call out if anything happens.”
“Okay, you should rest early.”
As he watched Wan Tong walk away, the shadows in Li Shen’s eyes deepened, and his lips pressed into a thin line.
Something wasn’t right. Mother Cen’s condition, the attitude of the siblings—none of it was adding up.
That night, Wan Tong made do with sleeping on the small couch in Mother Cen’s room.
Before dawn, Damon entered the room.
His gaze swept over the small figure curled up on the couch. He softened his steps, changing course from the bed to the couch instead.
The couch was against the wall, near the window. The faint light from outside spilled in, illuminating her face clearly.
Damon crouched down, gazing at her intently. It was the first time he had ever studied a woman’s face so closely—his body’s own sister, no less.
Strangely, as he listened to her even breathing, he felt his heart begin to race.
She was adorable, clever, a little fierce, and when she squinted and smiled, she looked just like a little fox.
He was lost in thought.
Wan Tong woke up in a fright. The moment she opened her eyes, she was startled to see Damon right beside her. Was he planning to kill her?
She shrank back into the couch, her posture turning defensive as she frowned. “What are you doing?”
Damon saw the wariness in her expression and his face darkened.
He didn’t speak immediately. His gaze flickered toward the bed before settling back on Wan Tong. “Tongtong, let’s talk.”
“Go ahead.” Wan Tong lowered her voice.
“Leave Li Shen.”
“Why?”
Damon gestured toward Cen’s mother. “Mom will never accept you being with him. For her sake alone, you should cut ties with him.”
“And if I refuse?” Wan Tong had a feeling he had more to say.
Demeng lowered his eyes slightly, his voice turning heavier. “No matter what, Li Shen is our enemy. I hope you don’t forget that. Everything I’ve done for the past ten years has been for one reason, to kill him. Tongtong, I have enough dirt on him that if I expose it, he’ll be hunted worldwide.”
“Then do it.” Wan Tong didn’t hesitate for a second.
Would Damon dare? If Li Shen were forced into hiding, even Damon wouldn’t be able to track him down.
“Tongtong, don’t be stubborn with me.” Damon’s face remained stern. “You and Li Shen belong to different worlds.”
Wan Tong turned to look at her mother on the bed, her voice turning icy. “So you led Mom to have wild thoughts and drove her into madness?”
“I didn’t. She woke up like this on her own.” Damon instinctively denied it.
“You think I’m that easy to fool?”
Damon was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he let out a self-deprecating laugh. “You just don’t believe me, do you? Tongtong, I’m your brother. Is it because I have a different face now that you don’t consider me your brother anymore?”
His sorrowful expression made Wan Tong feel a little uneasy. His acting was too convincing.
“I won’t leave Li Shen. I’ll be with him forever. He only did what was necessary. The Cen family can’t blame him for that, and neither can we.” Wan Tong spoke each word with conviction.
Damon stared at her, his gaze deep and unreadable. He didn’t say anything more, he knew her mind was set.
As she met his eyes, Wan Tong felt an odd sensation. Was he getting too immersed in his role?
Sometimes, she almost felt like he genuinely cared for her. Of course, that was just an illusion.
He was undoubtedly still plotting to kill her and Li Shen.
With that in mind, Wan Tong felt a surge of excitement. If her enemy made no move, she wouldn’t either. She would simply wait for Damon to act first.
Life in the sanatorium was calm and leisurely, yet Wan Tong felt immense pressure. No matter what she said, Mother Cen’s hatred toward Li Shen remained unwavering. More than once, she had even forced Wan Tong to swear she would never see him again.
So even though Li Shen was in the same sanatorium, Wan Tong rarely had the chance to meet him.
On the rooftop, in the cool shade, Daina heard the cry of birds as they skimmed across the sky. Instinctively, he reached for his back, only to remember that his weapons had been confiscated.
He ran his fingers over the calluses in his palm, feeling irritated. Then, without hesitation, he leaped off the rooftop, gripping onto a protruding steel pipe before dropping onto a lower floor’s balcony.
It was his room.
He froze for a moment when he saw the small black gun lying on his bed.
Then, his phone vibrated.
A mission from the organization had arrived.
Kill Mother Cen.
A smile immediately spread across Daina’s face. He absolutely hated life in the country. He couldn’t even touch his favorite weapon, and he had to watch that old woman insult Brother Shen every day. It was driving him insane!
But… that was Cen Wantong’s mother…
Daina hesitated.
In the small garden, Wan Tong was pushing Cen’s mother along for a stroll. From a distance, she spotted Daina. However, his expression was unusually serious, and the moment their eyes met, he looked guilty and quickly turned away.
Wan Tong found it odd. She said a few words to Mother Cen before stepping away for a moment.
But she had only taken a few steps when—
*Bang!*
She spun around and saw Mother Cen collapse onto the grass.
She stood there, stunned for a few seconds, then bolted back.
“Mom!”
The once-peaceful garden was now in chaos as doctors and nurses rushed in to carry Mother Cen away for emergency treatment. Wan Tong’s limbs went cold and numb—she couldn’t even get close to her mother, only able to follow behind the crowd.
Outside the emergency room, Wan Tong stood frozen at the door when Damon approached. He leaned in and whispered in her ear,
“It was Daina who pulled the trigger. I saw it. I warned you, Tongtong. Li Shen’s world is too dangerous for you. And now, with your mother like this, do you really think he has nothing to do with it?”
His voice was gentle, his tone regretful, but Wan Tong didn’t hear a word of it.
At this point, Damon’s intentions were clear. He wanted to turn her against Li Shen, at the cost of Mother Cen’s life!
But Wan Tong refused to believe that Li Shen would order harm to her mother. Even though this was his territory and the shooter had to be one of his people…
“Tongtong.”
A deep voice sounded, and Li Shen appeared behind her, his handsome face tense.
Damon pulled Wan Tong away, stepping in front of her protectively.
“Li Shen, what else do you want?!”
“I didn’t give that order.” Li Shen’s deep gaze landed on Wan Tong.
“Daina is your man, isn’t he? Would he dare act without your command?”
Everyone knew that Daina only followed Li Shen’s orders.
Li Shen’s sharp gaze flickered toward Damon, his eyes dark and unreadable.
“How do you know it was Daina?”
“I saw it,” Damon replied coldly, his words firm.
Li Shen’s eyes narrowed slightly. A mocking smile tugged at his lips.
“But the one who pulled the trigger was Wu Li.”
As his words fell, silence engulfed the space.
Damon’s face froze for a moment before he frowned again.
“That’s impossible—I couldn’t have seen wrong. It had to be Daina.”
He was convinced that Li Shen was setting him up.
But Lishen pulled out irrefutable proof, a surveillance video on his phone.
From the recorded angle, it was indeed Wu Li who had fired at Mother Cen.
“Even if I was mistaken… Wu Li is still your trusted subordinate, isn’t he?” Damon remained composed.
Li Shen looked at him and slowly said,
“Wan Tong isn’t the only one who doubts you’re Cen Lingyu. Even I don’t believe you’re truly a part of the Cen family.”
Damon instinctively turned to Wantong.
She stood there quietly, her gaze calm and distant. She had always regarded him with this same wary detachment.
Might as well kill her.
She wasn’t supposed to exist in this world anyway.
The thought surfaced in his mind.
To hell with the mission, he just wanted to leave this world that had twisted his heart.
But just then—
Wan Tong stepped in front of him.
His pupils dilated as she moved closer and embraced him gently.
In a soft voice, she murmured,
“Damon… give my brother back to me.”
A strange numbness crept over him.
By the time he realized what was happening, a sharp sting had already spread through his arm.
Slowly, he looked down—
She was holding a syringe, the needle piercing his arm.
The liquid inside was nearly emptied.
Instinctively, he tried to swat her away, but before he could touch her, Li Shen had already pulled her back.
“Tongtong?”
Damon clutched his arm, his mind blank, his eyes locked onto her figure.