BSS CH 10

Blood

Because a music festival was nearby, fireworks lit up the sky by the river for the first time, drawing crowds into the streets. As Liang Jingmin drove toward the river, he felt an overwhelming urge to go home.

However, Cheng Jing seemed genuinely interested in the festivities, which was a rare sight for him, so Liang Jingmin held back his desire to leave.

After half an hour of searching, he finally found a parking spot. Cheng Jing sat in the passenger seat, waiting for Liang Jingmin to open the door for him.

Liang Jingmin opened the car door and asked, “Are you wearing my clothes?”

Cheng Jing took his hand and stepped out of the car. “If they’re not yours, then whose are they?”

Not wanting to argue, Liang Jingmin replied, “Let’s find a restaurant nearby. Wouldn’t it be better to enjoy the view? Do we really have to squeeze in here?”

“Being in the crowd adds to the atmosphere,” Cheng Jing said, raising an eyebrow and locking eyes with Liang Jingmin. “It’s fun to squeeze in every now and then.”

Perhaps Liang Jingmin didn’t realize it himself, but he felt unusually good that night. His heartbeat surged like a drug, numbing his nerves and dulling his awareness of the dangers around him.

When the fireworks exploded, they leaned against the railing by the river. Earlier, Cheng Jing had turned away from Liang Jingmin’s kiss, but now he pulled Liang Jingmin’s tie and kissed him.

Under normal circumstances, Liang Jingmin would have sensed something was off, but tonight he surrendered to Cheng Jing’s cold kiss.

After the crowd dispersed, they drove back to Genting Apartment, and Liang Jingmin eagerly threw Cheng Jing onto the bed. Cheng Jing kissed him passionately, gasping for breath as he urged Liang Jingmin to turn off the lights.

He seemed especially sensitive that night, and Liang Jingmin, spurred on by Cheng Jing’s reactions, became even more unrestrained. They both felt wilder than usual.

When Liang Jingmin finally fell asleep, Cheng Jing, exhausted and barely able to keep his eyes open, forced himself to stay awake. He sat up, observing Liang Jingmin’s sleeping face.

After confirming that Liang Jingmin was asleep, Cheng Jing carefully climbed out of bed. The suit he had meticulously chosen earlier lay crumpled on the floor. Stepping over it, he crouched down and retrieved the wrench he had hidden under the bed.

Earlier, he had used it to add a finishing touch, but his work wasn’t quite done. He picked up Liang Jingmin’s phone and slipped into the bathroom.

The mirror reflected his pale face and dark circles under his eyes. He was naked, revealing something even more disturbing—

His arms, legs, and back were marred by purple bruises and scars from healed wounds, marks that could only come from repeated beatings. And these weren’t from their passionate moments together.

Cheng Jing tilted his head, studying his reflection in the mirror. The effect wasn’t quite satisfactory.

He had anticipated that if all the bruises were left for the evening, they might not show quickly enough, so he had started earlier, even before going out.

Not knowing when Liang Jingmin might wake up, he moved quickly. He put on his clothes, spent some time tearing the collar, then bit down on a towel, raised the wrench with both hands, took a deep breath, counted a few seconds, and struck his forehead hard.

He put all his strength into the blow, but instinctively avoiding pain made his aim slightly off, hitting only his brow bone instead of the center of his forehead.

Blood snaked down his pale skin like a winding serpent, vivid against his pallor.

After years of outsmarting Liang Jingmin, Cheng Jing had learned to be ruthless. If he wanted to accomplish something, he had to be ready to go all the way.

He let the blood flow down, staining his clothes, and sat on the toilet until the dizziness began to fade.

After taking a few breaths, he grabbed a rag, cleaned up the excess blood in the bathroom, flushed all traces away, returned the wrench to its place, then activated the emergency dial on his phone and pressed 110.

The call connected quickly, and Cheng Jing’s voice came out hoarse: “I need to report a crime.”

Whatever the person on the other end asked, Cheng Jing replied calmly, “Rape.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a slight smile appeared on his face, only to vanish a moment later.

…

The first person to rush to the police station was Zhai, the butler from the lakeside villa. He mentioned that he’d received a message from an acquaintance and had come to check on the situation alone.

At that time, Cheng Jing sat in a wheelchair in the police station’s medical room, wearing a green surgical gown. He had just finished a physical examination and received a simple bandage.

Blood still covered parts of his body, making him look even more shocking now. His right forehead had swollen to the size of a fist, and gauze covered half his face, revealing only one eye and a purple cheek.

Cheng Jing slowly opened his eyes, looking over like a trapped animal. His gaze held a helplessness that tugged at the heart.

His lips were dry and cracked, and dried blood seeped from them. Though his clothes covered most of his skin, the visible parts were horrific, marred by terrible bruises that demanded attention.

All ten fingers were stained with dried blood. When he saw the butler enter, he raised his right hand and tried to brace himself against a table, attempting to stand.

Though the butler had always shown Cheng Jing some care and tolerance within reason, for various complicated reasons, he could never deceive himself into liking Cheng Jing.

The butler despised this seemingly gentle and harmless uninvited guest but had never shown it openly. Seeing Cheng Jing struggling to stand, he quickly moved to support him.

To everyone’s surprise, before the butler could steady him, Cheng Jing slapped him hard across the left cheek, a resounding and powerful blow.

The slap was so forceful that the butler staggered back, a bright red handprint blooming on his cheek.

Cheng Jing also took a step back, slumping into the wheelchair and coughing, as if that slap had drained him of all strength. The butler’s eyes filled first with disbelief, then resentment.

He was about to ask, but Cheng Jing coughed and said hoarsely, “Get out!”

The medical staff rushed over, positioning themselves protectively between Cheng Jing and the butler, gently asking the butler to leave.

Blocked from seeing Cheng Jing’s expression, the butler couldn’t guess his thoughts, nor could he understand the reason for the slap. But Cheng Jing’s scars and bloodstains left an unforgettable impression. It didn’t seem like something Liang Jingmin would do, so as soon as he left, the butler called Liang Jingmin to inform him.

Liang Jingmin, awakened by the police sirens, had already received the call from the butler. Without waiting for the police, he drove himself to the station.

Cheng Jing was reportedly under strict protection, refusing to meet anyone until the investigation was complete. Beyond that, no further details emerged. The warmth and affection from the night before felt like nothing but an elaborate trap, as if they had never existed.

Liang Jingmin kept his composure until he saw Cheng Jing’s injury report, which finally shook him.

Open fracture of the brow bone with active bleeding, multiple soft tissue contusions and lacerations across the body… The methods were more intense this time than before.

Liang Jingmin read the report, then sneered, tearing it to shreds the next moment.

Cheng Jing had gone to unimaginable lengths to escape him.

As his anger faded, a hollow sadness settled in. Liang Jingmin thought that Cheng Jing would rather endure fatal injuries than stay with him, willing to fabricate such a vile crime and rip their relationship apart just to break free.

The room grew tense, and butler Zhai, unable to bear the silence, finally spoke: “It’s been three years, and he still uses the same methods.”

Liang Jingmin looked up. “You don’t believe it was me?”

“Three years ago, when he caused a scene at the club, didn’t he also call the police like this? Look at the injuries on him—there’s blood everywhere. You know you wouldn’t leave such a mess.”

Precision, perfection, and zero mistakes defined Liang Jingmin’s life. He was meticulous. If he truly wanted to hurt Cheng Jing, he wouldn’t have left so much evidence. Plus, he watched Cheng Jing closely; he wouldn’t allow anything like this to happen.

Three years ago, before they were married, Cheng Jing had called the police once. At that time, Liang Jingmin’s control over him was even stricter, and Cheng Jing had taken drastic measures to escape.

He had pretended to be obedient for two months, finally earning a chance to go with Liang Jingmin to a club. There, with just a few words, he had persuaded Liang Jingmin to invite a famous pianist to perform. While everyone was caught off guard, Cheng Jing lunged forward, punching the pianist. They wrestled on the floor until the police intervened.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Cheng Jing had listed Liang Jingmin’s offenses in his report, filling several pages. When the police read it, their faces grew grim.

But that police report ultimately went nowhere. Cheng Jing’s marks were too minor for the police to act, and Liang Jingmin’s connections prevented escalation. It was dismissed as a lover’s spat.

For his troubles, Cheng Jing was almost never allowed near that club again.

Liang Jingmin didn’t respond right away. Instead, he thought about the cold words in the injury report and asked, “Is he seriously hurt? They said his brow bone was broken. What happened?”

“Yes, he was ruthless to himself this time. When I saw him, he couldn’t stop bleeding. It looked…” Butler Zhai trailed off, noticing Liang Jingmin’s already dark expression growing even darker, and chose not to say more.

When had Cheng Jing become like this?

Liang Jingmin tried to recall, but he couldn’t pinpoint the moment of change. He could only remember the Cheng Jing he’d known in the past—the one who seemed like the most mild-mannered person in the world.

His memories of their high school, No. 1 Middle School, were faint. Back then, he had been preoccupied with balancing family obligations and academics, leaving little time for himself and no curiosity about anything around him.

Such was the atmosphere at No. 1 Middle School—grades dictated social standing, and no one ever discriminated against Cheng Jing for his illness. Liang Jingmin remembered that Cheng Jing had excelled in physics and chemistry. Before classes divided by specialty, many classmates would ask him for help with problems during breaks.

Cheng Jing always explained things clearly and never turned anyone away. Everyone treated him as a free tutor, with people lining up after each class to get his help. It was almost annoying. Liang Jingmin’s friends, who shared a class with Cheng Jing, often complained about not wanting to sit near him because of the constant crowd around him.

After the class was divided, his presence diminished. They had communicated several times, but it had been too long for Liang Jingmin to recall much.

When they met again later, Cheng Jing was almost the same as before. He had a good temper, smiled at everyone, and never let the conversation fall flat.

So, when did the gentle and polite Cheng Jing become extreme and crazy?