Chen Ruoya naturally understood that once the two met and clarified everything, she had no need to stick around like a third wheel. Seeing that Chen Yuxin was safe, she swiftly retreated.
"Alright, I know what you have in mind, but you were in the wrong this time." Ye Shikai sighed. He was always , especially towards Chen Yuxin, or perhaps it was an instinct formed in his early years. He wouldn’t blame her but would keep persuading her time and again, even though he knew well that persuasion wasn’t very effective. Yet, he persisted as though he was an incredibly indulgent boyfriend who wouldn’t criticize her for her mistakes directly, rather, he’d clean up the mess behind the scenes.
"Kai, I was wrong, I’m sorry, I... shouldn’t have used... this to..."
"That’s enough, let’s not talk about it." Ye Shikai interrupted Chen Yuxin’s sobbing.
All night, Ye Shikai was comforting Chen Yuxin. Only after she fell asleep did he leave. Before leaving, he specifically instructed Chen Ruoya to take good care of Chen Yuxin.
Netherworld Palace Base.
"Yo, you’re back. How did it go? Did you handle the romantic tangle?" It was already eleven at night when he arrived at the base. Unexpectedly, Wuyan wasn’t asleep but was sitting in the conference room having a late-night snack.
Without a word, Ye Shikai took a container out of his Storage Ring, and within it was another Single Love Poisonous Insect.
"So, can you help me with the worm now?" Ye Shikai appeared tired. Once he left the Chen family, his heart felt empty, hollow.
"It seems you’ve truly made a clean break this time. Don’t worry, with this, I can perform the procedure." Wuyan first froze, then quickly came around.
Ye Shikai stared blankly ahead, as if he hadn’t heard Wuyan’s words. To make a clean break or to remain entangled, forgetting Chen Yuxin was impossible for him.
"Wuyan, thank you for helping me with the worm this time." Ye Shikai turned and bowed to Wuyan. It was enough to make him grateful, having traveled all the way from Yun City to Yanjing for this. Maybe Dugu Tianke had a hand in this too. Otherwise, given Wuyan’s character, she might not have come so easily.
"Consider it a debt from my past life. After all, you were brought to me by old man Dugu." Wuyan told Ye Shikai, then waved her hand, "As usual, take off your clothes."
"It might hurt a bit during the treatment." Wuyan said indifferently, miraculously producing a sharp knife and instructing Ye Shikai to turn his back to her.
"It’s fine, go ahead."
"Hissss." Suddenly, Ye Shikai felt an icy chill on his back, followed by a sting, as if Wuyan was letting blood for him. The wound burned painfully, but Ye Shikai seemed distracted, as this pain was nothing compared to what he had endured before.
Gradually, he felt something moving in his chest, slowly making its way towards the wound on his back. It must be the Single Love Poisonous Insect within his body. Ye Shikai hadn’t realized the worm was so close to his heart. If he delayed any longer, it might have...
Ten minutes later, Ye Shikai could feel the worm approaching the wound site. Suddenly, Wuyan pressed a few acupoints near the wound, causing it to go numb instantly.
"It’s done." Two minutes later, Wuyan patted Ye Shikai’s shoulder to indicate the procedure was over. She then wrapped a piece of gauze around his wound and placed a bottle on the table, "This is antiseptic medicine, apply it twice a day and remember to change the gauze."
"What else?" Wuyan rolled her eyes dismissively as she packed away the container, "I’ll be taking these two love worms with me as payment for the treatment."
"Then make sure you keep them safe, don’t let them harm anyone else." Ye Shikai had no objections. He already had a negative association with these insects. Leaving them with the Sect Leader of the Worm Sect seemed the best use for them.
"By the way, Wuyan, are you heading back to Yun City?" Ye Shikai put on his clothes and asked.
"What do you think? There’s a whole bunch of things to take care of back at the sect." Wuyan’s stunning face showcased her trademark roll of the eyes.
"What are you laughing at?" Wuyan asked curiously.
"I just thought, you and my wife are quite similar." Ye Shikai spoke softly, "Both of you are workaholics."
Su Qingyu is the CEO of Tianya Group, while Wuyan is the Sect Leader of the Worm Sect. Both women are leaders, and in some ways, whether it’s a corporation or a sect, it’s really the same.
"Mind your own business." Wuyan snorted coldly, turning to leave.
"Wait a second." Suddenly, Ye Shikai called out to Wuyan.
"What is it, do you have something else to say?"
"I have a question that’s been bothering me."
"How old are you, Miss?" Ye Shikai smiled slightly as he spoke.
"Eighteen, satisfied?"
.........................................
After Wuyan left, taking the overnight flight, Ye Shikai personally went to the airport to see her off. He didn’t expect the Sect Leader of the Worm Sect to be an eighteen-year-old girl, which was beyond his expectations. An eighteen-year-old girl, perhaps just entering university, would be young and inexperienced. Yet, Wuyan was already a seasoned "ruler," something both Su Qingyu and he could not compare with.
The Single Love Poisonous Insect was gone now, which was a relief. On the way back from the airport, Ye Shikai was deep in thought. Knowing the depth of what Chen Yuxin would sacrifice to use the Single Love Poisonous Insect, he understood her inner thoughts.
Inside the residential complex.
By the time he got home, it was already past midnight. Ye Shikai returned to his room where Su Qingyu was already soundly asleep. He quietly took a shower, changed into pajamas, and gently lifted a corner of the quilt to slip in.
"You’re back." Suddenly, in the dark, came Su Qingyu’s sleepy murmur.
"Yeah, I didn’t mean to wake you." Ye Shikai whispered, "There was some stuff today, go back to sleep."
"Okay, then. You should rest soon too."
.................................................
At the breakfast table, Su Qingyu ate her bread while Ye Shikai drank his milk, occasionally glancing at each other.
"Any progress on the case." Su Qingyu’s words broke the awkward silence.
"Not really. The perpetrator hasn’t struck for several days, but the online public opinion is growing more intense." Ye Shikai downed his glass of milk and sighed.
"If you can’t crack it, just let it be. After all, this isn’t your professional field. Don’t break down before the case does." Su Qingyu said with some reproach, thinking that it was the case that made Ye Shikai come home so late.