A Life of Torment

Outside the ward, Jiang Yan inquired of the doctor about Lin Yu’s condition.

The doctor adjusted his glasses. “He’s suffering from severe anemia and malnutrition,” he stated, “with no other underlying issues.”

Jiang Yan echoed, “Malnutrition?”

Could Cai Xinyu have been starving him?

No wonder he was so emaciated, his complexion so pallid.

“Furthermore, his anemia stems from a congenital hematopoietic dysfunction,” the doctor elaborated.

A slight furrow appeared between Jiang Yan’s brows. “Congenital?” he questioned.

“If he doesn’t receive timely medication, dietary remedies will prove ineffective, and the primary cause of his frequent fainting spells is insufficient blood supply.” The doctor gently shook his head. “I can’t fathom why his family isn’t ensuring he continues his medication. He’s been unconscious here for three days, yet no relatives have come to visit him. To put it plainly, it’s a ‘rich man’s ailment’ – it won’t kill him, but living without medication would be excruciating. Tell me, Mr. Jiang, could he be an orphan? How exactly did you come to know him?”

“I found him reciting lines by the roadside,” Jiang Yan explained. “He collapsed, so I brought him here. I don’t know him personally, nor am I aware of his specific circumstances.”

“Oh…” The doctor adjusted his glasses, a flicker of understanding dawning on his face.

Jiang Yan had always been inclined to help others, frequently donating to aid impoverished families, so casually rescuing someone was entirely within character.

Given Jiang Yan’s immense wealth, covering a stranger’s medical bills was a negligible expense.

Though this hospital bore the Jiang family name, they consistently adhered to standard billing procedures, ensuring no staff member was ever short-changed.

This was not the first instance of Jiang Yan bringing a roadside rescue to their hospital.

The doctor refrained from further questioning.

Regardless of how long this child, Lin Yu, remained hospitalized, the doctor’s sole responsibility was to provide diligent care.

****

Just then, a junior nurse approached, her voice polite. “Mr. Jiang,” she began, “Cai Xinyu has returned. How would you like us to proceed?”

The mere mention of Cai Xinyu’s name ignited an inexplicable irritation within Jiang Yan.

Lin Yu had been unconscious for three days, during which Cai Xinyu had made innumerable visits, leading the entire hospital to believe Jiang Yan had brazenly stolen his boyfriend and was attempting to become a homewrecker.

While he knew obstructing Cai Xinyu was illogical, a selfish impulse prevented him from allowing Lin Yu to return with him.

The doctors here had performed an initial physical examination on Lin Yu, revealing a tapestry of contusions; some were from impacts, others from pinching and twisting. A number of the marks, however, were consistent with blunt force trauma, and his body also bore numerous lacerations from sharp objects.

He was, in essence, a canvas of wounds.

Gazing at Lin Yu’s horrifying injuries, Jiang Yan recoiled from imagining the torment this child must have endured at Cai Xinyu’s hands.

It was utterly appalling.

Such suffering would drive anyone to contemplate suicide.

A life of such relentless abuse seemed worse than death itself.

What a despicable wretch!

On previous occasions, when Cai Xinyu had arrived at the hospital, demanding to take Lin Yu, Jiang Yan had confronted him with photographs of some of Lin Yu’s injuries, vowing to report him for domestic abuse if he dared to harass him again.

Cai Xinyu’s face had gone ashen then, and he had refrained from causing a scene, yet he had stubbornly claimed that Lin Yu ‘enjoyed’ such treatment.

In that moment, Jiang Yan had yearned to send the man straight to the morgue!

Who could possibly derive pleasure from being abused?

Jiang Yan understood that even if the police were involved, such “domestic disputes” would, at best, result in mediation; the law’s arm was not long enough to offer lasting protection in such matters.

Consequently, he resolved to personally obstruct Cai Xinyu.

Hospital staff, unaccustomed to seeing their CEO go to such extraordinary lengths to rescue someone, began to whisper amongst themselves, wondering if there was any truth to Cai Xinyu’s accusations of him brazenly stealing his boyfriend.

The nurses huddled together, indulging in gossip.

“That young man is undeniably handsome,” one nurse gushed. “When I was changing his IV, I couldn’t help but notice his eyelashes – so long and perfectly curled. I was absolutely green with envy! My extensions cost over five hundred and barely last a month before they’re gone.”

“Right?” another chimed in. “His diagnosis indicates severe anemia and malnutrition, yet even with his sallow complexion, it’s clear he possesses the foundations of remarkable beauty. No wonder our highly discerning Film Emperor is captivated.”

“But he *is* someone else’s boyfriend,” a third interjected, “which feels rather unethical. What if the paparazzi get wind of this and expose it?”

“Do you honestly believe that with Mr. Jiang’s temperament, if someone dares to expose him, he’ll simply declare himself a homewrecker publicly?”

“I do!”

“Me too!”

“Given his family’s standing, he acts with absolute impunity. It’s impossible for us to ever find any incriminating information about the Jiang family online. Moreover, I genuinely believe the Jiang family conducts themselves impeccably; there’s simply nothing to tarnish their reputation.”

“Honestly, I think Mr. Jiang is actually doing a good deed,” another offered. “You’ve all seen Lin Yu’s extensive injuries. If Cai Xinyu were to take him back, he might very well be beaten to death one day. In such a situation, if I possessed wealth and influence, I might also intervene, regardless of whether I genuinely intended to become a homewrecker.”

“Even if he genuinely intends to claim him, I’d still support it! My goodness, with Mr. Jiang and Lin Yu’s perfectly matched faces, I could already conjure a ten-million-word novel, complete with all the steamy details!”

“You’re incorrigible,” another teased.

“That’s hilarious,” a voice chuckled. “I actually find them quite ‘ship-worthy’ too.”

“Let’s not speculate idly,” a more pragmatic voice interjected. “As a public figure, Mr. Jiang undoubtedly acts with discretion. Now, back to work, everyone!”

Jiang Yan was, to some extent, aware of these conversations; his actions had, after all, made him the subject of unavoidable discussion.

However, he was determined not to let such rumors proliferate.

Even his formidable PR team couldn’t dedicate every moment to scrubbing the internet of revelations concerning Lin Yu.

Thus far, all online content pertaining to Jiang Yan’s rescue of Lin Yu and his subsequent refusal to allow Cai Xinyu visitation had been systematically suppressed across the entire network, creating an illusion of calm.

Jiang Yan resolved to take Lin Yu home, intending to engage a trustworthy private doctor for in-home care, thereby curtailing the scope of public discussion.

Yet, a part of him questioned whether such extreme measures were necessary for a mere stranger.

He deliberated, his heart struggling to reach a definitive conclusion.

Each time he recalled Lin Yu’s desperate, pleading gaze, a profound sense of unease settled within him.

The child was utterly helpless, seeking to cling to him as a lifeline, and Jiang Yan, for his part, desperately wanted him to succeed.

After extensive deliberation, weighing numerous factors, a flicker of hesitation remained.

He had initially planned for Lin Yu to be discharged in a few days, envisioning a future where their paths would diverge and he could resume his acting career. However, the junior nurse’s simple announcement, “Cai Xinyu has returned,” inexplicably ignited a sudden fury within him, prompting an immediate and resolute decision.

He was determined to save this pitiful Lin Yu, come what may.

Jiang Yan made an immediate decision, instructing the doctor, “Arrange for several security guards to escort Lin Yu out through the hospital’s back entrance. I’ll have my driver collect him.”

The doctor and the junior nurse exchanged bewildered glances. “?”

To go to such extraordinary lengths for a mere stranger—was it truly warranted?

Yet, as the saying goes, ‘A thousand pieces of gold cannot buy one’s will.’

He was wealthy and capricious, beyond their control.

Furthermore, neither the doctor nor the nurses could bear the sight of Lin Yu’s extensive injuries. If the child wasn’t taken away from the tumultuous Cai Xinyu in the lobby, he would undoubtedly continue to endure abuse.

They would simply follow his instructions; after all, Mr. Jiang paid their salaries, and the one who pays calls the shots.

The doctor departed to carry out the orders.

****

Jiang Yan, his mood decidedly sour, entered the reception room, observing with cold detachment the individual loudly arguing with the hospital staff assigned to block Cai Xinyu.

“Hospitals strictly prohibit loud disturbances,” Jiang Yan stated, leaning casually against the main entrance, his voice unhurried. “As a medical professional, you should be far more acquainted with this regulation than I am.”

Upon hearing Jiang Yan’s voice, Cai Xinyu’s fury intensified.

“Jiang Yan!” Cai Xinyu roared. “What justification do you have for detaining Xiao Yu?”

“Detain?” Jiang Yan’s lips curved into a contemptuous smile. “He has been in a critical condition, unconscious in this hospital for three full days, only just regaining consciousness. Throughout these three days, you’ve relentlessly demanded his release, yet not once have you expressed a single word of concern for his well-being. Had you not arrived here creating a scene and falsely accusing me of stealing your boyfriend, but instead inquired about his health and condition, I might have permitted you to see him.”

Several doctors standing nearby nodded in fervent agreement.

“Precisely!” one doctor interjected. “Your aggressive posture alone is enough to send someone straight to their grave. Who would dare allow you to see him? Patient Lin Yu is in a state of extreme mental distress, plagued by nightmares, talking in his sleep, and weeping inconsolably. He simply cannot withstand the stimulation of your fierce, intimidating presence. What if the patient’s condition were to deteriorate further due to such intense agitation during treatment? You would undoubtedly lay the blame squarely on the hospital, and we are unwilling to shoulder such an immense responsibility.”

“Indeed,” another added. “We’re temporarily preventing your visit because the patient himself has expressed a clear unwillingness to see you. For the sake of his recovery, we naturally prioritize his wishes, as this is beneficial to his treatment.”

“You’re a doctor yourself,” yet another chimed in, “how can you fail to grasp such a straightforward principle?”

“Hmph,” a nurse scoffed. “It’s obvious Lin Yu’s nerves are completely shattered from your abuse, and you still have the gall to come here causing a scene, demanding to take him. Believe me, if I expose this incident, the online backlash against you will be far more severe.”

Everyone present spoke, each word aimed squarely at Cai Xinyu.

Over the past few days, he had truly thrown the hospital into utter disarray. Were it not for the diligent security guards who consistently dragged him into the reception room, the news of his antics would have undoubtedly spread like wildfire.

“Our hospital is incredibly busy, you know!” one exclaimed. “Mediating with you all day is more mentally taxing than performing ten surgeries!”

“You—!” Cai Xinyu, barraged by their collective scolding, found himself utterly unable to interject, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably with rage.

“There are more of you, so you’re ganging up on me, is that it?” he seethed. Over the past two days, he had relentlessly tried to expose Jiang Yan online for stealing his boyfriend, yet almost everything he posted was either blocked, deleted, or resulted in a 404 error, with several platforms even banning his accounts entirely.

This had left Cai Xinyu seething with impotent rage.

It was a foregone conclusion; Jiang Yan was undoubtedly orchestrating things behind the scenes.

Indeed, his arm simply couldn’t twist the thigh of power.

“Jiang Yan, you’re so impressive! Your Jiang family is rich, and your PR team is formidable, so you just bully ordinary citizens like this!”

“Precisely, and you’re merely relegated to enduring it. Since you’re so perceptive, why bother causing a scene?” Jiang Yan retorted, utterly self-righteous. “Allowing you to remain silent online has already been an act of utmost benevolence. Push it further, and I will utterly ruin your reputation.”

“You!”

“Do you believe I couldn’t immediately assemble a team to fabricate a scandal so severe you’d never recover in this lifetime?” Jiang Yan’s expression remained utterly unconcerned.

Such incidents were not uncommon, neither in the business world nor in entertainment.

The truth and falsehood of information were merely tools wielded by competing factions, with the unfortunate always serving as cannon fodder.

If they wished someone’s demise, there would be no opportunity for a whitewash.

“Jiang Yan!” Cai Xinyu, enraged by Jiang Yan’s brazen threats in front of others, ground his teeth. “What goes around comes around! Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”

“Retribution?” Jiang Yan scoffed, a slow, deliberate tone laced with palpable menace. “Just remember this: Lin Yu’s affairs are now *my* concern. If I discover you’ve harassed Lin Yu, I will be your retribution, and a very severe one at that.”

“You’re going too far!” Cai Xinyu, driven to madness, kicked the office desk violently.

“Indeed,” Jiang Yan replied, his voice laced with oppressive calm, “and quite openly so.”

Cai Xinyu: “You’re completely insane!”

Veins pulsed on his forehead, his face a mask of ferocity. “So what are you implying now? That I should break up with Lin Yu? On what grounds? Just because you have some money? To openly steal my boyfriend?”

The doctors in the reception room also looked at Jiang Yan with confusion.

Such an act was unacceptable; it was utterly immoral.

“Hmm…” Jiang Yan mused, considering it thoughtfully. “I originally didn’t intend to pursue someone so young, but given what you’ve said, perhaps taking him isn’t entirely out of the question.”

Cai Xinyu erupted, his eyes wide with fury. “You finally admit it!”

The doctors: “…”

‘We certainly didn’t encourage you to do such a thing!’

Yet, for the past few days, these very words had indeed been their own idle speculation and gossip; Jiang Yan himself had said nothing.

Cai Xinyu’s eyes threatened to bulge from their sockets, his chest heaving with uncontrollable rage. He swung a fist, aiming for Jiang Yan.

However, Jiang Yan’s long leg shot out, sending him sprawling directly onto the office desk, a searing pain shooting through his lower back.

“Ow!” he cried out in agony.

“Did you truly believe all those action scenes I performed were done by a stunt double? My apologies, but I’ve always performed my own fight choreography. I’ve practiced martial arts since childhood and won countless awards.” He merely maintained a low profile, never including such details in his public biography.

His online profiles, on platforms like Baidu and Baike, listed only his height, education, name, films, and awards related to cinema; nothing else could ever be unearthed.

“Dr. Cai, a strong man doesn’t necessarily have to protect his country, but he should at least protect his home. Lin Yu is your boyfriend; your fists should be used to give him a sense of security, not to make him tremble with fear every time he sees you!” Jiang Yan’s voice hardened with anger as he pointed at Cai Xinyu’s nose, speaking without reservation. “Now, remove yourself from my sight, or I’ll make arrangements for a private ward for you today, ensuring you stay a few extra days.”

“Heh… fine, alright.” Cai Xinyu clutched his lower back, grimacing in pain. He glanced at the doctors in the reception room, who watched his humiliation with cold indifference, and then at Jiang Yan, who openly bullied him from the doorway. Suppressing his seething fury, he pushed through the onlookers and left, utterly disheveled.

“Pah!” he spat vehemently at the hospital’s main entrance. “Damn you, Jiang Yan! May you drive off a cliff at 200 miles an hour!”

After Cai Xinyu left, Jiang Yan’s phone rang.

“Hello, Brother Zhang.”

“Mr. Jiang, Lin Yu refuses to enter your house.”

“That quickly? Which house did you take him to?” He checked the time, realizing he’d been arguing with Cai Xinyu for about fifteen minutes.

Jiang Yan owned numerous properties, most of which lay vacant but were regularly maintained, allowing him to rest at any of them whenever he wished.

“The newly developed lakeside villa district in the south of the city.”

“Understood. Why won’t he go inside?” This particular villa was a recent acquisition of Jiang Yan’s, not an isolated property, but part of a rather large estate containing five villas. Including him, only two households currently resided there.

“You should speak with him, Mr. Jiang; he seems quite unstable emotionally right now.”

The driver handed the phone to Lin Yu, but Lin Yu shook his head, refusing to take it, and softly requested to get out of the car.

Jiang Yan heard his small, distressed plea through the phone. “Wait for me a moment; I’m on my way. Don’t let him leave.”

“Alright.” The driver hung up, a hint of confusion in his voice. “Our Mr. Jiang seems particularly concerned about you.”

Lin Yu’s expression was constrained, and he was visibly panicking. “Please, let me out of the car…”

“If I let you out, my salary will be docked,” the driver refused.

Lin Yu bit his lower lip, nervously picking at his fingers, his mental state extremely tense.

He didn’t want to go inside; he didn’t know if the seemingly upright facade of Jiang Yan concealed a mind as depraved as Cai Xinyu’s.

Years ago, compelled by his grandmother’s illness, he had reluctantly agreed to be Cai Xinyu’s boyfriend, only to find himself plunged into an abyss of torment.

Lin Yu was terrified of escaping one tiger’s den only to enter a wolf’s lair.

How could anyone save him without an ulterior motive?

Everyone sought personal gain, drawn by his passable looks. Lin Yu’s eyes welled up.

So, Jiang Yan was the same.

That beacon of hope in his heart crumbled spectacularly.

Was his idol, whom he had admired for so long, truly this kind of person?

Lin Yu’s already numb heart felt no particular emotion at this moment, only a deepening resolve to end his own life.

Living was truly tragic.

“I want to get out of the car. If you don’t open the door, I’ll, I’ll break it myself.” Lin Yu would rather die than encounter another Cai Xinyu. With that, he violently slammed his head against the car window.

“What the hell!”

With a resounding ‘bang,’ a horizontal crack split Lin Yu’s forehead from the tremendous impact, and he collapsed onto the back seat.

“Damn it!” The driver was terrified. He quickly released the car locks, threw open the back door, and checked Lin Yu’s condition.

“Give me a moment to react, you bastard! You didn’t even finish speaking before you slammed your head?” He frantically checked if Lin Yu was still breathing. “Shit, he’s still alive. My god, you scared the living daylights out of me! What do I do now?”

He panicked.

Lin Yu’s forehead began to ooze blood and visibly swelled.

The driver’s head spun.