novelraw Chapter 1192: Egg and Jade
Chapter 1192: Egg and Jade
“Sorry, we can’t casually disclose students’ personal information. If you really were friends, you wouldn’t have to come all the way here to find them…”
Facing the staff member’s suspicious look and question, Tara and Chen Mingming didn’t say much—just brushed it off with a few words and quickly left.
They had come to find that person based on the registration records in the library, which led them to this university.
In University Town, students usually moved freely between different schools, so reaching the faculty office here wasn’t difficult.
When they set out, Tara had spoken confidently.
“Sorry… I didn’t expect they’d already dropped out.”
Chen Mingming shook his head without replying.
It was a strange situation—something that didn’t fit into the predictable rhythm of his life, just like that mysterious place he’d once been to. Everything about it felt unexpected.
He was the type to plan everything carefully, believing that even if errors occurred, they should remain within control.
Tara sat down with a gloomy expression on a bench under the walkway of the faculty building. Half joking, half helpless, she said, “Well, great. You borrowed the books they read, and now even going abroad is the same story!”Chen Mingming kept his head lowered, lost in thought.
Without question, Tara was a whimsical girl—one without many restraints. She squatted in front of Chen Mingming, resting her chin on her hands and gazing up at his lowered face like she was teasing a cat.
She reached out a finger, trying to poke his forehead.
But before she succeeded, Chen Mingming caught her wrist.
Tara smiled. “You’re holding the wrong place.”
Her hand slipped out of his grasp as if by magic. Then she interlaced her fingers with his. “This is how it should be.”
She looked proud of herself.
Her fingers were smooth and cool, like jade.
But Chen Mingming soon let go and said calmly, “It’s getting late. Let’s stop here.”
Tara looked disappointed, then perked up again. “Tomorrow! Let’s look again tomorrow, okay?”
“How?” Chen Mingming shook his head.
Tara laughed. “Just wander around—maybe we’ll run into them.”
If that person had already dropped out and gone abroad, there was no “maybe.” They wouldn’t meet again.
Chen Mingming didn’t answer. He turned away, waving his hand casually as a silent refusal.
Tara cupped her hands around her mouth and called after him, “I’ll come find you tomorrow!”
Chen Mingming didn’t respond. If he didn’t go to the library, they wouldn’t meet—that was controllable.
…
…
The moment he turned, a burning pain brought Zhao Le back to consciousness.
When he opened his eyes, everything was blurry. He instinctively reached for his glasses, finding them on the bedside cabinet.
After putting them on, Zhao Le looked around in confusion.
It was clearly a hotel room—luxuriously decorated, not cheap for a night—but that wasn’t what mattered. What mattered was why he was there.
When had he fallen asleep? Who brought him here? And… the pain.
His body burned with pain, not in just one place. Panic flickered in his eyes. He stumbled into the bathroom, hurriedly took off his shirt, and turned his back to the mirror.
Red welts—long, raw welts like snakes coiling across his back, each one a source of fiery pain.
His head still felt heavy… What on earth had happened while he was unconscious?
He couldn’t have just fallen asleep for no reason… was it Dong Shaofeng?
Instinctively, Zhao Le grabbed his phone and opened the messaging app. On the way, Dong Shaofeng had convinced him to add him as a friend, under the pretense of passing something to a mutual acquaintance.
—What the hell did you do to me!!
He gripped the phone tightly, staring at the screen as seconds ticked by.
Then suddenly, the screen flashed.
A photo appeared.
Zhao Le froze, a chill spreading through him, his face draining of color.
It was him in the photo—stripped bare, kneeling on the floor with a collar around his neck. A leash trailed from it, held by a woman in a revealing leather outfit and a butterfly mask.
—Dong Shaofeng!! You bastard! What the hell did you do to me…
Before he could finish typing, his screen flooded with more photos—one after another, flashing nonstop.
In every photo, “Zhao Le” was lost in a haze of humiliation—posed, bound, panting like a pet being toyed with by a queenly woman.
The unfinished message froze. Zhao Le’s strength drained away, his body sliding down against the wall.
Then, the images stopped, replaced by a video.
His trembling fingers tapped it.
The woman’s laughter filled the air, sharp and mocking. She cracked a whip across his back again and again.
“Does it feel good, little puppy?”
“G…good…”
“Want big sister to hit you a few more times?”
“Yes…”
“Then bark for me! Bark!!”
“Woof… woof woof!!”
The filthy, shameful video played without censorship.
Knock knock knock knock—
—Incoming voice call request.
Zhao Le trembled as he picked up, his fury boiling over. “Dong Shaofeng!! You bastard!!!”
“What bastard? That woman costs over ten thousand a night. Not good enough for you? I’m doing you a favor, man.”
“Dong Shaofeng!! What the hell do you want?!”
“Listen up, Zhao Le. When I decide to mess with someone, they don’t fight back. From now on, you’ll do whatever I tell you. If I tell you to strip and run naked, you’d better not say no.”
“Never!!!”
“Think it through. You’re such a good student… What do you think will happen if these photos and videos get out? What will your teachers and classmates think? ‘Ugh, this guy’s disgusting.’ I hear you’ve got a sister too. Maybe I’ll send her a few copies. Don’t worry—there’s even spicier stuff coming. Want a preview?”
“You wouldn’t dare!!!” Zhao Le’s eyes went blood-red.
“Watch me. Remember this—between us, you’re the egg and I’m the jade. You shatter, I just get dirty—and dirt washes off. Tomorrow before class, go to the West District and buy me a serving of Huangshanglou fried buns. Before class, got it?”
“Dong Shaofeng!! Dong Shao—!!!”
—The other party has refused your call.
—The other party has refused your call.
—The other party has refused your call.
Zhao Le’s arm dropped weakly. He clutched his head, slamming it against the wall again and again.
He sat there, motionless, eyes hollow.
Then his phone rang again. Zhao Le stiffly turned his head—it was Zhang Xiaoqin calling.
A faint light flickered in his dull eyes. He answered almost by reflex.
“Little Le? What’s wrong? You haven’t come over yet. Did something happen?”
Her voice was full of worry and urgency.
Zhao Le’s heart trembled. He forced a laugh, though his voice came out hoarse. “I’m fine, sis. Really.”
“You’re laughing—what’s wrong?”
“Oh… maybe I just woke up,” he said softly, carefully steadying his breath. “Got exams coming up. I was reading at the library this afternoon and must’ve dozed off… just woke up. My throat’s a bit sore.”
“Is that so… You see? I told you not to push yourself so hard,” Zhang Xiaoqin sighed. “How about this—I’ll have someone from the center help me out, then I’ll just take a taxi home. You don’t need to come pick me up, it’s too late.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll come right now.” Zhao Le hurriedly got up. Seeing his body covered in bruises and cuts in the mirror, he clenched his teeth and began putting on his clothes. “I’ll be there soon, sis. Just wait a bit longer. I can’t let you go alone!”
“Alright, but don’t rush too much.”
“I know.”
Zhao Le took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and with his head down, quickly left the Xihai Tower Hotel.
…
“Dong Shaofeng!! Dong Shao—”
In the private booth of a bar, Zhao Le’s roar echoed from the phone like a beast’s snarl—then Dong Shaofeng hung up. His two teammates immediately burst into laughter.
“I can already picture that coward losing it! Hahaha! Boss Feng, that was genius!”
“Yeah, yeah! I bet he’s hiding somewhere crying right now!”
“Crying? More like jerking off to his ‘masterpiece performance’! Hahaha!”
Dong Shaofeng didn’t laugh. He just smirked coldly at them, picked up a bottle of beer, and drank slowly.
One of his teammates stopped laughing. “But Boss Feng, I thought you’d post those photos and videos tomorrow. You’re seriously gonna make Zhao Le your servant?”
Dong Shaofeng said flatly, “If I post them now, it’s just a one-time thrill. But as long as I have this stuff, I can toy with him for years. Having an extra plaything around campus—why not?”
The teammate chuckled. “But just sending him to buy some fried buns tomorrow? That’s too easy on him.”
Another teammate slapped the back of his head. “Idiot! Boss Feng’s got his eyes on that beauty from the next department. The buns are for her! What, you gonna buy them instead?”
He then turned to Dong Shaofeng, grinning obsequiously. “Boss Feng, mind sending me a few of those photos too? Let me have some fun?”
“Yeah, me too, Boss Feng!”
Dong Shaofeng casually sent one over. “Enjoy—but don’t break the toy. We’ve got plenty of time ahead.”
“Got it!”
Music started playing again in the booth as several hostesses entered, ready to entertain.
…
“Sis, you’ve had a long day. Have some water.”
After washing and massaging Zhang Xiaoqin’s feet, Zhao Le helped her lie down, covered her with a blanket, then turned off the light and left the room.
“You, stop reading later and go to bed too. If you wear yourself out, I won’t know how to take care of you.”
From her bed, Zhang Xiaoqin turned, looking at him with gentle concern.
“I know,” Zhao Le replied softly before closing the door.
His calm smile finally broke. Standing at her door, his hand pressed against it, then slowly slid down, clenching tightly—his knuckles turning white.
He stood there for a long time before returning to his room. Taking off his shirt, he fetched some antiseptic and began treating his wounds.
The moment the liquid touched his raw skin, the searing pain made him grit his teeth hard.
A terrifying hatred flashed in his eyes. Something inside him was calling—he instinctively lifted his gaze to the wardrobe, where a box was hidden on top.
He didn’t know who had sent that box. Maybe it was a prank—or something else entirely. But he hadn’t dared to dispose of it. His instincts told him the thing inside was real.
The card he had once tossed aside came to mind clearly—the one describing a silver pistol. Every word burned in his memory.
He suddenly stood up, too quickly. His knee hit the desk, knocking over the calendar. It fell open on a page marked with a bold red circle—just seeing the date made his heart sink.
He forced himself to calm down, sinking back into the chair.
“I can’t… take that risk.”
He drew a long breath and slowly closed his eyes.
…
When Chen Mingming returned home, the place was empty.
Unlike Zhou Yusheng’s father, Chen Mingming’s mother had a successful career. Though her divorce from Zhou Yusheng’s father had been finalized only a few months ago, they had lived apart for much longer.
The house had been bought less than a year ago, in an upscale district—it must’ve cost a fortune.
From the looks of it, his mother wouldn’t be coming home tonight. Chen Mingming grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and went to his room.
Sitting at his desk, his mind wandered briefly to what had happened with Tara earlier that day.
He shook his head, then started tidying his things. Every item on his desk was perfectly aligned; even the label on the water bottle faced straight toward the desk’s edge.
Opening a drawer, he took out a sketchbook.
Flipping it open, one page showed a drawing he’d done a few days ago by the riverside promenade. His skill was impressive—hyperrealistic in style.
Gazing at the sketch of the lone figure sitting on the stone bench by the river, Chen Mingming slowly drifted into thought…
(End of Chapter)