Chapter 2: Evading?

Suddenly, the entire space was swallowed by darkness.

Jiang Zhaoyang reached out but could see nothing.

Even the very act of breathing felt weighed down by an oppressive heaviness.

Yet, as time passed,

it was not just the darkness that invaded this space.

His will itself began to be slowly stripped away by an invisible force.

His eyelids felt as if filled with lead, unbearably heavy, constantly fluttering in a losing battle.

His consciousness grew hazy,

as if he were on the verge of being engulfed by an endless abyss of dreams, never to find his way back to reality.

He tried to struggle, to find the bed that might offer him some comfort.

But within this pitch-black void, it was impossible.

His hand extended, only to grasp cold air.

Each attempt was a blind groping in darkness, making no progress.

Ultimately, he had no choice but to give up.

Exhausted, he resigned himself to sitting down in a chair and falling asleep.

As his awareness gradually faded,

he sank into slumber.

When Jiang Zhaoyang awoke, he had completely lost all sense of time.

He had no idea whether outside it was a bright, shining day or a star-studded night.

Silence enveloped him, broken only by the sound of his own heartbeat.

Each pulse echoed through the boundless darkness, amplifying his loneliness and fear.

His stomach growled, a harsh reminder of his hunger.

The physical discomfort intertwined with the psychological terror.

Finally, Jiang Zhaoyang could bear it no longer.

He reached out and, relying on memory and instinct, found the bell by the chair.

Summoning all his strength, he pressed it.

At that moment, it felt as if a door of hope slowly creaked open.

The cold and proud Zhao Shan entered from the adjacent room, accompanied by two male staff members.

Instantly, the room was bathed in soft light.

Zhao Shan glanced at the delicate watch on her wrist.

A faint, almost imperceptible cold smile curved her lips.

Inwardly, she mused, “This coward!”

“That once arrogant spirit—how much of it remains now?”

“Does he still dare to confront me as before?”

The curtains were slowly drawn aside, revealing the scene outside.

Dusk was settling; the county town’s sky was brushed with a gentle purplish-red from the setting sun.

Gradually, the city lights flickered on, one by one.

The small town was adorned in an enchanting nightfall.

Zhao Shan took her seat and said to her assistant beside her, “Prepare to take notes.”

Her gaze landed once again on Jiang Zhaoyang.

There was a teasing, mocking tone in her voice. “How is it? Not enjoying your punishment drink?”

“Now, are you finally willing to speak the truth?”

“I’m willing to confess!”

Zhao Shan’s eyes gleamed brightly.

She stared intently at Jiang Zhaoyang, urging him eagerly, “Speak up!”

Jiang Zhaoyang said, “I’ll tell you. Once, Fu Zhengliang gave me something.”

“What? Tell me quickly!” Zhao Shan almost bounced out of her chair.

“It was… a packet of tea leaves.”

“A packet of tea leaves?”

Zhao Shan’s voice dropped several decibels, her expression falling.

What kind of business was this?

“Are you trying to brush me off with such a trivial matter?” Zhao Shan snapped angrily.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoyang quickly waved his hand to explain, “No, no, no, listen to me.”

“This tea isn’t ordinary; it’s quite valuable!”

“How much is it worth?” Zhao Shan pressed.

“I checked the market price specially. This packet of tea costs two hundred yuan!”

There was a hint of shock in Jiang Zhaoyang’s voice. “You tell me, doesn’t that count as Fu Zhengliang bribing me?”

“What? He bribed you?”

Zhao Shan was truly infuriated now. This guy was playing dumb on purpose?

Who in their right mind would bribe a clerk?

Her face flushed red with anger. “Jiang Zhaoyang, are you out of your mind? That’s utterly ridiculous!”

“If you keep playing tricks, we’ll have to escalate our methods.”

Jiang Zhaoyang shuddered. “No, no! He urged me to submit a report to the county party committee sooner. The tea was to keep me alert.”

“Whether it counts as a bribe or not, that’s not my concern. I have other matters to confess.”

“What matters? Don’t keep anything hidden!”

Jiang Zhaoyang sighed, rubbing his temples, looking quite helpless. “Well, think about it.”

“Then rack your brains. I don’t have much time to waste with you. I’m leaving.” Zhao Shan’s tone grew impatient.

She took his words as a stalling tactic.

Rising, she was about to leave.

“Wait! Wait! I just remembered.” At this, Jiang Zhaoyang suddenly shifted his tone. “But…”

“But what?”

“But I can only tell you.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shan furrowed her brow slightly.

Her gaze lingered on Jiang Zhaoyang’s face for a few seconds,

as if weighing the truth of his words.

She waved her hand and said to her assistant, “You may step out for a moment. Wait at the door.”

“I want to see what kind of pearl can fall from that dog’s mouth.”

The assistant did not dare to ask further.

He simply nodded, got up, and quietly closed the door behind him.

“Now, you may speak,” Zhao Shan said sharply.

“I’ll tell you, I know how formidable your discipline committee is.”

“They say even if a person once had a romantic entanglement, you can investigate it thoroughly, right?”

“That’s true!”

“I confess—I had a secret crush on a female classmate during university.”

“She was graceful, her face charming.”

“Especially when she smiled, with a coy, enchanting expression.”

“Truly captivating, like a glimpse of eternity, utterly mesmerizing.”

At this point, Jiang Zhaoyang seemed to discover a new revelation, staring at Zhao Shan intently.

Zhao Shan felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

A trace of displeasure flashed in her eyes. “What are you looking at? Speak up!”

Jiang Zhaoyang realized his lapse and quickly gave an awkward smile. “Uh, nothing. Just thought she looked quite like you.”

“Of course, your temperaments are completely different.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shan’s face darkened instantly.

She shot Jiang Zhaoyang a disdainful glare.

Annoyed, she interrupted, “Enough! Stop talking nonsense.”

“Continue your confession!”

“Yes! Until one time, her image completely collapsed before me.”

“What happened?”

Zhao Shan was puzzled. Why was this guy rambling about unrelated things?

“Because one weekend, I saw her get into a small car, which sped away.”

“Later, by chance at a gathering, I overheard people gossiping that she was being supported by a wealthy and powerful real estate tycoon.”

“Becoming the undisputed ‘third party’ in everyone’s eyes.”

“At that moment, my heart sank as well because…”

Jiang Zhaoyang deliberately paused, then said, “Her name was also Zhao Shan. Well, more precisely, ‘Shan’!”

“Only one character different from yours, yet I couldn’t help but connect the two.”

Zhao Shan’s face flushed crimson.

She instantly became furious and embarrassed, a surge of anger bursting forth.

This guy—was he insulting her?