After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 65

This wasn’t the first time Shen Jin had seen Gu Yu’s family calling him. As soon as his phone vibrated, Gu Yu would hang up, making it obvious that there was something tricky he didn’t want to discuss in front of Shen Jin.

“Who’s abandoning you?” Gu Yu wrapped his arms around Shen Jin’s waist, trying to brush it off. “I’ll call back later, ranking up is more important.”

“I was joking.” Shen Jin smiled at him. “If there’s something you need to clear up with your family, and it’s inconvenient for me to hear, I’ll go to the bedroom for a bit. Call me when you’re done.”

He intended to get up from Gu Yu’s lap, but Gu Yu pulled him back and said, “No need to avoid it. It’s just that my dad and aunt want you to help with something, and I don’t want you to agree.”

Shen Jin stayed seated on Gu Yu’s lap, puzzled. “…What’s it about?”

He couldn’t think of any other favor he could help Gu Yu’s father and aunt with, other than their attempts to make the two of them break up.

However, Gu Yu said, “It’s about Song Yizhi… He’s still in custody, and Uncle Song hopes my family will intervene.”

In the previous incident, Du Jun firmly insisted that Song Yizhi had deliberately cooperated with him. The police traced it back through the surveillance at the inn. Although they couldn’t fully confirm Du Jun’s claim, it was certain that Song Yizhi had purchased illegal substances and left them on the table. The following interrogations would naturally be extensive.

This kind of situation could either be big or small. If it was just a case of someone taking the drugs for fun, it might not be a huge issue. But if it escalated into a criminal matter, sentencing could follow. The Song family and the Gu family had been close for many years, so of course, they hoped to downplay the matter.

The key lay in whether they could gain the victim’s forgiveness.

Gu Yu explained, “Uncle Song doesn’t know if Song Yizhi can hold up under police interrogation, so he’s making several backup plans.”

Shen Jin sighed softly after a moment of silence, “Forget about it. Speaking from experience, he definitely won’t hold up.”

“Song Yizhi is only 18. He probably thinks he’s clever enough to mess around, but in the eyes of the police, he’s not even on the level of a three-year-old. The pretrial department could easily scare him with just one sentence about leniency for confession.”

Gu Yu tilted his head and looked at Shen Jin, more concerned about him than Song Yizhi, and asked, “Experience? Where did you get that kind of experience, Senior?”

Shen Jin suddenly realized he had let something slip and, feeling embarrassed, had to admit, “I… I’ve been inside before.”

Seeing Gu Yu’s frown, he quickly added, “I didn’t tell you? It was a detention center, packed with people in one room, and they gave us a basin that counted as a toilet. After half a month, I bet Song Yizhi is going crazy.”

Gu Yu squeezed Shen Jin’s cheek and spoke rapidly, “Senior’s got quite the life experience, huh? Why didn’t I know you’ve been in? When? What happened?”

Remembering the gang Shen Jin used to hang around with, Gu Yu became anxious. Shen Jin, noticing his concern, hurried to explain, “Don’t worry, I never do anything illegal. Even if I fight, it’s because someone provoked me first, like Cheng Jie.”

Gu Yu puffed out his cheeks, refusing to listen, “Then how did you end up in there? I don’t remember you ever missing school apart from that one time.”

Though Shen Jin had been a bit aimless during high school, he hadn’t missed much school. He explained, “I was only held over a weekend and then released—at the time, a friend who had found me a part-time job injured someone and tried to flee. He borrowed money from several people, and I gave him two hundred yuan. I had no idea he had committed a crime; I really thought he was going to a concert.”

“When the police came for me, I almost confessed to speeding on the sidewalk last month.”

The interrogation left a deep impression on Shen Jin.

“I still don’t know if the person interrogating me was a cop or a psychologist, but the pressure felt like a 40-minute Baron Nashor fight in the world finals where I had to outsmite the enemy jungler for the win. In the end, I was asked so many questions that I could only tell the truth.” Shen Jin continued, “Some people knew he was planning to flee and lent him money anyway. In the end, none of them could keep it a secret, and they were convicted as accomplices.”

As for Shen Jin, who genuinely didn’t know, he was only given a warning and fortunately didn’t end up with a record.

Gu Yu felt both distressed and anxious about Shen Jin’s past experiences. He held Shen Jin tighter, rubbing his chin against Shen Jin’s ear and saying over and over, “You’re not allowed to do anything reckless again.”

“Okay,” Shen Jin obediently let Gu Yu nuzzle him and then quietly added, “So I’m sure… the only way for Song Yizhi to get out of this is to obtain the victim’s forgiveness.”

He figured that Gu Yu’s family already knew about their relationship, and now that they were repeatedly reaching out to Gu Yu, it was likely to ask Gu Yu to persuade him.

But Gu Yu’s eyes darkened, and he simply said three words, “No forgiveness.”

Shen Jin remained still in Gu Yu’s arms, unable to say anything, as if the relaxed expression he had just worn wasn’t his own.

“I’ll explain everything to my family,” Gu Yu said, brushing his hand against Shen Jin’s cheek. “Senior doesn’t need to worry.”

Shen Jin nodded, feeling a sudden wave of sadness, but he still spoke seriously, “Gu Yu… I understand that your dad and aunt watched Song Yizhi grow up and might still see him as a kid, thinking a simple apology could make things right. So… I’m willing to wait for them to calm down and think it through.”

He clenched his hands tightly and continued, “But if they keep insisting that I forgive him, then I might—”

He swallowed the rest of his words, unsure if he was being too unreasonable, but Gu Yu had already pulled him into an embrace and softly said, “I’ll choose you, Senior. No matter who’s on the other side, I’ll always choose you.”

Shen Jin tightened his grip, wanting to refuse Gu Yu’s unconditional kindness, but he couldn’t.

For the first time in his twenty years, he felt this selfish.

Ashamed of his own selfishness, he could only ask, “…What will happen because of this?”

Gu Yu opened his arms, patted Shen Jin’s back, and replied, “At most, he’ll turn hostile. We never had a loving father-son relationship in the first place.”

Then Gu Yu dialed the number and put the call on speaker. “You don’t need to say anything or avoid this. I’ll explain to him that all of this was my decision.”

Shen Jin quietly watched the dialing screen, unable to stop himself from taking a deep breath. He hadn’t expected that the first time he’d hear Gu Yu’s family’s voice would be under such circumstances.

The call connected, and Gu Yu’s father’s voice sounded surprisingly young, like someone in his thirties. However, the pressure in his tone was mature and commanding.

Without preamble, his father said, “Were you busy earlier? I’ll keep it short. When the police contact you again, make sure that omega steps forward and expresses willingness to mediate.”

“This is your Uncle Song’s idea, as well as mine and your aunt’s. Handle it and get back to me.” 

There was a cold indifference in his father’s voice, as though he was issuing a work directive, without even a hint of consultation.

Gu Yu remained equally calm and responded, “I refuse.”

It was as if his father hadn’t heard his response, as he continued, “You have two days to notify that omega. That’s it. I have other matters to attend to.”

But Gu Yu cut off his attempt to end the call. “I said, I refuse. On the day of the incident, I wanted nothing more than to kill Du Jun and Song Yizhi. As the victim’s boyfriend, I will make it clear to the authorities that I demand severe punishment for both of them. How you all feel about it is irrelevant to me.”

There was a few seconds of silence before Gu Yu’s father calmly said, “You should understand that your Uncle Song’s position affects the survival of several factories. This matter involves the livelihoods of thousands of people. It’s not up to you.”

Gu Yu replied, “If he’s willing to jeopardize the livelihoods of thousands just because his son made a mistake, then I suggest you cut ties with him immediately. Someone of his age acting so rashly isn’t fit to do business.”

A cold, disdainful laugh came from the other end of the line, sending a chill down one’s spine. “Naïve. Think you’ve grown wings now?”

“Yes.” Gu Yu let out a similarly cold laugh. “My wings grew strong when I was 13. You haven’t forgotten that, have you?”

His father was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, “Still holding a grudge because of your mum?”

Gu Yu didn’t answer, instead, pulling Shen Jin closer to signal he was fine. After a few seconds, his father continued, “You’re young and don’t understand, so I won’t hold it against you. I just want to tell you that I’ve known him since we were kids. I’ve always respected and loved him — it was he, as an omega, who couldn’t come to terms with himself.”

His father’s breathing grew heavier as he spoke, “I never mistreated either of you. An alpha who earns money and cares for his family—why couldn’t he just understand the pressure I was under when I needed to relax while doing business?”

This reasoning carried an innate coldness, one Gu Yu had heard countless times before. He closed his eyes and replied, “Don’t forget, he was a university graduate from a 985 school. If he hadn’t been mentally abused by you for years and sacrificed everything for the family, did he really need the little money you made?”

His father’s voice betrayed a flash of anger at having been called out. He immediately interrupted Gu Yu, trying to conceal his rage. “So what? Did he think I couldn’t live without him? If he can hear me from the afterlife, I’d still tell him the same thing — I don’t care at all.”

Despite claiming not to care, his voice was trembling. 

Gu Yu responded emotionlessly, “There’s no such thing as the afterlife. He stopped resenting you long ago and can’t hear you anymore.”

His father was silent for a long time. When he spoke again, he forced himself to maintain the calmness expected of an adult. “Let’s not talk about him.”

Then, steadying his trembling breath, he changed the subject. “No matter what, I’m still your father, and I’m right.”

He sounded cold and certain. “You have my blood in you, son. Do you really think that relationship with that omega will last?”

Gu Yu clenched his jaw and replied, “It’s none of your concern. As for Song Yizhi, there’s no room for negotiation. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”

But at this moment, his father said, “I contacted you first out of respect because you’re an adult now. But do you really think I don’t know that omega’s number?”

Shen Jin froze for a moment. Gu Yu’s father continued, “Shen Jin from the Esports Department at C University, your former classmate from No. 5 High School. His father, Shen Yuecheng, is a technician at a packaging factory, and his mother works in property management at a mall. They live at 55 Ping’an East Street, Building 1, Apartment 602. His current phone number is 13XXXXXXXXX, correct?”

While the Gu and Song families didn’t have much influence in C City, they had strong connections in F District, and Gu Yu’s father clearly knew all of Shen Jin’s details.

Shen Jin’s breathing stopped, and Gu Yu struggled to suppress his anger. “What are you trying to do?”

His father replied, “If you can’t convince him, I can help. For a family with such modest means raising four children, you can tell him that Uncle Song is willing to offer money.”

Gu Yu’s brow furrowed tightly, and his palms began to burn with anger.

Not wanting Gu Yu to face this alone, Shen Jin thought for a moment and then spoke, “Hello, Uncle Gu.”

Gu Yu was momentarily stunned, and his father on the other end of the line was equally taken aback before letting out a soft laugh. “So, you’re there. You heard everything?”

He paused for half a second before speaking again, “How much do you need? Just tell me.”

As long as it didn’t involve his late wife, Gu Yu’s father’s voice remained calm and steady, just like now, as though he wasn’t speaking to his son’s boyfriend, someone he’d never met.

Shen Jin signaled to the anxious Gu Yu that there was no need to worry. He maintained his politeness towards the elder and responded, “Uncle Gu, I understand how you must feel right now, but in this matter, I will only speak the truth. I won’t forgive Du Jun or Song Yizhi. If they can’t face their mistakes and correct them, I fear more people will be harmed. So, I hope… you can understand me as well.”

He politely declined Gu Yu’s father’s offer. Just as the atmosphere grew tense, the assistant’s voice came through the phone, asking subtly if he could close the door.

“Don’t call me by my name when I’m on the phone,” Gu Yu’s father replied, seemingly covering the microphone. His voice had softened considerably. “You go out first… I’ll call you when I need you.”

Hearing this, Gu Yu suddenly let out a cold laugh. “What’s this? The great Gu now knows how to take care of his health and stay home?”

His father’s breathing grew heavier, and he was clearly enraged.

This time, he didn’t respond to Gu Yu but instead aimed his ire at Shen Jin. “Fine, anyway, he’s only with you for your money. But let me tell you, he’ll never enter the Gu family, and he won’t get a cent from us. The only real money he’ll get is from your Uncle Song — when he comes to his senses, he can call me.”

The dial tone rang sharply in their ears — Gu Yu’s father had hung up, clearly feeling there was nothing more to discuss.

Shen Jin swallowed, unsure of how to explain that he wasn’t after Gu Yu’s money. But before he could speak, Gu Yu pulled him into a tight embrace and took a deep breath. “They threatened the victim. I recorded it. We’ll deal with it if necessary.”

Shen Jin was momentarily stunned before clutching Gu Yu’s shirt tightly and asking in a daze, “But about the money… aren’t you going to ask?”