Chapter 29: Putting on a Front

Yan Jiecheng could practically visualize He Yuzhu’s stern, cold face staring at him through the door crack.

"Yan Jiecheng, get out here!" He Yuzhu’s voice echoed outside, carrying an unquestionable authority.

A few seconds later, Yan Jiecheng was half-pushed, half-dragged to the doorway by his father. He wore a heavy military overcoat, yet it was not enough to ward off the biting cold of the winter night. His teeth chattered incessantly, and his voice came out muffled: "What... what do you even want with me?"

He Yuzhu stood at the threshold, hands in his pockets, a playful glint in his eyes. He pointed at the new leather shoes on Yan Jiecheng’s feet and curled his lip into a cold smirk. "Yan Jiecheng, those are some nice shoes you’ve got there. Where did you buy them?"

Yan Jiecheng’s heart tightened; he knew He Yuzhu was implying something. Still, he forced a sense of calm, attempting to defuse the awkwardness with a joke: "Oh, Brother He, what are you talking about? I was just afraid you’d laugh at me, so I bought a new pair to look presentable."

He Yuzhu clearly wasn't buying it. He stepped forward and slammed his foot down onto Yan Jiecheng’s shoe with such force that Yan gasped in pain. "Enough with the runaround. Tell me, did you use Xu Damao’s money to buy those?"

Yan Jiecheng’s expression shifted; he hadn't expected He Yuzhu to be so blunt. As he pushed against He Yuzhu’s foot, he stammered, "What... what nonsense are you spouting? How... how could I be using his money?"

*Ouch!*

Yan Jiecheng let out a pained groan, doubling over and clutching his foot as his face twisted in agony. The moment he had denied using Xu Damao’s money, He Yuzhu had stomped on his foot without hesitation.

He Yuzhu’s gaze turned razor-sharp. He grabbed Yan Jiecheng by the collar, hoisting him up like a chick until their noses were almost touching. He enunciated every word: "Yan Jiecheng, listen closely. I’m counting to three. If you keep hiding things and don’t tell me the truth, don’t blame me for being ruthless! I won’t hold back, and I’ll make sure you end up picking your teeth up off the floor!"

Yan Jiecheng trembled under the sheer intensity of He Yuzhu’s presence. He knew well the reputation He Yuzhu held in the courtyard—a "God of War" who had fought since childhood and never met his match. Memories of He Yuzhu’s past "glorious achievements" flashed through his mind, deepening his terror.

Pale and sweating, Yan Jiecheng stammered, "I’ll tell the truth, just don’t hit me, I’ll tell you everything." He lowered his head, unable to meet He Yuzhu’s eyes. "These shoes... they were indeed bought with money from Xu Damao. He gave it to me to keep his secret."

He Yuzhu’s brows furrowed, his eyes flashing with sharpness. "What secret? Explain."

Yan Jiecheng swallowed hard, his body trembling. "He... he ruined your television by pouring water on it, and he paid me to stay quiet."

"Yan Jiecheng, you really are something!" He Yuzhu’s voice was filled with a mixture of rage and exasperation. "You actually dared to hide this from me, and after seeing Xu Damao ruin my TV, you had the audacity to demand hush money? Do you think I’m dead?"

Yan Jiecheng’s heart sank. He had thought that spilling the truth would buy him a night of peace, but he hadn't expected He Yuzhu to be so relentless, dragging him straight to Xu Damao’s doorstep for a confrontation. Standing outside Xu Damao’s door in the howling wind of the deep night, Yan felt a sense of dread.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!* He Yuzhu pounded his fist against the door, each strike feeling like a hammer on Yan Jiecheng’s heart. He feared that if He Yuzhu kicked the door in, the situation would become entirely uncontrollable.

Fortunately, Xu Damao was wise enough to open the door in a panic before it could be kicked down. Seeing He Yuzhu and Yan Jiecheng standing there, his face instantly turned sour. "He Yuzhu, what are you doing? It’s the middle of the night, acting like a marauding soldier—can’t a man get some sleep?" Xu Damao scolded, feigning composure.

"Sleep? You have the nerve to talk about sleep?" He Yuzhu sneered, shoving Yan Jiecheng in front of him. "Look who this is! He saw you with his own eyes pouring water on my television!"

Yan Jiecheng grinned sheepishly and gave a dry laugh at Xu Damao. "Damao, you can’t blame me. He Yuzhu threatened me, said he’d be ruthless if I didn't tell the truth. I had no choice but to spill it."

Hearing this, Xu Damao’s eyes widened like brass bells. "What? You... you actually betrayed me?"

He reached out to snatch the leather shoes off Yan Jiecheng’s feet—the "hush money" he had paid. Yan Jiecheng naturally wouldn't let go, and the two began to scuffle.

Watching them, He Yuzhu felt a splitting headache coming on. He irritably shoved them both apart and glared at Xu Damao. "Cut the act! Forget the shoes for a second; let’s settle the business with the television!"

"You ruined my TV and thought you could act like nothing happened? Not a chance!" He Yuzhu’s tone was thick with fury.

Xu Damao, realizing he was cornered, decided to go all out. "Hmph! You say I ruined it? What proof do you have? Don't think that just because you brought Yan Jiecheng here, you can push me around!" He looked at He Yuzhu with a shameless expression. "I’m not admitting to anything. What can you do about it? I’ll even say you’ve got a grudge against me and teamed up with Yan Jiecheng to frame me!"

Watching Xu Damao’s "dead pig doesn't fear boiling water" attitude, He Yuzhu’s face darkened even further. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his emotions. "Xu Damao, don't think that just because I lack physical evidence, I can't deal with you. I’m telling you, while it’s true that catching a thief requires catching the loot, public opinion can drown a man just as easily!"

"If you want to play the 'deny everything' card, then I’ll tell everyone I meet about the dirty things you’ve done. I’d like to see whose face is thicker, yours or mine! Don't blame me for not warning you—you’re going to lose every shred of dignity you have!"

Hearing this, Xu Damao began to panic. He forced a calm facade. "He Yuzhu, stop with the threats! Don't go shouting if you don't have proof! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

He Yuzhu stood before his own door, his gaze burning as he stared directly at Xu Damao. The air between them was thick with tension and confrontation, as if a storm were about to break.