Blue Cocktail chapter 50

A black SUV sped through the night.

Classic Cantonese songs played on the car stereo.

On the central console sat a gold-plated Maitreya Buddha, with a round face, large ears, and a kind and dignified expression.

Cheng Shuo had a splitting headache.

Struggling to open his eyes, he found his hands bound behind his back. A strong and muscular bodyguard sat to his left. Hearing his movements, the bodyguard immediately turned to stare at him, a face neither angry nor friendly but imposing.

This must be the person who attacked him just now!

Cheng Shuo raised his eyes and saw Mr. Cao’s narrow eyes in the rearview mirror.

They locked eyes.

In the passenger seat, Mr. Cao turned his head with a smirk. Fat layers piled up on his neck. “Awake, huh?”

Cheng Shuo instantly figured out the cause and effect. Mr. Cao had his bodyguard knock him out and take him away. The purpose was clear; Mr. Cao wanted to play with him for the night.

He made a wrong decision.

Cheng Shuo thought he shouldn’t have actually gone to the restroom after finding an excuse to leave. If he had gone somewhere else, the result might not have been like this.

He underestimated Mr. Cao’s interest in him. Moreover, Mr. Cao could easily take him out of the hotel without alerting anyone. He suspected there were Mr. Cao’s people in the hotel, acting as insiders and helping to cover up.

But regret was useless now.

Jumping from the car was a dead end in this situation. He had no way to escape and could only take it one step at a time, prioritizing his survival.

Cheng Shuo dared not provoke Mr. Cao. He used almost every muscle in his face to squeeze out a smile that looked gentle and pleasing, concealing any flaws. In a softened tone, he said, “Mr. Cao, what are you doing?”

As the saying goes, don’t hit a smiling person. Mr. Cao raised his eyebrows and explained with a smiling face, “I want to take you to the hotel I invested in. It’s a hundred times better than today’s hotel, but I’m afraid you won’t want to go.”

“Why wouldn’t I want to?”

Cheng Shuo forced a smile on his face to avoid revealing any flaws.

“If wanted to take me, you could have just said it. I would definitely have gone with you willingly.”

Unexpectedly, Mr. Cao clicked his tongue, “But judging by your reaction just now, it doesn’t seem like you would have.”

“No, no, you misunderstood.” Cheng Shuo felt that his face was about to stiffen from the forced smile. “Although I am an art student, I am only at an amateur level. I don’t have much talent. If you talk to me about academics, want to buy my paintings, I’m afraid that if I speak or pick up a brush, it will expose my mediocre skills and leave a bad impression on you.”

“I see.” Mr. Cao nodded, and his double chin appeared and disappeared. It was hard to tell if he believed it.

Cheng Shuo lowered his eyes, his gaze subtly sweeping over his pocket, surprised to find that his phone hadn’t been taken away.

Perhaps they thought, with his hands tied and a bodyguard watching him, he couldn’t successfully make a call for help.

Hopefully, the battery hadn’t run out yet.

The rope tied to his wrists wasn’t too tight and had some slack. Cheng Shuo straightened his body, and his right middle finger reached towards the side of his pants, trying to feel the raised power button.

Through the fabric, he touched the protruding power button.

One, two, three, four, five.

Five quick presses.

In an emergency, the phone would automatically send a text message to emergency contacts, including an accurate location, and make a call—all done in silence.

He didn’t know if he succeeded.

However, the bodyguard caught his movements, “What are you doing?”

“My back itches.” Cheng Shuo awkwardly smiled, “I want to scratch it but can’t reach.”

“I’ll help you then.” Mr. Cao in the front passenger seat suggested, “Li, the driver, find a place to stop the car immediately. Since the handsome guy is awake, let me and Xiao Wei switch positions. I’ll personally help scratch that itch.”

“Mr. Cao!”

Cheng Shuo blurted out in urgency.

Mr. Cao squinted slightly, “What’s wrong?”

Cheng Shuo forced himself to calm down, his brain quickly working. When he caught sight of the Maitreya Buddha, he immediately had an idea. Suppressing any trembling in his voice, he said, “I believe in Buddhism.”

In one breath, he continued, “If you and I engage in intimate behavior in front of the Buddha, it would be a great disrespect to him. I am a small person, and even if it affects my future fortune, I am more afraid of implicating you!”

Mr. Cao was momentarily surprised at the words and then fell silent.

Cheng Shuo’s heart suddenly pounded rapidly.

After a few seconds, Mr. Cao’s voice sounded again, “You’re right.”

Cheng Shuo silently breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if he had survived a disaster.

He had gambled correctly; Mr. Cao was a Buddhist believer.

“Thank you for reminding me.”

Mr. Cao immediately clasped his hands together, reciting a couple of Amitabha Buddhas, acknowledging his wrongdoing.

Cheng Shuo’s bound hands also came together, and he mumbled along, pretending.

The car fell silent again.

Only the non-stop tunes from the ’90s echoed in their ears.

Cheng Shuo remained silent for a while, then mustered the courage to ask, “Mr. Cao, how much longer until we arrive?”

Mr. Cao chuckled, “Can’t wait?”

Cheng Shuo mimicked Tang Yi’s tone when calling Huaiqian, pinching his throat, “Mr. Cao—”

After saying that, he felt nauseous and wanted to vomit.

“Haha, about fifteen minutes more.”

Cheng Shuo dared not ask further. Asking more would likely expose a flaw.

The time on the car’s navigation system was ticking away second by second, visible to the naked eye.

Fifteen minutes felt like a century, yet also like a fleeting moment.

They arrived at the hotel.

Cheng Shuo was pushed out of the car by the bodyguard.

In the garage, Mr. Cao stood in front of him and reached out to touch Cheng Shuo’s face.

Cheng Shuo resisted the urge to turn his head away, staying still.

With a smile, Mr. Cao said, “This is the hotel I invested in. Everyone inside is under my command. Don’t worry; I’ve already informed them. They will take good care of you.”

“I understand.”

“You’re such a good kid, very obedient.”

“I mean you no harm. I didn’t tie you too tightly, fearing it might hurt your wrists. I’ll untie you now, but don’t run around.” Mr. Cao bent down to untie the knot on Cheng Shuo’s wrists, casually adding some compliments, “Cooperate well, and there will be a reward for you afterward.”

“Mmm.” Cheng Shuo nodded.

At this moment, the driver also got out of the car, joining the bodyguard and Mr. Cao to surround Cheng Shuo.

Mr. Cao lowered his gaze, first ambiguously assessing Cheng Shuo’s crotch, then shifted his focus. He reached out and pulled Cheng Shuo’s phone out of his pocket—

Cheng Shuo couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

His heart was pounding in his throat.

If the call wasn’t disconnected, the phone might still be in silent mode.

“Why no response?”

Mr. Cao pressed the power button twice, “Haha, turns out it’s out of battery.”

Cheng Shuo’s suspended heart temporarily dropped. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Mr. Cao tossed the phone to the driver, “Hold onto the phone for him. We’ll give it back after we’re done.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the bodyguard behind Cheng Shuo started pushing him forward.

They didn’t enter through the main entrance but through the emergency exit.

Cheng Shuo couldn’t see the name of the hotel, and he didn’t know exactly where he was being taken.

The three finally stopped at room A404 of a certain hotel, where a service staff member was already waiting at the door, handing a room key to Mr. Cao.

He impatiently pushed open the door, without saying a word, he tackled Cheng Shuo onto the bed.

The movement was predatory.

Cheng Shuo pretended to be compliant. When Mr. Cao was about to undress him, Cheng Shuo instinctively pushed him away, “Mr. Cao!”

Mr. Cao frowned, and in the small slits of his eyes, a hint of displeasure for being interrupted was revealed.

Cheng Shuo spoke softly, “let’s take a shower first, okay?”

Seeing no clear response, he had to continue, “You don’t have to wash; it’s me. I need to freshen up first. I’m afraid if we delay, it might affect your experience later. So, I would rather offend you now and be honest with you,” Cheng Shuo tried to show a bit of shyness, “I… I’ve had some stomach issues recently, always having diarrhea!”

Mr. Cao heard this, and his face twisted for a moment, as if recalling some unpleasant experience. He wrinkled his brow and waved his hand, “Then go wash quickly; don’t dawdle!”

Taking a shower was just a delaying tactic. Cheng Shuo intentionally prolonged the shower time, but Mr. Cao wasn’t a fool. The first time there was a prompt from outside, Cheng Shuo could still use the excuse that he hadn’t finished washing.

By the time the second prompt sounded, Cheng Shuo knew that he couldn’t procrastinate any longer. Otherwise, Mr. Cao might burst in at any moment, helping him wash or not.

Cheng Shuo came out without even wearing clothes. He wrapped a towel around his waist. Walking up to Mr. Cao, the towel was immediately pulled away.

The dirty hands began to grope, and Cheng Shuo resisted the nausea from being touched. He had to pretend to enjoy it fully. He half-opened his eyes and saw Mr. Cao’s phone hanging upside down on the bedside table.

Until the fingertips of the other person followed his spine down.

It was about to touch—

The body’s rejection was subconscious, especially since he had similar experiences before. Cheng Shuo couldn’t help but exclaim, “No!”

Mr. Cao’s face darkened, feeling disappointed, “What’s wrong again?”

“I,” Cheng Shuo pursed his lips, using all his acting skills, “I have to be honest with you; this concerns your life’s safety.”

“Actually… I’m sick!”

“What?” Mr. Cao asked.

Cheng Shuo hesitated, “I have AIDS.”

“If I infect you, I will feel guilty in my conscience.”

Mr. Cao didn’t care, “It’s okay, I’ll have someone bring over a condom. Afterward, I’ll take some preventive medicine.”

He thought for a moment, then scolded irritably and spat to the side, “But it’s true that it’s not as enjoyable with a condom.”

Cheng Shuo hesitated, “But I heard that safe sex and preventive medicine are not one hundred percent effective. Anyway, I’m beyond salvation now. You’re in the prime of your life, and for momentary pleasure, in case, in case you risk your future, ah…”

He hesitated, not finishing his sentence.

Mr. Cao remained calm, “Are you lying to me?”

He suspiciously looked at Cheng Shuo, “You don’t seem like someone promiscuous. How did you get AIDS at such a young age?”

Cheng Shuo squeezed out two nonexistent teardrops, looking pitiful, “Blame it on my ex-boyfriend. He was a promiscuous radish, fooling around outside. He got sick and didn’t tell me, and now I’m infected.”

“When I think about it, if he had been honest with me earlier, I wouldn’t be sick. I feel so sad because of him; he ruined my life. So, I decided to be honest with you. I can’t let you go through the same pain as me.”

“What’s your ex-boyfriend’s name?”

Cheng Shuo casually made up a name, “Song Yuan.”

Mr. Cao still couldn’t fully believe it, “You’re sick, why didn’t you say it earlier?”

Cheng Shuo continued to squeeze out tears, “How could I say it? People discriminate against those with AIDS. Of course, I hope as few people as possible know about my illness. But I also don’t want to harm anyone. Buddha says we should do good and accumulate virtue. If I do something bad, I’ll go to hell in the future!”

Mr. Cao remained silent for a long time.

Observing his reaction, Cheng Shuo tried to convince him further, “But then I thought about it. Nowadays, technology is so advanced. The success rate with condoms and preventive medicine is already high. I believe your luck won’t be that bad. If you really want to, go ahead. Since you don’t mind, why should I!”

Mr. Cao glanced at Cheng Shuo, paused for a few seconds, and said, “Forget it.”

“With technology so advanced, AIDS is still incurable.”

“Besides, it’s not a must. We can do something else.”

Cheng Shuo saw him use his left middle finger to unlock the phone, not knowing who he called. “Bring my precious box up here, the sooner, the better.”

Two minutes later, a wooden box was delivered by the hotel staff.

The box looked heavy.

Mr. Cao opened the box with one hand, pushed it in front of Cheng Shuo, and held Cheng Shuo’s waist with the other hand. “See if there’s anything you like inside. Let’s give it a try.”

Cheng Shuo took a peek inside.

Damn!

This is a sadist!

No wonder… no wonder he untied the knot on his wrist so skillfully.

“What’s wrong? Nothing you like in there? Or are you shy?” Mr. Cao suddenly asked in his ear, leaning close.

Cheng Shuo forced a smile, not knowing how to answer.

“If you don’t like anything, let me choose what I like.” Mr. Cao comforted him, “Don’t worry, I’m skilled. I know the boundaries, and I promise you’ll enjoy it. Just cooperate with me; I won’t hurt you. The hotel has good soundproofing. You can shout however you want later; there’s no need to be shy.”

Cheng Shuo’s pupils shrank.

If he were really tied up, he definitely wouldn’t be able to escape!

In the next moment, the other party suddenly pressed on top of him.

Mr. Cao bent down to lift his hair behind his neck, creating a temporary blind spot in his line of sight.

Now’s the time!

Cheng Shuo grabbed the wooden box and smashed it at his head. He struck several times in a row until blood seeped out, then rolled over, straddling Mr. Cao’s waist.

Mr. Cao shouted for someone to come, luckily, the hotel’s soundproofing was good, and the staff hadn’t heard it yet.

Cheng Shuo seized his neck from behind, smashing again. Mr. Cao temporarily lost consciousness. He grabbed Mr. Cao’s left middle finger to unlock the phone.

He found the SOS emergency assistance under the emergency call option.

【Emergency assistance function enabled】

【When dialing an emergency number, the system will automatically obtain your location and send it to the police via SMS or the internet】

Cheng Shuo quickly dialed 110, his fingers trembling.

The call was answered.

“I’ve been kidnapped; I’m in a hotel room, room A404—”

The person beneath him suddenly turned over.

Mr. Cao took advantage of Cheng Shuo’s distraction, kicking the phone away with one swift motion, shattering the screen!

A voice came from the phone, “Hello, can you hear me—”

Mr. Cao stomped on the phone with his shoe, crushing the screen into pieces. His facial expression instantly became ferocious.

He slowly approached Cheng Shuo, “Kidnapping? Do you have evidence? You little slut, you dare to call the police. Do you think I’m afraid of you?”

Cheng Shuo firmly held onto the edge of the wooden box, stepping back step by step.

Mr. Cao’s back of the head was still bleeding; it probably wouldn’t hold for much longer. As long as he could hold on until the police arrived, he would be saved. The premise was that he shouldn’t cause too much commotion to avoid being discovered by the hotel staff.

Mr. Cao suddenly pounced.

At the same time, the sound of the door lock turning echoed in the room.

Cheng Shuo heard the sound, and his heart skipped a beat.

Is it the hotel staff?

How did they find out so quickly?

Outnumbered, what should he do next? Can he escape?

In the next moment, the door was kicked open, and he vaguely saw someone running towards them. Cheng Shuo had no time to think. His heart sank; he was done for. He would soon be knocked unconscious by the newcomer—

Suddenly, there was a scream from Mr. Cao.

“Ah—”

Lu Huaiqian kicked Mr. Cao’s beer belly and aimed three more kicks at his crotch, each more ruthless than the last.

Mr. Cao had gone mad as well, wrestling fiercely with Lu Huaiqian, exhibiting an air of facing death with determination.

Cheng Shuo seemed to hear the sound of bones breaking. Without even putting on clothes, he hurriedly joined to help Lu Huaiqian.

Working together, they forced Mr. Cao’s hands behind his back, and the ropes on the bed finally came in handy.

Cheng Shuo pressed down on him tightly. Only when Lu Huaiqian finished tying him up did Cheng Shuo dare to let go.

Hearing Mr. Cao’s incoherent curses, Cheng Shuo went to the bathroom, grabbed the towel he had used earlier, and stuffed it into his mouth. Still unsatisfied, he kicked him in the crotch again.

Suddenly, a long windbreaker appeared on Cheng Shuo, covering his naked body.

Lu Huaiqian’s voice was hoarse, hands gripping Cheng Shuo’s arms, “Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?”

Cheng Shuo shook his head silently.

He could feel that Lu Huaiqian’s hands were trembling.

So, Cheng Shuo thought for a moment and comforted him, “he just groped and touched me a bit; I didn’t suffer any major losses.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Huaiqian pulled him into his arms.

He pressed his chin on Cheng Shuo’s shoulders, holding him tightly, as if unwilling to leave any gaps.

Lu Huaiqian was trembling uncontrollably, even his voice, “I’m sorry, I came too late.”

Accustomed to seeing Lu Huaiqian’s confident demeanor, Cheng Shuo witnessed him in fear for the first time. Suddenly, he felt a bit at a loss, or more precisely, he didn’t know how to respond.

Cheng Shuo simply used his usual approach and teased back, “Clearly, I’m the one who got tied up. Why do you seem more scared than me?”

However, Lu Huaiqian tightened his embrace even more, as if he would never let go again.

He said, “Cheng Shuo, I’ve never been this scared.”

“Fortunately, you’re okay.”

Lu Huaiqian murmured softly.

His throat was dry, paused for a moment, sounding like he choked up a bit. He repeated, “Fortunately… you’re okay.”