After the Young Master’s Death, He was Kissed by His Mortal Enemy! (BL) - Chapter 4

Following beside Cheng Yi, Shen Ran felt an almost surreal sense of freedom—as if he’d finally seen the light of day again.

Who would’ve thought he’d live to see the day he could step outside his apartment again?

Well… maybe not “live”—but still.

Soon, however, Shen Ran realized something odd: he could only stay near Cheng Yi.

Whenever he tried to move more than five meters away, his spirit would be involuntarily pulled toward Cheng Yi, as if caught in his gravitational field.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break free.

Shen Ran couldn’t make sense of it, but he quickly accepted reality.

After all, he was now just a wandering ghost, unwanted and alone. Even if he could leave Cheng Yi’s side, there was nowhere for him to go.

At least Cheng Yi—despite his venomous tongue—cared a little… right?

Shen Ran wasn’t so sure.

Or rather, after everything he’d been through, he wasn’t sure he could believe he deserved to be loved anymore.

But that doubt didn’t last long—because soon, Shen Ran was convinced Cheng Yi cared.

He never expected Secretary Wang to work so quickly.

Once they got in the car, Wang pulled out his laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard. In no time, he found a lead.

“President Cheng, take a look.”

Wang turned the screen toward Cheng Yi. “I tried pulling surveillance footage from this building for the past week, but I found a chunk of it had been deleted.”

That man in black was thorough, all right. He’d covered his tracks and wiped the evidence.

What Wang didn’t know was that he looked like an ordinary assistant, but three years ago, Cheng Yi had paid a fortune to recruit him—a top-tier hacker.

“I managed to restore the deleted footage. This is likely what happened that day. Shen Ran… he—”

Cheng Yi said nothing, eyes glued to the screen. The cold blue light reflected off his face, highlighting the deepening gloom in his expression.

He could see it clearly—the group leaving the apartment, dragging a suitcase large enough to fit a person.

But Shen Ran wasn’t dead.
Cheng Yi refused to believe it.

Maybe he was just knocked out. Maybe…

Cheng Yi glanced at the timestamp.
Shen Ran was taken exactly a week ago—
The same day Cheng Yi had just returned from a business trip.

“President Cheng… is it possible that Shen Ran is already…” Wang hesitated.

“No.” Cheng Yi cut him off firmly. “Someone like him… won’t die so easily.”

Yet Wang clearly noticed it—Cheng Yi’s fingers trembled, ever so slightly.

As if to disprove his own fears, Cheng Yi closed the laptop and made a call.

He held the phone to his ear. The line connected quickly, and an overly cheerful voice rang out:

“Well, well! Cheng Yi! This is rare! Usually I’m the one calling you for drinks, and now you’re reaching out to me?”

“I’m not in the mood for jokes. I have something to ask.”

Earlier today, Wei Hailan had told him something happened to Shen Ran.

But how did Wei Hailan know?

“You seriously don’t know?” Wei Hailan raised his voice. “Those guys are bad news, Cheng Yi—operating in the grey zone in City A. They’re dangerous as hell! They came to K City a few days ago to collect on debts. Word is, Shen Ran’s already dead, and if the Shen couple doesn’t show themselves soon, they’ll make sure his corpse won’t be intact!”

“That news got out days ago. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Cheng Yi’s voice turned icy, nearly freezing over the call.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Wei Hailan’s tone quickly sobered.

“I only heard about it today. You know how it is—rumors like these, you can’t always tell what’s true or not. It could’ve been a scare tactic to flush out Shen Ran’s parents. Might not even be real.”

“Do you know where these debt collectors are now?” Cheng Yi asked.

“I do… but wait—Cheng Yi, don’t tell me you’re actually going after them?!”

Wei Hailan’s voice shot up an octave in alarm.

“Have you lost your mind?! These people are ruthless—heartless monsters! If you go after them, you’ll end up dead!”

“I have to go.” Cheng Yi’s voice was low, but unshakable. “I’m going to save Shen Ran. He can’t be dead.”

The image of Shen Ran being shoved into a suitcase burned in Cheng Yi’s mind. He clenched his fists, a silent vow forming in his heart.

“You mean him? Shen Ran?”
Wei Hailan drew a sharp breath. “Cheng Yi, those people are madmen! You seriously like Shen Ran that much? The only way you’ll walk away alive is if you admit you’re the illegitimate son of the Cheng family!”

“Yes.”
Cheng Yi’s response was immediate and unwavering. “I like Shen Ran—more than anyone. That’s why I have to bring him back.”

Wei Hailan practically exploded. “Even if the only thing you’re bringing back is a corpse—”

“Impossible.” Cheng Yi cut him off again, voice firm.

“You’d risk exposing yourself as Cheng family’s illegitimate son? You’d throw away everything?”

“So what if I do.”

The line went silent for a moment. Then came a rustling noise, and Wei Hailan’s resigned sigh.

“Fine, fine! I give up! You win! I’ll come find you!”

“You’re coming too?” Cheng Yi frowned. “You don’t have to. Like you said, it’s dangerous.”

“Cut the crap! I’m not letting you charge in there alone like some idiot! Picking a fight with those lunatics—Cheng Yi, you’re insane!”

The two of them continued to argue, but Shen Ran could barely hear the rest.

What echoed through his mind was only Cheng Yi’s voice, steady and certain:

Yes. I like Shen Ran.

Cheng Yi… liked him?

The same Cheng Yi who always fought with him, always mocked him with that poisonous tongue—
Liked him?

And not just liked him—he was willing to face those maniacs, risking everything for a near-zero chance that Shen Ran might still be alive.

How… was that possible?

Secretary Wang turned the car around, racing toward an unknown destination.

K City Outskirts.

An abandoned crematorium—long forgotten—was suddenly up and running again.

On the surface, everything seemed normal. But the shadowy figures moving in and out of the grounds hinted at something far more sinister.

Inside, the cremation furnace roared, the air thick and stifling with heat.

A subordinate approached the man in black, bowing respectfully.
“Boss, it’s been seven days. The Shen couple still hasn’t shown. Should we… deal with the body?”

The man in black nodded, his voice indifferent. “Throw it in. Burn it.”

“Yes, Boss!”

Shen Ran’s body was carried toward the furnace. The man in black watched in silence.

Suddenly—the roar of engines shattered the stillness, growing louder as they approached.

“Who are you?! You can’t come in—ARGH!”

Amid screams and chaos, the main gate burst open. A motorcycle came to a screeching halt right in front of the furnace.

Cheng Yi ripped off his helmet and tossed it to Wei Hailan. Striding forward, he barked, “Where’s Shen Ran?”

The man in black didn’t answer. He simply jerked his chin toward the furnace.

Cheng Yi turned—and his pupils contracted sharply.

The blazing flames danced before his eyes.

Firelight flickered in his pupils—searing, as if burning straight into his soul.