Before this, Blanc had already experienced the sensation of being absorbed by Vanga, but this time was completely different from the last. Previously, Vanga seemed to have only "tasted" his flavor, but this time it was thorough, inside and out, a thorough cleansing and flushing.
The deep cold that always lingered in Blanc's heart surged like a wave, and the backflowing seawater rushed madly into Vanga, but without them, Blanc felt not discomfort but instead started to feel warm, hot, and soft, as if his whole body was immersed in a hot spring, unspeakably comfortable.
Only now did he realize more profoundly—how the things that Vanga had completely sucked out would impact his health and life. Previously, he was like a dry, moldy, completely lifeless dead branch; now he was exposed to the sun, rid of the mold that would cause him to slowly decay, then soaked in clear spring water, revitalizing dormant cells, sprouting tender green buds.
The deep cold was replaced by warmth, deathly aura expelled by vitality, and Blanc, imprisoned between Vanga's arms, seemed to have only this small space to maneuver, yet it was like he had glimpsed a peculiar vast world. He gazed straight at the man before him, his mind in chaos but his heart gradually growing warm.
It seemed like a long time had passed, but it was actually just over ten minutes when Vanga stopped sucking and revealed a slightly intoxicated expression. Confined in his embrace, Blanc suppressed the shock in his heart and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is it over?" He was sweating all over now, the sweat steamed by his high body temperature, making him look disheveled, yet showing an unprecedented sense of comfort and laziness.
Without the sinister, bad luck, and gloomy influences, he felt that his blood and marrow were driven by vigorous vitality, boiling. If circumstances permitted, he could ascend a mountain peak of several thousand meters in one breath, and this feeling was extraordinarily wonderful!
Vanga also savored the feeling of being filled with both body and spirit. He slowly backed away, smiling contentedly. "It should be enough to bring you good luck for a long time, Mr. Blanc."
Blanc immediately realized the implication behind his words, but did not feel disappointed. "Is there no permanent solution?" In fact, he was not fixated on a permanent solution at the moment, because Vanga was a very good collaborator.
"No, your destiny cannot be changed, so those sinister and bad luck auras will continue to be produced from your body until they accumulate to a certain extent. When that happens, you can come back to me." Vanga continued to step back, waving his bright hand in the night.
Blanc followed him all the way and took a long time to speak, "Goodbye." Then he thought of something, and his dull eyes suddenly lit up. "Shall I buy the house you're currently renting and transfer it to your name? I know you don't have a proper residence right now."
Vanga shook his head. "No need, I won't be staying here long."
Blanc's shining eyes were instantly extinguished.
Vanga thought for a moment and said, "However, I have a small matter to consult with Mr. Blanc about."
Blanc immediately nodded, eager to say, "Go ahead!"
The two of them slowly moved away from each other, like a couple in love reluctantly parting ways. The group of bodyguards surrounded them, but did not disturb the tranquil and content atmosphere between them.
"Mr. Blanc, do you know Shen Youquan, Mr. Shen?" Vanga could sidestep all the obstacles without even looking back.
Trying to hold him back, protect him, Blanc regretfully withdrew his hand and nodded. "I do, he is the Asia-Pacific CEO of the KN Group. The KN Group controls seven luxury brands. If you're interested in endorsing them, I can help arrange and negotiate for you. Also, do you need resources? Do you want to film, do advertisements, or take part in variety shows? I can help you with that!"
Blanc expressed his desires eagerly. He wanted to provide the greatest help and care to this person within his capacity, not for the other person's ability, nor for his own benefit, but simply because he wanted to do so. In his cold, distressing, and painful life, Vanga had given him the greatest warmth and was his only hope.
Vanga declined, "I don't need resources, and I don't want to film. I have two lawsuits to deal with the KN Group. Going to court is not a good idea, so I'm wondering if we can settle out of court."
"Can I mediate for you?" Blanc nearly begged. "I have some influence in the business world, and Shen Youquan should agree to my invitation. We can find a private place to talk, and I can handle all the details for you." In fact, settling out of court was not as simple as he made it sound. Face was not enough, nor were negotiations. Paying the breach of contract penalties was the right solution. As long as enough money was given, the plaintiff could withdraw the suit immediately, and money was the least of Blanc's concerns.
Vanga refused, "No, for now, I'm not ready to meet with him. Do you have his information? Can you show it to me? I want to understand this person first."
Blanc once again felt deeply disappointed. He had feared Vanga's excessive demands before coming, but now he realized that what made him even more uncomfortable than excessive demands was the lack of any demands from the other person. He suppressed those strange emotions and said eagerly, "I'll have someone gather his information for you right away."
"Then I'll thank you in advance, Mr. Blanc." Vanga backed away and walked to a street lamp, his smiling face gleaming in the dim light. "This is as far as you need to send me, until next time. Oh, thank you for creating a good reputation for me on the internet. The concept of a character assessment machine is quite interesting."
Blanc had to stand in the same spot, forcing out a stiff smile and saying goodbye, you're welcome, and no need to thank me, but his heart was heavy. He stared blankly as the figure walked further and further away, until it disappeared into the twilight.
Several burly bodyguards surrounded him and waited, but even after waiting for over ten minutes, he didn't budge an inch. Judging by the appearance, it seemed like he wanted to stand under the light beam of the streetlamp all night. Was it just a kiss? Why was he so obsessed with it?
Vanga was unaware that someone was fretting over his departure. He climbed the stairs as usual, then listened for any movements within the building. Those who could move away had left, and those remaining either had unspeakable secrets or were immersed in this gloomy environment.
On the fourth floor, the mother-in-law, father-in-law, and son were still tormenting the woman at the lowest rung of the family, and her husband never appeared throughout this; on the seventh floor, the husband was still beating his wife, and surely the household furnishings had been replaced once again; when he reached the fourteenth floor, Vanga stopped at the stairs because two women were fiercely fighting over the male occupant of the fourteenth floor, while the male occupant, although persuading them both, revealed through his sly smirk and smiling eyes that he was feeling pleased.
Undoubtedly, he was enjoying this moment; the jealousy, heartbreak, unwillingness, and pain of two women had become a delicacy placed on the table, providing him with a great deal of spiritual satisfaction.
Finally, he pulled one of the girls into his arms, saying to the other, "Have you had enough of your tantrum? You have really worn me out! Every single minute I spent with you made me miserable and almost suffocated me. I've told you before, I don't believe in love, and I can't possibly wholeheartedly love someone. Let me go!"
"I don't want to! How can I live without you?" The abandoned woman cried until her makeup ran, looking extremely disheveled, yet she still held onto the man's clothes, unwilling to let go.
The man forcefully pried open her fingers, embracing the other woman and walking into the room. Before he locked the door, in a seemingly indifferent way but actually with clear malice, he said, "Then you can go and die. I will only believe that there's really such a thing as love in this world after you die."
The girl was thunderstruck, staring blankly at the thick door for a long time.
Vanga merely furrowed his brow slightly and walked straight up. When he arrived at the seventeenth floor, he indeed found the little boy sitting in a corner, huddled up. He would no longer hide himself like an ostrich, but would eagerly look at Vanga with his big, dark, innocent eyes, and poke out his pink little tongue to lick his dry lips unconsciously.
His exposed body didn't have any visible injuries, but a dense, dark, and sinister aura had gathered in his brow, obscuring his features.
Vanga sighed slightly and handed over a hedgehog-shaped loaf of bread.
The little boy took the bread cautiously, unwrapped the paper, and eagerly started eating. Vanga looked at him, noting the two cute swirls atop his head, and traces of struggle on his face. After several minutes, he sighed again and lightly tapped the boy's brow with his slender index finger.
After a period of feeding, the little boy had come to trust him greatly, only looking at him before continuing to eat. He knew that this big brother would not harm him.
The black, invisible gas quickly wound around Vanga's fingertips, then slowly seeped into his body. When he left, the boy's pale complexion had regained some color, and his mouth was stained with bread crumbs as he foolishly watched Vanga's departing figure.
"Thank you, big brother." He mouthed the words, but his vocal cords had lost the ability to tremble in the daily torture.
Fang Luo seemed to have heard something, but he shook his right hand without turning back. Not long after he returned home, he received an email from Bai Mu, containing Shen Youquan's information, from family background to social relations, from his educational journey to work experience, covering almost everything.
The email also included several interview videos of Shen Youquan, discussing a wide range of topics from life and work to public image and personal privacy.
Fang Luo quickly filtered through this information, as a massive amount of information was just a glance for him. He half-lay in the bathtub, the water soaking his shirt, skin, and hair, making him appear lazy. He had always been careless, until he saw a tiny, unnoticed detail.
In one of the interviews, the program group also brought Shen Youquan's family to the recording scene, and they were seated in the front row of the audience, smiling as they watched their son/husband/father chatting with the host. Shen Youquan's wife had one hand around a frail little boy, and the other hand pushing away a little girl with a very stern expression.
These were the twins she gave birth to for her husband. The son had been deprived of nutrients by the sister in the womb, was very weak, easily falling ill, and was the focus of the family. The daughter, on the other hand, was always robust and mischievous, often fighting over toys with her brother and was not favored by her mother. Moreover, as Shen Youquan came from a humble background and his parents were uneducated with a bias towards male over female, this attitude was naturally brought out in the treatment of their grandchildren.
When Shen Youquan's wife pushed away the daughter, the grandmother also reprimanded her for a few words, and the grandfather had a fierce look on his face. The little girl was frightened and burst into tears, immediately carried away by an assistant. When the host smiled and invited Shen's family on stage, the audience only saw the grandfather and grandmother, father and mother, and son, and the little daughter was completely excluded.
These scenes were just incidentally captured by the camera, and they were nothing special, but Fang Luo pressed the rewind button, and froze on a certain frame, staring at the two children who were pulling each other's collars with all their might.