Chapter 24 Alcohol and Medicine
Shoutout to nyanmaru for the commission!
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The system spirit immediately began to search for information related to the aphrodisiac “[Spanish Big Fly]”. Suddenly, Chu Feng reached out and stopped it.
The little spirit: ??
Lin Lan immediately understood what Chu Feng meant and said, “Since it’s Brother Xie’s secret, then… let us outsiders not get involved.”
Chu Feng nodded in agreement.
X also understood. Lin Lan was Chu Feng’s cousin, so he was the most like an outsider in this situation. X stood up at the right moment and said, “I’ll report the situation to the Regulator Center first.”
With the guardian of the players gone, the game was stuck on the [security question]. The progress for today was almost done. Chu Feng and Lin Lan also exited the Dream City one after another.
Drip—
The blue brainwave connection was disconnected. Chu Feng woke up in bed. It was late at night, and the evening breeze of summer blew in from the window, gently swaying the blue and white curtains.
Chu Feng got up and went to the study. In the bottom drawer of the desk cabinet, there were unused notebooks. Chu Feng searched through them, finding six or seven of the ugly rabbit notebooks given by the university.
He flipped through them one by one. Xie Shiyu had used a few of them, but none were completely used, with only a few pages scribbled with incomprehensible doodles, and the rest were all blank, a waste.
Chu Feng looked around and found a book where one page was drawn with the character for “正, another with a little car, and yet another with two small birds. Finally, Chu Feng found another book with traces of torn pages inside.
It should be the note from Dream City.
Carefully, Chu Feng flipped through this book and quickly found a doodle on the fifth-to-last page: a wine glass!
There was even a checkmark (√) in the bottom right corner of the wine glass, as if indicating completion.
Chu Feng took out a pen and tore out a page from this book, replicating the handwriting and layout from the game:
RP
G…
0
Fly
Following X’s prompt, Chu Feng searched for “[Spanish Big Fly]”:
The “Spanish Big Fly” is not a fly, but a beetle of the Coleoptera order, belonging to the Cantharidae family, capable of secreting a pungent yellow liquid called Cantharidin.
Cantharidin stimulates the human body, causing inflammation of the urethra, leading to organ swelling. Historically, it was used as an illicit drug by a Spanish nobleman.
Cantharidin is extremely nephrotoxic and must be strictly controlled in dosage. After ingestion, symptoms such as painful urination, hematuria, and damage to the reproductive organs may occur. Overdosing can lead to acute renal failure and has caused several fatalities. The lethal dose for adults is only 1.5 grams.
Chu Feng had a very bad feeling about this. The word “Fly” on the note had a “0” above it. Following the train of thought of “[Spanish Big Fly],” Chu Feng immediately searched for:
0 Aphrodisiac; 0 Sex Drug.
Soon, a news headline popped up in the search bar:
[What is the #0 Capsule that’s becoming popular in the gay community?]
Chu Feng quickly searched for the #0 capsule in the Illustrated Handbook. Looking at the chemical formula on the page, Chu Feng felt a chill run down his spine.
The name of this capsule sounded like a common sex drug, but the actual chemical formula was: Dimethyltryptamine. Chu Feng recognized it at a glance. This chemical structure was similar to amphetamine and was a derivative of amphetamine. And dimethylamphetamine is, in essence, “methamphetamine.”
In simple terms, this stuff was almost like a drug. Chemically, derivatives are usually more toxic, and the harmfulness of this capsule may even be stronger than methamphetamine. It’s just that because it’s not one of the well-known “drugs” like heroin or methamphetamine, it’s being abused, and even openly sold.
According to the Illustrated Handbook, the #0 capsule can be absorbed through smoking or the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity and rectum. It is extremely toxic when ingested orally. Just a tiny amount is needed, less than one-thousandth of a gram, to drive a person completely insane, into a hysterical state where they can be easily manipulated. Using more than 6 milligrams can cause seizures and acute heart failure, leading to death.
Chu Feng, looking at the alarming search results, calmly continued to search further. The next item was “G…”
Soon, search results popped up: GHB, Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid, commonly known as a date rape drug.
GHB is a natural substance found in the central nervous system. It was originally used as a sedative and anesthetic during childbirth, but due to its side effects, it is now banned. GHB is colorless and tasteless. When mixed with alcohol, even a very small amount of GHB can induce hallucinations and unconsciousness.
Furthermore, GHB enhances libido, rapidly induces excitement, and causes memory loss upon awakening, with no recollection of events during the coma period. It is often used by criminals to commit rape. It is also known as “G-Water” or “Compliance Water.”
Overdosing on GHB and alcohol can lead to their interaction causing respiratory arrest and subsequent death.
Pen tip skidding on the paper, Chu Feng’s initial astonishment gradually faded away. The cold wind blew across his face, and he was now completely calm, jotting down some key words.
Chu Feng felt that his timely intervention to prevent outsiders from getting involved in the game was correct. He had a strong sense that Xie Shiyu’s secret could not be shared with others. It was a real secret.
Only the first line “RP” remained on the note.
Chu Feng quickly searched and soon deciphered its meaning:
RushPoppers, a synonym for amyl nitrite. Originally used as a cardiac resuscitation agent, inhaling it can relax smooth muscles throughout the body, including the sphincter, dilating blood vessels, used to treat myocardial infarction or angina, and to relieve coronary artery blockage.
However, this drug can quickly induce a sense of excitement in users within a few minutes of inhalation, causing a dizzying pleasure, enhancing libido and pleasure. It was once widely used as a recreational drug in the United States.
Chu Feng searched a bit further and found it strange that this drug was not mentioned with a lethal dose, unlike the other drugs mentioned on Xie Shiyu’s note. He delved deeper into the search and soon found a cautionary note:
RushPoppers should not be used with vasodilators, including sildenafil (commonly known as “Viagra”). The simultaneous use of these two drugs can lower blood pressure, leading to stroke and death.
Chu Feng looked at the information he had compiled, and all the characters on Xie Shiyu’s note had been deciphered:
RP, RushPoppers, with a volatile odor, inhaling causes excitement, combined with “Viagra,” stroke and death
G…, GHB, date rape drug, overdose, respiratory arrest and death
0, Number 0 capsules, drugs, death from heart failure
Flies, Spanish flies, cantharidin, highly toxic, death from acute kidney failure
Chu Feng stared at the drugs listed on the paper, all of which were related to “sex,” and it involved chaotic sexual activity, coupled with another key issue [safety concern]: alcohol.
Immediately, images of chaotic hotels, nightclubs, and various inappropriate social interactions flashed through his mind. These drugs were all too easy to mix with alcohol and administer to people…
Thinking about this, Chu Feng still couldn’t figure out the connection between this and Xie Shiyu. What did Xie Shiyu intend to do when he wrote down these drugs? Chu Feng opened his phone and scrolled to the calendar from five years ago, opening November.
Dr. Xie, the character from the Rainy Night with Flowers, was probably around November. Chu Feng couldn’t quite remember the exact date.
Recalling that day, Xie Shiyu had dressed up, wearing a white jacket, and waited for him at the company for four hours just to give him a bouquet of flowers. When they got home, he even baked a cocoa chiffon cake for him, as romantic as if it were their wedding day.
“Is today some kind of anniversary?” Chu Feng had asked at the time, immediately opening his phone to check the calendar, wondering if he had forgotten something important. Xie Shiyu cared a lot about those anniversaries, and if he had secretly forgotten, Xie Shiyu would be upset, wouldn’t he?
“No. Just happy.” Xie Shiyu scooped up a spoonful of the soft cocoa chiffon cake and fed it to Chu Feng’s mouth.
“Just wanted to celebrate.”
—Celebrate what?
Xie Shiyu didn’t tell him anything else. They kissed amidst the sweet cake and bouquet, with the lights dimmed outside the window, and Chu Feng didn’t bother to ask further.
Chu Feng remembered that when he checked the calendar on his phone, he found out that it was a Monday that day, and the previous Monday happened to be Xie Shiyu’s birthday on November 9th. Other than that, there was nothing special about the entire month of November.
So, the day of the Flower Night in the Rain was seven days after November 9th, which was five years ago on November 16th.
Chu Feng jotted down on his own note again: 11.16
Knock, knock, knock.
“Cousin, I’ve ordered spicy hot pot. Do you want some?”
“Bring me a portion.”
***
The two sat at the dining table, Lin Lan slurping happily on the vermicelli soaked in spicy red broth. On the other side, Chu Feng ate quietly, his expression calm.
“Cousin, are you still thinking about Brother Xie?”
“Yeah. I can’t find any clues related to him and alcohol.” Chu Feng paused for a moment and casually asked:
“Lin Lan, do you remember anything about November 16th five years ago?”
“Five years ago… I was probably in my senior year of high school, doing practice papers every day!”
Lin Lan grabbed a lobster ball and suddenly remembered something:
“I remember, after I finished the college entrance examination, I was going out for drinks with a bunch of friends. My mom told me not to drink too much, saying it would be miserable if I ended up in the hospital like you, cousin. Did you really end up in the hospital five years ago?”
“It wasn’t that serious. I just… had some business drinking, drank too much, and Xie Shiyu was too nervous, so he took me to the hospital…”
—Alcohol!!
Business drinking, hospital!
Chu Feng suddenly realized. He had been overly focused on Xie Shiyu from five years ago, but there was a “drink” connection on his own side.
Chu Feng remained calm, and Lin Lan didn’t notice anything. He continued to enjoy his hot pot while Chu Feng ate a few more bites, then quietly put down his chopsticks and returned to his bedroom, closing the door tightly.
Five years ago, in January, Chu Feng had just graduated from graduate school and was called out for drinks by the leaders of the company at the time. Several leaders from big companies in the city were present at the table, and despite his resistance, Chu Feng couldn’t refuse the alcohol. He ended up blacking out, with his mind blank, only remembering that Xie Shiyu had come to take him away, and he woke up in the hospital.
Xie Shiyu told him that he was afraid he had drunk too much and suffered from alcohol poisoning, so he brought him to the hospital to check.
The doctor said there was nothing wrong with him and advised him to rest.
Chu Feng didn’t think much of it at the time, but now he found it a bit strange that Xie Shiyu didn’t take him to a public hospital but a private one.
The incident with the drinking passed like that, and Chu Feng continued to work.
Not long after, Chu Feng heard that the company’s top leader seemed to have fallen ill and was replaced by a new female boss who didn’t seem to like drinking much, so there were hardly any business drinking events. Because of his outstanding ability, Chu Feng was promoted within less than half a year.
The cool breeze of the summer night blew in from the window, chilling Chu Feng’s heart, making him realize that things were not as simple as they seemed.
Chu Feng made a few phone calls and pulled some strings to find that private hospital, transferring some money:
“Could you please check if, about five years ago, maybe around January, your hospital admitted a patient named Chu Feng? Could you retrieve his medical records from that time?”
Soon, the report was sent over, and Chu Feng opened it:
Five years ago, his own pathology report read:
[Alcohol detected in the blood, along with GHB.]
Based on the patient’s physiological reactions, they may have accidentally inhaled Rush gas.
***
Five years ago, in January.
“Chu Feng, tonight our company’s Director Li, along with the CEOs of Tianfeng Group, Mr. Huang and Mr. Liu, are having dinner together. Why don’t you join us?” Supervisor Wang instructed.
“I have something to do tonight…” Chu Feng didn’t really want to go and casually made up an excuse, “My mom… said there’s something going on at home and asked me to come back.”
“Oh dear, can’t even get you to come with the face of three big bosses?”
The office fell silent.
Supervisor Wang chuckled, “Just kidding, don’t take it to heart. Then it’s just the rest of us going.”
Chu Feng remained silent. Since joining the company, this Supervisor had been subtly hostile towards him.
There was a young girl in the office who secretly warned him, “The university you attended for your undergraduate degree was the same one the Supervisor failed to get into.”
Later, the Supervisor also failed the graduate entrance exam, and the graduate school he applied to was the one Chu Feng got into through recommendation.
In addition to Chu Feng’s strong business acumen, he had been gaining momentum in the company since his arrival. After this project was completed, he might be promoted, possibly even at the expense of others.
The office emptied out. Chu Feng stood up and went home.
Xie Shiyu hadn’t returned home yet; perhaps he had some business to attend to today.
10:30 PM
Suddenly, his phone vibrated, and Chu Feng thought it might be Xie Shiyu, so he picked it up immediately.
The screen displayed the caller: Supervisor Wang.
Chu Feng tossed the phone onto the table, letting it ring for a few more times, before leisurely picking it up:
“Hello.”
There was noisy karaoke music coming from the other end of the line.
“Hey! Chu Feng! Sorry to bother you so late, but could you quickly come to Room 808 at the Golden Goblet Hotel? Several girls from our team are completely drunk, can’t even make phone calls. Can you come and take care of them?”
Chu Feng “…”
Supervisor Wang was unexpectedly polite when talking to him now.
Supervisor Wang continued, “I’m too busy sending the big bosses, can’t afford to spare time. Leaving them here isn’t a good idea, right? Chu Feng, could you…”
Chu Feng thought for a moment. The girls in his team had always been kind to him, and two of them had just graduated from university this year, with no experience in corporate dinner parties, and now they were being called out to drink…
“Okay, I’ll go over.”
In fact, the 24-year-old Chu Feng had just graduated from graduate school and had just entered society and the company, and was even less able to handle social drinking events.
Golden Goblet Hotel.
Room 808 was chaotic, filled with smoke and alcohol, and the karaoke room’s loud music was ear-splitting. Several girls were being forcibly fed alcohol, their faces flushed and unsteady on their feet. Supervisor Wang took the opportunity to put his arm around one of them, pretending to support her, and even touched her waist:
“Director Li is talking to you! Can you hear me? Director Li is asking you about this month’s performance!”
The girl was already dizzy, and couldn’t understand what he was saying anymore.
Supervisor Wang casually pushed her towards Director Li.
Mr. Huang from Tianfeng Group reached out, placing his hand on another girl’s shoulder, leering at her drunken red face. They were all young faces fresh out of college, looking tender and youthful.
Creak—
The door opened.
Mr. Liu chuckled, “Supervisor Wang brought in another one?”
Mr. Huang glanced over, the lighting was too dim to see the face clearly, only the shoes and black trousers, and muttered quietly, “Why bring in another guy?”
Supervisor Wang softly said, “Take a closer look.”
Chu Feng walked in, the dim and ambiguous light in the room illuminated his face. In such a shady place, his skin was as fair as jade. He was dressed simply in a white shirt and black trousers, the standard attire for all office workers, but he exuded an air of elegance and grace.
Mr. Huang’s eyes widened in an instant.
The top button of his white shirt was fastened, not revealing any skin, but tonight the weather was kind, with a light drizzle. Chu Feng’s dark hair became slightly damp, with a few droplets falling onto his eyelashes. With a blink, the droplets fell onto the collar of his white shirt, dampening it, faintly revealing the indentation of his collarbone.
Mr. Liu chuckled softly, “The guy’s not bad.”
Mr. Li reminded, “He’s wearing a ring on his hand.”
“What does wearing a ring have to do with anything?” Mr. Liu took a sip of his drink, staring directly at the wedding ring on Chu Feng’s ring finger, “Wearing a ring makes it even more interesting.”
Mr. Li chuckled twice.
The noisy karaoke music drowned out their whispered conversation. Chu Feng couldn’t hear a thing, but he walked over, oblivious. Seeing the intoxicated girls, he furrowed his brows slightly.
As Chu Feng approached, intending to take the girls away—
“Hey! Chu Feng, you’re being impolite. With so many big bosses here, what does your silence mean? At least say hello!” Supervisor Wang grabbed him, and the big bosses also looked at him. Supervisor Wang picked up a glass of alcohol and pretended to whisper to him:
“Just drink three cups as a self-punishment, then you can leave. Hurry up and take the girls away.”
Chu Feng glanced at the private room’s seating, where several girls who had just graduated were slumping. They looked at him with helpless eyes.
Today, there were particularly high-ranking officials present. Chu Feng picked up the glass and drank it in one gulp, then another, and a third.
“Wow, young people have good drinking capacity!” Director Li laughed. Mr. Liu beside him said:
“Hey, I think I’ve seen this guy before. I didn’t see him often in your company.”
Supervisor Wang said, “This is our project’s backbone elite, a researcher. He doesn’t show up often.”
“Oh, I see! A knowledgeable talent! Let me toast to you. In the future, the company will definitely rely on young people like you to work hard! Here—”
Mr. Liu raised his own glass.
Mr. Li patted Chu Feng on the back from behind, “This is Mr. Liu, the CEO of Tianfeng Group.”
Supervisor Wang quickly pressed the wine glass back into Chu Feng’s hand, saying, “A leader of such high status is toasting you… It’s really disrespectful if you don’t drink! How can you explain this? Chu Feng, please, give me face. I’ve already had enough to drink today…”
…
Chu Feng began to feel dizzy, waves of dizziness sweeping over him, but he hadn’t forgotten his purpose for coming here. Amidst repeated attempts to pour him drinks, Chu Feng forcibly pulled the several young women away from the leader and dragged them out of the private room.
As they passed through the corridor, Chu Feng suddenly caught a whiff of a fragrance…
Like perfume.
He shook his head, and the scent disappeared. Around him were the colorful lights, ambiguous atmosphere, and bustling noise. Chu Feng pushed the young women downstairs, his befuddled brain focused on one thing: he must send them home.
Buzz…
His phone in his pocket vibrated.
[Missed calls: 43 – Xie Shiyu]
[Unread WeChat messages: 103 – Xie Shiyu]
Chu Feng was about to reply when Supervisor Wang accidentally bumped into him from behind.
Pa.
The phone fell to the ground.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Chu Feng.” Supervisor Wang picked up the phone for him, casually turning it off, smiling, “I’ll hold onto your phone for you. You go ahead and see them off.”
Supervisor Wang then turned to attend to Mr. Liu, Mr. Huang, and Mr. Li, and pushed his own companion towards Chu Feng.
With four female colleagues in tow, Chu Feng had his hands full, unable to reach for his phone to respond to Xie Shiyu’s messages.
Chu Feng continued downstairs. He rarely drank, spending the first twenty-four years of his life studying diligently. This was his first time drinking so much. Chu Feng endured the dizziness and, once on the ground floor, called the emergency contacts in each girl’s phone, ensuring they were all safely sent off in cars.
After sending them off, he breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like his task for the day was completed. Standing at a height of 1.8 meters, and being male, Chu Feng had never really felt any sense of crisis in his life.
Just as he was about to leave…
A car suddenly drove up in front of him, blocking his view of the opposite side of the road. It was a black Mercedes, Chief Huang’s car.
“Come, I’ll give you a ride.” Chief Huang said from behind.
“No need, I…”
Chu Feng’s words trailed off, and suddenly, he felt a severe dizziness. He thought he was just drunk. The lights around him seemed to be dancing like fireflies, fluttering in his field of vision, colorful, flying higher and higher…
Chu Feng staggered and was about to fall backward. Directors Liu and Mr. Li grabbed his arms, pulling him, while Supervisor Wang smiled and persuaded him:
“Hey! Look at you, all drunk like this, how are you going to get home by yourself? Mr. Huang has a car, it’s on the way, come on—”
The pitch-black car door opened…
Chu Feng shook off their hands with force, relying on his height advantage to push them away. He didn’t realize he had drunk drugged alcohol; he just didn’t want to take someone else’s car back. He wanted Xie Shiyu to come and pick him up.
His vision blurred into a haze, and his ears began to lose sound. The sounds he heard seemed to be separated by a layer of water, making it impossible to discern what was being said. His consciousness was gradually slipping away…
Unable to stand steadily, Chu Feng swayed, about to fall backward—
Director Liu was about to reach out and catch him, when suddenly!
Screech—
A very piercing sound of wheels rubbing against the ground. Mr. Huang looked up:
Bang—!!
With a loud noise, a black Porsche slammed heavily into his Mercedes, smashing its front end into pieces.
Mr. Huang’s face changed color.
The door of the Porsche opened, and Xie Shiyu stepped out of the car, walking over like a gust of wind.
He was dressed in a black windbreaker, towering at 1.9 meters tall, exuding immense pressure. Storming towards them.
Chu Feng was about to fall backward, but Xie Shiyu reached out, catching him steadily. He raised his eyes, glaring at the four people in front of Chu Feng.
Supervisor Wang wiped his sweat, and called out, “….Chief Xie, why are you here?”
Xie Shiyu flashed the identical wedding ring on his left ring finger as Chu Feng’s:
“What do you think?”
Director Liu forced a smile, “Didn’t expect it, turns out to be Chief Xie’s lover, I really didn’t know before.”
Xie Shiyu looked at them, his eyes cold as if he were looking at dead people:
“Now you know?”
Xie Shiyu didn’t say another word. He picked up Chu Feng and put him in his Porsche. Turning around, he looked at Huang’s wrecked Mercedes:
“I’m sorry, Mr. Huang, I was driving a bit fast. You have insurance, right?”
Huang was so angry his face turned green. This Mercedes was his beloved car, but his company, Tianfeng Group, had recently made a big deal with Xie Shiyu’s company. It wouldn’t be worth it to make a fuss.
Huang forced a smile, “It’s okay, the insurance company will compensate.”
“That’s good.” Xie Shiyu deliberately reached out and patted the wrecked Mercedes, making a banging sound, attracting the attention of passersby. Xie Shiyu grinned:
“This car has been driven by Mr. Huang for several years. It’s just right; I’ve created an opportunity for you to get a new car. It’s also good, out with the old and in with the new, don’t you think?”
—Huang was trembling with anger. This guy deliberately wrecked his beloved car, and now he was saying he’d created an opportunity for him to get a new one. He even had to thank him for it!
Xie Shiyu, in his windbreaker, the night wind slightly lifting his clothes, exuded a sense of ease. Leaning against his Porsche, he didn’t leave, his gaze burning as he looked at Huang, really waiting for him to come and thank him.
Li and Liu were completely shocked. Although this young man had risen quickly in the company, he was still just a young man after all. Who knew if his company would even survive in a few years? Now, he dared to offend people in the business world like this!
Mr. Huang’s blood pressure surged, but he thought of the big deal with Xie Shiyu and managed to force out a smile:
“Well, I really have to thank Mr. Xie.”
Xie Shiyu smiled calmly, “You’re welcome.”
With a slam, Xie Shiyu shut the car door and drove away. The black Porsche, like a gust of night wind, disappeared onto the road.
***
“Chu Feng, Chu Feng?”
Xie Shiyu held the steering wheel with one hand and reached out, gently tapping Chu Feng’s cheek:
“You went to be a knight in shining armor and ended up getting yourself into trouble. Chu Feng, wake up!”
Chu Feng felt someone touching him, he opened his eyes and saw Xie Shiyu. He relaxed and nestled into his embrace.
Xie Shiyu held Chu Feng tightly, “Don’t move around, I’m driving. We’ll be at the hospital soon. Be good.”
Chu Feng stared with his dark eyes at Xie Shiyu, shrinking into his arms and shaking his head, “Why do we have to go to the hospital…”
Chu Feng had fallen into an unconscious state, devoid of rationality. He reached out uncontrollably, wrapped his arms around Xie Shiyu’s waist, buried his head in his chest, and murmured in a muffled voice:
“Don’t want to go to the hospital, want to go home with you…”
Xie Shiyu’s hand on the steering wheel tightened, the veins on the back of his hand protruding. If there were a ranking of self-control among men in the world, he would probably top it now. Xie Shiyu lowered his head and restrainedly kissed Chu Feng’s forehead:
“You need to go to the hospital like this. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Under the cover of night, the Porsche turned at the intersection. Xie Shiyu kept an extra eye and took Chu Feng to the private hospital.
Chu Feng had never experienced the dark side of society. Xie Shiyu had a drug-addicted father since childhood and had seen many things that Chu Feng might never encounter in his life.
Xie Shiyu had noticed at first glance that Chu Feng was not in the right state, definitely more than just drunk. Those four people must have drugged Chu Feng.
—The Golden Goblet Hotel was chaotic, with quite a few drug addicts inside. They didn’t know what drugs they had used. If Chu Feng were sent to a public hospital and something was found, it would be difficult to extricate himself.
Xie Shiyu held Chu Feng tightly in his arms as he drove towards the private hospital.
The lights outside the car window reflected in his slightly brown eyes, beneath the calmness, flowed magma-like fire.
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