Blazing Armor

Ren Xiangrong didn’t say anything. Instead, he slowly sipped his water.pksaVQQJKSRqGmwvMoTJHjHsXQroHP

JTEAyoQsYFpXIaN

Ren Yi was filled with guilt. He knew how much his father didn’t want to go to a nursing home. This man, once as strong and steadfast as a mountain, never wanted to admit defeat to old age.DPrYdpPbpPFHcSNQcwGFanqpReLzFG

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But after seeing what those maniacs had done, for safety’s sake, he had no choice but to make this decision. Struggling, he explained, “And Aunt Wang is going back to her hometown. I had a few caregivers lined up through the agency, but none of them seemed right. I’m afraid there’s no one suitable to take care of you. At least a nursing home is more professional…”UUByVBOdOGfdnZJwyqRHRrFDAOSIpN

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“No need to say anymore,” Ren Xiangrong said in a muffled voice. “Your concerns are reasonable. I’ll go.”vTrADcVgCToWYpxIMNwRGSQRGnAJQA

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Ren Yi felt even worse. “…Dad, I’m sorry.”UbIYiqyIRkfYDBqGzzWXQZYBKNwqTR

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“What is there to apologize for? Firefighters helping the police catch bad guys, that’s how it should be. We fight fire every day—why would we be afraid of those rats hiding in the dark?” Ren Xiangrong said. “I agreed to go to the nursing home not because I’m scared, but because I don’t want you worrying about me while you’re working.”uFwjgmNWTFnrjzyWxHxkZbYhQiaTwd

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“I know, I know,” Ren Yi said, his nose stinging with emotion. “Dad, once the case is closed, I’ll bring you back right away.”LTiJsMSjDJMgLIZgWUWhaTkLEUQSGH

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Ren Xiangrong didn’t say anything, just gave a faint smile. “Focus on what you need to do, don’t worry about me.”qVmFkszusPdSSugeQnsyEkpshGZukk

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The two discussed the timing. New Year’s Day was in a few days, so Ren Yi planned to personally visit several nursing homes, take a look around, and after New Year’s, send his father there.IHMlJElbzIfQCimHzgBNSXiBkIzvQZ

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Even if he himself had been targeted by lunatics, he was unwavering. But he had to protect his family.jPBCtmAUGVtjtXMsBReZkqxOYdlyvR

vjUArhjNuolcVpK

—GxiJgfGEvPHKwpebcamFTfmTmlvsNA

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Ren Yi slept at home that night and returned to the unit early the next morning.claFhKkfcqysIGcKSQsZVewuqwnvzS

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Today, Gong Yingxian would personally interrogate Chen Pei, and Ren Yi had to be there. He had come back to change clothes, and after breakfast, he’d head over.NeyjZCVZCVOOhgxQJZXzWQBiLgNqZl

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After breakfast, Qu Yangbo pulled him aside. “Hey, I just got a call from the squad. Two things.”oMTuwCFLvilHwvgdOxmNKpbqaOcurS

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“Go on.”pEKfboONObkCldTWJWAoRuAzbRmjQx

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“First, regarding the Hongwu Hospital explosion case. The fire department and the police want to give you guys a commendation.”wKbhdLeqOJSbWNOxSvmLVPRlIFzmHc

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“Sounds good.”iDdyazSFNIeznPySuXBljbuCjaGgmi

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Qu Yangbo punched him lightly in the chest. “Congrats.”qsXSrinUkZNAiIxwzxaVZDwdIyOaqB

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Ren Yi smiled. “A commendation’s nice, but I really don’t feel like celebrating this time.”baGUpeEFIzmQFNKRcQOLuIRJzhYyaZ

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“I get it. But no matter what, you guys earned it.” Qu Yangbo continued, “There’s also something big: Honglin Stadium is hosting a charity concert on New Year’s Day. It’s being organized by Song Media to raise funds for the victims of the recent earthquake in the northwest.”qquBxuxYMqsukEAERPvisUpniGisZd

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“That’s really tight timing. There are only a few days left—why are we just hearing about this now?”gZXYXebMTtQCLAJyQlXCqkOunTYgyi

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“It was put together in a rush after the earthquake. The timing was always going to be tight. You were in the hospital, so we didn’t tell you. Wang Meng has already taken care of reviewing the fire safety plan, site inspections, and any adjustments.”zvgCmTZHTzMDpKyFoakaeDugfQmZjK

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“How many people are expected?”tLFkDxkEcuiHrvafSYyaVGWCCQHGas

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“Thirty thousand. I heard they initially wanted fifty thousand, but that didn’t get approved. Now the local district has approved thirty thousand, and the fire department has signed off too. But with all the recent incidents, the higher-ups are requiring double the police and fire presence.”bKDviTrqzgMIvVGtqMVCsLKxwtWhPu

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“Thirty thousand is still a lot.” Ren Yi frowned. “Send me the fire safety plan and the layout for the stadium.” Honglin Stadium was within his jurisdiction. It wasn’t a large venue, probably because the bigger stadiums had already been booked well in advance for New Year’s events, and the earthquake was an unexpected event. Otherwise, with the kind of draw the singers from Song Media had, there’s no way they’d settle for a concert with only thirty thousand attendees.yiWlXAfxMNVVfSVDJvabCLRhuojuIa

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“I’ve already sent it to your email,” Qu Yangbo said, sounding a bit annoyed himself. “It’s already a peak time for emergency calls during the holidays, and now they’re asking us to provide double the fire coverage.”vYTMtXgNujObbWdEkLPYVNpMYVKOJz

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“Since the higher-ups are requesting it, they’ll definitely pull in resources from other units.” Ren Yi opened his email and skimmed the fire safety plan. Pointing to the crowd control barriers outside the stadium, he asked, “Why is there such heavy deployment here? People won’t just be entering and exiting through this one gate. We can’t put all the pressure on the main entrance.”tdCiDTylGZMzpmxZfKSixSeOVJqIJG

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“I heard it’s because of the fans. After the concert starts, the main gate will get flooded with fans who didn’t manage to get in and scalpers trying to sneak people through.” Qu Yangbo recalled something. “Oh, and Song Juhan is headlining. Thirty thousand tickets are way too few. His fans definitely won’t be taking this lightly.”EzgSuHjLfUPjcOrpzspngVBQMIVneb

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“What?” Ren Yi clicked his tongue in annoyance. “That’s just going to complicate things.”cZepNaxlbiqVmlpZCZEkaoXSIrOxVS

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Song Juhan was the top pop star in the Chinese music industry. Ever since he stepped away from the spotlight to work behind the scenes, it had become rare to see him in public. Even when he occasionally released new songs, they were only available online, with no promotion. Fans hadn’t seen him in ages, and now he was suddenly going to perform. Of course, they were going to lose their minds.lBbqjkOkKUDFFVwURkyYHLbdHEaDZN

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A few years ago, Ren Yi had been assigned to security detail for Song Juhan’s concert, which had drawn one hundred thousand people. The energy from the crowd had been overwhelming. If Song Juhan showed up this time, who knows how many additional fans would flock there, creating even more safety concerns.tvRYcAJDuCledNKgxKXDrERQyxHyMe

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“That’s why the security work for this event is going to be tough. It’s the most important task during the New Year’s period. You’ll need to inspect the site as soon as possible.”CrvBbRYWZpxqXmCdrjpxtCixXxlPPj

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Ren Yi checked his watch. “I’ll need to visit the site several times for sure, but I’ve got to head to the Hongwu District police station in a bit. I’ll go over tonight and update you guys afterward.”CzRuGJUPakWgxQfOTdTUDbHIkJgHOL

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“Sounds good.”EsHDNKijWmllhXIAiwaZevcgujmNHq

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Just as Ren Yi was about to leave, Qu Yangbo grabbed him again, his expression changing as he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. “So, during your time in the hospital, was there… you know… something?”lsRjTiuupDxUwnOynIYGaBRrgfbtbp

HkYcaxLMuLBYDKP

“What do you mean by ‘something’? You’re a grown man, stop gossiping like this.” Ren Yi shot back, though he couldn’t help but let the corners of his mouth turn up.ExKTzbHFlArvPSsNPcOKaIKoWUBJtz

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Seeing his expression, Qu Yangbo nearly burst out laughing. “Now I’m even more convinced there *was* something. At the very least, you two must’ve gotten closer. Shouldn’t you be thanking me?”rQscotvntQpnxeOmfmisCSqgSjbdOw

MxXbgdktpANRXbb

Ren Yi licked his lips, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes. “Well, I’m the only friend he’s got by his side.”UpKmDFMvmOTLglkdxboaYdBDyMTxik

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“That’s all it takes to make you happy?”HJjiXIjGjzkpbIpxQIhaRBqPjVgXIj

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Ren Yi thought for a moment, then smiled gently. “Yeah, I’m happy with that.”eYhRFGcXnhhmMZhVSReykwbCoAwlKw

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—eJYPVCcHKUZIqgPGKcKTiqtQsnAXuP

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Time was ticking, so Ren Yi hailed a taxi to the Hongwu District police station.ReQjVjMoLTrBWkxEXGfVRFyOgUaeir

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As soon as he entered the station, he was blocked in the lobby by an enthusiastic crowd.QFKQxlkdEZZnWOjUtlZOaJBrqrkGYT

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“Wow, Captain Ren, you’re basically half a cop now!”AAqstLwRhOVYyBTmhrUTPFZMZJtIxa

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“Captain Ren, you’re a real badass.”ZZElpukxxXPCqpBtrfIQIuGmEyBvhi

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Qiu Yan happened to be passing by, smiling as she said, “I propose we give Captain Ren a round of applause for his long-term assistance to the police force alongside the Phoenix Special Operations Unit. How about it?”tWckFYZebtQyvXEWHBVVsObGHlbnWr

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The lobby instantly filled with the sound of applause.jdTAMdwGXtAYlaaCfNyuoDYyKERmrf

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Ren Yi felt touched and clasped his hands together in thanks. “Honestly, I should be thanking all of you. I’ll skip the sappy stuff—let’s work together and take down those bastards.”pfFWYqyNPkQkNqIOhlVwEXiqBQbPmF

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“Well said!”kleieXCgNNrjcnoAOLUYQOoZVpetRr

btQCSikJvGHvRmE

Someone teased, “Captain Ren, are you here to see Dr. Gong again? Didn’t get enough of him while you were both in the hospital?”zNnYKFGCNwXpKpTBqWvMoenYVRnCdX

GnUSrydhWrgYtUG

“Of course, those two have a ‘mouth-to-mouth’ connection,” a female officer chimed in with an exaggerated swoon. “A kiss beneath the rubble, how tragically romantic.”wBoPrsXBLLeZVomkoELYTPyjFMpHDe

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The room erupted into laughter, but the moment Qiu Yan cleared her throat, the laughter came to an abrupt halt like a waterfall hitting a cliff, leaving everyone with flushed faces.KmzUftKPSyLJAxEniQgqpTARSkTYOK

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Ren Yi turned around to find Gong Yingxian standing behind them, having appeared at some point, calmly watching the scene.HJdbMCndASXxwSKXBzmrExHgtavKye

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“Ah, Dr. Gong…” Several people looked a little awkward.FxBVSEKHcBYEFzqdTYdhZRHuKpUqLF

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Ren Yi couldn’t help but laugh and casually draped an arm around Gong Yingxian’s shoulder. “Well, old Gong, looks like our reputations are beyond saving now.”qdFnaONXCVYmSXmbkJtuZxJnJwiPRD

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At that, the suppressed laughter in the room began to leak out again.YKytTlpUncvjJlyzUuCzDEGgvggUwZ

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The female officer who had joked earlier laughed so hard she almost doubled over. “Haha, ‘Old Gong!’ Captain Ren, you just did what every female officer here has been dying to do. Seriously, I’m impressed. Dr. Gong, can we start calling you that too?”KLZeZdpZBOMTuAgmEHMzqSiBBsNfxO

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Gong Yingxian raised an eyebrow at Ren Yi.pvGywsrdVVQTVCqtZeFNNkxsXkKDSg

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“Hey,” Ren Yi pointed at the officer with a playful tone, “only I get to call him that. You guys don’t.”jZlBIQMjvqPEBadoduoeJVjdbMAZaD

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“Why not?” The female officers looked a little dissatisfied.IYiGnWjIZKFUGJmWxqucCnJCWUMNLm

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“You’re all ladies. You should be more reserved.”qbvuUoNvzUcXzGSpHInvjmSjZARWqb

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“And why do *you* get to call him that?”MwapQMJtMTtIsYrlZcwHvRFhmIYfeZ

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Ren Yi spread his hands. “Because I’m shameless.” He thought to himself, *Because Gong Yingxian is mine… um, friend.*ZsyvVZGuEbtUchaqMIWAsEudkKKJel

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The room burst into laughter again.qzpVmwcmgkMojBOcKyIQPjglziFxHx

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Gong Yingxian lightly slapped his hand away. In the past, he might have gotten angry, but this time he only feigned irritation. “Stop with the nonsense and come with me.”azSGLaPAXpuAQLmLBsdixZmvUdoBoa

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Qiu Yan watched the two of them thoughtfully, arms crossed. The ease, camaraderie, and unspoken understanding between them were clear signs of deep trust and closeness.TXWCHmyuwLZwQhpLkNYuchSYiZfrVQ

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Instead of taking Ren Yi directly to the interrogation room, Gong Yingxian led him to the surveillance room first. They stood side by side, eyes fixed on Chen Pei inside the room.aApWhcyRxjQPReXXhXlPoorNfvmKtK

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After a long while, Ren Yi was the first to speak. “Has he changed since coming back from the hospital?”ZdlIsxiZiZPdWxYghlVVfmZKFRXtlW

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“Yes. He used to be very arrogant, even got into fights with other suspects in the detention center. But after returning from the hospital, he’s been quiet.”PltScDGzTIAongDHAykvEHOJqpdhJt

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“Is he scared? Feeling guilty?”IlvuAciueexbBlLSPrUPQqaQuKiTBA

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Gong Yingxian shook his head. “I don’t know. But right now, he’s our biggest lead. No matter what it takes, I’ll get him to talk.”fEqiGSeLOYYZvLbZAPdjNlNyKXCThg

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Ren Yi looked at Chen Pei, thinking about the horrific things these maniacs had done, and his eyes filled with a dangerous intensity.rIxSNuCklBuCLoTkGfMqLvNuvnNjgN

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“By the way, there’s something I need to mention,” Gong Yingxian said. “This organization is far more dangerous than we initially thought. We underestimated them. Your father can’t stay at his current, exposed address any longer.”PkXFyNbTqABfqHhbPQSTZHpDqknrTi

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“I was thinking the same. I’m already making arrangements. What about you? Are you moving?”eWWPCFwCTEwyfoCvHOqOHhvpaMntWK

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“My place is fine. I’ve added another layer of security and hired more bodyguards. It’s nearly impossible for anyone to break in. You’re safe living at the unit, but try not to go anywhere alone.”deLATPRPTYmzyzpdMdOHFmQAkkRwFP

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“Yeah, you be careful too.”mLVgCSKCIVgeUNYQkbQoZBiiqIHnKK

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“Where are you planning to send your father? A relative’s house?”nNiGrHFoWLsbrzFGkQjAMLsGNStKRt

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“I’m thinking about having him stay at a nursing home for a while. They have professional care.”WivstBtxlkvQREAlQNVcqeUDyvPDmG

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Gong Yingxian frowned. “I told you before that I invested in a private hospital specializing in neurology. They also have a clinical research center and rehabilitation facilities for Alzheimer’s. Their equipment and environment are world-class. Why didn’t you talk to me about this first?”fYywOKmkLyochbvsvZwHNdViccDTNf

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Ren Yi scratched his head. “It’s not really that hard of a problem to solve. I didn’t want to trouble you.”biXwyOmlDSqZHSZdHqZZYDcZfsRkCJ

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“This is about your father,” Gong Yingxian said, clearly displeased. “For something this important, what’s the harm in troubling me a little? Isn’t that what friends are for—to help each other?”UeNlFQONvGSoIolXpbcLXeqkuRtFYz

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Ren Yi smiled. “Yingxian, let’s just forget it. We both know this disease can’t be cured. Maybe early treatment could slow it down, but now, no treatment will help. Besides, I can’t just accept this kind of gift.”ponNAVcklnOxSlkVpFrIRvTBEskAcw

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“Even if there’s no treatment, just having him under their care would be far better than any nursing home.” Gong Yingxian insisted. “If you’re worried about feeling embarrassed, there’s no need. The hospital has several spots for experimental volunteers each year, along with spaces for charitable medical care, all free of charge. Of course, no risky experiments would ever be done on your father.”UKynFbgxqBIQJNGZMKfnHTRsORCjjc

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Ren Yi felt a little conflicted.BfSuruRcCdhNVljowaZklkrCBBqJik

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Gong Yingxian seemed very determined, and Ren Yi really did want the best environment for his father. Compared to a commercial nursing home run by strangers, he naturally trusted Gong Yingxian more.bTNOHOZOtvoxtHntzzrdiXihAemTov

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Gong Yingxian gazed at Ren Yi and quietly said, “I want to help you… in any way.”ACGymaGWDOQxcMNcfPffVtNlpUTbgz

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Ren Yi was deeply moved. He almost wanted to say, *Don’t say that to me*, but he didn’t dare. The better Gong Yingxian treated him, the deeper he fell. This thing called love—it was impossible to figure out.pdYCxxKJtRqjdEhoQVXsDRUKbCfBCt

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“It’s settled then. In the next few days, I’ll take you to the hospital to check it out.”ACPmSPRnfvqfAilTBFUqmkaCJGQiig

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After a moment of hesitation, Ren Yi nodded.XVZzGvjiCXHcHTkjcCWFBhbwLfZTgu

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Gong Yingxian gestured toward the room where Chen Pei was being held. “Let’s head inside.”qVgAJFhlfzYuJcEkMANaiqxvzPnHKW

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“You ready?” Ren Yi glanced at him.QcMbhLZozPuuWiNaqinlEzbWUEgJYh

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Gong Yingxian’s eyes darkened, exuding a chilling coldness. “I’ve been ready for eighteen years.”dbeYfYAgLUhIkYENAGscWaaLRAKLzo

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