Blazing Armor

He Gu froze for a moment, then, snapping back to his senses, bolted toward the door.CrhTTnfrbmnJNWbWOzZvXluANPDSMB

ppYkHkNFHLREHcs

Ren Yi reacted quickly, blocking him. “Engineer He, Engineer He, please calm down.”HBOhGiPNATEcirtlXyjxUJPaReJyLo

bcTUqMFGeqbdumQ

“Let me go!” He Gu shouted. Even in the tensest moments, he always displayed an unusual calm, but now, his eyes were filled only with panic and fear.LMLVnwngInCumUPPhVuRqDsmGwJbmi

XuwMvvDDJTTNrNS

“Engineer He!” Ren Yi shouted, “You’ve already helped us locate five bombs. We need you to use your head, not act on impulse.”CnYZOqrHUTnfgmLTQouQKwPhskyfVG

fNEZECuPFYejqPo

But He Gu was beyond listening. He shoved Ren Yi hard, failing to budge him; Ren Yi winced in pain. Gong Yingxian stepped forward, grabbing He Gu’s shoulders and pulling him back, forcing him into a chair.BWUuxhjtGSqffFSzfbJhTFxiXYjYrT

iFszzsTzSNiYQVD

He Gu panted heavily, his gaze gradually returning to clarity.NqijZJofYlJLihlnoNwOmOdHAhvFkd

AyNZgIJaWYWQGnC

Gong Yingxian fixed He Gu with an intense stare. “Engineer He, everyone is searching for that bomb now. The chances of him getting close to the stage are slim. You need to stay calm if you want to protect those you care about.”qWqQtXguwLxSVhNDXKOqgCkJrFlNgK

GdspKqfCzKOKQIi

He Gu hung his head, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked.MAtAbjzCsiNEeAjYOqgNmpOUFttIOv

xtCKHzpqerZmWFZ

Captain Zhang spoke up, “We’ve been monitoring everything closely and haven’t seen any trace of this person. There are plenty of police and security around the stage; the moment he appears, he’ll be spotted. The only possibility is that he’s hiding somewhere and hasn’t moved at all.”OuvMdEXgYrqKSuEerLhjwUpzrgBKjm

EYIFMQaEJYHJAql

Qiu Yan nodded. “He must be hiding somewhere. The moment he starts moving, he becomes a mobile bomb. Even if he can’t reach the stage, detonating it in any crowded area would lead to irreparable consequences.”GFSHMYnpneCUrXdUZtpgwapJARsQuK

XagtoWJuYwveKCW

He Gu pulled out his phone. “I’ll tell Ju Han to leave the stage. No… the stage might actually be safer…” He gripped his phone, momentarily at a loss, sweat streaming down his forehead.JqRFFGOFFphbljusneWpoFtWIEnWcJ

sYHeumSxmRDZJjQ

“If we stop Song Juhan’s performance, we’ll spook the bastard, and the crowd will panic. As long as we make sure the culprit can’t get near the stage, Song Juhan should be safe…” Gong Yingxian frowned. “Wait a second, that guy Wang Rui is in charge of the stage setup. He would have had a chance to plant a bomb in the setup.”BKrhLMswMaXFqTnjNoflFwnrxqzWdu

QIllsNKoqONkTvL

Ren Yi’s eyes widened. “Exactly. From the start, we ruled out the audience area and the stage because we thought Purple Flame was targeting the crowd, making the stage an unlikely target. But Purple Flame’s primary target is Song Juhan, and this guy was responsible for setting up the stage!”DgOkAkbkycSgAnrIybCfjAetrgaWmp

DRKamDkitpQxuWI

He Gu exclaimed in horror, “Is the last bomb on the stage or on Wang Rui himself?”bKqnnGwNljTZeRrOAoJTbSywcaeCJf

sqAuCpHryDKNWlI

“We have to assume there’s a bomb on both the stage and Wang Rui. We can’t overlook any potential threat.”KjCsFrzkbgEwKmqKZEQdbDHddCrIqH

CVFIpRkeMNxFiLA

Qiu Yan said, “But the performance is ongoing. Our equipment can’t detect the bomb with all the interference, and the audience is watching. If the bomb is somewhere visible, then…”munpBEEHkkxuuYfuZUlEMInHpLUYkl

SzslwojYRWPSKxf

“I have a solution!” He Gu interrupted. “We just need to stop the performance for a short time, right?”DHcowunVbyHdEkNNefnuAqCLZWIxZz

dWRSbDhYMoGoMOb

“A minute will be enough.”rZFcRuHRQtitzNhhEqHBXdpKhozAap

RFxhlPiqPOCNKov

He Gu grabbed his phone. “I know how to cut the power around the stage. That way, all interference disappears, and the audience won’t be able to see anything.”FBMCCRPUwCiwfSncbePUGDWRuLabac

zrlfZRZBmkUWPZx

“How are you going to do that?”cYcsHUHGFFJIdrGxEWYhAOYvkqutYi

wUxidTBPomojJZw

“Xiao Song.” He Gu dialed a number. “Tell Ju Han to switch the last song to ‘Long Night.’ We need one minute, and we’re cutting all power… Don’t ask why—he’ll know what I mean. Just hurry!”CwnSAMBZKLfASfVqeGrUSLvQozwvxb

ovzvjEgNjrHrseY

Qiu Yan checked his watch. “Only five minutes left. We’ll split up. I’ll head to the stage; Yingxian, you take your team to find Wang Rui.”yyTPkCxSDezIOLyduKlygczDfnpNYz

fNTEYHhfWvWVkDy

He Gu moved to go, but Ren Yi grabbed his arm. “Engineer He, stay with Captain Qiu, but you can’t act alone.”HTlqiFlVTRpndaPrwjEtudjPqEqfcu

nKvmugEdbwopnzI

He Gu retorted angrily, “You don’t have the right to dictate my actions.”cGeezhkdpRUzUcVpTsWFUKqQuoiKnx

DVmjRDAMXjZHTAU

“I promised Professor Song that I’d bring you back safely. He’ll be fine, and so will you.”JMzlVKJjEESTldVfEBADSJqAKbIFZd

cQIkhpnGBdacWaM

He Gu met Ren Yi’s honest, unwavering gaze, took a deep breath, and said, “I won’t act impulsively.”BfLCzrugyivqwjbKpaKlxjTInYawvw

uayRcRsJfHGMjiB

Only then did Ren Yi release him, allowing him to leave with Qiu Yan.MJeozuyZlHbSwGCBEdQlCFUNwpNuDD

bIChmatZcKOhZIW

Tan Haochun pondered aloud, “Where would Wang Rui be hiding? He couldn’t be too far. He must’ve known his identity might be exposed, so how does he plan to complete Purple Flame’s mission in the end?”NcGuNMZhNiFzCKjoFezyIEnlmncWIH

KImWWPJBXDqnvKu

Gong Yingxian responded, “Planting a bomb on stage was his safety net. If that fails, he still has a mobile bomb. I doubt he’d hide too far from the stage.”AJDgRNNEoMFAKVEABRhuaJjwTiLZEQ

EUMZHyNZaClPqrW

Captain Zhang frowned. “Wherever he’s hiding, he should’ve been found by now. The police have combed the stage area and the backstage thoroughly. He’s got nowhere to escape.”epxIeNaStGuoiTCBPRhIAJIyPJjFDV

RxIcYtrrBAfqNtQ

The phrase “nowhere to escape” left everyone stunned for a moment.pamNYQSDAKGWaAYyTxNPWQTlokddgj

kqMNVQXUIfNmQlQ

Gong Yingxian slowly lifted his head, staring at the ceiling. “Above.”OyXgWyEqCiFUxDgrAFhSmHYPVQTcRp

vSsaapRWBijYmZF

“The roof beams!” Ren Yi said quickly. “The roof beams are fitted with a circular steel framework and glass dome, plus a retractable rain cover. It’d be all too easy for someone to hide there!”VioDEsjsMVQDqCYYozAOrGhpiusYDB

BHaPlxEdErIqDMc

They immediately sprinted toward the nearest maintenance hatch.qmqeGNsWGooMQFrGUVqphkepEvgSUT

LPBCIzSpzjnStrg

Since the roof beams were “woven” from steel frames, someone could climb up from an interior maintenance hatch. For those daring enough, the structure’s exterior pillars also allowed access to the top.uWvIyGZgepDLxwAuZZZzbgsIHvwLOc

ZzENjSFFnGaKzfx

At that moment, the music and cheers reverberated through the entire venue. On the stage in the distance, surrounded by tens of thousands of spectators, a small figure was singing, emanating a heat that electrified the entire crowd.fIEHFiuLSRwGmudaPpkiVzAfgbyxMF

hjnJPkSXuPdCjsj

This person truly had “fire” within him; he was the blaze Purple Flame sought to ignite across the land.HMSWoNSUQhiJUZrhqhMSSwrcHMajeR

wjGfFoOXDWnUZbN

One could only imagine the terrifying social impact if anything happened to Song Juhan at a high-profile New Year’s concert. This was exactly what Purple Flame wanted—to instill immense “fear,” securing his standing as a figure towering over all others.BgPYqaPTormIQVeaLhsuwOmuaftiVZ

XJZUHSWmRcfpPFW

A group climbed up to the roof beams through the maintenance hatch, with the entire venue sprawling below them. The dense crowd and brilliant lights painted a surreal, dreamlike scene.NYqMvdwWdZvCaRAxLSkatMmbQICpjA

rNNGayQCOfKsUEu

Since the roof beams were designed in a curving pattern, they could only see the peaks, while the valleys dropped below their line of sight. The section of the roof beam closest to the main stage lay precisely in one of these valleys.MBzuQxxjfhtFPsKvehjvbffcVpPtDu

mgjBtHLVWagJaqt

The straight-line distance from the beam to the main stage was over a hundred meters. However, with the considerable height difference, a bomb thrown down could easily devastate the stage setup, weighing several tons, or, worse, land among the crowd—an unthinkable horror.rvjZDRkFpgBMdaWddJAidkfAMZitpQ

MCPBsPlcIFJUHqa

While it was possible to walk along the roof beam, it was extremely dangerous. One misstep could lead to a fatal fall from a height equivalent to eight stories. Maintenance workers always wore protective gear, but they didn’t have time to take any precautions now.BQYHKtTGSiGAFNpWwFBtvvcpFNJTNM

koNAgBBDJATowpR

“Wang Rui!” Gong Yingxian drew his gun, moving forward while shouting the suspect’s name. Several police officers followed closely, ready for action, with Ren Yi among them.nCENMNTmarrgqVDRrewsXkGaBvcTwU

hLoLgUtWbWJzGiA

“Wang Rui, you’re surrounded.”SXmRxQEuZjPdvrQgdtGSlOvnezPDiF

enmXKSwYJjLOsOb

A shadow flitted across a low point in the beams.sMKDPIhlNmtVkkZnrpKHcgBtczPcIE

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Gong Yingxian signaled for the team to spread out and encircle him.zrZbcXyaLaBkvzqLaBdXeoYgLlzqRl

gYvXZBrpJogHEbw

“Wang Rui, come out. I can see you,” Gong Yingxian called, moving forward step by step, gun raised.dyqZXqSLuJEReyHWDJaFCFXUOXheGk

HRJenpVIyPzJERs

A man stood at the edge of the roof beam, clutching a bomb in his hand, his face twisted in a vicious expression. “Don’t come any closer!”kzgyaxAouOUAYgUsFEakjsPeVkgmUU

rxgJfJjZUzjHpzn

Gong Yingxian spoke coldly, “Wang Rui, put down the bomb, or I will shoot.”DNVACeXmqLpJCUAtBdlLdcSMZgxJCV

uQbSAWeItScflHr

“I am not Wang Rui; I am Red Flame.”imjUUvyWqDHumZkyzMDRBEoiWIInYc

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“Red Flame died in the hospital.”iZexauKgVpbBBgnLmmJffDVfjzQwCk

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“There is more than one Red Flame. Anyone can become a glorious blaze.”IWrSMlUdkcjPrKgPgkeacHxYjaWhiX

xsQrlNIwgJvbKAp

“Whoever you are, you’re surrounded.”EtcLuehgLtcVhWBsSuVmazlcShDjTC

nzrNwCTWTFcWmxC

“I’ll detonate it at any moment. Don’t come any closer, just stay where you are,” Wang Rui shouted. “I’ll throw it into the crowd below. It’s full of people down there.”ortdWXETZEhkbyqFdBduxAkxjQrLrU

WxVdAeADiWPtTiG

“Why doesn’t Purple Flame carry out the mission himself? Are you really willing to be his pawn?”XBtSMlRLMLSnApEykUABrJVhURQWNY

LhfNwqXXwYFvyZM

Several officers had already closed in around Wang Rui, with Ren Yi positioned directly behind him.dLhppORRpMysTDApyiqSkMwAnTcHQo

EuEfllCMnDAyfuX

“Purple Flame has a higher calling, and my mission is here,” Wang Rui said, his eyes filled with a twisted excitement instead of fear. “Those who have received the divine fire yet show no reverence must be purified by fire.”hFVrTmZNLkGbuPQgyPXHYdtAGUUcja

jJTToKtGSMfxEDJ

Gong Yingxian checked his watch; there was just over a minute left. Each passing second was nerve-wracking.txJmyAgJHaHgwuOlVoakDJLUGvMUQk

vUpfeqDmAdzxKaH

At that moment, the music stopped, and Song Juhan’s voice echoed through every corner of the venue via the speakers: “Friends, in 90 seconds, we’ll be welcoming the new year together. I’ve prepared a gift for everyone, a surprise—a song I wrote recently. So far, only one person has heard it.”sIuJeOQdyaERaDVnIaiTSTreVAZqjV

RaTjgZsTPdkpuio

Laughter and cheers erupted from the crowd below.bYOwktvovXHWjRnKJGrCZXRKwKCUrk

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“I was planning to revise it before sharing, but suddenly, it feels just right for this moment. The song is called ‘Long Night.'” Song Juhan chuckled softly, “Everyone has experienced night; some nights feel so long that dawn seems unreachable. During these long nights, we endure darkness and nightmares, praying for the light to come. Perhaps you’ve waited so long you almost feel like giving up. I hope this song gives you the courage to keep going, because every long night must end, and dawn will surely come. Now, I want to spend this long night with each and every one of you.”TxYefCVCjugTsRWKatInSgbEjgKVyT

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In the next instant, the entire venue went dark.FvCuKKBHRXWHeDfhonuJNMPgpGSvYo

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Prepared for this moment, Ren Yi immediately turned on his phone’s flashlight, directing it toward Wang Rui. Without hesitation, Gong Yingxian fired, his silenced pistol emitting a soft “pew.” The shot struck Wang Rui’s shoulder.ZzeLYQhDiSoZSRUOtLqIesFwLjlzWk

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The impact sent Wang Rui sprawling, and the bomb slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground.ecXkfCvUceZiAxuEzGeINrzFkVLNzd

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They rushed forward, but with intersecting steel beams and glass underfoot, even moving around was challenging in the dark. Stumbling and slipping were inevitable in the pitch black.MsDAiMOpblqbAoVREuKbIyFtnZVhNP

coSHMVmxUWhkHpA

Ren Yi, holding his phone for light, was the only one who didn’t stumble. He rushed forward with unmatched speed, tackling Wang Rui just as he tried to grab the bomb, and the two wrestled on the tempered glass.QmAQcneiHnyHaoTtPVrYbKBgnUlfoQ

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With one hand around Wang Rui’s throat, Ren Yi used his other to seize the bomb, while Wang Rui struggled fiercely, ramming his elbow hard into Ren Yi’s waist.ZZREIbzCElWPfLJOzgKkBoDJvrJcix

JGxEuEybyszGFDR

Gong Yingxian then lunged forward, delivering a solid punch just below Wang Rui’s sternum, striking his diaphragm.DnFZJijjFWqWBExZXWvXBiJjPfEkhV

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Wang Rui let out a strangled scream, his whole body going limp from the pain.AzzSWgqYjxDGLLdirGhHFKtsVEKnFA

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Seizing the opportunity, Ren Yi took the bomb.qgwSLaDAAhCEraXRRBGfhiQjLVnDiw

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The countdown on the bomb displayed—10 seconds.TpcZuQVennmYqSWHhLrtVOlGdusDju

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They exchanged a glance.VuCUiazWdzhPvlvpiazPvUZEhcrXEB

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As Gong Yingxian reached for the bomb, Ren Yi quickly got to his feet.FXcMJGtkHmXhbQLOIQlnQtQMmEMBkf

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Seeing Ren Yi’s determined gaze, Gong Yingxian’s voice shook. “Don’t move…”BdytkoqDoaGCrVfuEGLenNNVPFGTzm

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But Ren Yi dashed toward the edge of the roof beam, bomb in hand.JlqXcYcZUAQhAerxSxzOPKHiyDdBiJ

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“Ren Yi!” Gong Yingxian didn’t hesitate, bolting after him without a second thought.WdywpumVXHjsjOgdPbMfKtudlmXWbQ

IarANKbKRpbRzkM

With three seconds left on the timer, Ren Yi mustered all his strength and hurled the bomb high into the air. At the same moment, he lost his footing and tumbled off the beam.rCvmDwhIaoMDgeObnYKcuOhwuXczLH

kAOaEoQwAvFTvQY

Gong Yingxian leaped forward, grabbing Ren Yi’s hand just as he was about to fall twenty meters down. The force of Ren Yi’s weight pulled Gong Yingxian down as well, causing him to slide, clutching desperately to the steel frame that protruded slightly from the glass, leaving them both perilously suspended mid-air.nvhfBbXiVBVPHfqdSnCGZpYnfzvjYk

ITXpapvDnSaTEsg

The bomb detonated, and the shockwave hit them like an invisible sledgehammer, sending cracks rippling through several surrounding glass panes. The impact nearly caused Gong Yingxian to cough up blood, but he clung to Ren Yi with an unyielding grip.emJhqoCmCSQTXsaTwBasBzwFagkNPx

bYVUIPDtBxzCSZB

At that exact moment, the New Year’s chimes sounded, and fireworks shot up over the venue, dazzling against the night sky. After a minute of complete darkness, the stage lights came back on, and the music resumed.tbCVRcCNbchcgvtzSdvMXyQbbVwzAt

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The darkness and silence of the world transformed instantly into brightness and celebration, masking the sound and flash of the bomb’s explosion.JYtInEtretPfXbyHfMagOmZkfLWqNx

BoMZoYYYUCApxoK

Ren Yi looked up at Gong Yingxian, countless words hovering on his lips, unsure where to begin.yGPbTBzjZHcFDnhTJXbmDKjOSgxsZG

WqUOyYQuryLspaZ

Gong Yingxian gazed back, also wanting to say something, but he was too hurt to speak. His insides throbbed with pain, and, with one hand still gripping Ren Yi’s, he felt as though his entire body was being torn apart, inside and out. He managed to rasp out three words: “Hold on tight.”DlzRDZCUCqjnANzNZeCnLHsKzqTQIQ

cndHUSShybvrYYL

The others ran over, linking arms to pull Gong Yingxian and Ren Yi back, inch by inch, until they were finally safe.gMwuaplGjxNzyAUcSFyHbrprcUHBqH

HmgsUPIBHoQFmSu

Gong Yingxian never let go. Once they were out of danger, he held Ren Yi tightly, as if he wanted to merge him into his own body, choking out an angry curse in his ear, “Are you fucking crazy?!” The image of Ren Yi falling replayed in his mind, tearing him apart with fear. If he lost Ren Yi… no, that was something he could never accept. Ren Yi was irreplaceable.KuvqwPlQWnCPzJpphfRRdDytZyeiTq

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Ren Yi’s nose tingled with emotion, feeling the strength and warmth of Gong Yingxian’s embrace—a presence that could shield him from the entire world. How many times had Gong Yingxian saved him now? Only Gong Yingxian gave him this profound sense of security, as if a powerful force were guarding him. Even the strongest person couldn’t resist this comfort that resonated deep within the soul.dwioGUoBdoRZarABHIGhdYVxKFZILg

ZpAbxjBpBrnvZbu

Yet, just as he felt the urge to return the embrace, the memory of Gong Yingxian’s cold, disdainful command—“Don’t touch me”—flashed in his mind.watCbfupGpPJCgHaOIigKwADnFPoDy

vlvGvcxaxuHZZPO

His heart clenched with pain, draining his strength. He went limp in Gong Yingxian’s arms, staring up at the fireworks filling the sky, and fantasizing that they were still on their date, listening to the concert together, ringing in the new year, and watching the romantic fireworks.NqsuSFxVtywSlYsdObIdcCvySCypeq

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Even if it was just a date he had foolishly defined on his own terms.IoFDGZIZdWARWqXmcqkJMpLFRCwwyO

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If only none of this had happened.hqtjZVuSMnrWpvqzMjyQNzHhbOqWDC

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Meanwhile, Captain Zhang led the others to cuff Wang Rui and take him to the hospital.TOKacuvVXmkcUakGPQRlZrHypkWsfN

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As the two slowly recovered, they awkwardly pulled apart, sitting back up on the glass, silent.bLlwyBsmnyXNPWzRgKLUCRJtknmaaC

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After a long pause, Ren Yi said, “It’s over.”vtaWwfzJhKujWGHUgxselwvlKLqAMt

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Gong Yingxian stayed silent.AkFsvDpLKYgjIRGOpNcnYLeHIyVmDc

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“We really pulled it off this time.” Ren Yi forced a smile. “Thank goodness not a single innocent person was hurt.”NEPNioheGKbAvwUHybYZyNfQSAGyiu

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“…Yes.”bbujgOVPvzyONNkPAStgIXCnhICmog

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Ren Yi looked through the glass at the crowd below, who were caught up in New Year’s festivities, completely unaware of the intense events that had just transpired over the past hour. He let out a self-mocking laugh. “Originally, I just wanted to invite you to a concert. I didn’t think it would turn into this.”bHsWlZCnjosjIqEFncYpBNHhoFQQPG

HfdtkJQseTiYIsW

Gong Yingxian glanced down as well and murmured, “The concert isn’t over yet.” This night was supposed to belong to him and Ren Yi. First, Qi Xiao had ruined it, and then… no, the night had ended the moment Qi Xiao appeared. Gong Yingxian clenched his fists, jealousy and anger still boiling within him.QgUepFSPLFydihDQcTIMcIIJCjcpti

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Unconsciously, Ren Yi hugged his knees, curling up slightly. In a soft voice, he said, “Can we… talk?”jaTOhXqFqdmfqjhAxmvQvRcbsChkFJ

sUlRLClHbPliffn

“…About what?”sLRIHJSByJmAEmrLpvjYKtCeEdWoFx

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“Can you…” Ren Yi struggled, “Can we pretend none of this ever happened? Can we go back to being best friends?”ZoomtcYWEnehyMWFbdnolAyjYQaGaA

pddNxFdhGIhKKtD

Gong Yingxian’s expression turned cold, but he remained silent.WRopCsEXCbhWMMdxUCzQTuNmOqoNtv

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“I won’t have any more… inappropriate behavior, I promise,” Ren Yi said, his voice growing quieter. “I won’t touch you either.”YEnTSgSgaqarhJhmYaBwcktvMqvhuT

OQiMSXZcZvRMHUp

Gong Yingxian’s heart twisted painfully with anger. He abruptly stood up and walked away without a backward glance.wlGUUgpCdlDrVCnHGjRwPeLNwOvouf

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Ren Yi stared blankly at his retreating figure, then slowly closed his eyes in sorrow.XlFCwClajkFTRyoHSUsWiqGYDRwDgx

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