Chapter 99
Gong Yingxian struggled to open the car door and placed Ren Yi on the back seat. Ren Yi lay back comfortably, half-opening his eyes to look at Gong Yingxian, “You’re… taking me home?” His mind felt muddled, his vision blurred, but all he could remember was “home.”jYqCIetXQActyzgJkYJdHsYDHhelst
BHujxLLFObHEKtM“Yeah.” Gong Yingxian buckled Ren Yi’s seatbelt, took off his coat, rolled it up, and placed it under Ren Yi’s head. “We’ll be there soon; get some rest.”zctIevPmNpBsGAmpDbCqOEoBctfjgv
SlvdwyuxvXULGPdRen Yi found Gong Yingxian’s voice soft and gentle. Though he couldn’t see his face clearly in the dim light, he figured it must look warm and kind. Being treated this way while sick… it was nice.gqfiBtyloJirsbDjJBsbrRrOeZQUrm
GaLxRyAncvyBFVuHe closed his eyes peacefully.yQJVNzNCQvAnEqHBukkTUwYwqrPhWi
MDwmiZTjBnVJkNeAfter glancing at Ren Yi a few times, Gong Yingxian gently closed the car door, got into the driver’s seat, and drove off.umrPAJqOPoTykLlriRUzPMCEOaFcBz
ssXMvsfyuuRqBCdRen Yi’s home was quite a distance away, crossing half of the capital city. By the time they arrived, dawn had broken.btqmhHkJZYoUDPhaHfHzGfLNZWzykb
zBcUrKogmhqsAajRen Yi had fallen into a deep sleep. Gong Yingxian opened the car door and, with some effort, pulled Ren Yi out from the back seat, realizing then that his fever had worsened—he was practically unconscious.BnNhIwmKDWafSfnOMPQxtEXaLlDWvg
BnnpyzpCEhAGCSkAnxious, Gong Yingxian scooped Ren Yi up in his arms and hurried upstairs.OZyQbIbAiKcNmWFZaxtGJhhgPDOKMF
VUXnfocXXbIyXXyWaiting at Ren Yi’s doorstep was Gong Yingxian’s family doctor, with two large boxes at his feet—a medical kit and an insulated container. The doctor was yawning heavily from exhaustion.mkZWngVLoJIOLBhPlcgiprhhHyKPXN
xkMBTuROGVdBpwC“Young Master,” Dr. Wang straightened up at the sight of them, looking more alert. “How’s he doing?”ZJHeFpGQVsULfUYXEcrdLhcyWsGsFd
lHWNTIixLZtTQhxGong Yingxian replied worriedly, “He’s been out in the cold all night; his fever’s gotten worse.”tYMiWVmRyAWjwjTLmLPBTiNVzcHQuC
bmXrWJLqpyjekWNInside, Gong Yingxian carefully placed Ren Yi on the bed, then stepped aside to give Dr. Wang room to work.BDCTUVhTjutrrvOPcWKEdlOdwSVWDj
NRiuWlhftHWSQYUDr. Wang took Ren Yi’s temperature and administered a fever-reducing injection.bYcgvkVGJBuPyTRwFrKRQCLjJuieYh
MQosNWCBGFVDrqtRen Yi mumbled incoherently in his sleep, his body drenched in sweat.hDOEBzgcQjSXZvuePBNgciurvdOvxJ
cnAVxeIiWxuEkezGong Yingxian, concerned, asked, “When will his fever go down? Could it cause any lasting harm?”wHQMmlIMvyFBUcSfEtyemvJoAcKsMN
HgaxWYOrRDaTjPv“39.2°C—not alarmingly high. The injection should help. If you want to bring it down faster, you could rub him down with alcohol.”zZueeEvVYHGthSLJRCLWDjuNAKFznH
PgiLPVSQLRbrkIO“Rub… rub his body?”pZcwiDzTLUjxsgDXJhNCdhqfisawLL
tLKjDTTZyFofpBlDr. Wang nodded, looking at Gong Yingxian expectantly.mMWYLwqMilRHvaTWdkZaXPNyvhqlIC
NLmItsmZoZuxPvgRubbing him down would mean undressing him, and undressing him would…OVEhzGFWdGyEGlPWPPqChjBokLidTu
JDEnyOteJnZPXWBGong Yingxian immediately dismissed the idea, “No need for that.”cOIWPNfWcDTWBobKZgiEJVAaggnLrr
UTDwzHPEeUEdUOXDr. Wang looked relieved. Woken before dawn, he just wanted to get back to sleep. “That’s fine. His condition is stable now. Once he wakes up, have him eat something. The insulated container has food that Steward Sheng prepared; just warm it up. Have him take his medicine half an hour after eating. If he still has a fever by tonight, I’ll come back to give him another injection.”cixrqPCmAqlADwWhwgSNIJZOToIBsY
drrfrkqPGqgmjzgGong Yingxian nodded. “You can go now.”iXGbDjjzniAlMpOMOafrPAYmpnVBrF
EegSSMXpLZGekygDr. Wang glanced at him and advised, “Young Master, you don’t look much better than he does. No matter how busy work gets, you need to take care of yourself. If you keep pushing like this, I’m afraid you’ll end up sick too. If you don’t rest, I’m calling Captain Qiu.”WgJVSeCpkuggthhOdDqjcWUvSrCwos
BzbRYhpGEjHKhKWSince New Year’s, Gong Yingxian hadn’t slept more than four hours a night, and exhaustion had definitely caught up with him. After another sleepless night, his eyelids were heavy, and his mind felt weighed down. “Sister Yan has already pushed me to take a break. I’ll take a couple of days off.”fZRJBkrwIODGnqzeiqnTRfzYzNymyv
RRRrqgTbORwVtic“Good, call me if anything comes up.”jISAFPldHpfdHComjCUebIQbBZjWLV
qkCMGyOfUJUhcZJAfter Dr. Wang left, Gong Yingxian sat by the bed, quietly watching Ren Yi. His gaze lingered on every inch of Ren Yi’s skin, and he reached out, gently stroking his hair and tracing those handsome features.jxLEkCutMrshlPIMpKntoEtbcNxxax
YmMRhfbnKaMIdzTEven though he didn’t want Ren Yi to be sick, he couldn’t deny that he liked having this version of Ren Yi, completely at his mercy. It allowed him to be as close as he wanted, to touch without restraint, without any need to hold back.nOLfTbaMOCxiJYwhSrwTqBQGeQwtEe
PIPzLlhDvAqIPmmThe only thing missing was a response.zeNdQQoMQDNLdHKzePrDPsdjHeMhpk
vccedjjrYTANQhaTaking a deep breath, he pulled back Ren Yi’s blanket and removed the sweat-drenched clothes.dGymQEjJGmldgzoBxXzYJYWVgHqCqQ
NJlECnOwdQMvjMvRen Yi’s skin had a faint red flush from the fever, and his usually strong limbs now lay limp and weak. As he looked at Ren Yi’s peaceful, sleeping face, Gong Yingxian felt a twinge of guilt. He reminded himself that this was all to help lower the fever. Pouring some alcohol onto a damp cloth, he carefully wiped down Ren Yi’s body.HwutiwUkublkgzSunKLazSjHChZfSd
RvKJazmfvTPSWCgBy the time he finished, dawn had fully broken. Gong Yingxian was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open, and he was starving, yet he had no energy to eat. All he wanted now was to get some real rest.CwvMJhTJouwShluwJOtPkolQQdCYtd
gcMPwjvViLlzeTZHe carefully slumped down beside Ren Yi, pulling him gently into his arms.CBhttiubpEYQcVNFTmzwCbUKaMgOAF
YalBVcAbWkgeMXPSo warm… He wished he could hold him like this forever.PuHztersFlVAmvQMfZQBICcEMgDFMd
suhakjOiVIlaRoKHis recent bouts of insomnia weren’t just due to the overwhelming workload. The masked figure, Ziyan, had resurfaced, dredging up buried fears and pain. He felt compelled to throw himself into the investigation, to hunt down the culprit relentlessly. If he paused, even briefly, he risked being engulfed by a darkness he couldn’t escape.CIwKTRDMFbLFxZmcGtvAYldZyhMORt
NgubQRfOlgZPxltThat’s why he feared rest, even dreaded sleep.MchFrLkVMgtMFaQtEyOVsZvVPObbut
GygRIzFaKyRXPGBBut holding Ren Yi, his heart finally felt at ease. All those floating, uncertain, and anxious emotions slowly settled as he absorbed Ren Yi’s warmth. He even forgot about the pillow he usually needed to fall asleep. Just holding Ren Yi like this was enough to let him drift into peaceful slumber.GjNttXZDodHfbkgumyRiacfRUVkRNj
PQppyAxVPndquLY***bKNhJjdQxCMmhmAcFHCrlCMpDfLRIE
PqEgwKvZwLkmuDdIt was unclear how long he’d been asleep when Gong Yingxian was startled awake by the sound of his phone ringing. Groggy, he grabbed his phone and held it to his ear. “Hello?”TwyWDlRfNVwRmlvVmxdJrzGQIsmkAa
ZBxmRIYQFjolwss“Yingxian, are you home?” Qiu Yan’s voice came through.CyqiBQmZuiluRpJPUtaoBotAZLSVVQ
ingDYSRnNVUyDUr“…Yeah.” Gong Yingxian glanced at the still-sleeping Ren Yi beside him. “What’s up? Do you need me at the precinct?” For the first time, he didn’t want to go to work, didn’t want to leave this warm, almost otherworldly little room.xSQvDnDiExDKfqtpqOAbezpMclxmaM
rADMfEqvFYMfwaa“No need. It’s just a document that might’ve been filled out wrong. I wanted to confirm it with you, and also share the preliminary findings on those two bodies.”nKXshGvAqDCuaTANjhRoDKTovMScpO
DtOawaCHAMaxWpKGong Yingxian breathed a discreet sigh of relief. “Alright.”YIQhBMaiDUvjQIsTUZoNhLTCQqPnzs
kJAEFQdXINSCVjyAfter they finished discussing work, Qiu Yan added, “Since you’re home, I’m giving you a two-day break. You can’t keep burning yourself out like this. I’m afraid you’ll wear yourself down before you catch Ziyan, and haste makes waste.”FjgWWlYmePbdoCZXAxNstSvGTSTaXQ
zxWhudcehOHKmtE“I understand.”awwiPWLABgVVgZguMvZpGKNpNZuxpl
wSXTEDHQkNsiXrx“I heard Captain Ren was the one who retrieved the bodies from the well last night. I also heard he has a fever?”UUZilCfRiAkRXvRYGxZiIjZImWxYUk
KqGJFgNBNxoHbLb“Yes, he was out in the cold all night.”ugJxjeNSGEGXDeaNuGryaSOZehmPJD
bLnGhLVZEhrHoEl“He’s really gone above and beyond. I’ll visit him at the hospital later with some health supplements on behalf of the precinct.”mzDnndekhcfiYbTtaarkSQbQYWZTwg
ZWYIJZDqjdnzJhB“Uh, that’s… not necessary.”tfGKHxTmBxRFffuXzvBeBqbFDanghL
nydXxpnCmscPeav“Why not?”hiYHUJaeMEOrKUjeHXjQVtKMYDPDNo
GJmEcXQSBHuBzSjAfter a moment’s hesitation, Gong Yingxian replied, “He didn’t go to the hospital. He’s recovering at home.”WlkVHCdUatQPwgmROJqqfyFfaSRloP
JQeNdodSbnSRZIcQiu Yan, sharp as ever, picked up on Gong Yingxian’s unusual tone and seemed to guess the situation. “Are you at his place?”BXbOLREqPqUqprUMRBQzddGgMJtZMu
MuaIuRFKAbCGPqx“…Yes.”mUaxYWaNqfnWJWpleYmLiMkhDlIPlG
sLeWDWIUskhJryIQiu Yan fell silent, a silence that made Gong Yingxian inexplicably anxious.OJVtGUPzEbPDVgqkgErtjrRDMbIkRQ
USoNxyoMwyyxgiG“Then take good care of him.”XBstWznlBrhJGerIsAGnSOpgzsjWDk
byLHlZWOlRnWvhu“Got it.”UBMZfbjYlCbSoyExgieeOWhhkQloVv
WNOtHZarPmwtzXjAfter hanging up, Gong Yingxian let out a long breath.ugnjhqmaYuRfQzlVnDtQkQjDjIPxoi
VIXJLKEygNouBOUSuddenly, Ren Yi’s eyelashes fluttered, his body stirring as if he was about to wake. Startled, Gong Yingxian quickly scrambled off the bed and pulled a chair over to sit by the bedside.CGynqkWqIIPLCzyuLIWQCIWpuXQXnK
puPswJBSxApiSSdAfter a moment, Ren Yi awoke, feeling groggy, his throat burning painfully, and his swollen eyelids barely able to stay open.fzSOohIPQtJFKBBLPIJouTSWlMpYnS
PRluYpQpDcKJLPiWith one hand propped on the bed, Gong Yingxian leaned over to look at him. “You’re awake.”abauJTAPeLnyHAdPAXAggZLzVPHOGI
NWyNJxxNNdbxpcmRen Yi looked at Gong Yingxian, his mouth opening slightly. “Thirsty.”tlTNZtYMNaIEFVETVLzlQMRwRMszxt
uhpsQWqTarIDPEjHis voice was hoarse beyond recognition.SUvmJIHmZutbzShCTAYybCQtVNjpgj
bacFhvdiJUZYjOkGong Yingxian helped him sit up against the headboard and poured him a cup of warm water. “Drink slowly; don’t choke.”oVyCJumQeUqMsDeyPLrrZfZPYyTgbf
VMSeQvwMkUOgZJxRen Yi gulped down the entire glass, feeling as though he’d been roasted over a fire all night, thoroughly dehydrated. “Another glass.”sSQtNCegfxpCzZHSxmLdGtqmXrsVXg
iqOWWQaqZMJdZriGong Yingxian poured him another. “After you finish, have some porridge. You’ll need to eat before you can take any medicine.”CvXKZXcOkzLrbqwDlPGubwHeiZrmAN
nzHwqteJwPgaMMSRen Yi looked at him, bewildered. “You brought me back?”HUUVKLNDdMWeSWOcQCgCqLDfqiwfCv
DdBEwmjrdwyUdHy“You don’t remember?” Gong Yingxian reached out to check Ren Yi’s forehead. “It doesn’t feel as hot as before.” He handed him a thermometer. “Check again, to see if your fever’s gone down.”jssOWZsxVlNLtRHbURUlIBAPpeMvvq
JbwSBqBteLGvIFERen Yi didn’t take it;instead, he continued to stare blankly at Gong Yingxian.GNFOETVbMVbzZwHMVBKoFenutEZAFz
KpEOHQXzkTMZNUFRen Yi’s reactions were a bit slow, his mind stuck on the thought that he was sick, and Gong Yingxian was taking care of him. Such a nice thing—maybe he was feverish and hallucinating.PSSHJeQRydslqgzekqKvxlSFZDfhiZ
fnRqSwCZUfJXFHTWith flushed cheeks, damp eyes, and a sluggish expression, he looked completely different from his usual sharp and robust self. Gong Yingxian had never seen him like this, not even the last time he was hospitalized. Now, Ren Yi looked so weak, so pitiful. Gong Yingxian swallowed quietly, barely able to take his eyes off him. His heart softened into a pool of spring water. He cleared his throat, removed the cap from the thermometer, and said, “Open up.”yMQqQmJHFxDQdwTeTGigVwGGsCKQcD
kfVrqWfOvHaSApm“Ah…” Ren Yi obediently opened his mouth.RycRxwpdrIgRfEeNJrcsCyRRSuNdEH
yHnweoAGmNkrCRvGong Yingxian placed the thermometer in his mouth. “Take it out in two minutes. I’ll go warm up some porridge.”oepPdyaAhCGpaGxswjnfQUVqPfTLvL
mkRfogKfTwgFdMjRen Yi held the thermometer in his mouth.ckhBlLmMkUGzFIMyugPQVvDMSkERHF
KsbTIzZyIGLOuheUnable to resist, Gong Yingxian reached out and gently pinched Ren Yi’s chin. “Did you hear me?”PmSmgkwpZHzrBdUQfDoWNAitUVCDSf
IXuCSRKwSjlNDSyRen Yi nodded.EqjtDGOkLBWwxTdMCsFNVPFIMllVFJ
fVTRmxdIsrYYYlYOnly then did Gong Yingxian stand and leave.jKHKdOsfvdGnbMthZvRywgySlAkTLG
kYIRZgLePLXZqXtThe meals Steward Sheng had prepared were in the insulated container and were at just the right temperature—no need for reheating. He took out two white porcelain bowls, filled them with porridge, and added a few light side dishes onto a small plate. Placing everything on a tray, he carried it back to Ren Yi’s room.ErqJGrGpIRjIfOKmobTIBfKlucyHVA
ldLmrxrlpUyDBwU“38.3.” Ren Yi seemed a bit more alert now.lwspcJQsalWVLOVpoRHWsUugwtxEsO
HfpRvBnYKNycsLP“Your temperature’s gone down; it was 39 this morning,” Gong Yingxian said. “Dr. Wang mentioned that if your fever doesn’t subside by tonight, he’ll come back to give you another injection.”udwtHVcSJrFKXgtGUszAvQzoYbzYme
wEFarkNYJLvrwNZRen Yi glanced at the tray. “You haven’t eaten either, huh?”DrdDMdMydMZkNFuilrdkdoqSglOZtA
mtlXHrMNAzoFGZY“No, I was too tired, so I slept a bit.”xRYTjSEtvwLfDHgruwRwZpKUSWLczz
BNpFSKUldcRYzvrGong Yingxian placed the tray on the bed, picked up a bowl, and handed it to Ren Yi. “Eat something, then you can take your medicine.”VzsScfLyKbzuDQIAhqGByZtbqSqSLR
ObHVicRmbJmxoWORen Yi took the bowl; he was already starving.afWBWzjmAYygwFFCdnKABjWaxaxMEE
EOBhcqbuarNtBssAs the soft, mushy porridge slid down his throat, he felt a bit of relief from the scratchy pain in his throat. While eating, he struggled to piece together his muddled thoughts. “What time did we get back? Who’s handling the follow-up over there?”mhAdIelHzOwAcHLnKSzNKTXNRTJdtN
jLUuOLFrZNLjpnS“Around six or seven. There are plenty of people there; you don’t need to worry.”pfElDEsUATsVOjXIinCeVWRUsVHFCp
kDgtWQGZPxMtngDRen Yi nodded. “Yang Bo and Captain Yan are there; it should be fine.”zcvvSGxisgATHAbVMnuhnBABTDFXiP
EIgoHMTsmAPDqPsGong Yingxian didn’t respond; both names Ren Yi mentioned bothered him.jLXdwxpQKJjlJfukUdVReqYhQLDOFf
EzuVhmaUMZFVrcO“And the two bodies? Were they sent to the forensic lab?”REctoQFEMEDWBhYCCKFTlOuptLZQIu
SzTrhTuVPZAcHMG“Yes, they’re looking into their identities now. Yan-jie just told me it’s two females—one adult and one child—possibly mother and daughter. If they are indeed missing together, that’ll be easier to trace.”iIFpYbbEfxjsnSVOGJwsjKVKFSkyDN
JeTwpugFJguZwQDRen Yi didn’t have the energy to get angry, but just thinking about a child among the victims filled him with sorrow. Being sick amplified that sadness, making his chest feel unbearably heavy.euwxtGPElmBUUPbcdVFNLMWHWbTCAr
bSfVPzFSzNdmnKt“This mother and daughter should lead us to the killer soon enough. It’s likely that the perpetrator held a strong emotional connection to them, whether love or hate.”BkOeIWVREmRKSItMoDMslQSheBEret
lMfHQQjqzhveilK“How do you know?”jMgyGQHdOlwyYOZXHDeUPtIPPuIqhT
NfBrqizezsUBnFG“We’re not sure yet if they were burned alive or if they were killed first and then burned. But then they were dumped into a foundation well, a place where light never reaches. Most arsonists aren’t particularly interested in murder; any deaths are usually incidental. But the way this mother and daughter were treated—burned, then deeply buried—carries a clear message of hatred. It’s almost symbolic, like some twisted punishment. This wasn’t a random killing. The perpetrator knew them.”CVKNZokmHLPtmjfkEUXDoRRXpQEHMc
EPCurBwRujJSazvRen Yi struggled to process the words, a chill running through him. His hands trembled, and the bowl nearly slipped from his grip.XjVawzeLbVQTgrnlqodCcHwOTdAPZG
ofMeVUaVQIJJngAGong Yingxian quickly reached out, catching both the bowl and Ren Yi’s hand, holding it securely.gFQDhEUUfgrxoMwOKuXTxRYPaYrmMu
voBagIJGVmRuBgBBoth froze, a powerful warmth passing between them, a heat that quietly spread through their bodies.pPQtWFBwxZQbilQEmdprSWWjmKOCVW
SYrlUPdFUJRqKDGGong Yingxian murmured, “Can’t even hold a bowl properly?”GLaUgqnUuNXppYcYipspirHonTVYdY
ReojtwLgxRPTozp“…”ABegDDfmrEeQCYOudgangLommaMcTb
RMlXZBFCahjUKOL“I’ll feed you.” Gong Yingxian took the bowl from him.tiDtEzRLsJCatAeZlMxdLwFGmBiIUs
zPizioTkxfMmviIRen Yi was so stunned he thought he’d misheard, too shocked to think clearly. He stammered, “N-no need.”rYPRgDHFfcDCOTWsDEUolruWTFvnuZ
rTzeppPWnvmxoup“Stop talking.” Gong Yingxian awkwardly scooped up a spoonful of porridge and brought it to Ren Yi’s lips. “Eat.”ybxvkiRICGRhIepyIfYMAjLLiquMZl
keOBGaQVhGvuYBARen Yi stared blankly at Gong Yingxian, opening his mouth stiffly to take a bite.jTLSJbwnuNmkFQodeHeblhBjfZgdga
GdwfXbvWbXDlpVeAs he watched Ren Yi gaze at him, licking the corner of his lips after each bite, Gong Yingxian felt his cheeks grow hot, wondering if he was getting infected with Ren Yi’s fever.JOMVhrLyyinTnXojmEMMTVJCYrvgfE
cpzzthNaahtRhOEFinally, after finishing the bowl of porridge, both were drenched in sweat.HobHooDuohWSHczfjktPkjfooIISIP
bITPzJhOsYAGZYnAfter tidying up the dishes, Gong Yingxian returned, now holding a book. “Do you want to sleep, or would you rather stay awake? If you’re not sleepy, I can read to you.”XxUainHuniUhxYpnqMPBPPZMjCywOt
GMUgDReWpDtNzIeThis unexpected attention left Ren Yi feeling overwhelmed. “Aren’t you supposed to go back to the precinct?”gDzppQtoEAzGxdxZdVslCDEVWlITqM
mEuDcgTdyhSlTad“I’m on break.”hMsOgKsExompjkhZVJekeQNVIorTbL
YhdtehmIvNCAnmuRen Yi blurted, “Is it to take care of me?”PgxilQBPcceqbXtgbgkIaNJaviGSpR
jfDRziMIHmkaGPGGong Yingxian froze for a moment before replying, awkwardly, “I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Yan-jie insisted I take a few days off.” He paused, adding, “And… to take care of you, too.”aLWFWZXrRdvxQLiVYJAuLuBOoieKZH
EEYDwgXdbpnHbbNRen Yi smiled knowingly, happiness lighting his expression. “What book is that?”dHKxyyAcwNaabZTBXoZjNPZqDUfjcF
lrXUMRPEHMsvKTJ“A detective novel by Ellery Queen, The Tragedy of X.”DqWNEpnfKfgDpQweJOQYQBrtXugkHk
qbDLITABuueEIhZ“Alright.”rEcbijPVdaHrFGtRqAGpvMfUSOpclA
lEbIdTLLKUmfOJoGong Yingxian opened the book and started reading, barely a line in when—UXFXhhmeLKazgzrLeQziFoRWhinxDy
pIoBjwxghSLQXWT“Could you…move a bit closer?” Ren Yi asked, “I have a bit of a ringing in my ears.”TfPOKchmrpqJvubfPXqobHnBmZelhi
EbdOpQZITdeTqvMGong Yingxian looked at him for a moment, then shifted to sit on the bed, leaning against the same pillow as Ren Yi.UxMvHRGdgtcQOVPwooHBphqvzyIaje
uDkRxVpDiKgxQwoRen Yi let a contented smile cross his face.VtZvywoJNCSbJaoHeWYEWFCvuGinmS
iRSIJRnoJMrYDMzIyDlhZcgfWFCJbhDPWwZPxgzdEZUya