Blazing Armor

Ren Yi stiffly turned his neck, averting his gaze. He couldn’t bear to look at that face he had once loved so deeply—a face now marked by helplessness, shock, and grievance, as though he were the one in the wrong, as if he had done something to hurt Gong Yingxian.hNBgYOQUVcgtJNBDxOLySRecHBkINe

jEcOcXSzqTSgvWm

Lowering his head, Ren Yi pushed Gong Yingxian aside, intent on leaving. But Gong Yingxian grabbed his wrist firmly. “You’re not allowed to leave.”ONbfzQlqWpnZsxMsarZGwcESsoZFzq

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Ren Yi raised his head, his anger flaring. “Let go.”kLNVTgkqguTGvkxqTYTuhGSByHeqsF

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Gong Yingxian pursed his lips. “How long are you planning to stay angry?”TzifNvgyIwFbumZKmGwklTTgphFuNk

MuuhpborzRohuVB

Ren Yi tried to wrench his hand away, but Gong Yingxian held onto his wrist tightly. Ren Yi stared at him in disbelief. “Do you think I’m just throwing a tantrum? Do you think I should follow your schedule, finish being mad, and then go back to acting like nothing happened?” He shouted, “Do you think this is some fucking game?”LqrdJdyzoTQjckpllZmElOoUkVRINr

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Gong Yingxian’s lips trembled slightly. He stammered, “Then… what do you want me to do?”zxPHPYdFfvAfbHKhJlYalkOseBMfnY

MfAqzuTDeUAJBHm

Ren Yi glared at him, his eyes reddening. A bitter ache rose in his chest, threatening to spill over as tears. “I don’t know. But I… I don’t want to see you.”MlKoOBEKWWXbXPMJFJmOYoBtOEilzx

bYIHLRgEonXKyOZ

He had never imagined he would one day say this to Gong Yingxian. He liked this person so much—so much that he had been willing to compromise on anything, to follow Gong Yingxian’s lead in everything, as long as they could be together. He had lived in fear, terrified that one day Gong Yingxian would be the one to tell him these words. And now, fate had played its cruel joke: he was the one saying them, and he meant it.gMbVgvmPuKZkutuFNyhxoalKIGQWjk

ZBPsCiUeMUNxjGf

He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t do anything to Gong Yingxian. He was angry and heartbroken, but it didn’t change the fact that he still liked this person. He also knew Gong Yingxian hadn’t meant to do harm—he had simply made a mistake. But Ren Yi couldn’t forgive anyone for hurting his father. All he wanted right now was to get away—as far away as possible—so he wouldn’t have to wrestle with the agony of love and hate.ojzwpRCTjwwpBlPvXdTvQVfNqJtuJD

MJmTfVuwwEQFZki

But this one sentence was enough to push Gong Yingxian off the edge of a cliff. When he made that decision, he had considered the possibility that Ren Yi would be angry. But he had believed Ren Yi would eventually forgive him. After the near-explosion at the barbecue restaurant and the loss of Sun Dingyi at the Wenhui Mall, Gong Yingxian’s fear for Ren Yi’s safety had reached its limit. All he wanted was to capture the criminals as quickly as possible, by any means necessary.qYwHmceReKFoujEqyKjSAtBvpTaewo

hDAIhFzgJHcCGcx

He hadn’t expected Ren Yi to be this furious, to say something as devastating as… not wanting to see him anymore.zUFBHEiNvRcIfjBjqgpKHlgqCCFGiq

MystPwEzCjpLQIw

All of Gong Yingxian’s usual composure was gone. Panic, sorrow, and despair clashed violently in his chest, clouding his mind and making his breath uneven. He stared fixedly into Ren Yi’s eyes, gritting his teeth as he said, “You’re not allowed to say that. You can be mad at me, you can yell at me, even hit me—but you’re not allowed to say that.”gVdrFVDrzFVNcfsQpLwCLjwzjZHMpy

PLEDVrquusQcBwg

Ren Yi struggled desperately to free his hand, but Gong Yingxian refused to let go, gripping his wrist so tightly it hurt. Ren Yi shouted, “Let go!”RquaWXLYpXdZNBWRUZiElWUGqIqxoQ

AVFttAKjxByeLhe

“What do you want me to do?!” Gong Yingxian growled lowly. “Just tell me, and I’ll make it up to you.”YMgFzmgIqmItMfPdaPhVSyHMHhVhKV

JsDoMyOvdFoycvE

“I want you to let go.” Ren Yi snarled, “I want some peace!”kXcHbPwUQPsCBQjsbhcBPoyuLDAkYF

NjRYHdSdLOlYiLV

Anguish and frustration flashed in Gong Yingxian’s eyes. Without thinking, he shoved Ren Yi against the wall, pressing his lips hard against Ren Yi’s to silence the words he didn’t want to hear.hteLxaPycjizRMZFOgJXjYGORqfPLd

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Shock was written all over Ren Yi’s wide, glaring eyes.iidceyXRaBUriPQZIlLxdHAtIfFzyQ

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Gong Yingxian kissed him with a force that bordered on brutality, claiming the soft lips he had longed for with desperation. It was a taste he couldn’t forget, one he would never let anyone take away from him.OifZfMauAxJnsmxCXsLiHiqnHyrygp

MLvHlXsTSVFOTTz

Snapping back to his senses, Ren Yi felt the painful pressure of Gong Yingxian’s rough kiss bruising his lips and teeth. Summoning all his strength, he shoved Gong Yingxian away and roared, “Enough! What the hell is wrong with you? What do you want?!”eMsqCibtTQovBJTPJKEhkiqplGJvVs

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“I want us to go back to how we used to be!” Gong Yingxian roared back.KuPRNeUuEStUOOpFtHTsHbWVyhKoAU

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“Back to how we used to be?” Ren Yi sneered coldly. “What, you mean me being there whenever you needed someone to scratch your itches?”eexLdYnRomfGXyFwZVryuIuXbiCsQx

qmXLRLCecVhVwpg

“You know that’s not what I mean!”MPYaRGoVHVfSXkQNkaPgNwgmOMMsKh

mHBTgiCzPDcdbCR

“Then what?!” Ren Yi’s bloodshot eyes locked onto Gong Yingxian’s. “What am I to you? I thought we were friends! Is this how you treat a friend? Of course you want things to go back to how they were—back when I could help you solve your cases and be at your beck and call! Where else would you find such a convenient and useful ‘friend’?!”lqQMybDxYaZJmmRBxibusVyoaidpZW

VvcFMSmILQBLFyL

Gong Yingxian stammered, “You’re talking nonsense! I never thought of you that way! I know I was wrong—I just wanted to catch the killer as soon as possible to keep you safe. Can’t you… can’t you forgive me?”xKpsMqbmYwWZlDiKSvpGCMjDhpaZsk

ljwUDVyScqbjMei

Through his blurred vision, Ren Yi stared blankly at Gong Yingxian. His voice was soft but resolute. “No.” Those two simple words pierced like a blade, cutting deep into both of them.zPBilxAoQpkEvbwKbMaAnXeqtetupr

RBpMAPglnyUcIle

Gong Yingxian’s eyes brimmed with tears. His clenched fists and tightly pressed lips betrayed his struggle to hold back a flood of emotions. He had never felt so utterly defeated.GdDLUSfcVpnJOeApuuaiqwYYLFnvQa

DnFNqreMqtJZAto

Unable to bear the sight of Gong Yingxian’s broken expression, Ren Yi turned to leave the hospital room again. But once more, Gong Yingxian blocked his path.XapIsYAyTWvowMddGRyJFPedqkLpDw

DCGuHuXNimiExQQ

Fury overtook Ren Yi, and he shouted, “Get out of my way!”bGQFIrsaEWkVzWayCWPpXGyZMrGbYM

eODsGtgACyzAKqh

The words hit Gong Yingxian like a blow, leaving him frozen. In that moment, all his strength deserted him. Only Ren Yi could break him like this—with a single line, a single look.wHiGMJCjxreMhcVIaPhEChYwPYhvlm

QvAfuNILYOvdWrM

Taking advantage of Gong Yingxian’s momentary hesitation, Ren Yi pushed past him and fled the room. When he reached the reception desk, the head nurse tried to stop him. “Captain Ren, you haven’t finished the paperwork—”bxLYulyuiqGDPdthtKxPRwBtSUreqb

fLcpipoRMXPbpfe

“I don’t need it,” Ren Yi cut her off, not even slowing down as he headed for the parking lot.qtPUCpqphAuVZxtajFDFaLFQzJsouw

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He needed to get as far away from Gong Yingxian as possible, to rid himself of the man’s presence, scent, touch, and voice. If he didn’t, he feared he might waver.RCbEfuiDLlhFTIJvSxKbXnFhlrNzov

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Gong Yingxian stood by the window, trembling as he watched Ren Yi’s hurried figure disappear into the distance. Rage overtook him, and with a deafening bang, he lashed out, kicking the aluminum door so hard it left a deep dent.XUJCvRJVNLYoagOtCOFTCXSKyNcQAu

FJnrNCUnYxhiHVD

No, absolutely not. Ren Yi couldn’t leave his world. This man, who had barged into his life uninvited and turned it upside down, was someone he had to keep by his side for the rest of his life.grTAFTkAafomyqKOdLCzkhcaDZNTVW

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—EAKSvWPRzCAvCNzcMLjzcZewitVLGg

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On the way back to the squad, Ren Yi was so overwhelmed with emotion that he nearly caused an accident. The screeching sound of his sudden brake jolted him awake. He pulled over to the side of the road, forced himself to calm down, and only then drove back at a steady pace.gfRQmaTuIjtyNsqSfUEokHJfkyfeMw

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As soon as he stepped out of the car, he bumped into Qu Yangbo. Qu looked at him curiously and asked, “Where’ve you been?”bztmozunfGFshWnrsGFVxjOtNsNsqg

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“The hospital,” Ren Yi replied flatly.yyXRwUkBMQRPjhhJjfIcycZoOMIvtD

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“Changing your dressing?”SlAKHOMxyMIWbahDoDdrpRmSEGrsIN

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“No, I went to my dad’s hospital.”SSfWNuIrfiuvSWjWkNZsDPJHsAgtdZ

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“Oh? Did you already send Uncle back? Why didn’t you tell us?”FmBuEaXqHOQBgxRPRrzFXNkcMtkdXf

WHQiqESPRuMwntG

“No,” Ren Yi avoided Qu Yangbo’s gaze. “I went to pick up his things. On the seventh, someone else will take him to a care home.”UzTzePJxIQczkqgSTPLeWssvfJKAVM

wybijqURgdyHVvw

Qu Yangbo frowned. “What? He’s moving? Why?”WPnDfwYZMjUwLvQQpVIyyAqBUCtADW

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“Something happened between me and Gong Yingxian. I don’t want to get into it. Just… leave it alone, okay?” Ren Yi rattled off quickly, then turned and headed toward the dormitory.ypgfegcpdMVIwYEBbGRqDBqTvuYVzI

JAfAqsBLynjdbUo

Qu Yangbo froze for a moment before following him. “You two… fine, I won’t ask. Did you at least tell your dad about this?”ZTdZsSIlPccpKTOPYoInszjHwkjLCp

yCXolJysSfwPhQv

“I did.”zqKCYLTZumjVlKwnmOjlbSoSNFemSj

MpgNiTyOxrrxdSx

“And… are you sure about this?”InMlXzcVvaTrzItPcnhVFCKCCgYdMK

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“There’s nothing to think about.”TbuoQtJtwyxqzeYUeDSIOPxlEiKbEu

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Qu Yangbo didn’t press further. Even though he was nearsighted, he had a knack for reading people. He’d noticed Ren Yi acting off these past few days. Initially, he thought it was because of Sun Dingyi, but the simmering anger he sensed clearly had a different source. Now that he knew the reason, digging any deeper would only provoke Ren Yi’s temper.IPYvbKgflQMmtebXBfvaKdRNSCDlgU

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Back in the dorm, Ren Yi splashed cold water on his face and then looked up at his reflection in the mirror. He froze, staring at himself, lost in thought.kJxdwsWrfdOkLjUhxDXaPtWvfbYlge

QFSHjmXbBvPIMVE

It seemed like a long time since he last looked in the mirror. The haggard, pale face staring back at him, shadowed with stubble—was that really him? No wonder everyone around him had been treading so carefully. No wonder his father could tell he wasn’t doing well. It turned out everyone was silently playing along with his façade of normalcy.ZaxKYJANXytrnOUGZoTyhGHrCpMXMK

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Everyone around him knew what he was going through. They tolerated him, comforted him, and supported him. Everyone except Gong Yingxian, who had no hesitation in stabbing another knife into his heart.JzMcaMrVyJRegJEhwlUpjbSstklRid

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Only Gong Yingxian.AbQShTsFnHRwACoPJUVdtYSwXSKYQK

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Ren Yi raised his hand and wiped the wet streaks across the mirror. He didn’t want to see that face anymore. He couldn’t let himself sink any deeper, especially not because of Gong Yingxian. He had to pull himself together—for his father, for Sun Dingyi, and for his brothers.qSNspuBRqHpbcioUWtQKethQCjgZVV

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—JloBPAewzQlqkhVgJHCaPLDFsimwZW

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Early the next morning, on the seventh, Qu Yangbo accompanied Ren Yi to move Ren Xiangrong to a new care home. It was closer to their squad, making future visits more convenient.kvNBPxEyBorSrOIoaEldXlwkUmztjQ

cOvkFWtzlBimqWm

After completing the paperwork and settling his father in, the two drove back. On the way, Ren Yi’s phone kept lighting up with WeChat message notifications. Qu Yangbo glanced at the screen out of the corner of his eye and saw they were from Gong Yingxian.ueivyDKxUeLEwLtkFyZHyHYLHtyExz

LAfWSfymMqEwFLp

He shot a look at Ren Yi, who caught the glance and returned it. Although neither of them said a word, Ren Yi already knew who the messages were from. Pretending not to notice, he changed the subject: “Has your mom been trying to set you up with anyone recently?”qFfomyHVKWLXnNTCFPSMlMGGmJiUAv

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“She actually hasn’t.”lQihNjQqMyIIeOoZguXmriNSaNleKn

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“No way. Isn’t that a New Year tradition for your family?”VvKgTIXmYPSNZotzMtvQhShvzcaiUU

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“I told them I was pursuing someone, so that shut them up.”IrksTczeohNBWbaTpsHIVRmskACTvk

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Ren Yi turned his head to look at him. “Who?”GGzNNrLxehWqptyZcxmycRaqaiufLg

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Qu Yangbo shrugged. “Made it up.”LZdjMGACrVOFpjqbWoxupEhiWtfvWH

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“Figures. If you get married before me, I’ll be under even more pressure. Right now, with both of us single, it’s hard to say who’s the bad influence.”MqKPCSGwymmZNOVXjoPxVotqCenHGV

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Qu Yangbo shot Ren Yi a sideways glance, his tone laced with mockery. “‘Single,’ huh?”rJqiefpzIMXNISyeBOZObuRrGFPMcb

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“What?”qAepISHWTXPrSkmtbJyRYKOtgOUaAl

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Qu Yangbo let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Nothing.”SIOhFnwCfwwmmPioBwACXCqvIRrhZt

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Ren Yi fell silent for a moment before saying, “I was never actually with him. At most, we were just… friends with benefits.”CMRAYLmFgsBuYwFGnENEfbDehxfpWt

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“Friends with benefits? With that much sincerity? Don’t make me laugh,” Qu Yangbo scoffed.wbwdlImmIQVLanmluWRxhLQMDXgQdE

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Ren Yi’s chest ached faintly again, and he replied bitterly, “…There’s a lot you don’t know.”cJZmZOQnsyLlOUNWRNIzWDQEZHgqWZ

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“Then tell me.”HhvfSgkCbWVZSHIOsqRpeszVxCADwD

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“I don’t want to.”qXcybkfjxrgAjnOOXAHggIHnmuHnSp

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“Tsk, tsk, honestly… I don’t even know what to say about you two. You both look so clever on the surface, but in reality, you’re just two fools.”OWZxzXsHHvijOwUJXGJrfEYobocfLR

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Ren Yi wanted to retort but paused. He couldn’t find anything to argue against.IXDtJjLxrEGxrTyMWgQSrLazUCFraj

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At least he really was a fool—for seeing Gong Yingxian as a simple person. Who knows when Gong Yingxian decided to start using him?qRxZjlaqQywKrnDLoPCEaUtyerWFiW

QRFRdgNkCIgsgPs

“Check your messages,” Qu Yangbo said, glancing at him. “I caught a glimpse—something about footprints and evidence. Looks like it’s official business.”lkpPrOQrvSNeesWQONQYXBIQBHwmDr

mwljiwvgNCUkVqM

Ren Yi hesitated for a moment but finally unlocked his phone while waiting at a red light. Sure enough, Gong Yingxian had sent him a long string of messages. There wasn’t a trace of personal emotion in them. His tone was the same as when they were forced to work together before they knew each other—cold, professional, and purely businesslike.UASlGCHfbgDwOzVGsgOoxhIdEsevTd

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The messages explained the results of the investigation into the evidence found at the Wenhui Mall.JDRTPlLEDvXKaZBNTYOWqLLXCBPObr

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The footprints belonged to a pair of Nike sneakers from last autumn’s high-end fashion collection. Expensive, marketed to a younger demographic, size 43. The suspect was estimated to be a male, 175–185 cm in height, weighing 65–75 kg. The shoe prints didn’t match any of the officers who had been at the scene, and no fingerprints were recovered. However, footage from cameras around Wenhui Mall and nearby streets and shops had captured the suspect on video.bTtVjCdsTWqvjTLMXHFxDkxuouPPtp

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Ren Yi gripped his phone tightly.xcKqmFCpCGvPUETHmEQhFIlPAbYned

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Well, maybe this was all that was left between him and Gong Yingxian from now on—cold, detached professionalism.IUvNkZwLUYSXWOffkcuIqfZYJHVoVx

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