Chapter 3
Just as Ren Yi arrived at the door, he could already hear voices arguing inside. When he opened the door, he saw the nanny and his father pushing at each other.XIIAxwejRAayvjFkGrhlJyJDIPBJST
wVWHdgBFvCjHbfM“Auntie, what’s going on?”OlOyWOlvveYlBUrPnGpwUCuAPoYuVa
fkXwxntfkwEErXzAuntie Wang, flustered, said as soon as she saw him, “Captain Ren, thank goodness you’re back! Your dad won’t take his medicine!”LPKQsNlYBeUsyYalyreFioodgNwCwt
jexmpWQecCvpiNpRen Yi glanced at the man sitting in the wheelchair and sighed inwardly. “Dad, why aren’t you taking your medicine if your stomach’s feeling bad?”DEFXehWYzgWwHltmkpGrtyCvAkdRuA
leMRkhtSkwUlYKn“Medicine is poison in small doses! I’m not taking it, not taking it!” Ren Xiangrong got worked up and slapped the medicine out of Auntie Wang’s hand.YALaFbGHgjeaDBUZpfzZpBGvhIPulb
qTQUQbXplHtcbwPThe bottle hit the floor, and pills scattered everywhere.QmNqquzBpQtmkmPWkHFmYjMXQGDwKV
LQeVaAEWWJXSDQCAuntie Wang shook her head helplessly.wxXlwxfmnuIWZorFJLLZgwNVFuUUIM
blDmYRbUanamVPpRen Yi gave her a reassuring look and bent down to pick up the pills together.IqIJJSexmOBrySqBPbyxJmilXezyNQ
jeoaVdvqIqxgTOgRen Xiangrong, as if nothing had happened, looked at Ren Yi and asked, “Why are you home from school so early today?”YotxbYUnpkyAdrOfvZzGDDUtGpazjq
iDvsaXjHZshPCCj“It’s already dark; it’s not early.” Ren Yi replied softly, then turned to Auntie Wang. “You can go home for today, Auntie.”mQXLazxrDgOyXVLWkVsuMqVvdNuExS
JZUwUGEqKcNOjnw“The food’s ready in the pot. I’ll be off then,” Auntie Wang said, glancing at Ren Yi with hesitation before putting on her shoes and leaving.MAnlYOZIovpelnnxocrCWnInfCELIi
uBZECYTFxGIIKXSRen Xiangrong lightly tapped his legs, mumbling, either to Ren Yi or himself, “Has your mom finished work yet?”UFGKRrmXCHbKtLAPJbZTepRUcLAIpv
FyuelmOKmNQQIzL“Not yet,” Ren Yi said as he set the medicine aside, thinking he’d try again in a few hours when maybe his father would be more lucid.sqbLKxCQcDGWPcjkOvjJIAHdBSDXsz
KdqeXenEuNENmELIt was a sad situation. His dad, who could once precisely name every street in the district and how many fire hydrants there were, now spent half his time not remembering what year it was, or that his wife had passed away and his son was grown.zpVxIWfQBknLBCDKuQMmTvSjMNYxfL
LgqhliJexKviyeHRen Xiangrong mumbled again, “We’ll eat when your mom gets back.”KcvyPrzMqyUAgnaNZtLEdeXVMFsSqX
GmYfJILhPkBUjlU“Alright, Dad, how about I give you a bath first?”kbwzKuiInQNOsCoPCWgiYWQdhXHrup
QiWWVbGEQvHrqLpRen Xiangrong seemed not to hear him, continuing to murmur, “We’ll eat when your mom gets back…”TCEmQnffAtpTRwESwrKLynHsosDkNN
LmVlZWQwKXsipeGRen Yi wheeled his dad to the bathroom, lifted him into the custom bath, and patiently began to wash him.MSCyiQCtdlGRkNllNyRefWjAIUOYmJ
sHLeqDtPZMuSyseHis dad had once been a legendary firefighter, winning a May Fourth Medal, earning one second-class merit, and three third-class merits. The year he retired due to a leg injury, he was already the captain of a major fire brigade. But in just three years after being confined to a wheelchair, he got sick.LhypmtIyBllOsHbEtDsXRniRmtphoA
dOkcKeTVPFDNWuARen Yi’s mother had passed away unexpectedly when he was in university. With few relatives, when his dad fell ill, all the household responsibilities fell on him. Since he couldn’t be home most of the time, he had to hire two nannies to take turns caring for his dad around the clock. But with Alzheimer’s, his dad’s mood could change unpredictably, sometimes making him entirely unreasonable. Over the years, he had gone through more than a dozen caregivers.OXVzabIBAydSVPAKaSiCKhcdbpzfOh
kBkfXxvdPXgKqfNWhat pained Ren Yi the most was seeing the once strong, mountain-like man now so frail and sickly. He had saved so many people, yet modern medicine couldn’t save him.vDDjWQIcKWotFhWljzyxVfNqkDtqTv
duzQdQTjgQEGItjAfter the exhausting task of bathing his dad, Ren Xiangrong seemed to drift off to sleep, and Ren Yi, also tired, put him to bed, adjusted the air conditioning, and went to the kitchen to heat up some food.AydaEMCrRRbbZFSordgiSskKDsfgXd
SwOblCpQkbnDtZRAs he ate, Ren Yi made a phone call.anXpfdzwirBHCUvxFGAXpozZMOdpMG
paCsnkJnKhOAhoVThe call was answered almost immediately, with a voice on the other end deliberately lowered. “Hey, brother.”cEyakJzeFoXgcestLjSZkCgDHWgWDI
xpuFauhlKMFPFnE“What are you up to?” Ren Yi asked.BCEQazitCYCYgNpUCBfNLsKuVqRHjP
HfNmgeYzkcQCgke“The kid just fell asleep, what’s up?”BjYEFtQLJBCGuHhTnFooUvxwSUoTzl
KuvpVeUaUEpfatm“Need to ask you about someone.” The man on the other end was Fu Kai, his high school buddy, one of his closest friends.vEDZHcfyJuPaMnSKVGBoqAgEYcbMuc
pfJJSDWWPdbAAfQ“Who?”egEDoCCbQjIacooVBraSEKsJRlpvuM
PDSrZmqBrhEOwpo“Gong Yingxian. Ever heard of him? Gong as in palace. He’s also a cop.”EqeZAjXgTEGccGOjXjJINeVBzJERFZ
PwKvydkhPBvizhP“Yeah, I’ve heard of him. Why’re you suddenly asking about him?” Fu Kai clicked his tongue. “You wouldn’t happen to be interested in him, would you?”AXXoPrjkHZwCPcaUOIdLQXhYLIndKC
huCTRPiFYrjOCrB“What the hell are you talking about? I just suspect someone’s impersonating a cop and wanted to verify.”uWOongiVDrNXuMYolqNkgwcwGPfrxI
qltscEwNVGanURa“Oh, he doesn’t seem much like a cop.”OkogqjZNjIsrTmgzgrdLPIfvMGaFQi
BavdQByBqNCWoxt“You know him?”vVmWocUOrbmcIgFkGCfDzWuhqkpASJ
ARhBGGLQMPyieKw“Not really, just seen him.”siteavuuJzEffeyqrSWvpYZELuVSUt
wKjFomjZXSfWIUB“What’s his deal?”IrvhyaXwMiMnLjuZMzJYtbMkXIqcfW
xfkoRgIWouGkctp“He’s an odd one… Damn, my daughter woke up because of you.” The sound of a child crying came through the phone. “I’ll tell you more later.”sOhsmnMKoPCWnNWANUhAQGSWSjBcWU
SPqgtDAhACXaShRRen Yi hung up, muttering, “Weird enough, alright.”FVMtQgCJKDKrekGgRvAhqtohJjXYUN
eJHbGlBfxMcHuVfAfter finishing his meal, Ren Yi called Gao Ge to check on the situation at the station, then lay down on the couch and played some games.SaNjmrdrltfwefNSVXceOCnjBrpKoB
NrUnXYWtzWxgNDXIt wasn’t until after nine that night that Ren Xiangrong’s room stirred.rxhgnDarENHFehArsaWIavZnPGAyvd
IrVgpFdFTcKAjnpRen Yi opened the door and saw his father just sitting up. “Dad, you’re awake?”SBKjmfRwmzPJzYrhPIhQBkGRTbpWHq
RpTuSpZZnUQztavRen Xiangrong looked at Ren Yi for a moment and scolded, “Why are you home again? I’ve told you how many times not to abandon your post because of me.”DpQrJadXjDUbWniCQtwzzqNYOeWdcg
uwHMollXreLOxeNRen Yi breathed a sigh of relief. “The station’s just across the street. It won’t interfere with responding to calls. Auntie said you threw up, so I came back to check on you.”QmTqMnYGgdGXTtQKuJozrzjgOIhHZU
goKMmCeOlVoWRFw“Throwing up is no big deal.” Ren Xiangrong pushed himself to stand. Ren Yi moved to help, but his father waved him off.torBTQrTWeMZeWcOcyEIrxkBLezaSu
ClJovfSLdliRfFbOne of Ren Xiangrong’s legs still worked, but walking was difficult. Still, when he was lucid, he preferred using a cane to sitting in a wheelchair.lVMYKcVMODysBcgYuyLDKSibpMTGpM
gyfMduYbHvzpBCX“Take your medicine first,” Ren Yi said, handing over the pills and some water.CFddByqpGQHubKXxWKDGjNqCTGvGRK
hMrJXXMbRrHjpcBRen Xiangrong sat on the couch and obediently took the medicine.WBwCUkgqOmDryvbuRUFNmUwktmRbkN
LLWXzLNnmLgIpya“You’d better skip dinner tonight and see how your stomach feels tomorrow. If it’s no good, I’ll take you to the hospital.”SkhZOtfBRhFjALCKIwHPgIFnBUjiDx
IYwEXQTdQcdiTTL“Hospital? What for?” Ren Xiangrong glared at him. “You think I’m a useless old man?”HUYSSWUaKJxEqidSYDeTCfxCZXLBac
vEQTPLKuQOIeokS“I wouldn’t dare.” Ren Yi laughed. “No hospital then. Captain Ren never leaves the front line for minor injuries.”brxYWaDOwsNRptgBeNNRVTshTodDmQ
jDgKfRFGnmJmrsfRen Xiangrong smiled too. “How’s work been lately?”nQpKejdxXPoOYhbvOLdJdpAcYaCwdo
fvaDKdQthfgfojG“Last week there was a fire alarm at Changxing Road. A café burned down. Fire investigators said it was caused by faulty wiring during renovations,” Ren Yi said, sipping his tea.JJbiGsxyoeccScCeDNmlGWAdMKQLzg
ltNNDibZYbEibZI“Oh? Tell me more about it,” his father replied.plSrvtXyEXzLwDhkYThTNEchXCRzSm
nmulAsnMktSuDgsThe father and son sipped their tea, comfortably chatting about the incident.CKQADNjQLHjnxJHFlkeXxhPvenMXOi
BbefwbJQmWvaYmM—–vmxQObUCJVUdIyQzdREFHYbsIMikey
hQaYCvssVRZflRsThe next morning, Ren Yi returned to the station just in time for morning exercises. By around 10 a.m., the day was getting hotter, so he called for everyone to disperse and start free activities.jXHGvoXnXFRVpDWXuoMIdqDxkRzOMm
cIuXnYksbSufhxsAlthough they couldn’t leave the station, life there was far from boring. Besides routine drills and study sessions, they often conducted fire safety inspections at local establishments. In their free time, they could play basketball, work out, play video games, or watch TV and movies. They also had plenty of room to indulge in hobbies that didn’t violate discipline.dCpjuaOcYRbdrXuUstVPqHwxzGSGMM
YuyjXxtgXkDEIdpAt that moment, Ren Yi, Gao Ge, and Sun Dingyi headed to the rec room. Each found a comfy sofa and sprawled out, ready to play some games.ftizvQFGEGUkjQcClRpacHOFBhYWSq
JWgvtsOdKCCwqSi“PUBG or King of Glory?” Sun Dingyi asked.ubWclQsYLaYFcAdTzYqYUqtXZIBQCU
NCKjbjQepsHaGXv“PUBG.”EdOMRMmdIblqJtKZsWcXqYoxVVTkCq
WsjweXfioDpXCMi“Can I bring my girlfriend—”qVYpWSMaVkmReHPNVXeZLBZxwRuxMZ
tTwmcXaKArSFcCN“Nope,” the other two said in unison.CAcGnQSgcwqEbwKmFWiUvitRZRcBYF
SxUAEmmElqfIXzpSun Dingyi clicked his tongue. “You guys never want to play with girls.”BdXZrBVFRksoXUSLrncglHhlgyjare
bYwRlvhdeyDqbiS“Nobody wants to hear you flirting,” Gao Ge replied, checking who was online. “Who should we team up with? Let’s see who’s available…”wlIWWYxulIUbQxFTVZwymfMjnGzlgd
IgUmpMXnrByIYqARen Yi added, “I’m grinding for rank these days, no noobs allowed.”ViNeQeYnsJCGUSLPcGyDCothGgzgoV
NoLwcBrKlwThCKB“Well, then I’ve got nobody.”BNRckjPwcPRHEcxnstWbbuqJHOUlpZ
kpJlFbciIYGeQeL“Same here.”zyqDDltcSfRkdmNGNtbclXpjxDmnIQ
QLsaCpvmzgCkPZE“Let’s just match with a random player.”bcaPEIPLKlfpDkgoriBdpPjNhpQxDY
spvkallsRdXoByrThe game started quickly, and Sun Dingyi suddenly began to giggle.jhfzfNAqXRvVzHaoEaCqPoUgNBIpPq
UVsyTsHfYQVfaht“What’s so funny?”sbdVcBLTvdIdgswQkdHopqVCtClNux
WAIszUparMBLJKE“Your username, hahaha, Captain Ren. I crack up every time I see it.”yfdbVPLXglDZDXgaFABwzkhDMviLQM
XZmZNllULeyUVLTRen Yi’s in-game name was “Goddess.”nTqnamfsHohdzYvhJbGmoKcJxmloUu
LsIPAmhMnvyVpVD“You don’t get it, I’m balancing my five elements,” Ren Yi replied. “Let’s jump into M City.”XTRaaHZgmoqXsrvIKlxRDGFQIJeSWe
FLRErMqOjgoykXqOut of nowhere, the newly matched teammate spoke up: “Number One, your username is so unique. How do you pronounce it?”VKYwqobXvXDMAtgzPXwTKJRrEiigdz
tKBBBxVtPsdWvMOGao Ge and Sun Dingyi both burst into laughter.xwpaasBXYsqRiRCpRSQbGCStFvtctq
aireFXtEareDYWtRen Yi cleared his throat, pretending to get serious. “Alright, I’m going to perform now. No more laughing.” He switched on voice chat, pitching his voice into a slightly husky, androgynous tone. “It’s pronounced ‘Man’, like the graceful ‘Man’.”VWsQtlsfyGqVTziaNuQlahEuxCPPjh
CLUxqmnxygpmzjKGao Ge and Sun Dingyi struggled to hold back their laughter.sgGCwTxEKrHCQdmHYIBAmbYKHPhUSl
XOIJkbImSTPyxQeThe teammate paused for a moment. “Your voice… Are you using a voice changer?”ehLMdMIBcKmOYtzFYsAZDmSoeWfPWb
SEkZgejCkGJcvPRRen Yi slowed down his speech and, with a teasing tone, replied, “Huh? Do I sound like a guy to you?”rpbVgNlCxoJrAtiOpdUkgIYbqqdOyR
PnxkVYYtQZgxLBlThere was silence for a while before the teammate responded awkwardly, “No, no, it’s just… a pretty sexy husky voice.”OWbnhHZXwBxhsHIqCDHZgVcpAoghIK
lXEcJxKhQAULdqw“Yeah, a lot of people say that,” Ren Yi replied as he picked up a UMP9, vaulted through a window, and shot down an enemy.HDtsyfJxWOQfgnksJJEvLvOraVakUW
ISruPIYOSjGkaMF“Why did you choose that name, miss?”buKJOiunWNJxkYlkWDPCqTPtTmKrIR
qegskkHNbHBNrXMWithout missing a beat, Ren Yi calmly replied, “Because women are made of water.”CeavnMEDPSIGhdOoXfwkykPpsaLddy
udmrKlVKIBxHYIJGao Ge and Sun Dingyi, faces red from stifling their laughter, could barely hold it together. They frantically gestured for Ren Yi to turn off the voice chat.XwnHPskKwAzTVTNHEAznkWxHSjgzMR
xSxUGBUXlKexLhtRen Yi rolled his eyes at them. “It’s off.”NdkoQfUOfvfFiGeUVVwyjhUHljUOkA
FzUmANZLlybPRkOThe two burst into uncontrollable laughter.gVmSqqQPYEaUoCkBpYzidxuGYtoBeR
NidKeCNPoZvfcdQSun Dingyi, struggling to catch his breath, said, “Captain Ren, have you no shame?”XzoqIRKVFTAdKMQrsFRVxgVZrBoERj
cUWFWYwalGhiFSY“In battle, no tactic is off-limits. That’s the wisdom I’m imparting to you guys as your captain,” Ren Yi replied, then added, “Keep quiet now. He’s got a level-three helmet. Watch me talk him into giving it up.” He turned the voice chat back on. “Hey, handsome, could I have that level-three helmet?”HpDmhPzqOxfsCkfFpvwwsYtkMSNkmk
DzFBDNlBNMscvPe“Uh…”RtFCiTiVyqenCsRBgqWlvBDuHkyUQy
LIUQJGSoGFKUWyb“There are so many enemies. I’m kind of scared.”wLGwSeqSxniRcfsSmcYknhFrCMJygb
kKzvgGTYuQwfbpc“Alright.”FiaFqmuPXEbZuyrqGjHGctLNkfiprC
NFGqGBPNxNrfFiuJust then, the door to the rec room swung open, and Ding Qing poked his head in. “Captain Ren, that girl is here again.”fvIKQwmiTdIXSIaRNsJbhLDgleAYaX
WAqhOQDjHEQQUpuInstinctively, Ren Yi hissed for silence but then realized he’d given himself away. He quickly shut off the voice chat and stood up. “Where is she?”eWdOLMGZfietXeTQsOjQRXaQeubwhq
LHhkDMSooPvnqwd“She’s already inside, and—”vYWKJaqlhZlGauZcJRodbNTLrQAxeO
SxxGHTjTJYPbkZV“And what?”oVQUWbzUVzxCyatWClfjkSDydIdEmm
onnNhmJmWwszdDoDing Qing scratched his head. “You’ll see for yourself.”dsLHGwKoOWGnIMJlMEiRAHvufVljZH
QbPvWcCLJpcQQapRen Yi lost all interest in the game, pocketed his phone, and went downstairs. Sure enough, Gong Feilan was strutting inside like she was at a shopping mall, dragging a suitcase behind her.dCqPleheCGKudRePunWUwwlZuwksZC
VyBOWcHPxQSPednRen Yi quietly said to Ding Qing, “Get the political instructor.”rwPrxUFwAGWFLQywxxgwgXhgheqomL
MqMqWBAEpxEcUShGong Feilan spotted him and beamed. “Captain Ren!”VOAJmmiTzsBDBJOFHTlHdEhjEyrtBL
hJiGeysdnnVgYYm“What are you doing?”dVXyFeRoBBtCpVPfInXAPMnIJtsUpM
AmOnYmHKyKkQeLC“I ran away from home,” she said without missing a beat. “Can I stay here?”MMMvJTAgXYNUpurMiQtdRIDrwDjzTK
vEKsvJzRrHmdABG“Of course not,” Ren Yi said helplessly. “Why’d you run away? Where are your parents?”GzGLInRzfrLwWzEOorsIpnFVQPOXCQ
MnkTraTYhnsSaGR“Who knows? They didn’t even show up when I was in the hospital. I don’t care to know either,” Gong Feilan stared at Ren Yi with determination. “I want to stay with you.”JEvPGutVMjwsNcZzdMdiWMTfKQCfOT
gzODhOlAVjxbKbJRen Yi, still annoyed with Gong Yingxian, found himself unable to be harsh with her. Clearly, her rebelliousness was deeply rooted in her relationship with her parents.qYQioIMCWPKaFwfVHNxlQoijoWcQcW
ClGaGTXemQdhSkAWith as much patience as he could muster, Ren Yi said, “Feilan, I’ve told you many times, in my eyes, you’re just a kid. Running away from home isn’t going to solve your problems.”wZwQDFaTFWXLqFjdlOQSAOWogFLkPq
JxixWJWfOaIjkNy“But I feel safe with you.”CdeCjKgVMcUsfsvgPorwqLmpBJLgPU
YnXjJjfXEBYavfe“I appreciate that you trust me, but the people who care about you most in this world are your family. How about I take you home?”GeSQPybGGYeyGJaKJpbeQbyhNKslYW
SHJAwavPnnbdZMoGong Feilan shook her head. “I’m not going home. If you won’t let me stay here, I’ll book a hotel.”uEUjZXxSleEQjWgYYEfAzrirhseodj
VqpiItcjKXsHvFO“…You don’t want to see your parents, how about I call your brother to pick you up?”BMTUPuWxFRLPCXMnBytKREJMPTwUBs
YMbEIhlLAKCSyYhGong Feilan frowned. “He came looking for you?”tQfUUJhmSnIgOmvGqPkVTcSHBFCvto
rAhAQpzSpcfaosT“Yeah, and he said you told him I was your boyfriend. Feilan, do you realize how much trouble that could cause me?”PHiYuDpGLbuXUKaKzfxtZFwpPERtMB
WUKfeZxczYqrmuGShe bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”WTmjvQfwpRiKZghXXKaelMdEDReUBJ
ljrAfOkjaJbOZmkAt that moment, Political Instructor Qu Yangbo arrived. “Ren Yi, what’s going on?”IIUZBrginiImSDQkqLIEWGkHOUlzBU
uGYaAlgYxMvcvbjRen Yi explained, “She might’ve had a falling out with her family and is trying to run away from home.”uCPnDSZlBlInIYCMwXzWnNqJkoxagW
kZsiUgxBGFAWcKcQu Yangbo, a few years older than Ren Yi, wore glasses and had a scholarly appearance. He was excellent at psychological counseling. He approached Gong Feilan and spoke gently. “Feilan, did you have a fight with your parents?”qdMZCRJnfXrAINwlckfqHkaDLrNjXm
HbjzsxpqJmjMceE“No,” she turned her face away, “I just wanted to see Captain Ren. I want to stay here.”poNQAzVQiMaAcXwRtUMxxVAyCqbcDT
FkdEAIhRENwKsXm“The fire station’s doors are always open to the public, but you can’t stay here forever. We have to send you home.”mwBCuaYUiMYJwkKnqThuyYosOwLlKL
MLXaWUgMwqUHCJW“I’m not going back!” Gong Feilan shouted. “I’m sick of home!”JFLaIWzdZaBhXDwlpvQWoqbzMpaNCB
NYjatXMjLpRUCLzRen Yi exchanged a glance with Qu Yangbo and said, “No matter what, I’m calling your brother.”WPpuNySiQDygGXAnYvJCnKhDsMbuNU
MMJQihNCWJBGYNy“He’s just my cousin. We’re not close.”xKbOWUeeRPATkogEUUSqKymwUJenXS
GPGnzLDdusGSymX“Feilan,” Ren Yi gently placed a hand on her shoulder, looking her straight in the eyes with both kindness and firmness. “You’re still young, and your family is responsible for you. So, either we call your parents, or we call your cousin. You decide.”GRusSYpEwFReqOCuEbaGxhIjFTpMvS
KgnkrppNChvIAtjGong Feilan fell silent.OyvSvsYXHOTChDzTCstvJyJilGvSHD
TdnzEvqHdYLsYxW“If you stay here, it’s going to cause us a lot of trouble. You might not be able to come back again.”LmFfSWChMjdUwbxyyRiotIfYrjJBut
TyDHNNmIHUnnJDOWith a sullen voice, Gong Feilan muttered, “Then I’ll go home.”TEwrHkpyqTdtAXDqzkYBwMLxwGZsgy
JHkSEeyIHJjWtEy“No, we need to see an adult come pick you up.”pclvnFzHxGZOeTGufXMkfBiDOdUFzJ
ciYUGixjMvEduttReluctantly, she replied, “Fine, call him.”sgESbbatowmiOUoUbSEuHmgoCUbWZW
NWZUwBMaPQhKnqe“Give me his number.”gZSZFeDQdJJzwssyZQtoQWUAXwvfUI
PwnHubCHksSZGXH“I don’t have it,” she said, still pouting.NPZPSVGDedjcOkJHHQFvLBXQIirTOo
YEuefIQSQxtwRiWRen Yi shook his head in exasperation and took out his phone. He called Fu Kai, asking him to get Gong Yingxian’s number and send it over as soon as possible.rKhWlfiRffgkFXAPeIieAtWaoBchZC
UbUTvfEDisRgYpnMeanwhile, Qu Yangbo led Gong Feilan to the conference room to wait.MPKiSDfYoCauBATtlkktQDkzgEUrJL
pGGVLFxXACBsFEJRen Yi waited for a while before receiving a call from Fu Kai and immediately dialed back.jaDyFoOHDWDOIhkntzLtjHTToWUwpI
pIspxzMlZhWgPnJThe phone rang a few times before it was answered, and Ren Yi heard that familiar cold, yet luxurious voice again: “Hello?”iCbAqVcwdKPrgBPoUECBbdmgTHbwAV
SxHjREKTEgOZCFR“Your sister is currently at my team station, come and pick her up now,” Ren Yi said, then hung up without waiting for a response. Turning to Ding Qing, he instructed, “When Gong Feilan’s brother arrives, take him straight to the meeting room.”ElhPwHvjTUvUhvTLxdlOyuPSfHxuue
ULnLreaVYzgINQO“Understood.”BaXJQMIHjGMAuAAaUqbCnLXCFXzIFe
RsQAwiCiZPcgrbSRen Yi entered the meeting room to find Qu Yangbo talking to Gong Feilan. She had her head down, looking unwell.tAEfawcQmwlCufkFAFxmFHbPTecaPu
UDTtSyhRmfxSNQvQu Yangbo said, “Ren Yi, I just got a call from the division. I need to head out. You stay with her.”ShdFTDSrdttqbOTUzZHBPporZLihve
VngQeEKZrJMaUrG“Alright, you go ahead.”KeTDaAtqyESSpeBSCqLQkdhtWPnBCN
irWZgqLnNAwlBTmAfter Qu Yangbo left, the room fell into a long silence.bsJiRlbNOVqXCdfBWIwWTLhMnUmXVX
UTRKuGrcituhhHFAfter about ten minutes, Gong Feilan finally gathered the courage to sneak a glance at Ren Yi and softly asked, “Do you hate me?”nYBnkmIHSVHBeDYAdurhDeOvdtXYqB
ZRGuOZsfyGsktAs“No, I’m just worried about you,” Ren Yi replied, softening his tone. “Your brother will be here soon.”cabWsjPlxHYLRnuAVfwPRVWMvogviJ
EaNCEGpzTIMorwCGong Feilan nodded.CHYgkWhWDaRMIaabPrrngOaUrmUgpi
CGcimnqZBAfgcIOSeeing her downcast expression, Ren Yi tried to make small talk: “He shares the same last name as you, so he must be your cousin?”AJJTqxDEBSEzVgFliKHoXBYUnNdEDR
bUFOlZsmTmFZabe“My dad married into my mom’s family,” Gong Feilan said, clearly unwilling to talk about her father.iydFalDSvKyrvEtcUwYyYnEHhrKqKJ
ojvqGKNpgAKiNxI“Oh… Why does he wear gloves and a mask?”HeIVBlGPviDhIqagEiUWcWZRddsyUN
xvhPICSjIOSRpex“He’s a germaphobe. Whenever he feels the environment is unclean, he puts on a mask.”GTUJnmQQICrfTixHUuWXIJAXNVZXJv
nZvkaobIFkmSGZCRen Yi silently cursed, *What a freak*.bBwYmfsaYOzSpywNGaMLPDGKamfeRE
kUeetmbojwCeRqv“I didn’t mean to lie,” Gong Feilan whispered, “when I said you were my boyfriend.”nFNUlMgmxJvcCifQRSdTguSBIuPWeK
UHKrKeAFROHRuIbRen Yi chuckled bitterly, “You really shouldn’t make up stuff like that.”UXbPyoSSUCpIYvKulmKlSLGRlMlowP
WajzxSknZOEuLPx“I just wished you were my boyfriend because I feel like, no matter when or how dangerous things get, you’d always protect me.”pgznFZmvnjgZgtYCJAyjePMXGdsanq
QXphxsdiVSAqllk“I would,” Ren Yi said seriously. “Even if we were strangers, it’s my duty to protect you.”jjCFsgSQbgWUmSnGLzchSYJbHZMwoO
JEhfmwZGsbHLCmRGong Feilan looked at Ren Yi, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a mixture of gratitude and reliance.ztiseGUOmRMusnCPgmVPjGuoIffuGZ
LojBGsWxLJNruyKAt that moment, the door to the meeting room swung open, and a man strode in with determined steps.iDUIbFoiSLVefKYFtEUXKqDwEHfcvV
AsnOhqwWnSkQDziRen Yi looked up, recognizing him immediately—it was the man who had cornered him in the stairwell the other day.gamEQHLmjMlAytFFxkPuIeWdFZhNUn
EzmgqMWCWVEexoNGong Yingxian glanced at Gong Feilan before sweeping his gaze over Ren Yi, his eyes filled with hostility.HDMTYeCnwKBzcOTMJsxzBgCQIVSUWg
xOWnVBQoGsbCKDuGong Feilan kept her head down, saying nothing.CrKMJpSyuqoMFPMqAZbPqxdcfgYhTK
WdryunbpMNGIfDDRen Yi crossed one leg over the other, watching Gong Yingxian with a composed expression.JEKzVIjGmXpcipTKBadHrgthWXohpM
tVDOrXTiuszmJWbGong Yingxian surveyed the room before slowly removing his mask.xijWeHXWkxASYkWmAnVQWYwxANOfrp
CddJbzQSdUrUIckRen Yi was momentarily stunned. There was a slight resemblance between the siblings, but while Gong Feilan still had a youthful appearance, Gong Yingxian’s face was strikingly beautiful, almost painfully so. His features were exquisitely defined, like a work of art, yet there was nothing effeminate about him. His demeanor was cold, restrained, and even a touch… elegant.XVtrcXEXUmLpEVqwHYXbdzFEqVJSSt
cPLvTsZDMlUacVQRen Yi had never seen anyone like him before. He seemed entirely out of place, as though he didn’t belong to the mundane world, and yet, he was undeniably real.UnBOWFlXNEAjzzSmEwUOSsjpvlqFPR
nvMDmruXhoNoqUqaIvoAEFZFVaTDyWruNVUcZHUxRETcu