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.sMDjsCrPheYPFiOevszCxkycqfbWsa
WYyBHhkYQPCtNrL“Auntie, what’s going on?”WWSsIwsuUvTuCLWKGZyBuljLDPxSUV
OXARQCJnghXcDgbAuntie Wang, flustered, said as soon as she saw him, “Captain Ren, thank goodness you’re back! Your dad won’t take his medicine!”QRvNaIMCptQyAiJUXlDYBgspebjAqK
GVfTsDmlKxDPNqTRen 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?”fcLEYkyTuPZOOJIjwblSKlxyOLmhbD
aiwDgRaVSsutSoI“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.lRCDJpHqHXBJHnslpIQgTrPjanlWmb
VZZHNKgrtMtPBODThe bottle hit the floor, and pills scattered everywhere.KWfnpidsABlxIXlUxpnAKZnYucSnqw
uBLGIGcvfyvxlsRAuntie Wang shook her head helplessly.rEZhIIxofrpZZNuVAmUwFwmHkZFuSq
OUFgFPlqYaYITBbRen Yi gave her a reassuring look and bent down to pick up the pills together.RsLqSNOYKNhcFXgBbTqpdKxtUyMiPk
CsxZbKQaeHXvpUORen Xiangrong, as if nothing had happened, looked at Ren Yi and asked, “Why are you home from school so early today?”EeBsUJXIiTBAKUuLmoCPhgGLXjlDei
XVwYqeojnDtnxGM“It’s already dark; it’s not early.” Ren Yi replied softly, then turned to Auntie Wang. “You can go home for today, Auntie.”zTUmRcydJvTTyxOnRVEJFlpjKQdPYQ
KGdvtRFNYDtAvNp“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.vDiRYzTyWyiuPyXaAIUgOAMhwuPlfv
DojDDyCmjaccIQQRen Xiangrong lightly tapped his legs, mumbling, either to Ren Yi or himself, “Has your mom finished work yet?”KGXeGimCtMVItUXIKJMEQjMKjWJFfs
coMfqWcKBtVQutc“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.JQeuRnPKVxqrzIxkiZTiLJsOANNtVS
TzsKbaDjEBkYudMIt 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.hVRWZVpluxCvSiqYUecsBvbFCdIvTY
mFLsjULkdMbscBaRen Xiangrong mumbled again, “We’ll eat when your mom gets back.”XDnQCPydXakuXtIxaxptMKuopoTAeF
dlYnkqlPetdrWTl“Alright, Dad, how about I give you a bath first?”UYzpUOTJbJQHReVWyLLzPCDBQZCsTq
RdyWbjNIfYTxIWIRen Xiangrong seemed not to hear him, continuing to murmur, “We’ll eat when your mom gets back…”NaAHJNLWeRmLLeMpqmujSTVkGGzyoU
UPzLYtciztkVAmJRen Yi wheeled his dad to the bathroom, lifted him into the custom bath, and patiently began to wash him.UjLLrtvUKYdkKtZrGpoVUZQWCwDqJv
LgLKGhYiqfttvrEHis 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.fYyvaRKbngRLTRtkFdMbBWtunIkJKa
KGwlmMCtWzDgOBcRen 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.BhmtGaJWCReTRwtlWEnBgdPsNstBmL
uUwXEbedJvxxzVfWhat 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.hsgUOFLEDrZHYXDhZVJqsAUvZVBhJB
ipZLfKeQuhkmVDNAfter 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.jqfOCGaMcajrDFBsJULFfBBGPCGeQI
HplXDetryWBLPisAs he ate, Ren Yi made a phone call.cwjVFYwGRLvWWOlPOMeCRBiNXfwUlb
fYxzYEUXzrjehGhThe call was answered almost immediately, with a voice on the other end deliberately lowered. “Hey, brother.”dXclrUhPFHoLHbcMRfYrFNgoxyNhNw
xNbHCrLlEWDMYQE“What are you up to?” Ren Yi asked.UPskdpdvmZGlcTXjgyNJWKUzjUvaxL
DJhKBQrxuSOPmXS“The kid just fell asleep, what’s up?”vaORRUchWLDNieozCMWhsnPahgPxDQ
aaNttCAqEMKwAbx“Need to ask you about someone.” The man on the other end was Fu Kai, his high school buddy, one of his closest friends.PCLpLZAYRZegJxHTdByXtclyOMDjcf
sAjYfPnmIWNVgKy“Who?”UaTgACupzYeQAiCRxFvEGjFsbbixIf
MUXmdNYsiXWEjEW“Gong Yingxian. Ever heard of him? Gong as in palace. He’s also a cop.”qrbRigBjEHQZArzLMwWBvfWKhCVDDR
OvNgmeAbTAfqlcX“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?”SxutUcWnWeHhwcoJicmjJiDMpdQasu
kgzNGtLelJTSxCc“What the hell are you talking about? I just suspect someone’s impersonating a cop and wanted to verify.”MzJxPSSYDzUHvgweJlsxGxbJmCmOcl
lJQUEtjjvmXkWbC“Oh, he doesn’t seem much like a cop.”pdglimkusARAHkHdGgXorvKriZVZZo
KDhcmACMXNgdoHR“You know him?”BpIcRFechdMVzyaeXLGAmTjcRbJnmk
moeJuuBvvhPeGfA“Not really, just seen him.”TTcgTlRfDiDLBhwGYMzUYAGbpODxAP
AqKqAqqaVsJdgLU“What’s his deal?”amrZnidWJUoHvYvdAmPFdjpEiAbTka
dEmoRWFwCpoLBhA“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.”wUMAUYJVgNempBTtEJphPDgHAUshXW
wqnnhqtAlslXznqRen Yi hung up, muttering, “Weird enough, alright.”VuyukzCVxMwnVINgBzTHYKjAwlCqTe
gGccDDspLKlhLyPAfter 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.ElFoYQxwmWhwJwWbiCJTERqQdMLiTG
GpwrsIFhjEjiBpUIt wasn’t until after nine that night that Ren Xiangrong’s room stirred.YlkiutSlLLSJTfcQabBIwzsAzWKjUu
DufBJBYLCyilRCIRen Yi opened the door and saw his father just sitting up. “Dad, you’re awake?”TcsYuEEnMorTMjtcCKswEPRzHsPesz
lefZDighbeRddruRen 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.”QpdVkPkIWtWfjmUqrtDlLTJAepDLXS
lCFROodveLjUizXRen 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.”pqxGCIacogqoPUPVZgMGbwKhIjgSaw
nQsaGjcEbUpLaCP“Throwing up is no big deal.” Ren Xiangrong pushed himself to stand. Ren Yi moved to help, but his father waved him off.mTCYAWPoZBOPTEnXNXWUzGOnqrxbkb
tXzxuJHSEUOVPBMOne 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.jrFrAYoNHwDOZBkbJaeNgatxipIVEo
QdNDSdzWGWxGVok“Take your medicine first,” Ren Yi said, handing over the pills and some water.ClQfckGOydocmjYdCNcMzgjONHvfln
bkcfbqHEIZFgPlRRen Xiangrong sat on the couch and obediently took the medicine.HhrEJMjSzHmESMuqyvcpQaNzzSaAfj
HOSgRtFwTjHTryJ“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.”QigkPWmGkWWtInsHscpFStZGHHvQCL
ImGZyLuLbtjWoyc“Hospital? What for?” Ren Xiangrong glared at him. “You think I’m a useless old man?”gPGhqsSgOGDIHrqiptYZWoleddUJLn
xHKsjDVjOJINEOo“I wouldn’t dare.” Ren Yi laughed. “No hospital then. Captain Ren never leaves the front line for minor injuries.”UpumQwHTFiZhJQFVQlgTRoHxflgZfj
aikWdyKzbBjVXeRRen Xiangrong smiled too. “How’s work been lately?”pxSkFKOYazHCfUKpKeDqgFqluHzHXO
RripLvDlKsDvplz“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.WIIhMhnRNAKpyDPbDiydPAklwpLIug
tfwOTaEABnrtKDv“Oh? Tell me more about it,” his father replied.eboezDqnVGTVTSkMFREvPikYXyJmPp
rQdnYfCbjBTzICpThe father and son sipped their tea, comfortably chatting about the incident.iRhvUUrfLBWMvRYWLjUbQuEjEmiJUF
iutRkdpCByIXbZO—–LmrpneKuhRSmbLkkylKubEFSKWmzaq
BTFitSkZEfHzHVAThe 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.wNeRSxmrRmHbziqdHTRZLROxowZQbU
toOpJFsvuzVTizXAlthough 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.QYJVJinbAqPAHoHjNlZTbHMUeHvZrg
bgCudqHAFQIHwdRAt 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.wWOvXQlDZQKXrOzMMRpVYltsyQQyGw
UkpnQLoRUQqslgJ“PUBG or King of Glory?” Sun Dingyi asked.tcyJdyMTImEdgPombOLSLjeAiFwFsF
daCwwtCmKRaMUSm“PUBG.”twfBsBwpYCiDpqbPdFfHiVNXWjKqKS
MdfpgMzJgYJOnQo“Can I bring my girlfriend—”LdrJneIjUWBUtDxkijXHwxDvUTvKuY
TZpDpSMdwOOIpju“Nope,” the other two said in unison.tJXrnQqIVYtVzrbKtEqObWTXwBMOfa
eWOjmSuUpZPTyYWSun Dingyi clicked his tongue. “You guys never want to play with girls.”aJuaTopKJylgwJldjZSJZsYqXzeYfZ
biIEqoFVDWTCNwX“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…”iwgttzctWvxyceSGFmvgzvZDBOQanp
WCZfAPBQoKaKUONRen Yi added, “I’m grinding for rank these days, no noobs allowed.”UpxqHtVbOMmjZEpuuKmCrRtktcQkJg
ukNpOTzSPiseZRB“Well, then I’ve got nobody.”ttSmRurNnApMfJHSitxLhFUIksfnUx
IJuKLJArQrDjSKy“Same here.”rSHCdIKKpFKYraBkvWrPIDPDjTdwDX
buqdBFUfVoIcjvU“Let’s just match with a random player.”JCwXnhdKGjKkQCAeARhBfuxLWeQNHr
xSQozKUHhZmlNIzThe game started quickly, and Sun Dingyi suddenly began to giggle.SdDaqVrQBKoAibZEimFUfaOYAlbCaU
TuOdSMNutirluId“What’s so funny?”AKrIcoXqisMBmJQseKDzOKQklkKNby
xpwfThrrvsJXmsj“Your username, hahaha, Captain Ren. I crack up every time I see it.”xZLdtubUdDASfWMhbZNzbLElrzuPgJ
iOlvQUYztUBzhDCRen Yi’s in-game name was “Goddess.”BdZVkasPUtMcLnNtuzfXIrCzRpRSLx
jvtznMYiEFKazUf“You don’t get it, I’m balancing my five elements,” Ren Yi replied. “Let’s jump into M City.”BnxreimCvJeFmbcVHJeewgnLYDqZZl
ByGSMyyYxIKAGVWOut of nowhere, the newly matched teammate spoke up: “Number One, your username is so unique. How do you pronounce it?”LiLQJxgsFbwaPGdkinClZCPEJYrhma
kuEPGDbOgzBOLPVGao Ge and Sun Dingyi both burst into laughter.kkajaoHfBAHkNUWsbjoELbAvhxrVtg
CKXnHrFtLRhaukDRen 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’.”QhykEMJomVaUrKEtUWCBHGwSkiDySm
NWWbxocAqNKHtSlGao Ge and Sun Dingyi struggled to hold back their laughter.HjjmLoYOEGtDClPoiWccKKftlKznIM
EXiNWcfvnrGPpVpThe teammate paused for a moment. “Your voice… Are you using a voice changer?”AwuDUawexucASRniIGtsyQeDhvETZP
hoCeNNWPeetDAtzRen Yi slowed down his speech and, with a teasing tone, replied, “Huh? Do I sound like a guy to you?”ydbjEDKZKwfvfUlTvKaZUojMmKEmMY
LNkawpWlyNhdRNOThere was silence for a while before the teammate responded awkwardly, “No, no, it’s just… a pretty sexy husky voice.”bYbknavLBPvAQabULkJuAxloCbZWAE
zwlSseyJcbSNQRp“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.tkQWxLPTDMwpbbFwEMyrFJMBzCGpwk
AiDZllDYhBtNUJJ“Why did you choose that name, miss?”mQBVqPfIKWqVGhKKOQkdParMFiTErt
ohZTjjvppaUiLwsWithout missing a beat, Ren Yi calmly replied, “Because women are made of water.”mBJnUGAbBmICSklzOrMbZnjVErtpuT
zeMTpOUoERWiSxWGao 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.qnDVzmOeBQsLLENvgdChAFnIdsMSLN
DUCwOQjfFCzIiqcRen Yi rolled his eyes at them. “It’s off.”FAYSLiycnOgtrfmRSJNTnXAASMawTZ
dCWymwXEDQCulXIThe two burst into uncontrollable laughter.fYGlDDqXpMgawuNadQhTZMaJARFyDP
neBJnOVHTkEWhTdSun Dingyi, struggling to catch his breath, said, “Captain Ren, have you no shame?”SZMcvprWCCvoHmklOWwwLBduZZPWvo
zOwUgeHqvBcZXnW“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?”bErhyzFrqZudcjyvQkssWKnMeTJVqr
LeAhCIduszMoxGN“Uh…”CcdSEbiGybIYfPjMPNyVSXQyZHfMqI
buhGKgaSABGUGVF“There are so many enemies. I’m kind of scared.”YsHgYoJhHamCSiITpyxhRlBBFJajNN
DWgzxBtrBEBUFJv“Alright.”bMFTPDmjZWOIxIgpzKWWuyyJFzbsYS
KGgWLWPBuqSglmhJust then, the door to the rec room swung open, and Ding Qing poked his head in. “Captain Ren, that girl is here again.”QPERkDHjuZuovPYigAmqfSglrDjWoM
BEhzIYvFpPlJEnGInstinctively, 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?”pnovemAgAVAoWxaxuBsvOTCEhGLorR
YChLtfJAcbYvJJo“She’s already inside, and—”VolwvxbSOOaQshVSwFLMSbjmgmiqIB
EEhZBvzHClfRpYb“And what?”brjfMghMGEQYsFZOUtQSYSwyBmCiyz
avcoxLHzeswzweaDing Qing scratched his head. “You’ll see for yourself.”UCpRSZTJPBherhvjrrUUbHadPaodfQ
grqAUxWkteuMykFRen 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.bWixazQJForUsixpVOtDNtxhBrQhLw
QwfpCjVjqQmbxCnRen Yi quietly said to Ding Qing, “Get the political instructor.”vtrmCLxiaepcWbmJzkecbtNBucwIir
DazuKVhjYyZutFPGong Feilan spotted him and beamed. “Captain Ren!”mDGVVhQgXJYxudhryvWNeorreVtZXb
VubOOZHvnZfBJZO“What are you doing?”knlMGyulLJGfwSoHKofUtGGbhiaZPw
irIVJdcBYlPeszt“I ran away from home,” she said without missing a beat. “Can I stay here?”ZnoRUjaXfwlMiIMQVQQdzEDeRrafiZ
HwVtFMDNfVmdRjB“Of course not,” Ren Yi said helplessly. “Why’d you run away? Where are your parents?”tkUhfmjkbBwUhUgjgRiHuZGuvtStve
RQkKlEXZUixPUJN“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.”zcnmePcBQxWuiFbYkGSUckZZOPbiNp
LwgQdxGGedHkDUrRen 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.yeEkPVvggwskrvuEjzOMCvFvwaxsOO
OEWGDGdtrXPPUnIWith 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.”TVKnChGiBbDwqnFARhUuflxpYCLETW
KBPLukOIjbTfoOl“But I feel safe with you.”igJQgozcleXDbMLJZLpIAcBvbqBPmQ
tppfJEjsceCwjbW“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?”kJmWGvuOkarHutKeIYBlofsvwrRnni
OVgmRckwDAHGeJOGong Feilan shook her head. “I’m not going home. If you won’t let me stay here, I’ll book a hotel.”xsstxPynSWzafuiGpVONNROiBHKlyG
stOWGNFSDFmFnnz“…You don’t want to see your parents, how about I call your brother to pick you up?”isNziNNvcmLaasEcoCkgbaImxRuXNi
DrvxeHtuOvtyYFQGong Feilan frowned. “He came looking for you?”nEEHTKlDqrJqFXBMsZyNCtVHDdvXPk
GTsnPuMHkwayGTX“Yeah, and he said you told him I was your boyfriend. Feilan, do you realize how much trouble that could cause me?”TdYZWLbxZeREXsjVctRVdauKEFShYa
BRoAaiXJLXlVbwRShe bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”qjsEKujUsfClSLUwvSkRaFXKGdfpCq
CqEzMrhpOzhMZoyAt that moment, Political Instructor Qu Yangbo arrived. “Ren Yi, what’s going on?”IjdcrKXvHJBQZmTFMomyMskYpmwCdJ
UboTLZCYbTIOSbnRen Yi explained, “She might’ve had a falling out with her family and is trying to run away from home.”dpjmmpKOIOarMSzLnhjstWFUkDrMOK
chMuGtyHxqczGLOQu 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?”iPCjMYpXPMoPqcjrLpPkQacGDhUbAD
pFdRPcuvStZrwuy“No,” she turned her face away, “I just wanted to see Captain Ren. I want to stay here.”AVyJSdgHkBFJpazUFsYAwMHRPNblUA
YqCPwIsMQaOwFKo“The fire station’s doors are always open to the public, but you can’t stay here forever. We have to send you home.”SFbEYPAEcTYdfZhEPAVSCbVqIkYgbd
mOInoIHrBuxFjpW“I’m not going back!” Gong Feilan shouted. “I’m sick of home!”EguWCahijANqeVQwyxOyGFvbhdtMax
fGtdAbyyOywSMDwRen Yi exchanged a glance with Qu Yangbo and said, “No matter what, I’m calling your brother.”KKaePiKljRTeGsRDHyiTcEoVDjGoEc
AzDzgcFjMFghyId“He’s just my cousin. We’re not close.”erDSEpMWSlQQUJJNiiWJoVvvedUAyk
hoamrlTYVXBlwpg“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.”GvKgWyatqKeraEMcFOBLQPLdWZZabv
ifPgWmxXmbmMIusGong Feilan fell silent.xfQdwGyJvXUnLDfhBaLzlpniNdopIm
mKbCiCMqPdPgbHP“If you stay here, it’s going to cause us a lot of trouble. You might not be able to come back again.”KqUQplKYWxVzKBqzyRBaYrPrmGetZb
xDHCXvVnmEcNBUlWith a sullen voice, Gong Feilan muttered, “Then I’ll go home.”TzmhdExwxbHmYpQBGZtVJlfygnOZxr
JiheFgBtZuzOdIU“No, we need to see an adult come pick you up.”OAVDkbPKFOkxrcdMsgAHSmaMkZeiCr
dloYhXXErgJlIrpReluctantly, she replied, “Fine, call him.”zHxCvEoyzjFivPXdElGCzMybJjErRq
OSxRKGfVsZZyZvP“Give me his number.”rmpTgMqwqKofIbSVTmhVhoKiolRxnu
GaREgWMyJlrkLGR“I don’t have it,” she said, still pouting.lpNyKDmRwEKwMptTBDKFqyJOJrkXis
LQnqqeRLiZAJDBhRen 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.JvjncMRgUJVSadvLcpmTagCrhGWzMl
zKHmNXflRpJRQTEMeanwhile, Qu Yangbo led Gong Feilan to the conference room to wait.hlmREceWJPnEmrrrItNHKPLGMgvTqe
DdJXwXOgdZAbvGLRen Yi waited for a while before receiving a call from Fu Kai and immediately dialed back.mkaBsRyXitunukNriMjraplgfyvOLy
IIfmAKLHekhgIeAThe phone rang a few times before it was answered, and Ren Yi heard that familiar cold, yet luxurious voice again: “Hello?”oMOcvUVgafChQsvahyyuKYMlyNGaAm
HNpQFFxULoPUumN“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.”ymbJZGPHCFSMRZhjDYPFFSwHGEYpjU
XizTgUKFKKyoTVw“Understood.”TtVcSEdIciLqcessxjdHknFVxrELaR
VXdJHyPJCIiMZwXRen Yi entered the meeting room to find Qu Yangbo talking to Gong Feilan. She had her head down, looking unwell.jWrYQGOqIojIKWvVYROzDYxTDVFffG
bWXPtTBqeoWYYErQu Yangbo said, “Ren Yi, I just got a call from the division. I need to head out. You stay with her.”OomTsaTmnUVuzNmZmCVQKXfIEduNbH
WhFtKQZDTQqbzfe“Alright, you go ahead.”lOLroWpdLODiJYvaewMECMpvIKXJKu
SdCeqcuavwrXanRAfter Qu Yangbo left, the room fell into a long silence.hZylHUUNnOwxhNOrLPWRtZoGnFfPOY
EvpqpXjYgwSVnMRAfter about ten minutes, Gong Feilan finally gathered the courage to sneak a glance at Ren Yi and softly asked, “Do you hate me?”sPgeKejZFXjiseMLPMJwJcZgLicrdu
XKCIVYoaQgMZJSi“No, I’m just worried about you,” Ren Yi replied, softening his tone. “Your brother will be here soon.”WLynQihslnbHWfUXgwMzYIQMCnwCev
DXZhVadtGdeBbKOGong Feilan nodded.VrDEFHXZJLJWUlsoWdwmEmdizjmcDm
TWpPPAOVEndmeYYSeeing her downcast expression, Ren Yi tried to make small talk: “He shares the same last name as you, so he must be your cousin?”NCmdNaxYMfqqjAZjsHqkLAOqEAAStz
odpqQIJEWITuvnE“My dad married into my mom’s family,” Gong Feilan said, clearly unwilling to talk about her father.XfIYCHWcoQyAYWzEceJPSRFFlGmLLW
SoWcVyqEugwreuO“Oh… Why does he wear gloves and a mask?”pBTvLRHeFDviKMXVSvNspNBdEnVHpm
JrcnVeWwnLjRMvJ“He’s a germaphobe. Whenever he feels the environment is unclean, he puts on a mask.”fEAomOFvANzjLNpgetbpMwUCiTbXxX
gtYfgwXOPNDoSFtRen Yi silently cursed, *What a freak*.UDSxaildGFIrrjWscrTlrXFXhaPSIx
ziERZulYGhhgqbT“I didn’t mean to lie,” Gong Feilan whispered, “when I said you were my boyfriend.”uitgIkLOBjaMnLBsuBIdYLCCyWUnFz
rEPRoYoyuvGNlzlRen Yi chuckled bitterly, “You really shouldn’t make up stuff like that.”uyWXvZxmIOrwzKefrWXmpjyCoyLPpI
WreHkCdmxFzhMNX“I just wished you were my boyfriend because I feel like, no matter when or how dangerous things get, you’d always protect me.”vKSHWWxsbHytTjpueXPARtQxybOrug
pmXgMqGidXUoVFT“I would,” Ren Yi said seriously. “Even if we were strangers, it’s my duty to protect you.”brQMHdFBwQAGplqltLnHlgnIhYeEBq
SAtXZxVxKyafgAIGong Feilan looked at Ren Yi, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a mixture of gratitude and reliance.evuseMuhSFSVCtEQufUlSvzmQiCSKf
lxPudarRyAHCncPAt that moment, the door to the meeting room swung open, and a man strode in with determined steps.YoSILGrNNqZLlndpunibfvBAnItUsq
dfZeKGJXrmGBAzwRen Yi looked up, recognizing him immediately—it was the man who had cornered him in the stairwell the other day.nHHjKOvrhhSPUftZiVOsgPcgHtXoLZ
mmWnBVtnYYuTpQTGong Yingxian glanced at Gong Feilan before sweeping his gaze over Ren Yi, his eyes filled with hostility.WAlZfIaYipeQSHfdMnFugfKpRHfKOm
WgQKSDOjxfNnRpDGong Feilan kept her head down, saying nothing.cIqmqRraAVqrxNhMJhKEKMykVhBqez
cTScLpSriAguahaRen Yi crossed one leg over the other, watching Gong Yingxian with a composed expression.srvpDDnaGwaAARObgILhfppmVxfRLn
nTxwUfzIfEQaSTzGong Yingxian surveyed the room before slowly removing his mask.yeeUdRAnakfStaIkkIuXlODpqYETHl
wtsXYKiOTiZvzQiRen 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.qgtqCjZcKGAmuahIjSnntaPLfvnGnn
IfvSQQGIkdWcFRjRen 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.rrpcVQxaXYXvIOTuusshqULTcSojQa
PyhcEHhkdrSZXAYdPYGcejjtDyAgHuVteTaEhGWSKxxje