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.SxeaSkIFCWkPmXemMchdNrtOCkKOyT
uywPqHVScfgXrlw“Auntie, what’s going on?”iuVYCDKBmgTcZqXgTgORaDvjUYdduW
jneQDHiteIoIleqAuntie Wang, flustered, said as soon as she saw him, “Captain Ren, thank goodness you’re back! Your dad won’t take his medicine!”LShkdcajyhOAHRTnMZhWLZepicGygt
VEkCwDFxWMfwBuKRen 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?”EsraLuLRzXLtfvbRCkDvUzLktNzgOt
VXVWyJvdIbwQxpB“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.rAIsMSZOGOwvszVwGWxCcwDyJJRgkn
oEQXTINFfNntAcUThe bottle hit the floor, and pills scattered everywhere.qjoNVtjQMWgdVAqMIRKISUiQteIWUx
skGpjAPSacTFtKFAuntie Wang shook her head helplessly.aQhgMoIMSOYPMSDFvQAqTvuEYpTGWw
LRvkJJsVfcMxpuaRen Yi gave her a reassuring look and bent down to pick up the pills together.EQkTgSkikJQypHuTyuTQsDfAJkbLGm
yhWoHrnIeMmVOQfRen Xiangrong, as if nothing had happened, looked at Ren Yi and asked, “Why are you home from school so early today?”vRfSqrTJsDMfafpjpFuwGxExZciCjd
qsnMInLrHpxIRun“It’s already dark; it’s not early.” Ren Yi replied softly, then turned to Auntie Wang. “You can go home for today, Auntie.”LrMYBtyJqaSZtelkpLESUGVqPBCOoc
lRMafPbrESbQzFH“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.FZxZaFlCXdowBYihaKBnpRptvFFxwB
fwevvllQcCwtdPMRen Xiangrong lightly tapped his legs, mumbling, either to Ren Yi or himself, “Has your mom finished work yet?”wmdnBaPuCogIOctxniVJgcLunvsBTL
bzNUCMMaUVNAnrH“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.ECVLuYvVDpdabZxLWjWMPUlqGBwYvq
QlYGAMPsLdOTpdcIt 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.NwwdIEbkFuuVvyWqceFHBEoNWnheol
PZiuCDvSEOqVbEzRen Xiangrong mumbled again, “We’ll eat when your mom gets back.”RnfTpWLIgpXDhymextOctBmczNTDsm
TSqNZTaiHuiYvmr“Alright, Dad, how about I give you a bath first?”RqOZenFtveRivbwSszxIKrvJbfLIgx
qbTllXGLvIDUeNaRen Xiangrong seemed not to hear him, continuing to murmur, “We’ll eat when your mom gets back…”SJJfgvXjaIkGbgEIyUUPGzFmeRbzOZ
qQboZKhrXWobHrVRen Yi wheeled his dad to the bathroom, lifted him into the custom bath, and patiently began to wash him.LVEwAMeGVnoWqbtzKNLpLKmEUIBZyo
RZJzALyWiMdYxPsHis 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.VINIrsTujgJlGnyCoYsagQvaQCybMj
gPaYCfIapVJjzFURen 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.oRjavAjQQaYOlvFEmdYKkUfriFlnor
BKhFhNnfudMTTgcWhat 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.ScRNpTqvyIbCkAxrGIVvdLmpsFqYyX
jadRhQjtcGaKaiUAfter 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.sutFFevJQTqiRnAUAIpCiElsLGVntA
HqgRicNsFEffpFsAs he ate, Ren Yi made a phone call.oQEoxSEnxfExZLDTbHdyObWIiqTwvN
OQaXVfxfuIJsLqGThe call was answered almost immediately, with a voice on the other end deliberately lowered. “Hey, brother.”hdDOvfFEswUpnPBTMYzqSGiOSngDZL
ZhTVvTfifBumqkg“What are you up to?” Ren Yi asked.zOnmtcqJhFYFbwHAcIirptZWAPOGnj
DsBtgGeCKqGwYAC“The kid just fell asleep, what’s up?”zBsOELYLaLcZJLlrTzNcZoXmNYXsxA
unNCHFsHWWwDbLT“Need to ask you about someone.” The man on the other end was Fu Kai, his high school buddy, one of his closest friends.DjdzdACAPjsMBjIDXaKfsrFVhhCrFJ
CRjrQnNxiMntTJg“Who?”KcOPSuUeoCXzDTImrnuHUYYeXWfyyE
goSbOufoBafooEx“Gong Yingxian. Ever heard of him? Gong as in palace. He’s also a cop.”kzRbmHnueUmQRIybfnmPxQgTGhekjg
FkjiwYCckjjAxtu“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?”sHPoKDKWpYSnFBSaTLSuYswPkWpdGn
gBcHtyNAMhicIfm“What the hell are you talking about? I just suspect someone’s impersonating a cop and wanted to verify.”bXmfCVJZKjcSvFtfhvodTEhKVUbkyM
YODEQWOFyfZIdQx“Oh, he doesn’t seem much like a cop.”APskXsOjVZmUhEcPaMjgFRTDUOVYcO
IokpbXCpqbUvtfp“You know him?”hgrnKidusYQYoWojMCpqIcnKOJqqJV
FjmUbjqfiibdRuy“Not really, just seen him.”qoOnWogGTbEidRfGUtRBcAVDOanvzF
fwwGLltqsQuBhNw“What’s his deal?”refunxqVWfYodwdePyYWnuhtsZacGn
eKNzyHvrUtLYiTg“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.”BqpWfQUThfwWrMSbntXxfuDTLakadK
MrVanmyfdrMxuGERen Yi hung up, muttering, “Weird enough, alright.”RhDUSLbUnnbXRhfmbeCWvBBHZmHSva
pKwmBVEVQSWIoJCAfter 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.GXDqJCisncgsmXuUIpkFJhRXQepTCk
ocqybQvUQIRyXMhIt wasn’t until after nine that night that Ren Xiangrong’s room stirred.NRjRpEaxkQwHUQPQIXuHixYDpuAMhp
RDMrxIFyzZVEUvRRen Yi opened the door and saw his father just sitting up. “Dad, you’re awake?”UEcraOmNJkvXdILmCTjTUvIblxnxCu
zRCKYLsjbKyKXeJRen 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.”HhhLYOAZIHnAxqpoAkwNVrFJtIvHma
smLIpGDQTqoYHkwRen 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.”XCaGTDrHmcsQAzJriiMAaJMKYSTSyI
cbQPERrKHYTMuIt“Throwing up is no big deal.” Ren Xiangrong pushed himself to stand. Ren Yi moved to help, but his father waved him off.BGRoumWtdfggKMeVHvQAfYgQYrgFIX
GPhWmPstkHmRTAjOne 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.AtfTYIRecBozycUahiyJokBWtKHYVC
vvPIobUxPVyOYPK“Take your medicine first,” Ren Yi said, handing over the pills and some water.lWhxuYRNMdQPqltVCTQciEJQbAKMDh
ZPsZKNjUuLKxmFQRen Xiangrong sat on the couch and obediently took the medicine.rIqzmdnxAdTMqWDFKcGqHLBHtugvGd
UwAffnLmxISnwmE“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.”DDzsQnonLMAxxXKJqCpaPOaVrsgjio
ZOcmgtTArjDOJIb“Hospital? What for?” Ren Xiangrong glared at him. “You think I’m a useless old man?”RCzZlbDmNorWxRCyVxBxKGxqozWlFe
gRwzdHOwrqpUzCe“I wouldn’t dare.” Ren Yi laughed. “No hospital then. Captain Ren never leaves the front line for minor injuries.”wizLYYLDvXprcUluitGBacZtIkpUaH
pGXkICoGPJJwDHfRen Xiangrong smiled too. “How’s work been lately?”KPgutXbpWEUqXxMURUCMUQocxkJCSQ
GfMmvJrmcGUUKqr“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.HgRopDxUlfvBrxTROoEroIYehbbWFi
FhVHrpWtVVhvMad“Oh? Tell me more about it,” his father replied.YfegagzXuDBKryUvldtJKbVIueGmiw
vckftWTxtTnrJLVThe father and son sipped their tea, comfortably chatting about the incident.UefqTBAulMzHKObqcqpjZmvjLfENgF
XmTbfhoicTiItaa—–mQiyZBORuqUpbKNmtIJFYdrouLhHLP
cWqdMzJbXfZyDjXThe 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.UxoYbcwcQQTJnJlHajXglCsQyEJyBC
hHZFIjvhANUyxrqAlthough 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.IesLazSAQHdLyEHpaLFHPDmkHYmzOl
mahnYzwursGkIWRAt 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.rdLvRPhsjSjgxttLmexpxpbADCPKti
hcBwnCGcikDUEGs“PUBG or King of Glory?” Sun Dingyi asked.iuZmZUILaCBaKjAEOtKjJSZvEQQKPj
CMcXYFWZXIISkDY“PUBG.”eaWdINQXvTnzhdMHqdSmLRrNcSGiyZ
QGvPnvLkwzDIqnL“Can I bring my girlfriend—”uQkbAwqufUjmKxaRzXFGYZCQtxQPsF
IyVJDbZLLQzXzca“Nope,” the other two said in unison.PvNiFVEJWGDuLLtFSHMprYMdXyJsiz
WzFqOEwRSvxvDnGSun Dingyi clicked his tongue. “You guys never want to play with girls.”aUhdXxapJSOmUjOgGxPSqvoBjKBHXZ
KKRtKYwBGEiIaSf“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…”igAScCywmUHrfjLGGcDSYgPoNayrJd
IqKfWGwigJQlXAxRen Yi added, “I’m grinding for rank these days, no noobs allowed.”ZntWyOdBLZZrLVoPydfGFTGJHuduJe
uBuUDrWZvGQevLq“Well, then I’ve got nobody.”sxVWHPHHThqMMqWKlwHLWwpGjDWnSk
fKOXLuiCGUuXqXQ“Same here.”NKgYpbJAhLVBnrTEiqVOVhPvlArKno
uRQpYWtfGsPNald“Let’s just match with a random player.”wgJssuFPMtItyOikaxyrARsDtDyHWX
SNsfnlaHHXgGiqyThe game started quickly, and Sun Dingyi suddenly began to giggle.MhnynZPQCQdWqRGKZivTSgyxgrQJON
ZkZYQitGMfvLnHE“What’s so funny?”oKgmdRVSPosXdIxAEJVQRnSrkuoxnM
pyuJbVdCCNrDHLg“Your username, hahaha, Captain Ren. I crack up every time I see it.”OtdVpsvjTpCIkhnHrYWiMovGeHykmI
TvDosYpMhuEgWpTRen Yi’s in-game name was “Goddess.”jXJuLLjGaDqBKUmPPXZLFFxwbnbjBB
PZSXOQjqsjSUFzb“You don’t get it, I’m balancing my five elements,” Ren Yi replied. “Let’s jump into M City.”xYXENNvARZMGItQlLrmjpQwRlsBjqn
uMVGncyjrJzMwZwOut of nowhere, the newly matched teammate spoke up: “Number One, your username is so unique. How do you pronounce it?”QslbhGQJlDMHslncwggwYSWmUnMJbV
tMFeYCNdbamfwwfGao Ge and Sun Dingyi both burst into laughter.kHmdyrxEgpYEFPjRiFkDjuIrvxCoej
iaHRYlqpyezGYjcRen 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’.”sdqjrzLVmJPWTIwxYrbmlHymHXyade
SWyGNvpskHSslExGao Ge and Sun Dingyi struggled to hold back their laughter.XxwwiGJSFwMeXxpjYfNbWwkbIXaiDP
jgnGJYkLqwvBXufThe teammate paused for a moment. “Your voice… Are you using a voice changer?”TEdwgiSwBsatlJzzoIuLztyNQXgSUG
iVQesIXFRJUmBdFRen Yi slowed down his speech and, with a teasing tone, replied, “Huh? Do I sound like a guy to you?”hlVxYlRCItVtBlomZTdfTDEbJYuUMG
sqrBlMyWpgFLboVThere was silence for a while before the teammate responded awkwardly, “No, no, it’s just… a pretty sexy husky voice.”oSXYFlmKEjSwoopMWrJyxsQLitBcuU
EhKmddAfvEqtraS“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.KFLdfMPEkLLtczUVBQdPGFtiPpxMaz
gGyMldflsuKUkWu“Why did you choose that name, miss?”SdxxXMniREFiCVxkJbYjapnamEdGCR
IHGbxDGmSvUSgYeWithout missing a beat, Ren Yi calmly replied, “Because women are made of water.”wfqCKpRYXBEQmgPiFTRanLogtVNTKf
TXVftwcRyZgGDoIGao 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.SRcSmdRmjSbpzqgnQXzKpMglcSPHRD
GSCHxXPPGmWHKvwRen Yi rolled his eyes at them. “It’s off.”lZrMjFPjgKcuKfCokikWBcknFyixxc
rxNjKEjndFLTXEqThe two burst into uncontrollable laughter.fMpeABtNkNlbBfWCyvYeRNpNRGUqvo
xQmiKpyoWqcuvuiSun Dingyi, struggling to catch his breath, said, “Captain Ren, have you no shame?”mPCjyOptJhdZJGMbQJOfVnTIapSwZZ
LgOSFIbgixSDfcz“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?”gpPEPnheFlfvZUmXOeBbNKIAlKiIMU
YwdOaPudDUNPrwF“Uh…”cDIoguOtymfehcPMaMlvlsdqQkJdvQ
uLiNbrXpUxYZXps“There are so many enemies. I’m kind of scared.”fjXBvYkXqfZgVtRiiUSajBhhEJTQNC
iOEeQCSmQhHzsTV“Alright.”DoZDPpnCCqPYXWEJBVHjKHXlJUBUic
GxsUjTbaAdobDVqJust then, the door to the rec room swung open, and Ding Qing poked his head in. “Captain Ren, that girl is here again.”OFYpIiskeyfXqjkoNNaEiqyELOKUBT
KRuJtvBhwLjBWagInstinctively, 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?”MYOhZLZCrzsHBlqbyTbULTQscspvLc
qOkTaNhoWnvfSlV“She’s already inside, and—”oizHXwGLhajMsmhXfSCVjGjBiYbPMp
tUsJxkHolwtPGSw“And what?”mBRwfSzuCaDhCxYdnBtLnUxbkZUadv
aVjPbNbGXFLRGEnDing Qing scratched his head. “You’ll see for yourself.”YFXKtOhvuxBwyqLlgMNgTJbMaPZdTE
qlqbOMrGkUDpbeyRen 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.vhucVSgfUktunSuMSiMFpfquRgrTKu
fRGEUalkSfJsOPtRen Yi quietly said to Ding Qing, “Get the political instructor.”tierYVCxTPjbtpQsGqKKjpqOwkXTxB
HZLaXeOFjGkajcJGong Feilan spotted him and beamed. “Captain Ren!”jtAVxAyKXPIrjcxucBxorEmroYNrnn
zgMexYhQhQBZxlp“What are you doing?”baeauhKyyufznfjuFDIIXAChDbfGDU
FHsvXjYvxwdkmaF“I ran away from home,” she said without missing a beat. “Can I stay here?”FuxxDHupBAWLAofsxzqLunsFuZrKha
JhUgZJyvBCKoXjc“Of course not,” Ren Yi said helplessly. “Why’d you run away? Where are your parents?”UGJihKdeyahVShFIBsUfpRAQBYrKhU
fbCfVgTVzbuWCGr“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.”kTdKlRBcBgwdgXUrdKCgSOPawkywof
SQxknHolArQUHcgRen 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.ojSghqsFYqsggbxiDLvprApsbGfiTR
buwUpYlDRZJncmyWith 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.”NnnnlEAmvgFuTCaAKCMHQJEhydTalQ
KPXWtRtcTTXVjSe“But I feel safe with you.”HCeZMEXFZPUmHhFCiMkOyMFztIEWEO
tCCpguzaZYVOlbA“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?”LQonxUJlJPxDKGedLupmPKLsPvgstL
scfMJYnXLZUEmcDGong Feilan shook her head. “I’m not going home. If you won’t let me stay here, I’ll book a hotel.”wGNqfyChKosUyzHiCAfzaMkyvFbMOt
duQObMdQbpflwwp“…You don’t want to see your parents, how about I call your brother to pick you up?”XvRtbQGsPtkOuqPUDfNIaNujbujcnq
NOyMBFpHXCMcjzmGong Feilan frowned. “He came looking for you?”TxZZVTSULXdZJPRvRFknskpGGqogjC
IDYjJkgIDLmkOJk“Yeah, and he said you told him I was your boyfriend. Feilan, do you realize how much trouble that could cause me?”fKZODINSQVwLxnKRJcXUUCGGnMImhp
ZOvmZTLlupOTUxYShe bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”gfyVLZHmXhELeVBXuHsqbMkNbrVgQa
seHoICWTmeaOuCHAt that moment, Political Instructor Qu Yangbo arrived. “Ren Yi, what’s going on?”yrsorMUdJOiqLFlZHeHBXYlSiHDskS
ezhBbJRQAzhEgkeRen Yi explained, “She might’ve had a falling out with her family and is trying to run away from home.”hbdzXjTgtqmnkURqINkpBGDMFzYkLU
qKCQgqnmtTHoUvdQu 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?”RLCSVQTSpTwokqdObfitowlNjtLIfp
KbOzCkkVSWESWPE“No,” she turned her face away, “I just wanted to see Captain Ren. I want to stay here.”IHPAejrCihxknoUowNWoKrCkeyhkJv
UDUKDqYxcFIQjZg“The fire station’s doors are always open to the public, but you can’t stay here forever. We have to send you home.”dGigoSpzVFRmwNVFvbWJsXUbEajGDd
OjJROwysEPIlwaE“I’m not going back!” Gong Feilan shouted. “I’m sick of home!”GHgizyFFlmswvarVEzamyOWlkzxuYA
XVaIiLMxiayCPQQRen Yi exchanged a glance with Qu Yangbo and said, “No matter what, I’m calling your brother.”ZmxRKHYMflvJIaKdBGRUehyUpXWcPM
VcCYPvkpQARZKyP“He’s just my cousin. We’re not close.”ZDmyOOoTxrYbsEdmrultWNRddyigxC
mwmpGmMwoIdIDAH“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.”lQBWoOIBdiFtGxYUNsCJvuZpjpEjOr
aYtNytmTPvBPMgCGong Feilan fell silent.bIIRjlUYciOwwWmaoCUyqoTRVSvrEs
ovLrxfhQdtPvgcB“If you stay here, it’s going to cause us a lot of trouble. You might not be able to come back again.”maISHNKswUCoCOhtcJYYPwajTYbugf
czllBMovQBxYTshWith a sullen voice, Gong Feilan muttered, “Then I’ll go home.”WwdUnGnNOJjlJFmoHlSqKFjsaMSDPd
FCdkOPbiHtBDtpD“No, we need to see an adult come pick you up.”UhsmUzIZPZjodHJsWoudNnGhGBeCBU
ELNCRpDBAEBNfYxReluctantly, she replied, “Fine, call him.”AvfqRryJpaBllmoFwliIUTpdjmSVMG
DMxVJNPvahNaTON“Give me his number.”IhhhZVubXzBmwfXoawTwAtACbbtTdG
iZbHrbonghXgRPY“I don’t have it,” she said, still pouting.NcSvXwlcdFzUOTFaiLudFxbsVQSeab
YaxXpCJLjGlFuSLRen 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.xfdRdagLXtrCoivlxqHZQtgvFpAZLt
VOkcstZpAqtvJAmMeanwhile, Qu Yangbo led Gong Feilan to the conference room to wait.DVKPhwojunAyZrkKrbdjIyuLdcLopK
aNjusjerAWFdVMeRen Yi waited for a while before receiving a call from Fu Kai and immediately dialed back.SbIzNyJBGBGQTnbfRSyPQhMlfCcvDo
LyknitwykuezertThe phone rang a few times before it was answered, and Ren Yi heard that familiar cold, yet luxurious voice again: “Hello?”XeCicMeOwliIiLXsDUskpPgUaovFDG
IFBwglvrEXdAMOJ“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.”AXumOpRzFAlQkMHOKCWStVxIEFbDGP
REqOWWlysvsIsJy“Understood.”fAftjFvaVsWuGIGwLZtetMlFDfPKRS
pwQpONtCppyfMulRen Yi entered the meeting room to find Qu Yangbo talking to Gong Feilan. She had her head down, looking unwell.AYGuOcVDEiccdiatGJLcYkfqKRHvWY
nWyCsoCNOceaXPJQu Yangbo said, “Ren Yi, I just got a call from the division. I need to head out. You stay with her.”IkXCPXHgZLlwXVVDcNPSkmBFTeDFQn
PGVaHVBQKlyiROR“Alright, you go ahead.”dRpCrnRGyECxeCuKVhiuQzwuqcpOvX
VvLvnnZrYvREGsYAfter Qu Yangbo left, the room fell into a long silence.KPKNQPbptZyzFSgnZtAqBllwgWEcmA
jnmlAyQSnKUBvgUAfter about ten minutes, Gong Feilan finally gathered the courage to sneak a glance at Ren Yi and softly asked, “Do you hate me?”PeVkuQlDuTJEwVtNpJbIcqfmeFfDMW
wsIhDCfeHPrTdoa“No, I’m just worried about you,” Ren Yi replied, softening his tone. “Your brother will be here soon.”miaVptIKXMIUJovkutpOOVQUDXHRuL
wXDLxcwfRuXXhjVGong Feilan nodded.stAtNbKEVBvsOlaydOMOyiBAvsRGUM
XIKsLejjcwXadBlSeeing her downcast expression, Ren Yi tried to make small talk: “He shares the same last name as you, so he must be your cousin?”SZwVJwiHRRsIBYjsquBigpGOXKNmyb
KZHFZBLZDstenPZ“My dad married into my mom’s family,” Gong Feilan said, clearly unwilling to talk about her father.NAFeJQPbJLbWYLMOTRFWNXAfiSSMEO
ZjeXJltDbQXbHGS“Oh… Why does he wear gloves and a mask?”ruQBSBSYIBWABmCgsiJbfBBbThuJRq
SCLWwVmiZsvoHmn“He’s a germaphobe. Whenever he feels the environment is unclean, he puts on a mask.”fsmjRBJyyjuXKqDnIYOeqrTBkGvqSf
bpsGxZjiDbgKQRmRen Yi silently cursed, *What a freak*.PqLvRBwlHxhmuAIFSSJfXMRvrSBBjl
sdijTGLwSYyOwaL“I didn’t mean to lie,” Gong Feilan whispered, “when I said you were my boyfriend.”wuROolTpHJVTGfuLYLrMfDYqtBbpDS
THcSDpajONTKJNaRen Yi chuckled bitterly, “You really shouldn’t make up stuff like that.”NDNTiffQPmELxdnaSiPUDcJcJGWPSz
kELEzjiJKYePhMV“I just wished you were my boyfriend because I feel like, no matter when or how dangerous things get, you’d always protect me.”zYNZCGjRTVsjnSVIrQVxXxysHVRGHt
JlXINksFSLpzriR“I would,” Ren Yi said seriously. “Even if we were strangers, it’s my duty to protect you.”ZvDHuSBLbWhHMFOsqWNaahWcdrrcHi
ZCcoeLiWHATAkmBGong Feilan looked at Ren Yi, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a mixture of gratitude and reliance.dKsXIxEWNxmWkZshEvyaKrPwEZfsUI
GuhZfEWlVxGdyxXAt that moment, the door to the meeting room swung open, and a man strode in with determined steps.mChLSvzcPvOJuYSJfQAaQXcTLNcLum
SeIcVlXjhQfiFPVRen Yi looked up, recognizing him immediately—it was the man who had cornered him in the stairwell the other day.vJUVfioezWGwCeUUBLtwktSutUBXdz
zkDlbUUePCAXCMtGong Yingxian glanced at Gong Feilan before sweeping his gaze over Ren Yi, his eyes filled with hostility.YWgyMMQcGrMMOJJuuLBvxziMQJgjGy
OeyQPdOGPqqKeEaGong Feilan kept her head down, saying nothing.XcUpCtBIFzTzweMBBKQBKjcjIPaclf
ypdxqqNUqzQrYTzRen Yi crossed one leg over the other, watching Gong Yingxian with a composed expression.fBUDGJrVLUjwSyfIgiRNAVMtIdpTtR
RJyjJyoEPnIIDDrGong Yingxian surveyed the room before slowly removing his mask.QdcdwRGbFmXaJaZcRjAAtOptZzLShU
wVxGstYTDqNiAtURen 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.OAzYkSDGsPKjXzDseRhxJaeDrUdFxu
eyuvVenpuIGYEkoRen 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.WrIHdBKDFMbMCXEhlQVxoRbPvvwTzz
MnMTVKVxRDQCgfPzSnhEDyPPCnmusnFZCDlIPoMVSvgai