Blazing Armor

Ren Yi poured a glass of water for Gong Yingxian and then quietly sat beside him.

The two were still in the interrogation room. Gong Yingxian sat in the chair, remaining silent for a long time. The disposable cup in his hand looked small, making his hands appear exceptionally large. Yet, Ren Yi could clearly see within this large body a small shadow hidden deep inside—a shadow that had never truly emerged in the past eighteen years.

Gong Yingxian stiffly raised his hand, as if only just realizing he was holding a cup. He placed it on the table, took a deep breath, and said in a muffled voice, “Why is it that you’re always the one to see me like this?” In front of everyone else, he was always calm and composed, but in front of Ren Yi, for various reasons, he repeatedly lost control.

Ren Yi soothed him with a warm voice, “Because we are friends, and friends show different sides to each other.”

“Is that so…” Gong Yingxian brushed his bangs aside with his hand. The sweat-soaked strands clung to his forehead, exposing a large, smooth expanse. “You probably have a lot of questions for me, don’t you?”

“If you want to talk, I’m more than willing to listen, but I won’t force you.”

Gong Yingxian raised his head and looked at Ren Yi, his gaze somewhat vacant. “I became a cop to find the person who killed my parents and my sister.”

Ren Yi nodded. “I guessed as much.”

“I only have a little over a year left.” Gong Yingxian’s voice trembled. “The statute of limitations will be up soon—twenty years—and I still don’t even have a suspect to charge.”

Ren Yi looked at the clear pain in Gong Yingxian’s eyes and felt a deep sorrow himself. How difficult it must have been for a child of six, barely old enough to remember, to pursue clues from eighteen years ago.

“Over the years, Yan-jie and I have gathered every piece of evidence we could find, but the trail has still gone cold.” Gong Yingxian clenched his fist. “But just now, that man said something he shouldn’t have known.”

“He can’t be the killer, though—his age doesn’t match.”

“No, but he might know who it is.” Gong Yingxian gritted his teeth, his face contorting. “The killer is still alive—still alive!”

Ren Yi said gravely, “What can I do to help?”

Gong Yingxian stared at Ren Yi, his deep eyes clouded with confusion. “…I don’t know. My mind’s a mess right now.”

Ren Yi patted him on the shoulder. “It’s alright. Take your time to clear your head. Maybe I really can help.” He planned to go home and ask his dad if he remembered that fire. If they were going to track down clues that had been buried for eighteen years, no one would know better than someone who was there. But with his father’s current mental state, he might not remember much, so Ren Yi decided not to tell Gong Yingxian yet, to avoid getting his hopes up.

Gong Yingxian closed his eyes and said wearily, “I feel like I’m dreaming. After all these years, I was on the verge of giving up. I never expected a clue to surface now.”

“Justice will be served. This proves you’re destined to bring the killer to justice.”

“I don’t care about justice.” Gong Yingxian’s eyes turned cold and ruthless. “As long as I find him, even if the statute of limitations has passed, I will kill him with my own hands.”

Ren Yi remained silent.

“I’ve imagined it countless times.” Gong Yingxian clasped his hands together, pressing them against his forehead, his voice chilling. “Dousing him with gasoline, setting him on fire, and standing there, listening to him scream as he burns to death—just like he did to my family.”

“You’re a police officer now. I believe even if he stood right in front of you, you wouldn’t do that, because he wasn’t just an arsonist, right?” Ren Yi said softly. “What happened to your family is tied to the Baosheng Chemical Plant explosion, isn’t it?”

Gong Yingxian’s shoulders trembled. After a long pause, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice, “You’re right. My father was just a scapegoat. I need to find not only the arsonist, but the person who ordered him. I want revenge, and I need to clear my father’s name.”

Ren Yi furrowed his brows, struggling to imagine how many cruel conspiracies were buried beneath the incident from all those years ago. What surprised them even more was that while investigating an arson case that seemed entirely unrelated, they unexpectedly uncovered a lead that had been cold for so long.

It all felt destined.

Ren Yi grew concerned about Gong Yingxian’s current state. “Let me take you home. You’re exhausted today. Don’t think about anything. Just go home and get some rest.”

Gong Yingxian shook his head and softly said, “We had an arrangement.”

“What?”

Gong Yingxian raised his arm and showed Ren Yi his watch.

Ren Yi glanced at it. “Uh, nice watch. Looks expensive.”

“It’s not midnight yet. Today, I was supposed to be a guest at your house,” Gong Yingxian said, not wanting to go home. He wanted Ren Yi’s company.

Ren Yi’s heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, “Sure.” As soon as he said it, he regretted it. That “sure” sounded too eager, but he just couldn’t help it.

Liking someone is something you simply can’t suppress.

That’s why he kept finding different excuses to see Gong Yingxian, even though he tried to restrain his feelings over and over again. It was pointless.

He was being cowardly. He knew Gong Yingxian didn’t feel the same way. From the moment he admitted it to himself, he had already lost. People have an instinct to avoid pain, and if he could, he wouldn’t have let himself fall into this situation.

But now, he had no choice.

The two left the station and drove to Ren Yi’s place.

As soon as they entered, Gong Yingxian carefully took in his surroundings.

Ren Yi chuckled. “Haven’t stayed in such a small place in a while, huh?”

“Never have, actually,” Gong Yingxian replied honestly.

“Well, today you can pretend to be a young master experiencing life.”

“This is where you live.” Gong Yingxian looked around the ordinary house, yet it felt strangely familiar and comforting, unlike any other house. Perhaps it was because Ren Yi’s presence was everywhere here.

“I lived here for a few years. After my dad got sick, I moved back to the old house since it’s closer to the team,” Ren Yi explained. “Uncle Sheng got everything ready for you. The bedding and blankets are all from your place, oh, and your precious pillow too.”

Gong Yingxian’s expression turned slightly awkward. He took off his jacket and hung it on the coat rack, using the opportunity to turn his back. “That pillow is just really comfortable. Nothing weird about it.”

“Is that so? What’s so special about it? Maybe I should give it a try,” Ren Yi teased casually.

Gong Yingxian froze for a moment. “You want my pillow?”

Ren Yi was taking off his jacket and putting on an apron, grinning. “You’ve only got about thirty left, right? You’ll need them for the rest of your life. I wouldn’t dare take one.”

It seemed like Gong Yingxian let out a small sigh of relief. He would never let anyone have his pillow under normal circumstances, but if Ren Yi really wanted it…maybe he would consider it.

“Wanna sit down and watch some TV? I’ll go make dinner. You must be hungry, right? We haven’t eaten anything since this afternoon.”

“It’s too late. Let’s just eat the boxed meals from my car.”

“No way. You’re my guest, and I can’t serve you boxed meals. Don’t worry, I’ve already prepped most of the ingredients. Give me an hour, okay?”

While Ren Yi busied himself in the kitchen, Gong Yingxian sat motionless on the couch, his mind a chaotic mess. His thoughts were still trapped by the words of the hooded man, unable to break free. He slapped his forehead hard, realizing that his emotions had fluctuated too wildly today. He wasn’t in the right state of mind to think. What he needed now was food to replenish his energy and a good night’s sleep.

The sound of stir-frying came from the kitchen, and the fragrant aroma slowly wafted through the cracks in the door.

Gong Yingxian had always kept his distance from anything domestic. The memories tied to these things were too painful, and he spent a lifetime trying to avoid them. Yet, after enduring involuntary “desensitization treatments” time and again, his tolerance had indeed improved. It was much better than before.

At this moment, he surprisingly found himself wanting to see what Ren Yi was doing in the kitchen. The desire even outweighed his usual aversion to anything involving cooking.

After hesitating for a while, he stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

When he pushed the kitchen door open, a wave of heat hit him. Gong Yingxian’s eyes focused on the lively flame on the gas stove and the smoke rising from the frying pan. His body stiffened.

Ren Yi, noticing him, asked in surprise, “What’s up?”

“Just looking,” Gong Yingxian said expressionlessly.

“You probably don’t want to be here, though,” Ren Yi said with concern.

“I’m not that afraid of a little stove fire,” Gong Yingxian replied, watching Ren Yi in his apron, feeling a strange warmth rise in his chest. “What are you cooking?”

“This is beef stewed with potatoes,” Ren Yi pointed to the pot simmering nearby. “And this is winter melon soup.”

Gong Yingxian frowned slightly.

“Don’t worry, I’ve also prepared some cold dishes just in case you don’t eat these,” Ren Yi smiled. “If you really want to stay here and watch, though, maybe change your clothes first so your suit doesn’t get all smoky.”

“Oh.” Gong Yingxian turned to change his clothes.

A while later, he returned, now dressed in a casual dark green checkered loungewear. He leaned quietly against the kitchen door, watching Ren Yi bustle about.

No matter which way Ren Yi turned—whether sideways or with his back to him—he could feel Gong Yingxian’s gaze. Seeing him in loungewear, standing there in his kitchen, made it feel like… like they were living together.

Ren Yi, while turning around, couldn’t help but smile. Even though he was hungry, he found himself wishing that this meal could take just a little longer, to make this moment last.

How beautiful the warmth of domestic life is.