Chapter 54
When they got home, Ren Yi was wide awake, brimming with energy. He couldn’t contain his excitement and said, “You go take a shower first, I’ll cook some instant noodles for you.”YKkLBiWAYhUvZLoNAbFsbektcyuezW
fTkFHrvVAoQUxir“Alright.” Gong Yingxian skillfully hung his suit and tie on the clothes rack as if he had done it countless times before.bPOfpovnhhFQBgEzDAlQfPPGrPeHRY
MwKFwYqWsBettCpRen Yi glanced at him from behind, secretly smiling. He liked this scene, as if they were living together: “If the bathroom’s cold, turn on the heater.”AtcLHXSkQczAqMJNFvImOTWLvKigNR
wqQoAZQjfMYPoYLRen Yi headed into the kitchen, took out a few packs of instant noodles, and prepared some eggs and sausages. He boiled water and, after thinking for a bit, opened the fridge, rummaging for a while until he found a bag of frozen dumplings with a three-flavor filling. After all, just having instant noodles seemed a bit too plain. He imagined the picky gaze of “Miss Gong” and couldn’t help but laugh.rQicsiYToChvKXoVlECtkGstdUUxVd
oBHTyWDerRtNPmUThe noodles finished cooking first. Ren Yi took out two bowls, divided the noodles, placed the soft poached eggs he cooked separately on top, and then sliced the sausages into oval shapes, arranging them around the eggs. He did his best to make the two bowls look somewhat presentable.EVdsDjOHyoTkhImbQjCwTNoBfYrbbB
JIVVRvUxeRzvyhYGong Yingxian came out after his shower, looking fresh and clean. His skin was so fair it almost seemed to glow. His freshly blow-dried hair softly clung to the sides of his face, making him look even younger than usual, almost like a college student. Even the slightly thick autumn pajamas couldn’t hide his broad shoulders and long legs.FrBGCiiYAyTxwISWcAPGzNYgdPcSfc
lGsBzzXwWVEheDKRen Yi stood a short distance away, his heart pounding.AJxJWQGUFMmUqGFVAFRdtStLjtIFTP
DDncpkrHQPzOZKRGong Yingxian glanced at the noodles on the table: “You even plated them? That’s some improvement.”JKsSiylioRpPxghJMXJMElpiNmRvDp
IKoUefRBPUNtkUc“I tried my best, but if you want speed, this is the best I could do,” Ren Yi laughed. “Eat up, once you’re full, you can get a good night’s sleep.”PvLTFAvQSTBblXXeXtErxJMDRPXBnj
TVsVZssKgdmmdzeGong Yingxian sat down, picked up a few strands of noodles with his chopsticks, blew on them softly, and whispered, “It’s hot.”GsVDMjUwDUmAteVDBUsAPqoSosxiWk
qYOoicrVurklQaf“Take your time, it’ll cool down soon,” Ren Yi said as he took a bite. “You know, instant noodles are kind of addictive. If you don’t eat them for a while, you’ll start craving them.”gPCBZetbYOmEavyFfOXiUgDGFPiFpo
ukpqcBfUbBsYjwy“Is that so?” Gong Yingxian looked skeptical.aXZBHpHLNhUldHZlnVYmbySBCHJHiV
kLqUYKataWShBiJ“You’re different though,” Ren Yi added. “You’re always different from others.”PGfBGYWMuvluDdsbvbQCuwaYaMOINv
PZPepfnRXucRuepGong Yingxian propped his cheek on one hand and stared at Ren Yi. “Are you complimenting me?”vPAhizbGhGcekEFicPXprNeqpEoZpb
WyyWYskrTqSYJLqRen Yi paused and then smiled, “Yes.”sFHCxhtyyAyJZBYxIjbIKELnDZNEsB
IEYlXPQgYefSExi“…You’re different too,” Gong Yingxian replied, before lowering his head again to blow on his noodles.qdeFdsaiShFGPpkHtrCjLvtPkKVbxs
dxvIvmwdVhRsolIRen Yi felt a warm sweetness in his heart.MxPKSlHNZkAFjGtkdjrKymXiOCkXmo
mSsTeMnOHPQzlxlSuddenly, Gong Yingxian asked, “Do you still have anything cooking in the kitchen?”swAExLWHZaTlTsWurcOPhZTxTVIfCc
rifSkgnrpldAQbQRen Yi was startled and immediately dashed into the kitchen. He had completely forgotten about the dumplings boiling in the pot—his attention had been entirely on Gong Yingxian, so he hadn’t even heard the loud boiling sound.UywTUIDpAmPfsjtCJQGBSdfbOjrVKH
ziYWMkrlMGkxncbThe dumpling water had already spilled all over the stove. He quickly turned off the heat and looked down at the mess. It was disastrous— the dumplings had practically been tortured, their pieces scattered and broken apart.QvjYgMywgwOFxOVEDjJRvYKRlatcID
yDkYbDiSfLOedSrGong Yingxian had somehow come over as well. “What did you cook?”bTCEowEBsjHhVFNsUARHVAujpOuePT
EcQnpRnyZbijpBD“…Dumpling skins… meatball soup.”qHAFTHCBzGHdabtjWICeZVbcptVOzb
DHCtRqdZRzvrpIkGong Yingxian leaned closer to take a look. “Aren’t those dumplings?”HJCNJRqUNIGaaKVwIiFfbenVxCSUBE
yMGJDvqlOpvesUR“You can still recognize dumplings?” Ren Yi said awkwardly.QbONGmXXJyZNoABBsqtLUujzajCUtl
FFvvFHtwoGoEwmaGong Yingxian glanced down at him from above, saying, “I’m holding back from mocking you right now, don’t provoke me.”tFhLvKLWNoyxiudEHPdlAhKDqZEudH
EuhVaKZFCRsTvazRen Yi cleared his throat. “Look at them, do they resemble dumplings? This is clearly meatball soup.”RSbiYyFZXWOrMTSGdZyZRvcxvelKgL
JhSlAJcLvZgZKXd“Whatever you say.” Gong Yingxian returned to the table.TfBVWLkEBvrBsDDGRHrJTieupBOLAs
ByfLsvGnWEhkuhuRen Yi served himself a bowl and carried it over.PLtzrmzBvcLAxvAzRBFwqxdcyJXYmi
bViEewhOXiTUaCWGong Yingxian looked at him in disbelief. “You’re still going to eat that?”ZhnNSmFmgwudunJRywEhUgLRCAxRPC
sbXajralfwDqLNw“We can’t waste food.” Ren Yi took a big bite. “Mmm, it’s delicious, and there’s shrimp inside too.”hIrdzuybsWZSXqbkpdcGyMVzZFAloA
ikYRmenOlprHUfZGong Yingxian snickered and shook his head before finally taking his first bite of the instant noodles.UpJjSjftjLKSwcbTPFPMrPPhkkVAQK
nfwWHIpLHHGytKGRen Yi eagerly asked, “How is it?”wlfvcIdBNhLcXiPdQrNgOyiOpjibyY
TCqAkLelOsZgYYA“Pretty much what I expected—heavy on artificial flavors. But… it’s alright.”uKBehBypdDreiUYAKAwXCWAhonSyln
zyizKpalthLpMszRen Yi smiled. He knew Gong Yingxian wasn’t good at expressing himself, and having grown up with the best of everything, “alright” was actually a good review. Watching Gong Yingxian eat the noodles he had cooked, Ren Yi’s appetite grew as well.zjJmawgQzWgugiwZDHafPRUeOEvxLe
hxdqCvauBDkSCwzAfter a few glances at Ren Yi’s bowl, Gong Yingxian hesitated for a moment and then said, “Give me some of your ‘meatball soup.'”xjPPNZrFuLhXHeiDZCoyAXsFwBMupt
wxlnwfGWHJNmuCdRen Yi was stunned and asked in surprise, “Really?”WfCscbaiwBEQhaQMUtFLGCWqRvrqme
mjaWWSIzMwptIocGong Yingxian, embarrassed, snapped, “Shut up.”iStuzOnsCuEkoCaARMkQvPaJaScWTP
BPVJkDRzOCPvRkaRen Yi immediately went to the kitchen and served a small bowl for Gong Yingxian, holding back laughter as he watched him.YoUkIytRnmMSefilwtXihrwnWmoCqe
rhPnvGpOsoWENFk“I’m just trying not to waste food,” Gong Yingxian explained. “You should really apologize to that pot of soup.”hvctLNCIbkZBLmSiDQMwfcSuopABFR
MNGfTGaLvEaTAeM“I’m sorry,” Ren Yi said earnestly.AEmwYWnywDZFppKhExiGGQhSLrJMHa
gpvyqrMqGHyYQwsGong Yingxian was amused by him.SeLJLrKrNVFWVcKitwePecvJRNHCdq
WsCWSCOdEsjqqjbRen Yi smiled as he watched Gong Yingxian hesitantly take a bite, thinking that perhaps Gong Yingxian was a kind person deep down, just someone who had armored himself with coldness and distance.uEvgFPMqHsDbSxHTeulEksVRmbzHsX
GDlQXCMHzrCQMHG—lyKnnJZqkcfUgPSnLdTezgYXNEaLGk
CPnXNKhKjOehUvWThe next morning, Ren Yi woke up even earlier than usual, earlier than when he was with his team. He prepared a hearty breakfast spread, and while busy in the kitchen, he put on his headphones and called his father. From his experience, his father was usually in a good mood early in the morning.xRakdrFClcgpTgZniJYtOfnzyBbJfe
fuOOoYVNUFsYEcW“Why are you calling so early? You out for morning drills?” Ren Xiangrong was sipping his porridge.YFCGLpYwOcpARrtNmBkwKgrsoqYwxq
uyjtvRgHPjiTNZt“Yeah, old Ren, I’ve got two things I want to talk to you about.”ghVHXWvUrUIwaATrAKKZRSYntJSJnj
vtHSaVUhWSGlWTj“Oh? What’s up?”RSPBwgXtopRlSbFPWLzoyOykHsGJlu
RTedabNJRogTTRz“First, something I mentioned briefly before. Aunt Wang’s family is moving back to their hometown. I’m looking for a new housekeeper for you. Just giving you a heads-up—you’ll need a new one after the New Year.”NSGTmOCBEGziDuFIEViCgjAXIGXKNy
kkEtkJTUoeJjsFB“Don’t worry about me, I’m not a kid.” Ren Xiangrong paused, his voice lowering a bit. “Just don’t know if the new one will adjust.” He knew well that the reason so many housekeepers hadn’t worked out before was because of him.mjCIkqTSWiXXQTVAPkFeHLMmmRmLQf
QICwGNfVTsUfCuI“That’s not something you need to stress about. Just eat well and sleep well.”RyynALhMsyrWfdwmUdxGLUILerMuDh
XmnitpulQyRCKQJRen Xiangrong sighed softly.CaVpkMsRapzWVyRPPXWFYZYgIdqWSk
wlYdPsSYvUXExnQ“The other thing,” Ren Yi continued, “Dad, how much do you still remember about the past?”KBScPOkktMIOGWCmTbAjSLxENPdQgF
aVgGIrwbXQzugan“What are you referring to?”NCPqyflDdjgTOyQTcafdXYFrOFwbUq
MnkBCvcoTvrYhBHRen Yi hesitated for a moment. “The Baosheng Chemical Plant and Gong family fire cases.”TDrqPTPBxzDpDAbreSlpGUSwikNmaB
arRqlturqupZQgwRen Xiangrong sounded puzzled. “Why are you suddenly bringing that up?”sVMjoceUnUsaVhuCRwiSaMiBhprbXA
KCsxNJGKkiBJiMW“We recently found a website—it’s hidden, hard to track down, filled with a lot of unregulated criminal activity. Sites like this are generally referred to as the dark web. This particular site is a gathering place for pyromaniacs and arsonists from all over the world.”sQjLLlZfOATfMaEJuKNvYMDmuFgkMF
MNfdcGbDcAYBRmk“There’s a site like that?!” Ren Xiangrong was both shocked and angry.IsgUcmWKYhNWTvUOewUCBieEVqoWgt
vISgljGzNNUxrsh“Yeah, we’ve noticed that several recent cases seem to have some connection to this website. The latest investigation even ties back to those two cases from years ago.”RdMIdysdZcoFEnBLHfxqzkIhdAvkAA
SPlVsYfrsXKCibq“Isn’t this the police’s business?”OOqgvRXgzshbSDocwVXVWqNxlPGKBY
nPuZwDYrlyGoIoi“I’ve been assisting the police lately, haven’t I?” Ren Yi said. “Dad, the doctor said that one of the symptoms of your condition is frequently forgetting recent events, but sometimes being able to recall things from long ago. Can you try to remember anything from back then? Any documents or details—it’s really important.”EZDjdghPfagNMrtrxMlSyhnsWMIbrJ
xqSXsgYWUjrxbrn“No problem, I’ll think about it.”qHIilNAQjqRWzXMOINEkcWEXmWVRxp
LZlIiVZRkRIHKOn“I’ll send you some digital files on your phone. Have Aunt Wang print them out for you to go through. I’ll visit home in a couple of days, and we can have a proper chat. There’s a reason I’m so invested in this case, and I’ll explain everything to you.”yXjrldWJBEpBSzPEGQLSEfCcxrwSvr
UVPgaSaEkhsotvr“Alright.”RZnXorXjhopoWtnICIuYyYYBSyfSqI
JkPZhOxDMXFrIvhAfter hanging up, Ren Yi heard music through his headphones and hummed along as he fried some eggs, his mood light and cheerful.ERWlZrIiTvPMUNaqFKCfGHUhxhGDyR
sfucFHqQKJPoMAeOnce breakfast was ready, Gong Yingxian also got up. Perhaps because he ate something before bed the night before, his eyes were a bit puffy, with faint red circles under them. Combined with his slightly messy hair, he exuded a lazy, irresistibly seductive aura that stirred something inside Ren Yi.UbNqfRbqlSbiWoSAfYGrxxUokTRTbW
YFaosWZzMohtqDxRen Yi sometimes found it difficult to control his fantasies about Gong Yingxian. He could only try his best to manage his gaze and expressions, lowering his head to cover it up as he tidied up the dishes. “Hurry up and eat. Look, *this* is my true skill level. Let’s forget about that meatball soup from last night.”qHcLpxRyybrILUPrFpisZhiPSwuPJl
bHdjucnYEIEjexpGong Yingxian teased him, “You weren’t saying that last night.”CTVFdvmCgqDnYtatZgKEgwLmYUmpmW
QLKwVLiMePDyzqwRen Yi threw him a playful glance. “New day, new me.”kXdsKzpcAvlQzwQwjJzyCRXNHwFwaQ
sCfNSGAfcFEjGQo“Strictly speaking, it’s still the same day.”bpmBXycxPuvkFIYsIhcxgNERxWdxwI
NOFetLYuiCPWNKQ“Oh, you’re so annoying. You cook next time.”JhNWOHFglYPWfqahAsdQMitENCkhSv
HsiRzFzDRkDHMis“Sure,” Gong Yingxian replied casually.bZVrXexqHMVBReFhtWGgDhDEPNdYic
vAhgldSsvFxBfWFRen Yi stared at him. “I meant cooking.”lWhUcOocumYKeXzvHVrFPzFYfxgPPP
ORfFbtQFWDLrmMV“I know.”DFVUczpQqHaxIrOIcKAjlzwbcPdJYi
mJaitLgmXoewNZN“You can cook?”vzojeWyypmsNUEJkPfKwBllexZuDEY
UvqVwitOJBaUDSbGong Yingxian shrugged. “Like you said, just follow the recipe. How bad could it turn out?”yLyZYvcDMduwagxCTqQSESVZFDVYAG
xkaKFzWLeOCJpwrRen Yi laughed. “Alright, I’ll wait for you to cook for me then.”hYHJCDfXmXcIJnyweaIGYmLVQGFtfo
JjBxGdtIhlPGgXrAfter breakfast, Gong Yingxian dropped Ren Yi back at his unit and returned to the precinct. They agreed to stay in constant communication about the case, as both of them sensed it was reaching a critical point.YbqKYmQQxtNFhpYgsqcgMMNiHvcpqc
cZDoJXOoIeqKBgfThe morning at the unit was uneventful. They played a game of basketball, had a video call with Gao Ge, and soon it was time for lunch.MAKftaJarmJEneyaBhJvZvVhexCDYA
YdkNAjijyPNSOBnBefore lunch, Ren Yi received a WeChat message from Gong Yingxian, saying that the meeting had approved the decision to agree to Zhou Chuan’s terms.zpczBaNevlOewXkgfRvESySZlGhagH
hEeFnvfkLRMIBALRen Yi replied: *That bastard’s getting off easy.*ZViZfuPtqHWWTZoJChtZPNDEVyjjki
JnhkgdrabrEEWCMZhou Chuan, though ready to be discharged from the hospital, would need long-term treatment and care for his burns. He knew if he ended up in detention, it would practically kill him. The hygiene and medical conditions there were nowhere near as good as in a top-tier hospital.onJvHtckGOYRYsDPRRSCuSVyMdhvIp
uQikLtvJdPaNIRS“He’s providing intel on Chen Pei and Seraphim,” came Gong Yingxian’s next message.xBeojsnnQpsojKdbuiCqbXRMGOuNny
njjnfSOvglKYCBb“That’s great,” Ren Yi replied, adding, *Go get ’em, Old Gong!* followed by a cheeky emoji.lpGnuFXKbtoxNLiprLlnQEZzxnLUAx
OdjpycQvteNPeTRAfter sending the message, Ren Yi stared at the screen, watching as Gong Yingxian’s typing indicator appeared, then disappeared, then reappeared again, only for nothing to be said. Ren Yi’s heart was in his throat, waiting, until finally, after the third time, three simple words came through: *We’ll talk later.*hgYusyDHLaZDOKctondxSoKFcBwRLS
CgGAPFcwDseActNRen Yi felt a bit deflated. He chuckled at himself. Every time, he only dared to flirt a little, testing the waters cautiously but trying to seem casual. Sometimes he felt elated, other times disappointed. The mix of sourness and sweetness—so this was what having a secret crush felt like.czMWHnHjhKHhlLjpFJCbEqwVUdRuDb
tuOhStssnaDNqUzjZkQldAPtczxuoAkQnDEfWgQMMZEqW