Chapter 67
When Ren Yi woke up again, he was already in the hospital.qKdBzmNVfmTZrsAMaLXxapztZfQZNY
xRnvQnYucTFBpaGBecause his intracranial pressure hadn’t yet decreased, he felt groggy all over, his temples throbbed, and his head ached terribly. It took him several minutes to fully regain his senses.ZBHoyeIMYBtOyvsDqlJlxwNgDVoiYr
KNhBBTIgDLpTHkxHe reached out to touch his neck—his skin was intact. People rescued from fires often suffer carbon monoxide poisoning. He had saved enough to know that if the symptoms were severe, the first responders might have to perform a tracheotomy on the spot. It seemed like his condition wasn’t too bad after all.nQxhsvMAMdNrVfsPCSwPNTIWmEQpju
VDhALcJlcWMTpScBut what about Gong Yingxian? How was Gong Yingxian?!ImSfvoDldgarhthrhzwaBreztyMkUw
CSiLDPFbjfGLkMaHe pressed the call button, and soon a nurse came in. “Captain Ren, you’re awake.”mGibtXCvwQqfuuTiKihBmjzaYWoLUS
BDNXipoaIfEseWb“The person brought in with me, how is he?” Ren Yi asked nervously. “Is he alright?”pnMLvNOfDDXhUpcROMOYBylelEJPja
jugFpvlWtcHIJvC“Officer Gong? He’s not in a serious condition. He’s currently undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It’ll be over in a little while.”XKjdcfqzgbpileoUlJezMnVgKjiwha
RbFDWheOVQrgeqBRen Yi breathed a sigh of relief. “How long was I out?”vSqVktdPklauQVngJHwrndqghOgqfU
WHvxGsuxcEhQRcy“About ten hours. You just got back from the hyperbaric chamber yourself,” the nurse explained. “It seems the person staying by your side just stepped out. Do you want me to call them for you?”slniMgbZYdywAuYJhRCfgJQbUQkVIN
WbeoDBYnkbUCfyX“No, thank you.”TELBMrybqJJulqCapxWDwQRKhGkDxU
jWVWgDtNeavOlur“It should be us saying ‘thank you,'” the nurse said.JTUIfLcsljSgGqGLTtgssHuWKAJTOz
pjeRtleZnhVKmflRen Yi was puzzled. “Why?”EmmqENaDavcJqPcWJBTxfisWbspIRG
eYXHoJkGIzJrUNJ“Whenever there’s danger, you’re always the first to rush in. So many people owe their lives to your courage,” the nurse said somewhat shyly. “You all have it really tough.”GTWhbFUFoxGftzCRMkOEuTcmmFKPCz
VDuExdwLaGszjAtRen Yi smiled. “It’s our duty to serve the people.”qOzinKrIioEcpCKMcnfaaeHOsCTZfC
mjruTTrPgdNcYeL“You remind me of my son,” the nurse sighed. “If my son had a job as dangerous as yours, I’d be worried sick every day. Are your parents very concerned about you?”gTixKYQTqqvoAdillDlGtLPuTXArHW
jICHDCZKsnZJWYb“Haha, they’re okay. My dad’s a firefighter too.”HeMIDLHGOotknhSZPoxejNAcDsCavG
IvMyRQYpgXwUpzwThe nurse looked at Ren Yi with admiration. “You all work so hard.”HAwgkPcLGIXuTjVFABBtRQZyptBkWH
zkzljGBJtUxjeZLRen Yi grinned widely.VApAZhDTFdudEBEZyUSZfpPcDrFzGf
TWoIKoEqJSXUmUiAfter the nurse left, Ren Yi’s thoughts and memories slowly came back to him. He began recalling everything that happened before he lost consciousness. The more he thought about it, the more his heart raced, his mind spun—and he even felt a bit elated.HiOadKrziTVyFTpKSZxfApuWztoMvS
ZJszTxPTFTXfjswHad he really been so close to Gong Yingxian for so long? And they had both… gotten hard?DucCdSQpGwlZImtmedATPmkuJvFeDx
FwysWQCvOziYwkjGong Yingxian had even given him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation… had they kissed?lqFVvrEkqsJwdjAMDTGjodzYOlwiLU
xCqOxxcfxOvZquEAnd it all started because Gong Yingxian got hurt saving him!rGFvwKcRDZZPMmHCqhJmFBBaTAdVlW
PoGUhLvSmOpuVjzMaybe, just maybe, he really was special to Gong Yingxian—more special than he ever imagined. Maybe Gong Yingxian had feelings for him that went beyond friendship, and neither of them had realized it.modBhCjCSaEbAEzMsGxbpfIljIymQA
jgyAEYRynAotjHYNo, no, this wasn’t the time to get carried away. After all, his brain still felt like mush. He was just glad he hadn’t done anything irreparable in that moment. Otherwise, how awkward would it be to survive, only to face that embarrassment?awxxURfHMTsKWpeRFiXHvoSssAUUWP
NteGPSppwYrRmyPBut was it really just wishful thinking on his part? What if…jTqwniHlqFplUrWULKJgGzrXMMVTOw
hBOxcDOXfEWJQeBJust as he was caught in his thoughts, the door to the hospital room opened, and Qu Yangbo came in carrying a thermos.MpUkzgiKAZKppZFiCFjOZgRoojUYww
szLKhHuGNeTEuSJ“Oh, you’re awake.” Qu Yangbo walked over. “How are you feeling?”gJwzycrgnQmcldlClsFphRkFyQTKyr
rSZXBpwGTNrMAhz“My head hurts, but everything else is alright.”dRQYcIOTUXtpjKiyexqWwmGEUOHhhl
ewnUyApXdIbKIWR“A headache is normal; after all, your brain got waterlogged.”zseYiABWMnePvOBIHELfBxrStHNwOi
GiwKgPCmbwJbkeXRen Yi glared at him, too tired to argue.cMFsKQIjLOkLalAVJlicdaQDShtoRn
bwlxmwHOeKpjuHVQu Yangbo grinned. “The scientific term is cerebral edema, a typical symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning.”QcfSRDrCzasdTOswJkzsSfNrmklRov
dRflhDiwaWxuIeh“No one else got hurt, right? What’s going on at the scene now?” Ren Yi vaguely heard what sounded like construction work coming from outside the window.PjDrkowLEftgaTzoimzqESYhWdPzxq
DnXaxSDlNbEMhtp“They’re still digging. It’ll take a while to clear everything up. There might still be survivors,” Qu Yangbo replied. “The doctors and nurses have had it rough too. They haven’t rested since yesterday, handling the hospital patients and treating the injured.”IUbmxWhGFKWnyNoCPVbzzJoZPRtTyi
NqjVizhLsRQuYPJRen Yi sighed. “Hospitals… they’re always filled with so much sadness.”atupNCDnPtuntauZceANLNDxHzwtUv
kQIxrCRxkkuWXmF“Luckily, your injuries aren’t severe. You really scared us yesterday,” Qu Yangbo admitted, still shaken by the memory.ZALBAuMEUQwDuFxemXgHUdIUEMbUuv
tQicHIOHDcDAsOZ“I’m tough as nails,” Ren Yi said with a breezy smile, trying to comfort him.BKhyDtxQboBSViIZghVekcBKbEZnel
hzkTiBmtFQXhqYO“Both of you are pretty tough.” Qu Yangbo poured Ren Yi a glass of water, then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, asked, “Do you remember what happened before you passed out?”xDdzlJsBdKSoqOUQETwISjZtcxWwSI
WIDQCdHSVBlNDTXRen Yi played dumb. “I was about to die, what could I remember?” His heart skipped a beat. Did they know something?VKuRQinNlWMEkdhIGavfXymbUHHZjB
lCsUhbCCzcPioOA“You really don’t remember?” Qu Yangbo pushed up his glasses with a wicked grin. “Want me to help you review?”TxXsontlRObdunPzthXpZymCLFJink
YvQRRxDZQgCcBjjRen Yi swallowed nervously.fubTuMtESLJgzfQKPpqfzKrPUCiPDI
hRlyYDobagOxnBU“You don’t remember Dr. Gong giving you mouth-to-mouth?”WjNZvExMeTutnIDGFqEhlwIFxyGena
BiUgNOVDLlrPXfZ“What the hell? How do you know about that?” Ren Yi racked his brain, and… yeah, maybe they had just cut through the wall at that point?SvsswmhuSGYaHGiwHYPVWdATqXKxmX
cLXzNQGxQfKaSTD“Starting to remember now?”bXnryopznYHlcqGIeGBiWSXXUyfgZW
nBgaILeNeRQyHxlRen Yi pursed his lips and quickly retorted, “So what? He was saving me. I’ve given people mouth-to-mouth before. You’ve done it too during training. Who hasn’t done it?”IaKnhXCXWrjCDdGNMBYOrbxFJXPOSc
eAUlNTVRyFWVcirQu Yangbo’s face was filled with a teasing grin. “Yeah, everyone’s done it. Why are you so nervous?”gZlPPywOSjdETqqbiQPjdYMsHvFDeI
IonUrsCxqVXUveT“Who the hell is nervous?” Ren Yi snapped, both embarrassed and annoyed. “Who else knows about this?”lZrEkpqmkJEllaaLsVabgFwTdZtxvD
kvXGnbNFyycvaQYQu Yangbo began counting on his fingers, pretending to think hard. “Let me see… One, two, three… maybe… a hundred or so people?”eozmqGBJTxbqCQeJOGRbHOaTthSqDC
uSAAFoKVZcilsDn“Shit!” Ren Yi cursed.jPpRUdIubQSPLxuJlrjkqKONXxdIGh
fIRMLjXNClBSdkR“Hard to say now. With the internet being what it is and everyone having smartphones, it’s likely the whole Hongwu District’s fire and police departments will know about it soon.”eESSmjVToHncnvjkGfoNljSjhNQAyF
UxRTVesMPPXvaJp“Goddammit, I’m still your captain! Can’t you all give me a little face?” Ren Yi felt his scalp tingle—there’s no way he wouldn’t get teased about this every single day from now on.kgYrNvDQaIjcpCJOHvEJyPzpYkDYQm
nQkGHnjbulYLvmS“There’s nothing we can do about it. So many people saw it happen, even the other squads.” Qu Yangbo gave him a mischievous wink. “But deep down, aren’t you actually happy? Even if it was just mouth-to-mouth, it’s still technically a kiss, right?”loejlaMTqHBJaIjbcZyUIctXfFGwdT
FzsLqjhVpZzDclJRen Yi shot him a glare. “What nonsense are you spouting? At that point, we were about to die. Who would care about something like that?”uuvTVbGoJGcuwmxfZGjWWxzakybsvK
KgUlWVpTlrhVyGk“Really? You don’t care? Well, even if you don’t, I wonder if Dr. Gong does.”HXfXLBxhFHOPlAQGnwZmpddoQwrSem
qZcBGgZwhAuiUIbThat line hit Ren Yi right in the gut. His mind started racing, and his irritation only grew.bXpetzjopxmnVHTdnBJrVqwSBJZjhe
hzveAsOaeuQhtlzSeeing Ren Yi’s reaction, Qu Yangbo chuckled. “Bro, I don’t really understand your… feelings, since Gong Yingxian isn’t a woman. So I won’t give you advice. But I’ll say this—if you like someone, don’t chicken out, alright?”TkQQbiNvVLyrrPsdrsPXzbRcZIrmoH
wbyKzFddzpXTDTqRen Yi sighed. “I’m not chickening out, you just don’t get it.” There was no point hiding it from Qu Yangbo, a top-tier law school graduate with exceptional emotional intelligence, so Ren Yi admitted it.rbdMldMXeFyyzDYmvSIuVmYLdlKhuh
DYgLlKKpFGrwxahQu Yangbo shrugged. “You’re right, I don’t get it. But I can tell you’re anxious.”fdfsGaJwuKSppjPaFXjJUTaXGjfptm
LNSEFzjTRIxAWAD“Ugh, just leave it. I’m stressed out enough as it is.” Ren Yi slumped, feeling dejected. “This is going to be so awkward.”ZiXohFCDsznQyTKWglSFTtsVuwTSJM
cjluCJWvLeJBIBm“It’s just mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It’s only awkward if you make it awkward.”NepdmRSDuDiDDRVOHHAZmAzxMRdPGz
dvLXkrMvOUDGFhRRen Yi dared not mention that they’d had another… “hard-to-hard” experience before that. Instead, he asked, “Which room is Gong Yingxian in? Is he back? I want to check on him.”TkiZswZWnaphAsQrHddGVSdDyCDVvb
xYanQIslUHClRhhQu Yangbo pointed to the bed next to Ren Yi’s. “There, he’s right next to you.”bJLHSMUiHOSCeWSeGmnxwxftoWquea
rkupEJTTmrTEfFe“What?” Ren Yi was startled.hKMRJlGUItQGWEoEPMzDluGVaYrxZr
UHOGmdEhwMfSCUGQu Yangbo raised his eyebrows with a proud grin. “I arranged it for you. Aren’t I a good bro?”aCeiwuQsOIHxkNtNUFMkGXfolJXmWw
wEoMfugkZIlQMhkRen Yi’s feelings were all over the place, and his expression was equally conflicted. On one hand, he was excited about the prospect of spending several days sharing a room with Gong Yingxian. On the other hand, he was nervous as hell.GBlakcEoKeMUmjhhSSrRvJfNaWvTBi
dudkDlHbHDSzoEHJust then, the door opened again, and Gong Yingxian was wheeled in, seated in a wheelchair.LGPQTCVBWcYnCUkvbmbEJGEvimogRB
RuDeNwqjPFoYCMyRen Yi’s head throbbed with pain, and his palms began to sweat from anxiety.wheErZQdgmCkKIPAXNIFkJjXiovpRU
bdoORwMGQiGPkLPGong Yingxian’s expression changed the moment he saw Ren Yi, becoming awkward. He cleared his throat. “When did you wake up?”biiMxDjiQhZmOQmurggnODvqPsvuWz
oIWPlKKabPlHrDh“Just now,” Ren Yi replied instinctively, also avoiding eye contact with Gong Yingxian. “How are you feeling?”EQRPDYtlvUoCAJyUqhOjpPTYPfIZxI
MkaTIQmyrzdYYvZQu Yangbo chimed in with a grin, “Dr. Gong, how are you feeling after the treatment?”apjmwyFTOPNFfxEwuhbiutxAotRieP
yYwlkZQjkmAasvJ“I’m alright,” Gong Yingxian replied, frowning slightly. “The doctor said we need to stay in the hospital for at least a week, with an hour of hyperbaric oxygen therapy each day.”XRdhpxdVETIxSdUIFAwQobioUPCWoM
NGOCdTQmKitzsgKQu Yangbo nodded. “It’s carbon monoxide poisoning, after all. You need to correct the oxygen deficiency in your blood. Follow the treatment, and you’ll recover faster.”YlEfKkHuQtZfQLFpyHKhnjeotlIIdf
OpTPvMaDmgSImyeA nurse reached out to help Gong Yingxian into bed, but he quickly moved away. “I can do it myself,” he said, standing up and lying down on the bed.MjfREIAnGvftMpKqZpzLpYiCvUYbhE
sdetVRNYMxSqAEBThe young nurse looked a bit embarrassed.CtCyKImomPesWqDXNLNWZlITOQnuLJ
yByXzajXlfCIamdRen Yi hurriedly explained, “He’s a germaphobe, it’s not about you.”mNXwTPUzjdtjsCPfQoayfqyJDPOpZG
UnropHkAqkhvyoGThe nurse blushed, smiled, and nodded before leaving the room.WjheGKDmpxYMovDLVmlRlhFgegYhMT
mfMSsnSJQyGRfmtQu Yangbo clicked his tongue, teasing, “Ren Si Huo, stop trying to flirt with the young lady.”mAwFuvvAJCfBrsbnWINoJOHKarJNET
JazQtsmtwpUWvWY“Bullshit, I wasn’t.” Ren Yi stole a quick glance at Gong Yingxian. “It’s not my fault for being handsome.”EqrEXUFWyOEIemDYYBHunrHDIdGaMd
dafcDoBiPQZwPyxGong Yingxian pulled the blanket over himself, staring silently ahead.psvUTfMqHQFVncHFcMLMweKqHqkVAZ
reeDQdLCxIevPxPQu Yangbo exchanged a glance with Ren Yi.GBWlWyECLTaQTLpzjkNiaimDUEYZdT
xlyOWCOeTbcObkZThe two had known each other for over a decade and worked together for six years, so they could read each other’s thoughts with just a look. Qu Yangbo was asking if he should leave.EyWGIXFiBoJgGgorSjDsaqybbGhSWa
KrsNGiBYhcsBrzWRen Yi gave a subtle shake of his head—he really wasn’t ready to be alone with Gong Yingxian. He could tell that Gong’s mood wasn’t great.LFiFCLrAyiDunEcdXNfvvNaSchFEaa
RgmSdkPReSloVUIQu Yangbo broke the silence. “Hey, the surgery for that pregnant woman you rescued went well. Not only did they save her leg, but the baby’s fine too.”RgNblmAWmuvlpKMEWvXJuMiTNAPbuU
ySRHFzeMWzlcbdM“That’s great,” Ren Yi said with relief.eYXRYVesiDIuKNTNziySlNvzhnuqxU
DQsXOxPgblPDTrAGong Yingxian lifted his head as well.pSZQpXjfHExXycLGIiJNjsupbVQgGQ
ghyZrrIjuUFXXZe“That mother is incredible. She refused general anesthesia to avoid harming the baby, even though it caused her a lot of pain.”vRoHDVZhYumyOpqRGsDQIXJrUgdZns
nadwKTlkSDWSXGqRen Yi sighed, “Even men might not be able to endure that kind of pain.”PpEvCxJbSrsysqAPsTvPFHpUiZczFa
YTnXfrektQvDxrYGong Yingxian thought of his own mother, and his heart tightened. “A mother’s strength is unparalleled,” he murmured.wIQeUBoEUWlDauAJBzgMyprRApWHNN
cUlHcAFKebRMHpZ“Dr. Gong, the evidence you risked your life to retrieve was taken back to the station by Captain Qiu last night. They haven’t slept and have been searching the city for the suspect. I heard there’s been progress—you can ask about it later.”UtyZQhxJgjxxHEunNmPTzabgjNIiTm
FWQMKXbgqdgcqIp“Okay.”QgWucKwjspMmfPxrKcFCdpSrTuDkkv
mfjfkihBkxPzuyf“They’re still digging at the site, hoping to find more survivors or additional evidence.”BXOGWurJAmHgVSYnzDXyTFYJGVeHoe
aaxvZAdhdctxTZyJust then, there was a knock on the door.QMTtnpwfbHNPhLjbeIQJSZtPpgpZiN
DsPEaLqiGJeSmrt“Come in,” Ren Yi called.xzkLtmpBAPTYpGhtoTPrRyWhqvprmD
yUYRWrrFreXmSxLThe door swung open with a bang, and a whirlwind of blue stormed into the room, moving so fast it made their heads spin.KtMlNJwpUPBQGdtFzSvscezqImSkus
eQMTROPVfFyTmpFIt was Gong Feilan, with Steward Sheng following behind.WsAvRRsNdCksKxcVGblGSposqNGHbo
JNadeHgSaBcvVVg“Ge, are you alright? I heard you gave Captain Ren mouth-to-mouth!” Gong Feilan exclaimed loudly.hEaxOzYxUbJiDTvMmOKIfqqZksPduQ
ZsYyvIdyoJKfaREPwihIKVndsFNsEjtnLpGUtCkqEaphw
LwhLXJcJokulLrapltVVEhoTFUCFOTGMgHQZQgCCnWitN