Chapter 69
It had been exactly 24 hours since the explosion yesterday evening, and the police have already gathered so many clues. It’s only a matter of time before they catch Red Flame.SYBmdJCAYStxmUAdigQUEPOFsouAQt
tAdlSDEYBcXCEaaRen Yi scoffed, “Clever, aren’t you? You want to find him through Zhou Chuan, but that’s going to take a lot of effort. Now, look, he exposed himself.”tLixexpeSSVWgSFgyzKyEGAvxpxJSz
HHkRMDHJnepDkqK“He’s like a cornered dog,” Gong Yingxian analyzed. “Before they caught Chen Pei, he still had some hope. Once Chen Pei was arrested, he knew Zhou Chuan would betray him, so he took a desperate risk. In fact, if you carefully look at this explosion, it wasn’t done carefully or thoroughly enough. A lot of loose ends were left behind. Even if time was tight, if it were me, I could’ve done it cleaner. People with a background in chemistry are usually meticulous, because even the smallest mistake in an experiment can lead to failure or even fatal danger. So I suspect that the person who provided the bomb-making method isn’t the same as the one who carried out the explosion.”AIVRCCZSJuxLffbqrQZmrhMXgPzinA
BDGTaxDuQSyTzerRen Yi was surprised. “You’re saying Red Flame isn’t the one with the chemistry background?”nlvcnrhabcSKSOHTysxFQEQYirKVii
VUEmOwmnkgTtchLAt that moment, the hospital room door opened as the nurse came in to remove their IVs.NqglgBqbCeynpewsDqLInjmpRFcmlI
BnMHZUpgdoGrXEaAfter the nurse left, the two continued their conversation.wdhhazlaKvzmeKeRsmUkDNWTpmOvUn
PvOxWfbAPNbNTeb“No, thinking Red Flame is the one behind the explosion is just a preconceived notion. We won’t know who Red Flame really is or what role he played in this incident until we catch the perpetrator.” As Gong Yingxian spoke, his fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard. “I’ve also got Xiao Tan cross-referencing people with a chemistry background in the big data system with unemployment records, criminal records, and any online discussions related to arson or explosions. Maybe we’ll find a clue.”LcxoJvvsSmDUgGAtMGXRQzxJgRmgwV
DTBqTfGuDzxWhmrRen Yi watched as Gong Yingxian’s long, pale fingers danced elegantly on the keyboard. The screen’s backlight reflected off his face, making his skin look flawlessly pale, and his eyes exceptionally bright. Ren Yi found himself momentarily captivated.lNjAilYTpdTpdSoTJZxHuKgTCoTNnS
wWNgleTNvCabFRUSuddenly, Gong Yingxian’s right hand paused, and his brows furrowed slightly.YObmidtSjaYjnztJROutSkIEjvscUX
rVUKgkoNCnxEfjpRen Yi immediately tensed up and sat up straight. “Did you hurt your wound?”xkMFGvNjfAvuGaRWstyeimflnskcDM
iTzHAshpvmKUZEBGong Yingxian didn’t speak, but his hand clenched into a loose fist, and his typing slowed significantly.CqmXoOUsYwpgcymcbdGzXXsOMZEHfY
CPUiFoGOpnkKdDx“I’ve told you to rest properly. If you keep going like this, it’ll slow down your recovery and cause even more trouble later.”OPMaTpLEExNyqJesvNPtHvXuJBipBi
nMFciMWnnHSqgJJ“I’ll finish this email.” Gong Yingxian replied, “Almost done.”gxgPfCRKCRTTdIVqTBoCcojWRfSpVj
qIOlwnoTlRrDppX“Just this one email? If you don’t rest after this, I’m telling Captain Qiu.”UWBrhyCpgTwfQWzJWZZAlPNfMwuXzI
mnGMIpPdVphpgEPGong Yingxian pressed the send button. “Done.”ABCOTzGaBYMiHZSWxvnWhHigbEeYWr
QBmuUKuFSiLkMphRen Yi, excited, said, “So, how about we watch a movie?”nkPzYeZzFuoCpRerMvJacUzPEfykqu
vxZaUrDvtTKsRpD“Alright. It is a bit early to sleep now.”PmFGyieCwDXSuVPuUfuiPsWLAVILjm
IEoICRpVpcqRqHcBoth of them still had lingering headaches, but they had slept for quite a while, and with so much on their minds, neither could fall asleep anyway.riSykJfQtSOVopDQvhiFNSPAVmmlyi
TiDTtSLYWNfQYHjRen Yi picked up a projector from the bedside table. “Gao Ge just used this a few days ago.” Suddenly, his vision blurred, and the projector slipped from his hand, crashing to the ground with a loud thud. “Ah…” He quickly got out of bed, but as soon as his feet touched the floor, his dizziness worsened, and he had to grab the bed for support.NkysQCOdTGDbfFCtzkFZZBMUqtEgOS
jmigcXyRCVtowOj“Are you okay?” Gong Yingxian asked anxiously. “Feeling dizzy?” He was about to get out of bed.tceXvfYGsdBgPViZkfrBeGnYSsxbzH
WQgoYpeHhJjNcEa“Don’t move. I’ll be fine after a moment.” Their blood oxygen levels were low, which made them prone to dizziness, especially when moving too much. Ren Yi leaned against the bed, crouched down, and rested for a bit. “Alright, I’m okay now.” He tried to turn on the projector, but no matter how many times he pressed the button, nothing happened. “Damn it, did it break from the fall?”VGXdBoMtwWMIKVESBJSKNcHicWQpuz
EyTnmcaXGMJQNMe“Let me take a look.” Gong Yingxian took the projector and fiddled with it for a moment. “Looks like it’s broken.”DMswHXHwuAJJEmoTMEUyKVsxylQHpY
qTcDBQwXgNVVjfJ“Great, now Yang Bo is definitely going to chew me out,” Ren Yi said dejectedly. “He’s always saying I don’t know how expensive things are because I’m not the one managing them.”IQNgEHcYhgIKywScDYqkHIsiZcONHO
wlSnYSrhJsLfwNfGong Yingxian raised an eyebrow slightly. “That saying is usually for wives and mothers.”rJGJOSTzNzFbbNYniMjMhRKczIzWAN
PnznScUxJtltxqh“Haha, yeah, Yang Bo is like my wife. I’m the squad leader, mostly in charge of training and rescue, while he’s the instructor in charge of finance, personnel, logistics, and all that. I handle things outside, and he handles things inside. Isn’t that just like a wife?”vQlbtDjWiqtiwklQvwuJndsIJNInQG
WeBGPBxxpVVcZREGong Yingxian’s expression immediately darkened, and he tossed the projector back to Ren Yi.qYnWsHksmzQgQfJjeoUDmZoxsCUTgu
KpOexLfhALZOnCgRen Yi continued tinkering with it. “What now? Can it be fixed? Looks like we won’t be able to watch the movie…”XGSQGLHohjenjInVPHJSFgtnLzALxc
sFEBtGCFmodhxlZ“We can use my laptop,” Gong Yingxian said, his tone slightly annoyed.UEOQJNnIpGIqzawNoeOWKAmmiYaHVC
hBOHZEQveYVeeoJ“But the screen is kind of small, though my eyesight is good.”kOMjhYXBMKUvROdjJzIyETTwNkaezM
jCedXPYHJPiFOeWGong Yingxian patted the spot next to him on the bed. “Come over here and watch.”vuzwfOAVztwojnfxdDPNEBjLeaTMGt
QcFlKXbyMwgDnsfRen Yi froze on the spot.htkBUxpowMwUvDwjsCjcUAqDKsABbo
beLlpLkUcaJdzXgHospital beds are generally about 1.2 meters wide. It’s already cramped for two women to lie down, let alone two men—there wouldn’t be any room to move.NjQPskdpbLMGjOIMXpBztfukrGLQFs
dkNJfbceDlaEvpuGong Yingxian gave him a sideways glance. “Are you going to watch or not?”ndnXOoSiprLYseTRtmqrFCYzGXEyZA
ypBsTWgZoXZufEa“Yes,” Ren Yi responded quickly. How could he resist such an invitation? He immediately stood up and walked over to Gong Yingxian’s bed.NQSTJSRufPcgiedGYtjQagsgrOMAIE
HWNuOTThFloHfZiGong Yingxian lowered the side rails to make the bed a bit wider, then pulled back the covers and stared at Ren Yi without blinking.sWjPgxznqrFCMLTZGTeItWTUxYidoH
DmTCmDssIRgyLePRen Yi’s heart pounded like a deer caught in headlights. He was afraid his excitement would show, so he pretended to be nonchalant as he climbed into the warm bed beside Gong Yingxian.gEpCxNEeOJjORTEumdoBKaNSqrdBeD
JBpbjklRkFPBbSGThe bed was indeed small, just like the confined space they had been trapped in under the rubble yesterday. Their bodies were pressed tightly against each other, as close as they had been during their life-and-death ordeal.MVpKqiACitovPkqWxvSwuLVbwfsHjD
QevMfVOyrwngBNdBoth of them had thoughts swirling in their heads, but the one thing they had in common was recalling the events of the previous day. The awkwardness that had subsided started to rise again.nwWLOxPMWJRQmCVkSmlNdwNdDkIspM
TnvmvzqBmWGZbWsRen Yi hurried to break the tension. “So, what should we watch?”wkKqzQZVijIFIIbrVSZStIKevdeIaZ
EYolwNMpaEUGzPY“What do you want to watch?” Gong Yingxian asked, snapping back to the moment.qrpFLEaqIZarKnvHOpKWJgjqLXVtPN
WskxhodHKJWWuBf“I’m fine with anything,” Ren Yi replied, trying to sound relaxed as he lay back on Gong Yingxian’s pillow. “Your blanket smells so good.” It had a faint, dry scent with a hint of herbs. Taking a deep breath of it felt like his lungs were being purified.QOYRcLMgPzkTZypViNLMuCSLAHTzfr
uCiRyXdzOqIneGg“You’re sleeping under my blanket right now.”ksIGgpLTcXExuiEgIdeFPFSJZUDzkk
aCIQmIqJtrnftUrBoth of their bedding had been brought over by Sheng Bo.TKlxolTUJiLyHOmxfOYXNLtZAzLbJl
mcEWWJHSgljTZYz“Oh, right. But why doesn’t it smell as strong?” Ren Yi suddenly realized, “It’s your scent.”mDFCcJnDZdaHeVUPMicbnrFeAciKbT
WXWMAvkySOXjEVQGong Yingxian lifted his arm and sniffed his sleeve. “Is it? I can’t smell anything.”VjhhhwXXAruaLhfqJLNxPkWmcNEfVN
SeJyLPtTclfINrn“It’s there.” Ren Yi subtly shifted closer to Gong Yingxian, breathing in his unique scent. Strangely, his headache seemed to ease. Despite the hospital’s overwhelming sterile smell, it was like he could only detect Gong Yingxian’s presence.bTjxAKzyhUjuCHBcnqkeaMaXZyHfXh
pGrzrNLjXZfyXcySuddenly, Gong Yingxian leaned in, his face so close that his nose nearly touched Ren Yi’s neck.ESIyQyCInvuIwQicDoiQODjcRBlVBg
NhGFKyvQMgZcwOwRen Yi froze, not daring to move a muscle.VzsygNmazbwUxbIuOeNhdaQdAmvisU
BGtlfUBdwkDXnLAGong Yingxian inhaled softly but didn’t seem satisfied. “Smells like hydrogen peroxide.”LrbZsNtpMqtssSdNphETtrFEQHRvfd
rlaEzuYGtQTzKFzAt that moment, if Ren Yi just turned his head, their lips would touch. He could feel the heat radiating from Gong Yingxian’s body, especially where their thighs were pressed together. He was so nervous he hardly dared to breathe, torn between wanting to do something but lacking the courage, while secretly thrilled by this intimate proximity. It was like scratching an itch through a boot—frustrating yet tantalizing.KRkpaUyFBWOTPqiGKAbZeqggFYTPYW
RqWxdeTkEPixVRg“Let’s watch this.” Gong Yingxian pointed to the screen. “Yan-jie recommended it.”joOpRMCagKFGdDHXkNXIdwsKmcshkI
kYmKBRXRacRUTiMRen Yi glanced at the title, “Zombie,” and the eerie, fittingly creepy cover. He shuddered. “Why this?”QFtLaKZKpFVtgyzmrwbTWImefxUJoV
PSqDsWBUUKhUCLg“Yan-jie said it’s good.” Gong Yingxian’s lips curled slightly, though Ren Yi didn’t notice. “Didn’t you say anything is fine? Are you scared?”rZplThWeAbsvjIRnyBelJEjJGDguFN
SyXFTuuEUTffCnC“Scared? Not exactly. It’s just, we’re in a hospital. Wouldn’t something funny be better? Why watch some superstitious horror flick?” Ren Yi thought to himself, *This guy is definitely trying to freak me out on purpose. He’s so wicked.*OnnTxJtyAgdAVYqntCVZVJvlRoNVis
npDXcixYmLlneBZ“Good, as long as you’re not scared.” Without another word, Gong Yingxian pressed play.FkigAHPXPzAtrQdvvzXPUhwuULuVBQ
sAiSVemcuNRaMAYThe screen opened with a gloomy, grayish-blue tone, creating a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.ayvaDyMPpPwFJGBqoVYyIMJlvMOSaB
iSptHwTypUoVRoVRen Yi was already feeling tense. He discreetly picked up his phone, and the moment the creepy music started, he pretended to look at it.LywGpRnvEnNQSLkTelCnraltaGuGik
LpvNPyTfOfYidQUBut Gong Yingxian quickly snatched his phone away. “You’re the one who wanted to watch a movie.”zYpHGBjrBeQxjoprAuDGiinGeXQXxA
PfPmruVlKCGhHBPRen Yi was on the verge of tears. He had been scared of these things since childhood, though admitting it out loud would be embarrassing. So, he rarely told anyone.YgdzfOqZlMOdKboMQHhROpHNWXCwxx
XLluUEHijGwwdlVSuddenly, an unexpected jump scare burst onto the screen. Ren Yi was so startled he almost fell off the bed.NDvKdvCpghAvQLCjrIphrJcTeQPLJH
GygRbXtRFDPWAfaGong Yingxian quickly wrapped an arm around his shoulders, steadying him, and then reached over to cover his eyes.eytpBvVLyeyppUAGGOUisJKGyErYqH
xkBcyDulYBgPLkSThat large hand, dry and warm, gently covered Ren Yi’s eyes, and the unease in his heart was soothed. He relaxed and, little by little, leaned towards Gong Yingxian. Since they were already sitting so close, even when he eventually pressed against him, it didn’t feel out of place.oPZZSVuJeoAjFgOAifCtrpPiIfvcQO
yPHujHxXGBGFuGTThe movie was indeed terrifying, but every time a scary scene appeared, Gong Yingxian would cover Ren Yi’s eyes. Ren Yi thought, *Gong Yingxian must be trying to make up for the times I embarrassed myself in front of him by being afraid of fire. How childish.*MyBrotHcYTcQONcjQqTaEuCDrEsImy
UmpNTHFybfUAIBuLater in the movie, a long fight scene unfolded—violent and bloody. Gong Yingxian kept his hand over Ren Yi’s eyes throughout.GeGBbCVnYCMqONkGyEnDuthAfDUsaa
HTONwmCDuHjpUCKRen Yi simply closed his eyes, resting his head on Gong Yingxian’s shoulder, feeling the warmth of his hand over his eyes, and breathing in Gong Yingxian’s unique scent with every breath.glNVohEaQlwqaQjgdGpYZTrMDetACL
kdWgYfvLmlxXqEiIt was as if his whole world was wrapped in Gong Yingxian. In that sense of security, Ren Yi drifted into sleep.WkGDKmDaoBkDxGyHWXSSDWojdNratW
dLPpdZjanOiDqaEWhen Gong Yingxian removed his hand, he realized Ren Yi had already fallen asleep. His face was peaceful, his breathing steady, and he looked like he was resting very well.ASrEOlpMHVcUHxvORQmgSdQfmeWOzI
jZEuXhyWWmTXGbCGong Yingxian quietly gazed at Ren Yi, not daring to breathe too loudly. That broad, smooth forehead, those long, curled eyelashes, the high, prominent nose with a small mole on it, and those soft lips.BFnrMmybCCUotvzsotqtdgaXTOnYAb
akknXkodFrqcNehEveryone has lips, but it was only then that Gong Yingxian realized just how soft lips can be when they meet another pair. When he had given Ren Yi CPR, all he could think about at the time was how to save him and the fear of losing him. But afterward, in his memories, all he could recall was how soft those lips were, how extraordinary that sensation was.UPHmvVRxTDEQuaxFQQALqMWyFyWeZP
UDQGNkDwHILBZXFIt was an unfamiliar and yet very special feeling, one that made him… want to try it again.VasrocrYXXYRvnZDtjTONRVSUoVSTf
JpHcxELFVPsTvJKKipzi – SOMETHING HAD BETTER HAPPEN SOON DAMMITydTdKqKlWUjmUiiOuPLPClCgzmYuVd
MSyWVbdJNEeQeKuTWpcrAWDkeDqHWKotSuCDzPhxgiYUP
I agree! They’re killing me ðŸ˜
It’s a slow burn for a reason. Lucky the story made up for it. So many actions.