Chapter 8
At the moment of the explosion, two battle-hardened soldiers leapt out of a second-story window, with tongues of fire and fragments of the explosion chasing their backs. They tumbled to the ground, rolling for over ten meters with their heads covered.dQLoaBNFrcgYsmNmYknGkViimoAYDh
ocXRLGEUdoLcSnoThe crowd rushed over, slapping out the sparks on their bodies. One of them had broken a leg and was howling in agony.sIddJNUvVCEVPahYXnFhivpQsBVzks
ePwTHLvSHVqrMQG“Where are the others?” Xu Jin asked anxiously.mUVMgzctBzUBybffJlejthLPEkqWIR
tDSuzHOlMHXehQl“Captain Wang… Captain Wang took the others down the ladder on the other side.”VxXCOfcDvXvJKuZBIrvNJUDwFtPxjp
MQOSOIirgWtfoeGJust then, Wang Meng and two other soldiers emerged from behind the building, carrying an injured person. Their faces were blackened, and they were in a terrible state.SeboIALrIjVIjftmetrWIHCfuTIVym
eZMPxbpROrNKFmXThe crowd felt a wave of relief.TxXWgrzNWZRQaGABhTlwqkpSvddcoO
dAtDXYCoxWraxqTSuddenly, Gao Ge’s voice rang out: “The fire’s spreading, the hotpot restaurant won’t hold for much longer.”AUIHJFwotmAPjhbimsjjuJOydiVUve
MUvJlPibETwdgqKXu Jin gave the order: “Deploy the water cannons on the east side to stop the fire from spreading. Each of the three teams will deploy two water hoses and attack from the west, south, and north. We need to surround the fire.”FbZMwyWKiyXoIbvKVAqAbnAGYmqDLb
asIktWZgzvmEllV“Yes, sir!”CCeJAxPTKFxBkBnfhjRaVciOtzdbKY
NdylpWVCfxSjUDTThe bar had already exploded. Whether or not there were still survivors inside, they could no longer enter.sdAKlPRfpCxhvnJDYIShPogCvfjBaF
FSGHxbAhKsOpUmkWhen a building catches fire, you can’t always spray water directly onto it. The first priority in firefighting is to rescue people and control the blaze. Controlling the fire means stopping its spread and preventing the burned area from expanding. It’s like a table catching fire—if the table is beyond saving, you need to cool the nearby chair with water first, or else you’ll lose both the table and the chair.cnhgkuppSSNTwDLbAGgPDGaBGzwVJs
maQmyfpbHNpUTJCIf people are trapped inside, rescuing them comes first. A small amount of water can be used to cool things down, clear a path, or provide cover, but large amounts of water can’t be sprayed because, unless the water can extinguish the fire quickly, the heat will turn the area into a steamy furnace, reaching hundreds of degrees. Even with protective gear, it’s hard to survive in such an environment. Moreover, fires usually cause the steel structure to deform, and spraying water can exacerbate that by causing thermal expansion and contraction. The weight of the water can also increase the load on the floors, raising the risk of collapse.VqnQFBMqENGBQXXzSAHgtQSfhpnsYe
iZrIwqVKAFGOakzWhen the water cannons and hoses are fully deployed, it usually means the commander has determined that there are no survivors left inside, or even if there are, they can’t be rescued.LCfpXiWmUQdIiarFhUWRVhLgcQCzLP
HwAhjSmUfRvxaycInjured civilians and firefighters were gradually taken away by ambulances. A group of battle-hardened soldiers, covered in ash, stood silently in front of the bar, watching the streams of water shoot into the inferno. They watched as the fire and water fought furiously, battling each other, the fire overpowering the water at times, the water extinguishing the flames at others, struggling, entangled, locked in combat.SKYMDYAxGNxzFnLyuBenIekHZOxLoC
IgSzjxbNdKGbtGDThey didn’t know how many bodies they’d find inside, or whether anyone would miraculously survive.KQlVrdtGgvnkNHiJxCNmddrlURtaov
HuiYEUkVqZERfMvThose who had come to the bar tonight were here to relax and celebrate. They expected to leave with joy and laughter. Who could have imagined that this place would become the final resting spot for some and a lifelong nightmare for others?eMtsRkmNdFFbNzvJgPhuFRFlkuCqDi
FBNAtkFQxUOiHlNTwo hours later, the fire was finally extinguished.YIwrLXkCBaLUOYkyztTCqzVTFoJXTt
JMRILdEELDnTpViXu Jin spent another ten minutes inspecting the outer walls, assessing that there was no immediate risk of collapse before allowing the team to re-enter the building with hoses to extinguish any remaining flames, check for hidden fires, and search for possible survivors or recover the bodies of the deceased.RKMOlkzyogGJuuTgrxCHALNRaxEUeq
DUgTBwqouTQqVHeBy dawn, they had retrieved 27 bodies from the rubble, laying them in rows on the ground, awaiting the medical department to handle them.TEOdfjxonegnJlBntdFYHdrLCZMTcr
HHQOUGmjnvVWQkUMost had died from smoke inhalation, their bodies relatively intact. The others—burned, trampled, or crushed—were far more gruesome to look at.cebywWYkoJgeFFWoLaqklLYpfDjkyc
lDPtOiJQYNPXfhyThe fourth floor was nearly reduced to just its skeletal frame, and the hotpot restaurant next door had suffered partial fire damage, though the situation was contained. The smell of charred debris lingered in the crisp morning air, like ink contaminating a clear pool of water.qZuDLxkTSMIjJJeFymDfzwRZSkSUJS
NUTWfPkZAlQyxysAfter a night of hard work, Ren Yi led his exhausted crew of battle-hardened soldiers back to their unit.grZVusBatoiymxDghhzFvnIcFnFRPL
wyauwciRhGHVhqENo one spoke a word on the way back.oxaFYsntCRavIwxnOqoOKSCpESQgdy
KDldQniTjRhWthzAlthough the cause of the fire was still unclear, the bar was certainly to blame for much of the tragedy. The locked emergency exits, substandard fireproof materials, and dysfunctional sprinklers were all critical factors in why the fire spread so quickly and trapped so many inside.TJElcjDoIJLfxEEJABqVBhTYUccroY
zmjXYHdIJnDQYQlOnce they returned to the unit, everyone removed their gear, took showers, and went to rest together.TgOMKQbEPfZNQfPUEJDtujKrfjtfEJ
wPWWZGQxSJBhiKoRen Yi, drained from the night’s events, collapsed onto his bed after his shower and made a quick call to the brigade to check on the situation.JSZGABUljhwwRMDJItQthoSyHLLkWH
RYQVQiJdgwtbBHGAs of now, 29 people were dead, 12 critically injured, and over 100 with minor injuries. Among their three units, several firefighters had also been injured, with one from the Luoxiangkou unit in serious condition.qNvcEoojOMczHAXDRUkrNjBLcZPkgz
QcMgwkVPcWcvMnzAfter hanging up the phone, Ren Yi’s screen lit up with a news app notification—it was about the fire at Fourth Perspective Bar. He hesitated, then decided not to open it. Instead, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.bKEeYxzDVPokuvtQMskbXcncirBBXX
yKsyMmIaKxxeDgXWhen he awoke, it was already afternoon. Hungry, Ren Yi pulled out a bag of chips from his locker and ate them while lying flat on his back, not wanting to get up. His mind was filled with images of the fire—the raging flames, the faces of helpless despair, the lifeless bodies that would never breathe again. These scenes clung to him, refusing to fade.AuuZYhRQSGKYOjVXKuFwtcKOUisQnN
lEqdVFfMQTaAhgiEven though he was accustomed to dealing with accidents and casualties, it was hard to come to terms with a tragedy of this magnitude.xETkistmTNcFIvAKIDVegXcSpOjqvC
PrUMKPJmhFLDWioSuddenly, his phone rang—it was Xu Jin.zuWzAxBZJFcTAehgqiWQZVDfGQlQTO
EXJTBIkAkHSUJtKRen Yi composed himself before answering: “Commander.”unHzCGkDmHSAvWmuRgtXZeaLCEiqZz
OaBYyHQJPzhiZBb“Ren Yi, have you gotten enough rest?”CbcorgsrZunSJzVNlzHdfJUTTfGypK
kHlCmHUkmrQQaZZ“I’m fine.”vMqTNAmftuJbsFAZYgKHAYUpJeKqFa
JeWeCCtRCUrlRib“How are your soldiers holding up?”LVrCDYiclpDpnfdyJXFFywuTlbxEYc
NZRXaoFrKrSGOJM“Two are still in the hospital, but they’re not seriously hurt.”QPqOxPGiCSlBzABWQbyszeBdbHOOyX
YHdGWDQHdDLefxU“That’s good.” Xu Jin paused. “This incident was catastrophic. There’s a lot of public outcry online, and higher-ups are taking it very seriously. They want the cause of the fire identified as soon as possible, and for those responsible to be held accountable.”ALKORCGLSXMXeTfiANTyRCDMpkqQnp
fNOmbRvsBYkJiUkRen Yi gave a soft “mm.” “Any updates from the fire investigation team?”DaqpuVaznadukuOMbNPbmDhwNlCEgX
ysxBeioWCRGpVkN“Preliminary findings suggest the fire started on a sofa in a private room, but the damage is so severe that it’s unclear whether it was accidental or arson. Several of the bar’s managers have already been detained, and the police are involved.”XPWuwASfJQSTrZNmaCukmcLJDrNBxa
zhGunWObNBMqtre“The police are already involved even though the fire investigation team hasn’t concluded anything?”COQanAwqzFAshIPZfiQfVhDhEfydOB
EyRkFDNOopGBMCX“Yes, because the bar owner insists someone set the fire as an act of revenge. However, a survivor from the private room claims that a cigarette accidentally ignited the curtains.”oEbxbBrKgnRGZjaQgKxUhWATWvbddk
bOyWphfqzLSLQkK“The boss said it was arson?”bxeOzmOWqCUIDDqtYXCPTmcqPgYWNz
kXqPnAWBsmZfqcO“He said the suspect has already been taken in for questioning, but the person has an alibi,” Xu Jin replied. “Ren Yi, I want you to be involved in the fire investigation this time.”HrgXCtshegRipFtpZrOSCzIawtDrBl
pfCYSLjQBgWRVsm“…Why?”qVxaduTfDRnGLMgAIOSWPzoRxyPCcv
ACRVGUYvGxnBarS“Our department’s fire investigation team has been understaffed for a while. One retired this year, and two are on leave. The social impact of this incident is huge, and the higher-ups are demanding efficiency. Besides, you were the one who responded to the initial call, so you’re more familiar with the situation than anyone else. I need you to fully cooperate with the police and help determine the cause of the fire.”VdflxUJIFmroEVrEQyJAlGtMJmQGkv
XZoYcAjZLAdhyyz“Understood.”AIqMvfZsNGPupBgFHAIrXOEHrfLEKg
GCAmFtftbplGiFZ“Be at the scene by 9 a.m. tomorrow. The investigators will be there too, and I’ll assign you an assistant from the fire investigation team.”FgHJLhvUNBIeWHIMTnRQTWUwUPIVhZ
JVmwXGDhINlHaKmAfter hanging up, Ren Yi sighed.WxfTXydNWBdwTFKxJFTpgOuMgnrXsZ
CWKAFzVhzdJtlAfHe had interned with the fire investigation team before. Not only was he familiar with the procedures, but with investigative skills passed down from his father and years of firefighting experience, he was essentially a seasoned fire investigator himself.tlxafmLhSmaQopBaQbaydTcYCXLLvb
iQtddXrptqcuDIBTruthfully, he never liked returning to the scene of a fire. But due to his job, which required close cooperation with both the fire investigation team and the police, he had no choice. He just hadn’t expected to be the one investigating this time.WtfpKhsROrwblCqqHdaYKNktSCBJZF
nDLakQUYEMSonIx—CBCqTbhOwSRDIcoSlWSZEDTgwcoSRA
AWmuiGeqtxDLJsWThe next morning, Ren Yi returned to the bar district, which had already been cordoned off.zPfCQsoAVTclLHRKyAOnUQzCyCEpqR
rjHOfRuaRaAXKjoAfter showing his credentials, he crossed the police line and stood in front of the fourth bar’s ruins. The sight of the once-bustling bar now reduced to rubble made his chest tighten.fAoeGsKZZcBlShsEMNLmDzETUANDka
eiVIuyWXzIIFXLOFootsteps sounded behind him. Before Ren Yi could turn around, he heard a familiar voice call out, “Captain Ren.”hlguFnxchlXNooVmaXckLlBJDmCnQC
bvFOtmTnWFBQLGTRen turned to see Song Bei walking towards him. To his surprise, Song Bei wasn’t alone—Gong Yingxian was with him.MIXtjRfXPhzLyElgsYBftZqnoyTPnG
DoJYCFqALQPvbfxWhen they approached, Ren Yi shook hands with Song Bei.puFPhdBhHxhUssZMjhSwxKCyJVrdSP
DcTleqobbtZzDxr“Captain Ren, you’ve had it rough,” Song Bei sighed. “You guys really don’t have it easy.”oqKsKDszPyFHroOGVQaQaYjyWEBZjP
UxMTdQSaBRtWdwA“It’s what we signed up for,” Ren Yi replied with a bitter smile. “It doesn’t matter how hard we work, the worst part is not being able to save just one more person.”BnYivcFvYgheQmuSPhsplXhGDCBZOs
woxKlRTQfYcBjQRSong Bei patted Ren Yi’s shoulder. “It’s a disaster, nothing you could do about it. Don’t dwell on it too much.”pfjITQRADNWAAEXywQQtvedHdvrohG
ulWvCZeYJcQnBssRen Yi nodded, then glanced at Gong Yingxian.izZxEthsNDeLqmasFiqUtBLGCNeoNi
xytysaJHRrzLYLDSong Bei said, “Oh, Xiao Gong here is handling the preliminary investigation of the case. I asked Hongwu’s department to send a fire expert to assist us, and it turns out they sent you. What a coincidence.”KRPmYEnZTvNzvkoEnVMatQXjjsnIPG
rvfmkNYGSpGMyENRen Yi’s eyes widened as he stared at Gong Yingxian.FyzaeAwRvmlqRJgoNBrrGdffOTXUoV
lSMbNxhnxgcjYpvGong stared back, his expression calm.nQaPLHJztkiwrURLQTKBZIjXkeAfpG
JbeZUIcwEewaBYS“What’s the matter?” Song Bei asked curiously, noticing Ren Yi’s reaction.vtOSExWDTGMlqQErxcXDVOTLjgqyZG
lxYwTgIacxKVjYY“Well, it’s just… Officer Gong is so young…”FgJsOlCNPUzAvndJDbujfVlyRvlQBJ
cyXcnUnxXAcnCFs“Oh, you’re worried about his lack of experience? Don’t be. Xiao Gong specializes in criminal investigations related to fires. There’s no one more qualified than him for this kind of case in our division,” Song Bei assured. “Xiao Gong, make sure to cooperate fully with Captain Ren.”tCpHNYUXqJazzviENdwaMtyRXxWQVw
pKyIFFSRycayqIfGong Yingxian nodded, his face expressionless. “Understood.”psolXbTyZVgLkfpqkuBXwNDqWNhvVe
GHBBWnkmQOorZGWSong Bei pulled Ren Yi aside. “Captain Ren, this kid’s personality is, well… just know he’s not targeting anyone. If you have any problems, just let me know. I’d appreciate it if you could be patient with him.”zbDyczbyJuiBqFRZjLvUUfdorqkgOW
TSBjadKzgMfzOPPRen Yi forced a smile, glancing at Gong Yingxian. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”cxqjFUWcWwMoAxSpdZHuijOUhAdnDC
ftbYjnrtNZiUuHW“Alright, I’ll let you guys get to it. I was just passing by, got other things to handle, so I’ll head out first.”xKGUPANyHKFAlPjCTwWWHaxtMIWrqs
zGBNOdiQtjojzRI“Goodbye, Captain Song.”GjpXHLowVXIVHjMoTOuTrcQePmaoSu
TDIdIFEYlrbVWYUAfter Song Bei left, the two of them stood beside the ruins, staring at each other, the atmosphere awkward.RRxHgbiZKUNiRjvuJhYpaOWRtRKgHW
oPmxzCeYAhNmhnqRen Yi cleared his throat, deciding to let it go for the sake of work. He shook his head, muttering to himself: *Be the bigger person.* “Let’s go inside and take a look.”smDZpUHyFiFEINUVfHgNGvgLtCerZf
msFKaLkAZNbrRta“You’re the fire expert?” Gong Yingxian asked, his tone laced with doubt.pGasIJMRjEOEhaMHKfIExqENFnXEPP
nmqYAvPYyrfOtiLRen Yi let out a short laugh. “I didn’t question your expertise, and yet you dare to question mine? I’ve been able to recite the specs of firefighting equipment since I was a kid.”rDnrFMrtqIwZYDaDSZALfmPPnrRVbk
AZugIzYnDaXYQdJ“You literally questioned me five minutes ago.”jSkXqyQmvOpWrgnHDbfASXqMazAZDG
hhqbtsopirIkWoiRen Yi grinned awkwardly. “Ah, well then, I guess we’re even. Let’s go, or should I roll out a red carpet for you?”OMXwYjySYitsheGBclbVbWnNRTdRil
yLMUjFGFvwhDPjsGong Yingxian cast a glance at the ruins, his gaze darkening. From his bag, he pulled out a mask and shoe covers, geared up, and then stepped into the fire scene.EVnsGLHkopoSPKkNLxPEEsFUSKjneK
YWbacnmHWAqHfegQiu Wen from the fire investigation unit was already inside collecting samples. He walked over and greeted Ren Yi, “Good morning, Captain Ren.”suvUsyEHDLjZeFsEAbkAmqyGpCylVU
dCRvoDoOeqRmICvRen Yi nodded. “Keep doing your thing. If I need you, I’ll call.”LkjylQYpeHYFHGUkneCErZpvxtSTWr
nReAQELZmgLiBCq“Understood.”YVYLPTqcafldBMSYouyqnQCLUzFqrY
LytjADXTdqSHGPeRen Yi turned to Gong Yingxian, “Let’s head upstairs and take a look.”xZzOFrlwPdwChZDyLMlwjKSQJrAbTx
pXyIIMNkvCxqXnXGong Yingxian scanned the surroundings, his brows furrowed deeply, as if he was strongly resistant to being there.ONSRWjwUxUXEBhqPkiOiInZtDzwSJM
FEJmufWwQwbzgsVThey made their way to the room where the fire had started. The area had burned particularly intensely—the sofa was reduced to a broken wooden frame, the curtains were mostly gone, and the ceiling had completely collapsed, exposing the soot-blackened walls.wwHkVkvGcTfMUTfSfYQdiPfMrZHVJv
USoQIesqkuRgqppRen Yi carefully examined the scene. “There’s a V-pattern from the smoke here. The ignition point seems to be the sofa, but the survivors said the curtains caught fire first. If we assume the curtains were the first to catch fire…” He looked upward. “These synthetic fiber curtains would drip flaming droplets when they burn, sending sparks everywhere. If those sparks landed on the sofa or carpet, it could cause the fire to spread. It’s possible, but the burn pattern doesn’t match.”kxMgOYVSYPoAxcJKHuMIyPUOFQSCEA
tzQPDkegUNCuaxsGong Yingxian observed for a moment and added, “If it were the sofa, filled with foam resin, that caught fire from small sparks dripping down, it would smolder initially—there wouldn’t be visible flames right away, and the fire wouldn’t spread that quickly.”HEEwwnnofaEDRkmciePFAMiAjmoNTX
bBCGvZvuFPKbORu“Exactly. If the curtains were the first to burn, the fire would move upward, and smoke would spread through the central air vents. The fire would spread into the ceiling, which would eventually collapse and set the sofa on fire. Only then could the sofa have burned to this extent. But if that were the case, the heaviest burn marks should be on the ceiling.” Ren Yi shook his head, picking up a broken piece of gypsum board from the ground and flipping it over to show Gong Yingxian. “See? The side facing the ground has heavier smoke marks than the side facing up. If the fire started with the sofa, igniting the curtains, causing the room to burn extensively, and then the ceiling fell, it would form a V-pattern centered on the sofa. This scenario fits the logic of the scene better.”nzEbpquyWAcEdtgFUPGUrstPmjhewQ
HeRVTxvizQHuzYeGong Yingxian said, “So, the fire definitely didn’t start with the curtains?”lrhmOyiAstjMCwwsoMHeVNBzcYLByr
nJmgkTECgnLFKrj“No, just like the Fire Investigation Division’s initial judgment, it was the sofa,” Ren Yi replied. “What’s the situation with the survivor?”yusfChyxAoAyIMiOrIGuhveURVmbFh
TmIxRKxakKcfIcr“A twenty-year-old student, still in the hospital. She was traumatized, and her memory might be jumbled. We can’t determine if she’s lying on purpose.”eRbuAZCpxUPktfTkqCuQaBudAirBYl
OcpuYpXroqUTCPI“There’s no sign of any accelerants,” Ren Yi said, after looking around. “The sofa burned like this, and we can’t tell anything from it now. We’ll need to take some samples back to the lab for testing.”QHXUisJLxUbiPsSKWcdHmCjvgIebFL
cHrxBXyBBdruYvt“The electrical system… no signs of electrical fire either.” Gong Yingxian carefully examined every inch of the scene. Beneath a pile of unrecognizable debris, he found a small piece of material that had softened and then cooled down. He carefully picked it up with his gloved hand and held it up to the sunlight.ANnKylppuBgjXhihQUeMEFeimXtEQG
ZivSJuVYuSBveZQ“Glass?” Ren Yi asked.clXtDsNNUoKjsfXlkITsxJTvTlNuFf
VNhOXQRNmDnFJrH“Yeah, could be from a cup.”LqDDWytjgScDWkQMGfzmJhNgqVufZF
ShBDqHgZgXusrmjRen Yi retrieved a deformed cup from under the damaged coffee table. “This is a bar glass. I don’t know what kind of glass you’re holding, but clearly, these two things have different melting points—they’re not made of the same material.”WFOkvACzzTgkaRNJawdTxPwroqpuPh
slaNtKjYJGEWcQA“It could also be a plate, ashtray, or some other utensil,” Gong Yingxian replied. “But this piece was found some distance away from the coffee table, under the sofa, and it’s already shattered. Most dishware these days is shatterproof, especially in places like bars and KTV lounges.”ffCRWqtRHHORwucNZBgndJTuQuovjg
WQvPumjERwKycABRen Yi said, “Yeah, it’s suspicious. We’ll hand it to Xiao Qiu later and send it to the lab for testing.”UrFVKEekIayeZEvbVgSYlBnSwnYWch
zWjvsxTyeiMlJHbThe two continued to inspect the scene but found nothing new, so they headed downstairs. Ren Yi was instructing Qiu Wen on what items to collect for sampling, while Gong Yingxian quickly walked outside.KyFACsRTWZKmYJHqQuUSKYwmfwISRD
yhMdRPUPyGqkMMhRen Yi followed him. “Hey, what about that glass?”MDUnfjsGLTSQKnHBCeainzEclLxzMy
TKvayvwKOWfYUSZGong Yingxian, with his back to him, slowly removed his mask but didn’t respond.QPcYAJdNcJORtzdZhCNhJoYncqcuIq
gmlICGreempncStRen Yi circled around to face him. “Hey, that…” He froze. Gong Yingxian’s face was deathly pale, his lips almost colorless, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat. He was gasping for breath, looking so weak it was almost pitiful. Ren Yi was startled. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”qYKYPrhfsFsGtkuujTymVvegAZViHe
asKqiKuWdqfrNZfGong Yingxian shook his head, handed the glass to Ren Yi, then suddenly swayed on his feet. Ren Yi quickly grabbed his arm. “What’s going on with you? Don’t tell me you’ve got heatstroke. Why the hell are you wearing a mask and gloves in the middle of summer?”UtNqzyXgCCJvMIYJvVmIJCqLnFDtFP
CsWJfgOZIVhWbaxGong Yingxian turned to glare at him, opening his mouth as if to say something, but only ended up breathing even more heavily.teWbtvKSQlmymjZzUXJnADUdZXnVeA
frjksiUgfSMsEBvRen Yi frowned. “Why are you glaring at me? You’re really something else. Glaring? What, am I too handsome for you to stop looking?”tNCBYrnADDHftUYHWcnKoTAthwhAoz
ambowduqMZYHfbmSuddenly, Gong Yingxian’s stomach churned, and he vomited.JNIrohgpJzhNHTAyRPrRpMeftPwPjV
SsAQiYQXhvSJDYtRen Yi’s face darkened, feeling completely insulted.mQkqZagdmzqgJZLXaNKZpMXTLtClbf
YslkGLKxoaAkrDxGong Yingxian grabbed Ren Yi’s arm in return, his grip so tight it left bruises. Ren Yi winced, gritting his teeth through the pain but stayed silent.SGiLEWDlHrucMENJVcObgZBfKtuPjG
VWrHCWXNbTgBfUKGong steadied himself and rasped, “Water.”pJHrcpIuExfBVMCglfrZSKsbVXyPre
EencjLcBZIzXVxqRen Yi shouted, “Xiao Qiu! Is there water and tissues in the car? Bring them over!” He supported Gong Yingxian, helping him over to a shady spot. “Here, sit down for a minute.”kedmWfyhmJBqhzrwJSDCiNddNQurNg
rcmxopQPUGWdffCSoon, Qiu Wen arrived with water and tissues, looking at Ren Yi with a questioning glance. Ren Yi just pouted, shook his head, clearly annoyed.bgYbOTjnvKudBLZmPcvaIMObsPGAvY
XpgxgxJQMSlZVnx“Here,” Ren Yi handed the items to Gong Yingxian.AZztOdHkBMpuGShbQqshNcykxTMSQs
DjUaokOmgOnrdeuGong took almost an entire bottle of water to rinse his mouth, then used two more bottles to wipe the corners of his mouth and clean the vomit off his trousers.JeqSHCZMUUKUmyaqPXxECpLeBLLPfr
BEJYiKuhgTCEfYKRen Yi, meanwhile, wiped off his shoes with some tissues, watching in disbelief as Gong Yingxian pulled out disinfectant wipes, a spray bottle, a fresh mask, gloves, and a pill bottle from his briefcase, like some kind of magician. He meticulously cleaned himself, took his medication, tossed his shoe covers, and put on new gloves and a mask.GNuGIJIAiiNoyiGpUiukDsxpGaLXpy
KPbsfcmeBohpTmPJust watching him made Ren Yi feel exhausted. “What the hell is wrong with you?”dKlqavSZzkucHXnNHmjgnkkfslGwhd
AJOEwSPfpUHzzou“I hate fire,” Gong Yingxian said, staring at Ren Yi.oxrvcfKfbBdQJsbobcWPwlBPSWtFxH
KJoXHnSffWRDFSARen Yi squinted. “Do you have some kind of issue with me? It’s not like I picked my own name.”UcVEuayLumJqvTqMplNWdLJnnLwCAQ
iLUGRwAxmuFhzxJGong Yingxian stood up. “Come with me to the hospital.”KyhZqGYITLsAWEhoQJmNtTrMYYuzTL
dknEePDYvnwbPlM“And since when do you get to give me orders?”IVTxlfTxdCHjHnHTwcZGTRPBCUhyBd
QxZGHVfCNuZrmRfGong Yingxian ignored him, walking straight toward his car. Ren Yi rolled his eyes to the sky in exasperation but followed anyway, resigned.qsKWdOeoRyErnckqwcRwsifFQDpblc
uYxMbibTxYSXJcGAaZqOsEPrlouihrgqQVaGsuvjRRAvU