Chapter 90
Ren Yi forced a smile to lighten the mood. “Then… how about tonight? We originally agreed to do it after the New Year, anyway.”pnJjJyPLzJfHhEFLfxaQICknxDzvuA
ctJXVXqWufjufVeGong Yingxian hesitated briefly. “Alright, tonight. I’ll send someone to pick you up.”qalyJxHpVlnjmacWocsguBfjroXmxE
XkOEaSmxYZjUJBi“No need. I’ll drive myself. I remember the way to your place.”ofcBMgDdlXznoeJAiUDKLOTsNEZTUc
sUQnhEojKgKwLki“No,” Gong Yingxian said firmly, gathering his documents. “I told you before—don’t act alone.” He walked a couple of steps, then stopped, adding, “Bring Miao Miao along.”scjKzsyCYNQsyNHmgJVoACCsmPChDC
LjTQReZBcXeGuHlRen Yi was taken aback, feeling a small, sweet warmth rise in his heart.OuOCZXwkxXZaxQIFswSJwjfxMSphGz
ZpMZTpAnNWVfyPRAfter Gong Yingxian left, Ren Yi collected his complicated emotions, preparing to leave. But just as he opened the door, he found Qiu Yan waiting outside, appearing to have been there specifically for him.BLTzOYLcBvdwOinfBSrjMLYRhhkngM
hRXQVCMrBfcjDnT“Captain Qiu?” Ren Yi looked at her, confused.KSAoprLPDbAmWSgcRoXUDjICvqJcFy
jMLiinyIZMhNpzRQiu Yan stepped forward, backing him into the room. “Let’s talk.”wAXKtHFwpXOvoHDHZLlCDafLNezAIA
ThUDqzHgBuZFEzhRen Yi had no choice but to step back.escYXJRQtFbTHGIlFdAGOjxelUJfqN
CnuASrCjFAFLCiIQiu Yan shut the door behind her and leaned against the desk, getting straight to the point. “What’s going on between you and Yingxian?”iBMZbNaMqbLXihGTIpUUmJBZYatlNe
vUjpDWLJdBmDUyWRen Yi was reluctant to discuss personal matters, especially regarding his feelings, with a woman—it was too embarrassing. But since Qiu Yan had clearly noticed, there was no point in hiding it. He muttered, “He found out about my orientation… and… got mad.”espwDmZouyJUTWoLRfYncaMJPfaTRK
bsVNwHfDNbANOSE“Got mad” was a seriously understated way of putting it.fEHPGqCPhAScPNmnuKPfOaHDMPwnHN
eHhhUhRrQRmOYTJQiu Yan sighed softly. “I warned you—he’s been through a lot of rough experiences.”xTVFSrEhyRPlDdAjdNwDVZqDtFIFrR
NjrKhEJoqOdeDtl“I know, so I…” Ren Yi ruffled his hair, “never intended to tell him.”nnKyStMBIPYRMTmwYEMaqvjXEDdSvF
ouYZEkwtjwUoDSx“Then how did he…” Qiu Yan thought of something. “Last night, that young actor—who is he to you?”cPpJQjyfRmsYaRphBqQkVOHGAyghSK
gaUCPMvUrAOfanpRen Yi dodged, saying only, “A friend.”RZoXxbFlntMFokjULygUnMzRcQbwqn
otWKjYpMWyHoopw“Boyfriend, or just a hookup?” Qiu Yan’s tone turned a bit harsh.hCUcqqvgHGDwdTwMPYPCrDWCLknEdS
IzjiiACeswBYrog“…I haven’t reached out to him for a long time. Ever since I…” Ren Yi found it harder and harder to speak. In the past, he never saw this as a matter of right or wrong, but when he heard the word “disgusting” coming from Gong Yingxian’s own mouth, and saw the anger in his eyes, he felt as if he had committed a crime, filled with an overwhelming sense of shame.aqvKOJpDPajGnIoBRsssLZBGgiqSNT
kgPtSufUjotTnxQIf anyone—anyone but Gong Yingxian—had called him disgusting, told him he was abnormal, or said anything else harsh, he would have confidently fired back. He wasn’t proud of his orientation, but he wasn’t ashamed of it either; it was just a part of him, and he didn’t care what others thought—or at least, he had always thought he didn’t care. Only now did he realize that those “others” did not include Gong Yingxian.QESMzfdzdEwFLFowIFFscayRvqaFKf
EbZVBvSfbImLQtDThe person he liked could shatter his pride with just a word, just a look.yacFNGsrqecnZDYSTRAOJvuafdQXaJ
SATaVLvAkRRjckC“So, you haven’t been in contact for a long time. Last night was just a coincidence, then?”YIKWELpLNdJjQHxnYhgdSPJOGIVBFV
ucXkDurSdjLJrmH“It was.”sWARVCLAKrmYULmjjancPANOjItFOu
xPFKMWUdTkfQoLQQiu Yan raised an eyebrow. “And another coincidence that Yingxian saw you both doing something that let him figure out your orientation?”fBeRsPpBCxpAAhTlGKhYoHNgoMMkLM
pdZgibHOGpaZStt“…It was.” Ren Yi felt cornered and a bit irritated. “Captain Qiu, I respect you, but if you keep questioning me like I’m some criminal, I’m leaving.”isdIcCivwkbbFVzEKZzKXyPXPzlTrD
lYLRbYRpjwnaRcpQiu Yan stood up, meeting Ren Yi’s gaze sharply. “You may think I’m overstepping, but I can’t help it. After his sister passed, I felt like I became his sister. He’s been hurt too much, more than any ordinary person could handle. He might look tall and strong, as if he can face anything, as if fire is the only thing he fears, but inside, he’s still just a kid—he never left that burning building.”KFjSRQYtOHSMRLDXXfUnRGSmRjCnZg
RYmTXUcGXmkQcvHRen Yi’s heart tightened.aojJJpfyJflbeCfkQFEoRcNzKSWTdz
guxNGAkRHbwYpTP“Captain Ren, it’s not surprising you’re attracted to him—he’s very appealing. But he’s not someone you can casually toy with. First of all, he’s not gay. He sees you as his best friend. You’re the only person he’s opened up to over the years, the only one he trusts. What he needs is a trustworthy friend. Second, in matters of the heart, he’s completely out of his depth compared to you. Maybe, under your influence, he might mistake his dependence on you for love. He might see you as a lifeline, projecting all his need for companionship, his longing for a home, onto you. Can you handle that? Do you think he’ll be like your past mature relationships or flings, where you can part on good terms, with mutual consent? What if one day you get tired of it, or you find your personalities clash and want to break up—have you thought about the impact that leaving him would have on him?”hKKtfBtCXcrsdvWltqLSjRTqxQhlOO
zCphvidYCMnpxfQRen Yi stared blankly at Qiu Yan. He wanted to refute her words—he wasn’t just toying around. He genuinely liked Gong Yingxian, more than he’d ever liked anyone before, enough to want to spend a lifetime together, enough to exchange life for life. But faced with Qiu Yan’s accusations, he found himself utterly speechless.aaDBqYiNCMqUjPwVQGxhwHnWRmkqaY
VeQnJFOxqiFrShNEven he began to doubt himself. Was he truly exploiting Gong Yingxian’s dependence on him? Was he selfishly trying to lead Gong Yingxian down a difficult path, one he wouldn’t have to take otherwise, all for his own desires?kpuyfBrsbpjuPAsgXCnKRcUgHtVFTD
iDPWRUztpbHgkFxThere was a trace of sorrow in Qiu Yan’s expression. “Captain Ren, if you truly care for him, don’t hurt him.”sOypIgpuwxCBEvtkIMqSkPlMMVIbms
naLZIHnRxIejSLX“I never want to hurt him,” Ren Yi replied bitterly. “I only want to protect him, to see him well—truly.”mEZFVqTiWPgEMvPjclfOkWXwVLGlkm
IAXiUJVTWzReRVM“I know you’re a good person, but even good people can inadvertently hurt others. I hope you know where to draw the line.” Qiu Yan gave him a long, meaningful look before turning to leave.guWwEAIvQjECpTIGjXBgbQnHttYLFc
HSlabcERZkLtsqlRen Yi pressed his hand to his forehead, feeling stifled and overwhelmed.aaBGulQimPeiUMSbSTpBpkRCzJbufz
nYucDNlufuFkUPXHe would let go of any fantasies. Just as she’d said, he didn’t want to hurt Gong Yingxian—the one he wanted most to protect. So, he couldn’t lead him astray, couldn’t mislead him just to fulfill his own desires. He had to be what Gong Yingxian needed—a true friend, a reliable comrade.hHIrVZtpVosCJlKtAmEaDdrMXKApCA
vBpzFvOEjqcFJObSteadying his emotions, Ren Yi left the conference room to find Qu Yangbo.EagxekPjRpURkWyYrqVBIFaZhJvKXf
VLFHkqkIAhYYEVbQu Yangbo was chatting with an acquaintance but came over as soon as he saw Ren Yi. He scrutinized Ren’s face. “What happened? Did the testimony go smoothly?”jbzPMYmeCLZFbLCKvwWXznFlonmsrs
jZxDFmLBBBwrNAk“Smoothly,” Ren Yi muttered, turning his face slightly, trying futilely to prevent Qu Yangbo from studying him. Qu Yangbo had a sharp eye; it was hard to hide anything from him.DMUBECstBoBmAHvCOFxXitgEakEwsD
fwLiqyIrHHCivel“Really? Because ‘smoothly’ isn’t exactly written on your face.” Walking side by side, Qu Yangbo continued, “I noticed something felt off between you and Dr. Gong at the venue last night. What, did you two argue?”xOiQsDRDSHBLfJvpePQHvlICvKFBci
ybVdqswGZDKHWCA“No.” Ren Yi quickened his pace toward the parking lot, opening the car door. “Let’s just get to the squad.”MwFMpSXRBmgIRRUBVIfgHXxzGLPtLi
qQijdhWYLhKLIhk“Then what’s going on? Weren’t you two—”AxOugtjWJKEFZxbGvHzFYGAgDJQxZd
LIkzZOZKOnlZrPHRen Yi slammed the car door shut with a loud bang. “Can you just shut the fuck up already?”QEntOJHWLlhAbuUzvUTZkmOMyutcRd
lfhoYWODFHdmtScSilence fell, thick and heavy.WXDZyFuYxJAVVomdBBeLkraHGTfSrh
IHgubWcDhmaOGIJRen Yi leaned against the car door, breathing deeply to ease the tight ache in his chest.cWXYHWMbVfeMTfBvLinXWWpaDGjmLi
aoMJbsPTojXvkWsQu Yangbo watched him quietly from behind.wPSvsuCUrFgRbSbjVfsTxgVcnujaEW
pXjJkuIENVGUUJpAfter a long moment, Ren Yi turned, slumping back against the door, a look of utter defeat on his face. “Sorry.”LpgYXyuRYQyJcfBmsiXHvwwuEFyCTD
FyKujYMWSNBbhGJQu Yangbo shrugged. “On a professional level, I’m your supervisor—I need to monitor your psychological state at all times. Your decisions impact not only your safety but also the safety of your fellow soldiers. On a personal level, I’m your brother, and I care about you. It’s okay to have emotions, but you’ve got to deal with them.”urDylWXlsIenMrHrJBenUNcIjLhjVJ
jlvVnlmYsElRRovRen Yi stared blankly at the sky, then quickly, as if resigning himself, muttered, “Gong Yingxian found out about my orientation. He said it made him feel ‘disgusted.’”jzjDWfIRAAfuxvNVPorsiwSuCSNyDP
eotwLfYHLAmIPSyQu Yangbo frowned, stepping forward to clasp Ren Yi’s shoulder. “Brother, you’ve never really faced setbacks in relationships before. I’d say you don’t even know how to pursue someone properly. Confessions are meant to be the final move when you’re certain of victory, not the opening gambit. Without enough groundwork, you’re just handing over your weakness to the other person—your odds drop too low.”LlPtabqzyqOzOgasOMyLuGCvioPbLc
emVApWWlGvKdWzo“I didn’t confess.”jVKhsNjOPPcdDTXEuTblDQdqzwvxaW
oCxRcHXvDILZaAm“What?” Qu Yangbo looked at him in surprise. “Then how did he find out?”NPPEgoJBqIQpbRwjwiFYrqCybufDVz
zMNmNBJewTvIZFo“Not worth explaining. It was an accident.” Ren Yi gave a bitter smile. “I had to tell him I already had a boyfriend and that I only saw him as a friend. Otherwise, we couldn’t even be friends.”ZNQxJRBlqQbbcbiyboIpiqQSdPQEPU
EmAsvYlhWAEoqwC“You’re in this deep already. Why not just tell the truth instead of bottling it up?”SsGXWyafMhfBNzXSNUirhlCbdLkhHG
YEfQfcqQajGIoUK“What good would that do? Just to feel better about myself?”CIXJCkBGAVuRtNukunrSDlDwGebBVZ
HieXwlklGYIUxlM“It might make things a little easier on you.”AsIllHbLYmSVzKhetOQkSFacAzuvDY
lceXmuaLCOBbSGO“I don’t care about that,” Ren Yi said calmly. “I only care about him. At least this way, we can still have some connection—that’s enough.”UyePhLVCDDZCdWHhJlGZBmedwPWhIN
MbTiWauLkQqsqfJ“Enough?”TlfgchyTkFXHCLoCsFmvcrEvjhpRLX
aihwcKGPkxhNVGyRen Yi turned around, reopened the car door, and looked at Qu Yangbo, his gaze steady and resolute. “Liking someone doesn’t mean you have to be together. Just knowing he’s doing well is enough for me.”ThrmXUkkFhWHggPcyATictoJdnSoSo
qjVAkdqLqtLDwSOQu Yangbo stared for a long time before finally shaking his head in helpless resignation.ugVdrdqsQsWTZqcbSwcxljniKWonFD
wlIwRrIjczwlXlEWhen they arrived at the squad, they spent the entire afternoon in meetings, mostly discussing the current threats facing Phoenix Team and Ren Yi himself, as well as coordinating efforts with the police to capture Zi Yan and other members of the X cult as soon as possible.uyYylqRnsGBVSPCvTtHzWPBfdhzdmJ
nXEMGbasKHPOZEzAfter the meeting, Ren Yi told Qu Yangbo to head back first. He went to the squad’s fire investigation department on his own, wanting to look into the history of fire investigations. Eighteen years ago, there hadn’t been a dedicated fire investigation department—it was handled by the police, but the consultants they brought in were all fire safety experts. Here, he hoped to learn what methods and tools were primarily used in fire investigations back then.nJvkoyyYrHCgImkqTwLuHPqycuGuWk
xUARRteAhhCQwgYSeveral seasoned members in the fire investigation division were either former subordinates of his father or had known him at some point. Most were stationed there due to various reasons—be it physical limitations, family concerns, or lack of formal education—which had prevented them from advancing further.sYMJuiPFglIUjhrIKsgUEXkaRZQsgw
NcwQDdhbQDSZzdvSince the division offers limited room for growth, it’s often short-staffed, with the upper management continuously recruiting and training new personnel.CFSprwVyZsbJbcwMjcGNQafzynFAzG
cGzcOtldkPfwKLGRen Yi exchanged greetings with a few familiar faces and came across Zhang Wen, who had previously assisted him in an investigation.sXiLEniKpTVfnofEQISWcAZLYEhMna
WGoATOOITNEbXDJAn older investigator, upon understanding Ren Yi’s purpose, asked curiously why he was interested in this area. Ren Yi deflected the question smoothly.QklzdSySEDUnaGMofEidMEYnrAqqBM
FbEsBFXHSoyXyGhIn the end, the senior investigator had Zhang Wen take Ren Yi to the archive room and storage, where old records and some retired equipment were stored.wHUVeQSLTwixMydVibLElzAhsufFsF
RwBtcIfwmdrNnjtZhang Wen was visibly pleased to see Ren Yi. “Captain Ren, everyone in the team is talking about how you’ve helped the police solve a bunch of cases.”cQXwJbEJNRiwLTBPhPPAignHUEcWyb
QepIrDfdafGTCzp“You deserve some credit too,” Ren Yi replied perfunctorily, not in the mood to elaborate. Instead, he asked, “How’s it going for you lately? Did you manage to transfer into a civil servant position?”qxvCFmtAiPRQOkSPrqZcInivgnYDJj
BXXlTfRPKXRzufx“Looks promising this year. But recently, an insurance company tried to recruit me—they need fire investigators too, and the pay is way better. I’m still a bit torn.”pGagEBSaZBgMnFfeTUpUegFSuoWOPd
rvQkBHZRGKJkSfY“You’re young; no need to rush into a decision.”tlunVVlOZHOgcYQkXIKzaKhukLGyHv
GqxBzuvuQVaGJqHThe two arrived at the archive room.MXLgDotZzJxgKvZsmLRGEzwIeheclw
OnlaKuePPLRIjKAZhang Wen said, “These documents include the history of fire investigation. The retired equipment isn’t here, though—I can take you to see it later.”DuQnaPtaFfNrjDPUbeXVfuBaZdWzhA
QOYpTjIZfoKAYMA“Alright, I’ll look at these documents first. Can I borrow them?”EPADnmniLkqlmoSwvIMONdiPQpdCgU
TlXatBmRYUCNWgQ“Just inform Section Chief Meng, and you can return them in a while. Same goes for the equipment.”HhkCjafTRqUEUHkcJZyadHDonSvVvc
IloxkfujgXUaVTe“Alright, go on with your tasks.”CVgvPgfoAaCIrJKUPZDvlqHsRmNqtd
GrBVKXdcHQTZjoVRen Yi spent the entire afternoon flipping through the files, gaining insights into the investigative standards of past years. This could help him uncover gaps in the Gong family case. Over the last eighteen years, technology had advanced rapidly; many things that high-tech instruments can easily detect now were simply beyond reach back then.AVuVdCKbQwBWuOMmlGYXoNtxeuUtiz
cglwoxgeFHHheQNFinally, he checked out some documents and equipment and returned to his squad.sUJUYShoVWSAbFZrALxXeDaWMPovCG
txMRMVHUeSuLFzUHaving only slept four hours since yesterday, he was utterly exhausted and went to his dorm to rest. Around eleven at night, his phone’s ringing woke him up.avlItGOgTdWSaLVlqBtIAtsxNcKcdI
ICWBDupajsAeOWH“Hello?” Ren Yi answered, yawning.pQQksDCFxEbeUJxgpReXDNVxiheZeA
HbAWKPXmExuEUkMOn the other end, Gong Yingxian’s cold yet melodious voice came through, “I’m at your squad.”EJTfnMrHVZjyelITmZpCtNqvjpjTEl
ZJEjftxsvOGEuYmRen Yi jolted upright. “Weren’t you sending a driver?”hPorHGorCFOXsMUCQzkICOjOkVbVKH
muNsAzSomXhvOLT“The driver isn’t armed,” Gong Yingxian replied. “Get ready and come downstairs.”soQgOGeCtfIwLVxBnQrEjLzbbEcppj
wrgNZtGsrBLtlse“Okay, okay.”wwPentmvduPluFvtNyGzZkIZaYejdw
dXosOVipvKptPCxHanging up, Ren Yi found himself much more awake. Was Gong Yingxian concerned for his safety and decided to pick him up personally?PSFmhbnDWfUnmOZZudUCGDlAbLInGf
VAVVxNZSIWUhGDCOn one hand, Ren Yi wanted to pull his heart away from Gong Yingxian, but he couldn’t help feeling himself sinking deeper.TXKCWjNxOBzJDMUodaoyxvQmoJxQdN
SKnxRBeBXtskywfHe wasn’t some naive kid swayed by appearances. Part of his affection for Gong Yingxian stemmed from how sincerely and selflessly Gong treated him. And Ren Yi was the type who, when shown even a fraction of kindness, felt compelled to return it threefold—so he’d ended up entangling himself.WXYumqiXGmCHZdqFNuegsFaZlSlonl
bMTkJaliZpIMIrUHe picked up Miaomiao, who was sleeping beside him, rubbed his face against its fluffy head, and murmured, “You’re the only thing left that belongs to ‘us’.”cIgIzzYSTciWCnfBANuxAeXqrcdEdb
foMNEDuUFExRXYBFHiPcwbWfXYIRCnuDdKJxUdqqbgLhU
Qiu Yan, mind your business lady.
Yep – I thought the same thing , trying to protect “her territory”