Chapter 91
Once they got in the car, Ren Yi noticed Gong Yingxian’s face was full of exhaustion, with dark shadows under his eyes.XjbzlkXQSaKtmExCFAHLzrWWvvjiLW
LINTpUDgjHepcXERen Yi frowned and asked, “Have you slept at all since the incident?”zdJFQjytjgjWkpSzilfRtvpmgUoNsV
oYcmravLegDCXSj“I closed my eyes for a bit,” Gong Yingxian replied indifferently. The events at the concert—whether it was Purple Flame’s situation or Ren Yi’s—had left him restless, so he’d been working nonstop ever since.GukcXmgiPAdfWziqmBVXEJLvrdkgaO
FZulKijdmMKuBJV“Let me drive; at least I got some sleep.”pTsgHjbayNGaqgzOjmhNAvhIpjVakv
OokAwVNWZUlAsDRThe two switched places, and Ren Yi placed Miao Miao onto Gong Yingxian’s lap. “You should try to get some rest too.”oQxofWdSvTmDvLFrYmikKTshCdgdXQ
WEDQgSsBCepDYHV“I can’t sleep.” Gong Yingxian stroked Miao Miao. “It’s grown a bit.”IklVAGqHyfvRsqXGiMXcQRflBiMStV
frmtLXWtwiBgenc“Well, it eats every day, of course it’s growing,” Ren Yi said. “Lean the seat back and at least try to rest a bit; lack of sleep affects your ability to think.”WPjYRowIcSMJMzayGOOTAlTNuyRCBw
IZlbkLsGRJDGmzmGong Yingxian reclined the seat, stretched his back slightly, then unzipped his down jacket and tucked Miao Miao inside.NzAGqyWOjBfGUjyOiIVzSLbyHrLUNW
BLxqEofhVDTjhLdMiao Miao poked its little head out, meowed, and obediently curled up on Gong Yingxian’s chest, clearly content with the warmth and already preparing to continue sleeping.ZITppUSaXwHoWavDYdbRJdqYWCHqFo
gBfQUwYplRRpxvs“How often does it get bathed?” Gong Yingxian asked, gently patting Miao Miao through the down jacket.CADGwNHZjNMjqCwUlttSzfCbFlEalh
IkuyrXDfkUBvdwT“Hasn’t had one since it got here,” Ren Yi said as he started the car. “It was washed when it was at the pet shop recovering, but cats are fine with a bath every few months, right?”EszsGpbbKDwxssxRPxgAlzYzltngXT
RSdvyZHUaNYsvBhGong Yingxian shot Ren Yi a sideways glance. “Bring it over to my place for a bath.”AILMxltfZCYSzdDCnZsOxOqJgogdVg
bjDZNaGXinjwnQMRen Yi smirked. “You think it’s dirty, yet you’re tucking it into your jacket?”AowMvgruHcPdQbbgbaDnxQqiMxcxzi
jgcGgXWPYZYTgot“I don’t think it’s dirty.” Gong Yingxian paused, then clarified, “It is dirty, but I don’t mind it.”nxHCGpONjKNHolOQAxZdTQMHMaROrD
fCMfsNbrLlYJWKs“Seems like your cleanliness compulsion is improving.”VSCHkLLxKXPjouOzjhugMPdrACjrBh
QScpqrFwvfYlnZJ“It isn’t.” Gong Yingxian said plainly, “It’s my cat.”rEzCBVIruBakYjzFKcCaNhzWxfRPvg
nOGbROoygCUDhRHOur cat, Ren Yi added in his heart.hXUfyreWqaFvOtopqeRCkXMzxLFoPJ
sXYXOFscBVVUaCN“Can’t sleep; let’s talk.” Gong Yingxian turned his head to gaze out the window at the retreating nightscape, not wanting Ren Yi to see his expression.sEYwALUtNGfFbKjAgUMcISUdGKczRw
BquwdFiQLulcASq“Alright, what do you want to talk about?”BmzAeFVVbraXOqyhvDGLQAzmzGEJoA
vHlVztlzselZCVp“How many boyfriends have you had?”MeoTqCUMrCGhbUvWTvrvqVMxRDZheo
mYjTjuXZgjLBYpRRen Yi almost lost his breath for a moment, completely caught off guard by the sharp and pointed question Gong Yingxian led with. It was as if he’d been holding this in, waiting for the right moment.quezHxUpECwQjLcMaRTRFyyTELOFJi
xOIDcFKYUxGsiFn“Hmm?” Gong Yingxian was a bit displeased by Ren Yi’s silence.MkmVKMPpRrbqIYwqhaAOPXHbUadcSu
UJyPKSbmhGreaZe“…Three,” Ren Yi answered honestly.oMdcHPfltLDGpLvhQaRpVGCGAMPVBE
wjQhGnljLzNcxmbGong Yingxian suppressed a hint of anger. “How old were you when you realized your orientation?”YBIuCaGJnYAoAiRZAPEyzvYMFfqwbu
MZhkSBzQszjLXzw“Around fifteen or sixteen,” Ren Yi replied, feeling quite uncomfortable. He stole a glance at Gong Yingxian, who was still staring out the window, his face revealing nothing of his emotions.nkmReUreECiVLpLQUISrVyCCajfnZD
kTydrZgAnQUNPBq“And how did you realize it?” Gong Yingxian asked in a flat, mechanical tone, as if stripping any intonation that might reveal his emotions.CPWLGjfHungSrwCuuvQQXskBSORmPB
jjXHyYEOTyzAeRATo Ren Yi, it sounded like an interrogation. He sighed inwardly—was this a cop thing? He braced himself and answered, “I fell for a classmate.”yGrWdTzIiuxBIuWYsdlDKlcYZQrdGq
bxLTVVwsRPtpzbH“So, only by falling for someone did you come to realize it?”NOMKVdHRPfVafRHItUyoIZYgCPoqIu
RlBsTZFGLfUsWtm“In most cases, yeah.”zwDGfBfeepUbekYfVehcLCHSSRPicJ
jCKjkIsfhXVgJCF“How do you define this orientation?”giOuSGOllAJcPlWmSRkAtEuTdCUMhT
VujmNjeSKmCLxrYRen Yi, feeling awkward, asked, “Define…how?”OAwJUdWfHFztQVXCTlHTfwLbhodFRo
uBOBSqpdgcXIylO“What kind of person could be defined as having this orientation?”GlcHMXLfwajIWSxOTDBPpPTGGMjfks
oHvTMKuppsQNxRB“Uh…someone who naturally likes people of the same gender, obviously.”fOjokCamaVZqeXyqCRHFCPGOBKiZcY
LxpkKsYJSbcNwyHGong Yingxian’s gaze turned unfocused. “Then what if…someone only likes one person of the same gender, but no one else?” He had pondered this seriously, and in the end, he realized that aside from Ren Yi, he had no interest in anyone else. Men, women—he wanted to keep his distance. Even with family members like Sheng Bo, Fei Lan, or Qiu Yan, he avoided unnecessary physical contact. The only difference between family and strangers was that family didn’t disgust him.FKijRlhdXpgQkHOLpGYozUONnspYiF
snJAikJhDZfYBJmBut with Ren Yi, only Ren Yi, he wanted to be close.gIAtGFrVPhlGPkWmmHUBYpCmpTJlbG
QbjtzNDpJUzkaBXRen Yi thought for a moment before responding, “There are all kinds of orientations in this world; it’s just that heterosexuality and homosexuality are more common. I think if you love someone, there’s no need to get hung up on their gender.”xnFvwCEtowVpfYyqrjUDqqWvAkeUVE
yGjsrrrPBfpFijdGong Yingxian fell silent.mUIUgVroaTBOuRbvSngGqGCrcodnqo
iJRHFZUQsHHLWjbRen Yi let out a small sigh of relief, thinking Gong Yingxian was finally going to drop this uncomfortable topic.loDpdQJIiggooEuKIIpOAIzKKznvMe
WBOOBdCFnnVhsZNBut after a moment, Gong Yingxian dropped another bombshell: “When did you guys break up?”GxywKJlbRiSaIrSQpkPbBWaTXwSvlh
JulOSYlAeCGlyGURen Yi looked extremely embarrassed. “Huh?”ughZPFnRonfzNFeBTQRwudGHuZScxz
uEBiOclysVqDwtj“You’ve had three boyfriends, which means you’re capable of breaking up. So, logically speaking, there’s a chance you and Qi Xiao will break up too, right?”qDMcbALzJCKoPLyJJFJRMQPVLwBytm
IUTwcRbNExrAlhDThe investigation on Qi Xiao had been sent to his phone a few hours earlier. Dealing with someone like that only required a small manipulation of fame and profit. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He just couldn’t accept that someone like Ren Yi—a person who, despite having a boyfriend, deliberately concealed his orientation, flirted with him, and treated him as amusement—was worth abandoning his principles and morals for something disgraceful.peqFsvSVdSrHwCGLAqhyRqTYEEevcf
ttYIDOToZztvnddMoreover, even if he went through with it, Ren Yi still wouldn’t belong to him.EyPpeiiFIzUtXEamnnKuYvwQyTFEaB
vffgjoyxrpaOkuwRen Yi took a deep breath. “We broke up already.”jjnYsXupFHvKnPGWOidbmVPPENASES
UfRBwMbTKtuVAlZGong Yingxian shot upright in his seat, turning to Ren Yi with shock.FZlpouaOUfGEqhQCJqzrwjxxoMYUeh
gCaQlOMepQHXPdZRen Yi was also startled by Gong Yingxian’s reaction, almost rear-ending the car in front of them. He quickly stomped on the brakes, his heart pounding as he looked at the narrowly avoided collision.ZMYuZedCoYyHaOhhLiGkCDhtqltyhP
DizvltMnklUHURa“When?” Gong Yingxian asked. “That night?”wViCIdcTclbdKpopclsRBPJJdcGYsI
ZKhzzZmBXEubNTx“…Yes.”cFIXaNCdyUxEKESFbgixMmAxqUiaNm
omnekkmiZbGWgyr“Why didn’t you mention it before?”NoCRQGwlQtMmXkjYINoWiLslCxbdLS
PVzcQbPXlKrAtac“Does it matter?” Ren Yi thought bitterly. Would being single make him any less “disgusting”?vcFwLBqxuqDLzwGyOUrhknscpfnrtU
xooLWMdHomBOnfiA mix of emotions churned in Gong Yingxian’s heart. He felt like he should be happy, yet there was no joy in him, because Ren Yi had once told him flatly, “I have no feelings for you whatsoever.”JDzOIFUNYeZbqFcPgmIXzjZULOmNYN
QaTQQLmuwOrssiSSo even after the breakup, there were still no feelings for him? Gong Yingxian clenched his fists, growing even angrier without knowing who this anger was directed toward. Was it solely at Ren Yi?jlTJFNTYNKVWsrHdGTideifmVHZbRV
ZcgaedWnOPTKpooAnd so they fell into silence, both of them quiet for the remainder of the drive to Gong Yingxian’s home.eOrUKmHXikbgBMidHZjNlQSjnEyRmo
KpZvpOoRmLcKLafUncle Sheng greeted Ren Yi warmly as always, but this time, facing Uncle Sheng’s smile, Ren Yi only felt a pang of guilt. If Uncle Sheng knew what thoughts he harbored toward Gong Yingxian, would he end up hating him too?KGqhYvXCBzhbFaYVeUuAgBiNdGeLDX
dhmcfGREcnbCXpsOnce home, Gong Yingxian handed Miao Miao to the housekeeper. “Give it a bath; I’m going to take a shower too.”GifZJtnfkKkLQotCYOVYfimoXueHwD
YIqpLSKWxTLtnMgUncle Sheng happily played with Miao Miao for a moment, then led Ren Yi to the dining room. “Captain Ren, are you hungry? We’ve prepared some late-night snacks, all your favorites.”VIKrGCxDkwicbadhJvUhMvnuWHNwWl
oCyUFhZOkrsauZKRen Yi chuckled awkwardly. “Thank you.”aKtPhPfwadLyZiBESNkSTDADxUWKBd
xJhrMqBTGgItBKB“Did you both enjoy the concert?” Uncle Sheng asked with a smile. “The young master even had me get him some casual clothes for the occasion. He hasn’t dressed like that in ages; it was like seeing him in his student days again. Such good memories.”NDitQLpwTdByfeOmXiZrPSDVtXMwtI
uejaUjesvvXOeqL“Oh, it was alright. Sounded pretty good.”BkNqRIINqoKieBYTMKWVumdwOVSyVa
xKMxyutkXOJWPHe“This was the young master’s first concert, you know. Before, getting him to go to a crowded place was like asking for his life. He would only push himself to endure such things for work. But because of Captain Ren, he’s crossed his limits several times. Dr. Pompeii is thrilled; he says your encouragement works better on the young master than any other method.”TSlgmEfOoZaFYgRzrAEZNiikhCHcSA
rbCneLAIdRuOyPx“Dr. Pompeii?”fyepHxIzzixBIHDdNTJdfWsqdZKmmE
IMqOQQnZeLgNyhK“Yes, the young master’s therapist. It’s thanks to years of his treatment that the young master can now mostly integrate into society. Dr. Pompeii even said he’d like to meet you next time he’s in Beijing.”uitGsiYPCvFyUMOIcMiSjMNiuuTqjP
DvObPhYQURTpKys“Oh, I see…” Ren Yi felt a bit rattled at the thought of meeting Gong Yingxian’s therapist. Just a few words, and he’d probably be exposed.YFprSWXiPyOEOPXPhhXSqwelWDkfsj
DHhqTvrfTgpIivl“Dr. Pompeii said that only someone who can genuinely get the young master to open his heart can guide him in the right direction, so having you as a friend is wonderful for him.” Uncle Sheng poured Ren Yi a cup of hot tea. “Captain Ren, we don’t even know how to thank you.”bleRGOMaiaTXHaDlafUigqyToOTFcT
NKoxOQndoaxGirhRen Yi felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, his face starting to burn with guilt. How could he be worthy of their trust and gratitude? If they knew what he really felt about Gong Yingxian—if they realized his thoughts weren’t entirely innocent—they would probably feel just as “disgusted” as Gong Yingxian did.JVhugbzQwSrACbSGoxtZILmCKajKsG
tMKaNWcUDuYiJDgHe ate a few bites, then set his chopsticks down, forcing a smile. “Uncle Sheng, I actually ate before I came, so I’m not too hungry.”tHAdYZSpPfoTQNEbjsLqIFbUweBSIH
QkqLcIpxsfaOdfK“Oh, that’s alright. Aren’t you two working late tonight? Just call me if you get hungry.”fYZSOZEbIsrjfdTKsAVmhtcBlpeMXC
pBynxkPtBsJvHihRen Yi couldn’t bear to face Uncle Sheng’s warm gaze any longer, so he mentioned wanting to check on Miao Miao’s bath.kKrEEDKvuxzJvoDLTKEjeQjLRtmkXx
PebgmtWiOHtgJOFBy the time he arrived, Miao Miao’s bath was almost finished. Ren Yi helped the housekeeper dry her off.kQHafpFbncdslGOyBpIIEUiSsWHzlN
TMMNHHPluNoFYWdFreshly bathed, Miao Miao’s fur was soft and fragrant, even with a bit of new fuzz growing over her previously burned spots, making them much less noticeable. Holding Miao Miao, Ren Yi decided to take her to show Gong Yingxian.vBZcVbHVbCkeGunoImZiGWSzpvwgpJ
RoXBZSiUcUcqXoxWhen he reached Gong Yingxian’s bedroom, he noticed the door wasn’t fully closed. It seemed as if Gong Yingxian had entered in a hurry, leaving it ajar.fyoZdKLxyiORpXqttTYCSRiQjjJdGx
pajyrNyrPoYEvdaRen Yi gently knocked twice, but there was no response. A hint of worry crept in; Gong Yingxian was usually intensely private, so leaving his bedroom door open was almost unheard of. Ren Yi remembered how Gong Yingxian hadn’t slept in days, and his complexion had shown signs of exhaustion and low blood sugar.nFIgYyQETSEWxFqQYQAWQMTrKgAiOb
MvpoHWwCCZvkvAuAfter a moment’s hesitation, Ren Yi quietly pushed the door open and found Gong Yingxian lying on the bed in his pajamas. His slippers were still on, and he hadn’t covered himself with a blanket—hardly looking like he’d intended to sleep.GhvLvwtqYcgPvvpbbuRMDZmSgGcrJe
oUzHaQaKeekaQhVDamn, could he have fainted?iBlnTYHuCHjQzQSjLpzSpErjZKyCJQ
LTPIxCgcDKhXTFzRen Yi, feeling increasingly worried, approached and called softly, “Yingxian? Yingxian?”KLTERQiKkcIiAutqfhHzxekGQRvrrD
pbBifbkFxCMJASKGong Yingxian didn’t respond, his breathing steady, deeply asleep.jSayYKSBMPHxGUTsZJHXLEBvvqcxBM
FCeOlSkaBFGRdXtRen Yi set Miao Miao aside, recalling how Gong Yingxian was usually a light sleeper—it didn’t make sense for him not to wake up. If he couldn’t wake him, he’d have to call a doctor.BQMPnCHufoNsRzwqRcanEWfzSuhyFW
RjzVxoNgQjJvJoLHe gave Gong Yingxian’s shoulder a couple of gentle shakes. “Yingxian, wake up. What’s wrong?”fOYtIzfcupSLmBSuhFiRsTNRkQWYlP
VrUHwFbFyvRolbnSuddenly, Gong Yingxian’s eyes shot open, startling Ren Yi so much he instinctively withdrew his hand. But Gong Yingxian, acting on reflex, grabbed Ren Yi’s wrist and pulled him down onto the bed, simultaneously pushing himself up.QeRxSBnkCWmMqKQtpcDwHOFbaUABBO
inYDvNhYGofkgaY“What are you doing?”OEOgfNvPSReNiTawZVPZieVoLJdKHl
zrnDhgdbGTUOUXLHaving just finished his shower, Gong Yingxian was only wearing a bathrobe, the belt loosely tied. As he sat up, the front opened widely, leaving him practically exposed.bOxGwikKHyGiKQnZBJVUGYPHPwttRB
HLSFCAqdZBGyjsKRen Yi’s face was nearly pressed against Gong Yingxian’s chest, catching the faint scent of his post-shower freshness. His mind went blank; he couldn’t find any words.CToxeTBIKuffogpdHBrhoaCYHESDFa
VoYlWjsdEpoHJoSGong Yingxian shook his head, clearing his foggy mind a bit. “What are you doing here?”yBCuQVNxjRNBttVpCRbKhYiUaGSnIA
HTuIdNcKBkdcQGD“I… I brought Miao Miao to show you, and… I thought you might have fainted. Were you… did you faint?” Ren Yi stammered, realizing what he was saying. He quickly retracted his hand. “I didn’t mean to touch you; I just thought you’d fainted.”aGtcFjNUtDhhJumEJwoCEsffRaBfgl
gTZZlTiwrScWPsaGong Yingxian’s hand was now empty, and the familiar warmth and sensation vanished almost as quickly as it had come. A sense of irritation rose within him.xpfbqULNrUeYTXUrogorJrMjEkyJzA
DybJzBmzLWIONGx“I was so exhausted after my shower that I just wanted to lie down for a bit.” Gong Yingxian noticed how Ren Yi’s gaze darted everywhere except toward him. Lowering his head, he saw his robe hanging open and immediately understood Ren Yi’s discomfort. He considered closing it, grabbing the fabric, but hesitated and didn’t move.AUTuPRQQFaCAnWdjGINyUKEYKXFXqA
NUwPjcXDxfeGhsyRen Yi, avoiding his gaze, turned his attention to Miao Miao as though he were seeking refuge. “If you want to rest, go ahead. Don’t wear yourself out.”APqYPBmeMXdFZVxIsKUYGOmxqVqsDr
ozTbMunLkmWbTaYGong Yingxian lifted his gaze, fixing it on Ren Yi with an unreadable intensity. “Have you and Qi Xiao… done it?”NynjjjdMWPPhtFpwVCUchEWHHVqZDa
UrMyvQBDTwLsKEORen Yi froze, his whole body stiffening.tbJZRiylNGmKMGXhGvUYFjcKUsuQTZ
vBwrRGTYFtUqhLJGong Yingxian narrowed his eyes. “Since you have thoughts about men, have you ever fantasized about doing it with me?”VsSukMrDeInhdkyKZnVBaLnSzZpqHe
fbeVgpmQBdeGnpWnnTeEtREPSpCtROszsFJkirxndiDzm
Holy smokes! I’d die if the next chapter wasn’t ready to read immediately after this!! 😅
I had to keep going!!! Someone told me it’s happening around chapter 100 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳