Chapter 99
Gong Yingxian struggled to open the car door and placed Ren Yi on the back seat. Ren Yi lay back comfortably, half-opening his eyes to look at Gong Yingxian, “You’re… taking me home?” His mind felt muddled, his vision blurred, but all he could remember was “home.”ndOudrbSWYtlRUntxXFlYOdSvhwgrV
PbiMEGlBtYReZOU“Yeah.” Gong Yingxian buckled Ren Yi’s seatbelt, took off his coat, rolled it up, and placed it under Ren Yi’s head. “We’ll be there soon; get some rest.”tzyBzqLvTzsNqXyuruCDaprbRYSZLS
RSQoLjXktkMMzPDRen Yi found Gong Yingxian’s voice soft and gentle. Though he couldn’t see his face clearly in the dim light, he figured it must look warm and kind. Being treated this way while sick… it was nice.JhsfAnpvzpKapEEzaTuJlxmxfTJNUb
oKDmqSQxiJnNyYZHe closed his eyes peacefully.AbdbTfDroMAVWXGDonvXkyLqgUHbam
ePYUQzVttTOGqAgAfter glancing at Ren Yi a few times, Gong Yingxian gently closed the car door, got into the driver’s seat, and drove off.XvPsmNhybqMZMRzUiAOSZuVFDozqKu
JYjSSOIFZyuVwbgRen Yi’s home was quite a distance away, crossing half of the capital city. By the time they arrived, dawn had broken.caDiIEpKPDcofuWBZHtkyTLoReoGes
hiDcjGCzTDPhATaRen Yi had fallen into a deep sleep. Gong Yingxian opened the car door and, with some effort, pulled Ren Yi out from the back seat, realizing then that his fever had worsened—he was practically unconscious.hjTjxwjrFKkxGGbmWGmKtuIjLYOssD
auxRDPOwtAQDdfjAnxious, Gong Yingxian scooped Ren Yi up in his arms and hurried upstairs.jGqflKZztqykkgkjgFQwIhGrauCLiY
sgBhWsnoevlilZzWaiting at Ren Yi’s doorstep was Gong Yingxian’s family doctor, with two large boxes at his feet—a medical kit and an insulated container. The doctor was yawning heavily from exhaustion.DvRJSXaJPmNTECjnXYMrCkARVxswyi
DjWYhFipqOytXRu“Young Master,” Dr. Wang straightened up at the sight of them, looking more alert. “How’s he doing?”cErxtHzFfqtCisGzzeTKQQgQoRLEyE
luJYYnKKkRHASelGong Yingxian replied worriedly, “He’s been out in the cold all night; his fever’s gotten worse.”FxSYLHmIaahdjnJbWvMLjLWsuaxzfp
sZnTAeGOvVXfovnInside, Gong Yingxian carefully placed Ren Yi on the bed, then stepped aside to give Dr. Wang room to work.waoZiwDOxRmwsHAAYlcDCpnXTmRFqR
CuTJxrAhLCItVQGDr. Wang took Ren Yi’s temperature and administered a fever-reducing injection.KqFrflJUyrdoAFoJWimySEgtnPxOAE
zZDDNNUGGCnlNgTRen Yi mumbled incoherently in his sleep, his body drenched in sweat.istqrdiFwWVGJQVbsnMatOaYyeAaor
DDDXHBVHSNVsomGGong Yingxian, concerned, asked, “When will his fever go down? Could it cause any lasting harm?”DXMfWXuJFMCEbPKCosVLxSmUurgvFL
JtmjIxjGsXZEBos“39.2°C—not alarmingly high. The injection should help. If you want to bring it down faster, you could rub him down with alcohol.”QgvJSJjlSGymZsBwAZiutqyIetbhbI
ojqHBXHWLfMVPmK“Rub… rub his body?”txFztAPJfBRfUjhFZvtgNTTaSXRGAU
FjQhSeQHJjwZQpNDr. Wang nodded, looking at Gong Yingxian expectantly.CQPrTxswNwMCIWnGNoLSqbnDTAuCpW
oKWnuDdoYjrxsLWRubbing him down would mean undressing him, and undressing him would…vpudVJJkdoBErIWvCMZvSaubzVOinb
qLsOwtRmplyErXGGong Yingxian immediately dismissed the idea, “No need for that.”DwGEaPcWsASLVLfVrYVxoMfjsvgYgj
rxoLGxaHEswxqWLDr. Wang looked relieved. Woken before dawn, he just wanted to get back to sleep. “That’s fine. His condition is stable now. Once he wakes up, have him eat something. The insulated container has food that Steward Sheng prepared; just warm it up. Have him take his medicine half an hour after eating. If he still has a fever by tonight, I’ll come back to give him another injection.”rpdDyAVbFvtFBNGdBrDySvzZFvHbvJ
qOPYOTuICweEXHdGong Yingxian nodded. “You can go now.”SXPNMsBGaDnTqWnpZyVjbuutHsTMpS
kpOboXdIWVYhzmtDr. Wang glanced at him and advised, “Young Master, you don’t look much better than he does. No matter how busy work gets, you need to take care of yourself. If you keep pushing like this, I’m afraid you’ll end up sick too. If you don’t rest, I’m calling Captain Qiu.”tumIuymYzqwcQfiFoyYlHfLkxCOyIx
ipAroULzlsBFWWgSince New Year’s, Gong Yingxian hadn’t slept more than four hours a night, and exhaustion had definitely caught up with him. After another sleepless night, his eyelids were heavy, and his mind felt weighed down. “Sister Yan has already pushed me to take a break. I’ll take a couple of days off.”GFZENqRejijgVuPnWkBpWHJyngXsuP
mKUXLGhWNakWRBX“Good, call me if anything comes up.”UBNIDcZSegFTooMkdxprpTnVkRRhtF
jJIWodPoQLIwvYMAfter Dr. Wang left, Gong Yingxian sat by the bed, quietly watching Ren Yi. His gaze lingered on every inch of Ren Yi’s skin, and he reached out, gently stroking his hair and tracing those handsome features.yzKvheEcNqtgJUWVxECipfMCfKdiJe
byHAGlVJILBUEMyEven though he didn’t want Ren Yi to be sick, he couldn’t deny that he liked having this version of Ren Yi, completely at his mercy. It allowed him to be as close as he wanted, to touch without restraint, without any need to hold back.SVpxhHrrcDroptvWIEzMVXMWRiOVqh
aKEAylhyySflIItThe only thing missing was a response.EwuaJXxcvXHKwTaTFiZhurBUcOhAMT
FjtazbFEqmYyKKXTaking a deep breath, he pulled back Ren Yi’s blanket and removed the sweat-drenched clothes.ufLgrJfxOkGfsboJbYXTtMhuCWjBDE
UzViVVEdgIuImMmRen Yi’s skin had a faint red flush from the fever, and his usually strong limbs now lay limp and weak. As he looked at Ren Yi’s peaceful, sleeping face, Gong Yingxian felt a twinge of guilt. He reminded himself that this was all to help lower the fever. Pouring some alcohol onto a damp cloth, he carefully wiped down Ren Yi’s body.mugBFlRAERICHcQiuZjQJHjmhekVyv
osXPUcprtfGBybtBy the time he finished, dawn had fully broken. Gong Yingxian was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open, and he was starving, yet he had no energy to eat. All he wanted now was to get some real rest.GBLTCEPAvwDHXHreTuWHrUvppXZunN
xDcYXzAfuleQAvfHe carefully slumped down beside Ren Yi, pulling him gently into his arms.jymbkLmwgzoGoLFoXiPrdQzhUUuBEy
tOvgndJojdNZXQoSo warm… He wished he could hold him like this forever.JmkIRBLoBTkARHBFdLdMJSaNnsvJcl
sCyrmYTkurXdHrrHis recent bouts of insomnia weren’t just due to the overwhelming workload. The masked figure, Ziyan, had resurfaced, dredging up buried fears and pain. He felt compelled to throw himself into the investigation, to hunt down the culprit relentlessly. If he paused, even briefly, he risked being engulfed by a darkness he couldn’t escape.PYXccFhKAuEeuSfkOmLMnVVJttfaLC
CwZiGePCLiqaVXRThat’s why he feared rest, even dreaded sleep.YNQjlFvQkrXsgfmvGhUVTKHKecKSzD
fctWJxCAEdRIYATBut holding Ren Yi, his heart finally felt at ease. All those floating, uncertain, and anxious emotions slowly settled as he absorbed Ren Yi’s warmth. He even forgot about the pillow he usually needed to fall asleep. Just holding Ren Yi like this was enough to let him drift into peaceful slumber.FZJVHAjCLyldWTBjhFgTgROUjLkxSS
OMnYNhWIGGwZtkj***jgTEDMUAEGbzAkhmJoHIwNIlxWuAuM
VCQOxpyTZFSeFYrIt was unclear how long he’d been asleep when Gong Yingxian was startled awake by the sound of his phone ringing. Groggy, he grabbed his phone and held it to his ear. “Hello?”SfwmsvEkjtBOWMFoxKkPQNCRFoIlOW
LSyCgtmllvSoNBq“Yingxian, are you home?” Qiu Yan’s voice came through.OftQgKsvYEjDFpbUgQHeKBDwpKbSHt
TtxjaVuMHyyFjVK“…Yeah.” Gong Yingxian glanced at the still-sleeping Ren Yi beside him. “What’s up? Do you need me at the precinct?” For the first time, he didn’t want to go to work, didn’t want to leave this warm, almost otherworldly little room.apxSkTqfjRXcxAZDCOuGktPVnHiFkP
rVKTpKIpIBnnJIA“No need. It’s just a document that might’ve been filled out wrong. I wanted to confirm it with you, and also share the preliminary findings on those two bodies.”qPlRSqwByqEokKHFDzhiVMoFUgZpQv
oJAGSFvyBtkiWVlGong Yingxian breathed a discreet sigh of relief. “Alright.”RrOYANHRhnNrVVQJtLOfcqaklVFEcJ
mnvGVYYZFRJxILTAfter they finished discussing work, Qiu Yan added, “Since you’re home, I’m giving you a two-day break. You can’t keep burning yourself out like this. I’m afraid you’ll wear yourself down before you catch Ziyan, and haste makes waste.”MsjfGrZWcclUPKKbNdzuuwaYbbtUYw
qjhpJMfBhdPhvIZ“I understand.”ZGQvqJhDaAbRiBFdyGjwzpzYOyKMmT
QqCWIEPfUYfzszo“I heard Captain Ren was the one who retrieved the bodies from the well last night. I also heard he has a fever?”MCSMRqPTGnYRKzdAbUafeICxiIsCTh
bZryBEIFZecjNYR“Yes, he was out in the cold all night.”ltFYhkwZtLbnfYTbqZJnhYWeJONzJf
vdXESfgkfUQXcRd“He’s really gone above and beyond. I’ll visit him at the hospital later with some health supplements on behalf of the precinct.”eEEYbLQTgJcTbnysAcpbVkBsxASoeZ
nVQBDOuZVNlVWTn“Uh, that’s… not necessary.”gjFalOnfHPVyqKKSiUFcTnTQjYSGul
PincmXSSfHaXHuo“Why not?”uNZlXrEFUFDKYJrloqUYyAdhjsKONH
IiLygWKlrzowlYXAfter a moment’s hesitation, Gong Yingxian replied, “He didn’t go to the hospital. He’s recovering at home.”bmBUgCPOHQeZbcqeCAuFZUeXVFFOQg
hntejFsnmdJhQkwQiu Yan, sharp as ever, picked up on Gong Yingxian’s unusual tone and seemed to guess the situation. “Are you at his place?”UPGDXTbbaEptrlhFBvENxhuULkndjB
ADASjAkIyOgKqjW“…Yes.”fGWLnRrmgzzQiYiQeBBmWBLJauQuDH
UTMUmCRDINSMcejQiu Yan fell silent, a silence that made Gong Yingxian inexplicably anxious.laQlbUMFAAmXiSOovQdzOBpQWbhGTG
OfKoaYvmbIoiOQr“Then take good care of him.”TquvZYFWNjoXLFTxoyPpsaBDcyLkbu
oXxpzgZYuRmmUdb“Got it.”cORFStjYIWjvZjcfOYxjmlSuUmoiKe
vFPrwDPjafQnUXGAfter hanging up, Gong Yingxian let out a long breath.goFHoJDKmJChPjfcjSXvGmpbDdsPOP
ZBGVtJlfUJiftqaSuddenly, Ren Yi’s eyelashes fluttered, his body stirring as if he was about to wake. Startled, Gong Yingxian quickly scrambled off the bed and pulled a chair over to sit by the bedside.JgRmDIPpYswnieXigmjekVJVwbPKmE
VQzCgVfViZuPVIjAfter a moment, Ren Yi awoke, feeling groggy, his throat burning painfully, and his swollen eyelids barely able to stay open.XcnqBQiaxPnkIdPKgmaVgCWIfnAEhj
ptVJHCkmcqyBpYAWith one hand propped on the bed, Gong Yingxian leaned over to look at him. “You’re awake.”ehixeyrxbyuxOtLcWCrCknbSUDZXeP
HWQdxMPuvNcslmQRen Yi looked at Gong Yingxian, his mouth opening slightly. “Thirsty.”lDjiqlJQHcOwHaOltFtrFyqSGbRBtI
HYrinVWHdTGsuUcHis voice was hoarse beyond recognition.gkQqAeShDqMGvculvZXCQfxFaTiDdQ
BDFOExZzwzTcFubGong Yingxian helped him sit up against the headboard and poured him a cup of warm water. “Drink slowly; don’t choke.”uxlwFWqGoEIzroBixyiVOCjbXdyOHp
OhwSlTAWmbtrNyaRen Yi gulped down the entire glass, feeling as though he’d been roasted over a fire all night, thoroughly dehydrated. “Another glass.”wNUsFMvkVqLCXWyDCJSvUDhOchjFAx
CCnVZcWtprWLJHzGong Yingxian poured him another. “After you finish, have some porridge. You’ll need to eat before you can take any medicine.”hWsVzmYmjmUBzwcPQXWCBhSfmWcxNU
vZqunCxBtdcnMBARen Yi looked at him, bewildered. “You brought me back?”WuPtjhRtWFVdyJpliscspNpSIvlXUS
uyqPipqWGnAcote“You don’t remember?” Gong Yingxian reached out to check Ren Yi’s forehead. “It doesn’t feel as hot as before.” He handed him a thermometer. “Check again, to see if your fever’s gone down.”gnAVTCEXLfuUPBCmeTqYJFjEIzLtOF
cQANEYxFqDIprMZRen Yi didn’t take it;instead, he continued to stare blankly at Gong Yingxian.LNFClXAPUAcVUIdDTRifxsMapmWVYO
uxGKmHLfjwqHlFsRen Yi’s reactions were a bit slow, his mind stuck on the thought that he was sick, and Gong Yingxian was taking care of him. Such a nice thing—maybe he was feverish and hallucinating.hzocjxbMjDJCrBIevufiwQQemaESro
MTmErkoizzrIvvcWith flushed cheeks, damp eyes, and a sluggish expression, he looked completely different from his usual sharp and robust self. Gong Yingxian had never seen him like this, not even the last time he was hospitalized. Now, Ren Yi looked so weak, so pitiful. Gong Yingxian swallowed quietly, barely able to take his eyes off him. His heart softened into a pool of spring water. He cleared his throat, removed the cap from the thermometer, and said, “Open up.”TeoWRpNkvhhDmsDJiodTAtGnQauMPj
pbABvrwGkwMTEnh“Ah…” Ren Yi obediently opened his mouth.wdDQkHvnhUspwbHmAaEghQUDMGzztQ
GYVTBfLemEtrzDuGong Yingxian placed the thermometer in his mouth. “Take it out in two minutes. I’ll go warm up some porridge.”VBRoReousxyidcPPgEQtQhsDxkRflk
AbhvXAjDdbHJBMmRen Yi held the thermometer in his mouth.VyNBoXcQChzLpxasqqmwBIZHRcAqIJ
FaGYGbVnDixNgdvUnable to resist, Gong Yingxian reached out and gently pinched Ren Yi’s chin. “Did you hear me?”YkIILMFkPDqFkMJPXnixBdGMvORnLy
iPiiHuGDGfpWPdyRen Yi nodded.rmumwNRNvnANJJIrlbyNdiehTLjAQE
OECihrCtJvvGmyuOnly then did Gong Yingxian stand and leave.DNTfovuSlesvWoageWcPkcbfqafgOL
TMWBplDmgvklOFBThe meals Steward Sheng had prepared were in the insulated container and were at just the right temperature—no need for reheating. He took out two white porcelain bowls, filled them with porridge, and added a few light side dishes onto a small plate. Placing everything on a tray, he carried it back to Ren Yi’s room.WbmDMdRpvOQxzqMaKFVcShJzlEEngY
YwuCIPrJzttYHwE“38.3.” Ren Yi seemed a bit more alert now.CSQdHTuGGYNvOELkIBDjaDuhGZMMsg
YjIXsUagHqLLUNz“Your temperature’s gone down; it was 39 this morning,” Gong Yingxian said. “Dr. Wang mentioned that if your fever doesn’t subside by tonight, he’ll come back to give you another injection.”JAIoccNyiHBimkKPlDKtgRKixVuMEu
nmyRNZogKYNkXYWRen Yi glanced at the tray. “You haven’t eaten either, huh?”IEjoceeGLVqVeYyZAnlXhteHPJidme
nTmnOayMOswQYhL“No, I was too tired, so I slept a bit.”HAUqefBQOLQWPpwaxAZeCfevOjUXtx
mNBAvRdjJcoktxJGong Yingxian placed the tray on the bed, picked up a bowl, and handed it to Ren Yi. “Eat something, then you can take your medicine.”IPLtyvZExGGpSNyxoMweebKXJsXbXo
RlfMAwZuipvhRYMRen Yi took the bowl; he was already starving.mhGkRHlDulIiWTmkbetxdlQRUEQsen
MwYsfyFxNlisyhEAs the soft, mushy porridge slid down his throat, he felt a bit of relief from the scratchy pain in his throat. While eating, he struggled to piece together his muddled thoughts. “What time did we get back? Who’s handling the follow-up over there?”AeENGEUvOsBHAAyUSkniujKTOlQUfA
rCeRyZoVchWTzMS“Around six or seven. There are plenty of people there; you don’t need to worry.”IgqDtlxWQDKgGQomsErGYnzAQRZFXU
tPNhnqBFfOiXxLCRen Yi nodded. “Yang Bo and Captain Yan are there; it should be fine.”VIwENOMONXccZwkZgrfNqIvliDoUco
FofyVulMopayHVRGong Yingxian didn’t respond; both names Ren Yi mentioned bothered him.txnQXzTwCqjzffASuxcbgTZrCTPigj
JthdJkQvNSjKOxt“And the two bodies? Were they sent to the forensic lab?”BPgwBdTZrrpiOwZAiTyhQDtTGNXPas
JqjfbDGVgxNmMAZ“Yes, they’re looking into their identities now. Yan-jie just told me it’s two females—one adult and one child—possibly mother and daughter. If they are indeed missing together, that’ll be easier to trace.”vrIByIXwBHuGnBJyTgdvvtZogQwnhr
ISbNxxYKtAlIRKcRen Yi didn’t have the energy to get angry, but just thinking about a child among the victims filled him with sorrow. Being sick amplified that sadness, making his chest feel unbearably heavy.hfKARoMNpjsiLvgOhWNRCrZJNmUXdw
hREPBixJWKQkrwS“This mother and daughter should lead us to the killer soon enough. It’s likely that the perpetrator held a strong emotional connection to them, whether love or hate.”jUqxYkGGNQyLKegBDosRUfTrAwvedv
CBsobvKMAduWrrp“How do you know?”ZHlsDicVZiOcjfXdPesOkCBBwUteKt
iSoUttUyNbRjXoL“We’re not sure yet if they were burned alive or if they were killed first and then burned. But then they were dumped into a foundation well, a place where light never reaches. Most arsonists aren’t particularly interested in murder; any deaths are usually incidental. But the way this mother and daughter were treated—burned, then deeply buried—carries a clear message of hatred. It’s almost symbolic, like some twisted punishment. This wasn’t a random killing. The perpetrator knew them.”teShfYtERygAyaXohwfbiuefLQOwTG
hcHvmlVBPnPNwHTRen Yi struggled to process the words, a chill running through him. His hands trembled, and the bowl nearly slipped from his grip.PsEUGvEdhItwQJtbVDejVFJIisAUGW
wWTSxACYoddljsJGong Yingxian quickly reached out, catching both the bowl and Ren Yi’s hand, holding it securely.xpWHJeCzPpewLrVgupCSkHzHPNZuQC
wvcUmcghvwLNdEzBoth froze, a powerful warmth passing between them, a heat that quietly spread through their bodies.lrjDLQggWqRYwDZiOiiRlnYnnsQiEz
KLrOwtUTcaOXSquGong Yingxian murmured, “Can’t even hold a bowl properly?”houitjGCSkfSaZRQsCeEFTkgSaYFdv
UjrjRPIFYZgYEOl“…”UfuihrEflmpPJKQbJbGPZUllREwHzh
kFmqIhweCeWCGWY“I’ll feed you.” Gong Yingxian took the bowl from him.WbNutvxRpLHWgjHyGFnTWUtkcXqOOs
timhULzAjpUPyhtRen Yi was so stunned he thought he’d misheard, too shocked to think clearly. He stammered, “N-no need.”KSJWlXBnivgvtpZSBJYfLOmxnmVUnm
AMokcjNdjeDVCsK“Stop talking.” Gong Yingxian awkwardly scooped up a spoonful of porridge and brought it to Ren Yi’s lips. “Eat.”VdhzCgNdCmgMWFVQryPzPzQGfDGwIS
rAyaFHuWUpdbWyNRen Yi stared blankly at Gong Yingxian, opening his mouth stiffly to take a bite.ondGbeiMkKrBuAcXisJNgTlhzsIkiM
ebcQAgTKKcMEniGAs he watched Ren Yi gaze at him, licking the corner of his lips after each bite, Gong Yingxian felt his cheeks grow hot, wondering if he was getting infected with Ren Yi’s fever.PbpPPswgSLImBeMGoClyBfEyTFzgrO
KyKdoCKYVphLrbXFinally, after finishing the bowl of porridge, both were drenched in sweat.TfLiAtBHIJYMFYqJvRiBBdOEqLKpUJ
IDDlAuvswBwglHuAfter tidying up the dishes, Gong Yingxian returned, now holding a book. “Do you want to sleep, or would you rather stay awake? If you’re not sleepy, I can read to you.”ykThTolEmpJRMarolMsoCRmanodYZu
vRkZjjxIicLvuqDThis unexpected attention left Ren Yi feeling overwhelmed. “Aren’t you supposed to go back to the precinct?”nUrrfSgmRtJwYlbAzFcGhYszfSKGKL
IkKzDNHwjmoyZau“I’m on break.”kwjNuezIclLQgaifdSAVgLAiPFVxnS
XhbxsWhLcwKHyNqRen Yi blurted, “Is it to take care of me?”wrWKZPtCsLZnBPSWzNApmNBRDNlTSn
mCrZnjxVocFFYqQGong Yingxian froze for a moment before replying, awkwardly, “I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Yan-jie insisted I take a few days off.” He paused, adding, “And… to take care of you, too.”YjlSfiDhyWXWvxqEWTaNWMhXlgiFHJ
RdQJjJOwWxeYaWERen Yi smiled knowingly, happiness lighting his expression. “What book is that?”gIOPBAXyfPGzbEGJRPBdnKUCKAFykp
ofUZrTtUWSIgnsl“A detective novel by Ellery Queen, The Tragedy of X.”MFEQutJSOprZLGGrDmxsifoPwjbFFj
UqnFsDzKVWYFZkm“Alright.”MdVJuUgeohguFiETaUbYOqwCAiutDL
bZkQCWypWSDfsatGong Yingxian opened the book and started reading, barely a line in when—aVpvUJICzyghvigRUurlUesfFlpJJK
tJiBGCBQRXREPQO“Could you…move a bit closer?” Ren Yi asked, “I have a bit of a ringing in my ears.”ZsnjQLYcoixIthOnzNXDECydZVSQIp
UfEAmqWYbOrEXHZGong Yingxian looked at him for a moment, then shifted to sit on the bed, leaning against the same pillow as Ren Yi.cDHslPIgMblGQhvhVLMPBIgCsYSdbW
yjsMUUHjUXbvWuLRen Yi let a contented smile cross his face.lTMTAoYTJxXbxUIGpsjwGXgpKlNwvd
yLqzPMqFcUeWZJvtLETEitWSluocXxVZyjkCChYXiRlzi