12

 Song Yu was somewhat surprised.

Did he really have to come and break up with him?

He originally wanted to wait until Lu Baiyu couldn't stand being cuckolded and drag him to Zhou Qiao to explain the truth. After all, no husband could tolerate someone impersonating him and taking over his wife to do intimate things.

He didn't expect 009 to be urging him so urgently.

[Or should we wait two more days?] Song Yu hesitated.

Zhou Qiao had already suffered a lot during the three months that Lu Baiwei was missing. Now she had to break up with him because of an imposter. If she couldn't control her emotions, she might become depressed.

It would be better to let Zhou Qiao know the truth and dump him on her own initiative. Firstly, it would fit the plot, and secondly, it would let Zhou Qiao vent her anger.

Suddenly, his waist was hugged by someone behind him, and his back was pressed against a solid chest. Song Yu's shoulders shrank.

Then, hot breath sprayed on his cheeks, which were still flushed.

"Ayu, are you still not asleep?" Zhou Qiao's voice became a little low in the night. "I'm sorry for what happened earlier. I shouldn't have kissed you so fiercely."

"I've already changed the sheets."

Song Yu's cheeks were burning.

This was the second time he had soiled the bed.

He closed his eyes, letting the other's strong hands massage his shoulders, his voice tinged with sleepiness: "Qiao, it's okay... I'm going to sleep, you should rest early too."

"Goodnight."

Song Yu was probably really sleepy. After being kissed until he was breathless and then teased by Lu Baiyu's trash talk, he had no strength left and curled up in Zhou Qiao's arms, falling asleep without any defenses.

A small part of the curtains wasn't completely closed, revealing the dark night sky outside. Zhou Qiao stared out the window for a few seconds, then his gaze fell on Song Yu's profile.

In the room lit by the nightlight, Zhou Qiao gazed at Song Yu quietly for a long time, as if the longer he stared, the more completely this person would belong to him.

But Zhou Qiao felt a sudden, inexplicable panic—as if he would lose Song Yu at any moment.

The comfort of holding onto the boy and the fear of losing him were two complex emotions intertwined, causing Zhou Qiao to completely shed his usual mask of pretense.

He no longer presented himself with a gentle, harmless face. Instead, his pupils were dark, and when he wasn't smiling, his expression was cold and unapproachable. He

had worn this mask for decades, hiding it well, never removing it except in front of Zhou Yun.

Yet, in front of Song Yu, he hated this mask immensely—if Song Yu had even a shred of affection or pity for him, it was only for this gentle

version of him. Song Yu had never seen his true self.

If she did, would she still want to talk to him?

Zhou Qiao's question was superfluous, because regardless of which version of him he was, Song Yu had no intention of living with him permanently.

The next afternoon, Song Yu broke up with him. In

that instant, Zhou Qiao's blood seemed to freeze, his rare genuine smile stiffened at the corners of his mouth. He stood rooted to the spot, opened his mouth, but found himself unable to utter a sound.

Just that morning, he had asked him what he wanted for lunch, helped him hang the laundry, and clung to his arm, saying he wanted a milkshake… How could it be that in less than a few hours, he was breaking up with him?

Zhou Qiao's temples throbbed. Even after doing so much, he had remained calm, but Song Yu's two simple words plunged him into despair.

A full half-minute passed before he heard his own stiff voice: "What did you say?"

Song Yu was startled by his voice, but 009 had just said that only a breakup could trigger the hidden plot.

He pursed his lips and simply confessed all the bad things he had done recently: "I'm not Lu Baiyu, my name is Song Yu."

"I've always hated Lu Baiyu, and this time I pretended to be him to get close to you just to spite him."

Song Yu's voice trailed off: "I'm sorry..."

After portraying himself so badly, he didn't dare look at Zhou Qiao's expression. He lowered his head, took out a bank card from his pocket, and, fearing it wouldn't be enough, even took off his small wristwatch, placing it in his snow-white palm and handing it over.

"Now Lu Baiyu is back, using the person at your house. I don't want to lie to you anymore, you two should be together."

Zhou Qiao stared at the bank card in Song Yu's palm, then at the other's face—a face filled with only guilt, not heartache or lingering affection—for a few seconds, feeling utterly ironic.

He knew, of course, that Song Yu had approached him under the guise of Lu Baiyu, but he thought that after spending time together, Song Yu would have developed some genuine feelings.

But no.

Only he had completely fallen for her.

Logically, he should be angry, should pretend he knew nothing and coldly rebuke her, but now he only had one thought—not to break up.

He didn't want to separate from Song Yu.

The man's tall frame completely enveloped the boy, tightly gripping his wrist, his face turning pale: "I don't want any of this."

He even confessed the truth he'd always known: "I have nothing to do with Lu Baiyu."

Song Yu froze, his eyes widening: "...What?"

Zhou Qiao didn't explain further, seemingly unwilling to mention Lu Baiyu. His lips were straight, his entire being shrouded in a gloomy aura: "I won't agree to break up."

Song Yu's mind was in turmoil, his thoughts still lingering on the previous question: "What happened between you and Lu Baiyu? What exactly is your relationship?"

Did Zhou Qiao know his identity all along?

Then why... didn't she expose him, but instead cooperated with him in those intimate things?

Song Yu's face flushed slightly: "You...aren't you Lu Baiyu's wife?"

Before Zhou Qiao could speak, 009 suddenly sounded in his mind: [You have triggered a hidden plot. Lu Baiyu and Zhou Qiao are not in a romantic relationship. You need to further investigate the true relationship between the two.]

Song Yu...Song Yu's head was spinning.

He was already slow to react, and now he didn't know what to say. He subconsciously bit his lip, staring at Zhou Qiao's arm that was grabbing his arm.

He didn't have time to be surprised or angry. He took a deep breath and took the opportunity to ask her: "...Then you two are...uh—"

Zhou Qiao rushed over like a wild dog and slammed him against the door. She probably held back, because he wasn't hurt much, just a little dizzy.

The back of his head was still protected by her hand. Before Song Yu could even look up, his lips were pressed down.

His lower lip was a little fleshy and soft. With a gentle press, it automatically separated from his upper lip, forcing their lips apart and pulling his tongue out little by little.

A sour feeling...

Song Yu whimpered softly. Soon, his legs were lifted up and draped around the man's waist.

That was the only point of support.

Afraid of falling, Song Yu immediately wrapped his arms around Zhou Qiao's neck, but the other seized the opportunity to launch a second, even more ferocious kiss.

...

Song Yu finally went out wearing a mask.

Although he didn't look in a mirror, he knew his face must look terrible.

His lips were numb and swollen, almost losing all feeling, and his cheeks were painfully pressed against his skin.

He slowly descended the stairs, his legs weak from the kisses, the man following leisurely behind. He wanted to turn and tell him not to follow, but fearing another kiss, he quickened his pace.

After the kiss, Zhou Qiao only asked once if he wanted to break up. Upon receiving an affirmative answer, she wiped his face, straightened his clothes, and knelt down to help him change his shoes.

Song Yu's anger was trapped in his chest, unable to erupt. Besides, he had already slapped Zhou Qiao the second time she kissed him, striking him squarely on the bridge of his nose and right cheek.

…He hadn't meant to; he had only intended to push her away, but the other man had pressed his face against his.

A humiliating red mark remained on the man's nose.

So Song Yu regained his strength and left, only stopping after they reached the bottom of the stairs and got into a taxi.

Looking in the rearview mirror, the man remained standing there, head bowed, his expression unreadable.

Song Yu didn't want to pity him anymore; the price of pity was too high.

Nothing unexpected happened on the way home. Song Yu quickly washed up and snuggled into bed, not waking up until evening.

When he woke up and checked his phone, only Lu Baiyu had sent him a message.

【Open the door when you wake up; dinner is outside.】

Song Yu stared at the message, slightly stunned.

He checked again to make sure he hadn't mistaken the person.

No, it was Lu Baiyu. They weren't exactly friends who would prepare dinner for each other, were they?

Song Yu ran to the door and looked through the peephole. Sure enough, there was a plastic bag hanging outside, containing takeout containers.

He called Lu Baiyu directly: "Hello."

The other party seemed to have anticipated his thoughts and proactively said, "The Lu family is a bit chaotic right now. We've sent people to protect you. Don't wander around recently. If you need anything, just send me a message."

Song Yu drawled an "Oh," before opening the door and taking the plastic bag back. He didn't hang up, and to his surprise, Lu Baiyu didn't hang up either. Thinking of the task 009 had given him, he tentatively asked, "Did Zhou Qiao recognize you? I've already told him I'm a fake."

After a moment, Lu Baiyu spoke up: "He's willing to break up with you? Didn't he get anything from you?"

Song Yu's shoulders trembled slightly, and he lied: "No..."

Lu Baiyu didn't know whether he believed him or not: "I didn't have time to see him, but—"

Song Yu thought the other was about to tell him their true relationship, so he pricked up his ears to listen carefully to what the man was going to say next, but the next second—

"I'm still a virgin." "

And my first kiss too."

Song Yu was stunned: "..."

How did the topic suddenly turn to this?

He awkwardly wanted to stop the other from continuing, afraid of hearing something strange, but it was too late.

"I've never been in a relationship, I'm very clean."

"Those things I said to you last night, I haven't said to anyone else."

"..."

Song Yu thought of those trash words that could be called sexual harassment again, why did Lu Baiyu bring them up again, and his tone didn't seem to be much ashamed or remorseful.

He opened his mouth, his voice trembling with embarrassment: "Lu...Lu Baiyu..."

Lu Baiyu hummed in response: "I'm a little busy right now."

"I have something to tell you after this is over."

The other end of the line quickly hung up.

Song Yu's cheeks were still burning. He picked up the bag and walked to the table. Inside

the takeout box was a seafood porridge and some side dishes, as well as a pink, reclining bear-shaped cake.

Song Yu was a little reluctant to eat it, so he opened the porridge first.

The fresh and fragrant aroma stimulated his taste buds. Song Yu blew on it, slowly drinking the porridge while recalling what the man had just said.

If what he said was true, then Lu Baiyu and Zhou Qiao weren't in a romantic relationship as rumored, but rather they had something they needed to accomplish together, and he was using this identity as a cover.

Was that it? But what kind of relationship was it? What common goal could someone from a noble family and a child raised in an orphanage have?

Song Yu twirled the porridge on the spoon with the tip of his tongue, swallowed, and his lips turned bright red.

[Jiu Jiu, what do you think?] "

If this is over, will he tell me his true relationship with Zhou Qiao?"

But by then, wouldn't he have finished his mission and left the world?

009 said quietly, "I don't think that's what he's going to say."

Song Yu gave a soft "hmm" with a raised tone, looking puzzled.

009: "He might be going to confess to you."

Song Yu: "?" "

He says he's never been in a relationship, that he's clean, and that he's never kissed. Host, the protagonists who have said this to you before all have strong feelings for you."

Song Yu didn't know what to say, so he buried his head and ate in silence.

But thinking about it, it seems that the protagonists he's encountered, although their personalities are different, still share some similarities and habits.

Is it a data duplication?

Song Yu didn't have time to think about this question anymore, and turned to the true relationship between Lu Baiyu and Zhou Qiao. The hidden plot mission issued by 009 has a time limit; if it can't be solved, the progress bar might not be able to advance.

Song Yu looked at the panel again; after successfully breaking up, the progress bar had risen to 93%, and his points had also increased significantly.

He was one step closer to going home.

After unpacking the boxes, Song Yu found the shirt he wore today and felt the pocket—it contained a delivery slip. He had found this slip next to the washing machine while hanging up the laundry.

The delivery address was a welfare home in the next city, filled out with a pen, and the pages were yellowed, indicating it was from many years ago.

It seemed he still had to go to the welfare home.

Song Yu thought of Gu Linwei, and he suddenly sensed something was wrong—this man would message him every day, but it was already past 8 PM, and the chat history was still from yesterday.

Had something happened? Song Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately called Gu Linwei.

Half a minute later, the call finally connected.

Gu Linwei's voice was similar to usual, lazy and nonchalant, saying that there was traffic and he probably wouldn't be able to get home today.

Song Yu hummed in response, asked a few questions, and was about to hang up when a voice came from the other end: "Young Master Gu, didn't the doctor tell you not to stand up? What if you have a concussion again—"

There was no sound after that, probably because Gu Linwei covered his mouth.

Song Yu wasn't that stupid. Her tone became urgent: "Are you in the hospital? Are you injured? In the head?"

Gu Linwei coughed, realizing he couldn't hide it anymore, and said somewhat unnaturally, "Just a minor car accident, nothing serious..."

"Are you lying to me?" Song Yu immediately got off the sofa, not wanting to listen to his nonsense anymore. "Send me the hospital address right away."

Gu Linwei was silent for a few seconds, then heard a hurried and panicked voice on the other end: "Hurry!"

Song Yu hadn't been angry with him before, yet she was throwing a tantrum like this, speaking to him with a tone of utter disbelief... it was really... a bit harsh.

Noticing the assistant's expression, Gu Linwei suppressed his chaotic thoughts and gave Song Yu the hospital address.

About half an hour later, Song Yu arrived. He had probably run there; his cheeks were flushed, his chest heaving, and he was panting as he spoke: "What... happened to your head? Did you get hit by a car?"

If Gu Linwei could still put on an act on the phone, now, in front of Song Yu, he didn't dare to lie at all and honestly told him the truth.

It turned out that Gu Linwei had gone to the orphanage where Zhou Qiao and Zhou Yun had spent their childhood, but he couldn't find any records. Even using his connections with the director and staff, he couldn't get them to talk.

Gu Linwei had spent several days trying to persuade them, and finally, he accidentally obtained information from a child—

the orphanage had changed its name, moved, and all the staff had been replaced a few months ago.

Gu Linwei asked several more children where the former director and the adults who had taken care of them had gone, but the children, as if they had been given a prior notice, all kept quiet.

Children's world is still relatively innocent; they wouldn't do such things for personal gain. There's only one possibility—the people who made them do this are people they want to protect.

Needless to say, it's definitely the twins who have lived here since they were little.

Gu Linwei didn't continue with the files and planned to find the orphanage's previous address and ask people in that area.

That very night, he was knocked unconscious from behind with a stick and thrown into a car.

When he woke up, he was already at the hospital. He heard that the other person had even used his phone to call his assistant, asking him to come pick him up.

Song Yu's face turned deathly pale upon hearing this.

Gu Linwei immediately stood up: "I don't hurt at all."

Then, pointing at his assistant, he shifted the blame: "He insisted on bringing me to the hospital."

The assistant: "..."

Seeing his voice getting louder, Song Yu immediately reached out and pressed his shoulder: "Lie down quickly, don't move around."

Gu Linwei's heart fluttered at Song Yu's concern.

At first, he didn't dare tell Song Yu about it, partly because he didn't want Song Yu to worry, and partly because he didn't want Song Yu to see him looking like a ghost with his head shaved and bandaged. But now, seeing the boy's concern, he felt the blow was worth it.

He took Song Yu's hand in return, noticing the other's surprised expression: "I just finished an IV drip, my hands are a bit cold, and I don't have a hot water bottle with me."

The assistant: "..."

Who was it that just said those things are for little girls?

Song Yu could indeed feel the coldness in Gu Linwei's palm. He didn't pull his hand away, but sat by the bed to keep Gu Linwei company.

Gu Linwei was in a VIP ward, and the assistant, with great foresight, had someone bring in a bed and put it there.

Song Yu thanked the person.

He had originally planned to stay with him, and was even thinking about finding a hotel nearby, but with an extra bed, he didn't have to worry about it.

Gu Linwei's accident hadn't been told to anyone else, so it was just Song Yu and the assistant who had been keeping watch over him from beginning to end. For several hours, the man kept saying he wasn't seriously ill, but he needed Song Yu's company for everything. He'd complain of a headache one minute, and a cold stomach the next.

Song Yu had intended to put a hot water bottle on his stomach, but the man said it was too uncomfortable, so he warmed his own hands before placing them on the pillow.

The moment they touched, Song Yu felt Gu Linwei stiffen.

Thinking he was uncomfortable, Song Yu leaned closer: "What's wrong?"

Gu Linwei had half his face buried in the pillow, his ears red, and after a few seconds said, "...Why are your hands so soft?"

Song Yu let out an "Ah," trying to pull his hand away, but accidentally got poked by something.

Then he heard a strange, muffled groan.

Song Yu paused, not thinking of that possibility, and reminded him, "You can't sleep like that, you'll rub your head against your wound."

Gu Linwei gritted his teeth; it wasn't just his wound that hurt, everything else was even more painful!

Not only that, his temples and heart were pounding wildly, making his wound feel hot.

He had only intended to show Song Yu his abs so she would forget about that green tea bitch, but instead, he embarrassed himself.

Luckily, the hospital gown was loose, and the blanket covered him. Gu Linwei took a deep breath and steered the conversation towards the main topic to divert attention: "By the way, I heard that people in that area have seen Lu Baiyu."

Song Yu was taken aback: "When?"

"It was during those three months when he fell into the sea and went missing, but I think he probably had something to do."

Compared to people in their circle, Lu Baiyu was a much better swimmer; it didn't seem like he learned in a swimming pool, but rather like he learned by swimming in the wild since childhood.

Gu Linwei stood up slightly: "But I guess if we find the address before the orphanage, we can ask people in the area; we'll find something. I'll go there in a couple of days."

"You should focus on healing your wound first." Song Yu was serious like a little adult. Suddenly remembering something, she opened her phone and searched for the orphanage address, then asked Gu Linwei urgently, "Is this the address you went to?"

Gu Linwei hummed in agreement.

Song Yu opened the photo album and flipped to the most recent photo—a picture he had taken of a delivery slip.

"I think I know where the old orphanage was now,"

Gu Linwei said, looking surprised. He glanced at Song Yu's phone.

The address was about a hundred kilometers away from the original orphanage; it seemed to hold some secret.

Gu Linwei had already been stopped halfway through his investigation, and now, full of energy, he was about to change clothes and head over when Song Yu stopped him: "You need to rest."

"It's your brain, after all."

"It'll make you stupid."

Although the hidden plot mission had a time limit, the injured Gu Linwei was more important, especially since Gu Linwei was the only person he trusted in this world.

Song Yu made him lie on his side, still holding a hot water bottle: "Is your stomach still cold?"

The boy's eyelashes were curled, even more captivating under the light. Gu Linwei obediently lay down, the heat that had subsided within him reigniting.

He coughed, his voice slightly uneasy, "I need to take a shower."

Song Yu pointed to a corner, "Is that suitcase yours? I'll get you some clothes and a towel."

Gu Linwei immediately panicked, "No need."

He then called his assistant over.

He didn't know how long he'd be in the hospital, but he knew he wouldn't see Song Yu for at least a week, so he had his assistant bring Song Yu's clothes from home—the dirty clothes he'd helped collect at Zhou Qiao's house last time. Song Yu had said she didn't want them anymore, so he brought them back to wash, even keeping the underwear.

If this were discovered, he'd definitely be seen as a pervert.

Gu Linwei's face stiffened as Song Yu continued to warm his stomach, while he tensed his body to show off his even more defined abdominal muscles.

*

After resting for about four days, Gu Linwei was finally allowed to be discharged after receiving the doctor's permission. The two only went home to pack their luggage briefly before quickly setting off for their destination.

The location was in the suburbs of a neighboring city, about a three-hour drive away.

Last time, Gu Linwei investigated alone to avoid being noticed. This time, seeing Song Yu following him, he immediately arranged for a car full of bodyguards to follow.

Of course, he soon realized he was being followed.

Just as Gu Linwei was about to shake off the car behind him, Song Yu spoke up: "That should be someone sent by Lu Baiyu."

Gu Linwei narrowed his eyes, his voice tinged with impatience at having another rival in love: "Him?"

Song Yu then recounted the incident of being chased by Lu family bodyguards last time, and Gu Linwei's expression gradually became serious.

It seemed that it wasn't just Lu Baiyu's own affair, but also involved the entire Lu family, and perhaps many others in their circle.

That's why a force had been secretly hindering their investigation.

Gu Linwei's thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the phone. He glanced at Song Yu's phone screen, saw the name "Lu Baiyu," and scoffed softly.

Song Yu: "?"

Why did it feel like these two good brothers weren't on particularly good terms?

He didn't think much of it and answered Lu Baiyu's call.

On the other end of the line, Lu Baiyu's voice was deep: "Song Yu, come back."

Song Yu was now unsure of Lu Baiyu's side: "I... tell me your relationship with Zhou Qiao first."

Lu Baiyu was silent for a moment, then seemed to relent: "Come back, and I'll tell you."

Song Yu pursed her lips, said nothing, and hung up. Lu

Baiyu called again afterward, but Song Yu didn't answer.

Gu Linwei, standing nearby, raised his eyelids and casually asked, "Are they back together again?"

"..." Song Yu shook her head, "Lu Baiyu said he and Zhou Qiao aren't a couple, but he wouldn't say what their relationship is."

Gu Linwei frowned: "What else did he say?"

Song Yu thought for a moment: "He said he's never been in a relationship, and he's never kissed anyone."

Gu Linwei snorted coldly and uttered two words: "Useless."

Song Yu: "..."

After Gu Linwei finished cursing, he said: "Then it's probably a sugar daddy/sugar baby relationship. Sugar daddy/sugar baby doesn't count as a relationship."

He then reminded Song Yu: "Don't be fooled by him."

Song Yu hummed in agreement.

No more calls came in after that, and the two arrived at their destination smoothly.

If it weren't for the address, Song Yu wouldn't have been able to find this place. It was a complete ruin, the low, dilapidated houses bearing the marks of unfinished construction and the remaining half of the walls showing signs of fire damage.

A fire at an orphanage was big news, but Gu Linwei had checked and found no related reports in the past decade.

It seemed a lot of wealthy and powerful people were involved.

The two first inquired with older locals in the vicinity. Most didn't know anything, but one piece of information was useful.

"A while ago, some children saw people and lights there, saying it was haunted. Some news anchors went in and were all hospitalized from fright."

"Are you news anchors? Be careful, value your lives, don't wander around aimlessly."

Gu Linwei and Song Yu exchanged a glance.

It seemed there was something to investigate inside.

After thanking the man, they didn't waste any more time and headed towards the abandoned orphanage.

Even in broad daylight, the dilapidated old building was still eerie and terrifying. The weather was already gloomy, and a cold wind occasionally blew through the building.

Song Yu shrank back, feeling a sudden heaviness on her shoulders.

Gu Linwei took off his coat and handed it to him: "I'm here."

The man's low, husky voice was very reassuring.

If it weren't for the bandage wrapped around his head.

Gu Linwei, afraid of alerting the enemy, had his bodyguards stand guard outside. He originally planned to go in alone, but Song Yu insisted on coming along, so he reluctantly agreed.

He held Song Yu's hand tightly, afraid of losing him, and even pointed out where there were steps to be careful of.

The only sounds in the entire old building were Gu Linwei's voice and their footsteps, empty and echoing above the ceiling.

The two circled the building twice. The walls were burned down, leaving only some horizontal lines for height markings; there were no other clues.

Gu Linwei: "Let's go around one more time. If it doesn't work, we'll go back."

Song Yu nodded.

This time, the two were familiar with the layout, focusing their attention on the walls and floor.

When they reached a corner, Gu Linwei suddenly grabbed his hand: "Wait a minute."

Song Yu stopped, asking nervously, "What's wrong?"

Gu Linwei released him and paced back and forth on the floor.

Song Yu also sensed something was wrong; the voice was different.

Was the floor hollow?

Gu Linwei took out tools from his backpack, tapped around for a bit, and pried open the empty floorboards. Finally, an iron ladder attached to the wall came out.

Song Yu's heart pounded, her breathing quickened, and her adrenaline surged.

Although it looked dangerous, the two decided to go down and check it out.

The ladder was difficult to climb and rusty, so Gu Linwei took out gloves from his bag and put them on Song Yu before going down first, supporting her from below.

They made it down smoothly.

Inside was a long corridor with dim lighting.

It seemed there really was someone there.

Song Yu swallowed hard and was led forward by Gu Linwei. Soon, they found a room.

The door wasn't locked, and Gu Linwei used the dim corridor light to turn on the wall switch.

The entire room suddenly appeared brightly lit before them.

Upon seeing the scene before her, Song Yu was shocked—the room was filled with newspapers and photographs.

He followed the newspaper's pages; most of it was previous reports about the orphanage—donations from local tycoons, adoption information,

and… the final fire.

Song Yu stared at the photos of the tycoons, whom he didn't recognize, so he shifted his gaze to the dozens of children standing in front.

Two identical children stood on the far right.

Song Yu pursed his lips.

Those must be Zhou Qiao and Zhou Yun.

He noticed the adult above them, a young man with a kind smile, whose appearance… somewhat resembled Lu Baiyu.

And the child next to the twins looked very much like Lu Baiyu now.

Song Yu's heart skipped a beat.

Could it be…?

The cracking of his clenched fist interrupted his thoughts. Song Yu glanced at Gu Linwei, finding his face stiff, eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the newspaper he was reading.

Song Yu loosened his lip and asked softly, "Are you… alright?"

Gu Linwei's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice hoarse: "I saw my dad."

Song Yu froze.

"Not only my dad, but also my uncle, my friend's dad… many elders from our circle were there."

Gu Linwei clenched his fists. Although he didn't know the truth yet, he vaguely guessed that the children at the orphanage were connected to them, and even the fire... was very likely something they had orchestrated to

cover it up.

When his gaze fell on a certain child, Gu Linwei's expression turned even more shocked.

He saw his own younger brother.

Gu Linwei suddenly squatted down, covering his head.

Song Yu thought it was a problem with his wound and said in a panic, "I... let's go upstairs. I'll help you up after we call more people in..."

He turned around, only to see two people behind him like ghosts.

They had identical faces.

Song Yu's legs went weak, but after realizing that the two people opposite him were Zhou Qiao and Zhou Yun, he inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

They... shouldn't hurt him.

Both of their gazes were fixed on Song Yu.

Soon, Gu Linwei, pale-faced, stood up from the ground and shielded Song Yu behind him.

Song Yu could feel that his back was soaked with sweat, and cold sweat kept pouring from his forehead.

"Looks like you saw everything."

It was Zhou Qiao who spoke; Song Yu recognized him from his clothing.

Zhou Qiao's face, illuminated by the fluorescent light, appeared exceptionally cold and unapproachable, a stark contrast to his usual gentle demeanor. His expressionless face was even more chilling than Zhou Yun's beside him.

"Looked over there?" Zhou Qiao asked softly, gesturing with his chin towards the wall to his right.

The wall was covered with photos of many people, many of whom Gu Linwei recognized. Most of them had an "X" marked on their faces with a black marker.

Gu Linwei saw his father's photo.

"Those are our enemies," Zhou Yun suddenly said coldly. "I was going to let you go, but you showed up again."

Gu Linwei smirked. "Do you need to let me go?"

"Then I won't." With that, a sharp knife appeared in Zhou Yun's hand, its metallic sheen gleaming with a sinister aura.

Song Yu cried out in fright, "Zhou Yun!"

Zhou Yun's hand holding the knife paused.

“Gu Linwei knows nothing… He… he has nothing to do with this.” Song Yu’s voice trembled noticeably, her eyes red with fear, yet she still spoke up for him.

Gu Linwei glanced back at Song Yu.

Zhou Qiao lifted her eyelids, her gaze finally settling on Song Yu: “Promise me one thing, and I’ll let him go.”

Song Yu’s heart pounded: “…Wh-what is it?”

“Come to me first.” Zhou Qiao’s voice seemed to have returned to its usual gentleness.

“Don’t go! Song Yu! They won’t hurt you. I don’t care what happens to me, don’t do this for me—”

“Your wound has reopened.” Song Yu interrupted him.

Gu Linwei froze; the gauze on his head was stained with blood.

“I don’t want to see you hurt anymore.”

Song Yu whispered, then without hesitation, she pushed her weak legs towards Zhou Qiao.

Everyone in the room stared at him.

Soon, Zhou Qiao took his hand and glanced at Zhou Yun, who was still staring at Song Yu: "The guy across from you doesn't seem to know that his brother was hypnotized."

"Tell him."

After Zhou Qiao finished speaking, she ignored Gu Linwei, whose pupils had contracted behind her.

Even after leaving the room, Song Yu was still worried about Gu Linwei, constantly looking back.

"Don't worry, we won't kill innocent people." Zhou Qiao squeezed his hand tightly. "Don't look at other men."

Song Yu believed Zhou Qiao's words: "Then... why did you scare him like that?"

"It wasn't to scare him." Zhou Qiao led him through another path. "It was to bring you over here."

Song Yu pursed his lips and didn't speak again.

After a while, he noticed that Zhou Qiao was limping. Looking down, he saw bloodstains on the other man's trouser leg.

"Your leg..."

"I accidentally scratched it."

Song Yu didn't quite believe it. Zhou Qiao seemed to be someone who could tolerate pain very well. If he was walking like this with a limp, it must be a very serious wound.

After leaving, they got into a black sedan. There was a driver in the car who seemed to know how to bandage. He carried a first-aid kit and helped Zhou Qiao treat his wound.

Song Yu saw it. Sure enough, the wound was serious.

He huddled in the corner, trying not to look at the other person, but the strong smell of blood was impossible to ignore.

Finally, he couldn't help but call out to 009.

009, knowing what its host was thinking, immediately administered the medicine to Zhou Qiao.

"The wound isn't serious, no need for injections. Just rest well." After bandaging the wound, the driver went to the driver's seat and drove off.

It seemed they were heading back to Fog City.

Song Yu leaned back in his seat, and soon, his hand was taken.

Zhou Qiao was pretending to sleep, but still held onto his hand tightly.

Song Yu didn't pull his hand away, sitting in his seat and licking his lips.

"Thirsty?" Zhou Qiao suddenly asked.

Song Yu glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded.

Soon, Zhou Qiao opened a bottle of water and handed it to him.

After he finished the water, he handed him two sandwiches.

Song Yu had only eaten breakfast, and not much at that, but his appetite was much larger than usual, and he finished both sandwiches.

Zhou Qiao wiped the crumbs from his lips: "Are you full?"

Song Yu nodded.

Zhou Qiao didn't say anything more, holding his hand the whole way.

They returned to Xin'an Apartment, arriving home completely dark.

Song Yu was led into the living room.

The door locked with a crisp sound.

Song Yu stood in the middle of the living room, as if sensing what was about to happen, not daring to look at Zhou Qiao's face, only staring down at his toes.

Zhou Qiao glanced around the living room.

It was filled with traces of Song Yu's life. A water glass with a puppy pattern on the table, a white plush blanket on the sofa, fluffy slippers, colorful paintings, cartoon refrigerator magnets… instantly transforming Zhou Qiao's world from black and white into vibrant color.

He wouldn't let go.

Even if he died, he would die beside Song Yu.

This was something Zhou Qiao thought about every day after their breakup.

Of course, there was another thing.

"My foot is injured." The man moved closer to Song Yu, leaning slightly forward, his breath enveloping the frail boy, leaving him nowhere to escape. "I can't put any weight on it."

He saw Song Yu's shoulders trembling violently, his eyelids, which he dared not lift, slowly turning pink.

"Xiao Yu,"

he whispered, gently brushing his lips against hers. "I'll lie on the sofa; you know what to do.

"

After leading Gu Linwei out of the basement, Zhou Yun let him go as agreed.

As darkness fell, he, as usual, was dressed in all black, almost blending into the night.

After buying a quick dinner from a street vendor, Zhou Yun returned to his and Zhou Qiao's home here.

The house was old and small, but he had once fantasized about bringing Song Yu here, to his own room, to see how he used to live, and to show surprise or pity.

Zhou Yun sat on the sofa; the living room lights were off, moonlight streaming in from the balcony.

Suddenly, he felt his heart pounding.

Something soft pressed against his cheek, and then his tongue felt a distinct touch—soft and hot. He

felt suffocated, not just on his cheek, but also on his ear.

Zhou Yun's breath caught in his throat.

He lay back on the sofa, finally understanding where that sensation came from—

it was like someone was sitting on his face.

*

Lu Baiyu called Song Yu countless times, but his phone was switched off.

He tried calling others, but no one answered; finally, only Gu Linwei answered.

The other person's voice was hoarse, as if they had suffered a heavy blow.

"Where is Song Yu?" Lu Baiyu didn't have time to answer him.

"Zhou Qiao took her back to Wucheng." Gu Linwei said dejectedly, "Lu Baiyu, you... grew up in an orphanage?"

Lu Baiyu didn't hesitate, casually replying, "I'll tell you some things later."

Then he hung up.

Going back to Wucheng should mean going back to Xin'an Apartment.

Lu Baiyu picked up his car keys, his fingers paused, and he suddenly thought of something. He opened his phone and entered the monitoring software.

The lights were off, but upon closer inspection, there were two figures on the sofa.

The visuals were blurry, but the sounds were exceptionally clear.

For example, the sound of something being sucked by a tongue.

And sobs of unbearable pain.

...

Lu Baiyu didn't know how long he stood there, until his whole body began to stiffen, before he heard a loud slap coming from the phone.

"How annoying..."

"So annoying..."

"Get out..." Even

the crying was soft.

...

When the lights came on, there was no one on the sofa, only a very messy blanket.

Lu Baiyu's gaze fell upon it.

A small patch was stained with pale yellow watermarks. 

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