That day when Chu Ci got off work, he received a phone call. Unexpectedly, it was Han Qiang calling. Without any preamble, he asked, “Are you free tonight? Let’s have a meal together?”
Chu Ci glanced at his watch. “Sorry, I can’t. Maybe next time. Han Yue he…”
He only said half the sentence and swallowed the rest. A faint weariness in his tone carried an almost imperceptible subtlety.
Han Qiang was well aware of his younger brother’s almost pathological possessiveness and let out an awkward laugh. “Haha, then you go ahead with your work, your work.”
“You can just say it on the phone. There’s no one next to me right now. What’s wrong? Did something happen to sister-in-law again?”
“Ah… you’re an understanding person, so I won’t hide it from you. Your sister-in-law is being paranoid at home all day, making it inconvenient for me to handle things outside. Do you remember that girl A Ling? She’s five months pregnant already. It’s said to be a boy…”
“What, you can’t arrange things properly?”
Han Qiang sighed. “I want to buy an apartment outside the Third Ring Road for her, but I’ve been too busy lately. You’ve probably heard from Han Yue—Old Man’s been insisting we keep a low profile. On top of that, your sister-in-law is acting like a spy, so I really can’t handle it personally. You know my circle of friends—none of them are as careful, discreet, and reliable as you. I thought about it, and only you can help me with this…”
Chu Ci frowned and smiled faintly. “It’s just secretly buying an apartment. Why call it a favor? It’s a small matter.”
Han Qiang was overjoyed and praised him repeatedly. “Good brother! Loyal! Truly loyal! Han Yue really didn’t misjudge you!” In his excitement he forgot that Han Yue had practically forced the relationship in the first place, and only realized it after the words came out. He coughed awkwardly. “Anyway, don’t misunderstand. I’ll definitely thank you properly afterward.”
“It’s fine. Ask the mother of your future son what she wants in terms of location and layout. Otherwise, I might pick something you don’t like.”
Chu Ci agreed so readily that it surprised Han Qiang. After all, house-hunting was physically exhausting, and choosing a place for a woman was especially troublesome. Most people wouldn’t want to deal with it. Moreover, it had to be kept strictly secret—Han Qiang’s wife might not be able to cause major trouble, but if she found out, it would surely turn into a domestic war.
Han Qiang repeatedly reminded him that Han Yue absolutely must not find out, and that A Ling’s existence must not be revealed to anyone. If word got out, someone might harm his unborn son. He rambled on for a long while before hanging up.
Chu Ci slowly tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. He did not start the car, nor step on the accelerator. He simply sat motionless, staring into a patch of drifting dust in the air as if lost in thought. Only when all the people in the parking lot had left, and nearly every car was gone, did he slowly close his eyes, a faint, icy smile appearing.
It was already nearing late August. Chu Ci’s birthday was approaching.
Han Yue was putting immense effort into preparing for it. Strictly speaking, this was the first birthday he would spend with Chu Ci. In the past two years he had been in the military and unable to return; last year, due to confidentiality rules, he couldn’t even make a phone call. To win Chu Ci’s favor—and to make up for the fact that he had once beaten him so badly he caused gastric bleeding—Han Yue decided to make this birthday grand, romantic, classical, and unforgettable, hoping to finally melt that heart as cold as an iceberg.
First, he booked a luxurious courtyard-style villa at a farm resort in Weichang. He had people bring in large pots of brightly colored chrysanthemums, peonies, and camellias. He even had a fountain installed in the courtyard with colored lights and streamers. At night, with fireworks lighting up the sky and water flowing beneath colored lights, it would be like a paradise on earth.
His plan was to take Chu Ci horseback riding on the grasslands during the day—he had personally selected two well-tempered, purebred horses. At night, they would return to the courtyard for fireworks, then roast a whole lamb over a bonfire. The lamb would be freshly slaughtered Altay castrated sheep, freshly roasted on-site—tender, fatty, golden and crisp, the kind of meat that made you want to swallow your tongue. He even prepared two bottles of fine rice wine. After the meal, it would be late enough to sleep, and they could lazily rest until afternoon the next day.
Han Yue felt the plan was flawless. The more he thought about it, the happier he became. A few days before Chu Ci’s birthday, he even went to Cartier and ordered a pair of LOVE series platinum men’s rings. What a clever idea—once the ring was on the ring finger, it would clearly signal “taken.” Who would dare covet Chu Ci then?
On the early morning before Chu Ci’s birthday, before dawn had broken, Han Yue eagerly got up to prepare everything. Once everything was ready, he sat by the bed and patted Chu Ci’s face. “Get up, get up. We’re leaving. It’s a long drive.”
Chu Ci sat up irritably, rubbed his brow for a long time, then lazily went to wash up.
He was indifferent to the celebration. Going out for a day would be fine, but it would be better if the companion was not Han Yue. If he had to spend his birthday with him, he would rather stay home reading, watching films, or even playing games—anything that let him remain in his own world without talking to or engaging with Han Yue.
Han Yue ignored his resistance. Knowing Chu Ci liked soy milk in the morning, he quickly heated it while Chu Ci washed up and stood waiting with the cup, ready to leave the moment he finished.
It was still dark when they got into the car. No daylight yet. Chu Ci immediately felt sleepy. Han Yue asked enthusiastically, “Want something to eat first? I’ve got steamed buns in a thermos.”
Chu Ci shook his head.
“Then sleep. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
Normally, when they traveled together, Han Yue insisted on talking while driving, and Chu Ci had to respond occasionally or he would get angry and lash out to get attention. Today, however, he was unusually quiet.
Chu Ci felt a faint sense of unease. This didn’t seem like him. After some hesitation, he still decided not to risk it. “I’m not sleepy.”
Han Yue glanced at him. “Your eyes can barely stay open. Sleep. Cover yourself with the coat—it’s a bit cold in the morning.”
Chu Ci said nothing and turned to look out the window at the passing pavement. After a few minutes, he could no longer resist. His eyelids grew heavy, his head slowly nodding forward.
In a haze, he heard Han Yue sigh, almost smiling. “See? I’m much better-tempered now, aren’t I…”
Chu Ci thought: temporary improvement doesn’t change permanent nature.
But he did not say it aloud. Soon after, he fell into a deep sleep.
He slept very soundly, until rising temperature gradually woke him.
The air inside the car seemed to grow hotter and hotter. Even though the windows were fully open, it didn’t help. It felt as though tiny electric particles were flowing through the air, irritating the skin and making the mind restless.
He tried to sleep again, but couldn’t. Something felt wrong. “Han Yue…”
“You feel it too? It’s hot, right?” Han Yue had already taken off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, revealing strong bronze-colored arms. “No choice. I’ve turned on the AC, but even with the windows open it doesn’t help. The wind outside is hot air.”
Chu Ci looked out. It was still dark, dawn barely breaking. They were on a mountain road, steep slopes on one side, and there were no other vehicles except their Mercedes.
“Did you take the wrong road?”
“No, it’s this route.” Han Yue hesitated slightly. “…Why don’t you check the GPS?”
Chu Ci opened the bag, looked at it, and said, “It’s broken.”
Han Yue’s expression changed. He snatched the GPS and slammed on the brakes.
Chu Ci was thrown forward by inertia, a sharp twisting pain suddenly surging in his stomach. It was impossible to describe—the pain spread like venom, piercing through his entire body. Every muscle, every inch of skin, from head to toe, was burning, twisting, as if he had been thrown into fire and roasted alive.
Before he could even make a sound, he collapsed onto the seat, fingers convulsively gripping the leather. In a blur, he felt himself being held tightly. Only seconds later did he realize it was Han Yue.
He tried to open his eyes, but his vision was blurred. Cold sweat was soaking his forehead, running into his eyes. He vaguely saw Han Yue in no better condition—his face twisted in pain, muscles spasming violently, yet still gritting his teeth as he pulled Chu Ci’s white coat from the seat and wrapped it around him.
“Get out of the car!” Han Yue shoved him and shouted sharply. “Run back the way we came. Don’t look back no matter what you hear. Go!”
Chu Ci couldn’t even stand at all—he couldn’t even sit upright to support his own body. He wanted to ask what was going on, but the moment he opened his mouth, he violently coughed up a mouthful of blood.
When that blood came out, Chu Ci himself didn’t even feel it. In fact, due to the intense pain and dizziness, his senses had already gone numb. His body went completely limp and Han Yue caught him in his arms in a flash.
“Chu Ci!”
That shout was almost heart-wrenching.
Han Yue came from a military family. He had guarded borders, been stationed abroad, served on battlefields, and killed before. He was someone who didn’t even blink when handling firearms. Yet this single mouthful of blood shocked him so badly that his hands and feet went weak, his mind going completely blank.
Only when Chu Ci collapsed into his arms did he violently shudder. Forcing himself through the overwhelming shock, he viciously pinched himself hard, compelling his mind to regain composure.
On the road ahead of the car window, three Hongqi[1]a prestigious Chinese luxury car brand. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2511522_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2511522_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); vehicles slowly approached at some unknown point and stopped about fifty meters away from them. The middle car’s window was half open, but it was too dark inside to see who was seated. The doors of the two flanking vehicles opened immediately, and several people in radiation-protection suits rushed out, confronting Han Yue’s group from a distance.
Han Yue didn’t even look at them. His eyes were fixed tightly on the motionless middle Hongqi vehicle as he roared, “Long Jiwei, I’ll let you do whatever you want with me! But there’s someone in my car—you must let him go!”
One of the apparent leaders stood between Han Yue and the Hongqi vehicle and shouted, “Apologies, Second Young Master Han. Director Long’s order is a covert operation. Anyone in your car must be eliminated—no traces can be left. ‘Old Long’ will awaken soon; for safety, you should leave that vehicle immediately.”
Han Yue’s expression changed sharply. He gritted his teeth. “Damn it… you’ve even brought out ‘Old Long.’ You’re going this far to wipe everything out… that bastard…”
The leader’s tone turned overtly threatening. “Second Young Master Han, please do not act rashly. Your parents are still in Beijing.”
“Get lost. My parents served the revolution their whole lives—what can you possibly do to them?” Han Yue checked Chu Ci’s pulse. Seeing his condition deteriorating rapidly, he made a ruthless decision. “Fine! Long Jiwei, I’ll go all in today. If you’ve got the ability, kill both of us!”
The leader found the situation increasingly difficult. Controlling Han Yue was critical to the Han family; capturing him alive was necessary to extract evidence to strike the entire family.
But Han Yue refused to leave the car. Killing both him and the passenger would defeat the purpose—political struggles aimed to dismantle entire networks, and eliminating a single Han was not sufficient payoff.
Before he could report for instructions, Han Yue’s car suddenly roared to life and, in an instant, turned around and accelerated away.
How was that possible? In such a high-level radiation field, a normal person should have been incapacitated by pain and shock—at best crawling on the ground. Yet he could still drive?
“Director Long! The target is escaping. Should we—”
From the motionless middle Hongqi vehicle came a low command:
“Pursue.”
The left vehicle immediately started and chased after them.
By then, dawn was already faintly breaking. On the dim mountain road, two cars raced downhill almost bumper to bumper. The distance was far too short to escape the radiation zone. Han Yue’s internal organs were in searing pain, his entire body feeling as though sliced by countless blades. Blood surged up his throat, but he forced it back down through clenched teeth.
His mind was completely unfocused, consciousness scattered to the point where he could barely hold the steering wheel. If he stopped now, he would be caught—but even if caught, he likely wouldn’t die. Long Jiwei’s target was the Han family as a whole, not just him.
However, if he were captured, given Long Jiwei’s usual ruthless tendency to eliminate all loose ends, Chu Ci would almost certainly not survive.
Ahead, a sharp hairpin turn[2]A sharp hairpin turn (or hairpin bend) is a severe, U-shaped curve in a road or path that forces vehicles to turn almost 180° to continue their route. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2511522_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2511522_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });suddenly appeared on the downhill road. By this point Han Yue had already lost full awareness; he could only watch as the car drifted outward. At such extreme speed, centrifugal force pulled the vehicle into an uncontrollable trajectory, sending it straight toward the cliff.
Even braking no longer mattered.
In that instant, his mind became eerily clear, with only one thought:
If Chu Ci dies, I won’t live either.[3]Damn this Han Yue making me root for him even with his bad temper ackkk save me jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2511522_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2511522_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });
A loud explosion suddenly echoed across the quiet early-morning highway, followed by the sound of something plunging off the cliff. Birds were startled into flight, and the forest rustled violently.
The lead man hurried to the Hongqi vehicle and reported through the half-open window, “Director Long, the target vehicle has overturned and fallen off the cliff. Should we retrieve it?”
Long Jiwei sat in the back seat wearing a black windbreaker, eyes closed as if resting. His face looked unexpectedly young, somewhat androgynous, making his age difficult to determine. His long hair was tied into a bundle behind his head, draping over the seatback. His skin tone was slightly darker than average, his features sharp and defined—at first glance, he resembled someone from a minority region in the southwest.
He was silent for a moment. “Any vital signs in the car?”
“Yes. Both individuals are still alive.”
“Go down and retrieve them.”
“Yes!”
Just as the subordinate turned to leave, the driver in the Hongqi vehicle answered a phone call. After listening, he handed it to Long Jiwei.
“Director Long, Deputy Minister Yu wants to speak to you.”
Long Jiwei frowned slightly and answered in a displeased tone, “Hello?”
After listening for a moment, his expression darkened. “What? You’ve already taken control of Commander Han in Taijiang? Who else is in Beijing—Han Qiang? …Don’t worry about where I am right now… so what if no report was submitted? I’ll explain it myself when I return…”
He paused, jaw tightening.
“Fine, I understand. See you at the institute in one hour.”
He hung up heavily, his face cold as ice. “Let’s go.”
The driver asked quietly, “Do we still retrieve the targets?”
“Forget it.” Long Jiwei closed his eyes. After a moment, he let out a cold snort. “Saying it’s ‘control’—in the end, it’s still protecting the Han family. These entrenched aristocratic clans…”
As if sensing his displeasure, something inside his sleeve suddenly moved.
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