Liao Ran had spoken with such certainty that everyone believed him, and indeed, his words were almost treated as ironclad proof.
Qin Yi smoothed out her palms to inspect them carefully. Having spent these past few days selecting decorations for the engagement banquet, she nervously twirled the luminous dust between her fingers. “Is this stuff toxic?”
Adjusting his sitting posture as a wave of fatigue washed over him, Liao Ran caught his breath. “It isn’t radioactive by nature, but swallowing or inhaling a large amount of fluorescent material carries a risk of heavy metal accumulation and chronic poisoning.”
The young girl immediately dropped her chopsticks and sprinted down the hallway in search of a restroom.
She was always scatterbrained and liable to wander into the wrong place again. Qin Jiu hurried after her, spreading his arms like a mother hen flapping her wings to herd the headless-fly of a girl. “You’re going the wrong way. I’ll take you.”
Fearing any mishaps on the return trip, Liao Ran spent the hours-long drive sitting in the passenger seat with his nerves strung taut, eyes wide open and refusing to let his guard down.
To him, Bai Ji was a Grade-A hazard requiring constant vigilance, especially in unfamiliar surroundings.
There were even moments when he genuinely felt Bai Ji might devour him.
Safely back at the police station, amidst the paint-peeled desks and chairs and the antiquated projector, surrounded by this territory he had known so well for years, a wave of exhaustion overtook Liao Ran.
Just as he lowered his head, Bai Ji’s palm caught his chin.
“Don’t sleep here. Take a day off, and I’ll take you back to rest.”
The moment Qin Jiu stepped inside, he saw a startling sight: Liao Ran resting his head against that man’s wrist.
His cheeks burned fiercely, feeling he had returned at the wrong time, and he stepped half a pace back.
His younger sister, Qin Yi, was shaking her hands. “Why aren’t you going in? Did they leave?”
Tilting her head to take a look, she saw they were still there, and walked toward Bai Ji with a beaming smile.
The girl generously extended her hand, only to suddenly realize the water from washing up hadn’t dried yet. “Handshake canceled, but I suppose we got off to a rocky start and are friends now. Qin Jiu is my older brother, and I’m Qin Yi. I’m a fashion designer. Your build is quite nice, are you interested in modeling for me?”
The man stepped forward, tall and upright, needing to lower his head to speak to her. “Bai Ji. I work at the Academy of Sciences.”
“Oh, an expert! What field do you research?” From a young age, Qin Yi had zero resistance toward high-achieving, knowledgeable people, especially someone with such angular yet refined features. His facial structure carried a heavy presence, blending delicacy with an air of authority.
“Botany.”
“I love flowers and plants the most. On my bedroom balcony, I have fifteen different species of potted plants, cacti, night-blooming cereus, and hibiscus. But my clivias always seem to die.”
Qin Yi wasn’t exaggerating; her older brother constantly teased that she must have been a savage in her past life, decorating her room to look like a primeval jungle.
On this topic, Bai Ji actually had some advice to offer. “Clivias have very strict soil requirements; they need regular soil loosening, good aeration, and proper drainage, otherwise their roots rot easily. As for the night-blooming cereus, it typically releases volatile substances at night that can stimulate the nervous system, leading to insomnia and dizziness. It’s not suitable for growing in a bedroom.”
With stars in her eyes, the girl happily grabbed his arm. “Idol, can you teach me more about planting? My engagement is in a week, and I haven’t decided what kind of floral clusters to use for decorating the banquet hall. You can help me choose, preferably flowers that can bring me happiness.”
Liao Ran coughed a few times, braced himself against the desk, and walked past the pair.
He stepped on a crisscrossing chair leg and lost his footing.
Instinctively, Bai Ji reached out to steady his arm, but was brushed off.
“You’re busy answering questions, don’t let your little fan down,” Liao Ran muttered heavily, emphasizing the last word. “Expert.”
Qin Jiu tactfully stepped forward to support him.
Liao Ran handed a pack of plastic bottles over to him. “Take these to my office. This matter is important, let’s talk.”
Qin Jiu opened one of the boxes, poured out a few golden round pills, his expression shifting drastically as he hurried to follow.
Left behind in the conference room, Qin Yi tilted her head with a mischievous smile at the corners of her mouth, her gaze intensely fixed on the distracted man as if still savoring Liao Ran’s words.
Bai Ji was no social butterfly, and his demeanor grew stiff and unnatural. “What are you looking at?”
The girl clicked her tongue. “Doctor Liao’s possessiveness over you is so intense. I thought you two looked suspicious before. What is your relationship with him?”
Unable to fathom Liao Ran’s thoughts, realizing that his sudden coldness might be due to this very reason, Bai Ji felt as though honey had been smeared over his heart. “You’re a sharp kid, but don’t meddle in adult matters.”
“Tch. You’re only six or seven years older than me, why do you sound so old-fashioned?” Her curiosity thoroughly piqued, Qin Yi forced the topic back. “How far along are you two anyway? Tell me, I promise I won’t tell anyone.”
Faced with her persistent questioning, Bai Ji shook his head and remained silent.
Qin Jiu paced back and forth in his office, a stark contrast to the composed Liao Ran.
“Where did this batch of Xiaoyaoxian come from? Such a large dosage, it can’t be a personal transaction; there has to be a syndicate behind it.”
With figures blurring before his eyes, Liao Ran rubbed his forehead. “It originated from the person who abducted me. It’s highly likely to be smuggled from overseas, with local accomplices in our city repackaging it before flooding the market.”
Qin Jiu suddenly understood. “No wonder that guy fought so desperately. He was walking around with massive trouble in his pockets.”
The two quickly convened a team meeting, hammering out a detailed tracking plan after hours of discussion, determined to uproot this syndicate entirely.
Following the adjournment, the other members dispersed to handle their assigned tasks.
Dayong and a few others crowded around Liao Ran. It was rare to see him in such tattered, disheveled states. The scratches on his arms and neck were faintly visible; having lacked time to treat them properly amidst the urgency, they had already scabbed over.
This time, they had stood by helplessly as he was abducted. They had been too worried to eat, torn between anger at their own incompetence and self-blame.
“Doctor Liao, don’t worry. Old Qian has already led a team to make the arrests. That guy won’t get away.”
Liao Ran wasn’t skilled at handling warm expressions of concern. He offered a mechanical, polite nod, but stumbled on weak legs when he stood up.
Several officers instinctively raised their hands, their arms suspended in the air like flower petals reaching toward the frail figure, yet none dared touch him lightly. Everyone knew his temperament was icy cold; overstepping was tantamount to offense.
Watching him walk to the door, the group exchanged awkward glances and withdrew their hands.
At that moment, an unfamiliar man blocked his path, an arm familiarly looping around Liao Ran’s waist.
Liao Ran glanced up at him, pressing a hand against the man’s abs, but the force was clearly insufficient to push him away. Just like that, he was carried off.
The officer Dayong cast a questioning gaze toward Qin Jiu.
“My eyes aren’t playing tricks on me, right? Isn’t this Bai Ji guy the kidnapper from last time? He’s an extremely dangerous individual. Could Doctor Liao be in any danger?”
“Old Liao always has a deeper meaning behind what he does.” A ballpoint pen cap clicked back and forth at Qin Jiu’s fingertip. “I’m just worried that his unilateral feeding is being met with endless demands by the other party. That guy is certainly not someone who respects rules or courtesy.”
Bai Ji stood very close. Liao Ran walked in front, taking short yet hurried steps, unable to shake off the scorching chest trailing behind him.
His fine, soft hair bounced against the nape of his rounded neck as he walked, a thin layer of sweat glistening on his porcelain-white skin and dripping down toward the deep collar of his shirt.
Secretive and alluring.
The moment the door clicked shut behind them, Bai Ji, driven by some impulse, hooked his index finger into Liao Ran’s collar.
Liao Ran halted his stride. With his movement restricted, he frowned and turned back to meet a trace of bewilderment in Bai Ji’s eyes.
Seeming caught off guard by his own action, Bai Ji felt his fingertips go numb and his breathing stall. Liao Ran’s cheeks were flushed peach-pink, the delicate skin tender enough to squeeze water out, while his pink, plump lips parted slightly to reveal a refreshing, sweet dew.
Bai Ji swallowed hard and reached up to loosen his restricting tie; he needed more moisture to quench his thirst.
Molten lava churned before an eruption, pooling at his chest, making every breath searing hot. He was holding back to the point of explosion, whereas the moonlight-pale skin of the man before him remained cold, aloof, and distant. Frost seemed to drift with every flutter of his eyelashes, and his crystal-clear eyes were bright yet indifferent, refined and pure like an ice sculpture cloaked in a murderous winter chill. The colder he looked, the more exhilarating it was. All these days, he could only look without tasting. Recalling the sensation of holding him in his mouth, Bai Ji shivered and took a deep breath, anchoring the urge deep in his lower abdomen.
Like an invisible blade, his aggressive intent forced Liao Ran to step back defensively. His wrists were pinned, the world spun, and he was hurled backward against the wall. The impact jarred his injuries, the sharp pain snapping him to absolute alertness.
Beneath the man’s fierce, rugged brows, a pair of pitch-black eyes were bloodshot and brimming with desire, a starving beast salivating over fresh meat right before it.
“Last night’s kiss.” His voice was low and hoarse, like chewing on shattered razor blades.
As he spoke, one of his thighs aggressively forced its way into Liao Ran’s space.
Liao Ran’s knees were still trembling as they were pried apart. Before things spiraled completely out of control, he forced himself to stay calm.
“Meaningless.”
The cold rain extinguished the blazing heat.
Nervously licking his lips, Liao Ran replied, “I was just short of oxygen, and you happened to be nearby. Emergency measures.”
“I’m an oxygen tank? Then you kissed me all night.” True to his research-oriented nature, Bai Ji brought up logical arguments to question this claim.
Liao Ran raised his chin, his tone utterly flat.
“Mediocre results. Extremely poor user experience.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Bai Ji ran his tongue across his teeth, nudged his cheek with his tongue, and slowly withdrew his fingers from Liao Ran’s shoulders before letting his arms drop in defeat.
Liao Ran flicked his jacket off with a breezy motion, releasing a pleasant fragrance into the air. Folding his arms, Bai Ji tapped his nose with an index finger and watched the man walk into the bathroom.
The rushing sound of the running water drowned out his restless heartbeat.
Standing beneath the showerhead, Liao Ran wrapped his arms around himself as the hot water hit his skin, causing his pores to shiver.
Just as his consciousness began to drift and relax, a wisp of black mist slipped through the gap in the door, drifted to the handle, and gave it a turn. The metal lock clicked open.
The spray of foam running down into his eyes stung, blurring his vision and preventing him from opening them fully. Alert, Liao Ran turned his head back. Through the hazy view, an arm pried the door open further, grabbed a bath towel from nearby to wipe the moisture from his face, and watched as the man’s long legs stepped closer and closer.
Confirming who it was, Liao Ran unexpectedly grew calm.
“In a land of etiquette, knocking on doors is basic courtesy. That is primary school textbook knowledge. How does Professor Bai not even know this?”
“If I knocked, would you let me come in?” Bai Ji’s voice hovered right beside his ear.
“No.”
There was virtually no hesitation in that answer.
“Then what would be the point of me knocking? Why waste the effort?”
Hanging the last piece of cloth capable of covering him onto the rack, Bai Ji dragged his rough palms upward from Liao Ran’s shoulders to grip his wrists tightly. “I’m oxygen-deprived. Tit for tat, shouldn’t you pay back what you owe me?”
Instinctively resisting contact, his heels pressed back against the edge of the bathtub. The ceramic surface was ice cold. Liao Ran reached behind him to grab Bai Ji’s pulse. “Flushed, steady, and strong heartbeat. I don’t see any problem with you.”
His backup plan was simply to mail this man ten tanks of oxygen if worse came to worst.
“I want milk.”
Liao Ran curved his lips slightly. It was even easier than he had imagined; the supermarket downstairs was running a milk powder discount promotion.
“Fine.”
The moment the word left his lips, the man stepped forward, hooked his arm around Liao Ran’s lower back, and lowered his head to bite down on the peak of his chest.