The flickering glow of firelight danced in his vision. A warm, cozy blanket was draped over him, and a faint, elegant fragrance wafted through the room. Pei Cangyu opened his eyes, then closed them again, feeling an immense sense of comfort. He turned his head and nuzzled into the pillow, feeling as though he might drift back to sleep...
Wait!
He snapped his eyes open and bolted upright. The sudden movement made his head spin, and his vision momentarily went black. Someone gently supported him, guiding him back down.
Pei Cangyu turned his head. Bai Shi was sitting on the floor, watching him, while he himself was lying on a sofa. This was the Bai residence.
Pei Cangyu looked down at the bandages on his body. The sudden movement had pulled at the wound on his abdomen, and blood was beginning to seep through the gauze. He reached up to touch his nose; as expected, it had been properly bandaged as well. On the table sat a glass of green juice, likely intended to help him recover from the effects of the drug.
He licked his parched lips. Bai Shi raised an eyebrow. "Do you want some water?"
Without waiting for an answer, Bai Shi turned to pick up a glass from the side table and offered it to him. Pei Cangyu didn't take it.
Bai Shi held it out stubbornly. Pei Cangyu refused to even look at him. Finally, Bai Shi sighed and set the glass back down.
"How did I get back?" Pei Cangyu asked, still avoiding Bai Shi’s gaze.
"The security guards found you and brought you back," Bai Shi said with a faint smile. "They let me go after you delivered the package. Thank you."
Pei Cangyu didn't smile. "The security guards..."
Bai Shi watched him, his finger tracing light circles over the wound on Pei Cangyu’s abdomen. He absentmindedly tapped a spot where the blood was seeping through, looking somewhat lost in thought.
"That’s a lie," Pei Cangyu said, turning to look at him. "It wasn't the guards. It was you, wasn't it?"
Bai Shi froze. Looking into Pei Cangyu’s eyes, he gave a slight, almost imperceptible shiver. This irritated Pei Cangyu; it didn't seem like Bai Shi was listening to him at all. Instead, he looked more... excited. Why? Because Pei Cangyu was looking at him with such gravity?
Then, Bai Shi returned to his usual self and asked softly, "Why do you think it was me?"
Pei Cangyu looked down at Bai Shi sitting on the floor, gritting his teeth as he poked the other boy's shoulder with suppressed fury. "I still remember what it felt like when you were pinned on top of me."
Despite the murderous look on Pei Cangyu’s face, Bai Shi seemed even happier. He didn't even flinch when Pei Cangyu poked him, only replying with an ambiguous, "Is that so?"
Pei Cangyu didn't want to keep arguing about it. He felt around his person but couldn't find what he was looking for. "Where’s my phone?"
"In the clothes you changed out of. Do you want me to get it for you?"
Pei Cangyu looked at his bandages again. "Did you wrap these?"
Bai Shi nodded.
Pei Cangyu then asked, "What exactly happened after I left?"
"You..."
Pei Cangyu suddenly cut him off with a warning: "Tell the truth. Don't you dare give me any of your bullshit."
Bai Shi nodded. "After you left, we waited. Later, someone from the Bai family arrived. We discussed it, and I let him stay in my place while I went back to the company on business. Everything else was left to the security guards, including bringing you back."
Pure nonsense.
Pei Cangyu pressed a hand to his forehead. Bai Shi was lying to his face without even trying to hide it. He couldn't be sure about the rest, but the person in the fog had definitely been Bai Shi. But how could Bai Shi have been there? Did those people let him go? As Pei Cangyu thought, his head began to throb. Bai Shi considerately offered the water again, and this time, Pei Cangyu didn't have the energy to refuse.
He tilted his head back and drained the glass, only then noticing Bai Shi staring intently at the wound on his abdomen. That look was unreadable and unsettling. Pei Cangyu felt a chill run down his spine. He shoved the empty glass back into Bai Shi’s arms, pushing him back.
Seeing Pei Cangyu’s displeased expression, Bai Shi smiled again. "I was very worried about you."
*Dumbass.*
Pei Cangyu turned away, using the sofa for support as he slowly stood up.
Bai Shi stood up with him, reaching out to help, but Pei Cangyu pushed him away.
"Where are you going?"
"To sleep for a bit," Pei Cangyu replied as he headed upstairs.
Bai Shi set the glass down and followed. "I'll walk you."
What the hell did he want?
What was he after?
What was he pretending to be every single day? What role was he playing? What was he hiding?
Pei Cangyu was reaching his breaking point. When Bai Shi’s hand touched his arm, Pei Cangyu spun around and shoved him against the wall. Bai Shi’s back hit the wall with a dull thud, but he didn't make a sound, nor did he even flinch.
Only then did Pei Cangyu realize that Bai Shi was indeed much taller and stronger than him. Yet, he still stood there with that harmless, innocent look. He knew he couldn't keep up the act, so why was he still pretending?
Pei Cangyu didn't understand.
Bai Shi reached out to touch his face, a gesture so absurd it made Pei Cangyu laugh in anger.
"You love playing this part, don't you?" Pei Cangyu pulled Bai Shi’s hand down and leaned in close. He could only reach as high as Bai Shi’s neck. "Is it really that great?"
He gave Bai Shi’s neck a light, mocking kiss. The pale skin was cold, and surprisingly, not soft at all.
Pei Cangyu pulled back, looking with satisfaction at Bai Shi’s lowered head. He felt a surge of triumph; he finally understood what it felt like for Bai Shi to toy with people in the palm of his hand. This had nothing to do with affection; it was pure madness.
Pei Cangyu let out a cold snort and turned to leave, but Bai Shi suddenly grabbed him and yanked him back.
Bai Shi clamped one hand around his waist, his thumb pressing down hard directly onto the wound. Pei Cangyu let out a sharp cry of pain, but Bai Shi covered his mouth. Bai Shi looked down at him with a cold, icy gaze, using his foot to force Pei Cangyu’s legs apart, leaving him nearly suspended and sagging.
Bai Shi released the hand covering his mouth, instead grabbing both of Pei Cangyu’s wrists and pinning them against the wall. Pei Cangyu was essentially hung there, his wound bleeding profusely. He glared up at Bai Shi, who was shrouded in shadow.
He was so strong.
Pei Cangyu tried to struggle, but he couldn't budge. Between his injuries and the sheer difference in their physical strength, he was no match. Pei Cangyu strained to stand straight and cursed, "Fuck you, Bai Shi! Are you fucking insane?! Let go! Do you hear me?! Fuck!..."
A low, raspy voice spoke: "You certainly have a lot of energy."
"Damn right I do! I'm a spirited student of Third High! Let me the fuck go!" Pei Cangyu finally managed to get his footing and kicked Bai Shi hard in the knee. Bai Shi swayed slightly but didn't move.
Pei Cangyu continued to thrash, heedless of his wound. Bai Shi watched him and let out a slow sigh. "Maybe it would be better if you left..."
"Leave my ass! I'm not going anywhere! If you won't let me have any peace, I'm going to make your life a living hell too!" Pei Cangyu kicked Bai Shi’s leg again, wishing he could bite him. "You're finished, I'm warning you!"
He kicked again and again until Bai Shi finally let him go. Pei Cangyu collapsed to the floor. He spat out a mouthful of blood and forced himself up despite the pain. "I'll see just what you can do to me..."
Bai Shi looked at him. "Just go."
Pei Cangyu stomped toward his room, hurling threats as he went. "I have a hundred ways to kill you... Our ties are severed... You've really fucked with the wrong person..."
He kept ranting as he entered his room, fuming with rage. Madara darted past like an arrow to follow him.
Bai Shi watched his retreating back, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He wondered what movie that "our ties are severed" line came from—who even said things like that anymore? Then, he smiled.
Inside his room, Pei Cangyu began rummaging for his phone. He paused, thought for a moment, and then dug through his backpack until he found the police academy brochure his teacher had given him.
***
When Pei Cangyu asked Fei Zuohua to meet, he hadn't expected Tu Ziyun to show up as well.
It was Tuesday at noon. He was no longer returning to the Bai residence. After wolfing down a few bites of food in the cafeteria, he grabbed his bag and headed to the tea house. Fei Zuohua was already there, sitting in a corner booth against the wall, flipping through the menu. Seeing him, Fei Zuohua raised an arm and waved.
Pei Cangyu was far from composed. He looked like a startled rabbit—his face was marked with injuries, and the dark circles under his eyes suggested a severe lack of sleep. He glanced warily behind him before approaching. As soon as he sat down, he took a gulp of water before looking up at Fei Zuohua.
Fei Zuohua’s expression turned serious. Pei Cangyu looked terrible. He pushed a bowl of sweet soup toward Pei Cangyu, trying to start with a light opening.
"I didn't expect you to contact me like this—going through your teacher first," Fei Zuohua said, pushing a napkin toward him. "Such a hassle. That doesn't seem like you."
Pei Cangyu looked up, and Fei Zuohua saw the bloodshot veins in his eyes.
"I didn't look for you because of the police academy," Pei Cangyu said, licking his lips. "I just want to know if they found the person who burned down my house. What's the situation?"
Fei Zuohua looked at him, hesitated, and then spoke. "Actually, the reason I came to see you isn't about the police academy either." He glanced over his shoulder. "And, I'm not the only one here to see you."
Before Pei Cangyu could react, someone sat down beside him.
Tu Ziyun took off his coat, draped it over the back of the chair, and smiled at Pei Cangyu. "Long time no see, Student Pei. Life hasn't been treating you well lately, has it?"
Pei Cangyu stared at him, unmoving.
There was a cup of tea on the table ordered for Tu Ziyun—a very strong black tea. Fei Zuohua asked if he wanted sugar, but Tu Ziyun shook his head, picked it up, and took several sips.
While he drank, a heavy silence fell over the three of them.
Tu Ziyun set the teacup down, the porcelain clinking against the table. "You went out of your way to contact us through your teacher. Can I take that to mean," he turned to stare at Pei Cangyu, "that you've discovered it too?"
Pei Cangyu said nothing, not even turning his head to look at him.
Tu Ziyun interlaced his fingers on the table. "To earn your trust, I'll be honest first. I did lie to you before. I don't have a nephew. I only said that so you would trust me a bit more. At the time, I hoped to separate you from Bai Shi to make our investigation easier. You know what happened after that; it seemed there was no longer a need."
Pei Cangyu turned to look at him. "I asked my teacher to contact the admissions office. How did that lead to you?"
Tu Ziyun rubbed his nose and laughed. "Alright, I admit, I set that up too. But that's it." He dropped two sugar cubes into his black tea. "I promise."
Fei Zuohua felt embarrassed on behalf of the irreverent Tu Ziyun. He coughed and looked at Pei Cangyu. "Actually, we came to see you because we have something important to tell you."
Tu Ziyun stopped smiling. He stood up and moved to sit next to Fei Zuohua. Facing Pei Cangyu, they lowered their voices. "Pei Cangyu, do you know Gao Qian?"
Pei Cangyu neither nodded nor shook his head, merely watching him calmly. Fei Zuohua suddenly felt that Pei Cangyu had indeed changed a lot over this period; he was no longer that impulsive, hot-headed youth.
Tu Ziyun continued, "Do you remember last week when we agreed to meet at school? At 11:30?"
Pei Cangyu thought back and nodded.
"That day, after you left with Bai Shi, I stayed behind for a while. I ran into a group of people. I remembered two of their faces, and after having sketches made, I showed them to colleagues in the anti-gang unit. They were people who had been arrested before, suspected of having ties to certain individuals in District Y. Later, I staked out one of them at a bar. That bar is registered under the name Gao Qian. I have reason to suspect he works for Gao Qian." Tu Ziyun paused and pulled out a cigarette. "In other words, Gao Qian’s people went to the school to find you that night. Do you know why?"
Pei Cangyu froze and shook his head.
Then he thought—*Damn it, were those people targeting me even back then to use me as bait?*
Tu Ziyun didn't seem surprised. Biting his cigarette, he rummaged through his jacket pocket as if looking for something. "What about this person?"
He handed over a photograph.
Pei Cangyu’s heart jumped. He stared at the photo and swallowed hard. In the picture was the shirtless madman from the warehouse.
The one who was already dead.
***
