BL Ch76

The next morning in Palace No. 1, the flowers, grass, and animals gradually woke up.

Hong Liangzhang was up earliest; with the recent shortage of staff, he had to arrange the daily routine. Zhou Yi was the second to rise, finishing breakfast before heading to the gym for a workout, still muscular at nearly forty thanks to his discipline.

Lou Baoguo wasn’t as disciplined, but being young and strong, he could afford to sleep a bit longer, especially after the recent series of disasters, enjoying a rare peaceful night, sleeping until nine.

He thought he was the least diligent until he went to the dining room and saw two extra breakfasts prepared.

One undoubtedly belonged to the young master Yu, who had every right to sleep in. The other… who else could it be but the bodyguard who doesn’t put Yu Duqiu in his eyes?

“My brother is getting more and more audacious.” Lou Baoguo ate from his bowl while eyeing the pot, “If the young master finds out he got up later than him, he might fire him in anger. How about I eat it for him and pretend he’s already up?”

“If you want to eat, we’ll make more; we’re short on people, not on ingredients.” Hong Liangzhang quickly hid the other two breakfasts, puzzled, “Xiao Bai never sleeps in; what’s going on today?”

Lou Baoguo finished a bowl of lean meat porridge in no time, burping contentedly, “He seemed to drink and play chess with the young master last night. Could he have slept in the young master’s room?”

He then dismissed his own speculation. Yu Duqiu never lets anyone stay overnight in his bed, for the obvious reason—fear of ulterior motives, as one is most vulnerable when asleep.

Yu Duqiu indeed thought so, but the Château Pichon Longueville wine was aged, rich, and intoxicating. While drinking and playing chess, their eyes met in a moment of drunken haze, sparking a fire. The bold, audacious young man immediately dragged him to bed.

The drunkenness fueled the flames, making it even more irresistible than before.

After several rounds, both were exhausted, and who would remember the rule about not letting people stay in bed?

Thus, when Yu Duqiu woke up, struggling to breathe with a solid arm across his neck, his first reaction was to push away the person beside him, adding a kick for good measure.

Unexpectedly, the other’s alertness was even higher, waking up almost instantly, his body reacting before his mind, flipping over to pin Yu Duqiu’s leg down, his chokehold almost murderous.

Yu Duqiu was merely annoyed, but the man on top of him looked fierce.

Once he realized who it was, the fierceness in his eyes dissipated, he let go, collapsed, and hugged Yu Duqiu’s waist, seeking his lips, “Sorry.”

Yu Duqiu already had a bad temper when woken up, and nearly being choked didn’t help. He slapped Bai Zhao’s face hard, “Get off.”

The slap was forceful, Bai Zhao turned his head, then back, stubbornly trying to kiss him, “I didn’t mean it.”

“Not meaning it makes it worse.” Yu Duqiu gripped his chin tightly, staring coldly, “From what I know, this kind of subconscious reaction only comes from soldiers or killers.”

“And people who’ve been beaten often.” Bai Zhao apologized, touching his red neck, “Bai Zhiming beating me was routine; as a kid, I couldn’t fight back, so I learned some self-defense later, making me more alert than most.”

Yu Duqiu brushed off his conciliatory hand, “He treated you so badly, and you still wanted to help find his real killer? That doesn’t add up, Xiao Bai. Do you think I’m that gullible? Can you fool me with just a pitiful act?”

Bai Zhao was silent for a moment before admitting in a muffled voice, “I admit, I said that to get close to you; I didn’t really care about the truth. His death was a relief; I had no regrets.”

Not a perfect explanation, but Yu Duqiu scrutinized him for a while, finding no signs of deceit.

Releasing his jaw, Bai Zhao leaned down to continue what was left unfinished.

Yu Duqiu covered his mouth, turning away in disgust, “Go brush your teeth.”

“…You really don’t know how to read the mood.”

“You’re unhygienic.”

Bai Zhao raised an eyebrow, “What about down there?”

“…”

A man’s principles can sometimes be so fragile, like Yu Duqiu’s, crumbled by those six words just a second after his insistence.

“Fine.” He changed his tune without any psychological burden, his disdain gone, gently caressing Bai Zhao’s face, “If you do well, you can sleep in my room again tonight.”

“I’ve never done this before, don’t expect much from my skills.” Bai Zhao pulled back the blanket, moving down.

Yu Duqiu swallowed, admitting to himself that he was a bit eager.

Not eager for service, but eager for his service.

The heat from two men gathered under the covers, making their blood rush.

Yu Duqiu watched him move down, saw his troubled expression, saw his tongue come out, and then… heard urgent knocking.

“Young master! Captain Xu called, saying they’ve found Bai Zhiming’s traces in Yunnan! He wants Xiao Bai to go to the police station! But we can’t find him anywhere!”

“…”

“…”

The two men looked at each other without words, the heat dissipating. Finally, Bai Zhao got out of bed expressionlessly, put on his clothes, saying, “When I find him, I’ll kill him.”

Yu Duqiu’s morning temper reached its peak, gritting his teeth, “Please, dismember him, thank you.”

Though only one person was notified, when Yu Duqiu appeared in the conference room at the Xinjin Sub-bureau, everyone was used to it, ignoring him, letting him sit where he pleased, knowing that even if they tried to stop him, he’d find another way to join the operation, never allowing the police to sideline him. If he was to be involved anyway, better to include him and avoid any mischief.

The clue came early that morning, indicating that the Myanmar police had been working around the clock to trace Bai Zhiming. The Yunnan police didn’t dare delay and immediately reported the latest discovery to the task force. To verify the reliability of the clue, they called for Bai Zhao, who knew Bai Zhiming’s physique and appearance best.

“The police found a lead in a small pharmacy in Mogok. Just a few days ago, a middle-aged man, suspected to be Bai Zhiming, visited their store.” Xu Sheng maximized the video window on the screen, replaying the minute-long surveillance footage repeatedly, “He bought some painkillers and a syringe, claiming his girlfriend had menstrual cramps and his dog was sick needing medication. The cashier noticed he was missing a pinky on his left hand, making him memorable. Here’s the footage from that day; see if it’s him.”

Bai Zhao almost immediately confirmed, “It’s him.”

Xu Sheng was cautious, “Take another look? We can’t afford to misidentify him; once confirmed, we’ll need to get moving.”

Bai Zhao: “I lived with him for over a decade; I won’t misidentify him. It’s him.”

The surveillance footage wasn’t very clear, and the man deliberately avoided direct camera angles by lowering his head, only showing basic physical traits — compared to the malnourished figures of most locals, he appeared very robust.

Lu Qing asked, puzzled, “Your dad found a girlfriend there? And he’s keeping a dog? And being so considerate to them?”

Using the word “considerate” to describe a suspect with major charges of drug trafficking and murder seemed out of place.

Bai Zhao shook his head, “He’s not that kind of person. He’s very lazy; when I was a child, I was the one who usually did the shopping as long as I was able.”

Reflecting on that last sentence sent a chill through the room. But at this moment, everyone had to focus on case-related information, temporarily ignoring his tragic childhood to analyze Bai Zhiming’s unusual behavior:

Since he rarely went shopping himself, his appearance at the pharmacy now suggests he might not have anyone else to send, forcing him to take the risk of being spotted by the police himself, which is good news for law enforcement.

However, this clue also hints at a potentially unfavorable situation — the painkillers and syringe might not be for the dog. Given Bai Zhiming’s involvement with drugs, most drugs can be administered via syringe, and he didn’t look like a drug user himself, so it could be for someone else.

If that’s the case, is his “girlfriend” his drug trafficking accomplice? A hostage he’s abusing? Or just a made-up character with these items intended for another purpose? These details need to be clarified before any arrest to avoid harming innocents.

The police officers around the table fell into deep thought.

Yu Duqiu, lounging with his legs crossed in a back-row observer seat, lazily asked, “Is there nothing else besides this lead? Where did he go after buying the drugs?”

Lu Qing turned around, “Mr. Yu, if we knew the answer, we would have told you.”

Ji Lin, back in the group, had a grave expression, “Myanmar isn’t like China; there aren’t as many surveillance cameras on the streets. Finding his trace in three days is like hitting the jackpot. I even feel it’s too smooth. Myanmar is so vast, why would he just happen to be in Mogok, and why would Pei Ming just accidentally leak this information? And then Bai Zhiming just happens to appear on camera? Don’t you find that strange?”

Niu Feng responded with a “tsk,” “Brother Ji, you’re just not used to things going smoothly after so many setbacks. We’ve been at a dead end for two or three months; it’s time luck turned.”

Yu Duqiu: “Captain Ji’s concerns are reasonable. I didn’t expect to bluff out such crucial information at that press conference. I was planning to pressure Pei Ming into agreeing and then slowly extract Bai Zhiming’s location, but it all fell into place too easily… It’s too convenient; everyone should be cautious.”

Niu Feng looked at him irritably, “Mr. Yu, this is a task force meeting, not your company’s shareholders’ meeting. You’re here as an observer, please don’t offer your ‘expert’ opinions.”

Yu Duqiu shrugged, “I have 100% control of my company; there’s no shareholders’ meeting. My apologies.”

Niu Feng was completely speechless.

The two senior leaders exchanged a glance, and Peng Deyu asked, “Old Feng, what do you think?”

Feng Jinmin, leaning back with his arms crossed, was deep in thought, his brows furrowed. Having been involved in the case for over a month, the lines between his brows had deepened, like the rough bark of an old tree, a testament to his dedication.

“Since we’ve confirmed it’s Bai Zhiming, whether it’s luck or a trap, we definitely need to send someone to check it out. Don’t let your guard down, don’t act alone, investigate the situation thoroughly first, then coordinate with the Myanmar police for the arrest. It shouldn’t go too wrong.”

Peng Deyu nodded, “I agree. Who should lead the team?”

Both of them, being in high positions, had numerous cases and tasks at hand, making it hard to leave, plus their age wasn’t suitable for frontline operations. It was best for them to stay at headquarters to command the operation.

“Here’s what we’ll do, you send a few people, I’ll pull a few from the city bureau to station in Lincang with Xiao Xu. Once the arrest is successful, we’ll immediately arrange for extradition.”

Peng Deyu: “Sounds good, I trust Xiao Xu to handle things. Let Xiao Ji stay at the bureau.”

Ji Lin clenched his fists as soon as he was named, “Chief Peng, I don’t want to—”

“What are you in such a rush for? I haven’t finished.” Feng Jinmin cut off his protest, then told Peng Deyu, “If you keep him at the bureau, he’ll vanish on you, guaranteed.”

Ji Lin had repeatedly broken the rules out of his eagerness to solve the case, and Peng Deyu knew he couldn’t be contained. However, with the murderer having issued a death threat, sending him to a foreign, dangerous place was too risky.

“Having him follow Xiao Xu won’t help much; he’d just be waiting for news at home, which is no different from staying at the bureau,” Peng Deyu said.

“No, he doesn’t necessarily have to stay in the country.” Feng Jinmin lifted his heavy eyelids, looking towards a certain observer seat, “Mr. Yu, aren’t you planning to go deep into Myanmar? Can you take him along?”

Everyone else present was taken aback.

Peng Deyu quickly caught on, “You mean… Ji Lin wouldn’t be participating as a police officer?”

“Correct.”

Yu Duqiu clapped his hands, “Team Feng, this is a brilliant move. Having Captain Ji go as an ordinary tourist with me, we can not only monitor Pei Ming but also help investigate Bai Zhiming’s whereabouts, and I can offer protection. It’s like killing three birds with one stone.”

Feng Jinmin snorted, “Four birds, actually. He can also keep you from causing trouble.”

Ji Lin was quite pleased with the arrangement, jumping up and bowing repeatedly, “Thank you, Captain Feng! Thank you, Chief Peng!”

Peng Deyu sighed, “I haven’t agreed yet… Oh well, this way does seem safer. Mr. Yu, how many bodyguards are you taking? When do you plan to leave?”

Yu Duqiu spread his hands, “I can discuss the schedule with Mr. Pei after this meeting. For bodyguards… hmm, aside from the three close ones, I’ll take ten more.”

This number was even larger than the elite forces the two police bureaus could muster.

Peng Deyu asked, “Are you taking Bai Zhao as well?”

Yu Duqiu: “It’s not me taking him; he insists on following me.”

Peng Deyu’s gaze swept over both their faces and gave an ambiguous “hmm.”

After the meeting, Feng Jinmin left first to handle other cases at the city bureau, while team leaders Xu Sheng and Ji Lin returned to their office to compile the list of accompanying personnel. Yu Duqiu was about to leave with Bai Zhao when he unexpectedly heard Peng Deyu’s call, “Mr. Yu, please stay for a moment.”

Yu Duqiu was surprised, giving Bai Zhao a look. Bai Zhao tactfully left the conference room, closing the door behind him.

Yu Duqiu was relatively well-mannered in front of elders, pulling up a chair to sit beside Peng Deyu, “What’s the matter, Chief Peng?”

Peng Deyu first looked from Yu Duqiu’s silver hair to his razor necklace, his gaze shifting from the serious demeanor during the meeting to the concern of an elder for a rebellious junior, “I didn’t have time to talk to you after that press conference. You said you got Cen Wan’s old experimental data? Who gave it to you? Your grandfather?”

Yu Duqiu hadn’t expected this question, answering honestly, “I asked him for it, but he wouldn’t give it. Although he’s a titan in biological research, his understanding of computers is just slightly better than an elementary school student’s. I easily hacked into his computer and got the old data.”

So, he stole it!

Peng Deyu really wanted to slap him to wake up this reckless kid, “Did you not think why your grandfather didn’t give it to you? Although public security is much better now than twenty years ago, we’re not at the level where everyone leaves their doors open at night. How many threats have you received since you started this project? Now you dare to make it public, are you afraid drug dealers won’t come to kill you?”

Yu Duqiu was about to argue back but suddenly picked up on something unusual, “Even if I didn’t mention using Miss Cen’s data, drug dealers have already come after me. What do you mean by this? Are you talking about the drug dealers from back then? Was there really more to that car accident twenty years ago? Do you know something?”

Peng Deyu realized what it meant to talk too much out of concern and how sharp this kid’s mind was, making secrecy pointless. He admitted, “There was more to it, but I can’t tell you the specifics; it involves too many people, including your grandfather. As long as he doesn’t speak, I won’t either. In short, we didn’t find the real cause of the accident back then, but it’s pretty certain it was intentional.”

Yu Duqiu didn’t seem surprised, “Actually, I’ve long suspected that. Was Pei Xianyong your main suspect at the time?”

Peng Deyu was taken aback, “How do you know?”

“Because when I was in high school, both my mom and grandfather wanted me to change schools, not wanting me to be classmates with Peizhuo or have any contact with Pei Ming. I could more or less sense that their attitude was related to that incident, but they never said it outright. Later, seeing that I didn’t form a clique with Peizhuo but became closer to Mu Hao, they felt relieved.”

Peng Deyu nodded, “You, always acting so carefree, but you turned out alright. Then you should understand why I’m advising you against this. If that car accident was indeed orchestrated by Pei Xianyong, and now you’re saying you’ve obtained Cen Wan’s data and developed the same device, who would be the most uneasy once you’ve completed your human trials in Myanmar, proving that Cen Wan’s device was safe?”

“The Pei father and son.” Yu Duqiu answered quickly, “If my project leads to a re-investigation of the twenty-year-old car accident, Pei Xianyong could be labeled a murderer, facing a death sentence, which would be a disaster for the Pei family, plunging them back into a maelstrom of public opinion and forever tarnishing their image. Especially Pei Ming, who has worked hard for over a decade to build his reputation and just managed to salvage the company’s image, he would never allow his persona to collapse and be despised by the public.”

Peng Deyu was surprised, “You’ve thought it through so clearly, yet you still want to go through with this?”

Yu Duqiu gave a slight, mocking smile, “Chief Peng, you’ve got the cause and effect reversed. It’s not because I started this project that danger arose. The danger was always there, which is why I started this project to eliminate it. Who else would invest the money, resources, and even their own safety to restart this thankless project just to prove that Miss Cen’s device was safe? I don’t expect you to give me a commendation, but at least you should praise me for self-sacrifice.”

Peng Deyu was momentarily speechless.

The logic was sound, but coming from this kid, it sounded so smug.

“… Self-sacrifice… Didn’t expect you to have such noble thoughts.” Peng Deyu sighed, “When I first met you, I thought you were just a wastrel from the Yu family. Now, it seems your heart’s in the right place.”

Yu Duqiu’s smile widened, “You flatter me. If you have no objections, I’ll go drag Mr. Pei into this mess.”

Peng Deyu’s brows were still furrowed, “Wait, there’s one more thing.”

“Hmm?”

“Your bodyguard…” Peng Deyu struggled to find the right words, settling on, “Don’t you find him strange?”

Yu Duqiu tilted his head, “He’s got plenty of strange traits. Which one are you referring to?”

“Given his background, Bai Zhiming abused him and didn’t provide much financial support, why would he still live with Bai Zhiming? That’s not typical behavior for an abused child.”

“It’s simple. His monthly salary was only six thousand, and the lowest housing price in our city is eleven thousand per square meter. He couldn’t afford to buy a house, so living with Bai Zhiming was a way to save money.”

“… Then why, after Bai Zhiming’s death, is he still running around investigating the case for this abusive foster father?”

“Because he wouldn’t get any money if it was a suicide. If it’s murder, finding the killer means compensation.”

“…” Such a straightforward, almost crass answer didn’t alleviate Peng Deyu’s suspicions, “But, Jiang Sheng and Liu Shaojie were both brainwashed by Bai Zhiming, loyal to the end. Why is he different?”

“I’ve had those same doubts.” Yu Duqiu was quicker with his words, preempting Peng Deyu, “I’m using him now, so I won’t dwell on it. Once we catch Bai Zhiming and the case is nearly solved, I’ll settle accounts with him.”

Peng Deyu looked at him with a complex expression, “You seem to protect him.”

“Protect him? At most, I have a slight preference. After all, he’s good-looking, has a nice body, and in some ways, he’s to my taste. Last night we…”

“Stop, stop, stop, who wants to hear about this nonsense!” Peng Deyu’s ears felt polluted, waving his hand in disgust, “Alright, I’ll have someone look into him. You keep an eye on Pei Ming; if anything happens, contact Xiao Xu or Xiao Ji. Don’t be so flippant all the time; act a bit more seriously!”

Yu Duqiu gave a non-committal grunt in agreement and then casually left the conference room after bidding farewell.

The man waiting outside leaned against the opposite wall. Their eyes met — he stood alone, his black shirt tucked into jeans, his waist narrow, one long leg lazily propped up. The moment their eyes met, a flicker of light passed through his deep, dark eyes before they returned to their inscrutable depths.

He was undeniably handsome, yet equally suspicious.

Yu Duqiu sighed silently to himself.

Perhaps his preference was more than just a slight one.

“Why the long face? Did he scold you?” Bai Zhao approached.

Yu Duqiu immediately put on a sulky expression, “He did, gave me a good scolding.”

Bai Zhao looked skeptical, “Really? He gave me a strange look earlier; I thought he was going to tattle on me to you.”

Very perceptive guess.

“You haven’t done anything wrong, so there’s no need to worry. I have my own judgment.” Yu Duqiu stretched lazily, still irritated from being woken up early for the meeting, eager to find a place to vent his frustration, “Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“Do you even need to ask?” Yu Duqiu gave him a look that said ‘how could you suddenly be so dense’, “We’re going to find your former boss to make sure he joins our little suicide trip.”