BL Ch95

The sun blazed overhead, the mountains lush and verdant. A Mercedes bulletproof car wound its way along the mountain road, its windows rolled down more than halfway, allowing the fresh scent of grass and trees to flood the interior.

Lou Baoguo took a deep, satisfying breath and exclaimed, “If it weren’t for that old beast Bai Zhiming, I’d seriously consider buying a place here and coming back for a few days each year. It’s just too perfect.”

The driver laughed. “Brother Lou, you’re always tagging along with the young master. Where would you find the time for a vacation?”

Lou Baoguo wagged his finger. “No, no. Once this busy period is over, things will quiet down. The young master’s definitely going to whisk Big Bro off for a honeymoon, dying to have their little world for two. He won’t care about us.”

“Really? Then I’m looking forward to it. It’s been ages since I had a break.”

Just then, Lou Baoguo’s phone rang. Seeing it was Zhou Yi, he answered with a loud, carefree “Hello.”

Zhou Yi didn’t have anything urgent, just checking in to confirm their status for safety’s sake. He added, “Have you called the young master? I just tried, and his phone’s off. There’s a charger in his car, so why’s it off?”

Lou Baoguo chuckled. “You’re so clueless. Two guys alone in a car, who knows what they’re up to? Don’t bother them, or the young master will get mad.”

Zhou Yi wasn’t convinced. “In a place this dangerous, with Xiao Bai driving, the young master wouldn’t mess around. I bet he’s just napping. But turning off his phone now is too inconvenient. What if something happens? Call Xiao Bai and tell him to remind the young master to turn it on.”

Lou Baoguo grumbled, “Why don’t you call him yourself?”

“It’s Xiaoguo’s first day of school. I’m calling her homeroom teacher to check on her. It’s her third year of middle school, you know.”

Lou Baoguo knew Zhou Yi’s daughter was always his top priority. He muttered, “So much hassle,” but his fingers were already scrolling through his contacts.

Bai Zhao’s name, starting with a “B,” was near the top. As Lou Baoguo tapped it, he said casually, “Alright, I’m hanging up.”

Zhou Yi nagged a bit more. “Fine, let me know where they are after you call. I haven’t seen a trace of them this whole way, and it’s making me uneasy.”

He finished, but there was no reply. The call screen showed they were still connected, so he assumed it was a bad signal and repeated, “Hello, A-Bao? Did you hear me?”

Lou Baoguo stared blankly at the string of numbers in his contacts, swallowing hard.

Zhou Yi kept saying “hello” for a while until he finally got a response, but it came in a trembling voice. “Old Zhou… I… I think something’s off with Big Bro…”

Zhou Yi was confused. “You haven’t even called yet. What are you babbling about?”

“No, I… I saw…” Lou Baoguo struggled to find words, his brain frozen from shock, his tongue tying itself in knots. “I saw his number… He called Pei Ming… during those days he was missing…”

In a dim basement, the air was thick with the stench of rot and decay. On the cold, damp cement floor lay an unconscious man.

“Get up!”

“Ugh!” The man on the ground was kicked hard, groaning as he furrowed his brow. Slowly waking, the numbness from the electric shock began to fade, and blood started flowing again, bringing waves of sharp, prickling pain to his limbs.

The first thing he saw was a hand—missing one finger, dark and rough, with skin like wrinkled tree bark, evidence of years under the sun. But what caught his attention wasn’t the missing finger; it was the large ruby ring gleaming on one of the remaining fingers.

Dazzling, radiant, it seemed to light up the dingy space.

Yu Duqiu’s head was foggy, still trying to process how his ring ended up on someone else’s hand, when the hand’s owner delivered another brutal kick. “Awake and still playing dead?”

Instinctively, he tried to dodge, but his shock-numbed body was slow to respond. The kick landed square in his chest, nearly making him spit blood. He coughed uncontrollably, only then noticing his hands and feet were bound with coarse rope. Struggling, he twisted and dragged himself across the floor, trying to get away from the violent figure, his once-pristine suit now wrinkled and smeared with dirt.

But his efforts were futile. Bai Zhiming easily yanked him back, pinning him down with a foot to keep him still. Turning, he barked, “This is the rich young master you said got Jiang Sheng killed?”

A voice, slightly farther away, replied, “Yeah. Jiang Sheng tried to kidnap him, failed, and died in a car crash while escaping. Did you send him?”

Yu Duqiu froze, realizing who was speaking and recalling why he was tied up here.

Bai Zhiming spat. “I never contacted him. That kid was all talk and no game. If he hadn’t been so clumsy and let the cops intercept that package, would I be hiding in this godforsaken place? He still wanted to find me. Who cares about him? Good riddance now that he’s dead.”

If Jiang Sheng were alive to hear this, would he still have risked his life speeding through the night, chasing after a father he thought “loved” him?

“Then who sent him? He nearly got me killed too,” Bai Zhao asked.

Bai Zhiming shot him a venomous glance, his eyes like a snake’s. “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t.”

Bai Zhao said calmly, “If I hadn’t identified that body, the police might’ve done a DNA test and realized it wasn’t you. I’m the one who’s been hiding you all this time. You vanished without a word for half a year, leaving me to clean up your mess. You owe me an explanation—”

Clang!

Bai Zhiming swung a ruthless fist, his strength overwhelming. Caught off guard, Bai Zhao doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach and stumbling back two steps. Unable to steady himself, he crashed into a pile of junk, wincing and gasping. The wound on his back had likely torn open again.

“Get it straight who your father is and who raised you with blood and sweat. This is what you’re supposed to do. Don’t talk terms with me.” Bai Zhiming lifted his foot off Yu Duqiu and sauntered over, crouching in front of him. Suddenly, he grinned. “But you’re a smart kid. How’d you figure out that drowned corpse wasn’t me?”

Coughing violently, Bai Zhao spoke in fits and starts. “Cough… The fake ID and burner phone at home were gone, but the real ID was on the body… That’s not your style. Cough! And… Liu Shaojie refused to talk, so I guessed he was protecting you.”

Bai Zhiming smirked smugly. “He’s dumb, but loyal. So who told you I was here?”

“It was him… Cough… I went with the police to interrogate him, hinted I’d kill them all to save you, and he quietly told me. But he wasn’t specific, just said you were in the mountains north of Mugu…”

Bai Zhiming reached out, patting his face like a reward. “Not bad, you little punk. When I got the call from back home saying you were leading people to catch me, I got spooked. But you’d never betray me, would you? Just to be safe, I still blew you all up. Don’t hold it against your old man.”

Bai Zhao shook his head faintly. “Cut the grass at the root—that’s basic. I’d have killed you too.”

“Haha, that’s my boy, taught you well!”

“But I want to know, who’s stirring the pot? Who called you?”

“I told you, don’t ask what you shouldn’t.” Bai Zhiming was tight-lipped, not letting a single detail slip. He stood. “Hurry up and get to business. Their convoy’s got about six hours till Mandalay. They’ll notice a car’s missing by then. We need to clear the checkpoint before that. I’m checking if Pei Ming’s car is here. Keep an eye on this pampered young master. Don’t let him escape.”

“Got it.”

The basement door slammed shut with a bang!, and the small ceiling lamp trembled, swaying precariously.

Once Bai Zhao was sure he was gone, he propped himself up and staggered toward Yu Duqiu.

Yu Duqiu’s face was pressed against the cold cement, his dust-covered silver hair dull, like a gray mist obscuring his eyes. He looked like a lifeless puppet, letting Bai Zhao lift him and pull him into his arms.

“It’s okay.” Bai Zhao, ignoring the pain in his back and heart, gently rubbed Yu Duqiu’s stiff back, whispering, “I’ve sent Zhou Yi the signal. Your watch has a tracker. They’ll find us soon. I won’t let you lose… I didn’t betray you, I swear…”

Yu Duqiu’s dull eyes were empty, devoid of life. His lips moved faintly. “…Take the flower back.”

Bai Zhao looked down at the poppy still stubbornly tucked into the boutonniere. It had lost several petals in the struggle, the remaining one or two smeared with dirt, like the dark red ashes of an extinguished flame.

He shook his head, tightening his embrace as if trying to meld Yu Duqiu into his body. “No, you accepted it. You can’t take it back. Let me explain…”

Yu Duqiu’s lips twitched into a weak, cold laugh. 

“Explain what? That you’ve been lying to me from the start? Or that you fell for me while deceiving me? If it’s the latter, you should be untying me now and fighting Bai Zhiming, not groveling here for forgiveness.”

Bai Zhao held his shoulders, meeting his eyes earnestly. 

“Neither. I’ll tell you everything later. Right now, I can’t turn on him. I’m this close to getting what I need. I’ve swallowed my pride for years just for this moment.”

“What’s so important… more than me?”

Bai Zhao paused. 

“I can’t say now, but it’s tied to you. You’re always the most important… I didn’t want to put you in danger. I thought Zhou Yi and the others would get here in time, but…”

“But my secret plan messed up yours and exposed you, right?” In the dim light, Yu Duqiu’s face was sickly pale, his smile laced with malice. 

“Every time I think things can’t get worse, you drag me deeper into hell, Xiao Bai, you ungrateful wolf… You really are a wolf. Must’ve been tough, pretending so long, forcing yourself to kiss me, sleep with me despite the disgust, huh? Poor you.”

Bai Zhao’s body shook, staring in disbelief. 

“I never thought that. Never… From then to now, my feelings for you… they’re the same as when we met.”

Yu Duqiu’s laugh grew wilder, more vicious, his trembling shoulders betraying his spent strength. 

“Haha… You think you can fool me with that tired old line? I never bought it—your so-called love at first sight, watching me to ‘protect’ me. You think I’m that gullible? Your affection never made sense. I’ve doubted you from the start, never stopped… But I still let you do whatever you wanted.”

“I could’ve called you out, but I didn’t want to… From the day we met, I kept breaking my rules for you…”

He gave a bitter laugh. 

“If anyone fell at first sight… it was me, wasn’t it?”

Bai Zhao took several deep breaths but couldn’t withstand the blow of those words. His heart ached as if squeezed, his eyes reddening. He covered Yu Duqiu’s mouth, kissing the back of his hand softly. 

“I know, I know… You can punish me however you want later. I’ll accept it. But listen to me now. Bai Zhiming’s not far. We need to keep it down…”

Yu Duqiu bit his finger hard, nearly piercing the skin, his eyes flashing with icy hatred. 

“I won’t believe a single word you say.”

Bai Zhao’s trembling, pain-stricken fingers brushed his cheek as he whispered, “Duqiu, the gun in Charlotte that night was loaded… Have you forgotten?”

The man, consumed by rage and despair, froze, then gritted his teeth. “So what?”

“From the start, I risked my life to prove I’m loyal to you, that only you control my fate.” Bai Zhao cradled his face, murmuring, “I don’t want to be Bai Zhiming’s puppet anymore… You’ve seen my room, the life I lived. Who’d be stupid enough to leave a dream for a nightmare?”

“But after that explosion, I was afraid Bai Zhiming would kill you to cover his tracks. So I sought him out, pledged loyalty, gave him the ring to win him over, and suggested the carjacking plan to make him trust me…”

“But my heart never left you. Or do you think someone else sent that bag of sedatives?”

Yu Duqiu’s pupils flickered, processing this. His gaze soon hardened again. “So what if you sent it? Does saving Mu Hao erase what you’ve done?”

“No, which is why I’m confessing everything I know to make amends. If something happens to me soon, tell the police this. It should help.” Bai Zhao endured his piercing stare, speaking quickly. “Listen carefully, I can only say this once. Pei Ming will be here soon. We’re out of time.”

Yu Duqiu didn’t want to hear his excuses, but with his hands and feet tied, he couldn’t cover his ears.

And Bai Zhao was already talking.

“I was eight when Bai Zhiming adopted me, his first foster child. Early on, he worked for the Pei family, Pei Xianyong’s right-hand man, using mining in Myanmar as a cover for border drug trafficking. I was chosen from an orphanage to be groomed as his successor. Jiang Sheng and Liu Shaojie were meant to be my subordinates. Jiang Sheng wasn’t good at shady work, so Bai Zhiming rarely used him. I didn’t know him, only Liu Shaojie, but he didn’t respect me because I… don’t kill. I’m not a vicious criminal, Duqiu.”

Yu Duqiu couldn’t help but sneer. 

“Right, you’re pure as snow, just helping Bai Zhiming traffic drugs.”

Bai Zhao shook his head. 

“I didn’t traffic drugs either. The year Bai Zhiming adopted me, China cracked down hard on drug traffickers. Pei Xianyong was exposed by the Du family and sentenced to life. The Pei family’s drug trade collapsed, but the police never got the key evidence. Pei Ming, who took over, never touched drugs again—not a gram. Drugs turned him from a golden boy to a pariah, mocked by everyone. He despised them.”

“But he’s no saint. When Bai Zhiming saw the Pei family crumbling and tried to find a new boss, Pei Ming caught him. Following his father’s rules, he had a traitor’s pinky cut off, then offered Bai Zhiming a hefty salary to stay and cover up Pei Xianyong’s other death-penalty crimes, or he’d kill him.”

“That mix of threats and rewards kept Bai Zhiming in line for years. He had enough money, so he didn’t scheme further. But about two years ago, someone approached him to smuggle and sell new drugs. That’s when he got back into the game, with Liu Shaojie and Jiang Sheng.”

Yu Duqiu caught a hint of inconsistency. “You’re his favorite son. Why didn’t he bring you along? Trying to lie your way out?”

Bai Zhao seemed pleased he was listening, flashing a faint smile. “Pei Ming never fully trusted him, fearing betrayal, so he ‘recruited’ me early on to spy on Bai Zhiming. Bai Zhiming also found it inconvenient to involve me. I was often sent abroad by Pei Ming, always out of reach, so he left me out.”

Yu Duqiu scoffed. “So you’re a double agent.”

“You could say that. But Bai Zhiming learned his lesson and was extra cautious this time. I couldn’t find out who his new boss was. I didn’t even know about the package case last October until it went wrong, or the Rain Alley case that followed. That’s probably when he started planning his escape.”

Yu Duqiu said, “You lied to the police, hid the truth, and helped him flee. You’re an accomplice.”

Bai Zhao tucked Yu Duqiu’s messy hair behind his ear, gently wiping the dust from his face. “I had no choice. If I’d told the truth, Pei Ming would’ve sent me to track Bai Zhiming down. But then I heard you were returning to China and about your project. I worried Pei Ming would target you, so I volunteered to ‘monitor’ you. I admit… that night at Junyue, Pei Ming sent me to get close to you. But my interest in you before that, and everything I did by your side after, was my choice, not his.”

Yu Duqiu ignored the last part, glaring at the triple-crossing traitor. “No wonder Pei Ming kept asking about you when you vanished… What did he want you to watch me for? Is he the king or not?”

“No, which is why I told you on the mountain that the call Bai Zhiming got from ‘Pei Ming’ was off. As far as I know, Pei Ming wasn’t involved in those cases and couldn’t have contacted Bai Zhiming. But for some reason, the king wanted Bai Zhiming to target Pei Ming. Pei Ming doesn’t know this. His only obsession is you—not just out of jealousy, but because your Themis project scares him.”

This aligned with their earlier theories. Overwhelmed by the flood of information, Yu Duqiu’s mind was a mess. Setting aside old and new grudges, he pieced together the clues while asking, “Why’s he scared? Does… the car crash from twenty years ago really involve their family?”

“Not just involve—their family ordered it,” Bai Zhao said firmly. “Pei Xianyong gave the command, and Bai Zhiming carried out the murder.”

Yu Duqiu’s eyes narrowed, leaning back to distance himself. “How do you know? If you knew, why didn’t you report it? Why stick with a murderer? Your story doesn’t add up.”

Bai Zhao leaned closer. “I don’t have proof, but I swear, everything I’m saying—”

A faint car horn sounded outside.

Bai Zhao’s face changed. He quickly started untying Yu Duqiu. “Pei Ming’s here. I told him Bai Zhiming’s alive, but he doesn’t know Bai Zhiming’s betrayed him or plans to pin all the crimes on him. He thinks Bai Zhiming still listens to him… Don’t say anything, pretend you can’t move, and find a chance to escape. The car’s right outside. Once you’re in, you’re safe—Bai Zhiming’s gun can’t penetrate it.”

Yu Duqiu’s mind raced, roughly sorting out the current dynamics: Bai Zhiming, under orders, sent his foster son Liu Shaojie to harm Pei Ming. But the plan was foiled when Mu Hao, a detective from the earlier botched package case involving Jiang Sheng, noticed something. Panicked, Bai Zhiming turned to his upstream “queen” for help, leading to the Rain Alley case. Fearing exposure, Bai Zhiming fled, setting up a fall guy, Zhu Zhenmin, and a scapegoat, Liu Shaojie.

Everything should’ve been foolproof, but Mu Hao left a critical clue, prompting the police to reopen the case. Meanwhile, Yu Duqiu returned to launch the Themis project, alarming Pei Ming, who feared it would validate Cen Wan’s data, proving the crash was no accident and exposing Pei Xianyong’s old murder. This could drag the resurgent Pei family back into ruin.

The real king exploited Pei Ming’s hostility, successfully misleading them into suspecting Pei Ming as the “king.”

If Bai Zhiming had killed them on the mountain, he could’ve handed Pei Ming’s “evidence” to the police, then killed him. The police might’ve concluded the culprit was dead, and with the case occurring abroad, further investigation would be difficult, letting the true mastermind vanish again.

The most perplexing question now was: Bai Zhiming implied the informant wasn’t Bai Zhao but someone in China. Yet their decision to search the mountain wasn’t shared with anyone back home—not even Xu Sheng knew. Who betrayed them?

Lost in rapid thought, Yu Duqiu’s mind swirled with countless fragments of information and memories, like snowflakes falling chaotically. It was dizzying, and a single lapse could mean missing the key piece. He grabbed at potentially useful bits, but piercing the truth in this blizzard was no easy task, and he was still clueless.

As he zoned out, his lips suddenly felt warm.

He froze, his thoughts halting, staring incredulously at the shameless man. “You dare kiss me?”

Bai Zhao even grazed his lips lightly. “You already hate me. What’s there to fear? Might be the last time.” He stood, waving Yu Duqiu’s watch. “Pei Ming’s got bodyguards, so Bai Zhiming won’t act yet. He’ll likely lure him here alone. I need to record this. They took my phone, so I’m borrowing your watch.”

Yu Duqiu glanced down, realizing his Nautilus watch was gone. He wanted to shake off the loosely tied ropes and punch this infuriating man, but knew now wasn’t the time for revenge. Instead, he kept his hands and feet together, pretending to be tightly bound, and snapped at the man heading out, “Get my ring back and return it to me.”

Bai Zhao paused. “If I return it… will you forgive me?”

Yu Duqiu’s gaze was icy, his lips curling mockingly. “I’ll use it to slit your throat, my queen.”

Bai Zhao gave a bitter laugh, said nothing, and pushed the door open.

The room fell silent again. In the flickering lamplight, Yu Duqiu glanced at the wilted poppy on his chest, grinding his teeth. “…Little beast, I haven’t killed you yet. Don’t you dare die on me.”