BL Ch100

Yu Duqiu knew the pistol was unloaded, yet when the trigger clicked, his heart clenched for a split second.

He was well aware the little beast feared no death—death held no threat. The only way to make him feel the same disappointment and pain was through Yu Duqiu’s indifference and disdain.

But he’d already betrayed his boundless devotion too soon.

The night he unclasped his necklace, abandoning all doubts and indulging the other, he’d forfeited the right to condemn, no matter what happened after.

And this guy had cunningly proven his loyalty through countless life-or-death acts, leaving Yu Duqiu no grounds to hate.

Looking back, perhaps every moment of wavering and falling was calculated, all to soften his fury when the truth came out, to make him realize that from the start, Bai Zhao had shown his truest self and most sincere love.

Lies and betrayal were just the facade this guy used to survive.

Yu Duqiu couldn’t hate him, yet he refused to be so easily played. He wanted to teach a lesson, only to be outmaneuvered and exposed.

Covering his face, Yu Duqiu gritted his teeth. “I should’ve loaded one more bullet, you beast… You lied to me, threatened me, and I’m still helpless against you. Feeling smug?”

“Yeah, a bit.” The man’s low chuckle drew closer, the final word landing by his ear, accompanied by a searing embrace. “Especially seeing you love and hate me at once—it reminds me of my past. Feels good.”

Yu Duqiu looked up, mouth opening to curse, but his lips were captured.

…

The basement door was locked from inside, leaving those outside to fret. Lou Baoguo paced, while Zhou Yi, stuck in his wheelchair, could only stew anxiously. “Are they okay? It’s been an hour since the gunshot. Why aren’t they out?”

Lou Baoguo gnawed his finger nervously. “Not good, not good. What if young master killed Big Bro in a rage? Maybe he’s disposing of the body? Captain Ji, what do we do?”

Ji Lin slumped on the floor, eyes vacant. “I don’t know… I just want to know what Mu-ge said, if he mentioned me… If they don’t come out soon, I’m leaving. Who’s got time to care if they live or die?”

Crash! A clatter echoed from below. Lou Baoguo gasped. “What was that? Did… young master use those props?”

Zhou Yi shivered, recalling the items. “No way… That’d be too cruel. Young master just collects them, never used them on anyone…”

“What if, what if he did?”

“Then… Xiao Bai’s probably done for…”

Their worried gazes fixed on the dark staircase, where the sealed iron door loomed in the shadows, like the gaping maw of a monster exuding dread…

…

It ended only when supplies ran dry, a wild, unrestrained spree. Bai Zhao, still unsatisfied, rummaged around.

Yu Duqiu lay on the sofa, catching his breath, and said hoarsely, “Stop looking… I only had one box here, unopened, and you used it all.”

Bai Zhao, hearing this, snuggled up like a docile pup, kissing here and there, probing, “Never brought anyone else here?”

Yu Duqiu was sweaty and sticky, but being held felt nice, so he didn’t resist, saying lazily, “Bought this place after coming back. Only you’ve been here. These are collectibles, not for others. If they got someone else’s spit or mess on them, I’d toss them.”

“Then why’d you have…?”

“Stocked up last time I locked you in.” Yu Duqiu smirked. “Wanted to sleep with you that night at Junyue, you know.”

Bai Zhao kissed him again. “Bit tight. Get a bigger size next time.”

Yu Duqiu glanced down, thinking the difference wasn’t that big, right? But the little beast was naturally gifted—malnourished as a kid, yet still grew like that…

“Duqiu.” Bai Zhao’s sudden call snapped him back.

That name always pulled him in instantly. “What?”

Bai Zhao’s eyes were pure, reflecting only him, his hand brushing Yu Duqiu’s damp hair, caressing his cheek. “Still hate me?”

Yu Duqiu meant to say of course, but seeing the faint tension on his face, he softened hopelessly.

He’d planned to mold this guy into what he wanted, but ended up reshaped himself. The scales tipped endlessly—more than favoritism, he’d fallen entirely into the other’s domain.

Hate? The deepest hate wasn’t learning of the betrayal, but that night at the well’s bottom, staring at bloodstained flowers, hating his own powerlessness, hating the love he hadn’t expressed.

“I don’t tell those I hate that I hate them.” Yu Duqiu covered his hand, somehow holding the ruby ring again, slipping it back onto Bai Zhao’s finger. “Nor do I tell those I love that I love them. But I’ll keep the flowers they give me, put a ring on their finger. Got it?”

The three waiting upstairs were dozing when a soft click sounded. The basement door finally opened. They jolted awake, eyes wide, as something black flew up from below.

Ji Lin, quick on his feet, caught it—his service gun—and unleashed a tirade at the figure ascending. “If my gun wasn’t with you, I’d have left ages ago! Three hours! Were you meditating down there?”

Yu Duqiu, silver hair disheveled, crumpled shirt dusted with floor grime, brushed it off and shrugged. “Close enough. Fought a bit, did a bit.”

The straight-laced cop couldn’t handle such crude talk, covering his ears and roaring, “Nobody wants to hear what you did!”

Lou Baoguo muttered, “I kinda do…” but Zhou Yi elbowed him.

Yu Duqiu, grinning, instructed, “Get someone to clean up down there. He’s moving to the main building, next to me.” Then he sauntered off, humming.

Ji Lin, gun reclaimed, ignored the rest and stormed to the hospital, full of complaints. Lou Baoguo bolted downstairs, only to sprint back up, describing the horror to wheelchair-bound Zhou Yi. “Props everywhere, each crazier than the last… Big Bro’s sprawled on the sofa, out of it, grinning like a fool, ignoring me, just laughing to himself… Help, did young master break him?”

Zhou Yi, face grave, stayed calm. “Don’t panic. Get a doctor to check him.”

“Right! I’m on it!”

“Oh! Call a therapist too, might need counseling!”

“Got it!”

“Don’t tell anyone! Xiao Bai’s proud, I’m worried he’ll take it hard!”

“Understood!”

That last phrase echoed in the mind of the “taking it hard” man, who kept smiling, kissing the reclaimed ring on his finger, closing his eyes, and embracing a sweet dream.