BL Ch111

Three minutes had passed since Fei Zheng entered the secret room, and the longer the situation dragged on, the higher the risk that Ji Lin and Lu Qing would be exposed.

Bai Zhao didn’t waste a second. After receiving Fei Zheng’s response, he extended his hand in a gesture of goodwill. “So, does this mean we have a deal, Secretary Fei?”

However, Fei Zheng shook his head.

“You’ve got a sharp mind, and I appreciate that, but your capability is still in question.” He straightened up—his nearly 1.9-meter frame almost touched the secret room’s ceiling. The harsh incandescent light shone on his face, making his skin look as pallid as a drowned corpse. At the same time, his prominent brow ridge blocked the light from reaching his eyes, turning them into two dark, bottomless voids.

“Bai Zhiming mentioned you, said you were the strangest of his three adopted kids. He once locked you up for a week until you were rotting and stinking, yet you didn’t cry or make a fuss. By all accounts, you’re ruthless, but your courage was oddly lacking. Despite years with him, you wouldn’t even dare slip someone a drug.” Fei Zheng studied him intently. “Now, you claim you avoided killing back then to protect your future, but doesn’t that also suggest… you lack the experience and ability to act?”

Lu Qing’s heart leapt again. This guy was incredibly cautious. Even Bai Zhao’s revelation of his “true intentions” hadn’t fully won his trust. Fei Zheng wanted to test Bai Zhao’s criminal chops. If he demanded Bai Zhao go downstairs to the banquet hall and kill someone to prove himself, how would they handle it?

Yu Duqiu, however, wasn’t worried about that scenario.

Fei Zheng was clearly intrigued by Bai Zhao and showed signs of wanting to collaborate. He’d likely squeeze every ounce of value from Bai Zhao until he was no longer useful, only then discarding him like Liu Shaojie or Jiang Sheng. Until that point, he wouldn’t demand overly brazen crimes, as Bai Zhao’s exposure would do Fei Zheng no good.

Bai Zhao, facing the interrogation, shared the same reasoning but wasn’t yet sure of Fei Zheng’s exact intent. He answered conservatively, “I was frail as a kid, limited in what I could do, no confidence to act. Things are different now.”

Fei Zheng twirled the steak knife, its cold gleam flashing. “Talk is cheap. You need to prove it.”

“How do I prove it?”

“As it happens, I’ve got something here. Nothing rare—President Yu might’ve tried it. I want you to give it to him, see what interesting reaction it causes.”

Yu Duqiu hummed through the earpiece. “I’m actually quite picky with food, so maybe I haven’t tried it. I’m a bit curious.”

“…” Ji Lin thought of the seafood medley pancake on the table. Picky, my ass!

Bai Zhao agreed without hesitation. “Fine. Where’s the stuff?”

Fei Zheng replied, “Half an hour from now, go to the kitchen, first cabinet on the left as you enter.”

“What is it? Drugs? Poison?”

“You’ll find out when he takes it. If I tell you now, what if you and he team up to fake it and trick me?”

Sly old fox. The phrase flashed through Ji Lin’s mind. By not revealing what it was, they couldn’t predict the reaction, making it impossible to stage.

“Alright, during tonight’s banquet, watch for the results.” Bai Zhao said.

“I’ll be waiting.” Fei Zheng finally set the knife down, stabbing it into the food on the tray, smiling. “Honestly, I was tempted to kill you a few times just now, but I really want to see President Yu make a fool of himself in public.”

Bai Zhao asked calmly, “Just make a fool of himself? I thought you wanted him dead.”

Fei Zheng shrugged. “You’ve got me wrong. Killing him is easy—I could take him down with me. I’d rather see him fall, break, tumble from his pedestal into a pile of mud, trampled by everyone, destroying himself.”

“That line’s been said by at least a hundred people.” Yu Duqiu scoffed. “I thought he had grand ambitions, but that’s his big goal? Lame.”

“…” Ji Lin wanted to roll his eyes for the eight-hundredth time today.

“Makes sense. He has too much—Pei Ming was jealous of him too.” Bai Zhao said.

Fei Zheng snorted a laugh. “Jealous? Sure, I guess, but not because of his money. I kill and dodge the cops; he kills without a care, and the cops back him up. That’s what I envy.”

Yu Duqiu’s brow furrowed. “What’s he talking about?”

Ji Lin didn’t get it either and couldn’t respond aloud.

“I know the police are onto something. Honestly, I’m not afraid of them coming for me, or you tricking me.” Fei Zheng casually sliced a piece of the pancake with the knife, expertly forking it into his mouth. “But if you are playing me, I’d be happy to reunite you with your father—ugh?!”

Fei Zheng’s face twisted, and he spat out the bite, his piercing gaze shooting toward Bai Zhao! The knife flashed like lightning, thrusting at him. “You poisoned it—”

Bai Zhao, anticipating this, dodged, raising a hand to calm him. “No poison, just disgusting. Yu Duqiu made it. Who’d poison something this vile? I was wondering why you hadn’t smelled the stench yet.”

“…That’s harsh.” Yu Duqiu huffed, indignant. “He told me it wasn’t bad. Two-faced little beast.”

Fei Zheng slowly lowered the knife, enduring the lingering, bizarre fishy stench in his mouth. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he fought the urge to gag. “I thought it was mold in the room… You eat this stuff regularly? No wonder you want him dead…”

Bai Zhao spread his hands, his expression screaming, “You get me.”

Fei Zheng glanced at the remaining food, suspecting more of Yu Duqiu’s biochemical weapons, and didn’t touch it, wiping his mouth. “It’s getting late. I’ll head down to the banquet. Looking forward to your performance.”

“Wait.” Bai Zhao stopped him. “One last question—with your skills, why settle for being a secretary?”

Fei Zheng turned, his gaze cold and still, yet his lips curved in a faint, eerie smile that sent shivers down the spine. “I don’t feel like I’m settling… At least President Du treats me like a person, unlike your high-and-mighty young master who sees everyone else as ants.”

Bai Zhao caught a hint of something. “What’ve you been through?”

“You’re prying too much. Until you pass the test, I won’t share anything you’re curious about.” Fei Zheng gave a final wave. “See you in half an hour. Don’t let me down.”

The study door clicked shut as he left, the air falling briefly silent.

Once Bai Zhao confirmed he was gone, he locked the door and windows, returning to the secret room. “You heard everything, right?”

Ji Lin and Lu Qing emerged from behind the door, drenched in cold sweat after just ten minutes, their backs soaked. Lu Qing collapsed into a chair, exhausted. “We heard, but what now? We can’t actually let Mr. Yu take some mystery drug. Who knows what it’ll do?”

Yu Duqiu chimed in through the earpiece with a “suggestion.” “It’s simple. Let Captain Ji try it first. Whatever reaction he has, I’ll mimic. I trust the selfless, heroic Officer Ji would agree.”

Ji Lin snapped, “…Don’t call me officer, call me plaintiff.”

Bai Zhao’s idea was more practical. “Can you take it to your bureau for testing?”

Lu Qing replied, “We could, but there’s no time. It’s at least a half-hour drive to the bureau, and testing takes an hour minimum for results. Your banquet would be over by then, right?”

Yu Duqiu finally got serious. “No problem, I’ll find a way to stall. Pass the earpiece to Bai Zhao, I’ve got something to say…”

“Who’re you hiding here chatting with?” A stern female voice cut in—unmistakably Yu Jiangyue. “Ignoring the guests, leaving me to handle them alone? Is this your house or mine?”

Yu Duqiu stood, flashing a cheeky grin as he looped his arm through hers. “My house is your house, isn’t it? Just had something to deal with, all sorted now.”

Yu Jiangyue couldn’t stand his cavalier attitude, assuming her playboy son was flirting with another lover over the phone. She scolded, “You’ve got a partner now, so behave. No more two-timing. I saw you and Lu Jingyu flirting earlier—I covered for you this once, but if it happens again, I won’t care if Bai Zhao gets mad.”

Yu Duqiu’s smile froze on his face.

Even during the life-or-death chess match with Fei Zheng, his palms hadn’t sweated this much.

Once Yu Jiangyue left, he quickly and quietly asked, “You haven’t given him the earpiece yet, right?”

Ji Lin replied, “Unfortunately, I did. He heard everything.”

Lu Qing added, “He stormed out with a dark look. We couldn’t stop him, Mr. Yu… Brace yourself.”

Yu Duqiu looked down. “…”

That lock wasn’t coming off tonight.