BL Ch12

One of the advantages of living in a big city is the fast pace. Pedestrians hurry to work or school, no one cares if you wear eccentric clothes, and no one has time to delve into others’ lives. New things appear every day, and there’s always a new trending topic. Channels for information are abundant, ensuring there’s never a shortage of things to talk about.

However, the downside of a big city is precisely this.

On June 1st, just five days after the Yu Wencheng case, the hot news in Pingyi City had already shifted to a car owner causing a scene at a 4S shop for consumer rights, a kindergarten teacher abusing children, and a famous bubble tea shop’s kitchen being found with cockroaches. A stranger’s suicide case was like a stone thrown into the sea of information—it made a splash but left the ocean itself unchanged. People continued to go to school, go to work, and focus only on their own lives.

Only a group of people in uniforms or plain clothes, responsible for others’ lives and safety, tirelessly roamed the streets, stations, and airports.

The task force was led by the city bureau’s director, with New Gold Sub-bureau’s director Peng Deyu and city criminal investigation team captain Feng Jinmin as deputy leaders. Both had to oversee the overall situation, so Ji Lin, in a middling position, became the workhorse, frequently visiting No. 1 Palace for investigations, each time marvelling at the extravagant lifestyle of a certain young master.

Today’s visit was another novel experience.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a home with a built-in amusement park.” Through the living room’s floor-to-ceiling glass, Ji Lin gazed at the various children’s play facilities on the lawn, lamenting the plight of a hard worker. “Is this what rich kids’ Children’s Day looks like?”

Lu Qing, who came along, almost cried. “This inflatable pool is bigger than my house, boo hoo.”

The giant inflatable pool was filled with clear water. Several children in walking balls bumped into each other, laughing and playing. Hong Liangzhang, Zhou Yi, Lou Baoguo, and others stood by, occasionally tossing ocean balls into the pool to entertain the children of the staff.

Yu Duqiu, sitting across from Ji Lin on the sofa, had his mid-length silver hair tied into a small ponytail, looking more refined than when they first met. He put down a bone china coffee cup and sighed. “I originally planned to take them on a yacht trip. Last year, Old Zhou’s daughter celebrated her birthday in Monaco and loved the water slide. Unfortunately, I have to stay here for your investigation, so they have to make do with my humble home’s simple games. The kids are suffering.”

Ji Lin was speechless.

Lu Qing pitifully asked, “Do you need more children in your family?”

Ji Lin shot her a sharp look, silencing her.

“It seems you really like children,” Ji Lin attempted to bridge the gap with the outrageous young master.

Offending Yu Duqiu was unwise and hindered the investigation, a lesson Ji Lin learned after being severely reprimanded by Peng Deyu.

He tried to find some redeeming qualities in Yu Duqiu. “When I entered your home, I saw a child’s doodle on the hallway wall. Though it looked like scribbles, you cherished it, placing it alongside several master paintings.”

Yu Duqiu smiled. “That doodle is by Basquiat, bought by my art consultant for twenty million.”

“Pu!!” Lu Qing sprayed the coffee she just drank back into the cup.

Ji Lin’s strong psychological resilience kept his expression unchanged, swallowing the impulse to say, “With so much money, why not get treatment?”

Yu Duqiu casually continued, “I don’t like children, but Old Zhou and Baoguo have been with me for many years, and Uncle Hong has been our family’s steward since my grandfather’s time. They know too many of my family’s secrets. If they were to leak anything, it would be disastrous for me. So, I have to treat them well, and also care for their families. Like Old Zhou’s daughter, who attends the city’s best school thanks to the school district house I gave him. Uncle Hong’s grandson studies abroad, and I cover his tuition and living expenses. When Baoguo gets married and starts a family, I’ll take care of him too. How else can I buy their loyalty?”

Ji Lin’s eye twitched. “You rich people… truly live lives beyond imagination.”

Lu Qing couldn’t help but ask, “Do you need any more staff? I can help with cleaning.”

Ji Lin lost his patience. “You studied forensic science for four years to check cleanliness? Where’s your ambition?”

Lu Qing defiantly retorted, “No job is beneath anyone! It’s still checking things.”

Ji Lin pushed her head down, bowing to Yu Duqiu. “Sorry, she’s newly confirmed, young and naive, please forgive her.”

Yu Duqiu waved it off. “No problem. It’s my honor if Miss Lu wants to work here. Unfortunately, I’m already overstaffed. Recently, I even took on a particularly disobedient new bodyguard, so I’m too busy to hire more.”

As he spoke, his gaze shifted outside the villa.

Ji Lin and Lu Qing followed his gaze—

A tall figure carrying a tray of colorful chilled drinks walked towards the pool where the children played. The man wore a black tank top, showing off muscular arms and back like a mountain range, army green cargo pants, and combat boots. He exuded an aura that seemed capable of kicking someone eight meters away.

Lu Qing was awestruck. “Wow, walking hormones.”

Yu Duqiu smiled slightly, and Lu Qing suddenly felt a chill, instinctively retracting her gaze.

Yu Duqiu looked at the figure’s casual attire, which contrasted sharply with Zhou Yi and the others, and muttered, “Hmm… I still need to get him a custom suit.”

Outside the villa, Bai Zhao walked across the manicured lawn to a shaded area under a sun umbrella and set down the tray.

Lou Baoguo, sweaty and parched from playing with the children, eagerly grabbed a glass of watermelon juice and downed it in a few gulps. Reaching for a second glass, he was stopped by a hand.

“One per person,” Bai Zhao said.

Lou Baoguo cheerfully responded, “Go get more from the kitchen.”

“Get it yourself. I’m not your servant,” Bai Zhao retorted.

Lou Baoguo put his hands on his hips. “Hey, you change your tune quickly, don’t you? Last time at the hotel, you went out of your way to buy me beer, and now you won’t even walk a few steps to bring a juice?”

Bai Zhao slowly sipped his ice water. “Back then, I was a waiter, and getting you a drink was my job. Now I’m a bodyguard, same as you. Why should I serve you?”

Hot weather can easily ignite tempers, and Lou Baoguo, naturally impatient, was provoked by Bai Zhao’s arrogance. His face darkened. “I’m older and more experienced in this job. Shouldn’t you, as a newcomer, show respect to your seniors?”

Bai Zhao didn’t even look at him, his gaze resting on Zhou Yi and his daughter playing not far away. “In this line of work, isn’t it about who’s stronger?”

“Oh, so you think you’re better than me?”

“Obviously.”

Lou Baoguo laughed angrily. “Alright, let’s have a match, then.”

Bai Zhao turned and walked away.

“Why are you running? Afraid?”

“If we’re going to fight, let’s not scare the kids.”

Lou Baoguo hesitated, rubbed his head, and found a way out. “Of course, not here. I never said here… Let’s go to the orchard behind the hill, there’s a small grove…”

Inside the villa, Ji Lin watched them leave, worried. “They seem to be arguing. Are they going to fight? Should you check on them?”

“No need. They’re definitely going to fight,” Yu Duqiu replied.

“You know and you’re not stopping them?”

Yu Duqiu calmly explained, “They need to fight eventually. Baoguo is impulsive and competitive. He thinks Bai Zhao is incompetent but easily became my personal bodyguard, so he’s naturally resentful. He needs to vent this frustration, or they won’t be able to work together.”

Ji Lin asked, “Aren’t you afraid he’ll seriously injure or kill Bai Zhao?”

“Captain Ji, you’ve been investigating cases too long. It’s not that easy to get into a criminal situation. Baoguo knows his limits.”

Lu Qing chimed in, “What if Bai Zhao wins?”

Yu Duqiu laughed, “Miss Lu, you worry too much. Baoguo is a retired member of the Oriental Sword Unit. In terms of skill, he’s unmatched in Pingyi City.”

Twenty minutes later.

A cloth printed with beach scenes, palm trees, and the sea floated down, landing on the coffee table.

Yu Duqiu set down his coffee cup. “What’s this?”

Ji Lin and Lu Qing leaned closer, examining it. “A scarf?”

Bai Zhao stood expressionless by the coffee table. “Lou Baoguo’s underwear.”

“…………………………” Ji Lin and Lu Qing recoiled, keeping over a meter from the table.

At that moment, Zhou Yi hurriedly entered the living room, loudly questioning, “Bai Zhao! Why did you take Baoguo to the grove? I just saw him run into his room disheveled. I knocked, and he told me to get lost, saying he’s disgraced and doesn’t want to see anyone ever again. Did you…? It can’t be… you didn’t…?”

Ji Lin was about to sip his coffee but sprayed it back into the cup at these words.

Bai Zhao casually explained, “He wanted a match, but nothing too violent. We agreed whoever pulls the other’s underwear off first wins, and the loser has to call the winner ‘Big Brother’ from now on. I won in a minute, and it took him twenty minutes to finally call me Big Brother.”

Zhou Yi was stunned. “H-How did you do it?”

“Fat people are ticklish,” Bai Zhao succinctly explained.

Lu Qing innocently remarked, “But he’s not that fat… just a bit bulky.”

Bai Zhao said, “Fatter than me.”

“…True.”

“You always surprise me,” Yu Duqiu said, unfazed by being proven wrong. “You’re wasted as a bodyguard; you should be sent to assassinate people I dislike. Like Musk, his Neuralink company always steals my spotlight with its stunts.”

Ji Lin tapped the coffee table with his knuckles. “Mr. Yu, just in case you’re visually impaired, let me remind you, you’re sitting in front of two detectives, and you’re still a suspect.”

Yu Duqiu looked surprised. “You still suspect me of harming my uncle?”

“Until we catch the culprit, everyone who had access to the medication that night remains a suspect.”

Yu Duqiu sighed, “In that case, to clear my name, let’s continue the investigation. Where were we? Oh right, Captain Ji, it’s impressive you deduced there might be more than one perpetrator in the three cases so quickly, only a few days behind me…”

Ji Lin’s temples throbbed. He fought the urge to walk away and forced himself to continue, opening his notebook to record possible clues.

As the conversation turned serious, Zhou Yi pulled Bai Zhao away, not wanting to disturb Yu Duqiu and the detectives. He led Bai Zhao to the auxiliary building, advising, “Baoguo is competitive; don’t hold it against him. You’ll be colleagues, so try to get along…”

Bai Zhao let Zhou Yi lead him without complaint, his gaze falling on a ponytailed, pretty girl sipping orange juice on the lawn, around fourteen or fifteen years old, youthful and radiant.

“Your daughter is very cute,” he remarked.

Zhou Yi paused, surprised, then smiled proudly despite the scar on his face. “Of course, my daughter is the class beauty! She’s already had boys confessing to her in elementary school. Those boys, dreaming above their station… Oh, and yesterday, her middle school had a Children’s Day show. She performed solo, wasn’t she amazing? Want to see the video?”

“No…” 

Once Zhou Yi started talking, he couldn’t stop. He pulled out his phone, playing a video while explaining, “She practiced this song for a month. The high notes are tough, but she managed. Yesterday, Baoguo and Hong Bo were there to support her. Considering you just got out and needed rest, we didn’t call you.”

Bai Zhao, feeling obligated, was about to lean in to watch when Zhou Yi suddenly snapped his phone shut, his eyes wary. “Why did you suddenly compliment my daughter? Do you have any dirty thoughts about her?”

“…I have no such thoughts,” Bai Zhao replied. “I just think having family around is nice. Why isn’t her mother here? Is she at work?”

Zhou Yi looked down, touching his phone’s screensaver. “She passed away from illness many years ago.”

The screensaver was a photo of a family of three. A young woman with an oval face smiled gently. Beside her, Zhou Yi wore a camouflage uniform, his face unscarred and full of spirit. Even their young daughter, nestled in his arms, had a chubby, smiling face.

“No need for your sympathy,” Zhou Yi said, waving his hand before Bai Zhao could speak. “At least I still have my daughter and my parents. You have no family at all; we should be the ones comforting and taking care of you.”

Bai Zhao averted his gaze, silently walking forward.

Zhou Yi, feeling a pang of sympathy, thought his words had hurt Bai Zhao and quickly tried to make amends. “It’s all in the past. Don’t dwell on it. Once you get married, you’ll have a family. By the way, you’re not seeing anyone, right? Any preferences? I can keep an eye out for suitable girls… or boys.”

“No need, I already like someone.”

“Huh? Who?”

Bai Zhao paused briefly, giving him a look that was hard to describe. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Zhou Yi, a long-time bachelor, couldn’t follow the younger man’s train of thought and asked, confused, “What’s obvious?”

“…Never mind.” Bai Zhao effortlessly slipped out of Zhou Yi’s grip, hands in his pockets, striding towards Lou Baoguo’s room.

Zhou Yi, unperturbed, caught up and walked beside him, encouraging, “If you like someone, go for it. While you’re young, don’t have any regrets! Besides, you’re tall and handsome. As long as you’re sincere, you’ll be fine!”

Bai Zhao shook his head. “He’s not the type that sincerity alone can win over. Plus, I’m still mad at him.”

“Oh, don’t be so proud. When you’re pursuing someone, lower your stance a bit…”

“I’ve already lowered it enough.” Bai Zhao sighed softly, looking up at the slowly drifting white clouds, as if seeing some scenes from the past on that white canvas. “He just doesn’t know.”