BL Ch133

Yu Duqiu spent three days lying in the hospital. Despite his confinement, he didn’t neglect any matters requiring his attention at the company.

On the surface, due to Fei Zheng’s previous exposure of the false components of the Themis project, research and development in the laboratory had been forced to halt, the company’s reputation had plummeted, and even the Yu family’s overseas assets had been affected. The golden boy, Yu Duqiu, had suffered a crushing defeat.

In reality, however, thanks to Yu Duqiu’s cautious publicity beforehand, there was no concrete evidence that he had ever promised the efficacy of his product, so no one could sue him.

In Zhao Feihua’s words, “You’re like a scumbag leading people on, giving them all sorts of hints without making things clear, making them think there’s a chance, willingly spending money for you, only to find out in the end it was all a scam.”

Yu Duqiu corrected him: “I didn’t let any outsiders suffer losses in this incident. The only investor is myself. What’s wrong with leading people on? Is it illegal?”

Zhao Feihua was speechless.

Young Master Yu, with his rich experience as a scumbag, applied his tactics from the love field to the business world with great ease. Not only did he emerge unscathed from the fierce criticism and condemnation, but because he donated a large sum of money to the city government, the mayor personally held a commendation ceremony for him in his ward. Zhao Feihua took the opportunity to do some marketing, forcing himself to praise his boss to the skies. Whether it salvaged their public image or not, he wasn’t sure, but his job should be safe.

Yu Duqiu wasn’t worried about his business. His mother had flown to the US to deal with the SEC investigation, and his grandfather had also come to Pingyi to keep an eye on the progress of Pei Xianyong’s case. With these two taking action, everyone had to give them some face. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, apart from their rebellious grandson, the rest of the Yu family were quite reliable and authoritative. Once the storm passed, the project’s restart was just around the corner.

Yu Duqiu didn’t care about his already notorious self suffering further damage to his reputation, nor did he care about the billions he’d lost, the broken arm, or nearly losing his life. The only thing that made him unhappy was that, although he had been waited on hand and foot during his hospitalization, with someone to attend to his every need, the cameras in the ward hindered other “services,” making things somewhat inconvenient.

So, on the fourth day, he requested to be discharged and go home to continue recuperating.

Sun Xingchun saw through his intentions and rejected his proposal without hesitation, “No! Seven days means seven days!” His spittle nearly landed on Yu Duqiu’s face.

Yu Duqiu turned his head to avoid it, saying reluctantly, “Look, I’m like a prisoner here. I can’t see anyone except my family. There are still a lot of things waiting for me at the company…”

“Come on, I’ve heard that your company is about to go bankrupt! What’s there to be busy with?”

“Heehee, precisely because it’s about to go bankrupt, I have to strive for revival. If you don’t let me go, I’ll lose a lot of money. Will you compensate me?”

Sun Xingchun didn’t understand business matters. Deceived by his words, he looked dubious, “I’ll ask your mother and grandfather first. If they agree, I’ll let you go.”

Yu Duqiu curled his lip, “My grandfather is busy. He doesn’t have time to care about me.”

Sun Xingchun wanted to say that if he really didn’t care about you, he wouldn’t have flown for hours specifically to see you at the hospital.

However, Sun Xingchun also didn’t quite understand Yu Youhai’s behavior that day, arriving at the ward door but not entering to visit his grandson.

He had witnessed Yu Youhai pulling Bai Zhao aside and whispering something mysteriously. Bai Zhao had listened attentively and nodded.

Why did these two, one old and one young, seem so familiar? Logically, it should have been their first meeting.

Zhou Yi and Lou Baoguo, who were guarding the door, had the same question at the time, but Yu Youhai told them not to tell Yu Duqiu about it before leaving, so they could only agree.

Over the past three days, Yu Youhai hadn’t returned, and Bai Zhao had been diligently taking care of Yu Duqiu. Everything seemed normal, so they didn’t think much of it. Now, hearing Yu Duqiu mention his grandfather again, Sun Xingchun couldn’t help but glance back:

Bai Zhao was sitting on the other side of the bed, peeling an apple. The sharp knife moved forward slowly and steadily, the peel coming off in a continuous strip.

His gaze, sharp as a knife, was fixed on him.

Sun Xingchun shivered.

He understood. He couldn’t ask, couldn’t say. Anyway, these young people’s affairs had nothing to do with him, so why bother asking for trouble?

After the routine checkup, Sun Xingchun returned to his office. The two remaining in the ward were silent for a moment. Bai Zhao appeared to be concentrating on peeling the apple, but his mind was in turmoil. He’d been thinking for three days and still didn’t know how to bring it up.

“It’s best not to tell him all at once. Give him some clues and let him figure it out slowly,” Yu Youhai’s advice echoed in his ears. “Duqiu is a smart child. He knows there are questions about your identity, but he doesn’t force you to reveal your secrets because he trusts you. He’s waiting, waiting for you to tell him yourself. Don’t betray his trust.”

“I’ll tell him everything when I find the right time, at least wait until he recovers first,” he had replied. “But please keep that matter a secret.”

Yu Youhai smiled, “Can’t bear to see him sad?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, think it through. You’re at the crucial moment, don’t mess it up.” Yu Youhai had patted his shoulder and drifted away.

“What are you thinking about?” Yu Duqiu waved his hand in front of him, “You’re about to cut your hand, darling.”

Bai Zhao’s eyelids twitched slightly, and he returned to his senses, casually tossing the apple peel, “Nothing, I’m thinking, maybe we should listen to the doctor. It’s only a few more days, your health is important.”

Yu Duqiu was perplexed, “There’ll be doctors at home too. There are cameras here, and people coming and going all the time, it’s inconvenient to do anything. Don’t you want to go home with me and have some alone time?”

Of course he did, but once they were home, it would be even harder to avoid certain questions.

Thinking this, Bai Zhao’s reply was a second late, “I…”

Yu Duqiu, ever so perceptive, noticed the anomaly in his hesitation. His tone immediately changed, “If you prefer to stay here, I can stay a few more days too.”

Bai Zhao nodded, “Yes, let’s stay for two or three more days.”

His mind was racing with various thoughts, and he didn’t notice the coldness that had crept into the eyes of the person on the bed.

The apple was thoughtfully cut into small pieces and placed in a small glass bowl. Bai Zhao picked up a piece with a toothpick and fed it to Yu Duqiu, only to be met with the latter’s disdain, “I don’t want to eat it.”

His mood swings weren’t anything new. Bai Zhao was used to it, so he put down the bowl, “Then don’t eat it. What do you want? I’ll go buy it.”

Yu Duqiu raised his chin slightly, looking at him haughtily, “Don’t you understand me best? Guess what I want to eat. If you guess wrong… I won’t take you home.”

The hint was so obvious, yet the man who usually lived rent-free in his mind was just staring blankly, even asking, “Why are you suddenly angry?”

Yu Duqiu felt a sudden loss of interest. This one-sided questioning, like a child throwing a tantrum, where was their usual tacit understanding? Could it be that only he wanted to go home and have some alone time?

He didn’t answer, and Bai Zhao didn’t press further, quietly waiting for him to give a clear indication.

The longer the silence dragged on, the more puzzling it became.

Just then, someone knocked on the door twice, and without waiting for a response, pushed it open.

There were only a few guests who dared to intrude on the owner of this ward without permission. Yu Duqiu greeted before even seeing their face, “Captain Ji, you finally remembered to visit me.”

Ji Lin indeed appeared at the doorway with his hair a bird’s nest. He frowned the moment he saw him, “What do you mean ‘finally’? It’s only been three days. You’re not terminally ill, and you have so many people waiting on you, you’re living much more comfortably than I am.”

Yu Duqiu’s lips curled into a mischievous smile, thinking of something. “That’s true. You’re not only suspended, but Mu Hao’s avoiding you too. Must be tough these past few days, huh?”

“!” A huge crack appeared on Ji Lin’s face, as if he’d been struck by lightning. “…He… he told you?”

“Mmm… how should I put it, he told me, but not everything.” Yu Duqiu chuckled, remembering Mu Hao’s words. He’d laughed so hard when he received the message that his wound almost split open.

A blockhead and a little fool, he wanted to see what other jokes these two could come up with.

Ji Lin wilted, leaning against the door and sighing, comforting himself, “It’s fine, I expected it. Haven’t I been through this all these years? As long as he’s alive and well, I have nothing else to ask for… Let’s not talk about him. I have something to discuss with you two.”

Yu Duqiu pointed at his arm in a cast, “In this state, I can’t go on any adventures with you.”

“No need for anything strenuous.” Ji Lin pushed the wheelchair in the corner to the bedside. “Team Xu said the bureau is going to interrogate your old butler and Du Shuyan. I applied to observe, and I figured you’d want to go too, so I applied for you as well. Let’s go, I’ll help you—”

Before he could reach out, another arm beat him to it, lifting the blanket covering Yu Duqiu, scooping him up by the knees and waist, carefully carrying him horizontally.

Ji Lin: “…Did you really have to get out of bed like this?”

Yu Duqiu’s uninjured arm wrapped around Bai Zhao’s neck, gently rubbing the back of his neck. The short, stiff hair prickled his hand, sending a tingle through him, slightly dispelling his earlier displeasure. He replied, “Getting out of bed is nothing. Be glad I didn’t get into bed in front of you.”

Then he whispered to Bai Zhao, “No getting into bed until you figure out why I’m angry.”

He still had the mood to tease the little dog now, but once they arrived at the city bureau, his mood wouldn’t be so relaxed.

The monitoring room was already crowded. Except for the two busy leaders who had other cases to handle, most of the detectives from the task force were present to witness the unveiling of the truth behind this long-running serial murder case.

Yu Duqiu sat in the wheelchair, pushed by Bai Zhao. They squeezed past many police officers, eliciting a few disgruntled complaints, but everyone let it slide considering his injury, allowing him to reach the front row unimpeded.

Surprisingly, Mu Hao was also there.

“Duqiu,” he called softly. Although he looked weak, his spirits were good. He wasn’t in a wheelchair but stood at the very front, supported by a colleague. It was clear that everyone had taken special care of him, offering him their spot.

Hearing his voice, Ji Lin subconsciously hid behind the others. But Mu Hao had already seen him and called out, “Ji Lin, come here.”

Everyone else looked over. There was nowhere to hide, so Ji Lin shuffled to the front row, awkwardly standing on Yu Duqiu’s other side.

A hint of confusion flickered in Mu Hao’s eyes, but just then, the interrogation began, and he didn’t dwell on it.

The one-way glass was crystal clear, allowing them to see inside clearly.

The first to be interrogated was the elderly butler, Hong Liangzhang.

After falling into the water, Hong Liangzhang had caught a cold. The police, considering his age and frail health, were worried about complications, so they thoughtfully arranged for him to recuperate in the hospital for a few days. Today, finally having the strength to stand, he was transferred to the Pingyi City Bureau.

Given that Hong Liangzhang had already switched sides before being arrested, assisting the police in capturing Du Shuyan, logically he wouldn’t resist any further. Therefore, it was decided to interrogate him first, then Du Shuyan, to get a complete picture of the entire case.

Xu Sheng was in charge of the interrogation. The old man and the young officer sat face to face, a bright incandescent lamp hanging overhead. Hong Liangzhang’s cheekbones protruded like reefs after low tide, casting a bleak shadow below his sunken cheeks.

Xu Sheng spoke first, using an honorific out of respect for having met him a few times, “If you want a lighter sentence, confess honestly.”

Hong Liangzhang chuckled with his aged voice, “Officer Xu, at my age, it doesn’t matter how many years I get. Ask away. At this point, I have no reason to make excuses anymore.”

Seeing his cooperative attitude, Xu Sheng was relieved. He turned and glanced at the glass. The detective in charge of recording immediately stood at attention.

“Then start from when you joined them and tell us everything you know clearly.”

Hong Liangzhang also glanced at the glass at this point and asked, “Is the Young Master outside?”

Xu Sheng: “I’m not sure. He wasn’t there when I came in.”

“I hope he isn’t.” Hong Liangzhang wanted to cover his face with his hand, but was restrained by the handcuffs, only able to raise them halfway. He lowered his head, burying his face in his palms, “It’s too shameful, my appearance like this… disgracing the Young Master and the Master.”

Yu Duqiu quietly watched the familiar figure through the glass, expressionless, silent.

Xu Sheng also remained silent, giving him time to process his emotions, waiting for him to speak.

After about half a minute, Hong Liangzhang finally raised his head slightly. Under his droopy eyelids, red blood vessels almost filled his cloudy eyes.

“I joined them… in November last year.”

Hong Yuanhang’s involvement hadn’t been accidentally exposed, but rather an anonymous letter had been sent directly to the Hong family, the recipient boldly addressed to “Hong Liangzhang.” The contents of the letter were the terrifying beginning.

“I never imagined… Xiaohang would actually help that kind of murderer… Sending him abroad to study was my idea. I took care of him in the US. If I had known it would lead him astray, I should’ve listened to his parents and let him get a degree here… I raised him like this, I have no face to see his parents…”

The doting love that came with raising a grandchild was only human nature. Hong Liangzhang’s self-deprecating and remorseful confession resonated with everyone, raising a question in their hearts: If it were me, what would I choose to do? Report my own grandson and send him to prison, or conceal his crimes and pretend nothing happened?

The weight of family was a mountain that few could easily overcome.

Yu Duqiu suddenly asked, “If your parents were still alive and happened to be my enemies, and they wanted to kill me, what would you do?”

“First, this hypothetical scenario is impossible and meaningless.” Bai Zhao leaned close to his ear, not disturbing the others’ contemplation, and gently warned him, “Second, even if my parents were still alive, they would like you very much.”

This answer was correct, but Yu Duqiu didn’t find it satisfying, not reaching their previous level of understanding.

However, at this moment, he didn’t have time to think about it. The confession in the interrogation room continued—

“I didn’t dare tell anyone, I only hoped the Young Master wouldn’t get involved any further. For this reason, I specifically went to the Master to persuade him, but how could the Young Master’s decisions be swayed by others? He still returned to the country for Mu Hao, stepping into this bloody storm.”

Hong Liangzhang stared blankly at his handcuffs, his aging mind slow, many memories blurred, but the events of the past year were etched deeply in his mind, causing him too much pain. He remembered every single one clearly:

“After the Young Master returned, I immediately contacted his second uncle, thinking that if something were to happen to his relatives, the Young Master might consider the safety of his family and not get involved any further. But I didn’t expect it to backfire… I really regretted it that night, and I also understood that I had truly embarked on a path of no return. Fear enveloped me, and in my desperation, I could only turn to Du Shuyan for help.”

Xu Sheng: “Du Shuyan knew you wanted to dissuade Yu Duqiu, and he also had that intention, correct?”

Hong Liangzhang nodded, sighing, “That child, Shuyan, has schemes but no courage. He wanted to get rid of the Young Master, but he also didn’t want to lose the brother-in-law who could support his company. So initially, we were on the same page. Fei Zheng gave us an idea at the time, to use Pei Zhuo to persuade Miss Du to find Master Dong to drug the Young Master, saying this might shift the Young Master’s suspicion. But I never imagined he had ulterior motives. He secretly arranged for assassins. Fortunately, Xiaohang told me, and I was able to arrange for people to intervene. If something had really happened to the Young Master… my conscience would be burdened for life!”

Hong Liangzhang still had lingering fears when mentioning this incident, panting slightly, “From then on, I knew Fei Zheng was a scheming person, but I didn’t tell Du Shuyan. They had been together for many years. If I told him the truth, Du Shuyan might not side with me, and might even suspect that I would inform the Young Master and take action against me and Xiaohang.”

No wonder Du Shuyan never knew about the attempt on Yu Duqiu’s life in the US. Fei Zheng had harbored ill intentions from the very beginning.

Xu Sheng continued questioning in chronological order, “After Yu Duqiu returned to China, whose idea was it for Huang Hansheng and Jiang Sheng to infiltrate his company and his home?”

“Theirs.” Hong Liangzhang smiled bitterly, “Huang Hansheng used to be an employee of the Pei’s. Du Shuyan wanted to further frame Pei Ming, so Fei Zheng came up with this idea. I didn’t know why he wanted to frame Pei Ming at the time, but now I understand. He knew very well that Pei Ming also had a guilty conscience, worried that if the Young Master continued Ms. Cen’s research, he’d discover his father’s crimes of hiring assassins and kidnapping years ago, implicating their entire family. So Pei Ming would definitely intervene, and he just happened to have a motive, making him the perfect scapegoat.”

Hong Liangzhang paused, a hint of suspicion on his face, “But strangely, the day the Young Master went to the company, Xiaohang was supposed to send an anonymous message from abroad to Pei Ming, arousing his suspicion and prompting him to take people to the company to look for the Young Master. But before Xiaohang’s message was sent, Pei Ming arrived… I guess it was probably Fei Zheng’s doing too.”

“That’s really unfair.” Yu Duqiu glanced at the man beside him, “Don’t you think?”

Before Bai Zhao could speak, Mu Hao, the first to notice something amiss, asked, “So it wasn’t Fei Zheng? Then who was it?”

Ji Lin couldn’t hold back any longer, “Who else could it be? There was more than one former Pei employee present that day.”

Mu Hao instantly reacted, staring at Bai Zhao with suspicion, then shifting his gaze to Yu Duqiu, asking with his eyes: You know?

Yu Duqiu nodded: I know, it’s fine.

How could it be fine? Mu Hao couldn’t understand. If this was true, wouldn’t Bai Zhao be on Pei Ming’s side? Why was he undercover by Yu Duqiu’s side?

He didn’t distrust this suddenly appearing bodyguard. Yu Duqiu was the most suspicious person he knew. Anyone he kept by his side and refused to let go must have earned his deep trust, and there was no need for others to worry.

But the problem was, no one had ever seen Yu Duqiu in love. Who knew if his rationality would go offline after falling into the honey pot of love? What if he really knew his boyfriend was guilty but still shielded and indulged him?

Seeing the complex expression on Mu Hao’s face, Yu Duqiu knew he was overthinking things again. He said helplessly, “When it comes to matters of the heart, I advise you to turn off your detective brain. Don’t let me hear such absurd questions again. It’s so ridiculous I want to dissect your brain for research, to see how a blockhead thinks.”

Mu Hao glanced at Ji Lin surreptitiously and whispered, “Was my guess last time wrong? I think the evidence is quite sufficient. Recently, the only women he’s been in contact with are Lu Qing from his team and your mother. The one ‘he originally had nothing in common with’ must be your mother, right? But you, do you really know what you’re doing?”

Yu Duqiu looked like a student being lectured by a teacher, unable to bear it, “Of course I know, can’t you have a little more trust in people?”

If before Mu Hao only had a sliver of suspicion, after hearing these words, his hair stood on end. He regarded Bai Zhao with vigilance, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Anyone could say those words, except Yu Duqiu.

This kid, Bai Zhao… just what was his background? He’d actually managed to brainwash the suspicious Yu Duqiu to this extent.