BL Ch36

“We know each other.”

These four words could lead to various interpretations. It could mean they’re simply online acquaintances who are aware of each other’s existence, casual nodding acquaintances who’ve met a few times, or, going deeper, they could be close friends.

Of course, the worst possible explanation could be, “We’re accomplices.”

But judging from Bai Zhao’s calm and composed expression when he said this, that possibility seemed slim. So Lou Baoguo and the others were only briefly surprised and didn’t jump to any negative conclusions. Instead, with a gossipy curiosity, they waited for Yu Duqiu to ask, “How do you two know each other?”

But Yu Duqiu didn’t ask that. Instead, he said, “Let me continue guessing. He said he became a security guard after graduating, so he must have worked at some company or institution for a while. And you happened to have done a similar job. Plus, I remember your profile stated that after graduation, you’ve been working for the Pei family. So… he’s your former colleague from the Pei family, right?”

Bai Zhao admitted frankly, “Yes.”

Lou Baoguo sighed in relief and patted his chest, “So that’s it? I thought it was something serious! All this suspense, don’t you think, Old Zhou? … What’s with that expression?”

Zhou Yi frowned deeply, the long scar on half his face wrinkling into jagged lines as his brows furrowed. “But it’s still strange. If they were just ordinary colleagues, why didn’t he dare look at Xiaobai? And why didn’t Xiaobai mention it earlier? Plus, it’s the Pei family again…”

All the recent unusual events had, in one way or another, been connected to the Pei family. Although the police hadn’t managed to get Pei Zhuo to admit any link to the first three murders, those handling the case weren’t fools. With a bit of speculation, they could tell who the prime suspect in this string of cases was.

“I quit the Pei family in February this year,” Bai Zhao said indifferently. “I didn’t mention it because I barely knew him. I was responsible for jewelry transportation, so I was often out on the road. He was stationed at the gate, mostly staying at the company. We only spoke when I was heading out, so I didn’t have a deep impression. I wasn’t sure at first, but when he said his name earlier, I figured it out. But you all were deep in conversation, and I couldn’t get a word in. Then you started suspecting me. As for why he avoided looking at me, it’s probably because he didn’t expect to see me here and was afraid I’d recognize him.”

Yu Duqiu clapped his hands, “Good explanation. You’ve completely distanced yourself from everything.”

“It’s true!” Huang Hanxiang, who had been silent for a while, seized the chance to jump in, “I didn’t notice him downstairs at first because… well, you kissed me. Then, when I got to the office and saw him, I felt so embarrassed that I didn’t want him to recognize me…”

“You two have quite the synchronized act, don’t you?” Yu Duqiu’s gaze never wavered as he continued watching Bai Zhao’s every expression. “But isn’t it all a little too convenient? The bartender at Junyue just happened to resign, and you conveniently applied, catching my attention and getting involved in my life. Now, a security guard at my company has just resigned, and he immediately comes in to apply, getting involved in my company. The most coincidental part is that you both worked at the same company, and one of the shareholders of that company not only attended Junyue’s banquet but also encouraged my fiancée to sabotage my project. Your explanation doesn’t seem enough to dismiss all these coincidences.”

“I paid off the bartender at Junyue to quit. I went there that night for you. You know that. There’s no need to hide it,” Bai Zhao said as he strode towards him. “As for how he got hired, it has nothing to do with me. Besides, don’t forget how I entered your room that night.”

Zhou Yi started to move, but Yu Duqiu stopped him with a gesture.

The man stood before him, young and sharp-featured, wearing a tight suit that didn’t quite fit. His chest seemed to swell with pent-up anger as his displeased gaze swept across Yu Duqiu’s casual face. In a low voice, he said, “If someone wanted to harm you, they wouldn’t nearly kill themselves first, young master.”

Yu Duqiu smiled faintly, “You consider yourself normal? Normal people don’t scale tall buildings or aim a gun at their own heart.”

Bai Zhao stepped even closer, lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear, “After all I’ve done, isn’t it enough to earn your trust?”

“Still not quite there,” Yu Duqiu raised a hand to gently caress his face, whispering back, “I’ve encountered others before who pretended loyalty while trying to steal trade secrets. They didn’t go as far as you, of course. But whenever I extended an invitation, they always hesitated. Some men’s pride, you know, matters more than their lives. They’d lower themselves to work under me but never let themselves be beneath me in bed. You say you like me, yet you won’t even let me sleep with you. To me, you’re no different from that idiot pretending to be gay to seduce me.”

“… Are you really choosing this moment to argue about that?”

“Don’t I always argue about this?”

“…”

The two stood at the doorway whispering for so long that everyone else was left hanging. Lou Baoguo was puzzled, “What are they talking about? Why do they need to stand so close?”

Zhao Feihua wished for superhuman hearing, cupping his hand over his ear to listen more closely. “It sounds like they’re arguing. You think they’ll start fighting? Should we go over and check?”

Zhou Yi shook his head quickly, “Let’s not. For some reason, whenever those two start talking, the air around them feels thick and sticky.”

“…”

Lou Baoguo and Zhao Feihua glanced at him with sympathy. “Old Zhou, you’re really getting old.”

“?”

Just then, two figures flashed across the corner of their eyes. Zhao Feihua, quick to notice, immediately called out, “Where are you two going?! We haven’t finished interrogating this guy!”

Bai Zhao grabbed Yu Duqiu’s arm and led him inside without looking back. “We’re going to reach a consensus. Give me five minutes.”

Yu Duqiu lightly tossed a parting remark, “Keep an eye on him,” as he followed Bai Zhao into the small meeting room in the office. The door slammed shut, leaving the other four to exchange bewildered glances.

Huang Hanxiang hesitantly asked, “Can I leave now? It seems like Mr. Yu doesn’t really care about me. He only has eyes for his boyfriend…”

“Forget it. Our young master only has little flings, no boyfriends,” Lou Baoguo declared, flopping onto the sofa and enforcing Yu Duqiu’s order. “The two of them are just figuring out how to deal with you. Sit tight!”

Inside the meeting room, the lights were off. The blinds were half-drawn, blocking out some sunlight, while the rest cast bright beams into the dim space.

When Yu Duqiu was pressed against the wall, a ray of light happened to cross his eyes, causing him to squint. His light eyes sparkled, reflecting the golden hue of his hair in the sunlight. As he turned his head, the shifting shadows on his face looked like a Rembrandt painting.

“Five minutes? That’s barely enough time to undress.”

The momentary poetic atmosphere was shattered.

It was unclear whether the tight suit or the stuffy air in the seldom-used meeting room was to blame, but Bai Zhao’s breathing became heavier. “Let’s talk seriously. You need to trust me.”

Yu Duqiu raised an eyebrow. “Why should I?”

“Because we have the same enemy. I’ve always suspected that Bai Zhiming’s incident is related to the Pei family,” Bai Zhao said. “He was frequently sent on business trips, especially to places like Myanmar and Yunnan. Sometimes for a few days, sometimes for a month. Looking back, it might not have been about inspecting gem mining operations. It’s possible that the Pei family had him involved in drug transactions. And you’ve been suspecting the Pei family as the ‘king’ behind all of this, haven’t you?”

“It wasn’t recent. I started suspecting them the moment we found Bai Zhiming, and when I saw Lingya’s pigeon-blood red earrings, I was almost certain. Plus, there’s the gemstone ring on the Rainy Alley killer’s finger… Even if the Pei family isn’t the ‘king,’ they must play some role in this scheme,” Yu Duqiu said, casually brushing his disheveled hair back. His playful, carefree exterior might be his greatest disguise—anyone who dismissed him as just another lazy rich heir would regret underestimating him.

“Did you know that the world’s most famous source of rubies is also one of the most notorious sources of drugs? The so-called prestigious families now residing in Pingyi City—three generations ago, they were all nobodies. How did they get rich?”

“My grandfather earned his wealth through hard work and intellect, Du Shuyan’s late father through his sharp journalistic instincts. But the Pei family? They made their fortune in Myanmar, and they accumulated wealth faster than anyone else. In the last century, domestic gemstone mining technology wasn’t as advanced as it is today. No matter how lucky Pei Xianyong was, finding gems wasn’t enough to make him that rich in just a few decades. Even De Beers took over a century to reach their current status. So, how do you think the Pei family got rich so fast?”

Bai Zhao replied, “No need to guess. You’ve made it clear.”

Yu Duqiu smiled. “Indeed, no need to guess. Peizhuo’s father was arrested over a decade ago. The Du family extensively covered the trial, relishing the downfall. There were even rumors that the Du family provided the police with the tip-off about Pei Xianyong’s involvement in drug trafficking… But due to lack of evidence, he was only sentenced to life in prison. He’s still alive, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever get out, leaving the mess for his eldest son, Pei Ming, to clean up. The Pei family might appear to run a legitimate business now, but Pei Ming was already an adult when his father was arrested. There’s no way he doesn’t know the true source of their wealth.”

“Now that their family is visibly declining, with their competitive nature, there’s no way Pei Ming would just accept that. Perhaps… he’s retracing his father’s steps. But with the current crackdown on drug trafficking in the Golden Triangle, large-scale drug deals are nearly impossible. They need to open up new channels.”

“And conveniently, their jewelry is exported to Europe and the US, using established shipping routes. Smuggling new synthetic drugs through these hard-to-trace international shipments wouldn’t be difficult.”

After Yu Duqiu finished his analysis, he asked, “Do you think my theory holds up?”

Bai Zhao shook his head, disagreeing. “Times have changed. Large-scale drug transactions are no longer possible domestically. Small-time private deals wouldn’t bring in enough money to save a massive enterprise like theirs. Why take such a big risk for such little return?”

Yu Duqiu playfully tapped Bai Zhao’s nose. “That’s where you’re naive. Sure, selling to small-timers wouldn’t make much. But what if they’re selling to big players like me? What if they’re using this to curry favor and control me?”

“…” Bai Zhao ignored the narcissism and asked, “How would they control you?”

“There are plenty of ways. For example, there’s a new drug called ‘Happy Water.’ It makes people excited and addicted. Then, someone could send a handsome guy to seduce me while I’m high. How could I refuse?”

Bai Zhao coldly replied, “You’d fall without taking the drug anyway.”

Yu Duqiu laughed it off. “Or, they could use hallucinogens. If someone secretly spiked my drink and coaxed me into signing an asset transfer agreement while I was in a daze, my fortune worth billions would be gone in an instant.”

That example was more convincing. Bai Zhao thought for a moment and acknowledged, “So, it could be used that way.”

“That’s why I suspect that LSD is just one tool. Every time the Pei family closes a business deal, perhaps a batch of drugs gets smuggled back to China for use in their business dealings. The desire for excitement and novelty is in many people’s nature—especially middle-aged, wealthy men with more money than they know what to do with. Taking drugs to enhance their performance or to escape reality by entering a new ‘dream’ world is incredibly tempting. People would pay a fortune for that experience, and not just anyone can get their hands on these new thrills. You need connections, and someone has to bear the risk of transporting them. It’s not like the big shots can go pick it up themselves.”

Bai Zhao narrowed his eyes. “By your logic, you’re going to make a lot of enemies.”

Yu Duqiu smiled slightly. “I know. Fei Hua also reminded me that the capital forces in Pingyi City are very complex. But tell me, how many capitalists in this world are purely kind-hearted? I’m not one of them, anyway. In short, as long as we catch the ‘supplier,’ we’ll be able to uncover everything and wipe them all out.”

Bai Zhao’s thoughts clicked into place instantly. “Is that why you ruined Peizhuo’s deal in Charlotte? To cut off their supply first?”

“Exactly. That contract had a five-year supply period. Whether he’s involved in any crimes or not, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“Why didn’t you tell Ji Lin at the time? He’s a cop, after all. Wouldn’t it be easier to deal with this through the anti-drug department or customs?”

Yu Duqiu poked Bai Zhao’s chest, enjoying the soft muscle beneath his touch. “Oh, my naive one. Leaving aside the fact that Ji Lin doesn’t have much influence, the police are already working hard to trace the origin of this batch of drugs. Do you think the enemy would be stupid enough to keep smuggling drugs during such a critical time? The evidence is probably long gone.”

Bai Zhao grabbed the hand teasing his chest, holding back his temper as he asked, “So what can we do?”

“For now? Nothing.” Yu Duqiu shrugged. “The other side is craftier than I expected—using diversion tactics, infiltrating at every level. Every move they make seems easy to decipher, but there’s never any solid evidence to convict them. This kind of strategy… Peizhuo himself isn’t capable of it.”

“So you’re saying…”

“Shh.” Yu Duqiu pressed a finger to Bai Zhao’s lips. “You already know. The key to this game is patience. After the Charlotte incident, you must have noticed that they fear me more than the police. Maybe they don’t want me involved in the investigation. Maybe they don’t want me to continue with the Themis project. Or maybe it’s both. But I’m going to push ahead anyway. I’ll make them nervous. Make them try to stop me, and when they do, they’ll reveal their hand. And when they do, I’ll crush every single one of them.”

“… That’s a bit violent, don’t you think?”

“No matter how violent my analogy is, it’s just words. The real violence has already happened—Wu Min, Mu Hao, my second uncle. Each one is a bloody example.” Yu Duqiu sighed softly. “I can understand my second uncle’s case. It was an accident. But Wu Min and Mu Hao being killed—that caught me completely off guard. I can’t wrap my head around it. In high school, I was close with Mu Hao, Lingya, and Peizhuo. Pei Ming doted on his younger brother and often hosted us. He even organized my 18th birthday party before I went abroad. I could sense he wasn’t entirely sincere and had ulterior motives to cozy up to our family, but he didn’t seem like the kind of person who would hire hitmen to kill.”

When Bai Zhao heard the word “party,” his eyes flickered for a split second before returning to normal. He continued, “Bai Zhizhong was diligent in his work, like any ordinary employee. There was no indication of any drug involvement. If these people are willing to harm others for their own profit, why wouldn’t they have the guts to kill?”

Yu Duqiu pondered for a moment. “You make a good point. But if we’re going down that road, then I have to ask the same question I started with—since you used to work for the Pei family and were Bai Zhizhong’s adopted son, how do I know you’re not just pretending to care to gain my trust?”

Just as Bai Zhao was about to argue, a strong gust of wind rushed through a small gap in one of the windows, causing the blinds to shake. The light that had been streaming into the room flickered across Yu Duqiu’s clear eyes, sharp nose, and tightly closed lips.

It was as if a lightbulb had gone off in Bai Zhao’s head.

“… Strange. You seem particularly fixated on this issue today.”

Yu Duqiu snorted. “Stop changing the subject.”

“You’re the one changing the subject.” Bai Zhao placed both hands on the wall behind Yu Duqiu and leaned in, stopping just ten centimeters away from his face. His eyes locked onto Yu Duqiu’s. “You’ve known about my past with the Pei family and my connection to Bai Zhizhong for a long time. Even if Huang Hanxiang hadn’t appeared today, you still had your suspicions about me. But you never cared. You never planned to keep me around for long, did you? So why are you asking now? Why does it matter if I’m sincere? What are you concerned about?”

Yu Duqiu let out a mocking laugh and pushed at Bai Zhao’s chest, shifting from a caress to a shove. “Why do people like you always try to guess my intentions…”

“You don’t want me to be a spy. You don’t want to get rid of me, so you need to confirm my feelings, don’t you?” Bai Zhao closed the gap between them, shrinking the distance to just five centimeters, stepping into the sunlight. His expression softened in the warm light, and his voice lowered to a near whisper as he continued, “Yu Duqiu… Are you finally starting to care about me?”

“Don’t flatter yourse—” Before Yu Duqiu could finish, he felt the sudden warmth of Bai Zhao’s lips.

It was like touching a flame, momentarily stunning him.

Interrupted yet again, Yu Duqiu’s frustration was clear. His brow furrowed. “Doing the same trick over and over gets boring. I told you, I don’t like kissing. I only want you to stay because I haven’t slept with you yet. It has nothing to do with caring. If you keep taking yourself too seriously, I’ll…”

Another warmth brushed his lips.

The distance between them disappeared entirely as Bai Zhao’s breath mingled with his. “And what? Fire me? That’s not much of a threat, young master.”

Yu Duqiu smirked coldly, just as something flickered in the sunlight.

“How about this threat?”

A cold blade pressed against Bai Zhao’s neck, making a shallow cut, just deep enough to draw blood. If he pressed harder, it could sever his artery.

“Wu Min died like this—two blades to the throat. He was gone in minutes. You’re stronger, though. You might last a whole fifteen minutes.”

Bai Zhao’s expression didn’t waver. He pressed his chest harder against Yu Duqiu, pinning him to the wall, and whispered, “Mm, I’ll try my best.”

Yu Duqiu tilted his head to dodge yet another kiss. When he turned back, he saw that the necklace’s blade, which hadn’t been retracted in time, had already cut a row of blood beads that trickled down his neck into his shirt, staining the white fabric red.

“Hey…” For a moment, he was at a loss for words, realizing for the first time that he had met his match in this unconventional game.

“I’m not afraid of dying, you should know that.” Bai Zhao cupped his face, chasing his lips and repeatedly planting brief, soft kisses, like a young boy just learning how to kiss—tentative, not daring to go too far. Yet, he was reckless enough to completely ignore the wound on his neck, letting the smell of blood fill the small space. “My only fear is dying without making you fall in love with me.”

The blood dripping from the blade down to his fingers seemed oddly warm, almost burning, just like the relentless kisses that scorched his lips.

Yu Duqiu finally realized that the person in front of him truly didn’t value his life. He curled his fingers and withdrew the blade.

Bai Zhao gently bit his soft lower lip, then stopped, asking in a low voice, “Not going to kill me anymore?”

“If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t do it myself. Do you think I’m stupid?” Yu Duqiu wiped the blood from the necklace and his fingers on Bai Zhao’s suit jacket, sulking. “You’ve ruined two of my suits in a month. Do you think Uncle Chen’s custom tailoring fees are cheap? One suit costs half a year of your salary.”

“Then deduct it from my salary.”

“That way, you can stick around for another year, right? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming.” Yu Duqiu yanked off his ruined suit jacket and pressed it against Bai Zhao’s wound to stop the bleeding. “You can stay by my side, but don’t let me catch you with any ulterior motives. And don’t expect me to return your feelings.”

Bai Zhao smiled faintly. “It took Du Lingya over ten years to get your approval. I only needed one month. The future isn’t up to you to decide.”

Yu Duqiu, thinking himself considerate, wrapped the sleeves of the suit jacket around Bai Zhao’s back and tied them in a knot. “Think whatever you want. For now, you’re not the one I’m dealing with. I don’t have time to waste arguing with you. Get out.”

Bai Zhao looked down at the large makeshift scarf now wrapped around him and thought, “…” How clueless could someone be about bandaging?

Just as Yu Duqiu was about to open the door, there was a knock from outside.

Zhou Yi’s steady voice came through the door. “Young master, have you finished your discussion?”

“Almost.” The time had long passed the five-minute mark, and Yu Duqiu turned around, annoyed. “If Fei Hua lectures me later, you’re taking the blame. His nagging is no less annoying than my grandfather’s.”

Bai Zhao nodded, and as Yu Duqiu turned to open the door, he quickly removed the ridiculous baby-like scarf made from the suit jacket.

Just as he restored his dignity, Zhou Yi’s voice came again, slightly tense. “Young master, Yuan Li just called from the internal line. President Pei has arrived and is waiting in the reception room on the first floor… It’s not Peizhuo, it’s the elder one.”