BL Ch57

The ebony door creaked as it slowly swung open, its sound echoing through the empty ground-floor living room, like a call from the depths of darkness.

“Big Brother, don’t scare yourself,” Lou Baoguo dismissed it lightly. “Uncle Hong’s getting on in years; going to bed early is normal. Maybe he just didn’t hear the notice from the guard.”

But Zhou Yi sided with Bai Zhao: “No, something feels off. Even if Uncle Hong didn’t come out himself, someone usually does. Why is there no one here today?”

Bai Zhao didn’t go inside; instead, he pulled Yu Duqiu down the steps, away from the entrance. “The guards at the gate didn’t seem alerted, so there probably wasn’t an intruder, but to be safe, let’s call for more bodyguards.”

Zhou Yi nodded, tapping on his hidden earpiece. He was just about to call for reinforcements when the massive crystal chandelier in the living room suddenly flicked on, its bright light forcing him to shield his eyes. As his vision adjusted, he saw someone descending the spiral staircase.

“Xiao Jiang, why are you here?” Lou Baoguo asked, surprised. “Isn’t your room in the annex?”

Jiang Sheng stopped at the foot of the steps, holding a transparent bottle with a bit of colorless liquid inside. “Uncle Hong felt dizzy tonight. He wanted to rest but couldn’t sleep, so I brought him some homemade rose oil to help him relax. When he heard you were coming, he wanted to greet you himself, but I told him to rest and came down in his place.”

Zhou Yi asked, concerned, “Is Uncle Hong alright? Should we go up and check on him?”

Jiang Sheng shook his head. “Better not disturb him—he just managed to fall asleep.”

Zhou Yi thought about it and agreed, “Alright, we’ll check in on him tomorrow. Let’s park the car first, Young Master.”

Lou Baoguo eyed the oil in Jiang Sheng’s hand with interest. “You made this yourself? Impressive.”

Jiang Sheng smiled, revealing his dimples. “There are so many flowers in the garden. It’d be a waste to throw out the fresh trimmings, so I found a use for them.”

Lou Baoguo grinned, “Can I have a bottle too?”

“Sure, but this one’s just a trial. The scent isn’t strong enough. I’ll make a fresh one for you tomorrow.”

Being the second youngest of all the bodyguards at One Palace and having to address even the youngest as ‘big brother,’ Lou Baoguo felt flattered. “Hey, no trouble at all! Thanks! If you ever need anything, just tell your big brother, I’ll help you out.”

“Thanks, Brother Lou,” Jiang Sheng replied.

Zhou Yi, having waited long enough, came over to tug at Lou Baoguo’s ear. “You sleep like a log every night; I can even hear your snoring from my room. What do you need sleep oil for? You just love freeloading.”

Lou Baoguo yelped as he was pulled away. “Who says I sleep soundly every night? Sometimes, when I overeat, I can’t sleep!”

“Then what you need is some antacid!”

The two bickered as they headed off to park, leaving Yu Duqiu to turn around and notice someone still standing there. “Aren’t you going to bed?”

Bai Zhao released his hand but didn’t move, still vigilantly watching the interior. “I’ll put the jewelry back and then go.”

“No need, keep it. I’m off to bed—Xiao Jiang, why don’t you go up too? Stay with Uncle Hong tonight; he likes you and has praised how capable you are.”

Jiang Sheng beamed. “Really? Thank you, Young Master, and thanks to Uncle Hong for his praise.”

But Bai Zhao didn’t comply. “Give it to Lu Jinyu. He’s more obedient and better suited to being kept by you.”

Yu Duqiu laughed, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “Jealous much? I just shared a bed with him; it’s not like we’re in love. Is it that big a deal?”

“I don’t understand.” Bai Zhao kept his head down, seemingly gazing at the staircase. From Yu Duqiu’s angle, he could see his profile—handsome to the point of near-perfection, mature beyond his years, often exuding a calm far greater than others his age. But now, there was a faint glint of childish stubbornness. “You’re always so compassionate to your admirers. Du Lingya poisoned you, and you still forgave her. Why are you so cruel to me? Do I really deserve this?”

Yu Duqiu bent down to look up at him, smirking without remorse. “So, our brave Xiao Bai Wolf can get hurt too? Cry for me, let me see it. Maybe I’ll soften up, be nicer to you. Next time I share a bed with Jinyu, I’ll invite you along.”

Bai Zhao slowly lifted his head, his face devoid of any expression. He brushed Yu Duqiu’s arm off his shoulder and spoke in a raspy voice. “I’m here, Young Master. Go to bed. Once I put these things back, I’ll be off. Goodbye.”

The word he used was “goodbye,” not “goodnight,” as if he were bidding him farewell.

Seeing Bai Zhao’s defeated look gave Yu Duqiu a sense of victory. He swaggered over with his hands in his pockets, feeling triumphant. “Alright, seeing you so pitiful, I’ll let you in on something—actually, Jinyu and I…”

But Bai Zhao walked past him toward the cloakroom. “I don’t want to hear anything else about you and him sharing a bed. It has nothing to do with me. I’ll give you my answer tomorrow. Get some rest.”

Yu Duqiu ignored him, passing by as he stared down the hallway with a strange expression. “What’s that by the music hall door?”

Both Bai Zhao and Jiang Sheng turned to look. The stairs led up to the second floor, where the left side housed the study and cloakroom, while the right held the music hall and art storage room. The music hall’s double doors were modeled in the Grecian style of Vienna’s Golden Hall—majestic and elegant.

And right in the corner by those double doors lay a small silver chess piece.

It was minuscule compared to the size of the doors, yet its silver sheen against the golden doors was obvious. A closer look revealed that gleam of silver.

The three approached it, and Yu Duqiu bent down to pick up the piece. It was a knight. “Isn’t this from my study? How did it end up here?”

Jiang Sheng scratched his head. “No idea, maybe Miss Zhou threw it around when she was playing here. Kids, you know? No problem, I’ll put it back. You should get some rest.”

“We’re already here. Why don’t we go inside and sit for a bit? This might be our last evening together.” Yu Duqiu waved the knight in Bai Zhao’s direction and pushed open the doors. “If you win, I’ll play a song for you.”

Just then, a harsh light shot out from the slightly ajar doors of the pitch-dark music hall, causing Bai Zhao’s pupils to constrict rapidly.

“Don’t go in!”

Yu Duqiu sensed something amiss the moment he saw the light. He quickly pulled back his step, but just as he turned his head, a cold object pressed against his forehead.

“Clang!” The silver knight fell, rolling inside the doorway.

At the same time, he could see the horrifying scene inside the music hall—

On the wide, flat floor tiles lay seven or eight servants, bound hand and foot, unconscious and unknown if alive or dead. Male and female, they were arranged neatly, clearly dragged and placed there by someone. Their numbers matched the staff on duty tonight in the main building.

One person, however, was tied to the leg of the grand piano in the center of the hall. This one was awake, mouth stuffed with cloth, hoarsely screaming in Yu Duqiu’s direction. Unfortunately, age had diminished his lung capacity, so to an outsider, it sounded like a weak moan.

Yu Duqiu tilted his head at the square-faced man pointing a gun at him. “I remember you—the driver of the flower delivery truck, right?”

“Master Yu has a sharp memory.” The response came from Jiang Sheng, who pressed the gun against the back of Bai Zhao’s head. “I advise you to cooperate, or else your beloved bodyguard won’t make it. Now, walk inside.”

“Sigh, another driver.” Yu Duqiu raised his hands in surrender, showing no sign of urgency despite the gun pointed at him. He strolled into the music hall casually, even critiquing their equipment. “You guys came to kidnap a hostage of my status, and yet you don’t even have a real gun? This is a modified nail gun? No wonder you’re here to rob—it’s pathetic.”

Jiang Sheng locked the door, calling a yellow-haired accomplice over to tie him up. “Yeah, we saw your family’s wealth and thought we’d borrow some cash to buy a few real guns for fun.”

Yellow Hair kicked Bai Zhao in the knee, making him grunt and collapse right in front of Yu Duqiu.

Yu Duqiu frowned.

It wasn’t entirely out of pity but rather puzzlement—since when did this guy become so weak?

But after a moment’s thought, he guessed the reason. Although Jiang Sheng and his accomplices were armed, with their own skills, he and Bai Zhao could retreat safely and even seal off One Palace to call for help, forcing them to surrender. However, these hostages might not fare as well; desperate kidnappers could easily resort to murder in a panic.

Yu Duqiu might not care much about the others, but if Uncle Hong were harmed, Bai Zhao would be devastated.

To keep everyone safe, they would have to play along as hostages, assess the situation, and wait for the right time to act.

Bai Zhao seemed to have hit his head; he raised a hand to his temple but was promptly tied up by Yellow Hair and Square Face. The rough nylon rope formed a handcuff knot behind him, tightening with each struggle.

These three were seasoned criminals.

If this were a simple robbery or kidnapping, it would be one thing—but Yu Duqiu’s gaze flitted over Jiang Sheng’s arm, noticing his long sleeves on this sweltering summer night, nearly 30 degrees.

He thought back carefully—ever since Jiang Sheng started working, he always wore long sleeves, even on the hottest days.

Yu Duqiu pondered, a sudden thought crossing his mind. He unbuttoned his suit, speaking casually, “Mind if I take off my jacket? It’s so hot in here that I’m starting to sweat.”

Yellow Hair and Square Face instantly tensed up, their expressions nervous. But seeing that he was merely taking off his suit without pulling out a weapon, they became embarrassed and shoved him roughly. “What, are you sick or something?”

Yu Duqiu didn’t budge from the shove, his gaze cold as a knife cutting toward Yellow Hair, who shivered involuntarily and swallowed. “Brother Jiang, is this guy a bit touched in the head?”

Jiang Sheng, who was clearly younger than the other two yet called “Brother,” seemed to hold authority by merit of skill.

“How could we say anything’s wrong with Young Master Yu?” Jiang Sheng’s smile was benign, though he kept his gun trained on him. “Young Master Yu just has a bit of an ego. Now that you mention it, it is a little warm. Tie him up, you two, and turn on the air conditioning.”

As he spoke, he rolled up one sleeve.

Yu Duqiu’s pupils narrowed slightly.

Jiang Sheng’s sleeve stopped mid-arm, revealing a hint of a dark blue flame tattoo that seemed like a ghostly fire from hell.

Yu Duqiu averted his gaze, allowing Yellow Hair to tie him up. He moved to sit beside Bai Zhao, his mind racing—

All employees of One Palace should have undergone thorough background checks. Why hadn’t Jiang Sheng’s issue been detected? Was it negligence by HR, or had Jiang Sheng’s records been real, but HR missed his involvement in distributing overseas drugs domestically?

The latter was more likely—after all, even the police hadn’t traced it to him…

Wait.

Yu Duqiu suddenly had a moment of clarity.

Jiang Sheng didn’t know they had already discovered his role in the drug package case. This meant Jiang Sheng assumed Yu Duqiu was unaware of his true identity.

So, he hadn’t mentioned drugs, nor did he have a real gun.

These people were trying to stage tonight’s events as a simple home invasion robbery!

Yellow Hair and Square Face spent some time finding the central air switch. As the cool air flowed from the ceiling, the two returned and carelessly searched Yu Duqiu and Bai Zhao, confiscating phones, watches, and rings. They seemed uninterested in the peculiar amulets on their necks, likely not recognizing them.

“Let’s cut to the chase—how much do you want?” Yu Duqiu took the lead, pretending not to know their true intentions.

Jiang Sheng squatted, lifting Yu Duqiu’s chin with his gun. “Young Master Yu, you’re the most interesting person I’ve met. Aren’t you afraid we’re here to silence you?”

Yu Duqiu was about to respond when someone behind him gently nudged his hand, pressing a small, hard object with lingering warmth into his fingers.

He glanced to the side and met Bai Zhao’s gaze.

What could it be…? Just as Yu Duqiu wondered, he noticed Bai Zhao’s wireless earbud was gone.

It had been there before they entered.

Right! He must have stealthily removed it when he fell. That’s why the search didn’t reveal it. If Lou Baoguo and Zhou Yi hadn’t removed their earbuds yet, they should be able to hear everything happening here.

Xiao Bai Wolf… This was his silent way of comforting him.

Yu Duqiu flashed him a smile. “What’s there to fear about death? Dying alongside a loved one in such a romantic place as a music hall would be a meaningful end.”

Bai Zhao started, a brief light flickering in his eyes, but he quickly understood the purpose of Yu Duqiu’s words and grew despondent again.

Yu Duqiu ignored him, turning to Jiang Sheng. “And besides, I don’t think you’re here to kill me; otherwise, you could have done it at the door. Why bother tying us and the others? You don’t want to create a homicide scene, right?”

Hopefully, Zhou Yi and Lou Baoguo were hearing this; otherwise, these hints would go to waste.

Jiang Sheng applauded him with manic enthusiasm. “Young Master Yu is indeed clever. Fine, let’s cut to the chase—we only want five billion.”

“…” Yu Duqiu’s mouth twitched. “You can’t seriously believe that just because I’m worth billions, I have five billion in cash on hand? How old are you? Have you ever attended school?”

Jiang Sheng smirked icily, switching the gun from his right to his left hand.

Yu Duqiu had no warning as a fist swung down hard!

He reacted quickly, tilting his head just in time to avoid a direct hit to his nose, but it was too close to dodge completely, and he took the blow square on his cheek. Despite his smaller stature, Jiang Sheng packed a shocking punch for his age; Yu Duqiu felt as if his cheekbone nearly shattered. With his body bound, he couldn’t keep his balance and fell back against Bai Zhao.

Hong Liangzhang, who was not far off, let out a heart-wrenching whimper at the sight.

“Quiet, old man. I didn’t kill him, so what are you getting worked up about?” Jiang Sheng said impatiently.

Yu Duqiu’s cheek twitched in pain, but he managed to open his eyes and give the old man a reassuring smile. Still, he couldn’t help noticing how this Xiao Bai Wolf was utterly heartless—not even sparing him a glance after he got hurt.

He always had grand declarations: I’d die for you. I’ll definitely die before you do. But when it actually mattered, wasn’t he only looking out for himself… huh?

Yu Duqiu blinked and looked again, confirming that he wasn’t seeing things.

Although Bai Zhao’s hands were bound and unable to move, his fingers were still nimble, repeatedly curling toward Yu Duqiu in a beckoning gesture.

What’s he doing? Flirting in a situation like this?

With great effort, Yu Duqiu stretched out his neck and gave the unruly fingers a gentle bite.

“…………………………”

Bai Zhao jerked his hand back, only to extend it again moments later, brushing against Yu Duqiu’s face, then tracing down his cheek and jaw until he couldn’t reach any further.

His fingertips were warm, perhaps from clutching the earbud earlier, or maybe it was just the lingering summer heat despite the recently turned-on air conditioning, leaving his skin with a thin layer of sweat.

The sensation as his fingers trailed over Yu Duqiu’s skin was slightly slick.

It reminded him of that burning day in late June.

The day they’d shared so many kisses, the day the truth was exposed, and they were torn apart.

[Can you honestly say your heart never wavered for even a second?]

Never wavered. But who could say what that felt like? Yu Duqiu thought with a touch of irony. If a pounding heartbeat, dry mouth, and an inability to look away from someone counted as wavering… well, then it was far more than a single second.