BL Ch98

September 2nd.

When the Gulfstream G650 landed at Pingyi Airport, Yu Duqiu, ever “discreet,” had the airport open an exclusive通道, evading the swarm of media that had rushed over upon hearing the news. He spirited everyone off the plane and out of the airport without a trace.

At the end of the road, a crowd waited anxiously.

Mu Changfeng and Meng Lan clasped each other’s hands, palms sweaty with nerves, craning their necks toward the passage, itching to vault over the security line.

Peng Deyu paced with arms crossed, agitated. “Why aren’t they out yet? Didn’t they land half an hour ago?”

Feng Jinmin, who’d been waiting just as long, said gruffly, “What’s the rush? They’ll come.”

Peng Deyu grinned. “You’re one to talk—wipe the sweat off your forehead first!”

Feng Jinmin averted his eyes, embarrassed. “It’s just hot.”

Suddenly, Lu Qing’s clear voice rang out: “They’re here! Ji-ge! Over here!”

At the end of the passage, two figures emerged—or rather, one supporting the other.

When the Mu couple saw the frail, struggling yet stubbornly upright figure, they couldn’t hold back their mix of grief and joy. They burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

Mu Hao, hearing the commotion, slowly raised his head, spotting his weeping parents. His sunken eyes quickly brimmed with tears, red and glistening. In a hoarse voice, he asked the man beside him, “Xiao Ji… how… do I look?”

Ji Lin nodded vigorously. “Great, really great. You’re the handsomest in my heart—uh, I mean, in everyone’s heart.”

Mu Hao let out a low chuckle. His throat hadn’t fully recovered; he paused after a few words, and his body, unable to stand unaided, leaned heavily on Ji Lin. “Thank you… for helping me…”

Ji Lin squared his shoulders, lifting him higher to make him look taller. “No problem, I get it. Nobody wants their parents to see them carried out on a stretcher. Uncle and Auntie will be thrilled to see you walking. It’s good rehab exercise too.”

“Yeah, thanks…”

“How many times are you gonna thank me?” Yu Duqiu, trailing behind, scoffed. “Words are cheap. Show some real gratitude to Comrade Xiao Ji—like treating him to dinner, catching a movie, giving a gift, meeting the parents…”

“Enough out of you!” Ji Lin’s heart skipped, terrified Yu Duqiu’s next suggestion would be “get married, have a kid.” He cut in, “Thanks is enough. It’s my duty as a cop. I’d do the same for anyone. Mind your own business, Yu Duqiu!”

Mu Hao shook his head gently. “I should… treat you to dinner… when I’m… better…”

Ji Lin’s eyes lit up, ears reddening. “Yeah, when you’re better. No rush, anytime works. I’m always free.”

Yu Duqiu couldn’t stand their bland exchange. Slowing his pace, he dropped back and muttered, “Are these two in elementary school? So pure.”

Lou Baoguo, pushing Zhou Yi’s wheelchair, laughed carelessly. “Exactly. Xiao Guo knows more than they do.”

Zhou Yi glared. “Bullshit!”

The group reached the passage exit, and airport security lifted the barricade. Waiting families and police surged forward, some crying, some laughing, embracing in a chaotic huddle.

Mu Changfeng and Meng Lan, sobbing, rushed to hug their miraculously revived son, enthusiastically pulling Ji Lin into the embrace. Caught off guard, Ji Lin found himself nearly cheek-to-cheek with Mu Hao, blushing like a boiled shrimp, struggling to break free while stammering, “Uncle, Auntie! No! You don’t need to hug me!”

But the Mu couple, overwhelmed, only hugged tighter, the four locked together like a family of four.

Mu Hao, still weak, leaned on his parents’ shoulders and shakily raised his right hand, saluting Feng Jinmin with a crisp military gesture. “…Captain Feng.”

Feng Jinmin’s eyes reddened, his stern face unchanged as he nodded gravely. “Good to have you back.” His voice caught slightly.

Peng Deyu, amused by Feng’s stiff pride, turned to mock him with Lu Qing, only to find her gone.

“It looked kinda nice, so I grabbed it. Not worth much.” Lou Baoguo scratched the back of his head, shyly offering a ruby he’d bought for a million Burmese kyat at an umbrella market. “Here, take it, play with it. I got a bunch.”

Lu Qing, thinking it was a cheap trinket from a souvenir shop, accepted it without a second thought, delighted. “Thanks, it’s pretty, just a bit small… Oh! It’ll look great in my fish tank.”

Lou Baoguo didn’t know how to tell her the gem was worth a month’s salary. If he phrased it wrong, she might think he was mocking her pay. In those few seconds of hesitation, Lu Qing assumed the chat was over and turned to Ji Lin. “Ji-ge! Look, Bao-ge brought me a souvenir. How dare you come back empty-handed?”

Lou Baoguo’s face fell. “…Boo-hoo, Old Zhou, comfort me.”

Zhou Yi patted his back. “Heh, serves you right for keeping secrets.”

Peng Deyu watched the youngsters bicker, sighing, “Man, if I were twenty years younger—”

“Chief Peng.”

Cut off mid-sentence, Peng Deyu felt like his breath was caught, neither up nor down, irritated. “Kid, can’t you see I’m talking? Must you always make it about you?”

Yu Duqiu ignored the jab, pressing on. “I sent you the watch recording. Did you listen?”

Peng Deyu huffed. “Yeah, I did. We’ve started investigating. Flipping a twenty-year-old case? Not bad, kid.”

Yu Duqiu smiled politely. “It wasn’t me who found the evidence. It was Bai Zhao.”

Peng Deyu was about to bring that up. Pulling him aside, he lowered his voice. “Before you left, I told you we’d look into Bai Zhao. Got the results yesterday—his life before the orphanage is a complete blank. You know about this?”

Yu Duqiu nodded. “Yeah. But a decade ago, our social welfare system wasn’t great. Plenty of trafficked or abandoned kids had no traceable identities. A few mystery kids in an orphanage isn’t unusual.”

“You’re just making excuses for him,” Peng Deyu jabbed a finger at his nose. “Brat, if it weren’t for my old ties with your granddad, I’d chew you out. Falling in love’s fried your brain.”

Yu Duqiu chuckled. “Where’d that come from? Right now, I’m probably the one who wants him dead the most. But I think the investigation’s focus shouldn’t be him. From his actions this time, he’s definitely on our side.”

Peng Deyu raised his gray, bushy brows. “Oh? Then who’s the focus? You found Bai Zhiming’s higher-up?”

Yu Duqiu spread his hands helplessly. “Not yet. So I’d like to ask you to hold off on this. Don’t tell anyone what Pei Ming and Bai Zhao did in this operation. Put out word that Pei Ming’s critically injured and will face trial once he recovers, creating the illusion we’ve caught the culprit. Keep Pei Ming in the city hospital—I’ll make a call to bar all visitors. I’ll take Bai Zhao.”

Peng Deyu, already briefed by Ji Lin, caught his drift and gave a look that said, You’re full of tricks. “You want to play their game and lure the snake out?”

Yu Duqiu nodded. “If they want us to think Pei Ming’s the mastermind, let’s play along, make them think their scapegoat plan worked, and let their guard down.”

Peng Deyu finally cracked a smile. “We’re on the same page. But Bai Zhao’s a key witness. You can take him to recover, but under our supervision. Once he’s better, we’ll question him. If he’s guilty, no shielding him.”

“Got it. Thanks for the trouble.”

Peng Deyu waved it off. “Used to it. You and your granddad always give me headaches. As long as it gets results, I won’t complain.”

Hearing this, Yu Duqiu paused, then asked, “One more thing: that car crash twenty years ago—was there any clear evidence pointing to Pei Xianyong?”

Peng Deyu gave him an odd look. “If there was, we’d have hauled him in. Your granddad and I only had suspicions. Why ask?”

Yu Duqiu frowned. “Because before Bai Zhiming confessed to killing Cen Wan’s family in that crash, someone told me with absolute certainty it was him and Pei Xianyong. How’d they know?”

“No clue. The site was a wasteland, no witnesses saw the culprit’s face…” Peng Deyu’s expression shifted, recalling something. “Wait, who told you?”

Yu Duqiu countered, “What were you about to say?”

Peng Deyu ignored him, eyes darting, thoughts muddled, words vague. “It’s classified, can’t say… I just remembered something I need to check with your granddad. Gotta go, talk later.”

Before Yu Duqiu could stop him, Peng Deyu ducked into a police car.

Zhou Yi wheeled over, concerned. “Young master, did Chief Peng agree to let us take Xiao Bai home?”

Lou Baoguo, now clued in on the events, felt deep remorse for his full-force kick, asking guiltily, “Big Bro didn’t commit a crime, so they won’t lock him up, right?”

Yu Duqiu turned. “Yeah, it’s approved. Head home first, toss him in the basement. I’m going with the cops to settle Mu Hao.”

Zhou Yi’s heart sank, pleading, “Young master, Xiao Bai’s wounds haven’t fully healed, and they reopened. He needs treatment soon, or he’ll scar like me. The basement’s no place…”

“Didn’t say I wouldn’t treat him.” Yu Duqiu opened the car door, voice icy. “Patch him up, then kill that little beast.”

The door slammed shut, leaving Zhou Yi and Lou Baoguo pale.

Lou Baoguo recalled the basement’s contents, swallowing hard, trembling. “How’s Big Bro gonna survive that kind of torture…”

The large group was too conspicuous, and Feng Jinmin, wary of trouble, arranged for an ambulance to take Pei Ming, Mu Hao, and his parents to the city hospital, with some officers trailing. He led another team, with Bai Zhiming’s girlfriend in custody, back to the station for questioning.

Peng Deyu, on some urgent business with Academician Yu, made a call he hadn’t in years and drove off alone. Ji Lin, Lu Qing, and others crammed into a car with Yu Duqiu, following the ambulance to the hospital.

Sun Xingchun, notified in advance, rushed to receive the patients. But upon opening the ambulance door and seeing Pei Ming’s less-than-10cm, already-clotted neck wound, he nearly lost it, railing at Yu Duqiu. “How many times do I have to say it? This minor scratch needs me personally? You’re using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut!”

Yu Duqiu wagged a finger. “No, Dr. Sun, he’s not the priority. The other one is.”

Pei Ming’s face darkened. “My wound’s serious too—on my neck, practically disfiguring. Doctor, can you ensure no scar?”

Ji Lin snapped, “You’re lucky to get treated! Make demands again, and I’ll carve two more lines on your face!”

Pei Ming shut up instantly.

Sun Xingchun, uninterested in such trivial work, had two nurses take Pei Ming to a private room for confinement. Lu Qing and Niu Feng hurried to supervise.

Mu Hao was helped down by other medics, and Sun Xingchun’s eyes lit up. “Now this half-dead case is more like it. Leave it to me!”

Ji Lin muttered, “Not sure if that’s a healer’s heart or a killer’s instinct.”

The group used a special hospital passage, discreetly moving the two injured suspects to VIP single rooms on the top floor. Yu Duqiu covered all of Mu Hao’s hospital and treatment costs, while Pei Ming paid his own. Yu Duqiu suggested jacking up Pei Ming’s bill a hundredfold, earning a furious rebuke from Sun Xingchun. “This is a public hospital, not a scam shop! None of your shady business here!”

Though Mu Hao was emaciated from his ordeal, his survival was a miracle. The Mu couple, with no further wishes, thanked Ji Lin, Yu Duqiu, and others profusely, nearly dropping to their knees. Feng Jinmin, worried their emotions would disturb Mu Hao’s rest, took them outside to sit.

Sun Xingchun began Mu Hao’s full-body exam, with Ji Lin eagerly assisting, deftly helping remove clothes.

Sun Xingchun glanced at him, impressed. “Not bad, kid. You’re faster than the nurses.”

Ji Lin scratched his head, sheepish. “Got used to it. I was taking care of his daily needs before.”

Sun Xingchun noted Ji Lin’s clean-cut looks, upright demeanor, and efficiency—leagues above a certain young master lounging with his legs crossed, doing nothing. Taking a liking to him, he asked casually, “Who’s he to you? Brother?”

“Nah, no blood relation.” Ji Lin racked his brain, then said, “Just… old classmate.”

“Not many would go this far for an old classmate. Even close family might not care for someone who can’t manage on their own. You two must be tight, huh?”

Ji Lin mumbled vaguely, “Guess… it’s alright.” His voice was soft, lacking confidence. He stole a glance at Mu Hao on the bed, relieved to see no reaction, and exhaled quietly.

After the exam, Sun Xingchun said Mu Hao’s condition was better than expected. The Yu family’s private doctor, hired at great expense, had skillfully kept Mu Hao stable in Myanmar with limited resources, paving the way for recovery. He could be back to normal in as little as six months.

Some organ and nerve tests required a different facility, so nurses wheeled the bed away. Ji Lin followed, and Sun Xingchun was about to leave when he was stopped.

“Dr. Sun, I’d like a brain check too,” Yu Duqiu said.

Sun Xingchun eyed him oddly. “Your brain’s been fine for ages. What’s to check? Don’t waste medical resources.”

“No, I really feel something’s off.” Yu Duqiu showed a trace of distress. “I realized recently that I remember every detail of that kidnapping from when I was a kid perfectly—no memory issues. But the hospital treatment afterward? I still have hallucinations and delusions. Could my mental condition still be unresolved?”

Sun Xingchun replied, “Strictly speaking, you never had a mental illness—just a stress response from severe trauma. But by now, hallucinations from age nine should’ve faded. What’s in these hallucinations that’s stuck with you?”

Yu Duqiu frowned, thinking hard. “I don’t remember much. Back then, you all told me not to dwell on the messy stuff, so I tried hard to forget. Now I only recall… there was someone else in my hospital room.”

The top floor’s few single rooms sat in an eerily quiet corridor, rarely used. A window, left ajar somewhere, let in a whining wind, like a ghost’s mournful cry, giving Sun Xingchun goosebumps.

“You said that a hundred times as a kid,” he said helplessly. “Whenever you threw a fit, you’d cry about finding that person. But when we asked, you couldn’t name them or say where they were—just that they’d sometimes show up in your room, watch Black Cat Sheriff with you, sleep beside you. No one else saw them. Duty doctors and nurses said no one entered your room, and corridor cameras showed nothing. If it’s not a hallucination, what is it?”

Yu Duqiu nodded, conceding. Even he thought the person was likely a companion conjured from his lonely, terrified mind—a common psychological phenomenon. He shrugged. “Alright, call it a hallucination then. Go on with your work, but let me know Mu Hao’s test results.”

Sun Xingchun grunted, taking two steps before being stopped again, annoyed. “What now? Spit it out.”

Yu Duqiu asked, “One more thing: on my tenth birthday, did you give me an apple?”

Sun Xingchun blinked, baffled. “I don’t even know your birthday. Probably a nurse. The pediatric ward nurses give fruit or candy to kids daily.”

“Got it… Never mind, thanks.”

Sun Xingchun left, and Yu Duqiu stood alone in the empty corridor, lost in thought.

Hallucinations might mimic real details, but he vividly recalled the apple’s sweet, fragrant taste—not something imagined.

The nurses from back then likely forgot such a trivial act, so this missing piece of his past seemed destined to remain a mystery.

His phone buzzed, snapping him out of it. It was a message from Zhou Yi, saying Bai Zhao was settled in the basement and tactfully asking if, since there was no bed, Bai Zhao could sleep in a room at night.

Yu Duqiu sent a cold voice reply: “Let him figure it out. It’s not a fatal injury. There’s a bathroom and shower—leave him be. Anyone who pleads for him gets locked in too.”

Zhou Yi replied, “Okay,” understanding Yu Duqiu was set on punishment and not daring to say more.

Ji Lin rounded the corridor’s corner, sulking after being kicked out of the exam room, muttering curses. “Captain Feng won’t let me stay. Says I’ve gotta watch Bai Zhao. Ugh, stuck with you again.”

Yu Duqiu grinned, slinging an arm around him like a buddy. “Perfect. Remember that favor I asked for?”

Ji Lin eyed him warily. “What favor? I’m not helping with anything illegal.”

“You nailed it.” Yu Duqiu mimed a gun, pressing it to Ji Lin’s temple, and went, “Bang!” He added, “Help me kill that little beast. Nothing else will soothe my rage.”

When the Gulfstream G650 landed at Pingyi Airport, Yu Duqiu, ever “discreet,” had the airport open an exclusive通道, evading the swarm of media that had rushed over upon hearing the news. He spirited everyone off the plane and out of the airport without a trace.

At the end of the road, a crowd waited anxiously.

Mu Changfeng and Meng Lan clasped each other’s hands, palms sweaty with nerves, craning their necks toward the passage, itching to vault over the security line.

Peng Deyu paced with arms crossed, agitated. “Why aren’t they out yet? Didn’t they land half an hour ago?”

Feng Jinmin, who’d been waiting just as long, said gruffly, “What’s the rush? They’ll come.”

Peng Deyu grinned. “You’re one to talk—wipe the sweat off your forehead first!”

Feng Jinmin averted his eyes, embarrassed. “It’s just hot.”

Suddenly, Lu Qing’s clear voice rang out: “They’re here! Ji-ge! Over here!”

At the end of the passage, two figures emerged—or rather, one supporting the other.

When the Mu couple saw the frail, struggling yet stubbornly upright figure, they couldn’t hold back their mix of grief and joy. They burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

Mu Hao, hearing the commotion, slowly raised his head, spotting his weeping parents. His sunken eyes quickly brimmed with tears, red and glistening. In a hoarse voice, he asked the man beside him, “Xiao Ji… how… do I look?”

Ji Lin nodded vigorously. “Great, really great. You’re the handsomest in my heart—uh, I mean, in everyone’s heart.”

Mu Hao let out a low chuckle. His throat hadn’t fully recovered; he paused after a few words, and his body, unable to stand unaided, leaned heavily on Ji Lin. “Thank you… for helping me…”

Ji Lin squared his shoulders, lifting him higher to make him look taller. “No problem, I get it. Nobody wants their parents to see them carried out on a stretcher. Uncle and Auntie will be thrilled to see you walking. It’s good rehab exercise too.”

“Yeah, thanks…”

“How many times are you gonna thank me?” Yu Duqiu, trailing behind, scoffed. “Words are cheap. Show some real gratitude to Comrade Xiao Ji—like treating him to dinner, catching a movie, giving a gift, meeting the parents…”

“Enough out of you!” Ji Lin’s heart skipped, terrified Yu Duqiu’s next suggestion would be “get married, have a kid.” He cut in, “Thanks is enough. It’s my duty as a cop. I’d do the same for anyone. Mind your own business, Yu Duqiu!”

Mu Hao shook his head gently. “I should… treat you to dinner… when I’m… better…”

Ji Lin’s eyes lit up, ears reddening. “Yeah, when you’re better. No rush, anytime works. I’m always free.”

Yu Duqiu couldn’t stand their bland exchange. Slowing his pace, he dropped back and muttered, “Are these two in elementary school? So pure.”

Lou Baoguo, pushing Zhou Yi’s wheelchair, laughed carelessly. “Exactly. Xiao Guo knows more than they do.”

Zhou Yi glared. “Bullshit!”

The group reached the passage exit, and airport security lifted the barricade. Waiting families and police surged forward, some crying, some laughing, embracing in a chaotic huddle.

Mu Changfeng and Meng Lan, sobbing, rushed to hug their miraculously revived son, enthusiastically pulling Ji Lin into the embrace. Caught off guard, Ji Lin found himself nearly cheek-to-cheek with Mu Hao, blushing like a boiled shrimp, struggling to break free while stammering, “Uncle, Auntie! No! You don’t need to hug me!”

But the Mu couple, overwhelmed, only hugged tighter, the four locked together like a family of four.

Mu Hao, still weak, leaned on his parents’ shoulders and shakily raised his right hand, saluting Feng Jinmin with a crisp military gesture. “…Captain Feng.”

Feng Jinmin’s eyes reddened, his stern face unchanged as he nodded gravely. “Good to have you back.” His voice caught slightly.

Peng Deyu, amused by Feng’s stiff pride, turned to mock him with Lu Qing, only to find her gone.

“It looked kinda nice, so I grabbed it. Not worth much.” Lou Baoguo scratched the back of his head, shyly offering a ruby he’d bought for a million Burmese kyat at an umbrella market. “Here, take it, play with it. I got a bunch.”

Lu Qing, thinking it was a cheap trinket from a souvenir shop, accepted it without a second thought, delighted. “Thanks, it’s pretty, just a bit small… Oh! It’ll look great in my fish tank.”

Lou Baoguo didn’t know how to tell her the gem was worth a month’s salary. If he phrased it wrong, she might think he was mocking her pay. In those few seconds of hesitation, Lu Qing assumed the chat was over and turned to Ji Lin. “Ji-ge! Look, Bao-ge brought me a souvenir. How dare you come back empty-handed?”

Lou Baoguo’s face fell. “…Boo-hoo, Old Zhou, comfort me.”

Zhou Yi patted his back. “Heh, serves you right for keeping secrets.”

Peng Deyu watched the youngsters bicker, sighing, “Man, if I were twenty years younger—”

“Chief Peng.”

Cut off mid-sentence, Peng Deyu felt like his breath was caught, neither up nor down, irritated. “Kid, can’t you see I’m talking? Must you always make it about you?”

Yu Duqiu ignored the jab, pressing on. “I sent you the watch recording. Did you listen?”

Peng Deyu huffed. “Yeah, I did. We’ve started investigating. Flipping a twenty-year-old case? Not bad, kid.”

Yu Duqiu smiled politely. “It wasn’t me who found the evidence. It was Bai Zhao.”

Peng Deyu was about to bring that up. Pulling him aside, he lowered his voice. “Before you left, I told you we’d look into Bai Zhao. Got the results yesterday—his life before the orphanage is a complete blank. You know about this?”

Yu Duqiu nodded. “Yeah. But a decade ago, our social welfare system wasn’t great. Plenty of trafficked or abandoned kids had no traceable identities. A few mystery kids in an orphanage isn’t unusual.”

“You’re just making excuses for him,” Peng Deyu jabbed a finger at his nose. “Brat, if it weren’t for my old ties with your granddad, I’d chew you out. Falling in love’s fried your brain.”

Yu Duqiu chuckled. “Where’d that come from? Right now, I’m probably the one who wants him dead the most. But I think the investigation’s focus shouldn’t be him. From his actions this time, he’s definitely on our side.”

Peng Deyu raised his gray, bushy brows. “Oh? Then who’s the focus? You found Bai Zhiming’s higher-up?”

Yu Duqiu spread his hands helplessly. “Not yet. So I’d like to ask you to hold off on this. Don’t tell anyone what Pei Ming and Bai Zhao did in this operation. Put out word that Pei Ming’s critically injured and will face trial once he recovers, creating the illusion we’ve caught the culprit. Keep Pei Ming in the city hospital—I’ll make a call to bar all visitors. I’ll take Bai Zhao.”

Peng Deyu, already briefed by Ji Lin, caught his drift and gave a look that said, You’re full of tricks. “You want to play their game and lure the snake out?”

Yu Duqiu nodded. “If they want us to think Pei Ming’s the mastermind, let’s play along, make them think their scapegoat plan worked, and let their guard down.”

Peng Deyu finally cracked a smile. “We’re on the same page. But Bai Zhao’s a key witness. You can take him to recover, but under our supervision. Once he’s better, we’ll question him. If he’s guilty, no shielding him.”

“Got it. Thanks for the trouble.”

Peng Deyu waved it off. “Used to it. You and your granddad always give me headaches. As long as it gets results, I won’t complain.”

Hearing this, Yu Duqiu paused, then asked, “One more thing: that car crash twenty years ago—was there any clear evidence pointing to Pei Xianyong?”

Peng Deyu gave him an odd look. “If there was, we’d have hauled him in. Your granddad and I only had suspicions. Why ask?”

Yu Duqiu frowned. “Because before Bai Zhiming confessed to killing Cen Wan’s family in that crash, someone told me with absolute certainty it was him and Pei Xianyong. How’d they know?”

“No clue. The site was a wasteland, no witnesses saw the culprit’s face…” Peng Deyu’s expression shifted, recalling something. “Wait, who told you?”

Yu Duqiu countered, “What were you about to say?”

Peng Deyu ignored him, eyes darting, thoughts muddled, words vague. “It’s classified, can’t say… I just remembered something I need to check with your granddad. Gotta go, talk later.”

Before Yu Duqiu could stop him, Peng Deyu ducked into a police car.

Zhou Yi wheeled over, concerned. “Young master, did Chief Peng agree to let us take Xiao Bai home?”

Lou Baoguo, now clued in on the events, felt deep remorse for his full-force kick, asking guiltily, “Big Bro didn’t commit a crime, so they won’t lock him up, right?”

Yu Duqiu turned. “Yeah, it’s approved. Head home first, toss him in the basement. I’m going with the cops to settle Mu Hao.”

Zhou Yi’s heart sank, pleading, “Young master, Xiao Bai’s wounds haven’t fully healed, and they reopened. He needs treatment soon, or he’ll scar like me. The basement’s no place…”

“Didn’t say I wouldn’t treat him.” Yu Duqiu opened the car door, voice icy. “Patch him up, then kill that little beast.”

The door slammed shut, leaving Zhou Yi and Lou Baoguo pale.

Lou Baoguo recalled the basement’s contents, swallowing hard, trembling. “How’s Big Bro gonna survive that kind of torture…”

The large group was too conspicuous, and Feng Jinmin, wary of trouble, arranged for an ambulance to take Pei Ming, Mu Hao, and his parents to the city hospital, with some officers trailing. He led another team, with Bai Zhiming’s girlfriend in custody, back to the station for questioning.

Peng Deyu, on some urgent business with Academician Yu, made a call he hadn’t in years and drove off alone. Ji Lin, Lu Qing, and others crammed into a car with Yu Duqiu, following the ambulance to the hospital.

Sun Xingchun, notified in advance, rushed to receive the patients. But upon opening the ambulance door and seeing Pei Ming’s less-than-10cm, already-clotted neck wound, he nearly lost it, railing at Yu Duqiu. “How many times do I have to say it? This minor scratch needs me personally? You’re using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut!”

Yu Duqiu wagged a finger. “No, Dr. Sun, he’s not the priority. The other one is.”

Pei Ming’s face darkened. “My wound’s serious too—on my neck, practically disfiguring. Doctor, can you ensure no scar?”

Ji Lin snapped, “You’re lucky to get treated! Make demands again, and I’ll carve two more lines on your face!”

Pei Ming shut up instantly.

Sun Xingchun, uninterested in such trivial work, had two nurses take Pei Ming to a private room for confinement. Lu Qing and Niu Feng hurried to supervise.

Mu Hao was helped down by other medics, and Sun Xingchun’s eyes lit up. “Now this half-dead case is more like it. Leave it to me!”

Ji Lin muttered, “Not sure if that’s a healer’s heart or a killer’s instinct.”

The group used a special hospital passage, discreetly moving the two injured suspects to VIP single rooms on the top floor. Yu Duqiu covered all of Mu Hao’s hospital and treatment costs, while Pei Ming paid his own. Yu Duqiu suggested jacking up Pei Ming’s bill a hundredfold, earning a furious rebuke from Sun Xingchun. “This is a public hospital, not a scam shop! None of your shady business here!”

Though Mu Hao was emaciated from his ordeal, his survival was a miracle. The Mu couple, with no further wishes, thanked Ji Lin, Yu Duqiu, and others profusely, nearly dropping to their knees. Feng Jinmin, worried their emotions would disturb Mu Hao’s rest, took them outside to sit.

Sun Xingchun began Mu Hao’s full-body exam, with Ji Lin eagerly assisting, deftly helping remove clothes.

Sun Xingchun glanced at him, impressed. “Not bad, kid. You’re faster than the nurses.”

Ji Lin scratched his head, sheepish. “Got used to it. I was taking care of his daily needs before.”

Sun Xingchun noted Ji Lin’s clean-cut looks, upright demeanor, and efficiency—leagues above a certain young master lounging with his legs crossed, doing nothing. Taking a liking to him, he asked casually, “Who’s he to you? Brother?”

“Nah, no blood relation.” Ji Lin racked his brain, then said, “Just… old classmate.”

“Not many would go this far for an old classmate. Even close family might not care for someone who can’t manage on their own. You two must be tight, huh?”

Ji Lin mumbled vaguely, “Guess… it’s alright.” His voice was soft, lacking confidence. He stole a glance at Mu Hao on the bed, relieved to see no reaction, and exhaled quietly.

After the exam, Sun Xingchun said Mu Hao’s condition was better than expected. The Yu family’s private doctor, hired at great expense, had skillfully kept Mu Hao stable in Myanmar with limited resources, paving the way for recovery. He could be back to normal in as little as six months.

Some organ and nerve tests required a different facility, so nurses wheeled the bed away. Ji Lin followed, and Sun Xingchun was about to leave when he was stopped.

“Dr. Sun, I’d like a brain check too,” Yu Duqiu said.

Sun Xingchun eyed him oddly. “Your brain’s been fine for ages. What’s to check? Don’t waste medical resources.”

“No, I really feel something’s off.” Yu Duqiu showed a trace of distress. “I realized recently that I remember every detail of that kidnapping from when I was a kid perfectly—no memory issues. But the hospital treatment afterward? I still have hallucinations and delusions. Could my mental condition still be unresolved?”

Sun Xingchun replied, “Strictly speaking, you never had a mental illness—just a stress response from severe trauma. But by now, hallucinations from age nine should’ve faded. What’s in these hallucinations that’s stuck with you?”

Yu Duqiu frowned, thinking hard. “I don’t remember much. Back then, you all told me not to dwell on the messy stuff, so I tried hard to forget. Now I only recall… there was someone else in my hospital room.”

The top floor’s few single rooms sat in an eerily quiet corridor, rarely used. A window, left ajar somewhere, let in a whining wind, like a ghost’s mournful cry, giving Sun Xingchun goosebumps.

“You said that a hundred times as a kid,” he said helplessly. “Whenever you threw a fit, you’d cry about finding that person. But when we asked, you couldn’t name them or say where they were—just that they’d sometimes show up in your room, watch Black Cat Sheriff with you, sleep beside you. No one else saw them. Duty doctors and nurses said no one entered your room, and corridor cameras showed nothing. If it’s not a hallucination, what is it?”

Yu Duqiu nodded, conceding. Even he thought the person was likely a companion conjured from his lonely, terrified mind—a common psychological phenomenon. He shrugged. “Alright, call it a hallucination then. Go on with your work, but let me know Mu Hao’s test results.”

Sun Xingchun grunted, taking two steps before being stopped again, annoyed. “What now? Spit it out.”

Yu Duqiu asked, “One more thing: on my tenth birthday, did you give me an apple?”

Sun Xingchun blinked, baffled. “I don’t even know your birthday. Probably a nurse. The pediatric ward nurses give fruit or candy to kids daily.”

“Got it… Never mind, thanks.”

Sun Xingchun left, and Yu Duqiu stood alone in the empty corridor, lost in thought.

Hallucinations might mimic real details, but he vividly recalled the apple’s sweet, fragrant taste—not something imagined.

The nurses from back then likely forgot such a trivial act, so this missing piece of his past seemed destined to remain a mystery.

His phone buzzed, snapping him out of it. It was a message from Zhou Yi, saying Bai Zhao was settled in the basement and tactfully asking if, since there was no bed, Bai Zhao could sleep in a room at night.

Yu Duqiu sent a cold voice reply: “Let him figure it out. It’s not a fatal injury. There’s a bathroom and shower—leave him be. Anyone who pleads for him gets locked in too.”

Zhou Yi replied, “Okay,” understanding Yu Duqiu was set on punishment and not daring to say more.

Ji Lin rounded the corridor’s corner, sulking after being kicked out of the exam room, muttering curses. “Captain Feng won’t let me stay. Says I’ve gotta watch Bai Zhao. Ugh, stuck with you again.”

Yu Duqiu grinned, slinging an arm around him like a buddy. “Perfect. Remember that favor I asked for?”

Ji Lin eyed him warily. “What favor? I’m not helping with anything illegal.”

“You nailed it.” Yu Duqiu mimed a gun, pressing it to Ji Lin’s temple, and went, “Bang!” He added, “Help me kill that little beast. Nothing else will soothe my rage.”