NASAY CH 72
by SuxxiLuo Xing was a bit confused. He couldn’t understand how someone could be this malicious. For a high school student, the biggest scheme would typically be cheating on an exam or competing for grades.
Yet, for his own personal gain, he had harmed so many people.
Luo Xing didn’t know how to evaluate Xue Jian. He just felt that his vocabulary was too limited to properly describe the darkness in this person’s heart.
“Don’t worry about him, just focus on your assignments,”
Huo Xingzhou didn’t want him to dwell too much on it. He pushed the homework toward him and pulled out his phone to text Lu Qinghe.
Lu Qinghe’s homeroom teacher had taken leave in the morning and had just arrived at school when he saw Xue Jian being taken away. The police officers wouldn’t say anything, so he hurried upstairs to hold a class meeting.
Since he was in the middle of a lecture, he couldn’t use his phone. He glanced at the screen and quickly replied with two words: “No idea.”
Huo Xingzhou wasn’t curious about why Shang Qingming was handling the case, but the fact that he personally led the team was actually a good sign. If it had been just a regular patrol officer, the matter would likely have been brushed under the rug.
Since he was here, it meant Xue Jian’s crime was practically set in stone.
The class bell rang, but none of them were in the mood to pay attention. Each was lost in their own thoughts.
Halfway through the lesson, Cheng Limin suddenly appeared at the classroom door and knocked.
After nodding slightly to the teacher, he said,
“Luo Xing, Huo Xingzhou, come with me.”
The two followed him out to the stairwell corner. Cheng Limin frowned deeply, his eyes scanning their faces. After a long pause, he asked,
“Did you hit Xue Jian yesterday?”
Huo Xingzhou nodded. “I did.”
Luo Xing panicked slightly and instinctively glanced at Cheng Limin’s expression. Just as he was about to explain, Cheng Limin waved off the topic and said,
“Xue Jian was taken away by the city’s criminal investigation team. Did you see that happen?”
Huo Xingzhou nodded again.
“You two need to come along. The police have some questions. Just tell the truth, don’t hide anything. Also, if they ask about the school, think carefully before you speak. You must not tarnish the school’s reputation, understood?”
Cheng Limin repeated his instructions over and over. He was worried—since the founding of No 2 high school, no student had ever been taken away by the city’s criminal investigation team before.
Huo Xingzhou responded with a simple, “Understood.”
Shang Qingming was waiting at the school gate, and Lu Qinghe had come down as well. Seeing him there, Luo Xing hesitated for a moment before getting into the car with the others.
Huo Xingzhou and Luo Xing sat in the back while Lu Qinghe sat in the passenger seat. Shang Qingming drove in silence, completely different from his usual loud and brash self.
When they arrived at the criminal investigation unit, the officer responsible for taking their statements happened to be Zhou Wei. She glanced at Huo Xingzhou and said sarcastically,
“Oh, look who it is—our very own Xia Ziwei.”
Shang Qingming shot her a look. Zhou Wei cleared her throat and put on a professional expression. She glanced at Luo Xing and said,
“Come with me.”
Luo Xing took a deep breath. From his side, Huo Xingzhou gently squeezed his wrist and whispered,
“Don’t be afraid. Just tell the truth.”
“I know.”
Zhou Wei opened her notebook and pushed it aside, letting a younger officer take over. The officer lowered his eyes and prepared to record.
“What’s your name?”
“Luo Xing.”
After verifying his details, Zhou Wei began asking about the case.
“On November 28, 2019, Xue Jian contacted someone named Zhang Zheng to attack you. Is this true?”
Luo Xing nodded. He met Zhou Wei’s sharp gaze and replied steadily,
“Yes. At the time, I even took a photo of the finger marks on my neck as evidence. But last night, I was knocked unconscious, and my phone was damaged.”
“Were there any other witnesses who can confirm that Zhang Zheng attacked you?”
Zhou Wei asked.
Luo Xing shook his head.
“It happened behind the school, where no one was around. Officer, did Xue Jian… really hire someone to kill?”
Zhou Wei was stunned by the question and instinctively looked up at him. Under the pale light, his face had an indescribable expression.
It suddenly struck her—he was just a high school student, yet he was already questioning whether his classmate had committed something so cruel.
She coughed lightly and said,
“That’s not something for you to worry about.”
Then, she continued asking about the case.
It took over half an hour before she let him leave.
By the time all three students had given their statements, it was already past 1 PM.
Shang Qingming was still busy, so he arranged for someone else to take them back while he headed into a meeting room.
Inside, several officers, including Zhou Wei, were already waiting. Their expressions were tense as they studied their notes and other case files. The old case file of Min Yao had also been pulled up.
“Boss, the three students’ statements were almost identical. Luo Xing was a transfer student, so he didn’t know about the case from back then. Lu Qinghe and Huo Xingzhou’s accounts were basically the same, but Huo Xingzhou seemed to know a lot more,” Zhou Wei noted, puzzled.
“How does a high school student know so much about an old case?”
Shang Qingming scoffed.
“He overheard it when I took him to look into another case that day.”
Zhou Wei was a bit anxious. The meeting room lights were off, and as the projector switched between images, the flickering light cast shadows on her face. After hesitating for a moment, she said,
“Xue Jian’s father and grandfather…”
Shang Qingming tilted his head slightly, looking at the projection screen displaying Min Yao body. He had met this girl before. She used to be good friends with Qiaoqiao and had even been to his house for meals a few times. She was a cheerful person and had once said that if given the chance, she wanted to become a police officer.
“If he didn’t have such strong backing, this case wouldn’t have landed in our hands. Investigate it.”
Shang Qingming sneered coldly.
Trying to put pressure on the local police station to sweep this under the rug?
In his hands, the words “getting away with it” did not exist.
On the way back to school, surprisingly, it was Lu Qinghe—who usually spoke the least—who broke the silence first.
“Before Xue Jian was taken away, he glanced at me. His eyes were filled with blatant confidence and provocation. He must have already figured out a way to escape punishment.”
Lu Qinghe shoved his hands into his pockets, looking up at the gloomy sky, and shook his head lightly.
Shang Qingming hadn’t revealed any details of the case, but when Luo Xing was giving his statement, it was clear that something wasn’t right. And when they came out, he overheard whispers among the officers.
Xue Jian’s confidence wasn’t baseless.
“What… what kind of person is Xue Jian’s grandfather?”
Luo Xing asked.
“He used to be the captain of the criminal investigation team, then got promoted to the provincial level. He’s probably about to retire in the next couple of years,”
Huo Xingzhou recalled from a few years ago when they were still on good terms.
If Xue Jian’s grandfather had been in that position back then, it was entirely possible that anything he did was forcibly covered up.
After all, without evidence and without anyone reporting it, who would go through the trouble of reopening an old case?
Luo Xing wasn’t too familiar with Shang Qingming’s character, but both Huo Xingzhou and Lu Qinghe had grown up around him and trusted him completely. They believed justice would be served.
“Alright, let’s head back.”
Luo Xing nodded without saying more, and they returned to school together.
As soon as they got out of the car, they ran into Zhao Jiulan at the school gate.
She stood in front of the security office, pleading with the guard to let her in. But the guard remained unmoved and waved her off.
“No, no, it’s class time. Parents aren’t allowed inside.”
Zhao Jiulan crossed her arms, her eyes red with urgency.
“Please, I beg you. My son went missing at school yesterday. I just want to check if he’s back. Please!”
The guard thought she was making excuses and refused even more firmly.
“If your son went missing, why are you only coming today? If you want to know, just call him! I can’t let you in.”
Zhao Jiulan was on the verge of breaking down. If she could reach him by phone, would she even need to come to the school?
She knew Luo Xing didn’t want to see her. She just wanted to take a quick look from outside and make sure he was safe.
She didn’t know his phone had broken and assumed he was just refusing to answer her calls. Overwhelmed with pain, she pleaded with the guard,
“Then… then please, just help me check if a student named Luo Xing is in Class 9. Or maybe Huo Xingzhou. Please.”
The guard frowned.
“What’s your son’s name, exactly? I think you’re just making things up. If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police!”
Zhao Jiulan slowly crouched down and slumped onto the ground just outside the automatic gate.
She had no mother anymore. Her father was terminally ill.
From now on, she was truly alone in this world.
Abandoned by everyone.
Tears streamed down Zhao Jiulan’s face as she begged,
“Please, just one look. If you have to, tie my hands—I promise I won’t do anything. I just want to see him… please…”
“Mom?”
Luo Xing stood across the street and froze in place when he saw the familiar figure at the school gate. Without thinking, he called out.
Huo Xingzhou furrowed his brows slightly, while Lu Qinghe—who had never met Zhao Jiulan and didn’t know about the pain she had caused Luo Xing—looked at him with mild curiosity.
“You head back first. Luo Xing and I will come later,”
Huo Xingzhou said.
Lu Qinghe was never one to pry into others’ personal affairs. He simply nodded lightly and walked toward the school gate.
The guard recognized him and let him in.
Zhao Jiulan immediately tried to slip past, but the guard grabbed her arm, scolding,
“If you try that again, I’m calling the police!”
Lu Qinghe stopped in his tracks and glanced at the woman who looked utterly exhausted. After a brief pause, he said,
“Luo Xing is over there.”
Zhao Jiulan stiffened.
The guard yanked her back, and she turned around—only to see Luo Xing standing across the road, separated by a stream of passing cars.
Far away.
“Xing…”
Luo Xing never expected to see Zhao Jiulan at the school gate. He instinctively took a step back, his body tensing as his teeth clenched, trying to guess why she was here.
Was she here to insult him again, calling him lowly? To order him to transfer schools? Or perhaps to demand that he stay away from Huo Xingzhou?
Seeing Luo Xing retreat again and again, Huo Xingzhou felt a pang in his heart. He reached out to grasp Luo Xing’s wrist and said,
“Yesterday, I went out to investigate her past incident. I think she truly regrets it now. Last night, when I couldn’t find you, I thought you had snuck back again behind my back, so I called her. She probably… was really worried about you.”
Luo Xing froze, staring blankly at Huo Xingzhou’s lips, trying to determine the truth from the way his mouth moved.
Zhao Jiulan… worried about him?
He stood there dazed for a moment, then suddenly let out a bitter, ugly laugh.
“No, that’s not it. She probably just thinks… I’m useless, an embarrassment to her.”
Huo Xingzhou recalled Shang Qingming’s words and carefully thought it over. Then he pulled Luo Xing into his arms and said,
“That’s not true. My little Nan is the most amazing kid in the world—he’s never been an embarrassment to anyone.”
Luo Xing took a deep breath, broke free from Huo Xingzhou’s grasp, lifted his head to swallow back the lump in his throat, and said indifferently,
“Can you go back first? I want to talk to her alone.”
Huo Xingzhou hesitated for a moment, clearly uneasy, but in the end, he respected Luo Xing’s decision and nodded.
“Alright, I’ll wait for you in the classroom.”
Luo Xing nodded.
He couldn’t always hide behind Huo Xingzhou, letting him solve all his problems while he sat back like a useless person, reaping the benefits.
This was his past—his alone. Only he could sever it, and only by his own hands could he truly let it go.
“Luo Xing…”
Zhao Jiulan’s voice was hoarse and hesitant.
Luo Xing could no longer hear her voice clearly. Whether it was trembling with emotion, he couldn’t tell. He only saw that she looked terrible—her face pale and haggard, as if time had mercilessly worn her down.
In his memories, Zhao Jiulan had always been meticulous about her appearance. Even at home, she would dress carefully, never allowing a single hint of untidiness.
And yet, here she was now. What was she trying to do?
“You came to see me—do you need something?”
Luo Xing asked.
Zhao Jiulan seemed uneasy. Her still-delicate fingers clutched the wrinkled hem of her clothes. She opened her mouth but struggled for a long time before managing to form a complete sentence.
“I… I just wanted to see you. Yesterday, Huo Xingzhou said you were missing, and I… I was very worried.”
Worried?
Luo Xing let out a silent laugh in his heart. So, words like that could come out of Zhao Jiulan’s mouth too?
She averted her gaze, not daring to look into his eyes. Those dark pupils seemed to contain the most terrifying beast—one glance, and it would rip her to shreds.
“Thank you, but I’m fine.”
Luo Xing didn’t know what kind of tone he should use with her.
There had been a time when he had tried so desperately, so carefully, to please her, just to see her happy. Even without a father, he was still her son, still her precious one. He could protect her.
But Zhao Jiulan never wanted that.
She had treated his efforts like filth, despising them. The words “lowly” and “disgusting” were carved into his heart like scars. He wanted to forget them, but he couldn’t.
Zhao Jiulan wanted to reach out and embrace her son, but she held herself back. Instead, she took a few steps back, gathered her thoughts, and then looked up again.
“How is your hearing?”
Luo Xing’s heart clenched—he hadn’t expected her to bring that up. A small, malicious thought surfaced in his mind. He opened his mouth and said,
“I’ve completely lost my hearing… but it doesn’t affect me. You don’t have to worry.”
Zhao Jiulan’s lips trembled. The wind blew her hair into disarray, sticking messily to her tear-streaked face, making her look utterly miserable.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to… I was just too—”
“You don’t need to apologize, because even if you do, I won’t be able to hear it anymore.”
Luo Xing paused for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh.
“Back then, I tried everything to make you look at me, even just once.”
His voice was soft, but every word hit Zhao Jiulan’s heart like a hammer, soaked in blood and tears.
“The day I lost my hearing, I was actually really happy.”
Luo Xing tilted his head slightly, his smile bitter.
“Because you finally looked at me. You even fed me a piece of cake.”
“It was so sweet. I’ve never had anything that delicious in my life. But…”
“That was just for Luo Zhiyuan to see, wasn’t it?”
“But it’s okay. At least you didn’t abandon me. For that, I’m very grateful.”
“Stop… please stop talking…”
Zhao Jiulan whispered, her voice trembling.
Luo Xing’s words were barely above a whisper, yet they struck like heavy blows.
“When I transferred to No 2 High, I knew you wouldn’t be happy about it. So I bought a cake. The shopkeeper asked me who it was for, and I said—”
“It’s for my mom. She loves this bakery’s cakes the most.”
The words lingered in the air, unfinished.
Zhao Jiulan looked up at Luo Xing with tears streaming down her face.
He blinked and said,
“That bakery was about to close, but they specially made one last cake for me. It had words written on it: Happy Birthday, Mom.”
“Maybe you’ve long forgotten your own birthday, and you didn’t care about my gift. Even if you threw it into the sewer, it didn’t matter.”
Luo Xing exhaled softly. He had never spoken to Zhao Jiulan like this before, whether out of fear of upsetting her or for any other reason.
But now, he no longer wanted to seek her approval in vain.
“You are my mother—that is an undeniable fact. You gave birth to me and raised me. If one day you grow old and need my care, I won’t turn a blind eye.”
Zhao Jiulan was not deaf. Though his voice was light, every word pierced her chest like a dagger, twisting deep.
In the past, why had she never noticed that his heart carried so much grievance and pain?
Huo Xingzhou was right. If she had truly looked at Luo Xing—just for a single second—she would have liked this child.
But she never did.
She had spent her entire life consumed by hatred for a man who never belonged to her.
“I don’t expect your forgiveness. I… I have already turned myself in. The police will come to take your statement soon. Just tell them everything—you don’t need to protect me.”
Zhao Jiulan took a deep breath and let it out heavily. The tear stains blurred her vision, turning Luo Xing into nothing more than a hazy silhouette.
“I will pay for the mistakes I’ve made.”
Luo Xing turned his head to the side, his voice unreadable.
“Even if you go to prison, my ears won’t heal.”
Some sins could never be atoned for.
Zhao Jiulan stumbled forward, then collapsed to the ground.
Luo Xing walked over and helped her up. His fingertips were gentle as they wiped away her tears, and his voice was soft—so soft.
“Mom, I don’t hate you, and I don’t want you to go to jail. But from now on… let’s not see each other again.”
Zhao Jiulan stood frozen, watching Luo Xing walk away until she could no longer hold back her sobs and broke down in wailing cries.
When Luo Xing returned to the classroom, Huo Xingzhou was exactly where he had promised to be—sitting quietly in his seat, doing his homework.
Feng Jia and Li Lefan weren’t there. The air around him seemed to slow, and in that moment, a wave of emotion surged within Luo Xing.
He suddenly felt so aggrieved—he wanted to throw himself into Huo Xingzhou’s arms and cry out all the pain and injustice he had endured for so many years.
Luo Xing silently walked behind him. Seeing that Huo Xingzhou hadn’t noticed, he suddenly reached out and covered his eyes.
“Guess who?”
Huo Xingzhou froze. The pen in his hand scratched a meaningless line across his paper.
Luo Xing was just about to let go when Huo Xingzhou caught his hand and held it against his eyes. Smiling, he tilted his paper at an angle where Luo Xing could see.
On the sheet, in slanted handwriting, were two simple words:
Little Darling.
Luo Xing’s heart trembled, thudding erratically. Under his palm, he could feel Huo Xingzhou’s eyelashes fluttering, tickling his skin.
Huo Xingzhou released his hand and pulled him into the seat beside him. Looking into his eyes, he asked,
“How did it go?”
Luo Xing stared at the words Little Darling on the paper for a long moment before he finally answered,
“I told her… we shouldn’t see each other anymore. Do you think I’m being selfish?”
Huo Xingzhou shook his head.
“No. That was the best decision. Seeing you only makes her suffer too.”
Luo Xing nodded. The person in front of him, who always seemed rough and carefree, was actually delicate in thought and far more understanding than he had imagined.
Meeting Huo Xingzhou—what a stroke of luck.
Xue Jian was caught at school. Whether he would face prison time was a topic that held the attention of the senior students for only a short while before the stress of mock exams took over.
As for the rumors that Huo Xingzhou and Luo Xing were dating, they had long been forgotten, buried in some distant corner of idle gossip.
Wu Suyan had made an appointment with a doctor and came personally to take them for a check-up. Luo Xing was nervous, his palms damp.
Huo Xingzhou patted his head.
“Don’t be nervous. I’m here with you.”
The doctor was a cheerful foreigner who spoke in choppy Mandarin. His exaggerated “aiyo aiyo” exclamations were oddly comforting, melting away Luo Xing’s tension bit by bit.
Huo Xingzhou, on the other hand, couldn’t understand the technical jargon or make sense of the machine readings. Seeing how anxious he was, the doctor simply kicked him out.
“What kind of family member are you? Your nerves are worse than the patient’s!”
Huo Xingzhou stood in stunned silence for a few seconds. What kind of doctor is this? He has no professionalism at all!
Luo Xing laughed.
“Just go outside. I’ll be fine.”
“Alright.” Huo Xingzhou patted his head.
“I’ll wait outside.”
Before leaving, he shot a sharp glare at the doctor, thoroughly displeased.
The doctor, unfazed, grinned and turned back to adjusting the machine, asking Luo Xing a few routine questions.
Meanwhile, outside the door, Huo Xingzhou and Wu Suyan waited.
As they chatted, Huo Xingzhou’s phone suddenly vibrated. He glanced down at the screen.
It was a message from Zhao Jiulan.
Can you send me a photo of Luo Luo? If it’s inconvenient, even a picture of you two together will do. I want to show his grandfather.
The old man doesn’t have much time left. His last wish is to see his grandson’s face.
I know I’ve wronged Luo Luo. I have no right to ask anything of him, but please… for the sake of an innocent old man, just let him see his grandson once.
Wu Suyan noticed her son’s frown and leaned over curiously.
“What’s wrong?”
Huo Xingzhou showed her the message, momentarily unsure of what to say.
Wu Suyan was silent for a moment. Then, looking at the closed door of the examination room, she finally spoke.
“Zhao Jiulan was right about one thing—the old man did nothing wrong. It’s not unreasonable for him to want to see his grandson.”
Huo Xingzhou nodded.
“But,” Wu Suyan continued, turning back to him,
“this isn’t your decision to make. You need to ask Luo Xing. Whether to see him or not, whether to send a photo or not—that’s for Luo Xing to decide.”
She met his gaze.
“Luo Xing is not anyone’s possession. His will, his choices—he must have control over them.”
“I understand.”
Huo Xingzhou had never thought of Luo Xing as someone he could decide for.
Luo Xing was Luo Xing. Independent. Unique.
He picked up his phone and started typing a reply to Zhao Jiulan.
An hour later, just as Huo Xingzhou was about to lose feeling in his legs from standing too long, the doctor finally opened the door.
“Alright, come in. I’ll explain the results.”