BL Ch142

The unexpected appearance of his grandfather had been such a pleasant surprise that Yu Duqiu, immersed in the joy of their reunion, chatted with his family for a long time. It wasn’t until he finished his glass of champagne that he suddenly remembered the purpose of his visit.

He turned around, but Luo Yuan, Ji Lin, and Mu Hao were nowhere to be seen.

After settling his grandfather, he searched around, finally finding a certain police officer sulking at the bar in a corner.

“Captain Ji, what’s wrong? First time I’ve seen you drinking on duty.”

Ji Lin had ordered a low-alcohol mixed drink, but he flushed easily, his cheeks already rosy after just two sips. He waved a hand dismissively. “Leave me alone.”

Yu Duqiu grinned. “I can’t. My mother wants me to apologize to Bai Zhao and invite him in. I don’t want to, but I can’t disobey her in front of my grandfather. Could you please go get him? He hasn’t met my grandfather yet.”

His words seemed to express annoyance towards Bai Zhao, but his true intentions were betrayed by the last sentence.

“If you want to introduce him to your family, go get him yourself. It’s none of my business.” Ji Lin was unusually aggressive today, his reddened eyes blazing. “You two will make up anyway, no matter how much you fight. You like him, he likes you. You’re both reckless madmen; even the sky falling wouldn’t affect your romance.”

Yu Duqiu paused. “…Thanks for the compliment?”

“I’m mocking you, damn it!” Ji Lin slammed his fist on the bar. The marble countertop remained unmoved, but his hand turned red. He clutched it, hissing in pain. “You’re so annoying… Go away!”

Yu Duqiu scrutinized his expression, then chuckled, nudging his barstool with his foot. “Are you jealous? You don’t even have the right to argue with Mu Hao, do you?”

Hitting a nerve, Ji Lin couldn’t retort, his head drooping dejectedly as he covered his eyes with his arm.

Yu Duqiu, having delivered the final blow, finally relented, patting his shoulder. “Wait here. I’ll bring him over. You two can have a good chat. He seems to have a lot of questions for you.”

Ji Lin looked up, confused, about to say “What’s there to ask?” but Yu Duqiu had already walked away.

Mu Hao was nowhere to be found in the banquet hall. Yu Duqiu wanted to take the elevator to the upper floors, but the staff member controlling the elevator said the upper floors were closed off during the banquet, guests could only access their rooms after the event ended.

Yu Duqiu chuckled at this flimsy excuse. “I’ve attended countless banquets, and this is the first time I’ve heard of such a rule. I’m guessing the stairs are locked too, aren’t they?”

The staff member’s voice wavered. “Yes… please understand…”

Someone was definitely trying to stop him.

But strangely, Mu Hao, who had the same goal, encountered no obstacles. Why? Why was he being singled out?

“Fine, if that’s the case, then there’s nothing I can do.”

Yu Duqiu seemed to turn to leave, and the elevator attendant breathed a sigh of relief.

He had finally completed his assigned task…

“I order you to leave.”

The attendant froze, watching as Yu Duqiu swaggered into the very elevator he was forbidden to use.

“Wait! You can’t–”

“You probably don’t know, but I’m your new boss.” Yu Duqiu stood in the center of the elevator, the closing metal doors gradually obscuring his face, his arrogant chuckle echoing clearly. “Talk to me about rules? I am the new rule here.”

“…”

Yu Youhai watched the figure disappear behind the elevator doors and sighed. “We tried so hard to stop him, but we failed.”

Yu Jiangyue, supporting him, gently patted his hand. “You watched him grow up. Don’t you know his temper? The more you try to stop him, the more he’ll resist.”

Yu Youhai smiled wryly. “Indeed. He has to leave the ivory tower eventually… I hope he can handle the final truth…”

Yu Jiangyue turned towards the banquet hall entrance, looking at the silently waiting figure. “He’ll be fine. Someone is there with him.”

Yu Duqiu tapped his foot impatiently inside the elevator.

It was only the third floor. Why was it so slow?

Fifteen minutes had passed since he entered the villa. Once he found Mu Hao and Luo Mao, he still needed to talk to them, which would take at least half an hour to get to the bottom of things.

That ungrateful Bai Zhao had taken his coat; he should know to wear it, right? Standing in the mid-October autumn night in just a thin t-shirt, he would catch a cold…

“Ding!” The elevator arrived.

Yu Duqiu gathered his thoughts, took a deep breath, and stepped out, focused.

Business first.

Luo Mao had a good reputation in Pingyi. As chairman, he frequently provided aid to disaster areas, sending medicine, supplies, and medical teams, never using it for publicity, maintaining a low profile. He seemed like a respectable entrepreneur.

However, this didn’t mean he would readily reveal the details of his past donations to the orphanage. Even with Mu Hao’s police credentials, a seasoned businessman like Luo Mao wouldn’t be intimidated by a young officer.

Yu Duqiu had no doubts about Mu Hao’s investigative skills, but if Luo Mao refused to cooperate, given Mu Hao’s upright character, he wouldn’t press the old man, let alone threaten or coerce him.

This was why he had to come along.

Some things, only he could do, without hesitation.

Yu Duqiu walked silently across the carpeted corridor, heading straight for the suite at the end. If he was right, Luo Mao should be inside–

The double doors of the suite nearby suddenly creaked open.

Luo Yuan backed out, saying, “Grandpa, you guys talk first. I’ll go downstairs and check on the guests. I’ll come back for you later.”

The door clicked shut, and Luo Yuan sighed in relief.

Finally escaped. He had never met such a clueless, dense straight man. He had dropped so many hints, but the guy just asked if his eyes were uncomfortable… He’d rather go find Yu Duqiu, at least he was perceptive.

Luo Yuan turned towards the elevator and looked up, suddenly seeing a tall, handsome man standing in the corridor. Looking closer, it was the very person he was thinking about!

“Mr. Yu! Are you looking for me?”

Yu Duqiu watched Luo Yuan rush towards him and stepped back to avoid being knocked over, smiling. “Yes, Mr. Luo. I was wondering where you disappeared to. You were upstairs.”

Luo Yuan, slightly breathless, his eyes shining with excitement, replied, “Yes, sorry, an officer was looking for me just now.”

Mu Hao had indeed come here.

Yu Duqiu tilted his head. “A tall, well-built one? That’s a friend of mine. He has some business with your grandfather.”

Luo Yuan immediately took credit. “I already took your friend to see my grandfather. They’re chatting inside. My grandfather said it wasn’t convenient for me to listen, so I came out.”

Yu Duqiu pointed at himself. “Can you take me in to listen? That matter concerns me as well.”

“Ah…” Luo Yuan’s smile faded, hesitation replacing it. It was basic etiquette not to interrupt elders when they were discussing business. Chairman Luo was the most respected elder in the family, and even though Luo Yuan was his favorite grandson, he wouldn’t dare disturb him without good reason.

Yu Duqiu reached out and casually ruffled his hair. “Please.”

Luo Yuan’s cheeks flushed, unable to resist the flirtation. He turned his head shyly. “Mr. Yu…”

Yu Duqiu continued his charm offensive, looking into his eyes intently, lying without a change of expression. “The sooner you take me in, the sooner I can finish my business and come find you, and then we can do other things… You know what I mean?”

Luo Yuan nodded quickly, whispering, “I’ll take you, but you can’t get drunk like last time.”

Yu Duqiu smiled indulgently. “Don’t worry, I never get drunk.”

Luo Yuan playfully punched his chest, teasing, “You say that, but at your 18th birthday farewell party, you were completely wasted. I had to help you back to your room…”

Yu Duqiu’s hand froze. He chuckled as if hearing a joke, but there was no mirth in his eyes. “Nonsense. Someone else took me back to my room. At least make your lies believable.”

“I’m not lying!” Luo Yuan insisted. “You were stumbling around. I happened to be passing by, and you grabbed me. After we entered the room, you even kissed my cheek, and then you collapsed and fell asleep…”

Yu Duqiu put his hands in his pockets, straightened up, and looked at him coldly, the playful tone gone. “Mr. Luo, I wouldn’t care if you lied about other things, but you chose this particular incident. I’ll have to be serious – do you have any proof? Did anyone see you take me back to my room?”

Luo Yuan was confused by the sudden change in the man’s attitude, the sharp gaze piercing him like knives, as if trying to dissect him and verify his truthfulness.

Panicked, he racked his brain, but after ten years, when he was only seventeen or eighteen, brought to the party by his grandfather, Yu Duqiu’s appearance had captivated him. He hadn’t expected to be noticed by him, and when embraced, he was too overwhelmed with joy to notice if anyone else was watching…

Seeing him speechless, Yu Duqiu impatiently walked around him. “Fine, I’ll assume you never said that. Don’t lie in the future–”

“…No… wait! Someone saw!” Luo Yuan grabbed Yu Duqiu’s arm. “But I don’t know who that person was…”

Yu Duqiu pulled his arm away. “Enough, Mr. Luo. Don’t make a scene.”

But Luo Yuan refused to be falsely accused. He clutched Yu Duqiu’s coat again, saying urgently, “I’m not lying! Don’t you remember anything? That person appeared out of nowhere, filthy and smelly, helping you inside. Then you grabbed me…”

Yu Duqiu froze as if struck by lightning, slowly turning around, his brow furrowed, a look of disbelief and confusion in his eyes. “What did you say?”

Seeing him finally listening, Luo Yuan eagerly recounted the details, trying to convince him. “That person kept calling your name, but you were drunk and ignored him… Oh right! He also mentioned something about a hospital… maybe he was the child of your doctor’s family?”

Luo Yuan had almost forgotten about this, but now, standing in the same corridor, the familiar setting sharpened his memories. The more he spoke, the clearer it became, as if reliving the scene, the strange boy standing before him, holding the equally young Yu Duqiu and crying–

“‘Have you forgotten me?’ He seemed to keep asking you that… I didn’t hear anything else; he was crying quite hard.”

But Yu Duqiu had many lovers; perhaps he had incurred a romantic debt back then, and the boy had come to collect.

Luo Yuan didn’t think much of it, oblivious to the turmoil in the man’s eyes – until Yu Duqiu grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

“And then… what happened then? What did I do?”

Luo Yuan’s back hit the wall painfully. He was about to lash out when he noticed Yu Duqiu’s voice and hands were trembling.

Fear crept into him as he stammered, “I… I told you… you ignored him, disgusted by his smell. I happened to be passing by, and you grabbed me… We went into the room, and that person didn’t leave. You kissed me, and when you realized he was still there, you got angry and had someone drag him away. I don’t know where he went after that…”

Yu Duqiu finally released him, stumbling back and hitting the opposite wall, his face pale with shock.

Inside the suite.

Mu Hao’s pen paused on his notebook, staring at the old man on the sofa, taking a moment to process the immense amount of information. “So that’s how it was… This is quite unexpected…”

Luo Mao, celebrating his 70th birthday, wore a festive dark red Tang suit. He smiled at the young officer diligently taking notes. “It surprised me too when I first learned about it.”

Mu Hao closed his notebook, stood up, and bowed sincerely. “Thank you for your candor. But… if it’s a secret you’ve kept for so many years, why are you willing to tell me now?”

Luo Mao gestured for him to sit. “It’s not a secret.”

Mu Hao looked confused.

“A secret is something you don’t want anyone to find out. But this, we all wanted to make public, we just lacked the right opportunity.” Luo Mao sighed, spreading his hands slightly. “Back then, Pei Xianyong was too powerful. Even though Youhai was certain he was responsible, there was nothing he could do. His men were ruthless; if they knew someone had witnessed the murder, they would have silenced them.”

“Youhai had no choice but to conceal the child’s existence. But why he later sent him to the orphanage, intentionally letting Pei Xianyong’s men adopt him, I don’t know. I heard it was the boy’s own request. I simply did a small favor for my honorary consultant. Youhai said it was alright to tell others now, so I told you. This shouldn’t be considered withholding information, right, Officer Mu?”

Mu Hao nodded. “You don’t need to test me. Since you dared to tell me about your involvement, it means you’re certain that child didn’t commit any crimes, am I right?”

Luo Mao paused, then looked at him approvingly. “You seem straightforward, but you’re quite sharp. Yes, I’ve been keeping an eye on that child. It wasn’t easy for him to survive all these years…”

Ten minutes later, Mu Hao politely bid farewell to the old man and left the suite, his notebook filled with valuable information.

Closing the double doors, he gripped the handle, his emotions complex.

They had been completely wrong.

Anyone could have told this story, anyone but Bai Zhao.

It was like interrogating the victim instead of the perpetrator, forcing them to relive their trauma.

It was too cruel. They had to stop their original plan immediately.

Mu Hao took out his phone and dialed Yu Duqiu’s number, praying he wasn’t too late, that Yu Duqiu hadn’t acted yet–

“Buzz… buzz…”

A faint vibration came from behind him.

Mu Hao turned around in surprise, noticing a figure huddled against the wall in the corridor he had been facing away from, head buried between his knees, hands buried in his messy silver hair, motionless.

“Duqiu?” Mu Hao called tentatively.

Yu Duqiu didn’t respond.

Mu Hao hung up and slowly approached, squatting down with effort. “Duqiu, what’s wrong?”

He had never seen Yu Duqiu like this.

Back in Myanmar, bedridden and immobile, he had listened quietly as his heartbroken friend poured out his grief over losing his loved one. Back then, Yu Duqiu’s face reflected the pain of a broken heart, yet to maintain composure and uphold everyone’s hopes, he had forced a smile, stood tall, maintaining his usual grace.

But now, Yu Duqiu sat on the floor, his usually neat hair a mess, like a self-destructive drunkard collapsed on the roadside, unconscious.

“I have something important to tell you. Get up first.” Mu Hao reached out to help him. “About Bai Zhao, you want to hear it, right?”

Hearing the name, the huddled figure stiffened, slowly raising his head.

His eyes were red, his voice hoarse and barely audible. “…He didn’t want me to know…”

“…What?”

“He was afraid I’d feel guilty…” Yu Duqiu’s head dropped again, his cheek against his knee, his gaze unfocused, his lips pale and trembling. “How could I forget him… I… I wanted to remember him the most…”