Chapter 26 – Source of infection unknown

Ying Xize never imagined that Su Fengzhou could cook.

Lately, he hadn’t been sleeping well. Every time he closed his eyes, he’d be drowned in heavy, suffocating nightmares, haunted by a figure he’d rather forget.

So, when he sleepily opened the door to his bedroom and stepped out, he completely forgot that someone else was staying in his apartment.

The kitchen, which hadn’t been used in ages, was filled with steam, instantly making the otherwise cold and lifeless rental feel a little more alive.

Ying Xize stood frozen at the doorway. It wasn’t until the man in the kitchen, noticing the noise, peeked his head out. His expression was completely natural, unlike the stiff stance of the homeowner. “You’re up. Go wash up, breakfast and lunch are ready. It’s getting late, so I made both at once. Hope that’s okay with you.”

Ying Xize blinked for a second. “…I don’t mind.”

He’d almost said more, but then he realized the situation, glancing down at his laid-back pajamas. After a brief pause, he silently shut the door again.

Su Fengzhou looked at the closed door, a slight smile curling his lips.

He had to admit, even without the lab coat, Teacher Ying was still looking pretty good.

About half an hour later, Ying Xize finally came out of his room.

This time, he was dressed in his usual sharp attire, perfectly neat as always. Even his cuffs were rolled just right, giving him an air of quiet refinement, from top to bottom.

It was almost a little too formal.

Sitting across from each other at the dining table for the first time, the scene almost felt like they were sharing an elegant candlelit dinner.

Su Fengzhou couldn’t help but stare for a bit longer before finally speaking up. “Do you always dress like this at home?”

“Of course not. I just pay attention to dress etiquette when it’s needed.” Ying Xize took a bite of food, chewed a couple of times, and then gave a straightforward evaluation. “Your cooking’s good. If you ever leave the Investigation Department, you might want to think about becoming a chef after you retire.”

Su Fengzhou accepted the compliment without hesitation. “Thanks for the suggestion, but that day will probably never come.”

Ying Xize’s tone was light, but his words were blunt. “I don’t know why this situation wasn’t reported properly, but forgive my bluntness, Captain Su. With your spiritual state in such a dangerous condition, close to collapsing at any moment, it’s probably only a matter of time before you’re forced to leave the Investigation Department. The cavern situation is already unstable enough. If there’s an even more volatile time bomb within your team, no one would want to bear the responsibility if it detonates during a mission. Don’t you agree?”

“I think you’re absolutely right.” Su Fengzhou listened to the whole speech with little reaction. Then he looked up and locked eyes with Ying Xize, asking instead of answering. “So, to avoid anyone taking on unnecessary responsibility, would you consider joining our Seventh Squad?”

“Is that the real reason you’ve been so persistent about staying?”

Ying Xize wasn’t surprised by Su Fengzhou’s offer. In fact, from the moment he decided to step in and stop this person from spiraling out of control, he knew this was coming.

He calmly set his chopsticks down, almost without hesitation. “Sorry, my answer is still no.”

“Actually, Seventh Squad has great benefits—base salary plus performance bonuses, and the five insurances and housing fund are all paid at the highest standard. It’s definitely a better deal than your position at the Ningcheng Research Institute. If you’re worried about research progress, you can work remotely. Stay in Ningcheng, and help stabilize my spiritual power when it gets unstable.”

Su Fengzhou had clearly prepared this speech in advance, delivering it smoothly without missing a beat.

The content was filled with the utmost sincerity.

But Ying Xize stuck to his answer. “Sorry, I refuse.”

Su Fengzhou gave a low chuckle. “Just as I thought. Knew you wouldn’t agree.”

In a way, Ying Xize’s refusal also meant he didn’t really have much of a choice. But hearing it, he still furrowed his brows, silently asking: Then why are you still here wasting my time?

“You got one thing wrong, though—the job offer was a casual mention. The real reason I came was that I thought it was necessary to stay with you for a few days, no ulterior motive. It’s a feeling, you know?”

Su Fengzhou tapped his head with his index finger to emphasize the point. Afterward, without noticing Ying Xize’s brief daze, he stood up and took the bowl. “You eat pretty fast. Let me get you another serving.”

Before Ying Xize could respond, Su Fengzhou had already taken his bowl into the kitchen.

To be honest, sometimes Ying Xize really didn’t get the so-called “intuition” of certain simple-minded people.

It wasn’t until he heard a knock at the door that Ying Xize realized his thoughts had somehow drifted along with Su Fengzhou’s.

He stayed quiet for a few seconds before deciding to get up and open the door.

Given the time of the month, Ying Xize had expected it to be the landlord coming to collect rent. He certainly hadn’t expected to see Xiang Jiayan standing there instead.

At that moment, though, the other man looked more surprised than he was. “…You’re eating?”

Ying Xize paused. “Yes. Is something the matter?”

“It’s nothing, really. I just wanted to see—” Xiang Jiayan’s words stopped abruptly as his gaze flicked past Ying Xize and landed on what was behind him.

Ying Xize quickly realized what was happening when a shadow fell over him.

His back was now against Su Fengzhou’s chest. He didn’t know when the man had come out of the kitchen, but one thing was clear—Su Fengzhou’s speed always managed to surprise him.

A voice from above his head was lazy and tinged with an almost unidentifiable sharpness. “Assistant Xiang, long time no see.”

Xiang Jiayan’s pupils widened slightly, clearly noticing Su Fengzhou’s unusually casual attire.

He looked from him to Ying Xize, then back again. “You two are…”

Su Fengzhou smiled. “It’s nothing. We’re only living together for a few days since there’s not much else going on.”

Ying Xize: “…”

He had a feeling Su Fengzhou was intentionally stirring the pot, but as for himself, he ultimately decided not to explain.

Given his relationship with Xiang Jiayan, there really wasn’t any need to explain.

The air grew strangely still after Su Fengzhou’s words.

Finally, it was Ying Xize who broke the silence, asking the same question as before. “Is something the matter?”

“I just came to check on your condition.” The look on Xiang Jiayan’s face was complex, even for someone who had seen plenty of emotions, and his tone was full of suspicion. “…After all, the matter from the last mission hasn’t been fully resolved. Wouldn’t it be inconvenient for Captain Su to stay here with you?”

Su Fengzhou’s eyebrow twitched.

This time, though, Ying Xize answered first. “It’s not inconvenient. Captain Su was at the site in the cavern, so he’s already aware of my situation. And as for whether I’ve been infected or showing any signs of alienation, having him—Seventh Squad’s captain—personally monitor me should, in a way, put your mind at ease, right?”

Xiang Jiayan’s posture straightened slightly.

At last, under Ying Xize’s gaze, he took a step back. “That’s true. In that case, I’ll be heading back now.”

Ying Xize nodded, didn’t say anything more, and closed the door again.

He only noticed when he turned around that Su Fengzhou was still standing in the same spot, unmoving. The distance was so close that he almost bumped into him without realizing it.

Two hands reached out to steady his shoulders, and it was then that Ying Xize finally saw the expression on Su Fengzhou’s face.

There was a distinct curve to his lips, a look of happiness from some unknown source. He was actually smiling.

Ying Xize: “What are you smiling about?”

“I used to think you were too good at keeping people at arm’s length.” Su Fengzhou answered casually. Watching the trace of confusion appear on Ying Xize’s face, he chuckled softly. “Only now, in comparison, do I realize you’re actually quite good to me.”

Ying Xize: “…What gave you that delusion?”

“Perhaps.” Su Fengzhou glanced over at the dining table. “Shall we continue eating?”

Ying Xize didn’t refuse the suggestion.

He had to admit one thing: the food Su Fengzhou cooked really suited his taste.

Compared to Ying Xize’s slow, deliberate chewing, Su Fengzhou was scarfing down his food like he was in a rush, finishing long before, and now sitting at the table scrolling through his phone.

No one spoke. The only sounds were the occasional video playing aloud from Su Fengzhou’s phone.

The aroma of the food lingered in Ying Xize’s mouth, making him feel a little dazed for a moment.

He wasn’t sure when it started, but it felt like this kind of peaceful, ordinary atmosphere had been absent from his life for a long time.

He had expected Xiang Jiayan’s visit to prompt Su Fengzhou to uncover many deeper secrets, but up until now, the man hadn’t asked a single extra question.

It was as if he wasn’t curious at all.

His phone vibrated a few times, signaling a new message.

At first, Ying Xize didn’t pay it any attention. But when he finished the last bite of his food and looked up, he noticed the slight shift in Su Fengzhou’s expression, a darkening, just barely noticeable. “What’s wrong?”

Su Fengzhou met his gaze and handed him the phone. “A new ‘incident’ happened in Pingcheng.”

Ying Xize took the phone and skimmed through the message.

It was posted in the Seventh Squad’s internal group chat. The message was brief, stating that a regular team from the local Investigation Department had already handled it.

Honestly, it didn’t seem like much of a major “incident.” For the veteran members of Seventh Squad, it probably wouldn’t even be worth more than a quick mention over dinner.

But after reading through it all, Ying Xize noticed the key point. “Shouldn’t the alienations around the periphery of the Chen Mountain Cavern have been cleared out by now?”

“Sharp as ever.” Su Fengzhou leaned back in his chair. “It’s not just the periphery. With the thoroughness of our last mission, even if they opened the main gate, there’s no way any aliens would get out this month. So, don’t you think the timing of this ‘incident’ is interesting? It couldn’t have been caused by a cavern a hundred thousand li away, could it?”

A brief silence followed.

Ying Xize lowered his gaze, offering a simple summary. “Source of infection unknown.”