SDT 73

Chapter 73: His Answer

When Yu Xiaowen awoke, the room still held a nighttime gloom that left him unsure of the date. He touched his head, the fever had completely subsided. Opening his eyes, he looked down at his clothes. A light-colored, pure cotton men’s pajama set, much too large. Not his size.

His memories began to return.

He sat up, rubbing his temples. Turning his head, he saw another note left by Lu Kongyun on the table.

This time it was brief:

Off to work. Didn’t wake you up.

I washed your clothes and hung them out to dry on the balcony.

Dinner’s downstairs. It’s hot.

Rest here. I’ll drive you home after work.

……

Lu Kongyun received a WeChat message during the meeting.

He tapped to open it, only to find that long-lost donkey avatar. It felt like a lifetime ago. Yu Xiaowen had deleted him from WeChat two years prior, and he’d only re-added him after getting the phone he’d left behind.

But even after reconnecting, he never received another message from him.

But now a red dot has appeared on that donkey’s profile picture.

He stared at it for a while before gently tapping it open with his thumb.

艹: I’m using my coworker’s phone to log into WeChat. Just wanted to let you know I’ve made it back to the bureau on my own. ^^

艹: Since it was the military headquarters that temporarily detained me at the bureau, I figured I’d try to get back as soon as possible to avoid causing trouble for the bureau.

艹: Thanks for looking out for me yesterday!

艹: Also, I’ll fight to clear my name. Even without Ye Yisan’s evidence, they won’t find proof of me colluding with that transnational organization. But haven’t you already gathered evidence linking Ding Qi to them?

艹: Since that’s the case, they won’t be able to hold me over the barrel either. [clenched fist]

艹: You’ve done more than enough for me. I’ll work hard from here on out, you just live your own life well!

Lu Kongyun stared at that last line for a long time, his expression dark. Then he raised his hand to reply: “Throwing away the ladder after climbing the tree?”

艹 replied instantly: …What kind of talk is that!

Lu Kongyun stared at it for a moment, then threw the phone onto the table without replying.

Another ten minutes passed before his phone vibrated again. He picked it up to see it was the donkey once more.

艹: I’m a bit confused. I feel like I’m overthinking this, but I still want to ask you about it.

艹: You wouldn’t want me to pester you, would you?

艹: [Question mark face]

艹: Every time I recall what you said to me yesterday, it seems to imply this. I’m a bit confused… Did I misunderstand?

艹: Why are you mad anyway? Huh?

Lu Kongyun still didn’t reply.

艹: [Nose-picking emoji] [Dog head emoji]

……

Over the next few days, Yu Xiaowen’s condition improved significantly. Once he came to terms with things, he knew what the right course of action was and stopped having nightmares. He ate well, slept well, and cooperated fully with the investigation. He carefully recalled details from his interactions with Ding Qi and Ex in the previous case, striving to make his testimony both favorable and credible.

His rational mind dismissed it as impossible, but he occasionally indulged in fantasy, that Lu Kongyun’s feelings for him weren’t just pity. Though Yu Xiaowen was an obnoxious blackmailer, smelly, and an unmarkable inferior Omega, in Lu’s eyes, he was clearly an exceptional cop… But could being exceptional earn someone’s affection?

He also felt that even if the other had a selfless, pure, and persistent heart, he had gone far too far for him. Almost risking his life… Did that detached man ever care about anything else? Besides work.

Perhaps Yu Xiaowen’s affection ran too deep, leading him to overthink. And when one overthinks, it inevitably leads to misplaced affection, analyzing every gesture and glance, hoping to align them with his own desires.

(I’m not noble at all. I never give a fuck about other people’s business.)

(I don’t want you clinging to me when you’re trying to blackmail me. I’ve done so much for you, and you say we’re just friends? Are you out of your mind? Are you really cut out for relationships?)

“…”

Yu Xiaowen thought about his current predicament and realized he was being overly sentimental toward the young master of the Lu family. He felt embarrassed.

But he thought that once this matter was settled, they would at least naturally become friends. This brought him a sense of peace and contentment.

Everything was moving in a positive direction. With everyone’s efforts, as piece by piece of factual evidence was presented, it became clear that Ding Qi had some kind of improper relationship with the pharmaceutical group. However, regarding Yu Xiaowen’s treason and the murder of Ding Qi, there were only suspicions and some circumstantial evidence, no completely conclusive and complete chain of evidence. Although Yu Xiaowen’s survival and two-year hiding abroad hinder efforts to clear the officer’s name, potentially becoming a key point for conviction, the principle of “presumption of innocence” still applies. Before sentencing, hope remains.

After some time, evidence collection and interrogations neared completion. With no new evidence emerging, Yu Xiaowen’s case would be transferred to the court for trial. Yu Xiaowen would be formally detained at Manjing City’s First Detention Center to await sentencing. The charges, involving the murder of a military officer, treason, and dereliction of duty, did not permit bail pending trial.

As the bailiffs led him away from the cell, he had his feet propped up high, reading a collection of dark jokes and chuckling to himself. He thought he’d send some to Lu Kongyun when he got the chance.

Due to the extraordinary nature of the charges, he was dressed in prison garb and shackled. A fellow inmate at the detention center happened to know Yu Xiaowen. Feeling sympathy, he told him, “It’ll be over once the verdict comes down. Everything will be fine.”

The detention center guard led him through a second iron gate. As it closed, its clang echoed with the clank of his shackles. Yu Xiaowen suddenly thought: If I lose this case, perhaps I’ll hear this sound forever, until it becomes routine, so familiar I can tune it out automatically.

“Yu Xiaowen.”

He was lost in thought when that familiar voice called his name. The sound of shackles was a common sound here, but this person shouldn’t have been present. For a moment, he thought it was an auditory hallucination, then turned his head.

There, by the iron gate, stood Dr. Lu.

“…How did you get in here?” He turned back, asking instinctively before remembering Lu Kongyun’s status and closing his mouth with understanding. He glanced at the guard beside him, who tactfully withdrew.

After the figure vanished at the end of the corridor, the air was heavy with silence for a moment.

Yu Xiaowen asked first, “How’s the wound on your shoulder?”

Lu Kongyun remained silent. He approached the iron gate, resting his hand on the bars as he looked at Yu Xiaowen, wanting to draw closer for easier conversation. But Yu Xiaowen glanced down at the shackles on his feet and made no further sound.

He simply stood where he was.

“…” Yu Xiaowen scratched his palm. “Why haven’t you replied to my messages?”

Lu Kongyun studied him for a moment before saying, “I’m sorry.”

Maybe it was an illusion, he noticed a redness around the other’s eyes. Yu Xiaowen was astonished.

Before Yu Xiaowen could think of a response, the other person added, “I’m sorry.”

This time it wasn’t a misperception, the other person’s voice choked with sobs: “Maybe I really shouldn’t have brought you back.”

Yu Xiaowen had never seen Lu Kongyun like this before, and he felt a sudden panic.

“…How can you be so ignorant of the law? I haven’t even been convicted yet.” Yu Xiaowen immediately put on a smile. “The evidence is in my favor right now. You should know that. Could you please stop jumping the gun? And… of course I should come back.”

“I am Yu Xiaowen. No matter the outcome, I will always be Yu Xiaowen. Because you spent two years searching for me,” he said.

The other person stared at him silently for a while longer, seemingly regaining his usual composure almost instantly.

He said, “That USB drive might be recoverable. Hopefully it contains favorable evidence. If it’s useless, I’ll go and… bring that guy back as a witness.”

He wasn’t in a position to mention that person’s name here, but Yu Xiaowen knew exactly who he was referring to. He hurriedly interjected, “…Don’t arrest him. Given your status, getting caught would spell trouble for yourself.”

He heard the other person exhale heavily.

“If you’re sentenced, I’ll never have peace for the rest of my life,” Lu Kongyun said. “Would you care?”

Yu Xiaowen：“……”

“I’m leaving,” Lu Kongyun said. “I’ll let you know if there’s any news.”

He turned and walked away decisively, his face cold. The self-delusion that had been swirling in Yu Xiaowen’s mind these past days suddenly surged to unprecedented heights. He called out loudly after him: “Hey, wait a minute!”

The other person stopped and turned back.

When their eyes met, he came back to reality. His limbs felt heavy as lead. What was he even thinking? Ridiculous. But the other person had already turned to face him. Clenching his fists, he hesitated before saying, “I want to ask you something.”

“Do you… still want me to keep liking you?” Yu Xiaowen’s handcuffs rattled again. “…That’s all I wanted to ask.”

Lu Kongyun’s gaze drifted downward for a moment before returning to his face. “What kind of question is that? What do you mean ‘I want’? I don’t understand what you’re getting at. If you like someone, you like them. If you don’t, you don’t. What does ‘I want’ have to do with it?”

“…I don’t know either,” Yu Xiaowen said.

Lu Kongyun’s eyes narrowed slightly, leaving only half of each pupil visible.

“I’m leaving.”

He took two steps, but no sound followed him. He turned back, walked to the railing once more, and looked at Yu Xiaowen through the bars.

“I didn’t reply to your message,” he said, resting his hands on the railing. “…because I didn’t know what to say either. I told you myself that once the case was closed, your choices wouldn’t concern me. Yet I ended up acting so emotionally toward you. I’m sorry. I guess I’m not as in control as I thought. You don’t have to worry about it.”

Lu Kongyun frowned, looking at Yu Xiaowen.

“……”

His words, his expression, like a gentle breeze, rekindled the glow within Yu Xiaowen’s heart, the embers of a dream he had long thought extinguished.

Perhaps, perhaps it was simply to draw a line under these days of self-indulgent delusion.

With that phrase echoing in his mind, he gave himself permission to act recklessly. And so, accompanied by the sound of his shackles, he moved step by step, slowly approaching the railing.

He stood directly opposite Lu Kongyun, their gazes meeting. The other man’s eyes met his, still holding that same mix of resentment and confusion.

Yu Xiaowen raised his arm and extended his fingertips.

He tentatively touched the back of Lu Kongyun’s finger resting on the railing. The other immediately turned his head to look at the contact point, barely a square centimeter in size.

He didn’t pull away.

So Yu Xiaowen seized the opportunity and took hold of that hand.

He still didn’t pull away.

Yu Xiaowen’s heart began beating faster. He used his advantage, sliding his hand up, tempted to touch the other’s face. Then he heard the clink of his shackles against the bars, the chain’s length restrained his movement.

His hand froze in mid-air.

The other person looked at the shackles, then bowed his head, pressing his cheek against his hand.

Yu Xiaowen’s fingertips brushed the other’s jawline, his palm tingling from the soft contact. His fingers recoiled, and he immediately released the other, holding the railing tightly. He looked down at the shackles on his feet, his breathing becoming ragged.

His mind turned to mush, churning like a boiling pot, leaving chaos in its wake.

The other person stood up straight. Then, using the knuckles of the fingers gripping the railing, he gently brushed against Yu Xiaowen’s fingertips.

Yu Xiaowen immediately exhaled a shaky breath. They had shared many moments of intimacy before. He remembered the sensations of each encounter, each leaving its own profound impression. Yet none had shaken him as this faintest of touches at this very moment.

This touch felt like his soul was being gently caressed, yet violently torn apart. It was as if he had left his body, recalling his brief and turbulent life.

For a long time, he was unable to utter a single sound.

Lu Kongyun stared at the top of his bowed head.

His arms weren’t as heavy as Yu Xiaowen’s, so he easily slipped through the railings and touched Yu Xiaowen’s face.

“You’ve lost weight again. Come out and eat properly.” With that, he quickly withdrew his hand.