Cheng Yue smelled the rich aroma of chocolate and overlooked the fleeting smile on Ji Xu’s face.
So, when Ji Xu asked him to extend his hand, Cheng Yue blinked and immediately offered his hand.
However, when the sudden heat from the chocolate touched his skin, Cheng Yue winced and tried to pull his hand back, only to find that Ji Xu had firmly grasped it.
“It hurts…” Cheng Yue winced, looking at Ji Xu, who was staring at his hand with some confusion. Why was Ji Xu dripping chocolate on his hand?
“Does it hurt?” Ji Xu looked up at him, “Do you know why it hurts and still disobey?”
“I’m very obedient,” Cheng Yue pouted slightly in grievance.
“Not enough.” Ji Xu’s eyes darkened as he looked at the small hardened patch of chocolate and the red circle of skin on Cheng Yue’s hand. He suddenly pulled Cheng Yue’s hand to his mouth and slowly licked it with his tongue.
Cheng Yue was stunned by the lick and immediately widened his eyes, his face flushing bright red.
“The chocolate is good,” Ji Xu said, savoring the sweetness on his tongue. He squinted as he recalled the contents of the note, tightening his grip on Cheng Yue’s hand.
“Who gave it to you?”
“…What?” Cheng Yue was still caught up in the fact that Ji Xu had licked his hand and hadn’t quite processed the question.
“I said…” Ji Xu continued to answer his question while dripping a few drops of chocolate on the inside of his forearm, “Who gave you the chocolate?”
“Ah…” Cheng Yue let out a low cry. The inner side of his arm was particularly sensitive, and with his heightened sensitivity to pain, he was starting to feel a bit weak.
“Try it yourself.” Ji Xu looked at him.
“Oh…” Cheng Yue, drawn by the aroma of chocolate, leaned down and licked it.
Before he could finish, Ji Xu grabbed his chin and forced him to look up.
“What’s wrong?” Cheng Yue asked.
“Who gave you the chocolate?” Ji Xu wiped the chocolate sauce off the corner of Cheng Yue’s mouth with his fingertip.
“What chocolate? Isn’t this from you?” Cheng Yue looked at him, puzzled.
Ji Xu frowned at him, pinched his chin, and led him to the table where the black flat box was. He wanted Cheng Yue to see it for himself.
After staring at the box for a long while, Cheng Yue finally remembered that this box was handed to him by Bai Zhen at the school gate that day.
“Who gave it to you?” Ji Xu asked.
“Bai Zhen,” Cheng Yue answered matter-of-factly.
Ji Xu looked at him seriously, then dejectedly put his hand down and turned to leave.
He was infuriated.
Cheng Yue, being young, could only stew in his frustration…
Ji Xu eventually calmed down by recording the exact date and time on his phone.
Meanwhile, Cheng Yue, who was looking at the chocolate sauce in the kitchen, felt a bit bewildered but was quickly drawn in by the rich aroma.
He looked at the thick chocolate sauce, swallowed, and then nervously glanced at the living room before cautiously spooning it into his mouth.
Ji Xu, watching Cheng Yue savoring the chocolate, sighed in resignation, and then went to the study to organize the documents Tang Jing had brought.
That evening, after Cheng Yue took a shower and went to bed, he realized only then that Ji Xu had gone back to his own room to sleep, which struck him as odd.
While thinking about why Ji Xu didn’t come to sleep with him, Cheng Yue rubbed his hair and pretended to casually pass by Ji Xu’s door.
After a quick glance, he didn’t really see anything in the room, so he rubbed his nose and passed by again.
Ji Xu was holding his phone, seemingly texting… and it looked like he was smiling…
Cheng Yue was immediately taken aback, yawning as he passed by again, trying to appear nonchalant.
This time he saw clearly that Ji Xu was indeed smiling, and it was directed at his phone screen.
After returning to his room, Cheng Yue angrily wrapped himself in his blanket, feeling upset.
He continued to mentally curse the person Ji Xu was texting.
In the middle of the night, Cheng Yue, increasingly irritated, quietly grabbed a pillow and went outside Ji Xu’s room. He found that Ji Xu’s room light was still on.
The two looked at each other, and Cheng Yue, holding the pillow, felt a bit awkward.
Eventually, Ji Xu waved him over, and Cheng Yue slowly moved to the bed and climbed in.
“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” Ji Xu put the book he was holding on the bedside.
Cheng Yue thought for a moment and couldn’t resist asking, “Who are you chatting with?”
Ji Xu smiled at him and, with a hint of pettiness, asked, “Who gave you the chocolate?”
Cheng Yue blinked and suddenly realized, quickly pledging, “I won’t accept things from others again.”
Ji Xu nodded in satisfaction and handed over his phone.
Cheng Yue hesitated but quickly unlocked the screen and saw his own photos.
He passed by the door while touching his hair.
He passed by the door while touching his nose.
He passed by the door while yawning.
Cheng Yue: …
He finally understood why Ji Xu was smiling.
Both of them were satisfied now and fell asleep in each other’s arms.
The next day, Ji Xu talked to him about the art exam, and Cheng Yue agreed gladly.
When he wanted to go out to buy more paint and tools, Ji Xu stopped him.
Ji Xu asked him to write down what he needed on a note and then brought it back himself, repeatedly warning him not to go out alone and to check who it was before opening the door.
Cheng Yue gradually sensed that something was off during these days.
Ji Xu’s reduced outings and constant phone calls made him uneasy, but he didn’t ask and quietly followed Ji Xu’s instructions.
Doing homework… drawing…
At first, Ji Xu didn’t notice anything wrong with Cheng Yue, but one night, when he got up for water and saw Cheng Yue wandering in the living room, he realized that his own emotions and the recent situation had directly affected Cheng Yue.
Ji Xu was heartbroken. The next day, thinking of the professionally trained security guards Tang Jing had arranged and the nearby supermarket, he hesitated before deciding to take Cheng Yue out for a walk.
He had been out these days without any incidents, which made him decide to take Cheng Yue out.
After communicating with the guards downstairs, Ji Xu and Cheng Yue went out.
During their shopping at the supermarket, Cheng Yue’s mood visibly improved. He smiled and chatted with Ji Xu.
After shopping, they drove back, and Cheng Yue noticed a black van following them closely through the rearview mirror.
“They’ve been following us all the way,” Cheng Yue pointed to the rearview mirror.
Ji Xu glanced and praised Cheng Yue, “You’re quite observant. That’s the security and police from the company Tang Jing hired.”
“Oh,” Cheng Yue responded, not asking why they needed security. He could guess.
As they walked from the underground parking lot to the elevator, Ji Xu carried two large plastic bags in front, while Cheng Yue, engrossed in a game on his phone, lagged a step behind.
At a critical moment, Cheng Yue’s phone suddenly went black. Just as he was about to curse, the dark screen of the phone suddenly reflected a cold light. At first, Cheng Yue didn’t see clearly, but the tense atmosphere of the past few days made him vigilant. He carefully angled the phone behind his shoulder.
The head of a man wearing a black baseball cap appeared on the phone screen.
Cheng Yue’s eyes widened in shock. Just as he was about to shout for Ji Xu to run, he realized he had made eye contact with the man in the black baseball cap on the screen.
The man in the black baseball cap also noticed that he was seen and charged forward with a knife.
Cheng Yue’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the scene on the screen and immediately sensed danger. The cold light on the black screen flashed again.
It was a knife the man was wielding.
Cheng Yue suddenly stopped, and seeing Ji Xu walking ahead, he had no time to react. He collided with Ji Xu from behind.
The man with the baseball cap did not expect this and staggered a few steps.
The commotion made Ji Xu turn around sharply and see the man with the black baseball cap thrusting a short knife toward Cheng Yue’s stomach.
At that moment, Ji Xu’s heart nearly stopped. Everything seemed to freeze—the plastic bag falling to the ground, the apple bouncing in mid-air.
Time seemed to pause for that second.
His body reacted faster than his mind.
As the apple hit the ground, Ji Xu rushed forward, shoving Cheng Yue aside and reaching out to block the knife aimed at him. Only then did his heart start beating again.
Ji Xu sighed in relief as he felt the pain in his hand.
“Damn it!” The man in the baseball cap, not expecting the repeated failures, forcefully pulled out the knife and slashed at Ji Xu’s face.
Ji Xu leaned back, and the knife’s tip narrowly missed his eye.
The man in the black baseball cap muttered a curse and lunged forward with the knife.
Ji Xu managed to dodge the first attack by leaning back, but escaping the next attack seemed difficult.
Just as Cheng Yue was getting up from the ground, he saw Ji Xu’s hand covered in blood and the knife that the man was wielding. His mind went blank with rage, and his vision quickly turned red.
Without thinking, he grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and hurled it at the man.
The metal thudded heavily against the man’s head, making him stagger and lose his balance.
Taking advantage of the moment, Ji Xu snatched the knife from the man’s hand. Just as he was about to drag Cheng Yue away, he saw that Cheng Yue, with red eyes, was uncontrollably smashing the fire extinguisher onto the man.
Cheng Yue’s pent-up emotions over the past few days exploded, fueled by the sight of Ji Xu’s blood. He smashed the fire extinguisher with all his might.
The man, protecting his head, didn’t expect the child to be so strong. In a panic, he pulled out a spray can, but Cheng Yue smashed him again with the extinguisher.
Seeing his weapon fall, the man didn’t care about anything else and staggered away.
Cheng Yue, still holding the fire extinguisher, tried to chase after him.
“Cheng Yue!” Ji Xu shouted as he grabbed Cheng Yue’s arm, but received no response.
The man on the ground slowly got up, shot them a sinister look, and fled.
Cheng Yue, still holding the fire extinguisher, chased after him. His mind replayed the image of Ji Xu’s bloody hand, and he wanted to kill the man in his fury.
Halfway through, someone suddenly grabbed him around the waist.
Cheng Yue struggled, unable to break free. As he watched the man escape, he clenched his fists in frustration and tried to charge forward, mumbling incoherently, with a blood-red rage in his eyes.
“It’s alright! It’s alright! Cheng Yue, look at me!” Ji Xu furrowed his brow and hugged Cheng Yue tightly. “Look at me, look at me!”
Cheng Yue, somewhat dazed, listened to Ji Xu’s voice without focus. As the blood-red haze before him slowly faded, he could finally see Ji Xu and the blood still streaming from his hand.
Cheng Yue blinked his dry eyes, his body going limp, and the fire extinguisher fell to the ground with a clang.
“It’s okay, you did great, it’s okay…” Ji Xu, frowning, patted Cheng Yue’s head several times.
Seeing the blood on Ji Xu’s hand, Cheng Yue’s tears suddenly welled up.
“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Ji Xu, still frowning, held Cheng Yue close.
Cheng Yue pulled away from his embrace, crying and anxiously grabbing Ji Xu’s arm.
“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Ji Xu looked at Cheng Yue, who was crying silently, tears streaming from his eyes, and felt a deep pang of heartache.
Cheng Yue, seeing Ji Xu’s bleeding hand, immediately took off his t-shirt and pressed it against the wound. “Let’s go to the hospital, let’s go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine, don’t panic.” Ji Xu patted Cheng Yue’s bare back, frowning, and took out his phone to contact the people waiting outside.
Cheng Yue pressed hard on Ji Xu’s hand, but the blood quickly soaked through the t-shirt.
Sweat poured down Cheng Yue’s face as he pressed harder, hoping to slow the bleeding.
Soon, a black van drove into the parking lot and stopped in front of them. Four or five people quickly jumped out of the vehicle.
“Go after them!” One of the men jumped out and quickly pointed two others towards the route taken by the man with the fire extinguisher.
Afterward, the man looked at the pool of blood at Ji Xu’s feet and said urgently, “Mr. Ji, please get in the car. We’ll take you to the hospital.”
Ji Xu nodded and got into the car with Cheng Yue.
Once in the car, Ji Xu felt the pain in his hand more acutely, leaning back in the seat and closing his eyes in pain.
“Let’s take care of this first.” One of the men reached out to touch Ji Xu’s injured arm but was abruptly pushed away.
The man looked at the shirtless Cheng Yue sitting beside Ji Xu and found it interesting, thinking the child resembled a fiercely protective dog guarding its injured owner.
“It’s fine.” Ji Xu patted Cheng Yue’s head with his uninjured hand and offered his injured hand for treatment.
“The cut is deep, but luckily this child pressed the shirt on it.” The man said while treating Ji Xu’s wound, praising Cheng Yue who was closely seated beside Ji Xu.
“Yes, thank goodness for him.” Ji Xu smiled and turned to Cheng Yue, whose face was still tense. “It’s okay, relax a bit.”
Cheng Yue didn’t hear what the two men said. His whole body was tense, but his eyes stayed fixed on Ji Xu’s nearly severed hand, breathing rapidly.
After treatment at the hospital, Ji Xu rushed to the police station.
Cheng Yue followed him, his head pounding with worry as he followed the police officers. His entire focus was on Ji Xu, worried about his hand and whether Ji Xu was in pain.
“Didn’t catch him?” Ji Xu frowned at the police officers.
“No, he was picked up by someone else.” The officer’s face was grim. “The vehicle that picked him up had no license plate, so it’s currently untraceable.”
“No, he was picked up by someone else.” The police officer’s expression was grim. “The vehicle that picked him up had no license plate, so it can’t be traced at the moment.”
Ji Xu was about to ask how the suspect managed to get past the police stationed outside the parking lot when the officer on the opposite side spoke up.
“We’ve checked the surveillance footage, and no one matching the suspect’s description entered this parking lot. This means the suspect must have been hiding here before we arrived, at least three days prior. Since we took on this task, there has always been someone stationed here monitoring all entries and exits. But unfortunately, if he was hiding here from the start…”
Ji Xu’s face turned pale. If the suspect had indeed been hiding in the parking lot all along, it meant Liang Siwei had never intended to negotiate with them from the beginning.
Threats and intimidation to eventually settle things was Liang Siwei’s usual method.
Cheng Yue’s face was also pale, and he was trembling uncontrollably. He wiped the sweat from his palms, grabbed Ji Xu’s arm, and mumbled something with his head lowered.
“What’s wrong?” Ji Xu looked down at him.
“Don’t search anymore… and don’t worry about it… don’t sue…” Cheng Yue spoke slowly, word by word, expressing that he didn’t want Ji Xu to do anything for his parents.
Ji Xu was the only one Cheng Yue had. If anything happened to Ji Xu because of him, he absolutely…
Absolutely…
As Cheng Yue’s breathing grew more rapid, Ji Xu realized something was wrong and quickly interrupted him.
“Look at me…” Ji Xu held Cheng Yue’s face with both hands, forcing him to make eye contact. “This is just an accident. There won’t be any more accidents. I’m fine, you’re fine…”
Cheng Yue looked confused and eventually fell silent, staring down and lost in thought.
After returning home, Cheng Yue helped Ji Xu with his hygiene and then frowned at Ji Xu’s bandaged wound, still feeling uneasy. “You should be hospitalized. Medicine won’t help.”
“We’ll go tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep tonight.” Ji Xu was so tired he just wanted to sleep.
Cheng Yue was still worried, but seeing Ji Xu’s exhausted face, he didn’t say much. He just decided he needed to keep an eye on Ji Xu that night.
After taking his medication, both lay in bed, each with their own worries and unable to sleep.
Ji Xu was thinking about finally being able to imprison Liang Siwei and about needing to arrange another meeting with Song Yi. He couldn’t be sure how today’s events affected Cheng Yue, but Cheng Yue’s silence and change in demeanor were clearly unsettling.
Cheng Yue, meanwhile, was unable to stop replaying the image of the knife, which had been only a fist’s distance from Ji Xu. His heart tightened repeatedly, and the cold sweat on his back made him reluctant to get close to Ji Xu.
Hearing Ji Xu’s steady breathing, Cheng Yue finally couldn’t hold back his tears. He cautiously moved closer and gently hugged him.
As soon as he reached out and embraced Ji Xu’s waist, he was suddenly pulled closer with force.
“It’s alright, just go to sleep…” Ji Xu’s voice was hoarse, but his arms around Cheng Yue were exceptionally strong.
Cheng Yue’s nose tingled, and he hugged Ji Xu tightly in return.
But he couldn’t fall asleep, and he was incredibly grateful he hadn’t.
Just past midnight, Ji Xu suddenly developed a high fever while holding Cheng Yue. Cheng Yue’s heart sank. He touched Ji Xu’s arm, shivering as he turned on the light and saw Ji Xu with his eyes closed, furrowed brows, and a face that looked slightly pale.
