After Bai Xiu finished speaking, he noticed that Bo Xiyun's expression had returned to calm, almost indifferent.
Bo Xiyun said, "How would you know about his condition?"
Besides, just yesterday, Gu Sheng said that Yi Zhongshen's condition had already improved.
Whether it's a fever or stress, what's the problem?
Bai Xiu glanced at the phone held in Bo Xiyun's hand and patiently explained, "Maybe he was under too much pressure."
"Yi Zhongshen's project progress was too fast, leaving hidden dangers. Do you think that old fox in charge of the project would accept a young newcomer, who is only in his twenties and has taken over?"
Bai Xiu smirked.
"I'm afraid Yi Zhongshen is going back to B city this time to seek help from his family."
"I've said it before," Bai Xiu pretended to be regretful and said, "for him, work is still the most important."
"Only I am wholeheartedly devoted to you."
Bo Xiyun looked at him and said, "You're devoted to yourself."
Bai Xiu smiled, "Isn't that the same as being devoted to you?"
"Brother, look, our lives have been tied together since such an early age, our identities overlapped so much. Doesn't that prove our fate?"
Bai Xiu said, "Moreover, the Bai family will soon be ours too."
Bo Xiyun instantly realized something, "What happened to Wu Ying?"
Bai Xiu chuckled, "You're feeling so dizzy, yet still so sharp?"
"The incident of the switched DNA test samples years ago had someone from the Bai family involved in secret."
Bai Xiu slowly recounted the information leaked by the Liu family and continued, "Now, my dear father has found a clue pointing to Wu Ying. How much longer do you think my stepmother can stay in the Bai family?"
Bo Xiyun recalled Wu Ying's cold tone when she mentioned Bai Xiu not long ago. It seemed that she had already sensed something was off about him when he was pretending to be innocent.
Bo Xiyun knew Wu Ying well and didn't believe she would let her guard down around Bai Xiu, only to be deceived.
However, he still pretended to furrow his brows, showing a hint of surprise and anger.
"This has something to do with you too?" he asked.
Bai Xiu chuckled softly, "I am both a victim and a perpetrator, that's the connection."
Bo Xiyun said, "You framed her, didn't you?"
He intentionally made Bai Xiu speak more.
"It's what she deserves," Bai Xiu replied with a cold attitude towards Wu Ying.
"The Bai family is rightfully mine," he continued. "Don't worry, brother, I will never use those methods against you. I promise, I will never harm you."
He smiled, and his demeanor became gentle again.
"Are you still feeling unwell? Rest a little longer, and it will be more comfortable for you when Yi Zhongshen boards the plane and leaves. Once we get to my room, you'll feel much better."
Bo Xiyun pursed his lips.
Bai Xiu wants to take him to another place and lock him up?
He frowned as Bai Xiu claimed, "I will always be there for you, brother."
Bo Xiyun coughed softly and retorted, "No, you won't."
The two sat at opposite ends of the sofa, with the electric shocker keeping Bai Xiu from getting too close. However, the faint smell of medicine still permeated from him.
It seemed that only that scent could alleviate Bo Xiyun's discomfort and dizziness.
So, Bai Xiu is not in a hurry to make a move. He's waiting for Bo Xiyun to give in and come closer on his own.
However, Bo Xiyun said, "You don't really like me; you just want someone who can pique your interest."
This behavior is not only directed towards him; Bai Xiu treats others the same way too. Despite being exposed by Bo Xiyun, Bai Xiu doesn't seem to care much and just smiled.
"This is how I express my liking," he says.
Bo Xiyun shakes his head and disagrees, "No."
"You will never understand how genuine liking can bring real happiness."
Bai Xiu's eyebrow twitches. Only when his own logic is challenged and overturned, does he truly get angry.
Bai Xiu still smiles, saying, "Brother, do I need someone as slow-witted as you to teach me what liking is?"
Then suddenly, Bai Xiu reaches out, trying to restrain Bo Xiyun.
However, Bo Xiyun's reaction is quicker than his. With a loud "bang," Bo Xiyun grabs the glass on the nearby table and smashes it against the coffee table.
The glass shatters, and the medicinal concoction inside spilled out. Bo Xiyun then gripped the sharpest shard of glass and points it directly at Bai Xiu.
"Stop right there," the young man said coldly.
"I won't go with you."
Bai Xiu hesitates for a moment but maintains a seemingly smiling expression.
"Is it necessary, brother? How long can you hold on?"
He glanced at the sharp shard in Bo Xiyun's hand, saying, "I told you, I don't want you to get hurt."
Unmoved, Bo Xiyun replied, "Come any closer, and it will be you getting hurt."
Bai Xiu chuckled, "Do you think you have more time than me?"
He calmly looked at Bo Xiyun and is taken aback when the young man suddenly says, "Do you really think you have a lot of time?"
Bo Xiyun said, "You've looked into so many 'friends' and checked the movements of many people. Have you checked what your 'dear father' is doing right now?"
"Brother," Bai Xiu smiles, "Are you stalling for time?"
However, he quickly realizes that the young man is not bluffing.
"Do you really think that Bai Gelei brought you back to display fatherly love, to change his ways, and genuinely wants to act out a scene of fatherly kindness and filial piety?"
Even when questioning, Bo Xiyun's tone remained calm.
"Do you believe it yourself?"
He is merely stating a fact calmly.
"Bai Gelei only wants his own offspring, and he doesn't care who that person is. If this offspring is disobedient, hard to control, or makes him lose face, he will not hesitate to abandon them."
Bai Xiu chuckles softly, "Do you feel wronged in the Bai family?"
"I'm talking about you," Bo Xiyun replied.
"Bai Gelei's extremism has worsened since the incident with the swapped son. So, he went to the Reproductive Medicine Center, specifically sought out experts, and started researching sperm extraction."
Bai Xiu has a faint idea of what's going on but still asks in response.
"What extraction? Brother, have you read all the leaks from the Liu family?"
Bai Gelei can't possibly have any sperm extraction now.
But the gaze that Bo Xiyun casts at him makes Bai Xiu feel that something is off.
The young man's eyes were calm as he told him with an unusual serenity in his voice.
"He wants to extract your sperm," said Bo Xiyun, pausing and squinting his eyes.
"Bai Gelei doesn't trust you; he already has a backup plan. If you ever disappoint him, he will take your sperm, use it to create another offspring, and then raise and mold that child according to his preferences."
"When you went to the hospital for asthma treatment, Bai Gelei had already been in contact with experts, preparing for this."
"During the time I accompanied Yi Zhongshen to the hospital, I saw Bai Gelei coming out of the Reproductive Medicine Center on the floor below."
"At that moment, I sensed something was off. Bai Gelei rarely seeks treatment for his male issues, but he has his own private doctors, and his treatment is always kept very confidential."
"He despises any suspicion about his virility and wouldn't easily go to a place that deals with such matters."
"So, there must be something significant for him to visit such a place; he wouldn't endure any public scrutiny unless it's for something that makes him extremely proud."
But Bai Xiu was still unaware of this information, and his expression turned grim. He truly had no idea about Bai Gelei's intentions. Unlike Bo Xiyun, Bai Xiu lacked the understanding of Bai Gelei. Although he knew where Bai Gelei had gone that day, he believed it was for treatment.
Narrowing his eyes, Bai Xiu questioned, "You guessed this too? How could you possibly know about such a private matter? Bai Gelei keeps it well-hidden, even from me. How did you find out?"
In response, Bo Xiyun calmly said, "Senior Gu helped me investigate." With the Gu family's influence, it was certain that Bai Gelei couldn't keep such a secret hidden for long. Bo Xiyun had only mentioned Bai Gelei's movements to Gu Sheng to avoid further disruptions, but Gu Sheng had uncovered the truth about Bai Gelei.
Upon learning the truth, even Bo Xiyun was surprised. He remarked, "You and your father are the same," in a detached manner.
"Bai Gelei and you, both only love themselves," Bo Xiyun stated calmly.
(*the whole family is filled with weirdos*)
Bai Xiu's face finally showed a pretentious smile, but his eyebrows tightly furrowed. His reliance was solely on the Bai family - Bai Gelei had no other heir, and all the family's assets would eventually be his own. However, if Bai Gelei had different plans, Bai Xiu's current power wouldn't be enough to challenge him.
Bo Xiyun warned him once again, "Right now, Bai Gelei is at his most suspicious. You're wasting time by confronting me. Moreover, this information came from the Liu's, and as someone who has been with the Liu's for over ten years, can you really distance yourself from them?"
His words held a deeper meaning. "During this time, if Bai Gelei discovers your prolonged absence, won't he be suspicious of you?"
Bai Xiu knew very well that Bai Gelei would indeed be suspicious.
He gazed at the young man before him, and his expression gradually darkened. The once handsome features now revealed a striking resemblance to his biological father.
Bai Xiu knew he needed to investigate further, as the chances of this being a false claim were very slim. In this moment, he deeply understood the feeling Bai Song must have experienced when Bo Xiyun had exposed his secrets.
In reading people, Bo Xiyun was always damn accurate. He could predict people's actions and intentions flawlessly.
Bai Xiu stared at Bo Xiyun for a while, then suddenly made a move, trying to knock the glass shard out of Bo Xiyun's hand and knock him unconscious in one swift motion – if time was being wasted, he might as well take Bo Xiyun away right now.
However, to Bai Xiu's surprise, Bo Xiyun evaded his hand with remarkable agility, as if he had anticipated Bai Xiu's action.
The next moment.
A sharp "crack" echoed, and Bai Xiu's body convulsed as his vision went dark, and he collapsed to the ground.
He had been unexpectedly electrocuted by the sudden discharge of the stun gun.
Bo Xiyun, who was holding the stun gun, also let out a hiss, releasing his grip on it, letting the now burnt-out stun gun fall to the ground.
He shook his hand and pinched his numb fingertips, feeling a pang of pain. Bo Xiyun's skin was delicate and sensitive, and his pain tolerance was low – he was inherently delicate.
(*天生的娇气 (tiānshēng de jiāoqì) means "naturally delicate" or "naturally fragile."*)
Moreover, the electrical discharge just now was so intense that it rendered the stun gun completely useless. The small stun gun that fell to the ground was now completely blackened, but the discoloration wasn't just from the electrical current.
While speaking with Bai Xiu, Bo Xiyun had secretly used his fingers to peel off the protective coating on the stun gun, exposing the long probes completely.
Bai Xiu knew the kind of damage this small stun gun could do, so he had forcibly confiscated it from Bo Xiyun.
However, when Bo Xiyun opened up the stun gun to its maximum power by removing the protective coating, the sudden surge of electricity not only burnt out the device, but also knocked Bai Xiu unconscious.
Although Bo Xiyun's hand was still numb, he let out a sigh of relief. He had only one chance, and luckily it worked.
Once Buo Xiyun's hand's sensation partially recovered, he immediately pushed the coffee table, wedging Bai Xiu into a corner of the sofa to prevent him from suddenly regaining consciousness.
Then, he collected all his belongings and started looking for an exit.
The locks at the door were indeed as Bai Xiu had described. There were three of them – one required a password, one needed a fingerprint, and the thickest lock had a knob that seemed to require a specific direction to open.
Bo Xiyun quickly gave up; he couldn't open even the fingerprint lock since Bai Xiu, who was now unconscious, was too heavy for him to move.
Bo Xiyun looked around the room and then dragged two heavy single sofas over, piling them up around the coffee table and the edge of the long sofa to completely trap Bai Xiu, ensuring that he couldn't escape for the time being.
Moving the sofas left Bo Xiyun panting for a while.
He sighed inwardly, vowing to work on his core strength once he got out.
After thoroughly trapping the unconscious Bai Xiu, Bo Xiyun went to look for other ways out again.
Luckily, this place seemed to be a temporary resting spot for transit, and the surroundings weren't entirely sealed off. There was a window on one wall that led outside. However, the window was covered with thick blackout film, making it impossible to see anything outside.
The window frame was also surrounded by thick soundproofing film, preventing sound from escaping. Bo Xiyun pressed his ear to the window and could still hear the sounds outside.
He figured that the second floor of the café couldn't be entirely enclosed rooms, so as long as he left this area, he should be able to find another way out that led to the outside.
On the inside of the window latch, there was also a small password lock, and only by inputting the correct code could it be unlocked. However, this lock was much smaller than the ones on the doors. Bo Xiyun rummaged through a cupboard and found a dining knife, using it to pry open the window lock.
During the process of prying open the lock, Bo Xiyun checked his phone and the one he had taken from Bai Xiu twice. As expected, they both had no signal reception.
He speculated that there might be a signal jammer in the room, but he hadn't found it yet.
Time was limited, and he had to find a way out first.
The signal jammer was probably activated later, as Bai Xiu had made a call to the teacher who had deceived Bo Xiyun earlier.
While Bai Xiu was on the call, Bo Xiyun took advantage of the opportunity to pretend to be unconscious and secretly pressed and held the side button of his phone to dial the emergency number. However, he wasn't sure if the call had gone through.
After the signal was completely blocked, he couldn't receive any messages.
Thinking about this, Bo Xiyun's movements in prying the lock paused for a moment.
Since he hadn't specifically set the emergency number, his phone would automatically call the person he communicated with most frequently.
... Which was none other than Senior Yi Zhongshen.
Bo Xiyun sighed softly.
He didn't know if Senior Yi had received the call and whether he would be disturbed by this sudden and inexplicable phone call.
While Bo Xiyun had been chatting casually with Bai Xiu to stall for time, he had been secretly peeling off the coating of the stun gun with a recorder on him.
If Bo Xiyun's attempt to stun Bai Xiu failed, his chances of knocking him down would be slim. He might have to rely on this phone call that might or might not have gone through.
Fortunately, Bo Xiyun's actions went smoothly, and once he pried open the window lock, he wouldn't need to trouble Senior Yi anymore.
He had seen the photo of the plane ticket that Bai Xiu showed him. He wasn't sure if Bai Xiu had manipulated the image to deceive him, but if it was true, he thought it would be good for Senior Yi to go home.
Senior Yi deserved some rest.
For some reason, Bo Xiyun's process of prying open the lock went very smoothly. It didn't take long for him to forcibly open the lock casing and see the exposed lock core inside.
Bo Xiyun found the spring inside the lock core and carefully inserted the knife tip into it, gently pressing.
With a soft "click," the window lock was successfully opened.
Bo Xiyun breathed a sigh of relief. He looked back at the sofa, making sure that the unconscious Bai Xiu was still stuck there, before turning to push open the window.
The window could be easily pushed open, but Bo Xiyun noticed that the double-layered glass window was sealed with soundproof film on all four sides.
He started to tear off the film from the window frame.
While tearing it off, Bo Xiyun was thinking that once he got outside with a signal, he would call the police.
Bo Xiyun was uncertain about how much of what Bai Xiu said was recorded and could be used as evidence. However, at the very least, it could demonstrate Bai Xiu's intent for unlawful detention.
As for seeking medical attention after getting out, Bo Xiyun wasn't sure if it was necessary. He hadn't touched any of the things Bai Xiu gave him, and he only pretended to sip from the glass with the "medicine," making sure not to actually consume it.
However, he suspected that Bai Xiu might have used some inhaled volatile substances to deliberately make him feel dizzy and nauseous, potentially affecting his ability to think clearly.
In any case, once he managed to get out, Bo Xiyun was considering going to the hospital to ensure his well-being and to check if there were any effects from whatever Bai Xiu might have used on him.
Bo Xiyun continued to struggle with drowsiness and nausea, forcing himself to stay alert and keep his mind sharp. He speculated about the substances that Bai Xiu might have used on him, wondering if it contained benzene aromatic hydrocarbons or some other chemical.
He knew he was particularly sensitive to the smell of gasoline, and Bai Xiu probably used some sort of "medicine" on himself to dispel that odor, which made Bo Xiyun feel more at ease with the scent. However, he couldn't be certain of the exact composition of the substance Bai Xiu used, and that uncertainty added to his distress.
But when it comes to scents...
Bo Xiyun couldn't suppress the memories of that person's cold and refreshing scent. As he continued to open the window, he let out a soft sigh. The only person whose scent he truly felt familiar and dependent on was his senior, Yi Zhongshen.
As a result, whenever Bo Xiyun thought of Yi Zhongshen, his drowsy consciousness became even clearer. The words Bai Xiu spoke earlier were filled with contempt, which inadvertently emphasized the sincerity of Yi Zhongshen.
However, this contrast also highlighted Yi Zhongshen's consistent character. Bo Xiyun now realized that the words he said when rejecting his senior that day were not accurate. He was mistaken.
Yi Zhongshen had always been the same kind of person, and his respect for Bo Xiyun was genuine. Bo Xiyun came to this realization only now.
He realized that he was wrong. How could he have taken so long to finally understand this truth - that Yi Zhongshen respected him deeply? He shouldn't have made baseless assumptions and tried to change Yi Zhongshen's decision. Once he gets out, he knows he owes an apology to his senior.
As he pushed the thick soundproof window with his almost numb hand, it finally made a sound. He pushed it all the way open, and a rush of fresh, cold air blew in, instantly dispelling some of the dizziness. The outside was already completely dark, with a deep and serene night sky. However, the view beyond the window was not the dark silence he had imagined.
Bo Xiyun was startled as he saw the side door of the coffee shop from the window. Downstairs, a group of well-trained tall figures surrounded the café tightly. They were dressed in neat and professional attire, and several of them held anti-explosion weapons, vigilant and ready to break through if given the command.
In the center of the crowd stood a figure with a straight back, exuding an icy aura - unmistakably the rumored Yi Zhongshen, who was said to be returning to B City.
As the sound came from the second-floor window, the people downstairs all looked up and were surprised to see the slender figure of the young man. Meanwhile, Bo Xiyun noticed a sturdy ladder set up by the window, with three or four individuals below holding cutting tools and seemingly attaching silencers to the equipment.
It seemed that everyone had anticipated Bo Xiyun's sudden appearance, and the area was filled with whispers and murmurs. However, the cold and stern figure in the crowd suddenly approached, and even his flowing coat seemed to be carrying a chilling wind.
Despite the situation, the young man who needed to be rescued had already stepped onto the ladder from the window. The ladder's positioning was perfect, allowing Bo Xiyun to step out and confidently stand upon it as soon as he emerged from the window.
He descended the long ladder, and the tall male student was already standing not far away. As Bo Xiyun stepped on the ground, he raised his head and met those light-colored eyes that seemed akin to mechanical parts. However, those eyes were never cold when looking at him.
Bo Xiyun quickly noticed the condition of his senior. Yi Zhongshen was wearing a windbreaker, with his long neck exposed. On the smooth skin of his neck, blood vessels on one side were visibly swollen, creating varying shades of red lines. The dark red markings on his cold-toned skin resembled burning flames.
A seemingly abstract tattoo on Yi Zhongshen's neck expanded, extending to the side of his jaw, making him look fierce and unapproachable.
Looking up at the young man, Bo Xiyun wanted to convey that Bai Xiu was in the room, and if there was any danger, he had Bai Xiu's phone and recordings in his pocket.
But under the gaze of everyone, Bo Xiyun extended his hand and gently touched the distinct jawline of the young man.
He said, "Senior, are you feeling unwell?"
He gently covered the tense heat with his palm, trying to soothe him with his touch.
"Will this help?"
The little prince personally slayed the venomous snake and emerged from the entangled thorns.
He went to rescue the knight chief who had come so far for him.
______________________________________
Tn: that last line...
<3