A few days had passed, and the tension between Luan Xie and He Shun was palpable. Despite their efforts, there was no confirmation about the mafia leader's identity, nor any significant leads on the bracelet. The days were dragging on, and Luan Xie was growing increasingly impatient, his frustration visible in the sharp lines of his face and the restless pacing.
One evening, as they were poring over their notes and leads in their shared room, He Shun's voice broke through the silence.
"Xie-er."
Luan Xie's breath caught in his throat at the way He Shun spoke his name. The intimacy of it made his heart race, the heat rising to his cheeks. He turned to face He Shun, trying to keep his composure despite the fluttering in his chest.
"What?" Luan Xie managed, his voice betraying the nervous excitement he felt.
He Shun's gaze was soft, but his eyes carried a hint of concern. "Are you thinking about… Ye Rou?"
The question hung between them, and after a moment of hesitation, Luan Xie nodded. "I just want to know if he is really him."
He Shun's expression darkened with a mix of resolve and hesitation. "I might have a way to lure him out."
Luan Xie's eyes locked onto He Shun's, a glimmer of hope and curiosity mingling in his gaze. "What is it?"
He Shun took a deep breath, his voice steady but filled with a sense of urgency. "That hooded man. We can use him."
Luan Xie's eyebrows furrowed slightly, confusion flickering in his eyes. "The hooded man?"
"Yes," He Shun confirmed. "He's been a shadow in this whole situation. If he's connected to the mafia leader, we might be able to draw him out by creating a situation that forces him to act."
Luan Xie's mind raced, weighing the implications of He Shun's suggestion. The idea of using the hooded man as bait was both daring and dangerous. If Ye Rou was indeed the mafia leader, this could be their chance to confirm his identity and finally get some answers. But it also meant putting themselves in a risky position, with no guarantee of safety.
Luan Xie's gaze softened as he looked at He Shun. "Are you sure about this?"
He Shun nodded, his determination clear. "It's a risk, but it's one we have to take if we want to get to the bottom of this. I'll need to set up a plan, but I believe it's our best shot."
The thought of confronting Ye Rou, of finally putting an end to the uncertainty that had plagued him for so long, was both exhilarating and terrifying. Luan Xie felt a mixture of anticipation and dread. But he also felt a renewed sense of purpose, fueled by the support of the one person who had come to mean so much to him.
"Okay," Luan Xie agreed, his voice resolute despite the undercurrent of anxiety. "Let's do it."
He Shun reached out, his hand brushing against Luan Xie's in a reassuring gesture. "We'll do this together."
The warmth of He Shun's touch was a comforting anchor amidst the chaos of their mission. Luan Xie nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude and affection. Despite the looming threat and the uncertainty of their plan, there was solace in knowing that He Shun was by his side.
But something else nagged at Luan Xie, a knot of worry tightening in his chest. "Won't they get suspicious if we try to use him as bait? We still haven't found the bracelet."
He Shun met his gaze, his expression calm but determined. "We'll trade the hooded man for the bracelet."
Luan Xie blinked, taken aback by the simplicity of the plan. "You think he'll go for it?"
He Shun nodded, his eyes unwavering. "If the hooded man is as valuable to them as we think, he'll want him back. And we can use that to our advantage."
Luan Xie mulled it over, the idea starting to take shape in his mind. It was risky, but it made sense. Trading the hooded man for the bracelet would give them leverage, a way to lure out the mafia leader—or Ye Rou, if it truly was him—and finally get some answers.
"But what if he doesn't go for it?" Luan Xie asked, voicing the doubt that lingered in the back of his mind. "What if he just try to take him back by force?"
He Shun's lips pressed into a thin line as he considered the possibility. "We'll have to be ready for that. But it's a chance we have to take. We're running out of time, and sitting back isn't going to get us anywhere."
Luan Xie sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He knew He Shun was right—waiting wasn't an option. They needed to take action, even if it meant putting themselves at risk. And if this plan could bring them one step closer to finding the bracelet and unraveling the mystery of Ye Rou, it was a risk worth taking.
"Alright," Luan Xie agreed, his voice steady but laced with the anxiety he couldn't quite shake. "Let's do it."
He Shun reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Luan Xie's shoulder. "We'll make it work, Xie-er. We've come this far together, and we're not backing down now."
Luan Xie nodded, drawing strength from He Shun's confidence. Despite the uncertainty, there was something comforting about having He Shun by his side. It made the fear more bearable, the risks more manageable.
As they began to formulate the details of their plan, Luan Xie couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this would be the turning point they needed—the moment when everything finally fell into place.
And through it all, one thing remained clear in Luan Xie's mind: no matter what happened, he wasn't facing this alone. He had He Shun, and together, they would see this through to the end.
Luan Xie's mind raced as he sat beside He Shun, the weight of their decision settling over him like a heavy blanket. The plan was risky—there was no denying that. But what choice did they have? Every day that passed without progress felt like another step closer to losing everything they had worked for.
As the details of the plan took shape, Luan Xie found himself stealing glances at He Shun. There was something about the way He Shun spoke, the calm determination in his voice, that made Luan Xie's heart beat just a little faster. It wasn't just the plan that was making him nervous—it was being so close to He Shun, feeling the warmth of his presence, the way his touch lingered just a moment longer than necessary.
He had never imagined finding comfort in someone like this again, not after Ye Rou. But He Shun was different. There was a steadiness to him, a kind of quiet strength that made Luan Xie feel safe in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.
As they sat together, discussing their next move, Luan Xie couldn't help but think about how much had changed in such a short time. He had opened up to He Shun in ways he hadn't with anyone else, sharing the darkest parts of his past, the scars that still ached every time he thought about Ye Rou. And instead of recoiling, He Shun had stayed. He had listened, comforted him, and made Luan Xie feel like he wasn't as alone as he had always believed.
But now, with the plan in motion, there was a nagging fear in the back of Luan Xie's mind. What if this brought Ye Rou back into his life in a way he wasn't ready for? What if confronting the man who had once destroyed him brought all those old wounds back to the surface?
He looked over at He Shun, who was deep in thought, his brow furrowed in concentration. Luan Xie wanted to say something, to voice the fears that were clawing at him from the inside, but the words stuck in his throat. Instead, he reached out, placing his hand on top of He Shun's.
He Shun looked up, surprise flickering in his eyes for a moment before they softened. He turned his hand over, intertwining their fingers. The simple gesture sent a rush of warmth through Luan Xie, easing some of the tension that had been building inside him.
"We'll get through this," He Shun said quietly, his voice filled with a conviction that made Luan Xie's heart swell. "No matter what happens, I'm here with you."
Luan Xie nodded, squeezing He Shun's hand. "I know," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "And that's what scares me the most."
He Shun tilted his head, a question in his eyes.
"I've lost so much already," Luan Xie continued, his voice trembling slightly. "I don't want to lose you too."
He Shun's expression softened even more as he shifted closer, closing the distance between them. "You won't lose me, Xie-er," he said, his voice low and soothing. "I'm not going anywhere."
The sincerity in He Shun's words wrapped around Luan Xie like a protective shield, pushing back the fears that threatened to overwhelm him. He leaned in, resting his forehead against He Shun's, their breaths mingling in the small space between them.
For a moment, the world outside didn't exist. It was just the two of them, connected in a way that went beyond words or plans or the dangerous path they were about to walk. Luan Xie felt a tear slip down his cheek, but it wasn't from sadness. It was from the overwhelming mix of emotions that He Shun had stirred in him—hope, fear, longing, and something deeper, something he was still too afraid to name.
He Shun gently brushed the tear away with his thumb, his touch tender. "Whatever happens, we face it together," he murmured, his lips so close to Luan Xie's that they almost touched. "You're not alone anymore."
And in that moment, with He Shun's promise hanging in the air between them, Luan Xie believed him. He let go of the fear, if only for a moment, and let himself be held in the warmth of He Shun's embrace. They sat there, tangled in each other, finding comfort in the quiet before the storm, knowing that whatever came next, they would face it side by side.
But as the night stretched on, Luan Xie couldn't fully shake the unease that lingered in his mind. Ye Rou's shadow still loomed over him, a ghost from his past that refused to be laid to rest. The plan they had set in motion would either bring closure or drag them into a new nightmare.
And yet, with He Shun by his side, Luan Xie found the strength to push those thoughts away. He focused instead on the man holding him, on the warmth of their shared connection, and on the promise of a future where he wasn't haunted by the demons of his past.
For now, that was enough.