First: “The bar surveillance captured Zhu Ran being drugged.” Second: “The pinhole cameras planted in Zhu Ran’s bedroom have been completely removed; no videos leaked.” Third: “The suspect is currently under our surveillance. Awaiting your instructions on how to proceed.”
Huo Boyan: “Keep watching him. I’ll decide on disposal later. Thanks for your hard work. Go rest.”
Chen Jiaming nodded and left like the wind. But as he closed the door, he couldn’t help glancing at the victim, Zhu Ran. The young man sat pale under the light, back rigid, body tense like a sword—but a closer look revealed it was a glass sword, covered in cracks, ready to shatter at a touch.
Chen Jiaming sighed and gently closed the door.
In the room, Huo Boyan and Zhu Ran fell silent in unison. The surveillance video Chen Jiaming brought was on the tablet, but neither played it.
“Zhu Ran,” Huo Boyan seemed about to say something but held back. Instead, he asked patiently, “Do you have any idea who drugged you?”
Zhu Ran’s mind buzzed.
He wanted to say he didn’t know, but did he really not know?
It couldn’t have been anyone at the bar; his drink never left his sight. The only thing that did was the sobering milk Zhu Yanqing had given him.
The milk had tasted odd at the time. Zhu Yanqing said it was a sobering remedy, but was it really?
Zhu Ran felt nauseous. He suppressed the urge to vomit and looked up at Huo Boyan. “Can I see the video?”
Huo Boyan sighed and clicked play.
The two videos clearly recorded Zhu Yanqing drugging Zhu Ran at the bar, installing cameras in the bedroom, and sending a message to Huo Boyan using Zhu Ran’s phone.
The truth was out.
His father had wrapped deadly arsenic in a thin coating of paternal love and coaxed the child to swallow it under the guise of concern.
That was Zhu Yanqing, the man who had fed it to him personally—the father he’d lived with for twenty years, bound by blood!
Disgusting. How could such a person exist?
Fortunately, it had been Huo Boyan who entered his room this time. But if it hadn’t been…
“Urp…”
Zhu Ran’s throat churned. He rushed into the bathroom and vomited.
His stomach spasmed, his body trembling. Tears surged out along with the stomach contents, and the last shred of their father-son bond was flushed down the toilet.
Huo Boyan watched from the side the whole time. Only when Zhu Ran flushed did he hand over a glass of warm water and a hot towel.
Zhu Ran rinsed his mouth and wiped his face before looking up. “Thank you. I’m fine now.”
Huo Boyan watched him quietly, his expression tinged with pity.
“Don’t pity me,” Zhu Ran’s voice was hoarse, but his tone calm. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll handle it.”
Huo Boyan nodded, concern still in his eyes. “Do you want to take some time to process?”
He wanted to hug Zhu Ran, let him cry in his arms, tell him he wasn’t alone—that he’d been through similar despair himself.
But Zhu Ran shook his head firmly and adopted a businesslike tone. “You’re a victim too. Handle Zhu Yanqing however you see fit. Don’t worry about my feelings.”
Huo Boyan was quiet for a moment before saying, “I haven’t decided what to do yet.”
“Don’t go soft,” Zhu Ran said, as if he no longer cared. His handsome face turned coldly inorganic, his tone level. “Adults must answer for their actions. Since he did this, he must have anticipated the price.”
Huo Boyan gazed at Zhu Ran quietly. He was surprised by the composure and drawn even more to it.
A deeper thought surfaced, but now wasn’t the time. Huo Boyan suppressed his complex emotions and nodded. “Okay, got it.”
Zhu Ran hummed and said, “Then I’ll go.”
“Wait,” Huo Boyan stopped him and explained, “I had someone book a new room for you. The key card will be here soon; then you can go.”
Zhu Ran didn’t refuse.
Huo Boyan quickly finished his call, and they sat in silence on the sofa waiting.
Zhu Ran didn’t want to talk, and neither did Huo Boyan. Until the butler knocked with the key card, Zhu Ran stood to leave.
“Zhu Ran,” Only then did Huo Boyan speak, but he couldn’t say what he truly wanted. He settled for, “Contact me if there’s any issue. If I don’t answer, reach out to Jia Ming or Ziqian.”
“Thanks, but I won’t need to,” Zhu Ran shook his head. After a few seconds, he looked up. “Huo Boyan, I’m leaving.”
The surroundings fell deathly still, only the sound of waves and the air conditioner’s hum. In the suffocating quiet, Huo Boyan stared at Zhu Ran for a long time before confirming, “Leaving Hong Kong Island?”
“Yeah, I’ve thought it through. Once the ship docks, I’ll buy a plane ticket and go.” Without giving himself time to hesitate, Zhu Ran said it almost without thinking.
Huo Boyan didn’t respond. He gripped the doorframe with one hand, his expression visibly darkening.
Zhu Ran acted as if he hadn’t seen it—or perhaps he had, but he overestimated Huo Boyan’s character. He didn’t think Huo Boyan would do anything extreme to him, so he added, “Thanks for taking care of me these days. Though there were some misunderstandings and accidents between us, overall, I had a pretty good time. I wish you success in everything, a thriving career, and that you find…”
Zhu Ran paused, then shook his head with an indifferent smile. “Never mind. That’s it. Goodbye.”
The moment Zhu Ran turned, veins bulged violently on the back of Huo Boyan’s hand, nearly crushing the doorframe. Years of self-control almost failed against his rising fury. But soon he closed his eyes, forced two deep breaths, burying all emotions under his perfect mask.
He succeeded.
When he opened his eyes again, Huo Boyan was back to his usual self. He looked at Zhu Ran’s back and said calmly, “Okay, goodbye.”
