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墨書 Inktalez
A lively meal came to an end, with Xin Yi mostly sitting next to Shui Su, listening to Xiao Mei and Song Bunan reveal secrets about each other. Song Bunan, taking advantage of the fact that he had known Xiao Mei since she was a child, managed to win by a narrow margin, provoking the child to exclaim in frustration that when he was old and frail, she would definitely poke him in the heel with her cane.
The consequence of such joy was that no one mentioned anything about the laboratory again. It wasn't until they got into the car that Xin Yi turned to the passenger seat, where someone was still munching on an apple, and asked what they were going to do next. Song Bunan fastened his seatbelt without looking up, mumbling through a mouthful of fruit that they wouldn’t do anything; as far as they were concerned, it was all over.
“For us?” Xin Yi asked in confusion.
“Yes,” Song Bunan replied. “Shui Su went after the Gu Family Old Residence and met with those in charge. To ensure his own safety and that of the Jiang Family, he reached an agreement: the Gu Family won’t harm anyone from the Jiang Family anymore. As for the other families, they consider it legitimate revenge; there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Song Bunan always maintained an indifferent demeanor towards certain matters. Xin Yi tried to discern whether he was joking from his expression, but all he found in Song Bunan's bright, round eyes was sincerity. The confident smile assured him that this was indeed the case. He stubbornly asked why he wasn’t continuing with it.
The man shrugged nonchalantly and replied, “You seem to have forgotten that I got involved in this matter only because I was commissioned by someone else.”
Song Bunan's words suddenly made Xin Yi realize something he had overlooked during their time together. Caught up in the joy of being with Song Bunan, he had forgotten that this person was being paid for his services. All of Song Bunan’s actions were traceable: his curiosity about these matters, the diverse sources of information during their investigation, the records he wrote afterward, and his unabashed requests for payment from others…
“The Jiang Family hired you to help,” Xin Yi murmured. The man didn’t deny it; instead, he casually tossed the apple core out of the window into a roadside greenbelt and smiled as he tilted his head. “My main job is burning paper at the shop; it doesn’t pay much, just enough to get by. So I often look for these odd jobs to spice up my life. Now that this commission is over, I’ll naturally return to the shop. However, since those people from the laboratory smashed my furniture inside, I need to figure out a way to send them a bill for compensation; I can’t let my old belongings go to waste. Brother Xin Yi, since you’re not going back to Mighty Falcon anymore, why not come work with me at the shop? It’s quite relaxing there. If you don’t like it, I can send you over to my brother’s company; they pay well.”
Seeing Song Bunan getting more excited as he spoke—sharing his upcoming plans—he even took out his phone to call Song Buxian, indicating that he would finalize his job there tonight and negotiate a high salary.
Xin Yi seized the moment at a red light to stop Song Bunan's actions and said that there was no rush regarding his own matters; they still had things to discuss when they got home. The person in the passenger seat noticed his serious expression and sat up straight, indicating that they could start discussing things right away.
In truth, Xin Yi felt suddenly flustered inside. Initially unfazed by hearing that everything had come to an end, upon hearing Song Bunan mention that he acted only on commission, he suddenly felt overwhelmed with confusion and frustration—as if a heavy stone had settled on his chest.
“For someone else’s so-called commission, you would risk your life?” After pondering for a long time, Xin Yi finally extracted a question that wasn’t too rigid. He turned to look at Song Bunan again; the latter still wore a sweet smile and looked at him with even more tenderness. He heard Song Bunan respond in a very serious tone:
"Yes and no. The specifics of the Jiang Family's request were essentially just to seek your cooperation with the Mighty Falcon. Given the circumstances at that time, if I had approached you directly, it would have drawn attention from other families. It was better to entrust this to me, a friend you can trust. As for going with you to investigate later, it was partly their request and partly because of you."
Xin Yi's grip on the steering wheel suddenly stiffened. He strained his neck, refusing to look at the person beside him, holding his breath in anticipation of the next words.
"In the team, besides my good brothers, even the person I like is involved. Even if there’s no payment, I have to get involved; it would be such a shame to miss out on such a great opportunity to perform. Look at me now, not only did I go, but I also brought back such a handsome boyfriend who has a great body and is willing to support me financially. How wonderful!"
Faced with this blunt response, Xin Yi felt momentarily stunned. Just then, they arrived at the parking garage, and he could only awkwardly suggest they continue this conversation at home. Song Bunan laughed like a cat that had successfully stolen a fish, circling around him and teasing whether he was shy or not used to someone being so straightforward. Was he perhaps starting to like him even more? Xin Yi felt his heart become even more chaotic.
The two of them exited the elevator in contrasting states—one still and one animated. As they neared the front door, Song Bunan suddenly pulled him into the Fire Escape, peeking out cautiously to check the position of their apartment door. Xin Yi sensed something was off and stood alert behind Song Bunan.
"Someone's in the house," Song Bunan signaled him with his eyes to check his phone. Upon seeing this message, Xin Yi slowly leaned out to observe the situation in the hallway. His slight frown did not go unnoticed by Song Bunan; his phone vibrated again with a message stating that the doorbell camera had been disconnected.
Song Bunan had installed high-tech cameras in the corners for safety purposes. Now, only the connecting wires were visible on the wall while the camera itself lay broken on the ground, its casing shattered.
"Don't go home; head straight to my brother's place. Let's go," Song Bunan urged as he grabbed Xin Yi and led him down the fire escape. They moved as quietly as possible, careful not to trigger any motion-sensor lights that might give them away.
Fortunately, there were no obstacles in the Fire Escape, and they made it down to the first floor without incident. Xin Yi instinctively peeked towards the entrance of the basement level where a sensor light was on—one that only illuminated when someone stood nearby. Song Bunan noticed this too and suggested they exit through the main door instead.
Both of them wore hooded jackets and quickly donned masks as well. Song Bunan hunched over slightly while gripping Xin Yi's arm, appearing like a frail old man under the dim light.
The streetlights in their neighborhood were dim, so they chose side paths for their escape. They encountered a few unfamiliar faces lingering about but thankfully those individuals didn’t pay them much attention; they merely glanced before shifting their focus elsewhere. Song Bunan led Xin Yi out through a side gate of their complex; outside was an alley completely devoid of streetlights while the main entrance was brightly lit.
"Which way?" Xin Yi asked; he wasn't familiar with this area at all. Song Bunan straightened up again and pulled out his phone to send another message, responding that his brother's place wasn't far and it would be quicker to walk there.
She spoke and tightly grasped his hand, quickly leading him into the darkness.
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