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墨書 Inktalez
Luo Yi threw away his cigarette and quickly ran across the street, heading for the side entrance of the hospital. While running, he took out his phone to call Jiang Peng.
Jiang Peng was surprised, "Not resolved yet? I'm at Zhuangzi, it's half an hour away. Hold on, I'll be there soon—"
"Damn it!"
Luo Yi hung up the phone and dashed up the stairs on the side of the hospital building.
The small Town Hospital was dark in the late night, with only the corridor on the fourth floor and one patient room lit up. There were no doctors or security guards, just two on-duty nurses sleeping at the nurse's station.
Luo Yi quickly went upstairs and returned to the patient room, took down the IV drip, pulled back the covers, and picked up Zhou Yao to run out.
As soon as he reached the corridor, shadows appeared at the end of the stairwell. Luo Yi was startled and glanced back at the other side's staircase and public restroom—there was no time!
He hurriedly slipped into an empty patient room next door while holding Zhou Yao.
The next second, a group of people entered the corridor.
Luo Yi quickly hid in the independent restroom of the patient room, laid Zhou Yao down, and pulled open the restroom door to hide behind it.
In the dead of night, it was eerily silent.
Footsteps could be clearly heard in the corridor. Luo Yi stood silently behind the door, breathing heavily. He carefully took out his phone from his pocket; due to intense exercise and tension, his fingers trembled. He quickly silenced his phone, unable to make any calls for fear that sounds from the microphone would be uncontrollable.
The light from the screen reflected off his forehead covered in beads of sweat as his fingers moved rapidly to text Lu Xu, one message after another:
"Fourth floor of the hospital, help!"
"There's a kidnapping."
"Call a few more people."
"One person is not enough."
"Fourth floor, hurry up!"
Footsteps stopped next door. Luo Yi immediately dimmed his phone to the lowest brightness and turned off the screen. He pressed himself against the gap between the door and the wall, breathing heavily yet quietly, his chest vibrating with Zhou Yao's slight rise and fall.
Zhou Yao was burning hot, unconsciously lying in his arms, her breath warm and moist as it brushed against his neck.
Luo Yi's jaw was damp with sweat as he pressed his forehead against hers, stifling her breath, all his focus concentrated on listening.
"Where are they?"
Lifting the bed sheets, pulling the curtains, kicking the cabinet, opening the window, searching for any hiding spots,
"Search!"
The bathroom door next door was suddenly kicked open, slamming against the wall with a loud bang.
"They ran away."
"Quickly go chase them!" the leader ordered.
A group of people rushed out of the hospital room,
"Wait!" The leader paused to assess the situation, "—the bed is still warm. They haven't gone far; they're still in the hospital. You two go block the main entrance. The rest of you, search!"
Luo Yi swallowed hard, sweat trickling down his brow into his eyes, stinging. He blinked hard and glanced anxiously at his phone; Lu Xu had not replied.
"You guys, go check the stairwell and public restrooms first."
The crowd scattered in all directions, the sounds of running, kicking doors, and throwing things echoing one after another.
The nurse woke up and stopped them, saying, "Hey, what are you doing?"
"Shut up! Mind your own business! Turn around! Hands against the wall!"
A chaotic noise ensued, with shadows crossing outside the ward.
Luo Yi's eyes glinted coldly in the darkness, while Zhou Yao's breathing grew heavier. He pressed her head down, forcing her face against his collarbone to stifle her breathing.
Outside, his subordinates quickly gathered. "Boss, no one's here."
"Search the ward. Search it room by room."
"Understood."
Luo Yi's fingers were slick with sweat as he trembled while unlocking his phone, still receiving no replies. Gritting his teeth, he sent another message:
"Officer Lu, help me!!!"
He could hear them searching one room after another, pulling beds, dragging chairs, kicking bathroom doors, turning everything upside down.
Luo Yi's breathing became increasingly rapid, his heart racing. Suddenly, the screen lit up! Luo Yi immediately picked it up—
"I don't believe you."
Luo Yi's expression went blank as he stared at the screen for a moment before quickly shoving the phone back into his pocket—they had gathered at the door of this ward.
Zhou Yao's breathing grew even heavier. Luo Yi gritted his teeth and firmly covered her mouth and nose, cutting off her breath. In her unconscious state, she furrowed her brow tightly and trembled in pain; her body was weak but instinctively fought back. Luo Yi tightened his grip on her wrists and pressed her firmly against the wall, holding her down securely.
Luo Yi suppressed her completely, gazing at the sky with a fierce look in his eyes, though they gradually turned red.
Zhou Yao's cheeks and forehead were flushed red, his body convulsing with heat, yet he was silenced, unable to make a sound. Blood filled the syringe, and the IV tube was suffused with crimson.
A group burst into the hospital room, tearing apart the narrow space as they searched. The leader stood at the bathroom door.
"Boss, still nothing."
A silent pause ensued.
Luo Yi pressed against Zhou Yao, hiding in the gap of the door, his gaze fierce.
"Interesting." The leader slowly moved toward the bathroom door and snapped on the light. It was empty inside.
"Hah, where are you hiding?" he chuckled, stepping into the bathroom. "Don't let me catch you."
Luo Yi saw his shadow elongate in the light from the doorway; with each step he took inside, the shadow stretched longer, casting a dark silhouette on the bathroom wall.
Luo Yi's body tensed, his heart racing violently. That shadow was holding—was that a gun?!
Zhou Yao's blood spread through the IV tube, and he had ceased to struggle.
The surroundings were eerily silent; it was so quiet that one could hear a heartbeat filled with terror.
The leader paused at the doorframe, about to turn back toward this direction when Luo Yi sharply inhaled. However, the man turned in the opposite direction: "Search downstairs!"
"Yes!"
Sweat poured down Luo Yi's face.
The group quickly left, passing through the corridor and descending the stairs. Just as they were about to push open the security door, the leader suddenly halted, a wolf-like glint flashing in his eyes: "Wait."
Every bathroom door in the empty patient rooms was closed. "That last room..." His expression changed drastically as he immediately turned back.
The subordinates followed closely behind.
The leader rushed back to the room, heading straight for the bathroom. He pulled the door open and found it empty.
He returned to the hallway, frowning in thought.
"Boss, you guessed wrong. How could anyone hide behind the door? Who has the guts to do that?"
In the silent corridor, the words echoed clearly. Luo Yi was hiding under the tank in the last stall of the public restroom with Zhou Yao, squeezed in among mops and other clutter.
The leader remained silent, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. Suddenly, he pushed open Zhou Yao's hospital room again, but it was still empty.
"Search again." The subordinate searched the room once more.
"Boss, still nothing." This statement echoed at the restroom door. The leader pushed open the public restroom door and glanced inside; there were no doors on the stalls, and every squat toilet was visible. The tank was piled high with clutter.
Luo Yi glanced at his watch, anxiously raising his eyes to look at the tank again, his hand unconsciously gripping the stick beside him.
The person at the door stared intently at the narrow gap at the end of the tank, examining it closely. The placement of the mop was unchanged from before. But to confirm, the leader walked over.
Just as he stepped forward, water filled up in the tank at the end, opening a sluice gate and rushing water surged through a long series of toilet pipes, splashing out of the pit.
He stepped back in disgust.
The smell of disinfectant mixed with hydrochloric acid and the stench of sewage was pungent and overwhelming.
"Boss, should we keep looking downstairs?"
"Yes!" The leader turned and left, a group of people descending once more.
In the dim restroom, Luo Yi took a breath and loosened his palm that had become damp with sweat. He looked at Zhou Yao's face, which had turned almost pale from suffocation, his eyes reddening once again.
“Zhou Yao…” Luo Yi called her in a hoarse voice, very low. Her head drooped weakly to one side, and he lifted her chin to turn her forehead towards him, pressing it against his own; after several attempts, she showed no response. Her body was still burning hot, yet she seemed to have lost her breath.
“Zhou Yao, listen to me. Hold on a little longer… just hold on a little longer.”
Luo Yi held the girl, who was barely alive, tightly in his arms and began to tremble with a delayed realization. His teeth chattered, his legs shook, and he inhaled deeply, trying desperately to calm himself but feeling powerless. He tilted his head back and gritted his teeth hard, then lowered his head as a tear fell.
She finally regained her breath, her faint exhale brushing against his ear.
His lips trembled as he buried his face in her eyes, and another tear fell.
The group of people no longer came upstairs.
But Luo Yi's nerves remained taut; he dared not relax for even a moment. He held her in the narrow compartment for what felt like an eternity until the tension and trembling left him completely, leaving only numbness and weakness; until Jiang Peng's voice echoed down the hallway:
“Boss Luo?! Luo Yi?!”
…
Jiang Peng rushed to the restroom and was taken aback at the sight of the two of them in such a state—Luo Yi cradled the unconscious Zhou Yao in one arm while holding the IV bag high with the other.
…
Zhou Yao was carefully placed back onto the hospital bed.
Luo Yi washed his face and sat in the hallway after regaining some clarity. He sent a text message to Lu Xu: “I’m with Professor Zhou Qidao’s daughter.”
Three seconds later, the phone rang.
Luo Yi turned off his phone, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes.
Jiang Peng noticed the deep dark circles under Luo Yi's eyes and guessed that he had probably gone several days without sleep.
Life hangs by a thread, and no one can sleep soundly.
Jiang Peng couldn't help but sigh, saying, "Brother, we just fought to the death last night, and you're still injured. Coming back for more tonight? Even iron men can't hold up under this. You can't fight alone like this; you need to call that guy Lu Xu."
Luo Yi kept his eyes closed and didn't respond.
A few minutes later, hurried footsteps echoed in the stairwell. Lu Xu rushed down the corridor with a cold expression, and before getting close, he began questioning, "Luo Yi, what do you want to do? Did you come back to get close to her—"
Luo Yi opened his eyes and turned his gaze toward Lu Xu; without saying a word, he coldly stood up and punched him in the face. The blow was powerful, causing Lu Xu's lip to split and bleed as he slammed against the wall, glaring at Luo Yi with fury. He moved forward to retaliate, but Luo Yi kicked him in the abdomen repeatedly.
Lu Xu staggered back, grabbing the windowsill, veins bulging on his forehead.
Seeing that Luo Yi was about to strike again, Jiang Peng stepped in to restrain him: "Are you crazy?! Do you want to get locked up?!"
Luo Yi struggled against Jiang Peng, pointing at Lu Xu and sneering, "Lu Xu, you're utterly useless!"
He shouted, "If anything happens to her, you won't be able to afford it with your life!"
"Why are you getting close to her?" Lu Xu retorted through gritted teeth, "The land was developed by Luo Yu; do you think it's yours?! Can you negotiate terms with Dan Shan for it?!" He stepped forward and threw a punch at Luo Yi. Luo Yi broke free from Jiang Peng's hold, dodged the attack, and countered with a fierce punch to Lu Xu's face: "Damn it! Your ancestors!"
Jiang Peng couldn't hold them back any longer and let them fight it out. You hit me once; I kick you hard. As their blows became increasingly reckless, he finally called a few brothers to pull them apart.
Jiang Peng looked coldly at both of them and pointed outside the window: "What do you think Dan Shan would say if she saw this? Is she laughing or mocking?"
Outside the corridor window was an endless night, like a person's eyes.
Luo Yi leaned against the wall with his shoulder, panting. He pulled out a cigarette and bit it between his lips before lighting it with a lighter.
Lu Xu sat on a chair, angrily wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth while accepting a cigarette from Jiang Peng.
The three of them smoked in silence, no longer speaking; they were all tired and weary.
The night grew deeper, and the tense atmosphere gradually dissipated with the smoke.
Luo Yi glanced at his watch; it was already three in the morning.
He said calmly, "Her companion returned to the inn today and will head back to Beijing tomorrow. You'd better discreetly find a few more people to keep a close watch on her and escort her back. Even after reaching there, you must not let your guard down. Discuss with your local colleagues. Dan Shan's target is land, and if she gets kidnapped, the consequences..." Luo Yi's lips curled slightly in a cold smile, "You can figure that out yourself."
He slowly stood up from the wall, extinguished his cigarette, and walked over to Jiang Peng. "Brother, I need you to do me a favor."
"Speak."
Luo Yi tiredly lowered his eyelids.
...
Jiang Peng's subordinates stood guard at the door of the hospital room, expressionless as they observed the situation inside through the glass on the door. Each of them stood rigidly, not moving an inch.
Luo Yi lay on his side next to Zhou Yao, one arm wrapped around her waist. He seemed to be in a deep sleep, as if still protecting the person in his arms even in his dreams.
Jiang Peng sat silently on a chair in the corridor, smoking without saying a word, occasionally glancing at the person inside the room.
After finishing one cigarette, he threw it on the ground and crushed it with his foot. He took another one and put it in his mouth. Once lit, he turned to Lu Xu. "What are your plans?"
Lu Xu replied, "Regardless of anything else, we must protect Professor Zhou's daughter."
Jiang Peng bit down on his cigarette and squinted. "You still don't trust him?"
Lu Xu snorted coldly. "We found records of him buying jade with Wu Ming at Wu Ming's house. While it doesn't prove much, he is indeed entangled with Wu Ming. We thought we could collaborate with him to catch Dan Shan, but what if he is using us to eliminate rivals? Look at how Wu Ming was killed by his ex-girlfriend; isn't that too coincidental?"
Jiang Peng nodded toward the hospital room door. "Look at him like that; still an ex-girlfriend?"
Lu Xu glanced over; on the other side of the glass, Luo Yi was asleep, his arm tightly holding Zhou Yao.
Lu Xu remained noncommittal and asked, "If the ex-girlfriend has nothing to do with him, why does she insist on seeing him after the incident? Why won't she cooperate with the police without meeting him?"
"I don't know the specifics; I'm not a police officer," Jiang Peng shrugged, then changed the subject. "But Officer Lu, honestly, do you think Luo Yi would leave so many flaws and doubts for you if he were really behind this?"
Lu Xu unconsciously pressed his lips together.
He had dealt with Luo Yi for many years and knew how meticulous he was. However, it was precisely because he understood Luo Yi's intelligence and ability to manipulate everything that he found it hard to trust him easily.
Lu Xu said, "I can't convince myself that Jade Buddha Tower is just a case of misidentification, given his professional capabilities—" Lu Xu shook his head.
Jiang Peng lowered his head to flick away ash from his cigarette and smiled. "Officer Lu, Boss Luo once told me something."
Lu Xu turned to look at him.
"He said he wasn't mistaken; the one he identified is indeed the real Jade Buddha Tower."
……
When Zhou Yao woke up, the sunlight was bright.
The autumn sun filled the walls with light.
She lay in the damp and stuffy bedding, her body having sweated profusely as if shedding a layer of skin. It seemed she had experienced a lot last night but couldn't remember clearly; all she recalled were the stars in the autumn night and a warm feeling.
Zhou Yao took a light breath and felt something heavy pressing on her stomach. Looking down, she saw a man's arm.
The warmth of a man's breath brushed against her cheek. She turned her head and saw Luo Yi sleeping beside her, turned to his side.
She stared at him in a daze.
A second later, Luo Yi calmly opened his eyes, his pupils dark and clear like water-washed obsidian. In his gaze, Zhou Yao saw her own small reflection, her expression somewhat bewildered.
He silently gazed at her, causing Zhou Yao to feel breathless and sweaty, yet she did not want to break the tranquility of the moment.
After a long while, Luo Yi spoke up and asked, "How do you feel?"
Feelings, Zhou Yao felt as if she had traveled thousands of mountains and rivers in a dream, enduring a century.
She replied, "Much better."
He lowered his head, their foreheads touching for a moment, and said, "The fever has subsided." His breath lingered at her nose tip, making Zhou Yao blink rapidly as her face flushed again.
"Zhou Yao..." he softly called her near her cheek.
"Mm?" Zhou Yao blushed, staring at his lips that were so close. She remembered how soft they felt.
"Zhou Yao..." he called her again.
"Mm?" Zhou Yao was a bit confused and looked up at him, "What is it?"
"Nothing." He closed his eyes and gently wrapped his arms around her, saying, "You should rest well. Sleep a little longer."
"Oh." Zhou Yao obediently closed her eyes.
...
Lu Xu and Luo Yi eventually reconciled. Lu Xu expressed that he would accept his suggestion and fully protect Zhou Yao. Even when they returned to the capital, he would not slack off.
Upon hearing this, Luo Yi simply patted his shoulder firmly without saying anything more.
Lu Xu and a few colleagues escorted the two back to the inn, and those colleagues would also be staying there.
On the way, Lu Xu mentioned Yan Lin to his colleagues. Although he only brought it up briefly and spoke cautiously, Zhou Yao still sensed something amiss. Thinking of Yan Lin made Zhou Yao feel a bit sorry for him; her heart ached.
As they arrived at the inn and were about to get out of the car, Zhou Yao recalled the scene from the night before when she had returned in a police car. She remembered Luo Yi holding Yan Lin. Although she could accept it rationally, her heart still felt unbalanced.
Seeing that Luo Yi was about to get out, Zhou Yao leaned weakly against the back of the seat and softly said, "Boss Luo, I suddenly feel weak and can't move."
Luo Yi smiled lightly, with a hint of playfulness, "I'll carry you."
Zhou Yao pouted, "No!"
"Your voice is so loud; you still have no strength?" Luo Yi said as he picked her up effortlessly.
Zhou Yao was delighted and immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. However, after a moment's thought, her smile faded slightly as she whispered, "Boss Luo."
"Yes?"
"Please don't hold anyone else in the future, okay?"
"Okay," he replied.
Zhou Yao's heart blossomed with joy as she buried her head in his neck and giggled lightly.
"Zhou Yao," he said, turning his neck slightly.
"Yes?"
"It tickles."
"Oh." Zhou Yao quickly lifted her head.
Unlike last time, this time it was broad daylight. Luo Yi was carrying a small woman as they walked into the inn, and all the staff and guests inside noticed them.
Zhou Yao held her head high, wrapping her arms around Luo Yi's neck while gently swaying her feet, completely embracing her role as the little Boss Lady.
Luo Yi caught a glimpse of her smug expression and lightly curved his lips, allowing her to be herself.
As he walked up the stairs, he encountered Yan Lin coming down. Seeing their closeness, he was momentarily taken aback, but her face quickly returned to calm, maintaining her composure.
Luo Yi did not pause, carrying Zhou Yao as he continued upward, brushing past her.
Zhou Yao quietly leaned over to take a look down, and Luo Yi asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing," Zhou Yao quickly retracted her neck.
Once inside the room, Luo Yi placed Zhou Yao on the bed, poured her some water, fed her medicine, and tucked her in, advising, "The doctor said you need to rest more; sleep a little longer."
"Are you leaving?" Zhou Yao asked eagerly, pouting slightly. "Stay with me a bit longer; I don't want to be alone."
Luo Yi had no intention of leaving. He bent down and stroked her forehead. "Sleep now; I'm here."
Zhou Yao refused to close her eyes and questioned, "You're here? But when I fall asleep, where will you be?"
Luo Yi went to the cabinet and grabbed a blanket. He climbed onto her bed, lay under the covers with her, shared a pillow, and looked at her. "Right here. Are you satisfied?"
"Very satisfied," Zhou Yao replied with a smile as she closed her eyes.
After a short while, Luo Yi sat up slightly, causing Zhou Yao to immediately open her eyes and stare at him warily.
"I'm not leaving," Luo Yi chuckled softly as he leaned over to pull the thick curtains shut.
The room fell into darkness.
In the deep autumn, the room was damp and cold, but their body heat was enough to keep each other warm.
Zhou Yao nestled closely against him under the blanket and rubbed against him before finally falling asleep contentedly.
Laughter from travelers echoed from the Courtyard Below, and the room was dimly lit.
She suddenly whispered, "Luo Boss~"
"Mm?"
"I have a question."
"What is it?" He kept his eyes closed.
"Let me ask you then."
"Go ahead."
"Do you like me?" the girl asked, her voice soft and light.
Luo Yi slowly opened his eyes, while Zhou Yao kept hers closed, her dark eyelashes gently trembling, and the corners of her mouth formed a tight, nervous arc.
"Yes," he replied softly.
The girl slowly opened her eyes, her gaze clear as she smiled at him brightly.
"What a coincidence. I like you too."
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