After leaving the Martyrs’ Cemetery, Xie Lin didn’t go with them — he drove off alone.
You Huan poked Ruan Xingyao’s arm and asked, “Xingxing, why did he just leave like that?”
She thought he would at least try to have a proper talk with Ruan Xingyao.
Ruan Xingyao said, “If he wants to go, let him go. Why should I care?”
Anyway, from now on, she and Xie Lin would only be colleagues — nothing more.
Chen Yu had already driven the car over.
Ruan Xingzhuo was about to sit in the front seat with Baiyi in his arms, but Ruan Xingyao snatched Baiyi away and sat in the passenger seat first.
Chen Yu turned his head toward her, clearly surprised.
Ruan Xingyao glanced at him sideways, her expression full of disdain.
Ruan Xingzhuo could only sigh helplessly and bent down to take a seat in the back.
By the time they got home, it was already past midnight.
After parking the car, Chen Yu turned to Ruan Xingzhuo and You Huan. “You two go on up first. I have something to discuss with Xingxing.”
Ruan Xingzhuo didn’t really want to agree, but thinking it was probably about work, he picked up Baiyi and went upstairs with You Huan.
Soon, only Ruan Xingyao and Chen Yu remained in the car.
Ruan Xingyao said, “Go on then — what do you need me to do?”
Chen Yu gripped the steering wheel, seeming hesitant to speak.
Ruan Xingyao frowned, quickly losing patience.
“If there’s a mission, just say it. It’s not like I’d refuse,” she said.
Chen Yu sighed. “It’s about Haichen — the higher-ups want you to investigate it secretly.”
Hearing that, Ruan Xingyao, who was already running out of patience, felt a new wave of irritation rise up.
She asked, “Investigate secretly? How? Who am I supposed to investigate? Or do they want me to go find that little cub again?”
Chen Yu looked startled for a moment, then realization dawned on him.
“So you already knew back in Changcheng, didn’t you?” he asked.
Ruan Xingyao replied, “Do I look stupid? That kind of obvious cover-up — if they weren’t hiding something, would it be so suspicious? Besides, Haichen and Taotao told me a lot more than you think.”
Still, whether it was Zhou Heqing, Guan Xin, or Zheng Zhihe, they were all guarded around her — and she wasn’t foolish enough to tell them everything Haichen and Taotao had shared with her.
When Chen Yu heard that, although he was a little surprised, he also felt an unexpected sense of relief.
He said, “Hearing you say that actually makes me pretty happy.”
Ruan Xingyao raised an eyebrow, staring at Chen Yu in surprise.
“I thought you’d report it to your superiors immediately,” she said.
Chen Yu chuckled helplessly. “Xingxing, am I just the bad guy in your eyes from now on?”
Ruan Xingyao said, “Hey, that’s not fair—you’re trying to guilt-trip me now? When you were giving me a hard time before, did you ever stop to think about what kind of impression you were leaving?”
Chen Yu wisely dropped the subject then, worried he might annoy her again.
He said, “Anyway, this mission isn’t urgent. You can take your time with it. Just let me know if you need anything.”
Hearing that, Ruan Xingyao nodded. “Alright, I’ll let you know later.”
As soon as she said that, she opened the car door and stepped out, clearly not wanting to stay any longer.
Watching her walk away, Chen Yu called out, “Then I’ll come by tomorrow to stream with you.”
Ruan Xingyao nearly tripped on the stairs at that, staggering a little before turning around to glare at him. “Do whatever you want!”
Chen Yu laughed quietly, only starting the car again once she disappeared from sight, then drove toward his own apartment building.
When Ruan Xingyao returned home, she was greeted by the sight of Ruan Xingzhuo and You Huan waiting at the door—with Baiyi sitting beside them, all of them staring at her anxiously.
“What’s going on?” Ruan Xingyao asked.
You Huan said, “We were worried Chen Yu might bully you.”
Ruan Xingyao reached out and ruffled the cowlick on top of You Huan’s head. “You’re overthinking it. There’s nothing he can use to bully me.”
The people who had hurt her were never Chen Yu—
and she wouldn’t keep blaming him for what wasn’t his fault.
Hearing that, You Huan relaxed.
But Ruan Xingzhuo still asked worriedly, “Sis, did Chen Yu tell you about a new mission?”
Ruan Xingyao nodded but didn’t tell them what it was about.
Sensing her reluctance, Ruan Xingzhuo and You Huan tactfully didn’t press further.
It was already late, so the three of them washed up and went to their own rooms to rest.
Ruan Xingyao slept straight through until noon the next day.
When she came out of her room, Chen Yu was already sitting in the living room.
She looked at him, speechless. “Chen Yu, did you really have to come this early?”
Chen Yu said, “I’m your assistant—it’s my duty to be on call 24/7.”
Ruan Xingyao didn’t bother arguing and muttered, “Whatever.”
She went straight to the kitchen, took a bottle of iced coffee from the fridge, gulped down half of it, and then asked, “Where are Xiao Zhuo and Huanhuan?”
Chen Yu replied, “They took Baiyi out to play. Said they’d bring lunch back later.”
No sooner had he said that than the sound of the door opening came from the entryway—Ruan Xingzhuo and You Huan had returned, hand in hand with Baiyi.
As soon as the door opened, Baiyi bolted inside.
“Werwerwerwer! Werwerwerwer!”
[Xingxing! Xingxing! Get up! It’s time to eat the big bone!]
Baiyi barked excitedly while dashing straight toward Ruan Xingyao’s room.
Ruan Xingyao poked her head out from the kitchen just in time to see Baiyi come charging back out of her room.
It rammed its head against her leg and started pawing anxiously at the floor.
“Werwerwerwer! Werwerwerwer!”
[Xingxing! Xingxing! Big bone! Big bone!]
Ruan Xingyao could even hear the drool bubbling in its throat.
She bent down and scooped Baiyi into her arms, rubbing her cheek against its big head. “You little glutton, haven’t we been feeding you well enough?”
All this fuss just over a bone.
Baiyi stuck its tongue out, grinning goofily.
Ruan Xingzhuo walked over and patted Baiyi on the head. “Yours is still raw, so wait a bit.”
He and You Huan had indeed bought cooked bones, but he was worried they might be too salty for Baiyi, so they’d gone all the way to the market to buy fresh ones.
Upon hearing that, Baiyi, who had been all cheerful a moment ago, instantly deflated.
It buried its head in Ruan Xingyao’s arms and whimpered, “Werwerwerwer, werwerwerwer!”
[Xingxing, look! They’re bullying poor me, the dog!]
Ruan Xingyao clicked her tongue and tapped Baiyi’s forehead. “You little schemer, tone it down a bit!”
Ever since the three of them had promised Zhao Wanying they’d take good care of it, Baiyi had clearly grown spoiled by affection.
With a little huff, Baiyi wriggled out of her arms and shuffled toward its water bowl, glancing back pitifully every few steps.
Ruan Xingzhuo had already gone into the kitchen to start boiling the bone for Baiyi.
Ruan Xingyao said, “You don’t have to go through the trouble. Baiyi can eat the same as us. With me here, it doesn’t need anything fancy.”
Otherwise, the poor thing would just sit there drooling while they ate!
— The end of the Chapter–
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