Chapter 52#

Extra Chapter 5

In every household, there are at least a few photo albums, recording the growth of family members and some important events for future remembrance.

It was while the workers were tidying up the old study that Ren Qiri happened to find a vintage, gold-embossed photo album from the bottommost drawer of the desk once used by the Grand Master Ren. The album contained photos of the Grand Master in his youth, as well as a few never-before-seen pictures of a woman in a cheongsam, her features blurred but exuding a gentle aura—presumably the Grand Master’s first wife back in Malaysia. He didn’t know much about the Grand Master’s past; he had only heard bits and pieces from the older servants in the mansion when he was a child.

Ren Qiri looked at the photo, turning it in his hand. He resembled no one else in the house. Perhaps his features were inherited from this grandmother he had never met.

With this thought, a vague sense of warmth towards this long-departed figure stirred within him. A smile involuntarily tugged at the corner of his lips as he gently smoothed the photo and carefully placed it back where it had been.

The first half of the album was mostly pictures of the Grand Master, while the latter half seemed more recent. Ren Qiri even found a photo of Ren Xiaoyang as a young boy.

He looked like a refined and gentle person, with his collar fastened high and a strict, proper demeanor, yet a softness lingered between his brows. Ren Qiri’s mind wandered. Though the warmth of his father, who had passed away young, still lingered, he could no longer clearly recall his face.

In the blink of an eye, he had become a father himself.

Flipping through the album, there were also a few photos of the two children of the Ren family, but one person was missing.

Actually, this wasn’t surprising. The family had at least a dozen photo albums, and Ren Qiri had leafed through them all from childhood to adulthood. Apart from the family portrait at the top of the stairs on the second floor, there were hardly any photos of the Third Master Ren.

To be honest, in that family portrait, the Third Master Ren was just an infant in swaddling clothes, with barely distinguishable features.

Before the Third Master Ren truly became active in the business world, he only showed his face a few times a year, and outsiders rarely remembered him. Ren Qiri suddenly recalled that in his youth, the Grand Madam Ren loved lively gatherings and would host a small party at home every month or two to bring people together.

At such parties, the Third Master generally didn’t need to attend, nor did guests ever ask about him. At that time, Ren Qiri was just a teenager, always trailing after Wang Zheng. Occasionally, he would glance towards the third-floor French windows, their curtains tightly drawn, as if trying to catch a glimmer of light. But afraid of catching a glimpse of his third uncle’s pale face, he would quickly look away after a few glances.

Now an adult, Ren Qiri suddenly felt that he had been quite naïve back then. Everyone seemed to believe the Third Master preferred quiet and was too frail for noise. But how could someone who stayed cooped up in a room all the time not become ill from boredom?

Now the Third Master lived in a villa on the outskirts, a fair distance from the city. Ren Qiri put away the album and went upstairs on his own. The Third Master’s room had been empty for years, occasionally cleaned by servants but mostly forgotten by everyone.

After all, back then, very few people could enter that room. Even Ren Qiri himself harbored some unease about that vast, empty space—not just because he had once barged in and been driven out by the Third Master’s cold glare, but also because of the oppressive atmosphere. He remembered an old servant saying that the Third Master had been gravely ill during his youth, nearly stepping through the gates of death, yet miraculously recovered later.

Ren Qiri entered the room. As he opened the door, his heartbeat quickened involuntarily.

The scent of sandalwood lingered, refusing to dissipate. Even after several years, it still faintly permeated the air. The furnishings were exactly as he remembered from childhood, unchanged. The white feather bed on the right was neatly made, looking stiff. The piano was covered with a white cloth; it hadn’t been uncovered in years. The easel by the window had begun to decay. Ren Qiri could almost sense the pale figure standing by the window, gazing outside.

In that moment, he felt a surge of emotion.

The vague fear and noticeable distance he had once felt towards the Third Master seemed to suddenly find an outlet.

During this period, Ren Qiri had actually been visiting the Third Master’s residence frequently. Especially when the Third Master caught a chill not long ago, he had dutifully fulfilled his role as a nephew, accompanying him daily and even attending to his needs up close. The Third Master still seemed quiet and sparing with words, but his gaze was gentle and warm. Ren Qiri even had the illusion that people outside had misunderstood—the Third Master was nothing more than a mild-mannered, gentle elder. But it was just an illusion; seeing how the old shareholders, who always tried to overpower him, turned meek and obedient at the sight of the Third Master, Ren Qiri couldn’t help but feel that fate was unfair.

Recently, work at the company had been intense. While visiting the Third Master, Ren Qiri had brought along company documents. He would quietly take them out to review after the Third Master had fallen asleep. One time, after studying them for a while, he rubbed his tired eyes and turned around, only to see his third uncle lying in bed, blinking gently at him with those deep, unfathomable eyes. The Third Master raised a hand and beckoned him over. Feeling a bit sheepish, Ren Qiri grabbed the documents and sat beside him.

The Third Master tilted his head slightly to look at the papers. Ren Qiri wouldn’t dare trouble him, but after a long while, when he thought the Third Master had seen enough, he was about to close the file when those slender, somewhat bony fingers pointed at a clause in the document. The Third Master simply said he should revise it, then closed his eyes and fell asleep. Later, upon re-examination, Ren Qiri realized there was indeed a problem with that part, and he made the correction in time.

At first, Ren Qiri felt relieved, then embarrassed. He brought a gift and visited his third uncle again, thanking him sincerely for the great help. The Third Master accepted the can of tea leaves without showing any obvious pleasure or displeasure. Ren Qiri had heard that the Third Master liked such things, so he had specially consulted an expert and spent some money to buy a high-quality gift. But the Third Master’s indifferent reaction left him somewhat disappointed.

In the following days, Ren Qiri didn’t dare visit as often. He told himself it was because the Third Master had mostly recovered and that work was keeping him busy—but in truth, he felt awkward. He didn’t want his third uncle to think he was only being attentive to curry favor or to rely on the old man’s authority.

Ren Qiri also feared that his third uncle might think of him as someone who “never visits the temple without a reason.” He would go to the Third Master’s residence whenever he had free time, sitting around. The Third Master appeared gentle and agreeable, but perhaps he was already annoyed deep down.

Ah well, he might as well stay home and play with his son.

That day, after tidying the study and spending some time in the Third Master’s room, Ren Qiri suddenly felt a strong urge to see his third uncle.

But what excuse could he use to visit?

He couldn’t just barge in unannounced.

Frustrated, Ren Qiri dejectedly walked downstairs, only to run into the butler, Old He, who hurried up to him. “Young Master, there you are. Quickly, come take a phone call.”

Ren Qiri wondered what was so important that they couldn’t call his mobile phone. He followed Old He down to the living room, picked up the vintage phone, and answered.

There was a pause on the other end, then a hoarse voice spoke.

Ren Qiri immediately straightened up. “Th-th-third Uncle—you—ah! You… how…” He stammered as if addressing a superior officer.

“Uh… ah, no, no—I’ve been, uh, busy! Yes! Too busy lately! That’s why…”

“No, no… you—wait! I’m not busy! Not busy at all! Uh—okay! Alright, I’ll be right there!”

“Okay, okay, see you soon!”

Ren Qiri hung up hastily, then raced upstairs like a young man fresh out of school.

Old He watched in confusion, only to see the young master clatter back down a moment later.

“Young Master, why are you in such a hurry to go out? Can’t you have dinner first?” Old He called out before his master dashed out the door, sighing as he straightened the crooked collar.

“Sorry, Old He—I won’t be eating at home tonight. My third uncle has invited me to his place for dinner. Oh, yes…”

Ren Qiri turned around in front of Old He. “Is this outfit too casual for the occasion? Should I put on a tie or… maybe bring some fruit? Or perhaps—”

Old He patted the young master’s shoulder and waved dismissively. “Very handsome, very handsome. Go on, go on.”

“Wait… shouldn’t I bring something? What do you think I should—”

Finally, after seeing off his master, the butler adjusted his glasses, shook his head, and closed the door with a smile.

××××××××××

Bonus Short Extra:

It was a slightly breezy evening.

Ren Qiri had been swamped with work lately, not sleeping well. That day, having some free time, he visited the Third Master again. After helping his third uncle out to the courtyard, he sat alone on the bench opposite. They had chatted for a while, but he eventually dozed off from exhaustion.

He leaned back, sleeping soundly as the warm breeze swept over him.

The Third Master no longer needed to stay in a wheelchair all the time and could occasionally move around with the aid of a cane.

However, the Third Master was not particularly fond of moving about. Usually, he only walked a few steps when Ren Qiri came—perhaps because he didn’t want to appear feeble or sickly in front of him. He knew that being around someone who seemed half-dead wasn’t a pleasant experience for anyone.

In the modest courtyard, only the two of them were present. The Third Master gazed at his nephew, who was sleeping soundly across from him, and a faint smile of contentment curved his lips. Then, he took the initiative to pick up the carved wooden cane beside him and, with considerable effort, stood up. He wobbled slightly, nearly falling back down.

He let out a soft sigh.

Inch by inch, he moved forward. What would have taken a few normal steps cost him over ten minutes to cover.

When he finally managed to sit down beside Ren Qiri, a sheen of sweat had formed on his smooth forehead, and his cheeks were flushed from the exertion. No longer deathly pale, he seemed almost healthier.

The Third Master wiped his sweat with his sleeve, glanced around, then carefully shifted closer to Ren Qiri.

Satisfied at last, he stopped moving and sat in silence, contentedly gazing at the person beside him.

The evening breeze grew stronger. Fearing that Ren Qiri might catch a chill, the Third Master took off the blanket draped over his own shoulders and, with some difficulty, spread it out and gently laid it over Ren Qiri—forgetting that he himself was the one more prone to illness.

At first, the Third Master merely watched quietly. Then, gradually, he reached out and held Ren Qiri’s slightly smaller hand in his, or lightly brushed his cheek. He tilted his head and carefully smoothed Ren Qiri’s tousled bangs, his movements extremely cautious and deliberate. Ren Qiri even let out a comfortable little murmur.

It happened naturally, almost without thought.

From the cheek, it moved slowly to the corner of the mouth.

He knew his own lips were cold, so when they made contact, it was only a gentle brush, as if with no weight at all.

The hand on Ren Qiri’s shoulder trembled slightly, and in his heart, he kept murmuring—

This is the last time, the last time, the last time…

Holding onto this thought, he cupped the face he had longed for and kissed it without restraint, as if by doing so he could convey something, or as if only then the suffocating feeling that threatened to drown him could be slightly alleviated through these fragmented kisses.

But when their lips met, an overwhelming sense of emptiness washed over him.

The Third Master slowly pulled back from Ren Qiri, and in the end, as if unable to control himself, he wrapped his arms around the other’s waist and rested his head against the sleeping man’s neck.

He took a gentle breath, filling himself with his scent.

Qi Qi…

A whisper too low to be heard drifted away with the breeze.

It was a slightly breezy evening, a secret the Third Master intended to keep forever.

But at that time, no one could have imagined how things would turn out.

—————————

Catherine handed over all the fragmented cases I had been handling to others and took me in and out of the detention center frequently. The main purpose was to ask our client—a man named Dais—for some additional information and materials. To my surprise, Du Yijie accompanied us every time. Catherine was skilled at communication and very confident, assuring Du Yijie in her words that she would fight for the lightest possible sentence for Dais.

To be honest, when I first met this gentleman suspected of drug trafficking, I was a bit surprised. He didn’t look like your typical drug dealer chasing money; instead, he seemed fair-skinned and refined, though a hint of unease showed between his brows. When he first saw us, he looked a bit displeased, but then he caught sight of Du Yijie coming in from behind and stood up excitedly.

“Sir, please sit down,” Catherine said, the skilled communicator. “We will do our utmost to help you.”

Dais’s gaze darted among us. Du Yijie took off his sunglasses, laughed, and said, “Looks like you’re doing okay.”

Dais’s face contorted as if he had swallowed a fly. He slumped back into his chair, his lips moving as he said hoarsely, “Why isn’t it Philip? This isn’t a joke.” Philip was a top-tier lawyer in the field, not easy to retain for a court appearance. But it turned out he was Du Yijie’s personal attorney—something I only learned from private conversations with Catherine.

“No, sir, please trust our professional standards. Hello, I’m Catherine Li, and this is my assistant, Ren.”

“Ren Qiri.”

Catherine always addressed me by my surname when we were out. Du Yijie suddenly spoke my full name, causing everyone to pause briefly. Du Yijie was sitting in the seat next to me, looking relaxed and casual, and he added with a faint smile, “Dais, remember this name. This Mr. Ren will be an important partner of ours in the future.”

I paused. Catherine seemed surprised by Du Yijie’s remarkably high trust in me. Her expression flickered, then she smiled smoothly and said, “Thank you, Mr. Du. But for Mr. Dais’s sake, I believe we need to ask our client a few questions first.”

Dais, however, kept staring at me from head to toe, then laughed as if he had heard a joke. “Buddy, is this a joke? Are you telling me you’re using me as a bet for your future partner? You’d better remember that your position today was—”

“Dais.” Du Yijie cut him off, his tone icy. “Maybe I should remind you that regardless of how I got my position today, you brought this mess on yourself and should face the consequences. Besides, the one who can save you now…” Du Yijie snorted, leaned back, and said, “Is me.”

Dais froze, then clenched his teeth and lowered his head, his voice hoarse. “Yijie… you can’t do this to me.”

Du Yijie patted my shoulder and whispered in my ear, “I’m going out for a smoke. Don’t let me disturb your work.”

I nodded, composed myself, and turned to my client with a smile.

“Alright, Mr. Dais, now we need to clarify the sequence of events…”

As it turned out, Dais Jin’s father, Fred Jin, was a notorious underworld figure in State S of the U.S., but that was years ago. Dais had originally been a carefree playboy. After Fred was attacked and lost his mind, this once-infamous crime family essentially fell into decline, leaving Dais—who couldn’t even hold a gun properly—to face the carving up of their territory. To restore their former glory, he needed massive funds and turned to some shady trades.

I had heard earlier that the police had long had Dais Jin in their sights. He should have kept a low profile, yet he had brazenly transported kilograms of heroin from City D.

“Listen to me, I’ve been framed, set up. I had no idea what was in the trunk!” Dais said, grabbing at his hair in frustration.

“The driver, Reid Manro, has been serving your family for nearly twenty years. He testified that he acted on your orders and provided evidence of other transactions. He has now turned into a witness for the prosecution in this case.” Catherine sighed. “Sir, please tell us the truth. Only then can we help you. You should understand—”

“Damn it! You just don’t believe me! I’ve told you countless times, I didn’t know either! I’ve been set up!”

“Sir, who do you think set you up?”

Dais looked up, glaring fiercely at Catherine. Through gritted teeth, he said, “If I knew, I would have torn him apart. What do you think?”

Catherine’s expression turned grim. She hadn’t expected this case to be more complicated than she had imagined, mainly because the client was unwilling to cooperate.

My job was to record the information. I glanced at the two of them locked in tension, then at that big kid named Dais. I put down my pen, softened my tone, and said, “Mr. Dais, so, according to you, your driver seems to have been bribed and betrayed you?”

Dais paused, then bit his lower lip and nodded slightly.

“How was your relationship with your driver? I mean… was there any personal grudge between you?”

Dais lowered his head, thinking for a while before replying, “It was okay. Actually, I think we had a decent relationship. But that was when we were kids. After that, we didn’t interact much, and there was no real animosity.”

I nodded.

Dais’s mental state wasn’t great, so we only asked a few more questions before wrapping up.

Later, Catherine said to me privately, “Ren, you should know that given Mr. Dais Jin’s background, it’s not advantageous to plead for an acquittal. These people are excellent actors. Besides, the witness has no relatives and no possibility of being coerced by anyone.”

Afterward, Du Yijie treated us to a meal and asked Catherine about the case. After dinner, Du Yijie offered to take Catherine home first. They chatted amiably in the car. I had initially planned to take a taxi back, but Du Yijie stopped me with a few words, so I reluctantly got back into the car.

When it was just the two of us, the atmosphere always felt a bit stiff. Finally, Du Yijie spoke first. “Don’t push yourself too hard. Just do your best.”

I let out an “ah,” and Du Yijie chuckled softly, reaching over to ruffle my hair. His tone was much warmer and gentler than before. “I saw you sitting in the back, frowning like a little old man.” Actually, Du Yijie had seemed a bit off only that one day. In the days that followed, he felt just about the same as before.

“It’s nothing. I was just… thinking about some things.” I forced a smile. Du Yijie glanced at me sideways and suddenly pulled the car over to the side of the road.

I looked at him in surprise.

Du Yijie turned off the engine and turned to face me. “Is there something you want to know? I can help you.”

I paused for a moment, about to wave off the offer.

Du Yijie took a cigarette from the pack in the car’s cup holder, lifted his chin, his lips curling into a faint smile, and asked softly, “You don’t trust me?”

I was momentarily speechless.

Du Yijie reached over again, casually smoothing down the hair he had ruffled, his fingers lightly threading through my strands. He said something irrelevant: “Same as before. Feels nice to touch.”

I blushed a little and turned my head away, feeling as if I were being treated like a child. When I thought about it, it wasn’t surprising. Setting aside the height difference between us, there was indeed a small gap in our apparent ages. He probably saw me as a younger brother, which explained his somewhat intimate gestures.

I let out a dry laugh and said, “Boss, if you keep touching, I’m going bald.”

Du Yijie raised an eyebrow. I remembered something and smiled, saying, “Well, I called you ‘Boss’ back then anyway, so it’s hard to change.”

Du Yijie shook his head with a smile.

I looked at him, dropped my gaze, thought for a moment, then said, “This case… something feels off to me. Mr. Dais doesn’t seem like he’s lying.”

“Ms. Li doesn’t think so,” Du Yijie said with an ambiguous smile. I had to be honest. “I want to look into Reid Manro. There are some things I might need your help with.”

Du Yijie nodded, started the car, and said softly, “Alright.”

Cheng Chen had been nowhere to be seen lately, but he suddenly showed up at the office that day, pulling me aside secretively. “Fatty, come with me somewhere after work today! You have to come!”

I finally understood why my eyelids had been twitching all morning.

Just as I was mentally bracing myself for all sorts of bad scenarios, Cheng Chen dragged me to a dessert shop. As soon as we pushed open the door, a rich aroma of cocoa and sweetness filled the air. It was a place where customers could make their own chocolates or cookies. The shop was mostly filled with little girls and couples, so two grown men showing up like this drew quite a bit of attention.

Cheng Chen leaned in and whispered, “Fatty, whether I succeed today depends on you.”

I looked back at him suspiciously, having no idea what he was up to. He kept glancing around and checking his watch.

The coffee had gone cold, and still, I had no clue what he was planning.

It wasn’t until it was dark, and I was starting to doze off, that Cheng Chen suddenly slapped me hard on the shoulder and hissed urgently, “She’s here, she’s here—!”

“What’s here?” I rubbed my eyes and put my glasses back on.

“Don’t be so loud—look over there! My goddess!”

I smiled helplessly and shook my head, looking towards the counter. Before I could make out who it was, Cheng Chen yanked me up and dashed over in a few strides.

“Hey, don’t pull me like this…”

A sweet voice sounded from nearby. “Sir, what would you like?”

I looked up, and my gaze met a pair of sparkling eyes—I felt as if I had been struck by lightning.

“Sir? Sir? May I…”

“Fatty!” Cheng Chen hissed in my ear. “Why are you staring at my goddess with that lecherous look? Snap out of it!”

I steadied myself against the counter, unable to look away.

The girl with the ponytail had an energetic smile on her face, looking clever and cute.

Without thinking, I grabbed her hand, my voice hoarse with emotion. “Li, Li Ling!”