Chapter 10#

Hide Away#

For a few seconds, the warm-toned light seemed to freeze.

Li Xingyun knelt on the carpet, unable to move. After a while, he smiled with effort and looked down at the puppy whose ears were being stroked by Ji Landong.

Ji Landong was very kind to it, as kind as in Li Xingyun’s memory.

Only Ji Landong no longer raised it.

Ji Landong no longer raised anything. Li Xingyun didn’t dare to ask the reason, but only tried to beg him softly: “Ge, eat some food.”

“It’s all your favorite.” Li Xingyun’s voice was very hoarse and trembling, “I went to learn it.”

The system repeated in a strange voice: “I went to learn it.”

After being together for five years, the system didn’t find Young Master Li making a single meal, and now he knows to go and learn.

Ji Landong looked at the mushroom that was pink with anger, found it interesting, picked the puppy up from his lap, tore open a bag of dog food and poured it into the food bowl, and placed it on the carpet to keep the system company.

He got up to wash his hands, and Li Xingyun seemed to be over-nervous, following him like a ghost.

Ji Landong explained very gently: “I won’t jump down.”

Firstly, the transom window next to the washbasin was too small, and the opening angle was also limited, not enough for a person to get in and out quickly.

Secondly, the system also said very clearly that before reaching the happy ending, the strong binding force of the plot would not allow him to die. Even if he jumped down smoothly, he would be caught by some awning or billboard.

Hearing his words, Li Xingyun was a bit flustered, his gaze helpless for a moment: “I’m not…”

The rest of the words were drowned out by the sound of water.

Ji Landong lowered his head to wash his hands.

The speed at which he did these things was obviously slower, slower than in the past. He would look at the foam all over his hands for a few seconds and think about what he was doing before reaching his hands under the water.

“Ge.” Li Xingyun asked softly, “What are you thinking about?”

Ji Landong said: “I’m killing the foam.”

Li Xingyun’s face turned white, his knuckles were already clenched to the point of turning blue. He hurriedly went over with a towel, turned off the faucet, and wrapped Ji Landong’s hand, which was washed by the water as if it were an ice block: “Ge, I know I was wrong, don’t say that…”

Ji Landong didn’t mean to stimulate him. The foam shouted like this, piercing his ears heart-wrenchingly and cursing incessantly. This situation had been going on for a long time.

Since Li Xingyun didn’t want to hear it, Ji Landong nodded and shut up.

Li Xingyun felt terrified. He swallowed and suddenly regretted: “I didn’t mean that. Ge, you can say whatever you want, I’m listening.”

Ji Landong smiled and shook his head.

“Just kidding.” Ji Landong said, “It’s time for me to take medicine. Xingyun, help me get some water, okay?”

Li Xingyun dragged an injured leg and almost ran to pour warm water for him.

Ji Landong looked at the transom window for a while.

This room had been vacant for a long time. It was well-kept inside, but a lot of dust had accumulated outside. There was a spider spinning a web outside the transom window, netting a dim full moon.

Li Xingyun brought the water with the right temperature over, watched Ji Landong take the medicine, waited with closed eyes for the effect of the medicine to kick in, and watched Ji Landong sit at the dining table.

Ji Landong was very cooperative and didn’t refuse the food Li Xingyun gave him.

It’s just that such eating really couldn’t be seen as enjoyment.

Chewing and swallowing, Li Xingyun was sitting on pins and needles. He was even so nervous that he had some stomach cramps, tightly holding the chopsticks, waiting for Ji Landong’s evaluation… He wasn’t sure if the dishes he cooked were to Ji Landong’s taste.

After eating a small bowl of rice like this and swallowing the last grain of rice, Ji Landong put down his chopsticks.

The dining table fell into a very abrupt silence.

Before this silent silence completely wore out his nerves, Li Xingyun heard Ji Landong ask: “I should say it’s delicious, right?”

This statement was still very gentle, even very serious, as if discussing the characterization of a certain plot in the script.

Li Xingyun shook his head desperately: “Ge, tell the truth. If it’s delicious, it’s delicious. If it’s not delicious, it’s not delicious.”

Ji Landong said: “It’s delicious.”

This was not a false praise. Li Xingyun had probably practiced his cooking skills desperately, and every dish was well-cooked, with color, smell, and taste. If it were a few years ago, Young Master Li showing his skills like this would probably have received the most extravagant praise from Movie King Ji.

But now it was difficult. Ji Landong tried to mobilize his emotions, but was not successful. Even with the motivation of “unbinding the plot line”, it was still a piece of desolate hollowness.

“Thank you.” Ji Landong took the honey water handed over by Li Xingyun and took a sip, “I’m much better.”

He seemed to start saying this more and more frequently.

Li Xingyun would initially breathe a sigh of relief, but later became uneasy. Only facing those eyes, he didn’t dare to waste another word.

“It’s time to rest, isn’t it?” Li Xingyun’s voice was soft and cautious, “Ge, I’m leaving. Take a good rest. You don’t need to worry about these dishes and chopsticks, I’ll clean them up tomorrow.”

Ji Landong leaned back against the chair, looking at the honey water in his hand, as if in a daze.

Li Xingyun tiptoed up, tried not to disturb him, cleaned up the room a bit, and went to get his coat. His movements were slow. He actually hoped in his heart that Ji Landong would keep him, but he also knew it was impossible.

Li Xingyun gritted his teeth and suppressed his breathing, as if a rusty knife was inserted between his ribs. His eyes were full of the shadow of Ji Landong when they broke up.

Ji Landong got up and went to the bathroom.

Li Xingyun was stunned. Before he regained his senses, he heard the sound of vomiting. His face turned pale instantly, and he rushed over quickly.

He couldn’t push it open, Ji Landong had locked the door.

Li Xingyun was so anxious that he smashed the door, his voice changing: “Ge!”

He didn’t dare to break the lock again. The time was so long that it was an ordeal. He could only guess from the sound that Ji Landong was rinsing his mouth and washing his hands. He heard the sound of a lighter, and a very light smoke drifted out from the door crack. Ji Landong was coughing.

Li Xingyun’s teeth were clenched until a bloody smell spread in his mouth. his body couldn’t stop trembling. He didn’t dare to move or shout, and held onto the door handle that couldn’t be turned.

He saw the shadow of red hair.

Staring at him, glaring.

Even without sound, he knew the mouth shape was “get out”. Li Xingyun’s hand trembled, and he staggered back two steps. Without knowing what the shadow did, the locked door opened.

Ji Landong leaned against the corner of the wall, sitting quietly, his damp bangs on his brow.

The red-haired young man rushed in. Even if he couldn’t hug, he clumsily kept reaching out to learn this movement, and learned to nudge him like a puppy: “Ji Landong, you are suffering, you are uncomfortable, aren’t you?”

Ji Landong was woken up, looked at the shadow in front of him, was stunned for a while, smiled gently, and shook his head.

“You don’t have the strength to coax people.” The system didn’t fall for his trick. The system had a monitor and knew at a glance, “You are too tired, too uncomfortable, even to the point of having no strength to speak.”

The system asked him: “Do you want to go to bed and sleep?”

Ji Landong’s eyes could actually talk.

For example, he was a bit surprised just now, then slightly curved, and the loose hair leaning against the wall was stained with cold sweat.

There was no blood on this face, it was so pale that it was alarming, making the pupils look like black ink, empty and quiet like a vast cold night.

The system tested his answer: “Want? Don’t want?”

When it asked “don’t want”, Ji Landong closed his eyes. The system understood, pushed Li Xingyun away and ran back to the living room, brought a blanket, pillow, sofa cushion, and the puppy, and surrounded Ji Landong in one go.

“Ji Landong, Ji Landong.” The system negotiated with him, “I’ll give you a hug, I want to give you a hug, you try it, it’s very comfortable to lean on someone.”

It’s more comfortable than leaning against a wall. This broken wall is cold and hard, and it’s also tiled.

Unfortunately, this pitch was not successful. Ji Landong just touched his bright red hair, and was stunned by this color—the blankness in his eyes was obvious, and Ji Landong had no memory of when he was related to this bright red.

He had lost the memory of Li Xingyun at this time.

…

The system couldn’t help but get angry at Li Xingyun.

It turned its head and glared at this guy: “Why haven’t you left yet? The Li family won’t allow you to stay this long, don’t cause trouble.”

The Li family simply didn’t approve of Li Xingyun being involved with Ji Landong.

Ji Landong seemed to have many misdeeds and a notorious reputation in this circle. Far more people wanted him dead than those who wished him well. So as soon as he lost power, he would be kicked while he was down so quickly.

The fact that Li Xingyun can stay here until now is already the maximum concession given by the Li family, for fear that the young master Li’s obsession would really result in his own death—if he doesn’t leave, the Li family will come and catch him.

Speak of the devil.

The sound of the key turning the keyhole was like hitting a tightened string.

The system jumped up, together with the puppy baring its teeth to drive Li Xingyun out. Even if they didn’t, Li Xingyun’s face changed, and his expression suddenly turned cold as he went straight to the door.

The system locked the bathroom. It didn’t care about Li Xingyun, only about going back to report the news to Ji Landong: “The bad guy was kicked out.”

Ji Landong smiled. Half of his body was leaning against the wall, coughing gently, his face pale to the point of being nearly transparent. The system saw a few white hairs in his drooping short hair, and was anxious and angry, wishing it could bite Li Xingyun.

But Ji Landong’s temper is very good now. He still preferred the system’s mushroom shape, and pointed to the pocket: “Hide away.”

The system frowned. It’s more imposing to become a person, at least it can protect Ji Landong by using someone else’s power.

But Ji Landong can’t stand any argument now.

The system turned back into a mushroom and crawled into Ji Landong’s pocket. it didn’t understand why it had to hide away. Clearly Ji Landong had returned home, and the system knew people would eventually return home.

The system leaned against the puppy that squeezed in with a huff, and analyzed ignorantly. It’s so comfortable here, it can always be counted as a home.

But why Ji Landong refused to go to sleep on the bed in the bedroom and only sat here.

Why he kept looking at the moon outside the transom window.

The moon was caught by the spider web.

But Ji Landong’s fingers were really warm. The system and the puppy vied to rub against them. Although these fingers were pale and thin, they were the most comfortable thing in the world to touch.

Through a bathroom door, and through the elaborately renovated living room, the sounds of intense dispute and muffled sounds of struggle became very distant. Only a few words were strangely clear.

It was a voice that was somewhat unfamiliar to the system.

The person speaking was Li Heng, the second generation of the Li family. According to his identity, he was the leader of the investigation team for this vicious cyber-violence injury case, and also the handler of the “minor killing father” case back then.

Li Xingyun wanted to investigate past affairs, turning and pulling complicatedly, getting deeper and deeper, and finally attracted such a big figure—

“Li Xingyun.”

Li Heng walked in the door, not caring about stepping on the carpet: “He was innocent back then, I judged it.”

Li Heng asked: “Did you stop me from entering because you wanted to protect him, or because you doubted him?”

Li Xingyun was pinned to the ground by several investigators by the shoulders, extremely embarrassed, his chest undulating. He was originally struggling desperately with red eyes, not allowing these people to enter the door to see Ji Landong, but at this moment he seemed to be poured with ice water.

the investigators opened the bathroom door.

Li Heng walked in. He counts as Li Xingyun’s elder, thirty-four years old this year, and has already become a core leader of the Investigation Bureau. The blue-gray wool fabric uniform was embedded with an eagle emblem.

Li Heng squatted down, holding the brass handcuffs, and looked into Ji Landong’s eyes.