Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 426: Delicate Heart
"That’s the best and clean-cut way to turn someone down, no?" He Juan added with a smile, unaware of the devastating impact his callous words had on the boy’s heart. "But why are you asking Gege about this? Ah..." a thought crossed his mind and he raised his head from the food to give Mu Yuze a teasing look. "Has someone confessed to our Xiao Ze? Well, just about time. What does the other person like?"
’It’s okay,’ Mu Yuze told himself again and again, trying to quell the pain. ’You have seen this coming, so there’s no need to feel bad. Juan-gege doesn’t even know that he is talking about you. He will never cut you off, so why...’
He gritted his teeth as he felt his vision blurred with tears. He desperately blinked them away before He Juan could notice something amiss. "No... there’s no such person," he said in a slightly nasal tone, though he could easily chalk it up to his changing voice.
He Juan stared at him for one long moment and let out an intrigued hum, "You know you can tell Gege everything, right?"
Mu Yuze’s heart skipped a beat. W–What did Juan-gege mean by that? Had he noticed something?
Strangely flustered, Mu Yuze averted his gaze and clenched the hem of his shirt tight. He could not bring himself to meet He Juan’s eyes, for he felt like they were sharp enough to pierce through his shaky armor and look into the deepest thoughts in his heart. He... he had to make an escape. Now!
"I just remembered... there is a problem with today’s homework I haven’t finished yet," he blurted out as he pushed the chair back and rose to his feet, trying to keep his tone as natural as possible. "Take your time to finish your meal, Juan-gege. Good night!"
After saying that, he swiveled around and sprinted to his bedroom as if he had wind beneath his feet. Shame and mortification engulfed him as he squeezed his eyes shut. Why would you ask such an embarrassing question, Mu Yuze?! What if Juan-gege caught on to something?!
Moreover, the answer he got was...
’Cut them off. Never let them see me again.’
Tears sprung up uncontrollably on Mu Yuze’s eyes as he dashed into his room and closed the door behind him, locking it for good measure. He carelessly wiped the wetness on his cheeks and buried himself to the bed that was littered with He Juan’s clothes, inhaling the scent that eased him the most.
He knew that He Juan was just speaking in general terms, but... he could not help but feel as if he had been rejected too.
"I can’t let him find out..." he murmured softly under his breath, sniffling. "Ever."
From tomorrow onwards, he resolved to act like a proper housemate and not burden He Juan with these unnecessary emotions!
Alas, little did Mu Yuze know, He Juan might be extremely keen in analyzing his enemy’s movement, but his expertise in matters of the heart was close to nonexistent, as his experience in romance was a big fat zero.
Left on his own accord, He Juan could only watch the boy’s retreating figure with a dumbfounded look. He noticed that Mu Yuze’s expression seemed a little weird when he uttered those last few words.
But what was going on? Had he said something wrong, by any chance? He Juan lowered his eyes in deep thought, and all of a sudden, he let out a gasp as if he had been enlightened. "What if Xiao Ze is not the one who received a confession, but it’s the other way around? Has he been rejected by his crush?"
The more He Juan pondered, the more he felt like he had struck a jackpot. "Damn it, I shouldn’t have given such a harsh response..." he muttered, annoyed at himself.
He must have wounded the boy’s delicate heart. Alas, there was no use crying over spilt milk and he had no way to take back his words anymore. Biting down on his chopsticks, he retrieved his phone from his pocket and typed into the search bar:
[How to deal with a teenager’s first heartbreak]
[How parents should approach their son’s adolescent love]
***
Mu Yuze had been fearful that He Juan could discover his secret affection, causing him to feel uneasy whenever they were alone together. However, as the days went by, he realized that perhaps he had been overthinking things.
He Juan had not noticed anything, though he suddenly began to act weird.
For instance, he would take the initiative to send fruits to Mu Yuze’s room when he was studying, and asked if he would like to have another snack at later time. He also took Mu Yuze out to play and eat delicious food more frequently. Not that Mu Yuze would ever complain about it.
These joyful and tranquil days slipped away like sand through his fingers, and Mu Yuze found himself dreading for the day when He Juan would eventually leave.
He did not even dare to ask for the exact date of the He Juan’s departure, fearing that he would lose control and beg the man to stay.
However, he did not expect that trouble would come knocking on their door so soon.
The two of them were sitting inside a shop, savoring their cold noodles, when He Juan’s phone suddenly rang. Mu Yuze immediately noticed that the ringtone was different from the usual one he had heard from He Juan’s phone. He looked up and saw that He Juan’s brows were furrowed.
"Is everything alright?" Mu Yuze asked, feeling a surge of unease for some unknown reason.
He Juan flashed him a reassuring smile, "Oh, it’s nothing to worry about, Xiao Ze. Gege just needs to step outside for a moment to take this call, okay?"
Mu Yuze could only nod, his gaze lingering on He Juan’s back as the man walked out of the shop to answer the call.
"Hello, M?" He Juan’s voice lowered as he instinctively scanned his surroundings, taking note of each passerby that crossed his path. "What’s wrong?" Unless absolutely necessary, He Juan knew that Marius would not contact him at this time of the year, especially when the anniversary of his parents’ death was approaching soon.
Marius did not beat around the bush, "XIU, we are heading your way. By ’we’, I’m talking about myself, Miss Ye and the children. I have arranged the temporary place to stay, so there’s no need for you to worry."
He Juan’s body involuntarily tensed, his mind racing ahead to conjure up the worst-case scenario. "What happened? Have the hunters tracked them down?"
Marius let out a brief chuckle and quickly reassured him, "No, it’s not like that. Everyone is safe and sound." However, before He Juan could fully exhale in relief, Marius dropped another bombshell on him.
"We have received a new intel. There’s a facility hidden somewhere in Yuyang, and not only that, we may be able to find the leader there." His tone was grave, though He Juan could detect the hidden hint of thrill in it. "XIU, we will be able to catch the ringleader soon and put an end to this madness!"
