Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 495: Pay Respect
He Juan rode the elevator to the VIP ward on the fifth floor, and as soon as the metal door slid open, he caught sight of a person he did not expect to see here, especially at a time like this.
"Boss!" Chen Youzhi acknowledged him with a nod before casting a somber glance at Ye Qiu. "This lady insists on speaking with you. I told her that you’re not in, but she doesn’t seem convinced and wanted to bypass me."
Ye Qiu flushed a deep red upon seeing He Juan coming out of the elevator. Since Chen Youzhi had never seen her around He Juan before, he had raised doubts about her intention to be here. The man had indeed informed her that He Juan was not present, but based on what she knew from one of He Juan’s subordinates who had come in frequent contact with her, He Juan had never left the hospital premises. Thus, she assumed that Chen Youzhi was lying to her because he doubted the authenticity of her identity. She had been trying to convince him to no avail when He Juan arrived, catching her utterly off guard.
"I–I’m deeply sorry!" She directed a bow of apology towards Chen Youzhi. "My anxiety got the best of me, and..."
He Juan’s gaze briefly swept over Ye Qiu, taking in the disheveled disappearance she wore like a cloak of fatigue. Her eyes were bloodshot, and the pronounced dark circles beneath them clearly indicated a severe lack of sleep. The fact that she was here must mean that Ye Hu’s manifestation had been completed.
However, instead of addressing her, He Juan turned to the direction of He Xie’s room. Upon seeing that the door was still closed, he let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had assigned Chen Youzhi as the only guard here because he wanted to maintain a low profile and avoided rousing He Xie’s suspicion. As the entire ward was tranquil more often than not, any disruption would surely turn into a huge commotion. When he thought of what would happen if Ye Qiu continued to linger around the vicinity and be noticed by He Xie, he unconsciously tightened his jaw.
He had always tried to keep He Xie as far away from the underworld as possible, and he had no qualms in getting rid of anything or anyone that obstructed his path— no one was the exception.
Nobody touched the dragon’s hidden pearl lest they wished to provoke its wrath.
He finally shifted his focus to Ye Qiu and inquired, "Is there an urgent matter that brings you here?"
Ye Qiu was startled. She keenly sensed that He Juan’s tone was different than usual, and when she raised her head to meet He Juan’s eyes, she was taken aback to find a hint of something colder and more distant lurking within. The usual warmth and gentleness was nowhere to be found, replaced by a surface as frosty as a winter lake. It reminded her of the time when she had seen this man for the very first time. Ye Qiu wanted to ask what had brought forth the change, but recalling the articles she had perused these past few days, the question ended up stuck in her throat.
She began in a slight stammer, "I was here... for the news..."
But He Juan did not have the leisure to wait for her to finish her explanation for He Xie could wake up anytime soon and spot them. "I don’t have time right now. Go back first. If Ye Hu’s condition improves, you should take him back to the villa. I will drop by to visit soon." His words were quick and decisive, leaving no room for rebuttal. "If you need anything, give my men a call and they will do their best to help you."
Right now, He Juan was not confident that he could look at Ye Hu and not recall the anguish and sorrow in He Xie’s eyes. He was not confident that he could maintain a cool head whenever he recalled the way He Xie crumbled in his arms in a trembling mess, and the unending stream of hot tears that seared into his heart like a burning iron.
Ye Qiu stood frozen in place. She had not expected He Juan to turn her away just like this. It really wasn’t her mere imagination; something was truly different about the man. For a while, he searched He Juan’s eyes, hoping to discover some kind of clues to no avail. It was only now that she was abruptly reminded of how she had never been able to read He Juan. Bowing her head, she acquiesced in a quiet voice, "Alright, I will be waiting for you at the villa. Also, XIU... I’m sorry."
There were so many things she owed to He Juan that she did not know where to start. In the end, all her remorse and gratitude condensed into a single phrase: I am sorry.
With that, she turned away and left.
Turning to Chen Youzhi, He Juan gave his shoulder a pat, "Good work. From now on, block everyone who’s here for me, and don’t let them get close to He Xie."
Chen Youzhi nodded solemnly, "Roger, Boss."
He Juan proceeded to make his way to He Xie’s room, and he stepped in just in time to see the young man rouse awake. In an instant, he curbed the sharp thorns around his body and revealed nothing but utter gentleness. Crossing the room in a few large strides, he drew back the curtains to allow the dazzling sunlight in.
"Good morning, A–Xie," he greeted, a warm smile gracing his lips. "Are you feeling better?"
***
It took five more days for He Xie to recover fully, and He Juan accompanied him all the time, acting as though the police force who were out there to hunt him down did not exist. After He Xie was discharged from the hospital, He Juan drove him to the funeral parlor to pay their respects for Xia Weisheng.
Since the incident, this would be the first time He Xie was seeing his lover again.
The hall was entirely empty save for the two of them. A large wall of white chrysanthemums surrounded Xia Weisheng’s beaming portrait. His smile, once so pure and radiant, now only lived on in cold photographs. Xia Weisheng’s body lay in the casket, his appearance preserved by the professional. If one could overlook the lifelessness that veiled him and the slight indent on his head where Ye Hu’s pheromones had crushed his skull, he could be mistaken for someone who was simply deep in slumber.
He Xie walked there as if he was daydreaming until he stood before the casket, his gaze vacant. Then the rims of his eyes promptly reddened.
He Juan was concerned upon seeing the tears cascading down his brother’s face, but he said nothing, for he knew how much this moment meant for He Xie. The young man bent down slightly and caressed Xia Weisheng’s face through the glass cover, smiling through his tears. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
"Look at you..." his voice quivered, tinged with deep sorrow and nostalgia. "You always boasted about how dashing you looked in a suit, and... really..." his voice broke slightly as he continued, "You look really handsome in this..."
He Juan silently retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket, prepared to offer it to He Xie if needed. However, before he could make the gesture, He Xie’s voice broke the silence once more.
"Ge, it’s been a week..." he murmured, his gaze fixed on the deceased man before him. "Have you found any leads about XIU?"
