Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 512: XIU, I’m Leaving
Halfway through the journey, He Juan unknowingly drifted off to a restless sleep due to the accumulated pain and exhaustion, and it was not until Chen Youzhi called him that he jolted awake.
"Hmm?" The haziness in his eyes quickly dissipated and was replaced with alertness as he peered out of the window, recognizing the familiar seascape. "Have we arrived?" he asked with a tinge of hoarseness in his voice.
He attempted to straighten himself up, only to freeze when a searing pain shot through his back from where it had been pressed against the unforgiving leather seat. He gritted his teeth, his knuckles whitening as he endured it all without showing any discomfort on his face. Glancing at the time, he noticed that more than an hour had passed since he had accidentally fallen asleep. An hour! He Juan could not believe this. As far as he could remember, he had never allowed himself to doze off inside the car, as he needed to stay vigilant against potential threats.
What if the driver was not Chen Youzhi but someone who harbored malicious intentions toward him? What if a sniper had been lying in ambush at a certain juncture? What if his enemies decided to throw caution to the wind and crashed into his car? By then, He Juan wouldn’t even know how he died!
He clenched his fists and cursed himself inwardly. How could you be so careless, He Juan? This must not happen again for the second time!
"Yes," Chen Youzhi responded as he carefully observed He Juan’s vexed expression through the rearview mirror.
He had long suspected that He Juan’s condition was deteriorating after the sudden mishap that befell him, but the man was akin to an impenetrable fortress, not allowing anyone to see through his façade.
Alas, how could Chen Youzhi not know, especially when he had been with He Juan for years?
Despite He Juan never revealing any hint of weakness, Chen Youzhi could perceive that something was off with him. And it was not until now that he confirmed the truth. The car had stopped for nearly two minutes, and during that period, He Juan had remained asleep with his brows furrowed as though enduring some kind of unspeakable torment. The usual XIU he knew would never let his guard down, even in the presence of his most trusted subordinates.
Concern gripped Chen Youzhi’s heart, prompting him to ask, "Are you okay, Boss? Why don’t you call Doctor Jia over to do a check-up on you?"
He Juan’s jaws ticked with tension, but it only lasted for a brief millisecond before he flashed his usual smile, "Why are you such a worrywart? Haven’t I said that I was fine? Besides, Doctor Jia is..." his words faltered as he recalled the last time he had seen Jia Molei. He was rest assured with leaving Sirius in the doctor’s care because he knew how caring and soft-hearted the man was, but still, he couldn’t help but wonder how Sirius was doing right now. Had he been in danger now that Marius was gone? Was he still here or had he gone back to Canada? He Juan’s heart tightened in worry, but under Chen Youzhi’s inquiring gaze, he shook his head and forced out a wry smile. "Doctor Jia is occupied with something else right now. I will visit him later. Thank you for your hard work, Chen’er. I will stay here tonight, you can leave."
Without waiting for the man’s response, He Juan exited the car and closed the door behind him. His gaze drifted across the vast horizon, taking in the overlapping waves and the mesmerizing way they sparkled in the light. The ocean breeze gently caressed his long hair, drying the sweat that had beaded on his hairline. He Juan couldn’t resist inhaling a lungful of crisp and salty air, but then his breath only got stuck on his throat once he turned and spotted an extremely familiar car.
Noticing his line of sight, the door to the driver’s seat opened and someone jumped out, calling out to him with a small voice, "XIU..."
He Juan’s pupils constricted and the pain on his back, which had barely subsided, flared up again. Sharp and hot. A reminder that his body had subconsciously tensed up. He made a conscious effort to relax, though his voice still came out strained when he addressed her, "Little Miss Ye..."
How long had it been since they last met? Two months? Three? He Juan had not kept track of the time, yet he could still remember vividly the blazing resolution and desperate pleas in her red-rimmed eyes when she offered to turn herself in, all to clear He Juan’s name and reputation.
Now, Ye Qiu did not look any better than she had during their previous encounter. She was clearly not yet twenty of age, but she carried with her the burden of grief and weariness far too heavy on her thin shoulders. It was a burden she bore not only for her brother Ye Hu, but also for the man he loved who was currently missing... 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
He Juan had been so consumed with the search for Marius that he had tossed everything to the back of his mind, including the painful duty of informing Ye Qiu about the unfortunate news. She must have learned it from He Juan’s men, and oh God... he couldn’t even begin to imagine how devastated the news must have been for her, how agonizing the long wait must have felt. It was enough for her to come here in person.
He Juan’s feet remained rooted in place and it felt as if his lungs had malfunctioned, for he could no longer feel air flowing into his chest. All at once, the guilt came crashing down on him like a tidal wave. It was his fault. He had robbed Sirius of his only family member, had robbed Ye Qiu and the children of their savior and emotional support, had robbed countless people of the capable leader they were relying on...
Would it have been better if the helicopter that crashed that fateful night had been his instead?
Seeing that he remained motionless, Ye Qiu took the initiative to approach him, stopping when she was a meter away. "I’m sorry for coming here without prior notice, but... can we talk?" she requested with a hint of plea, and a sickening rush of relief punched through He Juan’s gut when he noticed no resentment or hatred in Ye Qiu’s eyes like he had anticipated.
Stiffly, He Juan beckoned for her to follow, "Come."
The journey to the seaside post was spent in silence, each occupied with their own thoughts. He Juan nodded in return to the greetings of his men as he led Ye Qiu into his personal office, and it was not until the door closed behind them that he spoke up,
"I’m sorry." He had lost count of how many times he said these words, both inside his heart or out loud to others. Alas, all the unspoken guilt, the sorrow and heaviness weighing down on his chest, all of them could only be encapsulated within those three simple words. I’m sorry for not informing you sooner. I’m sorry for my carelessness that night which resulted in Marius’ accident. I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to find him yet. I’m sorry for being so harsh on you and the children last time...
However, Ye Qiu appeared taken aback as though she had not expected He Juan to say that. "No, you... you don’t have anything to apologize for." She lowered her gaze, lips compressed into thin lines. "I should be the one to say that."
He Juan couldn’t help but laugh – a bitter and hollow laugh. "Right back at you." He walked deeper into the room and grabbed a clean cup for guests. "I only have water here, do you—"
"XIU, I’m leaving."
Ye Qiu’s words interrupted him mid-sentence, causing his movement to freeze in shock. Slowly, he turned to face her, but her gaze was affixed to the floor. "What... did you just say?"
