Inside the room, Suo ran sat alone near the edge of the living room table while only a single dim lamp illuminated the darkness around him.Jun wei was already asleep in his room after exhausting himself from asking too many questions earlier. Lian ziho had gone sleep not long ago after lingering near the doorway like he wanted to say something but ultimately deciding against it.
The damaged USB drive sat silently on the table in front of him beside scattered printed fragments recovered from the corrupted files. Most of the pages were incomplete and half-burned.Suo ran's fingers tightened faintly around the old picture resting near his hand now.His parents smiled quietly from inside the worn frame.His eyes lingered on his father's face longer than before.Then slowly informant's voice replayed again inside his head. "Your father knew someone was watching him."Suo Ran lowered his gaze.
His eyes remained fixed on photograph."You already knew something was wrong, didn't you?" he murmured quietly. "You knew people were watching you… following you…"
A weak laugh escaped him afterward."And you still acted normal around me." His jaw tightened faintly.The memories kept coming whether he wanted them or not now.
His father coming home late at night.Locked phone calls behind closed doors the way he sometimes checked outside the window before leaving the house.Small things Suo ran had never understood back then.Now every memory suddenly felt different.Suo ran closed his eyes briefly before speaking again, voice lower this time."Were you trying to protect me…"Suo Ran swallowed once."Or did you already know it was too late?"
Then suddenly Jun wei's face appeared in his thoughts suddenly. He saw Jun wei smiling brightly his small hands tugging his sleeve. He complaining dramatically during breakfast only hours ago like the world was still normal.
Suo Ran's expression faltered slightly."If they could erase you this easily…" he whispered hoarsely toward the photograph, "then what happens to Jun wei if I fail too?"Suo Ran lowered his head slightly,"I can't lose him too."
His eyes drifted unconsciously toward his phone resting nearby on the table.Toward the unread messages he still hadn't answered.
For a long moment, Suo ran simply stared at cai lang name silently then he looked away again.Suo ran leaned back slowly against the chair, exhaustion finally becoming visible across his face.His eyes lowered again toward the USB drive.Then quietly he said
"Who can I trust now…?"
Elsewhere across the city, Cai lang remained sitting alone inside his parked car beneath the dim glow of a streetlamp.The engine had long been turned off, but he still hadn't moved.He hadn't gone home.The surveillance footage remained paused against the screen.Suo ran outside Lu zhen's room.Beside him on the passenger seat rested the small evidence bag containing traces of the poison Doctor Gu had partially matched earlier that night.Cai lang stared at both pieces of evidence for so long they had started feeling unreal.
Cai Lang leaned his head back briefly against the seat and closed his eyes.Memories surfaced against his will. Warm apartment lights spilled softly across the living room while the sound of Jun wei arguing loudly echoed through the entire space like usual. Papers, snacks, and half-finished homework covered the coffee table while Lian ziho sat at one end of the couch looking visibly exhausted already."Lian gege cheated!" Jun wei accused dramatically while pointing a pencil like evidence during a courtroom trial.
Lian Ziho didn't even look up from the workbook in his hands. "I literally helped you solve two math problems." "That's academic manipulation." "That's called math."Jun Wei gasped in betrayal before turning toward Suo ran for support. "Did you hear that? He admitted it himself."Suo ran nearly choked on his tea beside them before lowering the cup slowly with an expression full of tired disbelief. "You make every conversation sound illegal." "Because life is exciting."
"You failed spelling yesterday."
Jun wei's expression instantly turned offended. "That was emotional sabotage."
Lian ziho sighed heavily beneath his breath while flipping another page of the workbook. "How are you this exhausting every single day?"Jun wei grinned proudly without shame. "Talent."Suo ran rubbed his forehead tiredly like he suddenly regretted every life decision that brought him into this apartment. "No normal child says things like that." Jun wei nodded and said "I'm not normal." suo ran gave him thumbs up and said "That part is obvious."Jun Wei immediately pointed toward him. "See? Everyone in this house attacks me emotionally." "Ohh! You ate my food earlier." Suo Ran replied flatly.
"I was hungry." Jun wei defended while clutching the stolen snack against his chest like evidence being protected in court.Suo ran looked at him with visible disbelief. "You ate before dinner."Jun wei nodded seriously. "I was preparing mentally."Lian ziho slowly lowered the workbook in his hands. "For what exactly?"Jun wei's expression remained completely sincere. "For eating again."
A long silence followed.Suo ran stared at him flatly for several seconds before turning toward Lian ziho."Can we return him somewhere?" "I heard that." Jun Wei gasped dramatically. Suo ran gave him teasing smile and said "That was intentional."Jun wei immediately pointed accusingly at Suo ran. "See? Emotional violence."
Lian ziho looked defeated after hearing that. He slowly lowered the workbook into his lap before staring at Jun wei for several seconds in complete silence."You genuinely scare me sometimes."Jun wei smiled brightly. "Thank you." "That wasn't praise." Cai lang had remained near the kitchen quietly making tea while pretending not to pay attention.But in reality his attention had been on them the entire time.Then suddenly Jun wei looked toward the kitchen."ge!"Cai lang glanced over. "What."Jun wei pointed dramatically at Suo ran. " gege threatened my existence again."Suo ran looked completely unbothered. "Because you stole food." Jun wei smiled at him and said "I was testing for poison." suo ran gave him look and said "You licked the spoon afterward." Jun wei stand up and said "That proves loyalty."
Lian Ziho covered his face briefly with one hand like he physically could not survive another conversation.Cai lang stared at Jun wei silently for a second before finally asking, "Do you ever stop talking?"Jun wei thought seriously about it.Then shook his head."No."
Suo Ran snorted softly into his tea while turning his face slightly away to hide it but cai lang noticed it and he smiled in reality.
Cai lang opened his eyes immediately afterward.Doctor Gu's warning replayed quietly in his head."Be careful with Suo ran."
Cai lang's fingers tightened faintly around the phone.Cai Lang lowered his gaze toward the paused footage once more."Why won't you tell me the truth?"His voice sounded quieter than expected.For several long seconds he simply stared at the image without moving before speaking again beneath his breath.
"If there's something dangerous around you…"His jaw tightened faintly."then why are you carrying it alone?" Cai lang leaned his head back briefly against the seat again"And if it is?" Then car headlights cut through the rain ahead as he finally pulled out from the parking area and disappeared into the empty night streets.
The smell of breakfast lingered faintly through the kitchen while Jun wei sat half-asleep at the table still wearing his school uniform improperly.His tie hung loose around his neck while his hair remained messy from refusing to wake up earlier."I think school should start at noon." Jun wei muttered dramatically while resting his face against the table. "Children need emotional recovery time." Suo ran placed a bowl in front of him without sympathy. "Children also need education." "I already know things." "That sentence alone proves otherwise."Jun wei looked offended."You attack me every morning." "You give me reasons every morning."
From nearby, Lian ziho quietly handed Jun Wei a spoon before sitting beside him calmly. "Eat before you start another speech."Jun wei sighed deeply like life itself had become unbearable before finally taking a Lian ziho looked at suo ran. The lack of sleep beneath his eyes was noticeable despite him trying to hide it.His gaze lingered on Suo ran longer than necessary before he finally asked carefully, "Did you sleep at all?"Suo ran paused briefly while pouring tea into a cup.
" A little." "That's not an answer." "It's enough." Lian Ziho frowned faintly.
Jun wei looked between both of them while chewing slowly before suddenly speaking.
"You both look stressed."Suo ran replied, "You're the reason."Jun Wei gasped. "False accusations before school too?"Suo ran walked over and sat down across from him, looking exhausted already despite the morning barely starting. "If you spent half the energy you use talking on studying instead, your grades might survive this semester."
"My grades are misunderstood." "They're academically dying."
Lian ziho quietly lowered his head slightly, clearly hiding another laugh behind his cup.
Jun wei noticed instantly and pointed at him in betrayal. "Lian gege laughed again." "I didn't.""You did. I saw."Suo ran rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Please eat. You've school!"
Jun wei slumped deeper into his chair dramatically before taking another bite.
Jun wei stopped eating and watching suo ran.Suo ran narrowed his eyes suspiciously the second Jun wei suddenly went quiet. "Why do you look like that?" Jun wei slowly lowered his spoon onto the table with unnecessary seriousness before folding his hands together dramatically. "I've been thinking." Suo ran's expression instantly became more tired. "That's never good." Jun wei ignored the comment completely and lifted his head with full determination shining in his eyes. "I don't want to go to school today."
Suo ran blinked once without emotion. "No!" Jun Wei looked personally attacked. "You didn't even ask why." "Because the answer is still no." "You're rejecting my emotions too quickly," Jun wei complained immediately while clutching his chest like he had suffered a deep betrayal. Beside him, Lian ziho calmly sipped his tea while quietly watching the argument unfold with visible amusement hidden behind his cup. Jun wei turned toward him for support. "Lian gege, be reasonable."
Lian ziho lowered the cup slightly before answering calmly, "That already sounds dangerous." Jun wei straightened in his chair at once like he was about to present an important legal case. "I think my mind and spirit need rest." Suo ran stared at him flatly across the table. "You slept nine hours." Jun Wei nodded seriously. "That was physical rest. I'm talking about spiritual recovery." "From what?" Suo ran asked without interest.
Jun wei looked him directly in the eyes. "Math." Lian ziho failed to hold back a laugh, a quiet sound escaping into his tea while Suo ran looked one second away from throwing the entire breakfast table out the window. But Jun Wei wasn't finished yet. "Also," he continued with complete confidence, "the weather feels educationally negative today."
Suo ran slowly turned his head toward the bright sunlight pouring through the apartment windows before looking back at him in disbelief. "It's literally sunny outside." Jun Wei narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the weather anyway. "That's suspicious too." "You are impossible." suo ran muttered under his breath. Jun wei leaned slightly across the table with his most pitiful expression prepared carefully in advance. "Can't I take just one day off?" "No;" "Half day?" "No."
Suo Ran closed his eyes briefly and exhaled slowly like he suddenly understood why people became exhausted from parenting. "Jun Wei!" Jun Wei instantly sat straighter after hearing his name spoken in that tone. For exactly two seconds. Then he pointed quietly toward Lian ziho beside him. "What if Lian gege says yes?" Lian ziho looked up calmly from his tea without hesitation. "Why would I destroy my own peace like that?"
Jun wei looked genuinely devastated. "I thought you cared about me." "I do." "Then save me." Lian ziho raised an eyebrow slightly. "From education?" "Yes." "No." Jun wei collapsed dramatically across the table again like society itself had failed him. "This family has no love." Suo ran reached over calmly, grabbed Jun wei's school bag, and placed it firmly beside him. "Finish breakfast." Jun wei narrowed his eyes suspiciously this time while staring carefully at Suo ran's face. "You're unusually strict today."
Lian ziho gaze lingering briefly toward Suo ran before lowering again quietly. But Jun wei only puffed his cheeks in protest before stabbing angrily at his eggs with a spoon. "Fine!" he muttered dramatically. "But if school destroys my spirit today, I'm blaming both of you."Suo ran watched both of them quietly near the doorway before speaking softer this time."Be careful."Lian ziho's hand paused briefly near the door handle then he looked back once toward Suo ran.Their eyes met quietly across the apartment."You too!" Lian ziho answered.
Elsewhere multiple surveillance screens glowed quietly inside the dark room. The monitors showed different locations across the city one after another. There were Suo ran's apartment building entrance, hospital corridors,damaged tea house surrounded by police lights, and traffic camera footage following cai lang's car through wet streets. Even Jun wei's school entrance appeared on one smaller screen in the corner.
A man sat silently in front of the monitors, half-hidden inside darkness his face remained invisible beneath the low shadows of the room.Black gloves covered his hands as one rested lazily near an ashtray overflowing with cigarette remains. Smoke drifted slowly upward around him while the dim glow from the monitors reflected faintly against the expensive silver ring resting against his finger.
Behind him stood another man holding several files tightly against his chest,he looked visibly nervous. His eyes kept shifting toward the screens uneasily before finally stopping on the footage from the tea house attack."The cleanup team failed to recover everything." the subordinate said carefully, breaking the silence. "The police arrived faster than expected."The seated man didn't answer immediately.Smoke drifted slowly through the room while the surveillance footage continued changing across the monitors.
The unknown man spoke in low voice. "Explain."The subordinate swallowed once before continuing immediately. "The informant was interrupted before revealing the full name. However…" His hesitation returned briefly. "…Suo ran recovered something during the escape." That man expression changed "What? what did he find?" "We're not fully certain yet." The subordinate quickly opened one of the files in his hands before stepping closer toward the desk. "Possibly a damaged USB drive. Surveillance footage lost visual confirmation after they exited through the rear alley."
The unknown man leaned back slowly in his chair.A long stream of cigarette smoke disappeared into darkness above him."And Cai Lang?" Another monitor shifted automatically.Now displaying footage from the hospital parking structure.Cai Lang standing alone beside his car.Then his phone glowing in his hand.The subordinate lowered his voice even further. "He received the surveillance footage."The seated man's gloved fingers tapped once lightly against the armrest." What was his reaction?"The subordinate glanced briefly toward the monitor again. "Unstable." he continued,
"He hasn't reported Suo ran yet."
Another long silence followed then faint laugh sound came."That was faster than expected."The subordinate looked uncertain whether that response was good or bad.
"He's emotionally compromised now." he said cautiously. "If this continues, Cai lang may interfere unpredictably.""He already is!" the man replied calmly.Another monitor suddenly changed feeds again. Now displaying Jun wei leaving school earlier that afternoon beside Lian ziho.The subordinate noticed immediately. "Should we proceed with the child?"
For several seconds, the seated man simply watched the screen quietl.He saw Jun wei laughing about something.Lian ziho walking beside him casually.The unknown man's fingers stilled completely against the chair armrest.Then calmly he said "Not yet."The subordinate visibly relaxed slightly after hearing the answer.
That man slowly reached toward one of the thick folders lying near the edge of the desk and opened it quietly.Inside rested several old photographs.One showed Suo ran as a child standing between his parents.Another contained surveillance images of Cai lang entering an apartment building years earlier.
Another displayed Lu zhen speaking with someone whose face had been deliberately blacked out.
The subordinate's expression became noticeably more uneasy seeing those older files exposed again."…Sir." he said carefully, "if Suo Ran continues investigating his father's death, eventually he may discover the internal records.""Not may." That man's interruption was immediate. "He will."The unknown man lowered his gaze toward Suo ran's childhood photo resting inside the open file.Smoke drifted slowly between his fingers.
Then quietly he said, "The son is becoming too much like his father."