Chapter 25: Inquiry

Chapter 25: Inquiry

Yu Zechuan didn't catch the caller ID; he merely sensed something amiss through his intuition. His slender right hand, with its visible knuckles, hovered in mid-air while his amber eyes gazed deeply into Lu Yan's, awaiting his response.

"..."

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense, so quiet that even the slightest pin drop could be heard.

It seemed like an eternity had passed, yet it might have only been a few seconds. Finally, Lu Yan made a move. He took out his phone from his pocket and offered it to Yu Zechuan. Just as the latter reached for it, Lu Yan abruptly pulled it back. "Ah..."

With a drawn-out tone, he asked with a hint of a smile, "Are you checking up on me?"

Even if Yu Zechuan was oblivious to social cues, he was aware that "checking up" held a certain level of intimacy. He raised his eyebrows nonchalantly. "I was just joking. It's fine if you don't want to show me."

After all, he wasn't anyone significant to Lu Yan, so it was reasonable for the other party to refuse.

As Yu Zechuan prepared to sit back down and continue eating his noodles, someone suddenly grabbed his wrist. He turned around to find a phone suddenly inches from his face, accompanied by Lu Yan's deep voice. "I was just teasing you. Here, you wanted to see it, so take a look."

The illuminated screen displayed the contacts list, with the most recent call logged under "Big Uncle," confirming the truth of Lu Yan's earlier statement.

Yu Zechuan's stern expression softened slightly upon seeing this. He shifted his gaze uncomfortably. "I didn't force you to show me."

Lu Yan nodded seriously. "Yeah, you didn't force me. I did it willingly."

Yu Zechuan felt inexplicably annoyed yet couldn't find any grounds to complain since Lu Yan hadn't said anything out of line. He sat back on the sofa, silently slurping his noodles.

Lu Yan seated himself quietly beside Yu Zechuan and found this side of him strangely vibrant. Gazing at the drizzling rain outside, he suddenly spoke, "Autumn is actually quite a good season for traveling."

Yu Zechuan paused in his eating, then resumed as if nothing had happened. "So what?"

Lu Yan was puzzled. "Don't you want to go out and explore a bit?"

Trapped by illness and poverty, Lu Yan had spent his entire life within the confines of the hospital. He had heard about many distant places and sometimes yearned to visit them.

Yu Zechuan replied nonchalantly, "Fate is unpredictable. Who knows if I'll even survive this autumn?"

He said it as if it were a casual remark, but only Lu Yan knew that Yu Zechuan might really not make it through this fall.

In twenty-three days, Yu Zechuan would kill Jiang Boyun.

He even took a knife and attempted suicide.

This made his already shattered life crumble into dust completely.

Lu Yan suddenly fell silent. He tilted his head to gaze at Yu Zechuan's handsome left profile and whispered, "Yu Zechuan, isn't it good to be alive?"

Lu Yan found life rather enjoyable.

With a faint smile playing on his lips, Yu Zechuan uttered two words, "Not really."

He emphasized, "Not at all."

Yu Zechuan had always had a poor appetite, but he managed to finish the bowl of noodles. Sitting quietly on the sofa to digest, he suddenly realized that his own days might also be numbered. Without warning, he asked, "How much does it cost to treat your uncle?"

Lu Yan didn't catch what he said. "What?"

Yu Zechuan patiently repeated, "How much does it cost to treat your eldest uncle? I'll lend you the money."

Lu Yan's expression turned subtle in an instant.

The call earlier had actually been from Jiang Boyun; there was no such person as the maternal uncle. When Lu Yan had first regained his life, he'd taken precautions and given Jiang Boyun a unique contact name with a distinctive ringtone – never did he expect it to come in handy today.

Jiang Boyun was known for his cunning nature. He possessed three private phone numbers that he frequently switched, making it uncertain even for Lu Yan which one he might use.

Lu Yan responded a beat later, "There's no need for that hassle, he's just a distant relative."

Yet Yu Zechuan had already risen and moved to his desk, writing out a check. He scribbled a string of digits, affixed his personal seal, then tore it off and handed it to Lu Yan. "Since he's family, save him if you can. If a life can be saved with money, why wouldn't you?"

It was rare for Yu Zechuan to have the inclination to do good. He didn't want Lu Yan to refuse: "No rush on repayment."

Lu Yan couldn't decline further and took the check. The amount written on it was substantial enough for ordinary people to cover most non-life-threatening illnesses.

Curiosity piqued, Lu Yan asked, "Are you this generous with everyone?"

Of course not.

Yu Zechuan, nearing death, no longer found value in attaching much importance to money. He pulled out a cigarette, placing it between his lips, but perhaps considering Lu Yan, he didn't light it, simply savoring the scent of tobacco around his nostrils. "What do you think?"

Lu Yan rose and stepped closer to him. "I think you're a petty person."

Yu Zechuan didn't expect to look up, only to see Lu Yan's wrist flip, revealing a silver lighter in his palm. With his slender fingers gently turning the sandpaper wheel, a cluster of eerie blue flame instantly sprang forth. He shielded the air conditioner's cold breeze with one hand, lighting Yuzheng's cigarette for him.

Minty freshness invigorates the mind, as the pale smoke gradually obscures the outline of eyebrows and eyes.

Lu Yan spoke softly, "I don't mind the smell of smoke, you can light up if you want."

Yu Zechuan raised an eyebrow. "No limits on smoking or drinking?"

Lu Yan, a male character, had survived cancer and had been cautious about harming his body before his transcendence. "I've never tried alcohol before. Perhaps I'll give it a shot next time."

Their proximity was such that Lu Yan's stray locks accidentally brushed against Yu Zechuan's nose tip, causing the latter to feel an itch. He narrowed his eyes slightly but merely clamped down on the cigarette, not making any attempt to move away. "You're Ayan?"

Lu Yan replied with a smile, "It means 'longevity and prosperity.' Doesn't it sound nice? I'm quite a life-loving person."

Yu Zechuan countered, "How much do you value your life?"

After a moment of thought, Lu Yan said, "As long as I'm alive, anything is possible."

He was even willing to stake his soul and the system in a wager.

Yu Zechuan was distracted. "Everything's fine."

As they drew closer, Yu Zechuan realized how attractive this person was. His eyes were as clear and beautiful as glass beads, his nose bridge high and straight, and his skin fair—every aspect was pleasing to the eye.

Lu Yan noticed Yu Zechuan staring at him, so he put away the lighter and smiled. "I'll return that money to you next week."

But Yu Zechuan replied, "Let's talk about it next month."

Lu Yan thought to himself, Next month you'll be dead. Who should I pay it back to?

In the middle of their conversation, the phone on Yu Zechuan's desk rang. He reached for it and saw that it was the private investigator he had hired to investigate Jiang Boyun's lover. His brows furrowed as he answered, "Hello?"

While Yu Zechuan turned towards the balcony, Lu Yan appeared nonchalant but was actually straining his ears to catch the intermittent conversation outside, sensing that Yu Zechuan seemed rather upset:

"What... You lost track of them..."

"Even if they've moved, you need to find out..."

"I give you three days... Immediately..."

As Lu Yan eavesdropped and observed Yu Zechuan's reaction, his mood plummeted. It was over; the other party must have hired a private investigator to investigate the original owner of this body. Fortunately, he had moved out quietly without telling anyone, or else he would have been exposed by now.

He needed to come up with a solution to this potential problem soon, before the private investigator traced him here.

Just as Lu Yan's thoughts were racing, Yu Zechuan had hung up the call and returned from the balcony. Seeing that Lu Yan seemed lost in thought, he prompted, "What are you daydreaming about?"

Lu Yan snapped back to reality and glanced at him meaningfully. "Were you just talking to your boyfriend on the phone outside?"

Yu Zechuan's expression darkened. "I've told you, I don't have a boyfriend."

Extending his hand, Lu Yan playfully beckoned with his fingertips. "I don't believe you unless you show me."

Yu Zechuan laughed in exasperation. "What if I refuse?"

Lu Yan pushed his provocations to the limit. "If you don't show me, there must be something fishy going on. If you're dating, then you're dating—why hide it?"

The note for the private investigator in Yu Zechuan's phone was simply an "Ruan." His brows furrowed as he unlocked his phone and showed Lu Yan the recent call logs, his tone sharp. "It's just a regular work number."

Never did it cross his mind that he could refuse to let Lu Yan see.

Lu Yan deliberately leaned closer to the phone screen for a thorough look, then straightened up with a smile. "What kind of job is it? I see you don't go out every day."

Yu Zechuan, however, didn't explain, seemingly uninterested in discussing it. With his arms crossed, he leaned against the desk. Perhaps due to the stillness of the night, certain words weighed heavily on his mind. "You say..."

Lu Yan listened attentively. "What's up?"

Yu Zechuan lifted his eyes slightly, as if trying to peer into Lu Yan's soul. His calm voice echoed in the air, sending an inexplicable chill down the spine. "If your partner were to cheat, would you kill only them or both them and their lover?"

He didn't ask how Lu Yan would handle such a situation; instead, he presented two extreme options: one or two deaths?

Lu Yan was taken aback. "If they cheated, it means they don't love me. There's no point being involved with scum like that. Why would I kill them and end up in jail, ruining the rest of my life?"

Yu Zechuan's lips curled. "If you had to choose to kill, which would it be?"

Lu Yan: "Can't I just not kill anyone?"

There was a hint of pressure in Yu Zechuan's tone. "It's just a hypothetical scenario. Choose one."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan pondered for a moment. "Then... the partner, I guess."

Apologies, Uncle Jiang, but self-preservation trumps all.

Yu Zechuan tapped his fingers lightly, clearly dissatisfied with the response, "What about that lover?"

Lu Yan answered cautiously, knowing that his life depended on it, "In such situations, the fault usually lies with the unfaithful partner who can't control their desires. The lover might be immoral, but they don't deserve death."

"And if he's wealthy and influential, who knows if the lover was coerced? What if they're also a victim?"

Lu Yan attempted to dispel Yu Zechuan's intent to kill him. After all, with Jiang Boyun's wealth and power, forcing someone into submission wasn't out of the question.

Yu Zechuan fell silent at these words, his gaze thoughtful for a few seconds, before his tone turned menacing again, "But he took something that belonged to me."

Fixing his eyes on Lu Yan, Yu Zechuan stubbornly enunciated each word, "But he took something that belonged to me. Shouldn't he die for that?"

He appeared like an innocent yet cruel child, capable of casually mentioning death.

Lu Yan lowered his gaze upon hearing this and sighed. A warm yellow glow enveloped his head, giving the illusion that he stood beneath the sun, even his clothing exuding warmth, "If something can be easily taken away, it means it never truly belonged to you."

"Love cannot be stolen."

Lu Yan spoke with a poetic metaphor, his voice deliberate: "Someone who truly likes you will love you even if you do nothing; their affection would fall upon you like rain."

Yu Zechuan was taken aback. In his two decades of life, no one had ever said such words to him. He had been groomed as the successor of a corporation and taught only how to maximize returns with minimal investment, all within legal boundaries. No one had ever told him that love could be gained simply by standing still.

It sounded reasonable but as elusive as a utopia.

A faint smile tugged at Yu Zechuan's lips. Amidst the pattering rain, he slowly shook his head. "No, it won't."

He didn't believe it. He refused to believe that someone would love him just for standing there doing nothing. Some things could only be obtained through effort; if you didn't strive for them, all you'd get was emptiness.

Lu Yan shook his head. "You'll understand eventually."

Their relationship seemed less hostile than before. Lu Yan vaguely recalled from his previous life that Yu Zechuan enjoyed watching movies on rainy days. He softly made a promise, "Yu Zechuan, if it's still raining on the last day of this month, I'll treat you to a movie."

If they were both still alive back then...

Yu Zechuan pressed his lips together, feeling a sudden jolt of unease. Every time the other person acted, it seemed to hit the bullseye of his preferences, whether it was the dark chocolate, the invitation to watch a movie on a rainy day, or that bowl of noodles just now.

Yu Zechuan didn't particularly enjoy instant noodles, yet a inexplicable joy welled up within him whenever he consumed them.

Silent and at a loss, he was unsure how to respond. Seeing Yu Zechuan's silence, Lu Yan took it as his tacit agreement.

As the late hours of the night approached, the clock struck ten.

Noticing the late hour, Lu Yan gathered the dishes and left. Upon his departure, the room, which had just gained a semblance of warmth, returned to its desolate state. Yu Zechuan sat alone on the sofa, smoking, but his emotions remained unrested. His fingers trembled as he sensed something he had stubbornly held onto shatter under Lu Yan's casual words, leaving behind nothing but ruins.

On the other side of the wall, a contrasting scene unfolded.

Upon returning home, Lu Yan promptly took out his phone and typed a string of phone numbers into his memo app. He had always had a keen memory for numbers, and he had seized the opportunity when Yu Zechuan showed him the screen to commit the digits to memory.

This is a sequence with leopards' numbers, where the last three digits are identical, making it remarkably easy to recall.

Lu Yan must get in touch with this private investigator before Yu Zechuan, to silence the man.