CH 85.2

Outside on the street.

Si Huaixi dismissed the people who had been following him, and raindrops fell on his pale, delicate face as he unfolded a translucent umbrella. His melancholic blue eyes were filled with mist as he stood obediently on the roadside, resembling a lost and fragile puppy.

Cars passed by, but he couldn’t find the direction he should go.

Si Huaixi lowered his gaze, caressing the two silver rings on his hand. The luster they once had after these few years had grown dull, just like time itself had faded away.

He took out an old phone with few contacts, and at the top of the list was a person’s name.

— Brother Pei.

Seeing those once-familiar characters after so many years still felt like a merciless knife stabbing into his heart.

The communication records on it dated back several years.

The battery of the phone was still full.

In the messages, Brother Pei’s familiar tone seemed as if it had never left him.

“Excuse me, sir, where is your destination?” The taxi driver turned back and looked at the handsome man who remained silent since getting into the car. He seemed like a big star.

Si Huaixi mentioned an address.

The driver was somewhat surprised, looking at this imposing and extraordinary handsome man who actually wanted to go to a relatively remote location. It wasn’t exactly remote, but the apartment was located in an ordinary neighborhood, and this man didn’t seem like someone who would live in such a place.

The car quickly arrived at the mentioned apartment.

The driver felt a bit helpless as it was raining heavily outside, and the passenger in the back seat remained silent and motionless, as if unaware that the car had stopped.

The driver hesitantly urged, “Sir, we’ve arrived at your destination. Please settle the fare.”

It was only when Si Huaixi went to pay that he realized he had used the account on the old phone and received a bank notification message.

Si Huaixi’s gaze paused for a moment, and the phone that had been stagnant for quite a long time seemed to be nudged like the long hand of a clock. His thin lips, pressed tightly until they turned pale, curved into a hint of a bittersweet smile that reached the utmost bitterness.

— He still hadn’t received Brother Pei’s message saying he was safe.

At the hotel on the other side,

“Wow—I was so scared just now. Why did His Majesty suddenly insist on coming? You were almost discovered,” Yi Chengze exclaimed, still shaken.

Pei Zhou lowered his eyes and said calmly, “Hmm, he’s gone now.”

Little Soybean seemed to sense that Pei Zhou wasn’t in high spirits. She lay on the bed, lifting her head and asked in a concerned and obedient manner, “Daddy, how are you feeling?”

Pei Zhou smiled reassuringly and replied, “I’ve recovered well, thanks to Uncle Yi. I believe I’ll be able to come and pick up Little Soybean very soon.”

Little Soybean clapped her hands happily. She had missed her daddy during these past few days.

But soon, Pei Zhou received a message that caught him off guard. His eyes showed a trace of surprise and excitement.

He had secretly inserted a small software into the Blue Ark Empire’s government system, which would notify him as soon as Si Huaixi’s identity information changed.

And he had just received it.

Pei Zhou’s heart raced intensely for a moment. Unconsciously, he held his breath and checked the message. The latest information indicated that Si Huaixi had paid the taxi fare and arrived at an address, and that familiar address happened to be near the apartment where they had once lived together.

Excitement spread through him, causing his fingers to tremble slightly. Pei Zhaozhou’s pupils contracted, and he suddenly woke up as if from a trance. His golden eyes lit up irresistibly, and he said to Yi Chengze, who was idle beside him, “Doctor Yi, could you take care of Little Soybean for me? I… I have something urgent to attend to.”

Yi Chengze replied, “Sure, I’ll look after Little Soybean for you.”

Pei Zhaozhou patted Little Soybean’s head, gave a few instructions, and then left. At first, he walked slowly, but soon his excitement got the better of him. He couldn’t wait to see Si Huaixi. He burst into a run in the hotel’s long corridor, like a fleeting shadow. His chest was filled with the cold wind’s erratic movements, and he ran out of the hotel, dashing into the rain-soaked open air. His anxious gaze pierced through the crowd, fixed in one direction.

— Si Huaixi would be there, in that direction!

Under the gloomy sky, cold raindrops struck Pei Zhaozhou’s body, which was heated from his vigorous run. He exhaled hot breath, and his heart raced like a blazing fire. Raindrops clung to his thick, slightly curled eyelashes. His golden eyes glistened with anticipation, and even his fingertips were ablaze with excitement.

Fortunately, Pei Zhaozhou hadn’t lost his wits due to his excitement. He hailed a taxi, urgently providing the address.

The air inside the car was choking, while the rain outside was cold and damp.

Pei Zhaozhou’s breath was slightly labored, his eyes brimming with anticipation. His nervousness and unease mingled with his excitement, making the back of his hands feel cold while his palms were sweaty.

Step by step, he approached that place.

The familiar entrance, and inside, there should be someone he knew well.

Pei Zhaozhou pressed the doorbell, water dripping from his hair.

It seemed as though his golden eyes trembled at the slightest movement, rainwater soaking his body. His heartbeat thudded in his ears, but the sensation was too intense to discern whether it was due to rain or sweat.

— Click.

The door… was about to open.

Pei Zhaozhou lifted his gaze, tears instantly clouding his vision. He looked at Si Huaixi, with azure eyes staring blankly. His voice choked as he sobbed and laughed at the same time.

“I found you.”

“Brother Pei?”

Slightly tipsy, his tone carried disbelief and confusion.

Si Huaixi gazed at the person before him, the familiar aura, the familiar and stern face. It was as if a radiant Brother Pei had come to find him, yet he was crying. Why did it feel like a dream, and another dream within it?

Why was even in his dreams, Brother Pei crying? Was it tears of joy?

But no matter, Si Huaixi was crying tears of joy.

“Brother Pei…” Si Huaixi’s voice trembled. His deep gaze fixed on Pei Zhaozhou, his eyes reddened. He held Pei Zhaozhou’s face with trembling fingers, pulling him into a kiss filled with desperation and longing. It was as though he feared that this dream-like Brother Pei would vanish at any moment like a fleeting bubble…

Until he pried open Pei Zhaozhou’s lips and passionately invaded, their blood surged as they sucked each other’s breath. Their fervent kisses interwoven, carrying years of waiting, despair, and the long-lost warmth. In this kiss, it seemed a glimmer of hope emerged from the intertwining souls.

Hot tears streamed down Pei Zhaozhou’s cheeks…

His gaze froze, the golden hues of his eyes softening with guilt, like honey trapped within. He embraced all of Si Huaixi’s uneasiness, sorrow, restlessness, madness, and desire. His hand gently covered Si Huaixi’s back, as if soothing him with gentle pats.

He had returned; there was no need to be sad and cry any longer.

Quietly sensing it all, Si Huaixi’s palm covered the spot over Pei Zhaozhou’s heart. His deep, ocean-blue eyes were intensely focused, sensing the vibrant rhythm of the heart’s beat beneath the skin, the touch of life pulsing steadily.

“Where have you been?” Si Huaixi, his eyes shimmering, spoke with a seemingly cold and distant tone, yet with a pitiful glint in his teary eyes. He cautiously scolded, as if accusing with a sense of grievance… The abandoned look pained Pei Zhaozhou’s heart, throbbing with guilt, rendering him speechless.

“I…”

“I know, don’t say it— come and see me—even if you were to disappear, don’t tell me…”

Si Huaixi’s scorching hand delved deep into Pei Zhaozhou’s chest. Pei Zhaozhou’s eyelashes trembled nervously, his breathing becoming chaotic and rapid.

Then, leaning down, passionate kisses landed on Pei Zhaozhou’s neck, chest, heart, waist…

Si Huaixi’s powerful hand slid down his shoulders, irresistibly sealing their connection, imprinting on every inch of his body…

Raindrops pelted the windowsill.

Two figures stood embraced, finding comfort in each other’s arms.

Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters.  (๑>ᴗ