Bai Lixin truly opened his eyes over an hour later.
The man was sitting on the bed, wearing only a thin black shirt, with metal buttons meticulously fastened to the top.
He was staring blankly at the roaring fireplace on the wall, silver pupils reflecting the flames. There was a redness around his eyes perhaps from the furnace’s shadow or something else.
He looked around and saw the collar and chain that were bound around his neck not long ago were now casually discarded in a corner, completely useless.
“Awake?” The man had turned his gaze toward him at some point. His reddened eyes avoided Bai Lixin’s scrutiny, and he stood up from the chair with a cold expression. “You haven’t eaten for a day. I’ll get you something to eat. Don’t move, just wait for me to come back.”
Having said that, the man left the room without even wearing his coat, displaying an anxious demeanor, as if he was running away.
Supporting his somewhat sore body, Bai Lixin entered the bathroom. In front of the washstand was a large mirror, and Bai Lixin could see his reflection effortlessly.
Dijia had changed him into a clean and soft pajama set. While the pajamas concealed some of his skin, it was easy to see what the exposed parts looked like.
The mottled red color spread from the inside of the clothes to the outside. Even with the buttons fastened securely, they couldn’t hide the traces of what this body had been through.
Bai Lixin was stunned for a moment, then he lifted the edge of his shirt with one hand.
The red spots all over his body were shocking, and the red streaks encircling his neck were eye catching. They looked terrifying at first glance.
Bai Lixin touched his neck and rubbed the red marks on his body. The marks on his neck were from the collar’s pressure, and were still somewhat sensitive. As for the marks on his body, they were just hickeys. They looked shocking, but there was no pain.
Although Dijia went crazy, he had always maintained control, never actually harming him. What made him uncomfortable wasn’t these seemingly fierce marks, it was the weakness of his body…
It was absurd.
Bai Lixin’s pupils contracted in the mirror.
‘I fainted in just two hours? Before, I could go for two or three days without any issues. This is outrageous.’
Could it be that he was currently experiencing a 30,000-year itch, and he was no longer physically able to satisfy his partner’s needs?
The bathroom door was suddenly pushed open, and before Bai Lixin could conceal his shocked expression, he saw Dijia standing at the door, breathing heavily. His meticulously styled hair was somewhat disheveled, and his usually restrained and indifferent eyes now held a hint of anxiety.
Their eyes met, Dijia averted his gaze in surprise, and with a “snap,” he closed the door. His voice came through the doorframe, “I brought you food. Eat after cleaning up.”
Bai Lixin buttoned up his shirt nervously. “Uh, okay.”
‘Dijia didn’t see my strange expression, right?’
A few minutes later, Bai Lixin walked out of the bathroom after washing her face.
Dijia had already cleaned him up, so he felt refreshed. Additionally, he had just applied medicine, so taking a bath was unnecessary.
When he walked into the living room, he saw several steaming bowls on the coffee table, with no sign of Dijia.
He noticed a piece of paper on the coffee table. The sharp, sword-like words were as arrogant as its owner.
—Eat while it’s hot, rest after eating. I won’t be back tonight.
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Is he avoiding me?
Because he hurt me, he doesn’t dare to see me?’
Putting the paper aside, Bai Lixin started eating.
It was almost nine o’clock now, with just over two hours left until the end of the third day.
He was about to enter the fourth day.
If it wasn’t for the Pandora’s Box rampage, he would have been in the museum by now, maybe even found the real culprit.
This copy only lasts for five days, he couldn’t afford to waste time here.
He had to leave as soon as possible, rush to the museum, and complete the tasks.
He had to go back underground.
Savoring the warm, thick soup, Bai Lixin got up to change into the neatly arranged security guard uniform by the bed, put on the mask, and prepared to go out.
Just as he reached the doorway, there were furtive footsteps outside.
The footsteps approached from afar and vanished on the other end of the door. Then, a faint voice came from outside, “Mr. X, are you there?”
‘Dr. Garner?’
Bai Lixin pondered for a moment and opened the door. Standing in front of him was the elegantly dressed Dr. Garner.
Dr. Garner had taken off his iconic white coat and was putting on a white military uniform that Bai Lixin hadn’t seen before. His golden curls were elegantly secured, and if one looked closely, they could even see that they had been styled.
The ears of wheat on the military uniform were distinct, and there wasn’t a single wrinkle on the clothes. You could tell that they were ironed with care.
Bai Lixin examined the man who was so different from usual. “Why are you dressed so formally? Is the Queen coming?”
The doctor blushed, “No, no, I just dressed casually. Where are you going dressed like this?”
Bai Lixin remained silent for two seconds, then changed the subject: “Why did you come to see me?”
“I just wanted to see if you’re feeling better. You’re not going back to the underground tunnels again, are you?”
Bai Lixin raised his chin, neither confirming nor denying.
“You can’t go in there again!” Footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor. The doctor glanced toward the source of the sound warily and quickly said, “Can I come in?”
Bai Lixin shifted aside, and just as the patrolman approached from around the corner, the doctor slipped into the room.
Bai Lixin closed the door behind him and leaned against the door frame. “Why can’t I go there again?”
He had lost twelve hours of time, and he was with Dr. Garner before that.
“While we were in the tunnels, I watched you and those evil spirits being sucked into somewhere, and then I lost consciousness too.”
“When I regained consciousness, the warden had already arrived. I’ve never seen him so furious. He turned the prison upside down in search of your whereabouts, but couldn’t find you. Just when the warden was about to go on a rampage, you appeared out of nowhere in his bed.”
“That old dog! In a fit of rage, he locked you up like a chained dog.”
“That tunnel has also been sealed off by him.” The doctor glanced at the metal mask on Bai Lixin’s face, his voice involuntarily rising, “Are you really going there again? Actually, there’s more than one way to leave this place. If you insist on leaving here…”
He paused, as if making a decision, and said through gritted his teeth, “I can take you out.”
“Strictly speaking, I don’t belong to this prison. I directly obey the orders of Her Majesty the Queen, so I have the right to come and go from this prison at will. This is my privilege, something even the warden cannot do.”
“Tomorrow morning, you can hide in my car, and I can take you out of here.”
Bai Lixin observed the doctor’s expression, probing for the truth in his words: “Where are you going to take me when we leave here?”
The doctor countered, ”Where do you want to go?”
Bai Lixin: “The Imperial Capital Museum.”
The doctor was slightly surprised, furrowing his brows as he looked at Bai Lixin. “No, you can’t. The warden handed over the culprit who stole the Kiss of the Sun to Her Majesty the Queen, and the case is closed. You’re completely safe now, and there’s no need to put yourself in danger again. This matter has nothing to do with you in the first place. Why are you different from everyone else?”
The doctor frowned in distress, “It’s the same towards me. I didn’t have any good intentions when I let you into the tunnel, but you were still determined to take me with you. Even in the face of danger, you were still protecting me.”
“Why are you so kind? I think I understand why the warden likes you, but I also understand that the warden is not worthy of you at all. You are a radiant sun in the sky, while the warden is mired in the depths of the gutter. He’s vicious, ruthless, and unscrupulous, incidents like today won’t happen only once. In the future, he’ll still be unable to control himself and will hurt you.”
“Being with him will hurt you, I must take you away from here before you suffer more harm.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Brother, that’s not what you said yesterday.
Yesterday, you were praising the warden as your hero, and today he’s vicious and ruthless?
Is this the big scene of turning from a true fan to a black fan?’
———————————-
In the live broadcast room
[Hypocritical Doctor: The warden is my idol, he’s heroic and omnipotent.]
[True Doctor: The warden is a vicious person, he’ll kill you!]
[Yesterday it was “my idol,” and today it’s “this old dog.”]
[Don’t blame the doctor for his unstable hearts, blame our God Xin for being infinitely charming.]
[Hahaha, yesterday he was cursing God Xin so harshly, today he is so loyal. What kind of large scale black fan to loyal fan, face slapping scene is this? I’m dying of laughter.]
[Big boss: You can be a fan if you want, it’s none of my business, why are you scolding me?]
___________________________
The doctor became more agitated as he spoke, and his voice unconsciously rose.
Just as he was incessantly talking, a sudden crisp sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet corridor.
The doctor’s voice abruptly stopped, and the flames in his eyes quickly extinguished, turning into anxiety. “The Lord Warden! Why has the Lord Warden returned?”
His words barely fell when the doorknob, pushed by an external force, slowly turned, and the tall and imposing warden appeared at the door.
The two people inside the room were neatly dressed and looked like they were going out
The three looked at each other, and the scene was very awkward for a moment.
The doctor quickly put on a flattering expression. “Lord Warden, I’m here… to examine the patient.”
Bai Lixin glanced at the doctor, “…”
‘Coward, if you have the guts, repeat what you just said!’
The man in military uniform exuded a cold air, and a layer of glistening frost clung to his black felt coat. His thick and long eyelashes were dotted with water drops.
As his long lashes trembled, the droplets followed suit, captivating yet profoundly lonely.
Dijia stood at the door, his beautiful silver eyes scanning Bai Lixin and the doctor, then he spoke in the silent air, “Doctor… what’s your name?”
The doctor’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably. “Garner, my name is Garner.”
“Oh, yes, Garner.” Dijia withdrew his gaze from the doctor, saying casually, “Doctor Garner doesn’t fall under my jurisdiction, so he has the right to leave here.”
With these words, Bai Lixin saw Garner’s shoulders tremble again.
“The only way to leave is by riding in his car.”
This short sentence was like a thunderbolt hitting Dr. Garner’s head.
He looked at Dijia fearfully, cowering in the corner as if he were a primary school chick caught cheating by the invigilator.
Dijia didn’t even look at him, staring straight at Bai Lixin.
“From night until dawn, the cold is biting and harmful. When the sun rises, it will bring warmth back to the earth. Leave at that time.”
The man’s eyes didn’t blink as he focused on Bai Lixin, but he addressed the doctor, “Doctor… Garner, can you leave first?”
Garner fled in a panic, leaving only Bai Lixin and Dijia in the room.
At this moment, Dijia seemed to release all his tension, and his tightly stretched shoulders drooped.
His eyelashes trembled, and when the droplets on them finally fell, they landed on the floor and formed irregular circles.
“You win, Bai Lixin.” The man let out a light sigh, reminiscent of a beast’s suppressed roar, “I will let you go. But you can only leave tomorrow morning, for now, go to bed honestly.”
He raised his hand to take off Bai Lixin’s mask, and his eyes wandered over every detail of Bai Lixin’s face bit by bit, as if he wanted to imprint it firmly in his mind.
This was a prison.
No one would return after leaving here.
Setting Bai Lixin free meant he would forever lose him forever.
He would never see this face again, never touch this person again.
This was their last meeting, they would never intersect again.
“I will come back.” The young man held Dijia’s hand tightly, his beautiful eyes looking into his sincerely. “I’m going out just to find the real culprit who stole the Kiss of the Sun. Once I find the culprit, I’ll come back. Trust me, I won’t lie to you.”
Dijia remained silent for a long time, and finally sighed, “Go to sleep.”
That night, the two lay in bed, embracing each other, and nothing else happened.
Bai Lixin nestled in Dijia’s arms, and Dijia held him tightly.
Throughout the night, Dijia never closed his eyes, his eyes with a cold gleam staring at the young man in his arms.
It wasn’t until the first rays of sunlight pierced through the tightly drawn curtains that Dijia got up alone, dressed, and left the room.
Ten minutes later, Bai Lixin also woke up.
Shortly after, the doctor knocked on the door, informing him that the car was ready, and they could leave at any time.
The car was parked in the backyard, and they didn’t disturb anyone when they got on.
The people in this prison were accustomed to the doctor leaving alone, so when this car left through the only gate, no one paid it any attention.
The car passed through the dark gate. As the solemn and desolate prison gradually faded away, Bai Lixin finally removed his mask and put it in his backpack.
“It seems like I underestimated the warden’s affection for you,” Dr. Garner said as he drove with a serious expression. “I was still sleeping this morning when the Lord Warden came to wake me up.”
“Guess what he told me?”
Bai Lixin turned back, “What did he tell you?”
Dr. Garner: “He told me to make sure I take you to a safe place. If I fail, he’ll take my dog life.”
“I asked him if he wanted to come and personally see you off. He said he couldn’t.”
“He said he was afraid that if he saw you getting into the car, he wouldn’t be able to resist keeping you and imprisoning you again.”
“Mr. X, you may not believe it when I say it.”
“I’ve known the warden for quite a few years, and it’s the first time I’ve seen him like someone so much that he’s willing to set him free.”
Dr. Garner paused and corrected himself, “No, he doesn’t just like you; he loves you.”
“Because of love, he overcame instinct, gave up his desires, and granted you freedom.”
“My God, our warden really loves you, very deeply.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Do you even need to tell me that?’
Dr. Garner: “Alright, tell me where you want to go.”
Bai Lixin: “Imperial Capital Museum.”
Dr. Garner tapped the accelerator twice. “Haha, you and the warden are really in true love. The warden also said something to me. If you want to go to the Imperial Capital Museum, he asked me to accompany you and protect you. I can return and report when you leave the museum. I thought you might change your mind after leaving the prison, but you still want to go to the Imperial Capital Museum. What’s the plan?”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘The plan is to complete the task and go back to my husband’s warm embrace.’
The prison was located in the suburbs of the Imperial Capital, and after leaving the prison, the surroundings were desolate and vast.
Dr. Garner drove for half an hour before villages and pedestrians gradually appeared.
They drove for another half an hour, and the buildings around them became increasingly magnificent, with a steady stream of people.
In just an hour’s drive, there was a stark contrast between the vibrant lights and the desolation.
Dr. Garner parked the vehicle in front of a majestic white-walled building.
The architecture bore a hint of religious style, exuding an overall noble and magnificent aura, giving the impression of a royal palace at first glance.
However, unlike a royal palace, pedestrians were streaming in continuously. Even if the royal palace were to open its gates to people, it wouldn’t open its doors to welcome the public.
Dr. Garner stopped the car and pointed to the entrance. “This is the Imperial Capital Museum. The Kiss of the Sun was kept on the third floor. If you’re really going to investigate, it’s appropriate for me to accompany you. I can be useful to you.”
Bai Lixin remained noncommittal to his words.
Dr. Garner was indeed useful.
As a trusted confidant of the queen, his words were more effective when dealing with people in the Imperial Capital Museum.
The museum required tickets for entry. Despite the big incident of the theft of the Kiss of the Sun, the Imperial Capital Museum remained open, welcoming visitors as usual.
However, the security system had been enhanced several times.
Bai Lixin didn’t have money to buy tickets; it was Dr. Garner who paid for them.
As the two stood in line with their tickets, Bai Lixin’s shoulder was tapped from behind.
Turning around, Bai Lixin saw Lin Xiao, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.
“You’re here,” Lin Xiao smiled at Bai Lixin mechanically.
He showed no surprise at Bai Lixin’s presence. Or to put it more accurately, his appearance here at this moment seemed to suggest that he had anticipated Bai Lixin’s arrival at this time and he intentionally waited in this place.
Bai Lixin: “Were you waiting for me?”
Lin Xiao: “Yes. But it’s not just me waiting for you. I think some people are even more eager to see you than I.”
Bai Lixin rolled his eyes. “It’s the fourth day already. Don’t tell me you still have no clues?”
Lin Xiao grinned, “Be confident and remove ‘don’t tell me’. Here, take this.”
He handed a palm-sized notebook to Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin took the notebook and casually asked as he flipped through it, “What’s this?”
Lin Xiao: “It’s the result of my investigation in the past few days. You can see if there’s anything I’ve missed.”
As they conversed, they gradually moved forward in the queue. Bai Lixin opened the notebook to the first page, where a few words were written in extremely neat regular script: Investigation Records.
He raised the note and shook it. “Did you write this?”
Lin Xiao: “Yes, is the handwriting okay? I’ve practiced for a long time, it’s etched into my muscle memory.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Okay? I would believe it if someone said it was “printed”.’
Bai Lixin scrutinized the writing and noticed a slight unevenness in the ink at the fine details before finally confirming that it was indeed handwritten.
Bai Lixin truly opened his eyes over an hour later.
The man was sitting on the bed, wearing only a thin black shirt, with metal buttons meticulously fastened to the top.
He was staring blankly at the roaring fireplace on the wall, silver pupils reflecting the flames. There was a redness around his eyes perhaps from the furnace’s shadow or something else.
He looked around and saw the collar and chain that were bound around his neck not long ago were now casually discarded in a corner, completely useless.
“Awake?” The man had turned his gaze toward him at some point. His reddened eyes avoided Bai Lixin’s scrutiny, and he stood up from the chair with a cold expression. “You haven’t eaten for a day. I’ll get you something to eat. Don’t move, just wait for me to come back.”
Having said that, the man left the room without even wearing his coat, displaying an anxious demeanor, as if he was running away.
Supporting his somewhat sore body, Bai Lixin entered the bathroom. In front of the washstand was a large mirror, and Bai Lixin could see his reflection effortlessly.
Dijia had changed him into a clean and soft pajama set. While the pajamas concealed some of his skin, it was easy to see what the exposed parts looked like.
The mottled red color spread from the inside of the clothes to the outside. Even with the buttons fastened securely, they couldn’t hide the traces of what this body had been through.
Bai Lixin was stunned for a moment, then he lifted the edge of his shirt with one hand.
The red spots all over his body were shocking, and the red streaks encircling his neck were eye catching. They looked terrifying at first glance.
Bai Lixin touched his neck and rubbed the red marks on his body. The marks on his neck were from the collar’s pressure, and were still somewhat sensitive. As for the marks on his body, they were just hickeys. They looked shocking, but there was no pain.
Although Dijia went crazy, he had always maintained control, never actually harming him. What made him uncomfortable wasn’t these seemingly fierce marks, it was the weakness of his body…
It was absurd.
Bai Lixin’s pupils contracted in the mirror.
‘I fainted in just two hours? Before, I could go for two or three days without any issues. This is outrageous.’
Could it be that he was currently experiencing a 30,000-year itch, and he was no longer physically able to satisfy his partner’s needs?
The bathroom door was suddenly pushed open, and before Bai Lixin could conceal his shocked expression, he saw Dijia standing at the door, breathing heavily. His meticulously styled hair was somewhat disheveled, and his usually restrained and indifferent eyes now held a hint of anxiety.
Their eyes met, Dijia averted his gaze in surprise, and with a “snap,” he closed the door. His voice came through the doorframe, “I brought you food. Eat after cleaning up.”
Bai Lixin buttoned up his shirt nervously. “Uh, okay.”
‘Dijia didn’t see my strange expression, right?’
A few minutes later, Bai Lixin walked out of the bathroom after washing her face.
Dijia had already cleaned him up, so he felt refreshed. Additionally, he had just applied medicine, so taking a bath was unnecessary.
When he walked into the living room, he saw several steaming bowls on the coffee table, with no sign of Dijia.
He noticed a piece of paper on the coffee table. The sharp, sword-like words were as arrogant as its owner.
—Eat while it’s hot, rest after eating. I won’t be back tonight.
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Is he avoiding me?
Because he hurt me, he doesn’t dare to see me?’
Putting the paper aside, Bai Lixin started eating.
It was almost nine o’clock now, with just over two hours left until the end of the third day.
He was about to enter the fourth day.
If it wasn’t for the Pandora’s Box rampage, he would have been in the museum by now, maybe even found the real culprit.
This copy only lasts for five days, he couldn’t afford to waste time here.
He had to leave as soon as possible, rush to the museum, and complete the tasks.
He had to go back underground.
Savoring the warm, thick soup, Bai Lixin got up to change into the neatly arranged security guard uniform by the bed, put on the mask, and prepared to go out.
Just as he reached the doorway, there were furtive footsteps outside.
The footsteps approached from afar and vanished on the other end of the door. Then, a faint voice came from outside, “Mr. X, are you there?”
‘Dr. Garner?’
Bai Lixin pondered for a moment and opened the door. Standing in front of him was the elegantly dressed Dr. Garner.
Dr. Garner had taken off his iconic white coat and was putting on a white military uniform that Bai Lixin hadn’t seen before. His golden curls were elegantly secured, and if one looked closely, they could even see that they had been styled.
The ears of wheat on the military uniform were distinct, and there wasn’t a single wrinkle on the clothes. You could tell that they were ironed with care.
Bai Lixin examined the man who was so different from usual. “Why are you dressed so formally? Is the Queen coming?”
The doctor blushed, “No, no, I just dressed casually. Where are you going dressed like this?”
Bai Lixin remained silent for two seconds, then changed the subject: “Why did you come to see me?”
“I just wanted to see if you’re feeling better. You’re not going back to the underground tunnels again, are you?”
Bai Lixin raised his chin, neither confirming nor denying.
“You can’t go in there again!” Footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor. The doctor glanced toward the source of the sound warily and quickly said, “Can I come in?”
Bai Lixin shifted aside, and just as the patrolman approached from around the corner, the doctor slipped into the room.
Bai Lixin closed the door behind him and leaned against the door frame. “Why can’t I go there again?”
He had lost twelve hours of time, and he was with Dr. Garner before that.
“While we were in the tunnels, I watched you and those evil spirits being sucked into somewhere, and then I lost consciousness too.”
“When I regained consciousness, the warden had already arrived. I’ve never seen him so furious. He turned the prison upside down in search of your whereabouts, but couldn’t find you. Just when the warden was about to go on a rampage, you appeared out of nowhere in his bed.”
“That old dog! In a fit of rage, he locked you up like a chained dog.”
“That tunnel has also been sealed off by him.” The doctor glanced at the metal mask on Bai Lixin’s face, his voice involuntarily rising, “Are you really going there again? Actually, there’s more than one way to leave this place. If you insist on leaving here…”
He paused, as if making a decision, and said through gritted his teeth, “I can take you out.”
“Strictly speaking, I don’t belong to this prison. I directly obey the orders of Her Majesty the Queen, so I have the right to come and go from this prison at will. This is my privilege, something even the warden cannot do.”
“Tomorrow morning, you can hide in my car, and I can take you out of here.”
Bai Lixin observed the doctor’s expression, probing for the truth in his words: “Where are you going to take me when we leave here?”
The doctor countered, ”Where do you want to go?”
Bai Lixin: “The Imperial Capital Museum.”
The doctor was slightly surprised, furrowing his brows as he looked at Bai Lixin. “No, you can’t. The warden handed over the culprit who stole the Kiss of the Sun to Her Majesty the Queen, and the case is closed. You’re completely safe now, and there’s no need to put yourself in danger again. This matter has nothing to do with you in the first place. Why are you different from everyone else?”
The doctor frowned in distress, “It’s the same towards me. I didn’t have any good intentions when I let you into the tunnel, but you were still determined to take me with you. Even in the face of danger, you were still protecting me.”
“Why are you so kind? I think I understand why the warden likes you, but I also understand that the warden is not worthy of you at all. You are a radiant sun in the sky, while the warden is mired in the depths of the gutter. He’s vicious, ruthless, and unscrupulous, incidents like today won’t happen only once. In the future, he’ll still be unable to control himself and will hurt you.”
“Being with him will hurt you, I must take you away from here before you suffer more harm.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Brother, that’s not what you said yesterday.
Yesterday, you were praising the warden as your hero, and today he’s vicious and ruthless?
Is this the big scene of turning from a true fan to a black fan?’
———————————-
In the live broadcast room
[Hypocritical Doctor: The warden is my idol, he’s heroic and omnipotent.]
[True Doctor: The warden is a vicious person, he’ll kill you!]
[Yesterday it was “my idol,” and today it’s “this old dog.”]
[Don’t blame the doctor for his unstable hearts, blame our God Xin for being infinitely charming.]
[Hahaha, yesterday he was cursing God Xin so harshly, today he is so loyal. What kind of large scale black fan to loyal fan, face slapping scene is this? I’m dying of laughter.]
[Big boss: You can be a fan if you want, it’s none of my business, why are you scolding me?]
___________________________
The doctor became more agitated as he spoke, and his voice unconsciously rose.
Just as he was incessantly talking, a sudden crisp sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet corridor.
The doctor’s voice abruptly stopped, and the flames in his eyes quickly extinguished, turning into anxiety. “The Lord Warden! Why has the Lord Warden returned?”
His words barely fell when the doorknob, pushed by an external force, slowly turned, and the tall and imposing warden appeared at the door.
The two people inside the room were neatly dressed and looked like they were going out
The three looked at each other, and the scene was very awkward for a moment.
The doctor quickly put on a flattering expression. “Lord Warden, I’m here… to examine the patient.”
Bai Lixin glanced at the doctor, “…”
‘Coward, if you have the guts, repeat what you just said!’
The man in military uniform exuded a cold air, and a layer of glistening frost clung to his black felt coat. His thick and long eyelashes were dotted with water drops.
As his long lashes trembled, the droplets followed suit, captivating yet profoundly lonely.
Dijia stood at the door, his beautiful silver eyes scanning Bai Lixin and the doctor, then he spoke in the silent air, “Doctor… what’s your name?”
The doctor’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably. “Garner, my name is Garner.”
“Oh, yes, Garner.” Dijia withdrew his gaze from the doctor, saying casually, “Doctor Garner doesn’t fall under my jurisdiction, so he has the right to leave here.”
With these words, Bai Lixin saw Garner’s shoulders tremble again.
“The only way to leave is by riding in his car.”
This short sentence was like a thunderbolt hitting Dr. Garner’s head.
He looked at Dijia fearfully, cowering in the corner as if he were a primary school chick caught cheating by the invigilator.
Dijia didn’t even look at him, staring straight at Bai Lixin.
“From night until dawn, the cold is biting and harmful. When the sun rises, it will bring warmth back to the earth. Leave at that time.”
The man’s eyes didn’t blink as he focused on Bai Lixin, but he addressed the doctor, “Doctor… Garner, can you leave first?”
Garner fled in a panic, leaving only Bai Lixin and Dijia in the room.
At this moment, Dijia seemed to release all his tension, and his tightly stretched shoulders drooped.
His eyelashes trembled, and when the droplets on them finally fell, they landed on the floor and formed irregular circles.
“You win, Bai Lixin.” The man let out a light sigh, reminiscent of a beast’s suppressed roar, “I will let you go. But you can only leave tomorrow morning, for now, go to bed honestly.”
He raised his hand to take off Bai Lixin’s mask, and his eyes wandered over every detail of Bai Lixin’s face bit by bit, as if he wanted to imprint it firmly in his mind.
This was a prison.
No one would return after leaving here.
Setting Bai Lixin free meant he would forever lose him forever.
He would never see this face again, never touch this person again.
This was their last meeting, they would never intersect again.
“I will come back.” The young man held Dijia’s hand tightly, his beautiful eyes looking into his sincerely. “I’m going out just to find the real culprit who stole the Kiss of the Sun. Once I find the culprit, I’ll come back. Trust me, I won’t lie to you.”
Dijia remained silent for a long time, and finally sighed, “Go to sleep.”
That night, the two lay in bed, embracing each other, and nothing else happened.
Bai Lixin nestled in Dijia’s arms, and Dijia held him tightly.
Throughout the night, Dijia never closed his eyes, his eyes with a cold gleam staring at the young man in his arms.
It wasn’t until the first rays of sunlight pierced through the tightly drawn curtains that Dijia got up alone, dressed, and left the room.
Ten minutes later, Bai Lixin also woke up.
Shortly after, the doctor knocked on the door, informing him that the car was ready, and they could leave at any time.
The car was parked in the backyard, and they didn’t disturb anyone when they got on.
The people in this prison were accustomed to the doctor leaving alone, so when this car left through the only gate, no one paid it any attention.
The car passed through the dark gate. As the solemn and desolate prison gradually faded away, Bai Lixin finally removed his mask and put it in his backpack.
“It seems like I underestimated the warden’s affection for you,” Dr. Garner said as he drove with a serious expression. “I was still sleeping this morning when the Lord Warden came to wake me up.”
“Guess what he told me?”
Bai Lixin turned back, “What did he tell you?”
Dr. Garner: “He told me to make sure I take you to a safe place. If I fail, he’ll take my dog life.”
“I asked him if he wanted to come and personally see you off. He said he couldn’t.”
“He said he was afraid that if he saw you getting into the car, he wouldn’t be able to resist keeping you and imprisoning you again.”
“Mr. X, you may not believe it when I say it.”
“I’ve known the warden for quite a few years, and it’s the first time I’ve seen him like someone so much that he’s willing to set him free.”
Dr. Garner paused and corrected himself, “No, he doesn’t just like you; he loves you.”
“Because of love, he overcame instinct, gave up his desires, and granted you freedom.”
“My God, our warden really loves you, very deeply.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Do you even need to tell me that?’
Dr. Garner: “Alright, tell me where you want to go.”
Bai Lixin: “Imperial Capital Museum.”
Dr. Garner tapped the accelerator twice. “Haha, you and the warden are really in true love. The warden also said something to me. If you want to go to the Imperial Capital Museum, he asked me to accompany you and protect you. I can return and report when you leave the museum. I thought you might change your mind after leaving the prison, but you still want to go to the Imperial Capital Museum. What’s the plan?”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘The plan is to complete the task and go back to my husband’s warm embrace.’
The prison was located in the suburbs of the Imperial Capital, and after leaving the prison, the surroundings were desolate and vast.
Dr. Garner drove for half an hour before villages and pedestrians gradually appeared.
They drove for another half an hour, and the buildings around them became increasingly magnificent, with a steady stream of people.
In just an hour’s drive, there was a stark contrast between the vibrant lights and the desolation.
Dr. Garner parked the vehicle in front of a majestic white-walled building.
The architecture bore a hint of religious style, exuding an overall noble and magnificent aura, giving the impression of a royal palace at first glance.
However, unlike a royal palace, pedestrians were streaming in continuously. Even if the royal palace were to open its gates to people, it wouldn’t open its doors to welcome the public.
Dr. Garner stopped the car and pointed to the entrance. “This is the Imperial Capital Museum. The Kiss of the Sun was kept on the third floor. If you’re really going to investigate, it’s appropriate for me to accompany you. I can be useful to you.”
Bai Lixin remained noncommittal to his words.
Dr. Garner was indeed useful.
As a trusted confidant of the queen, his words were more effective when dealing with people in the Imperial Capital Museum.
The museum required tickets for entry. Despite the big incident of the theft of the Kiss of the Sun, the Imperial Capital Museum remained open, welcoming visitors as usual.
However, the security system had been enhanced several times.
Bai Lixin didn’t have money to buy tickets; it was Dr. Garner who paid for them.
As the two stood in line with their tickets, Bai Lixin’s shoulder was tapped from behind.
Turning around, Bai Lixin saw Lin Xiao, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.
“You’re here,” Lin Xiao smiled at Bai Lixin mechanically.
He showed no surprise at Bai Lixin’s presence. Or to put it more accurately, his appearance here at this moment seemed to suggest that he had anticipated Bai Lixin’s arrival at this time and he intentionally waited in this place.
Bai Lixin: “Were you waiting for me?”
Lin Xiao: “Yes. But it’s not just me waiting for you. I think some people are even more eager to see you than I.”
Bai Lixin rolled his eyes. “It’s the fourth day already. Don’t tell me you still have no clues?”
Lin Xiao grinned, “Be confident and remove ‘don’t tell me’. Here, take this.”
He handed a palm-sized notebook to Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin took the notebook and casually asked as he flipped through it, “What’s this?”
Lin Xiao: “It’s the result of my investigation in the past few days. You can see if there’s anything I’ve missed.”
As they conversed, they gradually moved forward in the queue. Bai Lixin opened the notebook to the first page, where a few words were written in extremely neat regular script: Investigation Records.
He raised the note and shook it. “Did you write this?”
Lin Xiao: “Yes, is the handwriting okay? I’ve practiced for a long time, it’s etched into my muscle memory.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Okay? I would believe it if someone said it was “printed”.’
Bai Lixin scrutinized the writing and noticed a slight unevenness in the ink at the fine details before finally confirming that it was indeed handwritten.
