Suo Ran stood there for a moment, staring at nothing in particular, as if his mind hadn't quite caught up yet. Then he exhaled slowly and shifted his weight. "He really just left."
There was a faint disbelief in his voice, like he was still expecting the door to open again out of sheer inconvenience.It didn't ofcourse it didn't. Suo Ran clicked his tongue under his breath and turned away, running a hand through his hair. "Unbelievable."
He walked a few steps across the room, then stopped, then turned back again."Go ahead, send location, wait here…" he muttered,"What is this, some kind of field trip?"He paused before continued"Do I look like someone who waits obediently?"Suo Ran frowned slightly at the floor, then huffed a quiet breath. "And 'it's safer'…" he added under his breath. "Right. Because clearly he's the only one capable of surviving anything." He stopped near the table, fingers tapping lightly against the surface before stilling.His brows drew together faintly.
"Then what's actually bothering me?"
Suo Ran straightened a little,immediately dismissing the thought. "Nothing," he muttered, folding his arms loosely. "It's just him being annoying." A beat passed. "Again." He turned away and paced back toward the window, his steps slower than before. He leaned lightly against the glass, staring down at the streets below without really seeing them. "Splitting up for no reason," he continued quietly, irritation creeping into his voice. "Doesn't explain. Doesn't answer. Just decides." His gaze unfocused slightly. "And expects me to go along with it." A small scoff escaped him. "Yeah, that's not happening." But even as he said it, he hadn't followed. He was still here.
Suo Ran stilled slightly when he realized that. "Tch." He pushed himself away from the window and walked back toward the center of the room."Whatever." he muttered. "He said he'll send the location." A pause. "Eventually." Another pause. "Hopefully before next year." A faint, dry huff escaped him at his own remark, but the amusement disappeared almost immediately.His fingers twitched faintly at his side before he noticed and forced them still. "And what was that about?" His voice dropped slightly.
The memory didn't blur. If anything, it felt sharper now.Suo Ran frowned faintly. "He doesn't act like that without a reason." Which meant there was one. He just hadn't said it. "Or couldn't." Suo Ran added.He stopped near the table again, his gaze dropping briefly. "'What if I can't let go…'" Suo Ran let out a short breath. "That still doesn't make any sense." He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly dissatisfied. "Let go of what?" he muttered. "My wrist? That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?" A beat passed. Then, dryly, he added, "Should I be impressed?"
Suo Ran glanced away, his expression tightening slightly because he knew that wasn't what it had felt like. His jaw shifted faintly. "Then what was it?" The question remained unanswered, settling heavily in the quiet room. Suo Ran exhaled slowly and turned away again, pacing once more, though his steps were slower and more thoughtful now. "And now this," he added. "Leaving alone like that." A pause. "…Didn't even explain properly." Another pause. "…Didn't even look back." That last sentence came quieter, almost absent.
Suo Ran suddenly stopped mid-step. His brows drew together faintly, as if he had caught himself noticing something he shouldn't have. "Why does that matter?" He waited for an answer that could only come from himself. Nothing came. He looked away quickly and clicked his tongue. "It doesn't."Suo Ran walked back to the table, grabbed his bag, and unzipped it. This time, he actually started packing. "Fine." he muttered, folding a shirt badly before shoving it into the bag. "Go alone and Do whatever you want." He picked up another item and stuffed it inside. "See if I care." Another pause. "I don't." He stopped for half a second before adding flatly, "…At all." His hand remained against the edge of the bag, unmoving. "Tch."
Suo Ran straightened abruptly, as though annoyed with himself now. "This is stupid." He reached for his phone on the table and glanced at the screen. There was no message.Nothing from Cai Lang. Suo Ran stared at it for several seconds before unlocking it. He opened the chat and stared at the empty message box. His thumb hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he finally began typing. "Where are you?" He stopped.
Suo Ran stared at them, his expression shifting slightly. "What am I doing?" A second later, he deleted the message. The screen cleared. He stared at it for another moment before locking the phone and tossing it lightly back onto the table. "He said he'll send it," he muttered. "Then I'll wait." A pause followed. "Like he told me to." Suo Ran frowned slightly. "Since when do I listen to him?" He turned back toward the window, slower now, quieter. But this time, he didn't look outside. His own reflection met his gaze in the glass.For a long moment, he simply stared at himself. "This is temporary," he said under his breath. "Once we regroup, everything goes back to normal."Then, quieter, almost as if he needed to convince himself, he whispered, "Right?"
He was still standing near the table, still half-turned toward the door Cai Lang had walked out of,and something about him felt sharper now His phone vibrated. Suo Ran didn't react immediately. He glanced at it once, then looked away, only to look back again a second later. "If this isn't important..." he muttered, already reaching for it anyway. He picked it up,barely checking the screen before answering. "What?"There was a brief pause on the other end. Then Lian Ziho's voice came through, calm as always, but just slightly more attentive than usual. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"
Suo Ran exhaled and dragged a hand through his hair. "No."He closed his eyes briefly before correcting himself. "Yes." Another pause followed. "Something happened." Lian Ziho said. Suo Ran opened his eyes again, his expression tightening slightly. "Sorry." he said after a moment. "Didn't mean to snap." "That's fine." A small silence followed, and then Suo Ran added more quietly, "There are just some people I can't understand." Lian Ziho didn't hesitate. "You mean Cai Lang." Suo Ran let out a short breath, almost a laugh, though there wasn't much humor in it. "Who else?" "What happened?"
Suo Ran leaned back against the table, his gaze drifting briefly toward the door again before settling somewhere unfocused. "He told us to leave the hotel." "Us?" "Yeah." Lian Ziho paused. "Past tense?" Suo Ran's jaw tightened faintly. "He already left." There was a brief pause on the other end. ".He left already," Lian Ziho repeated. "Yeah." "Alone?" "Of course alone." Suo Ran replied dryly. "Apparently that's his new habit." Another faint pause followed. "Did he say why?" "No." "Not at all?" "He said there's a reason," Suo Ran replied, his tone flattening slightly again. "Then didn't explain it." Lian Ziho asked, "And you let him go?" Suo Ran's expression shifted just slightly. "What was I supposed to do, tie him to a chair?" he shot back. "He already decided." "That's not what I meant." Suo Ran's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then what did you mean?"
Lian Ziho's voice became more careful. "Did anything happen before he left?" Suo Ran's grip on the phone tightened faintly. "No...He just asked me to wait for you and Jun Wei," Suo Ran added instead, deliberately redirecting the conversation. "Said I should come with you later after he sends the location." "When?" "He didn't say." "Where is he going?" "I don't know." "Why didn't he tell you?"
Suo Ran let out a quiet, humorless breath. "That's a great question." Lian Ziho's voice lowered slightly. "Is something happening? Something he didn't want to say?" Suo Ran frowned faintly, his gaze dropping toward the floor. "He said nothing." "That doesn't mean nothing is happening." "I know that." Suo Ran snapped lightly, irritation returning to his voice. "But he didn't explain anything. Just decided and left." A pause followed. "That's not like him." Lian Ziho said quietly.
Suo Ran's expression hardened for a moment. "No," he muttered. "It's not." Another silence settled between them before Lian Ziho asked, "When are we leaving?" Suo Ran blinked faintly at the sudden shift. "Leaving?" "Yes." Suo Ran looked toward the bags lying nearby. "Now, apparently." "And where are we going?" Suo Ran laughed with disbelief. "I don't know." A beat passed. "You don't know." "No." "He didn't tell you." "No." "Suo Ran's expression darkened slightly before he said flatly, "Ask your friend Cai Lang. He didn't explain anything to me."
Suo Ran stared at the floor, his fingers tightening around the phone. Then, sharper than he intended, he said, "I'm nothing in his eyes anyway."The moment they left his mouth, Suo Ran stilled. That wasn't what he meant to say. The line remained quiet for a second too long. Then Lian Ziho spoke, his voice calm but firm. "That's not true." Suo Ran let out a quiet breath and shook his head slightly even though Lian Ziho couldn't see him. "You didn't hear him." "I don't need to." "Yeah, you do." Suo Ran muttered. "Because from where I was standing, it sounded pretty clear." "What did he say?" "He didn't say anything," Suo Ran replied. His eyes lowered. "That's the point." A pause followed. "Explain."
Suo Ran pushed himself away from the table and began pacing slowly across the room. "He just decided." he said, his tone tightening slightly. "Said 'stay here.' 'wait for them,' 'it's safer,' like I'm just supposed to listen without asking why." Lian Ziho remained silent for a moment before answering. "That doesn't sound like he's dismissing you." Suo Ran stopped walking. "It sounds like he doesn't trust me." "That's different." Suo Ran's brows drew together. "Is it?" "Yes." Suo Ran looked toward the closed door again. "Then what is it?" This time Lian Ziho didn't answer immediately because there wasn't an easy answer. Finally, he spoke slowly. "If he didn't trust you, he wouldn't have told you to stay. He would've told you to leave."
Suo Ran frowned slightly. "That doesn't make sense." "It does." "How?" "Think about it,"Lian Ziho continued calmly. "If something is actually dangerous, splitting up only makes sense if he's trying to control the risk." Suo Ran's expression shifted slightly as the words settled in. "So what, he's taking the risk himself?" "Possibly." "That's stupid." "Maybe." "Not maybe." Suo Ran said flatly, his irritation returning. "It is." A faint pause followed. Then Lian Ziho said quietly, "Unless he thinks it's necessary."
That quieted him. Suo Ran exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through his hair again as he leaned against the edge of the table. "He could've just said that." "Yes." "But he didn't." "No." Suo Ran's fingers tapped lightly against the table, his irritation returning. "So what now?" he asked. Lian Ziho answered calmly, "We regroup." Suo Ran frowned. "With what information?" "Whatever we have." "That's not much." "It's enough."
Suo Ran scoffed lightly, shaking his head. "You're starting to sound like him." There was a faint pause before Lian Ziho replied, "I'll take that as a compliment." Suo Ran rolled his eyes. "You shouldn't." A faint pause followed. Then Lian Ziho said, "Jun Wei wants to say something." Before Suo Ran could respond, a familiar voice suddenly cut through the phone, loud and immediate. "Gege!!" Jun Wei sounded far too energetic for someone who had supposedly been at school. Suo Ran immediately pulled the phone slightly away from his ear. "Lower your voice." "Why does it sound like everything went wrong the moment we left?" Jun Wei asked suspiciously.
Suo Ran's mouth twitched. "Because it did." "I knew it." Jun Wei muttered dramatically. "I knew something was off." Suo Ran sighed. "You say that about everything." "Because everything is off!" Jun Wei insisted. "That's not how that works." "It is for me!" Suo Ran let out a quiet breath, and despite himself, the edge in his expression eased slightly. He rubbed his forehead and asked, "Why aren't you in class?" "Our math teacher is sick, so we left early."
Suo Ran narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You are not lying, right?" "I'm a good boy! I don't like lying." Suo Ran's expression softened a little. "That's good." There was a brief pause before Jun Wei suddenly asked, "Gege, you said angry gege left alone? Where did he go?" Suo Ran's eyebrows shot up. "JUN WEI." His voice carried a clear warning. "Is this how a good boy talks about elders?" "Sorry, Gege." Jun Wei replied quickly. "I didn't mean it!" Suo Ran sighed and shook his head. "You really need to learn when to stop talking."
Jun Wei went quiet for a moment before asking more softly, "Are we leaving again?" Suo Ran's expression changed slightly. "Yeah." "Why again?"Suo Ran looked toward the closed door, his eyes lingering there for a moment. "Precaution." Jun Wei didn't sound convinced. "You okay?" Suo Ran stilled slightly. His fingers stopped tapping against the table. "Why wouldn't I be?" Jun Wei said quickly. "You just sound... I don't know. More annoyed than usual." Suo Ran let out a quiet breath. "I am annoyed." "Yeah, but this feels different."
Suo Ran didn't immediately answer. His gaze dropped toward the floor, and for a second, the image of Cai Lang holding his wrist flashed through his mind. He quickly pushed it away. "You're imagining things." "I'm not." "You are." "I'm good at noticing things." Suo Ran sighed. "You're too observant for your own good." The line shifted again as Lian Ziho took the phone back. "We'll meet soon." he said calmly. "Stay where you are for now." Suo Ran frowned slightly. "...He told me to stay too." "And?" "And I don't like it." "I know." Suo Ran looked toward the door again, his expression tightening. "But I don't like being told to wait without knowing anything." Lian Ziho's voice remained calm. "I understand." A pause. "But do it anyway." Suo Ran exhaled slowly, clearly unhappy with the answer. "Fine." "Good." "And if he doesn't send anything?" "He will."
Suo Ran raised an eyebrow even though Lian Ziho couldn't see him. "You're very confident." "Yes." "Annoyingly so." "I've been told." A faint pause followed. Then Lian Ziho's voice became slightly quieter. "...Suo Ran." "What." "Don't overthink it." Suo Ran stilled. His eyes drifted toward the door once more. "...Too late." The call ended not long after that. The room fell quiet again, but this time the silence felt different. Suo Ran slowly lowered his phone and stared at the blank screen. His expression remained thoughtful for several seconds before he muttered, "Everyone keeps telling me not to think about it." He sighed. "And somehow that makes me think about it more."
Elsewhere, Cai Lang didn't stop walking. The street stretched ahead of him, steady and unchanging, but his pace remained consistent, measured, controlled. His bag rested against his shoulder, his grip firm around the strap. His expression was unreadable, but his thoughts were anything but still. "Not being able to let go," he murmured quietly under his breath. The words sounded different now, as if he were testing them himself. His fingers flexed slightly, remembering the warmth beneath his hand, then stilled again. "That wasn't supposed to happen." His jaw tightened faintly.
For a moment, his eyes lowered toward the pavement. "How can I face him now?" he murmured, almost too quietly for anyone nearby to hear. His gaze shifted slightly to the side, scanning the street without fully turning his head. Nothing unusual. No suspicious vehicles. No familiar faces. And yet he didn't relax. "If it spreads..." The thought didn't finish. It didn't need to. His expression hardened. "Then distance is better." Another step. "...Safer." His fingers tightened around the strap. "For now." But even as he said it, something in his expression shifted. Because he knew that wasn't the full reason. He looked ahead again, his face returning to its usual calm. "...It's easier alone." he said quietly. A beat passed. Then, almost inaudibly, "Right?"
Cai Lang slowed. His steps became less certain for only a moment before he forced himself forward again. Cai Lang's steps were steady, the strap of his bag brushing lightly against his shoulder. His mind, however, wasn't on the streets, on the moving crowd, or even the familiar pattern of his route. It was on the phone in his pocket. He didn't need to check it. He already knew who it was. The call came through just as he passed the corner near the small convenience store. He didn't answer immediately, just let the vibration settle against his leg. His eyes lowered briefly toward the screen. A quick glance confirmed it: Lian Ziho. "Already informed him."
Cai Lang murmured under his breath. His expression remained unchanged. "Great." He slipped one hand into his pocket and continued walking for another few steps before finally stopping beside the storefront. "Not that it matters." He pulled the phone out and answered, his voice low and calm. "Hello?" "Cai Lang? Are you listening?" Lian Ziho's voice came through sharp, precise, almost testing him. Cai Lang's gaze moved across the street as he replied immediately, "Yes." "What Suo Ran said. It's true?" "Yes," he said without thinking. His expression remained controlled. "It's for our safety." There was a pause on the other end. Cai Lang could almost hear Lian Ziho considering his answer. Then Lian Ziho asked cautiously, "Only for safety reasons, nothing else, right?"
Cai Lang's eyes narrowed faintly as he resumed walking, his pace unhurried. The question wasn't unexpected, but he didn't appreciate how close it came to something he didn't want to discuss. He waited a moment before answering, "Of course. What else should it be?" His tone was firm, almost natural. He didn't want to give more. He didn't want to allow curiosity to lead the conversation somewhere it shouldn't. Lian Ziho remained silent for a second before asking, "Where are we going now?" There was a slight tremor of curiosity in his voice, and Cai Lang noticed it immediately. His expression didn't change, but his thoughts briefly flickered toward the apartment he called home. He slowed slightly. "My house." There was a faint, surprised intake of breath from the other end. "Your house? Are you sure?"
Cai Lang looked ahead, his eyes settling on the road leading toward his neighborhood. "Yes," he said evenly. "We'll go to my home." His voice remained calm, but his fingers tightened slightly around the phone. "You can come with Suo Ran and Jun Wei. I'll be there." Another pause followed. Then Lian Ziho's voice softened slightly, almost like a note of relief. "Okay... I have something to do. See you at home." Cai Lang's gaze lowered for a moment. "Fine." The call ended. He lowered the phone slowly and slipped it back into his pocket.
For several seconds, he remained still on the sidewalk.His eyes darkened slightly. "This is better," he murmured. "Keep your distance."Suo Ran had just set his bag down again when his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and immediately recognized Lian Ziho's name. His brows lifted slightly, and he rolled his eyes before answering. "What now?" "Suo Ran," Lian Ziho said, his voice quick, "just to confirm… Cai Lang said he wants to go to his house. Not some temporary place, his actual home."
Suo Ran froze mid-step, his phone still pressed to his ear. His expression changed instantly. "His… house?" He straightened slowly. "You're serious?" "Yeah. He said it himself. He'll be there first. You, me, and Jun Wei follow after. He'll text the location if anything changes." Suo Ran stared at the floor for a moment, then dragged a hand through his hair with a frustrated sigh. "…Unbelievable. Of course he does something like this. Leaves the hotel, doesn't explain, and now expects us to just… follow him to his home?" Lian Ziho remained calm on the other end. "Exactly. You okay?"
Suo Ran leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, his jaw tightening slightly. "Okay? Sure. Fine. Totally fine. It's not like I needed explanations anyway." His tone was clipped, but his eyes drifted toward the door as his thoughts betrayed him. I don't even know why it bothers me so much. He's always like this… but something about him leaving like that feels different. "And Jun Wei?" Lian Ziho asked. "Is he ready?" Suo Ran groaned softly and rubbed his forehead. "He'll be bouncing off the walls, as usual." A reluctant smile tugged briefly at the corner of his mouth. "I guess I'll corral him. Or try." "Alright," Lian Ziho said. "Then let's meet him at the car in twenty minutes."
Suo Ran clicked his tongue and glanced at the clock. "Right. Twenty minutes. No idea where he's going, but okay. Great plan." He ended the call and tossed the phone onto the table. Before he could take another step, a small face peeked around the corner. Jun Wei blinked at him curiously. "Are we going to a castle?" Suo Ran stared at him for a second before crouching slightly to meet his eyes. "Nope." He sighed. "Just Cai Lang Ge's home." Jun Wei's eyes immediately widened with excitement. "His home? Can I see his secret treasures?!"
Suo Ran couldn't help the quiet chuckle that escaped him. "Maybe. If we survive the journey there first." Jun Wei giggled and grabbed Suo Ran's sleeve. "I like adventures! Can I run super fast?" "You can try," Suo Ran replied dryly, shaking his head. "Just don't get lost." Jun Wei nodded enthusiastically. "I won't!" Suo Ran gave him a doubtful look. "That's exactly what someone who gets lost would say." Jun Wei puffed out his cheeks. "I don't get lost!" "You got lost yesterday." "That was different!" Lian Ziho, already waiting near the door, glanced back at them with faint amusement. "We're leaving."
Jun Wei immediately grabbed his bag. "Coming!" The trio gathered their things and headed out, Jun Wei bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet while Suo Ran muttered under his breath and Lian Ziho calmly led the way.Suo Ran's his fingers briefly tightening around his bag strap.
The city lights flickered softly across the pavement as they walked. Jun Wei's voice broke through Suo Ran's thoughts. "Do you think he has a giant TV?" Suo Ran glanced down at him. "Probably." Jun Wei's eyes brightened. "Or a secret lab?" Suo Ran shot him a mock glare. "Secret lab? Really? He's not a super villain, you know." Jun Wei looked genuinely scandalized. "Not a super villain? Then he must be a super spy!" Lian Ziho rolled his eyes, though a faint smile appeared on his face. "Spy or not, he'll probably just make us sit in his apartment like ordinary humans." Suo Ran snorted. "…Extraordinary humans following orders again." Jun Wei pouted. "I like following orders! Sometimes!"
Suo Ran glanced at him with an amused expression. "Sometimes, huh? You're going to be the most obedient kid on the planet, then." Jun Wei proudly lifted his chin. "I already am!" Lian Ziho quietly laughed. "Don't let him hear you say that." The trio continued walking, Suo Ran occasionally glancing at his phone, waiting for a message from Cai Lang. Nothing came. His brows furrowed slightly each time the screen remained empty. Of course he wouldn't text. Not until he's ready...
Finally, they reached the apartment building. The street was quiet,and the evening breeze stirred gently through the trees lining the pavement.Lian Ziho stepped ahead and examined the door before crouching slightly. "Alright." He touched the handle. "Key's in the lock." Suo Ran raised an eyebrow. "He really just leaves the key?" Lian Ziho looked back at him with a faint smirk. "Seems like it. Guess he trusts us not to destroy the place." Jun Wei immediately jumped up and down. "We get to go inside! I wanna see!" Suo Ran gave him a warning look. "Somehow I doubt you're going to see much besides… furniture." Jun Wei gasped dramatically. "Furniture can be adventures too!" Suo Ran stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. "You really can make anything sound exciting."
Lian Ziho unlocked the door. With a soft click, it swung open. The apartment was empty, quiet, and orderly.Suo Ran stepped inside first and slowly scanned the room. His eyes moved across the furniture, the shelves, the clean surfaces, searching almost instinctively. "He's not here yet." Jun Wei stepped inside behind him and looked around with wide eyes. "Then where is he?" He suddenly looked concerned. "Did the dragons eat him?" Suo Ran turned toward him, one eyebrow raised. "No dragons. Just him doing whatever he does."
Lian Ziho entered last and closed the door gently behind them. He glanced around the apartment. "Probably planning something. He always does." Suo Ran leaned against the counter and folded his arms. "And never explains it to anyone." Jun Wei flopped onto the sofa and kicked his feet lightly. "I hope he comes soon! I'm hungry and ready for adventures!" Suo Ran glanced at him. "…Adventures are a lot more fun when someone explains them first." Lian Ziho smirked faintly. "Or when you don't follow orders blindly." Suo Ran rolled his eyes. "…Yeah, yeah. Blind obedience is my specialty." Jun Wei giggled. "Mine too!" "Don't encourage him." Suo Ran muttered.
The three of them settled into the apartment, waiting. The room remained quiet and orderly, but Suo Ran's thoughts drifted again toward Cai Lang. He glanced toward the door once more. Why haven't you come back yet?...He frowned at himself immediately. "Tch." Jun Wei looked over. "What?" Suo Ran straightened. "Nothing." Before Jun Wei could ask again, a sudden, sharp knock struck the door.
All three of them turned toward it. Jun Wei sat upright on the sofa. Lian Ziho's expression became alert instantly. Suo Ran's body reacted before his mind did. His hand moved toward the door handle, his shoulders tightening slightly. He glanced briefly at Lian Ziho. Lian Ziho gave the smallest nod.Suo Ran slowly opened the door and already prepared to complain. The words were almost at the tip of his tongue when he saw Cai Lang standing outside. His bag hung over one shoulder. "You're finally—" Suo Ran stopped.Someone stepped out from behind Cai Lang. Suo Ran's eyes shifted immediately.
The man was tall and striking, dressed in a long dark coat that fell neatly around his frame, a muted scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. He wore pair of thin-framed glasses.His dark hair was neatly styled, a few strands falling naturally across his forehead. He didn't speak. He simply stood beside Cai Lang, one hand resting inside his coat pocket, his gaze moving quietly toward Suo Ran. Suo Ran's expression slowly changed. The complaint he had been about to make disappeared completely. His eyes traveled briefly from the man's coat to the glasses.