While Huo Ranyin was painstakingly working on the case, Ji Xun had already arrived at Huo Ranyin’s home.
This time, he had first swung by his own home to grab some clean clothes before coming to Huo Ranyin’s. He had a premonition that the amount of time he would be sleeping here in the future would not be small…
He took a very comfortable hot bath. While soaking, he thought about how Huo Ranyin was probably still diligently interrogating criminals, organizing case files, and writing reports. The hot water he was soaking in felt even more comforting, and the red wine in the glass became even more mellow and rich.
He picked up his phone with his wet hand, moved it back and forth, found a good angle to capture the wine glass and the edge of the bathtub, and then sent the photo to Huo Ranyin.
Ten minutes later, a message came from Huo Ranyin.
“…”
Just a simple ellipsis. He was completely too lazy to talk to Ji Xun.
Showed off. Satisfied.
Ji Xun hummed a tune as he got out of the bathtub, wrapped a bathrobe around himself, and when he came out of the bathroom and wanted to stretch his fingers to type a few lines, he suddenly realized… he had clearly gone back home to get clean clothes, but he had forgotten to bring his computer.
His novel…
Forget it. Anyway, it’s only the eighth day of the new year. It’s only right to rest for a few more days.
Ji Xun quickly found an excuse for himself. Since there was nothing to do, he wandered around and began to observe Huo Ranyin’s home. Just as he had seen last time, the plastic film on the sofa had not been torn off. However, the box that had been in the corner had finally deigned to move, and was now in the study.
Forget it, I’ll do it.
After all, I’m going to use this house too.
Ji Xun comforted himself with a not-so-sincere thought, rolled up his sleeves, and began to tear off the plastic film on the sofa. This was a simple task with no technical content, and it was done in a flash.
Underneath the plastic film was a leather sofa with the soft touch. Whether sitting or touching, the feel was very good. Ji Xun patted the sofa with satisfaction and then went to the study to deal with those few boxes.
The boxes were basically all unpacked. They were all full of books. More than half of the books had already been placed on the bookshelf, with only a third remaining, still scattered in the boxes.
Ji Xun glanced at the bookshelf and the boxes and found that most of these books were professional books, such as “Forensic Science Technology,” “Exploring Mysterious Cases,” and “Personality Psychology.”
Ji Xun was familiar with these books.
He had many of the same books at home.
He casually took out the remaining books and organized them into the cabinet. It didn’t take much time. He then took two steps back to admire his work. Perhaps because there were too many familiar books, as he looked, Ji Xun couldn’t help but glance at the equally empty desk in the study.
If I put a computer here first, and then hide a small blackboard behind the curtains, it could actually be used as a study…
He thought as he bent down to pick up the last book in the box.
It was a copy of “Personality Psychology.” This book was the oldest-looking one in Huo Ranyin’s pile of books. Although it was still well-preserved, it was obvious that it had been flipped through many times, and the book glue was a little loose.
Ji Xun was extra careful when he took this book out. Just then, a workbook with a kraft paper cover slid out from inside the book.
Ji Xun was momentarily dazed, but quickly came to his senses and realized that this was the workbook from Huo Ranyin’s avatar.
He picked up the workbook.
His fingers brushed across the cover of the workbook.
This workbook had been used. Anyone who held it would come to this conclusion. There were creases on its cover, stains, and the grease from being touched by fingers for a long time. It might not have been well cared for when it was first used. The corners of each page were curled up, and then at some unknown time, they were pressed flat again.
Ji Xun opened the workbook.
This workbook had also been opened often. The repeated actions, again and again, had left deep marks on the workbook. Ji Xun’s hand was guided by the workbook and opened to the page that was most frequently opened by its owner.
At 1:12 AM, Huo Ranyin finished all his work and arrived at his own doorstep.
The sensor light in the corridor lit up in response. The security door of his home was tightly closed, but through the peephole on the door, a very faint light could be seen. This light seemed to indicate that as long as he opened the door, he could open a gift box and receive a gift he liked.
Perhaps it was with this expectation that Huo Ranyin’s raised hand felt much lighter. He gently opened the security door and then saw—saw Ji Xun, leaning against the door frame, waiting for him.
Astonishment struck Huo Ranyin in the first instance, but what appeared even faster than astonishment was the surprise that lit up Huo Ranyin’s eyebrows.
“Waiting for me?”
“Of course,” Ji Xun smiled. “In your home, what else would I do but wait for you?”
After he finished speaking, he stood up straight and opened his arms.
“Welcome home. You’ve worked hard.”
A light embrace surrounded Huo Ranyin’s body. Ji Xun was wearing a set of sky-blue pajamas embroidered with small golden stars. It’s my favorite color, Huo Ranyin thought. This embrace was very warm, carrying the temperature of the room, and it instantly dispelled the coldness that enveloped Huo Ranyin.
He was bewitched by this warmth and actually forgot how he had closed the main door, walked through the corridor, and returned to the bedroom.
It wasn’t until Ji Xun lay down on the bed, pulled out a hand, and beckoned Huo Ranyin to come up as well, that Huo Ranyin suddenly came to his senses.
Huo Ranyin said, “I haven’t taken a shower yet.”
Ji Xun: “It’s just to sleep with me, literally. No need for a shower.”
Huo Ranyin had to say, “Then I have to change my clothes, right?”
Ji Xun nudged his chin towards the end of the bed. “I’ve gotten them for you.”
Huo Ranyin looked up and saw that there was indeed a set of pajamas on the bench at the end of the bed.
Huo Ranyin: “You want me to change in front of you?”
“We’ve seen everything anyway…” Ji Xun said halfway, but then thought that even if they had seen everything, he might not be able to resist the temptation, so he changed his words. “I can close my eyes, I promise not to peek. If you’re not at ease, you can blindfold me.”
Huo Ranyin looked at the serious-looking Ji Xun and walked to the end of the bed to get his clothes.
With his back to Ji Xun, he could feel Ji Xun’s gaze, like a small brush, brushing up and down, back and forth on his clothes.
Huo Ranyin felt his clothes tighten a bit. “Didn’t you promise not to look at me?”
Ji Xun: “I promise not to look when you start taking off your clothes.”
Huo Ranyin: “Ji Xun—”
He turned around and met Ji Xun’s gaze.
In those eyes, there was none of the teasing Huo Ranyin had expected. Instead, they were very calm, very quiet, like the eyes of the night.
The eyes of the night, peeking into the darkness.
Huo Ranyin was slightly taken aback.
“Oh, are you angry?” Ji Xun smiled. “Then I’ll close my eyes now, okay?”
As he spoke, he really did close his eyes and stopped looking at Huo Ranyin.
That little bit of strangeness that had just emerged disappeared silently from Huo Ranyin’s heart.
Huo Ranyin threw a blanket that was with the clothes over to cover Ji Xun, and at the same time, he took his clothes and walked into the bathroom.
No matter what, it was impossible not to wash up before bed. But thinking of Ji Xun lying on the master bedroom bed, Huo Ranyin’s movements were a bit faster. Changing clothes, washing up, and drying his hair took a total of just over ten minutes.
When Huo Ranyin came out of the bathroom again, Ji Xun said, “I’ve mixed a new drink for you, black tea mixed with gin.”
Huo Ranyin looked forward.
Besides the blanket he had just thrown over being gone, Ji Xun was still lying on the bed in the exact same position as before. It was as if the glass of wine that was now on the bedside table had flown in out of thin air.
Huo Ranyin picked up the wine glass. Under the light, in the amber color of the gin, the faint golden red of the black tea could be vaguely seen.
Huo Ranyin took a sip. He could taste the tea. “The tea has been steeping for quite some time, hasn’t it?”
Ji Xun: “Mm-hmm.”
Huo Ranyin: “Why did you suddenly mix a drink for me?”
And you even waited for me at the door.
The remaining half of the sentence was still hidden on the tip of his tongue. Doused with wine, it was a little spicy, a little bitter, and then mixed with a long aftertaste of slight intoxication.
“I was idle anyway—alright,” Ji Xun’s tone changed, and he pulled out a hand to pat the bed. “You’ve had your bedtime drink, so hurry up and get into bed.”
Huo Ranyin leaned against the wall, not moving.
“Won’t you be unable to sleep like this?”
“I can’t sleep anyway, so don’t be so picky,” Ji Xun said casually. “Or do you not want to sleep with me?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to.”
The drink Ji Xun had mixed was not much. The wine glass was less than a third full. Huo Ranyin didn’t even feel slightly drunk after finishing it. He put down the wine glass and lay down on Ji Xun’s bed. “I just feel that you seem a little different tonight.”
“Where am I different?” Ji Xun asked. His heart tightened slightly.
This sense of vigilance was just like when he had faced any cunning and vicious enemy in the past.
“Well, there’s a certain…” However, Huo Ranyin said, “Enthusiasm, I guess.”
Ji Xun’s heart relaxed. In contrast, his shoulder felt a weight.
Huo Ranyin, who had gotten into bed, turned over. Their slight height difference allowed Huo Ranyin’s chin to rest on his shoulder. Huo Ranyin said, “It’s still not too late to back out now. You can go sleep in the guest room. I can sleep in the guest room too.”
“…No regrets. Just like this. I want to hold you and sleep tonight,” Ji Xun said. “You’ve solved another case today. I have to give you some reward, and also give myself some reward.”
Huo Ranyin snorted with a laugh.
Because his head was buried in Ji Xun’s shoulder and neck, this snort, which should have been quite cool, first bumped around dizzily on Ji Xun’s neck, then stumbled around in their hair, and by the time it finally escaped into the air, it had turned into a soft, coquettish hum.
Ji Xun couldn’t help but laugh.
Huo Ranyin also felt that his hum was not very dignified. He closed his eyes.
It had been a long time since Huo Ranyin had slept with someone. He had originally thought he wouldn’t sleep so well tonight, but unexpectedly, in this bed with the scent of another person, his defenses, like a heavy suit of armor, fell off him. Fatigue attacked his body, which had begun to feel relaxed.
“Gao Shuang and Zhuo Cangying are having a joint funeral tomorrow,” Ji Xun said suddenly. “I plan to go and see.”
“Is that necessary?…” Huo Ranyin’s voice was also laced with weariness. “The case is closed.”
“I plan to go see Xiao Jun. He should be at the funeral.”
“…Is that so,” Huo Ranyin became a little more awake. “If I have time tomorrow, I’ll go and see too.”
“Mm.”
Then Ji Xun said no more. Neither did Huo Ranyin. Fatigue had already, without a doubt, pushed him into a dream.
Ji Xun was not asleep.
He listened to the long and shallow breathing of Huo Ranyin by his ear, looked at the window, and outside the dark, dark window, an invisible shadow was guarding. The shadow held a magic eraser in its hand, repeatedly wiping the window, wiping away the darkness that enveloped the window, layer by layer, until the sky was bright.
The sky had brightened.
