[02/28, 23:46, Muli City People’s Hospital]
Xiao Shitou slowly opened his eyes. In front of him was a glaring, dazzling white light, and the environment around him was noisy, filled with mechanical sounds from machines, whispered conversations, and the constant sound of footsteps moving back and forth. He moved his fingers slightly, and a voice immediately came from beside him: “Xiao Shitou, you’re awake? How do you feel?”
Xiao Shitou nodded, still feeling groggy. The young man sitting by his side looked somewhat familiar. After a moment, he remembered—it was Jian Ru from the second team of Haijing’s criminal investigation unit, a subordinate of Lin Heyu.
Jian Ru helped him sit up and asked if he wanted some water. Xiao Shitou quickly shook his head. After swallowing so much water in the river, his stomach felt terrible, and even hearing the word “water” made him nauseous.
“Where is this place?”
“Muli City People’s Hospital,” Jian Ru glanced at his phone. “You fainted from choking on water, so you were brought here for an examination. The doctor said there’s nothing wrong. As long as you’re awake, you can go home.”
Xiao Shitou didn’t care about his own condition and urgently asked, “What about the little girl who was with me? How is she? She hit her head and was bleeding…”
Jian Ru remained silent, and Xiao Shitou started to panic. He lifted the blanket, about to get out of bed, “Which room is she in? I need to see her!”
“Xiao Shitou, first tell me, who exactly is she?”
Since Gardenia had already been found, Xiao Shitou saw no reason to hide the truth any longer and answered honestly, “She’s my sister. She’s also an orphan. We were both accidentally captured. For her safety, I let her blend in with the kindergarten students.”
As expected, the truth was not far from Jian Ru’s suspicions.
That afternoon, when Zou Bin returned from the forensics department, Jian Ru went with him and happened to overhear Captain Sheng on a phone call. Tao Tao was indeed an extra hostage, and she had a deep connection with Xiao Shitou. The two of them were likely orphans who were kidnapped together by mistake.
“Why didn’t you tell the uncle and aunt about such an important thing?” Jian Ru thought for a moment, then rephrased his question, “Or rather, why did you only tell Captain Lin, but didn’t want to let us know?”
Xiao Shitou looked directly at him, calm and unflinching, his tone growing colder, “I didn’t trust you. To the kidnappers, we had no value; to you, we weren’t a priority for rescue.”
Jian Ru immediately refuted, “Who says that? We are the people’s police. Maintaining the safety of society is our duty, and every citizen falls within our responsibility.”
“The day after I was rescued, the parents of a hostage came to the police station and caused a scene. That day, you happened to be taking my statement.”
He had been placed in a waiting room that day, with a policewoman patiently communicating with him, asking about what had happened during the kidnapping. He had been hesitating in his heart about whether to tell the police about Gardenia. Suddenly, the waiting room became chaotic, with shouts and arguments so loud that not even the walls or door could block them out.
It turned out that the parents of one of the hostages, along with their relatives, had come to the station and immediately accused the Haijing police of incompetence, claiming the police had treated the case with negligence, and had carelessly saved an orphan instead of focusing on the real hostages. They had even brought a reporter with them, who was aggressive in questioning. The public relations department took turns handling the situation, and even the chief investigator came out to explain everything clearly, but the family wouldn’t listen. The elderly relatives sat on the floor, crying and causing a scene, demanding their grandson. The entire station descended into chaos.
Xiao Shitou bit his lip hard. In the eyes of these wealthy people, they were as insignificant as dust. How could their lives be compared to those of the wealthy young masters and ladies? Even if they were lucky enough to be rescued, they wouldn’t be shown any care or blessings. Instead, they were blamed for taking up an important rescue slot, which they believed had cost their child a chance at survival.
Faced with the media, the police maintained an upright attitude, but Xiao Shitou clearly saw the decay and corruption hidden beneath the surface of society. Apart from the police officer who had saved him, there was no one else he could trust.
Thus, he decided to remain silent, pretending to be deaf and mute, only confiding his true thoughts to Lin Heyu, believing that only Lin Heyu could truly help him save Gardenia.
Seeing Xiao Shitou’s stubborn and guarded expression, Jian Ru sighed helplessly. This child, at an age when he should be enjoying a carefree childhood, had been exposed too early to the darker sides of society. He was forced into a position where he had no choice but to grow defensive spikes to protect himself and those around him.
Jian Ru gently patted Xiao Shitou’s black hair, his tone soft and warm, “Xiao Shitou, I know it’s hard for you to trust others, but you’re still young. For now, why not lean on us a little? When you grow up and can truly stand on your own, then you can take on everything yourself.”
Xiao Shitou looked up, locking eyes with Jian Ru, then lowered his gaze after a moment, “I want to see Gardenia.”
“Uh… are you feeling dizzy? Maybe you should sleep a little longer?” Jian Ru stood up. “I’ll call the doctor to check on you.”
“No need, I’m not dizzy anymore.”
“Do you want something to eat? I can go buy it for you.”
“No, I don’t. Is Gardenia… is she…” Xiao Shitou’s breath caught as he thought of the worst possibility, and he moved to get out of bed barefoot. Jian Ru quickly stopped him, “No, no, it’s not what you’re thinking! She’s not even in the hospital!”
“Not here?” Xiao Shitou froze and grabbed Jian Ru’s sleeve. “How can she not be here? She fell into the river with me! She was rescued too!”
Jian Ru didn’t know how to explain. He wasn’t clear on the details either, but all he knew was that there had been a shooting near the river, and Gardenia and the person who saved her had fallen back into the river and hadn’t been found yet.
Yi Shi had been shot, and Gardenia was injured—whether they were alive or dead was unknown…
Xiao Shitou was no longer panicking but sat there, dazed. Jian Ru called a doctor, and Xiao Shitou acted like a beautiful doll, letting himself be handled during the examination. When it was over, the doctor left, and silence returned to the room.
Late into the night, Lin Heyu finally pushed open the door, walking in with a weary expression. Jian Ru quickly briefed him on Xiao Shitou’s condition before leaving the room. After closing the door, he let out a sigh of relief: thankfully, Captain Lin had arrived. Sitting beside Xiao Shitou felt like sitting next to a rock; the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
Xiao Shitou lifted his head, his face pale, and tears poured silently down his cheeks. He said nothing, just cried quietly. Lin Heyu sat by the bed, gently wiping away the endless stream of tears, “Don’t cry. You have to believe in him. He and Gardenia will be fine.”
After all, that’s the future version of you. You’re bound to save your sister.
Though it sounded absurd, all the signs pointed to this strange reality. It wasn’t just their similar facial features and outlines, but also their extraordinary maturity and resilience. The similarities between them were too many to ignore, making it hard not to believe they were the same person—just one from the present and one from the future.
But Lin Heyu didn’t plan to tell Xiao Shitou this. For now, he treated them as two separate individuals. After all, there was a significant difference in how Xiao Shitou and Yi Shi interacted with others; their personalities were entirely distinct.
Though Xiao Shitou was quiet, at most, he gave off an overly calm vibe. There was none of the coldness of a howling northern wind. He could laugh, cry, feel joy, and fear. His emotions were appropriate for the given situations, reflecting a normal person’s feelings. Yi Shi, on the other hand, was like a stone encased in ice, keeping everyone at a distance with an automatic aura of rejection. His exquisite face was like a mask, showing no emotions—no joy, no anger, no likes or dislikes, no sorrow, not even any care for life or death. It was as though all human feelings had been stripped away from him.
Lin Heyu was curious about what could have caused such a drastic change. Even the sunny Lin Zhizhi couldn’t melt the iceberg around him, so what ocean had brought him here?
“Can I really trust him…” Xiao Shitou’s voice trembled, “He was shot, and Gardenia can’t swim. They… they…”
“They’ll be fine.”
This wasn’t just to encourage Xiao Shitou; it was also a psychological reassurance for himself.
Yi Shi had been shot and fell into the river right in front of Lin Heyu. He couldn’t stay calm at all, and the only reason he could now so composedly comfort Xiao Shitou was because, on his way to the hospital, he had done countless mental exercises to suppress the frantic thoughts racing through his mind.
Ever since he saw that image, Lin Heyu had been filled with anxiety. Every message he sent to Yi Shi seemed to vanish into thin air, as if he had disappeared from his life altogether. Finally, he had just seen him, but Yi Shi was gravely injured, and his weakened state filled Lin Heyu with worry.
Based on the already established facts, Xiao Shitou would grow up safely to Yi Shi’s current age. However, Yi Shi’s future was already laid bare—the death certificate sandwiched in the file seemed to foreshadow the inevitable conclusion.
Lin Heyu regretted not telling Yi Shi this critical piece of information earlier. Initially, he didn’t want to interfere with Yi Shi’s investigation, but now it seemed that being straightforward might have been better. At the very least, Yi Shi would have been more cautious during the operation.
Then again, even if he had told him, things wouldn’t necessarily have developed as he imagined. After all, this was Yi Shi—since childhood, he had been a fiercely independent kid with a strong sense of autonomy. Even if he knew the future, he would likely still charge forward without hesitation.
Scenes of Yi Shi flashed through his mind: sometimes his expression was cold, like ice stored in a thousand-year-old cave; sometimes he seemed dumbfounded, like a declawed feline; and other times, his ears would flush slightly, like a sensitive Mimosa plant brushed inadvertently. No matter which side he showed, these were all moments that Lin Heyu cherished, with every expression leaving an imprint on his heart.
Things had developed to this point, and all Lin Heyu could do was choose to believe in Yi Shi unconditionally—believe that he would create a miracle.
Perhaps Lin Heyu’s tone was too firm, as Xiao Shitou gradually calmed down, wiped his tears, and nodded, “Mm, I’ll listen to you. Gardenia will come back.”
Lin Heyu quietly breathed a sigh of relief and asked how he had ended up with Yi Shi. Xiao Shitou told him the story in detail, leaving out only the secrets he couldn’t reveal.
“So, you mean, he came to Muli City just to save Gardenia?”
Xiao Shitou nodded. “Yes, he wanted to go alone, but I got in the car by myself, so he reluctantly brought me along.”
Lin Heyu said nothing, his eyes focused, deep in thought. He had felt something different about Yi Shi when they met tonight, but couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.
If they had already gone back, they would surely be rescued… Lin Heyu’s mind flashed to that page in the file, and he instinctively closed his eyes, unwilling to think about the worst possible outcome.
Xiao Shitou sat quietly, hugging his knees, not wanting to disturb him. He was just as worried about Gardenia as Lin Heyu was about Yi Shi. Their relationship must be strong, right? Xiao Shitou had never seen Lin Heyu so unsettled before. For someone usually so composed and steady, it was surprising to see him so emotionally affected by someone else.
Xiao Shitou bit his lip, trying to comfort him, “You don’t have to worry too much either. Yi Shi is really strong. He’ll be fine.”
Lin Heyu was stunned for a few seconds. He hadn’t realized that his emotions were showing so clearly, to the point where a child felt the need to comfort him. He reached out and gently stroked Xiao Shitou’s black hair, finally giving a small smile. It was as if, through Xiao Shitou’s small figure, he could see Yi Shi standing before him.
Seeing that Lin Heyu’s expression had finally eased, Xiao Shitou breathed a sigh of relief. But before he could feel happy for even two seconds, Lin Heyu brought up a sensitive topic, “Did you think about the consequences when you ran off this time?”
The accountability was beginning.
Xiao Shitou scratched his cheek and muttered in a barely audible voice, “…I just wanted to save Gardenia.”
“We discussed Gardenia before, and I promised I would do my best to save her. I didn’t expect you to act on your own.” Lin Heyu looked exhausted and helpless. “I thought you could at least rely on me a bit, to trust me more.”
“It’s not like that…” Xiao Shitou anxiously grabbed Lin Heyu’s hand. He didn’t know how to explain, as what he wanted to hide was exactly the part he couldn’t tell. Lin Heyu pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, “The person most affected by your disappearance was Zhizhi. Her mental strength isn’t as good as mine. You shouldn’t have treated her like me. When she found out you were gone, she blamed herself and couldn’t focus at work. She stayed at home, glued to her phone, unable to rest until we found you.”
“Auntie… stayed at home?”
Lin Heyu nodded. Xiao Shitou secretly broke into a cold sweat. It seemed Lin Auntie’s trip to Muli City had been successfully hidden. If Lin Heyu found out that Lin Zhizhi had secretly come to Muli City and nearly encountered the kidnappers head-on… the consequences would be severe—so severe that Sheng Guoning might never dream of marrying Lin Zhizhi in this lifetime.
“I’m sorry,” Xiao Shitou apologized first, leaning in to hug Lin Heyu’s waist. “I didn’t mean to make you all worry. I just wanted to rescue Gardenia as soon as possible. But now that she’s with Yi Shi, she won’t be taken for organ harvesting, so I don’t have to be so scared anymore.”
“I think it’s time for you to return to Haijing. Miao Miao misses you very much.”
Xiao Shitou froze, saying nothing, and burrowed further into Lin Heyu’s arms.
Lin Heyu’s tone was firm, “At first light, I’ll have someone escort you back. Uncle Lü will take you home.”
A faint, soft voice of refusal escaped Xiao Shitou, “…I don’t want to.”
“Be good.”
Xiao Shitou clutched the hem of Lin Heyu’s shirt and looked up at him pitifully, but Lin Heyu’s attitude showed no signs of softening. He repeated, “Be good, you have to go back to Haijing.”
“I don’t want to go back, I really don’t. Haijing doesn’t have you, doesn’t have Gardenia, doesn’t have Aunt Lin. Miao Miao’s house is just an empty shell to me.”
Xiao Shitou bit his lip, his eyes reddened with tears. Lin Heyu could never stand seeing him cry. Xiao Shitou wasn’t someone who cried often, and when he did, it was silent, but the sight of it was always heartbreaking. To resist the emotional onslaught, Lin Heyu turned his head, physically blocking the effect of the tears.
However, the more resolute he became, the sadder Xiao Shitou grew. He went from hugging Lin Heyu’s waist to clinging around his neck, his tears soaking a patch of Lin Heyu’s shirt.
When Yuan Maoqiu burst into the room, this was the pitiful scene he walked in on—one person tearfully clinging, while the other remained cold and indifferent. It looked exactly like a couple about to break up. If Xiao Shitou weren’t clearly a child, Yuan Maoqiu would have thought he had stumbled into some tragic soap opera.
“I promised I’d stay put and wouldn’t run off again.”
“You said that last time too. Lying means facing consequences.”
Xiao Shitou rubbed his head against Lin Heyu’s shoulder. “I swear I won’t lie again…”
Then just hug him a bit tighter, Yuan Maoqiu thought to himself.
Lin Heyu coldly replied, “Swearing isn’t as good as you going back to Haijing.”
Yuan Maoqiu shook his head with a “tsk tsk.” How pitiful. Only Lin Heyu could stay so cold; he himself could never bring himself to be harsh to such an adorable kid.
Sheng Guoning walked in as well, holding an evidence bag in his hand. “Captain Lin, Xiao Shao found something in his clothes… Eh? Why is the kid crying again?”
Yuan Maoqiu gave him a thumbs-up. “That ‘again’ was spot on.”
Xiao Shitou clung to Lin Heyu like an octopus, and Lin Heyu handed him a tissue from the table before turning to Sheng Guoning. “What is it?”
“Here, it’s a note. The contents look like a code. No one could figure it out, so we brought it to you to take a look.”
Lin Heyu reached out, and Sheng Guoning handed him the transparent bag. Glancing at Xiao Shitou’s tear-streaked face, Captain Sheng felt a pang of sympathy and wanted to take him away to comfort him. But the child shook his head like a rattle, clinging tightly to Lin Heyu, as if glued to him.
“…” Lin Heyu lowered his gaze and was met with Xiao Shitou’s crumpled face. Though he didn’t say anything to console him, his right hand had already moved to hold the boy’s small shoulder, gently stroking his soft black hair.
Xiao Shitou’s eyes lit up, and in an instant, his tears turned to smiles. Lin Heyu’s small gesture of affection worked better than any candy or toy. He didn’t loosen his grip, but he calmed down, curling up quietly in Lin Heyu’s arms like a delicate, beautiful pet.
Yuan Maoqiu had been watching with his arms crossed and burst into laughter at the sight. “Haha, even the strongest woman can’t resist a persistent man…”
But the laugh barely lasted a second before all three people in the room turned to stare at him. Sheng Guoning looked confused, Xiao Shitou blinked innocently, and Lin Heyu’s gaze was murderous. Yuan Maoqiu immediately took a step back and shut his mouth.
With Xiao Shitou in his arms, Lin Heyu’s attention returned to the transparent bag in his hand. Inside was a note, but instead of words, it was filled with a string of characters.
