MLROCSHR Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Qi-ge, Please Take Me In

The next morning.

Lian Xun didn’t go to the company. Following the address Gao Jingqian sent, he arrived at an upscale Restaurant.

Gao Jingqian was already waiting there. Seeing Lian Xun, he waved to him.

Lian Xun greeted him briefly and sat down.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? A friend recommended this Restaurant. I heard it’s very good.”

Gao Jingqian gestured for the Waiter/Waitress to pour Lian Xun a cup of tea, then handed the menu to Lian Xun with a smile. “Take a look, order whatever you like.”

“Thank you, anything is fine with me. You order.”

“Alright.”

Gao Jingqian opened the menu and ordered a few dishes that Lian Xun used to like.

“Ah Xun, how long have you been back in the country? Are you still adjusting?”

Lian Xun: “I’ve been back for a few months.”

He was preoccupied with the fire at Gao Jingqian’s home that Gao Jingqian mentioned last night and had no desire for idle chatter.

“Brother Jingqian, what did you mean last night? Do you know something?”

Gao Jingqian paused, his expression grave. “I suspect that my father and your mother’s deaths in the fire back then were not accidental.”

“Take a look at this.”

He took out a file bag and placed it in front of Lian Xun.

Lian Xun opened it. Inside was an autopsy report.

“This is?”

“That’s right, it’s my father’s autopsy report.” Gao Jingqian raised his hand and adjusted his glasses, continuing, “Although the case was hastily closed at the time, claiming it was an accidental fire that caused the deaths, I had a forensic doctor re-examine it. I discovered that there were signs of blunt force trauma on my father’s head. It should have been intentional homicide, disguised as a fire.”

“Your mother also died in that fire, so the murderer may be the same person.”

Lian Xun flipped through the autopsy report in his hand, still unable to believe it. “How could this be…”

Everyone clearly said that it was just an accident, and there were people at home when the fire started that day. They were all witnesses…

Could the murderer be one of them?

“Ah Xun, did you ever hear your father mention anything at home?” Gao Jingqian asked tentatively.

He had people watching Lian Xun for several days, but he hadn’t gained any information, so he thought about asking him in person.

“No.”

Lian Xun shook his head, a wave of fear washing over him. The person who killed his mother might have been lurking around him all these years, and he was completely unaware of it.

“Brother Jingqian, have you found out who the murderer is?” Lian Xun asked urgently.

“Not yet.”

Gao Jingqian said with difficulty, “Although it may be presumptuous, even cruel, I suspect that the murderer is someone in your family.”

“They aren’t my family!”

Realizing that his reaction was a bit excessive, Lian Xun quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

Gao Jingqian: “It’s alright. I know this news is hard for you to accept. I understand.”

“Ah Xun, don’t be sad. I’ll be here with you, find out the truth, and get justice for your mother and my father.”

Gao Jingqian comforted Lian Xun softly, wanting to hold Lian Xun’s slightly trembling hands.

Lian Xun unobtrusively took his hands off the table, and Gao Jingqian grabbed at the air, his face slightly embarrassed.

“Ah Xun, you don’t have to avoid me like this. Actually, a long time ago, I already…”

Before he could finish, Lian Xun interrupted him.

“Brother Jingqian!”

“I have someone I like!”

He wasn’t an idiot. He could tell what Gao Jingqian was going to say next, but he could never give Gao Jingqian the answer he wanted. It was better to nip these unwanted thoughts in the bud.

“Ah, is that so?” Gao Jingqian didn’t expect Lian Xun to be so straightforward. He was stunned for a moment, unwillingly asking, “I haven’t even finished speaking. There’s no chance at all?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to deceive you,” Lian Xun replied crisply.

Gao Jingqian had no choice but to temporarily compromise. “Alright, let’s not talk about this. Can we talk about something else?”

However, Lian Xun felt that it was inappropriate to stay here any longer.

“Brother Jingqian, thank you for telling me all this. I will find out the truth. I suddenly remembered that I have something to do. I won’t stay for the Meal. I’m sorry.”

After Lian Xun finished speaking, he quickly got up and left the Restaurant.

Returning to the apartment in a daze, today, he decided to skip work and sort out this explosive amount of information.

Ling Yu called as expected to ask him why he hadn’t gone to work again. Lian Xun didn’t want to explain, only saying that he wouldn’t be going to the company today.

Before long, he received a call from Qi Luzhi.

“Where are you?”

Lian Xun: “At home.”

“Are you sick?” Qi Luzhi’s tone was worried.

“No, I went to see Gao Jingqian.”

“What did you see him for?”

Qi Luzhi’s voice was noticeably darker.

Lian Xun sighed, “Ah, it’s hard to explain in a few words.”

“Stay at home, don’t run around. Hanging up now.”

Listening to the busy tone on the phone, Lian Xun closed his mouth.

So cold, Qi Luzhi!

With no one to confide in his frustration, Lian Xun opened the refrigerator, took out a few bottles of alcohol, and planned to drown his sorrows in drink.

After downing two bottles of alcohol, Lian Xun’s head was dizzy, and he couldn’t think about anything.

He seemed to hear the sound of a gurgling stream in his ears, which was quite relaxing. Good.

The floor was icy cold, as if he was really standing in water. The sensation was too real.

Damn! Not an illusion!

Lian Xun sobered up instantly. Looking down, he saw that the Living Room was flooded. He quickly followed the sound of rushing water to the Bathroom. As expected, the pipe had burst, and the gushing water was like a white snake dancing in the air. The water level on the floor was rising at a rate visible to the naked eye.

How could a person be so unlucky!

Lian Xun helplessly pressed his forehead. After trying to block the water outlet without success, he immediately called the property management.

He couldn’t stay at home any longer. Lian Xun planned to go out and avoid it for a while. As he walked to the door, he ran into Qi Luzhi, who had just arrived.

Lian Xun was surprised. “You…you came to find me? How did you know I lived here?”

He had just drunk alcohol, and his cheeks were flushed.

Qi Luzhi frowned. “Why are you drinking during the day?”

He stepped into the house and looked around. A common, small one-bedroom apartment of sixty or seventy square meters, decorated extremely frugally. It didn’t fit Lian Xun’s status at all.

The entire room was soaked in water.

He thought Lian Xun was having a hard time, but he didn’t expect it to be this bad!

His gaze returned to Lian Xun. Qi Luzhi couldn’t hide the heartache in his eyes and asked, “You live here?”

“Yeah, so what?” Lian Xun smiled indifferently.

“I’ve always wanted to ask, were you kicked out of your house?”

“No, but, now I really have nothing to do with the Lian family,” Lian Xun replied.

He was fine alone, but when Qi Luzhi arrived, he couldn’t hold back the grievances in his heart.

“I’m so sad now. Can you hug me?”

The sorrow and helplessness in Lian Xun’s eyes struck Qi Luzhi’s heart. He pursed his lips without saying a word and stepped forward to pull him into his arms.

Lian Xun leaned on Qi Luzhi’s shoulder, his tone soft. “Why don’t you ask me what happened?”

“You can tell me when you want to.”

He didn’t know what had happened to Lian Xun, but he couldn’t bear to reopen his wounds when he was sad.

Sometimes, a hug is the best comfort.

After a long time, Lian Xun released Qi Luzhi and forced a smile. “Thank you, I feel much better.”

Qi Luzhi’s brows relaxed when he heard this.

He continued to ask, “What are you going to do now?”

It took Lian Xun a while to realize that Qi Luzhi was talking about the flooding of his house.

“Nowhere to go. Qi-ge, why don’t you take me in?”

Qi Luzhi thought for a moment, “Seeing as you’re so pitiful, I’ll reluctantly agree. Go pack your luggage.”

“Why pack luggage?”

Lian Xun just wanted to stay at Qi Luzhi’s house for a while until the pipe was repaired.

“Aren’t you going to move into my house?”

Lian Xun: “…”

Did Qi Luzhi think he was going to live there permanently?

Wouldn’t that be…cohabitation!

Could things get any better than this?

“Yes, I’m moving in. I’ll go pack right away.”

Lian Xun was afraid that Qi Luzhi would change his mind, so he immediately waded through the water to pack his luggage.