Chapter 70: 第 70 章

"Colonel, Colonel, how do you feel?"

Gu Yunchi opened his eyes. The hospital room was bright and clear—it was morning. He looked to the left: both the pillow beside him and the visitor's bed opposite were empty.

"Based on yesterday's surgery, the plasma exchange was successful. The main area to monitor now is the respiratory tract. We'll arrange a nebulization next." The doctor said, "Before breakfast, we'll draw some blood."

The nurse came forward with iodine and a syringe. The doctor added, "Your main focus these days is rest. Commander Pei has issued an order to minimize visitors to avoid disturbance."

"Mm."

The medical staff left. The silence settled around his ears. Gu Yunchi closed his eyes briefly, exhaled shortly. Soon he heard the door pushed open and looked over.

Wen Ran poked half his head through the crack in the door, hair sticking up in all directions, eyes darting around. Confirming no one else was in the room, he pushed the door open and came in.

Gu Yunchi watched him without moving, looking slightly dazed.

"Why are you looking at me like that again." Wen Ran was still in his pajamas, a Mobile Phone stuffed into each side pocket, heavy as a pair of grenades, dragging the hem down so it sagged, the collar pulled askew to expose his collarbones. He looked ridiculous.

Familiar with the room, he walked to Gu Yunchi's bedside, took out a phone—Gu Yunchi's—and set it on the bed. He himself retreated to sit on the visitor's bed, took out the other phone and set it aside.

After a while, Gu Yunchi asked him: "When did you arrive."

"Last night." After answering, Wen Ran's eyes suddenly widened: "Are you okay? Why are you asking, don't you remember?"

He sprang up at once, worried, hesitating whether to call the doctor. But Gu Yunchi said: "I remember."

Wen Ran had stayed with him until dawn, worried about him, cried for him, and finally fallen asleep beside him—it had really happened.

He'd thought it was like before, just a fleeting dream, waking to find everything still nothing.

Being stared at by Gu Yunchi made him a little uncomfortable. Wen Ran stuffed both hands in his pockets, stretched his pajama top even longer, and made small talk: "I went back to the visitor's bed to sleep after all, because I woke up in the middle and found I'd been tossing around in my sleep, almost knocked your oxygen mask off."

"If it came off, it came off." Gu Yunchi didn't seem to care much about his own life. He breathed heavily twice, the oxygen mask fogging with a pale mist, then asked calmly, "Have you eaten breakfast."

"Yes, ate in Wen Xing's room, also charged my phone there."

Gu Yunchi looked toward the head of the bed: "What's on the wall."

Wen Ran, confused: "An outlet."

"Then why go charge in his room."

"..." Wen Ran explained, "Your room has lots of people coming and going, so I went to hide at Wen Xing's place."

"Hide from what."

An omega visiting an alpha at midnight and sleeping in the room overnight—no matter how you looked at it, there was no reason not to hide. Wen Ran suspected Gu Yunchi was asking knowingly, so he said seriously: "You don't need to inquire."

Gu Yunchi made a sound like a laugh through his nose.

"Are you feeling better? I need to head back first."

"No." Gu Yunchi answered crisply.

"Then there's nothing for it." Wen Ran adjusted his pajama collar and said, "I still have to work."

Gu Yunchi glanced at him, then pressed the call button by the bed: "Have someone send you. I'll pick you up after work."

"Oh, but my work is pretty busy, might need to work overtime. You'd better not wait for me." Wen Ran reminded him with great seriousness, took his phone, and stood ready to wait.

"..."

Soon a soldier came in. Gu Yunchi told him to see the person home, then added: "Get a coat."

And so Wen Ran left slowly wrapped in an oversized coat. Passing Wen Xing's room, Wen Xing leaned against the doorframe, sized him up, and said in a hoarse voice: "Looks like a sunflower seed in a watermelon seed shell."

Wen Ran replied: "Drink more water."

The very busy little Engineer Li did indeed work overtime, not packing up until nearly ten. Half-regretting his morning jinx, he replied to Gu Yunchi's message asking when he got off work.

Wen Ran: Just got off, I won't come over. Rest well [moon]

Gu Yunchi: There's late-night snack

Wen Ran: I'll come visit you for a moment then leave [rose]

Gu Yunchi: Take a shower, change into pajamas, then come

Wen Ran: Why [question]

Gu Yunchi: Late-night snack isn't ready yet

Wen Ran: Oh oh [yeah]

Gu Yunchi: Wait in the lobby, car arrives in five minutes

The military's efficiency meant saying five minutes but actually arriving in three. Wen Ran rode home, showered and washed his face, changed into pajamas and put on his coat. Before leaving, he admired his model for two more minutes, then went downstairs and was brought to the military hospital.

Pushing the door open quietly, Wen Ran saw the head of the bed had been raised, a warm yellow reading lamp was on, and Gu Yunchi was half-sitting against his pillow, oxygen mask removed, holding a document and reading.

The mobile dining table in front of the visitor's bed was covered with steaming late-night snacks. Wen Ran was a bit surprised: "So much?"

"Based on your appetite."

Not angry, Wen Ran only asked: "Are you better today?"

The book said S-level recovery was six times that of a normal person.

Gu Yunchi put down the document and looked at him: "Better now."

"That's good." Wen Ran sat on the visitor's bed, took off his coat. "You work. I promise not to make a sound."

Usually after working overtime he'd just go home and cook some noodles—never had such a lavish late-night snack. While Gu Yunchi wasn't looking, Wen Ran took out his phone, held it vertically against his stomach, and secretly took a photo.

After taking it, he realized Gu Yunchi was also in the frame. In the slightly blurred background, the alpha was half-leaning against the bed reading a document, warm light pouring down onto that profile.

Wen Ran looked at the photo for a few seconds, silently put away his phone, and began to eat.

He ate with focus and quiet, doing nothing else while eating, concentrating on finishing everything.

Wen Ran stood up to clear the dishes, surprised at his own stomach capacity: "I don't feel particularly full."

"Tomorrow I'll order a bit more for you." Gu Yunchi set aside the document he'd long stopped reading and said, "Aim to be ready for market soon."

"You're so vicious." Wen Ran tied up the garbage bag, picked it up, walked a few steps toward the door, then looked back at the bed, face taut: "Gu Yunchi."

Gu Yunchi: "Need something?"

Snapping his head back around, Wen Ran clattered out the door with the garbage. When he returned, Gu Yunchi said: "There's a toothbrush in the bathroom. Open it and use it."

Wen Ran went. While brushing his teeth, he realized he could have brushed at home. Coming out of the bathroom, he had just gone to the bedside to pick up his coat when Gu Yunchi said: "This isn't a restaurant. Don't think you can eat and run."

"Then what should I do?" Having eaten his fill, Wen Ran had to be nice and asked politely.

Gu Yunchi pulled open the bedside drawer, took out a pistol, and casually set it on the bedside like a phone. Wen Ran's eyes lit up, about to pick it up, but suddenly felt something hard in his coat pocket. He stood in thought for a while, as if wrestling with himself, and finally took it out.

He sat on the bedside, opened the passbook, very quickly displayed it in front of Gu Yunchi—making sure he didn't see the amount—then said: "Got paid today. The moment I got it I saved it. Snuck out during work to deposit it."

Gu Yunchi didn't hold back: "Treat me to a meal."

Actually he hadn't seen anything clearly. It felt like Wen Ran had fanned him with the passbook. He suspected Wen Ran had been wanting to show off his savings for a long time, just couldn't find a suitable target.

"Sure, let's go." Wen Ran said without hesitation, then paused: "Oh, wait until you're better to eat."

After saying this, he admired the inside of the passbook with some rapture, looking very satisfied. Gu Yunchi asked: "So happy. Got a million?"

"..." Almost forgot the alpha in front of him was surnamed Gu—money talk always started at a million. Wen Ran bit his lower lip and said, "Still a bit short, but for me it's already a lot. All earned by myself."

The smile on his face gradually faded. He closed the passbook and touched it a few times, then said: "Every time I save money, I think—if one day I can find Mom, I can be filial to her."

He hadn't planned to bring up this topic, at least not tonight, but since it had come to this, Wen Ran looked up at Gu Yunchi: "After meeting you, I had a premonition. If you had good news about my mom, you'd tell me first, right?"

Gu Yunchi had never mentioned it, kept not mentioning it. That itself was a signal.

"Actually I'm not mentally prepared." Wen Ran stood up, stuffed the passbook back in his coat pocket, sat back on the bedside, picked up the pistol but didn't disassemble it—just held it, not looking at Gu Yunchi's eyes. "But then again, I'll never be prepared for this. So whenever I find out is the same."

"Not the same." Gu Yunchi said.

He unlocked his phone, pulled up a video, and handed it to Wen Ran.

Before Wen Ran could see the image clearly, Gu Yunchi covered the screen with his hand: "Didn't think this video would one day be shown to you. Otherwise I would have wiped the blood off his face."

Wen Ran's breathing had already grown urgent. He murmured: "I'm not that cowardly."

Gu Yunchi moved his hand away.

The video began to play. The background was a room like an interrogation room. A dying alpha sat in handcuffs on a chair, fresh red blood flowing from forehead to cheek, neck to shirt. His eyes were swollen, half-open.

Already vastly different from his normal appearance, Wen Ran still recognized him as Gu Chongze.

"Where is Li Qingwan." The interrogator's voice came from off-screen—unclear if police or Gu Family people.

Gu Chongze's body shifted, as if smiling. His teeth had probably been knocked out; his words were unclear: "Didn't I answer already? Dead."

The casual tone. Wen Ran's hands began to tremble. Every time he forced himself to accept this possible reality, he silently recited 'Mom may already be dead.' And Gu Chongze's flippant 'dead' tore open all euphemism, revealing the bloody truth.

"She found out about me and Shu Huai. How could I keep her around." Gu Chongze coughed a few times, blood flowing from the

"So I just dealt with her and Wen Ningyuan together, buried them at Guanqiu Mountain. But that's been developed into a scenic area now. If you want to dig up the bodies, you need government approval."

While speaking, Gu Chongze's gaze kept fixed on some position: "You wouldn't really do that, would you? If Wen Ran knew you treated him so well, would you still be willing to die?"

No one answered. Gu Chongze laughed again: "Forgot—even if he doesn't want to die, he has no choice, right? I didn't expect such a coincidence. You woke up that day, watched him get blown up... I have a question I'm curious about. Did you find his body in the sea, or could you only set up an empty tomb?"

"You should thank me. Let him die spectacularly, so you can remember him forever."

The screen went black. The video was cut. It ended.

Gu Yunchi took the phone. Wen Ran still maintained his lowered-head posture. After a long time, he finally moved his shoulder, took a breath, raised his red eyes, looking at Gu Yunchi somewhat lost—like that old photograph, five- or six-year-old him holding a stone, standing under a tree.

A child lost since birth, constantly losing, always seeming to brush past happiness.

That's why Gu Yunchi had said 'not the same.' Wen Ran saying whenever he found out was the same—actually wasn't.

He had always wanted to delay. During the three years in the Northern War Zone, knowing Wen Ran had been asking Zhou Zhuo to investigate Li Qingwan, he hadn't secretly offered any clues. Afraid Wen Ran would have to grieve alone, he decided to tell him in person after they met.

When they met again, Wen Ran avoided him everywhere. If he'd told him then, in his vulnerable moment, it might have been a chance to close the distance—but using this as bargaining chip was too despicable a method. Gu Yunchi disdained it and would never do it, so he delayed again.

And now, having not easily reached this eased situation, before it could last a moment longer, he had to hand the cruel truth to Wen Ran.

There was no perfect method in the world. Wen Ran was destined to suffer for this. It couldn't be avoided.

Gu Yunchi raised his hand, palm against Wen Ran's face. He could feel his jaw trembling constantly.

"Where else can I go to worship Mom?" Wen Ran asked, lost.

"A tombstone was set up in the cemetery at Guanqiu Mountain."

"I want to see it."

"Okay."

Wen Ran lowered his eyes, picked up the pistol, no longer wanting to disassemble it. He quietly climbed onto the bed, hid under the covers, curled his body up, his whole person pressed against Gu Yunchi's side.

He felt double the pain—his own now, and Gu Yunchi's from seven years ago.

After a long time, he quietly asked: "Is Gu Chongze still alive?"

Gu Yunchi paused: "Dead."

"If I had been there too at that time." Wen Ran held the pistol tightly to his chest, desperately wishing he could take it back in time to that interrogation room. His whole body trembled, his voice carrying a hard-to-suppress sob: "I would have killed him. I would definitely have killed him..."

Gu Yunchi held his trembling body. Wen Ran's face was buried in Gu Yunchi's chest. Soon, a dark wet stain spread across the hospital gown.

In the days that followed, Wen Ran's emotions were somewhat low. After work he'd go home briefly, then shower and change into pajamas to come to the hospital. No longer enthusiastic about late-night snacks, after the doctor's rounds he'd silently climb onto Gu Yunchi's bed, curl up under the covers, nestle beside Gu Yunchi—like an animal needing warmth and comfort.

Next week was the department team building. Wen Ran had already asked his leader for leave, because he planned to do a bar part-time job, and had also scheduled a physical examination. Now he only wanted to return to the Capital to see Mom.

The night before Gu Yunchi's discharge, Pei Yan, whose hands had been tied up by military department diplomatic affairs, finally hurried back to City S. He had heard an omega came every day to accompany Gu Yunchi, questions already accumulated, waiting to catch them at the military hospital on the spot. But halfway there he received Gu Yunchi's message, the gist being that he hoped Commander Pei wouldn't ask too much when visiting—if he scared the person away, he might receive a legal notice.

Pei Yan slapped his thigh, furious, and declared to his subordinate that today he absolutely must interrogate properly. But the moment he pushed the door open and saw that on the hospital bed Gu Yunchi himself only occupied one third, while the other two thirds were used by the omega to lay out pistol parts, he suddenly forgot what he was supposed to interrogate about.

Oblivious Wen Ran sat with his back to the door at the foot of the bed, concentrating on arranging parts of all sizes neatly. He was no longer satisfied with quick disassembly, but completely disassembled all the parts, then reassembled them bit by bit.

Gu Yunchi leaned against the headboard, holding his phone, timing for Wen Ran. Seeing Pei Yan come in, he raised his index finger in a shushing gesture, signaling him not to speak first.