Chapter 66 - SIXTY-SIX

Chapter 66: Chapter SIXTY-SIX

Xin Linhua lets out a soft sound, humming to himself as he approaches the door.

Maybe he had overreacted earlier in the afternoon. He shouldn’t have acted that way towards Rong Yizhan.

He hadn’t really thought much about it before, but having his own secrets spread out in front of him, he finally understood the man’s feelings. It’s unpleasant.

Xin Linhua decides, from now on, no more pushing. If he asks something and Rong Yizhan doesn’t give him an answer, he’ll let the curiosity die.

He exhales slowly and pushes the door open.

"Yaras?, i–"

Empty. That’s odd. Rong Yizhan usually shut himself out, but that was before. Now, no matter how bad their fight was, the man always waits for him to cool and come back before reconciling with him.

"Yaras?." Xin Linhua closes the door behind him and calls out "Did you go to bed early?"

He stands at the man’s bedroom door and knocks softly.

No answer, no movement from within, no sudden ’get away from my door’ like before.

Xin Linhua frowns. He opens up his ra?ar’s interface, a hazy blue holographic screen slowly appears in front of him. He dials a contact. A tired face suddenly appears on the screen.

"Xin Linhua?" Hirano picks up almost immediately "It’s late at night. What’s up?"

"Is he with you?"

"What? Oh, you mean, Phantom? No. Haven’t seen him since this afternoon. He didn’t drag me out to spar either."

"Oh, okay. Goodnight."

Xin Linhua closes the contact window. He switches to something else instead; location tracker.

Their ra?ars are connected so no matter where one of them is, as long as the ra?ar is online, the other will find him.

The window opens and the tracker activates.

"He’s outside the institute?" Xin Linhua zooms in "Oh, he’s coming back. Why’s he moving so fast? Might be public transport."

Xin Linhua shrugs and exhales in relief. He closes the interface.

Rong Yizhan will be back soon. He has nothing to worry about. He shouldn’t even ask him where he went, in case the man takes offense.

"Okay! I should make him something to pacify him–"

His phone rings. He pulls it out and sees the contact info. The corner of his lips turns upward.

"Hey, Ah Xi." He greets him cheerfully.

"Xin Linhua. Where are you?"

Xin Linhua’s smile falters a bit. Why does his friend sound so...panicked?

"What’s wrong?"

"Tell me where you are."

"The institute– my dorm. I’m about to make a late night snack."

"For who?"

"What kind of question is that?" Xin Linhua frowns "Tell me why you called and why do you sound like you’ve seen a ghost or something?"

"I’d rather be trapped with a ghost right now." Zhao Xi shudders.

"I’m hanging up–"

"Your Sentinel!" Zhao Xi suddenly yells "It’s about your Sentinel."

"What about him?" Xin Linhua raises the phone to his ear once more.

"Xin Linhua, do you trust me?"

"You’re one of the humans who isn’t trying to kill me, use me or kill me. What’s this about?"

"Quit the institute."

The line goes quiet. Xin Linhua blinks multiple times, like he can’t understand those three words his friend just said.

Is everyone high on something today? First his brothers, now his best friend.

"Quit?" He asks in disbelief "Why should I quit the institute? You don’t just wake up one morning and decide to ’quit’ this place."

"You can. You’re the Xin family’s youngest."

"Ah Xi." Xin Linhua slowly massages his forehead "At least give me a good reason. You can’t just drop this on me out of nowhere."

"Quit the institute and leave your Sentinel. The earlier the better."

Xin Linhua’s expression changes. From exhaustion to anger in a split second. His tone changes along with his expression.

"Did my brothers put you up to this?"

"Xin Linhai and Xin Linge?"

"Who else? What could they possibly–"

"Okay, I don’t know what transpired between the three of you, but this isn’t about them. And if they did tell you to stay away from that Sentinel of yours, they must know as well."

"Know what?"

"That’s the fucking thing! I can’t tell you over the phone, he’ll know! Tomorrow morning. I don’t care how busy your schedule is, I come first. Meet me tomorrow and don’t you dare! I repeat, don’t you dare bring him with you this time. I’m not kidding!"

"Fine." Xin Linhua exhales "I’ll leave him behind. I’ll come alone. Happy now?"

"I’ll be happy when you leave him and that institution for good."

"I’m hanging up."

Xin Linhua cuts the call. He tosses his phone on the couch.

"What’s gotten into him?" He shrugs off his coat "There’s no way he’ll go against me for my brothers."

Getting no answers to his question, Xin Linhua can only tug at his hair and stroll into the kitchen.

He’ll find out tomorrow anyway.

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Zhou Xi’s Residence.

The young man tugs at his icy blue hair, fear and frustration course through his vein like adrenaline.

He turns back to the laptop, watching the video over and over again on a loop.

"I have to get him away from that..."

Zhao Xi suddenly remembers what Xin Linhua had just said on the call. His brothers are against his pairing as well. Perfect!

He scrambles for the phone he had just discarded and tossed somewhere. He dials the fastest contact.

"Zhao Xi?" Xin Linhai’s voice resonates from the other end "It’s late. What’s wrong?"

"When did you meet with Xin Linhua?"

"This evening. We had dinner." The man answers honestly.

"Did...did you say something regarding his Sentinel?"

"Yes. Why?"

"You’re against his pairing, aren’t you?"

"How did you know?"

"Brother, did you find something? There has to be a reason you’re against it."

"No, I didn’t find anything." The man sighs "I just felt uneasy when I was in his presence and when I tried to dig into him, I couldn’t find anything. Erased. Like he never existed before that rift incident seven years ago. I couldn’t let Hua’er stay with him, but he’s far too stubborn to reason with."

Zhao Xi bites his nails, courtesy of anxiety.

"So you’re in the dark as well... "