Chapter 71 - SEVENTY ONE

Chapter 71: Chapter SEVENTY ONE

"You did it again. I can smell blood. Xin Linhua, you stabbed yourself again."

Xin Linhua’s hand freezes. If he was suspicious about a lot of things before, now he’s damn sure.

His hand moves fast like a viper, wrapping around Rong Yizhan’s hand in a tight grip. He drags him forward, gaze lowered with a cold expression.

"How’d you know I stabbed myself?"

"I can smell it." Rong Yizhan replies calmly "You reek of blood. Yours."

"That’s not the answer I asked for." His tone is venomous now "How did you know I stabbed myself?"

"Let go of me."

"Yaras? oh, Yaras?..." Xin Linhua drags him into the room "Don’t think you’re escaping me tonight."

The locks click shut behind him. Very good. If Rong Yizhan wants to leave, he’ll need Xin Linhua’s fingerprints to open the door.

"Are you out of your mind?" Rong Yizhan rubs his wrists.

"Yaras?." Xin Linhua towers above him "I’m going to ask you a question and you’ll give me an honest reply."

"What...?"

"What happened to Zhao Xi– does it have anything to do with you?"

Rong Yizhan’s fingers twitch. Subtle and fleeting. He remains emotionless on the surface.

"Zhao Xi?"

"Don’t pretend you don’t know him, you’ve met him and you overheard my conversation on the call last night."

"I’m not pretending." Rong Yizhan shoots back "I’m trying to think of how I’m related to your best friend’s condition."

"Oh good, another question." Xin lowers his head "I never told you about his condition, so how do you know about it?"

"Like you said, I overheard your call last night." Rong Yizhan takes a step back.

"You sure have a way with words, Yaras?."

"Don’t stand so close to me."

"Why? Uncomfortable? Is your conscience eating away at you?"

"Xin Linhua!"

"Yell all you want." Xin Linhua calmly closes the distance "But I’m getting an answer tonight. If I have to beat it out of you, I’ll swallow down the heartache."

"You overestimate yourself."

Xin Linhua’s vision blurs. His emotionless facade cracks, replaced by astonishment. His back collides with the rug.

Surprisingly, a hand reaches out to the back of his head to take the impact of the fall.

"Ah..." A crazed smile slowly spreads on Xin Linhua’s face "You crazy little deviant."

He grabs the one hand pinning him down and wraps his legs around the man’s neck. He twists his body with force. Their positions switch real fast.

Now he’s the one pinning Rong Yizhan down, legs around his neck in a tight lock.

"Let’s start, shall we?"

"You want to question me...while strangling me?"

"Why not?"

"That’s not a fair deal, Xin Linhua."

"Shit–"

Rong Yizhan grabs his leg with his free hand, exerting a bit of force. The hold loosens.

"Last chance. Let go."

"Not very good with instructions."

"Suit yourself."

Xin Linhua’s eyes spin. His concentration lags. His body flies across the room.

"Damn!" He cusses as he rolls to a stop on the rug "You really don’t hold back."

"Xin Linhua, calm down."

"Trust me..." Xin Linhua stands "I am very calm right now."

"Your wound..." Xin Linhua grits out "It opened up. Did you even treat it to begin with?"

"That’s none of your concern, remember? I don’t intervene in your life and you stay out of mine."

"Ah...guess I’ll have to break that oath first."

Rong Yizhan’s figure vanishes. Well, not exactly vanishes like disappears or something, but more like moving fast and leaving nothing but after images behind.

His hand reaches out of nowhere, grabbing Xin Linhua in a tight, he pins against the wall. Very compromising position.

"What the fuck!"

Xin Linhua is momentarily stunned. He forgets about his anger for a moment, disbelief colors his face.

"Xin Linhua." Rong Yizhan breathes out "Listen to me carefully. I have nothing to do with your friend’s condition."

"Bullshit." Xin Linhua stares straight into his eyes "You knew. You knew I asked to look into you. The day you met him, he looked at you like he was standing before a monster of a human. He was terrified out of his mind, but he still faked being calm.

"Back then, he somehow fell into a coma and slept for five days straight without waking. If I hadn’t arrived in time, he might have died in his sleep. This time, he stumbled upon something. You found out and you went after him. Again! You almost killed Zhao Xi."

Rong Yizhan’s expression changes. Even without seeing his eyes, one can tell how conflicted he is.

"Trust me–"

"That’s the one thing I’m not going to risk." Xin Linhua cuts him off "I trusted so much, i never once doubted you. And now, I almost fought with my brother last night just to defend you. Hours later, you tried to kill my best friend!"

"I didn’t touch Zhao Xi." Rong Yizhan says in a calm voice "I. Did not touch your friend. He’s someone you cherish, why will I?"

"So you admit you know about his investigation."

Rong Yizhan shuts his mouth. He just slipped without knowing.

"Don’t turn this around..." He says slowly "All you need to know is that I have nothing to do–"

Xin Linhua’s phone rings, sharp and piercing.

Rong Yizhan stares at the phone on the bed like it personally offended him. He steps back, letting go of Xin Linhua’s wrists.

"It’s your brother." He says.

"I am not going to question how the fuck you know that."

Xin Linhua walks towards the bed. He picks up the phone, swiping across the screen.

"Brother."

"Xin Linhua, Zhao Xi is dying."

"...What?"

"You should come..."

"Okay..."

Xin Linhua tosses the phone onto the bed. He slowly turns towards Rong Yizhan.

"What did you do?"

"What are you talking about?" Rong Yizhan clenches his fist "I’ve been here with you the whole time. You’ve been giving me hell for half an hour, when will I get the chance to do anything to anyone?"