That Cup of Water Was Scalding, but He Couldn't Feel It

The farce at the Qin Household estate came to an end as the sirens faded into the distance.

Qin Xiaotian and Qin Yu were taken away on the spot on suspicion of multiple serious crimes. The full force of the law awaited them. Su Mo stood in the empty banquet hall, watching the once-arrogant Qin Household collapse overnight. The gloom that had weighed on her for twenty years finally dispersed from her eyes.

But Jian Ning and Huo Si had no time to celebrate.

Inside the Maybach on the way back, the cabin was deathly silent.

The partition rose, blocking the driver in the front from view.

Huo Si leaned against the seat with his eyes closed, seeming utterly exhausted. His hand remained clasped around Jian Ning's, his knuckles turning faintly white from the force, though his palm was cold and damp with sweat.

Jian Ning turned his head and greedily, anxiously traced the man's profile in the passing glow of the streetlights outside.

[System, monitor his physical data in real time.]

Jian Ning gave the order in his mind, his voice trembling.

System: [Ding! Real-time monitoring activated.]

[Current condition: Neurotoxin is slowly eroding the peripheral nerves.]

[Expected first-stage symptoms: Dullness/loss of touch. Countdown: 30 minutes.]

[Host, please note that this is torture like boiling a frog in warm water. He will gradually lose his perception of the world and eventually be trapped inside a dark shell of a body.]

Jian Ning's heart clenched sharply.

He tightened his grip around Huo Si's fingers and gently stroked them.

"Mr. Huo?" Jian Ning called softly.

Huo Si's eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes. Those eyes, usually as deep as an abyss, now carried a faint, barely perceptible sluggishness and cloudiness. Yet when he looked at Jian Ning, he still tried his utmost to focus, struggling to maintain his usual clarity.

"What's wrong? Are you cold?"

Huo Si instinctively wanted to take off his coat and give it to Jian Ning.

Jian Ning pressed down on his hand, forcing back his tears as he squeezed out a relaxed smile.

"I'm not cold. I just think... we were incredibly cool tonight! Especially that square-dancing hit song. I think I should apply for a patent!"

Seeing his carefree expression, a trace of tenderness flashed through Huo Si's eyes, and his tense body relaxed slightly.

"Mm. Very cool."

"From now on... whatever song you want to hear, I'll listen to it with you."

[From now on...]

Jian Ning's heart ached bitterly.

[You old geezer, Huo, you have to have a future. I'm still waiting for you to support me in my old age.]

They returned to the Huo Household penthouse at two in the morning.

Although Jian Xiu had strongly insisted that they return to the courtyard house so he could look after them, Huo Si refused on the grounds that they needed time alone. In truth, Jian Ning knew Huo Si simply did not want more people to see him like this, especially Jian Xiu.

It was the dignity of a strong man.

The moment they entered, Huo Si appeared somewhat unsteady on his feet.

He braced himself against the entryway cabinet and took several seconds to recover before saying hoarsely, "I'm going to take a shower."

Jian Ning watched his slightly staggering back but did not expose him. He merely nodded obediently. "Okay, then I'll warm you a cup of milk."

In the kitchen.

Jian Ning mechanically heated the milk, and his tears finally fell uncontrollably into the cup.

[System, is there really no other way? Do we have to go to Europe?]

System: [Yes. King is a biochemical genius. This poison was developed exclusively by him, and only he has the antidote formula. Although domestic medical standards are high, developing an antidote would take at least half a year. Huo Si... cannot wait half a year.]

Jian Ning wiped away his tears, his gaze turning fierce.

[Fine. We'll go. Even if it's hell, I'll go.]

When Jian Ning carried the hot milk into the bedroom, Huo Si had already finished showering.

He wore dark gray silk pajamas and sat at the edge of the bed, water still dripping from his hair.

"Mr. Huo, have some milk. It'll help you sleep."

Jian Ning walked over and handed him the scalding glass.

Huo Si reached out and steadily accepted it.

His fingers were long and pale. Holding the glass full of hot milk, his expression remained perfectly normal.

But the next second—

Jian Ning's pupils suddenly contracted.

The milk was still steaming. The wall of the glass had to be at least sixty or seventy degrees Celsius. An ordinary person would definitely find it too hot to hold and might even instinctively switch hands or set it down.

Yet Huo Si's hand holding the cup did not move at all.

Even his fingertips had not reddened from the heat.

[He can't feel the heat...]

[The poison is taking effect.]

Jian Ning's heart bled, but he bit his lip hard and did not dare make a sound.

He could not cry.

If he cried, Huo Si would feel worse. Huo Si was forcing himself to endure it, so Jian Ning would act along with him.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Huo Si raised his head. He seemed not to have noticed anything unusual and even lifted the cup for a sip.

Jian Ning took a deep breath, walked over, and naturally took the cup from Huo Si's hand before placing it on the nightstand.

"It's too hot. Let it cool before you drink it. And... I want you to blow-dry my hair first."

He stuffed the hair dryer into Huo Si's hand, then curled into his arms like a cat and sat with his back to him.

Huo Si stared at the hair dryer in his hand for a moment. Then he smiled helplessly and turned it on.

The warm air blew with a hum.

Huo Si's fingers ran through Jian Ning's soft hair.

His movements were very gentle and very slow.

Because his fingertips had already begun to go numb, he was afraid he would not be able to control his strength and might pull Jian Ning's hair painfully.

With every touch, he tried desperately to feel that faint sensation that belonged to Jian Ning.

[Huo Si...]

Jian Ning closed his eyes, feeling those large hands that had become somewhat clumsy but remained gentle.

[Don't worry. Even if you really can't feel anything in the future, I'll be your hands and your eyes.]

[And... I absolutely won't let you become like that.]

After drying his hair, the two lay down on the bed.

There were no intimate movements. Huo Si merely held Jian Ning tightly from behind, as if he wanted to press him into his body.

"Jian Ning."

In the darkness, Huo Si suddenly spoke.

"Mm?"

"There's nothing much going on at the company lately, and things on Jian Xiu's side are mostly handled." Huo Si's voice was calm, without the slightest hint of anything wrong. "We never went on a honeymoon after getting married. Do you want to travel?"

Jian Ning's heart skipped a beat.

He knew Huo Si was looking for an excuse. He wanted to go to Europe for the antidote, but he did not want Jian Ning to know he was going there for treatment.

Jian Ning turned around and burrowed into Huo Si's arms, burying his face in the hollow of his neck. His voice came out muffled.

"I do. I want to go to Europe. I heard the old castles there are beautiful."

Huo Si's body stiffened for a moment before he hugged him tighter.

"Okay. Then we'll go to Europe."

"We leave tomorrow."

The next day, at the private airport.

Jian Xiu stood at the boarding gate with a dark expression, followed by a large team of bodyguards and medical personnel.

"Honeymoon? Huo Si, who are you trying to fool?"

Jian Xiu pointed at Huo Si's noticeably paler face. "Look at your complexion. Does that look like you're going on a honeymoon? You're going to your death!"

Huo Si wore a long trench coat and sunglasses that concealed the exhaustion in his eyes. Even in poor health, his presence remained powerful.

"President Jian, if you're here to see us off, you're welcome. If you're here to talk nonsense, please leave."

"You—!" Jian Xiu choked with anger.

Jian Ning hurriedly pulled Jian Xiu back. "Brother! Stop arguing! We... we really are going on a honeymoon! And while we're there... we'll find out what that King is actually trying to do."

Jian Xiu looked into his younger brother's determined eyes and sighed.

He knew he could not stop them.

And if they did not get the antidote, Huo Si would truly die. Though he hated Huo Si, he hated the thought of his brother becoming a widower even more.

"Fine. You can go."

Jian Xiu snapped his fingers.

A bodyguard behind him stepped forward with a metal briefcase.

Jian Xiu handed the case to Jian Ning, his expression solemn.

"Inside is the latest miniature equipment developed by KM Group. There's a signal jammer, a master key, and two... weapons for self-defense."

He lowered his voice. "Also, I planted an informant inside King's castle, codenamed 'Nightingale.' If you run into danger, find a way to contact him."

Jian Ning accepted the case, feeling its weight in his hands.

It was not only equipment. It was also the heavy weight of his brother's love.

"Thanks, Brother!" Jian Ning hugged Jian Xiu.

Jian Xiu's eyes reddened slightly. He shot Huo Si a fierce glare.

"Huo Si, listen to me. If you don't die, you'd better bring him back safely. If you die..."

"If I unfortunately die," Huo Si interrupted calmly, "my will has already been notarized. Huo Group will belong to Jian Ning, and you'll be responsible for assisting him."

Jian Xiu froze.

Jian Ning froze too.

[A... notarized will?]

[You old geezer, Huo, you even prepared that?]

[Are you going there prepared to die?]

Jian Ning's nose stung. He suddenly shoved Huo Si.

"What nonsense are you talking about? What inheritance? I don't want your inheritance! I want you alive!"

"If you dare die, I'll use your money to keep ten or twenty young pretty boys, then dance at your grave every day!"

Huo Si looked at Jian Ning, whose hair practically stood on end in fury. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly behind his sunglasses.

"Fine. To keep you from dancing at my grave, I'll do my best to stay alive."

The plane took off.

It passed through the clouds and flew toward the distant European continent.

Inside the cabin, Huo Si quickly fell asleep. The toxin made him drowsy.

Jian Ning sat beside him, staring out at the sea of clouds as his gaze gradually turned cold.

[System, bring up all of King's information, along with the castle's floor plans.]

[During this trip, I'm going to memorize every last detail.]

System: [Host, your aura right now... is a little like that of a major villain.]

Jian Ning sneered.

[When dealing with a madman, you have to be even crazier than him.]

[King, right? Castle, right?]

[Wash your neck and wait. Daddy's coming.]

Ten hours later, the plane landed at a private airport somewhere in Europe.

The moment they disembarked, damp, frigid air swept over them.

This was King's territory.

Even the air seemed to carry the feeling of being watched.

They did not make a grand entrance at a hotel. Instead, they moved into a hidden safe house near the castle, arranged by Jian Xiu.

After settling Huo Si in, Jian Ning stood by the window, using binoculars to observe the distant mountaintop.

A black Gothic castle stood there, like a vampire crouched on a cliff, dark and terrifying.

Just then, the system suddenly issued an alert.

[Ding! An abnormal signal fluctuation has been detected inside the castle!]

[It seems... someone is being punished?]

[Signal source identified: Lin Yu.]

Jian Ning lowered the binoculars and raised an eyebrow.

[Lin Yu?]

[Didn't he just escape back? Why is he being punished already?]

System: [According to Gossip Radar, King is preparing to... throw Lin Yu into the Ten Thousand Snake Pit to feed his pets because he failed his mission. Not only did he fail to kill Huo Si, he made Huo Si and Jian Ning's relationship even deeper.]

Jian Ning: "..."

[Tsk. Evil people really do get what's coming to them.]

But the next second, the system delivered an even more horrifying message.

[Wait! Host! King seems to have discovered your whereabouts!]

[The castle gates have opened. A black carriage—an actual vintage carriage—is heading this way.]

[The one sitting in the car... was King himself.]

[He hadn't come to arrest anyone. He had come to... deliver an invitation?]

At that moment, the safe house doorbell rang.

Ding-dong—

An elegant voice, refined to the point of perversity, came from outside the door:

"Dear brother (referring to Jian Xiu, though he isn't here), and Jian Ning, right?"

"Since you're here, why hide?"

"There's a masquerade ball at the castle tonight. Would you two... honor me with your presence?"