He remained silent for a long, long time, then, as if electrocuted, he forcefully shoved Lin Fengzhi's hand away, got up, and left the treehouse.
Behind him, Lin Fengzhi's cries grew louder and louder. Yan Heqing looked around blankly.
He's in a lot of pain right now, but he can't pinpoint where it hurts.
He kept walking until his phone vibrated in his pocket, which brought him back to his senses. He answered the call without even looking at it.
"Aren't you coming back yet?"
In the darkness, Lu Lin's voice carried a hint of laughter.
Yan Heqing gripped the phone tightly, pressing it close to his ear.
Lu Lin sensed something was wrong, "Where are you?"
Yan Heqing looked around, his mind completely blank. "There's a tree, a supermarket, and a trash can."
"Stay where you are, I'll be there soon!"
Lu Lin found it in half an hour.
When Yan Heqing said he was going to the Lin Family, he decided to go to a nearby supermarket.
Lu Lin got out of the car and saw Yan Heqing still holding his phone tightly to his ear, standing alone next to the trash can, his face filled with an unprecedented blankness.
Even from a distance, you could feel his sadness.
Lu Lin strode over. Yan Heqing heard the footsteps, looked up, and before he could see clearly, his unfocused pupils gradually focused as he stared at Lu Lin.
I can't even cry.
For a moment, Lu Lin felt that Yan Heqing was just an empty shell. He felt a pang of heartache and went forward to hug him tightly, sharing his heartbeat with him.
"It's alright, let's go home."
The phone slipped from Yan Heqing's hand, and she grabbed Lu Lin's clothes tightly, as if grasping at his lifeline.
Back home, Lu Lin heated up a glass of milk for Yan Heqing, but Yan Heqing didn't drink it. He unbuttoned his shirt and said, "I want to take a shower..."
But her fingertips trembled, and she couldn't unbutton the buttons.
Given his current condition, Lu Lin certainly wouldn't feel comfortable letting him shower alone. He hugged him and gently comforted him, "I'll help you."
The bathtub was filled with water, and Lu Lin also put in a few stress-relieving bath bombs.
The water turned a rich, milky white. The bathtub was large enough to comfortably accommodate two adults. Lu Lin helped Yan Heqing remove his clothes, then took off his own outer garments and trousers. After giving Yan Heqing carried him into the bathtub.
"Don't think about anything right now." Lu Lin put him down and massaged his temples. "Relax."
Just as he was about to get out of the bathtub, Yan Heqing hugged him from behind, the splashing water soaking Lu Lin's shirt. "Don't go, don't leave me alone."
Lu Lin turned around, hugged him tightly, and sat him in the bathtub, gently kissing the corner of his eye. "I won't leave."
Yan Heqing took the initiative to reach for Lu Lin's lips, "Hold me, Lu Lin."
He desperately wanted to feel Lu Lin's warmth.
Lu Lin stroked his hair, letting Yan Heqing clumsily nibble at it. Yan Heqing tried to unbutton Lu Lin's clothes with both hands, but he was too hasty and didn't know how, so he tore off several buttons, which fell into the bathtub.
Lu Lin's collar came undone, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he grabbed Yan Heqing's waist with his other hand, flipping him over and pinning him against the edge of the bathtub, splashing a large wave of water out of the tub and onto the floor.
He knew Yan Heqing wasn't in a good mood today; his eyes held no passion or desire, only tenderness and concern. "Calm down, take a bath, and get a good night's sleep. No matter how big the problem, the sun will still rise tomorrow. You wanted to see the Sunrise, so we'll go see Sunrise."
Yan Heqing's eyes were bloodshot. He stared blankly at Lu Lin, his reason finally returning. He looked at Lu Lin quietly for a while before saying in a hoarse voice, "It's going to rain tomorrow."
Lu Lin knew Yan Heqing was back. He stepped aside and ruffled Yan Heqing's hair vigorously. "The day after tomorrow."
The exam starts the day after tomorrow.
Lu Lin chuckled softly, "Saturday."
After a few seconds of silence, Yan Heqing said, "I have something important to do on Saturday."
"Then I'll wait until you've finished everything." Lu Lin accepted everything.
Yan Heqing tacitly agreed.
Lu Lin didn't get out of the bathtub. After he finished bathing with Yan Heqing, he dried him off, wrapped him in a bathrobe, and carried him back to the room.
He coaxed Yan Heqing into drinking half a cup of warm milk before Yan Heqing grabbed his clothes and closed his eyes.
Lu Lin didn't move. After Yan Heqing fell completely asleep, he took Yan Heqing's hand and put it under the covers. He left a bedside lamp on and quietly left.
*
Lu Lin went to the terrace.
Most of the flowers on the flower stand were in bloom, freely releasing their fragrance in the darkness. Lu Lin squatted down and carefully examined the flowers and leaves.
To protect his flowers, pests must be dealt with immediately.
Lu Lin's eyes were icy cold. He lost control of his emotions after visiting the Lin Family. Besides, the only thing that could make Yan Heqing lose control of his emotions was family.
This relative cannot be Lin Fengzhi; it can only be Yan Heqing's parents.
After inspecting all the flowerpots, Lu Lin took out his phone and sent a text message.
[Looking for the forensic report of the fire at the Yan Family 13 years ago.]
*
Lu Lin received a reply early the next morning.
[ President Lu, I couldn't find the relevant documents. I guess no one applied for the assessment. I contacted the firefighters from that year. Would you like to meet them?]
As Lu Lin was replying, the bedroom door opened, and Yan Heqing came out. He had taken a nap and was feeling a little better.
The rain started at five o'clock, and it pattered loudly on the terrace. Yan Heqing went to the terrace to check on the flowers before returning to the dining table.
Lu Lin put down her phone at the agreed time and asked him with a smile, "What do you want to eat today?"
They made no mention of what happened last night.
Yan Heqing had no appetite, but listening to the rain, he realized that it had been a long time since he had eaten hot pot with Lu Lin.
"Hot pot."
Lu Lin flicked his forehead very lightly. "Let's talk about breakfast first."
"Pineapple buns."
"I'll call you when it's ready." Lu Lin got up and went to the kitchen.
Exams start tomorrow, so Yan Heqing will put everything else aside for now and focus on studying.
After a while, Lu Lin returned with pineapple buns, beef sandwiches, vegetable omelets, fried ham, and two cups of coffee.
After Yan Heqing finished his portion, he asked Lu Lin, "Are you going to the company today?"