Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 601: Flashback (10)

"I–I didn’t..." he stammered. He could feel the ghost of Zhong Yun’s exhale caressing his cheek – since when had they become so close? – and he involuntarily shrank back only for his back to bump into the arm of the couch. There was nowhere for him to escape to.

Qin Zhen’s breath hitched on his throat when he stared into Zhong Yun’s eyes. He felt himself frozen, spellbound by the intensity within those dark orbs that ensnared him.

Zhong Yun tilted his head slightly. The space between their lips were so infinitesimal that Qin Zhen could feel their phantom strokes and brushes when the young man pleaded softly, "Let me in..."

In that split second, Qin Zhen was disoriented, his mind turning into mush from their close proximity. What was Zhong Yun talking about? His lips, his heart, or his pants? Because he was damn sure that he was not imagining the hard and hot length which was pressing against his thigh right now.

"Let me in, Qin Zhen. Allow me to love you properly, to cherish and treasure you." Before Qin Zhen could even react to that, Zhong Yun quickly added, his gaze turning sharp. "Don’t even think of fooling me. I can see that you’re catching feelings for me. Please... please don’t deny them. Don’t deny what your heart wants, okay?"

Qin Zhen was weak, so terribly weak when Zhong Yun spoke to him with such a gentle and pleading tone. And he was certain that Zhong Yun knew that fact too, and did not hesitate to harness it to his advantage.

"So," he inched a little bit closer, until their warm breaths intertwined in a subtle dance. "What’s your answer, Ge?"

"How unfair..." Qin Zhen protested feebly.

He could feel it – his armor, his emotional barricades and his attempt to hold onto his rational mind. All of it came crashing down the moment Zhong Yun spoke those gentle yet soul-shaking words to him. How was he supposed to resist such tenderness, such affection that had been offered to him on a silver platter? Zhong Yun must have sensed him wavering too, because his eyes twinkled in glee as he whispered,

"All is fair in love and war, Ge. Haven’t you heard? And me? I’m known as a genius strategist in the gaming world."

With those words, Zhong Yun closed the distance between them, and Qin Zhen found himself melting against the sensation of those heated and intoxicating lips pressing against his. A small groan escaped him as he slid his eyes close, arms hooked around Zhong Yun’s neck, pulling him closer.

Contrary to Qin Zhen’s expectations, it was so easy to allow Zhong Yun into his life. It was so easy to love him and be loved in return. It was like rediscovering a missing piece of himself he did not even know existed before. It seemed like his fear was truly unfounded. It still felt a little terrifying whenever he thought of losing this all, but Zhong Yun was always there to reassure him again and again that he would always be there, and he would never leave Qin Zhen alone.

Their relationship might be very new, but they had known each other for far longer than that. Perhaps it was the reason that drove Qin Zhen to make a momentous decision.

"Y–You’re going to introduce me to... to your father?!" Zhong Yun sat upright on the bed, the blanket pooling around his laps, revealing his chiseled chest that bore the loving marks from their most recent indulgence. Qin Zhen flushed as he hit the young man on the shoulder.

"Not so fast!" He hissed softly. "I–I’m going to break the news to him first. I don’t think he will accept it easily, so..." he trailed off, uncertainty flickering across his eyes. Had he been moving too quickly? What if this was not what Zhong Yun wanted? After all, they had only been dating for a month and all of a sudden, Qin Zhen brought up the topic of meeting his parent... 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Zhong Yun observed him for a while before he abruptly pounced forward, pinning him into the bed. Qin Zhen let out a small shriek, and then laughter bubbled out of his throat as Zhong Yun began to shower his neck with soft kisses, the gloom shadowing his features dissipated in an instant.

"Ge..." his voice was muffled as he spoke. "You know I love you, right?"

Sighing, Qin Zhen ran his fingers through his lover’s silken hair. "I know..." he replied with a faint smile tugging on his lips.

"I’m so happy to be with you that I don’t think I would ever need anything again, but..." he paused for a beat before continuing carefully, "But if you really want to introduce me to your father, then I... I..."

Qin Zhen almost jumped out of the bed when he felt hot liquid falling onto his skin. "Y–You..." He hastily sat up, but Zhong Yun buried his face into his chest instead, adamant on not showing his face. "Are you crying?!"

"No..." Zhong Yun denied in a nasal voice.

So he was really crying! Qin Zhen was utterly caught off guard, but at the same time, a hint of amusement trickled into his heart. "Why would you even..." sighing, he couldn’t help but tease his lover, "Did the idea appall you so much that you can’t even bring yourself to meet my eyes?"

"No!" Zhong Yun immediately whipped his head up, revealing a pair of bloodshot and teary eyes. "I didn’t! It’s... It’s the contrary. I’m so happy that I don’t know what to do..."

This was the first time Qin Zhen had ever seen Zhong Yun in such a mess that he fumbled with his words, and the realization that he was the one who caused this made his heart soar. He reached out to cup Zhong Yun’s cheek, and his breath seized when the young man promptly leaned against his touch like a sunflower basking in the sun’s grace. Deep emotions colored his tone as he whispered, "Ge, you have no idea, don’t you? How long I’ve wanted this. How long I’ve been pining over you..."

A bittersweet ache spread across Qin Zhen’s heart at the heartfelt admission. Zhong Yun had never – not even once – given him a chance to doubt his feelings, but whenever he heard such a confession, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotions swelling in his chest. Happiness, heartache, distress and joy— all mixed into one.

Zhong Yun had laid bare his deepest and most sincere heart to him, so it was only fair that he put in the same amount of effort.

At that moment, Qin Zhen resolved to stay with this person for the rest of his life, regardless of his father’s reaction to the news.

.

.

"I remember it vividly..." Zhong Yun’s voice trembled as he spat out the words through gritted teeth. "It was on 20th November last year that he went to visit his father in the nursing home. I chose his outfit, wrapped a scarf around his neck, helped him put on his shoes and sent him out of the door... we promised to stay together no matter what. But then... but then..."

Anguished tears traced down his cheeks as he barked out a cold laugh. "He didn’t return anymore! Well, he did, but that man... he is not Qin Zhen, my lover! Who did the Master Manipulator think he is, to take on my beloved’s appearance? Did he think that he could fool me? As soon as I looked into his eyes, as soon as I laid my gaze upon him, I instantly knew that the man before me, the man who looked exactly like my lover, was nothing but a fake!"

He Juan drummed his fingers on his lap as he absorbed the entirety of Zhong Yun’s story.

Unbeknownst to them, almost two hours had passed inside the car as Zhong Yun poured everything out of his chest. His words came out like a bursting dam, filled with deep and intense emotions to the brim. By now, He Juan had crossed off the possibility that he was sent here by Ku Jin, but it did not mean that he could let his guard down.

Ku Jin was not a Master Manipulator for nothing. He was an expert in playing chess and guiding people into the positions he wanted. Hence, He Juan couldn’t dismiss the chance that this encounter, too, might be part of Ku Jin’s intricate plans.

"And then?" He inquired. "What happened after that? How did you escape from him? The Master Manipulator I know was not someone who would leave a trail behind in his scheme."