Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 667: If It Were Him...

The soothing cadence of the rain blended with the sound of their footsteps as they stood before the rows of niches in the columbarium.

Before them was Qin Zhen’s niche. Others were adorned with framed photographs, flowers and other sentimental objects that belonged to the deceased, bringing a touch of warmth to the bleak atmosphere. But aside from the white urn and a piece of formal portrait where Qin Zhen was smiling awkwardly, there was nothing else within.

It looked so sad and lonely, as if even after death, he was still forsaken by the world.

Casting a sidelong glance at Zhong Yun, Mu Yuze saw that the man was staring at the portrait dazedly, seemingly as if he had lost his soul. Mu Yuze took the initiative to step forward and placed the small bouquet he had bought in the designated vase. Then he bowed deeply, offering his sincere apologies for the man who had died unjustly.

After doing all that, he clasped Zhong Yun’s shoulder and said in a low voice, "I will be waiting outside. Take your time."

Zhong Yun’s thin frame shook, his head lowered. A shaky ’mn’ was all he could manage from his constricted throat.

Despite the excellent air circulation, Mu Yuze’s chest felt a little stuffy as he made his way down the hall. For some reason, Zhong Yun’s vacant expression kept replaying in his mind. Mu Yuze felt concern for his friend who had lost his beloved, but at the same time, he also admired the man for his resilience and tenacity.

For if it were Mu Yuze in his shoes today, if he was the one who had lost his most precious person... he did not think he could endure living in this cruel world for even a second longer.

To stand before his lover’s ashes, how strong of a willpower was needed to do that? How much pain and agony was Zhong Yun feeling at that moment? Mu Yuze couldn’t bring himself to think of the answer.

Stepping out of the building, he took a deep breath and let the cool air fill his lungs. His feet carried him to the canopied path leading across the garden, and he halted on his tracks when He Juan’s silhouette came into view.

The Alpha had discarded his usual formal suit in favor of a dark blue sweater, paired with jeans and a trench coat that highlighted his broad shoulders and long legs. He had taken to braiding his hair again, claiming that it really did feel more comfortable that way. As he gazed at the curtain of rain that veiled the world, somehow he exuded an aura of melancholy that tugged on Mu Yuze’s heartstrings.

For if it were Mu Yuze in his shoes today, if he was the one who had lost his most precious person...

Sensing the gaze on him, He Juan turned his head and his eyes lit up when he caught sight of Mu Yuze, a smile gracing his lips. No hint of despondency could be found on him, as if everything was just a product of Mu Yuze’s imagination. Without him realizing, Mu Yuze’s feet naturally gravitated toward the Alpha, narrowing the distance between them in a few large strides.

"Sorry, did you wait long?"

"Not at all," He Juan extended a hand to brush away a fallen eyelash on Mu Yuze’s cheek, prompting the omega to close his eyes and lean into the touch. "I’m the one who offered to drive you both, so don’t worry about me. Do you feel cold? Your skin is freezing."

Mu Yuze released a small hum, his countenance softening. There was no use thinking of ’what-ifs’; he would never allow himself to lose He Juan again, not after everything they had gone through to reach this point.

"Not cold," he assured, clasping He Juan’s hand and relishing in how it was large enough to engulf his own. "Juan-gege is such a worrywart."

He Juan snorted in mild amusement and pinched his cheek lightly, "If I’m not worrying about you, then who else should I be worried about?"

That one simple sentence filled Mu Yuze with so much sweetness that all the lingering gloom and heaviness in his chest was dispersed, leaving not a trace behind.

They stood under the canopied path, shoulder to shoulder, the back of their hands brushing against each other once in a while. Surrounded by the dense cascade of rain, it felt as if only the two of them remained in this world.

Mu Yuze gently exhaled and watched as white smoke billowed out of his mouth. As he gazed at the evergreen shrubs before him, he suddenly recalled something.

"Oh, by the way, I’ve been meaning to ask. It will be Christmas soon. Will you... be spending it with your little brother?" Realizing that his question sounded a little ambiguous, he hurried to add, "I– I don’t mean anything by that. It’s just that... I recall you mentioning how you two always spent Christmas and New Year together. There was also that time when you were away for more than a week..."

Too focused on crafting a reasonable explanation, he failed to notice that the man beside him was frozen in place, all colors draining from his face.

He Juan’s throat rolled, and his palms grew clammy with cold sweat. That’s right, he had never mentioned He Xie to Mu Yuze or anyone else ever since he woke up. In fact, he had been avoiding the thoughts of the young man altogether...

He Juan parted his lips, yet his throat refused to work. He had no idea where to start, nor was he certain whether he could recount everything with a clear mind. Fortunately, he was saved by the sight of someone emerging from the other end of the path, and the words he wanted to say swiftly transformed into: "Zhong Yun..."

The loud pitter-patter of the rain concealed the unusual hoarseness in He Juan’s voice, and Mu Yuze was too distracted by the appearance of his friend to notice He Juan’s anomaly. Zhong Yun’s entire person looked like he had been hollowed out; his complexion pallid, expression vacant, and eyes so red it seemed blood might drip from them. He looked so thin and fragile as though the slightest gust of wind could blow him away.

"Zhong Yun." Mu Yuze asked with concern. "Are you okay?"

Zhong Yun nodded listlessly. He kept scratching at his cuticle, which was already bloodied to begin with. "I–I know this might be too much for me to ask, but... can I... can I please pay a visit to Qin-ge’s father?"

"Old Mr. Qin?" Mu Yuze was surprised. "Why do you want to meet him? He’s still unaware of Mr. Qin’s death. His condition is deteriorating, and he might not even be able to remember his son now."

"I know..." Zhong Yun nodded, his head lowering more and more as he began to lose his momentum. "I know, but before Qin-ge’s... accident, he had been planning to tell his father about us. Even if he can’t remember his son, I thought... it would only be right for me to visit him. I–It’s okay even if we don’t talk, I just want to see him once... just for one last time..." his voice petered off into a shaky whisper.

Mu Yuze’s heart went out for his friend. He turned to He Juan, silently asking for the man’s opinion. By now, He Juan had already regained his bearings, his smile as unruffled and impeccable as always.

"I don’t see any problems with it," he remarked. "Let’s go, I will drive you there."