Chapter 43

Chapter 43

“Can you explain what’s going on here?”

The hand before him was exceptionally beautiful, with well-defined knuckles and clean nails. His rounded fingertips were still damp from the rain he had accidentally caught outside, making his skin look even more delicate. It was clear at a glance that he didn’t come from an ordinary family.

“Speak.”

Qiao Yu snapped back to his senses, only then noticing the ID card reader held almost right against his face. He was completely stunned.

Shit! How could he have forgotten that once a person passes away, their household registration is canceled?

Whenever he felt guilty, his eyes habitually started darting around, not daring to look the other person in the eye.

This behavior made Shang Yan’s expression grow increasingly strange, and a look of suspicion even flickered in his eyes.

“Hmm? Why aren’t you talking? Is this so hard to explain?”

The young man’s voice was clear and cold, carrying a faint, indefinable hint of tenderness.

That charming voice didn’t make the person in front of him swoon. Instead, Qiao Yu’s ears twitched warily. He took a step back, rubbing his palms together with a dry laugh. “Isn’t it hard to explain?”

Why would someone who had been registered as deceased suddenly show up alive and well? Was that really not hard to explain?!

He didn’t know how anyone else would answer, but Qiao Yu’s CPU had already fried.

From Qiao Yu’s twitching ears to the way he rubbed his palms in unease, Shang Yan’s gaze shifted from suspicion to scrutiny.

Yes, scrutiny.

Qiao Yu felt his vision go dark.

Precisely because he knew the man in front of him too well, Qiao Yu could guess what he was thinking with his eyes closed.

Shang Yan was wondering… whether he was actually ‘Qiao Yu’.

Damn it, they were together for seven years! If he couldn’t even tell that much, he might as well die again right now!

“What are your parents’ names?”

Shang Yan withdrew his gaze and suddenly asked a completely unrelated question.

Qiao Yu: “…”

“You can’t explain the issue with your ID, and you don’t even know your parents’ names?”

Qiao Yu: “…It’s not that I won’t explain the ID thing, but I have amnesia. I really want to cooperate with your work, but your humble servant simply cannot do it~”

Shang Yan was in no mood to banter with him. He let out a sneer. “Fine, amnesia. Then, how many fingers am I holding up?”

Qiao Yu stared at the long, slender finger in front of him, his lip twitching. “I have amnesia, not a mental disability.”

Whatever. He would deny it to the death.

Seeing this guy looking so well-groomed and living a life without worries made him angry!

Back then, he thought this guy had died somewhere out there. As it turned out, not only was he alive, but he had even become some kind of Director.

Heh.

Shang Yan looked down at the resistance in the other’s eyes, his amber pupils darkening.

The sudden surge of wild joy in his heart felt as if it had been doused by a bucket of cold water, leaving him so cold he couldn’t help but tremble.

After a long while, he slowly looked away. His cherry-blossom pink lips curled slightly into a faint smile. His ethereal features suddenly bloomed like a lush, decadent flower, the layered petals full of vivid color after weathering the wind and rain.

Qiao Yu was so scared by this smile that his soul nearly left his body. He unconsciously took another half-step back.

Shang Yan’s exceptionally beautiful amber eyes followed the movement, looking down at the leg Qiao Yu had just moved.

“Since you’re not mentally disabled, come with me.”

Qiao Yu was shocked. “Why should I go with you?”

“Because I suspect you are a foreign spy who faked his death to escape after stealing state secrets.”

Qiao Yu: ??

This story he’s making up… isn’t it a bit too ridiculous?!

“On what grounds? What evidence do you have to say I’m a spy?”
Seriously, thank you so much. This is beyond ridiculous-it’s like ridiculousness opened the door for more ridiculousness and invited it home for dinner!

“It’s precisely because I don’t have evidence that you have to come with me. That way, I can keep a close eye on you and make sure you don’t do anything harmful to society.”

Qiao Yu: “…”

**

Special Security Bureau.

Kong Xianya, holding a stack of folders, looked at Qiao Yu-who was sitting cross-legged on the desk-with a face full of gossip. “Hey handsome, where did Director Shang go?”

Qiao Yu was holding a newly purchased second-hand Huawei, slowly starting a game of Honor of Kings. He didn’t even look up. “Someone just called him away. I don’t know.”

Kong Xianya’s gaze drifted past his arrogant posture to the framed photo sitting on the corner of the desk.

The young man in the photo looked incredibly similar to the person in front of her. From their features to their style of dress, aside from the fact that the person before her was pale and looked sickly, one could easily mistake them at first glance.

Could this be the long-lost ‘stand-in’ trope?

Kong Xianya grew excited.

“The Director really knows how to play. Finding a stand-in for his ‘White Moonlight’… how impressive!”

Once the excitement passed, she realized she had spoken out of turn and quickly covered her mouth. o(╥﹏╥)o

Qiao Yu’s body stiffened at her words, and he was immediately taken out by the enemy jungler’s Sun Wukong with a single swing of his staff.

He looked irritably at the young girl who was trying to slip away. “You dare call me a stand-in for some ‘White Moonlight’? I’m more like the one using your Director Shang as a budget version of an ‘unforgettable regret.'”

“No, no, there’s no White Moonlight, only frost on the ground!” After causing trouble, Kong Xianya tossed the folder onto the edge of the desk and bolted.

Qiao Yu clicked his tongue, propping his elbow on his knee and resting his chin in his palm, his eyes narrowing lazily.

Frost on the ground, my ass… I’m clearly the original! If I weren’t still pissed off, I’d call consumer protection and have a professional come expose this fraud!

Shang Yan had the photo of the two of them displayed openly on his desk, so everyone had long been clear about his orientation. Bringing back a man with such a high degree of resemblance out of the blue had people dying of curiosity.

To be honest, after Shang Yan left, Kong Xianya was already the third person to sneak in to catch a glimpse of the drama under the guise of work.

He didn’t believe for a second that Shang Yan could leave with that ‘scumbag’ face of his without anyone noticing.

He was clearly doing this on purpose!

Qiao Yu sneered and flipped his phone face down on the desk, losing all interest in the game.

Just then, the office door was pushed open again, and Shang Yan walked in carrying two cups of juice.

“Want a drink?”

Qiao Yu looked at the bright yellow mango juice in front of him and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Damn it, this guy is definitely doing this on purpose!

“What? Don’t like mango juice?” The young man sat in his chair with poise, leisurely crossing his legs.

He looked incredibly punchable no matter how you sliced it.

Qiao Yu took a deep breath and snatched the mango juice, his teeth grinding audibly. “I love it. I. Love. It. To. Death.”

“If you love it, why aren’t you drinking?”

Qiao Yu grabbed the straw and stabbed it in forcefully, taking a massive gulp of the mango juice as if he were settling a blood feud.

A second later: “Blegh-”

Shang Yan raised an eyebrow at the gagging Qiao Yu. Ultimately, he couldn’t help but soften his heart. He stepped forward, patting the other man’s thin back with a sigh. “Why do you insist on suffering like this?”

Qiao Yu shot him a murderous glare. Shang Yan quickly shut his mouth and brought in a cup of iced plain tea from outside.

Only then did Qiao Yu settle down, tossing the mango juice aside in resignation.

Shang Yan’s amber eyes watched the other’s puffed-out cheeks without blinking, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Fine, if he won’t admit it, he won’t admit it.

He couldn’t run away now anyway, so there was no rush.