Chapter 57 – Meeting the Parents

Chapter 57 – Meeting the Parents
Translator: Xena

While Cheng Li was looking for a pen, Jian Xie picked up the employee ID card that had fallen outside earlier.

The back side bore the Bureau’s emblem, while the front revealed no photograph of him and no department affiliation, only a solitary identification number.

7.

Cheng Li handed him a pen, his gaze settling on the employee ID card.

Upon seeing the number, he once again wore a look of astonishment. “Only one number?” 

And it’s the not-quite-right number 7…

“……”

Seeing Jian Xie frown at him, Cheng Li paused for a moment before offering an explanation, “Normally, it should be in the five-digit range.” 

For example, his ID card read 6-3-002, signifying an employee hired during the sixth autumn recruitment season, simultaneously invited by three departments, and ranked second in the hierarchy.

But with Jian Xie, there’s only one 7?

Did this mean he was the undisputed Investigator No. 7?

Considering his rank, perhaps it was no coincidence…

His expression was complex.

Having received his answer, Jian Xie withdrew his gaze, and tucked his employee card into his inner pocket. He took the pen and signed his name on the contract before handing it back to Cheng Li.

The handwriting was neat and elegant, with a firm and decisive stroke.

A feast for the eyes.

After inspecting it, Cheng Li reopened the leather pouch, placed the contract back inside exactly as it had been, carefully resealed it, and returned it to its original position.

After all, it needed to be submitted to the department for archiving.

After completing the task, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“I thought you wouldn’t sign right away,” Cheng Li said casually, with a hint of narrow-mindedness. “Well, this is fine too. At least I won’t have to make multiple trips.”

He thought about it and said, “It’s still early. I’ll treat you to dinner. What would you like to eat?” 

Although Cheng Li still had many questions swirling in his mind, he was in a good mood now that the most difficult contract had been resolved so quickly. He felt he could relax for a while.

But Jian Xie didn’t take the bait and instead raised his eyes. “Let’s just get this over with.” 

Cheng Li choked: “……”

This crisp and decisive manner was quite distinctive.

“If you have anything you want to ask me, just say it.” Jian Xie suddenly turned his head, fixing the driver with an almost scrutinizing gaze. His words came out clear and deliberate. “I won’t hold anything back from you because I also have questions I need answers to from you later.” 

The implication was that ‘I hope you do the same.’

Cheng Li: “……”

He cleared his throat first, then said with a tense expression, “I want to ask… that thing you told me a long time ago, was it a joke, or was it real?” 

Jian Xie froze for a moment. “What thing?” 

He didn’t know what time period Cheng Li was referring to.

“It was the night of our second meeting, the case where the B-level monster vanished, and when I walked you back to the apartment building.” Cheng Li tried to describe the timing as precisely as possible. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he struggled to speak. “You asked me in the car if a monster would protect a human…” 

This issue has been troubling him for quite some time.

Although he saw genuine confusion in Jian Xie’s eyes at that time, he dismissed it as the other person overthinking things and simply smiled it off.

After all, he’d been an investigator for several years, yet he’d never encountered a monster that showed affection toward humans.

If there was any, it would merely be fleeting curiosity. Ultimately, no genuine goodwill could arise between predator and prey on the same food chain.

But Jian Xie’s offhand remark had planted a seed deep within his heart.

And now, the series of events surrounding Jian Xie had made it impossible for him to ignore that hypothesis. Cheng Li has not forgotten the indescribable aura of power and possessiveness that Yu Jinghe had sensed from Jian Xie when they first met.

Jian Xie remained silent.

This was different from before.

Back then, he was unaware of Qin Zhuo’s existence. Now that he knew, whether It made an appearance or not was no longer up to him to decide.

[Qin Zhuo…]

【I don’t mind.】

As if knowing what he was thinking, Qin Zhuo answered before he could speak.

Having said that, It lifted It’s eyes and gazed lazily ahead.

Cheng Li saw Jian Xie’s slightly stunned expression and couldn’t help but look confused himself. He followed his gaze to the rearview mirror inside the car.

The moment he took in the scene reflected in the mirror, Cheng Li froze in place, as if plunged into icy water.

A pair of dark crimson eyes stared straight at him.

When-?

…Someone actually got into the car, yet he didn’t notice a thing?!

Though his body stiffened involuntarily, Cheng Li’s mind raced. His danger radar told him this young man who appeared so suddenly was no good.

However, Jian Xie beside him showed no reaction whatsoever, as if the sudden appearance of another person in the car didn’t surprise him at all.

Cheng Li: “……”

His entire attention was captured by those bloodthirsty eyes, and it wasn’t until he came to his senses that he realized who this guy was.

This was… the young man he met once.

But it felt completely different from the last time they met.

In any case, Cheng Li could not possibly refer to the current him as human.

The young man sat in the backseat, chin resting on his hand as a faint, shadowy mist swirled around him. Though he maintained his usual nonchalant, haughty demeanor, and his eyes held no reflection, his fully unleashed aura carried a chilling sensation. As if the next moment, he might drag anyone who met his gaze straight into hell.

“Nice to see you again, investigator.” Qin Zhuo shifted his gaze with little enthusiasm. “Now you know who I am.” 

It’s nonchalant voice broke the dead silence in the car.

Despite having met Jian Xie numerous times, It still couldn’t be bothered to remember his name, and It’s words often tinged with a dismissive tone.

Cheng Li: “……”

Whether you call him a hypocrite who only paid lip service to dragons or someone with poor mental fortitude, it didn’t matter. Despite having a vague premonition deep down and preparing himself mentally with numerous contingency plans, his first instinct upon actually seeing the other person appear was to jump out of the car and run away.

Even though such a terrifying being possessed an unforgettable, exceptional appearance, this did not render It harmless. Rather, it only made It more terrifying.

“I won’t kill you.” Qin Zhuo spoke lazily, raising It’s hand in a gesture meant to be friendly. “No matter what, I wouldn’t do something like that in front of him.” 

“….” Cheng Li.

I don’t feel comforted.

As he moved, the ring caught Cheng Li’s eye, snapping him out of his reverie. He couldn’t help but freeze in place for a moment.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Jian Xie, utterly unmoved. Cheng Li could only manage to say, “O-okay.” 

Although Qin Zhuo’s attitude toward him still couldn’t be called particularly courteous, as a terrifying entity, being able to calmly converse with him, a mere human, was already no small feat.

I always feel like I’m just riding someone else’s coattails…

Recalling the ring he had just seen, Cheng Li’s gaze instinctively drifted to Jian Xie’s hand in the passenger seat.

Similar to It.

On his ring finger sat a simple yet elegant ring, its subtle shimmer exuding extraordinary luxury.

Though it would suit Jian Xie perfectly, it didn’t seem like the kind of decoration he would choose. It was more the taste of someone refined.

Jian Xie followed his gaze, which had settled on his own hands, then looked at Qin Zhuo.  “…”

Cheng Li, who was at a loss for words: “……”

Everything seemed to have been explained.

Jian Xie: “……”

Jian Xie said, “I told you, I’m not dating anyone.” 

Qin Zhuo didn’t seem to care, merely replying lazily, “Whatever you say.”

It’s words seemed utterly unconcerned by Jian Xie’s rejection-like statement.

But it was precisely this uncompromising display that made Jian Xie’s heart race.

In It’s eyes, he was like a petulant lover who could do whatever he pleased.

This feeling… was a bit strange.

Although Jian Xie stood out with his striking looks and outstanding academic achievements, easily becoming the center of attention, and seemed adept at handling others’ emotions, in reality, he had never been in a relationship nor felt anything resembling “like” toward his peers.

He placed great importance on his privacy, so he often unconsciously held back, avoiding deep connections with others. In doing so, he inadvertently cut off many possibilities.

But Qin Zhuo was different…

In It’s presence, all of Jian Xie’s previous methods of keeping his distance proved utterly ineffective.

It intruded into his life with an almost forceful attitude, and their entanglement deepened with time.

In the past, he would have found this repulsive, but now he didn’t.

Although he could always sense Qin Zhuo deliberately indulging him, he himself seemed to be accommodating the other person as well, whether intentionally or unintentionally…

Hearing his denial, Cheng Li’s expression grew somewhat subtle. He replayed his recent experiences in his mind like watching a movie, then hesitated and said, “You’re both wearing matching rings, and your recent outfits don’t seem like your usual style… As for moving houses, you two aren’t living together now, are you? Are you… cohabitating?”  

He didn’t know that Qin Zhuo’s true form resided within Jian Xie’s body, so he instinctively used the term “cohabitating.”

In reality, the situation was more complicated.

Strictly speaking, they were never really living separately.

“……”

“You don’t have to keep it from me, okay?” Cheng Li sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. “Actually, I’m not as narrow-minded as you think.” 

Humans can sometimes be far more terrifying than monsters.

Moreover, his intuition told him that if It truly intended to harm him, It wouldn’t need to go to such lengths.

His gaze swept over the young man in the backseat.

After uttering It’s final words, It had withdrawn Its gaze and turned It’s face toward the window, showing no interest whatsoever in their subsequent conversation.

Though a lingering unease still undeniably gnawed at his gut—that constant feeling that he might be torn apart at any moment—It’s detached stance did ease Cheng Li’s tension considerably. Gone were the goosebumps that had covered his entire body and the mind that had gone completely blank, unlike at the very beginning.

……

After a long moment, Jian Xie absentmindedly rubbed his fingers, murmuring hesitantly, “Maybe… I think.” 

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhuo turned his head to look at him, It’s eyes holding a trace of bewilderment. A rare sight indeed.

The malevolent deity, who had always held everything within It’s grasp, all-knowing and omnipotent, seemed to have never even considered the possibility of receiving a response from him.

Cheng Li also froze for a moment. “…What did you say?”

“Nothing. You misheard.”

“……”

“Any other questions?” After a momentary lapse, Jian Xie’s eyes regained their clarity. “Ask them all at once.”

After uttering this seemingly out-of-the-blue remark, the person being pressed on the matter promptly changed the subject, as if the statement had been nothing more than an inadvertent slip of the tongue.

Cheng Li could only let it go for now in order to not appear too gossipy.

“Is the wooden statue from the auction in your possession now?” He steered the conversation back on track. “What do you need it for? It’s dangerous.” 

Jian Xie replied, “Don’t worry, I’ve already destroyed it.” 

“Alright.” Cheng Li had braced himself for this, and upon receiving an immediate affirmative response, he momentarily lost his train of thought. “Then I have no further questions,” he said. 

He hadn’t forgotten that Jian Xie had said he wanted answers from him. He was also curious about the other person’s questions.

Even to him, Jian Xie was a rather mysterious teenager. As his recommender, he didn’t know much more about him than the investigators on the forum.

“You’ve looked into my records about the car accident involving my parents, the hospital, and the police dispatches.”

“How could you…”

Before he could finish speaking, Cheng Li quickly grasped the reason and was secretly impressed by the other person’s sharpness.

After all, yesterday at the entrance to the auction, his former colleague had greeted him. It was probably at that moment that Jian Xie realized they had met before, and thus became aware of the situation.

“I just want to ask you one thing,” Jian Xie’s voice was completely flat as his eyes locked onto his. “On the day my parents died in that car accident, did I really call the police over sixty times?”

Author’s Note:

Jian Xie: In the process of enlightenment