Chapter 87: I look forward to his painful remaining years

“Lin-ge!” Xiao Zhao ran out of the exam room, happy. Xu Lin pulled his gaze away from Ye Nianyi.

Ji Jinxuan followed behind him. They exchanged glances. Ji Jinxuan spoke first. “The preliminary checkup is normal. No issues.”

“A few more results will be ready tomorrow. You’ll need to stay overnight.”

Before Xu Lin could speak, Xiao Zhao shouted, “Great! Thanks, Ji-ge!”

They walked out together. Xiao Zhao held Xu Lin’s hand and chatted with Ji Jinxuan.

“Ji-ge, can I stay in the same room as last time?”

“Yes.”

“Awesome! It was huge enough for me, my friends, Lin-ge, and Li-ge!”

Ji Jinxuan glanced at Xu Lin, who looked normal. He quickly looked away. “Alphas and Omegas should be separated. I’ll arrange another room for your Lin-ge.”

Xu Lin was about to say it was fine when they reached the entrance. Xiao Zhao’s friends were waving from a distance, cutting him off.

Li Mu and Ji Jinxuan met with a polite greeting. They exchanged no real words.

Xiao Zhao introduced his friends to Ji Jinxuan. One of the boys, a chubby dark-skinned kid, stared at Ji Jinxuan, impressed.

“See? I told you!” Xiao Zhao puffed out his chest.

“Want to look around?” Ji Jinxuan said. “I’ll arrange a guide.”

“Really?!”

The boys were thrilled. To be personally invited by the head of the institute made them feel important.

That afternoon, a Beta took the boys on a tour. It was safe, so Li Mu and Xu Lin did not join.

They went to the dormitory. Li Mu and the Alpha boys shared a room. Xu Lin was placed next door.

Xu Lin’s room was separate. He did not argue, since Li Mu agreed it was better to maintain some boundaries.

Tired, Xu Lin showered first. Then he realized the problem. He had no change of clothes. He had only planned to stay for the checkup and leave.

He looked at his dirty clothes, thinking of washing them and letting them dry overnight. As he was about to do that, someone knocked on the door. He opened it, still in a towel. No one was there, but a new clothes rack was outside with neatly folded clothes, all in his size.

It was clear who had done it. They had barely spoken, only about Xiao Zhao. Ji Jinxuan had left after dropping them off. He had done nothing extra.

But Xu Lin was acutely aware of Ji Jinxuan’s gaze on him. He thought he was being subtle, but every glance cut through Xu Lin like a knife.

Ji Jinxuan wore a mask, so Xu Lin could not see his expression. But from the eyes, he looked fine. No coughing. Maybe the cold was gone.

Had the bloody snowman been another prank?

Xu Lin brought the clothes inside, looked around, and peered over the railing.

The ginkgo trees were still there, but no one was behind them. The cold wind hit him, raising goosebumps. He went inside.

Behind the door, he touched the neatly folded clothes. They were soft and warm.

Ji Jinxuan had truly listened this time. He would not appear. He would not be seen. Maybe he was finally letting go.

Xu Lin changed into the clothes and sat in his room all afternoon. By the time he noticed, the ashtray was full of cigarette butts.

At six o’clock, Li Mu came looking for him. The boys still had not returned. They went to find them.

The lab building was large. Li Mu and Xu Lin split up. Xu Lin found them on the sixth floor, in a lab. They were wearing blue protective suits, crouched down, counting mice in cages. The Beta who had been watching them looked exhausted.

“How much do you feed them? They’re like pigs.”

“They eat better than us.”

“Being pampered has a price. Would you want to be cut open for experiments?”

“What kind of experiments?”

The questions kept coming. The Beta looked worn out.

Before he could answer, another voice spoke. “Toxicity tests.”

Xu Lin saw a bespectacled man step out—Ye Nianyi.

“Toxicity tests?” Xiao Zhao asked.

Ye Nianyi touched the glass box. The mice twitched their noses, following his finger.

“These mice are sensitive to toxins and pathogens. They give precise results.”

“But they’re so small. Can they handle it? Won’t they die?”

“Of course they die. That’s why we have so many. When one dies, another replaces it. Blame their weakness. The weak are easily replaced. Death is their only value.”

The boys were quiet, unsure how to respond.

“But if one mouse was strong enough to survive anything, and sacrificed itself for humanity, the others wouldn’t have to die. But even if such a mouse existed, it would be selfish and bite its owner.”

“How ungrateful.”

Xu Lin felt uneasy. The same strange feeling he had yesterday returned.

Ye Nianyi looked up and saw Xu Lin. He smiled, serene and warm.

“So mice are just mice. When they try to escape the cage and lose their value, we should kill them.”

The speechless boys followed Ye Nianyi’s gaze and saw Xu Lin. Relieved, they ran over to him.

“Lin-ge, you came to get us?”

“You were gone a while, so I came to check.”

“We were looking for too long. We should get some rest.”

They were eager to leave. Xu Lin thanked the Beta who had been watching them. The Beta left, relieved.

“Doctor Ye, it’s getting late. We’ll be going.” Xu Lin nodded at Ye Nianyi and herded the boys away.

After a few steps, Ye Nianyi called out, “Mr. Xu Lin.”

Xu Lin stopped.

Ye Nianyi stood under the light, his face pale. He was still smiling. “Don’t forget to pick up Xiao Zhao’s test results tomorrow.”

“I will.”

“Then,” Ye Nianyi murmured, “see you tomorrow.”

Xu Lin met up with Li Mu. The boys were tired and went to their rooms. Xu Lin said he wanted a smoke, so he stayed behind, standing behind the bare ginkgo trees, restless.

The winter leaves were gone. There was nowhere to hide.

“Ji Jinxuan,” he said softly, though no one was there.

The wind rustled. No answer.

Xu Lin looked up at the dark, moonless sky and crushed his cigarette.

He had guessed wrong.

That night, the boys slept in, exhausted from the day before. They reached the lab building around noon. The staff were preparing for lunch, making the building busy.

Xu Lin could not find Ji Jinxuan. He had returned the key card, so he could not go to the basement. He remembered Ye Nianyi had said he would have the results, so he went to his lab.

The same lab with the mice. Ye Nianyi was not there. On the table was a folder with Xiao Zhao’s name. Xu Lin checked the results, took it, and turned to leave.

Ye Nianyi appeared behind him. Xu Lin was startled but stayed calm.

“Doctor Ye?”

Ye Nianyi smiled. “Mr. Xu Lin, you’re lying.”

“What?”

Ye Nianyi slowly closed the door, blocking his way. “Ji Jinxuan cares a lot about you.”

He did not call him “Chief Ji,” but by name.

Xu Lin’s unease was about to be confirmed. He glanced around, staying alert. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ye Nianyi seemed not to hear him, talking to himself. “He should contribute, but he’s selfish and afraid to die. How is he worthy of Chief Ji’s lineage?”

Ye Nianyi’s expression twisted, his pleasant smile warped into something sick. He picked up a glass box, pressing his face to it, watching the mice.

“Chief Ji was noble, dedicated to Danshi and Alphas, sacrificing everything, even his family. I entered this field to follow him, to become like him. I was so close to my dream. But he destroyed it!”

He threw the box, shattering it. A mouse escaped. He stomped on it, screaming in rage, as if he had crushed his enemy.

“Ji Jinxuan! Because of his selfishness, all of Chief Ji’s work was for nothing. He took everything effortlessly. He’s shameless. He deserves to die!”

“A selfish coward who won’t sacrifice himself, how dare he have everything?”

Xu Lin understood now. Ye Nianyi, outwardly normal, was a madman brainwashed by Ji Wang. He worshipped the man who had experimented on his own grandson, hating Ji Jinxuan for not being the sacrificial mouse and for destroying his hero.

“You have a problem,” Xu Lin said.

Ye Nianyi laughed softly, his gaze crawling over Xu Lin. “You’re special to him.”

Xu Lin was not afraid. Ye Nianyi was no match for him. He moved back slowly, his hand reaching behind him for a utility knife on the table.

“Why are you telling me this?” Xu Lin said coldly. “I don’t care.”

Ye Nianyi stepped closer. “If you die, it will hurt him more than his own death.”

Xu Lin laughed. “You can’t hurt me.”

He lunged, his fist slamming into Ye Nianyi’s face, sending him flying into the glass boxes. The cages shattered, mice scattering. Xu Lin kicked away a mouse.

Ye Nianyi got up, bleeding and laughing, stunned but not unconscious. He reached into his pocket.

Xu Lin’s eyes widened at the small remote control. Ye Nianyi pressed it without hesitation.

Xu Lin heard his last words, “I look forward to seeing his painful remaining years.”

Boom—

A deafening explosion rocked the sixth floor. The building shook violently, knocking people down. Cracks spread across the walls and ceiling. Dust and debris rained down. The lights went out. Alarms blared. Red lights flashed.

A third and fourth explosion followed. The building began to collapse.