Illusion - SCI Mystery 谜案集 Fanfiction

Chapter 21

He would probably get a good earful from his brother about his behaviour later on, but right now he didn't care.

There was only one thought repeating itself in his mind over and over again.

To get to Zhan Yao as soon as possible. And to give a certain someone hell.

Maybe it were two thoughts after all.

The white sportscar sped over the roads with roaring engine. Of course no policeman would ever dare to halt the car because it broke the speed-limits as everyone knew exactly who this car belonged to.

Bai Yutong gripped the steering wheel harder - his knuckles already turning white and the veins on his arms popping out. His whole posture was tense and he both hoped and feared for his suspicion to be right. If Zhan Yao was really where he supposed him to be, he would of course be happy to finally hold him in his arms again - safe and sound. At the same time, this very possibility brought a certain unease to his heart. He didn't want his cat anywhere near him - yet alone in such a vulnerable condition.

Even imagining how much his cat had to suffer was making his blood boil and his fists itch in irritation and anger.

He ultimately stopped his car in front of the familiar building and stopped the engine.

For a moment, he just sat there quietly - not moving a muscle - and stared straight to no fixed point, trying to calm down. He wasn't here to fight. He was here to hopefully get his cat back.

Finally, he loosened his seat-belt and stepped out of the car with swift, determined grace. His long strides brought him to the door in no time and - without knocking - he entered. Ignoring the little girl, he just made his way up the stairs by himself.

When he reached the top floor, Zhao Jue was already standing there - two cups in his hand, of which he held one towards Bai Yutong.

"Here. For you."

He said calmly and took a sip from his own cup.

"We both know I'm not here to throw a tea-party with you."

Bai Yutong dedpanned with a straight face. But his strained posture betrayed his calm act.

"It's not tea. It's hot chocolate."

Zhao Jue replied in the same tone but with an underlying amusement in his voice nontheless. 

Bai Yutong's features hardened, yet he remained quiet.

Zhao Jue sighed. This kid was so impatient. Not that he could blame him in this situation.

"Follow me."

He turned around and placed the cup he offered Bai Yutong a moment ago on a small coffee table, then made his way to a door at the other side of the studio. Bai Yutong followed him closely.

Zhao Jue opened the door and when Bai Yutong took a glimpse of the inside of the room over the shorter man's shoulder he just brushed him aside and rushed to the bed in the middle of the room.

Zhan Yao's face was pale and Bai Yutong noticed the small shivers running over his body. His eyes were closed and his brows slightly furrowed. The bangs on his forehead were damp and sticked to the skin - small droplets of sweat ran down his face. The thick covers over his body heaved up and down with his heavy breathing.

"Cat."

Bai Yutong whispered worriedly and slightly pushed a strand of hair from Zhan Yao's forehead with shaking fingers.

"Aside from running a fever, he should be fine. He should wake up soon. Don't worry, Bai Yutong."

Bai Yutong almost forgot Zhao Jue was still there. He spun around furiously and took a step towards him - dangerously towering above him and staring him down with cold anger in his eyes.

"'Fine'? Where does he look fine to you?! How would you know?! How dare you just abduct him?! And don't you tell me what to do or what to worry about or not!"

Bai Yutong started as a dangerous whisper but got louder by every word.

Zhan Yao stirred in his sleep due to the commotion - unaware of what was happening around him - and struggled off the heavy blankets.

Zhao Jue threw him a mindful glance.

"Stop yelling, you're going to wake him up."

When he tried to step towards the bed to adjust the covers, his arm was roughly grabbed by Bai Yutong and he was pushed against the wall a few steps behind him.

"Don't touch him."

Bai Yutong growled dangerously. His patience had finally run out and Zhao Jue decided it was best not to agitate him any further. He held his hands up in a gesture of understanding and assurement but Bai Yutong still glared at him with watchful eyes. Zhao Jue noticed with mild surprise that he had put one hand on the holster of his gun.

"I didn't intend to abduct him. I overheard the situation through the earphones. When I reached him, he had already collapsed so I wanted to take him somewhere safe."

He explained calmly. Bai Yutong just scoffed.

"'Somewhere safe'? How is your place safe? You're what those gangsters were after in the first place. And with Zhan Yao's condition like that, you should have brought him to a hospital instead. Who knows if he really is not injured anywhere else? And do you not have a phone? You should have freaking called me!"

"I thought the hospital was too risky. We don't know if there are some of them left who could attack him there. I chose to bring him here because it's safe. They won't dare to attack him here."

Zhao Jue returned, not really affected by Bai Yutong's outburst.

"What makes you so sure it's safe here?"

Bai Yutong asked suspisciously with squinted eyes. But Zhao Jue just remained quiet and Bai Yutong wondered just how many more secrets and mysteries revolved around that man.

"Don't get near him again. Next time something like this happens, I'll kill you."

He said seriously when he didn't get an answer from Zhao Jue after a long silence. He removed his hand from his gun holster and turned his back on Zhao Jue to reach the bed.

Carefully, he lifted the still sleeping Zhan Yao in his arms and frowned at how light he was. He always told him to eat more and take better care of himself. But that stubborn cat would just not listen to him. This time he wouldn't let him get off the hook this easily though.

With his beloved cat in his arms, he turned around and left the room wordlessly - not even sparing Zhao Jue a single glance anymore - and made his way out of the room - passing the abandoned cup on the coffee table - and exited the building.

The fresh wind brushed over their bodies as he stepped outside and Zhan Yao shivered in his arms. He tightened his grip on him assuringly and hurried to his car to gently place the unconscious Yao on the passenger's seat and carefully fixing his seat belt. Quickly, he retrieved a blanket from the back seat and put it over the shivering body before he got in as well. He started the engine and put the heater on full blast.

Then he sped away on the highway towards the hospital.