Chapter 7

Chapter 7: 1. deep rising-06

Liu Yi’s car was a flashy champagne-colored BMW 7 Series.

When Li Jin saw the car, his eyes went wide, almost wishing he could immediately kneel at Director Liu’s suit pants.

You have to understand, the forensic profession is famously “DTSP”—dirty, tired, smelly, and, most importantly, poor.

Even reaching Liu Yi’s professional rank, the monthly salary was about the same as an ordinary city white-collar worker. Not destitute, but certainly not enough to buy a luxury car at will.

Add to that Liu Yi’s attention to clothing and accessories—every outfit was carefully coordinated, not a cheap item in sight.

To outsiders, a man like Liu Yi, dressed in designer brands and driving a luxury car, seemed practically stamped with “tall, handsome, rich”—clearly a life winner with a privileged background.

Li Jin didn’t consider himself materialistic, but a man flawless in appearance, education, personality, and wealth like Liu Yi was his ideal lover. Just imagining being his romantic partner made him feel like he was floating on air.

However, daydreams aside, Li Jin knew that pursuing Qi Shanyu had already taken him two and a half years, and Liu Yi, a seemingly godlike figure, would be far more difficult to approach than inexperienced Qi Shanyu…

While Li Jin’s mental fantasy had reached a Christmas Eve dinner at a revolving restaurant with Liu Yi, Liu Yi had already driven the car out of the parking lot toward the intern’s rented apartment.

Along the way, Li Jin kept sneaking glances at the handsome man in the driver’s seat until the car reached an intersection and Liu Yi’s phone rang.

“Hey, Michael.”

Liu Yi pressed the Bluetooth call button and spoke fluently in English.

Li Jin’s spoken English was terrible; he barely understood anything. Only from Liu Yi’s casual tone and the way he addressed the person could he tell it was a man and that they were quite familiar.

When the call ended, Li Jin bit his lip, carefully watching Liu Yi’s profile, noticing a slight smile on his lips—he looked pleased. Li Jin felt both curious and conflicted, finally asking, “Was that your… friend?”

He choked on the word “boyfriend,” barely swallowing it.

Liu Yi glanced at Li Jin, thinking this kid was audacious enough to inquire about the department head’s personal calls. Perhaps because he usually seemed kind-tempered, the intern assumed he could act informally with him?

So Liu Yi lightly hummed, the smile fading, saying nothing, simply driving to the apartment, letting Li Jin out at the entrance, then pressing the accelerator and driving off.

&&& &&& &&&

Li Jin stepped out of Liu Yi’s car, walking on air.

He replayed every detail in his mind, sometimes regretting what he said, thinking he might have upset Liu Yi, sometimes wondering who had called—could it really be Liu Yi’s partner? His emotions fluctuated wildly.

So distracted, he didn’t even notice an extra pair of shoes by the entrance until the rich aroma of cooked meat and vegetables hit him, jolting him: someone else was in his apartment.

“Back already.”

Qi Shanyu peeked from the kitchen, smiling. “Dinner’s ready. Wash your hands and come eat.”

Li Jin froze. “You’re… here?”

“I have duty tomorrow.”

Qi Shanyu smiled apologetically. “So I got off early today and came straight from the station.”

Li Jin nodded, tightened his face, said nothing, and went to the bathroom.

Turning on the faucet, he splashed water on his face, staring at his reflection, frowning deeply.

He was conflicted over how to handle his relationship with Qi Shanyu.

They hadn’t seen each other for three weeks, their last call two days ago after he had lashed out. Qi Shanyu hadn’t returned the call—yet now he came over, making dinner, clearly seeking reconciliation.

…Should he continue the relationship?

Ten minutes later, they sat at a small dining table, eating potato stew with beef and hand-torn cabbage.

The table was tiny, so they were close. Qi Shanyu’s long legs were cramped under the table, knees pressing against Li Jin’s thighs. Yet despite the proximity, the atmosphere was awkward.

Qi Shanyu cooked well, but Li Jin’s mind was elsewhere, making the meal tasteless. Qi Shanyu tried speaking several times, all brushed off in a few words.

After a while, Qi Shanyu sighed, looking at the absorbed Li Jin. Attempting to initiate conversation: “Is the internship tiring? You seem drained.”

“Mm, it’s okay.”

Li Jin nodded weakly. “I’ve been preparing for graduate school, maybe not resting enough.”

“Oh? Have you decided on a program?”

Qi Shanyu knew Li Jin disliked his current major, only placed in forensic medicine due to low scores.

For someone like Li Jin, who loved beauty and glamour, dealing with corpses daily was unbearable. If he didn’t want to continue, he’d naturally consider graduate school to change paths.

“Mm.” Li Jin replied lightly. “I’m applying to the graduate program at the forensic institute.”

“Why?” Qi Shanyu looked surprised. “I thought you wanted to switch fields?”

Li Jin scooped some stew over rice, mixing it. “There’s a director in my current department I admire. I want to study under him.”

Qi Shanyu opened his mouth, hesitated, but said nothing.

They awkwardly finished the meal. Qi Shanyu cleaned up in the kitchen, Li Jin sat with chips and iced cola, watching American dramas, hardly appearing to study.

Half an hour later, Qi Shanyu came out, pointing to the bathroom: “The hot water is ready. You can wash up.”

Li Jin looked up, eyes shadowed with complex emotions.

He stood, walked to Qi Shanyu, grabbed the collar of his boyfriend’s shirt, fingertips on the top two buttons.

Li Jin tilted his head slightly, eyes wet, lips licked, voice low and teasing: “Shall we wash together?”

Qi Shanyu’s expression stiffened. He stepped back, subtly freeing his shirt, looking away. “The bathroom’s too small. Two people won’t fit comfortably. I’ll go after you.”

Patting Li Jin’s hand: “Go ahead.”

Qi Shanyu’s “consideration” was like a spark in hot oil, instantly igniting Li Jin’s suppressed emotions.

“Then just say you don’t want me!”

Li Jin shoved Qi Shanyu’s chest, shouting: “We’ve been together so long, and you won’t even touch me! Are you impotent or sexless?! Get treated if you’re sick, don’t bother me!”

Qi Shanyu was shocked, speechless.

“Like a relic from the last century, stiff and dull! Besides your looks, what merits do you have?!”

Li Jin pushed harder, nearly screaming.

“And you talk about a lifelong partner—who would want to live with someone as boring as you!!”

—Who would want to live with someone as boring as you!

Those words stabbed into Qi Shanyu’s heart.

Some wounds, like a brand, fade but remain sensitive. Even after years, reopening them cuts like fire.

Qi Shanyu lifted his head slightly, avoiding Li Jin’s hysterics, staring at the ceiling, suppressing tears and pain.

The person he once admired most had seemed rigid, dull, and busy for strangers… only to have loved ones betray him.

He felt exhausted.

As his first partner, Li Jin’s attractive, lively personality always drew attention—a quality Qi Shanyu lacked.

He admitted he had been attracted to Li Jin’s fiery, straightforward personality, and though the relationship had ups and downs, he genuinely liked Li Jin and tried to maintain it.

But when Li Jin said that sentence…

Like a treasured ceramic cup shattered, Qi Shanyu felt hopeless, unwilling to continue.

After a long silence, he unclenched his teeth, whispering: “Fine, let’s break up.”

He picked up his backpack from the entrance, put on his shoes, opened the door, and left Li Jin’s apartment without looking back.

“Fine, good riddance!”

Li Jin’s voice followed, still shouting:

“I already like someone else! He’s a hundred times better than a boring guy like you! I don’t want you anymore!”