Cai Lang finally stopped running.
He cornered Suo Ran in the narrow space between floors, the emergency stairwell dim and echoing. No witnesses. No excuses.
"You keep hiding things from me," Cai Lang said quietly.
Suo Ran didn't look up.
"And you keep lying."
The words hung there.
Cai Lang exhaled slowly.
"I'm trying to protect you."
"By deciding everything for me?" Suo Ran shot back. "By lying to my face?"
Cai Lang stepped closer.
"You don't understand what you're involved in."
"Then tell me," Suo Ran said. "Or stop pretending you care."
Silence.
Cai Lang's jaw tightened.
"I can't," he said finally.
"And if you keep doing this going behind my back, disappearing into missions I can't control then I'm done."
Suo Ran looked at him then, eyes sharp.
"Done?"
"I won't help you anymore," Cai Lang said coldly. "Whatever happens next… it's not on me."
That was the moment something broke.
"Fine," Suo Ran replied. "I never asked you to save me."
They walked away in opposite directions.
Lian Ziho didn't notice the fracture.
He only noticed that Suo Ran was suddenly always there sharing meals, walking home together, laughing at stupid things.
"You're easy to be around," Lian said one evening. "Ever notice that?"
Suo Ran smiled faintly.
"You don't ask too many questions."
"Exactly."
From a distance, Cai Lang watched.
Too often.
Too closely.
And when he searched deeper old files, encrypted records, shadows tied to the scroll he realized something terrifying.
Suo Ran wasn't just hiding information.
He was hiding himself.
They met again days later. All three.
Neutral ground. Forced politeness.
Cai Lang and Suo Ran didn't speak not really.
No eye contact. No sharp words.
Lian, blissfully unaware, clapped his hands together.
"This is depressing.
We're playing Truth or Dare."
"No," Cai Lang said immediately.
"Too late," Lian grinned, already pouring drinks. "Cai Lang truth."
Cai Lang ignored him.
Lian poured another glass. "Truth."
Cai Lang drank instead.
Lian squinted. "Wow.
Okay. Then love life?"
Silence.
"Anyone special?" Lian pressed.
Cai Lang drank again.
"Ex?" Lian tried.
Another drink.
Suo Ran watched quietly, something tight twisting in his chest.
By the time they stood up, Cai Lang was unsteady.
"I'll drop him," Lian said, hauling Cai Lang up. "You good?"
Suo Ran nodded. "Yeah."
Cai Lang barely spoke on the way home.
Lian left once they reached the building, waving casually.
"Take care of him, neighbor."
The door closed.
Cai Lang's apartment was dark, expensive, and quiet.
Suo Ran guided him to the couch. "Sit."
"I don't need you," Cai Lang muttered.
"I know," Suo Ran said calmly. "I'm just being polite."
He brought water.
He tried to give cai Lang but cai Lang pushed away!
Cai Lang jacket got wet!
Suo ran Removed Cai Lang's jacket. Started cleaning up the mess routine, detached.
As he bent to straighten Cai Lang's shirt, a hand grabbed his wrist.
"Don't," Cai Lang murmured.
Suo Ran froze. "Let go."
Cai Lang pulled him closer instead unsteady, warm, dangerous.
Before Suo Ran could react
Cai Lang kissed him.
Soft. Messy.
Uncontrolled.
Suo Ran's mind went blank.
He was so shocked he didn't know what to do...
Then Cai Lang whispered, barely audible
"An Xin…"
Suo Ran went still.
That name didn't belong to him.
He pulled back sharply, heart pounding.
Cai Lang had already slumped back, unconscious, breath uneven.
Suo Ran stood there, shaking.
He didn't know what the kiss meant.
He didn't know who An Xin was.
He only knew one thing
Whatever Cai Lang was hiding ran deeper than secrets.
Suo Ran left quietly.
And this time, he didn't look back.