Chapter 1900

Jin Chen didn't find that clump of red mist of unknown origin, told the hanged ghost to keep looking for clues, and hurried home to accompany the Xiao Mifeng who lacked a sense of safety.

But Xia Tan's condition wasn't quite right.

When Jin Chen got home, he still hadn't noticed; as usual, he gave Xia Tan a series of kisses, then smiled and pinched Xia Tan's flushed cheeks.

How come you look unhappy?

Xia Tan lowered his gaze, curled up on the sofa, lifted his head to look at Jin Chen, long lashes fluttering, and shook his head.

I'm not unhappy.

Xia Tan answered seriously, Jin Chen moved closer, his nose lightly touching Xia Tan's, his voice seductive: "You're hiding a secret from me."

Xiao Mifeng, you're not listening.

Xia Tan was easily drawn by that ambiguous tone into last night's absurd memories; the distance was too close now, his ear tips red as he pushed at Jin Chen's shoulder, somewhat complaining.

I'm not disobedient—clearly it's you...

How so?

Jin Chen's lips brushed Xia Tan's ear, his voice low and alluring, also carrying a hint of summer night's coolness.

Xia Tan was held in his arms; perhaps because he'd just come back from a fight outside, Jin Chen had forgotten to regulate his temperature, and Xia Tan shivered from the cold, unwilling to hug back.

You're colder than ice—I won't hug you.

Jin Chen stopped, dissatisfied.

He didn't give Xia Tan a chance, trapping Xia Tan in his arms, deliberately pressing his icy cheek against Xia Tan's warm neck; his dark peach-blossom eyes clearly caught Xia Tan's slight trembling.

Xia Tan was afraid again.

Xia Tan hadn't felt this before leaving home in the morning.

Jin Chen finally sensed something off, pinching Xia Tan's jaw and lifting it, dangerously stroking Xia Tan's tender skin.

Xiao Tan, who did you meet outside and what did you do?

You're afraid of me, Xiao Tan—I'll be hurt.

Though he said so, Jin Chen's voice was low and hoarse, full of extreme, sinister danger, with not a trace of sorrow.

Like a deadly snake from hell.

The sky grew darker, the living room lights off, the floor-to-ceiling window's sheer curtains drawn back; the light filtering in was a silver between night and dusk, especially tranquil, especially making one feel lonely.

But at this moment, in Xia Tan's heart, this feeling of loneliness was replaced, leaving only the man before him.

Xia Tan gripped Jin Chen's shoulder fabric tightly, his knuckles turning white; reason told him he must flee, yet he slowly drew near, lightly pressing against Jin Chen's neck.

Don't be so fierce……

Xia Tan's tone was a bit aggrieved, mixed with fear he couldn't hide: "If you're fierce, I'll be afraid."

He lifted his gaze to Jin Chen, his eyelashes damp: "You're a ghost; I was already afraid of you."

Jin Chen's black pupils flickered with a dark glint; he gently wiped his Tears, then lowered his head to kiss the corner of his lips, saying, "When have I ever been fierce toward you? You're always quick to blame me."

And what about outside?

Xia Tan carefully leaned into his embrace, obediently accepting the kiss, then simply kept his head lowered, probing: "Today we discovered another dead person."

Jin Ze…… did you kill him?

Jin Chen stared, "Jin Ze is dead?"

He had clearly spared that worthless person's life.

But under these circumstances, Jin Chen's answer and admission were hardly different.

Xia Tan locked eyes with him, pressing his lips shut without speaking.

Jin Chen belatedly realized something, a mischievous malice flickering in his eyes: "Xia Tan, you suspect I killed Jin Ze."

"Is it you?" Xia Tan merely asked.

"No."

Jin Chen wouldn't take the blame, but he also couldn't be bothered to explain further; even he himself wasn't clear about the situation.

"Jin Ze's death isn't worth mourning; you're a reporter, not a cop—why bother with all this?"

Jin Chen exhaled against Xia Tan's ear, his smile somewhat dark: "Those police still haven't figured out which ghost did the killing."

Jin Chen felt secure, believing they'd never trace it back to him, but then he heard Xia Tan's doubtful question.

"Why did you kill them?"

Jin Chen's smile vanished at the lips, the curve left only danger: "They—who?"

"... It's just, the people who died during this period." Xia Tan's voice grew even lower.

Jin Chen Youyou gazed at his lover before him, the back of his finger idly stroking the tender cheek.

"Jiang Wen, Jin Bing or Jin Ze?"

Xia Tan's shoulder twitched slightly; he didn't know where the courage came from, suddenly embracing Jin Chen's neck, his tone displeased: "You're being fierce again."

Jin Chen: "……"

Xia Tan furtively lifted his head to glance at Jin Chen's helpless expression, then lowered his lashes and leaned back, pressing his lips.

Huff, still scary.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 35!】

Jin Chen's displeased expression faded somewhat as he pressed Xia Tan down onto the Sofa, kissing him harshly and fiercely; only the person beneath lost control, letting out broken sobs.

Xia Tan went limp from the kiss, all chaotic thoughts gone, his cheeks flushing; the watery mist in his eyes overflowed with pleading, yet when he tried to push Jin Chen away, his wrist was easily seized, leaving him unable to move an inch.

"Be good, don't bring this up again."

Jin Chen's low tone carried a hint of gloom as he nibbled the earlobe, "Don't make me angry; they're dead, got it?"

"Okay, okay."

Xia Tan let out a soft grunt, forced to crane his neck, feeling Dazed and dreamy, yet that fleeting fear and doubt escaped Jin Chen's notice.

——

After that day, Xia Tan heard Lian Min say that the relatives of Jin Bing and Jin Ze appeared again, preparing to conduct the cremation ceremony for the bodies.

Even if the news agency no longer forcibly demanded it, Xia Tan didn't know whether he would continue working at the news agency, and he still wanted to follow the case from beginning to end.

Jin Chen said he was not the murderer.

Xia Tan instinctively wanted to believe his words, and thus became even more curious about who the murderer really was and what their relationship with Jin Chen was.

At the cremation ceremony, their mother wept with tears like pear blossoms in the rain, extremely sorrowful.

In a short time, losing two sons obviously dealt a heavy blow to this mother, and half of her hair had almost turned white.

Many friends also came to the scene to offer condolences.

As Officer Cui said, the Jin Bing brothers spoken of by these friends and relatives were brave and upright.

They helped anyone in trouble, had hardly done any bad deeds in their lifetime, and also had the skill to read people's faces; they were genuinely good people, yet now they have successively fallen victim to foul play.

"That's really a pity." Lian Min rarely put on a serious expression, shook his head and sighed, "It's a shame that the dead cannot come back to life, let alone being killed by a ghost."

After hearing these words, Xia Tan became even more unclear about what kind of conflict such a person could have with Jin Chen, to the point that he would say something like 'death is not worth regretting'.

"The ghost king who killed them is truly hateful!" Lian Min lamented again.

Xia Tan heard the weeping of the Jin Bing brothers' relatives and friends beside him, watched them escort the corpse to the cremation furnace, and couldn't quite say what feeling lay in his heart.

"Little Lian." Xia Tan called softly.

"Hey, what's up?"

Lian Min looked at him puzzled, "Why is your complexion even worse than theirs?"

Xia Tan hesitated and said, "The ghost at home I mentioned before, I talked with him for a long time last night."

"He said he wants revenge, and everything he did has reasons and hardships."

Lian Min scratched his head, "But Xia Tan, aren't ghosts usually good at bewildering people's hearts?"

"How do you know he isn't deceiving you?"

Xia Tan firmly said, "He won't deceive me."

Lian Min leaned over to look at him, teasing, "You still say you haven't taken a liking to that ghost's older brother."

"What an unusual taste!"

Xia Tan: "..."

"Alright, don't dwell on it." Lian Min put his hand on Xia Tan's shoulder, "You said the master is arriving tomorrow, right? Go ask the master—he definitely understands ghosts better than we do."

"Hmm... you're right."