Suo Ran and Cai Lang reached Cai Lang's apartment in tense silence, the kind that didn't settle even after the door was locked behind them, and when Suo Ran finally set his brother down and asked quietly, still shaken, "What if they come here?" Cai Lang didn't look away from the window as he replied in a steady, controlled voice, "They will not come here. And even if they do, we will fight them." before adding after a brief pause, almost matter-of-factly, "We have guns now."
Suo Ran froze slightly at that, turning toward him with disbelief and unease, his voice dropping, "How did you get guns?" but Cai Lang only glanced at him briefly, expression unreadable, answering, "You don't need to worry about that," and before Suo Ran could press further, Cai Lang's attention shifted sharply toward the hallway, his entire posture changing.
A small, uneven knock echoed through the apartment, faint but deliberate, and Suo Ran stopped halfway through drying a bowl in the kitchen, his hand freezing mid-motion as something in his chest tightened instantly. Cai Lang looked up from the table, sensing it too, his voice low and alert, "What is it?" and then came the knock again three light taps and Suo Ran's heart dropped as recognition hit him like a wave.
He moved without thinking, crossing the living room quickly and pulling the door open, and the moment he saw the small figure standing there alone with a backpack and dust on his shoes, his breath caught painfully in his throat. "Gege?" the boy's voice cracked, and Suo Ran didn't hesitate for even a second before dropping to his knees and pulling him into his arms so tightly the child let out a small squeak, his voice shaking as he whispered, "What are you doing here? You were supposed to stay at the orphanage. Why did you come alone?"
The boy buried his face against him, voice muffled and uncertain as he answered, "I didn't… I didn't come alone. A man brought me to the bus station. He said you told him to." and Suo Ran went completely still, his arms stiffening around him as something cold spread through his chest.
Behind them, Cai Lang's expression hardened immediately, his voice calm but sharp as he asked, "What man?" and the boy peeked past Suo Ran nervously, noticing Cai Lang for the first time before saying hesitantly, "He said you were busy… he said I should come to you."
Suo Ran's grip tightened unconsciously as dread settled in, and he whispered more to himself than anyone else, "I didn't send anyone…" before trailing off, the implication sinking in too deep to ignore. He guided his brother inside carefully, setting the small backpack near the couch while the boy looked around the unfamiliar space, then clung again to Suo Ran's sleeve, whispering, "I didn't like the way he looked." and Cai Lang stepped closer, his tone steady but focused as he asked, "Did he say anything else?"
The boy shook his head quickly, adding softly, "He just watched me get on the bus… he smiled, but it wasn't a nice smile." and silence followed immediately, thick and heavy. Suo Ran and Cai Lang exchanged a look no words, just the shared understanding that this was not random and Suo Ran said firmly, almost instinctively, "We can't send him back." to which Cai Lang replied just as quietly, "I know." and that simple agreement made Suo Ran's chest ache with something deeper than fear.
The boy tugged lightly on Suo Ran's sleeve and asked in a small voice, "Am I in trouble?" and Suo Ran knelt quickly in front of him, forcing a soft expression through the tension as he said, "No. You're safe here." though the words felt heavier than he could explain, because safe was no longer a place they could guarantee. Then the doorbell rang, and all three of them flinched at once; Cai Lang moved immediately to the monitor, watching for a moment before exhaling and saying, "It's Lian Ziho." and Suo Ran's shoulders loosened slightly in relief. When Cai Lang opened the door, Lian Ziho stepped in and stopped instantly, his gaze landing on the child clinging to Suo Ran, surprise flickering across his face before softening into warmth as he crouched down and said gently, "Hey, little champ… you grew taller." and the boy blinked before recognition lit up his face.
"Lian! Gege!" he exclaimed, running forward, nearly stumbling in his excitement, and Lian Ziho laughed softly, catching him easily and steadying him with both hands as he said teasingly, "I thought you said you'd protect the house… and now you're here instead?" The boy nodded seriously, leaning in as if sharing something important, "They tricked me… but I'm brave." and Lian Ziho's expression softened further as he tapped the wooden fox keychain on the boy's backpack, replying quietly, "I know. You proved it."
Suo Ran stood a few steps away, watching the small scene unfold, and something warm and unfamiliar eased into his chest as the tension in his lungs slowly loosened for the first time since everything began; Cai Lang glanced toward him and murmured quietly, "They remembered each other." and Suo Ran nodded faintly, his voice soft as he admitted, "He likes Lian Ziho." because it was obvious in the way the child clung to him without hesitation.
Lian Ziho looked up at that moment, his expression gentle as he asked, "What happened?" and Suo Ran hesitated before answering, exchanging a glance with Cai Lang as they explained in low, careful voices, "A man brought him… said I sent him… the bus station…" and Lian Ziho's easy warmth faded immediately, his eyes sharpening as he said quietly, "They've escalated." while Cai Lang replied just as evenly."They're applying pressure."
Lian Ziho's gaze shifted toward the child, his voice lowering, "On him… not on us." and the realization settled heavy between them, unspoken but understood, because children were leverage, and that truth made Suo Ran's hands tighten slightly at his sides as he whispered, "Are you hungry?" almost as if trying to hold onto normalcy, and Cai Lang had already moved toward the kitchen without comment, saying nothing more than action itself.
Lian Ziho watched him go before glancing at Suo Ran and saying quietly, "He's trying to keep things normal." and Suo Ran answered simply, "I know." though the words carried something heavier underneath them. Later, as the boy sat between them on the couch eating noodles, he said brightly, "These are better than the orphanage food." and Cai Lang raised an eyebrow, replying dryly, "That's a low standard." while Lian Ziho added with a faint smile, "It means he likes them." making the boy nod enthusiastically.
Suo Ran found himself smiling too, small and reluctant but real, and for a brief, fragile moment he admitted softly. "It feels like normal." though even as he said it,something in his expression tightened because he knew it wouldn't last. Outside, across the street in the dark of a parked sedan, a voice spoke into a phone, "Package delivered." and after a pause, "Yes. The child is with him," followed by another calm confirmation, "No resistance." before the final line came, colder than the rest, "Phase two can begin anytime."
Inside, the night settled gently for a moment as the boy fell asleep on the couch, and Cai Lang said quietly, "He can stay in my room." while Suo Ran looked up immediately, asking, "What about you?" and Cai Lang answered without hesitation, "I'll take the couch." only for Suo Ran to shake his head slightly, "You're injured." and Cai Lang replied simply, "I'm fine." but Suo Ran countered softly, "You're not." and the argument dissolved without force, leaving only understanding between them.
Later, on the balcony, Lian Ziho stood alone, arms resting on the railing as he murmured to himself, "This isn't just protection anymore." and his expression tightened as he admitted quietly, "I thought I came here to help… but I want to protect this." before adding under his breath, "And that's dangerous."
Inside, Cai Lang's phone buzzed, and when he answered the unknown number, a voice said calmly, "Your father is displeased." to which Cai Lang replied immediately, voice low and sharp, "Stay out of this." but the voice continued, "You were warned to keep distance from the boy." and Cai Lang's grip tightened as he said coldly, "They've crossed a line." only for the reply to come even colder, "No. You did." before the call ended, leaving silence that felt heavier than before.
A soft whimper broke it as the child stirred in his sleep, and Suo Ran immediately gathered him, whispering urgently, "I'm here, I'm here." while the boy clung tightly, and something in Suo Ran's face shifted as fear deepened into understanding. Lian Ziho's phone buzzed again, and after stepping into the hallway, he answered quietly, "Yes." then after a pause his expression changed and he asked, "When?" before saying, "I understand." and lowering the phone slowly, while inside Suo Ran soothed his brother and Cai Lang watched them both in silence, as if holding the fragile balance of everything by force alone.
Then Suo Ran's phone lit up on the table with an unknown number, and when he opened it, only a photo appeared the orphanage gate, empty, timestamped ten minutes ago followed by a second message beneath it: "Next time, we won't deliver him." and Suo Ran's breath caught as he whispered shakily, "No…" while the realization fully settled in his voice breaking, "They didn't bring him back to me… they brought him to show me they can take him away."