Blinded chapter 72

The door of the room remained closed until dinner time when the household help from the Chang family opened it from the outside.

By that time, Xiaojia had already woken up. He still lay in Xie Li’s arms, reluctant to get up, only opening his moist eyes to look at Xie Li in the light coming through the door.

Xie Li kissed his lips.

Xiaojia seemed a bit dazed, lifting his hand to hold Xie Li’s neck tightly, calling out, “Xie Li.”

“I’m here,” Xie Li said.

At this moment, Shi Hongqian’s figure appeared at the door. He didn’t come in, just softly called into the room, “Young Master Jia?”

Xiaojia didn’t answer him.

Xie Li asked, “What’s the matter?”

Shi Hongqian inquired, “Is everything okay?”

Xie Li glanced at Xiaojia, who seemed calmer now, and said, “It’s fine.”

He then walked with Xiaojia back to his room in the back villa.

Once inside the room, Xie Li held him as they sat together on the bed in silence.

Suddenly, Xiaojia sensed Xie Li wanting to get up. He nervously asked, “Are you leaving?”

Xie Li had initially intended to sit up, but halfway through, he stopped, looking at him seriously, “Do you want me to stay?”

Xiaojia said, “Stay.”

So, Xie Li said, “Okay, I’ll stay with you.”

That night, Xie Li stayed in Xiaojia’s room.

The long-awaited intimacy and mutual longing kept them entwined until late into the night. Xiaojia was covered in sweat, and Xie Li’s palm against his back felt a bit slippery.

They didn’t bother with the window or curtains. The cold night breeze continuously blew in, quickly cooling the sweat on their bodies.

Xie Li, fearing Xiaojia might catch a cold, suggested taking a shower. Xiaojia’s legs were wrapped around his waist as he clung to his neck, playfully nibbling at his ear like a child.

Since coming out of the confinement in the small dark room, Xiaojia had never mentioned those childhood memories again, and Xie Li hadn’t asked.

Maybe it was because of his improved relationship with Xie Li, but Xiaojia seemed exceptionally excited tonight. Despite the late hour, his spirits were still high.

Xie Li reached out to pat him, making a clapping sound.

Xiaojia twisted his body and jumped down from Xie Li.

At this moment, car lights flashed through the window.

Xiaojia immediately turned to look and then ran to the balcony.

Xie Li grabbed a thin blanket from the bed, followed him to the balcony, and wrapped both of them in it. His hand was against Xiaojia’s smooth waist, asking, “What are you looking at?”

Xiaojia was focused on looking ahead.

Xie Li noticed a car parked in front of the villa.

Xiaojia was looking at that car.

Although the distance was a bit far, Xie Li could still see that it wasn’t the Chang family’s car but a stranger’s car.

Suddenly, Xiaojia turned around and reached for something on the nearby lounge chair.

Wrapped in a blanket together, Xie Li couldn’t help but bend over with him. Then, Xiaojia handed him a pair of binoculars.

Xie Li took them and used the binoculars to look at the person getting out of the car. The person was wearing a long coat and a hat, keeping their head down while walking. From this angle, it was impossible to see who it was.

But he saw that the person entered Chang Guanshan’s villa alone.

Putting down the binoculars, Xie Li said, “Can’t see the face.” He asked Xiaojia, “Do you know who it is?”

Xiaojia shook his head, only saying, “The license plate?”

Xie Li’s mind stirred, and he picked up the binoculars again to look at the car’s license plate, silently repeating it twice and memorizing it.

Afterwards, he took Xiaojia for a shower.

They filled the bathtub with hot water, and both of them lay down together. Xiaojia lazily rested on Xie Li, comfortably closing his eyes.

Xie Li raised his hand and gently stroked his head, his thoughts somewhat complex. He had a feeling, but he didn’t dare to ask Xiaojia directly. He anticipated yet feared.

In the end, Xie Li still didn’t ask.

……………

The next day, Xie Li contacted Yu Zhengkun to find a channel to check the license plate.

Yu Zhengkun informed Xie Li that the owner of the car was an ordinary businessman, but he had a brother-in-law, a high-ranking official named Xu in the General Administration of Customs.

Xie Li looked for information on this person and found that his height and physique were quite similar to the person he had seen at Chang Guanshan’s house last night.

Why would Chang Guanshan meet someone from Customs now?

The only thing Xie Li could think of was the relocation of the pharmaceutical factory overseas. The factory’s machinery and raw materials had already been separately packed and declared to the Customs, and Xie Li had personally overseen the packing. Before the packing, the police had conducted a thorough search, and there were no traces related to the new type of drugs.

Why would Chang Guanshan still need to meet someone from Customs? It could only be that there was something fishy about this batch of goods.

In the empty Hongji Pharmaceutical factory, Xie Li made a call and asked Yao Wei to bring him the Customs inspection documents.

Yao Wei arrived in a car.

He drove directly through the open gate of the factory, parked the car next to Xie Li, opened the car door, got out, and handed a folder to Xie Li.

When Xie Li took it, he said, “Thanks.”

Yao Wei wore a pair of black leather gloves. As he took off the gloves, he asked Xie Li, “Brother Li, what are you doing with the inspection documents at this time?”

Xie Li flipped through the folder and said, “Nothing, just double-checking the quantity.”

Yao Wei followed Xie Li, seeming reluctant to leave. “Brother Li, are you coming back tonight?”

Xie Li looked at him, smiled, and said, “Why? Missing me?”

Yao Wei smiled back, “The house feels empty when you’re not there.”

Xie Li took out a cigarette box from his pocket and threw it to him, telling him to help himself. Yao Wei took one out and lit one for Xie Li.

After Xie Li took a deep drag, Yao Wei asked, “Brother Li, are you and Young Master Jia back together?” He seemed hesitant to speak.

Xie Li glanced at him. “What’s the matter?”

Yao Wei said, “I’m just afraid that someone might talk behind your back. You know.”

After hearing this, Xie Li patted Yao Wei on the back. “It doesn’t matter.”

Yao Wei, with his head down, smoked. After a while, he asked, “Is there anything I can help with?”

Xie Li said to him, “No need. You’ve done well, go back and don’t wait for me tonight.”

Only then did Yao Wei get into the car and leave.

Xie Li quietly watched him reverse the car out of the factory, perform a neat drift in the open space, turn around, and leave the pharmaceutical factory.

He held the inspection document in his hand and walked slowly to the corner of the factory, where there were still a few extra empty boxes left from the relocation.

Xie Li lifted one foot and kicked one of the boxes with the toe of his leather shoe. The box shook on the ground.

He squatted down, took the cigarette from his mouth, and ruthlessly crushed it on the ground. He realized that something was wrong. The weight of the goods was incorrect.

After the Customs inspection and sealing, the contents of the boxes were no longer what he had packed. Someone had tampered with them in the middle, and he was just used by Chang Guanshan as a diversion. Whether Chang Guanshan knew his identity or not, Chang Guanshan never trusted him.