Coveting

High-and-Mighty Beauty | Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Bottom | Younger Top | From Nemeses to Spouses | Two Strong Leads

The aloof, beautiful, strong, and tragic Lu Yan × the decisive, righteous Pei Ling

Pei Ling (top) × Lu Yan (bottom)

"Lu Yan, did you climb into the pants of someone at the Inspectorate ages ago? Is that why they're covering for you?"

A long-planned explosion dragged Lu Yan down from the pedestal where millions had once admired him, leaving him condemned by all.

His gaze swept across the outraged crowd in the interrogation room, then over the row of inspectors who kept leering at and spying on him.

At last, his eyes met an unfamiliar, youthful face: Pei Ling.

"The Inspectorate? Just a bunch of obsessive, stupid control freaks."

He gave a scornful, unconcerned smile and met the other's searching gaze.

"You're not fit to judge me."

Five years ago, an unforeseen virus swept through the south of Country X, consuming the memories and futures of millions. It was given a demonic name:

Geryon.

Amid the raging storm, Lu Yan swam against the current.

At twenty-three, he led the first medical team into the quarantine zone and established the Mrh research program, bringing hope for controlling and treating the epidemic.

Calm in the face of danger, brilliant and sharp.

But disaster showed no mercy.

A year later, an explosion tore through the Mrh lab. Every researcher but Lu Yan perished.

The Mrh program was put on hold indefinitely, while Lu Yan became mired in suspicion and accusations.

As condemnation rained down on him, Lu Yan fell into a vegetative state.

Yet a year later, he miraculously awoke, opening his eyes beneath the expectant gaze of countless people hungry for the truth.

"Who am I?"

Lu Yan had lost his memory.

Repeated medical tests confirmed it, but thanks to his exceptional expertise, he was soon admitted to a new project studying the human brain in the new era.

Pei Ling was a senior investigator at the Human Mental Experiments Oversight Office in N City.

His job was to eliminate the forces coveting Mrh, monitor Lu Yan's life, and ensure the safety of human mental experiments.

But he took no pleasure in his work, because he despised the research center's lofty director: Lu Yan.

One calamity after another made everything increasingly mysterious. The closer Pei Ling got, the more he realized that Lu Yan was shrouded in secrets.

Lu Yan finally had enough of Pei Ling's probing. He pointed a gun at Pei Ling's forehead, his pupils as dark as a deep pool.

"Pei Ling, are you after the Mrh program?"

"No, no." Pei Ling slowly raised his hand, lightly pressing a fingertip against the gun's muzzle. His eyes glinted with amusement as he smiled.

"I'm only after you, Professor Lu."

At twenty-two, Pei Ling saw Lu Yan for the first time.

Through the barely open door of the hospital room, he saw the person in the bed:

Fragile, thin, defenseless.

A ventilator covered his pale face. A streak of blood behind his ear only made his frail body hauntingly beautiful.

At twenty-four, at the Institute of Human Mental Research.

Pei Ling still didn't realize he had opened the wrong door when a narrow, pale back abruptly came into view. He froze on the spot.

Then a jacket came flying at his head, followed by the other man's disgusted voice.

"Pei Ling, can you sink any lower?"

At twenty-five, right here, right now.

Pei Ling sat before the surveillance monitors, their glow outlining his chiseled features.

On the screen, the man paced around the room a few times, then stopped in front of a miniature camera and smiled scornfully.

"How much longer are you going to spy on me?"

P.S.

1. The epidemic, virus, drugs, and explosion in this story are entirely fictional. Please don't take them seriously.

2. Both are each other's only partners; happy ending.

3. Before signing with a publisher, I'll follow the rankings. Love you all, mwah!

Come chat with me in the comments!

Theme: Free will