Ke Xue: The thief Cao is actually myself

Chapter 690 Mr. Yusaku, Goodbye! (Seeking monthly votes!)
Time slipped away quietly in this silent and subtle atmosphere, each second seeming to stretch out.

Finally, Yusaku Kudo finished meticulously arranging the "crime scene" in the kitchen. He straightened up, gently rubbed his slightly sore back, then turned around with satisfaction, looking at Byakuya with a sense of accomplishment on his face: "Alright, that's about enough. Now we just have to wait for Conan to wake up and see his reaction."

Bai Ye smiled slightly, a smile that seemed gentle yet subtly revealed a hint of cunning. He carefully placed the test tube he had been toying with back onto the lab rack, his movements elegant and slow, before saying leisurely, "I'm really looking forward to that. However, what about Ms. Yukiko..."

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping casually across the living room, as if mentioning something unintentionally, "She doesn't seem to be feeling well."

Following his gaze, Kudo Yusaku keenly noticed that Yukiko's expression was somewhat unusual. Her face was slightly flushed, like the clouds dyed by the setting sun, her eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if her thoughts had drifted far away, and she seemed absent-minded, completely lacking her usual radiant and energetic appearance.

A sense of worry welled up in Yusaku Kudo's heart. He frowned, his smile vanishing instantly, replaced by concern. He strode quickly towards the living room, his steps hurried and firm: "Yukiko, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Yukiko Kudo was startled awake by his sudden voice, as if she had been abruptly pulled back to reality from a chaotic dream. She quickly looked up, instinctively trying to hide her unusual state, so she forced a stiff smile, suppressing her inner panic: "N-nothing, I'm just feeling a little tired."

Kudo Yusaku clearly didn't believe her. He leaned down slightly, reached out and gently touched her forehead, feeling her normal temperature. He couldn't help but feel puzzled and confused: "You don't have a fever, so why do you look so strange?"

His eyes were filled with a complex expression of worry and doubt. He simply couldn't understand why Yukiko, who was always cheerful, optimistic, and full of energy, was acting so strangely at this moment.

Bai Ye followed at a leisurely pace, standing to the side with a concerned expression, but his eyes held a subtle, almost imperceptible, scrutiny, as if observing the prey's every move. He feigned concern and said, "Perhaps Ms. Yukiko is too tired and needs a good night's sleep. How about I make you a cup of hot tea to relieve your fatigue?"

Yukiko Kudo felt a surge of panic. She didn't know what Byakuya was planning, and she was worried that he might do something outrageous in front of Yusaku Kudo, shattering the calm she had managed to maintain.

She quickly waved her hand and said, "No need, Bai Yejun, I'll just rest for a while. You all go about your business."

Despite her best efforts to make her tone sound natural and calm, her slightly trembling voice inevitably betrayed the unease and tension deep within her.

Yusaku Kudo looked at Yukiko, his worry growing stronger. "Yukiko, if anything is on your mind, you must tell me. We are family, and we can face any difficulties together."

Looking into Yusaku Kudo's concerned eyes, Yukiko Kudo felt a deep sense of guilt welling up inside her. She knew she couldn't continue to hide it like this, but when the words came to her lips, she didn't know where to begin.

After hesitating for a long time, she took a deep breath and was just about to muster up the courage to say something when a faint sound came from outside, like the sound of branches being blown by the wind and scraping against the wall. But in the quiet atmosphere, it seemed particularly abrupt.

The three of them instantly became alert, exchanged glances, and saw a hint of wariness in each other's eyes.

Yusaku Kudo frowned slightly and said softly, "It might just be the sound of the wind, but it's best to be cautious. Byakuya-kun, you and Yukiko stay here and keep watch. I'll go out and check the situation."

As for why Bai Ye wasn't sent, the reason is quite simple.

Bai Ye was a guest, and someone who had come to help them; how could he let the other party take such a risk?

Byakuya and Yukiko Kudo exchanged a glance, then nodded slightly to indicate that they understood.

Kudo Yusaku walked cautiously toward the door, his movements slow and steady, as if afraid of disturbing something.

He slowly and gently pushed open a crack in the door, and in an instant, a biting cold wind, carrying icy raindrops, rushed towards him like a ferocious beast, making him shiver involuntarily.

By this time, the sky outside had completely darkened, and the night was like a huge black silk ribbon, pressing heavily on the earth.

Moonlight filtered through the thick clouds, casting dappled patterns that veiled everything in a dreamlike silver veil, adding a touch of mystery and eeriness.

He stared intently at his surroundings, carefully observing everything, but found nothing unusual. Just as he was about to turn back into the house, he caught a glimpse of the grass not far away, which seemed to have moved slightly.

The subtle movement stood out starkly in the quiet environment.

His heart tightened suddenly, and his nerves tensed instantly. He slowly walked towards the bushes, taking each step with extreme caution, as if he were walking on fragile thin ice, afraid of making the slightest sound and disturbing anything that might be lurking there.

When he finally approached the bushes, he realized it was a wild cat. The cat was staring at him with its eerie green eyes, which, in the dim light, resembled two strange will-o'-the-wisps, appearing particularly sinister and terrifying.

Yusaku Kudo breathed a sigh of relief and muttered softly, "So it was you, little guy. You almost scared me half to death."

After saying that, he waved his hand lightly, trying to scare away the stray cat, then turned and walked into the house, secretly relieved that it was just a false alarm.

However, he didn't notice that in the instant he turned around, a strange glint seemed to flash in the wild cat's eyes...

……

Yusaku Kudo's departure slightly eased the previously oppressive and almost frozen atmosphere in the living room. However, Yukiko Kudo's nerves remained as taut as a taut string, showing no sign of relaxation.

She feigned focus on the ornaments on the coffee table, deliberately avoiding Bai Ye's gaze, but her peripheral vision involuntarily caught his every move. Each subtle action was like a sharp needle, piercing her already fragile nerves. Bai Ye leaned lazily against the wall, his posture seemingly casual, yet exuding an indescribable confidence and cunning. His gaze remained fixed on Kudo Yukiko, watching her feigned composure, his smile deepening, like a bottomless pool concealing untold meaning.

—She was deliberately avoiding him.

This realization, like a tender seedling breaking through the soil in spring, grew rapidly in his heart, filling him with an irrepressible joy, as if he had tasted the sweetest nectar.

After all, given Yukiko Kudo's straightforward personality, she wouldn't deliberately avoid him unless she had ulterior motives.

"Bai Ye-kun, would you like some water?"

Perhaps it was the intense, almost tangible gaze of the White Night that was so scorching that Yukiko Kudo was overwhelmed. She quickly asked softly, her voice trembling slightly, like a candle flame flickering in the wind.

As she spoke, she reached for the water glass on the coffee table, but her movements were slightly stiff, as if every joint had lost its usual flexibility.

Her trembling fingertips had barely touched the water glass when she felt its icy touch, as if a chill had spread rapidly from her fingertips throughout her body, making her shiver involuntarily. She tried to steady her hand and lift the glass, but it felt as if it weighed a ton, making her movements clumsy and slow.

"Yes, thank you." Bai Ye nodded slightly, his tone calm and gentle, yet seemingly concealing a subtle expectation. He took the water glass, and the instant his fingers touched it, he keenly sensed the slight tremor emanating from Kudo Yukiko's fingertips. That tremor, like an electric current, quickly spread throughout his body, stirring a strange excitement within him, and then he subtly moved closer.

"Ms. Yukiko, do you need any help?"

Standing beside Yukiko Kudo, so close they could almost feel each other's body heat, their breaths mingling, an ambiguous yet tense atmosphere filled the air. A strange light flashed in Byakuya's eyes, a complex light mixed with excitement and anticipation.

Sensing his approach, Yukiko Kudo's body stiffened for a moment as if struck by lightning, but she quickly regained her composure, tried to adjust her expression, and forced a smile, which was more like a grimace, revealing endless helplessness and panic: "N-no need, I can do it myself."

As she spoke, her fingertips unconsciously tightened slightly, and her heart pounded uncontrollably.

She dared not look up, fearing that the expression on her face would reveal her inner panic like a flood, causing her last line of defense to collapse completely.

Bai Ye chuckled softly, a low laugh filled with ambiguity: "Is that so? But to me, you seem... quite nervous."

His tone was gentle, yet it carried a formidable aggressiveness, as if silently reminding her—no matter how she tried to avoid him, he wouldn't let her go easily. This game of chase had only just begun.

Is it because of me?

A warm breath brushed against her ear, like a feather touching her skin. Kudo Yukiko's breath hitched, and she could barely contain the turmoil surging within her. She quickly took a step back, as if fleeing a mortal danger, forcing a smile that was about to shatter on her face: "Byakuya-kun, don't joke like that..."

Bai Ye straightened up, casually put his hands in his pockets, and put on an innocent expression. He shrugged, looking harmless but more like a provocation: "I was just showing concern." His tone was relaxed and casual, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, carrying a dangerous hint, as if silently declaring—this was just the beginning.

As soon as he finished speaking, a faint smile appeared on his lips, a smile as fleeting yet deadly as a shooting star in the night sky. Then, he suddenly took a step forward, and his long, slender, pale fingers "inadvertently" brushed against the back of Kudo Yukiko's hand as she took the water glass. The touch sent a jolt through her body like an electric current.

"Ah, I'm sorry." His apology was utterly insincere, yet his fingertips deliberately lingered on her delicate skin for half a second longer, as if savoring that fleeting touch and enjoying her fluster.

Yukiko Kudo jerked her hand back as if burned, nearly dropping the glass which clattered to the ground. She glanced frantically towards the doorway, only to see Yusaku Kudo's figure receding into the distance, seemingly oblivious to what had happened. A mixture of relief and overwhelming panic and helplessness washed over her.

"You—" she said in a low voice, her eyes full of warning.

Bai Ye's laughter only grew more delighted at her warning. He leaned forward slightly, his body almost touching her ear, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "What? Afraid of being discovered?"

His gaze swept meaningfully over her flushed earlobes, his eyes seemingly carrying a tangible heat. "It seems, Yukiko, you care about our relationship more than I thought."

Kudo Yukiko felt both ashamed and angry. She knew that Byakuya was deliberately teasing her, but she was also worried that angering him would make things worse. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her inner turmoil, and said in a low voice, "Byakuya-kun, I hope you can respect me. There shouldn't be such inappropriate actions and words between us."

Bai Ye straightened up slightly, still wearing that ambiguous smile on his face, but his eyes became more serious: "Yukiko, matters of the heart are sometimes hard to control. I'm just following my heart, and aren't you the same? Otherwise, why are you so nervous?"

Yukiko Kudo bit her lip, momentarily speechless. She understood that what Byakuya said wasn't entirely unreasonable; her reaction to him had indeed exceeded the normal range, but she absolutely refused to admit this unusual feeling.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down and regain a shred of reason: "Baiye-kun, I must make it clear to you that I am extremely dissatisfied with your behavior. If you continue like this, I will ask Yusaku to let you leave."

Bai Ye raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes, seemingly unconcerned about Kudo Yukiko's threat. "Oh? Are you sure you want to do this? Yukiko, what do you think Yusaku's reaction will be after he finds out about these...subtle interactions between us?"

He deliberately dragged out the word "subtle," his tone full of mockery and amusement...

(End of this chapter)