trust

Steve clearly felt that Chen Chao was protecting him. Normally, agents of his rank would carry out more than 80% of their missions abroad, but recently he hadn't received a single such assignment.

Special agents themselves don't have many high-level combat skills; most are civilian agents, such as undercover agents in foreign research institutes, bookkeepers in convenience stores downstairs from foreign government buildings, or anyone from any industry who might be a member of Special Agents, but most of these people don't have combat skills.

They can move through the front lines, break into vaults to steal chips, and assassinate and clean up framed agents. However, field agents only make up a very small fraction of the total number of special agents.

So they are always very busy.

They are busy appearing in various places where they are needed.

It's highly unusual that Steve, as Agent Z0002, hasn't left the country even once since his demobilization, especially now that Chen Jiu's file (Z0001) has been sealed.

Steve didn't believe that Chen Chao kept him by his side out of selfishness; Chen Chao wouldn't do such a thing.

The only possible reason is that thing that troubled Chen Chao but he didn't want to tell him, something related to him.

This incident prevented Chen Chao from sending him abroad.

Steve recalled the day he and Chen Chao returned home. After Chen Chao finished his emergency call, his gaze lingered on Steve's face for a few extra seconds. Chen Chao's reaction on the way home that day was also different from usual.

Moreover, it's just a level 5 incident, why would Chen Chao need to personally rush back to handle it?

Could the news from that day be related to him?

But what else could he do besides Raman?

He is a blade hidden in the darkness; outside of Tean, he is non-existent. What could he possibly do?

"What are you thinking about?" Chen Chao looked up after finishing a document and saw Steve sitting on the sofa next to the desk, seemingly lost in thought. He couldn't help but feel curious.

"Nothing, are you done with your work?" Steve quickly snapped out of his daze and forced a smile.

"I'm done with my work. If Chenxi hadn't called this afternoon to complain about her and Kevin, I wouldn't have been working this late."

"What happened between her and Kevin?"

"Last time they were harassed by some thugs while shopping, Kevin was too bookish to handle it, so Chenxi's bodyguard stepped in to stop them. After that, Chenxi's working-class persona couldn't be maintained."

"So Kevin knows who she is?"

"Not yet. He just found out that Chenxi is very rich, so rich that she needs bodyguards all the time. He's furious that Chenxi pretended to be a working-class man to deceive him, and he feels that Chenxi is making a fool of him. He's determined to break up with her."

"Is Chenxi reluctant to part with her?"

"She was reluctant to let go. She cried so hard when she called me. This time, she might have really fallen for me."

"...What should we do then?" Steve felt this was a really difficult situation. He could imagine Kevin's anger at being deceived, and he completely understood why Kevin was so determined to break up. It was truly hard to persuade him.

"Let her go." Chen Chao sighed softly. "This is something only she can handle; no one else can help. Do you expect me to force Kevin to accept Chen Xi?"

"How could you bear to see Chenxi so heartbroken?"

"I have to let her go, even if I don't want to. I can't help her make a living." Chen Chao stood up and patted Steve's hair. "Go and rest. I'm tired too."

Steve stood up, hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't rest easy, so he grabbed Chen Chao's hand and asked, "Boss, when it's time to let me go, you'll be willing to let me go, right?"

Chen Chao missed a beat, and his gaze felt as if a needle had been pierced.

"You still want to know," Chen Chao said helplessly.

“Boss, it’s not normal for Number 002 not to do any overseas missions.” Steve’s eyes lowered. He didn’t want to question Chen Chao, but he couldn’t get over this hurdle in his heart.

"Where do you want to go abroad? Trutto, Sifies, or Migal? Are you not good enough for the mission at home?"

“That’s not what I meant…” Steve’s voice softened.

Chen Chao looked at Steve, whose eyes were filled with conflict, and his heart softened. He knew that Steve didn't really want to question him; Steve never questioned him.

"Do you still believe me?" Chen Chao asked softly, looking into Steve's eyes.

“Of course,” Steve answered without hesitation.

"If I asked you to trust my professional judgment and not ask any questions, would you be willing? This is not an order. If you insist on knowing, I will tell you."

Steve hesitated.

He certainly trusted Chen Chao's professional judgment, but he also trusted Chen Chao's feelings for him, and he was afraid that Chen Chao would act out of personal favoritism in order to protect him.

He looked into Chen Chao's eyes, trying to find some clues. But Chen Chao just looked at him calmly, his eyes filled with a vast and tolerant gaze.

No matter how he answers, Chen Chao won't get angry. That's what he sees in Chen Chao's eyes.

“Boss, I choose not to ask.” Steve made his decision.

"Aren't you afraid I'll show favoritism?" Chen Chao laughed.

“You won’t.” Steve was very certain.

"Good boy." Chen Chao smiled and squinted his eyes, then kissed Steve's lips.

Thank you for trusting me; I will certainly not show favoritism.

It feels so good to be completely trusted by your loved one.

After Song Zifeng went abroad, the academic and medical circles were in turmoil. Renowned academic giants were exposed for falsifying research data, award-winning artists were exposed for plagiarizing students' works, and universities were accused of exploiting students to provide cheap labor for graduation... In a short time, whistleblowing and investigations into crimes came one after another, and the darkness that had been suppressed for a long time was finally exposed.

A power vacuum has emerged, and new forces are poised to seize the opportunity.

The Popov family's investment company made significant acquisitions of shares in art world giants, and Voncinevich began large-scale sponsorships of university laboratories. Even the Lianhe family began signing letters of intent for agricultural research with several universities.

Thanks to the efforts of Song Qin and Song Canglan, the Song family finally stabilized the overall situation after sacrificing one of their own.

The Song family's roots in the medical system remain unshaken, and many key positions in relevant government functions have not actually been removed. The Song family is still a part of the power structure, only their influence has diminished significantly.

As the aftermath of the Song Zifeng incident gradually subsided and the turbulent situation gradually stabilized, Chen Chao fell ill.

A sudden high fever.

That night, in the middle of the night, Steve, with his agent's keen senses, noticed an abnormal heat coming from beside him. He reached out to check and found that Chen Chao was burning up.

This was something Steve had always worried about, and it was also the reason why he insisted that Chen Chao have someone at home. He wasn't afraid that his boss would be assassinated in the capital, but he was genuinely worried that his boss wouldn't be able to take care of himself at home alone.

It's really too dangerous to be home alone when someone suddenly falls ill.

He picked Chen Chao up from the bed, changed his clothes, and drove straight to Te'an's hospital.

Chen Chao was feverish and somewhat delirious, so he slumped weakly in Steve's arms, letting him do as he pleased.

Chen Chao's face was flushed with fever, and his usually cool eyes were misty. The lines on his face were no longer hard and cold, and his back was no longer straight.

Steve looked at Chen Chao and suddenly found him very cute and endearing.

As he carried Chen Chao downstairs, he couldn't help but lower his head and gently bite Chen Chao's lips. Chen Chao was delirious with fever, and only realized what he was doing after he finished biting him. He looked at him helplessly and said, "Don't get so close to me. I don't know if it's the flu. I don't want to infect you."

Steve chuckled, unconcerned; he wasn't easily infected.

"It's the middle of the night, don't notify anyone else. Let's talk about it tomorrow during the day," Chen Chao instructed him on the way to the hospital. Chen Chao never wanted to show his vulnerability in front of others.

"good."

The on-duty doctor urgently examined Chen Chao, and the preliminary results showed a bacterial infection and a weakened immune system. In short, he was overworked, and his body couldn't take it anymore and was going on strike.

Chen Chao was too busy recently and overworked his body. Now that he has a little free time, his body is starting to take its toll.

The doctor gave Chen Chao some medication, just in case, and asked him to stay in the hospital for observation overnight. He will undergo a few more tests tomorrow to determine the cause before being discharged.

Chen Chao was delirious with fever, but he stubbornly refused to sleep in the ward. Only after the doctors and nurses finished their work and left did he finally relax and fall into a deep sleep.

Steve watched as Chen Chao fell asleep and stayed by his bedside, occasionally putting a fresh ice towel on Chen Chao's forehead.

The next morning, Chen Chao's fever subsided somewhat. Although his temperature was still high, it was no longer as alarming as it had been the night before.

When Chen Chao woke up, the first thing he saw was Steve sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at him intently, as if afraid of missing any of his movements.

"You didn't just sit here all night, did you?" Chen Chao tried to speak, but found that his throat was very sore and his voice was hoarse.

Steve quickly handed Chen Chao a water bottle with a straw and replied, "Yeah, I just sat here all night."

"There's a cot for the patient next to you, why don't you take a nap?" Chen Chao felt a little better after drinking the water.

"I'm not tired, I don't want to sleep." Steve looked at Chen Chao and there was indeed no sign of fatigue in his eyes.

For him, sitting in a temperature- and humidity-controlled room all night to care for a patient does not feel tiring at all.

When they go on missions to monitor targets, it's normal for them to go for 30 or 40 hours without sleep, whether they're in trees, in the rain, or in all sorts of strange places; they're used to it.

Moreover, for Steve, looking at Chen Chao only brings him satisfaction, so how could he possibly feel tired?

Chen Chao's unconscious turning over, Chen Chao's furrowed brows when he was in pain from the fever, Chen Chao's slightly flushed cheeks that were different from usual—every frame of Chen Chao made Steve feel wonderful.

“Boss, it’s rare to see you so delicate. I find it quite unusual,” Steve said earnestly.

Delicate...fragile... Chen Chao was speechless, looking up at the sky in disbelief at Steve's words. While he wasn't as physically imposing as a special agent, he'd never been delicate or frail in the slightest. How could such an adjective be used to describe him?

"He's getting bolder and bolder." Chen Chao cursed helplessly, feeling that he had really spoiled Steve too much; his little follower was now trying to climb all over him.

Steve looked at Chen Chao with eyes full of tenderness and pity: "Boss, get well soon. If you get better, I won't be so bold."

"What did the doctor say? If it's not serious, don't notify Dad." Chen Chao felt his head was still a little heavy, but it wasn't as bad as it had been the night before.

"The initial check-up showed nothing serious, you've just been too tired lately and need to rest. Let the old minister know, since you can't work for the next couple of days."

Chen Chao instinctively wanted to refuse, but seeing Steve's eyes, he felt that his refusal would probably be useless: "I don't trust others to take over the work, and I don't want to trouble Dad."

Putting aside his daily work, decisions made in his position often involve the lives of many people. He's not so sick as to be unable to move; he can still hold on for a while.

Steve naturally knew that their job didn't leave much room for illness, so he hesitated for a moment and then backed down: "Boss, you can take on the really urgent ones, but for the less urgent ones, let the old minister help you share some of the workload and spread it out."

Chen Chao genuinely felt he couldn't bring himself to refuse under Steve's concerned gaze, so he could only hesitate for a moment before finally humming in agreement.

The moment Chen Chao saw him agree, Steve's eyes lit up with a bright smile. That smile made him suddenly realize that taking a break from his illness wasn't so bad after all.