Chapter 46

Chapter 46

July arrived, and with it, summer vacation. The county town buzzed with children running wild.

Fang Bingxue had been exceptionally busy. Besides establishing the information database, a breakthrough had been made in a long-standing murder case, electrifying the entire criminal investigation team, who worked tirelessly through the nights.

At one point, Zhou Xu came to see him.

Perhaps impatient from waiting outside, Zhou Xu stood with his back to the street, head bowed, smoking. When he saw Fang Bingxue approaching, he squinted, a grin spreading across his face. "Well, hello there, looking sharp."

"Sharp, my foot," Fang Bingxue mumbled, his eyes bloodshot and hair disheveled. "I can barely face myself in the mirror."

They stood in a secluded corner by the police station's outer wall, partially obscured by a few parked cars. It was late, and the area was deserted. Zhou Xu glanced around, then closed the distance between them.

Fang Bingxue didn’t move, assuming Zhou Xu was about to embrace him.

Instead, Zhou Xu crouched down, cigarette still dangling from his lips, and reached out to tie Fang Bingxue’s shoelaces. "They’ve come undone."

Once finished, Zhou Xu stood up. "Alright, just came to drop off some fruit. Nothing else."

Having navigated the complexities of society for years, Zhou Xu was meticulous in his dealings, always mindful of boundaries. Even when delivering fruit to Fang Bingxue, he steadfastly refused to enter the police housing complex. Initially, he’d leave it at a nearby tobacco and liquor store. Fang Bingxue, exasperated, once said, "Bro Xu, can you please not make it look like you’re bribing me?" Zhou Xu would just smile and say he didn't want to cause any trouble.

Later, Fang Bingxue gave Zhou Xu a spare car key. "Just put it in my car. Why go through all that trouble?"

From then on, what appeared in his car wasn't just fruit.

The golden cabbage trinket Zhou Xu had given him earlier couldn’t be refused, so Fang Bingxue had to keep it in his dorm. Zhou Xu had insisted, "Once a gift is given, it’s not coming back. If you don’t like it, I’ll make you a necklace instead." Fang Bingxue scoffed, "Forget it. You might as well make a golden headband and wear it yourself." Zhou Xu grinned, "Nah, I’m no Tang Sanzang. I’ve got a love life to attend to."

"Go on back," Zhou Xu said, taking a couple of steps away. "I’m heading out."

Fang Bingxue watched him. "Leaving already?"

Zhou Xu stepped forward again, giving Fang Bingxue’s hand a quick squeeze. "Yeah. I’ll wait till you’re done with work."

That "done with work" stretched nearly to the end of the month. Once, while out with Old Yan, Fang Bingxue happened to run into Zhou Xu. Neither said much, both pretending nothing was amiss. Zhou Xu gave him a slight nod from afar before walking off. Old Yan, exhausted from work, didn’t ask questions, just muttered about when he could finally retire. He spent his mornings buying groceries and then watching old men play chess by the curbside, seemingly oblivious to the world.

But the world hadn’t ended, and work still had to be done. Basic evidence analysis was manageable, but Fang Bingxue dreaded door-to-door canvassing. Some residents spoke in thick dialects, and when emotions ran high, he couldn’t understand a word. On top of that, grassroots detectives often had to mediate disputes and educate the public on legal matters. By the end of each day, everyone’s voices were hoarse.

When Fang Bingxue finally got a two-day break, his first thought was to ask around for a good massage parlor.

…And then Zhou Xu hauled him back home.

"Still sore?" Zhou Xu pressed his fingers into Fang Bingxue’s nape, kneading slowly. "It’s a bit stiff. You’ve been hunched over your desk too long."

Fang Bingxue lay face-down on the bed, murmuring in pleasure.

He hadn’t expected Zhou Xu to be so skilled. The man had even peeled two oranges and left them on the nightstand, their faint citrus scent far more pleasant than any candle. The dim lighting, the soft pillow against his face, Zhou Xu’s hands working over his body—Fang Bingxue felt like his bones were melting.

By the end, Zhou Xu measured his waist with his hands. "Just… two handspans."

Fang Bingxue was nearly asleep and didn’t respond.

Zhou Xu chuckled silently, then leaned down to press a light kiss to Fang Bingxue’s hair before stepping out and turning off the light.

The night passed without dreams.

Fang Bingxue woke up early the next morning, the sky still dim. He lay in bed for a while, gathering his thoughts, then got up to wash his face. As soon as he pushed the door open, he heard voices.

Zhou Xu, likely trying not to disturb him, had taken the conversation outside to the courtyard, speaking in hushed tones. But Zhang Yang had eyes like a hawk, zeroing in immediately—no wonder Zhou Xu liked using him for surveillance. The kid had a photographic memory.

A Liang, noticing Zhang Yang’s expression, turned in confusion before his eyes lit up.

Fang Bingxue’s first instinct was to check his clothes.

…Great. He was wearing Zhou Xu’s.

Normally, borrowing clothes between men during a stayover wouldn’t be a big deal. But right now, all four of them had their own theories, and no one spoke first.

The silence was painfully awkward.

A Liang was the first to react, waving enthusiastically at Fang Bingxue. Zhou Xu exhaled in relief. "Uh, we had a gathering last night. He drank too much, so he crashed here."

Then, as if putting on a show, he asked Fang Bingxue, "You’re not hungover? Up so early?"

Fang Bingxue smiled at A Liang. "I’m fine… no headache."

Zhang Yang’s expression was far more shocked, mixed with a hint of excitement. But he was quick-witted and immediately ignored Zhou Xu’s transparent excuse, greeting Fang Bingxue cheerfully. "No worries! We just came to talk to Bro Xu. Gotta head to the shop now!"

A Liang, oblivious, kept grinning until Zhang Yang yanked his arm, pulling him away. "Alright, we’re off!"

"Damn it," Zhou Xu muttered. "Why’re you two bolting like rabbits? Get your asses back here."

A Liang was easygoing, but Zhang Yang wasn’t. The moment their eyes met, Zhou Xu knew the kid’s mind had already put two and two together.

The thing was, Zhou Xu never let anyone stay overnight—and now Fang Bingxue was wearing his clothes. There was no explaining this.

Of course, their relationship was still undefined. Zhou Xu wanted to keep things low-key in case he scared Fang Bingxue off. He’d be left high and dry in the end.

Zhang Yang stood obediently, not daring to glance at Fang Bingxue again, but the corners of his lips twitched uncontrollably, grinning like a fool.

Fang Bingxue cleared his throat. "Well, I—"

"Come on, Officer Xiao Fang," Zhou Xu said dryly. "Why don’t you tell us how to handle this?"

The moment the word "officer" left his mouth, Zhang Yang froze.

His past habits hadn’t been great. As an unsupervised kid, he’d started pickpocketing by his teens—taking the cash and tossing the rest into a bridge culvert. That was how he’d met Zhou Xu: he’d tried to steal from Zhou Xu’s joint and got caught.

It was 1998, and Zhou Xu had just opened the county’s first proper pool hall. Back then, people played in makeshift "mom-and-pop pool rooms," two rickety tables set up amid cigarette smoke, with VHS tapes playing in the background. After a game, they’d play cards.

When Zhou Xu caught the scrawny kid, the onlookers jeered, "Chop his hand off!" Zhang Yang, already a hardened little delinquent, spewed every sob story he could—orphaned with nobody watching his back, begging them to give a guy a break.

He figured he’d just take a beating and be done with it.

Instead, Zhou Xu did beat him—then dragged him to school. Zhang Yang climbed over the wall the moment he was inside. The next time Zhou Xu caught him, he didn’t hold back, kicking him straight into juvenile detention.

When Zhang Yang came back, snot and tears streaming down his face, he wailed, "Bro, I don’t wanna go to jail! I don’t wanna get shot!"

Zhou Xu, holding court in a gilded VIP room, looked every bit the underworld boss. "Fine. Here’s a job—keep an eye on the mute kid in middle school. Make sure no one bullies him."

Zhang Yang nodded eagerly, eyes wide, staring with naked admiration. "Bro, can I work for you when I grow up?"

Doing the math, Zhang Yang had now been by Zhou Xu’s side for six years.

…And this was the first time he’d ever seen someone walk out of his brother’s bedroom at dawn, wearing his clothes.

The master bedroom, no less!

There's always a bigger fish. He never dreamed his brother would actually bring a cop into his own bed. Zhang Yang had a real phobia about that profession—just plain guilty conscience, you might say—so he immediately straightened up, shooting Zhou Xu a complicated look.

At the same time, he secretly gave a thumbs-up, thinking, *Bro, you’re insane.*

Meanwhile, Fang Bingxue lit up. "What's going on? Tell me."

No big deal, really. Just some high school kid who’d had a crush on one of the waitresses at the pool hall and kept hanging around, borderline stalking her. Zhang Yang, being the jerk he was, went straight to the kid’s parents with a bunch of snide remarks, like, *Quit your emo phase and focus on school, kid. You can’t even write properly yet.*

The kid was furious, yelling, *You don’t get it! This is Mars language! It’s all the rage in Taiwan!*

But that wasn’t enough. Late one night, the kid showed up at the pool hall. He didn’t dare do anything too outrageous—just trampled all over the row of Chinese roses planted downstairs, destroying them.

"*I* planted those," Zhou Xu said, fuming. "Don’t you think we should call the cops? Can he be arrested for this?"

Fang Bingxue bit back a laugh but kept a straight face. "How many roses? If the damages aren’t significant, it won’t meet the threshold for criminal charges. You could sue for civil compensation, though."

Zhou Xu immediately jumped on that idea, whining—how hard he’d worked planting those roses, watering them every day, how it wasn’t just about the money.

As he ranted, the two kids piped up, mostly Zhang Yang egging him on while A Liang acted it out. Their conclusion? They wanted the People’s Police to serve justice and fight evil.

When the excitement faded, Zhang Yang tugged at A Liang’s sleeve, shooting him a look. "Alright, shouldn’t we head to the shop?"

Without waiting for an answer, he dragged A Liang away. It wasn’t a big deal—the shop was close by, and they’d just dropped in for a chat after breakfast since they missed Zhou Xu, who’d been busy lately, often stuck at the auto repair shop.

Once the door closed, Zhou Xu turned and pulled Fang Bingxue into a hug.

Fang Bingxue stumbled back half a step, patting Zhou Xu’s back. "What’s wrong?"

"The kids figured it out," Zhou Xu grumbled. "My reputation’s shot."

Fang Bingxue couldn't help teasing. "Nah, I didn’t do anything to you. You’re still pure."

Zhou Xu paused, loosening his grip slightly. "Then I’ll work harder to get you to do something to me."

"No way," Fang Bingxue said, smirking. "If you dare try anything, I’ll cuff you."

To his surprise, Zhou Xu fired back, "Go ahead. I’d like that."

Fang Bingxue pulled free of his arms, backing away several steps, looking him over. "You—you’re such a pervert!"

Zhou Xu just laughed, not saying a word.

The laughter made Fang Bingxue’s ears turn red. When Zhou Xu was serious, he was *serious*, but when he got shameless, Fang Bingxue couldn’t handle it. Like last time—Fang Bingxue had jokingly asked, *Besides my eyes, what’s your favorite part of me?* Zhou Xu had leaned in and whispered an answer that made him blush.

Because, well, that spot had a slight dip—nothing unusual, no special function—so he’d never really noticed it. The first time Zhou Xu bit there, Fang Bingxue had shivered automatically.

Thankfully, he’d had his shirt to bite, or else, with the way Zhou Xu was going, he’d have moaned out loud. Sitting astride Zhou Xu, he’d been kissed until he leaned back, fingers tangled in Zhou Xu’s short hair, flustered and shy, muttering, *What’s so great about kissing here…*

Zhou Xu had looked up at him, breathing heavily.

Now, remembering that incident, Fang Bingxue winced. The next day, just brushing against that spot while dressing had stung—not exactly pleasant.

"I’m not talking to a pervert," Fang Bingxue declared, turning to head back inside. He went to the sink to brush his teeth, only realizing after rinsing that he’d forgotten to lock the door.

Sure enough, Zhou Xu followed, squeezing in behind him and wrapping his arms around him.

The guy had a thing for bathrooms—always crowding Fang Bingxue in there, pressing close, making it hard to move. Fang Bingxue gave up struggling. After finishing his routine, he’d just put the towel back when he heard a *pop*—Zhou Xu opening the moisturizer.

Tilting his face back slightly, Fang Bingxue felt cool moisture on his cheeks as Zhou Xu carefully applied the cream, calloused fingers smoothing over his forehead and nose. When there was too much left, Zhou Xu rubbed the excess on his own hands before leaning down to press against Fang Bingxue’s cheek.

"What’re you doing?" Fang Bingxue laughed. "Like a big dog rubbing against me."

Zhou Xu moved lower, lips brushing his neck. "...Smelling you."

The bathroom had a window, and Zhou Xu kept it spotless—nothing but a faint scent of laundry detergent in the air. Fang Bingxue’s Adam's apple moved as he joked, "You know that song you sang? Maybe we should just... be lovers for real."

Zhou Xu froze. "Huh?"

"I mean," Fang Bingxue said, not daring to turn around, "we’re both stuck in this awkward in-between. Might as well just go for it and have fun while we can."

The warmth on his skin vanished.

Zhou Xu let go, voice low. "I’m not stuck."

Fang Bingxue let out a dry, "Oh."

"If you like my body," Zhou Xu said calmly, "feel free to touch. I’ll help you out if you want. But I don’t need you to do anything for me. I told you—I’m a simple guy. I run businesses, work with my hands."

"I’m greedy. I haggle over every penny in deals. Don’t let my success fool you—I’ve had to count every penny before. I’ve got shops and dozens of people relying on me. I have to think things through before acting."

"But you’re different, Fang Bingxue. You’re different to me."

He turned Fang Bingxue around, gripping his chin to make him meet his eyes.

"You can still back out. I said you don’t owe me anything—*I’m* the one chasing *you*. But if you decide to be with me, Fang Bingxue, I’ll want a lot more."

Fang Bingxue didn’t pull away, his expression unreadable, like he was avoiding an unsolvable math problem, every second before the bell pure agony.

Finally, he chuckled softly. "What do I do, Bro Xu? At this rate, I’m scared I won’t be able to control myself."

Zhou Xu stroked his thumb along Fang Bingxue’s jaw soothingly. "I’ll follow your lead."

This time, Fang Bingxue stayed silent longer. "Let’s... not see each other for a while. I need to think."

Zhou Xu slowly released him. "Okay."