Chapter 200 07

Chapter 200.07

With the SWAT team matters finally settled, He Lin and Li Shang redirected their focus to the task force cases.

Previously, both the Provincial Department and the Yuncheng Public Security Bureau had conducted investigations into the Psi case, but these efforts were scattered and lacked systematic coordination. They now needed to swiftly consolidate past findings and initiate new inquiries.

Though their days were packed, the work was manageable, a welcome change from the relentless overtime at the Missing Persons Investigation Unit.

During the day, they worked together at the Provincial Department. In the evenings, He Lin cooked while Li Shang assisted, gradually familiarizing himself with kitchen utensils and shedding his former aversion to pots and pans.

An ordinary life with his beloved—this was something Li Shang had scarcely dared to dream of in recent years. Fate, it seemed, was finally smiling upon him.

Under He Lin’s attentive care, Li Shang’s health steadily improved. Palpitations, dizziness, and stomachaches, once frequent ailments, now seemed to subside, rarely recurring.

The only minor complaint Li Shang had was the frequency of their nightly activities.

To temper He Lin’s boundless energy, Li Shang insisted they switch their morning runs to evening runs. He reasoned that more running would leave He Lin with less vigor for their nocturnal endeavors.

However, even after increasing their nightly run from two to five kilometers, the effect was minimal—He Lin remained as energetic as ever.

Unless urgent work arose, He Lin would, like clockwork, pin Li Shang to the bed, his back muscles rippling. If Li Shang didn't call a halt, He Lin could keep them going all night.

One evening, as Li Shang pondered whether to extend their run to ten kilometers, He Lin, sensing his thoughts, whispered into his ear, “Commander Li, are you planning a night marathon for us? I’m game, but can you keep up?”

Li Shang’s ears flushed as he lowered his head in contemplation. Indeed, running too far would exhaust him. He ultimately decided to stick with five kilometers.

Upon their return, he assigned He Lin an additional set of strength training.

On the first day of this new regimen, He Lin, still catching his breath from the run, was met with Li Shang’s calm directive: “Fifty push-ups.”

He Lin raised an eyebrow, chuckled, and, removing his shirt to reveal his almost perfectly sculpted muscles, retorted, “Is that all? You’re underestimating me if you don’t make it a hundred.”

As he braced himself, a sudden weight settled on his back. Li Shang had seated himself there. “Go on,” he instructed.

Even slender, Li Shang was still a grown man. He Lin nearly lost his breath. “...”

By the twentieth push-up, He Lin’s arms began to tremble, but Li Shang’s fingertip tapped his spine, a cold reminder: “Maintain your form.”

“Forty-nine… fifty…”

By the time he finished, sweat was pouring down He Lin’s neck. Watching He Lin drenched in sweat yet unable to protest, Li Shang felt a surge of satisfaction. Still perched on He Lin, he patted his shoulder and remarked, “Good core strength.”

Li Shang then stood, retrieved a towel from the rack, and tossed it to He Lin. He mused that, under his continuous supervision, He Lin’s physical test scores might even return to his special forces peak.

He Lin caught the towel, rising and panting. “Let me do a hundred. After that… let me have one more go…”

Seeing Li Shang remain silent, He Lin added, “Or you lie underneath, and I’ll do one push-up for a kiss. I could do five hundred that way. Consider it, leader—I’m eager to improve.”

The words sounded familiar, but Li Shang instinctively refused. “No, I’m allergic to dogs.”

He wasn’t about to fall for He Lin’s antics. Who knew how many proper push-ups He Lin would actually do? Probably not even five before he’d be pushing up against something else entirely. If he gave in, how would he face work the next day? Claim mosquito bites?

Ignoring his sweaty state, He Lin pulled Li Shang into his embrace, pressed their foreheads together, and chuckled softly, “Are you allergic now?”

Afterward, as Li Shang headed for the shower, He Lin pushed the bathroom door open and squeezed in. “Let’s shower together.”

Two men, both over six feet tall, crammed into the tiny shower stall, barely able to turn around, their bodies pressed tightly together. Warm water cascaded over them, washing away the sweat but not the lingering heat.

Mid-shower, He Lin leaned down, cupped Li Shang’s face, and kissed him.

The air was thick with steam, and even with the exhaust fan on, it felt stifling.

Feeling lightheaded and overwhelmed by He Lin’s kisses, Li Shang was the first to exit the bathroom.

Dizzy and not fully dried, he couldn’t be bothered to open the wardrobe. Spotting a white shirt He Lin had just washed and left by the bed, he grabbed it and put it on.

As Li Shang fastened the first two buttons, He Lin emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.

He reminded Li Shang, “Make sure to dry your hair properly, or you’ll catch a cold.” But as he spoke, his gaze fixed on Li Shang.

The shirt, a size larger than Li Shang usually wore, had a slightly disheveled collar that revealed his slender neck and the small mole below his collarbone.

Water that hadn’t been fully dried seeped through the fabric, revealing the outline of his lean muscles and faint scars.

The shirt’s hem reached his buttocks, exposing his straight, long legs.

The shower seemed to have been in vain—the heat he’d tried to suppress surged back with a vengeance. Forget fifty push-ups; He Lin felt he could do fifty pull-ups, but what he truly desired now was for Li Shang to…

Like a lovesick large white dog, he pounced with a playful growl, carrying Li Shang—who hadn’t even finished buttoning his shirt—to the bed and stripping him bare once more.

Between the lack of oxygen and sheer exhaustion, Li Shang was utterly spent, falling asleep in He Lin’s arms that night.

The next day, Commander Li was so incensed that he didn’t utter a single word to He Lin from the moment he woke up. It took He Lin’s persistent coaxing, a delicious home-cooked meal, and his agreement to Li Shang’s three rules—setting limits on their daily and weekly activities—to finally earn a proper glance from Li Shang.

With this agreement in place, He Lin genuinely toned down for a while, and Li Shang finally enjoyed several nights of uninterrupted sleep.

***

Half a month later, early morning.

Slivers of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains into the bedroom.

As usual, Li Shang opened his eyes two minutes before the alarm clock rang. He glanced at the bedside clock and reached out to silence it.

Feeling the movement, He Lin, still with his eyes closed, instinctively tightened his arm around Li Shang, pulling him closer. Only when Li Shang tapped the hand resting on his chest did He Lin reluctantly press his lips to the nape of Li Shang’s neck before letting him go.

Since they woke up early, their morning routine was orderly.

While Li Shang mulled over work matters as he entered the bathroom, He Lin washed his hands and placed eggs and steamed buns into the steamer. The rice cooker had already timed the porridge, and he lifted the lid to let it cool slightly—it would be just right to drink soon.

After washing up, Li Shang looked at himself in the mirror and noticed a red mark on his collarbone from where He Lin had nibbled the night before.

He Lin happened to walk in, and his gaze followed Li Shang’s to the mark. The puppy-like man nuzzled him apologetically. “I tried my best not to leave marks higher up.”

In his view, he had been quite restrained. On days when they didn’t have to go out, he wished he could devour Li Shang whole, leaving bite marks all over his neck and even swelling his lips.

Li Shang didn’t say anything. After a moment of silence, he put on a shirt, buttoning it all the way to the top, and added a dark tie.

He had been eating a bit more lately and exercising frequently, so he’d filled out a bit and was no longer as slender as before. Dressed in this outfit, coupled with his handsome face that usually showed little expression, he now carried a natural, commanding presence.

He Lin, the instigator, leaned against the doorframe brushing his teeth, watching the handsome commander and mumbling, "Dressing so formally today?"

"Didn't we say there's a meeting with the bank experts?" Li Shang lowered his head to adjust his cuffs.

He Lin asked him, "Has everything been quiet on the SWAT side lately?"

Li Shang grunted in agreement.

Last week, he helped resolve a hostage situation, handling it smoothly and efficiently, earning praise from everyone, from top to bottom.

Under the provincial SWAT detachment, there are several SWAT teams and a bomb disposal team. He had one-on-ones with every team leader.

Since that meeting and leading several operations, from Deputy Detachment Commander Liu Su down to the team leaders, each had shown him nothing but respect and obedience.

With leadership treating him this way, the team members naturally followed suit.

This situation saved Li Shang a lot of time and talking. Once the team was organized, it was pretty easy to lead.

He Lin spat out the foam and asked, "Has the SWAT team leader of the first squad also been at Tianning Base? He looks somewhat familiar."

Li Shang nodded, "Yes, he has. The bomb disposal team leader also participated in special training."

He Lin said, "No wonder, I could tell from the look in his eyes—total admiration. And that bomb disposal Captain Qiao, he couldn’t take his eyes off you."

Li Shang detected the jealousy in He Lin's words, "He’s actually He Yuan’s junior."

He Lin said more seriously, "Then I’ll have to find time to tell him that Captain Rong is already taken."

Once dressed, Li Shang walked into the living room. The semi-formal attire accentuated his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and tall stature, giving him a cool, almost otherworldly vibe.

He Lin increasingly felt that coming to the provincial bureau was indeed the right decision. He could visibly see that Li Shang had become more confident lately, his presence growing stronger, his whole person practically glowing—it was impossible to miss. He had gained some of the same kind of drive as Rong Qing from back in the day, with less aggression, making him more amiable and steady.

If the base tempered Rong Qing’s physique, allowing him to rapidly grow into a sharp blade, then the provincial bureau was the suitable soil for Li Shang. It was as if he had grown new roots from the past struggles, then spread his branches and leaves, possessing both the sharpness of a blade and the steadfastness and gentleness to protect everything.