standoff

A rich, sweet fragrance wafted into the air, and Fang Chengyin stopped, as if he were under a vast net.

"What's wrong? Does the smell bother you?" Jiang Zhi leaned closer and pressed his forehead against his. "If you feel uncomfortable, we'll go back."

Fang Chengyin shook his head; all that remained in front of him were withered branches and fallen leaves.

Jiang Zhi led the person forward, parting the tangled withered branches. A lush green filled the eye, as if cascading down from a mountain peak. The thick branches bent and stretched out in all directions, like a series of rounded umbrellas.

Crawling inside and standing right in the middle of one of the "umbrellas," with a gap overhead, it's a perfect spot to escape the heat of summer. All around are lush, dark green branches, with purplish-black apples clustered together in a tiered fashion along the branches, each one cone-shaped, plump, and large, with a dark purplish-black hue.

Citing Apple has proven to be incredibly powerful.

Fang Chengyin scratched Jiang Zhi's hand, and Jiang Zhi let go. He then pointed to the apple on his chest.

Jiang Zhi: "Is this the one?"

"Don't they have trouble breathing when they're all huddled together?"

Jiang Zhi hugged him from behind, saying, "They are protecting us."

"Is that so?" Her fingertips continued to tap upwards along the steps, stopping at the highest point she could barely reach after raising her hand. "You must be quite lonely, right?"

Jiang Zhi thought it was referring to apples, so he rested his chin on his neck and said, "This is a necessary process to achieve the most perfect state."

"Shall we do it here?"

Jiang Zhi's mind went blank for a moment, "Huh?"

Fang Chengyin threw the doll out of the "umbrella" range, turned around, pressed Jiang Zhi's chest against the thick trunk, grabbed his hands and pressed them to the sides of his head, then looked up to kiss him, kissing him haphazardly.

"Please excuse me... Please don't go yet..."

Jiang Zhi struggled, not with much force, but it caused Fang Chengyin's breathing to become disordered. He still stubbornly bit and sucked.

Jiang Zhi couldn't continue like this. If he continued, he didn't know what he might do. So, with his hands held by his wrists, he took long legs and pulled Fang Chengyin close to him.

In this way, they truly became inseparable.

Fang Chengyin's breathing became even heavier, and his hands fell limply to his sides. Jiang Zhi hugged him and said, "Chengyin, there's no rush. Just tell me what you want, and I'll give you anything, even me, okay?"

Fang Chengyin buried his head in the side of his neck and remained silent for a long time, so long that Jiang Zhi thought he had fallen asleep and when he tried to pick him up, his neck twitched slightly.

"Don't……"

Fang Chengyin licked the side of his neck, one stroke after another, making it hard for Jiang Zhi to control himself. Jiang Zhi knew how aroused he had become. In order to stop him, he chose to take the initiative and began to suck and bite the other's neck.

Fang Chengyin quickly gave in, trembling as he tried to pull off his coat. Jiang Zhi took the opportunity to grasp his hand, kissing each finger knuckle carefully.

What happened to my left ring finger?

Jiang Zhi was stunned.

Fang Chengyin grabbed his fingers with his other hand, using some force, afraid that he would try to cover it up again like last time. "It looks like a ring."

Like a hidden corner being illuminated by a bright light, Jiang Zhi could feel his fingertips trembling.

It wasn't a ring at all, but rather an ugly, newly grown, healed scar.

Fang Chengyin persisted: "Was it cut open?"

There was no answer. Fang Chengyin looked up at him, but his lips landed on the scar: "You like him that much? Even if he has completely forgotten you."

Jiang Zhi withdrew his hand and loosened his grip on him. "It was worth it."

What if I can't remember anymore?

Fang Chengyin was very calm, as if he were talking about someone else.

"It's no big deal. No matter what stage you're in, it's good that you can get to know me again."

Fang Chengyin stroked his face, "Aren't you tired of chasing after someone who doesn't love you? What are you going to do all by yourself?"

Jiang Zhi knew this was pity, but he was still incredibly satisfied: "I will treat you the same way you treat me. Cheng Yin, do you know that you and I are two worlds back to back? You can become my shadow, and I can become your shadow."

"But we can never embrace."

"Yes, but now we're not only hugging, we're kissing too."

Jiang Zhi smiled mischievously, and Fang Chengyin, seeing this, decided to take a different approach, saying, "Let's go back."

He turned around but was pulled back. For reasons unknown, Jiang Zhi cupped him and kissed him roughly, like someone yearning for something unattainable, or perhaps wanting to destroy it. Fang Chengyin was terrified. He remembered Jiang Zhi's suffocating kiss not long ago. "No, I won't do it anymore…!"

Jiang Zhi remained unmoved, and even began to reach inside his clothes.

"Jiang Zhi!"

Fang Chengyin grabbed his hair and lifted his knee, but was pressed back against the tree trunk. His hands were pinned above his head, and his cheek, jaw, and neck were covered in soft, wet flesh.

“I’ll give you what you want, but aren’t you feeling guilty? Then do what you originally wanted, sacrifice yourself, huh?” Jiang Zhi squeezed his waist hard, leaning close to his ear almost through gritted teeth, “Fang Chengyin! There are countless ways to make a deal, but if you’re going to choose this one, are you mentally prepared? Between men, there’s only suppression and brutality, there’s no such thing as beauty and gentleness. Do you really want to experience that so soon?”

Fang Chengyin's face turned deathly pale instantly. Countless memories of Liu Jinyi's ordeal flashed through his mind. He shook his head repeatedly, "No, I...I was wrong...I was wrong!"

Jiang Zhi let go, and Fang Chengyin slumped down like a puddle of mud. He caught him, even lifting him up and bumping his head against the apple on top of him, the plump arm falling between their chests.

Fang Chengyin was startled and hugged her even tighter, pleading repeatedly, "I was wrong."

"Show me where I went wrong?"

Fang Chengyin obediently stepped aside, and saw Jiang Zhi's cold and stern face begin to tremble again, his eyes red and alluring.

Jiang Zhi leaned in and kissed him: "Poor Chengyin. Here, take the apple, let's go home."

Fang Chengyin obediently took the apple, then hugged Jiang Zhi's neck. The apple was a bit big, so his hands behind Jiang Zhi's back could only clasp together.

"Go to sleep." Jiang Zhi patted his back, tears streaming down his face.

When processing Jiang Zhi's discharge from the hospital, Qi Xi told him that Fang Chengyin's medication strength had been secretly increased again, causing significant mood swings and more pronounced weakness. He then specifically instructed Jiang Zhi that under no circumstances should he let lust cloud his judgment.

"He's like a piece of glass; he looks very hard, but if you punch him, he'll shatter."

Fang Chengyin was asleep, but his hands were still tightly clutching the apple.

Jiang Zhi buried her face in his neck, "I don't want to let you go, but I really have nowhere else to turn, Chengyin, Chengyin..."

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Zhi regained his indifferent expression, licked the dampness off Fang Chengyin's neck, and then carried him out from under the leaves.

Her hair had just brushed against the green leaves when her straightened back stopped. Song Zixin stood in front of them, with withered branches and fallen leaves behind her.

Her elegance and poise were gone. She glanced at the ugly doll at Jiang Zhi's feet, took a few steps forward, and slapped Jiang Zhi across the face.

"I'm sorry," Jiang Zhi said, her eyes lowered.

Song Zixin clenched her fingers. "You said you'd protect him! Is this how you do it? Just watch him get poisoned? Just watch that bastard keep threatening him? Just watch him keep ending up in the hospital? And now, you want him to watch this disgusting orchard!"

Jiang Zhi looked up. "Please watch your words."

Seeing the purplish-black apple that Fang Chengyin was holding, Song Zixin's anger flared up even more. She raised her hand and slapped it, and the apple rolled away with a thud.

"What kind of wording is that? Aren't the things they did in this orchard disgusting! ... The air here is so disgusting, how can you let Yin Yin breathe it! Give him to me!"

Song Zixin gradually lost control, becoming nothing like the resolute woman who had once stepped into this orchard. Now, she was stained with dust and had lost much of her luster. Perhaps it was because she loved the person in her arms too much?

Jiang Zhi patted the slightly moving Fang Chengyin and said calmly, "Singing is about to be released, right? Tomorrow."

Song Zixin was stunned. "Singing" had been filmed for five years, and she had signed a confidentiality agreement with the production company before Fang Bokang disappeared.

But secrets are never worth mentioning in the face of power and money.

Just like the "script takeover incident" a few weeks ago, fans, passersby and fans of the original work were all arguing and fighting, but they didn't know that it was all a careful arrangement by the production team. She herself was also hoping for more hype to promote the movie's release tomorrow.

"Singing" is a work she must preserve.

"If you don't want your screening schedule to be affected, I hope you won't do anything and will leave it to me. Cheng Yin needs you."

Song Zixin remained silent, her displeasure stemming from the threat she felt.

Jiang Zhi continued, "I always hoped you would agree to let Cheng Yin be with me, but in the end, Cheng Yin belongs only to himself. He'll be safer without me. I'll take him back, and then you can talk to him..."

“No need,” Song Zixin interrupted him. “I’ll carry him back.”

Jiang Zhi was helpless; removing Fang Chengyin's restraints was not easy, so he closed his eyes and pleaded for help.

"Jiang Zhi! Jiang Zhi!"

“Jiang Zhi…”

"take me Home……"

Fang Chengyin cried, clutching Jiang Zhi's clothes tightly, sobbing uncontrollably. Jiang Zhi kept trying to comfort him.

Song Zixin looked at her with heartache and said, "Never mind."

Jiang Zhi looked up at her while holding the sobbing person.

"Your trust in me has been exhausted. Once this is over, I hope you will never appear in Chengyin's life again."

Song Zixin left, but Fang Chengyin disappeared that very night.

Jiang Zhi woke up in the middle of the night to find his bedroom empty, the ugly doll gone, and the tracking app on his phone blocked. He ran downstairs while contacting the surveillance personnel who had just left, and they searched for him through the night.

I shouldn't have given him my phone while I was in the hospital!

He ran to the door, but it was pitch black all around. Jiang Zhi retreated back into the villa, opened Mine, and sent a text message to Song Zixin:

The previous message on the chat interface is:

October 10, 20X8 at 13:10

Song: That person has approached Yinyin; protect him.

Quote: Yes.

November 13, 20X8, 02:24

Quote: You don't need to do anything, I'll take care of everything.

Song: He's already struck first.

Jiang Zhi stared at those words in disbelief and quickly turned on the TV. All the major channels were occupied by a live broadcast, just like Liu Desheng's. He also wanted to get what he wanted through the live broadcast.

Live broadcast title: Song Zixin kills her husband and abandons her child.

The person on the screen is the instigator. Compared to five years ago, he is no longer as young, but his unfocused gaze is still so familiar.

Not far behind him, on the bed, was Fang Chengyin with his eyes closed, holding that ugly doll in his arms, and by the window was the blackboard.

They are at C32-1034.

Jiang Zhi dared not make any rash moves.

The man bowed to the camera and then said:

"Hello everyone, I am Zhang Weike. I have submitted my resignation and am no longer a member of the Yanyang Criminal Investigation Bureau, but rather Fang Bokang's lover."

Five years ago, my lover suddenly disappeared. After years of investigation, the truth finally came to light—actress Song Zixin had murdered my lover, and at the same time, she was also the one who interfered in our marriage.

My partner and I have known each other since childhood, but due to the remoteness of our village and the prevailing feudalistic thinking, we kept our love hidden. He went to the city to make a living, but our relationship remained unchanged during holidays. Later, he became a famous playwright and producer, and returned to our village to take me to the city. Everyone said he and Song Zixin were a perfect match. He said it was all Song Zixin's doing; she didn't want to act anymore and needed my partner to help her retire from the industry. My partner said his success today was inseparable from Song Zixin's support, and they even signed a performance-based agreement.

Zhang Weike pointed the camera at a betting agreement, which bore the signatures of Fang Bokang and Song Zixin. The agreement stated that Fang Bokang would gain wider recognition due to Song Zixin's celebrity status and would need to help her for the next year, or else he would have to pay a huge amount of compensation.

"My lover succeeded, so he had to continue pretending to be a couple with Song Zixin. He kept his promise, but Song Zixin, no longer a star, was unwilling to let him go and demanded to conceive naturally with him, which led to Fang Chengyin."

The camera focused on Fang Chengyin on the bed. He was wearing the pajamas he had left in, his face was pale, and he was in very poor condition, appearing pitiful to outsiders.

"But after he was born, she didn't want him. My wife couldn't bear it, so she brought him back and I raised him. He continued to negotiate with Song Zixin. Unexpectedly, after several years of back and forth, there was still no result, and in the end, he even disappeared."

I went to beg her, but she remained indifferent to me.

The screen showed a series of photos of Zhang Weike kneeling in front of Song Zixin, including one of Song Zixin kicking him away and leaving.

"I begged her like a dog, not caring that she had interfered in our relationship, but she didn't budge an inch. She even warned me to take Fang Chengyin and get as far away as possible. She's ruthless; she cut off all my avenues for appeal."

Only today, thanks to the open and transparent cyberspace, am I able to speak out. I hope the relevant departments will pay attention, and I will cooperate with the investigation.

He stood up and bowed solemnly, ending the live stream.

Mine sent a message:

Song: Please take care of Chengyin for me.

Quote: Please do nothing.

There was no further information. Jiang Zhi opened Weibo and found that Song Zixin had issued a statement denying Zhang Weike's claims and saying that she would actively cooperate with the investigation.

Jiang Zhi dialed another person's number: "Dad, I'm sorry to disturb your rest."

"Is all you ever do when you talk to me just beg for mercy?"

"You've breached the contract, citing that apples won't be harvested and sold until tomorrow. And why are you now teaming up with a murderer?"

In Yanyang City, only one person can control the live broadcast line, and that is Jiang Yuecang, his biological father.

“Jiang Zhi, no one has ever dared to say no to what I want to do. You are my son, and you should know this best.”

"It is precisely because I know this that I have never disobeyed you in any way!"

"Did you manage to give up Fang Chengyin?"

"Isn't what you did for him five years ago, and what you're doing now, enough?"

"Not enough. Choose one, do you want him or not?"

"Dad... I have no choice."

The call was abruptly disconnected.

Jiang Zhi went upstairs again to get a coat and left the villa. The early autumn night was cold, and dewdrops clung to the roadside weeds.

The electric car sped along the road and soon arrived at C32-1034.

Zhang Weike opened the door for him, and Jiang Zhi could see Fang Chengyin sitting on the bed not far away with an expressionless face.

Zhang Weike laughed: "He came by himself."

Jiang Zhi didn't speak, he just looked at Fang Chengyin.

Zhang Weike understood and turned around to say, "Jiang Zhi has come to pick you up."

Fang Chengyin then got up and walked towards Jiang Zhi. Jiang Zhi helped him put on his coat. During this time, Fang Chengyin encountered the ugly doll and had a strong reaction, but he awkwardly regained his indifference.

Jiang Zhi even noticed that he had a new necklace around his neck, a tooth necklace that he had seen on the day he moved in together, but hadn't worn since.

Jiang Zhi put his arm around Fang Chengyin and said to Zhang Weike, "You step on it every day, don't you?"

Zhang Weike stopped laughing: "What do you mean?"

"He's in the orchard, the place you pass by every day. That's all I can say. You must be in a hurry to be questioned, so we'll be going now."

He led Fang Chengyin away. Fang Chengyin didn't say much the whole way, so Jiang Zhi had to drive with one hand and hold Fang Chengyin's hand in his coat pocket with the other.

Back at the villa, Jiang Zhi fetched a basin of hot water. As he was about to pull Fang Chengyin away, Fang Chengyin asked, "Did you kill Fang Bokang?"

Jiang Zhi paused for a moment, then smiled and took the other person's hand, leading them into the house: "Perhaps."