Chapter Six Yan Bai
Yi Chu returned to the bar counter, ordered no more drinks, and sat at counter number six, not far from counter number seven, looking towards that spot. He didn't know who the other person was, what they looked like, and neither did the other person. He had been holding his breath, but the moment his gaze fell upon that spot, his worries vanished—Gu Bai'an. In the dim light, he was like a blazing flame, his firelight soaring and crashing into Yi Chu's vision, relentlessly scorching his heart, leaving it scarred and broken.
Reunion. What a longing yet unattainable word. Yi Chu thought, perhaps he should weep bitterly, should embrace him without a care in the world, just like in every long night's dream.
But just as he never blamed Gu Bai'an for leaving, it was because he never forgot what was important.
"Handsome, want to buy me a drink?" Yi Chu pressed against him from behind, presciently pressing down on the hand that instinctively wanted to throw him over the shoulder. He couldn't see Gu Bai'an's expression, but he could imagine that as an excellent police officer, he could hide his emotions in any situation.
But they are human after all, and their feelings can run deep.
This was the most tactful way Yi Chu could offer him after careful consideration.
"I'm sorry..." Gu Bai'an refused decisively, even somewhat impatiently. He regarded Yi Chu's appearance as an accident, an accident... a stroke of luck.
“Handsome, I haven’t found anyone I like all night. I saw you last time I was here, so maybe we’re destined to meet. Want to reconsider?” Yi Chu didn’t whisper in his ear, but spoke at a moderate volume so that those around Gu Bai’an could hear if they were paying attention. Gu Bai’an’s expression visibly softened, but while others didn’t know, Yi Chu could see the undercurrent of emotion beneath the surface. “So, really, don’t you want to buy me a drink?”
"Bartender! A Mojito for this gentleman." Gu Bai'an smelled the alcohol on him. Yi Chu had a good alcohol tolerance, but he remembered that Yi Chu didn't like drinking.
“No, just one Naked and Famous.” Yi Chu exuded a captivating yet dangerous aura that dazzled everyone who saw him. But in Gu Bai’an’s eyes, even the most dangerous aura seemed like a child dressed in adult clothes. “Alcohol is indeed a good thing, isn’t it? It doesn’t kill your sorrows, but it can help you. Tonight, it might even… add some excitement.”
“Mojito, I don’t like drinking with drunks.” Gu Bai’an coldly rejected him. Yi Chu shrugged at the bartender, indicating he had no choice but to listen to him. Yi Chu looked like he was twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old—young, handsome, and possessing an allure and charisma that younger people lacked. Coupled with the fact that he was facing Gu Bai’an, there was even more room for pretense. Therefore, although he was somewhat wary, he didn’t arouse suspicion.
The two chatted for a while, and neither of them could remember what they had said. Yi Chu felt the gazes around him and realized that Gu Bai'an probably wouldn't have a chance to give him the item.
"Xiaodong, give him one of my room cards." Gu Baian waved to the man next to him in a low voice. The man didn't seem to respect him much, at least not the kind of respect a subordinate would show to his "big brother".
Yi Chu had taken note of the building's layout; the first to third floors were similar to entertainment venues, while the floors above the third were for guest accommodation. Although the staff was disorganized, the decor and facilities were impeccable.
The man called Xiaodong returned shortly with a room key, but instead of handing it to Gu Bai'an, he walked directly towards Yi Chu and flippantly shoved the card into his collar. The cold card slipped off his skin, and Yi Chu met his gaze, seeing the aggression in the man's eyes, but he remained unperturbed despite being treated this way.
"Brother?" Yi Chu seemed a little scared and called him politely with an extremely innocent expression.
"Li Xiaodong! That's enough! You want to touch my people? Don't overreach!" Gu Bai'an shouted angrily in a low voice, but Li Xiaodong showed no fear. He raised his hands in front of his chest and took a few steps back.
Gu Bai'an walked to his side and said, "If you want to go crazy, go back to your master's side. I won't tolerate you."
Li Xiaodong is the adopted son of Li Shizong, the local tyrant. Li Shizong is almost sixty years old, but his methods and brains are utterly incompetent. Gu Bai'an, still young, was assigned to be in charge of laundering the illicit goods in this area, directly reporting to his superior and putting him above him, thus cleansing Li Shizong's hands—a task Li Shizong could never truly cleanse. Therefore, Li Shizong has always considered him a thorn in his side, and, relying on his seniority, has appointed Li Xiaodong, ostensibly to "take care" of him. This Li Xiaodong is also brainless, only capable of using obvious, despicable methods that he thinks are clever.
"Let's go." Gu Bai'an didn't bother to look at Li Xiaodong again. In front of everyone, he reached into Yi Chu's shirt and took out the magnetic card, which was still slightly warm from his body.
"Ah..." Yi Chu couldn't help but gasp, the cold touch on his warm skin causing him to cry out. Before he could even blush with embarrassment, he was pulled away from the crowd, his arm around his waist. The two took the elevator upstairs, Gu Bai'an's hand gripping Yi Chu's palm. Yi Chu vaguely recognized the two characters—"surveillance"—by their strokes. Yi Chu was drenched in cold sweat, even regretting taking on this task. He had never had any practical experience in this area and didn't know if he would mess it up...
No, we can't afford that possibility.
"Is it hot?" Gu Baian asked.
"Burning with lust." Yi Chu raised an eyebrow. Two more words landed in his palm—escape. The elevator slowly ascended. Yi Chu, who had been standing perfectly still, suddenly turned his head halfway to one side and began to breathe heavily, as if someone were choking him, yet with a suppressed urge, as if he didn't want anyone to notice. An outsider would probably mistake it for a cold. But Gu Bai'an immediately understood—he was faking drug withdrawal…
With a "beep," the door opened. The room was very tidy, so tidy that it didn't look like anyone lived there.
“I don’t usually come here…” Gu Bai’an explained as he led him inside, his gaze naturally falling on him. Then, as if a string had been plucked in his heart, a sudden, overwhelming surge of emotion, years overdue, rushed forth. The tug-of-war between gain and loss felt like it was tearing him in two. Gu Bai’an swayed tentatively, as if about to collapse, and tried to hug Yi Chu. His hand hovered halfway in the air, unsure of what to do, and he stood there awkwardly, bewildered.
Yi Chu didn't greet him; he just stood opposite him, motionless, his gaze like a still, windless spring.
After a full half minute, just as her eyes were about to close and her tears were about to spill over, Gu Bai'an finally pulled him tightly into her arms. She held him very, very tightly, as if afraid that if she loosened her grip even slightly, he would break free.
“Since I returned to this city, every day when I walk on the street, I look at the crowd very carefully. I always feel that you are in the crowd watching me... waiting for me…” Gu Bai’an held back his tears and said, word by word, “I want to see you so much, but when I see you… I feel…” His words became disordered for a moment.
What did he feel? He felt it would bring him danger, he felt he would owe him something, he felt things would change, and he felt Yi Chu would blame him and leave him. Of course, he understood all of these things.
“There was a bunch of white lilies at Mom’s grave, I saw it,” Yi Chu said quietly, but his slightly trembling eyelashes betrayed him. He wrapped his arms around Gu Bai’an’s waist. “I… have always been here.”
"Do you remember?" Yi Chu suddenly changed to a relaxed and smiling tone to hide her teary eyes. "The first time you took me home to meet Mom, you held my hand like this and shielded me behind you... Mom joked that you were protective of your own."
In fact, this is true for every door you enter.
Years later, we meet again, and it's still the same.
"Mom is right, you have protected Mom and me very well."
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