FY - 35

Si Wen sat up straight, appearing indifferent, yet his spine felt cold, very cold.

In the past, he had sex with Zhou Yan with others watching, and that excited him. But this time was different; Zhou Siyuan was too young, he couldn’t.

Zhou Yan’s face twisted into an ugly expression when confronted with Zhou Siyuan’s question. She wondered if Si Wen was sick; he never did anything good.

Zhou Siyuan didn’t let up, adding: “I saw him kissing your neck.”

Zhou Yan didn’t want to lie to him. She let go of him, rubbed his face, and said: “He’s sister’s boyfriend.”

Zhou Siyuan understood, but then added: “But he’s so fierce.”

He still remembered the last time Si Wen told Zhou Yan to get out of the car.

Zhou Yan thought for a moment and said: “We had a fight that time.”

She wasn’t wrong; they did have a fight, though it was one-sided. Si Wen always managed to get angry with her over inexplicable things.

Zhou Siyuan nodded, leaned close to Zhou Yan’s ear, and whispered: “If he’s mean to you again while I’m inside, just call out, and I’ll come out.”

Zhou Yan forced a smile.

Reduced to being protected by her younger brother.

Zhou Siyuan returned to his room and closed the door.

Zhou Yan stood up, feeling a sudden drop in blood sugar. She swayed precariously backward a few steps towards the sofa. With nowhere left to retreat, the dizzy sensation persisted. The feeling of being lightheaded caused her to fall backward onto the sofa, her lower back pivoting on the backrest.

Si Wen shifted slightly and caught her fully in his arms.

Zhou Yan closed her eyes and rested on him for a moment, then moved her legs over and sat properly.

Si Wen glanced at the red marks he had sucked onto her neck, then looked away.

Zhou Yan noticed it and was furious: “Didn’t you tell me to go over? What are you doing here? You couldn’t even wait for a moment? Is your mind entirely focused on things below the belt? And when you enter, can you please check if there’s anyone else first?”

Si Wen remained silent.

This he was good at.

Zhou Yan was no longer her old self; swallowing her anger was no longer the norm. Recently, she had been controlling herself freely in front of Si Wen. If he was stronger, she would be weaker. If he was weaker, her temper would become brazen.

She was annoyed: “You could have just called me if you wanted to see me, did you have to come over?”

Si Wen said nonchalantly: “What are you afraid of? Didn’t you say I’m your boyfriend? Does your boyfriend need to choose a time to kiss you?”

Zhou Yan was taken aback by Si Wen’s shamelessness: Damn him!

She couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore. She walked to the door, opened it, and said: “Get out!”

Si Wen stood up, picked up his jacket from the back of the chair, and walked out.

He walked out the door, then turned around.

Zhou Yan immediately had a bad feeling. Before she could react, Si Wen had already reached out, pulled her out the door, closed it, and pinned her against it. He bent his leg, rubbing against her lower body: “Tell me, who am I to you?”

Zhou Yan felt his breath on her face, and her lower body was being rubbed. Her “Si Wen addiction” couldn’t hold the line, opening the floodgates to him.

Si Wen sucked on her lower lip: “Speak, who am I to you?”

Zhou Yan’s body began to heat up, her eyes clouded over. The defiant words she’d spoken earlier were forgotten, and she answered honestly: “Boyfriend.”

Si Wen’s hand moved down, supporting the base of her thigh, and lifted her up: “Does a boyfriend need to choose a time to kiss you?”

“No.”

“Now your boyfriend wants you to kiss him.”

Zhou Yan pecked him on the bridge of his nose, very perfunctorily.

Si Wen was not satisfied: “Wrong.”

Zhou Yan told him: “You’re holding me too high; I can’t reach your mouth.”

Si Wen held her and took two steps back, his lower back resting against the staircase railing. With a slight tilt, Zhou Yan’s lips met his.

Si Wen only let her go when her lips were numb from kissing.

Si Wen was very satisfied and left.

Zhou Yan glared fiercely in the direction he had gone.

The woman from the opposite apartment opened her door and handed her a freshly steamed egg custard: “For Siyuan. He hasn’t eaten since his injection, has he?”

Zhou Yan stood properly and took it: “Thank you, big sister.”

The woman waved her hand: “Always so polite with me.”

As Zhou Yan turned to enter her apartment, the woman called out again: “He doesn’t seem very reliable, kid.”

She didn’t mention any names or point directly, but Zhou Yan knew she was talking about Si Wen, probably having seen him through the peephole.

She smiled faintly: “I’m not very reliable either.”

The woman, being older, tended to worry more, but since Zhou Yan seemed to have a plan, she just said her piece and let it be.

She also smiled: “Go on in. It’ll get cold and won’t taste good.”

________________________________________

Criminal Investigation Team One.

Wei Lian had been despondent for several days. Zheng Zhi looked at him, feeling utterly vexed.

Sanzi had come in several times to report something, but Zheng Zhi stopped him in the hallway, not letting Wei Lian hear. Primarily, he didn’t want to add more pressure on him.

After reporting, Sanzi glanced towards the office: “When will this end?”

Zheng Zhi didn’t know what was wrong with him. Ever since they started investigating Si Wen, he hadn’t been himself for a single day, and Zheng Zhi didn’t dare to ask. “It will pass soon, won’t it? His experience in the anti-drug squad wasn’t good, but that passed too, didn’t it?”

Sanzi sighed and went out with a few colleagues from the department to handle a case.

Zheng Zhi brewed tea for Wei Lian and brought it to him: “Sanzi just said Director Feng is here. He arrived yesterday, first went to the anti-drug squad, and had a meeting at the office this morning. Our investigation into Si Wen definitely can’t be kept a secret anymore. What are your plans?”

Wei Lian had considered the outcome when he took the liberty of investigating Fan Chang’s case. He felt he could also be responsible for his actions.

He looked up: “Let’s go. Don’t wait for Director Feng to come looking for us.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a penetrating voice struck their ears: “So you do know to come find me!”

They turned at the sound, and it was indeed Feng Zhongliang.

Wei Lian and Zheng Zhi stood tall, their backs straight: “Director Feng.”

Feng Zhongliang took off his police cap, paced restlessly twice, then turned and began to scold them mercilessly: “Are you tired of living?! Who told you to investigate Si Wen?! Report! Wait for orders! How many years have you been in the force and still haven’t memorized these disciplinary rules!?”

Zheng Zhi opened his mouth, wanting to take the blame, but compared to Wei Lian, he was still cowardly. He hesitated for a second or two, and in that moment, Wei Lian had already taken responsibility: “It’s my fault! Out of fear of missing an opportunity, I ordered Zheng Zhi to go to Yaogu with me.”

“No! It was me who wanted to investigate! I privately investigated Fan Chang’s cousin without Captain Wei’s permission!” Zheng Zhi didn’t want Wei Lian to take the blame.

Feng Zhongliang was even angrier: “Are you two still playing at being deeply devoted brothers with me?!”

Wei Lian stepped forward and said: “It’s my fault! I request disciplinary action!”

Feng Zhongliang saw his determined stance and could only sigh, saying: “First, tell me what you’ve found after investigating for so long.”

Wei Lian truthfully reported the recent progress of their investigation: “That’s how it is.”

It was as Feng Zhongliang had guessed. He opened his water bottle, picked up some cheap tea leaves from the criminal investigation team, brushed away Zheng Zhi who offered to help, and went to the water dispenser himself to get a cup of hot water and brew the tea.

He blew on the tea leaves on the surface, took a sip, and then spoke again: “If Si Wen truly has connections with Fan Chang, and they’re involved in the same kind of business, you two won’t live past the end of this month. Who do you think you are? Disobeying orders, acting without authorization!”

Zheng Zhi trembled. He hadn’t realized how serious the situation was.

Wei Lian pursed his lips. He had thought about it, but he had gone all out, and he also felt that his past years of reckless actions gave him some experience, so he wouldn’t be utterly defeated in this investigation of Si Wen.

Even if they were completely on the defensive in the first confrontation, he believed they could turn it around next time.

But when Feng Zhongliang, as an outsider, brought it up, he felt truly self-important.

He only considered that it was what a police officer should do, that he should do what he thought was right, and his own consequences. But he hadn’t considered his responsibility as the captain of the criminal investigation team to Zheng Zhi and the entire team.

Feng Zhongliang continued: “Although cases are not divided by importance, you two are considered good hands among criminal police. But matters are divided into different levels. Since there was no word from above, you should have known that this matter couldn’t be done! But you two, you put on tails and thought you were wolves. Not only did you alert the enemy, but you could also put the lives of the entire team at risk!”

Wei Lian clenched his fists, his masseter muscles making his facial features sharp.

Feng Zhongliang couldn’t catch his breath with these brats. He screwed the lid back on his cup: “No matter what stage your investigation has reached, it stops here.”

Wei Lian said nothing.

Neither did Zheng Zhi.

They weren’t defiant, just regretful.

Feng Zhongliang stood up and walked out. At the door, without looking back, he said: “Wei Lian, come out with me!”

Wei Lian didn’t hesitate and followed him.

Zheng Zhi grabbed his arm: “Brother!”

Wei Lian glanced at him, reassuring him: “It’s nothing.”

He removed Zheng Zhi’s hand, walked out, and joined Feng Zhongliang under a tree. Wei Lian followed his gaze towards the people hurrying by on electric bikes on the road. Some looked anxious, others relaxed, all appearing to be toiling for a living.

Feng Zhongliang asked him: “What thoughts do you have looking at them?”

Wei Lian could only think of two words: “Ordinary.”

“Such ordinary people, only bothered by life’s worries, not their safety, that’s the meaning of our existence.”

Wei Lian froze. This principle was the reason he chose to become a police officer, but how could he have forgotten it?

Feng Zhongliang knew he wasn’t ignorant; something had clouded his judgment. “It’s not about how many cases I solve or how many medals I win as a law enforcement officer to justify this police uniform.”

“Protecting them, allowing them to live without worries, that’s what makes you a competent police officer.”

“You have to believe your government is a towering tree; it can shield the people from wind and rain. Your doubts, it already has a plan for them.”

Wei Lian’s eyes turned red. He awkwardly lowered his head, not wanting Feng Zhongliang to see.

Feng Zhongliang walked up to him and pressed his head against his shoulder: “Anzi, you’ve always done very well. You’re still that stubborn young man I met back then, who could tell right from wrong.”

“I hope you will never fail the title of captain of Criminal Investigation Team One, do your part, and protect the citizens well.”

________________________________________

Si Wen went home to sleep and then went to Yaogu in the evening.

Dongsheng Pharmaceutical used to be a small, unknown company, only able to rent workshops here to work. After leaving the production line, they would sleep nearby. Later, when he grew bigger, the entire Yaogu belonged to him.

He demolished several factories and rebuilt them, except for the very first workshop. He left it untouched, like a festering sore, disgusting those who came and went in this almost impenetrable complex.

Si Wen drove to the entrance and got out of the car.

He was wearing a crisp, clean suit. Every step he took, his feet pressing down, was like a painting.

The kind of painting that made people feel oppressed, whether due to the environment he was in or his unfeeling face.

To his left was a staircase. The floor above had no windows on all four sides, allowing the wind to rush directly in.

He went upstairs, where someone was already waiting.

Feng Zhongliang.

On the abandoned table in front of him, firearms were disassembled into parts. Si Wen recognized them at a glance: Type 95 assault rifles.

“How long has it been since you last played with one?” Feng Zhongliang asked.

There was no self-introduction, no harsh words, just a greeting, yet the tension beneath their skins was undeniable.

Si Wen walked over and stood opposite the table: “You can’t beat me.”

“Is that so?” Feng Zhongliang placed his hand on the table: “Let’s try.”

The anti-drug profession was almost a cycle of training and execution. Disassembling and assembling guns was an essential skill, and they constantly practiced to ensure the fastest speed and overcome all difficulties in various harsh environments.

Si Wen gave him a three-second head start. The barrel, stock, hammer, magazine, recoil spring, bolt carrier... He kept watching Feng Zhongliang, essentially assembling it blind. For a short time, there was only the crisp, bright sound of parts colliding, especially loud in the night.

He assembled it within a minute, raised the gun, and aimed it at Feng Zhongliang’s head. His technique was skillful, far surpassing that of an armorer.

Feng Zhongliang was slower, by more than just one step.