Epilogue
ONE WEEK LATER, this major case—unusually complex, long, and sensational—finally drew to a close thanks to the collaboration between two police jurisdictions. The racing-club musician who’d kidnapped Qu Tong was strong-armed into identifying one of the remaining four people in the photos. The group evidently had strict entry requirements. Anyone trying to join needed a referral, and at first, the only thing they were allowed to do was take Su Luozhan out for meals. They had to maintain that relationship for a long time and spend a lot of money before they finally became a VIP member.
The members ratted each other out. They popped up one after another, like clods of dirt clinging to a pulled-up carrot. The process unearthed old members who had quit the club long ago and weren’t in the photos; some of these were even successful people of stature. It caused quite a stir when the police knocked on their doors.
As Fei Du had speculated, Guo Fei’s body was discovered in a village burial site along the highway between Lianhuashan and the city. According to the locals, before cremation had become commonplace in the community, the burial site was used specifically for those who’d been killed, had committed suicide, or had died as children. There were a number of superstitious tales about the place, so most people didn’t go near it. Around twenty years ago, one villager had gotten drunk and found himself there by accident, only to discover a new mound with no headstone. The villager was traumatized, and that became a horror story that circulated around the village for some time.
Sadly, nobody had ever looked into it, since the site was taboo.
Once the police broke the case, there was so much to do—dealing with the press, collecting evidence, prosecuting—that only when everything finally ended did Luo Wenzhou realize that it was already mid-September. At the end of the first day of Luo Wenzhou’s return to normal working hours, he barely had a chance to rejoice at leaving work on time before he spotted the little sports car at the entrance. A familiar-looking bastard stood next to it, grinning as he watched the traffic cop write him a ticket.
Before Luo Wenzhou could react, Lang Qiao walked up behind him and let out a loud gasp. Since that day in Luo Wenzhou’s office, she’d often thought about the mysterious smile Fei Du gave her before he left. She let her imagination run free during her daily commute, and her daydreams wove together all the worst dark-romance tropes in her head, from the domineering love interest claiming his prey by force to the angstiest, most passionate romantic tragedy. She’d watched the entire heartrending, X-rated drama series in her mind, but due to work demands, she hadn’t yet had the chance to spoil it for the protagonist himself, Luo Wenzhou.
An autumn rain had fallen recently, and Fei Du’s sudden appearance so shocked Lang Qiao that she stepped in a puddle and almost fell flat on her face. She threw herself at the wall for stability, gripping it with all available limbs.
Luo Wenzhou turned at the noise. Seeing her pose, he burst into utterly cruel laughter. “Why did you wear heels to work? We see each other all the time. Why act like we don’t all know you’re short?”
Lang Qiao rolled her eyes and fixed her heel with difficulty. She swallowed the warning on the tip of her tongue and flounced off in a wordless huff.
Fei Du had always worked during the day and played at night, occasionally making trips to harass Tao Ran—mostly to offer to share some fresh new toy he’d procured. He wouldn’t turn up at the bureau every day for no reason. Luo Wenzhou used to spend all his time worrying about Fei Du, but that was when Fei Du was a child. Now that he’d grown into a handsome devil with no bad angles, nothing was really worth worrying about.
The city burned with life, and everyone rushed headlong into their busy days. Divided by seas of cars and mountains of people, it wasn’t uncommon for friends not to meet for months. But although it had been less than a month since Fei-zong had hurried over to comfort the bureau with his presence and food, Luo Wenzhou felt—strangely—as if it had been a very long time since they’d last met.
Fei Du’s car was as flashy as ever, but this time, the man himself had a far more by-the-book appearance.
He’d left off the glasses; instead of those, a pair of earbuds hung loosely over one ear. He wore jeans, and—unusually for him—his cotton button-up was done up properly, all the way to the second button from the top. His hair had been combed back carelessly, revealing his clear, handsome face. It was as if his soul itself had gotten a wash. Gone was his previous air of a rogue in gentleman’s clothing. Now he simply came off as a slightly rebellious art student.
Luo Wenzhou stuffed his hands in his pockets and strolled over to Fei Du, unable to keep himself from cursing inwardly.
Men came in all shapes and sizes, and Luo Wenzhou’s tastes were broad. He appreciated the type popular in the West, bursting with hormones and strength; he also appreciated those who met more traditional standards of bright, gentle beauty that could be likened to the moon or to jade. He’d never say no—as long as they weren’t anything like Fei Du.
Fei-zong had been his least favorite type—a human cobra. His clothes had been impeccable, but the truths he told had so often been full of holes that they triggered trypophobia in anyone even slightly suspicious. His presence often provoked a sharp, intense feeling that he was crossing your boundaries. If you didn’t want to be duped, you had to stay on guard at all times. Forget feeling appreciation—the mere thought of Fei Du had made Luo Wenzhou’s head ache.
But it was the clean, fresh type, with a hint of character, who most easily drew Luo Wenzhou’s eye; if the man was good-looking, that was his Achilles’ heel. And that described Fei Du right now. After all, Fei Du was young; having hidden his venomous fangs, he brimmed with almost-genuine youthful energy.
Luo Wenzhou waved the young traffic cop off and patted the roof of Fei Du’s car. He pointed at a commercial building across the street. “Turn right, and there’s a shopping center. See it? That’s the closest parking lot. They don’t normally let private vehicles stop at the station entrance. You’d need a parking permit.”
Fei Du gave him a smile; butter wouldn’t have melted in his mouth. “Where do I apply for a permit?”
“You can’t get our long-term parking permits retail or wholesale. You need to be a bureau employee, to start with. Or at least an employee’s family member. You’re asking for a permit straight off the bat, but do you even have the right to one, Fei-zong?” Luo Wenzhou looked down casually to give his eyes a reprieve from the stimulation of Fei Du’s new look. He repressed a smile. “They only took your cast off a few days ago, and you’re already driving everywhere. What are you here for?”
Fei Du ignored the question. “Did you not drive today?”
“I lent my car to a colleague for his date,” said Luo Wenzhou.
“What a coincidence.” Fei Du’s eyes curved with a smile. He opened the car door behind him. “Would you like a ride, then?”
Luo Wenzhou froze. A slight breeze had accompanied Fei Du’s movement, making Luo Wenzhou starkly aware that the young man had skipped his stupid cologne today—the scent that wafted over was a mix of laundry detergent and some kind of aftershave. It was a clean smell, like an autumn breeze after cold rain.
It had to be intentional. But although Luo Wenzhou was on guard, his body betrayed him, getting into the car.
Ever the gentleman, Fei Du closed the door for him. As he was walking around to the other side, he noticed a disheveled figure carrying an old briefcase dash out of the station, then stop to look around the entrance. It was Tao Ran.
Fei Du paused halfway through opening the door. “Ge,” he said in greeting.
“Hey.” Tao Ran raked his hand through his hair as he walked toward Fei Du. His eyes were bright and shining, not registering at all that Fei Du was styled differently than usual. “Those guys… We don’t have to work overtime today. I went to the bathroom, and by the time I came out, everyone was gone except the people on duty. What are you doing here?”
“Settling some business,” Fei Du said.
“Oh—okay.” Tao Ran seemed distracted; he didn’t ask anything further. “I was looking for you, actually. Chang Ning says that Chenchen’s parents want to treat everyone to a meal sometime. Will you join us?”
“Oh…” Fei Du drawled.
“What?”
“A meal at Chenchen’s place? So we’ll be in charge of chatting with her parents and distracting them while you help Chang Ning-jie tidy and prepare the food?” Fei Du leaned lazily against the car. “Or maybe you can convince them to get some booze and give everyone a drink. After that, you can have Chang Ning take all the guests home, with you driving. It’d be even better if all of us third wheels paired off and disappeared, so that you could take her out for a night drive. Maybe see a movie or something.”
Tao Ran hadn’t actually thought too deeply about it, but in just a few words, Fei Du had lit the way for him. Now he seemed to glow. Too bashful to speak, he simply stood in place and chuckled, lost in mushy thoughts.
Then the window facing Tao Ran rolled down. “Okay, enough. I get the plan now,” Luo Wenzhou snapped. “I’ll make sure to tell our comrades about it tomorrow. Now will you stop flaunting your love life to bachelors right on the side of the street? Have some decorum!”
Never in a million years would Tao Ran have anticipated seeing a living, breathing Luo Wenzhou in Fei Du’s car. As if in a dream, he stared with shock at Luo Wenzhou, then at Fei Du, his gaze swiveling back and forth between them three times. He wondered whether he was hallucinating. “Oh,” he said at last, rubbing his eyes and leaving without a fuss.
Deputy Sergeant Tao had walked at least fifty yards before he finally processed what he’d seen. Wait. Was that Luo Wenzhou in Fei Du’s car? he thought, feeling like an electric shock had run through his brain.
Luo Wenzhou, male, interested in men. Fei Du, male, interested in…humans!
Tao Ran swung around, his neck and shoulders cracking in protest, but the sports car on the roadside had moved, making its merry way to the main street and disappearing into the sea of traffic.
“I was seeing things,” Tao Ran concluded, nodding earnestly and stumbling away.