Translator: Lynn
Sponsored chapter (8/8)
The celebration of Jiang’s birthday was as grand as his return from his “journey.” It began at noon and was a continuous whirlwind of activities. Close friends took him out for a meal, followed by a tea session, more feasting in the afternoon, some entertainment at a local establishment, and barbecue whenever hunger struck.
To be honest, Cheng Ke had never experienced such an uninterrupted series of events before. In the past, even if they dined continuously, they would usually have breaks at someone’s house where they could rest. But Jiang Yuduo and his friends were relentless, going non-stop from noon to midnight.
Jiang Yuduo was in a great mood, unlike his previous impatience. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t seen these friends for several months, and there hadn’t been enough time for any irritation to build up.
After the barbecue, Dabin and his friends wanted to find a spot to play cards, but Jiang Yuduo waved them off, saying, “You guys go ahead and play. I’m heading back to sleep.”
“I’ll see off San-ge and Brother Ke,” Chen Qing offered.
“You can play cards and head to bed afterwards; just don’t wander around outside,” Jiang Yuduo instructed.
“Don’t worry, Brother Qing,” the group replied with a smile.
Chen Qing drove the two of them home, and there was a large box in the trunk, a birthday gift from Jiang Yuduo’s friends. It had remained unopened in Chen Qing’s car.
“What did they get you?” Jiang Yu inquired, glancing at the box.
“I don’t know; I didn’t ask. Da Bin and the others organized it,” Chen Qing replied with a yawn as he drove. “They’ve been planning it for days, and everyone pitched in to buy it. I have a list here; I’ll send it to you later.”
“…There’s even a list?” Cheng Ke yawned, catching Chen Qing’s sleepiness.
“Of course, some of them are still students or unemployed, so they haven’t contributed any money yet,” Chen Qing explained. “You should keep track of who paid.”
“Got it,” Cheng Ke nodded.
“Third brother, how about I give you this new phone?” Chen Qing suggested.
“That would be great,” Jiang Yuduo agreed. “It’s much better than my old one.”
“I originally intended to buy the same model as Jaeger-LeCoultre,” Chen Qing said, “But it was too expensive for a couple like you, so maybe next year.”
“That’s more than enough,” Jiang Yuduo replied. “You’ve already done so much.”
“I’ll go exchange mine for the same model as yours,” Cheng Ke chimed in.
“You just got your phone not too long ago when you met us,” Chen Qing remarked. “Let me tell you, Jaeger-LeCoultre is quite fancy. I know you’re the young master of this street.”
“You guys are really good at spreading the word,” Cheng Ke said with a smile.
“We don’t do any special promotion, but we’ll definitely mention it whenever we get the chance,” Chen Qing teased. “You’ll have to pretend to be invisible, right, San-ge?”
Jiang Yuduo applauded Chen Qing’s wit.
When they returned home, Jiang Yuduo followed his usual routine: locking the door, peering out of the window, closing the bedroom door after a shower, and tidying up the beer cans.
Cheng Ke felt a bit helpless and uneasy in his heart. “What is this Little Ant planning to do?” he wondered.
“But if he intends to do something, it won’t take more than ten days.”
“Why’s that?” Cheng Ke asked.
“Just a gut feeling,” Jiang Yuduo smiled. “If it takes longer, people tend to become complacent.”
Cheng Ke lay on his pillow and sighed, “Have you heard anything about your former comrades?”
“Well,” Jiang Yuduo nodded, “Aside from a message from Little Brick before he took his own life, there’s been no other communication. We weren’t really friends, just fellow fighters under the same roof. It’s best to keep our distance.”
“Do you think…” Cheng Ke hesitated, “Do we need to…”
“Contact the authorities?” Jiang Yuduo lay down beside him, propping his head up with his hands and looking at Cheng Ke sideways.
Cheng Ke glanced at him.
“There’s no reason to involve the police at this point,” Jiang Yuduo explained, “He hasn’t done anything.”
“True,” Cheng Ke replied, gently touching the tip of Jiang Yuduo’s nose.
“I used to be really scared of the police,” Jiang Yuduo closed his eyes, “and of hospitals.”
“Yes, I remember,” Cheng Ke said, “Are you still afraid now?”
“Terrified,” Jiang Yuduo admitted, “When we were rescued, there was a police officer who died.”
Cheng Ke gazed at him quietly without uttering a word.
“I don’t remember much about it, whether he was an undercover agent or something else,” Jiang Yuduo continued, “I just remember he shielded me and let me escape, and he bled a lot, and I was covered in his blood.”
Cheng Ke turned over and embraced him.
“The hospital smell makes me miss him,” Jiang Yuduo said, “If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t have died.”
“But he was a good cop, and he would have saved you,” Cheng Ke softly assured him, “It wasn’t your fault; he died because of those who controlled the dogs.”
Jiang Yuduo opened his eyes, smiled after a moment, embraced Cheng Ke, and moved in closer, nuzzling his mouth and nose while kissing him.
“Let’s sleep,” Cheng Ke suggested, “I’m quite tired.”
Jiang Yuduo clicked his tongue and lay down flat.
Although Jiang Yuduo had plans for the night, he fell asleep faster than Cheng Ke. While Cheng Ke was still drifting in thought, Jiang Yuduo was already snoring softly.
Cheng Ke snuggled up to him, placed his hand on his stomach, felt his breath, and worried that he might suffocate him, so he shifted his hand to his arm.
In the middle of the night, Cheng Ke heard the sound of thunder.
The weather forecast had predicted thunderstorms and strong winds for the day, but it had been calm before bedtime. The sudden thunder awakened him from his slumber.
A bolt of lightning lit up the room, followed by a peal of thunder.
In his drowsy state, he thought he heard other voices within the thunder.
…It was the noise of beer cans clattering to the floor!
When he opened his eyes, Jiang Yuduo was already upright, and as his hand moved across his line of sight, Cheng Ke spotted the gleam of a knife in his grip.
That glint of cold steel instantly jolted him awake. He sat up abruptly, quickly scanning the room, but no one was in sight.
“What’s happening?” Cheng Ke whispered.
Jiang Yuduo pointed towards the window.
Behind the curtain, four beer cans had been arranged in a line, and the two middle ones had fallen to the floor.
“Where’s the intruder?” Cheng Ke felt his anxiety rise.
The rain was pouring outside, and any external sounds were drowned out. Lightning periodically illuminated the room, casting eerie shadows. Facing this unknown threat for the first time, Cheng Ke was acutely aware of his vulnerability, dressed only in his underwear.
Raindrops pounded on the windowpane, creating a cacophony that sounded like someone tapping on the glass—an unsettling disturbance.
Cheng Ke got out of bed and eyed the knife in Jiang Yuduo’s hand. He realized he needed a weapon too. After all, this might not be a mere housebreaker; it could be a dangerous individual far stronger than Jiang Yuduo.
He searched the room twice but couldn’t find anything that could serve as a weapon. In the end, he resorted to picking up a toy stick that Meow had played with earlier. It was quite sturdy, almost like a makeshift club.
Jiang Yuduo stood by the window, studying the cat toy in Cheng Ke’s hand, and then pointed to his bedside table.
Cheng Ke swiftly hopped onto the bed, bounced over to the opposite side, and opened the bedside table drawer. Inside, he found a sleek, metal flashlight—solid and heavy in his hand, with the potential to deliver a formidable blow.
He approached the window, peering out through the curtain’s gaps. Despite the rain-soaked backyard, he couldn’t spot anyone.
“It could’ve been the wind,” Jiang Yuduo murmured in his ear. “Those two potted plants are by the window.”
“We had wind a few nights ago,” Cheng Ke reminded him.
“I’ll check the living room; you stay here,” Jiang Yuduo stated as he moved toward the bedroom door.
“Together,” Cheng Ke immediately insisted, following closely behind.
Jiang Yuduo gave him a brief glance and wordlessly moved to the door. He gently nudged the jars on the floor aside, then grabbed the doorknob and turned it cautiously.
As he began to twist the doorknob, the door suddenly burst open from the outside.
It happened so abruptly that Jiang Yuduo hadn’t even released the doorknob when the door forcefully collided with him, striking his face with brutal impact.
He staggered back a step, dropping the knife to the ground. Cheng Ke hurriedly supported him from behind, his heart pounding with anxiety.
Before, before opening the door, he might have anticipated that if someone intended to ambush them, the moment the door opened would be the prime opportunity. But now, after months of medication, his reaction time and judgment had likely been impaired by the drug’s side effects.
He might not be a match for Little Ant anymore.
He had evolved beyond being just a “puppy,” but Little Ant remained relentless.
The bedroom door bounced back after hitting him. Instead of rushing to open the door again, Jiang Yuduo shoved Cheng Ke towards the window behind him.
Indeed, the door was knocked open once more, and Little Ant stormed in with remarkable speed.
Although Jiang Yuduo couldn’t clearly discern the intruder’s condition, he moved forward to confront him, delivering a forceful kick to the intruder’s chest.
The impact of the kick was substantial, and the intruder’s rush made Jiang Yuduo’s legs tingle slightly.
Unfortunately, he was barefoot at the time.
As a result, this kick didn’t have as much of an effect as intended on Little Ant, merely slowing his advance towards Cheng Ke.
The intruder sprang onto the bed, hurtling towards Cheng Ke.
Jiang Yuduo swiftly grabbed his leg and delivered a hard elbow strike to the outside of the intruder’s knee, causing him to kneel on the bed.
Cheng Ke rushed forward, brandishing the heavy flashlight in his hand, and swung it towards the intruder’s head.
In a fight, targeting the head was usually avoided, but at first glance, the intruder’s demeanor appeared desperate. Cheng Ke knew that he had to fight fiercely to protect himself and Jiang Yuduo.
The flashlight struck the intruder’s ear with significant force.
However, Little Ant seemed impervious to the pain, merely staggering momentarily. He retaliated by delivering a swift palm strike to Jiang Yuduo’s throat.
Jiang Yuduo was preoccupied with controlling the intruder’s leg and couldn’t evade the blow. As a result, he was struck hard.
As lightning illuminated the room through the window, Cheng Ke noticed a pained expression on the intruder’s face.
Cheng Ke felt like he was in a whirlwind, repeatedly striking Little Ant’s nose with the heavy flashlight.
His mind had stopped counting, driven by the urgency to subdue the intruder.
He had underestimated this person’s strength and the fear and pressure he exuded.
This individual hadn’t uttered a single word throughout the fight, not even a gasp.
He remained unyielding, even when his nose was struck. It was only when Jiang Yuduo leaped up and wrapped his arm around the intruder’s throat, throwing him from the bed to the ground, that he displayed any reaction.
With a dull thud, the intruder’s head collided with the floor. Despite the impact, he remained conscious when Jiang Yuduo descended upon him.
“Call the police,” Jiang Yuduo repeated hoarsely, delivering a forceful punch to the intruder.
While this punch might have subdued most people, Little Ant appeared unfazed. He retaliated by aiming a punch at Jiang Yuduo’s temple.
Cheng Ke wanted to assist, but Jiang Yuduo insisted on him calling the police, so he obeyed Jiang Yuduo’s instructions, stepping to the bedside and grabbing Jiang Yuduo’s phone.
Fortunately, Jiang Yuduo didn’t set a lock screen password, so Cheng Ke rapidly dialed 110.
As the call connected, he quickly provided their address, “We’re being robbed, it’s highly dangerous, and we’ve already initiated a call…”
After calling the police, Jiang Yuduo, who had pinned Little Ant to the ground, appeared to be gaining the upper hand. He held the intruder’s neck with one hand and reached for the knife with the other.
“Jiang Yuduo!” Cheng Ke shouted, feeling his strength waning as he watched Jiang Yuduo prepare to strike.
Jiang Yuduo hesitated momentarily, then abruptly dropped the knife.
When Cheng Ke reached his side, the knife had already pierced the intruder’s upper arm, securing him to the floor.
“Restrain him!” Cheng Ke shouted urgently, jumping up. He tore off the rope that had been used by Jiang Yuduo to immobilize his hands when they were in plaster from the head of the bed.
He intended to bind the intruder’s hands but found it impossible.
Jiang Yuduo held a knife in one hand, and the other was pinned to the intruder’s throat. The intruder clutched Jiang Yuduo’s wrist with his other hand, preventing any further action, and whatever he held must have injured Jiang Yuduo’s hand, as blood continued to seep from his fingers.
In the current deadlock, any sudden movement could give the intruder an opportunity to retaliate.
Cheng Ke could only forcefully press down on the intruder’s leg and secure it to the bed frame.
“Why?” Jiang Yuduo inquired, his voice hoarse.
The intruder’s face was flushed, and he glared at Jiang Yuduo, teeth gritted as he replied, “You’re all going to die.”
Jiang Yuduo’s breathing grew noticeably heavier, and his eyes welled up with a hint of redness. He asked, “Why?” The two words struggled to escape the clenched teeth of Little Ant.
Jiang Yuduo’s grip suddenly tightened.
Little Ant went silent, but continued to thrash and kick its legs against the floor.
“Jiang Yuduo!” Cheng Ke seized Jiang Yuduo’s wrist and pulled forcefully. “Jiang Yuduo! Calm down!” Jiang Yuduo’s strength was overwhelming, and Cheng Ke couldn’t free his hand after two attempts. However, he sensed that Jiang Yuduo had refrained from applying more pressure.
“Relax!” Cheng Ke held his face and locked eyes with him. “Jiang Yuduo! Relax! The police will be here soon! You just need to keep him down!” Jiang Yuduo gasped heavily, fixating on him.
“You’re not a dog! You have no competition!” Cheng Ke shouted, “Jiang Yuduo! You’re San-ge! You’re the boss of this territory! San-ge!”
“I know,” Jiang Yuduo replied, maintaining eye contact with him. After a couple of seconds, he finally released his grip.
Little Ant took a sharp breath and exhaled slowly, repeating the process several times until it seemed to regain composure.
Despite the pouring rain in the middle of the night, the police arrived promptly.
“Leave this person to us.” The two officers were taken aback upon entering the room, and one of them promptly produced handcuffs.
“I can’t let go,” panted Jiang Yuduo.
“Let us handle him,” the officer instructed. “Release him!”
“Jiang Yuduo,” Cheng Ke grasped his arm, “trust the policeman.”
A moment later, Cheng Ke understood why Jiang Yuduo had said, “Can’t let go.”
As Cheng Ke lifted him from the ground, the moment his hand released its grip on Little Ant’s throat, the intruder sprung up like a coiled spring, colliding headfirst with the face of the officer who was crouching to apply the handcuffs.
Had his feet not been tethered to the bed, he might have assaulted another officer within seconds.
Jiang Yuduo and Cheng Ke acted almost simultaneously, pushing Little Ant back to the ground.
Little Ant struggled a lot. When Cheng Ke and the police were holding him together, he felt like a desperate beast, and the strength that erupted was astonishing.
It wasn’t until they returned to the police station in the police car, where the officers assisted in bandaging Jiang Yuduo’s wound, that he finally sat down in a chair and let out a long sigh of relief.
“Have some water,” a police officer who was familiar with Jiang Yuduo entered the room. “San-ge, are you okay?”
“Thank you, uncle,” Jiang Yuduo turned to the officer. “I’m fine.”
The police officer patted him on the shoulder. “You’ll need to cooperate for the record.”
“Of course,” Jiang Yuduo replied, then turned to look at Cheng Ke.
“How are you feeling?” Cheng Ke inquired softly.
“I’m alright,” Jiang Yuduo frowned momentarily, and after a brief silence, he spoke in a hushed tone, “He’s still competing.”
“Yes,” Cheng Ke consoled him with a pat on the back.
“Does he… do I resemble him?” Jiang Yuduo bit his lip, his doubt evident.
“No,” Cheng Ke quickly reassured him, “It’s not the same.”
“Really?” Jiang Yuduo appeared uncertain.
“It’s not the same,” Cheng Ke reiterated. “He’s still out there, but you’ve already escaped.”
Jiang Yuduo fell silent, gazing down at the mismatched slippers on his feet. After a while, he sighed softly. “Did I put on one of your slippers?”
“Huh?” Cheng Ke was puzzled for a few seconds before he realized. He looked down and noticed that one of his slippers was blue while the other was gray.
The gray one belonged to Cheng Ke alone.
Cheng Ke quickly examined his own feet and discovered that he was wearing Jiang Yuduo’s running shoes.
“At a time like this, you’re particular about your footwear, young master?” Jiang Yuduo teased, a smile tugging at his lips.
Cheng Ke gazed at him and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Fuck,” Jiang Yuduo joined in the laughter.
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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