Translator: She.Wee
Chapter 14: The Peacock Spreads Its Tail
The next day, Feng Tang woke up with a splitting headache. The newly changed bean-green bed curtains helped calm his mind.
After freshening up, he found himself a cup of morning tea to drink.
His feet were freezing, so he stepped on the blanket a few times before diving back under the covers.
He closed his eyes, trying hard to recall last night: a row of sports cars parked at the bar entrance, a few security guards, and vaguely, he seemed to have seen an unremarkable black Jeep Grand Cherokee parked under a tree, hidden in the night.
In his daze, Feng Tang remembered that He Qing had been picked up by Ying Yu Chen. That kid had grown a lot and seemed to have a good relationship with He Qing, so he probably wouldn’t inform his brother.
After sleeping for a while longer, Feng Tang finally woke up completely. He held the quilt and looked at his phone for a long time, discovering a message from Feng Lulin sent at five in the morning: “Smells great.”
Great smell of what?
Slamming his phone onto the bed, Feng Tang almost shouted out loud. He pulled the quilt over his head, trying hard to forget the overly tempting scenes from last night, but the more he tried, the clearer they became.
He remembered Feng Lulin’s neck looking very edible…
And remembered how his abs felt like hot gold, melting beneath the heat of his palm
What smells great, perfume? Him? His neck?
Feng Tang found his phone hot to the touch and his heart pounding like a drum, unable to calm down.
Now that the two of them had reached this point, even though they hadn’t crossed the final line, they had at least “done it” for real. Feng Tang couldn’t keep pretending that everything was just a game.
The most fatal part was, he had indeed fallen for him.
It was the kind of heart-throbbing that comes after a long silence, like sunshine after the rain.
Feng Tang sighed, thinking he was still too young. His thoughts were too delicate, and it was so easy for him to fall in love, making it feel like he was taking a wrong step and wanting to dive in uncontrollably.
He had never been a passive person, but in this “strange” relationship with Feng Lulin, he enjoyed the thrill of their reckless advances and retreats, lighting fires everywhere. It was too addictive.
What Feng Lulin had been doing lately clearly showed he was holding Feng Tang tight, shaking him, tossing him high, then catching him steadily. Feng Tang, despite appearing indifferent and promiscuous, was actually deeply emotional and loyal, making it hard not to fall for him.
He suddenly wanted to say a lot, wanted to loudly announce this conclusion to someone, but all these thoughts kept turning in his mind with no outlet to release them.
Is this what they call a “crush”?
Love has taken over his heart completely, yet he hesitated to move forward, needing a lot of courage just to press the gas pedal.
Taking a deep breath, Feng Tang felt completely dizzy. He sat up and started folding his pajamas, a habit he had developed unknowingly. Whenever he was agitated, he cleaned up his room. When He Qing was still a naive young man, he used to say Feng Tang loved cleaning too much, asking if all gays were like that. Feng Tang replied, it’s not gays who like to clean, it’s you straight guys who are too messy.
In conversation, almost no one in their circle could outtalk Feng Tang. But he wasn’t confrontational like a mahjong tile; he just spoke with reason, which could really annoy people. Unfortunately, Feng Lulin was shameless, leaving Feng Tang with no way to deal with him.
He suddenly remembered where he had been yesterday and who Feng Lulin was… How could he freely enter such a place? A working-class family, yet smoking expensive cigars?
And the fabric of Feng Lulin’s clothes, which he had touched, didn’t feel cheap either.
Unable to ask Feng Lulin directly, “What were you doing there?” he had to call a familiar friend. After checking the surveillance for a long time, it turned out Feng Lulin had come alone, holding an invitation from a Mr. Li. There were too many guests last night, all a bit tipsy, so other details were unclear.
Feng Tang nodded, saying thanks.
After waking up in the morning, he went to a hair salon. Before he could park his car, he saw an accident at the neighboring beauty salon. The driver, distracted by his phone, had mistakenly hit the gas instead of the brake, crashing the car into the shop, causing a minor injury.
The accident scene was chaotic, and the news media arrived quickly. By the time Feng Tang saw it, the injured and the driver had already left.
Who knows how many times such accidents happen in this city every day.
Feng Tang suddenly thought of Feng Lulin, speeding on his motorcycle on the overpass every day.
So many cars, all roaring past.
Only traffic police, riding motorcycles, facing steel with flesh, like lone rangers, braving the wind and rain, unstoppable.
After leaving the hair salon, Feng Tang returned He Qing’s call. The two of them, both hungover, exchanged safety reports and then got down to business. After discussing work, they moved on to their daily routine of chatting and bantering. He Qing was talkative, and Feng Tang even more so, but they were both busy, so after a brief exchange of mock and insults, they also shared a few greetings.
Feng Tang said, “I went to get my hair done this morning and ended up with a membership card. Forget it, I’m planning to keep it short from now on.”
Imagining Feng Tang with a buzz cut, He Qing exclaimed, “What are you doing? Why don’t you just shave it all off and go full monk-mode?”
Feng Tang sneered, “Well if that’s where your preferences lie then you are free to take this card and get yourself in full monk-mode.”
“You think everyone spends an hour on their hair like you,” He Qing retorted, sulking. “Even girls don’t fuss as much as you.”
Feng Tang gritted his teeth, “The stylist smiled brighter than a flower when he saw me and insisted on a photo! Hey, He Qing, next time, lend me your man. Let him come with me and see who dares…”
He Qing yelled, “Dream on!”
Feng Tang couldn’t be bothered to argue, hanging up and heading to the garage.
After getting his hair done, the first thing Feng Tang needed to do was to receive two clients He Qing had personally picked up from the airport.
He Qing said they were bosses from a northern industry, very talkative, but he was too introverted to handle them and asked Feng Tang to take good care of them.
At the car dealership, Feng Tang realized He Qing had just passed him two hot potatoes, likely a battle of wits ahead. He skimmed through the documents while heading to the VIP room, where he saw two middle-aged men flipping through dealership magazines. Dressed casually and wearing white gloves, they greeted Feng Tang and said they wanted to play golf.
Feng Tang was momentarily stunned before realizing how posh they were.
Not far from the dealership, a hotel had a rooftop golf course, but due to city restrictions, it was a very small-scale venue. Feng Tang called ahead to book an executive room, smiling and chatting all the way. Since it was afternoon, the clients said they didn’t need a nap. Feng Tang, afraid of falling asleep, asked for a cup of coffee at the lobby and drank it down.
He was originally quite interested in golf. It had been too long since he played, and his hands itched for it. But once at the venue, his enthusiasm waned. The normally vast fairway distances shrunk to small swings, making it hard to hit the little white ball straight, let alone relax on the lush green grass.
After changing into appropriate attire, Feng Tang started conversing with the clients. He didn’t like the idea of chatting while swinging, as golf required high concentration. Without full attention, his shots were erratic.
After a round, the attendant brought warm water, and they discussed group car purchases while seated. After introducing a batch of new products, Feng Tang excused himself to the changing room, where he finally took out his phone, dazing off.
Bubbles: I’m so bored right now, don’t even know why I’m sending this. Just wanted to tell you, rooftop golf is so dull. Oh, two clients asked if it’s possible to play golf in a car.
Bubble Boy: Bus and truck might work.
Feng Tang laughed, feeling less bored. He remembered a luxury car brand that had recently launched an off-road concept with a tea table in the back, allowing for tea brewing. Off-roading while brewing tea seemed ridiculous. The design was even more absurd with an orchid on the armrest.
He couldn’t understand how the wealthy could handle such delicate flowers, but considering they had drivers and didn’t drive themselves, it made sense. When free, they could invite friends to the backseat for a hot tea session.
After golf, Feng Tang took the clients to a river-fresh restaurant. Just as he got out of the car, the rear car stopped too. The valet opened the door, but the client, feeling carsick, stayed inside. Seizing this moment, Feng Tang relaxed, noticing a familiar Audi A8 in the parking lot.
“Could you please move the road cone?” Feng Tang nodded at the valet.
The valet hesitated, and Feng Tang, extinguishing his cigarette, said seriously, “That’s my brother’s car, Secretary Shao…”
Before he could finish his sentence, the valet cautiously glanced around and moved the traffic cone that was blocking the license plate. Feng Tang chuckled, “Thanks, man. No need to be so nervous.”
With the license plate now fully visible, Feng Tang recognized it was indeed Shao Jincheng’s car. He quickly sent a greeting text. Shao Jincheng replied almost immediately, asking why Feng Tang was at the River Fresh Restaurant too. Feng Tang didn’t have the energy to explain how dull the rooftop golf was, so he shifted the conversation to complaining about He Qing. Shao Jincheng laughed and said that people shouldn’t speak ill of others behind their backs. Feng Tang retorted, “This isn’t behind his back. I’ll scold him to his face later.”
Shao Jincheng sent a photo of the banquet table, and Feng Tang finally saw clearly. It was a new figure from a neighboring province, a deputy department head, who was quietly eating with his eyes glued to his bowl. He didn’t talk much, but Feng Tang recognized the voice giving a speech in the background—it was the second-in-command from the city, a guy named Old Lin.
Taking a break to catch their breath, Feng Tang and Shao Jincheng met at the stairway corner and shared a cigarette.
Feng Tang whispered, “You guys are pretty bold, eating at the River Fresh Restaurant. This place is high-end.”
Shao Jincheng shook his head, “In someone’s territory, their authority prevails. The host insisted on this place, so we had to come to show respect. Besides, this is for hosting someone important from the city.”
Feng Tang asked, “Who exactly?”
Shao Jincheng replied mysteriously, “Director Feng, from the Public Security Bureau. He’s been swamped lately with major cases from the province. This is his home province, so we’re hosting him.”
“Director Feng…” Feng Tang chewed on the name, smiling and shaking his head, “I’ve hardly seen him. Isn’t his office supposed to be clean? No issues with his conduct, right?”
“He’s clean, but Old Lin insisted on treating him. You know how it is. Sometimes, even if you stay upright, your shadow needs to be taller, eager to stir up trouble.”
After complaining, Shao Jincheng nearly burned his mouth.
Seeing Feng Tang silent, Shao Jincheng bit the cigarette filter and reminisced, “Ah, the cigarette’s out.”
Feng Tang fell into deep thought. He had felt someone was tailing him lately during the day but couldn’t identify who it was. Without being able to counter-surveil, he could only stay low and do his work. Lan Zhou got some leads and asked around, some said it was the city Public Security Bureau tracking him, some said it was Southern River seeking revenge, and others said rumors spread city-wide that Director Liu’s son liked men and had been wild for years…
When Lan Zhou told him this, Feng Tang nearly exploded. I’ve been out since high school, what business is it of theirs?
About this, Feng Tang had already stated his position to Liu Lizhu: he could lie about anything, but not his sexual orientation.
Stubbornly, he refused to apologize to Liu Lizhu, only stating that he could now earn enough to support the family. If his “conduct” caused any issues, he would take full responsibility, asking Liu Lizhu not to blame him.
The city now had two primary channels, one for oversight, one for actual power.
Industry and commerce, and taxation were the first channel. In recent years, the Public Security Bureau had started integrating into this, focusing on oversight. Land planning and construction, as well as various departmental and county-level positions, belonged to the second channel. Many successful officials retired to the People’s Congress or the CPPCC, enjoying decent benefits.
But someone like Feng Wangang, the top Public Security official, wielding immense power with life-and-death consequences, worked tirelessly without much reward. Many watched him, causing inevitable fatigue. With many around him gossiping, even if he wanted to step back, it wasn’t easy.
The political arena had many doors, far more than six.
Feng Tang and Shao Jincheng, born as “second-generation officials” with a complicated and often negative societal view, were both tired and helpless about these matters. After finishing their cigarette in the stairwell, they exchanged greetings and returned to their respective engagements.
Exhausted after a long day, Feng Tang called his driver and fell asleep in the back seat on the way home.
Whether the deal went through or not, he really didn’t care. The three of them together could have rehearsed a show with all their talking. Forget it. For him, business was always a matter of fate.
The second floor of Feng Tang’s house wasn’t wide, but it was all his. As soon as he went up the stairs, he started undressing.
By the time he reached the bedroom half-naked, Feng Tang unbuttoned his trousers, flopped onto the bed, and took a deep breath. The comfort of the mattress washed over him like a tide, enveloping him.
He had to admit, even though it had only been a day since they parted, he felt like he’d been savoring the memory of Feng Lulin for more than twenty-four hours.
Feng Tang took out his phone, his throat tightening.
He had a small quirk.
However, the slightly foolish habit of showing off had been eliminated long ago. What remained were some “indecent” behaviors, primarily his love for taking selfies. These weren’t explicit or overly revealing; most were just body parts.
His upper body, collarbones, lower back, fingers… the most numerous were photos of his face.
For example, tilting his chin slightly was his signature move.
With a dangerous curve to his lips and vortex-like pupils, his captivating allure almost burst through the screen.
After taking so many photos, his camera was filled with all kinds of pictures.
Feng Tang’s favorite was one of himself smoking. The mist was thick, the self-timer was set too short, and in the photo, he was looking at the camera, coughing with a dazed expression. His long eyelashes, with the illusion of fish swimming in the depths of his eyes, sparkled brilliantly.
The ocean’s boundless inclusiveness was all in his pupils.
Back then, Feng Tang didn’t know to use agarwood incense and was choked terribly by the smoke. In the photo, you could see his slightly concave collarbone and very white neck, looking both fragile and resilient.
He turned this photo into a film texture, adjusted it to black and white, and saved it on his phone for two years.
Another favorite was a red-toned, square photo of his side profile, showing only a smooth, white ear.
Due to the lighting, a blush spread along the ear’s outline… this enchanting hue was so striking that if one exaggeratedly imagined, it could melt into fine jade in the mouth¹.
Feng Tang took a deep breath, selected the original image on WeChat, and sent this particular one to Feng Lulin.
Message: [Picture]
Message: Like it?
After the picture was successfully sent, Feng Tang recalled the late-night “fly-by” with Feng Lulin, the passionate encounter in the car, and their numerous verbal skirmishes. He always felt that only in front of Feng Lulin was he his truest self.
Uninhibited, yet losing ground step by step.
T/N: “Melting jade in one’s mouth” is a metaphorical expression that emphasizes the purity, delicacy, and preciousness of something. Jade is highly valued in Chinese culture for its beauty and rarity, and describing something as capable of melting jade in one’s mouth suggests it is extraordinarily refined and valuable. It often implies that the subject (such as food or a person’s words) is extremely exquisite and enjoyable, almost to the point of being otherworldly or divine.
![He Lived Like You [End of the World]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/HLLY.jpg "He Lived Like You [End of the World]")
