Chapter-20 HM

Hello everyone,

Hope you’re all doing okay! The first “homemade” chapter of Book 2 is finally here. Hooray!!! Sorry for the delay and thank you so much for still being around and continue to read Book 2 with us on CS! We are so excited to share this homemade version with you and hope you’re gonna like it!

We were also very excited writing this chapter 20 by adding the missing beautiful moments between Jiang Yue Lou and Chen Yu Zhi from the drama, so excited that at the end we also added some part present in the audio drama as well as part on her own fanfic writing.

For the addition of the fanfic part in the chapter, it’s hard to tell how it happened. Maybe it was the feeling after watching again some of the best beautiful moments of the dramas or because we started having fun writing fan fiction about Jiang Yue Lou and Chen Yu Zhi on AO3, which give us ideas to write more about these two, or maybe both, leading to this chapter ending up with some invented part in it.

But before deciding if yes or not we should continue adding fanfic parts and some moments of the audio drama in the next chapters we wanted to have your opinion on it. So don’t say hesitate to say in the comment section what you preferred:

• No fanfic and no audio drama addition in the chapters and we will just add the missing part of the dramas.

• Yes for adding fanfiction, audio dramas and drama best moments in all the next chapters.

This is your call everyone and we will be happy whatever your decision will be =D

Can’t wait to see your reaction and your opinion about this first homemade chapter!

See you soon!

Happy Reading!

Jiang Yue Lou didn't have any cases today, so he went straight home after work. He couldn't help but look at Yu Zhi Tang several times as he passed by the wonton stall. There were a few people by the hospital's entrance, but they didn't seem to be patients on their way to see their doctor. It was as though they were watching a show.

A fearful feeling immediately burst in Jiang Yue Lou who ran over in hurry, only to hear the crowd tattling*, “Oh! I didn't expect this, … who could have imagined that...”

It wasn't until he walked through the crowd that he saw the seal on Yu Zhi Tang's door!

Some scandalmongers behind him were gossiping excitedly, “This medical clinic seemed pretty decent, but was actually buying and selling opium secretly!”

Someone also echoed, “Doctor Chen looks so righteous, but hey, you can't judge a person by his appearance*”

Jiang Yue Lou grabbed the man by the collar and asked piercingly, “Who arrested him?!”

The man was frightened, his legs were trembling, and he said, stammering, “… It seems...like...I think, … I think it was Section Chief Jin...”

Hearing this name, Jiang Yue Lou could no longer control himself. He threw the man on the ground, turned, and hastened towards the police station.

Chen Yu Zhi, who was imprisoned, had no chance of defending himself. Upon his arrival, he was heavily battered. He was tethered to the torture device and felt as if he was going to die. His entire body was drenched in blood, including the corners of his lips. His fingers, which were red and swollen, were difficult to straighten.

Even so, Jin Dacheng was still unwilling to hold back the whip in his hand, and was staring at him angrily, “You were caught red-handed with opium. Why are you so stubborn?! I tell you, no one can survive the night with me. I advise you to confess already, I will not be pleased to see you die so quickly.”

Chen Yu Zhi's drooping head raised with difficulty, he could barely mumble a sound***, and yet persisted, “This is not mine...”

Jin Dacheng furiously hurled the whip directly into the side of his face, ripping the flesh and lacerating his skin*. Chen Yu Zhi gasped and almost passed out.

“I don't have much patience. I will ask you one last time, who are your accomplices? Where did the opium come from? Say it!” Jin Dacheng said, threatening to throw another whip in front of Chen Yu Zhi's eyes who was caught off guard.

Chen Yu Zhi's mouth was dry, he swallowed hard, supporting it with tenacity. Still refusing to confess, he just replied,

“I want to see Jiang Yue Lou."

Jin Dacheng was stunned when he heard the name, and asked eagerly, “Jiang Yue Lou? Are you saying your accomplice is Jiang Yue Lou?!”

Chen Yu Zhi didn't expect this person would be ready to distort the truth deliberately* and would use him to blame Jiang Yue Lou. He suddenly became emotional, and strongly refuted with a hoarse voice, “He is not!”

But Jin Dacheng wasn’t listening anymore. He continued to speculate, speaking to himself and getting more and more excited, “Jiang Yue Lou is chasing and banning opium on the surface when he secretly gave it to you so that you can sell it? You two are partners* Am I right? Haha, bite me! I guessed it right, didn't I?!”

Chen Yu Zhi's heart was filled with rage and distress; he desperately tried to justify himself, but as he was about to speak, he choked and coughed violently.

These series of coughs didn’t escape Jin Dacheng’s eyes, who saw this as proof of a guilty conscience, “Oh! So, you just admit it. It’s okay, don't worry, as long as you confess Jiang Yue Lou's crimes to me clearly, I’ll spare your life.”

He finally had the opportunity to get Jiang Yue Lou down, regardless of whether it was true or not, as long as this person told him what he wanted to hear.

Utterly helpless Chen Yu Zhi refused to concede anything and tried to protect Jiang Yue Lou while coughing, “Cough, cough, it has nothing to do with him...”

Jin Dacheng was so enraged that he waved his whip and prepared to strike him again. When a prison guard hurriedly ran in to report, “Section Chief Jin, something happened. Section Chief Jiang just broke in with a gun and none of us can’t stop him!”

Chen Yu Zhi's face turned pale instantly, he didn't expect Jiang Yue Lou would be so impulsive.

Seeing that his expression changed, Jin Dacheng's eyes rolled, even more, confident that the two of them were secretly colluding. He immediately decided to go out to meet his old nemesis —— Jiang Yue Lou!

It was still dark outside, and it was raining. Jiang Yue Lou stood at the gate in the rain, pointing a gun at a prison guard. The guard was terrified and didn't dare to move. Several other policemen surrounded him, keeping their distance nervously while encircling Jiang Yue Lou. They held weapons in their possession, but they didn't dare to aim them at Jiang Yue Lou. They were just standing there, on guard and ready to move if there was any change in Jiang Yue Lou’s behavior.

Staring at the guard Jiang Yue Lou ordered him, “Give me that man and release him.”

The policeman trembled with a nervous voice, “Chief Jiang, Section Chief Jiang, I can't do this, he was hiding opium and he was arrested with evidence...”

Jiang Yue Lou didn’t believe what he just heard, and screamed back, “Impossible, he is not that kind of person!”

Hearing him yelling when he was coming out, Jin Dacheng stood near the entrance and with a fake smile*, looked at Jiang Yue Lou and asked triumphantly,

“Eh? And what kind of person is he?”

The person who had captured Chen Yu Zhi was standing in front of him, which enraged Jiang Yue Lou even more. His entire person seemed to be unexpectedly possessed by the devil himself, causing all of the policemen around him to unwittingly stand back.

Right now, there was not much left of his sanity and although the gun was still pointed at the guard, his eyes were staring coldly at Jin Dacheng when he shouted, “Let him go!”

Jin Dacheng naturally didn't move, and instead sneered at him, “Chief Jiang, aren’t you unreasonable? We, as police officers, have no choice but to follow the rules when it’s about handling cases. You seem to lack discernment* with this man, regardless of the facts or the evidence. Rushing here with a gun without hesitation as if to save an important person, I didn’t want to say it, but it seems like a criminal is in trouble and his accomplice breaks into jail to rescue him.”

Jiang Yue Lou, whose mind was a jumbled mess at the time, neither thought to justify himself nor wanted to expand his strength by doing so. At the time, he was preoccupied with just one thought: rescuing Chen Yu Zhi.

Therefore, he didn't hesitate to turn his gun and pointed at Jin Dacheng, yelling, “Let him go!”

This time, the surrounding police instantly raised their guns on Jiang Yue Lou. They didn't dare to point Jiang Yue Lou when he was aiming for a prison guard, but they were Jin Dacheng's subordinates, and they had to defend their Chief.

Jin Dacheng was first taken aback by Jiang Yue Lou’s reaction but quickly calmed down. He looked around and pointed at Jiang Yue Lou’s gun and said with an unpleasant voice, “Jiang Yue Lou, look at all your colleagues surrounding you, I advise you to analyze the situation clearly and don’t be impulsive...”

But before he finished, a gunshot sounded, and a bullet flew past Jin Dacheng's ear, a little inch closer, and he could have been killed! Jin Dacheng's legs became weak, his face turned pale, and holding his bleeding earlobe he screeched in pain, “Jiang Yue Lou, you are crazy!”

That’s right! He was indeed completely mad right now! Jiang Yue Lou's eyes became more and more fierce and feverish, as he was repeating the same sentence over again, “Let him go!”

Seeing him like this, Jin Dacheng also turned crazy. Completely panicked he was wailing to everyone, “Shoot him! Protect me and shoot him!”

The other policemen gritted their teeth and placed their fingers on the trigger, but a long time passed and no one dared to shoot. Slowly approaching Jiang Yue Lou step by step, their encirclement becoming smaller and smaller.

At this time, the sound of footsteps could be heard gradually approaching. In an instant, the surrounding policemen voluntarily step away, letting Bai Jinbo go in.

Bai Jinbo angrily walked in front of Jiang Yue Lou, stood straight in front of his gun, looking at him coldly.

Jiang Yue Lou's barrel was very close to Bai Jinbo's chest, almost touching him. When everyone saw this, they couldn't help but gasp, and even Jin Dacheng called out, “Director, be careful!”

But Bai Jinbo was certain that Jiang Yue Lou would not shoot him. His expression was fearless and he even got closer to him until he could reach him. Then, he slapped him with strength and uttered, “What are you doing? Your actions right now are only pouring oil on the fire*. If you want him to die, just continue!”

Jiang Yue Lou was gradually regaining his sanity. His eyes regained clarity, and he raised his head to see Bai Jinbo in front of him. Bai Jinbo, seeing that his mind was becoming calmer, took away his gun and firmly ordered, “Follow me.”

As Jin Dacheng saw that Jiang Yue Lou was being taken away and would most likely be able to get away with it, he became furious and yelled in front of everybody, “Director, he can't go!”

Nevertheless, Bai Jinbo still took Jiang Yue Lou away.

As soon as they entered the director’s office, Bai Jinbo took out the handkerchief from his pocket and threw it on Jiang Yue Lou’s face, reprimanding him with a stern voice, “Alright, I can see you are ready to spread your wings* now. I might start to think that the entire police station actually belonged to you and only you! That would explain why you think you can do whatever you want!”

Jiang Yue Lou caught the handkerchief thrown at him, wiped his face carelessly, shut his mouth, and let Bai Jinbo curse him without uttering a word. After Bai Jinbo finished venting, he finally spoke, and his tone was clear and confident, “Director, Chen Yu Zhi would never sell opium.”

Bai Jinbo got even angrier as soon as he heard him.

“Lord! Did the rain completely soak your brain?! Do you think that right now you should be concerned about him!? Think about how to explain your behavior today at the police station!”

About that, Jiang Yue Lou couldn’t care less, and shrugged, “I have nothing to explain.”

“You—”

Bai Jinbo was so angry that he couldn't even speak. He picked up the teacup, took a few sips to regain his composure, and tried to persuade him again, “You know that you are sometimes emotionally unstable and uncontrollable. What can you achieve when you are in that state? Ok! Forget about this man whether or not is selling opium...”

Jiang Yue Lou immediately interrupted him and said again without a shred of a doubt*: “He is not!”

Bai Jinbo felt helpless and forced himself to change his figure of speech, “Well, even if he is not, he was arrested for drug possession and he is now in jail. You have to find who framed him and the source of the opium first if you want to prove his innocence and save him. But what did you do instead? You threatened your colleagues with a gun and even shot Jin Dacheng. What sort of skill is that? Did it work?”

Hearing Jin Dacheng’s name, Jiang Yue Lou, who had just managed to repress it, felt his rage surging again, “Jin Dacheng's methods are known to everyone! If I came one hour late, this innocent man would have already suffered terribly during that hour. By the time I find out the truth to rescue him the way you proposed, I'm afraid he would be dead or disabled already.”

Bai Jinbo knew that Jiang Yue Lou was concerned about this man and not in his right frame of mind at the moment and it frustrated him. But with no better option, he first decided to compromise, “I can take this person out of Jin Dacheng's hands and make sure he will live before you find out the truth. But first of all, you have to go down and apologize to Jin Dacheng right now.”

Who is he? He’s Jiang Yue Lou! And you're asking him to go and apologize to Jin Dacheng?!

Not to mention that for him what he did was perfectly right and even if he was wrong, he would still refuse to bow his head to the man named Jin. Jiang Yue Lou lifted his head with pride, his eyes full of hostility, completely indifferent to Bai Jinbo’s proposal.

Seeing Jiang Yue Lou, who was currently in a life-and-death situation, still refusing to listen to him, and even acting proudly in front of him, Bai Jinbo could no longer retain his anger. He completely exploded, beating the table several times with his fist, and shouted, "Jiang Yue Lou, if you still want to be a police officer, if you still want to achieve your dream of freeing Jingcheng from opium, you have to admit you made a mistake and you have to apologize to him sincerely! Otherwise, your actions tonight, Jin Dacheng will not wait for tomorrow to make a fuss about it. He will use it to stab you. He will go to the government committee and will report it to Mayor Cai. Don’t you understand! You want to save Chen Yu Zhi, to do that you have to ensure your safety first. Only if you’re alive will you be able to keep your position. And only with your position in the police station can you save that man!”

Jiang Yue Lou was a little shaken by Bai Jinbo's words. Bai Jinbo noticed it, and struck while the iron was hot*, and continued to coax him, “If you don’t, you will go to jail and just like him you’ll become a prisoner, and the two of you will die together! Moreover, he would have been wronged and would die falsely accused!”

Since they met, Jiang Yue Lou understood Chen Yu Zhi’s character better than anyone. If he was wronged and have to die this way, he will never forgive himself when he will reach the Underworld*. Such a pure and innocent person can never be shrouded with filth.

After considering this, Jiang Yue Lou finally agreed. He raised his gaze to Bai Jinbo, and made a really hard decision, “Okay, I'll go.”

Still really upset, Jin Dacheng was criticizing his men near the gate of the prison, “All of you are useless, how can you not be able to stop one single person! Does he have a gun? What about all of you? What's the point of training and employing such a bunch of guys like you!”

The policemen bowed their heads and didn’t dare to refute.

“Keep your eyes open and if anyone breaks in again, just shoot them!”

After Jing Dacheng was more or less done with his complaints, he walked to the prison to continue what he had started with a certain person.

Unexpectedly, he heard Zhan Jun Bai's voice coming from behind, “Section Chief Jin, still working so late in the evening and so hard. Such a dedicated person, we should thank you for your trouble.”

It turned out that when Jin Dacheng arrested Chen Yu Zhi, Qiu Ming was also there waiting outside in a car near the hospital and saw everything. But he didn’t dare to act rashly and went back to report it to his master first.

Yu Tang Chun was present when the two men were discussing Chen Yu Zhi's arrest. Hearing it made him very nervous, and he began to cough incessantly. Seeing him suffering and coughing for a while made a certain someone worried. Zhan Jun Bai’s heart seemed to be scratched by a knife. He immediately promised Yu Tang Chun that he would go and save Chen Yu Zhi so that he could relax and sleep at ease.

Now, it was time to fulfill his promise.

Jin Dacheng turned around when he heard this, and immediately put on his most flattering smile, “Oh, Director Zhan! What kind of wind is blowing you in such heavy rain.”

Zhan Jun Bai smiled slightly and went straight to the point, “I came to pick up someone.”

“Picking up someone?”

Jin Dacheng, glancing at the prison, seemed to have a hunch, and asked arduously, “Could it be that you’re here for Chen Yu Zhi?”

“Exactly”, Zhan Jun Bai nodded lightly, as if the person he was about to pick up was not a prisoner at all.

“There is a patient in my house who urgently needs to be treated by Dr. Chen. It will be great if Chief Jin can help with this matter.”

Jin Dacheng didn't want to release that person, but didn't want to contradict and embarrass Director Zhan, and could only stammer back, “This… This is not appropriate, Director Zhan... maybe, you should temporarily change to another doctor first..."

Zhan Jun Bai was not angry with this answer, and his attitude was still very gentle, “The patient in my house is very important and has saved my life. His surgery was done by Dr. Chen. You can leave Dr. Chen to me for now, and when the patient is awake and better, I will personally come back to the prison and give him back to you.”

Feeling awkward, Jin Dacheng muttered to himself, “This is not per the rules… there was no precedent before…”

However, Zhan Junbai immediately followed, “I guarantee it with my reputation. Or does Chief Jin believe that I am not true to my word?”

This was getting too serious. Jin Dacheng, frightened, waved his hands repeatedly and quickly stated, “No, no, of course, I believe you! I'm just afraid that I cannot explain this to Director Bai.”

“Don’t worry, I will explain it to him when I see him.”

Zhan Jun Bai did not wait for Jin Dacheng to respond, and added, “By the way, the funding application submitted by Chief Jin last week is being reviewed by the Ministry of Finance these days. 100,000 yuan seems so little. The brothers in the Judicial Branch are working so hard to arrest prisoners. I think the amount of this funding should be increased.”

Those words hit right on Jin Dacheng’s weak spot. He had a headache with this funding issue recently.

What more should be said, if someone is willing to give more money, who wouldn’t want it?

At that instant, nothing was more important for him than pleasing the God of Wealth in front of him.

He immediately promised, “Sure, Director Zhan, wait a minute, I'll release him right away.”

Zhan Jun Bai looked at the back of Jin Dacheng as he was running with satisfaction. When he was about to return to the car to wait for them, he suddenly saw Jiang Yue Lou rushing into the prison. Several policemen around him were also whispering. Zhan Jun Bai heard the few words they were saying and probably understood the intense situation that had just occurred. Suddenly there was more playfulness in his eyes, and he secretly said, “It's getting more and more interesting.”

Jin Dacheng just entered the prison when he noticed Jiang Yue Lou behind him. Terrified, he immediately took a step back, attentively watched Jiang Yue Lou and asked, “What do you want again?”

Chen Yu Zhi became very anxious when he heard gunfire coming from outside the prison. But now seeing Jiang Yue Lou even drenched and seemingly wretched, he breathed a sigh of relief. This person was still himself, could still stand straight, and forced others back to the corner just with a glance.

Jiang Yue Lou didn't look at Chen Yu Zhi. Instead, he strode in front of Jin Dacheng, and suddenly lowered his head, before saying stiffly, “I'm sorry.”

This apology made Jin Dacheng even more nervous, and a hint of panic was lying in his eyes, “You, what do you mean...”

Jiang Yue Lou raised his gaze, calmly looked at Jin Dacheng, and repeated, “I, Jiang Yue Lou, apologize to you, Jin Dacheng, for hurting you, I’m sorry.”

After he was done talking and without waiting for Jin Dacheng's reaction, he turned to untie Chen Yu Zhi's restraints. But when he stretched out his hand, for a moment he didn't know where to loosen it first. Chen Yu Zhi's whole body was injured, and Jiang Yue Lou was now afraid that touching him even with one finger would hurt that person.

Chen Yu Zhi couldn't care less for his suffering right now because he was worried Jiang Yue Lou would relapse into his mental illness.

His heart and mind were only concerned with how to console the person in front of him. Then he smiled softly at him and tried to comfort him with an "it's nothing," but the cut on his face pulled at the same time, and he hissed slightly to try to fight back the agony.

The wrath in Jiang Yue Lou's eyes rose again. Chen Yu Zhi saw it and immediately said, “The rope is too tight, it’s really painful, can you please help me loosen it?”

He always spoke with a soft and gentle tone, but this time there was some sort of coquettish meaning behind his words, which for a moment appeased Jiang Yue Lou entirely.

Unfortunately, some people don’t know how to read a room and break this moment by asking, “Wait, wait, who told you to take him away? Director Bai?”

Jiang Yue Lou suppressed his anger and nodded with an “En”.

Jin Dacheng smiled, as he finally figured out the reason for his unusual behavior. The panic in his eyes completely vanished and his expression became arrogant. He was about to release this person anyway, but if he could take this opportunity to humiliate Jiang Yue Lou, this could be considered as revenge for the shot he received just now, “You can take him with you, but —— this apology attitude, I don't accept it. Do it again.”

Jiang Yue Lou remained silent. Looking at his expression, Chen Yu Zhi, full of worry softly called him, “Yue Lou”.

Jiang Yue Lou took a deep breath and apologized once again, “It was my fault, I'm sorry, please forgive me, Chief Jin.”

Jin Dacheng however was still dissatisfied. He smiled sinisterly, even digging his fingers into his uninjured ear, keeping on to torment Jiang Yue Lou, “What? I can't hear you.”

Jiang Yue Lou's hands clenched into a fist, so tight that the knuckles turned white, but still, he didn't flinch. He endured it, desperately holding back his emotions, and repeated with a louder voice, “Sorry, Chief Jin, please forgive me!”

Jin Dacheng scornfully burst into loud laughter, and only then agreed to Jiang Yue Lou to put the man down.

Chen Yu Zhi was hung for too long and had no strength in his body anymore. As soon as the rope was loosened, his whole body fell into Jiang Yue Lou's arms.

Seeing Jiang Yue Lou so nervous and scared for this Chen Yu Zhi, Jin Dacheng was overjoyed and couldn't help himself asking for more*.

He pointed to his injured ear, “Chief Jiang, if this bullet was deflected even one inch off, my ear would probably be gone. Now, this—— how are you gonna pay for it?”

At this time, the only thing that Jiang Yue Lou wanted was to promptly take Chen Yu Zhi away to heal his injuries. He had no intention to talk more with Jin Dacheng. So, when he heard him asking to atone for his crime again, he first helped Chen Yu Zhi to stand firmly before turning around and in one move grabbing the gun on Jin Dancheng’s waist.

Taken aback Jin Dacheng jumped away and afraid that Jiang Yue Lou was about to go crazy again, yelled “Somebody, help!”

Chen Yu Zhi was also shocked by Jiang Yue Lou's actions, even more, when he saw that Jiang Yue Lou didn’t hesitate to pull off the safety, loaded, and turned the gun against him to shoot his arm. Terrified and without caring for his safety, he threw himself forward to pull on Jiang Yue Lou's shoulder. The bullet only grazed Jiang Yue Lou’s sleeves, and end up in the ground, causing more scared than hurt*.

But it seemed like Jiang Yue Lou was not done yet. He tried to push Chen Yu Zhi away and was about to shoot himself again as if he didn't see enough blood yet.

Chen Yu Zhi, unwavering, refused to let go and hugged Jiang Yue Lou tightly.

The madness in front of him completely frightened Jin Dacheng. He snatched back his gun and clutched it in his hand, “Okay, okay, you can take him away, I have no complaints!”

When Jiang Yue Lou finally heard that he could leave with Chen Yu Zhi, all the tension and the ferocity in his body flew away. He put his arms around Chen Yu Zhi's shoulders, and said, “Let's go.”

Chen Yu Zhi looked at Jiang Yue Lou, nodded and the two walked to the door. While leaving, Jiang Yue Lou glared one more time at Jin Dacheng with scorching eyes full of hatred, which made the latter step back into a corner.

Once they left the cell, Jin Dacheng couldn’t help but move forward and glance at them in the corridor. Chen Yu Zhi was barely able to stand on his feet, lying heavily on Jiang Yue Lou’s shoulders, who was carrying the other person with only one arm, as the other person, wounded, was dropping down on his body, bleeding heavily.

Seeing these two men, leaning on each other and hobbling out of the prison, Jin Dacheng was taken aback. Instead of being moved by that scene, he was impressed to see the most ruthless policeman in all of Jingcheng, whose only concern and purpose in life had always been to fight those scumbags of drug dealers, risk everything he had and had built for so many years only to save the life of this man.

Getting the attention of two of the most powerful men in the city, Jin Dacheng realized that Chen Yu Zhi was indeed really special.

With difficulty, Jiang Yue Lou and Chen Yu Zhi finally got out of jail, and, arriving in the yard, they found Zhan Jun Bai and Bai Jinbo, who were waiting for them.

Zhan Jun Bai seemed anxious when he asked, "Why is he so injured? Are you okay, Dr. Chen?"

Chen Yu Zhi, shivering and panting, laboriously raised his head, "I’m... Cough, cough, I’m fine. "

Jiang Yue Lou couldn’t help but glance at Chen Yu Zhi, only to close his eyes right away, as he couldn’t bear to see him in so much pain.

Hatred surged into his heart once more, and, irritated, he growled at Zhan Jun Bai, "Why are you here?"

Bai Jun rebuked him bluntly, "Yue Lou, instead of barking like a wild dog, you should be grateful to Director Zhan, Jin Dacheng has just released your doctor thanks to him!"

Hearing this, Jiang Yue Lou was stunned and subconsciously uttered, "Thank you, Brother Zhan."

"Thank you, Director Zhan," Chen Yu Zhi also replied in a whisper to the few remaining forces that he had left.

Still really annoyed, Bai Jinbo thought he had seen more than enough of this craziness for the day and he quickly walked away without adding anything more.

On the other hand, Zhan Jun Bai got closer to the two people and replied with a faint smile, "You’re welcome. If you were not released, who would take care of Yu Tang Chung’s injuries? "Please allow me to drive you home."

"No need, I will drive him home myself," retorted Jiang Yue Lou, leaving no room for any argument.

At that moment, a playful smile appeared on Zhan Jun Bai's face, but it quickly faded, and he just nodded, looking at the two men entangled together, limping away from the yard.

It was already late at night when, sitting in the living room of Jiang Yue Lou’s house, Chen Yu Zhi was finishing banding Jiang Yue Lou’s arm, while the latter was intently staring at the person in front of him, half-relieved to see him safe in his house and half-uneasy as he couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened to him.

But his troubled thoughts were washed away when he heard Chen Yu Zhi laugh and say, "It seems like from Hong Kong to now, I've had to take care of your wounds indefinitely."

Putting his shirt back, Jiang Yue Lou lowered his head before raising it again, this time with a smirk on his face and shining eyes. "Thank you, and I can finally return the favor."

Saying those words, Jiang Yue Lou stretched his hands to unbutton Chen Yu Zhi’s shirt.

Chen Yu Zhi instinctively grabbed Jiang Yue Lou’s hands to stop him and, blushing, he asked, a little shaken, "What are you doing?"

Jiang Yue Lou smiled even wider when he saw him being so shy, and he explained in a coquettish tone, "We need to take off your clothes; if we don't, how can I treat your wounds?"

Oblivious of the other person’s flirty tone, Chen Yu Zhi naively uttered a simple "Oh, right" and tried to unbutton his shirt himself before being suddenly interrupted.

"Stop it! You are injured. I will do it for you," said Jiang Yue Lou, now entirely focused on his unbuttoning task.

Chen Yu Zhi slowly removed his hands from his shirt and silently looked at the other man taking care of him, feeling a little embarrassed, but also touched by such a nice gesture.

Once Chen Yu Zhi’s shirt was removed, Jiang Yue Lou falsely sighed as if he was gathering his strength for the big task he was about to start. He finally turned around and grabbed a cotton ball with the forceps in one hand and a medicine bottle in the other, before turning back and asking teasingly, "This is the good one, right? Bear with me a little bit.. it shouldn't take long. "

This made Chen Yu Zhi smile, "Bring it on", before hissing a little in pain when Jiang Yue Lou started treating him.

Chen Yu Zhi asked sharply, "Jiang Yue Lou, you know how to hold a grudge, don’t you?"

Jiang Yue Lou replied with a smug little grin, "What do you think?"

The two of them laughed brightly and Jiang Yue Lou continued to treat Chen Yu Zhi’s wounds.

Once all of Chen Yu Zhi’s injuries had been taken care of, Jiang Yue Lou helped him to get up, and, putting his arm around Chen Yu Zhi’s waist, he led him to his bedroom.

"You are tired and you should get some rest," coaxed Jiang Yue Lou while helping Chen Yu Zhi lie down on the bed.

Chen Yu Zhi glanced at him and asked, "What about you?"

Jiang Yue Lou tried to avoid his gaze by replying nonchalantly, "Don't worry about me; I'll sleep on the couch, and if you need anything, just call me...Good night."

Beating a retreat, he turned around quickly, and when he was about to leave, he was stopped in his tracks by Chen Yu Zhi, who grasped his arm, "Don’t go! You're also injured so you should sleep here too, and the bed is big enough for the two of us so, ... Stay."

Jiang Yue Lou froze for a moment, without turning his head, he just nodded with a simple "En" but didn't make a single move.

Seeing him staying still, Chen Yu Zhi pulled Jiang Yue Lou into the bed, making some space for him to lie down next to him. When Jiang Yue Lou was finally on the bed, Chen Yu Zhi released his arm and turned his back to him as if he was about to sleep.

Jiang Yue Lou stayed seated for a while, before finally lying down beside the other person. Staring at Chen Yu Zhi’s back, Jiang Yue Lou’s heart was beating fast and he couldn’t think properly.

The room was completely silent, Jiang Yue Lou was still watching Chen Yu Zhi’s back when he suddenly saw him shivering.

Anxious, he enquired, "Is there something wrong?"Are you feeling unwell? Are you still hurt somewhere?"

Chen Yu Zhi tried to reassure him, but his voice was a little stiff, "I’m okay, it’s just... I just feel a little cold. It’s probably because of the injuries and the blood loss. Don’t worry, I will feel better after a good night of rest. "

But, saying this, Chen Yu Zhi’s body was still shivering and he tightened his arms around himself to stop the trembling.

Seeing him like this, Jiang Yue Lou was completely at a loss and he didn’t know what to do. He stretched his arm after a while, as if he wanted to touch Chen Yu Zhi, but he retracted his hand and could only sigh at his cowardice.

Almost at the same time, Xiao Bai jumped to Chen Yu Zhi’s side and nested near the chest of the trembling person.

A clear, bright laugh came from Chen Yu Zhi’s side, "You were right, Xiao Bai is just like a human and can feel when someone is not feeling well, and he’s also really warm."

"Yes, he is," snorted Jiang Yue Lou, feeling a little defeated.

But even with Xiao Bai near him, he could see that Chen Yu Zhi was still shivering and feeling cold. Thinking that there was no way that he, Jiang Yue Lou, could lose to a silly cat, and even if his hands were still shaking a little when it stretched them out, this time he didn’t hesitate, and, leaning closer to Chen Yu Zhi, he hugged him from behind.

The moment Jiang Yue Lou took him into his embrace, Chen Yu Zhi’s body tensed. Jiang Yue Lou felt it and, a little embarrassed, he hurriedly tried to explain himself, "Hum... I heard that body temperature is the best way to keep someone else warm, it’s really common and it doesn’t mean anything, so just bear with it and you’ll feel better very soon. "

Hearing his fallacious reasoning made Chen Yu Zhi smile and put him at ease. His body became less stiff and he didn’t push Jiang Yue Lou away, but none of them still seemed able to fall asleep.

After a certain time, Chen Yu Zhi said, "Yue Lou, thank you. Thank you for coming so fast and saving me. "

A wave of warmth surged into Jiang Yue Lou’s chest after hearing those words, but the sweet sensation was quickly washed away when the images of Chen Yu Zhi being tortured emerged in his mind again.

Breathing heavily, Jiang Yue Lou said in a dull voice, "I have never been as scared as I was today. If I had arrived too late... I was terrified of finding you, but I did..."He wasn’t able to speak further, but the terrible scenes continued to be played in his mind; Chen Yu Zhi’s body tortured and bloody, no moving, no breathing, with the light which had already left his big black eyes.

Jiang Yue Lou was now sweating and shaking and he could feel that he was losing control again and was about to have an episode. Someone else also sensed it and Chen Yu Zhi quickly held Jiang Yue Lou’s hand, which was hugging him, and tightly squeezed it before saying, "It’s okay, I’m fine now, it’s over, it’s over. You arrived on time and you protected me. I’m okay. "

As many times before, the magic in Chen Yu Zhi’s voice managed to appease his soul. Jiang Yue Lou slowly calmed down and started to breathe normally.

Feeling that he was now better, Chen Yu Zhi added, "We should get some rest and I’m a little tired. Let’s try to sleep." And, keeping his hand on Jiang Yue Lou’s, he closed his eyes and stopped talking.

It seemed like Chen Yu Zhi was exhausted as only after a few minutes, Jiang Yue Lou could hear the other person sleeping soundly.

"You arrived on time and protected me"

Chen Yu Zhi’s words still echoed in his ears. Yes, he protected him and he always will. He swore that he would never let anyone hurt Chen Yu Zhi again.

Jiang Yue Lou tightened his embrace around Chen Yu Zhi and finally closed his eyes.

When Chen Yu Zhi woke up the next morning, he was all alone in the bedroom. Looking at his wounds, which were roughly wrapped in gauze, immediately made him smile as he remembered what had happened the night before.He stood up, got out of bed, and walked to the door.

That was where he found Jiang Yue Lou, who was sitting on the steps just behind the door, teasing Xiao Bai.

Jiang Yue Lou, as if he had eyes behind his back, didn't even look back, and asked directly, “Awake?”

Chen Yu Zhi gave him an “En” and went to sit down on the steps beside him.

Jiang Yue Lou looked sideways and asked, “How are you feeling?”

Chen Yu Zhi nodded slightly, “Better.”

Jiang Yue Lou was still worried and urged, “You should rest more. And don't go to Yu Zhi Tang for the next few days, just stay there and get better. Only when I find out what happened, can you return to the hospital.”

Chen Yu Zhi nodded again, the two stopped talking and just sat quietly. Only Xiao Bai was rubbing around their legs, constantly seeking more attention.

Chen Yu Zhi picked up Xiao Bai. He looked down at the cat in his arms and gently stroked his fur, hesitating for a while before bringing up the matter.

“You...had another attack last night.”

Jiang Yue Lou was silent for a moment, before groaning in a whisper, “I know.”

Chen Yu Zhi leaned his head to Jiang Yue Lou, his eyes full of sincerity, “I can help you.”

The room was quiet again, but the atmosphere was completely different from before.

Xiao Bai seemed to sense it and ran away with a meow. Jiang Yue Lou also got up, and wanted to go away, leaving only one sentence,

“I will die with this illness anyway.”

But he was stopped by Chen Yu Zhi who grasped his hand,

“Running away is not the solution, Jiang Yue Lou, please have faith in me, tell me your past, open your heart, or you will only live in pain.”

Jiang Yue Lou closed his eyes and subconsciously wanted to withdraw his hand. But Chen Yu Zhi was holding him tightly, refusing to let him go. In the end, the warmth of his palm spread in Jiang Yue Lou. He opened his eyes and looked at Chen Yu Zhi. He saw insistence and hope in those eyes, and with only one glance from him, he gave in, “Chen Yu Zhi, can I trust you?”

Chen Yu Zhi released his hand, stood up, and looking straight into Jiang Yue Lou's eyes, he nodded solemnly. Then he waited for a long time, patiently, without pressure until Jiang Yue Lou said, “My real name is Kang Shengan.”

Originally Kang Shengan had a very harmonious family. They were relying on his father’s wages to make ends meet. Her mother was a virtuous and capable woman. She was taking care of the house, of the cooking, and was loved by all his neighbors. A peaceful and happy life.

“But everything changed after my father started smoking opium.”

Opium is an addictive drug that robs you of both your health and your sanity.

To get more money to smoke opium, Kang Shengan's father, after losing all his savings, started to sell the sole woman in the family. Therefore, the more he was smoking opium, the more he became irritable and violent. If he couldn’t get the money, he would start to beat Kang Shengan’s mother with his fists, his belt, a stool…

What was once beautiful, was now torn to pieces. Kang Shengan's mother finally couldn't support it. On the day of the child's birthday, she made a bowl of long-life noodles* and left.

That year, when Kang Shengan turned eleven years old, he lost his mother.

“Some people say that she died and committed suicide by jumping into the sea. Others said that she married in Japan. I don't know if she is still alive...I don't know if she still remembers she has a son like me...”

Hearing the sobs in Jiang Yue Lou's words, Chen Yu Zhi stepped forward, took his hand, and said softly, “Yes. In a corner of this world, she must be alive, living a good life, a very proper one. Maybe, one day, she will come back and cook you another bowl of long-life noodles on your birthday.”

In the end, Jiang Yue Lou couldn’t hold back anymore. He let his tears flow down quietly, shook his head, and said, “No, if she is still alive, I hope she will forget me and forget the pain that my father caused her. As long as she is safe and happy, it is enough.”

But Kang Shengan’s story didn’t end with the departure of his mother. A year later, his father died from a drug overdose, but the debts caused by buying opium were not buried with him but pressed on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old boy.

Their only family property was the house, which was in poor condition, almost in ruin, but was taken away by loan sharks anyway to cover the debts. After he lost everything, Kang Shengan became homeless. Chased by loan sharks, begging along the street, he was so hungry that he had to snatch food from beggars. Only if he was cruel enough he would not starve.

Immersed in his memories, Jiang Yue Lou’s emotions became more and more uncontrollable as he narrated his story. His breath became heavier, his fingers tightly gripped the sofa, so hard that his knuckles turned white.

Chen Yu Zhi, aware of these changes, swiftly came forward to embrace Jiang Yue Lou in his arms, and to stop the surge of his emotions.

“Why didn't you leave Jingcheng?” Chen Yu Zhi asked while gently patting Jiang Yue Lou's back.

Jiang Yue Lou shook his head slightly, Chen Yu Zhi didn’t ask more, and the two were quiet for a moment.

Jiang Yue Lou suddenly replied, “I was afraid she would come back and would not find me.”

After all, I couldn’t let her go, I still wanted to meet her, ah…

Chen Yu Zhi pulled away from Jiang Yue Lou's embrace and smiled at him, “Okay, let’s stop here. Today you did great. You bravely face your past. You did it. This is a very good start.”

Jiang Yue Lou twitched the corners of his mouth, but there was no smile in his eyes. He took two deep breaths before asking, “Was it helpful?”

Chen Yu Zhi squatted down in front of him, grabbed Jiang Yue Lou's hands on his knees, raised his head slightly looking straight into Jiang Yue Lou's eyes,

“Of course.”

For Jiang Yue Lou, Chen Yu Zhi's eyes had never been as beautiful as they were now. Even the words he spoke sounded more credible. It was also at this moment that Jiang Yue Lou realized that if he was feeling better around him, it wasn’t because he was a doctor, it was simply because that person* was Chen Yu Zhi.

After all, Chen Yu Zhi was released on bail by Zhan Jun Bai, as his private doctor and so had to visit Zhan’s residence to treat his patient.

But after coming out, Chen Yu Zhi had to first take care of his wounds and those of a "special" patient living next to him.

By the time he arrived at Director Zhan’s mansion, he was already the next evening.

“How is his injury?” Zhan Jun Bai asked eagerly after Chen Yu Zhi saw the patient.

Looking at the closed bedroom door, Chen Yu Zhi smiled slightly to reassure him, and replied in a low voice, “The western approach requested by Director Zhan was effective. The wound was treated properly and he will be able to regain his strength after a month of recovery. It’s just... It’s just that I’m afraid it will be difficult for him to get on stage again.”

“This…”

Zhan Jun Bai frowned, with the face of someone not ready to accept what he just heard. He was stumped for a while before finally asking, “But will it affect his body*?”

For a singer, there were two things, more important than anything: the voice and the body. Yu Tang Chun had a throat problem, which was something he would never disclose, and Chen Yu Zhi would also not reveal it. And now his shoulder was injured. Even if he recovered, all the beautiful and gracious movements he was able to express would be difficult to realize from now on. Needless to say, Zhan Jun Bai, who had deep knowledge in opera, needless to say, could guess it.

So, when Chen Yu Zhi nodded, Zhan Jun Bai couldn't bear it and took a step back. But soon he stabilized his emotions and with a low voice, he thanked Chen Yu Zhi, before asking him to not tell Yu Tang about this. After that, he requested one of his servants to take Chen Yu Zhi to his home.

After Chen Yu Zhi left, Zhan Jun Bai straightened out his clothes and opened the door. He saw Yu Tang Chun struggling to get up and drink water. He came forward quickly, poured some water, and while serving him, he reprimanded severely, “How many times have I told you to request for the servants to help you? What if the wound opens again if you move around like this?”

Yu Tang Chun drank two sips of water, and smiled vainly, “How can I ask the people of the house of Director Zhan to serve me?”

Zhan Jun Bai put down the cup and said solemnly, “You blocked a sword for me, suffered for me and you are now living in my place to recover. You are like another master of the Zhan mansion, no different from me. You are free to give them orders, I have already explained everything to them, if in any way negligent, they would be dismissed.”

After listening to him, it seemed impolite for Yu Tang Chun to decline the offer, so he could only thank him. But suddenly remembering of Tianyun Garden, he sighed,

“With me injured, the release of the new play would be delayed.”

A trace of guilt flashed in Zhan Jun Bai's eyes. Holding Yu Tang Chun's hand, he smiled at him, softly comforting, “Don’t worry, your body will regain strength soon, and you will have more time to practice your singing.”

Yu Tang Chun noticed the emotion in his eyes, and replied with a calm smile, “En, once I feel better I'll sing “'The Drunken Concubine” to you again.”

The sun was already up in the sky, but Jiang Yue Lou didn't seem to be in a hurry to get to work this morning. He eventually changes into his formal clothes before picking his coat from the coat rack and heading to the entrance hall where Chen Yu Zhi was feeding Xiao Bai.

While passing by him, Jiang Yue Lou stopped and said to Chen Yu Zhi, “I’m going to work now. You can go out if you want but please be careful. And if anyone is following you, come back here immediately, understood?”

Chen Yu Zhi picked up Xiao Bai and stood from his crouching stance. Chen Yu Zhi nodded with, "En." He remained quiet for a few moments as he pondered before eventually saying, "Why couldn't we let the others know that we are neighbors?"

“Someone put opium in your clinic and informed the police right away to frame you. But you were not their only target, they were also after me. The police station is not safe now and I don’t trust anyone there. So, the less they know about us, the easier it will be for us to make our move and take initiative.”

Chen Yu Zhi patted the lazy Xiao Bai in his arms as he listened to him. Of course, he understood that Jiang Yue Lou was right and that it was better to take some precautions, but he was still perplexed, so he asked again, "But aren't they your colleagues?"

Jiang Yue Lou sighed affectionately. This little doctor’s big eyes were too pure to behold evil*. Thinking about this, Jiang Yue Lou couldn’t help but smile.

“In this world, there are only two people that I completely trust, Director Bai,” he stretched his hand to cuddle Xiao Bai in Chen Yu Zhi’s arms, “and this little one.”

Jiang Yue Lou suddenly stopped talking, just a brief moment, before raising his head, looking straight at the person in front of him, “Now, there is also you.”

Chen Yu Zhi, who was caressing and looking at Xiao Bai at that time, was completely taken aback when he heard those words which also unexpectedly warmed his heart. He slowly raised his eyes to Jiang Yue Lou who was gazing at him intently with a light smile on his face.

Chen Yu Zhi smiled back at him and slightly shook his head before asking with a playful tone. “What about Sun Yongren and Song Rong?”

“They are good subordinates.” Jiang Yue Lou still didn’t take his eyes off Chen Yu Zhi.

Still smiling, the latter seemed touched, as if he had understood the deep meaning behind the few words of Jiang Yue Lou. “Thank you. But once you get better, you’ll have more people than only us in your life.”

Chen Yu Zhi's eyes were full of hope and promise, as they always were when he tried to cheer him up.

Jiang Yue Lou leaned in closer to Chen Yu Zhi, put his hand on his shoulder, and said quietly, "Having you is enough." Before immediately leaving the home without looking back.

Watching Jiang Yue Lou leaving the house, Chen Yu Zhi’s smile had never been as dazzling as it was now.

Jiang Yue Lou was cheerfully whistling as he walked down the police station's corridor. Sun Yongren and Song Rong, who had been waiting for him anxiously, were flabbergasted when they saw him smiling and in such a good mood. Sun Yongren and Song Rong, who were both perplexed, ran beside Jiang Yue Lou and called out to him, “Boss, boss, boss what happened last night? I was almost scared to death! How is your hand?" Sun Yongren inquired, his voice tinged with worry and curiosity.

Jiang Yue Lou playfully slapped Sun Yongren on his chest before glancing at them both, “You are pretty well informed.”

Sun Yongren hastily explained, “How could we not? The entire police station is now full of gossip about you! As soon as Song Rong and I arrived this morning, we heard about five different versions of your deeds last night!”

Jiang Yue Lou sat down on the sofa in quite a good mood, looking like he had nothing to do with all of this. He raised his eyebrows and asked, “Oh? What are all these versions? Let me hear them.”

“One of the rumors said that you are the head of the Jinmatang. And that your fight against opium is actually to eradicate your opponents.”

Sun Yongren tried to carefully remember everything he heard. “There are also people who said that you and Dr. Chen were colluding both within and outside to make huge profits...”

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Yue Lou couldn't help but laugh out loud. Speechless, he shook his head, “Nonsense. All right, don't waste our time on this, let's talk about our business.”

After saying that, Jiang Yue Lou quickly entered working mode, and glancing at Song Rong he asked, “How is the investigation?”

“Those soaps are not sold in the market. We went to almost all major trading companies in Jingcheng, and none of the owners had seen them. Those wrapping papers are most probably just a cover circulating in small circles.”

Jiang Yue Lou pondered for a moment, and asked again, “What about the foreign companies, have they all been checked too?”

Song Rong nodded, “En. We found nothing.”

Jiang Yue Lou tapped lightly on his fingers on the armrest of the sofa, a small habit he would often do when thinking about a problem.

Seeking an opportunity to speak again, Sun Yongren finally added, “There is more. Liu Qing Feng is dead.”

These words caught Jiang Yue Lou's attention, and he jerked his eyes up to Sun Yongren, asking with a stern expression, “When did it happen?”

“At four or five o'clock this morning. Liu’s house caught on fire, the intensity of the fire was terrible. Thirteen members of the family were living there, and none of them survived.”

It rained heavily last night. Everything was completely soaked. For such a big fire to occur with this weather, it must have been set by someone deliberately. They murdered everyone to make sure they would never talk.

Where did it go wrong? Did we expose ourselves when we went to their house to treat Mrs. Liu? Does that mean Chen Yu Zhi could be in danger again?

In an instant, Jiang Yue Lou was overwhelmed by a myriad of thoughts, so much that he started to panic.

Suddenly he heard Sun Yongren’s voice again, “This was due to your subordinate negligence. We were spotted by Jinmatang, during our raid in the warehouse. After seeing us collecting the soaps as evidence, they probably decided to kill Liu Qing Feng right away, cutting off any thread and any clue related to them.

Jiang Yue Lou finally came back to his senses. Seeing Sun Yongren blaming himself, he waved his hand,

“It’s not your fault, they planned everything. First, they framed Chen Yu Zhi by planting opium in his hospital, then they get me involved in it, to divert our attention and to buy them some time to commit the murder. However, as long as one made a move, they would inevitably leave some clues* behind them. You should start with Liu Qingfeng's social relations, and with the patient who went into Yu Zhi Tang yesterday afternoon. There should be a connection between the two.”

Sun Yongren nodded at once, “Sure, I'll go and talk to Dr. Chen first.”

Jiang Yue Lou shook his head, “You should investigate Liu Qingfeng’s case. I will handle the matter related to Chen Yu Zhi.”

Sun Yongren agreed and walked out. Just as he opened the door, he suddenly shouted “Miss Cheng” with excitement, causing Jiang Yue Lou and Song Rong to look towards the door.

Sure enough, the faithful woman they met in Hong Kong was now standing at the door.

Chu Ran was also shocked when she saw these three people, not expecting that all of them were police officers.

She came today to take care of the cancellation of her wedding, but she didn't expect that she would meet this person again. Looking at Jiang Yue Lou sitting in his office, Chu Ran somehow felt a little bit happier in her heart.

“Miss Cheng, please have a seat, I'll make you a cup of coffee”. Sun Yongren, who masterfully brought people into Jiang Yue Lou's office, was now going out to brew coffee.

As the person was already inside, and also because she greatly helped him in the past, Jiang Yue Lou could not leave her standing there in the middle of the room. So, like a rare gentleman who would invite people to sit down, he got up and pulled a stool.

“Have a seat.”

Chu Ran thanked him and sat down. After thinking for a while, she decided to explain first: “...I’m not missing Cheng. My real name is Chu. Chu Ran.”

“What? Your surname is not Cheng?!” Sun Yongren, who happened to come back with the coffee, when she said that was completely shocked*.

“That’s okay. It was smart not to give your real name in that situation.”

Jiang Yue Lou glanced down at the nameplate on his office desk. “As you can see, my name is not Bai Qing either, but Jiang Yue Lou.”

Chu Ran took a sip of coffee repeating the three words “Jiang Yue Lou” in her heart. Suddenly the taste of the coffee was a little sweeter.

Now that she had left her family and canceled her wedding, she felt that she was all alone in this world. But today she met an old friend and tomorrow she will start working at the newspaper. This was perhaps a sign sent from Heaven telling her to start his brand-new life.

In the damp woods, Lao Huo and Han Zhong were walking fast and discussing together.

Lao Huo asked anxiously, “Did you take care of the girl who placed the opium there?”

Han Zhong nodded, “Master, do not worry; the dead will not betray us.”

Lao Huo breathed a sigh of relief, but soon cursed in a low voice: “This man was caught with opium, and was released anyway?! When they arrest us, they are swift and resolute* and would investigate until the end, but when it comes to their people, they are so merciful. It’s truly a nest of snakes and rats, and I lost some real good opium for nothing.”

“Exactly!” Han Zhong agreed and continued. “This incident even startled San Ye. This is also the first time he wants to meet us, so maybe this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

That being said, Hang Zhong was still anxious. If a big boss like San Ye was involved in this case, that meant that Hang Zhong would have to explain himself after he failed miserably to deal with this matter. But before he could think of a way to settle this affair, he was frightened when he saw the person who was waiting for them.

The man standing by the lake wearing a large hat and a long coat was actually —— Zhao Jingming.

Footnotes:

*Tattling, yì lùn fēn fēn (议论纷纷): Chinese idiom meaning to discuss spiritedly; tongues are wagging.

*You can't judge a person by his appearance, rén bù kě mào xiàng (人不可貌相): Chinese idiom meaning you can't judge a person by appearance; you can't judge a book by its cover.

*** could barely mumble a sound………

TN: Ok, so what happened here is that I think it was written that “Chen Yu Zhi's voice sounded like a “mosquito barking”?!?!! (蚊呐).

After wondering what was happening here and after laughing for 10 good minutes, I supposed it means that his voice was very low and could barely be heard. But at least you know: 蚊呐 = mosquito’s scream!!!

*Tearing the flesh and lacerating his skin, pí kāi ròu zhàn (皮开肉绽): Chinese idiom meaning flesh lacerated from corporal punishment.

*To distort the truth deliberately, diān dǎo hēi bái (颠倒黑白): Chinese idiom literally meaning o invert black and white and can be translated as to misrepresent the facts; to invert right and wrong.

*You two are partners, lǐ yìng wài hé (里应外合): Chinese idiom meaning to coordinate outside and inside offensives; to act together.

*With a fake smile, pí xiào ròu bù xiào (皮笑肉不笑): Chinese idiom meaning to put on a fake smile; to smile insincerely.

*To lack discernment, bù fēn qīng hóng zào bái (不分青红皂白): Chinese idiom meaning not distinguishing red-green or black-white; not to distinguish between right and wrong.

*Pouring oil on the fire, huǒ shàng jiāo yóu (火上浇油): Chinese idiom which can also be translated as to aggravate a situation; to enrage people and make matters worse.

*To spread your own wings, chì bǎng yìng le (翅膀硬了): To have become fully fledged (of a bird; fig. of a person) to have grown up (and become independent); to be ready to spread one's wings.

*Without a shred of a doubt, zhǎn dīng jié tiě (斩钉截铁): Chinese idiom literally meaning to chop the nail and slice the iron; and can be translated as resolute and decisive; unhesitating; categorical.

*To strike while the iron was hot, chèn rè dǎ tiě (趁热打铁).

*The Underworld, yīn cáo dì fǔ (阴曹地府): Netherworld; Kingdom of the Underworld; Hades.

*Asking for more, biàn běn jiā lì (变本加厉): Chinese idiom literally meaning change to more severe; which can be translated as to become more intense (esp. of shortcoming); to aggravate; to intensify.

*More scared than hurt, yǒu jīng wú xiǎn (有惊无险): Chinese idiom meaning to be more scared than hurt; to get through a daunting experience without mishap.

*Long-life noodles, cháng shòu miàn (长寿面): In the Chinese tradition, long-life noodles are eaten on one's birthday. They are very long, thin noodles symbolizing longevity.

*That person, duì fāng (对方): Counterpart; partners; other person involved; opposite side; other side; receiving party.

TN: Behind the word, duì fāng, there is really the idea of people involved in something together, or if someone is talking about someone else using this word, it suggests that they have some sort of connection between them. It could be a partner, an enemy, a lover…

*Body, TN: The correct translation of shēn duàn (身段) is “posture on stage”. But I don’t know, it sounds weird in a sentence so I switched it for “body”. But I wanted to let you know what Zhan Junbai really meant in that sentence.

*Some clues, zhū sī mǎ jì (蛛丝马迹): Literally means spider's thread and horse track; tiny hints (of a secret); traces; clue.

*Shocked, dà chī yī jīng (大吃一惊): Chinese idiom meaning to have a surprise; shocked or startled; gobsmacked.

* Swift and resolute, léi lì fēng xíng (雷厉风行): Chinese idiom meaning pass like thunder and move like the wind; swift and decisive reaction.

*Eyes too pure to behold evil, Bible Habakkuk 1:13.