Yi Shi did not sleep well. His dreams were chaotic, like a slideshow of cases he had worked on, with memories from his childhood and adulthood intertwining in a confusing mess. There were also some extra fantasies mixed in, making his head throb in pain.
What he feared most was Lin Heyu’s death. However, as the saying goes, “what you think about during the day, you dream of at night.” He often dreamed of Lin Heyu falling in front of him in various ways, while he stood helplessly by, unable to do anything.
“Sorry, I’m afraid… I can’t take you back.”
Yi Shi’s long eyelashes fluttered twice before he suddenly opened his eyes. He immediately sat up, glanced around, and then pulled a coin from his pocket. Seeing the reverse side of the coin and its markings, he let out a sigh of relief and fell back onto the pillow.
This was torture. Yi Shi held his forehead, wondering when these nightmares would finally stop.
A little past six, Lin Heyu woke up on time, washed up, and hung his towel. When he turned around, he saw Yi Shi walking in. His face was pale, his eyes were downcast, and there was a palpable air of gloom around him. It was unclear if he was just grumpy from waking up or dealing with some kind of difficulty.
Yi Shi turned on the tap, scooped some water into his hands, and buried his face in it, rubbing hard. Lin Heyu looked down at him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“…I had a nightmare.”
So it was just a mood caused by a baseless dream. Lin Heyu let out a shallow breath. “Dreams are a way for your mind to release stress. Once you’re awake, don’t think too much about it. Today, I’ll buy some milk, and you can drink it tonight and go to bed early.”
Yi Shi raised his arm and casually wiped his face with his sleeve. Lin Heyu looked at the pale and exhausted face in the mirror, feeling a strange sense of discomfort, so he patted Yi Shi’s shoulder. “It’s still early. Go back to bed for a bit. I’ll bring breakfast back for you. What do you feel like eating?”
Suddenly, Yi Shi turned around and, without warning, hugged Lin Heyu.
His arms loosely wrapped around Lin Heyu’s waist, and his face rested against his shoulder. Through the thin fabric, he could feel the familiar warmth, which gradually put his mind at ease. Lin Heyu, unsure of what to do, awkwardly held his hands up in the air. “Hey, Yi Shi…”
“Let me hold you for a bit.”
Lin Heyu stopped talking. His arms stayed suspended for over a minute before he cautiously let them fall and gently embraced the thin body in front of him.
“I keep dreaming of something bad happening to you, and it terrifies me.” Yi Shi closed his eyes and spoke softly, “If only you could always stay safe and sound by my side.”
“That’s just a dream,” Lin Heyu laughed. “I’ve been in the police force for years and haven’t had any major injuries. I can take care of myself.”
Yi Shi couldn’t explain the reason behind his fear, so he just nodded. Leaning against Lin Heyu, he caught a faint scent of lavender, similar to the laundry detergent Lin Zhizhi often bought for their household, which always left a lingering fragrance after each wash.
“Uh, maybe we should head out?” Lin Heyu suggested nervously, not wanting Yi Shi to misunderstand. “It’s a bit cramped here. We can continue in the living room.”
Yi Shi chuckled softly, let go, and stepped back. “Continue what?”
“…”
“Are you uncomfortable with me touching you like that?”
Lin Heyu shook his head. If he had been, he would have pushed him away coldly. It was strange, though. After being straight for over thirty years, why did he start feeling a little bent as soon as Yi Shi came into the picture?
It must be because this new friend was way too flirty.
In the golden month of October, it was the perfect season for crabs. Lin Heyu returned home with a bag of hairy crabs, salted duck eggs, and two large pomegranates. The crabs were a gift from Yuan Maoqiu, while the duck eggs and pomegranates were from his workplace. Yi Shi picked up the calendar on the table and asked in confusion, “They’re just now giving out holiday gifts?”
“…They were handed out before National Day.” Lin Heyu only remembered the Mid-Autumn Festival gifts today when Yuan Maoqiu brought over the crabs and asked if he wanted them.
Yi Shi understood. After all, he wasn’t great at remembering things like this either. Every year, they received not only holiday gifts but also supermarket cards and vouchers. When looking for something in his drawers, he often found several leftover gift cards lying around.
The crabs were tied up with grass rope, and Lin Heyu scrubbed them briefly with a brush before steaming them. He opened a few vacuum-sealed salted duck eggs and noticed Yi Shi fiddling with the pomegranates. “Do you want some?”
“Not particularly.”
Lin Heyu cut open a pomegranate and, to his surprise, found it still fresh after being left out for over ten days. He patiently scooped out the seeds into a bowl. Watching him, Yi Shi asked, “Do you do this for Zhizhi often?”
“Yeah, she loves fruit but hates preparing it. She always just buys it and begs me to cut it up for her.”
“How does she beg?”
“She pulls on my shirt and calls me ‘brother.'”
Yi Shi was silent for a few seconds before slowly stepping closer and grabbing the hem of Lin Heyu’s light blue shirt. “Brother.”
Lin Heyu froze. He scooped too hard, breaking off a chunk of pomegranate skin that fell into the bowl. His heartbeat quickened, but he pretended to be calm and nodded. “Alright, I’m getting it done.”
Three minutes later, Yi Shi left the kitchen with a bowl of pomegranate seeds. He sat cross-legged on the couch, eating the seeds while watching TV. He realized that it wasn’t hard to bond with someone. Despite all the lectures from Yu Xue over the years, he had never managed to warm up his cold personality. But now, it seemed natural to get close to Lin Heyu, as if teasing him was an instinct.
When the crabs were ready, Lin Heyu mixed some ginger and vinegar sauce, placed it on the table, and called Yi Shi over to eat. Yi Shi pulled two beers from the fridge, cut off the grass rope around the crabs, and obediently sat at the table, waiting for Lin Heyu.
“Go ahead and start.” Lin Heyu placed a large crab in Yi Shi’s bowl. Yi Shi looked up at him. “I want to wait for you.”
“…Oh, okay. I’ll be quick.”
Lin Heyu busied himself in the kitchen, preparing a couple of side dishes to go with the beer. When he glanced back, he saw Yi Shi resting his head on his hand, poking at a crab claw with his finger, then playing with it like a pair of tongs. He was having a great time.
Somehow, that was a little… cute. Lin Heyu thought of that “Brother” and felt his ears start to heat up.
The two of them drank beer while eating crab. Yi Shi, having grown up in Jiangnan, had a limited tolerance for alcohol—he couldn’t drink much, but he wasn’t a complete lightweight either. His face flushed slightly, a pale pink rising beneath his fair skin. Though he was still fully conscious, the alcohol warmed him, leaving him with a slight sense of restlessness.
Lin Heyu was safe and sound. With concern, he asked, “Are you still okay?”
“Of course. Besides, I don’t have to work; it’s still a long way until my annual leave,” Yi Shi tapped the glass bottle. “Do you really feel nothing at all?”
“Mm.”
“Then should we get another bottle?”
“No need.” Lin Heyu was very disciplined, believing that a little drinking could lift one’s spirits, but too much could harm the body. He wasn’t fond of drinking either. These were left by Yuan Maoqiu the last time he visited. If Yi Shi hadn’t brought them out, who knew when they would have been consumed.
A small pile of crab shells had formed on Yi Shi’s plate, while a mountain had piled up on Lin Heyu’s side. He cracked open a crab claw, dipped it in ginger vinegar, and placed it in Yi Shi’s bowl. Most of the crab shells on the table had been dealt with in this way.
“You’re so good at taking care of people. Are you like this with all your friends?” Yi Shi asked.
“…Not really.” Lin Heyu picked the crab meat from the abdomen with his chopsticks. It depended on the person. If Yuan Maoqiu had dared to make him crack open crab shells, he would have punched him sober.
“Then why are you taking such good care of me?”
“…” This direct question hung in the air. Lin Heyu thought for a long time before responding, “You’re a guest. It’s only proper.”
Two crabs remained. Lin Heyu wrapped them in cling film, saving them for Yi Shi to eat tomorrow. After cleaning the table, he noticed Yi Shi had already rolled up his sleeves and was washing dishes at the sink. He worked quickly, and soon they were all clean and neatly returned to the cupboard.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I’m eating your food and staying at your place. I’d feel bad if I didn’t do something.” Yi Shi pointed to the tea tray. “Tea? I’ve already boiled the water.”
The scent of tea filled the living room. Yi Shi, after drinking, became more talkative. Holding the small teacup in his hand, he sipped the tea slowly and began recounting the small moments they had shared.
He didn’t mention many cases, nor did it feel deliberate. Lin Heyu, with his sharp mind, could piece together a rough outline from the few words spoken: A major explosion had occurred at the Nanyi Machinery Factory. Hostages were taken by bandits, who then killed and disposed of the bodies. The gang fled to Cheng’an Mountain, still plotting to pull off one last heist before making their escape.
Of course, the timeline of these events wasn’t clear. Lin Heyu quietly noted it down, intending to check the archives when he had the chance.
“I wanted to stop it, but I couldn’t. In the end, I could only watch as things unfolded one by one,” Yi Shi frowned. “I had no way out, none at all. Every time I tried, I failed, but I still didn’t want to give up.”
“If you couldn’t stop it, then it wasn’t your fault. You’re probably having nightmares because the pressure’s too much.” Lin Heyu noticed his beautiful brows furrowed into a deep line, so he reached out to smooth it. “That doesn’t look good.”
Yi Shi grabbed his wrist. “You said that the last time we met too.”
“When?”
“Probably the second time we met, from my perspective.” Yi Shi’s pale cheek brushed against Lin Heyu’s tanned hand. “Back then, I wasn’t used to being touched by others. Socializing felt especially troublesome, and I didn’t like talking. My captain even said I was like a problem child.”
“…I didn’t really get that impression.” After spending the past few days together, Lin Heyu actually felt that he himself had been too quiet.
“That’s because you’re different. My attitude toward you is different from how I treat others.”
Another direct remark hit him. Lin Heyu cleared his throat, pulled his hand back, and pretended to refill the tea. His lap suddenly felt heavy, and when he looked down, he found Yi Shi lying on the couch with his head resting on his legs.
Yi Shi’s arm was draped over his forehead, blocking the harsh light. He mumbled, “It’s different. The way I feel about you is special. If the same thing happened to my younger brother, I’d punch him. But with you, I don’t feel any resistance…”
“Your younger brother?” Lin Heyu looked down at him. “From your adoptive parents’ family?”
“Mm, he liked me. Even wrote me a love letter and confessed.”
??? Liked by a man, and it was his younger brother… Lin Heyu’s tone became a bit complicated. “And then?”
“Then I moved out. Later, when he confessed again, I cut off all ties with him.”
Hearing this answer inexplicably brightened Lin Heyu’s mood. He continued to reflect on Yi Shi’s words: if these things had happened to him, would Yi Shi not resist?
His heart began to race. Lin Heyu quickly grabbed his teacup and downed it in one gulp, then slowly refilled it.
Yi Shi rested on his firm, warm legs, hiding any embarrassment behind his arm. If Lin Heyu were to move it, he would see the nervousness still hidden in Yi Shi’s eyes, afraid that too much closeness would lead to rejection.
The atmosphere grew ambiguous and sticky. Lin Heyu awkwardly changed the subject, and Yi Shi’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he answered in a similarly awkward tone. Fortunately, at that moment, the phone rang. Lin Heyu quickly grabbed it and played a voice message from Yuan Maoqiu.
“Hey Lao Lin, I’ve already arranged a date with that nurse for you. I’ll send you the time and place in a bit. Just don’t forget to…”
Lin Heyu hurriedly locked his screen, palms sweating. He had thought Yuan Maoqiu was going to talk about work, but who knew he had already set him up on a blind date after just casually mentioning it over crabs? Did Yuan Maoqiu have to be this efficient?
The real issue was… Lin Heyu looked down. Yi Shi had moved his arm, his dark eyes staring up at him, blinking.
“Yuan Maoqiu’s setting you up with a girl?”
“Uh… yeah,” Lin Heyu braced himself and replied, “He knows a lot of girls. I’ll ask him to cancel it.”
“Cancel it?” Yi Shi continued staring at him. “Is it because I heard about it?”
Lin Heyu averted his gaze. “I’m busy, no time.”
Yi Shi sat up casually on the couch. “I once asked you if you had a girlfriend… do you remember how you answered?”
“Definitely no.”
Yi Shi reached out and covered Lin Heyu’s eyes, leaning in close, slightly tilting his head to avoid their noses touching, and pressed their lips together. He didn’t really know how to kiss, but his soft tongue timidly brushed against the edge of Lin Heyu’s lips for two or three seconds—so clumsy it was heartbreaking.
At the moment their lips met, Lin Heyu’s mind went blank.
Now—it’s certain he didn’t have a girlfriend.
—–
Author’s note:
This is so sweet it’s killing me!
You might notice from these two chapters that Xiao Yi’s personality has shifted a bit. This is because he’s regained memories from his childhood, and his dependence on Lin has grown. In previous chapters, I mentioned several times how different his personality was before. The main reasons for this change were Lin Heyu’s death and the loss of his memories. Now, with a complete memory, after integrating them, he’ll be a bit gentler than before. Being around Lin Heyu strengthens this “chemical reaction” even more.
The current dynamic between them is pretty much how it’ll be when they live together in the future. I really like this cold-to-everyone-but-clingy-behind-closed-doors version of Xiao Yi.
They are so cuteeeeeeee. I just hope they can stay like this forever.