Yi Shi’s kiss stirred a spring of emotions. Lin Heyu’s first kiss was taken by a man, and though he felt bewildered and shocked, there was not a trace of disgust. His body stiffened as he passively accepted the awkward kiss, not even considering stopping it.
On the contrary, the one who initiated the kiss backed off afterward, appearing uneasy, his gaze wandering nervously. A faint blush spread from his ears down to his neck, adding a hint of color to his pale cheeks, which somehow made him look even more comfortable than before.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, Yi Shi stood up to clean the tea set. It was getting late, and drinking more tea would only make it harder to fall asleep. Lin Heyu suddenly grabbed his wrist. Yi Shi, feeling slightly tense, pretended to remain calm and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Before… was our relationship like this?”
“…We never confirmed our relationship.”
Thinking back carefully, Yi Shi realized that they had never really discussed such matters seriously. Most of their time together was spent grappling with the cases and the confusing cycle they were stuck in. Their relationship seemed to develop naturally and gradually, without any formal acknowledgment.
It probably was hard to define, given the complicated dynamics between them. But one thing was certain: their feelings for each other were sincere. Their bond wasn’t defined by who met whom first; either way, they would have been deeply attracted to one another.
Yi Shi smiled lightly, “That kiss just now wasn’t an accident, but don’t overthink it. Let’s just interact like friends. We’re very special to each other, and you’ll understand that in time.”
After washing the tea set, Yi Shi returned to the study and didn’t come out again. Lin Heyu, lying in bed, tossed and turned, his fingers occasionally brushing his lips as he recalled the warm, soft sensation.
The next morning, Lin Heyu went for his usual morning run and bought breakfast before heading home. He left it on the table, along with a note reminding Yi Shi to finish the crabs in the fridge.
At the police station, Lin Heyu was somewhat distracted, even missing Song Ping’s greeting. Yuan Maoqiu clapped him on the shoulder and said, “Lao Lin, you really need to step up this time. I’m not asking you to be super charming, but at least don’t kill the conversation. I’ve talked you up to no end, walked ninety-nine steps for you, so don’t let it all go to waste.”
Their colleagues started teasing:
“Wow, the matchmaker’s setting Lao Lin up again! What’s she like this time?”
“Knowing Lao Yuan, she’s definitely a beauty.”
“Looks are secondary; what matters is whether she can win Lin Heyu’s heart.”
Lin Heyu was stunned, having forgotten about the whole thing. As he tidied his desk, he said, “Forget it. Cancel it.”
“…What?” Yuan Maoqiu was shocked. “That’s not what you said yesterday.”
“Well, that was yesterday.” Lin Heyu was firm. “Don’t set me up again; I don’t need it.”
“Are you going to become a monk?”
“No, I just don’t want to date. I’d rather spend that time solving cases.”
Yuan Maoqiu was completely baffled. How could Lin Heyu’s mindset change so drastically overnight? He was on the verge of losing it—why did he even bother taking on this thankless task? Lin Heyu was the type who deserved to be single for life.
A murder-robbery case was reported in the south of the city, where a couple had been killed. Lin Heyu spent the entire day gathering evidence and conducting interviews, without even having time for a sip of water. By 7 PM, after removing his bloodstained gloves in the forensic department, the autopsy was complete. Gu Yan asked if he wanted to order takeout, and that’s when Lin Heyu remembered there was someone at home, who probably hadn’t eaten yet.
“Lao Lin, what are you in the mood for?” Gu Yan was flipping through a menu. “Stir-fried liver or braised chicken gizzards?”
“…” Lin Heyu respectfully declined. After several hours of autopsies, eating offal was the last thing he could stomach.
He turned down Gu Yan’s invitation and explained he had to head home. If there were any new developments, they could call him. Gu Yan looked up, puzzled. “Your sister’s back?”
“No, she’s out of town.”
“Then why the rush to get home?”
“…I’ve got something to take care of.”
Gu Yan couldn’t figure it out. It was as if he’d seen a ghost. Lin Heyu was known for his dedication to work, so what could possibly be important enough to make him put it second? He had fully expected Lin Heyu to spend the night at the station.
On the way home, Lin Heyu picked up two takeout meals. When he arrived, Yi Shi was watching the news and seemed surprised to see him. “Isn’t there a case?”
“…You knew?”
Yi Shi chuckled helplessly, “I’m a cop too. If you’re not home by now, what else could you be doing besides working on a case?”
There were plenty of things he could be doing, like Yuan Maoqiu, who would usually be at the gym, on a date, or hanging out with friends at this hour. Police officers are still ordinary people after work, and their leisure activities are just as varied. Compared to Yuan, Lin Heyu’s personal life was dull—work and home, with rare deviations, usually involving his sister.
But for Yi Shi to say something like that, it was clear how monotonous his own life must be—aside from work, it was just more work, much like Lin Heyu’s.
“What did you bring?” Yi Shi looked behind him. “Dinner? I’ve already eaten.”
“Did you cook?”
“Instant noodles.”
Lin Heyu placed the takeout on the table, grabbed two sets of chopsticks from the kitchen, and insisted that Yi Shi eat some more. Yi Shi obediently sat down and opened one of the boxes, which contained tomato and egg stir-fry over rice. After a few bites, he stopped eating.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“It’s a bit sweet.”
“Maybe they added too much sugar.” Lin Heyu opened his own meal—kung pao chicken—and without hesitation, switched their dishes, taking the tomato and egg stir-fry for himself.
Even though Yi Shi had already taken a few bites, Lin Heyu ate it without a second thought. With the flavor more to his liking, Yi Shi finally resumed eating, and they continued their meal together, chatting in a warm and pleasant atmosphere.
Feeding Yi Shi, Lin Heyu opened the fridge and took out ingredients, including some frozen ribs, which would take at least an hour to make into soup. Yi Shi found it strange. Why was he preparing food now? Lin Heyu had been working hard all day; shouldn’t he be resting?
“It’s for tomorrow. I have to rush to the bureau in the morning and won’t have time to cook.” Lin Heyu tied on an apron, and Yi Shi quickly said, “Go rest. I can take care of myself. You don’t need to worry.”
“Zhizhi always says the same thing, but she’s the one who buys all the instant noodles at home.”
Yi Shi rubbed the tip of his nose, his face slightly red. Living alone in a rented apartment, he hardly ever used the stove. Partly because he was busy, and partly because he wasn’t interested in cooking. Besides, Lin Zhizhi would frequently bring him home-cooked food, stuffing his fridge so full that she was afraid he’d go hungry.
“You don’t need to make so much; I can’t eat it all.”
“It’ll last two days. I’ll be busy and working overtime, but at least you won’t go hungry.”
Lin Heyu got busy, rinsing and preparing the ingredients with practiced ease. Yi Shi came to help and slowly peeled a basket of fava beans. Lin Heyu talked about childhood stories, how his mother used to string fava beans with a needle, hang them around his neck after they were cooked, and when he came back from playing, the whole necklace would be eaten.
“Sounds fun. Is that a custom from Linjia Village?”
“I’m not sure. I lived in Jiangnan at the time and moved to Linjia Village later. My mom is from Linjia Village. She eventually returned home after wandering around, spending the rest of her life at Cheng’an Mountain.” Lin Heyu smiled, “Oh, there’s something else fun.”
Lin Heyu leaned closer, taking Yi Shi’s hand and picking out a few intact half-round fava bean shells, placing them on his five fingertips: “Doesn’t it look like monster claws?”
Yi Shi wiggled his hand. “Did you invent this?”
“I don’t remember. All the neighborhood kids would do it. Back then, we were quite proud. Whoever had the best-shaped ‘claws’ could be the king for the day.”
“During Dragon Boat Festival, every child had a duck egg pouch hanging around their neck, and we all thought little ducklings would hatch from them. Only when they broke did we realize they were salted duck eggs.”
“Do you know about mugwort? My mom was very skilled; she’d make sachets out of mugwort and hang a few on the bed, and there was always one on my schoolbag. You could smell the fragrance from far away.”
“Everyday things were fine, but during the New Year, there were even more good things. The family would set up an offering table. Once, I got a good scolding for sneaking food off it.”
Yi Shi listened, entranced. Most of his childhood memories were filled with exposure to the elements and hunger. The things Lin Heyu took for granted were things Yi Shi was hearing for the first time, and his envy was hard to hide.
This was the difference between people. The deficiencies of childhood could never be made up in this lifetime. Likewise, the hardships endured in childhood would be deeply ingrained in one’s mind, each scene vividly clear as long as memory existed.
Why had his parents abandoned him? Yi Shi sometimes struggled to understand. He wasn’t disabled, and he was quite clever. What was it about him that made him an orphan?
“No matter what happens in the future, at least during that time, your childhood was happy.” Yi Shi took off the fava bean shells one by one, preparing to continue peeling the beans. But Lin Heyu took the basket away: “I’ll peel. You help pick the chives.”
Yi Shi nodded, and with the kitchen counter full of food, he took a basket and a small stool to the living room to sit down. When he looked up again, Lin Heyu was blanching the ribs and getting ready to make soup. He had another burner going, preparing to stir-fry some dishes.
“Leave the chives here. Haven’t you showered yet? Go quickly.”
Yi Shi gestured toward the balcony, where his clothes were still wet. If he showered now, he’d have to borrow Lin Heyu’s clothes. Lin Heyu decisively found a set of his own pajamas, instructing Yi Shi to roll up the sleeves and pant legs, warning him not to trip.
Less than half an hour later, Yi Shi came out, drying his hair. The air was filled with the aroma of meat. He went to the kitchen, where three steaming dishes were laid out on the counter, and Lin Heyu, with his back to him, was engrossed in something, not noticing him approach.
Yi Shi walked over and saw Lin Heyu holding a needle and thread, carefully stringing the remaining fava beans in the basket. There weren’t many beans, maybe a dozen. When he finished the last one, he tied a knot at both ends and tossed it into the pot to boil with salt, star anise, MSG, bay leaves, and cinnamon before covering the pot with a lid.
“Why did you come in? You just showered; don’t get oil and smoke all over you again.” Lin Heyu pulled Yi Shi out of the kitchen, looking him over. The pajamas were indeed too big, with the cuffs needing to be rolled twice and the neckline hanging low, exposing half of his collarbone.
Lin Heyu cleared his throat, using his fingers to adjust the neckline, then fixed the shoulders of the pajamas, finally covering the distracting collarbone.
“You don’t need to do this,” Yi Shi suddenly said.
“Huh?” Lin Heyu was unexpectedly nervous. “It’s still better to wear it properly. Having it exposed is a bit…”
Before he could finish, he was interrupted. Yi Shi pursed his lips, trying to hide the turmoil in his eyes: “I don’t care too much about those childhood things. I can’t change it, and it doesn’t affect my life now. So, you really don’t need to feel sympathy for me. No, I don’t know how to say this well, but you don’t need to, don’t need to…”
He was trying to say that Lin Heyu didn’t need to dwell on such small matters but also didn’t want to reject his kindness. Lin Heyu had been nothing but sincere toward him, and Yi Shi didn’t know what words to use to properly express the complexity of his feelings.
“Yes, childhood can’t be changed, but there’s nothing wrong with experiencing it as an adult, right?” Lin Heyu reached out, intending to ruffle Yi Shi’s hair, but midway, he changed direction, pinching the soft flesh on Yi Shi’s cheek. “There’s nothing to sympathize with. I just wanted to share with you.”
Yi Shi sat quietly, and about ten minutes later, Lin Heyu went to the pot, fished out the fava bean necklace, and soaked it in cold water. After it cooled, he dried it with paper towels and held it up for Yi Shi to see.
“The fava beans I bought aren’t enough to make a necklace, so I made a bracelet instead. It’s five-spice flavored. If you get hungry at night, you can eat it. Fun, right?”
Yi Shi let him slip the fava bean bracelet onto his wrist. His eyes stung slightly, and for the first time in a long while, he felt the urge to cry.
“I can’t make duck egg pouches, but I can buy one from the street. As for mugwort sachets, I know how to make them. I can make you one when there’s time… Hey, why are your eyes red?”
Yi Shi wiped his eyes, insisting, “It’s nothing,” though his eyelashes were wet.
He felt fortunate to have met Lin Heyu. With him, his life felt perfectly complete.
