Lu Guang Ming was not one to take losses lying down. Back at the office, he folded a little Xie Jia Hua effigy out of toilet paper and viciously poked its backside.
Damn you, Xie Jia Hua—always wearing that sour face, wasting my loving breakfast, bullying me… one day I’ll make you sit on my big “plane”.
That very evening after work, he rushed to the hospital again. Instead of going into the ward to face Xie Jia Hua’s unpleasant expression, he went to the front desk and showed his ICAC identification to a nurse, speaking in a mysterious tone:
“There’s an officer named Xie Jia Hua in Room C23. He’s involved in an ICAC case… No, no, he hasn’t committed any crime—he’s an important witness. Please inform me using the number on this card regarding his condition and discharge.”
After giving his instructions, he quietly crept to the ward door and tried to peek through the crack. Inside, he saw Qin Hao sitting at the bedside, carefully peeling an apple with focused attention. Xie Jia Hua was speaking softly, his expression relaxed. Though the words could not be heard clearly, his tone was gentle and calm—nothing like the way he spoke to ordinary subordinates.
That Big Yam has never spoken to me like that!
Lu Guang Ming’s temper flared instantly. Who exactly is this undercover brat?!
Pressing himself against the door, he tried to listen harder—but accidentally bumped into it with a dull thud.
Xie Jia Hua immediately looked toward the door, and Qin Hao’s gaze followed. The two exchanged a glance. Qin Hao got up and opened the door—only to find the corridor empty.
Lu Guang Ming had already bolted down the stairwell.
Back home, after washing up, he climbed into bed, hugging the blanket as usual. Inevitably, a trace of bitterness surfaced.
He prided himself on having neither inferiority nor shame—but even he felt a small sting. They had already slept together twice, yet Xie Jia Hua still treated him coldly. He had once thought Xie Jia Hua was like that to everyone—only now did he realize that Xie Jia Hua seemed to dislike only him.
And he, in turn, disliked Xie Jia Hua the most.
Xie Jia Hua was the son of his enemy—and his rival in love. He had taken advantage of him twice. He had beaten him—more than once. Not cute at all. Not interesting at all.
……
For two days, Lu Guang Ming simmered in irritation, thinking of Qin Hao’s handsome face. But a mature, worldly adult did not indulge in childish sulking. To achieve one’s goal, persistence and relentless effort were essential—that was the mark of a qualified ICAC investigator.
Xie Jia Hua was the son of his enemy, and Tang Jia Qi’s old friend. No matter what, he had to maintain a good relationship with him and extract information—wasn’t that right?
Having adjusted his mindset, he followed the nurse’s notification and went to “celebrate” Xie Jia Hua’s discharge.
Before going, he made a detour to buy flowers. The florist asked, “What kind of flowers would you like, sir? Who are they for?”
“To celebrate a patient—no, to celebrate an old man being discharged.”
“Then carnations would be suitable, sir.”
Lu Guang Ming bought carnations. After paying, he noticed sunflowers at the door and bought one more, placing it among the carnations.
Traffic was heavy again, and he was squeezed miserably on the bus. Holding the bouquet high, he thought: annoyed as he was, he should still treat Xie Jia Hua better. After all, the man had ended up in the hospital—not entirely his fault, but he bore some responsibility. No matter what expression Xie Jia Hua wore today, he would endure it and not say anything cutting. After all, the man was eight years older—at that age, one must be careful about blood pressure and not be provoked by the young.
Finally, he got off the bus and ran all the way to the hospital. Only while waiting for the elevator did he have time to catch his breath and tidy himself, carefully smoothing the wrinkled petals.
Ding—
The elevator doors opened.
Inside stood Xie Jia Hua.
And beside him—Qin Hao.
Too late.
Why is that undercover brat everywhere?!
Smile. Keep smiling.
Lu Guang Ming curved his eyes into a bright smile. “Inspector Xie, what a coincidence.”
As expected, Xie Jia Hua gave him no pleasant expression and immediately pressed the door-close button. Lu Guang Ming stuck his leg in, forced his way inside, and chattered endlessly, even teasing Qin Hao a couple of times. Unfortunately, both Qin Hao and Xie Jia Hua maintained identical stern professionalism—two icy mountains that seemed to drop the temperature in the elevator by several degrees.
But Lu Guang Ming—Sunny Lu—feared no cold wind. Sticking close to Xie Jia Hua as they exited, he continued his nonsense, even fabricating a story in front of Qin Hao.
“Where are you going? Give me a ride. My car’s in the shop—I spent an hour on the bus just now.”
Xie Jia Hua, who had been forced to hold the bouquet, immediately shoved it back into his arms as if tossing away a bomb. “Go away.”
“I’m really in a hurry. I’ve got a meeting at the ICAC this morning at ten. I wanted to see you first, then head back—but traffic…”
“Take a taxi yourself,” Xie Jia Hua said coldly.
Lu Guang Ming blinked. Seeing Qin Hao silently standing at the side—clearly being taken along—yet Xie Jia Hua refused even to give him a ride, a sour feeling rose in his chest. His mouth immediately turned sharp.
“Come on, you’re going the same way anyway. I remember your place is on the way to the ICAC—unless you moved after what we did last time…”
The words “what we did” were spoken loudly and suggestively.
Xie Jia Hua’s face darkened instantly. He lunged forward and covered Lu Guang Ming’s mouth. But judging by Qin Hao’s expression, he had already heard everything. And with Xie Jia Hua’s guilty reaction—what adult wouldn’t understand?
Mission accomplished.
Lu Guang Ming smugly leaned into Xie Jia Hua’s arms, stuffing the bouquet back into his hands. When Xie Jia Hua tried to shove him away, he immediately raised his voice again. Xie Jia Hua had no choice but to pull him back and clamp a hand tightly over his mouth.
At that moment, Xie Ying Jie appeared—witnessing the two entangled together. Mistaking their relationship as ambiguous (though not entirely wrong), he slapped his son. Xie Jia Hua showed no respect toward his father either.
Lu Guang Ming had no energy to dwell on their complicated father-son dynamic. He was doing everything he could to suppress the fury and hatred surging within him at the sight of the man who had ruined his life. If he spoke any further, he feared he would lose control and shoot Xie Ying Jie dead on the spot.
Fortunately, Xie Jia Hua seemed equally unwilling to remain near his father—and in order to leave quickly, he actually pulled Lu Guang Ming into the car with him.
……
They drove out of the parking lot together. Lu Guang Ming’s earlier playful persistence and sharp wit vanished entirely. He sank into a heavy mix of hatred and helplessness.
The man who had killed his father—and Jia Qi—stood right before him. Over the years, he had pieced together the truth from fragments, yet he had no evidence, nor could he confront Xie Ying Jie directly. All he could do was smile and act.
And what had he gained from clinging to that man’s son?
Beatings. Exploitation. Disdain. Rejection.
Xie Jia Hua pulled over and said, “I’m going to the station, not home. Get out here and take a taxi.”
Lu Guang Ming was not surprised in the slightest. Given how much Xie Jia Hua disliked him, not kicking him out immediately after leaving the parking lot was probably already an act of kindness.
He nodded and got out without protest, walking forward lost in thought. Children passed by on their way to school, chattering brightly under the sunlight. A couple walked hand in hand, lighthearted and carefree.
Only then did he feel how cold the sunlight was.
The only warmth he had ever known had already been taken away.
After half a block, someone suddenly grabbed him from behind. Turning around, he saw Xie Jia Hua.
“Inspector Xie? Is there something else?”
Xie Jia Hua hesitated, as if choosing his words, then spoke plainly:
“I’ve recently uncovered some old matters. I understand now why you’ve been clinging to me. Your father died twenty years ago in a bank robbery. My father was his partner. You suspect my father of corruption—is it because you think your father’s death was related to him? I may not have a good relationship with him, but I’ve seen him work hard and handle cases seriously my whole life. He’s never bent the law. I believe in his character. What happened twenty years ago may not be what you think.”
Lu Guang Ming froze.
In that instant, something inside him quietly broke.
Somewhere deep within, he had always harbored a faint illusion—that his relationship with Xie Jia Hua was somehow special. That perhaps, beneath their physical entanglement, there was even the smallest trace of feeling. That one day, Xie Jia Hua might understand him, might change his opinion, might trust him—just a little.
But that had always been nothing more than wishful thinking.
In Xie Jia Hua’s eyes, he was nothing but a shameless, immoral madman—someone who used even his own body as a bargaining chip for revenge. Every word he spoke was a lie. Everything he did was madness. Even his investigation into Xie Ying Jie was, in Xie Jia Hua’s mind, mere obsession and misunderstanding.
What a despicable, laughable person he must seem.
For the first time, Lu Guang Ming dropped his smile—and revealed his true emotions.
“My father has been dead for twenty years! Jia Qi has been dead for ten! Just because you choose to believe your father, do they deserve to die in vain?!”
Xie Jia Hua frowned. “What do you mean? You’re saying Jia Qi’s death is related to him?”
Lu Guang Ming let out a cold, harsh laugh. “You’ve never even suspected it?”
Xie Jia Hua shook his head in disbelief. “Impossible… impossible… You call Jia Qi ‘brother’? You really knew him?”
—Even in this, you never believed me.
Disappointment flooded him completely. He shook off Xie Jia Hua and stormed away—only to be grabbed again.
“I’ll investigate this—I will!” Xie Jia Hua said urgently. “But don’t act on your own! He’s the Deputy Commissioner—not someone you can touch!”
Lu Guang Ming struggled, but Xie Jia Hua held him tightly.
“I’m doing this for your own good! Do you understand?”
—For my own good? You’re the one who hates me most.
With all his strength, Lu Guang Ming drove his fist into Xie Jia Hua’s face—finally breaking free.
“Don’t trouble yourself, Inspector Xie!”
Futile Devices Scans 
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