“I never thought of it,” Xie Jia Hua said flatly. Ever since he brought Lu Guang Ming into his home, he had never imagined such a moment.
—Naturally, he had never imagined it. He had never feared things like “playing with fire and burning oneself” or “raising a tiger that would bring calamity”. Could he really be overpowered by a little thing like Lu Guang Ming?
With both hands clasped behind his head, Xie Jia Hua drove a knee into Lu Guang Ming’s backside, effortlessly flipping him over and pinning him beneath. His thighs clamped around Lu Guang Ming’s waist like iron bands. Within three seconds, Lu Guang Ming was at a disadvantage, struggling helplessly, yet still grinning shamelessly.
“Inspector Xie—what strong legs, what strong legs.” He even reached out to touch.
Xie Jia Hua loosened his grip. Like a snake, Lu Guang Ming slipped free—where was there any sign of an injured foot? In a few quick steps, he darted away and lunged into the bedroom, trying to shut the door. Xie Jia Hua chased after him and kicked the door open with a bang!
“Hey, hey, hey! It’s your own door—if you break it, you’ll have to pay for repairs!” Even while diving into the blanket, Lu Guang Ming still worried about saving him money.
Xie Jia Hua leapt onto the bed in a single bound, hauling Lu Guang Ming out of the covers like catching a rabbit and pinning him firmly down. Bracing his hands on either side of Lu Guang Ming’s head, the chain of the handcuffs lay across Lu Guang Ming’s neck as he glared down at him.
“I was wrong! I was wrong!” Lu Guang Ming laughed as he pleaded. Morning light spilled through the window, scattering shimmering points of brightness in his eyes. His curved brows and smiling eyes carried both cunning and wicked charm—like a sudden storm breaking into Xie Jia Hua’s austere, disciplined, ascetic life.
A shadow flickered in Xie Jia Hua’s gaze. Within that furious, cold stare, an unconscious trace of softness emerged. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Guang Ming wrapped his arms around his neck.
Dim morning light spread across the dark blue quilt, reflecting waves of motion—struggle, entanglement, toes gripping the sheets, arms slick with sweat and moisture, the faint clinking of handcuffs, and indistinct breaths and sighs. A venomous serpent slid through the shadowed forest, silently entering Eden, placing a fatal apple before holy Adam. Taste it, the serpent whispered. See how it overflows with juice. Taste me—stroke my smooth scales, drink my cold blood. This is the sweetest poison in the world.
……
The alarm clock by the bedside rang two hours later. Xie Jia Hua sat at the edge of the bed wrapped in a blanket, clutching his head in regret. Lu Guang Ming lay sprawled on the bed, naked, humming a tune. Hearing the alarm ring incessantly, he lazily nudged Xie Jia Hua with his toes.
“Turn it off.”
Xie Jia Hua did not respond. Lu Guang Ming grinned wickedly and kicked him again—lightly this time. A trace of fluid slid onto the bedsheet with the exaggerated motion. Xie Jia Hua turned his head stiffly to look—then abruptly sprang to his feet.
“Hey, hey, what are you doing? My foot hurts, my backside hurts—be gentle, be gentle…”
Xie Jia Hua cleaned him up, dressed him, and promptly packed him—together with his belongings—back to that shabby little room. Lu Guang Ming stood inside with his hands on his hips, cursing loudly.
“Eat and run! You big sweet potato!”
The “big sweet potato” ran off without even turning his head, too lazy to argue—he couldn’t win anyway. The foot injury had long since healed, the assailant had already been caught—why keep such a disaster at home? This morning’s absurdity was his own fault—courting death again and again. From now on, they would sever ties—no more crossing paths in the jianghu!
No more crossing paths my ass! Lu Guang Ming ground his teeth at the slammed door. Then, thinking it over, he found Xie Jia Hua’s reaction rather amusing. Laughing, he waddled back to the bed and collapsed onto it.
His backside was sore and swollen, burning hot. Twisting awkwardly, he hugged the blanket into a ball. Recalling the way Xie Jia Hua had frowned and panted over him earlier, his cheeks flushed red. With a mischievous grin, he buried his head into the pillow.
Inspector Xie truly lives up to being a model student—so thorough with foreplay. Once serious, his technique is actually quite good!
……
Lu Guang Ming took a half-day leave, sleeping until the sun was high before heading out to work, yawning and walking with legs slightly apart. At a street corner, he caught sight of a follower reflected in a car window. The person shadowed him stealthily to work—and again followed him home that night. Before going to bed, Lu Guang Ming slipped a registered handgun beneath his pillow. Though cautious, he felt no fear.
The cases he had been investigating recently, aside from the two assigned by his superiors, were mostly old cases related to Xie Jia Hua’s father, Xie Ying Jie, which he had been probing privately. Xie Jia Hua’s current superior, Deputy Superintendent Liu, had once served under Xie Ying Jie years ago. Now the head of the West Kowloon Major Crimes Unit, Deputy Superintendent Liu was suspected by Lu Guang Ming of having secretly aided Xie Ying Jie’s underworld operations—though far less openly than the former inspector.
As for Deputy Superintendent Liu being “invited for tea” by the ICAC, that was actually due to Lu Guang Ming uncovering one of his past violations. He had submitted the evidence anonymously to ICAC higher-ups, who then assigned others to investigate—while he himself pretended ignorance in front of Xie Jia Hua.
He knew he was digging deeper and deeper, already touching Xie Ying Jie’s sore spot. The other side had begun to suspect his existence. Coupled with his relentless entanglement with Xie Jia Hua over the past two years, he had undoubtedly drawn Xie Ying Jie’s attention. Thus, he decided to go with the flow—pulling a tiger’s tooth—and deliberately entangle himself further with Xie Jia Hua by establishing a “bed partner relationship”.
Let the watcher report back. Not only would it enrage Old Master Xie to the point of apoplexy, it would also make him wary—hesitant to kill him outright. After all, if Xie Jia Hua lost his “bed partner,” would he let it go? What if, in fury, he investigated his own father?
Lu Guang Ming planted poisoned seeds everywhere with measured patience, waiting for them to take root and grow.
On February 4th of that year—the death anniversary of Tang Jia Qi—he worked late at the ICAC before walking to Xie Jia Hua’s apartment. Standing below, he looked up at the faint light glowing from the window—a candle that burned through the entire night.
The early spring night wind still carried a chill. Pulling his collar tighter, Lu Guang Ming leaned beneath a streetlamp. From his pocket, he took out an old handkerchief once stained with his own blood. Stroking its creases, he thought:
Even if you, like me, mourn that person day after day, year after year… when the truth finally comes to light—will you hate your father, the true culprit? Will you hate yourself for being blinded? Or will you hate me, who used you by any means necessary for revenge?
If that day truly comes—when injustice is cleared and all is settled—would you still be willing to give me even this small measure of warmth?
……
One late night in March, Lu Guang Ming worked alone in the ICAC office. The brick phone on his desk rang. He picked it up, and a cautious, serious voice came through.
“Investigator Lu? This is He Chu San. I’d like to meet and talk.”
He Chu San arranged to meet at a cemetery—the resting place of his parents. He had expected that she would uncover his background—but he had not expected her to even find that long-lost photograph.
That night, they spoke for a very long time. He Chu San openly confessed her relationship with Xia Liu Yi and everything she knew of the past. For the first time, Lu Guang Ming let down his guard and told his own story. He Chu San said firmly:
“If you want Xie Ying Jie to lose everything and repay blood with blood, I have other methods.”
To be honest, while he trusted him, he did not quite believe those words. He Chu San was an interesting person—perhaps as interesting as Xie Jia Hua—but interesting did not mean invincible. Xie Jia Hua had investigated for ten years without uncovering the truth behind Tang Jia Qi’s death; he himself had also searched for ten years, yet could not produce evidence.
Still, he was willing to take the gamble—to try this “other method” with her. He had already exhausted everything he could do. He wanted to see how tall a tree this “seed” could grow into.
Since he agreed, He Chu San laid everything out—sharing a series of grand revenge plans: explosions, murder, power seizure, betrayal, imprisonment and abuse, love and mutual destruction…
“Wait,” he interrupted. “Mr. He, do you think you’re a scriptwriter from ATV?”
“Mr. Lu, given that we are now friends bound by life and death, you may call me A’San.”
“Oh, then you can call me A’Ming. A’San, isn’t your script a bit… exaggerated?”
“It is a little exaggerated. A’Ming doesn’t like it?”
“How could I not like it?! I love it!! Why didn’t I meet you earlier?! With so many schemes and tricks in your head—how did you manage to act so well-behaved and win over Xia Liu Yi? Teach me!!!”
Futile Devices Scans 
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