Futile Devices Scans

At three in the middle of the night. The cargo trucks unloading goods near the fruit market had gradually dispersed. He Chu San drove up in a modest black Mercedes sedan, stopping in front of Xia Liu Yi’s fruit stall.

The Lamborghini he had driven to pick Xia Liu Yi up on the day of his release had been specially bought as a gift. He had thought Xia Liu Yi would like that flashy, eye-catching style, but Xia Liu Yi said that since they were together every day, he couldn’t be bothered to drive himself, so he had the car returned. The fruit market wasn’t far from where they now lived—about half an hour by bicycle. When He Chu San didn’t have time to pick him up, Xia Liu Yi would simply ride a mountain bike back and forth.

He Chu San got out of the car and helped him load the bicycle into the trunk. Just as he was about to return to the driver’s seat, Xia Liu Yi suddenly let out a cold snort.

He Chu San didn’t dare say a word. Obediently, he walked around to the passenger seat and yielded the driver’s position.

Xia Liu Yi sat down in the driver’s seat with a cold expression. His slippers made driving inconvenient, so he took them off and tossed them into the back seat, driving barefoot instead. Noticing the slippers, He Chu San asked carefully, “Why are you wearing those? What about the leather shoes you wore this morning?”

Xia Liu Yi kept his eyes on the road, still cold. “Stepped into muddy water while unloading goods this morning.”

“Did you throw them away?”

“No. Left them at the shop.”

“I’ll go get them—when we get home, I’ll clean them for you.” He Chu San was about to open the car door, but Xia Liu Yi grabbed him.

“Forget it. Let’s go home and sleep. I’m tired.”

He Chu San obediently fastened his seatbelt. The car started, moving through the quiet, empty streets. He kept sneaking glances at Xia Liu Yi, eventually noticing a faint scratch on the back of his left index finger.

“What happened here? Did you get hurt while beating Phoenix?”

Earlier, Xia Liu Yi had carefully scrubbed off all the blood and even changed clothes. Hearing that, he glanced down, only then noticing the small cut himself. “It’s nothing… helped a young girl earlier.”

“You didn’t hit Phoenix?”

Xia Liu Yi scoffed. “Just a brat. Hey, Actor He, next time you try to make me jealous, can you find someone more convincing?”

He Chu San finally steered the conversation to the point and quickly explained, “I didn’t know he would come find you. He’s a runway newcomer, a popular model recently—I have nothing to do with him. I’ve only met him a few times because his father is my business partner…”

“Met him a few times?” Xia Liu Yi scoffed again.

He Chu San swallowed awkwardly, suddenly feeling like he was being interrogated by his father. “Ahem… he interned at my company after graduation, said he wanted to learn finance… mostly K-Boy handled him. I—I didn’t… I didn’t know he had feelings for me at the time…”

“Hmph!” Xia Liu Yi snorted.

By the time they got home—it was almost four in the morning. Since the Tsim Sha Tsui apartment had been burned down by Xia Liu Yi’s soup-making accident, they had moved back into Xia Liu Yi’s old village house. They each took a bathroom upstairs and downstairs, quickly washed up, and went to bed. He Chu San still wanted to cling to him, but Xia Liu Yi turned his back and ignored him. “Sleep. Don’t you have work tomorrow?”

He Chu San still had a meeting the next day, so he could only wrap his arms around his waist from behind and close his eyes reluctantly.

……

After only four hours of sleep, President He had to get up for work. Being a CEO these days was harder than being a regular employee. He carefully washed up, maintained strict personal hygiene, and meticulously applied skincare—patting and smoothing like a proper “metrosexual.” Even his neck received careful attention. Then he combed his hair, applied hair product, and finished getting ready.

Putting on a suit, he stood before the mirror tying his tie. Opening a concealed wall compartment, he selected a watch. Even the tie clip had to be chosen carefully. Fully dressed, he went upstairs and returned to the bedroom to check on Xia Liu Yi.

Xia Liu Yi was wrapped in the blanket, back turned, seemingly asleep. He Chu San climbed onto the bed and quietly approached him from behind. “Husband?”

“……” No response.

“Mr. Xia, Mrs. Xia is going to work—no morning kiss?”

“……” Still no response.

He Chu San felt even more dejected. He secretly kissed the crown of his hair and began to get off the bed—only for Xia Liu Yi to suddenly turn, grab his collar, and pull him back, biting him hard once! Twice! Three times!

“Tonight, I’ll deal with you!”

With swollen lips and bite marks on his face, Mrs. Xia headed off to work in high spirits.

……

He Chu San returned home early in the afternoon. Xia Liu Yi sat in the living room of the village house, wearing an apron, facing the television. A pen was tucked behind his ear, a bowl of vegetables on his left, an account book on his right—handling three things at once: watching TV, picking vegetables, and calculating accounts. His eyes were on the ledger, his ears on the TV, his hands swiftly sorting vegetables, occasionally taking down the pen to jot something.

He Chu San couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re quite busy as a house husband. What are we having tonight? I’ll help.”

The two worked together in the kitchen, chatting casually. He Chu San never brought work troubles home. Instead, he talked about current events—next year’s Taiwan election, chaotic brawls in the Legislative Council, Mr. Chen’s unpopular eight-year administration, the uncertain prospects of the Min Party, and how Mr. Ma from the Guo Party was gaining the most support… These global shifts were closely tied to financial markets, yet he only shared the gossip, knowing Xia Liu Yi got headaches from numbers and preferred stories of powerful figures clashing.

Xia Liu Yi, in turn, shared his own gossip—everyday trivialities. “Susin is having a spat with Xiao Ma again, staying at the gym for days without going home. Reason? Xiao Ma won’t let him build more muscle. ‘Damn it, his chest is bigger than mine!’ ‘Didn’t you like my big chest?’—that sort of thing.”

One steaming dish after another was placed on the dining table. After setting down the soup, Xia Liu Yi returned to see He Chu San, still in his suit but wearing an apron, skillfully and attentively stir-frying at the stove. Xia Liu Yi unconsciously leaned against the kitchen doorway, smiling as he watched his back.

Perhaps influenced by Mr. He since childhood, He Chu San placed great importance on the idea of home. Whether it was something as large as a house filled with memories, or as small as a pair of toothbrushes, a couple’s shoes, family reunions, festive holidays, or every fleeting moment the two of them spent together in daily life—he treated it all with care.

Perhaps, having long resolved to enter a treacherous and unpredictable world, to fight fiercely and build his career in the business arena, what he truly wanted beyond all that was simply warmth—a sincere love, a peaceful home, a harbor to rest in. But if all he ever wanted was an ordinary, gentle life, why had he fallen in love, back then, with Xia Liu Yi—someone who lived by the blade and walked the dangerous paths of the underworld?

Xia Liu Yi, too, had never imagined in his youth that he would spend his life with someone like this. He had assumed he would grow old alone. It could only be said that love was something mysterious—fate, something impossible to predict or explain.

“Dinner’s ready,” He Chu San said, carrying over the last dish. “Did you wash the bowls and chopsticks?”

“Mm.”

“How about going to see a stage play tonight? I’ve bought tickets.”

“Okay.”

……

After dinner, they walked arm in arm to the cultural center to watch the play. Xia Liu Yi had even changed into a suit, rarely wearing a tie, and had styled his hair with pomade. He carried a book titled Interesting Talks on English Etymology, intending to read it while waiting, putting on the air of a cultured gentleman.

He Chu San held onto his arm every step of the way, fully embodying the role of Mrs. Xia, glancing around as they walked. “Brother Liu Yi, do you remember our first date here?”

“I remember. I got kicked out afterward,” Xia Liu Yi replied irritably.

“Hahaha! Are you dressed like this today so you won’t get kicked out again?”

Xia Liu Yi, his thoughts exposed, pinched him hard at the waist. Passersby cast them strange looks; Xia Liu Yi stepped slightly in front of him, returning a cold glance. He Chu San, however, didn’t care at all, still clinging closely to him with a smile—as he had long since reached a place where they no longer needed to live under others’ judgment.

The comedy play was truly hilarious. Sitting in the front-middle seats, Xia Liu Yi laughed nonstop. When he turned his head, he found that He Chu San had already fallen asleep against his shoulder. Xia Liu Yi shifted slightly to make him more comfortable, letting him rest more easily, and gently stroked his face, rubbing his soft earlobe.

……

On the way home, Xia Liu Yi drove, while He Chu San leaned back in the passenger seat, continuing to sleep comfortably—he hadn’t slept enough the night before, and tonight his husband was going to “deal with him,” so he needed to catch up on rest.

When they arrived home, Xia Liu Yi urged him to go to bed, but He Chu San immediately became unwilling, clinging to him teasingly. “Didn’t you say you were going to deal with me?”

“You’re this excited about getting dealt with?”

“Hehe, how are you going to deal with me?”

“Damn it, look at that smug face. That kid—did you arrange him on purpose to provoke me?”

“No, no, absolutely not.”

“Go take a shower. Then come to the bedroom and see how I deal with you.”

He Chu San happily went to shower, full of anticipation. The moment he pushed open the bedroom door, Xia Liu Yi covered his eyes with a tie.

“Are you going to tie me up?” he asked, delighted.

“Not tying you,” Xia Liu Yi said with a smile. “But if you dare struggle tonight, you won’t be allowed on my bed for the rest of the month.”

He Chu San eagerly awaited what was to come—

…

It turned into a long night of both torment and pleasure. At one point, Xia Liu Yi pulled the tie away from his eyes. A large mirror stood by the bed, and Xia Liu Yi pressed him against it, forcing him to face his own reflection—

“Buying all those props to play with your Brother Liu Yi? You think I don’t know how to play? Enjoying it? Exciting?”

“Exciting… ah… I’m dying here… be kind, let me go…”

“Don’t move! You can wait right there!”

…

The night stretched on.

The next morning, President He didn’t wake until late. He lay sprawled on the bed, half-dead, his body aching.

He had worked too hard—like an overworked ox.

Downstairs, his husband was humming a tune while making turtle soup, the television loudly broadcasting the news. He Chu San wrapped himself in a robe and carefully made his way downstairs, only to see a segment playing on TV—

“From Cantonese opera blade performer to Yau Ma Tei’s Durian Prince—recently, a fruit vendor’s video of cutting pineapples and durians with a large blade has gone viral online. The handsome vendor moves swiftly, slicing fruit with dazzling technique, even smiling slightly at the camera. Viewers are completely captivated—one smile is enough to enchant a city! According to the ‘Durian Prince,’ he was once a blade performer in Cantonese opera, now turned fruit seller, a reminder of life’s unpredictable twists… The fruit stall, located on Reclamation Street, has been crowded with admirers since this morning—though today doesn’t seem to be his shift…”

He Chu San stood in the living room, robe wrapped around him, staring wide-eyed at the entire report. The crowd lining up was filled with female customers—ranging from eight to eighty—along with quite a few burly men, all giggling and jostling about.

Actor He felt a wave of sour jealousy surge straight to his head.

He had only accidentally brought Xia Liu Yi one romantic rival—yet Xia Liu Yi, in return, had attracted an entire crowd.

“Xia—Liu—Yi—! Did you do this on purpose?!”

“Jealous? Enjoying it?” Xia Liu Yi called back.

“Tonight, I’ll deal with you again—!”

……

Married Life, NEVER_END.

Elio’s notes: That’s it. We’re finally done with this project! We’ll start proofreading the translations and start updating our other projects tomorrow. We’re now missing one more project so if you have anything in mind, please let us know down in the comments so we can take a look at it. Thanks for reading and please continue supporting the author and the ongoing series. ヽ(*´∀｀)

More update: While proofreading, my colleague noticed there are actually more extra chapters. Prolly about 10 or so. So we’ll have to finish this til the end lol

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