Futile Devices Scans

As autumn arrived, the night market food stalls were covered with plastic canopies. The mix of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty flavors was all trapped within a cramped space. Together with the loud shouting of drunkards, it really wasn’t a pleasant experience.

Xue Bao Tian brushed through his slightly damp hair, rubbing a strand between his fingers and then bringing it to his nose to smell. “Can’t you buy some shampoo? That bar of soap has been worn down to skin and bones by you.”

Zhang Chi was focused on peeling shrimp. Hearing this, he only glanced at the man beside him. He placed a plate of peeled crayfish in front of Xue Bao Tian—some garlic-flavored, some spicy, neatly arranged on both sides of the plate.

“Eat something. Stop drinking. You still have to drive later.”

Xue Bao Tian scoffed coldly. “What are you being so attentive for? Feeling guilty?” He picked up a shrimp with his chopsticks, tossed it into his mouth, chewed a couple of times, then gave his verdict. “Tastes like a corpse.”

Putting down his chopsticks, he kicked Zhang Chi under the table. “Before, we had some back-and-forth, so I let it go. But this time I didn’t threaten you, didn’t retaliate. I even kindly brought you someone. What right do you have to mess with me?”

A warm hand covered Xue Bao Tian’s knee. Zhang Chi gently squeezed it and apologized in a low voice. “My fault. I couldn’t hold back.”

What annoyed Xue Bao Tian the most was Zhang Chi’s submissive attitude—it made it impossible to vent his anger. He slapped the hand away and said impatiently, “Speak. How are you going to compensate me?”

Zhang Chi dipped some greens into the steaming hotpot, then placed them into Xue Bao Tian’s bowl. “I know you want me to be your bodyguard. Not right now—I’ve got things to handle.”

“When can you?”

Zhang Chi thought for a moment. “After the New Year, probably. I’ll have a three-month window.”

Xue Bao Tian let out a laugh. “And then you’ll go attend a world summit and solve the Israel–Palestine conflict.”

There was a hint of amusement in Zhang Chi’s eyes as he played along. “Whatever you say.”

Zhang Chi’s easygoing nature made Xue Bao Tian feel like he had punched cotton—completely ineffective. Feeling annoyed, he picked up another shrimp and ate it, chewing as he asked, “So what am I supposed to do these next few months?”

“Cause less trouble, Two Hundred. You’re too much.”

“Damn it, I eat two of your shrimp and now you’re lecturing me? Where’s your shame, Zhang Chi?”

The oil at the corner of Xue Bao Tian’s mouth was wiped away by Zhang Chi with a tissue. Xue Bao Tian flushed slightly, glanced around at the other diners, and sharply pulled away. “Cut the clingy nonsense. Stay away from me.”

Zhang Chi straightened his posture as if putting distance between them. But under the table, their legs were even closer—brushing lightly, almost imperceptibly. In the chill of the night air, it created a small pocket of warmth.

“You don’t have any major problems around you. As long as you talk less and clash head-on less, everything can be resolved.” Zhang Chi hurriedly added, afraid of being scolded, “If you run into something you can’t handle, call me—I’ll come help you deal with it. But…”

“But what?”

“I want compensation.”

Xue Bao Tian understood all too well what that “compensation” meant. They had already argued about it several times.

Clicking his tongue, Xue Bao Tian leaned back against the chair and scrutinized Zhang Chi. “Zhang’er, how old are you?”

“Twenty-one.”

“Ever been in a relationship?”

The man beside him hesitated for a moment. “No.”

“Only slept with me?”

Zhang Chi paused, then smiled. “Yeah, only with you.”

For the first time, Xue Bao Tian took the initiative to put an arm around Zhang Chi’s shoulder, speaking earnestly. “Zhang’er, you’re young—it’s normal to have a strong appetite for this kind of thing. But don’t you want a proper relationship, find a proper partner?”

He poured Zhang Chi a drink. “Holding hands, kissing, caring for each other, growing together—isn’t that better than us fighting every time we meet?”

Zhang Chi finished the drink in his glass, then poured himself two more, smiling as he said, “Can’t find one. No one around me likes men.”

Xue Bao Tian grabbed Zhang Chi’s glass and drank it himself, his face tense. “I don’t like men either.”

Zhang Chi usually didn’t talk much, but after drinking, he spoke more. As he drank, he said, “The first time we met, my coworkers invited me to bathe together. After bathing, a bunch of grown men were all thinking about that kind of thing. I made an excuse and left, but on impulse, I went to the bar street. I heard you could find people selling themselves there.”

Xue Bao Tian clicked his tongue twice. “You only started at twenty-one? Been holding it in all these years?”

Zhang Chi was quite frank. “I was young back then. I didn’t dare talk about my sexual orientation, and there was no one like me around, so I just endured it.”

“So you dumped all that pent-up fire on me?”

Zhang Chi smiled and ruffled Xue Bao Tian’s hair. “Actually, I’m not that satisfied with you either. You look cold, your personality is troublesome, your mouth is sharp, and you’re not calm in bed either. But you were the first person I met. If you hadn’t clung to me and refused to let me leave, I might’ve gone into the bar and chosen someone else—I wouldn’t have ended up offending you.”

“Fuck you!” Xue Bao Tian suddenly grabbed Zhang Chi by the neck, leaning in and speaking through clenched teeth in a voice only the two of them could hear. “You’ve been sleeping with me over and over, and you still have the nerve to criticize me like this?!”

“Master Xue,” Zhang Chi patted Xue Bao Tian’s hand, “sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken my honest thoughts and hurt you. I’ll owe you a favor.”

People around them had already started casting curious glances. Xue Bao Tian let go resentfully, pulled out a cigarette, and stuck it in his mouth. “You said it—you owe me a favor. After the New Year, you’ll be my bodyguard for three months. No funny ideas.”

Zhang Chi’s reply came as slowly as the alcohol he poured into his glass. “I’ll try my best.”

That ambiguous answer made Xue Bao Tian uneasy. After thinking it over for a long time, he decided to find Zhang Chi a proper partner.

He took out his phone and contacted the male escort who had run off midway earlier. In just a few sentences, Xue Bao Tian figured out how gay men look for partners.

With a flick of his finger, he got Zhang Chi’s number. While downloading a dating app, Xue Bao Tian mocked him, “You don’t know anything. Did you grow up in a rat hole? With your size, could you even crawl in there?”

With a ding, the app finished downloading. He even helped Zhang Chi register an account. “You need a photo.” He lifted his eyelids. “Got one on your phone?”

Zhang Chi, who had been letting Xue Bao Tian fuss over everything, took a sip of alcohol. “No.”

Click—Xue Bao Tian snapped a photo right up close. “You can choose the type you like on here.” He nudged Zhang Chi’s knee. “What kind do you like?”

Leaning back in his chair, Zhang Chi stared at Xue Bao Tian. After finishing another drink, he said, “Slim, fair, good-looking, quiet, doesn’t curse.”

“Damn you.” Xue Bao Tian randomly selected options and submitted the registration. “Just wait—someone will contact you if they’re interested. Chat a bit, and before you know it, you’ll be together.”

“Have you ever been in a relationship?” Zhang Chi suddenly asked.

Xue Bao Tian picked up a shrimp and tossed it into his mouth, avoiding Zhang Chi’s gaze as he looked toward the dark plastic canopy. “Of course I’ve been in relationships—you think I haven’t? Your Master Xue is battle-hardened, not like you, you little idiot.”

Suddenly, his shoulder grew warm as Zhang Chi leaned closer. “Does being in a relationship feel good?”

“Y-yeah, it’s great. You can get horny whenever you want, and no one scolds you.”

“Is the other person gentle and cute?”

Xue Bao Tian turned his head, his expression cold. “The people I date are all women—big boobs are enough. Who cares if they’re gentle or cute?”

Zhang Chi lifted a hand and quickly brushed against his cheek. “Two Hundred, sometimes you’re actually pretty cute too.”

“Fuck,” Xue Bao Tian shuddered, goosebumps rising all over his body. “Say that kind of thing again and I’ll kill you!”

Just as he was getting worked up, the plastic door of the food stall was pushed open from outside. The cold autumn night wind swirled in, blowing straight into Xue Bao Tian’s mouth.

Zhang Chi subtly straightened his posture, putting some distance between them, and greeted with a smile, “Old Xu, you guys came too?”

Several men dressed like construction workers, around forty years old, gathered around. Looking at the food on the table, one of them laughed. “Chi, looks like you’ve got relatives over—so generous, ordering so much.”

Xue Bao Tian picked up his glass, his tone faintly mocking. “When a grandson treats his grandfather, it’s only natural.” He waved his hand. “Sit, everyone. There’s plenty—eat together.”

The men didn’t stand on ceremony. Laughing and chatting, they sat down and started pouring drinks for Xue Bao Tian. “You look about the same age as Zhang Chi, but your seniority sure isn’t small.”

“I’m six or seven years older than him.” Xue Bao Tian tapped his own head. “When Zhang Chi was little, he had some problems up here—not very bright. His dad didn’t love him, his mom didn’t care for him. Whenever I got something good, I shared half with him. The clothes I wore, I kept for him. Even the paper and pens he used for school were saved from my own mouth. Sigh… you could say I raised him.”

He put on a noble, benevolent expression. “I don’t expect him to repay me—I just hope he can settle down, make a living, and grow some conscience.”

Though the story sounded a bit far-fetched, people tend to be soft toward those who treat them to food. The men kept praising him, and someone even urged Zhang Chi to pour Xue Bao Tian a drink. “Give your little grandpa a toast—he’s had it tough.”

Zhang Chi just smiled. He picked up the bottle and filled Xue Bao Tian’s glass, then said gently, “Master Xue, thank you.”

Xue Bao Tian raised an eyebrow and replied coldly, “Grandson, no need to be so polite.”

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