The hand holding the cigarette rested lazily against the car window. In the deepening night, the glowing red ember at its tip became increasingly vivid, trailing sparks like flowing sunset clouds scorching through the mountain wind rushing past.
“That was fucking incredible.” Xue Bao Tian flicked the ash with his thumb, grinning as he stared through the windshield at the winding mountain road ahead. “Did you see Huang Song’s expression just now? Like Wu Dalang catching his wife cheating in the act. Damn, it almost made me feel sorry for him.”
Elio’s Note: “Wu Dalang catching his wife cheating” is a reference to the classic Chinese novel Water Margin (Outlaws of the Marsh). Wu Dalang is famously known as the betrayed husband of Pan Jinlian, who had an affair with another man. The comparison is used humorously here to describe Huang Song’s devastated and humiliated expression.
One of Zhang Chi’s hands left the steering wheel long enough to ruffle Xue Bao Tian’s soft hair before he smiled and said, “Put the cigarette out and close the window. Don’t catch a chill. Your voice is still hoarse—drink some water.”
Xue Bao Tian shot him a look and scoffed around the cigarette. “Stop at the viewing platform ahead.”
Chuanyue Mountain was one of Yan City’s famous scenic mountains, best known for its crimson autumn leaves and snow-covered winters. Several viewing platforms had been built along the route. During peak tourist season, they would be packed with people, but on this early winter night, only dry yellow leaves stirred by the mountain wind occupied the place.
The car came to a stop. Xue Bao Tian took out his phone and called Xue Kun again. “Dad, you seriously haven’t signed any equity transfer agreements recently, right? You didn’t transfer any shares under your name to anyone in any form?”
The male voice on the other end rang out like a bell. “You’ve already asked twice! Are you done yet? I didn’t sign anything! If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up. Your sister and I are watching TV right now. Lin Pinru’s husband is such a bastard.”
The call was hung up mercilessly. Xue Bao Tian finally let out a breath of relief. Tossing the phone aside, he started rummaging through the car.
Following his gaze, Zhang Chi looked around as well. “What are you looking for? I’ll help.”
“Something handy enough to kill you with.” Xue Bao Tian bit down on the cigarette and found an emergency window-breaking hammer in the door compartment. He weighed it in his hand and cast a murderous glance toward Zhang Chi’s lower half. “What I really need right now is a pair of scissors.”
Freshly satisfied, Zhang Chi’s temper had become even gentler. Leaning over, he wrapped Xue Bao Tian in his arms and rubbed his back soothingly.
“Master Xue has to understand me too. I’d never seen a scene like that before. My brain overheated for a second and I lost my senses.”
“Your brain overheated?” Xue Bao Tian sneered. “I see it clearly now. Even if you froze to death, you’d still be a shameless bastard who wouldn’t let me go.”
Following along with his complaints, Zhang Chi coaxed him gently. “Mm. Whether alive or dead, I belong to Master Xue.”
This soft-as-cotton version of Zhang Chi only made Xue Bao Tian more furious. He suddenly sprang up from the passenger seat, half-pressing himself over the man as he grabbed him by the throat. “No one’s ever bullied me like this before! Zhang Chi, even a clay figurine has some temper left in it. You wanted a lesson, right? Then today Master Xue will teach you how to behave like a human being!”
Smoke drifted lazily from the cigarette hanging between his lips. Half-squinting, Xue Bao Tian used all his strength on Zhang Chi’s throat.
The space inside the car was cramped, making every movement awkward. Afraid Xue Bao Tian might bump into something, Zhang Chi kept both hands braced protectively at his sides. The skin beneath his palms was firm and smooth enough that he got distracted and rubbed it twice.
They were in the middle of the scuffle when Xue Bao Tian suddenly froze. His furious expression shifted into stunned disbelief as his gaze slowly dropped downward.
Zhang Chi’s slim dress pants hid absolutely nothing. The sight was glaringly obvious.
“Zhang Chi, do you really think I’m that weak? I’m over here fighting for my damn life with you, and you still have the nerve to get turned on?!”
Even Zhang Chi looked a little embarrassed. “I really didn’t mean to. You kept wriggling around, and I was also a little suffocated.”
A vicious grin spread across Xue Bao Tian’s face. “You can get hard from suffocation too? You really are a fucking pervert.” He removed the cigarette from his lips. “Master Xue will suffer a little loss and teach you something else about sex. Want to learn?”
Even knowing the danger, Zhang Chi still indulged his tantrum. “Whatever Master Xue teaches, I’ll learn.”
“So fucking obedient.”
Holding the cigarette between thumb and forefinger, Xue Bao Tian took a deep drag. The smoke only swirled briefly inside his mouth before he exhaled it directly into Zhang Chi’s face. Through the drifting white haze, the anger in his eyes became sharper and sharper. Then his hand descended hard, pressing the burning cigarette through the thin fabric of Zhang Chi’s shirt against his skin.
“Excited?” Xue Bao Tian stared at the instant furrow in Zhang Chi’s brow. “If you like it, next time Master Xue will teach you how to use candles too.”
The crease between Zhang Chi’s brows vanished almost immediately. His pants tightened even further. Slowly, he breathed out a single word: “Okay.”
One hand slid upward from Xue Bao Tian’s waist to the back of his neck. “Then I’ll trouble Master Xue.”
His palm suddenly pressed downward—just like Xue Bao Tian had pressed the cigarette—forcing his head down as Zhang Chi captured his lips in a kiss.
“You really are fucking insane—”
The rest of the sentence was swallowed completely. Xue Bao Tian was dragged tightly into a scorching embrace. Long fingers crushed the cigarette flat before pressing harder through the charred hole burned in the shirt. It was as though some hidden mechanism had been triggered. The plundering inside his mouth instantly turned even more frenzied, like a starving beast finally indulging in a long-awaited feast. Zhang Chi wanted nothing more than to devour him completely, down to the bones.
The seat reclined backward. Dim moonlight spilled through the car windows across smooth skin. The man whose collarbone now carried fresh injuries tightened his waist with increasing abandon. Mid-motion, he reached blindly beside him until he found the cigarette pack. Tearing it open one-handed, he grabbed a loose cigarette at random. For the first time ever, Zhang Chi handed Xue Bao Tian a cigarette himself.
His hoarse voice drifted through the pale moonlight into Xue Bao Tian’s ears. “Master Xue, want one?” Seeing the haze clouding the other man’s eyes, he thrust upward harder. “Hm? Want it?”
The sudden force pulled a low gasp from Xue Bao Tian. Finally exhausted, he collapsed on top of Zhang Chi.
Gathering what little strength he had left, he crushed the cigarette in his hand and snarled viciously beside Zhang Chi’s ear:
“Starting today, I’m quitting smoking!”
Futile Devices Scans 
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