Chapter 22 – The Kiss

The man’s fist halted before Ye Zhou’s eyes, unable to advance any further. It was Guan Heng who intervened from behind him, gripping the assailant’s wrist with just one hand, applying such force that the man screamed in pain like a pig being slaughtered: “It hurts! Let go… let go now!”

Ye Zhou was stunned for a moment before realizing how close he was to Guan Heng, his back pressed fully against the latter’s body. He turned his head slightly and saw Guan Heng frowning, clearly displeased.

It was the kind of displeasure one felt when their belongings were touched.

But at this point, Ye Zhou hadn’t yet realized this. All he could think was that Guan Heng was too manly and too cool.

Guan Heng usually appeared gentle and refined, but it seemed he wasn’t lying about practicing boxing. His reactions were quick, and his grip strength was astonishing. He had subdued the attacker with just one move. This contrast was utterly captivating.

This chaos ended swiftly. Someone had called the police, and they arrived promptly, taking both the man and Ye Zhou back to the station.

The focus of this spectacle was entirely on the two of them; the girl had been completely uninvolved. But she couldn’t just leave after a stranger had stood up for her and helped her out of a tight spot. She finally mustered the courage to follow them to the police station.

Ye Zhou could have spent a delightful Christmas with Guan Heng. But he didn’t expect that his momentary surge of enthusiasm would ruin everything.

He knew his time at the station giving statements wouldn’t be brief, so he didn’t want Guan Heng to wait. He suggested, “Sorry, why don’t you take my car and go back first?”

Guan Heng replied, “It’s fine, I’ll come along. I can be a witness.”

“Erm… It’s going to be boring.”

“Get in the car.”

Ye Zhou couldn’t dissuade Guan Heng, so he reluctantly took him along to the police station.

This wasn’t a criminal case, so giving statements didn’t require entering an interrogation room. Each of the three was questioned separately. The girl specifically requested a female officer to handle her case, but there were no other issues.

Given that Ye Zhou’s initial statement was “I was being secretly photographed,” and later it turned out that the man’s phone did not contain the photos Ye Zhou mentioned, the police specifically asked about this point: “Why did you say that at the time?”

Ye Zhou had spoken with such confidence then, but now he felt embarrassed, not because of any particular reason, but because Guan Heng was watching him.

One always feared losing face in front of someone they liked, and Ye Zhou was no exception. At the time, he was driven by passion, and now, recalling the situation, he felt this reason was too socially awkward, especially since he had shouted it in front of a crowd. Even he, who hadn’t truly been secretly photographed, felt uncomfortable being asked these questions. So it was clear the girl had suffered even more. He spoke honestly, “I didn’t want to embarrass that girl, nor did I want that man to get away, so…”

Ye Zhou sometimes appeared impulsive, but he was a very considerate person, always thinking of others. This could be seen from various details. Guan Heng quietly waited beside him, never taking his eyes off Ye Zhou.

By the time they returned home, it was already past midnight, and Christmas was over. No one spoke during the drive, the atmosphere somewhat somber.

It wasn’t because the date had been ruined, but because Ye Zhou was pondering the words of the police. Although he had given his statement, the likelihood of the case being pursued was slim. The man was a repeat offender and knew how to exploit legal loopholes. The photos he had taken were blurry, and he argued that he hadn’t directly touched the girl’s body, which didn’t count as sexual harassment. For such cunning individuals, the police were helpless even if they wanted to act, able only to record the incident.

Ye Zhou felt inexplicably frustrated, unsure what he was agitated about.

After parking the car outside his house, Ye Zhou took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, trying to dispel the unpleasantness. He quickly adjusted his mood, feeling somewhat guilty toward Guan Heng. After all, he was the one who had invited him out, only to make him wait for two hours at the police station for nothing. He looked at Guan Heng and sincerely apologized, “Sorry, tonight’s date seems to have gone badly. Next time, I’ll definitely—”

However, Guan Heng didn’t mind at all: “You did well.”

Ye Zhou was taken aback. Guan Heng didn’t elaborate, but Ye Zhou understood his meaning. He even felt comforted, as if Guan Heng could understand what he was thinking.

Guan Heng continued, “The law has loopholes, and not every criminal can be brought to justice. This is regrettable, but for the victims, your actions are a beacon of hope in their despair.”

When Guan Heng said this, Ye Zhou suddenly remembered seeing the girl’s boyfriend picking her up when they left the police station. They hugged tightly upon meeting. They had fought during Christmas, which is why the girl had stormed off to the cinema alone, leading to the incident. The girl was indeed introverted and might have been frightened, struggling to speak. Still, in the end, she bowed deeply to Ye Zhou, thanking him for his bravery.

Ye Zhou reflected on this and realized that he was right. A weight seemed to lift from his heart. At this moment, he felt he liked Guan Heng even more.

He looked at Guan Heng, who was also looking at him. Perhaps due to the dim lighting in the car, he felt Guan Heng’s gaze was deeper than usual.

At this point, Guan Heng spoke: “Have you really thought it through, Ye Zhou? People all have flaws; no one is perfect, including me. There’s still time to turn back.”

Ye Zhou had just discovered he liked Guan Heng even more, and there was no way he would turn back now. After struggling for so long, he still liked him, so nothing could stop him: “Do you commit domestic violence?”

Clearly not expecting such a question from Ye Zhou, Guan Heng still answered, “No.”

Ye Zhou smiled at him: “Since you don’t. Then there’s nothing to fear. I know I can’t beat you, and although I may not be able to argue with you either, as long as we can communicate reasonably, we can resolve things. As for flaws, I have plenty myself. I’ve already embarrassed myself in front of you countless times, so I’m not afraid of you laughing. But that’s how relationships are; I don’t see anything to be afraid of. Even if you try your hardest to hide your flaws, I still want to know you better.”

Guan Heng continued asking, “What if it’s something that can’t be reasoned with?”

“I’ll accept it.” Ye Zhou answered with a smile, his eyes clear, “Who told me to like you so much.”

“Guan Heng.”

“Hmm?”

“I like your honesty.”

Guan Heng leaned in, his left hand clasping the back of Ye Zhou’s neck. Ye Zhou’s breath caught, warm breath touching his lips.

Ye Zhou smelled the comfortable, warm woody fragrance emanating from Guan Heng. His hair was held by Guan Heng, his head slightly tilted upward. And when he came to his senses, he immediately wrapped his arms around Guan Heng’s neck, returning the kiss fiercely.

At this moment, Guan Heng’s phone vibrated twice in his pocket, but neither of them paid attention. A few seconds later, the phone persisted, vibrating two more times before finally stopping.

【Guan Heng, you haven’t replied to my messages.】

【I’ve returned to the country.】

【Can I come find you?】

【…I miss you so much.】