EIP 38

Zhou Jun didn’t tell Yong Jin about Allen. If Yong Jin went to find Allen, then wouldn’t the Zhou family be implicated in cooperating with the military? Thinking of this, Zhou Jun felt a bit restless. But looking at Yong Jin’s profile as he lay on his side, he didn’t want to leave. He thought about the current turbulent times. With Yong Jin’s identity, perhaps one day, he wouldn’t be able to see him as easily as now.

At that time, would there still be opportunities to lie beside this man? From the very beginning, Zhou Jun had resisted investing in this relationship. Besides the complicated entanglements between them, he was also afraid that perhaps one day… Zhou Jun’s breath tremble slightly. Yong Jin seemed to sense something and turned to look at him.

He didn’t know how his expression looked; it was probably not good. Yong Jin stared at him for a while before asking softly, “Does it hurt a lot?” He thought Zhou Jun’s injury was so painful that it was unbearable, which was why he had that expression. Zhou Jun didn’t deny it; he nodded and said he wanted to smoke. Yong Jin pulled out a familiar object from the drawer. It was the snuff bottle he had lost for a long time.

Zhou Jun stared at the snuff bottle in disbelief, then glanced at Yong Jin’s calm expression. How could someone steal his belongings and act so brazenly about it? Yong Jin said without a hint of shame, “I’ve given you so much. You should return the favor.” Looking down at the small bottle in his palm, Zhou Jun suddenly remembered when it had gone missing and realized Yong Jin had likely taken it during his first visit.

Zhou Jun took a sniff of the snuff and coughed a bit, pinching his nose as he hoarsely said, “If you want, I can prepare a new one for you.” Yong Jin didn’t respond, Seeing that Zhou Jun had stopped using it, he put it away in the bronze box and then back into the drawer. Zhou Jun suddenly understood why Yong Jin insisted on having this item. It was because it belonged to him. He thought that Yong Jin was probably trying to exchange personal belongings. He felt guilty and didn’t dare to say that the snuff bottle wasn’t his. It had been taken from a certain woman’s home. But seeing how much Yong Jin liked it, he decided not to reveal that fact.

However, Zhou Jun felt uncomfortable about it. The precious item that Yong Jin took actually belonged to another woman, and he couldn’t shake off the odd feeling. He leaned halfway onto Yong Jin, asking him to return it and that he would give him something else. Yong Jin wrapped his arms around Zhou Jun’s shoulder and asked, “What else?” Zhou Jun took a piece of jade still warm from his body off his neck and placed it into Yong Jin’s hand.

The jade was of poor quality, shaped like a peach, and truly unattractive. Yong Jin’s fingers brushed over the jade as he asked Zhou Jun about its origin. Zhou Jun said that he had been seriously ill as a child and had nearly not made it through. This jade was given to him by an old blind man whom his mother had helped, claiming it would help him survive.

Zhou Jun yawned, hanging the jade around Yong Jin’s neck. “I’ve given you a protective talisman. No matter what storms you face in the future, you’ll be safe and sound.”

Yong Jin looked at the jade, his fingers tracing its surface, lost in thought. Suddenly, he said, “I don’t believe in these things.” He took the jade off his neck and shoved it back into Zhou Jun’s hands. “I don’t want it.” Zhou Jun didn’t expect him to refuse. His expression darkened as he held the jade. “Even if you don’t believe it, at least accept it.” Yong Jin still insisted he didn’t want it, even teasing him, “You’ve been abroad, how can you still be so superstitious?”

Zhou Jun’s face turned sour. He stuffed the rejected jade into his pocket and turned his back to Yong Jin, but unfortunately, his injury was on the right side, so he couldn’t even lie on his side to sleep. Reluctantly, he lay flat on his back, his face turned away, unwilling to look at the oblivious and ungrateful young general.

Yong Jin also fell silent and turned off the light. In the darkness, he heard Yong Jin say, “Those two movie tickets have expired.” Zhou Jun didn’t respond, and Yong Jin continued, “Do you want to go back?” Zhou Jun replied irritably, “Back where? Are you trying to send me home?” Yong Jin chuckled softly, “I meant back to Germany. You should go back.”

Zhou Jun paused for a moment. “Germany isn’t my home. What’s the point of going there?” After a brief silence, he added, “This is my home. Everything I care about is here.”

With the lights out, Yong Jin didn’t say anything further. Zhou Jun woke up as dawn broke, while Yong Jin was still asleep. He looked so peaceful, as if Zhou Jun were the person he trusted most. Zhou Jun had thought before that if Yong Jin took him back to the mansion, he would definitely want to explore that place.

He hoped to find something useful for his elder brother, to make up for the mistakes of this useless younger brother. But now he didn’t dare to do so, nor did he want to. No wonder people say that one’s elbow tends to turn outward; human hearts are biased. He still couldn’t quite gauge his position in Yong Jin’s heart, so he placed Yong Jin first in his own heart. Clearly, just yesterday morning, they were still arguing.

Zhou Jun smiled, a bit sweetly. The smile tugged at his wound, causing him to frown in pain. He took the jade pendant out of his pants pocket and hung it on the branch of the rose. He inhaled the fragrance of the rose and then snuck a kiss on the bed. It’s said that people are more delicate than flowers, and the major general’s beauty was unmatched. He leaned against the headboard for a long time, admiring it, before cautiously opening the drawer to steal the snuff bottle. As he took the snuff bottle, his gaze paused briefly, then he looked up at Yong Jin.

Yong Jin lay with his eyes closed, his breath long and steady, and his hair fell loosely across his forehead. Zhou Jun looked at his face and thought of the pocket watch, later realizing that Yong Jin was actually two years younger than him.

He felt that his actions were all quiet, and the major general was unaware. He retraced his steps and went out through the window. The window was slightly ajar, and the coldness of winter crept in through the curtain, lowering the temperature inside the room. The fire in the fireplace gradually faded, and Yong Jin opened his eyes. He leaned against the headboard and lit a cigarette, finally pulling open the drawer.

Beneath the copper box for the snuff bottle lay a classified document that Yong Jin had deliberately placed there for Zhou Jun to see. Last night, he had opened the drawer several times in front of Zhou Jun, so he must have noticed. Now, with this intact item lying there, Yong Jin felt perplexed. He wasn’t sure what Zhou Jun truly wanted. The charming young playboy, who enjoyed teasing him, was difficult to read, and their differing perspectives made things even more complicated.

The smoke surrounded him like a haze, filled with Zhou Jun’s alluring eyes and sweet words. Yong Jin closed his eyes, his brow furrowing as he wrestled with his feelings. He wanted to trust him but was afraid to. It felt wrong, and deep down, he knew he should let go. While the aide was driving, he glanced at Zhou Jun in the rearview mirror and saw him squatting by the roadside, looking vulnerable in a way that made his heart tremble. But he didn’t turn back. He convinced himself that it was time to sort things out.

That night was indeed a night of intoxication, filled with muddled words. At the time, he didn’t believe any of it, but the memories lingered. He recalled the garden full of roses, bathed in moonlight, the bed, and the faint scent of cigars. Eventually, he started smoking cigarettes himself; they were addictive, like everything that could lead to obsession, something frustrating and uncontrollable.

Yet Zhou Jun still barged in, wounds all over his body and an infuriating smile on his face. It was as if he saw a piece of himself in Zhou Jun’s eyes, who had just mocked his naivety and immaturity that morning, saying he should eventually get married. Yet here he was again that evening, bruised and battered, coming to profess his love.

Yong Jin thought he was being rational, but his defenses kept falling apart. He ignored his officer’s warnings and let Zhou Jun come in. He even went to bed without any guard up, thinking that if Zhou Jun really wanted something from him, then it was fine. Maybe afterward, he could finally move on. He didn’t want to keep acting irrationally like he was now, ignoring the consequences of his choices.