SDT 8

Chapter 8  Thanks for reviewing me, I didn’t even do anything

The sea breeze really did take away some of Lu Kongyun’s heat. If the blackmailer had stopped there, Lu Kongyun might’ve even thought the view was nice. The famous tourist spot did live up to its name.

But the guy kept staring at him, rubbing the second button between his fingers, and opened it too.

Lu Kongyun looked down.

“.”

The fingers moved further down along the edge of the shirt, touching the next button.

When the blackmailer started fiddling with that one, Lu Kongyun caught his hand. “What’re you doing.”

“Aren’t you hot?” The blackmailer said it again, then pointed his chin toward the male tourists on the beach, most of them only wearing shorts.

Lu Kongyun looked at them for a while. “You want me like that?”

“Mm.” The blackmailer smiled.

“Then upload the video,” Lu Kongyun said.

The blackmailer kept smiling and looked straight at him. After a moment, he pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, and handed it over. The screen showed the countdown.

“You can do it yourself. Enter whatever password you like, it’ll auto-upload. Go ahead.”

“…..”

Lu Kongyun figured the man was so calm because of his own impulsive call yesterday.

He still had a copy of the video, not the full version but enough to ruin the blackmail plan. Yet he’d told the man to upload it, then changed his mind, which only confirmed his weakness and made the other even bolder.

Looking at that smug, fearless face, he felt unsettled again.

Lu Kongyun took the phone and threw it far away.

“Fuck!” the blackmailer cursed. “You fucking bastard…”

He got up to retrieve the phone.

By the time he came back, still muttering curses, Lu Kongyun had already stood up and, in a fit of anger, unbuttoned his own shirt quickly. He yanked off the sleeves, and the blackmailer just stared, his throat moving as he swallowed the next insult.

Lu Kongyun pulled off the shirt, unbuckled his belt, and started to tug his pants down.

The blackmailer rushed over and lifted them up again, his expression unusually embarrassed. “You, what are you doing? What are you doing?”

Lu Kongyun looked down at the man holding his waistband. “What. Didn’t you tell me to take it off?”

The blackmailer said, “They’re wearing beach shorts. What’s that under there?”

“Some people wear swim trunks.”

“Swim trunks don’t turn see-through in the water.” The blackmailer glanced down. “Besides, yours is way too noticeable.”

“I thought that’s what you wanted,” Lu Kongyun said.

“…I may not be a good person, but your logic makes no sense,” the blackmailer said. “It’s not like I’ve seen it before, how would I know it’s that noticeable? I even thought since you were ‘not working,’ maybe you were a… small chili pepper.”

“I’m not not working,” Lu Kongyun said. “By your logic, you haven’t tried, so how would you know I’m not.”

“…..” The blackmailer, for once, was speechless.

“You haven’t tried.” For an Alpha to say that to an Omega was low-level harassment. But Lu Kongyun felt no need to apologize to someone who constantly tried to humiliate him, insulted him, mentioned his family every other word, yet acted like the Lu name meant nothing.

The blackmailer tilted his chin toward a nearby beach shop and ordered, “Go buy a pair of beach shorts. Stop blinding nature.”

Lu Kongyun buckled his belt and followed him to the shop.

The storefront was filled with inflatable toys and swim rings. Inside were rows of swimsuits, shirts, and shorts. As soon as they entered, people looked over, their eyes settling on the Alpha.

The blackmailer bumped his arm proudly. “See? You’re popular.”

Lu Kongyun looked down at his half-dressed outfit, formal trousers and a bare chest.

The beach shorts were all colorful, almost the same. The blackmailer grabbed one at random and handed it over. “Go put this on.”

Beside the shack were small outdoor changing stalls. Lu Kongyun took the shorts and walked toward them.

After a while, his head popped out from one of the stalls. “Come here.” Then he ducked back in and closed the curtain.

Outside, the salesgirl was telling Yu Xiaowen, “Sir, these stalls are open-air, not very private. Please be mindful with your partner, and avoid excessive displays of affection.”

Her tone was routine, like she’d said it a thousand times.

The blackmailer laughed, clearly amused. “You’re adorable, you talk so well! Give me two popsicles.”

Soon he lifted the curtain slightly and came inside, holding two ice pops in plastic wrappers.

The space was cramped, barely enough for two men. They stood close, facing each other, and his voice was lower, a little hoarse.

“What is it?”

The blackmailer looked at him. His lashes trembled like butterflies.

“Do Omegas flirt with girls too?” Lu Kongyun said flatly.

The blackmailer paused, then lifted his eyes again. The butterfly wings settled. “Oh? That’s not rare. Male Alphas can go for male Alphas too.”

He said it with teasing sarcasm, the meaning obvious.

The way he pronounced that word “go for” stuck between his teeth, making Lu Kongyun’s irritation rise.

He shouldn’t have spoken to him at all.

“It’s too ugly.” Lu Kongyun pointed to his beach shorts and got to the point. 

The blackmailer tilted his head to look him over. The red patch was still on the back of his neck.

The blackmailer raised his head. “It’s not ugly at all. Everyone wears them.”

“This pattern looks like a poisonous caterpillar.” Lu Kongyun looked away. “I won’t wear it outside.”

“Oh, then don’t go out.”

The blackmailer turned to leave, lifting the curtain, but Lu Kongyun grabbed his wrist. He hadn’t decided what to say, so he just held on for a moment before letting go.

Forget it.

He decided not to waste any more words on him. He reached for his clothes and prepared to leave.

The blackmailer pressed his lips together and slipped out. Soon, an arm reached back in, holding a duller-colored pair of shorts. “No others left. Change into this.”

This pair was covered with coconut trees and ocean waves, a perfect blend of dizzy and fresh.

At that point, Lu Kongyun had no more complaints. He took the shorts, set them aside, and changed.

When he came out wearing the wave-print shorts, carrying his clothes, the blackmailer was gone. He looked around but couldn’t find Yu Xiaowen anywhere. The salesgirl, gnawing on sunflower seeds, said, “Your partner ran away.”

Lu Kongyun froze for three seconds.

“…Ran away?”

“There was a guy on the road who snatched a lady’s purse, and he ran after him,” she said, pointing.

….

Yu Xiaowen couldn’t run much anymore, and soon his vision went black. He wanted to stop and give up, but his pride wouldn’t let him catch even a small-time bag snatcher. He moved forward instinctively. He saw the man slow down, even stumble, and then he turned into a small alley. The alley was full of obstacles, which would hinder running speed, and he knew the crisscrossing alley very well. So he gathered his strength and ran into the alley.

He saw the man slip into a narrow gap between two buildings.

He thought for a moment, then ran around the other way.

After half a loop, he hid by a public restroom. Soon, he heard stumbling footsteps coming closer. The sound drew near. As soon as it reached him, Yu Xiaowen leaped, tackling the man to the ground.

“Ah!”

The man yelled. The red designer backpack flew out of his hands, and the two struggled on the ground.

Yu Xiaowen preemptively pinned the man down, “Don’t move!”

But he’d spent all his strength running. After a short scuffle, he started to lose power. They rolled around, and the thief ended up on top, grabbing his throat.

The thief’s adrenaline was so intense that he attacked without mercy: “Why did you chase me? Just for a bag! Just for a fucking bag! You chased me all this way! You idiot!”

…Even a thief was beating him now.

He briefly thought maybe dying in the line of duty was better than wasting away sick in bed.

His head throbbed, his mind blurred, and the world turned red. His hand brushed against a stick. If he thrust it into the guy’s right eye, he’d be free. But killing wasn’t worth it.

…Maybe the nose instead.

He adjusted his grip.

At this moment, there was a dull sound, and the thief’s body stiffened and fell to the side.

Yu Xiaowen stretched out his body, his limbs exhausted, and took a few breaths, then raised his hand to wipe his blurry eyes. After a while, when his vision returned, he saw his victim standing across from him in beach shorts, holding a coconut as a murder weapon in both hands, looking down at him.

The man had a plastic bag over his arm, inside were his old clothes and another coconut.

Lu Kongyun took a few sips from the one he held until the straw made a hollow “slurp.” Then he tossed the empty shell into a nearby bin.

His tone stayed calm and cold. “Omegas aren’t suited for police work.”

“…..”

Yu Xiaowen didn’t like to hear that. If Lu Kongyun had met him a year earlier, he wouldn’t have said such nonsense. 

He lay on the ground for a while to relax, then slowly got up. He pulled two plastic ropes from the pile of rags tied up nearby, squatted down, and tied up the thief’s hands and feet.

He observed the thief and asked Lu Kongyun, “How much force did you use just now? Is he okay?”

“I cut off his central nervous system’s consciousness switch. He’ll be out for about fifteen minutes,” Lu Kongyun said.

Yu Xiaowen laughed, clapped his hands, stood up, and leaned on the wall.

“As expected, you’re my favorite Doctor Lu.” He was tired and too lazy to open his mouth, so his pronunciation sounded a bit frivolous.

Lu Kongyun: “You should say thank you.”

They weren’t at the beach anymore, and standing there in beach shorts felt awkward. Lu Kongyun pulled his shirt from the bag and put it on, tugging out the wrinkles.

Yu Xiaowen walked over and smoothed the creases down his back with both hands.

“Thank you.”

The man’s movements stopped. He turned slightly but said nothing.

Yu Xiaowen stepped around to the front and buttoned his shirt for him. He looked up at him. Those fine-looking eyes were calm, still and deep like water.

That only made Yu Xiaowen push his luck, fastening the buttons slowly.

Lu Kongyun must’ve run hard earlier. His body was a little damp, mixed with the faint scent of his pheromones.

Compared to that crazy release in the car… this smelled more like what he remembered.