A black Jeep skidded to a halt in front of Yuyang City Bureau and the window rolled down, showing a muscular man with a scowling face. His short hair was meticulously styled with undercut on both sides with red highlights streak like crimson lightning. He had at least three piercings on each ear. The toned arm that was resting on the window was inked with huge tattoos that trailed up to the part covered by the sleeves.
"Hey," he called out.
A young traffic cop lifted his head and his knees instantly weakened. Goodness, a thug had come to the police station! What should he do?!
"Y–Yes?" He squeaked out. "How may I help you, sir?!"
The man tilted his head to the empty parking slot. "Can I park here?"
"T–That's reserved for our officers, Sir. But if you need it urgently… I–I can give you a ticket. It's 200 yuan..." The traffic cop inwardly mourned his fate. To demand money from a thug, did he have a death wish?!
However, the thug only gave a short, "'Kay."
He fished out his wallet and handed 1000 yuan over to the dazed little cop, all the while with a permanent scowl on his face. Then he suddenly lifted his hand and the poor traffic cop instinctively squeezed his eyes shut, crying inside, 'oh my God, oh my God, now he's going to take my front teeth for this 1000 yuan!' but the hit didn't come. Instead, a soft pat landed on his head.
"You're too thin. Keep the change and buy yourself some snacks." He began to roll his window up only to pause. "It doesn't count as bribery, does it?"
The young traffic cop, who was bewildered by this gap moe, stuttered out. "I–I am not sure…"
He shrugged. "Well, you only need to tell no one."
Jia Molei smoothly parked his Jeep right amidst the two sleek black sedans belonging to some Directors of the Bureau and made his way in, strapping a big box to his shoulder. His gait was imposing and his frown deepened as he took in the stale air freshener in the room.
The security guard was alarmed at once at this behavior that seemed as if he was seeking a fight. "Sir, may I check your belongings please?"
Jia Molei stared at him silently for two seconds, almost making him fidget, before he placed the big box on the table with a resounding bam, causing eyes to turn to them in surprise. He clicked it open to show… rolls of gauze, bottles of medicines, stethoscope, sphygmomanometer[1] and a few packs of soft bread…?
"O–Oh, are you a doctor?"
Jia Molei pulled out his Doctor ID Card. "I am here for He Juan. I heard he is… the prime suspect for this morning's murder case." He spat out the words in distaste as if they had offended his ancestors.
Ten minutes later, Jia Molei was escorted to the interrogation room. He scowled at the officer who led him in. "He's not the suspect. What are you treating him like a criminal for?"
"That is not yet confirmed." Mu Yuze replied, equally cold. The lines of his body were tense and he squared his shoulders, as if unwilling to be seen as the smaller one between the two. "As of now, we are still doing further investigation."
"Further investigation…" Jia Molei chewed on the words and sneered. "Well, do what you need to do. If something happens to him, then I will sue you all." He waltzed past the frowning officer and slammed the door open, shocking the man who was sitting inside.
He Juan snapped his head up in surprise. He was just starting to doze off after being left alone for more than half an hour when the door suddenly issued a bang. When he caught sight of that scowling figure, He Juan's lips instantly stretched into a dazzling smile. "A-Lei! Fancy seeing you here. How are you today?"
Jia Molei once again set his medicine kit on the table with a loud bam and pointed at He Juan's nose. "Don't give me that tone. You only call me A-Lei when you're up to no good! Tell me, how many days have you moved out again?"
Oh no. He Juan's smile froze and his mask of composure cracked to show the fluster within. Here it was, Jia Molei's infamous nagging that could make one's ears bleed.
Aside from not wanting to worry his best friend slash ex-roommate slash doctor, He Juan didn't want to call Jia Molei because of this. He was older than Jia Molei by three years and moreover, he was an Alpha while Jia Molei was a Beta for God's sake! To be nagged like he was a child was so embarrassing! What kind of Alpha was he to not even be able to take care of himself?
It wasn't like he disliked living with Jia Molei. It's just that… He Juan did not want to be a bother to him anymore. Jia Molei had been the only one who stayed by He Juan's side for the past seven years. It was sufficient to say that without him, He Juan wouldn't even be alive today.
He had wasted seven years of his life helping He Juan get back on track. Seven previous years, helping a stranger who was stranded in a world without memory without any complaint whatsoever. It was already enough.
…was what He Juan wished he could say.
He looked at his condition right now and felt like the future couldn't be more bleak. He asked with a pained smile, "Can you nag me later?"
"No." Of course, Jia Molei was always merciless. He was already opening his medicine kit and took out the sphygmomanometer. He tore open a bag of bread with more force than necessary and He Juan got shivers down his spine. Somehow, he felt as if it would be his turn next to be torn to shreds. Jia Molei shoved the chocolate bread to him. His mouth and hands worked at the same time. "Four days, He Juan. I left you alone for four fucking days and see what kind of mess you have gotten yourself into? How the fuck did you become a murder suspect?!"
He Juan obediently offered his arm and his brows knitted when he heard the crude words. "Language, Molei," he chided softly.
Jia Molei clamped his mouth shut and offered him a glare. But fortunately, he didn't curse anymore and got to his work. It was a familiar procedure. The rubber cuff around his arm, the squeezing sensation, the probing and checking.
He Juan absentmindedly chewed on the bread, his stomach groaning in relief at the presence of food. It reminded him that the last time he ate was yesterday morning's cup noodles. He Juan grimaced, better not say anything about it at all if he did not want to get chewed out again. He was too engrossed in his own thoughts that he flinched in shock when someone suddenly spoke,
"You never say you're ill."
"Ah?" He Juan lifted his head to find Mu Yuze frowning at him. His face immediately burned. Goodness, had Officer Mu always been there all along?! How deep was he in his own thoughts to not realize it? He Juan got the sudden urge to burrow himself under the table and hid in shame. "No, I am not ill, Officer Mu. This is just—"
The blood pressure monitor beeped and Jia Molei clicked his tongue. "A little high, but still within the range of normal. How do you feel? Any headache?"
He Juan tore his gaze away from Mu Yuze's magnetic eyes to give his best friend a reassuring smile. "Of course, I am fine. What can happen to me?"
Alas, because today the universe conspired to go against him, Mu Yuze piped in, "There was an empty bottle of liquor in your trash can and you had a terrible hangover until a few moments ago. Not only that, you confessed that you slept on the kitchen floor last night. You don't seem fine to me at all, Mr. He."
He Juan's eyes snapped to Mu Yuze in horror, which in turn earned him a deadpan look as if the man hadn't just sealed He Juan's coffin. The hair on He Juan's back stood on its end and when he finally dragged his eyes back to Jia Molei, he saw the man gnashing his teeth and his eyes blazed in anger.
Oh.
Oh no.
He Juan's life just flashed in front of his very eyes. He was going to die today, in this cold police station. By the words of the incredibly stunning man he had just met less than twelve hours ago.
"He Juan!" Jia Molei bit out a growl. "Explain!"
.
.
[1] sphygmomanometer: an instrument for measuring blood pressure, typically consisting of an inflatable rubber cuff which is applied to the arm and connected to a column of mercury next to a graduated scale, enabling the determination of systolic and diastolic blood pressure by increasing and gradually releasing the pressure in the cuff.